ABCNews.com(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump in a tweet Tuesday morning appeared to suggest that a top aide to Hillary Clinton should be punished and possibly jailed for her handling of certain emails while at the State Department.



"Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid [sic], 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," he wrote.



The tweet stems from the release of a cache of Abedin's emails by the State Department as a result of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group.



Abedin's emails became a part of the 2016 presidential campaign when the FBI announced days before the election that investigators would re-examine Clinton's use of a private email server. It was later determined that Abedin had forwarded some emails to personal devices used by both she and her then-husband, the disgraced former Rep. Anthony Weiner.



Last Friday the State Department released 139 emails and documents of Abedins.



The released emails included five that were marked classified, but only after they were initially sent or received. Before releasing the emails, the State Department reviewed them, labeling them as "confidential," the lowest level of classification.



Former FBI Director James Comey spoke about the nature of Abedin's email usage when he testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee in May 2017. He said Abedin appeared to have a "regular practice" of forwarding classified emails to Weiner.



According to Comey, Abedin would send them to Weiner so he could print them out as "a matter of convenience."



Comey said the FBI completed the investigation into Abedin and couldn't prove there was any criminal intent, which is required in order to classify something as a criminal act in this situation.



"We didn't have any indication she had a sense what she was doing was in violation of the law," Comey said.



Trump's apparent attack on the Justice Department comes days after he asserted that he has full control of the department.



"I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department," he said in an interview with New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt while in Mar-a-Lago over the holidays.

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The National Security Strategy (NSS) launched on Dec. 18 by US President Donald Trump contains several important points that should not go unnoticed. The NSS maintains the policy line of earlier American administrations, but puts the emphasis on slightly different points. The main line of the strategy is what the president persistently emphasized during the election campaign: America First. This policy is of course appealing to the American people, but it may not be as appealing for non-Americans.

As Arab News writes in an article "How will Turkey fit into new America First policy?", using foreign policy issues to divert the attention of the electorate is a practice that leaders resort to from time to time, and Trump is no exception. Declaring ambitious targets is always attractive for the domestic audience and superpowers have the means to achieve them. However, it is another subject to see whether it is worth achieving such targets in exchange of what it costs in terms of finance, politics and diplomacy. Unlike earlier NSSs, which used to put US security in the same basket with that of its allies, Trump emphasizes primarily the security of his own country. The only exception is NATO. He has rediscovered the importance of NATO after having used, during his election campaign, a rhetoric that belittled the organization. Another change over time is on Russia. While he did not consider Russia as a threat during the election campaign, he does now. Giving primacy to relations with Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries, with the exception of Qatar, is one of the important features of the document. To counter the increasing role of Iran in the region, the NSS alludes to the formation of a bloc composed of the Gulf countries without mentioning them by name.

Unlike Barack Obama, Trump does not see any inconvenience in using Islam in the same context as extremist ideas and sends a warning to countries that support extremist Islamic ideology.

The promotion of soft power is not a priority in the new strategy and it does not discard the use of hard power if needed.

After the dismemberment of the Soviet bloc, the US was expected to become the sole leader of a unipolar world, but this did not happen. Firstly, because Russia emerged out of the Soviet Unions ashes as an important player and took advantage of American dithering in Syria. Secondly, the hasty withdrawal of the US military from Iraq provided Iran with a suitable ground to settle first in Iraq, then in Syria.

By mentioning that Daesh is not yet eliminated in Syria, the NSS gives hints of the US intention to stay in Syria at least until the question of Bashar Assads future role is settled, but it cannot easily reverse the tide there.

Turkish public opinion was particularly interested in the NSS because of the complicated nature of Turkish-US relations. Trumps National Security Adviser Herbert R. McMaster, a few days after the launching of the NSS, stated that Turkey and Qatar are supporting radical Islamist ideology. Since he is the most important figure in the team that drafted the document, Turkey takes seriously both his statement on Turkey and the text of the NSS. McMasters office later tried to bring clarifications to his statement by saying that Turkey is a NATO ally and partner in the fight against Daesh, but the substance of his initial statement remained unchanged.

There is no direct reference to Turkey in the entire document. It only says in another context: Russia aims to weaken US influence in the world and divide us from our allies and partners, probably hinting at Russias sale of S-400 missiles to Turkey. Turkey has become a target of harsh criticism by the US because of the active role President Recep Tayyip Erdogan played in protesting Trumps decision on Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yldrm said after his talks with Saudi leaders that Turkey and Saudi Arabia agreed on 90 percent of the subjects they discussed. In light of these two parameters, it remains to be seen whether Turkey will be able to develop a balanced policy between its relations with the US and Russia.

To conclude, the strategy document is full of interesting points that have to be taken into consideration across the world and, more particularly, in the Middle East.
A substantial part of the funds promised by the European Union to help Syrian refugees in Turkey is still not being used on the field Turkeys EU Ministry said on Saturday. As New Europe writes in the article Turkey says EU funds for Syrian refugees not used as they should, in the past, Turkey has argued it would be easier to give the money directly to the government  something the EU rejects, saying it always channels humanitarian aid through specialized agencies and non-governmental institutions so it goes directly to those in need.

Of the 6 billion euros agreed upon in two deals in 2015 and 2016, only 1.78 billion euros has been transferred to Turkish ministries and international organizations responsible for implementing the projects, the ministry said in a statement. While Turkey has used more than $30 billion of its national funds for the needs of Syrians who have been in Turkey for approximately seven years, a substantial amount of the 3 billion euros promised by the EU in Nov. 2015 has effectively not been used in the field. Of the 1.78 billion euros transferred so far, it said 1.3 billion went to international organizations, 270 million to the Ministry of Education, 120 million to the Ministry of Health, and 12 million to the Ministry of the Interior. Yet that did not equate to the funds being actively used to meet the needs of Syrian refugees, the ministry said.

In return for funds for Syrian refugees, visa-free travel and revitalized EU accession efforts, Turkey agreed to cooperate in stopping migrants crossing the Aegean Sea to Greece and take back those who do not qualify for asylum. However, relations between Turkey and the West deteriorated in the past year. EU officials have said Turkey has a long path ahead of it before becoming a member of the bloc or being granted visa-free travel. More recently, Turkey has expressed anger that Germany is granting asylum to Turks, more than 400 of them with diplomatic passports and government working permits, accused of participating in a failed coup in July. The failed putsch prompted a purge of the Turkish military, judiciary and civil service which Western countries have criticized as heavy-handed.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas condemned on Tuesday the Israeli parliament's approval of a bill which aims to make it more difficult for upcoming Israeli governments to hand Palestinians parts of Jerusalem under any future peace deal, Middle East Eye reports.

The bill, which amends the Basic Law of 1980 titled "Jerusalem, Capital of Israel", was approved by a 64 to 51 vote. Israel's Basic Laws are its equivalent of a constitution.

Abbas said he considers the legislation to be "a brutal war on the Palestinian people and their land and holy sites".

"This voting should remind the international community that the Israeli government, with the full support of the US administration, is confronting a permanent and just peace, and systemically imposing an apartheid regime in all of Palestine," he said.
The Turkmen police are evacuating an d arresting cars of dark colors for more than 2 months, AKIpress reported citing the Chronicle of Turkmenistan.

A few days ago, the arrested cars were returned to their owners but with the request to repaint them in white or light colors.

The RFE/RL also reports that the black cars are evacuated directly from the parking lots and transported to the parking lot of the traffic police.

Exploitation of black cars in Turkmenistan will be banned since January 2018.

The new requirements led to the increase of prices of services for repainting cars in car-care centers. Painting of car before cost $500, now it costs already $1000.

Import of black cars in Turkmenistan was banned since January 2015. At that time, the customs officials could not explain the ban.
UK Foreign secretary Boris Johnson yesterday called for Iran to engage in meaningful debate about issues raised by protesters which he said were legitimate and important, as the worst wave of unrest in almost a decade in the Middle Eastern country continued, Reuters reported.

Johnson called for freedom of expression and the right to demonstrate peacefully to be respected, after street protests continued for a fifth day and with 13 people reported to have been killed on Monday.

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, he said in a post on Facebook.
At least 22 people, including a police officer, have been killed in anti-government protests across Iran, officials said, Yeni Safak reported.

At least five people were killed Monday in protests in Isfahan province, according to Iran's state-run Asriran news agency. One police officer was killed and three others injured during protests in Najafabad city near Isfahan.

According to Iran-based news outlet the Young Journalists Club, a protester opened fire on police officers with a shotgun, wounding four at the scene. One of the officers succumbed to his wounds.

Lawmaker Hedayatollah Khademi said two people were killed in Izeh town in Khuzestan province Sunday night, the Iranian Labour News Agency reported.

In addition, at least 400 people have been arrested during the protests, including 200 in the capital Tehran. The other arrests were reported in the cities of Arak, Isfahan and Robat Karim and West Azerbaijan province.
Iran re-opened two crossings with Iraqi Kurdistan on Tuesday that it had closed after a referendum in favor of independence for the semi-autonomous region, The Jerusalim Post reports with a reference to Iran's ISNA news agency.



After the referendum in September 2017, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered troops to take control of areas claimed by both Baghdad and the Kurdish government. Abadi wants to take control of the border crossings between the Kurdish region and Iran, Turkey and Syria, including one through which an oil export pipeline crosses into Turkey.



Iran, which has its own Kurdish minority, also opposed independence for Iraqi Kurds, and at the request of Baghdad closed its borders with the Kurdish region in northern Iraq and halted all flights there and back.
Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed to crush one of the biggest shows of dissent against the government in years, as days of confrontations between demonstrators and security forces turned deadly in a western province, TIME reports.

The guard  whose mandate is to safeguard the Islamic Revolution  warned late Saturday that it would respond with a hard punch if demonstrations didnt stop. Two protesters were killed in Dorud in the province of Lorestan late Saturday during clashes with security forces, Habibollah Khojastehpour, deputy for political affairs for the province of Lorestan, said in an interview posted on the website of Irans state broadcaster.

The protests, which began in the northeastern city of Mashhad on Thursday, present a serious challenge to President Hassan Rouhani and the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Protesters first took aim at rising food prices and corruption, driven partly by a sense that the July 2015 nuclear deal hasnt delivered the broad economic recovery many were expecting. By Friday, the dissent spread to other areas, and evolved into a wider condemnation of the clerical establishment and security forces.
Israel's air force struck a Hamas military facility in the Gaza Strip early on Tuesday morning, citing a rocket fired at Israel hours before as the reason for the attack, the army said, Bernama reports with a reference Xinhua news agency. "An AIF (Israel Air Force) aircraft targeted a military compound belonging to the terrorist organisation Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip," a military spokesperson said in a statement.



The strike took place on the night between Monday and Tuesday. The army said the reason for the attack was a rocket fired by Gaza militants on Monday night, which hit an open field near a community in the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel. No injuries or damage were reported.



No organisation immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket. The military spokesperson said that the strike targeted a Hamas compound because "the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) holds Hamas solely accountable for events in the Gaza Strip."
Italy would continue strengthening the OSCEs work to address protracted conflicts through the existing formats.

Italys Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said in his article posted on the OSCE website on the Italian 2018 OSCE Chairmanship priorities, Trend reports.

He said that Italy would continue the work of the OSCE Minsk Group and the efforts of its three Co-Chairs in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
As the Iranian experts said, the plight of the people in the Islamic Republic could really push Iranians to speak out against the government. One of the sources of protesters is the state institutions, where delays in wages became a natural thing, some people do not see the money that the state owes them for many months.

An increase in the tax on leaving the country could serve as a trigger. If before Iranians paid 75 thousand tomans ($ 21) for the first departure from the country per year, now the tax has been increased more than twice - up to 155 thousand tomans ($ 43.5). The second trip will cost 255 thousand tomans ($ 71.5), and the third - 355 tomans ($ 99.5). This clear attempt to solve the budget problems at the expense of citizens was imposed on a larger factor of discontent - the weak state support of Iranians who suffered the devastating earthquake last fall while maintaining financial assistance to Syria and Lebanon.

The Senior Researcher of the Center for Middle East Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Lana Ravandi-Fadai, analyzed the possible reasons of the protests in a conversation with a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza.

The expert drew attention to the fact that the protests have several dissimilar reasons, both internal and external. "Many in the country believe that demonstrations are primarily related to unemployment and the plight in Iran. The students holidays also made its contribution - a social group, which was always the most organized force for protests. There are others who talk about the western wake and the riots planned by the US. It should be noted that all the factors influence - both unemployment and the extremely low living standards of Iranians, the student factor and Western influence, " she said.

Lana Ravandi-Fadai explained the influence of Western forces in Iran. "I would not be surprised if the subversive activities of special foreign services turns out to be true. The fact is that many Iranians, almost half of them, have relatives in the US and Europe. Many of these relatives are educated in the US and then return to Iran. Any brainwashing and, in general, the West's influence on people who live there and return to the republic cannot be ruled out, although it would be an exaggeration to say that it was only Washington that organized all and raised them to protests. The attention is drawn to the fact that the protests are directed against Ali Khamenei (the conservative spiritual leader) and Hassan Ruhani (the reformist president) - it rather points to the work of the US agents," she said.

Iranian sources confirm that, first of all, demonstrations broke out in Mashhad and other religious cities of the country - Isfahan, Ahvaz, Kermanshah. People who went to the streets of Mashhad initially staged a protest against the sharp rise in food prices, but they were joined by opponents of the reformers who proclaimed political slogans against the government and Hasan Ruhani while expressing support for Ebrahim Raisi.

It is significant that the Iranians themselves, with whom Lana Ravani-Fadai had the opportunity to talk, assured her that they were waiting for an early end to the unrest. "What is happening in Iran, shows that not everything is so calm in the country, and I can not agree with the position that everything will be fine after that. The current events should be treated with all seriousness, because these cracks in the Iranian society can lead to the beginning of the loosening of something more fundamental, including the new negative processes in the region as a whole, the expert concluded.
Syrias government expressed solidarity with Iran and demanded interference in its internal affairs stopped, the Syrian Arab News Agency(SANA) said on Tuesday, TASS reports.

"Syria expresses full solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran, emphasizing the importance of respecting Irans sovereignty and not interfering in its internal affairs," the agency quoted an official source at the Foreign and Expatriates Ministry as saying.

"Syria expresses strong condemnation and absolute rejection of the stances adopted by the US administration," SANA reported, referring to the source.

"Such stances, according to the source, confirm the destructive role of those countries in destabilizing the region with the aim of controlling it, seizing its resources and national choices, weakening the resistance axis in the region following the failure of the conspiratorial scheme thanks to the victories achieved against the Takfiri terrorist groups in Syria, and Iraq as Iran was a main partner in those victories," SANA said.
International sanctions and other measures enacted against North Korea are starting to have an impact, US President Donald Trump said in a statement on Tuesday, Trend reported citing Sputnik.

"Sanctions and 'other' pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea," Trump said in a Twitter message.

The president has commented on the recently introduced additional UN Security Council sanctions against Pyongyang aimed at hampering the development of North Korean nuclear weapons, after the country has repeatedly carried out nuclear and weapons tests, despite the UNSC's actions.

The latter comment comes in the wake of Seoul proposing to hold high-level talks on January 9 with Pyongyang at the demilitarized zone between the two countries. The move was prompted by the North Korean President, Kim Jong Un's New Year address to the nation, in which he expressed hopes that the country's athletes would take part in the upcoming Olympic Games set to take place in South Korea.

However, Pyongyang might reportedly insist on the suspension of military exercises between the United States and South Korea on the peninsula and on Washington's cessation of strategic asset deployments on South Korean territory.

In his speech, Kim Jong Un stated that the year 2018 will mark the 70th anniversary of North Korea's founding, noting that thanks to the Olympics this year "will also become a significant year for the North and the South."
HCM CITY  Phu Nhuan Jewelry Joint Stock Company (PNJ) plans to open 67 new stores this year, with a focus in HCM City, the southeast region and the north.

The simultaneous opening of stores and expansion of the distribution system shows that PNJs strategy continues to focus on its core jewellery business.

Last year, the company opened 50 stores, raising the total number of its stores nationwide to 269.

The company has also launched many attractive promotion programmes to mark the opening.

For instance, at its latest store opened on December 29 on Luy Ban Bich Street in Tan Phu District, HCM City, the company offered discounts of 2-10 per cent on gold jewels and gifted helmets for customers buying VN15 million (US$660) or more until January 14.

A PNJ spokesperson said the continuous expansion of the retail network aims to confirm its strategy of focusing on its core business while also meeting demand during the year-end shopping season.

PNJ is the only jewellery company among the Top 50 Most Valuable Vietnamese Brands 2017 announced by Brand Finance last month.

The company ranked 23rd among the 50 most valuable Vietnamese brands in 2017, with its brand value worth $98 million, an increase of 21 per cent over 2016.

Total brand value of the Top 50 stands at $11.27 billion, an increase of 32 per cent against last year.  VNS
HA NOI  Small and medium sized firms are being crushed and elbowed out in the increasingly fierce competition to become a supermarket supplier.

This has sparked accusations of unfair purchase policies and the counter response that supermarkets make rational buying decisions and are willing to help producers and distributors.

With supermarkets occupying an increasing share of the retail market, supplying consumer goods to this channel has become more important.

Ngo uc Sinh, chairman of Hoa Binh Provinces Kim Boi Agriculture and Forestry Products JSC, told the Public Security News (Cong An Nhan Dan) newspaper, official information channel of the Ministry of Public Security, that there seemed to be no uniformity or reliability in assessing goods and choosing suppliers.

Speaking at a networking event organised by the HCM Citys Department of Industry and Trade, Sinh said that, having his companys products present in most major supermarkets and convenience stores, he saw that the same product was welcomed by one and rejected by another.

However, Ho Quoc Nguyen, Big C Vietnams head of Public Relations, said as quoted by the paper that supermarkets understand the relationship between producers and distributors.

Even if some small suppliers complain about discrimination, he said he believed the distribution system has done the right job, and was willing to listen and solve firms difficulties.

Nguyen said that his company gave equal treatment to suppliers of all sizes, asking that they meet two basic conditions of clear product origin and certified quality.

If the products have not been periodically tested or do not meet hygiene and safety standards, supermarkets have no choice but to reject them, he added.

Nguyen Huynh Trang, deputy director of HCM Citys Department of Industry and Trade, said that with so many local enterprises looking to enter the supermarket roster, both suppliers and distributors must define key commodities, price strategies and mutual benefit criteria to ensure stable demand and supply.

Big fish, small fish

Despite the claims, however, it does seem that major supermarkets are a playground for large enterprises, not small and medium ones; and the problem does not simply lie in sampling, packaging or price, but financial power and influence. This was elucidated by Ho Minh Chinh, director of HCM City-based K.A.S Sales Training Centre.

He told the Phap Luat Online (PLO), a news outlet of the HCM Citys Department of Justice, that 80 per cent of goods sold in big supermarkets come from the top 20 per cent of companies that are able to offer high discounts and run prolonged advertisement campaigns.

He gave the example of small businesses having to wait up to one year before their products could go on sale in supermarkets due to strict quality inspections, apart from offering trade discounts of between 15 and 25 per cent.

This makes it difficult for the smaller players unable to match their large peers in producing at lower costs and offering lower prices.

He advised that firms choose distribution channels based on their productivity, financial capacity and customer demographic, instead of looking at supermarkets as a be-all-end-all outlet.

Nguyen Thi Binh Minh, LOTTE Mart Vietnams Fresh Food Sales Director, told the PLO that some supermarkets have to extend their account payables for smaller firms to 60 days, as opposed to the 15-30 days payment window.

She said the delay could be blamed on both producers and distributors fault, and suggested businesses have a solid, short-term plan to make themselves known to buyers, so that distributors can avoid having goods on their shelves for longer periods.

She also recommended that firms improve their packaging and labeling, like agricultural products having correct geographical indications, or transparent wrapping showing actual goods inside the package.  VNS
HA NOI  Viet Nam maintained a trade surplus of about US$2.7 billion this year, the same figure as 2016, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

The national trade value in 2017 was estimated at nearly $425 billion, representing a bright spot in the economic picture of the year, the office said. The value of exports was estimated at $213.77 billion, a year-on-year increase of 21 per cent, higher than the annual growth rate of 9 per cent in export value in 2016.

Meanwhile, the value of imports in 2017 was estimated at $211.1 billion, 20.8 per cent higher than 2016.

Foreign-invested companies notched a trade surplus of $28.8 billion, contributing substantially to the total national trade surplus, while the domestic economic sector continued to have trade deficit of $26.2 billion.

GSO said Samsungs exports of new products contributed to the strong growth in the countrys export value this year because the group invested in expanding production of export products. At the same time, the expansion of production led to an increase in Samsungs demand for imported machinery, equipment and raw materials.

The office said the FDI sector gained $155.2 billion from the exports, up 23 per cent year-on-year, while the domestic-invested sector achieved $58.5 billion, up 16.2 per cent.

The FDI sector paid $126.4 billion for its imports, an increase of 23.4 per cent. The domestic economic sectors import value surged by 17 per cent to $84.7 billion.

Largest deficit with South Korea

The office said in 2017, China was the largest trading partner of Viet Nam but Viet Nam had the largest trade deficit with South Korea.

Chinas two-way trade with Viet Nam was valued at $93.8 billion, of which exports to China reached $35.3 billion, up 60.6 per cent and imports from China reached $58.5 billion, up 16.9 per cent year-on-year.

However, Viet Nams trade deficit with China was estimated at $23.2 billion, down 17.4 per cent, being the second-largest trade deficit after that with South Korea.

Some Vietnamese commodities to China with strong exports included computers and components (up 73.5 per cent to $3 billion); fruits and vegetables (up 57.6 per cent to $1 billion); and phones and components (up 679.8 per cent to $5.4 billion due to higher demand).

Viet Nams imports of machinery, tools and spare parts increased by 19 per cent to $1.8 billion; of phones and components by 38.2 per cent to $2.3 billion; and of computer, electronic products and their components by 20.3 per cent to $1.2 billion.

Meanwhile, South Korea was the second largest trading partner after China with $61.8 billion in trade value, of which exports were valued at $15 billion, up 31.1 per cent, and imports at $46.8 billion, up 45.5 per cent year-on-year.

Therefore, Viet Nam had the largest trade deficit with South Korean at $31.8 billion, a year-on-year increase of 53.4 per cent.

Viet Nams goods gaining high export value to South Korea included telephones and components (up 48.7 per cent to $1.3 billion); textiles and garments (up 18.4 per cent to $421 million); and computers and components (up 45.1 per cent to $565 million).

The nation also saw rising imports of computers, electronic products and components (up 76.1 per cent to $6.6 billion) and machinery, equipment and spare parts (up 50.1 per cent to $3 billion).

The US ranked third in two-way trade with $50.7 billion, of which export values reached the highest level of $41.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 8 per cent, and import value stood at $9.1 billion, up 4.9 per cent, reported BizLive.

The bilateral trade value with the EU reached $50.4 billion, including export value at $38.3 billion, up 12.8 per cent, and import value at $12 billion, up 7.7 per cent.

The trade value between Viet Nam and the ASEAN market was estimated at $49.7 billion in 2017, including export value at $21.7 billion, up 24.5 per cent, and import value at $28 billion, up 16.4 per cent.

The trade value with Japan stood at $33.3 billion, of which export were valued at $16.8 billion, up 14.2 per cent, and imports at $16.5 billion, up 9.7 per cent.  VNS
To improve openness and transparency, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, MPI, has asked contractors to make their bids accessible to the public on the National Procurement Network (NPN).  Photo baodauthau.vn

HA NOI  To improve openness and transparency, the Ministry of Planning and Investment, MPI, has asked contractors to make their bids accessible to the public on the National Procurement Network (NPN).

The new regulation will be part of the ministrys Circular 06, effective from March 1, 2018, and aims to provide an important legal framework for regulating biddings and contracts while ensuring confidentiality between the contractors and the procuring entity.

The MPIs circular explains the provision of information on selecting contractors while investors and solicitors must provide authorities with at least 12 types of information.

As stated on the MPIs official online news site, baodautu.vn, this decision is a significant improvement in the monitoring and evaluation of bidding activities.

Online registration for bidders on the NPNs e-database consists of four steps and is free of charge, but registration forms can also be sent to the National Bidding Centre in Ha Noi, to be approved within two working days.

The new regulation on disclosing bidding contracts focusses on project information, contractor selection plans and results, as well as possible contract cancellations and other additional relevant information.

With such transparency, investors can feel greater ease in inspecting contractor experience, capacity and performance within the bidding verification and evaluation process. The MPI hopes that it will minimise red tape, waiting times and the falsification of contractor quality.

The MPI is confident that the principle of providing bidding information is objective, accurate, timely and transparent. Information is provided systematically, is linked and in chronological order, in accordance with the law.

Therefore, State management agencies responsible for tendering can completely monitor real estate developers and contractors in real time, and enforce sanctions for any violations.  VNS
HA NOI  It was a positive end for the Vietnamese manufacturing sector in 2017 with the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rising to 52.5 in December from Novembers 51.4, according to the latest survey from Nikkeis IHS Markit that released on Tuesday.

This is also the highest PMI in the last three months of October, November and December.

Nikkei evaluated that one of the factors leading to the improvement in operating conditions was a return to production growth. The modest increase in output in December followed broadly unchanged production volumes in November.

Increased consumer demand also reinforced optimism that output will increase in the next 12 months. Decembers business optimism improved to a nine-month high.

A rising production demand contributed to the 21st consecutive monthly rise in employment at Vietnamese producers. The pace of job creation was the strongest since September.

Costs of raw materials such as oil and steel rose while prices of materials from Chinese suppliers increased, leading to a sharp rise in input costs in December. This led to an increase in output price.

Delivery time of suppliers continued to be extended in December. Members of the survey team said late delivery was mainly due to the shortage of raw materials. Delivery time increased for 11 consecutive months.

Andrew Harker, associate director at IHS Markit, which compiles the survey, said "The Vietnamese manufacturing sector recorded a welcome return to growth of output in December, supported by a solid and accelerated increase in new orders.

"Overall, 2017 has been a positive year for the sector with the average PMI reading the highest since the survey began in 2011. Industry in Viet Nam therefore looks to be in good shape heading into 2018," Andrew added.  VNS
HA NOI  Military-run telecom group, Viettel, posted a profit of around VN44 trillion (nearly US$2 billion) last year, increasing 12 per cent from the previous year.

At its conference to review activities held last weekend, Viettel announced that its total revenue reached VN250.8 trillion in 2017, up 9.4 per cent from 2016.

Despite the group spending a big investment for its 4G network and the largest scale telecoms network in Myanmar, it still yielded a 12 per cent increase in profit in 2017.

Its overseas investment rose by 24.4 per cent, six times higher than the world average.

The local telecom business contributed 65.6 per cent of the groups total revenue, while its overseas investment contributed 12.5 per cent.

Viettel also earned VN12.5 trillion from its production of equipment, including 300 BTS 4G stations. In 2017, it had 25 licences of invention, three times higher than that of 2016 and took the third position in the country.

The giant telecom group contributed VN41.1 trillion to the State budget, up 2.3 per cent from the previous year.

Viettel also received important awards such as the most profitable firm in Viet Nam, the biggest taxpayer in Viet Nam and the company with the highest brand value of $2.6 billion.

The group will target a revenue of VN277 trillion in 2018, increasing 10.5 per cent from last year, and will expect profit to rise by 3.2 per cent to VN45.5 trillion.

Its number of 4G subscribers this year is expected to hit 17 million.

It also plans to improve network quality to bring its 4G data speed to the top 10 of the world.

Viettel will inaugurate its mobile phone services in Myanmar  its 10th foreign market, this year.  VNS
HCM CITY  The Ha Noi-based designer o Trinh Hoai Nams ao dai (Vietnamese dress) collection, called Women in Love, will open the Paris Fashion Week-Haute Couture 2018 on January 23.

The collection features 30 ao dai in silk and satin made in France and Italy. The designs use patterns from Gothic stained glass in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.

Each design of my collection, worth US$10,000-20,000, was made by Vietnamese artisans over a six-month period, said 42-year-old Nam.

Nam will receive full financial support for travel and the catwalk participation from the events organisers.

In September, Nam attended the 26th Couture Fashion Week New York. His ao dai collection, Sen Vang (Golden Lotus), opened the event, together with two designers from Asian countries.

The designs used Vietnamese silk and satin by skilled artisans from Ha ong in Ha Noi as well as Thai Binh and Lam ong provinces.

They have traditional images from the 19th century and are embroidered with images of lotuses and water puppets.

Born in Ha Noi, Nam started his career as a tailor in his village, Xuan inh, which is famous for handicraft products.

In 2003, he rose to fame after wining the Viet Nam Collection Grand Prix 2014 presented by the Viet Nam Design Institute and became one of the finalists at Mercedes Benz Asia Fashion Week 2014.

Nam has attended leading fashion events at home and abroad. His ao dai collections have consistently impressed Vietnamese and foreigners.

His elegant and eye-catching pieces, using high-quality silk, satin, cotton and line, are considered glamorous.

He has worked with movie stars and pop idols and now owns a garment and fashion company as well as a model agency.

Nams shops in Ha Noi and northern provinces offer around 80 designs and accessories each, with a new collection each year.  VNS
To mark the 53rd anniversary of the Palestine Revolution and New Year, the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Viet Nam, Saadi Salama, sends Viet Nam News readers his warmest greetings.

The year 2017 has just ended, marking 70 years since the adoption of the UN partition resolution in 1947, and 50 years since the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, was occupied in 1967.

After 50 years, we are the only people in the world who still live under occupation.

For more than 100 years we have been actively denied our right to self-determination, along with all the hardships associated with the denial of that right,: exile and forced displacement, occupation and subjugation, harassment and incarceration.

No people in the world would tolerate living under these conditions, and we are no exception.

We are mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers. More than anything, we want a safe environment and a future full of opportunity and possibility for our children, our grandchildren, and all future generations of this vibrant and beautiful land.

We are a small, but great nation, proud of our diversity and identity. We educate our children to respect themselves and others by standing up against injustice wherever it is found.

We build our institutions based on the implementation of their responsibilities under international law. Palestinian Muslims, Christians, and Samaritans live and worship side by side, working together towards freedom and justice.

We are a people famous for our hospitality and are keen to achieve our full potential as an independent and sovereign state, welcoming people of all faiths to the Holy Land.

There is no doubt that the balance of power is still weighted firmly against us. But I believe in our people and I believe that, even in these circumstances, we can, and will, prevail.

We have truth on our side and strength in our hearts.

We also have the support of the international community.

This valuable support has always been a source of strength and inspiration for the Palestinian people to continue their struggle for freedom and independence.

The path we have chosen, and the path chosen by the world is that of international law and international legitimacy.

Therefore, we appeal to you to continue to stand firmly for peace, for the respect for international law and the human rights, including the right of self-determination and the inalienable right to independence of the State of Palestine on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side-by-side in peace and stability with neighbouring countries.

In 2018, Palestine and Viet Nam will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. But November 19, 1988, was by no means the beginning of the two countries relationship. Political ties between Palestine and Viet Nam long preceded the establishment of full diplomatic relations and were already very strong in the 1960s.

The relationship between Palestine and Viet Nam is particularly special because we share the same spirit in our struggles and resistances against suppression and invasion.

The leadership and the people of Palestine highly appreciate the consistent support of Viet Nam given to the legitimate struggle of our people for inalienable national rights.

For Palestine, the land still in search of independence, the words Viet Nam have become a symbol of struggling spirit for the national sacred peace. Viet Nam had to suffer lots of sorrow and loss during its struggles against invaders, but nowadays has become an independent and self-reliant nation.

The victories of Viet Nam over the years provide invaluable lessons and inspiration. They are an enormous encouragement for our people to continue their difficult struggle for national independence and freedom.

We are very happy and proud of the achievements of Viet Nam during the oi moi (renewal) process and firmly believe that the Government of Viet Nam will implement more fruitful economic and social development strategies. We would like to warmly congratulate Viet Nam for its successful organisation of the APEC Summit 2017, contributing to the enhancement of the position of Viet Nam in the region and internationally.

We are determined to promote friendly relations between Palestine and Viet Nam in all fields for the benefit of the two peoples.

We aspire that one day in the near future, Palestine will be a completely independent and sovereign state with more opportunities to become an effective bridge between Viet Nam and other countries in the Middle East.

We await the day when we may together celebrate the freedom of our people in an independent State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We welcome you all in a Jerusalem reconciled with its original name, the City of Peace.  VNS
WASHINGTON  Former Fox News anchor Gretchen Carlson has been named the new chairperson of the Miss America beauty pageant, becoming the first former winner to lead the organisation following a scandal over lewd and sexist emails.

Her appointment, announced in a statement on Monday, came just over a week after the resignation of the pageants under-fire CEO Sam Haskell, who had written some of the emails that contained misogynistic, fat  and slut-shaming language.

"Honoured to move this iconic program forward with so many amazing volunteers," the 51-year-old Carlson, who won the competition in 1989, wrote on Twitter.

Carlsons appointment was effective immediately, the organisation said, adding that three other former winners would join the board of directors.

"Most previously serving directors have resigned," the statement said.

Dozens of former beauty queens had demanded that Haskell step down after The Huffington Post published leaked internal emails that included a vulgarity to refer to past winners and the shaming of one over her weight and sex life, with Haskell calling her "a piece of trash".

The news site initially quoted the Miss America Organisation as saying it was notified about the emails months earlier and fired a telecast writer  the "most egregious author of inappropriate comments".

But in a matter of days, Haskell, Miss America president Josh Randle and board chair Lynn Weidner all resigned.

The scandal prompted the shows producers, Dick Clark Productions, to sever ties with the organisation.

Carlson  who is best known for her decade-long tenure as an anchor at Fox News  made headlines in 2016 when she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the networks then boss Roger Ailes, precipitating his departure. The suit was settled for a reported US$20 million.

Commenting on the scandal, Carlson said: "Everyone has been stunned by the events of the last several days, and this has not been easy for anyone who loves this programme.

"In the end, we all want a strong, relevant Miss America and we appreciate the existing board taking the steps necessary to quickly begin stabilising the organisation for the future."  AFP
Known in the West as the Tet Offensive, it was one of the largest military operations of the American War. It involved surprise attacks by the National Liberation Front force and North Vietnamese Peoples Army of Viet Nam on South Vietnamese forces and the United States military and its allies.  VNA/VNS File Photo

HA NOI  President Tran ai Quang has written an article to mark the 50th anniversary of the Mau Than general offensive and uprising in spring, 1968.

Known in the West as the Tet Offensive, it was one of the largest military operations of the American War. It involved surprise attacks by the National Liberation Front force and North Vietnamese Peoples Army of Viet Nam on South Vietnamese forces and the United States military and its allies.

The first attacks took place on the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, when Vietnamese generally relax and enjoy the companion of family. The offensive took place countrywide in a well co-ordinated manner, involving more than 80,000 National Front for the Liberation of Southern Viet Nam soldiers and North Vietnamese troops hitting more than 100 cities and towns across the Central and Southern region.

During the Battle of Hue, the month-long fighting has led to substantial destruction of parts of the old imperial city.

In his article, President Quang highlighted the event as a milestone in Vietnamese peoples warfare and showed the staunchness of the people in the Ho Chi Minh era.

He said five decades after the victory, Viet Nam had recorded significant growth in a fast-changing world. He said this required the whole Party, people and army to make greater efforts and turn challenges into opportunities for national development in politics, economics, culture, social, national defence, security and foreign affairs.

The President said there was a need to build a transparent and strong Party and political system, continue implementing strategic breakthroughs to speed up economic restructuring and increase productivity, efficiency and competitiveness of the economy.

He said it was also essential to actively respond to climate change, manage natural resources, protect the environment and intensify defence and security to safeguard the countrys independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The great spirit during the offensive will continue to strongly encourage the Party, people and army of Viet Nam to overcome difficulties and challenges while seizing new opportunities to develop Viet Nam into a modern, industrialised country."

The State leader called for combined efforts to uphold the spirit of patriotism, self-reliance, dynamism and creativity, and to develop Viet Nam into a powerful country with rich people living in an equal, democratic and civilised society, firmly advancing to socialism.  VNS
NEW DELHI  A Viet Nam-Ho Chi Minh book room, the first of its kind, was inaugurated in New Delhi, India, on December 29.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Ton Sinh Thanh introduced a collection of nearly 1,000 book titles written in English about different areas, ranging from history, culture, people, religion, heritage to political, socio-economic policies and achievements of Viet Nam.

Several books feature Viet Nam-India relations as well as President Ho Chi Minh, a national liberation hero, a cultural celebrity honoured by UNESCO and a great friend of the Indian people, he said.

Thanh said the inauguration of the book room was the final event hosted by the Vietnamese Embassy in India this year as part of celebrations marking the 45th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties.

He expressed his belief that such efforts will push forward the practical development of the Viet Nam-India comprehensive strategic partnership in the future.

Deepika Pokharna, director of the Indian Ministry of Cultures National Mission on Libraries and Anthropology, said the book room is expected to strengthen friendship and collaboration between the two countries, and hoped that more similar rooms will be opened in India.

The book room is located at the Central Secretariat Library of India that was founded in 1891 with about 650,000 volumes at present.  VNS
Leaders of the Communist Party, State and Government of Viet Nam on December 31 extended their congratulations to their Cuban counterparts on the 59th anniversary of Cubas Revolution Day (January 1, 1959-2018). Photo infonet.vn

HA NOI  Leaders of the Communist Party, State and Government of Viet Nam on December 31 extended their congratulations to their Cuban counterparts on the 59th anniversary of Cubas Revolution Day (January 1, 1959-2018).

The messages, sent by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam Nguyen Phu Trong, President Tran ai Quang and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, were addressed to Raul Castro Ruz, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Councils of State and Ministers.

Also on the occasion, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan cabled a congratulatory message to President of Cubas National Assembly of Peoples Power Esteban Lazo Hernandez.

The same day, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh sent his greetings to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.

Viet Nam and Cuba established diplomatic ties in December 1960 and since then, Viet Nam has grown to become Cubas second largest trade partner in the Asia-Pacific region and tenth in terms of total trade turnover.  VNS
MEKONG DELTA  The ong Thap Muoi (Plain of Reeds) area in the Mekong Delta, known for its agricultural prowess, is in need of major agricultural reform to reach its true potential, experts have said.

Authorities in the Plain of Reeds region, which spans Long An, Tien Giang and ong Thap provinces, have been dealing with the effects of climate change and rising sea levels, including drought, floods and saltwater intrusion.

Last year, for example, salt intrusion affected around 10,000 hectares of rice crops in the region.

At a conference about the effects of climate change on the Mekong River, Dr Nguyen Van Khang, chairman of the Tien Giang Union of Science and Technology Association, said that increased demand for hydroelectricity was affecting the flow of the Mekong River, leading to a drop in silt, an important element for soil fertility.

Truong Huu Tri, director of the Go Gon Farmer Cooperative in Long An Provinces Tan Hung District, said that officials must work to train farmers about new farming techniques since some of them were still reluctant to use advanced technology.

Many farmers are also pursuing inefficient methods. For example, pineapple farmers in Tien Giang Provinces Tan Phuoc area, well-known for pineapple cultivation, have not made enough profit during this years harvest season.

ang Van Hoa, a pineapple farmer, said: Traders are only paying VN1,5004,500 for each pineapple, which is a lot lower than the mid-year price. Most of us can only break even.

Although demand for pineapples continues to be stable, the spike in output during the peak season has resulted in lower prices.

Farmers have been urged by Hau Giang Provinces Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to join farmer cooperatives and spread the harvest throughout the year, rather than harvesting the entire area at the same time.

ao Van Ho, director of the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Centre for Agriculture, said that more modern technology and better farming techniques should be used to cut costs and improve productivity as well as the quality of goods.

According to Ho, the increased demand for high-quality products has led to a need for a better agricultural value chains. Distribution channels that keep track of the origin of crops, for example, are needed to ensure health standards, while regional markets need to be more standardised to ensure quality standards.

Reform measures

At a recent conference about ong Thap Muois agricultural development, Dr ang Kieu Nhan from the Mekong Delta Development Research Institute said that industrial and service sectors must be involved in agricultural reform and be a part of the value chain, including producing a wider variety of processed products for different market segments.

Environmental protection and infrastructure development are also needed to improve the regions agriculture, Nhan added.

At the conference, Le Van Hoang, director of Long An Provinces Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that more research on better-yielding crops is needed to replace low-yielding crops now being cultivated.

ong Thap Province was chosen for a pilot run to test agricultural reform policies three years ago, which included the application of modern technologies and farming techniques, promotion of processing of goods, and selection of better crops for cultivation and export.

The province has also encouraged farmers to form social clubs to share farming techniques.

Tran Van Binh, president of a social club in Tan Quy ong District, said: Previously, some households kept their secrets and techniques to themselves, but now all members of the club share their knowledge and learn from each other. So a lot of households have benefited.

Farming experts have also been helping connect farmers with better distribution channels and educate them about new techniques and market demand.

Officials in the area are looking to apply these policies to the rest of the Plain of Reeds region.  VNS
HCM CITY  The usage of online public services at the district level in HCM City has gained significant progress, according to the HCM Citys Information and Communications Department.

In 2017, the number of files resolved through online services increased 3.6 times, from more than 81,600 in 2016 to about 294,100 by the end of August, excluding files dealing with taxation, customs, social insurance and immigration.

In District 4 and Binh Tan District, all labour files were submitted online and Binh Thanh District received 100 per cent of its economic files through the internet.

To disseminate information about online public services, district staff have showed their colleagues at commune level how to use online services for their work and local residents.

All information has been listed in headquarters of all communes and districts. Eighteen of 24 districts have set up advisory teams for online public services.

This year, the city has launched 236 new public services and prepared to release 148 others in 2018, Vo Thi Trung Trinh, deputy head of the department was quoted as saying in the Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon) newspaper.

HCM City has a total of 552 online public services, an increase of 97.5 per cent in comparison with 2016.

However, such results havent met the expectations of local authorities and residents, Trinh added.

She said that in some localities local residents showed little trust in online services.

Many people thought they should not submit their files via the internet because they had spent a lot of time coming to management offices, but their files still need a long time to be resolved, she added.

She also pointed out that relevant authorities had not released any policy to support people who submit their files through the internet, including information about time and fees for online services.

Right now, many management offices dont want to apply online services because of cumbersome procedures, she added.

Thus, city authorities plan to shorten the time for online services.

The municipal Justice Department will set up a system to manage and simplify administrative procedures and create a one-stop shop.

With the solution, local residents can submit their files, supervise the process and receive results through the internet.

Authorities will integrate the citys administrative procedures with a national database.

The Information and Communications Department will ensure integration of the citys public service website with the national public service website.

The department is also conducting research on how to collect online fees at the departments of Health, Planning and Investment, Natural Resources and Environment.

In a related matter, HCM City Peoples Committee has released an action plan for administrative reform with the goal of increasing residents and enterprises satisfaction with State office services up to 90 per cent.

The aim is to have 3040 per cent of public services served online and 90 per cent of online files resolved in time.

To reach the goal, vice chairman of the committee Tran Vinh Tuyen instructed relevant authorities to inspect services without prior announcements.  VNS
Gia Tuong

HA NOI  Ca Thi Xoa, from Chieng La Village in the mountain province of Son La, decided to go to Ha Noi to search for a job after her husband went away without saying a word.

Once when the 22-year-old Thai ethnic woman took her three-year-old son to Son La City for a health check, she met several women who invited her to go to Ha Noi to work. They told Xoa that she did not need any skills if she followed the instructions of others who had experience working and living in the capital city.

Xoa immediately entrusted her son to her parents and caught a bus to Ha Noi with the group of women. It was the longest journey she has ever taken in her life.

I was very worried to know if the women were truthful or not. And then I calmed down, thinking that people from the same region should believe in each other, said Xoa.

Xoa entered Ha Noi, the jungle of concrete, and temporarily forgot her hometown with its high mountains, maize fields, barren hills and hunger in between seasons. She quickly found herself a job and adjusted to urban life.

Another ethnic minority person, Mua A ong, 19, went to Ha Noi to make a living. He is from Muong Luan Commune in the northern mountainous province of ien Bien, about 560km north of Ha Noi.

ong started work when he was 14 years old after his parents divorced, forcing him to live with his uncle. Im illiterate so I do not know how to do anything except to work manual jobs hardest as I can," said ong.

After working in coffee fields in his home town, several people asked ong to go to Ha Noi with them and work on construction sites.

I wish that I can return to my home town, look for my parents and learn how to read and write. Being literate will make it easier for me to find a job, he said.

Many couples also move from their remote home towns to Ha Noi to earn a living.

inh Tien Thanh, 41, and Nguyen Thi Nhu, 34, from Yen Lang Commune in the northern province of Phu Tho are Muong people.

Thanh has worked at construction sites for the past four years. The couple keep moving to be near Thanhs work sites.

Whenever moving to another place, Nhu carries lengths of cloth to make a tent. Her 13-year-old daughter is now being brought up by their parents.

Nhu said, I miss her much, but if I stay at home with her, we will not have any money. So we must accept living far from our daughter to earn some money for savings.

uong Van Ut and Ha Thi Vui are another couple from Van Chan District in the northern mountainous province of Yen Bai. They share a large room in Go Village in Ha Noi with dozens of workers from different provinces.

Vui said, The crowded accommodations led to bad sanitary conditions. Everyone suffered from allergies that made their bodies itch all over.

The worst problem is a bad smell from toilets that spreads into the room, she said.

Nguyen Van Ha, 29, has managed informal workers at construction sites for the past eight years.

At present, he is managing about 380 workers, and most of them are ethnic minority people.

Each of them is paid VN160,000-290,000 (US$7-12.80) per day based on their skills.

Ha said that the workers did not have fussy demands for accommodation, they just needed a space to lie down and a place for personal hygiene. They are also not choosy about food and are physically strong enough to work extra hours.

But there are also difficulties, Ha added, explaining that these fickle workers often return to their hometown for the harvest season in June, so this slows the progress of work on each site.

Ha said ethnic workers insisted on being paid on time. If their payment was late just once, they would refuse to go back to work.

Their capacity of adapting to new work is low, so employers put experienced workers beside new ones, he said.

Another problem is that many ethnic minority people cannot speak the official Vietnamese fluently, so it is difficult to explain the work to them.

Although employers provide safety equipment, the workers rarely use it.

Moreover, Ha said, ethnic minority people were hard working, but also easily affected by social evils, such as alcohol and gambling.

It is a headache for me to manage hundreds of ethnic workers, he said.

An Thi Hong Hoa, a sociology expert from the Tay Bac University, said that many people of ethnic minority groups in remote areas have deserted their hometown to find work in construction sites of big and ever expanding cities.

He said until recently, their main problem was finding unused land in their hometown to cultivate and make a living.

We should create jobs right in their hometowns so that they feel secure and can maintain their traditional customs, said Hoa.  VNS
HA NOI  As talk swirls about the upcoming challenge of caring of the elderly, some of these subjects are taking care of societys problems, putting younger generations to shame.

For instance, several determined elderly citizens have been repairing potholes near their homes. The voluntary road repairers have gone out of their way to help the community, ignoring their age.

Tran Thi Xin, 80, in HCM City, has been repairing pot-holes on Alley 623 off the busy Cach Mang Thang 8 Street in District 10, the Thanh Nien (Youth) online newspaper reports.

Frustrated with rainwater filled potholes that splash dirty water all over the place when vehicles run through them, Xin bought cement from an adjacent market and filled in the holes herself.

She also placed small wooden boards around the wet cemented spots for drivers to avoid them. But sometimes spoiled youngsters still drove right over them, she said.

Her gesture deserves appreciation, said a neighbour, adding: We have strong young men here, but they wouldnt lift a finger.

Nguyen Thi Hoang, 71, living near Than Nhan Trung Street in Bien Hoa City in the southern province of ong Nai, is often seen filling holes on the street with soil dug up from elsewhere, the Dan Viet online newspaper reports.

Hoang has been trying to fix the road for the last few years, said Nguyen Thanh Tuyen, a neighbour. Her tools are simple, just a dustpan and a broom, she said.

Connecting two wards in the city, the street is overloaded and damaged by the large amount of vehicles that use it. While no serious accident has occurred, passengers frequently fall off their motorbikes while driving through the street.

Hoang herself said that she had never seen such an ugly road, having lived in different places.

Residents have gathered money to fix it, but it goes to back (to the old condition after it rains a few times), she said.

No improvements were made although they reported the situation to the authorities, she added.

It hurts to see people falling off their motorbikes, so I try to level the road, Hoang said. I prefer working after rain when the ground is softer and easier to dig.

Senior cooks

Several elderly residents of Long Xuyen City in the southern province of An Giang have been providing free meals for low-income people, the Thanh Nien reports.

Located near the An Giang General Hospital, the Than Thien eatery provides 400-500 portions of porridge for low income people each morning.

The eatery is open all year round, even during holidays. It is the most crowded from 5am to 8am.

The porridge is cooked with water from boiling pineapple leaves by a team of 15 elderly cooks, most above 60 years old.

Phan Thi The, 63, head of the team, said they were classmates who wanted to help poor people after they retired.

We cooked food using our own money at first, then asked friends, relatives and others to support us, she said.

We record every single detail of each donation, so donors trust us and have helped maintain the eatery for the past few years, she added.

The Phuoc Thien eatery, also located near the An Giang General Hospital, provides free vegetarian meals for patients relatives. Opened in August 2017, it is often crowded at lunchtime and dinner time.

Nguyen Van Tanh, 76, owner of the eatery, said that he cooked 150kg of rice per day on average.

My close friends give me vegetables and spices, others help with the cooking, he said. I have been able to maintain the eatery thanks to their support.

Le Thi Nung, 32, gets two portions from the eatery each meal. She came to know of the eatery while caring for her father at the hospital.

I am touched by their kindness, she said.  VNS
HA GIANG  Bac Me Hydro-Power Plant in Yen Phong and Phu Nam communes of northern mountainous province of Ha Giang made an unscheduled water discharge, which resulted in major losses for the local people, the authority official has said.

The water discharge caused floods and land erosion, affecting several households living along Gam River in Bao Lam District of Cao Bang Province.

According to Nguyen Ngoc Quang, vice chaiman of Bao Lam Districts People Committee, the water discharge destroyed four houses and damaged six others. It also resulted in a long crack developing on National Highway No 34.

Fortunately, there was no casualty.

The local authority ordered evacuation from the erosion areas. The district provided shelter for people who were forced to flee their homes.

At present, the district and representatives of the plant have been calculating losses to pay compensation to people.  VNS
QUANG NGAI  In the last few days, a large amount of fish died en mass along the Phu River in Tu Nghia District, the central province of Quang Ngai.

The dead fish, lying along more than 3km of the river, left a bad smell and local residents worried.

Nguyen No, a resident of La Ha Town, said that during the past three days, his family fished out a number of bags of dead fish from the river.

The dead fish have different sizes, from as large as my hand, to as small as my finger. Dozens of ducks ate the dead fish and they also died, he said.

Local residents said that it was the first time the fish had died en mass in the area.

Tran Thi Pha, a resident in La Ha Town, who has worked there for 15 years, said that so far many kinds of fish lived in the river. However, in the past years, the rivers water had turned turbid and the number of fish had gradually decreased.

Pha and her husband temporarily stopped their work since the fish died, as they were unsure of the reasons for the problem.

Ton Long Nghenh, head of the Tu Nghia District Natural Resources and Environment Division, said that the division on Monday checked the scene.

The division sent a report to the provincial Department of Natural Resources and Environment, and the Department of Animal Health.

The district would set up an inspection team to check the riverhead, said Nghenh.

If any enterprise or individual discharged waste, which caused the problem, the violator would be punished according to the present law, he said.  VNS
PHU THO  A group of 11 youngsters, who used knives and scimitars to stop vehicles and ask for money last Friday night on a section of Noi Bai-Lao Cai Expressway passing through Phu Ninh District, could be sentenced to a 2-7 year prison term.

Nguyen Anh Thom, of the Ha Noi Bar Association, said the youngsters appeared to have committed two offenses -- robbing property and disturbing public order  according to articles 133 and 245 of Penal Code 1999, revised in 2009, the Tien Phong (Vanguard) online newspaper reported.

Local police of northern Phu Tho Province are further investigating the case after they arrested 10 of 11 suspects on Saturday morning and seized the suspects knives and scimitars.

Based on initial investigation, the police have identified nine suspects -- Nguyen Minh Quang, 18; Nguyen Van Tu, 19; Nguyen Van ong, 19; and Nguyen Quang Vinh, 18; as well as Nguyen Hai ang, 18; Tran Pham Tai uc, 18; Nguyen Xuan Anh, 19; Nguyen Xuan ao, 19; and Uong inh Luong, 19.

The suspects admitted to the police that after drinking wine together, they came up with the idea of stealing money from drivers of vehicles travelling on the expressway. One member of the group live streamed on Facebook the act of stopping the vehicles and demanding money from the drivers on Friday night.

The suspects said they earned some VN400,000 (US$18) that night. They only stayed on the expressway for some 40 minutes that night and then left.  VNS
HA NOI  The Ha Noi criminal police division yesterday requested collaboration from organisations and citizens in the search for Nguyen Hong Lam, chairman of the Peoples Committee of Quoc Oai District, who was reported to have been missing from December 26, 2017.

The Party Secretary of Quoc Oai District, Nguyen Van Tho, reported that Lam had asked to be absent from a meeting of the districts Party Standing Committee on December 26 for family reasons.

He had turned off his mobile phone and had not returned to the office, Tho said.

Investigations from the police show that at 9pm on December 25, 2017, Lam drove a black Camry out of the committees headquarters. Half an hour later, he parked his car at a parking lot at No 113 on Tran Duy Hung Street in Cau Giay District, which was under the management of the Ministry of Science and Technology.

Lam then walked to Alley 115 on the same street. By 9:55pm, he was moving towards the en Lu Lake in Hoang Mai District, some 13.5 kilometres from the parking lot.

Since then, no family members or colleagues has been able to contact Lam, neither did they know where he went and for what purposes, head of the Ha Noi criminal police division Duong Van Giap said in a press release.

The division requested all citizens, agencies and organisations to immediately report any information they have on Nguyen Hong Lam via the number 0692196451, or the mobile number 0983304879 of policeman Hoang The Hien, or come directly to the polices office at No 7 on Thien Quang Street in Hai Ba Trung District.  VNS
I don't have answers for Venezuela. I do know, however, that there are some options that will make things worse. Invasion is one example. Ricardo Hausmann is now making that case. Here is the crux of his plan:





As solutions go, why not consider the following one: the National Assembly could impeach Maduro and the OFAC-sanctioned, narco-trafficking vice president, Tareck El Aissami, who has had more than $500 million in assets seized by the United States government . The Assembly could constitutionally appoint a new government, which in turn could request military assistance from a coalition of the willing, including Latin American, North American, and European countries. This force would free Venezuela, in the same way Canadians, Australians, Brits, and Americans liberated Europe in 1944-1945. Closer to home, it would be akin to the US liberating Panama from the oppression of Manuel Noriega, ushering in democracy and the fastest economic growth in Latin America .

For starters, this is not Panama and should not be compared to it. Manuel Noriega was far more brutal and despised than Nicolas Maduro. Panama was also a country with a history of U.S. presence, occupation, and intervention. Venezuela is the opposite and so the dynamics will be far more combustible. And this sure as hell isn't World War II so stop with those comparisons already.But back to Venezuela. Who is going to be proclaimed supreme leader of this new government? Obviously he or she won't be elected and the opposition is not popular. Venezuelans have shown no signs that they want someone Hausmann would approve of. This leader will immediately be illegitimate.Next, the idea that a Latin American country would send its military into Venezuela is problematic. The long-term diplomatic damage would be huge. Right now, leaders can barely be coaxed to condemn Maduro, much less call for violent overthrow. Which European countries would want to be a part of this? Really? And I have to wonder whether Donald Trump is even crazy enough to send U.S. troops.Finally, and perhaps most importantly, this would be civil war. Manywant change but it is dangerous to assume this is the change they want. Many will likely see this as an oil grab, Maduro's conspiracy theories in real life. Foreign soldiers invited by an unelected government will not be received kindly. Venezuela is awash in weapons, and a lot of people will die.So I don't claim to have answers, but this is one we should reject.
12-year-old Charged in Fatal Shooting of Teen

By The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, TN - Police in Tennessee say a 12-year-old girl fatally shot another girl and is being charged with criminal homicide.A statement from the Nashville Police Department says officers were called to an apartment early Sunday on a report of a shooting. According to a preliminary investigation, the girls were part of a group of juveniles who left the Nashville apartment and stole a gun from a vehicle in a nearby parking lot. Police say the girls brought the gun back to the apartment and the 12-year-old allegedly was handling it and pointing it at the others when it went off.The 12-year-old faces charges in juvenile court. Her name was not released. Police say 16-year-old Brentrice Wilson was pronounced dead at the scene.Police continue to investigate.
Best wishes to everyone for the new year.This is a season when many people take a drink or two, irrespective of whether they do so at other times of the year. However, many countries make either no wine or very little wine, in which case they need to import whatever wine their people require. Other countries make only certain types of wine (often for climatic reasons), and they need to import the remainder. Alternatively, some very populous countries currently have almost no requirements at all for wine, either home-grown or imported, at least relative to their population size, including India, Indonesia and Pakistan.However, there is also one wine-producing country that nevertheless still imports a lot of wine: the United States of America. The data that illustrate this come from Comtrade, the United Nations International Trade Statistics Database, as reported on a couple of American Association of Wine Economists' Facebook pages ( here and here ).The data are shown in the first graph below, where each point represents one of the 20 countries that imported the greatest volumes of wine during 2016. The horizontal axis is the volume imported (in thousands of tons) and the vertical axis is the average price per liter in US dollars. I have labeled the four countries that imported the greatest volume, as well as the four that paid the highest average price. As you can see, only the USA is in both of these top-four groups.The UK and Germany import lots of wine, because they have large populations but make only certain types of wine themselves. In both cases, they specialize in producing white wine, as it is hard to make high-quality red wine in their marginal grape-growing climates. So, they import wines across a wide range of prices, which means that the average price is in the middle. Germany, in particular, does not need to import expensive white wine, as they have plenty of their own. However, they are the world's biggest importers of bulk wine, principally from Italy, Spain, France and South Africa (see Top bulk wine routes in 2000 and 2015 ).Japan, Sweden and Switzerland make very little wine at all, although all three do have commercial wine producers. So, they import almost all of their requirements, from the cheapest to the most expensive, The graph suggests that they focus on higher-priced wines, rather than on the cheapest stuff.The presence of France as a big importer of cheap wines often seems odd, because the French have plenty of inexpensive wine of their own. It has been pointed out that "tanker trucks [might] explain how France 'produces' much more wine than Spain despite having a lot less vineyard acreage" ( Is some French wine really from Spain? ). Behind only Germany, France is actually one of the world's biggest importers of bulk wine  it used to import most of its bulk wine from Italy (and before that from Algeria), but it now relies predominantly on Spain ( Top bulk wine routes in 2000 and 2015 ).However, in most other cases the wine volume imported presumably depends on the population size of the country, rather than the number of tanker trucks  countries with more people are likely to have a greater requirement for wine. After all, the USA is the world's third most populous country (after China and India), and even a small amount of winewould add up to a lot of wine. So, we should also look at the wine volume imported per person.The 2017 population data can be taken from the WorldoMeters web page. The next graph shows the same data as above, but now the horizontal axis is the volume imported in liters per 1000 people (ie. total volume divided by population size). The pink dashed lines simply divide the horizontal and vertical axes into three sections, thus creating nine segments, to aid discussion.Note that two of the nine squares are empty  none of the big importers focus solely on the cheapest wines (the bottom-right corner), nor does anyone in this group import middle quantities of average wine price.With this re-calculation, the UK remains as a big importer of wines across all price ranges, but it is now joined by Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands. Like the UK, the latter three countries also produce only small amounts of wine, and so they must important almost all of their requirements for all wine types.Sweden moves up into a middle position as a wine importer of expensive wines, while Switzerland moves well ahead into first place. Presumably, the Swiss simply consume more wine per person than do the Swedes. We may need to also compare their beer and spirits consumptions, to get the full picture here. Canada joins Sweden in the middle position, as they make only a limited range of wines.Japan remains as a small importer of expensive wines, and is now joined by the USA, moving well down the list. Presumably, the USA needs to import foreign wine only at the expensive end of the market there is no real need to import the cheap stuff, as the market for inexpensive and middle-priced wines can easily be met by the local produce.It is, perhaps, interesting to note that this basic idea (supply the cheap stuff locally and import the expensive stuff) cannot be assumed for all alcohol products. For example, the USA is the world's biggest market for Cognac brandy, by volume. However, the key driver in this market is VS Cognac, the cheapest sort, where sales are reported to be dominated by African-Americans. The biggest market for Cognac by value, based on a preference for the luxury products, is China (see Global Cognac sales set to continue growth trend ).Returning to our graph, Germany drops down the list as an importer of cheap wine, and is joined by Czechia (see Czechia has won the Czech Republic name debate ) and Portugal. The Czechs are reported to drink more beer per capita than any other country (see Wikipedia ), and so maybe they are not great drinkers of wine of the expensive type.The position of Portugal is more problematic, because they produce a lot of inexpensive but very good wine of their own. Indeed, Portugese wine is among the best value-for-money in the world. So, why do they need to import any cheap wine, at all? Answering this question is not easy, because almost all discussions of Portugal and wine are about its exports, not imports (eg. the Wine by Numbers data collection).Finally, China is the fastest growing market. It is currently ranked 6th for price, but is the 5th biggest importer by volume, although that shrinks dramatically when recalculated per person. Until recently, French wine was the most popular product, but Australia is now the front runner by value ( Australian wine imports make further gains in China ). Indeed, China is now Australias highest value export wine market. The distinction between value and volume is important here  until surpassed by China, the USA was Australias highestexport wine market, while the UK remains the biggestmarket for Australian wine, Yellow Tail not withstanding ( China now Australias great wine hope) . The British import plenty of bulk cheap Australian wine ( Top bulk wine routes in 2000 and 2015 ), and bottle it themselves, while the USA and China are more interested in the top (already bottled) end of the market.
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WEB Notes: There is a lot of coordination on the global stage right now against Iran. This trend continues to build and with the protests we have a stronger indication the conflict with Iran is increasing.

U.S. and Israeli officials reached a closed-door cooperation agreement on how to deal with Iran, according to Israels Channel 10 News.

The agreement, which was reportedly signed on Dec. 12 at the White House, aims to counter Irans missile and nuclear programs.

Source: US, Israel reach cooperation agreement on Iran: report | TheHill
WEB Notes: Do you see how they continue to build the narrative against Iran? In other news Saudi fighters attacked a restaurant in Yemen.

The Iranian Crime Research Institute revealed on Monday the names of four military commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards who are working alongside Houthi militias in Yemen.

They confirmed that the Iranian Defense Ministry has also sent munitions experts in early 2017 to Yemen.

A report by the US-based Iranian Institute considered that: Three of Irans top Revolutionary Guards commanders were sent to Yemen. They are Col. Ridaa Bassini, Com. Ali al-Rajabi and Maj. Gen. Mohammad Niazi. The three are military experts and are now in Yemen.

Source: Who are the Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers leading Houthis in Yemen?  Al Arabiya English
Kenan Malik in The Guardian:

Nations today seem divided down the middle on critical issues  whether Catalonia over independence, Britain over Brexit or America over Donald Trump. This is not just a western phenomenon. A week ago, Cyril Ramaphosa won the election for the ANC leadership by the narrowest of margins  2,440 votes to his opponent Nkosazana Dlamini-Zumas 2,261. Earlier this year, the referendum called by the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to extend his powers approved the measures by 51% to 49%. Every electorate seems divided and uncertain.

Many see in such polarised nations societies that no longer possess a sense of common values and so have little material with which to bind themselves together. The consequences, many fear, are more unstable societies with governments that lack authority among large sections of the electorate and a political system open to exploitation by extremists, especially far-right extremists.

From a historical perspective, though, contemporary polarisation does not seem particularly acute. Go back a generation. Is Britain more polarised now than it was in 1984, at the height of the miners strike? Today, newspapers might describe judges, of whose decisions they disapprove, as enemies of the people. Then, it was government ministers who called striking miners the enemy within. The full force of the state  from the police to propaganda  was mobilised to crush the strike, leading to mass invasions of mining communities, bloody confrontations, as at Orgreave, tens of thousands arrested and a Britain far more divided and embittered than it is today.
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Real estate business is not for everyone especially if you dont have a suited firm to help you out, thats what OP capital Group is offering, a place, a firm that sees the potential and value of investments where others cant see it. As a real estate investment firm, we work around the clock to find buildings in prime locations that have potential to increase property value through building improvements and appreciation.

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"The Democratization of Space"



Blockchain Mining Goes Interstellar

Sydney, Jan 2, 2018 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Asteroid, Ltd. (ICO:ASTR) is building a decentralized database whereby private individuals, corporations and nation states can register claims on mining rights to over 600,000 identified asteroids in our near celestial orbit using a smart contract and proprietary BlockClaim(R) mechanisms.The BlockClaim(R) mechanism is modelled after ICANN, a system familiar to us all, whereby individuals who desire to "claim" a website address apply for a specific website and register their domain.Asteroid, Ltd. will provide services that allow claimants to secure a claim to specific asteroids within the database and act as the registrar for the claimant using Asteroid's proprietary BlockClaim(R) mechanism. Each individual will lay a BlockClaim(R) to a specific asteroid and both a public and private ledger will be created on the Ethereum platform. This will be achieved through smart contracts, protocol tokens, called ASTR(R), and a significant dataset identifying over 600,000 asteroids and approximately $700 Quintillion dollars of minerals . Each BlockClaim(R) will consist of a registration using ASTR(R) Tokens and provide an immutable record of the mining claim.A BlockClaim(R) may ONLY be registered using ASTRCOINS(R)!Download the Whitepaper, please visit:About Asteroid Ltd

Asteroid, Ltd. (ICO:ASTR) was founded in November of 2015 at Cyberport in Hong Kong, a significant facility dedicated to the incubation of technology leaders. Our innovation team is stellar and provides the backbone to the technical, financial, creative and marketing expertise necessary to ensure the ongoing stability and financial viability of the technology. To learn more about the ASTEROID ICO or contribute before it is too late, visit the official website at: https://astrcoin.io
Puebla is the fourth-largest city in Mexico, just a two-hour drive from the capital (it's 67 miles, but there's no accounting for Distrito Federal traffic).

Yet it often gets tacked on as a day trip from Mexico City instead of treated like a destination in its own right. That's all about to change, though, as a slate of new hotels and structural improvements make this vibrant city easier to travel to than ever.

Following an earthquake in Puebla in September 2017, many of the city's most famous attractions have gotten fixed up and are ready to host visitors again--which means that contributing to the city's economy is more vital than ever.

What to know

First things first: Puebla is the capital of Puebla state, and people from there are called poblanos. If you're not up for driving, you can fly to Puebla directly from several US cities, including Dallas and Houston. Puebla's previous governor sunk a lot of money into projects like new bridges, trains and hotels, many of which are now completed and ready to handle visitors.

Within Mexico, Puebla has a reputation for strong religious roots. The Spanish built the city at the intersection of two rivers and dubbed it their new Jerusalem, and there seems to be a stunning church on every corner. Locals will tell you there are 365 -- one for every day of the year.

And while September 16, Mexican Independence Day, is a big deal throughout the country, it's a particularly big one in Puebla, as the famous battle where the Spanish were defeated took place here. All that and Puebla's city center is a UNESCO World Heritage site, too. Talk about crossing a lot off your list at once.

What to do

First, you'll want to get started on a few of those 365 churches. While you could easily drive yourself crazy trying to see them all, you're best off focusing on a few of the most celebrated.

Start at the central Church of Santo Domingo, which is most notable for its over-the-top Baroque-style Capilla del Rosario, which drips with so much gold you'll wonder how it doesn't come crashing down to the floor. Then stop into the Templo de San Francisco, a bright-yellow structure that pays homage to local hero Blessed Sebastian of Aparicio (who happens to be a step away from sainthood), and Puebla Cathedral, with its stunning black limestone front and stunning gold organ, which is the second-tallest church in the country.

As you'll see from its church interiors, Puebla is known for its Baroque architecture, which made it a logical home for the International Museum of the Baroque, which opened in 2016. The museum -- which looks more like the Guggenheim Bilbao on the outside with minimalist sweeps of white and silver -- gives useful background on Baroque art and shows off some classic examples.

Beyond art, history buffs will want to visit the Biblioteca Palafoxiana, a 17th-century book collection and reading room that is widely considered the first public library in Mexico.

Talavera pottery is one of Puebla's proudest exports. The mud is baked, glazed, and hand-painted, most traditionally in blue and white patterns. It's so strongly associated with Puebla that even the local Starbucks has Talavera-style decor.

Many stores in town sell a few items, but your best bet is to head to Uriarte, the shop that is home base to the country's largest Talavara producer -- you'll have a lot of options, from tableware and vases to individual tiles and custom requests.

Church of Santo Domingo, Avenida 5 de Mayo, Centro Hist-rico, 72000 Puebla

Templo de San Francisco, Avenida 14 Oriente 805, Barrio del Alto, 72290 Puebla, +52 222 235 1659

Puebla Cathedral, Calle 16 de Septiembre, Centro, 72000 Puebla, +52 222 232 3803

International Museum of the Baroque, Atlixc-yotl 2501, Reserva Territorial Atlixc-yotl, Corredor Comercial Desarrollo Atlixcayotl, Puebla, +52 222 326 7130

Biblioteca Palafoxiana, Calle 5 Oriente 5, Centro, 72000 Puebla, +52 222 2323483 x118

Uriarte, Avenida 4 Poniente 911, 72000 Puebla 52 (222) 232 1598

What to eat

Some of Mexico's most beloved foods have their origins in Puebla, most notably mole poblano. The spicy chocolate sauce was reportedly invented here by a woman who was trying to clean out everything in her pantry.

Nearly every restaurant in town has their own mole poblano, so you'll have to sample a few different ones -- for research, of course. One solid option is El Mural de los Poblanos, which is known for its modern takes on Puebla classics -- besides the mole, try tacos arabes (meat and cheese wrapped in pita bread instead of corn tortillas, inspired by Lebanese immigration to the area) and salad with nopales, a local cactus (it's on the Mexican flag).

And if your sweet tooth still isn't satisfied, head to Calle 6 Oriente, also known as Calle de Los Dulces -- Candy Street. This street is lined with small, locally owned candy stores that sell some of Puebla's most beloved sweets, including camotes (cigar-shaped rolls of colorful coconut), candied citrus rinds and the small round tortitas de Santa Clara. Most of these will be hard to find elsewhere in Mexico, so stock up -- in particular, La Gran Fama will wrap your souvenirs up in white paper boxes tied with ribbon, making them perfect for gifts back home.

For an upscale dinner, head to the Casa Reyna restaurant inside the boutique hotel of the same name. If you can, request a table in the middle of the restaurant underneath the open roof. The menu is a mix of American favorites and Mexican standards, so take an opportunity to try a local specialty like tuna with sauce of jamaica (hibiscus) flowers, chalupas (another dish Puebla lays claim to creating) or guava-and-cheese souffle.

If you're in town during the fall, Pueblan specialty chiles en nogada (peppers stuffed with ground meat, fruit and nuts all covered in a milky sauce) is a traditional thing to eat around Independence Day on September 16.

El Mural de los Poblanos, Calle 16 de Septiembre 506, Centro, 72000 Puebla, +52 222 242 0503

Dulceria La Gran Fama, Avenida 6 Oriente 208 Centro 72000 Puebla +52 222 242 3316

Casa Reyna, Privada 2 Oriente 1007, Centro, 72000 Puebla, +52 222 232 0032

Time for a siesta

Puebla is having a bona fide hotel boom. The latest notable arrival in town is the Rosewood Puebla, an outpost of the posh hotel chain with thoughtful touches like Talavera tilework and hand-hammered silver that manages to still feel like a comfy guest house and not a museum. The brand also has outposts in Playa del Carmen and San Miguel de Allende, making it super-tempting to extend your Mexico travels.

Opening in October 2017 is the Hotel Cartesiano, a 78-room boutique property inside two historic buildings -- one was originally a home, the other a tile factory that still has many original pieces incorporated throughout the design. Because of the unique spaces next door to each other, each room is slightly different in shape and size, but they're unified by an elegant, neutral design palette.

For a classic Puebla experience, it's hard to go wrong with the Hotel La Purificadora, which was the city's first major design hotel and is part of the upscale Grupo Habita portfolio. Its central location on the beautiful Parque San Francisco (hang out there during the day, but avoid at night when it turns into teenage makeout central) makes it convenient to nearly everything in town, while its trendy bar and restaurant are the places to be seen on a weekend night.

Rosewood Puebla, Calle 10 Norte 1402, Barrio del Alto, 72000 Puebla, +52 222 122 2300

Hotel Cartesiano, Calle 3 Oriente. 410, Centro, 72000 Puebla

Hotel La Purificadora, Callejon de la 10 Norte 802, Paseo San Francisco, Barrio El Alto, 72000 Puebla, +52 800 309 1920

Keep on going

Just a few miles from Puebla is the town of Cholula, which is known for having the largest pyramid in Latin America -- yes, bigger than Giza and Chichen Itza, but with significantly fewer people. Much of the Pir-mide Tepanapa is obscured beneath a hill, with the vivid yellow Iglesia de Nuestra Se-ora de los Remedios (Church of Our Lady of Remedies), a popular pilgrimage site for people seeking cures for diseases or chronic ailments, at its peak. The church is beautiful, but you'll want to make sure you turn your camera outward for panoramic shots of the countryside.

There is now a nice "tourist train" that runs between Puebla and Cholula, dropping you off just at the base of the pyramid. However, the train still has limited hours, so you'll need to plan ahead. Most days, there are three departures from Puebla in the morning and three returns, each about 40 minutes long, from Cholula in the late afternoon and evening.

If you prefer more flexibility, you may be better off catching a local bus (there are direct buses from Puebla's Plaza Pedrera throughout the day) or taking an Uber one or both ways.

Beyond the pyramid, there are quite a few fun things to see and do in Cholula. If Talavera is on your wish list, head to the Santa Caterina factory and shop, one of the official government license holders to sell the products. Their range is huge, from dishes to candleholders to jewelry and even decorative eggs a la Faberge.

When lunchtime rolls around, don't park in a restaurant. Instead, walk through the meandering Mercado Municipal Cosme del Razo, a multi-street series of stalls where you can sample a local Cholula craft beer, custom-order tacos to be cooked in front of you, buy a traditional embroidered dress or shirt, and pick up handmade wooden toys and crafts as souvenirs -- all in a single short stroll. Good news for a hot day: the market is mostly covered, so you'll be able to avoid a sunburn.

Tourist Train Station: Calle 11 Norte 11, El Tamborcito, Puebla

Pir-mide Tepanapa: Calle 8 Poniente 2, San Miguel, Centro, 72760 San Andr-s Cholula, +52 228 194 5667

Talavera Santa Caterina: Prolongaci-n 14 Oriente 1402 San Andr-s, Cholula, +52 222 247 66 14

Mercado Municipal: Calle 5 Norte 109, 72760 San Pedro Cholula
Companies are reacting to the combination of challenging economic conditions, rising pension costs and onerous pension regulations by closing pension schemes to future and even current employees. JLT estimates that after allowing for the impact of changes in assumptions and market conditions, the underlying reduction in ongoing DB pension provision is approximately 15% over the last 12 months. Looking at the top 10 companies with the highest ongoing DB service costs, 9 out of 10 have significantly cut back their DB service costs. Tesco closed its DB scheme in 2016, and BP has cut back its costs significantly, followed closely by BAE Systems, and Royal Bank of Scotland. The impact of pensions on boardroom decisions cannot only be shown by the reduction of continuing DB provision to employees, but also by looking at the extent to which the pension scheme poses a material risk on the company. JLTs research found that 11 FTSE 100 companies have total disclosed pension liabilities greater than their equity market value as at 31 March 2017. International Airlines Group, BT and Sainsburys have total disclosed pension liabilities almost double their equity market value. In the last 12 months, the total disclosed pension liabilities of FTSE 100 companies have risen from 584 billion to 705 billion. A total of 17 companies have disclosed pension liabilities of more than 10 billion, the largest of which is Royal Dutch Shell, with disclosed pension liabilities of 73 billion. A total of 20 companies have disclosed pension liabilities of less than 100 million, of which 11 companies have no DB pension liabilities. Charles Cowling, Director, JLT Employee Benefits, said: It is sad to see that we are now witnessing the final demise of DB pension schemes in the UK  at least in the Private Sector. They have simply become too expensive as an employee benefit. A typical final salary pension scheme now costs employers more than 3 times the cost of 30 years ago, largely as a result of increased longevity and changing market conditions. A DB pension scheme that might have had an employer cost of 10% to 15% of payroll in the late 1980s now costs the same employer well over 40% of payroll  and that is before any allowance for the costs of paying for large deficits. These costs come up for debate and negotiation at the time of each triennial actuarial valuation. In previous cycles, it has been the smaller schemes that closed the door on future DB benefits for all their members. Now it is the last few massive DB schemes that are closing down. Tesco closed its DB pension scheme in 2016 and Royal Mail is in the process of closing its DB pension scheme. Even the employers for the UKs largest private sector DB scheme, the Universities Superannuation Scheme, have announced plans to close to all future DB benefits. Employees in much poorer DC schemes will cast a jealous eye on those lucky individuals still enjoying DB benefits, reflecting not only on how many employers have had to channel the large part of their pension spend on propping up expensive DB schemes, leaving little left for their DC schemes, but also reflecting on how an increasingly large part of their taxes is paying for public sector employees to continue to enjoy the expensive luxury of a gold-plated DB scheme.



 COMPANIES CONTINUING TO CUT BACK SIGNIFICANTLY ON SERVICING DB SCHEMES

 11 FTSE 100 COMPANIES HAVE PENSION LIABILITIES GREATER THAN EQUITY MARKET VALUE

 PENSION LIABILITIES ROSE 21% OVER 12 MONTHS TO 705 BILLION
With in no time, riots sparked all over Maharashtra. This time its between Dalit and Maratha. It really saddens me to look at these incidents, while outside world is moving at a rapid pace. One day will come when technological advancements, innovations will be light years ahead of us and we will fail to catch up with them. It will have a catastrophic effect on society. No leader will be there to help, while they will be busy filling their coffers.

Scorching Bhima Koregaon has many questions to be asked to these so-called politicians those playing caste base politics. The spark ignited when Gujarats MLA Jignesh Mevani, JNU Students Union Leader Umar Khalid, Radhika Vemula, the mother of Rohit Vemula, Prakash Ambedkar, Retired Chief Justices Maharashtra BG Kolse Patil, Bhim Army National President Vinay Ratan Singh, Bastars Social Activist Soni Sori, Ambedkar Students Union Leader Prashant Dante, and many others gathered at Shaniwar Wada remembering 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon. The fiery speeches, provocative dialogs and recent success in Gujarat over caste based politics had warmed up the ambience.

All the leaders who are instigating Dalits and alienating them from the mainstream should be arrested. It is horrible that these traitors are celebrating victory of a colonial entity because their ancestors were serving British. It is incredibly awful to look at the situation in the country. The politicians are working overtime in splitting the society, key board warriors on social media are adding fuel to the fire and so called foot soldiers, who dont understand head or tail of what oneness means and for that matter nation is the first priority, are going on rampage.

Battle of Koregaon has connotation to Mahars and other Dalits in India, who remember it every January 1 as a mark of their triumph against the dehumanising rule of the Peshwas and as the first step in their ongoing struggle against caste-based oppression. As the story goes, on New Years Day in 1818, about 500 soldiers of the East India Companys Bombay Native Infantry regiment led by Colonel FF Staunton waded across the Bhima river and, at Bhima Koregaon, routed a superior force of 25,000 well-equipped soldiers of the Peshwa. The British began to recruit Mahars again during the First World War, but disbanded the regiment after the war was over. Finally in 1945, the Mahar Regiment was permanently reformed. Both Dhoble and Bhosle are members of that regiment, which is now based in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh. Every year, members of the Mahar Regiment, in and out of uniform, come to the pillar to pay their respects. On January 1, 1927, Ambedkar led a commemoration at the pillar just outside the village. Since then they celebrate this day. People come to the pillar, lay flowers at its base and then move on to the other amusements on offer at the 11-acre ground owned by the military.

The British viewed it as the clinching episode in the third Anglo-Maratha war, which ended with the Peshwas being forced to cede control of the Maratha Empire to the East India Company. This set the foundation for British rule in western India.

Although the first Maratha ruler, Shivaji, freely recruited Mahars in his army, two centuries later, by the time of the Peshwas, the status of Mahars was lower than ever. The Peshwas were Brahmins of a particularly orthodox bent. Stories told even today recall how and when Mahars entered towns; they were made to tie brooms behind their backs to sweep up the dust of their footprints and to tie pots in front on their necks to collect their spittle. It was also a criminal offence to hide ones caste. Dalit recounting of the battle emphasises that when the English were approaching, Mahars offered their services to Peshwa Bajirao II. It was only when he rejected them yet again that they switched their loyalty to the British instead.

In 1851, the British erected a memorial pillar at Bhima Koregaon, with the names of those who had died in the battle. Most of the names are of Mahar soldiers. The celebration of the Bhima Koregaon battle points to a re-emergence and celebration of Dalit militancy. The commemoration and celebration of Bhima Koregaon revolves around the defeat of Peshwas by the untouchable soldiers of the colonial army at that time. It was fought 200 years ago, and is a prideful and heroic chapter of Dalit historical memory.

It challenges the dominant Hindu-nationalist perspective about Dalits  as a polite, manageable community silently suffering the existing caste hierarchies and caste injustice. By celebrating Koregaon in this manner, Dalits are saying No. They are saying, We will celebrate the militancy that is part of our history. Upper castes have either stifled our histories, or twisted them because they dont find them suitable for continuing their narrative of Hindu nationalism. To retain their hold on history, they reject the notion of parallel histories. Now Dalits have begun to search, locate and assert their own presence in Indias history.

Going to these sites has become a sort of alternate folk culture for both rural and urban Dalits. People are coming to Koregaon from states like Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka as well. Over the years, its hold on Dalit memory and consciousness has expanded. It is questioning the dominant notion of nation and nationalism. This is making the upper-caste groups in Maharashtra anxious. Therefore, the celebration around Dalit militancy is very specific to the efforts of that marginalised community.

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on [email protected])
Chinas new hypersonic ballistic missiles will not only challenge the defences of the US but also be able to more accurately hit military targets in Japan and India, a media report said on Tuesday.

The report in the South China Morning Post comes after Tokyo-based The Diplomat magazine reported that Chinas rocket forces conducted two tests late last year of a new hypersonic glide vehicle or HGV, known as the DF-17.

Citing US intelligence sources, The Diplomat last month reported that the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force carried out the first test on November 1 and the second one two weeks later.

Both tests were successful and the DF-17 could be operational by around 2020, the US intelligence sources were quoted as saying.

Asked about the two tests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang today declined to react saying the Defence Ministry should be approached for information on this. Both tests were successful and the DF-17 could be operational by around 2020, the US intelligence sources were quoted as saying.

HGVs are unmanned, rocket-launched, maneuverable aircraft that glide and skip through the earths atmosphere at incredibly fast speeds.

Compared to conventional ballistic systems, HGV warheads can travel at much higher speeds, lower altitudes and less- trackable trajectories. The approach leaves defence systems less time to intercept the warhead before it drops its payload.

The DF-17 test missiles were launched from the Jiuquan launch centre in Inner Mongolia and flew about 1,400 km during the trial, The Diplomat reported.

Chinese state media first reported on the countrys HGV technology in October, with footage of the system in a hypersonic wind tunnel in various arrays.

Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming said HGV technology has become part of the nuclear strategy between the worlds three big nuclear powers: China, the US, and Russia.

Compared to conventional ballistic missiles, HGVs are more complex and difficult to intercept, Zhou told the South China Morning Post.

The US, Japan and India should be worried about Chinas developments in HGV technology because it can reach targets quicker and more accurately, with military bases in Japan and even nuclear reactors in India being targeted, he was quoted as saying by the daily.

China eyes artificial intelligence for fire-and-forget cruise missiles. Chinese military specialists said the DF-17 was one of several iterations of glider systems developed by the PLA, including the DF-ZF which has been through at least seven tests.

Song Zhongping, a former member of the PLAs Second Artillery Corps, the rocket wings predecessor, said the DF-17 was the weaponized model of the DF-ZF prototype

Song, a military commentator for Hong Kongs Phoenix Television told the Post that the HGV system could be used with various kinds of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles with a range of at least 5,500 km.

He also said multiple HGV warheads could be used with the DF-41, which has a range of at least 12,000 km and can hit anywhere in the US in less than an hour.

Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Dong said HGVs could also be used to target and destroy a US anti-missile system known as THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, which are currently deployed in South Korea to ward off attacks from North Korea.

Chinas HGVs could destroy the THAAD radar system if there is a war between the two countries, Wong said.

Once the THAAD radars fail to function in the first stage, it could reduce the window to raise the alarm about the PLAs [ICBMs] leaving the US without enough time to intercept, he said.
With an eye on the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, political parties are trying to create rift between Marathas and Dalit communities in Maharashtra. The event to mark the 200anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune turned violent as one person was killed after clashes erupted between Dalit and Maratha groups in the city. After this incident, violence has spread in other parts of Maharashtra as Dalit activists called for rasta roko in Mumbai. The Marathas had earlier held peaceful demonstrations across the state in support of their demand for Maratha reservation. When they had not disrupted law and order then how could they resort to violence now? Dalits have urged the government to take action against miscreants responsible for violence. Often political parties have tried to gain mileage by creating differences between Dalits and Marathas. They incite communal riots to consolidate their respective vote banks. The common man has to bear the brunt of violence as protestors halt trains and vandalise buses bringing the day to day life to a standstill.

Dilip Walse-Patil, senior NCP leader said, The event has been celebrated peacefully every year and many people participated in it. Its unfortunate that violent incidents were reported this year. A probe must be carried out to ascertain which group is responsible for clashes. The state government should have taken steps to beef up the security of the area before the event to prevent violence.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that he would request the Supreme Court to initiate a judicial inquiry into Mondays violence.

Deepak Kesarkar, Shiv Sena leader and Minister of state for Home said, I condemn the communal clash incidents occurring in Maharashtra which has always been known as a progressive state. Some groups had issued provocative statements which resulted into clashes. The government should have taken steps to avert violence. Local residents had to face inconvenience due to clashes and shopkeepers had to shut their shops.

Prakash Ambedkar, grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, has announced a state-wide bandh on Wednesday as a protest against the police inaction.

Vijay Kamble, BHIM army spokesperson said, Some groups were resorting to stone pelting incidents from the top of a building. How can someone throw stones from a building unless they make arrangements for it in advance? This is a pre-planned incident. Our activists had sustained severe injuries. The Bhartiya Brahman Mahasangh had opposed the Yalghar Sabha in Pune. They are trying to create a rift between Dalit and Maratha communities in the state. The government has failed to take action against miscreants.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale has demanded police protection for Dalits after the violence.

Justice B G Kolse-Patil, former judge of Bombay High Court said, This is a pre-planned move and an attempt has been made to communalise this incident. 250 people had participated in the Yalghar Sabha held in Pune and they had opposed PM Modis policies. This is a state sponsored violence. The government is planning to form a judicial committee to look into this matter but it wont make any difference. The video clearly shows who is responsible for inciting communal violence but no action has been taken against them. After Modi government came to power they are trying to divide the nation on communal lines.

When we spoke to Hansraj Ahir Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs he refused to comment about this matter and said that he is unaware about violence incidents occurred in the state.
A federal judge has ruled that the world's second-largest professional services firm was negligent in the events that led to the 2009 collapse of Colonial Bank.

PricewaterhouseCoopers could have done more prior to the bank's failure, which was caused by a $2 billion fraud perpetrated by Florida-based mortgage lender Taylor Bean & Whitaker.

In a 93-page decision last week, U.S. District Judge Barbara Jacobs Rothstein wrote that Colonial was victimized by "one of the largest and longest-lasting bank frauds in American banking history," which PwC failed to detect. This led to a $2.8 billion cost to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., which sued PwC after it had given Colonial BancGroup clean audits for years.

However, many of Colonials loans to Taylor Bean & Whitaker were secured against non-existent assets, leading to the failure during the economic recession that began in 2008.

The decision means PwC could potentially face hundreds of million of dollars in damages, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.

Colonial was one of the 25 biggest banks in the U.S. at the time of its collapse, with more than $26 billion in assets and offices in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Nevada and Texas.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that PwC said the judge rejected four of the five main claims made by the FDIC and Colonial, and that numerous employees at the bank "actively and substantially interfered" with its audit.

"PricewaterhouseCoopers looks forward to the damages phase where the FDIC will bear the burden of proof on what remains of their inflated damages claim," the firm said.

Lee Farkas, the former chairman of Taylor Bean & Whitaker, went to prison over the fraud. Investigators found TBW was running up overdrafts in the account it used to fund mortgages and Colonial employees hid them from regulators and auditors. Several Colonial employees also went to prison as a result of the case. Colonial was seized by the government as insolvent and sold to North Carolina-based BB&T Corp.
John Soules Foods has announced a three-phase project to spend $110 million on a Chambers County production facility and create 510 jobs.

The Texas-based company produces ready-to-cook and fully cooked beef and chicken products and has production facilities in Tyler, Texas, and Gainesville, Ga.

In an announcement through the Alabama Department of Commerce, the company said its Alabama operations will center around a 266,000-square-foot facility in Valley it recently purchased. The company plans to initially invest $70 million there and hire 210 employees.

Then, second and third phases will add another $40 million and hire 300 more.

Mark Soules, the company's co-COO, called it an "important and exciting expansion for John Soules Foods."

"With the additional manufacturing capabilities, we are creating a position to handle the growing needs of our customers that allows us to be more responsive across the grocery and food service markets," he said.

Alabama Department of Commerce Secretary Greg Canfield called the project "a substantial investment" in Chambers County which demonstrates the company's confidence in the area's ability to deliver a large and capable workforce.

"We are committed to working with John Soules Foods to help its Alabama operation not only succeed but also thrive over the long haul," he said.

Chambers County has already seen growth through auto suppliers and other manufacturers. Valerie Gray, executive director of the Chambers County Development Authority, said the company will be an asset to the county's growing industrial base.

"John Soules Foods is an outstanding company, with a national reputation for quality products, and their decision to locate here is a testament to our leadership, our community and our people," Gray said in a statement.
Rick Hall, the founder of FAME Recording Studios and a pioneering powerhouse on the Muscle Shoals music scene, has died at age 85, reports say.

According to a story in the TimesDaily in Florence, Hall died this morning at his home. Judy Hood, a board member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and the wife of bassist David Hood of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (aka "the Swampers"), confirmed Hall's death.

"It's a very, very sad day for Muscle Shoals and music in general," Hood told the TimesDaily. She said Hall had been living in a nursing home in the Shoals, but returned home before Christmas.

A post today on the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Facebook page also announced his death and memorialized Hall.

Well folks, 2018 is off to a rough start. Rick Hall has passed away. Rick Hall was a one-of-a-kind, unforgettable force in the world of music. A lifetime is not enough to appreciate his work. Posted by Alabama's Music Hall of Fame on Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Hall, a producer, music publisher, songwriter and author, was a key figure in creating the Muscle Shoals sound during the 1960s in north Alabama. He worked with artists such as Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman and Etta James, putting a small Alabama town on the map in the music world.

Hall was prominently featured in the 2013 "Muscle Shoals" documentary and wrote a book about his life and work, 2015's "The Man from Muscle Shoals: My Journey from Shame to Fame."

"You can do anything if you believe in yourself," Hall said during a 2015 interview with Lynn Oldshue for AL.com. "Don't give me the crap, 'I do believe, but just not that much,' that's never going to make it. It's called persistence and I am still fanatical about perfection, but it is still not good enough."
A 19-year-old was rushed to UAB Hospital Tuesday afternoon after he was found wounded near downtown Birmingham.

The shooting happened about 2:40 p.m., though it was not immediately clear where. The male victim, a passenger in a Chevy Malibu that stopped on 10th Street at Fifth Avenue, was found laying in the intersection.

Birmingham police said his injuries are life-threatening. Witnesses said the Malibu appeared to have exited the interstate and barreled through a red light before coming to a stop.

Someone then flagged down an Alabama State Trooper who was at a nearby construction site and the trooper went to the wounded man.

According to police radio traffic, the incident may have started at a convenience store in Ensley. The victim was a passenger in the vehicle. The driver wasn't injured and was being questioned by officers.

The driver told police they were getting on to Interstate 59 northbound when someone fired shots into their vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.

Soon after the injured man was found, Birmingham police were called to investigate a second shooting after someone showed up at the Pratt City fire station with a gunshot wound to the leg. The second victim also was taken to UAB Hospital.

Police Tuesday evening said the two shootings do not appeared to be linked.
The sentencing for former Jefferson County District Attorney Charles Todd Henderson has been reset.

An order entered Tuesday morning by Chilton County Circuit Judge Sibley Reynolds showed Henderson's sentencing, originally scheduled for Thursday, has been continued. The new sentencing date was not listed in court records.

Reynolds presided over Henderson's perjury case after Jefferson County judges recused themselves.

Henderson was convicted by a jury of first-degree perjury in October. The 53-year-old was elected to the district attorney spot in 2016, but was indicted on the perjury charge just days before he was set to take office. Henderson, a Democrat, beat incumbent Republican Brandon Falls for the seat.

Henderson was suspended without pay, and never took office. Assistant District Attorney Danny Carr served in his place, and was named interim DA after Henderson's conviction. In November, Gov. Kay Ivey named longtime Assistant DA Mike Anderton to take over the spot.

Both Carr, a Democrat, and Anderton, a Republican, have announced their intentions to run for the position in this fall's election.

Henderson's perjury case was based on information he was in a relationship with Yareima Carmen Valecillos Akl during her divorce with then-husband Charbel Akl. Henderson was appointed in January 2016 as the guardian ad litem of the Akls' young child, but was later removed from the position after Jefferson County Circuit Judge Patricia Stephens, who was presiding over the divorce case, learned Mrs. Akl was working on Henderson's campaign.

After his removal, Henderson testified during the Akls' September divorce trial. Transcripts show Henderson twice denied staying with Mrs. Akl at her apartment, but surveillance evidence showed Henderson had stayed at the apartment on several occasions.

Before Henderson's trial, he and Mrs. Akl married. She did not testify.

Assistant Alabama Attorneys General Matt Hart and Kyle Beckman prosecuted the case. The defense team was led by Joe Espy and James Parkman.
Authorities have identified a young boy who was killed in a New Year's Day shooting in western Jefferson County.

The Jefferson County Coroner's Office identified the boy as Trenton Levi Thomas. He lived in McCalla.

Jefferson County sheriff's authorities said the shooting happened just after 6 p.m. at a home in the 6400 block of William Drive in Concord and appears to be accidental. The young boy didn't live at the home where the shooting happened.

Sgt. Jack Self said deputies arrived on the scene to find the 7-year-old had been shot. The child was taken to Children's of Alabama with critical injuries. He was pronounced dead there at 9:53 p.m.

The preliminary investigation shows the boy was in a bedroom handling the gun when it discharged and struck him. No additional details have been released.

The investigation is ongoing.

Trenton is the second child killed under similar circumstances in Alabama in just four days.

On Thursday, a 4-year-old boy was killed in Brierfield when he also accidentally shot himself, said Bibb County District Attorney Michael Jackson. The boy's parents then called 911 and put the boy in the car to drive to meet the ambulance because they were in such a rural area.

The boy died at Six Mile Supply while the parents were waiting for the ambulance, Jackson said.
Two east Alabama men are under arrest after authorities say they were stopped during a police checkpoint and lawmen found drugs and an unrestrained child in the vehicle.

Robert Daniel Borders, 40, and Virgil Todd Matthews, 51, were arrested on Dec. 28, said Etowah County Sheriff Todd Entrekin. Both men are from Centre and are charged with chemical endangerment of exposing a child to an environment in which controlled substances are ingested, produced or distributed. The charge is a felony.

Sheriff's deputies stopped the pair during a driver's license checkpoint near Paden Road and Nunally Avenue. Deputies Kevin Overstreet and Joseph Hutchins spotted visible drug paraphernalia and a bag of an illegal drug inside the vehicle that Borders was driving. The deputies also noticed that both men had marks on their arms that indicted recent drug use.

Entrekin said a 5-year-old child was in the back seat of the vehicle and was not properly using any type of child restraint system. Etowah County Department of Human Resources was contacted, and the mother was called to take custody of the child.

Both Borders and Matthews were taken into custody and are currently being held in the Etowah County Detention Center on $10,000 bond for the chemical endangerment charge. They both also face charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia. A no-bond was issued for the latter charges.

In an unrelated case, Entrekin on Tuesday also announced the arrest of a 33-year-old Gadsden man who is charged two counts of chemical endangerment. Deputies accompanied a Department of Human Resources employee to a home Agricola Drive for a welfare check on two children concerning possible drug use at the house. While inside the residence, a strong marijuana odor and visible smoke were observed by the deputies.

The suspect, arrested Dec. 20, is identified as 33-year-old David Lamar Lumpkin.

David Lamar Lumpkin

Drug paraphernalia was found in Lumpkin's bedroom and he told deputies that he had been smoking marijuana.

Lumpkin was taken into custody and booked into the Etowah County Detention Center on $10,000 bond for the chemical endangerment charges. He also faces an outstanding warrant through the Piedmont Police Department. The Etowah County Department of Human Resources has put a safety plan in place for the two children.
Robin Clayton was killed in a New Year's Day crash in Madison County, authorities said. (Photo: Facebook)

An 11-year-old girl and her grandmother have been identified as the victims of a fatal New Year's Day crash on U.S. 72 in Madison County.

Renee Allen, an 11-year-old from Grant, was riding with her grandmother, 53-year-old Robin Clayton, when they were killed Monday evening, the coroner's office said. Clayton also was from Grant, a small town in neighboring Marshall County.

Both victims died from blunt force trauma, Madison County Deputy Coroner Tyler Berryhill told AL.com. Clayton was ejected from the car.

The crash involved three vehicles and happened at the intersection of Gurley Pike. Gurley is a tiny north Alabama town in Madison County. Further details about the circumstances of the crash haven't been released.
A large aquatic salamander found only in the Black Warrior River basin in Alabama has been granted federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Tuesday that the Black Warrior waterdog -- also called the Alabama mudpuppy -- has been listed as an endangered species under the Act.

Conservation groups call the waterdog one of the most endangered amphibians in the country, and its populations have been heavily impacted by habitat degradation and segmentation, as well as pollution and sedimentation of the Black Warrior tributaries in which it lives.

As part of the listing, the Fish and Wildlife Service designated 420 river miles within the river basin as critical habitat for the waterdog. That designation requires all entities that receive federal funding to ensure that their actions don't imperil the species. It does not impact what private landowners can do on their own lands, so long as those actions don't require a federal permit on their own.

The FWS said in its announcement said the critical habitat designation "should have minimal or no impact on the forestry and coal mining community."

"Since there are already critical habitat designations for other species in this area, very little additional regulatory action will be necessary for the waterdog," the Service said. "The designation will also have no impact on private landowners taking actions on their land that do not require federal funding or permits."

The critical habitat includes portions of: Sipsey Fork (Lawrence and Winston Counties); Locust Fork (Blount, Etowah, Jefferson, and Marshall Counties); Blackwater Creek (Walker and Winston Counties); and Yellow Creek (Tuscaloosa County).

Get to know the Black Warrior waterdog

The Black Warrior waterdog reaches a maximum length of about 10 inches, and is a striking creature, with feathery red external gills jutting out from the salamander's body. But even regular visitors to the Black Warrior streams where they live are unlikely to ever see one in person.

Matt Laschet is the FWS's lead biologist working on the waterdog, and he's only seen a few of them, which he trapped for his research.

The salamanders are mostly active during the winter and at night, Laschet said, spending most of its time hiding under submerged ledges, rocks, or logs. During the day, and during the hot summer months, the salamander rarely leaves its underwater burrows.

The waterdog is fully aquatic, never venturing onto land, and maintaining its feathery external gills and tail for life, whereas some salamanders lose them as they mature.

Declining water quality and sedimentation are believed to be the biggest factors in the waterdog's population declines in recent decades.

Laschet said that of the 13 locations where the waterdog was known to reside, two are now in impoundments. Of the remaining 11, the population levels are only high enough to have a good chance at catching one in a single location inside the Bankhead National Forest.

"There's pretty much only one stable population known where researchers could find it on a regular basis," Laschet said. "Most of the other locations, the populations are so low that for a long time there were no captures in any of those locations."

Black Warrior waterdog (Necturus alabamnesis)

Although the waterdog is rarely seen in those 11 other spots, they do leave traces behind. Laschet said the researchers have used a technique called e-DNA, which can detect traces of the waterdog's DNA in stream water samples, proving the animal still exists there.

"Some of this critical habitat is where we've gotten positive e-DNA hits indicating that they're still there and we have not captured one," Laschet said. "That would be like along the Locust Fork where we have not captured one in the last few years, but yet we're still getting positive e-DNA hits in that area."

Among the biggest threats to the species is the amount of sediment and other pollutants entering the rivers.

"They like to live in the rock crevices and if sand comes into the area and starts filling in those crevices, it can drive them out, it can bury their eggs or the sand also is an abrasive on their gills," Laschet said.

Waterdog listing was years in the making

The species was evaluated as part of a legal settlement between the Fish and Wildlife Service and environmental groups led by the Center for Biological Diversity, which sued FWS after the agency delayed listing decisions for years.

The Black Warrior waterdog was first put on the candidate waiting list in 1982 and the Center for Biological Diversity petitioned FWS to list the waterdog as endangered in 2004 and again in 2010.

"I am elated that the Black Warrior waterdog has received the Endangered Species Act's invaluable protections," said Elise Bennett, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity dedicated to protecting rare reptiles and amphibians. "These protections will not only preserve a future for this unique aquatic salamander but also protect hundreds of miles of rivers for the benefit of the species and Alabamians alike."

Though the endangered status for the salamander is seen as a win for conservation activists, it was not a complete victory. The original proposal -- published in 2016 -- suggested designating 669 river miles as critical habitat for the waterdog. The final version included just 420 miles.

Eva Dillard, staff attorney for Black Warrior Riverkeeper, said her group was pleased that the waterdog's protections were finalized but that the original proposal was more appropriate to protect the species.

"We think the Service articulated a sound scientific basis for the protection of 669 river miles as critical habitat and it is somewhat disappointing to see them walk that back in their announcement today," Dillard said via email. "However, given that prior to today's decision the Black Warrior basin had only 165 miles of critical habitat for all listed species, we are pleased with the designation of more critical habitat to protect the species that make Alabama and the Black Warrior special."

The Black Warrior waterdog is now the 16th aquatic species in the Black Warrior River basin to be protected as either endangered or threatened under the Endangered Species Act.
In anticipation of a frigid return for students on Wednesday, a south Alabama school district has announced it will be flexible on enforcement of the dress code.

Baldwin County Schools

"Record cold temperatures are expected this week," said Baldwin County Public Schools Superintendent Eddie Tyler in a news release. "Due to this forecast, I am requesting flexibility in regard to our uniform dress code. This request pertains not only to coats and jackets but to all uniform attire."

In the Baldwin County city of Daphne, Wednesday's high temperature is expected to reach about 45 degrees with lows dipping to about 26 degrees. Gusts of wind could reach more than 10 miles per hours, making it feel colder than the actual temperature.

"Students will be allowed to wear the warmest clothing possible," the superintendent said today. "Let's work together to make sure our students stay warm during these very harsh temperatures. I'm looking forward to seeing all of our students back Wednesday. Have a nice evening."

The school system's dress code typically prohibits trench coats, overcoats, sweatpants and wind pants. It typically requires students wear khakis with white or navy collared shirts with turtlenecks or sleeves. High school students are allowed to wear denim pants, and some exceptions are made for school-spirit apparel.
As anti-establishment protests continue, residents and business owners in Tehran express worry about the unrests effect.

Tehran, Iran  In the busy Enghelab Square in central Tehran, a sheen of normality prevails as residents go about their business like any other day  if not for the large number of security personnel interspersed throughout this bustling part of the Iranian capital.

Over the past four nights, the square has become a key gathering point for protesters chanting anti-establishment slogans, part of a wider wave of rallies sweeping Iran since last week.

The square has seen skirmishes break out in recent evenings, with police using tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters.

On Tuesday morning, business went on as usual in the area, a popular destination for literature lovers due to its many bookstores.

However, with online statements calling for fresh protests in the evening, business owners remain cautious.

We need to be careful, Reza, a 31-year-old owner of a small store selling books and stationery products, tells Al Jazeera.

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Business is normal during the day, but we have had to close the store earlier in the past few days, he adds.

At least 22 people have been killed since protests erupted on Thursday in Irans second-largest, eastern city of Mashhad, before spreading to other parts of the country.

Initially, the anger of the protesters was directed towards the economic policies of the government led by President Hassan Rouhani.

Soon, however, the grievances turned political, with protesters chanting slogans against the establishment and the ruling religious elite.

In the capital, no casualties have been reported so far. However, police have arrested more than 450 protesters during the past three days, according to Ali Asghar Naserbakht, the deputy governor of Tehran province.

More than 100 people were arrested on Monday alone, Naserbakht told ILNA news agency.

Authorities insist that the situation in Tehran is under control  the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), who are in charge of providing security in Tehran, have repeatedly stressed this.

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The protests are smaller than they need to be for the IRGC to intervene, Ramezan Sharif, a spokesperson for the forces, has been quoted as saying by Iranian media.

However, concerns about the effect of the unrest have also extended to the business sector. On Sunday, a 1.7 percent drop at the Tehran Stock Exchange spooked investors.

The fall came after equity markets had recorded an all-time high in late November.

Until recently, companies were increasing their capital and expanding their business, Mohammad Sharifi, a stock investor and economics graduate of Tehran University, told Al Jazeera.

I lost 10 percent of my investment after the fall in equity index on Sunday.

The losses did not prevail, as markets recorded some gains on Monday and Tuesday, but a depreciation in the value of the Iranian rial has created further anxiety.

Since the rallies broke out, the rial has depreciated more than seven percent against the euro, while the US dollar has also risen 2.8 percent in the Iranian market.

This could have an effect on the livelihood of middle-class Iranians.

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Many expat students who have returned to Tehran to visit relatives during the winter holidays are now anxious.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, some said they were surprised to see currency exchange stores refusing to sell them foreign cash as they wait for markets to stabilise.

Back in Enghelab Square, life seems to carry on as normal. However, Reza, the bookstore owner, says he will take no chances and close his shop early.

It gets tense in the evening.
Sanaas residents live amid constant threat of air raids, fuel shortages and uncertainty over when the war will end.

This article was based on audio diaries used for a The Debrief podcast episode, Sleepless in Yemen, which was made in collaboration with Save the Children.

The hum of warplanes over Sanaas sky is almost constant, stalking Anas Shaharis thoughts as he tries to maintain his daily routine in the face of Yemens war.

It is not the murmur of jet engines flying thousands of feet above him that keep the 30-year-old awake at night, but rather the fear of a more consuming sound  that of an explosion.

Weve had enough, he tells Al Jazeera. Weve had experiences where the aeroplanes kill our loved ones. We just pray that were not the next.

Since a Saudi-led coalition went to war against Houthi fighters and their allies in 2015, air strikes have become a recurring feature of life in Yemens rebel-held capital. Attacks have resulted in mass civilian casualties; even weddings, medical facilities and funerals have not been spared.

This, combined with the possibility of armed clashes breaking out at any time, has instilled a pervasive fear of death among residents, even as they carry out their simplest errands.

The people who travelled [to areas of relative safety], the people who stayed  they just want to know [whether] this war is going to end, Shahari says. Or is it basically going to continue [until it] kills everyone?

Hiding indoors

An aid worker for Save the Children by day, Shahari has a one-year-old daughter who wants and needs open places to play, but parks are out of the question.

Of the two public parks Shahari is familiar with, one is near military positions that are likely high up on the list of air raid targets. The other was recently hit by an explosion.

Staying home is very boring for children, he laments. My daughter wants to go out, [but] I cannot take her out because her safety comes first.

Since 2015, air raids have dictated the pace of life for Yemenis. Routine tasks must factor in the areas expected to be targeted, and the likely times the missiles will fall.

This means avoiding roads next to military installations or other possible targets, and only venturing out at times when the coalition is less likely to launch raids.

Saudi-led coalition air strikes have decimated Yemens capital, Sanaa [Courtesy of Al Masirah]

For lunch, Shahari reaches an area previously targeted by strikes that is filled with restaurant-goers.

Markets are busy, restaurants are busy; you can see that business is going [on], he says. Its unfortunate that after a few hours, these streets will be dead again.

Life under the threat of bombardment is about much more than avoiding explosions and death. A coalition blockade of rebel-held territory makes essentials, such as fuel and food, harder and harder to come by.

Since 2015, the Saudi-led coalition has restricted the entry of commercial products into the country through the two main rebel-held ports of entry: Sanaa airport and Hodeidah port.

Shahari says the resulting shortages have driven prices up, forcing Yemenis to come up with creative ways to make sure the essentials last.

I see people riding bicycles instead of cars  sometimes motorcycles because theyre more economic. I dont drive fast to save fuel.

We have no heaters. It is so cold. It's not even funny. I honestly wear double socks, two pants and many, many layers. Sukaina Sharafuddin, Save the Children

Despite the difficult circumstances, normal life  or at least some semblance of it  continues for many.

Sukaina Sharafuddin, a 27-year-old colleague of Shahari at Save the Children, plans for a friends wedding, takes trips to the bank to withdraw money for her mother and thinks of ways to keep her two-year-old son entertained.

As she scrambles to find dresses for the big wedding, she realises that her clothes are scattered across the many houses she has had to move from to avoid strikes.

Ive [relocated] my family to the third house, she says. Weve been evacuated, one house to another, searching for a better and safer place  but unfortunately, here in Yemen, no place is safe. Everywhere you go, theres a street thats been targeted. Everywhere you go, you find the destruction in the streets.

While trying to run a quick errand to the bank on the weekend to withdraw some much-needed cash for her mother, she confronts unexpected early closing times.

The bank is closed, so basically I just wasted fuel for no reason, she laments. My god, I cannot believe I drove all the way here for nothing.

Yemens capital, Sanaa, has been held by the Houthis and their allies since 2014 [Khaled Abdullah/Reuters]

On top of that, she is ridden with guilt for not being able to allow her child to play outside. Her two-year-old son spends days at a time cooped up in a basement to avoid the dangers above, and Sharafuddin often comes home from work to witness his frustration.

But the young mother is also facing her own frustrations over how the simplest comforts, taken for granted before the war, now seem so distant.

Coalition bombardment and the blockade have left the countrys electricity grid unable to provide energy to Sanaas residents, and generators run dry because of the lack of fuel.

That leaves millions at the mercy of Yemens winter, which can cause temperatures to drop to close to freezing at night. Many do not have access to clean water, and for those who do, hot water is a scarcity.

Showering and washing her face in the morning has become a mental challenge, Sharafuddin says.

We have no heaters. It is so cold. Its not even funny, she says. I honestly wear double socks, two pants and many, many layers.

It has been almost three years since they last had access to regular power and electricity, but both Sharafuddin and Shahari have found a way to deal with the lack of power.

They are two of the few who have a solar power system that grants them electricity for six hours maximum each day. Shahari is aware of his own privilege.

The weather is cold, and I have a solar system. I can use it to light up the room  I can only charge my phone and use it for lighting. I cannot turn on the heater. I cannot turn on the refrigerator. Nothing at all, he says, adding with a sarcastic note: Well, sometimes we can charge our phones. Thats lucky, right?

Both aid workers tend to suppress many of their complaints, knowing that many in the country live in far worse conditions  and by the standards of Yemens war, they consider themselves the lucky ones.

I am a lucky person, Sharafuddin says. Im considered one of the minority groups here who are very, very lucky. I mean, I have a salary, I have a fixed income, thank god  At least I have a house thats very [well] sheltered  Im not sleeping outside like many families are now doing, unfortunately.

You've got the Saudi coalition air strikes, you've got the poor sanitation systems ... People don't have access to clean water, including more than eight million children. Nadine Drummond, Save the Children

Shahari and Sharafuddin are also confronted with the human cost of war on a daily basis. Sharafuddin has seen children who have lost limbs or been blinded by the fighting and air raids, but she remains optimistic that better days are ahead.

They have nothing to do with this [war], she says. Their future is taken away from them, and they have nothing to do with politics. I pray that Yemen becomes safe, and Im very optimistic about that. I really feel that things will just get better.

According to Save the Children, around 77 percent of Yemens population needs humanitarian aid, with the United Nations warning that the country is at risk of famine.

More than 2.5 million children are not being educated because of the war, while damage to sanitation infrastructure has allowed cholera to affect more than a million people.

The UN and NGOs in Yemen actually keep a significant portion of the population alive, says Save the Childrens Yemen spokesperson, Nadine Drummond. Youve got the Saudi coalition air strikes, youve got the poor sanitation systems  People dont have access to clean water, including more than eight million children.

There is a fuel crisis, which is still a problem within the country  [besides travel], the fuel is needed to power generators  the generators that are used for the pumps, to keep water clean, she adds. So Yemenis cant catch a break at any opportunity.

Follow Jasmin Bauomy on Twitter: @jasminbauomy
In recent weeks, the unfolding tragedy of refugees stuck in the Libyan migration system has caught the eye of the European public. The conditions they face are terrible: beatings, torture, systematic rape, slave trade and killings.

European leaders have tried to dodge responsibility and have blamed this humanitarian disaster on smugglers, the competing Tripoli and Tobruk governments, and the many militias vying for a place in the countrys power vacuum.

Yet it is European policies, and more specifically the EU outsourcing migration control to Libya, that have helped bring about the current crisis. In fact, it is impossible to understand why the Libyan migration control system developed the way it did without considering the intensive EU involvement in the countrys border control policies and the massive profit that various private companies are making out of it.

The EUs involvement in Libya started way before some EU countries turned on their former darling, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and backed a NATO operation which helped topple his regime.

Building Libyas migration control

The EUs gradual externalisation of migration control started in the early 2000s, as Libya finally emerged from a decade and a half of international isolation. In 2003, Gaddafi decided to pay compensation to the families of the victims of the Lockerbie bombing. In April 2004, he paid a visit to Brussels, and six months later, the EU lifted its arms embargo on Libya.

A month later, the European Commission sent a technical mission to Tripoli to identify concrete measures for possible balanced EU-Libyan cooperation particularly on illegal immigration.

In 2007, the newly formed EU border agency Frontex dispatched another technical mission to Libya to examine possibilities for developing an operational and technical partnership with Libyan authorities.

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As EU-made arms, vessels and surveillance technology started flowing into Libya, the union pushed Italy to expand its bilateral cooperation with Libya on border control through the 2008 Friendship Treaty. By then, Brussels had quietly sanctioned the controversial push-back practice against boats carrying refugees.

In 2011, a popular uprising against Gaddafis regime erupted, and NATO launched an operation against the Libyan regime, backed by Gaddafis former friends, Italy and France. As a result, the border control mechanisms in place under Gaddafi were dissolved, and migration across the Mediterranean increased again.

Since then, the EU has been putting a lot of effort and money into reinstating these mechanisms.

In 2013, there were repeated attempts to send a border assistance mission to train Libyan border guards and naval coast guards. The situation in Libya was so unstable that the contingent had to be moved to Tunisia in 2014, where training continued.

The EU has spent hundreds of millions of euros financing migration control through a remarkably high number of instruments, including Aeneas (EUs programme for financial and technical assistance on migration), the Thematic Programme for Migration and Asylum (TPMA), Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows (SOLID), the Home Affairs Funds and the European Neighbourhood Instrument.

The fact that conditions in Libya have deteriorated the way they have should make us all question not just the morality, but also the efficiency of such a militarised approach to displacement.

The way arms and security companies are profiting from Europe's border militarisation is truly worrying.

Already in Gaddafis era, the police, military and smuggling sectors were thoroughly interconnected, to the point that many people caught in that system were unable to distinguish between them. They were, and still are, all kidnapping, brutalising and robbing people trying to reach Europe.

This is one reason why the European political narrative on combating smugglers is problematic: The union has in effect, been collaborating with the very people they claim to be combating.

What is more, for the last 15 years, the need for smugglers services has been inversely proportional to the availability of legal migration paths.

The smuggling industry has boomed in North Africa in parallel with the massive expansion of European border control in the 2000s. In the process, the EU gradually closed legal work, education and humanitarian migration paths and launched militarised border control operations like Triton, Sophia, and Poseidon.

As a result, migration has been relegated to ever-more dangerous routes and more profit-oriented and cynical operators. In that sense, the European politicians have been creating the most favourable conditions possible for the smuggling industry.

Making money from migration control

Ultranationalism and racism are not the only driving forces behind the European militarisation of border control. The EUs perceived need to invest in upgraded control measures has boosted the border control industry which has made billions out of selling equipment and services to curb migration.

The externalisation of European border control to North Africa has precipitated the creation of a highly profitable subsidised export market for Europes arms, security and IT industries.

Since the early 2000s, an increasing number of actors have viewed border control as a lucrative market and have lobbied for its expansion. Companies such as British BAE Systems, Italian Leonardo (formerly Finmeccanica), French Thales and Airbus, US Boeing and HP have been actively competing for border security contracts.

The export of control equipment like IT databases, drones, fighters, jeeps, biometric tools, ships and radar equipment may not appease racist and nationalist circles in Europe, but it does make a lot of money. The international market for such technology is estimated to be worth $56bln by 2022.

Also involved are the stockholders and credit regimes associated with international banks, investment firms, and hedge funds which provide and circulate the capital underpinning the European border control industry.

In the 2000s, for instance, Italian Finmeccanica played a crucial role supporting the externalisation of migration control to Libya through contracts for border systems, vessels, aeroplanes, drones and helicopters.

These contracts, along with the international legitimacy derived from having closer relations with the EU, helped Gaddafi consolidate power and pushed refugees into a deeply exploitative system. The brutality they suffered was just as bad as the one we hear of today but was far less covered by the media, as it had limited access to the country under the Gaddafi regime.

It was credit institutions that facilitated such contracts. In 2010, for instance, more than two dozen such companies guaranteed Finmeccanica a five-year revolving credit line worth $2.8bln.

This was coordinated by BNP Paribas and UniCredit, but also included Royal Bank of Scotland, Barclays, Bank of America, Citibank, HSBC, JP Morgan and others.

With its growing profitability, this market has naturally attracted the likes of Erik Prince, the founder of military contractor Blackwater. Prince has pitched a plan for the creation of a private police force to deal with the Libyan problem. The force would block people from crossing the sea into Europe in a humane and professional way through interception, incarceration and deportation, he claims.

Using the language typical for this industry, Prince promises that his force would be fast, cost-efficient, and able to steer clear of political quagmires. Ironically, that is not what most people associate Blackwater with.

The way arms and security companies are profiting from Europes border militarisation is truly worrying. It indicates how Europe today seems to be stepping away from upholding universal human rights and drawing closer to its past of racialised colonial practices.

And just like the colonial slave trade was driven by both racism and economic profit, so is the current outsourcing of migration control.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
More than 60,000 asylum seekers are stuck in Greece due to closed borders and the EU-Turkey accord on refugees.

Athens, Greece  Closed borders, racism, xenophobic attacks, rejected asylum applications, poverty and lengthy waits.

These experiences are what many refugees and migrants in Greece say defined 2017 for them.

More than 60,000 refugees and migrants are trapped in Greece due to sealed borders across the so-called Balkan route and the March 2016 deal between Turkey and the European Union, which was sculpted to stem the flow of displaced people to Europe.

That deal has been roundly condemned by rights groups and watchdogs.

More than 15,000 refugees and migrants have been confined to Greek islands by a government policy that bars them from moving to the mainland until their asylum procedures have been completed.

Although arrivals sharply decreased after the EU-Turkey deal, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) statistics say that more than 170,317 people made the treacherous journey across the Mediterranean Sea in 2017.

At least 3,081 died or went missing along the way.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, some refugees in Greece explained that they no longer feel welcome, while others said they have started to build their lives from scratch.

Masood Qahar, 40, Afghanistan

Masood Qahar, 40, fled Afghanistan after receiving death threats [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera]

Many refugees have been arrested and put in jail. Greece has been rejecting refugees [asylum requests]. People are living in the streets; they have a bad situation.

Before, they were telling refugees to come and apply for asylum [in Europe].

Now, people are not getting asylum  it is taking a long time and many people are getting negative [replies to their requests], especially single men.

I lived in a tent for one year and six months. Now Im in a container, but in one container there are five people. Its a bad situation inside.

There is a heater, but it doesnt work. In the winter, its cold. In the summer, there is no air conditioner. If you ask for a blanket, they [camp authorities] have just one answer: We dont have one.

They [Greek authorities] have been moving me to different camps all the time. Its because Ive protested for the rights of refugees. Its like jail. You dont have rights. We arent eating the food.

Yesterday, I opened the food and it smelled bad  it was two days old. We threw it in the rubbish. If you tell them youre human and not to give you bullsh*t food, they tell you to leave.

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If you think about the situation in Greece, there are economic problems.

The Greek people also dont have money. If the educated people from Greece dont have jobs, how can I expect refugees to find work?

But we are hard workers. Now we are just collecting rubbish, working illegally for little money  three or four euros a day.

First, [Europe] loved refugees. Now they hate refugees. They are trying to force refugees to leave this country. So, we see that we dont have a future here.

Ive tried many times to leave Greece. First, I tried to go to Macedonia in 2016. Second, I tried to leave Patras [to Italy]. Police arrested me for two nights, didnt give me food and beat me a lot. Ive also tried to leave from the airport.

Two years ago, when I first arrived, no one asked if Im really a refugee and who I am. Now, if you walk in the street, there are a lot of people treating you like sh*t.

Mahmoud al-Zaidy, 21, Iraq

Mahmoud al-Zaidy, 21, fled Iraq after working as a war photographer [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera]

Ive been in Greece for a year and a half. I was working as a photographer in Iraq, and I was covering the war as ISIL entered the situation.

I left after I was close to a car bombing. I wasnt hurt, but that was why I chose to go.

I went to Turkey, but I wasnt happy with life there. I decided to come to Europe.

I had decided to go to Germany, but when I came to Greece I was happy with the country and the Greek people.

I didnt feel that they were racist or sectarian.

I started studying English and Greek, and then I met someone who invited me to come to City Plaza [a refugee squat in Athens].

I made good relations here. The Greek people have been good to me, and I havent felt any racism or discrimination, so I decided to continue my life here.

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Ive applied for asylum here, and I want to live in Greece.

The only problem here is the work. Its very hard to find work, and especially as a photographer. Its also hard because I dont speak English well and I dont speak much Greek.

For me, Im not scared of returning to Iraq, but I dont have a future there.

Thats why I decided to leave. The last few years have been very hard in Iraq, especially since ISIL came.

I was only 18 years old when that started. I dont like war or violence. Thats not for me, and working as a photographer in war isnt my role.

I want to continue my work. Now, Im starting over, so its hard to begin from scratch. The situation is very good in City Plaza.

Its a place for refugees to start building their lives again. If it wasnt for City Plaza, maybe Id be sleeping in the streets.

Ali Jaffari, 33, Pakistan

Ali Jaffari, 33, hopes to be reunited with his wife in Switzerland [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera]

Ive been in Greece for two years. I came with my wife and two boys. They are three and five years old. I havent seen any good changes for refugees in the last two years.

There are thousands of refugees facing difficulties during this winter season. I can feel their pain because I have lived the same situation. Last year, it was damn cold [in the camps], living in the tents.

I was a member of a political party for the [Hazara Shia] community in Pakistan. I had a good life. Why did I escape?

I was under attack [by armed groups]. I decided there was no more hope to live in my city [Quetta].

I knew we would face difficulties [coming to Europe].

The European Union-Turkey deal is against humanity. I feel very sad.

Ive lost two years of my life  if anyone gives up two years of their life, its a very valuable amount of time. I couldve done many things.

The only problem here is the financial crisis and the job opportunities are very low; not only for the refugees but also for the Greek people.

My expectations to find a job are not very high. Ive even collected recyclables from the rubbish and tried to resell them. I would stay in Greece if there were opportunities.

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I sent my wife to Switzerland. Right now, Im waiting for reunification to join her.

Its taken two years to get my asylum interview. Im always thinking of how to get out of this situation.

I want to be independent, stand on my own two feet and have a good future for my children.

But Im sorry to say it seems like there is no possibility for that in Greece.

A few people here [in Greece] are racist and dont like refugees. Everywhere there are good and bad people.

When I first came to Athens, I was in the Elliniko camp. I lived in a tent with my family for months. It was very difficult for us.

Later, I moved to another camp. Eventually, I got a space here in City Plaza [refugee squat].

The government isnt doing anything but making camps, where its very cold and bad.

In City Plaza, its a big change, and they treat the refugees well.

This makes refugees feel like theyre in a home. It gives us hope that we can still fight.

Its a good place, safe for the children, its clean and we get food. Its much better than the camps.

I wish the Greek government and the EU would open up the empty buildings for refugees living in the camps.

Karime Qias, 17, and Shafiqa Qias, 21, Afghanistan

Karime Qias, 17, recently left Lesbos with her family, arriving in Athens [Patrick Strickland/Al Jazeera]

Karime: We camped outside the [municipality] for several nights [to protest in Lesbos]. We had a lot of NGOs coming to talk to us [in Lesbos], but they didnt do anything for us.

They are using [refugees cases] for funding. But they didnt find us a place for us to live [outside of the camps].

There were also lawyers who saw us sleeping outside, but nobody helped.

Every night [in the camps] there was fighting. Many people have [developed] mental health problems.

The Greek government has created a situation where refugees [of different nationalities] fight each other.

They divide us by category, culture, language  this is a political game.

Shafiqa: When we were in Lesbos [for three months before coming to Athens], we had to fight for everything. Every day the situation was getting worse for refugees [in Lesbos]. We learned what the political fight meant.

We didnt think that Europe was like this. We do not want to stay in Greece. We are very happy that we left Lesbos, but we want to continue [elsewhere]. Maybe we could go to Canada, or if not, Finland.

We have many hopes for the future.

Wherever we end up, we want to find a home for our family.

I promise that this time next year you will find us in a much better place.

*These interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity
The captives, mostly fishermen, farmers and their families, were held as farm workers by the armed group Boko Haram.

More than 700 people abducted by the armed group Boko Haram in Nigeria have escaped from captivity, according to a spokesman for the army.

The captives included farmers, fishermen and members of their families, Colonel Timothy Antigha said in a statement on Facebook on Monday.

Boko Haram had kept the villagers as farm workers on various islands in Lake Chad, he said, adding that the escapees were found by Nigerian troops near the northeastern town of Monguno, close to Nigerias border with Chad.

Two women from the group have since given birth at an army base in Monguno, Antigha said.

Over 700 farmers and fishermen regain freedom as Boko Haram structures collapse pic.twitter.com/YuWMwa2Ze2  Nigerian Army (@HQNigerianArmy) January 1, 2018

Boko Haram, whose name roughly translates to Western education is forbidden, has waged an armed campaign to create an Islamic state in northeastern Nigeria.

The eight-year conflict has left at least 20,000 people dead and displaced more than 2.6 million.

Boko Haram gained international notoriety after its fighters kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls in the town of Chibok. About 100 girls are still missing.

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At its peak, the group controlled large swaths of territory in the Lake Chad region, but the Nigerian military, with assistance from Chad, Cameroon and Niger, has pushed Boko Haram fighters out of a number of provinces in the northeast.

Antigha attributed the escape of the more than 700 hostages on Monday to military operations in the area, which were targeted at destroying Boko Haram infrastructure and logistics, such as communication centres, fabrication yards, bomb-making equipment, vehicles and other means of sustenance.

Al Jazeeras Ahmed Idris, reporting from Nigerias capital, Abuja, said the latest discovery came almost a year after President Muhammadu Buharis administration announced that Boko Haram had almost been defeated.

Since that announcement, we have seen daring and sometimes devastating attacks by Boko Haram fighters in the northeast and they have taken a lot of people hostage, he said.

The army is continuing its operations, but Boko Haram has proven to be a resilient force in northeastern Nigeria, he added.
Despite active Bali volcano, government wants tourists

The president of Indonesia has been taking selfies on the beach in Bali, hoping to lure tourists back. But is it safe?
Demonstrations stoked by anger over cost of living continue across the country, claiming at least eight lives overnight.

A number of Iranians have died amid ongoing nationwide anti-government protests that began last week in various cities across Iran.

Nine Iranians were killed in Isfahan province alone during anti-government protests on Monday night.

State TV said on Tuesday that six people were killed in Isfahans central town Qahderijan  during a raid on a police station  and one more in Khomeinishahr.

According to state media, the rioters were attempting to break into the station to obtain weapons.

An 11-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were among those killed in Khomeinishahr.

In addition, Irans semi-official Mehr news agency said a member of Basij militia and a police officer were killed in Najafabad, 350km south of the capital Tehran, on Monday.

According to reports, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) soldier was shot by an assailant using a hunting rifle in Najafabad.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify whether the IRGC member was the same police officer who was reported as being shot.

Overall, at least 21 people have died in Iran during six days of protests, according to state media.

In the same period, at least 20 people have been killed and about 450 people n arrested, with the Tehran governors deputy giving the following breakdown: 200 on Saturday; 150 on Sunday; and 100 on Monday.

The detention figures for other Iranian cities were not available.

Khameneis comments

On Tuesday, Irans top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused enemies of the state of stirring unrest in the country.

He said that enemies of Iran have allied and used the various means they have available including money, weapons, politics, and intelligence services to stir unrest as nationwide anti-government rallies continue.

The dignity, security, and progress of the Iranian nation is owed to the self-sacrifice of the martyrs. What prevents enemies from exerting their atrocities is the spirit of courage, sacrifice, and faith within the nation, he said in a statement posted on his official website.

I have something to say on these events, and I will speak to the dear people when the time is right.

The Iranian nation will forever owe the dear martyrs, who left behind their homes and families, to stand against the wicked enemies.

Despite threats by the IRGC to put down the demonstrations, protesters have continued taking to the streets in various parts of Iran, in what has been described as the biggest show of dissent in the country since huge rallies took place in 2009.

A still image taken from a video showing protesters in Tuyserkan on Sunday [Reuters]

The rallies began on December 28 in the second-largest city of Mashhad, prompted by anger over rising cost of living and the state of the economy.

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.

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.

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.

With additional reporting by Saeed Jalili
Ibrahim al-Assaf was among dozens of senior officials, businessmen and princes who were held in November.

A Saudi minister, who was recently detained in the Kingdoms alleged anti-corruption crackdown, has attended a weekly cabinet meeting, according to state media.

Ibrahim al-Assaf, a state minister and former finance minister, was among dozens of senior officials, businessmen and members of the royal family who were held in November.

The sweeping crackdown was seen by some as an attempt to strengthen the power of Mohammed bin Salman, crown prince and heir to the Saudi throne.

On Tuesday, the official SPA news agency shared images of al-Assaf at the meeting, which is also attended by Mohammed bin Salman.





Assaf was reportedly released last month.

He has been in office as state minister since November 2016

The 68-year-old PhD holder in economics is also a board member of national oil giant, Saudi Aramco.

He has also held positions at the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

Two sons of Saudi Arabias late King Abdullah  Prince Meshaal bin Abdullah and Prince Faisal bin Abdullah  were also released in late December, according to tweets by royal family members.

Saudi authorities reportedly struck agreements with some of those held in the crackdown, asking them to hand over assets and cash in return for their freedom.
Calls for Joseph Kabila to resign were met with deadly violence, as many fear DRC president plans to extend his mandate.

Civil society groups and human rights activists in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are calling for sustained pressure on the countrys president, after protests demanding Joseph Kabila step down turned deadly this week.

At least seven people were killed across the country on Sunday, after security forces reportedly fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live ammunition at demonstrators in the capital, Kinshasa, and other cities.

Organised by the Catholic church, the protests called for Kabila to step aside and allow for new elections to be held in the Congo  a demand at the centre of an agreement signed by the president and opposition politicians in 2016.

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Several people were also injured in the violence, and security forces arrested at least 120 people, including religious officials.

Hubert Tshiswaka, a lawyer and director of the Institute for Human Rights Research in Lubumbashi, the Congos second-largest city, accused the government of deploying security forces with the intention of firing on protesters.

Its deplorable and irresponsible on the part of the government and the head of state, Tshiswaka told Al Jazeera.

Lambert Mende, a Congo government spokesperson, said criminals sought to infiltrate the protests.

We have information from our intelligence services indicating that criminals were going to infiltrate the protests and take advantage  Were waiting for the [results of an] investigation, Mende told Frances TV5 Monde in a telephone interview on Monday.

We deeply regret that there has been loss of life, including a police officer, Mende said.

But Tshiswaka said the deadly violence comes within the governments policy to repress all peaceful protests.

The reaction should have been proportional. If you have bare-handed people in front of you  you cannot execute them, point-blank, because you suspect that people with arms are among them, he said.

Saint Sylvestre Accord

In a January 1 statement, the Congos main opposition groups, known as the Rassemblement (the Grouping, or Gathering), said Kabila and his government institutions had lost all legality and all legitimacy.

The group called on the international community and all Congolese citizens to no longer recognise Kabila as the countrys president.

The Front of the Respect of the Constitution (FRC), a coalition of Congolese political and civil society groups, also criticised the governments reckless behaviour and accused it of disregarding the Saint Sylvestre Accord.

Policemen walk past burning debris during protests in Kinshasa on Sunday [John Bompengo/AP]

Signed in October 2016, the accord  agreed to by the president and opposition groups and brokered by the Catholic church  stipulated that presidential, legislative and provincial elections would be held in December 2017 at the latest.

But Kabila now says he intends to stay in power until December 2018 to account for delays in voter registration. The elections are scheduled for December 23.

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Kabila spoke during a televised, end-of-year address on Sunday, but he did not directly mention the violence that occurred earlier that day.

Instead, the president called for citizens to work to create real conditions of peace, hope and stability that would allow the countrys national electoral commission to finalise voter lists and prepare for elections later this year.

But the FRC decried the multiple delays, noting in a statement: Enough is enough.

Michaelle Jean, head of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, called for everything to be done to prepare for the elections.

Holding timely elections that respect the countrys constitution and the Saint Sylvestre Accord, Jean said in a statement, is the only way to definitively put an end to the ongoing transition and ensure stability and peacebuilding in the DRC.

Kabilas future

Kabila came to power in 2001 after the assassination of his father, Laurent-Desire Kabila, the countrys third president.

He was elected in 2006 in the countrys first democratic election since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960. Kabila secured a second term in 2011, though that election was plagued by allegations of widespread voter fraud.

Currently, a Congo president can only serve two, consecutive, five-year terms. Kabilas presidential mandate ended in December 2016.

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Asked about Kabilas future amid calls for his resignation this week, Mende, the government spokesperson, responded incredulously, telling a reporter with TV5 Monde: Why do you need to know anything about his future?

The Kabila government attempted to revise the Congo constitution in 2014 and proposed a new electoral law in 2015. Both measures were widely seen as part of an effort to allow the president to stay in power longer, but neither succeeded.

The only strategy so far which works for Kabila is to buy time by not organising elections, explained Kris Berwouts, a political analyst and author of Congos Violent Peace: Conflict and Struggle since the Great African War.

Today, Berwouts said, the regime is aware of the fact that they cant go ahead without elections.

Delaying the vote has its limits; you cant do that eternally. Its about credibility, he added.

Kabila has been in power in the DRC since 2001 [Eduardo Munoz/Reuters]

Kabilas camp is divided, however, over what role the president can have going forward, while the countrys opposition remains weak and divided and frustration is growing at the grassroots level, Berwouts said.

You have a divided regime and you have a population which wants to get rid of Kabila, and between that, you have a number of actors which struggle with their own legitimacy, he said.

Many people living outside the Congos larger cities have the impression that their daily living conditions did not change at all in the 20 years since longtime Congolese dictator Mobutu Seko died, which is spurring their frustration, he added.

At least 1.7 million people were newly displaced in the Congo as the political situation deteriorated across the country this year, according to ACAPS, a Geneva-based think-tank that monitors humanitarian developments.

Kabilas refusal to step down has triggered an increase in violence and the development of new conflict dynamics, the group said, especially in opposition strongholds like the Kasai region and North and South Kivu.

DRC is going backwards

Michael Tshibangu, a UK-based political analyst and president of the Association for Development and Democracy in Congo, said the swift and forceful repression of Sundays protests shows how determined [Kabila] is to stay in power.

Despite his promise to hold elections this year, many fear the president will not relinquish control, he said.

Everything were seeing today shows that the DRC is going backwards. Kabila is in the process of establishing a dictatorship, Tshibangu said.





The governments response to recent protests also demonstrates how difficult it would be to hold elections in the country right now, he told Al Jazeera.

If people cannot protest freely, Tshibangu asked, how can they be expected to exercise their right to organise political party meetings or campaign before an election?

You need to allow people to express themselves, he said. The pressure is increasing, increasing, increasing  and one day, its going to explode.

Tshiswaka agreed, noting he expected protests to continue because the government and the president have no intention of peacefully leaving power and the Congolese population will be increasingly frustrated.

His fear now, he added, is that Kabila is pushing the population into a corner such that  it will only be able to respond with violence.
The state of emergency was introduced in April 2017 after 45 people were killed in attacks on churches.

Egypt has extended by another three months a nationwide state of emergency, citing security reasons.

The latest extension, which will commence on January 13 under a decree issued by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi on Tuesday, comes after two deadly attacks on Friday against Coptic Christians in Helwan district, south of the capital, Cairo.

State news agency MENA said the move was taken to allow security forces to take (measures) necessary to confront the dangers and funding of terrorism and safeguard security in all parts of the country.

Egyptian authorities first imposed a nationwide state of emergency in April 2017, after two church bombings killed at least 45 people. Similar extensions were announced in July and October last year.

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The measure grants the president, and those acting on his behalf, the power to refer civilians to State Security Emergency Courts for the duration of the three-month period.

There is no appeal process for State Security Emergency Court verdicts.

It also allows the president to intercept and monitor all forms of communications, imposing censorship prior to publication and confiscating extant publications, impose a curfew for or order the closure of commercial establishments, sequestration of private properties, as well as designating areas for evacuation.

The emergency measures allow security forces to detain people for any period of time, for virtually any reason. They also grant broad powers to restrict public gatherings and media freedom.

However, human rights groups have repeatedly criticised Egypts human rights situation, saying conditions in the country have continued to deteriorate since el-Sisi took power in 2013.





Egypt has for years battled an armed, anti-government campaign on the rugged and thinly populated Sinai peninsula.

In November 2017, the country saw its deadliest attack ever when gunmen assaulted a mosque in the town of Bir al-Abed. More than 300 people were killed, and about 120 wounded in the assault.

Egypt is expected to hold presidential elections later this year.

El-Sisi, who in 2013 led the overthrow of democratically elected President Mohamed Morsi, of the Muslim Brotherhood, is expected to run for another term.

The date for this election will be announced in the coming week.
Egypt has proposed cutting Sudan out of talks on the massive Nile River dam project, an Ethiopia newspaper has reported.

Egypt has proposed excluding Sudan from contentious negotiations over the future of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the largest hydroelectric dam project in Africa, according to an Ethiopian newspaper.

The Egyptian proposal, sent by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopias prime minister, has suggested the talks proceed with Ethiopia alone, Addis Fortune newspaper reported.

Egypt has been at odds with its neighbours over the $4.8bn megaproject, with Cairo fearing that its position downstream may affect its access to water from the Nile River basin, which will feed the dam.

Egypt, in a tense situation with both Sudan and Ethiopia, proposed for Sudans exclusion from the negotiations and to proceed with Ethiopia only, a country that shares its view on the issue as a matter of life or death,' the newspaper reported.

Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry left for Ethiopia on December 25 to put forward a proposal to break [the] impasse in the talks, the ministry said on Twitter.

Shoukry heads to Addis Ababa to put forward proposal to break impasse in the GERD talks. Once again Egypt calls for full respect of all provisions of the Declaration of Principles. Priority to cooperate & build confidence, while preserving Egypt's legitimate water interests  Egypt MFA Spokesperson (@MfaEgypt) December 25, 2017

Shoukry met with Desalegn in Addis Ababa, according to the Egyptian foreign ministry.

Egypt also proposed getting the World Bank involved in the negotiations as a technical party with an impartial view, the ministry said in a statement.

Water rights and use of the Niles water supply remain highly contentious issues, as millions of people rely on the river.

Under construction since 2011, the dam megaproject is about 60 percent complete.
Alternative for Germany politician Beatrix von Storch launched tirade after police tweeted New Years message in Arabic.

A far-right German politician has been condemned for an anti-Arab and anti-Muslim Tweet, which briefly saw her suspended from the platform.

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) MP Beatrix von Storch said Cologne police were appeasing barbaric, gang-raping, Muslim hordes when they tweeted out a New Years Day message in Arabic.

Under newly introduced German hate laws, social media platforms must respond quickly to remove hate speech or face fines of up to 50 million euros ($60m).

Von Storch was condemned for the tweet by some social media users, but far-right activists rallied around her, accusing Twitter and the German authorities of censorship.

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Once considered part of the eurosceptic right, the AfD has transformed into a hard-right, anti-Islam party in recent years.

That change occurred in the aftermath of the ongoing European refugee crisis, which saw more than a million people, mainly from Syria and Iraq, either claim refuge in Germany or transit through the state to other European nations.

In 2016, the party published a manifesto declaring Islam as not welcome in Germany.

Bernd Lucke, one of the partys founders, resigned in 2016, condemning it as Islamophobic and xenophobic.

Rallies against the AfD regularly draw thousands of Germans, but that hasnt stopped the partys electoral success.

In September 2017, it became the first far-right party since the Nazis to enter the German parliament, after picking up 12.6 percent of the vote, which equalled 94 seats.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says external forces are stirring unrest as US calls for United Nations talks on Iran protests.

Irans supreme leader has blamed external enemies for heightening turmoil in the country, as the death toll in ongoing nationwide anti-government rallies has passed 20.

The comments by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Irans top authority, came on Tuesday hours before the US said that it would seek emergency United Nations talks on the protests in the Islamic republic.

At least eight people were killed on Monday night, according to state media, taking the number of people killed since the demonstrations began on December 28 to at least 22.

In his first public remarks since the rallies began, Khamenei said that enemies of Iran have allied and used the various means they have available, including money, weapons, politics, and intelligence services, to stir unrest.

The dignity, security, and progress of the Iranian nation are owed to the self-sacrifice of the martyrs. What prevents enemies from exerting their atrocities is the spirit of courage, sacrifice, and faith within the nation, he said in a statement posted on his official website.





I have something to say on these events, and I will speak to the dear people when the time is right.

The Iranian nation will forever owe the dear martyrs, who left behind their homes and families, to stand against the wicked enemies.

US President Donald Trump, who has used Twitter to criticise Tehran since the rallies erupted, hailed the protesters for acting against the brutal and corrupt regime and said Iranians had little food, big inflation and no human rights.

Irans foreign ministry hit back, saying the US president was wasting his time sending useless and insulting tweets and would be better off focusing on homeless and hungry people in his own country.

Later on Tuesday, Nikki Haley, Trumps ambassador to the UN, said the US would seek an emergency session of the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council to discuss Iran.

The people of Iran are crying out for freedom, she told reporters. All freedom-loving people must stand with their cause.

Nikki Haley, the US envoy to the UN, spoke to reporters about the Iran protests [AFP]

Most politicised rallies in years

The anti-government rallies first erupted in the second-largest city in Iran, Mashhad, prompted by anger over the high cost of living, rising unemployment and the overall state of the economy under the government of President Hassan Rouhani.

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They quickly spread to other parts of Iran and turned political, with some protesters chanting slogans against Irans foreign policy, as well as against Khamenei and Rouhani.

Despite threats by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to put down the demonstrations, protesters have continued taking to the streets, in what has been described as the biggest show of dissent in the country since huge rallies took place in 2009.

So far, at least 530 people  450 in Irans capital, Tehran, and 80 in the central city of Arak  have been arrested, according to state media.

Ali Fathollah-Nejad, a visiting fellow at Brookings Doha Center, said the past weeks rallies are the most politicised demonstrations weve had in Iran for a very long time.

Clearly, the slogans are anti-regime and they target all factions of the Islamic Republic [of Iran], all factions of the establishment, he added, noting, however, that regime change is such a loaded term because it was misused by a lot of imperialist projects in the past.





Commenting on the allegations that outside actors were stirring unrest, Fathollah-Nejad said that while there is no doubt that there are some external forces who are instrumentalising what is currently taking place in the country, it must also be acknowledged that these powers dont have enough influence in Iran anyway.

The claim by the government to say that a lot of those protests are instigated by the outside, when in the past the same government would say that those forces dont have a following, for example, inside Iran, is just ironic, he told Al Jazeera.

There are a lot of different interests that are whirling around Iran, but at the same time those protests are somehow organic, added Fathollah-Nejad, noting that the rallies are a backlash against Irans deeply rooted problems.

The truth of the matter lies not within the outside world, or with outside forces, but with the very real structural problems that Iranian people have felt over the last few years.

Structural and contingent factors

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 an 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, with critics blaming the ruling religious elite for economic mismanagement and alleged corruption.

Last months budget, which included cuts to vital social welfare programmes while giving more money to religious and revolutionary institutions, exacerbated tensions, according to analysts.

If you have been objectively following the socioeconomic indicators in Iran, youll see a huge portion of the population has not been benefitting from neither the reformist policies, nor from the conservative ones, said Fathollah-Nejad.

If you take all those structural factors, plus the more recent contingent factors  the governments response to the [December] earthquakes, student and labour protests, and the budget announcement  you cannot be very much surprised.
Bill stipulates that two-thirds support is needed in Knesset before Israel can relinquish control over any part of city.

Israeli legislators have approved a bill that makes it more difficult to divide Jerusalem.

The bill passed early on Tuesday and stipulates that two-thirds support is needed in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, before Israel can relinquish control over any portion of the holy city to a foreign entity, according to local media.

The bill is widely seen as intended to make it more difficult to give up part of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority, which wants the citys eastern half to be the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

The bill, backed by Israels ruling right-wing coalition, was passed with 64 Knesset members voting in favour and 52 against, according to the Haaretz newspaper.

Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Oragnisations executive committee, said the bill would destroy hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

He went on to blame the US for the move, saying it was the outcome of a decision by President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Trump also said he intended to move the countrys embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The decision prompted widespread condemnation and protests in the occupied Palestinian territories and around the world. In a non-binding resolution, the United Nations General Assembly declared the US move null and void.

Race law

The legislation also seeks to remove Palestinian neighbourhoods from the jurisdiction of the current Jerusalem municipality, affecting two Palestinian areas  Kufr Aqab and the Shuafat refugee camp  that are already on the other side of Israels separation wall and are systematically neglected, the report noted.

Most Palestinians in Jerusalem hold permanent resident status, not Israeli citizenship, and their status can be revoked at any time for multiple reasons, forcing them to leave the city.

Israel has revoked nearly 15,000 Palestinian residency permits in Jerusalem since it took control of the city in 1967, Human Rights Watch estimates.

The new Jerusalem law is a race law; its a law meant to cleanse Jerusalem of its Arab residents, Israeli legislator Esawi Freige said during the vote on the bill, according to Haaretz. After the Israeli government chose to erect a wall within Jerusalem, now it is seeking to remove 100,000 of its residents from the city.

Israel took control of the entirety of Jerusalem after its victory in the 1967 war. It later annexed East Jerusalem in a move that remains unrecognised by the international community.

Palestinian leaders seek East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state, while Israel says the city cannot be divided.
US Dreamers see more opportunity in return to Mexico

Mexico is preparing to welcome back the Dreamers, thousands of young people who were brought to the United States as children and are undocumented.
Pakistan seizes control of Hafiz Saeeds assets

Pakistan has seized control of charities and financial assets linked to one of the main suspects of the 2008 Mumbai bombings in India, Hafiz Saeed.
Angry response from Pakistan follows US presidents accusation of deception and threat to cut foreign aid.

Pakistan has hit back after accusations of deception and providing a safe haven for terrorists, levelled by US President Donald Trump via Twitter.

In his first tweet of the year on Monday, Trump threatened to cut aid to Pakistan for allegedly lying to the US and offering little help in hunting terrorists in Afghanistan.

The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools, Trump said.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!

In response, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Pakistans prime minister, called a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), comprising the army chief, naval and air heads, intelligence chiefs and other ministers, on Tuesday to discuss the future course of action.

Following the meeting, the NSC expressed its deep disappointment over Trumps comments.

It said in a statement that recent remarks by the US leadership were completely incomprehensible as they contradicted facts manifestly, struck with great insensitivity at the trust between two nations built over generations, and negated the decades of sacrifices made by the Pakistani nation.

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 NRCs response came after Khawaja Asif, Pakistans foreign minister, said Trump was trying to blame Pakistan for the US failure to win the war in Afghanistan.

Trump is disappointed at the US defeat in Afghanistan and that is the only reason he is flinging accusations at Pakistan, Asif told the Pakistani TV network Geo on Monday.

We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trumps no more does not hold any importance.

He said Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received.

Separately, Khurram Dastagir, Pakistans defence minister, pledged to defend his countrys sovereignty.

Pakistans foreign office summoned the US ambassador in Islamabad on Monday and lodged its protest against Trumps tweet.

Richard Snelsire, US embassy spokesperson, confirmed to Al Jazeera that David Hale was called upon by the foreign office.

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.  Pak DefencePMLN (@PakDefencePMLN) January 1, 2018

Hostile ties

Relations between the US and Pakistan have deteriorated since the Trump administration began taking a hard line on Afghanistan.

Last Thursday, Pakistans military warned the US against the possibility of taking unilateral action against armed groups on its soil.

During a surprise visit to the US largest military base in Afghanistan in December, US Vice President Mike Pence said Trump has put Pakistan on notice.

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Pakistans foreign office reacted by saying allies do not put each other on notice and calling for the focus instead to be on creating peace and reconciliation.

Dark days ahead

Zahid Hussain, a security analyst, told Al Jazeera that Trumps crude message does not come as a surprise.

We have seen that relations between Washington and Islamabad have been strained for some time and they are increasingly becoming hostile, he told Al Jazeera by phone from Islamabad.

He said the Trump administrations tough rhetoric and growing pressure on Pakistan reflects US frustration at not achieving any stability in Afghanistan after more than 16 years of conflict.

Michael Kugelman, a US-based analyst and Asia Program Deputy Director at the Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington, DC, called Trumps tweet highly undiplomatic but estimated that the harsh rhetoric is meant to foreshadow an impending harder policy line, such as a significant cut in military assistance.

No matter how you slice it, Pakistan-US relations are in for a very rough ride, he told Al Jazeera.

Both sides have effectively dug in their heels, with the US demanding Pakistan do more against terror and Pakistan insisting it has already done so much and wont do any more.

This puts the relationship on a collision course. I dont expect a full rupture in ties, as each side benefits from some semblance of a workable relationship, but there will be dark days ahead.

US aid

Commenting on Trumps reference to $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, Asif, the Pakistan defence minister, said: If we account for it, they include reimbursements too for the services rendered by Pakistan.

Of the US funds allocated to Pakistan, a considerable portion goes to the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), which is the reimbursement for costs incurred by Pakistan for participating in the US-led war on terror and supporting US operations in Afghanistan.

Since 2001, the US has appropriated $33bn to Pakistan, according to official US figures, sourced from the Congressional Research Service.

As such, total US aid allocated to Pakistan  both civilian and military  since 2001 is $19.354bn.

Total aid actually disbursed during that period stands at $14.788bn, according to US AID figures.

In August, the US said it was withholding $255m in military assistance to Pakistan until the country increased its efforts to crack down on internal terrorist groups.

Hussain, the security analyst, said the curtailing of funds to Pakistan by Trumps administration will not have a significant effect on the economy.

There will be a period of difficulty if America stops all aid, he said. But it will not lead to the complete collapse of Pakistans economy.

Additional reporting by Asad Hashim in Islamabad, Pakistan

Follow Saba Aziz on Twitter: @saba_aziz
Ankara has carried out massive purges in the military since the failed coup attempt of July 2016.

The Turkish army will hire nearly 43,000 new personnel in 2018, according to state media, after thousands of staff were dismissed in purges following the July 2016 failed coup attempt.

Anadolu Agency on Tuesday quoted an unnamed military official as saying that the new recruits would include 3,755 officers and 5,375 non-commissioned staff.

According to the report, the forces will also hire 13,213 specialised sergeants and 20,595 contracted officers.

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Turkey accuses Fethullah Gulen, a religious leader who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States, and his group of orchestrating the coup attempt, which killed around 300 people and led to massive purges, including in the military and other state institutions.

Since July 2016, tens of thousands of people, including civil servants and security personnel, have been suspended or dismissed from their jobs or jailed pending trial.

The government says the purges and detentions are aimed at removing Gulens supporters from state institutions and other parts of society.

Turkey criticised

Local and international rights groups, as well as many of Turkeys European allies, say the arrests and purges are arbitrary, claiming that the government is using the coup attempt as a pretext to silence opposition in the country.

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The military official told Anadolu that a total of 8,565 personnel have been expelled for links to Gulens group following the failed coup.

These personnel reportedly include 150 generals, 4,630 officers, 2,167 non-commissioned officers, 1,210 specialised sergeants and contracted soldiers and 411 civil servants and workers.

In addition, 16,409 military students have been expelled for alleged links to Gulens network, according to a statement made by Defence Minister Fikri Isik a year ago.
President Yoweri Museveni signs bill into law, which will allow the 73-year-old to rule past previous age limit of 75.

Ugandas President Yoweri Museveni, one of Africas longest-serving leaders, has signed a bill into law that removes a presidential age limit of 75 from the countrys constitution.

The move allows the 73-year-old president to run for a sixth term in 2021.

Don Wanyama, senior presidential spokesperson, told reporters on Tuesday that Museveni had signed the bill on December 27.

The Ugandan parliament had passed the bill on December 20, with 317 politicians voting in favour and 97 against.

Museveni addressed the bill in his end-of-year address on Sunday, saying he saluted the members of parliament who had supported it.





Parliament enabled us to avoid the more complicated paths that would have been required. We cannot [under-cook] the destiny of Africa, said Museveni.

The Ugandan Constitution, enacted in 1995, previously prohibited anyone younger than 35 or older than 75 from serving as president.

Against wishes of Ugandans

The scrapping of the presidential age limit, however, has met widespread opposition from civil rights activists, opposition politicians and religious leaders in the country.

In late September, members of parliament threw punches and clambered over benches, in a heated session discussing the plan to remove the age limits.

This law will remain largely inconsequential because it was passed against the wishes of majority of Ugandans, Crispy Kaheru, the coordinator of the Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda, an umbrella organisation for Ugandan civil society, said in a statement.

Kaheru said there would be challenges both legally and in the court of public opinion  in the end it is the majority of Ugandans who will have their last say on how they wish to be governed.

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Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986 when he took power from General Tito Okello as the head of a rebel army.

He has served as president since 1996.

In 2005, he had the constitution amended to remove term limits, enabling him to stand successfully for a third, fourth and fifth consecutive term.

Museveni has presided over a government that is often accused of human rights abuses against the LGBT community, as well as residents of the north of the country where Joseph Kony and the Lords Resistance Army, also accused of grave rights violations, have waged an armed campaign since 1987.

Uganda achieved independence from British colonial rule in 1962.

The country has not seen a peaceful transition of political power since.
Failed before It Began: The Great Sexual Harassment Revolution

The great Sexual Harassment Panic of 2017 is at last dying down. We can safely look at a screen without being overwhelmed by stories in which yet another loser  or more than one  has been outed for mistreating or exploiting women. Resignations have been myriad, careers have been destroyed, and one suicide has occurred. We're assured that the entire episode has been a watershed, that Things Have Changed permanently. It's an earthquake, says Meryl Streep. Others hail "a new socio-sexual revolution." But what exactly has changed? Earthquakes are noted for massive and universal destruction, revolutions for the guillotine and the firing squad.

In fact, a cursory examination of the scene reveals...absolutely nothing. We stand at the same point we were at before it all happened. A large number of creeps have been outed and ejected, and that's generally a good thing. These were all trash  Harvey Weinstein, Al Franken, Garrison Keillor, John Conyers. They will not be missed. They should have been nailed a long time ago, and they would have been nailed for something eventually. But apart from that, nothing. A new day? Where? A new system? In what sense? By system, I'm not talking about a reporting system, an intervention system, a surveillance system, or any other bureaucratic or ideological structure designed to exert social control. No, I'm speaking here about the kind of social system that, though largely invisible and widely unacknowledged (and nonexistent to feminist scholarship), does in fact exert sanctions and set limits on behavior. This kind of systems, a shadow function of communities and societies, is the only effective method of controlling antisocial activity. They are also the first to be eliminated by ideological liberalism. The system controlling sexual abuses was clear and well understood. Women had a certain status that was acknowledged and respected by everyone. Their safety was secured by a vast distributed network of males who looked out for the interests of females they did not know personally, in the secure knowledge that other men unknown to them were looking out for the interests of their own sisters, daughters, and wives. If a Weinstein or a Conyers bothered a woman, she could appeal for protection to her brothers, her male friends or coworkers, or even a man walking down the street  and she would get it. The interloper would be sent on his way, the coworker or boss warned. If it didn't end, then sanctions up to and including physical violence would occur. In more atrocious situations, such as rape or molestation, the solution might even be more drastic. Everyone in my generation heard the story in which the detective took aside a male relative of an assaulted woman and said, "We know who did this, but we can't prove it. We'll give you his name, and you take it from there." Women set the standards, and men enforced them. That's how it worked. Again, most men of my generation have stories  in most cases many stories  where a woman appealed for help on such grounds. Once, on a cold winter night in the early '80s, I was walking down MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village when I noticed a large crowd gathered in front of a brownstone. A girl was leaning out her window, screaming, "Help me! Someone's beating on the door. They're trying to get in..." The crowd, fifty or more, largely male and most likely from the local branch of the Universal Betas Association (more generally known as NYU), were gaping up at her as if she were a TV screen. Pushing through them, I called out, "Throw me your keys." I caught them and let myself in, racing upstairs with no idea of what I would be facing. But instead of a gang of Terminators or a Sandinista death squad, it turned out to be a drunk sprawled on the hallway floor, howling and banging on the door. I told him to shut up and dragged him across the hall. Knocking on the girl's door, I explained the situation to her and handed her the keys. She thanked me and, still nervous, returned to her apartment. I turned to leave, and that's when the boys in blue, taking only a quarter to half an hour to get there from a precinct house five blocks away, finally appeared. They looked at me; looked at the drunk; and then, virtually as one, cried out, "Bobby!" Racing to the drunk, they bent over him, anxiously asking him, "Did that man knock you down, Bobby?" "Did he hit you?" Great, I thought. The beloved precinct drunk. The older cop turned to me and shouted. "You just stand right there, fella." At that moment, two other cops appeared. "Is that Bobby?" "My God, what happened to Bobby?" Taking advantage of the confusion, I slipped around the corner and snuck downstairs and out the door. The mob was dispersing, and several other cops were piling out of their cruiser to Bobby's rescue. I ran down to Bleecker and then slowed to a self-consciously casual stroll. That's the way it works. The betas will not help you. The cops will be late and, likely as not, useless when they appear. What is required is somebody who, despite his sporting a biker jacket, earring, and a spiked punk haircut, still lives under the old dispensation, according to the old rules. That's the way it was. Informal yet effective. Were there errors? Certainly. But there wasn't much in the way of Weinsteins, Frankens, and certainly Kevin Spaceys. Because the trash understood the rules as well. It doesn't work that way anymore. That system has been dismantled. Weinstein and the rest took advantage of the fact that there were no longer any rules and simply imposed their own. The eradication of the gentleman  which most people don't know evolved from the role of the knight (that is, someone who lived by a code of honor), the sanctification of the beta male (Anybody with questions as to what I mean by that term need merely look at this video  the betas are the ones sitting in the background, silently gazing off into space with blank looks on their faces while the ladies slug it out.), and the feminist discouraging of women turning to males for anything at all marked the end of general protection of females as a way of life. As that way of life has receded, we have, naturally enough, seen an upsurge of violence and exploitation of women. If unchecked, it will eventually reach the point that it did in Montreal on December 6, 1989, when a slug named Mark Lepine entered a classroom at the Ecole Polytechique with a rifle and a blade. He ordered the men to leave, and all those staunch betas got up, left, and then stolidly waited outside while Lepine murdered fourteen helpless girls (and yes, ladies, they were college students, so they were girls). That's how it is in Quebec. That wouldn't happen even today in many areas of the U.S. But a generation ago, it wouldn't have happened at all  and the areas where it could happen are spreading. They're spreading because, with the old system largely destroyed apart from Cro-Magnons like myself, no other system has been created to replace it. This is typical of postmodern liberal ideology, which is unparalleled at destroying things but has no skill at construction. Obama completed the demolition of the U.S. health care system and "replaced" it with Obamacare, which is being put out of its misery at the hands of Donald Trump. Obama's sideshow foreign policy team destroyed the modus vivendi prevailing in the Middle East, resulting the deaths of hundreds of thousands in a cataclysm that has still not been completely extinguished. It has become a cliche  pulling down is one thing, but when it's time for the real work, they're nowhere to be found. And that is the story with sex. The old method of doing things is verboten, nothing has replaced it, and our ladies are suffering as a result. Meryl and her girlfriends are whistling in the dark. Just look at whom they hired the run the inquiry: Anita Hill, a gibbering neurotic whose sole claim to fame is accusing a great man of telling of risque jokes. Sheer empty symbolism, with nary an iota of substance behind it. Hill's "commission" will emerge with some kind of Code of Behavior that they will insist that men obey, a code that will effectively eliminate banter, flirting, jokes, compliments, even eye contact, while leaving the actual problem untouched. The world at large will shrug it off as an asinine extension of P.C. The Weinsteins and Lauers will simply maneuver around it, choosing their targets more carefully and honing their tactics. Men who brutalize women are psychically twisted. Unless physically restrained, they are not going to stop. Certainly not at the behest of a tag team run by Anita Hill. Regardless, this new Code of Conduct will become the Thing. It will be posted in offices and public places. H.R. personnel will be required to memorize it, workers forced to sign copies, which will be kept on file. It will be enforced among the more ethereal levels of society  the media, large corporations, academia. Much will be made of it. And it will fail. It will not halt a single case of sexual exploitation, for the simple reason that it will be not be backed up by social consensus in any tangible way whatsoever. It will have no effect on sexual harassment in the real world, any more than the tens of thousands of reports, articles, learned papers, and studies have in the past. This won't continue. It's one of that class of things that can't go on and won't go on. Men want to be heroes to their women, and women want their men to be heroes. If a woman had complained to any normal male outside of the Quebecois system of higher education, somebody would have clocked Lauer or Weinstein or Franken, and that would have ended it. But they didn't, out of fear, or ambition, but also because we don't live in that world anymore. We live in a world that has deliberately been made more complex and at the same time more stupid. We will remain on cruise control until the next blowup. A lot of people will suffer before it ends. As is always and ever the case, liberalism, the ideology of neurotic females and beta males, degrades everything it touches.
But the most notable event of 2017 had surprisingly little to do with politics. The imbroglio caused by Ronan Farrow's eye-opening expose on Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein was the news story of the last twelve months. Whatever your position or persuasion, low or high class, conservative or liberal, the fallout from the lurid Weinstein revelations was inescapable. Major public figures, from actor Kevin Spacey to TV anchor Matt Lauer, justly lost their careers for their libidinous predacity. Others, such as Senator Al Franken and humorist Garrison Keillor , were also forced into unemployment by more slippery accusations of impropriety.

By any measure, the past year was nothing short of monumental: a new president dogged by allegations of foreign election meddling, a media class working in overdrive , a remaking of the federal bench , the routing of the Islamic State , and the end of the Clinton political dynasty , all concluded with the passing of a large tax cut.

The #MeToo movement, like any social reformist cause, is coming dangerously close to overstepping its bounds. But it has unquestionably brought much needed scrutiny on powerful men who use their position to abuse vulnerable women. "Among us, it seems, lives a class of men who call to mind Caligula and Elagabalus not only in their depravity, but in their grotesque sense of impunity," writes Claire Berlinski. It was well past time to bring these men down a peg.

Notice how many of these power perverts are being outed. There are no charges; there is no law. A federal case was not made. These men are losing their status through the soft power of public persuasion.

And when things go awry? The same social pressure is used to correct rushed decisions. Take the case of MSNBC contributor Sam Seder, who was fired from the network for making a bawdy joke about his daughter being raped by Roman Polanski. Sick? Undoubtedly. But a sarcastic remark posted on Twitter nearly a decade ago that nobody actually found offensive? Yes, and yes.

After public backlash and some behind-the-scenes cajoling, Seder was reinstated. MSNBC president Phil Griffin admitted to making a mistake. All parties moved past the unfortunate episode.

There's a lesson to glean from all of this. The most important cultural event of last year has not inspired a demand for legislative remedies. Rather, it has spurred action through public awareness.

Tocqueville, in his early studies of American democracy, wrote about this process:

When the members of an aristocratic community adopt a new opinion or conceive a new sentiment, they give it a station, as it were, beside themselves, upon the lofty platform where they stand; and opinions or sentiments so conspicuous to the eyes of the multitude are easily introduced into the minds or hearts of all around.

Weinstein's sordid antics were exposed by his fellow elites. Thankfully for the rest of us, Washington wasn't called to act. As Tocqueville warned on increased government interference in the private sphere, "[n]o sooner does a government attempt to go beyond its political sphere and to enter upon this new track than it exercises, even unintentionally, an insupportable tyranny."

If only all our conflicts, big and small, could be solved so simply without appealing to the busybodies in Congress.

In their insatiable hunt for perfection, leftists will often call for legal solutions to right societal wrongs, avoiding the discomforting situation of speaking straight to their neighbors. Lobbying for a law is an easy alternative to informal compromise. Government is a detached actor  it often sees things mechanistically rather than humanly.

This past year, we saw the negative consequences of the state's over-intervention in the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, which was argued before the Supreme Court. In 2012, Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, refused to design and bake a wedding cake for Charlie Craig and David Mullins, a same-sex couple.

Upon being informed by Phillips that his deeply held religious beliefs barred him from creating a cake for a same-sex ceremony, Craig and Mullins had a choice. As David Brooks pointed out, they had "two possible courses of action, the neighborly and the legal."

The neighborly approach would have kept the issue personal and prompted a dialogue between the two men and the Christian baker. "The legal course," Brooks explains, "was to take the problem out of the neighborhood and throw it into the court system."

By choosing the legal route, Craig and Mullins needlessly created conflict where none need be before. Phillips's shop is located in Lakewood, Colorado, while the ceremony was to take place in Massachusetts. Was there not a bakery in the Bay State that would happily accommodate the couple?

The Masterpiece Cakeshop case will be decided later this year, but the damage is already done. By pushing for legal intervention, this couple further inflamed the tension between gay rights activists and religious liberty advocates. Would it not have been more civil, and more productive, to take a step back and simply find another baker and clean their hands of the whole mess?

For 2018, we'd all be better off adopting a more neighborly approach to divisive issues and stop letting the law in places where the heart should rule.
The study was conducted by the CDC's Division of Vital Statistics, centering on how involved fathers are in the lives of their children. It found the following:

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which I affectionately refer to as the Diseased Centers of Control, have conducted a study showing that black men make better parents than white men. The study , conducted in 2013, came to light in a recent Washington Post article on the Post's favorite topic  you guessed it!  of racism.

1) Thirty-five percent of white fathers who don't live with their children do not eat meals with their children, while only 31% of black fathers who don't live with their children avoid meals with them.

2) Seventy percent of black fathers help their children use the toilet, while only 60% of white fathers do.

3) Thirty percent of white fathers who don't live with their children don't play with them, while only 25% of black fathers who don't live with their children fail to play with them.

4) Twenty-nine percent of white fathers do not ask their children about their day, while only 21% of black fathers fail to do the same.

5) Forty-one percent of black fathers help their kids with their homework, while only 28% of white fathers do.

To put it bluntly, there is a crisis in the white community. It's the elephant in the room.

We have to thank the CDC for bringing this to our attention. The CDC are funded to fight diseases, but it's great how they take taxpayer money and do all sorts of creative things with it  like this study!

Now, what can be done to reverse the disintegration of the white family? Here are some ideas.

1) Black fathers could get involved in Big Brother or mentoring programs for white kids with absentee dads.

2) The government could pay white women each time they have a child out of wedlock, to help them compensate for having an uninterested boyfriend. This might inadvertently encourage white women to have more children irresponsibly, but it is really the right thing to do.

3) Recognizing the challenges white kids face with bad parenting, schools could give disadvantaged white kids preference in admission to college and graduate schools. Even if the white kid has lower test scores, if he has a compelling life story, that should compensate for lower grades.

4) The government should establish branches that seek out white people from disadvantaged backgrounds for preferences in hiring for jobs. The government could become an "employer of last resort" for white people from broken homes whom no one else wants to hire.

5) Hollywood can play a role in this too, casting white men in positive roles as doctors; lawyers; judges; scientists; and other capable, educated men, to give white kids from bad homes role models to aspire to.

Exit question: What else do you think can be done to help address this crisis in the white community?

Ed Straker is the senior writer at Newsmachete.com.
In order to prop up the regime of Kim Jong-un, the Chinese government has offered increased aid and missiles to North Korea as well as promising to apply U.N. sanctions "symbolically." The purpose is to keep the Kim regime from collapsing, thus creating an intolerable refugee situation on China's border with North Korea.

A document obtained by Bill Gertz of the Washington Free Beacon reveals some startling facts about China's aid to North Korea.

The document, labeled "top secret" and dated Sept. 15  12 days after North Korea's latest underground nuclear blast  outlines China's plan for dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue. It states [that] China will allow North Korea to keep its current arsenal of nuclear weapons, contrary to Beijing's public stance that it seeks a denuclearized Korean peninsula. Chinese leaders also agreed to offer new assurances that the North Korean government will not be allowed to collapse, and that Beijing plans to apply sanctions "symbolically" to avoid punishing the regime of leader Kim Jong[-u]n under a recent U.N. resolution requiring a halt to oil and gas shipments into North Korea. A copy of the four-page Chinese-language document was obtained by the Washington Free Beacon from a person who once had ties to the Chinese intelligence and security communities. An English translation can be found here. CIA spokesmen had no immediate comment on the document that could not be independently verified. A Chinese Embassy spokesman did not return emails seeking comment. Disclosure of the document comes amid reports [that] China is continuing to send oil to North Korea in violation of United Nations sanctions, prompting criticism from President Trump. Trump tweeted last week that China was caught "red handed" allowing oil shipments to North Korea. "There will never be a friendly solution to the North Korean problem if this continues to happen," the president stated on Dec. 28. Release of the classified internal document is unusual since China's communist system imposes strict secrecy on all party policies. Exposure of the secret Central Committee directive could indicate high-level opposition within the party to current supreme leader Xi Jinping, who has consolidated more power than any leader since Mao Zedong.

Care must be taken when considering the authenticity of this document. It is possible that it is part of a disinformation campaign by elements not in the Chinese government. At the same time, it is plausible to expect China to do anything within its power to prevent the collapse of the Kim regime. The prospect of hundreds of thousands of starving North Korean refugees flooding China if war breaks out with the U.S. is a driving force in Beijing's deliberations on what to do about North Korean nuclear weapons and its ballistic missile program.

The document also indicates that China has given up on the idea of international pressure forcing North Korea to give up its nuclear program:

China's leaders, according to the document, concluded that international pressure will not force North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, estimated to be at least 20 warheads. As a result, the Central Committee of the party directed its International Liaison Department, the organ in charge of communicating with foreign political parties, to inform Pyongyang of China's continued backing. The head of the Liaison Department, Song Tao, visited Pyongyang Nov. 17 and met with senior North Korean officials. North Korean state media did not provide details of the talks, other than to say issues of mutual concern were discussed.

China is North Korea's major trading partner, and while U.N. sanctions are supposed to severely limit business between the two countries, the document indicates the Chinese giving North Korea permission to evade the sanctions:

On the U.N. requirement to shut down oil and gas transfers from China to North Korea, the party document said after North Korean businesses in China will be closed under the terms of the latest U.N. resolution, "our country will not for the moment restrict Korea from entrusting qualified Chinese agencies from trade with Korea or conducting related trade activities via third countries (region)."

"Qualified Chinese" entities could include shipping companies who have been caught transferring oil to North Korean vessels.

There is much that rings true in this document. Good disinformation usually does. Still, the information in the document could already be known to US intelligence, with steps taken on the diplomatic front to address China's two-faced North Korean strategy.
We are supposed to maintain, if not believe, that the current wave of protests in at least 40 cities aimed at toppling the mullahcracy of Iran have been sparked entirely by indigenous factors. After all, painting the demonstrators as responding to American policy is supposed to endanger their cause, making support for the mullahs patriotic resistance to American imperialism. That is the "logic" (such as it is) for notorious liar Susan Rice:

 Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) December 31, 2017

But in the real world, the people of Iran, with access to the world's media via satellite dishes and the internet, respond to signals from outside the country. When President Obama failed to support the "Green Revolution" protests in his first year in office, those massive demonstrations failed to overthrow the regime.

Daniel Greenfield, the Shillman Journalism Fellow at the Freedom Center, reminds us that the current wave of protests was anticipated by President Trump in his address to the U.N. last fall.

Months before the protests that are shaking the Islamic Republic of Iran began, President Trump stood before the entire world at the United Nations and boldly declared that the terror regime would fall.

"The good people of Iran want change, and, other than the vast military power of the United States, ... Iran's people are what their leaders fear the most," he correctly predicted. As another day of protests begins, as the Islamist thugs of the IRGC face a choice between an outraged populace and a failing regime, his words in that September speech ring truer than ever. "The longest[] suffering victims of Iran's leaders are, in fact, its own people," he pointed out. "Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice. Will they continue down the path of poverty, bloodshed, and terror? Or will the Iranian people return to the nation's proud roots as a center of civilization, culture, and wealth where their people can be happy and prosperous once again?" he challenged.

It is by no means assured that this time, the demonstrators will succeed in driving the theocrats from office, but if they do, President Trump's signal to them may rank with President Reagan's Berlin Wall speech with the immortal line: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"

I have great hopes that this time, reports such as the one Rick Moran cited are true, and the U.S. and Israel are collaborating in a strategy to bring down the Islamic Republic.

I am certain that I am not only person who noticed that this ("U.S. and Israel formulate a plan to stop Iran  together") was directly followed by this ("Price protests turn political in Iran as rallies spread") only a day later.

If the regime of the mullahs falls, not only will it be a boon to the long suffering people of Iran, but it would become a foreign policy triumph for Trump, an utter contrast to the feckless policies of President Obama and his "brain," Valerie Jarrett. Imagine what might be uncovered if the post-revolutionary regime opens its archives and reveals the content of discussions between the Obama regime and that of the mullahs.

No wonder Susan Rice wants President Trump to be quiet!
Chairman Devin Nunes is accusing the FBI and Justice Department of misleading the committee on the dossier, which has been used to raise questions about the Trump campaign's connection to Russia.

With the Russian collusion investigation going nowhere, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence has now expanded its investigation to determine how law enforcement was able to use the infamous Trump dossier to ensnare the president.

Washington Times:

Committee [c]hairman Devin Nunes, California Republican, is accusing the Justice Department and the FBI of misleading him in "a pattern of behavior that can no longer be tolerated." He charges that Justice claimed [that] it possesses no documents related to the infamous Trump dossier, then, under pressure, produced "numerous" such papers. Republicans in the first half of 2018 are likely to wind down the starting-point inquiry into Russian hacking of Democrats and whether Trump aides helped. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the committee's top Democrat, already is protesting the likely move. He is pushing an extended list of witnesses he wants summoned by Republicans, who suspect [that] Mr. Schiff would like to see the probe stay active into November's midterm elections and beyond. Democrats, including Mr. Schiff, have conceded in recent weeks that their hope of finding an extensive Russia-Trump conspiracy to jointly attack former [s]ecretary of [s]tate Hillary Clinton has fallen short at this point.

You'd never know it by reports in the media. As far as much of the press is concerned, the investigations are making great progress, and impeachable information will be revealed any day.

What could outlive the initial Russia probe are missions undertaken by Mr. Nunes. He has put in place what amounts to a separate investigation of the FBI and the Justice Department hierarchy. There are three main components:  Fusion GPS. The Democrat-friendly opposition research firm and Mr. Nunes have squared off in U.S. District Court over access to Fusion's financial transactions. Fusion funded the infamous Trump-Russia dossier with money from Mrs. Clinton's campaign and the Democratic National Committee.  The FBI and the dossier. Republicans want to know how the document's unconfirmed felony accusations fueled the bureau's counterintelligence investigation since July 2016.  Investigative bias. The committee is demanding appearances from Justice officials who seemed out to get Mr. Trump and/or had ties to the dossier's distribution.

It is apparent that the FBI would just as soon see any investigation involving the dossier fail to uncover relevant facts. The bureau was willing to pay $50,000 to the author, Christopher Steele, if the information he dug up (or created) could be corroborated. Since the money was never paid, we have to assume that the wild charges contained in the document cannot be proven.

So why was the FBI able to launch an investigation using the scurrilous dossier as a basis? That's what Nunes wants to find out.

I would think that after reading this report, sphincters are tightening at the FBI and Justice Department. Democrats will try to discredit any attempt to get to the bottom of how the dossier was used, and we can expect more stonewalling from federal law enforcement. Special Counsel Mueller will continue to pursue Trump and his associates, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that his probe is making little headway in uncovering a plot to steal the election.
Tim Lockette of the Anniston Star goes all-out in covering the allegations against its former longtime publisher, who was an icon of the civil rights era.

The latest incident of harassment being reported comes not from Hollywood or New York, but from Alabama  and not even the big cities of Birmingham and Montgomery, but rather Anniston. And the behavior  of forty years ago, reported and corroborated by witnesses  is just plain weird.

A former Anniston Star reporter says that H. Brandt Ayers, chairman of the company that publishes the paper, sexually assaulted her in the 1970s in The Star's newsroom.

Veronica Pike Kennedy says Ayers, then the newspaper's publisher, spanked her against her will in an incident on a Saturday, when Ayers and Kennedy were among the few workers in the building.

"I was still determined to be a reporter after that," Kennedy said. "But I hated Brandy Ayers with every cell in my body."

The incident was witnessed and is not being denied, though witnesses understandably differ on certain details after the passage of four decades. And the former publisher is contrite:

"As a very young man with more authority than judgment, I did some things I regret," Ayers said in the statement. "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 victim decided to remain silent for a reason one would likely not hear in New York, London, or Hollywood:

Kennedy said she didn't go public with her story at the time because she feared how her father, a war veteran, would react. "I knew I couldn't say anything because my daddy would get his .38 and shoot Brandy in the head, and he'd be in prison for the rest of his life," Kennedy said.

That sort of threat used to keep Southern women (at least then Caucasians) safe, in theory. Chivalry was a point of pride. Obviously, that went out the window when it came to the small-town newsroom.

Ayers was a bit of a hero at the time:

Ayers, then and now, was among the best[] known figures in Anniston, and one of the best[] known small-town newspapermen in the South. After taking over as editor, then publisher of the family-run paper in the 1960s, he steered the editorial page toward advocacy for integration  a rare stance for a Southern publication at the time.

I am left with the pure speculation that what we might call "progressive privilege"  the Harvey Weinstein-like conviction that support of progressive policies grants personal immunity to being called out on sexual transgressions  allowed this sort of abuse. Being a leader on integration conveyed a general sense of virtue sufficient to permit various transgressions being forgiven.

No doubt, many other ancient grievances are to be uncovered in 2018, and some of them will be very surprising.

Hat tip: David Paulin
Do Democrats understand what passwords are for? Because yet another one has been caught spilling passwords to hackers, something that seems to be quite a pattern with these leftists.

Huma Abedin forwarded sensitive State Department emails, including passwords to government systems, to her personal Yahoo email account before every single Yahoo account was hacked, a Daily Caller News Foundation analysis of emails released as part of a lawsuit brought by Judicial Watch shows. Abedin, the top aide to former [s]ecretary of [s]tate Hillary Clinton, used her insecure personal email provider to conduct sensitive work. This guarantees that an account with high-level correspondence in Clinton's State Department was impacted by one or more of a series of breaches  at least one of which was perpetrated by a "state-sponsored actor." The U.S. later charged Russian intelligence agent Igor Sushchin with hacking 500 million Yahoo email accounts.

What do you need spies for when you have people like this on staff at State? The Russian intelligence services probably just kicked back and relaxed after that one fell into their laps.

It's not the first time Democrats have been caught failing to protect sensitive passwords. They're so lax that they don't protect even themselves, as John Podesta, the lizard-like Democratic operative and chairman of the Hillary Clinton campaign for president in 2016, found out.

Podesta, recall, used the word "password" as his password on personal email while serving as chief of the Hillary Clinton campaign. His account was breached by Russian hackers, and then its contents were leaked all over the place by WikiLeaks. Hillary Clinton, of course, blamed that breach on Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. Elsewhere, it's known as helping oneself to the low hanging fruit.

There was also the case of Samantha Power, then the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Power either spent all her time questionably unmasking Americans caught up in intelligence dragnet surveillances during her tenure there, based on records showing the number of them made in her name, or her password was acquired by someone else. Power does claim the latter, and she may be telling the truth. But it opens the question as to why she, too, never got around to protecting her password. Did she hand it to someone on Team Obama? Did she fail to protect it from campaign operatives? We still haven't heard, but we trust that the House and Senate intelligence committees are on it.

It all points to an underlying problem with the Democrats. One: Rules don't apply to them. Two: Affairs of state are personal affairs, and thus easy to forward to personal emails. Three: The only enemies America has are Republicans; everyone else out there is UniWorld. Four: They don't believe in personal responsibility  even when they are the government, they think that's the government's job. Five: For all their claims to being in touch with high tech, in reality, they are morons. Six: They don't do their jobs very well, and they expect that they won't be held accountable.

Can Democrats really be trusted with sensitive government passwords with this record? Voters should think about this next time they cast a ballot.
Qassem Soleimani has commanded the notorious Revolutionary Guards unit known as the Quds Force for 20 years. The Quds Force is responsible for projecting military power outside the borders of Iran. Soleimani has been in command of Iranian and Hezb'allah units in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq and has overseen several assassinations of Iranian dissidents in Europe and elsewhere.

A report in a Kuwaiti newspaper says U.S. intelligence has given a green light to Israel to assassinate a top Iranian Revolutionary Guards general.

Israel wanted to kill Soleimani three years ago, but the Obama administration tipped off the Iranians, and the effort failed.

Times of Israel:

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 [U.S.] authorities have given Israel the go-ahead to carry it out.

The commander of the Quds Force is a powerful position. He reports directly to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. In the chaotic Iranian power structure, Soleimani has a measure of autonomy that is unique.

Killing Soleimani would be a blow to the Revolutionary Guards but hardly a mortal one. It would cripple the Quds Force, perhaps for a period of months. With the Syrian civil war winding down and ISIS kicked out of Iraq, it's hard to see how the assassination would materially affect the outcome in either country.

There's always the risk of blowback if Soleimani is taken out. Iran may respond with terror attacks in the region on U.S. interests. But Soleimani appears to be a unique individual in the Iranian power structure and would be worth getting rid of.
In the wake of severe criticism, police pulled back from proactive measures, such as stop and frisk, with perfectly predictable results. The AP reports :

The American burg that used to be known as "Charm City" for its purported blend of Northern efficiency and Southern charm has new nickname: "Bodymore." The slogan #BlackLivesMatter, shouted in the wake of Freddie Gray's death in 2015, has proven lethal for blacks who live in Baltimore. That city's murder rate, which was on a declining trend in the years leading up to 2015, took a jump after rioters used the "space to destroy" provided for them by Baltimore's then-mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake:

Baltimore has set a new per[] capita homicide record as gunmen killed for drugs, cash, payback  or no apparent reason at all. A surge of homicides in the starkly divided city resulted in 343 killings in 2017, bringing the annual homicide rate to its highest ever  roughly 56 killings per 100,000 people. Baltimore, which has shrunk over decades, currently has about 615,000 inhabitants. "Not only is it disheartening[;] it's painful," Mayor Catherine Pugh told The Associated Press during the final days of 2017, her first year in office.

The AP is unwilling to make the obvious connection between coddling protesters and hamstringing police on the one hand and the increase in criminality on the other:

The main reasons are the subject of endless interpretation. Some attribute the increase to more illegal guns, the fallout of the opioid epidemic, or systemic failures like unequal justice and a scarcity of decent opportunities for many citizens. The tourism-focused Inner Harbor and prosperous neighborhoods such as Canton and Mount Vernon are a world away from large sections of the city hobbled by generational poverty.

Guns and opioids are not unique to Baltimore, so why is Charm City affected more than, say, Chicago or Minneapolis? The AP does allow that there might be a connection but blames police:

Others blame police, accusing them of taking a hands-off approach to fighting crime since six officers were charged in connection with the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, a black man whose fatal spinal cord injury in police custody triggered massive protests that year and the city's worst riots in decades. "The conventional wisdom, or widely agreed upon speculation, suggests that the great increase in murders is happening partly because the police have withdrawn from aggressively addressing crime in the city's many poor, crime-ridden neighborhoods," said Donald Norris, professor emeritus of public policy at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

Many Baltimore residents are more certain in their causation theories. NPR reports:

Some residents attribute the high murder rate to relaxed police patrols in the city following high-profile cases of police brutality. Officers have backed off in neighborhoods, like the one where Freddie Gray was arrested. The Rev. Kinji Scott, a pastor in Baltimore who's held positions in local city government, says the opposite needs to happen. "We wanted the police there," Scott says. "We wanted them engaged in the community. We didn't want them beating the hell out of us[;] we didn't want that." He's among activists who are calling for police reform to reduce the violence in Baltimore and several other high-crime cities across the U.S. that he says haven't seen change. That change begins with a conversation between the communities directly involved, Scott says. "We need the front[-]line police officers and we need the heart of the black community to step to the forefront of this discussion," he says. "And that's when we're going to see a decrease in crime."

The "heart of the black community" needs to acknowledge that policing is a difficult and risky business, in which officers feel vulnerable to being prosecuted or pilloried for commonsense self-protective measures. The "hands up, don't shoot" fiction of malevolent unprovoked police violence in Ferguson, Missouri has caused police officers to back away from confrontations that could prove lethal, as they know they could be prosecuted for defending their own lives.

Reverend Scott could start advancing the discussion he wants by urging his parishioners to repudiate the vicious lies told about police by racial agitators of the BLM school and blame them for driving police away.
The link to the piece is here , but if you don't subscribe to the Journal, you can see the meat of the piece on Instapundit . Here is some of it:

The Wall Street Journal's Kimberly Strassel has an important proposal about how President Trump can take his tax victory momentum and move the conservative agenda forward: by cleaning out the federal bureaucracy. Considering who voted for him, it's one of the best courses of action he can possibly take. Strassel thinks it has a bipartisan shot in Congress.

If Trump takes Strassel up and manages to accomplish this, he will have cleaned out the Augean stables , the mythical stables Heracles (or Hercules if you like Roman style) had to clean as his fifth labor . A dirty job, but someone had to do it.

Getting a little order in this area would do wonders to reform government into a recognizable institution that Americans can respect. If civil servants can be placed on a par with private-sector workers, then maybe those in the business would learn a little empathy regarding what the citizens are going through. And maybe they'd get more realistic ideas about taxation and regulation.

Firing a few of these self-interested layabouts and crappy customer service-providers would do wonders for Trump's poll ratings. For too long, they have lived high on the hog, with massive benefits the average worker can only dream of, while thumbing their noses and expressing their contempt for the taxpayers who pay for their lavish lifestyles. Why, again, is Washington, D.C.-area real estate the nation's highest valued, and why are the richest counties in America the ones surrounding the capital? Why was the only part of the country that never experienced the Great Recession of the Obama era the one that encircles the U.S. capital, while everyone else suffered?

More broadly, it is a federal workforce whose pay and benefits are completely out of whack with the private sector. A 2011 American Enterprise Institute study found [that] federal employees receive wages 14% higher than what similar workers in the private sector earn. Factor in benefits and the compensation premium leaps to 61%. Nice, huh?

It's Lois Lerner, the IRS official who used her powers to silence conservative nonprofits. It's the "anonymous" officials who leak national[] security secrets daily. It's the General Services Administration officials who turned over Trump transition emails to Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the absence of a warrant. It's the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Leandra English, who tried to stage an agency coup. It's the EPA's "Scientific Integrity Official[,]" who has taken it upon herself to investigate whether Scott Pruitt is fit to serve in the office to which he was duly appointed. It's the thousands of staffers across the federal government who continue to pump out reports on global warming and banking regulations that undermine administration policy.

We live in an administrative state, run by a left-leaning, self-interested governing class that is actively hostile to any president with a deregulatory or reform agenda.

The Wall Street Journal's Kimberly Strassel has an important proposal about how President Trump can take his tax victory momentum and move the conservative agenda forward: by cleaning out the federal bureaucracy. Considering who voted for him, it's one of the best courses of action he can possibly take. Strassel thinks it has a bipartisan shot in Congress.

The link to the piece is here, but if you don't subscribe to the Journal, you can see the meat of the piece on Instapundit. Here is some of it:

We live in an administrative state, run by a left-leaning, self-interested governing class that is actively hostile to any president with a deregulatory or reform agenda. It's Lois Lerner, the IRS official who used her powers to silence conservative nonprofits. It's the "anonymous" officials who leak national[] security secrets daily. It's the General Services Administration officials who turned over Trump transition emails to Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the absence of a warrant. It's the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Leandra English, who tried to stage an agency coup. It's the EPA's "Scientific Integrity Official[,]" who has taken it upon herself to investigate whether Scott Pruitt is fit to serve in the office to which he was duly appointed. It's the thousands of staffers across the federal government who continue to pump out reports on global warming and banking regulations that undermine administration policy. More broadly, it is a federal workforce whose pay and benefits are completely out of whack with the private sector. A 2011 American Enterprise Institute study found [that] federal employees receive wages 14% higher than what similar workers in the private sector earn. Factor in benefits and the compensation premium leaps to 61%. Nice, huh?

Firing a few of these self-interested layabouts and crappy customer service-providers would do wonders for Trump's poll ratings. For too long, they have lived high on the hog, with massive benefits the average worker can only dream of, while thumbing their noses and expressing their contempt for the taxpayers who pay for their lavish lifestyles. Why, again, is Washington, D.C.-area real estate the nation's highest valued, and why are the richest counties in America the ones surrounding the capital? Why was the only part of the country that never experienced the Great Recession of the Obama era the one that encircles the U.S. capital, while everyone else suffered?

Getting a little order in this area would do wonders to reform government into a recognizable institution that Americans can respect. If civil servants can be placed on a par with private-sector workers, then maybe those in the business would learn a little empathy regarding what the citizens are going through. And maybe they'd get more realistic ideas about taxation and regulation.

If Trump takes Strassel up and manages to accomplish this, he will have cleaned out the Augean stables, the mythical stables Heracles (or Hercules if you like Roman style) had to clean as his fifth labor. A dirty job, but someone had to do it.
Bishop Mano Rumalshah, the Coordinator for the Church of Pakistan, reflects on last months terror attack on Bethel Church in Quetta.

Quetta, the beloved city, the capital of the Province of Balochistan, where the ghastly act of attack at a worshipping community at Bethel Church took place on Sunday 17 December 2017. Quetta has a population of 2 million+ with about fifty thousand Christians. The Province of Balochistan is the largest Province of Pakistan area wise, but smallest in population, inhabited mainly by the ancient Baluch tribe. It borders both with Afghanistan in the north and with Iran in the west.

As for the Bethel Church, it was founded in the mid-19th Century by the Methodists, but the present building was constructed in 1959. Today it is part of the Church of Pakistan (united) and under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Karachi. The other major church in the city is Saint Marys, which has an Anglican foundation and was the seat of the senior most army chaplain during the British raj. In addition there is also an equally large presence of the Roman Catholic Church with its own resident Bishop and some free Churches. Most of the Christian community in this area are of Punjabi origin and ethnicity and have been settled here almost since the middle of the 19th century. Their ministry over the years to the wider community has been mainly through education and health care services.

On the fateful day of Sunday 17 December, the service at Bethel Church started at 11 am with a special focus on the children and youth for which almost 400 people were gathered. At about mid-day two attackers found their way to enter the church premises, while doing so they were confronted by a brave young Christian gate keeper named Sultan who valiantly fought them and in the process laid down his own life. Once inside the church compound the gun fires started blazing between them and the few policemen who were already there. This exchange went on for about 40 minutes or so. In the process one of the attackers was killed. As this exchange was going on bullets were also breaking through the church windows and naturally people inside were being hurt with the broken glass. Finally, when the second attacker realised that he can neither enter the church building nor escape from the place, he blew himself up with his suicide jacket, embracing the huge door on the left arm of the nave (northern side). It blew open this massive door and the shrapnel and glass scattering all over killing and wounding people. The death toll was nine, with about forty people injured, of whom about twenty or so are still in the hospitals, some of whom are still in serious condition and others are gradually recovering.

The Bishop of Karachi, Sadiq Daniel, flew in at the earliest to be with his people and so did the President Bishop, Humphrey Peters, and other bishops including the church leaders of the Church of Pakistan. In addition many other Christian political leaders and community well-wishers also joined in with their moral and physical support for the victims. Bishop Sadiq also held meetings with the government officials and community leaders, but even more importantly held a massive Memorial and thanksgiving Service on Friday 22 December. The climax of it all was when Bishop Sadiq gathered with his people and celebrated the Christmas worship at the Bethel Church where the evil attackers slaughtered people a week earlier and where now the full house of the faithful were singing.

HARK! The herald angels sing

Glory to the new born King;

Peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled:

It brought a new sense of confidence and enthusiasm and the community which have been so traumatised felt revived and strengthened again, especially in their faith and were determined not to let this incident destroy their self confidence in being the followers of Christ.

I personally was able to attend two of the funerals and was able to visit most of the patients in the hospitals and the bereaved families in their homes. The conversations with the families were very painful but at the same time hopeful. I very much hope and pray that those of us who are trying to take care of the physical needs of the victims and also responding to their spiritual and emotional issues, should be mindful lest we exploit them for any wrong and personal reasons. Any such wrong doing leaves a nasty scar not only on the victim, but also damages our community. But I do urge that all well-wishers everywhere should offer help and support to those who have been affected by this tragedy.

In an incident of this nature there are always so many facets and different aspects which are very often debatable, but somewhere has a hidden truth. Some of my reflections are as follows:

The local police was given lot of accolades by the authorities for preventing a bigger disaster, especially for denying the terrorists entry into the church building. Yes, no doubt, if they had entered into the building itself there would have been hundreds of causalities, so we are grateful to the police for preventing it. But there is a big question mark as to where the local police was when at about midday these terrorist entered the church compound. When the parish priest, the Revd Simon Bashir, entered the church premises at 10.30 am there were police cars and guards outside the gate on the main road itself, including a police guard up in the tower, overlooking the road and the church building. But when the terrorists entered the premises, there was no police and guards at the entry point on the road itself. They were supposed to stay there for the whole time while the service was taking place. So it leaves a big question mark.





There were patients lying in the hospital who were being asked to bring their own medicines from the shop. It is one of the ugliest practices of our healthcare system. The regular patients are quite used to it, but patients victimised in such incidents just cannot be tortured in this ugly fashion. There is also the case of those patients who needed to be moved to special treatment in other hospitals, but there again such cases were being ignored. Our healthcare system is one of the ugly facets of our country it needs an urgent modification. If you can help these patients in anyway please contact the local church officials and offer your services.





The perennial question is as to why these attacks take place on our Christian community and the answer often is, because we are Christians. The general feeling is that it is either religious rivalry or a desire of the terrorist to seek wider attention for their cause. These aspects have been quite evident in the previous incidents affecting our community as well. This time ISIS has made a very clear claim that it is they who did it and strong indicators are that it is in retaliation to the recent stance taken by President Trump on the issue of Jerusalem. A recent article in the national newspaper Dawn (24 December 2017) titled: Children of a Lesser God, says that Things started to change after 2001 after the US invaded Afghanistan. All of sudden, Christians began to be viewed as American and Western agents who were brought to the country to promote an imperialist cause. A lot of the oppression this community faces is because of misconceptions borne out of this line of thinking. Many churches have come under attack by militant groups since then. This trend can be detected in so many other aspects of life here. One often says that when the West sneezes on such issues; we the Christians of Pakistan (and perhaps elsewhere in similar situations) get the cold. The western governments and our faith siblings in the West should recognise it and not be evasive of this reality.

There is so much more that can be said on these issues but suffice it to say that our Christian community in Pakistan remains faithful even unto death and are proud to live out their faith. These voices of faith and hope resonate whenever you meet such situations and yet you all know that such situations need to be healed and this slaughtering of humanity in the name of religion and ideology must be converted into an embrace of reconciliation and a peaceful living in the human family. May God help us to fulfil this dream.

I cannot help but end this little reflection on a personal note. My father was an army chaplain and Vicar in Quetta for almost 18 years, the longest that he ever served in any parish. I myself spent my late teens there and had part of my tertiary education there and graduated from the local government college and so did my sisters. We moved to the west from this very place in the early 70s and still think of it as our home in Pakistan. So it has caused our whole family a lot of pain that our beloved Quetta has become a bastion of blood suckers. May God give us His Grace of Deliverance and Hope.

Photo:  The General Board of Global Ministries / United Methodist Church / umcmission.org.
Posted on: January 2, 2018 2:11 PM

The Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba, has called on South Africas President Jacob Zuma to be replaced, and for a carefully targeted Cabinet reshuffle. Archbishop Thabo, the Primate of Southern Africa, made his comments during a sermon at the Christmas Eve Midnight Mass in St Georges Cathedral, Cape Town. He said that President Zuma and his cohorts of corruption had been acting as if the South African treasury was their personal property. Archbishop Thabos comments follow the election last month of South Africas Deputy President, Cyril Ramaphosa, as the new leader of the ANC. Mr Ramaphosa is widely expected to be the next President of South Africa after the countrys General Election in 2019.

Archbishop Thabo told the congregation that he had been challenging the leaders of our country to put the common good above all else, and he reminded them that the faith communities will support the ANCs new leadership, but only on the strict condition that they must work together to re-establish values-based, ethical and moral leadership.

He said: A few nights ago, I watched the ANCs new leader, Cyril Ramaphosa, promise us that his party will be more responsive and more accountable to us, and that it will reach out to community organisations and other organs of civil society. Moreover, he told us that the ANC will act against corruption, collusion and other economic crimes, whether they be in the private or public sector.

Most importantly, he told us that the people of South Africa want action, not words.

Whether he acknowledges it or not, he knows and we know that means he has to act in the matter of President Zuma. He knows and we know that President Zuma and his cohorts of corruption have been behaving as if they own the South African Treasury. But they dont: the resources of the Treasury are the common property of all South Africans, to be deployed for the common good, not for the interests of a few.

Shame on Mr Zuma for allowing people with dirty feet to walk through his mind and heart. And shame on his fellow leaders in the ANC for allowing him to get away with it until now.

He said that the Christ Child brings new life and the hope of new beginnings to our corporate and political lives, in addition to our personal lives; but added: bringing new life into the world means cutting the umbilical cord immediately after birth.

He continued: If Mr Ramaphosa wants the ANC to get a new lease of life, he and the new leadership will need to cut the umbilical cord which ties them to the Zuma era, quickly and decisively. Our economy is floundering, unemployment is rising and those cohorts of corruption who see they are losing influence are making ever more desperate attempts to loot what they can before their party is over.

On top of that, the divisions in the ANC have led to a paralysis in decision-making and the implementation of policy. It is time to say, Enough is enough.

I cannot see how two centres of power  one centred on the party and the other on the State  can collaborate when their values seem diametrically opposed to one another. I cannot see how the ANC will make a clean break with the past and set us on a new course unless the new leaders elected . . . last week, supported by their MPs in Parliament, act boldly and quickly to replace Mr Zuma as President of the country, and to follow that up with a carefully targeted Cabinet reshuffle. If they don't, we can see their fate written in the histories of other liberation movements in the world who have failed to adapt: they will lose power.
Posted on: January 2, 2018 9:37 AM

Eight Christians and a Muslim policeman have been killed in an Islamist terror attack on a church in the southern Cairo district of Helwan. Egyptian government officials say that a gunman attacked and killed two Coptic brothers in a shop, before moving onto the Mar Mina Church. Six Christians were killed here, along with an auxiliary policeman. The attack took place on Friday (29 December). The gunman was arrested after being shot by security forces. He is reported to have had an explosive device and a machine gun with 150 rounds. The countrys interior ministry said that the man was known to security services and was believed to have carried out several terrorist attacks which resulted in the martyrdom of a number of policemen and civilians. Two Copts were killed in a separate attack on New Years Eve in Giza province

The policeman who was killed in Fridays attack was part of an Egyptian government security operation at the Church. Authorities have stepped up security at churches ahead of Christmas celebrations, which is celebrated by the Coptic and other Orthodox churches on 7 January.

The increased security measures include the deployment of rapid reaction forces and combat troops along with technological solutions.

Today (Monday), the Associated Press news agency is reporting that two more Coptic Christians were killed in a New Years Eve attack on their off-licence in Giza province by a gunman shouting that the men were Christians. In total, more than 120 Christians have been killed by terrorists in Egypt in 2017. Egypt has seen a recent upsurge in violence by terrorists linked to Daesh. These latest attacks come just one month after 310 Muslims were killed in an attack on al-Rawda mosque in Bir al-Abed, North Sinai.

Responding to the attack, the Anglican Bishop of Egypt, Mouneer Anis, said that he was deeply saddened by the cowardly terrorist attack. He asked for people to pray for the bereaved families and those injured in the attack.

Bishop Mouneer also gave thanks to the national security operation, and the policemen who showed great courage in fighting the attack. He said: it would have been much worse if it wasnt for our brave policemen.

On its website, the diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa, urged people to pray for protection and safety in Egypt.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, used Twitter to share his response to the attack, saying: Coptic Christians suffer again from those possessed by evil. He added: They are a peaceful community, giving much to Egypt. Their agony must be ours in prayer & advocacy.

We pray for all killed & hurt, including the Muslim policeman. May they know strength from Christ who suffers with us.

The Coptic Bishop of London, Bishop Angaelos, is a member of the Anglican-Oriental Orthodox International Commission (AOOIC). In a statement on Saturday he said that he was saddened . . . 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.

He said that the terror attack 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.

Bishop Angaelos added: 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.

The Grand Imam of al-Azhar, Ahmad Al Tayyib, a senior Muslim cleric, responded to the attack by calling on Muslims to unite with Christians for Christmas celebrations. He said that all Egyptian people are urged to stand firm against this evil conspiracy and make these good days an opportunity to emphasise this through Muslims joining their Coptic brethren in celebrating the anniversary of Christ's birth.

Security will continue to be tight in Egypt as the country approaches Orthodox Christmas celebrations on 7 January.
Posted on: January 2, 2018 1:40 PM

A church in New South Wales was forced to cancel its traditional New Years Eve street party because of the increased terror threat. Since the eve of the Millennium in 1999, St Aidans Church in Longueville, New South Wales, has staged a free open-air New Years Eve party. Its location on the banks of the Lane Cove River, with fantastic views of Sydneys world-famous spectacular midnight fireworks show, made it a popular choice for Longueville residents. Last year, 4,000 people turned up for the churchs eve-of-midnight concert and barbeque. But senior minister Craig Potter explained that security measures designed to prevent an accident are not sufficient to prevent a deliberate attack.

Previously, the local council  which describes St Aidans New Years Eve event as a great local initiative  worked with the church to close Christina Street, on which the church is situated, to vehicles. This year, because of what has happened in Melbourne with the two vehicles that have gone through crowds, it has changed the rules with street parties, Potter told the North Shore Times. In the past [the] council provides barriers to prevent an accident, but what we now have to do is prevent a deliberate attack. This means you cant just use the traditional barriers you have to use jersey kerbs or water fuelled barriers, which then puts the cost right out of the water for us.

The church budgets $3,000 AUD (approximately 1,700 GBP) for the event. The increased security measures would have cost $10,000. Despite his disappointment, Potter said he understood the revised security assessment.

I agree with the police that if there is potential for something to happen however unlikely, it makes sense to prevent that. It probably surprises most people that the effects of terrorism can reach a community like Longueville, but I am not surprised at all.

In the Australian State of Victoria, 17 people were injured and one man was killed when a car ploughed into pedestrians on Flinders Street, Melbourne, on 21 December. A man is due to appear in court in May facing one charge of murder, 17 charges of attempted murder, and one charge of conduct endangering life. The incident, while classed as deliberate, is said to be not terror-related.

In January 2017, a man drove a vehicle along the nearby Bourke Street, leading to the deaths of six people and 20 injured. That attack, near Melbournes Anglican Cathedral, came a month after Australian police foiled a planned Christmas Day terror attack on the cathedral.

Crowds gather to watch the fireworks heralding the arrival of 2018 in Melbourne, Australia.

Photo: St Pauls Cathedral, Melbourne, on Twitter

This year, the cathedral tweeted a photo of Melbournes New Years Eve firework display, with the message: A blessed New Year to you from the heart of the City and Diocese of Melbourne. May God walk closely with you and yours in 2018.

Back in Longueville, St Aidans continues to have support of the local council and hopes to resurrect its New Years Eve event for next years festivities.
Posted on: January 2, 2018 4:22 PM

Pope Francis will visit Ireland in August this year for the Roman Catholic Churchs World Meeting of Families. In anticipation of the visit, Irelands church leaders have issued a joint New Year message in which they call for renewed efforts to protect vulnerable families from hardship, across the island of Ireland and throughout the world, in 2018. The message has been signed by Archbishop Richard Clarke, the Church of Irelands Archbishop of Armagh and Anglican Primate; Archbishop Eamon Martin, the Roman Catholic Churchs Archbishop of Armagh and Primate; and by the Revd Dr Laurence Graham, President of the Methodist Church in Ireland; Bishop John McDowell, President of the Irish Council of Churches; and the Rt Revd Noble McNeely, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland.

In it, the leaders say that they add our voices to those calling for increased efforts to provide safety, security and protection for vulnerable families across the island of Ireland and throughout the world. Families are the essential building blocks of strong, resilient communities. Our experience in pastoral and social care underlines the centrality of family wellbeing to effective, long-term solutions to the major social challenges we face today.

They express particular concern at the rising level of homelessness, which they describe as one of the most tragic and glaring symptoms of a broken system that is leaving too many people without adequate support.

The protection of children, our future parents and future leaders, is one of the primary reasons for the existence of social welfare systems, they say, yet in the Republic of Ireland one in three of those living in emergency accommodation is a child. 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 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.

Families are the hope for the world. In our churches at Christmas time there is a particular emphasis on family as we come together to celebrate our appreciation for Gods gift of hope to a suffering world in the birth of Christ. We are reminded that God did not choose the wealthy and the powerful to be the protectors of his Son, but a family that was vulnerable, without a home and forced to rely on the kindness of strangers. It is deeply unfair that so many parents in our society today 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.

The church leaders say that they recognise the challenges faced by our political leaders in these uncertain times but say that we have a vocation to witness to the fact that the essential purpose of political leadership is to protect the common good. We appeal to [political leaders] 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.

Speaking of the forthcoming visit by Pope Francis to the World Meeting of Families, they say: 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.

We pray that the coming year will bring hope, joy and peace to all families who are struggling.
(ANSA) - Bari, January 2 - Interior Minister Marco Minniti travelled to Bari on Tuesday to chair a meeting of the committee for order and public safety convened after an ambush in Bitonto involving members of a local crime syndicate on Saturday left an 84-year-old woman dead. Anna Rosa Tarantino died while crossing a road in the town centre.

20-year-old Giuseppe Casadibari, a convicted criminal, also sustained injuries.

He is thought by investigators to have been the real target of the attack. According to unconfirmed reports, he used Tarantino as a human shield during the attempted hit.

Minniti on Tuesday called the woman's slaying "unacceptable".

"A response is urgent," he said after chairing the public-order meeting.

The shooting is to be seen in the context of a turf war between rival clans for control of the local drugs trade. It may have been a reprisal for an earlier shooting outside the home of a local mobster on the outskirts of the city, investigators say. Tarantino's funeral was due to be celebrated on Tuesday. The Puglia mafia, the Sacra Corona Unita (United Holy Crown, SCU), is the fourth and smallest of Italy's four mafias.


Over 300 migrants rescued in 3 operations on Jan 1 Eunavformed, NGO took part in rescues

(ANSAmed) - ROME, JANUARY 2 - Italian coast guard authorities rescued over 300 migrants in three separate search and rescue operations in the Mediterranean on Monday. A unit of the Eunavformed Operation Sophia and an NGO took part in the rescue operations. (ANSAmed)
Iran has invested 1 bn dollars in Syria, IDF chief says Gen. Eisenkotdiscloses scale of support in region

(ANSAmed) - TEL AVIV, JANUARY 2 - Iran has invested billions of dollars in Syria and hundreds of millions of dollars in Iraq to expand its influence in the region, Israeli state television reported IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot as saying Tuesday. Lebanon's Hezbollah allegedly receives between 700 million dollars and 1 billion dollars annually from Iran, the general said.



In exchange, the militant Shia Islamist organisation has agreed to devote 40% of its resources to operations of interest to Iran in Syria and Yemen. Eisenkot claimed Iran also has over 2,000 advisors and experts as well as 10,000 Shia combatants in Syria. In addition, the country allegedly supports the activities of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza with 100 million dollars a year. Israeli media report that Iranian demonstrators have been shouting slogans against Hezbollah and Hamas during the ongoing anti-government protests in Tehran. (ANSAmed)
BEIRUT- The end of fighting in large areas of Syria is enabling some refugees to return home with their number in Lebanon declining below one million from the 1.2 million registered two years ago, the Lebanese minister for the affairs of the displaced, Moein Merhebi, was quoted as saying by local media.



Lebanon is one of the countries most affected by the Syrian civil war with a massive inflow of refugees and a local population of some 4.4 million. The country is also home to some 174,000 Palestinian refugees, according to recent data.



''The last census of Syrian refugees registered a decline from 1.2 million to 980,000 in two years'', said Merhebi in an interview to pan Arab daily Al Hayat. Lebanon has never accepted to open refugee camps for Syrians, who are hosted in makeshift camps or precarious lodgings.
TEL AVIV - The ruling Likud Party's central committee has adopeted a resuloution to annex the Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are currently home to over 400,000 Jews. Premier Benyamin Netanyahu, who was not present at the meeting on Sunday, is not bound by the resolution. On Monday Netanyahu addressed the Knesset on a variety of matters, including the anti-government protests underway in Iran. However, he did not mention the expediency of extending Israeli law to the West Bank settlements. The Palestinian leadership was quick to respond. Government spokesperson Yousuf al-Mahmoud described Likud's resolution as "a serious and cruel decision".



The areas in question are "on Palestinian land, at the heart of which stands our capital, Arab Jerusalem". "The escalation by the occupiers against our land and people is gaining pace and proceeding dangerously," added al-Mahmoud in reference to the repercussions of the decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, which sparked protests in the Palestinian territories. The Palestinian National Authority has also suspended relations with the US and recalled its ambassador to Washington.



In addition, the visit by US vice president Mike Pence to the region - originally sceduled for the end of December and then postponed - remains uncertain. Meanwhile 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." Intelligence Minister Israel Katz - who, like Edelstein, considers himself to be a potential successor to Netanyahu - said that it is necessary to "strengthen Jerusalem" by granting special municipal status to the inhabitants of the densely populated nearby settlements.
Abu Dhabi Airports has signed a MoU between Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) to become sister airports, strengthening the cooperation and ties between the two international aviation hubs.

The signing ceremony took place at BCIA headquarters with the attendance of H.E. Ambassador of the UAE to China, Dr. Obaid Al Dhahri, and the MOU was signed by Abdul Majeed Al Khoori, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports and Liu Xuesong, Chairman of BICA.

The agreement sets the stage for mutually beneficial collaboration between both airports through knowledge and experience sharing. The airports will look to collaborate in areas such as staff training across all aspects of airport operations and management including terminal operations, airside management, route development, and commercial management. The MOU also allows for cooperation on joint projects that will have positive returns on both entities such as hub development, airport planning, and service quality evaluation.

Abdul Majeed Al Khoori, acting chief executive Officer of Abu Dhabi Airports, commented: We are excited to be collaborating with a globally leading aviation partner. This MOU will be the base for an ongoing strategic partnership and future collaboration between AUH and BICA. It will enable the sharing of best practices, exploring challenges, and working together with the aim of elevating the quality of services and facilities in both international hubs.

Liu Xuesong, Chairman ofBICA, commented: Both BCIA and AUH possess state-of-the art infrastructure and have accumulated profound knowledge in airport operation and management. We welcome the opportunity to working together with our colleagues at AUH to share information and expertise, to improve passenger experience, and to strengthen the relationship between Beijing and Abu Dhabi.

To date, Abu Dhabi Airports has signed sister airport agreements with 2 other international airports; Chicago Airport and Narita Airport, with the purpose of driving the growth and development of the aviation industry locally and internationally.
EgyptAir has signed a firm order agreement with Bombardier for the purchase of twelve CS300s along with purchase rights for a further twelve of the type, reports ch-aviation.

The acquisition was first announced as a Letter of Intent (LOI) during the 2017 Dubai Air Show.

EgyptAir Express will take delivery of the firm CSeries jets from 2018 to 2020 while the purchase rights, if exercised, would be for delivery between 2020 and 2026. Collectively, they will be used to replace the regional carrier's fleet of twelve EMB-170s, which are due to be phased out over the course of 2018 and 2019.

We selected the CSeries aircraft because its excellent range will allow us to best serve domestic and regional destinations, including neighbouring Arab cities, the Middle East as well as several European destinations, Safwat Musallam, chairman and CEO of EgyptAir Holding Company, said in a statement.
Iran Air, the countrys flag carrier, signed the contract with the Franco-Italian joint venture back in April 2017 to purchase the 20 ATR 72-600 planes valued at $400 million at list price.These are part of the multi-billion dollar deals signed by Iran with ATR. Airbus and Boeing after the lifting of sanctions last year. Three Airbus (one A321 and two A330s have also been delivered.Like the latest ATRs, the Airbuses were financed by Irans Bank of Mine and Industry using National Development Fund of Irans resources.Iran is keen to get external funding for more aircraft and Irans Financial Tribune reported that the country has signed two preliminary contracts one with a Chinese bank and another with a European firm to finance its airplane orders. The Tribune quoted deputy minister of roads and urban development in international affairs, Asghar Fakhriyeh-Kashan, who said the agreements are expected to be finalised by March.We held serious talks with five major lessors; however, at the moment only two of them remain interested in financing Iran Airs plane deals which is the results of the recent rise in pressures against Iran and the landmark nuclear agreement, he said during thecceremony for the arrival of the new ATRs.According to the deputy minister, the finance contract for three Airbus jets has already been finalized with the two firms and Iran Air is likely to take delivery of three or more Airbus planes during the next Iranian fiscal year (March 2018-19).Boeing has already committed to finance eight jets for Iran Air, local media reported.Farzaneh Sharafbafi, the CEO of Iran Air, (pictured right) said that the flag carrier expects to take delivery of eight to ten brand new airplanes from Boeing and Airbus in the next Iranian fiscal year She said the upcoming deliveries in 2018 include Boeing 777, Airbus A320 and Airbus A321, adding that the flag carrier is set to take delivery of another Airbus A330 in early 2019.ATR also expects to complete deliveries for the remaining 12 ATR-72s by the end of the year.In December Irans fourth largest airline, ATA, took delivery of its first Embraer ERJ 145 jet. Believed to be a pre-owned aircraft, the 50-seat jet is the first of 15 aircraft, purchased by the airline. ATA said it expects to have the other 14 in the fleet by March.
Merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular is expected to be completed this year.

Two companies had, in 2017, announced they will combine the operations to create the country's largest telecom operator worth over USD 23 billion.

New Delhi: Telecom operator Idea Cellular on Tuesday said its board will meet on January 4 to consider a proposal for fund raising via preferential allotment, rights issue or other routes.

"A meeting of the Board of Directors of the company will be held on January 4, 2018...to consider a proposal for fund raising through a preferential allotment, qualified institutional placement, rights issue or such other route as the Board of Directors may determine to be in the best interests of the company," the company said in a BSE filing.

It, however, did not provide further details of the proposed plan. The filing said that the company will make disclosures, if any, related to the outcome of the meeting as per the stipulated rules.

The merger between Vodafone India and Idea Cellular, India's second and third largest mobile operators respectively, is expected to be completed this year.

The two companies had, in 2017, announced they will combine the operations to create the country's largest telecom operator worth over USD 23 billion with a 35 per cent market share.

The merger of Vodafone-Idea -- which is set to dislodge the numero uno player Bharti Airtel -- was imminent as the incumbent operators have been bruised by aggressive offers from newcomer Reliance Jio, which triggered a tariff war in the Indian telecom market.
The actor opened up about Eeswar and called it a surreal experience to watch himself on the big screen for the first time.

Mumbai: Investing five years of his life to the 'Baahubali' franchise bore fruit for Prabhas as the success the film and the actor got was unprecedented.

Today he might have become a household name, but success has surely not gone to his head.

The Tollywood star is still for known for his humble persona, as is revealed by several of his co-stars and experienced by media persons.

The actor revealed another side of this trait, even before he made it big in the film industry, in a recent interview.

Prabhas comes from a film family, with his father Uppalapati Surya Narayana Raju a popular film producer. The actor reveals that his father faced financial crisis regularly, like "like most producers do."

"I went to college in buses (given) my family background, that was big, you know? When I went in the bus, people (said), 'Yeah, he's from a very big family So, these things helped me work harder," Prabhas told GQ as he made it to cover of the magazine for the January issue.

Prabhas also opened up about his debut film Eeswar and called it a surreal experience to watch himself on the big screen for the first time.

"My mother and sister were sitting on (either) side of me. We were holding hands and watching (the film)... It didn't do so well, but, we didn't know until then if it's good or amazing or what... It was very emotional," he told the magazine, as quoted by Mid-day.

But the success that followed this Telugu star after that has brought him a tremendous fan following, with Baahubali only taking it a notch higher.

After this, I don't know where I'm going," he says, adding, "It's frightening to make fans happy... (They) have unconditional love."

The actor surely has several years in the industry now, but he is already sure of what he wants to do when he retires from acting.

Prabhas revealed he plans to go fishing and invest in a property outside Hyderabad and practise aquaculture along with his friends.

With the way his career is touching new heights now, we are sure that he wont need retirement plans now.
The actress has become extra choosy about her work these days and wants to focus more on her Hollywood projects.

Deepika Padukone, whose controversial film Padmavat will finally be seeing the light of the day this year, seems to have decided to go slow on the film front, particularly in Bollywood.

The actress has become extra choosy about her work these days and wants to focus more on her Hollywood projects.

Deepika is in no hurry to sign back-to-back films and she wants to pick her projects carefully. 2017 has been a hectic year for her, so she also wants to have more time to spend with her family. She is also in talks with a few producers for some Hollywood projects, said a source close to the actress.

If the sources are to be believed she has been offered quite a few scripts from West which as caught her interest.

Though reports have also claimed that she will be seen in Vishal Bharadwajs next, sources indicate that Deepika may be rethinking about getting into this project.
The issue of privacy arose in the light of the Centre pushing its agenda of making Aadhaar card with biometric.

New Delhi: The year 2017 is a watershed year for the Supreme Court in dispensation of justice to litigants. There are several unfinished tasks expected to be completed in 2018, and a host of judgments in high profile cases are to be pronounced.

The year 2017 saw the apex court taking one of the most transparent steps in the selection of judges to the High Courts and the apex court. The collegium of judges headed by the Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra at its meeting in October passed a resolution to place the decisions on the apex court website. This is a positive approach of the Collegium in placing the resolutions with reasons for elevation and transfers of judges to and between the High Courts, and appointment of judges to the Supreme Court.

The year also saw a stand-off between the CJI and the number two judgeJustice J. Chelameswar who entertained a PIL containing allegations against the CJI in a medical college scam for a probe by a special investigation team headed by a retired apex court judge. The CJI stepped in and set up a five-judge bench to set aside this order. Later a three judge bench dismissed the two PILs holding that the allegations against the CJI were misconceived.

In a historical ruling to protect the rights of citizens, the Supreme Court held that the right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution.

The issue of privacy arose in the light of the Centre pushing its agenda of making Aadhaar card with biometric.
The court also stayed the order imposing a Rs 25 lakh fine on Koda and granted him interim bail, with instructions to not leave the country.

Koda was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd. (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda, who was present in the court, and granted him interim bail till the next date of hearing this month with a direction that he will not leave the country.

The order came on Koda's plea seeking suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court.

Koda, who was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), also challenged the December 13 and 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence respectively, which was admitted by the high court.

The former chief minister was granted bail by a trial court till January 18.

In his appeal, Koda said the trial court order holding him guilty was bad in law.

The appeal and stay on the fine was opposed by CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema.

The agency, however, did not oppose interim bail granted to Koda till January 22.

The high court had on December 22, 2017 stayed a trial court order imposing a fine of Rs 50 lakh on VISUL in the case till the next date of hearing.

The high court on December 20 had sought response of the CBI on an appeal by Koda's close aide Vijay Joshi against the trial court's order awarding him three years jail term in the coal scam case.

All the pleas filed so far in connection with this matter will be heard on January 22.

Koda, ex-coal secretary H C Gupta, A K Basu, former Jharkhand chief secretary, and Joshi were awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based company.

While sentencing the convicts, the special court had said "white collar crimes" were more "dangerous" to the society than ordinary crimes.

It had imposed fines of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta respectively in the UPA-era coal scam. Rs One lakh fine was also imposed on Basu.

The convicts were granted statutory bail for a period of two months to enable them to file appeals in the Delhi High Court.

So far, four out of 30 coal block allocation scam cases have been decided by the special court, including this order, and 12 people and four companies have been held guilty.

The convicts were tried for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the offence of cheating carries a maximum punishment of seven years jail term, criminal breach of trust by public servants entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The CBI had said that the firm had applied for allocation of Rajhara North coal block on January 8, 2007.

It had said that although the Jharkhand government and the steel ministry did not recommend VISUL's case for coal block allocation, the 36th Screening Committee recommended the block to the accused firm.

The CBI had said that Gupta, who was chairman of the screening committee, had concealed facts from then prime minister Manmohan Singh, who at that time headed the coal ministry too, that Jharkhand had not recommended VISUL for allocation of a coal block.
Trump's tweet comes in the wake of the UN-designated terrorist, Hafiz Saeed, looking to contest the 2018 polls in Pakistan.

The Union Minister says the Trump administration's decision on 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. (Photo: ANI)

New Delhi: 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".

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 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.

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.
The bill, which makes instant triple illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband, was passed by the Lower House last week.

Muslim women offer sweets to each other at a programme to celebrate the passage of the triple talaq bill by the Lok Sabha in New Delhi. (Photo: PTI)

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 illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband, was passed by the Lower House last week.

Read: Triple talaq bill: Congress to consult other opposition parties before taking up in RS

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 WhatsApp  would be illegal and void.

Meanwhile, the Indian Union Muslim League has claimed that various Muslim bodies in the country would move the Supreme Court if the bill is also passed by the Rajya Sabha.
More than 2.9 lakh doctors had gone on a 12-hour nationwide strike (6 am to 6 pm) in protest against the Bill.

New Delhi: Doctors called off their 12 hour nationwide strike after the government agreed to send the contentious National Medical Commission of India Bill to a Standing Committee in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Bill, which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, has been opposed among others by the Indian Medical Association, the premier body of doctors across the country. As soon as the Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha this afternoon, representatives of almost all Opposition parties demanded that the Bill be sent to a Standing Committee for further scrutiny. The government agreed to this, but parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said that the Speaker should ensure that the committee report comes within 15 days so that the Bill can be passed in the next budget session.

The Bill was brought in following directive from the Supreme Court for the same. Apart from replacing the MCI, the Bill also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda to practise allopathy after completing a bridge course. This was one of the clauses which was being opposed by doctors. We called off our strike as the bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which has members from diverse fields and there should now be a fruitful discussion. We are thankful to all the Lok Sabha members for supporting us, IMAs K.K. Aggarwal said.

More than 2.9 lakh doctors had gone on a 12-hour nationwide strike (6 am to 6 pm) in protest against the Bill.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.

New Delhi: The Parliament on Tuesday passed the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017, which will replace the ordinance promulgated in November to prevent unscrupulous persons from misusing or vitiating the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

Replying to a debate on the bill in Rajya Sabha, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley said the government has entered into an unchartered territory as far as bankruptcy and insolvency code is concerned and would continue to modify the law dealing with the issue.

He said the government has been encountering situations which were not anticipated earlier and assured the House that it would continue to take corrective action.

The Upper House later passed the bill with a voice vote. The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha last week. Earlier, while participating in the debate many opposition members asked the government to identify willful defaulters of bank loans. Insolvency and bankruptcy is an area in which it is only in the recent years that we have chartered into. It is a learning experience, said Mr Jaitley. As per the bill, the ineligible persons or entities will include undischarged insolvent, wilful defaulter and those whose accounts have been classified as non-performing asset. These persons, however, can become eligible to submit a resolution plan if they clear all the overdue amounts with interest.
As many as 11 members were allowed to speak on issues of public importance during Zero Hour.

The last time all listed starred questions were taken up was in 2002 during the 197th Session of the Upper House, officials in the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.

New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday set a record after 15 years by taking up all the 15 listed starred questions during the Question Hour, while 18 members spoke on issues of public importance during the Zero Hour.

The last time all listed starred questions were taken up was in 2002 during the 197th Session of the Upper House, officials in the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.

The completion of business is in contrast to the uproarious scenes and adjournments witnessed on several occasions during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

This was also made possible as 10 of 20 members in who had listed questions were absent from the House, but the Chairman allowed many members to ask supplementary questions. At the end of Question Hour, Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu said, So, all questions are completed today. Earlier, when a number of members asking questions were found absent, he said Something special is happening!. On seeing many members absent during Question Hour, the chairman also said that surprisingly, five or six members who had questions listed against their names did not turn up.

They have the liberty. I dont question them. At the same time, we have a responsibility. If you file a question, so much time, energy and resources are spent. Not coming to the House is not a good practice. Keep that in mind, he said. When some members complimented the Chairman for smooth conduct of business, Naidu returned the compliment saying, Your cooperation is good, so my operation was very smooth... thats why the House was able to set this record.

The Rajya Sabha today made history. For the first time, all Zero Hour submissions, all Special Mentions were fully completed, said Naidu amid thumping of desks by members in the House of Elders. The Chairman expressed hope that in future too, the members would not waste time and stick to the schedule.

As many as 11 members were allowed to speak on issues of public importance during Zero Hour, while another eight were allowed to read out the text of their special

mentions.
Yuko Kaseki transports you to another world with her Butoh dance movements, while conducting her workshops.

Twisting and twirling on the floor, Yuko Kaseki gives a testing time to our photographers bid to catch her right on camera. Unpredictably agile, she switches poses in a fraction of a second. We have no other way, but to wait for what shed strike next. The Butoh dancer of Japanese origin was on her maiden visit to India and she also conducted a workshop. She stood up, gathered her disciples around her in a circle. She made them scream out loud, laugh their hearts out, and flicker the emotions in a lucid but rapid pace. Yuko never stands apart, she sets the rhythm in and does whatever the people surrounding her do.

An artist residency programme in Goa brought Yuko to India and subsequently to Kerala. One of the participants at her workshop invited her to come to his hometown and here she is. Performing across the world, Yuko, like her dance form, does not restrict herself to definitions. I am not a missionary of Butoh. I am more of a cultivator, watering each seed to grow, she beams.

A dance theatre from the post-World War II Japan, Butoh was devised by its pioneers Hijikata Tatsumi and Ohno Kazuo in a bid to free the traditional dance in the country from western influences.

Yuko has a lengthy back story, that dates 26 years back, a story of migration. Captivated by the dance form, Yuko shifted base to Berlin in Germany. My teacher in Japan moved to Germany and I followed her for studies, she says.

Basically a theatre person, the call of Butoh came to her at a point when she was in a dilemma to connect the acting space to outer world. Then it was difficult for me to connect to text and look for the physical world. I saw one Butoh dancer. There was space for experimental theatre in it. I started searching for my teacher, she rewinds. In the journey, she could dig and cultivate body as a frontier to find out untapped filed of emotions, memories and sensations. In Berlin, she studied Butoh dance and performing art in HBK Braunschweig with Anzu Furukawa and danced in her company Dance Butter Tokio and Verwandlungsamt in 1989 to 2000. The year 1995 was very happening, when she co-founded the dance company Cokaseki with Marc Ates.

With solo and ensemble performances, Yuko performed across nations, meeting new cultures, people and identities. She has extensively toured to Europe, Taiwan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, Australia, Russia, Burkina, Faso and the US.

If asked what she propagates, this could be expected in return. I perform myself. People have very different backgrounds. I see what the necessity is. I do the workshop explaining how the inner and outer composition of the physical world is like. Theres a very basic condition to build depending on each persons power for creativity. I share knowledge, explains Yuko.

Yuko finds Butoh never restricted itself to formats. Everyone has come up with their versions, defining it the way they like it. Yuko has hers. Butoh is evolving. All over the world, people carry the idea but with a very different approach. Each Butoh dance is different. I respect the beginning and my efforts are to find my own vocabulary through improvisation. It is amazing to dance in a different world. Some outside force makes me dance. Its an amazing feeling, says Yuko. The basic necessity to learn Butoh, she would say is the realisation of ones connection to the ground they stay upon and the ability to communicate with the inner-self.

Shed call any amazing movement a Butoh, the way someone walks so beautifully, a well-coordinated musical concert or the soothing song of a bird.

The limited days of visit to India has left Yuko with little choice to travel around or enjoy the pleasures. Still she remains spellbound with natures bounties, the sounds of birds, animals and the nature she sees here.

She fondly narrates a chance meeting with a Mohiniyattam dancer, who paid a visit during the workshop. She performed for me a very short sequence, showing facial expressions. Her gestures were telling stories. It was amazing, she signs off.
Responding to Mr Jains allegations, the L-Gs office said that Baijal had not imposed any condition of requirement of income certificate.

NEW DELHI: Widening the ongoing rift with lieutenant-governor Anil Baijal, Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain claimed that the L-G has raised objections to the AAP dispensations ambitious scheme proposing free medical surgeries and tests at private hospitals in case of delay in government facilities.

According to Mr Jain, Mr Baijal raised objections without discussi-ng either with the chief minister or the minister concerned, and has asked the department to include income criteria for people to avail benefits under the quality health for all scheme. The scheme was passed on December 12 and was subsequently sent to the L-G for approval.

CM Arvind Kejriwal said that if the income criteria was introduced, it would practically kill the scheme.

Refuting the charges, the L-Gs office said that he had not asked it to seek income certificates from those availing benefits under the scheme, and noted that the AAP dispensation was free to choose an appropriate income level that does not exclude the middle class and the poor from the scheme.

Addressing a press conference here, Jain said the introduction of an income criteria will make implementation of this scheme extre-mely cumbersome as verification of patients incomes would increase paper work.

The L-G raised objections without discussing either with the CM or the minister concerned, and has asked the department to include income criteria for people to avail benefits under the quality health for all scheme, Mr Jain said.

Responding to Mr Jains allegations, the L-Gs office said that Mr Baijal had not imposed any condition of requirement of income certificate.
Reason and debate have become the biggest casualties in the Sangh Parivars interpretation of history, the former professor rued.

The uproar over Ayodha temple and the film, Padamavati, is aimed at consolidation of Hindu votes. (Photo: Abhijit Mukherjee)

Kolkata: Attempt 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 the RSS-BJP trying to rewrite history is to create a Hindu nation, where minorities are treated as second-class citizens, he said.

It is a 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 said.

The RSS and the BJP are determined to divide the nation on religious grounds, Mr 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.

Mr 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, Mr 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.
Modi began his speech in Bengali, extending new year wishes to the people of the state.

Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday 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.

Mr 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, Mr 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, Mr 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, Mr 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, Mr 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.
Lookout notice issued against absconding owners Ritesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi, Abhijeet Mankar.

Mumbai: The N.M. Joshi Marg police arrested two managers of the rooftop pub 1Above late on Sunday night and produced them before a magistrate court in Bhoiwada on Monday that remanded the duo to police custody till January 9. Kevin Bawa (34) and Lisbon Lopez (34) were arrested from their respective residences on Sunday at 10 pm.

Fourteen persons died in the deadly fire that broke out inside pubs 1Above and Mojos Bistro at Kamala Mills in Lower Parel on December 29. The police on Saturday issued a Lookout Notice against the three owners of 1Above  Ritesh Sanghvi, Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijeet Mankar, who went absconding after the fire. Ahmad Pathan, senior police inspector of N.M. Joshi Marg police station said, We have arrested both the managers. They were present in the pub when the blaze occurred on December 29 but fled without helping the guests. Bawa and Lopez have been booked under section 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) of the IPC. The police produced Lopez and Bawa before the magistrate seeking their custody. Public prosecutor Sanjay Wadhavane had requested the court to grant 14 days police custody. Both accused have been arrested for a very serious offence under section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC. Fourteen people lost their lives and 31 others got injured. The duo had knowledge that no measures were taken for the safety and security of the customers, Mr Wadhavane said.

Advocate Vijay Thakur on behalf of accused argued that Bawa and Lopez did not have any intention to cause death. They should be made witness and not accused in the case, Mr Thakur said. He added that the fire started in Mojos Bistro and since it did not have a fire exit people came to 1Above. Lopez and Bawa told magistrate Karade that they were innocent and did try their best to save people. The court remanded Lopez and Bawa to police custody till January 9.
The arrests have been made under section 304A of the Indian Penal Code which pertains to causing death by negligence.

Mumbai: A day after three civic workers fell from a crane that was trying to extricate them from a 20-foot-deep sewage pit near IIT Mumbai's main gate in Powai and died - the Powai police has registered a FIR against the accused and arrested one person for not taking precautions and compromising the safety of workers under section 304a (death due to negligence) of the IPC.

The police has sought details from the civic authority as to which supervisor/contractor was assigned the work of the main sewer line opposite IIT Powai. A probe into the death of the three contract labourers who died on Monday after the crane's pulley snapped is underway.

Police sources said that what was initially registered as an accidental death report (ADR) has been changed into a FIR against the supervisor/contractor. The police arrested one Mohammad Irrfan Mohammad Tahir Khan (24) for allegedly taking no precautionary measures to ensure the workers' safety.

Navainchandra Reddy, deputy commissioner of police zone 10 said, "A case has been registered and the accused arrested. The arrests have been made under section 304A of the Indian Penal Code which pertains to causing death by negligence. We have a sought an enquiry and details from civic authorities as to who was assigned the work."

The deceased labourers have been identified as Satyanarayan Singh (32), Rameshwar Samay (42), and Vishwanath Singh (35).
Seventy-three cases were registered in Mumbai, 21 in Pune, 10 in Konkan, 18 in Nashik, and four in Nagpur.

The Metrology department has a WhatsApp number to get complaints from lay consumers against products/companies charging more than the MRP rates.

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Legal Metrology department (LMD) on Tuesday registered cases against 294 establishments, including some well-known hotels, malls and spas.

The department conducted searches at 569 establishments across the state to check imported goods and commodities including chocolates, cigarettes and cosmetics.

A total of 569 establishments including importers, malls, spa-saloons and shops in the state were inspected, after which 294 cases were registered for violation of different terms. Seventy-three cases were registered in Mumbai, 21 in Pune, 10 in Konkan, 18 in Nashik, and four in Nagpur.

IPS Amitabh Gupta, controller (LMO), told The Asian Age, "During this special campaign, 123 cases were registered against spas and saloons, 110 against imported chocolate sellers, 19 against cigarette sellers and 42 against sellers of other packaged commodities." Some of the big establishments against which cases were registered include: JW Marriott, Sahar; Hotel Leela; Taj Land's End, Bandra; Hotel Sofitel, BKC; Four Seasons, Worli; and some well-known spas and saloons in famous malls, Mr Gupta confirmed.

Asked whether any complaints were received against the five- and seven- star hotels, Mr Gupta said, We received some complaints and inspection gave us the lead. This organisation is very important for consumers. To prevent consumers from being cheated through sale of imported packaged commodities which do not comply with statutory provisions, we appeal to consumers to be alert.
Indias Pakistan policy of boycott and threats has faltered as Pakistan is even more defiant.

The year 2018 presents a challenging external environment to India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi enters his last full year in office. Mr Modis conduct of foreign policy has propensity for nationalistic posturing when crucial state elections approach. That impacts Indias neighbourhood policy, specifically relations with China and Pakistan. This year will be full of byelections to Parliament in the critical states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The last two and Karnataka would also elect new Assemblies.

Later this month Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive in India, followed by a mini-Asean summit as its 10 members are guests at the Republic Day celebrations. But the principal challenge to India is its immediate neighbourhood. First, despite palpable bonhomie, Mr Modi having been the first Indian head of government to visit Israel, India voted for a UN General Assembly resolution asking the United States to reverse its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. Perhaps this was unavoidable after four permanent UN Security Council members and over two-thirds of the UN membership lined up behind the resolution. It indicated that Indian foreign policy remains rooted in pragmatism. The Saarc neighbourhood is more divided today than ever with persistent Pakistani defiance and Chinese aggressive intrusion. The Economist notes that China is making it increasingly clear... (that) the thing it really disapproves of is India maintaining a sphere of influence. The Sino-Indian standoff at Doklam has persisted, albeit with a limited Chinese withdrawal to dodge embarrassment before its 19th party congress and to save the China-hosted Brics summit. Reportedly, despite the onset of winter, when normally Chinese troops return to the Tibetan hinterland, they have bivouacked at the spot, within sight of Indian troops. This maintains pressure on Bhutan, in whose territory Doklam lies. It also thus leaves Bhutan vulnerable to Chinese cajolements of a permanent territorial settlement to wean it away from Indias tutelage.

The Chinese pressure on the Indian periphery was manifested in Sri Lanka conceding control of Hambantota port and its adjoining territory to China on a 99-year lease, the Maldives ramming through a free trade agreement with China and a coalition of the two largest Communist parties winning the elections in Nepal. Until 2011, China didnt even have an embassy in the Maldives. According to exiled former President Mohammed Nasheed, who is perceived as close to India, China now holds 75 per cent of the Maldives debt. The Nepalese government can be expected to tilt more visibly towards China and thus allow the Belt and Road Initiative to connect Kathmandu by train to Lhasa and beyond, consequently tying the Nepalese economy more closely to Chinas.

India-Pakistan relations are now in free fall, with Mr Modi having used Pakistan as a convenient punching bag in the recent Gujarat Assembly elections, even hinting at treason when former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari had attended a dinner in honour of a former Pakistani foreign minister. Post-election, India facilitated the visit of the mother and wife of alleged spy-cum-saboteur Kulbhushan Jadhav for a meeting, which ended up humiliating the ladies when they were strip-searched. Later, Pakistan began alleging that Jadhavs wifes shoes contained snooping devices. That the national security advisers of India and Pakistan attended the following day a pre-scheduled meeting in Bangkok indicates either that Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua was complicit in the Islamabad charade or was undercut by his former service to keep India-Pakistan relations disturbed. Indias Pakistan policy of boycott and threats has thus faltered as Pakistan is, if anything, even more defiant. Ceasefire violations in the last year climbed to 820, 589 more that the preceding year, and 667 more than in 2014. Drawing solace from the rising crescendo of Trumpian warnings would be unwise as the United States is principally soliciting action against groups like the Taliban and the Haqqani Network and not India-specific groups, which Pakistan is mainstreaming by transmutation into political units.

In Indias expanded neighbourhood to the east a two-track approach is being adopted. The Quad, a grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the US, to balance China, has been resurrected. Some see it as a rudimentary Asian version of Nato. That would be premature as more members yet need to be co-opted, including Vietnam and South Korea, and perhaps even Indonesia. Meanwhile, India continues supporting the East Asia Summit (EAS), built around the 10-member Asean. On a separate track, India would remain active in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a Chinese brainchild, and Brics and RIC (Russia, India and China). This is to both balance China and engage it. This is necessary as the US under Donald Trump has undertaken a structural withdrawal by abandoning Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the Paris climate change accord, vacating space for China.

To Indias west, the geostrategic scenario is more muddled. Mr Trumps Riyadh visit early in his presidency emboldened the Saudi ruling dispensation to confront Iran, pillory GCC allies whose conduct the Saudis abhorred, escalate the war in Yemen and attempt novel reforms at home. Consequently, it exacerbated the Shia-Sunni divide and caused an intra-Sunni split. The US move on Jerusalem before a final settlement of the West Asia issue and unrest in Iran add to the complexity. India has one foot in a boat rowed by the Saudis and Emiratis (Mr Modi is to revisit the UAE next month), and the other foot in the Iranian dhow, now in Mr Trumps cross-hairs. With President Trump given to diplomacy by Twitter and Russia converging with China on most international issues, the space for a balancing game has shrunk further.

Thus 2018 will see Indian foreign policy largely playing a waiting game as elections loom in India, Pakistan, Russia and even the United States (the mid-term congressional polls). The new foreign secretary has his work cut out.
The airplane took off from New Zealand in 2018 and landed in Honolulu in 2017.

The passengers onboard the Airbus A330 got to enjoy their New Year twice  simply by flying to a different country across the date line.

We have come so far in the world of technology and yet time travel is still a thing of fantasy. However, every year, one of the several hundred airlines present in the world do a sort of time travel on the occasion of new year. Are you baffled? Well, consider the following incidence.

On December 31, Hawaiian Airlines Flight HA446 was scheduled to take off at 11:55 pm from Auckland and land at Honolulu by 9:45 am, December 31st. However, the flight was delayed due to some operational issue, which led the flight to take off at 12:05 am  a time by which the world had started welcoming 2018. However, the flight had to cross the International Date Line to reach Hawaii, where it landed on 31st December, 2017. On the globe, Auckland is ahead of Honolulu by 23 hours. You can check the timings on Flight Radar's detailed data below.

Time travel is possible!

Flight #HA446 just took off from New Zealand in 2018 and will land in Hawaii back in 2017! pic.twitter.com/3KsCEniCOL  Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) December 31, 2017

Therefore, the passengers onboard the Airbus A330 got to enjoy their New Year twice  simply by flying to a different country. And this feat was achieved thanks to those who delayed the flight in New Zealand.

So, if you want to celebrate New Year twice next year, then make sure you hop onto a flight that crosses the International Date Line after taking off in the New Year.

(source)
YouTube has withdrawn its app from Amazons smart platform following Googles fight with Amazon.

The removal of the app is Googles way of retaliating to Amazons refusal of selling Googles products and services on their e-commerce platform.

In the world of consumer technology, apps play an important role and decide the rise or demise of a particular platform. Googles YouTube is currently the biggest source of video content on the web and every platform provides an app to access it  except for Amazon, whose Fire TV stick and Echo Show tablets are currently witnessing the withdrawal of the app.

The removal of the app is Googles way of retaliating to Amazons refusal of selling Googles products and services on their e-commerce platform. Google had been in talks with Amazon for reaching an agreement on selling their products on their marketplace while Google would make available Amazons content on their devices such as Chromecast and others. Google had also been looking forward to providing their apps on Amazons Fire TV platform. However, neither party could reach a conclusion, leading to the Search giant pulling off the support for YouTube from Amazons latest range of Echo smart devices.

In an interview to The Verge, YouTube said, Weve been trying to reach an agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each others products and services. But Amazon doesnt carry Google products like Chromecast, and Google Home doesnt make Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of Nests latest products. Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and FireTV. We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon.

Currently, Fire TV owners can access the website version of YouTube from browsers such as Firefox and Silk. Another way to keep using YouTube is to prevent updating the firmware so as to keep the app working.

(source)
The American Presidents tough message to Pakistan was welcomed by the BJP which called it a success of Prime Minister Narendra Modis diplomacy.

New Delhi/Washington: In a shock to Pakistan on New Years Day and good news for India, US President Donald Trump on Monday attacked Pakistan for 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, Mr Trump said in a strongly-worded tweet.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Mr Trump said in his first tweet of the year.

Both India and Afghanistan, which have been affected by Pakistans state-sponsored terrorism, have left no stone unturned to draw global attention to the devious role played by the Pakistan Army and ISI. These efforts have received a big boost from the Trump administration which appears intent on hauling up Pakistan over continuing support for terrorism.

Mr Trumps tough talk caused ripples in Pakistan. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and foreign minister Khawaja Asif met to review the implication of Mr Trumps statement.

We will respond to President Trumps tweet shortly inshallah... Will let the world know the truth Difference between facts & fiction, Mr Asif tweeted.

The American Presidents tough message to Pakistan was welcomed by the BJP which called it a success of Prime Minister Narendra Modis 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 G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said in a tweet.

The US presidents remarks come days after the American media 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.

In November, the US had strongly condemned release of the Mumbai attacks 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 $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, President 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 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, Mr Trump had said in his South Asia Policy speech.

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, President Trump had earlier said.

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 peace, he had said.

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, Mr 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.
China said the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's 'outstanding contribution' to counter terrorism.

'China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides,' Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said. (Representational Image/PTI)

Beijing: China, on Tuesday, defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather allys "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of lies and deceit and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!, he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

On Tuesday, China, on expected lines, praised Pakistans counter terrorism record.

Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trumps criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides, Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the USD 50-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts say the US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trumps criticism would affect Chinas efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges.

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries reached a lot of consensus on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard, Geng said.

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.

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 Islamabads reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.
The project, led by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology under the CAS, is part of an unprecedented military expansion.

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. (Photo: Representational | File)

Beijing: 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 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 Beijing's 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 in 2016 and it acquired the Hambantota port of Sri Lanka on a 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 China's global underwater surveillance network, said that while it undoubtedly represented progress in China's 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 system's 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 Beijing's 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 China's 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.
Sources said the decision was taken at a recent meeting on national security.

Islamabad: Pakistan is set to take over the assets and charities linked to Jamatud Dawah (JuD) chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, officials said.

These officials said the government may soon take over the JuD and its charitable arm, the Falah-e-Insaniyat (welfare of humanity) Foundation (FIF).

Sources said the decision was taken at a recent meeting on national security. Under the plan, the ambulance services of the organisations are to be taken over and their funding sources uncovered in the first phase. Sources said the Punjab provincial government will run the projects of JuD.

Muridke Markaz centre will be handed over to the government and its name will be changed as well, the sources added. The Federal Board of Revenue and State Bank will scrutinise funding, assets of both organisations, the sources said.

Washington and India blame JuD for the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 people. Saeed has repeatedly denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks.

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.

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 had ordered authorities to choke the fundraising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan.

Spokesmen for the JuD and FIF both said they could not comment until they receive official notifications of the governments plans.

JuDs network 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.

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.
The attorney general of Pakistan has also been summoned on January 23 to assist the court.

Islamabad: Pakistan Supreme Court on Monday accepted petitions against the Election Act 2017 which allowed disqualified Nawaz Sharif to remain president of his party  the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) - for proper hearing from January 23.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar headed the three-member bench including Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Arab, and heard the objections raised against the Election Act 2017 by 13 petitioners.

The apex court issued notices to ousted premier Nawaz Sharif, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the law ministry. The attorney general of Pakistan has also been summoned on January 23 to assist the court.

Justice Nisar remarked that the SC holds authority of judicial review, but the parliament is the supreme body for legislation and the court cannot exceed its limits.

He said the bill was passed in the National Assembly by the vote of all parties and can only be annulled if is contradictory to basic rights.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan said the role of party leader was very important in parliamentary system, and inquired about the details of Section 203 of the election act that can lead the bill to abolishment.

Awami Muslim League (AML) President Sheikh Rashid Ahmads counsel argued that honest leadership is a basic right of every citizen, and a disqualified person is violating that by controlling the party matters.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan asked that was the bill passed in senate by majority of just one vote, upon which the lawyer answered in affirmation.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) lawyer Latif Khosa said chairperson regulates all decisions of the party according to the law. He told the court on Justice Ijazul Ahsans inquiry that partys parliamentary committee is also not free to take decisions.
Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but 'lies and deceit' in return for USD 33 billion aid.

"We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah... Will let the world know the truth... difference between facts and fiction..," Asif tweeted. (Photo: AFP)

Islamabad: 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 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 and fiction..," Asif tweeted.

"We have already refused to the US mantra of 'do more' for it (US). We have told the Trump administration that we will not do 'no more' for it. The 'do more' does not hold any importance. Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted, "Coalition support funds has never been counted as AID in any accounting by Pakistan, nor will it be seen as part of assistance. It was compensation on expenses incurred on joint action on border. Other 'Aid' we should indeed talk about, because Pakistan never charged for NATO traffic".

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 and 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 was considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism.
Trump said America had been 'foolishly' providing military aid to Pak for 15 yrs, but in return, it has only received 'lies and deceit.'

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'. Photo: ANI)

Islamabad: 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 on Monday.

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."

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting has said that the #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 pic.twitter.com/u76OBadmtJ  Govt of Pakistan (@pid_gov) January 1, 2018

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 U.S. 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 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.

Although the volume of annual US assistance to Pakistan stands at USD 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.
The SECP issued a notification prohibiting the collection of donations by the JuD, the front organisation of banned outfit LeT.

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. (Photo: AP | File)

Lahore: Pakistan on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, on a day when President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) issued a notification prohibiting 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 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," according to the notification.

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 Dawn said.

The notification comes on a day when President 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," President Trump said in a strongly worded tweet.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" President Trump said in his first tweet of the year.

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.

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.

"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.

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.
An armed man opened fire at a Christian-run liquor store in Giza, killing two people. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack on the church of Mar Mina in Helwan. Solidarity between Christians and Muslims against terrorism is growing. Fr. Rafic: The attacks are an "intimidating message" to the government and president for their tolerance towards Christians.

Cairo (AsiaNews) - More Christian blood has been spilled in Egypt. In the land of the pharaohs, the new year began with the murder of two orthodox Coptic brothers who were inside a liquor store in al-Omraneya, Giza a district west of Cairo, stormed by a man armed and masked on the night between December 31st and January 1st.

The attack comes a few days after the raid that struck a Coptic church and another alcohol store run by a Christian on the southern outskirts of Cairo. Pope Francis himself at the Angelus on December 31 expressed his closeness to the Coptic Orthodox community of Egypt; the pontiff prayed for the victims and that "the Lord convert the hearts of the violent".

Local sources report that a masked man, armed with a rifle, opened fire from outside the building. The bullets hit and killed two Christian brothers, friends of the owner, with whom they had been celebrating the New Year. After striking, the assailant got back on his motor bike and fled the scene. The attack has not yet been claimed and it is unclear whether the attacker targeted the shop because it sells alcohol  which is legal in Egypt, but only with appropriate licenses - or because the owner was Coptic. Meanwhile, photos of the blood covered corpse of one of the victims, are circulating on social media.

Contacted by AsiaNews Fr. Rafic Greiche, spokesman for the Egyptian Catholic Church, speaks of "targeted attacks" by extremists that are on an "increase". The priest adds, however, that "it is not a question of groups or organizations like Daesh [an acronym for the IS]", which would strike with "more men or to carry out more major massacres". He speaks rather of "single assailants", of lone wolves who "have been brainwashed" and target Christians "considering them unfaithful".

"We can be attacked and this can happen at any time," says Fr. Rafic, especially "in the poorest areas". "These attacks - he concludes - more than a threat to Christians represent an intimidating message to the government and to President al-Sisi, guilty of helping Christians by encouraging the construction of new churches or by promoting a policy of greater tolerance. Today the president has granted citizenship to our patriarch, obtained in less than three weeks compared to the necessary two years ".

In a nation of almost 95 million people with a large Muslim majority, Coptic Christians are a substantial minority of around 10 per cent of the population. Last year the country aw a series of bloody attacks, some involving Christians. The escalation of violence almost led to the cancellation of Pope Franciss apostolic journey to Egypt last April. However, the pontiff was able to visit the country where he met with its president and the great imam of al-Azhar and celebrated Mass before tens of thousands of people.

On December 29, terrorists struck the Coptic church of Mar Mina, in Helwan, a suburb south of Cairo. At least 10 people died in the attack launched by two armed terrorists, about twenty were wounded. The celebrations for Catholic Christmas were held regularly; now the focus is on the Coptic rites, which celebrate the birth of Jesus on January 7th and the danger of attacks or violence is high.

Meanwhile, new details emerge about the assault on the Coptic church at the end of the year, claimed by the Islamic State (IS, ex Isis). According to local witnesses, it would have been residents and faithful, and not the police, to prevent the toll of the attack from being even higher. In particular, a 53-year-old man living in the area managed to block one of the two assailants while he was reloading his automatic rifle, saving the lives of dozens of people; others threw stones at the second fleeing assailant.

The raid lasted over 20 minutes and another 10 minutes passed before the police intervened, when they managed to capture the second bomber. The faithful inside the church blocked the entrances of the building, preventing the assailants from breaking into it. Local sources also report a growing "solidarity" between Christians and Muslims, united in the face of the extremist threat. (DS)
by Kamran Chaudhry

The families of former suspects consider the possibility of asking for compensation. The hate campaign "orchestrated by people involved in abductions". Donald Trump's tweet against financing terrorism. The blasphemy laws "continue to be abused".

Lahore (AsiaNews) - Pakistan activists have expressed satisfaction over the acquittal from blasphemy charges of five intellectuals and bloggers who were abducted and later reappeared last year. The High Court of Islamabad rejected all charges and established that there is no clear evidence against them.

Speaking to AsiaNews Saeeda Diep of the Institute for Peace and Secular Studies, says the families of five bloggers are now planning to go to court and file cases against false charges filed against the activists. Compensation is their right. The bloggers only criticized military (for violating human rights) and the whole campaign was orchestrated by those who abducted them. The affected families were forced to send their sons abroad for fear of death in mob violence as tv channels started targeting daily in their shows.

Diep continues We have been protesting against the inhuman blasphemy laws since they were created by a late military dictator General Zia-ul- Haq. We are only criticizing the man-made laws, they are not divine. Both Saudi Arab and Iran are now passing pro women laws and hopefully it will impact our society.

She says her hopes continue especially after recent statement by Donald Trump in which the US President lashed out at Islamabad with threats to cut aid. Trump yesterday tweeted that the United States had foolishly handed Pakistan more than bn in aid in the last 15 years and had been rewarded with nothing but lies and deceit. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! The international pressure will only increase. The authorities would ultimately have to de-radicalize the society even if its out of compulsion.

Kashif Nawab, a Christian activist and director Social Action Transformation of Humanity (SATH) Pakistan, who has been running a whats app group for minorities for three years says online activism requires strict scrutiny. Last year, a woman journalist started accusing our members of being anti-country and anti-religion after a heated argument on whats app. I had to expel her from the group. Being Christian, we are always fearful of backlash and we weigh every word spoken or shared with public.

Nawab adds: Now that FIA [Federal Investigatio Agency] has cleared the bloggers, nobody is saying a single word about injustice. Blasphemy laws continue to be misused. People are using them over property disputes or settle personal scores. I have even seen cases where Muslims blackmale Christian women over blasphemy allegation to keep their relations.

He concludes: It is common to see clerics pressurizing police authorities once a person is accused of blasphemy. Police must be trained to diffuse religiously charged mobs. The government must introduce a strict verification process involving police and religious leaders before registering such cases.
by Santosh Digal

Locals thank Caritas and NASSA for the assistance they provide. The Marawi reconstruction programme was redirected to help affected communities. More bad weather threatens the country.

Manila (AsiaNews)  Caritas Philippines and the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA) of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are continuing their concerted efforts to ease the plight of the people affected by the recent storms that have hit the country.

The Catholic Churchs humanitarian commitment in Mindanao, the southern Filipino island where the countrys Muslims are concentrated, is known thanks to initiatives like Duyog Marawi.

The latter provides assistance to people displaced by the recent conflict that engulfed the mostly Muslim city of Marawi, especially 13 coastal communities near the city, all heavily affected by the ongoing emergency as a result of the loss of earnings and basic services following the isolation of the city.

A woman from Iligan City (picture 2), in the province of Lanao del Norte (Mindanao), just received aid distributed by the two Catholic organisations.

"We are very grateful to Caritas Philippines, which has always helped us since the [start of the] Marawi crisis, she told AsiaNews. This is the first time that we receive assistance from Christians."

Umpia M Dura (pictures 3 and 4), a resident of Dangerampian, a suburb of Ditsaan Ramain, has a rice mill that was badly damaged by typhoon Vinta. Duyog Marawi volunteers visited him when they met with local residents.

"I thank you for coming here to check my rice mill. With that, I thank you with infinite gratitude," he said to express his appreciation.

"Duyog Marawi is one of the two on-going programmes of the Catholic Church aiding Marawi siege survivors, said Jing Rey Henderson, head of communications and development of the partnerships of Caritas Philippines.

We have converted it for the meantime to help Tropical Storm Tembin (Vinta) survivors. More than 100 Caritas staff are working there," he told AsiaNews.

Meanwhile, a week after tropical storm Urduja and typhoon Vinta wreaked havoc on Visayas and Mindanao, with landslides and flooding that killed nearly 300 people, more bad weather threatens the country.

The authorities have announced that tropical depression Agaton should crash on Puerto Princesa City (eastern province of Palawan) this evening. They have warned residents of possible landslides following heavy rains, from moderate to intense according to the areas.

The Bicol region (Samar province), Panay Island (south of Quezon), and in the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon should also be affected.

As a result of Agaton and a monsoon wave from the northeast (amihan), navigation is risky along the coasts of Palawan and Cuyo islands, as well as along the northern and southern coasts of Luzon, the east coast of Central Luzon, the eastern and western coasts of the Visayas, and the east coast of Mindanao.

Agaton is expected to leave the Philippines tomorrow.
Likud votes resolution in favour of Israeli settlements and sovereignty over "liberated" areas. For Israeli minister, we have the moral right and obligation towards settlers. Israel uses its power to manufacture coercive living conditions for dozens of Palestinian communities, to try and expel them from their lands, says B'tselem spokesperson.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - "Israel treats the West Bank as though it was its own," said Amit Gilutz, spokesman for the Israeli-based B'tselem, commenting the unanimous vote by the central committee of the Likud, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, in favour of the formal annexation of the West Bank and unfettered settlement activity.

The resolution calls for "free construction" and the application of Israeli sovereignty "on to all liberated areas of Jewish settlement in Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not present at the event, but more than a thousand people attended, including lawmakers and ministers.

For one of them, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, We must begin to enact this sovereignty, we have the moral right and obligation towards our settler brothers.

For Gilutz, the resolution is an attempt to solidify ongoing processes, that Israeli governments have been advancing for decades," namely to use the land and resources while completely disregarding the rights of Palestinians.

In the area that was defined as C under the Oslo accords in particular, Israel uses its power to manufacture coercive living conditions for dozens of Palestinian communities, to try and expel them from their lands, the B'tselem spokesperson lamented.

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.

The international community considers Israeli settlements illegally occupied territories under international law.

The recent decision by US President Donald Trump to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital has triggered reactions from the UN and the international community.
by Nirmala Carvalho

More than700 poor, orphaned and HIV-positive children took part in Christmas celebrations. Founded in 1981 in Mumbai, the Kripa Foundation is present in 12 Indian States and 40 centres worldwide. Fr Joe Pereira goes over the highlights of the past year.

Mumbai (AsiaNews)  Mumbai-based Kripa Foundation celebrated Christmas on 27 December in Vasai (some 60 km north of Mumbai) with more than 700 poor children: orphans, AIDS patients and children of drug addicts.

The NGO has been involved in treating people living with HIV-AIDS and drug addicts for 37 years. Its founder, Fr Joe Pereira, told AsiaNews that, following tradition, the Christmas party was held in Vasai.

The event has been going on since 1994, in particular for disadvantaged children from local facilities (Maharashtra), many of them street children, with HIV, or orphans.

For the clergyman, The Christmas party was the focal point of 2017, a blessed year in which I celebrated 75 years of age and 50 years of priesthood. Nevertheless, I still feel young and energetic to offer my life in the service of the marginalised with the blessing of Mother Teresa."

The Kripa (grace in Sanskrit) Foundation was established in 1981 in Bandra, a district in Mumbai. Today it has 69 facilities in 12 Indian States, and collaborates with other groups in Europe, Canada and the United States, where it operates 40 centres.

It is involved, among other things, in environmental regeneration projects, all inspired by a very precise beacon: the compassion of the saint of Calcutta.

"There were events that have enriched the sense of thanksgiving and the joy of 75 years of service in the Lord's vineyard, said the priest as he went over the past year.

On 15 August we launched the musical project 'The Witness'. My birthday, 6 September, coincided with the publication of my book Addiction - A Spiritual Paradox. But the central moment of the whole year "was on 15 September, when I had the opportunity of celebrating Mass with Pope Francis in his private chapel".

Then, on 8 December, he had "the almost miraculous opportunity of visiting Fatima and lead Mass on the altar of the apparitions, and, together with the bishop, concelebrate on that occasion the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary."

To top off the double thanksgiving and the gift of life and priesthood came Christmas with the children.

The celebrations also included Police Superintendent Raj Tilak Roshan, who was impressed by the spirit of the participants, and Mgr Felix Machado, archbishop of Vasai.

The children were divided into groups, each of which performed dances. I was moved by the sight of the children doing their best to express love and gratitude to me. Many of them call me papa, others 'dad', still others 'baba'. Some even call me 'Aee' (mother) and a former model calls me by the name of 'pop'."

"When I feel overwhelmed by their love and their expressions of gratitude I ask the Lord if I am worthy of so much love. And he always answers me in prayer 'You are my beloved . . . because you did it to me', which is Mother Teresa's motto for the poorest of the poor."

For this reason, one of the most cherished memories of the past year, concerns in particular an alcoholic man "brought to the Foundation against his will because of his aggressive attitude.

During the Christmas celebrations he told me with tears in his eyes: 'I have great love and respect for Mother Teresa. I am so happy to have been brought to this centre by force. After two days I felt the Mother's energy and her blessing on me."
China's decision to extend its control to the West Kowloon high-speed railway station sparked the protest. Many believe this undermines the principle "one nation, two systems".

Hong Kong (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Thousands of people, especially young, took to the streets of Hong Kong yesterday in protest over Beijings interference undermining the territorys autonomy as agreed upon at the end of British rule.

Carrying banners that read "Protect Hong Kong!" the protesters marched through the downtown area to Civic Square, which was only recently reopened in the wake of the 2014 pro-universal suffrage movement. Joshua Wong, a former student leader of the 2014 Occupy Central movement, was among those present.

Last week, Chinas 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. In practice, this would place mainland customs officials in charge of customs jurisdiction in both directions.

For China, the plan would apply only to a designated zone at the West Kowloon terminus and not to the whole of the city. However, for many in Hong Kong, it would curb the citys autonomy under its existing Basic Law agreed by Beijing and London on the basis of the principle of one nation, two systems.

The NPCs decision was condemned by the Hong Kong Bar Association, which labelled the move as the most retrograde step in the implementation of the Basic Law since 1997, the year of the citys return to Chinese rule.

Over the years, Beijing has heavily interfered in Hong Kong. Its actions include trying to change history courses in school curriculum to praise the mainlands great successes for propaganda purposes; curbing educational freedom in schools, including private ones; blocking steps towards universal suffrage in elections, excluding pro-democracy lawmakers from the citys Legislative Council, as well as abducting and arresting people involved in the publishing industry who criticised mainland leaders.

"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," a protester surnamed Wong told Radio Free Asia.


(Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com) (Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com)

A number of changes come into force for the new year in Australia affecting those who already live in the country and those planning to move in 2018.One of the biggest changes for people who want to move to Australia to work in 2018 relates to visas with the popular 457 visa stream ceasing to exist in March.It will be replaced by two new visas, one for two years whose holders will not be eligible to apply for permanent residency and one for four years under the new Temporary Skills Shortage (TSS) programme.The changes also mean that from March 2018, current 457 visa holders won't be able to apply for permanent residency under the Direct and Employer Nominated Transition Streams if their occupation is not on the long and medium term occupation lists.For this group of visa holders who are on the occupation list they will only be able to apply for permanent residency once they have worked for the nominating employer for a period of three years and the age limit is being reduced from 50 to 45.However, it has left many 457 visa holders in limbo as the date when the changes are being introduced has not been finalised and a lot of the detail is yet to be made public. More details are expected in the coming weeks.From next week same sex partners can apply for Partner visas, subclasses 100, 309, 801 and 820, and a Prospective Marriage visa subclass 300. Under the changes those in a same sex relationship with a genuine intention to marry their partner in Australia can apply for the Prospective Marriage visa.There are also a number of changes being introduced that affect everyday living in Australia, including the cost of travel and health and new measures affecting child care and housing.Road tolls are rising in many areas including in the states of Victoria and New South Wales, making travelling more costly during the week. The rises will also affect those going to and from airports.From February 2018, codeine medicines such as Nurofen Plus, Panadeine, Mersyndol and Codral become available only by prescription. Pain Australia has urged people who rely on these medicines to speak with their doctor to find alternatives.New incentives will be introduced from July 2018 to encourage older homes owners, those aged 65 and over to downsize to free up family sixed homes for those with families.Also from July parents get access to a New Child Care Package. A new Child Care Subsidy (CCS) will replace the current Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate and is designed to be simpler than the current multi-payment system.The aim is to offer more help to low and middle income families. To be eligible to receive CCS for a child, the child must be aged 13 years or under and not attending secondary school. The child also must meet immunisation requirements and the parent or carer must meet residency requirements.Single use plastic bags will be scrapped by a number of major retailers, including Woolworths and Coles in 2018. Woolworths revealed it would begin phasing out the bags in supermarkets, Big W and BWS stores, with a total ban in place by the end of June 2018.Western Australia will be plastic ban-free from July 2018 and Victoria plans to set a date for its own plastic bag ban in 2018. It means that New South Wales is now the only state in Australia that has not taken action to ban or reduce the presence of supermarket plastic bags.
Hello!



I just got my student visa granted in Australia. And after that my previous employer told me that he wants to sponsor me. The problem is, now I want to apply for 187, but I didnt even start my study. Both of us cannot wait two years. I want to work for the employer, and cancel my admission to the school.

But as far as I know i have to keep the original visa with bridging visa until the rsms granted, once I apply for 187.



An agent recommended me to go back to my home country and cancel the student visa and come back with travel visa for the application. I am afraid it costs me a lot and takes time with unpredictable situation.

Is there any solution?

Thank you.
Photo of Toyota Tundra courtesy of Toyota.

Toyota is recalling 649 vehicles because they may have labels that inaccurately specify load-carrying capacity, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall covers certain 2017 and 2018 Toyota 4Runner and Tundra vehicles; 2018 Toyota Highlander, RAV4 and Lexus GX460 vehicles; and 2017 Toyota Sienna and Tacoma vehicles, NHTSA said.

An incorrect load information label can result in the operator overloading the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash, NHTSA warned on its website.

Toyota will notify owners and provide them with corrected labels, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin Jan. 15.

Vehicle owners can reach Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are H0Z for Toyota vehicles, and HLF for Lexus vehicles.
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Lincoln City's Road's End State Recreation Site: Oregon Coast Wonders and Oddities

Published 01/02/2018 at 4:45 AM PDT

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff





(Lincoln City, Oregon)  There's much more than meets the eye at Road's End State Recreation Site in the central Oregon coast hotspot of Lincoln City. At first glance it is simply another comely beach, enticing and engaing in its own right. Take a further look around, especially a slightly longer walk here, and you'll discover some remarkable sights and finds.

Some things are even downright odd and unusual, depending on the time of year.

Did you know Lincoln City hides a sort of secret, second bay here? What's in that weird cave cloistered just out of sight? And hey, just where is that cave? What does a giant rock formation here have in common with Harry Potter? And what of the legend a second, slightly secret bay hiding in full sight here?

Take a journey of exploration by clicking on the links below. Check out the teasers, many coming from the Lincoln City Virtual Tour, for these articles and then make the plunge into a new and truly beautiful world.





Road's End State Rec Site, Wizard Rock and Secret Beach Access. The cliff, across the Salmon River from Cascade Head, possesses the rock structure known as Wizard Rock. At anything but a high tide, this moody, slightly spooky, pointed rock can be seen. .....MORE.....





Road's End Area, Lincoln City w/ Driftwood. Sand and driftwood create the inspirations for all sorts of beachy creations at Road's End State Recreation Site - or on just about any other beach, for that matter. This is at the north end of Lincoln City, close to a set of secret caves and coves. ......More......





Lincoln City's Road's End State Recreation Site. Find wacky rock structures along the way, an intriguing, rather forceful surf and interesting geologic markings in the cliffs which tell the tales of all sorts of geologic activity over the eons.

Lincoln City's Road's End State Recreation Site is at the very northern tip of Lincoln City. ......More......





Road's End Beaches, Structures, Landmarks. A glimpse of the main access and its parking lot, and a brief historical look at what was once there. ......More......

Believe It or Not: Lincoln City, Oregon Hides A Second Tiny Bay. There is what could be termed yet a second bay in the central Oregon coast resort town of Lincoln City - another little cozy cove, aside from the more well known and even famous Siletz Bay at the southern side. It's a kind of a cove, loosely speaking. But it is a fun and funky little delight you may not have noticed.

It is, really, a bit of a rare find. It doesn't always exist. This little oddity of the Oregon coast depends on tidal and sand conditions to be seen by humans, otherwise its shape and geographic qualities change altogether to essentially hide it from view. ......More......





What's Wrong with This Oregon Coast Wave? Oddities at Lincoln City. Take a close look at this picture of a wave in Lincoln City. Can you spot what's wrong with it?

Hint: notice the direction.

If you guessed the wave is going the wrong way, you're right. It should be coming onto shore  not outgoing. And no, the photo is not altered or flipped. So what causes this? It's a quirky example of the science of summer on the Oregon coast.

Lincoln City is by far and away not the only place this can happen  but this northern tip at Road's End seems a bit more prone to it in summertime, thanks to the layout of the sand here. ......More....... ----- Lincoln City Hotels - Lodging in this area - Where to eat - Maps and Virtual Tours

More About Lincoln City Lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....

Coastal Spotlight



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For 16 years, Amy Morris' place in the world was as a businesswoman serving in the hospitality and new home construction industries. Throughout that time, though, art maintained an overwhelming presence in her periphery.

"When I lived in Fort Worth, I felt like much of the work I was doing involved art," Morris said. "Whether it was designing sets for church plays or working with painting-party companies, art has always been a major part of my life."

After spending almost 20 years away from Southeast Texas, Morris returned to get her bachelor's of fine arts in studio art at Lamar University. Although her focus was on painting, she describes her styles as an eclectic mix.

"I would describe my work as somewhere between sculpture and painting," Morris said. "I like to employ many different techniques to my work and I can't describe it as one thing or another."

One of the techniques, encaustic wax painting, dates to the ancient Greeks.

"I was visiting an art museum and they had these encaustic paintings from Egyptian tombs, and I became fascinated with it," Morris said. "I spent a lot of my free time researching it and I had this overwhelming desire to learn how to do it."

Morris' fascination and desire led her to Richardson, outside Dallas, to learn the craft.

Amy Morris Online: amymorrisart.com See More Collapse

"In order to learn encaustic painting, I applied for a research grant so that I could afford to attend classes that focused on the technique," Morris said. "My senior thesis series is the first time I've actually incorporated it into my work."

Morris used her new skills to highlight the effects of Hurricane Harvey in her series, "Submerged."

"After Harvey made its way through Southeast Texas, I remembered the red tape and the marked-off properties, and I wanted to encapsulate seeing all the debris in the streets," Morris said. "One of the pieces uses that red tape, others use actual garbage from the storm's aftermath. I wanted to capture all of the aspects of that experience."

Morris also uses the series to highlight the emotional toll Harvey inflicted.

"The pieces in the exhibition show the different kind of damage that was taken during the storm," Morris said. "The piece 'Defilinf' is made out of a Bible I found in the debris. It was completely covered in mold, and I saved some of the pages and made a piece out of them. I wanted to show that not only were there damages to property, but items of sentimental value were lost in the storm."

Morris' goal is to create a conversation between the pieces and the viewer.

"When you look at the pieces from a distance, they look strange," Morris said. "It draws you in, but once you look closer you really have this dialogue between each piece and the viewer because each person is going to have a different reaction to them."

"Submerged" will be on display at San Jacinto College in Houston from Jan. 16 to Feb. 15, but in the future, Morris plans on leaving Southeast Texas to learn different styles and techniques around the country.

"In Southeast Texas, there definitely is a particular art culture that has definitely influenced my work over the past four years," Morris said. "Now, I'm ready to travel outside of Texas and pick up different styles and techniques in a new area. I've applied to many schools that are out of state and I'm very excited to expand my knowledge."

April Marble is a freelance writer.
Robert Hymes spent New Year's Eve 1985 trying to free his truck from the mud in his pasture. He tried to pull it out with a tractor, but the tractor got stuck too.

Standing in ankle-deep mud, Hymes and his then-wife, Kirby, used a chain hoist to free the truck and tractor. As Hymes finished washing the truck at 9:30 that night, Kirby went into labor and the couple rushed to the hospital.

Elly Marie, born at 12:52 a.m., was Beaumont's first baby of 1986.

Robert, who was born on New Year's Day 1959, told

The Enterprise, "This is the best birthday present I could've gotten."

Elly, whose last name is now Garner, said that when she was pregnant with her 3-year-old daughter Sawyer, Kirby hoped for a third New Year's baby in the family. Sawyer was born Dec. 26, ending the streak.

After celebrating Christmas and Sawyer's birthday, Garner said, "I don't even have energy to do birthday stuff" for herself.

Kirby said she made it a point to not blend the birthday and Christmas celebrations, though the holiday season always made it difficult to have birthday parties with friends traveling.

RaNysha Roberts entered the world at 1:53 a.m. on Jan. 1, 1983, making her the region's first baby of the year. Her parents, Robert and Arlene LeBlanc, had been at a New Year's Eve party when Arlene went into labor. Her parents received a year's supply of baby formula and diapers, as well as other gifts from the community.

Roberts, a track star at Lincoln High School, remembers her aunt telling her, "When you were born, I knew you were going to be a very special kid." She lived up to that promise, winning several state track titles before graduating in 2001 and going on to run the 100-meter hurdles at LSU.

After college, Roberts returned to Port Arthur, where she works as a social worker for indigent healthcare with the Jefferson County Health Department. She has a 7-year-old son and a soon-to-be 14-year-old stepdaughter.

Dwayne and Cindy Going welcomed their daughter, Megan, as Beaumont's first baby of 1988.

Megan, now married with the last name Hedgepeth, works as a nurse in Houston. She had to work on New Year's Eve but planned to go to a family party after work to ring in the new year and her birthday.

One of her brothers was born on Dec. 26, and she said their parents always kept their birthday and Christmas gifts separate so they could celebrate both.

They held family celebrations on their birthday and their parties later when friends would be around. Hedgepeth said her birthday parties were often held during spring break or during the summer.
Isnilon Hapilon, identified as the leader of the Islamic State faction who overtook Marawi in May, is seen in this Philippine military video of a militants meeting at an undisclosed location.

With a radical Islamist jihadist ideology, sleeper cells, lone wolves and skillful exploitation of modern technology, the terrorist threat in 2018 will remain challenging despite the Islamic States (IS) defeats in Iraq and Syria last year.

Jihadist movements, principally IS and al-Qaeda, have localized to exploit indigenous grievances, recruit aspiring militants and fight for local and global causes. Overall, both groups have become underground terror networks. This will allow them to sustain themselves longer and perpetrate more violent attacks.

The major risk to Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the West will come from Muslim extremist groups with radicalized segments of migrants perpetrating attacks in North America, Europe and Australia. Notwithstanding the operational and military setbacks that IS and al-Qaeda have suffered over the years, their affiliates will keep mounting attacks against military, diplomatic, political and economic targets.

Despite security measures, threat groups will seek to hit aviation, maritime and land transportation targets. In addition, self-radicalized and directed attacks will focus on populated locations for large-scale impact, with suicide attacks as the preferred tactic. The favored modus operandi will be low-end terrorism relying on vehicle-ramming and stabbings, as witnessed throughout 2017.

Southeast Asia

IS suffered its most significant Southeast Asian loss in Marawi, the Philippines, where it mounted a takeover of the city in May. More than 950 local and foreign fighters, including the designated IS East Asia leader, Isnilon Hapilon, and several top leaders were killed.

Following the governments recapture of Marawi in October, IS Philippines has been headed by Ismael Abdulmalik (also known as Abu Turaipe), the leader of a faction of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

In another setback, the militant directing terror attacks in Indonesia, Bahrun Naim, apparently was killed in Syria while another Indonesian IS ideologue, Aman Abdurrahman, is in prison.

Despite being locked up, Abdurrahman has been able to provide leadership to his followers and aspiring IS members, as his writings continue to resonate among the jihadist subculture in Southeast Asia.

Meanwhile, Malaysian IS leader Muhammad Wanndy Mohamed Jedi was killed in Syria. His associate, Dr. Mahmud bin Ahmed, who played a central role in uniting the diverse Moro groups, met the same fate during the Marawi siege.

Despite the loss of leaders, the threat from lone-wolf and self-radicalized individuals is present and could lead to attacks in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Trends

In 2018, three trends are likely to define the global terrorism landscape.

First, Islamic State is transforming itself from a caliphate-building entity to a global terrorist movement. To compensate for battlefield and territorial losses, the group is reinventing itself and seeking to expand globally in cyber and physical space.

Despite defeats in Iraq and Syria, IS has been successful in directing or inspiring attacks throughout 2017, as seen in the December church attack in Pakistan that killed nine people and the October truck attack in New York City that killed eight.

Second, Islamic State is decentralizing by shifting its center of gravity from Iraq and Syria to its wilayats (provinces) and divisions in different countries, including the East Asia Division (mainly in the Philippines), Libya (Barqa, Fezzan and Tripoli), Egypt (Sinai), Yemen, Algeria, Afghanistan/Pakistan (Khorasan) and the Russian Caucasus (Qawqaz).

Foreign terrorist fighters will use these hubs as bases to conduct attacks.

In some wilayats, especially in Syria and Afghanistan/Pakistan, IS will face stiff competition from al-Qaeda and its affiliated groups.

Third, al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria will capitalize on the vacuum left by IS and exploit the fragile and unstable situation in post-IS Syria. Al-Qaeda in Syria (AQS) has created a coalition  Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and an army referred to as Jaysh al-Sham. HTS is headed by the former AQS commander, Abu Mohammed Al-Julani, and has at least 20,000 fighters.

Following ISs fall in Syria, HTS and its constituents are likely to present a similar threat within the country.

Global Jihad

The world has witnessed the rise of three generations of global terrorist movements identified here as Global Jihad 1.0 through 3.0.

Global Jihad 1.0 emerged after al-Qaedas Sept. 11 attacks in the United States that captured the imagination of militant groups in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Caucasus.

Global Jihad 2.0 emerged after Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi declared a caliphate and announced the formation of IS on June 29, 2014.

Global Jihad 3.0 represents the global expansion of IS outside Iraq and Syria. IS relies on its wilayats as its operational bases in the Middle East, Africa, the Caucasus and Asia.

Along with its affiliates, IS controls territorial space in varying degrees in countries with active conflict zones and maintains a presence in cyber space. The groups strength also lies in affiliated and linked groups, networks, cells and dedicated jihadists who are willing to fight and die for IS.

While its footprint has shrunk in Iraq and Syria, to assert its presence in Muslim majority and minority countries, IS is exploiting encrypted communication platforms and using its fighters returning to their homes to make inroads into Muslim communities. In 2018, Afghanistan, Yemen and parts of Africa likely will emerge as IS strongholds.

Rohan Gunaratna is professor of Security Studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies at the Nanyang Technology University and head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research in Singapore.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the author and not of BenarNews.
People stand in line to check their names on the first draft of the National Register of Citizens in the Indian state of Assam, Jan. 1, 2018.

Confusion and anger gripped the Northeast Indian state of Assam on Tuesday, a day after the government released a partial list of registered citizens that included only 19 million of its 32 million people.

Being updated for the first time since 1951, the list, known as the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is aimed at detecting and deporting an estimated 20 million Bangladeshi migrants living in India illegally, according to the government.

The state government said the published NRC was a partial list, adding that the citizenship status of about 13 million people was being verified. The final list will be released some time in 2018, a government official told BenarNews on condition of anonymity.

The names of several political leaders in Assam were missing from the partial list published on Monday, including All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal, his parliamentarian brother Sirajuddin Ajmal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shiladitya Dev, Congress party leader Nurul Huda and several members of the All India Minority Students.

The non-inclusion of many prominent names, especially minority leaders, is a clear indication of Assams shifting political narrative ever since the rightwing BJP rose to power, Monirul Hussain, professor of political science at the Guwahati University, told BenarNews.

Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal appealed to residents to not panic if their names didnt appear in the first list.

This is only a part draft of the NRC. If the names of genuine Indian citizens are left out, there are enough provisions to submit claims to get their names included in the final list, Sonowal told reporters.

On Monday, however, a man in Silchar, about 500 km (310.6 miles) from the state capital Guwahati, allegedly committed suicide because of the NRC publication. Hanif Khan was found hanged in his house.

Local villagers told us that he got scared after not finding his name in the list. However, we are still investigating if there was any other reason for taking the extreme step, a police officer told BenarNews on condition of anonymity.

Opposition speaks out

The countrys principal opposition party, the Indian National Congress, urged the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP to clarify why it did not publish the entire list by the end of 2017, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

The NRC coordinator, Registrar General of India and the state government must clarify as to why so many prominent names were left out of the first part of the NRC, opposition party member Debabrata Saikia told BenarNews.

The NRC is being updated to include names of people or their descendants who are in the 1951 registry and those who have legally admissible documents issued up to March 24, 1971, the government said. The list aims to detect and expunge all undocumented Bangladeshi immigrants and those who settled in India after Bangladesh became a nation in 1971.

The Indian government has deployed paramilitary forces in the state to prevent possible protests and violence following the lists publication. The NRC update was part of BJPs 2016 election manifesto, as it swept to power in the state.

This [NRC] is the first step toward making Assam free of Bangladeshis, All Assam Students Unions Samujjal Bhattacharya told BenarNews. The student group spearheaded the movement to update the NRC.
Philippine soldiers patrol near a highway in southern Maguindanao province after almost a week of attacks on members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), May 10, 2017.

A police officer has been killed and seven other government forces wounded in two bomb attacks blamed on Muslim militants in the southern Philippines, the military said Tuesday.

Suspected members of the separatist Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) planted a roadside bomb that hit a military truck Monday, wounding two soldiers in the town of Maguindanao, the military said.

A day earlier, a police officer was killed and five of his colleagues were wounded when their vehicle rolled over an improvised bomb in the nearby town of Shariff Aguak.

The attacks appear to be retaliation for a large-scale offensive that left at least 26 members of the BIFF dead last week, as the military stepped up attacks against militant groups that might absorb Islamic State-linked gunmen who escaped a five-month siege in the southern city of Marawi.

Local army spokesman Capt. Arvin John Encinas said the two soldiers who were wounded were part of a security patrol team that had just carried out a security sweep in Maguindanao.

The policeman meanwhile was killed and his colleagues wounded when their vehicle rolled over an improvised bomb on New Years Eve.

Senior Supt. Agustin Tello, Maguindanao police director, said Senior Police Officer Max Kaibat died while undergoing medical operation at the local hospital, while five of his companions sustained injuries.

The attack was perpetrated by IS-linked militants. Theres an ongoing manhunt against them, Tello said.

He was referring to the BIFF, a faction that broke off from Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the countrys largest Muslim rebel organization, which signed a peace pact with Manila in 2014.

The BIFF has not openly declared allegiance to the IS, but has cheered on the local militants waving the black flag who took over Marawi in May.

It took troops until October to dislodge the militants from Marawi, a once prosperous Muslim city that the clashes turned into rubble.

About 1,200 people were killed in the largest security challenge to face the young presidency of Rodrigo Duterte. Of the total killed, almost 1,000 were militants.

Despite the victory, Duterte had asked Congress to extend martial law in the south for another year, saying that about 200 militants who had escaped the siege continued to pose a threat.

Also on Sunday, two suspects believed to be BIFF militants were killed when a bomb they were carrying prematurely exploded in the city of Tacurong, near Maguindanao.

Sixteen civilians sustained minor injuries in the explosion, said local police chief Senior Supt. Raul Supiter.

The BIFF, with hundreds of fighters, split from the 10,000-member Moro Islamic Liberation Front in 2008.

The BIFF vowed to push on with the separatist fight, and attracted younger, more hardline members of the MILF, which dropped its independence bid in exchange for expanded autonomy in the south.

But the autonomy law has yet to hurdle congress, composed mostly of politicians who had earlier expressed fears of granting the former rebels autonomy.

In 2015, congressmen held up passage of the autonomy law after 44 police commandos were killed by MILF guerrillas when government forces entered a rebel-held zone in Maguindanao province during an operation to target Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan.
For Immediate Release, January 2, 2018 Contact: Tierra Curry, (928) 522-3681, tcurry@biologicaldiversity.org Alabama Salamander Gains Endangered Species Act Protection Rare Aquatic Amphibian Gets 420 River Miles of Critical Habitat BIRMINGHAM, Ala. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today protected Black Warrior waterdog salamanders under the Endangered Species Act, with 420 river miles of protected critical habitat. The rare salamanders, found only in one river basin in Alabama, are on the brink of extinction because of ongoing habitat destruction and water pollution from agricultural and industrial operations. Its fantastic that Black Warrior waterdogs now have the Endangered Species Act protection that will give them the best hope for survival, said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. The Endangered Species Act has prevented the extinction of 99 percent of the plants and animals under its care. This law is the best tool available for saving imperiled species like the waterdog. The gilled, aquatic salamander, which can grow to nearly 10 inches in length, was first put on the candidate waiting list for federal protection in 1982. The Center petitioned for the salamanders protection in 2004 and again in 2010. Todays decision is the result of a Center legal victory listing 193 species as endangered and proposing protections for another four species. Aquatic salamanders like the Black Warrior waterdog are indicator species that reflect the health of the environment we all share, Curry said. Protecting this special amphibian and its habitat will help protect water quality for both waterdogs and people. The Black Warrior waterdog spends virtually all of its life at the bottom of streams under submerged ledges, logs and rocks. It also exhibits paedomorphism, which means it retains juvenile features like feathery gills and a tail fin even after it matures into an adult. One of the most endangered amphibians in the country, the waterdog is in severe decline as a result of river sedimentation and pollution from mining and forestry, poultry farms, cattle feedlots and industrial and residential sewage effluent. The streams protected as critical habitat are found in Blount, Cullman, Etowah, Fayette, Jefferson, Lawrence, Marshall, Tuscaloosa, Walker and Winston counties in Alabama. Critical habitat protection requires consultation with the Fish and Wildlife Service for any federally funded or permitted project to make sure the activities do not harm the salamander or its habitat.
For Immediate Release, January 2, 2018 Contact: Tierra Curry, (928) 522-3681, tcurry@biologicaldiversity.org Florida Crayfish Proposed for Endangered Species Act Protection PANAMA CITY, Fla. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today proposed Endangered Species Act protection for the Panama City crayfish, a small resident of a 50-square-mile area of Bay County in Floridas Panhandle. The crayfish is threatened with extinction primarily because its habitat is being destroyed by development. There are only 13 surviving populations of the animal, which is found nowhere else on Earth. The Panama City crayfish is an important little creature on the verge of extinction, so Im overjoyed to see the federal government finally taking this crucial step, said Tierra Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity. Endangered Species Act protection is critical to pulling this incredibly imperiled creature back from the brink. The tan-colored crayfish has a 2-inch-long body and red dots on its head. It lives in ponds and ditches in wet, pine flatwood forest. Its habitat is highly threatened by development and conversion of natural forests to sterile pine plantations; nearly all of the pine flatwood forest has already been lost, and the crayfish now clings to survival in divided habitat patches. The Center petitioned the Service to add the species to the endangered list in 2010 and won a lawsuit in 2013 requiring the Service to issue a decision on the petition. Legal victories by the Center have led to Endangered Species Act protection for 193 species since 2011; four additional species have been proposed for protection, including the crayfish. The Panama City crayfish is one of Floridas most imperiled animals, so we urge federal wildlife officials to quickly finalize endangered species protection and designate critical habitat, said Curry. If they dont move fast, this species could vanish forever. Small freshwater species like crayfish, though underappreciated, play a critical role in the ecosystems in which theyve evolved. They improve water quality, create structures used by other animals, and provide food for larger fish, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. The Center is working to gain protection for hundreds of imperiled freshwater species from the southeastern United States, a global hotspot of both diversity and extinction.
Agreement challenges

Moving away from protectionism

The future is open

Large markets are job-creating as they support more trade in goods, services and assets. It is expected that a well-designed agreement would help Africa boost industrial development, promote economic transformation and create new wealth. The benefits wont be automatic but will require continuous national, regional and continental efforts.Large regional markets are also essential for industrialisation. This is because they attract investment into firms that can diversify their product lines and stimulate the creation of related industries. This includes the supply of spare parts, distribution of goods and provision of advisory services. Some of these may start as their supplies but they may also grow into independent enterprises.Viewed against the odds of success in getting 55 countries to foster meaningful regional integration, Africa has made commendable progress in crafting its own creative approach. But reports from recent talks and a slowdown of regional integration efforts suggest a disturbing trend Some government delegates are likely to seek to include protection for existing products and industries. This would be detrimental to the process if these lists ended up shaping the final agreement given the 2018 signing deadline. Such a retreat would run counter to recent advances in Africas trade integration efforts. In 2015 for example, three regional trading blocs, covering 650 million people in 26 countries, signed the landmark Tripartite Free Trade Area with a combined GDP of over $1.5 trillion.The trade agreement nevertheless needs to be carefully thought out, particularly given that Africa is starting with a low intra-regional trade of 15% compared to 19% in Latin America, 51% in Asia and 72% for Europe.There is the risk that rushed negotiations could result in an agreement with too many exceptions to cover protected industries. This could include using non-tariff barriers  like safety measures  to protect local industries. A range of African countries use non-tariff barriers to curb imports of goods such as maize, milk, sugar, food oil products, and steel and iron.Sensitive and excluded products  like sugar and dairy products  might in some cases cover up to 600 tariff lines (product codes used at the national level). But these exceptions should be used sparingly to enable domestic industries to access the larger regional and global markets needed for their growth.In addition, the trade agreement needs to address the effects it may have on existing industries, environment, peace and security. It also needs to provide the policy space needed for governments to promote social policies such as job creation that could provide new performance standard for industries. Such policies should also balance between social goals and the need to be competitive on the global market.Concerns over the expansion of foreign imports, rather than regional trade integration, also needs to be carefully assessed to avoid the free trade area becoming a conduit for imports. This could undermine Africas goals to increase its industrial and trade capacity. At present, nearly 85% of the goods traded in Africa come from outside the continent. Only 15% of the goods traded in Africa are produced locally, leading to an annual food import bill of over $35 billion But the focus of the negotiations should not be the fear of imports. Rather the focus should be on scaling up export production in existing niche markets through the creation of new industries. Examples of growing industries include the supply of semi-processed processed foods that are turned into final products by importers. African firms such as the Agro Chemical and Food Company in Kenya are also producing speciality chemicals which are used in a variety of medical and manufacturing industries.The alternative to protection is therefore market growth. This involves having deeper knowledge of markets through the collection of key information market, eliminating trade barriers, reducing subsidies and upgrading the quality of infrastructure. It also involves building capacity to manage the rules of origin of products to avoid illegal dumping of goods, customs and trade procedures and reporting and resolution of trade barriers.The negotiations need to shift their focus from protectionism to greater regional trade integration. One way to do this is to set up a high-level expert committee or panel  drawn from government, private sector, academia and civil society  to include other relevant perspectives on issues such as infrastructure, technological capacity, and industrial growth. This would help to broaden discussions to reflect Africas current needs of trade as an instrument for economic transformation.This committee would be guided by evidence-based research as well as by Africas own regional trade experiences. There are many examples that show how quickly Africa is learning about the risks of using bans and exemptions to restrict regional trade. For example, Zambias positive decision to reverse a ban on fruit and vegetable imports The committee would also need to draw on lessons from other regions of the world. As I set out in Emergent Africa: Evolution of Regional Integration , Africa has a lot to learn from regional trade integration, especially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations The bloc approach to integration transcends the traditional focus on the free movement of goods. It includes measures such as the creation of industrial parks to foster industrial development. The region also uses technology-based agreements covering key fields such as information and telecommunications technologies. This is particularly important because of the role of engineering and technology in all aspects of trade covering product design, production and distribution through international logistics chains.The challenges facing African trade negotiators are not easy. Africas regional integration efforts are the most complex ever undertaken. They are not just about emulating trading rules used in other regions of the world. They are about remaking the continent to create new networked interactions between sovereign states in a flexible way. This makes for a more open future with expanding possibilities to use regional trade integration to spread prosperity.Dr Francis Mangeni, the Director of Trade, Customs and Monetary Affairs, with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), contributed to this article. He is co-author with Calestous Juma of the forthcoming book : Emergent Africa: Evolution of Regional Economic Integration
Market-oriented production and profitability, economic growth, and radical economic transformation are just some of the challenges agriculture will face in 2018.

 Aleksandr1982 via pixabay

Market-orientated production and profitability

Economic growth

Radical economic transformation

Market orientated production and profitability will always be the biggest challenge for the agriculture industry in order to ensure the sustainability of production and food security. Therefore, producers will still have to do everything in their power to improve the price ratio between the prices they pay for production inputs and the prices they receive for their products as far as possible.However, many factors, such as climatic conditions and international market factors that determine the profitability of production, are to a large extent beyond the control of producers.Applying the best and latest technological developments is essential to increase the efficiency of production, which in the long run plays a very important role in improving the profitability of production and financial survival.The challenge for the agriculture industry to deliver a greater contribution to the country's economic growth will, as for all other industries in the economy, be directly dependent on the profitability of agriculture.Economic growth is driven and created in virtually all countries in the world through the profitability of all the different industries in the economy. Therefore, it will be an extraordinary challenge for South African agricultural producers to perform within a socialist and communist political and economic system with a government that has no vision, expertise or purposefulness to provide a long-term plan for the sustainability of commercial agricultural production and food security for the country.However, there are already sufficient indications at this stage that the agricultural industry will not deliver the biggest increase again in the country's economic growth next year as in 2017. Weaker rainfall caused fewer summer crops to be planted at least a month later this season which will have a direct impact on the yield and total production.A major challenge that will severely threaten the agriculture industry in 2018 is the ANC government's "radical economic transformation" policy that will drive the economy and the country further over the edge. It must be strongly rejected by the organised agriculture.This policy undoubtedly includes the further large-scale corruption and looting of the country's domestic and foreign assets and resources, equal distribution of wealth and private property, black empowerment and greater equality without any merits, as well as a further downgrading of the country's investment status and strategic business ventures.In fact, it will continue the economic self-destructive process experience over the past couple of years, which will create unprecedented and extraordinary challenges to the agriculture industry.
Hacking has become a growing concern for website owners all over the world. Every year, thousands of WordPress websites are either compromised or hacked.

 jes2ufoto via 123RF

1. A defaced homepage

2. Inability to login to WordPress

3. Spam user accounts

4. Drastic decline in website traffic

5. Inability to receive or send WordPress emails

6. Incorrect search results

7. Strange scripts and files on your server

If you dont secure your WordPress site properly, you might find yourself being a victim sooner or later.Here are some indications that will help you determine whether your site has been infiltrated:This is one of the clearest indications that your site has been hacked. Most hackers will not leave such obvious signs since they want to cover their tracks. However, some will announce their presence by defacing your website. They might leave a message on your homepage as a warning or even attempt to extort cash from the website owners.There are several reasons why you might be unable to login to your WordPress admin area. First, it could be simply because you have forgotten your username or password. However, it could also be a sign that your WordPress site has been compromised. When hackers access your site, they are likely to delete your admin account. This means that you wont even be able to reset your password.If spam registration protection is not enabled on your WordPress site, you might see some spam user accounts being created. However, such accounts can usually be deleted easily with one click. However, if spam registration protection is enabled and you see new user accounts, then your site might be compromised. In some instances, it might be impossible to delete such accounts from your admin area.If you notice a sudden decline in your traffic , then it could be an indication that your site has been compromised. There are numerous trojans and malware that can intercept your traffic and take it to spammy sites.Your website traffic could also drop if Google blacklists your site for phishing or malware. Therefore, be sure to use Googles safe browsing tool regularly to check if your website is safe.WordPress hosting usually comes with free email accounts. You are allowed to send and receive emails using the hosts mail servers. However, if you find yourself unable to send and receive emails, it is possible that your mail server has been hacked.If a Google search for your website displays the wrong meta description and title, then you might be a victim of hacking. When you look at your site, you might still see the correct description and title. This means that the hacker could have injected malware into your site which modifies how it appears to search engines.There are several site scanning plugins that can notify you when malicious scripts or files appear on your server. Such files are usually found in the /wp-content/ folder. In most cases, these files go unnoticed since they are named like normal WordPress files. This is why you need to carry out a regular audit of your websites directory and file structure.
Durban's metro police could face lawsuits from motorists prosecuted for drunk driving if their blood was drawn by an unregistered part-time nurse.

The nurse, who drew blood at roadblocks for the past decade, was removed from the job by metro police after a drunk driving case was thrown out of the Chatsworth Magistrate's Court which heard that he was not registered with the South African Nursing Council.Thereported that the National Prosecuting Authority had launched an investigation to determine the scale of the problem.Rajen Chin, head of the metro police's specialised unit, said other nurses used to draw blood for traffic authorities had sound credentials.The part-time nurse told the newspaper that he was qualified to draw blood as a phlebotomist and had decided to stop working for the metro police.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - A New Year message from the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat, urges that 2018 be the year to stamp out corruption on the continent to transform Africa.

Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairperson of the African Union Commission.

Youth focus

Migration concerns

Gender equality strategy

Job opportunities

Single African Air Transport Market

Peaceful elections

Anti-corruption

End war

Africas peace and security

The full text of Mahamats New Year message is as follows2017 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 centre 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 Peoples 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 Peoples 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 womens 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 Establishing 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 realising 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-recognised 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 Africas 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 Africas 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 endeavour. 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.
The operator of Irish Ferries has announced a deal that will see it build the largest cruise ferry in the world.

Irish Continental Group will spend just over 165m to get the ferry for its Dublin to Holyhead route.

The firm says upon completion, it will be the largest cruise ferry in the world in terms of vehicle capacity, accommodating nearly 2,000 passengers and crew.

The ferry, which will effectively double freight capacity, is set to be delivered before the middle of 2020.

The cruise ferry is being built specifically for Irish Ferries Dublin  Holyhead services. It is expected to replace the schedule of the MV Ulysses, which in turn will replace the currently chartered vessel MV Epsilon in the fleet.

This will allow for the deployment of the W.B. Yeats (arriving Mid 2018) full-time on the direct Ireland  France route alongside the MV Oscar Wilde.

Referring to the announcement Eamonn Rothwell, Chief Executive Officer, commented that;

The construction of a cruise ferry of this size will offer both additional capacity and an enhanced experience for both our tourism and freight customers.

This infrastructural investment enhances the bridge to the UK & Continental Europe that is a vital part of the continued success of Irelands open economy.
By Louise Walsh

A Co Cavan social media user has made a very unusual New Year's resolution - to meet her Facebook friends from all over the world for the first time.

Aine Tuffy Gogarty from Kingscourt will now travel just down the road and as far away as Australia to meet the 39 of her 1,000 virtual friends that she regularly interacts with but has never met.

The 39-year-old ceramicist says that she made the resolution after un-friending about 500 others in a pre-Christmas social media cull.

"I sat down before Christmas and went through all my friends on Facebook. I unfriended about 500 who I hadn't interacted with in a good while," she said.

"I'd say if I had met many of them on the street, they'd walk by me, not knowing who I even was.

"Over the years, you connect with many people because of different groups you join, lifestyle changes or just things you do but you might only talk to them a few times.

"And on Facebook, if you don't like posts then after a certain amount of time they disappear from your feed and you forget they are even still there.

"However after the cull, I then realised that there were 39 people who, despite being in regular contact with, I had never met."

"All my other Facebook connections are friends and extended family who I have met but I aim to meet the last 39 virtual friends in the next year, if I can.

"It's amazing that there are a few that I've never met, despite the fact that they only live a few miles down the road in Bailiborough or Moynalty, Co Meath. These are the ones that I'll be meeting first.

"The others need more planning as they live in Norway, Scotland, UK, Australia, Canada and the US but we will get there. I'm determined to do so."

Aine, who is originally from Burnfoot in Co Donegal, says that she was actually shocked when she realised that there were people on her page that she had never met, because she felt she knew them so well.

"We interact so much that I hadn't even realised until I did this, that we had never actually met face-to-face.

"I was delivering a ceramic piece that I made to one Facebook friend who lives nearby recently. We had talked and shared so many things online so I was knocked for six when she opened the door and I saw she was eight months pregnant.

"It then dawned on me that you put up so much trivia on your feed and often don't make public many of the important things happening in your life, like a birth, death or sickness

"It's funny that you could have thousands of Facebook friends but no one to go for a coffee with."
In this day and age, it seems you cant go to/take part in any event without it being documented on social media in some way, writes Anna O'Donoghue.

Turns out, its not just 2017 - this video of a Waterford church performance has emerged from 2014 and we have got a feeling some participants thought theyd have gotten away with it.
The Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise has started a conversation about the possibility of allowing priests to marry.

Bishop Francis Duffy last year issued a pastoral letter expressing his fears for the future of the church as he witnessed the continuing decline in vocations.

Twelve months on from expressing his original concerns, he has now revealed there is presently no one studying for the priesthood in the diocese.

A number of non-Irish priests are successfully working within the diocese and it has been suggested that one way to encourage more people into the vocation would be to allow priests to marry.

He told Northern Sound's Joe Finnegan Show that if Pope Francis was to introduce marriage for priests many people might welcome it.

"Last November I went around all the deaneries, those are collections of about ten parishes, and I met each deanery grouping. That was brought up in some of them about having married priests that that might alleviate the problem," he said.

"It may or may not. It is hard to know. Other denominations have married clergy and they also are facing vocations crises and not many people attending church in many denominations," he said.

"I'm not sure it is a solution but certainly it is something that is being discussed," he added.

Digital Desk
It is claimed that families in emergency accommodation may be declaring themselves homeless to skip the queue for the housing waiting list.

Head of the Government's housing agency Conor Skehan, told the Irish Times that people could be 'gaming the system' to gain prioritised access to social housing.
Update 12.16pm: A murder investigation has been launched following the death of a Polish man in Cavan on New Year's Eve.

The 40-year-old was stabbed after a row in his home in Ballyjamesduff and later died in hospital.

Following a postmortem, Gardai say they are now upgrading the investigation to murder.

They have appealed for witnesses and want to talk to anyone who was driving on the Dublin road between 10.30pm and midnight and who may have dashcam footage to come forward.

Update 7.30am: Gardai in Cavan appealing for witnesses after fatal New Year's stabbing

Gardai in Cavan are appealing for witnesses after the fatal stabbing of a Polish man on New Year's Eve.

The 40-year-old was attacked after a row in his home in Ballyjamesduff and later died in hospital.

Gardai want to talk to anyone who was driving on the Dublin road between 10.30pm and midnight and who may have dashcam footage to come forward.

Gardai at the scene of the incident in Ballyjamesduff. Pic: Lorraine Teevan.

Earlier: An investigation is continuing in Cavan this morning after the fatal stabbing of a Polish man on New Year's Eve.

The attack happened in the Dublin Street area in Ballyjamesduff at around 11.oopm on Sunday night.

The 40-year-old man who was taken to Cavan General Hospital where he was pronounced dead yesterday morning.

Gardai have been in contact with the man's family in Poland and a Family Liaison Officer has been appointed.
By Tom Tuite

Gardai expect to bring further charges against a 15-year-old Dublin schoolboy accused of a knife attack on a woman after allegedly meeting her through a social media website, a court has heard.

The boy, who cannot be named because he is a minor, had been refused bail last week after a garda testified that he feared the teen would be likely to commit murder if released.

He faced his second hearing when he appeared before Judge Bernadette Owens at the Dublin Childrens Court today.

He is charged with assault causing harm to the woman and production of a knife during the alleged assault at the baths, Queens Road, Dun Laoghaire on Dec. 23 last. He has not yet indicated how he will plead.

The woman, who is 25 and of Irish-Malaysian descent, was found near the baths at around 3.20pm on the date of the incident. She was hospitalised with serious injuries including a horizontal lacerations to her neck.

Dressed in a red jumper, blue jeans and runners, the boy was embraced by his mother when his case resumed this morning. She sat to his right side and kept her left arm around him during the proceedings while his father was seated close to them.

Judge Owens noted the case was listed for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to be conveyed. Detective Garda Daniel Treacy informed the court that so far the only directions were in relation to the charges already before the court. He said further directions were not yet available but he added that we expect there will be further charges, judge.

Judge Owens referred to an order made at the boys first hearing on December 26 at a special sitting of the Childrens Court for the teen to receive Assessment Consultation Therapy Service (ACTS) while in custody at the Oberstown detention centre. ACTS provides multidisciplinary consultation, assessment and interventions to young people.

Defence counsel Kitty Perle told the court today that an initial assessment has taken place but the full assessment has not yet been done. She asked for the case to be adjourned until January 11. It was hoped the assessment would be finalised by that date and perhaps progress could be made, counsel said.

Judge Owens noted from Det Garda Treacy said that it was not expected that the DPPs directions would be available on that date.

She further remanded him in custody and adjourned the case until January 11 to see what progress has been made with respect to the assessment. She also told Det Garda Treacy the court will then see how well things are progressing in regards to getting the DPPs directions and she noted that there could be possible further charges.

The teen remained silent during the hearing but whispered thank you to the judge when she made her order.

Following a lengthy bail hearing last week, Judge Brian OShea noted the evidence of Det Garda Daniel Treacy, who told the court he believed the youth would be likely to commit murder if released.

Refusing bail, he had said it was alleged that the boy engaged the complainant through the Whisper social media app and lured her to various abandoned locations "where he choked her to within an inch of her life to the extent that a tear rolled down her face".

The bail hearing was told they exchanged text messages via the app before meeting in Dun Laoghaire. Gardai have obtained CCTV footage from the area, the court was also told.

The boy allegedly used a knife to inflict a lengthy transverse laceration to her neck, the bail hearing was told. The boy has no previous convictions and no history of drug addiction or abuse, the court also heard.
Update 1.36pm: The winner of the 39m Euromillions jackpot has made contact with the National Lottery.

The winning ticket was sold in the Dublin region last Friday.

It is the 12th time the Euromillions jackpot has been won in Ireland.

No further details are known about the winner at this stage but the National Lottery says arrangements are being made.

Earlier: Winning 38.8m Euromillions ticket sold in Dublin

It has been revealed that the winning 38.9m EuroMillions ticket was sold in the Dublin region.

However, the hunt is still on for the lucky winner - or winners.

The National Lottery says it was a quick pick ticket bought last Friday, December 29, on the same day as the draw.

The winning numbers were 04,08,22,23,48 and the Lucky Stars were 01 and 12.

This is the third EuroMillions jackpot won in Ireland in 2017 and the 12th since EuroMillions began in 2004.

Spokesperson Miriam Donohoe says even if the winner comes forward today - they will have a little wait for the cash.

She said: "From a practical point of view the money is shared; nine countries in Europe come together to play and organise the Euromillions game, so that money hasn't actually hit our bank account yet.

"Even if the winner turns up this morning, we will have politely ask them to come back later in the week to collect the cheque."

- Digital Desk
Medical experts claim it is not too late to get the flu vaccine, despite that fact that it is already 'actively circulating' here.

So-called 'Aussie Flu' has arrived in Ireland this winter and there has been around 10 deaths linked to it so far.
Update 10pm: Tens of thousands of homes and businesses have been hit with a blackout as Storm Eleanor swept across the country.

ESB Networks said at least 55,000 households and other properties had been affected by the widespread outages in the west and north-west.

The areas worst hit are understood to be across Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim as the Atlantic storm moved in with gales gusting to 155kmh at Knock Airport.

Update on storm Eleanor:



Highest gust recorded at Knock Airport at 84 kts at 7pm this evening.  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 2, 2018

Two orange status - the second highest - weather warnings were put in place with the main threat coming from the wind and tidal flooding.

In Galway, streets around the docks were flooded after high tides breached defences and inundated the areas around the Spanish Arch, Claddagh, Dominick Street, Quay Street and nearby streets.

Water was more than one foot deep in places.

The Coast Road from the city to Oranmore was also impassable at rush hour as high tide combined with the strong winds to cause local flooding.

A number of drivers had to abandon cars near the town's shopping centre after floods rapidly hit while other cars in the railway station were badly damaged after seas were pushed over coastal walls.

The Westend Galway feeling the effects of #StormEleanor pic.twitter.com/JLFmd5fM1z    (@galwaytourism) January 2, 2018

Sea defences were also breached in the Salthill area with a number of cars also reportedly damaged.

There were also reports of spot flooding on the N85 Ennis to Ennistymon road in Co Clare.

The Road Safety Authority and other local authorities in Clare, Limerick and Cork had urged motorists and others to take additional precautions with the winter storm approaching.

In Gort, Co Galway households were warned about potential disruption to water supplies after power cuts hit the local pumping station.

Irish Water said ESB crews were on site but it would take several hours to get supplies back up again.

"We ask customers in the Gort area who have a mains water supply to conserve their water until the electricity supply is restored and the pumping station is back in full production," said a spokeswoman.

ESB Networks said outages were reported as far east as Cavan and Monaghan.

It said its crews were working to get people reconnected "where it is safe to do so".

"Aiming to restore as many customers as possible tonight, they will deploy again before first light tomorrow," a spokesman said.

"Further damage to the electricity network can be expected in north Leinster as the storm tracks east. Fallen trees on overhead lines are responsible for most of the damage to the network."

Update 8.28pm: Storm Eleanor: 55,000 ESB customers without power amid flooding and high winds

Gusts reaching almost 155km/h have hit Ireland's western shores bringing flooding and power outages.

ESB has said 55,000 of its customers across Ireland are without power.

The worst affected areas are Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo, Galway, Cavan and Monaghan.

Its repair teams are responding where safe to do so.

It aims to restore power to as many customers as possible tonight, while also deploying before first light tomorrow.

It is warning of further damage in Leinster as Storm Eleanor tracks east.

"If you come across fallen wires or damaged electricity network, never, ever touch or approach these as they are LIVE and extremely dangerous. Please report any damage to electricity infrastructure by calling 1850 372 999," it said.

In the event of a power cut:

Never approach broken lines or damaged poles, and keep children and animals away  report damage to ESB Networks at 1850 372 999 and listen to recorded messages carefully

Turn off electric cookers, ovens, irons, etc. if electricity supply is lost

Leave a light switched on so you know when power has been restored

Take extra care if using candles, oil lamps or other naked flames

Test smoke alarms with fresh batteries

Ensure adequate ventilation if using gas heaters.

Check your local area on ESB's PowerCheck here.

Met Eireann is warning of further stormy conditions, thundery downpours and further flooding.

Part 2: A spell of heavy and locally thundery rain over the north will clear to heavy squally showers with the risk of hail or thundery downpours leading to flooding locally. Also some damage and coastal flooding possible. Lowest temperatures tonight 3 to 7 degrees.  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 2, 2018

Update 7.38pm: Storm Eleanor: 50,000 ESB customers without power amid flooding and high winds

ESB has said approximately 50,000 customers are without power as Storm Eleanor brings floods and high winds to the country.

Mayo, Leitrim and Sligo appear to be worst hit with some of the largest outages in Westport, Ballina, Carrick-on-Shannon and Manorhamilton.

There has been flooding in Bantry, Middleton and Cork city centre, as well as on Merchant's Quay in Limerick.

Check your local area on ESB's PowerCheck here.

Met Eireann is reporting poor driving conditions in Connacht and the midlands as the storm tracks eastwards.

The forecaster has also recorded winds of up to 139km/hr.

Graph showing wind speeds and maximum gust at Mace head equivalent to 139 km/hr. pic.twitter.com/MNOp2Zmyl2  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 2, 2018

Update 6.36pm: Galway city centre has been hit by serious flooding as a result of Storm Eleanor.

The docks area of the city is impassable due to rising flood waters and Salthill Prom has been closed.

In County Cork, emergency services are dealing with flooding in Bantry town.

Roads around Bantry now fairly clear, lots of surface water and debris, caution advised. High tide 05:20 tomorrow, mind where you park @CorkSafetyAlert @aaroadwatch @SouthernStarIRL pic.twitter.com/PIkWvUWswP  Bantry Fire Brigade (@BantryFire) January 2, 2018

There are also reports of flooding in Midleton and on Union Quay in Cork city.

Met Eireann has reported gusts of almost 140 kilometres per hour at Mace Head in Co Galway.

A status Orange alert remains in place for much of the country as the storm moves across Ireland this evening.

Update on storm Eleanor:



Highest gust recorded so far at Mace Head Galway at 75 kts per hour at 5pm this evening. There will be flooding in places and damaging gusts are expected resulting in hazardous driving conditions as the storm continues its track eastwards.  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 2, 2018

Earlier:

Met Eireann is warning that Storm Eleanor will move in off the Atlantic this afternoon and will move very quickly across the country this evening.

Tonight will turn stormy with strong gale to force winds over Munster and Leinster.

AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to avoid Galway city centre due to serious flooding https://t.co/enDt2PHsqU pic.twitter.com/hKoaQSGpdx  RTE News (@rtenews) January 2, 2018

A status orange wind warning is in place for Munster, Leinster and Galway.

"Southwest to west winds of mean speeds 65 to 80 km/h, gusting to 110 to 130 km/h., are expected," it said.

There is a risk of coastal flooding with very high seas along coastal coasts.

A spell of heavy and locally thundery rain in the east and north will track northeastwards with the risk of flooding locally.

Elsewhere heavy showers with the risk of thundery downpours.

Strong to gale force & squally SW winds over Muns & Lein, veering W this eve. w/ some v severe & damaging gusts & v high seas on Atl. coasts. A spell of heavy&loc. thundery rain in E&N will track NE w/ risk of local flooding. Elsewhere heavy showers w/ risk of thundery downpours.  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 2, 2018

There is also a yellow rainfall warning for Connacht and Donegal.

"Some thundery downpours expected in places this afternoon and early evening with falls of 20 to 25 mm in some parts," Met Eireann said.

Lahinch this evening. Photo: Liam Burke/Press 22

The warnings are in place from 4pm to 10pm this evening.

Tomorrow will be windy and showery with strong winds.

Top temperatures for Wednesday between 7C and 10C with many showers, some with hail and thunder.

Digital Desk
US YouTube star Logan Paul is facing calls from angry parents and celebrities to be banned from the platform after posting a video featuring the body of a suicide victim.

The clip uploaded by Paul, which had millions of views on YouTube before it was taken down, showed the vlogger and his friends discovering a dead body in Japan's Aokigahara Forest - which is known to be a frequent site of suicides.

One woman, who used the pseudonym Joan Conrick, said her husband had killed himself in 2008, and the video had left their 13-year-old son traumatised.

Ms Conrick, 45, from England, said the teenager had been "in and out of therapy" since his father's death in 2008, and was worried about the effect it would have on him.

"Last night he came to me and described how Logan Paul had uploaded [a video of] someone who had hanged themselves," she said.

"At first, I couldn't believe it. I assumed that it was maybe an extremely vulgar prank. He kept saying how he could see how the hands were all purple.

"So now I am worried for him on several levels. I am worried he will regain his fixation with the concept of suicide, especially as he has seen a popular figure consider it to be a joke."

She added: "Already my children struggle to explain to others how their father died, when they are asked.

"Suicide isn't an easy thing to explain - not like 'my father died of an illness or an accident'. So I am extremely upset that so many young impressionable children saw Logan Paul make light (and laugh at) a suicide victim."

Writing on Twitter, Paul, who has 15 million YouTube subscribers and is very popular with child viewers who like his stunts involving bizarre scenarios, said his intention was to "raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention".

He wrote: "This is a first for me. I've never faced criticism like this before, because I've never made a mistake like this before. I'm surrounded by good people and believe I make good decisions, but I'm still a human being. I can be wrong."

The 22-year-old from Ohio, who is the older brother of former Disney star Jake Paul, added he "didn't do it for views" saying: "I did it because I thought I could make a positive ripple on the internet, not cause a monsoon of negativity. That's never the intention.

"I intended to raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention and while I thought 'if this video saves just ONE life, it'll be worth it', I was misguided by shock and awe, as portrayed in the video. I still am."

Online commenters described the video as "sickening", with many saying they would no longer allow their children to watch Paul's videos.

Some called for Paul to be removed from the platform.

Stephen Guino, 38, said the episode had been seen by his seven-year-old daughter, who had thought it was a joke.

Mr Guino said he had now blocked YouTube from being watched in his house as a result of the video.

A number of celebrities responded on Twitter, with Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner writing: "@LoganPaul You're an idiot. You're not raising awareness. You're mocking. I can't believe how self-praising your 'apology' is. You don't deserve the success (views) you have. I pray to God you never have to experience anything like that man did."

Breaking Bad actor Aaron Paul, who is of no relation to Logan, also expressed his anger: "How dare you! You disgust me. I can't believe that so many young people look up to you. So sad. Hopefully this latest video woke them up. You are pure trash. Plain and simple. Suicide is not a joke. Go rot in hell."

Paul was also mocked by fellow YouTuber PewDiePie - who himself was heavily criticised after several of his videos were found last year to contain anti-Semitic imagery and references to Nazism.

Online safety group Internet Matters advised parents to employ YouTube's restricted mode or YouTube Kids app to control what their children are able to access - although this does not necessarily prevent them from viewing harmful material outside of the home or on other people's devices.

YouTube declined to comment.

If you, or someone you know, have been affected by mental health issues you can contact Samaritans on 116 123 or Pieta House on 1800 247 247.

PA
Inmates from rival gangs battled at a prison in Brazil's Goias state on Monday, leaving nine dead and 14 injured, authorities said.

Officials told the Brazilian news site G1 that the violence at the Colonia Agroindustrial prison in the Aparecida de Goiania Complex apparently erupted when inmates from one cellblock invaded three others where prisoners from rival gangs are housed.
South Korea has offered high-level talks with rival North Korea to find ways to co-operate on next month's Winter Olympics in the South.

Seoul's quick proposal after a rare rapprochement overture from Pyongyang a day earlier offers the possibility of better ties after a year which saw a nuclear stand-off increase fear of war on the Korean Peninsula.

In a closely watched New Year address, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said on Monday he is willing to send a delegation to the Olympics, though he also repeated nuclear threats against the United States.

Analysts said Kim may be trying to drive a wedge between Seoul and its ally, Washington, as a way to ease international isolation and sanctions against North Korea.

Kim's overture was welcome news for the South Korean government led by liberal President Moon Jae-in, who favours dialogue to ease the North's nuclear threats and wants to use the Olympics as a chance to improve inter-Korean ties.

Moon's unification minister, Cho Myoung-gyon, proposed in a nationally televised news conference that the two Koreas meet on January 9 in the shared border village of Panmunjom to discuss Olympic co-operation and how to improve overall ties.

Earlier on Tuesday, Moon spoke of Kim's positive response to earlier South Korean dialogue overtures and ordered officials to study how to restore talks with North Korea and get the North to participate in the Olympics.

North Korea did not immediately respond. But if there are talks, they would be the first formal dialogue between the Koreas since December 2015.

Relations between the Koreas have plunged as North Korea under Kim expanded its weapons programmes amid a hard-line stance by Moon's conservative predecessors.

Last year, North Korea carried out its sixth and most powerful nuclear test and test-launched three intercontinental ballistic missiles as part of its push to possess a nuclear missile capable of reaching anywhere in the United States.

The North was subsequently hit with toughened UN sanctions, and Kim and US President Donald Trump exchanged warlike rhetoric and crude personal insults against each other.

Possible inter-Korean talks could provide a temporary thaw in strained inter-Korean ties, but could also weaken US-led international pressure on the North.

After the Olympics, inter-Korean ties could become frosty again because North Korea has made it clear that it has no intention of accepting international calls for nuclear disarmament and instead wants to bolster its weapons arsenal in the face of what it calls increasing US threats.

In his address on Monday, Kim said the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a threat. He said he has a "nuclear button" on his office desk, warning that "the whole territory of the US is within the range of our nuclear strike".

He called for improved ties and a relaxation of military tensions with South Korea, saying the Winter Olympics could showcase the status of the Korean nation. But Kim still said South Korea must stop annual military exercises with the United States, which he calls an invasion rehearsal against the North.

The New Year address is an annual event in North Korea and is watched closely for indications of the direction and priorities Kim may adopt in the year ahead.

AP
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Digital Editor
Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Tuesday reported a 15.32 per cent decline in domestic sales at 10,793 units in December 2017.

The company had sold a total of 12,747 units in the same month previous year in the domestic market, TKM said in a statement.

TKM exported 812 units of the Etios series in December 2017 compared to 1,346 units in December 2016, a decline of 39.67 per cent.

In 2017, the company sold a record 97,000 units in the domestic market, a growth of 5 per cent over 2016.

"With maximum utilisation of Plant I capacity to 97 per cent we were able to cater to the increase in customer demand of Innova and Fortuner," TKM Director and Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing N Raja said.

He added that sales of Camry Hybrid were negatively impacted with the steep rise in price post applicable tax as per GST framework.

"We hope that the new year will bring in positive sentiment in the market for Hybrid. will continue to have a strong focus on Camry Hybrid in the New Year as a part of its plan for electrification of vehicles," Raja said.

The model would continue to be a significant part of product lineup, he added.
BJP chief is likely to deliver his maiden speech in Parliament when the Rajya Sabha debates a GST bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.

A party leader said Shah would deliver his speech in the Upper House on the proposed legislation, which sought to replace an ordinance issued in September to give effect to certain decisions of the GST Council.

The bill may come up for a discussion in a day or two, the BJP leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

The ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on Friday. Shah had made his maiden entry to Parliament during the session as a Rajya Sabha member.

The introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is projected by the BJP as a major tax reform. Shah had earlier said the new tax regime had led to an "economic integration" of the country.

(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.)
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 cognisable offence, party sources said.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which has already been passed in the Lok Sabha last week, is likely to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

According to the sources, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened a meeting of the leaders of his party (the 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.
The 12-hour nation-wide stir called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest a proposed legislation seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, was called off on Tuesday after the Bill was referred to a parliamentary standing committee.

The committee has been asked to give its report before the Budget session.

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".

"We called off our strike as the Bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which has members from diverse fields and there should now be a fruitful discussion. We are thankful to all the Lok Sabha members for supporting us," IMA's K K Aggarwal, who was spearheading the stir, said.

The strike called by the IMA went on for around eight hours today.

The Bill was referred to the committee following protest from the opposition parties as well as doctors.

The IMA 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, and has declared today as a "Black Day".

Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in Parliament that talks were on with the IMA to clear their doubts.

"Talks are on. We have heard them (the doctors) and also presented our views," he said.

"This (Bill) is beneficial to the medical profession," Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha after the members raised the issue of strike by the doctors across the country.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had written to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the Union health minister demanding that the Bill be referred to a standing committee for examination.

"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 president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar.

IMA has 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.

It 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, the former president of the IMA, had said.

"It (the bill) takes away the right of every doctor in India to elect their medical council," he had said.

Dr Aggarwal had further said the Bill, in its current form, allows private medical colleges to charge at will, nullifying whatever solace the NEET brought.

Dr Wankhedkar had 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 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.
School buses will stay off roads in Mumbai tomorrow in view of a called by Dalit outfits to protest the violent clashes in Pune yesterday.

The School Bus Owners' Association (SBOA) on Tuesday said it would not operate its fleet of 40,000 buses on Wednesday



Anil Garg, president of SBOA, told PTI, "For security reasons, we have decided not to ply our buses in the first shift today. If the situation remains peaceful, we will run the buses in the second shift."



However, if a particular bus owner wanted to operate his services tomorrow, it would be his call, he added.

"Law-and-order is beyond our control. Therefore, we cannot take the risk," Garg said.

The state government has said schools will remain open today.

Dalit organisations have called a tomorrow to protest against the BJP-led state government's "failure" to stop the violence in Pune.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead on Monday.

The clashes broke out at Bhima-Koregaon when people were headed towards the war memorial in the village, about 30 km from Pune city, the police had said.

Dalit groups were celebrating the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those of the Peshwa.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchables -- were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.
Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on edge on Tuesday as Dalit protests against yesterday's violence in Pune spilled over to capital Mumbai, with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead yesterday.

In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence, and appealed for calm. He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind yesterday's violence.

Fadnavis said a Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.

Prakash Ambedkar, the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and grandson of B R Ambedkar, has called a 'Maharashtra bandh' tommorrow to protest against the government's "failure" to stop the violence.

Dalit groups were celebrating the bicetenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those belonging to the Peshwa.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community - then considered untouchable - were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins, and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the event to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon battle as a "potent symbol" of resistance to RSS-BJP's "fascist vision".

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," he tweeted.

In Mumbai, protesters disrupted road traffic in the suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line. They blocked roads in several areas, forced shops to shut down, and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.

Protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur.

Groups of protesters held demonstrations in Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi, police said.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration.

Protests were also held in Kolhapur, Parbhani, Latur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Kolhapur, Nanded and Thane districts, police said.

Heavy security was deployed in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai.

The Mumbai police, meanwhile, issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.

Maharashtra minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar today visited Bhima-Koregoan and neighbouring villages and said the situation was under control.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the administration for yesterday's violence and demanded a probe into the incident.

Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.

"Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches," the former Union minister said.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan condemned the violence and urged people not to believe in rumours.

Antisocial elements were trying to create tensions between Dalits and Maratha communities for political benefit, he said.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable.

AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said the Fadnavis government failed to keep peace. "The attack has resulted in unrest across the state between upper caste Hindus and Dalits," she said.
A plea has been filed in the Bombay High Court on Tuesday demanding Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into tragedy.

A huge fire had broken out at Kamala Mills compound in Lower Parel locality of Mumbai in the wee hours of Friday killing 14 people and injuring 12.

The plea also sought a proper compensation to the kin of deceased and injured people.

Meanwhile, the BMC issued an appeal in news papers to assist it in ongoing inquiry into the fire tragedy.

The civic body also requested eyewitnesses and general public to submit whatever evidence they have in this case, may be video or any document or anything which can help in the inquiry.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also directed the BMC Commissioner to conduct an in-depth enquiry into the tragedy.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the BMC Commissioner to conduct an in-depth enquiry into the tragedy.

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.
The anger over marking the 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district of Maharashtra continued on Tuesday as protestors disrupted suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line.

The protesters blocked roads in several areas of Mumbai, forced shops to shut down and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.

The Dalits called for a tomorrow.

In a latest development, the central railway suspended suburban services between Kurla and Vashi on its harbour corridor and is running special services between CSMT-Kurla and Vashi-Panvel section.

An announcement regarding the same is being made at all stations of the central railway.

Angered over the death of a person at the event organised to mark the anniversary in Pune yesterday, several groups of people had come out in protest this morning in the eastern suburbs of Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi, and forced shops and establishments to shut down, an official said.

A news channel journalist was attacked by a group of protesters in the Amar Mahal area. However, he escaped unhurt, eyewitnesses said.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration, he said.

The protesters stopped local train services at the Govandi and Chembur railway stations of the Harbour Line.

Central Railway's Chief PRO Sunil Udasi said the agitators came out on tracks and stopped the suburban services, though the railways has nothing to do with the incident.

The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was yesterday marred by incidents of violence, in which one person was killed.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the British victory.

Meanwhile, in suburban Mulund, shop owners complied with the request of protesters to shut their establishments, a police official said.

In the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, some angry protesters pelted a bus with stones, breaking its window panes, according to sources.

Heavy security has been deployed in the eastern suburbs to check any untoward incidents, a senior police official said.

The Mumbai police issued a statement appealing people not to believe in rumours and to verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.

The police said vehicular movement on the Eastern Express Highway was affected due to the protests in the morning, but later it was normal.

The vehicular movement was also hit at the Chembur Naka, police said, appealing people not to panic.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced a probe by a Bombay High Court judge into the which left one person dead and said the family of a young man killed in the violence will get Rs 1 million.

Fadnavis' move came after Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar blamed the Maharashtra administration for lapses leading to Monday's riots and appealed for peace.

The disturbances erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima on January 1 during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the Army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits.

"Why did the administration not take adequate precautions for this event which has been celebrated peacefully for 200 years? Due to its lapses, there was confusion and rumour-mongering, resulting in the violence," the NCP President said.

Defending the government, Fadnavis said there was adequate police deployment with six companies of security forces deployed in the entire region in anticipation of the huge crowds for the annual celebrations.

"However, it seems there were some organisations who wanted riots to break out. There was stone pelting, violence and arson but the police exercised great restraint to prevent the situation from going out of control. By late night, the police ensured that all the stranded people were put in buses safely to reach their destinations," Fadnavis told the media on Tuesday.

Pawar suspected the involvement of anti-social elements taking advantage of the situation to indulge in violence, which started with stoning. The administration was aware of the huge crowd coming for the event for the past three-four days, he said.

Hundreds of thousands of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some rightwing groups carrying saffron flags.

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged.

The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district.

The violence led to the death of Rahul Fatangale, 28, of Nanded.

"This is highly condemnable. It is imperative for the political and social forces to deal with the situation calmly and without resorting to provocative statements that could worsen matters," Pawar said.

Fadnavis also targeted mischievous elements indulging in rumour mongering through the social media and said action would be taken against such persons.

Meanwhile, some Dalit groups staged demonstrations in Chembur and other pockets of Mumbai on Tuesday, resulting in massive traffic snarls, including on the Mumbai-Panvel highway.
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.
The government on Tuesday shot down the Opposition's demand that the triple talaq bill be sent to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha, but indicated that it might be open to accepting some of the amendments to the bill suggested by the Opposition. The Lok Sabha had passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, popularly known as the triple talaq bill, last week.

The government plans to table the bill in the Rajya Sabha, where it is in a minority, on Wednesday. The bill seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims. While it had ...
The benchmark indices settled year 2017 near record highs, gaining nearly 29%. The BSE small- and mid-cap indices also soared up to 60%. While the markets are expected to carry forward their bullish momentum into 2018, there are concerns about the revival in corporate earnings in the backdrop of overstretched valuations.

A new year changes the calendar but it need not change the way the markets are behaving. So dont expect major changes as we cross into the New Year 2018. There are many things that will remain the samefor the better. The trend of rising per ...

Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal. They do not reflect the view/s of Business Standard.
Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurates online portal NARI for women empowerment



Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana to become fully operational this year: WCD Minister





In a path breaking initiative to empower women, the Minister of Women & Child Development, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi inaugurated an online portal NARI in New Delhi today. Developed by the Ministry of Women & Child Development, the portal will provide women citizens with easy access to information on government schemes and initiatives for women. Further to provide a platform for NGOs and Civil Societies to interact with the Ministry of Women & Child Development, e-Samvad portal has also been developed which was inaugurated by the WCD Minister today. The Minister of State for Women & Child Development, Dr. Virendra Kumar was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that for the first time ever since Independence, women of the country will be able to access information about benefits being provided to them by the Government. The portal contains information about schemes being run by both Central as well as the States Governments. The WCD Minister also gave an overview of the agenda of the WCD Ministry in the current year 2018. The Minister said that the new National Nutrition Mission will be launched in January, 2018 and will be operationalized in 315 districts across the country. About 50.7 lakhs women will be given Conditional Cash Transfer under maternity benefit scheme Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) this year, the Minister explained. The bill on Trafficking, which has been referred to the GOM, will be finalised and presented in the Parliament in the Budget Session. Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that the deadline mandated by the Supreme Court for registration of Child Care Institutions expired on 31.12.2017. There will be very sharp focus on linking of the Child Care Institutions to the adoption system in 2018.

Giving details about the panic button scheme for women in distress, Smt Maneka Sanjay Gandhi said that the user trials of panic button, backed with a full real time emergency response system, will begin in Uttar Pradesh from 26th January this year. The Childline will be expanded to 500 Cities (currently in 412 cities) and Railway Childline will be expanded to 88 Railway stations (currently in 33) by March, 2018. 150 new One Stop Centres will be added in 2018 beyond 165 centres which are operating. The inter-ministerial authority on issues related to NRI marriages has already been constituted. The Law Ministry is already examining legislative amendments pertaining to this issue which will be taken up in 2018, WCD Minister explained.

The Government both Central and State has implemented a number of schemes & legislations for women to provide them equal rights, economic opportunities, social support, legal aid, housing etc. However, there is often a lack of awareness of these provisions and difficulties in accessing their benefits. For example, many are unaware that One Stop Centres are available in 168 districts for women in difficult circumstances, PM Awas Yojana gives priority to registraton of homes in the name of women and many State Governments offer financial support for the education of girl children. However, information related to women centric schemes/legislations are all scattered on different websites/portals.

In order to make this information more easily accessible in one place, the NARI portal summarizes over 350 government schemes and other important information for the benefit of women, with more being added everyday. It provides links to the Ministries, Departments and autonomous bodies offering these schemes as well as easy access to online applications and grievance redressal.

NARI will provide information to women on issues affecting their lives. There are tips on good nutrition, suggestions for health check ups, information on major diseases, tips for job search and interview, investment and savings advice, information on crimes and against women and reporting procedures, contacts of legal aid cells, simplified adoption procedures and much more. It will endow women with the power of information to build their life skills and facilitates them in taking full advantage of the services provided by the Government for them.

Through e-Samvad portal, NGOs and civil society can provide their feedback, suggestions, put up grievances, share best practices etc. Senior Officers within MWCD will be able to view the inputs/suggestions received for their concerned subject areas and appropriately respond to NGOs. This will help in formulation of effective policies and measures for welfare of women and children.

Empowerment and welfare of women and children is top priority of the government, NARI and e-Samvad portals are initiatives in this direction.
The United States has suspended its $255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

The confirmation comes on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

"The United States does not plan to spend the $255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation, the official said.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America "nothing but lies and deceit" despite having received more than $33 billion in last 15 years.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism.



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

Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it has got "nothing but invective and mistrust" for all the actions it took in support of America's war against terrorism.

"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 Pakistan Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to shouted questions from reporters on "what is your plan on Pakistan?"

Several US lawmakers came out in support of Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan.

"I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan," Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma said.

"You're either with the US, or against us. We will always help our friends, but for too long, the US has propped up countries that do not share our goal to end terrorism. I'm proud to see our president take bold steps to put America first," Mullin said.

"I couldn't agree more," tweeted Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky.

"Ive been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate," said Paul.

Samantha Vinograd, CNN's national security analyst spoke in favour of Trump's move.

"As a way to make it clear to the Pakistanis that enough is enough, if President Trump actually follows through, it could be an effective move," she said in an opinion piece published on the CNN website.

"It isn't the only step by any means, but it could be the right one," she said.

"Great start. Why give millions to countries who would harbor our enemies?" Trumps son Donald Trump Jr tweeted yesterday.

Ever since Donald Trump took over as US President, US has called on Pakistan to act more aggresively against terrorism on its soil to continue to receive military aids.

Pakistan has warned US on several instances that any aid cut or blockade would be counter-productive in US' fight against terror.
Pakistan on Tuesday challenged Donald Trump's claim that the US has given it more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, saying verification by an audit firm would prove the US president wrong.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a tweet said that Trump could hire a US-based audit firm "on our expense" to verify the $33 billion aid figure and "let the world know who is lying and deceiving".

"Pres Trump quoted figure of $33 billion given to PAK over last 15 yrs, he can hire a US-based Audit firm on our expense to verify this figure & let the world know who is lying & deceiving..," Asif tweeted.

Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor at a press conference last week had said that the aid Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support" Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda.

"Had we not supported the US and Afghanistan, they would never have been able to defeat Al Qaeda," he had said.

Asif's tweet came as Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) after President Trump strongly rebuked the country accusing it of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while "fooling" American leaders.

Pakistan's ambassador to the US was summoned to the NSC meeting, which discussed Pakistan's response to President Trump's fresh tirade while also reviewing the country's overall foreign policy, the DawnNews reported.

Shortly before the meeting commenced, the military had finalised its suggestions for Pakistan's response to Trump's allegations in a Corps Commanders' Conference held at General Headquarters.

A meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security has also been called on January 5 to discuss the US' allegations.

Following Trump's tweet, Asif yesterday responded immediately saying, "...Will let the world know the truth...difference between facts and fiction".

He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would do "no more" for it (in the fight against terrorism).

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister had said.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.

The White House today confirmed that an already-delayed USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan had been blocked.

It said the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.
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.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has called for unity as his government deals with the ongoing violent protests across the country that has left 12 people dead.

Rouhani on Monday urged Iran's political and military forces to speak with "one voice to ensure the survival of the political system, national interest and stability of our country and the region" after a protester reportedly killed one officer and injured three others after opening fire on them in Najafabad.

On Sunday, Rouhani said the people of Iran were free to protest peacefully, but rejected protesting by violence.

"Our great nation has witnessed a number of similar incidents in the past and has comfortably dealt with them. This is nothing," CNN quoted Rouhani as saying in a meeting with Iranian members of parliament on Monday.

Iran is still witnessing a wave of demonstrations, which are being held in many cities across the country as people took to raising anti-government slogans, over alleged corruption and rising prices that have plagued the people of the country earlier in this week.

Scores of protesters have been arrested in the last few days.

The outbreak of unrest reflects the growing discontent over rising prices and alleged corruption by the government, as well as concern over the country's costly involvement in regional conflicts such as Syria and Iraq.
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.
US President is prepared to stop all funding to Pakistan until it stops harbouring terrorists, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley has said.

Haley's comment came a day after Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

Speaking to reporters at a news conference at the UN headquarters in New York, Haley alleged Pakistan of playing "double-game" with the US for years.

"The president is willing to go to great lengths to stop all funding from Pakistan as they continue to harbour and support terrorism," said Haley.

"Pakistan has played a double game for years. They work with us at times, and they also harbour the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan. That game is not acceptable to this administration," she said.

The US has also announced that it is withholding its $255 million military aid to Pakistan.

"The decision to block aid is connected to Pakistan's harbouring of terrorists," the top American diplomat said.

Pakistan has expressed "deep disappointment" over the allegations, saying the accusations strike with "great insensitivity" at the "trust" between the two countries.

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a tweet challenged Trump's claim that the US has given Pakistan more than $33 billion dollars as aid over the last 15 years, saying verification by an audit firm would prove the US president wrong.
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.
Jewellery exportsfrom India is likely to fall by 12-15 per cent in the near term.

Demand from the European Union (EU), West Asia and Hong Kong, among other places constituting 55 per cent of the market, continues to be tepid. Industry officials say it would take 18 to 24 months for export to see growth.

According to data from the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), exports during April-November (first eight months of this financial year) fell 8.2 per cent to Rs 1.45 trillion ($22.6 billion), against Rs 1.58 trillion ($24.6 bn) in the same period a year before.

Apart from the demand problem in the key regions, a five per cent value added tax has been recently imposed by West Asia countries for such exports (regional governments need more revenue, with the earlier slump in oil prices). This would mean more downward pressure on sales, says Praveen S Pandya, chairman of GJEPC. Shankaar Sen, managing director at Senco Gold and Diamonds, which exports to America, Britain Singapore and West Asia, says the decline to the UAE and others in that zone would be at least 20 per cent in 2018.

Economic growth in the euro zone is projected to ease to 1.9 per cent in 2019, says the OECD grouping. The outlook for West Asian and North African countries, says the International Monetary Fund, remains relatively subdued due to continued adjustment for low oil prices and regional conflicts. Senco Gold and Diamonds used to earn around 20 per cent of its revenue from export; this is now eight per cent, it says, and could decline more.





Exports of gold jewellery from the Domestic Tariff Area during April-November fell by close to six per cent, at Rs 147.3 billion. Exports of gold coins and medallions took a hit of a 51.7 per cent, to Rs 111.7 billion.

The total jewellery export market is pegged at $43 billion, of which $7 billion is gold export (43 per cent to the UAE).

"However, the USA is faring better and there is growth in this market. In the near term, this country is expected to drive the export demand," Pandya said. However, demand here is for 14-18 carat jewellery, not so rewarding.

"It is the MEA (Middle East) and Southeast Asian region, which drive demand for higher carat gold. The US is mostly catered to by those in Special Economic Zones and Export Promotion Zones," said Sen.

However, Suvro Chandra, joint managing director at PC Chandra Jewellers, says lack of clarity on Goods and Services Tax refund is also affecting export. "Working capital gets stuck, which impacts export volume," he explained.

India is the world's largest cutting and polishing centre for diamonds; 75 per cent of all polished diamonds come via this country.
At least four people were killed and four injured when their car fell into a pond due to low visibility caused by fog in Bharatpur's Dig.

The cold wave continued to intensify in the northern belt of India, with a blanket of fog engulfing the entire region.

Visibility is also poor in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.

In Jammu and Kashmir, people lit fires to battle the conditions in Pahalgam, which has been hit by snow for the past couple of days. The temperature in Pahalgam was minus 6.6 degrees Celsius on Monday night.

The Delhi-NCR on Tuesday woke up to dense fog for the second consecutive day, resulting in operations being stalled at both the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport and the railway stations.

The low visibility has led to the cancellation of 21 trains.

64 trains have been delayed and 24 have been rescheduled.

Moreover, twenty domestic and international flights have been delayed, and six have been cancelled.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
At least 65 militants, belonging to the Islamic State (IS) group, have been killed by the Afghan forces in eastern parts of the country.

The Afghan officials have claimed the death toll on Tuesday, according to the Tolo News.

The operations were conducted from the air and ground in Gorgore and Wangora areas of Haska Mena district, said the Nangarhar governor's spokesman, Attaullah Khogyani.

During the operations, one civilian was killed and 13 others injured, Khogyani added.

IS has not commented on the operations so far.

Earlier this week, 11 IS militants were killed in the drone strikes conducted by the United States forces in eastern Nangarhar province.

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The Central Government on Tuesday announced the appointment of AB Mathur as the interlocutor on their behalf to hold talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA).

A 1975-batch IPS officer, Mathur served as the former Special Secretary of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), following his appointment on December 10, 2009.

Mathur, prior to his stint at RAW, was a part of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

On a related note, the ULFA is a separatist outfit operating in Assam for the indigenous Assamese and seeks to establish a sovereign Assam with an armed struggle in the Assam conflict.

In 1990, the government of India banned the organisation, citing it as a terrorist organisation.

The organisation is known for a number of assassinations and bombings, and also reportedly maintains a number of camps in Bangladesh, where members are trained and sheltered away from Indian security forces.

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The American Friends of Balochistan (AFB) Executive Committee has welcomed United States President Donald Trump's stance on Pakistan, calling it a vindication of its own viewpoint.

Trump began 20018 with an angry tweet aimed at Pakistan calling it out for providing safe havens to terrorists and criticising it for "lies and deceit".

The AFB executive committee, in a statement, said the US remained Pakistan's top foreign aid donor, in addition to the money paid in expectation of cooperation in the global war on terror.

"Yet, for many years now, serving officers in the US Armed Forces have repeatedly spoken out about Pakistan's perfidy in Afghanistan, which has cost America lives, money and strategic credibility in the world's eyes. Pakistan also remains a training ground for terrorism and a prime proliferator of nuclear weapons technology," the statement said.

It further said, "No country's development and democracy have suffered more from Pakistan's interference via state-sponsored terrorism than Afghanistan. The US' efforts to help the Afghans rebuild their nation are constantly sabotaged by reeling instability. India is another well-known target."

The statement added that Balochistan had seen several bloody cycles of insurgency ever since Pakistan forcibly annexed the autonomous Baloch province of Kalat in 1948.

"A portion of historical Balochistan also sits on the other side of Pakistan's border with Iran. Further, it borders Afghanistan to the north-west. Pakistan's brutal record in this strategically located province has spiked in recent years. The AFB monitors the situation in Balochistan closely and is in touch with freedom and democracy activists on the ground," it said.

The AFB executive committee reiterated their call to the Pakistani government to cease violating the physical security of Baloch people, their freedom of expression, and end the policy of economic exploitation and genocidal violence.

The AFB executive committee chimed in with similar sentiments expressed by the policy experts in academia, veteran politicians, diplomats, intelligence chiefs, and human rights activists. Among them were former Afghan President Hamid Karzai, leading South Asia expert and former Pakistani ambassador Hussain Haqqani, several Baloch freedom and human rights activists cutting across party lines, former head of Afghanistan's Directorate of Security Amrullah Saleh, and even normally fierce critics of Trump's administration such as Prof Christine Fair, Provost's distinguished Associate Professor Georgetown University's Edmund A Walsh School of Foreign Service.

The AFB executive committee consists of Najeeb Khan, Krishna Gudipati, Soumya Chowdhury and Habiba Ashna.

Earlier on Day One of 2018, Trump had tweeted: "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than USD 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 tweet was loved by nearly quarter-million Americans and retweeted 83,000 times in less than 24 hours.

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Baloch and Sindhi political activists have welcomed the United States President Donald Trump's stance towards Pakistan for providing safe havens to the terrorists.

In his tweet on Monday, President 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 and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They gave safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

Reacting to this statement, Abdul Nawaz Bugti, representative of Baloch Republican Party to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), said, "The Baloch people see this statement of President Trump as a very positive development and hope it's not a pressure building measure against Pakistan, but a true realisation of the fact that all the aid that the U.S. has been giving to Pakistan is actually being used to support the terrorism".

"In order to defeat terrorism, the U.S. and the western have to defeat the forces, which have been supporting terrorism in the region. In our region, it is Pakistan military, who have been supporting and exporting terrorism not only to neighbouring countries, but also the western to counter the struggle of Baloch people and other minorities within Pakistan, who have been trying to get their basic human rights," he added.

Naela Quadri Baloch, President of Baloch Women's Forum, Canada said, "So far, Pakistan has used the U.S. funds to support terror factory along Afghanistan-Pakistan border that destabilises the whole region."

"Pakistan has used the U.S. weapons to kill the nations under its illegal occupation and religious minorities and has also allowed the Chinese to reverse engineer the U.S. products, in short, in return for the generous wholehearted support and trust of the U.S., Pakistan has stolen funds, technology and weapons," she added.

Hammal Haider Baloch, leader of Baloch National Movement, said "The BNM welcomes President Trump's commitment to end his support to Pakistan. It's really great to know that Americans are finally realising Pakistan has always played a dubious role in the war against terrorism".

"Although, the Baloch people were always telling that Pakistan is actually the largest terrorist manufacturing outfit in the world, it has always undermined the stability of Afghanistan and stopped the peace and development of that particular region. The aid, which Pakistan has received in the name of war against the terrorism, was never used for it, but instead used to support, promote and export terrorism all over the world," he added.

"It's the time to hold Pakistan accountable for what it has done against humanity", Haider further said.

The Sindhi political activists also hailed President Trump's stance towards Pakistan.

Shafi Muhammad Burfat, Chairman of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), said, "We are happy that the democratic countries have realised that Pakistan is nothing but a fraudulent state. Pakistan is a failed state, which has been exposed as a terror-promoting state. Trump has revealed in his tweet that the U.S. has paid USD 33 billion dollars in the past 15 years to wipe out terrorism. On one hand, Pakistan used to take aid from the U.S. and on the other hand, it has provided shelter to Haqqani Network, Osama bin Laden, Jaish-e-Mohammd and Jamaat-ud-Dawah's founder Hafiz Saeed".

"We are happy that Pakistan has been exposed as a failed and terror state, which promotes terrorism all over the world", he added.

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vikram Saini on Tuesday denied having given any provocative statement that might hurt religious sentiments.

Saini was, earlier in the day, reported to have said that India was a land of and for the Hindus.

"I have not said anything like this. Those Muslims who are living here are safe and secure. They are the example of patriotism. They should not restrain themselves from saying 'Vande Mataram' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'," Saini clarified.

Saini, a legislator of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, sparked a controversy while speaking at a function in Muzaffarnagar, when he reportedly said, "Main kattar Hinduwadi hoon. Hamaare desh ka naam Hindustan hai. Yeh Hinduon ka desh hai. Aaj bina jaati bhed ke sabko samaan roop se laabh milta hai. [I'm a hardcore believer in Hindutva. Our nation is called Hindustan, which means a nation for the Hindus. Today, everyone gets benefits without any discrimination]."

For the unversed, Muzaffarnagar was the epicentre of riots in 2013 that claimed more than 60 lives.

Saini, last year, had threatened to "break the limbs" of those killing cows.

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Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) wanted to keep the Dalits at the bottom of the society.

He took to Twitter to mount an attack on the BJP and RSS over the Bhima-Koregaon violence in Pune, Maharashtra, adding the protest over the violence was the symbol of Dalit resistance.

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJP's fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," Rahul tweeted.

Tension gripped many parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday after the death of a youth in clashes on Monday during an event to mark 200 years of Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune, claiming one life and injuring several people. Several vehicles were also set on fire.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a Crime Investigation Department (CID)-led probe into the death of a youth in the violence.

The chief minister also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victim's kin.

The Battle of Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy, at Koregaon Bhima.

The Marathas ultimately withdrew, fearing the arrival of a larger British force led by General Joseph Smith.

The Company troops of Indian origin included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore the dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in their history.

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A Chinese firm has delayed the commencement of operation and maintenance of a power plant in Pakistan due to differences with a state-run power generation company.

In February last year, the Northern Power Generation Company Limited (NPGCL) had signed a 10-year contract with China's Hydro Electric Power System Engineering Company (HEPSEC) for operation and maintenance (O&M) of the Nandipur project, reported Dawn.

According to the letters exchanged, both sides expressed concern over various issues before the commencement of the O&M services of the power plant.

Zafar Abbas, the senior official of the energy ministry (power division), however, rejected the delay and said: "They (the Chinese company) have been mobilised to the site for O&M services."

The letter also mentioned that some matters were pending from both the sides such as - provision of registration by the Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), operator's insurance policy, performance test procedure, computerised maintenance management system, approvals from local authorities, initial performance tests, updated list of spare parts, owner's insurance, internal security, initial spare parts and consumables, accommodation and offices and supervisory engineers.

"It is further intimated that the current status of completion of the mobilisation services reveals further delays; hence this office has no option left other than invoking the mobilisation LDs as stipulated in the contract. Nevertheless, the mobilisation advance payment guarantee, expiring on October 21, necessitates further extension due to the aforementioned discrepancies," the letter read.

Meanwhile, HEPSEC has submitted the provisional registration certificate and operator's insurance for the power plant. For the O&M contract, the operator will be apprised accordingly as soon as they earn the commencement.

However, Gencos Holding Company Limited Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Imran claimed most of the differences had been sorted, regarding the commencement of the O&M services of the Nandipur project.

"We have fixed January 6 as a provisional date for getting the O&M services initiated by the Chinese firm," said Imran.

He also acknowledged the delay of the completion of the process to convert the plant to gas was also one of the reasons.

"Since the conversion work is over, the Chinese firm would soon be able to carry out tests related to O&M at the gas-fired plant," Imran added.

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China on Tuesday backed Pakistan and stated that all should recognise "Pakistan's endeavour and sacrifice to fight against terror."

"As we repeatedly said, Pakistan made great endeavour and sacrifice to fight against terrorism and made remarkable contributions to the international counter-terrorism campaign. This should be recognized by all," said China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang, in his regular press conference.

"Meanwhile, we are happy to see Pakistan and other countries conducting cooperation based on mutual respect, including anti-terrorist cooperation and working hand in hand to maintain regional peace and stability," he added.

This comes in the wake of Trump's recent strongly-worded Twitter post over Pakistan, which read that the US had been 'foolishly' providing military aid to Pakistan for 15 years, but in return, it has only received 'lies and deceit.'

The tweet came also in the backdrop 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.

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, who is wanted for allegedly plotting the Mumbai attacks.

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The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed the Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court's order which awarded a three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case.

The court has also stayed the fine imposed on Koda until the next date of hearing.

Koda was convicted in the case of illegal allocation of a coal block in Jharkhand to a Kolkata-based firm.

The Special CBI court in Delhi had, on December 16, 2017, sentenced Koda to three years of imprisonment, along with his close aide, Vijay Joshi, former Coal Secretary HC Gupta and Jharkhand's then chief secretary AK Basu. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh each on Koda and Joshi, while a fine of Rs 1 lakh was slapped each on Gupta and Basu.

Private company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL) was also found guilty of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the Prevention of Corruption Act and was slapped with a fine of Rs 50 lakh.

The allocation of the Rajhara North coal block is one of the instances of alleged inefficient allocation of coal blocks during 2004 to 2009.

The coal scam hit headlines in 2012 after a Central Government audit revealed that the country had notionally lost upto Rs 1.86 lakh crore due to the inefficient allocation of coal blocks.

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The Difa-e-Pakistan council on Tuesday protested against United States President Donald Trump over his recent tweet on Pakistan.

The Difa-e-Pakistan council also includes United Nations-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).

At the rally, Saeed said: "The entire Pakistan and Muslims are very angry with him [Trump]. We condemn the thought [tweet] Trump has said. We are not jealous of the American Government."

He also added that although the US had provided aid to them for the past many years, he rejected Trump's claims of the aid used for providing safe havens to terror camps in the country.

Saeed also said the JuD would teach him a lesson.

Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, had earlier said the US 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 came in the wake of the JuD chief looking to contest the 2018 general elections in Pakistan and thereby, forming a party by the name of Milli Muslim League (MML).

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.

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.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A Delhi court on Tuesday granted bail to Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent Anand Chauhan in a disproportionate assets case involving former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh.

The court also directed Chauhan to furnish bail bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the same amount.

Chauhan was arrested in July last year in Chandigarh by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), for not cooperating with the agency.

The ED in September, last year, had filed a chargesheet against Chauhan in the money laundering case, also involving Virbhadra Singh and others. He was instrumental in investing Rs 5 crore in LIC polices in the name of the Singh, including his wife and children.

Under the PMLA, which is a criminal law, the ED is empowered to conduct investigations to trace assets, derived out of the proceeds of crime, to provisionally attach and confiscate the same, and to arrest and prosecute the offenders, found to be involved in money laundering.

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Former president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) KK Agarwal on Tuesday said that the Medical Commission Bill, which will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha today, would open gateway for future corruption.

The Medical Commission Bill 2017, which seeks to replace MCI with a new body, to ensure transparency, will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association has called for a one-day strike against the bill on Tuesday.

Speaking to ANI, Agarwal said, "The Medical Commission Bill will be discussed in the parliament today and Indian Medical Association is going to oppose it. Our national president has given a call for a bandh today; that means there will be no OPD services till 6 pm today."

Stating that the bill was not national, he said, "If the government still goes ahead and passes the bill, we will decide the further course of action. This bill gives gateway for future corruption."

"It is not representative because all the stakeholders are not there. It is not a commission because there is no provision for grants and it has loopholes which can increase corruption," he added.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha recently.

The bill also seeks to allow practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, to practice modern medicine once they complete a short term "bridge" course.

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 is also aimed at bringing reforms in the medical education sector which has been under scrutiny for corruption and unethical practices.
The Ministry of Finance on Tuesday dismissed reports regarding depositor protection in the context of "bail-in" provisions of the Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill, 2017, and assured that the interests of depositors (both insured and uninsured) would be protected.

"Certain misgivings have been expressed in the media, especially social media, regarding the depositor protection in the context of "bail-in" provisions of the FRDI Bill. These misgivings are entirely misplaced," the ministry tweeted.

The ministry further reiterated the government's commitment to cater to the capital needs of the public sector banks.

The ministry noted that the bail-in provisions would not be used in case of a public sector bank; hence, a contingency was not likely to arise.

"Bail-in amounts to liabilities' holders bearing a part of the cost of resolution by a reduction in their claims. It is only one of many resolution tools in the FRDI Bill; others are acquisition, merger, and bridge service provider, and are to be used either singly or in combination with other tools. Bail in provision may not be required to be used in case of any specific resolution," it noted.

With regards to the FRDI Bill, the ministry clarified that it was expected to replace the existing resolution regime with a more comprehensive one, thereby creating a more robust system of looking into depositors' resolutions.

"Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017 seeks to protect and enhance depositors' existing rights and bring in a comprehensive and efficient resolution regime for financial firms. It does not modify present protections to the depositors adversely at all. It provides only additional protections to the depositors in a more transparent manner," it noted.

On a related note, the FRDI bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 10, 2017, and is presently under the consideration of the Joint Committee of the Parliament. The Joint Committee is consulting all the stakeholders on the provisions of the Bill.

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As many as four sitting Meghalaya MLAs, including a top Congress party leader, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.

Former health minister AL Hek, NCP's Sanbor Shullai and two Independent legislators - Justine Dkhar and Robinus Syngkon - joined the BJP, earlier in the day.

AL Hek, the defector from Congress, was in the BJP earlier. He had joined the Congress party few years back and again joined the BJP today, the working president of the Meghalaya Congress unit, Vincent Pala, told ANI.

"Two were independent MLAs, one MLA who was in the BJP earlier, joined the Congress later and has again joined the BJP now. The other one was from the NCP," he added.

Earlier in the day, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav credited the induction of Congress MLAs in BJP to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On December 30 last year, in a major blow to the Mukul Sangma-led Congress government in Meghalaya, five of its MLAs, including former deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh, resigned from the state Assembly to join the People's Party (NPP), an ally of the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Three more legislators have also resigned from the Assembly to join the NPP, which include Remington Pyngrope from United Democratic Party and Independents Stephanson Mukhim and Hopeful Bamon.

The development comes ahead of assembly elections, scheduled to be held in February.

The Congress now has been left with 24 MLAs in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly.

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French President Emmanuel Macron will be on a two-day visit to China to discuss on a wide variety of issues, with Syria and North Korea being on top priorities.

According to local media reports, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has confirmed that the French president will visit the country from January 8-10.

It would be the very first time that Macron would be visiting China, after coming to power in May last year. The French President has already met with the Chinese president Xi Jinping during the G20 summit in Hamburg in July last year.

Earlier, Macron said that the war against the terrorist group, Islamic State (IS) in Syria will be won by February.

The visit by Macron assumes significance at a time, when North Korea has been persisting with continued missile tests, putting a question mark on the future of peace and stability in the region.

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At least 20 people were killed after gunmen opened fire on them while they were returning from a church in Omoku area of Rivers state, Nigeria.

The Anadolu Agency quoted the Pastor Dandy Bathuel as saying, "These 21 worshippers included women and children. The incident occurred at Krigani road at Omoku. A whole family was also wiped out by the unfortunate murder."

"Those killed include people who attended New Year vigil in various churches at Omoku. They were returning home when the gunmen opened fire on them," Bathuel added.

The Nigerian police also confirmed the incident. However, they didn't give a specific death toll.

"I can confirm the incident to you as our men are already on the manhunt of the unknown gunmen who perpetrated the dastardly act," Rivers police spokesman Omoni Nnamdi.

"But we are still putting our reports together and it will be premature to tell you the number of casualties at the moment," Nnamdi added.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday summoned former finance minister P Chidambaram's son Karti Chidambaram in a money laundering probe in connection with the INX Media case.

The agency has asked him to appear before it on January 11.

It has been alleged that Karti illegally took service charges for getting the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance to the INX Media for receiving funds from abroad worth Rs 305 crore in 2007, when his father, P Chidambaram, was the finance minister in the Congress-led UPA Government.

A lookout notice issued by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on July 18 prevented Karti from travelling abroad without the investigating agency's permission.

The apex court also rejected Karti's plea after the CBI opposed it, saying he might tamper with the evidence, which is very crucial for the ongoing investigation, in the country.

Following this, in November, the Supreme Court allowed Karti to travel abroad for his daughter's admission in the UK. He was allowed to go abroad from December 1 to December 10, but with certain terms and conditions.

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United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday called for the Justice Department (DOJ) to "act" on former Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin and former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director James Comey.

"Crooked Hillary Clinton's top aide, 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?" Trump, said, in a Twitter post.

"Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others," he added.

The president seemingly referred to a report in The Daily Caller News Foundation which stated that Abedin had forwarded State Department emails to her personal Yahoo account.

The US State Department, last month, released about 2,800 emails and other documents belonging to Abedin that were recovered by the FBI from the laptop of her estranged husband Anthony Weiner last year, reported the Hill.

The disclosure is a response to a 2015 Freedom of Information Act request from Judicial Watch, a conservative watchdog group that is hopeful of putting to use the presence of classified emails from personal accounts as evidence of lawbreaking by Clinton and her former aide, according to the reports.

Meanwhile, Comey was fired from his post in May by Trump amid an investigation of a likely collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian officials.

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Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said the Crime Investigation Department (CID) would investigate into the death of a youth in connection with the Bhima Koregaon violence.

Clashes broke between two groups on Monday during an event to mark 200 years of Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune leaving one person dead. Several vehicles were also set on fire.

Talking to reporters here, Fadnavis said, "The state government will also request the Supreme Court for judicial inquiry into Koregaon violence."

The chief minister also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victim's kin.

Earlier, Union Minister Ramdas Athawale also talked to Fadanavis and demanded an action over the Koregaon violence.

Talking to ANI, Athawale said, "I have spoken to Maharashtra Chief Minister and demanded Bhima Koregaon incident be enquired and an action be taken against the culprits so that such incidents don't occur. The enquiry must be conducted who planned attack on the Dalit community."

Seeking an action against those involved in the violence, the Dalit groups called for a bandh in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The Battle of Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy, at Koregaon Bhima.

The Marathas ultimately withdrew, fearing the arrival of a larger British force led by General Joseph Smith.

The Company troops of Indian origin included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore the Dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in their history.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the other 'caste forces' of instigating the Bhima-Koregaon violence.

"The incident which took place could have been avoided. The government there must make necessary arrangements to maintain security. There is a BJP Government there and it seems it instigated the violence there. The BJP, the RSS and other caste forces are behind this," Mayawati said.

Earlier in the day, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said the BJP and the RSS wanted to keep the Dalits at the bottom of the society.

He took to Twitter to mount an attack on the BJP and the RSS over the Bhima-Koregaon violence in Pune, Maharashtra, adding the protest over the violence was the symbol of Dalit resistance.

Tension gripped many parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday after the death of a youth in clashes on Monday during an event to mark 200 years of Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune. Several vehicles were also set on fire.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a Crime Investigation Department (CID)-led probe into the death of a youth in the violence.

The chief minister also announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the victim's kin.

The Battle of Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818 between the British East India Company and the Peshwa faction of the Maratha Confederacy, at Koregaon Bhima.

The Marathas ultimately withdrew, fearing the arrival of a larger British force led by General Joseph Smith.

The Company troops of Indian origin included predominantly Mahar Dalit soldiers belonging to the Bombay Native Infantry, and therefore the dalit activists regard the battle as a heroic episode in their history.

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Four sitting Congress MLAs from Meghalaya will join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav credited the induction of Congress MLAs in BJP to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

On December 30 last year, in a major blow to the Mukul Sangma-led Congress government in Meghalaya, five of its MLAs, including former deputy chief minister Rowell Lyngdoh, resigned from the state Assembly to join the People's Party (NPP), an ally of the BJP-led Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Three more legislators have also resigned from the Assembly to join the NPP, which include Remington Pyngrope from United Democratic Party and Independents Stephanson Mukhim and Hopeful Bamon.

The development comes ahead of assembly elections, scheduled to be held in February.

The Congress now has been left with 24 MLAs in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly.

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Madhya Pradesh Tourism Minister Surendra Patwa said on Tuesday that the state

government would introduce a scheme worth Rs. 100 crore to ensure better facilities for the tourists visiting the state.

"Religious tourism is increasing in the state and the chief minister has said that we will make a scheme worth almost Rs. 100 crore to ensure better facilities for visitors. In the coming time, we will be providing more and more facility to the pilgrims coming to Madhya Pradesh," Patwa told ANI.

He added that cleanliness should also be in to-do list because that was an essential part.

"By the end of March, we will be making our arrangements accordingly. Our plan will be presented in front of chief minister Chouhan. We will be giving first priority to all the religious places in the state. We will take care of the law and order in Madhya Pradesh to avoid any kind of accident or sudden incident. We will plan accordingly so that pilgrims do not face any kind of problems," the minister stated.

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At least two persons reportedly died after villagers of Rimari in Madhya Pradesh's Satna district set a house on fire over personal rivalry.

The owner of the house allegedly murdered a villager, which led to the entire fiasco.

As of now, the fire has been doused and an investigation has been launched in the case.

"The place where the incident took place is quite far from Satna district headquarters. The place is near the Uttar Pradesh border. We were informed regarding following which we rushed to the spot. Strict actions will be taken against the people who are involved here," said a police.

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The Medical Commission (NMC) is going to affect future doctors and patients, said Dr Ravi Wankhedkar, President, Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday.

The Medical Commission Bill 2017, which seeks to replace and subsume the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, was tabled in the Rajya Sabha today. The Lok Sabha has already passed the bill.

"We are opposing the bill for future generations as the presently working doctors are not going to be affected by the Medical Commission. If the bill comes into existence then the coming generation of doctors and patients will suffer," Dr Wankhedkar said.

He added that not only the composition of the NMC is undemocratic, unrepresentative; it is against the federal polity of the Constitution of India, which envisages a union of states.

"It is undemocratic because there will be hardly any elected representatives. It is the concentration of power with the Central Government appointees with no say for the states. It also encroaches upon the rights of the autonomous state medical councils," the IMA president said.

He also said if the bill came into existence, it would decrease the standards of medical education and increase its cost

"The standards of the medical education whatever they are maintained today will do down. For, first three years there are no restrictions; anyone can just start a medical college and inspection will be done after three years. What is going to happen to students who will be trained in these three years? If the government is serious then it should create an accreditation mechanism," Dr Wankhedkar said.

The IMA had called for a one-day strike against the bill today.

Talking about the plans of protest, the IMA president said, "We are already doing hectic lobbying with the opposition parties in the Rajya Sabha to correct the anomalies. Even some of the BJP MPs accept in private discussions that the concerns raised by the IMA are grave and need further discussion."

The National Medical Commission bill also seeks to allow practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, to practice modern medicine once they complete a short term "bridge" course.

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 is also aimed at bringing reforms in the medical education sector which has been under scrutiny for corruption and unethical practices.

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Election for Nepal's National Assembly, also known as upper house of Federal Parliament, is expected to be held on February 8.

The Nepal government will announce the date of the elections after holding the cabinet meeting on Thursday.

Nepal's Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Ayodhee Prasad Yadav held a meeting with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Tuesday and suggested him to hold the much awaited election on February 8.

"In a meeting between the Prime Minister Deuba and Chief Election Commissioner Dr. Yadav, the CEC suggested to hold the election on 8th of February. Responding to the suggestion, Prime Minister Deuba said an announcement would be made after the cabinet meeting on Thursday," said Dinesh Kumar Ghimire, joint secretary as well as spokesperson of Nepal's Election Commission.

Last week, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari also signed the National Assembly Act to open the way for holding the elections for the upper house.

The National Assembly will have 56 elected and three appointed members. Each of the seven state councils will send eight members to the assembly and the other three will be appointed by the president on the government's recommendation.

Although the elections to the House of Representatives, the lower house, and Provincial Assembly were conducted successfully, the fate of a new government was in oblivion due to cross-party differences over the National Assembly election.

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The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) continued its crackdown on the rebel TTV Dhinakaran camp by sacking his nine supporters on Tuesday.

Stung by the bypoll defeat, the ruling AIADMK removed nine party supporters of Dhinakaran, who recently took oath as MLA from RK Nagar constituency.

Dhinakaran had recently secured a vigorous win in R K Nagar bypoll by defeating its candidate E Madhusudhanan by a margin of over 40,000 votes.

The RK Nagar constituency went to polls on December 21, necessitated by the death of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa in December last year.

Dhinakaran, sidelined by the ruling camp (EPS-OPS) a few months ago, contested the election as an independent candidate on a 'pressure cooker' symbol.

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As Pakistan continues to violate ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, the ruling-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Opposition-led by the Congress party spar over each other's handling of the situation.

According to latest official data accessed by ANI, there seems to be a huge disparity between the number of terror incidents under the Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule and the predecessor United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

There were 1,094 terror-related incidents under the NDA regime (2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017), while under the UPA Government, the figure was 1,218 from 2010 to 2013.

These figures stand in stark contrast with the ones tweeted by Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala, according to whom the UPA accounted for 86, and BJP for 203 incidents in the last 43 months of their respective tenures.

Official figures further reveal that more terrorists were killed by the security forces during the BJP's tenure than under the UPA.

580 terrorists were gunned down under the BJP-led government, while 471 were killed when the Congress-led alliance was in power.

The number of civilians killed under the current government, however, stands at 100 as compared to 108 under the UPA.

Contary to the above-mentioned official data, Surjewala had, on December 29, claimed in a tweet that as many as 134 civilians were killed under the NDA rule, whereas 71 were killed when the UPA was in power.

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At least 25 people were reportedly killed and several others injured after a bus collided with a truck and fell off a cliff near Pasamayo, about 70 kilometres north of capital city, Lima.

However, the death toll is expected to rise as many injured were reported to be in critical condition.

The injured were taken to nearby hospitals in Chancay and Ancon.

The police and firefighters are working to rescue the victims of the crash, Andina news agency reported.

The bus was reportedly heading to Lima from Huacho with 57 passengers on board when the incident happened on the Pan-American Highway.

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The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday condemned the ongoing caste violence in Pune, Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra.

"The recent incidents at Koregaon, Pune and various other places in Maharashtra are very sad and painful. RSS strongly condemns such violence and feels it is despicable," a statement by RSS Akhil Bharatiya Prachaar Pramukh Dr. Manmohan Vaidya read.

Calling for punishment for those found guilty, Vaidya alleged "some forces are trying to create hatred and animosity among communities" and appealed to the public to maintain unity and harmony.

"RSS appeals to the public to maintain unity and harmony in the society, which have always been the top priority for RSS," Vaidya stated.

Violence spilled over to adjoining parts of the state after clashes broke out between the Dalits and alleged right-wing groups on Monday during the bicentenary celebration of the Bhima-Koregaon battle near Pune.

The right-wing groups were objecting to the observance of 'Victory Day' since they considered it to be an anti- celebration.

Both RSS and BJP are being accused of instigating the violence by opposition leaders.

While Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati alleged the BJP, RSS and other caste forces were behind the violence, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said both the ruling party and its parent organisation had worked towards suppressing the Dalit community.

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJP's fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," Gandhi tweeted.

In the battle, which was fought between the British East India Company, containing Dalits in its infantry, and the Peshwas, who were upper-caste Brahmins, at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818, the Marathas ultimately withdrew. Since then the lower-caste communities have been viewing it as a symbolic victory for themselves.

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South Korea have proposed high-level talks with their arch-rivals North Korea next week, over the latter's probable participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics next month.

This decision was taken, following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's re-conciliatory New Year message in a televised address to the nation yesterday. He also warned the United States saying that 'the nuclear button' is always on his 'desk.', Yonhap news agency reported.

South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon on Tuesday sought to initiate the proposed talks with North Korea in a remote North Korean village called Panmunjom, located along the heavily-guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).

A spokesperson of the South Korean presidential office welcomed that the North Korea has shown interest for participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Seoul is open to talks "any time, any place and in any format", said the spokesperson.

The Winter Olympics is scheduled to take place at South Korea's Pyeongchang from February 9-25.

The proposed talks comes amid the increasing tension between the two countries as South Korea seized a Hong Kong-flagged oil tanker returning after allegedly transferring oil to North Korea few days ago.

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The Shiv Sena on Tuesday took a potshot at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's digital push while saying that his own MPs do not wish him 'good morning' on Namo app.

In the editorial page of its mouthpiece 'Saamna', the party said, "Our Prime Minister is a man of discipline; he wakes up in the morning and wishes 'good morning' to his MPs via Namo app. Besides a few MPs, no one else replies to him. Along with the greetings, our 'Namoji' also sends a message to which his people find it difficult to reply to."

Recently there were reports that during BJP'sparliamentary party meeting, PM Modi was miffed over the fact that MPs of BJP are not wishing him 'good morning' on NaMo app.

"Prime Minister Modi had started the initiative of making India digital. Even the poor farmers were promised that their loan will be waived online but BJP's leaders themselves are not ready to be digitalised."

The editorial piece further criticised Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their internal and questioned the ruling party's ideologies with which it came to power.

"The ideologies with which the BJP came into power, are they still static on it?"

The party also questioned the BJP of how they can follow the ideologies of Mehbooba Mufti and Nitish Kumar rather than the ideologies of a Hindu party like Shiv Sena.

"The Prime Minister had expressed his disapproval towards his MPs in recent meetings for the laid-back attitude. The I-T cell, as well as the social media cell of BJP, is so active that even before the announcement of poll results, greetings and wishes are being forwarded to PM Modi.

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A victim of instant Triple Talaq, Farhana has welcomed the provision of punishment in the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 that seeks to criminalise this practice of divorce, ahead of its tabling in the Rajya Sabha.

Farhana on Monday urged all parties to support the Bill in the upper house, adding that the punishment of three years would be a credible deterrence.

"It should be passed in the Rajya Sabha, and the Opposition parties should also extend their support. We all will be benefited because the provision of punishment of three years would make people think before taking this step," Farhana told ANI here.

Farhana said her husband had gone to Saudi Arabia without telling her or meeting their daughter, and later in-laws told her that she would have to leave her husband's home.

The Bill has already been passed by Lok Sabha, and is set to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. If the Bill gets a green signal in the upper house as well, it will be forwarded to the President for signing it into a law.

The Bill, if enacted, will make Triple Talaq a criminal offense. It proposes a three-year jail term for a Muslim man who divorces his wife in any form of spoken, written or by electronic means such as email, SMS, and WhatsApp.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi has opposed the Bill, citing that it has a penal provision for a civil law.

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United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday peddled the sanctions, slapped by America on North Korea, as a reason for the proposed talks between North Korea and South Korea.

Expressing the uncertainty if the news reports of the talks between the countries is good or bad, Trump, in a Twitter post, penned down, "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!"

South Korea has proposed high-level talks with its arch-rival North Korea, next week, over the latter's probable participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics next month.

This decision was taken following North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's re-conciliatory New Year message in a televised address to the nation. He also warned the United States saying that 'the nuclear button' was always on his 'desk', Yonhap news agency reported.

South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon on Tuesday sought to initiate the proposed talks with North Korea in a remote village called Panmunjom, located along the heavily-guarded Demilitarised Zone (DMZ).

A spokesperson of the South Korean presidential office welcomed that the North Korea has shown interest for participating in the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Seoul is open to talks "any time, any place and in any format", said the spokesperson.

The Winter Olympics is scheduled to take place at South Korea's Pyeongchang from February 9-25.

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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.

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With the objective of encouraging balanced use of fertilizers, Department of Fertilizers has made it mandatory for all the domestic producers of urea to produce 100% as Neem Coated Urea (NCU). Entire quantity of both indigenously produced urea and imported urea is being neem coated w.e.f 1st September, 2015 and 1st December, 2015 respectively.

One of the primary benefits of Neem coating is the slow release of urea, which results in increased Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE).

Due to NUE, the consumption of Neem Coated Urea reduces as compared to normal urea.

In the light of increased effectiveness of NCU, Government of India vide notification dated 4th September, 2017, has decided to introduce 45 Kg bag of urea in place of existing 50 Kg bags and a period of six months have been given to urea units as lead time to ensure smooth implementation of the policy.

Further, since farmers mostly assess the requirement of urea in terms of bags for agriculture purpose, it is estimated that the availability of urea in 45 Kg bags instead of 50 Kg bag may bring down consumption of Urea by 10%.

That the import of urea is based on demand supply gap dynamics. The Government of India has allocated Rs. 14,000 Crore for Imported Urea in the Budgetary Estimates (BE) 2017-18.

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On 28 December, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL), the telecom arm of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL, Baa2 stable) announced signing of definitive agreement for the acquisition of towers, optic fiber cable network, spectrum and media convergence nodes of Reliance Communications Limited (RCOM). RCOM, which is currently undergoing a strategic debt restructuring, is selling these assets to reduce its borrowings. Moody's Investors Service says that the acquisition has no impact on RIL's ratings.

The purchase consideration, which is not yet been disclosed by either parties, is payable at completion and is subject to adjustments, as per the RIL's press release.

Based on RCOM's announcement on 26 December, it expects the ongoing sale of its assets, including the ones being acquired by RIL, will reduce its borrowings and spectrum liability by INR250 billion and the transactions will complete in a phased manner between January and March 2018.

"We expect RIL will pay less than INR250 billion for the assets it will acquire as it is not buying the real estate, which was part of the INR 250 billion debt reduction plan of RCOM.

Even if we assume that the entire RCOM's debt reduction of INR250 billion is derived from sale of assets to RIL, it will only account for 0.4x of RIL's reported EBITDA for the last twelve months ended September 2017 and 11.6% of RIL's consolidated borrowings as of September 2017.

RIL also had cash and cash equivalents of INR770 billion on the same day, which can be used to fund the acquisition," says Vikas Halan, a Moody's Vice President and Senior Credit Officer.

"However, the increase in RIL's leverage upfront will likely be partly offset by a reduction in planned capex for its telecom business," says Halan, who is also the lead analyst for RIL at Moody's.

As part of the transaction, RIL will acquire 122.4 MHz of 4G spectrum, 43,000 towers, 178,000 route kilometer of pan India optical fiber network and 248 media convergence nodes. RIL considers these assets strategic in nature and expect to use them for large scale roll-out of its wireless and fiber to home and enterprise services.

The acquisition also removes the overhang of RIL's ability to access the telecom infrastructure assets of RCOM following the latter's debt restructuring. It also ensures that RCOM's 4G spectrum does not fall into hands of RIL's competitors.

As such, despite a possible increase in RIL's consolidated leverage the acquisition can be accommodated within RIL's rating. However, the acquisition could reduce the cushion under RIL's rating for further increase in its borrowings, especially if the company does not reduce its planned capital expenditure for its telecom business.

The acquisition is subject to receipt of requisite approvals from Governmental and regulatory authorities, consents from all lenders of RCOM, release of all encumbrances on the assets and other conditions precedent.

The acquisition is the latest installment in the ongoing consolidation in Indian telecom sector, which is evidently moving from having over 10 active telecom service providers to just about three or four players having the entire market.

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Tata Motors advanced 2.09% to Rs 434.30 at 11:56 IST on BSE after the company's domestic sales of commercial and passenger vehicles jumped 52% to 54,627 units in December 2017 over December 2016.

The announcement was made during market hours today, 2 January 2018.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 2.05 points or 0.01% at 33,810.70.

On the BSE, 3.99 lakh shares were traded on the counter so far as against average daily volumes of 5.91 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 435 and a low of Rs 422.10 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week high of Rs 553 on 27 January 2017 and a 52-week low of Rs 357.95 on 11 August 2017.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 1 January 2018, gaining 6.58% compared with the Sensex's 2.98% rise. The stock had, however, underperformed the market over the past one quarter, gaining 6.02% as against the Sensex's 8.08% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market over the past one year, sliding 9.75% as against the Sensex's 26.99% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 577.47 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2.

Tata Motors' commercial vehicles domestic sales surged 62% to 40,447 units in December 2017 over December 2016. Passenger vehicles sales grew by 31% to 14,180 units. The growth in sales is due to the increasing demand for vehicles across segments, new product launches and strategic customer initiatives, Tata Motors said in a statement.

The company's commercial vehicles sales from exports grew by 26% to 6,044 units.

On a consolidated basis, Tata Motors' net profit jumped 195% to Rs 2501.67 crore on 11.3% rise in net sales to Rs 70690.65 crore in Q2 September 2017 over Q2 September 2016.

Tata Motors is a market leader in commercial vehicles in India. The company's British luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) sells premium luxury cars.

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TVS Motor Company rose 3.01% to Rs 789.45 at 9:24 IST on BSE after the company registered a sales growth of 39% to 2.56 lakh units in December 2017 over December 2016.

The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 1 January 2018.

Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 71.41 points, or 0.21% to 33,884.16.

On the BSE, 12,562 shares were traded in the counter so far, compared with average daily volumes of 73,985 shares in the past one quarter. The stock had hit a high of Rs 790 and a low of Rs 778.55 so far during the day. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 792.85 on 19 December 2016.The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 355 on 3 January 2017.

The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 1 January 2018, rising 5.78% compared with 2.98% gains in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 16.38% as against Sensex's 8.08% rise. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one year, jumping 112.49% as against Sensex's 26.99% rise.

The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 47.51 crore. Face value per share is Re 1.

Total two-wheelers sales registered growth of 37.9% to 2.47 lakh units in December 2017 over December 2016. Domestic two-wheelers recorded growth of 35.4% to 2.07 lakh units December 2017 over December 2016. Scooter sales of the company grew by 50.5% to 83,640 units in December 2017 over December 2016. Motorcycles sales grew by 63.7% to 95,281 units in December 2017 over December 2016.

The company's total exports grew by 55.8% to 47,818 units in December 2017 over December 2016. Two-wheeler exports grew by 52.7% to 39,852 units in December 2017 over December 2016.

Three-wheeler sales of the company grew by 72.1% to 9,279 units registered in December 2017 over December 2016.

During the third quarter of the financial year 2017 - 2018, two-wheeler sales of the company grew by 13.8% to 7.99 lakh units in the third quarter of the current year over the same period last year. The three-wheeler sales of the Company grew by 67.7% increasing to 27,000 units in the third quarter of the current financial year.

TVS Motor Company's net profit rose 20.2% to Rs 213.16 crore on 18.3% rise in net sales to Rs 4052.44 crore in Q2 September 2017 over Q2 September 2016.

TVS Motor Company is a leading two and three-wheeler manufacturer.

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Sixty Islamic State (IS) militants were killed after Afghan security forces raided hideouts in Nangarhar province on Tuesday, an official said.

The militants were killed in Haska Mina district. Eighteen militants were also injured in the early morning raids, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the official, the militants have been using civilian houses in the district.

--IANS

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Nine inmates have been killed and their bodies set on fire in a riot at a prison in Brazil's Goias state, officials said.

Military Police Commander Divino Alves told the media the melee broke out on Monday between members of rival gangs at the prison in Aparecida de Goiania, the second largest city in the state, and it took officials nearly two hours to restore order, Xinhua reported.

The Executive Superintendence of Prison Management said in a statement that inmates in section C of the prison invaded section B, and started a fire.

Firefighters were called in to battle the flames, and smoke could be seen rising from the facility.

Another 14 inmates were injured in the fighting and they returned to their cells after receiving emergency treatment, according to Brazil's G1 news website.

As many as 106 prisoners took advantage of the mayhem to escape, and officials have captured 29, the report said, adding that "another 127 left the prison due to the confusion, but returned voluntarily after the situation died down."

Officials were searching for the other escapees.

Prison riots are fairly common in Brazil, where the overpopulation of prisons is a pervasive problem.

--IANS

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The RJD and Congress on Tuesday attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the incident involving state Minister Suresh Sharma -- who alleged being manhandled by employees of a West Bengal hotel -- saying it showed how his much-hyped prohibition was being mocked as the minister was allegedly drunk.

Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said the West Bengal government should conduct a medical test of Urban Development and Housing Minister Sharma and his supporters who were present at the time of the brawl.

"We request West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to kindly enquire into the reality. This shows the 'goondagardi' of the honourable BJP minister and on top, they are blaming and questioning the West Bengal government," the former Deputy Chief Minister said.

While Sharma on Tuesday alleged complete collapse of law and order in West Bengal, calling the incident a plot to insult him, Tejashwi Yadav said that an FIR lodged by staff of the hotel has clearly mentioned that the minister and his staff were drunk at the time of the incident.

Senior Congress leader T.N. Choubey said the Minister has exposed Nitish Kumar's prohibition by creating troubles in a hotel in West Bengal after consuming liquor.

"Bihar minister has vindicated our stand that prohibition is a mere claim and ministers and top officials have been consuming liquor," he said.

However, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi has downplayed the incident, saying he will talk to the minister when he returns to find what happened. Janata Dal-United leaders meanwhile declined to comment.

Sharma told media in Kolkata said he was allegedly manhandled by hotel employees in Tarapitha, a temple town some 220 km from Kolkata in West Bengal's Birbhum on Monday.

His aides lodged a police case saying that the hotel employees attacked them and abused Sharma when they asked for refund of the booking amount after finding the accommodation was not up to the mark, while the hotel authorities claimed that the Minister's staff attacked them in a drunken state and committed vandalism.

--IANS

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A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed the bail plea of Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) agent Anand Chauhan in a disproportionate assets case involving Himachal Pradesh former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

Special Judge Santosh Snehi Mann granted the bail to Chauhan, asking him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of like amount.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a chargesheet against Chauhan and accused him of investing Virbhadra Singh's "tainted" money amounting to Rs 5.14 crore in LIC policies purchased in Virbhadra's name and those of his family members, including wife Pratibha Singh.

Chauhan was arrested from Chandigarh on July 9, 2016, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the ED alleged he was not cooperating in the probe.

A probe had allegedly found that during his tenure as the Union Steel Minister from 2009 to 2011, Virbhadra Singh had accumulated assets worth Rs 6.03 crore in his name and in the name of his family members, which were disproportionate to his known sources of income.

--IANS

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To promote cruise tourism in the country, tourists arriving at ports with e-visa have been exempted from the requirement of biometric enrolment for a period of three years till 2020, the government said on Tuesday.

This will make immigration clearance of such passengers faster, leaving them with more time to spend on shore. The move is aimed at making India an attractive cruise tourist destination as biometric enrolment is an important factor that helps cruise lines decide whether or not to include a destination in their itinerary, a statement said.

The Shipping Ministry had made a request to the Home Ministry to exempt cruise tourists with e-visa. It was accepted by the latter.

"The Shipping Ministry has been working towards simplifying the immigration clearance procedure and providing passengers with a customer-friendly and hassle-free logistics process when they embark on or disembark from their cruise at the Indian ports," it said.

E-Visa has been in place in the five major ports of Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin and Chennai. Till now, biometrics of passengers were required at port of first arrival for immigration clearance.

"However, with the existing facilities at the cruise terminals at these ports, the immigration procedure was taking more than the internationally accepted norm of clearing immigration for all cruise passengers in a maximum of 90 minutes.

"This is especially significant because, as per the schedule of arrivals of cruise ships for the current cruise season 2017-18 and 2019-20, many of the cruise ships coming to India are mega ships with 2,000-4,000 passengers on board," the statement added.

It said that since most of these cruise passengers are expected to arrive on e-Visa -- and biometric enrolment of all these passengers would slow down immigration clearance -- there was a need for the exemption.

--IANS

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DMK leader M.K. Stalin on Tuesday said the party's Rajya Sabha members will raise the issue of "uncertainty" being faced by the firecracker industry.

Raising his voice in support of the industry, Stalin urged the central government to save the sector.

In a tweet Stalin said: "Centre should step in to save the firecracker manufacturing cluster in Sivakasi, which accounts for 90 per cent of Indian firecracker production and protect the industry employing lakhs of workers."

"DMK MPs in the Rajya Sabha will raise the issue with the concerned Minister. #CrackerBan," he added.

The firecracker industry in Sivakasi has shut down its operations for the past one week till a legal solution for its future was secured.

"The firecracker industry prays for early hearing of the case by the Supreme Court and the judgement given either way to do away with the uncertain situation," K. Mariappan, Vice President, All India Federation of Fireworks Associations (Aiffa) had earlier told IANS.

The Aiffa is an umbrella grouping of various industry/trade bodies representing firecracker manufacturers, dealers of firecrackers, transporters, distributors, ancillary industries and others.

Couple of days back, PMK Founder S.Ramadoss said bursting firecrackers is part of Indian culture and it cannot be banned.

Coming out in support of the firecracker industry that provides direct and indirect employment to around 10 lakh people in Tamil Nadu, Ramadoss in a statement said "banning Made-in-India firecrackers would result in illegal sale of Chinese products".

Addressing the smog problem, some north Indian states were facing, Ramadoss said the smog there was due to burning of straw stubble in states like Punjab and Haryana, adding, that banning its burning would end the problem.

Ramadoss said if bursting firecrackers resulted in the smog then southern states should also be suffering from the same.

--IANS

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The Appointment Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday appointed former RAW Chief Rajinder Khanna as the Deputy National Security Adviser (NSA), an official order said.

Khanna's appointment to the post is on re-employment and on contract basis until further orders as per usual terms and conditions as are admissible to Deputy NSA, said the order issued by the Ministry of Personnel.

The senior diplomate, a 1978 batch IAS officer, headed the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) from December 2014 for a fixed two-year period.

Khanna is currently working as Officer on Special Duty (Neighbourhood Studies) in the National Security Council Secretariat.

He will assist the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who is also a former RAW chief.

As a RAW agent, Khanna has led many counter-terrorism operations and is reportedly an expert on Pakistan and Islamist terrorism.

--IANS

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A far-right German MP is under police investigation over inflammatory anti-Muslim comments she made on social media on New Years Eve, the media reported on Tuesday.

The Twitter account of Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of Germany's AfD party, was temporarily suspended on Monday, but she was later posting again on the site, reports the Guardian.

Von Storch, whose grandfather served as finance minister under Hitler, accused Cologne police of appeasing "barbaric, gang-raping Muslim hordes of men" after they tweeted a New Year message in Arabic. The police also tweeted the message in other languages, including English, French and German.

The authorities are considering whether Von Storch should be charged with incitement to hatred, a criminal offence.

Her Twitter account was suspended for 12 hours for her post, as it breached the site's rules.

On her return to the social media site, Von Storch posted in German: "Facebook has now also censored me. This is the end of the constitutional state."

Germany has enacted stringent hate speech laws, with social media firms facing fines of up to 50 million euros if they do not remove "obviously illegal" hate speech and other postings within 24 hours of receiving a notification.

In June, von Storch answered "yes" to a question on Facebook asking whether firearms should be used against women and children trying to cross the German border, the Guardian reported.

Von Storch later suggested her computer mouse had slipped.

--IANS

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The government on Tuesday said it is in talks with the Congress for ensuring smooth passage of the triple talaq Bill in the Rajya Sabha, where it is expected to be taken up on Wednesday.

"We are in talks with the Congress party and others for the triple talaq Bill, and hope for a smooth passage in Rajya Sabha. It can be taken up today or tomorrow (Wednesday). May be tomorrow," Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters outside Parliament.

He also said that the Congress did not press for amendment in the Lok Sabha. Similarly they should ensure smooth passage of the bill in the Rajya Sabha, he added.

Meanwhile, opposition parties including Congress met on Tuesday to discuss the strategy to be adopted on the Bill when it is taken up in the Upper House.

The opposition parties are said to be planning for either amendments against criminalising triple talaq or referring the Bill to a select committee for detailed consideration.

--IANS

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Taking forward the agenda set in 2017, the in 2018 is set to decide on a number of important issues -- including the Ayodhya title dispute -- that will have a bearing on the country's politics, economics, inter-state relations and the conflict over the national capital's governance.

With pendency of over 55,000 cases, the number of fresh cases that will reach the top court are unlikely to be less than what they were in 2017 -- or in the preceding years. The likelihood of the pendency coming down is apparently not bright as the court, by its own calendar, will be working for 190 days in 2018.

Besides the fresh cases and pending matters, the top court has a number of issues to be decided by the constitution bench that are already scheduled for hearing, including the Ayodhya title dispute, the challenges to the constitutional validity of the Aadhaar Act and the legality of the demonetisation decision, as also whether a politician holding a public office can comment on a matter being investigated by an agency of the State.

Another issue that is being examined by the constitution bench is the challenge to the new privacy policy of the WhatsApp online messaging service.

The bench is seized of the challenge to the Delhi High Court's September 23, 2016, order allowing WhatsApp to roll out its new privacy policy but stopping it from sharing the data of its users collected up to September 25, 2016, with Facebook or any other related company.

Also referred to the constitution bench is the challenge to Tamil Nadu regulation paving way for the Jali Kattu bullfight sport -- an issue the court wants to settle once and for all.

Yet another issue that a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra referred to the constitution bench is women in the 10-50 age-group being prohibited from entering Sabarimala, a temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa in Kerala.

The year 2018 will also see the top court pronouncing a spate of constitution bench judgments on the powers of the Delhi government vis-a-vis the Centre-appointed Lt Governor in the administration of the national capital, and the plea for making a "living will" (passive euthanasia) authorising the withdrawal of all life support systems if, in the opinion of the doctors, a patient has reached an irreversible stage of terminal illness.

Along with this, there will be a verdict on whether the top court can look into or rely on a parliamentary committee report for deciding an issue before it.

This issue of far-reaching significance is rooted in a public suit questioning the safety and efficacy of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine that is used for preventing cervical cancer.

Petitioner Kalpans Mehta, a medical doctor, while contending that the HPV vaccine was "unproven and hazardous", had relied on the 72nd report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in support of her contention. A drug company has opposed the petition.

The year will also witness the outcome of the top court's maiden forays adjudicating the Cauvery river water-sharing dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. A three-judge bench had heard the matter despite the Centre contending that the court can't adjudicate on the award of a tribunal on an inter-state river water dispute.

The matter was heard for 29 days spread over eight months.

For engaging with its heavy calendar, some of the matters may have to be heard during the summer vacation that would commence from May 21 -- an initiative earlier taken by former Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar last year.
More than 40 protesters were arrested and 600 were rounded up after violence unleashed in Bundi town of Rajasthan by right wing activists over a disputed site, police said on Tuesday, even as the Hindu Mahasabha has called for a bandh there.

Meanwhile, Kota Range IG Vishal Bansal was in Bundi on Tuesday to monitor the situation. Bansal reached Bundi after the situation worsened.

Internet services in the town remained suspended on Tuesday in the wake of violence which erupted in the town on Monday. Section 144 is also being maintained in the town till further orders.

The Hindu Mahasabha has called for a bandh in the town on Tuesday to protest "police atrocities" on its members.

Speaking to IANS, a senior police officer informed that 41 protesters have been arrested so far while around 600 protesters have been rounded up since Monday over the violence.

MP O.M. Birla also visited the location to monitor the situation and said that peace should be maintained in the town.

Hindu organisations have called for a pooja on a disputed site in Mandhata situated chhatri on Tiger Hills. They had decided to take out a religious procession in the town on Monday. However, the district administration, to maintain peace and avert any untoward incident, clamped section 144 in the town.

Flouting section 144, thousands of members of Hindu Mahasabha marched to the disputed site, forcing police to resort to lathicharge which left many people, including BJP workers, injured.

Chander Prakash Kaushik, president, Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha, speaking to IANS, criticised the lathicharge by police and accused the BJP government of "working with vote bank interest".

--IANS

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An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Tuesday accepted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan's bail appeal in all four cases regarding an attack on Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters in 2014.

ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand granted him bail in all the cases pertaining to violence during the 2014 sit-in. The court was hearing four cases against the PTI chief, including that of the attack on the state television building, Parliament and the then Islamabad SSP Operations Asmatullah Junejo, Geo News reported

"The decision proves that I am sadiq (truthful) and ameen (righteous), not a terrorist," Khan told the media outside the court after the ruling.

"I am a ladla (darling) of the law because I abide by it," said the PTI chief, taking another opportunity to aim at former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his "lack of transparency".

"... Sharif could not have withstood half of the scrutiny that I went through," Khan added, referring to the trial against him in the Supreme Court in which he was acquitted last year.

"There are cases against me because I am holding them (Sharifs) accountable," he claimed, adding, "I've never stolen anything in my life."

Later, Khan took to Twitter and reiterated that he was "not a terrorist" and was going to go after "the crooks".

"My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist. Moreover, the SC has pronounced me Sadiq and Ameen and I am coming after them crooks," he said.

During the last hearing of the cases on December 13, the court had extended bail of Khan till January 2. He appeared before the court on Tuesday for the fifth time.

--IANS

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India's direct selling industry has nearly doubled since 2011 to Rs 126.6 billion in 2016 and is expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8 per cent to reach Rs 159.3 billion in 2021, a study by industry body Assocham, released on Tuesday, said.

It said the average sales of each participant in India is about $300 per year.

"Direct selling opportunities can be enhanced in India provided we create a conducive environment which is protecting all the stakeholders within the framework of the regulatory framework," the study said.

In 2015-16, the country's ranking improved two places to 20th globally in terms of size of the market, from 22nd in the previous year, the study showed. The top three markets in the segment are the US, China and Korea.

Global retail sales in the industry touched a fresh record of $183 billion in 2015-16. Growth in sales and number of people joining the industry rose in around 80 per cent of the countries around the world, the study showed.

The study also said despite substantial growth over the years and a number of ways in which it has contributed to Indian economy, this industry is the most misunderstood and unacknowledged business activity.

"The main reason for the same is the use of networking and schemes through which the activity of direct selling is undertaken. In majority of cases (of course, where credible entities/promoters are involved) such network marketing schemes are means to increase the expanse of business. However, India and its public has been on the receiving end of numerous unscrupulous schemes where people have lost money, credibility, honour and livelihood," the study said.

According to a survey of 2015-2016, it is estimated that over the past five years, about 500,000 people benefited from the opportunities offered by the industry, the report said.

The study attributes the growth of the direct selling industry in India to various government schemes including Skill India, Make in India, Digital India and Startup India.

The study also recommended implementation of guidelines at state level, relaxation in the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, and enactment of Consumer Protection Bill, among others, to provide a sustainable operating environment for the sector.

--IANS

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There were reports of protests breaking out in Iran for the fifth day on Tuesday, despite a statement from President Hassan Rouhani that the unrest "is nothing".

Anti-government chanting and burning cars were reported as night fell in Tehran, while police said an officer was killed in a central city, BBC reported.

President Hassan Rouhani said protests were an "opportunity, not a threat" but vowed to crack down on "lawbreakers".

The US, meanwhile, stepped up support for the protesters' "bold resistance".

The protests began last Thursday in the city of Mashhad, initially against price rises and corruption but now with wider anti-government sentiment.

The latest reports speak of a heavy police presence in the capital. The Mehr news agency reported a taxi being set alight. Police had used tear gas and water cannon the previous evening to quell a rally in Tehran's Engheleb Square.

A police spokesman as quoted as saying that shots had been fired at police in Najafabad, near Isfahan in central Iran, killing one officer and wounding three.

Social media postings spoke of fresh protests in Birjand in the east, Kermanshah in the west and Shadegan in the far south-west.

In a statement on the presidency website, Rouhani sought to play down the violence.

He said: "This is nothing. Criticism and protest are an opportunity not a threat."

But he also vowed to act against "rioters and lawbreakers".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has taken a tough line, warning 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.

Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli-Larijani on Monday called for a crackdown on "rioters" and "vandals".

"Some individuals are exploiting the situation. This is wrong," he said.

Up to 400 people are reported to have been arrested in recent days.

At least 12 people have been killed in recent rallies across Iran in protest against the regime of President Hassan Rouhani.

--IANS

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Israel's Parliament passed an amendment on Tuesday that will make it more difficult for the government to cede parts of East Jerusalem in any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

The vote was held overnight with 64 lawmakers voting in favour of the controversial bill and 51 against it.

The bill was sponsored by the ultra-nationalist party of the Jewish Home, a major member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, Xinhua news agency reported.

It requires the government to raise wider support for relinquishing control over parts of Jerusalem as part of a peace plan. It increases the number of lawmakers required to approve such a deal from 61 to 80 in the 120-seat Parliament.

The law was criticized by the opposition as a serious blow to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The new legislation is also likely to heighten even further the tensions sparked by US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Trump's statement triggered wide protest in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, costing the lives of at least 13 Palestinians during clashes with Israeli security forces.

Israel seized East Jerusalem, together with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of its "indivisible capital", in a move never recognised by the international community.

The Palestinians struggle against the Israeli occupation and wish to establish East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

--IANS

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Karnataka would soon be hosting its first international travel expo in order to promote its tourist hotspots to travellers from across the world, state Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge said on Tuesday.

"The expo will provide an impetus to the inbound travel and tourism and would enhance the efforts of Karnataka Tourism to promote our destinations to the world travellers," he said at a preview event held here.

To be held from February 28 till March 2, the Karnataka International Travel Expo 2018 expects over 1,000 delegates from over 25 countries.

This will be the southern state's first such international expo in the tourism sector.

Through the three-day event, the state aims to promote its cities and towns through adventure and wildlife tourism, world heritage sites, pilgrimages, and Karnataka's festivals.

"The expo will be largest business-to-business (B2B) travel event in the country," claimed Kharge, adding that travel agents, tour operators, hotels, resorts from the state, international and domestic travellers among others are expected to be a part of the event.

Karnataka had received about 13 crore domestic tourists and nearly 7 lakh foreign tourists last year, he said, adding this made it ninth among Indian states in attracting international tourists and fourth in the number of domestic tourists.

Karnataka is home to two United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation world heritage sites -- a group of monuments in the village of Hampi, about 350 km north of Bengaluru, and Pattadakal, about 450 km northwest of Bengaluru, for its 7th century Hindu and Jain temples.

The state is also popular for its pilgrimage spots like Udupi, Sringeri in the coastal region and hill stations in the southwestern districts Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru, which are also well-known coffee-growing regions.

--IANS

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Tripoli, Jan 2 (IANS/AKI) Libya's United Nations backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj has condemned the raid on the Sufi tomb of Mahdi bin Mohammed Senussi, father of Libyas former king Idris Senussi in the southeast city of Kufra.

In a statement to Turkey's Anadolu news agency, Sarraj called Friday's attack a crime that violated the sanctity of the grave and sowed discord in conflict-wracked Libya.

Sarraj urged Libya's Attorney General and authorities to initiate criminal proceedings to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The Premier also called on Libya's religious scholars, religious, political and social movements to deplore such criminal acts which he said drove citizens away from the spirit of Islam.

In the attack, an armed group stormed the shrine late on Friday dug up Senussi's grave and took his body to an unknown location, the Libya Observer reported.

Local residents pointed the finger at the Sobol al-Salam Brigade, an Islamist group that operates under the command of powerful warlord Khalifa Haftar and which controls most of Kufra.

Idris was King of Libya from 1951 to 1969 until he was ousted in a military coup led by late dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

--IANS/AKI

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A bill to revise salary and pensions of the High Court and Supreme Court judges was taken up for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid demand by MPs for hike in their salaries.

The High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2017 was introduced in the House by Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad last month.

After the minister moved the bill for discussion and passage, many members demanded a hike of their salaries.

Prasad said the government had taken note of the concern and expectations of members. "Surely, in the proper process, the course will be followed. What I want to tell the members is that here we sit for the entire country," he said.

He said the members should not give an impression that they would not revise salaries of others unless their own salaries were increased, to which Shiv Sena member Arvind Sawant said they "never said like this."

Congress member K. V. Thomas said there is a genuine demand regarding salaries and pensions of the members but he was not linking it to the bill under discusson.

The bill seeks to revise the salaries, gratuity, allowances, and pensions of the judges of the Supreme Court and high courts, as well as those who have retired.

The move will benefit 31 judges of the Supreme Court (including the Chief Justice of India) and 1,079 judges (including the Chief Justices) of high courts.

About 2,500 retired judges will also be benefited.

The bill follows the implementation of recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission in respect of civil servants.

Under the provisions of the bill, the Chief Justice of India will get a monthly salary of Rs 2.8 lakh from the present Rs 1 lakh and judges of the Supreme Court and chief justices of the high courts will draw a monthly salary of Rs 2.5 lakh from the present Rs 90,000.

The bill seeks to amend the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1958 and High Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Act, 1954.

--IANS

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A Bill for setting up a National Medical Commission to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) was sent to a standing committee of Parliament on Tuesday after request from several opposition parties, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar informed the Lok Sabha.

He also urged the Speaker to instruct the committee to give its report before the Budget Session of Parliament.

"All opposition parties have urged that the National Medical Commission Bill should be sent to a standing committee. On behalf of the government I will say we are ready to send it to a standing committee. But I have one request, there is a Supreme Court order, and the Standing Committee on Health also recommended that a Bill should be brought soon," the Minister said.

"To clean the medical education system, this Bill is needed. Tell the standing committee to give its recommendations before the Budget Session, so that we can pass it in the Budget Session," he said.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said that while a Parliamentary panel gets at least three months to look into a Bill, since this Bill was being sent to a panel for the second time, the report can come before the Budget session.

The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 will lead to constitution of a National Medical Commission to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Earlier, during the Zero Hour, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy raised the issue and urged the Chair to send the Bill to a standing committee.

He said the House should take cognizance of the strike by doctors against the Bill.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has 2.77 lakh members, which includes Corporate Hospitals, Poly clinics and Nursing homes, across the country, had called for a 12-hour shutdown of all private hospitals in the country on Tuesday to protest the "anti-people and anti-patient" NMC Bill.

The strike was called off after the government agreed to send the bill to a Parliamentary panel.

--IANS

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said she hoped for a fruitful budget session even as the opposition disrupted Governor N.N .Vohra's address to a joint session of the state assembly.

In a tweet, Mehbooba said: "I firmly believe that dialogue is the core of a strong and vibrant parliamentary democracy. Looking forward to a fructuous winter session of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly."

Despite appeals from Vohra to restore order, opposition National Conference and the Congress created a ruckus in the legislature to disrupt the Governor's address.

The opposition legislators staged a protest outside the legislature after waking out from the session.

--IANS

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A 37-year-old former Army officer on Tuesday bludgeoned six persons, including two women, to death in just two hours in Haryana's Palwal district, police said. The accused has been arrested.

Naresh Dhankar, a former Army Lieutenant who took voluntary retirement on medical grounds in 2003, was arrested from Adarsh Nagar here, Inspector General of Police (Rewari Range) C.S. Rao told the media.

The horrific crime took place within 100 metres of a police station early on Tuesday and was recorded on CCTV camera, leading to his arrest.

Armed with an iron rod, Dhankar was seen on CCTV entering a government hospital, some 80 km from New Delhi.

He first murdered a private security guard by hitting him on his head with an iron rod near the hospital, Rao said.

Around 2.30 a.m., dressed in a blue sweater and white trousers, Dhankar moved through the hospital corridor.

His second victim was a 35-year-old woman who had come to attend on a relative. She was found stretched out outside the Intensive Care Unit on the first floor of the hospital.

The next four murders took place in rapid succession -- the victims were security guards and beggars and a woman. All of them were found dead outside the hospital.

The accused also injured two policemen from a team that tried to arrest him.

Dhankar received a head injury when he was arrested. He might have been injured in a counter-attack by one of the deceased in self defence, the police said.

"He was not a psycho killer but has a criminal record," Rao said, adding that he used to frequently quarrel with his family members and neighbours.

The man was first admitted to the Palwal Hospital and then shifted to Badshah Khan Hospital in Faridabad.

"He was again shifted to Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital as his condition deteriorated following a brain haemorrhage," a senior doctor said.

"The motive behind the killings could not be ascertained immediately as the statement of the accused is yet to be recorded. Dhankar is unconscious," said a senior police officer.

--IANS

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Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected comments by Iran President Hassan Rouhani, who blamed Israel for standing behind the anti-government protests in Iran.

Netanyahu's remarks on Monday followed comments by Rouhani, who on Sunday accused the US and its two close allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia, of fuelling the recent unrest in Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

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 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 the US, 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 and against the US 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 US 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 12 people have been killed in rallies across Iran in protest against the regime.

--IANS

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Tuesday to discuss US President Donald Trump's move to cut all further aid to Islamabad on charges of harbouring terrorists.

The high-level meeting, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, was attended by the country's civilian and military leadership. Pakistan is expected to issue a response to Washington following the meeting, Geo News reported.

In his first tweet of 2018, Trump accused Pakistan of basing its relationship with the US on "nothing but lies and deceit".

"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.

"They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!, Trump tweeted on Monday.

According to reports, the NSC meeting was expected to be briefed by the Foreign Ministry on Pakistan's diplomatic efforts while the Director General Military Operations will detail the efforts taken in the fight against terrorism.

Pakistan's Ambassador the US Aizaz Chaudhry also arrived in Pakistan to attend the meeting.

On Monday, Pakistan's Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador David Hale to record a protest over Trump's tweet.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, replying to the President's tweet, said Pakistan would let the world know the truth. "There is a difference between facts and fiction."

Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir said Pakistan had extended unprecedented cooperation to the US to eliminate Al Qaeda from its soil and Afghanistan besides fighting the war against terror.

"Pakistan does not have any safe havens for terrorists", he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan accused Trump of "working on the agenda of Pakistan's enemies".

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a series of tweets said "the US was no longer interested in defeating terrorism".

Washington's latest move comes after the US was denied access to a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network in Pakistani custody.

According to the New York Times, the Haqqani member was one of the abductors who held an American and Canadian, along with their three children, hostage for five years.

US officials told the daily that the Americans demanded access to the man who they feel might have valuable information about the whereabouts of at least one other American hostage.

But Pakistani officials rejected the requests.

--IANS

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The Pakistan civil and military leadership is to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday over US President Donald Trumps tweet that accused Islamabad of "lies and deceit".

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will chair the huddle to discuss the future course of action, the media wing of the PM's Office said.

The meeting will be attended by Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, Minister for Defence, services chiefs besides, senior civil and military officers.

Trump on Monday accused Pakistan of giving safe heaven to the militants that US hunts in Afghanistan, saying: "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.

"They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

After the tweet, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said: "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly... Will let the world know the truth... Difference between facts and fiction."

This comes after the US administration was considering whether to withhold $255 million in aid to Pakistan as it feels Islamabad was not doing enough to counter terrorism.

Trump's senior administration officials met last month to decide what to do about the money. American officials said a final decision could be made in the coming weeks.

The latest move comes after the US has been denied access to a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network who is in Pakistan's custody.

According to the New York Times, the Haqqani member was one of the abductors who held an American and Canadian, along with their three children, hostage for five years.

US officials told the daily that the Americans demanded access to the man who they feel might have valuable information about the whereabouts of at least one other American hostage.

But Pakistani officials rejected the requests.

Trump has in the past threatened to withhold the aid to Pakistan as Washington accuses Islamabad of failure in cooperating on counterterrorism efforts.

--IANS

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In the wake of US President Donald Trumps tweet in which he accused Islamabad of "lies and deceit", Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister will chair the huddle to discuss the future course of action following the US President's scathing statement against Pakistan, a PM office statement said.

The moot will be attended by Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, Minister for Defence, services chiefs besides, senior civil and military officers, the PM office media wing said.

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.

--IANS

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ASoftware veteran Salil S. Parekh, who took over as the CEO and MD of Infosys on Tuesday, said he was excited to lead the IT major on its path of helping clients digitally reinvent themselves.

"I am excited to lead the company on its path of helping clients digitally reinvent themselves for sustained growth," said Parekh in his maiden address to nearly 2 lakh Infosys techies operating at its development centres the world over.

Admitting that 2018 got off to a great start for him as he began his journey as CEO of an iconic company, he told the Infoscions that each of them had an important role to play in the world of continuous technology disruptions.

Earlier, as Parekh took charge, senior executives, including Chief Operating Officer U.B. Pravin Rao, welcomed and greeted him at the company's corporate office in the Electronics City on the city's outskirts.

"Soon after the senior management briefed Parekh about the company's activities and made a presentation on its current business, he addressed the employees through video-conference," a company official told IANS.

The Infosys Board on December 2 appointed Parekh, 53, for the top executive post for five years with effect from January 2 to December 31, 2022.

Parekh is 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 last year.

The company, however, has not disclosed details of Parekh's annual compensation, including perks and stock options, if any, so far.

Prior to joining Infosys, Parekh was an executive board member of the Paris-headquartered global consulting, technology and IT firm Capgemini.

Co-founder and Chairman Nandan Nilekani has told Infoscions in an e-mail that Parekh had years of exemplary experience in various fields and his skills, expertise and leadership qualities were complimentary to the organisation.

"We are hopeful that this combination will be successful and we look forward to partnering with him on this journey," said Nilekani in the letter mailed on December 29.

Nilekani, 62, returned to Infosys on August 18 on the request of the revamped Board, after then non-executive Chairman R. Seshasayee, co-chairman Ravi Venkatesan and two Directors Jeffery S. Lehman and John Etchemendy resigned.

Nilekani, who was the company's CEO from March 2002 till April 2007 and its Vice-Chairman, resigned in July 2009 to head the Unique Identification Authority of India as its first Chairman till May 2014, said that when he returned in August, "I knew that the company I had left 8 years back would have changed in many ways".

Noting that 2017 was a great year with client wins and acquisitions, Nilekani said the company also saw turbulence in leadership and increased public visibility last year, but praised all employees "for focusing on the business and never letting internal developments come in the way of delivering great value to our clients".

"To me, 2017 was the year of the Infoscion," he said, adding that they "had started on a transformational journey, but some things remain the same -- our values, our commitment to learning and our focus on partnering with clients in a way that is unique to us".

Reminding the techies that they were at a juncture of transformational technology, he said it was not only software that was changing the world, but also data and algorithms.

"With our knowledge of emerging technology trends, we can be the provider of choice for our clients, helping them on their transformation to emerge as the preferred client partner in all spheres," he said, advising the techies to reskill as the world valued certain specialised skills in emerging trends.

Nilekani also exhorted Infoscions to keep innovating as there was so much to be gained by going above and beyond expectations of clients by providing transformative solutions in this disruptive era.

--IANS

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Blaming the Maharashtra administration for lapses leading to Monday's riots in Pune which left one dead, NCP President Sharad Pawar on Tuesday appealed for peace.

The violence erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima on January 1 during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of the East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits.

"Why did the administration not take adequate precautions for this event which has been celebrated peacefully for 200 years? Due to its lapses, there was confusion and rumour-mongering, resulting in the violence," the Nationalist Congress Party chief said.

Pawar suspected the involvement of anti-social elements taking advantage of the situation to indulge in violence, which started with stone-pelting. The administration was aware of the huge crowd coming for the event for the past three four days.

Several lakhs of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some right-wing groups carrying saffron flags.

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged.

The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district.

Rahul Fatangale, 28, from Nanded was killed in the incident. "This is highly condemnable. It is imperative for the political and social forces to deal with the situation calmly and without resorting to provocative statements that could worsen matters," Pawar said.

--IANS

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Thousands of out-patients were affected across Karnataka on Tuesday due to a private doctors' strike against a new medical bill.

Hundreds of private hospitals across the state shut their Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) to protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017, that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Most of the private hospitals would not operate their OPDs between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, said President of the Karnataka chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) H.N. Ravindra.

"There has been a good response to our strike call from private hospitals where the OPDs will remain shut for 12 hours, though a few corporate hospitals in Bengaluru like Apollo, Fortis and Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) are functioning normally," Ravindra told the media here.

The strike across the state comes after the IMA on Monday called for a 12-hour shutdown of all private hospitals in the country against the NMC Bill, that was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

"NMC is an anti-poor bill with pro-private management clauses. A bill to regulate the medical education and medical practice without concurrence of the medical profession that will be a disaster," said a statement from the association on Monday.

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.

--IANS

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Complaints have come in against banks of their branches of refusing to accept coins for transactions, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla, however, also told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply that these complaints were of a general nature and that no specific complaints had been received against any particular bank.

"The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that it has been receiving general complaints from the public against banks for non-accepting coins," he said, adding that the RBI had advised commercial banks to accept coins for transactions and exchange at all their branches.

Besides, the RBI's regional offices (ROs) have also been instructed to advise controllers of banks in their jurisdiction to accept coins at all the branches, Shukla said.

The RBI's ROs have also been advised to open counters to accept coins from the public, he added.

--IANS

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Income Tax raids on human hair exporters in Karnataka recently resulted in disclosure of Rs 65 crore and seizure of crores in cash and jewellery from them, said an official on Tuesday.

"Tax evasion even on income from hair offered by devotees in temples was found by our investigation directorate teams," said Joint Director G. Ramesh in a statement here.

The tax sleuths raided hair exporters in the state and seized Rs 2.5 crore in cash, jewellery valued at Rs 5 crore and 140kg silver from their residences.

"Inmates of women's hostels in the state were also found to be in the business of cutting their long locks and selling them to earn easy money," said Ramesh.

Besides from temples, the exporters bought human hair from beauty parlours and shipped it to Africa and European countries where fascination for dry hair is high for weaves, wigs and extensions.

The dry hair market worldwide was estimated to be a whopping $6 billion (Rs 38,400 crore) in 2015.

"The search teams also found evidence of tax evasion by the hair exporters for many years," said Ramesh.

For instance, exporters did not account for second quality sales and wastage sales and have not declared income on them in their income tax returns.

"The Directorate General of the Income Tax in the Karnataka-Goa region is carrying further investigation to ascertain tax evasion by the exporetrs," added Ramesh.

--IANS

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Pandemonium marred Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra's opening address to a joint session of the assembly here as the opposition raised slogans against the "failure on all fronts" of the PDP-BJP state government and staged a walkout.

As Vohra started his address to begin the Budget session, members of the National Conference and Congress stood up shouting slogans against the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government.

They shouted "PDP-BJP Hai Hai' and obstructed Vohra's speech before walking out of the House. Vohra later delivered his address to the bicameral House.

The legislature was scheduled to take up obituary references to former members who passed away since it met the last time.

Earlier, Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was sworn in as a member of the state Legislative Council, the Upper House.

Tassaduq Mufti has already been inducted into the state cabinet and he has been assigned the Tourism portfolio.

Speaking to the media after staging a walkout from the legislature, Ali Muhammad Sagar, legislator and senior NC leader said: "We have walked out of the session against the failure of the state government.

"State government has failed on every front. Today's protest has been staged to tell the government that it has failed in giving even basic amenities to people."

Both the NC and Congress legislators staged a sit-in outside the legislature after walking out of the House.

--IANS

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South Korean authorities on Tuesday proposed a high-level dialogue with North Korea on January 9 in the truce village of Panmunjom.

"The government proposes holding a senior-level inter-governmental dialogue of the South and the North (Koreas) on January 9 at the Peace House in Panmunjom," Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told a press conference.

The Peace House is a building in Panmunjom controlled by South Korea, reports Efe news.

The dialogue overture comes a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year address that Pyongyang was willing to take necessary measures, including dispatch of delegation to the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics.

Cho anticipated that the two Koreas would frankly discuss issues of mutual concern, inter-Korean relations as well as the issue on North Korea's participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in South Korea's PyeongChang county in February .

The minister said communication channels between the two Koreas in Panmunjom should be restored immediately to hold the inter-Korean, inter-governmental talks, suggesting to discuss details on the January 9 dialogue, such as setting agenda and forming delegations through the restored communication channels.

All inter-Korean communication channels have been severed since the previous South Korean government under impeached President Park Geun-hye decided unilaterally to close down the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to North Korea's fourth nuclear test in January 2016.

--IANS

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As India marks 25 years of its partnership with Asean and in keeping with its Act East Policy, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will visit Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore from January 4-8, it was announced on Tuesday.

According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, Sushma Swaraj will visit Thailand on January 4-5 during the course of which she will hold a meeting with Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai.

"All aspects of bilateral relations with Thailand will be discussed with particular focus on political, defence and economic ties and on further enhancing India's engagement with Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries," the statement said, adding that Thailand would assume the role of coordinator country for India-Asean relations in the middle of this year.

During her Indonesia visit from January 5-6, Sushma Swaraj will co-chair the fifth meeting of the India-Indonesia Joint Commission with her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi.

The Ministers will also inaugurate the second meeting of the Asean-India Network of Think Tanks. She will also call on Indonesian President Joko Widodo and have other official engagements, including an interaction with representatives of the Indian community.

The Indian Minister also meet the new Secretary General of Asean Lim Jock Hoi, the statement said, adding: "As the biggest country in the Asean region with the largest economy, Indonesia is an important partner for India including in trade and strategic matters. In recent times, there has been intensive engagement between the two countries bilaterally, as well as plurilaterally."

It said the Joint Commission meeting and other engagements of Sushma Swaraj would enable the two countries to chart out the course of partnership during the year 2018.

She will visit Singapore from January 6-8 during which she will inaugurate the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) of Asean countries on January 7. The theme of this year's event is "Ancient Route, New Journey: Diaspora in the Dynamic Asean-India Partnership".

Sushma Swaraj will have bilateral meetings with the leaders in Singapore and also interact with PIO delegations from Asean countries, who will be participating in the PBD.

According to the statement, the Regional PBD is a large scale event covering a wide range of sectors including political relations, economic ties and investment, tourism and culture, connectivity, start-ups and science and technology.

"PIO delegations from all Asean countries, including ministers, eminent personalities, business and socio-political leaders are participating in the event," the statement said.

On all three legs of her visit, Sushma Swaraj will share with her interlocutors relevant information about the forthcoming Asean-India Commemorative Summit in New Delhi on January 25 which marks 25 years of the establishment of Dialogue Partnership between India and the 10-nation regional bloc.

A series of events has been organized by the External Affairs Ministry over the last year to celebrate this jubilee in different Indian cities and also Asean countries, which will culminate with the Summit in New Delhi. India has also invited the leaders of the Asean countries for the Republic Day parade this year.

--IANS

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Tribal students from Tripura will for the first time perform their traditional dance at the Republic Day parade on January 26, an official said here on Tuesday.

"In all 150 tribal students of 25 schools from three Tripura districts will for the first time perform traditional 'Sangrai dance' in the Republic Day parade," Information and Cultural Affairs Department official Kumar Sinha told IANS.

He said the students led by 25 teachers left here on Monday for New Delhi, where they would take part in a 21-day rehearsal, supervised by the Defence Ministry.

'Sangrai dance' is performed by the 'Mog' tribal community on the occasion of Sangrai festival during the month of Chaitra (in April) of the Bengali calendar year. Young boys and girls in particular, celebrate the event through colourful cultural programmes to invite the new Bengali year.

The Mogs are one of the 19 tribes in Tripura. Tribals or Adivasis constitute a third of Tripura's 3.7 million people.

Sinha said the Tripua students are the only ones from the entire eastern region selected to perform at the Republic Day parade this year.

He said that the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre extended their help to send the Tripura dance troupe to Delhi.

--IANS

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Two activists of a right wing Hindu outfit were arrested for assaulting two teenage girls for allegedly interacting with Muslim youths here on Tuesday, police said.

"We have arrested two men who were assaulting two young students at Pilikula (northeastern part of Mangaluru). The men claim to be members of Hindu organisation Bajrang Dal," Mangaluru Police Commissioner T.R. Suresh told IANS.

The police have registered a First Information Report under sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person).

"The youngsters studying at a Pre-University (PU) college in Talipady (about 23km south of Mangaluru) are said to have been attacked for meeting their male friends, who are Muslims. We are carrying out an inquiry into the incident," Suresh added.

A video showing four men, with one of them assaulting the students, was shared on social media on Tuesday. The video also shows a policeman trying to stop the men.

--IANS

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Violence returned to West Bengal's Bhangar on Tuesday, only three days after a peace rally was organised by the Trinamool Congress, as the leaders of the anti-power grid movement in the area accused the ruling party of attacking and terrorising villagers.

"The miscreants' group backed by local Trinamool Congress leader Arabul Islam attacked the villagers with guns and bombs in Bhangar's Machibhanga and Khamarait villages without any provocation.

"They also vandalised the movement committee's office in Natunhat and set the furniture on fire," Sarmistha Chowdhury, a leader of Jami, Jibika, Poribesh O Bastutantra Rakha Committee -- a platform for villagers backed by Maoist outfit CPI(ML) Red Star, told IANS.

"The attacks are conducted to terrorise the villagers ahead of the committee's rally to be held on January 4 against the power grid. Senior Trinamool leaders like Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta was himself present during the attack by their men," she claimed.

Dutta, however, could not be contacted for his comments.

The two villages have been the epicentre of a movement against setting up of a power grid sub-station in the area by the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) and witnessed large-scale violence over the last one year.

Tension started mounting in Bhangar in early 2017 over "forced" acquisition of 16 acres of farmland -- spread in the villages of Khamarait, Machhi Bhanga, Tona and Padmapukur -- by the state government for the proposed PGCIL sub-station.

--IANS

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The on Tuesday made a record of sorts as it took up all the Zero Hour issues and special mentions listed in the agenda for that period, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said.

"The today made a history. For the first time, all Zero Hour submissions, all Special Mentions were fully completed," said Naidu amid thumping of desks by members in the House of Elders.

Naidu said this record depended on the cooperation of the members.

"Your cooperation is good, so my operation was very smooth...that's why the House was able to set this record," he said.

The Chairman expressed hope that in future too, the members would not waste time and stick to the schedule.

Before taking up the Question Hour, he also suggested that the ministers concerned should go through the Zero Hour submissions and Special Mentions and reply to the members at the earliest as it would enhance the productivity of the House.

Uproarious scenes and adjournments have been witnessed on several occasions in the past two weeks due to various reasons during the ongoing Winter Session of Parliament.

In all, the House took up all the 10 listed and one additional Zero Hour submissions on Tuesday.

The members also paid obituary reference to a former member of the House, R Margabandu.

In his Zero Hour mention, Naresh Agrawal (SP) highlighted the "plight" of media persons, particularly those working at the district level.

He said there was a trend to hire correspondents on a contractual basis and there was no provision for pension or provident fund for them. Those working at the district level were paid according to the number of stories approved.

Agrawal said media supports the government and if a correspondent writes facts, the pressure is built to get them removed.

The SP member also said nine prominent journalists, including Gauri Lankesh and Naveen Gupta, were killed.

He also alleged that media persons who were injured in the violence while covering court proceedings relating to self- styled preacher Ram Rahim in Panchkula were not paid for their hospital treatment.

Senior Congress member T Subbarami Reddy highlighted "frequent" close shave at various airports involving aircraft.

In his Special Mention, Motilal Vora (Congress) raised the issue of infant deaths in hospitals of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat among others.

Other members who made Special Mentions included Ram Nath Thakur (JD-U), R Vaithilingam (AIADMK), Naryana Lal Panchariya (BJP) Husain Dalwai and Chhaya Verma (both Cong).
Over 16,900 kgs of narcotics including 140 kgs of heroin and 374 kgs of cannabis items were seized and 1,213 people were arrested in 888 cases during anti-drug drives in 2017 in Jammu and Kashmir, the state police said today.

"We have launched a war against drugs and drug peddlers across the state. A total of 1213 persons have been arrested in 888 cases registered against drug peddlers (in 2017)," Director General of Police (DGP) J&K, S P Vaid said in a tweet.

He said that 147 kgs of cannabis, 8,259 kgs of poppy, 140 kgs of heroin or brown sugar, 201 kgs of ganja were seized by the police during the period.

Similarly, 24,7341 intoxicant capsules and tablets besides 8,149 kgs of opium derivatives, 12,913 codeine phosphate bottles and 1,285 injections were also seized, he said.

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The AAP government and the Lieutenant Governor's office today engaged in heated arguments over a scheme proposing free medical surgeries and tests at private hospitals in case of delay in government facilities, setting the stage for another round of confrontation between the two sides.

Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that Lt. Governor (L-G) Anil Baijal has objected to the scheme without discussing either with the chief minister or the minister concerned, and has asked the department to include income criteria for people to avail benefits under the 'quality health for all' scheme.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that if the income criteria was introduced, it would practically "kill" the scheme.

Refuting the government's charges, the L-G's office said that he had not asked it to seek income certificates from those availing benefits under the scheme, and noted that the AAP dispensation was free to choose an appropriate income level that does not exclude the middle class and the poor from the scheme.

Addressing a press conference here, Jain said the introduction of an income criteria will make implementation of this scheme "extremely cumbersome" as verification of patients' incomes would increase paper work.

"The L-G raised objections without discussing either with the CM or the minister concerned, and has asked the department to include income criteria for people to avail benefits under the quality health for all scheme," Jain said.

Responding to Jain's allegations, the L-G's office said that Baijal had not imposed any condition of requirement of income certificate for availing the scheme, adding that he always supported positive initiatives.

"Incorporation of a suitable income criteria was suggested by the L-G on the basis of recommendation of the planning and finance departments.

"No government can have unlimited resources. Therefore, it is important that the resources of the government are used first to help the poor and the needy. The affluent sections of the society should not crowd out the deserving poor," the L- G's office said in a statement.

It also stated that it was really strange to note that the elected government is of the view that the resources of the state should be used to provide financial assistance to the rich people staying in posh colonies.

The scheme was passed by the Cabinet on December 12 and was subsequently sent to Baijal for approval.

It has been proposed that if the date for a surgery is not given by a government hospital to a patient within a month, then he can get it done from any of the private hospitals empanelled for this purpose.

Under the scheme, a patient can be referred to a private lab to undergo tests free of cost if there is no such facility at mohalla and poly clinics.

"If income criteria is introduced, it wud practically kill this scheme. It will also kill mohalla clinics and polyclinics. That wud be v sad(sic)," Kejriwal tweeted.

Meanwhile, a government official said that till November last year, more than 11,000 residents availed the benefit of getting their high-end diagnostic radiological tests done in empanelled private labs on being referred by Delhi government health facilities.

According to the L-G's office, an easier way out for the government was to allow residents to avail the benefits of the scheme on the basis of self certification.

"The government should trust the people and there should not be any need of income certificate," the L-G's office added.

Late last month, the Lt. Governor sent back to the Delhi government a proposal for doorstep delivery of public services for reconsideration, with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia terming it a "huge setback" to the AAP dispensation's efforts to providing graft-free governance.

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Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will chair Cabinet and the National Security Committee meetings to discuss Pakistan's response to US President Donald Trump's accusation that Islamabad deceived America by sheltering terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid.

Trump yesterday tore into Pakistan accusing it of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for 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 White House later said the US has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's decisive action against terrorists.

Radio Pakistan reported that Abbasi would preside over a meeting of the federal cabinet today, which will discuss among other things, national security issue.

Official sources said that Trump's remarks would be the main point of discussion in the meeting.

The cabinet meeting will be followed by the meeting of National Security Committee (NSC) tomorrow. The Prime Minister will chair the NSC moot which will review in detail the security situation of the country and the region.

The meeting will be attended by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir-Khan, services chiefs and senior civil and military officers.

Sources said that the NSC meeting will help to firm up the final response to the latest accusation by the US.

In August, Trump had accused Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorists.

Pakistan has been cautious in reacting to the latest remarks by Trump and so far only Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has on the record spoke about it.

"We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction..," Asif tweeted yesterday.

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On and off squabbling between allies Telugu Desam Party and BJP was one of the notable political features in Andhra Pradesh in 2017.

The TDP is part of the NDA government at the Centre while the BJP is a coalition partner in the state but theirs had been a love-hate relationship.

While state BJP leaders had been open in their attack of the TDP, the latter could only vent its "frustration" in private, careful not to antagonise the former's national leadership.

Whenever some of his party leaders tried to hit back at the BJP, TDP supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu only chided them, asking them not to speak anything against their "friend".

As political observers see, the TDP needs the BJP more than the other way round and Chandrababu obviously finds himself in a "disadvantageous" position when it comes to getting things done by the Centre.

"He used to literally dictate terms when the TDP supported the NDA government between 1999 and 2004 but not now. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi emerging stronger, Chandrababu finds himself even more in a helpless position," political analyst N R Krishna points out.

Privately, even senior leaders of the TDP agree that the relationship between Chandrababu and Modi is "strained". Despite repeated requests at regular intervals, the prime minister did not grant an appointment to Chandrababu for a one-on-one meeting to discuss state issues in the last few months.

"This is a clear indicator of how things are. From our side we are very clear but we don't know what their plans are," a senior minister observed.

Things may not be well at the central level but politically the TDP seems to be growing stronger in Andhra Pradesh with the "there is no alternative" factor being played up by the ruling party.

The principal opposition YSR Congress looked unmatched in political strategy in taking on the TDP though its leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy launched a 3,000-km paada yatra (foot march) in November to garner people's support to fulfill his ambition of becoming the chief minister.

But the TDP drilled more holes into the YSRC, whose more than 10 MLAs switched ranks this year, taking the grand total to 23 in the last two years (one of whom died this March).

Four of the 22 YSRC MLAs (they are officially still listed so) were inducted into the Chandrababu Cabinet in April. The state Cabinet now comprises members of TDP, BJP and YSRC.

Incidentally, the chief minister's son Nara Lokesh too was made a minister after he was elected to the Legislative Council in March.

Chandrababu's critics and the Opposition termed 2017 as a year of hype.

At the Partnership Summit in February memoranda of understanding were signed for 591 projects with a total (planned) investment of Rs 7,67,273 crore that were supposed to create 15,08,916 jobs.

Only 50 out of 591 projects actually went into production (as per the CM Office Realtime Executive Dashboard), and 61 per cent of the proposed ventures did not move beyond the 'preliminary stage'.

"Chandrababu releases a helium-filled balloon advertising that investments are pouring in by the billions, only to hoodwink people. His numerous foreign trips have only ended up with big zero in new investment (into the state)," claimed former Speaker Nadendla Manohar, who is from the Congress.

"Be it the London Eye or the bullet train... Chandrababu promised to get everything on the planet to Amaravati. He even said Amaravati would host the 2018 Olympics. Such is the hype he creates and its a habit with him," Public Accounts Committee Chairman Buggana Rajendranath Reddy observed.

"He first promised to make Amaravati a Singapore, then Astana, New York and what not. The amount of hype is evident in this and he has a favourably-inclined media that propagates it," he added.

Film star Pawan Kalyan, who runs the Jana Sena Party, promised to devote full time to from October but, busy as he is with the shooting of his latest movie, toured the state only for four days early December.

Kalyan announced he would contest the 2019 elections and also field his party candidates in a few constituencies but still remained vague on whether he would take the fight alone.

In 2014, the Jana Sena did not contest the polls but supported the TDP-BJP combine, contributing largely to its victory. Kalyan is still building his party set up and may come out with clear political plans in 2018, preparing adequately for the 2019 battle.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
An arrest warrant was today issued against a former deputy police chief in Nepal for allegedly submitting forged documents for promotion.

Former Deputy Inspector General of Police Nawaraj Silwal, who has been recently elected to Parliament on a CPN-UML ticket is facing charges of using forged documents for his promotion.

Kathmandu Metropolitan Police has written a letter to the Lalitpur Metropolitan Police Office to arrest Silwal, who resides in Lalitpur district.

The Supreme Court had ordered the government to initiate action against Silwal concluding that the performance appraisal documents he submitted to the apex court seeking promotion were falsified, myRepublica reported.

Following the verdict, the office of Attorney General had given nod to initiate action against newly elected lawmaker in line with the SCs verdict.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Bangladesh's 50-member Cabinet was today expanded with three lawmakers being inducted as ministers in the Sheikh Hasina government.

With a little more than a year left of the governments term, President Md Abdul Hamid administered their oath of office at Bangabhaban presidential palace in a ceremony, which was also attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

With the latest inclusion, the Awami League government has now a cabinet of 53 members with 33 ministers, 17 state minister and two deputy ministers.

ICT specialist and entrepreneur Mustafa Jabbar and ruling Awami League lawmaker AKM Shajahan Kamal were sworn in as ministers while another lawmaker of the party Kazi Keramat was appointed as a state minister.

In past two years, speculations on a cabinet reshuffle were heard several times, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina brought no major changes to the council of ministers, the bdnews reported.

The Awami League government started its second term by forming a cabinet of 49 members on Jan 12, 2014.

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BJP MP Nepal Singh today triggered a row with his comments that Army personnel die daily and that there is no country where it does not happen.

The remarks of Singh, who represents Rampur in the Lok Sabha, gave the Opposition a handle to attack the Modi government in Parliament with the Congress demanding an apology.

To a question about the deaths of Army personnel in terror attacks, Singh said, "They die daily in the Army. Is there a country where army men do not die in fights? Somebody will receive injuries even in a fight in a village."



His comments have embarrassed the BJP for which nationalism is a core plank.

Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia raised the issue during the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha and attacked the government, saying Singh's comments showed that it was not serious about the lives of the armed forces personnel.

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A three-day coordination meeting of the BJP and the RSS will be held in Ujjain from tomorrow with party chief Amit Shah and top Sangh officials likely to attend.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) affiliates such as Swadeshi Jagran Manch, Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, Sahakar Bharati, Akhil Bharatiya Grahak Panchayat and Laghu Udyog Bharti will present their reports on the government's polices during the meeting, sources in the Sangh said.

The meeting was called to deliberate and discuss the state of national economy, political situation in the country and relations with neighbouring nations, they said.

A senior office bearer in one of the Sangh-affiliated organisations said the meeting assumes significance as it is being called just few weeks ahead of the Union budget.

Sources also indicated that there may be deliberations on the recent results of the state assembly elections, especially Gujarat.

Besides BJP chief Amit Shah, senior Sangh office bearers -- Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi (number two in the RSS hierarchy), Dattatreya Hosabale, Krishna Gopal (RSS joint general secretaries), are expected to attend the meeting.

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The bulk of NPAs of banks have arisen out of loans given before April 1, 2014, due to aggressive lending and without proper risk assessment and even without being backed by securities, the government today said in the Rajya Sabha.

Replying to questions on rising NPAs of banks, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made it clear that the government has not written off any bank loan and the liability of the borrowers for repayment of these loans remained.

"One thing is clear that there has been an aggressive lending practice and at times laxity and at times lack of risk assessment as far as grant of loans are concerned. And, that is why a very large number of these loans became NPAs. Many of them are not backed by adequate securities also," he told the Upper House during the Question Hour.

"Qua the borrower, the liability remains. But the banks change the identity of the loan to ensure that income tax relief is sought by the bank. One should clear this misconception from the mind that the government or the banks have waived of Rs 55,000 crore," he told the members.

To a question by SAD member Naresh Gujral on why a forensic audit of big loan defaulters cannot be ordered, Jaitley said "you cannot have a fishing inquiry into a transaction to find out what went wrong".

Whenever specific facts have come to notice as far as banking industry is concerned, he said both the regulator and banks and the investigative agencies have been accordingly taking action from time to time.

Noting that the NPA debate will never end, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram asked whether performing loans as on March 31, 2014, have become non-performing later and whether that is a scam.

Taking on record the minister's claim that earlier the regulation was lax and the asset regulation value has now been made stricter, he asked whether the minister has the data now or will he furnish it to the House later as to how many loans given by banks after April 1, 2014 have become NPA today.

"Obviously, the question does not relate to loans given with regard to particular dates. But, it is absolutely clear that bulk of these NPAs have arisen out of loans that were given prior to April 1, 2014," Jaitley said in reply.

In his written reply, Jaitley said as a result of transparent recognition of NPAs, the NPA amount of public sector banks rose from Rs 2.16 lakh crore (domestic) as on March 31, 2014 to Rs 7.33 lakh crore (global) as on September 30, 2017.

As per the list provided to the House, Jaitley said the gross NPAs (global) of State Bank of India is the highest at Rs 1,86,115 crore, followed by Rs 57,630 crore of Punjab National Bank and Bank of India of Rs 49,307 crore as on September 30.

Against this, the SBI has gross NPAs (domestic) of Rs 76,030 crore, followed by PNB with Rs 18,611 crore and Central Bank of India with Rs 11,500 crore and Rs 10,274 crore of Bank of India, as on March 31, 2014.

Earlier, while replying to Neeraj Shekhar (SP) who asked if government would order a probe into the alleged scam on NPAs during UPA, he said in 2015, the Reserve Bank of India reviewed asset quality of all banks and found many such assets shown as performing assets in the accounts had been non- performing and should be accounted as NPAs.

This, he said, is the first reason for rise in NPAs and the second reason for the rise is the interest added to it.

Jaitley said the banks did aggressive lending and some accounts defaulted willfully as they did not make proper risk assessment.

"Whatever action is to be taken as per law is being taken and even criminal liability has been fixed. The process of recovery in cases of business losses is also being carried out," he said.

The Finance Minister also made it clear that neither the government, nor the banks waive off any corporate loans.

"No one waives the loan. After four years when the loan is non-performing and its recovery is bleak, then its category is changed, but the recovery liability remains," he said.

When CPI's D Raja asked why the government does not reveal the names of wilful defaulters and why it cannot treat it as a criminal offence and proceed accordingly, Jaitley said the names of wilful defaulters are regularly given by the banks themselves.

"Let us remove this misconception. As far as normal banking transactions are concerned, there is a certain kind of confidentiality. With regard to wilful defaulters are concerned, there is a separate category with regard to which no secrecy is maintained," he said.
China's first emperor Ying Zheng sanctioned a nation-wide search for the elixir of life more than 2,000 years ago, by issuing an executive order that sought answers from local governments, scientists say.

Researchers from Hunan Institute of Archaeology and China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences discovered wooden slips in China's Hunan province containing the emperor's order.

According to the calligraphic script on the narrow wooden slips, a village called "Duxiang" reported that no miraculous potion had been found yet and implied that the search would continue.

Another place, "Langya," in present day eastern Shandong Province near the sea, presented a herb collected from an auspicious local mountain.

The discovery also demonstrated the emperor's centralisation of authority, the state-run 'Xinhua' agency reported.

"It required a highly efficient administration and strong executive force to pass down a government decree in ancient times when transportation and communication facilities were undeveloped," Zhang said.

Ying Zheng was the first person to unify China and declared himself Qin Shihuang, or the first emperor of Qin Dynasty (221 BC - 207 BC).

To consolidate his power, he standardized the system of weights and measures, and issued currency.

A previous study of the slips suggested the Qin Dynasty already had a mail service, probably even express delivery.

Over 36,000 wooden slips, with more than 200,000 Chinese characters written on them, were discovered in June 2002 in an abandoned well in western Hunan.

The slips dated from 222 BC to 208 BC and covered politics, military, economy, law, culture and medicine.

The new discoveries shed light upon China's ancient medical history and fill in some gaps regarding the emperor's governance, Zhang said.

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The country's renewable energy capacity stood at 62.05 GW by November 2017, which includes 32.75 GW of wind energy and 16.61GW of solar power, Parliament was informed today.

"A total of 62.05 GW of renewable energy capacity has been installed as on November 30, 2017 which includes 32.75 GW from wind, 16.61 GW from solar, 8.29 GW from bio-power and 4.40 GW from small hydro power (up to 25 MW)," Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha today.

The minister informed the House that the power generated from these sources is fed into the grid and then utilised by distribution companies to provide the same to consumers.

The government has fixed a target of installing 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, which includes 100 GW from solar, 60 GW from wind, 10 GW from Bio-power and 5 GW from Small Hydro power.

In a separate reply to the House, Singh said that tidal energy cannot be presently harnessed on commercial basis due to high capital cost ranging from Rs 30 crore to 60 crore per MW.

Solar, wind and thermal power cost around Rs 6 crore per MW for creating new capacities as per industry information



Singh told the House that there is an estimated potential of about 8000 MW of tidal energy with 7000 MW in the Gulf of Kambhat, 1200 MW in the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, and about 100 MW in the Gangetic delta in Sunderbans in West Bengal.

The minister also told the House that the peak power supply deficit in April-November this fiscal was 2 per cent in the country as 160.75 billion units (BU) was supplied against the peak demand of 164.06 BU.

Similarly, he informed the house that energy deficit was recorded at 0.7 per cent in April-November this fiscal as 809.49 BU was supplied against the demand of 815.34 BU.

According to the load generation balancing report of the Central Electricity Authority for 2017-18, India would become power surplus nation.

It had said, "All India power supply position indicates that the country is likely to have a peak surplus of 6.8 per cent and energy surplus of 8.8 per cent.

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Coal India may miss out on meeting its production target of 600 million tonnes in 2017-18, going by the production pattern during the first nine months of the year.

Provisional figures for the April-December 2017 period showed it has produced 383.93 million tonnes of the fossil fuel, falling short of the 406.58 MT target by six per cent.

However, during the nine-month period, it clocked a 1.6 per cent growth in production from 377.77 MT produced in the same period last year.

A CIL official said the company is striving to make up the shortfall by producing in excess of 2 MT per day.

According to the data, the miner produced 54.63 MT of coal in December, missing the production target of 58.89 MT for the month by seven per cent.

With better availability of rail rakes and upstick in demand, the miner achieved a 7.6 per cent growth in off-take to 421.41 MT during the first nine months of the current fiscal, as compared to 391.78 MT during the same period last year.

Brokerage firm IIFL said in a report that there is a strong possibility that CIL would miss its annual production target.

CIL was given a production target of 600 million tonnes for FY'18, an annual growth of 8.3 per cent over FY'17.

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The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 2.5 million on Koda, who was present in the court, and granted him interim bail till the next date of hearing this month with a direction that he will not leave the country.

The order came on Koda's plea seeking suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court.

Koda, who was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), also challenged the December 13 and 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence respectively, which was admitted by the high court.

The former chief minister was granted bail by a trial court till January 18.

In his appeal, Koda said the trial court order holding him guilty was bad in law.

The appeal and stay on the fine were opposed by CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema. The agency, however, did not oppose interim bail granted to Koda till January 22.

The high court had on December 22, 2017, stayed a trial court order imposing a fine of Rs 5 million on VISUL in the case till the next date of hearing.

The high court on December 20 had sought response of the CBI on an appeal by Koda's close aide Vijay Joshi against the trial court's order awarding him three years jail term in the coal scam case.

All the pleas filed so far in connection with this matter will be heard on January 22.

Koda, ex-coal secretary H C Gupta, A K Basu, former Jharkhand chief secretary, and Joshi were awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based company.

While sentencing the convicts, the special court had said: "white collar crimes" were more "dangerous" to the society than ordinary crimes.

It had imposed fines of Rs 5 million, Rs 2.5 million and Rs 0.1 million on VISUL, Koda and Gupta respectively in the UPA-era coal scam. Rs 0.1 million fine was also imposed on Basu.

The convicts were granted statutory bail for a period of two months to enable them to file appeals in the Delhi High Court.

So far, four out of 30 coal block allocation scam cases have been decided by the special court, including this order, and 12 people and four companies have been held guilty.

The convicts were tried for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the offence of cheating carries a maximum punishment of seven years jail term, criminal breach of trust by public servants entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The CBI had said that the firm had applied for allocation of Rajhara North coal block on January 8, 2007.

It had said that although the Jharkhand government and the steel ministry did not recommend VISUL's case for coal block allocation, the 36th Screening Committee recommended the block to the accused firm.

The CBI had said that Gupta, who was chairman of the screening committee, had concealed facts from then prime minister Manmohan Singh, who at that time headed the coal ministry too, that Jharkhand had not recommended VISUL for allocation of a coal block.
The Congress today demanded an unconditional apology from BJP MP Nepal Singh for his reported comments that army jawans should expect death because of the profession they are in.

During the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the comments by the BJP MP reflected that the government was not serious about the lives of the armed forces personnel.

"The remarks by the BJP MP are not accpetable. He must tender an unconditional apology," Scindia said while raising the issue of the terror attack on a CRPF battalion in Pulwama on Sunday.

Singh, who represents Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had reportedly said "these things happen", while replying to a question about deaths of security personnel in the attack.

Scindia said terrorists have been targeting military establishments in the last couple of years but the government is not strengthening security around them which shows that the current dispensation does not respect the lives of armed forces personnel.

"They had earlier said 'we will get at 10 heads (from Pakistan) for one'. Now they are allowing the security personnel to die," said Scindia.

Rebutting the Congress leader's allegations, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar accused the opposition of politicising the issue, asserting that government has high regards for the armed forces.

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Constable Sudarshan Shinde, who put his life at stake to save some of those trapped in the fire at an upscale pub here last week, has been lauded for his exemplary courage by the Mumbai Police.

Mumbai Police Commissioner Dattatray Padsalgikar and Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar felicitated Shinde for his efforts yesterday.

A deadly blaze broke out at a pub in the Kamala Mills compound on Friday last, claiming 14 lives.

According to police, Shinde, who was on patrolling duty nearby, rushed to the spot on getting information about the mishap.

When some persons trapped inside the pub turned on the torchlights in their mobile phones, the policeman went inside in that direction.

He then managed to rescue some of the unconscious persons by pulling them out on his shoulders, police said.

The mayor, while lauding Shinde's courage, said the constable did not care for his own life while discharging his duty.

"You have shown indomitable will as well as bravery and therefore I, being the first citizen of the city, am proud of you. I along with the people of Mumbai acknowledge your heroic efforts," Mahadeshwar said in a letter of appreciation addressed to Shinde.

The constable, meanwhile, said he was happy that he was able to save some lives, but at the same time disheartened that 14 people died in the blaze.

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CRPF Director-General Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar today visited the camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir where three Jaish-e-Mohammad militants killed five paramilitary personnel in a pre-dawn attack on Sunday.

Bhatnagar was briefed on the counter operation launched by the troopers following the attack, a CRPF spokesman said.

The operation lasted for nearly 36 hours and ended last evening with the recovery of the body of the third militant. The bodies of two terrorists had been recovered on Sunday.

"The DG took stock of the buildings and the incident site. He was briefed about the sequence of events and how all the three terrorists were neutralised and what roles were played by different (security) teams," he said.

Bhatnagar praised the bravery of the officers and the jawans who participated in the operation, the spokesman said.

He honoured them with the DG's Commendation Disc and Certificate. Cash rewards were also given to the jawans, the spokesman said.

Five CRPF personnel were killed and three injured when heavily-armed militants had attacked the Lethpora camp.

The DG assured "best possible care" to the family of the soldiers who died in the attack, he added.

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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today offered prayer at the Maha Bodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment about 2500 years ago.

The Dalai Lama arrived here yesterday after concluding his tour of Sarnath in Varanasi, where Buddha had delivered his first sermon after enlightenment.

He visited the Maha Bodhi temple at around 10 a m and was presented with a 'khata', the traditional ceremonial scarf, on behalf of the temple authorities.

The Dalai Lama then went to the temple's sanctum sanctorum and spent nearly 30 minutes there praying and meditating, Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee member Arvind Kumar Singh said.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner would stay at Bodh Gaya for around a month, Singh said.

The Dalai Lama's programmes during this period include discourses during January 4 and 7 and again between January 14 and 17, he said adding that people from various places are likely to visit Bodh Gaya to pay obeisance to the spiritual leader.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has instructed the authorities to make adequate security arrangements in the pilgrim town during the Dalai Lama's stay.

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Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's visit and China's protest, the Chakma-Hajong refugee issue, boundary dispute with neighbouring Assam and IAF chopper crash were some issues that kept Arunachal Pradesh in during 2017.

Amid strong protest from China, the Dalai Lama on April 4 visited the state and delivered religious discourse and preaching during his seven-day stay in the state.

A few days later, the Arunachal Pradesh government strongly denounced China's move to 'standardised' official names for six places in the state, which Beijing claim as part of its territory, in an apparent retaliation against the Dalai Lama's visit.

Old resentments ran high in September after the decision of the Centre to grant citizenship to Chakma and Hajongs in the state following a Supreme Court directive of 2015.

Politicians and activists, cutting across political allegiances in the state, claimed the move undermines the rights and interests of Arunachal's indigenous population.

The All Arunachal Students' Union (AAPSU), which has a long history of anti-Chakma agitations, called a state-wide strike on September 19 to protest against the Centre's decision. It led to sporadic violence, with vehicles being set afire, and the state nearly coming to a halt, as government offices, schools and markets remained closed.

In a letter to Union home minister Rajnath Singh, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the matter was of deep emotional concern and his state was not ready to accept any infringement of the constitutional protection given to the tribals of the state.

The Arunachal Pradesh Assembly also resolved to call upon the Centre to take urgent steps to protect the territorial and other consequential rights of the state tribal population as protected and guaranteed under the Constitution.

The predominantly Buddhist Chakmas and the Hindu Hajongs are among the earliest persecuted groups to have sought refuge in India.

Tragedy also struck the state as it reported two helicopter crashes during the year.

An IAF chopper pressed on flood rescue mission went missing near Sagalee in Papum Pare district with three crew members and IRBn personnel on board on July 4. Police recovered the bodies after three days of intense search operations.

In the other incident on October 6, an Indian Air Force (IAF) Mi-17 V5 helicopter crashed near Tawang killing all seven on board.

In addition, an IAF chopper with Union minister Kiren Rijiju on board made an emergency landing at a college ground here on July 4 due to poor visibility.

The year also witnessed crisis in the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) following a question paper fiasco in the preliminary examination of combined exams.

Trouble began when four Chakma candidates name were figured in list of candidates for the preliminary examination.

However, after strong protest by various students' bodies in the state their names were omitted.

After the preliminary examination, aspirants accused the commission of providing erroneous question papers and setting questions from a Pakistan-based website.

The candidates even staged a dharna in front of the commission's office demanding re-conduct of the preliminary examination. The commission decided to re-conduct the preliminary examination.

Another issue that hogged the limelight in the state during 2017 was the inter-state boundary dispute with Assam.

Assam forest officials on December 8 demolished four under construction tourist resorts at Dollungmukh in Lower Subansiri district, a move which evoked strong resentments among various students' bodies of the state.

After a portal made public the contents of a 60-page booklet allegedly written by former chief minister Kalikho Pul before committing suicide on August 9, 2016, his eldest wife Dongwimsai Pul demanded the Centre to initiate a CBI inquiry into the death of her husband.

The law-and-order scenario in the state during the year remained grim with underground cadres laying an ambush on 13 Assam Rifles near Jairampur in Changlang district on January 22 which led to death of two security personnel.

Intensifying its operation against underground groups active in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts of the state, security forces during the year apprehended 14 NSCN (IM) rebels, 12 NSCN (K), one NSCN (U), 7 NSCN (R) and three ULFA cadres during the year besides recovering a huge cache of arms and ammunition.

To tackle the insurgency problem in three eastern districts of the state, the Centre sanctioned a special package for strengthening the security apparatus.

Flood and landslides lashed several district in the state during the year claiming several lives.

The state also witnessed political crisis during the year with the ruling BJP on August 11, parting ways with its North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) partner - the Peoples' Party of Arunachal (PPA).

On August 7, the state unit of the NCP was dissolved after resignation of all its leaders from the party who later joined the National Peoples' Party (NPP).

The BJP formally welcomed Chief Minister Khandu into the its 'parivar' on January 7.

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A 54-year-old Dutch tourist died today after he jumped off a moving train in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district after realising that he had boarded a wrong train, police said.

Erik Johannes from the Netherlands and his friend from Britain jumped off the moving New Delhi-bound Jan Shatabdi Express soon after it left the platform after finding that they had boarded a wrong train, they said.

Johannes suffered fatal head injuries, SHO GRP, Sawai Madhopur, Giga Ram said, adding his British friend was unhurt.

Both the tourists had come to Sawai Madhopur yesterday and had to catch a train for Agra but mistakenly boarded a train for New Delhi.

The matter has been registered and the body kept in a mortuary for post mortem, he added.

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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, for questioning in connection with its money laundering probe in the INX media case.

Official sources said Karti has been called here on January 11.

The investigating officer (IO) of the case will record his statement in the case, they said.

The central probe agency had registered a case against Karti Chidambaram and others in May this year.

It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), ED's equivalent of a police FIR, against the accused named in the CBI complaint, including Karti Chidambaram, INX media and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.

The ECIR was registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The sources said that the ED will probe the alleged "proceeds of crime" generated in this case.

A senior journalist, who was earlier associated with INX media, has also been summoned by the agency to record his statement as a witness in the case.

It is the ED which had provided information about the alleged illegal payments made by INX media, based on which the CBI had filed its FIR.

The CBI had also carried out searches at the homes and offices of Karti Chidambaram across four cities for allegedly receiving money from the media firm owned by the Mukerjeas to scuttle a tax probe.

The Chidambarams had denied all the charges made against them.

The CBI had filed an FIR against Karti Chidambaram and the Mukerjeas on charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, receiving illegal gratification, influencing public servants and criminal misconduct.

It is alleged that Karti Chidambaram received money from INX Media for using his influence to manipulate a tax probe against it in a case of violation of Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) conditions to receive investment from Mauritius.

The CBI had also recovered vouchers of Rs 10 lakh which were allegedly paid for the services.

These vouchers were issued in favour of Advantage Strategic Consulting (P) Limited, a firm "indirectly" owned by Karti Chidambaram, the CBI had alleged.

Former finance minister P Chidambaram, after the CBI searches on May 16, had issued a strong statement in response to the raids, saying the government was using the CBI and other agencies to target his son.

FIPB approval was granted in "hundreds of cases", the senior Congress leader had said.

The CBI FIR was made out against Karti Chidambaram, his company Chess Management Services, the Mukerjeas (currently in jail on charges of murder of their daughter Sheena Bora), INX Media, Advantage Strategic Consulting Services and its director Padma Vishwanathan.

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An elderly man died due to cold at the Jalalabad railway station in Shamli district where he was waiting for a train to arrive, police said today.

Abdul Rahim (65) collapsed and died last evening at the railway station, they said.

Cold winds have been sweeping Uttar Pradesh and the administrations of Shamli and Muzaffarnagar districts have ordered closure of all schools till January 4.

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FMCG firm Emami Limited has roped in Bollywood star Salman Khan to endorse its edible oil brands with the aim to tap the markets outside eastern India.

The actor would act as a brand ambassador for Emami Healthy & Tasty, Himani Best Choice and Rasoi, apart from Bake Magic, a speciality fat brand, a company statement said.

Director of Emami Group Aditya Agarwal said, "after attaining the leadership position in the eastern markets, we now have ambitious plans to take our edible oil brands on national platforms."



To reach out to the consumer base nationally, the company decided to engage Salman Khan to join legendary superstar Amitabh Bachchan, both of whom enjoy a strong pan-India appeal.

Earlier, Emami had engaged Bachchan to endorse the edible oil brands.

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A signed wooden box, containing a set of 24 cigars from the personal collection of Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro, is expected to fetch USD 20,000 at an auction in the US.

The Trinidad Fundadores cigar box retains its "Republica de Cuba" cigar warranty seal, which has been re-adhered to the cover.

The box contain 24 cigars, and is stamped on each end, "24 Fundadores," with a maker's mark on the bottom, "Habanos S A, Hecho en Cuba, Totalmente a mano."



The box is accompanied by an image of Castro signing it for noted philanthropist Eva Haller, according to the Boston- based RR Auctions.

"Castro handed to me the box of cigars. He gave them to me, because I jokingly asked him for it, when others lit a cigar," Haller wrote in a letter dated March 2002.

"I told him, that if he signs the box, I will sell it and make lots of money. He thought that was funny," she wrote.

Beginning in 1980, Trinidad Fundadores were exclusively produced for Fidel Castro, and until 1998 the only boxes that were allowed to leave Cuba had been gifts to foreign dignitaries.

The brand made its official launch as a Cuban export in February 1998, and this box - from Castro's personal stash - was signed and given away only four years later.

Cigars were an integral component of Castro's heroic revolutionary image, and as such this signed box is a truly remarkable historical artifact, according to the RR Auctions.

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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today announced a slew of projects, including a housing scheme for five lakh people and a mega Rs 3,000- crore road, for the development of rural Bengal.

Five lakh people of the state would get houses under the the state government's "Bangla Gramin Abas Yojna" on January 29, she said, adding that another three lakh had received assistance for building houses under the "Geetanjali" scheme.

The chief minister said this after inaugurating the "Mati Utsav" (soil festival) here to promote the farm sector.

The panchayat polls are scheduled to be held in the state around mid-year.

Banerjee also announced a Rs 3,000-crore north-south corridor project which will pass through Bardhaman district, and a Rs 2,768-crore project to extend the reach of the irrigation facilities to the western districts of the state.

"The farmers are our assets. We have paid a compensation of Rs 1,200 crore to those farmers affected by floods. Around 79 lakh Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) have also been distributed...the banks have been asked to give more loans against these KCCs," she said.

In the past too, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government had returned forcibly acquired land to the farmers, Banerjee said, hinting at the Singur land acquisition issue.

Ten camps and 186 "kisan bazaars" were set up by her government for paddy procurement in the state, she added.

The state government had also paid Rs 626 crore as insurance premium for 21 lakh hectares of land, the chief minister said, adding that a textile hub would be coming up at Saktigarh in the district soon and that the work on an NTPC power plant was underway at Katwa.

"Bengal will always hold its head high and will not bow down to anyone," the TMC supremo said, in an apparent reference to the BJP, which is in power at the Centre.

She also directed the state police to reward those teenage girls, who had taken initiatives to stop child marriages in their respective areas.

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Rajinder Khanna, former chief of the country's external intelligence agency RAW, was today appointed as Deputy National Security Adviser, according to an official order.

The post was lying vacant since Arvind Gupta, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, completed his tenure in August last year. Gupta was in August 2014 appointed to the post.

Khanna, a 1978 batch Research and Analysis Wing Service (RAS) officer, has supervised several counter-terrorism operations and is considered an expert on Pakistan and Islamic terrorism.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of Khanna as Deputy NSA on re-employment and on contractual basis, the order issued by personnel ministry said, without mentioning his tenure.

Khanna is at present Officer on Special Duty (Neighbourhood Studies) in the National Security Council Secretariat.

Neighbourhood Studies prepares policy papers of neighbouring countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

The National Security Council, headed by Modi with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as its Secretary, is the apex body on all internal and external security-related matters.

It is for the first time when both the NSA the and Deputy NSA are from intelligence agency background.

Doval, a former Indian Police Service officer, retired as chief of Intelligence Bureau, country's internal intelligence agency, in January 2005.

Doval was India's main negotiator with the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane IC-814 that was taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan in 1999.

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Congress in the Lok Sabha today asked the government that "genuine" citizens should not be left out of the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Sushmita Dev (Cong) said that the first draft list has come out.

The apex court had on November 30 last year said that on the expiry of midnight of December 31 last year, the draft NRC pertaining to 2.38 crore claims should be published. The NRC is being prepared to identify illegal migrants in Assam.

"I request that no genuine citizens should be left out of this," she said.

The NRC of 1951 is being updated for Assam in accordance with the tripartite agreement between the state and central governments and the All Assam Students Union (AASU), which was arrived at in 2005 to implement the 1985 Assam Accord.

Jyotiraditya Scindia (also Cong) demanded a CBI probe into the alleged suicide by a policeman, who was found hanging from wireless tower in Madhya Pradesh's Ashoknagar last month.

Scindia said a paper found in his pocket had names of certain police officers, who had allegedly harassed him.

As per reports, Assistant Sub-Inspector Satish Raghuwanshi (55) was in uniform when his body was found hanging from a tower located between Kotwali and Dehat (rural) police stations.

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The government today said it has introduced 45kg bag of urea in place of existing 50 kg bag with a view to bringing down the consumption by 10 per cent.

This decision was taken in September. Urea manufacturers have been given six months for smooth implementation. The consumption of urea stood at 296 lakh tonnes last fiscal.

"In the light of increased effectiveness of NCU (neem- coated urea), government vide notification dated September 4, 2017 has decided to introduce 45 kg bag of urea in place of existing 50 kg bag," Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Rao Inderjit Singh said.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, he informed that a period of six months have been given urea units as lead time to ensure smooth implementation of the policy.

"Since farmers mostly assess the requirement of urea in terms of bags for agriculture purpose, it is estimated that the availability of urea in 45 kg bags instead of 50 kg bags may bring down consumption of urea by 10 per cent," he said.

The consumption of neem-coated urea stood at 296.14 lakh tonnes in 2016-17 as against around 306 lakh tonnes each in the previous two years.

To encourage balanced use of fertilisers, the government has made it mandatory for all the domestic producers of urea to produce 100 per cent as neem-coated urea.

"Entire quantity of both indigenously produced urea and imported urea is being neem-coated with effect from September 1, 2015 and December 1, 2015, respectively," Singh said, adding that the consumption of neem coated urea reduced as compared to normal urea.

Urea production was 242.01 lakh tonnes in 2016-17. The gap between supply and demand is being met through imports.

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Dalit leader and newly elected MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani and Assam peasant leader Akhil Gogoi will hold a 'social justice' rally here next week demanding the release of Dalit outfit Bhim Army's founder Chandrashekhar Azad, an organiser of the rally said.

The rally would also emphasise on educational rights, employment, livelihood and gender justice, former JNU students union president Mohit Kumar Pandey, one of the organisers of the rally, said in a statement.

The rally would begin from Parliament Street on January 9 and a large section of students from universities and colleges in Delhi are expected to participate, the statement said.

"It is audacious that the Yogi government is withdrawing 20,000 criminal cases against political leaders, including himself, while continuing to jail young people like Chandrashekhar and Dr. Kafeel on the basis of sheer sensationalism," Pandey said.

Women's groups, teachers' associations and Mevani- inpired activists from across the country are also expected to participate.

Azad, 30, was arrested in June last year from Himachal Pradesh for being the main accused in the Thakur-Dalit clash in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district.

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Eight days after being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Vijay Rupani today assumed charge of his office at Gandhinagar.

Before assuming the office for the second consecutive term, Rupani visited Swaminarayan temple at Vadtal in Kheda district and took blessings from the head priest Rakeshprasadjee Maharaj and some other saints, an official release said.

Earlier on December 26, the newly-elected BJP government under Vijay Rupani was sworn-in at a grand ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah.

Visitors thronged Rupani's office to greet him after he took charge this afternoon.

While BJP won 99 seats, the main opposition Congress bagged 77 seats in the recently held polls to the Gujarat Assembly.

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The Delhi High Court today allowed an AAP councillor, suspended from the House of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) for 15 days for disrupting its proceedings, to participate in a meeting tomorrow after he gave an undertaking that he would not create any "ruckus".

Justice V Kameswar Rao directed AAP councillor B S Joon to file an undertaking that he would not disturb proceedings of the corporation.

The court also issued notice to the civic body and asked it to file an affidavit indicating whether it had taken action against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor in accordance with the Delhi Municipal Corporation (DMC) Act.

The high court's order came on the councillor's plea challenging a December 21, 2017 decision by which he was suspended for 15 days for disorderly behaviour and disrupting the functioning of the SDMC as well as creating a ruckus during a meeting.

South Delhi mayor Kamaljeet Sehrawat had suspended seven AAP councillors and five nominated members of the party for disrupting the functioning of the House and creating ruckus during a meeting.

Advocate Devashish Bharuka, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the order is ex-facie/illegal as the same is in violation of the DMC Act.

Senior counsel Dinesh Agnani and advocate Ajay Digpaul, appearing for the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, opposed the plea, saying the order was justified as the AAP councillor had created a ruckus and did not allow the proceedings to go on.

The SDMC lawyers said that the relevant provisions of the Act have been followed in this case.

They also said that Joon had in the past also created similar situations, but was let off with a warning.

The councillor requested for an interim relief as the meeting is due tomorrow and 15 days are expiring on January 4.

He stated that he is ready and willing to given an undertaking that he shall not create any ruckus or disturb the proceedings of the meeting of the Corporation.

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The Allahabad High Court today scheduled on January 9 the hearing on a petition challenging a notification by Centre directing a CBI inquiry into selections made by the Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) between 2012 and 2017.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar passed the order on a petition filed by the UPPSC through its chairman and members.

In the petition it was alleged that the UPPSC is a constitutional body and therefore a notification directing CBI inquiry was illegal and without jurisdiction. As per the petition, no inquiry against the commission can be directed under existing laws.

The Centre on the recommendation of the state government has passed an order for CBI inquiry for the selections made by UPPSC between April 2012 and March 2017.

At the time of hearing, a preliminary objection was raised that petition filed on behalf of chairman and its members is not maintainable and is liable to be dismissed.

However, fixing January 9 as the date the court has asked counsel for state government to apprise the court of the basis on which the state government recommended a CBI inquiry.

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In a unique case of tax evasion, the Income Tax Department has unearthed an undisclosed income of Rs 65 crore that was earned by exporting human hairs, including those offered by devotees in temples and cut in beauty parlours, to countries in Africa and Europe.

The undisclosed income was unearthed after income tax sleuths carried out raids on the properties of a north Karnataka-based exporter and dealer of human hairs in the last fortnight.

The department also seized cash and jewellery worth Rs 5 crore in the raids at the residence and office of the exporter, whom the department did not identify.

I-T sleuths, as part of the operation, also detected a unique modus operandi under which girls living in hostels were found to be selling their "long locks to earn some extra cash".

The department, in a statement, said the sleuths of the investigation wing here found that even the hair "offered by devotees in temples resulted in tax evasion".

"Income tax searches in the last fortnight of December resulted in a disclosure of Rs 65 crore of previously undisclosed income as well as seizure of Rs 5 crore worth of cash and jewellery from the human hair exporter," it said.

The taxman also found that the exporter, indulging in this alleged illegal activity of evading taxes, was purchasing human hair from beauty parlours in the state.

It was found that this hair was being exported to Africa and to European countries.

"Africa has a fascination for the dry hair market -- as the market for weaves, wigs and extensions is known -- estimated to be worth USD 6 billion a year in 2015," it said.

From the hair exporter, the income tax department said, the raid team seized "Rs 2.5 crore cash, jewellery worth Rs 2.5 crore and 140kg of silver articles."



The department also seized "incriminating evidences of tax evasion that has been going on for many years and it was found that second quality sales and wastage sales are not accounted and declared in the ITRs (Income Tax Returns), apart from bogus billing of purchases to siphon off money into huge investments."



The department said it has "unearthed tax evasion of more than Rs 65 crore and further probe is on".

The same Bengaluru investigation wing of the department had recently cracked down on the alleged nexus between medical centres and doctors in Karnataka and had detected an undisclosed income of Rs 100 crore after searches at a few IVF clinics and diagnostic centres.

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Health care services were partially affected in parts of Odisha today as doctors joined a 12-hour strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in protest against a bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body.

A protest rally organised from Power House Chhak to Raj Bhavan here saw the participation of medical students and doctors in large numbers.

Dhananjay Das, a senior doctor at govt-run Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, said the bill, if passed, will upset the medical fraternity in the country.

"The bill will bring down the standards of medical education in the country. It will be a big blow to the entire medical fraternity" he said.

The general secretary of the Odisha chapter of the IMA, Janmejaya Mohapatra, said the strike has affected healthcare services in outpatient departments of a few government and private hospitals, but the emergency and critical departments were functioning normally.

The National Medical Commission Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the MCI with a new body and proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines such as homeopathy and ayurveda to practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course".

Terming the Bill as "anti-people and anti-patient", the IMA, in a statement, has stated that the bill purported to eradicate corruption is "designed to open the floodgates of corruption".

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The Centre today informed the Madras High Court that it intended to object to the jurisdiction of the international tribunal in the Nissan Motor case, as the Japanese automaker has already approached an Indian court in the matter.

Since the auto major has approached the Madras High Court, remedy under a treaty would now be barred, the Centre said.

The Union government also informed the court that the state government does not have locus standi to challenge the international arbitration proceedings initiated by the automaker against India on alleged unpaid tax refunds of nearly USD 770 million.

In a counter affidavit filed in the plea by Tamil Nadu seeking staying the arbitration proceedings, the Centre made it clear that jurisdiction of the international tribunal, constituted under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), can be decided only by the tribunal itself.

Additional Solicitor General G Rajagopalan made the submissions on behalf of the central government's department of heavy industry.

The Tamil Nadu government is not even a party to the CEPA, or the claim made by Nissan under the agreement, he said.

For this reason, Tamil Nadu does not have locus standi to make an application praying that the "international arbitration initiated by Nissan against India be injuncted."



However, the Centre expressed hope that it would succeed in having the arbitration proceedings terminated by making jurisdictional submissions and causing Nissan to opt for domestic remedies pursuant to the MoU provisions.

The central government is fully prepared to litigate the issues pertaining to jurisdiction before the tribunal promptly, in full confidence that it would be positively received, the affidavit said.

In its plea, the state claimed that under the MoU signed on February 22, 2008, any dispute that cannot be resolved amicably through ordinary negotiations by the parties will be decided by arbitration under the Indian Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and the venue of the arbitration will be Chennai.

Rebutting the claim, the Union government said mere existence of such a MoU would not prohibit Nissan from approaching an international tribunal constituted under the CEPA.

"It is submitted that the Union intends to object to the jurisdiction of the international tribunal on the ground that Nissan has already approached Indian courts due to which remedy under the treaty would now be barred, by application of the fork in the road clause," Rajagopalan said.

In Fork-in-the-Road (FITR) clauses in bilateral investment treaties (BITs), the claimant investor must make a choice between pursuing its claims against the state either through the arbitration mechanisms provided in the relevant BIT or in local courts or other venues provided for in the relevant contractual mechanisms.

The centre raised strong objection to the averment made by Tamil Nadu that the government had entered into the CEPA with a view to coercing the state government into paying the alleged refunds.

The Union government enters into treaties to "strengthen international relations and further diplomacy on which the state governments cannot be consulted prior to the same," it was submitted.

After recording the submissions, Justice Anita Sumanth adjourned the plea to January 22 for further hearing.

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Trade ministers of India and the UK would meet in London on January 11 as part of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) deliberation to boost bilateral commerce.

"Next India-UK Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO) meeting, co-chaired by Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu, to be held in London on January 11," the department of commerce said in a tweet.

In the last meeting, both sides reviewed the progress held in joint working groups on areas like smart cities and advanced manufacturing.

The bilateral trade between India and the UK dipped to USD 12.2 billion in 2016-17 as against USD 14 billion in the previous fiscal.

India received USD 24.9 billion foreign direct investment (FDI) from Britain between April 2000 to September 2017.

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Protests across Iran saw their most violent night as "armed protesters" tried to overrun military bases and police stations before security forces repelled them, killing 10 people, Iranian state television has said. The demonstrations, the largest to strike Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, have seen five days of unrest across the country and a death toll of at least 13 with the slaying of a police officer announced late last night.

The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over Iran's weak economy and a jump in food prices 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 firetruck that appeared to have been set ablaze. It said 10 people were killed by security forces during clashes Sunday night.

"Some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but faced serious resistance from security forces," state TV said.

In a later report, state TV said killed six people were killed in the western town of Tuyserkan, 295 kilometers southwest of Tehran, and three in the town of Shahinshahr, 315 kilometers south of Tehran. It did not say where the 10th person was killed.

Earlier Monday, the semi-official ILNA 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, though authorities later described one of the deaths as the result of a personal dispute.

Late last night, Iran's semi-official Mehr 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 320 kilometers south of Tehran. The slaying marked the first security force member to be killed in the unrest.

Two protesters also were killed during clashes late Saturday in Doroud, some 325 kilometers southwest 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 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. That was echoed yesterday by judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, who urged authorities to confront rioters, state TV reported.

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Israeli aircraft attacked Hamas bases in Gaza today in response to a rocket from the Palestinian enclave targeting southern Israel hours before, concurring sources said.

The aircraft targeted a "military compound belonging to the terrorist organisation Hamas," a statement from the army read.

Palestinian security sources said the strikes were in Khan Younes in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, causing damage but no casualties.

On Monday night, a rocket hit a town in southern Israel, causing however no damage or casualties.

Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired 18 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, six of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defence system.

The projectiles are often fired by fringe Islamist groups, but Israel holds Gaza's militant rulers Hamas responsible for any attacks from the territory and retaliates by targeting Hamas positions.

"The IDF holds Hamas solely accountable for events in the Gaza Strip," the Tuesday army statement read.

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Top actor Rajinikanth today said it was his desire to create a political revolution in Tamil Nadu, a "historic" state that facilitated major changes.

"Tamil Nadu is a very historic place...be it Gandhiji discarding his usual attire and going in for a loin cloth.. everything had a start from here...many things," he said.

In a brief four-minute informal address to the media here, two days after declaring his political entry, he said "it is my desire to start from here a political revolution."



Future generations will live better if a change was facilitated now, the actor said.

Everybody has a responsibility in the initiative which was like the struggle for independence, he said and added that the present one was a "democractic struggle."



Rajinikanth said he was media shy and rarely interacted with reporters.

Sporting a smile, he said he was not sure on handling the media.

However, he assured journalists that he would address them after party related work was done.

Rajinikanth said he had worked as a proofreader in a newspaper in Karnataka for two months.

To a question on "spiritual" interpreted by some as communal politics, Rajinikanth told reporters earlier at his residence that what he meant was based on truthfulness and honesty devoid of caste, creed and religion.

He, however, declined to specify when he will announce the name and symbol of his proposed party.

"I myself do not know," was his reply when questioned by reporters.

Asked if he will meet the people, he said in due course it will be made known.

"At one go, I cannot tell you everything," he said.

Yesterday, Rajinikanth called on spiritual heads of the Ramakrishna Math here and sought their blessings.

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On the first day of the Budget session, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly members paid homage to the lawmakers who passed away since the last session if the House.

Speaker Kavinder Gupta moved the obituary reference to pay homage to Makhan Lal Fotedar, Sheikh Mohammad Maqbool, Sofi Ghulam Mohi-ud-din, Molvi Abdul Rashid, Om Saraf, Shabir Ahmad Salaria, Surinder Kumar Abrol and Dr Naseer Ahmad Shah.

Paying homage, the speaker threw light on the political and social life of the late lawmakers and recalled their contribution in shaping the political landscape.

Paying homage to the leaders, Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said they left an indelible mark on the minds of the people and contributed in strengthening the democratic traditions in Jammu and Kashmir.

Legislators, cutting across party lines, recounted the services rendered by these leaders during their political career.

Meanwhile, MLA Davinder Rana urged the speaker to document the contribution of the deceased members of the House in a book so that their work continues to inspire and guide the future generations.

A two-minute silence was observed in the House as a mark of respect to the deceased leaders.

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The Jammu and Kashmir Police today arrested eight people from Zakura area of the state capital for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

"In our continuous efforts against drug trafficking, eight persons were arrested by a team of police station Zakura at Takia Sangrishi in Srinagar," a police spokesman said.

The official said during search of the suspects, five kg cannabis was recovered from their possession.

A case under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered and investigation taken up, the spokesman added.

The arrested people have been identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, Umer Ahmad Mir, Bilal Ahmad Najar, Momin Ahmad Magray, Asif Ahmad Sheikh, Zahid Ahmad Mir, Syed Saif and Sameer Ahmad Sheikh.

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Japan's Emperor Akihito today delivered his traditional New Year address with tens of thousands of well-wishers flocking to the Imperial Palace for one of the last such occasions before he abdicates next year.

It was the final New Year appearance alongside Akihito for Princess Mako, his eldest granddaughter, who is scheduled to wed her college sweetheart in November and leave the royal family.

The Imperial Palace said more than 73,000 people attended his address, many waving small Japanese flags and shouting "Banzai" or "Long live".

"Happy New Year. I'm sincerely glad to celebrate the new year together with you," the emperor said in a televised address from a glass-covered balcony at the palace, where he was flanked by Mako and other family members.

They will make two further appearances before the crowd in the afternoon.

The emperor shocked the country in 2016 when he signalled his desire to take a back seat after nearly three decades in the job, citing his age and health problems.

He will be the first emperor to retire -- on April 30, 2019 -- in more than two centuries in the world's oldest imperial family.

Akihito's eldest son, 57-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, is set to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne a day later.

The status of the emperor is sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito's father Hirohito, who died in 1989.

Akihito has keenly embraced the more modern role as a symbol of the state -- imposed after World War II ended. Previous emperors including his father, Hirohito, had been treated as semi-divine.

The palace, surrounded by stone walls and mossy moats -- is opened to the general public twice a year -- on the emperor's birthday and the second day of New Year -- for the royal family to greet well-wishers.

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A bill to allow the government to take up infrastructure projects within prohibited areas around protected monuments was passed in the Lok Sabha today.

"Moving away from the party lines, the members have supported the Bill," Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said while replying to the concerns raised by the members during the debate on Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

"We are happy to say that in the last three years UNESCO has recognised six monuments (of India)," the minister said.

The bar on new construction within prohibited areas of a protected monument was adversely affecting various public works and developmental projects of the central government, the bill's Statement of Objects and Reasons said.

Amendments have been proposed in the legislation to the 1958 Act that prohibits carrying out any public work or project or other constructions in any prohibited area around protected monuments.

A 'prohibited area' means land in the 100-metre radius around a protected monument. Currently, construction is not allowed in the prohibited areas except for repair and renovation works.

Addressing to the concerns of Shashi Tharoor (Congress), he said the change which is being brought about was in the national interest.

He said no individual or private entity should be benefited and this bill should be used only in the interest of the nation.

The government said the need was felt to amend the law to allow "construction works related to infrastructure financed and carried out by any department or office of the central government for public purposes which is necessary for the safety or security of the public at large".

Besides, such construction works would be taken up when there is no possibility of any other viable alternative to such construction beyond the limits of the prohibited area.

The Bill also seeks to have a new definition of "public works" under the Act.

There are more than 3,600 monuments and sites that are are centrally-protected under the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India, which is responsible for their maintenance.

Earlier moving the Bill for consideration and passage, Sharma said the amendment in the law is needed so as to carry out certain public works, which fall within the prohibited area of 100 meters, in national interest.

He cited examples of an ongoing Kolkata metro project and a few other public constructions which, he said, were required to be completed.

The new law, which was introduced in the monsoon session, will give relaxation only for government works to be carried out in national interest and no private work will be allowed, he said.

Manoj Tiwari (BJP) supported the bill and claimed that it will help in preservation of cultural monuments and sites.

As a member of a standing committee dealing with monuments, he came to know that 24 such sites are only on paper and do not really exist due to encroachment, he said.

Referring to such monuments in Delhi, Tiwari said he kept asking in the standing committee meeting where these had gone but found no answer.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (Congress) asked the government to reconsider the bill and send it at the least to a standing committee. "Whom are you trying to benefit," he asked and added that such relaxations will "open a Pandora's box".

Delhi Metro was not allowed to come up in Lutyens' Delhi as it could mar its aesthetics, he claimed, adding that the government was not concerned about aesthetics of monuments. Delhi metro work in Lutyens' Delhi is largely underground.

Kalyan Banerjee (TMC) referred to east-west line of the Kolkata metro which has been stopped due to the existing law and said relaxation was needed to complete it.

He, however, asked the government to ensure that public works for which the relief is granted is only for greatest public good. "This power should not be abused," he said.

While Prabhas Kumar Singh (BJD) opposed the bill, he and Chowdhury also objected to a clause that gave the central government a final say in the matter whatever be the report of the National Monuments Authority.

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The Lok Sabha today sent a contentious bill, which seeks to overhaul medical education and replace the Medical Council of India, to a standing committee and asked it to submit its report before the budget session.

The bill had triggered wide protests from doctors whose apex body had called for a strike today, as also the opposition parties.

Making a statement in the House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said various parties, including those from the opposition and the ruling NDA, had wanted the bill to be sent to the standing committee and the government has agreed to this.

He, however, requested Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to ask the committee to submit its report before the budget session, which is expected to start by this month end, as a new law has to be brought at the earliest, following an order of the Supreme Court and a standing committee report.

Following this, Mahajan made a brief statement and sought that the report of the standing committee be tabled before the budget session. Normally, committees are given a period of three months but there was already one standing committee report on the matter, she noted.

Health Minister J P Nadda had introduced the bill in the House last Friday amid protests from Congress members, who had demanded that the bill be sent to the standing committee.

The Indian Medical Association had strongly opposed the bill, saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals by making them answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators.

It had declared today as a "Black Day" and given a call for strike. It, however, called it off after the bill was sent to the committee.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A court here today sentenced a man, and his brother, to life imprisonment for killing his wife in 2014 for not meeting their dowry demands.

Additional District Sessions Judge Rajesh Bhardwaj also imposed a fine of Rs 2,000 each on Ashvani Bhatnagar and his brother Amit Bhatnagar for killing Geeta, 38.

Geeta married Ashvani Bhatnagar in 2010.

She was strangulated to death in June 2014, according to government lawyer Yogesh Sharma.

The court held them guilty under various sections of the IPC, including 304B (dowry death).

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A person allegedly mowed down his 40-year-old relative and daughter while driving a car near here over a property dispute, police said today.

The victim, a tea-shop owner, had reportedly given a complaint that Rameshkumar was threatening to kill him.

Relatives claimed that Selvaraj tried to set himself ablaze at the collectorate some weeks ago over the threat and alleged police inaction but police persuaded him to leave the premises.

The man was also angry with Selvaraj over his filing the complaint, they said, adding, their mediatory efforts did not bear fruit.

Rameshkumar, who was driving his car near the tea-shop near Andipatti today, allegedly ran the vehicle over Selvaraj and his daughter, police said.

While Selvaraj was killed on the spot, his daughter died en route to the hospital.

Some people at the shop managed to escape being hit by the car, police said, adding, Rameshkumar is absconding.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday targeted the BJP and RSS over the violence in Maharashtra claiming that it seemed "casteist forces" were behind the clashes while also blaming the state government for not making adequate arrangements to prevent them.

"The incident which occurred could have been prevented. The government should have made adequate security arrangements. There is BJP government in the state, they let violence take place. It seems casteist forces like the BJP and RSS are behind the violence," Mayawati said.

Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on the edge today as Dalit protests against yesterday's violence in Pune spilled over to Mumbai, with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead yesterday.

In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence, and appealed for calm. He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind yesterday's violence.

Fadnavis said a Rs 1 million compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.
A group of NCP workers today staged a protest outside Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' office here over the violence in Pune that left one person dead.

The opposition party workers gathered outside the CM's officer in Mantralaya (secretariat) and protested the BJP-led government's "apathy" in controlling the violence at a rally organised yesterday to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima -Koregaon battle in Pune district.

Slamming the judicial inquiry ordered today by the chief minister into the violence as a sham, NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the RSS and its affiliates were responsible for the incident.

One person was killed in clashes between Dalits and right-wing groups at the rally at Bhima Koregaon near Pune.

Malik demanded action against the police personnel, who he alleged, sat on specific inputs about possible violence at the event.

"The NCP workers held a protest outside the CM's office as the government has shown complete apathy in controlling the violence. This was a well-planned exercise by the RSS and its affiliated organisations," Malik told PTI.

Police detained eight NCP activists.

Earlier in the day, Fadnavis ordered an inquiry by a sitting high Court judge in the Bhima Koregaon clash.

Malik said the judicial inquiry was a "hoax" and a time-buying exercise.

"Everybody knows judicial inquiries take a long time to complete. People will forget about the incident till then. Police had specific inputs about the instigators. The CM should immediately take action against them," he said.

The Bhima Koregaon violence found echo in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, with protesters disrupting rail and road traffic in the country's financial capital today.

Over 160 buses were damaged in stone pelting across the state, according to police. Over 100 protesters were detained in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, Kolhapur district also saw incidents of stone pelting and road blockades over the violent clashes in Pune.

Dalit organisations have given a call for 'Kolhapur Bandh' tomorrow.

Stone pelting was reported from Kolhapur city, Kagal, Hupari and Ichalkaranji, police said, adding the overall situation in the district was under control.

Various Dalit outfits staged demonstrations at Sanvidhan Square in Nagpur over the Bhima Koregaon incident. The protesters raised slogans against the BJP-led government and the RSS over the violence.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
A group of students in Nepal today clashed with the police during a demonstration organised to protest the recent hike in petroleum prices here, resulting in injuries to several protesters.

The agitating student of the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), the student wing of main opposition Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), also tried to burn the effigies of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav outside Tri Chandra Multiple Campus.

Their attempts were, however, foiled by the police.

The students burnt tires and blocked roads in Ratnapark area, the police said.

ANNFSU Secretary RC Lamichhane said that they also want the government to announce the results of the Proportional Representation category of the House of Representatives elections.

This is the third time that the Nepal Oil Corporation hiked the prices of petroleum products in a month.

The police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and used force to disperse the protesters.

According to the students, ANNFSU Vice-Chairman Mahesh Bartaula, General Secretary Ain Mahar and Shekhar Bohara among others were injured in the incident.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Fermented Honey at Courthouse Square

An uncommon drink in an out-of-the-way spot

by Catherine Zudak

From the January, 2018 issue

Though convenient to both downtown and Kerrytown, the retail space in Courthouse Square, the senior-citizen and low-income high-rise at Huron and S. Fourth Ave., has never flourished. Isolated between a parking structure and Huron's four-lane business route, it last saw significant investment in the building's final days as a hotel in the 1980s. The restaurant and bar there folded along with the hotel in 1989. Since then, the only long-term tenant has been the Performance Network Theatre, which itself folded in 2015.



Now, after a Rip Van Winkle-like generational slumber, the space is being revived as a watering hole. Like Washington St. neighbors Arbor Brewing, Blue Tractor, and Mash, it will be an artisanal, brewed-here place. Unlike them, Blom Meadworks will specialize in mead, an ancient fermented drink made from honey.



Pronounced "Bloom," the brewery is the work of husband-and-wife team Matthew Ritchey and Lauren Bloom. The o in the name is a nod to mead's association with Scandinavia in popular culture--as their website says, if the word "automatically conjures a drinking hall filled with Vikings for you, think of ours as its friendly, approachable descendants, without the pillage and plunder."



The couple grew up in Fenton, dated in high school, went their separate ways for college, and then reunited in Chicago. There Ritchey co-founded the Begyle Brewing Co. Begyle flourished--you can buy its beers locally, and Ritchey is still an owner--but since he developed a gluten allergy, he can no longer drink its products.



They settled on mead as a way for Ritchey to brew a product he could drink, and for Bloom to turn her passion for local food into a living. They are working with several beekeepers around the state to supply the pound and a half of honey that goes into each gallon of mead.



They'll also be making hard cider from raw pressed apple juice that their supplier freezes to preserve the flavor and make it available all year round. Blom also has

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a small press for specialty ingredients like rhubarb--"because we are brewing small batches, we can afford to experiment," Bloom says.The couple say their craft meads will be drier and crisper with a lower alcoholic content than commercial versions, around 6 percent versus up to 20 percent. Bloom says the lower alcohol content will let them sell a 13.5-ounce glass of mead or cider for about the same price as a craft beer."Generally, the higher the alcohol content, the higher the price," she says. "We want our product to be accessible and affordable."Starting a new business with an unfamiliar product has its challenges. "We really need to educate the community about what we're doing," Ritchey says.One way to reach out is through tastings at local farmer's markets that Blom is planning for the spring. They'll also be selling a CSA-like "CSM"--"community supported mead"--membership, whose subscribers can enjoy one to two growlers a month of mead or cider. But Blom's taproom will open to everyone."We'll have a traditional bar, some two-top tables, and community tables in the back," Bloom says. The wall behind the community tables will do double duty as a projection screen, "if people want to come in and screen a film."Blom's already been contacted by a book group about using the community tables for monthly meetings and by Ann Arbor Backyard Beekeepers, a club dedicated to beekeeping advocacy and support, about crafting a special brew with their honey."We welcome that," Bloom said, "We really want to be a part of the community."Customers are also welcome to bring their own food since Blom will offer a very limited menu."We've got our hands full getting the brewing started," Ritchey says. "There's so much great food downtown," Bloom adds. "We want to support that."In December, their opening date was still up in the air. "We were supposed to take possession in April," Bloom says, but didn't get in till mid-November. Once everything is in place, it will take about two weeks to brew up the first batches of mead for curious drinkers.[Originally published in January, 2018.]
A Denver, Colorado-based art enrichment program is opening a second branch on Mary Street in Auburn.

Central New York native Warner K. Varno, a master teaching artist and founder of Time for Art, said she's starting off the new year with a soft opening, but she has big plans for the program's future. Classes in drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media and recycled art for those in kindergarten through sixth grade will start after school Mondays and Wednesdays in January, in addition to a Saturday studio time.

Varno is lifting the new business off the ground as the sole art teacher, but she plans to pull in others as the program grows. She hopes to make Time for Art a nonprofit organization, too. Much of what she's working to establish in the Auburn location comes from the work already happening in Denver  summer camps, after school programs, studio time for all ages to work on projects. She's also developed scholarship programs for families.

"Especially people pulling in from rural areas around Auburn, I want them to be able to afford it and get high quality instruction, and not just from me," she said. "It's a slow incremental thing. We're here, but we're not ready to go. We have to go through this phase of transition."
AUBURN  The Auburn Fire Department is investigating a bathroom closet fire at a Cayuga Centers residence on 202 Franklin St. Monday night. It is the second fire at that home in less than a month.

Assistant Fire Chief Mark Fritz said there were no injuries, but four staff members and five youth residents had to be relocated to the organization's main campus on Hamilton Avenue due to extreme weather conditions. The building was deemed uninhabitable last night, but Fritz said repairs were underway Tuesday.

The fire was called in at 6:17 p.m. Monday. Fritz said it was contained to the first-floor bathroom.

"It is currently under investigation because normally fires don't start in closets in bathrooms," he said.

Auburn firefighters put out a fire in the same residence on Dec. 5. That one sparked in the upstairs office of the building, but did not require residents to relocate. That fire's cause, too, was under investigation.

Cayuga Centers is a service provider for families and children in New York, Florida and Delaware, focusing on residential service, foster care, evidence-based programs and help for people with disabilities.

Staff writer Gwendolyn Craig can be reached at (315) 282-2237 or gwendolyn.craig@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter @gwendolynnn1.

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A Lockport woman is facing a felony charge for allegedly possessing drugs at Cayuga Correctional Facility in Moravia.

New York State Police said Faith A. Brown, 20, was visiting an inmate at the prison on Dec. 30 where she was found in possession of drugs. Police would not specify what kind due to an ongoing investigation.

Brown was charged with first-degree introduction of dangerous prison contraband, a class D felony. She was also charged with second-degree reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor, and violating the state sanitary code, a violation.

She was arraigned in the Town of Owasco Court and remanded to the Cayuga County Jail on $5,000 cash bail or $10,000 bond. She's scheduled to appear Jan. 4 in the Town of Moravia Court.

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The Trump administration is combing federal agencies for employees potentially "disloyal" to Mr. Trump and his Fox News Fake Populist agenda. EPA scientists who dare to be concerned with climate change are now suspect. Republican FBI officials, appointed by Mr. Trump, are under fire because they won't quash the agency's investigation into Russian ties to the administration.

In fact, Mr. Trump has repeatedly belittled and undercut not just the leadership of our intelligence agencies, but the thousands of officers and agents who put their lives on the line every day for our country. Please note that the Trump administration is not assessing employees' loyalty to the Constitution  Mr. Trump does not believe in our Constitution. In spite of Mr. Trump's efforts, we don't live in a Russian-style autocracy  yet. This is America  we don't screen employees' political or religious views. In America, no one's above the law  including the president. Cayuga County Republicans, I'm asking you respectfully: do you agree with that statement? We got rid of our King 241 years ago.
Dongfeng Motor sells its stake in Honda China

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- According to Shanghai United Assets and Equity Exchange, Dongfeng Motor Corporation (Dongfeng Motor) has put its 10% stake in Honda Automobile (China) Co.,Ltd (Honda China) up for sale at a listed price of RMB 94,870,000 on January 2, 2018.

Honda China is a joint venture which has four shareholders, Honda (55%), Honda Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd (10%), Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd (herein after GAC) (25%) and Dongfeng Motor (10%). Besides, Honda China is not qualified to sell products in China's market. Clearly, Dongfeng Motor's stake transfer will bring about a ownership structure change to Honda China.

On December 16, 2017, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd. (GAC) had announced to transfer its 25% stake in Honda China through the open market and the floor price for its stake in Honda China would be around RMB 23.2 million. Meanwhile, GAC also approved GAC Honda's plan to acquire 100% stake of Honda China. To some degree, Dongfeng Motor transferring its stake in Honda China may promote GAC Honda's acquisition.

Cui Shudong, secretary-general of China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) stated that GAC Honda is challenged by its insufficient production capability. At present, GAC Honda has three production lines with total annual production capability of around 720 thousand units. If GAC Honda completes its acquisition of Honda China, the acquirer's production capability will be probably increased in future.

In addition to Dongfeng Motor and GAC, the other shareholders of Honda China all intend to sell their stakes in Honda China, while their plans are still up in the air now.

Apart from selling the stake in Honda China, Dongfeng Motor had other movements of selling assets. For instance, in September 2017, Dongfeng Motor permitted to sell 85% stake of Dongfeng Real Estate Co., Ltd. In November 2017, Dongfeng Motor signed a framework agreement with China Resources Group to hand over Dongfeng Motor's businesses of property management to China Resources Group.
Jia Yueting entrusts his wife, brother to settle debt issue

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On Tuesday, Jia Yueting, founder of LeEco, posted his response to the order from Beijing Regulatory Bureau of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, which asks him to come back home before the last day of 2017.

The statement says that Jia made a detailed feedback letter upon receiving the order and that he has entrusted Jia Yuemin, his brother, to go to the department for face-to-face communication.

In the statement, Jia said he felt terribly sorry for the consequence brought by LeEcos financial crisis to the society, the government, investors, suppliers and the staff. He will try his utmost to solve the debt issue and make up for the losses.

After the discussion with the listed company, they have reached a consensus for debt settlement. Jia will perform the shareholders responsibility and settle the debt issue of the listed company by selling assets and mortgaging assets. Jia will also assume all of the unlisted companys debt to the listed company, which is not supposed to be covered by only one shareholder of the limited liability company.

Jia confirmed in his statement that Faraday Future has made great progress in financing. For the moment, he was needed to ensure FF 91s production and on-time delivery. He has entrusted his wife and his brother to exercise the power and fulfill the obligations of a shareholder.
Skywell launches first batch of mass produced hydrogen-powered buses in Wuhan

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- On Dec. 28, 2017, the first batch of mass produced hydrogen-powered city buses co-developed by Wuhan Skywell New Energy Automotive Company and Wuhan Tiger Fuel Cell Vehicle Co., Ltd. were launched in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province.



During the launching ceremony, Wuhan Skywell and Wuhan Tiger signed a strategic cooperation agreement to manufacture and sell 3,000 hydrogen-powered buses dubbed Skywell Tiger over the next two years. The hydrogen-powered buses will be put into use first in Wuhan, and then will be gradually promoted in Shanghai, Nanjing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Chengdu, etc. Both parties aim to improve the cultivation and development of China's hydrogen-powered vehicle industry.



The mass produced hydrogen-powered bus model comes with Tiger's hydrogen battery engine, boasting a range of more than 450km with hydrogen-refueling within 3 to 5 minutes and a hydrogen consumption of no more than 5.2 kg/100km. The 8.5-meter bus, which can carry 56 passengers, features Skywell's typical neat and simple bus style, delivering low noise, low carbon emission, and comfortable and stable driving experience.

With the support of Wuhan Skywell, the hydrogen-powered bus model will be mass produced in Wuhan. Besides, it will be put into pilot operation in the second quarter of 2018 in Wuhan East Lake High-Tech Development Zone, and will be promoted in a large scale, which will help Hubei and even Wuhan to be the leading areas of hydrogen-powered vehicles, and facilitate the development of society, economy and environment for Wuhan.
TOGO closes $ 26 million B+ financing round





Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Beijing TOGO Science and Technology company (TOGO), one of China's leading sharing-riding service providers, announced on Jan. 2 that it had finished $26 million B+ financing round, which is led by Crescent HydePark (CHP), and followed by SIG Asia Investment and ZhenFund. At the same time, TOGO also declared that it will invest more heavily in NEV's operation to build up a new industrial ecology for sharing vehicles.



After the financing, TOGO stated that it will focus on providing premium sharing-riding experience for urban citizens in the following aspects. Firstly, it will continue to fasten its pace in market expansion, enlarge its business scale in first-tier cities and expand its market share in second and third-tier tourist cities. Secondly, TOGO will continue to optimize and increase sharing-riding fleet and provide more brands, more personalized vehicles for the platform. At the meantime, TOGO will explore and optimize convenient experience for customers and improve refinement operation. Thirdly, it will invest more heavily in the operation and scale supply of NEVs.

From September, 2016 till now, TOGO had finished four rounds of financing. After TOGO received B round of financing from SIG with a total investment of $22 million in October, 2017, it had finished two rounds of financing during 90 days, totaling $48 million.

According to Cai Jiong, Vice President of TOGO, in the future, the majority of the vehicles on TOGO platform will be NEVs, although currently its major vehicles are fuel-powered ones. TOGO has also reportedly ordered a batch of the Tesla Model 3, which are expected to run in different cities over the next few months. Apart from this, TOGO had contacted with several car manufacturers, aiming to produce a number of small and fashionable NEV models to meet customers' needs and demands.

TOGO, a riding-sharing operator, currently is available in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi'an and Chengdu. Meanwhile, TOGO will enter into some optional capital cities, and reasonably put the vehicles into usage in the future.
ABC/Eric LiebowitzOh, American Idol: how can we miss you if you won't go away?

On April 7, 2016, the history-making reality singing competition went off the air after 15 seasons on Fox. But in May of 2017, following weeks of rumors, it was confirmed: American Idol would be back...on ABC. While critics -- and some Idol alumni -- said it was too soon to bring the show back, ABC moved full steam ahead with plans for the reboot.

First came the news that Katy Perry had signed on as a judge, for a reported $25 million. But hopes that Kelly Clarkson would return to the show as a judge were dashed when, just days later, she announced she'd be joining NBC's The Voice for season 14. That same week, another notable American Idol alum, Jennifer Hudson, confirmed that she'd be joining The Voice for the show's 13th season.

Then came the rumors of Ryan Seacrest's involvement in the reboot. Shortly before ABC announced American Idol's return, Ryan had relocated to New York City to take a job as Kelly Ripa's co-host on Live with Kelly, but said in interviews that he'd still be willing to host Idol by flying back and forth to LA.

Then came a report that Ryan was ready to sign, but wanted more money -- and the show's producers tried to lowball him because they were paying Katy so much. Ryan was so upset, went the report, that his reps asked that his name be withdrawn from consideration. ABC, which allegedly didn't know about this, freaked out, begged for another chance, and coughed up the money. Ryan finally confirmed he'd host the show in July.

Auditions got underway in August, as did weeks of speculation as to who the other two judges would be. Names including Charlie Puth, Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx, Keith Urban and Lionel Richie all came up, and at the end of September, Lionel and country superstar Luke Bryan were confirmed as judges.

In November, a March 11, 2018 premiere date for the show was announced. Also that month, footage of three contestants who hadn't made it to Hollywood was shown during the American Music Awards, and viewers voted on which one of them should get a Golden Ticket after all.

So far, there are no details on whether or not American Idol's format will be different on ABC.

Meanwhile, Fox moved to counter the loss of Idol to ABC by announcing a new singing competition, The Four, with guest judges Meghan Trainor, Diddy and DJ Khaled, and host Fergie. That show premieres January 4.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
NY Times, by Yasser Aly (Egyptian Ambassador to the US)

Pr esident Trump with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in May. Credit Mandel Ngan/Agence France-Presse  Getty Images

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.

YASSER REDA, WASHINGTON

The writer is the Egyptian ambassador to the United States.
RBI's deadline to resolve these identified cases with a total loan exposure of about Rs 4 lakh crore by banks ended two days ago.

New Delhi: Punjab National Bank (PNB) Managing Director Sunil Mehta has said about 5 large stressed asset accounts are likely to be resolved bilaterally while the remaining two dozen cases out of 28 identified by RBI in the second list will have to go through the NCLT process.

RBI's deadline to resolve these identified cases with a total loan exposure of about Rs 4 lakh crore by banks ended two days ago.

"In the second list there were 28 cases of which our bank is participating in 20. For these, the exposure is Rs 6,500 crore and incremental provisioning requirement is Rs 800 crore. Of this, the bank has already provided Rs 75 crore till September. The remaining Rs 725 crore would be provided in this quarter," he told PTI.

As per RBI guidelines, banks will have to make a provision of 50 per cent on the cases referred to National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) by March 2018.

"I take a worst case scenario that nothing will be resolved. All will go to NCLT, then my additional provisioning is Rs 725 crore which I can very well take care of," he said.

Asked if he is hopeful of resolving some cases out of NCLT, Mehta said: "Yes, few of the cases we may be able to settle down bilaterally. So the number will be very few...may be 4-5."

Out of 28 identified cases, PNB has exposure in 20 accounts, he said without naming any account. He also clarified that PNB is not a lead banker in any of the cases.

When asked about how much haircut the bank is ready to take, Mehta said, "it will happen as per the process. Whatsoever decision comes everybody has to go with it. So for a right estimate, it would be very difficult because every case is unique. But by and large general assessment is that in first 12 cases we are representing in 9 with exposure of Rs 11,000 crore."

Out of this, Rs 9,000 crore is locked up in 5 steel companies, he said, adding, all these 5 steel assets are already under the advanced stage of expression of interest (EoI) and biddings have been received.

"Steel sector is looking for a very good upside because of infrastructure push by the government.

The second assistance that the government has given is in terms of Minimum Import Price as well as anti-dumping duty. So, the steel sector is looking bright for future. I hope we will be able get better resolution and may not have to take huge cuts," he said.
Mumbai: Arjun Kapoor has finally decided to ditch his well-groomed beard and go clean-shaven.

The actor, who was last seen in Anees Bazmee's 'Mubarakan,' is currently working on Dibakar Banerjee's 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar,' co-starring Parineeti Chopra.

The two who starred together in Arjun's debut 'Ishaqzaade,' will be teaming up again in 'Namastey Canada'.

Though the actor had earlier been snapped sporting a moustache for Dibakar's film, it remains to be seen if the new look is for the film itself or for the second instalment in the Namastey franchise.

Dibakar is filming extremely intense and gritty portions of the film at the Indo-Nepal border. The portions will show the tension between Arjun and Parineetis character. These are crucial and defining moments of the film. The area where the two are shooting is exactly at the border and is constantly under alert for illegal immigration and smuggling. People use an inflated rubber tube as a flotation device on the Kali river at the border and make this risky crossing in the thick of a wintry night. So, shooting has been quite difficult. Local authorities have been of tremendous help providing the crew with assistance and necessary security, a source had informed Deccan Chronicle.
At the end of her 20-minute speech, someone from the audience asked Manju Warrier what she thought about the attack on actor Parvathy for her comments against glorifying misogyny in films. She gave her signature smile and politely refused to comment on the topic. This is not the stage for it, she said, standing at the Ganesham Auditorium that Soorya Krishnamoorthy had recently raised behind his house in Thiruvananthapuram.

This is the first time she is making a formal speech like this, Manju said, inaugurating the Soorya Talk Fest that would last ten days. Basking in modesty, Manju claimed many times she is not good at speeches, but went on to make a marvelous one, apt and beautiful Malayalam, coming from one of the most-loved actors in Kerala. If you are all here, if I have a place in your hearts, it is because of the characters I have done, she said, going on to list out some of her first mentors in cinema. Her first role had been a small one as Muralis daughter in Mohans Sakshyam. Sallapam launched her as a female lead. Lohithadas, the director, saw her photo on a magazine cover and called her for an audition. That you can convey so much through the small movements of your eyes or hands he taught me so much, Manju paid her respects.

Mentioning the notable characters in her first stint in cinema, she went on straight to her comeback in 2014 through the film How Old Are You, after a 14-year break, not mentioning the marriage with actor Dileep or the divorce after. Manju kept the talk strictly professional, speaking only about her dance and cinema.

Dance had begun before school, she said. My mother had wanted to learn dancing as a child but because of her orthodox background she couldnt. So as soon as a girl child was born she was happy that she could get her daughter to dance, Manju said. At the same time her love for cinema grew, living with a family that saw at least a film or two every weekend. At youth festivals, we would all talk cinema and I realised I saw the most number of films. For us, competition came later, it was more about the excitement of travelling somewhere and making new friends.

The second stint made her more aware of the responsibility as an actor. I got more involved and I also enjoyed my work more. Cinema is such a powerful and influential medium that being part of it makes you responsible. She is now doing a biopic on a writer whom she refers to as a mystery standing in front of her  Madhavikutty. Before that it was the endearing maid in Udaharanam Sujatha.

Today when she visits Ockhi victims or makes a donation to the Chief Minister, it is not with any political interest, Manju clarifies. I didnt call the media but someone with me had put up a Facebook post and thats how the media came.

To a question on new generation actors becoming a challenge to superstars, Manju said, Never, no one can take their place. It is all healthy competition. She came back to the topic of misogyny when someone asked if she thought men in Kerala were disrespectful to women. In her personal experience, no, she said, she never had to face it. She didnt mention her friend, the actor who was assaulted in Kochi last February, or the Women in Cinema Collective that formed after. Manju appeared to be extremely cautious in her answers. Perhaps at a time when abuses are poured on women actors for their opinions, she prefers to be left alone.
Mumbai: While Shah Rukh Khan announced the title and first look of his Aanand L Rai directorial on the first day of the year, even Tollywood star Allu Arjun had a treat for his fans, the teaser of his next Naa Peru Surya.

In the teaser, the Stylish Star is seen as a skilled soldier, his only drawback being his hot temper, as the voice-over goes, Surya means anger.

His anger perhaps leads to a goof-up, for which his superiors make life miserable for him at the camp, following which he pledges to die for the country at the border.

Allu Arjun looks impressive venting his anger, and is a natural packing the punches and firing the gun.

He also has a softer side, with Anu Emmanuel playing his love interest, while Boman Irani also spotted in the teaser as his superior.

Sarathkumar, who reportedly plays the antagonist, was not seen in the teaser.

Vishal-Shekhar have composed for the film, which is the directorial debut of popular writer Vakkantham Vamsi.

'Naa Peru Surya' will clash with Mahesh Babus Bharath Ane Nenu on 27 April.

Watch the teaser here:
Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markles are slated to get married in May. (Photo: AP)

Life for Meghan Markle will undergo a sea change as soon as she ties the knot with Prince Harry.

For one, she will not be allowed to click selfies. As the wedding day approaches, the former Suits star will be getting to grips with the strict rules that come with being a member of the royal family.

Also, part of her transitional period into the famous family could involve her reducing her personal Instagram account and joining the Kensington Royal account.

Here are some of the things that Meghan may have to quit.

Selfies: According to The Mirror, Meghan has already been prohibited from doing them, and told a couple in Nottingham were not allowed to do selfies.

The Queen is apparently not a fan of selfie-photos, and former US ambassador Matthew Barzun told Tatler magazine in 2014 that she finds them disconcerting and strange.

Freedom to go out in public alone: She will have to get used to being surrounded by top security at all times. Heading out for a jog in the park by herself will have to be a memory of the past.

Social media: In the last few years, Meghan has racked up three million followers on Instagram and used to regularly post images from her day to day life. However, since announcing that she was shutting down her website The Tig in April 2017, she hasnt posted anything on Instagram.

In all probability, Meghan will join Harry, Kate, and Will on the Kensington Royal social media accounts that updates the public with their charities.

In fact, it was on the official account that Meghan and Harry posted their engagement shots and revealed their wedding date.

Vote: Meghan will be applying for British citizenship ahead of the wedding, but that doesnt mean shell get to vote in elections. According to the parliament website: Although not prohibited by law, it is considered unconstitutional for the Monarch to vote in an election. This may apply directly to the Queen, but the royal family are said to all abide by this.

Wearing dark nail varnish: The Duchess of Cambridge and the Queen are always pictured with au naturel nails, and there is strict reason for this. According to OK! magazine, coloured nail varnish and fake nails are not part of the royal etiquette, and are typically considered to be vulgar.

Sign autographs: No member of the royal family will give you an autograph as royal protocol bans them from scribbling their signature for other people. It has been reported that when Prince Charles is asked for his signature he always responds: "Sorry, they don't allow me to do that."

Go to bed before the Queen: When the royal family members are in the same house or castle, often itll be down to the Queen to determine when the night is over. Apparently other members dont feel right about excusing themselves to go to bed before the Queen is done for the night.

Short hem lines: The Queen is known to disapprove of hems rising over an inch or two above the knee.
US police arrest American man posing as a Nigerian prince to swindle money from people. (Photo: Facebook / Slidell Police Department)

Police in Louisiana (US) have arrested a 67-year-old man who was allegedly part of the "Nigerian prince" email fraud scam.

However, what has caught the world's attention is the man Michael Neu, of Slidell, is not Nigerian or royalty. Hes an American.

The Slidell Police Department made the arrest after an 18-month-long investigation. He is suspected of working with a group in Nigeria to obtain money from unsuspecting and vulnerable people, the Slidell Police Department said on Facebook.

Neu is facing 269 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering, the New Orleans Advocate reported.

Investigation into the "Nigerian Prince" scam is on-going. However, police say the matter is challenging, as some of the individuals do not live in the United States (US).

The scam is one of many causing law enforcement millions of dollars in losses annually.

"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," the Slidell Police Department urge in a Facebook post.

Read the entire Facebook post about the scam and arrest:
Students at an Italian university were shocked to discover their maths professor used to be a gay porn star.

The past life of Ruggero Freddi, who teaches at La Sapienza University, in Rome, was found out after some of the students spotted a picture of him flexing his muscles in a revealing photo on Facebook, the Daily Mail reported.

Freddi, who used to go by the name Carlos Mas, starred in adult films with titles like Big N Plenty and Man Country.

Freddi had left Italy for the United States (US) after his engineering career didn't take off. It was there he got into the porn industry to earn money.

However, he is not upset that the cat is out of the bag. "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," he told Republicca. Freddi also revealed he was proud of both his careers.

After his time in the US, he returned home and got a master's degree in mathematics. He currently lives with his partner who he has been with for 11 years.
Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for Maharashtra bandh on Wednesday to protest the state government's 'failure' to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district on Monday. (Photo: ANI)

Mumbai: Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for Maharashtra bandh on Wednesday to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district on Monday.

Ambedkar alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence.

He said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front, besides 250 organisations, have supported Wednesdays shutdown.

Ambedkar, the grandson of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, has appealed for peace during the bandh period.

Referring to the caste clashes in Bhima Koregaon, Ambedkar ruled out any conflict between Marathas and Dalits.

"If there was any tension, the 200th anniversary commemoration of the Bhima Koregaon battle would not have taken place. Yesterday's programme was organised by Sambhaji Brigade (a Maratha organisation)," he said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai.

He alleged the trouble occurred because of Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan, headed by Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, respectively.

"Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Sabha (ABHS), Peshwa heirs, had opposed the event. We held talks with ABHS after which they decided against opposing," he said.

The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was marred by incidents of violence on Monday, with at least one person was killed.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community  then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

Ambedkar alleged that villagers were provoked by the Shivraj Pratisthan while the Hindu Ekta Agadhi hurled stones at people going towards the Koregaon war memorial.

He demanded that various types of grants and subsidies being given by the government to villages along Koregaon, Shiroor and Chakan, be stopped.

Ambedkar said a judicial probe ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis into the violence should be headed by chief justice of high court and not by a sitting judge.

Mondays violence sparked off protests in various parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday, including in Mumbai where protesters staged a rail roko in suburban Chembur.
Vinay Moorjani's enquiry call about Bom-Del flight was apparently misconstrued as 'bomb hai' (there is a bomb). (Photo: File)

Mumbai: 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 on Tuesday.

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 enroute 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 on Monday, 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.
Chinese military specialists said the DF-17 was one of several iterations of glider systems developed by the PLA, including the DF-ZF which has been through at least seven tests. (Representational Image | AFP)

Beijing: China's new "hypersonic" ballistic missiles will not only challenge the defences of the US but also be able to more accurately hit military targets in Japan and India, a media report said on Tuesday.

The report in the South China Morning Post comes after Tokyo-based The Diplomat magazine reported that Chinas rocket forces conducted two tests late last year of a new hypersonic glide vehicle" or HGV, known as the DF-17.

Citing US intelligence sources, The Diplomat in December reported that the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force carried out the first test on November 1 and the second one two weeks later.

Both tests were successful and the DF-17 could be operational by around 2020, the US intelligence sources were quoted as saying.

Asked about the two tests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang on Tuesday declined to react saying the Defence Ministry should be approached for information on this.

Both tests were successful and the DF-17 could be operational by around 2020, the US intelligence sources were quoted as saying.

HGVs are unmanned, rocket-launched, manoeuvrable aircraft that glide and "skip" through the earths atmosphere at incredibly fast speeds.

Compared to conventional ballistic systems, HGV warheads can travel at much higher speeds, lower altitudes and less- trackable trajectories. The approach leaves defence systems less time to intercept the warhead before it drops its payload.

The DF-17 test missiles were launched from the Jiuquan launch centre in Inner Mongolia and flew about 1,400 km during the trial, The Diplomat reported

Chinese state media first reported on the country's HGV technology in October, with footage of the system in a hypersonic wind tunnel in various arrays.

Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming said HGV technology has become part of the nuclear strategy between the worlds three big nuclear powers: China, the US and Russia.

"Compared to conventional ballistic missiles, HGVs are more complex and difficult to intercept," Zhou told the South China Morning Post.

"The US, Japan and India should be worried about Chinas developments in HGV technology because it can reach targets quicker and more accurately, with military bases in Japan and even nuclear reactors in India being targeted, he was quoted as saying by the daily.

China eyes artificial intelligence for 'fire-and-forget cruise missiles.

Chinese military specialists said the DF-17 was one of several iterations of glider systems developed by the PLA, including the DF-ZF which has been through at least seven tests.

Song Zhongping, a former member of the PLA?s Second Artillery Corps, the rocket wings predecessor, said the DF-17 was the weaponised model of the DF-ZF prototype.

Song, a military commentator for Hong Kong?s Phoenix Television told the Post that the HGV system could be used with various kinds of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles with a range of at least 5,500 km.

He also said multiple HGV warheads could be used with the DF-41, which has a range of at least 12,000 km and can hit anywhere in the US in less than an hour.

Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Dong said HGVs could also be used to target and destroy a US anti-missile system known as THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, which are currently deployed in South Korea to war doff---- attacks from North Korea.

"Chinas HGVs ... could destroy the THAAD radar system if there is war between the two countries, Wong said.

"Once the THAAD radars fail to function in the first stage, it could reduce the window to raise the alarm about the PLA's [ICBMs] ... leaving the US without enough time to intercept," he said.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said that the government would like the Congress to maintain the stand it took in the Lok Sabha by not pressing for amendments. (Photo: PTI | File)

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday urged the Congress not to press for amendments to the triple talaq bill, which seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims, when it comes up for consideration in the Rajya Sabha likely on Wednesday.

The Lok Sabha has already cleared the 'Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill and it is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said that the government would like the Congress to maintain the stand it took in the Lok Sabha by not pressing for amendments.

"We are having continuous talks with the Opposition parties including Congress. We have told Congress that since they have not pressed for any amendments in the Lok Sabha, they should do the same in the Rajya Sabha," Kumar told reporters.

The Congress had moved amendments to certain provisions of the bill in the Lok Sabha but did not press for a vote.

The parliamentary affairs minister said the government may table the bill in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Renuka Chowdhury, a Rajya Sabha member of the Congress, said her party always stood for empowerment of women, right since Independence, but the party needs to see what has been actually included in the bill.

"There is no question of us not standing by anything that empowers women. There is no black and white solution to this, We have to see how the debate evolves... what is actually included and how is it implementable.... and until it is equitable for all women under all clauses of talaq. This is only talaq-e-biddat (triple talaq)", Chowdhury said.

Though a few allies of the BJP like the Shiv Sena have demanded that the bill be sent to a select committee, the government feels no need for it as the legislation has already been debated upon in the Lok Sabha.

"There is no need to go to any committee because the issue has been debated. What should be the fate of triple talaq affected women? There is a greater consensus within the country that there should be a stringent law, preventive mechanism to give protection to Muslim women. I am confident that all parties will cooperate in Rajya Sabha," Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
New Delhi: 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".

"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," the Union Minister said.

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 on Monday, 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.
Beijing: China defended on Tuesday Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather allys "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of lies and deceit and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!, he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

On Tuesday, China, on expected lines, praised Pakistans counter terrorism record.

Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trumps criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides, Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the $50-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts say the US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trumps criticism would affect Chinas efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges.

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries reached a lot of consensus on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard, Geng said.

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.

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 Islamabads reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.
Though the Centre was providing subsidy for electric buses, the government would not be purchasing them.

BENGALURU: The much talked about electric buses would begin services in the city soon, with BMTC deciding to acquire 150 such buses on a lease basis.

Transport Minister H.M. Revanna told reporters here on Tuesday that the tender process for availing services was complete and soon the buses would be inducted to BMTC.

Though the Centre was providing subsidy for electric buses, the government would not be purchasing them. The companies would ply and maintain the buses, while the BMTC would enter into rate contract with the operators, he said.

Meanwhile, the government had decided to induct more buses for inter-city services such as Bengaluru-Mysuru, Bengaluru-Tumakuru and Bengaluru-Kolar. Since the buses can travel only up to 200 kilometers per charge, long distance buses would not be opted for. Even those buses would be leased out to respective Transport Corporations, he said.

The main aim was to reduce the pollution and the government has already come out with plan to promote public transport days on every second Sundays in Bengaluru city. During such days, Namma Metro would increase the trips, while the BMTC would reduce its fares, he said.

Meanwhile, taking into account the losses made by Volvo buses, the government had reduced fares from 15% to 35%. The aim was to attract more passengers to travel in Volvo buses, Mr Revanna said.

Truck terminals

Stating that the ambitious Devaraj Truck Terminal was in shambles, Mr Revanna said that he had taken measures to clean them up. The terminal was being used as dump yard for old trucks, while 80 truckloads of garbage was dumped in the yard.

Apart from Devaraj Urs truck terminal, the government was planning to build one more terminal at a cost of Rs 21 crore near Nelamangala. At the moment, the infrastructure was ready and there was need for road connectivity to the Highway. Soon, the connectivity would be completed.

The government would also build two more truck terminals at Mysuru and Hospete, Mr Revanna added.
Doctors of the Indian medical association, protesting against the proposed NMC Bill on black day at IMA building, Esamia Bazar, Koti, in Hyderabad on Tuesday. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: The National Medical Commission Bill (NMC) has been referred to the Parliament standing committee for consideration after an eight-hour strike by doctors on Tuesday.

The Telangana Indian Medical Association stated that the Bill had been tabled the Lok Sabha with hardly any time to discuss.

Doctors are peeved at the bridge course offered to homeopathy and ayurveda doctors and waving the exams for those who have studied medicine abroad to practise in India.

Dr K.K. Aggarwal, former president of the IMA, said, We have called off the strike as the Bill has been referred to the Parliamentary standing committee on health.

Terming the Bill draconian, doctors said that they will be at the mercy of bureaucrats who will decide the future course of medicine once the Bill becomes an Act.

Dr Minhaz Nasirabadi, a senior IMA member, added, The Bill had only five members of the medical fraternity. The disbanded Medical Council of India had 270 elected doctors. Decisions on medicine cannot be taken by non-medical professionals.

The IMA stated that the Bill gives undue advantage for bureaucrats over doctors.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) declared closure of services for 12 hours on Tuesday.
Apart from doctors, the under graduate students have also come out against the Bill which has proposed uniform national exit test. (Representational image)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The hour-long strike called by Kerala Government Medical Officers Association, Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association, Kerala Medical PG Association and the black day observed by IMA had adversely affected health care services both in the government and private sectors. The strike led to huge inconvenience to patients coming to outpatient wings in hospitals across the state.

Various organisations of doctors in Kerala on Tuesday called off their agitation in protest against the Medical Commission Bill following a decision to refer it to Parliamentary Standing Committee.

As the strike call was given between 10 am and 11 am, long queues were witnessed outside hospitals including institutions under the health department. The KGMOA strike had affected majority of the 1300 small and big hospitals besides government medical college hospitals and private hospitals.

At the general hospital here patients alleged that doctors, who were attending to patients, were removed forcibly from the rooms by their agitating colleagues. This led to protests from the patients. Similar scenes were witnessed in various other hospitals with patients alleging that the strike called at a short notice, had left them in the lurch.

The doctors also took out a march to Raj Bhavan and held a rally. Junior doctors who were on indefinite fast in front of Raj Bhavan also called off their protest.

The doctors associations alleged that NMC bill was against the principles of modern medicine as proposes to permit unscientific systems to enter modern medicine sector.

The structure of the new Commission has also come in for strong criticism from the medical fraternity. The proposed body which is set to replace MCI, will be more of a nominated board with little representation for states and UTs.

Apart from doctors, the under graduate students have also come out against the Bill which has proposed uniform national exit test.
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad High Court on Tuesday expressed concern at rampant mass copying in the SSC and Intermediate public examinations.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice G. Shyam Prasad was dealing with a PIL (public interest litigation) by Dr Srinivas Guntupalli of Eluru city in AP seeking to declare illegal the action of AP and Telangana governments in not ensuring that public examinations and other examinations in schools in both the states are conducted in a fair manner and not preventing mass copying and guided copying.

The bench directed chief secretaries of AP and Telangana to file reports explaining the steps being taken to curb mass copying and also the status of installation of CCTV cameras in examination centres in both states

Maintaining that mass copying will damage educational standards, the bench that only four cases in Telangana state and one in AP were registered during public examinations last year.

Deterrence is the only cure. Booking of cases against the students and others responsible for the mass copying under the Public Exami-nation Act 1997 and prosecuting them is the only way to set right the system, the bench said. The bench adjourned the case for further hearing to January 28.
As per the schedule issued by the government, schools are instructed to issue notification for admissions on their school websites on January 2. (Photo: DC)

Hyderabad: Parents in the city are in a state of confusion as the state government has given the green signal for schools to begin admissions but not yet taken a decision on the fee issue in private schools.

Parents said that if admissions were given without any fee regulation, they would have to pay the 10 per cent hike fee recommended by the Professor Tirupati Rao Committee.

In a GO released by the state government, it instructed all the un-aided schools, private schools, aided schools, CBSE schools, and IB, Cambridge and ICSE schools to begin the admission process from January 2 to January 12.

The government, however, has warned of strict action against the schools which ask for captivation fees while giving admissions.

As per the schedule issued by the government, schools are instructed to issue notification for admissions on their school websites on January 2.

From January 3 to January 8 schools are advised to collect the receipt of online applications through their website.

Headmasters and principals are asked to select the applications within two days from January 9 to 10 and furnish a final list of admissions to the District Education Officers (DEO) concerned. This must be put up on the school websites by January 12.

Dr Narsimha Reddy, principal of Hyderabad Public School in Ramanthpur, said, It is difficult for any school to finish the entire process in the given time. We need to give parents more time to select schools and apply. Five to 10 days is definitely not sufficient, usually we keep it open for a month. Why should we turn down parents who cant apply in a span of five days.

Ashish Naredi, a member of HSPA, said, Prof. Tirupathi Rao recommended 10 per cent hike but says nothing about the base fee. So now with sudden announcement of admissions in private schools, all the schools will jack up base fees by 30-40 per cent.
Bhopal: A debt-ridden farmer in Madhya Pradeshs parched Bundelkhand region gave an account of borrowings he had made on the wall of house before committing suicide.

Hazari, 30, resident of Baldeogarh village in Tikamgarh district under Bundelkhand region, was found hanging in his farmland early on Tuesday, police said.

The deceased wrote on the wall of his house details of debts he had incurred and the names of people from whom he had borrowed before ending his life.

The borrowings ranged from Rs 100 to Rs 1,000. His family members said he was upset over crop failures for the past three years due to drought in the region.

Besides, he was worried that he could not recover his 2.5 hectares of land mortgaged to the local money lender for `50,000, he had borrowed to treat his ailing father.

We are probing into the incident, police said. A couple of days earlier, another farmer, identified as Dhaniram Kushwaha hanged himself to death in his house in Bargola village in the district owing to crop failure.
Puducherry: Continuing his attack on Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy on Tuesday said the governor does not have the right to interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the government.

The government is functioning within a prescribed limit. If the Lt Governor is need of any clarification she can get it by giving written letter to the secretaries of departments concerned, said the Chief Minister while addressing a press conference here.

Although he had written letters to Ms Bedi on more than 15 occasions registering protest against her style of functioning, the Lt Governor instead is releasing government secrets through social media platforms, he alleged.

The Chief Minister had earlier attacked the Lt Governor saying that Ms Bedi is functioning more like a leader of Opposition than the administrator of Puducherry.

On GST, he said, there was confusion initially in implementing it but now revenue flow is happening.

"The quantum of revenue to the Union Territory is not known, a copy of the GST profit report was sought from the Centre," he said. Special Pongal gift packs containing essential commodities will be distributed to all cardholders in the Union Territory for Pongal festival, the Chief Minister added.
Mangaluru: Claiming that many Hindu girls are being trapped by 'Love Jihad' in the coastal districts, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal have decided to conduct a massive public awareness programme about Love Jihad from January 3 to 18.

There is a big network of Love Jihad in the coastal region. Young Hindu girls are lured by Muslim boys with a Jihadist mindset. These girls are converted and used for anti-national activities. This is a plot to destroy Hindu dharma," VHP Pranth Pramukh M.B. Puranik told reporters.

Our volunteers will visit houses and also distribute the pamphlets among college students and working women, he said.

A committee will be formed in every village comprising of caste-based organisations, Hindu outfits, leaders and NGOs to chalk out programmes to stop Love Jihad. We are not against love or inter-religious marriage. Nor are we against any community. There are many cases where people of two different religions have married and are leading a happy life. But we are concerned about recent developments where Hindu girls are being lured by Muslims with a Jihadist mindset, he said.

Meanwhile, Bajrang Dal convener Sharan Pumpwell has written to Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis to refer Reshma VK's case to the NIA for an investigation. A Hindu girl, Reshma VK hails from Kasargod but had settled in Mangaluru and was studying here. She had allegedly gone with a Muslim boy, Mohammed Iqbal Umar Choudhari, to Mumbai five months ago. Reshma's parents brought her back to Mangaluru. Mohammed Iqbal then approached a Mumbai court and filed a kidnap case. However, the girl submitted an affidavit to the Mumbai police chief clarifying that she is staying with her parents without any pressure. On Tuesday, Sharan wrote a letter to Fadnavis to refer the case to NIA as this was a case of Love Jihad.

CM to officials: Crack the whip

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has directed officials concerned to take strict action against those involved in moral policing in Dakshina Kannada district. Meanwhile, Food and civil supplies Minister U.T. Khader in a press statement said that in the wake of immoral goondaism (moral policing) surfacing in Dakshina Kannada district CM Siddaramaiah has asked them to act tough against those involved in the incidents. He said that the Chief Minister had a discussion with him and forest minister Ramanath Rai after the Cabinet meeting at Bengaluru on Tuesday. Khader said that the CM has taken serious note of moral policing at Pilikula on Tuesday and also the recent Subramanya incident. "A report has been obtained from the home ministry. The CM has asked us to take strict measures to stop such incidents and also take strict action against the accused," Khader said adding that the CM had warned that the officials will be held responsible if there was any negligence.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The doctors' associations are up in arms against the National Medical Commission Bill which contains several controversial provisions like allowing ayurveda and homoeo doctors to practise modern medicine after clearing a bridge course. The MCI will also be replaced with a new body.

The associations say the Bill will result in the entry of quacks and unregistered practitioners besides putting the lives of patients at high risk. They say the new regulatory body will be packed with nominated members which also raises serious doubts about the centre's intentions.

The commission will comprise a chairperson, a member secretary, eight ex-officio members, including bureaucrats representing different ministers. There will also be representatives from different fields, including legal, economics, finance, health research and those working for the rights of patients.

What has raised eyebrows is the low representation for different states and union territories in the proposed medical advisory council. Only five part-time members representing states and UTs will be taken on the panel on a rotation basis for two-year terms.

When compared with the existing MCI set up which comprises 70 to 80 per cent elected representatives, the new council will have majority of nominated members.

"The National Medical Commission is totally against the principles of modern medicine. They are permitting unscientific systems to enter modern medicine sector. We suspect that it is only the beginning of a big scam," said Dr K.A. Raoof, state secretary Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA).

The doctors' organisations allege that the ulterior motive of the Bill is to bring in indigenous medicine in an inappropriate way by diluting and controlling modern medicine. Ayurvedics, homoeopaths and others will get registration in modern medicine through Schedule IV of NMC, they allege.

"It would not be surprising if tomorrow the centre comes up with reservation for those coming from ISM through the bridge course in various departments," said Dr Raoof.

Health experts believe that the NMC looks like a centralised agency which is based on anti-democratic principles. "It is aimed at destroying the existing modern medicine sector. I do not agree with the proposal to bring in people from ISM on the pretext of providing more manpower in rural areas. The new system is anti-democratic and hierarchical. Moreover, it favours the private sector," said Planning Board member Dr B. Ekbal.

Earlier, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare's proposal to amend the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, 1971 as part of the Medical Mission Bill had triggered a nationwide debate with the allopathy doctors associations and Indian Medical Association coming out strongly against the move.

They had opposed the proposal to allow the practitioners of ayurveda, siddha and homoeopathy to carry out abortions, pointing out that the move could have serious ramifications on the health of pregnant women even putting their lives in danger.

The doctors have serious reservations about the structure of the new commission. They say the move to replace a 150-plus member elected body with a nominated 20-odd member panel was totally unacceptable. Moreover, almost half of the members in the new commission would be persons who have absolutely no connection with medical profession.

Another concern being raised by the medical fraternity is the proposed increase in management quota. From the existing 15 per cent, it could go up to 60 per cent. The boards under the commission will be prescribing norms for determination of fees for a proportion of seats, not exceeding 40 percent, in the private medical educational institutions.

The MBBS students are also up in arms against the commission because of the anti- student proposals. After completing MBBS by taking 20 to 25 exams in five-and-a-half years, a person becomes a medical graduate. But the NMC proposal says it's not enough. The doctor will have to take another examination.

The IMA feels the licentiate examination proposed in the NMC is unnecessary. The quality of medical education will be badly hit and the cost of medical education and health care would go up if these provisions are approved.

Those in favour of NMC, however, say the new system will inject professionalism. At the moment, the MCI has become an exclusive organisation by the doctors, for the doctors and of the doctors.

In many countries, both medical professionals and non-medical professionals regulate the profession making it more transparent and accountable. The current style of functioning of MCI lacks transparency and professionalism which has adversely impacted the medical sector as a whole.

The Neeti Aayog had claimed that the draft Bill had received wide response from the public, professionals, representatives of various organisations and medical experts. Nearly 20,000 suggestions had come up before the team which were closely examined. These recommendations and suggestions were taken into consideration while preparing the Bill.
On New Years Day, Tharoor expressed his thankfulness to viewers for joining him on Facebook Live; the blunder he made could have been avoided had it not been for that one extra letter. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: It is January, not April and nobody is fooling you. Shashi Tharoors grammatical mistake on Twitter, on the first day of the year, gave Suhel Seth his claim to blame.

Tharoor, a Congress MP, is known for his inimitable wit and eloquence. His quips on social media are not only well-timed but also fodder for all wanting to rake up a controversy. Tharoor, the man who has incontestably gifted masses with a refined glossary of English words, made a slight slip in his twitter post on January 1.

On New Years Day, Tharoor expressed his thankfulness to viewers for joining him on Facebook Live; the blunder he made could have been avoided had it not been for that one extra letter.

Delighted to have 20,000 live viewers for my #FacebookLive at lunchtime on New Year's Day! Those whom missed it can view it at leisure on https://t.co/z3MGd0mvtg @facebook  Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 1, 2018

While the typo was ignored by most, already impressed with the message of gratitude, a few did notice it at once.

Suhel Seth, our dear own bon vivant and agony uncle, did not let go of this opportunity to call out Tharoors mistake using his sharpened devices of wit and sarcasm. Seth tweeted, Happy New Year. And those who missed or those of whom...

Happy New Year. And those who missed it or those of whom... https://t.co/WvrjAf4JdA  SUHEL SETH (@suhelseth) January 1, 2018

The internet exploded. People praised Seths observation skills as correction to Tharoorian English is a rare sight. Adnan Sami joined the queue of Twitterati who lauded Seth.

Slam dunk!  Adnan Sami (@AdnanSamiLive) January 1, 2018

Gotcha moment   Rajanish (@RajanishKota) January 1, 2018

Youve taken the plunge to a different level in the new year 2018 by challenging the English of non other than @ShashiTharoor 

Wish all a very Happy, Healthy, Successful, Bright & Peaceful New Year 2018 !  Navdeep Mahajan (@navdeepmahajan) January 1, 2018

While this round is likely to have been won by Suhel Seth, Tharoor is surely coming back loaded. Will he call Seths claims a farrago of distortions or will he stick to his not-so-rodomontade words for a healthy Twitter reply?
About 50,000 drivers led by Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) have been protesting for transparency in fares for over a year.

Chennai: Much hardship is in store for the commuters across Chennai as most of the cab drivers employed by app-based services including Ola, Uber and Fasttrack are going on a strike on Wednesday, in protest against stiff performance targets, falling incentives and irregular incomes.

The drivers had also threatened other drivers that there would be a violence outbreak if any of them operates their vehicles on Wednesday. This would eventually lead to skyrocketing of fares by the auto drivers.

About 50,000 drivers led by Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) have been protesting for transparency in fares for over a year.

Initially, as Fasttrack was fleecing passengers for Rs.18 per kilometer, Ola charged Rs.12 per kilometer for the customer and the defecit-Rs.6 was paid to us by the company. As the app-based services gained popularity, the companies have been exploiting the labour by setting fares on their own terms and not revealing it to the driver till the customer boards the cab, rued one of the drivers, A.Karuppanambalam.

He further added that car-pooling services have added to their woes as most of the trips surpass the diesel cost.

Despite fleecing the commuters on cost per kilometer, Fasttrack drivers are also taking part in the protest because almost all the passengers diverted to other low cost app-based services. The divers said, the demand for Fasttrack cabs is less than half of the 13,000 cabs in the city.

P.Selvaraj, a cab driver complained that both Ola and Uber do not pay toll gate amount to the drivers, neither do they charge it from the commuters. Moreover, each driver pays a commission of 25 per cent for each ride to the company apart from Rs 200 at the end of the day.
The year 2018 presents a challenging external environment to India as Prime Minister Narendra Modi enters his last full year in office. Mr Modis conduct of foreign policy has propensity for nationalistic posturing when crucial state elections approach. That impacts Indias neighbourhood policy, specifically relations with China and Pakistan. This year will be full of byelections to Parliament in the critical states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The last two and Karnataka would also elect new Assemblies.

Later this month Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will arrive in India, followed by a mini-Asean summit as its 10 members are guests at the Republic Day celebrations. But the principal challenge to India is its immediate neighbourhood. First, despite palpable bonhomie, Mr Modi having been the first Indian head of government to visit Israel, India voted for a UN General Assembly resolution asking the United States to reverse its decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital. Perhaps this was unavoidable after four permanent UN Security Council members and over two-thirds of the UN membership lined up behind the resolution. It indicated that Indian foreign policy remains rooted in pragmatism. The Saarc neighbourhood is more divided today than ever with persistent Pakistani defiance and Chinese aggressive intrusion. The Economist notes that China is making it increasingly clear... (that) the thing it really disapproves of is India maintaining a sphere of influence. The Sino-Indian standoff at Doklam has persisted, albeit with a limited Chinese withdrawal to dodge embarrassment before its 19th party congress and to save the China-hosted Brics summit. Reportedly, despite the onset of winter, when normally Chinese troops return to the Tibetan hinterland, they have bivouacked at the spot, within sight of Indian troops. This maintains pressure on Bhutan, in whose territory Doklam lies. It also thus leaves Bhutan vulnerable to Chinese cajolements of a permanent territorial settlement to wean it away from Indias tutelage.

The Chinese pressure on the Indian periphery was manifested in Sri Lanka conceding control of Hambantota port and its adjoining territory to China on a 99-year lease, the Maldives ramming through a free trade agreement with China and a coalition of the two largest Communist parties winning the elections in Nepal. Until 2011, China didnt even have an embassy in the Maldives. According to exiled former President Mohammed Nasheed, who is perceived as close to India, China now holds 75 per cent of the Maldives debt. The Nepalese government can be expected to tilt more visibly towards China and thus allow the Belt and Road Initiative to connect Kathmandu by train to Lhasa and beyond, consequently tying the Nepalese economy more closely to Chinas.

India-Pakistan relations are now in free fall, with Mr Modi having used Pakistan as a convenient punching bag in the recent Gujarat Assembly elections, even hinting at treason when former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former vice-president Hamid Ansari had attended a dinner in honour of a former Pakistani foreign minister. Post-election, India facilitated the visit of the mother and wife of alleged spy-cum-saboteur Kulbhushan Jadhav for a meeting, which ended up humiliating the ladies when they were strip-searched. Later, Pakistan began alleging that Jadhavs wifes shoes contained snooping devices. That the national security advisers of India and Pakistan attended the following day a pre-scheduled meeting in Bangkok indicates either that Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua was complicit in the Islamabad charade or was undercut by his former service to keep India-Pakistan relations disturbed. Indias Pakistan policy of boycott and threats has thus faltered as Pakistan is, if anything, even more defiant. Ceasefire violations in the last year climbed to 820, 589 more that the preceding year, and 667 more than in 2014. Drawing solace from the rising crescendo of Trumpian warnings would be unwise as the United States is principally soliciting action against groups like the Taliban and the Haqqani Network and not India-specific groups, which Pakistan is mainstreaming by transmutation into political units.

In Indias expanded neighbourhood to the east a two-track approach is being adopted. The Quad, a grouping of Australia, India, Japan and the US, to balance China, has been resurrected. Some see it as a rudimentary Asian version of Nato. That would be premature as more members yet need to be co-opted, including Vietnam and South Korea, and perhaps even Indonesia. Meanwhile, India continues supporting the East Asia Summit (EAS), built around the 10-member Asean. On a separate track, India would remain active in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a Chinese brainchild, and Brics and RIC (Russia, India and China). This is to both balance China and engage it. This is necessary as the US under Donald Trump has undertaken a structural withdrawal by abandoning Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and the Paris climate change accord, vacating space for China.

To Indias west, the geostrategic scenario is more muddled. Mr Trumps Riyadh visit early in his presidency emboldened the Saudi ruling dispensation to confront Iran, pillory GCC allies whose conduct the Saudis abhorred, escalate the war in Yemen and attempt novel reforms at home. Consequently, it exacerbated the Shia-Sunni divide and caused an intra-Sunni split. The US move on Jerusalem before a final settlement of the West Asia issue and unrest in Iran add to the complexity. India has one foot in a boat rowed by the Saudis and Emiratis (Mr Modi is to revisit the UAE next month), and the other foot in the Iranian dhow, now in Mr Trumps cross-hairs. With President Trump given to diplomacy by Twitter and Russia converging with China on most international issues, the space for a balancing game has shrunk further.

Thus 2018 will see Indian foreign policy largely playing a waiting game as elections loom in India, Pakistan, Russia and even the United States (the mid-term congressional polls). The new foreign secretary has his work cut out.
In his first tweet of the year, US President Donald Trump roasted Pakistan on Monday, saying that in return for $33 billion given to Islamabad since 2001 to fight against terrorism, all that America had got in return was lies and deceit, and the terrorists that Pakistan gave sanctuary to were attacking US soldiers in Afghanistan. Washington has also suspended a military aid package of $255 million.

The Pakistanis have returned the compliment. Defence minister Khurram Dastgir Khan said in response that his country had got only invective and mistrust from the US in return for offering land and air communication facilities, military bases and intelligence support. Islamabad has also asked Washington not to blame it for Americas own failure in resolving the situation in Afghanistan.

True to form, Indians have seen in Mr Trumps words and action a vindication of their thinking that Pakistan is a state sponsor of terrorism. This is hardly a mature reaction. New Delhi must be clear that Washington is not acting to please any country, and that it is seeking to change the dynamics in the AfPak theatre for its own reasons.

Some of these include the fact of China and Russia being far more energetic in this region than earlier, giving a sense of comfort to Islamabad  and in that sense giving Islamabad the sense that it has managed to develop options. It is clear enough though that Pakistan wouldnt like to lose America as a long-term patron. Essentially, the two countries are engaged in seeking a better working relationship. There is very little in all this for India.

India must deal with Pakistan on its own terms, without being influenced by US-Pakistan relations or without worrying about what the Americans would think. This was the template of Indian policy once, but has been lost since the first NDA government of Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Over the years, Pakistan has used terrorism as barely concealed official policy to keep its neighbours India and Afghanistan unsettled and to gain influence in Afghanistans politics. There are no two ways about this. Islamabad has also milked the US in every way  money and weapons  in the name of fighting terrorism.

But the point is simply this. President Trump has not made a discovery. In only slightly less stinging ways, his last three predecessors have made the same point that he has. But the US did not push the issue beyond a point. Apparently, the present US leaders language is meant to be a warning  better and more truthful behaviour this time around, or else!

It will be surprising if the Americans simply cast Pakistan out. India needs to look out for the terms on which the two countries predicate their new dynamics, and ensure that this does not include watering down Indias position in Kabul.
On August 22, 2017, the Supreme Court in a historic verdict in Shayara Bano vs Union of India, invalidated the practice of instant triple talaq, or talaq-e-biddat, declaring that it was arbitrary and unconstitutional. It asked Parliament to enact a new law on triple talaq, and further said if the law doesnt come into force within six months, the courts injunction on triple talaq would continue.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, introduced and passed in the Lok Sabha on December 28, 2017, upheld the Supreme Court injunction banning instant triple talaq, and went a step further by criminalising it. There cant be any doubt about the fact that instant triple talaq is an evil practice, completely negating the right of equality, security and dignity of Muslim women; and it has to go. But the major bone of contention in the bill is the criminalisation of triple talaq. It should be noted that the Supreme Court has already invalidated the act. The critics of the bill wonder why, when the act itself is not valid, its mere utterance, which is absolutely ineffective, should attract criminal penalties? Also, by criminalising this, the government is bringing a civil matter into criminal jurisdiction. The severity of the punishment and making it cognisable, which means the police can arrest the husband without judicial supervision and even without any complaint from the wife, is also under question. Supporters of the bill draw a parallel to Section 498A IPC and bigamy, which are also criminal offences. However, these supporters fail to note that bigamy is a non-cognisable offence, and if the first or the second wife does not complain, the State cannot take any action on its own. The Supreme Court has also recently issued strict guidelines that checks automatic arrests in Section 498A cases, calls for greater scrutiny by the police and magistrates, and categorically stated that non-compliance will attract disciplinary and contempt proceedings.

The idea behind any law is to provide checks and balances that will provide a certain measure of protection from abuse to all parties, by individuals or by agents of the State. The criminalisation of the mere utterance of triple talaq is seen as arbitrary, and given the current socio-political atmosphere across the country, in which the members of a minority community could be lynched simply over rumours of eating beef or slaughtering cows, the fear is not unjustified that the cognisable nature of the crime will be misused for deliberate harassment. If punishment is to be used as a deterrent, which is an acceptable idea in itself, the nature of punishment could be fines, transfer of fixed assets to the wife or minor children, or other measures without going to the extreme of criminalising a purely civil matter. Or, if it has to be criminalised, it should be done only on the complaint of the wife, not anyone else.

One of the rationales behind the Supreme Court judgment of banning instant triple talaq was that it doesnt leave any scope for reconciliation. By proposing to send the husband to jail, the government is actually ensuring that there is no room left for reconciliation. The plight of the wife would be further enhanced due to the fact that despite remaining in the marriage, she would have no place in her marital home as she would be seen as instrumental in sending her husband to the jail. The bill is also silent about how the husband will be able to pay the subsistence allowance if his source of earning is barred by imprisoning him. There are no guidelines about computation of the subsistence allowance and it is left to be decided by the magistrates. In India, of course, the courts often take a long time to decide a case. Who is going to provide for the woman and her children in the meanwhile? Congress MP Sushmita Dev has suggested the creation of a corpus fund by the government to support such women and their children till they can legally manage to get the subsistence allowance. However, the suggestion was rejected.

The government had earlier argued against making marital rape a crime on the pretext that it would break down the institution of the family. In a landmark judgment as recently as October 2017, the Supreme Court criminalised sex within a child marriage, terming it as rape, removing an earlier exemption from the Indian Penal Code that stated that married girls above 15 years of age could not press rape charges against their husbands. In that context, the government argued that it should not be criminalised, taking the same excuse that it would lead to the breakdown of the family. Why doesnt the government use the same logic about not harming the institution of the family by removing the clause of cognisable and non-bailable criminality that will irrevocably break the family by not leaving any scope for reconciliation? On the other hand, why doesnt the government think about providing gender justice to scores of women, across communities, by making marital rape a criminal offence? The government cannot have double standards for gender justice!

On December 28, without adopting a single amendment suggested by the Opposition parties, as well as refusing to send the bill to the standing committee for detailed consideration, the government bulldozed its passage through the Lok Sabha by sheer strength of its brute majority. The bill could have been a landmark and truly historic act of legislation had it not been so unthinkingly and perhaps uncaringly drafted. Going by the Lok Sabha experience, the government appears to be unwilling to listen to and accept any suggestions to strengthen the bill and plug in loopholes. The government may be able to avoid legislative scrutiny by bulldozing its way through, but it cannot evade judicial scrutiny in case the law is subsequently challenged in the courts.

At the time of writing this, the bill is all set to be tabled and come up in the Rajya Sabha. One can only hope that the bill will then incorporate amendments to strengthen it further and shed some of the proposed provisions that might subvert the very purpose of the bill: to provide gender justice to Muslim women.
'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,' Trump said. (Photo: File)

Washington: US President Donald Trump on Saturday weighed in on protests in Iran for a second straight day, warning that the country's people want change and "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

Trump posted on Twitter two clips of his speech to the UN General Assembly in September in which he took aim at the Iranian regime, which Washington has held out as its top adversary in the Middle East.

"Oppressive regimes cannot endure forever, and the day will come when the Iranian people will face a choice," he tweeted, quoting from the speech. "The world is watching!"

Later Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence added his voice, saying: "The time has come for the regime in Tehran to end terrorist activities, corruption, & their disregard for human rights."

White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders added: "The days of America looking the other way ... are over."

Trump's posts came as several hundred anti-government demonstrators clashed with police at the University of Tehran in a third straight day of protests.

Hundreds of counter-protesters also massed outside the entrance to the university, chanting "Death to the seditionists" in a show of support for the regime.

Videos shared by social media users outside Iran but which could not be independently verified claimed to show thousands marching peacefully against the regime in several cities including Khorramabad, Zanjan and Ahvaz, with chants of "Death to the dictator."

"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," Trump said, again quoting from the UN speech.

Trump also tweeted in support of the protesters late Friday, prompting Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Bahran Ghasemi to dismiss his remarks as "opportunistic."
'They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!' says Trump. (Photo: AFP/File)

Washington: The United States has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

The confirmation comes on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

"The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official said on conditions of anonymity.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation, the official said.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America "nothing but lies and deceit" despite having received more than USD 33 billion in last 15 years.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism.

Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it has got "nothing but invective and mistrust" for all the actions it took in support of America's war against terrorism.

"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 Pakistan Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to shouted questions from reporters on "what is your plan on Pakistan?"

Several US lawmakers came out in support of Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan.

"I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan," Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma said.

"You're either with the US, or against us. We will always help our friends, but for too long, the US has propped up countries that do not share our goal to end terrorism. I'm proud to see our President take bold steps to put America first," Mullin said.

"I couldn't agree more," tweeted Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky.

"I've been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate," said Paul.

Samantha Vinograd, CNN's national security analyst spoke in favour of Trump's move.

"As a way to make it clear to the Pakistanis that enough is enough, if President Trump actually follows through, it could be an effective move," she said in an opinion piece published on the CNN website.

"It isn't the only step by any means, but it could be the right one," she said.

"Great start. Why give millions to countries who would harbor our enemies?" Trump's son Donald Trump Jr tweeted on Monday.
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. (Photo: File)

Lahore: Pakistan on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, on a day when President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) issued a notification prohibiting 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 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," according to the notification.

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 Dawn said.

Read: Pak plans to seize Hafiz Saeed's charities, financial assets: Secret doc

The notification comes on a day when President 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," President Trump said in a strongly worded tweet.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" President Trump said in his first tweet of the year.

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.

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.

"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.

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: 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.

Pakistans 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.

Asif also called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi over Trump's remarks.

"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 the country's foreign policy.

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 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

Soon, the Government of Pakistans Twitter handle also became active and quoting Pakistans 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 Trumps 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, armys spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted that the aid the country had received from the U.S. was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda.

The Trumps scathing remarks come after a media 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.

Although the volume of annual US assistance to Pakistan stands at USD 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.
A 35-year-old woman today tried to immolate herself inside a police station in Kosikaln town of Mathura district over an alleged delay in the arrest of people accused of raping her, a police official said.



The woman has accused two persons, including a 19-year- old teenager, from the town of raping her last month.

A case was registered on the basis of her complaint, the official said.

The woman has accused the police of laxity in probing the matter and claimed that one of the accused even pressured her to withdraw her complaint.

But inspector Udayvir Singh Malik, in-charge of Kosikalan police station, claimed that the accused were absconding.

Today, the woman reached the police station in Kosikal town and poured kerosene on her body. She then tried to burn herself but she was prevented by police officials.

Police officials said there were doubts over the woman's allegations. However, they said, a probe was on.
Over Rs 10,000 crore has been earmarked for internal security-related expenditure in Jammu and Kashmir, Northeastern region and the Maoist-hit areas, Union minister Hansraj Ahir said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.



Funds worth Rs 10,132 crore will be given in three years from 2017-18 till 2019-20 under the Rs 25,061 crore umbrella scheme of modernisation of police forces announced on September 27, he said during Question Hour.

The central outlay for the umbrella scheme is Rs 18,636 crore. Its salient features include special provisions for internal security, law and order, women security, availability of modern weapons, mobility of police forces and logistics support.

"Central budget outlay of Rs 10,132 crore has been earmarked for internal security related expenditure for Jammu and Kashmir and Left Wing Extremism affected states," he said.

Ahir said Rs 3,000 crore will be given to 35 worst Maoist- affected districts to address the underdevelopment there and an outlay of Rs 1,215 crore has been earmarked for the Northeastern states for police infrastructure upgradation, training institutions and investigation facilities among others.

"Implementation of this scheme would bolster the government's ability to challenges faced in different theatres such as areas affected by LWE, Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeastern region effectively and undertake development interventions which will catalyse in improving the quality of life in these areas and help combat these challenges effectively at the same time," he said.
Israel's Parliament on Tuesday gave final approval to legislation aimed at making it more difficult for the government to hand the Palestinians parts of Jerusalem under any future peace deal.



The bill, approved by a 64 to 51 vote, is the latest blow to remaining hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Formulated by Shuli Moalem-Refaeli of the far-right Jewish Home party, it comes weeks after US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital sparked deadly protests in the Palestinian territories.

It determines that any ceding of lands considered by Israel to be part of Jerusalem would necessitate a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament - 80 out of 120 members of the Knesset.

It also enables changing the municipal definition of Jerusalem, which means that sectors of the city "could be declared separate entities," a statement from Parliament read.

Israeli right-wing politicians have spoken of unilaterally breaking off overwhelmingly Palestinian areas of the city in a bid to increase its Jewish majority.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.

It claims all of Jerusalem as its united capital, while the Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

The issue is among the most contentious in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"We've ensured the unity of Jerusalem," Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads Jewish Home, said after the vote.

"The Mount of Olives, the Old City and the City of David will forever remain ours," he wrote on Twitter.

Dov Henin of the Opposition's mainly Arab Joint List said the new law should be called "the law to prevent peace".

"Without an agreement on Jerusalem there will be no peace," he said ahead of the final vote.

Trump's December 6 decision upended decades of precedent and broke with international consensus, but maintains that Jerusalem's final status would have to be decided in negotiations between the two sides.

The new law is, however, not necessarily definitive. It can be changed by a regular parliamentary majority of 61.
Tension prevailed in parts of eastern suburbs in Mumbai on Tuesday, a day after a riot-like situation in Bhima-Koregaon area of Pune district.

On Monday, a group of people holding saffron flags pelted stones at the Dalit community, when they gathered to observe the bi-centenary of the battle fought between troops of the East Indian Company and the Peshwas.

One youth was killed in the incident and another was injured. Several vehicles were also torched.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the home portfolio, is personally monitoring the situation.

He announced a judicial probe into the incident. "We have taken a serious view of the issue," he said, adding that a sitting judge would probe into the incident.

A CID probe has also been ordered into the incident.

Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar himself when to Pune to review the situation and take remedial action.

In Bhima-Koregaon, section 144 of the CrPC has been clamped. Fadnavis also urged the people not to believe in rumours and be careful on social media.

He said that on January 1 every year, people come in large numbers at the Koregaon Bhima battle memorial.

"Every year 15,000 to 20,000 people come...This year being the 200th year nearly 3.5 lakh people turned up," he said.
Congress in the Lok Sabha today sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in resolving the drinking water problem in Karnataka.



Raising the issue during Zero Hour, S P Muddahanumegowda said people in the state, particularly in the northern region, were facing a severe water crisis.

Karnataka is seeking water from Mahadayi river for meeting drinking water requirements in its northern parts, where it has become an emotive political issue.

"Prime Minister's intervention is required to resolve this issue. I request the Prime Minister to immediately intervene and see that this water dispute is resolved," he said.

Responding to the matter, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has already written a letter to former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa for outside negotiations to resolve the matter.

At this, Congress members started noisy scenes asking why the letter was written to a former chief minister.

Parrikar, in a letter to Yeddyurappa on December 21 last year, had said, in principle, Goa would not oppose the "reasonable" and "justified" quantum of water to be used for drinking purposes while pointing out that the matter was pending before the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal.

Karnataka is seeking the release of 7.56 tmcft water by Goa from the river for the Kalasa-Banduri Nala project, being undertaken to improve drinking water supply to the twin cities of Hubballi-Dharwad and the districts of Belagavi and Gadag in the state's northern region.

The project involves building barrages across Kalasa and Banduri, tributaries of Mahadayi river, to divert water to the Malaprabha to meet the drinking water needs of the region.

Goa had earlier expressed opposition to an out-of-court settlement of the dispute and had not responded positively to the proposed meeting of chief ministers on the issue.

Shrikant Shinde (SS) raised an issue relating to the Mumbai central railway, saying the Railways should not discriminate and equal facilities should be extended to it as compared to that of western railways.

Rama Devi (BJP) demanded an extension of benefits of seventh pay commission to gramin dak sevaks.

Dinesh Trivedi (Trinamool Congress) demanded formulation of a special mechanism to provide Aadhaar cards to people who are not able to give their biometric details due to diseases like leprosy. "Such people should automatically get Aadhaar cards," he said.

Dushyant Chautala (Indian National Lok Dal) raised the issue of Sainik Schools for girls.

Raising concern over National Medical Commission Bill, C Mahendran (AIADMK) said that key stakeholders have not been consulted on the measure and demanded that the bill be referred to the select committee.
The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday refused to grant stay on investigation proceedings by CID regarding a doping case of horse Queen Latifa horse in a race at the Bangalore Turf Club.



The bench was hearing a petition filed by Bangalore Turf Club who had moved the court seeking a stay on the investigation.

Prosecution advocate Rachaiah pleaded not to grant the stay. The judge asked the investigations to proceed. The Turf Club sought to time to file objections with regard to this matter.

A criminal case was registered against officials of the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC) over an incident of a horse that had won a race but tested positive for stimulants.

A complaint was lodged at the High Grounds police station on Apil 19 by HS Chandregowda, a committee member of the Karnataka Race Horse Owners Association (KROA), stating that BTC Chief Executive Officer Nirmal Prasad and Chief Stipendiary Officer Paduman Singh used their powers to cover up the doping offence.



The two, along with steward Vivek Ubhayakar, joint-owner Arjun Sajnani and trainer Neil Darashah, were named in the FIR after the police started the investigations.



Chandregowda said during the Winter Season that started in the first week of November 2016 and ended on March 18, 2017, three winning horses tested positive for stimulants when their urine samples were sent for examinations.

The three race horses tested positive for stimulants were Rafa, Kvasir and Queen Latifa. While Rafa's trainer S Dominic and Kvasir's trainer G Sandhu were hauled up and an inquiry was initiated against them, Queen Latifa's trainer Neil Darashah was let off, with the case closed, Chandregowda stated.

The directed the Criminal Investigating Department (CID) to inquire into the alleged horse doping case and other irregularities in the BTC administration.
China on Tuesday defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.



In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of "lies and deceit" and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!", he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

On Tuesday, China, on expected lines, praised Pakistan's counterterrorism record.

"Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trump's criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

"China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides," Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the $50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts here say the US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trump's criticism would affect China's efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said "We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges".

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries "reached a lot of consensus" on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter-terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

"The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard," Geng said.

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.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the violence which erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district.



"A sitting High Court judge will head the inquiry," Fadnavis said, a day after a youth died as a group, opposed to the celebrations due to the "British victory" in the battle, clashed with Dalits rallying their way to the battle memorial.

The violence sparked off protests in various parts of the state today, including in Mumbai where protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur.

Shops and business establishments were shut and a senior journalist of a national news channel was attacked as groups of youths from Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi joined the protest, police said.

The incident of violence in Pune district would be probed by a sitting judge, Fadnavis said, adding that Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed.

The youth's death would be probed by the CID, Fadnavis told reporters here.

He appealed for calm and peace, saying Maharashtra is a progressive state which does not believe in casteist violence.

Strict action would be taken against those who use social media to spread rumours, he said and appealed to political parties to refrain from saying anything that would fuel tensions.

"Around three lakh people had gathered (for the battle anniversary celebrations). Some people tried to create a serious scene. But six companies (of security personnel) were posted. Police promptly controlled the situation and averted a major problem," Fadnavis said.

Yesterday's event was to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company had defeated Peshwa's army.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to the celebrations of the "British victory".

The violence had erupted after a local group and some members of the crowd on its way to the memorial had an argument over some issues.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday cleared procurement of weapons worth nearly Rs 1,700 crore to arm the Navy and IAF.



For the Indian Air Force, she approved the purchase of laser-guided bombs that can hit a target accurately whereas more Israeli Barak surface-to-air missiles would be procured for navy's frontline warships.

As many as 240 bombs in the category of precision-guided munitions would be procured from the Russian agency JSC Rosoboronexpert at a cost of Rs 1,254 crore.

"The procurement will address the deficiency of precision-guided munitions in the IAF arsenal, besides enhancing the offensive capabilities of the IAF," the defence ministry said in a statement.

Ahead of the scheduled visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the defence ministry under Nirmala also permitted procurement of 131 Barak missiles and associated equipment, under an option clause from Israel's Rafael Advance Defence Systems Ltd, Israel, at a cost of Rs 460 crore.

The second proposal pertaining to these missiles are surface -to-air missiles designed to be used as a ship-borne anti-missile defence system against anti-ship missiles.

The approval for short-range Israeli-origin missiles is to replenish the weapons in several warships.
Bowing to the Opposition's demand, the Centre on Tuesday agreed to send the controversial National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, to a panel of parliamentarians for one more round of scrutiny.

The bill that seeks to replace the corruption-ridden Medical Council of India with a new body, triggered strong protests from doctors who gave a call for a nationwide strike between 6 am to 6 pm on Tuesday.

The call was withdrawn soon after the Lok Sabha sent the bill to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.

Reading out a statement in the Lower House, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar said several political parties, including those from the Opposition and the ruling NDA, wanted the bill to be sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health for review and that the government acceded to their demand.

The minister, however, requested Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to ask the committee to submit its report before the budget session, which is expected to start by January end, so that a new law can be brought out at the earliest, following an order of the Supreme Court and a standing committee report.

Sumitra said the standing committee report should be tabled before the budget session.

Normally, the House panels are given a period of three months but there is already one standing committee report on the matter, she noted.

Health Minister J P Nadda had introduced the bill in the House last Friday amid protests from Congress members, who had demanded an examination of the bill by the MPs.

In the Rajya Sabha, Nadda said he had spoken to the IMA representatives on Monday and put forth the ministry's perspective on the draft legislation.

"The bill is beneficial to the medical community," he said.

Under the proposed NMC, there would be four autonomous boards to carry out the regulatory issues dealing with undergraduate and post-graduate education; medical education infrastructure and registration of doctors and medical ethics.

The commission will regulate the fees of only 40% of the seats while the rest have been left to be decided by the college.

In another contentious provision, the bill provides for an ayurvedic or homoeopathic doctor to prescribe some of the modern medicines after doing a bridge course.
The anger over marking the 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district of Maharashtra continued today as protestors disrupted suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line.



The protesters blocked roads in several areas of Mumbai, forced shops to shut down and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.

In a latest development, the central railway suspended suburban services between Kurla and Vashi on its harbour corridor and is running special services between CSMT-Kurla and Vashi-Panvel section.

An announcement regarding the same is being made at all stations of the central railway.

Angered over the death of a person at the event organised to mark the anniversary in Pune yesterday, several groups of people had come out in protest this morning in the eastern suburbs of Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi, and forced shops and establishments to shut down, an official said.

A news channel journalist was attacked by a group of protesters in the Amar Mahal area. However, he escaped unhurt, eyewitnesses said.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration, he said.

The protesters stopped local train services at the Govandi and Chembur railway stations of the Harbour Line.

Central Railway's Chief PRO Sunil Udasi said the agitators came out on tracks and stopped the suburban services, though the railways have nothing to do with the incident.

The event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was yesterday marred by incidents of violence, in which one person was killed.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to the celebration of the British victory.

Meanwhile, in suburban Mulund, shop owners complied with the request of protesters to shut their establishments, a police official said.

In the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, some angry protesters pelted a bus with stones, breaking its window panes, according to sources.

Heavy security has been deployed in the eastern suburbs to check any untoward incidents, a senior police official said.

The Mumbai police issued a statement appealing people not to believe in rumours and to verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.

The police said vehicular movement on the Eastern Express Highway was affected due to the protests in the morning, but later it was normal.

The vehicular movement was also hit at the Chembur Naka, police said, appealing people not to panic.
An NGO, which challenged the appointment of Gujarat cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana as CBI's additional director, has approached the Supreme Court with a plea to reconsider the November 28 judgement, finding no illegality in it.



A review petition filed by advocate Prashant Bhushan on behalf of Common Cause contended that Asthana was to be investigated by the CBI in relation to two FIRs registered on August 30, 2017, and October 25, 2017.

The NGO in its writ petition had earlier challenged Asthana's appointment, claiming his name had surfaced in a diary recovered during a raid conducted by the Income Tax department at the offices and other premises of company Sterling Biotech Ltd.

It also claimed a note sent by the CBI director to the selection committee headed by the CVC contained certain charges against the officer, which required to be investigated.

Thus, the appointment was "in violation of the principles of impeccable integrity and institutional integrity".

A bench of Justices R K Agrawal and A M Sapre had on November 28 dismissed the challenge to Asthana's appointment, saying it cannot question a "unanimous" decision taken by the selection committee and the decision is not illegal.

The Appointment Committee of Cabinet comprising the prime minister and home minister had on October 22 issued an order for appointment of Asthana to the post of CBI additional director.
Central government employees can now get paid leave for blood donation, the personnel ministry has said.



At present, service rules allow for leave for whole blood donation and not apheresis donation, it said.

It is felt that the rule should cover apheresis donation as well since it will have the added advantage of getting blood components like platelets, plasma, etc, the ministry said in an order issued recently.

"It has now been decided that Special Casual leave may be granted for blood donation or for apheresis (blood components such as red cells, plasma, platelets etc.) donation at licensed blood banks on a working day (for that day only) up to a maximum of four times in a year on submission of valid proof of donation," the order said.
They say travelling is like taking a journey into yourself. No one knows this better than the travellers themselves, who are busy charting out their itineraries for the coming months while the rest of the world is busy making resolutions and setting goals for the year ahead.



Says Divya H N, project manager of a biopharma company, "I believe that one should see their country first before going anywhere else. My destination for this year will be Northeast India, especially Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Divya explains her modus operandi thus, "Once we decide the destination, we book tickets as soon as possible. We do many trips in a year so money is important. Accommodation is sorted next and it's usually close to places that we want to see so that we don't have to spend much on taxis and cabs. However, we ensure that the room has a good view."

Shrinidhi Hande, the associate manager at Accenture, has already planned out his travel calendar for the coming year. "I am planning to go to Cambodia this month, Myanmar in August, New Zealand in October and Gold Coast in November. I booked the tickets in 2017 with Air Asia so it was super cheap. I am looking to book some trips to Korea and Japan this year for travel in 2019."

Northeast India figures on the schedule of Mounika Pothineni as well, in the form of a bike trip to Arunachal Pradesh no less.

Apart from this, the founder of 'Gutsytribe' is also looking forward to organising a couple of international backpacking trips this year.

"People are more than willing to travel these days. It's not about the money, it's about the experiences. Even for occasions like New Year, people have stopped partying in cities and are looking for quick getaways. We organised a New Year camp at Sakleshpur and people came from as far as Gujarat," she says.

Asked about travel trends for the coming year, their opinions vary and converge. While Divya feels that the Middle East will attract many explorers in 2018 ("Places like Oman and Abu Dhabi are becoming popular. I think everyone is bored of seeing Europe"), Shrinidhi is rooting for places like Bali, Vietnam, Japan and Philippines.

"Thanks to the disruption caused by the volcano, Bali will be cheaper to visit in early 2018. Vietnam is a relatively unexplored territory by Indians while Japan has many unique experiences to offer like sumo wrestling, bullet trains, cherry blossoms and more. The Philippines is another affordable destination and many one-stop flights go to the various islands there now," he says.

Says Sharat Dhall, COO(B2C), 'Yatra.com', "The trend of frequent travelling by taking advantage of the long weekends will continue to grow. Be it a weekend break, destination wedding or a second honeymoon, individuals will be seeking out newer destinations and newer experiences. Travellers now want to get active, stay healthy and really immerse themselves in a destination."

"Wellness tourism is seeing a spurt. Travellers are also opting for a gastronomic holiday in Goa, Kerala, Lucknow, Thailand and Italy," he adds.

The online travel agency lists Norway, Jerusalem, Ireland, Iceland, Georgia, Peru and Tunisia among the international destinations to watch out for while Hampi, Alleppey, Gokarna, Munnar and Spiti Valley make it to the list of domestic favourites.

When it comes to travelling preferences, Shrinidhi expects the 'UDAAN' scheme to attract more flyers to smaller destinations in the country while Mounika sees people moving away from solo trips to group ones.

"Group discounts, economies of scale and more fun are some of the reasons why people are opting to travel in large groups now," she says.
Bengaluru will host the Karnataka International Travel Expo-2018 (Kites) for the first time. Normally, the Tourism department participates in such events abroad. But from now, the plan is to host Kites annually in Bengaluru by the department, Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge said on Tuesday.



Kites will be held at Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre from February 28 to March 2. The expo will also have the first Blogathon for travel bloggers to showcase their talent. Bloggers' exchange programme will be held with other countries to encourage talent and attract more tourists. A competition for bloggers is planned. Based on the number of bookings, special Golden Chariot trips will be organised for bloggers and international tourists. There will also be a start-up pavilion, where tourism-based startups will participate, Kharge said.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the launch of the expo's logo. The tourism department's logo features an elephant. Kharge said the elephant was chosen as the logo because Karnataka houses over 8,000 Asiatic elephants, the highest in India.

This year, the department is promoting wildlife, adventure and cultural tourism. Luxury tourism will also be advertised. The upcoming Mahamastakabhisheka in Shravanabelagola will be promoted at Kites.

The three-day B2B event will attract over 1,000 delegates. So far, 400 buyers have registered, of which 100 are international. Around 12,000 meetings have already been fixed. The government is investing Rs seven crore in hosting the expo, which also includes Fam (familiarisation) tours.

Kharge said the idea of Kites is to showcase various destinations of Karnataka to international tourists, apart from Bengaluru. The department has identified 20 destinations, based on footfall and proper infrastructure. A master plan comprising infrastructure, connectivity and conservation is being prepared. So far, 14 master plans are ready and seven detailed project reports are being prepared. The list of destinations include Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Mysuru, Belur, Halebidu, Hampi, Jog Falls and Manjrabad in Sakleshpur.
In an incident of moral policing, two college girls were allegedly beaten up by a fringe vigilante group for being with Muslim boys at a park in Mangaluru today, police said.



Three persons from the vigilante group have been arrested for the assault which was captured on a mobile camera by an onlooker and the video has gone viral. One of the girls was assaulted again even after a police constable intervened, they said.



Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy said police had taken prompt action and all the accused had been arrested. He said there was a substantial reduction in vigilantism in the Dakshina Kannada district. "I have directed police to take strict action against the vigilante groups. An action would be taken against policemen in case of dereliction of duty," Reddy told reporters.



The communally sensitive coastal district has witnessed several similar cases of vigilantism in recent years, involving different communities.



Police said the girls, a Hindu and a Christian, had gone with their boyfriends from the other community to the Pilikula Park when members of the group spotted and confronted them.



The group led by one Sampath Shetty not only questioned them but beat up them up in public. A constable deployed in the area who got information about the incident rushed there and brought the girls to the patrolling vehicle, the police said.



Shetty once again assaulted one of the girls, which was captured on a mobile phone camera by an onlooker. The Mangaluru police registered a case and arrested Shetty and his associates.
The newborn, who had reportedly been ''sold'' by her mother for Rs. 42 thousand to pay for the treatment of her ailing husband in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district, about 250 km from here,was back to her mother's lap on Tuesday as help poured for the poor family from different quarters.



The district administration on Tuesday intervened in the matter and got the husband of the woman admitted to the hospital. It also promised to bear his medical treatment's expenses.

Sources said that the couple would also be provided ration cards and financial assistance from the chief minister's discretionary fund.

District officials in Bareilly said that the revenue clerk of the village concerned had been asked to explain as to why necessary help was not extended to the family.

The officials sought to wriggle out of the embarrassment by claiming that the couple had ''willingly'' given the newborn in adoption to another man and that legal formalities had also been completed for the purpose.

They, however, failed to explain the return of the newborn to his biological parents if legal formalities for adoption had already been completed.

The mother, identified as Sanju Devi, a resident of Dhakia Khoh village in the district, had taken loan from a local moneylender to pay the expenses incurred on the treatment of her husband Harswaroop Maurya.

Sanju Devi, apparently to repay the loan taken for hubby's treatment, sold the her 15-day old son to a couple from the neighboring village.
The Congress on Tuesday criticised the Centre's policy on Pakistan citing reports in the Lok Sabha about a recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Pakistani counterpart Nasser Khan Janjua in Bangkok.



It also lambasted the Modi government for failing to protect military and paramilitary facilities from attacks carried out by terrorist organisations based in Pakistan.

The government dismissed the allegation by the Congress, with Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir saying that while 471 terrorists had been killed between 2010 to 2013, altogether 580 had been eliminated since 2014.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar referred to the September 2016 "surgical strikes" by Indian Army on the terror camps in Pakistan to drive home the point that the government was dealing with the menace of terrorism more effectively than the previous regime.

The Lok Sabha witnessed a brief uproar when Congress' Jyotiraditya Scindia slammed the Centre, citing reports about a secret meeting between Doval and Janjua in the Thailand capital in the last week of December 2017.

Scindia noted that Doval and Janjua had met in Bangkok even after the security officials of Pakistan harassed former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother when they had travelled there to meet him.

He particularly referred to the terror attack on a training facility of the Central Reserve Police Force at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir early on Sunday.

Four CRPF personnel were killed in the attack, which was carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammed. Another CRPF soldier died after suffering a massive cardiac arrest during the attack.

A section of media in India and Pakistan recently reported that the NSA of India and Pakistan had a meeting in Bangkok on December 27.

The government did not confirm or deny the media reports over the meeting between the two NSAs.

Scindia also accused the government of failing to put in place security measures to protect sensitive defence installations even after the military bases in Uri, Udhampur and Pathankot witnessed similar attacks in the past couple of years.

He also wondered why the prime minister was maintaining "total silence" over the issue.

Scindia also criticised BJP MP Nepal Singh for his purported remark that the soldiers should expect death because of the profession they are in.

Responding to the allegation by Scindia, Kumar said that the Congress and other Opposition parties should not politicise the martyrdom of the CRPF personnel.

"We had carried out the surgical strikes. We killed around 200 terrorists in the last three years," said Kumar.
Infosys non-executive chairman Nandan Nilekani on Tuesday told the company employees to focus on reskilling themselves in order to stay relevant in the current job market.



In a letter addressed to employees while introducing the new CEO and MD Salil Parekh, who assumed charges at the company, Nilekani said: "Relevance is built only through reskilling, especially in our world. Today's world values certain specialised skills, in emerging trends and more.... By reskilling you will increase your own value and your contribution to your project."

The IT major started the multi-faceted reskilling drive for its employees during former CEO & MD Vishal Sikka's regime. The company has been reskilling its employees on its design thinking platform using different courses.

The Infosys Learning Platform has been enhanced with 177 courses on topics spanning different technologies and business effectiveness, and has witnessed over 45,000 unique users.

Following the launch of Infosys Nia in April 2017, the company has trained over 2,100 employees in this new product. Design Thinking, the driving force for change at the IT behemoth, has covered 142,218 employees across the organisation.

Welcoming Parekh to Infosys, Nilekani expressed hope that newly appointed CEO and MD would continue to drive Infosys to a greater stability.

"We have been able to be stable in our business (in 2018), through our hard-work, and I am sure that this will continue in the new year with the entry of Salil Parekh, as the new CEO and MD," Nilekani said in the letter, accessed by DH.

With induction of Parekh, the number of board members, has gone up from eight to nine as the company is looking to induct some more members into its board.

In a first, Parekh stepped in as CEO and MD on Tuesday, in very low key affair. Parekh joined the Bengaluru-based IT major from Capgemini, where he held several leadership positions for 25 years.

Parekh, in his address to employees, said that he will work with them for the transformation of the company and to make it ready for future.
The defence ministry has virtually rejected the armed forces' demand for lifting a cap on the educational expenses of children whose parents died in the front.



"Representations have been received asking for removal of the cap of Rs 10,000 per month on the combined amount of tuition fee and hostel charges. A reply has been sent stating that the combined amount of tuition fee and hostel charges has been capped in accordance with the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission," Subhash Bhamre, Minister of State for Defence, said in a written response in the Rajya Sabha.

The government will save Rs 3.2 crore because of the cap, Bhamre said.

The minister's response comes a month after India's senior-most military officer and Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba wrote to the government with a request to lift the cap in order to help the children of soldiers killed in the battle front or in any other military action to pursue higher education.

Admiral Lanba, who chairs the Chief of Staff Committee, wrote to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman with a request to lift the cap in a humanitarian gesture following an order that puts the cap on the educational expenses of the children of a slain soldier.

There is no such ceiling in the existing norms that came into effect two days after India's victory in the 1971 war against Pakistan.

According to the new order, the combined amount of tuition fee and hostel charges for the children of martyrs or those disabled in action has been capped at Rs 10,000 per month. It will go up by 25% each time the Dearness Allowance rises by 50%.

Approximately, 250 students will be affected in the current financial year.

In 2017-18, out of 2,679 students (up to December 27, 2017), 193 were drawing more than the capped amount. The highest amount drawn was Rs 18.95 lakh per annum. The total savings is Rs 3.2 crore.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Minister of State for External Affairs and former Army chief Gen V K Singh wrote to Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking a reversal of the order issued by the department of ex-servicemen.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his predecessor P Chidambaram on Tuesdsy locked horns in Rajya Sabha over the issue of non-performing assets (NPAs).



The face-off took place during the Question Hour, when Jaitley was answering a question on writing off bad loans of PSBs. Chidambaram then asked him if he would furnish details of the loans that have turned into NPAs after April 1, 2014, the financial year in which the BJP came to power.

Chidambaram had started his question saying the NPA debate will never end and said, "In the Asset Quality Review, the RBI finds that the loan is non-performing. The minister says that earlier, the regulation was relaxed and the Asset Quality Review made the regulations stricter. I accept that... My question now is, does the minister have data now or if he does not have, will he furnish it to the House, how many loans given by banks after 1/4/2014 have become NPA today?"

"Obviously, the question doesn't relate to loans given with regard to particular dates, but it is absolutely clear that a bulk of these NPAs have arisen out of loans, which were given prior to April 1, 2014," Jaitley said, in an apparent reference that NPAs were created during the UPA rule.

Following this, Akali Dal MP Naresh Gujral asked, why shouldn't the government order a forensic audit of, at least, 10 largest NPAs of each bank. "There has been aggressive lending practice and, at times, laxity and, at times, lack of risk assessment as far as grant of loans are concerned and that is why, a very large number of these loans became NPAs. And many of them are not backed by adequate securities also. But then, you cannot have a fishing and roving inquiry into a transaction to find out what went wrong," Jaitleysaid.

Whenever specific facts have come to notice, as far as banking industry is concerned, he said both the regulator and banks, and the investigative agencies have been accordingly taking action.
The Congress on Tuesday was in a fix on joining other Opposition parties in pressing for the referral of the triple talaq bill to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha for closer scrutiny.



The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha, is expected to come up for consideration in the Rajya Sabha where non-Congress Opposition parties have urged chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to refer it to a select committee.

"Our stand will be decided on Wednesday morning," a senior Congress leader said.

The Narendra Modi government, however, appeared in no mood to accede to the demand and is expected to push for a vote to have it passed in the Upper House on Wednesday, paving the way to make it a law.

"The Opposition parties have to take a clear stand. Either they are for the bill or against it," a senior minister said.

The bill makes instant triple talaq a criminal offence and proposes a three-year jail term for any Muslim man who divorces his wife by uttering 'talaq' thrice.

'Confused' stand

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi took a dig at the Congress for what he called was its "confused" stand.

"The Congress takes one step forward and then 10 steps back. The party is confused on triple talaq. Muslim women are happy, but I don't know why the Congress is sad," Naqvi told reporters here.

Keen to shed its 'anti-Hindu' tag, the Congress sought amendments to the bill in the Lok Sabha last week but voted in favour of the government draft.

The Congress is against the three-year jail term provision in the bill for a Muslim man practising triple talaq, arguing that it will only lead to broken families.

"Our stand is clear, the bill should be referred to a select committee," Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters here.
Vishwa Hindu Parishat, Bajrang Dal and Durgavahini will organise an awareness programme against love jihad from January 3 to 15.



Briefing reporters here on Tuesday, VHP working president Prof M B Puranik said that te awareness programme will be organised at ward and village levels. A committee will be constituted for every village and a meeting will be convened once a month.

He said that the entire Hindu society should be united to oppose love jihad. "Police should initiate tough action against those who support Muslim jihadi. There has been decline in the number of Hindus in the society. Hindu boys are not getting suitable girls for marriage. In such a situation, a conspiracy is being made through love jihad to convert Hindus to Muslims," he said.

M B Puranik said that, "The awareness campaign will commence from Shree Laxminarayan temple near PVS. "

Bajrang Dal leader Sharan Pumpwell said that, "There is a conspiracy of PFI behind love jihad. This is another face of terrorism. A memorandum has been submitted to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanding NIA probe into love jihad." Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has been urged to order a thorough probe into Reshma's incident wherein a law student of Mangaluru had married a Muslim youth from Mumbai
Senior Congress leader and former Union minister K V Thomas on Tuesday suggested that Supreme Court proceedings be telecast live in "important cases", DHNS reports from New Delhi



"Is it possible to have the live telecast of the court proceedings of the Supreme Court at least so that unnecessary stories, which spread out through the media, are not there?" he said while initiating a debate on a bill to increase salaries of judges of the Supreme Court and high courts by over two folds.

Thomas referred to a recent verdict by a special CBI court, which acquitted former telecom minister A Raja, DMK's Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi and other accused, about six years after the trial began.

"For example, there was the 2G spectrum case. I am not arguing for this side or that side. When the verdict was delivered by the special court of the CBI in the 2G spectrum case, what was the reaction?

"In many important cases, the media takes a stand, especially the electronic media, and the entire country moves along with that. Finally, if a judgement comes contrary to the stand taken by the media, then you are questioning the integrity of the judiciary itself," he said.
After his election last year, at a thanksgiving rally in Florida, Donald Trump claimed that he would be India's "best friend" in the White House. Now, nearing completion of one year of his presidency, India-US relations look robust and upbeat, notwithstanding Trump's unpredictable and disruptive decisions that have left his friends and foes alike, at home and abroad, bewildered and clueless. Interestingly, India seem to enjoy a "normal" relationship with Trump's America; the two countries' positions are in sync on more global issues than ever, except on the Paris Climate Change agreement and Jerusalem.



The unorthodox president conducts foreign relations at the furious pace of Twitter rather than through a cool, comprehensive and dispassionate analysis of issues. Trump's blow hot, blow cold approach to China and Russia opens up better prospects for India-US relations. Trump hosted Chinese President Xi Jinping at his Mar-a-Lago resort in April 2017, reiterated the 'One China' policy and underlined China's role in tackling North Korea.

After a red carpet reception in Beijing and enjoying Chinese opera and a rare banquet in the Forbidden City, the first US President to be so honoured, in November 2017, he hailed the Chinese President as a great leader. A few days later, at the fifth Asean-US Summit, Trump's reiteration of America's commitment to Asia and a strong emphasis on the need for unobstructed access to trade lanes through South and East China seas, overflights as per international laws, and peaceful resolution of territorial disputes without intimidation wasn't music to Chinese ears.

During his election campaign, Trump had made positive comments about Russian President Vladimir Putin and felt that good relations with Russia could help address hotspots like Syria. After stoutly denying Russian meddling in the US presidential election for months - even as former FBI director Robert Mueller expanded his probe, called into question the role of Trump's son and son-in-law, and Trump's former NSA Gen. Michael Flynn admitted to having lied on the issue - Trump is shifting his stance on Russia. In his National Security Strategy (NSS) speech on December 18, he described both China and Russia as America's strategic rivals, and they, in turn, denounced his "Cold War mentality".

Trump has gone beyond his predecessors George Bush and Barack Obama's references to India's regional role. His NSS speech says, "We welcome India's emergence as a leading global power and stronger strategic and defence partner...we will expand our defence and security cooperation with India ....and support India's growing relationships throughout the region."

Concerns about China's Belt and Road Initiative and its growing influence in Sri Lanka, Maldives and Pakistan, and exasperation with Pakistan's inability or unwillingness to neutralise terrorist groups operating from its soil and worries about her nuclear arsenal falling into the hands of such groups have prompted the US to look at India more favourably. Without naming China, the NSS stresses that America would help south Asian countries "maintain their sovereignty."

Trump's speech puts considerable pressure on Pakistan. "We must see decisive action against the terrorist groups operating from their territory...we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help." The US also expects Pakistan to assure it about the safety of Rawalpindi's nuclear arsenal. CIA Director Mike Pompeo warned Pakistan sternly that it must act against terrorist safe havens on her soil or the US would be forced to destroy them on its own.

During his visit, Defence Secretary James Mattis conveyed the same message to Pakistan in a more nuanced manner. These warnings should be taken with a pinch of salt; after all, Jaish-e-Mohammed head Masood Azhar roams around in Pakistan freely; US efforts to put him on the UN list of terrorists have been repeatedly foiled by China's veto. And with a reward of $10m on his head, Lashkar-e-Toiba chief Hafiz Saeed openly operates from Pakistan. Obviously, Pakistan exploits American vulnerability in Afghanistan.

Strong rapport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has developed his unique recipe for striking an instant rapport with world leaders. He has gotten along famously with Trump from their first encounter in June 2017. They have met and talked to each other several times, including at the G-20 and the Asean Summit, and exchanged notes on bilateral, regional and global issues.

After their recent meeting in Manila on the margins of the Asean Summit, Navtej Sarna, India's ambassador to the US, said, "President Trump and the Prime Minister have again underlined the closeness that they have between them and the strategic convergences both in geopolitical terms as well as in economic terms that India and the US have been working on."

Bilateral trade at $115 billion (2016), with the balance in favour of India by $29.6 billion, is far below the ambitious target of $500 billion by 2020. Recently, Commerce Minister Suresh Prabhu had rough sailing in Washington. Besides the trade deficit, issues of market access, problems of Indian pharma firms, totalisation, the H1B visa have caused wrinkles in the bilateral economic relations. There are differences on a range of trade and environmental issues - India and the US are contesting 18 issues at the WTO - and the latest WTO Ministerial in Buenos Aires collapsed on account of US inflexibility regarding food security, an issue so vital to India.

Modi and Trump will have to resolve these differences imaginatively. Inviting Ivanka Trump to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Hyderabad and giving her a special reception and banquet at Falaknuma was a smart move. A visibly flattered Ivanka paid fulsome tributes to the Indian PM. Hopefully, this shortest shortcut to the man in the Oval Office might facilitate an amicable resolution of some of the current frictions in US-India economic relations in 2018.

The US-India strategic convergence of interests on Asia and South Asia, Afghanistan and fight against terror should grow in 2018 while defence cooperation will remain the engine of bilateral relations.

(The writer is a former secretary, Ministry of External Affairs)
A full block of an iconic hospital could soon be pulled down, with the medical education department saying it can't be restored.

Built by the princely rulers of Mysore, it is in the bustling City Market area, hallowed by memories of Kempegowda and Tipu Sultan.

Vani Vilas Hospital was completed in 1935, the same year another landmark, Sir Puttanna Chetty Town Hall, came up in Bengaluru. Town Hall has been successfully restored and continues to host events to this day.

Sajjan Rao Block of the hospital, popularly called SR Block, was vacated after work began on a Namma Metro tunnel that runs under the hospital. The hospital authorities now want to raze the entire building and not just the block.

Vani Vilas Hospital is attached to Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute. The building can't be salvaged or restored, the college has written to the government.

The college has also reported serious damage to four other buildings, including the Children's Hospital adjoining Vani Vilas.

Tussle with Metro

The medical education department has sought Rs 48 crore as compensation from the Metro authorities.

The Karnataka Health Systems Reforms Development Project (KHSRDP), which assessed the damage, says the buildings developed cracks only after Metro work began.

It says SR Block was affected to the extent of 1,806 square metres. As the stone building has no load-bearing walls, any deep cut or restoration attempt would result in its collapse, according to its report.

Other blocks that have sustained damage are the pathology, pathology seminar and ENT.

KHSRDP says Metro work has damaged water and underground lines and the compound walls, and require complete reconstruction. It has estimated these works cost about Rs 8 crore.

The hospital has sought Rs 48 crore, saying it wants to rebuild a full block and repair the water and sanitary lines.

With this demand, it has been at loggerheads with the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL), which is refusing to shoulder all the blame.

It maintains the damage is minimal and not as extensive as the college makes it out to be.

After the Metro authorities refused to pay what the college was demanding, private inspection and certification agency Bureau Veritas (Civil Aid) stepped into the picture.

"The agency has submitted a report, saying only one building was partially damaged and the other buildings were not affected. It says Rs 3 crore would suffice to restore the building," said Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary, urban development department, holding additional charge of BMRCL.

Sharan Prakash Patil, the medical education minister, says he has yet to see the Bureau Veritas report.

"KHSDRP has said the building should be completely demolished and rebuilt. I will convene a meeting shortly and take a call on the recommendations of the technical report," he told DH.

In the vicinity, BMRCL is paying Rs 30 crore as compensation for the military canteen (near C Block), Janata Bazaar, the microbiology and Sirur blocks, and a public toilet, all of which have been brought down.

It is also in the process of paying Rs 17 crore to acquire an additional 1,900 sq mt of land from the hospital.
Bengaluru has been affected by bird flu, it has been confirmed after an H5N1 virus was found in a bunch of chicken from a shop in Thanisandra, Northeast Bengaluru.



The Health Department has declared areas within the one-kilometre radius of Dasarahalli an infected zone and places inside the 10-kilometre radius surveillance zone.

Tausif, who runs KGN meat shop in Thanisandra, bought a bunch of chicken from Tamil Nadu on December 28. When four or five of them died, he immediately took the rest to the veterinary hospital in Hebbal. After checking the fowls, the samples were sent to Bhopal's NIHSAD laboratory, where it was confirmed on December 31 that the birds have H5N1 (avian influenza).

The Health Department, which received the report on the diagnosis on Tuesday, has assured that things are under control and there is no need to panic. "We closed KGN meat shop on December 30 and will hold a medical examination on five people working there on Wednesday," District Malaria Officer Dr Sunanda Reddy said. "Officials checked people in 40 houses in Dasarahalli and did not find anyone infected with the flu."

About 30 shops have been closed on Kempapura Main Road, in Dasarahalli and Mariyannapalya to stop the disease from spreading. "I've requested the district commissioner to cull the infected birds," BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said.

The last time the city witnessed the bird flu was in 2012 in Hesaraghatta.

Bird flu is a fever affecting the birds as a result of H5N1 virus for turkey chicken and swans. Human beings coming into contact with the fowls can also contract the disease. The virus can also spread if the affected chicken is used for cooking and if not cooked properly.
Disruption in power supply brought Metro trains to a halt in the underground section of the Purple Line, leaving some passengers in a state of panic during rush hours on Tuesday.



The delays caused massive crowding at stations.

While some trains stopped at the station, others stopped in the tunnel where commuters suffered the most. Riders in a hurry to reach their workplaces could not communicate due to lack of mobile network in the underground sections.

A crowded train stopped at Cubbon Park station at 10.17 am. Even as commuters were wondering about the doors not opening, they began to feel suffocated as the air-conditioning went off. Some staff in the station told commuters to press the emergency button next to the door. The doors finally opened, much to their relief.

"I was travelling from Vijayanagar to MG Road, which usually takes 16 minutes. Today, I got on the 10.02 am train and it was 10.39 when I reached MG Road. The train got stuck for 10 minutes at Kempegowda station and in the tunnel before Central College," said Gurudev, a resident of Kamakshipalya.

Metro personnel had a tough time pacifying the impatient commuters as trains did not budge for five minutes.

The disruption continued several times during the day, with passengers in the evening peak hours also complaining of delays. "I got stuck at Central College station for more than 10 minutes," said Arvind, who was travelling from Mysuru Road.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd public relations officer U A Vasanth Rao said the delay was due to disruption in power supply between 10.02 am and 10.28 am. "Normalcy was restored and services were evenly distributed through short loop trips," he said.

Eyewitnesses said some passengers took exception to lack of information about the disruption.

"People are stressed inside the train but there is no information. Nobody is telling us what to do in such a situation. What happens if a passenger suffers a serious problem? Call your superior here," they demanded.

Woman faints

A woman who got stuck in the train fainted the moment she came out of the Central College Metro station. She was given first aid and regained consciousness after a while, a commuter said.

Meanwhile, commuters who suffered inconvenience demanded a refund of their ticket (token) fare. "Senior officials did not respond to repeated calls to the number given on the BMRCL website. There is a facility in the trains to communicate to the station control room but despite many attempts, there was no response from the station controllers," Gurudev said.

Overload

An official attributed the disruption to the increase of 10 additional trips on the line in the peak hours, which started from Tuesday. "Power is fed to the Purple Line from Baiyappanahalli receiving substation. Since the number of trains was increased, we suspect that the overload resulted in tripping of the feeder switch," he said.
Newly appointed Mayor Ginger Marshall will preside over Solana Beach City Council meetings in 2018, and the panel has a lot on its agenda, from deciding whether to become an energy provider for city residents, to launching its climate action plan, to considering upgrades to the Lomas Santa Fe corridor.

Marshall, 54, is serving the final year of her first four-year term on the council, and 2018 will mark the first time she has held the mayors post, which rotates annually among council members.

Among her priorities, she said, are public safety, maintaining fiscal responsibility and paying down the citys unfunded pension liability.

Marshall, who has been on the losing end of 4-1 votes on a number of key issues during her time on the council, said she will continue to oppose measures that dont square with her views on fiscal conservatism and private property rights.

One example is community choice aggregation (CCA), under which a city or group of cities can form an energy provider, from which residents could opt to purchase renewable electricity as an alternative to San Diego Gas & Electric, the regions major utility.

Marshall voted against moving forward with the CCA plan at a meeting in October, citing concerns about financial risk to the city and creating another level of government. In an interview, she said SDG&E already produces 43 percent of its power through renewable sources, and is poised to reach 50 percent by 2020.

They are ramping up their game to stay ahead of this, she said.

Marshall said she would prefer to see Solana Beach join with other cities such as Encinitas and Carlsbad to form a regional energy provider, rather than going it alone. She also said she would favor a public vote on the issue. A final decision by the council on whether to form a CCA could occur in 2018.

I think creating our own power company is not going to be economically responsible, she said.

Marshall also voted no in July on the citys climate action plan, designed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, citing unknown costs for implementing the plans elements.

Marshall, who works in residential real estate, said she has solar panels on her home and drives a hybrid vehicle. I care about the environment but I dont want risk to the city.

She does not support efforts to get more people to ride bicycles instead of driving cars, noting that she could not show real estate with a bicycle as her mode of transportation.

Our biggest polluter is the I-5 freeway and we dont have a lot of control over what happens on the freeway, she said.

Another no vote by Marshall came in July, in a 4-1 vote to establish a new traffic impact fee, which will add nearly $16,000 to the cost of a new home in Solana Beach to pay for bike lanes, pedestrian paths and other measures intended to cope with increased traffic.

The city already is grappling with housing affordability, she said, and, The City Council is part of the problem when they add these kind of fees to a newly built house.

Among her priorities, she said, are moving forward with improvements to Lomas Santa Fe to make it both more pedestrian and bike friendly and pleasing to the eye; seeking funding for a long-range, joint beach sand replenishment project with Encinitas; a streamlined permit process that complies with the state Coastal Act; work on crosswalks and traffic calming; and paying down the citys pension liability.

The city is also planning to build a new Marine Safety Center at Fletcher Cove and working to nail down the remaining funds needed to start construction of the long-awaited La Colonia skate park.

If a suitable location could be found, she said she would love to see a designated dog park in Solana Beach.

Marshall, who said she hasnt decided yet whether she will run for re-election in 2018, said she enjoys working with her council colleagues, who respect each others viewpoints even when they disagree. Everybody wants whats best for the community.

As for her upcoming term as mayor, she said, Im looking forward to serving my community.
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JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  Alaska expects to collect about $165 million its owed in back taxes from companies that paid to ship oil down the Trans-Alaska Pipeline after a settlement was reached on rates.

The payments primarily from oil companies operating on the North Slope are not expected to be made in cash but through tax credits, Alaska's Energy Desk reported.





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A high-altitude balloon, that Google launched to provide high-speed internet in the remote parts of the earth under "Project Loon", crashed in a Kenya farm, according to a media report, Saturday. The balloon formed part of a 10-balloon batch, which was deployed for testing in Nakuru, Nanyuki, Nyeri, and Marsabit in July 2017. It went down at Nthambiro in Meru on Friday night, according to media reports. Some residents complained of headaches after they gathered around the device to have a glimpse of the contraption. "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(Officer Commanding Police Department) Jane Nyakeruma was quoted as saying. Google announced earlier this year that it was "years closer" to delivering internet to remote parts of the world using high-flying balloons. According to researchers at Google's Project Loon, part of the company's X research lab, it was now able to use machine learning to predict weather systems. What this means is, the firm has a greater control over where its balloons go, which makes it possible to focus on specific regions, rather than circumnavigating the globe, BBC reported. The balloons float in the stratosphere around 11 miles high and different weather streams they encounter, may change their direction. According to Google, The Loon balloons are super pressured, due to which they can float much longer. They are also unique in that they can sail the wind to travel where they need to go and they can coordinate with other balloons as a flock. Their electronics are entirely solar powered. The balloons also function as floating cell phone towers, allowing local telecommunications companies to extend their coverage into areas that are unserved and thereby provide 4G internet.










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A young couple in their twenties have been left devastated after a fire ravaged their home on St. Stephens night.

Dominic Lynch and his partner Tamara McBride had gone to her parents home in Killygordon to enjoy dinner with her parents when they got a call to say that their mobile home, in Porthall, had gone up in flames.

Dominics mother, Kathleen, was the first to notice the fire. She called her husband, Philip, who rushed to the caravan and as he entered, flames were eating through the caravan ceiling.

Their son, Hugh, rushed to help and as he made his way out of the mobile home with a television, the caravan windows exploded and the side collapsed.

Two fire brigades attended the fire and managed to extinguish the flames.

Speaking to the DPP/ Donegal Democrat, the family told of the devastating circumstances of the fire.

Dominic, a 24 year old student at Letterkenny IT, said: Its a nightmare. Everything is completely destroyed.

All of his material for college went up in the blaze including laptops, hard drives and a memory stick which held all his college assignments.

We are borrowing clothes from family, he explained.

His car, which was parked outside the home, was almost destroyed as the caravan erupted into flames. Water had to be poured on the car to keep it cool as it sat close to the fire.

Christmas presents which Tamara and Dominic planned to give to family and friends were sitting at the bottom of their Christmas tree. Gifts from loved ones that they had received sat alongside them - they were also destroyed.

Every single Christmas present has been destroyed and sentimental things too - like a framed photograph of my godson Hugh, Dominic said.



Money that was being kept in the mobile home also went up in the blaze. Dominic estimates the fire has cost them thousands.

Tamara, who also studied to be a make-up artist, lost all of her cosmetics and brushes.

Nothing remains of the caravan but a shell which lies as a dark reminder of the home they once shared. The couple are now homeless.

They have no permanent residence and had applied to Donegal County Council for a house.

This week, Dominic faces into his first year exams and after all that has happened, he hopes to defer them.

One of the redeeming features of the entire ordeal is that Ollie, the couples much-loved Jack Russell terrier made it out of the burning inferno with the help of Kathleen.

Dominics sister has set up a gofundme for the couple. If you would like to donate, please go to: https://www.gofundme.com/dom-and-tam-lost-everything
Donegals newest courthouse has been hailed as having the best facilities of any courthouse in the country.

The building at High Road in Letterkenny opened for its first court business today.

A hearing of Letterkenny District Court is being heard before Donegal's district court judge, Judge Paul Kelly.

The new building replaces the towns old courthouse at Justice Walsh Road which was in use for over 100 years.

The new courthouse has four courtrooms and facilities for video-conferencing, digital recording, and electronic display of evidence.

Judge Kelly paid tribute to the Courts Service for delivering the new courthouse to Letterkenny.

It is a magnificent facility and it is literally state of the art, he said.

The facilities here are unrivaled except outside the CCJ (Criminal Courts of Justice) in Dublin and in my opinion it exceeds the CCJ.

I wish everyone who uses the building the very best and I hope that it will serve the people of Donegal for many years.

Western Regional Manager of the Courts Service, Brendan J McDonald, said it was his pleasure to welcome everyone present to the new courthouse.

He said Letterkenny had always been high on the Court Services list for a new courthouse.

This new building has given us state of the art facilities in terms of family law, victims support and custody rooms, he said.

We really are very proud to be able to provide these services to the people of Donegal and practitioners and I wish the very best to everyone who uses it.

Solicitor Kieran O'Gorman, representing the legal practitioners, said the new courthouse was the end of an era and the start of a new era.

It is a wonderful change. I would like to congratulate everybody involved in providing this wonderful service and facility, he said.

State solicitor Ciaran Liddy said it was fitting that a new year has begun and a new courthouse has opened its doors.

He said it was hard not to be sentimental about the old courthouse. The old courthouse was built for a different era and the new facility will give privacy, respect, and dignity to the people who use it, he said.

Mr Liddy and Mr OGorman both paid tribute to well-known Donegal solicitor Paudge Dorrian.

Mr OGorman said he was sorry that his friend and colleague was not present today.

Mr Liddy said: Paudge Dorrian vigorously defended his clients for over 50 years at Letterkenny Courthouse and deserves special mention today.

Judge Kelly said it was fitting that Paudge Dorrian was mentioned.

It is a pity that he cant be here today to enjoy what I think he would see as a fitting monument to the administration of justice in Donegal, he said.

Inspector Sean Grant, speaking on behalf of An Garda Siochana, congratulated everyone involved in the hard work of getting here today.

According to the Courts Service there are first class consultation rooms and waiting areas and significantly improved security facilities for the safe custody of prisoners. Accommodation for witnesses, victims, and relatives is greatly enhanced in terms of privacy, security, and comfort.
Donegal is the only county in the country where the price of houses have fallen in the final three months of 2017, according to the latest report from daft.ie.

House prices nationally rose by more than 20,000 on average during 2017.

With prices stable in the final quarter of the year, this means that the average price was almost 241,000, 9.2% higher than a year ago.

Compared to their lowest point in 2013, prices nationwide have risen by an average of almost 47% or just over 76,500.

In Donegal, prices in the final three months of 2017 were 2% lower than a year previously, compared to a fall of 11% seen a year ago.

The average house price is now 137,000, 48% below peak levels.

Speaking on Highland Radio, Ronan Lyons suggested that the uncertainty relating to Brexit may be accountable for the fall.

The number of properties available to buy on the market nationwide continues to fall. There were just over 21,000 properties on the market on December 1st, 2.6% lower than the same date a year previously.

The total number of properties available has now fallen year-on-year for 100 months, having been above 62,000 in late 2009.

Commenting on the figures, Ronan Lyons, economist at Trinity College Dublin and author of the Daft.ie Report, said: The main feature of the property market in 2017 was just how different the second half was from the first. The first half of the year saw prices jump by 9% in six months, as the relaxation of Central Bank rules for first-time buyers was factored into prices. But the second half of the year saw almost no change in prices, as those very same rules linking mortgages to the real economy placed a break on prices.

Martin Clancy from Daft.ie said Interest and demand in the property market continues to grow. We are now seeing over 1,000 property searches taking place every minute on Daft.ie.
IT was a busy festive period for Dundalk Order of Malta which started on Sunday, December 17 when the community care section of the unit made their annual visit to St Oliver Plunkett Community Hospital on the Dublin Road with Santa to visit all the residents.

They where joined by local musicians Shane and Roddy McCollum who played the guitar and sang Christmas songs while doing the rounds. This tradition had been going on for over 50 years. Every resident gets a visit and a present from Santa and some even posed for pictures with Santa and his helpers.

The following day, the cadet unit (aged ten to 16) donated shoe boxes full of goods to the Simon Community Shoebox Appeal. Eighteen boxes in total were filled with the essentials and donated to the Simon Community by the Cadet unit who have been doing this for the past few years.

On Christmas Day members of the Order of Malta Dundalk unit took time out of their day to ensure other people got to enjoy their Christmas with family members.

A total of 20 hours were clocked up by seven members who took one person from Louth County Hospital and four people from Dealgan house nursing home to their familys homes all over Dundalk and Blackrock to have dinner and spend Christmas Day with their families.

This means a lot to the people, and the members out that day could sense the happiness and excitement.

Dundalk Order Of Malta would like to thank all of its members for their work and the time they gave during 2017. It hopes to see them all back in 2018.

New members are always welcome and people wishing to join can contact Dundalk Order of Malta with the following methods:

Facebook: Order Of Malta Ireland - Ambulance Corps Dundalk

Email: dundalk@orderofmalta.ie

Phone: 087 9356381 or 087 9371272
The organisers of a Christmas buskathon raised over 2,200 for Dundalk Simon Community and say they're keen to make the event into an annual tradition.

Dundalk Buskathon For Simon saw nearly twenty independent local musicians band together to raise money to help the homeless at Christmas.

Helping out at the buskathon

Speaking to the Dundalk Democrat, one of the organisers Joey Edwards said:

"The buskathon was a great success, we raised over 2,200 for the Dundalk Simon community."

"Myself and Tony Langan talked about doing something like this in the past but didn't know how to go about it, but since there is a such a good music community in Dundalk and everyone was so willing to get involved, it turned into just a great day of music and fundraising."

And the buskathon organisers were bowled over with the response they received from Dundalk people.

"People seemed to be taking their lunch breaks to come check it out, and folks would stop and chat about it and their opinions on the homelessness crisis in Ireland," Joey said,

"People were very generous, and it is something myself, Tony and the local music community want to turn into an annual tradition."
WOMEN'S Aid Dundalk has welcomed the decision by the Minister for Justice to abolish the financial contribution requirement for civil legal aid for people affected by domestic violence in the District Court from January 1.

Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC), the Law Society, and a number of domestic and international human rights groups had been campaigning for some time for its abolition.

It's been a long time coming. It will be a huge benefit to women and children in the Dundalk area affected by domestic abuse, said Women's Aid Dundalk spokesperson Ann Larkin.

The financial contribution was a significant barrier to people seeking legal representation. There is a massive demand for a range of services offered in Louth because domestic violence is still a widespread issue.

In 2016 we had 295 requests for refuge accommodation that we couldn't cater for. Currently, we can offer accommodation to just five families.

Ann added: Last summer we acquired a new property on the Newry Road and we are in the process of applying for planning permission to re-develop it.

We hope to have the project completed within one to two years. It will mean we can cater for eight families.

Speaking about the decision, FLAC Chief Executive, Eilis Barry said: FLAC welcomes Minister Charlie Flanagans decision.

It is really important that this change has come in advance of the enactment of the new Domestic Violence legislation.

This decision should allow more people to avail of the new protections afforded in the Domestic Violence Bill 2017.

Ms Barry said: Contrary to popular belief, while those who qualify for civil legal aid are subsidised, there is a strict means test and the service is not free.

Fees range from 30 for those seeking legal advice, to a charge of 130 for legal representation. These costs disproportionately affect people who are already experiencing financial disadvantage and can be a significant barrier to legal representation.

They are particularly onerous for anyone on the minimum rates of social welfare. The abolition of the requirement to pay fees in domestic violence cases removes a barrier to receiving protection from abuse through the court.
Every years end means that people of faith will be deluged with two things: wishes for a Happy New Year and appeals for charities of every conceivable variety. Americans gave $390 billion to charity in 2016, nearly one-third of it in the month of December. For charities and their beneficiaries, the holiday spirit  and Americans desire to lower their year-end tax bill  are a godsend. But ancient pagans had a different view of private, Christian almsgiving, which still holds important lessons for our day.

After centuries of persecution and repression, the Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in 313. However, within a generation his nephew would try to restore paganism to the Roman Empire. Julian  remembered by historians as Julian the Apostate  came to the throne in 361 after rejecting his Christian baptism and celebrating the pagan rites that had not fully lost their hold on his subjects.

Julian tried to use all the powers of the state to launch a pagan revival. He organized a parallel, pagan priesthood based on the Churchs diocesan model. He tried to use legal mechanisms to deny Christians their recently acquired equal rights. But he saw one obstacle above all preventing a return to the old ways: Christian charity.

He wrote a letter to the pagan high-priest Arsacius lamenting:

[I]t is disgraceful that, when no Jew ever has to beg, and the impious Galilaeans [Christians] support not only their own poor but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us. Teach those of the Hellenic faith to contribute to public service of this sort, and the Hellenic villages to offer their first fruits to the gods; and accustom those who love the Hellenic religion to these good works by teaching them that this was our practice of old.

With the letter, the emperor sent several thousand bushels of grain and pints of wine to be distributed by the priests, at public expense.

It had to be this way, since paganism had produced no charity, nor any compulsion to offer it. In the Greco-Roman world, charity was given to enhance the givers reputation and make others beholden to him. Since the poor could not return the favor, they received little charity. (Contrast with St. Luke 14:12-14.)

Naturally, there was more than philanthropy behind Julians tax bequest. One of the fundamental issues behind Julians social policy is that of patronage wrote two experts, Walter Roberts of the University of North Texas and Michael DiMaio Jr. of Salve Regina University.

Julian feared that Christian practices were causing many citizens to look to other sources than the emperor for protection and security, they explained. As far as Julian was concerned, the emperor was supreme patron, and it was his duty to provide for his clients, the citizens of society.

Furthermore, the emperor wanted this pagan charity to create a new government bureaucracy, cementing both power and loyalty to himself:

Julian wished various societal elites to function as intercessors between himself and the broader society at large. Julian wished for his religious officials to serve in this same capacity, and it infuriated him that Christian leaders were usurping a role that was rightly his to bestow.

Julian reigned only two years (361-363), and Emperor Jovian reestablished Christian rights during his eight-month tenure. However, one may hear his view of Christian charity echo through the ages  and into contemporary times.

Most recently it surfaced in the public debate over the HHS mandate, requiring employers to provide birth control, sterilization, and potentially abortifacient drugs to their employees. In August 2011, the Obama administration released its four-fold test to determine whether an organization qualified for a religious exemption. Two of the criteria state that the groups purpose is [t]he inculcation of religious values, and  most importantly  that [t]he organization serves primarily persons who share the religious tenets of the organization.

That is, religious institutions should support their own, not ours, as well.

This is not to assert that Barack Obama and Kathleen Sebelius are pagans. However, their outlook self-consciously marginalized religious institutions in favor of state redistribution and control. Statists demanding their subjects loyalty inevitably lash out at the Church, as they did during the Bolshevik Revolution, and the French Revolution, among other times  often under the guise of charity. Both the Church and the state look at society and repeat the words of Jesus: This is my body.

To be sure, faithful Jews and Christians care for their co-religionists, but both reach beyond their own membership. Christianity infused philanthropy with a new sense of universal brotherhood. After strongly defending the social conscience of pre-Christian Hellenism, the recently departed Byzantine scholar Rev. Demetrios J. Constantelos noted that Christianity destroyed all cultural boundaries limiting charity:

[I]n the early Christian societies of both the Greek East and the Latin West, philanthropia [love for mankind] assumed an integrated and far-reaching meaning, its application directed to the humblest and the poorest. Philanthropia extended to the underprivileged, as it proclaimed freedom, equality, and brotherhood, transcending sex, race, and national boundaries. Thus it was not limited to equals, allies, or relatives, or to citizens and civilized men, as was most often the case in other ancient societies.

The ancient writer Lucian of Samosata satirized Christians in his Passing of Peregrinus for being so charitable that they became easy marks for liars and charlatans. But any attempt to limit Christians to their own poor is at war with Christian anthropology, which sees all people as brethren demanding our concern.

For people of faith, almsgiving is a duty, a privilege, an opportunity to respect the image of God that resides in every human being irrespective of race, class, nationality, or any other characteristic. For the ancient pagans  and some dedicated to expanding the size and scope of government  serving the poor is a battle for supremacy, obedience, and power. In the one case, the benevolent voluntarily offer alms as the tangible fruits of overflowing love, for the benefit of the receiver, and to the glory of Almighty God. In the other, the state redistributes wealth from less-favored to more-favored groups, to leverage the votes of key voting constituencies, to the benefit of the wealthy politicians who run the system.

No one, least of all people of faith, should forget the difference  nor the unspoken motive behind it.

(Photo credit: St. Christina of Tyre gives her fathers idols to the poor. Public domain.)
 Newsweek Errs on Legality of Occupation | Main | Foreign Policy Fails To Tell The Truth About UNRWA 

January 02, 2018

Wheres the Coverage? Palestinian Leaders Spend Christmas Celebrating a Terrorist



Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and head of the Fatah movement, spent Dec. 25, 2017 meeting with a recently released terrorist named Rafat Al-Jawabra, according to a report by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). Major U.S. news outlets failed to report that a Palestinian leader they frequently label a moderate,? met with a commander of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, a U.S.-designated terrorist group.

Al-Jawabra was responsible for a series of shootings and a suicide attack in the Jewish settlement of Efrat during the second intifada,? MEMRI noted. He was imprisoned in 2002 and was released at the end of 2017. While incarcerated, Al-Jawabra was elected to the local council of the village of Al-Doha in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria).

Fatah held several events and receptions to celebrate his release.

At one Dec. 16, 2017 event, Abbas deputy, Mahmoud al-Aloul, presented Al-Jawabra with a certificate of honor.? As CAMERA has highlighted in several Op-Eds, al-Aloul himself is an unrepentant and convicted terrorist whose February 2017 appointment has been ignored by the press (see, for example The Media and the Missing Abu Jihad,? The Washington Jewish Week, Oct. 4, 2017). Al-Aloul, whose nickname is Abu Jihad, is a possible successor to the octogenarian Abbas.

Speaking at Al-Jawabras release, Al-Aloul called the terrorist a leader of whom we are proud.?

At a rally celebrating his release, Al-Jawabra was greeted by hundreds of activists waving Palestinian and Fatah flags. MEMRI noted:

In his own speech at the rally, Al-Jawabra mentioned the Al-Aqsa members killed during the second intifada, saying: We renew our pact with the martyrs and tell them: your blood was not shed in vain. He added that the occupation, the prisons, the oppression and the Nakba will only increase our faith, our strength and our resolve to continue the fight for Jerusalem... There will be no negotiations without Jerusalem and no solution without Jerusalem... We are united and the occupation is temporary. The audience responded with cries of millions of martyrs are marching on Jerusalem.?

As CAMERA has pointed out, Palestinians often refer to the existence of the Jewish state of Israel on any land as the occupation.? Their school textbooks and official media depict a world without Israela direct violation of the Oslo accords that created the PA.

Fatah operatives spent ten days celebrating Al-Jawabras release. In addition to Abbas and Al-Aloul, other top officials, such as Fatah Central Committee Members Abbas Zaki and Jamal Muhaisen attended events, which included marches, parades, and motorcades.

Its not unusual for Fatah to celebrate the release of convicted terrorists. However, it is unusual for the movement to spend ten days doing soperhaps suggesting a greater role for Al-Jawabra and/or a desire to compensate for the U.S. decision to belatedly implement the 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act. The latter was widely viewed as a loss for the PA and Fatah, which rejected the sovereign right of their chief benefactor, the United States, to place an embassy in Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israels capital.

Major press outlets provided extensiveif frequently flawedcoverage of the United States decision. As CAMERA noted in The Times of Israel, many in the media claimed that it hindered or destroyed the peace process.? However, according to a Lexis-Nexis search, not a single major outlet reported the fact that top Palestinian leaders spent ten daysincluding Christmascelebrating the release of a convicted terrorist and murderer. USA Today, The Baltimore Sun, The New York Times, and The Washington Post, among others, failed to inform readers.

Posted by SD at January 2, 2018 01:37 PM

Does anybody know why this terrorist was released from prison after serving only 15 years?

Posted by: Marjorie Stamm Rosenfeld at January 5, 2018 11:53 PM

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 'Crux' of the Conflict, According to The New York Times | Main | Newsweek Errs on Legality of Occupation 

January 02, 2018

Reuters Removes Photograph Implicating Israel in Deaths of Iranian Street Protesters

What do Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz have to do with the deaths of 10 Iranian protesters demonstrating against their regime? That's what Twitter users were wondering after Reuters TV used a photograph of the pair conspiratorially huddling to accompany a video about the Iranian deaths.

In response to Reuters TV's tweet, this writer mused:

(TheMossadIL is a satirical account.)

Reuters later pulled the photograph and tweet, which is no longer available.

Posted by TS at January 2, 2018 03:12 AM

I'm grateful that CAMERA can suss out such distortions and motivate media outlets to correct them. But while the "record" has been corrected, the damage to Israel's reputation will likely not be fully repaired - media don't give near the prominence to a correction that they give to the initial distortion. To help reduce the number of libelous media statements, is it possible for CAMERA to identify the person(s) responsible, and request education in the case of ignorance and disciplinary action in the case of venality?

Posted by: citizenstat at January 4, 2018 07:30 PM

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(Photo: Courtesy Vatican Press Office)An image by American photographer Joseph Roger O'Donnell that Pope Francis is circulating, under the heading "The fruits of war."

Pope Francis has issued a card showing a 1945 photo of victims of the Nagasaki nuclear bombing in a New Year warning over the threat of global conflict and its effect on humanity.

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 U.S. Marine photographer Joe O'Donnell shortly after American forces dropped atomic bombs on Japan, first on Hiroshima and then days later on Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War.

The cards issued by Francis will carry his own signature along with a caption: "The young boy's sadness is expressed only in his gesture of biting his lips which are oozing blood," The Independent newspaper in the UK reported.

O'Donnell spent four years documenting the trail of destruction after the bombing of Nagasaki and Hiroshima, the first and only times an atomic bomb has been used in a wartime act.

The Vatican press circulated the photo ahead of the Catholic Church's World Day of Peace, which is celebrated every Jan.1 January.

Vatican analyst John Allen said, "The gesture is consistent with Francis's 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."

"The pontiff has also spoken about the disproportionate suffering children often experience in conflicts, including the risk of being enrolled as child soldiers," said Allen writing in Crux.

"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 Korea's threat to use nuclear weapons, and U.S. President Donald Trump's vow that America would unleash 'fire and fury' should that happen."
Female police officer was beaten by crowd in Paris

Horrific New Year's Day assault on a female police officer in Paris was filmed by her attackers.

A female police officer, providing security for New Years Day celebrations, was brutal attacked in Paris suburb. The officer  who has not been named  was recorded being kicked around violently as the attackers around her whooped and screamed in the suburb of Champigny-sur-Marne, southeast of the French capital.

Her colleague was so badly hurt that, he was forced to remove his pistol from its holster, but he did not get a shot off.

The two officers were investigating reports of widespread disorder outside a house in Champigny, where a New Year party was taking place. Many were refused entry, leading to fighting in the street, and when the police arrived they in turn were attacked.

The thugs filmed themselves stamping on the female officer, who tried to cover herself as she is relentlessly beaten.

Both were finally rescued by colleagues, and then rushed to nearby hospitals. They were suffering from concussion and numerous injuries, although their condition was not life threatening.
Israel enjoys the chaos in Iran

Protest demonstrations in Iran had begun by the reason of economic conditions. The developments are being followed closely in the international arena by World countries.

Protest demonstrations in Iran had begun by the reason of economic conditions. The developments are being followed closely in the international arena by World countries.

US

The US President Donald Trump on Monday weighed in with his sharp views on the developing situation in Iran where thousands of people were protesting against the government for several days. Sharing views on his official Twitter account, Trump said: " 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!

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) 1 Ocak 2018

RUSSIA

The Russian Foreign Ministry has expressed hope that protests in Iran will no turn violent, will not result in bloodshed. Commenting on the current situation in Tehran, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that interference from abroad in the situation in Iran is unacceptable. "External interference [in Iran's internal affairs] which may destabilize the situation is unacceprable." the statement said.

TURKEY

Turkey has expressed its concern over ongoing protests in Iran, warning against escalation of tension in anti-government demonstrations that began last week. The Foreign Ministry also stated that Ankara hopes there will be no foreign intervention in the events. Written statement by the Foreign Ministry said attaches great importance to the protection of friendly and brotherly Irans social peace and stability.





In this context, taking into account the statement by President Rouhani that the people have the right to peaceful demonstration, we believe that the law should not be violated, public property should not be harmed, and provocations and violence should be avoided, the ministry stated.

GERMANY

In a written statement, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said We appeal to the Iranian government to respect the rights of the demonstrators to assemble and to peacefully raise their voices."





"We call on the government to respect demonstrators' freedom of assembly + their right to give voice to their opinion freely+peacefully. Following confrontation of past days, all the more important for all sides to refrain from taking any violent action." Gabriel said.

ISRAEL

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.

The Iranian regime tries desperately to sow hate between Iranians and Israelis. They won't succeed. When this regime finally falls  and one day it will  Iranians and Israelis will be great friends once again. I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom. pic.twitter.com/kk8wTYmhnz  Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) 1 Ocak 2018

The Iranian regime tries desperately to sow hate between Iranians and Israelis. They won't succeed. When this regime finally falls  and one day it will  Iranians and Israelis will be great friends once again. I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom. Netanyahu stated in his official Twitter account.

IRAN

The Secretary of the Supreme Council for National Security, Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Unfortunately, Trump is a liar. The US imposes sanctions on Iran, supports the growth of terrorism in Iraq and Syria, and bombards Yemen. When Trump calls Iran The Terrorist Nation, or distorts the 2,500 years of history the Persian Gulf has, by calling it the Arabian Gulf, people realise that they are being targeted. told Euronews.
One thing that was not left behind in 2017 is the ongoing sexual harassment epidemic that plagued Hollywood and media outlets for several months.

Now, the scandal is hitting the dance stage. Danish ballet master and choreographer Peter Martins has been accused of sexual misconduct and abuse by several current and former dancers from the New York City Ballet.

Dancing Disaster

Martins began his career with the Royal Danish Ballet in 1953. Martins became a principal dancer for the New York City Ballet in 1970 after appearing in several performances as a guest dancer. Martins officially retired from dancing in 1983 and assumed the role of Balletmaster-in-chief in 1990.

The acclaimed choreographer took a leave of absence in December 2017 before officially retiring in January 2018. Martins has been accused by over two dozen dancers. They all claimed Martins bullied and coerced them into having a sexual relationship with him.

Martins has denied the allegations against him, stating that it has "exacted a painful toll on him."

"To bring an end to this disruption which has enveloped the Ballet and the School, I have decided that it is time for me to retire. I have denied, and continue to deny, that I have engaged in any such misconduct," Martins stated.

The board chairman, Charles Scharf, acknowledged Martins' letter and stated that despite his bountiful career with the company, they will continue to take the allegations against Martins seriously.

"We thank Peter for his tremendous contributions to New York City Ballet as ballet master in chief for over three decades, leading the Company to exceptional artistic heights and accomplishments," Scharf wrote.

While some are speaking against Martins, it has been reported that there are several dancers who were defending the former teacher.

Martins has had previous encounters with the law. He was arrested in 1982 after his wife, Darci Kistler, phoned for help. Kistler accused Martins of pushing and slapping her and cutting and bruising her arms and legs.

The 71-year-old former dancer choreographed several performances, including The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo + Juliet, and Swan Lake. He also choreographed the Barbie movies such as Barbie in the Nutcracker and Barbie of Swan Lake.

Martins now joins the growing list of high-profile men who are accused of using their power to manipulate men and women. The allegations began back in September 2017 after disgraced movie mogul, Harvey Weinstein, was accused of sexually harassing and abusing over 80 women.

Following Weinstein, actors Kevin Spacey, Ed Westwick, Danny Masterson, Dustin Hoffman, and former anchorman Matt Lauer were publicly outed as well.
Kendall Jenner shared a photo with her fans and followers on Instagram on Friday, Dec. 29.

Right away, many Instagram users began suspecting that the 22-year-old model was pregnant. In the photo, Jenner was sporting a skin-tight polka dot dress that appeared to showcase a much rounder midsection than fans are not used to seeing on the thin reality star.

That said, Kendall's "loner life" photo wasn't a pregnancy announcement. Instead, it was one big misunderstanding that she has since cleared up herself.

"I just like bagels ok!!!" the model wrote on Saturday, according to a report by People magazine on Dec. 31.

Kendall's sister Kim Kardashian is currently expecting a baby girl via surrogate with her husband Kanye West. Meanwhile, her other sister, Khloe Kardashian, is currently expecting her first child with boyfriend Tristan Thompson.

Although Kendall's younger sister, Kylie, is also believed to be expecting her first child with rapper Travis Scott, she has yet to confirm her alleged baby news and has been staying completely out of the spotlight in recent months. She's even been keeping a low profile on social media and rarely shares any images of herself below the neck.

While Jenner isn't joining in on her family's expansion plans quite yet, she is currently involved in a committed relationship with Los Angeles Clippers player Blake Griffin. The couple has been dating since this past August.

Kendall doesnt feel left out at all about being the only Kardashian-Jenner sister who wont have a child, an insider told Hollywood Life last month. As far as shes concerned, shes more than happy to be the coolest aunt who spoils her nieces and nephews and gives them right back to their mommies. Shes not the odd woman out, thats for sure.

Kendall can do whatever she wants and isnt limited by having to care for a baby, the source explained. Whenever she feels shes ready to write that chapter of her life, shell see what happens."

Prior to her romance with Griffin, Jenner was linked for over a year to rapper ASAP Rocky. However, despite their regular sightings, the alleged couple never confirmed their rumored romance.

To see more of Kendall Jenner and her family, including her sisters, Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney Kardashian, and Kylie Jenner, don't miss new episodes of Keeping Up With the Kardashians season 14 on Sundays at 9 p.m. on the E! Network.
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Pope Francis described migrants and refugees as the worlds weakest and most needy in his traditional New Years address in St. Peters Square at the Vatican. His speech meant to give voice to the marginalized people and urge leaders to act and help more. Pope Francis reminded the about 40,000 people gathered at the Vatican square that he had chosen the plight of migrants and refugees as the theme for the Roman Catholic Churchs World Day of Peace, which is celebrated annually on 1 January.

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! Pope Francis has made migrants and refugees a central theme of his papacy in opposition to the negative sentiment against migrants around the world. During his 2017 trip to Myanmar and Bangladesh, he met Muslim refugees and urged world leaders to take decisive steps to address the political problems that are oftentimes the major root causes of migration.

Pope also criticized US President Donald Trump for his intention to build a wall on the US-Mexico border. In Franciss message published in November, he said that the politicians who incite hate speech and stoke fear of migrants were sowing violence and racism. In a homily before popes yesterday speech, Pope 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.
Iran is facing a series of protests across the country that were sparked by rising living costs and a stagnant economy but slowly developed into a broader demonstration against the regime. This outcry is the most serious challenge to Tehrans authority since the so-called Green Movement of 2009 when millions marched in Tehran to express their dissatisfaction with the re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad following allegations of the rigged vote.

The country has not seen economic growth that President Hassan Rouhani promised in his re-election campaign that he hoped would come after the nuclear deal relieved Iran of sanctions and opened the country to the global markets. In spring 2017, unemployment was 12.6%, up only a bit from 2016, the World Bank reported. Nevertheless, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani tried to downplay the meaningfulness of the current wave of sometimes-violent protests that have left 12 people dead. Our great nation has witnessed a number of similar incidents in the past and has comfortably dealt with them. This is nothing, he said.

While EU leaders have not directly addressed the unrests in Iran yet, the spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ray, tweeted: The EU is following demonstrations in Iran. We have been in touch with the Iranian authorities. We expect that the right of peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression will be guaranteed. German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed his concern about the rising death toll and appealed to the Iranian government to respect peoples rights. We appeal to the Iranian government to respect the rights of the demonstrators to assemble and to peacefully raise their voices, Gabriel said.

While German Foreign Minister carefully chose his words when he reminded that after the confrontations of recent days, it is all the more important that all sides refrain from violent actions, US President Donald Trump expressed his support for the protests in a series of tweets on Sunday (31 December) when he 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!
i know that the soonest day to apply for my FLR M is the 28 february so im just wondring if i can start looking for date to book from now ? because i saw somewhere that u can start looking for the date that you want 45 days in advance ?? can someone help me pls . thank you
the IO to ask me personally for it?



Hello. My girlfriend will be coming to the UK from the USA next week. She's got $2000 and will be staying for three months although I will be covering the cost of her stay. It states that in order to prove I can support her I will need to show bank statement. I'm not sure if I need to e-mail it her so she can print it off and give it them, or if when I pick her up I can show them there and then? If I do have to give her a copy can I redact my account number and then make them aware I will have an unredacted version with me at the airport? We've been talking for six months but I'd like to be senseable with my personal information. I'll be writing a cover/sponsorship letter for her to give to the immigration officer which i'll tell them about the unredacted version.



Thank you.
Yes I have a BRP. But I thought that since address is not printed on BRP, they would only record the change in their system not send me a new BRP.



I just thought they would send me an email or letter stating acknowledging my change of address. Am I correct?



Should I follow up with a phone call or email? No contact numbers are given on gov.uk.
My family are emigrating to Canada in 5 days time. We've been advised by the packing company that almost all of our electricals won't work out there due to the voltage difference. I've found 'voltage converters' online - do these work?! I'd be gutted to give up some of my kitchen appliances! Thanks in advance for any advice!
Hi all



Thinking about immigrating to Canada from the UK in the summer of 2019 with my family. We are looking at Nova Scotia. We are travelling there for a investigative holiday in April 2018. Would be grateful for any advice from anyone who know's anything about the province especially any UK expats who have made the move there.



Thanks



Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Can anyone recommend a reputable Visa processing company based in Dubai or AD ?



Im specifically looking for someone experienced and efficient in Russia Business visa applications combined with arranging letter of invitation, biometrics etc (for a UK passport holder) . Not just looking for a visa runner.



Im used to using CIBT in the UK and US, ideally looking for similar here. Ive found visahq.ae online not sure how efficient they are.



Any advice appreciated !


British people are not known for their proficiency in foreign languages, but a new poll suggests they want to be with one in five planning to do some learning in 2018.One in three intends to try and learn at least some phrases in another language in the year ahead with Spanish the most popular option, according to the survey released by the British Council, the nations organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.After Spanish, learning French is the most popular choice, followed by Italian, German and Japanese and the British Council is urging people to make the move and learn more ahead of Brexit.The survey also found that 64% have always wanted to speak another language fluently with 56% stating that they regret never having made the effort to do so while 58% think it is more important than ever for people in the UK to learn another language.Yet currently only a third said they can hold a basic conversation in another language and 45% admitted to being embarrassed by the level of their language skills.Its fantastic that many of us hope to brush up on our language skills in 2018. In particular, the languages we are most keen to learn are some of the languages the UK needs most, said Vicky Gough, schools adviser at the British Council.But the country is still facing a languages deficit. If we are to remain globally competitive post-Brexit, we need more people who can speak languages. Learning other languages not only gives you an understanding of other cultures but is good for business, for life and for wellbeing too. The New Year is the perfect time to get started, she added.The British Councils call comes as the uptake of languages in schools faces a challenging time. Official figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications highlight a 7.3% drop in the number of pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland taking GCSE language exams in the past year. There is also a 1% drop at A Level. Scottish Qualification Authority figures indicate that the situation is similar in Scotland with significant drops in French and German uptake in the past year.The UKs current lack of language skills is said to be holding back the countrys international trade performance at a cost of almost 50 billion a year.For those keen to start learning another language in the New Year, the British Council has a series of language learning videos with practical hints and tips while young people can spend time abroad through schemes like Erasmus+ and Language Assistants.It also points out that there are lots of language online apps, podcasts, courses and games available to help people try a new language, or dust off their previous language knowledge and these can be used alone or alongside traditional classes.
Legal Limbo Her husband murdered, her son taken away, a mother seeking asylum tells a judge, 'I have lost everything'

Legal Limbo Her husband murdered, her son taken away, a mother seeking asylum tells a judge, 'I have lost everything'

EL PASO - The boy was crying as federal agents ordered him into the government vehicle. Tell your mother goodbye, they said.

It was late October, and Blanca Vasquez and her 12-year-old son, Luis, had only been in the United States for a few hours. They had crossed the Rio Grande near El Paso, giving themselves up to Border Patrol agents to ask for asylum. A gang in El Salvador had murdered her husband, a military sergeant, and she said they were now after Luis.

For decades, hundreds of thousands of immigrant families from Central America, escaping gang violence and political persecution, have followed a similar path, relying on international treaties protecting those seeking asylum from being summarily turned away.

Vasquez figured she and Luis would be detained, or even released, while she fought for asylum. A 20-year-old federal settlement that bars the extended detention of migrant children would ensure they stayed together.

But that was then. This summer, the practice changed.

Under orders from President Donald Trump's administration, the federal government would begin broadly prosecuting parents who enter illegally, forcing the removal of their children. That enables the administration to detain parents until they are deported or win asylum, rather than freeing them with their children to wait for their cases in the backlogged civil immigration courts, a practice known as "catch and release" that Trump has vowed to end.

The possibility of being criminally prosecuted and separated from their children, the government argued, would deter Vasquez and other migrants from making the dangerous journey north.

But for Vasquez it was too late to turn back.

She was in federal prison. And her son Luis was, where?

No one would say.

***

In February 2012, Vasquez and her family were living quietly in a three-bedroom house in a middle-class municipality called Apopa on the outskirts of San Salvador. She and her husband, Juan Landaverde, had remodeled the house themselves to make room for Luis, who was born eight years after they married and their first son, William, was born.

Landaverde had joined the military as a teenager, choosing the armed forces over the guerrillas at the height of one of the hemisphere's most brutal civil wars. He rose steadily up the ranks and at 48, just one year before retirement, oversaw a prison, according to U.S. government documents

He controlled what went in and out, and what gang members could obtain. It was a powerful post that had spurred threats against him. But he always shrugged them off.

"Don't worry, my girl," he'd tell his wife. "Nothing's going to happen."

On the morning of Feb. 20, William called from school, asking his father to bring his homework. Landaverde had just dropped off Luis, and was on the way when he was suddenly ambushed by at least two teenagers who fired dozens of shots, according to newspaper accounts. A medical examiner's report noted about 19 bullet holes in Landaverde's body.

Luis, then 8, ran out, seeing one of the shooters carrying a gun, blood seeping down his shirt. It was William's classmate, he said, a boy who had often knocked on their door to sell snacks. William said he and the boy had drifted apart after the youth joined the Barrio 18 gang that controlled their neighborhood.

Landaverde's killing roiled the military. It was the third and highest-ranking murder of an army official that month, according to newspaper accounts, coming as the government was under pressure to reduce the soaring homicide rate. Reports had circulated that it was even open to deals with gang leaders if they could curb the murders.

Some viewed the attacks as a warning to the government that it had no choice but to negotiate with the gangs, who, with some 50,000 members and weapons including assault rifles and grenades, are veritable armed forces themselves.

The army interviewed William, who was then 17 and part of a folk-dancing troupe for his municipality. He said he couldn't report his classmate. He feared what would happen if he did.

***

Barrio 18 members began trailing the family.

"From the moment I left the door to the moment I came back," Vasquez said.

The military was under pressure to crack down on Landaverde's killers. They arrested one teenager and killed another, according to newspaper accounts. Soon some military sources circulated a theory in a local paper that it was William who had asked the gang to target his father. The teenager was angry, the sources claimed, because his father had punished him for hanging out with the gang and he wanted to prove his loyalty to them.

William denies this. He said soldiers tried to coerce him not only into testifying against his classmate, but into naming gang members from the neighborhood. When he said no, fearing retribution, some soldiers accused him of belonging to the group. They beat him, damaging two of his ribs, according to records.

"They got angry and said if I don't answer with the truth that they would kill me, and I kept saying I wasn't a gang member," William later told a U.S. government official. "One of them said he would kill me because I no longer had a right to live."

William was investigated in his father's killing, but never charged and has no criminal history, according to Salvadoran police records.

The murder placed the family in the crosshairs of a power struggle between El Salvador's gangs and its military. A few weeks after Landaverde's killing, the government signed a truce with gang leaders, offering them perks in exchange for less violence.

It did not make a difference in the lives of Vasquez and her children, who were under threat from both sides. They abandoned their house. In all, William said they moved about 15 times in four years to five cities across the country, often not living anywhere for more than a few months.

If they moved to a neighborhood controlled by the Mara Salvatrucha, they were seen as informers for the Barrio 18. In areas overseen by Barrio 18, they were targeted for knowing about the gang's ties to Landaverde's slaying.

William said he was assaulted more than a dozen times and once the gang even killed a teenage neighbor he said they mistook for him.

"Our lives as we knew it had ended," William said.

***

By January 2016, William had decided to join the military, in part to honor his father's memory but also in the hopes that it would offer him protection. During his training, he said soldiers recognized his last name and took him to an isolated barracks where they stripped him naked, beat him at gunpoint and once again accused him of gang ties.

On his way home to Apopa, where his mother had returned with Luis, William said gang members recognized and assaulted him, sending him to the hospital, according to medical records. He had nowhere to turn.

"The army said I had one week to file a complaint against the gang or they would disappear me," he said. "But if I did that, the gang would kill me anyway."

Almost four years to the day after his father's murder, William left El Salvador, traveling 1,400 miles to Reynosa on the Mexican side of McAllen. He paid a smuggler to take him across the cartel-controlled Rio Grande, where Border Patrol agents found him walking in the brush.

He said he was afraid to go home. They transferred him to an immigrant detention center in New York and in a two-hour-long interview with an asylum officer, the 21-year-old explained why he needed refugee protection.

"The mareros won't be satisfied until they kill me and the soldiers won't be satisfied until they find the persons responsible for my father's murder," William said, according to the government interview transcripts. "No matter where I go there are soldiers and maras ... The police are connected to the maras and I can't ask the government (for help) because these groups have popped up, the exterminators and the death squadron."

By then, the government had ended the gang truce, granting police and the military broad authority to use deadly force against them. Killings skyrocketed.

The asylum officer found William had a credible fear of suffering torture in El Salvador, the first step to receiving asylum. The government released him on a $10,000 bond, requiring him to wear a GPS-equipped ankle bracelet.

In the summer of 2016 he arrived in New Orleans, where he has an uncle, and found a job in construction. He trained to be a plumber. And though he was lonely, he was relieved. And safe.

In El Salvador, his mother and brother were anything but.

Gang members in Apopa began following 12-year-old Luis, his mother said. She stopped allowing him to go anywhere but school. Then shortly before Christmas a man Vasquez did not know approached her on the street.

"You need to leave this place to protect your son's life," he told her. "They are watching."

***

In late November Vasquez sat nervously next to four other Central American parents in El Paso's downtown federal courthouse, wearing a blue jumpsuit and shackled at her waist, wrists and ankles. It had been five weeks since she was detained at the border. She still had not been able to speak to Luis.

When they took him away, the mother had tried not to let him see her tears. She had painted on a smile, urging him to remember Psalm 91: "He will save you from the fowler's snare."

That Scripture had carried her through the years since her husband's murder. It sustained her while her life fell apart and she and her boys embarked on a nomadic existence, trying to keep one step ahead of the gangs. And it had given her strength as she made the harrowing trek north. Now, she wasn't so sure. She saw Luis in her dreams. He wore a gray shirt and moved his mouth, but she couldn't hear him. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

Her prayer changed in prison.

"Why don't you take my sons and me so that everything can end," she now implored. "Let us die together, so that we don't suffer anymore."

In court, more than a dozen Border Patrol agents and an expert witness had arrived from across the country at taxpayer expense to testify for the government.

Sergio Garcia, an assistant federal public defender for the Western District of Texas, argued that the government's practice of separating families by prosecuting parents violates the U.S. Constitution. In removing their children and withholding information about them, the government forced parents to plead guilty so that they could quickly reunite.

The government contended that the parents could take their cases to trial or post bond as in any other criminal proceeding. Not pursuing charges against parents traveling with children would encourage more to come here and even incite trafficking, the lawyers argued, if having a minor proves a protection against prosecution.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres worried that prosecuting parents prevents them from participating in their children's immigration cases, noting that even the most egregious criminals retain parental rights. He suggested that concern about their children could factor into parents pleading guilty.

"As a practical matter, there's no meaningful way for these (migrant) parents to know anything about their kids," Torres said. "Parents don't know if they're going to be deported before, after, or at the same time as their kids."

But the jurist was hard-pressed to dismiss the complaint. The parents had crossed the border illegally, the crime for which they stood accused. A higher court would have to decide if their due process rights had been violated.

In a speedy trial, slowed only by the public defender's efforts to enter arguments into the record for an appeal, the judge found Vasquez and her codefendants guilty of the misdemeanor crime of improper entry. He sentenced them to one year of non-reporting probation.

They would be transferred to immigration detention and likely quickly deported, sometimes without their children, which could even put them at risk of losing legal custody of them. If asylum officials find the parents have a credible fear of returning home, they could remain in prison for months without seeing their children until their asylum claims are adjudicated.

Such a practice of family separation is "so fundamentally unconscionable it defies countless international and domestic laws on child welfare, human rights and refugees," according to a complaint advocacy groups, including the Women's Refugee Commission, filed with the Department of Homeland Security in December.

The judge asked the parents if they had anything to say.

"I have lost everything," Vasquez said. "I don't know how (my son) is ... I need to go where he is."

***

William's stomach was tight with anxiety. He hadn't heard from his mother in days, not since she and Luis made it to Juarez, across the river from El Paso.

One morning, his phone rang as he installed pipes in a house on the outskirts of New Orleans. He did not recognize the number.

"'William,'" he remembered Luis saying. "'I'm in New York. In a shelter for children.'"

It was a little boring, Luis said, though they get to play in the afternoons. Did William know where mom was?

He did not. But the call filled him with relief. Luis was the baby, the one his parents told him to protect.

"I felt like part of my life had been given back to me," he said.

A few days later a stranger messaged him on Facebook. Was his mother Blanca Vasquez? If so, she was in prison in El Paso along with the man's girlfriend. She needed William to put money into her detainee account so that she could call him.

A social worker called him too. She sent him paperwork to complete and asked him to mail his fingerprints. If he passed a background check, she said Luis could come live with him while he waits for his appointment in immigration court.

William was thrilled. Maybe his family could finally be together again. He does not have many friends in New Orleans, shying away from the nightlife and not wanting to risk anything that could jeopardize his asylum case. He works six days a week.

Now and again he'll engage in jabber with his construction crew. All of them are from Central America too. Most have been living here illegally for years, and came to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina for the construction work. Then they stayed, and had American children who sometimes join them on the job site, marveling at the pieces of American dreams they are rebuilding for others.

William wants his uncle, an American citizen, to adopt Luis. He hopes his asylum is approved so that he can apply for a green card and join the military, but in the United States. He sees no future for El Salvador.

"It's a chain of violence that will never end," he said. "I've tried to forget, because to remember is to suffer."

The purple sky had faded to black when his mother called from prison. William told her that the social worker said Luis would be arriving soon.

"Don't worry, mom," he said. "This problem, we're going to solve it somehow."

Then he began boarding shut the vacant house. Vagrants sometimes try to sneak in at night to escape the cold.

It's human nature, William shrugged, to try to survive.

Postscript:

Shortly before Christmas, an asylum officer determined that Vasquez did not have a credible fear of returning to El Salvador. It was a painful blow, William said, and also confusing. His mother's argument for asylum is the same as his own.

An immigration judge will now review the decision. William is searching for an attorney to help his mother in the proceeding. The vast majority of such rulings are not overturned.

Vasquez will likely be deported soon without either of her children. If she tries to return to the United States, she could face a felony charge for re-entry.

Her previous deportation would allow federal agents to remove her immediately after serving that sentence.

William and Luis will remain in New Orleans while they await the outcome of their immigration cases, though their first hearings are not until 2020.

Perhaps Luis's uncle will adopt him, or he could qualify for a type of protection for child migrants who have been abandoned. Maybe William will receive asylum. It is unlikely that they will see their mother again for years.
EL PASO  The boy was crying as federal agents ordered him into the government vehicle. Tell your mother goodbye, they said.

It was late October, and Blanca Vasquez and her 12-year-old son, Luis, had been in the U.S. for only a few hours. They had crossed the Rio Grande near El Paso, giving themselves up to Border Patrol agents to ask for asylum. A gang in El Salvador had murdered her husband, a military sergeant, and she said it was now after Luis.

For decades, hundreds of thousands of immigrant families from Central America, escaping gang violence and political persecution, have followed a similar path, relying on international treaties protecting those seeking asylum from being summarily turned away.

Vasquez figured that she and Luis would be detained, or even released, while she fought for asylum. A 20-year-old federal settlement that bars the extended detention of migrant children would ensure that they stayed together.

But that was then. This summer, the practice changed.

Under orders from President Donald Trumps administration, the federal government would begin broadly prosecuting parents who enter illegally, forcing the removal of their children. That enables the administration to detain parents until they are deported or win asylum, rather than freeing them with their children to wait for their cases to make their way through the backlogged civil immigration courts, a practice known as catch and release that Trump has vowed to end.

The possibility of being criminally prosecuted and separated from their children, the government argued, would deter Vasquez and other migrants from making the dangerous journey north.

But for Vasquez, it was too late to turn back.

She was in federal prison. And her son Luis was, where?

No one would say.

Husbands death

In February 2012, Vasquez and her family were living quietly in a three-bedroom house in a middle-class municipality called Apopa on the outskirts of San Salvador. She and her husband, Juan Landaverde, had remodeled the house to make room for Luis, who was born eight years after they married and their first son, William, was born.

Landaverde had joined the military as a teenager, choosing the armed forces over the guerrillas at the height of one of the hemispheres most brutal civil wars. He rose steadily up the ranks and, at 48, just one year before retirement, oversaw a prison, according to U.S. government documents.

He controlled what went in and out and what gang members could obtain. It was a powerful post that had spurred threats against him. But he always shrugged them off.

Dont worry, my girl, hed tell his wife. Nothings going to happen.

On the morning of Feb. 20, William called from school, asking his father to bring his homework. Landaverde had just dropped off Luis and was on the way when he was suddenly ambushed by at least two teenagers who fired dozens of shots, according to newspaper accounts. A medical examiners report noted about 19 bullet holes in Landaverdes body.

Luis, then 8, ran out, seeing one of the shooters carrying a gun, blood seeping down his shirt. It was one of his brothers classmates, he said, a boy who had often knocked on their door to sell snacks. William said he and the boy had drifted apart after the youth joined the Barrio 18 gang that controlled their neighborhood.

Landaverdes killing roiled the military. It was the third and highest-ranking murder of an army official that month, according to newspaper accounts, coming as the government was under pressure to reduce the soaring homicide rate. Reports had circulated that it was even open to deals with gang leaders if they could curb the murders.

Some viewed the attacks as a warning to the government that it had no choice but to negotiate with the gangs, who, with some 50,000 members and weapons including assault rifles and grenades, are veritable armed forces themselves.

The army interviewed William, who was then 17 and part of a folk-dancing troupe for his municipality. He said he couldnt report his classmate. He feared what would happen if he did.

In the cross hairs

Barrio 18 members began trailing the family.

From the moment I left the door to the moment I came back, Vasquez said.

The military was under pressure to crack down on Landaverdes killers. It arrested one teenager and killed another, according to newspaper accounts.

Soon, some military sources circulated a theory in a local paper that it was William who had asked the gang to target his father. The teenager was angry, the sources claimed, because his father had punished him for hanging out with the gang and he wanted to prove his loyalty to it.

William denies this. He said soldiers tried to coerce him not only into testifying against his classmate but into naming gang members from the neighborhood. When he said no, fearing retribution, some soldiers accused him of belonging to the group. They beat him, damaging two of his ribs, according to records.

They got angry and said if I dont answer with the truth that they would kill me, and I kept saying I wasnt a gang member, William later told a U.S. government official. One of them said he would kill me because I no longer had a right to live.

William was investigated in his fathers killing but never charged and has no criminal history, according to Salvadoran police records.

The murder placed the family in the cross hairs of a power struggle between El Salvadors gangs and its military. A few weeks after Landaverdes killing, the government signed a truce with gang leaders, offering them perks in exchange for less violence.

It did not make a difference in the lives of Vasquez and her children, who were under threat from both sides. They abandoned their house. In all, William said, they moved about 15 times in four years to five cities across the country, often not living anywhere for more than a few months.

If they moved to a neighborhood controlled by the Mara Salvatrucha, they were seen as informers for the Barrio 18. In areas overseen by Barrio 18, they were targeted for knowing about the gangs ties to Landaverdes slaying.

William said he was assaulted more than a dozen times and that the gang even killed a teenage neighbor they mistook for him.

Our lives as we knew it had ended, he said.

By January 2016, William had decided to join the military, in part to honor his fathers memory but also in the hopes that it would offer him protection. During his training, he said soldiers recognized his last name and took him to an isolated barracks where they stripped him naked, beat him at gunpoint and accused him of gang ties.

On his way home to Apopa, where his mother had returned with Luis, William said gang members recognized and assaulted him, sending him to the hospital, according to medical records. He had nowhere to turn.

The army said I had one week to file a complaint against the gang or they would disappear me, he said. But if I did that, the gang would kill me anyway.

Son leaves El Salvador

Almost four years to the day after his fathers murder, William left El Salvador, traveling 1,400 miles to Reynosa on the Mexican side of McAllen. He paid a smuggler to take him across the cartel-controlled Rio Grande, where Border Patrol agents found him walking in the brush.

He said he was afraid to go home. They transferred him to an immigrant detention center in New York and in a two-hour-long interview with an asylum officer, the 21-year-old explained why he needed refugee protection.

The mareros wont be satisfied until they kill me, and the soldiers wont be satisfied until they find the persons responsible for my fathers murder, he said, according to the government interview transcripts. No matter where I go, there are soldiers and maras.  The police are connected to the maras, and I cant ask the government (for help) because these groups have popped up, the exterminators and the death squadron.

By then, the government had ended the gang truce, granting police and the military broad authority to use deadly force against them. Killings skyrocketed.

The asylum officer found that William had a credible fear of suffering torture in El Salvador, the first step to receiving asylum. The government released him on $10,000 bail, requiring him to wear a GPS-equipped ankle bracelet.

In the summer of 2016, he arrived in New Orleans, where he has an uncle, and found a job in construction. He trained to be a plumber. And though he was lonely, he was relieved. And safe.

In El Salvador, his mother and brother were anything but.

Gang members in Apopa began following 12-year-old Luis, his mother said. She stopped allowing him to go anywhere but school. Then shortly before Christmas, a man Vasquez did not know approached her on the street.

You need to leave this place to protect your sons life, he told her. They are watching.

In detention

In late November, Vasquez sat nervously next to four other Central American parents in El Pasos downtown federal courthouse, wearing a blue jumpsuit and shackled at her waist, wrists and ankles. It had been five weeks since she was detained at the border. She still had not been able to speak to Luis.

When they took him away, she had tried not to let him see her tears. She had painted on a smile, urging him to remember Psalm 91: He will save you from the fowlers snare.

That Scripture had carried her through the years since her husbands murder. It sustained her while her life fell apart and she and her boys embarked on a nomadic existence, trying to keep one step ahead of the gangs. And it had given her strength as she made the harrowing trek north. Now, she wasnt so sure. She saw Luis in her dreams. He wore a gray shirt and moved his mouth, but she couldnt hear him. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

Her prayer changed in prison.

Why dont you take my sons and me so that everything can end, she now implored. Let us die together, so that we dont suffer anymore.

In court, more than a dozen Border Patrol agents and an expert witness had arrived from across the country at taxpayer expense to testify for the government.

Sergio Garcia, an assistant federal public defender for the Western District of Texas, argued that the governments practice of separating families by prosecuting parents violates the Constitution. In removing their children and withholding information about them, the government forced parents to plead guilty so that they could quickly reunite.

The government contended that the parents could take their cases to trial or post bail as in any other criminal proceeding. Not pursuing charges against parents traveling with children would encourage more to come here and even incite trafficking, the lawyers argued, if having a minor proves a protection against prosecution.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Miguel Torres worried that prosecuting parents prevents them from participating in their childrens immigration cases, noting that even the most egregious criminals retain parental rights. He suggested that concern about their children could factor into parents pleading guilty.

As a practical matter, theres no meaningful way for these (migrant) parents to know anything about their kids, Torres said. Parents dont know if theyre going to be deported before, after or at the same time as their kids.

But the jurist was hard-pressed to dismiss the complaint. The parents had crossed the border illegally, the crime for which they stood accused. A higher court would have to decide if their due process rights had been violated.

In a speedy trial, slowed only by the public defenders efforts to enter arguments into the record for an appeal, the judge found Vasquez and her co-defendants guilty of the misdemeanor crime of improper entry. He sentenced them to one year of nonreporting probation.

They would be transferred to immigration detention and likely quickly deported, sometimes without their children, which could even put them at risk of losing legal custody of them. If asylum officials find that the parents have a credible fear of returning home, they could remain in prison for months without seeing their children until their asylum claims are adjudicated.

Such a practice of family separation is so fundamentally unconscionable it defies countless international and domestic laws on child welfare, human rights and refugees, according to complaint advocacy groups, including the Womens Refugee Commission, in papers filed with the Homeland Security Department in December.

The judge asked the parents if they had anything to say.

I have lost everything, Vasquez said. I dont know how (my son) is.  I need to go where he is.

Hope in Louisiana

Williams stomach was tight with anxiety. He hadnt heard from his mother in days, not since she and Luis made it to Juarez, across the river from El Paso.

One morning, his phone rang as he installed pipes in a house on the outskirts of New Orleans. He did not recognize the number.

William, he remembered Luis saying. Im in New York. In a shelter for children.

It was a little boring, Luis said, though they get to play in the afternoons. Did William know where Mom was?

He did not. But the call filled him with relief. Luis was the baby, the one his parents told him to protect.

I felt like part of my life had been given back to me, he said.

A few days later, a stranger messaged him on Facebook. Was his mother Blanca Vasquez? If so, she was in prison in El Paso along with the mans girlfriend. She needed William to put money into her detainee account so she could call him.

A social worker called him, too. She sent paperwork to complete and asked him to mail his fingerprints. If he passed a background check, she said, Luis could live with him while he waits for his appointment in immigration court.

William was thrilled. Maybe his family could finally be together again.

William does not have many friends in New Orleans, shying away from the nightlife and not wanting to risk anything that could jeopardize his asylum case. He works six days a week.

Now and again, hell engage in jabber with his construction crew. All of them are from Central America, too. Most have been living here illegally for years and came to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina for the construction work. Then they stayed and had American children who sometimes join them on the job site, marveling at the pieces of American dreams they are rebuilding for others.

William wants his uncle, a U.S. citizen, to adopt Luis. He hopes his asylum is approved so he can apply for a green card and join the military, but in the U.S. He sees no future for El Salvador.

Its a chain of violence that will never end, he said. Ive tried to forget, because to remember is to suffer.

The purple sky had faded to black when his mother called from prison. He told her that the social worker said Luis would be arriving soon.

Dont worry, Mom, he said. This problem, were going to solve it somehow.

Then he began boarding shut the vacant house. Vagrants sometimes try to sneak in at night to escape the cold.

Its human nature, William shrugged, to try to survive.

Another blow

But shortly before Christmas, an asylum officer determined that Vasquez did not have a credible fear of returning to El Salvador. It was a painful blow, William said, and confusing. His mothers argument for asylum is the same as his.

An immigration judge will now review the decision. William is searching for an attorney to help his mother. But the vast majority of such rulings are not overturned.

Vasquez will likely be deported soon without either of her children. If she tries to return to the U.S., she could face a felony charge for re-entry.

Her previous deportation would allow federal agents to remove her immediately after serving that sentence.

Her sons will remain in New Orleans while they await the outcome of their immigration cases, though their first hearings are not until 2020.

Perhaps Luis uncle will adopt him, or he could qualify for a type of protection for child migrants who have been abandoned. Maybe William will receive asylum. It is unlikely that they will see their mother again for years.
The new year is off to a chilly start in San Antonio  and across much of the nation  with a high that didnt even break freezing Monday and even colder conditions still to come.

The National Weather Service, which reported freezing drizzle overnight and into Monday in the Alamo City and a trace of snowfall near Austin, issued a hard-freeze warning Monday that will last until Wednesday.

Mondays high reached only 31 degrees, but NWS meteorologist Yvette Benavides said the lowest temperatures here this week should arrive Tuesday night and early Wednesday, dropping to 22 degrees, before a warming trend pushes temperatures back above freezing.

This is well below normal by a lot, NWS meteorologist Brett Williams said, attributing the cold to a polar air mass that came from Canada. That arctic air mass has sent shivers across 80 percent of the country in recent days.

Tuesdays projected high is only 34 degrees, well below the average high for this time of year of 60 degrees. The average low is around 40 degrees.

Its also much lower than the high of 52 degrees posted on New Years Eve, before plunging to 28 degrees as thousands of revelers headed downtown for the outdoor holiday festivities. Benavides pointed out that it wasnt close to the historic low of 19 degrees recorded in 1928 for Jan. 1. The high that day reached only 29 degrees.

The last time it was this cold for a prolonged period of time was when San Antonio spent a total of 64 hours below freezing from Feb. 1-4, 2011.

This is the longest prolonged subfreezing temps weve had for  almost seven years, Williams said.

But theres hope for San Antonians. Although February 2011 had several cold snaps, the month ended with above-normal temperatures, Williams said.

Nevertheless, its still going to be pretty cold all the way up until Saturday, Benavides said, noting a high of about only 50 degrees is forecast Friday and Saturday, with lows around 39 degrees.

Despite gusting winds, freezing temperatures and scattered precipitation, no road closures or major travel problems were reported by sheriffs dispatchers in area counties Monday.

A Comal County dispatcher said 2018 came in on a quiet note, noting, Its too cold for anybody to do anything.

Out in Aransas Pass, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department temporarily closed certain parts of the Texas coast in an effort to protect fish stocks.

The high mortality that a freeze can cause may deplete fish stocks for years, said Robin Riechers, director of TPWDs Coastal Fisheries Division. Protection of the surviving fish during the few days when they are especially vulnerable to capture would likely shorten the time period for overall recovery of coastal species, especially spotted sea trout.

Freezes can kill game fish in shallow bay waters and cause fish to group together in deeper, warmer areas. When fish coalesce to escape the cold, they can become sluggish and prone to capture. It is these areas that TPWD has closed to fishing.

The closure is in effect from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday.

Staff Writer Caleb Downs contributed to this report.
ezhejiang.gov.cn

Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power in Hangzhou announces on Dec 28 to set up the College of Zhejiang River Chief. [Photo/thepaper.cn]

East China's Zhejiang province announced the setting up of "river chief" college at Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power in Hangzhou on Dec 28.

Being the first of its kind in China, the college is a new exploration into the education of river chiefs and is expected to provide intellectual support for Zhejiang's water movement by organizing training courses, exchange platforms and practical activities for officials in the field.

Currently, there are approximately 60,000 river chiefs at various levels across Zhejiang. The provincial government has divided every river, lake and stream in the region into different sections, and assigned two to three river chiefs to monitor each section, in order to make sure the water quality is improved and maintained. The responsibilities of the river chiefs include water resource protection, pollution prevention and control, and ecological restoration.

The college will employ 19 teachers to provide lessons and 13 part-time experts to give suggestions and advices for the college's development. The experts include knowledgeable professors and people with rich practical experiences.

Fu Ningping, Party secretary of Zhejiang University of Water Resources and Electric Power said the college will probe into different teaching methods and strive to serve the whole country's water management.

The college will welcome the first group of river chiefs in the beginning of 2018.

Two river chiefs in Jingning county of Lishui take water samples from a local river. [Photo/cnnb.com.cn]
DARIEN  It was back in 2012, around the time Darien detective James Palmieri started as the school resource officer at Darien High School when he first encountered vaping.

I remember when I started up there, he said. It was really, really new so they didnt necessarily have a policy.

By the time Palmieri left his school resource officer role in 2017, he said he had a whole drawer full of vaping devices confiscated from students.

Back when Palmieri was young, schools were trying to combat cigarette smoking which was easily detected by its pungent scent. But now, he and officials at New Canaan High School, say they almost never see students with cigarettes. With its odorless vapor and portrayal as healthier than smoking cigarettes, vaping has become a growing issue many local schools are trying to combat through education.

According to Dr. John Douglas, service chief of the outpatient addiction program at Silver Hill Hospital, vaping is the act of using an electronic cigarette to vaporize a liquid to smoke. Often the liquid is tobacco-based, though sometimes people abuse them to smoke hash oil which contains THC extracted from marijuana.

Some people consider vaporizing tobacco a more healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes, he said. They feel theyre not getting other chemicals in cigarettes.

At New Canaan High School, faculty and administration said they arent seeing students using e-cigarettes for hash oil. Rather, many students dont understand the liquid they are smoking is harmful.

They say I dont vape. I Juul,  said Janet Reed, nursing supervisor for New Canaan public schools, referring to a brand of e-cigarette. That was a window into how little they knew.

New Canaan High School Principal Bill Egan said he originally didnt know what vaping was when he first caught a student with one two to three years ago. The school has since instituted a policy treating e-cigarettes like traditional tobacco products.

Students cannot have e-cigarettes on school grounds and any student caught vaping in school gets a five-day suspension and have their device confiscated. However, they also have to meet with a counselor and nurse to learn more about what theyre putting into their body.

When we catch kids, they know its not something they should be doing, Egan said, adding catching students is a rare occurrence, though some students do try to smoke in school bathrooms.

According to Douglas, many people who use electronic cigarettes think theyre a healthy alternative to smoking or a way to quit regular cigarettes. However, thats far from the case.

From my perspective, the biggest risk is perpetuating addiction and worsening addiction problems, he said. E-cigarettes are very much tied to a drug abuse program. They perpetuate nicotine addiction as well as addiction to other substances. Our culture is currently trying to understand where e-cigarettes fit in society. In my opinion, its just as another recreational thing people do.

Reed and other nurses have also started going into health classrooms to educate students on the risks of vaping and the nicotine in them which can cause cardiovascular damage. They also make students aware that this behavior can lead to addiction later in life and vaping companies will try to present their products as safe to appeal to a younger market. The same curriculum is also being added to upper division classes at Saxe Middle School.

Its not for adults, said New Canaan High School school resource officer Geoffrey Lambert. Thats not who theyre targeting.

Egan said the high school also educates parents on vaping devices through a fact sheet from the National Institute of Health and through their weekly newsletter. Teachers were also shown pictures of the products during faculty meetings. Many of these devices resemble a pen or a flashlight and the liquid packs look like USBs, so New Canaan High School includes photos to make sure parents can identify these smoking devices.

One of the struggles of combatting vaping is the ease at which teens can get the products. While the law limits the purchase of vapes to people 18 or older, many teens can buy the products from websites by lying about their age. The devices are also easily accessible at gas stations which may not always card their buyers.

Order online is big, which is hard to control, Lambert said. All you have to do is click that youre 18.

Palmieri said that during his time at Darien High School, he saw students selling the liquid packs at double the rate they bought them. While his school resource officer did not include disciplining students, he did talk to them about the legal consequences of selling tobacco products. While 16- and 17-year-olds could be subjected to an infraction for it, students younger than that could be sent to court for the offense.

Palmieri also said he saw students turn vaping into a game of sorts, seeing who could smoke in the most obvious place since the vapor doesnt leave an odor. According to Palmieri, students would bring the smaller smoking devices to school, hide them up their sleeve and smoke in class when the teachers back was turned.

My personal opinion is kids look at cigarettes and they have it in their head that smoke is bad, he said. (With vaping), they think its just vapor. They think they're getting nicotine without any of the other chemicals or negative ingredients.

ekayata@hearst

mediact.com; @erin_kayata
The province will also provide $1.65 million in support over five years

By Diego Flammini

News Reporter

Farms.com

An Ontario university will soon control many aspects of a northern agricultural research facility.

On Dec. 8, the provincial government transferred the operating and research programming responsibilities of the Thunder Bay Agricultural Research Station to Lakehead University. Ontario will still own the station.

The government is providing $1.65 million in financial support to the research station over five years, Bill Mauro, MPP for Thunder Bay-Atikokan, announced in a Dec. 8 statement.

There are 1,985 farms in Northern Ontario, according to the 2016 Census of Agriculture. And the investment shows farmers in the region that the government is committed to helping them flourish.

By investing in research and innovation, we are boosting the competitiveness of Ontarios agri-food sector and ensuring that our farmers in Northwestern Ontario have the tools and resources they need to succeed, Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, said in the statement.

The facility, used by researchers to conduct crop trials and farm management experiments, will be re-named the Lakehead University Agricultural Research Station.

Members of the local ag community are excited about the potential opportunities with a university-run facility.

I see opportunities that students will be working more with agriculture and farmers in the area, especially students who may not have worked with farming in the past, Andrew Brekveld, a Thunder Bay-based director with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, told Farms.com today.



Andrew Brekveld

Photo: Twitter

Lakehead University doesnt currently offer any ag-specific programming but operating its own agricultural research station could lead to the development of a baseline program, Brekveld says.

I definitely think (Lakeheads inclusion) could lead to some sort of basic agriculture training, he said. It wouldnt be as big as a diploma or degree, but it could provide some basic ag knowledge to students who want it.

Lakehead University will provide a stable source of funding for the research site, which faced financial challenges in the past.

Farms.com has reached out to Lakehead University for comment on its newly acquired research station and its plans for the facility.
Theres plenty of suspense heading into President Donald Trumps second year in office when it comes to education, and some big issues on the horizon for the GOP-controlled Congress as well.

What will be the fate of the U.S. Department of Educations budget? Will U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos get to applaud any new school choice initiative? And will Congress prevent hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from being deported?

Heres a rundown of what to watch for in Washington over the next 12 months when it comes to K-12:

Will the Education Department get a $9.2 billion cut?

Way back in the spring, Trump proposed slashing the Education Departments roughly $68 billion budget by $9.2 billion . He put some key programs on the chopping block, including Title II, a $2 billion program that helps states train teachers and reduce class size , as well as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, a $1.1 billion after-school and summer learning program.

It looks like the cut to the after-school program isnt happening, since bills in both the House and Senate keep the program in place . But Title II is more of a cliffhanger. The Senate kept the program intact, but the House voted to kill it. And there are other programs that could be eliminated or cut drastically.

Lawmakers might pass a final fiscal 2018 budget this month, so we may get some answers soon. And whatever Congress passes will impact the 2018-19 school year.

Will DeVos end up getting a big school choice initiative over the finish line?

Trump came into office promising $20 billion for school choice . What he got so far: new language in the tax code that allows families to use 529 plans previously just for college savingsfor K-12 costs and private school tuition.

DeVos called that a good first step, but acknowledged it wont do much to help children from low-income families.

However, its unclear if lawmakers will do more on school choice. Last year Congress rejected DeVos other school choice pitchesa new voucher program and the chance to allow Title I money to follow students to the school of their choice. It is unlikely shell have much more luck this year, since presidents typically are in the best position to advance their favorite programs during their first year in office. DeVos isnt backing down yet.

Im going to continue to advocate for the empowerment of parents to make the right decision for their childs education, she told reporters last month.

DeVos could try a new school choice proposal, such as turning the $1 billion Impact Aid program into a voucher system . (Impact Aid helps districts make up for revenue lost because of a federal presence, such as a reservation or military base.) Thats something the conservative Heritage Foundation has pitched. The Impact Aid community really doesnt want to see this happen.

Will Congress come up with a legislative fix to save hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from deportation?

Last year, President Donald Trump rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA , an Obama-era initiative that gave some 800,000 undocumented immigrants that came to the country as childrenknown as Dreamersa chance to stay legally. Unless Congress acts, DACA will end in March, and recipients could face deportation. That has big implications for schools. Some 250,000 school-age children have become DACA-eligible since President Barack Obama began the program in 2012. And about 20,000 current DACA recipients are working as teachers, the Migration Policy Institute estimates. Trump has challenged Congress to come up with a plan to protect Dreamers, and some lawmakers are pushing to get things done, but theres nothing imminent as far as a deal goes.

What happens with implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act?

Every state has turned in a plan to implement ESSA. As of late last month, 15 states and the District of Columbia, all of which filed their plans last spring, had been approved . The department is currently in the process of reviewing the 34 plans filed last fall. So far, DeVos has approved plans even if states didnt make all of the changes the Education Department asked for. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., an ESSA architect, has expressed big concerns about this .

Whats more, states and districts are waiting to see if the department moves forward on two pilot programs in the law, dealing with weighted-student funding formulas and innovative assessments .

How much will DeVos be able to roll back the departments footprint?

One of the Trump administrations top priorities is getting rid of regulations, programs, and even personnel that it describes as unnecessary or duplicative. At the beginning of last year, Congress got the ball rolling by getting rid of ESSA accountability regulations and teacher-prep regulations through the Congressional Review Act . So far, DeVos has scrapped hundreds of pieces of guidance and rules that she said were outdated or redundant .

There could be some bigger regulatory changes on the horizon. DeVos and company may delay implementation of an Obama-era rule that would require states to take a stricter approach to identifying whether their districts have wide racial or ethnic disparities in special education . She may get rid of Obama-era guidance calling on districts to ensure that their discipline policies dont have a disproportionate impact on students from certain racial and ethnic groups. The department has a task force working on this issue.

DeVos has also offered buy-outs to shrink the departments workforce .

Will Congress overhaul higher education and career and technical education?

Lawmakers are years overdue on reauthorizing the Higher Education Act and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act. The CTE bill, which governs the biggest federal program for high schools, is held up in part because Senate cant agree on what the federal role should be, even though the House passed a bipartisan version of the bill last year . And the higher education legislation governs teacher preparation and college access. For instance, a bill pending in the House would end a teacher loan-forgiveness program .

What happens with Medicaid cuts and their potential impact on schools?

Think school districts dependent on Medicaid funding dodged a bullet when Republicans failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act? Think again. School district advocates still see plenty of legislative vehicles for potential cuts to Medicaid. Republican leaders have floated the possibility of entitlement reform, which could impact the federal health insurance program for the poor .

Schools get about $4 billion a year from Medicaid, making it the third-largest pot of federal funding for schools. That money covers everything from salaries for school health nurses, speech therapists, and other personnel to medical equipment for students. Educators fear any changes to Medicaid could jeopardize that funding.

How will education play in the midterms?

The party that doesnt hold the White House typically does well in midterm congressional elections, so Democrats have a shot at retaking the House of Representatives. And theres a slim chance they could pick up seats in the Senate. So will Democrats use K-12 issuesespecially opposition to DeVosto get voters to the polls? Its a good bet. The party started invoking DeVos name in fundraising emails even before she was officially sworn in as secretary.

And DeVos is even less popular with educators than Trump. Of course, after the midterms comes the presidential race and, probably, a hotly contested Democratic primary, which could mean plenty of talk about education.

Want a trip down memory lane? Check out our what to watch from 2017 .

Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 .
Some requirements depend on the products manufacturer

By Diego Flammini

News Reporter

Farms.com

Another U.S. state has released its own set of dicamba-specific application requirements.

Farmers in South Dakota now join North Dakota, Minnesota, Missouri and Tennessee in having to abide by state-specific rules for dicamba use. Legislators in Arkansas are still discussing an outright ban of dicamba application between mid-April and Halloween.

There are several changes to the (dicamba) label over last year, Paul O. Johnson, a weed science coordinator with South Dakota State University, wrote on Dec. 28.

All South Dakota applicators must have a Section 3 label, supplemental label and tank mix information from the manufacturers website no more than seven days before applying the product, according to the South Dakota Department of Agriculture (SDSA).

While the restrictions set out by other states and the Environmental Protection Agency apply to all dicamba, regardless of manufacturer, some of the South Dakota requirements change depending on which brand of dicamba a farmer uses.

Those producers using BASFs Engenia herbicide must maintain a 110-foot buffer from the downwind outer edges of the field when applying the product.

Engenia users must also use a minimum of 10 gallons of water per acre.

Producers using Monsantos Xtendimax with Vapor Grip Technology and Duponts FeXapan with Vapor Grip Technology must maintain a 110-foot downwind buffer (when applying 22 fluid ounces per acre) between the last treated row and the closest downwind edge.

Farmers must also double the downwind buffer if applying 44 ounces of the product per acre and must use a minimum of 15 gallons of water per acre.

And growers using Dow AgroSciences Enlist Duo must maintain a 30-foot downwind field buffer.

South Dakota Soybean producers must follow more than 20 requirements when applying dicamba this growing season.

These requirements include:

Spraying at no more than 24 inches above the crop canopy,

Using agitation at all times during spraying,

Only spraying weeds that are 4-inches tall or less, and

Waiting a minimum of seven days between post applications.

Producers are also restricted in the time of day and specific wind speeds suitable for dicamba applications.

"It used to be 15 miles per hour, you couldn't spray over, now it's ten miles per hour, J.D. Farley, an ag program specialist with the SDSA, told South Dakota Public Broadcasting on Dec. 20. You can only spray from sunrise to sunset.  (And) you have to attend a training before you can actually apply the product."

Farms.com has reached out to the South Dakota Soybean Association for comment on the new regulations and how they could impact local producers.
When 2017 began, I did not envisage how my life would change. I live and work in the British Virgin islands (BVI), a location rapidly becoming famous due to the publication of the Panama Papers and more latterly the Paradise Papers.

What I hadnt bargained for was the intervention of Hurricane Irma on 6 September. Irma devastated these small islands, earning herself recognition as the most ferocious hurricane to have ever visited the Caribbean. Around 80 percent of all homes, schools and other buildings were destroyed or seriously damaged by the winds which tore through and scoured our islands.

Many of my team lost everything in the storm. Our offices were severely damaged and our firm has had to fight hard to rebuild. Suffice to say that there is a lot of work still to be done, but the BVI is well on the mend. Irmageddon, as she has come to be known, did her worst but failed to take into consideration the indomitable spirit of the people of the Caribbean, and the BVI in particular.

The year got off to a flying start with Januarys announcement by the Barbadian Chief Justice Minister, Sir Marston Gibson, for plans to set up a regional asset recovery group in the Caribbean. This initiative, the Asset Recovery Interagency Network (ARIN), would target criminals and their unexplained wealth. There is clearly some mileage in Sir Marstons proposition and as a lawyer specializing in the investigation of international fraud and cross-border asset recovery, I was fully supportive of the measures.

However, the developing story in February revealed that Mossack Fonseca tax advisors considered Canada as an excellent place to hide assets. The story ultimately became known as the Canadian Snow Washing scandal, after it became apparent that the unscrupulous were hiding assets in my usually-benign home country. By falsely portraying that their wealth was derived from benign and clean sources it provided an immediate smokescreen. Toronto tax lawyer Jonathan Garbutt aptly described the process of making a company appear Canadian as Snow Washing.

March saw the Mossack Fonseca story take another twist with the authorities catching up with the firms founders, Jurgen Mossack and Ramon Fonseca, who were arrested in Panama City and the firms offices raided. In addition, the authorities appeared close to tying the firm to the Brazilian Lava Jato (Operation Car Wash). The investigation reads like a Whos Who of South American countries, not to mention that added to the mix were investigations in the United States and Switzerland. The Panama Papers ramifications continue to rumble on to this day, with the recent announcement of the EUs Fourth AML Directive forcing companies across the EU to disclose the identities of their ultimate beneficial owners on a public register.

The United States champions itself as a nation policing the rest of the world, preventing money laundering, tax evasion and foreign corrupt practices. Yet there is hypocrisy afoot. April saw the U.S.s vaulted position take a hammering when the European Parliament released a report in March concluding that the United States was now a major tax haven.

When news of the Panama Papers scandal broke, the BVI came under extreme pressure and scrutiny. It seemed like the rest of the world, America included, wanted to close the BVIs offshore company facilities for good. The fact that the US was being two-faced only added to the sense of hypocrisy felt by the Caribbean offshore world.

This Caribbean perception of the U.S. telling all to Do as I say, not as I do was added to later that same month. The Extractive Industries Disclosure Rule that would have required oil and gas and mining companies to annually disclose their payments to foreign governments, and intended to increase transparency and prevent back-handers, was dropped. The White House said the rule, which was slated to be effective next year, would have imposed unreasonable compliance costs on American energy companies and placed them at risk of losing out to foreign competition. By repealing the disclosure rule, I stated that the United States was in danger of losing the moral high ground.

May arrived with breaking news concerning Nigeria, a state that finds itself regularly connected to developing fraud concerns. In this instance it involved Shell, who had paid a reputed $1.1 billion to develop an oil field, approximately half of which allegedly ended up in the bank account of a company owned by a Nigerian government official. Whether these payments amounted to corruption by a major oil company remained to be seen. But this was precisely the sort of development that I had predicted a month earlier, with the US demise of the Extractive Industries Disclosure Rule.

Later in May I returned to one of my pet hates, grand corruption. My perspective is simple: the perpetrators of grand corruption are an A-List of kleptocrats who have pillaged their respective countries and their people of countless billions of dollars. In this instance it was the plight of the people in Venezuela which triggered my concern. I have long-advocated that grand corruption should be considered a crime against humanity under Article 7(1)(k) of the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a kleptocracy as a society whose leaders make themselves rich and powerful by stealing from the rest of the people. This definition fits the case of Venezuela perfectly.

July arrived, and I was once again perplexed by the apparent omission of civil asset recovery/forfeiture from the investigative list of solutions to the problem of grand corruption. The announcement that the UKs National Crime Agency (NCA) would be hosting a team of specialist investigators from countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and the USA to target grand corruption grabbed my attention. From the various soundbites, it appeared that confiscation/forfeiture had been overlooked as a remedial route to right the wrongs of the corrupt. I said that confiscation/forfeiture acts sought to strip the negative role models of their power: i.e. money. By returning them to hollow men of straw, removing their lifestyles, it would send a message to others who might be tempted to follow in their unworthy footsteps.

Autumn saw Scotland finally picking up the cudgel in its fight against criminals who had successfully been using Scottish offshore entities to launder their illicit gains. In September the Scottish Parliament brought in new regulations [The Scottish Partnerships (Register of People with Significant Control) Regulations 2017] designed to frustrate any unscrupulous activity. I commended the Parliament for finally acting, drawing a line under this particularly detrimental issue.

The month continued with the publication of an academic article/survey produced by the University of Amsterdam. Its anti-capitalist thrust bemoaned the rights and responsibilities of businesses to try and minimize their tax liabilities. Once again Apple took a proverbial kicking. The inference constantly being implied was that tax efficiency was tantamount to committing fraud. It isnt, and wasnt. Add to this the claimed innovative means used to allow the academics to reach their conclusions, and very quickly you realized that the assumptions made were questionable at best: in particular their attack on the BVI offshore industry.

The Fall continued with my comments on the psychology of whistleblowing. I sought to differentiate between the various motivations for blowing the whistle, primarily for those who do so out of conscience and then those who do so for reward. Whatever their motivation, whistleblowing remains as a deterrent against unworthy activity and consequently the motive and desire to report unworthy conduct needs to be nurtured and embraced.

The Paradise Papers made their noisy autumnal appearance. Despite the best efforts of the media to paint them in the same scandalous light as the Panama Papers, I observed they failed to do so and described them as a damp squib. There is nothing wrong with minimizing your tax obligations legally. There was an absence of evidence incriminating those outed in anything other than an ethical argument that perhaps they should pay more in line with their earnings. I was roundly turned on by the anti-1% brigade, but that is the price you pay for voicing an opinion which is not in harmony with the Commentariat.

Such was the outcry, I responded by explaining that no matter what the ethical arguments, lawful tax avoidance cannot be intertwined with illegal tax evasion. Although I made the point that debate is healthy, it can be difficult to do so with those who consider themselves to be righteous.

The Holiday Season has now arrived. In December I offered my views about the EUs publication of its rogue states list of those it says facilitate tax avoidance. I described the EU initiative as its very own Santas Naughty List. I also suggested that the idea was pointless and did nothing more than pay lip service to those appalled by the lack of taxes collected from Big Business. In addition, I questioned why the U.S. appeared to have escaped criticism, concluding that this was down to the EU picking its targets carefully and likening it to a bully. (I see that Tunisia does not appreciate being placed onto the EUs naughty list).

This brings me to my concluding statement: 2018 will undoubtedly surpass 2017 in terms of initiatives designed to frustrate Big Business in its attempts at being lawfully tax efficient. The Panama and Paradise Papers have made this the hottest topic of all. Governments will have to change their collective stance to ensure that the big internationals pay more of what some see (the electorate) as their fair share. Failure to do so may cause them problems at the polls.

So, this said, all that remains is for me to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I look forward to sticking my head back up above the parapets in 2018.

____

Martin Kenney, pictured above, is Managing Partner of Martin Kenney & Co., Solicitors, a specialist investigative and asset recovery practice based in the BVI and focused on multi-jurisdictional fraud and grand corruption cases www.martinkenney.com |@MKSolicitors. He was selected as one of the Top 40 Thought Leaders of the Legal Profession in 2017 by Whos Who Legal International and as the number one offshore lawyer for asset recovery.
Stephen Spinks wrote his dissertation on Edward II while reading history at Kings College London. He is a heritage professional, working for the National Trust managing three historic properties in Warwickshire, England with a team of 900 volunteers and around 150 staff. He publishes weekly articles about the fourteenth century on his popular blog, as well as giving writing and research advice. Edward II the Man: A Doomed Inheritance is Stephens debut book so today he shares with us some things we might not know about the man himself.

Stephen Spinks

Edward II, born on 25 April 1284, was not meant to be king. At the time of his birth he had an elder brother, Alphonso, who died that year. Edward was his parents fourteenth child. Despite the odds, he became king on 7 July 1307 at the age of 23.

Edward had a pet Lion when he was a teenager, kept by Adam of Lichfield. The prince took him to war against the Scots in 1303, awarding his lion a new collar and chain at a cost of 2s 9d, as well as a new cart in which to travel. He kept his lion well fed at a cost of 4d per day  twice the daily wage paid to an unskilled labourer.

Edward had rude health. He was rarely ill  lucky for a man alive in the Middle Ages. He once caught Tertian fever with his sister Margaret when he was ten; a malarial fever that reappears every three days, giving the sufferer a bad case of the sweats, and which lasted a full month.

Despite the persistent reputation that Edward was a coward in war  which was highly inaccurate  he fought in Scotland four times before he became king in 1307, fighting fiercely and with good repute.

Unconventional but very much a king with the common touch, Edward II much preferred swimming, rowing, digging, thatching, and getting to know his subjects. While digging a ditch in 1326  only months before he was overthrown from power  Edward gave 12d, a weeks wage for a well-paid labourer, to one of the common folk who was digging with him, so he could buy himself a pair of shoes. Edward was always generous with the poor.

Edward II was bisexual. He had an intense, intimate relationship with his boyhood friend Piers Gaveston. In February 1307, Edward tried to persuade his father, the irascible Edward I, to grant the earldom of Cornwall to Piers. For years historians thought it was Ponthieu that was the intended gift, but this is highly unlikely, Ponthieu already being used as collateral in Edwards forthcoming marriage. Edward I refused and Piers Gaveston was banished from court and exiled to France. Edward II granted Cornwall to Piers upon his return in August 1307, two months after Edward II became king.

Edward II and Isabella of France married in a lavish ceremony in 1308. Despite claims, they actually had a relatively successful marriage producing four children (Edward, John, Eleanor and Joan). After 1322, the couple became increasing estranged when Edwards last favourite, Hugh Despenser the Younger, rapidly rose to power.

Throughout his life, Edward loved music, dancing and great theatrical displays. On 19 June 1313, the first anniversary of the murder of Piers Gaveston, the king paid Robert the Fool and fifty-four naked dancers to entertain him and his court to lighten the mood. He had a good sense of humour.

In 1878, the Fieschi Letter was discovered in an archive in Montpellier, France. The letter is extraordinary (and not a forgery) setting out a confession from the late Edward II written sometime around 1336. This is extraordinary because Edward II was allegedly murdered in 1327. The letter details how the king in fact survived, and after visiting the pope, lived out his days in a hermitage in Italy. Historians are divided about its accuracy, but recent scholarship, including that in my book, supports the view that Edward II did in fact live until sometime around 1341.

Whilst living beyond the grave from 1327, at some point Edward II took on the persona of William le Galeys or William the Welshman. Wales was the place of Edward IIs birth, being born at Caernarfon castle, and so is a fitting name for Edward to take in later life to keep him safe. William Galeys was presented to Edward III (r 1327-1377) in 1338 at Koblenz and was entertained as the kings father for two weeks, afterwards returning to his monastery in Italy where no more is heard from him.
Fat Rascal Theatre are an award-winning company run by women who aim to challenge the constraints of being a female within the arts industry, and discuss social and political issues through an accessible and appealing format. They're also a very funny, creative group of people who produce and perform entertaining theatre, which they hope leave audiences feeling ready to take on the world!

Beauty and the Beast by Fat Rascal Theatre Company

In just a few years Fat Rascal Theatre are already leading the way in feminist theatre, following successful productions like 'Buzz: A New Musical', which recounted the history of the vibrator and won the company the 2017 Brighton Fringe Otherplace/Balkan Award and the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Eddies Award.

Now, as 2017 closes, the company bring us the world premiere of their gender-swapped 'Beauty & The Beast (A Musical Parody)' currently running at The Kings Head Theatre, which has already earned an Offie award nomination and multiple 5 star reviews.

Since as long as theatre has existed, it has been dominated by male voices, whether writers, producers, performers or Artistic Directors. In come Fat Rascal Theatre, who are working hard to change that, and here's why....

Reflect Reality

Theatre is about reflecting real life. Holding a mirror up to nature. Both sexes should be equally represented for this to be accurate. The world would be a lot more fun if everybody got a chance to tell their stories! We must leave more plays for future generations which reflect the thoughts, feelings and ambitions of women today in the way that we have a wealth of classical male roles.

Money Makers

Theatres might make more money. The majority of UK theatre audiences are female (68% according to a MORI/Society of London Theatre report); surely they would be more inclined to see work which represents them?

Create New Classics for women!

Commissioning female playwrights to write more parts for women could inspire a whole collection of new classics. We have wonderful female actresses, lets write them epic parts to showcase their immense talent. Lets write for Meryl Streep, Imelda Staunton, Judi Dench. Lets create iconic career defining roles for the stage. Lets create a female Hamlet, a female Othello, a female Macbeth. Women write for women; just 37% of parts written by men are played by women - 62% of parts written by women are played by women. When typically more female than male actors are in the profession, were cutting out half of the talent pool.

Enough with the sexism

A lot of sexism comes from lack of empathy and understanding. We need to tell womens stories to break those boundaries. With so many plays and musicals being written and/or directed by men, female characters are always seen through the male perspective. Female characters often lack depth - they play the wife of, the girlfriend of, the mother of, the sister of some great male role. Women need to be given the chance to write female parts, and give a new perspective on what women can be.

Stamp out Sexual Harassment

We have as big a problem with sexual harassment in the theatre world as we do in Hollywood. Its time for equal representation in roles of power to end the patriarchal power abusers which seem to fill the top spots.

More women want to do theatre than men!

More women want to do theatre than men! Look at applications for drama schools, there are more women battling for fewer places. 70% of those studying drama in further and higher education are female. Match this alongside the 62% of all stage actors being male and the 90% male Olivier award winners and you see we clearly have a problem.

Equality

Were not seeing equality on our stages, were not seeing equality backstage either, and having more women in these roles to encourage this equality will give young girls the knowledge and the encouragement that they can do it too. We cant count the amount of times we were told that we couldnt or that we should aim lower. But this advice wasnt given to our male counterparts. They were told they could be anything, do anything. With so few female role models to prove these people wrong, who knows what amazing talent we might not ever get to see because these girls were told they cant?

Maternal support

Having more women in higher arts roles would emphasise the need for better maternal support within theatre. A career in the arts does not lend itself to motherhood, which plays a big part in why we have less women in top roles within theatre. We all know how demanding a career in theatre can be, its not a 9-5 job. Its inconsistent. It can be full throttle one second and quiet the next. We need to make theatre work accessible for mothers. The revolution cannot happen without better child care.

Create contemporary work by women for women

Shakespeare remains a core element of our acting training at drama schools. Of Shakespeares 981 characters, 826 are male and 155 female. We women get less practice, less training than the men because were waiting to have a go. Men become used to taking the spotlight whilst women become used to waiting at the side or having to sit this one out. With this ingrained into our basic training from school it sets the tone of how its going to work throughout our careers. We need to create contemporary work by women for women which swings the balance. Give the boys a turn on the bench.

Artistic Direction from Women

The Royal Court has a majority female board and a female Artistic Director, and has by far the best track record of programming womens work; ten out of seventeen plays theyve programmed in 2017 have been by women. Compare that to The National or The Old Vic, both headed up by men; 7 out of 21 shows at the National this year were written by women, and only 3 out of those 7 were programmed into their two main stages. At The Old Vic it gets worse, with ZERO shows written by women in 2017 - in fact, theyve only programmed 3 shows by women in the past 13 years (and one of those was adapted by a man). In 2015, the National commissioned a show about feminism (Blurred Lines) - then got a man to write it. This pattern is visible across our industry. Its not always true that female leaders will programme more womens work (the Donmar Warehouses track record proves that this is wishful thinking), but female artistic directors have staged many more plays by women than their male counterparts (see The Guardian, http://bit.ly/2AzBDTP).

So what can we do about it?

Its time that we look patriarchy in the eye and stop letting it make us see other women as competition, as untrustworthy, as bitches who are trying to steal your job and stab you in the back. Its time for the rise of groups of women creating together and supporting one another.

I wont fight other women for one of the limited seats at the table. Well march side by side and demand a bigger table. - Glennon Doyle Melton

'Beauty and The Beast (A Musical Parody)' by Fat Rascal Theatre runs at The Kings Head Theatre, London until the 6th January.

For tickets: https://kingsheadtheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873581486/events/128329693

For more information on Fat Rascal Theatre visit https://www.fatrascaltheatre.com/
Cara Delevingne has pledged her support to a new anti-harassment initiative.

Cara Delevingne

The 25-year-old model has signed up to the Time Up campaign, which offers support to women who have experienced harassment, and she has spoken out in support of the movement on Instagram.

Sharing a promotional image of the campaign on Instagram, Cara wrote: "The time has come! I signed this letter of solidarity to stand with with women across every industry in saying #timesup The @timesupnow legal defense fund provides subsidized legal support across industries to those who have experienced sexual assault, harassment, assault, or in the workplace. Join me and the other incredible woman. Read the letter, sign and donate. Link in bio (sic)"

The Hollywood harassment scandal was sparked last year following a string of allegations made against producer Harvey Weinstein.

And in October, Cara alleged she was harassed by Weinstein when she first moved into the acting business.

She wrote in an Instagram post: "As soon as we were alone, he began to brag about all the actresses he had slept with and how he had made their careers and spoke about other inappropriate things of a sexual nature. He then invited me to his room.

"I quickly declined and asked his assistant if my car was outside. She said it wasn't and wouldn't be for a bit and I should go to his room.

"At that moment I felt very powerless and scared but didn't want to act that way hoping that I was wrong about the situation."
Princess Diana would be "so happy" about her son Prince Harry's engagement to Meghan Markle, according to her astrologer Debbie Frank.

Princess Diana

The late royal - who passed away when she was involved in a fatal car crash in Paris, France, in 1997 - will miss out on the chance to see her youngest son Harry marry his fiancee in May this year, but her former astrologer Debbie Frank has insisted the Princess would have been thrilled by their romance.

Debbie said: "She'd be so happy that he was getting to marry the person he wanted to marry, that Meghan is such a different person. She'd really admire Harry for bringing her in."

The astrologer - who worked with the late Princess from 1989 up until her death - claims Diana had a "glint in her eye" whenever she spoke about her flame-haired son, whom she always knew would be different to other royals.

Debbie added: "Diana would always have a giggle and a glint in her eye when she talked about Harry.

"She would be rueful about him and what was going to happen for Harry, and she knew he had all this energy and it was going to be hard for him to conform to real life."

Princess Diana - who was also mother to Prince William - hoped that Harry would break free from the shadow of his 35-year-old brother, and Debbie believes that becoming engaged to American actress Meghan has allowed him to do just that.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper, Debbie said: "On one of the last times we spoke over the phone, she said, 'I hope Harry will do things his own way and be able to be out of the shadow of William'. By proposing to Meghan he has done that."

Harry and Meghan, 36, will tie the knot on May 19 this year, in a service held at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
Doreen Keogh has died at the age of 91.

Rovers Return

The actress - who played 'Coronation Street's first barmaid Concepta Regan - passed away "peacefully" on New Year's Eve (31.12.17), her family have announced.

Her niece and nephews - Laurence, Matthew and Christina Keogh - said in a statement: "Our auntie Doreen died peacefully in Thomastown, Co Kilkenny, Ireland, on New Year's Eve after a long illness."

Doreen was arguably most famous for her role in the ITV soap, which she first appeared in 1960. She was there for four years and then later returned to the show in the 1970s.

Doreen also had notable appearances in 'The Royle Family' as Mary Carroll as well as recurring parts in 'Father Ted' and 'Cold Feet'. She was also a big theatre performer and starred in a number of stage shows including those with The Royal Shakespeare Company.

'Coronation Street' bosses led tributes to the late actress.

John Whiston, the Creative Director at ITV Studios, told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "All at Coronation Street are sad to hear about the death of Doreen Keogh. There have been many barmaids in the Rovers over the years, dispensing pints and wisdom in equal measure. But Doreen played the first and so has a unique place not just in the history of the show but in the affection of all who watch The Street. Our thoughts are with the family as they mourn the passing of a wonderful person. And together with our audience we also mourn the passing of a very special actor."

Doreen is survived by her husband Jack Jenner.
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Pakistan of lying and deceiving the United States while receiving billions of dollars in foreign aid. ?In his first tweet of the year, 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!' Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said, 'We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trump's 'no more' does not hold any importance, 'Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received.'? Pakistan's Foreign Minister tweeted, '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.' US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale was summoned to the foreign office on Monday to hear a protest over Mr Trump's tweet. Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan tweeted that the US had given Pakistan 'nothing but invective & mistrust'. Separately, Trump tweeted, ' 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!' 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.
Construction to Begin with 25,000 Sq. Foot Hydroponic Medicinal Cannabis Production Facility

Vernon, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 1, 2018) - True Leaf Medicine International Ltd. (CSE: MJ) (FSE: TLA) (OTCQB: TRLFF) ("True Leaf") has exercised its option to purchase 40 acres of land that encompasses its facility in Lumby, B.C. through its wholly owned subsidiary True Leaf Medicine Inc.

The option was exercised on December 22, 2017 at a total cost of $3.3 million CAD. An up-front fee of $100,000 CAD was paid to the vendor for the purpose of securing the option. True Leaf now has 30 days from that date to complete the purchase.

On November 30, 2017, True Leaf launched its Regulation A+ offering to raise $10 MM CAD that was qualified by the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC). This offering enables underwriters to solicit orders from the general public in addition to traditional accredited investors and institutional investors. The company will use a portion of the funds raised from the offering to build phase one of the True Leaf facility. Boustead Securities, LLC is serving as lead underwriter for the offering.

True Leaf's application to produce and distribute cannabis under Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR) has completed the security clearance stage, and the company has permission to build a production facility.

True Leaf anticipates that the first phase of the build will include annual production of 2,500 kilograms of dried cannabis once the facility passes Health Canada's inspection and the company becomes a licensed producer.

Now that the option has been exercised, True Leaf's ownership of the land will allow it to go ahead with plans to demolish an existing building to make way for phase one: the construction of a 16,000-square foot hydroponic grow building and a 9,000-sq. ft. building housing offices, extraction facility, laboratory and packaging areas.

The Company expects site and foundation work to begin in the coming weeks to be completed by summer 2018. The Government of Canada is committed to legalizing marijuana for recreational purposes by July 2018.

Commenting on this latest milestone, CEO Darcy Bomford said, "In addition to purchasing the 40 acres of land to build our facility, the proceeds of the Regulation A+ offering will also be used to acquire the best talent and technology available to help us fulfill our commitment to producing premium products."

True Leaf benefits from the support expressed for the company's license submission by the Mayor of Lumby Kevin Acton, and the community. The company expects to become a significant employer in Lumby, a hard-hit logging community of 1,700 in the northeast corner of the Okanagan Valley in southern British Columbia.

About True Leaf

Founded in 2013, True Leaf has two main operating divisions: True Leaf Medicine Inc. and True Leaf Pet Inc. The Company's goal is to provide federally-approved, safe and effective cannabis products that will be sold across Canada and the United States. True Leaf Medicine Inc. was launched in July 2013 to become a licensed producer of medicinal cannabis for the Canadian market. True Leaf Medicine Inc. has been given approval by Health Canada to build its grow facility and will be subject to a Health Canada security inspection upon completion to allow for the cultivation, manufacture, and distribution of cannabis products. Currently, True Leaf does not have a license to produce cannabis.

Established in 2015, True Leaf Pet Inc. markets safe, hemp-focused products for the pet industry. The Company launched the True Hemp pet supplement line in Canada, the United States, and Europe, becoming one of the first hemp-based pet product lines to be marketed worldwide. True Hemp North American products are free of CBD and THC, making them the first federally legal products to be marketed in Canada and the United States.

www.trueleaf.com

Media Contact:

Paul Sullivan

Director, Public Relations

Paul@trueleaf.com

O: 604-685-4742

M: 604-603-7358

Investor Contact:

Kevin Bottomley (Canada)

Director and Corporate Relations

Kevin@trueleaf.com

M: 778-389-9933

Tirth Patel (US)

Edison Advisors

tpatel@edisongroup.com

O: 646-653-7035

Follow True Leaf

trueleaf.com

twitter.com/trueleafpet

facebook.com/trueleafmedicine

instagram.com/trueleafpet

SEC Legends

An offering statement regarding the offering described in this news release has been filed with the SEC. The SEC has qualified that offering statement, which only means that we may make sales of the securities described by the offering statement. It does not mean that the SEC has approved, passed upon the merits, or passed upon the accuracy or completeness of the information in the offering statement. You may obtain a copy of the offering circular that is part of that offering statement from: HERE

Forward-Looking Information:

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although True Leaf believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks discussed in True Leaf's continuous disclosure filings available under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time.
The publication of the law in Argentina's Official Journal marks the entry into force of the new rules for the distributed generation of renewable energy sources under net metering.Argentina's government published the new law for distributed generation from solar and renewable energy sources in the country's Official Journal on December 27. The publication of the law, which was expected in the first quarter of 2018, was the final step for the entry into force of the new ...

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.
SEOUL (dpa-AFX) - The amount of deposits made by South Koreans at cryptocurrency exchanges in 2017 was 64 times higher than in the previous year, according to Government data. South Korean Sedaily reported that according to data obtained by the Financial Supervisory Service of the Korea Exchange Bank, deposits worth 2.67 trillion won were made at cryptocurrency exchanges as of December 12. This is a 64-fold surge from 32.2 billion won deposited in 2016. According to the news outlet, approximately 1.4 trillion won of the deposits went through state-owned banks, such as the Industrial Bank of Korea (IBK) and industrial banks. 743 billion were transacted in commercial banks. Most major Korean cryptocurrency exchanges prefer commercial banks over state-owned banks. Asian investors, especially the South Koreans, have played a critical role in boosting cryptocurrency's price. Despite increased scrutiny and regulation, South Korea has emerged as one of the world's largest markets for bitcoin and etherium. South Korean government last week announced that it would ban anonymous trading of virtual currencies and crack down on money laundering activities using them. 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.
Technavio has announced the top five leading vendors in their recentglobal industrial blender machine marketreport from 2017-2021. This market research report also lists five other vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005295/en/

Technavio has published a new market research report on the global industrial blender machine market 2017-2021 under their industrial automation library. (Graphic: Business Wire)

Competitive vendor landscape

The global industrial blender machine market is fragmented due to the presence of several local, regional, and international players. Depending on the end-users' needs, manufacturers offer customized products and services that make the competition in the industrial blender machine market more intense. The food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and chemical and petrochemical industries are the major end-users that are targeted by the vendors. These are followed by the cosmetics and pulp and paper industries, where there is an immense potential for the use of industrial blender machines.

According to Raghav Bharadwaj Shivaswamy, a lead analyst at Technavio for automation research, "Government initiatives in countries in APAC and the EU are driving the growth of the global industrial blender machine market by encouraging industrial blender machine manufacturers to invest in R&D activities and product innovations. The factors that are driving new trends in industrial blender machine market are technology innovations, service delivery innovation, and supply/demand balance. As this is a capital-intensive industry, the threat of new entrants is low, but the threat of rivalry among the existing players is high, therefore increasing the competition in the market."

Avail Technavio's Year-End Special offer: Get 50% off on this report and all other reports covering industries like ICT; energy; food and beverage; healthcare and life sciences; automotive; industrial automation; education; and many more. Offer valid only from Dec 18 Jan 7

Technaviomarket research analysts identify the following key vendors:

GEA Group

GEA Group is a process technology provider for the food industry. In 2016, the company earned a revenue of USD 4.95 billion, a major portion of which was contributed by the food and beverage industry. GEA Group has a wide product portfolio and a large customer base. The company focuses on providing equipment for industries such as food and beverage, pharmaceutical, dairy farming, chemical, marine, and utilities. GEA Group focuses on providing high-quality and environment-friendly products that maintain efficiency and hygiene standard of the final product.

INOX

INOX is an Australia-based company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of complete systems and equipment for various industries such as food processing, dairy, beverage, pharmaceuticals, and allied industries. The company has many customers in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and others. INOX focuses on designing and manufacturing specialized custom-made equipment for food and beverage applications. The company aims at designing equipment that offers longevity and zero breakdown maintenance.

Charles Ross Son Company

Charles Ross Son is a company that manufactures the most advanced mixing and blending equipment. The company provides equipment such as ribbon blenders, paddle blenders, tumble blenders, vertical blenders, and vacuum dryers for various industries. The company has manufacturing plants in the US, China, and India. Charles Ross Son focuses on developing more optical inspection equipment through ergonomics.

SPX FLOW

SPX FLOW is an international supplier with operations all over the world. The company has a presence in over 35 countries and sales in over 150 countries around the world. SPX FLOW provides innovative solutions that create value for its customers and meet the increasing demand for process equipment and diagnostic tools. SPX FLOW acquired Waukesha Cherry-Burrell, a company engaged in the food, dairy, beverage, and industrial process industries, in 2001. The company maintains a competitive position in terms of products with new designs.

Vortex Mixing Technology

Vortex Mixing Technology is a company that manufactures powder mixers. The company manufactures equipment such as ribbon blenders, plough shear mixers, paddle mixers, double cone blenders, conical screw mixers, and others. The company has a strong relationship with its European mixer partners to improve the R&D activities. Vortex Mixing Technology also provides ribbon blenders with high-capacity ranges from 100-30,000 liters. The company focuses on offering diligent designs, continuous innovation, and precision in fabrication.

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DUBLIN, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global Lignosulfonates Market 2017-2021" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global lignosulfonates market to grow at a CAGR of 4.30% during the period 2017-2021.

Global Lignosulfonates Market 2017-2021, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.

According to the report, one driver in the market is increasing demand for environment-friendly products. The adoption of environment-friendly products is quite high nowadays. The global warming and the depletion of natural resources are contributing toward the high adoption of green products. The governments across the globe are also aiding the use of eco-friendly products. In the construction industry, the trend of adopting green and eco-friendly products is also quite popular. Concrete admixtures are extensively used in the construction industry. The concrete admixtures segment is a major application segment of the global lignosulfonates market.

One trend in the market is increasing investments in infrastructure. Lignosulfonates are added in the cement to form high-quality concrete. It helps in improving the quality of the concrete and cement. The demand for lignosulfonates is expected to grow in the concrete admixtures application segment, owing to the growing investments in the infrastructure segment.

Further, the report states that one challenge in the market is regulations on wood products. The lignosulfonates are obtained as the by-products during the production of wood pulp. Several governments have imposed strict regulations on the trade of wood and wood products.

For instance, as per the amendment to the Lacey Act (passed in May 2008) in the US, the consumption of illegally sourced plants or plant products is restricted. The companies were encouraged to take up purchasing policies that excluded the illegal trade of timber by the Forest Law Enforcement (the EU) and the Governance and Trade. Owing to such laws and policies, several exporters and manufacturers involved in the shipment of various wood products, such as lumber, flooring, paper, furniture, and plywood, are affected. This negatively impacts the global lignosulfonates market due to low supply of wood.



Key vendors

Borregaard

Burgo Group

Rayonier Advanced Materials

Wuhan Xinyingda Chemicals

Shenyang Xingzhenghe Chemical

Other prominent vendors

Abelin Polymers

GREENAGROCHEM

Harbin Fecino Chemical

Karjala Pulp

NIPPON PAPER INDUSTRIES

Pacific Dust Control

Sappi

The Dallas Group of America

VENKI CHEM

Xinyi Feihuang Chemical

Key Topics Covered:



PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT



PART 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY



PART 04: INTRODUCTION



PART 05: MARKET LANDSCAPE

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 06: MARKET SIZING

Market sizing 2016

Market size and forecast 2016-2021

PART 07: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS



PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY APPLICATION

Segmentation by application

Comparison by application

Animal feed binder - Market size and forecast 2016-2021

Concrete admixtures- Market size and forecast 2016-2021

Oil well additives - Market size and forecast 2016-2021

Dust control - Market size and forecast 2016-2021

Others - Market size and forecast 2016-2021

PART 09: MARKET OPPORTUNITY

Market opportunity by application

PART 10: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT TYPE

Segmentation by product-type

Comparison by product-type

Sodium lignosulfonates - Market size and forecast 2016-2021

Calcium lignosulfonate - Market size and forecast 2016-2021

Magnesium lignosulfonate - Market size and forecast 2016-2021

Market opportunity by product-type

PART 11: REGIONAL LANDSCAPE

Geographical segmentation

Regional comparison

Market opportunity

PART 12: DECISION FRAMEWORK



PART 13: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES



PART 14: MARKET TRENDS

Increasing investments in infrastructure

Growing exploration of oil wells

Lignosulfonates in synthesis of hydrogel

PART 15: VENDOR LANDSCAPE



PART 16: VENDOR ANALYSIS



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/6vskr9/global?w=5





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RESTON, VA / ACCESSWIRE / January 2, 2018 / MMJ International Holdings, the premier medical cannabis research company that is advancing the science of medical marijuana through patient clinical research and the operation of medical cannabis healthcare businesses, today announced that it has filed another patent invention with the United States Patent and Trademark Office that relates to pharmaceutical compounds and methods for treating and/or preventing symptoms associated with cannabinoid responsive diseases and disorders, such as Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Huntington's disease (HD).

MMJ BioScience's disclosed invention generally relates to pharmaceutical compounds and methods for treating and/or preventing diseases and disorders that often manifest in hyper and/or hypokinetic movements symptoms, as well as the method of administering therapeutically-effective amounts of a pharmaceutical compound containing cannabinoids to Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Huntington's (HD) disease patients in need of treatment. The disclosed invention further relates to cannabinoid pharmaceutical compounds where said compound contains at least some non-cannabinoid components.The MMJ BioScience has filed these patents to protect the delivery of its MMJ BioScience product formulation for its upcoming multiple sclerosis FDA study which is progressing through the Federal Drug Administrations (FDA) regulatory process.

Dr. Bianca Weinstock-Guttman, MMJ BioScience's principal investigator, is a Professor of Neurology at the State University of New York at Buffalo who serves as Executive Director of the New York State Multiple Sclerosis Consortium. Dr. Weinstock-Guttman will oversee the FDA approved study exploring the potential therapeutic applications of cannabinoids for progressive multiple sclerosis patients.

In late 2017, MMJ BioScience had submitted an application with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of a new pharmaceutical drug. Unlike other cannabis-type medicines, MMJ BioScience's medicine is plant derived. When approval is received from the FDA the new medicine would be on sale across America as an approved drug.

MMJ BioScience's expected approval by the FDA for its new medicine would have a major impact on the state to state emerging cannabis industry which is not federally legal. Most recently the FDA had issued several cease and desist letters to firms that are marketing unapproved cannabinoid products. Whereas non-pharmaceutical companies cannot export their products across state lines, MMJ BioScience would be able to sell its medicine in pharmacies once prescribed by physicians.

MMJ BioScience's discovery of a novel cannabinoid pharmacology through our network of world-leading scientists, our intellectual property portfolio, proprietary formulations, processing, and regulatory expertise uniquely position us to develop and manufacture plant-derived cannabinoid formulations at sufficient quality and uniformity according to the FDA regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical development.

Media Contact:

Michael Sharpe

media@mmjih.com

800-586-7863

SOURCE: MMJ International Holdings
Regulatory News:

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. ("PSH") (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) today announces the proposed sale of all of PSH's 2,067,490 shares of common stock in The Howard Hughes Corporation ("HHC") (NYSE: HHC). PSH is pursuing this sale in order to help facilitate a potential tender offer ("Potential Tender") for PSH's public shares by PSCM Acquisition Co LLC, an entity owned by Mr. William A. Ackman and members of the Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. advisory board and senior management (together with Mr. Ackman, the "PSCM Management Team"). Selling PSH's common stock in HHC will provide more flexibility under the "United States real property holding company" rules pursuant to the FIRPTA provisions in the Internal Revenue Code as further described below.

In addition to the sale of PSH's stake in HHC, an affiliated fund, Pershing Square, L.P. ("PSLP"), will participate in the offering by selling 432,510 shares of common stock in HHC. PSLP is selling the Common Stock for portfolio management reasons. An aggregate of 2,500,000 shares of HHC common stock is expected to be sold in the offering. After the proposed sale, funds managed by Pershing Square Capital Management L.P. will beneficially own 5.1% of HHC common stock and will retain an additional 12.5% economic exposure to HHC through the ownership of total return swaps, for a total of 17.6% economic exposure to HHC.

HHC has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and will file a preliminary prospectus supplement with the SEC for this offering of HHC common stock. Investors should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement and other documents HHC has filed with the SEC for more complete information about HHC and this offering. Investors may access these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, HHC, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send investors the prospectus if requested. The underwriters are J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner Smith Incorporated and Jefferies LLC. When available, copies of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus related to the offering may also be obtained by contacting: (i) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Attention: Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, telephone: 1-866-803-9204; (ii) BofA Merrill Lynch, Attention: Prospectus Department, NC1- 004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28255-0001, or via email dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com; or (iii) Jefferies LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, telephone: 1-877-821-7388 or e-mail: Prospectus_Department@Jefferies.com.

The PSCM Management Team proposes to make the Potential Tender for PSH public shares because it would like to increase its investment in PSH which it believes is undervalued. In addition, the PSCM Management Team believes that the Potential Tender should assist in reducing the discount to net asset value at which PSH's public shares currently trade. The board of PSH is supportive of the Potential Tender but will make no recommendation as to whether individual holders of PSH's public shares should participate in the Potential Tender.

The specific terms of the Potential Tender will be made available by PSCM Acquisition Co LLC after the settlement of the HHC sale. It is anticipated that the Potential Tender will be for up to USD300,000,000 in value of PSH's public shares.

In accordance with EU law, PSH is suspending its current share purchase program with immediate effect until the conclusion of the Potential Tender.

PSH and PSCM Acquisition Co LLC hereby confirm that they have reached conditional agreement on the terms of the Potential Tender, subject to the conditions described herein.

If PSH's HHC sale is completed, PSH anticipates that, on the basis of certain representations and undertakings by the PSCM Management Team, PSH's board of directors may grant an exemption to the PSCM Management Team in respect of PSH's public shares acquired in the Potential Tender from the limit contained in PSH's articles of incorporation that no person may own or be treated as owning, within the meaning of Section 318 of the US Internal Revenue Code (as modified by Section 897(c)(6)(C) of the US Internal Revenue Code) PSH's public shares in excess of 4.99% of the value of PSH's public shares (which is referred to in PSH's articles of incorporation as the "Ownership Limit"). Accordingly, if such exemption is granted, the Ownership Limit shall not apply in respect of PSH public shares acquired by the PSCM Management Team in the Potential Tender. The Ownership Limit is in place because of tax issues relating to the "United States real property holding company" rules under the FIRPTA provisions in the Internal Revenue Code.

The PSCM Management Team will finance the Potential Tender through available cash and committed financing. The PSCM Management Team has no reason to believe that it will not be able to fund its obligations to purchase PSH public shares in the Potential Tender and pay the fees and expenses associated with the Potential Tender.

PSH is not party to, or responsible for any aspect of, the Potential Tender. Launch of the Potential Tender, if and when made, and its specific timing is subject to the receipt of certain approvals from the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets (Autoriteit Financiele Markten, "AFM") and the UK Takeover Panel.

About Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd.

Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. (LN:PSH) (NA:PSH) is an investment holding company structured as a closed ended fund that makes concentrated investments principally in North American companies.

This is a joint press release by Pershing Square Holdings, Ltd. ("PSH") and PSCM Acquisition Co LLC ("PSCMAC"), pursuant to the provisions of Section 4 paragraph 3, Section 5 paragraph 1 of the Decree on Public Takeover Bids (Besluit Openbare Biedingen Wft) in connection with a potential tender offer by PSCMAC for PSH's public shares. This announcement does not constitute an offer, or any solicitation of any offer, to buy or subscribe for any securities. Any offer will be made only by means of an offer memorandum. This announcement is not for release, publication or distribution, in whole or in part, in or into, directly or indirectly, the United States, Canada or Japan or in any other jurisdiction in which such release, publication or distribution would be unlawful.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005841/en/

Contacts:

MEDIA

Maitland

James Devas, +44 20 7379 5151

Media-pershingsquareholdings@maitland.co.uk
Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 2, 2018) - Match Capital Resources Corporation (TSXV: MHC.H) ("Match") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a binding letter of intent (the "LOI"), with Gulf International Minerals & Energy Group Ltd. ("GIMEG Canada"), a private elder care facilities company that is developing its first five star retirement home resort brand called 'GULFCARE' ( the first of its kind of 5 star international Management System and Standard for Retirement Homes in China) , to acquire all the issued and outstanding securities of GIMEG Canada, resulting in a reverse take-over of Match by GIMEG Canada's shareholders (the "Transaction").

The Transaction is subject to TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") approval and applicable shareholder and regulatory approvals as set forth in more detail below. It is intended that the Transaction will be completed by way of an acquisition of GIMEG Canada, by Match on closing, provided however that, by mutual agreement, the parties may revise the structure of the acquisition to comply with all necessary legal and regulatory requirements, to minimize or eliminate any adverse tax consequences or to increase cost effectiveness. The Transaction is intended to result in a reverse take-over of Match by GIMEG Canada's shareholders. In connection with the Transaction, Match intends to apply for listing of its common shares on the Toronto Stock Exchange

Terms of the Agreement

Subject to the satisfaction of the conditions to closing on or prior to the closing of the Transaction (the "Closing Date"), Match will acquire GIMEG Canada and Match will issue post-consolidated common shares of Match to the shareholders of GIMEG Canada, in consideration for the transfer of their GIMEG Canada common shares to Match, on the basis that each common share held by shareholders of GIMEG Canada will be exchanged for shares of Match resulting in GMEG Canada becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Match.

Upon the closing of the Transaction, Match will be renamed "Gulfcare International Group (GIG)" or such other name as the parties agree to.

Match and GIMEG Canada have agreed to use all commercially reasonable efforts to close the Transaction prior to May 31, 2018. The LOI will terminate in the event the parties fail to enter into a definitive acquisition agreement on or prior to February 28, 2018, unless a later date is otherwise mutually agreed to by the parties.

Capitalization

As of the date hereof, Match has 8,615,445 common shares issued and outstanding and $220,000 of accrued liabilities, which includes approximately $207,000 of shareholder loans outstanding. Under the terms of the LOI, Match will consolidate all of its issued and outstanding securities on a one (1) new share for four (4) old shares basis (or such other ratio as may be required by Toronto Stock Exchange policies) and convert its outstanding shareholder loan and other debt into post-consolidated common shares of Match, subject to receipt of required regulatory and shareholder approval, and subject to final adjustment. Prior to the closing of the Transaction, subsequent to the consolidation and shareholder debt conversion, Match will have approximately 2,750,000 post-consolidation shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis.

On the closing of the Transaction (the "Closing"), Match will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of GIMEG Canada in exchange for the issuance to GIMEG Canada's shareholders of approximately 137,000,000 post-consolidated common shares of Match. The final share exchange ratio will be determined by GIMEG Canada and Match on the Closing of the Transaction, such that the existing shareholders of Match will hold 2% of the issued and outstanding shares of the resulting company (the "Resulting Issuer").

Should GIMEG Canada raise additional capital pursuant to the Financings (as defined below) the final share exchange ratio will be appropriately adjusted.

Conditions of Closing

The closing of the Transaction is subject to several conditions including, among other things: (i) receipt of all regulatory approvals, including that of the Toronto Stock Exchange; (ii) requisite corporate approval of the various transactions contemplated by the Transaction from the directors and shareholders of Match and GIMEG Canada, as applicable; (iii) closing of the Financings, as described below, if required; (iv) the shareholders of Gulf International Minerals and Energy Group (HK) Co. Limited ("GIMEG Hong Kong") shall have transferred 100% of the common shares of GIMEG Hong Kong and its two China subsidiaries to GIMEG Canada; and (v) approval by the security holders of Match of (a) the proposed name change, (b) the consolidation of its outstanding shares on a one (1) for four (4) basis on or before the Closing Date, (c) the shares for debt settlement terms, and (d) the share issuances to the shareholders of GIMEG Canada.

Financing

GIMEG Canada intends to raise additional capital through one or more private placements of common shares of GIMEG Canada; one for working capital (the "Working Capital Financing"), and one for initial project financing ("Project Financing"), collectively referred to as the "Financings". The Working Capital Financing will be completed either prior to or concurrent with the final signing of the Definitive Agreement. The Use of Proceeds of the Working Capital Financing will include payment for all costs and expenses of the Transaction for GIMEG Canada and Match, as agreed. The Project Financing will be completed either prior to or concurrent with the Closing of the Transaction. The Use of Proceeds for the Project Financing will be for payment of the initial expenses of GIMEG Canada's long-term care facility project in China. The final terms, conditions and documentation for the Financings shall be in such a form as is satisfactory to GIMEG Canada in its sole and absolute discretion.

Business of GIMEG Canada and Companies:

GIMEG Canada is a Canadian controlled private corporation based in Toronto, Ontario. It was incorporated federally in Canada in 2017 by the shareholders of Gulf International Minerals And Energy Group (HK) Limited ("GIMEG Hong Kong"), the owners of the GULFCARE Brand and Projects. GIMEG Hong Kong has a GULFCARE management subsidiary located in Nanjing, China and a GULFCARE project company subsidiary located in Xuyi County, Huai'an City which is currently developing its first GULFCARE 5 star long term care facility (collectively, the "China Subsidiaries").

GIMEG Hong Kong's shareholders, prior to or concurrent with the closing of the Transaction, shall transfer 100% of the common shares GIMEG Hong Kong and the China Subsidiaries to GIMEG Canada resulting in GMEG Hong Kong and its subsidiaries becoming wholly-owned subsidiaries of GIMEG Canada.

GIMEG Hong Kong Company Overview:

GIMEG Hong Kong was established in 2009. GIMEG Hong Kong is involved in the sourcing, financing and development of energy, agriculture, healthcare and infrastructure projects internationally for both private and governmental sectors.

Since 2014, GIMEG Hong Kong has been working with the best medical institutions from the United States, Canada and Europe to develop the most technologically advanced medical centers, retirement and nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and nursing colleges.

GIMEG Hong Kong is also establishing a relationship with a world class renowned university and medical innovation center within China to help acquire medical technologies globally.

GIMEG Nanjing Company Overview:

The GULFCARE management company in Nanjing, Gulfcare Health Technology (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. ("GULFCARE Nanjing"), was established in early 2016 as a subsidiary of GIMEG Hong Kong to create with local and world class renowned medical and research institutions a GULFCARE International Retirement, Nursing and Medical Standard system. GULFCARE shall cooperate with the Chinese Government, Chinese universities, such as Beijing University, Nanjing University etc., and international institutions in order to establish Nursing Training Centers, which will help with China's growing demand for care. These Training Centers shall acquire the best global expertise in nursing care and retirement homes. For the GULFCARE Xuyi project ( the "GULFCARE Xuyi Project"), GULFCARE Nanjing has completed the project conceptual design and plan, a feasibility study and market research and assessment documentation. GULFCARE Nanjing shall in the future be involved in the management and operations of all the future GULFCARE Projects in China.

China Retirement and Nursing Home Market Overview:

China's economy has grown rapidly due to economic reforms and opening-up of friendly foreign investment policy: people's living standards and healthcare conditions have improved; the average life span has increased; and consequently the absolute number and relative proportion of the elderly has also increased. According to recent surveys and studies, by 2020, the proportion of the elderly in China over 60 and people over 65 years of age will be 16.23% and 11.30%, respectively; by 2030, 22.34% and 15.21%, respectively, and by 2040, 25% and 20%, respectively. By 2030, China will enter the super aging society. By 2050, the population of elderly over 60 years old will reach 450,000,000, accounting for 31% of the total population.

China's retirement agencies can currently only hold 0.8% of the elderly population, which is less than the 3% ratio in the developed countries. There is a lack of market supply.

GULFCARE Project, Land and Company Overview:

The Gulfcare Xuyi Project is an advanced retirement home model combining institutional healthcare and community integrated services, with the aim of providing high-end rehabilitation, healthcare and nursing, retirement tourism, nursing exchange programs and R&D of medical technologies.

The GULFCARE Xuyi Project land is located in the second and third-level protection area of National Forest Park, Tieshan Temple, Xuyi County, Huai'an City, Jiangsu Province, next to the town of Tianquan Lake.

GIMEG Hong Kong has entered into a binding agreement with the Government of Xuyi County, Jiangsu Province to be allocated the use of the GULFCARE Xuyi Project land for a minimum period of 50 years in accordance with China Urban Real Estate Development Policy on land allocation. Parts of the land are to be subsidized and parts to be allocated against a 50 year preferential lease fee. According to China's foreign investment policy, projects such as the GULFCARE retirement homes are categorized as encouraged investment projects and shall have preferential policies on taxation and subsidies. The final decision on subsidized and allocated land pricing will be made after the completion of a third party evaluation which will be disclosed in future press releases. The GULFCARE Xuyi Project approval documentation has already been obtained from the Government of China.

The GULFCARE Xuyi Project company (which can only be established on basis of project approval) has been created with the following business activities: the construction and operation of elderly care facilities and counseling services, rehabilitation nursing and training, accommodation (e.g. hotels) and catering services.

The GULFCARE Xuyi Project land area is 563.63 Acres, of which 284.07 Acres is non-construction forested land and 279.55 Acres construction land. The land has a lake waterfront on three sides. The lake area is approximately 9 km. The future total construction built up area will be 915,300m which will be comprised of: a 2000 bed Rehabilitation Center, a 5000 bed Retirement Home, Nursing Training Centers, Medical Research Centers, a Healthcare Tourism facility and other supporting facilities and supporting healthcare apartment communities. The GULFCARE Xuyi Project will be implemented in three phases.

The Resulting Issuer after completion of the Transaction will use the net proceeds of the Financings to fund its operating expenses, to start the construction and the development of the GULFCARE Xuyi Project.

Resulting Issuer

On the Closing of the Transaction the Resulting Issuer anticipates being classified as a Non-exempt Issuer that will meet the Toronto Stock Exchange's initial listing requirements.

Match and GIMEG Canada have agreed that upon the closing date, the board of directors of the Resulting Issuer shall consist of 11 directors to be appointed by GIMEG Canada. Management of the Resulting Issuer will also be provided in a subsequent press release, and will include Canadian and non-resident persons. The board and management will initially be comprised as a transition team and will evolve as GIMEG Canada achieves certain milestones. Such appointments are subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The Board of the Resulting Issuer after the Qualifying of the Transaction and approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange will be as follows:

Mr. Khaled R. Sukayri - GIMEG and GULFCARE Founder - Chairman of the Board (Jordanian)

Mr. Khaled Sukayri with 12 years of experience in the fields of business, business management, Project management and development and international business relations under his belt, and speaking 3 languages fluently (Arabic, English, and Chinese), Mr. Sukayri founded and is heading Gulfcare medical brand and projects.

Dr. Douglas K. MacFadden MD, CM, and FRCPC, PhD - Member of the Board (Canadian)

Dr. MacFadden attended Queen's University for undergraduate work in biology before moving to McGill University where he completed his PhD in tumor immunology. He worked as the Director of the HIV Clinic and his research focused on the treatment of viral disease. His work in PCP resulted in the first successful treatment of PCP in respiratory failure.

Mr. Ivan Buzbuzian - Member of the Board (Canadian)

Mr. Buzbuzian has over 40 years' experience in both private and public companies, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, business development with a focus over the past 30 years on the development of RTO and IPO offerings in the Canadian market.

Sheikh Khalid M. F. Al Thunayan - Member of the Board (Saudi Arabian)

Sheikh Khalid Al Thunayan is a member of a prominent business family in Saudi Arabia and has over 30 years of experience in business development and investments. He has invested and was responsible for the success of 8 multimillion USD businesses and companies in Saudi Arabia and the GCC. Businesses ranging from Manufacturing, Infrastructure, Green Energy and Real Estate.

Mr. Khaled Dhyaei - Member of the Board (Canadian)

Mr. Khaled Al-Dhyaei is a multi-discipline international investor and has over 20 years of experience under his belt. Mr. Al-Dhyaei established multiple holdings companies in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern and African countries. Mr. Al-Dhyaei has managed over $5 billion in investment capital and has funded more than tens of companies.

Mr. Gareth Wiggan - Member of the Board (Canadian)

Mr. Wiggan, has been involved in the medical and finance industry for over 30 years, having successfully, developed medical devices from "clean sheet" to FDA, HPB (Canada) and Shonin (Japan) approval. Mr. Wiggan has successfully, structured the financing of USD$135 Million dairy farm in United Arab Emirates and USD$238 Million marine vessel in China.

Mr. John Liddell - Member of the Board (American)

Mr. Liddell has been responsible for the composition of financial data transfers, program/project management and business development initiatives to include the promotion of Angel Investment Networks for small and medium sized businesses in both the government and the private sectors. He has spent a considerable time in China has been involved in a number of projects with the Central Committee, Provincial Government and City Governments in China.

Mr. Lyu Ji Jian - Member of the Board (China)

Mr. Lyu Ji Jian worked as the Division Director of the Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Cooperation of the People's Republic of China, He also worked as the Deputy Director General of trade services and commercial services and the Deputy Director of Outward Investment & International Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China and is currently the Chairman and CEO of Long Sheng Tian An Investment Consultation Co, LTD .

Mr. Song Chow - Member of the Board (China)

Mr. Chow has 30 years' experience in multi-million dollar infrastructure projects based on government tendering process. Mr. Chow is experienced in Chinese government regulations for construction as well as environmental impact assessment, coupled with EPC work flows and materials pricing and tendering.

Mr. Renaat Janssen - Member of the Board (Belgium)

Mr. Janssen has over 25 years of experience in Private and public companies and is currently the Executive Chairman of Alvogen Asia Pacific, He has experience in target acquisitions, portfolio focus and developing leadership teams. Mr. Janssen has years of experience in the Medical and Pharmaceutical Industries in Asia. Mr. Janssen was recently able to integrate US$160 million public company acquisitions and Oversee fund raising through bridge loan financing of over US$300 million.

Sponsorship and Valuation

A Sponsorship and Valuation of the Transaction may be required by the Toronto Stock Exchange or the TSXV, as applicable, in connection with the Transaction. If required the Company will obtain a Sponsor who will prepare a sponsor report with respect to the Transaction. The Company will also obtain a Valuation, if required.

Trading Halt

Match's common shares are currently halted and Match anticipates they will remain halted until the documentation for the proposed Transaction required by the Toronto Stock Exchange or the TSXV, as applicable, can be provided to that exchange.

MATCH CAPITAL RESOURCES CORPORATION

Nadim Wakeam

Director

Telephone: (416) 593-2980

Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, Toronto Stock Exchange or TSXV acceptance, as applicable, and if applicable, disinterested shareholder approval. Where applicable, the transaction cannot close until the required shareholder approval is obtained. There can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as proposed or at all. Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the transaction, any information released or received with respect to the transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of Match Capital Resources Inc. should be considered highly speculative.

The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.
Luxfer Holdings PLC (NYSE: LXFR), a global materials technology company, announced that Pete Dyke has been appointed as Chief Human Resources Officer. He will assume the position immediately and will operate from the Graham, North Carolina office.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005826/en/

Pete Dyke, Chief Human Resources Officer (Photo: Business Wire)

Over the past 24 years Mr. Dyke has held human resources leadership roles of increasing responsibility in various global industrial companies. Most recently he served as V.P. Human Resources for Pentair Water, a business segment of Pentair PLC. Prior to that, he served as V.P. Human Resources for various operating units within Pentair and as Sr. Manager, Human Resources with General Electric's Aircraft Engines Division. Mr. Dyke attended Michigan State University where he received a Masters of Labor and Industrial Relations degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations and Economics.

Chief Executive Officer Alok Maskara said: "I am very pleased to welcome Pete to Luxfer. His deep experience in the human resource function will help Luxfer further develop into a world class organization with a key focus on Talent."

Mr. Dyke added: "I am thrilled to be joining the Luxfer team and I look forward to driving the performance culture at Luxfer to meet and exceed the expectations of our shareholders."

ABOUT LUXFER

Luxfer Holdings PLCis an industrial manufacturer of technologically advanced lightweight, high-strength, corrosion-resistant alloys, composites and specialty materials for a wide range of applications in aerospace, industrial, defense, safety and healthcare. Luxfer listed on the NYSE in October 2012 under the symbol LXFR.

Forward-looking statements

This press release may include predictions, estimates or other information that might be considered forward-looking. Such statements are based on information believed to be reliable at the date of release and remain subject to certain risks and uncertainties. No representation or guarantee is given as to the actual results that will occur and no warranty is provided that circumstances have not changed since the information was supplied. Luxfer undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly release results of any revision to these forward-looking statements in light of new information or future events. You should also review the full discussion of forward-looking statements and risk factors in the most recent Luxfer annual report on Form 20-F.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005826/en/

Contacts:

Luxfer Group

Cassandra Stanford, Communications Specialist

+1 951-341-2375

Investor.relations@luxfer.com
CMAB Biopharma Inc., a BioBAY Park, Suzhou, China-based full-service contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) providing process development and manufacturing services for biologic products, completed a US$38m series A financing.

The round was led by C-Bridge Capital and BioBAY, with I-Bridge Capital and Qianhai FoF fund joining the consortium.

Led by President Mr. Liang Qibin, CMAB is a flexible full-service CDMO dedicated to providing bespoke development manufacturing services of antibodies and biologics for clients in China and across the globe. The company will provide services for development of manufacturing processes, analytical methods, formulation, and manufacture of biologic drug substances and drug products. Initial services will generate pre-clinical and early-stage clinical (Phase I/II) products for Chinese and global clients. CMABs manufacturing follows global Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) standards, including those of the China Food & Drug Administration, US Food & Drug Administration (21 CFR), European Medicines Agency (Eudralex), WHO, and harmonized PIC/S and ICH standards.

Currently, CMAB has 65 employees and plans to expand to 180 staff within one year.

FinSMEs

02/01/2017
Milan-Italy based venture capital firm Principia SGR has enhanced its team with two new additions.

The first one is related to Salvo Mizzi, who will be the General Partner of the firm supervising the activities of all the funds. He will also contribute to develop and raise new vehicles. Mizzi is the former CEO of Invitalia Ventures, the Italian Government co-investment fund, and Tim Ventures, the Corporate Venture Capital arm of Telecom Italia.

Rodolfo Quagliuolo, a former analyst at Kairos Partner and Senior Vice President at Emcor Securities and Big Picture Brands, will join as Investment Manager.

Led by Antonio Falcone, Principia is a venture capital firm investing in early stage startups and growth companies focused on tech and life sciences.

FinSMEs

02/01/2018
These bank accounts together account for 40 percent of bad loans of around Rs 4 lakh crore.

New Delhi: With the closure of RBIs 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 31 December. These accounts together account for 40 percent of bad loans of around Rs 4 lakh crore.

"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 13 December 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 percent 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 5,000 crore, accounting to 25 percent (Rs 1.75 lakh crore) of total gross non-performing assets, for proceedings under the insolvency and bankruptcy code.

The central bank advised banks to set aside 50 percent provisioning against secured exposure and 100 percent against unsecured exposure in all cases referred for bankruptcy.
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.

New Delhi: 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 Monday (1 January) 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.

"Happy Digital 2018. December Quarter BHIM transaction rises 86 percent to 145.6 million with value of Rs 13,174 crore," Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Kumar said in a tweet.

"Further impetus to digital payments, government to reimburse charges for transaction up to Rs 2,000 on debit cards/BHIM. Zero charges on merchants. Go Digital, embrace transparency," he said.

Happy Digital 2018. Dec Qtr BHIM txn rise 86% to 145.6 M with value of 13174 Cr. Further impetus to Digital Payments, Govt 2 reimburse charges for txns upto Rs 2000 on debit cards/ BHIM. Zero charges on merchants. Go Digital, Embrace Transparency @PMOIndia @FinminIndia @PIB_India pic.twitter.com/5ai3G0IoTD  Rajeev kumar (@rajeevkumr) January 1, 2018

The merchant discount rate (MDR) will be borne by the government for two years with effect from January 1, 2018 by reimbursing the same to banks.

The move will have an impact of Rs 2,512 crore on the exchequer.

The decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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 12 January.

New Delhi: Salil Parekh is all set to take charge as Infosys CEO today as the over $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 12 January.

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 firms 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, Parekhs 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 roadmap 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.
If the pick-up in core sector growth sustains, thatll augur well for the economy

Amid constant talks of economic slowdown, there are some positive signals seen on the ground, finally. Growth across eight core sectors hit a 13-month high in Novemberat 6.8 percent, faster than 4.7 percent in October and higher than the 3.2 percent recorded in November 2016. The eight core industries comprise nearly 38 percent of the weight of items included in the index of industrial production (IIP). Hence, the improved core sector numbers may reflect in the next IIP (index of industrial production) print.

Why are the numbers up this time? One of the main reasons is base effect. On a lower base last year, the numbers will show higher growth in the corresponding period this year. Similarly, manufacturing PMI also expanded at the fastest pace in five years in December, buoyed by a rise in output and new orders.

As rating agency Icra notes, since rise in core sector is a statistical effect, one has to wait and watch whether this trend sustains. A favourable base effect led to the sharp spike in growth of cement and steel output in November 2017. Given the high growth in steel output in H2 FY2017, it is unclear if the double-digit expansion recorded in November 2017 will sustain going forward. However, cement output growth is expected to record a significant improvement in H2 FY2018 relative to the contraction in H1 FY2018,Icra said.

Nevertheless, this also gives hopes of early signs of revival, also seen with improvement in vehicle sales.

Logically, if the pick-up in core sector growth sustains, thatll augur well for the economy. The early indicators for industrial production in the organised sectors in November 2017 provide favourable signals, such as the uptick in growth of the core sector and sharp improvement in the expansion of automobile production and non-oil merchandise exports. We expect the growth of the IIP to rebound to a healthy 5-6 percent in November 2017, Icra said.

It added that the favourable base effect related to the temporary slowdown in activity after demonetisation, is likely to boost volume growth in a variety of sectors in the remainder of FY2018.

Modis growth puzzle

Successive quarters of GDP growth slowdown before a 60bps pick up in the July-September quarter has made the growth scenario a challenge for the Narendra Modi government. Opposition parties have used this in big way to attack the governments economy mismanagement. Growth recovery is a critical factor before the government faces more state elections and 2019 general elections.

After three and half years of Modi government, there arent strong drivers of economic recovery yet. As mentioned in an earlier piece, various macro-economic data inputs (industrial production, vehicle sales, consumer confidence surveys) suggest that economic recovery is yet to happen in a significant way.

To be sure, contrary to what a section of critics believe, the slowdown wasnt necessarily triggered only by GST and demonetisation, but had begun many quarters before with both global and domestic factors hampering demand in the Indian economy. What happened was that the demandslowdown was further worsened by the sudden onset of note ban that sucked out 86 percent of the currency in circulation in one go in late 2016.

The impact turned visible in the subsequent quarters particularly causing more damage to the informal economy, a big consumer and employer to the workforce. The segment constitutes about 40 percent of India's official GDP and employs more than 90 percent of Indias workforce. This is also where cash plays a major role in keeping the chain alive. When post note ban, the remonetisation process got delayed for few months, the biggest victim of cash-scarcity was this segment.

Will Modi turn lucky this year on economy-front? Early this year, the government announced a massive economic bail out package of Rs 9 lakh crore,of which Rs 2.11 lakh crore is earmarked for the banking sector. There are aggressive disinvestment plans lined including that of Air India. Together, these measures can give a leg up to the economy going ahead. But, in the immediate term, there are challenges on the revenue-front. The GST collections have been falling steadily over the months ever since the new tax regime was introduced in July.

In November, the figure stood at Rs 80,808 crore, in October Rs 83,346 crore, in September at Rs 92,150 crore, in August Rs 90,669 crore and in July Rs 94,063 crore. The government is facing a difficult task in shaping the budget this year on account of less than expected revenue collections from GST, RBI dividend. With fall in revenue and expenditure pressure on the other hand (particularly due to absence of revival in private investments), the government is in a tight spot. The problem is worsened since this government has repeatedly promised not to breach the 3.2 percent fiscal deficit target this year.

To cut a long story short, there are some early encouraging signals on the ground, like what the November core sectors, manufacturing PMI numbers show. But, overall, the year 2018 is likely to be a tough year for the Narendra Modi government on the economic front.

For full coverage of Union Budget 2018, click here.
Director Trivikram Srinivas reportedly asked music composer Anirudh Ravichander to do a special appearance in 'Kodakaa Koteswar Rao', sung by Pawan Kalyan.

Telugu cinemas first major release of 2018 is Pawan Kalyans Agnyaathavaasi, which marks his third collaboration with filmmaker Trivikram Srinivas. The duo so far has delivered two blockbusters in Jalsa and Attarintiki Daaredhi; so naturally, there are high expectations from their latest outing, slated to hit the screens on 10 January.

On Monday, the film was cleared with a U/A certificate by the Central Board of Film Certification and it is now gearing up for a very wide release. The film also stars Keerthy Suresh, Anu Emmanuel, Boman Irani and Murali Sharma among others in key roles. Firstpost has exclusively learnt that the composer Anirudh Ravichander might make a special appearance in a song in the film.

Agnyaathavaasi marks Anirudhs Telugu debut and his work so far has been widely appreciated. The songs from the album have been received very well. The makers recently revealed that the film will feature a special song which will be crooned by Kalyan. On the New Year's Eve, the song called 'Kodakaa Koteswar Rao', sung by Kalyan, was released and instantly became viral.

Apparently, Anirudh will be seen in a special appearance in the song. He will be seen matching steps with Kalyan sir for a few seconds. Trivikram suggested that Anirudh make a special appearance in the song. The video has come out very well. The song has been shot in an office set up of a software company, a source from the films unit told Firstpost.

After the debacle of Katamarayudu, all eyes are on Kalyan to deliver big with Agnyaathavaasi, which is carrying a highly positive trade talk. However, the makers have something to worry about as they have been slapped with a notice of copyright infringement. According to the industry grapevine, the film is based on French film Largo Winch, whose remake rights are with T-Series.

Apparently, T-Series has sent a notice to the makers of Agnyaathavaasi to check if any copyright infringement has taken place and if so, take necessary steps. The 2008 French film, based on the comic book of same name, is the story of a billionaires adopted son to prove his legitimacy while trying to avenge the death of his father.

Produced by Haarika Hassine, the film features Kalyan in the role of software professional. A special set worth over Rs 5 crore was erected in a studio in Hyderabad to shoot a major portion of the film. Crucial action scenes and a couple of songs were shot in Europe. The films climax portion was shot in Varanasi in December.
The Malayalam film industry a.k.a. Mollywood has done itself proud in the year gone by.

The Malayalam film industry a.k.a. Mollywood* has done itself proud in the year gone by. 2017 brought with it a stream of releases that conditioned viewers to expect the unexpected. A cancer diagnosis, a chain-snatching incident, gang wars in a small town  each of these themes was transformed into an inoffensively humorous full-length feature that defied cinematic conventions, as New Wave Malayalam filmmakers have been doing this past half decade or so.

Sadly, the worst of Malayalam cinema in 2017 scraped the bottom of the barrel and reached deep below it, with the horrifically misogynistic Chunkzz taking the cake, the bakery and the wheat field with it, and The Great Father going one worse with its distasteful swagger in a story of a serial child rapist. Fortunately, the best of Malayalam cinema in 2017 continued to raise the bar for Indian cinema across languages.

Here is a list of my favourites from among 2017s Mollywood releases in theatres.

* (For a note about the use of the term Mollywood in this article, and the parameters on which this list is based, scroll to the bottom.)

BEST MOLLYWOOD FILMS:

Winner: Take Off

Editor Mahesh Narayanan made a confident directorial debut in 2017 with this film based on the true story of a group of Indian nurses holed up in a hospital in Tikrit in 2014, caught between Iraqi government forces and ISIS. Gender, religion, terrorism, diplomacy, mental health, poverty, unemployment, migration, violence  Take Off is packed with nuanced commentary on these and other issues, yet is far from being esoteric because it comes to us through the fictionalised story of one of the nurses, a highly relatable, incredibly tough woman called Sameera who is pregnant when her dire financial circumstances in Kerala drive her to accept a job in war-torn Iraq.

As is her wont, Malayalam cinemas habitual shape shifter Parvathy (her adjective, not mine) loses herself to Sameera. Her faultless lead performance is bolstered by strong support from Kunchacko Boban, Fahadh Faasil and top-notch technical departments.

The beauty of Take Off was underlined by year-end with the Christmas release of the laughably unrealistic Hindi film Tiger Zinda Hai starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, inspired by the same episode in Tikrit. There is nothing like the sight of a well-muscled, well-oiled, shirtless Khan vanquishing ISIS fighters to appreciate Take Offs maturity and low-key tone in a highly melodramatic real-life situation. As studies in understated realism go, Take Off is a double PhD.

First runner-up: Angamaly Diaries

Humour and bloodshed are a tricky combination, but director Lijo Jose Pellissery provides a smashing example of how to make the mix work in his Angamaly Diaries, a gritty saga of gang wars in Keralas Angamaly town. The film features 86 debutants delivering spot-on performances, delicious discussions on the local food, and chases to beat all bloodthirsty chases ever seen on screen.

My breath still stops at the memory of that final murderous scene with multiple characters running through a crowded street and houses and back on the street in the middle of a noisy church festival procession, all done in a seemingly endless 11-minute single take. The violence is unrelenting, so is the laughter, and miraculously enough, the blend does not jar, establishing Pellissery as one of the countrys foremost practitioners of black comedy.

Second runner-up: Udaharanam Sujatha

Phantom Praveens Udaharanam Sujatha (Example: Sujatha) is a remake of Ashwiny Iyer Tiwaris Hindi film Nil Battey Sannata and Tamil film Amma Kanakku, all three being the story of a housemaid who goes back to school to teach her school-going daughter an important life lesson. Class and gender dynamics are woven unobtrusively into an entertaining package that transitions smoothly and repeatedly from pathos to laughter and back.

Manju Warrier erases her naturally glamorous personality for the role, and breathes life into this quietly engaging cinematic reminder that we must never stop dreaming dreams for ourselves or assume that our journey has been pre-scripted and is therefore out of our hands.

Third runner-up: Kaadu Pookunna Neram

What happens when a potential oppressor wanders into the territory of the oppressed, and needs his possible victims help to escape? What happens when the captor becomes the captive? Dr Bijus no-frills-attached Kaadu Pookunna Neram (When The Woods Bloom) raises these questions in the context of the equation between tribal communities and the state, through the story of a policeman and his colleagues who are sent deep into the jungles on assignment.

The cornerstone of Kaadu Pookunna Neram is that it couches its complex concerns in the simplest of terms, its pillars of strength are seemingly effortless yet captivating performances by Rima Kallingal and Indrans. M.J. Radhakrishnans unflashy cinematography effectively captures the apparent innocence of the magnificent forest landscape, and plays a crucial role in driving home the change in mood in that instant when the policeman (Indrajith Sukumaran) realises that he is now at the mercy of his prisoner. The moment comes as a jolt in this unexpectedly calm, temperate narrative about the inevitable conflict between humans who seek to control nature and those who see it as their friend.

THE CONTENDERS:

5: Mayaanadhi

Aashiq Abus epic tale of star-crossed lovers is a mood piece and an insightful take on friendship and romance. Its massive canvas and glossy production values lend it grandeur, yet it never loses sight of the intimate love story it tells.

The leads, newcomer Aishwarya Lekshmi and Tovino Thomas, are so endearing together, that it is impossible not to root for their characters individually and together. The two mark a sort of coming of age of coupledom in Malayalam cinema, with the woman and man being placed on a par in the relationship and with sex not being deemed a thunderous event, but a natural occurrence that does not merit drumbeats and bugle calls. Mayaanadhi (Mystic River) is also unique in the way it gives its heroine agency in every aspect of her life, does not gloss over her flaws yet has empathy for her, and portrays the man as being somewhat behind her in his views on relationships. The film looks spectacular but, more important, it is emotionally wrenching.

Mayaanadhi is the romance of the year gone by.

6: Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum

Trust director Dileesh Pothan to discover in a police station a microcosm of Kerala society and, in some ways, the world. Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (The Exhibits and the Eyewitness) spends much of its time cooped up in that setting, where a chain-thieving suspect played by Fahadh Faasil is being held, but it never feels claustrophobic. Despite its sense of humour, it never trivialises the underlying theme about our own role in the system we constantly decry. And it sustains its realistic tone even through one of the best shot, best edited, best acted chase scenes you are ever likely to see on film.

Holding it all together are the fabulous quartet toplining the action: debutant Nimisha Sajayan, veterans Faasil, Suraj Venjaramoodu and Alencier Ley Lopez. Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum is a rib tickler. It is also one of the most meaningful films to emerge from Mollywood in 2017.

7: Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela

A familys struggle to cope with a beloved parents tryst with cancer becomes the unlikely setting for a comedy in writer-director Althaf Salims Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela (An Interval in the Land of Crabs). The film is funny yet never insensitive towards the patient or her illness. Rounding off this unique package is the sparkling chemistry among the actors playing the family members, including the casts star attraction Nivin Pauly  when we meet them in the film it feels like they have already spent a lifetime together.

The humour in this film is a clever ploy to distract viewers as we are drawn into its emotional wranglings, such that when that lump does arise in the throat and those teardrops do finally fall, they come as a total surprise. Njandukalude Nattil Oridavela is a richly rewarding examination of family and the fear of losing a loved one that hangs over all of us, even if we do not recognise or acknowledge it.

8: Vimaanam

Prithviraj Sukumaran and debutant Durga Krishna embody yearning and pain in this story of a couple in love and separated by prejudice, her autocratic father and his interfering mother. He is a bright, adventurous, hearing-impaired young man in a Kerala town, the child of a Christian-Hindu marriage who dreams of building an airplane with his bare hands and having her by his side when he takes flight. She is a spirited youngster from a Hindu family that is financially better off than his, a student who is brave for her times yet hemmed in by the strictures placed on women in conservative societies.

Director Pradeep M. Nairs Vimaanam is a lavishly shot, technically extravagant affair, that takes us back in time to the friendship of the couples youth, their romance and the cruelty that ultimately forced them apart. Nairs achievement is that he makes their grief ours. Vimaanam is a poignant film that has left me with a niggling heartache that refuses to go away.

9: Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol

Family is again the fulcrum of Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol (When The Grapevines Sprout), a film about what happens in a home when a middle-aged patriarch takes his wife for granted as he deals with a mid-life crisis. Mohanlal and Meena are fine actors, and one of the particular joys of watching this film is that it marks the occasional break Lalettan takes from the sub-par projects he tends to favour these days. Unlike them, Munthirivallikal Thalirkkumbol is not loud or cringe-worthily sexist, nor is director Jibu Jacob painfully aware of the megastar presence he has managed to sign up.

The film no doubt operates within the patriarchal framework that commercial Mollywood tends to favour, yet it pushes the envelope within that restrictive space. This is a mellow, credible take on the pulls and pushes of family life, and a gentle reminder not to take our loved ones for granted.

10: Ezra

Superstar Prithviraj Sukumaran in this film goes where most major Indian stars fear to tread: the horror genre. He and Priya Anand play a couple whose lives are cruelly disrupted when an ancient spirit enters their home in Ezra. Through the chills that the film offers, there is a larger point being made about forbidden love across the ages.

Indian directors rarely do spook flicks well, but debutant Jay K. manages to build up an air of intrigue and throws up genuine scares in Ezra without overdoing the cliches of the genre. The atmospherics in this film are first-rate, and the denouement deeply satisfying. The pleasure of watching a thriller is to have the bejeezus scared out of you. Ezra does that, and does it well.

FOOTNOTE:

This list has been drawn up based on the following parameters: the film under consideration should be a Mollywood production and it should have been released in theatres in the calendar year 2017. By Mollywood, I mean the Kerala-based industry that makes films primarily in Malayalam. There are those who think the nicknames Mollywood, Bollywood, Kollywood etc smack of condescension because they are derived from Hollywood and, in their opinion, thus imply that our cinema somehow ranks below the American film industry. I would like to clarify here that I disagree with them and that I use these terms purely for practical reasons, with no intent to be patronising.

The reason why I am making industry-wise Best of 2017 lists rather than language-wise lists is because Indias film industries occasionally refuse to be bound by language. Tiyaan, for instance, despite being a Mollywood production, is a Malayalam-plus-Hindi film with additional dialogues in Sanskrit. Therefore, strictly speaking, a film such as Tiyaan could not be under consideration for a Best Malayalam Films compilation. On the other hand, it would be factually inaccurate to consider it for a Best Bollywood Films list, since it has not emerged from Bollywood i.e. the Mumbai-based industry that makes films primarily in Hindi.

This is not to suggest that language-wise lists could not or should not be made, but simply to inform readers of the parameters based on which the above list in particular has been made.

(A clarification to avoid confusion: Tiyaan has not made it to my pick of 2017s Best Mollywood Films, I am simply using it as an example to illustrate a point here.)

**

Related link:

Mollywood Awards 2017: The years best acting, music and tech achievements
Nearly 200 Tamil films will release in 2018 and the market will be shared by as many as 15 superstars including Rajinikanth, Suriya, Vijay and Kamal Haasan.

2018 is going to be the most exciting year for Kollywood. All major stars, including veterans like Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, will have releases. Both did not have a 2017 release, despite being under the spotlight for their anticipated political plunge.



One of the biggest trends that emerged in 2017 was non star films with good content and offbeat subjects finding an audience. Films like Aruvi, Aramm, Maanagaram, Pa Paandi, Taramani and a few others which were not conventional commercial entertainers worked to a large extent.

The business of cinema too changed. Good content found a new market with their internet rights as they premiered on OTTs like Amazon Prime Video within days of theatrical release.



However, Tamil commercial cinema runs on star power and its ageing superstars still have a huge market not only in Tamil Nadu but also in the growing overseas market. Today, a top star films business is in the range of Rs 100 to 150 crore worldwide, including all the rights. And there are enough producers to bankroll these films even though it is highly risky.



Rajinikanths 2.0 is the most eagerly awaited of the lot. The sci-fi entertainer made on a budget of Rs 450 crores is said to be Indias most expensive film. The S Shankar directed extravaganza, which also has Akshay Kumar playing the antagonist, is slated for an April 13, Tamil New Year day release in three languages  Tamil, Hindi and Telugu.

Rajiikanth, at his ongoing fan meet, said,  I dont think there will be another big budget movie like 2.0. It is going to be the ultimate and will be a fresh and interesting subject. Of course there will be even more expensive films in the future but Im sure this one will be remembered for its grandeur and treatment as much as SS Vasans Chandralekha (1948) was for the older generation. The release of the film got delayed because of the CG work and (AR) Rahman can do the re-recording only after the final mix is ready.



And after many years, Rajinikanh will have back to back releases. Fifty days after the release of 2.0, it will be followed by the superstars last venture before he joins politics  Kaala. The film directed by Pa Ranjit, who helmed the superstars last release Kabali (2016), is rumoured to have a storyline and dialogues which will pave Rajinis entry into politics. Rajinikanth said at his fan meeting, Kaala is something totally different from my normal films. Pa Ranjith has given me an all new look.



Meanwhile, Kamal Haasan is in the USA, completing the post-production work of his long delayed Viswaroopam 2. Kamal has said that his first priority is to complete it and get it censored. He has told his distributors that Vishwaroopam 2 will release in the first quarter of 2018 though the trade says film is mired in financial issues. It is likely to be the only Kamal Haasan film of 2018. Kamal is planning to start his next film Indian 2 with Shankar by April.



Vijay, after the stupendous success of Mersal, will start shoot for his next untitled film with AR Murgadoss from January 2018. The film is said to be a social thriller and is produced by south Indias leading television network Sun TVs production company Sun Pictures. It is slated for a Diwali release, as the rest of the star cast is being finalised.



Ajith has announced his next film Viswasam with his favourite director Siva. The combo is once again coming together for the fourth time in what is rumoured to be a rural mass entertainer. The shoot of the film starts in January and it is slated for a Diwali release as well.



For Suriya, 2018 is an important year. After his last two films delivered average performances at the box-office, the actor needs a big hit. The Vignesh Sivan directed Thanna Serandha Kootam a heist comedy entertainer and is slotted for a Pongal release on 12 January. A lot is riding on this film for Suriya, produced by his cousin KE Gnanavelraja of Studio Green. Suriya also starts shooting in January end for his new film with ace director Selvaraghavan, which has Sai Pallavi and Rakul Preet Singh as his heroines. The film has been announced as a Diwali release by its producer SR Prabhu.



There are also interesting films like Dhanushs Gautham Menon directed Ennai Noki Payyum Thotta and his Vetrimaran directed Vaada Chennai due for release in 2018. Sivakarthikeyan has Ponram directed untitled mass comedy film coming up for release in summer. Vikram has his Sketch ready for release on Pongal and his Gautham Menon film Dhruva Natchitharam for summer and Hari directed Saamy Square coming up on the Independence Day.



It will be a crucial year for Tamil cinema as nearly 200 big and small films are slated for release this year.


Anti-Pakistan slogans were raised in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by some BJP members as the House paid homage to the CRPF personnel killed in a terror strike.

New Delhi: Anti-Pakistan slogans were raised in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by some BJP members as the House paid homage to the CRPF personnel killed in a terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir on 31 December.

Just as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan entered the Lok Sabha chamber, some BJP members raised "Pakistan murdabad (Down with Pakistan)" slogans.

The Speaker then read out obituary reference related to the killing of five CRPF personnel in Pulwama in a terror attack on the last day of 2017. She termed the attack as a cowardly act.

The members then stood in silence for a few minutes in the memory of the slain security personnel.

A few days ago, some Shiv Sena members joined by a few BJP MPs had raised similar slogans referring to the treatment meted out to the kin of Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistani authorities in Islamabad.
Day after the violence in Koregaon-Bhima left one youth dead, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial probe and a CID investigation into the matter as angry Dalits staged rail and road blockades in several parts of Pune, Mumbai and Aurangabad.

A day after the violence in Koregaon-Bhima left one youth dead and several others and vehicles torched in Pune, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial probe and a CID investigation into the matter ANI reported.

Request will be made to SC for judicial inquiry in Koregaon violence matter and CID inquiry will also be conducted on the death of the youth. 10 lakh compensation for victim's kin: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/UdtDuYcQwN  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Meanwhile, angry Dalits staged rail and road blockades in several parts of Pune, Mumbai and Aurangabad and Dalit organisations called for a state-wide bandh on Wednesday. Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar  the grandson of Bharat Ratna BR Ambedkar  called for a 'peaceful Maharashtra shutdown' on Wednesday to express anger over the Pune incidents. In a press release, CPM said that it will support the bandh "to denounce violence by casteist and communal forces against Dalits at Bhima-Koregaon." The party further said that the bandh will condemn the "entire manner in which the BJP-led state government headed by Fadnavis handled the situation." CPM alleged that "no action was taken" ahead of New Year, even though the state government was "well aware that lakhs would gather to commemorate the 200th anniversary of this battle." The Left party criticised the state government for not arresting any suspect for killing Fatangale. "It appears that this violence has been deliberately engineered by right-wing forces to incite casteist and communal polarisation in the state," the party said. However, the CPM appealed for a "peaceful and democratic" protest.

Fadnavis orders probe into Bhima-Koregaon violence

Fadnavis on Tuesday said a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the violence which erupted during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district." A sitting high court judge will head the inquiry," Fadnavis said, adding that Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed. The youth's death would be probed by the CID, Fadnavis told reporters. He appealed for calm and peace and said that Maharashtra is a progressive state which does not believe in casteist violence. Strict action would be taken against those who use social media to spread rumours, he said and appealed to political parties to refrain from saying anything that would fuel tensions. " Around three lakh people had gathered (for the battle anniversary celebrations). Some people tried to create a serious scene. But six companies (of security personnel) were posted. Police promptly controlled the situation and averted a major problem," Fadnavis said.

NCP, Shiv Sena blame BJP government

NCP chief Sharad Pawar on Tuesday blamed the administration for the violence in Pune district and demanded a probe into the incident. Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made. Pawar tweeted that "the violence was not right".

"Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches," the former Union minister appealed.

Pawar noted that locals in Vadhu village said that right-wing groups in Pune were making proactive speeches against the event three to four days prior to it. Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut on Tuesday hinted at a "big conspiracy" in the recent spurt in sporadic caste-related violence that has been erupting in the state, which needs to be thoroughly investigated and "the hidden hand" must be exposed. Speaking to Times Now, Sanjay Raut said: "The incident has not happened suddenly. There is a political conspiracy behind this. Some force wants to break Maharashtra. The government needs to ponder why these incidents have increased. Since the time this government has come into existence, these things have been happening." Maharashtra minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar on Tuesday visited Bhima-Koregoan and neighbouring villages and said the situation was under control.

Rahul Gandhi hits out at BJP-RSS

Congress president Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the BJP and the RSS, saying their "fascist vision is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society" and added that the incident in Bhima-Koregaon (Maharashtra) is an indicator of resistance.

A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance.  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 2, 2018

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan condemned the violence and urged people not to believe in rumours. AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said the Fadnavis government failed to keep peace. "The attack has resulted in unrest across the state between upper caste Hindus and Dalits," she said.

Violence spills to Mumbai

Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on edge on Tuesday as Dalit protests against Monday's violence in Pune spilled over to Mumbai, with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic. In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Thousands of Dalits took to the streets on Tuesday in Chembur, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar, Bhandup and other strongholds in northeastern parts of the city demanding action against the perpetrators of the Pune riots. The Mumbai police, meanwhile, issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media. Scores of Dalit youth blocked the Harbour line of the Central Railway near Chembur, leading to train services being halted. Lakhs of commuters were stranded on stations or in trains. Many preferred to walk on the railway tracks to their destination.

Hundreds of youths reportedly swooped onto the roads in eastern suburbs asking shops, restaurants and commercial establishments to down shutters, and staged road blocks. However, police intervened and traffic movement resumed, though it resulted in massive vehicular snarls all over the city, some several kilometres long. Protests and violent incidents were witnessed in other parts of the state, including Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Dhule, Beed, Nashik, Pune, Solapur, Thane and Palghar as Dalits expressed their ire over Monday's incidents in Koregaon-Bhima in Pune district.

Several buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), besides private luxury buses and other vehicles, were damaged in stone pelting by mobs. The disturbances erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima on 1 January during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of the East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits.

Lakhs of Dalits congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some right-wing groups carrying saffron flags. In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged and one Nanded youth, Rahul Fatangale, 28, lost his life. The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district, with the situation reported tense but calm on Tuesday. Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani, who was at 'Elgaar Parishad' organised to commemorate the 'Battle of Bhima-Koregaon' on Monday, appealed for calm.

Maharashtra government must ensure rule of law. I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to maintain peace.  Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) January 2, 2018

With inputs from agencies
The Congress on Tuesday demanded an unconditional apology from BJP MP Nepal Singh for his reported comments that army jawans should expect death because of the profession they are in

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday demanded an unconditional apology from BJP MP Nepal Singh for his comments that army jawans should expect death because of the profession they are in.

During the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the comments by the BJP MP reflected that the government was not serious about the lives of the armed forces personnel.

"The remarks by the BJP MP are not accpetable. He must tender an unconditional apology," Scindia said while raising the issue of the terror attack on a CRPF battalion in Pulwama on Sunday.

Singh, who represents Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had reportedly said "these things happen", while replying to a question about deaths of security personnel in the attack.

Scindia said terrorists have been targeting military establishments in the last couple of years but the government is not strengthening security around them which shows that the current dispensation does not respect the lives of armed forces personnel.

"They had earlier said we will get at 10 heads (from Pakistan) for one. Now they are allowing the security personnel to die," said Scindia.

Rebutting the Congress leaders allegations, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar accused the opposition of politicising the issue, asserting that government has high regards for the armed forces.
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 on Monday said he will take steps to rout the menace.

Mumbai: 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 on Monday 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 fire fighting 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 peoples 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.

"That is equally important. You cant 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."
The sustained Indian campaign to punish Pakistan for abetting terror has evidently paid off, at least for now.

With the Donald Trump administration deciding to cut off all aid to Pakistan as a reaction to that country giving safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror," the sustained Indian campaign to punish Pakistan for abetting terror has evidently paid off, at least for now.

Predictably, the Pakistanis will now sink deeper into Chinas lap and the Chinese are known not to dole out resources to any country without sinister motives.

With the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on the anvil and the Chinese already demanding their pound of flesh apart from the strategic advantage they would gain from easier and shorter access to the sea, the increased Pakistani dependence for substituting American aid will heighten Pakistani dependence on China.

That would open the door for virtual neo-colonialism whereby Pakistan could find itself as a veritable colony of China. Obsessed with immediate monetary gains, the Pakistan establishment is oblivious of the dangers of what it is doing.

The generals who call the shots in Pakistan were past masters in diverting huge sums of aid for lining their own pockets or for squandering money to counter India. They would now seek to do the same with Chinese money and resources.

As Trump declared on Twitter while announcing the blocking of all aid to Pakistan on New Year's day, American governments had over the last 15 years "foolishly" given 33 billion dollars in aid to Islamabad that had given safe haven to the terrorists the US hunts in Afghanistan.

The Chinese would not be as foolish. They would make sure that they get their returns in the shape of mounting Pakistani debt that they could blackmail Islamabad over. The generals who are accustomed to enriching themselves would not give up on the goodies despite the price the country would have to pay in terms of diluted sovereignty.

As one of 16 "non-NATO major allies," Pakistan benefits from billions of dollars in aid and has access to some advanced US military technology banned from other countries. In 2017, the US had already withheld $350 million in military funding over concerns that Pakistan was not doing enough to fight terror. However, the alliance itself was not in question.

Now, however, after mulling over the issue and some dithering, the US administration has decided to crack the whip while announcing the Trump administrations national security strategy.

Last week, Vice-President Mike Pence had told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan: "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice." That claim has been borne out now though Trump cannot be trusted to be consistent in the wake of Pakistani overtures.

In his tweet on New Year's day, Trump said of Pakistan in words that reflected an attitude of no-holds-barred, they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools.

Last week, The New York Times had reported that the Trump administration was seriously weighing whether to withhold $255 million in already delayed aid to Islamabad over its failure to better crack down on terror groups in Pakistan.

While the US is for once acting on Indian interests which converge with its own, it is time India picks up cudgels too.

In the economic arena, India has for long given Pakistan most favoured nation treatment while Pakistan has spurned all demands for reciprocity. This is the time for India to act by revoking the unilateral grant of such status.

Though India has, in recent months, added new sharpness to retaliatory attacks in the wake of Pakistani shelling on Indian positions on the border, we need to examine more punitive strikes.

Now that India and the US are broadly on the same page with regard to safe havens for terrorists in Pakistan, an international campaign needs to be mounted for declaring Pakistan a terror state or as a state sponsor of terror.

American administrations in the past have cared little for Indian sensibilities on Pakistani terror camps which train, arm and infiltrate terrorists into Kashmir. Even now, when the Trump administration talks of combating terror, its reference is only remotely to terror in India. Essentially, it is to the Haqqani network, which is an affiliate of Afghan Taliban and works out of Pakistan, inflicting massive casualties on US-led international coalition in Afghanistan.

Frustrated by Islamabads reluctance to co-operate on controlling them, the United States has tied large portions of military aid payments to Pakistan to its actions aimed at debilitating the network. But the Pakistanis just drag their feet.

At the root of everything lies the supremacy of the army in Pakistan and the incapacity and unwillingness of the civilian government to confront it.

But it is chilling to think of how a corrupt army is obsessed with feathering its own nest while the Pakistani establishment pleads helplessness.

With the US also vehemently opposed to CPEC as India is because of the fillip it would give to Chinese hegemony in the region, it is indeed imperative that the US, India, Japan and Australia work together to frustrate Chinese designs and to prevent the Chinese from blocking the sea lanes so that there is unimpeded movement of goods meant for trade.
India must focus on the fact that the Pakistani military will up the ante of terror attacks on India to divert attention from the country's internal happenings. This is a war India must be fully prepared for

US president Donald Trump's tweet on Pakistan, whereby he 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 and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more", has reverberated across the globe.

It was some coincidence that while the Pakistani foreign office summoned US ambassador to Islamabad, David Hale, to protest against Trump's tweet, the Jaish-e-Mohammad was busy orchestrating a terrorist attack on a CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir.

An adjunct was that Pakistan banned Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) from collecting charities, which is no more than a facade considering the support the organisation gets from the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). But while the JuD has been designated a terrorist organisation by the United Nations, the newly formed political party, the Mili Muslim League (MML) follows the JuD's activities in letter and spirit, and also continues receiving donations and contributions flowing in.

All it took was a change of name  Mumbai terror attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed moved from Lashkar-e-Taiba to JuD and now to MML  and beyond, as the terrorist tag kept catching up.

Seven-and-a-half years ago, in July 2010, geopolitical analyst Michael Hughes wrote an article titled 'Balkanising Pakistan: A Collective National Security Strategy' in Huffington Post, whereby he wrote, "The Pakistan Army consists of 500,000 active duty troops and another 500,000 on reserve. If Pakistan truly wanted to capture the Haqqani Network, they would be able to drag them out of their caves by their beards within a few days.... Nine years, nearly $300 billion dollars and 1,900 dead coalition soldiers later, the US has officially verified that the entire war effort has been focused on the wrong side of the mountains."

This indicates that while Trump spoke of more than $33 billion in aid, the overall American aid to Islamabad has may have been well over $300 billion since the latter joined the US-led war on terrorism. And despite US and NATO military commanders in Afghanistan pointing out what the ground situation was  terror havens were operating inside Pakistan, and Pakistani proxies were attacking Afghanistan and India  this didn't change the situation.

No US president has been as direct as Trump in unveiling the real face of Pakistan; he also did so in August while unveiling his new Af-Pak policy. Back then, he had said Pakistan gives safe havens to agents of chaos, violence and terror, and said we can no longer remain silent about terrorist organisations like the Taliban that pose a threat to the region and beyond. He said that Pakistanis have suffered greatly because of terrorism and extremism, but the country still shelters the same organisation that tries to kill people. "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. No partnership can survive a countrys harboring of militants and terrorists who target U.S. servicemembers and officials. It is time for Pakistan to demonstrate its commitment to civilization, order, and to peace," he had said earlier.

But, as expected, Pakistan, with China by its side, cared little. Trump's new year tweet and the ensuing $225 billion reduction in aid to Islamabad was very much on the cards.

Interestingly, Pakistan was ranked the 10th most failed State in the world by Foreign Policy magazine in 2010, but the US, China and Saudi Arabia wouldn't let it sink even though Pakistan is the world's largest incubator of terrorism. More significantly, the entry of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Pakistan and the CPEC has also added to the geopolitical complexities of the region.

The US would also worry about the strategic ambitions of China, both in the Indian Ocean region, and also in Afghanistan. The emergence of some 10,000 Islamic State fighters will fuel the boiling pot further. Pakistan's military continues to ride the terror tiger  in sync with multiple terrorist organisations running their private armies with support from ISI, and tacitly from China. It's because of this that a radical mullah like Hafiz Saeed has been let loose. Recently, on 26 November, 2017, the Pakistan government, on behalf of the country's military, abjectly surrendered to protesters in Faizabad through a six-point agreement.

The violence in Baluchistan has gone up exponentially with increased casualties being inflicted on the native population by the Pakistan Army. But despite the genocide being carried out, China gifted helicopter gunships to Pakistan, which the latter used extensively in Baluchistan. Already, French and Algerian origin Islamic State cadre from Syria are confirmed to be fighting in Afghanistan. Some 10,000 Islamic State cadre have reportedly surfaced in Afghanistan, and Russia has beefed up its strength in Tajikistan with tanks and armoured carriers under the CSTO agreement. As more cadres head to the Af-Pak region, the terrorists would attempt to target south Asia next.

To India's east, Pakistani national Ata Ullah heads the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) in Myanmar, which is also actively supported by Pakistan's ISI and terrorist organisations like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). As per recent reports, Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, the leader of UN-designated terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), have joined hands to target India. China's malafide intentions and double standards towards terrorism have been amply visible by it repeatedly vetoing the move to designate Masood Azhar as a terrorist at the United Nations.

Pakistan will face a terror backlash, without doubt, but the stranglehold the military has over the country is growing stronger by the day. It has now infiltrated every sector of the country  both government and non-government. In order to retain this power and money, the military ensures that Pakistan continues its State policy of terror against neighbours India and Afghanistan.

With its strategic ambitions, China will play the binding factor for Pakistan even as it practically absorbs the latter as its own province. At the same time, the argument for fragmenting Pakistan has been on the western table since the country's birth in 1947. The most popular approach seems to be to let Afghanistan absorb Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), which would also unite Pashtun tribes, as mentioned by Michael Hughes.

What the future holds for the region is anybody's guess, but the Durand Line imposed by the British and not recognised by Afghanistan is likely to see more violence on both sides. Plans to link CPEC to Afghanistan will also attract more terror and violence.

President Trump's New Year tweet indirectly places Pakistan in the category of a terrorist State. It is unlikely that India will designate Pakistan a terrorist State when it has not even withdrawn the 'most favoured nation' status given several years ago. But India must focus on the fact that the Pakistani military will up the ante of terror attacks on India to divert attention from the country's internal happenings. This is a war India must be fully prepared for, not only defensively but also taking into enemy territory.

The author is a retired lieutenant-general of the Indian Army
The Ghaziabad court was shut on Tuesday following noisy protests by a section of lawyers protesting against the removal by police of a statue of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar from the court compound.

Ghaziabad: The Ghaziabad court was shut on Tuesday following noisy protests by a section of lawyers protesting against the removal by police of a statue of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar from the court compound.

The court's functioning came to a halt as the deployment of security forces was so massive that litigants were sent back from the main gate.

A majority of Dalit lawyers and several members of the public placed an Ambedkar photo at the site where the statue stood and staged a demonstration, said Surendra Rathi, a former President of the Ghaziabad Bar Association.

The police said that on the night of 31 December some members of the Bar Association installed the statue, taking other lawyers by surprise when the court opened on 1 January.

Some lawyers urged the police to remove the statue installed without proper formalities. This was done at night, leading to scuffles between police personnel and lawyers.

"The approval of the district administration was a mandatory formality which was not sought prior to the statue's installation," said Additional District Magistrate Gyanendra Singh.

Bar Association president Rakesh Kakra said the association had passed a resolution earlier to install the statue. "The police have harshly insulted the maker of the Constitution."

But fellow lawyer Rathi demanded to know why it was put up stealthily at night, and alleged that this was done with a view to lure Dalit votes in upcoming Bar election.
Terming the Bill as 'anti-people and anti-patient', the IMA has stated that the bill purported to eradicate corruption is 'designed to open the floodgates of corruption.'

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: Healthcare services at multiple hospitals across the country were partially disrupted on Tuesday when doctors went on a strike in protest against the controversial National Medical Commission Bill.

The emergency and critical care departments at the hospitals, however, functioned normally, according to reports from the states. The reports also said that doctors at several hospitals wore black badges at work. The situation eased later in the day when the 12-hour nationwide stir called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) from 6 am was called off after the Centre agreed to refer the proposed legislation to a parliamentary standing committee. The bill had triggered wide protests from doctors as also the opposition parties.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the Medical Council of India(MCI) and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course".

"We called off our strike as the Bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which has members from diverse fields and there should now be a fruitful discussion," said IMA's KK Aggarwal, who was spearheading the stir.

Terming the Bill as "anti-people and anti-patient", the IMA has stated that the bill purported to eradicate corruption is "designed to open the floodgates of corruption."

Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister JP Nadda said in Parliament that talks were on with the IMA to clear their doubts.

"Talks are on. We have heard them (the doctors) and also presented our views," he said. "This (Bill) is beneficial to the medical profession," Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha after the members raised the issue of strike by the doctors across the country. The strike by doctors in Kerala caused immense hardship to those visiting hospitals across the state.

While doctors in government and medical college hospitals boycotted out-patient services for one hour in the morning, the strike was observed for a longer duration in private hospitals.

The doctors, however, attended emergency cases and those admitted in hospitals. Expressing anger over the stir, a 60-year old man told a television channel that it was irresponsible on the part of doctors to go on strike causing hardship to patients.

Similar sentiments were echoed by several patients from different hospitals across the state. Healthcare services were partially affected in parts of Odisha as doctors joined the strike.

A protest rally organised from Power House Chhak to Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar saw the participation of medical students and doctors in large numbers.

Dhananjay Das, a senior doctor at government-run Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, said the bill, if passed, will upset the medical fraternity in the country.

"The bill will bring down the standards of medical education in the country. It will be a big blow to the entire medical fraternity" he said. The general secretary of the Odisha chapter of the IMA, Janmejaya Mohapatra, said the strike has affected healthcare services in outpatient departments of a few government and private hospitals, but the emergency and critical departments were functioning normally.

West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) chairman Dr Nirmal Maji said healthcare services remained largely normal across the state. "This is a Tughlaqi decision. This is a dangerous move and may ruin the medical system in the country. The bill will be a boost for quack doctors," Maji told PTI.

"I have spoken to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee this morning and she has given instructions for ensuring normal services. And our doctors, unlike some other states, are not skipping work. They are wearing black badges to work as a mark of protest," Maji said.

A protest rally, organised in Kolkata after OPD hours, witnessed the participation of doctors affiliated to the IMA's state unit and WBMC in large numbers.

Earlier in the day, patients visiting the city from the suburban areas complained that they were made to wait for long hours. "I have come all the way from Sundarbans for an appointment with a cardiologist. I collected my ticket as early as 9.30 am but was made to wait for several hours," 73-year-old cardiac patient Pritilata Sammadar told PTI outside NRS Medical College and Hospital.

The scene was similar at other city hospitals this morning, where patients were seen queuing up outside the orthopaedic department.
The Enforcement Directorate has issued summons to Karti Chidambaram, son of Congress leader P Chidambaram, in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in FIPB clearance accorded to INX Media in 2007

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to Karti Chidambaram, son of Congress leader P Chidambaram, in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in FIPB clearance accorded to INX Media in 2007, an official said on Tuesday.

Karti Chidambaram has been asked to appear at the ED headquarters in New Delhi on 11 January and record his statement before ED officials probing the case.

The ED had registered a money laundering case against him in May 2017.

Karti Chidambaram is also booked in a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR which mentions names of INX media and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea  both accused in the Sheena Bora murder case  and others.

He is facing a probe for his alleged role in facilitating the 2007 Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) clearance for INX Media Ltd when his father was the then union finance minister.

He is alleged to have received Rs 3.5 crore from Mumbai-based INX media, now 9X Media, for helping it get FIPB clearance when it was run by Peter and Indrani Mukerjea.
Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra on Tuesday sought participation of all segments of society, including the separatists, in the dialogue process initiated by the Central government by appointing the special representative.

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir governor NN Vohra on Tuesday sought participation of all segments of society, including the separatists, in the dialogue process initiated by the Central government by appointing the special representative for negotiated settlement of problems faced by the state.

Addressing the joint session of state legislature here, he said: "The appointment of the Special Representative by the Union Government to hold talks with the people belonging to all shades of opinion is recognition of the concern for widening the constituency of peace and include even those who may have contrary ideological convictions.

"This initiative is in tune with the prime minister's Independence Day address reflecting his concern and empathy for the people of Jammu and Kashmir."

Vohra said that the government is "hopeful that, soon enough, all segments shall come forward for a dialogue and all issues would find resolution", adding that the challenges will be met only through dialogue, "which is the best means of resolving all problems".

He noted that that, in the past two decades, the "overriding attention" required to be given to maintenance of law and order has "adversely affected a meaningful focus on economic activities in Jammu and Kashmir", and "consequently, the state has lagged behind the rest of the country in almost all fields".

"However, as the situation continues to improve, there is need to restore the balance and also attend to building a knowledge economy in the state. The government will lead the effort in this direction and also aid and assist in creating a facilitative environment for the establishment of such an economy in the state."

Vohra also listed the developmental projects and initiatives started by the state government in addition to increasing the employment avenues for the local youth, as well as the implementation of various flagship programmes started by the central government and empowerment of women in the state.

Opposition National Conference and the Congress boycotted the governor's address, first by disrupting Vohra's speech and later by staging a walkout from the house.
Dalit leader and newly elected MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani and Assam peasant leader Akhil Gogoi will hold a 'social justice' rally next week.

New Delhi: Dalit leader and newly elected MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani and Assam peasant leader Akhil Gogoi will hold a 'social justice' rally next week demanding the release of Dalit outfit Bhim Army's founder Chandrashekhar Azad, an organiser of the rally said.

The rally would also emphasise on educational rights, employment, livelihood and gender justice, former JNU students union president Mohit Kumar Pandey, one of the organisers of the rally, said in a statement.

The rally would begin from Parliament Street on 9 January and a large section of students from universities and colleges in Delhi are expected to participate, the statement said.

"It is audacious that the Yogi government is withdrawing 20,000 criminal cases against political leaders, including himself, while continuing to jail young people like Chandrashekhar and Dr Kafeel on the basis of sheer sensationalism," Pandey said.

Women's groups, teachers' associations and Mevani-inspired activists from across the country are also expected to participate.

Azad, 30, was arrested in June last year from Himachal Pradesh for being the main accused in the Thakur-Dalit clash in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur district.
The aftermath of the Kamala Mills fire shows no signs of simmering down as BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta has come under fire for being part of the probe into the tragedy.

A Mumbai-based lawyer has written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asking that BMC chief Ajoy Mehta be removed from the inquiry into the Kamala Mills blaze.

Abha Singh, a former civil servant and an advocate practicing currently in the High Court of Judicature at Bombay, claimed Mehta's appointment 'violates the principles of natural justice' as Mehta himself gave permission to set up 18 restaurants in the same building at Kamala Mills. Mehta would be conducting a probe against himself were he to look in to the Kamala Mills matter, Singh claimed in her letter to Fadnavis.

Singh attached the details of the approvals which Mehta gave for the food court at Kamala Mills and described how the approvals were illegal. Singh alleged Mehta closed his eyes to the violations being committed by the owners and waived the legally mandated rules.

She requested that the order appointing Mehta as head of the Kamala Mills probe be cancelled and a judicial commission be set up to undertake an inquiry into the matter. She further asked that Mehta be suspended as "it would be unfair will be unfair to suspend the junior officers and not the commissioner who flouted the rules".

Congress MLA Nitesh Rane also pointed out that the day the permissions were given  1 January, 2017,  the BMC Code of Conduct was in application. He questioned the urgency of giving out all the permissions on the same day. He alleged that there was a nexus of officers and middlemen making a profit from rampant construction in mill areas.

Rane demanded a CBI inquiry and said he would take out a morcha on 15 January against the alleged irregularities in the functioning of the civil body. He asked all political parties to join him in the same.
Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised construction, the BMC asked the owners of commercial establishments to assess if their premises were fire safety-compliant.

Mumbai: Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised construction 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.

Commercial establishment owners must assess themselves if they adhere to the Fire Codified Requirements, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, adding that if they were found non-compliant they would face action.

Demolitions were carried out in Todi Mill and Raghuvanshi Mill areas on Monday, a senior BMC official said.

During the day, civic officials inspected 134 commercial establishments in G, N and E wards and demolished 53 unauthorised structures, the BMC said in a late-night statement. Fifty hookah parlours were sealed, the official said.

From 29 December till 1 Janurary, BMC officials have inspected 615 establishments and demolished illegal constructions or alterations at 355 hotels and pubs.

Fourteen people died in a massive fire at the 1Above pub at Kamala Mills on 29 December. The BMC has initiated a demolition drive against illegal constructions at hotels and pubs after the tragedy.

The Mumbai fire department is going to install a new software for the monitoring of database of fire rules compliance, a senior civic 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.

The BMC on Monday again appealed owners of commercial establishments to ensure that their premises are fire norms compliant. The owners should assess if their premises comply with the Fire Codified Requirements on their own or face action, said an official statement.

Besides, municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta asked seven zonal deputy municipal commissioners to conduct inquiries and find out why action was not initiated against illegal alterations/ constructions at commercial structures earlier.

A BMC official said that Mehta expressed anger over the failure to take action promptly.
For the last 300 years, doctors have been trying to create a miracle in the process called xenotransplantation, or the transplanting of non-human organs or cells into a human body.

The first known xenotransplantation was done by the God Shiva. Daksha, the father in law of Shiva, organised a yagna where he insulted Shiva and his daughter. Sati, Shivas wife, immolated herself in protest. Dakshas head was cut off and burnt. Later, when Shiva forgave him, he was brought back to life but with a rams head. The more famous decapitation was that of Ganesha. Shiva cut off the head of a baby elephant and transplanted it on to his sons neck.

For the last 300 years, doctors have been trying to replicate this miracle. The process is called xenotransplantation, or the transplanting of non-human organs or cells into a human body.

Thousands of animals have died in the process. And each attempt has been a failure. But that doesnt stop scientists from trying. After all, animal life is cheap and, in the name of science, one can do anything.

In the 17th century, Jean Baptiste Denis started the practice of blood transfusion from animals to humans. Everyone died and xenotransfusion was banned in France for a number of years. In the 19th century, skin grafts became relatively popular between various animal species and humans. The fact that many of the species used as donorssheep, rabbits, dogs, cats, rats, chickens, and pigeonshad hair, feathers, or fur, growing from the skin, did not deter the surgeons involved. The ideal graft was from frogs, which were sometimes skinned alive. None of the grafts was successful.

In the 20th century, the French experimental surgeon, Alexis Carrel, developed surgical techniques for joining blood vessels, which enabled organ transplantation to be carried out successfully for the first time. For this work, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1912. He developed an interest in cross-species transplantation and his techniques became a reason for more people to experiment on animals.

A few years later, Serge Voronoff, a Russian emigre working in Paris, developed an interest in reversing the effects of ageing in elderly men who had lost their zest for life. He sliced a large number of chimpanzee or baboon testicles and implanted them in the testicles of old men. None of them had any effect. In fact, they created infections and more complications. The concept of transplanting glandular tissue to produce hormones that would benefit the recipient was continued in the United States by John Brinkley, whose the chosen donor was the goat, as he had been convinced by a local farmer of its sexual potency. He was later disbarred by the American Medical Association.

In the 1960s, Keith Reemtsma at Tulane University in Louisianahypothesised that nonhuman primate kidneys might function in human recipients and thus be a successful treatment for renal failure. By then kidney transplantation from human to human had been established (in the 50s), but the availability of kidneys from deceased humans was extremely limited. Reemtsma selected the chimpanzee as the source of organs, because of its close evolutionary relationship to humans. He carried out 13 of these transplants. While all the chimpanzees died in great pain the experiments failed. One woman lasted nine months but spent all that time strapped to a bed and hospital catheters. In another experiment scientists transplanted a pig kidney into a baboon. The baboon died in 5 months.

But the scientists carried on with kidney transplants. Tom Starzl used baboons as donors in Colorado. His results were similar to those of Reemtsma.

James Hardy, in 1964, tried to transplant a chimpanzee heart into a patient who had undergone amputations of both legsand was in a semi-comatose state at the time the transplant was undertaken. The patient died within a few hours. The chimpanzee, of course, had been killed. In 1967 Christian Bernard also carried out two cardiac xenotransplants. Both failed.

Perhaps the best known clinical cardiac xenotransplantation since Hardy's attempt was that by Leonard Bailey, who transplanted a baboon heart into an infant girl, known as Baby Fae, in 1983. The graft underwent acute rejection and the patient died 20 days later. One of the reasons, which would appear common sense to an average, non medical person, is that baboons dont have O blood type, which is donor blood. They have ABO which is incompatible with humans.

Tom Starzl, who is considered one of the pioneers in the field of kidney and liver human to human transplantation, performed a handful of liver transplants between nonhuman primates and young patients in Colorado in the 1960s, with no success. As more immuno-suppressants became available, he performed two liver transplants from baboons into adult patients in the 1990s, with no survivors.

In the meantime xenotransplantation of pig islet transplantation is underway in diabetic patients in New Zealand. A European group has given rhesus monkeys an artificially induced Parkinson like motor disease and is experimenting with genetically modified pig dopamine-producing cells from pig embryos into the monkey brain, so that this can eventually be done with people with Parkinsons. No luck so far, but there is no shortage of monkeys being imported from Mauritius.

The people of Asia and Africa need new corneas. Experimental corneal xenotransplantation is being done. Transplanting pig corneas into monkey eyes. The recipient needs corticosteroid injections into the eyes for the rest of his life  if the four experiments work which they have not done so far. Nebraska Medical Center is transplanting hearts from pigs into sheep. Pig xenotransplants of heart, kidneys, lungs and livers, into apes carries on. The results? Completely unsuccessful. Does that stop the scientists? Not yet.

Clinics in Europe tout the efficacy of various animal tissues from placentas to blood cells, plasma and organs for a variety of conditions  from acne to anti-aging. There is no evidence that they work.

The pig is now the creature that is being focused on. Why? Its genetic makeup is completely different from that of a human being. But the reasons are far more commercial. Its organs are the same size as humans, it is cheap to maintain and it has three litters a year, so pigs can be easily available. Does this make any scientific sense? No. But by the time they give up, xenotransplantation companies will have tortured and killed millions of pigs.

In 1969, Nobel Prize winner Sir Peter Medawar, who is considered the father of transplant immunology, stated, We should solve the problem of organ transplantation by using xenografts in less than 15 years. It is now 2017 and we are no closer. Norman Shumway, the pioneer of heart transplantation, stated truthfully xenotransplantation is the future of transplantation, and always will be.

The scientists are going to keep trying. They get paid for their research and, if they do succeed in producing usable organs from pigs, then there is a Nobel Prize at the end of the rainbow. Who cares about the animals.

To join the animal welfare movement contact gandhim@nic.in, www.peopleforanimalsindia.org
A day after Dalit and Maratha groups clashed in Pune on the 200th year anniversary celebrations of the historic battle of Koregaon Bhima, Dalit protesters on Tuesday staged a protest according to a report in Mumbai Mirror.

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"Some vehicles were burnt but police controlled the situation. All the people present at the event were escorted by the police and safely taken to their respective homes. One person was killed and we have launched a probe. If policemen weren't there in sufficient numbers, the situation could be much worse," he said.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis made an appeal for calm in the state and said that it was the police that bought the situation under control.

Devendra Fadnavis appeals for calm, says attack could be well-planned conspiracy

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the `British' victory.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community  then considered untouchable  were part of the East India Company's forces.

The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was marred by incidents of violence, with at least one person getting killed.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has told reporters that he will order a CID probe. Meanwhile, Union minister Ramdas Athawale has told Times Now that he has appealed to Dalits and his supporters to maintain calm.

Fadnavis order CID probe, Ramdas Athawale says he has appealed to protestors for calm

Several schools, colleges in Mumbai shut in view of violence, reports India Today

State government buses aren't plying on schedule from Pune to Mumbai. Speculation is that disturbances on the expressway near Mumbai is the reason. Pune-Mumbai Shivneri buses are running behind schedule by over an hour currently.

Following the incident at Bhima Koregaon in Pune, national leader of Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh Prakash Ambedkar has called for a Maharashtra shutdown on Thursday. However, it is to be seen if the call would have any real impact on the ground as the political entity doesn't command enough hold in state politics.

NCP leader Majeed Memon hit out at Maharashtra government over the violence in parts of Mumbai and Pune. Speaking to CNN-News18, He said: "The present govt is literally no government, There is no coordination between Shiv Sena and BJP. Judicial enquiry (ordered by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis) is only for self-satisfaction. You have to come down on the streets and see that the violence is stopped forthwith."

Apart from the medical shops, every other shop has been made to shut in Amrut Nagar area of Ghatkopar West. SM Shetty school in Hiranandani, Powai, has informed the parents to pick up their kids from the school.

Buses to Dadar, Nashik, Aurangabad, Kohlapur from Pune have stood cancelled since around 1 pm.

"Those who had reserved tickets will be refunded soon," he has said.

A Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) official at Breman Chowk bus stop in Pune has confirmed that all MSRTC buses from Pune to Mumbai have been cancelled for the day.

People have been advised to instead go through LBS Road, where traffic is moving though slow.

In view of the traffic congestion at Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, Cheda Nagar and Kamraj Nagar on the Eastern Express Highway, Mumba Police has advised the people to avoid these roads for the moment:

Over 100 people detained so far by Mumbai Police, reports CNN-News18

Three FIR registered related to the violence but no arrests made so far, reports CNN-News18

Speaking to Times Now, Sanjay Raut said: "The incident has not happened suddenly. There is a political conspiracy behind this. Some force wants to break Maharashtra. The government needs to ponder why these incidents have increased. Since the time this govt has come into existence,,these things have been happening."

Fewer Ola, Uber taxis are seen on the roads in Mumbai. The drivers are reportedly preferring to stay out of roads as a precautionary measure.

However, CPM has appealed for a "peaceful and democratic" protest.

CPM criticised the fact that no arrests have been made for the death of Rahul Fatangale, the Dalit youth who was killed on Monday during the violence. "It appears that this violence has been deliberately engineered by right wing forces to incite casteist and communal polarisation in the state," the party said.

The Left party has alleged that "no action was taken" ahead of New Year, even though the state government was "well aware that lakhs would gather to commemorate the 200th anniversary of this battle."

In a press release, CPM has said that the bandh will condemn the "entire manner in which the BJP-led state government headed by Devendra Fadnavis handled the situation."

Jet Airways, Air India waive off cancellation charges from Mumbai due to ongoing volatile situation in the state.

The bandh called by Dalit groups tomorrow has been supported by Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar and CPM. However, no main political parties from Maharashtra, mainly Congress, NCP, Shiv Sena, MNS have extended their support till now.

A Christian himself, he had statues of BR Ambedkar, Shivaji, different animals, angels, all stored in his studio by the side of the road in Bhima Koregaon.

Eldine Fernandes, a national award-winning sculptor, lost over Rs 50 lakh worth of paintings, sculptures, equipment in the violence on Monday. He had been working in this studio which was burnt to the ground by the ravaging mob.

DCP Nitin Pawar has assued that there is no congestion on the routes in Navi Mumbai. He said: "Traffic situation is absolutely Normal in Navi Mumbai. Only heavy vehicles like trucks, containers- trailers are stopped on road-side at convenient places so that they should not cause any inconvenience on Eastern Express Highway (EEH)/Chembur area and no more congestion should be allowed on EEH. This stoppage of heavy vehicles is not affecting flow of traffic in Navi Mumbai."

Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead on Monday.

Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on edge on Tuesday as Dalit protests against Monday's violence in Pune spilled over to capital Mumbai, with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.

While the Prakash Ambedkar faction as well as 250 Dalit outfits have called for a Maharashtra bandh today, the RPI(A), a constituent of the NDA, will not be participating in it. "We will not participate in the Maharashtra bandh, but rasta roko and morchas to various police station in Mumbai will continue on Wednesday," Gautam Sonawane, RPI (A) state president told The Times of India.

RPI(A) to not participate in the bandh

We have made elaborate arrangements to keep the situation under control in view of the bandh. Extra forces have been kept on standby. Some areas have been identified where internet could be suspended so people cannot spread rumours on social media, DGP Satish Mathur told The Indian Express.

According to the complainants, Akshay Bikkad and Anand Dhond, Mevani and Khalid had made "provocative" comments at the event, PTI reported.

Mevani and Khalid had attended the "Elgar Parishad", an event organised to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima-Koregaon, at Shaniwar Wada in the city on 31 December.

The police today said they had received a complaint against Gujarat MLA and Dalit activist Jignesh Mevani and Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University's (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid for their "provocative" speeches at an event here on 31 December.

At least 25 buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, besides private luxury buses and other vehicles, were damaged in stone pelting by riotous mobs, reported IANS.

Protests and violent incidents were witnessed in other parts of the state, including Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Dhule, Beed, Nashik, Pune, Solapur, Thane and Palghar as Dalits expressed their ire over Monday's incidents in Koregaon-Bhima in Pune district.

"Those who are found guilty should be punished as per law. Some forces are trying to create hatred and animosity among communities. The people should not fall prey to such nefarious tactics," PTI quoted the press release as saying.

RSS strongly condemns such violence and feels it is despicable.

Manmohan Vaidya, the akhil bhartiya prachar pramukh of the RSS, in a press statement uploaded on the outfit's Twitter handle, stated, "The recent incidents at Koregaon, Pune and various other places in Maharashtra are very sad and painful.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Tuesday condemned the incidents of violence at Bhima-Koregaon village in Pune district and other parts of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the violence which erupted during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district." A sitting high court judge will head the inquiry," Fadnavis said, adding that Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed. The youth's death would be probed by the CID, Fadnavis told reporters.

Fernandes, a Christian, could barely hold back his tears as he recounted his losses. Apart from immense hard work in the form of artworks, that were at various stages of completion, being reduced to ashes, Fernandes says he also lost three years worth of his life's savings.

The caste-based clashes that spilled over to few other parts of Maharashtra too, including Mumbai, cost Eldine Fernandes, a national award-winning Pune-based sculptor, over Rs 50 lakh worth of his paintings, sculptures, and equipment as protesters torched and vandalised his studio in the Bhima Koregaon area in Pune.

The handiwork of an artist were subsumed in the flames of anger and violence over marking the 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune.

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged and one youth, Rahul Fatangale, 28 of Nanded lost his life.

Several lakhs of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some right-wing groups carrying saffron flags.

The disturbances erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima on 1 January during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of the East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits.

Mumbai Traffic Police is taking precautionary measures to ensure smooth flow of traffic. "All traffic personnel will be on their toes to ensure smooth flow of traffic, especially on the Eastern Express Highway," police officer told DNA.

According to one estimate, the Company lost between 200-300 troops that night but the Peshwa suffered heavier losses as 500-600 of his men perished in the battle. The Marathas, wary of reinforcements arriving from Pune in much larger numbers than their own, were forced to retreat.

On 1 January, 1818, East India Company troops, comprising mostly Mahar Dalits, fended off the Maratha offensive. The soldiers fought through the night and managed to defend the village of Koregaon from the attackers.

As the British took refuge in a small village called Koregaon, which was surrounded by a low mud wall, the Peshwa decided to detach a small portion of his army, around 2,000 soldiers, to take on the British forces and the village of Koregaon.

In 1818, the Peshwa attempted to retake the city of Pune from the British with a force of 28,000 men  20,000 cavalrymen and 8,000 foot soldiers  mostly comprising of Marathas. A British force, comprising no more than around 800 soldiers, was on its way to Pune to meet with the main force stationed there when the Peshwas advance force spotted them.

A blame game has started in Maharashtra over who triggered the caste clashes, reported Economic Times . On the other hand, Prakash Ambedkar of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BMM) accused right-wing groups, especially the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan, headed by Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, respectively.

According to CNN-News18, battalions of Rapid Action Force have been deployed in Mumbai, especially in eastern suburbs like Chembur, which was affected by violence on Tuesday.

Here is Manjul's take on caste violence in Maharashtra

"How can we take the risk? In the morning too, six buses were stoned in Chembur area of Mumbai. We will take a call at 11 am for the second shift. We have to think about the safety of children and cabs and autos too are not working as usual in Mumbai," Anil Garg told CNN-News18.

Few protestors tried to disrupt Railway services at Thane but were immediately cleared by RPF and GRP officials. Services are running uninterrupted on Central Railway as of now, said Central Railway.

"Please don't believe in rumours. Central Railway will keep you posted with hourly updates," Sunil Udasi, CPRO of the Central Railways tells citizens.

Dabbawala association spokesperson Subhash Talekar told mediapersons that they won't be delivering tiffins to people fearing the law and order issues in the city.

"Do not believe in or spread rumours and continue with the daily activities. The Police administration is there and geared up to deal with any untoward situations," says Mumbai Police.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh will be making a statement on the ongoing caste violence in Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, reports CNN-News18.

Protesters tried to disrupt rail services in Virar at about 8.30 am. however, after a 10 minute disturbance, the police was able to re-start the train services from Virar.

Trains are running late by at least 30 minutes from Borivali, an important junction on the Western Railway.

A mob pelted stones towards a private bus which was on educational tour in Aurangabad district. Around 40 students from Gagangiri Vidyalaya, Pandharpur tehsil, Solapur district were on board. A teacher and a student are injured in the incident. The incident occurred around 7 am today near Deogiri school, Daultabad fort, 13 km from Aurangabad.

While the fish market in Dadar is shut for the day, the flower market, however, is bustling as usual.

Some autos and taxis were seen plying in various areas, but the famed Dabbawalas cancelled their services for the day. Many shops and establishments also opened for work as usual in the city and suburbs and there were the familiar crowds on roads and highways, reported IANS.

Life is as usual in most parts of Mumbai

CPI leader D Raja gives zero hour notice in Rajya Sabha over "increasing atrocities against Dalits", reports ANI.

ANI is reporting that Jan Adhikar Party (JAP) leader and Madhepura MP Pappu Yadav gives adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over the caste violence in Maharashtra.

Kandivali- Akurli, Dindoshi-Hanuman Nagar, Chandivali-Sangharsh Nagar, Khairani Rd- Sakinaka, Sahar Cargo, Mulund Check Naka, Jijamata Nagar. Fortunately, there has been no stone pelting incidents in Mumbai so far.

BEST buses not running on this route:

The shutdown evoked greater response in mofussil areas compared to urban pockets of Thane, Nagpur, Pune and other cities, reported IANS. The coastal Konkan region reported a near-total shutdown, as also Dalit strongholds of Marathwada like Beed, Latur, Solapur, Jalgaon, Dhule, Ahmednagar, Nashik and Palghar.

The suburban train services on Central Railway, Mumbai Division's Main line, Harbour and Transharbour line are running uninterrupted except for few minutes agitation at Diwa, Titwala and Vasind but the Railway staff, RPF and GRP officials cleared the path immediately and train services resumed unhindered. Due to this agitation of 10 minutes, a couple of trains were delayed for 5-10 minutes.

Railway tracks have been evacuated and train operations have resumed at Nallasopara/Virar from 10.30 am, says Western Railway.

According to CNN-News18, protesters have forced people travelling from buses in Ghatkopar and Goregaon to get down. According to the report, protesters are stopping buses and allowing only empty buses to go ahead. In addition, the Barkat Ali Road in Wadala too has been closed by the police.

The Eastern Expressway has been blocked by hundreds of activists at Ghatkopar, reports CNN-News18.

"I appeal to everyone to maintain peace. As for someone like Jignesh Mevani, he has no role in all of this," says Ramdas Athawale.

10.30 am: Dalit lawyers from Aurangabad bench of the Mumbai high court wear black ribbons in support of Maharashtra bandh

In view of the state-wide bandh, the Maharashtra State examination council, Pune, has cancelled the computer typing examination which was to be held today. The same will now be held on Sunday.

Metro services stopped between Asalfa and Ghatkopar Metro station by protestors, says disaster control room.

Commuters in a BEST bus stopped in front of Inorbit mall in Goregaon. Protestors are forcing commuters out.

Metro services at Ghatkopar and airport stations were suspended as a precautionary measure. Local train service at Harbour Line was disrupted following protests at Gowadi. Bus services to Satara and Baramati town were suspended this morning, say reports.

Usually one of the busiest areas in Pune, Swargate bus stop wears a deserted look.

Commuters are advised to avoid using Western Express Highway and use S V road instead.

The rally is progressing towards an Ambedkar statue at Deccan, on Garware Bridge. "We will conduct a peaceful rally, and abide by the bandh peacefully. We are going from Gokhalenagar to put a garland on Sambhaji Maharaja Putala at Garware bridge. Then we will go to BR Ambedkar statue near station and give letter to Collector that all the people behind this incident get arrested," said Sanjay Motling, teacher in Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan. He is the Maharashtra coordinator of Boudha Sangarsh Samiti.

Protesters stop a bus and made commuters get out at Ferguson college road in Pune. Cops and other protestors try to control the situation. Some protesters apologise to the bus driver for the trouble caused to him.

BEST buses are stranded on all four roads converging in Malad. Parents are taking their kids home walking.

Metro services have been stopped in Andheri now. BEST buses also been stopped in Andheri.

Follow all LIVE updates in the Parliament here

"Please don't rely on rumours and only follow official updates, adds Western Railway.

Remaining services of AC local suspended for the day in view of protests.Other suburban services are being run amid intermittent protests at Elphinstone Rd,Goregaon,Dadar, Malad.There is no cancellation of long distance trains, informs Western Railway.

Protesters garland Sambhaji Maharaj's statue amid calls of Jai Bhim and Sambhaji Maharaj ki Jai. The protest is proceeding peacefully under the watchful eye of the police. The protesters too are cooperating by letting traffic proceed without much trouble.

Pune Municipal Transport buses brought to a halt at Deccan in Pune. Protesters are not letting the driver move the bus.

Buses not being allowed to ply on Pune roads

CNN-News18 is reporting that railway services have been halted in Western as well as Central lines in Dadar.

According to reports, today's prelims exam will be conducted on 14 January.

"Caste-related violence is on the rise in the country. We need to find out who has instigated the further protests. The RSS and other Hindutva organisations are trying to drive a wedge between the Marathas and Dalits in the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is silent on the issue, he should come and speak on the floor of the house. He is a 'Mauni Baba' regarding the issue of Dalits. We (Congress) demand an inquiry by a Supreme Court judge," says leader of the Congress party in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge.

Jignesh Mevani has nothing to do with violence

While special trains running between Kurla and CST from platform 3. Meanwhile, Harbour line running on time.

Akash Mane, student leader and Shivajinagar head of Bharat Mukta Morcha, is an arts student at Abasaheb Garware College. He says that Marathas and the Bahujan Samaj are together. "People should know they have the power. This BJP government is a Brahmin government. They are trying to bring communal strife among the Maratha and Bahujan Samaj. We don't want any violence. Media and the police don't pay attention to our issues, so we decided to conduct this rally."

Students belonging to AISA are protesting against the Bhima-Koregaon violence in Maharashtra, reports CNN-News18. The student protesters are demanding judicial probe against those responsible for the violence.

Miscreants pelted stones at trains between Mankhurd and Govandi stations on the Harbour line. No injuries to anyone. Trains more or less empty.

Nilesh Mainkar, a peaceful protester in Pune, says that Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar has his support.

Protesters at Mith Chowky Malad disperse; some stay back, some move towards Marve Road. Vehicles have begun to ply on the road again.

Mumbai-Hyderabad Hussain Sagar Express was held up just before it reached Kurla station.

Police making way for Virar train to arrive at Goregaon. The train towards churchgate was allowed to go after being stopped by protesters for 30 minutes.

Several markets and most schools in the city remained closed with protest marches taken out in many sensitive areas. Joint Commissioner of Police Shivaji Bodhke told PTI that two incidents of stone pelting were reported in the city. A man got injured in stone pelting in New Kamptee area, he said. Protesters blocked a road in Hingna area while tyres were set on fire on roads at some places, he said, adding that tight security arrangements have been made across the city.

A protester in Pune warning everyone to adhere to the bandh and avoid losses

While denying any involvement in the ongoing caste violence in Maharashtra, the right-wing group has blamed the "JNU brigade" for the violence in the state.

This group of protesters is from Kothrud area in Pune. They are marching towards the Ambedkar statue near Pune station.

Protesters from different parts of Pune join the protest

Another instance that shows the clout that Bhide enjoys is when the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis halted his helicopter convoy to meet with Bhide and discuss an "imperative political matter."

In the run-up to the 2014 General Election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Sangli "especially" to meet Bhide and had said that he had come to see 'Guruji' not on his request but on his order. Both Modi and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, top leaders of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra, were seen seeking Bhide's in the run-up to the elections in 2014.

Reports claimed that it's no surprise that the duo haven't been arrested yet as both have deep links with the RSS and wield considerable clout within the ruling dispensation in the state and at the Centre.

On Tuesday, a criminal case was filed against two pro-Hindutva leaders, Milind Ekbote of Samast Hindu Aghadi, and Sambhaji Bhide of Shiv Pratishthan Hindustan, under charges of orchestrating violence during celebrations of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon on Monday. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

However, after the Dalit leaders' group realised that the collector is not in office and their memorandum won't be accepted, agitated Ambedkari Samaj members tried to force their way into collector's office building. Kherwadi Police eventually closed the gates and prevented a break-in when women protesters took lead and tried to barge in.

Ambedkari Samaj, comprising of several Bahujan organisations, had come together to protest the Bhima-Koregaon attack on Monday. A delegation had gone to meet the Mumbai collector and submit a memorandum on the issue.

"We condemn the statement by Law Minister, that we are raising Bhima-Koregaon violence issue to stall the bill. We have been raising the issue of Dalit atrocities as this government is anti-Dalit," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said in Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition, which was demanding the prime minister's statement on the issue, reacted strongly to the statement and Prasad was shouted down.

As pandemonium broke out in the Rajya Sabha soon after the triple talaq bill was introduced, Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the Opposition is using the issue of Bhima-Koregaon violence to deliberately prevent the passage of the bill.

Traffic on Mumbai roads are slowly being restored to normal. According to latest reports, the Western Express Highway, which was chockablocked, until late afternoon has started clearing up. Traffic on Western Expressway near Dahisar Naka and Aarey Junction is moving now, however, the stretch near Thakur village is still clocked. Worli sea face road is clear, however, some traffic is reported from near Worli Naka. Western Suburbs, including borivali, Kandivali and Goregaon are still partially hit by protests.

A group of protesters have surrounded the residence of Milind Ekbote, the man charged for orchestrating violence during celebrations of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon on Monday. A large group of protesters were gathered outside his home in Model Colony area in Pune.

Watch: Dalit groups protest outside residence of Milind Ekbote, the man allegedly behind Bhima-Koregaon incident

Aurangabad Police have begun combing operation at Ambedkar Nagar, Sanjay Nagar, Shambhu Nagar and Jawahar colony area, said a source from police department. Another source claimed that more than 35 miscreants have been taken into custody as a safety measure.

There was an ad shoot lined up for today but it is not happening now. No shoots are currently happening at the studio," a functionary from Mehboob studio said.

A song launch event of Kartik Aryan's upcoming film "Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety" scheduled for today at a popular suburban restaurant was cancelled.

The state-wide bandh called by Dalit groups affected the film and television industry with some shoots being disrupted and others being cancelled as a precautionary measure.

"Unlike those in other states, we in Maharashtra have been responsible. We have not done drastic acts. But despite this, the exploitation of our community has continued. The Peshwa Raj has not ended. Ekbote should be charged with murder. We will protest until that's done. We are not resorting to any sort of violence but are co-operating with the police. We want our voice to be heard," says Nitin Dinkar Shelar, 40, a social worker from Pune.

We respect the sentiments of Dalits, but we condemn the violence in the state. The government must nab the culprits who started communal trouble. Sakal Maratha Kranti Morcha told Hindustan Times .

They also demanded an impartial probe in the matter through a panel headed by former Chief Justice of India, Justice KG Balakrishnan. The protesters demanded the arrest of Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide who, they alleged, were responsible for the violence against the Dalits.

Control of Organised Act. The protesters also demanded permanent police security for the Smriti Stumbh at Bhima Koregaon and compensation worth Rs. one crore to the family of the deceased and Rs.75,000 each to those injured in the violence.

The memorandum demanded that those involved in the violence at Bhima Koregaon be booked under the National Security Act and the Maharashtra

Responding to the call given by Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar, a total bandh was observed in Amravati. Protesters submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister and the Governor through resident deputy collector Nitin Vyavahare.

Tushar said it was his brother's bad luck. " It took one stone to kill my brother. There was heavy stone pelting at Koregaon Bhima. But just that one stone thrown by someone at Sanaswadi snuffed out his life and nobody knows where it came from," he said.

"We have nothing to do with either the celebrations or the protests. We are Maratha. Rahul was coming home to Sanaswadi on his motorcycle early when he came to know that there was trouble and a traffic jam at Koregaon Bhima," his youngest brother Tushar said.

The family of the youth who was killed in Moday's protests told The Times of India that he had nothing to do with the protests.

We are Maratha, he had nothing to do with protest, says family of man who was killed

Devendra Fadnavis says CCTV footage to be monitored to probe incidents of violence

Traffic update as of now: Expect congestion at following roads

"Unlike those in other states, we in Maharashtra have been responsible. We have not done drastic acts. But despite this, the exploitation of our community has continued. The Peshwa Raj has not ended. Ekbote should be charged with murder. We will protest until that's done. We are not resorting to any sort of violence but are co-operating with the police. We want our voice to be heard," says Nitin Dinkar Shelar, 40, a social worker from Pune.

Normal route from South Mumbai to airport through Worli Sea face is clear #TrafficUpdate

We respect the sentiments of Dalits, but we condemn the violence in the state. The government must nab the culprits who started communal trouble. Sakal Maratha Kranti Morcha told Hindustan Times .

They also demanded an impartial probe in the matter through a panel headed by former Chief Justice of India, Justice KG Balakrishnan. The protesters demanded the arrest of Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide who, they alleged, were responsible for the violence against the Dalits.

Control of Organised Act. The protesters also demanded permanent police security for the Smriti Stumbh at Bhima Koregaon and compensation worth Rs. one crore to the family of the deceased and Rs.75,000 each to those injured in the violence.

The memorandum demanded that those involved in the violence at Bhima Koregaon be booked under the National Security Act and the Maharashtra

Responding to the call given by Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar, a total bandh was observed in Amravati. Protesters submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister and the Governor through resident deputy collector Nitin Vyavahare.

Tushar said it was his brother's bad luck. " It took one stone to kill my brother. There was heavy stone pelting at Koregaon Bhima. But just that one stone thrown by someone at Sanaswadi snuffed out his life and nobody knows where it came from," he said.

"We have nothing to do with either the celebrations or the protests. We are Maratha. Rahul was coming home to Sanaswadi on his motorcycle early when he came to know that there was trouble and a traffic jam at Koregaon Bhima," his youngest brother Tushar said.

The family of the youth who was killed in Moday's protests told The Times of India that he had nothing to do with the protests.

We are Maratha, he had nothing to do with protest, says family of man who was killed

Inquiry will be conducted in the incidents of violence that took place across Maharashtra. We are monitoring the CCTV footage of the violence: CM Devendra Fadnavis #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/DNqzPHPC0Y

Devendra Fadnavis says CCTV footage to be monitored to probe incidents of violence

Traffic update as of now: Expect congestion at following roads

A day after Dalit and Maratha groups clashed in Pune on the 200th anniversary celebrations of the historic Koregaon Bhima battle, Dalit protesters staged a protest in parts of suburban Mumbai, a report in Mumbai Mirror said.

The Indian Express reported that Dalit groups, seeking action against those involved in Monday's clashes which killed one and injured several others, called a rasta roko aandolan which affected many parts of Mumbai including Mulund, Chembur, Bhandup, Vikhroli and Kurla.

India Today reported that incidents of stone pelting occurred in Ghatkopar.

According to a report in DNA, tension gripped the Mumbai suburb of Chembur and an eyewitness told the newspaper that when he visited a bank at noon, a group of boys approached the bank and demanded shutters be downed. "The shutters were downed at Chembur station as well," he added.

Eyewitnesses told the newspaper the commotion began at Chembur naka. The police quickly reached the spot and brought the situation under control, DNA reported.

"There are groups of 100 people at Mulund, Chembur, Bhandup, Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar in Vikhroli and Nehru Nagar in Kurla attempting a rasta roko. We have managed to avoid it so far," additional commissioner of police (East Region) Lakhmi Gautam told The Indian Express.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a judicial inquiry into the clashes that took place on Monday, India Today reported.

Monday's violence reportedly occurred after a group carrying saffron flags began pelting stones days after the tombstone of local Dalit hero Govind Gaikwad was vandalised, leading to clashes with groups bearing blue flags.

Section 144 (unlawful assembly) of the Criminal Procedure Code was implemented across Pune district by the collector, Mumbai Mirror reported.

Mumbai Police tweeted:

Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

What is the Battle of Koregaon?

Monday marked the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon, where the Marathas led by Peshwa Bajirao II clashed with the British East India company.

The battle, which took place in Koregaon, a small village 25 kilometres from Pune, pitted 800 British soldiers against 30,000 Marathas on 1 January, 1818. However, fearing that the British may send reinforcements in the form of a larger battalion, the Marathas withdrew after a 12-hour standoff. In all, about 1,000 people died in the battle.

However, the reason this particular skirmish between the British and the Marathas is remembered even today is because the local Mahar community fought alongside the British against the Marathas. Even today, as mentioned in a report in Scroll, many Dalit communities see the battle as being the first step in their struggle against caste-based oppression.

Click here to follow LIVE updates on Mumbai bandh here
As the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill was tabled in the Parliament, the Indian Medical Association called for suspending routine services.

As the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill was tabled in the Parliament, the Indian Medical Association called for suspending routine services on Tuesday to protest against the bill.

The NMC Bill seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. It also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practice allopathy after completing a "bridge course".

However, Devi Shetty  a cardiac surgeon  told CNN-News18 that the bill was being misinterpreted and ayurvedic doctors were not going to be allowed to practise allopathy.

"Nowhere does it (the bill) mention that an ayurvedic doctor can do a bridge course for two years and become an allopathic doctor. It is not part of the bill. If ayurvedic doctors are allowed to be allopathic practitioners, it is unacceptable. And I think it is being misinterpreted," Shetty told the news channel.

#DrDegreeUpgrade - Homeopathic doctors can't become allopaths. Bill doesn't say homeopaths can practice allopathy: Devi Shetty, Cardiac Surgeon pic.twitter.com/9muxT1BMyq  News18 (@CNNnews18) January 2, 2018

On the other hand, IMA president Ravi Wankhedkar spoke against the bill and said the government was treating people in rural areas like "second-class citizens".

#DrDegreeUpgrade - Half-baked doctors can't be sent to rural areas. This is an undemocratic bill: Dr. Ravi Wankhedkar, IMA President pic.twitter.com/RLdVJ6ZRll  News18 (@CNNnews18) January 2, 2018

"These half-baked doctors will be sent to rural areas. Are rural folk second-class citizens of this country? If this government is really serious about increasing the number of doctors, it should start government medical colleges," Wankhedkar said. "You (the government), by this bill, are only promoting privatisation of medical colleges," he added.

"Regulations stipulate that it should cost around Rs 400 crore to set up a medical college. No state government in the country can afford to build a medical college. Main reason for shortage of doctors is the unrealistic regulations imposed on colleges," Shetty said in response.

He also said the bill should be supported because it was good for the people of India. "We should look at what is good for 60 percent of the rural population," he said.

"I think they should clarify certain points. They have to clarify what exactly it is. There is a lot of amibiguity. Some kind of amendment or clarigication. But this bill will make a big difference in delivering health in rural India.
Any professional body performs three key functions: Advancing knowledge, regulating conduct and maintaining a standard of entry. However, if the National Medical Commission Bill 2017 becomes law, this may change.

A professional body represents the people it serves. While it has become fashionable, in the modern economy, to view everything through the lens of "customer service", the primary purpose of a professional body is to serve the needs of professionals and the profession they practice.

Any professional body performs three key functions: Advancing knowledge, regulating conduct and maintaining a standard of entry. The Medical Council of India (MCI) represents medical practitioners across India and regulates the medical profession. Like the Bar Council of India and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, which regulate the legal and accountancy professions respectively, the MCI is largely an elected body with few ex-officio nominated members. However, if the National Medical Commission Bill 2017 becomes law, this may change.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Lok Sabha sent the Bill to a Standing Committee to consider making changes to some of its provisions. This comes in the wake of a strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest the Bill.

The strike is not unjustified. The Bill seeks to replace this elected body with an unelected commission which will be appointed by the Centre. Instead of members who are duly elected by medical practitioners or university medical faculty, the Bill proposes a commission comprising "experts" and ex-officio members appointed by the Centre.

The boards of this commission  most importantly the Ethics Board  will also be staffed by experts who will be appointed by a search committee constituted by the Centre. The Bill also empowers the commission to set the national entrance exam for medical colleges and the licentiate exam for medical practitioners.

This is where it gets highly problematic. The Centre, via this Bill, effectively takes control of everything and takes responsibility for everything which should, ideally, be carried out by an independent professional body.

This is a problem because the government is not suited to run a profession. Giving them this power puts healthcare outcomes at risk. If you give the government the power to determine how doctors practice medicine, then you give it power to use medicine to achieve political goals.

The promotion of a certain form of treatment over another may not become a question of professional judgement but of government interest. Medical research may not line up with what the public requires, but what the government feels expedient.

Professionals would no longer be able to maintain their independence. They would be subject to ethics boards run not by their peers, but people who claim to be their betters (as they are appointed and not elected). The idea of a self-regulated democratic system of knowledge would be defeated.

The fallout of such a politicised system of professional medicine is visible in the Bill itself. According to Section 49:

(1) There shall be a joint sitting of the Commission, the Central Council of Homeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year, at such time and place as they mutually appoint, to enhance the interface between Homeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine.

(2) The agenda for the joint sitting may be prepared with mutual agreement between the Chairpersons of the Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine or be prepared separately by each of them.

(3) The joint sitting referred to in sub-section (1) may, by an affirmative vote of all members present and voting, decide on approving specific educational modules or programmes that may be introduced in the undergraduate course and the postgraduate course across medical systems and to develop bridges across the various systems of medicine and promote medical pluralism.

(4) The joint sitting referred to in sub-section (1) may, by an affirmative vote of all members present and voting, decide on approving specific bridge course that may be introduced for the practitioners of Homoeopathy and of Indian systems of Medicine to enable them to prescribe such modern medicines at such level as may be prescribed.

This is perhaps the most dangerous provision of the Bill. It states that this unelected, government appointed commission may, with the agreement of the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine, prepare a "bridge course". Upon completion of this bridge course, practitioners of Indian medical systems and homeopathy would gain the ability to prescribe allopathic medicine.

The fundamental problem with this provision is, to put it bluntly, that it assists in the licensing of quackery. Alternative systems of medicine are called alternative systems of medicine because that's what they are: Alternatives. They are not medicine.

If they worked, and there was scientific evidence to back that up, they would be medicine. Homeopathy and other alternative systems of medicine are essentially placebos. They continue to be funded by the government because there are far too many special interest groups for the government to actually grow a spine and shut them down.

All over the world, the scientific evidence that these systems are nothing more than quackery is overwhelming. While one can live by denying science, one must remember that it is the same science which made a smallpox vaccine which tells us that there is no evidence that alternative medicine is effective.

In 2016, the Federal Trade Commission, a US consumer watchdog, issued a public service advisory about homeopathic products:

"The bottom line for you? The next time you are on the hunt for over-the-counter medication, keep this in mind: Homeopathic medications are not evaluated for safety or effectiveness by the Food and Drug Administration. Traditional homeopathic products lack reliable scientific evidence for their claims of effectiveness. Homeopathy is based on a theory from the 1700s that is not generally accepted within todays scientific community. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) advises that homeopathy not be used as a replacement for proven conventional care or to postpone seeing a health care provider about a medical problem."

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) had this to say on the subject:

"There have been several reviews of the scientific evidence on the effectiveness of homeopathy. The House of Commons Science and Technology Committee said there is no evidence that homeopathy is effective as a treatment for any health condition.

There is no evidence for the idea that substances that can induce certain symptoms can also help to treat them. There is no evidence for the idea that diluting and shaking substances in water can turn those substances into medicines.

The ideas that underpin homeopathy are not accepted by mainstream science, and are not consistent with long-accepted principles on the way that the physical world works.

The committee's 2010 report on homeopathy said the "like cures like" principle is "theoretically weak", and that this is the "settled view of medical science".

It is of note, for example, that many homeopathic remedies are diluted to such an extent that there is unlikely to be a single molecule of the original substance remaining in the final remedy. In cases such as these, homeopathic remedies consist of nothing but water.

Some homeopaths believe that, due to the succussion process, the original substance leaves an "imprint" of itself on the water. But there is no known mechanism by which this can occur. The 2010 report said: "We consider the notion that ultra-dilutions can maintain an imprint of substances previously dissolved in them to be scientifically implausible.""

Then you have bizarre ideas like this being promoted by the Government of India, which actually argues against evidence-based systems to prove that "alternative medicine" works. They say that you cannot demand that something prove it works 100 percent of the time before it is considered effective. Let's not mistake this for saying that every cure works perfectly all the time. That's not what they are arguing. They are arguing that this standard is western oriented and cannot be applied to ayurveda.

Under this Bill, people who practice pseudo-scientific ideas will be able to complete a bridge course  determined and approved by a government which promotes pseudo-scientific ideas  and prescribe medicine that they have little or no knowledge of. The worst part is that government policy seems to favour pseudo-science to the real thing.

This Bill, if approved by the House in its present form, is a healthcare disaster waiting to happen. It needs urgent reconsideration by the Standing Committee. While it will be many years before India sees a government which has the guts to stand up to the quacks who practice alternative medicine and call themselves doctors, one hopes that this regime will consider if the risk of poisoning its population is worth the advancement of a cultural and political objective.
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The initial part draft of the much-awaited and contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC) was released in Assam on Sunday midnight amid tight security

The initial part draft of the much-awaited and contentious National Register of Citizens (NRC) was released in Assam on Sunday midnight amid tight security. The first draft listed names of 1.9 crore people in the state as "legal" out of a total 3.29 crore applicants, while the rest await further verification.

The government mobilised 85 companies of paramilitary troops and multiple groups of state police were deployed in sensitive areas of the border state as the Registrar General of India (RGI) published the list, which it says will be used to check illegal immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh.

Director general of police Mukesh Sahay told Firstpost on Monday that security arrangements turned out to be adequate, and no "incident of concern" was reported from anywhere in the state. "We are still watchful as the whole process is far from over. We cannot afford to lower our guard yet," Sahay said.

"All stakeholders  the central and state governments, the chief minister, the RGI, security and intelligence agencies  have all been consistently working in tandem to regulate the situation, so we hope to keep this going," he said.

Speaking to Firstpost, state coordinator for NRC in Assam, Prateek Hajela, said that the first day after the draft release has gone well. "The people are largely satisfied, and more importantly, we have been able to abide by the Supreme Court order to release the part draft by the midnight of 31 December," he said.

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.

When asked about reports that said the websites developed glitches through the day, Hajela said the websites did slow down, but did not crash. "There are nine links on the official website. We have already registered around 1.5 crore hits within 24 hours, which is a very, very heavy load. But our servers are still active," he said.

Residents could also find out draft details through SMS. "On Sunday night, we sent out around 1 lakh SMS texts to people pre-registered in the NRC database. Additionally, we have sent out 4 lakh on-demand SMS texts until 8 pm on Monday," Hajela said.

Hajela, the chief state government official in charge of the NRC, said that it would have been ideal to release the complete draft with all entries at once. "But we have done our best to release all names that we could dispose of and were found to be eligible for inclusion until 31 December," he said.

Around 80,000 troops were on the ground on Monday across the state. "The state government has deployed around 40,000 personnel, while other paramilitary forces have also engaged a similar number," DGP Sahay said.

He said that the police kept a close watch on social media platforms to prevent rumours and misinformation from spreading. "We have been closely observing these spaces. We have set right those who were trying to create mischief," he added.

The exercise could lead to communal tensions in Assam, which has the second highest percentage of Muslims of any Indian state. "The NRC is being done to identify illegal Bangladeshis residing in Assam," Himanta Biswa Sarma, Assam's finance minister, who is also in charge of the citizenship register, had said earlier. "All those whose names do not figure in the NRC will have to be deported. We're taking no chances and hence all security measures have been taken," Sarma said.

However, Hajela said there is no need for anyone to panic, and that the remaining names are in various stages of verification. "I would appeal to those who have not found their names in this list to bear with us for some more time. They do not have to do anything; if there's anything they are required to do, we will contact them. Our officers are working day and night," he said.

"The entire process is a statutory exercise carried out in compliance of and in accordance with the provisions of law. Moreover, the highest court of the land itself is independently and closely monitoring the situation. So there is no reason for people to panic," a senior official in the Assam government told Firstpost.

The state police chief and the NRC coordinator also thanked the state's residents for their cooperation. "I would like to place on record my thanks and gratitude to the people of Assam whose support and blessings have helped us achieve such a mammoth task. I also commend the work of officials and security personnel at work today," the official added.

Hajela said, "I thank the people of Assam for their cooperation in this extremely ambitious task. Such an exercise has not been undertaken anywhere in the country  I can safely say that  and maybe in the world."
In a brief one minute video clip, Rajinikanth thanked all those who welcomed his political plunge.

Taking one step further towards launching a party, top actor Rajinikanth on 1 January 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 Play Store 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 actors audio-visual message in print featured prominently the associations 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 Haasans 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 AIADMK regime over alleged corruption drawing the ire of ministers.
Palwal Superintendent of Police Sulochna Kumari said as soon as the police received information, they started sending people, who were either sleeping or working outside, indoors.

Palwal: A retired Army official, believed to be mentally unstable, allegedly bludgeoned six persons to death with a rod and also attacked policemen in the early hours in Palwal on Tuesday, police said.

The accused, identified as Naresh Dhankhad (45), went on a rampage between 2 to 4 am in a 2 km stretch between Agra Chowk and Camp Colony. A resident of Macchgar near Ballabhgarh, Dhankad, after retiring from the Army on voluntary grounds, was working with the Agriculture Department as a CDO, a police spokesperson said.

His first victim was a woman named Anjum who was sleeping outside a private hospital here and her killing was recorded on a CCTV camera in the area. He then went to Agra Road intersection where he killed three more people. Then a little farther, he killed two others. Some of the bodies have not been identified yet.

Palwal Superintendent of Police Sulochna Kumari said as soon as the police received information, they started sending people, who were either sleeping or working outside, indoors.

After the day broke, police personnel saw the accused and when they attempted to nab him, he attacked. The injured police personnel were referred to Faridabad for treatment, she said.

He did not attempt to loot anyone and the people he targeted were security guards, beggars or the poor, she said. Dhankad, after his arrest, was taken to the civil hospital from where doctors referred him to Faridabad. His psychological evaluation would be carried out.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Lohan said prima facie it seemed that he carried out the killings without a reason. High alert has been issued in the city, the police spokesperson said.
The seeds of many positive changes were sown in 2017 and could bring news to cheer Indians in 2018.

The seeds of many positive changes were sown in 2017 and could bring news to cheer Indians in 2018. The country stepped up its battle against tuberculosis and the number of those affected by the most widespread infectious disease in India may fall. The fall in infant and maternal mortality rates seen in 2017 may improve further over the new year. The government declared its intention take on the problem of scavenger deaths that hit 102 in 2017 by monitoring the problem more closely and penalising negligent contractors more severely. And the Supreme Court verdict on right to privacy could have an impact on how we look at many personal freedoms.

Govts renewed fight against TB, most widespread infectious disease in India

The government, in March 2017, increased its focus on tuberculosis (TB)a preventable airborne infectious disease that killed 423,000 Indians in 2016with the release of the National Strategic Plan for Elimination of Tuberculosis.

The plan is to reduce the incidence of TB from 217 new cases per 100,000 in 2015 to fewer than 44 new cases by 2025. As part of this plan, funding for TB prevention and care doubled from $280 million in 2016 to $525 million in 2017.

Source: World Health Organization reports in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017.

The government also changed the TB treatment drug regimenfrom multiple drugs at a time to a single daily dose in a fixed dose combination. Daily doses are considered more effective than alternate day doses of several pills as recommended earlier by the governments Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme.

The government also introduced flavoured fixed dose medicines for children, in 100 pilots across the country, according to this article in The Hindu.

Further, the government started rolling out universal drug sensitivity testing for all TB patients to detect drug resistance to rifampicin, the main anti-TB drug, as reported by The Hindu. This will be aided by the increase in the number of cartridge-based Nucleic Acid Amplification Test machines which help detect drug-resistant TB.

India has a long way to go in eliminating tuberculosis, new cases of which reduced to 2.7 million in 2016, down 3.57 percent from 2.8 million in 2015, according to data from the World Health Organisation.

To achieve its goal of TB elimination, India needs to reduce its incidence by 10 percent every year, as IndiaSpend reported in November 2017. For this, the government needs to include the private sector which treats at least half of the TB cases in the country. It also needs to improve treatment completion and cure rates through counselling, offer social support to TB patients, and actively find patients in high-risk communities.

Source: World Health OrganizationNote: The increase in cases and deaths between 2014 and 2015 can also be attributed to better counting.

Declining infant, maternal mortality

In 2016, there were 90,000 fewer infants deaths than 2015 and the infant mortality rate too declined by 8 percent in the same period, IndiaSpend reported in September 2017.

The gender disparity in infant deaths is also closing; in 2016, the infant mortality rate was 33 per 1,000 for boys and 36 per 1,000 for girls; in 2015, the figures were 35 and 39 respectively, the difference between the genders was less than 10 percent.

There were reductions in maternal mortality too. By 2013, Indias maternal mortality ratio was lower than the global average. From 254 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2004-06, the ratio fell to 167 in 2013. The global average in 2016 remained higher at 179.

The percentage of institutional deliveries in India rose  from 39 percent in 2005-06 to 79 percent in 2015-16, according to the National Family Health Survey data. But infant mortality and under-five mortality were higher than global average, IndiaSpend reported in September 2017.

India prevented 1 million deaths among children under five years of age between 2005 and 2015. Three million more deaths could have been prevented had all of India performed as well as some states, IndiaSpend reported in September 2017.

Interventions, including timely treatment of diarrhoea, vaccinations for tetanus and measles, and an increase in hospital births enabled this improvement, said experts.

Indias next challenge is to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals on child and neonatal mortality. These goals were agreed upon under the United Nations Development Programme and involve the reduction of child mortality to 25 per 1,000 live births and neonatal mortality to 12 per 1,000 live births.

This would require an average annual decline of 4.1 percent in child mortality and 5.3 percent in neonatal mortality from 2015 onwards. India could achieve this by improving education, antenatal care and nutrition, and reducing maternal anaemia and tobacco use, as mentioned earlier.

Govt plans to begin scavenger count, penalise contractors for deaths

In 2017, a year that saw about nine deaths every month because of manual scavenging, India finally decided to have an official count of how many people clean sewer lines in violation of laws banning such practices.

In 2017, 102 workers were reported to have died while cleaning sewer lines manually, a task banned in 1993 by the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act. The penalties on scavenging increased in 2013 through the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act.

On 21 March, 2017, Safai Karmachari Andolan (Sanitation Workers Movement) wrote to the home ministry to direct the National Crime Records Bureau to count such deaths separately, Newsclick reported on 28 March, 2017. The Andolan is a body that fights the practice of forcing dalits, lowest on the Hindu caste hierarchy, to clean others excreta.

The National Safai Karmacharis Finance and Development Corporationa not-for-profit under the social justice ministry incorporated on 24 January, 1997, to help sanitation workers get out of manual scavenging  will survey 15 major states over six months to determine how many are still trapped in scavenging. This was decided by social justice minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot on 14 November, 2017, Scroll.in reported on 15 November, 2017.

The number of people forced to clean latrines manually remains unclear.

As many as 180,000 people still clean latrines manually. Of this, 1,470 have died since 2010, claimed Safai Karmachari Andolans Bezwada Wilson, winner of the 2016 Ramon Magsaysay award, as per this New Indian Express report on 10 October, 2017.

States claim there are about 13,000 manual scavengers, of whom 270 have died, according to data presented to social justice minister Gehlot on 14 November, 2017, according to the Scroll.in report.

State governments have to pay Rs 10 lakh to families of workers who die while cleaning sewers, according to a 27 March, 2014, Supreme Court order. The government is set to mandate that contractors and private individuals also pay another Rs 10 lakh each to such families, according to the Scroll.in report.

The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Campaign), the Modi governments sanitation scheme launched on 2 October, 2014, had increased the workload on sanitation workers without any improvement in their lives, Milind Ranade, general secretary of Mumbais sanitation workers union, told IndiaSpend on 17 June, 2017.

Verdict on right to privacy could impact many personal freedoms

In a historic verdict, a nine-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court ruled the right to privacy is a fundamental right under the Indian Constitution on 24 August, 2017.

The right to privacy is protected as an intrinsic part of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 and as a part of the freedoms guaranteed by Part III of the Constitution, wrote Justice JS Khehar, then chief justice of India (CJI), heading the constitution bench.

This ruling holds significance for the future of Aadhaar, the governments 12-digit biometric identification programme that intends to link with all schemes and services citizens avail of, as IndiaSpend reported on 30 March, 2017.

The Supreme Court has yet to rule on a clutch of petitions challenging the Aadhaar bill. In the meantime, the government continues to mandatorily link bank accounts, mobile services and welfare schemes to Aadhaar. This is despite the apex courts right to privacy verdict and an interim order it formerly issued in 2015 that held Aadhaar enrolment voluntary.

In a recent hearing on the matter, the Supreme Court extended the deadline for Aadhaar linking by three months to 31 March, 2018, the Mint reported on 16 December, 2017.

Chief Justice Dipak Misra observed that the courts earlier orders were passed based on the governments executive decisions, and now needed to be tested against the Aadhaar Act notified on 26 March, 2016. The apex court will begin hearing final arguments on the programmes legality on 17 January, 2017.

Various sections of civil society have opposed the Aadhaar programme over privacy and security concerns. Personal information obtained under the programme could be misused and deprived sections of the the Indian population without access to Aadhaar enrolment may be further marginalised, they have pointed out.

Apart from the Aadhaar programme, the right to privacy judgement is also likely to affect future judgements on cases related to freedom of sexual orientation, right to eat what one wants to, right to medically terminate a pregnancy, freedom to criticise the government and right to control dissemination of personal information in the physical and virtual world, among others as IndiaSpend reported on 24 August, 2017.

In arguing the fundamental nature of the right to privacy, the constitution bench also referred to the diverse contexts of previous cases that ranged from telephone tapping, to disclosure of HIV status, food preferences and animal slaughter, scientific tests in criminal investigation, disclosure of bank accounts held overseas, and transgender rights.
Rohingya crisis: Caught between Myanmar Army and rebel group, refugees in Mizoram hope for better future but are reluctant to return

Myanmar refugees in Mizoram who were evicted from their homes late in November are reluctant to return to their villages as they fear escalation of conflict between the Myanmar Army and a rebel outfit called the Arakan Army.

The repatriation, which was planned last week, had to be stalled after large scale opposition from members of the displaced Zhakai community (as identified by locals). They are Buddhist tribals belonging to the Chin community and speak the same language as the Lai in Mizoram who are mainly Christians.

Lawngtlai deputy commissioner Arun T said that village councils have been approached to convince the refugees to return to their villages. An official in Mizoram police said some migrants expressed a willingness to return home after a few weeks, depending on the situation.

Around 1,600 Myanmar refugees have been rehabilitated in Lawngtlai district, about 280 kilometres south of Mizorams capital Aizawl, after they crossed the border to the northeastern state on 25 November.

Most of them who did not have relatives across the border were put up in school buildings and community halls in Zochachhuah, Laitlang, Dumzautlang and Hmawngchhuah across the district.

Relief including food and clothes were distributed to refugees by the district administration, Assam Rifles and local organisations such as Young Lai Association (YLA) and Mizoram Thalai Kristian Pawl (MTKP), the youth wing of the Baptist Church of Mizoram.

The crisis erupted at Paletwa after 11 soldiers of the Myanmar Army were reportedly killed on the Kaladan river after being ambushed by the Arakan Army on the border of Myanmar's Chin and Rakhine State. The fierce encounter that subsequently followed affected several villages and forced inhabitants to flee.

Paletwa is located northeast of the Rohingya heartland in Rakhine State of Myanmar where the military has launched a crackdown following a raid on police outposts by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) with the assistance of local villagers on August 25.

The subversive activities of the Arakan Army and the areas controlled by them is a cause of concern for India since the multi-crore Kaladan Multi Modal Project is being implemented in the region where the rebel group has been increasing its presence. The scheme, which aims at providing an outlet to the landlocked North East, has already suffered delays with some necessary approvals being held up by the Myanmar government. The disturbed conditions in Paletwa and the surrounding region could further retard its progress and all indications point to the resumption of hostilities sooner or later.

Arakan Army is a rebel outfit of local Buddhists founded on 10 April, 2009. It is the armed wing of the United League of Arakan, and led by its commander-in-chief Twan Mrat Naing. It has not yet signed the ceasefire agreement with Tatmadaw (Myanmars armed forces) and is part of an alliance of rebel armies called the Northern Alliance.

A report in The Irrawaddy said the Arakan Army joined the war against the Tatmadaw in Kokang and Kachin states where the Arakan Army recruited many members in the jade mining area of Hpakant. Arakanese migrant workers in Mongla near the Chinese border and northern Shan State are also a source of recruitment for the group.

Sources revealed that the rebels have been strengthening their base in at two locations along the border of Chin and Rakhine State for past two years. The current clashes began in the first week of November after the Tatmadaw moved large columns near the region where the rebel cadres have pitched tent.

They (Arakan Army) have amassed quite a large quantity of weapons in a short span according to the inputs we have received and their cadre strength has also gone up. This is quite interesting since all these activities cost quite a lot of money, the source explained. The possibility of this groups involvement in the narcotics trade cannot be ruled out, the source added.

Rajeev Bhattacharyya is a senior journalist based in Guwahati and author of Rendezvous With Rebels: Journey to Meet Indias Most Wanted Men
With just weeks to go for S Jaishankar's tenure as foreign secretary to end, focus will be on his contribution to India's foreign policy establishment.

With just weeks to go for S Jaishankar's tenure as foreign secretary to end, focus will be on his contribution to India's foreign policy establishment.

The fact that Jaishankar was dramatically propelled to the top post was itself a testimony to his worth to the current dispensation at the Centre. Moreover, he was given an extension by the Narendra Modi government last year. Various media reports have already called Jaishankar Modi's unofficial foreign policy advisor.

Nevertheless, many of Jaishankar's predecessors too have played a key role in shaping India's foreign policy in the 21st Century.

Lalit Mansingh (1999 to 2001)

A highly-distinguished diplomat, Mansingh took over just days after Atal Bihari Vajpayee stormed back to power in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls.

While India was reeling under sanctions in the aftermath of the 1998 nuclear tests, it was during Mansingh's tenure that Vajpayee made the ice-breaking visit to the US in September 2000.

In addition to his term as foreign secretary, Mansingh also helped in nurturing India-US ties under the Bush regime.

Kanwal Sibal

The 1966-batch IFS officer's tenure will mostly be remembered for Vajpayee's path-breaking visit to China, which led to considerable normalisation in bilateral relations as well as the historic visit of Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon in September 2003. It was also in his tenure that India refused to send troops to Iraq in the aftermath of US' invasion of the country. 

Shyam Saran (2004 to 2006)

Like incoming foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale and Jaishankar, Saran was an experienced hand in dealing with China.

As foreign secretary, Saran was at the forefront of negotiating the India-US nuclear deal, which was signed in July 2005. As foreign secretary, Saran focused on ensuring that India got the best of the deal, with a waiver from NSG over not signing the NPT.

After his retirement too, Saran continued to work on the nuclear deal as Manmohan Singh's special envoy.

Shiv Shankar Menon (2006-2009)

Menon, who came from a family of distinguished diplomats, was handpicked by the Manmohan government in 2006. Along with Saran and Jaishankar, it was Menon as the foreign secretary who led the initiative to seal the India-US nuclear deal.

In a significant development, it was during his term that India and Pakistan decided to rejuvenate the peace process after General Pervez Musharraf's exit in 2007.

In October 2008, both arch-rivals allowed cross-LoC trade as a "confidence building measure." However, the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks did not help matters improve between the two countries.

Nirupama Rao

Rao had a distinguished career with many feathers in her cap: The first woman envoy to Beijing, the first woman spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs and the second woman foreign secretary. As the head of the diplomatic corps, Rao, as noted by The Tribune, had to deal with the immediate neighbourhood.

Rao, to her credit, was responsible for kick-starting the peace process with Pakistan in 2011. It was also during her tenure that India was elected to the UNSC as a non-permanent member with the highest votes.

S Jaishankar (2015 to present)

In Jaishankar, the prime minister found a man who was on the same page as him and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, a January 2017 Firstpost article noted.

With experience in handling the US  he was India's envoy to Washington DC before taking over as foreign secretary  as well as China considering he was one of the longest serving ambassadors to China, Jaishankar fit well into Modi's view of having closer economic ties with both countries.

Jaishankar will be remembered for three major contibutions to India's foreign policy:

1) India's open engagement with the US-led Western world, keeping aside the now irrelevant stance of non-alignment, as noted by Hindustan Times.

2) India's embrace of "regional initiatives" by focussing on regional initiatives like BIMSTEC, after SAARC remained a non-starter after 2016.

In October 2017, he called SAARC a "jammed vehicle" and added that members of the BIMSTEC are "broadly aligned" and "articulate similar aspirations".

3) The upswing in India-Israel relations as Modi became the first prime minister to visit the Jewish state. At the end of the three-day visit, India had upgraded its relationship with Israel to strategic partnership.

With inputs from PTI
The latest developments to have thrown security agencies into a tizzy is the number of youths joining JeM and the group's growing control in south Kashmir

The deadly pre-dawn raid by a group of fidayeen attackers who caused mayhem at a training facility of CRPF in Awantipora on Sunday, killing five jawans before being gunned down, is an ominous indication that Pakistan based militant outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad  that claimed the attack  may have wrested control of south Kashmir from the Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba.

But what has shocked everyone more here is the presence of two Kashmiri militants among the squad of three that carried out the attack. Earlier suicide attacks by JeM were carried out mostly by Pakistani militants and most of the attacks took place on the Line of Control, however, what has alarmed the security establishment is the involvement of local youths in the pre-dawn suicide attack that finally ended on Monday evening with the killing of the third Pakistani militant.

While there have been past instances of fidayeen attackers unleashing themselves against security forces in Kashmir. this is the first time in at least 14 years that local youths have been inducted into death squads by JeM and trained to embark on suicide missions. The attackers were heavily armed gunmen who used automatic weapons to fire grenades and bullets while gaining access to the training centre in Awantipora of Pulwama district in south Kashmir that has witnessed a massive surge in local youths joining militancy over the past two years.

The footprints left by the attackers unveil a careful strategy into which many weeks of planning may have been invested. The selection of the target  a highly-barricaded Commando Training Centre (CTC) in Lethpora village  also gives an insight into the audacity of the attackers and their levels of motivation. Even the DGP, Jammu and Kashmir Police, SP Vaid, admitted that the militants were planning to carry out an attack on a high-value target.

On Monday, thousands of people participated in the funeral procession of one of the three attackers, identified as 16-year-old, Class X student, Fardeen Ahmad Khanday, a resident of the Tral area of Pulwama, the hometown of Burhan Wani. Interestingly, his father works for the Jammu and Kashmir Police. The other militant is Manzoor Ahmad Baba, who lived in the Drabgam area of Pulwama. It was not immediately verifiable as to when they joined militancy but Fardeen, according to his family, was a "new entrant".

"Now we will have to search Kashmiri children on the streets, who knows they might be wearing a suicide bombing vest," a senior police officer told Firspost on Monday, "The problem is you can kill a militant trapped inside a building, but what do you do with the man who wants to kill himself?"

Security forces saw JeM as a militant group that was the easiest to infiltrate. The infiltration of informers into the group led to its decline in Kashmir. By mid-2013, the group was on the verge of extinction  its lowest point since formation 14 years ago. Last week, when government forces killed one of the most wanted commanders of the organisation  Noor Muhammad Tantray alias Noor Trali in a gunfight in the Samboora area of Pampore, his death was a cause of celebration for forces because he was seen as a master recruiter for the JeM. Trali, 47, who was on a parole in a militancy case dating back to 2000 when he joined the militant outfit, was instrumental in attracting cadres into the organisation. This time, the recruits were locals.

Sunday's deadly attack, security agencies believe, was in retaliation to Tralis killing. Two years ago, there were hardly any JeM cadres operating in the Valley. The Jammu and Kashmir Police also seemed to be clueless about the number of men the organisation had under its fold. A senior police official told Firstpost last year that the numbers could be between 10 to 15. Since then, two dozen JeM militants have been killed in the Valley and the outfit has gone from strength to strength.

The outfit was back on the radar of security agencies in the Valley after its members carried out the attacks, including one on Pulwama district lines in which eight police and paramilitary forces, and three militants were killed in 2017. It was followed by the suicide attack on BSF camp outside the high security Srinagar airport, in which a BSF official and three militants were killed.

Infiltration is a key factor in JeM's swelling ranks. To increase the foothold of the organisation in the Valley, the outfits chief Masood Azhar even sent his nephew, Talha Rashid, to fight in the Valley. But he remained a non-starter and was killed in an encounter in Pulwama  the same district in which militants carried out the latest pre-dawn attack on Sunday. Vaid said on Sunday that 206 militants  of them 85 locals and 121 foreigners  were killed during encounters with government forces in 2017.

He said there was a "downward trend" of local youth joining militancy in the Valley. But he refused to answer questions on how the JeM was able to increase the foothold, despite a massive crackdown by forces against militants in the Valley. But the latest developments to have thrown security agencies into a tizzy is the increasing number of youths joining JeM and the group's growing control in south Kashmir. Now, since it has turned out that two out of three all three attackers on CTC were local Kashmiri militants, it opens a new chapter in the so called new-age militancy in the Valley.
Ishrat Jahan, a 31-year-old anti-triple talaq crusader who had moved the Supreme Court against the practice, says she joined the BJP because it's the only party which understood the pain of Muslim women like her

In April 2014, Ishrat Jahan, a mother of four children, received a phone call from her husband in Dubai, who uttered the word talaq three times  "talaq, talaq, talaq", he said over the phone, and her life virtually came to an end. Her 15-year marriage ended in one snap. But it didn't end there. Her husband, who had allegedly married another woman by then, also took their children away from Jahan. But instead of surrendering herself to her fate, she chose to fight it legally.

Jahan was one of the five petitioners who moved the Supreme Court following a similar battle with triple talaq  the others being Shayara Bano, Gulshan Parveen, Aafreen Rehman and Atiya Sabri.

On 22 August, 2017, in a historic judgment, the Supreme Court banned the controversial practice that allows Muslim men to divorce their wives instantly by uttering the word talaq three times. A five-judge bench ruled that the practice of instant triple talaq was unconstitutional and against the teachings of Islam.

The NDA government took it forward, and the Lok Sabha passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriages) Bill 2017 on 28 December, making instant triple talaq illegal with up to three years in jail for the husband.

Jahan, now 31, a resident of Howrah in West Bengal, where she lives with her eight-year-old son, joined the state BJP on 30 December. Speaking to Firstpost, the anti-triple talaq crusader narrated her ordeal, her reason for joining the BJP and her future plans.

After Supreme Court's verdict in August, you were considered a crusader against triple talaq. But what made you join the BJP? Was there any pressure on you to do so?

No, there was no pressure from anyone. I joined the BJP on my own as I deeply believe that the triple talaq bill that the government has introduced will prevent Muslim women from receiving instant talaq. I'm very happy with this move because no political party has taken the initiative to address this problem though Muslim women have been facing this for decades. It's Modiji who showed the resolve to solve our issue. Hence, I decided to join the BJP and work for this cause.

Several Muslim clerics and Opposition parties like Congress, AIMIM, TMC etc have raised concerns over the bill and demanded the 'criminality clause' be scrapped.

They have opposed the bill because they don't want to hurt their vote bank  the Muslim population, where males are the decision-makers. It's nothing but vote-bank politics, and no one cares about the pathetic condition of Muslim women who face instant talaq.

But these parties have justified their stand saying that if the accused husband goes to jail, he would be deprived of an income, and therefore have reasons to not pay compensation to his wife.

The law should be such that the accused husband should first be made to pay compensation to his wife and then sent to jail. The man must be jailed for causing so much harassment and mental agony to a woman by uttering the word talaq.

Did West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee support you?

It was really surprising that our chief minister Mamataji, despite being a woman, one who speaks for the Muslim cause, didn't even bother about my suffering. Forget lending support, nobody from TMC even approached me to enquire about my condition. I fought the battle all alone, with no support from any quarter.

Why did you choose to join a political party rather than work as a social activist?

While fighting my case, I realised how difficult it is to fight alone, especially in a male-dominated community. I joined politics so that I can work for the betterment of our Muslim sisters. It's the BJP which has understood the pain that we Muslim women undergo due to triple talaq. You always live under a threat that your husband may utter talaq three times as per his whim and your life will end there. The All India Muslim Law Board (AIMLB) knew well that this practice was against the Quran, yet they didn't stop it. It has been going on for decades, making the condition of Muslim women deplorable.

Why didn't you approach any cleric or maulana after your husband uttered talaq over the phone from Dubai?

I didn't know any cleric or maulana. Nor did I know anything about the law. Why didn't a maulana contact me after learning about my problem? It's because they didn't want to go against this prevailing social evil. I wasn't ready to accept the situation. I wanted justice and wanted my children back from my husband. I wanted maintenance for their upbringing. That's when I decided to take legal help. My lawyer moved my petition to the lower court and then to the Supreme Court.

What was the reaction of the people you know from your community, after they learnt about your decision to move court?

I was virtually ostracised. Nobody spoke in my support, as it was expected. After the Supreme Court's verdict last year, I was insulted, threatened and abused by neighbours and my in-laws. My character was targeted. It was an ordeal.

Were you supported by your family members?

No. Even my parents, who live in Bihar, did not support me. It was a lonely battle that I fought alone with my eight-year-old son.

Are you planning to contest elections in West Bengal?

No, I don't have any such plan right now. At present, I only want to work for my Muslim sisters, or anybody facing a situation like I did. I am confident once this bill becomes law, it would provide a massive safeguard to Muslim women against social evils such as triple talaq, dowry and domestic violence.
Veteran diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale has been appointed as the next Foreign Secretary of India. Gokhale will be succeeding S Jaishankar, who will be demitting office on 28 January 2018.

Diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale has been appointed as the next Foreign Secretary of India. Gokhale will be succeeding S Jaishankar, who will be demitting office on 28 January, 2018.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved Gokhale's appointment on Monday. The diplomat, who is currently secretary (economic relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, will serve a two-year term.

In his three-decade-long career, Gokhale has served in Germany, Hong Kong, Vietnam, United States and China.

Born in January 1959, Gokhale completed his MA in History from University of Delhi before joining the Indian Foreign Service in 1981.

A China expert

Like Jaishankar, Gokhale is perhaps known for being one of the few China experts in the Ministry of External Affairs. According to The Economic Times, Gokhale has the rare distinction of having served as India's representative in People's Republic of China as well as Republic of China (Taiwan).

After serving in Hong Kong in his early days as a diplomat, Gokhale returned to China as India's envoy in 2016.

Gokhale served as India's Ambassador to China between January 2016 to October 2017. The veteran diplomat rose to prominence in his final ambassadorial assignment. It was during his 21-month tenure in China that the Doka La standoff took place.

As noted by Deccan Herald, Gokhale played his role efficiently, co-ordinating with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Jaishankar to end the deadlock with China.

The report noted that as India's representative in Beijing, Gokhale stood his ground during the several rounds of negotiations with the Chinese.

According to an opinion piece in The Print, Gokhale, along with Jaishankar and current Indian envoy to China Gautam Bambawale, is leading the charge to fundamentally change India's policy towards China.

"In their books, it was only a matter of time because the change was fundamental. And so, India must articulate its positions clearly, leaving nothing to ambiguity or chance," the article noted.

Given his successful China stint, there were already reports of him taking over from Jaishankar. Gokhale is also currently the senior-most diplomat after Jaishankar.

Other diplomatic experience

Other than China, Gokhale has also served as India's ambassador to Malaysia between 2010 and 2013. After his stint at Kuala Lumpur, Gokhale replaced Sujatha Singh  who took over as the foreign secretary  as India's top diplomat in Berlin. He continued to be India's ambassador to Germany till January 2016.

At the MEA

Gokhale, a Mandarin speaker, has also served in the Ministry of External Affairs. He has served as Deputy Secretary (Finance), Director (China and East Asia) and Joint Secretary (East Asia). In the latter two assignments too, Gokhale had to deal with China and its neighbouring countries.

With inputs from PTI
In the aftermath of Kumar Vishwas posting his over 13-minute We the Nation, Bold and Straight-Forward video on YouTube and tweeting about it, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting of National Executive at his residence. There, his protege Alok Agarwal argued that Vishwas, the poet-turned-politician ought to be suspended from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the contents of his video targeting Kejriwal.

In the aftermath of Kumar Vishwas posting his over 13-minute We the Nation, Bold and Straight-Forward video on YouTube and tweeting about it, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal held a meeting of National Executive at his residence.

There, his protege Alok Agarwal argued that Vishwas, the poet-turned-politician ought to be suspended from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the contents of his video targeting Kejriwal.

A leader present at the meeting told Firstpost that Agarwal seemed to have Kejriwal's blessing. But Vishwas challenged Agarwal's contention and sought a vote by all those present. In that video, posted in April, Vishwas said "If, in Delhi, you form a government on the anti-corruption plank with the promise of freedom from corruption and fall silent and try to protect your own people when they come under the scanner, you will be questioned by people."

While Kejriwal publicly gave Vishwas the thumbs up for such candid talk, a source said that privately, he was extremely upset. Agarwal is said to be extremely close to Kejriwal and happens to be the AAP's coordinator for Madhya Pradesh.

A source revealed that when Vishwas continued with his principled talks with party workers, Kejriwal purportedly told him: "I will finish you but I will not turn you into a martyr". Party leaders are familiar with Kejriwals temperament. Kejriwal, it should be noted, could be heard saying  when Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav were showing signs of leading a rebellion  in a leaked audio tape that the duo ought to be kicked onto their back and thrown out. But Kejriwal seems to have learnt from past mistakes and devised a new method to marginalise Vishwas and (for now) Ashutosh.

By trashing Vishwas and Ashutosh's  the two most vocal and articulate leaders  candidature for Rajya Sabha, Kejriwal did exactly what he promised to his colleague and longtime friend: Finished Vishwas political career (in a manner of speaking) and put Ashutosh in cold storage.

Kejriwal instead placed his trust in two practically unknown persons, Sushil Gupta and ND Gupta, to catapult them to Upper House of Parliament. The third person who Kejriwal intends to send to Parliament is Sanjay Singh. Going by the numbers AAP has in Delhi Assembly (66 out of 70), all three candidates will be elected unopposed.

Though their names have not been officially announced, a number of senior leaders in AAP confirmed this to Firstpost. The official announcement will be made on Wednesday evening after a meeting of partys political affairs committee, which Kejriwal will chair after his return from vacation.

What compounds the shock value is Kejriwals preference for the unknowns (Sushil Gupta and ND Gupta) at the cost of Vishwas and Ashutosh. Who is Sushil Gupta? Who is ND Gupta?" is the common refrain. Party leaders are at a loss to explain what prompted their chief to select them for the coveted parliamentary post.

Little is known of Sushil and ND Gupta. Sushil threw a New Year's party for all AAP MLAs at his residence which the Chief Minister's Office gave the go ahead.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a prominent AAP leader said Kejriwals choice of names for the Rajya Sabha meant two things: Firstly, the party has sold out. It is no longer the party which emerged out of public movement for transparency, probity and anti-corruption. It is for people to see and draw their own conclusions as to how and why Sushil Gupta and ND Gupta have been chosen over dedicated seniors who were part of the organisation since the days it was a movement. Looking at their selection, one wonders how tickets were distributed during the Punjab election.

Second, today a supremo culture prevails in AAP. Kejriwal never built the party the way a structured organisation is built. He calls himself a convener in a party of volunteers where everyone was equal, but he has made it one-man show. His every wish is a command for the party and his word is law. The party which was formed on ideals of democracy and claimed to offer alternative to politics as usual has been reduced to the whims and fancies of one man. It is a dictatorship."

Who are Sushil Gupta and ND Gupta?

Sushil Gupta is a Delhi-based businessman who is worth over Rs 164 crore. He was associated with Congress. He fought 2013 Delhi Assembly election on Congress ticket from Motinagar constituency.

Despite sparing no expense, he lost that race handily and faded into oblivion. He joined the AAP a month ago, but party insiders didn't read much into that. The media didn't give it much space in print either.

ND Gupta is a chartered accountant. Among the AAP brass, opinions on his professional credentials is varied. It is interesting to note that his nomination to the Rajya Sabha comes at a time when the AAP is embroiled with income tax notices over fund raising allegedly done through dubious means.

Another senior party leader said Kejriwal decided about Rajya Sabha nominations before he left for his vacation. Three party leaders  Satyendra Jain and MLAs Shiv Charan Goel and Rajesh Gupta  were tasked with meeting party MLAs individually and convincing them of Sushil and ND Guptas worth before Kejriwal returned and held the meeting. Though there is great deal of resentment among party leaders and workers, there is no sign of an open revolt. Yet.

Vishwas who had likened himself to Abhimanyu of Mahabharata is angry, but is maintaining a studied silence. His supporters are, however, venting their ire against Kejriwal. Vishwas stature, his popularity within and outside of the party was intolerable to Kejriwal, one close supporter said.

Vishwas raising the red flag on partys tilt towards pro-Khalistan elements during Punjab elections; him taking a nationalist position on Indian Armys surgical strike across Line of Control (LoC), a stand which challenged Kejriwals demand for proof; and his idea that Kejriwal and team must focus on governance rather than spending all their time and energy in finding faults with Prime Minister Narendra Modi were three tipping points against Vishwas for the AAP boss.

Various incidents over the past few months: AAP national council meeting, Foundation Day public meeting and Vishwas' supporters holding a dharna at AAP's party office in New Delhi were indicative that the trust deficit between Kejriwal and Vishwas was fast reaching the point of no return. Vishwas, through his words and actions, portrayed himself as the only one in the party holding the torch for truth and morality.

Remember, Kejriwal and Vishwas were once close. Kejriwals deputy Manish Sisodia and Vishwas have been friends for the past four decades. They've known each other since primary school. But, as they say in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies.
020118SDA Pathfinders congress aims at transformation

By- Theresa Baranangko

The Seventh Day Adventist Pathfinders from the 10 Seventh day Adventist Local Mission in Papua New Guinea will be hosting a Pathfinder congress at Bautama in Port Moresby from the 7th to 13th January 2018.

According to the Bougainville Mission Pathfinder travel Coordinator, Mr Raka Benson, the 10 Local Mission pathfinders who will be attending the Congress includes, Southern Highlands Mission, Western Highlands Mission, eastern Highlands Simbu Mission, east sepik mission, Madang Manus Mission, Central Papua Mission, North East Papua Mission, North Papua Mission, New Britian New Ireland and Bougainville mission.

He said that at total of 117 members will be travelling with a total of 20 Church leaders from the Bougainville Mission to participate in the congress.

Mr Raka said that the Member for South Bougainville have funded the South Bougainville SDA pathfinder club while the other Districts in Bougainville were able to meet their own travelling cost which is a total of K1453.00 plus Registration fees which is K300 for early registration and K350 for late registration.

The Five yearly congresses is designed by the Adventist Mission to create an avenue for young Pathfinders between the ages of 10  15 where they can be spiritually mentored and spiritually directed by church leaders to find the spiritual path that would guide them in todays world.

He said that the Team of the Congress which is Chosen to serve is the highlight of the congress which means that each person are chosen by the Lord to serve in different ways at different level.

Mr Raka said that the diversity of culture during such event can be a help to the pathfinders so they can broaden their minds and understand their values and their importance in the community.

Ends//


Two key electoral contests later this month will tell us how the Congress and BJP approach the semi-final of Indian politics  Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, scheduled for December 2018

Two key electoral contests later this month will tell us how the Congress and BJP approach the semi-final of Indian politics  Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, scheduled for December 2018.

By-elections for two key constituencies in Rajasthan  Alwar and Ajmer  are to be held on 29 January. The two seats fell vacant after the deaths of sitting BJP parliamentarians Mahant Chand Nath and Sanwar Lal Jat. The results would not only point at the trend in north India but also decide the future of the Congress and BJP leadership in Rajasthan.

For the Congress, the two constituencies are important for several reasons. Ajmer is the home turf of its state unit chief Sachin Pilot. A loss here would be a personal setback for Pilot and will raise questions about his ability to lead the party in the Assembly polls. Ajmer is also key to understand the caste dynamics of the state. Results here would indicate how the major castes in Rajasthan are aligning before the big battle.

Similarly, Alwar is the home town of another Congress heavyweight, Rahul Gandhi's friend and adviser Bhanwar Jitendra Singh.

If Congress loses the two constituencies, it would indicate that leaders trusted and handpicked by Rahul lack merit, ability and popular appeal. And since the results could be seen as a reflection of the state leadership, Congress is treading with caution in both Ajmer and Alwar.

In Alwar, it has replaced Singh, who contested the 2014 elections, and fielded Karan Singh Yadav. Congress is hoping that replacing Singh, a Rajput, with a Yadav will help it make inroads into the Ahir vote bank, which, if it combines with Muslims and Meos from the region, can be a game changer. Yadavs had supported the BJP in the 2013 Assembly and 2014 Lok Sabha elections. But this year, the Congress feels, it can win them back through a candidate from their community.

Another reason it may have chosen Yadav is because it fears that if Singh loses, it would be a loss of face for Rahul himself. So, it may have decided to shield both the Congress president and his loyalist from political uncertainty.

In Ajmer, meanwhile, the dilemma is even tougher. Pilot had contested the 2014 elections from this constituency after considering several other "safe seats". Logically, once bypolls were announced, he should have been the automatic choice. But the Congress hasn't yet decided its candidate for Ajmer because a defeat for him would trigger two things: Firstly, personal humiliation for him. And secondly, clamour to replace him with Ashok Gehlot, who is back in favour after Congress' improved performance in Gujarat, where he was in charge of the campaign and backroom negotiations.

The consensus within the state is that Gehlot is best placed to challenge Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. But the Congress is unwilling to name him the face of its campaign after having invested in Pilot for almost four years. One way to find out if Pilot is acceptable as a state leader would be to let him contest from Ajmer. But since the Congress is not sure of the outcome, both Pilot and the party are delaying taking a decision. The other fear in the Pilot camp is that Gehlot could work behind the scenes to get Congress defeated in Ajmer, and thus get his rival out of the way.

For the BJP too, there is a lot at stake. A loss in either of these constituencies would reinforce the perception that the BJP's popularity is declining. It would also be a mini referendum on the performance of the Raje government. If the BJP loses, it would not be a surprise if calls for change in leadership emerge from within the party.

Aware of these challenges, the BJP is keeping its cards close to its chest. In Alwar, it is yet to announce its candidate even though the Congress campaign is in full swing. With the caste calculus in mind, it is considering local heavyweight Jaswant Yadav to ensure his community stays with the party. There are also rumors that it might ask Baba Ramdev to contest from Alwar.

Alwar would also indicate if the BJP's cow politics can be a productive political strategy. Alwar has been a laboratory of the "gau rakshaks" for the past year or so. Cow vigilantes have been routinely clashing with cattle traders, mostly Meos, in a bid to polarise the electorate. A few months ago, they killed a local trader Pehlu Khan. But in what is seen as an indicator of the BJP's strategy, the state government has been watching silently as vigilantes pick and punish traders without fearing the law.

In Ajmer, it is yet to confirm the candidature of Sanwar Lal's son despite pressure from within the organisation and from the Jat community, which treated the deceased parliamentarian as the biggest leader of the region. While the BJP is hoping to cash in on sympathy for Jat's son, it is also wary of promoting dynastic politics.
The youth's death would be probed by the CID, Fadnavis told reporters in Mumbai.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the violence which erupted during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district. "A sitting High Court judge will head the inquiry," Fadnavis said, a day after a youth died as a group, opposed to the celebrations due to the "British victory" in the battle, clashed with Dalits rallying their way to the battle memorial.

The violence sparked off protests in various parts of the state on Tuesday, including in Mumbai where protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur. Shops and business establishments were shut and a senior journalist of a national news channel was attacked as groups of youths from Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi joined the protest, police said.

The incident of violence in Pune district would be probed by a sitting judge, Fadnavis said, adding that Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed.

The youth's death would be probed by the CID, Fadnavis told reporters in Mumbai.

He appealed for calm and peace, saying Maharashtra is a progressive state which does not believe in casteist violence.

Strict action would be taken against those who use social media to spread rumours, he said and appealed to political parties to refrain from saying anything that would fuel tensions.

"Around three lakh people had gathered (for the battle anniversary celebrations). Some people tried to create a serious scene. But six companies (of security personnel) were posted. Police promptly controlled the situation and averted a major problem," Fadnavis said.

Monday's event was to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company had defeated Peshwa's army.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community  then considered untouchable  were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to the celebrations of the "British victory". The violence had erupted after a local group and some members of the crowd on its way to the memorial had an argument over some issues.

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In a setback to the ruling Congress in poll-bound Meghalaya, its senior legislator Alexander L Hek and three other MLAs joined the BJP

Shillong: In a setback to the ruling Congress in poll-bound Meghalaya, its senior legislator Alexander L Hek and three other MLAs joined the BJP on Tuesday.

Apart from Hek, former deputy speaker Sanbor Shullai (who also headed the NCP in the state until last year) and two Independents  Justine Dkhar and Robinus Syngkon  joined the party at a rally here along with another member of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council Hambertus Nongtdu.

Union Minister of State for Tourism Minister KJ Alphons, who is also the election-in-charge of the BJP in Meghalaya, said the party will "throw" the Congress out of power in Meghalaya.

"We are going to throw the most corrupt government in Meghalaya (from power). Mr chief minister, your days are numbered. This is just the beginning," Alphons claimed while welcoming the new entrants to the party.

"You (Meghalayans) have been ruled by the Congress which deprived you of what you deserved. Your ministers have stolen your money. This has to stop," he said.

Addressing the rally, North East in-charge of the BJP, Ram Madhav, said, "What a way to welcome the New Year with four MLAs. I have no doubt they will continue to be re-elected as MLAs again," he said.

Terming it a 'ghar wapsi' for Hek, Madhav said, "The BJP is the present and future of India and Meghalaya's future is the BJP."

Hek had earlier contested on BJP ticket in 1998, 2003 and 2008. He joined the Congress in 2009 and was re-elected in the 2013 elections retaining the Pynthorumkhrah seat.

Earlier, the MLAs jointly tendered their resignation letters to Speaker AT Mondal.
Just as the Rahul camp overestimates its Gujarat performance, almost treating it as a victory, the BJP underestimates the significance of its reduced margin in Modis home state

It seems that acche din have arrived for the Congressmen, if not for the rest of Indians. So supremely happy are they with the Gujarat election result that they probably sang Happy days are here again through Sunday night and as they welcomed the New Year. They are urging their new president Rahul Gandhi to reinvent his party. They think he should do that since he is done with the task of reinventing himself. They believe his politics are now sharper and his tweets are smarter. They are happy the foot doesnt travel to the mouth when he opens it  at least not as often as it used to.

And they are pleading with him to give Narendra Modi a run for his money in the 2019 Lok Sabha election. They think he should  and he can  do that because they believe he has finished giving Modi a run for his money in the Gujarat elections. Rahul did make Modi sweat in Gujarat, although it was Modi who finally walked away with victory even if with a reduced number of seats in the Assembly.

2018 may see a new Modi

Just as the Rahul camp overestimates its Gujarat performance, almost treating it as a victory, the BJP underestimates the significance of its reduced margin in Modis home state.

The depleted support for the BJP throws up the obvious warning signals for that party, and enough has already been said about it. What remains to be seen is what the election-smart BJP will do in 2018 to prevent a Gujarat-type dent in its vote base in the state Assembly elections coming up in the New Year as well as the Lok Sabha poll in 2019.

Elections coming up in 2018



The big question before India now is whether Modi, 15 months before the Lok Sabha elections, will go ahead with his reform agenda that may have the potential to rub the voter on the wrong side at least in the near term. He got away with demonetisations effects, which ranged from discomforts of queues to deaths, and won the Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand elections in a big way in March. In the Gujarat elections later, he escaped from the wrath of traders whose businesses were disrupted by the hasty implementation of GST.

The travails of GST may soon come to an end, and Modi is unlikely to embark on any more adventurous reforms for now. He may stop at the three other big-ticket reforms already underway: privatisation of Air India, recapitalisation of banks suffering from bad loans and the new bankruptcy law. The three moves, while not causing hardships to common man, may even give a much-needed boost to the Indian economy. At the same time, Modi may resort to steps that will address the immediate concerns over woes of farmers, unemployment and rising prices through sops that may be announced in February's Budget.

In 2018, Modi will also do well to rein in the fringe groups that are stoking hatred towards minorities. By actions and words, Modi must make it clear to the nation that opposing minoritism of the Congress, which destroyed the countrys social fabric, does not mean browbeating the minorities.

In other words, Modi cant rest on his laurels and hope to win elections that are coming up in states and to the Lok Sabha. He has work to do to ensure that the BJP keeps winning.

Rahul has a tougher job on hand

Rahuls to-do list for 2018 is longer and tougher than Modis. The advice given to him to reinvent the party is based on the assumption that he knows the complexities and undercurrents of Indias politics. After the Uttar Pradesh debacle in March, he was written off as a man unsuitable to politics and incapable of leading the party. After the Gujarat election, his admirers hail him as the partys sole saviour.

They refuse to accept the fact that much of the support the Congress received in Gujarat was a result of negative vote against the BJP. The party, that has been reduced to ruling just Karnataka, Punjab, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Puducherry, lacks a positive agenda that tells people what it can or will do if voted to power. Its one-point programme is its anti-Modi plank, and it cant possibly win future elections, unless Modi commits more blunders in 2018. Rahul should know that he cant successfully run a party by simply hoping his rivals will make mistakes.

Even assuming that Rahul has learnt what politics is all about after the Gujarat polls, reinventing the party is no mean job. That means bringing in nothing less than a revolution in the party, and changing the very purpose of its existence. To begin with, it must have a grassroots cadre of committed workers.

Most  if not all  of those who pass off as Congress workers are mere hangers-on or spongers, who hope to get some ticket or the other someday, win an election and make fast bucks. They see the party as a means to turn relatively low investments into high returns. Politics is a vocation for the Congress workers, while its a passion for the BJP cadres, even if what they are passionate about is sometimes, if not always, questionable.

And the Congress must stop basking in the splendour of its past. Glorifying the Congress as a 133-year-old party with the halo of Independence around it is something like saying India is superior to the United States because of its Indus Valley Civilisation.

Rahul must know he must start from the scratch if he must take on Modi. The party may put up a good show in Karnataka or even retain the state in the elections in about five months from now. But that still wont guarantee its success in the 2019 polls.

Like Modi, Rahul too mustnt count chickens before they hatch.

The author tweets @sprasadindia
On and off squabbling between allies Telugu Desam Party and BJP was one of the notable political features in Andhra Pradesh in 2017.

Amaravati: On and off squabbling between allies Telugu Desam Party and BJP was one of the notable political features in Andhra Pradesh in 2017.

The TDP is part of the NDA government at the Centre while the BJP is a coalition partner in the state but theirs had been a love-hate relationship.

While state BJP leaders had been open in their attack of the TDP, the latter could only vent its "frustration" in private, careful not to antagonise the former's national leadership.

Whenever some of his party leaders tried to hit back at the BJP, TDP supremo and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu only chided them, asking them not to speak anything against their "friend".

As political observers see, the TDP needs the BJP more than the other way round and Chandrababu obviously finds himself in a "disadvantageous" position when it comes to getting things done by the Centre.

"He used to literally dictate terms when the TDP supported the NDA government between 1999 and 2004 but not now. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi emerging stronger, Chandrababu finds himself even more in a helpless position," political analyst NR Krishna points out.

Privately, even senior leaders of the TDP agree that the relationship between Chandrababu and Modi is "strained". Despite repeated requests at regular intervals, the prime minister did not grant an appointment to Chandrababu for a one-on-one meeting to discuss state issues in the last few months.

"This is a clear indicator of how things are. From our side we are very clear but we don't know what their plans are," a senior minister observed.

Things may not be well at the central level but politically the TDP seems to be growing stronger in Andhra Pradesh with the "there is no alternative" factor being played up by the ruling party.

The principal opposition YSR Congress looked unmatched in political strategy in taking on the TDP though its leader YS Jaganmohan Reddy launched a 3,000-km paada yatra (foot march) in November to garner people's support to fulfill his ambition of becoming the chief minister.

But the TDP drilled more holes into the YSRC, whose more than 10 MLAs switched ranks this year, taking the grand total to 23 in the last two years (one of whom died this March).

Four of the 22 YSRC MLAs (they are officially still listed so) were inducted into the Chandrababu Cabinet in April. The state Cabinet now comprises members of TDP, BJP and YSRC.

Incidentally, the chief minister's son Nara Lokesh too was made a minister after he was elected to the Legislative Council in March.

Chandrababu's critics and the Opposition termed 2017 as a year of hype.

At the Partnership Summit in February memoranda of understanding were signed for 591 projects with a total (planned) investment of Rs 7,67,273 crore that were supposed to create 15,08,916 jobs.

Only 50 out of 591 projects actually went into production (as per the Chief Minister Office Realtime Executive Dashboard), and 61 percent of the proposed ventures did not move beyond the 'preliminary stage'.

"Chandrababu releases a helium-filled balloon advertising that investments are pouring in by the billions, only to hoodwink people. His numerous foreign trips have only ended up with big zero in new investment (into the state)," claimed former Speaker Nadendla Manohar, who is from the Congress.

"Be it the London Eye or the bullet train... Chandrababu promised to get everything on the planet to Amaravati. He even said Amaravati would host the 2018 Olympics. Such is the hype he creates and its a habit with him," Public Accounts Committee Chairman Buggana Rajendranath Reddy observed.

"He first promised to make Amaravati a Singapore, then Astana, New York and what not. The amount of hype is evident in this and he has a favourably-inclined media that propagates it," he added.

Film star Pawan Kalyan, who runs the Jana Sena Party, promised to devote full time to politics from October but, busy as he is with the shooting of his latest movie, toured the state only for four days early December.

Kalyan announced he would contest the 2019 elections and also field his party candidates in a few constituencies but still remained vague on whether he would take the fight alone.

In 2014, the Jana Sena did not contest the polls but supported the TDP-BJP combine, contributing largely to its victory. Kalyan is still building his party set up and may come out with clear political plans in 2018, preparing adequately for the 2019 battle.
The first part draft 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.

The first part draft of the updated National Registry of Citizenship released in the midnight of 31 December in Assam does not include the name of perfume baron and leader of the AIUDF Maulana Badaruddin Ajmal. Though the first draft of the NRC is not decisive of the Indian citizenship, non-inclusion of Ajmals name, who is seen as the leader of minority politics in Assam can very well be indicative of Assams shifting political narrative.

The first part draft 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. The rest of the names are under various stages of verification.

Before the release of the first part, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal appealed the genuine citizens not to panic if their name does not appear in the first part draft.

"This is only a part draft of the NRC being published on 31 December midnight, as per directions of the Supreme Court. If the names of genuine Indian citizens are left out, there is enough provision to submit claims and objections to get their names included in the final NRC," he said as reported by The Indian Express.

Reportedly, the draft does not include the name of Badruddin Ajmal, the president of All India United Democratic Front, the most powerful minority leader in Assam. This has rolled many heads in Assam.

Ajmal who emerged in Assams politics only in the year 2005 is primarily seen as a leader of the migrant Bengali Muslims, a section of people which has a contesting political relationship with Assamese speaking people.

A Bengali speaking Muslim himself, whose forefathers migrated from erstwhile East Pakistan, Ajmal and his party AIUDF has sway over the Bengali speaking Muslims in Assam adding another dimension to the Assamese identity politics with his own style of politicking.

Assam has in recent times seen rapid increase in Muslim population. There is a fear that this increase has been fuelled by mass scale migration from Bangladesh. According to the 2011 census, Muslims have sway over 49 Assembly constituencies among 126 in Assam.

The NRC updation process aims at identifying illegal migrants from Bangladesh, as it is feared that illegal migrants have registered themselves as bonafide voters in Assam. If this suspicion proves true in the process of NRC updation, the politics that has evolved over decades around the migrant Muslims is likely to face an existential crisis.

No wonder, though many names including Ajmals did not appear in the first part draft, his instance found special mention in the popular discourse.

Determination, disenfranchisement and deportation of illegal migrants are hailed as the three-tier method of solving the problem created by much talked about infiltration from Bangladesh. The NRC updation process is likely to take care of the first two steps and is expected to result in mass scale disenfranchisement, dismantling the present day minority politics.

Due to persistent demand of AASU and other pressure groups, the then Congress government in Assam in 2010 began NRC updation process but soon stopped it due to violent protests from AAMSU, a move which was seen as the elected governments cowing down to the pressure of an organisation.

AAMSU (All Assam Minorities Students' Union) has a strong support base in Bengali-speaking Muslim population, a constituency which is also seen as a vote bank of the Congress, the party in power at that time in the state and AIUDF the main opposition party.

Halting of the NRC updation process not only resulted in aggravating the combative relationship between the Assamese and Bengali identities but also resulted in overthrowing the Congress government in Assam in 2016 Assembly polls.

During the poll campaign, BJP materialised this contesting relationship to the hilt. Even after winning the election BJP continued to put its weight on the side of the popular demand to identify illegal immigrants.

NRC was the first office Sonowal visited after being sworn in as the chief minister of Assam. Though the NRC updation process is going on under the monitoring of Supreme Court of India, the political will that has fuelled the drive is certainly of the BJP led government in the state.

If the NRC succeeds in identifying a huge chunk of illegal migrants, the BJP will be the only party to benefit politically from the exercise, not only because it will decrease the voter base of Congress and AIUDF, but also by way of enhanced trust for the saffron party from the majority section. It is likely to trigger a shift in the political narrative from minority appeasement to majority appeasement.

The change is sensed in a tweet by former chief minister Tarun Gogoi where he claimed that NRC is the brainchild of the Congress.

Today, I am also happy that the draft NRC has been published.The NRC was our brainchild which was started during our tenure.The whole process of NRC was done through consultation with AASU for the greater interest of Assam../1  Tarun Gogoi (@tarun_gogoi) January 1, 2018

I would have been the happiest person if more than 90% of the genuine citizens would have been included in the draft NRC.I hope that the final NRC will be published within 6 months with a correct list of all genuine Indian citizens & no foreigners should be included in the list/2  Tarun Gogoi (@tarun_gogoi) January 1, 2018

Non-inclusion of Ajmals name in the first part of the draft NRC may be seen as an allegorical representation of the imminent threat to the traditional minority politics in Assam.
The Congress would consult a larger opposition before finalising its stand on the contentious bill which proposed to ban instant triple talaq.

New Delhi: 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 cognisable offence, party sources said on Monday.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which has already been passed in the Lok Sabha last week, is likely to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

According to the sources, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened a meeting of the leaders of his party (Congress) as well as other parties in his Parliament chamber tomorrow, before the bill is taken up.

The 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.
IANS

NASA is turning 60 in 2018 and the agency is looking forward to launching a slew of important missions in the coming year, 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 probe will use Venus' gravity during seven flybys over nearly seven years to gradually bring its orbit closer to the Sun, according to a NASA statement.

The spacecraft will fly through the Sun's atmosphere as close as 6.2 million kilometres to our star's surface, well within the orbit of Mercury and closer than any spacecraft has gone before.

The Parker Solar Probe will perform its scientific investigations in a hazardous region of intense heat and solar radiation.

The primary science goals for the mission are to trace how energy and heat move through the solar corona and to explore 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.
Sunderarajan Padmanabhan

On 2 January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the ball rolling for a year-long celebration to mark the 125th birth anniversary of eminent physicist Satyendra Nath Bose who was born on this day in 1984. The celebrations are being spearheaded by SN Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata.

A theoretical physicist, Bose is known for his path-breaking work on foundations of Quantum Statistics, laying the basis for the modern atomic theory. His name is immortalized in the history of science by concepts and terms like Bose Statistics and Bose-Einstein Condensation. Einsteins biographer, Abraham Pace, had considered Boses work as one of the last revolutionary papers on Old Quantum Theory. Bose was also a crusader for the teaching of science in vernacular languages, besides being an accomplished musician.

Paying tributes to Bose, the Prime Minister noted that the country had a lot to learn from his life and works. He was a self-taught scholar. He succeeded despite many constraints. These included lack of formal research education and little connectivity with the global scientific community, he observed in his speech via video conferencing.

Urging the Indian scientific community to emulate Bose, he called for efforts to promote science communication in a big way to promote understanding and love of science in the youth. Language should not be a barrier but a facilitator in this task. He further called upon the scientific community to not work in silos and to strive to collaborate with fellow scientists from other institutions and laboratories. To reach our true potential and to take Indian science to its rightful glory, we should be like a quantum particle that escapes its confinement. This is even more important today as science becomes hugely multidisciplinary and requires concerted efforts.

The Prime Minister noted that Indian science and technology has grown with great speed in recent decades, helping the country make a mark for itself in the world in IT, space technology and missile technology and expressed confidence that scientists would continue to work and come out with creative technology solutions for the benefit of the common man.

Referring to an effort by scientific departments to develop a portal for sharing of scientific infrastructure and resources as well as promoting collaboration, he urged all laboratories and institutions to participate to make it a success. He said scientists must keep pace with emerging technologies and innovations such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data analytics, cyber-physical systems, genomics and electric vehicles. For various reasons, we missed the first industrial revolution. We cannot miss similar opportunities today, he said.

He recalled that the government had launched a plan to help 20 institutions in the country to become world-class centres with the financial assistance of Rs. 1,000 crore; and said laws and rules are being amended to make this happen. I request S.N.Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences and other such institutions in the country to draw up plans to become top ranking institutions and work in that direction. He called upon scientists to adopt at least one student each and motivate them to take up a career in research.

As parts of the celebrations, SNBNCBS has planned to organize over 100 outreach lectures in schools and colleges, hold national and international conferences on various themes of national importance and conduct competitions on solutions to 125 scientifically challenging problems.

India Science Wire
tech2 News Staff

LG Electronic the South Korean multinational electronics company is ready to showcase world's first 88-inch 8K OLED display TV at upcoming CES 2018. According to a report on Engadget, it is the highest resolution TV manufactured yet and more details including price and specs are expected to be revealed at the CES 2018.

The previous highest resolution TV was a 77-inch 4K display TV manufactured by LG. It is priced at $22,000. The 4K resolution TV was offered by LG, Sony, Panasonic but all other companies sourced the display from LG. The LG recently got an approval from the South Korean trade ministry to build a new organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel production facility in China. The company earlier announced that it will invest in large-sized OLED production in Guangzhou, China.

Samsung is focusing on QLED technology. The company recently launched world's biggest QLED curved monitor for gaming enthusiasts in India. The monitor is priced at Rs 1,50,000.
United States Court of Appeals, Eleventh Circuit. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. DARYL TERRELL GILBERT, Defendant-Appellee. No. 16-17680 Decided: December 29, 2017

Before MARTIN, JULIE CARNES, and ANDERSON, Circuit Judges.

Defendant Daryl Terrell Gilbert was convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C.  922(g)(1). The district court initially sentenced Defendant to 57 months pursuant to U.S.S.G.  2K2.1(a)(2), which applies when a defendant has two prior felony convictions for crimes of violence. The court applied U.S.S.G.  2K2.1(a)(2) after concluding that Defendant's 2014 conviction for first-degree robbery in violation of Alabama Code  13A-8-41 and his 2013 conviction for second-degree robbery in violation of Alabama Code  13A-8-42 constituted crimes of violence. The court subsequently determined that it had used the wrong rationale to find that Defendant's robbery convictions triggered  2K2.1(a)(2), granted Defendant's motion to correct his sentence under Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 35(a), and resentenced Defendant to 36 months. The Government appeals, arguing that the district court erred by granting Defendant's Rule 35(a) motion. We agree with the Government, and thus VACATE Defendant's 36-month sentence and REMAND the case for imposition of the 57-month sentence Defendant initially received.

I. BACKGROUND

Defendant was indicted in April, 2016 on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C.  922(g)(1). As grounds for the felon-in-possession charge, the indictment listed Defendant's prior felony convictions for (1) first-degree robbery in violation of Alabama Code  13A-8-41 and (2) second-degree robbery in violation of Alabama Code  13A-8-42. Defendant pled guilty to the charge.

The Presentence Report (PSR) determined that Defendant should be sentenced under U.S.S.G.  2K2.1(a)(2), which applies when a defendant violates 18 U.S.C.  922(g)(1) after being convicted of two felony crime[s] of violence. U.S.S.G.  2K2.1(a)(2). Section 2K2.1(a)(2) incorporates the definition of crime of violence set forth in U.S.S.G.  4B1.2(a). See U.S.S.G.  2K2.1 app. n.1. As relevant here, the definition in  4B1.2(a) contains an elements clause that encompasses any offense that has as an element the use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person of another and also an enumerated offenses clause that encompasses any of a list of qualifying offenses, including robbery. See U.S.S.G.  4B1.2(a) (Aug. 1, 2016).

The PSR determined that Defendant's prior Alabama robberies qualified as crimes of violence for purposes of  2K2.1(a)(2). Applying  2K2.1(a)(2), the PSR assigned Defendant a base offense level of 24. After subtracting three levels for acceptance of responsibility, the PSR calculated Defendant's total offense level as 21. Based on Defendant's long history of juvenile adjudications and his robbery convictions as an adult, the PSR assigned Defendant a criminal history category of IV, resulting in a recommended guidelines range of 57 to 71 months.

Defendant objected to the PSR's calculation of his offense level and guidelines range, arguing that his Alabama robbery convictions did not categorically qualify as crimes of violence for purposes of U.S.S.G.  2K2.1(a)(2). Specifically, Defendant argued that Alabama robbery does not necessarily involve violent, physical force as required to satisfy the elements clause under Curtis Johnson v. United States, 559 U.S. 133 (2010) ( Curtis Johnson) and, further, that Alabama robbery does not constitute generic robbery as required to satisfy the enumerated offenses clause. Thus, Defendant continued, his offense level should have been 12 rather than 21, placing him in a guidelines range of 21 to 27 months. The Government disagreed, arguing that Alabama robbery categorically qualifies as a crime of violence under both the elements clause and the enumerated offenses clause.

At the sentencing hearing, the district court focused on the arguments made by the parties under the elements clause. The court observed that Alabama robbery appears on its face to satisfy the elements clause because it requires the use or threatened use of force against a person in the course of committing a theft. Based on its interpretation of state case law, however, the court determined that Alabama robbery does not categorically satisfy the elements clause because it does not necessarily involve violent, physical force as required by the Supreme Court in Curtis Johnson. Nevertheless, the court concluded that Defendant's Alabama robberies were crimes of violence under the elements clause because, as described in the PSR, Defendant had in fact used such force in committing the offenses. Thus, the court overruled Defendant's objection, applied  2K2.1(a)(2), and sentenced Defendant to 57 months. The court did not make a ruling as to whether Alabama robbery satisfies the enumerated offenses clause.

Defendant filed a timely motion to reduce his sentence pursuant to Rule 35(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. Defendant argued that the district court's reliance on the specific facts surrounding his robberies to classify them as crimes of violence constituted clear error, warranting a reduction of his sentence under Rule 35(a). The Government opposed the motion, noting that Rule 35(a) extends only to those cases in which a clear sentencing error would almost certainly result in a remand. Citing this Court's decision in United States v. Lockley, 632 F.3d 1238 (11th Cir. 2011), the Government argued that Alabama robbery arguably qualifies as a crime of violence under both the elements clause and the enumerated offenses clause and, thus, that any error in Defendant's sentence would not almost certainly require a remand. The court rejected the Government's argument, and concluded that it had committed a clear sentencing error by relying on the specific facts underlying Defendant's robberies to classify them as crimes of violence. The court refused to consider Lockley because that case had not been cited during the original sentencing hearing.

Based on the above findings, the district court concluded that Defendant's guidelines range should have been 21 to 27 months. The court determined that an upward variance was appropriate, given (1) Defendant's long criminal history beginning at a young age, (2) the seriousness of Defendant's robbery convictions, and (3) the fact that Defendant's second robbery was committed while he was on probation from the first. The court ultimately imposed a 36-month sentence.

The Government objected to the district court's revised guidelines calculation, and now appeals. The Government argues that (1) the district court lacked the authority to vacate Defendant's sentence under Rule 35 because this Court's case law supported the application of  2K2.1(a)(2) and (2) Alabama robbery is categorically a crime of violence under  2K2.1(a)(2) because it necessarily requires the use of violent, physical force.

II. DISCUSSION

A. Standard of Review

We review the district court's ruling on Defendant's Rule 35 motion de novo. See United States v. Phillips, 597 F.3d 1190, 1194 n.9 (11th Cir. 2010). Likewise, we review de novo the district court's interpretation of the Sentencing Guidelines and its revised calculation of Defendant's guidelines range. See id.

B. Rule 35(a) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure

A district court is not permitted to modify a sentence it has imposed except as expressly authorized by statute or by Rule 35 of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. See 18 U.S.C.  3582(c). As relevant here, Rule 35(a) permits a district court to correct a sentence that resulted from arithmetical, technical, or other clear error if the error is raised within 14 days after sentencing. Fed. R. Crim. P. 35(a). The court's authority to modify a sentence under Rule 35(a) is:

intended to be very narrow and to extend only to those cases in which an obvious error or mistake has occurred in the sentence, that is, errors which almost certainly would result in a remand of the case to the trial court for further action  [It] is not intended to afford the court the opportunity to reconsider the application or interpretation of the sentencing guidelines or for the court simply to change its mind about the appropriateness of the sentence.

Fed. R. Crim. P. 35 advisory committee's notes (1991). See also Phillips, 597 F.3d at 1196 (The writers of Rule 35(a) limited both its scope and its deadline to promote the finality of sentences and enable the parties to appeal a sentence promptly.). An error must be acknowledged and obvious rather than arguable in order to constitute clear error for purposes of Rule 35(a). United States v. Lett, 483 F.3d 782, 789 (11th Cir. 2007). Thus, clear error does not exist where there is no binding precedent that resolves a sentencing issue and reasonable people could disagree as to its resolution. See id. at 789 (reversing the district court's grant of relief under Rule 35(a) where [r]easonable arguments [could] be made on both sides of the determinative sentencing issue).

In addition, a sentencing error only warrants relief under Rule 35(a) if the error would almost certainly result in a remand of the case. Id. at 787 (quoting Fed. R. Crim. P. 35 advisory committee's notes (1991)). Consequently, Rule 35(a) does not apply if there is a reasonable argument that the sentence would be affirmed in spite of the error. That is apparent from the history of Rule 35, which formerly gave district courts broad discretion to correct an illegal sentence at any time and a sentence imposed in an illegal manner within a specified time. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 35(a) (1986). The former version of Rule 35 was repealed in order to ensure more finality in sentencing. See Fed. R. Crim. P. 35 advisory committee's notes (1991) (noting that the earlier version of Rule 35 was repealed to ensure the finality of determinate sentencing). The current version of Rule 35 still provides an efficient and prompt method for correcting obvious technical errors that are promptly called to the district court's attention, but it does not permit the court to reexamine its reasoning or to simply change its mind about the appropriateness of the sentence. Lett, 483 F.3d at 787 (quoting Fed. R. Crim. P. 35 advisory committee's notes (1991)).

C. Analysis

1. The district court's rationale during Defendant's initial sentencing was flawed.

At the initial sentencing hearing, the court rejected the Government's argument that Alabama robbery categorically qualifies as a crime of violence under the elements clause and failed to address the Government's argument that the offense categorically satisfies the enumerated offenses clause. Nevertheless, the court concluded that Defendant's robberies constituted crimes of violence because, as described in the PSR, Defendant had in fact used or threatened the use of violent force during their commission. The court thus overruled Defendant's objection to the PSR, applied  2K2.1(a)(2), and sentenced Defendant to 57 months.

Contrary to the analysis described above, courts are required to apply a categorical approach to determine whether a prior conviction constitutes a crime of violence and thus supports a sentence enhancement under  2K2.1(a)(2). See United States v. Garcia-Martinez, 845 F.3d 1126, 112930 (11th Cir. 2017) (applying the categorical approach to determine whether the defendant's prior conviction qualified as a crime of violence for purposes of a sentencing enhancement applicable under U.S.S.G.  2L1.2). Under the categorical approach, the particular facts surrounding a defendant's conviction do not determine whether the conviction qualifies as a crime of violence. See id. at 1130. What matters instead is how the law defines the offense that the defendant was convicted of committing. See id. Thus, regardless of Defendant's actual conduct during the robberies at issue here, the enhancement provided for in  2K2.1(a)(2) only applies if the robberies, as defined by Alabama law, categorically satisfy either the elements clause or the enumerated offenses clause. See Welch v. United States, 136 S. Ct. 1257, 1262 (2016) ( Under the categorical approach, a court assesses whether a crime qualifies as a [crime of violence] in terms of how the law defines the offense and not in terms of how an individual offender might have committed it on a particular occasion. (internal quotation marks omitted)).

In certain cases, courts may use a modified categorical approach to determine whether a conviction qualifies as a crime of violence. See Mathis v. United States, 136 S. Ct. 2243, 2249 (2016) (describing the modified categorical approach and clarifying when it is applicable). The modified categorical approach applies when a criminal statute is divisible, meaning that it list[s] elements in the alternative, and thereby define[s] multiple crimes. Id. When that is the case, the modified approach allows the sentencing court to examine a limited class of documentsknown as Shepard documents and including such items as the indictment, jury instructions, and plea agreementto determine what crime, with what elements, a defendant was convicted of so that the court can then assess whether the conviction categorically satisfies the definition of a crime of violence. Id. The district court purported to apply the modified categorical approach during Defendant's initial sentencing hearing, but it did not conduct any divisibility analysis or otherwise explain why the modified categorical approach was applicable.

Moreover, it is evident that the district court misconstrued the function and the proper focus of the modified categorical approach. The Supreme Court has repeatedly explained that the modified categorical approach does not permit a court to consider the manner in which a defendant committed an offense to determine whether his conviction of the offense qualifies as a crime of violence. See Mathis, 136 S. Ct. at 2257 (For more than 25 years, we have repeatedly made clear that application of ACCA [the Armed Career Criminal Act] involves, and involves only, comparing elements.). Rather, the modified approach serves a limited function: It helps effectuate the categorical analysis when a divisible statute, listing potential offense elements in the alternative, renders opaque which element played a part in the defendant's conviction. Descamps v. United States, 133 S. Ct. 2276, 2283 (2013).

2. The court's analytical error did not warrant relief under Rule 35(a) because the error does not necessarily require a remand.

Nevertheless, we agree with the Government that the district court erred by granting relief under Rule 35(a). As indicated above, a district court's authority to vacate a sentence under Rule 35(a) is limited. See Lett, 483 F.3d at 788 (describing Rule 35(a) as setting forth a narrow corrective power limited in scope to those obvious errors that result in an illegal sentence). Rule 35(a) does not provide a mechanism for the court to reexamine its reasoning or simply change its mind about a sentence it has imposed. See id. at 787. Rather, the court must identify an error that is both cleari.e., acknowledged and obviousand that would almost certainly result in a remand of the case in order to vacate a sentence under Rule 35(a). Id. at 787 (quoting Fed. R. Crim. P. 35(a) advisory committee's notes (1991)).

If the district court arrived at the correct guidelines range in spite of its analytical error, Defendant's sentence likely would be affirmed on appeal rather than remanded for correction. See United States v. Chitwood, 676 F.3d 971, 97681 (11th Cir. 2012) (affirming the defendant's sentence, despite the district court's misapplication of the modified categorical approach, because the predicate offense remained a crime of violence under the categorical approach); United States v. Campa, 529 F.3d 980, 1013 (11th Cir. 2008) (A sentencing error, under the Guidelines, is harmless if a court considers the proceedings in their entirety and determines that the error did not affect the sentence or had but very slight effect. (internal quotation marks omitted)). As discussed below, there is no binding precedent that specifically addresses whether Alabama robbery categorically qualifies as a crime of violence for purposes of  2K2.1(a)(2), and this Court has held that the substantially similar crime of Florida robbery does so qualify. Accordingly, there is no basis for finding that the analytical error committed during Defendant's initial sentencing would almost certainly result in a remand as required to grant relief under Rule 35(a). See Lett, 483 F.3d at 790 (reversing the district court's Rule 35(a) modification where there was no decision on point from any court, and reasonable people could differ about the matter).

The convictions at issue are for first-degree robbery in violation of Alabama Code  13A-8-41 and second-degree robbery in violation of Alabama Code  13A-8-42. Both offenses are enhanced versions of Alabama third-degree robbery, which occurs when in the course of committing a theft, a person:

(1) Uses force against the person of the owner or any person present with intent to overcome his physical resistance or physical power of resistance; or

(2) Threatens the imminent use of force against the person of the owner or any person present with intent to compel acquiescence to the taking of or escaping with the property.

Ala. Code  13A-8-43(a). Second-degree robbery occurs when a person commits third-degree robbery and is aided by another person actually present. Id.  13A-8-42(a). First-degree robbery occurs when a person commits third-degree robbery and either [i]s armed with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or [c]auses serious physical injury to another. Id.  13A-8-41(a).

As mentioned, there is no binding authority resolving the issue whether a conviction under the Alabama robbery statute categorically qualifies as a crime of violence for purposes of the Guidelines. And it is evident from the discussion that occurred during Defendant's initial sentencing hearing that the issue is far from settled. After considering the opposing arguments made by the parties, the district court ultimately agreed with Defendant that Alabama robbery does not categorically satisfy the elements clause, but only after noting that on its face, the use of the term force within [Alabama Code ] 13A-8-43 would seem to align well with the language that is used in the Guidelines.

Moreover, this Court held in United States v. Lockley, 632 F.3d 1238 (11th Cir. 2011) that a conviction under a similar Florida robbery statute categorically qualified as a crime of violence under both the elements and the enumerated offenses clause. Similar to Alabama Code  13A-8-43, the Florida robbery statute at issue in Lockley defined robbery as:

the taking of money or other property which may be the subject of larceny from the person or custody of another, with intent to either permanently or temporarily deprive the person or the owner of the money or other property, when in the course of the taking there is the use of force, violence, assault, or putting in fear.

Fla. Stat.  812.13(1). The Court noted that the taking referred to in the Florida robbery statute, like the theft underlying Alabama robbery, must be by the use of force  so as to overcome the resistance of the victim, or by putting the victim in fear so that the victim does not resist. Lockley, 632 F.3d at 1242. The Court thus identified the essential elements of Florida robbery as (1) a taking of money or property from another person, (2) with the intent to permanently or temporarily deprive the person of the money or property, while (3) using force or violence, or threatening force or violence with an apparent ability to follow through on the threat. Id. at 124243. These are essentially the same elements necessary to sustain a conviction for Alabama robbery pursuant to Alabama Code  13A-8-43(a), and the degree of force requiredforce sufficient to overcome the victim's resistanceis defined in a similar way.

Having identified the essential elements of Florida robbery, the Court in Lockley determined that those elements hew almost exactly to the generic definition of robbery and that Florida robbery thus qualified as a crime of violence under the enumerated offenses clause of the Guidelines. Id. at 1243. The Court held further that Florida robbery satisfied the elements clause, as interpreted by Curtis Johnson, because it required either the use of force, violence, a threat of imminent force or violence coupled with apparent ability, or some act that puts the victim in fear of death or great bodily harm. Id. at 1245. See also United States v. Fritts, 841 F.3d 937, 94042 (11th Cir. 2016) (reaffirming that, under Lockley, Florida robbery categorically qualifies as a violent felony under the ACCA). At the least, it is arguable that the same reasoning applies here, supporting the argument that Alabama robbery qualifies as a crime of violence under either (or both) the elements clause and the enumerated offenses clause. See also United States v. Wood, 209 F.3d 847, 851 (6th Cir. 2000) (There is simply no ambiguity in the language of the Alabama statute: to be guilty of robbery in the third degree a defendant must either use force or threaten the imminent use of force against a person sometime during the commission of a theft.). And all we are determining here is whether the district court's original ruling was arguably correct. We make no ruling on its ultimate merit.

The district court believed it could not consider Lockley when ruling on Defendant's Rule 35 motion because the case was not cited during Defendant's initial sentencing. But consideration of Lockley was essential to deciding whether the court's error in the initial sentencing proceeding would almost certainly result in a remand, a requirement for granting Rule 35 relief. If Defendant's initial sentence arguably was valid in spite of the flawed rationale underlying the sentence, then modification of the sentence under Rule 35(a) was not permitted. Given Lockley, the district court did not clearly err in determining , at the initial sentencing, that Defendant's Alabama robbery convictions qualified as crimes of violence for purposes of the enhancement set forth in  2K2.1(a)(2), or in applying the enhancement in calculating Defendant's guidelines range. Thus, the court was not authorized to vacate Defendant's sentence under Rule 35(a).

III. CONCLUSION

For the above reasons, we conclude that the district court erred by granting Defendant's Rule 35 motion and modifying the 57-month sentence it initially imposed on Defendant. Accordingly, we VACATE Defendant's 36-month sentence and REMAND the case for imposition of the 57-month sentence Defendant originally received.

FOOTNOTES

. Defendant also argued that (1) his Alabama robbery convictions did not qualify under the enumerated offenses clause because, at the time of Defendant's offense, robbery was only listed as a crime of violence in the commentary to U.S.S.G.  4B1.2 rather than in the text of the guideline and (2) the robbery convictions did not qualify as a crime of violence under the residual clause of  4B1.2. The parties do not address those arguments in this appeal.

. As the district court noted, in one robbery a gun was pressed to the victim's face, and in the other, Defendant and his associates repeatedly struck the victim in the head.

. Mathis arose in the context of a sentencing enhancement that is applicable under the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) when a defendant has three prior violent felony convictions, but its analytical framework applies to the enhancement required under   2K2.1(a)(2) when a defendant has been convicted of a firearm offense following two prior convictions for crimes of violence. See Garcia-Martinez, 845 F.3d at 112930 (applying the approach used in ACCA cases to a crime of violence enhancement applicable under U.S.S.G.  2L1.2).

PER CURIAM:
tech2 News Staff

HMD Global is set to release its upcoming phones right from January 2018. We have already heard about Nokia 9, Nokia 6 (2018), as well as an alleged Android Go sporting budget Nokia 1. But it looks like there are more devices in the offing.

According to a report by GizmoChina, the Nokia Camera app has revealed two more smartphones which are expected to come alongside the Nokia 1. These two smartphones include the Nokia 4 and the Nokia 7 Plus.

The discovery was made when the APK of the Camera app was unpacked. The file directory showed a list of all the HMD Global Nokia phones that have released so far. Along with them there were names of Nokia phones which have not been heard of so far, such as the Nokia 4 and the Nokia 7 Plus. Also the mention of Nokia 1 adds further impetus to the news around the Android Go sporting Nokia 1, which is expected to be the first Android One supporting Nokia device.

As of now, only the names of the device are known and there as no information on if or when the devices will come out. According to GizmoChina, based on the leaks so far, it is safe to assume that Nokia has at least five phones planned for 2018.

The buzz around the Nokia 1 Android One smartphone is getting strong. GizmoChina had reported that Russia will be getting the device in March 2018 for a price of 5,999 Rubles (approx Rs 6,500). Now Android Go was made keeping in mind countries like India and it could be more than possible that the Nokia 1 makes its way to India in the coming months.

The device will reportedly feature an HD IPS-LCD display. Under the hood, we are expected to find a 1 GB RAM module along with 8 GB of internal storage. The Nokia 1 is expected to run Google's stock Android OS under the Android One program alongside Android Go, which is optimised for devices with low RAM and slower processing power.

The report claims that there is no word yet on which SoC Nokia 1 will use, but both Qualcomm or MediaTek have announced support for Android Go so it could be either of them.
tech2 News Staff

Chinese smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi is expected to bring the Redmi Note 5 in the Q2 of 2018. The next version of Redmi Note 4 is expected to come with a 5.99-inch, 18:9 aspect ratio display.

The smartphone is reported to come with Snapdragon 632 instead of the previously speculated Snapdragon 625. According to Gizmochina Redmi Note 5 will be the first smartphone to come with Snapdragon 632. The Snapdragon 632 is a toned down version of Snapdragon 636 and is expected to come with a reduced clock speed of 1.8 GHz. But the SoC is expected to better optimisation for dual camera set up.

The Redmi Note 5 is expected to pack 4 GB RAM, 64 GB of internal storage and dual camera setup of 12 MP each on the rear side of the phone. Its expected to be powered by the same 4,000 mAh battery. The smartphone is speculated to be priced around CNY 1,200 (roughly Rs 12,000).

Xiaomi is also expected to launch the flagship Mi 7 this year. The smartphone is expected to adopt iPhone X like Face ID authentications instead of a fingerprint sensor. It will also be the first smartphone to come with Snapdragon 845.
A Bangladesh court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of former prime minister Khaleda Zia in connection with bomb attacks on a bus during an anti-government agitation in 2015 that killed eight persons, a police official said.

Dhaka: A Bangladesh court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of former prime minister Khaleda Zia in connection with bomb attacks on a bus during an anti-government agitation in 2015 that killed eight persons, a police official said.

Judge Joynab Begum of the Comilla district court accepted the charge sheet filed by the police in the case and issued the arrest warrant, the official said.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by 72-year-old Zia, had boycotted the 2014 general elections which were held under the Awami League government. The BNP had emerged as the main Opposition party outside parliament.

The BNP, along with 20 alliance partners, had given a call for a nationwide transport blockade in 2015 in protest against the first anniversary of the polls.

Eight passengers were killed after protesters hurled petrol bombs on a bus in the central Comilla district during the agitation.

"The judge issued the arrest warrant after accepting the charge sheet submitted by police," the official told PTI over the telephone.

The former prime minister is also facing a number of graft cases and a sedition charge for her "slanderous" remarks two years ago when she "expressed doubts" about the casualty figures of 1971 Liberation War in which officially three million people were killed, during the nine-month-long war against Pakistan.

Zia also faces similar charges in different courts for spearheading a protracted violent campaign three years ago in which over 125 people lost their lives, mostly in arson attacks on buses and trucks.

Tuesday's court order came a day after prosecutors demanded death sentence for the BNP leader and Zia's son Tarique Rahman and 48 others for their alleged involvement in two cases of murder and blasts.

Rehman, the BNP's senior vice president who lives in exile in London, is accused of planning an attack in 2004 in which more than 10 grenades were thrown in a rally organised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party when she was in Opposition and Zia was in power.

Hasina, who sustained permanent hearing impairment, had a narrow escape in the attack that killed 24 people and injured 300 others.
Bulgaria, EU's poorest member state took over the bloc's six-month revolving presidency with the migrant crisis and Brexit among the top items on its agenda.

Sofia, Bulgaria: The European Union's poorest member state, on Monday took over the bloc's six-month revolving presidency with the ongoing migrant crisis and Brexit among the top items on its agenda.

"Bulgaria will take charge of the EU presidency at a key moment for the union ... May the slogan 'strength in unity' guide us," conservative and pro-EU Prime Minister Boyko Borisov wrote in a post on Facebook.

"I am confident that we shall work with success on our priorities, on continuity," added Borisov.

The presidency, which rotates between different EU member states, will give Bulgaria the opportunity to chair meetings and set agendas, as the bloc grapples with the record influx of migrants, management of its borders, rising populism and Britain's EU divorce.

Taking over from Estonia, Bulgaria will have to manage a June deadline for EU leaders to agree an overhaul of the so-called Dublin Regulation, under which the country where an asylum seeker arrives is responsible for them. The system currently puts too much pressure on frontline states Greece and Italy, but countries have been divided over how to replace it.

To solve the refugee crisis, Sofia is also expected to push for normalised ties with Turkey, with which Bulgaria shares a 260-kilometre border. Relations have soured dramatically between the bloc and Turkey since the failed coup against president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016.

Bulgaria's diplomatic skills will also be put to the test when tortuous Brexit negotiations resume in March, which will focus on the parameters and length of a post-March 2019 transition period and future trade links with London. A net recipient of EU funds, Bulgaria backs further cohesion between member states despite a likely reduced budget across the bloc by 2020 as a result of Brexit. Sofia is also expected to use Brexit as an opportunity to push for closer EU ties with Western Balkan countries.

It hopes to reignite accession talks with Montenegro and Serbia, while helping Albania and Macedonia move closer to starting EU membership negotiations, and will host the first EU-Balkans summit in 15 years in May.

"A Europeanisation of the Balkans is necessary to prevent the Balkanisation of Europe," Borisov warned.

Sofia will mark the start of its presidential duties with a concert today at the capital's Palace of Culture featuring contributions from each member state.

Taking up the presidency also gives Bulgaria an opportunity to improve its image as the bloc's most corrupt country. It wants to convince peers that after ten years in the EU, it is finally ready to join the visa-free Schengen travel area and move towards entering the eurozone.
California voters in 2016 made it legal for adults 21 and older to grow/sell/use marijuana, but it wasn't legal to sell it for recreational purposes until Monday.

Oakland, California: It wasn't exactly reefer madness Monday as California launched the first legal sales of recreational marijuana, but those who could find the drug celebrated the historic day, lining up early for ribbon cuttings, freebies and offerings ranging from cookies to gummy bears to weed with names like "heaven mountain" and "alien rock candy."

Jeff Deakin, 66, his wife Mary and their dog waited in the cold all night to be first in a line of 100 people when Harborside dispensary, a longtime medical pot shop in Oakland, opened at 6 am 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."

Harborside founder Steve DeAngelo used a giant pair of scissors to cut a green ribbon, declaring, "With these scissors I dub thee free," before ringing up the first customer at a cash register.

Sales were brisk in the shops lucky to score one of the roughly 100 state licenses issued so far, but customers in some of the state's largest cities were out of luck. Los Angeles and San Francisco hadn't authorised shops in time to get state licenses and other cities, such as Riverside and Fresno, blocked sales altogether.

Licensed shops are concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, around Palm Springs, San Jose and Santa Cruz, where the KindPeoples shop tacked up a banner Monday declaring, "Prohibition is Over!" The state banned what it called "loco-weed" in 1913, though it has eased criminal penalties for use of the drug since the 1970s and was the first state to legalise marijuana for medicinal purposes in 1996.

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.

The nation's most populous state now joins a growing list of 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.

The signs that California was tripping toward legal pot sales were evident well before the stroke of midnight. California highways flashed signs before New Year's Eve that said "Drive high, Get a DUI," reflecting law enforcement concerns about stoned drivers. Weedmaps, the phone app that allows customers to rate shops, delivery services and shows their locations, ran a full-page ad Sunday in the Los Angeles Times that said, "Smile California. It's Legal."

Travis Lund, 34, said he'd been looking forward while working the graveyard shift to buy weed legally for the first time since he began smoking pot as a teen. "I'm just stoked that it's finally legal," he said after purchasing an eighth of an ounce of "Mount Zion" and another type of loose leaf marijuana at Northstar Holistic Collective in Sacramento, where the fragrance of pot was strong. "I'm going to go home and get high  and enjoy it."

Lund previously purchased marijuana on the black market through friends and said that may continue, given the high costs of the legal weed, which is heavily taxed. But he said he would indulge in retail pot occasionally because of controls being phased in to ensure a higher-quality product.

Shops will be able to sell marijuana harvested without full regulatory controls for six months but will eventually only be able to sell pot tested for potency, pesticides and other contaminants, and products that have been tracked from seed to sale.

The Bureau of Cannabis Control was not aware of any problems or complaints about the first day of sales, but it didn't have inspectors in the field, spokesman Alex Traverso said. Employees at the bureau on the holiday continued to process 1,400 pending license applications for retail sales, distribution and testing facilities. Traverso said they expect a flood of applications from LA and San Francisco after those are approved locally. Because Los Angeles is the biggest market in the state, some of those shops will be approved more quickly than others waiting in line, he said.

The status of the Los Angeles shops highlights broad confusion over the new law. Los Angeles officials announced late last month that the city will not begin accepting license applications until Wednesday, 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.

Attorneys advising a group of city dispensaries have concluded those businesses can 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, were open. "My patients are scared, my employees are scared," said Kiloh, who owns a dispensary in the city's San Fernando Valley area.

In Orange County, shops in Santa Ana received the green light over the weekend to open and a steady flow showed up at ShowGrow.

Ellen St. Peter, 61, shopped with her son, Bryce St. Peter, 23, both medical marijuana users. She said she smoked pot for years  at times taking great risks to get it  but stopped once she started having kids. "In high school my guy friends would fantasise about shops we could go into and just buy weed," she said. "I couldn't have dreamed of this place."
China on Tuesday defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's 'outstanding contribution' to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

Beijing: China on Tuesday defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of "lies and deceit" and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he said in a scathing criticism of 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. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018

Today China, on expected lines, praised Pakistan's counter terrorism record.

"Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said when asked about Trump's criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

"China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides," Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the $50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts say US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trump's criticism would affect China's efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said "We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges".

He said during the 26 December trilateral meet, the three countries "reached a lot of consensus" on cooperation. This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

"The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard," Geng said.

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.

His remarks came days after the The New York Times reported that US is considering withholding $225 million in aid to Pakistan, reflecting its dissatisfaction with Islamabad's reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.
With ties with the US running into an all-time low, Pakistan is fast cosying up to China as its charity from the US threatening to dry up after the intimidating Trump tweet.

A day after US president Donald Trump's stinging tweet, the State Bank of Pakistan on Tuesday accorded Chinese Yuan (CNY) "at par with other international currencies such as USD, Euro and JPY etc." as "an approved foreign currency for denominating foreign currency transactions in Pakistan."

"SBP has already put in place the required regulatory framework which facilitates use of CNY in trade and investment transactions such as opening of L/Cs and availing financing facilities in CNY," said a press release from State Bank of Pakistan.

With ties with the US reaching a new low and its funds seemingly being threatened, Pakistan is cosying up to China.

Indicating deepening economic ties between the two all-weather friends, the State Bank of Pakistan said, "It may be mentioned here that after signing Currency Swap Agreement (CSA) with Peoples Bank of China (PBoC), SBP had taken a series of steps to promote use of CNY in Pakistan for bilateral trade and investment with China. SBP allowed banks to accept CNY deposits and give CNY Trade loans."

"Considering the recent local and global economic developments, particularly with the growing size of trade and investment with China under CPEC, SBP foresees that CNY denominated trade with China will increase significantly, going forward; and will yield long term benefits for both the countries," the State Bank of Pakistan release said.

On Monday, 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

Although the move may seem like a knee-jerk reaction to Trump's tweet, a proposal to this effect was being considered in Islamabad for some time.

Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, according to a Dawn report said in December "the government was examining a proposal to replace the US dollar with the Chinese Yuan for trade between China and Pakistan."

Iqbal said this after the formal launch of Long Term Plan (LTP) for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 2017-30 signed by the two sides on 21 November.

The CPEC is a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative. The 3,000 km, over $50 billion corridor stretches from Kashgar in western China to Gwadar port in Pakistan on the Arabian sea.

Asked if the Chinese currency could be allowed for use in Pakistan, the minister said the Pakistani currency would be used within the country, but China desired that bilateral trade take place in yuan.

"We are examining the use of yuan instead of the US dollar for trade between the two countries," Iqbal said, adding that the use of yuan was not against the interest of Pakistan.

Rather, it would "benefit" Pakistan, Iqbal added.

With inputs from IANS
Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif called on PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi after Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but 'lies and deceit'.

Islamabad: 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," Geo TV reported, citing its sources.

It said the two leaders also discussed 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..  Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) January 1, 2018

"We have already refused to the US mantra of 'do more' for it (US). We have told the Trump administration that we will not do 'no more' for it. The 'do more' does not hold any importance. Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted: "Coalition support funds has never been counted as AID in any accounting by Pakistan, nor will it be seen as part of assistance. It was compensation on expenses incurred on joint action on border. Other 'Aid' we should indeed talk about, because Pakistan never charged for NATO traffic".

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 and 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 was considering withholding $225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism.
Donald Trump has sure come a long way since being elected US president in November 2016. And nowhere is this more evident than the transformation he has made in his approach towards Pakistan.

Donald Trump has sure come a long way since being elected US president in November 2016. And nowhere is this more evident than the transformation he has made in his approach towards Pakistan.

The phone call

On 30 November, three weeks after being elected, Trump spoke on a phone call with Nawaz Sharif, where he called the then Pakistan prime minister a "terrific guy" who is doing "amazing work". "I am ready and willing to play any role that you want me to play to address and find solutions to the outstanding problems," he is said to have told Sharif, an unequivocal vote of confidence if ever there was any.

"Please convey to the Pakistani people that they are amazing and all Pakistanis I have known are exceptional people," Trump further added, as per a readout released by the Pakistan government.

This was particularly strange because Trump had tweeted back in 2012 that "Pakistan is not our friend", and wondered if they should give them "billions and billions" of dollars.

Get it straight: Pakistan is not our friend. Weve given them billions and billions of dollars, and what (cont) http://t.co/O5S4cQV3  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 17, 2012

Clearly, becoming president had changed Trump's mind. Or maybe the four years that had passed had done so.

Happy beginnings

In January 2017, when Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States, a lot of the bonhomie generated by the phone call carried over. Pakistani leaders reacted enthusiastically to Trump, with the finance ministry looking forward to bilateral trade and investment.

Finance Minister Ishaq Dar said the Pakistan government looked forward to working with the new US administration. He spoke to US ambassador David Hale and the two sides discussed matters of bilateral interests, particularly trade and economic relations. Dar also stated that there was "considerable untapped potential" to increase bilateral trade and investment between Pakistan and the US.

Sartaj Aziz, adviser to the Pakistani prime minister on foreign affairs, also welcomed Trump to the new job. "The people and leadership of Pakistan welcome the successful transition in the US and felicitate Donald Trump on assuming office," a statement from Aziz had said.

Modi visits Washington

The wind began to change about six months later, around the time Indian prime minister Narendra Modi visited Washington in June, for the first time since Trump took charge. Issuing a joint statement at the end of Modi's trip, India and US said: "The leaders called on Pakistan to ensure that its territory is not used to launch terrorist attacks on other countries. They further called on Pakistan to expeditiously bring to justice the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai, Pathankot, and other cross-border terrorist attacks perpetrated by Pakistan-based groups."

And just hours after this joint statement was released, the US directed another blow at Pakistan, this time declaring Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin as a "global terrorist".

"Under Salahuddin's tenure as senior Hizbul Mujahideen leader, it has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014 explosives attack in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people," the US state department said.

US citizens are now prohibited from engaging in any transaction with Salahuddin, and all of the 71-year-olds property and assets subject to the US jurisdiction will be blocked.

It was clear that the grounds had shifted, and Trump wasn't viewing Pakistan with the same rose-tinted glasses as he once did.

New South Asia policy

But things really took a hit in August, when Trump unveiled his new South Asia strategy. "For its part, Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror. The threat is worse because Pakistan and India are two nuclear-armed States whose tense relations threaten to spiral into conflict. And that could happen," Trump had said.

"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," he had said. "Pakistan has much to gain from partnering with our effort in Afghanistan. It has much to lose by continuing to harbour terrorists."

These comments were, as was expected, met with a stern reaction from Pakistan. Pakistan on Tuesday suspended bilateral talks and visits with the United States. According to The Nation, Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif informed a Senate committee that the government had to take such a decision as a protest against Trump's comments against Pakistan.

According to the report, Khawaja told the committee that Trump was not willing to accept Pakistan's stance that India is harbouring terror havens in Afghanistan to destabilise the country. A top US official's visit to Islamabad was also postponed at the request of the Pakistan government amid anti-American protests in Karachi.

Friends again?

A month later, however, Trump swung back the other way, saying he's "starting to develop a much better understanding with Pakistan and its leaders". Taking to Twitter, Trump had posted, "Starting to develop a much better relationship with Pakistan and its leaders. I want to thank them for their cooperation on many fronts."

"I have openly said Pakistan took tremendous advantage of our country for many years, but we're starting to have a real relationship with Pakistan, and they're to respect us as a nation again, and so are other nations," Trump said. "They are starting to respect the US again," he said, thanking the leaders of Pakistan for "what they've been doing". "In this administration, we will call evil by its name," he said.

Foes again?

But the turn of the year seems to have changed Trump's mind all over again. On New Year's Day, Trump took to Twitter again to lash out at Pakistan, this time in an unusually stern manner.

"The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more," he wrote, as part of his new year message.

And it wasn't just the statement this time. Washington also followed this up with action. The US suspended its $225 million military aid to Pakistan. "The US does not plan to spend the $255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation, the official said.

With inputs from agencies
The anti-government protests in Iran, which started on Thursday, saw their most violent night as 'armed protesters' tried to overrun military bases and police stations.

The anti-government protests in Iran, that started on Thursday, saw their most violent night on Monday as "armed protesters" tried to overrun military bases and police stations before security forces repelled them, according to state television. These demonstrations are the largest to strike the country since its disputed 2009 presidential election.

A semi-official news agency in Iran is reporting that 450 people have been arrested over three days in Tehran since Saturday, according to AP.

Small groups of protesters ran through the streets of Tehran on Monday evening, before a heavy police presence restored calm, local agencies said.

The unrest remained focused on provincial towns and cities, although fewer videos on social media suggested less activity in many areas.

The demonstrations have seen five days of unrest across the country and a death toll of at least 13 with the slaying of a police officer announced late Monday.

The latest protests came despite President Hassan Rouhani's vow that the nation would deal with "rioters and lawbreakers".

Slogans such as "Death to the dictator" could be heard throughout the protests. The Guardian reported that videos posted on social media from Tehran showed protesters taking down banners depicting Rouhani.

These protests are fuelled by disappointment that the lifting of sanctions on Iran in January 2016 has failed to deliver an economic boom.

What triggered the protests?

The demonstrations began Thursday in Mashhad, Iran's second-largest city and the home of a famous Shiite shrine. The city is a conservative bastion and a stronghold of Ebrahim Raisi, a cleric who unsuccessfully challenged Rouhani in last year's election.

Analysts suggest conservatives began the protests there as a means to pressure Rouhani, a relatively moderate cleric within Iran's theocratic government, according to AP. The protests then rapidly spread throughout the rest of the country of 80 million people.

Iranians vented their anger over a sharp increase in prices of basic items like eggs, and a government proposal to increase fuel prices in next years budget. Some protesters also vented their rage over high unemployment and savings that were lost after investments in unlicensed credit and financial institutions turned sour.

The demonstrations, initially focused on economic hardships and alleged corruption, turned into political rallies. Anger was soon directed at the clerical leadership in power since the 1979 revolution, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate authority in Irans system of dual clerical and republican rule.

What do the protesters want?

Reuters reported that Iranians across the country want higher wages and an end to alleged graft. Many also question the wisdom of Iran's foreign policy in West Asia, where it has intervened in Syria and Iraq in a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia.

The countrys financial support for Palestinians and the Lebanese Hezbollah also angered Iranians, who want their government to focus on domestic economic problems instead.

The wide spectrum of slogans showed that the wave of demonstrations cover a range of social classes who have different demands.

How has the Iranian government responded?

Rouhani tried to dismiss and downplay the protests taking across the country. CNN reported that in a meeting with Iranian members of parliament on Monday, he said, "Our great nation has witnessed a number of similar incidents in the past and has comfortably dealt with them. This is nothing."

"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." While acknowledging that Iranians have the right to protest legally, he urged for national unity, the CNN report said.

On Sunday, Iran blocked access to Instagram and the popular messaging app Telegram used by activists to organise. According to the BBC, restrictions to access Telegram and Instagram apps were imposed to 'maintain tranquillity'.

In Iran, Telegram and Instagram, as well as Twitter, have been instrumental in sharing information when traditional media outlets are tightly controlled by the government. Protesters have been extensively using Telegram and Instagram to organise and promote the offline demonstrations.

Iran has also warned that protesters will "pay the price" after mass demonstrations across the country took place in which dozens were arrested and official buildings attacked.

Videos shared on social media showed thousands marching in towns and cities throughout Iran overnight.

"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 state television.

Police also arrested 52 people after Thursday's protests, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted a judicial official as saying in Mashhad, according to Reuters.

In social media footage, riot police can be seen using water cannon and tear gas to disperse crowds.

How did other countries respond?

US president Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticised Tehran over demonstrations, said it was "time for a change" and that Iran's people were "hungry" for freedom.

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

He also condemned the arrest of protesters in Iran, telling Tehran that "the world is watching". He tweeted, "Many reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with regime's and its squandering of the nation's wealth to fund terrorism abroad."

The European Union Monday pushed Iran to guarantee the right to protest and separately British foreign secretary Boris Johnson said "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," Johnson said in a statement.

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, according to Reuters.

"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.

On Monday, Rouhani was quoted by state media as apparently blaming Irans arch enemies, the United States and Israel, for provoking unrest.

German foreign minister Sigmar Gabriel also said in a statement that "after the confrontation of the past days it is all the more important for all sides to refrain from violent action," according to AP.

Meanwhile, the Russian foreign ministry said that any external interference in the situation is unacceptable, reported IANS.

With inputs from agencies
Ultrafaux will perform at Barking Legs Theater on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance, $15 day of the show and available here.

Review for Ultrafaux:

Ultrafaux is an acoustic powerhouse of two guitars and upright bass that has thrilled a wide variety of audiences from jazz festivals to concert halls and nightclubs since their first CD release in 2014. Lead guitarists Michael Joseph Harris and Sami Arefin trade dazzling leads and harmonize together on rich gypsy-inspired melodies.

The band often includes top guest artists from the gypsy jazz scene and recently performed at Festival Django Reinhardt in France as the highlight of a European tour that included Brad Brose, Deborah Lartilleux, Renaud Dardenne, Alexandre Tripodi, Lewis Dickenson, and Lisa Liu.

Lead guitarist and composer Michael Joseph Harris made the front page of The Baltimore Sun Weekend section in 2016 and was named one of the top 10 artists in Baltimore by Baltimore Style Magazine that same year. He has performed at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Django By The Sea, Midwest Gypsy Swing Festival, Charm City Django Jazz Festival, The French Embassy, IMT Folk Series, Napa Valley Jazz Society, Django-A-Gogo, and they have toured throughout the United States, Europe, and Canada. Ultrafaux has been featured live on WPFW, WTMD, WDVX, KPIG, KVMR, WRNR, WDVX Blue Plate Special, Fox News Knoxville, and CBS News Baltimore. Michael was the first guitarist in this genre to ever be interviewed multiple times on WTMD, a popular Indie Rock-oriented radio station in Baltimore, Maryland.

The members of Ultrafaux serve as the core trio for Hot Club of Baltimore, a band specializing in the repertoire of Django Reinhardt which often features Alexis Tantau on vocals and a wide array of top jazz musicians. Hot Club was honored to be chosen to perform at the 1st Annual Baltimore Jazzfest in 2016. Harris is artistic director and founder of the Charm City Django Jazz Festival held annually in Baltimore City at the Creative Alliance.
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

Islamabad: A meeting between Pakistan's National Security Advisor lieutenant general Nasser Khan Janjua (retired) and India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval took place on 27 December 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.

General 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."
Pakistan on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, on a day when President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but 'lies and deceit' and providing 'safe haven' to terrorists.

Lahore: Pakistan on Monday banned Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation from collecting donations, on a day when President Donald Trump accused Islamabad of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists.

The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) issued a notification prohibiting 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 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," according to the notification.

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 Dawn said.

The notification comes on a day when 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 in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and 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 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.

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.

"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.

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 has summoned the US ambassador, an embassy spokesman said, in a rare public rebuke after Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad with threats to cut aid over 'lies' about militancy

Islamabad: Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador, an embassy spokesman said Tuesday, in a rare public rebuke after Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad with threats to cut aid over "lies" about militancy.

Ambassador David Hale was asked to go to the foreign ministry in the Pakistani capital on Monday night, after Islamabad responded angrily to the US President's allegations that it provided safe havens for militants, in the latest spat to rock their alliance.

A US embassy spokesman confirmed Hale met officials, but added: "We don't have any comment on the substance of the meeting."

There was no immediate response from foreign ministry officials.

Trump used his first tweet of 2018 to tear into Islamabad.

"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 early-morning New Year's Day tweet.

"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

Pakistan hit back swiftly, saying it had done much for the United States, helping it to "decimate" Al-Qaeda, while getting only "invective and mistrust" in return, in angry comments from its foreign and defence ministers.

Trump's tweet offered no further details. He first hinted at cutting aid to Pakistan in an August speech charting his Afghan policy, and administration officials including Vice-President Mike Pence have also intimated cuts in recent months.

Observers warned that without further information the tweet could just be more hot air between the uneasy allies, whose often fractious relationship has taken a nosedive under Trump.

"Trump is in the habit of issuing hardline statements which only spoil the atmosphere and violate diplomatic niceties," security and diplomatic analyst Hasan Askari told AFP, adding that Pakistan should seek more information.

"It will only add to the acrimony that has crept into the bilateral relationship after Trump's arrival in the White House," another analyst, Imtiaz Gul told AFP.

After the 11 September, 2001 attacks on the United States, Washington forged a strategic alliance with Islamabad to help in its fight against militancy.

But Washington and Kabul have long accused Islamabad of supporting militant groups including the Taliban, believed to have links to Pakistan's shadowy military establishment which aims to use them as a regional bulwark against arch-nemesis India.

Islamabad has repeatedly denied the accusations, lambasting the US for ignoring the thousands who have been killed on its soil and the billions spent fighting

'Harsh' response

Trump's August speech, in which he accused Islamabad of harbouring "agents of chaos", triggered a series of high-level diplomatic meetings in the US and Pakistan.

The Trump administration also 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.

But Islamabad has given few signs of concessions.

Of foremost concern in the US is Islamabad's attitude toward the powerful Haqqani network, whose leader Sirajuddin Haqqani is the deputy leader of the Afghan Taliban.

The group is accused of some of the most lethal attacks on US forces in Afghanistan, and was dubbed by America's former top military officer Mike Mullen as a "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence.

For many years it found safe haven in Pakistan's semi-autonomous northwestern tribal areas.

However the Pakistani military launched an operation there in 2014, and now insists it has eradicated all safe havens in the country.

For Pakistan, analyst Gul noted, the assumption is that arch-rival and fellow nuclear power India is fuelling Trump's hostility towards Islamabad.

India, which Pakistan views as an existential threat, has long vied with Islamabad for influence in Afghanistan, building dams, roads and a new parliament in the troubled country, offering millions in aid and training security forces.

Trump and other administration officials have called on India to become more involved in Afghanistan  an idea that is anathema to Islamabad, which fears encirclement.

"Now Pakistan's first attempt will be to neutralise India's narrative of Pakistan," Gul said.
The United States has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed.

Washington: The United States has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

The confirmation comes on the same day when US president Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

"The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation, the official said.

Earlier in the day, US president Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America "nothing but lies and deceit" despite having received more than USD 33 billion in last 15 years.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism.

Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it has got "nothing but invective and mistrust" for all the actions it took in support of America's war against terrorism.

"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 Pakistan Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to shouted questions from reporters on "what is your plan on Pakistan?"

Several US lawmakers came out in support of Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan.

"I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan," Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma said.

"You're either with the US, or against us. We will always help our friends, but for too long, the US has propped up countries that do not share our goal to end terrorism. I'm proud to see our president take bold steps to put America first," Mullin said.

"I couldn't agree more," tweeted Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky.

"Ive been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate," said Paul.

Samantha Vinograd, CNN's national security analyst spoke in favour of Trump's move.

"As a way to make it clear to the Pakistanis that enough is enough, if President Trump actually follows through, it could be an effective move," she said in an opinion piece published on the CNN website.

"It isn't the only step by any means, but it could be the right one," she said.

"Great start. Why give millions to countries who would harbor our enemies?" Trumps son Donald Trump Jr tweeted on Monday.
Dade County Schools has become the 123rd school district in Georgia to adopt the 100% Tobacco-Free Schools (TFS) policy, which makes schools in all ten counties comprising the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) Northwest Health District  Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Paulding, Polk, and Walker  tobacco free.

Tobacco-free schools save lives, said Dr. Unini Odama, health director for the Georgia DPH Northwest Health District. The Dade County Board of Education has demonstrated transformational leadership by eliminating exposure to secondhand smoke in schools and reducing youth tobacco use in Northwest Georgia.



Children spend almost a third of their waking time in school, so we are in a uniquely powerful position to play a major role in reducing the serious problem of smoking and other tobacco use by kids, said Dade County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jan Harris. Adopting the100% TFS policy in Dade County Schools will have an enormous impact on the current and future health and well-being of our students.



The addition of Dade County Schools brings the total number of Georgia youth who are encouraged not to use tobacco products and protected from the dangers of exposure to secondhand smoke to 1,476,044 (including both charter schools and public-school districts). Under the 100% Tobacco-Free School policy, no student, staff member, or school visitor is permitted to use any tobacco product or e-cigarette at any time on school property.



Almost 13% of Georgia high school students smoke  higher than the national rate of about 8% - and 8.6% use e-cigarettes, Dr. Odama said. Ninety percent of Georgias smokers started using tobacco before the age of 18, and by eliminating tobacco use, including e-cigarettes, in schools, we can reduce the likelihood children in Georgia will start to use tobacco as well as protect children and adults from the effects of secondhand smoke.



Tobacco use causes heart disease, cancer, diabetes and premature death. In a young person, smoking can damage the heart and lungs right away and in some cases, the damage never goes away. Studies show that eliminating tobacco smoke in an environment can reduce the incidence of heart attack related hospital admissions by between 10 and 40 percent.



Young people also are sensitive to nicotine. The younger they are when they start using tobacco, the more likely they are to develop addiction to nicotine, and over a lifetime theyll become even more heavily addicted.



All Georgians, including students, 13 to 17 years old, can call the Georgia Tobacco Quit Line at 1-877-270-STOP (7867) or 1-877-2NO-FUME (877-266-3863) and receive confidential counseling on how to quit smoking.


The Hamilton County Health Department reported 296 new positive cases of COVID-19 on Friday, up from 235 the day before. The total of cases in the county is now 55,571. There have been four more deaths from the virus, and the total is at 565 in the county. It is reported it was three men and one woman; two white, one black and one other; and one age 31-40, two age 51-60 and ... (click for more)
The Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra which was confirmed by the Thailand and Malaysia regulators bodies last week is back in the new again as the images of the device leaked. The photos show the handset in its full glory, and it is the first device from Sony to feature a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Judging by the photos, the Sony Xperia XA 2 Ultra looks very similar to its predecessor, it packs dual front cameras with front-facing LED flash indicating that selfie will be the primary focus. Sony is also expected to bundle additional software feature to leverage the dual front cameras. For the first time, the fingerprint sensor is moved to the rear as most of the Sony device had the sensor embedded into the power button on the sides up until now.

The Xperia XA 2 Ultra is said to sport 6-inch FHD display and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset with 4GB RAM with 64GB storage. The XA2 Ultra will run on Android 8.0 Oreo. Though the device was initially expected to go official at the IFA show in September as the handset was first leaked in August, it never did. With CES 2018 event starting late this week, it is likely that Sony might introduce the device and make it available at a later date.

Source | Via
Samsung Galaxy Note 8 users had reported on the Samsung community that the device is dying once the battery is drained completely. Users have complained that they couldnt turn on the device even after plugging it into a power source. While the exact reason for the issue is unknown, Samsung has just acknowledged the problem saying that it is limited to a small number of units.

It is likely that Snapdragon-powered units are the most affected since most of the reports are coming from US carriers. While the issue can be hardware or software related, Samsung is said to be offering replacements to affected customers. The company is yet to explain whats causing the problem, users have also reported that the device is getting warm when plugging it in, but doesnt boot up.

Samsung Galaxy S8+ users also seem to be facing a similar issue, though the count is very less and there is no authenticity in these reports as well. Samsungs statement is vague at best and doesnt offer any details on what is causing the issue.

The company in a statement has said:

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.

Source | Via
Nokia 6 (2018) with the model number TA-1054 surfaced on TENAA last month, showing a large display with minimal bezels, now the specifications of the phone has been detailed on the certification site that confirms that it will have a 5.5-inch 1080p screen with 16:9 aspect ratio and not 18:9 ratio as expected. It also reveals a faster Octa-Core SoC, which is rumored to be Snapdragon 630.

As we already know, it has a long camera setup, similar to the Nokia 5 with Red or Orange accents. Antenna bands on the top and the bottom parts of the back are similar to the original Nokia 6.

It also doesnt have capacitive touch buttons below the display since there is no home button and the fingerprint sensor has been moved to the back, between the camera module and the Nokia branding.

Nokia 6 (2018) rumored specifications

5.5-inch (1920 x 1080 pixels) 2.5D curved glass display

2.2 GHz Octa-Core Snapdragon 630 14nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 508 GPU

4GB RAM, 32GB / 64GB internal memory, expandable memory up to 128GB with microSD

Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)

Hybrid Dual SIM (nano + nano / microSD)

16MP rear camera with dual-tone LED flash, PDAF

8MP front-facing camera

Fingerprint sensor

Dimensions: 148.8  75.8  8.15mm; Weight: 172g

4G VoLTE, WiFi 802.11 ac (2.4GHz + 5GHz), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, USB Type-C

3000mAh built-in battery

The Nokia 6 (2018) is expected to come in White, Black and Blue colors. Hope we can expect an official announcement soon.

Source
LONDON, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Oil prices eased on Tuesday after hitting mid-2015 highs in early trading, as major pipelines in Libya and the UK restarted and U.S production soared to the highest in more than four decades.

It was the first time since January 2014 that the two crude oil benchmarks opened the year above $60 per barrel, buoyed by large anti-government rallies in Iran and ongoing supply cuts led by OPEC and Russia.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures traded 20 cents lower at around $60.22 a barrel by 11:34 a.m. EST (1634 GMT). In early trading WTI hit $60.74, the highest since June 2015.

Brent crude futures, the international benchmark, were down 53 cents, or 0.8 percent at $66.34 a barrel. The session high of $67.29 was the highest since May 2015.

The spread between U.S. crude and Brent <WTCLc1-LCoc1> hit the narrowest in nearly two weeks.

The 450,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity Forties pipeline system in the North Sea returned to full operations on Dec. 30 after an unplanned shutdown.

Repairs have been finished on a Libyan oil pipeline damaged in a suspected attack last week and production is restarting gradually, engineers said.

"The resolution of the North Sea pipeline issue is having the expected result that the Brent-WTI spread is narrowing today," David Thompson, executive vice-president at Powerhouse, an energy-specialized commodities broker in Washington.

Thompson added that traders have been returning to work from the holidays, boosting volumes.

"Despite the day's price weakness, both Brent and WTI remain in solid, long-term bullish trends - $58.95 is nearby support on WTI front-month futures and $65.60 is the corresponding support on front-month Brent futures," Thompson said.

Iran's Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused the country's enemies of stirring unrest, as the death toll rose to 21 from anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Iran is OPEC's third largest crude producer. Iranian oil industry and shipping sources said protests have had no impact so far on oil production or exports.

"Geopolitical risks are clearly back on the crude oil agenda after having been absent almost entirely since the oil market ran into a surplus in the second half of 2014," Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB, said, also citing Kurdistan and Libya.

Oil markets have been supported by a year of production cuts led by the Middle East-dominated Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia. The cuts started in January 2017 and are scheduled to cover all of 2018.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories have fallen by almost 20 percent from their historic highs last March, to 431.9 million barrels.

Strong demand growth, especially from China, has also been supporting crude.

However, rising U.S. production, which is on the verge of breaking through 10 million bpd, has tempered the bullish outlook.

"We think U.S. tight oil production growth warrants close monitoring as it could spoil OPEC's market-balancing efforts, pushing the market into surplus in 2018," Barclays bank said.

October U.S crude production rose 167,000 barrels per day to 9.64 million bpd, according to the EIA's monthly production report. If the figure is not revised next month, it would be the highest monthly level since May 1971.

(Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore; editing by David Evans and David Gregorio)undefined
LONDON (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus delivered over 700 aircraft in 2017, reaching a company record and meeting its core output target for the year, industry sources said.

Exact figures have been kept under wraps ahead of an announcement on January 15, but the sources said Airbus handed over a record monthly total of jets in December, surpassing the previous monthly peak of 111 seen in the closing weeks of 2016.

Coming on top of 591 deliveries posted between January and November last year, that implies deliveries of at least 703 aircraft in 2017 as a whole, up at least 2 percent from 2016.

A spokesman for Airbus declined comment.

Airbus stuck throughout 2017 to an official target of more than 700 deliveries for the year, but abandoned a more ambitious informal goal of more than 720 deliveries in October due to continued delays in engine deliveries for the A320neo family.

Airbus officials have said the delays have now eased, following a two-year wrangle with supplier Pratt & Whitney (NYSE:UTX) over late engines for the company's fastest-selling jet.

(Reporting by Tim Hepher; Editing by Ingrid Melander)
Cox Enterprises said Wednesday the majority of its employees will receive bonuses of up to $2,000 following the passage of tax reform.

The Atlanta-based company, which owns the Cox cable provider among other businesses, announced that bonuses of $1,000 to $2,000 will be distributed on Tax Day to employees who have worked at Cox Enterprises for at least a year and are not part of an executive incentive plan. The move impacts most of the companys nearly 60,000 employees.

The $1.5 trillion tax bill reduces the corporate tax rate from 35% to 21% and changes the way the U.S. government taxes companies that also operate internationally.

FOX Business is keeping track of the tax benefits that have reached over 3 million Americans so far.

Updated 3/7/18

Anthem

Anthem Inc. (NYSE:ANTM) said it would contribute retirement savings for more than 58,000 current and former employees, joining other major corporations in rewarding workers after the passage of a GOP-backed tax reform package.

The Indianapolis-based health insurance company said its associates and recent retirees will receive $1,000 toward their 401(k) accounts, for a total investment of more than $58 million. Anthem said other tax reform-related savings would be used to reduce the cost of healthcare for customers.

Apple

The California-based tech giant gave employees below the senior level title of "director" bonuses worth $2,500. The awards were composed of restricted stock units, a source familiar with the situation told FOX Business.

AT&T

The telecom giant said in late December that more than 200,000 of its employees, including union-represented and non-management workers, will be eligible for a $1,000 bonus. The checks will be in the mail in time for the holidays if Trump finalizes the tax bill with his signature before Christmas. AT&T (NYSE:T) also said it will invest $1 billion more than expected in the U.S. in 2018, once the cuts are final.

Congress, working closely with the President, took a monumental step to bring taxes paid by U.S. businesses in line with the rest of the industrialized world, AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson said in a statement. This tax reform will drive economic growth and create good-paying jobs.

BNY Mellon

Starting on March 1, Bank of New York Mellon Corp. will raise minimum wage to $15 per hour for roughly 1,000 of its 52,500 employees, the Wall Street Journal reported.

BNY Mellon executives noted the new tax code will allow for savings of roughly $250 million per year, which will be used on technology upgrades.

Boeing

The aerospace and defense company immediately announced $300 million in investments after the bill passed, with $100 million toward corporate giving including employee gift-match programs, $100 million toward workforce development, training and education and $100 million toward enhancing Boeings workplaces.

"On behalf of all of our stakeholders, we applaud and thank Congress and the administration for their leadership in seizing this opportunity to unleash economic energy in the United States," Boeing (NYSE:BA) President and CEO Dennis Muilenburg said in a statement. "It's the single-most important thing we can do to drive innovation, support quality jobs and accelerate capital investment in our country."

Charter Communications

Charter, which owns the Spectrum cable brand, says all of its employees will be paid at least $15 per hour within the next year. The company cited tax reform and the repeal of net neutrality rules for its decision.

"Charter's workforce is key to the success of our company," Charter CEO Tom Rutledge said in a statement. "Our commitment to pay every employee at least a $15 per hour income will enhance our efforts to develop our highly-skilled, diverse and locally based workforce, improving their lives and the lives of the customers they serve."

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) is rolling out benefits reaching all of its 71,000 employees, including special cash and stock bonuses and enhanced paid and parental leave.

Qualified hourly employees and salaried restaurant employees will receive a special one-time cash bonus of up to $1,000, and some staff employees will receive a one-time stock grant.

Other offerings will include accelerated training programs, and additional paid parental leave for everyone, from hourly managers to salaried employees.

The company also added life insurance and short-term disability insurance coverage for hourly restaurant managers.

According to the company, the tax cut and the jobs cut made the sweetened compensation and benefits possible. The company will invest more than one-third of its anticipated savings from tax law changes on behalf of its employees, and the remainder will be used to improve its restaurant facilities and operations.

The company said it has already started rolling out these new benefits.

Comcast

The Philadelphia-based telecom corporation said it would award $1,000 bonuses to more than 100,000 non-executive employees. In addition, Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) NBC Universal Chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts said the company plans to spend more than $50 billion in the next five years on infrastructure investments that are expected to create "thousands of new direct and indirect jobs."

In a press release, Comcast said the initiatives were "based on the passage of tax reform and the FCC's action on broadband."

CVS

Hourly employees of CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) will see their wages increase to $11 per hour from $9, effective April 2018. The company also plans to adjust pay ranges and rates for many of its retail employees later in the year.

The company is creating a new paid parental leave program. Effective April 1, 2018, full-time employees who become parents can take up to four weeks away from work at 100% of their pay.

Fifth Third Bancorp

The Cincinnati-based banking corporation said it would raise the minimum hourly wage for all employees to $15 per hour and dispense $1,000 bonuses for more than 13,500 workers. The company says tax reform was directly responsible for the initiatives.

It is good for our communities, employees and Fifth Third Bank (NASDAQ:FITB), Fifth Third President and CEO Greg Carmichael said.

Home Depot

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) announced it will pay its U.S. hourly workers a one-time bonus of up to $1,000 tied to President Trumps tax reform.

"This incremental investment in our associates was made possible by the new tax reform bill," Craig Menear, chairman and CEO of the company, said in a statement.

The Home Depot bonus will be paid in addition to the retailers existing bonuses. It employs more than 400,000 associates.

JPMorgan Chase

The country's largest bank said it will raise wages for roughly 22,000 workers to between $15 and $18 per hour. JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) employees are also set to receive a $750 bonus this month.

JetBlue

The New York-based airline said on Jan. 4 that it would grant a $1,000 to each of its 21,000 crewmembers, with the exception of its CEO and other executives.

"We believe these tax changes will be positive for our company, and provide us the opportunity to do good things for our crewmembers, customers and shareholders," JetBlue President and CEO Robin Hayes said in a letter to company employees.

J.M. Smucker

J.M. Smucker Co. will offer one-time $1,000 bonuses to thousands of its employees, joining other major companies in rewarding employees due to savings tied to the recent passage of GOP-backed tax reform.

The Ohio-based company said last week that nearly 5,000 employees will receive bonuses. In addition, Smucker announced $1 million in charitable donations and $20 million in investments toward employee pension plans.

Lowe's

The retailer said it's giving more than 260,000 of its hourly employees bonuses of up to $1,000 as well as expanding its benefit plans to include adoption assistance and paid parental leave.

In addition, Lowe's said it plans to shorten its eligibility time for new employees who want to enroll in the company's health plans, giving them the option to sign up in the first 30 days of service.

McCormick

McCormick & Company (NYSE:MKC) will use a portion of its savings from tax reform to pay out $1,000 bonuses in May to eligible U.S. hourly employees and will accelerate wage increases, adding that the majority of hourly employees will benefit from the changes.

McCormick said in a statement that in addition to employee bonuses and wage increases, the company will use its tax benefits to make strategic investments to drive growth, return cash to shareholders and pay down debt.

MetLife

The New York-based insurance company (NYSE:MET) said it will increase its minimum wage to $15 per hour, enhance employee benefits and boost retirement plan contributions for all of its workers. MetLife also said it plans to create a new $10 million skills development fund to help its employees around the world upgrade their workplace skills.

Starbucks

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) is giving all of its U.S.-based hourly and salaried workers an unspecified raise in April, in addition to a wage increase already dispersed earlier in the fiscal year, which began last October. Starbucks says it is investing roughly $120 million in the wage increases.

The company is also awarding workers stock grants worth a total of more than $100 million to those employed by the chain as of Jan. 1, 2018. Retail employees will receive at least a $500 grant, while store managers will receive grants of $2,000, the chain said.

Southwest Airlines

The Dallas-based airline is awarding a $1,000 cash bonus to all of its full-time and part-time employees. The bonuses will be distributed on Jan. 8. In addition, Southwest said it will donate $5 million toward charitable causes and partner with Boeing to modernize its fleet of planes.

We applaud Congress and the President for taking this action to pass legislation, which will result in meaningful corporate income tax reform for the transportation sector in general, and for Southwest Airlines, in particular, Southwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said in a statement. We are excited about the savings and additional capital, which we intend to put to work in several formsto reward our hard-working employees, to reinvest in our business, to reward our shareholders, and to keep our costs and fares low for our Customers.

Tyson Foods

The Arkansas-based food company said it will award $1,000 bonuses to full-time employees and $500 to part-time employees who did not already receive an annual bonus. Tyson CEO Tom Hayes said in an email to employees that the companys total savings from tax reform will top $300 million, with leftover cash from the bonuses used to improve training and education, the Associated Press reported.

U-Haul

U-Haul said it will issue bonuses to its full-time and part-time employees, joining other corporations in rewarding employees after the passage of tax reform.

The Phoenix-based moving and storage company, which is a subsidiary of AMERCO, said full-time employees will receive a one-time bonus of $1,200 and part-time workers will receive a bonus of $500. The bonuses will be issued by the end of February and amount to more than $23 million in payments to nearly 29,000 team members, U-Haul said.

U.S. Bank

U.S. Bancorp, the parent company of U.S. Bank, is distributing $1,000 bonuses to roughly 60,000 of its employees and raising minimum wage for hourly workers to $15 per hour. The Minneapolis-based company is also donating $150 million to the U.S. Bank Foundation, upgrading health care packages for its employees and investing in better customer service capabilities.

"We believe that tax reform is positive for the U.S. economy because it provides an immediate opportunity to benefit our employees, our communities and our customers, said Andy Cecere, U.S. Bank's president and CEO. We are proud of our people and their commitment to our customers and communities. We felt it was important to reward their hard work and dedication with this special bonus, the minimum wage increase and the health care enhancements.

Verizon

The telecom giant will give nearly all of its employees 50 shares of restricted stock, worth roughly $53 each as of this week, a source with knowledge of the equity award confirmed to Fox News. The share prices will be set on Feb. 1.

Wal-Mart

Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT), the world's largest employer, boosted pay for U.S. hourly workers to $11 per hour. Additionally, the retailer is giving one-time $1,000 bonus payments to workers, depending on length of service. It is also extending maternity and parental benefits for workers. The changes take place in February.

The Walt Disney Co.

More than 125,000 Disney employees will receive $1,000 cash bonuses, the company announced on Jan. 23. The bonuses will be dispersed in two payments, one in March and another in September. In addition, Disney invested $50 million in an education program to cover tuition payments for hourly employees.

I am proud we are directing approximately $125 million to our cast members and employees across the country and making higher education more accessible with the launch of this new program, Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. I have always believed that education is the key to opportunity; it opens doors and creates new possibilities. Matched with the $1,000 cash bonus, these initiatives will have both an immediate and long-term positive impact.

Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) said it would raise the minimum wage for its team members to $15 per hour and earmark $400 million for philanthropic initiatives in 2018. Some $100 million of that total will be committed to boosting small businesses, while $75 million will support neighborhood revitalization efforts.

We believe tax reform is good for our U.S. economy and are pleased to take these immediate steps to invest in our team members, communities, small businesses, and homeowners, said Wells Fargo President and CEO Tim Sloan. We look forward to identifying additional opportunities for Wells Fargo to invest, as we continue to execute our business strategies and provide long-term value to all our stakeholders.
The train rolled in well past sunset as a couple of shuttle drivers waited at a dimly lit platform for passengers headed to the Grand Canyon.

After loading the shuttles, the last driver turned off the lights, closing down the Williams Junction station as the Amtrak train faded into the distance.

The routine had become one of passengers' most treasured experiences in the American West, but it ended with the new year. The company that runs the shuttle service between the train stop and the small city of Williams 3 miles (5 kilometers) away said it was becoming too much of a burden, effectively closing the station.

"I'm very sad to see it close because the whole history of this area  Williams and the Grand Canyon  is based on the trains bringing people out this way," said Jim Sigmon, a Prescott resident who traveled to Kansas City, Missouri, with his wife over the holidays via Williams Junction.

Amtrak's twice-daily trains between Los Angeles and Chicago have stopped at the station since at least 1999, when a company that runs a nearby hotel built it to serve passengers on its own rail line to the Grand Canyon.

Xanterra Parks and Resorts bought the Grand Canyon Railway in 2007 and decided last year to stop the free shuttle service at Williams Junction. As of Monday, passengers are picked up and dropped off in the Northern Arizona city of Flagstaff, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) away.

Railway spokesman Bruce Brossman said the train schedules were inconsistent, and passengers who arrived late at night or before dawn lingered in the hotel lobby  sleeping on couches, with nowhere else to go, and making guests and staff uncomfortable.

The shuttles also took a beating on the rough road to the station, he said.

"We really think that it's going to be a better experience for the train passengers to go to a real train depot in Flagstaff," Brossman said.

Those who have used the station don't want to see Williams forgotten if people choose to drive from Flagstaff directly to the Grand Canyon. Built on ranching and the railroad, the small city was among the last in Arizona to have Route 66 bypassed by Interstate 40.

For Mike Kinsey, arriving at Williams Junction with his wife and son was an adventure. He said his family like offbeat places, and it fit the bill.

"Frankly, I was thinking I should have my pistol hidden under my jacket because it's out in the boonies," the South Carolina resident said. "It's just really remote. Nothing bad, but it's just a little odd."

In comparison, the train depot in downtown Flagstaff is open around the clock and has hotels, restaurants and other businesses within walking distance.

Trace Ward, director of the Flagstaff Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city has been working with Amtrak to let passengers know what's open around their scheduled arrivals and departures.

"We're hopeful that it means more economic impact via tourism for the city," he said.
Most of the U.S. is in the grip of a deep freeze. According to the National Weather Service, arctic cold air will impact eastern states through the first week of January, and a reinforcing shot of bitter, Canadian air is expected to arrive late this week. The recent cold snap has already set dozens of record lows, and more are likely.

Extreme weather events have always impacted the economy, and cold weather is no different. According to Planalytics, the U.S. economy took a roughly $5 billion hit from the polar vortex of 2013-2014 from lost productivity and a drop in consumer spending. But, according to the Chicago Federal Reserve, the usual winter of 2013-2014 had a significant, but short-lived, impact on economic activity, the effect was not large enough to fully account for the weak economy during that period.

When it comes to the current cold snap, so far, the economic impact is negligible. When questioned about its current impact on the economy, Mark Vitner, managing director and senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities told FOX Business, right now the impact is fairly minimal because we are coming off the holiday season and few areas have been shut down due to snow or ice.

Vitner added that the cold temperatures are certainly driving up power usage, which has folks at utilities smiling, while natural gas and coal prices have also gotten a little bit of a boost.

Back during the cold snap of 2013-2014, in a research note, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) said: Colder-than-normal weather tends to be a drag on economic activity, in particular in weather-sensitive areas such as construction. While cold weather can negatively impact economic activity, it can help sales of winter apparel and boost utilities output.

FOX Business reached out to winter apparel companies to see if they have noticed any increase in buying interest in concert with recent cold snap, but they had not returned request for comment by the time this article was published.

Another business that can see some upside from cold weather is commodities trading. Commodities traders benefited from the major cold snap of 2013-2014, with Citigroups (NYSE:C) revenue from commodities transactions nearly doubling in the first quarter of 2014 year-over-year. The bank brought in $224 million in principal transactions revenue in commodity and other contracts, up almost 90% from the first quarter of 2013. As reported by Reuters, the gains came as the Polar Vortex briefly upended the U.S. natural gas market, with physical prices at the primary New York trading hub spiking more than 20-fold in one day during January [2014].

Other major banks including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) and Macquarie Bank reported solid returns from energy trading arms in the first quarter of 2014, added Reuters.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has charged two Romanian nationals, alleging that they hacked the Washington police department's surveillance cameras days before U.S. President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration, the Department of Justice said on Thursday.

Mihai Alexandru Isvanca and Eveline Cismaru were arrested in Romania on Dec. 15 over the incident, which compromised Washington's Metropolitan Police Department camera computers as part of a ransomware scheme, the Justice Department said in a statement.

"This case was of the highest priority due to its impact on the Secret Services protective mission and its potential effect on the security plan for the 2017 Presidential Inauguration," the statement said.

U.S. officials said the alleged conspiracy compromised the city police department's camera computers between Jan. 9 and Jan. 12 but did not threaten anyone's physical security.

It did, however, store two ransomware variants called "cerber" and "dharma" on police computers, the statement said.

The two Romanians also intended to email the ransomware to 179,000 email addresses, according to the statement. "The investigation also identified certain victims who had received the ransomware or whose servers had been accessed during the scheme," it said.

Isvanca and Cismaru were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit various forms of computer fraud, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the Justice Department said.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Katanga Johnson; Editing by Mohammad Zargham and David Gregorio)
Since the Star Wars saga is set a long, long time ago, its fitting that it features old cars.

Ron Howard, director of the upcoming Han Solo installment in the series, rang in 2018 by tweeting out a photo of the worn interior of what is presumably one of the landspeeders from the film that shows a steering wheel, gear shift lever and an instrument cluster that wouldnt look out of place in an earthbound custom car.

Thats because thats exactly what it is.

The X-34 that Luke Skywalker sold for the credits to buy a ride on the Millennium Falcon in A New Hope was really just a three-wheel Bond Bug with a new body that had wheels hidden or removed through camera tricks and special effects. Spy shots from the set of the new movie that were printed in the Daily Echo earlier this year caught several wheeled vehicles cruising around with landspeeder-looking bodies. One of them driven by Alden Ehrenreich, who plays the young Solo, even vaguely resembles a Chrysler Turbine Car.

That particular vehicle, which was quite compact, had a fully circular steering wheel, while the one in the tweet was a cutaway, so it may not be from the same one. However, the set photos were taken before Ron Howard took over production from the films original directing team of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and did extensive additional shooting. Howard previously shared an image of a speeder that'd been burned to the ground.

Whoever it is that's behind the wheel has also been treated to quilted upholstery and a snazzy pair of driving gloves. Theres also a screen on the center console that looks a lot like the targeting computer from an X-Wing fighter, which may explain what the two red buttons on the steering wheel are for.

Hopefully well find out on May 25, when Solo: A Star Wars Story hits theaters.
Three suspects have been arrested in connection with an attempted robbery at NASCAR team owner Richard Childress Lexington, N.C., estate home on December 17.

Childress, who was in the house with his wife at the time and was alerted to their presence when they set off an alarm, chased them away by firing a handgun at them before they could steal anything.

No one was injured in the incident.

North Carolinas Castle Doctrine allows the use of deadly force for self-defense in a home invasion situation.

Childress is the second vice president of the National Rifle Association.

Davidson County Sheriff David Grice said the only reason [Childress] and his wife were here today was because of God and the Second Amendment, according to The Charlotte Observer.

The armed burglars had their faces covered, but the 'military-style' guns they were carrying matched the description of three that were stolen in nearby Winston-Salem two days prior and were later connected to the incident, according to a press release from the Davidson County Sheriffs Office.

The three men  identified as Niquan Victorin, 20, Chantz Kade Hines, 18, and Armeka Vantonne Spinks, 18  were arrested in two Winston-Salem homes where police executed search warrants and charged with first-degree burglary and first-degree trespassing. They are being held at the Davidson County Detention Center with bonds set at $250,000 each.

Richard Childress Racing currently fields cars driven by Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman, who finished 11th and 16th, respectively, in the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
Dave Chappelle tackles Hollywoods sexual harassment allegations in his new Netflix stand-up  taking aim at one of the five women who accused Louis C.K. of sexual misconduct.

I shouldnt say this, but fk it, [C.Ks] allegations were the only one that made me laugh, he said in his Dave Chappelle: The Bird Revelation special released on New Years Eve. Its terrible, I know its terrible. Im sorry ladies  At the same time, you know what I mean, Jesus Christ, I dont know, they took everything from Louis, it might be disproportionate, I cant tell, I cant tell, this is like where its hard to be a man.

Chappelle, 44, went on to address C.K.s incident with writer Abby Schachner, with whom he masturbated while on the phone. She told the New York Times that it was one of the things that discouraged her from pursuing comedy.

One lady said, Louis C.K. masturbated in front of me, ruined my comedy dreams,' he said of Schachner. Word? Well then I dare say, madam, you may have never had a dream. Come on man, thats a brittle spirit. That is a brittle-ass spirit, that is too much, this grown-ass woman.

He continued, joking that Martin Luther King probably wouldnt have given up his dream if Louis C.K. masturbated in front of him.

Show business is just harder than that, Chappelle said, bringing up Schachner again. Them women soundthey sound weak. I know that sounds fked up, Im not supposed to say that, but one of these ladies was like, Louis C.K. was masturbating while I was on the phone with him. B-tch, you dont know how to hang up a phone? How the fk are you going to survive in show business if this is an actual obstacle to your dreams?

Earlier in his routine he takes jabs at Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey who were both accused of sexual assault last year.

Chappelles stand-up special was recorded in November at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post.
Longtime Today show host Matt Lauer was fired from NBC due to inappropriate sexual behavior, the network announced in November.

And on Jan. 2, NBC kicked off the new year by naming Hoda Kotb as Lauers Today replacement. She will co-host the morning shows first two hours with Savannah Guthrie and continue to host the fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford.

NBC News Chairman Andy Lack previously said in a statement that the network received a detailed complaint from a colleague about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace by Lauer, who is 60.

We were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident, Lacks statement said. It was read aloud on the Today show by Guthrie.

Heres a look at Lauers almost 40-year career, from rags to riches to what now?

1979

Lauers television career first began as a producer of a noon news program at WOWK-TV in Huntington, West Virginia.

He left Ohio University just shy of enough credits to graduate to take the job, the school said in a 1997 profile of Lauer. He would, however, later receive his degree. Lauer was born in New York City but eventually moved to Greenwich, Conn., where he attended high school.

He then became a reporter for the networks 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts, his NBC biography said.

1981

Lauer married his first wife, Nancy Alspaugh in 1981. Their marriage would end in divorce in 1988.

1985  1986

Before it folded, Lauer hosted the New York City edition of "PM Magazine."

1989  1991

Lauer hosted a three-hour program in New York called 9 Broadcast Plaza.

1992 - 1996

Lauer was a co-anchor of WNBCs Today in New York. He would later add co-anchor for the early evening newscast New Channel 4/Live at Five to his daily agenda, according to his NBC biography.

Lauer also filled in as a news anchor for Today when needed.

1994

Lauer became a permanent news anchor of Today.

1997

Lauer became the co-anchor of Today."

He was also named Peoples "sexiest anchor" in 1997.

1998

Lauer began to host the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade live from Manhattan. He would continue to be part of the event's annual coverage through 2017.

He also interviewed then-first lady Hillary Clinton regarding the Monica Lewinsky scandal. It was her first interview on the subject, his biography said.

In 1998, Lauer would also marry Annette Roque.

She would file for divorce in 2006, citing "cruel and inhumane" behavior from Lauer, Newsweek reported. However, the divorce papers were later withdrawn. The pair have three children together.

2006

Lauer appeared in an episode of the sitcom Will & Grace. He played himself in the episode titled Bathroom Humor.

2014

Lauer briefly took over hosting duties during the 2014 Olympics in Sochi after NBCs primetime Olympics host, Bob Costas, fell ill with pink eye.

2016

Lauer signed a contract to keep him with NBCs Today for an additional two years, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The new contract reportedly put him at about $20 million per year.

2017

Lauer was fired from NBC News over inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.

2018

Hoda Kotb was named co-anchor of Today where she will host the shows first two hours with Savannah Guthrie, Lauers previous co-host.

Kotb will also continue to co-host the shows fourth hour with Kathie Lee Gifford. Kotb has subbed for Lauer, including on the day he was fired from the network.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sarah Silverman is "sad" for her longtime friend Al Franken whose last day in office is Tuesday.

The Minnesota senator announced his resignation date in December after others in the Senate had called on him to bow out following a flurry of sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Silverman told TMZ while she respects the women who accused Franken of sexual misconduct, she wishes the 66-year-old had stayed in office.

"I happen to know him for decades and decades and I can tell you that all he cares about is the well being of the lives of his constituents in Minnesota," Silverman told the gossip site on Monday.

She added, "It's just all he thinks about it's all he cares about -- and his wife."

Silverman said she's also "sad" because "we've taught our children" that the politicians who "take responsibility for their actions" end up losing their jobs.

But "the ones that deny, deny, deny and lie and don't admit any wrongdoing," get to keep their jobs just like"our president."
When a group of New Zealanders were faced with a liquor ban preventing them from drinking at the beach on New Years Eve, they literally took matters into their own hands  they built their own little island where they could celebrate legally.

IS A DRY JANUARY ACTUALLY GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH?

In a photo shared on Tairua ChitChat, a local Facebook page, the group can be seen sitting at a picnic table on a tiny sand island drinking what appears to be beer, surrounded by a boat, a kayaker and a paddle boarder.

The ban was meant to be enforced across the Coromandel Peninsula, on New Zealand's north island.

The New Zealand Herald speculates the clever bunch likely built the sand island with a shovel when the tide was down.

The liquor ban was put in place to keep the community more safe during the holidays, the Herald reports. Anyone in violation of the ban faced a fine of $250 (130; US$180) or arrest, according to the BBC.

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Locals joked that they were in "international waters" and therefore exempt from the official liquor ban, according to the BBC. Even local law enforcement thought it was a clever idea.

"That's creative thinking  if I had known [about it] I probably would have joined them," said local Police Commander Inspector John Kelly to BBC.
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Its not often that a president has a chance to rewrite history and correct a blunder by one of his predecessors; to shoot an historic mulligan, as it were. But thats what President Trump has in dealing with Iran this week: a chance to reverse the shameful failures of his predecessors in dealing with the Islamic Republic, and incidentally to rock the Middle East from end to end.

From the latest reports coming out of Iran, hundreds of thousands of protesters have poured into the streets of the countrys major cities, including the capital Tehran, calling for an end to a hardline mullah regime in demonstrations that have turned deadlybut which also show no sign of slowing down.

Rewind almost a decade ago to 2009, when thousands of Iranians also poured into the streets to protest the reign of the mullahs, and appealed to an American president for support. That president was Barack Obama, who was happy to talk about democracy and Arab springs if it helped to topple U.S. allies like Egypt and trigger civil wars in Libya and Syria, but not if it involved toppling the mullahs with whom he hoped to negotiate a dubious nuclear deal.

Instead, the Green Revolution was brutally crushed by the mullahs armed thugs, as Obamas obsession with getting a deal with Iran, and his delusion that a constructively engaged Iran could be a stabilizing factor in the Middle East, left him silent as protesters were mowed down in the streets.

Trump says the world is watching. So is history, as are the spirits of the tens of thousands of Iranians murdered in three decades of tyranny.

Now we know better. Instead of becoming a stabilizing force, Obamas Iranian partners have triggered instability and mayhem across the region, including sparking a proxy war with the Saudis over Yemen, stoking a vicious civil war in Syria, while also taking U.S. sailors hostage and giving the Taliban the weapons to kill Americans in Afghanistannot to mention threatening Israel with annihilation.

With the revival of demonstrations in Iran, however, President Trump has an unprecedented opportunity to reset the U.S. policy toward the Islamic Republic. Hes already signaled his displeasure with the Iran nuclear deal; his tweets warning the mullahs that the world is watching are a further signal that he understands that the fate not only of Iran, but peace in the Middle East, depends on whether those demonstrators succeed or failand that the U.S. can act to help them succeed.

What steps can Trump take? First, reimpose all the sanctions against Iran that were lifted as part of the nuclear deal, especially against anyone that does business with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, the brutal elite mainstay of the Tehran regime.

Second, make it clear to the European Union and others who sit silent for fear their lucrative post-sanction deals with Tehran will fall through if the regime topples, that they will be held accountable to Washington and to history, if they stand by while one of the most despotic regimes in history once again crushes out the hopes of its citizens.

Third, show unflinching support for the demonstrators and show that America, and the world, are indeed watching and hails their effort to create a new life for themselves based on democracy and freedom.

The New York Times and Obamas former UN ambassador Susan Rice say the best thing Trump can do about the demonstrations in Iran is to be quiet. That should be proof, if any is needed, that speaking up is the right thing to do, politically as well as morally.

This isnt about imposing regime change. Its about leveraging American pressure on a major sponsor of terrorism; on Vladmir Putins reliable client; on Bashar Assads chief protector; in ways that could usher in an entirely new and stable Middle East.

One hundred years ago President Woodrow Wilson had the chance to topple a shaky Bolshevik regime when the Russian people rose up against it in 1918, and failed. Like Obama, Wilson believed that Americas sworn enemies could be led to see the light through moderation and restraint. So Wilson withdrew the American troops who had landed in Siberia to keep Russia in the First World War; Lenin and the Communists survived; and over the next century tens of millions died. Today with Iran, the stakes may not be as high, but the opportunity has never been so ripe.

Trump says the world is watching. So is history, as are the spirits of the tens of thousands of Iranians murdered in three decades of tyrannynot to mention Americans and others murdered in terror bombings like the one in Beirut in 1983 that killed more than 200 U.S. Marines. Friedrich Nietzsche used to say when you see something slipping, give it a push. This is Trumps opportunity in 2018 to give events a push, where and when its most needed.
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Over the weekend, the New York Times offered up a new explanation for why the FBI launched its investigation into the alleged collusion between President Trump and the Russian Government.

Chalk it up to the drunken whispers of a Trump staffer.

The Times quoted four sources  some foreign, all anonymous  who claimed that Trump associate George Papadopoulos met with a Russian operative in May 2016 who told him that Moscow had thousands of embarrassing emails belonging to Hillary Clinton.

The boozed-filled Papadopoulos later shared this secret with an Australian diplomat, whose government relayed it to U.S. counterparts in July 2016.

The Times slight of hand from dossier to Papadopoulos is a thinly veiled effort to keep the allegations of collusion alive in the face of Trumps demand for the witch hunt to come to an end.

If the Times were right, it would upend the assumed role played by the Steele dossier in launching the Bureaus investigation. After all, the dossier  known to most Americans as the 35-page document alleging Trumps treason with Moscow, along with his bawdy sexual interests  has long served as Exhibit A for proving Team Trumps collusion.

Case in point: House Intelligence Committee Member Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., cited the document repeatedly in a hearing last March as all-but-certain evidence of Trumps criminal behavior.

With this latest story, however, the Times would have us dismiss the dossier as a largely unimportant footnote.

If this journalistic whiplash seems incredibly suspicious, it should. The Times slight of hand from dossier to Papadopoulos is a thinly veiled effort to keep the allegations of collusion alive in the face of Trumps demand for the witch hunt to come to an end.

Heres why.

Nearly one year ago, BuzzFeed News first published the now infamous dossier. The accusations set Americas media empires on fire, with journalists on the left rushing to publish stories that claimed that the dossier was  in part or whole  true.

One of the most jaw-dropping was a January 2017 essay from the BBC  citing anonymous sources  that asserted a U.S. government task force had confirmed Moscow was in possession of kompromat (blackmail material) on Trump. The task force had also allegedly secured bank records and intercepts of conversations showing Trump and his campaign receiving secret cash and other assistance from Russian operatives.

Predictably, other like-minded outlets such as the Times, Yahoo News, Business Insider and Vox repeated the anonymously-sourced claims. It fed the growing  and alarming  narrative that Trump and his associates had actively cooperated with Russia to reach the White House.

A traitor was running the nation.

By design or effect, the Papadopoulos story kneecaps the efforts of Nunes and Graham to flesh out the history and use of the dossier.

In the many months since, media outlets have kept the allegations of the dossier alive. As late as November 2017, outlets like MSNBC and Slate continued to insist that the veracity of the dossier was still holding up.

Never mind that the U.S. intelligence community (IC) had long ago disagreed.

In March 2017 (and again in May), former Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper stated clearly  and under oath  that he saw no evidence of collusion between Trump officials and Russia by the time he left his post with the Obama Administration on January 20, 2017.

Contrary to the BBC report, there were no tapes of Trump with prostitutes. There were no bank records of secret Russian cash.

Translation: the Steele dossier was largely  if not completely  bunk, according to the nations top intelligence officer.

In the months that followed, fresh reporting revealed that the dossier was not just inaccurate but had a long, tortured history as a political opposition tool designed to prevent the election of Trump to the presidency.

These facts have not been lost on House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., and his Senate colleague Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. They have repeatedly pressed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI to clarify how or if the dossier was used to launch the FBIs investigation of Team Trump.

Why? Nunes and Graham know that if the dossier were to be confirmed as the primary driver of the Russia investigation, Trump would effectively be proven correct: political smears had launched a political witch-hunt.

The result? Special Counsel Bob Muellers investigation would almost certainly be over, at least in the court of public opinion. Few reasonable people would accept his findings without grave reservation.

Yet the Mueller investigation wouldnt be the only casualty. Nunes and Graham also know that scrutiny of the dossier means scrutiny of the IC. After all, the nations senior spies and law enforcement officials embraced a document that even they didnt trust.

Recall that in January 2017, intelligence officials briefed President Obama and Vice President Biden on the dossier, along with a number of other political leaders.

Following the presentation, Obama responded with disbelief.

What does this have anything to do with anything?

The damage was done. By briefing the treasonous allegations to so many D.C. insiders, the senior leadership of Americas intelligence agencies virtually assured that it  and their involvement  would leak.

And leak it did. When Trump responded with fury, then-DNI Clapper quickly clarified that the dossier was not a U.S. government intelligence product and offered no judgment as to its accuracy. He would later confirm he had seen no evidence of collusion during his tenure.

Meanwhile, then-CIA Director John Brennan insisted that he gave the dossier no particular credence.

Even former FBI Director James Comey  an admitted leaker and anonymous source for the Times  acknowledged that the dossier was both salacious and unverified despite a degree of investigation.

These facts are almost certainly part of why Nunes and Graham continue to push for the DOJ and FBI to come clean with the dossiers history. And its why Graham has called for a new Special Counsel to investigate the handling of the aptly nicknamed dirty dossier.

With that fight looming, the timing and utility of the Times most recent report on Papadopoulos makes sense. They are effectively arguing that the dossier is no longer relevant because it was never really an important part of the investigation. Instead, they want our focus to be on Papadopoulos  a man who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is cooperating with authorities.

By design or effect, the Papadopoulos story kneecaps the efforts of Nunes and Graham to flesh out the history and use of the dossier. And it will almost certainly be used as a talking point when opponents try to shut down an otherwise reasonable attempt to air the dirty laundry that is the Steele dossier.

Indeed, its a predictable  if disappointing  bit of political chess played by one of the nations most important newspapers, all because of their profound disapproval of a divisive president.

To be clear, none of this criticism of the dossier or the Times absolves Trump or his associates from the possibility of criminality during the 2016 campaign. Its certainly possible that Mueller has or will find damning evidence on Trump or his associates thats deserving of justice. Indeed, guilty pleas by Papadopoulos and former staffer Michael Flynn suggest its possible.

Additionally, the presidents refusal to firmly acknowledge Russias role in the 2016 election only adds to the suspicion of his loyalties.

For these reasons, even supporters of Trump  including Graham  want Muellers investigation to continue, albeit with haste.

And yet its clear to any reasonable observer that the Times is engaging in a game of political trickery with its Papadopoulos story.

Consider this: over the past year and a half, Americas media has published an avalanche of stories regarding the Russia-Trump investigation, including how and why it began. Yet not once has a single story suggested that Papadopoulos was the spark that started the political firestorm.

Thats exceptionally curious.

Unfortunately for the Times, however, the American people and members of Congress are not as gullible as they might think. Scrutiny of the dossier will not go away, no matter the inconvenient truths it may reveal. With luck, a new Special Counsel will make sure of it.
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.
Sen. Al Franken officially resigned on Jan. 2, nearly a month after he announced his plans to step down from Congress amid numerous sexual misconduct allegations that began in November of last year.

Aides to the senator told Fox News that Franken has provided his letter of resignation to Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, who is replacing Franken, is expected to be sworn in on Wednesday.

Franken, a Minnesota Democrat who has been in office since 2009, was plagued by multiple accusations of sexual misconduct over the past month and faced a Senate Ethics Committee investigation. The allegations began after Los Angeles radio anchor Leeann Tweeden accused him of forcibly kissing her during a 2006 USO tour.

Franken announced he would resign after more than two dozen key Democratic lawmakers called for him to step down.

Heres what will happen to his Senate seat once he leaves office, according to Minnesota election law.

1. Governor appoints a new senator

Gov. Mark Dayton would appoint a new senator to fill Frankens seat, when he resigns, Ryan Furlong, a spokesman for the Minnesota secretary of states office, told Fox News.

A Democrat, Minnesotans could expect Dayton to appoint a member of his own party.

The newly-appointed senator would be in office until at least Nov. 2018 when a special election would be scheduled. The appointed senator would not be obligated to run in that election.

Minnesota is one of 36 states where a governor will make an appointment to fill a U.S. Senate vacancy, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

2. A special election is scheduled for November 2018

A special election would be scheduled for Nov. 2018  and the winner would remain in the Senate for the remainder of what was Franken's term. That ends in Jan. 2021.

AL FRANKEN TOLD TO RESIGN BY SEVERAL FEMALE DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES

If a Senate vacancy occurs less than 11 weeks before Minnesotas state primary in August 2018, then whoever the governor would appoint to the vacancy would remain until the next election, which is Nov. 2019, Furlong said.

3. The next full term begins in 2021

Whoever wins the special election in 2018 would also have to run again in 2020  if he or she so chooses  in order to serve a full six-year term, Furlong said.

The next full Senate term would then begin in 2021.
The House Ethics Committee announced Tuesday that it had formed a four-member panel to investigate Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev. over accusations of sexual harassment.

The so-called "Investigative Subcommittee" will be chaired by Rep. Kenny Marchant, R-Texas. Rep. Yvette Clark, D-N.Y., will serve as the ranking member. Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., and Rep. Brian Higgins, D-N.Y., round out the panel's roster.

Kihuen, who was elected to Congress in 2016, announced last month that he would not seek re-election in the wake of the allegations.

The committee is investigating whether Kihuen "may have engaged in sexual harassment" with a campaign aide and a lobbyist. The aide claimed Kihuen propositioned her for dates and sex despite her repeated rejections during his successful 2016 House campaign.

The lobbyist told the Nevada Independent website that Kihuen touched her thighs and buttocks and made unwanted sexual advances while he was a state senator.

Kihuen has denied the allegations and said he will cooperate with the panel's investigation.

Fox News' Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
George Papadopoulos, a former foreign policy adviser to President Trumps campaign, pleaded guilty in 2017 to making false statements to the FBI.

Papadopoulos, 31, was charged with willfully and knowingly making false statements to FBI agents regarding the timing, extent and nature of his relationships and interactions with certain foreign nationals whom he understood to have close connections with senior Russian government officials, according to court documents.

He was the first person sent to prison in the Russia investigation. He was sentenced to 14 days in jail and was released on Dec. 7.

He took a remorseful tone during his sentencing hearing, but he has since attacked Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation as corrupt.

How is Papadopoulos connected to Trump?

Papadopoulos was an early foreign policy adviser for Trumps presidential campaign.

Papadopoulos emailed multiple campaign officials in March 2016 to offer to set up a meeting with Russian officials to discuss US-Russia ties under President Trump, The Washington Post reported. He would reportedly continue to make such offers as he worked with the campaign.

During the campaign, Papadopoulos reportedly traveled to Israel where he took part in an energy conference.

He is seen in a March 2016 Instagram photo that also includes Trump, former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and other national security advisers.

How is Papadopoulos tied to the Russia investigation?

After becoming an adviser to the Trump campaign, Papadopoulos interacted with a professor understood to have substantial connections to Russian government officials who told Papadopoulos that the Russians had dirt on Hillary Clinton, Trumps campaign rival, according to court documents released by Muellers office.

Papadopoulos had told investigators that the professor divulged the information before he joined the Trump campaign. However, the professor only took interest in [Papadopolous] because of his status with the campaign, according to court documents.

MUELLERS RUSSIA INVESTIGATION: WHAT TO KNOW

Papadopoulos also repeatedly attempted to use the professors Russian connections as well as that of a female Russian national to arrange meetings between the Trump campaign and Russian government officials, according to the Special Counsels Office.

Papadopoulos told an Australian diplomat in Britain that Russia had dirt on Clinton during a night of drinking, The New York Times reported. Later, Australian officials would inform their American counterparts about Papadopoulos, according to the newspaper.

That meeting was part of the catalyst behind the FBIs decision to begin investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to The New York Times.

What was Trumps response?

The Trump administration  including the president  attempted to distance itself from Papadopoulos.

Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar, Trump said on Twitter.

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders simply referred to him as a volunteer on an advisory council when asked multiple times about Papadopouloss influence on the campaign during a press briefing.

What else should you know about Papadopoulos?

Before joining Trumps campaign, Papadopoulos was an adviser for Dr. Ben Carsons 2016 presidential campaign.

Aside from campaign work, Papadopoulos has worked as an oil and gas consultant, his LinkedIn page said. Much of his work has revolved around natural gas and Greece, Cyprus and Israel, according to The Washington Post.

He was also the director of the Center for International Energy and Natural Resources Law & Security at the London Center of International Law Practice.

From Chicago, Illinois, Papadopoulos graduated from DePaul University in 2009. He also received a Master of Science from the University of London, according to his LinkedIn page.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump went after "Crooked" Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin on Tuesday, appearing to call on the Deep State Justice Department to look at potential security issues in her handling of classified material after a recent email dump.

Crooked Hillary Clintons top aide, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on the submarine? Jail! Trump tweeted early Tuesday. Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others.

Trump was referring to U.S. Navy Sailor Kristian Saucier, who was put in prison for taking unauthorized photos inside a nuclear submarine. He seemed to suggest a double standard is at play, compared with the lack of punishment for Clinton and her aides.

The presidents tweet comes after the State Department, in a Friday news dump, released a batch of emails from Abedins account that were discovered by the FBI on a laptop belonging to her estranged husband, Anthony Weiner. At least four of the documents were marked classified.

STATE DEPARTMENT RELEASES HUMA ABEDIN EMAILS FOUND ON ANTHONY WEINER'S LAPTOP

Abedin also forwarded sensitive State Department emails to her personal Yahoo email account before every Yahoo account was hacked, first reported by the Daily Caller. Abedin also sent passwords for her government laptop to her Yahoo account on Aug. 24, 2009.

In 2013, Yahoo was hacked, and the company said in a statement that all Yahoo user accounts were affected by the theft.

Former FBI Director James Comey, who led the Clinton email investigation, said during a congressional hearing last year that he believed Abedin forwarded emails to Weiner for him to print out so that she could give them to Clinton.

Abedins emails shook the 2016 presidential race, as Comey told Congress on Oct. 28, 2016, just days before the election, that the FBI had found more of Clintons messages on Weiners laptop as they investigated a sexting case against him.

The discovery of those records reopened the case against Clinton, several months after Comey said he wasnt recommending any charges be filed in the case. Comey at the time said Clinton was extremely careless in her handling of classified emails on her private server.

Fox News' Alex Pappas contributed to this report.
Former Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., is considering running for the recently vacated U.S. Senate seat held by Al Franken.

Ive had people contact me and urge me to run for that Senate seat, Bachmann said recently on televangelist Jim Bakker's television show. And the only reason I would run is for the ability to take these principles into the United States Senate and to be able to advocate for these principles.

AL FRANKEN RESIGNS: HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS TO HIS SENATE SEAT

Bachmann, a religious conservative who served four terms in Congress, said she and her husband are considering the option to run for Frankens Senate seat, but said theres a price you pay when running for a political office of that stature.

The question is, is itshould it be me? Should it be now? But theres also a price you pay. And the price is bigger than ever because the swamp is so toxic, Bachmann said, noting she and her husband arent money people.

The one-time Republican presidential candidate said it'd be pricey to "defend yourself ... You can have frivolous lawsuits filed against you all the time and then what do you do?"

If youre going against the tide in D.C., if youre trying to stand for biblical principles in D.C. and you stick your head up out of the hole, you know, the blades come whirring and they try to chop you off, Bachmann said. This is not an easy place to be.

REPUBLICANS WHO WON'T BE COMING BACK TO CONGRESS AFTER 2018 MIDTERM ELECTIONS

Bachmann unsuccessfully ran for the Republican Party nomination in the 2012 presidential race, and is a deeply conservative Republican with a history of making controversial statements, including suggesting in 2012 that the federal government was being overtaken by the Muslim Brotherhood.

Franken officially resigned from his Senate seat Tuesday after numerous sexual misconduct allegations were made against him late last year. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Tina Smith, who was selected to take over Franken's seat, is expected to be sworn in Wednesday morning.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Its difficult to say whats colder in New York these days  the winter weather or the frosty feud between the states two most prominent Democrat office holders.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was sworn in for a second term on New Years Day, in a frigid 14-degree outdoor ceremony, with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders imported from Vermont to officiate.

Where was New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo? He was out on Long Island, swearing in a suburban county executive.

Odd couple

Though members of the same party, de Blasio and Cuomo have long been the Democrats odd couple.

In September, for example, Cuomo refused to endorse any candidate in New Yorks mayors race, the New York Post reported, even though progressive de Blasio was a solid favorite to win re-election.

Then in November, the pair seemed to be fighting over who should be considered more anti-Trump, the Post reported, citing a fundraising letter in which the more centrist Cuomo urged his supporters to protest outside a Dec. 2 Trump fundraising event in Manhattan.

The Dems split traces to at least 2013, Vice reported, when Cuomo opted against fully backing de Blasios plan to fund pre-kindergarten classes for the citys children. It was considered the then-new mayors signature policy proposal. (The Vice story carried the subtle headline, ""Why Bill de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo Hate Each Other's Guts.")

Joke from Clinton

The long-running tiff was even a source of public mockery from then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at a New York political dinner just prior to the 2016 presidential election.

Her Republican rival, Donald Trump, was also in attendance.

Your eminence, Clinton said to the evenings host, Roman Catholic Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan, you do deserve great credit for bringing together two people who've been at each other's throats  mortal enemies, bitter foes.

I've got to ask: How did you get the governor and mayor here together tonight?

"I've got to ask: How did you get the governor and mayor here together tonight?"  Hillary Clinton, joking about the Cuomo-de Blasio feud in October 2016.

De Blasio won re-election in November, becoming the first Democrat to return to City Hall in New York since Edward Koch won a third term in 1985.

Brooklyn bros

Why was Sanders the choice to swear in de Blasio? Perhaps because Sanders stumped for de Blasio during the mayoral campaign, where he referred to de Blasio as the opposite of President Donald Trump  a characterization undoubtedly popular with de Blasios progressive base.

What this election here in New York is about is that everything that de Blasio is trying to do is exactly the opposite of what Trump is trying to do and you should all be very proud of that, Sanders told a Manhattan crowd in October, Politico reported.

Aside from being ideological allies, Sanders and de Blasio also each have ties to Brooklyn. Sanders was born in the New York City borough, and de Blasio has called it home for many years.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
President Trump has promised to crack down on so-called sanctuary cities, signing an executive order in January 2017 that moved to strip federal grant money from towns that harbor illegal immigrants.

A federal judge permanently blocked it in November 2017, saying the Trump administration lacks the authority to impose new conditions on spending that has already been approved by Congress.

But the Justice Department has taken legal action against California, the first sanctuary state. Its designation means the nations most populous state will limit just how much local law enforcement will cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

What are sanctuary cities?

While the exact specifications can vary, sanctuary city policies overall limit how much local law enforcement officials can comply with federal immigration authorities.

San Francisco, for example, passed an ordinance in 1989 that prohibits city employees, funds or resources from assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in enforcing federal immigration law unless its required by state or federal law.

It also passed an ordinance that limits when law enforcement officials can give ICE notice that an immigrant has been released from a local jail and prohibits law enforcement officials from cooperating with detainer requests from ICE.

Berkeley, near San Francisco, is reportedly the original sanctuary city. It passed a resolution in 1971 that protected sailors who wanted to resist the Vietnam War.

Its difficult to nail down a concrete number of just how many cities are considered to be a sanctuary for illegal immigrants  some cities have an ordinance or policy in place; others do not.

What about states?

Aside from cities, five states  California, Oregon, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont  have enacted laws that limit how much police can contribute assistance to federal immigration agents, according to The New York Times.

California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the law that went into effect this year designating California as a sanctuary state. The law, in part, bars police from asking people about their immigration status or participating in some federal immigration enforcement activities.

How are they viewed?

The debate about sanctuary cities intensified in July 2015 when Kate Steinle, 32, was killed as she strolled along the San Francisco waterfront with her father. Steinle was shot by a man with a criminal record who had slipped into the U.S. multiple times illegally.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions addressed a roomful of federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials last year and criticized cities, like Philadelphia, that are giving sanctuary to criminals. He asked them to reconsider the harm they are doing to their residents.

And in suing California, Sessions told Fox News that its federal law [that] determines immigration policy.

The state of California is not entitled to block that activity, he said. Somebody needs to stand up and say no, youve gone too far, you cannot do this, this is not reasonable. Its radical, really.

Not every city in The Golden State is on board with the states sanctuary policies, however. The Los Alamitos Council voted to opt out of the sanctuary policies, and other municipalities are reportedly exploring similar options.

But the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) argues that local law enforcement jurisdictions do not have a legal obligation to assist with civil immigration enforcement, which is the responsibility of the federal government.

A local decision to offer resources to federal immigration enforcement authorities is completely voluntary, the legal organization said in a 2016 report.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Trump administration ramped up its support of Iranian regime change on Tuesday, announcing it will use Facebook and Twitter to communicate directly with the pro-democracy protesters who have taken to the streets to demand freedom from Tehran's hard-line rule.

The move came after the Iranian government shut off access to Instagram as well as Telegram, a popular, encrypted messaging app used by activists to organize demonstrations. As it did in 2009, when Iran was rocked by protests after a disputed election, Tehran acted swiftly to crack down on protests and cut off their preferred means of communication  social media.

Unlike the Obama administration, which stood largely silent amid those protests, the Trump administration is openly supporting pro-democracy demonstrations.

We must not be silent," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday. "The people of Iran are crying out for freedom. All freedom-loving people must stand with their cause.

The United States will post messages in Farsi on Facebook and Twitter, according to Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Steve Goldstein. While the effort may not facilitate communication among protesters  something Tehran is keen to stop  it will allow the U.S. to unilaterally show it backs the protests.

"We support a freedom of the press," the State Department said in a tweet. "When a nation clamps down on social media, we ask the question  what are you afraid of? We support the people of #Iran, and we support their voices being heard."

Protests have rocked the Islamic republic for nearly a week, in a replay of the 2009 "Green Movement," a social media-driven uprising that was quelled by the theocratic rulership. At least 21 people have been killed and 450 arrested in protests that have spread from Tehran to cities throughout the Muslim nation, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported.

The brutal regime has moved to squash the burgeoning protests by cutting off communication, which it did successfully nearly nine years ago.

Instagram officials declined to comment on the developments. Telegram could not be reached for comment. Goldstein said the U.S. is working to enable communication despite the Iranian government's censorship efforts.

Even though many social media sites have been blocked, Iranians can reach our State Department FB and Twitter sites, which are in Farsi, through VPN," Goldstein said. "We would like Iran to open these legitimate forms of communication.

In addition to social media support, the Trump administration is preparing to impose new sanctions on the regime if they attempt to use force to end the demonstrations.The potential new sanctions, first reported by the Wall Street Journal and confirmed by Fox News, would be imposed in response to human-rights violations.

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said it was too early to predict whether those new sanctions would be imposed on the regime.

"We are watching reports very carefully about any potential human rights violations," Nauert said.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders also said Trump supported sanctions, but no final decision has been made.

The latest protests have clearly rattled Iran's leadership. Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehrans Revolutionary Court, warned protesters Tuesday that those arrested could face the death penalty when they come to trial. Irans government has blasted the U.S., Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom for instigating further protests, calling them enemies of Iran.

Haley warned the international community against a repeat of their response in 2009.

We must not make that mistake again, Haley said.

The State Department also sent Arabic speakers to appear on Arabic-language television networks to discuss the protests in Iran.

Fox News' Rich Edson, Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Tina Smith was officially sworn into the U.S. Senate Wednesday afternoon by Vice President Mike Pence.

The former Minnesota lieutenant governor was selected to take over Al Frankens Senate seat in December after the lawmaker resigned over various allegations of sexual harassment.

When he appointed Smith, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, said she is "extremely intelligent, quick to learn and always open to hearing other views."

Smith was escorted by former Vice President Walter Mondale, also a former Minnesota senator, on Wednesday.

What is Smiths political background?

Like Dayton and Franken, Smith, 59, is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.

Smith has been a longtime adviser to Dayton, serving as his chief of staff before becoming lieutenant governor.

She has also worked on multiple campaigns, including managing Walter Mondales unsuccessful 2002 Senate run as well as his son Ted Mondales 1998 gubernatorial campaign  which was also unsuccessful. She was the chief of staff for Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak before joining Dayton.

It was thought that she may have run for governor earlier this year to replace Dayton in 2018 but ultimately passed on the gubernatorial bid.

Lawrence Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, said that Smith doesnt come across like other kind of major politicians, citing such examples as Sens. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

Shes soft-spoken. She would prefer to be in a room negotiating or talking with people than giving a political speech. Thats not really her style, Jacobs said. She can do it, but its something that shes had to learn.

During the presidential election, Smith campaigned for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Clinton won Minnesota by a little more than 1 percent.

What else has Smith done?

Originally from Albuquerque, N.M., Smith moved to Minnesota in 1984 for a marketing job with General Mills. She grew more politically active in the 1990s, founding her own marketing and consulting firm.

Smith served as the vice president of external affairs for Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota from 2003 to 2006.

She has excellent relationships in the business community, Jacobs said, adding that Minnesota business leaders speak fondly of Smith as someone who understands their issues and is pragmatic.

Smith received her bachelors degree from Stanford University and has an MBA from Dartmouth College. She is married with two children.

What will she bring to Washington?

Prior to Daytons announcement, Minnesota DFL Party Chair Ken Martin told Minnesota Public Radio that Smith would be a brilliant choice in a lot of ways.

Shes been a great lieutenant governor. I would argue probably the best lieutenant governor our state has ever seen, he said. Shes a true public servant whos served this state in many roles.

Jacobs described Smith as an almost throwback to another time, someone who is thoughtful, built strong personal relationships and is fact-based.

As for her voting record, Jacobs said Minnesotans can expect her to vote similarly to Minnesotas other Democratic senator, Amy Klobuchar: pragmatic and along party lines while still looking for ways to partner with Republicans.

Franken praised the appointment of Smith, who he called a "dedicated public servant."

"Her record of accomplishment as Lieutenant Governor demonstrates that she'll be an effective senator who knows how to work across party lines to get things done for Minnesota," he said in a statement.

But National Republican Senatorial Committee spokesman Michael McAdams slammed Smith as "another DFL insider handpicked by Mark Dayton."

"The last thing Minnesotans want is a political operative committed to raising taxes while representing them in the U.S. Senate," he said.

Due to Minnesota election laws, Smith would serve in Frankens seat until 2018 when a special election would be held, and the winner would serve for the remainder of Frankens term  until January 2021.

Smith would not be obligated to run in the 2018 special election, but she is expected to do so, Fox News has learned.

Fox News Chad Pergram and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Throughout the first year of his presidency  and even as he campaigned for the office  President Trumps rhetoric regarding North Korea has been harsh.

He warned earlier this year that Americas nuclear capabilities were much bigger [and] more powerful than that of the Asian nation. And at the end of 2017, Trump designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror again  a classification that came with additional sanctions.

On the heels of a planned, historic summit between Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trumps tone softened, saying great progress has been made. But Trump ultimately cancelled that meeting, citing "open hostility" from North Korea.

From agreeing to meet with Kim to dubbing him Little Rocket Man, heres a look at what Trump has said about North Korea and its leader over time.

Back together again

After meeting with a North Korean official in the White House for more than an hour, Trump announced the June summit with North Korea is back on.

We'll be meeting on June 12 in Singapore," the president told reporters after the meeting.

Let's call the whole thing off

Trump announced on May 24 that he has decided to pull out of the June summit with North Korea.

"We were informed that the meeting was requested by North Korea, but that to us is totally irrelevant," Trump said in a letter to Kim. "I was very much looking forward to being there with you. Sadly, based on the tremendous anger and open hostility displayed in your most recent statement, I feel it is inappropriate, at this time, to have this long-planned meeting."

"You talk about your nuclear capabilities, but ours are so massive and powerful that I pray to God they will never have to be used," Trump said.

"I felt a wonderful dialogue was building up between you and me, and ultimately, it is only that dialogue that matters. Some day, I look very much forward to meeting you," he added. "In the meantime, I want to thank you for the release of the hostages who are now home with their families. That was a beautiful gesture and was very much appreciated."

Deal or no deal?

After speaking with the South Korean president amid threats from the rogue regime to cancel talks, Trump suggested the historic summit between him and Kim might not happen after all.

If it doesnt happen, maybe it will happen later. You never know about deals. Ive made a lot of deals, Trump said on May 22. You never really know. It may not work out for June 12.

Trump said he wants the Korean peninsula to be denuclearized in an all in one manner.

I can guarantee Kims safety. He will be safe. He will be happy, Trump said. His country will be rich.

Trump also said hes noticed a change in Kims attitude recently.

I cant say that Im happy about it, he added.

Save the date

Trump officially announced that he would meet with Kim in Singapore on June 12.

We will both try to make it a very special moment for World Peace! Trump said in a tweet.

The announcement came hours after Trump and the first lady welcomed the three Americans freed from detention in North Korea at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland early on May 10.

After Trump met with the three men, he publicly thanked Kim for releasing the prisoners.

Were starting off on a new footing, Trump said.

Positive gesture of goodwill

In announcing that a date and place has been set for his much-anticipated meeting with Kim, Trump also confirmed three American prisoners have been released.

The three Americans  Kim Dong Chul, Tony Kim and Kim Hak Song  are returning to the U.S. with newly-confirmed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump said in a tweet. The president confirmed the three men are also in good health.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORIC SUMMIT BETWEEN TRUMP, KIM JONG UN

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said in a statement that Trump appreciates Kim Jong Uns action to release these American citizens, and views this as a positive gesture of goodwill.

Another American detainee, Otto Warmbier, died in June 2017 after he was released back to the U.S. with severe brain damage.

Good relationship formed

Trump has confirmed that CIA Director Mike Pompeo  his pick to lead the State Department  secretly met with Kim in April and a good relationship was formed. He said the meeting went very smoothly.

The president also disclosed that the U.S. and North Korea have held direct talks at extremely high levels in preparation for the summit.

Kim will do what is right

After Kims first reported visit to China, Trump said there is a good chance that Kim Jong Un will do what is right for his people and for humanity.

For years and through many administrations, everyone said that peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula was not even a small possibility, Trump said in a March tweet, adding that he is looking forward to his upcoming meeting with the North Korean leader.

He also gave North Korea the benefit of the doubt earlier that month, saying he believes the country will abide by its pledge to suspend missile tests.

When Trump delivered a speech in Pennsylvania, the crowd booed the mention of Kim, but the president stopped them.

No, it's very positive ... no, after the meeting you may do that, but now we have to be very nice because let's see what happens, let's see what happens, Trump said.

Invitation accepted

Trump accepted an invitation from Kim to meet, the White House said. While a time and place has yet to be determined, the two leaders are expected to meet by June.

The invitation to convene was extended by Kim.

Kim Jong Un talked about denuclearization with the South Korean Representatives, not just a freeze. Also, no missile testing by North Korea during this period of time. Great progress being made but sanctions will remain until an agreement is reached, Trump said on social media. Meeting being planned!

The deal with North Korea is very much in the making and will be, if completed, a very good one for the World. Time and place to be determined, he later said.

Possible progress

As North Korea is reportedly willing to negotiate its nuclear weapons, Trump cautiously acknowledged possible progress.

For the first time in many years, a serious effort is being made by all parties concerned, Trump said on Twitter. The World is watching and waiting! May be false hope, but the U.S. is ready to go hard in either direction!

At a later White House news conference, Trump said he believed North Korea, which has a long history of deception and threats to target U.S. cities with nuclear missiles, is sincere.

We have come certainly a long way, at least rhetorically, with North Korea, Trump said. Of the possibility for peacefully resolving the nations deep differences, he said: Itd be a great thing for the world, would be great for North Korea, it would be a great thing for the peninsula.

But well see what happens, Trump said.

Spirit of the Olympics

At the conclusion of the 2018 Winter Olympics, North Korea sent the U.S. a message through South Korea, saying it has ample intentions of holding talks with America.

During a meeting with the nations governors at the White House in February, Trump said those talks will only occur under the right conditions.

The administrations position has been that North Korea must get rid of its nuclear and missile programs first before any talks can take place.

Relationship status: Its complicated

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump reportedly said he probably has a very good relationship with North Korea.

Trump also suggested that he is open to diplomacy with the country hes spent years criticizing, the newspaper reported.

I have relationships with people. I think you people are surprised, Trump said.

The Wall Street Journal released the audio and transcript of the interview after Trump denied making the comments.

'Success for the world'

Trump told South Korea that he would be open to talks with its northern neighbor under the right circumstances, the White House said.

Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korea ahead of next months Winter Olympics. At a January Cabinet meeting, Trump said it was his administrations pressure on North Korea that caused the rogue nation to negotiate with the South.

"Without our attitude that would have never happened," Trump said of the inter-Korean dialogue. "Who knows where it leads. Hopefully it will lead to success for the world  not just for our country but for the world, and we'll be seeing over the next number of weeks and months what happens."

Whose button is bigger?

After Kim warned Trump about North Koreas nuclear capabilities, Trump hit back on social media, arguing that his Nuclear Button is bigger [and] more powerful.

North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un just stated that the 'Nuclear Button is on his desk at all times,' the president tweeted. 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!

Kim previously warned the U.S. should know that the button for nuclear war is on my table.

The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range, he said. The United States can never start a war against me and our country.

Good news or bad news?

Trump insinuated at the start of the new year that sanctions and additional pressures are having a big impact on North Korea.

Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea, Trump said. Kim now wants to talk to South Korea for the first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see!

In his tweet, Trump was seemingly referring to the recent, dramatic escape of at least two North Korean soldiers across the heavily militarized border into the southern country He also alluded to Kims recent comments indicating he would send a delegation to the Winter Olympics to be hosted in South Korea.

Trump also took credit for the talks between North and South Korean leaders.

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, Trump said in a Jan. 4 tweet. Fools, but talks are a good thing!

'Sick puppy'

While giving a speech on tax reform at a Missouri event in November, 2017, Trump digressed from the topic to call the North Korean leader a "sick puppy."

His comments drew hoots from the crowd.

State sponsor of terror

Trump re-designated North Korea a state sponsor of terror on Nov. 20, 2017, citing its support of international terrorism, including assassinations on foreign soil.

During a Cabinet meeting, Trump announced the designation came along with new sanctions on the murderous regime as part of the administrations maximum pressure campaign in dealing with North Korea. He said these sanctions will be the highest level of sanctions on the North.

North Korea was on the list but was taken off by the Bush administration in 2008.

Why can't we be friends?

In a series of tweets while in Vietnam, Trump said he doesn't know why the North Korean dictator would "insult" him.

Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me old, when I would NEVER call him short and fat? Trump said. Oh well, I try so hard to be his friend - and maybe someday that will happen!

The comment came after Kim referred to Trump's speech in South Korea as reckless remarks by an old lunatic.

'Dont try us'

In Asia, Trump issued a stern warning to North Korea, saying it would be a fatal miscalculation for the country to attack the U.S. or an ally.

This is a very different administration than the United States has had in the past. Do not underestimate us. And do not try us, Trump said during an address at South Koreas National Assembly.

North Korea has interpreted Americas past restraint as weakness, Trump said.

'Lets make a deal'

While on his Asia trip, Trump implored North Korea to come to the table for talks on its nuclear weapons program. Trumps request for North Korea to make a deal was in stark contrast to his previous hardline rhetoric when it comes to the rogue nation.

"It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and for the world," Trump said during a news conference alongside South Korean president Moon Jae-in in November 2017.

Trump also said hes seen a lot of progress in dealing with North Korea but still called the country a worldwide threat.

In a joint news conference with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo the day before, Trump repeated his assertion that the era of strategic patience with North Korea was finished.

Some people say my rhetoric is very strong but look what has happened with very weak rhetoric in the last 25 years, Trump said then.

'Rocket Man' is on a 'suicide mission'

After dubbing him Rocket Man in a tweet, Trump eventually tried out the new nickname for Kim during his inaugural address to the U.N. General Assembly.

During his speech, Trump vowed to totally destroy North Korea if the country so provokes him. He also said Kim was on a suicide mission.

No more talking

After North Korea said it successfully launched a missile over Japan, a U.S. ally, and into the Pacific Ocean, Trump initially had a subdued response.

"Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime's isolation in the region and among all nations of the world," Trump said in a written statement after North Koreas missile soared almost 1,700 miles into the Pacific Ocean, triggering alert warnings in northern Japan and shudders throughout Northeast Asia. "All options are on the table."

The missile launch was said to be a precursor to North Koreas containment of the U.S. territory of Guam by Kim, according to state-run media.

But in a tweet, the president suggested the U.S. is finished talking to North Korea.

The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer, Trump tweeted.

The U.S. is 'locked and loaded'

Trump took to social media in August 2017 to proclaim that the U.S. military is locked and loaded in case North Korea act[s] unwisely.

'Fire [and] fury' isn't 'tough enough'

With the threat of nuclear violence growing, Trump warned North Korea on Aug. 8, 2017 that he would unleash fire, fury and frankly power, the likes of which this world has never seen before.

But when tensions continued to rise and North Korea threatened to attack Guam, Trump said maybe that comment wasnt "tough enough."

"Lets see what [Kim] does with Guam. He does something in Guam, it will be an event the likes of which nobody has seen before  what will happen in North Korea," Trump said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Trump was "sending a strong message to North Korea in language that Kim Jong Un can understand, because he doesnt seem to understand diplomatic language."

Kim Jong Un is 'not getting away with it'

Trump said Kim has disrespected our country greatly.

He has said things that are horrific. And with me, hes not getting away with it, Trump said. He got away with it for a long time, between him and his family. Hes not getting away with it. Its a whole new ball game.

'Strategic patience  is over'

After meeting with the South Korean president in Washington, D.C., in June 2017, Trump said that the era of strategic patience with the North Korean regime has failed.

Frankly, that patience is over, he said.

As Trump made these comments, the U.S. was rocked with the death of Otto Warmbier, the 22-year-old American college student who suffered extensive brain damage while being held captive in North Korea for more than a year.

There are 'worse things' than assassinating Kim Jong Un

In an interview with CBS News during the presidential campaign, Trump said he could get China to make [Kim Jong Un] disappear in one form or another very quickly.

When asked if he was talking about assassinating the North Korean dictator, Trump shrugged.

Well, you know, Ive heard of worse things, frankly. I mean, this guys a bad dude  and dont underestimate him, Trump said. Any young guy that can take over from his father with all those generals and everybody else that probably wants the position, this is not somebody to be underestimated.

'What the hell is wrong with speaking?'

Trump told supporters at a campaign rally in Atlanta that should Kim want to come to the U.S., he would be accept[ed].

I wouldnt go there, that I can tell you. If he came here, Id accept him, but I wouldnt give him a state dinner like we do for China and all these other people that rip us off when we give them these big state dinners, Trump said in June 2016.

What the hell is wrong with speaking? Trump said, referencing the criticism he received for being willing to talk with North Korea. Its called opening a dialogue.

'Maniac'

During a GOP presidential debate in September 2015, Trump railed on the maniac in North Korea while answering a question about Planned Parenthood and womens health issues.

Nobody ever mentions North Korea, where you have this maniac sitting there, and he actually has nuclear weapons and somebody better start thinking about North Korea and perhaps a couple of other places. But certainly North Korea, Trump said.

You have somebody right now in North Korea who has got nuclear weapons and who is saying almost every other week, Im ready to use them, and we dont even mention it, he continued.

China needs to solve the problem

Even before he was president, Trump urged China to step in and help alleviate problems with North Korea.

North Korea is reliant on China. China could solve this problem easily if they wanted to but they have no respect for our leaders, Trump tweeted in March 2013.

In April 2013, Trump continued that line of thinking, adding that North Korea cant survive, or even eat, without the help of China. He then accused China of taunting the U.S.

As president, Trump has said he is very disappointed in actions China has taken regarding North Korea, particularly allowing oil to go into the nation. He also said a Chinese envoy to North Korea had no impact on Kim.

Additionally, Trump has said hes spoken to Chinas President Xi Jinping regarding the provocative actions of North Korea as well as the planned meeting between Trump and Kim.

President Xi told me he appreciates that the U.S. is working to solve the problem diplomatically rather than going with the ominous alternative, Trump said in March 2018. China continues to be helpful!

'Wack job'

In April 2013, Trump urged then-President Barack Obama to be very careful with the 28-year-old wack job in North Korea.

At some point we may have to get very tough, he tweeted.

'Negotiate like crazy'

Trump warned that the U.S. needed to do something to stop North Korea in 1999 during an interview with the late Tim Russert on Meet the Press.

"Do you want to do it in five years when they have warheads all over the place, every one of them pointing to New York City, to Washington and every one of us, is that when you want to do it, or do you want to do something now? Trump said. You'd better do it now. And if they think you're serious  they'll negotiate and it'll never come to that.

He said then that if he ever became president, the first step he would take would be to negotiate like crazy to make sure that the country would get the best deal possible. Trump also predicted then that in three or four years, North Korea would have weapons aimed all over the world, including at the U.S.

Fox News' Adam Shaw and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump said Tuesday that U.S. sanctions on North Korea are having a big impact on the rogue regime, while reprising his rocket man label for Kim Jong Un.

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! Trump tweeted Tuesday morning.

The presidents comments come after the dictator called for improved relations with South Korea, using the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics as an opening.

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, the North Korean leader said in a speech.

The U.S. and South Korea have a seven-decade alliance, and South Korean President Moon Jae-in has been in line with Trump on ramping up pressure on North Korea.

Moon Jae-in has long looked for dialogue with the North, as experts predict any nuclear tensions would cause enormous casualties in South Korea.

"It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and for the world," Trump said at a news conference with the South Korean president in November. "I do see certain movement."

Despite Trumps confidence in the effectiveness of U.S. sanctions on the rogue regime, Kim warned that their nuclear capabilities were a reality, not just a threat.

The U.S. should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table, he said during a speech, according to an Associated Press translation. 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.

He added: We need to mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and accelerate their deployment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
California became a "sanctuary state" Monday, as a bill that Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in October officially took effect.

The law bars police in the nation's most populous state from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities in most cases, Fox News reported.

The Golden State is home to an estimated 2.3 million illegal immigrants.

These are uncertain times for undocumented Californians and their families, and this bill strikes a balance that will protect public safety, while bringing a measure of comfort to those families who are now living in fear every day, Brown said on the day he signed the bill.

But the measure has drawn a rebuttal from an unidentified source, as signs mocking the law have appeared below the "Welcome to California" signs that greet motorists as they enter from Arizona and Nevada.

"OFFICIAL SANCTUARY STATE," the signs declare. "Felons, Illegals and MS13 Welcome! Democrats Need The Votes!"

California passed the bill just as the Trump administration was pledging to crack down on sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Trump repeatedly pointed to the case of Kate Steinle, a woman who was fatally shot July 1, 2015, on a San Francisco pier by an illegal immigrant. The defendant went on trial for murder, but was acquitted in November 2017.

No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration," the president tweeted after the verdict, which he labeled "disgraceful."

Other members of the Trump administration spoke out against the California proposal.

The bill risks the safety of good law enforcement officers and the safety of the neighborhoods that need their protection the most, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in September, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Added Thomas Homan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: By passing this bill, California politicians have chosen to prioritize politics over public safety.

Disturbingly, the legislation serves to codify a dangerous policy that deliberately obstructs our countrys immigration laws and shelters serious criminal alien offenders," Homan's statement continued.

Prior to Brown's approval, California's Legislature passed the measure in September.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The continental rock underlying the east coast of North America is pretty boring, tectonically speaking. The last dramatic geological goings-on there happened around 200 million years ago, and most change since then has been from glacial, wind and water erosion.

But a project that helped image the layers of rock below the continent with unprecedented clarity has helped reveal a small, unusual feature that seems to be a relatively new "blob" of hot, rising rock below part of the U.S. Northeast.

Exactly what caused this blob and whether other similar blob structures might lurk under other continents isnt clear, said study co-author Vadim Levin, a Rutgers University geophysicist, but it raises plenty of interesting questions. The work on the blob was published online Nov. 29 in the journal Geology and presented Monday (Dec. 11) at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in New Orleans. [In Photos: Ocean Hidden Beneath Earth's Surface]

The unusual feature had been spotted before, when scientists used the seismic waves that routinely ricochet through the Earth's interior to reveal some of the structures hidden below our feet. Such waves travel at different speeds and angles through different types of rock, including rocks of different temperatures and rock moving in different directions. The small feature below the Northeast showed up as an area of unusually high temperature, but the pictures were pretty fuzzy.

Enter the EarthScope project, a National Science Foundation-funded endeavor that placed thousands of seismic detectors and other instruments across the United States to get a clearer snapshot of the various features  such as earthquake faults and different layers of ancient rock  that are lurking below the surface. Levin likened the EarthScope data to going from using a tiny flashlight in a dusty room to having an overhead light.

Or, to compare it with another world-illuminating project, "it is comparable to sending Hubble up," he said, referring to the legendary space telescope.

With the help of undergraduate students working on thesis projects, Levin and his colleagues found that the telltale stretch marks left when the rock in Earth's interior moves were missing from the same area where the rock below the surface appeared to be hotter.

Altogether, the evidence suggests that a blob of hot rock some 100 miles (160 kilometers) down is welling upward in the upper part of Earth's mantle (the layer of Earth just beneath the crust), the study authors said.

The exact source of this blob isnt clear; it doesnt have the deep roots down into the mantle seen at hotspots such as those that lie below Yellowstone or the Hawaiian Islands and fuel the formers hot springs and Hawaiis volcanoes found at each place, Levin said.

Barbara Romanowicz, a geophysicist at UC Berkeley who was not involved in the research, said in an email that this blob could be linked to a finger of material deeper in the mantle that she and one of her graduate students are describing in work currently being reviewed for publishing in a scientific journal. That finger extends horizontally along a hotspot track (or the trace left as tectonic plates moved over a volcanic hotspot) from the mid-Atlantic ridge  the seam that runs down the middle of the ocean floor  inland and northward, she said.

"There may be other features like the one they document along this track, tapping into the deeper conduit. The data are just not there to see them," Romanowicz said.

The blob's small size and hot temperature also suggest it is a relatively young feature  on the scale of tens of millions of years old  because it likely would've cooled off if it were younger, he said. There are also no surface features that could be connected to it, as it sits well below the bottom edge of the tectonic plate, Levin added.

Mechanisms that cause bubbles of mantle material to form closer to the surface than normal could be the culprit for the blob, he said, but that would take more work to investigate.

Another big question is whether this is a feature that happens more commonly under Earth's continents, or if its more of a curiosity. To answer that, scientists would need to deploy versions of EarthScope across other continents to get the same kind of precise images obtained for North America, Levin said.

"This is the kind of resolution we need everywhere, and I would say, not only under continents, but also under oceans. Perhaps even more so under oceans," Romanowicz said. Cost and technical challenges have stymied such efforts to date, but there is a renewed interested in implementing such networks. "This will help figure out the plumbing in the Earth's mantle, and much of the action is under the oceans," she said.

Original article on Live Science.
An American pilot who claims to have chased an alien aircraft has warned world leaders to take UFO sightings seriously.

Retired US Navy pilot commander David Fravor spoke out in support of ex US government intelligence officer Luis Elizondo, who last week revealed he ran a real life "X Files" UFO research department at the Pentagon named the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program (AATIP) funded by 16 million ($22m) black ops money from Congress.

Elizondo secured the release of previously classified US Defense Department videos of UFO encounters - one of which shows the craft Fravor saw darting off at an incredible speed.

Commander Fravor, 53, was flying one of two fighter jets on a routine training mission about 100 miles into the Pacific ocean off San Diego when they were diverted to check out an aircraft spotted on radar from their navy cruiser the USS Princeton.

The operations operator said they had been tracking up to a dozen mystery aircraft over two weeks but hadn't had manned planes deployed when they showed up.

The object first appeared at 80,000 ft, then hurtled towards the sea, stopping at 20,000 feet and hovering before dropping out of radar.

When Commander Fravor arrived he saw a white aircraft hovering 50 feet above above a disturbance in the ocean.

He said: It was just moving randomly around - this 40 foot long white tic tac looking thing, with no wings.

It was a clear day with a blue background and it was perfectly white. We didn't see any windows, no form of propulsion, nothing, just a big white object.

"It was rounded on both ends and had a cylindrical body which rounded in, same front to back.

I couldn't tell what it was made of, it was bright white but it wasn't reflecting a bunch of light."

Fravor flew towards it and the aircraft began ascending towards him, passing him at about 12,000 ft. He thinks he got within half a mile of it.

He said: I literally chased the thing and it started to mirror us, it was like it became aware we were there. I cut across to see if I could get closer and it rapidly accelerated and disappeared. Within a matter of a second it was gone.

Asked what was going through his mind, he said: "I was thinking 'That's pretty strange'. In 16 years of flying I had never seen anything like that. Nothing that can hover and climb at that rate up and then accelerate and just disappear.

I was more curious then afraid. I wanted to see how close I could get to it, to see what it was.

The two fighter jets were told to head to a rendezvous point 60 miles away.

However the radio operator on the Princeton then radioed and said the mystery aircraft had turned up before them.

At this point another aircraft was sent to investigate and recorded radar footage of the aircraft. The 90 second video shows the oblong shaped object hovering before it darts off to the left at what appears to be an unprecedented velocity.

Fravor said: It jammed the radar, you couldn't lock it with a conventional radar, you could passively track it and see it, but if you tried to grab a lock it wouldn't allow you to do that.

When it takes off and goes to the side that's a significant amount of distance to travel in a very short period of time, we're talking miles, that thing just goes poof and in about a second it's off the side of the screen.

"You look at the video of it there's no exhaust flume, there's no indication of how that thing is moving around. Having seen a lot of different airplanes, you can always at least hot spots where the exhaust is coming out. I was close enough visually to go 'we don't have anything like that'."

He insisted the object was alien in origin.

He said: I know what I saw, it was impressive, it had incredible performance, obviously I wasnt in a hostile act with it, youd have your hands full if you were.

"I honestly dont think humans have that technology to do what that thing did. Nor could the human body withstand accelerations like that. Its an incredible technology to be able to go up to space, and back down and hang over the water.

"I know what I saw and the other three people that were there saw at the same time. I think you would be hard pressed to question my credibility flying experience wise. Im totally sane, in good health, I dont do drugs.

"We physically saw and chased it and are the only ones that have actually got close to one of these things.

Fravor is now calling on British space expert Stephen Hawking to view the video and give his take on it.

He said: They should be talking to Stephen Hawking. Hes a brilliant man, I would like to hear his thoughts on it. They said theyre talking to some other theoretical physicists like him about the possibilities.

And in a stern warning to governments around the world he added: We all need to take these seriously as a species, because right now we don't know the intent of these things, if they're like ET it's great, if they're like War of the Worlds not so much.

You can ignore them and hope they're just going to observe, or you can do something about it and try to understand what theyre doing and develop technology, in case they do have a bad intention.

In another video released by the US government into the existence of extraterrestrial life a pilot can be heard muttering: "This is a f****** drone, bro," the New York Post reported.

The footage shows another pilot saying: Theres a whole fleet of them, before exclaiming, Its rotating!.

The footage captures a glowing whitish oval and a darker orb as the jets, dispatched from the aircraft carrier Nimitz, chase the craft.

The footage was released by the Defense Departments Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, which spent $22 million between 2008 and 2012 to investigate reports from military and commercial pilots of unidentified flying objects.

This story originally appeared in The Sun.
Inside NASA's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley is a test environment that simulates the International Space Station's pressurized capsules. Here, aerospace engineers test the new Astrobee intra vehicular activity (IVA) robots, which will be heading to the ISS in the spring.

These robots are 1-by-1-foot cubes, with an array of LED communication lights. They can function autonomously or be remotely controlled from Houston. While on the ISS, Astrobees will carry out routine maintenance tasks, like checking inventory with an RFID scanner and using a sensor-array to record air quality levels, CO2, and radiation. Their HD cameras will also function as the eyes and ears for ground control; right now, astronauts have to wield camcorders up there to show Houston what's going on.

This is a return visit to NASA Ames for PCMag. We came last year to meet Maria Bualat, deputy head of the agency's Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG). Back then, we learned about the K10/KREX rovers, walked on the mocked-up Mars surface they use to test rovers, and saw the SPHERES (Synchronised Position Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites), which were used for over a decade, and then modified into robots to carry out maintenance tasks under instruction from astronauts and/or ground control.

At the time, Bualat showed us a very early prototype of the autonomous Astrobee robot, and NASA invited us to return when they were further down the engineering path. So recently, we came back to interview Dr. Trey Smith, Astrobee Lead Engineer, who started working on NASA projects as a student in 1998, and joined NASA's Intelligent Robotics Group full-time in 2007.

Just as the BB-9E, BB-8, C-3PO, and R2-D2 droids assisted personnel in the fictional Rebel Alliance, Astrobee robots have been engineered to improve life onboard the ISS.

"If we can save the crew a couple of hours a day by deploying these free-flying robots to assist as a research facility, sensor survey device and video link to ground control, that's vitally important, as astronaut time is the greatest resource up there," Dr. Smith pointed out. "Another thing we want to do is ensure we don't inconvenience the crew. As the Astrobee can run fully autonomously, self-docking and setting out to conduct tasks, we need to make sure it's communicating intent while doing that."

The Astrobee team member running these human-robot interaction experiments is Dr. Yunkyung Kim. She joined NASA last year from Samsung, after receiving her doctorate from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), home of the Hubo robot we saw win the DARPA challenge in 2015.

"As our resident HRI expert, she's been testing different combinations of the LED lights and laser pointer functionality, to see which works best," confirmed Dr. Smith. "When it comes to audio we'd like to keep that limited to avoid bothering the crew. The main signal we're working on now is one for entering the hatchway, maybe a bicycle bell or something similar. It's not silent anyway, I don't want to say it sounds like a hairdryer on full blast, but, well."

Power is provided by lithium-ion batteries, which, depending on the tasks, will last several hours in operational mode, before self-docking and recharging is required. The Astrobee's computational systems are in a triple processing layer, utilizing Android for high-level operations and Linux for the rest. Even NASA is subject to fluctuations in supply and demand within the electronics industry.

"When you have a three-year project, you can run into obsolescence with suppliers," Dr. Smith pointed out. "For example, when we went to order more cameras, we found they were obsolete, so we had to get new cameras, but when we installed them we found the old processor wouldn't work, so we had to upgrade that too. It's still a quad-core processor but a more recent version of the Snapdragon chipset. Our original design had two Snapdragon 805 SOMs. Now we have one 805 and one 820."

Tech Support in Space

ISS software updates will be tricky. The space station doesn't have Wi-Fi, but it does have internet connectivity via NASA's TDRS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellites), an array of nine geosynchronous satellites that provide approximately 50Mbit of bandwidth.

"Software updates are pushed very carefully," said Dr. Smith, "and we package them as debians. We push software updates to the docking station, using it as a nexus, so you utilize the uplink once, then push the updates to all the Astrobee units, via the dock."

Once it's deployed, there will be three Astrobee robots on the ISS, three on the ground and four in backup. Yes, they all have names. "The ones on the ISS will be called Honey Bee, Bumble Bee, and Queen Bee. Two of the ground units will be Bee Sharp and Melissa Bee'melissa' comes from the Greek word for bee."

Astrobee robots are designed to remain active for the life of the ISS, which is currently scheduled to end in 2024. "There's no particular thing we expect to wear out during that period. There's probably a new set of batteries that we'll need to replace, it's possible for the crew to switch out, and we'll have spares onboard," Dr. Smith said.

As for post-2024, Dr. Smith is coy, as NASA hasn't publicly revealed Astrobee's next mission.

"The ISS is 240 miles above Earth. If a future space station is in orbit around the moon that's about 1,000 times further awayand Mars is 1,000 times further away again. We're interested in using the Astrobee for more autonomous space habitats, which might have crews, but those human astronauts could be away part of the time. So we'd want to find a way to handle these dormant periods with robotic assistance, namely future iterations of free flyers like Astrobee and dexterous manipulators like R2. This concept is still in very embryonic stages, but that's one idea moving forwards."

Interestingly enough, this concept of autonomous robots seeking intelligent life in inhospitable places was the focus of Dr. Smith's PhD.

"One of the most profound questions we can ask is: 'Are we alone in the universe?' That's the fundamental principle behind astrobiology," said Dr. Smith. "When I was doing my PhD in robotics at Carnegie Mellon, I based my thesis on the Life in the Atacama project, an extreme environment which is used to do analogous planetary exploration studies.

"Simply put, during that project, we achieved what was arguably the first time a robot autonomously discovered life in an extreme environment," he said.

So there you have it: by June 2018, Astrobee will be on the ISS working alongside human astronaut crews. Post-2024, later iterations of the free-flying smart robots could be heading where no robot has gone before, in search of life and helping to establish off-world colonies.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.
Drones have been used to deliver a great number of things, from packages to pizzas to beer. But one company is using drones to deliver blood, and deliver it fast, saving many lives in Africa.

Zipline, a Silicon Valley company, has teamed up with Rwanda's health ministry to deliver more than 5,500 units of blood, according to a report in The Guardian.

The drones have reportedly cut the delivery time from four hours on average, to roughly half an hour.

The company, which has raised over $41 million from investors according to Crunchbase, delivers blood to 12 hospitals in the eastern part of the country, covering a total of approximately 6 million people.

AFTER HUMANS FAIL, DRONE TRACKS DOWN LOST 92-YEAR OLD IN 20 MINUTES

As of 2016, Rwanda had a population of roughly 11.9 million, according to data from Worldometers.

The drones are able to fly to the various clinics at speeds of up to 60 mph and when they are within a minute of the destination, the doctors receive a text. The drone then drops off the package, which is attached to a parachute, and then returns to its home base.

Drone delivery is important in the country, as it not only helps improve the speed of blood delivery, but the efficiency as well, important for a country where diseases such as malaria are still prevalent.

Malaria, a mosquito-borne disease, can cause a number of related symptoms, including anaemia, heightening the need for blood transplants and infusions.

LOS ANGELES FIRE DEPT. DISPATCHES DRONES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN WILDFIRE FIGHT

Drone delivery also means hospitals can store less blood, which means less waste as blood spoils quickly.

In an interview with The Guardian, Zipline's CEO Keller Rinaudo said having drones in Rwanda will give the area a leg up over other parts of the world when it comes to drone delivery.

Some of the biggest, most powerful technology companies in the world are still trying to figure out how to do this," Rinaudo said. "But east Africa is showing them all the way. The work in Rwanda has shown the world whats possible when you make a national commitment to expand health care access with drones and help save lives.
A Michigan man decided to leave it all behind and see the world, one step at a time.

Chris Lemanski, 26, who was born in Santa Rosa, Calif., but now resides in Traverse City, Mich., made the brash decision to walk, not run, across Europe. Lemanski told Fox News he made the journey after going through a tough time.

I was going through a pretty bad depression, he said. I was kind of ready to give up and say the hell with it."

The young man asked his cousin for advice on how to clear his head and he told him to take a long walk. Lemanski did just that.

In April 2016, Lemanski decided on the journey after looking up trails and saw one that went from Istanbul, Turkey to Portugal. The traveler said everything appeared to shift into place after he purchased a cheap ticket to Istanbul.

Lemanski made the trek in 18 months, three of those months he was stuck in Morocco after he overstayed his visa for about three months. However, he was able to sneak out of the country and catch a boat to Germany where he continued his journey.

As for how much money he spent in 18 months, Lemanski said he saved and people were generous.

I saved money, I bought a ukulele and played on the streets, Lemanski said. I also accepted money through donations from my blog.

He also said people bought him beers and dinners.

Lemanski said people were generous throughout his whole journey except Luxembourg, but he explained he was smelling pretty bad at that point and was pretty hairy.

The worldly traveler reflected on what he learned on his journey.

You realize youre much stronger than you think you are, Lemanski said.

He explained the walking made helped his anxiety and made him peaceful.

"You learn to tolerate the pain and discomfort, Lemanski said. You learn to enjoy it after a while.

As for his next journey?

Who knows? Maybe Ill go to the Peace Corp. Maybe Ill go to Germany to get my masters or teach English in China, he said.

Lemanski said he was sure he wanted to travel the world and was not comfortable with being in one place.

Fox News asked the traveler if he sang songs such as The Proclaimers Im Gonna Be (500 miles) or Vanessa Carltons A Thousand Miles during his trek.

Lemanski laughed and said yes but Aquas Barbie Girl was sung many times along the way.
A U.S. Customs system outage affecting airports across the country stalled fliers for hours, triggering headaches for many people just trying to get home on New Year's Day.

Customs and Border Patrol officials confirmed that processing systems were back online after a temporary outage, adding that the failure was not malicious in nature.

During the disruption, CBP had access to national security-related databases and all travelers were screened according to security standards. No indication the disruption was malicious in nature, the agency tweeted.

In a statement to Fox News, the agency said the disruption began at 7:30 p.m. and lasted for roughly two hours. Additionally, CBP officers continued to process international travelers using alternative procedures at affected airports, they said.

The statement continued, Travelers at some ports of entry experienced longer than usual wait times as CBP officers processed travelers as quickly as possible while maintaining the highest levels of security.

Still, plenty of travelers took to social media to express their frustration.

From New York, Phineas James tweeted, Day 1 of 2018 in America. The entire #JFKAirport customs system is down.

And user @emeraldcitylove tweeted from Sea Tac Airport saying, Ive never wanted to see US immigration so badly in my life. Get me out of this limbo hallway of hell. Im so exhausted.

She added that while the system was not operating correctly, they were waiting in a hallway for over an hour.
A flight managed to take passengers "back in time" to 2017 on Monday.

In case anyone is wondering: no, time travel is still not feasible. This happened due to a takeoff delay, and a quirk in the time zones that define the world.

According to FlightAware, Hawaiian Airlines Flight 446 was originally scheduled to take off from Auckland, New Zealand at 11:55 p.m. on December 31, 2017 (New Zealand time). However, due to a delay, the flight did not take off until 12:05 a.m. on January 1, 2018.

After a flight that lasted nine hours and 10 minutes, it landed in Honolulu, at 10:15 a.m on December 31, 2017 (Hawaiian time).

This happened due to a quirk in the way time is calculated around the world. According to the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Hawaii is in a time zone that is 10 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time. According to NIST, UTC is commonly expressed as the time near Greenwich, England.

New Zealand, meanwhile, is 13 hours ahead of UTC, due to the Summer season there. As a result, Hawaii is nearly a day behind New Zealand, at the time of the flight.

It appears Hawaiian Airlines Flight 446 is quite the expert when it comes to "time travel". The same flight that took off on Saturday, December 30 took passengers back a day, by landing in Honolulu on December 29.

Click for more from Fox 10.
In the new year, instead of a list of resolutions, how about a list of destinations you want to go  and how to get there?

Making a bucket list can often feel like daydreaming, especially with far-off destinations like Bali and the Maldives. Traveling doesn't have to break the bank, however, and even if you're living off a modest salary, here are the steps to take to reach your travel goals.

1. Start investing in a travel fund.

Putting aside money directly into a fund for travel, particularly in an account that you cannot easily withdraw from, makes it easier to visualize goals. With new investment apps, like Acorns, for example, travelers don't need to be a financial wizard to start investing  and grow their money faster than it would in an average savings account.

Acorns rounds up users' credit and debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and puts that money in an investment account. Users can supplement their contributions by setting up weekly or monthly deposits into the account.

2. Automate your savings.

Similar to putting money into an investment fund, automatically depositing a portion of each paycheck into a savings account makes it easier to achieve savings goals.

Miron Lulic, CEO of the finance advising website SuperMoney, told Travel + Leisurethat a savings account is the first thing someone should think about with each paycheck, budgeting the rest of your check around that amount.

"Pay yourself first," he said.

3. Assess your current expenses  and make cuts.

Figuring out where you spend most of your money already goes a long way toward figuring out what you're doing right  and more importantly what you might be doing wrong.

Track your expenses for a month to see where your biggest expenses are, or download an app like Clarity or Mint that does it for you. Clarity gives you a list of monthly expenses, from cable and electronic bills, to streaming services. It can be a good reminder to cut out services you no longer use or didn't even know you subscribed to, from Pandora and Spotfiy to Hulu or Amazon Prime.

4. Increase your 401K contribution.

Lulic told T+L that one of the biggest financial mistakes people make is to immediately change their lifestyle the moment they receive a raise or a bonus. Whether you're receiving a meager Christmas bonus or seeing a big promotion, think twice before rushing out to lease a new apartment or cut up your subway card.

Instead, increase your 401K contribution. As many employers match employees' contribution, you're essentially getting free money. That mentality of saving is a big thing, said Lulic.

While your retirement fund won't get you to Fiji tomorrow, it will help your greater financial picture.

5. Use rewards wisely.

Credit cards that earn rewards for travel expenses such as flights or hotels can be invaluable resources when it comes to making dream trips happen. The internet is full of success stories of millennials who have traveled the world using only their points from rewards cards.

These tips and tricks can be applied by travelers of all stripes. However, beware the trap of opening several credit cards at once only to find yourself weighed down by debt: First pay off balances, then go after rewards.
A man was arrested at a Mumbai, India airport accused of making a hoax bomb threat, though he claims the incident was just the result of a miscommunication.

According to India Today, Vinod Moorjani, who is the CEO of a U.S.-based IT company, was arrested on Dec. 31 at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport while waiting to board a flight to Delhi, then Rome.

Authorities say the 45-year-old CEO called a toll-free number from an airport phone booth and told the operator bomb fata hai or, bomb has exploded, before hanging up.

SOUTHWEST BOOTED FAMILY OVER FALSE CONCERNS OF LICE, DAD SAYS

Investigators believe that Moorjani initiated the scare because he was frustrated with delays at the airport and wanted to stall all outbound flights from Delhi in hopes of not missing his flight to Rome, The Guardian reported.

Appearing in court on Jan. 1, Moorjani pleaded innocent as his lawyer insisted that the operator simply misunderstood his request for the Bom-Del status, The Guardian added. Mumbai goes by the city code BOM, and Delhi goes by the city code DEL; Moorjani additionally claimed that he hung up on the operator because of trouble with the connection.

MECHANICAL ISSUE ON AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT SENDS 4 TO HOSPITAL

He was released on bail of 30,000 rupees, or around $470.

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Delta Airlines is allegedly facing a lawsuit filed by four flight attendants accusing the company of discriminatory and anti-Semitic behavior.

According to TMZ, the employees, whove worked in the business between 10 to 40 years, are suing Delta for a pattern of intentionally discriminating and retaliating against ethnically Jewish, Hebrew and/or Israeli employees and passengers. The employees claim this behavior took place specifically on a flight between NYC and Israel.

DISNEY WORLD, UNIVERSAL AND SEAWORLD SHUT DOWN WATER PARKS AHEAD OF COLDER WEATHER

The lawsuit also reportedly accuses the airline of punishing an employee for giving her Delta Travel Companion pass to a Jewish friend. The flight attendant was reportedly suspended without pay and demoted when the airline found out. According to TMZ, Delta said she violated company policy by giving it to someone she didnt know, but the man was her friend of 40 years.

Another allegation in the lawsuit is that Delta fired a female flight attendant in March 2017 because she was Jewish, while the company said it was because she missed a flight. She was reportedly on medical emergency leave at the time.

TMZ reports the suit also accuses the airline of creating a hostile and "intimidating environment" on the Israel flight, as well as passing people up for deserved promotions.

The four flight attendants who filed the suit are asking for damages over the alleged illegal discrimination and calling the airline to reinstate travel privileges for the one reprimanded employee and to hire back the other.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

A Delta spokesperson issued the following statement to Fox News: Delta strongly condemns the allegations of discrimination described in this suit and will defend itself vigorously against them. As a global airline that brings people across the world together every day, Delta values diversity in all aspects of its business and has zero tolerance for discrimination.
An American Airlines flight scheduled to depart Boston for Charlotte, N.C., was forced to return to the gate on Monday following reports of an odd odor which ultimately sent a passenger and multiple crew members to the hospital.

The airline has determined that the aircraft had turned around due to a mechanical issue, according to the Associated Press, although its unclear how the issue was, if at all, related to the odor.

BIRD FLIES INTO COCKPIT, FORCES DELTA FLIGHT TO TURN AROUND

In total, four people were transported from Bostons Logan International Airport to nearby hospitals, including three members of the flight crew and one passenger. The rest of the passengers continued on to Charlotte on a different aircraft, and after a nearly four-hour delay, MassLive.com said.

American has confirmed that the original aircraft was subsequently inspected, and untimately returned to service later that same day.

"American Airlines Flight 1719 from Boston to Charlotte returned to the gate prior to departure on Jan. 1 because of a possible mechanical issue," according to a statement from American Airlines. "There were reports of an odor onboard and the captain elected to return to the gate.

"The aircraft was taken out of service and the flight departed for Charlotte later in the day with a replacement aircraft. Three flight attendants and one passenger requested medical attention at Boston Logan and were transported to a local hospital to be evaluated. All were later released," the airline added.

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR MORE FOX LIFESTYLE NEWS

This isn't the first time an odor aboard an American Airlines flight has sent passengers or crew to the hospital. In July, at least three people were taken to a hospital after crew reported a mysterious odor on a flight from Houston to Miami. Later, in October, several crew members requested medical attention after reportedly smelling an odor on a flight that hadn't yet left the gate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
They are some of the bravest, or craziest people youve ever met, depending on who you ask.

Frigid temperatures did not seem to faze the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, and others, who braved the sub-zero wind chills to sprint into the ocean this New Years Day.

Temperatures were warmer inside the water than outside. The water reached 37 degrees, and outside hardly reached the teens. First responders didnt take any chances. There were divers, police boats, helicopters overhead, an FDNY heating tents and ambulances on hand. At least one swimmer had to be treated inside an ambulance. EMTs said hes going to be okay.

Its a pretty glorious beach day as far as Im concerned, says Dennis Thomas, President of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club.

Thomas says the club meets every Sunday November through April for a swim, so today is hardly the coldest hes ever experienced. But for those storming the sea who arent in the club, its a different story.

This is definitely the coldest year, says Michael Castrulli.

Hundreds took part on Monday. Some dressed as unicorns, others wore swimsuits, and many dressed as sea creatures.

For Joe Franco, it was her first plunge ever.

Im alive! Theres nothing like a little numbness to remind you, you still got everything on you and everything is good, she screamed as she came out of the water.

The Polar Bear Plunge has been a tradition since 1903. The money raised this year will go to the Alliance for Coney Island and the New York Aquarium.

Click for more from Fox 5.
Seven people were injured in San Francisco on Monday after a truck reportedly crashed into another car and two pedestrians, authorities said.

Police said a box truck was driving near Geary Boulevard and 21st Avenue when the driver allegedly attempted to make an illegal turn before crashing, Fox 2 reported.

There was no indication the crash was terror-related, police told The Mercury News. Cops took the driver into custody, KGO added.

The truck slammed into a car with a family of five, as well as two elderly pedestrians, according to San Francisco Fire. Four medical units reportedly were sent to the scene.

The two pedestrians  one suffering life-threatening injuries and the other with serious injuries  were rushed to the trauma center, officials said. The family, whose ages range from preteens to adults, sustained minor injuries and will be released, according to Fox 2.

Click for more from Fox 2.
Authorities in Arkansas say deputies have fatally shot a man suspected in a double slaying.

The deaths happened Monday near the small town of Romance, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) northeast of Little Rock. White County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Phillip Miller says authorities responding to a possible shooting found 45-year-old Starla Exum dead. A second person, 54-year-old Timmy Dickson, had been wounded and died on the way to a hospital.

Miller says deputies found the suspect, identified as 42-year-old Archie Lawhon III, on the property. Miller says Lawhon pointed a gun at them and multiple deputies opened fire, killing him.

Arkansas State Police are investigating the shooting involving the officers and local authorities are investigating the earlier shootings. Miller says it's not yet clear what led to the double killing.
At least three homicides have already occurred in Chicago in 2018, the violence spiking following a year in which the Windy City celebrated fewer homicides than in 2016.

City police said the first homicide of the New Year happened around 2:20 a.m. Monday when a man driving a Toyota Camry was shot in the back. His car veered into a fence.

The 51-year-old victim was identified as Janusz Kolodgziejczyk and pronounced dead at the scene fewer than 30 minutes after the shooting, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Several hours later, 29-year-old Brenda Ramos was found in the basement of a Park West neighborhood apartment suffering from blunt trauma to the head. She was pronounced dead at 11:22 a.m. Monday, the Cook County medical examiners officer said.

The years third homicide happened at around 5 p.m. Monday in the Fuller Park neighborhood, police said.

A 34-year-old man, identified as John Harris, was fatally shot several times in the neck while behind the wheel of a car on the South Side. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

No arrests have been made in the three attacks.

City police are also investigating the suspicious death of a 29-year-old woman who was found Monday afternoon, the Tribune reported.

Police initially said it was a death investigation, but later reclassified her death as a homicide. The woman, who has not been identified, suffered blunt force trauma to her head and was pronounced dead at the scene.

News of the deaths came the same day the Chicago Police Department released statistics showing the number of homicides fell from 771 in 2016 to 650 last year. The number of shootings dropped from 3,550 to 2,785 during the same period.

Despite the drop, in a repeat of 2016, the homicides still eclipsed the number of killings in New York City and Los Angeles combined.

Still, the drops  and the reasons behind the lower numbers  have police and others optimistic that some of their efforts will lead to more declines over the next year. Chief among those efforts will be the expansion of the high-tech strategies and equipment to fight crime, including devices that pinpoint where gunshots are fired.

"I am proud of the progress our officers made in reducing gun violence all across the city in 2017," Chicago Police Chief Eddie Johnson in a statement. "In 2018, we are going to work to build on the progress we made last year  to reduce gun violence to save lives and to find justice for victims."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Colorado man who gunned down a deputy and wounded six other people in an ambush-style attack on New Years Eve livestreamed the shootout on Periscope, where he was heard yelling, I warned you, before firing more than 100 rounds at them, a report said.

Matthew Riehl, 37, an Army veteran who briefly served in Iraq, recorded a 911 call and posted a live video on the streaming service Periscope at his apartment in Highlands Ranch as he shot and killed Douglas County Sheriffs Deputy Zackari Parrish during the attack, FOX31 Denver reported. Three other deputies, a police officer and two civilians were wounded in the shooting.

Go away. Dont come in. Ive warned you, Riehl is heard saying in the audio-only recording.

Riehl then ordered the deputies to identify themselves before several shots were fired.

Get the [expletive] out of here. Get out, leave me alone, he was heard saying as a smoke alarm blared in the background. Why are you here without a warrant?

The gunman then shouted: Go away, go. Leave me alone. Go, get out, before gunfire resumed.

They broke my door, they broke my door, they broke my door, he yelled, according to FOX31.

Why? Why? Leave me alone, he repeatedly said until the audio ended with the sound of the smoke alarm.

Riehl was found dead in his bedroom.

Earlier, authorities had responded to a complaint of a verbal disturbance involving two men at an apartment building in Highlands Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver. A caller said Riehl was acting bizarre and might have been having a mental breakdown, but responding deputies found no evidence of a crime and left.

GUNMAN IN DEADLY COLORADO DEPUTY SHOOTING IDENTIFIED AS IRAQ WAR VET WITH GRUDGE AGAINST SHERIFF

When deputies were called back to the scene, Riehls roommate, who had left, gave them a key and granted them permission to enter the apartment, according to FOX31.

Colorado authorities had been warned about Riehls volatile mental state before the shooting, but never held him for a mental health evaluation. His anger against law enforcement officials apparently stemmed from a traffic infraction that happened in November, which followed with a Dec. 13 YouTube video where he calls Douglas County Sheriff Tony 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.

Riehl also threatened law professors at Wyoming College of Law, where he received his law degree in 2010. A Nov. 6 email from Assistant College of Law Dean Lindsay Hoyt told students to notify campus police if they spotted Riehl or his car near campus. In addition, security on campus was increased for several days.

Records indicated he does not have an active attorney license, FOX31 reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A former teacher at a Christian school in Maine was arrested days before Christmas after she allegedly sexually assaulted a student under the age of 14-years-old, officials said.

Nancy Leigh Ann Brann, 43, was taken into custody Dec. 21 after turning herself in at a local jail, the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office said in a news release.

The alleged offenses took place during the fall of 2016 when Brann was a teacher at the Coastal Christian School in Waldoboro, located about 60 miles northeast of Portland.

SUBSTITUTE TEACHER, 23, ACCUSED OF HAVING SEX WITH TWO STUDENTS, INCLUDING 14-YEAR-OLD

There is no information the school administration had any knowledge of these alleged offenses prior to being notified by investigators, the sheriffs office said.

The sheriff's office said the victim was a student under the age of 14 years old at the time, but did not disclose the student's gender. The sheriff's office did not immediately respond to a request by Fox News for further information.

Brann was dismissed by the school shortly after the offenses for unrelated issues, the sheriff's office said.

The 43-year-old is being held on $10,000 bail, unsecured, with the conditions that she not have contact with the victim, not return to Coastal Christian School and have no contact with children under the age of 16.
At least 16 people -- including nine children -- were injured when flames ripped through a four-story New York City building Tuesday, sending more than 200 firefighters racing to the scene to battle the blaze in the frigid morning.

The fire broke out in a furniture store on the first floor of a building in the Van Nest section of the Bronx just after 5 a.m., FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in a news conference.

"None of [the wounded] suffered serious or life-threatening injuries...they will all be okay," Nigro said.

Photos and video showed thick black smoke billowing from the building as firefighters doused water on the roof with outside temperatures hovering in the teens.

"I woke up my husband, my kids and said listen there's a fire in the building," a woman who lived at the address told ABC7NY. "By the time we opened the door in the hallway, there was black smoke."

CHILD PLAYING WITH STOVE BLAMED FOR MASSIVE BRONX FIRE THAT KILLED 12, OFFICIALS SAY

She told the news station she was getting ready for work when she smelled smoke. She escaped with her two children and dog.

The flames quickly spread through the building. More than 200 firefighters were still putting out the flames at 7 a.m., FDNY said.

There are no reports of anyone missing at this moment. Nigro said authorities would enter the building to determine the cause of the fire once it's deemed safe.

The massive fire comes less than a week after another fire, caused by a child playing with a stove, killed at least 12 people, including several children. Nigro called that blaze historic in its magnitude.
A major winter storm later this week may add insult to injury for millions across the East Coast that have faced a bitter blast of Arctic air gripping much of the U.S. since Christmas -- but it will also bring frigid air and ice to areas typically left untouched: Georgia and Florida.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Watch Tuesday for all of Southeast Georgia, Interstate 10 corridor in Northeast Florida, and portions of the North and South Carolina coasts due to the possibility of ice and snow.

The storm is expected to be an "icing/freezing rain event" into Wednesday morning in Georgia and northeast Florida and "sleet and snow could be mixed in," according to the NWS' Jacksonville Office.

"Significant icing possible late tonight and Wednesday Morning," the NWS Jacksonville's office said in its advisory. "The ice will result in difficult travel conditions, including during the morning commute on Wednesday."

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency Tuesday evening for 28 counties in the coastal region, set to remain in effect through Jan. 5 at midnight.

"The state has begun preparations for potential winter weather in the 28 counties, including sending all Georgia Department of Transportation brine trucks and 75 additional plows to impacted areas," Deal said.

"The emergency declaration ensures all state resources are available if necessary. We will continue monitoring the weather and provide updates as needed. I encourage all Georgians in the potentially impacted areas to stay informed, get prepared and be safe."

After moving through the Southeast, the system could develop into a "monster snowstorm" affecting the Northeast, according to Fox News Senior Meteorologist Janice Dean. Forecast models so far are keeping the system off the coast, but a shift west could mean the difference between just a couple inches or "a few feet of snow" depending on the track, according to Dean.

"We still could see a line of several inches of snow and ice across Florida and the Southeast," she said Tuesday on "FOX & friends."

FOX NEWS WEATHER CENTER

The NWS also issued Winter Storm Watches further north into the Mid-Atlantic and along coastal areas of New Jersey, which could see up to 6 inches of snow.

Delta Airlines, which has its signature hub in Atlanta, said it has issued a travel waiver for Wednesay and Thursday due to forecasted weather in the Southeast.

The storm comes as a bitter cold wave has enveloped large parts of the country, with the NWS issuing wind chill advisories and freeze warnings Tuesday covering a vast area from South Texas to Canada and from Montana through New England. Authorities opened warming shelters in the South as temperatures dipped notably close to zero in Alabama and Georgia.

The cold is blamed in at least nine deaths in the past week. Most recently, police in St. Louis said a homeless man found dead inside a trash bin Monday evening apparently froze to death as the temperature dropped to negative 6 degrees. Sheriff's officials in Fond du Lac County, Wisc., said a 27-year-old woman whose body was found Monday evening on the shore of Lake Winnebago likely died of exposure.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office said two men whose bodies were found Sunday showed signs of hypothermia. Police believe the cold weather also may have been a factor in the death of a man in Bismarck, N.D., whose body was found near a river.

Several days of sustained cold temperatures are also affecting water pipes for residents across several states and causing costly repairs. In North Texas, residents in the city of Plano reported their pipes and water meters froze Monday.

We just heard this gurgling sound and when you turned on the tap it sounded like there was some crunching. And we realized the pipes had most likely frozen, Jay Juma told Fox 4 News.

In Philadelphia, around 125 homes were affected by a water main break early Tuesday caused by the bitter cold that sent water in the basements of several homes, Fox 29 reported.

The weather service said temperatures in Indianapolis early Tuesday tied a record low of minus 12 degrees Fahrenheit for Jan. 2 set in 1887. Indianapolis Public Schools canceled classes for Tuesday on all its campuses due to the predicted sub-zero temperatures. Students had been scheduled to return from winter break.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Latest on the fatal shooting of a sheriff's deputy in Colorado (all times local):

3:55 p.m.

A man who shot and killed a Colorado sheriff's deputy was licensed as a lawyer for five years in Wyoming before voluntarily giving up his license in 2016.

Wyoming Bar Association executive director Sharon Wilkinson says Matthew Riehl practiced at a law firm in the small city of Rawlins and later opened his own practice.

She says he was admitted to the bar in May 2011 and voluntarily withdrew in October 2016, making him ineligible to practice law in the state. That's the same year records indicate he moved back to Colorado.

Wilkinson says the bar received no complaints about Riehl.

She says Riehl did not disclose say why he withdrew.

However, she noted that October is when the bar's annual dues are due and it's common for lawyers who no longer want to practice in the state to withdraw at that time.

____

3:35 p.m.

A man who shot and killed a Colorado sheriff's deputy says he was drinking in a video streamed online before the shooting.

Denver's KUSA-TV obtained the footage , one of several videos that Matthew Riehl broadcast on Periscope on Sunday.

He is seen holding a glass in his hand and says he's had two scotches. He is heard saying that drinking would help him defend himself if someone bothers him.

The station says the videos include footage of him firing on deputies who came to his suburban Denver apartment after he called 911.

It did not broadcast that portion but a clip purporting to show it has been posted elsewhere online.

____

1:30 p.m.

The man who shot and killed a Colorado sheriff's deputy made videos of himself calling 911 and then opening the door and talking to officers before the shooting.

Denver's KUSA-TV obtained the footage live-streamed on Periscope. The station aired clips from two videos in which Matthew Riehl says he wouldn't hurt anyone except to defend himself before making the call.

He talks to at least two officers, telling them he wants to file an emergency restraining order against his domestic partner. He is upset when one offers to give him a phone number to call and goes back into a room.

The station said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock verified the videos. They include footage of the shooting Sunday that also wounded four other deputies, but the station didn't air it.

Officers killed Riehl.

___

12:35 a.m.

Authorities had been contacted with concerns about the mental health of Matthew Riehl over a month before he shot and killed a Colorado deputy and wounded four others. But Riehl was never held for mental evaluation.

After Riehl published several social media posts critical of University of Wyoming professors, the campus police chief says officers called police in Lone Tree, Colorado, in November to warn them about Riehl, suggesting his rants were indicative of mental illness.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office says authorities received a call Sunday from someone who said Riehl might be having a mental breakdown, but deputies found no evidence of a crime and left.

Later, deputies responded to another call about Riehl. Authorities say Riehl fired more than 100 rounds before he was killed.
A teenage boy killed himself with a revolver while playing a game of Russian roulette by himself on New Years Day, Oregon police said.

The shooting  reportedly involving a .357 revolver -- happened around 4 a.m. local time at the Carriage Park Estates mobile home community in Sherwood, just outside of Portland.

It appears that he brought a handgun with him and from a witnesss account that he was playing a game known as Russian roulette, Sherwood Police Capt. Ty Hanlon told KOIN 6 News. We believe that he showed up and initiated this all on his own.

The teen has not yet been publicly identified, but Hanlon told KOIN 6 News investigators think he is from Marion County and had some connection to the people in the house, who are around 20 years of age. Police are also looking into whether the teen had any suicidal tendencies.

Ashley Burgdorf, a resident of the community, said one of the people at the house was distraught after first responders left.

I asked them if everything is okay, anything we can do, and he seemed really shook up, Burgdorf told KOIN 6 News. He said that the boy just came out and shot himself, from what I understand. And he was trying to help him and he was really flustered, like he was really shook up about it.
Politicians spoke out on social media Tuesday after it was revealed that Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is not planning to run for reelection.

A video announcement about the decision was posted on Twitter.

Ive always been a fighter, Hatch, 83, said in the clip. I was an amateur boxer in my youth and Ive brought that fighting spirit with me to Washington. But a good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves, and for me, that time is soon approaching.

Hatch, the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said hes chosen to retire at the end of this term.

Read on for some reactions from other politicians.

Donald Trump

"Congratulations to Senator Orrin Hatch on an absolutely incredible career," President Trump tweeted. "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!"

Mike Pence

Vice President Mike Pence spoke out about Hatch on Tuesday, thanking him for "for your decades of service in the United States Senate and for fighting every day for the American people. @POTUS & I will always be grateful for your leadership, counsel, and friendship."

Paul Ryan

"I count myself so fortunate to work with @senorrinhatch," House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., tweeted. "His hopeful spirit and sense of purpose always stand out. Tax reform bears the stamp of his resolve, another generational achievement in a storied career. What a run. Thank you, Mr. Chairman."

Mitch McConnell

"@senorrinhatch's long list of accomplishments means he will depart as one of the most productive members ever to serve in the #Senate," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., tweeted. "Well remember the unfailing energy, kindness, and straightforward honesty that he brought to work every day."

Gary Herbert

Few have been as dedicated to serving the people of Utah as our good Senator, Orrin Hatch, Gov. Gary Herbert, R-Utah, tweeted. For seven terms, he has represented the people of Utah with strength and dignity. We are grateful for his hard work and for his untiring effort on behalf of our state. I wish him the best.

Mike Lee

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also spoke out on Twitter.

Sen. Hatch has been a tremendous servant to the people of Utah and he will be sorely missed. It has truly been an honor serving with him in the United States Senate and I know he will continue to do fantastic work for Utahns.

Mitt Romney

Romney, the Republican presidential nominee during the 2012 election, tweeted, 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.

Shelley Moore Capito

It has been and continues to be a privilege to serve with such a fighter and a gentleman, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., tweeted. You will be missed in the Senate, @OrrinHatch!

Johnny Isakson

.@senorrinhatch has given Utahns and Americans four decades of dedicated leadership and public service, Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., tweeted. His legacy will be lasting in everything from health care, to the judiciary, to tax reform and beyond.

Jeff Flake

For more than 40 years @OrrinHatch has faithfully and effectively represented Utah and promoted conservative principles in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., tweeted. Thankful for his service and proud to call him a colleague and a friend.

Chuck Grassley

Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote that Hatch is a friend for 37 yrs while serving together in US Senate. He serves Utah & USA w tremendous success as effective as can be & deserves credit 4 doing so.

Thom Tillis

It's been an honor to work with you, especially on the SUCCEED Act, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., tweeted. Thank you for your service to our nation!

John Cornyn

Passing of an era, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, tweeted. Great man.

Tim Scott

It has been an honor to work with you on Finance Committee Chairman Hatch, Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., tweeted. Thank you for your service to Utah and our nation!

Bob Corker

Congratulations on an outstanding tenure in the Senate, @senorrinhatch, Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., tweeted. The state of Utah and our country are better off because of your distinguished service, and I look forward to continuing to work with you over the next year.

Joni Ernst

Fortunate to have worked with my friend @senorrinhatch over the last three years, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, tweeted. Thank you for your years of dedicated service and wishing you, Elaine, and your family the very best.

Rob Portman

"Senator Hatch epitomizes what it means to be a public servant, a true servant leader in every respect," Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said as part of a statement. "Over the years, he has been a model for me of a serious legislator who reaches across the aisle and focuses on delivering results that will help the people we represent. Perhaps most importantly, he is a gentleman who treats everyone with respect, regardless of party. I look forward to working with him for the next year, and Jane and I wish him, Elaine, and his family the best in the future.

Mia Love

"Senator Orrin Hatch has served with great distinction in the United States Senate," Rep. Mia Love, R-Utah, said in a statement. "If any public official deserves to leave office with the heartfelt gratitude of both a state and a nation, it is Senator Hatch. Personally, I will miss his leadership, his guidance and the wonderful friendship he has given me. No Senator has accomplished more during his time in office than Senator Hatch, and our state and nation are better for it. I want to wish both he and Elaine the very best in their next great adventure.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A roving pack of stray dogs is believed to have mauled a woman to death in California last week.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said Deborah Onsurez, 56, was found dead in a driveway Thursday at a home in Modesto.

Ive never heard anything about anyone getting attacked, not even dog on dog fighting, or anything, nearby business owner Neil Tillak told FOX40.

The station says detectives believe Onsurez, who suffered severe injuries, was killed by stray dogs, but a search of the area by deputies and animal control officers turned up nothing.

Another search had been scheduled for Saturday. The dogs breeds have not been determined.

The region has had a history of dog-related attacks. In May 2017, a bicyclist in Sacramento County was attacked by a dog and in 2014, a pair of pit bull attacks in Stanislaus County left one man dead, KOVR-TV reported.
Ohio police investigating the fatal shooting of a pregnant woman and a man say doctors successfully delivered the woman's baby boy, who was then hospitalized in critical condition.

Columbus police say the Monday night shooting at a home a few miles west of downtown also critically wounded another person.

Sgt. Jeff Strayer tells WSYX-TV that the slain woman was about 35 weeks pregnant.

Police say it appears the shooting occurred during a robbery at the home shortly before midnight. Investigators haven't shared names or further details about the people who were shot.

Police say they're searching for a sport utility vehicle that was damaged by gunfire.
A 16-year-old New Jersey boy gunned down his parents, sister and a family friend just before midnight on New Year's Eve, turning the family home into a bloodbath that his brother and grandfather managed to escape, investigators said Monday.

The teenager shot and killed his father, mother, sister and a family friend who also lived in the Long Branch, N.J., home, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said in a statement. Police were called to the home around 11:43 p.m., and the suspect was taken into custody without incident, Gramiccioni said.

We are confident that this is a domestic incident that is completely isolated, Gramiccioni said. Its a terribly tragic incident.

The boys name was not released because he is a juvenile, but the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office identified the deceased as: Steven Kologi, 44; Linda Kologi, 42; Brittany Kologi, 18; and Mary Schultz, 70. Schultz was identified as a family acquaintance by the prosecutors office.

The suspects brother and grandfather also were at the home at the time of the shooting but were able to escape unharmed, Gramiccioni said during a Monday news conference.

The teenager was believed to have used a Century Arms "semi-automatic assault rifle" to gun down his family members and the family friend, authorities said during a news conference. The gun was legally owned and registered to a family member, Gramiccioni said.

Gramiccioni declined to comment on the suspects motive or a possible mental disability when asked by reporters. He did say the attack was an isolated domestic incident. Police also said there was no known history of violence at the house.

"The Kologis were very caring, loving people and always looking to do fun things with their kids," Walter Montelione, Linda Kologi's cousin, told WCBS-TV. "He was a good kid. He was a little, you know, slow with learning disabilities, but he knows right from wrong."

Brittany Kologi was a freshman at Stockton University in Galloway Township, N.J., where she studied health sciences, a university spokeswoman confirmed to Fox News.

"We are shocked and saddened by the reports of the death of freshman Brittany Kologi under such tragic circumstances," Diane D'Amico, a Stockton University spokeswoman said. She added that counseling staff will be on hand for students.

Veronica Mass, 69, told NJ.com that her daughter and Linda Kologi were friends who grew up together. She said she was stunned by the shooting.

They were a close-knit family, Mass told the publication. No drugs, no alcohol.

She also said that the suspected shooter had been home-schooled. He had a hard time keeping up with his peers academically and was picked on by other students, she said.

But, Mass said the suspect improved dramatically after being home-schooled and was outgoing, very friendly. He would tell jokes.

An older brother of the suspected shooter reportedly posted a touching tribute to his slain family on Instagram, calling his parents the greatest parents I could ask for. Steven Kologi Jr. said his parents made sure to provide for their children  with food, a home and at Christmastime  even though they struggled financially.

I cannot even describe the type of people they were so just believe me when I say how great they were, he said.

As for his sister, the surviving Kologi called her so beautiful and smart.

I just wish I could tell all of them how much they meant to me and how much I truly loved each and every one of them because I didnt do it enough, he said.

Jalen Walls went to school with Brittany Kologi and lives a few blocks away from the home. He also told NJ.com that the suspected shooter was cared for by his mother as he required special assistance.

"But he was fully functional and comprehended what we were saying," Walls said.

In a Facebook tribute, Dave Farmer said he played softball with Steven Kologi and never had an argument or disagreement since with him.

Im proud to say publicly that I knew and loved this man unconditionally and always told him when we parted, I love you brotha!!! Farmer said.

The teenager could be charged as an adult, officials said.

Monmouth County Prosecutors Office and the Long Branch Police Department have launched a joint investigation into the murders.

A GoFundMe account has been set up to help with the funeral expenses and has raised nearly $20,000 as of Tuesday morning.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) -- Now that the hullaballoo of all that Christmas shopping (and food) is done, it's time to welcome 2018 with open arms.

Indeed, every New Year is about bringing something different into our lives. Perhaps it's changing a habit or learning a new skill.

It could also mean getting some new and special stuff that you could start the year with.

If you're a professional looking to make a strong impression in the office or, more importantly, your business associates, here are some things you should consider:

1. Cuff links

For many, cuff links are cheesy afterthoughts that just end up in the closet until they find somebody else to give them to.

But these stylish ones from Oleg Cassini are certainly keepers, especially since their various designs can help you look sharp, no matter what suit you wear.

2. Earrings, bracelets and necklaces

Of course, bling isn't just for men.

If you want to add some glamor to your office wear, these sparkling accessories from Anne Klein will flatter you and impress your colleagues all the way through 2018.

3. Bag

Most people buy bags based on how much stuff they can cram into one.

But if you want your bag to do more than just carry your tablet, notebook and knick-knacks, the eye-popping designs on this gorgeous Dooney & Bourke Charleston bag will definitely show others that practicality can work with lots of style.

4. Tops

Shaking up your office wear doesn't always mean getting the shiniest accessories. Sometimes, a new top will do the trick.

For the ladies, Trina Turk's gorgeous prints won't just make you stand out in the office, but everywhere else you go.

If you want something more restrained, Lady Rustan Private Label's collection can help you build a new work wardrobe that truly flatters you.

Now that you have an idea of what cool stuff you could get for 2018, imagine getting these at up to 50 percent off.

You can at Rustan's End of Season Sale, where you can bag great deals for all the stuff in this list and more.
A former U.S. Navy sailor has fallen on hard times after serving a year in jail for taking photos of classified areas inside a nuclear submarine, and says a tweet by President Trump on Tuesday morning has restored his hope for a pardon.

Kristian Saucier, of Arlington, Vt., told Fox News in a telephone interview Tuesday he is on the verge of losing his home, which is in foreclosure, and is unable to pay all his bills, despite working at least 70 hours a week as a trash collector.

Im really struggling, said Saucier, a former first class petty officer. We cant pay our electric bill. Bill collectors are calling every day, I make only half what I used to make.

Saucier was released last fall from a Massachusetts federal prison following a conviction of unauthorized retention of national defense information. Saucier was 22 in 2009, when he took six photos of classified areas inside the USS Alexandria.

Trump, who raised the possibility of pardoning Saucier a year ago but had not since mentioned the case publicly, tweeted on Tuesday morning: Crooked Hillary Clintons top aide, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols. She put Classified Passwords into the hands of foreign agents. Remember sailors pictures on the submarine? Jail! Deep State Justice Dept must finally act? Also on Comey & others.

Saucier told Fox News the tweet fills him with renewed hope the president may come through with a pardon. The felony conviction, paired with a dishonorable discharge and stripping of veteran disability benefits, have made it difficult for Saucier to earn enough money to support his family.

Were hopeful with that tweet today, said Saucier, referring to himself and his wife, Sadie. He mentioned me quite a few times when he was campaigning, and said it was a double standard how Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin were handled. I mishandled low-level class information and they went after me with the full weight of the government. Hillary Clinton and Huma Abedin flagrantly mishandled high-level information, making it available to a pedophile, and they get away with it.

Saucier reiterated this sentiment in an exclusive TV interview with Fox News' Sandra Smith on The Story Tuesday evening, saying the FBI needed to set an example with him.

It just so happened that my case was gratuitous for them to prosecute so they could take the heat off Hillary Clinton, Saucier told Smith.

Saucier again said he's hopeful Trump may take another look at his case.

I think [Trump] needs to send a clear message to the DOJ under the Obama administration that what they did to us was far too extreme, Saucier said.

He needs to send the same message to Hillary Clinton and them, and say, 'Look, you need to get prosecuted, and this guy here, he shouldn't be a felon anymore.'

The State Department on Friday released a batch of emails from Abedins account discovered by the FBI on a laptop belonging to her estranged husband, Anthony Weiner. At least four of the documents were marked classified.

The former Navy sailor said on The Story that Abedin should be prosecuted.

She should be put through the same legal system that went after me, and unfortunately I didn't have near the legal resources that she does or Hillary Clinton does, so they'll be able to mount a much better defense than I could, but even still, they should be charged the same as me, he told Smith.

Saucier said he took the photos because of his excitement about the submarine and a desire to show his family the remarkable environment where he worked.

It seemed like we'd slipped off the radar. This tweet has renewed our hope that President Trump sees the injustice. He has identified the injustice several times.  Ronald Daigle, attorney

I made an innocent mistake, he said in the telephone interview with Fox on Tuesday morning. Many people [who have served in the military] have said they also took pictures not for nefarious purposes. The pictures were on my own personal device, not for distribution, which so many people do. Because the FBI and Department of Justice wanted to get someone at that time, they went after me and destroyed my life.

While campaigning for president, Trump, like other critics of the punishment meted out to Saucier, called the Obama administrations prosecution of the young sailor as overkill, and lambasted federal officials for going out of their way to punish him while not going after Hillary Clintons use of a private server to handle sensitive government-related emails. They call Sauciers punishment a political move, and say that the sailor was a scapegoat for the Department of Justice and FBI.

Saucier, who grew up in Cape Coral, Fla., had asked a U.S. district judge in Connecticut to sentence him to probation. In court filings, he raised Clintons handling of classified information while using her private server. The FBI declined to charge Clinton.

Sauciers lawyers also said two other Alexandria crew members were caught taking photos in the same locations as Saucier and were disciplined by the Navy, but not prosecuted. Saucier had faced five to six years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines.

My family and I continue to suffer, Saucier said, adding that he hopes Trump restores the veteran disability benefits he needs for treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and injuries suffered during his 11 years of service.

A GoFundMe page to raise $20,000 for the Sauciers has gotten a bit more than $8,000 in donations as of Jan. 4.

Last June, Sauciers attorneys, who had applied for a pardon from the Trump administration, got a letter from the DOJ saying they needed to wait about five years to submit a petition for the pardon.

The letter bewildered the sailor and his supporters, given the support the president has expressed. They speculated that perhaps the DOJs response was not reflective of Trumps thoughts about the case.

Were not confident that the president ever saw the petition for a pardon or clemency, a Trump attorney said at the time.

Ronald Daigle, an attorney who represents Saucier, said the Tuesday tweet has given the sailor and his supporters a much-needed morale boost.

It seemed like wed slipped off the radar, Daigle said to Fox News. This tweet has renewed our hope that President Trump sees the injustice. He has identified the injustice several times.

Daigle said that despite the DOJs letter advising a five-year wait, the president can issue a pardon at any time, just like he did with Sheriff Joe Arpaio, the former Maricopa County [Arizona] official who had been convicted for disobeying a 2011 court order to stop his traffic patrols that targeted immigrants.

My client was a political pawn, Daigle said. Nothing can give him the year back that he had in federal prison, and hes the first to say he did do something wrong, but the punishment was excessive.

Fox News' Pamela Ng and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Asiaha Butler, 42, remembers when her Chicago neighborhood of Englewood was plagued by almost non-stop gun violence.

In a two- to three-week span, there was shootings over and over again, Butler said. Someone lost their life just a block away, actually down the street, and I was actually sitting on my porch and witnessed it.

But now the neighborhood, which historically has been one of Chicagos most violent, is experiencing something that had eluded police and activists for years: Crime is dropping  and sharply.

Englewood is one of a handful of neighborhoods taking part in a new program that uses cameras and detection radars on utility poles to cut crime. The Shotspotters technology instantly alerts police to the sound of gunshots and pinpoints its location, rapidly reducing response times and potentially catching suspects on video.

Chicago police say the technology is effective  and it wants to expand the program to other parts of the city. The system is also used in several major cities, including New York.

The technology comes as the violence-scarred city is experiencing a drop in major crime. Chicago had 650 murders in 2017, a noteworthy drop from 2016 when 771 people were killed  an average of two per day according to police data. Shootings also dropped, from 3,550 incidents in 2016 to 2,785 incidents last year, police said.

In Englewood, the neighborhood has seen the greatest reduction in shootings, with a 43 percent decline in 2017, according to police.

I am proud of the progress our officers made in reducing gun violence all across the city in 2017, but none of us are satisfied," said Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. "In 2018, we are going to work to build on the progress we made last year  to reduce gun violence, to save lives and to find justice for victims."

In addition to the new technology, in 2017 Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Superintendent Johnson added 1,100 new officers to the police force and successfully lobbied to pass the Neighborhoods Reform Act a new state law that aims to crack down on repeat gun offenders by providing guidelines for judges to sentence those offenders at the higher end of the existing sentencing range, while expanding diversion programs for first-time nonviolent offenders.

As this new law goes into effect, the police department is fully committed to partnering with prosecutors to make sure that repeat gun offenders are held fully accountable for the crimes they commit on our streets, Johnson said in a press release.

But ShotSpotter has also proven effective, police officials say, and officials plan to expand the technology to six more districts in 2018.

I have seen and just witnessed shots fired and immediately cops are right there, said Butler, a community activist, so definitely that technology has been helpful.

Butler is the founder of Resident Association of Greater Englewood. She says she came to a breaking point years ago when a bullet came flying into her house, penetrating the wall right by her front door. Instead of fleeing, she bought a vacant lot next to her house to make a dent in crime by hosting free concerts and job fairs.

Most of us are hard-working citizens who vote, who are doing things to clean up our block, Butler said, who just want a safer, walkable community.
A leaked report provided to Fox News shows how Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with political leaders and heads of the country's security forces to discuss how to tamp down on the deadly nationwide protests.

The report covered several meetings up to December 31 and was provided to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) from what it said were high-level sources from within the regime.

The meeting notes, which have been translated into English from Farsi, said the unrest has hurt every sector of the country's economy and threatens the regimes security. The first step, therefore, is to find a way out of this situation.

The report added, Religious leaders and the leadership must come to the scene as soon as possible and prevent the situation (from) deteriorating further. It continued, God help us, this is a very complex situation and is different from previous occasions.

As the protests continue to spread, the total number dead rose Monday to at least 13, including a police officer shot and killed with a hunting rifle in the central city of Najafabad.

According to NCRI sources and reports from within Iran, at least 40 cities across Iran witnessed protests Monday, including in the capital city of Tehran. These reports stated that slogans heard included Death to the dictator and The leader lives like God while the people live like beggars.

The regime's notes claimed protesters started chanting the ultimate slogans from day one. In Tehran today, people were chanting slogans against Khamenei and the slogans used yesterday were all against Khamenei.

The notes added that the intelligence division of the feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was monitoring the situation and working all in coordination to prevent protests.

It said a red alert has not yet been declared, which would lead to direct military intervention in the protests. But it then predicted that sending IRGC or the Bassij forces would backfire and would further antagonize the protesters.

Messages of support for the protesters from President Trump and other administration officials were also mentioned in the report. The United States officially supported the people on the streets.

The notes continued by saying the U.S. and the West have all united in support of the Hypocrites, the regimes pejorative description of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) which is one of the groups making up the NCRI.

The meeting notes said the leader of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, and the Infidels, which the translation said referred to "the West," are united for the first time. It continued, Maryam Rajavi is hoping for regime change, saying the protests are definitely organized, and the security forces report that the MEK is very active and is leading and directing them.

The notes also warned that all those affiliated with leadership must be on alert and monitor the situation constantly, continuing, The security and intelligence forces must constantly monitor the situation on the scene and conduct surveillance and subsequently report to the office of the leadership.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More than 200 people are rallying in the Ukrainian capital to demand justice for a lawyer who was murdered last week.

Iryna Nozdrovska went missing on Friday. Her body was found in a river on Monday.

She had mounted a campaign to make sure the man convicted of running down her sister with his car remained in prison. The man is a relative of a prominent Kiev judge. A court last week rejected his appeal to be released from prison.

Activists and bloggers rallied on Tuesday outside the headquarters of the National Police. Some were carrying placards reading "Find the murderers!"

Police are investigating the murder.
A well-known far-right minister in Germany is under fire after sending a tweet that police say flouted laws against "incitement to hate."

German police filed a complaint against Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of the Alternative for Germanys parliamentary faction, over a tweet she sent on New Years Eve.

What the hell is going on with this country? Why is an official police site... tweeting in Arabic? she wrote. "Did you mean to placate the barbaric, Muslim, gang-raping hordes of men?"

Von Storch's tweetin response to a tweet from Cologne police that was in several languages, including Arabicreferenced the 2015 New Years Eve celebrations in Cologne, which were marred by disturbing mass sexual assaults against women, mostly by migrant men.

MORE THAN 2,000 MEN REPORTEDLY ASSAULTED 1,200 WOMEN ON NEW YEAR'S EVE IN GERMANY

Cologne police told AFP its complaint alleges that the tweet flouted laws against incitement to hate.

Separately, prosecutors in the western city said they had received hundreds of complaints over the lawmaker's comment.

Von Storch's account was also blocked by Twitter for 12 hours following her post, and the tweet has since been removed.

She posted the same comment on Facebook, which then also took it down, citing "incitement to hate (paragraph 130 of the German penal code)".

Twitter and Facebook's tough stance came as an anti-online hate speech law went into effect in Germany on Jan. 1.

Social media companies that fail to remove illegal inflammatory comments could face up to 50 million euros ($60 million) in fines.

PROTESTERS DELAY OPENING OF GERMAN NATIONALISTS' CONVENTION

According to national news agency DPA, Alternative for Germany chief Alexander Gauland has taken aim at the new rules, saying that the regulations are Stasi methods that remind me of communist East Germany.

Gauland, who is not active on social media, encouraged social media users to keep publishing the erased comments from von Storch.

A Cologne police spokesman said it was long-standing practice to send out information in several languages during large gatherings and events.

We simply want people to be able to understand us, said the spokesman.

Alternative for Germany seized 92 parliamentary seats in the September electionsthe strongest showing for a far-right party in the post-war eraas it capitalized on discontent over the more than one million asylum seekers who have arrived in Germany since 2015.
Prince Charming may not be so charming after all.

Disneys fairytale princes are sexual predators, according to a Japanese gender studies and sociology professor.

Kazue Muta, an Osaka University professor and author of Sir, That Love is Sexual Harassment! a book on workplace sexual harassment, argued in December that princes from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty portray quasi-compulsive obscene sexual acts on an unconscious partner.

In other words, the feminist academic activist argues such fairytales allow sexual violence.

In a Dec. 11 tweet, Muta accused the princes of sexual assault with a link to a news story of a real case where a man was arrested for kissing a sleeping woman on a train en route to Osaka.

The translation reads: When you think rationally about 'Snow White' and 'Sleeping Beauty,' that tell of a princess being woken up by the kiss of a prince, they are describing sexual assault on an unconscious person. You might think Im ruining the fantasy of it all, but these stories are promoting sexual violence and I would like everyone to be aware of it.

Mutas comment brought a firestorm of reaction  support and criticism.

In the Disney versions of Sleeping Beauty the prince is led to kiss Princess Aurora by the fairies with the belief that he can cure her of her napping curse, not motivated by his own pervy will, SoraNews24 pointed out in Japan Today.

HUNT: DISNEY WORLDS TRUMP ROBOT TARGET OF SCREAMING RANT. IS THERE ANY PLACE THATS SAFE FROM LEFTIST INSANITY?

While the Snow White version features a prince kissing an unconscious Snow White, SoraNews24 argues, Disney tries to soften the act by establishing a prior relationship between them in which she and the prince fall in love at first sight. (Also, Snow White had eaten a cursed apple and the prince's kiss wakes her from a "sleeping death.")

After the criticism was picked up by Yahoo! Japan, Muta responded with an article for the Womens Action Network.

Muta argues that if someone doesnt look at the fairytales critically, they are essentially saying sexual harassment is permissible.

There were many critical replies that state Because the princess and prince lived happily ever after in the end, there is a presumptive consent regarding the kiss, so theres no problem, Muta wrote. However, this understanding of it is actually dangerous. This kind of thinking fabricates the mindset of the ends justify the means, and to what extent does this allow sexual violence to occur?

She expounded on the tweet, arguing that beyond the Disney versions, and within Japanese fairytales, the male figures kiss without confirming consent, so theyre actually committing sexual crimes.

FROM ANTI-TRUMP PROFESSORS MOUTHS, 2017S MOST EXPLOSIVE QUOTES

Muta adds that many violent sexual crimes seem as if they mimicked the actions of male protagonists in fairytales and connected her argument to the #MeToo hashtag, highlighting sexual harassment which has been found to be especially rampant in Hollywood.

Under such circumstances, changing society's recognition of sexual violence is not an easy thing to do," Muta said. "However, we must say these things loudly and boldly."
A white-bearded ISIS militant who presided over the killings of dozens of gay men and others who ran afoul of the so-called "caliphate" was captured in the Iraqi city of Mosul last week, according to reports.

Abu Omer was arrested after locals in Mosul tipped security forces off to his hideout in the city, the Iran-based AhlulBayt News Agency (ANBA) reported, citing Iraqi media outlets.

Abu Omer was a prominent presence in several sick videos of ISIS executions, in which homosexuals were thrown off buildings and others beheaded and stoned to death for minor offenses such as blasphemy.

In one video, apparently from March 2015, a man who appears to be Omer reads off a list of charges against three men before they are publicly beheaded.

Another photo appears to show Omer inspecting a pile of rocks before a public stoning. Now, this most feared ISIS executioner could be executed himself.

According to a Human Rights Watch report released last month, approximately 20,000 people are being held across Iraq on suspicion of ties to ISIS.

It is unclear how many Iraqis have been slaughtered by ISIS, which swept across the country in the summer of 2014 before gradually being pushed back by government forces supported by a U.S.-led coalition.

An Associated Press investigation has found at least 133 mass graves left behind by the defeated extremists, and only a handful have been exhumed. Estimates vary between 11,000 and 13,000 bodies in those graves, according to the AP tally.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A U.S. solider was killed in combat in eastern Afghanistan on New Years Day -- the first such death in 2018 the military has announced.



Four other U.S. service members were wounded during a combat engagement in Achin, Nangarhar province, officials said Tuesday. Two were in stable condition and the two others returned to duty.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own, General John Nicholson, commander of the U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, said in a news release. "At this very difficult time our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of our fallen and wounded brothers."

The name of the soldier has not been released pending family notification.

The United States formally concluded its combat mission in Afghanistan at the end of 2014 but still carries out operations against the Taliban and an ISIS affiliate, both of which are active in Nangarhar.

Vice President Pence made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan just before the Christmas holiday and thanked troops for their service while reiterating the real progress the U.S. is making in the country to put the Taliban on the offensive.

I believe victory is closer than ever before, Pence said. I believe with all my heart that Afghanistan will be free.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Greek authorities say a young tourist couple has been found dead in a house they were renting on a western island, with initial indications pointing to a double suicide.

Police said Tuesday the couple, whose bodies were found on the island of Kefalonia, had been identified as a 30-year-old German man and a 23-year-old woman of Bulgarian descent.

Police said the investigation was ongoing, and the bodies were being transported to the port city of Patras on the mainland for autopsies.

The two were found on New Year's Eve by the owner of the house they had been renting since Dec. 26.
Conservative party allies of German Chancellor Angela Merkel want minors seeking asylum to undergo medical age tests, but the German Medical Association says it could be a violation of ethics.

As the country continues to grapple with the flood of migrants accepted by Merkels government in 2015 and the repercussions its having politically, the debate over verifying the age of unaccompanied minors took on a new urgency after a 15-year-old German girl was fatally stabbed last week by an Afghan migrant who police identified as her ex-boyfriend.

The suspects documents say he is 15, but the girls father told German media he believed the migrant was older. Some say migrants lie about their age to qualify for benefits for unaccompanied minors or because if they commit a crime, they would not be tried as an adult.

In an election in September, the issue of migrants helped bring the far-right Alternative for Germany party into parliament for the first time everleaving the countrys government destabilized and unable to form a grand ruling coalition.

GERMANY OFFERS MONEY FOR MIGRANTS TO GO BACK HOME

Immigration will continue to be a major issue as Merkel seeks to renew a coalition agreement with the center-left SDP party, after both her ruling conservatives and the SDP lost votes in the election. The Bavarian CSU party, which is part of her conservative bloc, has sought a tougher line in particular.

Reuters reports that German authorities have registered nearly 70,000 unaccompanied minors seeking asylum over the last three years, but critics have argued that some of them may not be minors, and could be falsifying their ages to qualify for benefits and protection from deportation.

A CSU draft resolution calls for mandatory tests for minors seeking asylum when there is doubt about their ages.

I believe that we will require in the future, from all allegedly underage refugees for whom we have specific doubts about their minority, a compulsory medical assessment on entering the country, Stephan Mayer, a CSU domestic policy expert, told Reuters.

Mayer said medical tests in other EU countries such as Austria and Sweden had revealed that a significant proportion of age information provided by asylum seekers was incorrect.

Particularly, since numerous privileges such as much more complex care and a ban on deportation are tied to the status of being minor, Mayer said Tuesday.

The head of the German Medical Association, Frank Ulrich Montgomery, said an age test, which could involve X-rays of teeth and wrist bones, could be unethical and inaccurate.

"Ordering such an exam on every refugee would be an invasion of personal well-being, the association's president Frank Ulrich Montgomery told Suddeutsche Zeitung. The examination is laborious, expensive and is loaded with major uncertainties.

The tests involved exposing people to radiation, which is normally impermissible without a medical indication, except in criminal proceedings, he said.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  Prepare your telescopes as the cosmos has a lot in store for us this January.

From two supermoons, a meteor shower to a lunar eclipse, here's a list of astronomical events for the first month of 2018.

January 2: Supermoon

A supermoon occurs when the moon becomes full on the same day it reaches its perigee- or the point the moon is closest to the Earth.

This makes the moon appears a lot bigger and brighter compared to a normal full moon.

According to the Space Sciences and Astronomy Section of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), today's supermoon was visible at 10:24 a.m.

Since it will not be seen anymore tonight, don't worry: another supermoon awaits at the end of the month.

January 4: Quadrantid Meteor Shower

At least 40 meteors per hour will be visible from January 3 to 4 - the peak of the Quadrantid Meteor Shower.

PAGASA said the "incinerated dust are said to be particles apparently derived from the debris ejected by the near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH."

The meteor shower will appear to come from the constellation of Bootes and will be active from January 1 to 7.

January 15: Moon Apogee

Apogee is the opposite of perigee - meaning the moon is at its farthest from the Earth.

On January 15, the moon is estimated to be 406,423 kilometers away.

January 30: Supermoon

The second perigee of the moon will be at 5:54 p.m. on January 30, according to PAGASA.

January 31: Lunar eclipse, blue moon

Prepare your binoculars, as a total lunar eclipse will occur on January 31, and it will be visible in the Philippines.

PAGASA said the eclipse will begin at 6:49 p.m. and end at 12:09 a.m. on February 1.

It added there is no need for any protective filters for the eyes as lunar eclipses, unlike solar eclipses, are safe to watch. You may want to bring out your binoculars or telescopes to help magnify the view.

Aside from the lunar eclipse, there will also be a second full moon - also known as a blue moon - on January 31.

Don't expect a blue color, though, the event has nothing to with the color of the moon.

PAGASA, however, said the moon appearing with a tinge of blue, may occur in certain atmospheric conditions like during volcanic eruptions or when exceptionally large fires leave particles in the atmosphere.

CNN Philippines digital producer Yvette Morales and senior researcher Ella Hermonio contributed to this report.
11:00

A semi-official news agency in Iran is reporting that 450 people have been arrested over three days in Tehran since Saturday.

The ILNA news agency report on Tuesday quoted Ali Asghar Nasserbakht, a security deputy governor of Tehran, offering the figure.

Nasserbakht said that 200 protesters were arrested on Saturday, 150 on Sunday and 100 were arrested yesterday.

The protests began Thursday over economic issues and expanded to several cities. No figure has yet been offered for other cities.

___

10:00 a.m.

Iranian state television is reporting that nine people have been killed overnight amid nationwide protests and unrest.

The report Tuesday puts the death toll in six days of demonstrations to at least 20 people.

State TV says six rioters were killed during an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan. It reported that clashes were sparked by rioters who tried to steal guns from the police station.

State TV says an 11-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were killed in the town of Khomeinishahr, while a member of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed in the town of Najafabad. It says all were shot by hunting rifles.

The towns are all in Iran's central Isfahan province, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) south of Tehran.
Irans supreme leader lashed out at the Islamic republics enemies as the death toll from widespread protests rose to at least 20 and the theocratic regime faced its biggest internal threat since the so-called green movement of 2009.

On his official website, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed enemies of Iran on Tuesday after at least nine more people were reported killed in violent clashes with security forces.

In protests around the terror-sponsoring nation, demonstrators have chanted death to the dictator and clashed openly with police and military officials.

State TV reported that six people were killed during an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan. It reported that clashes were sparked by rioters who tried to steal guns from the police station.

Official media also said an 11-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were killed in the town of Khomeinishahr, while a member of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed in the town of Najafabad. It said all three were shot by hunting rifles, which are common in the Iranian countryside.

The towns are all in Iran's central Isfahan province, some 215 miles south of Tehran.

The demonstrations, lasting six days so far, have resulted in a death toll of at least 20 people.



The protests, which began Thursday in Mashhad, are the largest to strike Iran since the countrys disputed 2009 presidential election. Some protesters have been chanting against the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Hundreds of people have been arrested and a prominent judge on Tuesday warned that some could face death penalty trials.

In comments posted to his official website, Khamenei appeared to blame foreign nations for at least exacerbating the unrest gripping Iran.



"In the recent days' incidents, enemies of Iran utilized various means -- including money, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatuses -- to create problems for the Islamic system," he said.

Khamenei said he would elaborate further in the coming days.



Netanyahu hails protesters

On Monday, Israel's prime minister wished Iran's protesters "success in their noble quest for freedom."

Calling the protesters "brave" and "heroic," Benjamin Netanyahu 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."

He criticized the Iranian regime's response to the protests and also chided European governments for watching "in silence" as the protests turn violent.

Political turn

Although the demonstrations were initially focused on economic hardships and alleged corruption, they turned into political rallies, Reuters reported.

Many Iranians were angry about foreign interventions and wish for their leaders to create jobs at home, where youth unemployment hit 29 percent last year, the report said.

One security officer was killed Monday, Reuters reported, marking the first fatality among Iran's security forces.

In Tehran, about 450 protesters have been arrested in the last three days, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported. Authorities have not released a nationwide figure for arrests so far.

Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehrans Revolutionary Court, warned protesters Tuesday that those arrested could face the death penalty when they come to trial.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Joshua Boyle, the former hostage of a Taliban-linked group who was held captive with his family in the Middle East for five years, was arrested Monday in Canada and faces a slew of charges following his return home in mid-October.

Boyle, 34, is due in court again Wednesday after appearing earlier this week on a variety of charges, ranging from two counts of sexual assault to two counts of unlawful confinement, The Toronto Star reported. Hes reportedly also been charged with uttering death threats, misleading police, assault, and causing someone to take a noxious thing, namely Trazodone.

"This is an individual obviously we all know has been through a lot, is an individual otherwise who hasnt been in trouble before, and hes presumed innocent of these charges," Boyles lawyer, Eric Granger, told CTV News Tuesday.

The alleged actions by Boyle reportedly occurred between Oct. 14 and Dec. 20, The Star reported, citing a court document.

CAITLAN COLEMAN FAMILY REFUSES RETURN TO US; HUSBAND FEARS GITMO OVER PAST

Boyle, a Canadian, and his American wife, 31-year-old Caitlan Coleman, along with their three young children, were rescued on Oct. 11 by Pakistani troops from captivity in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where they were held by Taliban-linked extremists.

Boyle and Coleman were held for five years after being abducted during a backpacking trip in Afghanistan in October 2012.

Following their release, Boyle and Coleman met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a private sitdown.

The Prime Minister did meet with the Boyles earlier this week, and like all Canadians, we are relieved that their terrible ordeal is over and they are back home safely, a statement from the prime minister's office said at the time.

Coleman was seven months pregnant at the time of her abduction. Coleman said her captors forced the abortion of her daughter after Boyle refused to join their terrorist organization.

Following her husbands arrest, Coleman said in a statement to The Star, I cant speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this.

BEHIND THE DRAMATIC RESCUE OF AMERICAN-CANADIAN COUPLE FROM HAQQANI CAPTIVITY

She added: Obviously, he is responsible for his own actions, but it is with compassion and forgiveness that I say I hope help and healing can be found for him. As to the rest of us, myself and the children, we are healthy and holding up as well as we can.
Kim Jong Un has ordered his rocket scientists to construct North Koreas biggest ballistic missile ever, and the despot reportedly plans to launch the record rocket on the regimes 70th anniversary in September.

The rocket would be outfitted with re-entry capability  a feat the Hermit Kingdom's last intercontinental ballistic missile wasnt able to achieve  according to a defector who talked to a Japanese paper.

The defector, who was not identified but was said to be knowledgeable in the Hermit Kingdoms missile program, told Japanese publication Asahi Shimbun earlier this week Kim laid out his plans during a meeting in Pyongyang on Dec. 11 and 12.

The rocket, called the Unha-4, will be an upgraded version of the long-range ballistic missile Unha-3, which was launched in 2012 and 2016 and put North Koreas first satellite into orbit.

The defector said there were likely two major objectives in launching a new long-range missile. One would be the use of a satellite for guidance and observation of future missile launches, the publication stated. The other could be to use the pro forma launch of a satellite into space to test whether the missile was capable of re-entry into the atmosphere.

OPINION: WHY 2018 WILL BE NORTH KOREA'S YEAR

Kims scientists are also working to perfect the re-entry capability of the upgraded missile. North Korea's last ICBM, the Hwasong-15, was launched in late November did not survive re-entry into the Earths atmosphere, a U.S. official told Fox News at the time. North Korea boasted the missile was significantly more powerful than its predecessor, the Hwasong-14, and could carry a super-heavy nuclear warhead.

A launch date for the new, huge rocket has been set for Sept. 9, when North Korea celebrates its 70th anniversary since its founding by Kim Il Sung. North Korea has often carried out nuclear and missile tests on important dates.

The body of the rocket has been completed, but it will take about six months for officials to prepare the launch, Asahi Shimbun reported.

SOUTH KOREA WANTS TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA ON WINTER OLYMPICS COOPERATION

North Korea vowed to boost its power in space and announced in October a five-year space plan, calling it a global trend. The regime defended its peaceful space program and its satellite launch in an article published on Christmas in the state-run newspaper Rodong Simun, according to Yonhap.

"Our satellite launch [last February] is a legitimate exercise of the right that thoroughly fits the U.N. Charter that enshrines the basic rights of respect for sovereignty and equality, and the international law that governs the peaceful use of space," the newspaper said.

The newspaper added: "Our country is also in step with the trends of space development that is taking place broadly across the world," also noting the program would help contribute to the dreams and ideals of mankind.
South Korea has offered to hold high-level talks with rival North Korea next week to discuss cooperation during next month's Winter Olympics and potential improvement in overall ties.

Tuesday's offer came a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year's address that he was willing to send a delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which are set for Fe. 9-25 in South Korea.

But the prospect of a North Korean team at the Winter Games drew a blistering response Monday from U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who proposed that if North Korea attends the Olympics, then the United States should not.

"Allowing Kim Jong Uns North Korea to participate in #WinterOlympics would give legitimacy to the most illegitimate regime on the planet. Im confident South Korea will reject this absurd overture and fully believe that if North Korea goes to the Winter Olympics, we do not."

In 2014, Graham also pitched a boycott of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, objecting then to the prospect of Moscow offering asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, Fox News reported.

Kim said Monday that he was open to dialogue with Seoul, Reuters reported. However, the North Korean leader also touted his country as a nuclear power, the report said.

Analysts say Kim may be trying to drive a wedge between South Korea and its ally, the United States, as a way to ease international isolation and sanctions against North Korea.

One doesnt need to be a genius to see that this is what North Korea does: After having created a war-like, crisis atmosphere, (Kim) takes a small step back and theres a collective sigh of relief that theres no war. It does wonders for North Koreas image.  Sung-Yoon Lee, Tufts University Fletcher School professor and North Korea expert.

Sung-Yoon Lee, a Tufts University Fletcher School professor and North Korea expert, told the Boston Herald that over the last 25 years the U.S. and its allies have a less well-developed game plan and no real strategy.

He said Kims actions paint (President Donald) Trump further into the corner as the aggressor.

One doesnt need to be a genius to see that this is what North Korea does: After having created a war-like, crisis atmosphere, (Kim) takes a small step back and theres a collective sigh of relief that theres no war. It does wonders for North Koreas image, Lee said.

Cho Myoung-gyon, South Korean Unification Minster, said the South proposes that the two Koreas meet at the border village of Panmunjom.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The United Nations Security Council has six new members: Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru and Poland.

Their flags were installed outside the council chambers Tuesday in a ceremony arranged by Kazakhstan's ambassador, Kairat Umarov. His country currently holds the council presidency.

The 15-member council is the U.N.'s most powerful body. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are permanent members, with veto power.

Other members are elected by the 193-member General Assembly for two-year terms. But this year, the Netherlands is filling out the second half of a term it shared with Italy.

Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay also finished their terms last year.

Winning a Security Council seat gives countries a strong voice in matters dealing with international peace and security.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 1)  A cut of the Marcos wealth in exchange for dropping all cases against the late strongman's family.

This is what Oliver Lozano, lawyer of former President Ferdinand Marcos, proposed to the government in June 2017.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo confirmed to CNN Philippines Monday that he received a copy of the proposal.

The documents, which were posted on social media, also include Panelo's reply to Lozano dated July 2017.

"The document was sent to the office by Atty. Oliver Lozano," Panelo said in a Monday statement. "Our office as a matter of courtesy and policy acknowledges receipt of any letter coming from any citizen. No action has been taken on Atty. Lozano's proposal."

Lozano told CNN Philippines on Monday that the proposal has been forwarded to the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG).

Under Executive Order No. 1, the PCGG is tasked with the "recovery of all ill-gotten wealth accumulated by former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, his immediate family, relatives, subordinates and close associates."

In his proposal, Lozano included a draft House bill granting immunity to the Marcos family and a draft compromise agreement between the Marcos family and the government.

Both documents claim using the wealth will give "unifying Social Justice for All through massive economic development and world-class rehabilitation as well as enable the government to settle the country's foreign and local debts."

However, Lozano's compromise agreement only covers a part of the wealth that was sequestered by the government, but "not judicially decided as ill-gotten."

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque denied there is such a deal, saying he has no knowledge whether the Palace has received the proposal.

Former Senator Bongbong Marcos said his family had no knowledge of these documents.

"As a point of information, Atty. Oliver Lozano does not represent any member of the Marcos family or the estate of the late President Ferdinand Marcos," he said in a Tuesday statement.

Aside from being the former President's lawyer, Lozano ran and lost in the 2004 senatorial race under the Marcos' Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party.

Lozano has also filed impeachment complaints against former presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III, son of former President Corazon Aquino, who succeeded Marcos after he was overthrown by popular revolt in 1986 due to alleged corruption and human rights violations.

In 2017, he filed similar complaints against Vice President Leni Robredo, Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, and former Commission on Elections chair Andres Bautista.

Read: Marcos loyalists ask House to endorse impeachment rap vs. Robredo

Billions in alleged ill-gotten wealth

According to the World Bank-United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative, former President Marcos started amassing ill-gotten wealth from the government on his first year as President in 1965.

The study revealed Marcos siphoned an estimated $5-billion to $10-billion in his 21-year regime.

In February 1986, former President Corazon Aquino established the PCGG through Executive Order No. 1. The agency has recovered over 170 billion since then until December 2015.

In addition, as of December 2016, the commission filed 248 cases against the Marcoses and their cronies or oligarchs who had close ties with the regime.

Meanwhile, victims of human rights violations during the martial law era started receiving compensation in May 2017.

Read: Martial law victims receive first half of monetary compensation

Republic Act 10368 or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013 grants monetary and nonmonetary reparation to human rights victims.

The government has allotted 10 billion for the reparation of the victims, which came from the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family transferred to the Philippine government by the Swiss Federal Court in December 1997.

Willing to return wealth

Talks of returning the Marcos wealth emerged in August 2017 when President Rodrigo Duterte, a close ally of the Marcoses, said the family, through a spokesperson, offered to turn over part of their questionable wealth.

Read: Duterte: Marcoses offer to turn over part of their wealth

"Sabi nila [They said], they'll open everything, and properly return 'yung nakita lang [what is found]," Duterte said.

"Sabi niya, baka makatulong, pero hindi ito malaki. 'But we are ready to open and bring back', sabi niya, 'pati 'yung a few gold bars.' Hindi ganoon kalaki, it's not the Fort Knox, it's just a few, but sabi nila isauli nila," the President added.

[Translation: It might help, but it's not much. But we are ready to open and bring back, he said, even a few gold bars. It's not that large, it's not the Fort Knox, it's just a few, but they said they would return it.]

Duterte said the Marcos family kept the wealth because their patriarch, former President Ferdinand Marcos, was only "protecting the economy."

Meanwhile, former Senator Bongbong Marcos said in October 2017 that the government can have any ill-gotten wealth it can find.

Read: Marcos to government: If you find our alleged ill-gotten wealth, it's yours

CNN Philippines' Senior Correspondent Ina Andolong contributed to this story.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  Tropical Depression Agaton has made landfall over Aborlan, Palawan Tuesday night, the state weather bureau said.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's (PAGASA) 11 p.m. bulletin, Agaton is packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gusts of up to 75 kph.

As of 10 p.m., PAGASA said the tropical depression was spotted 40 km south of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, and is moving west at 30 kph.

Palawan is still under signal number 1; while residents in the Bicol region, Samar provinces, Southern Quezon, Panay Island, and the rest of MIMAROPA are advised against possible flooding and landslides.

Residents in areas under signal 1, as well as the seaboards of northern and southern Luzon, the eastern seaboard of central Luzon, the eastern and western seaboards of the Visayas, and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao are advised against sea travel due to Agaton and the surge of the northeast monsoon.

Speaking to CNN Philippines Tuesday, Joel Lagrosa, a disaster official from Magsaysay, Palawan said 84 families were evacuated from Brgy. Balaguen  a coastal community  to higher ground.

"Inaasahan kasi ngayong gabi na mataas ang dagat...ang kabahayan ay abot ng dagat, kaya naniguro na kami na i-evacuate ang 84 families sa isang mataas na lugar," Lagrosa said.

[Translation: We expect the sea to rise tonight...it will reach the homes, do we made sure to evacuate the 84 families to higher ground.]

Balaguen, Lagrosa said, is a vulnerable barangay in the municipality, being similarly affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (international name: Haiyan).

Two people died in Cebu after Agaton dumped rains over the province since December 31, according to the provincial disaster management office.

READ: 2 dead in Cebu due to 'Agaton'

On New Year's Eve  when Agaton was still a low pressure area  at least 200 people were rescued in Toledo City, Cebu, according to the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The Toledo City local disaster management office reported at least 800 individuals are seeking shelter in evacuation centers.

Agaton made landfall on Siargao Island at 1 a.m. today, and continued to cross the Bohol Sea, causing floods in Central Visayas.

The storm is expected to leave the country Wednesday afternoon.

CNN Philippines' Cebu-based stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  Tropical Depression Agaton is maintaining its path toward Palawan where it will make landfall tonight.

In its 5 p.m. update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the storm was 185 kilometers east of Puerto Princesa City.

It has not slowed down or lost strength at 28 kilometers per hour (kph), with center winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 65 kph.

Palawan and Cuyo Island are under signal number 1; while residents in the Bicol region, Samar, southern Quezon, Panay Island, and the rest of MIMAROPA are advised against possible flooding and landslides.

Residents in areas under signal 1, as well as the seaboards of northern and southern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of central Luzon are advised against sea travel due to Agaton and the surge of the northeast mmonsoon.

Two people died in Cebu after Agaton dumped rains over the province since December 31, according to the provincial disaster management office.

READ: 2 dead in Cebu due to 'Agaton'

On New Year's Eve  when Agaton was still a low pressure area  at least 200 people were rescued in Toledo City, Cebu, according to the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The Toledo City local disaster management office reported at least 800 individuals are seeking shelter in evacuation centers.

Agaton made landfall on Siargao Island at 1 a.m. today, and continued to cross the Bohol Sea, causing floods in Central Visayas.

The storm is expected to leave the country Wednesday afternoon.

CNN Philippines' Cebu-based stringer Dale Israel contributed to this report.
News

Parents divided about consequences of spanking

GALVESTON

Its been a month since the national news caught wind of a study that linked being spanked as children with violent behavior later in life.

The pushback from public commenters after coverage from CNN and USA Today surprised Jeff Temple, the lead author of the study published in The Journal of Pediatrics. The outspoken and sometimes rude commenters defended spanking and they questioned the academic research.

I was taken aback, Temple said.

Temple, a University of Texas Medical Branch professor and researcher, and his team found that children who get spanked are more likely to be violent toward future dating partners.

Out of more than 700 college-aged participants from southeast Texas, about 19 percent reported that they had perpetrated some sort of dating violence. About 69 percent of the participants experienced corporal punishment as children, according to the study.

An analysis showed an association between spanking and physical dating violence, even after controlling for several demographic variables and childhood physical abuse, according to the study.

After the national coverage, the online public comment sections of media outlets soon filled with posts that repeated one theme, Temple said. The theme was I was spanked, and I turned out fine.

While it surprised him, Temple sees the pushback as what happens when science doesnt agree with someones beliefs, he said.

I get it, too, Temple said.Its a personal experience.

NOT THAT WAY

Many Galveston County residents told The Daily News that they were spanked as children and that they turned out fine. They didnt abuse dates, for example, but few wanted to go on the record.

I was spanked, and I spank mine as well, but I make sure Im never angry when I discipline my children, Webster resident Lauryn Nicole Hart said. I tell them why theyre getting disciplined. Afterward, I tell them I love them, and we all move on.

After Chad Hawkins got spanked as a child, he throbbed with pain and his whoopings left marks, the League City resident said.

I dont do it to my kids that way, Hawkins said.

But he does spank his children so they will know right from wrong, he said.

Cheryl Austin of League City was also spanked as a child, often with a belt, she said. But she picked a different way to discipline her own children.

I dont believe in spanking, Austin said. My boys who are now 35 and 33 have never been spanked or hit. However, they did grow up knowing there were consequences for their actions.

Her two sons grew into responsible adults who dont spank their children either, Austin said.

BOARD OF EDUCATION

Mike Nelson, a former Galveston County justice of the peace, had a reputation as the spanking judge who favored corporal punishment. He even has a paddle he calls the Board of Education, but he put it somewhere and cant find it now, he said.

Discipline is important, Nelson said.

Jimmy Dunne of Houston, who founded People Opposed to Paddling Students, has fought corporal punishment in schools for years. He also opposes corporal punishment at home.

Spanking is child abuse, Dunne said.

Corporal punishment in schools is legal in Texas.

GREAT KIDS

Other Galveston County residents who were willing to go on the record are opposed to spanking.

I dont need to hit my kids to discipline them, Sara Murphy said. Other methods exist and work just fine.

Karen Norman Matte, who lives in League City, didnt spank her two children who are now adults.

What my father considered spanking or disciplining was excessive, Matte said.

His form of discipline was hitting teen girls with a belt and slapping them in the face, she said.

I think a great deal of each persons opinion is based on their experience, Matte said. We were actually great kids, we just thought we were bad.

MOUNTING EVIDENCE

Temples study does not state that spanking causes dating violence, but it does show a significant connection between the two. It is a large enough connection to warrant more research, Temple said.

Most people who are spanked will not go on to be violent in relationships, Temple said.

But his recent study does add to the academic consensus that spanking is bad.

It adds to mounting evidence, Temple said. No study out there shows its positive. No evidence shows it will improve behavior.

As additional research comes out on the harm of spanking, Temple intends to get those scientific studies out to the masses, he said.

Im not telling parents what to do, Temple said. He just wants them to consider the research.

Spanking is a terrible idea, he said. It does not work. It can cause harm.

By the numbers  The study had more than 700 participants.  19 percent reported that they had perpetrated some sort of dating violence.  About 69 percent of the participants experienced corporal punishment as children.

Quote No study out there shows its positive. No evidence shows it will improve behavior. Jeff Temple, professor and researcher at University of Texas Medical Branch

Discipline suggestions The American Academy of Pediatricians recommends a three-step approach toward effective child discipline.  First, establish a positive, supporting and loving relationship with your child. Without this foundation, your child has no reason, other than fear, to demonstrate good behavior.  Second, use positive reinforcement to increase the behavior you want from your child.  Third, if you feel discipline is necessary, the academy recommends that you do not spank or use other physical punishments. That only teaches aggressive behavior and becomes ineffective if used often. Instead, use appropriate timeouts for young children. Discipline older children by temporarily removing favorite privileges, such as sports activities or playing with friends. If you have questions about disciplining your children, talk with your pediatrician.
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Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  The Marcos family has nothing to do with a proposal on the return of supposed ill-gotten wealth in exchange for dropping all cases against them, former senator Bongbong Marcos said.

"The Marcos family has no knowledge or information on that apparent exchange and service of document between Atty. Lozano and the office of Sec. (Salvador) Panelo. As a point of information, Atty. Oliver Lozano does not represent any member of the Marcos family or the estate of the late President Ferdinand Marcos," he said in a statement Tuesday.

Photos of Lozano's documents circulated on social media Monday. The documents showed Panelo, the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, acknowledged their receipt.

Lozano was the lawyer of then President Ferdinand Marcos. He also ran and lost in the 2004 senatorial race under the Marcos' Kilusang Bagong Lipunan party.

Lozano also said he had sent copies of the proposal to both houses of Congress, and the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which is tasked to recover the Marcos family's ill-gotten wealth.

In October 2016, Bongbong Marcos said government can have their family's supposed ill-gotten wealth should it find any.

Data from the World Bank-United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime's Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative showed former President Marcos started amassing an estimated $5-billion to $10-billion in ill-gotten wealth since his first year in 1965 until he was ousted in 1986.

In February 1986, former President Corazon Aquino created PCGG through Executive Order 1. The agency has recovered over 170 billion since then until December 2015.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  A ban on window tints for public transportation vehicles is in the works.

The measure is part of a new government proposal, which also seeks to regulate tints on private vehicles for anti-crime purposes.

"We're allowing the tint provided that it meets the standards set forth by the [Land Transportation Office]. We're finalizing [the standards], but definitely wala na po sa harapan [no tint in front]," Transport Undersecretary Tim Orbos told CNN Philippines' The Source.

He added the proposal has yet to go through another consultative meeting before final rules are issued.

It is expected to affect even transport network services like Uber and Grab, but other aspects of the proposal are still being ironed out.

"The front door, front windshield, we may allow the 6 inches doon sa [on the] visor. That's now being debated on," said Orbos.

He added that the proposal allows for a lighter tint on by the driver and passenger's seat, but a darker shade for the back seats.

Under the proposal, black tint and one-way tint is also banned.

The government is eyeing implementing the new rules for tints upon car registration.

Among those who submitted position papers for the proposal were Truck Manufacturers Association, Inc., Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, and tinting services Luminex Corporation and 3M Philippines, Inc.

Orbos said the proposal was backed by the Philippine National Police, and it also seeks to screen out "colorum" vehicles. "Colorum" is a term used to describe vehicles providing illegal or unregistered transport services.

Previous issuances on window tints were dated 1976, 1978, and 1995. The 1995 Land Transportation Office memorandum already prohibited tints on public utility vehicles, although it has not been strictly implemented.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  Philippine National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa on Tuesday ordered his personnel to arrest all barangay tanod or community watchmen who carry firearms, following the deadly Mandaluyong shooting incident.

"Itong mga tanod na ito, they are not authorized to carry guns. kaya right now I am giving instructions to all members of the PNP: Hulihin niyo lahat ng tanod na armado. Hulihin niyo dahil that is illegal. They are not authorized to bear firearms," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: These watchmen are not authorized to carry guns. I am giving an instruction to the police to arrest all armed community watchmen. Arrest them because that is illegal.]

He added, "Hulihin niyo ang tanod na may armas. Bawal yan. Ang pwede sa kanila batuta lang."

[Translation: Arrest all armed tanod. They are only allowed to carry batons.]

Authorities said three barangay tanod from Addition Hills in Mandaluyong chased and fired at the Mitsubishi Adventure bringing shooting victim Jonalyn Ambaon to the hospital. Police and barangay officials were misled into thinking the car carrying Ambaon to the hospital was carrying armed suspects, prompting them to fire at the vehicle.

Addition Hills Barangay Captain Kent Faminial earlier said he has never issued guns to his men, despite claims two of the tanod had fired at the vehicle.

Ernest Fajardo, one of the barangay tanod who had previously admitted his colleagues were armed, now denies he saw them carrying guns.

Executive Order 546 allows the Philippine National Police (PNP) to deputize the barangay tanod as "force multipliers."

Meanwhile, a 2008 memorandum circular by the National Police Commission, the agency that handles the PNP, allows barangay tanods to be deputized as members of the Police Auxiliary Unit (PAU).

PAU members are allowed to carry firearms, provided that they wear proper uniform, finish the required training and that the guns are registered to the barangay.

Metro Manila Police Chief Oscar Albayalde earlier said a barangay tanod may carry guns if he has a permit but is not allowed to use the firearm while on duty.

"If you have a permit to carry firearms, yes you're allowed to bear firearms but you cannot use it for your duty as barangay tanod," Albayalde said. "Hindi mo puwedeng ilabas yan at ibrandish sa labas yung baril mo[You can't brandish that gun outside.]."

One person was killed after police mistakenly went after a vehicle with men they thought were suspects in a shooting incident.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MGX Minerals Inc. (MGX or the Company) (CSE:XMG) (OTCQB:MGXMF) (FKT:1MG) is pleased to announce that the site survey, in preparation for 3D seismic geophysics, at the Companys Paradox Basin Petrolithium Project, has been completed. The site survey covers the Companys Blueberry Unit within its Utah Petrolithium portfolio (the Project). The survey includes approximately 9,000 source points. The purpose of the geophysical survey is to outline subsurface geological formations and structures favorable for accumulations of oil and gas as well as lithium brine bearing formations.

Blueberry Unit Map





A photo accompanying this announcement is available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/18b515c8-dc4e-481a-a65a-7807378ef139

The Blueberry Unit consists of 80,380 acres of unitized Federal, State and Private lands. MGX controls the overwhelming majority of mineral claims within the Blueberry Unit inclusive of lithium and other brine minerals. The Blueberry Unit is part of the Companys Paradox Basin land holding and joint venture portfolio. The Blueberry Unit (oil, gas and lithium) and Lisbon Valley Claims (lithium) consist of over 110,000 acres of oil and gas leases and approximately 118,000 acres of largely overlying and contiguous mineral claims. Brine content within the Lisbon Valley oilfield have been historically reported as high as 730 ppm lithium (Superior Oil 88-21P).

The Project is being simultaneously explored for oil, gas, lithium and other brine minerals as part of the Companys North and South Americas exploration, testing and analyses strategy to determine locations for deployment of the Companys lithium and mineral extraction technology inclusive of Petrolithium, geothermal, and other lithium brine feedstock sources. MGX controls over two million acres of lithium mineral claims throughout North America.

Lisbon Valley and Paradox Basin Geology

The Lisbon Valley oilfield has approximately 140 wells. According to production statistics, as reported by the Utah Department of Natural Resources, Oil, Gas and Mining Division, cumulative lifetime production within the Lisbon Valley oilfield has totaled 51.4 million barrels of oil as of June 2017 (Oil Production by Field, Utah Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil, Gas and Mining; June 2017; Click Here). The Paradox Basin has been noted by the USGS as having one of the largest undeveloped oil and gas fields in the United States (Assessment of Oil and Gas Resources in the Paradox Basin Province; USGS; 2011; Click Here).

Blueberry Unit

MGX is currently earning a 75% working interest in the Project, with the remaining interest primarily controlled by a private Utah corporation (the Paradox Partner). The Paradox Partner has been engaged by MGX as subcontracted operator of the Project. The Project is host to National Instrument (N.I) 51-101 estimated prospective resources (the Estimate) consisting of leasehold and royalty interests in San Juan County, Utah and Miguel County. Colorado. The estimate was prepared by the Ryder Scott Company, L.P. (Ryder Scott), an independent qualified reserves evaluator within the meaning of N.I. 51-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Oil and Gas Activities (NI 51-101), with an effective date of June 30, 2017. The Estimate was prepared in accordance with N.I. 51-101 and the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook.

Qualified Person

The technical portions of this press release were prepared and reviewed by Andris Kikauka (P. Geo.), Vice President of Exploration for MGX Minerals. Mr. Kikauka is a non-independent Qualified Person within the meaning of National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards.

MGX may decide to advance its petrolithium projects into production without first establishing mineral resources supported by an independent technical report or completing a feasibility study. A production decision without the benefit of a technical report independently establishing mineral resources or reserves and any feasibility study demonstrating economic and technical viability creates increased uncertainty and heightens economic and technical risks of failure. Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic or technical failure.

About MGX Minerals

MGX Minerals is a diversified Canadian resource company with interests in advanced material and energy assets throughout North America. Learn more at www.mgxminerals.com.

Contact Information

Jared Lazerson

President and CEO

Telephone: 1.604.681.7735

Web: www.mgxminerals.com

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Former CEO Robert Baldock will remain as Executive Chairman

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jan. 2, 2018) - Monument Mining Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MMY)(FRANKFURT:D7Q1) "Monument" or the "Company" is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has resolved to appoint Mr. Robert Baldock as Executive Chairman; Ms. Cathy Zhai as President and CEO.

"I am very pleased to report the appointment of Cathy Zhai as the Company's President and CEO as the Company moves its multiple projects in Malaysia and Western Australia forward," remarks Robert Baldock, Executive Chairman of Monument Mining: "Cathy's long dedication to the Company and years of executive experience in all areas of management in the mining industry make her the right successor to lead Monument to the next chapter of growth and development."

Mr. Robert Baldock is the founder of Monument and has invaluable all-round experience as a mining executive for decades. He had been CEO and President of Monument for more than 12 years from the very beginning, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors from time to time since 1998. Under his leadership, Monument has grown from ground zero to a junior gold producer with total gross revenue of more than US$350 million to date. Today, Monument has built up strong assets of US$253 million on its balance sheet. These assets have formed a foundation for further growth, including Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia with its initial gold inventory being fully replaced, and the Burnakura Gold Project presently being developed at the Murchison area in Western Australia, potentially to be turned into a second cash flow generation operation with both open pit and underground gold mines. Mr. Baldock has in the meantime established and maintained a strong management team highly committed to all shareholders and other stakeholders. His leadership as Executive Chairman will continue to direct the development strategy and growth of the Company going forward.

Ms. Zhai had been the Chief Financial Officer at Monument Mining Ltd. since 2001 (formally Moncoa Corporation). Ms. Zhai has over 20 years of extensive experience at senior positions in business strategic planning, corporate finance, financial reporting and Corporate Secretary over mining operations and other business sectors with international exposure across North America, China, South-East Asia and Australia. She has participated in financing and development of Monument assets portfolio, and has been the main driver in the establishment of a control platform over financial and mining operations from initial stage with discipline and a "can-do" attitude. In her career, she has worked as CFO, Director of Finance and other senior roles with several public and private companies across mining, high tech, manufacturing sector and biotech industries. Ms. Zhai is a CPA-CGA and holds a B.Sc. degree in Mathematics.

Other appointments include Mark Braghieri to General Manager Operations, and Kelvin Lee to act as the interim CFO.

Mr. Braghieri has extensive mining industry experience in mine operations and development across gold, iron ore, nickel and other commodities. He has held General Management and senior roles in open pit and underground mines in a number of Australian and international mining and contracting companies, including Normandy Mining, KCGM, Thiess Contracting, Norton Gold Fields and Bullabulling Gold. Mr. Braghieri is experienced in feasibility studies, the construction and establishment of projects and operational management, and has been involved in two of the largest gold mines in Australia; the Kalgoorlie Super Pit and the Boddington Gold Mine. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering, and a Masters of Business Administration.

Ms. Zhai, CEO and President commented: "We welcome Mark Braghieri to join the management team. His strong project management expertise and operation disciplines would be very valuable in re-starting the Burnakura Gold Mine and completing the Selinsing Sulphide Gold Project."

Mr. Lee is the Vice President, Finance and Administration of Monument since 2013. He is a CPA-CGA and holds a Diploma in accounting at BCIT and a Bachelor in Business Administration.

About Monument

Monument Mining Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:MMY)(FRANKFURT:D7Q1) is an established Canadian gold producer that owns and operates the Selinsing Gold Mine in Malaysia. Its experienced management team is committed to growth and is advancing several exploration and development projects including the Mengapur Polymetallic Project, in Pahang State of Malaysia, and the Murchison Gold Projects comprising Burnakura, Gabanintha and Tuckanarra in the Murchison area of Western Australia. The Company employs approximately 190 people in both regions and is committed to the highest standards of environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and neighboring communities.

Cathy Zhai, President and CEO Monument Mining Ltd. Suite 1580 -1100 Melville Street Vancouver, BC V6E 4A6

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION visit the company web site at www.monumentmining.com.

"Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

Forward-Looking Statement

This news release includes statements containing forward-looking information about Monument, its business and future plans ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements are statements that involve expectations, plans, objectives or future events that are not historical facts and include the Company's plans with respect to its mineral projects and the timing and results of proposed programs and events referred to in this news release. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The forward-looking statements in this news release are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks and certain other factors include, without limitation: risks related to general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; uncertainties regarding the results of current exploration activities; uncertainties in the progress and timing of development activities; foreign operations risks; other risks inherent in the mining industry and other risks described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Material factors and assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements in this news release include: expectations regarding the estimated cash cost per ounce of gold production and the estimated cash flows which may be generated from the operations, general economic factors and other factors that may be beyond the control of Monument; assumptions and expectations regarding the results of exploration on the Company's projects; assumptions regarding the future price of gold of other minerals; the timing and amount of estimated future production; the expected timing and results of development and exploration activities; costs of future activities; capital and operating expenditures; success of exploration activities; mining or processing issues; exchange rates; and all of the factors and assumptions described in the management discussion and analysis of the Company and the technical reports on the Company's projects, all of which are available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company's production decisions on the Burnakurra Project and the Selinsing Sulphide Gold Project are not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves to demonstrate economic and technical viability. Therefore, there is some uncertainty with economic and technical risks associated with this project, including but not limited to the risk that mineral quantities and grades might be lower than expected, and construction or ongoing mining and milling operations different than expected; production and economic variables may vary considerably, due to the absence of detailed economic and technical analysis prepared in accordance with NI 43-101. There is no guarantee that production will begin as anticipated or that the production will be able to generate positive cash flow.
Toronto, Ontario (FSCwire) - Tsodilo Resources Ltd. (TSX Venture Exchange: TSD) ("Tsodilo" or the "Company") reports that in terms of the Stock Option Plan of the Company and a policy adopted by the board of directors in September 2002, 260,000 stock options were granted to officers and senior employees on January 2, 2018, at CDN $0.65 per common share. These options are valid for five years and vest in four equal installments on January 2, 2018, July 2, 2018, January 2, 2019 and July 2, 2019.

About Tsodilo Resources Limited

Tsodilo Resources Ltd. is an international diamond and metals exploration company engaged in the search for economic diamond and metal deposits at its Bosoto (Pty) Limited ("Bosoto") and Gcwihaba Resources (Pty) Limited ("Gcwihaba") projects in Botswana and its Idada 361 (Pty) Limited ("Idada") project in Barberton, South Africa. The Company has a 100% stake in Bosoto (Pty) Ltd. which holds the BK16 kimberlite project in the Orapa Kimberlite Field (OKF) in Botswana and the PL216/2017 diamond prospection license also in the OKF. The Company has a 100% stake in its Gcwihaba project area consisting of several metal (base, precious, platinum group, and rare earth) prospecting licenses all located in the North-West district of Botswana. Additionally, Tsodilo has a 70% stake in Idada Trading 361 (Pty) Limited which holds the gold and silver exploration license in the Barberton area of South Africa. Tsodilo manages the exploration of the Gcwihaba, Bosoto and Idada projects.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements pertaining to the use of proceeds, the impact of strategic partnerships and statements that describe the Companys future plans, objectives or goals) are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, changes in equity markets, changes in general economic conditions, political developments in Botswana and surrounding countries, changes to regulations affecting the Company's activities, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, exploration and development risks, the uncertainties involved in interpreting exploration results and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration business. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV) nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This news release may contain assumptions, estimates, and other forward-looking statements regarding future events. Such forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties and are subject to factors, many of which are beyond the Company's -control, which may cause actual results or performance to differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

James M. Bruchs Chairman and Chief Executive Officer JBruchs@TsodiloResources.com Dr. Mike de Wit President and Chief Operating Officer MdeWit@TsodiloResources.com Head Office Telephone +1 416 572 2033 Facsimile + 1 416 987 4369 Website http://www.TsodiloResources.com

To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/Tsodilo01022018.pdfSource: Tsodilo Resources Ltd. (TSX Venture:TSD)

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The marine environment is critical to Grenadas economy and closely linked to the islands income generating tourism sector. Grenadas tri-island ocean state is not just a hub of maritime activity, but also home to unique marine biodiversity
With less than 400 year-round residents, my community of Betterton, Md., is asmall town. In fact, it's one of the smallest in Maryland. But like other small towns, it faces many of the same problems that larger cities face. This includes reconciling unlimited wants and needs with limited resources of money, staff and infrastructure.Balancing disparities like these is especially critical when it comes to public safety and law enforcement. Because these are primary responsibilities for municipal governments, it is imperative that community leaders think creatively and identify ways to maximize budgets for these departments. In 2016, the challenge facing Betterton was a familiar one: drivers speeding through town. We found a surprising and cost-effective solution -- and one that illustrates how the use of data and analytics is not the province only of bigger, resource-rich cities.Known as the Jewel of the Chesapeake, Betterton has only one main road in and one road out, and that road leads to a small but very popular beach area. The speed limit is 25 mph. About 60 percent of our residents are part-timers who own second homes here. They commute in for the weekends, holidays and summers. They want to get in quick and get out quicker. In doing so, drivers sometimes forget the rules of the road.Like other similarly sized towns, our main road -- known as Main Street to locals -- is also a state highway. This means that while our community can voice preferences for how the road is managed, the state determines what restrictions can be used to control speeds, vehicle class or volume of traffic.And as is common with small towns across America, Betterton does not have the budget for a local police force. We contract with our county sheriff's department, paying for intermittent, overtime services that include patrol, enforcement and more. So when residents complain about speeding drivers, we try to coordinate law enforcement services to address that need.This brings me back to the traffic-calming challenges that come with having a significant number of commuter residents. Some years back, working with the state, a solution was adopted. This came in the form of a streetscape with stamped pavement at the entrance to town to remind drivers to slow down. It worked, but only for a short period. We needed something else, a solution that was both effective and acceptable to the state. We got that, and more, with a radar speed sign.These driver-feedback signs are a familiar sight on streets and highways across America, but ours included something extra. The one we installed in November 2016, which cost about $3,500, came with software that captures data on driver speeds and documents the time of day that speeding occurs. For the first time we could use analytics to see when drivers were actually speeding. This allowed us to better coordinate law-enforcement services when we needed them most.For the first week, the sign was activated in stealth mode: While it appeared to be off, the software was still working, capturing benchmarking data. It documented driver speeds as high as 60 mph! The data also corrected some inaccurate presumptions. For example, we had been operating under the assumption that drivers were speeding during rush hour, before and after work. In reality, most of the speeding was happening in the middle of the day.These were mission-critical insights for us. By sending this data to the sheriff's department, they can better help us with speeding and we can better manage our limited law-enforcement funds.Of course, radar speed signs cannot replace law-enforcement officers, but they can certainly do a fine job of augmenting their work. That's because the signs operate 24/7 with or without an officer present, which maximizes our investment.Here in Betterton, we've seen another important benefit. Residents really like the radar speed sign. This is because most residents want to follow the rules of the road, and they appreciate that the sign gently reminds them to slow down. As of this September, the data showed no violations in excess of 59 mph and fewer violations overall. Small steps, but definitely steps in the right direction.
Does Distance Make the Heart Grow Fonder?

Them and Him

Democrats' hopes for capturing the U.S. Senate this year soared in December when Phil Bredesen announced that he would seek the seat being vacated by Republican Bob Corker.Bredesen, a Democratic former mayor of Nashville, served two terms as governor of Tennessee from 2002 to 2010. If he manages to flip Corker's seat -- and if Democrats can win seats in Arizona and Nevada and reelect most of their vulnerable senators -- they could eke out a Senate majority in 2018.But could Bredesen, whose state has taken a sharply conservative turn since he left the governor's mansion, win statewide office as a Democrat?For guidance, we looked at 16 former governors who have sought U.S. Senate seats during the current millennium. Overall, 11 of these candidates won and five lost, for a winning rate of 69 percent.The winners include Democrats Tom Carper of Delaware, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Tim Kaine of Virginia. On the Republican side, they include Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Jim Risch of Idaho, John Hoeven of North Dakota and Mike Rounds of South Dakota. And lastly, independent Angus King of Maine.But while the list is impressive and the rate of victory promising, that overall record obscures some distinctions between the winning and losing candidates. What's more, Bredesen's profile looks more like the candidates who lost.If he does end up losing his bid, he'll join Republicans Jim Gilmore of Virginia and Linda Lingle of Hawaii, and Democrats Bob Kerrey of Nebraska, Ted Strickland of Ohio and Evan Bayh of Indiana. (Kerrey and Bayh were one-time governors who actually won Senate seats, retired and then failed in comeback bids for the Senate.)Two metrics stuck out as having influenced these failed Senate campaigns.One was the amount of time that had elapsed between the candidate's departure from the governorship and their Senate bid. The second factor was whether the candidate was running in a state that, at the time of their Senate run, was generally favorable to their party in statewide races.Among the 11 winners, only two had been out of office for more than six years -- Alexander and King. Alexander had been out of the governorship for 16 years (though he had served as a cabinet member and run for president in the interim), and King had been out for 10 years.Carper, Hassan, Hoeven and Manchin, on the other hand, actually ran for Senate while still in the governor's mansion, and the others had been out of office from between two and six years when they won their Senate seat.Meanwhile, almost all the winning candidates ran in states that tilted strongly toward their party. The main exception was Manchin, who won in a state that by 2010 was heading sharply toward the GOP.Among the five governors who lost, Lingle had been out for the shortest amount of time -- two years. Otherwise, Strickland had been away from the governorship for six years, Gilmore for seven years, Bayh for 20 years and Kerrey for 26 years. Bayh and Kerrey had similarly been out of the Senate for several years -- Bayh for six and Kerry for 12 -- before attempting to return.All told, a longish time out of office appears to have hurt these candidates' chances. The partisan leanings of their states clearly hurt, too.Two of the losing candidates, Gilmore and Strickland, were running in purple states. But the others were running in distinctly unfriendly territory: Kerrey and Bayh as Democrats in red states, and Lingle as a Republican in a blue state.So how does Bredesen compare on these metrics?For starters, he's a Democrat running in a solidly red state. And he's been out of the governorship for eight years -- a profile more like the historical losers than the winners.One of the reasons a candidate's time out of office matters, of course, has to do with the difficulty of maintaining ties to voters and keeping one's political skills fresh. Another part has to do with explaining what they've been doing since leaving elective office.In Kerrey's case, for instance, "he spent a decade living in New York as the president of the New School," says Randall E. Adkins, a University of Nebraska Omaha political scientist. "During that time, he didn't maintain a home in Nebraska nor had he really spent much time in the state, which made it easy for his opponents."As for the significance of the state's partisan leanings, that seems obvious. But it is important to note that it's especially important for Senate seats because they garner more national attention and inevitably become more partisan than gubernatorial races.For Lingle, "voters in this deep-blue state [might have been] willing to cross party lines to elect a proven administrator, a former county mayor, as governor," says Hawaii journalist Nancy Cook Lauer. But the state "hasn't sent a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 1970, and having native son Barack Obama on the top of the ballot for his second term that year certainly didn't hurt Democratic chances."Of course, other factors can contribute to a loss."With the possible exception of Lingle, these candidates lost more because they ran lousy campaigns as opposed to anything they did as governor," says Jennifer Duffy, who handicaps Senate and gubernatorial races for theStrickland, for instance, had a rough term as governor during the Great Recession and failed to win reelection. He started with good poll numbers, but allies of his opponent, Republican Rob Portman, "ran negative ads on how bad the economy and the state budget was during his term," says Bill Binning, a former Republican official in Ohio and professor emeritus at Youngstown State University.Back in Tennessee, political observers understand the risks Bredesen faces."I do think that Bredesen is vulnerable to the same forces that hamstring former governors who run for federal office," says University of Tennessee political scientist Anthony Nownes. "And this state is, in my opinion, even more conservative now than it was when Bredesen was government. He faces an uphill climb."That said, Nownes and others suggest it's far too early to write off Bredesen.For one, Democrats nationally are poised to have a strong midterm election this year, thanks to a backlash against President Trump. Observers in Tennessee also suggest that Bredesen has insulated himself in ways that Kerrey, Bayh and others did not."Bredesen still has standing in the state, and he will run as a problem-solver, not as a Democrat," says Vanderbilt University political scientist John Geer. Bredesen is a credible moderate, he says, and his potential GOP opponent, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, "is vulnerable to being labeled a Washington insider."Nownes adds that Bredesen also benefits from widespread name recognition and, unlike Strickland, was popular when he was governor. "No one has particularly negative feelings toward him."Meanwhile, former Republican Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is also considering a U.S. Senate bid this year. If he runs, the outlook for Pawlenty compared to Bredesen might be somewhat less ideal.Observers say that even when Pawlenty won the governorship, he benefited from having Jesse Ventura's old Independence Party on the ballot, allowing him to win with less than a majority of the popular vote. With the Independence Party now essentially defunct, that won't be the case in 2018.More important, Pawlenty shares an out-of-state drag with Kerrey and other losing candidates."Pawlenty has been gone for a while as a well-compensated D.C. lobbyist," says Carleton College political scientist Steve Schier, "and that could be a problem for him in returning to run for Senate here."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  Jeepneys above 15 years old will still be allowed to ply their routes until 2020  but they have to pass a roadworthiness test first.

"The 15-year-old aspect, hindi na nga ho namin iniintindi muna [we're not worrying about that yet] because if we do, all the jeepneys will have to go out. So we're looking at roadworthiness," Transport Undersecretary Tim Orbos told CNN Philippines' The Source Tuesday.

He said, however, all jeepneys will have to be new within three years as planned.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier demanded that all jeepneys above 15 years old be phased out by January. However, transport regulators have since clarified the move will be gradually implemented in phases.

The government plans to run a new line of electric- or solar-powered e-jeepneys, a move which was met with protests from some jeepney operators who believe the program is expensive and would leave many drivers jobless.

Under the program, old jeepneys must meet government requirements as determined by a motor vehicle inspection system (MVIS) before they can resume plying their routes.

The MVIS assesses a vehicle based on points, measuring a vehicle's roadworthiness based on emission, brakes, suspension, and lights among others.

Orbos said the government has two of the machines: one at the central Land Transportation Office in Quezon City, and another at the airport.

"We have 26 machines arriving within the first quarter of this year, and that will take care of the implementation nationwide," Orbos added.

The first phase of the MVIS scan will be rolled out in Metro Manila. When operators register, they are expected to bring their vehicles.

He said enforcers will also flag down jeepneys that violate requirements.

"If we see a public transport vehicle that is smoke belching, has no lights... papatigilin po namin iyan [we will stop them], we will ask them to go immediately to the testing centers," said Orbos.

"If they don't pass, then they cannot continue plying the routes," he added.

The first phase of the MVIS scan will be rolled out in Metro Manila, Orbos said.

When operators register, they are expected to bring their vehicles.

However, jeepney operators can start running e-jeepneys that comply with requirements and features determined by the government.

Modern e-jeep features

Around 500 modern e-jeepneys nationwide are expected to hit the roads this month.

The new e-jeeps boast features that include:

Solar / Electric powered

Free Wi-Fi

CCTV camera

Global navigation satellite system

Fare card reader

Speed limiter

New features like a ramp and a space at the front of the vehicle are also built to accommodate persons with disabilities.

The new e-jeepneys are divided according to the following categories:

Class 1 - 9 to 22 passengers; all seated;

Class 2 - More than 22 passengers; with standing;

Class 3 - More than 22 passengers; all seated;

Class 4 - More than 22 passengers; all seated; with cargo

Class 1 vehicles are for short routes, while Class 4 vehicles are for longer trips to provinces. Class 3 jeepneys are expected to have air conditioning.

Jeepneys under Class 1 are estimated to cost between PhP 700,000 to P800,000 each. While those under Classes 2, 3, and 4 cost between P1 million to P1.6 million.

Orbos added that fixed wages for jeepney drivers will also be in place. They are expected to earn P21,000 in net salary a month, on top of government benefits.

The government is also set to regulate work hours for drivers in order to prevent them from competing too much for passengers at a given time of the day.

"The regular driver now will drive more than 14 hours a day. (Under the program) we will not allow them to drive more than 10 hours. But they can have two shifts," the undersecretary said.

While Orbos said jeepney fares would not be affected because of the program, fares will still be affected by the newly approved tax hike on excise fuel, which is expected to take effect this month.
A sheriff's deputy was killed and four officers were injured Sunday in suburban Denver when a gunman fired more than 100 rounds in an ambush-style attack.The gunman was killed by additional officers who rushed to the scene. Police had been responding to a disturbance call at an apartment complex.Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock described it as an "ambush-style" attack on the officers.They were "shot very, very quickly," he said. "They went down within seconds of each other."He knew we were coming, and we obviously let him know that we were there, Spurlock said.The gunman continued to fire as additional officers arrived at the complex.Spurlock identified Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, as the officer killed in the attack. He was married with two young children. He had been hit multiple times.Parrish had been at the department about seven months and loved his job, Spurlock said.The gunman was armed with a rifle, but Spurlock released no further details on the weapon. The incident is still under investigation; officials will view body camera footage and other evidence in coming days.
The movement that has empowered women across the country to levy sexual assault and harassment allegations against powerful men continues to snowball, causing an uprising in many industries, including state politics.In the past few months, since Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was accused of sexual assault, at least 18 male state lawmakers facing allegations in a dozen states have resigned, announced they will resign, been ousted from a leadership position, or otherwise punished, a Stateline review has found. The accusations, coming amid the larger #metoo movement, have sent legislative leaders in multiple states scrambling to strengthen their policies and procedures to prevent harassment. More than half of the states have created new policies, instituted more regular anti-harassment training, made changes to how allegations are reported and investigated, or are reviewing their procedures.But while their proposals are receiving praise, theres a growing worry that they wont lead to lasting change. Many women working in state capitols have seized this moment to reveal not only that theyve been assaulted or harassed, but that they generally havent felt comfortable at work for years. Many worry that the movement will fizzle out, chasing vulnerable women  including young staffers, new lawmakers and lobbyists  back into the shadows.Thats something that Sarah Walker, a lobbyist in Minnesota, had on her mind from the moment she told her story to local reporters. Walker says Republican state Rep. Tony Cornish propositioned her for sex dozens of times and once forced her up against a wall to try to kiss her. Cornish at first denied the allegations but then announced he would resign, along with another state senator facing similar allegations.Walker was going to stay anonymous, but she said she wanted to come forward to create a safer environment for women in statehouses to do the same  and to help do that, she had to give her name.I did want to give a message that you can come forward and you can still be a successful lobbyist and a strong woman, Walker said.Cornish is one of at least eight male lawmakers  in Alaska, California, Florida, Minnesota, Mississippi and Ohio  who have resigned or announced they will resign from the legislature since early October. At least nine other male state lawmakers  in Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Oregon and Washington  have resigned or been removed from a committee role or other leadership position. One other lawmaker, New York Assemblyman Steven McLaughlin, a Republican, received other punishment, including being told he could not hire interns and had to complete anti-harassment training.And in Kentucky, state Rep. Dan Johnson, a Republican, took his own life just days after he was accused of molesting a 17-year-old girl in 2012. Johnson denied the allegationsThe far-reaching conversation about improper behavior in the workplace might change the environment in statehouses across the country come January  at least temporarily.It may give sitting legislatures some pause, in terms of their own behavior, said Jean Sinzdak, associate director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.Whether the movement permanently changes the culture in statehouses, though, is not clear, Sinzdak said.In response to allegations, many legislatures have beefed up anti-harassment training, which has been lackluster in many statehouses. Legislative leaders in at least 14 states have held anti-harassment training, announced that training will take place at the start of the next session, or said they will institute more regular training.More important than training, though, Sinzdak said, will be ensuring that women have a clear and safe way to report allegations, and creating a fair and thorough investigative process. At least 19 legislatures are updating or reviewing their code of conduct, policies or procedures.In many states, allegations are reported to legislative leaders. That leaves victims vulnerable both to political decisions about how to investigate, and to political retribution, according to many lawmakers who have started to reconsider their policies. Some states, such as Illinois and Vermont, are looking for ways to give the investigating authority to someone outside the legislature.In Colorado, top lawmakers in each chamber voted this month to hire a human resources officer to take complaints. In Maryland, lawmakers instituted a new process to track harassment claims. And in Iowa, Senate Majority Leader Bill Dix, a Republican, said he would hire a consultant to review whether to hire a new human resources manager.If politicians stay involved in the process, women will be afraid to come forward, Walker said. She thinks policies should protect lobbyists as well as lawmakers. She felt she had to go to the media to be heard, she said, and that was rough. It was the most stressful two weeks Ive ever experienced.More changes may come when legislative sessions begin. Some legislators already have filed bills, including one in Arizona that would ban the use of confidentiality agreements in sexual harassment cases in which an elected official is accused, one in Pennsylvania that would amend the ethical conduct rules of the state House of Representatives, and two in Illinois that would change the legislative ethics commission and establish a hotline.In California, Assemblywoman Laura Friedman, a Democrat who is leading a new subcommittee that will make recommended changes to the chambers sexual harassment policies, said she thinks the Legislature needs a process in which punishment is decided by an independent party, such as an ethics officer or ombudsman. Right now, members of the rules committee and other legislative leaders determine what actions to take, Friedman said. Those decisions shouldnt be left to lawmakers, she said.We are all so connected to each other, and rely on one another for votes and political support and everything, Friedman said.The California Legislature has contracted with an outside company to provide a hotline that victims can call to get counseling services and information about how to report allegations. Friedman wants the subcommittee to make the investigation process more transparent so the public has a better idea of what goes on at the Capitol.Friedman said she isnt sure this is the path the subcommittee will take. But she hopes the changes will create a robust system that will stand the test of time, even as politicians transition in and out of their roles and leadership changes.We know this (movement) has been a stain on the Legislature and politicians in general, she said, and we want people to know that people who do wrong dont represent all of us.
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.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.
When 21-year-old Matthew Shepard was punched, pistol-whipped, tied to a fence and left to die in 1998, his killers' attorneys said the attackers were triggered by Shepard making sexual advances toward them.When a 14-year-old California boy gunned down his gay classmate in 2008, his attorneys argued that it was because the victim provoked him by flirting with him.And after a 21-year-old transgender woman in Harlem was beaten to death in 2013, one of her attackers said he hurt her out of "blind fury" after he flirted with her and then realized she was transgender.For decades, LGBTQ people have been brutally attacked or killed and then blamed for their own deaths in cases where attorneys attempt, sometimes successfully, to use a "gay panic" or "trans panic" defense.Starting Monday, attorneys in Illinois will be barred from using the approach after a state law passed _ without a single "no" vote in either the state House or Senate _ making it the second state in the country to ban the defense in the courtroom.Anthony Michael Kreis, who drafted the Illinois legislation, said the passage of the "gay panic" defense law has boosted efforts in other states to enact similar bans.Kreis has heard from advocates in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Jersey, among others, asking for help pushing their own bills. Similar legislation has been discussed by lawmakers in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Other states where the defense has been allowed include, Maryland, Texas and Washington.Kreis said because the LGBTQ community is at higher risk for violence, the law comes at an important time.This year marked the deadliest year on record for the transgender community, with at least 28 people shot and killed across the United States, according to the Human Rights Campaign."It sends an important message to the LGBTQ community that the state will protect them equally and the courts will not be allowed to entertain these types of defenses, which victimize victims again," Kreis said of the new Illinois law.There isn't an exact definition, but a gay or trans panic defense is essentially when someone doesn't realize they're interacting with an LGBTQ person and becomes so overcome with rage when they realize it that they physically attack the person in the heat of the moment.It's estimated that gay and trans panic defenses have been used in at least 23 states since the 1960s, according to the Williams Institute, a think tank at the UCLA School of Law.Gay and trans panic defenses have allowed people accused of killing LGBTQ people to receive lesser sentences, and in some cases, avoid any punishment, according to the institute.California was the first state to ban the defense, in 2014, and the American Bar Association pushed for a ban in 2013.In Washington state, a bill banning gay and trans panic defenses is expected to be introduced in the coming weeks for the next legislative session."It's a defense that allows people to perpetuate hate crimes," said Monisha Harrell, Equal Rights Washington chairperson. "It is saying you're surprised that somebody might be different than you, whatever that difference is, and that that would allow you to initiate violence, and in some cases, lethal violence. That should never be a defense."Cynthia Lee, a criminal defense professor at George Washington University, said there could be unintended consequences to passing these types of bans.In her research on gay and trans panic defenses, Lee has found that most attorneys make "reprehensible" arguments, largely playing off stereotypes about gay men or transgender women.However, legislation might not be the solution, she said.Social science research has shown that juries can be affected by attorneys calling out racial stereotypes and bigotry. There is less research on what happens when LGBTQ stereotypes are used, but it brings up an interesting argument, she said.For example, if a defense attorney makes an argument largely based on racial stereotypes, and a prosecutor calls that out, research has found that a jury will often respond by treating a black defendant the same as they would a white defendant, she said.If attorneys were properly trained on how to respond to a gay or trans panic defense when it was brought up, it could potentially help a jury see the problems in making that argument."Instead of banning these arguments, confront them head on and challenge them in court," Lee said. "The prosecution should be aware of the bias. Whenever the defense tries to make these kinds of arguments, [prosecutors] should try to challenge them head on."Advocates say that the sentiment behind panic defenses is a problem, even outside the courtroom.Lou Weaver, transgender programs coordinator with Equality Texas, said one example was the reaction of law enforcement to the recent killing of Brandi Seals, a 26-year-old transgender woman, in Houston.After Seals was killed, Detective Fil Waters of the Houston Police Department, told a local TV station: "The fact that we have a man in women's clothing, the speculation is he's been working the street, that someone picks up and then realizes he's not what he's representing himself to be and take this kind of ultimate action."Weaver said the detective assumed Seals was a sex worker because she was transgender and didn't have information to actually prove that was her profession.Regardless, his comments had a "trans panic" argument within them, and are an example of how transgender women continue to be misunderstood and stereotyped, Weaver said."Unfortunately, I think it will still be seen as a valid reason for hurting somebody," he said. "Defense attorneys are ruthless, and they have one job _ to prove their client is not guilty, and they will do whatever it takes."
(TNS)  GLASGOW  Representatives working on a project to expand robust, reliable and affordable broadband Internet access to communities across Kentucky have been in the process of negotiating for months with officials in Glasgow for the rights it needs to build its portion of a fiber optic network here.The end of that part of the work appears near, but there is still plenty else to be done.About five years ago, the Commonwealth of Kentucky, under the Steve Beshear administration, decided they wanted to build, in partnership with a venture capital firm in Australia, a fiber optic network throughout the state of Kentucky, to service themselves, ostensibly, said Glasgow Electric Plant Board Superintendent Billy Ray to his board at its last meeting, which was Dec. 21.Instead of purchasing access and circuits provided by other companies like Windstream and AT&T, they decided they could build their own network more cost effectively, Ray said.The idea was to provide service to state offices, universities, libraries, local governments, schools and similar organizations.From my understanding only a little bit of it has been built in eastern Kentucky, but mostly it has been continued negotiations and design, he said.Part of the negotiation has been over franchise agreements that many cities, including Glasgow, require of those service providers, but also the new lines would likely need to connect along some utility poles, and that's where GEPB negotiations come into play.If they want to attach to our poles, they need to join Windstream and South Central [Rural Telephone Cooperative] in a joint-use agreement, which is sort of the same as a lease agreement. They want space on our poles, and we've been hammering it out with them.At the same time GEPB was negotiating that contract, the Tennessee Valley Authority started exercising its right to regulate the prices charged for pole attachments, so that has complicated the process. Also, the standard pole attachment agreement isn't really set up for a state government entity, so it's had to be modified extensively.GEPB's attorney, Jeff Herbert, had some concerns about liability issues, Ray said, but the Kentucky Wired representatives have contended they don't have to be liable for anything because they are working as part of the state government.Finally we have one that we're ready to sign, Ray said. It's set up to be just like our joint pole agreements except that the rent is determined by this formula that TVA has put in place now, which is a lot more than we've been charging South Central and Windstream, so it's up to $34.72 per [year] per pole [for calendar year 2018].He said he didn't know at that point how many poles they want to use or where they are, as he hasn't seen any engineering layouts.Board member Tag Taylor asked what the liability concerns are, and Ray said they mostly were related to things like the possibility of their contractors' causing damage to the pole, for example.It's our job to look at the route they want to be on and then survey all those poles, measure and find out if there's space, calculate and find out if the wind loading is such that another cable on there would put the pole in danger, and come back with an estimate of how many hundred thousand dollars it's going to cost to make our poles ready for [them] to attach to, Ray said. Then they'll either pay it or pick another route.He said that if the contractor backed into a pole or caused damage through some other negligence, then they would be liable, but, otherwise, it's up to the GEPB to determine whether the poles can handle the additional use.Board Chair Jeff Harned asked whether, if the poles required upgrading for Kentucky Wired's use, Kentucky Wired had to pay for that, and Ray said yes, that entity would have to cover that cost.Ray said one of his points of contention was that they should have to have a franchise agreement with the city, just as GEPB does, to be on its rights of way, and he said Kentucky Wired has been negotiating an alternative contract with the city to use rather than an a franchise agreement.With board member Freddie Norris absent, the vote was unanimous among the others to approve the contract.In September, the Glasgow City Council voted 10-2 on a resolution authorizing the sale of a nonexclusive franchise for construction and maintenance of fiber optic infrastructure for high-speed Internet connectivity. Mayor Dick Doty said it was for the Kentucky Wired project, and such an option would not prevent any other service provider from offering the product. The city then advertised for bids for franchise agreements, but no one bid.Doty told the Glasgow Daily Times, after no bids were there to open at the appointed time, that Kentucky Wired still wanted to pursue the project but it did not want to have to have a franchise agreement, and a meeting was set up with them, Doty and City Attorney Rich Alexander.In mid-October, Alexander told the Daily Times the meeting had occurred, but the Kentucky Wired people were supposed to be sending another type of document like they've used with other cities for Glasgow to consider, and then in early November, Doty said the negotiations were still taking place.Alexander told the Daily Times on Thursday that the document is still going back and forth between the parties for a few minor changes to it, but he expects it to be finalized soon.We've basically reached an agreement, the city attorney said. It's not a franchise agreement, because there is no franchise with a sovereign entity like the commonwealth of Kentucky, so what the city is doing is a memorandum of understanding between the city and state allowing use of public rights of way, he said.The agreement with GEPB says that once Kentucky Wired has access to the city's rights of way, it can use the poles within the right of way.He said it is his understanding that the network would be limited to use by state government entities, like the court system and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services' offices, and colleges and universities, and possibly other schools.The Daily Times attempted to reach Kentucky Wired on Thursday but had not received a response by the end of the business day Friday.
In a year of extraordinary natural disasters from hurricanes to floods to wildfires, here's another record-setter: Fiscal year 2017 was the U.S. Forest Service's most expensive fire season yet. The cost of battling blaze after ever-bigger blaze across the country topped $2.4 billion.Two decades ago, the cost of fighting fires only consumed about 15 percent of the Forest Service's budget. But increased development in and around undeveloped open spaces, along with, paradoxically, decades of fire suppression, mean that wildfires are growing larger, more intense and more dangerous to communities. Many scientists believe the warming climate is exacerbating the situation.As the cost of firefighting has gone up, the Forest Service budget has stayed relatively flat. The result is that fire suppression now consumes 55 percent of the agency's annual budget, and some officials estimate that could grow to two-thirds in a few years.The problem is this: The Forest Service ends up hoarding the money intended for other forest management programs  including fire prevention  because officials know they're going to need it later in the year to fight fires. The agency has to shelve vital programs designed to reduce the threat of catastrophic blazes, such as thinning dense tree stands, controlled burns or insect control.That makes no sense. It's far more expensive to fight fires and to rebuild after fires than it is to prevent them  even before you take into account the terrible toll these mega-blazes have on life, property and the environment.By comparison, the government provides emergency money from a federal disaster fund to communities ravaged by hurricanes, tornadoes and most other natural disasters.The good news is that there is bipartisan agreement that the federal government has to fix the way it pays for fighting wildfires. There are proposals in Congress to allow the Forest Service to tap emergency funds when it exceeds its firefighting budget. So, in unusually bad years like 2017, the agency could get one-time funding to handle the need, rather than having to gut its forest health and prevention programs.The bad news is that partisan, ideological battles have, so far, stymied the needed changes. Republicans, including several from California, are pushing for legislation that would tie the budget fix to "forest management" proposals that would allow for more commercial logging on public land while weakening environmental reviews and endangered species protections for such projects. This cynical attack on environmental rules threatens to torpedo the very real reforms needed for healthier forests.California has a lot riding on the budget fix, especially in the Sierra, where drought and bark beetle infestations have killed more than 100 million trees since 2010, according to the Forest Service. Nearly a quarter of the trees have died in some areas, leaving vast swaths of orange and gray hillsides; the accumulation of dead fuel can cause fires to burn hotter and spread more easily. The Forest Service has tried to increase "ecological thinning," which means cutting and removing some small and dead trees, and controlled burns to reduce the density of flammable material. But those are exactly the kinds of projects that are put on hold when the agency has to hoard money for firefighting.Also, the state relies on the Forest Service for help in combating fires. The fires that raged through Northern California this fall were not on federal land, but the federal government sent 1,500 firefighters, along with air tankers, helicopters and water scoopers to help. State officials worry the ongoing budget crunch will weaken the Forest Service's ability to assist in future fires.Congress must move forward with the bipartisan Forest Service budget fix. The longer it waits, the more fire prevention projects are delayed and the threat of more catastrophic fires grows.Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook___(c)2018 the Los Angeles TimesVisit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  Dylan Gordon was looking for a change in career and location last fall when the western Maine native saw a chance to do both while helping others.After a crash-course training program, Gordon headed for Louisiana in October to help with the Red Cross disaster response to Hurricane Nate, then was sent on to Houston after Hurricane Harvey. Nearly three months later, the 20-year-old is still "deployed" as a Red Cross volunteer, helping residents of Puerto Rico recover from Hurricane Maria."I enjoy what I do every day and that, to me, is worth more than money," Gordon said in a phone interview from San Juan.Justine Fraser, meanwhile, is wrapping up a three-week stint in San Juan helping people who lost loved ones during or after the storm."It's healing work," said Fraser, a licensed social worker from South Portland. "They are still suffering, but we are working on healing together."Maine's Red Cross program helped arrange 140 deployments  largely of volunteers  from the state in 2017 to assist in the aftermath of hurricanes, wildfires and other disasters. While the scale of the American Red Cross' disaster response and recovery effort is much smaller today than it was a few months ago, volunteers from Maine and across the country continue to work in hard-hit areas such as Puerto Rico.Most years, Maine's Red Cross program tends to send experienced volunteers or staffers to assist with specific tasks  such as logistics or direct care  in areas hit by a disaster.Justine Fraser, a South Portland social worker, helped counsel people in Puerto Rico who lost loved ones in Hurricane Maria. Photo courtesy of Red Cross"This year was a little different in that there were so many large-scale disasters happening simultaneously that we started holding rapid deployment training for volunteers ... to deploy them as soon as possible," said Dave Sheehan, regional disaster program officer for the Red Cross in Maine. "That is a lot of people for us. Here in the Northeast, we provided a lot of people around the country to respond to these disasters."While last fall's hurricanes have largely slipped from the daily headlines, Sheehan said there is still plenty of work to be done, particularly in Puerto Rico. When it made landfall Sept. 20, Hurricane Maria destroyed the island's power grid, demolished countless homes and crippled the road infrastructure.Gordon arrived in Puerto Rico on Nov. 11 and has spent much of his time helping to distribute food, water and other supplies around the island. More than seven weeks later, debris is still scattered everywhere, but the roads are clearer and more of the island is regaining electricity, said Gordon, who is based in San Juan."We are constantly finding new people," said Gordon, who lived in West Paris and worked as a carpenter before volunteering with the Red Cross. "This island isn't that big, but there are a lot of people who still need help."Fraser, the South Portland social worker, is a member of a "condolence care team" that helps people who lost loved ones during the hurricane or in its aftermath. Working with local funeral homes, the four-person team offers immediate counseling, health care and spiritual assistance to individuals or families struggling with a recent death.Like Gordon, Fraser had not deployed as a volunteer before this year. But Fraser, who is a mental health counselor for Pathways of Maine in Scarborough, said the experience in Puerto Rico has been challenging yet rewarding."I saw what was going on down here and I thought, 'Oh my God, I wish I could do more,' " said Fraser, who was given time off from her job to go to Puerto Rico. "People are so grateful and kind. I feel fortunate to be here."Sheehan, the Red Cross officer, also deployed twice in the fall, first to Georgia after Hurricane Irma and then to Puerto Rico. While the initial disaster work primarily focused on meeting local residents' immediate needs  especially clean water and food  the work is now transitioning more to the "recovery" phase.As an example, Sheehan said he was involved with distributing durable, gravity-fed water filtration systems so that island residents could spend more time beginning to rebuild their homes or returning to work rather than waiting hours for water deliveries."We are always looking for more people, but at this point we are not running those rapid-deployment boot camps," Sheehan said.Throughout the busy deployment season, the Maine Red Cross continued to offer assistance after local disasters, such as when fire destroys a family's home.For his part, Gordon said he was enjoying his newfound status as a long-term volunteer in Puerto Rico. He joked that the work comes with a six-figure salary, but "sadly, they are all zeros.""These people are amazing," he said of inhabitants of the U.S. territory. "Their culture is beautiful, and they put such value on family."___(c)2018 the Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine)Visit the Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine) at www.pressherald.comDistributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
(TNS)  FORT WALTON BEACH  Get a drone for Christmas?Surprised when it didn't take off swooping into the sky?Don't be, if you live along much of the Northwest Florida coast. Flight restrictions imposed on drones by the presence of military bases and airports impose significant limits on where and how they can be operated locally.Just a few years ago, in the early days of the drone craze, the story was somewhat different. Restrictions were in place, but their enforcement relied almost entirely on drone users, both recreational and professional, knowing the restrictions and abiding by the rules.More recently, however, most serious drones  not the ones available at your local big-box store for $100 or so, with limited range and short battery life, which aren't regulated  come equipped with Global Positioning System software.The software, programmed to recognize when a drone is located within restricted airspace, won't allow the drone to operate as long as it is in that space.This "geofencing" function can be confusing and frustrating for drone neophytes, according to Matthew Gillum, who operated a drone commercially in this area before a recent move to South Carolina. Like many other commercial drone operators, Gillum worked with insurance firms and other clients needing birds'-eye-view video or other aerial servicesOften, Gillum said, friends and acquaintances who ran into the GPS-initiated lockdown of their drones would call him to troubleshoot, believing something was wrong with their aerial vehicles. In many cases, they had simply been unaware of their drone's "geofencing" function, Gillum said."They don't pay attention," he said. "Every area down there on the coast is restricted."Data from China-based DJI, which holds half of the U.S. drone market, show that Gillum isn't speaking too hyperbolically. In connection with its "geofencing" technology, DJI devotes a section of its website to outlining areas across the world where various restrictions on drone operation are in place.For Northwest Florida, the map is peppered with zones where drone usage is restricted around military installations and civilian airports. Between Pensacola and Panama City, the DJI FlySafe data denote nearly two dozen military installations, civilian airports  and interestingly, correctional institutions  where drone operation is not allowed.Other resources for drone owners concerned about where they can fly their vehicles include B4UFLY, a smartphone app from the FAA, and UAV Forecast, a privately developed app that details no-fly zones.The operation of drones has become a wide concern for military bases and commercial airports as sales of the vehicles have expanded rapidly in recent years. According to various media sources, drone sales have been in the hundreds of thousands each year for the past three or four years. In March, the FAA released data projecting there would be as many as 2.31 million hobbyist drones subject to its regulation in operation by the end of 2017, more than double the agency's numbers for drones as of the end of 2016. The FAA goes on to project that by 2021, there will be more than 4.4 million hobbyist drones in the United States.The numbers for commercial drones are on a similar track, with FAA data showing their number increasing from 42,000 in 2016 to 235,000 in 2017, and increasing to more than 1.6 million by 2021.That proliferation has been accompanied by sets of government regulation and restrictions that have been confusing even for people like Gillum."It's kind of a complicated system," he said.That may help explain why officials at Hurlburt Field, the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command headquarters just outside Fort Walton Beach, recently used their Facebook page to address new drone owners. A variety of military aircraft fly regularly into and out of Hurlburt Field, and officials there clearly are worried about the potential for collisions with drones.Phone calls to Hurlburt Field seeking comment on the base's concerns about drones weren't immediately returned, but in the Facebook post, officials note that "Federal Aviation Administration statistics show a surge in 'close call with drone' reports by military and civilian pilots: nearly 700 incidents in 2015, roughly triple the amount recorded in 2014."The Dec. 20 post, headlined "Did you ask Santa for a drone this year? Know the rules first!" goes on to provide a general overview of drone regulations, reminding owners that before flying a drone with five miles of any military airfield, they must contact the airfield's operations office. In many instances, including Hurlburt Field, drones cannot be flown at all within five miles of the installation, the Facebook post notes.For its part, Eglin Air Force Base acknowledged drone-related concerns two years ago, issuing on-base guidance for their use that restricted even some operation of toy drones within the base's housing areas.Adding to the confusion over drone regulation is that there are separate rules for commercial operators, who can apply for permission to use drones for business purposes in areas that would otherwise be restricted. With proper authorization, drone manufacturers can disable any "geofencing" features, allowing the drone into restricted airspace.Among the people who have run into those rules is Cole Thurmon, the 17-year-old Destin teen who got a drone for Christmas last year and subsequently turned it into a business. Thurmon's Destin Drone Solutions provides aerial services for real estate, concerts and other events, damage assessments and agricultural uses.Once he decided to use his drone for commercial purposes, Thurmon was required to get an FAA-issued remote pilot certificate, proving his knowledge of unmanned aerial vehicle operation. Getting the certificate cost him $150, Thurmon said.Even with his certificate, Thurmon, like other commercial drone operators, must go through what can be a lengthy process of getting permission to operate within otherwise restricted areas. The process can take weeks, Thurmon said, meaning that he'll sometimes miss out on business if he can't get the required permission within a client's deadline.And while following the regulations for commercial drone operations gives Thurmon's business real legitimacy, he  along with his mom, Deborah  is keenly aware that he's likely losing business to drone operators willing to skirt the rules."A lot of people think they can just go out there and fly their drones," Cole Thurmon said.Still, Cole retains a positive attitude about his future as a commercial drone operator."It can be done," he said. "There's just a few hurdles."
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa urged a policewoman involved in the deadly Mandaluyong shooting to surrender, otherwise authorities will be forced to track her down.

Dela Rosa on Tuesday encouraged Police Senior Inspector Maria Cristina Vasquez to come out of hiding after she led the group of Mandaluyong police officers to respond to a "mistaken identity" shooting incident that killed one person.

The top police warned that if Vasquez does not surrender, she will be extensively hunted down by authorities.

"Nag-AWOL (absence without leave) 'yung isa dahil ayaw magpakulong, yung babae. Kung nakikinig ang policewoman na yun, sana mag-surrender ka para hindi ka ma-subject to manhunt operation kapag lumabas ang warrant mo," he said in a media briefing.

[Translation: She took an absence without leave because she was scared of being detained. If she is listening, surrender so you won't be the subject of our manhunt operation once your warrant of arrest is out.]

He also urged barangay tanod or village watchman Gilberto Gulpo to surrender and face the consequences of their actions.

Vasquez and Gulpo are part of the 10 police officers and three barangay tanods who are facing homicide charges. The nine policemen and the two barangay tanods are under police custody.

Dela Rosa: Police did not act with ill intent

On December 28, Vasquez' 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.

Dela Rosa defended his men, saying the village watchmen fired at the vehicle first, which prompted the police to shoot the vehicle. But he said this does not excuse their action and they will face the consequences.

"They did not act with ill intent, hindi sila pumatay lang nang pumatay. Nagoyo sila sa maling impormasyon," he said.

[Translation: They did not act with ill intent. They did not go on a killing spree. They were tricked with the wrong information.]

Meanwhile, paraffin tests on the gas delivery boys, as well as the passengers of the white van, tested positive for gunpowder nitrates.

Dela Rosa said paraffin tests are scientifically proven, thus they are hard to disprove. He added test results were not altered.

He also clarified it is possible for a person who didn't hold a gun to test positive for gunpowder nitrates.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  The past year has been productive for legislators as they approved thirteen new national bills, including four priority measures of the Duterte administration.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed into law Republic Act (RA) No. 10963 or the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) bill on December 19, which guarantees lower personal income tax to offset the impact of higher taxes on sugar sweetened beverage, automobile, coal, fuel, and tobacco.

The Tax Reform Law will take effect this year.

The three other priority measures that became laws in 2017 were the RA 10929, RA 10928, and RA 10930, or the free internet access in public areas, the extension of the Philippine passport validity to ten from five years, and the driver's license to five from three years, respectively.

The president also signed RA 10965, or the General Appropriations Act, allotting a P3.7-trillion national budget for 2018, which is 12 percent higher than the 2017 budget.

A number of bills that provide social services also became law.

Among these was the grant of free tuition and other fees in state universities and colleges, or RA 10931. The law also provides subsidies or stipend for poor students and establishes a student loan program.

RA 10932, meanwhile, strengthens the provision of emergency health care service to patients by prohibiting medical practitioners from demanding advance payments from patients needing immediate care.

December 8 was declared a national special non-working holiday through RA 10966, in celebration of the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Concepcion.

RA 10927 amended the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 by extending its coverage to include casinos.

People spreading false news may be penalized by imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to P200,000 through RA 10951, which amends the 87-year-old Revised Penal Code.

RA 10952 postponed barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections from October 23 to the second Monday of May 2018.

Duterte also signed RA 10925 and RA 10926 into law, which respectively extended the franchise of GMA Network and Smart Communications, Inc.

Some laws railroaded?

While the majority of Congress was expected to back administration measures, opposition congressman Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said some bills did not undergo the proper procedures.

"The problem is before it is passed, there must be sufficient deliberation and debate so that the bill or measure is perfected. Pass it in its good form...This never happened," Lagman said.

Lagman claimed the tax reform law and the second extension of the martial law in Mindanao until the end of December 2018 are examples of what he calls railroaded measures.

He added the public should take an active role in calling for sufficient debate and consideration of bills to avoid undue haste in approving priority measures.

House Majority Leader Rudy Farinas earlier said those questioning House proceedings could either raise the concern at the plenary or contest them in courts.

He also insisted bills approved in Congress went through the proper process.

CNN Philippines' Correspondent Joyce Ilas contributed to this report.
Story updated to include PAGASA's 11 a.m. advisory.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 3)  "Agaton" (international name: "Bolaven"), which left two dead and hundreds displaced in the Visayas, has intensified into a Tropical Storm.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's (PAGASA) 11 a.m. bulletin on Wednesday, Agaton now packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 80 kph.

The storm was spotted 390 kilometers west northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, still moving west at 25 kilometers per hour (kph).

PAGASA has also lifted all tropical cyclone warning signals.

The agency said moderate-to-heavy rains are expected over the Bicol Region and the provinces of Rizal, Aurora and Quezon, adding that residents of these areas must be careful for possible flooding and landslides.

It added that travel is risky over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and Southern Luzon, eastern seaboard of Central Luzon, eastern and western seaboards of the Visayas and eastern seaboard of Mindanao.

Agaton first made landfall over Siargao Island on Tuesday morning, and continued to cross the Bohol Sea, causing floods in Central Visayas. It made landfall over Palawan Wednesday morning.

PAGASA said Agaton is expected to leave Philippine territory by Wednesday afternoon.

Local governments suspended classes for Wednesday, January 3, due to the effects of the Agaton.

Read: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions for Jan. 3 due to 'Agaton'

2 dead, hundreds displaced

Capiz Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) action officer Esperidion Pelaez said 152 families were displaced by the storm, which caused flooding in 117 of 473 barangays in Capiz.

These affected barangays are in the towns of Maayon, Sigma, Cuartero, Mambusao, Dumalag, Dao,Panit-an, Pontevedra, Dumarao, Panay, and Tapaz.

Pelaez also said the towns of Mambusao and Sigma are "catch basins," which make them prone to flooding during torrential rains.

Meanwhile, two people died in Cebu after Agaton dumped rains over the province since December 31, according to the provincial disaster management office.

On New Year's Eve  when Agaton was still a low pressure area  at least 200 people were rescued in Toledo City, Cebu, according to the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

The Toledo City local disaster management office reported at least 800 individuals are seeking shelter in evacuation centers.

Stringer Elyrose Naorbe contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Please refresh the page for updates.
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 2)  Two people have died in Cebu after tropical depression "Agaton" dumped rains over the province, according to the provincial disaster management office.

Both casualties were from Malabuyoc town in Cebu.

Flora Matas, 64 years old from Barangay Looc, died after a landslide happened near her home at around 3 to 4pm.

Meanwhile, 39-year-old Richie Pimentel of Barangay Sto. Nino, hit his head on a concrete pavement. The incident happened before dawn, and power was also out in Cebu due to strong rains.

Agaton, which is headed toward Palawan as of Tuesday noon, also stranded more than 3,000 passengers in different ports all over Eastern and Central Visayas, as well as in Northern Mindanao, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The tropical depression, which entered the Philippines as a low pressure area on New Year's Eve, also prompted people to evacuate.

The NDRRMC said as of today, more than 600 families preemptively evacuated in the provinces of Capiz, Zamboanga del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Island, and Agusan del Norte.

At least 200 people were rescued in Toledo City, Cebu amid rising floodwaters on December 31, according to Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. Around 800 individuals, meanwhile, are seeking shelter in evacuation centers in Toledo City.

READ: Signal no. 1 up in some areas as 'Agaton' heads toward Palawan
While some in the tristate area real estate industry have sounded the alarms about what the new federal tax plan could mean for the housing market, one local brokerage executive remains unruffled.

Ive been reading a lot about what people think will happen, and I cant help but think how people actually make their decisions around buying a home, said Ryan Raveis, co-president of William Raveis, which is based in Shelton and has offices around Connecticut and New England. People dont making home-ownership decisions based on the tax code; theyre more driven by the place they want to live and school system. ... Were much more optimistic about Connecticut in 2018.

The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which President Donald Trump signed into law on Dec. 22, limited or eliminated many itemized deductions previously allowed by the Internal Revenue Service, such as those for state and local property taxes as well as mortgage interest. Under the new law, homeowners can itemize deductions on up to $10,000 of state and local property taxes.

Leading up to the laws passage, Michael Barbaro, president of the Connecticut Association of Realtors, voiced his dismay for the plan. We ... believe this is particularly detrimental to our housing market, as it eliminates many of the key deductions that are instrumental in the home-buying process, he said.

Though many southwestern Connecticut homeowners will likely see their tax bills rise, some Realtors along the state line have said communities could lure home buyers from New York and New Jersey.

We all think it may drive some (buyers) from Westchester (County) and New Jersey here because taxes are so much lower, Greenwich Realtor Jane Brash of Coldwell Banker said several weeks before the plan became law.

Raveis said his brokerage is more focused on tracking indicators he says are better reflections of what drive home-buying decisions. Were less concerned about the tax code than we are about average earnings of workers in the state, and weve seen that decline in recent years, he said. This (tax law) has been a big topic for a long time, but we can refocus on things that are really important to home values. The tax plan will have an impact but it wont be top of mind when people are buying a home.

According to Raveis, border towns already benefit from their lower property taxes relative to New York and New Jersey. They will likely continue to gain from that tax comparison, he said, but added, I think some of those predictions are overblown.

Overall, it wont have a huge impact on the housing market. In the long term, we could get better growth out of it. That will be a hot topic in the 2018 governors race. ... I cant underscore how important bringing jobs to Connecticut is and the importance of what Connecticut does to attract people to its cities.

Contact the writer at mbennett@greenwichtime.com; Twitter @Macaela_
In my rabbinic study, amidst several different eras of American flags, is a portrait of President Abraham Lincoln.

When I feel especially frustrated by the seeming lack of bipartisan political leadership, I reflect on Lincoln's wisdom, leadership and personal faith. It's the latter, which for some, has been questioned.

Lincoln was not a believer in a specific form of a Christian institutional religion. He never belonged to a specific church, and his documented belief in God was universalistic. Perhaps it's Lincoln's non-orthodox Christianity that I find personally appealing as an American Jew.

He was able to witness God, not by a limited particularistic lens, but rather with a multi-focal, ethical monotheistic prescription, much in the same way as his biblical patriarchal namesake, Abraham.

Lincoln perceived that within our world there is right from wrong, and certain truths are in fact self-evident. While Lincoln's Gettysburg address of 1863 is the most familiar to us, his words were anchored in previously stated beliefs. In 1858, during a speech at Lewistown, Ill., he noted regarding the framers of the Declaration of Independence:

These communities, by their representatives in old Independence Hall, said to the whole world of men: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

This was their majestic interpretation of the economy of the Universe. This was their lofty, and wise and noble understanding of the justice of the Creator to His creatures.

Yes, gentlemen, to all His creatures, to the whole great family of man. In their enlightened belief, nothing stamped with the Divine image and likeness was sent into the world to be trodden on, and degraded, and imbruted by its fellows.

They grasped not only the whole race of man then living, but they reached forward and seized upon the farthest posterity. They erected a beacon to guide their children and their children's children, and the countless myriads who should inhabit the earth in other ages.

Wise statesmen as they were, they knew the tendency of prosperity to breed tyrants, and so they established these great self-evident truths, that when in the distant future some man, some faction, some interest, should set up the doctrine that none but rich men, or none but white men, were entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, their posterity might look up again to the Declaration of Independence and take courage to renew the battle which their fathers began -- so that truth, and justice, and mercy, and all the humane and Christian virtues might not be extinguished from the land; so that no man would hereafter dare to limit and circumscribe the great principles on which the temple of liberty was being built.

Lincoln's citation of "Christian virtues" is still his own era's bias. They are in fact the virtues as witnessed by Abraham the patriarch and taught moving forward to all his children.

Lincoln's personal faith was grounded within the attribute of humility, cited as the preeminent attribute of Moses within our Torah.

In 1862, President Lincoln was visited by Eliza Gurney and three of her Quaker friends. Eliza had come with no agenda other than to express her belief that President Lincoln was "an instrument of God." Lincoln was moved by the sincere prayerful intentions of his visitors and he said to them as they departed:

"... I have desired that all my words and actions may be in accordance with his will; but if, after endeavoring to do my best with the light which he affords me, I find my efforts fail, then I must believe that, for some purpose unknown to me, he wills it otherwise.

If I had had my way, this war would never have been; but, nevertheless, it came. If I had had my way, the war would have ended before this; but, nevertheless, it still continues. We must conclude that he permits it for some wise purpose, though we may not be able to comprehend it; for we cannot but believe that he who made the world still governs it....."

Lincoln was a politician; suited for his office. Like the war-time Churchill, most recognize Lincoln as being ideally chosen perhaps by God, and certainly by the majority vote of America's eligible citizenry of the time.

Legend and fact may not be congruent, but there is the historical reality of what we now have within our country as opposed to what existed before. Self-evident truths are now much better codified as the law of the land. In Lincoln's era there were limitations in the scope of vision. In our era, our own limitations still exist; we still struggle to see God's image equally in the faces of all human beings. But we are doing a much better job with our divine prescription, and we can continue to do even better.

Lincoln can further inspire us, just as Abraham the patriarch inspires us. Every political leader who truly becomes an "instrument of God" can inspire us. This is an instrument that will see no exceptions to all human beings created equally, even amidst our own prejudicial discomfort.

I pray God will help deliver to us more of his divinely tuned "instruments" and a lot less of the tuneless "instruments."

Rabbi Mitchell M. Hurvitz is Senior Rabbi Temple Sholom of Greenwich, co-founder of the Sholom Center for Interfaith Learning and Fellowship and a past president of the Greenwich Fellowship of Clergy For an archive of past Greenwich Citizen columns, please visit www.templesholom.com
GREENWICH  The battle against cancer has long been fought on many fronts and since 2001, the Netter family has focused on the possibilities of gene therapy.

Greenwich residents Edward and Barbara Netter founded the Alliance for Cancer Gene Therapy as a nonprofit after the death of their daughter in law Kimberly from breast cancer. Edward Netter died in 2011, but Barbara Netter has kept the fight going to bring new treatments to the forefront. The Stamford-based alliance is the only nonprofit in the country dedicated to gene and immunotherapy research.

To that end, the ACGT said 2017 was a big year as two treatments were approved by the Food and Drug Administration that utilize CAR-T cell therapies, in which these white blood cells are bonded to proteins, enabling patients to use their own immune systems to fight tumors.

The process involves drawing blood and separating out the T cells, which are engineered with receptors before being expanded in the lab and put back into the body to, hopefully, multiply and attack the cancer cells.

The FDA gave the go-ahead to Kymriah as a treatment for pediatric leukemia and Yescarta for advanced B-cell lymphoma, which are just the kind of advances sought by the nonprofit. And more is on the horizon.

The goal now is to develop gene therapy that will treat all forms of cancer, Margaret Cianci, ACGTs executive director, said on Tuesday. We want to accelerate this in 2018, especially with solid tumors. We want to better understand the tumor micro environments to understand how some forms of cancer become metastasized and how we can treat it.

ACGT has already issued three grants with a focus on ovarian cancer, brain cancer and sarcoma in soft tissue. Cianci said one of those grants provides direct funding for a trial that has enrolled nine ovarian cancer patients at the University of Pennsylivania.

The nonprofit had given a grant in 2004 to Carl June from the University of Pennsylvania, which was critical in work that led to published results in 2011 in a clinical trial against leukemia and to the FDA approval last September.

In a press release celebrating what it called a banner year in cancer immunotherapy process, John Walter, the CEO and president of ACGT, added the approval by the FDA was a major milestone.

We anticipate it will help accelerate the speed at which we will see even more gene-based therapies come to fruition, Walter said.

ACGT, which is based in Stamford, is continuing its work to fund scientific research in the field. A gala was held in New York City last spring that raised more than $500,000, which went into funding additional grants for cancer gene and cell therapy-based research.

The Netter familys commitment to ACGT began after their daughter in laws death. At the time, the couple were told immunotherapy, where the immune system is used to treat cancer, was too risky.

The Netter family first became interested in the possibilities of gene and cell therapy after a symposium at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. Barbara Netter said she regrets her husband, whom she called one of the primary promulgators of gene therapy, didnt live to see the advances.

This is the golden age, Netter said. To me, this is the first of many advancements which are to come and will be one of the great accomplishments of the century.

More information is online at www.acgtfoundation.org and the ACGT also has a presence on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.com
GREENWICH  A local man finishing a real-estate transaction reported a financial crime on Thursday, a loss of hundreds of thousasnds of dollars.

The man received an email from a person he believed to be his attorney in California, looking to authorize the transfer of funds for an escrow account. The local man authorized the transfer of tens of thousands of dollars to an account.

Later, the local man found that the email was faked, and the money went missing. Local police are investigating.

Police Lt. John Slusarz said corrupted web sites and fake emails are a new way financial criminals are looking to steal money.

Make sure you take a close look, the lieutenant said, especially when financial transactions are being done.

Faked emails typically contain a very close imitation of a real email address  The letters can be different, the lieutenant noted. Similarly, a corrupted web site will look very similar to a real one, with some slight modifications.
December 31 marked the last night for the Fieri New York flagship. Photo: Getty Images

The wind whipping across 44th Street made the evening air feel like a soul-destroying zero degrees, but in the distance I thought I could make out some flames. Or, at the very least, some neon. It was 6:45 p.m. on New Years Eve  set to be the second coldest in New York City history  and I was in a line that stretched half a block, waiting to get into Guy Fieris Times Square restaurant on what would be its final night in business.

The doors were supposed to open at 7 p.m., but entry was slow. The staff seemed unprepared to handle a crowd of this size, almost as if they didnt expect this many people to actually show up. Down the block, I noticed the awning for Sardis, a Theater District institution that has become synonymous with Broadway, embodying whats left of the citys old-world charm. Guys American Kitchen & Bar, on the other hand, is the ultimate expression of Times Squares 25-year-long Disneyfication. Just five years ago, the Blue Stein Group  owners of New Yorks various Heartland Breweries  apparently saw this stretch as the perfect location to open the crown jewel of the Guy Fieri restaurant portfolio, which now includes outposts in Orlando, Playa del Carmen, and the Poconos. When the Manhattan restaurant opened in 2012, the message was clear: The barbarians had finally crashed the gates.

The restaurant was always ridiculous, of course, but not in the ways that its operators intended. The place was beset by chaos, both gastronomically and aesthetically. The fact that Fieri merely licensed his name, rather than oversaw its details, only escalated the parody of its cult of personality. The sinews of late-capitalist American bloat all converged onto this one particular place in this one particular neighborhood to represent everything that America would stand for. The Kushners even bought the building in 2015. And yet imagine the shock of learning, just last week, that Guys was kaput: The restaurant sported another ten years on its lease. It raked in roughly $16 million annually against $1.8 million in yearly rent. On paper, it was one of the most successful restaurants in America, even though it famously inspired one of historys most savage critical reviews.

Perhaps the fact that Guys American Kitchen & Bar somehow couldnt survive its political analogs first year in office, in a building owned by the family of his son-in-law, lent a weird sort of pathos to the proceedings.

Anticipation building in subzero temperatures. Photo: Evan Davis

When I finally got to the front of the line, the staff informed me that I did not have the proper ticket for entry, despite the fact that I had never been given details on how to acquire one. They demanded that I return to the elements while I figure it out, and never has so pure a survival instinct kicked in. I stood my ground, and at some point, let them know that I already couldnt feel my face. Eventually, they relented and let me in.

The base rate to even get in the door was $140 after fees. That bought access to an open bar and a buffet. VIP packages ran as high as $800 per person. Who would want to spend their New Years Eve in the company of Guy Fieris fever dream for that kind of money? Everyone, it seemed.

All three floors were packed to the gills; every VIP table was spoken for. I shared a drink with Erin and her husband, a young couple from northern Virginia. Why did they decide to attend? We came here last night, and when they told us that they were closing after New Years Eve, we had to come back! Erin declared. That was as excited an affirmation of a Fieri fan as I could find.

I had arrived hoping for the Fieri faithful. But the crowd gathered at this holy site for its final benediction was merely a cross section of an average Broadway crowd, with all of the awkwardness of a wedding reception. There were tourists both foreign and domestic. There were outer-borough locals and folks from upper Manhattan. There were couples and packs of families with young kids. There were bros from New Jersey and Long Island looking to get wild. Some were there because they liked Fieri, but most were there simply because it was the only open establishment that close to the ball drop, and arent we all supposed to ring in the new year in Times Square?

Yaaaay! Photo: Evan Davis

Nobody was having a bad time, per se, but the fun was as strained as it was inorganic. Strangers were forced to share VIP tables. The dance floor was raucous only out of obligation. A married woman from Michigan demanded that her new friends get out there and boogie with her. Men in fleece pullovers stood along the wall, beers in hand, watching the action and lightly bobbing their heads.

One young man danced alone like no one was watching.

Every once in a while, the 40-something DJ would cry out: SCREEEEEEEEAM. He ruined Bodak Yellow by mixing it with an absolutely ghastly trap beat. Yet when he insisted that all the single people put their hands in the air, I couldnt find it in my heart to refuse him.

Because there was no regular meal service, we were all unable to experience the restaurants Big Flavors. No Guy-talian Nachos, no Big Bite Caesar, and nary a cup of Dragons Breath Chili. There wasnt a drop of Donkey Sauce in sight. Instead, the buffet provided some Motley Que Ribs, penne vodka, and what might be considered a cheese selection in only the most charitable of terms.

Photo: Evan Davis

Eleven oclock rolled around and the crowd began to thin. Kids needed to be put to bed. People wanted to beat the traffic before midnight. Everyone was tired after partying for four hours. As people left, a sense of unavoidable finality hung over Flavortown, whose population was rapidly dwindling. Nobody cared that Guys American Kitchen & Bar would soon be no more. New Yorks well of Donkey Sauce had finally run dry.

We dutifully pushed toward our fate. I found myself debating gun rights with Erin, her husband, and a Chinese accountant as the plastic Champagne flutes were handed out, mere moments before the ball dropped. When midnight struck, no confetti was thrown inside of Guys American Kitchen & Bar. Instead, a bartender tossed some cocktail napkins in the air.

The place cleared out in a hurry after that. Nobody seemed interested in extending the life of this once-proud landmark. By the time the clock struck one, it was all over. The bar manager bought everyone one last round while the remaining revelers obligingly collected their belongings and ventured back out into the subzero winds. The staff swept up the empty dance floor, preparing to switch off the lights one last time, and my mind strayed to Ozymandias:

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.
Accolade appoints David White UK head of marketing

By Lisa Riley

Accolade Wines has appointed David White to the role of UK marketing director, with effect from January 4th 2018.

White, former director and general manager of Moet Hennessy Diageo Singapore, brings 20 years of experience within the wine and spirits industry having worked on global brands from Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker to Cloudy Bay and Krug Champagne.

Whites international sales and global marketing experience spans the US, UK, Asia and Europe.

In his new role, which has been covered on a temporary basis by Accolade's EMEA marketing director Paul Hillier, White will report directly to Ade McKeon - general manager UK and Ireland.

White would form an integral part of the UK commercial team ensuring it continued to drive value in the wine category and develop Accolades power brands, while "exploring new territories and opportunities", said McKeon, adding it was fantastic to have White joining at a "very exciting time in the companys evolution".

Headquartered in Australia, Accolade exports to more than 100 countries around the globe, including Australia, UK, mainland Europe, the US, Canada, Japan, New Zealand and China. Its brands include Hardys, Kumala, Echo Falls and Banrock Station.
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Explosion at major Venezuela refinery injures two

A furnace exploded during a unit restart at Venezuelas largest refining complex, injuring two workers, sources told Reuters on December 28. The explosion occurred at the naphtha reformer of the Cardon refinery on the Paraguana peninsula, the sources said. The two victims are receiving medical treatment.

Stock image

State-run Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) did not immediately respond to a request for information.



The Cardon facility is part of the largest refining complex in the country and one of the largest in the world with a capacity of 955,000 barrels per day (bpd). However, operations have been negatively impacted by lack of resources to maintain and upgrade plant, as well as a lack of crude to process.



Production at the complex was reported as 34% of potential capacity in October 2017, down from 43% in 2016.



Contact Details and Archive...
(Bloomberg) Bridgewater Associates executive Bruce Steinberg and his family were among 10 Americans killed when a charter plane crashed into a mountain in Costa Rica on Sunday.

The Bridgewater family lost Bruce Steinberg (a senior investor at Bridgewater and a wonderful man) and his family, Ray Dalio, the founder of the Westport, Connecticut-based hedge fund, said in a statement on social media Monday. Right now, we are each processing this devastating tragedy in our own ways. At this time I will be devoting my attentions to doing this and helping others.

Steinberg, his wife Irene, and their sons William, Zachary and Matthew were aboard the single-engine plane when it crashed in the northwestern province of Guanacaste shortly after takeoff, according to the New York Times. Other people in the Cessna operated by Nature Air included four members of a family from Florida, another American and two Costa Rican crew members, the newspaper said. All died.

To read this article:
(Reuters) Activist investor William Ackmans Pershing Square PHS.AS and Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX.TO) on Friday decided to pay $290 million to settle a lawsuit that accused them of insider trading before bidding for Allergan Plc (AGN.N) in 2014. Pershing Square said it decided to raise its share of the settlement to 66.8 percent, or $193.75 million, in a bid to quickly wind up the litigation, which it claimed had no merit.

To read this article:
The clear message of the centenary year was that Finlands course has been successful, and that this is a good path to take into the future. The theme of the centenary year was together; this was seen as the secret of our success and also the key to our future, he stated in his speech on New Years Day .

Finns and Finland should not forget the main theme of the centenary independence celebrations together after the year of commemoration, says President Sauli Niinisto.

There is diversity, people have different backgrounds, convictions and goals, we have a right to disagree. This is something we must be able to respect, however differently we ourselves might think.

He also broached on a number of more topical issues.

The Finnish economy, he said, may have returned to a strong growth path but has yet to reach the levels preceding the global financial crisis that erupted in 2008. The growth, however, has not been the only driver of public and private consumption as stimulus measures adopted by central banks have made loans more readily available.

We must now note that our indebted economy is also very dependent on the policy of major central banks, said Niinisto.

The warning that abundant funding has been channelled into increased debts and asset values is well founded. Tighter monetary policy, which is inevitable in the world at some stage, will lead to a more challenging situation. Reasonable caution is now called for.

He pointed out that technological advances are creating entirely new industrial sectors and moulding the very nature of work. Finland must according to him do its utmost not only to keep step with the development but also to foster the know-how required to become a global leader in the development.

Niinisto stated that the upheavals taking place all around the world also affect the foreign and security policy situation of Finland. North Koreas escalating armaments development, for example, has added to an already lengthy list of security threats.

Such developments, he said, are discussed and regulated increasingly by the major powers of China, Russia and the United States but decreasingly by the likes of the European Union and United Nations.

Of course, dialogue between major powers is a good thing, Niinisto admitted, adding that there seems to be room also for small mediators. Finland is more than pleased to provide good services when required. Finland is also active in supporting stability and dialogue in the Baltic Sea area, Arctic areas and also globally.

But as far as we are concerned, the problem is the missing seats: the EU has remained on the sidelines and the role of the UN seems to be diminishing.

Niinisto also reminded that climate change is not a matter of opinion but a real threat  a realisation that came too late for many and would have come even later had it not been for those sounding the alarm bells.

Now is the time to act, not at the normal pace, but quickly. We are running behind.

Finland, he added, is ready to assume responsibility for combating climate change. The country has increased its international climate funding and remains committed to the objectives laid out in the Paris Agreement. The domestic technology industry, additionally, is doing its part by developing sustainable solutions.

Each of us must assume and take responsibility; our way of life is resulting in a critical burden on our [planet]. The world does not exist solely for us, but for continuity. It is ours to safeguard and pass on.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Jussi Nukari  Lehtikuva
The two news outlets measured confidence in leading policy makers by asking the survey respondents to select any number of politicians from a list of 22 candidates who they believe should have more political power. The survey was conducted between 8 and 18 December by Tietoykkonen.

Most Finns would give more political power to President Sauli Niinisto, finds a survey commissioned by Iltalehti and Uusi Suomi.

Two-thirds (66%) of the 1,500 people surveyed indicated that they would give more power to President Sauli Niinisto, who is currently campaigning for a second six-year term in the Presidential Palace.

Niinisto is therefore by far the most popular policy maker in Finland. The only policy maker to come even close to rivalling his popularity is Pekka Haavisto, the presidential candidate of the Green League, who should have more political power according to almost four in ten (39%) of respondents.

The popularity of the two frontrunners in the ongoing presidential race may not have come as a surprise, unlike that of some of the other policy makers included in the survey.

Over a quarter (26%) of respondents stated that they would increase the political powers of Li Andersson, the chairperson of the Left Alliance. Her popularity among the general public, however, has yet to translate to a significant up-tick in that of the opposition party, which according to recent opinion polls is hovering between eight and nine per cent.

The fourth place in the popularity ranking is shared by Sari Essayah, the chairperson of the Christian Democrats, and Jan Vapaavuori (NCP), the Mayor of Helsinki. Almost a quarter (23%) of respondents would give more political power to Essayah and Vapaavuori.

The Christian Democratic Party, similarly to the Left Alliance, is notably less popular than its chairperson: YLE has reported that the opposition party would win no more than four per cent of the vote if the parliamentary elections were held today.

Roughly one-fifth of respondents would also give more power to Minister of Finance Petteri Orpo (23%), Prime Minister Juha Sipila (19%) and Antti Rinne (19%), the chairperson of the Social Democrats.

Timo Soini (BR) remains popular despite his decision to relinquish the presidency of and, later, his membership in the Finns Party. Soini, who recently announced he is re-considering his decision to walk away from active policy making after the current electoral term, should receive more power according to 17 per cent of respondents.

He is thus as popular as Merja Kyllonen, the presidential candidate of the Left Alliance. Kyllonen, in turn, is more popular than her rival candidates Matti Vanhanen (Centre), Tuula Haatainen (SDP) and Paavo Vayrynen (ind.).

Touko Aalto, who was elected as the chairperson of the Green League in May, should have more political power according to 14 per cent of respondents.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Photo: Martti Kainulainen  Lehtikuva

Source: Uusi Suomi
In the first hour of Christmas Eve, our 9-year-old grandson and his parents arrived here in Ohio after two long flights from their home in hurricane-ravaged St. Croix.

His recent life included 10 weeks without electricity in the U.S. territory full of U.S. citizens. In advance of his visit, Clayton asked for only one thing for Christmas: Please have snow in Cleveland.

On it, I said to only myself. But the will was strong.

Hours before they boarded their first of two flights, I texted a photo of Claytons name drawn in the fresh snow in our backyard, framed by a giant heart. His mother sent an audio text of his screamed response: Sno-o-o-o-w!

In my grandsons eyes, at least, Grandmas still got game.

At Clevelands airport, my husband had barely pulled to a stop in the arrivals lane before I jumped out and dashed through the sliding doors with three coats in my arms. There they were, our St. Croix crew, hovered together in a collective shiver as the doors repeatedly parted to usher in another gust of winter.

On the 20-minute drive to our home in the city, we did what happily reunited families do, talking over one another and laughing every time we did. When we pulled in to our development, we were greeted by a family of deer gathered around the gazebo in the small public park.

We have counted as many as 13 deer visiting the park at once. On this Christmas Eve, there were only six, maybe seven, but it was more than enough for us. We hooted and hollered, but they are used to that here. They looked at us as if they were trying not to laugh.

If theyre here, Clayton said, Santa cant be far away.

A quick, short silence fell over the car. Wed thought those days were behind us with our eldest grandson. You bet, Grandpa said, and we all erupted with the enthusiasm of believers.

This is the week of countless stories about New Years resolutions and columns by people who think you want to know all about theirs. I am not one of them; I promise.

Id rather feel hopeful about the new year. A long list of resolutions, considered at its source, is a litany of our flaws. I should do this better. I must stop doing that. I have to change this, this and this about me. The longer we go on the more pathetic we appear to be. Its our habit to focus on our imperfections, but my, how this documentation of our discontent magnifies our lens. Its a small miracle that we ever leave our homes.

Recently, with our six grandchildren in mind, I bought a set of four handmade coasters with messages of hope, to sprinkle throughout the house. They are ceramic tiles illustrated with winged children wearing paper crowns and wielding wands. Each coaster bears a message that, in appearance, resembles a ransom note cut from magazines. Fortunately, the inscriptions are less menacing.

Sometimes it ends up different, and its better that way.

Youll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut.

Be you. The world will adjust.

And my favorite, right now: In a world where you can be anything, be kind. As resolutions go, that pretty much covers it.

It snowed throughout the day on Christmas Eve. In the 10th hour, our grandson pulled on a pair of my boots and his winter coat we had stored for a year. Grandpa grabbed the leash for our dog, Franklin, and we left the parents behind as the four of us took a walk in the falling snow.

The snow had worked its magic. Trees sparkled as we walked down the middle of empty streets. Repeatedly, we lifted our faces to the cascade of snowflakes.

Its true, Clayton said as he walked ahead of me. This really is the best time of the year. He turned to face me, his arms opened wide. I held on to him for as long as he let me.

We were almost back to our house, when our grandson shared with us his current policy.

Ive decided that this year, I want to believe in Santa, he said. Sometimes the world is a better place if you dont know everything about it.
Pro-choice group firm in mission despite SCOTUS ruling

Since the Roe v. Wade ruling by the Supreme Court in 1973, opponents have worked to overturn it. With the new court, they have been more honest and straightforward  they want to get rid of Roe, said Karrie Galloway, Planned Parenthood of Utah president and CEO. Wednesdays decision regarding abortion laws in Texas moves those opponents one step closer. The Texas law prohibits abortion as soon as a heartbeat can be detected, which is typically around six weeks into a pregnancy. This law, according to Planned Parenthood and multiple news sources, was written to avoid any legal ...
Rural distress dominated discussions around the political-economy in 2017, and will likely continue to do so in 2018, much to the consternation of political incumbents. Those in opposition will be looking forward to harvesting this anger for their own benefit.

One question is worth asking though. Where is the farmer-politician in all this? Is there a debate among those who claim to represent farmers? Almost every party would like to promise farm-loan waivers, more input subsidies and higher Minimum Support Prices (MSPs). Is it the case that we have near political unanimity regarding what needs to be done to address the problems of the agrarian economy?

It is difficult to disagree with some things such as the need to create non-farm employment on a large scale and the need for putting more money in agricultural R&D. Unanimity on these first principles, however, should not mean there is no conflict of interest in the agrarian economy.

Indian farmers are a heterogeneous lot. Most of them own small patches of land. A small minority still owns large tracts of it. Most of the big landowners do not work on their own fields. They either lease out land or get hired labour to do the job. Are the interests of these two very different groups aligned with each other? Rural inequality was an important fault-line in the first few decades of Indias polity after independence.

Communist parties used the promise of land redistribution to mobilise the small peasantry and landless against the big landowners. The strategy paid political dividends in states such as West Bengal and Kerala. It generated bloody conflicts in states such as Bihar.

Communists were not the only ones who relied on the peasantry to capture political power. We also had what is often referred to as the kulak (what Russians called their big farmers) politics in Indias green revolution belt. Leaders such as Mahendra Singh Tikait were capable of bringing the national capital to a standstill to make sure that farmers received higher prices for their crops or had their electricity bills waived off.

Both small and large farmers had their relevance in the political economy.

In the traditional feudal village, the landlord used exploitation not innovation, to earn his surplus from agriculture. The sharecropper or farm labour would get very little of his produce despite putting in a lot of labour. Because he did not own enough land to make a living there was no choice but to work on the landlords fields. Even if he wanted to incur production-enhancing investment, there was no money for it. On the other hand, the landlord had no incentive to invest in farming. Investible funds were better suited in other businesses such as moneylending, where returns were higher and the risks much lower. Marxist economists have termed this as the basic asymmetry between capacity and inducement to investment in Indian agriculture. Communist parties promised to break this asymmetry by redistributing land. Still, overall production suffered and India had to depend on imports to meet its domestic food requirements.

Even when the green revolution technology was ready to be disseminated, there had to be some extra incentive for farmers to take up the additional risk in terms of buying high-yielding variety (HYV) seeds and fertilizers. Here came subsidised inputs and assured buying at MSPs. Already irrigated areas were chosen for these incentives. To put it crudely, the rich peasant in Punjab-Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh had to be bribed to provide food security for the country.

Both these factors have weakened considerably today. Even the poorest farm-worker in the village knows that wanting to own a part of his village land is not the best aspiration to have. He would rather work as a construction worker in a city for six months in a year than march with the communist parties or other forces to fight for land redistribution. India is now a major exporter of food and not worried about domestic food security at all. The powers that be would not be worried if a few thousand farmers decide to stop sowing HYV wheat.

Herein lies the crisis of farmer politicians. They have neither aspirations nor the power of coercion working for them. It is hardly surprising that dominant farmer castes are lending their support to agitations for reservations whose ultimate objective is to facilitate their exit from farming. Farmer-politics is a self-defeating exercise in todays India.

roshan.k@htlive.com
The power couple of Bollywood - superstar Akshay Kumar and actress Twinkle Khanna - have raised the temperatures with their latest photoshoot for Hello Magazine. The magazine shared the cover of their latest issue on their official Instagram page.

Khiladi Kumar was seen wearing a grey turtleneck while Twinkle Khanna gazed into his eyes and was seen wearing a simple black top.

Twinkle sported deep brown smokey eyes, nude lips, and sleek straight hair.

The issue talks about New Beginnings: Twinkle and Akshay on their latest project and their passion to create a change.

The couple is currently holidaying in Cape Town, South Africa with family. Twinkle recently celebrated her 43rd birthday and Akshays sweet tweet. Meanwhile, on the work front, Akshay Kumar is all set with his biggest release this year - Padman, hitting the theatres on January 26.

Directed by R Balki and produced by Twinkle Khanna, the movie is based on the life of Arunachalam Muruganantham, who brought a revolution by introducing a low-cost sanitary napkin machine for rural women, who do not have access to menstrual hygiene products.

The movie also stars Radhika Apte and Sonam Kapoor.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
Ever been surprised with a congratulations or a pat on the back for filling water bottles at home or making your bed, or literally anything that touches the bare minimum? If not, you can ask Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor how that feels.

The two Bollywood actors are the proud recipients of Star Screen Awards newly-introduced Nothing To Hide Award. They received the award for sharing the ups and downs of their careers and private lives honestly with their fans on social media. In simpler words, for posting selfies on Instagram.

The awards night was aired on Star Plus on New Years Eve but was recorded in early December. Both Shahid (who could not receive the award in person) and Kriti seemed quite proud in their acceptance speeches. Shahid called it cool and Kriti dedicated the award to her fans.

Twitter however, could not get over how obnoxiously forced the entire category sounds. Its Nothing To Hide Award Or Its Nothing To Hide Awards Shows Stupidity Award ??, a user wrote. So just gave away an award called Star Screen Nothing To Hide Award Even the actors are finding it hard now to not be sarcastic in their Thank You Speeches, noticed another.

Here are a few more reactions:

What kind of award is this ! Nothing to hide  https://t.co/1eH0ryM0fz  pitabashjena10 (@pitabashjena101) December 31, 2017

So what exactly is a "Nothing to hide" award?  pic.twitter.com/mUFAfqh0X7  PADMAVATIIIIIIII (@shahidskudi) December 31, 2017

"Iss saal hum star screen award mein nayi category introduce karne wale hain, nothing to hide award"

Me: pic.twitter.com/J3558Tq7EW   (@roundorocks) December 31, 2017

: #StarScreenAwards So there is an category of Nothing to Hide award? What shit? And that also given to Kriti Sanon and not Sunny Leone   Abbas Khambati (@Oye_its_Abbas) December 31, 2017

Just when I thought  zee cine awards werre the most faltu one

..star screen proves me wrong!



Amd aye btw @shahidkapoor u Still received award :p even thou u didn't attend! Hmm https://t.co/IjJXx4rTcy  wonderfully weird (@NutellaLover_x) December 31, 2017

Ok apparently they wanted to award Shahid despite not attending but a "best dancer" or "best-looking man" award for a change would do it too if not then "most stylish" again but "nothing to hide"?!  https://t.co/nnFCiYLOg9  PADMAVATIIIIIIII (@shahidskudi) December 31, 2017

Nothing to hide award.

WTAF. Hadd kar di hai ab toh  Jayesh (@Jayesh_) December 31, 2017

There is a "Nothing to Hide Award" being given away on #starscreenawards. Wow. They really don't give any fucks now.  Vinit Gandhi (@vinitgandhi_) December 31, 2017

Other gems from the awards night include a Star Screen Nayi Soch Award, doled out to Dangal director Nitesh Tiwari. However, even this seems quite mature compared to Zee Cine Awards Extraordinary Impact Award, Extraordinary Legend Award, Extraordinary Franchise Award and more.

Maybe it is time to start giving awards to whoever comes up with the most creative categories.

Follow @htshowbiz for more
The government on Tuesday said the proposed Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance (FRDI) Bill, 2017 seeks to protect and enhance depositors existing rights and bring in a comprehensive and efficient resolution regime for financial firms.

According to the Ministry of Finance, there is presently no comprehensive and integrated legal framework for resolution, including liquidation, of financial firms in India.

The ministry said that current resolution instruments available under respective legislations are limited, and so is guidance on the process leading up to the resolution.

The current resolution regime is especially inappropriate for private sector financial firms in the light of significant expansion of private financial firms and many of these acquiring systemically important status in India, the ministry said in a statement.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 has introduced in the country a comprehensive resolution regime for mainly non-financial firms, but such a regime is not available in the country for financial firms.

The ministry said the FRDI Bill proposes to establish a Resolution Corporation and a comprehensive regime to enable timely and orderly resolution of a failing financial firm.

It provides for detecting incipient insolvencies in financial firms by introducing a five-stage health classification of financial firms and stepping in to appropriately nurse a financial firm at the stage when its health becomes weak and it is classified in the category of material risk to viability, the statement said.

FRDI Bill also introduces a menu of resolution tools, including transfer of whole or parts of the assets and liabilities of a financial firm to another person, acquisition, merger or amalgamation, bridge service provider, and bail-in, and mandates recovery and resolution planning obligations to enable careful monitoring of risk to viability of a financial firm.

On the Bail-in provision of FRDI Bill, the ministry said that it has only been proposed as one of the tools to be used in the event a financial firm is sought to be sustained by resolution.

Bail-in amounts to liabilities holders bearing a part of the cost of resolution by reduction in their claims. Bail-in is only one of many resolution tools in the FRDI Bill; others are acquisition, merger and bridge service provider, and is to be used either singly or in combination with other tools, the statement explained.

Bail in provision may not be required to be used in case of any specific resolution. Most certainly, it will not be used in case of a public sector bank as such a contingency is not likely to arise.

The ministry added that FRDI Bill does not prohibit the central government from extending support to banks, including PSBs.

Governments implicit guarantee for solvency of public sector banks remains unaffected as the government remains committed to adequately capitalise the public sector banks and improve their financial health, the ministry said.

The government is committed to protecting the existing protection to depositors and providing additional protection to them.

At present, the FRDI Bill which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on August 10, 2017 is under the consideration of the Joint Committee of Parliament, which is consulting all the stakeholders on the provisions of the FRDI Bill.

The Joint Committee of Parliament has been asked to submit their Report to the Parliament by the last day of the Budget Session, 2018, the statement added.

The government is awaiting the recommendations of the Joint Committee of Parliament in regard to the FRDI Bill and would favourably consider the recommendations.
Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the government has entered into an unchartered territory as far as bankruptcy and insolvency Code is concerned and would continue to modify the law dealing with the issue.

Insolvency and bankruptcy is an area in which it is only in the recent years that we have chartered into. It is a learning experience, the Minister said while winding up a debate on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Amendment Bill, which was later approved by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.

The government, Jaitley said, has been encountering situations which were not anticipated earlier and assured the House that it would continue to take corrective action.

The bill seeks to replace an ordinance which was promulgated in November to prevent unscrupulous persons from misusing or vitiating the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

The ineligible persons or entities will include undischarged insolvent, wilful defaulter and those whose accounts have been classified as non-performing asset.

These persons, however, can become eligible to submit a resolution plan if they clear all the overdue amounts with interest and other charges relating to their NPA accounts.

Those defaulters who had participated in the insolvency proceedings before November 23 can also bid for stressed assets provided they clear their dues in a month.

Responding to the concerns of the members, he said the whole effort was to make banking sector robust and detach it from politics.

You need a strong banking system ...You need banks which are able to lend money to large industries, to infrastrucute projects, to small industry, for educational loans. ...It is all part of the economy that you need a robust banking system, he said.

Jaitley said during the insolvency process, banks and unsecured creditors will have to take some haircut and if the same management comes back, nothing would change.

The objective of the bill is to allow creditors to move to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in case of insolvency.

We have now started that resolution process ...There are several hundereds of them and almost more than 500 have been disposed of. Creditors are using these procedures, the minister said.

He said large pending cases are broadly in two categories - one with large assets, functional plants and factories and the other are either trading companies or EPC companies with little assets.

Jaitley said as far as asset-owning companies are concerned, fetching the best prices is the target and any bid which is not viable can be rejected. It is for creditors to decide how much haircuts they want, he said.

Earlier, the Opposition had asked the government to identify willful defaulters of bank loans.

Former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram while initiating the debate on the bill supported it but pointed to various clauses which according to him would deter Indian companies from participating in the process.

I think one should have been a little more rigorous in the exclusion clauses. One should have kept exclusion to a very, very small number which definitely must be excluded. But I am afraid by making the clauses so broad, so over-inclusive, practically everybody in the financial world is likely to be excluded, Chidambaram said.

He said a major concern was lack of a bidder for a company as a going concern.

BJPs Bhupender Yadav while supporting the bill said over 500 applications for insolvency have been filed with the NCLT.

Naresh Aggarwal (SP) asked the government to throw light on insolvency professional and also asked if the bill would help in checking the NPAs of banks.

A Navaneethakrishnan of AIDMK supported the bill, saying agri loans and educational loans should be excluded from the purview of NPAs. Sukhendu Shekhar Roy (TMC) said there was a need to identify willful defaulters of bad loans.

Attacking the government for being non-serious on recovery of non-performing assets (NPAs) that are estimated to have touched Rs 10 lakh crore, D Raja (CPI) sought to know why the government is afraid of corporate companies and not publishing the names of defaulters.

Jairam Ramesh (Cong) raised concern about lenders taking big haircuts or discounts on claim value of NPAs and asked if this is going to be a norm.
The government on Tuesday said there have been complaints against banks that they do not accept coins for transactions at their branches.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has informed that it has been receiving general complaints from the public against banks for non-accepting coins, minister of state for finance Shiv Pratap Shukla said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.

However, there are no specific complaints that have been received against any bank, the minister added.

Also, the RBI has already advised the banks to accept coins for transactions and exchange at all their branches.

Shukla further said that the RBIs regional offices (ROs) have been instructed to advise controllers of banks in their jurisdiction to accept coins at all their branches.

RBIs ROs have also been advised to open counters to accept coins from public, he said.

In a separate reply to a related question, another minister of state for finance Pon Radhakrishnan said the legal tender validity of coins are defined under section 6 of the Indian Coinage Act, 2011 and the RBI has advised the public to continue to accept the rupees 10 coins as legal tender in all their transactions without any hesitation.

The minister was responding to a query why even after more than a year after demonetisation, public sector banks were still refusing to accept coins and what actions government took on clarifying on legal validity of coins.
Agriculture minister Subodh Uniyal has said the Mandi Parishad (marketing board) premises of Haldwani would be shifted away from its present location to the city outskirts where more land would be available for expansion work.

The statement is likely to trigger a furore in Haldwani, which is already caught in a row over the shifting of the nter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) proposed in Golapar. Congress veteran and Leader of Opposition Indira Hridyesh has warned the government of a massive protest with around 10,000 people if it didnt take back ack the decision to shift the proposed ISBT in Haldwani.

Incidentally, the word doing the round is that the Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT), which is to come up in Golapar area of Haldwani, may be shifted to the Mandi Parishad area because of its strategic location.

Uniyal contended that the mandis (market) of Dehradun and Rishikesh are situated on prime land and there is no more land for their extension. In this case, the mandis of both the cities may be moved to other places where there is availability of land. The prime land presently occupied by the mandis of Dehradun and Rishikesh will be used for other purposes, he said.



Haldwani Mandi parishad chairperson Sumit Hridyesh expressed surprise on hearing Uniyals statement. It has come as a shocker to me. We cant expect anything more from this government that is bent on undoing the development works carried out by the previous Congress government, the Congress leader said.

Many angry traders of Haldwani mandi have met me and opposed the move to shift to some other place. I will hold a press conference in a few days to protest the move.
Uttarakhand higher education and dairy development minister Dhan Singh Rawat, who remained in headlines for controversial orders like making dress code compulsory for teachers, students and singing of Vande Matram in colleges, is being trolled on the social media for his tour to Rajasthan on government expenses.

According to an official programme released on Monday, the minister will start five-day tour of Rajasthan from Wednesday and visit tourist places in Jaipur and Udaipur.

The itinerary include the ministers visit to a fort in Udaipur, vintage car museum, lzoo, Gulab Bagh, snow park etc.

In Jaipur, the minister will observe Amber Fort, Jaigar Fort, Hawa Mahal, Albert hall museum. The programme has no mention that for what purpose minister going to Rajasthan other than visiting places those of tourist interest.

The tour programme of a minister is released when a member of the cabinet makes an official visit. Means his and his staff expenses are borne by the government.

People on the social media expressed anger on ministers trip on government expenses.

Is he a tourism minister? What this trip (of minister) has to do with higher education or dairy development, wrote Dinesh Kathait on his Facebook timeline.

The government has repeatedly said it is short of funds for the contractual employees but there is no dearth of money to facilitate the ministers trip, commented Bel Singh Mahar.

The minister on Tuesday called this correspondent to clarify his position. He said he was unaware why his office released the programme without consulting him.

I will be consulting experts in Udaipur and Jaipur on the dairy development. There seems some confusion (on the proposed trip), he told HT.

Interestingly, chief minister TS Rawat had said his government was against misuse of the funds.
A Delhi court has awarded Rs 2.7 lakh maintenance to a woman who left a lucrative career in showbiz to be a housewife in 2000, and taken note of the uncertain nature of the film industry and the difficulties she may face in regaining a foothold in it.

Additional Sessions Judge A K Kuhara allowed the womans appeal seeking enhancement of maintenance in a domestic violence case lodged against her husband and raised the amount from Rs 1.7 lakh to Rs 2.7 lakh per month.

The court noted in its recent ruling that she was a filmmaker who had studied in the US and it was not easy for her to revive her career as she had remained away from her profession for 17 years.

It is an admitted fact that appellant has done a course in Film Making from United States of America. She got married with the respondent (husband) in the year 2000 and since then she is not working, the judge said.

Her qualification can be utilised only in the film industry which offers a very uncertain career and works on the principle of out of sight, out of mind, he added.

To regain her foothold in the film industry will not be an easy task, considering the mental state she must be having after her marriage broke, he stated.

The court also observed that a woman should not be dependent on a man for survival but at times even a working woman is devastated when her marriage crumbles.

It referred to gender equality in society and expectations that a woman should not be dependent on a man for her survival and sustenance, particularly when she has capacity to make her own living.

At the same time one has to consider the fact that many a times even a working women is so devastated when her marriage life crumbles that it take considerable time for her to gather the strength to bear the reality, the court said.

The judge also said that the husband maintained a high standard of living and the Rs 1 lakh awarded to the woman by the magisterial court was not sufficient.

I would say that the husband is maintaining a high standard of living which a person cannot achieve and maintain with the sum of Rs 1 lakh per month. Needless to add here that appellant being the wife is entitled to live the same lifestyle, the judge said.

The court also rejected the husbands contention that his wife had committed adultery, saying the matter was subjudice before a competent court and it was only an allegation which was not proved yet.

Considering the lifestyle which she is accustomed to, it would be appropriate to increase the interim maintenance subject to the final outcome of the petition under Domestic Violence Act, the court said.

The court noted that the trial court had awarded Rs 70,000 for alternate accommodation to her.

It is to be noted that appellant has been living with her husband in New Friends Colony which obviously is a class one colony inhabited by affluent people.

...reasonable want for accommodation can be met by awarding a sum of Rs 70,000 exclusively for her accommodation and for meeting her maintenance and ancillary expenses a sum of Rs two lakh will be justified at this stage considering the standard of living of husband and which has been enjoyed by the woman in the matrimonial home, it said.

The woman had challenged a 2015 order of the trial court awarding her Rs 1.7 lakh per month as interim maintenance including accommodation expenses.

In her complaint, the woman alleged that her husband and mother-in-law inflicted extreme torture. She sought maintenance and accommodation allowance claiming her husbands annual income was over Rs 60 lakh.

The husband, however, claimed innocence and contended that the woman was a qualified woman who has been working in film industry and was competent to earn her livelihood.
The Supreme Court (SC) is staring at a severe crisis: Indias top court has 25 judges against the sanctioned strength of 31, and if appointments do not happen on time, the gap could swell to an unprecedented 13 (7 more judges are set to retire this year). As the head of the Supreme Courts collegium, Justice Dipak Misra faces the tough challenge of finalising names of judges and sending them for approval to the Centre, which continues to have differences with the judiciary over finalising of a new Memorandum of Procedure (MoP) to appoint judges to the SC and high courts.

The stand-off between the judiciary and Centre over the appointments of judges has persisted since October 2015 when a five-judge Constitution Bench struck down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act, which gave the executive a say in judicial appointments. The apex court had asked the government to prepare a new MoP in consultation with its collegium. Minister of state for Law and Justice PP Chaudhary recently informed Parliament that the government has once again asked the collegium to revisit its selection of persons for judicial appointments in the light of the Supreme Courts judgment against sitting Calcutta High Court judge Justice CS Karnan, holding him guilty of contempt of court. The Centre is keen for a clause in the MoP, which will give it veto power to reject the collegiums recommendation on the grounds of national security.

The seven Supreme Court judges set to retire this year include the the Chief Justice of India and three who are also members of the collegium - Justices J Chelameswar, MB Lokur and Kurian Joseph  which means in 2018 the top courts collegium will also witness an overhaul. The other judges who will retire are Justices Amitava Roy, RK Agrawal and AK Goel.

Studies show that India has only 18 judges for every million people, while in the US the judge-to-population ratio is 107 judges for the same number of people. A 2009 law commission report said it would take 464 years to clear pending cases with the current strength of judges. The number of vacancies for judges in the high courts (HCs) stands at 400. Nine HCs are functioning without full-time chief justices. Alarmingly, there are 24 high courts that dont have a regular head. There is a shortfall of 5,000 judges in district courts.

Soon after he became the chief justice on August 28, Justice Misra made a concerted effort to clear the backlog of cases in SC and reduced the pendency to below 60,000. A similar resolute approach is required to fill up the vacancies in SC and appoint chief juctices to HCs before he retires in October 2018.

The inordinate delay in deciding on cases is one way in which litigants are denied not justice, but even access to justice. It is also time for the government and judiciary to sort out their lingering disagreement on the MoP.
United States President Donald Trump began 2018 with a strident denunciation of Pakistans support for terrorism and a promise to sever the last US military assistance pipeline to that country. While this will sound good to many Indians, there is often a gap between Mr Trumps tweets and actual US policy on the ground. There has also been a long-standing pattern of Washington wagging its finger at Pakistan, Islamabad making the minimum possible concession and the relationship continuing without any tangible change. Whether things will be different under Trump is yet to be seen.

There are some grounds to believe that Mr Trumps tweet is more than a bit of presidential venting. One, the US and Pakistan worked together against the Haqqani terrorist network last year, resulting in Mr Trump praising Pakistan in October. But the Haqqani network is the closest of the Taliban affiliates to Rawalpindi and so unsurprisingly, that initial period of bonhomie has since run aground.

Two, the US decision to increase its military footprint in Afghanistan pits the US directly against the Taliban  and so the Talibans main backer, Pakistan.

Three, the Trump administration has a number of senior generals and staffers who have publicly expressed a belief that earlier US policies to Pakistan were failures and a harder line is necessitated.

Finally, a further cut in the aid to Pakistan would be in line with the US recent policy. The countrys security assistance touched $ 849 million in 2012 and has since fallen to $322 million.

Overall, US aid to Pakistan has dropped from $2.6 billion in 2012 to barely $250 million last year.

Given the US presidents known dislike for foreign assistance of any variety, it would not take much to continue this trend.

However, it is important to realise that the days when Washington held all the strings of influence in Islamabad are over. China provides 60 to 70% of Pakistans military equipment today. Its proposed $60 billion investments in Pakistan dwarf anything the US has to offer. The Bank of Chinas ad hoc support for the Pakistan rupee in the past year and a half has alone been more than the US total aid to Pakistan in 2016.

Nonetheless, any friction between the US and Pakistan is a positive for India. But the Trump administration needs to look beyond cutting aid and taking measures such as stripping Pakistan of its major non-NATO ally status if it wants to make Rawalpindis generals stand up and take notice.
The Common Admission Test or CAT results for admission to Indian Institutes of Management and top B-schools are likely to be declared on January 5, various newspapers have reported.

A total of around 1,99,600 candidates appeared for the exam for which 2,31,067 students had registered.

The CAT was conducted in 381 test centres spread across 140 cities in India.

Various sources had indicated earlier that the CAT 2017 results would be tentatively available online on the second week of January next year. The list of candidates shortlisted for the next level of selection will be made available on the website of the respective IIMs.

Each IIM will send interview letters to the shortlisted candidates directly. The criteria for shortlisting vary among IIMs. Candidates will have to visit the admission hotlinks of the respective websites of IIMs for further information.

This year the number of women candidates registered for the CAT increased by 1.16% over last years figure. As against 231, 067 applicants, this year 78,009 women candidates took the examination.

Last year 76,000 women had appeared in the exam. The number of male candidates this year is 153,027.

This year the number of transgender candidates also increased to 31 from 22 last year, said Prof Dwivedi. The number of physically challenged applicants is 910 against last years 921.
The Railways are looking for candidates to fill 3,162 apprentice vacancies. According to a Northern Railway notification, 3,162 candidates will be hired for imparting training at its various divisions, units and workshops.

The posts are for candidates who have cleared Class 10 or have ITI qualifications.

The online application process started at 11 am on December 28, 2017, and will close at 5 pm on January 27, 2018.

The expected date of display of merit will be between February 15 to 28, 2018.

The Railways notification has said that Imparting Training in Railway will not confer any right to the candidates for their absorption in Railway after successful completion of training. It shall not be obligatory on the part of the employer to offer any employment to the Apprentice on completion of period of his/her apprenticeship training in his / her establishment. It shall not be obligatory on the part of the apprentice to accept an employment under the employer.

For the various positions available, click here.

Qualifications required

Candidates should have cleared Class 10 or its equivalent (under 10+2 examination system) with minimum 50% marks, in aggregate, from a recognised Board and passed ITI (Industrial Training Institute) in relevant trade recognised by the government.

Age limit (as on January 27, 2018)

The candidates should have completed 15 years of age and should not have completed 24 years of age as on January 27, 2018.

Upper age limit is relaxed by five years in case of SC/ST candidates, three years in case of OBC candidates.

For persons with disability, upper age limit is relaxed by 10 years.

Upper age limit relaxed by up to additional 10 years for ex-servicemen to the extent of service rendered in the Defence forces plus three years provided they have put in a minimum of six months service at a stretch, except ex-servicemen who have already joined the government service (civil) after availing the servicemen status for the position. However, regardless of community, ex-servicemen will be considered against the ex-servicemen quota, if available. If UR vacancies are not available then only ex-servicemen belonging to those particular communities where vacancies are available will be considered against the ex-servicemen quota.

Application fee

The application fee (non refundable) is Rs 100.

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If any form is incomplete or fee is pending then andidates have to pay afresh.

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No fee is required to be paid by SC/ST/PH/Women candidates.
The Centre on Tuesday announced the appointment of AB Mathur as the interlocutor on their behalf to hold talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), a report said.

A 1975-batch IPS officer, Mathur served as the former special secretary of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), following his appointment on December 10, 2009.

Prior to his stint at countrys primary foreign intelligence agency, Mathur was with the Intelligence Bureau (IB) under the ministry of home affairs.

ULFA is a separatist outfit operating in Assam for the indigenous Assamese and seeks to establish a sovereign Assam with an armed struggle in the Assam conflict. In 1990, the government banned it calling it a terrorist organisation.
The nation belongs to Hindus as it is called Hindustan, said a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator in Uttar Pradesh, triggering a row on Monday after a Union ministers remarks that the Constitution be changed to remove secularism from it.

Vikram Saini, the MLA for Khatauli in Muzaffarnagar, also objected to the people celebrating on January 1, saying the country should adopt the Hindu calendar, according to which New Years Day is on March 18.

I am a hardcore believer of Hindutva. Our nation is called Hindustan which means a nation for Hindus, he said addressing a programme on the occasion of Maharaja Saini Jayanti at Ramlila Tilla in Muzaffarnagar.

Sainis remarks came after Union junior minister for employment and skill development Anantkumar Hegde kicked up a storm on December 24 said in Karnataka that people claiming to be secular and progressive do not have an identity of their parents and their blood.

He also said: We are here to change the Constitution.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nepal Singh tendered an apology after creating a controversy for his statement that army jawans ought to die.

The BJP MP from Rampur had earlier made a statement over the recent deaths of Indian Army soldiers in Pakistan ceasefire violations and terror attack at a CRPF camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of December 31.

Ye toh roz marenge Army mein, koi aisa desh hai jahan army ka aadmi na marta ho jhagde mein? Gaon mein bhi jhagda hota hai to ek na ek to ghaayal hoga hi! Koi aisi device batao, jisse aadmi na mare? Aisi cheez batao ki goli kaam na kare, use karwa dein. (They will die every day in the Army. Is there any country whose soldiers do not die while fighting? Even in villages if there is a scuffle, at least one person will get hurt. Name a device from which people do not die? Tell one such thing which can stop the bullet).

The MP later apologised and said his comments were misinterpreted. I didnt intend to disrespect the army. I am saddened. I apologise for my statement but it didnt say anything like this. I had said scientists are trying to invent such a device, which can avert the bullet so that soldier can be protected.
The Delhi High Court stayed on Tuesday a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda, who was present in the court, and granted him interim bail till the next date of hearing this month with a direction that he will not leave the country.

The order came on Kodas plea seeking suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court.

Koda, who was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), also challenged the December 13 and 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence respectively, which was admitted by the high court.

The former chief minister was granted bail by a trial court till January 18.

In his appeal, Koda said the trial court order holding him guilty was bad in law.

The appeal and stay on the fine was opposed by CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema. The agency, however, did not oppose interim bail granted to Koda till January 22.

The high court had on December 22, 2017 stayed a trial court order imposing a fine of Rs 50 lakh on VISUL in the case till the next date of hearing.

The high court on December 20 had sought response of the CBI on an appeal by Kodas close aide Vijay Joshi against the trial courts order awarding him three years jail term in the coal scam case.

All the pleas filed so far in connection with this matter will be heard on January 22.

Koda, ex-coal secretary HC Gupta, AK Basu, former Jharkhand chief secretary, and Joshi were awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based company.

While sentencing the convicts, the special court had said white collar crimes were more dangerous to the society than ordinary crimes.

It had imposed fines of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta respectively in the UPA-era coal scam. Rs one lakh fine was also imposed on Basu.

The convicts were granted statutory bail for a period of two months to enable them to file appeals in the Delhi High Court.

So far, four out of 30 coal block allocation scam cases have been decided by the special court, including this order, and 12 people and four companies have been held guilty.

The convicts were tried for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the offence of cheating carries a maximum punishment of seven years jail term, criminal breach of trust by public servants entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The CBI had said that the firm had applied for allocation of Rajhara North coal block on January 8, 2007.

It had said that although the Jharkhand government and the steel ministry did not recommend VISULs case for coal block allocation, the 36th Screening Committee recommended the block to the accused firm.

The CBI had said Gupta, who was chairman of the screening committee, had concealed facts from former prime minister Manmohan Singh, who at that time headed the coal ministry too, that Jharkhand had not recommended VISUL for allocation of a coal block.
Questioning the governments Pakistan policy, Congress on Tuesday accused it of failing to protect military installations from cross-border terror strikes and wondered why Prime Minister Narendra Modi was silent even after five soldiers were killed in Sundays Pulwama attack.

Raising the issue, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia also slammed the government over National Security Adviser Ajit Dovals meeting his Pakistani counterpart in Bangkok last week, notwithstanding Pakistani authorities ill-treating the family of Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav in Islamabad.

What is the governments Pakistan policy? The NSA met the Pakistani NSA in Bangkok after the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav was ill treated by Pakistan. On the other hand, cross-border attacks are going on, Scindia said during Zero Hour.

A Pakistani national security division official was quoted by Dawn newspaper as saying that a meeting between Pakistan NSA (Retd) Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and Indias Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand.

On the Pulwama attack, Scindia accused the government of failing to put in place security measures to protect sensitive defence installations even though there were similar terror strikes on military bases in the recent past including in Uri, Udhampur and Pathankot.

When people were celebrating (the new year), Pakistan- sponsored terrorist attacked a CRPF camp in Pulwama. Five soldiers laid down their lives. The soldiers are sacrificing their lives protecting the country but the government does not look serious in protecting them, Scindia said.

He also wondered why the Prime Minister was maintaining total silence over it.

There have been a series of terror attacks on our military installations in the last couple of year. A committee by Lt Gen (retd) Philip Campose had suggested measures to strengthen security at defence installations. But the government is in deep slumber, said Scindia.

In a pre-dawn strike, five CRPF men were killed and three others injured when heavily-armed terrorists stormed the camp of the paramilitary force at Lethpora in Pulwama district on December 31. The attack was claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Scindia also attacked BJP MP Nepal Singh for his reported comments that army jawans should expect death because of the profession they are in.

Singh, who represents Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had reportedly said these things happen replying to a question about deaths of security personnel in the attack.

Rebutting Scindias charges, parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar accused the Congress of trying to play politics over a sensitive issue.

We had carried out the surgical strikes. We killed around 200 terrorists in the last three years. The Congress should not play politics over a sensitive issue, Kumar said.

Scindia also asked why the government failed to prevent the attack when there was intelligence input about it.

Making a statement, minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir said the whole country is mourning the death of five CRPF personnel and the government was taking serious steps to prevent such attacks.
The culture ministry has ordered a probe into the allegations of large-scale thefts of rare manuscripts from Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute (RORI).

It is alleged that manuscripts were being stolen from RORI since 1989 and nothing was done by the authorities to stop thefts.

The complaint was recently filed by one of the former senior research officers of the institute with the Presidents secretariat. It was forwarded to the ministry for further action.

The ministry has asked the National Mission for Manuscripts to examine the matter at the earliest.

However, the RORI officials have termed the allegations as baseless, saying that a former research officer who got retired in 2015 levelled these allegations with biases.

RORI takes care of preservation, research and publication of manuscripts and assists researchers and holds seminars. It has a collection of about 1.25 lakh manuscripts across eight branches in Rajasthan.

The first incident of theft of manuscripts surfaced in 1999 during physical verification of 20,000 manuscripts. At that time, Shahjahan Prakash and Narpati Vilas Etehasic Kavya manuscripts were found missing from the collection, Ramkishan Pohiya, the former senior research officer, RORI said in his handwritten complaint in Hindi language.

The complaint further read, Also found missing were 90 granthas of coloured paintings of Kalpsutra during this internal audit.

While narrating other incidents, the complainant alleged that as many as 60 manuscripts and coloured pictures were missing from the Kota branch. In 2006, in Udaipur branch, 12 manuscripts were found missing.

In 2002, in Bharatpur, one manuscript was allegedly found missing. In 2006-08, three manuscripts each were found missing in Chittorgarh and Jaipur. In 2006, 12 manuscripts and three granthas were found missing in Udaipur branch of RORI. Some documents were found missing in Alwar in 1996-97.

In its account of lost manuscripts, Pohiya alleged that an officer at the Alwar branch gave 150 times the photocopies of Dantatrey Tantra and Nagarjun Tantra Hastlipi Granthas to an outsider from 1989 to 1995.

However, when contacted over phone, Vasumati Sharma, RORIs nodal officer, denied any incident of theft in all eight branches.

There was a departmental inquiry being conducted against Dr. Pohiya. He has filed the complaint with vested interests. The complaint bears no facts but allegations. There is no truth in the allegations of thefts in RORI. If thefts of manuscripts were happening for such a long, there could have been some action against someone, she said.
BODH GAYA: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama on Tuesday visited Mahabodhi Mahavihara, a Unesco heritage site, at the temple town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar on Tuesday and offered prayers for world peace under the Mahabodhi Tree where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment about 2500 years ago.

After remaining near the legendry tree for about an hour, the Dalai Lama entered the sanctum sanctorum of the Mahabodhi Temple and meditated in front of the statue of Lord Buddha.

Prominent monks and chief priest of the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, more than 3000 security personnel, more than the existing strength of Gaya police, have been deployed to provide unprecedented security to the Dalai Lama, who arrived at Bodh Gaya, 110 km south of Patna, from Sarnath on Monday evening. Personnel of intelligence agencies and Bihar criminal investigation department (CID) are also keeping a vigil on the Buddhist pilgrimage town.

READ| Nine blasts in 30 minutes rock Bodh Gaya, Buddhas abode bombed in Mahabodhi temple

During his month-long stay at Bodh Gaya, the Tibetan spiritual leader will deliver his discourses to more than 50,000 disciples from across the world at Kalchakra Maidan in two special sessions between January 5 and 7 as well as between January 14 and 16. The Nobel Peace Prize winner is also expected to attend the opening function of the three-day Bodh Mahotsav on February 1.

A camp police station had also been set up at the Kalchakra Maidan, Gaya senior superintendent of police Garima Malik said.

The security arrangements, worked out in association with different intelligence agencies of the Centre as well as of the state, would continue until the departure of the Dalai Lama from Bodh Gaya.

Bodh Gaya had witnessed a terror attack with nine serial explosions rocking the Mahabodhi Temple complex in July 2013.

READ| Serial blasts fail to deter tourist inflow in Bodh Gaya

Meanwhile, Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) sources said though the Dalai Lama was scheduled to leave Bodh Gaya on February 1, he might change his travel plan to attend the opening ceremony of the Bodh Mahotsav.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar is likely to meet him in the last week of January during his Vikas Sameeksha Yatra and request the spiritual leader to grace the Bodh Mahotsav. The Dalai Lama has been a great admirer of Kumar for his initiative to enforce total ban on liquor and his campaign against dowry, the CTA sources said.
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The government approved on Tuesday the purchase of 240 precision guided bombs for the Indian Air Force and 131 Barak missiles for the Navy at a total cost of Rs 1,714 crore.

The two procurement proposals were cleared by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The bombs, which fall under the category of precision guided munitions, are being procured at a cost of Rs 1,254 crore from M/s JSC Rosonboron Exports, Russia.

The procurement of bombs will address the deficiency of Precision Guided Munitions in the IAF arsenal, besides enhancing the offensive capabilities of the IAF, the ministry said in a statement.

It said the 131 Barak missiles and associated equipment are being procured from Israels Rafael Advance Defence Systems Ltd at a cost of Rs 460 crore.

These missiles are surface to air missiles designed to be used as a ship-borne anti-missile defence system against anti-ship missiles, said the ministry.

The procurement is being made as part of the governments efforts to bolster operational capability of the armed forces considering the evolving security situation in the region.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday called of its 12-hour strike after the central government sent the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for health.

Facilities at hospitals across the country were partially hit on Tuesday as thousands of doctors went on a strike to protest the bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body.

IMA had called for a day-long shutdown of out patient department (OPD) services at all private healthcare establishments in the country, in protest against a bill that is meant to replace Medical Council of India (MCI).

The association had termed the bill anti-people and anti-patient as it proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, to practise allopathy after completing a bridge course. It had said the bill will cripple the functioning of professionals by making them answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators.

We called off the strike after being informed that the government has agreed to our demands and sent the bill to a select committee, said Dr KK Aggarwal, former IMA president.

While private hospitals in other states followed the IMAs call to keep OPDs shut for 12 hours, the national capital saw a mixed response. Several big corporate hospitals, including Apollo, BLK Super Specialty and Sir Ganga Ram among dozen others, kept their OPDs operational.

Doctors, however, had the option of supporting the protest by giving their clinics a miss.

Government-run hospitals also kept their out-patient departments open. Everything is running normally in the hospital; my staff have not taken leave for the strike. In fact, the footfall was a little higher today, said an official from Lok Nayak hospital.

Some smaller hospitals like Maharaja Agrasen and Aakash healthcare kept their OPDs shut. Several dispensaries and small healthcare units remained shut.

The strike was successful considering that several doctors participated even though it was called on Monday evening. It was not possible for bigger hospitals to completely shut their services as many patients might have taken prior appointments and come from different parts of the country, said Dr Agrawal.
Facilities at hospitals across the country were partially hit on Tuesday as thousands of doctors went on a strike to protest a bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body, even as the government said that it would benefit the medical profession.

The National Medical Commission Bill, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Friday, seeks to replace the statutory body for medical education besides allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and Ayurveda, to practice allopathy after completing a bridge course.

The 12-hour strike was called by the Indian Medical Association to protest the allegedly undemocratic and bureaucrat ridden bill slated to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Doctors at Keralas state-run medical colleges kept away from the outpatient department (OPD) for an hour from 8-9am and from 9am to 10am at state-run hospitals but the protests would continue till 6pm in many private hospitals. Emergency services were, however, not affected.

We have been forced to protest as we have no other option, the secretary of the IMAs Kerala chapter N Sulphi told reporters.

HN Ravindra, the president of the IMAs Karnataka chapter, said most of the private hospitals in the state would not operate their OPDs between 6am to 6pm on Tuesday.

There has been a good response to our strike call from private hospitals where the OPDs will remain shut for 12 hours, though a few corporate hospitals in Bengaluru like Apollo, Fortis and Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) are functioning normally, Ravindra told reporters.

However, the strike did not disrupt operations at Mumbais private hospitals. While some hospitals asked doctors to attend to patients with existing appointments, at other hospitals, only a few chose to remain absent from the OPDs. The emergency services went as scheduled.

Some hospitals in the city have also directed doctors to attend to patients who couldnt be informed about the strike.

Union minister for health JP Nadda on Tuesday said he has spoken to the IMA and also put forth the governments perspective.

We have heard them ..., Nadda said in Rajya Sabha during the Question Hour on the strike. This is beneficial to the medical profession, he said.

The IMA has said that the bill will cripple the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators.

Former IMA president KK Agarwal said that the bill would open a gateway for future corruption.

If the government still goes ahead and passes the bill, we will decide the further course of action. This bill gives gateway for future corruption, Agarwal told ANI.
The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, for questioning in connection with its money laundering probe in the INX media case.

Official sources said Karti has been called on January 11.

The investigating officer (IO) of the case will record his statement in the case, they said.

The central probe agency had registered a case against Karti, the son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, and others in May this year.

It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), EDs equivalent of a police FIR, against the accused named in the CBI complaint including Karti, INX media and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, and others.

The ECIR was registered under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

They said the ED will probe the alleged proceeds of crime generated in this case.
One of the biggest successes of Rahul Gandhi in the recently held Gujarat polls was to unite various anti-BJP forces.

Few would disagree that aligning with Hardik Patel, Alpesh Thakor and Jignesh Mevani  the trio decided to join or support the Congress just in time for the elections  was a good idea.

The Bharatiya Tribal Party has got another two seats for the Congress alliance. Had the Congress not ensured opposition unity, it could have fared much worse, given the fact that the BJP actually increased its vote share in comparison to 2012 assembly elections. Rural distress or not, the Congress biggest success in Gujarat was in ensuring that its vote share gains actually translated into an increase in the number of seats it won in the assembly.

This experience holds important lessons for Congress strategists. If the Congress can create a rainbow coalition against the BJP  which is now the dominant force in Indian politics  a turnaround is not impossible.

In fact, an analysis of election statistics from 1996 onwards shows that the Congresss failure to strike political alliances has been to the BJPs advantage; 1996 was the first time the BJP became the single largest party in the Lok Sabha.

The Congress has contested more Lok Sabha seats than the BJP in all elections since 1996. A look at strike rates  seats won as percentage of seats contested  of the Congress and BJP shows that this is poor strategy on part of the former. Except 2009, the BJP has always had a higher strike rate than the Congress (See Chart 1).

The more seats these two major national parties contest, the lower their ability to strike alliances with other parties.

The Congresss electoral performance does not justify its eagerness to contest more seats than the BJP. Except 1996 and 2009, the Congress has always lost its deposit on a greater share of contested seats than the BJP (See Chart 2). This means that the Congress contests a lot of seats where it is not even really in the contest.

Another statistic shows that the BJP is a big beneficiary of the Congresss habit of contesting potentially non-winnable seats. An analysis of all Lok Sabha seats where both the Congress and BJP put up a candidate shows that the BJP has always won a greater share of these seats than the Congress, except in 2009 (See Chart 3).

The Congress can learn from this; there are some easy gains it can make. In Uttar Pradesh, the average number of seats where the party has lost its deposits between 1996 and 2014 is 55. The figure was 72 in 2014 elections. There is no reason why the party should not think about an alliance in the next elections, even if it entails giving up majority of seats.

In Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh (undivided) the Congress lost its deposits on 38, 35 and 27 seats in the 2014 Parliamentary elections. The DMK, YSR Congress and Trinamool Congress were either UPAs constituents or part of the Congress party itself. But there was no electoral alliance. A prudent leadership would have preserved these alliances in the face of the stiff challenge from the BJP.

Rahul Gandhi himself has admitted that the Congress became arrogant midway during the UPA II regime. Now that he is the party president, can the Congress come to terms with the reality that its claim of being Indias biggest political party  which reflects in its contesting the largest number of seats  does not hold anymore?

This realisation could make the Congress more flexible in offering seats to strike electoral alliances. This could have a significant outcome on seat shares. In 2017, a Mint analysis showed that parties have failed to get to the majority mark with vote shares which are greater than what the BJP had in 2014 general elections. It also highlighted the fact that non-Congress non-BJP parties have consistently maintained a vote share of almost 50% during general elections. This shows that smart alliances are crucial for getting past the halfway mark in Lok Sabha.

Under Narendra Modi and Amit Shahs leadership, the BJPs stated goal is to create a Congress-Mukt Bharat (or an India free of the Congress). A controlled strategy that sees the party contest fewer seats and partner with more allies could actually help Rahul Gandhi deal with this challenge.

(Samarth Bansal contributed to the data analysis).
Unlike foreign secretary S Jaishankar, his successor  Vijay Keshav Gokhale  has always preferred to stay way from the media glare. However, there are a few notable similarities between the two.

Gokhale was a former envoy to China too, although for a shorter period than his predecessor. While Jaishankar is an able Russian speaker, Gokhale  a 1981-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service  is well-versed in Mandarin. He played a key role in facilitating negotiations to resolve the 73-day standoff between India and China at Doklam plateau in Bhutan last year.

So, what will Gokhales new role entail for the countrys international outlook? Although the tone of Indias foreign policy is set by its political leadership, the foreign secretary plays a key role in implementing it, managing the countrys external affairs through diplomats, and giving timely advice to political bosses. Gokhale, currently the secretary (economic relations) at the ministry of external affairs, will assume office when Jaishankars term ends on January 28. Here are some of the tasks he will have to undertake in his new role.

Improving ties with neighbours

Although the Modi government swears by a neighbourhood-first policy, its relations with surrounding countries leave much to be desired. While India and Pakistan are struggling to address their trust deficit, the Maldives  the only South Asian country Prime Minister Narendra Modi is yet to visit  is steadily cosying up with China. The countrys relations with Nepal have suffered from a series of missteps, and Bhutan is going for an election next year. Although ties with Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka remain steady, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation is too tangled in India-Pakistan rivalry to allow effective regional integration in the near future.

Placating the dragon

After the Doklam military standoff, both India and China are trying hard to broad-base their ties. However, a host of disagreements over contentious issues  including Beijings blockage of New Delhis efforts to get Pakistan-based militant leaders listed under the United Nations Sanctions List and the stonewalling of Indias entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group  continue to dog their relationship. The two countries are vying to expand their sphere of influence. India was the only major country to stay away from Chinese President Xi Jinpings one-road-one-belt initiative. Gokhales first challenge would be to take the countrys ties with China beyond the ambit of airing differences.

Electoral mission

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invested heavily in foreign policy, but his personalised style of diplomacy is laden with risk factors. Considering that Indias foreign policy achievements would be a major election plank for the government in terms of national security, drawing investments, technology transfer, skill development and active engagement with the diaspora, the coming months would test the external affairs ministrys deftness in these areas and provide a glimpse of how it helps the government present it before the electorate.

Complex multilateralism

US President Donald Trump has changed the very perception of multilateralism through controversial decisions such as withdrawing from the Paris climate deal and declaring East Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This has left the world order in a shaky position, especially when it comes to how the US deals with major blocs and allies such as Pakistan. Given that Washington is no longer the predictable entity it used to be in terms of global policy, India  an aspiring member of the UN Security Council  will find it difficult walking the fine line between varied global interests.

Bridging the Gulf

The Modi government has improved Indias ties with Gulf countries, a region thats home to over seven million Indians. The ties with both the UAE and Saudi Arabia have seen considerable upswing in recent years, but it is necessary to keeping the momentum going.
Two college girls were allegedly beaten up by a group of men, allegedly belonging to a Hindu right-wing organisation, for being with Muslim boys at a zoo in Mangaluru on Tuesday, police said.

Police arrested three persons  Sampath Shetty, Varada and Dinesh  for the assault, which was captured on a mobile camera by an onlooker. The video of the alleged assault went viral and triggered outrage against the apparent moral policing.

The video shows one of the girls being assaulted again even after a police constable intervened.

Karnataka home minister Ramalinga Reddy said police had taken prompt action. He said there was a substantial reduction in vigilantism in the Dakshina Kannada district.

I have directed police to take strict action against the vigilante groups. Action would be taken against policemen in case of dereliction of duty, Reddy told reporters.

Hanumantharaya, deputy commissioner of police (law and order), said the three persons arrested were members of Hindu Jagarana Vedike. Others might have been involved. Hanumantharaya said it was not yet known how the activists got information about the youngsters meeting in the zoo.

Police said the girls, a Hindu and a Christian, had gone with their Muslim friends to the zoo to celebrate a birthday when they were assaulted around 11am.

Mangaluru is no stranger to incidents of moral policing. In 2009, Sri Rama Sene, a right-wing group, activists attacked women visiting a pub. In 2012, Hindu Jagarana Vedike activists attacked 12 people celebrating at a resort in the city.

(With inputs from Agencies)
The government on Tuesday urged the Congress not to press for amendments to the triple talaq bill, which seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims, when it comes up for consideration in the Rajya Sabha likely on Wednesday.

The Lok Sabha has already cleared the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill and it is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said that the government would like the Congress to maintain the stand it took in the Lok Sabha by not pressing for amendments.

We are having continuous talks with the opposition parties including Congress. We have told Congress that since they have not pressed for any amendments in the Lok Sabha, they should do the same in the Rajya Sabha, Kumar told reporters.

The Congress had moved amendments to certain provisions of the bill in the Lok Sabha but did not press for a vote.

The parliamentary affairs minister said the government may table the bill in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Renuka Chowdhury, a Rajya Sabha member of the Congress, said her party always stood for empowerment of women, right since Independence, but the party needs to see what has been actually included in the bill.

There is no question of us not standing by anything that empowers women. There is no black and white solution to this, We have to see how the debate evolves... what is actually included and how is it implementable.... and until it is equitable for all women under all clauses of talaq. This is only talaq-e-biddat (triple talaq), Chowdhury said.

Though a few allies of the BJP like the Shiv Sena have demanded that the bill be sent to a select committee, the government feels no need for it as the legislation has already been debated upon in the Lok Sabha.

There is no need to go to any committee because the issue has been debated. What should be the fate of triple talaq affected women? There is a greater consensus within the country that there should be a stringent law, preventive mechanism to give protection to Muslim women. I am confident that all parties will cooperate in Rajya Sabha, Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan said.
The Trump administration is considering a proposal that could potentially lead to large-scale deportation of foreigners on H-1B visas for high-speciality workers waiting for their Green Card  mostly Indians  and drastically alter the way high-tech companies operate in the United States.

The proposal circulated in the form of an internal memo in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees citizenship and immigration, intends to end the provision of granting extensions to H-1B visa holders whose applications for permanent residency (Green Card) had been accepted.

An estimated 500,000 to 750,000 Indian H-1B visa holders could be sent home if the administration decides to go ahead with the proposal which is aligned with President Donald Trumps Buy American, Hire American vision to boost manufacturing and protect local jobs for Americans.

If implemented this could lead to large-scale deportations, mostly of Indians, throwing hundreds and thousands of families into crisis, said an official of Immigration Voice, an advocacy body in San Jose. Immigration Voice is planning to mount a challenge through outreach and sue when a decision is announced, he added.

The idea is to create a sort of self-deportation of hundreds of thousands of Indian tech workers in the United States to open up those jobs for Americans, a US source briefed by homeland security officials told McClatchy DC Bureau, which first reported the proposal.

A response to Hindustan Times requests to both DHS and the US citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) was awaited, but the existence of the memo was confirmed by sources in the US and Indian governments, industry and those that are likely to face action under the new rules.

An H-1B visa is granted for three years, with the provision of three more with one extension after which visa holders return to their countries. If approved for Green Card, they wait in the US using extensions.

For Indians, that wait could stretch for years given the massive backlog caused by the system of per-country annual cap on the number of permanent residencies.

The proposal is based on the power of discretion given to USCIS officials to decide on extensions to be given to H-1B holders waiting for Green Card. They could choose to extend from one to three years, and often chose the maximum of three, and granted some visa holders as many extensions as needed.

If it has been left to their discretion, said a lobbyist. They can theoretically decide not to grant any extension at all.

The Indian government is watching the development with mounting alarm as it had the administrations previously announced plans and decisions to tighten H-1B rules and regulations with the objective of preventing its abuse to replace American workers with lower-paid foreigners.

One of the plans in February 2017 was to roll back H-4 EAD  a regulation introduced by President Barack Obama to attract and retain highly skilled foreign workers by granting work authorization to spouses of H-1B visa holders awaiting Green cards. That will impact mostly Indians again.

The administration also plans to redefine high-speciality professionals for the purpose of H-1B visas. And there is a general review of the programme ordered by the President.

The United States grants 85,000 non-immigrant H-1B visa every year  65,000 to foreigners hired abroad and 20,000 to foreigners enrolled in advanced degree courses in US schools and colleges. An estimated 70% of these visas go to Indians  hired mostly by American companies such as Facebook, Microsoft and Google and some by American arms of Indian tech giants Infosys, Wipro and TCS.

The US companies, which are large employers of foreign workers but escape the scrutiny facing Indian firms, will be hit the hardest as they are more likely to apply for Green Cards for their H-1B workers than their Indian counterparts, who tend to rotate their workers home at the end of the stipulated period.

These big companies can be expected to push back as well, as could the chamber of commerce. A response was awaited to a request for comments from Compete America, a trade body representing Silicon Valley high-tech firms in Washington DC.
Rahul Phatangale was out to buy vegetables in a local market in Sanaswadi, around 40 kilometers from Pune in Maharashtra, on Monday afternoon when he was hit by a stone in the head. He collapsed on the ground and was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries by evening.

The 28-year-old man died in violence that erupted near Bhima Koregaon, where hundreds of thousands of people gather to celebrate an 1818 war between the Peshwa and the British, whose army comprised many Dalit soldiers. Many Dalit thinkers believe that the vastly outnumbered British army defeated the Peshwas.

Back at his home in Sanaswadi, a modest two-room affair with no power connection and dung cakes on the walls, Phatangales family is still in shock.

Huddled in a corner, Phatangales parents said those involved in the violence were largely outsiders in large numbers. The violence that singed four neaby villages left four people injured and 40-odd vehicles burnt or damaged.

I have lost my young son. With him, we have lost everything. We now want investigation and punishment to those involved in violence, said the deceased father Babaji Phatangale.

The 28-year-old ran a garage in the area and hailed from Nanded. He had stepped out on his two-wheeler at around 2.30pm to buy something. He came under stone pelting, sustained serious head injury and died, said his cousin Tejas Dhawade.

Dhawade collected the body from the local Sassoon Hospital in the evening after Phatangale passed away. The family will now be given Rs 10 lakh as compensation and Phatangales death will be investigated by a judge, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said.
On numerous occasions, the Zionists agreed to avoid making settlements that would make a two-state solution more difficult to resolve, iow, to refrain from building settlements in land occupied by Arabs, iow, the West Bank.



They lied to the Arabs, and they lied to us.



We may keep our promises to the Zionists however the Zionists have not kept their promises to us.



So one more time: What do we gain by recognizing Jerusalem as Zionist Israel's capital?
A study group constituted by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has recommended that the Centre compensate people whose houses and crops were damaged and cattle killed or injured during ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops along the international border (IB) and the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

The five-member study group was set up in October 2017 to examine problems faced by people living near the international border and the LoC due to repeated ceasefire violations by Pakistan. According to latest data released by the MHA, ceasefire violation by Pakistan along the LoC rose a massive 238% in 2017.

The group also recommended relocation of civilian population during ceasefire violations, construction of bunkers for civilians, self-protection trainings for local population and better watch and monitoring by security forces.

A senior home ministry official said the group has recommended that the provision for compensation under the National Disaster Relief Fund be reconstituted. While previously, families of victims killed during cross-border firing by Pakistan were compensated, the border population will now receive compensation for damages to their homes, crop and live stock.

According to the MHA data people living near LoC did not abandon their home due to ceasefire violations 2014 and 2015. But in 2016, a huge number of 27449 people fled their homes in the face of Pakistani fire. In 2017, 4012 people left their homes. People in Poonch and Rajouri have been among the worst hit.

While number of civilians killed during the violations has marginally decreased, there was a sharp increase in killings of army personnel manning the LoC.

The data was given Minister of State in MHA, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir while answering to questions in the Lok Sabha last week.

While the LoC is under the operational control of Army, the IB is manned by the Border Security Force (BSF). According to the data released by the minister, there were 771 ceasefire violations along the LoC till December 10, 2017 against 228 in 2016. Ceasefire violations were much lower in 2014 and 2015 at 153 and 152.

Ceasefire violations along IB, however, dipped to 110 according data till November. The violations in 2014 were 430 followed by 253 in 2015 and 221 in 2016.

The study group is headed by special secretary (internal security) Rina Mitra and has principal secretary (home) J&K government Raj Kumar Goyal, divisional commissioner Kashmir Bashir Ahmed Khan, divisional commissioner Jammu Dr Mandeep K Bhandari and joint secretary J&K government Gyanesh Kumar as its members.
Two days after an NRI bridegroom was killed in a celebratory firing at Guhla of Kaithal district, police have failed to arrest the accused who fired the bullet.

Even as there were reports that Surender Singh, brother of the deceased, Vikram Vohra, had fired the bullet using his licensed weapon, the police said they are still verifying this.

There were reports that Surender Singh, brother of the deceased, fired the bullet with his licensed weapon.

As per information, Vikram (36), who was to get married on Sunday, was dancing at the pre-wedding function (ladies sangeet) along with other relatives when a family member fired a bullet which hit him.

He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Vikram lived in Switzerland for the past 12 years and had come for his marriage.

Though we have registered an FIR under Sections 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unidentified accused, investigation is going on to ascertain who fired the bullet," Kaithal superintendent of police (SP) Astha Modi said.

We don't need any complaint from the family. The police will act as per the law, she said.

Sources said Navtej Singh, who was injured in the firing, has refused to give statement and disclose the name of the person who fired the bullet.

The family was given time for the cremation and Surender will be arrested soon. Firing in marriages is banned, a police official said.

Sources said Surender has three arms on his licence.
The government has no plans to create a second capital in South India, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

Minister of state for home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir, while replying to a written question on whether the government has any proposal to create a second capital in South India (Hyderabad), said, No.

The question had been asked by Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP Boora Narsaiah Goud.

Last week, during a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the alarming levels of pollution in Delhi, AIADMK MP A Navaneethakrishnan had said Parliaments sessions should be moved to South India because Delhi has turned into a gas chamber.

Everyone is living in fear in Delhi. It has become a gas chamber and is no longer fit for human inhabitation..., he had said.

Subject to the approval of this House, I think the session should be shifted to a southern part of the country, so that our northern friends can enjoy a climate free of pollution. You can enjoy a peaceful and effective session, Navaneethakrishnan said.
A group of office-bearers claiming to represent more than a dozen gurdwaras in the Canadian province of Ontario have collectively resolved to bar officials representing India, its diplomats and others from entering the premises of these places of worship.

This decision was made at a meeting held at the Jot Parkash Gurdwara in Brampton, a suburb of Toronto, on December 30.

A proforma statement on the ban was signed by those who attended the meeting. It noted: Pursuant to the Trespass to Property Act (1990), the management of this Gurdwara Sahib reserves the right to bar entry to officials of the Indian Government including but not limited to Indian elected officials, Indian Consular officials, and members of organisations who seek to undermine the Sikh nation and Sikh institutions.

The meeting was held under the auspices of the Ontario Gurdwaras Committee (OGC). Amarjit Mann, a spokesperson for OGC, told Hindustan Times that managements of 15 gurdwaras in the Greater Toronto Area had jointly agreed to this decision.

He said that approximately 30 members of the managements of these gurdwaras were present at the meeting on Saturday.

The statement added: Keeping in mind the interference of Indian Consular and Indian Government officials in the lives of Canadian Sikhs, Gurdwara Management Committees have jointly taken the decision to bar the entry of these officials and members from Gurdwaras across Canada.

The presence of these officials makes members of the Sikh community uncomfortable due to their agenda of undermining the autonomy of Sikh institutions and organisations. It is our obligation to ensure the safety of the Sangat, and accordingly we have arrived at this decision.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Gurpreet Singh Bal, president of the Ontario Khalsa Darbar in Mississauga, better known as the Dixie gurdwara, said, This decision was taken unanimously. The Indian government interferes too much in the community.

However, he clarified the ban will be on those visiting gurdwaras in their official capacity, not if they come with personal purpose. Gurdwara is open for everyone, but when they are on official basis, thats not allowed, he said.

Pro-Khalistan activist Sukhminder Singh Hansra was among those present at the meeting and in an emailed statement, he said, We applaud the decision of Gurdwara Managements to bar Indian High Commission and Indian Consulate as the officials of Indian High Commission (were) directly infiltrating the Sikh affair within Canada.

He added that consular powers such an issuing visas for India were used to influence Sikhs against their own interests.

The hardline activist group, Sikhs for Justice, welcomed the announcement. In a statement, its legal advisor Gurpatwant Pannun said, We appreciate the decision of Ontario Gurdwaras to ban entry of Indian diplomats in the gurdwaras. Consulate members represent India, which committed genocide of Sikhs and their presence in gurdwaras is not acceptable to the victims of genocide and to the Sikh community. We urge the management committees across Canada to ban and boycott members of Indian consulates.

In recent times, Indian officials have visited gurdwaras in the province and elsewhere, a change from how these were once considered no-go zones for them.
The Opposition on Tuesday reached out to the ruling BJPs allies to back its demand for sending to a House panel the bill that criminalises instant triple talaq, a day before the legislation is expected to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha.

Senior opposition leaders also said plans were afoot to disrupt the proceedings to prevent the government from introducing the bill in the Upper House, where the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is in a minority. We can adopt any democratic tactics to stop the bill, Trinamool Congress Derek OBrien said.

During the day, he and Congress Ghulam Nabi Azad got in touch with BJP allies like Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some smaller parties, sources said.

The Lok Sabha, where the NDA has a brute majority, passed the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill that proposes up to three years in jail and a penalty for violators.

When it comes to the Rajya Sabha, we will demand that it (the bill) should be sent to the select committee, D Raja of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said, accusing the government of bypassing the committees.

The BJP, too, has its plan ready to attack the Opposition, which says the proposed law aims to criminalise a civil contract.

In a meeting with Rajya Sabha chairperson Venkaiah Naidu, the Congress, AIADMK, DMK, CPI, CPI(M) and BJD said the bill should be referred to a select committee for detailed discussion.

The opposition reiterated the demand at a business advisory committee meeting in the evening. No assurance was forthcoming from the government, opposition leaders said. The matter would be taken up again when the leaders meet before the proceedings begin Wednesday.

They were not opposed to a legislation empowering the women but wanted the bill to be discussed in detail, Congress leaders said.

The Opposition must reconsider moving amendments or referring the bill to the select committee, the government said.

The government would like the Congress to stick to the stand it took in the Lok Sabha by not pressing for amendments, parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar said.

The Supreme Court had already struck down the practice of triple talaq in August 2017.
Two days after announcing his political entry, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Tuesday met journalists and sought to explain what he meant by the term spiritual politics that he had used while floating the party.

Honest and secular politics is spiritual politics, said Rajinikanth, reiterating his secular credentials that some critics were questioning amid speculations that he was ideologically closer to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

There were comments that his mention of spiritualism was nothing but rebranded Hindutva and that he had the support of the BJP.

The Tamil film actor thanked the media for flashing the message of his joining politics far and wide and hoped his endeavour to bring about a revolution of good, transparent governance would find enthusiastic participation.

On Monday, he launched his website and mobile application urging people to join him in the fight against corruption. According to reports, a good number of people have registered themselves for becoming members of his website.

Rajinikanth, who had earlier announced that his party would contest all 234 seats in the next assembly elections, said many revolutions have started in Tamil Nadu, including Mahatma Gandhis decision to wear only dhoti and a shawl at Madurai in 1921.

The actor declined to comment on the name of his proposed party, saying he himself does not know. The Tamil film icon, who was once a bus conductor, said he had worked as a proof reader too for two months in a monthly magazine.

Meanwhile, sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran told reporters here that spirituality was an individuals choice and bringing that into politics would lead to wrong results.

(With agency inputs)
In sharp contrast to the noisy start to the Winter Session, the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday set a record after 15 years by taking up all the 15 listed starred questions during the Question Hour, while 18 members spoke on issues of public importance during the Zero Hour.

The last time all listed starred questions were taken up was in 2002 during the 197th Session of the Upper House, officials in the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.

This was made possible as 10 of 20 members in whose names questions were listed were absent from the House, but the Chairman allowed many members to ask supplementary questions.

At the end of Question Hour, chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said, So, all questions are completed today.

During the Zero Hour, members raise issues of public importance, while they question the government on various issues during the Question Hour.

Earlier, when a number of members asking questions were found absent, he said Something special is happening!.

On seeing many members absent during Question Hour, the chairman also said that surprisingly, five or six members who had questions listed against their names did not turn up.

They have the liberty. I dont question them. At the same time, we have a responsibility. If you file a question, so much time, energy and resources are spent. Not coming to the House is not a good practice. Keep that in mind, he said.

When some members complimented the Chairman for smooth conduct of business, Naidu returned the compliment saying, Your cooperation is good, so my operation was very smooth... thats why the House was able to set this record.

Members sought governments responses on several major issues including GST filing, poor rating of Indian Renewal Energy Companies, regulation of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, non-performing assets, clinical trial of drugs and Air Indias operating losses.

As many as 11 members were allowed to speak on issues of public importance during Zero Hour, while another eight were allowed to read out the text of their special mentions.

Due to disruptions and scarcity of time, texts of Special Mentions are usually laid on the table of the House towards of the end of the day but the chairman has suggested that they be taken up in the pre-lunch period.

The Rajya Sabha today made history. For the first time, all Zero Hour submissions, all Special Mentions were fully completed, said Naidu amid thumping of desks by members in the House of Elders.

The Chairman expressed hope that in future too, the members would not waste time and stick to the schedule.

Uproarious scenes and adjournments have been witnessed on several occasions in the past two weeks for various reasons during the Winter Session of Parliament.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders and workers are hoping for a jail term less than three years for party patriarch Lalu Prasad when a special CBI court on Wednesday announces the quantum of punishment in a 21-year-old fodder scam case.

The 69-year-old former chief minister of Bihar will be able to seek bail immediately at the lower court only if the sentence is less than three years in the case, related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 90 lakh from the Deoghar treasury during 1991-1994.

Besides Lalu Prasad, special judge Shivpal Singh had convicted 15 other people while acquitting six others including former chief minister Jagannath Mishra.

If it (the sentence) is more than three years, we would have to move the Ranchi high court for bail. It would take at least one month for the release of Lalu ji in that case, said Bhola Yadav, an MLC and a close aide of the RJD chief.

Lalu is now lodged at the Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi where the case is being heard.

In the first fodder scam case in which Lalu was convicted, the court had sentenced him to five years in prison in 2013, following which the RJD chief had to spend 70 days in Ranchi jail before he got bail.

We are keeping our fingers crossed, said another RJD leader.

The conviction led to his disqualification from Parliament and a ban on contesting elections.

Sources said Lalus family members would not be in Ranchi on Wednesday with younger son and leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and wife Rabri Devi likely to stay put in Patna.

Tejashwi, however, said he had full faith in the judiciary and would respect the courts order, whatever it is. Whatever the court orders, we will respect it, he said.

The courts verdict would have a major impact on the RJDs rank and file either way. If Lalu goes to jail, it would throw up a new challenge for RJDs first family, including Lalus two sons, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap, to steer the party and draw up a strategy to keep dissidence at bay.

Sources said the RJD has called a meeting on January 6 of all district presidents and state leaders where organisational matters and agitational programme against the state governments alleged failure would be finalised. A statewide agitation after January 15 to involve all district units and state leaders is on anvil too in an apparent bid to keep the rank and file busy and party intact in absence of RJD chief.

In last one week since Lalus conviction, former chief minister Rabri Devi has been convening meetings with party legislators along with Tejashwi and appealed to party workers to keep their morale high.
Senior BJP leaders will brainstorm on their strategy for the 2019 general elections with the top brass of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) at a three-day coordination meeting in Ujjain from Wednesday.

The meet  called the Samanvay Baithak  is expected to be attended by BJP president Amit Shah and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, among others. Issues such as the agrarian crisis and flagging economy are likely to come up for discussion at the meet.

This will be the second such meeting in less than a month. BJP leaders such as Shah and Arun Jaitley had met RSS functionaries soon after the results of the Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh assembly polls were announced in December.

Although the meeting was dubbed as a routine exercise meant to facilitate an exchange of ideas between the two organisations, insiders said it will focus on the voting publics response to the governments policies.

Reports will be presented by representatives of various RSS offshoots, such as the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), the Laghu Udyog Bharti and the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), which have been flagging concerns over the state of economy, the impact of policies such as demonetisation and GST, and farmers distress. This exchange gives all the organisations  including the BJP  a chance to make amends and chart out a roadmap, a source said.

The BMS and BKS want the government to revisit its economic policies and focus on employment generation. Although the BJP maintains that demonetisation helped curb black-money hoarding, terror-funding and counterfeit currency, the BMS has repeatedly underlined how the surprise measure affected small-scale businesspersons and daily wage workers aversely. They have also criticised the governments policy of relaxing foreign direct investment norms.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed Tuesday the administration for the violence during an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregoan battle in Pune district and demanded a probe into the incident.

Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.

The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwas army, was on Monday marred by incidents of violence that killed one person.

Pawar tweeted that the violence was not right.

Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches, the former Union minister appealed.

Pawar noted that locals in Vadhu village said that right-wing groups in Pune were making proactive speeches against the event three to four days prior to it.

Earlier, Pawar told reporters that every year people converge at the place and never before any violence has taken place.

This year, being the 200th anniversary, more people were expected, he added.

Pawar also demanded that the government should probe this incident.

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism occurred at Bhima Koregaon in Shiroor tehsil yesterday when people were heading for the war memorial in the village.

Meanwhile, Leader of opposition in the Maharashtra legislative council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable.

I had apprised the chief minister about taking adequate precautions. More care should have been taken. There should be a judicial probe into the incidents of violence. All sections of the society should unitedly and peacefully foil attempts of anti-social elements, Munde tweeted.
Brazil has purchased Royal Navy ship HMS Ocean, the helicopter carrier about to be retired from the Royal Navy service later this year. The UK Ministry of Defense (MOD) is selling the Ocean for 84 million. The vessel will remain in the UK until the autumn of 2018, UK Defence Journal reports.

HMS Ocean is the UKs only helicopter carrier and the fleet flagship of the Royal Navy. She will retire after completing its planned operational lifespan of 20 years at sea, having completed a world tour this year. HMS Ocean is designed to support amphibious landing operations and to support the staff of Commander UK Amphibious Force and Commander UK Landing Force.

The Ocean was constructed in the mid-1990s and commissioned in September 1998. In November 2015, the MoD confirmed that HMS Ocean is to be decommissioned in 2018, as the new aircraft carriers of the QE II class become operational.

The Brazilian Navy operates a single aircraft carrier  Sao Paulo, a Clemenceau class vessel commissioned in 1963 and acquired from France Navy surplus in the year 2000. Once operated AF-1/1A (Skyhawk) attack fighters and KC-2 (C-1 Trader) flying tankers, the fixed wing fleet operated by the Brazilian Naval Aviation (Aviacao Naval Brasileira; AvN) has shrunk to three aircraft, thus rendering the operation of a dedicated aircraft carrier unfeasible. Absent of a carrier deck to train on, this small component is likely to retire or converted to operate from land. Once accepted into service, the Ocean will be able to carry the growing fleet of rotary-wing aircraft operated by the AvN, which includes Super Lynx, Sea King, S-70B, and EC-725.
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi attacked the Congress on Tuesday for what he said a confused stand on the triple talaq bill, asking the opposition party why it was sad at a time when the Muslim women were happy. (Live updates)

These days a number of reforms are being brought in. The triple talaq bill is one of them, the minority affairs minister told reporters in New Delhi.

The Congress is consulting the opposition bloc before finalising its stand on the bill that proposed to ban instant triple talaq and make the Islamic divorce practice a cognisable offence, party sources said.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which has already been passed in the Lok Sabha last week, now faces the Rajya Sabha test.

The Congress takes one step forward and then 10 steps backward. The party is confused on triple talaq, he said. The Muslim women are happy, but I dont know why the Congress is sad, he added.

Earlier in the day, the opposition parties met to decide their course of action on the bill. 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 their demand. The amendments to the bill moved by the opposition were rejected.

CPI leader D Raja said that the Left wants the bill to be referred to the select committee, accusing the government of bypassing the committees on crucial bills.

The government lacks a majority in the upper House and is making efforts for the bills smooth passage by reaching out to opposition parties.
The government on Tuesday urged the Congress not to press for amendments to the triple talaq bill, which seeks to criminalise the practice of instant divorce among Muslims, when it comes up for consideration in the Rajya Sabha likely Wednesday.

The Lok Sabha has already cleared the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill and it is likely to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday.

Here are the updates:

6:54 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till Wednesday.

6:05 pm: Lok Sabha adjourned till Wednesday.

5:51 pm: Congress MP K V Thomas suggests if live telecast of some judicial cases can be considered so that people can get an idea of where the judiciary stand.

5:20 pm: Lok Sabha takes up discussion of the High Court and Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill, 2017.

5:15 pm: A bill to allow the government to take up infrastructure projects within prohibited areas around protected monuments was passed in the Lok Sabha.

Moving away from the party lines, the members have supported the Bill, culture minister Mahesh Sharma said while replying to the concerns raised by the members during the debate on Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

5:10 pm: Food processing sector has attracted foreign direct investment of $ 6.49 billion during 2010-11 to 2016-17.

According to Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, there has been FDI equity inflow of $ 6492.19 million in the food processing sector during 2010-11 to 2016-17, minister of state for Food Processing Industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti said in a written reply to Lok Sabha,.

4:37 pm: Rajya Sabha takes up for discussion the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

4:30 pm: Parliament passes Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code Amendment Bill. (Read full story here)

4.17 pm: Finance minister Arun Jaitley announces contours of electoral bonds for funding of political parties.

4:05 pm: In Rajya Sabha, finance minister Arun Jaitley speaks on insolvency and bankruptcy amendment.

3.35 pm: One of the features of cryptocurrency is that there is lack of dependence on the state. It functions with a degree of anonymity. It operates within a virtual community which is created and enjoys the trust of that virtual community: Arun Jaitley in Rajya Sabha.

The government is examining the matter. A Committee under the chairmanship of the Economic Affairs Department Secretary is deliberating over all issues related to cryptocurrencies to propose specific actions to be taken... Instead of taking any knee-jerk action, lets wait for the report of this committee, Jaitley said.

Jaitley also clarified that there were no legal safeguards for people dealing in crypto-currencies such as Bitcoin as it was not a lawful legal tender.

3.15pm: Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill, 2017 - aimed at reducing inordinate delays in cases of cheque dishonour and payment of interim compensation to the complainants  tabled in Lok Sabha.

3.05pm: Jyotiraditya Scindia of the Congress demands CBI probe into the alleged suicide by a policeman, who was found hanging from a wireless tower in Madhya Pradeshs Ashoknagar last month. Scindia says a paper found in his pocket had names of certain police officers, who had allegedly harassed him.

3.03pm: In Lok Sabha, Sushmita Dev of the Congress asks the government that genuine citizens should not be left out of the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam.

3.01pm: Lok Sabha takes up for discussion the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill.

2.55pm: Congress and Samajwadi Party say they support the amendments in the insolvency and bankruptcy amendment code.

2.50pm: In Rajya Sabha, Congress member P Chidambaram, Samajwadi Partys Naresh Agrawal, and AIADMK member A Navaneethakrishnan raise questions on insolvency and bankruptcy code amendment. (Bill passed by Lok Sabha)

2.44pm: Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan says that while a parliamentary panel gets at least 3 months to look into a Bill, but the Medical Commission Bill was being sent to a panel for the second time, and the report can come before the budget session.

2.40pm: Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar urges Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan to instruct the standing committee of Parliament to give its report on the Medical Commission Bill before the budget session of Parliament.

2.30pm: The Medical Commission Bill - that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body - will be sent to Standing Committee: Union minister Ananth Kumar informs Lok Sabha.

2.28pm: Mediapersons injured in violence while covering court proceedings relating to self-styled godman Ram Rahim in Panchkula were not paid for their hospital treatment.

2.26pm: Nine prominent journalists, including Gauri Lankesh and Naveen Gupta, were killed in the recent past, says Naresh Agrawal.

2.25pm: Samajwadi Partys Naresh Agrawal says the media supports the government and if a correspondent writes facts, pressure is built to get them removed.

2.22pm: There is a trend to hire correspondents on contractactual basis and there is no provision for pension or provident fund for them. Those working at the district level are paid according to the number of stories approved, says Agrawal.

2.20pm: Samajwadi Partys Naresh Agrawal speaks on the plight of mediapersons, particularly those working at the district level.

2.13pm: Your cooperation is good, so my operation was very smooth... thats why the House was able to set this record, Naidu tells MPs. (Read the story here)

2.12pm: The Rajya Sabha today made a history. For the first time, all Zero Hour submissions, all Special Mentions were fully completed, says Naidu.

2.10pm: Rajya Sabha sets record, takes up all the Zero Hour issues and special mentions listed in the agenda for that period, says chairman M Venkaiah Naidu.

2.05pm: Rajya Sabha takes up for discussion the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2017.

2.02pm: Congress, CPI, CPI(M), DMK, SP, BJD, AIADMK raise issue of triple talaq bill with Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidi, demand that the bill be sent to Select Committee. Union minister Vijay Goel represented the government in the meeting: ANI quoting sources

1.28pm: There is no proposal to increase the existing incentive amount of Rs 2.5 lakh to an eligible couple, says Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Vijay Sampla on incentives for inter-caste marriages.

1.22pm: As of now, there is no plan to extend the scheme (Dr Ambedkar Scheme for Social Integration) to inter-religion marriages, says Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Vijay Sampla.

1.20pm: In the Lok Sabha, the government says it has no plan as of now to provide incentives for inter-religious marriages, similar to the sops given for inter-caste marriages.

1.15pm: The Election Commission should clearly define the Code of Conduct and which development schemes and programmes can be allowed during electioneering, instead of leaving it to the discretion of poll officials, says Rajeev Shukla.

1.14pm: Rajeev Shukla of the Congress raises issue of electoral reforms, says the Election Commission should come out with clear-cut guidelines on counting of paper slips of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and the EVMs.

1.11pm: A strict law should be framed to discourage begging, and those indulging in begging and are healthy should take up jobs of labourers or guards and not beg. The physically challenged should be given government assistance, says BJP member Shwait Malik.

1.10pm: BJP member Shwait Malik says begging has become a menace, with visitors also being hounded across India, demands strict law to discourage begging.

1.01pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 2pm.

1.01pm: It is absolutely clear that the bulk of the NPAs today have arisen out of loans which were given prior to April 1, 2014, says finance minister Arun Jaitley in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question by P Chidambaram.

1.00pm: In Rajya Sabha, Congress member P Chidambaram asks finance minister Arun Jaitley how many loans given to banks after April 1, 2014 have become Non-Performing assets (NPA)

12.50pm: In the Lok Sabha, minister of state for home affairs Hansraj Ahir speaks on the terrorist attack at the CRPF camp in Pulwama, says 580 terrorists have been killed since 2014, compared to 471 between 2010-2013.

12.40pm: Finance minister Arun Jaitley answers questions on various financial issues, including NPAs, bank loans, loan waivers, and the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers cases.

12.27pm: Venkaiah Naidu says he has noticed that some member were engrossed in discussions when an obituary reference was being read by the Chair, and asks the members to refrain from doing that, saying it sent a wrong message.

12.26pm: Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asks members not to talk when obituary references are being made in Rajya Sabha.

12.22pm: They (government) are saying dont send bills to the Standing Committee for closer scrutiny. When it comes to Rajya Sabha, we will demand that it should be sent to the Select Committee, says D Raja.

12.20pm: As far as Left parties are concerned, we want this bill to be referred to the Select Committee. But the BJP-led NDA government is bypassing the committee system, says D Raja.

12.18pm: CPI leader D Raja says the Left wants the triple talaq bill to be referred to the Select Committee and accuses the government of bypassing the committees on crucial bills.

12.14pm: Health minister Jagat Prakash Nadda says talks are on with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to clear doubts over the National Medical Commission Bill.

12.13pm: The government says the National Medical Commission Bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body would be beneficial to the medical profession.

12.12pm: Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad says government should take initiative to end the doctors strike.

12.10pm: Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agarwal raises issue of doctors going on strike, says many patients have died due to the strike called to oppose the National Medical Commission Bill that will enable superseding of the Medical Council of India.

12.02pm: The Congress takes one step forward and then 10 steps backward. The party is confused on triple talaq. The Muslim women are happy, but I dont know why the Congress is sad, says minority affairs minister Naqvi.

12.01pm: Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi criticises the Congress for its confused stand on the triple talaq bill, wants to know why the opposition party was sad while Muslim women were happy.

11.30am: Congress member Kumari Selja asks government to take the issue of rising crimes against women seriously, asks the media to also think about the way women are depicted.

11.26am: Congress MP Rajeev Shukla raises issue of election campaigns ahead of assembly elections in several states, says the whole world watches elections in India.

11.20am: Rajya Sabha will discuss the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill; the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill; the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, the Appropriation (No.5) Bill.

11.18am: Lok Sabha will discuss the National Medical Commission Bill, the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Amendment Bill, the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment) Bill, the High Court and the Supreme Court Judges (Salaries and Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill.

11.15am: The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Bill will be introduced in Lok Sabha.

10.42am: DMK MP Kanimozhi says triple talaq bill should to be referred to Select Committee.

10.37am: We are in talks with the Congress party and others for the triple talaq bill, hope for a smooth passage in Rajya Sabha. Kal pesh ho sakta hai, says parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar.

10.35am: CPIs Rajya Sabha member D Raja says that the triple talaq bill has been listed for today, but as far as Left parties are concerned, we will demand that bill should be referred to Select Committee of Rajya Sabha.

10.32am: The way the triple talaq bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, it will be passed in Rajya Sabha too with constructive debate and discussion. Hope the opposition, including the Congress, supports it, says Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

10.30am: Government hopes Congress and other parties support triple talaq bill in Rajya Sabha.

10.11am: NCP has already made it clear that we are entirely against criminalisation. A marriage in Islam is a civil contract, you cant impose sentence of 3 years on improper talaq given by husband to wife. Let it go for reconsideration to Select Committee, says NCP leader Majeed Memon.

10.10am: NCP says it is against criminalisation of triple talaq, proposes the bill be sent for reconsideration to the Select Committee.

8.40am: BJP issues a three-line whip for all its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, asking them to remain present in Parliament on Jan 2 and 3 for passage of several crucial bills during the period.

# What is the triple talaq bill?

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 WhatsApp - would be illegal and void.

# Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened a meeting of the leaders of the Congress as well as other parties in his Parliament chamber on Tuesday, before the bill is taken up.

# The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) said various Muslim bodies in the country would move the Supreme Court if the bill is also passed by the Rajya Sabha.

(With agency inputs)
Police on Monday arrested a 42-year-old man following the murder of his parents in Chhattisgarhs Durg district.

Ravalmal Jain (72) and his wife Surjibai (67) were found shot dead at their home in Ganjpara locality in the morning, inspector general of police (Durg Range) Dipanshu Kabra said. Investigation revealed that their son, Sandip, was the only other person present at home at the time. During the interrogation, Sandip broke down and confessed to the murder, a police officer said.

Ravalmal was a prominent businessman, social worker, and one of the main trustees of Parshwanath Jain Tirth in Nagpura area of Durg.

Sandip allegedly told police that he and his father had an altercation the night before over rituals performed by his father at their house everyday. Police said he used to fight with his father for other reasons too.

On Monday morning, Sandip shot Ravalmal twice with a pistol, and then shot his mother, he told police.

Police suspected that the murderer was known to the couple as there was no sign of forced entry. Later, the investigation revealed Sandips involvement in the crime, Kabra said.

The pistol used in the crime was recovered too, he added. Further probe is on.

Chief minister Raman Singh expressed grief over the deaths of the couple.

Jain played a prominent role in promoting yoga and naturopathy in Chhattisgarh. He also helped in setting up a naturopathy college in Nagpura, the chief minister said.
Its well past lunch time on Tuesday, but about 200 karyakartas (workers) at the state BJP headquarters listen attentively as the BJP IT (information technology) cell chief Amit Malviya answers their queries.

Malviya, who has flown down specially to impart training, is confident of the partys IT cell making a big impact in by-elections in Rajasthan. Elections to the Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh assembly constituency will be held on January 29.

IT cell of the BJP will have a significant impact in the election outcome because Rajasthan is a fairly digitally savvy state and the people are very entrepreneurial and understand the value of information, Malviya told HT on the sidelines of the workshop.

When it comes to digital outreach, BJP has a head start over several other parties and the effort, he said, was to ensure that the gap is widened.

The BJPs formidable election machinery is divided into two parts  the traditional campaign method and a digital outreach on social media platforms, which is now an integral part of its strategy.

Our strategy will evolve as we go ahead and look at the regional context and even within Rajasthan, our strategy is devised for each zone depending on the geographical requirement, cultural requirement and demography, Malviya said.

But will the digital strategy work in rural regions of Alwar and Mandalgarh? I think this divide that we speak about in the rural and urban context has blurred given the kind of digital penetration that we have seen. I have just interacted with karyakartas from these seats who are here and it only validates my understanding that today rural India is as connected to the digital ecosystem as are the urban centres, he said.

The partys strategy here is different from that in recent assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. Every election has a strategy that is localised and contextual. So what worked for us in Himachal Pradesh may not necessarily be what we do in Rajasthan, he said.

The IT cells mandate is to take the achievements of the central and state governments to the people. We have teams going right down to the booth, and created an information network that spans the state. Our objective is to see that we are able to send a consistent message right from Delhi down to the booth in Rajasthan, he said.

The IT cell in Rajasthan is in the process of ensuring that its digital assets are robust, informative and cater to all the information that the people may have of their party or the government.

On allegations of propagating fake news, he said, Fake news has been around as long as media has been around including the mainstream media. The fact about any information is that it is relevant only if it is true and that applies to any medium. It has nothing to do with digital media. He denied any attempt to deliberately peddle fake news on social media.

Malviya said it would be difficult to give an assessment of the number of people involved, because other than office-bearers of the party from state level down to booth, they have cadres in excess of 25,000 (across the state).
A 54-year-old Dutch tourist Tuesday died after he jumped off a moving train in Rajasthans Sawai Madhopur district reportedly after realising that he had boarded a wrong train, police said.

Erik Johannes from the Netherlands and his friend Famine Glama from Britain jumped off the moving Delhi-bound Kota-Nizamuddin Jan Shatabdi Express soon after it left the platform after finding that they had boarded a wrong train, police said.

Johannes suffered fatal head injuries, station house officer, GRP, Sawai Madhopur, Geega Ram said, adding his British friend was unhurt.

Glama told police that they worked in the same company and had come to Rajasthan Monday to visit Ranthambore National Park. They had to catch a train for Agra Tuesday morning and procured general class tickets too. As soon as they got to know that had boarded a wrong train, they decided to get off. Glama was first to jump off followed by Johannes who lost balance and suffered head injury. By the time they jumped, the train was running at considerable speed and had left the platform.

Circle officer, city, Subhash Mishra said, A case has been registered and the body kept in a mortuary for post mortem. We have also informed the Netherlands embassy about the incident.

Police officials said they didnt find any railway ticket on Johannes s body. Glama told police that they had bought tickets and must have lost them when they jumped.
After Rajputs, voices of protest against the film Padmavati are being raised within the Muslim community too.

Muslim religious leaders have said they will oppose the film if it distorts historical facts and hurts sentiments of the Hindus and Muslims.

The film has been violently opposed by the Rajputs for allegedly misrepresenting history and portraying queen Padmini of Chittor in poor light.

Now Muslim leaders have come forward to protest misrepresenting of Delhi Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji. Yunus Chopdar, Rajasthan Madarsa Board member and president of the Rajasthan Muslims Parishad said the film distorted Khiljis character.

The film shows Muslims in negative light and should be banned. The government should have rules regarding historical films so they do not misrepresent facts.

Muslims leaders say there are apprehensions that the film could lead to communal tensions between Hindus and Muslims.

A panel comprising Arvind Singh, and historians Chandramani Singh and KK Singh viewed the film Padmavati and expressed reservations on the content. Singh said the film portrayed Hindus and Muslims in poor light.

Anjuman Talimul Islam chief in Udaipur Mohammed Khalil said both the Hindus and Muslims have lived in harmony in Mewar region for centuries and that should not be disrupted.

Khalil said Maharana Arvind Singh, who was part of the panel that viewed the film, has state that it has scenes that depict not only Rajputs but also Muslims in poor light and that it can lead to tension between the two communities.

We support and stand with Arvind Singh ji. If facts have been distorted and if it leads to communal tension then we will oppose the film, he said.

We request director Sanjay Leela Bhansali to get facts checked by historians and delete those portions that misrepresent history.

Writer Qamar Mewadi said while artists have the freedom of expression, it should not disrupt harmony in society.

He further said that though the film is based on Malik Mohammed Jayasis fictional work Padmavat but its characters are drawn on the king and queen of Mewar and any dishonour to them will not be acceptable to people of Mewar.

Anjuman Talimul Islam chief in Rajsamand Firoz Vakil also expressed similar sentiments.

The amity between the Hindus and Muslims goes back several centuries, he said.

Maharana Prataps army chief was Hakim Khan Sur, who fought shoulder to shoulder with him in the battle of Haldighati.

He further said that they supported Arvind Singh in his opposition to the film as it distorted history.

2018 is election year and some elements could use the film to stoke communal passions.

In November, the Ajmer Dargah Deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan had demanded that the film be banned as it distorted facts and hurt religious sentiments.

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Rahul Gandhis temple visits were a welcome move as they prove that the Congress has decided to give up on appeasement politics, Rajasthan BJP president Ashok Parnami said on Tueday.

We are happy that a mirror has been shown to Congress party that you cannot practise politics of appeasement and you have to take everyone along with you. If he (Gandhi) wants to go to temples, he is welcome to do so, Parnami told reporters at the BJP office here.

He responded to a query that the All India Congress Committee has asked its Rajasthan unit for a list of temples that Gandhi could visit.

Parnami said the BJP would announce candidates for by-elections to Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh assembly seat in a day or two.

On Gujarat results giving an indication that farmers were upset with the BJP, Parnami said, Gujarat election results were not disappointing. You have to consider 22 years of anti-incumbency.

He said, We have done a lot for farmers in terms of not raising electricity tariff for agriculture sector, giving more loans at less interest, working to double their income, and direct bank transfer of crop compensation amount. Farmer is happy with the government policies and not angry.

On delay in implementing the loan waiver announced in September, Parnami said, We have formed a committee and are studying the model of other states before implementing the loan waiver after taking into consideration the financial condition of the state.

On triple talaq bill which is in parliament, Parnami said, The aim is to ease the pain of the Muslim women. They are appreciating it and we will see positive results in society. It was a bad practice that has to be stopped.

Earlier in the day, he took a meeting of the party vistaraks (booth-level workers) for the three seats that go to the bypolls.
Winter has finally set in from January 1 in Rajasthan with the mercury dipping below the 10 degree mark and state capital Jaipur recording a minimum of temperature of 7.8 degree on Tuesday.

During the entire month of December, the minimum temperature of Jaipur was swinging between 9 and 15 degrees, but on January 1, the temperature dipped to 8.5 degree Celsius.

According to meteorological department, the minimum temperature will further dip to six degrees in the coming week.

Met office sources said the coldest place in Rajasthan was Ganganagar on Tuesday recording a minimum temperature of 1.4 degrees while the only hill station in the state Mount Abu-- recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.4 degrees.

Among the other cities in the state, Sikar recorded a minimum temperature of 1.5 degree, Bhilwara 2, Alwar 2.4, Churu 2.5, Chittorgarh 4.5, Pilani 4.8, Bikaner 6.7, Sawai Madhopur 7, Ajmer 7.6, Kota 8.8, Jodhpur 9, Jaisalmer 9.1 and Barmer 9.7 degree.

With the temperature not dipping as it should during the winter, the number of people suffering from viral infections has increased.

Hundreds of people suffering from viral fever were seen at government and private healthcare centres across the state.

According to health experts, elderly people and children should avoid going out early in the morning and late in the evening and if they have to step out, then they should be totally covered from head to toe.

With the winter setting in, the sale of woollen garments at the Tibetan market in Jaipur has become brisk.
Trinamool Congress MP Tapas Paul, who was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on December 30, 2016 in connection with the Rose Valley scam, has spent the second New Year behind the bars without any relief in sight.

The 60-year-old actor-turned-politician has spent most of the 368 days after his arrest in a cabin of a private hospital in Bhubaneswar.

Read: Tapas Paul: Bengali movie star to hardened politico arrested in Rose Valley scam

Paul is the MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district since 2009. He was an MLA from Alipore for two terms 2001-2006 and 2006-2009.

Involving an estimated Rs 17,000 crore of depositor funds, the Rose valley scam is the biggest chit fund scam to hit Bengal.

Pauls frustration increased after Trinamool Congress MP Sudip Bandopadhyay, who was the partys chief whip in Lok Sabha and was arrested on January 3 in connection with the same scam, got bail on May 19 after 136 days in jail.

Bandyopadhyay used to stay in a cabin adjacent to that of Paul in the same hospital.

Read: Between the reel and the real falls the shadow: the two facets of actor Tapas Pauls life

The matter is in court and I would not like to comment. But I am sure Tapas is suffering a lot. Our friendship goes far beyond our relation as fellow MPs. We have acted together in several films that were extremely popular. Every day I pray to God so that he emerges clean from the current crisis, another actor-turned-TMC MP Shatabdi Roy.

In April 2017, when Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee went to Bhubaneswar to meet Sudip Bandhopadhyay, she also met Paul and expressed concern about his health. But since then there has hardly been any communication from the partys top leaders said Nandini Paul, the MPs wife. She shares her husbands cabin the hospital.

We are bearing the medical and legal expenses from our pocket. I hope that the party leadership is still behind my husband and will surely do something to secure bail for him, said Nandini Paul.

Read: Tapas Pal issues apology for his rape remark, Mamata attacks media

Roy told HT that she is planning to go to Bhubaneswar and meet her former co-actor to keep up his morale.

Paul triggered controversy in June 2014, when he threatened at a public meeting that he would let loose his supporters on CPI(M) women cadres to rape them. He was pulled by Mamata Banerjee and made to tender unconditional apology.

Paul has acted in dozens of films. He acted opposite Madhuri Dixit in her debut film Abodh in 1984.
Allahabad: Magh Mela 2018 is all set to begin with first bathing day of Paush Purnima on January 2. As per official estimate around 5 lakh devotees are expected to take the holy dip on Tuesday.

From Sunday evening onwards kalpwasis started arriving in large numbers on tractor trolleys, buses besides on foot with bundles of husk and other items of daily need for beginning their nearly month-long penance to be held between first official bathing of Paush Purnima on January 2 and end with the fifth bathing of Maghi Purnima on January 31, 2018.

Day Official Bathing January 2: Paush Purnima January 14/15: Makarsankranti January 16: Mauni Amavasya January 22: Basant Panchmi January 31: Maghi Purnima February 13:Mahashivratri

Some traffic diversions have been imposed from Monday morning onwards wherein entry of heavy vehicles has been banned. The heavy vehicles will not be allowed entry within city limits one day before each of the six official bathing days and will be diverted through trans-Ganga and trans-Yamuna regions of the district.

For Paush Purnima bathing, heavy vehicles arriving from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh will be diverted towards Gohaniya while those arriving from Mirzapur district and heading for Kanpur, Lucknow and Pratapgarh will be diverted towards Aurai-Handia bypass.

Similarly, vehicles arriving from Varanasi and heading towards Kanpur will be diverted towards Handia-Kokhraj bypass.

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has pressed in around 1,500 buses on different routes in the state. As per corporation officials, 700 buses have started operating from Sunday onwards for bringing in devotees to Allahabad region from different parts of the state while an additional 800 buses of different regions in the state will cater to the devotee crowd.

District magistrate Suhas L Y and other officials of Magh mela administration reviewed preparations of the mela area.

According to district administration, around 15 crore devotees are expected to take the holy dip in Sangam during the 43-day-long Magh Mela. The Magh Mela 2018 is being considered as rehearsal for Ardh Kumbh 2019 and most of its works have been carried out keeping in view the forthcoming Ardh Kumbh.

For the mela, 70.382 kilometre of checkered plates have been laid in the area by PWD besides Jal Nigam has laid 145 kilometre of underground drinking water pipeline besides 16 tube wells. The power department has erected around 9,000 electricity poles for overhead cables.
A young father, left paralysed below the waist by a road accident in September last year, allegedly sold his 15-day-old son for Rs 42,000 to clear debts in Uttar Pradeshs Bareilly.

The 25-year-old Harswaroop Maurya, an impoverished resident of Hafiz Ganj in Nawabganj block, was shifted to the district hospital on Monday morning after the district administration heard about his ordeal.

I cant earn a single paisa and have five mouths to feed. We had no alternative but to give away the child, he said.

My wife sold her jewellery to buy medicines. We took some money from relatives. All of it was spent on my treatment. We decided to give away the child when we had nothing left.

His family has been trying in vain to arrange money for his treatment after being told that he should be taken to a bigger hospital in Lucknow or New Delhi.

Mauryas 24-year-old wife, Sanju, tried to console herself after giving away her third child to a stranger.

We named him Ankit. He was an angel. We werent destined to be with him I would have lost my other two sons to hunger if I hadnt let Ankit go, she said.

The district administration said the child was given away by the family in accordance with adoption laws and no money was exchanged. The administration is making arrangements for financial aid to the family.

I have initiated the process to enrol the family in public distribution schemes for subsidised food grains. The district chief medical officer has been requested to give Maurya a disability certificate, said Kunwar Pankaj, the sub-divisional magistrate of Nawabganj block.

Also, a letter has been sent to the chief minister to grant financial support to the family.
The Lucknow Metro is ready to expand and more routes have been identified for expansion, LMRC managing director Kumar Keshav tells Anupam Srivastava.

How will you rate performance of LMRC in 2018?

This (2017) was a year of achievements for us. Our corridor from Transport Nagar to Charbagh was commissioned by home minister Rajnath Singh and chief minister Yogi Adityanath and work on the route from Charbagh to Munshipulia is in progress. Lucknow Metro is the only metro which has been launched with full preparations and from Day one we sold tokens and smart cards. Even in Delhi and Kochi, they sold paper tickets initially before switching over to tokens.

What is your planning for 2018?

Our target is much bigger than ever before. We have to complete all the corridors from Charbagh to Munshipulia and Transport Nagar to Amausi airport . Not only that, we have to make the whole route ready for commercial operations before March 2019. There are four underground stations on the route. They need to be prepared soon. I am confident that the LMRC will achieve the target before time.

What about East-West corridor what is the progress in that?

All the work of physical verification is complete from Charbagh to Vasantkunj . This corridor is more challenging than the North South corridor because the route will pass through very busy and narrow places. So digging for underground stations, which are 7 in number, would be tough. However, the LMRC has a plan ready for that. We have spotted all the problem areas and have prepared a list of solutions.

How much time will it take to complete the East-West corridor ?

According to the DPR, it will be completed with in five years after the launch of the project..

What is the present status of DPR?

The DPR was prepared by DMRC. Now they are just tweaking it again on the advice of state government . They will send a final DPR this month and we will sending to the government. After that, work on the section is expected to start . if everything goes as per plan, then one would be able to ride the metro from Charbagh to Vasantkunj in 2023.

What response is on the Transport Nagar to Charbagh route ?

We are getting good ridership on the route. On busy days we are getting around 15,000 persons per day, while on an average day we are getting crowd between 9 to 10,000 . We expect to get 4 lakh crowd once the route from Transport Nagar to Munshipulia is completed. However, on East- West corridor we expected double ridership than this route.

Are you planning other routes ?

Yes, more routes are surveyed. All metros in the world are expanding. Recently Delhi metro has expended to Faridabad and Noida. Similarly, Lucknow Metro also needs to expand. We have left an opening to expand towards Barabanki while turn of Munshipulia, from Charbagh route of SGPGIMS is identified . Another route for linking Gomti Nagar extension along Shaheed Path is under consideration.
The Uttar Pradesh transport department is set to soon start vehicle registration number portability. The move comes over 20 months after the previous state government approved the proposal for the same.

In this system, one can retain the number of his/her old vehicle even if he/she sells or junks it.

The new vehicle can have the same old number without any hassle, while the old vehicle will be issued a new number available in the current series at that time.

This will be much like the mobile number portability where a subscriber can retain his old number even if he switches over to a new service provider.

The portability will be interchangeable -- a scooter or bikes number can be ported to a car and a cars number can be ported to a scooter or bike.

We will introduce the registration number portability for non-transport/private vehicles (cars, scooters, bikes etc) very soon in Uttar Pradesh after the rules for the same are finalised, principal secretary, transport, Aradhana Shukla told the HT.

She added, We are trying to adopt the best features of the number portability system already in vogue in some other states.

Presently, Maharashtra, Delhi and Haryana are already providing the number portability facility and the Central government had even issued an advisory to all other states a year back advising them to follow suit.

THE PRICE

The new facility will, however, come at a handsome cost. Shukla was not forthcoming on the price issue. I cannot comment on that but that may be substantial, she said.

Sources in the transport department, however, revealed that it had had been decided to charge a fee of Rs 25,000 for porting a number from one scooter/bike to another and Rs 50,000 in case of porting a number from one car to another or from a scooter/bike to car.

The move, according to sources, may ring in good additional revenue for the state exchequer depending on the response to the service.

The decision to introduce the vehicle registration number portability had been taken by the previous government over a year ago. But that government could not draft the rules to operationalise the system apart from putting some impractical provisions in the notification, sources said.

Under the rules that are being framed, there will no pre-condition requiring one to retain the ported number for a certain period of time nor will one be asked to scrap the vehicle, the number of which is ported.

The earlier notification was defective and unattractive in the sense that it put so many conditions. First, it sought to allow a person to port the number only once during his life time. Second it made it mandatory for one to scrap the old vehicle if one ported its number to another vehicle and third, it also made it must for one to retain a vehicle for three years after a number was ported to it.

We are doing away with all these shortcomings to make the scheme more workable and attractive, the sources said.
A 10-year-old girl, who had set out from her Vakola residence in Santacruz (East) to celebrate New Years Eve with her friends, was stalked and groped by a 20-year-old man from a nearby locality. The youth has been arrested.

According to the police, the incident took place around 8pm in Navjeevan chawl in Santacruz (East) on Sunday. The victim is a resident of a nearby area, and was walking through the chawl when the accused, identified as Amol Kharwa, started stalking her.

When the accused groped her, the victim pushed him and ran off. She alerted residents of the area, who nabbed the accused.

The victim later went home and narrated the incident to her mother. The accused was taken to Vakola police station, and handed over to the police.

An FIR has been registered under section 354 D of the IPC for stalking, and section 10 (aggravated sexual assault) and 12 (sexual harassment of a child) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). The accused was produced before a sessions court and remanded to police custody for further probe.
Why did things get so out of hand in the city on Tuesday, despite an alert sounded by the Director General of Polices (DGP) office on Monday night about possible protests and disruption by Dalit groups?

A senior Mumbai police official admitted that though they had anticipated protests, they failed to anticipate their magnitude.

The numbers were bigger than they had thought; women and children were in the frontlines, making crowd dispersal that much more difficult.

We had some idea about the events to happen, but we never expected the outpouring that followed in the city, said Sachin Patil, deputy commissioner of police (operations), and the nodal officer for the deployment and mobilisation of police personnel.

Not having expected such a turnout, there were only reserve forces on the ready, and not the kind of full deployment that kept things in check on recent big days such as Christmas and New Years Eve.

A top Mumbai police official, who asked not to be identified, said the statewide alert sounded by the DGPs office was general in nature; something that is routinely issued in the aftermath of any kind of violence in the state. Personnel had been kept in reserve, he added, but mobilisation became difficult as the situation deteriorated more rapidly than expected.

We had made overnight deployments in some volatile pockets and stepped up night patrolling. We had kept a lot of our reserve forces ready. We thought we would move the forces gradually as and when the need arose. The plans failed as the footfall went beyond our expectations and roads were blocked more quickly than we had anticipated, he said.

The official said clearing the roadblocks became even more difficult because of the large number women and children in the front lines.

We could not afford to be tough, he said. The usual crowd dispersal tactics like lathi charges had to be ruled out.

DCP Patil meanwhile claimed that heavier-than-usual morning traffic on the Eastern Express Highway  as people returned to Mumbai after the long weekend  coincided with the initial protests by small groups at Kamraj Nagar, Powai and Ramabai Nagar.

As we cleared them from one road, they moved to another and blocked alternative routes, he said. Given the citys history of agitations and disruption in reaction to events elsewhere in the state, the police should have anticipated worse following the Koregaon incident and moved sufficient forces to the large Dalit pockets in the city, department veterans said.

By Tuesday night, the police had detained over 100 people in connection with the agitation and violence. We have made adequate arrangements for deployments for Wednesdays bandh call given by some political parties and outfits, Mumbai police commissioner Dattatreya Padsalgikar said.
The Bombay high court recently paved the way for the redevelopment of Alimohammed Mansion, a building near Novelty Cinema at Lamington Road, which had collapsed a decade back, resulting in death of two persons.

The redevelopment of the building had been held up primarily because of a bitter legal battle between NL Lookmanji Mithaiwala Pvt Ltd, which occupied two shops at the ground floor of the building, and its owner, Pervez Raisi. Justice Gautam Patel of the Bombay high court recently dismissed an execution proceeding taken out by the sweet shop against the landlord, paving the way for the redevelopment of the building.

The sweet shop had sought monthly rent of Rs60,000 from the landlord in accordance with the consent terms recorded by the parties earlier. Justice Patel rejected the claim, noting that the amount was payable on the sweet shop after the two tenements on ground floor of Alimohammed Mansion vacated the premises, which they never did as such.

The building having collapsed, it cannot now be said that the petitioner vacated the premises, said justice Patel, adding, To hold that it did would necessarily imply several things.

The judge noted that there was no voluntary act of quitting the premises, delivering the same to the landlord in tangible form, and that required the shops to be in existence. The fact remained that the sweet shop owners possession came to an end owing to collapse of the building in June 2007.

Raisi claimed that the building had become dilapidated and required to be vacated and pulled down, pursuant to notices issued by the MHADA and the Brihanmumbai municipal corporation. The sweet shop owners maintained that the building was repairable, though old, and they hence refused to vacate the building, although all other tenants had left their respective premises.

The judge not only rejected the execution application, but also imposed a cost of Rs5 lakh on NL Lookmanji Mithaiwala for the manner in which it chose to conduct itself so far as the litigation surrounding Alimohammed Mansion was concerned.
An online petition demanding punitive action against illegal restaurants, bars and hookah parlours has gathered nearly 5,000 signatures.

The petition, titled What we want? Justice. When we want? Now, started making rounds on a messaging application on Sunday, two days after the Kamala Mills blaze killed 14 people and injured 55

It is high time that people take up this issue. Something needs to be done. We cannot let lives be lost. This campaign is a selfless movement for Mumbai residents, said senior lawyer Sujay Kantawala.

Calling the fire a horrendous tragedy, Kantawala said the petition had received support from foreign nationals, including some in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Victims families said the civic bodys move to demolish 316 illegal pubs, restaurants, malls and commercial compounds after the fire was inadequate.

Supported by several citizens groups, they staged a march at various locations in the city on Sunday.

The families of victims Khushbu Bhansali and Kinjal Mehta joined the Shri Vardhaman Jain Parishad for a candle march in Khetwadi on Sunday.

Organisation members said they will soon meet municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta to demand that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) investigate the blaze.

NGO Sahas Foundation has demanded that the authorities hold Mehta liable for the fires at Sakinaka and Kamala Mills, and carry out a judicial or CBI probe into the matter.
The citys mangrove forests, which face ever-growing threat from encroachers, will soon be protected by armed security personnel.

The Mumbai Mangrove Conservation Unit (MMCU) has hired 108 security personnel from the Maharashtra State Security Corporation (MSSC) to protect mangrove forests and provide assistance while rescuing marine animals.

Of the 108 security officers, 12 will be armed with pellet guns, said the forest department. So far, the state mangrove cell had only 18 officers manning mangrove forests in the city after the state mangrove cell was formed in 2012.

The department has been understaffed for more than five years now. This boost in manpower will help us track cases much faster, and ensure better deterrence, said Makarand Ghodke, assistant conservator of forest, MMCU. Apart from on-ground surveillance, the officers will monitor complaints from our head office in Bandra, help carry out demolition drives and even marine mammal rescues.

Destruction of mangroves is illegal under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Acting on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Bombay Environment Action Group, the Bombay high court banned destruction of mangrove forests across Maharashtra and construction within 50 metres of mangrove areas in 2005.

More than 100 cases of mangrove destruction, both on private and government land, were reported from the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) last year. Most of the case were related to debris dumping, burning of mangrove trees and hacking mangrove trees.

The MMC has identified areas such as Colaba, Cheeta Camp and Mandala in Trombay, Malwani, Kandivli, Borivli and Vikhroli  where the security officers will be deployed.

The special-ops security personnel will work in three shifts with at least two to three guards stationed at each location. Each area will also have one supervisor and an assistant security officer, who will be reporting to the cell, said Milind Panditrao, divisional forest officer, state mangrove cell. These officers have powers to take action under Environment Protection Act, 1986, and can book offenders. The group is well equipped to deal with mangrove destruction cases, and a special flying squad has also been deployed to tackle complaints on priority basis.
Joining the demand for an independent probe into the Kamala Mills fire, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has alleged that the civic body has suspended selective officials while the officers responsible for the incident are walking free. A day after the fire in Kamala Mills that claimed the lives of 14 people and injured 55 others, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Ajoy Mehta had suspended five officials and transferred an assistant municipal commissioner pending inquiry.

However, political parties called the action an eyewash and had demanded Mehtas resignation. The MNS on Tuesday also expressed doubts over the authenticity of an inquiry to be conducted by the civic chief. An independent inquiry by a higher official should be conducted in this incident, said MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande. Deshpande also alleged that the main culprits from the ward concerned (G-south) have not been suspended and no inquiry has been initiated against them, and even the ward official concerned has only been transferred.

The Congress, too, had demanded suspension of the civic chief claiming that he was guilty of overlooking irregularities and had demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the incident. The family of the victims had also supported the demand for a CBI probe. The Congress has criticised the BMC for not taking any constructive action after the Sakinaka fire of December 18, 2017, in which 12 migrants had lost their lives. On Sunday, advocate Abha Singh wrote to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding that Mehta be removed from the probe.

According to Development Control Regulations, in the mill land if the area of new construction exceeds the old construction, then one third of the land has to be surrendered to the BMC for recreation ground and another one third of the open land has to be given to the Mhada for mass housing. Singh claimed that to avoid this, the mill land was notionally divided into two parts, instead of practical division, paving the way to set up 18 restaurants in one building, which was approved by Mehta.

Amidst the allegations that had been levelled against the BMC, Mehta had earlier clarified that no officer has been given a clean chit and everyone should wait for the inquiry report into the incident. Mehta also ordered an inquiry against assistant municipal commissioner Prashant Sapkale and the five employees who were suspended for negligence for permitting an illegal shed at 1Above that caught fire. The inquiry report is expected in a month, after which the next course of action will be decided, said Mehta.
The owner of Kamala Mills compound, Ramesh Govani, who had been booked in connection with illegal construction on the compound premises, was summoned by the NM Joshi Marg police on Tuesday to record his statement.

The police had booked Govani under the MRTP Act in connection with last Fridays fire incident, which is believed to have started at 1Above and spread to Mojo Bistro, killing 14 people and injuring 55. The police said that they had sent summons to Govani, but he was not present at his residence on Tuesday.

According to Ahmad Pathan, senior police inspector, NM Joshi Marg police station, apart from the arrested managers Kevin Bava, and Lisbon Lopez, who were present at 1Above when the fire broke out, 48 other staff members were also at the premises.

We have recorded the statement of the staff members and around 40 witnesses, said Pathan. The officers investigating the case, however, said that the managers and the staff maintain that the fire broke out in Mojo Birsto. The witnesses told the police that they were unsure about the origin of the fire.

We are waiting for the fire brigade to submit their report. Meanwhile, we are also questioning the managers about the altercations and illegal construction at 1Above, said Pathan.

Meanwhile, the owners of 1Above, Kripesh and Jigar Sanghvi and Abhijit Mankar, continue to be on the run. The police are now tracing their debit and credit cards.

The police have found out that the Jigars father Mansukh was involved in the Surat Hawala case of 2015, which was investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar courted controversy by misquoting the number of people who died in the Kamala Mills fire as 34, instead of the 14 deaths that occurred.

Speaking at the felicitation for constable Sudarshan Shinde on Monday, Mahadeshwar said the fire killed 34 people.

He was corrected by the media and citizens present at the felicitation, when he turned to his assistants, who corrected him, and said 34 people were injured in total, and 14 of these died in the fire.

Mahadeshwar then requested the media overlook the mistake.

Mahadeshwar later told Hindustan Times, It was a slip of tongue. Its not that I did not know or remember the damage that this fire has caused to Mumbai and the people. But the number 34 is on my mind all the time, as I won the elections by 34 votes. I remind myself of that.

However, this slip of tongue has earned the mayor a lot of flak. Opposition parties and activists accuse him of being irresponsible, especially at the time of such a tragic incident, which has put Mumbai under the national scanner.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader, Sandeep Deshpande, said, Mahadeshwar is the first citizen of the city, and a person in such a high position ought to act responsibly. I recall when the mayor felt insulted for not being invited to the launch of a mobile application at the hands of the chief minister last month. It seems he is not concerned about real development issues.

Similarly, Sanjay Nirupam, president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee said, The mayor heads the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), and he is at least expected to be updated and involved in the happenings of the city. Its very irresponsible of him to say so.
Police commissioner Datta Padsalgikar on Monday felicitated Sudharshan Shivaji Shinde, 35, a police constable from Worli police station who managed to pull out an unconscious woman stuck in the fire at Kamala Mills compound.

After the fire broke out, the staff from nearby police stations was asked to reach the spot to help the local NM Joshi Marg police. When Shinde reached the spot, he saw people gathering around desperately looking for their family and friends.

My duty was to keep the crowd away. Suddenly, I heard screams from the rooftop restaurant. I found one woman had fallen unconscious. I lifted her and brought her down. By then, stretchers and ambulance had reached the spot, said Shinde.

Shinde, who has been part of the police force for 14 years, was rewarded for the second time. In 2014, he won an award for risking his life while saving a drowning man at Worli.

Padsalgikar greeted the constable in his cabin with a bouquet of flowers. Its a dream for every policeman to be appreciated by the top cop. It was a highly motivating and satisfactory experience, said Shinde, who lives in police quarters at Worli BDD chawl.
By 2020, Mumbai will get a public hospital specialising in the treatment of burn injuries. The state health ministry announced its decision to build such a centre three days after 14 people were killed in a fire at the Kamala Mills compound.

A special burns centre with a skin bank facility will be set up at the government-run Samanya Rugnalaya in Malwani, Malad, said Dr Deepak Sawant, health minister. The 30-bed hospital will be built on a plot belonging to the state government. It is expected to be operational in two years, he added.

Currently, there are no government-run burn care centres in Mumbai. The citys largest and most sophisticated one is housed at Masina Hospital, a private facility. The 15-bed Masina burns and plastic surgery unit has been operational since the past 40 years.

While medical colleges and a few periphery hospitals have plastic surgery units in which burn injuries are treated, they are plagued by a lack of beds and expertise in complicated third-degree burn cases.

Many severe burn cases are transferred to National Burns Center in Airoli, Navi Mumbai  one of the largest specialised burns hospitals in India. However, the high cost of treatment at the NBC acts a deterrent for the underprivileged.

Though several public hospitals have facilities to treat burns, people who sustain 50% burn injuries are transferred to NBC. The government kept this in mind while making its decision to set up the new centre, Dr Sawant added.

Health officials said the skin bank  that will largely store skin from cadavers  was much-needed. A skin bank is a facility where skin is collected from cadavers and donors and then processed. The skin, which can be stored for up to five years, can be used to treat people who have suffered deep burns, chemical burns and electrical burns. Timely skin grafts can protect such patients from fatal infections.

Currently, the city has a single skin bank, which was set up at Sion Hospital in 2000. The number of skin donations increased following 2007,said officials. We will create awareness among people, asking them to donate skin like they donate organs. This will be a ray of hope for people with serious burn injuries, Dr Sawant said.

Five with minor burns discharged

Five patients, undergoing treatment for minor burns after the fire at Kamala Mills compound, were discharged from Bhatia Hospital on Monday.

Doctors said there has been a slight improvement in the condition of another patient, a non-residential Indian (NRI), who had suffered 30% to 35% burns.

Four days after the massive fire that claimed 14 lives, six people who suffered minor burns are still undergoing treatment at Bhatia Hospital, where they were shifted to from KEM Hospital, Parel, against medical advice on Thursday.

Four men  aged 41, 37, 38 and 21  and a 32-year-old woman were discharged after they made a complete recovery on Monday. The NRI, whose condition is critical owing to third-degree severe burns, is still under observation. He has started responding to treatment, said doctors from Bhatia Hospital.

The man suffered burns on both hands, his head and back. Owing to the severity of the injuries, surgery is not an option for now. We are closely monitoring his internal organs, which are currently stable, said Dr Ashok Shah, plastic surgeon, Bhatia Hospital.

He said doctors gave the man antibiotics and collagen dressing  a new bandaging technique that helps promote the growth of new collagen (a type of protein) at the wound site, prompting a speedier recovery. Since a layer of his skin was lost, owing to the burns, we are changing his dressings frequently to avoid an infection, he said.

Among the 14 patients who were admitted to the hospital, three were initially critical. One of them underwent a skin graft on Saturday. To prevent an infection, we replaced the lost skin on the body with skin from other parts. A man who had suffered 30% burns is also recovering quickly, said doctors.
A 33-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by setting herself on fire in Kurar area of Malad (East) on Friday after she fought with her daughter over the teenagers demand for a new mobile phone.

The police said Varsha Pawar lived with her husband and two daughters aged 14 and 15 in Omkar building in Kurar village and her younger daughter had been asking for a mobile phone for sometime.

Pawar told her daughter that she didnt have money to buy a phone. This had upset the daughter and caused a fight between the two, said the police. On Friday, she set herself ablaze. Her family doused the fire and rushed her to a hospital. She had suffered 70% burns and succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday, said Uday Rajeshirke, senior inspector at Kurar police station.

The Kurar police said they have recorded statements of witnesses and have got no complaints from any member of her family. We have filed an accidental death report. There are no allegations from anyone, added Rajeshirke.
Six days after the father of the main accused in Nashik arms haul case was arrested in an extortion case, the anti-extortion cell (AEC) of the Mumbai police has invoked provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) against him.

Badrudin Juman Badshahs 53-year-old father Akbar Khaimatjaan was arrested last week along with two others  Salman Qureshi, 26, and Sanjay Salunkhe, 22  for demanding money from a local businessman. On Tuesday, the three were produced before the special MCOCA court where the AEC sought their custody for 14 days.

The prosecution alleged that the accused had been demanding money from the local businessman since October. Badshah, 27, then was in jail in connection with another case and his father spent a lot of money to bail him out.

The complainant alleged that Khaimatjaan had been demanding money ever since his son was released on bail.

The businessman said the three accused came to his office on October 8, abused him and demanded money. They again went to the businessmans office on October 11 and asked him to pay Rs5 lakh. They asked him to pay the first instalment of Rs1 lakh by October 30. The complainant submitted a written complaint with the RAK Marg police station.

After Badshahs arrest in the Nashik arms haul case on December 15, the extortion threat continued.

The complainant said that Kaimatjaan came to him and blamed him for Badshahs arrest. The complainant claimed that after the accused threatened to kill him, he lodged a formal complaint with the RAK Marg police in December. Along with the three accused, Badshah and two others have been booked in the case and shown as wanted accused.

Chief public prosecutor Lata Chheda said that Badshah heads the crime syndicate and has more than 25 cases registered against him.

Kaimatjaan has around seven cases registered against him. The accused had been extorting money and has been involved in such criminal activities for long, Chheda said.

The prosecution said Qureshi and Salunkhe are Badshahs close associates who have committed crimes such as extortion and robbery. The police are probing if the accused had demanded and threatened other businessmen in the locality.

The special MCOCA court has remanded the three accused to police custody till January 10.
A day after violence claimed one life at Bhima Koregaon in Pune district and left four others injured, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial probe into the incident by a sitting high court judge, as well as a CID inquiry into the death. The decision was announced after the state Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The CM also announced compensation of Rs10 lakh to the family of Rahul Phatangale, the 28-year-old resident of Sanaswadi, Pune, who died on Monday after suffering head injuries when a mob pelted stones. The altercation took place between two unidentified groups near a memorial of the 1818 war between the British and Peshwa forces in Bhima Koregaon.

Govt should have taken adequate precautions: Pawar Earlier in the day, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar blamed right-wing forces for the violence at Bhima Koregaon, and alleged that outsiders had provoked locals in Vadhu village, where trouble began. People from the village told me that some outsiders who belonged to right-wing organisations incited violence, Pawar said. Thousands of people gather at the spot every year, but there is no history of violence at this commemoration. Anticipating a large gathering on the occasion of the bicentenary, government authorities should have taken due precautions.

Fadnavis said: The government will investigate if there were deliberate attempts by some forces to trigger violence. The CID will probe the killing of the youth, treating it as murder. Besides the financial aid of Rs10 lakh to the family of the youth, compensation will be given for damages to vehicles of people who had gone to commemorate the bicentenary celebration.

The government has taken serious note of the incident, the CM said.

Around three lakh people had gathered at Bhima Koregaon, located around 40km from Pune city, far higher than the number of visitors seen every year.

We had deployed six police companies to control the situation. Some vehicles were torched and stone were pelted, but we succeeded in preventing the violence from turning into a riot-like situation, Fadnavis said, praising the police force for successfully handling the situation and averting riots.

The CM also warned that strict action would be taken against those who spread rumours. He has appealed to political outfits and leaders to restrain themselves from issuing statements and disrupting social harmony.
The 12-hour strike by doctors affiliated to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) ended with the National Medical Commission Bill, which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body, being deferred.

The IMA, Maharashtra, said more than 50,000 members working in private hospitals took part in the Tuesdays strike. However, major private hospitals ensured that a few doctors remained on-duty to attend to patients who had taken prior appointments.

The IMA, which claims to have about 3,00,000 members nationally, asked hospitals to keep their outpatient departments (OPDs) shut to protest against a government bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). The IMA has termed the new Bill, which was introduced in the Parliament on Friday, anti-people and anti-patient.

The strike was a huge success and apart from a few corporate hospitals, which asked the doctors to remain on duty, OPDs in most private hospitals remained shut from 6am to 6pm. The NMC Bill will now be discussed in the standing committee of health in Lok Sabha, where our members will provide valuable inputs to make necessary amendments to the members of the committee, said Dr Parthic Sanghvi, treasurer, IMA Maharashtra.

Major hospitals in Mumbai said their OPD services remained unaffected. Ram Naraine, executive director of Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, said doctors showed their support to the protest by wearing black bands but the OPDs ran smoothly. All the OPDs in the hospital were running and patients werent affected by the strike, he said.

Dr Rajendra Patankar, chief operating officer, Nanavati Hospital, said a few doctors remained absent from the OPDs. While a few of the OPDs are running, others are shut owing to the strike. But in any case, the in-patient care is not affected at all and its running smoothly with involvement of all the doctors, he said.

Doctors said they informed patients with prior appointments about their absence in the OPDs. We asked the patients to come after 6pm, after the strike was over. Moreover, most of us we are available at the hospital in case of an emergency. OPDs are mostly non-emergency cases and rescheduling appointments wont affect patients, said Dr Pradip Shah, Fortis Hospital.

Other hospitals asked their doctors to attend to patients who couldnt be informed about the strike. The decision to call for a strike was finalised late night [on Monday], so not all the patients could be informed. So we asked the doctors to attend to the patients who had prior appointments, as they ahd started visiting the hospital since morning, said N Santhanam, chief executive officer, Breach Candy hospital.

Hospitals said that patients didnt face any inconvenience. All the surgeries took place as scheduled and we are sending the OPD patients with even little bit medical complication to the emergency wards so that he or she can avail treatment. However some of the OPDs are shut and the patients with prior appointments are informed, said Huzaifa Shehabi, COO of Saifee Hospital.
faisal.malik@htlive.com

Urinating in the open or spitting at public places has now become an offence in Maharashtra. The state government has decided to fine citizens for urinating, spitting and littering at public places across cities in the state including Mumbai. For big cities such as Mumbai and Pune, the fine for spitting has been fixed at Rs150, for littering at Rs180 and for urinating at Rs200.

For smaller cities, the penalty for urinating or spitting will be Rs100 and Rs150 for littering.

The government has directed all the municipal corporations and councils to charge the penalties from citizens if they are found guilty of any of these violations.

The initiative is being spread across the state as part of the Swachh Maharashtra drive in which open defecation has already been curbed to a large extent by penalising people for violations.

The state urban development department issued a government resolution on December 30 authorising the urban local bodies to spot fine citizens for urinating, spitting and littering at public places.

The Mumbai civic body is already following a similar initiative for the past few years against spitting at public places by deploying marshals at various places.

Manisha Mhaiskar, principal secretary, urban development department (UDD), said they have asked the urban civic bodies to start implementing the orders immediately. The decision has been taken as a step under the implementation of Swachh Maharashtra Abhiyan, being run as part of the Centres Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Mhaiskar told HT.

A senior official from UDD said, We want to change the mindset of the people. This can be done by awareness, clubbed with regulations. Thus, civic bodies have been asked to charge nominal fines from the offenders.
Barely a decade ago, the mill land areas of the city were an uncertain entity. There was a bitter battle between high-end builders in the suburbs who were losing out to the ones rushing into textile mills. I remember they used all kinds of ruses, including roping in environmentalists, to stall the development of these vast tracts of land which would put their noses out of business as home buyers and those interested in commercial properties would much prefer proximity to the south end of the city than the distant suburbs. But they were fighting a losing battle. For, after the initial fits and starts, the textile land development took off like a rocket and has completely changed the landscape - and skyscape of the city.

South Bombay somehow today looks rather dog-eared and shabbier than the posh establishments and malls in this area but the furiously paced expansion was also a disaster waiting to happen. Barely three months before the Kamala Mills fire last week, the stampede caused by the collapse of a foot overbridge at Elphinstone Road station had served the citys guardians ample warning of the growing pressure of population in this part of town which has become not just a much sought-after residential area but has mushrooming commercial spaces. When daytime office workers exit, night owls take over and put equal pressure on the restaurants, bars and discos in various mill buildings, many of which have only been reinforced and not constructed anew to get round the laws governing the redevelopment of textile lands.

As far as I remember, all governments, from the Shiv Sena-BJP in the mid-1990s to the Congress-NCP in later years had decreed that each textile mill area should be divided into three with ample open spaces juxtaposed against housing and commercial properties. One barely sees any adherence to this and, as noted lawyer Abha Singh has said in her letter to the chief minister, last year alone the municipal commissioner sanctioned a dozen or more restaurants at Kamala Mills without paying much heed to safety requirements.

Quite apart from the allegations of graft and dereliction of duty on the part of the municipal authorities, I wonder if it is not high time to reconsider the constitution and structure of the citys governing authority per se. Bombay has simply grown too big to be governed by one corporation, one commissioner or one mayor alone. While former Congress MP Milind Deora has been calling for a mayor for the city who is directly elected by the people  rather than appointed as a reward by the victorious partys leader  for reasons of accountability, I believe that will still not solve the problems this mammoth metropolis faces by reason of its sheer size. And these problems are not restricted to just collapsing bridges or restaurants catching fire. Look at the citys roads  why are they perpetually potholed and in need of repair? There are health issues as well relating to pollution, mosquitoes, inadequate government and municipal hospitals et al. I do not blame the municipal authorities for the sheer scale of the problems is so huge that many crucial issues escape their attention. A single mayor, even if directly elected and wishing to be accountable, will simply be snowed under and unable to administer the city the way it should.

So I would second former Congress minister Naseem Khans proposal to trifurcate the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) into eastern suburbs, western suburbs and the city to the south. In fact, the proposal merits a fourth corporation to the north for easy administration.

Delhi was split up into different corporations, so why not Mumbai? he asks.

He has a point. Barely 10 days before the Kamala Mills fire, there was an equally major one in a farsan shop in Saki Naka in the northern suburbs in which at least 12 workers sleeping in the loft above were killed. The loft was similarly made of combustible material like the roof of the restaurant which caught fire. Those deaths, however, did not catch the public imagination, perhaps because those who died in the fire were ordinary workers and not the glamorous section of the city population. But the fire was caused by the same negligence to safety norms and those trapped in the loft similarly had no other exit as the diners at the restaurant.

The city is simply bursting at its seams and a singular authority is just not able to keep an eye on everything. Rich, poor or middle class, we all deserve better from our city administrators. The government should seriously consider Khans proposal. If they care.
The Supreme Courts judgment in the Shayara Bano case, which held the practice of talaq-e-biddat (or triple talaq) unconstitutional, was hailed by many as a step towards the emancipation of Muslim women and a win in the war against institutional remnants of gender inequality. In criminalising triple talaq, is the present government misusing a judgment delivered to promote gender equality, for ulterior motives? Or is it guilty of gross overreach in legislating supposedly on the basis of the courts judgement?

Parliament, as a whole, in its plenary wisdom will decide many of these issues and later, perhaps, the apex court, in a constitutional challenge. But in a vibrant democracy wedded to rule of law, constitutionalism and genuine free speech requires the analysis of such burning issues, though I restrict myself to the criminalisation aspect and do not treat issues of maintenance and custody as liable to be similarly stigmatised.

The first aspect to remember when dealing with this ill-advised punitive measure by which the pronouncement of triple talaq results in a mandatory jail term, which may extend up to three years, is that the Supreme Court itself gave a highly fractious 3:2 verdict. Even the two sets of majority judgements  one by Justices Nariman and Lalit, declaring triple talaq as violative of Article 14, and the other by Justice Joseph, holding that what is held bad in the Koran cannot be good in Shariat  differed widely. The minority held triple talaq as judicially non-reviewable being an integral part of Muslim personal law. The offence is nevertheless made cognisable (liable to arrest without warrant) and also non-bailable (only courts and not police can grant bail).

What is crucial to note is that neither the majorities nor the dissent remotely contemplate, much less direct, the criminalisation of triple talaq. To use the judicial pronouncement as a carte blanche to enact an arbitrary punitive legislation would be a clear distortion of the essence of the Supreme Court judgements.

That part of the Bill which re-declares triple talaq to be illegal and void is largely surplus since the apex court has already done so under articles 141 and 142; all agencies across India have to act in aid and support of that binding judgement.

The Bill makes the classic mistake of treating every error, mistake or illegality as a crime, which it most assuredly is not, though the reverse is axiomatically true. We have very recently seen the disastrous consequences of the same conceptual confusion in the context of the 2G case.

It is also clear that the framers of the Bill have not only unthinkingly decided that never the twain (spouses) shall meet but indeed that they shall remain sworn enemies for life! A husband committing triple talaq must spend considerable time in jail (take a statistical average of 18 months) as also suffer the ignominy of arrest and social ostracism on the criminal complaint of his wife. Reconciliation amongst warring spouses, though a cornerstone and bedrock of family law  even divorce by mutual consent cannot be triggered immediately and Parliament still resists the insertion of  irretrievable breakdown of marriage  is ruled out by this Bill.

Since the Bill contains a statutory and mandatory declaration not only of illegality and voidness but also of criminality, it is presently doubtful if this offence can be settled, compounded or withdrawn. The state will thus persist with the prosecution even where tempers have cooled and prosecutions are sought to be withdrawn by the complainant.

A not inapposite analogy is if under the extant law of divorce, every allegation of cruelty were also, concurrently, to carry criminal consequences. One would have a society littered not merely with broken homes but with vindictive former spouses as enemies fighting for decades.

The government has not tabled any concrete figures before Parliament, while making the claim in the Bills objects that numerous instances of triple talaq are found even after the pronouncements of the Supreme Court. Anecdotal or stray accounts by the law minister do not establish that the scale and degree of the mischief, even after the SC judgments, justify such a draconian clause nor demonstrate that the benefits of the Bill outweigh the costs of ruined homes.

Also, the Bill, as presently drafted, creates what lawyers call a strict liability offence viz one where ostensibly, or at least in present language, no mental intent (or mens rea) is required. Mere utterance of the magic words three times fulfils all the ingredients of the crime.

Good governance requires sobriety, restraint, balance and farsightedness. As regards criminalisation of triple talaq, the government of the day has to hearken back to those virtues instead of relying on brute majorities.

Abhishek Singhvi is a member of Parliament, the national spokesperson of the Congress, former chairman, Parliamentary Committee on Law & Justice, and former additional solicitor general of India

The views expressed are personal
The highway police deployed additional personnel of their traffic force on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway after large scale violence was seen at Bhima Koregaon.

Heavy vehicles coming towards Pune have been diverted via Chakan and Bhosari, while vehicles going towards Ahmednagar were being diverted via Solapur road till 10 pm on Monday.

Superintendent of police (highways) Amol Tambe informed Hindustan Times that a notification has been issued by the district collectors office in the evening about the diversion of heavy vehicles.

Vehicles coming to Pune have been diverted to Shikrapur-Chakan-Bhosari and Pune. Similarly, vehicles going towards Ahmednagar have been diverted via Solapur road-Chauphula-Shirur.

The highway police have already been deputed on the diversion points to streamline traffic, Tambe added.

According to the highway police, the special traffic team comprising of an inspector, five assistant police inspectors/police sub inspectors and 15 policemen have been deployed.

The police personnel would remain deployed till further instructions taking into account the emerging situation at Bhima Koregaon. The highway police are in constant touch with the Pune rural police and the unfolding situation is being monitored by us jointly. If they seek an extension of timing for the diversion, we will support them, he added.

Head constable hurt in stone pelting

A head constable identified as Borade, was injured on Monday afternoon during stone pelting near Koregaon Bhima. Borade was deployed near Bhima Koregaon and was admitted to the Sassoon Hospital. He is posted at Bhuinj in Satara district and was on duty near Bhima Koregaon. He is being treated at the hospital and his condition is stable, SP Tambe told HT.
Pune Demanding action against those involved in the violent clashes in Koregaon Bhima, some Dalit groups called for a road bandh in Pimpri on Tuesday. Violent clashes between Dalit and Maratha communities were reported on Monday, after lakhs of Dalits gathered in the city to attend an event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima.

In Solapur, a workers union stopped the truck loading and unloading work in protest and called for a bandh since 12 am. In the city, two buses were vandalised near Dayanand College and in Rupa Bhavani Mandir. A group also staged protests on the Pune-Hyderabad highway earlier on Tuesday. The Ambedkar organisation called for a bandh in Pandharpur on Thursday.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Solapur police commissioner Mahadev Tambade said, There were two incidences of stone pelting in the city early Tuesday morning. But the situation is under control now. No one was injured in the stone-pelting incident. Large police force has been deployed at sensitive areas in the city as a precautionary measure.

Meanwhile, in Aurangabad, one police personnel was injured in a stone-pelting incident at Siddharth nagar around 11 am. Huge police force was deployed in the area. Three state transport bus passengers were injured in a ST bus stone-pelting incident at Gul Market road in Latur.
The Teja Singh Samundari Hall in the Golden Temple complex may have been refurbished, but the scars remain. Quite literally.

The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has preserved 147 bullet marks on the walls of its HQ, just so they can serve as evidence in a Rs 1,000-crore suit related to a military attack on the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star.

One fallout of Operation Blue Star was the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards in October 1984.

Sikh leaders say that while money cant possibly compensate for the damage suffered by the sacred site in June 1984, the suit is their way of keeping memories of the event alive. The case is due for the so-called framing of issues (a step in a suit where the contours of the dispute are defined) in April, 32 years after it was filed in 1985.

The attack was aimed at flushing out Sikh separatists from the temple, but Sikhs around the world, including many opposed to the separatist notion of Khalistan, were aggrieved by it. One fallout of Operation Blue Star was the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards in October 1984.

While the Akal Takht , the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, was severely damaged in the military operation, other structures in the sanctum sanctorum were riddled with bullets. The SGPC renovated the building last year, but kept the bullet marks on its walls intact (with the added protection of custom-made metal cases).

The library and toshakhana (treasury) of the Golden Temple were among the many structures that suffered severe damage in the military operation.

The case

Gurcharan Singh Tohra, the SGPC president at the time, was arrested a few days after Operation Bluestar was called off. Upon his release from the Jodhpur jail in March 1985, Tohra met up with other SGPC executive body members and decided to file the suit.

The actual motive behind the case was not to seek money, but to bring on record the events that led to the operation and everything that occurred afterwards. It was meant to keep memories of the attack alive, said Manjit Singh Calcutta, a long-time associate of Tohra.

The SGPC claims that the Akal Takht, which was hit by mortar shells during Operation Bluestar, was destroyed beyond repair.

Calcutta, who was the SGPC secretary during the incident and its chief secretary in 1987, recalled how the temporal seat of the Sikhs was severely damaged in the military operation.

It was razed to the ground twice after Operation Bluestar, and then built again. By seeking compensation, we want to lay bare the atrocities heaped upon us by the government, he added.

Though the case was initially filed at a district court in Amritsar, it was later transferred to the Delhi high court over jurisdictional issues.

Fee matters

Pursuing the suit required the petitioner to deposit a court fee amounting to R9.73 crore with the Delhi high court. Tohra sought exemption from depositing the money on the grounds that he  as an individual  could not afford it, but failed to get a favourable response from the courts. The SGPC took over the case after his death in 2004. Tohras plea for not depositing the court fee was rejected by the Delhi high court in 2012, and later by the Supreme Court. We finally decided to shell out the money in 2013, said Avtar Singh Makkar, the then SGPC president.

The decision, however, was not easy. At one time, when the court rejected the case on the grounds that it could not be run as an indigent one (sans payment of court fees), even the committee seemed to be in two minds about pursuing it. However, after some discussion, it decided to go ahead with the suit, said an SGPC office-bearer.

APS Ahluwalia, a senior lawyer representing the SGPC, hoped that the case would now be allowed to run its course. The issues should be framed very soon, he said.

It was in March 2016, during Makkars tenure as the SGPC president, that the body decided to renovate the Teja Singh Samundari Hall under the condition that the bullet marks on its walls be preserved. It also specified that such marks on the Darshani Deori, the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum of the Golden Temple, and those on the outer facade of the Akal Takht be kept intact.

Damage claims At least 2,500 handwritten birs of Guru Granth Sahib, belonging to the times of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Gobind Singh, alongwith other rare manuscripts kept in a library were burnt 25 pencil sketches of the times of Sikh Gurus and 50 miniature paintings of the same era. In the army operation, library and toshakhana suffered severe damage along with the Akal Takht and other buildings A chandoa (a piece of cloth hung over Guru Granth Sahib) studded with diamonds and precious stones, worth Rs 200 crore, preserved in the toshakhana was burnt A sehra worn by Naunihal Singh, a Sikh ruler, made in the 1830s at a cost of Rs 1.25 lakh, was damaged A gold jhallar and bunch of gold keys given to Golden temple by Maharaja Ranjit Singh were destroyed Handwritten gurbani by different Sikh Gurus Eleventh-century Gita scripture

The compensation list

The library and toshakhana (treasury) of the Golden Temple were among the many structures that suffered severe damage in the military operation.

According to a list prepared by the SGPC, a chandoa (a diamond-encrusted piece of cloth hung over the Guru Granth Sahib) gifted by the Nizam of Hyderabad to Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early nineteenth century was charred in the violence. The cost of the artefact was pegged at Rs 200 crore.

Among the other damaged articles were at least 2,500 handwritten birs (holy books) of the Guru Granth Sahib from the times of Guru Arjan Dev and Guru Gobind Singh; a sehra (ornament worn on the forehead) belonging to Sikh ruler Naunihal Singh from the early 1800s; a gold jhallar (wall decoration) and a bunch of gold keys donated to the Golden Temple by Maharaja Ranjit Singh; 25 pencil sketches harking back to the age of the Sikh gurus; a handwritten gurbani (hymn book) of great religious and historic importance; an 11th Century Gita; and 50 miniature paintings from the same era.

The SGPC claims that the Akal Takht, which was hit by mortar shells during Operation Bluestar, was destroyed beyond repair. The list produced by the committee also cites the damage caused to other buildings  such as the Darshani Deori and the Teja Singh Samundari Hall  due to military action. Submissions to the court include news articles on Operation Bluestar and photographs of damaged buildings as well as bullet marks on sacred structures.

Apology not given

Many in the SGPC believe the matter could have been sorted out a long time ago, if only the government had mustered up the humility to apologise for its mistake.

During the course of the trial, the SGPC offered to withdraw its suit if the government agreed to apologise and submit a token compensation of Re 1. The defence lawyers, however, refused.

We told the court that monetary compensation doesnt matter much to Sikhs. The governments acceptance of a wrong it committed would have gone a long way in resolving the issue and acting as a balm for the grieving community, said Calcutta, desperately trying to hold back his tears.
Its one of the busiest times of the year for the hospitality industry. With winter vacations come year-end parties and an influx of both domestic and international tourists. The run-up to the New Year is always a challenge, admit those in the business. But the heat is felt the most in the hotel and restaurant kitchens.

You neednt have watched any cookery show featuring Gordon Ramsay, the British celebrity chef, to know that working here isnt easy. Apart from the hot temperatures, you need to be on your feet for long stretches, excel in multi-tasking and always work as if its the rush hour. The physically demanding chores are often what keep women from donning chef hats in commercial kitchens. But all that it seems is fast changing, at least in the tricity.

Undaunted by long hours, male-dominated staff or gruelling tasks, these lady chefs from the tricity have carved out a place for themselves.

A recent change of guard in the kitchens of The Lalit Chandigarh saw Chef Nandita Karan take over as the hotels executive chef. A graduate of Institute of Hotel Management, Patna, Chef Karan has worked her way up the kitchen ladder.

I didnt really set out to become a chef. In fact, I wanted to work in the front office section, quips the 36-year-old. But it was during her industrial training in New Delhi that Nandita was exposed to the hotel kitchens and the way chefs work. Of course, one had heard of stories of back-breaking work and abusive language being used in kitchens, but when I saw the team led by the chef and the end result, I knew this is what I wanted to do, admits Chef Nandita.

The Lalit Chandigarhs executive chef Nandita Karan at work. (Sant Arora/HT )

Having specialised in Italian and Continental cuisine, Chef Nandita has been a globetrotter and even worked with well-known international chef Jamie Oliver. I have worked in different departments in the kitchen. It is not easy but it is not impossible. You need to be focussed on your work and be good at it, says Karan who feels Indian kitchens have come a long way. There is male dominance but most hotel kitchens have a professional hierarchy and setup, she adds.

Having worked in the hospitality industry for 17 years, Chef Richa Johri has carved a distinct space for herself. Her mantra for success is similar to Chef Nanditas.

Be prepared for challenges but deal with them professionally. Your work should speak for you and then it doesnt matter if you are man or woman, says Chef Johri. Heading Whistling Duck, Chandigarh and WD House in Delhi, the chef has a hectic schedule but one shes got accustomed to. Working as a chef comes with long hours and unsociable timings but one has to work things out. Also as an executive chef you can only command respect if you understand how each section works. I remember training on the tandoor in the early days and it was gruelling, admits Johri.

Chef Richa Johri (HT Photo )

Family support

Given the fact that women spearhead the kitchen at home with elan, why is it that so many women resist joining commercial kitchens as chefs? It demands a lot of work and long hours. Most women opt out early and those who continue have a lot of support from home, feels Chef Anubhav Sawhney who steers AJ Foods and sub ventures like Made@Home and Lets Go Dutch bakery. Her commercial kitchen in Kansal sees the chef head an all-male staff. The only way to succeed is to go about all tasks professionally. There has to be discipline in the kitchen, says Anubhav who has found full support in her husband Jasmeet.

Chef Anubhav Sawney is the co-founder and head chef at made@home. (HT Photo)

While family support goes a long way, 25-year-old chef Gayatri Sood feels its experience and ones own learning that can help women make their presence felt in the commercial kitchen.

Having specialised in Italian and Continental cuisine, Chef Nandita has been a globetrotter and even worked with well-known international chef Jamie Oliver.

At the end of the day it is like any other male dominated workplace. The more you work, the more experience you gain, the more professional you will be, says Sood who spearheads Monicas chain of bakeries. To make sure she was technically sound, Sood, a second generation baker after her mother Monica Sood, studied at the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Not one to take it easy with an already established business, Sood completed her management studies as well. So does she find working in a male dominated industry challenging, we ask her.

Frankly, dealing with male staff in the kitchen is less daunting than dealing with customers. Today, thats where the challenge lies. You have to be on your feet, thinking of new ideas and always maintain quality, says Sood who looks at all the operations on a daily basis. Its been almost four years since I joined the business and every day has been a learning experience, she sums up.
Actor-director Pushkar Jog is bursting with happiness. And he has good reason to: his wife Jasmine recently delivered a healthy baby girl. The new father shares, The feeling hasnt sunk in. I am just unable to articulate how it feels when I hold her and she looks at me. The angelic innocence on her face is priceless. I am so ecstatic.

Has the couple thought of a name for their daughter yet? Well, I want to be completely sure of the name before deciding on it. I want her to love the name as much as we do. Also, she should be okay with it 20 years down the line, he says, laughing.

Pushkar has taken a few days off work to be with his wife and newborn. Once they settle in, the actor will be returning to shoot for his film, Ti & Ti, which is being directed by veteran actor-director Mrinal Kulkarni. The film also features Sonalee Kulkarni and Prarthana Behere, and according to Pushkar, about 80% of the project has been shot in London. He says, It is an urban rom-com set in London. Marathi films have had love stories, but most of them are set against a rural backdrop.

Pushkar is all praises for Mrinals directorial acumen. Basically, she is so cool headed that it sometimes feels unreal. She managed to stay commanding without being demanding. She has a knack of getting the best from actors without stressing them out. She understands the psychology of an actor and is open to suggestions. It has been great working with her.

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Four people have been stabbed to death in London during a string of unrelated killings in London during a 24-hour period, police said Tuesday.

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 on Monday 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.
The Pakistani government and the opposition closed ranks to take on Washington after President Donald Trumps tweet threatening to cut off all aid to Islamabad for lies and deceit and providing safe havens to terrorists from Afghanistan

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called a meeting on Monday to deliberate how to respond after Trumps tweet.

The United States should hold its own people accountable for its failures in Afghanistan, Pakistans foreign minister Khawaja Asif said after the meeting.

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, he told a local TV news channel.

Asif said that America is frustrated over its defeat in Afghanistan but that Washington should perhaps take the path of dialogue instead of using military might.

Abbasi has called another meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday to discuss the latest crisis in Pak-US ties.

Defence minister Khurram Dastagir said Pakistan was fully capable of defending itself. Commenting on Trumps tweet, he said Pakistan had extended unprecedented cooperation to the US in defeating Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan besides fighting the war against terrorism. Pakistan did not have any safe haven for terrorists, he maintained.

Instead, terrorists from Afghanistan have repeatedly targeted our armed forces and civilians, he said.

Former foreign minister and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said: Pakistan has to move forward taking into account its own interests, irrespective of whether it gets US aid or not. He added that Pakistan needs to look to regional powers like China, Iran, Turkey and even the European Union who understand regional situation and Pakistans position much better.

Although Pakistan has presented its narrative time and again, there is a lot of room for its improvement, Qureshi said. US allies can be taken into confidence, but that is not happening.

Soon after Trump tweet, the Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US ambassador David Hale and lodged a protest, reports said. Sources said foreign secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from the ambassador.

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.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Trumps fresh criticism of Pakistan but he has long complained that Islamabad was not doing enough to tackle Islamist militants. The US maintains that Pakistan must stop offering cross-border havens to Taliban factions operating in Afghanistan as well as armed jihadist groups fighting US troops and their Afghan allies.

Hamdullah Mohib, Afghanistans ambassador in Washington, said in a Twitter posting that Trumps tweet was a promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long.

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.

Pakistan counters that 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.

(With inputs from agencies)
China defended on Tuesday Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather allys outstanding contribution to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of lies and deceit and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!, he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

Read: Pakistan PM Abbasi calls security meet as US suspends $255-million military aid

On Tuesday, China, on expected lines, praised Pakistans counter terrorism record.

Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trumps criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides, Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the $50-billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts say the US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trumps criticism would affect Chinas efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges.

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries reached a lot of consensus on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard, Geng said.

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.

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 Islamabads reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.
Iranian police arrested 100 protesters in the capital on Monday, the deputy governor of Tehran said, as a police crackdown intensified against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Security forces have struggled to contain protests that broke out last Thursday and have continued nationwide in the boldest challenge in years to the countrys clerical leadership.

The unrest is the worst since crowds took to the streets in 2009 to condemn the re-election of then president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. One member of the security forces was reported killed on Monday.

Two hundred people were arrested on Saturday, 150 people on Sunday and around 100 people on Monday, Ali Asghar Naserbakht, deputy governor of Tehran province, was quoted as saying by semi-official ILNA news agency on Tuesday.

Hundreds of others have been arrested in other cities.

He said the situation in Tehran was under control and the police has not asked for the help of the Revolutionary Guards special forces.

Mehr news agency quoted a judiciary official as saying that several ringleaders of protests in Karaj, the fourth largest city in Iran, have been arrested.

Videos on social media on Monday showed an intense clash in the central town of Qahderijan between security forces and protesters who were trying to occupy a police station, which was partially set ablaze.

There were unconfirmed reports of several casualties among demonstrators.

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.
Iran on Tuesday reopened the last two border posts with Iraqi Kurdistan that it closed in response to an independence vote rejected by Baghdad and neighbouring countries, officials said.

The Iranian consulate in the Kurdish autonomous regions capital Arbil announced the Parwezkhan and Haji Omran posts were beginning work again from Tuesday.

A Kurdish spokesman at Parwezkhan confirmed the post had reopened officially at 0900 (0600 GMT) after notification was received from the Iranian side.

The opening of the two posts means that all crossings on the border between Iran and Iraqi Kurdistan are now up and running after a third post at Bashmaq started working again in October.

Iran first announced on December 18 the reopening of all its border posts with Iraqi Kurdistan, without setting a specific date.

Iraqs Kurds voted overwhelmingly in a controversial non-binding referendum in September to establish their own country, but the vote was deemed illegal by the central government.

Neighbouring Iran and Turkey also condemned the poll over concerns that it could stir up their own Kurdish minorities.

In the wake of the vote Baghdad moved to isolate the region by imposing an international flight ban -- recently extended through February -- and urging neighbouring nations to sever links.

Federal forces then retook swathes of disputed territory from the Kurds, wrestling back control of key oil-rich regions that were a major source of income for the region.

The calamitous fallout from the independence vote has sparked an economic and political crisis in Iraqi Kurdistan that has seen angry protests in a string of towns.
Iranian police arrested 100 protesters in the capital on Monday, the deputy governor of Tehran said, as a police crackdown intensified against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Security forces have struggled to contain protests that broke out last Thursday and have continued nationwide in the boldest challenge in years to the countrys clerical leadership.

The unrest is the worst since crowds took to the streets in 2009 to condemn the re-election of then president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. One member of the security forces was reported killed on Monday.

200 people were arrested on Saturday, 150 people on Sunday and around 100 people on Monday, Ali Asghar Naserbakht, deputy governor of Tehran province, was quoted as saying by semi-official ILNA news agency on Tuesday.

Hundreds of others have been arrested in other cities.

He said the situation in Tehran was under control and the police has not asked for the help of the Revolutionary Guards special forces.

Mehr news agency also quoted a judiciary official as saying that several ringleaders of protests in Karaj, the fourth largest city in Iran, have been arrested.

Videos on social media on Monday showed an intense clash in the central town of Qahderijan between security forces and protesters who were trying to occupy a police station, which was partially set ablaze.

There were unconfirmed reports of several casualties among demonstrators.

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.
Israeli aircraft attacked Hamas bases in Gaza early Tuesday in response to a rocket from the Palestinian enclave targeting southern Israel hours before, concurring sources said.

The aircraft targeted a military compound belonging to the terrorist organisation Hamas, a statement from the army read.

Palestinian security sources said the strikes were in Khan Younes in the south and Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, causing damage but no casualties.

On Monday night, a rocket hit a town in southern Israel, causing however no damage or casualties.

Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired 18 rockets or mortar rounds at Israel in violence that erupted after US President Donald Trumps controversial December 6 recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, six of which were intercepted by the Iron Dome defence system.

The projectiles are often fired by fringe Islamist groups, but Israel holds Gazas militant rulers Hamas responsible for any attacks from the territory and retaliates by targeting Hamas positions.

The IDF holds Hamas solely accountable for events in the Gaza Strip, the Tuesday army statement read.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is expected to return to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, ending speculation that he was negotiating an exile deal with Riyadh.

The ousted Prime Minister, who has been in Saudi Arabia for the last two days, also met the Crown Prince, his daughter Maryam Nawaz has confirmed.

Sharif is in Madina Munawara for haazri (attendence) after his meeting with Prince Mohammad bin Salman. He would return to Pakistan tonight (Tuesday) after Umrah (Islamic ritual), Maryam tweeted.

Speculation was rife that Sharif was negotiating a deal with Saudi Arabia to avoid facing an accountability court back home.

But a spokesperson of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader 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.

Pakistans Supreme Court in July 2017 disqualified Sharif after an investigative panel concluded his familys assets exceeded their income, effectively ousting him from office and barring him from electoral politics for five years.
Pakistans prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will meet senior ministers and officials over the next two days to discuss its response to US president Donald Trumps remarks that America foolishly handed Islamabad billions of dollars in aid over the last 15 years and got nothing but lies and deceit.

Radio Pakistan reported that Abbasi would preside over a meeting of the federal cabinet on Tuesday, which will discuss among other things, the national security issue.

New agency Press Trust of India cited unnamed official sources as saying that Trumps remarks would be the main point of discussion in the meeting.

The cabinet meeting will be followed by the meeting of National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday. Abbasi will chair the NSC meet which will review the security situation of the country and the region in detail.

The prime minister will chair the huddle to discuss the future course of action following the United States presidents scathing statement against Pakistan, a statement from Abbasis office said.

The meeting will be attended by foreign minister Khawaja Asif, interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, defence minister Khurram Dastgir-Khan, services chiefs and senior civil and military officers.

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.

Pakistans defence ministry fired back within hours of Trumps comments alleging that it has got nothing but invective and mistrust for all the actions it took in support of Americas war against terrorism.

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 Pakistan defence ministry tweeted.

Pakistans foreign minister Khawaja Asif also met Abbasi after Trumps accusations, 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 and fiction.., Asif also tweeted.

We have already refused to the US mantra of do more for it (US). We have told the Trump administration that we will not do no more for it. The do more does not hold any importance. Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years, the minister said.

Pakistan Peoples Party senator Sherry Rehman tweeted that the coalition support funds has never been counted as AID in any accounting by Pakistan, nor will it be seen as part of assistance.

It was compensation on expenses incurred on joint action on border. Other Aid we should indeed talk about, because Pakistan never charged for NATO traffic, she said.

Trumps strongest attack yet 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.

Last week, US vice-president Mike Pence told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan: President Trump has put Pakistan on notice.

PTI reported the White House has confirmed that the US has suspended its aid to Pakistan for now and said that the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabads response to terrorism on its soil. The confirmation came on the same day as Trumps tweet against Pakistan.

The United States does not plan to spend the $255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time, a senior administration official told the news agency on conditions of anonymity.

The president has made clear the US 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, he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistans level of cooperation, the official said.

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.

It was not immediately clear what prompted Trumps fresh criticism of Pakistan but he has long complained that Islamabad was not doing enough to tackle Islamist militants.

The US maintains that Pakistan must stop offering cross-border havens to Taliban factions operating in Afghanistan as well as armed jihadist groups fighting US troops and their Afghan allies.

Islamabad has repeatedly denied the accusations of turning a blind eye to militancy, lambasting the US for ignoring the thousands who have been killed on its soil and the billions spent fighting extremists.

Pakistan counters that 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.
The White House has said it will soon release details of the specific actions it wants Pakistan to take for combating terrorism in return for aid.

The US, in the past week, said it was withholding payment of $255 million in military assistance to Pakistan for lack of decisive action against terrorism. President Donald Trump followed that up with a threat to stop all aid, stating that the US has paid Pakistan $33 billion over the past 15 years in return for mere lies & deceit.

No more, he added for emphasis.

We know that Pakistan can do more to fight terrorism, and we want them to step up and do that, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters on Tuesday. In terms of specific actions, I think youll see some more details come out in the next 24 to 48 hours.

State department spokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters at her daily briefing that Pakistan needs to earn, essentially, the money we have provided in the past in foreign military assistance, they need to show that they are sincere in their efforts to crack down on terrorists.

Neither of the two, however, offered details of these specific actions. Also, it could not be immediately ascertained if they will be different from the very specific requests given to Pakistan by secretary of state Rex Tillerson in October, or secretary of defense James Mattis in December.

In the absence of more information, experts are turning to a paper written in 2017 that called upon Trump to get tough with Pakistan. It was co-authored by former Pakistani ambassador to US Husain Haqqani and then think-tanker Lisa Curtis, who now heads the South Asia desk in the Presidents National Security Council.

They had recommended a timeline-based sequence: Pakistan must imprison known terrorist leaders; shut down terror-training camps and disrupt terror financing; stem infiltration of militants across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir; end support to the Taliban and prevent its leaders from living and meeting in Pakistan; and curtail the export of arms, explosives and ammunition to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Though the administration cited no specific incident for the decision to withhold the $255 million in funds or threaten aid shutdown, this was widely expected in the wake of Trumps statement at the unveiling of his new South Asia strategy that Pakistan received billions from the United States but continued to enable the very terrorists we are fighting.

And now, he actually means to do just that  hold Pakistan accountable and stop all aid, if necessary. The President is willing to go to great lengths to stop all funding from Pakistan as they continue to harbour and support terrorism, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said on Tuesday.

Pakistan has received $33.92 billion in aid from the United States since 2002, the year after US invaded neighbouring Afghanistan to oust the Taliban regime for refusing to give up Osama bin Laden  who masterminded the September 11 terrorist attacks  and other al Qaeda leaders.

These payments are a combination of economic and security-related assistance, including disbursements under the Coalition Support Fund that the US pays to member-countries of the international coalition force in Afghanistan. Pakistan accounted for the largest chunk of the amount  $14.57 billion  since 2002.
Nine inmates were killed, 14 were injured, and dozens escaped in a prison riot on Monday, national news media reported, in the latest example of Brazils continuing difficulties maintaining control over its notoriously violent penal system.

According to newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo, 106 prisoners escaped the prison in the city of Goiania, near the capital of Brasilia. Authorities recaptured 27 of the escapees, but the rest remained at large.

One of the nine killed in the mayhem was decapitated, news media reported, sparking memories of a prison riot that occurred one year ago today in the Amazon in which 56 people died, several of whom were decapitated and thrown over prison walls.

That riot, which was rooted in a long-standing gang rivalry, came at the beginning of a January marred by widespread prison violence, with 130 prisoners dying in the first 20 days of 2017.

Brazils prisons, which suffer endemic violence, are often severely overcrowded. Rights group call prison conditions medieval, with food scarce and cells often so packed inmates have no space to lie down.

In comments on Monday to newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, the head of Brazils prison guard union, Jorimar Bastos, criticized the amount of resources allocated for oversight at the Goiania prison, saying only five guards were assigned to watch over 900 prisoners.
South Korea on Tuesday proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the Norths leader Kim Jong-Un called for a breakthrough in relations and said Pyongyang might attend the Winter Olympics.

Kim used his annual New Year address to underscore Pyongyangs claim that it has developed a weapons deterrent and warn that he had a nuclear button on hand, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating in the Souths Games.

South Koreas unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon said Seoul was reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form.

We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties, he said at a press conference.

Following a year dominated by fiery rhetoric and escalating tensions over Pyongyangs nuclear weapons programme, the North Korean leader used his televised New Years Day speech to declare his country a peace-loving and responsible nuclear power and call for lower military tensions and improved ties with the South.

When it comes to North-South relations, we should lower the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula to create a peaceful environment, Kim said. Both the North and the South should make efforts.

But US-based experts saw Kims speech as a clear attempt to divide Seoul from its main ally, Washington, which has led an international campaign to pressure North Korea through sanctions to give up weapons programmes aimed at developing nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States.

The two Koreas, which have been separated by a tense demilitarised zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean war, last held high-level talks in 2015.
Flight HA446 of Hawaiian Airlines took off in 2018 and landed in 2017. Surprised? Dont be -- its neither a curious case of time travel nor the famed time-turner at play.

A 10-minute delay in departure caused the flight, originally scheduled for December 31, 2017, to take off on January 1, 2018 from Auckland, New Zealand. Eight hours later, when it landed in Honolulu, it was still December 31, 2017. Honolulu is 23 hours behind Auckland.

A journalist based in Washington was the first to tweet about the time travel. The post has since been shared over 14,000 times.

Because of an unexpected delay, Hawaiian Airlines flight 446 took off in 2018 and will land in 2017. #timetravel pic.twitter.com/A5vesXmjqq  Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) December 31, 2017

The flight crossed the international date line, causing the alleged time travel.

However, Flight HA446 was not the only one that travelled from 2018 to 2017. It was joined by six other aircraft that brought their passengers to 2017, celebrating the New Year twice.

6 aircraft just took off from Taipei in year 2018, to bring their passengers back to year 2017 in North America!#TimeTravel pic.twitter.com/pZYW8mQp03  Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) December 31, 2017

Twitter, as is usual, was full of quirky tweets:

So, we have time travel, but still no flying cars.  David Aus (@David_Aus) December 31, 2017

Who in their right mind would want to go BACK to 2017?  Frenett Branco Marco (@FrenettMarco) December 31, 2017

We've always had time travel. Its just getting the accelerator and reverse gear working we've had issues with  Tony Pedley (@hammarbytp) December 31, 2017
A North Vietnamese Army battalion was ordered to free captured Viet Cong so they could join the fight during Tet, but U.S. gunships and the 173rd Airborne had other plans for the intruders.

On a clear and moonless night, about 200 soldiers from the North Vietnamese Armys 5th Battalion, 95th Regiment, crouched in the rice fields just west of Tuy Hoa, a small fishing town that served as the capital of Phu Yen province about 200 miles from Saigon.

The battalion commander, Senior Capt. Le Xuan Cau, whispered final instructions to his three company commanders; nearby, a small group of local guerrillas who had led the NVA soldiers through the dark and unfamiliar countryside waited nervously for permission to leave before all hell broke loose. It was about 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 30, 1968, a time when most Vietnamese were enjoying the Lunar New Year holiday known as Tet.

Le dismissed the guides and sent his company commanders back to their men. The captain hoped that the second unit in the assault, the 85th Local Force Battalion of the Viet Cong, was waiting in the darkness somewhere to the south, ready to attack Tuy Hoa City when the moment came. Those 250 men were not as well-armed as Les soldiers. The local Viet Cong relied on single-shot rifles from the World War II era, while North Vietnamese troops used the Chinese version of the AK-47 assault rifles and SKS semi-automatic carbines, along with Soviet-made RPD light machine guns, B40 rocket launchers and a few heavy machine guns. The local force soldiers, however, were in better physical shape. Most of Les troops were gaunt from hunger and jaundiced from malaria, a result of their time in the mountains where food and medicine were difficult to obtain.

The 5th Battalions heavy support weapons, two 82 mm mortars and their crews, waited for Le to give the order to fire, the agreed upon signal to start the attack on Tuy Hoa. Every round needed to count. The mortar crews had only a dozen rounds for each tube; the B40 gunners no more than four rockets each; the machine gunners only a few boxes of ammo; and the riflemen less than a hundred rounds each. It had to be enough. There would be no withdrawal, no retreat from the battle to come, Le told his men. The city must be taken. Le nodded to his mortar crews. The first two rounds slid down the tubes and then shot out with a percussive bang. The attack on Tuy Hoa had begun.

The NVA 95th Regiment traced its lineage to a unit in Ho Chi Minhs Viet Minh army that formed in Thua Thien province in 1945. In April 1962, the 95th Regiment was established as part of the NVA 325th Division. Its troops completed their training in the southern panhandle of North Vietnam and in neighboring Laos before crossing the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Vietnam in October 1964. Consisting of 2,000 soldiers organized into three battalions, several support companies and a headquarters element, the 95th Regiment headed to the Central Highlands, where it operated in Kontum, Pleiku and Darlac provinces until September 1965.

With more NVA regiments scheduled to arrive in the highlands that autumn, Hanoi shifted the regiment to the central coast to become the primary NVA unit in Phu Yen province. The 95th Regiment reported to the Southern Sub-Command of Military Region 5, a headquarters that also controlled the NVA 18B Regiment in neighboring Khanh Hoa province to the south. The 95th coordinated its activities with several Viet Cong units, most notably the 85th Local Force Battalion and the 30th Main Force Battalion, operating under the control of the Viet Cong province committee.

Between 1945 and 1965, Phu Yen had been a Communist stronghold, and most of its population (350,000 residents in 1965) knew only one governmentthe one represented by Ho Chi Minhs political commissars. Only the provincial capital in the seaside city of Tuy Hoa and a handful of district towns were beholden to French and later South Vietnamese authority. When the NVA 95th Regiment arrived in late 1965, it enjoyed wide freedom of maneuver because the main South Vietnamese unit in Phu Yenthe 47th Regiment, 22nd Infantry Division, Army of the Republic of Vietnamand local security units stayed close to Tuy Hoa and the settlements near Highway 1, the main north-south road through the populated lowlands along the coast. The 95th established several base camps in the hills overlooking the Tuy Hoa Valley. From there it could easily reach the lowlands when it chose to raid government targets or obtain food and intelligence from local Viet Cong units.

That favorable situation changed in early 1966 when the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, one of the elite American mobile units in Vietnam, moved into Phu Yen province. Supported by a battalion of U.S. helicopters, the airborne brigade managed to locate and engage the 95th Regiment nearly a dozen times in the coming year, reducing the Communist unit from 2,000 men to around 900 men by the end of 1966. The 95th retreated deep into the hills of Phu Yen province during the first six months of 1967 to escape allied sweeps and the growing weight of B-52 bomber strikes.

After receiving a large contingent of North Vietnamese replacements, the regiment returned to the populated coast of the Tuy Hoa and Tuy An districts in August 1967 to interfere with the upcoming elections for a new president and vice president of South Vietnam, members of a National Assembly and officials at the province, district and village level. The disruption effort yielded limited results. Voting took place as planned in most hamlets and villages, and the turnout was relatively high. Moreover, the NVA unit sustained several hundred casualties in clashes with the South Korean 26th Infantry Regiment from the Tiger Division that had taken over operations in the area after the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne left earlier in the year.

Pressure on the 95th increased in September 1967 when the 173rd Airborne Brigade moved from the Dak To area of Kontum province to the Tuy Hoa basin of Phu Yen province to begin Operation Bolling, a mission designed to protect the populated lowlands and the food produced there. The North Vietnamese stayed out of sight through the end of the year, choosing not to emerge even when most of the 173rd Airborne returned to Dak To in early November for a monthlong deployment.

The NVA soldiers of the 95th Regiment were dispersed in company- and platoon-size groups throughout the interior mountains, moving frequently to avoid detection by U.S. reconnaissance units and strikes by American bombers. They were cut off from regular food shipments that the regiment had received from lowland Viet Cong agents. The men were in low spirits as 1967 came to a close.

In the final months of the year, the command group of the 95th Regiment received word from the Military Region 5 headquarters that Hanoi was going to launch a massive, nationwide offensive early in 1968. The regiments mission was to liberate Tuy Hoa in conjunction with the 85th Local Force Battalion and a team of Viet Cong agents in the city. The 95th could not expect any reinforcements or additional supplies. The regiment would need to make do with what it had. Swallowing whatever misgivings it might have, the regimental command group worked on an attack plan, saying nothing to the soldiers about the coming offensive in order to preserve maximum secrecy.

Given the weakened state of the regiment, its commanders decided to commit their strongest unit, the 5th Battalion, to the attack and reinforce it with troops from the 4th and 6th battalions to reach a strength of around 200 soldiers. Guided by local Viet Cong guerrillas, the 5th Battalion would descend from its mountain camp and cross the Tuy Hoa Valley under the cover of darkness, skirting the handful of South Vietnamese outposts that lay along the route.

Once in position, the battalion would send a third of its troops to attack a U.S. artillery compound on the edge of a small airfield known as Tuy Hoa North and next to the Tuy Hoa district headquarters and a counterbattery radar site manned by artillerymen from the 173rd Airborne. The artillery compound, manned by Battery C of the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, contained two 8-inch howitzers, two 175 mm guns, a pair of M42 Dusters (armored tanklike vehicles with twin 40 mm anti-aircraft guns) and four outer bunkers equipped with M60 machine guns. The attack force was to take out the artillery pieces and then advance on the airfield, destroying the aircraft already there and preventing helicopter reinforcements from landing on the strip.

The remainder of Les troops would storm the provincial prison just to the south of the artillery compound, seize the facility and release the 500 or so Viet Cong prisoners, arming them with captured weapons so they could join the fight. Meanwhile, troops from the 85th Local Force Battalion were to penetrate the heart of Tuy Hoa by moving west along the bank of the Da Rang River and then overrunning the small downtown area where the province headquarters was located. They would hopefully be greeted by hundreds of civilians who had been mobilized by Viet Cong agents and were ready to participate in a popular uprising. Perhaps even some South Vietnamese soldiers would decide to join the revolution.

Le chose to ignore the large, jet-capable airfield known as Tuy Hoa South that lay a few kilometers south of town, as well as the base camp of the 173rd Airborne and the South Korean 26th Infantry Regiment just beyond, near the hamlet of Phu Hiep. Hanois objective was to decapitate the South Vietnamese government. If all went according to plan, Les forces could grab a victory before U.S. and South Korean troops were able to bring their superior firepower and mobility to bear.

When the base camp of the ARVN 47th Infantry came under mortar attack at 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 30, the deputy province senior adviser, Lt. Col. Vernon J. Walters, alerted the 173rd Airborne that the city was under assault. The province chief, Lt. Col. Nguyen Van Ba, sent word to the South Vietnamese regional headquarters in Pleiku City and then ordered the 47th Regiment commander to muster all the troops he had in the city for its defense. The shelling lasted for 20 minutes. When it ended, the U.S. and South Vietnamese soldiers in Tuy Hoa braced themselves for a ground attack. What followed instead was a strange, pregnant silence.

Le and his 200 men strained their ears, hoping to hear the sounds of battle as the Viet Cong of the 85th Local Force Battalion began their attack. Ten minutes passed, and then 20. The silence stretched on until two hours and 30 minutes had elasped. Le finally gave the order to attack at 4 a.m., knowing that the coming daylight would soon expose his position. Unknown to the North Vietnamese battalion commander, the 85th Local Force Battalion turned back for home after running afoul of a South Vietnamese outpost on its approach to the city. The Viet Cong agents in the city chose to remain in hiding, knowing that it would be suicidal to emerge without the 85th to support them. The 5th Battalion was on its own.

One of Les companies headed for the U.S. artillery base, while the remaining two companies veered south to attack the prisoner of war compound. The first assault group managed to penetrate the western side of the artillery base despite taking severe casualties from the U.S. perimeter guards and the twin Dusters. The North Vietnamese attackers seized one of the outer bunkers and briefly overran one of the 175 mm guns, damaging its barrel with a grenade before being driven back by U.S. defensive fire. The soldiers of Battery C created a new defensive line to contain the enemy, holding them to a 30-meter pocket and preventing any attackers from reaching the airfield or nearby South Vietnamese sector headquarters.

About 200 meters to the south, the main body of the 5th Battalion was having problems as it tried to overrun the POW compound. A few NVA soldiers got into a guard tower at the northwestern corner of the facility, but none of the attackers penetrated the jail itself. Under constant fire from the South Vietnamese defenders, the Communist troops took cover in a drainage ditch along the western side of the compound. Le ordered his men to hold their position in hopes that the 85th Battalion would still make its appearance and break the stalemate.

That decision sealed the fate of his unit. At 5:10 a.m., an AC-47 Spooky gunship arrived from Nha Trang, and the plane began pouring long bursts of fire from its six-barreled 7.62 mm miniguns into the rice fields where Le had left his mortar crews. Ninety minutes later, two CH-47 Chinook helicopters and a group of UH-1D Iroquois Huey helicopters began arriving at Tuy Hoa North with two platoons from Company D of the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, the 173rd Airbornes ready reaction force at Phu Hiep. Enemy fire damaged one of the Chinook helicopters, but all of Company D landed safely. Le and his men were now trapped on the northern edge of Tuy Hoa City, unable to retreat to the mountains with the Spooky and several Huey gunships prowling overhead and ARVN troops from the 47th Regiment moving into blocking positions to the west.

Company Ds commander, Capt. Jim Jackson, sent his 2nd Platoon into the artillery compound to push out the North Vietnamese attackers. As the American troops advanced on the enemy salient, one of the Dusters used its 40 mm cannon to demolish the machine gun bunker the attackers had seized earlier that morning. Grenades and M16 rifle fire killed most of the other North Vietnamese soldiers who clung to the western perimeter of the compound, but not before an enemy bullet mortally wounded Lt. Col. Robert E. Whitbeck, commander of the 173rd Airbornes 3rd Battalion, 319th Field Artillery Regiment, who was observing the fight from the counterbattery radar area. Within 30 minutes, the artillery compound was once again clear of enemy soldiers.

Squeezed from three sides, Le and his remaining men had no choice but to retreat south to Binh Tinh, a refugee hamlet on the edge of Tuy Hoa. They began to dig spider holes and build overhead cover using whatever pieces of wood and metal sheeting they could find in the hamlet. U.S. and South Vietnamese troops established a cordon around the hamlet while the commander of the 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry, Lt. Col. James H. Johnson, landed at Tuy Hoa North with Company C to join the fight.

Viewing the hamlet from a sand dune between Binh Tinh and the city, Ba and Johnson agreed on a plan. Wanting to get as many civilians out of the hamlet as possible, Ba ordered a psychological operations team equipped with bullhorns to tell the residents to flee. Some civilians did, although the psy-ops troop couldnt persuade the enemy to surrender. After Ba was satisfied he had done all he could do, Johnson arranged for U.S. aircraft to douse the hamlet with tear gas. As soon as the cloud formed, he sent a company of gas-mask wearing troops into Binh Tinh to drive out the enemy. The Americans gained a foothold in the hamlet, but the attack faltered when their eye pieces began to fog up with moisture. Taking heavy casualties from the well-hidden NVA troops, Johnsons men withdrew.

Ba agreed that the time had come for stronger measures. After speaking with the 173rd Airbornes commander, Brig. Gen. Leo H. Schweiter, who had just arrived by helicopter, Ba gave permission for air and artillery strikes on Binh Tinh. A flight of five U.S. Air Force F-100 Super Sabre fighter-bombers pulverized the hamlet with 500-pound bombs and burned it to ash with napalm. The airstrikes devastated the North Vietnamese survivors, killing or wounding everyone in the command group along with dozens of other soldiers. Artillery took over when the jets departed. The remains of Binh Tinh burned throughout the rest of the day. Le was badly injured during the airstrikes and likely perished sometime during the night.

The story of the 5th Battalion at Tuy Hoa illustrates many of the problems that other Communist battalions also faced during the Tet Offensive. The unit was well-armed but under-strength when it went into action the morning of Jan. 30. A key supporting unit, the 85th Local Force Battalion, did not show up on time (the 85th would end up attacking Tuy Hoa on Feb. 5, briefly occupying part of downtown before withdrawing). Les plan to liberate the Tuy Hoa prison and then arm the inmates did not succeed. The Viet Cong agents in the city failed to mobilize a popular uprising, and the South Vietnamese forces in Tuy Hoa did not fold, but instead fought with exceptional bravery.

When daylight came, the allied forces brought their superior firepower and mobility to bear on the outnumbered 5th Battalion, inflicting grievous losses. Though the 95th Regiment would reconstitute its destroyed battalion and make a second attack on Tuy Hoa during the morning of March 4-5, 1968, the second assault was no more successful than the first. That second attack on Tuy Hoa proved to be the last gasp of the Tet Offensive, but not the end of Hanois ambitions for its general offensive-general uprising strategy, which produced another round of attacks in May, putting 1968 on track to be the bloodiest year of the Vietnam War. 

Erik Villard is digital military historian at the U.S. Army Center of Military History in Washington, D.C., and author of the forthcoming book Staying the Course, October 1967 to September 1968: U.S. Army Combat Operations in Vietnam. He is also the founder and director of the Facebook group VietnamWarHistoryOrg.

First published in Vietnam magazines February 2018 issue.
Stanton: Lincolns War Secretary

By Walter Stahr

Simon & Schuster 2017, $35

Lincolns most controversial Cabinet member, Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, is the subject of this justly deserved, excellent new biography. Walter Stahr provides a comprehensive portrait of the Ohio-born lawyer-turned-politician, crediting him the central role he played in winning the central war in American historyas well as in ending it. Stanton, who served as attorney general in the waning days of James Buchanans presidency, replaced Lincolns first secretary of war, Simon Cameron, in 1862. When Lincoln was assassinated, Stanton helped mobilize the government to find and prosecute the conspirators. After the conflict, he remained in President Andrew Johnsons Cabinet but was eventually dismissed. Stantons disagreements with Johnson over Reconstruction led to the presidents impeachment.

Stahrs profile really begins to take off when he examines Stantons role in Buchanans Cabinet during the Secession crisis. In turning to the Civil War, Stahrs descriptions of Stantons relationship with Union Maj. Gen. George McClellan, his work forging partnerships with members of Congress, and Stantons understanding of the power of the press are also intriguing. Moreover, Stahrs recognition of Stantons use of railroads and the telegraph is astute, as is his analysis of the draft, the influential Lieber Code regulating soldier conduct, the Habeas Corpus Suspension Act, and Stantons involvement with the enlistment of African-American soldiers.

Readers looking for insight into Stantons relationship with Lincoln or other Cabinet members wont find it here. Stahr instead sacrifices analysis of Stantons personal relationships to cover the broad range of issues that he faced as secretary of war, While few of those subjects are covered in detail, Stahr reliably shows the enormity of those tasks. Though this leaves some interesting ground unturned, Stanton is a solid, well-written biography. Stuart Sanders
Again, an attack on a Coptic church in Egypt has been perpetrated. Several people died. The perpetrator should have been arrested.

In two attacks on Christian facilities near Cairo, at least nine people have been shot and several others injured, according to official figures. An assassin had approached on a motorcycle of the Coptic church Mar Mina in Helwan about 25 kilometers south of Cairo and opened the fire on security forces, said the Egyptian Ministry of Interior in a statement on Friday. Seven people, including a policeman, were killed in the attack.

The suspected attacker had subsequently delivered a firefight with the security forces. He was injured and later arrested, the statement said. The man carried an automatic weapon and a bomb. It should therefore be a terror suspect known to the authorities.

Earlier Friday morning, the man had already shot at a shop in the city and killed two more people. According to the Coptic Orthodox Church, the store belonged to a Copt. The two killed men are Christians.

Blood Everywhere

Initially, Egyptian security circles had said that two men had attacked the church in the suburbs of the capital Cairo. One of the attackers could have escaped, the other had been killed by security forces.

A video that shared local news sites on the Internet shows a man who is tied up and injured by several shots on a street while security forces are running around. It's supposed to show one of the alleged attackers. Eyewitness Samir Gerges said the people in the church closed the gates after the first shots were fired. Projectiles would still have hit the inside.

Rauth Atta, who was praying in the church during the deed, told the news agency AP, "People were scared and wanted to look after their families in other church buildings, we stayed inside for 30 minutes before we could get out." She had seen blood everywhere before the building.

The Christian minority accounts for about ten percent of the Egyptian population and has recently become the target of Islamist extremists. Since December 2016, more than 100 people have been killed and many injured in attacks on Copts.

@ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Senator Neale Richmond said the sham gathering will seek to promote incorrect information about Irelands role in the EU.

The Fine Gael Senator told us: Not content with destroying the UK through the idiocy of Brexit, Nigel Farage and his cronies have now set their eyes on Ireland.

"The conference advertised for February is being promoted by the Europe of Freedom and Democracy group in the European Parliament, led by Nigel Farage.
Fianna Fail Spokesperson on Communications, Timmy Dooley is calling on Facebook to clarify that they are not engaging in partisan and preferential treatment of Government Ministers and advisors.

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Adrift in the limbo between Christmas and New Years, Hot Press wasnt sure exactly what day it was, I was also scared to check my bank balance and doubted if I could ever fit into a pair of trousers again. I did welcome the excuse to leave my cave though, so gratefully accepted an invitation to the Sugar Club, by way of a few pints of Guinness that would make you cry in the time tunnel that is Hartigans on Leeson Street.

The timing of this show, billed as The Sugar Club Crimbo Bash, so close to New Years Eve, made for a less than capacity crowd, but those who have made the effort are enthusiastic. First up, Joey Gavin, and his space rock, indie cowboys. Ken Mooneys inventive drums and Shane Hollys tricky guitar are the best things here, although there are snatches of good songs buried under all those Wilco/Maximo Park/Father John Misty/Neil Young shapes, Run in particular. Calling a song Rolf Harris Is A Paedophile might be a case of being a mad bastard just for the sake of it, and a bit of actual stagecraft would go a long way, but they werent bad at all. Hot Press photographer, visiting from our German office, was nodding along appreciatively.

The reason most of us are here, probably, is the headline act, who are on in the middle, Square Pegs, Dublins own R&B super group. Theyre a revolving conglomerate, built around drummer Graham Hopkins (The Frames, Glen Hansard, etc) and Colm Quearney (Pugwash, Jerry Fish, Bronagh Gallagher, etc.) on guitar and vocals. These two gents would make any band better just by being nearby, but tonight we also get Conor Brady (The Blades, everyone from Terence Trent Darby to Toots & The Maytals) on guitar and James Delaney (Los Paradiso, Van Morrison, Chuck Berry, The Waterboys) on keyboards, as well as master jazz hero Dave Redmond on bass.
WASHINGTON  Ethanol. Oil states like Texas hate it. Corn states live and die by it. And politicians who try to take on ethanol often get buried in the issue's complexities.

Nonetheless, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, continues to press ahead in the seemingly quixotic mission of lowering the cost for Texas oil refineries to comply with an increasingly pricey federal mandate requiring biofuels to be blended into the nation's fuel supply.

To do so, Cruz will need to win over a powerful block of Midwestern senators, something few in Washington give the sometimes divisive lawmaker a chance of pulling off. But for the junior senator, facing re-election this year as Democrats show new swagger in the age of Trump, ethanol provides the chance to appeal to his tea party base by bucking the Washington bureaucracy while protecting the powerful oil and gas interests so important to the Texas economy.

After years of stalemate on ethanol, Cruz threw a twist into the debate by forcing President Donald Trump into a meeting with oil-state senators on the ethanol mandate, known as the Renewable Fuel Standard. He did so by blocking confirmation of one of his nominees for the Department of Agriculture. Trump told Cruz and other senators to find a solution that benefited both the oil and ethanol industries.

"For too long, the biofuels industry voices were drowning everything out," said Chet Thompson, president of the refining trade group American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers. "It was Senator Cruz that was pushing the meeting with the president. We'll remember that."

Most analysts say that Cruz is unlikely to change national ethanol policy - the Trump administration recently sided with the ethanol lobby by slightly boosting fuel blending requirements. But the issue provides an opportunity for Cruz, facing a credible Democratic opponent in Rep. Beto O'Rourke of El Paso, to gain some local credibility after spending much of his first term focused on presidential ambitions.

Unlike many lawmakers, including his Texas colleague Sen. John Cornyn, Cruz largely steered clear of bringing home largesse from Washington during his first term as he championed smaller government and dramatically reduced federal spending - to the point of encouraging government shutdowns. As a result, ethanol has become a way for Cruz to demonstrate a Texas-first outlook for voters, said Mark Jones, a political scientist at Rice University's Baker Institute of Public Policy.

"It's a winning issue nationally that establishes his credentials as a solid fiscal conservative, but it also benefits the energy industry in Texas," Jones said. "Generally, Sen. Cruz has not been a Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas first-type senator. He focuses more on national issues."

Cruz's office did not respond to requests for comment.

From savior to threat

Refineries along the Gulf Coast were once happy to blend ethanol after MBTE, another fuel additive that boosts octane and eliminates engine knocks, was banned in many states over concern of its cancer risk. When former President George W. Bush signed the ethanol mandate into law in 2005, aimed at reducing the nation's reliance on foreign oil, refiners welcomed a new way to increase octane in gasoline.

But the levels set by the Environmental Protection Agency each year have increased steadily since then. And as national gas station chains, such as Sheetz and Kum and Go, have begun selling fuel with higher and higher concentrations of ethanol, biofuels have become a legitimate threat to petroleum products.

The oil and gas industry, which is one of the biggest cash cows in U.S. politics, has lobbied intensely to eliminate or reduce the ethanol mandate. Companies in that sector handed out $104.8 million to candidates in 2016, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. And Cruz has been one of their favorite recipients.

During the 2016 campaign season, in which he ran for president before dropping out the primary in May, Cruz took in $1.5 million from oil and gas interests, more than any other candidate running for federal office.

Now he's trying to sell Midwestern Republicans like Sen. Chuck Grassley, of Iowa, and Sen. Deb Fisher, of Nebraska, on a regulatory change to the Renewable Fuel Standard.

Direct sales

Under current law, refineries have an obligation to blend a specific amount of ethanol a year. They can avoid blending the fuel themselves by buying a financial instrument called a renewable identification number.

But the price of RINs, once only a few cents, has skyrocketed in recent years and are now trading for around 65 cents per gallon  cutting into the profits of many Texas refining companies like Valero of San Antonio and CVR Energy of Sugar Land.

Instead, Cruz wants refineries to be able to buy RINs directly from the EPA instead of on financial markets, where they are subject to speculation. The details are still under discussion, but a price of 10 cents a gallon has been suggested.

But Cruz is facing universal opposition from the biofuels industry, which sees the maneuver as an attempt to force down high RIN prices, which in recent years have in part contributed to many gas station chains deciding to sell higher concentrations of ethanol.

"It's all about market share and Cruz's proposals are all about scuttling growth in our industry," said Brooke Coleman, executive director of the trade group Advanced Biofuels Business Council. "Show us a proposal that's not about cutting the throat of the Renewable Fuel Standard."

Further complicating Cruz's effort are divides within the refining sector. Some of the larger integrated oil companies, like Exxon Mobil, have profited by buying large quantities of ethanol and selling the excess RINs on the market. Cruz's proposal could potentially take a cut into those profits and also complicate a longer-term legislative overhaul of the laws governing transportation fuels in this country, as Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and other members of the Texas delegation have long sought.

"While we'd welcome a reduction in RIN prices, its like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic," said Stephen Brown, a lobbyist with the San Antonio refining company Andeavor. "We're more focused on a comprehensive approach."

Danger zone

While campaigning in Iowa last year, Cruz raised some eyebrows when, unlike the rest of the Republican field, he said he did not support the Renewable Fuel Standard. When he won Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus, many political operatives proclaimed Cruz had dispelled the notion of the sway the ethanol lobby held with Midwestern voters.

But almost two years later, ethanol continues to be a treacherous zone for politicians. Both Scott Pruitt, the EPA administrator and former Oklahoma attorney general, and Carl Icahn, a former economic adviser to Trump and a majority shareholder in CVR Energy, have been forced to retreat from attempts to reduce the price of RINs after fierce opposition from Midwestern politicians.

"Actual reform would require the president making it an issue, and I don't see the president doing that," said Jones, the Rice politics professor. "But Cruz has fought the good fight. If you're a lobbyist for the fossil fuel or livestock industries you'll see him as fighting on your side."
It's not easy to get Americans mad at a behind-the-scenes industry they've barely even heard of, but pharmaceutical companies have spent most of last year trying.



"Who decides what you pay for your medicines? Not who you might think," a concerned woman's voice says in a radio spot airing in the District of Columbia last month. "More than one-third of the list price of a medicine is rebated back to middlemen, like insurers and pharmacy benefit managers."



With national and state advertising campaigns, white papers and cartoon infographics, the powerful and well-funded drug industry lobby spent 2017 working to redirect public anger about drug prices to pharmacy benefits managers (or PBMs): links in the supply chain that sit invisibly between the patient and the drugmaker - in the process bringing a long-simmering feud between two big health-industry players into the open.



Nearly a year ago, President Trump put drug companies on notice, accusing them of "getting away with murder." Lawmakers, too, seemed ready to take on pharmaceutical prices, after a year bookended by outrage over EpiPen's rising cost and the smirks of "pharma bro" Martin Shkreli, a former hedge fund manager who became notorious for taking a 5000 percent price increase on an old drug used by cancer and AIDS patients.



But the drug companies' fight with PBMs and insurers has helped thwart any real action - splintering the problem into a multi-industry echo chamber of accusations that's hard to comprehend, much less solve.



"This has been a year of finger-pointing," said Steven Pearson, president of the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, a nonprofit organization that receives funding from insurance and drug companies. "They're flooding the zone - with 'they' being pharma - with efforts to diffuse and deflect the focus on their role in drug pricing. Part of the policy challenge is they have a point."



PBMs are for-profit companies that negotiate drug price discounts on behalf of insurers and employers. They include giant companies like Express Scripts Holding and CVS Health.



They make money from fees paid by insurers and employers and by taking a cut of the rebates they negotiate. Drug companies have argued that the need to give larger and larger rebates to PBMs is what's driving the list prices of drugs up.



The PBMs say they typically pass along 90 percent of the savings they negotiate to customers, point to data showing no link between drug price growth and rebates - and point out drug companies are the one raising prices.



The nut of the dispute rests on an odd fact: a "drug price" is not one number. Drugs do carry published list prices, but few pay them. Instead, drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), working on behalf of different employers and insurers, establish an agreed price through negotiations that are hidden from consumers. How much the patient pays at the pharmacy counter depends on their insurance plan.



"It is so convoluted and so complicated," said Gerard Anderson, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "The PBMs have grown in power and profitability over the last 10 years, and are becoming a huge force. The drug companies, they're the ones that raise prices. It's definitely a synergistic relationship. We've got two bad actors, we don't have one."



To hear PBMs tell it, their industry will save $654 billion in prescription drug spending for employers, consumers and the government over the next decade.



Pharma points out that consumers in high deductible plans never see that benefit and pay the inflated list price.



Meanwhile, pharma companies say they take big risks to invent lifesaving medicines, while PBMs are part of a tier of middlemen that slurp up - and keep - a big chunk of the drug's list price.



"It's our view you can't effectively address this issue unless you diagnose the problem correctly. And we long believed the rhetoric around prescription drug costs hasn't matched the reality of what's really happening in the marketplace," said Robert Zirkelbach, an executive vice president at PhRMA, the pharmaceutical lobby.



PBMs fire back that the vast majority of the savings they negotiate are passed on to their clients.

"Pharma wants rebates at the pharmacy counter - not because it lowers the price of the drug. It allows them to continue to charge a high price. It just gets the patient off their back," said Steve Miller, chief medical officer of Express Scripts Holding, the country's largest PBM.



The intra-industry conflict has meant that 2017 - a year when it seemed as if concerns about the affordability of drugs might translate into action - has been consumed with an effort to try to unravel what's happening in the supply chain.



The federal government has moved forward on technical policy fixes that largely spare the drug industry. But the kind of sweeping changes people were girding for - importing cheaper drugs from abroad or allowing the government to negotiate drug prices - never came. As the drug-price problem began to look more like a Matryoshka doll with many nested layers, the potential solutions became less clear.



"The pharmaceutical industry's efforts to change the discussion to the breadth of the supply chain has, to an extent, seemed to slow down a discussion of pricing," said M. Nielsen Hobbs, executive editor of the Pink Sheet at Informa Pharma Intelligence. "For the past year, they've played fantastic defense."



The success of this strategy was on view at a congressional hearing Dec. 13, when 10 witnesses from different industries stretched across a long table - from the drug companies on one end, through insurer, distributors, doctors, pharmacists, PBMS, hospitals and the patient.



To make it even more confusing, companies along the supply chain have formed a dizzying array of alliances. Health insurance plans side with PBMs - to the extent of coming together under one roof, as with the $69 billion deal announced last month for CVS Health to buy Aetna.



The National Community Pharmacists Association, meanwhile, accuses PBMs of driving independent pharmacies out of business with fees. They held an outreach day to lawmakers in early December and have for months been circulating a comic depicting the industry as a sinister blue dog with blazing red eyes, sharp teeth and collar labeled "PBM."



"They're right here in the middle, and everyone is kind of dropping a coin in their bucket. Most people have no idea that's how it works," said Douglas Hoey, NCPA's chief executive.



A number of physician and patient organizations, some of which receive financial support from the pharmaceutical industry, have also formed alliances opposing PBMs.



Pharma has begun highlighting how the hospital industry marks up the cost of drugs.

Meanwhile, two of the country's largest PBMs and employers, public sector employees and unions came together at the beginning of 2017 in the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs.

Without a clear direction coming from government, the players are working toward their own solutions for the high cost of drugs.



A number of drug companies reacted to public scrutiny of prices by vowing to limit their price increases on existing drugs, and many informally followed suit last year.



Pharmaceutical companies have started to link the price of some drugs to how well they work, for example, offering rebates to insurance companies if a cholesterol-lowering drugs fails to prevent a heart attack.



CVS Health recently announced it would provide real-time information to physicians writing prescriptions about the specific cost of that drug to patients. The goal is to avoid sticker shock and to prod doctors to make the most cost-effective choices for their patients.

Other changes may start to come from employers.



Pacific Business Group on Health, which includes some of the West Coast's largest employers, is studying the possible pros and cons of drafting its own formulary, the list of covered prescription drugs. That could transform employers' relationships with PBMs and how they are paid - although the work is still in exploratory stages.



"The escalating cost of drugs hit the radar for employers, which means employers started asking a lot of questions - to pharma, to PBMs," said Lauren Vela, senior director of member value for the Pacific Business Group on Health. "Of course, they're all pointing fingers at each other. What has happened is they got caught - the entire industry got caught - making a lot of money, in ways that people didn't fully understand."




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. There is 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 anti-virus 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, anti-virus 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."

Wardle would know. A former hacker at the National Security Agency, Wardle recently succeeded in subverting anti-virus software sold by Kaspersky Lab, turning it into a powerful search tool for classified documents.

Wardle's curiosity was piqued by recent news that Russian spies had used Kaspersky anti-virus products to siphon classified documents off the home computer of an NSA developer, and may have played a critical role in broader Russian intelligence gathering.

For years, intelligence agencies suspected that Kaspersky Lab's security products provided a back door for Russian intelligence. A draft of a top-secret report leaked by Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor, described a top-secret, NSA effort in 2008 that concluded that Kaspersky's software collected sensitive information off customers' machines.

At the NSA, analysts were barred from using Kaspersky anti-virus software because of the risk it would give the Kremlin broad access to their machines and data. But excluding NSA headquarters at Fort Meade, Kaspersky still managed to secure contracts with nearly two dozen U.S. government agencies over the past few years.

In September, the Department of Homeland Security ordered all federal agencies to cease using Kaspersky products because of the threat the products could "provide access to files."

In October, the New York Times reported that the Homeland Security directive was based, in large part, on intelligence shared by Israeli intelligence officials who successfully hacked Kaspersky Lab in 2014. They looked on for months as Russian government hackers scanned computers belonging to Kaspersky customers around the world for top secret U.S. government classified programs.

Kaspersky continues to deny that it knew about the scanning for classified U.S. programs or allowed its anti-virus products to be used by Russian intelligence. Eugene Kaspersky, the company's CEO, has said he would allow the U.S. government to inspect his company's source code to allay distrust of its anti-virus and cybersecurity products.

But Wardle discovered, in reverse-engineering Kaspersky anti-virus software, that a simple review of its source code would do nothing to prove its products had not been used as a Russian intelligence-gathering tool.

Unlike traditional anti-virus software, which uses digital "signatures" to look for malicious code and patterns of activity, Kaspersky's signatures are easily updated, can be automatically pushed out to certain clients, and contain code that can be tweaked to do things such as automatically scanning for and siphoning off classified documents.

In short, Wardle found, "Anti-virus could be the ultimate cyberespionage spying tool."
Candie and Steven Tramonte had one of those little L-shaped, reach-in pantries - nothing to brag about, but it served a purpose. Boxed and canned goods and everyday kitchen staples lined its shelves.

Still, they knew they wanted more. More shelves, more drawers. More matching containers and baskets.

So when their interior designer, Cindy Aplanalp-Yates of the Chairma Design Group, suggested a super pantry as part of a kitchen remodeling project, they were all in.

Architects, builders and designers are all paying more attention to storage spaces: We want our kitchen pantries to be larger, more functional and more attractive.

The super pantry, as Aplanalp-Yates describes it, is so much more than a place to store food. It's a pantry, butler's pantry, catering kitchen and linen closet all in one.

Not only do their shelves sport rows of matching baskets and air-tight containers, but they also have drawers and cabinets to store dishes, extra silverware or pans and baking items.

All of those small appliances we use only once in a while? Put them in the super pantry.

A second set of appliances - an extra oven, refrigerator, dishwasher and sink if you can - make the space practical if you entertain a lot. You - or your caterers - can prep, cook and bake, and then leave the mess behind closed doors.

If you're a neatnik who wants your kitchen clutter-free, you can keep your juicer, toaster or coffee maker all on a counter in your super pantry for easy access.

Aplanalp-Yates said some clients are skeptical about creating such a large pantry - the Tramontes' is 12 feet by 13 feet and took 9 feet from their oversize garage - but when it's done, they never regret it.

"They had no idea how useful it would be or how easy it is to keep their kitchen tidy," Aplanalp-Yates said of the reaction of clients who often resist the idea as more than they need. "Often, we'll do a small desk, like a mom's office, with a computer or iPad and a printer. It becomes your little office. It becomes something people enjoy."

At Madeval at the Decorative Center of Houston, Tita Donoso helps clients custom design contemporary and modern kitchens, baths and closets, and her clients are interested in special features to make their space as functional as possible.

Many clients are empty-nesters who are downsizing and want good design to help their smaller kitchens and pantries function as if they're much bigger, she said.

In her showroom, Donoso shows off drawers built to hold knives in neat rows, utensil trays that can be arranged and rearranged and spice holders that lift out so you can take whole groups to your kitchen or outdoors to your barbecue. The best part? They all clean up in the dishwasher.

"If you don't have everything organized, you're never going to see it and you're never going to use it," she said.

More Information Pantry tips Drawers or pull-out shelves with glass or plexiglass fronts will help you see what's in them. Use deep drawers to keep things organized. They can include dividers and tools for keeping pans, lids and storage containers in place. Shallow drawers can be used to organize cooking utensils, spices and table linens. Don't underestimate the value of a drawer tricked out to keep knives lined up. Turntables or lazy susans help you make the most of corners and cabinets so you have easy access to items in the back. Pull-out drawers and accessories provide easy access to cleaning supplies kept under your sink. Don't overlook your refrigerator. Special storage containers keep your food - especially produce - fresh longer. Sources: Houzz; Kim Kimbriel, kitchen buyer for The Container Store See More Collapse

Donoso's eyes light up when she talks about recovering lost space: those corners where you have to get on your hands and knees and dig in deep, dark spaces.

General manager of the Houston outpost of her parent's Ecuadorean company, Donoso steps back to show off the unit that does what few others likely can. She opens a cabinet door, automatically pulling a two-tier wire rack from the cabinet into the kitchen. Simultaneously, another two-tier rack tucked into the corner slides over for easy access.

"Another big option is to have lights in the cabinet," Donoso said. Madeval cabinets are custom-made modular units manufactured in Ecuador.

Aplanalp-Yates urges people to make their pantries - no matter how large or small - beautiful, too. A cute light fixture, bright wallpaper or even a piece of art can make the space special.

Tramonte said her remodeling project tripled her storage space; in fact, some of it is still empty.

"We put a lot of thought into every drawer and cabinet," she said. "We took an inventory of what we owned and what we needed. There's a utility drawer for all of the baking tools and graters and all of that. One drawer has an insert for all of my knives. On each side of the stove are drawers that have everything you'd use at the stove - tongs, spatulas, whisks."

"I wouldn't change a thing. It was pricey but it was definitely worth it," Tramonte said. "Our clothes closet is next on our list. ... Cindy knows it's coming."
The week before Christmas, accompanied by my good friend Pam, I took David down to Guadalajara, hoping to find a dementia-care facility he'd be happy with.

Things didn't start well.

The days leading up to the trip were stressful for both of us. He was obviously and rightfully scared: Going to Mexico was an acknowledgement of his condition, and he worried that he wouldn't find what he was looking for.

Or maybe that he would find what he was looking for.

So he lashed out, insisting he wasn't really sick, that "all" our friends were warning him that I was pushing him out of the house. That I was going to leave him there. That he wasn't going to leave our house until he had to be wheeled out, etc.

It was stressful for me, too. Trying to ease his fears. Packing and organizing for both of us. Worrying about how it would go and whether, even with Pam's help, if I'd be able to handle everything.

The two-hour delay at the airport waiting for our flight to Guadalajara didn't help. But, after finally arriving and checking into our hotel, we went for a walk to explore the neighborhood, and that did help.

A terrific dinner, along with a few beers for me, did, too.

WATCHING DAVID DISAPPEAR: Is assisted living the right choice for my husband with dementia?

That night, though, was as bad as it's ever been.

He went off completely. The last 10 years with me have been awful; I've been having an affair with some guy in Nebraska; all his friends are telling him I'm trying to get him out of the house so I can have it all to myself  on and on from one thing to another for close to an hour.

When I told him that if I'm making him that unhappy, I'd be happy to move out, he replied, "No, I need you to take care of me."

Finally he seemed to fall asleep. And I nodded off, too, only to hear his belt clanging as he tried to put on his pants. I asked him where he was going. He said he was going to go outside and walk around. "I don't want to be in the same room as you."

"Um, no," I said. "You're not going anywhere."

After a few minutes, he went back to bed and fell quickly asleep. But I didn't fall asleep nearly as quickly.

The next morning after breakfast  chilaquilles, his favorite  we took a cab to Lake Chapala, to visit Ohana Assisted Living, located in the small town of San Juan Cosala.

It was, for me, for Pam, and most importantly for David, love at first sight.

The owners, the husband-and-wife team of Ana Christina Palacios Campos and Alonzo Garcia Romero, are both registered nurses. Two lovelier, kinder, caregivers I can't imagine.

We arrived in time for lunch, and David joined the other residents. Most of them were older than he, with the exception of one gentleman, close to his age, and a former New York Times foreign correspondent, to boot.

Ana and Alonzo fed Pam and I as well  chicken cordon bleu, roasted beets and dessert. The food was obviously home-cooked and delicious.

Afterward, we sat and talked. They described what David's life would be like: breakfast at 8 a.m., two hours of activities starting at 10 a.m., lunch at noon, two more hours of activities starting at 2 p.m., dinner.

"We don't plant our residents in front of the TV," Ana joked.

Dennis Abrams

We walked outside to play with the dogs and to see the view of the lake, just a short walk away. I noticed how, when David leaned forward to get a better look, Alonzo's hand automatically reached out to make sure David didn't fall.

Ana touched David a lot as well.

I liked that a lot. So did he.

The plan was for David to spend the night if things went well and he felt comfortable. He did.

As Pam and I waited for our cab to take us back to Guadalajara, a member of the staff, young and as obviously caring as Ana and Alonzo, took David for a walk down to the lake.

Alonzo spoke to me about why they opened Ohana; caring for dementia patients is their mission in life, it's what they do and what they care about. David, he told me, would become part of their family.

Based on what I'd seen, I knew he would be.

When Pam and I came back the next morning to pick him up, he had already had breakfast and another walk to the lake, where he fed one of what he was already calling one of "his" pelicans. The huge smile on his face said it all.

He told me what a great night he'd had. He told me that Alonzo had promised to work with him for two hours every day to teach him Spanish.

He told Pam that his day at Ohana was the happiest he'd been in a very long time. He could, he told her, just relax and not worry about anything  about me, about the house, about his life  and just be lovingly taken care of.

WATCHING DAVID DISAPPEAR: His dementia is getting worse. For both of us.

It's just what he wants. And needs.

We visited one other facility. It was nice, but no Ohana.

The next morning, David asked me to let Alonzo and Ana know that he'd love to come and live with them.

There will be much to do before the move. Applying for a permanent residency visa. Figuring out health insurance. Prescriptions. Finances. What to bring. What to buy there.

We've set a target date of June; David would like it to be sooner if possible. He's told me that several times now.

We'll see if that's possible. Or if he changes his mind in the meantime, which is also, I suppose, possible.

I don't think he will, though. I know it's a good choice for him. He'll be happy there and well taken care of.

It will mean he'll be saying goodbye to his life here, to our life together. And he'll be starting a new one there on his own.

It is what he needs now.

It's what I want for him.

Afterward, it will be time to think about me and what I want.

But for now, it's just one day at a time as we both prepare for the next chapter in his life.

Dennis Abrams writes restaurant reviews, journalism and children's books.

Bookmark Gray Matters. It's obviously home-cooked and delicious.
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Police are investigating a stabbing involving a father and son in East Montgomery County and are searching for the suspect in nearby woods.

Officers were called out to a home in the 27700 block of Northgate Lane shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday after a 9-1-1 caller said her nephew stabbed her brother-in-law. The two were arguing inside the home before it turned violent, the caller said.
Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal embraces the role of community booster with a zeal that befits a longtime elected official whose roots in the county stretch back four generations.

"People don't come to Montgomery County because it's broken," Doyal recently told a group of county employees, citing its rapid growth. "I get sick and tired of people talking about how bad things are in Montgomery County. They are not."

State Rep. Mark Keough, who wants to deny Doyal a second term in a March 6 primary, also expresses admiration for the county where he lives. Like countless candidates who have challenged incumbents, however, he says his campaign is a response to a clamor for change.

"People came to me and asked, 'What's going on in Montgomery County?'" Keough said. "I believe Montgomery County has a black eye. I believe our reputation around the state is tainted" by conflict-of-interest allegations involving Doyal and other county officials.

Keough announced in May that he would forgo a bid for a third term representing a Woodlands-based district in the Texas House, and instead would challenge Doyal. The campaign started cranking up in December: Doyal and Keough argued about toll roads at a Dec. 14 forum, and Keough drove around the county putting up campaign signs during the week before Christmas.

Doyal, 56, and Keough, 64, will deliver their messages to an electorate split between populist tea party adherents and a more mainstream GOP cohort. At a deeper level, though, a solid ideological consensus prevails within the county of some 550,000 residents.

In a 2014 analysis, Rice University political scientist Mark P. Jones found that Montgomery County was the third-most conservative in Texas, after Brazoria and Lubbock counties. Its voters favored Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton by a 3-to-1 margin in 2016. A Democrat running for county judge, Jay Stittleburg, of Porter, is not regarded as a serious contender.

The campaign, then, may hinge on whether Keough's credentials as a "movement conservative" in the Legislature can overcome Doyal's deep roots in the county and a record that includes cutting the property tax rate, establishing a homestead exemption and coping with repeated floods.

Woodlands vs. others

When Keough talks about his legislative record, he emphasizes his support for property tax relief. He said he would have voted for the so-called "bathroom bill," requiring people to use restrooms consistent with their biological gender, had it come up for a vote in the House.

Jones said Keough's record will play well in a countywide race. While Keough is not a member of the "Freedom Caucus" of hard-right House members, Jones said, "he's part of that next group that's closely aligned with the Freedom Caucus."

From a local perspective, the Doyal-Keough race could provide another example of the tension between The Woodlands - the county's largest, most affluent and most populous community - and the rest of the county, which is mostly rural and spans the spectrum from poor to wealthy.

Keough, who grew up in the Midwest, moved to The Woodlands in 1996.

Doyal spent most of his youth in Conroe, the county seat, and graduated from Conroe High School in 1979, when George P. Mitchell's master-planned community was in its infancy.

Tension between The Woodlands and other parts of the county over a proposed extension of The Woodlands Parkway, which crosses the community from east to west, has dominated local politics for the past couple of years.

The project's inclusion in a 2015 road bond proposal backed by Doyal spurred protests from residents of The Woodlands who said it would choke their neighborhoods with pass-through traffic.

The rhetoric grew so frenzied that a woman leading a prayer before a Commissioners Court meeting in April 2015 referred to bond opponents as "Satan's users" and declared that God supported the measure.

The bond issue also played a role in the June 2016 indictments of Doyal, two commissioners and a political consultant on misdemeanor charges of violating Texas' open meetings law. The alleged violation occurred during last-minute discussions of the bond proposal.

A judge dismissed the indictments against Doyal and two other defendants last April after finding that a section of the open meetings law was unconstitutional. The charges could be reinstated if an appeal by prosecutors is successful.

More questions raised

Ethical questions arose again in the fall of 2016, when the Conroe Courier reported on Doyal's business ties to an executive of an engineering firm, Halff Associates. The firm had received 10 county contracts over the previous five years, including a $1.98 million deal related to the Texas 249 toll road project.

Doyal and a Halff vice president, Bobby Adams, were partners in an unrelated investment business. Doyal, as county judge and previously as a commissioner, did not disclose the relationship or recuse himself from voting on the contracts.

The county judge's actions were not illegal, and he has said they were not improper because his relationship with Adams did not involve a company receiving county contracts. Keough, however, said the arrangement erodes public trust in county government.

"There are conflicts of interest that are legal, if you will," Keough said. "But to a thoughtful person, they violate the conscience. It raises eyebrows."

In an interview, Doyal characterized the ethics allegations as "a lot of personal attacks that have resulted in nothing in terms of any damage to me. I've made sure that any business dealings that I have don't have anything to do with the county."

The county judge said the ethics charges were stirred up by his detractors to divert attention from his record of running the county efficiently, cutting the budget, reducing the property tax rate and responding "impeccably" to four disaster declarations prompted by floods, most recently Hurricane Harvey.

Doyal has spent virtually his entire career working for Montgomery County. After graduating from Texas A&M University and starting a roofing business, he ran for county commissioner in Precinct 2 in 1986, at age 24. He lost to Malcolm Purvis, who promptly hired Doyal as his chief assistant.

Doyal worked for Purvis for 14 years and was appointed to fill the commissioner's seat when Purvis died in 2001. He won the position in a 2002 election and served as Precinct 2 commissioner until 2014, when longtime County Judge Alan Sadler retired. Doyal resigned to run for county judge and prevailed in a runoff.

Keough, who lived in the Atascocita area before moving to The Woodlands, became a pastor after retiring from a career as a car dealership manager. He decided to run for the Texas Legislature because, he said, "I got tired of throwing my shoe at the TV."

Conservative stronghold

The two candidates agree that the county judge's leadership is particularly important in Montgomery County, where most residents live in unincorporated areas without a mayor or city council. In keeping with the limited-government sentiment in the conservative stronghold, both say the county should focus on essential services such as roads and public safety.

Neither had any immediate ideas about how to improve conditions in Tamina, an impoverished African-American community where residents have struggled for years to upgrade rudimentary utility services. Three children died in a house fire in May 2017 in Tamina, which has no fire hydrants.

"In the three years that I've been here, I've never been approached with that," Doyal said in response to a question about Tamina. "I'd be glad to visit with residents and talk to the powers that be."

Keough had a similar response.

"It's a fair question," he said, "but I haven't given it thought."
The nationally watched battle for control of the Virginia House of Delegates is a precursor to a broad Democratic effort to flip statehouses blue in 2018 and boost the party's power to draw legislative maps for the next decade.

Democrats won at least 15 GOP-held seats in Virginia, part of a backlash to President Trump's ascension that included a host of new groups devoted to down-ballot races,a quadrupling ofsmall donations to Democratic legislative candidate since the last cycle and the largest gubernatorial-yearturnout in two decades.

Now Democrats hope to replicate that success across the country. Seats in 87 of 99 state legislative chambers are on the ballot in 2018. Republicans currently hold 67 of those chambers, while Democrats hold 32.

"We have to be aggressive everywhere," said David Cohen, co-founder of Forward Majority, a new Democratic super PAC focused on state legislatures. "We can't accept the conventional wisdom of what's possible."

But Democratic legislative candidates had several advantages in Virginia that they won't necessarily have in other states in the coming year. And Republicans say they are gearing up to counter a newly energized Democratic push on state races.

While it won't be clear until November which side will perform better, here is a look at what each party has going for it.

- - -

Why Democrats should be concerned

- Lax campaign finance laws in Virginia allowed new organizations focused on state-level races to make large donations to candidates and work with campaigns and other groups to avoid duplicating efforts.

Such coordination isn't possible in many other states.

In addition, individuals can contribute unlimited amounts to candidates in the Old Dominion, which among other things made it possible for a wealthy activist from Wisconsin to pour nearly $200,000 into Del.-elect Danica Roem's upstart campaign.

- Virginia was a magnet for Democratic energy this fall, a year after Trump was elected and during a campaign season with few significant races in other states. Statehouse candidates in 2018 will have to compete much harder for resources and attention in an election cycle featuring every U.S. House seat, a third of the U.S. Senate seats and three dozen governorships on the ballot.

- All but one of the Democratic statehouse pickups in Virginia were in districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016, where Republicans had won seats in the legislature in lower turnout, off-year races.

The Democrats' path to winning statehouses in places like Wisconsin and Michigan in 2018 runs through districts that went for Trump in 2016.

"What we saw on election night was an exponential increase on dollars spent and levels of engagement from very progressive and liberal movements to engage in Virginia, really just to win blue districts and claw their way back to neutral," said Matthew Walter, executive director of the Republican State Leadership Committee.

Democrats counter that in other state legislative districts carried by Trump, they won special elections, including in Oklahoma and New Hampshire.

- - -

Reasons for Democrats to be optimistic

- Democrats say their gains in the Virginia House were all the more impressive given that Republicans drew the playing field - more specifically, they drew the legislative map in the last round of redistricting, in 2011.

"We beat a gerrymandered map," said Jessica Post, executive director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, the party's main organ for state legislative races. "Everything is on the table."

Post said the DLCC thinks that it can flip as many as 10 legislative chambers - including in Colorado, Minnesota, Maine, Michigan, Arizona and Iowa.

At the same time, however, Democrats cite the Virginia results - Republicans have a one-seat majority, with one seat in limboand Democrats seeking a new election in another - as proof that many races remain an uphill battle because of gerrymandering.

- The party will have big-name help in its effort.

Former president Barack Obama has made reversing Democratic losses in statehouses his top political priority. His former attorney general, Eric H. Holder Jr., chairs the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which saw Virginia as a first chance to supportgubernatorial and legislative candidates in an effort to shrink Republican influence over redistricting.

- Democrats may have demographics, as well as resources, in their favor. Kelly Ward, executive director of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, notes that the biggest Democratic routs in Virginia ran through suburban districts where fiscal-minded Republicans and independents turned off by Trump are living. Her group also spent money on digital ads targeting young and black voters whom Democrats don't usually count on to vote in non-presidential races.

Cohen, of the Forward Majority super PAC, said Virginia showed that voters are more willing to pay attention to digital ads targeting Republicans over votes on controversial issues, provided the money is there to fund such campaigns.

"The main takeaway that we've seen thus far is a change in strategy to spend significant resources to mobilize some of the strongest assets in their arsenal," said Walter, the head of the Republican State Leadership Committee. "Will they be able to keep up this torrid pace of spending when it's not just two general elections in blue states, but when you have elections going on all across the country?"
President Donald Trump's appointment of federal judges at a record pace may endear him to conservatives, but that alone won't be enough to push the judiciary to the right.

A big obstacle is Barack Obama's legacy of stacking the courts with his own lifetime appointees. When Obama took office in 2009, Democratic appointees made up the majority of active-status judges on just one of the nation's 12 regional appeals courts -- a step below the Supreme Court. Even if Trump fills all the currently vacant seats on the appeals courts, judges appointed by Republicans still won't hold a majority on eight of them.

That gives the Democratic appointees more sway when those courts exercise their rarely used but important power to convene all of their judges -- in so-called en banc panels of as many as 16 jurists -- to hear cases of exceptional public interest. The losing side can always seek Supreme Court review, but en banc rulings are often the final word on major matters of civil and criminal justice.

"For many cases heard en banc, these majorities can determine outcomes on novel or publicly important legal issues," said Anne Joseph O'Connell, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, who specializes in federal staffing.

In the last 18 months, en banc rulings in circuits dominated by Democratic appointees handed significant losses to the National Rifle Association on concealed gun permits and an assault weapons ban. Another one affirmed the right of pregnant teenagers in immigration custody to get abortions over the objections of Trump's health department.

Trump, of course, is still just getting started as he hurries to fill 143 judicial vacancies, 15 of which are to appeals panels, while Obama had eight years to shape the courts. But to achieve a Republican takeover of the appellate courts, Trump will have to wait for Democrat-appointed judges to retire or die. Of 164 active appeals judges, 22 are older than 75.

"Most critically, he needs more vacancies at the appellate level, and judges -- particularly those nominated by President Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton -- may not want to retire during this administration," O'Connell said.

To be sure, the judicial philosophies and political leanings of judges don't always align with the party of the presidents who appoint them. In April, the Republican-heavy circuit court based in Chicago, on an 8-3 en banc vote, became the first in the nation to rule that the 1964 Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Now, the Trump administration is urging an en banc panel of the Democrat-dominated circuit court in New York to rule the opposite way in a case brought by a skydiving instructor who claims he was fired because he's gay.

In other pending en banc cases:

- The Democrat-leaning circuit court for the District of Columbia will decide on a constitutional attack on the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency launched by Obama and loathed by many Republicans.

- The same court is also considering a challenge by more than two dozen states to Obama's Clean Power Plan, but the case is on hold and may ultimately be rendered moot as Trump moves to abandons the policy initiative wholesale.

- The Richmond, Virginia-based circuit court is expected soon to rule on whether to block the third version of Trump's travel ban aimed at a group of mostly Muslim nations. The Richmond court struck down the second version in a May.

Apart from the occasional en banc hearing, Trump's judges will have a far greater impact on hundreds of cases each year that they will handle solo in the trial courts or as members of three-judge panels in the appeals courts.

While some presidents strive to name moderate judges, Trump is outspoken in his desire for a rightward shift. In a Nov. 1 tweet, he thanked the GOP-controlled Senate for holding confirmation hearings for "high-quality Federal District and Appeals Court Judges at a record clip! Our courts are rapidly changing for the better!"
Light sleet and snow was falling in the Houston area Tuesday evening as temperatures continue to drop and are expected to plummet to below freezing overnight.

Some sleet and snow could continue falling up until 1 a.m. on Wednesday, according to predictions from the National Weather Service.

The Weather Service around 9 p.m. tweeted: "Reports of light sleet and/or snow flurries around the city. Bush-Intercontinental Airport is reporting light snow"

Forecasters predict the sleet or snow won't stick to the ground, but some areas could see a light dusting.

The National Weather Service also issued a hard freeze warning through 9 a.m. Wednesday, warning that sub-25-degree temperatures are likely to kill outdoor plants and possibly freeze any exposed pipes.

The most biting cold lingered through 10 a.m. Tuesday and will return between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 9 a.m. Wednesday, NWS said. The worst of it will hit the I-10 corridor and areas north of it.

The Houston area Tuesday was colder than Anchorage, Alaska. Temperatures hovered in the low 30s Tuesday afternoon, but in Alaska they remained in the 40s.

Elsewhere, the Galveston Island Causeway is expected to stay open despite the city being under a hard freeze warning. If icy conditions occur Tuesday evening, then only one outbound and inbound lane will stay open, according to a news release from the city of Galveston.

Commuters on Tuesday reported sleet pellets to local news stations such as KTRK and FOX 26 in areas including Midtown, west Houston, Texas City, Sugar Land and Pearland. On Tuesday morning, Jeff Lindner, a Harris County Flood Control District meteorologist, reported that light sleet is possible throughout the region. KTRK meteorologist Travis Herzog said the chance for light sleet and possibly even a few flurries is only going to increase throughout the afternoon, though no accumulation is expected.

Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Danny Perez said as of 10:20 a.m. that bridges in Galveston and Brazoria counties--specifically the Kemah Bridge along Highway 146 and the Galveston Causeway--posed the most hazardous icy conditions. Houston Transtar reported icy conditions along the left shoulder and exit ramp of IH-45 Southbound at Nasa Bypass, at SH-146 Northbound at SH-3 in Galveston County; and FM-1462 Eastbound At Parker School and Rosharon Roads in Brazoria County.

About 9:30 a.m., Houston police reported via Twitter that roads were getting icy near the interchange of I-45 Gulf Freeway at the West Sam Houston Tollway South, urging drivers to be cautious. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo also reported via Twitter that flurries were falling near I-45 and I-10, though Perez said Transtar cameras did not show any accumulation in that area.

He said crews have been treating hazardous locations throughout the region as they sprout up.

READ ALSO: When Houston woke up to beautiful snowfall, icy roads in December

Now Playing: Latest Weather News Video: Houston Chronicle

Counties under the hard freeze warning include Harris, Fort Bend, Brazos, Montgomery, Austin, Burelson, Chambers, Colorado, Grimes, Houston, Liberty, Madison, Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker, Waller and Washington.

Don't expect temperatures to climb out of the mid-30s today, with a high of 37 for Houston.

It's currently 29 degrees at Bush Intercontinental Airport, with a windchill of 19.

READ ALSO: How homeowners can prepare for hard freeze

Freezing conditions are expected to continue for the next several nights.

NWS warns that going outside without proper protection from the cold could lead to hypothermia--so bundle up this morning.
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Rolling Stones Jann Wenner Accused Of Sexual Assault

Rolling Stone founder Jann Wenner has been accused of sexually assaulting a man in the 1980s prior to the accuser getting a dream job at the magazine. Wenner recently sold a controlling stake in magazine to the owners of entertainment trade Variety.

_____________________________

Journalist Jonathan Wells, in an article published by Buzzfeed News, said that he grew up obsessing about Rolling Stone magazine and, through mutual friends, met Wenner in New York in the early 80s.

They spent time together, mostly in larger group settings, at restaurants and friends apartment, the article says. His success, his affluence, he was really fun, Wells told Buzzfeed. He was an exciting guy to be around.

However, in February 1983, after a night of drinking and doing cocaine, Wells claims Wenner sexually assaulted him at Wenners Upper East Side home. Wells said he told five people at the time about the incident, and Buzzfeed claims to have confirmed Wells claim with all of them.

Wells said that the two men hired a female prostitute and, after she left, the two men were mostly naked when Wenner jumped on top of him, pinning him down.

I was lying back and he put himself on top of me, Wells said. He was kissing me, but you know, normal stuff, kissing my chest. I remember him putting his penis in my mouth. I remember him sucking me, going down on me. I remember his hair on my stomach.

The alleged attack did not result in a sexual encounter, with Wenner passing out, and Wells said he left. Although he said he was only with women until that time, Wells said the he and Wenner had consensual sex twice after the incident.

Then I realized, what are you doing?  I woke up, Wells said. I was never attracted to a man in my life.

Wells eventually began working at Rolling Stone but claims he always suspected his time there would somehow involve a romance with Wenner.

I knew when I started working there, there was always the question of a continuing sexual relationship, he said. However, as Wells continuously refused Wenners requests to hang out, Wells said the magazine co-founder eventually backed off. Wells claimed he was fired unexpectedly in 1985 after management claimed the magazine was rearranging the Press.

I am completely surprised by these allegations, as we have remained friends for almost 35 years since then, Wenner said in a statement to BuzzFeed News. I sincerely believed our relationship was totally mutual and consensual  absolutely, and without question. I am saddened to hear this is his memory of that evening, because it is different than mine.

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Think of a country that stifles internet freedom. You might first jump to the oppressive regimes of North Korea, China, or Cuba, where internet access is either forbidden or radically restricted. But in fact, according to a recent study by the non-profit Freedom House, the principles of internet freedom are under attack worldwideincluding in the United States. And it's only getting worse.

Overt government restrictions, after all, aren't the only way to impede internet freedom. As fake news and propaganda flourish online, and automated bot accounts bloom on social media, the manipulation and distortion of information serves as its own kind of censorship.

The crisis is global. Freedom House based its findings on an annual study of 65 countries, in which the group's researchers collect data on factors like ready access to the internet in that country, limits on content, intentional manipulation of online conversations, and the treatment of bloggers and content creators, among other details. Researchers then score each country based on those metrics. In 2017, it found that nearly half of the 65 countries experienced a decline since June of 2016, while just 13 made gains. It was the seventh consecutive year in which internet freedom has eroded since Freedom House began studying this trend in 2011.

That means that internet freedom has long experienced a global decline. But according to Adrian Shahbaz, a Freedom House research manager, the unprecedented rise of state-sponsored manipulation and election meddling online was unique to 2017, and may prove much harder to fix than other ills. "Manipulation is much more difficult to detect and combat than other types of censorship because of how dispersed it is, and the sheer amount of people engaged in it," he says.

Comparatively speaking, US citizens still have it good. The United States remains one of just 16 countries described in the report as "free." But that freedom faces increasing threats, largely due to the metastatic spread of fake news during the 2016 presidential election. Major platforms like Facebook and Twitter do take a hands-off approach to what people are allowed to say online. But the report contends that phony stories promoted by bot armies and fake accounts end up silencing real people who might otherwise contribute to online conversation.

"Internet users continue to exercise self-censorship due to concerns of government surveillance as well as online harassment by other internet users," the report reads.

'Manipulation is much more difficult to detect and combat than other types of censorship because of how dispersed it is, and the sheer amount of people engaged in it.' Adrian Shahbaz, Freedom House

Targeted disinformation campaigns like those Russia leveled against the US are nothing new, of course. But in 2017, it "took on an accelerated and improbably successful form," says Peter Micek, who leads the policy team at the digital rights advocacy group Access Now. "Colleagues in other parts of the world are quite familiar with disinformation campaigns on and offline, but the US was unprepared for this sort of information-based attack."

Even as fake news spread, legitimate journalists were increasingly under attack in the US and abroad. Those offensives target more than just credibility. A 2016 report by the Anti-Defamation League found that journalists have recently faced a barrage of antisemitic rhetoric and death threats. And, of course, President Trump has repeatedly used his own Twitter account to harangue the free press.

He has suggested challenging NBC's broadcasting license.

He called for a boycott of CNN.

And in July, he shared a GIF that had been edited to make it look like he was beating up CNN.

The Trump administration, meanwhile, made a series of policy decisions that, Freedom House says, further threatened the freedom of political dissent on the internet. As the report notes, earlier this year, the Department of Homeland Security demanded Twitter hand over information on the person behind the @ALT_uscis account, a satirical feed that mimicked the United States Customs and Immigration Service. Twitter filed a lawsuit to protect the user's privacy, eventually compelling DHS to drop their request.

Perhaps more troubling over the long-term, though, is Federal Communications Commission chairman Ajit Pai's move to overturn net neutrality protections in the United States. Enabling internet service providers to create fast lanes for preferred content, the report argues, will weaken the public's access to an open, free internet.

'The US was unprepared for this sort of information-based attack.' Peter Micek, Access Now

As startling as this downward spiral may be for the country that invented the internet as we know it, though, the US still ranks sixth in internet freedom around the world, behind only Estonia, Iceland, Canada, Germany, and Australia. Estonia, in particular, tops the list for its commitment to ensuring internet access to nearly all of its citizens, and for establishing strict privacy protections around Estonian citizens' data. China takes the bottom spot on the list, for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, Freedom House detected a troubling trend in a slew of countries, including Venezuela, Turkey, and the Philippines, in which the government employs so-called "opinion shapers," who strategically disseminate pro-government propaganda.

"We've never seen these manipulation tactics become as widespread as they are now," Shahbaz says. One reason for that, he explains, is that governments learned a powerful lesson during upheavals like the Arab Spring. "What were seeing is governments pushback now that they've understood the power of social media," he says.

Such orchestrated attempts by the government to shape public discourse may not have hit the United States yet. But, as the report notes, far-right media organizations like Breitbart, which Freedom House describes as the "center of a hyperpartisan right-wing media network," are beginning to come frighteningly close. Ironically, it's the very existence of the free and open internet that allows these far-right, selectively truthful outlets to exist. And yet, by willingly abusing that ability, these new media organizationsalong with the trolls and bot makerssteadliy undermine that freedom, day after day.

So what can be done about this precipitous decline? Ironically, both Shahbaz and Micek say the answer may lie in the same tools that created these problems. "The high levels of disinformation should not blind us to the fact that the internet has been wildly successful in spreading information at a scale never seen before," Micek says.

Shahbaz points to countries like Saudi Arabia where, even though people have been consistently punished for badmouthing the government on social media, they've also used digital activism to effect real change in the country. That activism was influential, for instance, in compelling the Saudi government to allow women access to government citizens without a male guardian's consent.

"Even in the most repressive places, social media can be channeled to hold government accountable," Shahbaz says. "When that wave is insurmountable, then the government is forced to listen to its people."
In this screenshot from the film, Naloxone, more commonly known as Narcan,is shown. Narcan can save lives by reversing the effects of an overdose; all first responders in the region now carry it. North Adams Ambulance Assistant Chief Amalio Jusino recommends teaching children about the dangers of addiction and also recommends community members be trained on Narcan. PreviousNext

Second Film Tackles North Berkshires' Opioid Crisis



Berkshire Transition Network Recovery Coach Collin Woods speaks at the December forum of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  While many people are obsessed with the latest "Star Wars" movie, people in the Northern Berkshire County addiction and recovery community are watching a sequel of a completely different kind.



"Voices for Recovery: Building a Recovery Community" is the second locally produced documentary that addresses the opioid crisis in North County. Produced by local videographer Joe Aidonidis, it is the sequel to last year's "Faces: Five Voices from One Community," which focused on personal stories around addiction and recovery.



"Voices for Recovery" features different perspectives on how the local community has responded to the local epidemic of addiction. In introducing the film at its public debut at a Northern Berkshire Community Coalition forum in early December, Aidonidis had just one hope for viewers.



"Have an open mind," he said. "Be accepting to new information."



The film, which can be viewed here, tackles the community's efforts to combat the opioid crisis on several fronts. First, it interviews first responders like North Adams Ambulance Assistant Chief Amalio Jusino, who discusses the use of the drug naloxone, more commonly known as Narcan, which can save lives by reversing the effects of an overdose. All first responders are carrying it, he said, but the drug itself can only go so far.



"Ultimately, Narcan is not the drug that puts you into rehab," he says in the film. "Narcan is the drug, the medication, that saves your life to give you another opportunity to potentially get into rehab."



Speaking at the December Coalition forum after the first public showing of the film, Jusino shared that he had just received a call from the Adams Police Department, who had used Narcan to save a life for the first time after having been reluctant to carry it. Still, Jusino said he wished the response to the crisis focused more on prevention - pleading with parents, teachers and society at large to educate children on the dangers before they get to the point of needing his life-saving services,



"Stop coddling these children," he said.



In fact, there are efforts to do just that, with local pediatricians being armed with information about drug abuse prevention to discuss with parents and children as young as 9 years old. Those prevention efforts are very important to Wendy Penner, the Coalition's director of prevention and wellness.



In the film, Penner says that research hasn't pinpointed why some people become addicted while others don't, but that a contributing factor locally is a that there is a "low perception of harm" among many youths.That's something prevention efforts can focus on, she says.



"Every year that they choose to delay is beneficial to their overall risk outlook," she says in the film.



Piggybacking on that message in the film is Tim Shiebler, program coordinator for the Coalition's UNITY youth programs. He speaks about the best way to try to educate young people about addiction.



"I think it's fair to say that preaching my beliefs to young people is fairly ineffective," he says, discussing how we need to arm young people with the tools to make good decisions themselves. "I think it's time to be very open and very honest about these types of things with young people."



But if all the prevention efforts fail, and a local person becomes addicted, then what? The film turns its attention to services available for people in every stage of recovery - including those not even ready for recovery. Sarah DeJesus, manager of the syringe access program at Tapestry Health in North Adams, shares her perspective in the film.



"If you're serious about recovery, you have to be serious about cutting ties with all of that," she said. "You have to stop going to the places that you went to. You have to stop handing out with the people that you use to hang out with. You have to stop doing the things that you used to do.



"Because if nothing changes, nothing changes," she says. "If you're serious about recovery, you have to change everything."
Bibi Slams Iran for Mistreatment of Christians

The Fellowship | January 2, 2018

As the Iranian government continues to supress its own peoples protests for freedom, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to video calling out Tehran for its mistreatment of Christians, as well. The Jerusalem Posts Herb Keinon reports that Netanyahu pointed out the hypocrisy of Iran tweeting a Christmas message when it continues to persecute Christian believers:

With demonstrators taking to Iranian streets in a series of rare protests that have continued since Thursday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted a short video clip on Facebook on Friday blasting Tehran for its treatment of Christians, and underlining the hypocrisy of Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarifs tweeting of a Christmas message last week.

Get a load of this, Netanyahu said in the video  shared some 25,500 times  showing Zarifs tweet.

That tweet, posted on December 23, reads: The angels said, Mary, God gives you glad-tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Christ, Jesus, son of Mary; highly honored in this world and the next Quran 3:45 A very happy and peaceful Christmas to all. May Christs universal message of peace be embraced in the coming year.

In his video, Netanyahu said: I wonder what the Christians, jailed this month in Iran, would say about that tweet. I wonder what Iranian youth would think about that tweet. But sadly the regime bans Twitter, unless of course you are a high-ranking official.

Earlier this month, according to Persian media reports, Iranian security forces arrested four Iranian converts to Christianity and raided six houses they used as home churches
Wildfire Forces Red Cross Volunteer to Evacuate

Ojai, California - I was visiting the Red Cross Client Service Center recently in Ojai, California where Red Cross volunteers were assisting the impacted residents following the devastating Thomas Fire. The acrid smell of smoke still lingered in the air on this otherwise pleasant, sunny day. As I approached the service center, I was met by several volunteers who said I should meet with a Red Cross volunteer who had a remarkable story to tell.

They drove me up into the blackened hills to meet her and along the way I saw mile after mile of charred hillsides and ash. There were ribbons hanging in front of some properties to indicate that this had been a home that had burned to the ground. The fire had burned so hot that there was nothing but ash in many places. In others, green deciduous trees stood untouched.

When we arrived at Bettye Bergs property she pointed out where the homes of her neighbors once stood and shared her experience with the Thomas Fire.

Berg and her husband had been enjoying a dinner out when her son called her concerned because there was a brushfire in nearby Santa Paula. The Santa Ana winds were gusting, and he was concerned for their safety. She and her husband decided to head back home immediately. They found several roads blocked but after several hours, they managed to make their way through so they could get home to evacuate.

They arrived home to find embers and ash raining down on the entire neighborhood. They rushed into the house to grab the important papers and their beloved puppy, Buddy and ran for their RV. In less than the 15 minutes it took to grab and go, Berg witnessed several of their neighbors homes explode into flames. I saw what looked like a cyclone of fire hover over one of the homes and drop down on top of it. It was like an explosion of fire, she remembered. It was terrifying.

As they drove down the winding road, the wind was blowing so hard that it was blowing flames across the road. We were driving through the flames. Berg recalled. It was hot, almost unbearable. But we made it out. We knew after what we had witnessed that our home was gone. All our neighbors homes were on fire, and we just knew ours was too.

Bettye Berg has been a volunteer with the Red Cross for over 30 years, serving during Katrina, Sandy and countless other disasters. I never, ever, thought I would be a client in need of services from the Red Cross. Never, she said. She and her husband arrived safely at the Red Cross shelter and checked in as evacuees. I now understand a little more of what they feel - that uncertainty, that fear. Ill never forget it. Its very different to be on the other side of this, Berg recalled. She and her husband parked their RV and Berg wasted no time. I had to do something. I knew I could help. There were hundreds of people showing up that needed help, so I pitched in.

That night 837 people checked into the shelter. Many drove their RVs in, there were about 45 of those. For 6 days, Berg helped manage the shelter.

There were many people there with special needs and it was a very challenging task, addressing these needs and leading the other volunteers, but Bettye made sure they were seen by the nurse and their needs met, commented Spiritual Care Team member Norita Cassou. Nothing escaped her. She made sure everyone who needed attention, got it, even the evacuees in the RVs.

I knew they would need to dump their tanks. Theyd been here 6 days, and as an owner of an RV, I thought this needs to be addressed too, Berg said. So, she put a call out to someone she knows in Public Works and they came up with a solution. You might say, I have friends in low places too! she laughed.

Berg described returning to her neighborhood. When it came time, the California Highway Patrol was going to caravan us in for one hour to grab anything we could that might have survived the fire, and then get out. I just knew our home was gone, but there was this little, tiny hope. That ride back up the mountain was the longest 20 minutes of my life. Ash, charred trees and all my dear neighbors homes were gone. Then we came around the corner and our home was still standing. I couldnt believe it, even the trees were still there. I dont know why or how. I have no explanation. But Im so very, very grateful.

She pulled her beloved puppy, Buddy, close to her heart and nuzzled him. I wont be bothering with Christmas decorations this year. This is enough, she said. A second RV survived and Berg has given it to her neighbor to live in while they rebuild.

After helping people in need for years, the Thomas Fire led to Bettye Berg being the one who needed help. But even during a time of such uncertainty for her, this Red Cross volunteer pitched in and made sure people in her shelter got the help they need.
I thought it would be fun to pivot towards the angst of the white man who feels that the world has passed him by and no one feels sorry for him, says Mike White, the director of Brads Status, who is probably still best known for writing and starring in School of Rock and the HBO series Enlightened.

White adds: I noticed lately that no one feels sorry for the white man who hasnt done much in his life, the self-pitying white man and I felt like embracing that character and seeing if I can find compassion for him.

That statement would be a noose for the neck for many directors but White is aware of the difficulties of going against the grain as both the Me Too and Black Live Matters campaigns continue to resonate. He wants to tease the audience by making us hate Brad before we grow to sympathise with him. Its easier to write a character thats created to get audience sympathy from the get-to and for me, I dont find those characters to be true to life as much as a character like Brad who has lapses in his own self awareness, or who could be self mythologising or self-pitying and to me its more of an interesting arc to try to find the humanity in that character.

Whites first success came in television, writing and producing on Dawsons Creek and Freaks and Geeks, before he got into acting and directing (Getty)

The film stars Ben Stiller as a dad who is taking his son on a tour of colleges including Harvard. His sons leaving home and trying to build his own life coincides with Brad going through a mid-life crisis where he only sees the success of his friends and the limitations of his own life, even though he is in a happy marriage and working, but shouldnt he have so much more?

Its a conundrum that White believes isnt explored much in the movies. I realise that most people spend 99 per cent of their time in the head of Brad, who has ambition, is frustrated with their career, thinking about how they compare to others and I just felt like this is something that isnt explored in an honest way.

Theres a lot of thwarted ambition around White, who has had a successful career as a writer, actor and now filmmaker. Born in Pasadena in 1970, Whites first success came in television, writing and producing on Dawsons Creek and Freaks and Geeks. In 2000 he starred in the Sundance hit Chuck and Buck, which he also wrote, playing Buck, an amateur playwright who invites his childhood friend Chuck to his mothers funeral. Buck wants to rekindle a sexual relationship from their past. The film is awkward and White stood out both for of his exceptional performance and also his white hair and pale complexion.

Ben Stiller (right) as Brad Sloan with Austin Abrams (left) as his son Troy Sloan in Brads Status

Being an albino makes him immediately noticeable in a crowd, but also has its downsides. One is down to Whites love of Hawaii, where the gay character he plays in Brads Status lives: I went to Hawaii as a young kid, and although Im an albino my dream in life is to be a beach bum, even if I cant sit in the sun and have to look at the beach from inside the house.

He formed a production company with Jack Black and was a writer on School of Rock and Nacho Libre. His role as Ned Schneebly in Richard Linklaters musical phenomenon is the one he is still most recognised for, although he argues that hes an actor almost by chance. I like acting in movies so that I can participate in a shoot. Its kind of a bummer when you write a movie and people just take it away and make it.

For Brads Status it was because he needed to save money on the budget that he gave himself a role. His character had no lines and the cinematographer on the film, Xavier Grobet, plays his husband with White feeling that doubling up was better than paying an extra to come to Hawaii with them. He did not give himself a role in 2007s Year of the Dog, the first film he directed.

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White as Ned Schneebly with Sarah Silverman as Patty Di Marco, his domineering girlfriend in School of Rock, which he also wrote

That practical side to filmmaking came from his years as a producer working with Black. But that ended when he realised that he would rather just be a creative on a film than work on huge projects as a producer: It was time consuming to run a company like that and I realised that I didnt like producing so much because it pulled me away from the stuff that I felt was my own thing, writing and directing. Jack is a big name and so there was a lot of material being brought to us and we had to service that and that is not what I wanted to do.

He wrote the series Enlightened starring Laura Dern and he plays a computer nerd in the show. He says that in that series and all his work, I try to write stuff that I feel personally driven to write about. Its not autobiographical stuff in the way Lena Dunham has her fictional counterpoint, but I do want to write stuff that feels personal and vital to me. Writing all the episodes of Enlightened took a lot out of me, and I get wary of getting back into something unless I have a lot to say about a character.

He was able to make Brads Status because of the writing work he did on The Emoji Movie, one of the most lambasted movies of 2017. In this case it affected me in that I felt like I took the credit even though I worked on the movie for three weeks of my life. But taking the credit helps subsidise my life so I can direct an independent movie for a year and so I dont have any regrets. The fact that I was able to make Brads Status means I would do it again.

Hes also penned the screenplay for the Disney adaptation of Katherine Applegates The One and Only Ivan, which will shoot in London in March and is being helmed by Me Before You director Thea Sharrock. I may voice a character as its half live action mixed with CGI and then Ill get to spend more time in London.

Brads Status is out on 5 January
It takes guts to stand up to studios with immense amounts of power and money, but actor-director Jodie Foster has made her feelings clear about the current bulk of their tentpole output.

Talking about Marvel and DC's cinematic dominance, she told the Radio Times: "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. Its ruining the viewing habits of the American population and then ultimately the rest of the world.

Foster, who recently directed an episode of Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror, 'ArkAngel' said she isn't interested in "spectacle" and making "$200 million movies about superheroes", but instead: "I feel like I make movies because there are things I have to say in order to figure out who I am or my place in the world, or for me to evolve as a person."

Birdman director Alejandro G. Inarritu once described superhero movies as "right wing".

"I always see them as killing people because they do not believe in what you believe, or they are not being who you want them to be," he told Deadline.

"They have been poison, this cultural genocide, because the audience is so overexposed to plot and explosions and shit that doesnt mean nothing about the experience of being human."
Star Wars director George Lucas voiced his concerns about The Phantom Menace ahead of the film's release in 1999.

The first of the sci-fi saga's prequels, released 16 years after The Return of the Jedi, was not received well by both critics and fans, namely for its inclusion of infamous character Jar Jar Binks.

In behind-the-scenes footage highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter, Lucas can be seen unimpressed with a rough cut of the film, seemingly unsure of how to rectify the finished product.

Its a little disjointed, Lucas admits. Its bold in terms of jerking people around. I may have gone too far in a few places.

Ben Burtt, the film's editor, adds: In a space of about 90 seconds, you go from lamenting the death of a hero to escape to slightly comedic with Jar Jar to Anakin returning  Its a lot in a very short time.

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

It boggles the mind," Lucas continues. "I have thought about this quite a bit, and the tricky part is you almost cant take any of those pieces out of it now, because each one takes you to the next place. And you cant jump because you dont know where you are.

"I do a particular kind of movie of which this is consistent. But it is a very hard movie to follow.

The footage can be seen as part of the hour-long documentary The Beginning: Making Episode I featured on the film's DVD extras.

Rian Johnson's Star Wars: The Last Jedi is in cinemas now and has officially crossed the $1bn (737.7m) mark worldwide.
North Korean hackers are quietly seizing control of other peoples computers in order to mine cryptocurrencies.

After the rapid recent rise in value of bitcoin, its feared that North Korean actors are going to increasingly target cryptocurrency exchanges and hijack computers in order to raise funds under strict economic sanctions.

A North Korean hacking group called Andariel secretly took over a server at a South Korean company in the summer of 2017 for this very purpose, a hacking analysis team at Financial Security Institute told Bloomberg.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

It has since used it to mine around 70 Monero  an alternative to bitcoin  which is worth $371 at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap.

According to Financial Security Group, Andariel was able to take over the server without being detected.

Though this Monero haul only adds up to approximately $26,000, experts have traced several similar attacks to North Korea over recent months.

Since May, North Korean actors have targeted at least three South Korean cryptocurrency exchanges with the suspected intent of stealing funds, cybersecurity firm FireEye announced in September.

While how much has been stolen through these attacks isnt yet clear, its believed that North Korea will continue carrying them out in order to fund its nuclear and missile programmes.

With North Koreas tight control of its military and intelligence capabilities, it is likely that this activity was carried out to fund the state or personal coffers of Pyongyangs elite, as international sanctions have constricted the Hermit Kingdom, added FireEye.

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South Korea, meanwhile, has been cracking down on cryptocurrencies.

Its government recently announced it would ban opening anonymous cryptocurrency accounts and introduce legislation giving regulators the power to close virtual coin exchanges if necessary.

Other hacking groups are also seeking to benefit from the rise in interest around cryptocurrencies, and have started infecting unsuspecting victims' computers with cryptojacking software that slows the machines down significantly.

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Samsung has acknowledged a potential battery issue that is being reported by users of the Galaxy Note 8.

Customers say their phones are failing to charge or turn on again after being allowed to completely run out of battery.

Its an unusual problem, which has been described on multiple forums on the web.

Gadget and tech news: In pictures Show all 25 1 /25 Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gadget and tech news: In pictures Gun-toting humanoid robot sent into space Russia has launched a humanoid robot into space on a rocket bound for the International Space Station (ISS). The robot Fedor will spend 10 days aboard the ISS practising skills such as using tools to fix issues onboard. Russia's deputy prime minister Dmitry Rogozin has previously shared videos of Fedor handling and shooting guns at a firing range with deadly accuracy. Dmitry Rogozin/Twitter Gadget and tech news: In pictures Google turns 21 Google celebrates its 21st birthday on September 27. The The search engine was founded in September 1998 by two PhD students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, in their dormitories at Californias Stanford University. Page and Brin chose the name google as it recalled the mathematic term 'googol', meaning 10 raised to the power of 100 Google Gadget and tech news: In pictures Hexa drone lifts off Chief engineer of LIFT aircraft Balazs Kerulo demonstrates the company's "Hexa" personal drone craft in Lago Vista, Texas on June 3 2019 Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures Project Scarlett to succeed Xbox One Microsoft announced Project Scarlett, the successor to the Xbox One, at E3 2019. The company said that the new console will be 4 times as powerful as the Xbox One and is slated for a release date of Christmas 2020 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures First new iPod in four years Apple has announced the new iPod Touch, the first new iPod in four years. The device will have the option of adding more storage, up to 256GB Apple Gadget and tech news: In pictures Folding phone may flop Samsung will cancel orders of its Galaxy Fold phone at the end of May if the phone is not then ready for sale. The $2000 folding phone has been found to break easily with review copies being recalled after backlash PA Gadget and tech news: In pictures Charging mat non-starter Apple has cancelled its AirPower wireless charging mat, which was slated as a way to charge numerous apple products at once AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures "Super league" India shoots down satellite India has claimed status as part of a "super league" of nations after shooting down a live satellite in a test of new missile technology EPA Gadget and tech news: In pictures 5G incoming 5G wireless internet is expected to launch in 2019, with the potential to reach speeds of 50mb/s Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Uber halts driverless testing after death Uber has halted testing of driverless vehicles after a woman was killed by one of their cars in Tempe, Arizona. March 19 2018 Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A humanoid robot gestures during a demo at a stall in the Indian Machine Tools Expo, IMTEX/Tooltech 2017 held in Bangalore Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures The giant human-like robot bears a striking resemblance to the military robots starring in the movie 'Avatar' and is claimed as a world first by its creators from a South Korean robotic company Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Engineers test a four-metre-tall humanoid manned robot dubbed Method-2 in a lab of the Hankook Mirae Technology in Gunpo, south of Seoul, South Korea Jung Yeon-Je/AFP/Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures Waseda University's saxophonist robot WAS-5, developed by professor Atsuo Takanishi and Kaptain Rock playing one string light saber guitar perform jam session Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway resembling the giant panda is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A test line of a new energy suspension railway, resembling a giant panda, is seen in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A concept car by Trumpchi from GAC Group is shown at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Rex Gadget and tech news: In pictures A Mirai fuel cell vehicle by Toyota is displayed at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A visitor tries a Nissan VR experience at the International Automobile Exhibition in Guangzhou, China Reuters Gadget and tech news: In pictures A man looks at an exhibit entitled 'Mimus' a giant industrial robot which has been reprogrammed to interact with humans during a photocall at the new Design Museum in South Kensington, London Getty Gadget and tech news: In pictures A new Israeli Da-Vinci unmanned aerial vehicle manufactured by Elbit Systems is displayed during the 4th International conference on Home Land Security and Cyber in the Israeli coastal city of Tel Aviv Getty

Affected users say that once their Note 8 goes flat it stays flat, even if its plugged in and appears to be charging.

Samsung last week told The Independent that it was yet to receive any official report for the issue, but advised any UK customers experiencing the issue or something similar to call 0330 726 7864.

The situation, however, appears to be slightly different in Germany.

Samsungs German division has now issued the following statement to PC-Welt: Of course Samsung takes all reports of this kind seriously. We have received only a very small number of customer inquiries that can be linked to charge management.

Unfortunately, we can only comment on the matter further, if we have more detailed information about the affected devices.

It isnt clear how widespread the issue is, but affected users will be hoping for a fix as soon as possible, so they can start using their phone again.

My wifes Note 8 turned off today and wont turn back on, reads one user complaint.

Tried the soft reset and safe mode button pushes and it wont turn on. When its plugged in, the red light doesnt turn on.

The highly impressive Note 8 came out in September, succeeding the Galaxy Note 7, a phone that was recalled and discontinued because of faulty batteries.
A web browser that has barely any users in the UK has emerged as a rival to Google Chrome in some areas of the world.

Few people in western markets are likely to have even heard of UC Browser, despite the fact it has long been available to use on desktop and mobile.

0.7 per cent of people in the UK used UC Browser to browse the web in December, with 45.63 per cent using Chrome  the worlds most popular browser  instead.

11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Show all 11 1 /11 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Easter Eggs There are a lot of Easter Eggs hidden in Chrome, and more and more are discovered each year. One of our favourites is the dinosaur game. The next time you fail to connect to the internet on Chrome, tap the spacebar. Its also worth Googling barrel roll, zerg rush, super mario bros (and clicking the question mark graphic), festivus, recursion, askew and atari breakout (and then clicking Images). 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Pin tabs If you tend to browse with a lot of tabs open at once, you can clear up the clutter by pinning the ones youre least likely to close. Right-click them and select Pin Tab. Theyll automatically shrink and slide left. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Save battery You can save some battery life by sacrificing performance. In Settings, scroll down to the System section and uncheck the box reading Continue running background apps when Google Chrome is closed. We wouldnt recommend having this feature enabled all the time, but it could come in handy if youre nowhere near a charger. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Browse faster There are loads of Chrome Extensions available, but one of the most useful is Googles Data Saver. It compresses the pages you visit to reduce data usage and speed up loading times. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Make multiple profiles If you use multiple Google accounts, for work and for personal use, for instance, you can keep your bookmarks and browsing history for each account separate by creating individual profiles. Go to Settings, Manage People and Add Person. This is also handy for when you lend your computer to a friend, and you dont want them to have access to your internet history. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Downloads Many users would prefer it if Chrome downloaded files straight to the desktop, but by default it sends them to your Downloads folder. You can change this by going to Settings, opening the Show Advanced Settings menu, clicking Downloads and choosing your preferred destination. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Extra info To see cookies and permissions for every site you visit, click the View Site Information symbol on the left-hand edge of the omnibar. It will also let you quickly control things like Popup and Location settings. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Task manager You can quickly find out which pages are using up the most memory and slowing down your browsing experience by opening the burger menu, going down to More Tools and opening the Chrome Task Manager. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Calculator When youre online and need to do a quick sum, you dont have to hunt down your computer calculator or whip out your phone. Just type it into the Chrome omnibar and hit Enter. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Startup If theres a certain set of pages you always open when you turn your computer on, you can get Chrome to open them automatically when you launch the browser. In Settings, click Set Pages in the On Startup section, and choose the ones you want. 11 hidden Google Chrome features you didn't know existed Search Gmail from omnibar You can search your gmail inbox directly from the omnibar by going to Settings, Manage Search Engines, scrolling to the bottom and pasting https://mail.google.com/mail/ca/u/0/#apps/%s into the box on the right-hand side.

The situation was very similar in Europe as a whole, where it was less popular than Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Samsung Internet, Edge, Opera, the Android browser and Yandex, and in the US, where it had just 0.32 per cent of the market.

However, UC Browser is going head-to-head with Chrome in other areas of the world, the Wall Street Journal reports.

StatCounter data has revealed that, in India, UC Browser had a 36.35 per cent share of the market last year, with Chrome just ahead on 42.77 per cent. But on mobile, UC Browser was the most popular option amongst users, with 43.44 per cent of the market, as opposed to Chromes 35.48 per cent share.

In China, UC Browser had a 31.49 per cent share of the market on mobile last year, with Chrome just ahead on 36.87 per cent. In Indonesia, UC Browser had a 33.35 per cent share on mobile, with Chrome on top with 42.27 per cent.

The reason for UC Browsers growing popularity, particularly in India and Indonesia, is that its designed for people with slow and unstable internet connections.

The Alibaba-owned browser even offers a dedicated Facebook Mode to make the social network load faster, and blocks ads too.

However, security experts have identified issues with UC Browser in the past.

In 2016, The Citizen Lab released a report saying it was vulnerable to hackers, and that different versions of the browser had been transmitting personally identifiable information with easily decryptable encryption.

There were also suspicions in August that UC Browser was being used to send India-based users personal data to servers in China.
Health experts are urging people to go for flu vaccinations following the news that the "Aussie flu" has taken the lives of people in Ireland.

Winter is always synonymous with illness. Everywhere you go, you'll come across people coughing and spluttering as they go about their day.

However, the dangers surrounding the flu, and more specifically the H3N2 strain known as the "Aussie flu", have since escalated.

This morning, HSEs assistant national director for health protection Dr Kevin Kelleher spoke on RTE Radio 1s Morning Ireland about the looming prospect of a flu epidemic.

He confirmed that currently less than ten people have died after contracting the flu in Ireland this winter.

Kelleher explained that some people are more at risk of "Aussie flu" than others and that the symptoms can affect you very quickly.

Im not sure if the Australian flu is the Irish flu because they got it from us, or its the Australian flu because we got it from them, but we know its that virus, he said.

The flu, generally speaking, really hits you very hard.

"You speak to people who've had the flu and know they've had the flu, been told explicity they've had the flu, they often find it difficult to get out of bed, it's not an easy thing to do.

Its just the few people who have pre-existing conditions or who are quite elderly, who often have pre-existing conditions, who need to be admitted to hospital.

The Health Service Executives weekly influenza surveillance report, published for the week ending December 17, illustrated an increase in influenza activity.

According to the HSE, the people most at risk of catching influenza over winter are those aged 65 years old and older, children who suffer from chronic illnesses, pregnant women, people who are obese and those with lower immunity such as cancer patients.

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The HSE has outlined how the symptoms of influenza can differ from the common cold.

The symptoms of influenza usually develop over a matter of a few hours and include a high temperature, sore muscles, dry cough, headache and sore throat.

This is different from the common cold, which tends to come on more gradually and usually includes a runny nose and a normal temperature.

The organisation has urged everyone, especially those who fall in the at-risk group, to go for flu jabs, as: Prevention is better than cure.

The HSE has also advised that anyone suffering from the flu should rest, drink lots of fluids and take medicine such as paracetamol.

However, those at greater risk such as elderly people should contact their GP for further advice.

In an Instagram post that has since been deleted, professional fighter Conor McGregor revealed that he had been struck down by the Australian flu over the Christmas period.
Raw water is the latest health drink craze thats gaining popularity and it could be putting a lot of people in danger of becoming ill.

2017 saw a surge in a number of health trends, including the use of activated charcoal, greater awareness surrounding veganism and an increase in people trying intermittent fasting.

Many in the United States have now decided to forego drinking tap water in exchange for raw water, putting their health at risk in the process.

Recommended Sugary drinks will be banned from hospitals unless NHS reduces sales

Raw water is spring water thats unfiltered, untreated and unsterilised - and costs a mini fortune.

Live Water, a raw water company based in Los Angeles, charges $27 (19.92) for a glass orb containing one litre of water and $69 (50.91) for a glass gallon dispenser holding 2.5 gallons of water.

Their founder, Mukhande Singh, is a strong believer in the power of raw water.

Tap water? Youre drinking toilet water with birth control drugs in them, he told The New York Times.

Chloramine, and on top of that theyre putting in fluoride. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but its a mind-control drug that has no benefit to our dental health.

Zero Mass Water, a company from Arizona, has raised a $24 million (17 million) in venture capital since November by installing systems in peoples houses that allow them to collect water directly from the atmosphere surrounding their homes.

Despite this trends steadily rising popularity, many have expressed concern over people drinking water that hasnt been treated thoroughly.

Without water treatment, theres acute and then chronic risks, Dr Donald Hensrud, director of the Health Living Programme at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota told The New York Times.

Theres evidence all over the world of this, and the reason we dont have those conditions is because of our very efficient water treatment.

Hensrud explained that drinking raw water can put you at risk of ingesting E. coli bacteria, viruses, parasites and cancerous chemicals.

According to the World Health Organisation, drinking contaminated water causes over half a million diarrhoeal deaths every year.

Health, science and environment editor at The Washington Post Laura Helmuth tweeted about the dangers of wilfully drinking unfiltered water.

To: Anybody who drinks or is considering drinking raw water. From: Everybody who has ever died of cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever, or tooth decay.

Message: Do! Not! Be! A! F! -ing! Idiot!"
Back pain is the single leading cause of disability in the world. In the US, four out of every five people experience back pain at some point in their life. In the UK, back pain is one of the most common reasons for visits to the doctor, and missed work. In fact, absence from work due to back problems costs British employers more than 3bn every year.

But there is a potentially easy way to prevent this problem: yoga. Our new research has found that exercises from the ancient Indian practice can have very positive benefits for back problems. Our findings suggest that yoga programmes consisting of stretching, breathing, and relaxation methods can reduce sickness absence due to back pain and musculoskeletal conditions.

Wellness at work

There has already been plenty of research demonstrating the benefits of yoga for NHS patients, showing that patients with chronic back pain who regularly practise yoga take fewer sick days than those who dont practise yoga. But very little research has been done that looks into the benefits of implementing workplace programmes, as we did.

We worked with 150 NHS employees from three hospitals in North Wales. The staff were randomly assigned to either a yoga group or an education group. The yoga group received a total of eight 60-minute yoga sessions, once a week for eight weeks. In addition to this, the yoga participants were given a DVD and a poster for home practice. They were invited to practise yoga at home for 10 minutes a day for six months. The education group, meanwhile, received two instructional booklets for how to manage back pain and reduce stress at work.

Regular yoga practice can have positive benefits for back problems (Shutterstock)

The yoga programme was based on Dru Yoga  which emphasises soft, flowing movements  and consisted of four parts. To start each session, there was a series of gentle warm-up movements, followed by eight stretches to release tension from the shoulders and hips. Then participants did four back care postures to develop suppleness in the spine, and improve posture. This was completed with relaxation techniques to create an overall feeling of positive health and wellbeing.

After eight weeks, the results showed that most yoga participants had larger reductions in back pain compared to the education group. After six months, employee staff records showed that the yoga participants had 20 times less sick leave due to musculoskeletal conditions (including back pain) than the education group. We also found that the yoga participants visited health professionals for back pain only half as often as education participants during the six month study.

Those who improved the most were participants who also practised yoga at home for an average of 60 minutes or more each week. Ten minutes or more a day of home practice was associated with doubling the reduction in back pain, and many participants noted that it helped them to manage stress better too.

Gains in productivity

In the US, about a quarter of all major employers deliver some form of meditation or yoga, but it has yet to be taken up so widely in the UK or elsewhere in Europe. Insurance company Aetna, for example, offers free yoga classes to its 55,000 employees, with reported annual savings of US$2,000 (1,520) per head in healthcare costs and a US$3,000 (2,280) gain per person in productivity. Preventing back pain makes economic sense all round. Yoga seems not only good for employees and employers, but also for the economy.

With more and more research confirming the health benefits of yoga, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK now recommends stretching, strengthening and yoga exercises as the first step in managing low back pain. Public Health England also advises yoga classes in the workplace.

Since our initial work with the NHS proved to be such a success, the Dru Yoga healthy back programme used in the study has been delivered to staff at Merseyside Police, Great Ormond Street Hospital, the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Siemens, Barclays, Santander and many other private and public organisations. We now hope that many more will take up yoga to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees.

Dr Ned Hartfiel is a research officer at Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation and Rhiannon Tudor Edwards is a professor of health economics at Bangor University. This article was originally published on The Conversation (theconversation.com)
Vladimir Putins government is seeking ways to establish a cryptocurrency that could help it dodge sanctions, it has been reported.

The Kremlin is said to be looking into the blockchain technology behind bitcoin as the basis for a cryptorouble.

At a recent meeting of Russian government officials, President Putins economic advisor, Sergei Glazev, said a crytptocurrency could be useful to carry out sensitive activity on behalf of the state, according to the Financial Times. We can settle accounts with our counterparties all over the world with no regard for sanctions, Mr Glazev reportedly said.

Recommended Bitcoin is being dropped by criminals in favour of monero

A state-sanctioned cryptocurrency would represent a change in tactics by Mr Putin. In October he threatened websites selling digital currencies with closure, saying that bitcoin and its rivals were risky and used for crime.

The usage of cryptocurrencies carries serious risks. I know the central banks position on that, Mr Putin said.

He added: Crypto-currencies are issued by an unlimited number of anonymous bodies. Thus buyers of cryptocurrencies could be involved in unlawful activities,

Also last month, Russias central bank deputy governor, Sergei Shvetsov, told a conference in Moscow that the currencies were dubious, according to Reuters.

We cannot stand apart. We cannot give direct and easy access to such dubious instruments for retail (investors), Mr Shvetsov said.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, such as ethereum, provide a level of anonymity that has made them attractive as ways to launder money and carry out criminal activities such as buying and selling drugs online.

They also offer a financial system that is decentralised and not under the influence of any state or central bank.

But that may be under threat as governments increasingly seek to regulate digital currencies following a huge surge in their values in 2017. Bitcoin jumped from under $1,000 at the start of the year to almost $20,000 in September before falling sharply. It was trading around $13,500 on Tuesday.

Russia is not the first country that is reportedly investigating the possibility of launching its own digital currency. Swedens Riksbank has looked into creating an electronic version of the krona and Venezuelas government said last week that it was close to launching its own oil-backed cryptocurrency in a bid to inject stability to the crisis-hit country.

Weve teamed up with cryptocurrency trading platform eToro. Click here to get the latest Bitcoin rates and start trading. Cryptocurrencies are a highly volatile unregulated investment product. No EU investor protection. 75% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs.
The UKs vote to leave the EU has sent Britain sliding down a ranking of top destinations for European and non-European workers, research by a leading accountancy firm shows.

Back in 2012, the UK was the joint second most popular global destination for European workers looking to relocate. It now doesnt even make it into the top six, ranking behind the US, Germany, Switzerland, Australia, Canada and Spain, according to accountancy firm BDO.

The poll of more than 10,000 people in 20 countries asked respondents to pick their top three destinations to work.

Recommended Global corporate optimism at record high but UK Brexit gloom lingers

It revealed that the US is the top destination for Europeans considering a new work destination, with 24 per cent of those questioned saying they would like to relocate there. The second most popular country for European citizens to relocate to was Germany, followed by Switzerland, Australia, Canada and Spain.

UK businesses are already struggling with a skills shortage. The impact of the EU referendum and uncertainty around a new trade deal is likely to make this worse, said Paul Eagland, managing partner at BDO.

Its absolutely imperative that the Government makes it clear to the world that the UK is still a great place to do business and that we continue to attract the worlds bright and best to our country, he added.

The report also found that the UK had slipped down the rankings as a preferred destination for global workers, including those outside of Europe.

Canada leap-frogged Britain to become the number two target destination for jobseekers across the world, with 22 per cent of those questioned saying they would move there for a job.

In the global survey, the US still holds the top spot despite the percentage of jobseekers that would like to relocate there dropping from 34 per cent to 30 per cent over the last five years.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

A recent survey by job site Indeed also found Britains popularity as a destination for EU job seekers had plummeted since the Brexit vote.

The Indeed survey, published in December, found that  despite the UK still being the most popular choice for Europeans searching for a job abroad its share of all cross-border job searches has fallen.

Government figures in November showed that EU net migration to the UK fell by 106,000 to 230,000 in the year following the Brexit vote.
An accounting scandal plaguing the troubled owner of Poundland looked likely to deepen on Tuesday, after Steinhoff announced that it may have to restate even more historic accounts than previously expected.

Last month Steinhoff, which also owns Bensons for Beds and Harveys, admitted to accounting irregularities linked to its 2016 financial report on the back of which the companys chief executive resigned.

On Tuesday, the group said that in addition to the investigation already under way, a restatement of its financial reports for years prior to 2015 is likely to be required.

It said that investors in Steinhoff are advised to exercise caution in relation to such statements as the existing reports "can no longer be relied upon".

The latest developments will deal a sharp blow to a company already in the throes of a crisis. Shares in Steinhoff have plummeted close to 90 per cent since this time last month, as scores of investors have turned their back on the group.

Credit rating agency Moodys last week slashed its rating for the company from B1 to Caa1, and said that the developments could make it difficult for Steinhoff to repay or refinance around 1.5bn (1.33bn) of debt that is coming due next year.

A lower credit rating means that a company is deemed less likely to service its debt.

In addition to Markus Jooste resigning at the start of December, South African retail billionaire Christo Wiese, who had been acting as executive chairman for the company, tendered his resignation on 15 December.

Professional services firm PwC is currently conducting the review into Steinhoffs accounts. On Tuesday the company said that, while all involved are working as expeditiously as possible, the timeline for completion remains uncertain.
Women who want a private room after giving birth on the NHS can expect to pay up to 450 a night, an analysis has shown.

Hospitals offer amenity rooms at four and five-star hotel prices to women who would like a side room rather than receiving care on a general ward.

Some rooms include extras such as slippers and a stocked fridge, or offer private breastfeeding consultations.

Recommended One in five NHS trusts has run out of beds at some point this winter

Women are told they will still receive the usual NHS care given to women who opt for a ward.

Amenity rooms at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford cost up to 450 a night, the Press Association analysis shows.

The Shere Suite  billed as a superior en-suite room for new mothers  costs 450 a night and includes extras such as toiletries and the use of a fridge.

Meanwhile, at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London, amenity rooms, all with en-suite, cost 300 per night.

Oxford University Hospitals offers private rooms for 450 a night where partners can stay, while its other amenity rooms range from 122 to 255 a night.

The Patients Association said the practice showed the NHS had an ongoing scramble for cash and said pursuing money in this way should not become a routine part of how the NHS operates.

The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) expressed concern that midwives may feel the need to provide extra care to women who have paid for a room.

The most recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) review of 190 maternity units found 36 per cent required improvement, 2 per cent were inadequate, 57 per cent were good and 4 per cent were outstanding.

Last years National Maternity Review found that postnatal care after birth was one area where women raised the most concerns and improvement was needed.

Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, said charging women for private rooms may be one area where clarity is needed about what patients can and cant expect from the NHS.

She added: These charges smack of the NHSs ongoing scramble for cash as its inadequate funding settlement really begins to bite.

That said, it also highlights that inpatient or residential care has a hotel dimension as well as a care dimension  you will need board and lodging, as well as your medical care.

For permanent residential settings such as nursing homes, distinguishing between the two might make sense, but doing so for acute care leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

While theres nothing to stop well-heeled people paying extra for luxuries, over and above that, pursuing money in this way surely should not be a routine part of how the NHS operates.

Louise Silverton, director for midwifery at the RCM, said it was vital that, where amenity rooms were offered, there remains enough room for all women.

She added: We know lack of postnatal beds is often a reason for temporary closures of services. This service must be an add-on and not affect the availability of beds.

I would also stress that any money earned from such schemes should be reinvested directly into the maternity service of the trust, and not lost and absorbed into other services.

Also, it is important that trusts ensure women know what they are and are not paying for.

The midwifery care should be the same for all the women using a service, and I do have some concerns if midwives feel they have to provide extra care to those paying for a room.

The analysis found that amenity rooms with en-suite cost 195 per night at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust.

Cambridge University Hospitals said its amenity rooms, which cost 150 per night, offer the same care in a quieter setting but women still needed to share bathrooms.

At Barnet Hospital, which has a range of rooms on offer, women are told they will be treated as an NHS patient but are paying for the privacy of a single room.

A side room with no en-suite costs 100 a night, one with a toilet only costs 125 and a room with a full en-suite is 150.

Meanwhile, the cost of a private room with en-suite at Ashford and St Peters in Surrey is 200 a night, while a room with a bathroom shared with another room is 130 a night. A single amenity room sharing ward facilities is 85 per night.

Hillingdon Hospitals rooms cost 174 a night or 123 if sharing a bathroom, while at Epsom Hospital an amenity room with en-suite is 150 per night.

At Watford General Hospital, prices are 200 per night for a room with en-suite or 100 with no en-suite.

The Royal Surrey website said its Shere Suite is furnished to higher standards and is equipped with a bedside cot, en-suite bathroom, fridge and comfortable fold-away bed for partners.

For new parents comfort, towelling slippers are provided and a gift set of natural pampering products in a keepsake box is for the new mother. There is also a Royal Surrey teddy bear for the new arrival.

The room is also stocked with refreshments and each day residents will be offered their choice of meal from the standard NHS menu.

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Short notice bookings are available if the room is not in use, at a cost of 395. The hospital also offers a range of cheaper single rooms with en-suite facilities.

In a statement, the hospital said new parents who require a side room after birth for medical reasons always take priority for these facilities.

Anyone paying could be asked to leave if the room was needed by a new mother with a higher medical need.

It added: Any income made from the sale of these rooms is invested directly back into maternity care, ensuring that access to the latest state-of-the-art equipment and birthing facilities are available for all.

It said parents booking this room also get a one-to-one antenatal class with a specialist midwife, a tour of the maternity unit and its facilities at a time chosen by the parents, a baby feeding consultation, and open visiting hours between 8.30am and 10pm.
A 31-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a woman who was killed in Finsbury Park on Christmas Eve.

Kasim Lewis, of Friern Barnet, north London, will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday on a single charge of murder.

He was arrested at an address in Dalston, east London, on Monday following the death of 22-year-old Iuliana Tudos.

Ms Tudos, who was also known as Julia and Lili, was found dead in a disused building in Finsbury Park near her north London home on December 27, having gone missing three days earlier.

She was last seen by friends at around 8pm on 24 December when she left to catch a bus home to Haringey from Camden.

Ms Tudos, who was of Russian and Greek origin, was due to spend Christmas at another friend's home in Enfield, north London, and planned to go later that evening, but never arrived.

Police said CCTV footage showed Ms Tudos on the edge of the park shortly after 8.20pm.

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.

She worked at the Worlds End pub in Camden, and friends and customers described her as a welcoming person 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 16,500 for her family and funeral expenses.

On Monday 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.

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

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.

Press Association contributed to this report
Six people have been arrested following murders that took four young lives as the UK celebrated New Years Eve.

Police condemned the senseless killings of a 17-year-old boy, an 18-year-old man and two others aged 20, which pushed the number of people stabbed to death in London to 80 in 2017.

The unrelated stabbings bring the number of teenagers murdered in the capital to the highest for almost a decade, with 20 stabbed, five shot and one victim dying of multiple injuries last year.

It is the highest number of teenage homicides in the city since 2008, coming amid mounting concern over a rise in violence including knife crime, moped robberies and acid attacks.

Sir Craig Mackey, the Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said it was truly unusual and extraordinary for so many murders to take place in such a short period of time.

The reasons behind it are quite complex, he added. There are a number of issues affecting knife crime.

We are absolutely clear we are doing our part to do the things we can do as the police service... but we need others across London working with us to help tackle those underlying issues around a knife culture that has emerged across London.

Police and forensic officers at the scene of a stabbing at Bartholomew Court, near Old Street in London (PA)

He added: Im not here today to ask for or bid for more resources, wed always like more resources in terms of those things we tackle.

But its clear there are things we can do at the moment collectively that will help around knife crime.

Sir Craig, who was awarded a knighthood in the New Year Honours, said police were searching for weapons in communities and public places, going into schools and seized hundreds of knives in November and December.

We need to find out why some young people think it is acceptable to carry knives, and this is where community organisations and local initiatives, charities, schools and educators, youth workers and families all have an important role to play in changing this mindset, he added.

A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of stabbing a man to death at a New Years Eve house party.

Police said the suspect was arrested in the Hackney area shortly before 9pm on Monday and remains in custody.

He is accused of murdering a 20-year-old man who was pronounced dead at a flat in Bartholomew Court, Islington, at around 3.30am.

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 second victim, also aged 20, was stabbed in the same incident and remains in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

Officers believe that both men had attended a house party at the address and a disturbance broke out which then led to both of them receiving stab injuries, Scotland Yard said.

It was the last murder in a spate of bloodshed that started at 11.30am on Sunday with the murder of an 18-year-old man.

He was found suffering from stab injuries inside a building in Larmans Road, Enfield. The victim was flown to hospital by air ambulance but died that night.

Three male suspects aged 17, 18 and 21 have been arrested on suspicion of murder, while two others aged 17 and 19 have been charged with suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.

The 17-year-old murder suspect is under arrest at a London hospital and the others remain in police custody.

Shortly after 7.30pm on the same day, a 20-year-old man was attacked in Memorial Avenue, near West Ham Tube station in east London.

A police van on Memorial Avenue in West Ham, east London, near to the scene of a stabbing (PA)

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.

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.

Commander Neil Jerome, of the Metropolitan Polices Territorial Policing Command, said specialist officers were supporting four grieving families after the senseless killings.

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 added.

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.

Police officers in Tulse Hill, south London, after a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death (PA)

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, repeated the call for information and said his thoughts were with the victims families.

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, he added. You will be caught and prosecuted.

Cressida Dick, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, said stabbings had risen by 15 per cent in the capital in 2017 and warned the crime wave was being driven by a core group of young offenders repeatedly committing assault and robbery with relative impunity.

The London murders came amid a spate of violence across the UK as millions celebrated the start of 2018. A mother was allegedly murdered by her husband shortly before midnight and five people were stabbed at a Great Gatsby-themed party in Sheffield.

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.

Additional reporting by PA
Members of one of the most sophisticated modern slavery gangs ever caught in Britain have been jailed in a case that used new laws against enforced labour for the first time.

Police warned other trafficked victims are being hidden in plain sight in nail bars across the country, with money from unsuspecting customers funding organised crime.

Three members of a Vietnamese gang uncovered in Bath were jailed for a total of nine years for forcing teenage girls to work without pay and keeping them in squalid conditions.

They transferred their victims to beauty parlours across England while dumping phones in efforts to evade police, sparking an intelligence operation involving the National Crime Agency.

Investigators said they had just scratched the surface of a far-reaching criminal underworld that sees girls bound to their abusers by invisible chains.

Detective Inspector Charlotte Tucker, who led the operation for Avon and Somerset Police, said teenage girls were being moved around as commodities as part of sophisticated money-making enterprises.

The investigation was led by DI Charlotte Tucker, of Avon and Somerset Police (Avon and Somerset Police)

Weve got three people convicted out of this group, we havent got all of them, she told The Independent. I think we are just scratching the surface on this.

Thu Huong Nguyen, a 48-year-old Vietnamese woman known as Jenny, was jailed for five years for conspiring to facilitate the movement of people for labour exploitation and require others to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Judge Michael Chambers QC told the defendants they were devious and manipulative at a hearing on Tuesday, saying they treated the victims as commodities and exploited them for pure economic greed.

Recommended What you can do to help tackle the scourge of modern slavery

Viet Hoang Nguyen (Ken), 29, and Giang Huong Tran (Susan), 23, also were also sentenced for conspiracy to require others to perform forced or compulsory labour at Stafford Crown Court.

Ken was jailed for conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the movement of people for labour exploitation. He was jailed for four years and Susan was given a two-year suspended sentence.

Investigators believe their cash-only nail bars are a fraction of those run by gangs using them to launder money from cannabis factories and other criminal activity in the UK.

No links were proven in the Bath case, but Jenny could not explain the origin of 60,000 that had been hidden inside a rabbit soft toy at her home in Southdown Road, Bath.

She managed the Nail Bar Deluxe in Bath city centre, which was first visited by police and welfare officials in February 2016.

A soft toy containing 60,000 in cash at Thu Huong Nguyens home in Bath (Avon and Somerset Police)

Jenny was not in the shop at the time and DI Tucker said one of the victims told police she arrived in the UK in the back of a lorry with cardboard boxes via France.

When the ringleader arrived, a Vietnamese interpreter overheard her telling the girls: Did you say what I told you to tell them? Did you stick with the story?

The victim and another teenage girl were taken into protective custody but soon fled back to the gang.

They were transferred to other nail bars in Cheltenham, Burton-on-Trent, Gloucester and Derbyshire, leading police to find new victims and perpetrators as the group inadvertently revealed the scope of their own operations.

The victims, who are also Vietnamese, had traumatic childhoods and endured physical and verbal abuse while being forced to live and work in poor conditions.

But DI Tucker said the girls did not initially understand their treatment was abuse, believing Jenny was kind to them and looked after them as undocumented migrants.

Its so tragic to think that in the age were living in now weve got young vulnerable girls being forced to work in the UK, she added.

They find themselves in a sophisticated money-making operation but their vulnerabilities are so apparent. These girls have no footprint.

Viet Hoang Nguyen, known as Ken, was found guilty of conspiracy to require others to perform forced or compulsory labour and conspiracy to arrange or facilitate the movement of people for labour exploitation (Avon and Somerset Police)

Theyve never been seen a GP, never been to school  the language barrier is massive.

Theyre away from their families, working for nothing and theyre reliant on the people controlling them.

The detective described the group as really savvy in attempts to stop the girls being traced, changing phone numbers and getting rid of handsets, but a widening operation by six police forces and the National Crime Agency (NCA) repeatedly tracked them down.

Intelligence work led police to a nail bar in Abbey Arcade, Burton-on-Trent, where one of the missing girls was found alongside two further victims and the investigation widened through England.

Detective Inspector Clair Langley, of Staffordshire Police, said the speed the gang moved victims around the country indicates their level of organisation.

This is the first successful prosecution for child labour exploitation and child trafficking under the Modern Slavery Act and we hope it sends out a clear message  we wont tolerate this activity and we will bring offenders before the courts, she added.

Girls had been kept in the loft of Jennys home in Bath and in a small room in Deluxe Nail Bar, being driven from one to the other morning and night.

DI Tucker said one of the girls had been allowed the small freedom of walking to a local shop and back but said they were tied by invisible chains.

They dont have their own passports, they dont have any money and if they run theyll find themselves scooped up in another network, she explained.

Giang Huong Tran, of Burton, was found guilty of conspiracy to require others to perform forced or compulsory labour (Avon and Somerset Police)

They talked about coming here for a better life and to find work but were unaware of them sending money back to their families.

Victims can be controlled using debt bondage for transport to the UK, food and board, or by using threats to kill friends and relatives in their home countries.

The girls found in Bath are now being cared for by social services in the South-west.

Police believe the gang cut them loose after they became a liability by repeatedly leading police to different businesses.

At least one other member of the same Vietnamese network is being hunted by investigators after he skipped bail shortly before being charged with modern slavery offences.

DI Tucker said the senior figure was believed to be working at another nail bar but fears the true extent of the operation has not yet been uncovered.

They are hiding their victims in plain sight, she added. People think they are getting a bargain getting their nails done or their car washed, but they dont appreciate theyre funding these organised crime groups.

She urged people to look for warning signs such as workers speaking poor English, appearing to be very young or working at places with low prices, rapid staff turnover and controlling managers, and contact police with concerns.

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

Nail bars were identified as a hub of modern slavery in a report released in September, which found 1,747 Vietnamese nationals were reported as suspected trafficking victims between 2009 and 2016.

Kevin Hyland, the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, identified cannabis cultivation, sexual exploitation and domestic labour among other abuses.

We see a proliferation of nail bars in the UK but very little happening about them, he said.

Authorities have been condemned for arresting trafficking victims for immigration offences and deporting them after raids on nail bars in the past, but understanding appears to be improving.

Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer, the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) lead on modern slavery, said dedicated investigators were fighting the practice across all law enforcement agencies.

Across England and Wales there are currently more than 400 active investigations, an increase of 218 per cent since November 2016, he added.

Almost 2,500 modern slavery crimes were recorded in the first six months of 2017, a 129 per cent increase on the previous year.

To eradicate slavery, people across the UK should begin difficult conversations within their communities about the demand for cheap goods and services which fuels slavery here and across the world.

Members of the public are asked to call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 when they are uncomfortable or believe a person may be at risk.
A 16-year-old boy gunned down his parents and a family friend minutes before the clock struck midnight on New Years Eve, authorities in New Jersey said.

His father Steven Kologi, 44, mother Linda Kologi, 42, sister, Brittany Kologi, 18, all "appear" to have been killed with a semi-automatic rifle, the Monmouth Country Prosecutor said in a statement. Mary Schultz, 70, was also shot dead.

The 16-year-old, who has not been named, has been arrested on suspicion of murder.

18-year-old Brittany Kologi (Facebook)

The suspect's brother and a grandfather were safe following the shooting, the prosecutor said, adding that the teenager was taken into custody without incident,

Over $18,000 (13,300) had been raised at the time of publication, to pay for the funeral costs for the family.

Brian Yunker, who described himself as a close family friend set up the GoFundMe page.

Linda, Steven, and Brittany were all beautiful people with the kindest hearts you could imagine, he wrote.

Linda and Steven Kologi were killed on New Years Eve (Facebook)

Dave Famer, 49, a friend of Mr Kologi who played on a softball team with him, told the Asbury Park Press: In all the years Ive known him I cannot say a negative thing about him. He always talked about his family, every conversation me and him had.

Police attended reports of shooting at the family home in Long Branch, a seaside town in New Jersey, around twenty minutes before midnight.

The investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutors Office and Long Branch Police Department continues.

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 prosecutor said the teen would be charged with four counts of murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and could be tried as an adult.
A triple killer has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to the murder of his former partner by beating her with a claw hammer and throttling her with a dressing gown cord.

Theodore Johnson, 64, admitted killing mother-of-four and grandmother Angela Best, 51, at her north London home.

The garage worker was previously convicted of killing his wife by throwing her off a balcony in 1981, and strangling another former partner in 1993.

After the attack Johnson threw himself in front of an express train, but survived.

The defendant, who is now in a wheelchair, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Best and admitted her murder on the first day of his trial.

Best met Johnson around 1995 after the victim moved to London from Manchester with her children.

It can now be reported that the defendant had a history of violence towards women, having been twice convicted of manslaughter before.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games PA UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season. PA UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire PA 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

In November 1981, he was convicted by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court of the manslaughter of his wife Yvonne Johnson. Following an argument, he hit the mother-of-two with a vase before pushing her over the balcony of their ninth floor flat in Wolverhampton.

Then in March 1993, he was convicted at the Old Bailey of killing his partner Yvonne Bennett, by diminished responsibility. The couple, who had a daughter together, had moved from Wolverhampton to Finsbury Park in north London where Johnson strangled Ms Bennett with a belt after she had an affair with another man.

Bests two sisters sat in court as Johnson entered his guilty plea as his murder trial was about to be opened to a jury by prosecutor Mark Heywood QC.

Judge Richard Marks QC remanded him into custody to be sentenced on Friday.

Additional reporting by PA
A man has been found dead at a construction site after reportedly falling from a building in Londons Canary Wharf.

The emergency services were called to Bank Street after being told a person had fallen from one of the buildings.

London Fire Brigade said it received reports the man fell around 50ft.

Officers were called to the east London site shortly before 9am on Tuesday and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Metropolitan Police said the body was found in a "deep trench" and officers in Tower Hamlets were investigating the "unexplained" death.

They do not believe the man worked at the construction site, they said.

An London ambulance service spokeswoman said: We were called at 8.52am to Bank Street, Tower Hamlets to reports of a person fallen from height."

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

She continued: We sent our hazardous area response team, an incident response officer and an ambulance crew to the scene. Sadly, the patient was dead at the scene.
This is the mesmerising moment a murmuration of starlings took the form of a giant bird while being targeted by a bird of prey.

Daniel Biber, 53, captured the breathtaking snap 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 made for a startling spectacle when they assembled over the Costa Brava in northeastern Spain in front of Mr Biber's eyes.

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.

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 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 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.

"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."

The images were submitted to an international photography 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.

SWNS
A Russell Group university has been accused of colluding with the Governments hostile environment policy on illegal immigration after it immediately removed a PhD student from his studies when he was detained by the Home Office.

Ahmed Sedeeq, who is originally from Mosul in Iraq, where he was in danger due to being an atheist, was in the final year of his computer science doctorate at the University of Sheffield when he was detained by visa and immigration officers during a routine reporting session at the Home Office on 18 December.

The 30-year-old had initially come to the UK on a student visa, but following miscommunication with the Home Office  which had reportedly told him his visa was still valid  he ended up overstaying it without realising.

When Mr Sedeeq alerted the University of Sheffield about his detention at Morton Hall immigration centre, he was withdrawn from his PhD studies, despite having paid his tuition fees for this academic year.

Following public outcry, which has seen more than 11,500 people sign a petition to keep Mr Sedeeq in the UK, the Home Office released him from detention. He was informed however that his asylum claim was still under review.

Mr Sedeeq has not been told whether or not he will be allowed to complete his PhD. When approached for comment a spokesperson for the university told The Independent that in compliance with the Home Office rules, they had removed him from his studies until they receive written Home Office confirmation in regards to his student status.

After being contacted by The Independent on Tuesday, the university got in touch with Mr Sedeeq and informed him that they had arranged a meeting to discuss the case and that he would have the opportunity to personally meet with Student Support staff.

A spokesperson for the university said staff had been in regular contact with both Mr Sedeeq and his solicitor since they were made aware of the case in December, including liaising with his legal advisors over the Christmas period.

An open letter has now been published, signed by more than 300 academics, urging the Home Secretary and the University of Sheffield to allow him to finish his studies.

Campaigners and friends of Mr Sedeeq accused the university of subjecting international students to the brutalities of Theresa Mays hostile environment policy towards illegal immigrants.

Anandi Ramamurthy, an academic at Sheffield Halam University, one of the signatories of the letter, told The Independent: Ahmed has the right to finish his PhD. He has paid personally at an international-fee rate for his studies and has almost finished.

It would be a travesty of justice to stop him from completing his PhD.

Sanaz Raji, member of campaign group Unis Resist Border Controls, who also signed the letter, claimed the university was colluding with the Government, saying: The University of Sheffield cannot claim that they had no knowledge that Ahmed was an asylum seeker.

They along with the Student Advice Centre at Sheffield Students Union knew that Ahmed had applied for asylum in 2014, yet he received little to no support for his dire situation.

Recommended Home Office faces court challenge over plan to deport Afghan man

Yet, as a self-funded PhD student, Ahmed paid the University of Sheffield 57,000 in tuition fees.

The university cannot market itself as a global university or even a sanctuary university for refugees when it charges outrageously high tuition fees for non-EU international students while colluding with the Home Office by subjecting them to the brutalities of the hostile environment policy.

She added that over the past year and half the group had seen an increase of migrant students, lecturers and staff fighting detention and deportation.

Alvin Pastore, a friend of Mr Sedeeq who launched the petition, said the response to it had been "heartwarming", adding: "So many people care about Ahmed and understand he is in need of support.

"His position is not easy, Ahmed is an atheist and his deportation is a matter of life or death. I was really relieved when Ahmed was released, when I met him in Morton Hall he looked really tired and ill."

Mr Sedeeq, who had been working on his thesis which was due in March, said he felt surrounded by uncertainty and daunted by the prospect of being detained at any time.

The amount of uncertainty thats surrounding me, and the fact that even when they released me the Home Office told me Im still subject to detention and deportation at any time, is daunting, he told The Independent.

Its really awful knowing that. Its paralysing my brain to get back into anything. Since I was detained I havent even looked at my thesis.

On the prospect of being deported back to Iraq, he said: Since people there know Im an atheist Id be in a lot of danger. Here Im surrounded by friends who will value human life regardless of beliefs, but there are people there who would kill a person just because they disagree with their belief."

A spokesperson for the University of Sheffield said: The University of Sheffield is aware of the recent detention of Ahmed Sadeeq in relation to visa compliance. Our Student Support staff have been in regular contact with both Ahmed and his solicitor since we were made aware of the case some weeks ago, including liaising with his legal advisors over the Christmas period.

"As we have explained to Ahmed, as soon as we have received written Home Office confirmation in regards to Ahmeds student status, we will be able to restore his university registration and support him to resume his studies at the University of Sheffield.

"We have also made available the opportunity for Ahmed to personally meet with Student Support staff at his earliest convenience and a meeting has now been arranged.

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 University is committed to ensuring our community is open to scholars and students from across the world, and we work hard to provide a helpful advice service to students which includes helping them understand legal requirements in relation to UK student registration."

The Home Office said it did not routinely comment on individual cases, but stated: All applications are considered on their individual merits and in accordance with the immigration rules.

When someone has no leave to remain in the UK, we expect them to leave the country voluntarily. Where they do not, we will seek to enforce their departure.
Former cabinet minister Priti Patel has accused Remain campaigners of colluding to flout rules on spending during the referendum on Britain's future in the European Union.

The leading Brexiteer said there was significant evidence of coordination about expenditure and has written to the elections watchdog calling for an investigation into the allegations.

Ms Patel, who was forced to quit as international development secretary after holding secret meetings with senior Israelis, claimed rules had been breached to feed propaganda to voters.

The Tory MP attacked former Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to spend 9m of taxpayers' money on a campaign leaflet breaking the normal rules of fair play of our democratic system.

Ms Patel said every organ of the British state had been used to try to bully voters into staying in the EU and claimed sections of a book written by Mr Cameron's former director of communications, Sir Craig Oliver, appear to admit that coordination went on.

She said: There needs to be a thorough investigation into the actions, expenditure and financial probity of Remain campaigners, who appear to have flouted the rules and the spirit of the law to advance their cause in concert with each other.

It cannot be right that Remain campaigners can so blatantly flout the rules to feed the British people their propaganda. As well as coordinating campaigning and spending, they used every organ of the British state to try to bully people into staying in the EU.

They even spent 9m of taxpayers' money on a campaign leaflet breaking the normal rules of fair play of our democratic system.

Despite this wall of fear and fury, the British people held their nerve and bravely voted to take back control. Brexit will be a great liberation for this country - but the leadership of the Remain campaign must still be held to account for their actions.

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 main campaigns on each side had a spending limit of 7m and caps were set for each party and other campaign groups.

Ms Patel highlights a passage from Sir Craig's book, Unleashing Demons: The Inside Story of Brexit, which includes an entry that discusses an early morning cross-party call designed to catch up with what the In campaigns for the various political parties are doing that day.

In a letter to the Electoral Commission, she wrote: It appears therefore that there is a prima facie case that the designated campaign, Britain Stronger in Europe, was coordinating its daily activities with those of the Labour Party, Conservative IN and the Liberal Democrats.

It is simply inconceivable that this did not involve referendum expenses being incurred pursuant to a common plan or other arrangement.

What else would have been discussed? If this is the case, Britain Stronger in Europe was obliged to account for the expenditure of the other campaigns as if it had incurred the expenses itself.

Ms Patel claimed that as the Stronger In campaign approached its spending limit in the final weeks of the referendum period, other campaigns were set up which spent significant sums to campaign to remain in the EU.

Five campaigns that registered as permitted participants in the final month of the referendum received a total of 1,001,000 in donations, she said.

Although the legislation places no limits on the number of permitted participants that may be registered on each side, it is reasonable to infer in all the circumstances that some of these campaigns were established for the purpose of evading the statutory scheme for the control of campaign expenditure, Ms Patel wrote.
David Davis has warned the next round of Brexit negotiations will generate the same public thunder and lightning as the first phase of talks with Brussels last yer.

The Brexit Secretary also used an article to turn the European Unions negotiating mantra against the bloc, claiming that it cannot cherrypick the terms of a free trade deal.

Britain, he added, wants the full sweep of economic cooperation and financial services must not be excluded from any agreement.

But just last month Michel Barnier, the EUs chief Brexit negotiator, said that financial services will not be included a post-Brexit trade deal, setting the stage for a public confrontation between the UK and Brussels.

There is not a single trade agreement that is open to financial services, he said in December. It doesnt exist.

In his article for the Daily Telegraph, Mr Davis said that the negotiations in the coming months will not be straightforward, adding: They will generate the same public thunder and lightning we have seen in the past year.

But I believe they will be successful, because the future of the Europe continent is best served by strong and successful relationships." He continued: I do not believe the strength of this cooperation needs change because we are leaving the European Union.

"Many of these principles can be applied to services trade too. Given the strength and breadth of the pan-European economic relationship, a deal that took in some areas of our economic relationship but not others would be, in the favoured phrase of EU diplomats, cherrypicking.

"First, European Council president Donald Tusk has approved an immediate start to discussions on the future relationship, and though EU guidelines will not be agreed until March, when chief negotiator Michel Barnier and his team will be able to confirm their positions, talks about implementation begin in the New Year."

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 Brexit Secretary's intervention comes amid reports that Theresa May is preparing a New Year shake-up that could see Mr Davis role in the Cabinet further weakened if Boris Johnson, the Foreign Secretary, is handed a job directly involved in the negotiations.

It would likely ruffle the feathers of Mr Davis, 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 Ms May.
Retired members of the House of Lords are continuing to benefit from taxpayer-subsided meals in Parliaments dining rooms for years after they step down from public service.

Peers who are deemed to have retired are allowed to continue to bring up to six guests for food and drinks in the Palace of Westminster, parliamentary authorities confirmed.

The information was disclosed to The Times in response to a Freedom of Information request relating to the resignation of Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft, who gave up his seat in 2015.

Recommended Labour Lords chief whip stands down after expenses row

The former Conservative Party chairman has given more than 10m to the Tories.

He resigned from the Lords after saying his other interests, including his polling company Lord Ashcroft Polls, stopped him being able to devote the time that membership of the Lords properly requires.

Despite the fact he had chosen to step down, parliamentary authorities deemed Lord Ashcroft to have retired  thereby giving him the right to continue to use Parliaments facilities.

In a letter to the peer, David Beamish, then the Clerk of the Parliaments, wrote: The House Committee has agreed that the access privileges available to retired bishops should be made available to members who retire.

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

He said such privileges include the right to sit on the steps of the throne; and use the library (apart from the research facilities), the peers guest room, the peers dining room with up to five guests and the Barry room with up to six guests.

Lord Ashcroft, who had sat in the Lords since 2000, was initially rejected for a peerage in 1999 because of his non-dom tax status.

He later promised to become a full UK taxpayer, although recent revelations from the Paradise Papers have raised questions over whether he did so.

House of Lords catering is subsidised to the tune of 1.2 million each year.

Because Parliament often sits long into the evening, MPs and lords say it is important to have dining facilities on site, but the revelation that even peers who no longer sit in the House are continuing to benefit from the perks is likely to prove controversial.

However, Lord Edminston, another Tory donor, said: I believe it is important to encourage peers to retire when they feel it is the right moment. To cut them off from all their friends and contacts in the two houses of parliament after perhaps years of service would be poor reward.

A House of Lords spokespreson said: Former Members of the House of Lords who retire are able to use some of the Houses catering facilities. This was agreed by the House Committee in 2014 and that decision was published on the Parliamentary website at the time.
More than 11,000 homes in the UK have been empty for at least a decade, research from the Liberal Democrats has found.

The data showed that 60,000 properties had been empty for two years or more, 23,000 for five years or more and more than 11,000 for ten years or more.

Statistics on long term vacant properties is not often published and the data was compiled through Freedom of Information (FoI) requests to 275 councils.

Vince Cable, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, described the news as a national scandal.

At a time when the homelessness crisis is worsening and more and more people are sleeping out in the cold on our streets, it is a national scandal that thousands of homes across the country are sitting empty, Mr Cable told The Guardian.

The research also indicated only one in 13 councils were using the empty dwelling management orders, the powers given to local authorities to take control of properties that have been empty for at least half a year.

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 news comes as a study revealed that 300,000 people in Britain are now homeless.

The study, by housing charity Shelter, found that 307,000, or one in every 200, people are now either sleeping rough or in temporary accommodation.

Although the figure has risen by 13,000 in the last year alone, Shelter said the partial nature of Government data means the real number of homeless people is likely to be even higher.
The Iranian Revolution of 1979 established the country as an Islamic Republic but for its Marxist backers its rallying cry was reassuringly secular.

Death to America! really was the sentiment that re-birthed a nation not so very long ago. It was shouted from public platforms by a man called Ruhollah Khomeini, who would very soon become the countrys first Supreme Leader. It was chanted in public squares, and nowhere more frequently than outside the US Embassy.

It had its uses. Fundamentalist Muslims and devout Marxists are not easy revolutionary bedfellows, but a lot of America-loathing goes a long way.

In the years following the revolution, and right up to today, thousands of Iranians have been publicly executed, many for homosexuality, albeit often indirectly.

Today, left wing theorists make claims that 1979 was a socialist revolution that has been betrayed. Or even that the Islamic Revolution was a counter-revolution against the workers revolution.

Certainly, as that revolution has mutated into an ongoing human rights horror show, it has to varying degrees mutated its leftist supports into apologists.

To be on the left and pro-Iran now is simply a test of anti-imperialist faith. What price is too high for the death of America?

Enter Corbyn.

In 2014, not long before becoming the most unlikely Labour leader in history, Jeremy Corbyn spoke at an event at London Islamic centre to mark the twenty fifth anniversary of the Iranian Revolution.

At this event, he praised Irans, Tolerance and acceptance of other faiths, traditions and ethnic groupings in Iran.

He also told the audience: I am against the foreign policy that says certain European nations and the United States have the power to invade and rule the rest of the world.

Throughout his time on the back benches the register of Members interests show payments adding up to 5,000* for hosting phone-ins on Press TV, the Iranian state-owned broadcaster that used to broadcast from studios in Ealing before it had its broadcasting license revoked by Ofcom in 2012.

In 2011, it had been fined 100,000 for broadcasting an interview with an imprisoned journalist for Newsweek magazine that had been conducted under duress. The journalist Maziar Bahiri would later reveal he had been told he would be executed if he did not give the answers he had been told to give.

Mr Corbyn received his final payment six months after this occurred.

He has since suggested he used his airtime on Press TV to raise human rights issues.

Mr Corbyn also told that 2014 meeting that he had been a member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament all his adult life, adding that he would die a member.

No country, he said, including this one [by which he meant the UK] should possess these weapons.

The history of Irans growing nuclear program is long and complex, but to take one isolated incident: Between 2002 and 2006 the International Atomic Energy Agency said on several occasions it was unable to conclude that Irans nuclear program is entirely peaceful. The group reported that Iranian authorities had concealed certain developments, and made its work in inspecting them difficult.

In 2004, Jeremy Corbyn wrote in The Morning Star: Iran has a civil nuclear power programme to which, in law, it is entitled. This has been transformed into a nuclear weapons "threat" by the very power that has its own massive capacity to destroy - the US.

Mr Corbyn has so far made no comment on the ongoing unrest in Iran, in which at least twelve people have been killed. America, for the time being, is still alive.

UPDATE (22.11.19): A previous version of this article reported that Jeremy Corbyns Register of Members interest had shown payments adding up to 20,000 for hosting phone-ins on Press TV. In fact, the Register cites two payments to the broadcaster, which total approximately 5,000. Our article has been amended to reflect this.
A campaign group that was set up to protest against the expulsion of Labour Party members for alleged antisemitism has expelled some of its own members who it says are antisemitic.

Gerry Downing, who was excluded from Labour Against the Witchhunt (LAW), has accused the group of conducting its own witch hunt against him.

He is now planning a protest at the same location as a LAW meeting on Saturday, in a bid to be readmitted to the group.

Setting up a Facebook page called Reject Bogus Left Antisemitism, Mr Downing accused LAW of wanting a "witch hunt [against] genuine anti-Zionists and revolutionary socialists.

He claimed the group wanted to demonstrate to Labours General Secretary, Iain McNicol, that they really will never cross the line from defence of the democratic rights of Palestinians to advocating revolutionary solutions to these situations.

Mr Downing was suspended by Labour in March 2016 after it emerged he had tweeted a link to an article on the website of the Socialist Fight group, with which he is involved. It called for Marxists to address the Jewish Question and claimed the Jewish-Zionist bourgeoisie had played a vanguard role for the capitalist offensive against the workers.

He had also written a blog about the 9/11 attacks in which he suggested a campaign of violence against the US is progressive, no matter how distorted its actions are, and must never be condemned.

Mr Downing was kicked out of Labour shortly after then Prime Minister David Cameron quoted the blog at Prime Ministers Questions.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures 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 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

He helped set up LAW last October, but fell out with the group after he was expelled from the organisation and told not to attend meetings.

LAWs leaders include Jackie Walker, who was suspended by Labour after claiming Jews were the chief financiers of the slave trade.

At its meeting on Saturday the group will discuss a motion demanding that anyone suspended by Labour because of what it calls the antisemitism smear campaign has their membership reinstated.

The motion claims the suspensions and expulsions were connected with the right-wing witch hunt of Corbyn supporters, carried out automatically, without a hearing, without the right of appeal.

The group also wants Labour to abolish its Compliance Unit, the body that investigates allegations of offences, including antisemitism, committed by party members.

However, the meeting is likely to be overshadowed by Mr Downings protest, which will take place at the same central London pub at exactly the same time.

In the motion to be discussed at the meeting, LAWs leaders said: Our support will be weakened if we allow the campaign to be associated with those who promote views which are antisemitic. LAW condemns antisemitism and all forms of racism.

Referencing a number of claims made on the Socialist Fight website, they added: Those groups or individuals, such as Socialist Fight, who promote a form of antisemitism, for example the view that imperialist support for Israel has any connection to the overrepresentation of Jews in the ruling class; or that Jews are an oppressor people; or that Jewish campaigns in support of the Palestinians such as Jews Against Zionism, Jews for Boycotting Israeli Goods or Jewish Voice for Labour are racist because they operate on the basis of a supposedly Jewish moral superiority, are not welcome in LAW.

Socialist Fight denies that the group or any member or supporter past or present are antisemitic.
Students are having to wait for more than four months for counselling and mental health support in some universities, as suicide rates on campuses hit record levels, new figures show.

Campaigners condemned deeply concerning variations in provision of care for undergraduates across the country, with waits of more than four weeks for treatment at 21 universities.

Delays to diagnosis and treatment can lead to crisis situations among young students, who are burdened with increasing financial stress from huge debts and uncertain career prospects after leaving university, according to experts.

It comes after a study by the think tank Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) revealed that a record 134 students killed themselves in 2015, while the number of first-year undergraduates reporting a mental health concern rose fivefold to reach 15,395.

New figures obtained through Freedom of Information requests to more than 100 universities reveal a postcode lottery of waiting times for treatment.

One of the longest waits in the last five years was experienced by a student at Glasgow University, who waited 146 days for treatment. However the university stressed that there are many reasons why a delay can occur, including a students choice to defer their appointment.

A spokesman said: Our most recent statistics (1 August  1 November 2017) for general counselling appointments show that 88 per cent of referrals were seen within three weeks, and that 55 per cent more students have been assessed compared to the same period in the previous academic year.

"Our figures also show that almost 40 per cent fewer students are waiting for assistance compared to the same time in the last academic year.

Other universities reported long waits including Sheffield Hallam with 148 days, 127 days at Southampton Solent and nearly four months at University of Exeter.

Liberal Democrat former health minister Norman Lamb, who obtained the figures, said it was disappointing that some institutions were lagging behind, pointing to figures that show nearly 60 universities have increased their funding for mental health provision in the last year.

Mr Lamb said: Every university has a duty to provide decent support to its students. Any that fails to do so must be challenged. It can no longer be tolerated.

Moving to university can be a particularly challenging and stressful time for many young people, with some struggling to adapt to moving away often from home, family and other support networks.

That is why it is doubly important that universities provide easily accessible support to those struggling with mental health conditions.

The analysis shows 58 universities having increased funding for mental health provision in the past year while 12 have slashed spending.

Meanwhile 41 universities have cut the number of counsellors on their books over the past year.

Rachel Boyd, information manager at Mind, said: We are happy to see that some progress is being made to prioritise student mental health.

However it is deeply concerning that in some universities, students are having to wait up to nine months to access mental health services.

There are lots of different reasons why students might experience a mental health problem, but university life does pose some unique challenges.

Todays students also now face an unprecedented financial burden with student loan and tuition fee debt higher than ever before.

On the other side of this is the financial stress and uncertainty around employment on graduation. Both of these can be major contributors to mental health problems like anxiety and depression.

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 spokesperson for Universities UK, which represents higher education institutions, said: Universities take student mental health very seriously. For some students, an unfamiliar higher education environment can be stressful, particularly for those who already have an underlying illness.

Dealing with mental health is an issue for society as a whole, not just for universities. The challenge for universities is to build on the support services and external links that exist already, enabling referral to the NHS where necessary.

Universities UK issued guidance to all universities in 2015 with advice on dealing with students with mental health issues. Universities UK has also launched a new framework for university leaders, aimed at embedding mental health and wellbeing across all university activities.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: We expect universities to support students.

That is why we have issued guidance encouraging universities to focus on this important issue and we have worked closely with Universities UK on its ongoing programme designed to significantly improve the mental health support available to students.

To contact the Samaritans call 116 123
Theresa May has stood firm on plans to include foreign students in immigration figures despite warnings she could face a damaging Commons defeat on the policy.

The Prime Minister is understood to be increasingly isolated in her belief that overseas students should be counted as migrants in official immigration statistics, a position she has held since she was Home Secretary.

Speculation is mounting over a Government U-turn on the policy, after Home Secretary Amber Rudd reportedly warned Ms May that she would likely lose a vote on the issue when the new Immigration Bill comes before MPs later this year due to her slender parliamentary majority.

Recommended May facing Commons defeat over counting students as immigrants

However Ms Mays official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: The position of the Prime Minister on this is clear. The international definition of an immigrant is someone who arrives for a period of more than 12 months.

Several Cabinet ministers including Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Chancellor Philip Hammond have previously told the Prime Minister to abandon the position, which would help the Government meet its long-held ambition of reducing annual net immigration below 100,000.

Asked whether Mrs May was facing pressure from within Cabinet for a change in course, the spokesman said: This is the position of the Government.

The Independent and Open Britain, which campaigns for a soft Brexit, are running the Drop the Target campaign against the policy of reducing overall annual immigration to the tens of thousands, which includes calling for overseas students to be omitted from the statistics.

Mrs May has long resisted calls for a rethink on the plans, which senior Conservatives including Universities Minister Jo Johnson and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox warned could inadvertently put students off from coming to study in the UK and damage the successful higher education sector.

The Prime Minister developed a reputation for being tough on immigration while Home Secretary, and has previously argued that removing students from the data could undermine public confidence in the statistics.

While at the Home Office, Ms May led a crackdown on students overstaying their visas, but her claim that up to 100,000 foreign students a year fail return home after graduating has since been discredited as official exit checks found that fewer than 5,000 people remained after their visas expired.

Peers backed a change to exclude foreign students from immigration numbers in a House of Lords amendment to the Higher Education Bill last year, but the move was scuppered by the snap election.

The Prime Minister could be be vulnerable to a Commons defeat on the issue if an MP tables an amendment to the Immigration Bill - after she lost her parliamentary majority in the June poll.

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

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, who has become an influential figure after reviving the partys fortunes north of the border, described the move distortive, counterproductive and sends out entirely the wrong signals.

She tweeted: I hope this change happens soon.

The group of newly elected Scottish Tory MPs are also said to be putting pressure on Ms Rudd and Immigration Minister Brandon Lewis to drop students from the target.
An American mosque took the road of mercy over the holidays, and helped keep a man who once vandalized their place of worship with a swastika from facing potential jail time over missed fines.

The Masjid Al Salam mosque in Fort Smith, Alabama, filled out a check for $1,700 to cover what was left of the fines picked up by Abraham Davis after he painted the symbol of hate and the message go home on the front of their building in October 2016.

Davis had been convicted of a felony for the vandalism, which required community service and a hefty fine.

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We heard that he was having financial problems, Louay Nassri, the president of Al Salam, told NBC. Now if you dont pay your fine, thats an automatic six years in jail. Well, we didnt want him to go to jail for six years.

The funds were originally allocated for renovations to the mosque, but Mr Nassri said that he believes paying the fines was a better choice.

It shouldnt be hanging over him for the rest of his life, Mr Nassri said.  We knew this person did a bad thing, and there has to be consequences for their actions. But we didnt have any ill feelings toward anybody.

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. 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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. 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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

Davis was convicted of the 2016 crime after a security camera for the mosque caught him in the act. Mr Nassri said that forgiving Davis for the crime just felt natural after they received an apology for the action.

We thought this was the right thing to do, Mr Nassri said. We thought if someone does something bad and came and apologized, you just forgive them. That should be the natural thing. We had no idea that this forgiveness would be an international story.

The United States saw a spike in hate crimes in 2016, as the nation grappled with a contentious presidential campaign that frequently cast Muslims as dangerous threats to America. Data collected by the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University in San Bernardino found that hate crimes in the US rose by about 5 per cent from 2015 to 2016.
The youngest son of Fox News owner Rupert Murdoch has reportedly told people privately that he is embarrassed by some of the networks coverage of issues like climate change, a New York Times report says.

The report indicates that James Murdoch, who became Chief Executive Officer of 21st Century Fox in 2015, holds more progressive views than his father or older brother, Lachlan Murdoch, and that those views have created friction within the family to some degree. The details came from individuals who are friendly with the Murdochs, though they had asked to remain anonymous to maintain close contact with the family.

The overall report details a family dynasty in flux, as Rupert Murdoch  who has built his influential empire at least in part by foreseeing where the media landscape would go next  considers how his company can survive in an increasingly competitive market with blustering newcomers like Netflix, Amazon, and Facebook attempting to make a place for themselves in programming that traditional media companies have dominated.

James Murdoch was thrust into the national spotlight last year when he wrote an email criticising President Donald Trump for his response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a woman was killed after a white supremacist drove his car through a gathering of peaceful protesters.

Mr Trump has a well-known appetite for watching Fox News, and regularly tweets about the coverage that he sees on the network.

The President also reportedly has a keen interest in making sure the network, which regularly covers his presidency in a positive light, does not change incredibly if it is told to Disney. Last month, according to the report, Mr Trump personally called Rupert Murdoch  who is executive chairman of 21st Century Fox  to make sure that a potential deal wasnt going to change Fox News.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Murdoch reportedly told the President that the sale wouldnt change coverage.
Nikki Haley, US Ambassador to the United Nations, said the US will call for emergency sessions to address the "completely spontaneous" protests in Iran.

Speaking during a news conference at the UN in New York, Ms Haley read out social media posts of protesters and said: Iran's claim that the protests were sponsored by outside forces was "complete nonsense."

Emergency sessions will be called for in the Security Council and Human Rights Council in Geneva to discuss the US mission to help the Iranian people in their quest to unseat President Hassan Rouhani.

The protests "are virtually in every city in Iran. This is the precise picture of a long oppressed peoples rising up against their dictators," Ms Haley noted.

Ms Haley said "it takes great bravery for Iranian people to use [the] power of their voice" to speak out against a government that "murders its people."

She confirmed that the there is no unilateral action planned on the part of the US against Iran at this time but that it is working to "put a stop to the testing of Iranian ballistic missiles."

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also called the protests an "organic popular uprising organized by brave Iranian citizens."

She says the international community "cannot sit silent" as those demonstrating are met with violence.

 Protesters in Iran overturn vehicles and spread fires in anti-government action

Asked whether the ultimate goal is for Iran's Islamist government to be replaced, Ms Sanders reiterated support for the rights of the people and said the US wanted Iran to stop supporting terrorism.

Just before the end of the year, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter again to comment on the ongoing protests in Iran, this time to warn that "oppressive regimes cannot endure forever."

He wrote that "the entire world understands that the good people of Iran want change" and touted that other than US military might, its people's will is what leaders in Iran feared the most.

Mr Trump previously tweeted a call for the government to respect the wishes of its people and the White House issued a statement appearing to be in support of the Iranian people's "right to express themselves."

The US State Department also issued a statement about the largely peaceful protests: "Iran's leaders have turned a wealthy country with a rich history and culture into an economically depleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos."

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 State Department also said it "strongly condemns the arrest of peaceful protesters. We urge all nations to publicly support the Iranian people and their demands for basic rights and an end to corruption."

The wave of spontaneous protests over Iran's weak economy has swept into the capital Tehran as well, with college students and others chanting against the government just hours after hard-liners held their own rally in support of the Islamic Republic's clerical establishment.

In October 2017, Mr Trump announced he would not re-certify a nuclear deal signed by Iran and six world powers. It was a signature foreign policy achievement by predecessor President Barack Obama.

The UN had provided evidence of Tehran's compliance with the deal - which included curtailing uranium enrichment - but Mr Trump and Ms Haley have said the UN was too lenient on Iran and that the country had violated portions of the historic deal.

Experts have said the Trump administration's message about wanting to help the Iranian people is muddled, at best, given that Iran is one of the country's listed on Mr Trump's travel ban on people entering the US at this time.
A gun rights activist who once dubbed her shooting range a Muslim Free Zone has announced her bid for governor of Arkansas.

Jan Morgan, a former journalist turned gun range owner, said in a campaign video that she would be challenging the states current, Republican governor in the GOP primary in May.

Ms Morgan described herself as a born again Christian, a genetically conservative wife, mother, small business owner [and] certified firearms instructor".

I am committed to fight for you, but I can only do so much from the position of citizen activist, she said in the video. If you want me to be your voice, I need a better position to fight from. Strategically speaking, that would be the governors seat.

The current governor, Republican Asa Hutchinson, announced his re-election bid in May. Mr Hutchinson won his last primary with more than 70 per cent of the vote.

Ms Morgan is a gun range owner and firearms instructor (Jan Morgan Media)

Ms Morgan first gained national attention in 2014, when she announced she would no longer allow Muslim customers into the shooting range she owned in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She claimed Muslims were ordered by the Quran to kill innocent people, and that banning them was necessary to protect her clientele.

Why would I hand a loaded gun to a Muslim and allow him to shoot lethal weapons next to people his koran commands him to kill? she wrote in a post on her personal website.

The decision drew outcry from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), but Ms Morgan claimed business quadrupled in the months following. She later made several appearances on Fox News to discuss gun rights issues.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

In her campaign video, Ms Morgan said she had spent the past six months travelling around Arkansas and talking with people from all walks of life. She also emphasised her connections to the Tea Party  a libertarian-leaning movement on the fringes of the Republican party. She pledged to reduce the size of government and cut the corporate tax rate if elected.

Ms Morgan has been a vocal critic of Mr Hutchinson, who she accused of "campaign[ing] like a conservative Republican but govern[ing] like a liberal Democrat." In a Facebook post announcing her bid, she criticised Mr Hutchinson for meeting with a gun control advocacy group, and for opposing a bill that would have prevented transgender children from using the bathroom of their choice.

If you are a Conservative, a Republican, you should be outraged, she wrote. If not, you aren't paying attention.
Utah Senator Orrin Hatch announced he plans to retire, opening the door for prominent Donald Trump critic Mitt Romney to run.

The departure of Mr Hatch will almost certainly not alter the political balance of the Senate, where Republicans hold a slender 51-49 majority. A reliably conservative state, Utah is likely to elevate another Republican to take Mr Hatchs place.

But should Mr Romney choose to run and win, the Senate would effectively swap out a key ally of Mr Trump for a vocal detractor. Mr Hatch said he plans to step down when his current term expires, adding his seat to the column of those in play during the 2018 election.

A former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential nominee, Mr Romney has established residency in Utah. He is perhaps Americas best-known Mormon public figure, which would likely buoy his prospects in the religions heartland.

While he has made no formal declaration of his intentions, Mr Romney has reportedly discussed with associates the possibility of running should a seat open up. Speculation about his plans immediately followed the news of Mr Hatchs departure.

Some Senate Republicans have openly hostile relationships with Mr Trump, who shows few compunctions about publicly attacking members of the caucus. But Mr Hatch has been a reliable ally, and the admiration has been mutual.

Mitt Romney blasts Barack Obama as he accepts party nomination Show all 2 1 /2 Mitt Romney blasts Barack Obama as he accepts party nomination Mitt Romney blasts Barack Obama as he accepts party nomination mitt-romney.jpg AP Mitt Romney blasts Barack Obama as he accepts party nomination Pg-32-romney-getty.jpg Getty Images

We hope you will continue to serve your state and your country in the Senate for a very long time to come, Mr Trump said of Mr Hatch during a December speech marking his decision  lauded by Mr Hatch  to shrink a pair of national wildlife areas in Utah.

But Mr Hatch's has decision to not do so despite the President's urging offers an opportunity to Mr Romney. Both during the 2016 presidential campaign and Mr Trumps tenure, the former Republican presidential standard-bearer has been among the more vocal Republican detractors of a President who continues to clash with establishment party figures.

In March of 2016, before Mr Trump had secured the nomination, Mr Romney assailed Mr Trump as a fraud.

His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing members of the American public for suckers. He gets a free ride to the White House, and all we get is a lousy hat, Mr Romney told a University of Utah audience.

 Mitt Romney takes down Trump

Mr Trump returned fire, repeatedly mocking Mr Romneys failed candidacy on Twitter.

After briefly exploring a White House role, which resulted in a notorious photo of an uneasy-looking Mr Romney dining with the then-President-elect, Mr Romney has continued to offer a voice to Republicans who remain opposed to Mr Trumps presidency.

When Mr Trump offered an equivocal response to a white supremacist driving into a crowd of counter protesters in Virginia, saying there was blame on both sides, Mr Romney released a long statement demanding that the President condemn hate groups like neo-Nazis (the President did, before returning to spreading blame).

He has also embraced the Paris Climate agreement from which Mr Trump withdrew, denounced failed Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, whom Mr Trump backed, and lauded as Lincolnesque a speech from Sen John McCain that rejected half-baked, spurious nationalism in a thinly veiled dig at Mr Trump.

Mr Romney posted a Facebook statement thanking Mr Hatch for his service, and the divergent responses helped illuminate the political climate into which Mr Romney might tread.

Several commenters urged him to run as a counterweight to Mr Trump, with one writing of the need for Republicans who are willing to stand up to this reckless and criminal president, while others denounced him as a traitor to his party for having broken with Mr Trump.
Pakistan called in the US Ambassador and held an emergency meeting of its national security team in light of President Donald Trumps tweet accusing the country of lies and deceit.

Ambassador David Hale met with Pakistani foreign office officials to explain the 1 January tweet, a spokesperson for the US Embassy in Islamabad confirmed to Reuters.

Mr Trump had tweeted for the first time in 2018 that the 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.

Mr Trump also tweeted that Pakistan give[s] safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan.

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry could not be reached for comment, but Minister Khawaja Asif said about Mr Trump on the local GeoTV station: He has tweeted against us and Iran for his domestic consumption.

He is again and again displacing his frustrations on Pakistan over failures in Afghanistan as they are trapped in dead-end street in Afghanistan, Mr Asif said.

Pakistan has served as an important logistical stop in the US war in Afghanistan the past 17 years.

The tweet also sparked protests from hundreds of members of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council, a coalition of Islamist parties in Karachi. They were holding signs that read "Dump Trump."

An emergency meeting was held with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the Foreign, Interior, and Defence Ministers, as well as military branch chiefs as well.

 Donald Trump says U.S. approach to Pakistan will change 'immediately'

Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir-Khan responded via Twitter as well, writing that Pakistan is an anti-terror ally of the US and as such has provided the American military with land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda since 2001 when the war started as a response to the September 11th attacks.

The minister did not mention that terrorist Osama bin Laden was living in the garrison town of Abbotabad for several years before he was killed in a special forces raid during the previous administration of Barack Obama in 2011.

He tweeted that the US has given us nothing but invective & mistrust.

Mr Dastgir-Khan also accused the US of ignoring cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis.

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 major sticking point is also $255m (166m) of foreign aid.

A US National Security Council official said the White House did not plan to send the already-delaed aid package to Pakistan "at this time" and that "the administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation".

US Defence Secretary James Mattis had already delayed a military-specific aid package of $50m (37m) in July over concerns Pakistan was not doing enough to tamp down on the Haqqani Network or Taliban terror groups - both priorities for the US across the border in Afghanistan.

Though Pakistan is considered a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) ally of the US, it still needs the annual certification which Mr Mattis stalled in order to get the yearly aid package.

In August, Mr Trump declared that Pakistan "gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror when he announced a renewed strategy for Americas longest war.

Concerns in Islamabad have been growing under Mr Trumps administration, particularly because of his seemingly positive relationship with neighbour and rival India.

A junior minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modis office, Jitendra Singh, said Mr Trumps tweet and the decision to withhold aid has vindicated Indias stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistans role in perpetrating terrorism is concerned.
The United States is ushering in 2018 with a cold snap so severe it nearly froze Niagara Falls  and it isnt expected to warm up soon.

On New Years Day, 90 per cent of the country failed to make it above freezing, according to CNN. Temperatures reached lower than 10 degrees Fahrenheit (-12C) at the famous Times Square ball drop in New York. The city's weather is only supposed to get worse from there, with highs of 14(-10C) and 10 and a low of 2(-17C) degrees on Friday and Saturday.

The situation is not much better in the rest of the country. Even in the southern US, where temperatures are usually higher, some areas reached lows of minus 6(-21C) with wind chill. In the Southeast, meanwhile, temperatures are expected to stay 10 to 15 degrees colder than usual for the rest of the week.

Temperatures were expected to increase slightly over the weekend  before another, less brutal cold snap hit on Monday, according to weather service meteorologist Greg Gallina.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind chill warning from Texas all the way up to Canada, with wind chill warnings in states like Indiana and Missouri. More than 100 million people from Canada to Mexico were under wind chill warnings and advisories on Tuesday, according to CNN.

Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Show all 13 1 /13 Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Lorries stuck between J2 and J1 after overnight snow PA/Twitter/simontab Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK An overturned car PA/Thames Valley Police Roads Policing Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK An easyJet plane is de-iced at Luton Airport PA Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK A man shelters from the snow and sleet under a foldaway poncho in north London Rex Features Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Snow has settled in various parts of the UK, including Leicester Rachel Hosie Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK A train battles through the snow at Moy near Inverness Rex Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Lorries stuck on the A14 being towed as snow causes travel chaos Twitter/@joshuaagdomar Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Accident on the M1 PA/Northants Roads and Armed Policing Team Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Wintry conditions at Stansted Airport PA/Twitter/RobertsNiomi Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Lorries between J2 and J1 PA/Twitter/simontab Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Wintry conditions in Pollokshields near Glasgow PA Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK A Blue Air flight comes into land at Luton Airport PA Snow and sub-zero temperatures hit the UK Dog walkers enjoying a stroll in the snow near Inverness Rex Features

A hard freeze warning was in place for much of the South, where the NWS warned of potential for hypothermia and frostbite.

Exposed pipes and those along exterior walls will have the potential to freeze, the weather service noted.

The temperature reached record lows in some areas, such as Omaha, Nebraska. The mercury dipped to minus fifteen degrees on New Years Eve  a low not seen in the midwestern city since 1884. That reading also did not include the windchill, which forecasters said dipped down to minus 40 degrees.

 Severe weather swamps Pennsylvania city of Erie in 165cms of snow

In Massachusetts, it was so cold that sharks washed up dead on the shoreline  most likely due to cold shock, according to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. The conservancy said it had found at least three dead sharks on the shore of Cape Cod Bay in three days.

Visitors were treated to a more pleasant view in upstate New York, where 8-degree temperatures froze the famous Niagara Falls partially to ice. Despite the brutal weather, tourists flocked to the waterfall with cameras in hand.

"It's absolutely beautiful, and I came out here even though I hate the cold, one visitor, Jenn Howe, told the Buffalo News. Pictures don't do it justice."
Ice sculptures depicting long-range missiles have gone on display in North Korea's capital Pyongyang to celebrate the New Year.

Adults and children posed for photographs in front of them. in footage released by state media.

The display was part of the Ice Sculpture Festival on Kim Il-sung Square. Other designs included North Korean landmarks, dolphins, a tractor, and a fishing boat.

North Korea claims the Hwasong-15 ballistic missile depicted by the ice sculpture, is much more technologically advanced than its predecessors.

South Koreas military also believes the missile is potentially capable of striking targets as far as 13,000km (8,100 miles), which would put Washington DC within reach.

During a November test launch, the rocket flew 950km (600 miles) before splashing down in waters near Japan. A US official said it broke up as it re-entered the Earths atmosphere.

Pyongyang still needed to prove it had mastered critical missile technology, such as re-entry, terminal stage guidance and warhead activation, South Koreas deputy minister of defence policy Yoo Jeh-seung told his country's parliament shortly after the launch.

(AFP/Getty (AFP/Getty)

The ice sculpture display came shortly after the countrys supreme leader Kim Jong-un, warned the US that a nuclear launch button "was always on my desk.

The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons," he said during a televised speech on New Years Day.

He added that the nuclear button was a "reality, not a threat."

North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Show all 13 1 /13 North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Pyongyang residents react after the news of the successful launch of the new intercontinental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Images North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un signing an order to test-fire the newly developed inter-continental ballistic missile KRT via AP Video North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch A news broadcast displays Kim Jong Un's signed document AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch People cheer as they watch the news broadcast announcing Kim Jong Un's order to test-fire the new inter-continental ballistic missile AFP/Getty Images North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Residents react after the document signing AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Pyongyang residents celebrate Kim Jong Un's announcement AFP/Getty North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Cheering Pyongyang residents react AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch To counter North Korea's missile test, South Korea fired missiles into the East Sea The Defence Ministry/Yonhap via REUTERS North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The Hyunmu-2 missiles firing during the drill South Korean Defense Ministry vi North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The exercise was carried out in an attempt to counter Kim Jong Un's order South Korea Defense Ministry via AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch The South Korean army continue to carry out military exercises AP North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch Where K-9 self-propelled howitzers were taking part in a drill Rex Features North Korea announces intercontinental missile launch US soldiers are also present in the border city of Paju AFP/Getty Images

Mr Kim also made overtures to South Korea, saying the path to dialogue was open. He added that it was imperative to lower military tensions on the peninsula.

The dictator also suggested that he could send a North Korean delegation to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which is being held in the South Korean county, in February.
German police have asked prosecutors to investigate a far-right lawmaker for possible incitement to hatred, after she criticised a police force for tweeting in Arabic to appease the barbaric, Muslim, rapist hordes of men.

Police in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) posted a New Years Eve greeting in Arabic as well as German, English and French.

Cologne, a city where groups of mainly Arab immigrants were accused of sexual assaults at New Years Eve celebrations two years ago, is located in the state.

What the hell is wrong with this country? Why is the official page of police in NRW tweeting in Arabic, Beatrix von Storch, a member of the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, wrote in a Dec. 31 tweet that was later deleted by Twitter after receiving complaints from members of the public.

Are they seeking to appease the barbaric, Muslim, rapist hordes of men? she added.

Twitter suspended her account for some 12 hours after she posted the message, saying it breached the websites rules that bar users from posting hateful content.

Social media platforms face hefty fines in Germany if they fail to remove hateful posts swiftly, and companies like Facebook and Twitter have hired extra staff to monitor such messages.

The NRW police deployed large numbers of officers to secure New Years street parties in large cities this year, and said celebrations were largely peaceful.

Prosecutors in NRW must first decide whether they should deal with the police complaint against von Storch, or transfer the case to Berlin authorities where her constituency is.

If prosecutors deem there is sufficient grounds to launch an official criminal investigation against von Storch, they would first have to ask parliament to suspend her immunity before proceeding with a case.

Cologne Chief Prosecutor Ulf Willuhn said prosecutors must now decide whether von Storchs message amounted to inciting people to commit violence against a certain section of society.

Twitter also deleted a message by AfD member Alice Weidel, in which she said German authorities wanted Germans to live with criminal mobs of migrants.

The AfD won seats in parliament for the first time in September, riding a wave of discontent against Chancellor Angela Merkels decision in 2015 to open Germanys borders to more than a million asylum-seeking migrants.

The AfD, which says Islam is incompatible with the German constitution, is the third largest party in parliament. It has upended German politics by stealing voters from Merkels conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats, making coalition building more difficult.

AfD leaders reacted angrily to Twitters decision to delete the two postings under a new law passed by parliament in June that authorises fines of up to 50m (44.3m) against social media networks if they dont promptly remove hateful content.

The censorship law of Justice Minister Heiko Maas has already showed on the first day of the year its ability to curtail freedom of expression, said AfD co-leader Alexander Gauland.

I call on every social media user to take action against such oppression by reposting the deleted comments again and again!

Reuters
An Iranian woman pictured removing her hijab in an apparent protest against the country's mandatory Islamic dress code has been hailed as a "hero".

Footage shows the woman silently waving a white flag during anti-government protests in the capital Tehran, which have seen around 450 people arrested in three days.

Women in Iran have been forced to cover their hair since the 1979 revolution.

Recommended Mass arrests and violence as crackdown on Iranian protests intensifies

Last week, police in Tehran announced they would no longer arrest women for failing to observe the Islamic dress code.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency said violators would instead be made to attend classes given by police, but added that repeat offenders could still be subject to legal action.

Younger and more liberal-minded women have long pushed the boundaries of the country's official dress code by wearing loose headscarves that don't fully cover their hair and painting their nails.

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 video of the woman's defiant gesture was posted on Twitter by Armin Navabi, a former Muslim from Iran and author of "Why There Is No God".

"This woman in Iran took off her Hijab to protest the mandatory Islamic dress code imposed on Iranian women," he tweeted, using the hashtag "#IStandWithHer".

The tweet has been retweeted over 15,000 times and liked more than 32,000 times.

Many people on social media celebrated the woman's protest.

"This woman is brave," one wrote, while others called her a "real hero" and said "her bravery is to be admired."

 New Year's Eve protests break out in Iranian capital Tehran

In the largest demonstrations to strike Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, six days of unrest across the country have resulted in a death toll of at least 20.

The protests began on Thursday in Mashhad over Iran's weak economy and a jump in food prices 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 and a prominent judge warned that some could face the death penalty.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Mousa Ghazanfarabadi as saying: "Obviously one of their charges can be Moharebeh," or waging war against God, a capital offence in Iran.

Around 450 protesters have been arrested in the capital city of Tehran.

The semi-official ILNA news agency qouoted Ali Asghar Nasserbakht, a security deputy governor of Tehran, who said security forces arrested 200 protesters on Saturday, 150 on Sunday and 100 on Monday.

So far, authorities have not released a nationwide figure for arrests.

Additional reporting by agencies
 Close Protesters in Iran overturn vehicles and spread fires in anti-government action

Iran's Supreme Leader has blamed country-wide protests on "enemies of Iran" as the death toll from anti-government demonstrations rose to 22.

The demonstrations, the largest to strike Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, have brought six days of unrest across the country.

Around 450 protesters have been arrested in the capital Tehran over the last three days, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported.

The agency quoted Ali Asghar Nasserbakht, a security deputy governor of Tehran, who said 200 protesters were arrested on Saturday, 150 on Sunday and 100 were arrested Monday.

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

Offering his first comments since the protests began, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the "enemies of Iran" of meddling in the country's affairs.

"In the recent days' incidents, enemies of Iran utilized various means  including money, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatuses  to create problems for the Islamic system," he said.

The protests began on Thursday in Mashhad over Iran's weak economy and a jump in food prices and have expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The protests have put pressure on the clerical leaders in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

President Hassan Rouhani has 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.

All the protest rallies so far haven't received prior permission from the Interior Ministry, making them illegal under Iranian law.

In comments posted to his official website, Mr Khamenei appeared to blame foreign nations for at least exacerbating the unrest gripping Iran.

"In the recent days' incidents, enemies of Iran utilised various means  including money, weapon, politics and intelligence apparatuses  to create problems for the Islamic system," he said.

The head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court also reportedly warned that arrested protesters could potentially face death penalty cases when they come to trial.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Mousa Ghazanfarabadi as saying: "Obviously one of their charges can be Moharebeh," or waging war against God, a death penalty offence in Iran.

Donald Trump supported the protesters in a tweet: "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!"

Later in the day, he tweeted to say "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,"' Mr Trump wrote, apparently referring to the nuclear deal reached under his predecessor. "The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The US is watching!"

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Bahram Ghasemi, urged the US President to stop tweeting and focus on his own country's problems.

"It is better for him to try to address the US' internal issues like the murder of scores killed on a daily basis in the United States during armed clashes and shootings, as well as millions of the homeless and hungry people in the country," Mr Ghasemi said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

The protests began over Iran's economy, which has improved since the nuclear deal that saw Iran 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.

However, the improvement has not reached the average Iranian.

Unemployment remains high, and official inflation has crept up to 10 per cent again. A recent increase in egg and poultry prices by as much as 40 per cent, which the government has blamed on a cull over avian flu fears, appears to have been the spark for the economic protests.
Palestinian groups have condemned a resolution by Israel's Likud party calling for the state to annexe parts of the West Bank.

At a meeting of the party's central committee on Sunday, around 1,500 members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party unanimously passed a measure urging the government to impose Israeli sovereignty over "Judea and Samaria", which covers sections of the West Bank.

The resolution also called for construction in existing settlements to become "unhindered".

 Mr Ali Abunimah, a Palestinian American journalist, predicts Israel will be treated like a 'pariah state' in 2018

Fatah and Hamas said the decision was aggressive and marked "an end of the remnants of the peace process".

Likud politicians in the Knesset are not bound by the committee's move, but the vote exerts political pressure on members of the government, since they need the body's backing to succeed in the party's primaries.

"The decision of the Likud party to impose Israeli control over the occupied West Bank represents an end to the remnants of the peace process unilaterally," a statement released by Fatah, a Palestinian nationalist political party, said.

Islamist group Hamas, meanwhile, called the policy a "policy of aggression against the Palestinian people".

Palestinian Authority President Mahmous Abbas also criticised the vote on Monday.

His excellency [Mr Abbas] called on the international community to take immediate action to stop this aggression that the members of the extremist government coalition are leading against Palestinian rights and international resolutions," the Palestinian News Agency Wafa reported.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Abbas also said the absolute backing of the American administration" had emboldened the Likud committee to hold the vote.

Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israels capital in December last year upended decades of US foreign policy and countered an international consensus that the fate of Jerusalem should be determined in negotiations.

The Independent has contacted the Israeli government for comment.
A disabled passenger has branded Stansted Airport staff disgusting after she was denied assistance because she didnt look disabled.

Nathalie Allport-Grantham, 23, was flying to Nice with Ryanair on 31 December when a member of staff refused her the assistance she had confirmed ahead of her flight.

She had requested the use of a wheelchair to help her to the gate, as well as assistance carrying her hand luggage onboard the aircraft.

But while she was assigned a wheelchair at check-in, she says it was later taken away from her by airport staff who then told her that she was wasting their time by asking for help.

Allport-Grantham suffers from Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a connective tissue disorder which causes chronic pain and joint dislocation, as well as Marfan syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome  a condition which affects the heart, and can cause dizziness and fainting when the patient is standing.

Although she uses a wheelchair part-time, all are invisible disabilities.

She had confirmed wheelchair assistance when buying her ticket on 5 November, opting not to bring her own chair because the airport would provide one instead. Airlines such as Ryanair log the assistance needs of their passengers, but it is the airports in question that fulfil the requests. Stansted contracts its PRM (passengers with reduced mobility) service to an external provider, Omniserv.

Allport-Grantham  who was travelling with her boyfriend  arrived at Stansted in good time for her 7.55am flight, with her boarding pass specifying that she was a special assistance passenger. She told The Independent that on arrival, staff gave her a wheelchair and asked her boyfriend to push her to the gate  common practice at Stansted for wheelchair passengers travelling with companions.

 Watch what the UN had to say about the UK's treatment of disabled people

Staff warned her that there were no lifts available, but assured her that a member of staff would help her up the stairs of the aircraft and carry her hand luggage for her.

The couple made it to a lounge area en route to the gate, where Allport-Grantham transferred from the wheelchair to a more comfortable seat. The wheelchair was quickly taken by an airport employee, who promised to bring it straight back. He never returned, however, and Allport-Grantham was forced to walk to the gate, over five minutes away, where she found two other special assistance passengers waiting to board.

She told The Independent: I told the lady on duty that I had booked special assistance and needed help with my bags and to get onto the aircraft.

She looked at me and said, If you want someone to carry your bags, you have to pay 50.

I told her I had pre-booked disability assistance and I need help getting onto the aircraft.

Allport-Grantham suffers from conditions including EDS, POTS and Marfan syndrome (Nathalie Allport-Grantham)

She said, Im actually waiting for someone who cannot walk, if you want to get on the plane I suggest you queue up like everyone else. If you dont want to carry your bag, its 50 to have it put in the hold.

The person she was waiting for was me, but she was expecting someone who looked more disabled than I do.

Then she said loudly, in earshot of everyone at the gate: Ive got disabled people to help and you are wasting their time. Everyone was staring. It was humiliating.

When she said she was not allowed to lift anything for medical reasons  lifting can dislocate her joints, tear muscles or rupture internal organs  Allport-Grantham says the employee told her, Maybe next time dont bring a heavy bag then.

After the encounter reduced her to tears, she says a male airport worker came over to ask what was going on, and the agent said, This lady is wasting my time.

The male employee checked Allport-Granthams name against the list on the screen and confirmed that she was the passenger they had been expecting. He was really nice and found me a spare wheelchair, but the lady didnt even apologise, she said.

In the meantime, the flight was completing the boarding process, and the other two special assistance passengers were already on the plane. Allport-Grantham had sent her boyfriend  who is French, and was visiting family  on ahead as the wheelchair was being sourced.

Allport-Grantham  who carries a card for use on public transport, informing people of her disabilities  says that she was then wheeled outside to the plane but left in the rain for nearly 10 minutes until baggage handlers had finished loading the hold luggage.

Calling herself emotionally drained, she told The Independent that she had contacted Stansted and Ryanair via Twitter. She had received no response from Ryanair, while Stansted had requested more information.

She said: It isnt the first time this has happened to me, and Im sure it wont be the last. I want to make a fuss because I believe big companies have a responsibility not only to follow the law but also to educate their staff.

I was gobsmacked by her behaviour. Its unbelievable that an employee would be so certain that I was faking it that she would speak to me like that.

People have a sense of entitlement that they know who is and isnt disabled, and if you dont fit into their idea of disability, it means youre a liar. It is so sad that people think they know you by just looking at you.

Allport-Grantham uses a wheelchair to manage long distances (Nathalie Allport-Grantham)

I would love to be able to carry my own bag, and I would love to be able to manage steps to the aircraft without help.

A spokesperson for Ryanair said: While we regret any inconvenience caused, wheelchair services at London Stansted are operated by Omniserv  at great expense to the airlines  and London Stansted is responsible for this service and any problems with it.

Stansted Airport told The Independent: Of course, we are very disappointed to hear about Ms Allport-Granthams experience and apologise for any distress caused.

Special assistance is booked directly with the airline and handled by the airports PRM provider Omniserv. We are speaking to the provider to find out more about the circumstances of the incident.
Donald Trump has suggested he has improved the safety of aeroplanes, saying he has "been very strict on commercial aviation" since becoming US President.

As The Independent was first to report, Dutch-based aviation consultancy To70 on Monday released its annual Civil Aviation Safety Review that reported only two fatal accidents, both involving small turbo-prop aircraft, with a total of 13 lives lost.

No jets crashed in passenger service anywhere in the world. The two crashes that occurred on New Years Eve  a seaplane in Sydney which killed six, and a Cessna Caravan which crashed in Costa Rica, killing all 12 on board  were not included in the tally, since both aircraft weighed under 5,700kg  the threshold for the report.

"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!" he said in a Tuesday afternoon Twitter post.

According to Adrian Young, the safety review's lead researcher, the chances of a plane being involved in a fatal accident is now one in 16 million.

Mr Young, a senior aviation consultant for To70, on Monday described the improved safety level of civil aviation as "remarkable", but warned the historic low was unlikely to be maintained.

He told The Independent that the positive figures could be taken as "good fortune", cautioning: "The risks to civil aviation remain high as shown by the seriousness of some of the non-fatal accidents.

He warned that electronic devices in checked-in hold luggage pose a growing danger, as they are "difficult to extinguish if they catch fire". Crews are being trained to put out fires in the cabin, he said, but checking electronics into the hold could risk dangerous repercussions.

Pilots have already warned of the "catastrophic" potential of the Trump administration's electronics ban.

In March, the US Department of Homeland Security suddenly announced a ban on laptops and other electronic devices bigger than a mobile phone on flights from 10 Middle Eastern and North African airports to the US. The UK immediately followed with a similar ban.

Laurie Price, former Aviation Advisor to the Transport Select Committee and himself a private pilot, told The Independent at the time: "We have had numerous incidents of devices with lithium batteries suddenly bursting into flames. If that is in the aircraft cabin, it can be dealt with. If in the aircraft hold, the fire-suppression systems are unlikely to be able to contain it and there is a lot of material to exacerbate such fires including other baggage, the aircraft structure, fuel and systems in an area which is inaccessible in flight.

"The consequences could be catastrophic."

The US lifted the ban in July, but soon began rolling out "additional checks" on international flights on non-US airlines arriving into the country.

On 26 October, airlines introduced new security measures for flights going to America.
One of the consequences of eating too much rich food and consuming too much booze is, for me, unusually vivid dreams. These arent unwelcome, frightening as they can be, because theyre more like being in an immersive and totally realistic horror movie experience, which I enjoy. So when I find myself getting into a fight in a stationery cupboard or being chased down a Tube train naked or discovering that Leicester City have sold Riyad Mahrez to Arsenal, I am really terrified but afterwards its like emerging from the local multiplex following the latest Saw movie, and you look back and think how much you enjoyed it. Well, not the Mahrez bit.

The other night I dreamt that theyd put Boris Johnson in charge of Brexit. I know, ridiculous. All sorts of phantasmagoria filled my fevered imagination. There was Boris lumbering naked down a Brussels corridor pursued by Jean-Claude Juncker, also starkers apart from his impressive girthsome cigar. There was Boris grinning with a watermelon smile outside the negotiations, waving a little scrap of paper, which bears his signature and that of Donald Tusk, in the air, followed up with a rendition of Beethovens Ode to Joy in the original German. There too is Boris, whistling insouciantly and wheeling a pushchair into the chamber of the House of Commons with a tiny-but-plump blonde-haired infant in its seat, chewing messily on a mythological straight banana (the baby, not Boris). He (the baby, not Boris) rises to quote Prospero in The Tempest: We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.

Then I woke up. But instead of a merely entertaining hallucination with plentiful scope for Freudian analysis, I soon realised that yes indeed Boris Johnson was going to be appointed Brexit supremo any minute now. I notice, which I had no premonition of, that Boris has also said that he would resist such an offer, but I think we all know how susceptible the old chap is to the many temptations that have passed his way over the years. De facto Deputy Prime Minister? Too tempting.

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

In fact it is a much better idea than it sounds. First, Boris has got a brain. I have watched him for years and wondered whether his genius-playing-a-buffoon shtick might actually have been a double bluff, so that Boris has been, all along, in fact, a buffoon-playing-a-genius-playing-a-buffoon, albeit one who disguises his idiocy by speaking in Latin. Hes lazy, and would rather busk than do his homework, as Michael Gove told us when he parted company with him in the post-Cameron chaos in 2016. But he is still more intelligent than anyone else around that cabinet table.

Boris would, then, be bolstering a rather intellectually underpowered team on the British side. As we witnessed with the surprise success of phase one of the talks, the very mention of Boriss name is sufficient to make the Europeans capitulate, for fear that he would replace Theresa May. How much easier it will be, then, for him to intimidate them face to face.

It would also be very smart to put Boris in charge of all this because he wouldnt have anyone to blame when the inevitable compromises have to be agreed. After cash is handed over, and humiliating U-turns are executed, he cannot go around Westminster saying that itd all be all right if he was in charge, because he would be in charge. He cant resign over a deal that he himself has negotiated. Can he? The chances are that it would be a better deal than his colleagues could secure anyway, whatever it turns out to be.

In such a circumstance we may find a softer, gentler Boris emerging from that familiar Eurosceptic carapace. Not quite a butterfly in Union Jack livery, but a more matured, more seasoned politician who understands more fully that, with Brexit more than most issues, politics really is the art of the possible. Like his great hero Winston Churchill, he may find that a certain flexibility of outlook and approach is required, as well as all the echoing rhetorical flourishes and dramatic poses. It might even be that his most recent bout of Euroscepticism has, in the main, been a mere vehicle for his own ambitions  and that he discovers, to further that ambition and hold his party together, a softer version of Brexit is the best that can be had in all the circumstances.

In which case Boris will become a national hero, uniting his party and nation, confounding his critics, and vanquishing his political enemies, and leave Bozza well set to take over at No 10 and lead a newly invigorated global Britain into its buccaneering future. Having done more than anyone to launch Britain into its hard Brexit nightmare, could Boris, more happily, lead us out of it too?

Or am I dreaming?
The Independents exclusive report on the extent of the modern slave trade in town centre nail bars is a powerful and chilling reminder that this inhuman practice is taking place not in some faraway land of plantations of which we know nothing, but here, today, and in this country.

As a case study, it speaks volumes about the banality of these crimes against human rights. The gang leaders and victims came from Vietnam, one of the main centres for the trade, along with Albania, Nigeria, Romania and Poland. The victims were young women or girls, they worked in a cash-only trade  just as the young men in the 5 manual car washes do  and those running the businesses were doing well out of this branch of the informal economy.

Slavery is more common than we would wish to accept in agriculture, the construction trade, begging and the sex trade. Such enterprises, themselves often of dubious legality, are used to launder money from cannabis factories  also often staffed by slaves or near-slaves  and other criminal activity, including further people trafficking and illegal migration. These crimes happened to be committed in Bath, Cheltenham, Burton-on-Trent, Gloucestershire and Derbyshire  not necessarily the first places that come to mind when the word slavery is mentioned.

And so a handful of the estimated 130,000 involved in the modern slave trade, as perpetrators and victims, have faced justice or been liberated from their bonds.

The question immediately arises: how can such abuses happen in plain sight, in high streets and towns throughout the UK? Partly it is because of their very audacity. A passer-by, a customer at a nail bar or someone casually getting their car cleaned might assume that such a visible activity must necessarily be legal, even if run strictly for cash (hardly a new phenomenon). We do not expect to trip over serious violations of human rights in Georgian town centres.

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

Over the past decade, the authorities have taken a more serious view of these cases, but frequently encounter a wall of silence or outright obstruction in their investigations, such is the hold the gangsters have over their charges. Without passports, other documents, phones or even very much cash, and usually with poor or nonexistent English and no one to turn to, the people being held as slaves themselves cannot be blamed for their predicament. They are, as one police officer involved put it graphically, tied by invisible chains. Still, that is all the more reason for the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner and the police to be given the resources they need to combat this social evil.

Yet consumers as citizens have obligations too. If the fees charged to clean a car or manicure nails or provide sexual services are suspiciously low, then that is a substantial clue as to the wages of those doing the work and their true status. Of course, there are many nail bars across the country being legitimately run by enterprising people who have come to Britain and set up successful businesses. But we also must keep our eyes open for those who could be being exploited.

There is a simple course of action if one suspects that modern slavery is going on  to call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700. There can be few crimes that are so serious and yet which the public encounter so often. Though still poorly understood, there is nothing inevitable or excusable about modern slavery, nothing that can be simply blamed on immigration, and a great deal that can be done very easily to reduce it.
Among the latest to die in the rising violence in Iran were an 11-year-old boy, a 20-year-old man and the first member of the security forces, from the Revolutionary Guard. Hunting rifles, commonly available in rural areas, were said to have been used in the shootings. The killings, if accounts of them are true, are a significant development in an increasingly volatile and incendiary situation.

The hardliners can use these deaths as evidence that extremists or foreign agents are behind the protests and demand a severe crackdown. Some of those who have been taking part in the demonstrations are themselves concerned that agent provocateurs are at work trying to sabotage their legitimate protests against economic hardship and corruption.

The pace and scale at which events had developed, spreading so swiftly across the country, has caused widespread surprise, confusion and, inevitably, conspiracy theories of hidden hands at play. Donald Trumps constant tweets encouraging an uprising have added to the combustible mixture, damaging rather than aiding the cause of the genuine protestors.

The rallies began in Mashhad last Thursday. The city is a centre of Shia theocracy and also the home of Ebrahim Raisi, the hardline candidate who lost the presidential election to the reformist Hassan Rouhani, and Raisis father-in-law, Ayatollah Ahmad Alamolhoda, a senior figure among the conservative clergy. The slogans were anti-Rouhani and his economic and social policies, with accusations raised during the election campaign.

 Protesters in Iran overturn vehicles and spread fires in anti-government action

The protests then, as we saw, spread rapidly through the country, with the attacks not just against rising prices and unemployment, but also against corruption, the clergy, foreign policy and, to some astonishment, against the supreme leader, Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. There have even been, albeit on just a few occasions, chants in the memory of the late Shah overthrown in the Iranian Revolution.

Along with the demonstrations has come increased violence. During the first days videos appeared of a Basij militiaman being disarmed and having his trousers removed amid laughter before being allowed to go in Kermanshah; policemen had their batons taken away and asked to leave.

There are now attacks on police stations and Basij bases. By this morning the death toll stood at 21, nine of them overnight. Ali Asghar Nasserbakht, the deputy governor of Tehran, stated that, in the capital alone, 200 people were arrested on Saturday, 150 on Sunday and 100 on Monday. The government has banned the social media sites, Instagram and Telegram, but the marches have continued.

Hamid, a 23-year-old student I had met in Tehran earlier this year, has taken part in demonstrations for three days: but he was adamant that there has been little coordination for them in different locations and no central planning.

What happened at Mashhad wasnt that surprising, but then it seemed to be happening everywhere and people joined in, it really was spontaneous, he insisted. If there are any plots to overthrow the government, we are certainly not part of it. Different people are protesting about different things. For the students it is about no jobs after studying so hard. Some workers are on poor pay or say they havent been paid and everyone is getting fed up prices which just keep rising. Some Principlists [Conservatives] are protesting because they lost the election and dont like Rouhani and the liberals.

Hamid also offered that he had come across things he found disturbing. On Saturday a few men turned up who were masked and were quite aggressive, we didnt know who they were. We have also heard people shouting: Reza Shah, bless your soul. What was all that about? Most of us dont remember anything about the Shah.

His friend Bijan, 28, a qualified hydraulic engineer without a full-time job for two years, added: There is the possibility that people may be trying to exploit the situation. We dont want anyone to exploit rightful protests, the Principlists or outside people like the Saudis or the Americans. We dont want President Rouhani to go  I voted for him  but he needs to make the reforms that were promised.

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 target of the protests in the holy cities of Mashhad and Qom has also, to some extent, shifted from Rouhani to the conservative clergy. This is unusual, but not entirely surprising. In three visits to Qom, the Shia Vatican, in the past 18 months, I have been struck by the increasing number of young people, including theology students, who had come forward to stress the need for change and reform, reflecting similar views as those of people of their age in other cities.

Grand Ayatollah Khamenei had sought to keep himself above the troubles. It is a sign of concern among the senior clergy that he has now publicly intervened. The enemies of Iran are deploying every means at their disposal including money, arms and political and intelligence support to coordinate making trouble for the Islamic establishment, he said. The enemy is always looking for an opportunity and any service to infiltrate and strike the Iranian nation.

Officials in Tehran point to the repeated threats made by the Saudi government against Iran. These have grown in volume and become more emboldened since Donald Trump got to the White House. The words of the seemingly all-powerful Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, we will work so that the battle for then is in Iran, are often quoted. An Isis attack in Tehran last June was blamed by the Revolutionary Guard on Riyadh.

Hassan Rouhanis government is at a hard place. There has been some economic dividend from the nuclear agreements with world powers such as Iran being able to sell oil in the global market, but others have been stymied by the US failing to lift a range of sanctions. Trumps refusal to back the nuclear deal has created further uncertainty for the countrys international trade.

Unemployment remains high at 12.4 per cent, up 1.4 per cent in the previous 12 months. There has been a steady rise in food prices with a drastic hike in the cost of poultry, by up to 40 per cent, one of the triggers for the protests. The government blames the shortage and price rise due to the necessity of a cull to prevent an outbreak of avian flu.

There has been criticism of there being no women in senior positions in his cabinet and the slow pace of reform. The President has complained that hardliners and conservative clerics are blocking liberalisation moves by his government.

So far President Rouhani has defended the right to protest while warning that lawlessness and destruction will not be tolerated; police, rather than Revolutionary Guards, have been on the streets. But it remains uncertain what will happen if the violence continues to escalate and the hardliners press for action.

People like Dariush Ghorbani, a businessman from Isfahan who voted for the reformists in the parliamentary and presidential elections, are beginning to feel a sense of foreboding. We need reforms and we need them fast, that must be clear now, he said. If President Rouhani is being blocked in this, then he must remove the blockage, the people will support him in this. But there are worries about the violence, the deaths. There are unexplained ones, like these shootings. Who is carrying these out?

We hope the situation will get back under control, the violence and reforms will be a good result from this. We Iranians will solve problems ourselves. We dont want foreign interference. I really wish Donald Trump will stop his tweets, dont they ever stop?

But the one certainty in the uncertainty surrounding Iran at the moment, one can safely say, is that there is no chance at all of Donald Trumps tweets ending anytime soon, whatever harm they do.
It is 70 years since the era of public rail ownership began in Great Britain. The British Railways Board formally took control of the operation and planning of the whole network, having been brought into existence by Clement Attlees Labour government under the Transport Act 1947 (the name British Rail didnt appear until 1965).

At the time, the network was in dire need of investment. The Railways Act 1921 had consolidated over 100 operators into the big four  Great Western; London, Midland & Scottish; London & North Eastern; and Southern Railways. They had been financially squeezed by rules that forced them to carry freight at rates that were often unprofitable, and competition from an emerging road sector that had been prioritised for public investment.

The rail network had then been worn to the bone in supporting the war effort and considerably damaged by German Luftwaffe bombing. Rail safety had become a serious concern: Two major accidents in the south and north of England within two days in October 1947 resulted in 60 fatalities and contributed to that year being the second deadliest in British railway history.

The level of outlay to restore the network and rolling stock to its heyday was well beyond the financial resources of the big four. In keeping with a public mood that also saw the nationalisation of coal, iron, steel, electricity and telecoms, not to mention the creation of the National Health Service, there seemed only one way forward.

Many are similarly keen on rail nationalisation today, following privatisation in the 1990s. The majority of the public are in favour, and Jeremy Corbyns Labour party plan to act accordingly if they win the next election. What can we learn from what happened first time around?

The 1948 nationalisation was followed by the modernisation plan of 1955, which committed 1.2bn  around 30bn in todays money. It included electrifying the main lines, replacing steam locomotives with diesel models, renewing the track and closing certain smaller lines.

With hindsight, it failed badly. It essentially replaced what already existed rather than looking at current and future needs, missing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revitalise the system. Long-term decline continued, resulting in losses by the late 1950s and the Beeching cuts of the mid-to-late 1960s in the name of a profitable railway by 1980.

That never materialised, and the consequences of decline and under-investment rumbled on into the current era of private franchise operators and state-owned track and stations company Network Rail. Surging passenger numbers have made todays problems even more acute, creating a network that in parts is under severe strain.

Infrastructure investment since privatisation has been considerable. Network Rail is over halfway through a five-year 38bn investment plan, and is partly funded by the franchise operators. Yet Network Rails balance sheet demonstrates the limits of these contributions. The company had a debt level of 34bn in 2014, and its set to rise to 52bn by 2019. This level of debt would crush any private sector company.

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. 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As regards the dilapidated trains inherited by the franchise operators at privatisation, much have been replaced. The new Hitachi Azuma being introduced on the East Coast line later in 2018 has ergonomically designed seats, super-fast wifi and mood lighting  a far cry from when customers revelled in the 1950s sophistication of corridors and toilets on new short-haul trains.

Todays companies that lease the rolling stock to the operators have made the large capital investments to make these upgrades possible because ultimately this is state-backed. The Government will always ensure that train operating companies have trains.

There is a strong sense that whatever the level of investment in trains and track, it will never be enough. But this endless quest for a modern efficient railway can only ever be pursued with the heavy support of public finances. Nationalisation is likely to have little impact because the state is so heavily committed already.

As for the rail franchises, if you ignore the states contribution to infrastructure costs, a number are profitable and some considerably so  these include South West Trains, Greater Anglia and Thameslink. Operators have benefited from both the passenger increases and reduced charges for track access.

The Government imposes premiums on different franchises based on how profitable they are expected to be over their seven-year lifetime. This is designed to prevent excessive monopoly profits and reduce the overall subsidy requirement. Yet it represents a very serious business risk for operators, since they have to accurately forecast revenue streams seven years into the future. This was no better highlighted than by Virgin Trains early planned withdrawal from the East Coast franchise on the back of missed projections.

Some might accuse Virgin of having tendered too ambitiously, or even recklessly, but Id argue the system takes the idea of business risk to breaking point, underpinned by a competitive tendering system that almost encourages excessive optimism. And because premiums can easily end up too low or too high, theres a constant prospect of early withdrawals or public anger.

Nationalisation was no panacea in the 1940s. It was driven more by circumstances and political ideology rather than any great strategic vision for a modern railway. The investment errors of the 1950s look like a classic example of the ills of public sector management: Poorly defined objectives, loss of focus, little sense of realities at senior management level and wasteful extravagance.

The current model, on the other hand, exposes the private sector to excessive business risk and builds instability into the system. It also still depends heavily on state infrastructure investment or guarantees.

The best way forward is probably to optimise what we have: Re-evaluate the rail franchising process and look at different ways to share business risk between the public and private sectors. That might include directly awarding some franchises without a tendering process, whether to a private or public operator, for example. It would be a step towards full nationalisation without throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

Jonathan Cowie is a lecturer in transport economics at Edinburgh Napier University. This piece first appeared in The Conversation (theconversation.com)
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Indian American Ravi Bhalla, a Sikh, was sworn in as mayor of Hoboken Jan. 1 and used the occasion to sign an executive order designating the city as "fair and welcoming." (Ravi Bhalla/Facebook photo)
Activists of the Difa-e-Pakistan Council shout anti-U.S. slogans at a protest in Karachi Jan. 2, 2018. Pakistan has summoned the U.S. ambassador, an embassy spokesman said Jan. 2, in a rare public rebuke after Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad with threats to cut aid over lies about militancy. (Asif Hassan/AFP/Getty Images)
Industrial Minerals recorded this interest in the importance given to the new Battery Price report, which launched in October 2016, and in the record number of delegates who attended the 2017 9th Industrial Minerals Lithium Supply & Markets conference, held in Montreal, Canada.

The demand driver in lithium is reported to be the automotive sector. This year alone, several car manufacturers have either released a new electric vehicle model or announced their intention to do so.

2017

In some quarters, lithium carbonate  the material used to make lithium-ion batteries and derived from either hard rock (spodumene) or brines  is referred to as white gold.

It is not surprising, then, that the current tally of junior producers hoping to bring a lithium project online stands at 300.

Indeed, supply is still one of the most hotly debated topics in the industry. No one now doubts that new supply will be needed  the nay-sayers have long been silenced on that topic. But there is some dispute about where the new supply will come from.



Through 2017, the imbalance between supply and demand was as prevalent as it had been over the previous two years. Prices remained strong, much to the investors relief  a softening of the current market prices remains one of the investors and juniors greatest fears, as it could threaten the development of projects.



Although the number of developing projects is large, the know-how of the lithium industry remains underdeveloped. Producing lithium carbonate or hydroxide requires technical knowledge, an understanding of the challenges facing the market and perseverance.



Traditional producers such as SQM, Albemarle, FMC, Ganfeng and Tianqi, among others, have sought to increase their total output and production capacity to fulfil current market demand (see below).



To secure raw materials supplies, several of the traditional producers have engaged in offtake agreements with junior lithium producers and have started to participate in their projects to speed up their development processes.

Fanning the flames



Concerns regarding the safety of lithium-ion batteries have continued. At the start of the year, the United States consumer safety watchdog called for heightened safety regulations on lithium-ion batteries after details were released by Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, outlining what had caused a number of its Galaxy Note 7 smartphone devices to overheat and catch fire in 2016, prompting two recalls and a cessation of production.



In April, a train carrying electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries exploded near the US city of Houston on its way to Los Angeles, where the batteries were being shipped for recycling.

Company news



Chiles state-owned Corporacion Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) opened a bidding process for the development of lithium projects at its two salt flats, Pedernarles and Maricunga, in northern Chile. By the end of the year, it had still not announced the winner.



GFL International Co Ltd (Ganfeng) agreed to invest $174 million in the Lithium Americas Corp (LAC) Cauchari Olaroz project in Argentina to secure an offtake agreement and to ensure the projects development.



The deal sees Ganfeng, the largest integrated lithium producer in China, picking up 75 million common LAC shares for a total of $49 million, as well as the right to purchase as much as 70% of LACs share of Caucharis Stage 1 lithium carbonate production at market prices.



Albemarle Corp, the worlds largest producer of lithium, revealed that it will pay royalties of as much as 40% to Chilean state economic body Corporacion de Fomento de la Produccion (CORFO) under its agreement to expand lithium production in the country.



The joint venture between Albermarle and Tianqi Lithium Corp, Talison Lithium, has approved the expansion of lithium concentrate production at its Greenbushes spodumene mine in Australia.



The expansion is intended to more than double lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) capacity at Greenbushes from 80,000 tonnes per year to more than 160,000 tpy. Commissioning of the expansion is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2019.



Chinese lithium producer Tianqi Lithium Corp said that it will not proceed with the exercising of an option that would have seen it acquire a 20% stake in Rockwood Lithium GmbH, a subsidiary of US counterpart Albemarle.



Albemarle and Tianqi entered into a deed of termination in relation to the planned share purchase in February.

Electric vehicle (EV) producer Tesla Motors Inc commenced lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery cell production at its gigafactory in Reno, Nevada, US, in January.



Tesla said that, by 2018, it intends to produce 35 GWh per year of lithium-ion battery cells, nearly as much as the rest of the worlds battery production combined.



It then revealed that it would be building three further battery gigafactories, but did not say where.



Japanese car manufacturer Toyota announced that it has completed the sale of its stake in Tesla Motors following the termination of the contract at the end of 2016, ending the previous partnership between the companies.



In 2010, Toyota and Tesla agreed to work jointly on the manufacturing of electric vehicles, with the Japanese company acquiring 3.15% of Teslas outstanding shares, valued at $40.5 million (4.50 billion).



Nemaska Lithium received a lump-sum payment of $10 million from FMC Corp as part of a previously-agreed supply deal for lithium carbonate.



Under the amended agreement, Nemaska Lithium will start to supply FMC no later than April 1, 2019, and had to supply lithium carbonate samples to FMC for qualification in 2017.



Breaking with the delivery obligations agreed in the supply agreement will force Nemaska Lithium to return the full $10 million payment plus an agreed penalty.
Nollywood actress Regina Daniels took to her Instagram page to invite her beloved fans to her matriculation into Igbinedion university in Nigeria, which will hold on January 13.

The actress actress shared the photos below on her Instagram page and wrote;

My matric loading.. 13th January. Yall invited. School ?.,,..

More photos below;
The RRS patrol team of the Lagos State Police Command halted an attempt by a 4  man robbery gang to snatch a Toyota Camry and a Corolla from two drivers near Lagos Dump Site on Lekki  Epe Expressway on New years day.

The robbers, posing as policemen with wooden guns, held the occupants of the vehicles hostage before sighting RRS patrol teams. The robbers fled into the bush, abandoning their victims and one of their improvised guns.

The robbers were chased into a thick forest but no arrest was made. The victims disclosed that two of the robbers posed as policemen before another two who were lurking in the bush came out asking them to surrender their keys.
The highly recognized Nigerian male barbie has a warning for you all. Bobrisky lamented bitterly about how Nigerian accuses hates on him for being gay, but we didnt attack Davido and Wizkid for showing themselves some Love. Bob posted the photo below and complained about it bitterly and warned you all to stop attacking him.

See photos below:-

source: Theinfong
You all wont believe this but news making waves claims that a female Nigerian Tailor gave Mercy Aigbe her Clients wedding reception dress to wear for a shoot & lied to her client that the dress is missing.

In simple English, Mercy Aigbe allegedly borrowed a dress from a tailor for her 40th birthday photo but the dress was actually an innocent girls wedding dress and the tailor had lied to the girl that her dress wasnt ready.

Nigerians on social media are so pissed off about it that theyre just baring their disgust everywhere on different social media platforms.

One Twitter user wrote:

The audacity. The guts. The lack of fear. I salute the designer. Surely she must have known the bride would see the dress on mercy Aigbe yet she had no qualms. Such bravery. Or maybe I should say such callous and dangerous pomposity  Prof Ogom (@OgomV) January 1, 2018

Another wrote:

From now on, Mercy Aigbe Is Canceled!

Cos she cant say shes not aware thats someones wedding dress.

Let me first of all delete all my business mentions to her.. I dont deal with Snakes!  Abimbola Abio Idrees .O (@SenatorAbio) January 1, 2018

But seriously tho, what are we going to do with Nigerian tailors???
A 25-year old Fulani kidnap-for-ransom kingpin, Ibrahim Umar, stunned people watching as he was being paraded among 15 others by the Nigerian Police, Tuesday.

When he disclosed that he had not only killed over ten of his kidnapped victims in recent times but also drank their blood raw.

He equally disclosed that he hunts and kills soldiers to get their arms and uniforms for operations whenever he was in need of the items.

What stands Umars kidnap gang out among many others across the country is that it kills the victims even after collecting ransom from their families.

Umar, a vicious and notorious kidnap-for-ransom/armed robbery kingpin, who said he has been in the business for over two years now,

was arrested alongside his three gang members in the forest and towns along Abuja-Kaduna, and Abuja-Suleja-Minna Highway by men of the F- SARS Special Tactical Squad attached to Operation Absolute Sanity.

The husband of two wives and father of two, who gave his nickname as Oro, told journalists at Sabon Wuse Divisional Office of the Nigeria Police Force, venue of the parade.

That he had made fortunes worth several millions of naira from the atrocities he carried out along the highway for the past two years.

The arms and ammunition recovered from the the gang included five AK47 riffles, 1596 7.62 X 39mm AK47 ammunition, two sword & cutlasses, four pairs of suspected fake military uniform and mobile phones.\

See more photos below:-

-Naijaloaded
Two important things happened in the Ososa, Ogun State, home of legendary dramatist, Chief Hubert Ogunde, on Thursday. First, his family unveiled a competition on the translation of his songs. According to them, there is the need for children, youths and non-Yoruba-speaking people to also savour the beauty and messages of the songs. Hence, it unveiled the contest that will reward the winner with N500,000 while the first and second runners-up will get N200,000 and N100,000, respectively.

It was also a cool time for the family to showcase the Hubert Ogunde Living Memory Museum, which is what the Ososa house has become. It is arguably one of the richest museums in the country and beyond. From the entrance to the very last room, it beams with largely exotic documents and objects and spectacles that define the life and times of the artist who died in 1990.

The fact is that December 26 t0 30 is a very important period for his wives, children and grandchildren. This is when they gather at Ogundes expansive home, have a reunion feast to cement the bond among them, despite the fact it is a polygamous setting where the great daddy had just 17 wives and 24 children. They host visitors, including bishops, while they also dine, wine and dance together.

In the house on Thursday were two of his surviving wives, Mrs. Ibidun and Iyabo Ogunde; his children, Chief Richard Ogunde, Mrs. Victoria Ogunde- Olorunjegbe, Mrs. Sumbo Ogunde -Bademosi, Folabi Kikilowo and Dayo Akinboye. There were also his grandchildren, Adeleke Ogunde (curator of the museum), Mrs. Toyin and Funlola Ogunde. Also present was his younger sister, Mrs. Ebun Oluwo. They were later joined by the traditional ruler of Ososa, Oba Toye Alatishe, who noted that Ogunde gave the town a name that is globally respected. The unveiling of the museum and competition, however, made the 2017 edition of the reunion unique.

Head of Nigerian Languages at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Associate Prof. Olufadekemi Adagbada, was on hand to give details of the competition. She is the head of the five-man panel overseeing the project, with others being Prof. Duro Adeleke, Prof. L. A. Bamidele and a representative each from the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners and the Theatre Arts and movie Practitioners Association of Nigeria.

According to Adagbada, the project will cover the operas that Ogunde produced between the 1940s and 1950s. She explained that the rationale behind translating the songs was to give a wider audience an opportunity to appreciate them and further immortalise Ogunde.

LR: Mrs. Sumbo Ogunde-Bademosi, Mrs. Victoria Ogunde and Prof. Adagbada

The person we are talking about is a legend. He made indelible marks in the industry and beyond. But many youths do not really know who Ogunde was. Many of them have not listened to or watched his works. Yet, there are many things to learn from the songs. So, we should get these operas translated into English so that they can travel across ages, tribes and continents.

She added that the competition was open to people from different parts of the country, as long as the person could understand Yoruba and translate it.

What Ogunde started and propagated is not just for the Yoruba. You cant box him into a corner, Adagbada added.

In spite of governments failure to assist in developing the Ogunde museum and the abandoned Ogunde Film Village, the family has been able to preserve their fathers legacy for posterity and tourism. The museum opens from Tuesdays to Sundays, with the curator describing the gate fee as modest  a thousand naira for an adult and N500 for a child. The facility is capable of giving any visitor a memorable experience.

In front of it is the burial site of the dramatist, built in the form of an opon ifa  the divination tray. Standing on it is his giant statue. At the entrance are his bust and a masterly carving, made from mahogany. That mahogany is Ogundes choice wood is evident in its presence in other sections or objects in the museum.

Being a man of taste, his sitting room is modestly but inspiringly furnished. On the walls are photographs of his wives, especially when they were young and exuded beauty like the morning rose. In his various photographs too, including those he took when he was initially a police officer, one can also not ignore the good looks of the maverick polygamist who inspired virtually every member of the family to be part of his troupe.

Also in the sitting room are Ilu Agba  drum for those who can be described as the initiated  accompanied with junior ones such as Ilu Akiri and Ilu Apere. While a Kollington Ayinla would sing that he is the one who introduced bata drum into fuji music, it was Ogunde who introduced the sacred Ilu Agba into theatre.

The curator of the museum, Adeleke Ogunde, said, In the past, the elders warned that Ilu Agba belonged to the Osugbo. So, it was so revered that no one was even allowed to dance to its beat. It was Baba Ogunde who broke the norm.

Also, there are the Gbeu gbeu costume that Ogunde featured in Yoruba Ronu; the Omolokun mask used in Jaiyesinmi and the dramatists beaded foot wear.

The dining room is now a place for food for the eyes and the mind. Among other objects, it houses photographs of the then young Yoruba actors, such as Kola Ogunmola, Duro Ladipo, Moses Adejumo (Baba Sala), Adebayo Faleti, Lere Paimo (Eda Onileola), Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande), Charles Olumo (Agbako) and Ade Afolayan (Ade Love), which they took with Ogunde at various events or during different productions.

The visitor will also come to terms with more realities about Ogunde when they get into his meditation room, prayer room, toilet and heavily-loaded costume room which, according to the curator, is just one of the three rooms in the compound, all full of costumes. Mrs. Victoria Ogunde said her father could use his last kobo to acquire costumes.

While another room beams with Ogundes equipment and other related materials, including his collection of celluloid films, another one is dedicated to the artistic representation of a scene each from Aiye and Jaiyesinmi.

It is in this room that the visitor will come face to face with the witches and wizards as well as the giant vulture that rattles everyone in Aiye, which are nothing but artistic manipulations by the man believed to be the doyen of theatre in Nigeria.

source: Thenation
The Lagos State Police Command, today, have arrested the leader and the chief herbalist of the dreaded Badoo cult, Fatai Adebayo alias Alese.

Alese, who specializes n administering oath on members of the group before they launch any attack, was arrested at his shrine located in Imosan Village, a suburb of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.

The arrest of the herbalist followed the arrest of some Badoo cult suspects at the weekend including the overall head of the group.

The commissioner of police, Imohimi Edgal, in a chat with newsmen, stated that he head of the group was arrested on water during an attempt to escape.

The CP, who led the operation involving the Commander of Rapid Response Squad (RRS), ACP Tunji Disu; Chairman of Lagos State Special Task Force, SP Yinka Egbeyemi, among others, said investigation was still ongoing but that the full details about the arrests made so far would be disclosed on Thursday at a press briefing.

He said:

Over the weekend, we had far reaching achievement in the fight against the killers popularly known as Badoo in Ikorodu. Their kingpin who is the head of the group has been arrested. He was arrested on water as he was making his escape.

Revealing how the herbalist was arrested, Edgal said:

One of the suspects arrested confessed and he led us here that before they go for any killing, the head of the group brings them to this gentleman (Adebayo) to come and carry out oath for both themselves and the piece of stone they used for their killings and that they dont go for any killing without first of all coming for oath in this shrine and that is why we are here.

This gentleman is an accomplice before the fact and so definitely we are placing him under arrest and as well as sealing off the shrine till after investigation. I will give further details on Thursday during my press briefing but I can assure the good people of Ikorodu, Lagosians and Nigerians that we will not rest until this evil is completely rooted out from Lagos State, Edgal assured.

The CP also made a brief stop-over at the palace of the traditional ruler of Imosan Village, Chief Tajudeen Muili to intimate him of the criminal activities going on under his domain.

At the shrine located at No 38, Ayegbami Quarters in Imosan, which was later demolished by policemen, there were different charms and big stones said to be used for the illicit activities of the Badoo group.

-Channels
Manchester United got back to winning ways, after record three successive draws in their previous outings.

Jose Mourinhos men got it right on New Year day by beating Everton 2-0 at Goodison Park.

Second-half goals from Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard saw United make a winning start to 2018, lifting them back above Chelsea and into second place in the process.

The Red Devils now have 47 points from 21 games.

Everton, on the other hand, have now fallen to back-to-back defeats for the first time since October.

Their impressive five-match unbeaten home streak in the league has come to an end following an ineffectual display at their home ground on Monday.

Source: ( Premium Times )
A medical practitioner identified as Eric claimed that his friends sister was sexually assaulted by three Nigerian men in Donholm, Nairobi.

According to him, the young lady had been dating one of the three men, who convinced her to visit him at his place.

When the unsuspecting lady arrived in the house, she found two other guys who forced themselves on her.

They also withdrew money using her ATM and disappeared.

Read the full thread below.
Punch

Catholic priest and Spiritual Director of the Adoration Ministries, Enugu, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari that Nigerians will change him in 2019 if he does not change his style of leadership.

Vanguard

We distributed 1.3bn litres of products in one month  NNPC President engages NNPC, DPR, MOMAN, IPMAN, DAPPMA, others today

The Sun

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has reiterated his commitment to producing a successor that belongs to his partys political tradition of progressive and people-oriented leadership.

Thisday

Tragedy struck Monday at Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State, when unidentified gunmen shot and killed 17 persons who were returning from a New Year crossover service.

Guardian

A traditional ruler in the southern part of Kaduna State, the Etum Numana, Mr. Gambo Makama and his pregnant wife have been killed in Arak, his home town, in Sanga local government area of the Kaduna in the early hours of January 1.

Daily Trust

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described former President Goodluck Jonathan as an epitome of hope and peace in Africas democracy.

Tribune

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs Bolanle, has underscored the importance of routine immunization and post-natal care for the survival and growth of newborns, saying it was important for nursing mothers to pay greater attention to the health of their children.

The Nation

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Second Vice President Monday Ubani yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari must have misunderstood Nigerians demand for restructuring.
Controversial Nigerian Nollywood actor Charles Okocha has taken to social media to celebrate his beautiful mother on new years day. Popularly known as Igwe 2pac, Okocha who is obviously in a joyous mood as he thanks God for seeing another year was seen raining naira notes on his mother in an Instagram video. Igwe 2pac shared the video on Monday, January 1, via his Instagram handle with the caption: HAPPY NUNU YEAR WORLD #NUNU.

Watching the video, the Nollywood actor could be seen dressed in bath robes as he carried a bundle of N200 notes. He also told his mother to keep calling his name as he sprayed her in their sitting room

source: Naij.com
The Nigerias first inland dry port will be inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in Kaduna State.

A dry port is an inland intermodal terminal directly connected by road, rail and air to a seaport and operates as a centre for trans-shipment of sea cargoes to inland destinations.

According to the Nigerian Shippers Council, all is set for the President to inaugurate the Kaduna Inland Dry Port in Kakuri, Kaduna State.

The Director, Special Duties, NSC, Mr. Ignatius Nweke, in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, said the port, which is among the seven dry ports being promoted by the council, was built by the Kaduna Inland Dry Port Limited.

He said the facility had the capacity to handle 29,000 tonnes of cargo yearly in the first phase of operation, adding that the figure might double upon the completion of the port.

Nweke stated, It is also estimated to generate no fewer than 5,000 direct jobs at the commencement of operations.

The Kaduna Dry Port, which is the first of its kind in Nigeria, will receive cargo from the Apapa Port in Lagos through the railway or by road, and also export goods through the same channel.

According to him, the idea of establishing inland container depots in the hinterland is informed by the need to reduce the congestion in Lagos ports and provide relief for the busy Apapa road.

Nweke said the port, when inaugurated by the President, would provide an easy process for the exportation of farm produce from Kaduna and neighbouring states as well as landlocked countries.

He added that Kaduna State was the largest producer of ginger in the country, and noted that the new port would provide the opportunity for the exportation of processed agricultural produce to other countries of the world.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad of the Lagos State Police Command on Sunday foiled an attempt by some robbers to snatch a Toyota Camry and a Toyota Corolla from some motorists on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the gang, while posing as cops, flagged down the motorists on the expressway.

However, as the drivers stopped, some other members of the four-man gang reportedly emerged from hidding and held the victims hostage. They were about taking the vehicles away when the RRS operatives, who were on patrol, gave them a chase.

The police said the suspects fled into the bush, abandoning the vehicles and a toy gun.

The robbers fled into the bush and abandoned the victims and one of their improvised guns. They were chased into a bush, but no arrest was made.

The victims disclosed that two of the robbers posed as policemen before another two, who were lurking in the bush, came out, asking them to surrender their keys. They added that they were going to Epe to celebrate the New Year, the police said in a statement on Monday.

The Lagos State police spokesperson, SP Chike Oti, reportedly confirmed the incident, adding that the command would intensify patrols along the highways for the safety of residents.

Oti said the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, had ordered that the fleeing robbers be apprehended and brought to justice.

-Punch
A former Christian convent schoolgirl says shes selling her virginity after she gave up on waiting until marriage following a heartbreaking split.

Bailey Gibson is taking bids from men around the world, saying she wants to lose her virginity in the most profitable way possible, and defending her decision from critics.

Sex with the 23-year-old is being auctioned through the Moonlite Bunny Ranch brothel in Nevada which has become famous for publicity stunts and its celebrity clientele.

Bailey revealed she grew up sheltered in a home with strong Christian values, attending a strict all-girls boarding school in her teens.

She was planning to have sex for the first time on her wedding night, but realised that her cheating ex-boyfriend wasnt worth waiting for and neither was marriage.

Bailey  who has described herself as a bona fide virgin  has written a blog post explaining why she is selling her virginity through a legal brothel and addressing critics who say the stunt will make her a prostitute.

She wrote:

I grew up nestled in a gated community in the suburbs of Sacramento, California. I was adopted when I was one year old, and grew up with very strong Christian values as my adoptive father was an elder at our home church. I grew up very sheltered. I was not allowed to watch TV, listen to any music other than Christian music, have friends over, or have sleepovers ever. If we did watch a movie, it was on the Hallmark or Disney channel. If we were allowed to watch TV, we were allowed to only watch programs like Little House on the Prairie. I remember sneaking and watching Carmen Sandiego cartoons and Hannah Montana with my sister.

Bailey said her parents sent her to the girls-only Christian boarding school in Stockton, Missouri, when she was 16 and she had no contact with boys while she was there.

She wrote:

Needless to say, the lack of male company and deep religious study contributed to me becoming an adult virgin.

After graduating, she moved in with her birth father in Charlotte, North Carolina, before moving to Wisconsin to live with her biological grandmother.

She eventually got a boyfriend, who was also a Christian, and they moved in together, but she did not want a sexual relationship until they were married.

But the relationship began to unravel after he was unfaithful to her.

Bailey wrote:

I learned that love can be deceiving when I discovered that he slept with his ex on Valentines Day, however. Being the naive 19 year old that I was, I thought that if I stayed with him and we enrolled in couples therapy, I could make our relationship right again. At that point I had virtually nobody and my ex-boyfriend brought me companionship. So, I stayed. Foolishly. Only to be heartbroken after one of our couples therapy sessions when I found out that he had already met and slept with someone else  on their first date no less. After grieving for a while, I came to the conclusion that waiting until marriage to lose my virginity was the wrong decision, because my ex-boyfriend wasnt worth waiting for.

Thats when she made the decision to sell her virginity, she said.

Bailey added:

I thought that I could trade my virginity for my boyfriends lifelong devotion. I was wrong. So, I decided that I was going to get something for my virginity  something that benefits me and my life. I wanted to lose my virginity in the most profitable way possible.

She then contacted Dennis Hoff, who runs the Bunny Ranch and other legal brothels in rural Nevada.

Bailey has faced criticism for her decision, which she has brushed aside.

She wrote:

Society perceives me as a deviant, and I am okay with that. At the end of the day, it is my body. I have the right do what I want with it. Going through the Bunny Ranch allows me to legally have sex for money. Does this make me a prostitute? Gasp! Meh, I dont know. If you take a picture once, does that make you a photographer? I do not think that capitalizing upon your purity makes you a bad person. Just like having sex with multiple men does not make you a bad person. We all make choices. Mine was to wait. Now it is to sell.

It was unclear how much money Hof stands to gain from the transaction.
Devon Self Storage, a California-based operator that owns or manages 46 facilities nationwide, has acquired a family-owned portfolio consisting of three properties in Ottawa County, Mich. The sites comprise 212,668 square feet of rentable space in 1,296 units and 47 vehicle-parking spaces, according to the source.

The acquisition includes Lakewood Self Storage Center at 257 W. Lakewood Blvd. and Felch Street Self Storage at 12285 Felch St. in Holland, Mich. The third facility is Georgetown Mini Storage at 7062 12th Ave. in Georgetown Township, Mich.

The deal positions Devon in two underserved submarkets in West Michigan with well-maintained properties that will require nominal capital improvements, according to a company statement. The purchase was made with a $9.1 million loan facilitated by Talonvest Capital Inc., a boutique commercial real estate advisory firm serving the self-storage industry.

Last month, Devon purchased a U-Stor-It facility in downtown Chicago. The 21-story building on S. Wabash Avenue comprises 95,589 net rentable square feet.

Devon has maintained a dedicated self-storage operating platform since 1993. Since then, the company has been involved with the acquisition, development, disposition and management of approximately $1 billion in self-storage assets.
Update 9/20/18  Prime Group has acquired another self-storage property in Queens. The company paid $26.5 million for the two adjacent industrial buildings at 109-09 180th St. and 180-05 110th Ave. in Jamaica. The site comprises 106,000 square feet and once operated as Treasure Island Storage, according to the source.

The seller was Cayre Equities LLC, a private real estate development and investment firm. The company acquired the joint lots in 2005 for $6.5 million.

1/2/18  Prime Group Holdings, a New York-based real estate group that owns self-storage and other real estate interests, has acquired a storage facility from Madison Development LLC in the Astoria neighborhood of Queens, N.Y., for $94 million. The 173,990-square-foot property at 31-07 20th Ave. will be rebranded under the Prime Storage Group name, according to a source.

The Astoria facility is Prime Groups third location in New York City. It acquired an 82,862-square-foot Brooklyn property from Madison in October for $53 million. The company has also purchased a Madison-owned property at 1735 Zerega Ave. in the Bronx for $37 million, the source reported.

Prior to its recent sales, Madison owned about 600,000 square feet of self-storage in New York City. Ive built enough storage, and we are now reframing our business to seek other adventures, Adam Gordon, president of Madison, told the source.

Headquartered in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Prime Group owns and manages more than 170 self-storage facilities in 23 states. Its operating portfolio comprises more than 10 million rentable square feet.

Sources:

The Real Deal, Saratoga Springs Firm Buys Jamaica Self-Storage Facility for $27M

The Real Deal, Saratoga Springs Firm Pays $94M for Astoria Self-Storage Site
Oakland, CA - January 2, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The total economic output from legal cannabis will grow 150% from $16 billion in 2017 to $40 billion by 2021, according to the "US Legal Cannabis: Driving $40 Billion Economic Output" report released today by Arcview Market Research, in partnership with BDS Analytics. The report examines the economic multiplier effects through which US consumer spending on legal cannabis in 2021 of $20.8 billion will generate $39.6 billion in overall economic impact, 414.000 jobs, and more than $4 billion in tax receipts.

The report provides estimates of the total economic contribution, direct and indirect jobs created, and tax receipts generated in each of the 35 states expected to have medical or adult-use legality by 2021. The 68-page report is available on an a la carte basis or as part of the Cannabis Intelligence Briefing subscription service from Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics.

"The economic excitement around the legal cannabis industry is no longer just theory," said Troy Dayton, CEO of The Arcview Group. "Due to the giant impact adult-use legalization is already having in the United States, its vital for key stakeholders to understand the full impact of legalization, beyond just retail sales numbers."

Among other findings, "US Legal Cannabis: Driving $40 Billion Economic Output" reveals:

The legalization of adult-use sales in California will lead to the creation of nearly 99,000 cannabis industry jobs in the state by 2021, about a third of all cannabis jobs nationwide, and 146,000 jobs overall when indirect and induced effects are considered.

By 2021, direct cannabis industry employment will top 291,500 FTE jobs, with a total employment effect of nearly 414,000 FTEs across all legal cannabis states.

Six of the early movers in legal adult-use implementation (California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington) will account for more than 60% of that $39.6 billion in 2021 total economic output. Medical-use states will see far less positive economic impact, while the hold-out states will see none.

The legal cannabis industry may have been a key factor in lowering Colorados unemployment rate to one of the lowest in the nation.

Conservative estimates show more than $1 billion dollars in wholesale, excise, and cannabis-specific sales taxes were taken into state treasuries during 2016. That number is forecast to grow to just over $1.4 billion in 2017 and then to nearly $2.8 billion by 2021. With additional state and local general sales taxes, that 2021 figure could be between $4 billion and $4.7 billion.

The report also explores the projected decrease in illicit markets, and the budgetary and societal benefits of that decline, as the legal, regulated side of the cannabis industry continues to grow.

"Across the country, Americans are worried about being able to find jobs and support their families," said Tom Adams, Editor-in-Chief at Arcview Market Research and Principal Analyst at BDS Analytics. "The numerous employment opportunities created by the cannabis industry, especially in states that are legalizing adult use, cross the spectrum from retail and service jobs to science, technology and other traditional professions. Voters have noticed, and now legislators are waking up to the opportunities."

For more information, to purchase "US Legal Cannabis: Driving $40 Billion Economic Output," or to sign up for the Cannabis Intelligence Briefing series, please visit arcviewgroup.com/research.

About The Arcview Group:

Founded in 2010, The Arcview Group is responsible for a number of groundbreaking ventures in the cannabis industry. The Arcview Investor Network includes more than 600 accredited investors who have put more than $150 million behind 160 companies. Arcview Market Research has published the State of Legal Marijuana Markets since 2011 and it has become the most oft-cited data in the sector. In 2017, Arcview Market Research partnered with BDS Analytics to add more robust point-of-sale data and consumer insights to its offerings. In 2015 Arcview became a partner in Canopy, the first seed-stage mentor-driven business accelerator. Arcview is also co-founder of Cannasure Insurance Services, the leading provider of business insurance to the cannabis industry. Forbes Magazine recently named Arcview among the top 5 financial firms in the cannabis sector.

About BDS Analytics:

Headquartered in Boulder, Colo., BDS Analytics provides cannabis brands, cultivators, producers, dispensaries, and investors with comprehensive, actionable, and accurate industry research. The company provides a holistic understanding of the cannabis market by producing insights from dispensary point-of-sale systems through its market-leading GreenEdgeTM platform, driving consumer research with its Cannabis Insights Group. To learn more about how you can utilize BDS Analytics' superior data and insights, please visit www.bdsanalytics.com.

Media Contact Information:

Arcview Market Research

Abby Benjamin

abbybenjamin@arcviewgroup.com

BDS Analytics

Robert Vanisko - North 6th Agency

bdsanalytics@n6a.com

212-334-9753 ext. 112

Disclosure: The Arcview Group is featured on the 420 Cannabis Investor Ideas Directory at www.420cannabisinvestorideas.com

The move to legalize marijuana in California, the US' most populous state with almost 40 million people, saw the state become the world's largest commercial market for recreational marijuana.

The cannabis market is expected to generate an additional $1 billion (833 million) in tax revenue.

"The agreement with Green Reef is an important advancement into market penetration into United States," said John David Belfontaine, President and CEO of Phivida. "We have every confidence that Green Reef has the expertise, the experience and the ambition we need to deliver our products to consumers in California and we are looking forward to a strong first year of sales."

About Green Reef Distributing Inc.:

With more than 15 sales staff across the state of California, Green Reef's mission is to become the state's top shelf wholesale distribution, sales and marketing company representing the highest quality products available for the cannabis industry by building a comprehensive distribution and brand management service company.

About Phivida Organics Inc.

Phivida (pronounced "fi-VEE-dah") is a premier brand of cannabidiol ("CBD")-infused functional foods, beverages and clinical products and a publicly traded company on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol "VIDA." Using nanoencapsulation technology, Phivida converts lipid-based cannabinoids into a water-soluble delivery format to enhance bioavailability and timed release within the body. Phivida's mission is to be a global leader in the alternative health sector while advancing education and research and investing back into our communities. For more information visit www.phivida.com. For investor information please email us at ir@phivida.com.

Safe Harbour

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, which may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the Company's use of the proceeds of the Offering and the trading date of the Common Shares. Such forward-looking information reflects Phivida's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those set out in the Prospectus. Phivida does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law. No securities regulatory authority has either approved or disapproved of the contents of this news release. The Common Shares have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States, or to or for the account or benefit of any person in the United States, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any common shares in the United States, or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. We seek safe harbour.

SOURCE: Phivida Holdings Inc.

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Formed by Kuricorder Quartet, Beautiful Hummingbird and Chiku Toshiaki, Kuricorder Quartet is well known as a recorder ensembles group. They play various recorders, and other music instruments like Melodica, Saxophone, tuba, ukulele, mouth harp and percussion.





Besides, they are well-known by the theme music of famous Japanese TV program "PythagoraSwitch" (NHK) by using various instruments, thus creating comfortable sound.

In 2015, they started music exchange program in Southeast Asia.

This is the third time they play in Vietnam after 2013 and 2016. Ms. Ngo Tra My, one of the most famous Dan bau (Vietnamese monochord zither) player in Vietnam this time, will be a special guest.

From 12h00 on January 5th, free tickets will be distributed at the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam (No.27 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi) and the Ho Chi Minh city Conservatory of Music (No.112 Nguyen Du, Ben Thanh, District 1, Ho Chi Minh city).

Detailed information

Hanoi: Door opens at 19h30, at Vietnam Youth Theater, No.11 Ngo Thi Nham, Hai Ba Trung district

Ho Chi Minh city: Door opens at 19h30, at Ho Chi Minh city Conservatory of Music./.
January 2, 2018 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Technical analyst Clive Maund delves into the reasons behind copper's recent rise and what that could mean for silver.

We have seen an unusually steady uptrend in copper this month that has resulted in it appreciating by about 10%, which might not sound like much, but makes a big difference if you are a producer with fixed costs. What is remarkable about this uptrend is not only that it came hard on the heels of a high volume smackdown in the early days of the month that at the time looked bearish, but that we have seen 16 days trading days in a row of higher closes as of the close of trading on Thursday, as can be seen on the 3-month chart for copper shown below. After doing some extensive research it has been discovered that the fundamental reason for this day after day seemingly interminable uptrend was that a prominent Chinese buyer, who has an old fashioned way of doing things, was walking over to the London Metals Exchange every day for weeks with his black briefcase in hand and buying roughly the same amount of copper.



But sadly, on Friday, he was run over by a London bus while on his way to the exchange, and was thus unable to buy and the price dipped for the first time in long while.



We will now zoom out to look at copper on its latest 1-year chart. On this chart we can see that, while copper still has not broken down from its steep uptrend in force all this month, it is getting very overbought on its MACD and RSI indicators and is quite a long way ahead of its 200-day moving average, and these factors, taken together with the now extreme COT structure and sentiment indicators that we will look at shortly, suggest a high chance that it will go into reverse here or very soon and react back.



Next we will look at copper's latest COT chart, which, since it also goes back a year, can be directly compared to the 1-year copper chart above. As we can see, Large Spec long positions are very close to their highs of the past year, and when they have reached these sorts of levels in the past, a reaction back by copper reaction has ensued, and a reaction is made more likely given the factors that we have observed on copper's 1-year chart, and the sentiment extremes that now exist that we will look at next.

Click on chart to pop up a larger, clearer version.

On the latest copper optix, or optimism chart, we can see that bullish sentiment towards copper is at the sort of wild extremes that we have only seen once before in the last 10 years, and that coincided with a major top. This is not to say that it does this time, but it would certainly seem to indicate a high probability that we are at or close to a significant intermediate (medium-term) top.

Click on chart to pop up a larger, clearer version.

Chart courtesy of sentimentrader.com

The long-term chart for copper actually looks very bullish, because the bull market that began in October 2016 has been driven by record strong upside volume, which has propelled both volume indicators to clear new highs. What this suggests is that, while the other factors that we have already looked at, allied with the considerable resistance approaching the old peaks that we can delineate on this chart, will probably force a reaction back soon, the longer-term outlook remains favorable, with a high probability that copper will eventually proceed to break out to new all-time highs, i.e., get above even its 2011 peak in the $4.60 area. If that happens its rate of rise can of course be expected to accelerate.

While a detailed look at the copper price technicals may seem like a waste of time to some of you, given all the other subject matter for such analysis, it is important to keep in mind that we are not looking at copper for its own sake, we are looking at it because of its implications for the economy generally, and especially because of its implications for the outlook for the prices of other metals, especially silver. What we are seeing on these copper charts, principally its long-term chart, bodes very well indeed for the future trend of silver prices.

Clive Maund has been president of www.clivemaund.com, a successful resource sector website, since its inception in 2003. He has 30 years' experience in technical analysis and has worked for banks, commodity brokers and stockbrokers in the City of London. He holds a Diploma in Technical Analysis from the UK Society of Technical Analysts.

Disclosure:

1) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of Clive Maund and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. Clive Maund is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. Streetwise Reports was not involved in the content preparation. Clive Maund was not paid by Streetwise Reports LLC for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article.

2) This article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.

Charts provided by the author.

CliveMaund.com Disclosure:

The above represents the opinion and analysis of Mr Maund, based on data available to him, at the time of writing. Mr. Maund's opinions are his own, and are not a recommendation or an offer to buy or sell securities. Mr. Maund is an independent analyst who receives no compensation of any kind from any groups, individuals or corporations mentioned in his reports. As trading and investing in any financial markets may involve serious risk of loss, Mr. Maund recommends that you consult with a qualified investment advisor, one licensed by appropriate regulatory agencies in your legal jurisdiction and do your own due diligence and research when making any kind of a transaction with financial ramifications. Although a qualified and experienced stockmarket analyst, Clive Maund is not a Registered Securities Advisor. Therefore Mr. Maund's opinions on the market and stocks can only be construed as a solicitation to buy and sell securities when they are subject to the prior approval and endorsement of a Registered Securities Advisor operating in accordance with the appropriate regulations in your area of jurisdiction.

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In the midst of the power-sharing difficulties in the North, Ryle Dwyer argues that people should remember how such problems were initially resolved.

The State Papers just released contain documents going back to 1985 that provide a key to solving the current power-sharing difficulties in Northern Ireland.

Ever since the Sunningdale Agreement of 1973, power-sharing has been viewed as the way to tackle the problems of the divided society in the North.

In the wake of the Sunningdale Agreement, Loyalists and Unionists resisted power-sharing so strongly that the British government of Harold Wilson quickly capitulated.

When power-sharing was tried again as part of the Anglo-Irish Agreement of 1985, the Unionist opposition, led largely by Ian Paisley, was even more vocal.

But British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher defied them. She was rattled by the level of their opposition, but US President Ronald Reagan quietly encouraged her to stand up to them in order to boost his governments efforts to undermine the vital support that Americans were giving to the Provisional IRA in the form of arms and money.

Encouraged by the White House, Thatcher confronted Paisley and company. If the people of Northern Ireland could not agree on power-sharing, she warned them that the Anglo-Irish Agreement provided for Intergovernmental Conferences through which the British Government would consult with Dublin in running the province.

Although Britain was retaining the right to make the ultimate decision, it agreed to consult closely with Dublin before doing so.

Following the first Intergovernmental Conference on December 11, 1985, Foreign Minister Peter Barry and Northern Secretary Tom King issued a joint statement calling on the Northern security forces to behave impartially.

The RUC and the Armed Forces must not only discharge their duties even-handedly and with equal respect for the unionist and nationalist identities and traditions, but be seen by both communities to be doing so, they declared.

The Intergovernmental Conference on March 11, 1986, engaged in extensive discussions on cross-border co-operation. The conference considered some sixty items under headings, such as economics, transport, agriculture, fisheries, marketing, health, social security, education, environment, taxation, arts, sports, along with cultural and joint studies.

Giving the Republic a say in just about every aspect of Northern life, further inflamed Unionist opposition. Paisley and company became so vocal, that nationalists soon began to look more favourably on the Hillsborough Agreement.

The nationalists did not support the Agreement very much at the beginning, Fr. Denis Faul explained in a RTE radio interview, but as they saw the Unionists taking it so badly, they had to believe that there was something in it. It is a very good thing, because I think it is the beginnings of an alternative to all the violence. Now I saw the Anglo-Irish Agreement, not as perfection itself but as a definite and good step in that direction and I think the Catholic people have accepted it as that.

Once a devolved administration was set up, Thatcher made it clear that Dublin and London would have no role. The people of Northern Ireland can get rid of the Inter-Governmental Conference by agreeing to devolved government, she emphasised. If they do not want an inter-governmental conference the remedy lies in their own hands. It is to sit down with the SDLP, all of them, and the Alliance, and work out a system of devolved government.

Charles Haughey had opposed the Anglo-Irish Agreement as leader of the Opposition, so there was uneasiness at his return to power in March 1987. But he soon convinced Nicholas Fenn, the British ambassador to Ireland, that there was no need to worry, because the Dublin government increased cross-border security co-operation.

We recognise fully the need to improve the situation of the nationalist community in the North of Ireland and we approve and support any effective measures taken on their behalf, Haughey proclaimed.

When he met Thatcher on the periphery of the European Summit in Brussels on June 30, 1987, she welcomed the cross-border security co-operation.

The number of Garda/Army patrols on the border had been doubled, resulting in increased finds of arms and ammunition. But Thatcher was still uneasy about the continuing level of loyalist opposition to the Agreement.

I did not expect the extent of this disaffection at the time I signed the Agreement, she complained.

Haughey complimented her for resisting this opposition, unlike her predecessor Harold Wilson. You did not, like Prime Minister Wilson, for example, back down, Haughey told her. By standing up to the Unionists and consulting Dublin, the British persuaded the Unionists to agree to power-sharing. This then bloomed with the development of what had once seemed unthinkable. Despite all his roaring, even Paisley began working with Sinn Fein.

Indeed, Paisley and Martin McGuinness got on so well together as First and Second Ministers that they were called the Chuckle Brothers.

People should remember how this came about.
Seven months on from her wifes death, Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone tells Fiachra O Cionnaith she is staying in politics to honour the person she lost and to ensure the social reforms Ann Louise fought for become embedded realities in modern Ireland

SHE would be very annoyed with me if I just lay down now. Shed look at me and just say, you know, Get up and fight!

Childrens Minister Katherine Zappone, as anyone who has challenged her either in her academic, social campaigning, or political career will know, is no shrinking violet. But a tough exterior can often mask a hidden vulnerability, even for those in the public eye.

On June 14, a full 87 days after an initial brain haemorrhage that had left her blind, Ms Zappones wife of 14 years and partner since 1981, Dr Ann Louise Gilligan, died at St Jamess Hospital due to complications from her condition.

At her funeral four days later, attended by mourners led by President Michael D Higgins and outgoing taoiseach Enda Kenny, Ms Zappone gave a eulogy for the woman she loved and had, until then, dreamed of retiring and growing old within an Ireland they had helped to reform.

I loved your fearlessness... The evening after her medical team told Ann Louise that she would not recover, she looked at me and said, I am just thinking again about the conversation. Did Joe [Harbison, her doctor at St Jamess] say that I was going to die?

And I responded, Yes Ann Louise. And then I asked her, Are you afraid? And she said, No. I was not afraid before entering the world, and I am not afraid to leave it.

Over the past seven months Ms Zappone has put forward a public image of being equally fearless, rarely speaking about the trauma. She was made a minister again at a delayed ceremony in mid-June at Aras an Uachtarain and is working on childcare services, seeking reforms of the corporate tax system, and being a calm, reasoned voice for repeal of the Eighth Amendment.

However, speaking to the Irish Examiner in an at times emotional interview in the same office where she told her closest officials Ann Louise was going to die, Ms Zappone for once opens up.

Repeatedly holding back tears and often pausing to compose herself, she readily admits the past seven months have been deeply traumatic for her, and something from which she is still struggling to recover.

Despite the private torment of what happened and her initial thoughts of leaving politics to spend more time with the woman she loved when she first became ill, Ms Zappone now says she plans to stay in office to honour her soul mates memory.

I do know its better not to make really important decisions in the midst of profound grief, and Im not over that yet.

But I would say, when I was reflecting on my ministry and my work, when she was alive and, I thought, apparently well  although as you know she was blind and writing her book and all this kind of stuff  I was thinking deeply about when my term ended whether or not to continue.

It was because she was at a certain point of life and so was I. Life is precious and we wanted more time together. But thats not... thats not in front of me anymore.

The decision, says Ms Zappone, is in part due to the need to ensure the social reforms Ann Louise fought for become fully embedded realities in modern-day Ireland.

She says it is also the result of the significant help she has received since Ann Louises passing from friends, relatives, politicians, and professional counselling to cope with her grief.

While societal attitudes are changing, it is still relatively rare to hear someone in a position of power speak about seeking counselling help in their darkest moments.

In part because of her US upbringing, Ms Zappone is comfortable in explaining her need to receive the support alongside other help from colleagues, urging anyone facing similar personal trauma to ignore any alleged stigma and be willing to talk to qualified professionals who are there to listen.

I feel I have coped well. But what does that mean? It means I have been supported and embraced by my colleagues, my political team, the officials here, in ways no one will ever see.

This is a very privileged job and I know that keeps me very occupied, but I take my time to grieve when Im in my home alone.

I have also engaged in counselling, it was certainly a good experience for me, and other people if theyre suffering a lot of loss Id say go for it. Why not, because it gives you that little sanctuary time, just that space to say right now Im with the loss and feel it.

Talking about her grief in a safe place, says Ms Zappone, is helping her to cope. And so too is the knowledge that many of the changes Ann Louise fought for during her life are now coming to fruition in society.

After marrying for the first time in Canada in 2003, Ann Louise and Ms Zappone took a High Court case against the Revenue Commissioners over the States refusal to recognise their marriage as it was not legal in Ireland, a high-profile campaign which helped pave the way for the 2015 marriage equality referendum.

Ann Louises push for gender equality and conviction to address long-standing educational disadvantage and early childhood education gaps in Ireland, issues that were once marginalised, are increasingly seen as mainstream views.

Her work at An Cosan community centre in west Tallaght has helped ensure people of all backgrounds have a better chance to

climb the education ladder which is so key to a brighter future.

Ms Zappone says the legacy of Ann Louises life well lived is an ongoing source of solace for her.

That is not to say, however, that the same memories  and the reality that no more will be made  do not bring pain too, particularly during Christmas time.

Two days before she spoke to the Irish Examiner, a week before Christmas, Ms Zappone found a book of notes from Ann Louise in her

Dublin home.

While it brought that reality back to the fore once again, Ms Zappone explains she wanted to keep the book close to her over the holiday period to help fill the void left by Ann Louise as she travelled back to her Seattle family home.

My sister is my best friend, after Ann Louise, so I will be with her and the rest of my family at Christmas, well be together, she says, her voice cracking as she fights back tears.

Ann Louise was writing a book about having a haemorrhage and being blind and

offering hope to other people, and two days before the haemorrhage that put her into the hospital, she was doing a lot of writing.

Two days ago, I found this on her desk at home, because I go in there to try and pick up stuff from her to read every so often when Im low. And I hadnt read this piece. This notebook.

And theres just this incredible array of reflections on where she was at and what she wanted to include in the book. She was a very brilliant mind. So its in my suitcase. Im taking it with me to Seattle, shell be with me there.

Gone, but never forgotten, Ms Zappones late wife Ann Louise Gilligan and her quiet campaigning to reform society will always be close to the childrens ministers heart whether in personal memory, or nestled safely in a suitcase to help her through the difficult times. And to encourage her to continue through her darkest moments.

Ann Louise just loved seeing me being a minister, doing this work. She knew I was finally in a position where I could use all my education and experience and contacts and networks across classes and across sectors to bring about good.

She believed in that so much. I think about it each day, and thats what helps me do it, to keep going. She would be very annoyed with me if I just lay down now. Shed look at me and just say, you know, get up and fight!.
There is likely to be an increasing number of lone wolf, low-tech terror attacks in Europe in 2018 and we may be underestimating the danger of such an attack happening in Ireland.

There are five terror threat levels, ranging from low to critical, and despite the spate of attacks on neighbouring EU states, Irelands threat status remains at moderate , meaning that an attack is possible but unlikely.

The Department of Justice and the Garda authorities have repeatedly said that there is no intelligence to suggest anything other than a low or moderate risk, but therein lies the problem: We are the only EU state without its own dedicated national security and intelligence agency.

In the past 12 months alone there have been horrific attacks that claimed lives in London, Paris, Barcelona, Stockholm and Manchester so it would be extremely naive to think that Dublin and other Irish cities would not be regarded as targets for terror.

Unlike the sophisticated devices employed by Isis and other Islamic terror groups during large-scale attacks like that of 2015 in which 130 people died across Paris, including 89 at the Bataclan music venue, the weapons used in the past year have ranged from home-made bombs, to machetes, knives and trucks. They made be crude devices but they are just as effective in claiming innocent lives.

Last April, then taoiseach Enda Kenny called a security meeting in the wake of the Stockholm attack in which five people died. He said the gardai were monitoring a small number of individuals who do not have this countrys interests at heart. Hardly reassuring, given that the killer in Stockholm targeted pedestrians as he drove a lorry into a crowded shopping street. Grafton St in Dublin doesnt even have electronic barriers to prevent that happening.

We are a non-aligned, non-aggressive country and though the threat is always present, it is not at a high level in Ireland and we try to keep it that way, Mr Kenny told the Dail, a view since echoed by Leo Varadkar.

But Sweden is also a non-aligned, non-aggressive country. Like Ireland, it is not a member of Nato but  again, like

Ireland  it is a member of the alliances Partnership for Peace programme, making it a legitimate target for some terrorist organisation. It may also have been seen as a soft target by terrorists.

Since assuming office, Leo Varadkar promised to establish a Cobra-style committee similar to that which operates in the UK. Cobra is the British Governments emergency response committee set up to respond to a national crisis. It comes together in moments of crisis under the chairmanship of either the prime minister or the home secretary.

A similar committee here is essential but it will still only respond to a crisis when it has happened. What we need as a matter of urgency is national intelligence agency dedicated to tracking the terror threat before disaster strikes.

We owe it to ourselves and our neighbours. Without it, we remain Europes weakest link in terms of security, defence and emergency response capability.
The weather from September 2016 through to August 2017 was one of the most benign continuous periods of fine weather in Ireland.

Autumn, winter and spring months were mostly mild and dry. Farmers could plough their fields in December. Some had already harvested silage by April and there were many opportunities to save hay. Apart from one wet weekend of intense rainfall in Donegal, the weather could not be classified as being extreme in any sense.

The news media, however, continuously report that there is something abnormal about the weather in

Ireland. It is rarely reported that many extreme weather events are perfectly consistent with natural variability of the climate system including hurricane Ophelia.

Climate change careerists and alarmists continually attribute any weather that comes our way to manmade global warming. It doesnt matter if it is hot, cold, wet, dry because everything can be attributed to mans influence. Except none of it is true.

For example, periods of intense rainfall in Ireland in October 2009 and December 2015 occurred at a time when sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic were 3C below the norm, not above the norm. All the talk of every year being hotter than the next is absolute utter propaganda. The margin of error in surface temperatures is 10 times the supposed increase, making the increase statistically irrelevant.

The history of surface thermometer data is constantly being revised to make the past appear colder and present hotter. The Earth is supposedly hotter today than ever before yet in 1990, Nasa publications reported the average temperature of the Earth as 15.5C while today it is reported as 14.5C. So cold is the new hot. More to the point, there is no man-made enhanced greenhouse effect because satellites record the outgoing IR radiation from the Earth as increasing not decreasing. No extra trapping of IR energy from CO2 gas means no enhanced greenhouse effect and no human influence. End of story.

It is remarkable that the Citizens Assembly debated climate change and never invited a single presentation from anyone challenging the alarmist delusion. The farcical terms of reference were just to make Ireland a leader in tackling climate change. Can you imagine if the terms were how to make Ireland a leader in the provision of abortion? When it comes to discussing the politics or science of climate change say goodbye Ireland, hello North Korea.

Legislating for outside temperature by regulating CO2 as a pollutant is an act of absolute utter insanity and yet this is the tune your local TD is marching to. This insidious agenda will shoehorn a wind turbine in your neighbourhood, ban turf, ban expansion of the national herd, increase taxes, increase the cost of electricity and much, much more.

Regulating CO2 is de facto the regulation of all aspects of human activity. There are endless possibilities to justify government intervention everywhere into our daily lives. Implementing the Paris Climate Agreement for example will cost globally between $100tn-$200tn by 2100 but will theoretically prevent a warming of just 0.1C. Paradoxically, I welcome the call from the Irish Climate Alarmist collective to regulate CO2 as a pollutant by writing a suitable clause into the constitution. If such a referendum is ever held, we will finally be allowed have a proper debate in this country and the reasoning from the climate alarmist industry will be crushed like a nut.

Ultan Murphy

Carewswood

Castlemartyr

Co Cork
However, the Government is being warned it could create another Irish Water-style disaster if it fails to handle the introduction of any new charging regime properly.

Among the options under consideration is distance pricing that would charge by the kilometre driven, as well as congestion charges for the busiest routes, each using number plate recognition technology or in-car units to track and record motorists as they drive.

Department of Finance officials are working on the plan as a medium-term objective, meaning that significant changes could begin to be rolled out in the next two to three years.

The plan is being devised amid Government fears over the gap in state finances if the more than 4bn paid by the motoring public in an average year through excise duties, carbon taxes, vehicle registration tax and motor tax on their petrol and diesel vehicles and fuels vanishes under a switch to electric.

Ireland has little choice but to embrace electric as the country struggles to contain carbon emissions with massive fines looming from Europe from 2020 on for failure to meet our climate change commitments.

Emissions from transport grew 3.7% last year and the Government is offering grants, minimal motor tax rates, VRT reliefs and free battery charging at public charge points to encourage motorists to adopt electric with a view to eradicating petrol and diesel from new cars entirely within 12 years.

However, while Climate Change Minister Denis Naughten is tasked with pushing electric, Finance Minister Paschal Donohue is determined to protect revenues, so many of the incentives to go electric could be short-lived.

The Department of Finance is well aware of the threat to exchequer receipts posed by the potential large-scale adoption of electric vehicles as the vehicle of choice for private motorists, Mr Donohues department said.

Obviously, the reduction in excise receipts will impact negatively on exchequer receipts in the absence of complementary measures to address the reduction in this revenue stream.

It is envisaged that a number of options will be adopted to replace excise duty as electric vehicles become the car of choice.

Vehicle registration tax and annual motor tax could be increased to offset some of the loss. Further to this, the potential development of a system of road users charges and congestion charges will be among the options considered.

Professor of economics at Trinity College Dublin, John Fitzgerald, who also chairs the climate change advisory council, warned that the Government needed to be upfront about its plans if the public is to support them.

They need to signal well in advance what they intend to do because if people buy an electric car because theres no tax on it and they can have free electricity, and then the State comes along and says we need the revenue so were putting duties on electric cars now and introducing congestion charges, people will be cranky as hell. You would be into a new water charges debacle, he said.

You need to tell people in advance how youre going to transition from a regime of incentives to a regime where you pay taxes and charges.

David McCabe of the Irish Electric Vehicle Owners Association said significant revenue loss to the State was probably at least five years away because the rate of switching to electric cars was slow. He said that was due to difficulties accessing public charging points and lack of clarity over who will own the charging network, what prices will apply when free charging ends, and what other taxes and charges may be imposed.

There is a need to build confidence in electric and confidence is built by giving people a degree of certainty. Thats not there at the moment, he said.
Ms Foster issued the demand as Leo Varadkar attempted to calm unionist fears the Republic is using Brexit as a Trojan horse to create a united Ireland after months of worsening relationships between Dublin and Belfast.

In a new years message, Ms Foster said she is growing tired of the repeated delays in agreeing a deal between her party and Sinn Fein to restart the power-sharing coalition.

And in a clear ratcheting up of tensions, she said if no developments occur in the coming weeks she will formally ask the Conservatives  whom the DUP is supporting and has the power to bring down the London government  to appoint direct-rule ministers immediately.

The people of Northern Ireland deserve a government, and if Sinn Fein persist with their intransigence, then the secretary of state should move to appoint direct-rule ministers in the new year, said Ms Foster.

The comment came despite the Irish Government repeatedly saying it will not accept the return of direct rule in Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, the Taoiseach has attempted to calm unionist fears over a united Ireland.

Last autumn, Tanaiste and Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney provoked outrage among the DUP and UUP by telling a Dail committee he wants to see a united Ireland during his political lifetime.

Speaking to reporters during a Christmas round-table briefing, Mr Varadkar supported Mr Coveneys comments the Republic has a constitutional right to seek a united Ireland.

However, he said this could only ever be achieved by consent, adding he is of the view the former SDLP leader John Hume was right to discuss the issue not in united Ireland terms but in those of an agreed Ireland.

In terms of a united Ireland, our constitution is clear on this. Our constitution aspires to there being a united Ireland.

I share that aspiration, but only on the basis that it is done by consent.

I very much follow the school of thought of the great John Hume who talked less about a united Ireland and more about an agreed Ireland. And a set of relationships that we can all be happy with. Thats the way it should be.
The boy weighed 3.26kg (approximately seven pounds) and Margaret Quigley, director of midwifery at University Hospital Limerick, said both the new arrival and his mother are doing well.

I suppose he is blessed among women because it was followed by two more births of two girls, it was a steady night here in Universal Maternity Hospital, Ms Quigley told RTEs News at One.

Caroline and Stephen Sheehan, Cloonboo, with Declan Martin, the first born at UCH Galway on New Years day. Picture: Ray Ryan

Id like to take the opportunity to thank all the staff, theres a kind of a healthy competition between all the 19 maternity hospitals in Ireland, and its always great to be the hospital that welcomes in the first baby.

Its a real clock-watcher for the next baby and it generated a great buzz among the staff because we also welcomed in the first Christmas baby here in Limerick as well at 27 minutes past midnight, a baby girl.

Margaret Phelan, Newport, Co Tipperary with her new baby.

So, yes, its a real pep-up for the year and a great end to a great year for Limerick here. Weve had a lot of positivity happening, working along with the National Womens and Infants Program to implement the National Maternity Strategy, so were looking forward to a good year.

Lisa Moran, north Cork, with Lorcan Doody, born at 5.11am, weighing 4.07kg, at Cork University Maternity Hospital.

The first baby born in Waterford this year was a girl who arrived in the citys University Hospital at 12.23am, while University Hospital Galway welcomed its first new arrival of 2018, a boy born, at 12.49am.

Shakira Ryan, Knocklong, with her baby girl.

In Dublin, the Coombe Hospital said it had five babies born on New Years morning. The first was a boy born at 01.41am to first-time parents Christine and Gareth OLeary, from Firhouse, Co Dublin.

The National Maternity Hospital on Holles St said it had 10 deliveries overnight, the first a baby boy born at 3.03am.

Yvonne and Francie Blake with Annie Mae, born at UCH Galway

The first 2018 birth in Cork University Maternity Hospital was baby Ella Louise Cummins, who weighed 3.85kg and arrived to first-time parents Petra Soltesz and Mark Cummins from Bandon at 3.22am.

Lina Jakimavicivte, Knockraha, Co Cork, with Sylvia Cotter, born at 4.06am and weighing 2.9kg at Cork University Maternity Hospital.

Cork University Maternity Hospital said it had welcomed nine new arrivals by yesterday afternoon.
The complaints relate to hospitals and community healthcare organisations, as well as the National Ambulance Service and Primary Care Reimbursement Service (PCRS).

Statutory hospitals, which are managed directly by the HSE, accounted for 5,019 of the complaints received in 2016; while voluntary hospitals, which are publicly funded but run by voluntary organisations, received 7,104 complaints. Community Healthcare Organisations (CHOs), which are responsible for the delivery of primary care, social care and disability services, were the subject of 3,984 complaints.

A total of 92 complaints were made about the National Ambulance Service, while the PCRS, which is responsible for making payments to healthcare professionals in respect of public services, attracted 63 complaints  all of which related to communication.

The statutory hospital group with the most complaints was Saolta, which runs seven hospitals in the west and northwest, including University Hospital Galway (UHG) and Mayo General Hospital. The group received 1,310 formal complaints in 2016.

Ireland East Hospital Group, which includes St Vincents Hospital, Dublin, and Our Ladys Hospital, Navan, received 1,253 complaints. The South/South-West Hospital Group, which includes Cork University Hospital, was the subject of 1,033 complaints.

The most common ground for complaints against statutory hospitals was a failure to provide safe and effective care, which was the basis of almost 51% of complaints.

Problems with access, such as delays or cancellations, were a basis for nearly 28% of complaints against statutory hospitals. More than a third of these related to the Saolta hospital group.

Records released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal some confusion and concern within the HSE over the accuracy of the complaints data.

The Quality Improvement Division, which was responsible for gathering the records, claimed no complaints figures had been returned by the HSE West area in 2016.

This was disputed by the regional manager in Galway, who provided national totals that included figures for the western region. However, he said he could not provide specific records for the west due to structural changes in the HSE.

Internal emails also reveal a level of difficulty in compiling the figures. One official in the HSE Consumer Affairs Department wrote to a colleague: Im attaching the statistics and praying to god [sic] I have them right. They are absolutely melting my head at this stage. It is a nightmare to get them in and then collate what does arrive and no one to bounce them off to make sure they are even correct.

In a separate email, the same official was queried about data suggesting that there were no complaints received by certain acute hospitals in the southern region.

In response, she wrote: There was a couple further to add (I hope iv [sic] done this right!!)

When the HSE was contacted for comment, it requested a copy of the data that had been obtained, and undertook to examine this with a view to providing a statement. No further response was received.
Credit: Nicole NapierBreaking Benjamin has shared a teaser for their upcoming new single, "Red Cold River." The 35-second clip, posted to the band's Instagram, offers a preview of the track's dark and moody guitar riff, paired with equally dark and moody visuals.

You'll be able to hear "Red Cold River" in its entirety when it arrives this Friday, January 5. The track is the first single from Breaking Benjamin's forthcoming new album Ember, the follow-up to their 2015 comeback effort Dark Before Dawn.

A week after "Red Cold River" premieres, Breaking Benjamin will hit the road on a U.S. tour opening for Avenged Sevenfold, which begins January 12 in Nashville.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
The EU has been suspending political contact at all levels with Thailand since the military coup in Bangkok in May 2014.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak plans to pay an official visit to the EU in early 2018 to enhance the countrys relations with EU nations, particularly the UK and France.

Thailand, EU to resume FTA talks. (Photo: eeas.europa.eu)



Negotiations for the Thailand-EU FTA was launched in March 2013, covering tariffs, non-tariff barriers, services, investment, intellectual property, regulatory issues, competition and sustainable development.

The EU agreed to restore political contact with Thailand after the country made democratic progress this year by adopting a new constitution and committing to hold a general election in November 2018. But the bloc repeated its call for the restoration of full democracy in Thailand.

Poj Aramwattananont, vice chairman of the Thai Board of Trade, said the decision by EU to resume political contact with Thailand, including FTA negotiations, is a good sign to solve the illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing issues.

He hoped that the EU will remove the yellow warning card imposed on Thailands aquatic products since April 2015./.
In the Daft.ie report on the year, Ronan Lyons of Trinity College Dublin said the Central Banks mortgage rules had been pivotal.

At the start of the year, the Central Bank relaxed its minimum deposit rules, in particular for wealthier first-time buyers. Whereas previously, any mortgage credit above 220,000 required a 20% deposit, from 2017 all first-time buyers required no more than a 10% deposit, no matter how large their mortgage.

He said that relaxation of the rules spawned an almost immediate price response in the market.

But a one-off change in rules can only bring about a one-off shift in prices. And once this change in credit conditions had been absorbed by the market, the rules kicked in. Incomes are rising but very modestly.

Thus the second half of the year was the flip side of the same argument: the Central Bank rules matter when they arent changed as well as when they are.

According to his report, the net result was prices nationally at the end of 2017 were 9.3% higher than a year earlier. That compared to 8% in 2016 and 8.3% in 2015.

The figures show house prices in Dublin rose by 9.1% last year and by 10.1% in the other major cities. Outside the cities, however, the increase was only 7.3%.

Drilling down into the figures, however, shows even further variations. In Dublin city centre for example, prices are 20% higher than a year ago. And while prices in Waterford City have gone up by 8.6%, in Cork City, the increase has been just 5.1%.

Overall, across Munster there has been a price surge of 6.5%. However, that would have been higher but for a fall in prices in almost every part of the province in the last three months of 2017 apart from Cork and Waterford cities. That trend was reflected across Leinster, Connacht and Ulster as well.

Nonetheless, according to Daft.ie, prices are now 47% on average higher than their lowest ebb at the worst of the recession. That is the equivalent of a 76,500 hike since the third quarter of 2013.

In its report, MyHome.ie said the median asking price for new sales nationally was 242,000 in the final quarter of 2017  in Dublin it was 330,000 compared with 195,000 in the rest of Ireland.

For the entire stock of properties listed for sale on the website prices rose by 6.2% nationally and by 6.3% in Dublin during 2017,

it said.

The companys managing director, Angela Keegan, said housing market transactions grew by 10% in 2017.

While the increase in transactions  it should come in around 55,000 for 2017  is welcome the overall picture is that of an illiquid market hindered by the lack of fresh housing supply, she said.

If the Irish market was functioning properly we would be seeing around 90,000 transactions per year. At the end of the year the number of properties listed for sale had fallen to just 18,900. This is a fresh record low, down 9.4% on the year.
Mr Varadkar said the reality is Mr Trumps I win and you lose tactics would not be useful in addressing the year-old Stormont stalemate, despite repeated US presidential involvement in past negotiations and Mr Trumps steadfast belief in his deal-making skills.

DUP leader Arlene Foster used her New Years message to demand London appoint direct-rule ministers if talks fail to progress in the coming weeks.

More than two decades after former US president Bill Clintons Belfast speech helped cut a peace deal, Mr Varadkar said Mr Trump has enormous talents and abilities.

However, he said Mr Trumps general approach and the tactics he outlined in his 1987 book The Art of the Deal would be deeply damaging to the province.

Asked if he would request Mr Trumps help in resolving the Northern Ireland stalemate at their White House meeting on St Patricks Day, given his experience of deal-making, Mr Varadkar said:

I have read The Art of the Deal and the basic concept behind that is a good deal is when I win and you lose. Thats not going to work in Northern Ireland.

So while President Trump has many enormous talents and abilities, I dont think bringing about peace in Northern Ireland would be his skillset. But certainly we are always open to assistance from the US.

The comment is in contrast to Mr Trumps own view of how his business deal-cutting skills can be used in diplomacy during his successful 2016 election.

Such claims have been ridiculed by his detractors who cite numerous examples, including his threatened nuclear war with North Korea after calling Kim Jong-un little rocket man; his failure to convince Mexico to pay for his border wall; his public snubbing by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel; and his inability to ensure key legislation passes through the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Senate.

The request for Mr Trump not to help resolve the Northern Ireland stalemate also jars with the specific request made in the mid-1990s for then US president Bill Clinton to intervene, and former US presidential candidate Hillary Clintons keen interest while US secretary of state.
In her most public comments on the tragedy to date, Ms Zappone said while she and her partner of 36 years considered retiring before her death because life is precious and we wanted more time together, she now wants to continue in office to honour her late wife and as their future is not in front of me anymore.

In an at times emotional interview with the Irish Examiner on the passing of Ms Gilligan, who died in early June after a brain haemorrhage left her blind, Ms Zappone admitted while she appears to be coping this is only because I have been supported in ways no one will ever see.
His stand-up shows keep hitting the funny bone  which was acknowledged by being chosen as the 2017 Irish Tatler Man of the Year in comedy, alongside other category winners such as RTE broadcaster Sean ORourke and Galway hurling icon Joe Canning  while his An Irishman Abroad podcast continues to prosper with notable recent interviews with Gabriel Byrne and Bob Geldof.

It was off-stage, however, that led to a really momentous year for Regan and his family. In early 2017, he donated a kidney to his brother, Adrian. The experience forms the basis of his touring stand-up show, entitled Organ Freeman, which comes to Vicar St on January 12. It cant be easy getting laughs from such a weighty subject.

Its true  with gags, the stakes are lower, says Regan. There isnt as much risk. With something as personal as this, involving an issue that needs highlighting, I felt a responsibility to the wider organ donor community, the Mayo Clinic  where it happened  to members of my family, my brother, my wife and my son.

Some would say that all that responsibility is the enemy of comedy. Im up there to make it funny. Navigating that is the challenge. Thats the craft. Its why these shows are so difficult to write  you still have a responsibility to the audience to be funny.

In terms of healing, and moving on with my life after doing something like this, I can make sense of my life as soon as Im able to laugh at it. As soon as I can find the funny in it, it doesnt feel too big to manage.

The feedback Regan has got with his show, for example during his run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, has been inspiring. People after some of my shows have told me that they have volunteered to be a live donor as a result of seeing the show, he says.

The Mayo Clinic also recommends that live donors listen to Regans podcast episode that he recorded at the time of the donation.

Regans brother, who co-owns and runs Hunter Valley stud farm in Kentucky, is thriving.

Hes enjoying a lot more energy and life than he has in a long, long time, he says.

Regan, too, is enjoying the benefits of improved health, which is a counter-intuitive result of donating a kidney.

I knew that whatever kidney I was left with would grow and double in size to compensate for the loss of the other one. I really feel that. Its funny I do remember a sense that there was something missing there. I felt a gap in my back. But I now really feel the strength of the one that is remaining.

Im in the shape of my life. Ive never been as fit as I am right now. Ive never been able to lift more in the gym. I understand now why they told me in the Mayo Clinic that live organ kidney donors tend to live longer. I can see why  I definitely take pride in my health a lot more than I used to.

Regan, who moved to London in 2013, is getting a lot of mileage from the Brexit debates that have gripped the dwellers in his new hometown. Hes as confounded as many other Londoners by the predicament.

It was sold to the British public as being as simple as leaving your local video club, just passing over your card and walking away, he says. Directly afterwards, they were told it was a divorce and that divorce proceedings were the discussion, which I think is really interesting. Because if they had said to the British public, Do you want a divorce from Europe? Theyd have probably said, No because we all know how messy and expensive

divorces can be.

In a lot of ways, the language and analogies of Brexit have been a big problem. As it goes on, it is becoming a messy divorce where people like the DUP are your friend who says you should change all the locks and throw all his stuff out on the street just when it looks like the divorce is going smoothly.

Im not saying this facetiously because it does feel like neither of the two parties want the divorce. Nobody knew what it would look like.

Regan reckons the vast majority of British people actually like Europe.

If you asked me at the right moment  say, after a game of Monopoly  if I wanted to divorce my family Id probably say, Yeah.

They asked the British people at the wrong time in the wrong way and a certain amount of them said yeah when a certain amount of them assumed nobody would say Yes. And the critical error was the assumption of those people who didnt get out to vote.

For all the foibles of the British people, London is now home for Regan. So much of my experience in the UK has been discovering the beauty of the people and the place, he says, but equally reminding yourself of why Ireland will always be home, and how much you love it. They say you have to go away to appreciate what you had. I totally agree with that.

London is a lot of things all at once. At times, its a very romantic, beautiful city to live in, which is the centre of the comedy world. It does have that feeling that New York gives a lot of people  that anything is possible if you put your heart and soul into it.

There are other times where you scratch your head and go, Will I ever understand these people? Why am I here? We really dont have anything in common.

He says that sometimes this can be as basic as telling a story. Luckily, I work with loads of people who can tell stories, but the man on the street cant tell a story for the most part.

Oftentimes, hell start into what sounds like a story but ultimately the thing that hes started telling you at the very beginning of the story is said again and again in different ways. Hell have spent three minutes

saying the same thing over and over.

As an Irish person growing up around the kitchen table with everyone telling a tale, and everyone you meet from the barman to the greengrocer being able to spin a yarn, its quite hard to know how to react in those situations. I guess you have to embrace that as a stand-up and rinse humour from it.
This year, for a change, lets not hang on the lips of colour trendsetters at Pantone, who have named Ultra Violet as the colour dictate for the coming year.

Singularly unimpressed was I by their predictions for 2016.

Two colours, pink and blue  and particularly saccharine versions at that put the kibosh on using them together in a house lived in by anyone other than small children.

Nearly two years on, versions now comprising a dusky pink and midnight blue are something nearer natural bedfellows that can work successfully in an interior decorating project.

Last year fared better, with the more workable Greenery touted, but best used as an accent in accessories, or in a statement piece of furniture, rather than as an all over colour.

Paint manufacturers, on the other hand, are reliably spot on about what works when it comes to trend predictions.

Plus, their skill at translating them into what is tonally suitable for the home is a boon for interior enthusiasts and those challenged by choosing colour  and particularly colour combinations.

Duluxs colour for 2018 is Heart Wood, which amounts to a warmed up neutral somewhere betwixt a smoky taupe and dusky mauve. As a wall colour, it has a muted sophistication which works with soft pink, white, grey and even mid-range blues.

For a complete room makeover, black leather furniture comes out of the man cave and into the Heart Wood environment, as do accents of warmer metals like brass and brushed copper which give the look a feel of lived in luxury.

If youre in quest of drama, the colour being touted by American paint brand Benjamin Moore is a red called Caliente, which happens to be Spanish for hot.

Indeed, its decidedly hot, and lush with it; the sort of tone we associate with rolled out red carpets, or one to make a striking impression in gloss on a front door.

Its spirited on its own and worth investigating, especially when used in varying proportions with one or more of the palettes 22 tones and shades, bearing alluring names like Golden Retriever, Texas Rose and Excalibur Grey.

For flat, chic tones, Farrow & Balls offering combines blue and green, debunking the idiom that the two never ought to be seen together.

But the quiet sophistication of this brand means that its Calke Green and Pitch Blue work together when used in equal amounts, rather than using one to accent the other.

So picture this: Dispense with a dado rail, but make sure youre confident with a spirit level and have a steady hand to draw a line. Then apply Calke Green below and Pitch Blue above.

Farrow & Ball maintains the combo works particularly well in rooms with poor natural light.

Little Greene touts hues of aquamarine for a fresh option, full of the forward-looking optimism of springtime.

It plays to preferences for a lighter touch, without going the route of Dolly Mixture pastels.

Their Aquamarine also offers a strong partnership with grey accents on woodwork, and smaller accents of off-white. If you dare, add a daub of pink to give the look a 1980s vibe, but keep it dusky for a more up to date version of the combination.

This past year of mellow yellows and pops of orange added punch to interiors for spring and summer, so it was probably inevitable that winter versions would appear in burnt orange, copper and soft browns.

But who could have predicted it would prompt a revival of the once loved, now much maligned, terracotta?

Last time we saw it, home improvers of the 90s who longed to recreate a look from an Italian holiday villa, were applying it liberally to walls and floors, massively encouraged by the glut of interior makeover programmes which saw little else beyond it for years, until the chilly whites of minimalism usurped it in the noughties.

Valspar is now leading the revival with a version named Rustic Wicker. Its a flatter tone than its predecessor which means it works equally well with yellow as orange.

Fleetwood offers the Pantone range in paints, so if youre taken with the choice for 2018, or any year for that matter, there are nearly 60 options to choose from.
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
Kylie Mohr covers the education and health beats. Mohr grew up in Washington and came to Wyoming via Georgetown. She loves seeing the starry night sky again.
The Parliament of Uganda [official website] on Tuesday announced [press release] that President Yoweri Museveni [official website] has assented to a controversial bill [text, PDF] removing the presidential age limit of 75 years.

Section 102 [text] of the Ugandan Constitution had previously required that a candidate for president be between the ages of thirty-five and seventy-five. The latter provision was especially relevant to Museveni, who at 73 would be precluded from seeking another term in 2023 if Section 102(b) remained in effect. By repealing the section in its entirety, both the lower and upper limit on a presidents age have been lifted, meaning that any natural-born citizen of Uganda over the age of 18 and who is eligible to e a member of parliament under Section 80 [text] would be eligible to run for president. Notably, this includes Museveni, who has served as president since 1986.

Although Musevenis assent was announced by Parliament on Tuesday, the announcement indicates that Museveni signed the measure on December 27.

The bill was approved by Parliament [JURIST report] in December, with 315 votes in favor and only 62 against.
Montreal has become the latest city to ban plastic bags. Would you like to see the same happen in Kelowna?
ROCHESTER, Minn.  A Stewartville man gets probation for child pornography.

57-year-old Eric Lowell Saterdalen was arrested in May and charged with two counts of disseminating child pornography and 10 counts of possessing child porn. The Olmsted County Sheriffs Office says it was notified in September 2016 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that three images of child pornography has been uploaded to an IP address assigned to Saterdalen. During a search of Saterdalens home in May 2017, a special agent from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said he located 12 child porn images on Saterdalens laptop computer.

Authorities say the images were of sexual activity involving children ranging from 4 to 12 months old to 15 to 18 years old.

Saterdalen pleaded guilty in September to four counts of possession child pornography and the other eight charges were dismissed. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to five years of supervised probation, 45 days in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center, a fine of $1,050, and 100 hours of community work service.
SIOUX CITY, Iowa (AP)  A former Sioux City schoolteacher has been accused of stealing nearly $3,000 from accounts she set up for East High Special Olympics and the Friendship Connection.

The Sioux City Journal reports that 48-year-old Melissa Dickerson is charged with theft. Her attorney didn't immediately return a call Monday from The Associated Press.

Court documents say Dickerson was an East High School special education teacher in 2013 when she opened the accounts in violation of Sioux City Community School District policies.

Court documents say that, earlier this month, a bank official told district officials that one of the accounts was overdrawn because of a MidAmerican Energy bill in Dickerson's name. The documents say Dickerson later acknowledged transactions from August 2016 through June that were made for her own personal use.
MITCHELL COUNTY, Iowa  The Mitchell County Sheriffs Office says it took a report after a man claimed to have found fish hooks in lettuce he bought from a grocery store.

According to the Mitchell County call for service record, the man was eating lettuce he purchased from Wal-Mart in Mason City and had three fish hooks in his mouth.

Upon further inspection, he claims to have found seven fish hooks total in the lettuce.

The call for service was placed Monday at 5:49 p.m. No charges have been filed.

Wal-Mart says it has been made aware of the situation and issued the following statement Wednesday:

We take this matter seriously and our customer will be completing our claims process so we can get to the bottom of what happened.
FOREST CITY, Iowa  A Winnebago County woman facing multiple drug charges is pleading guilty.

35-year-old Natalie K. Dann of Lake Mills was charged in May with two counts of delivery of marijuana, two counts of unlawful possession of a prescription drug, sponsoring a gathering where controlled substances are used, and child endangerment. Authorities say she sold marijuana on two occasions in April, that a search of her home found two medications without prescriptions, and that Dann behaved in a way that created a substantial risk to her seven-year-old son.

On Tuesday, Dann entered a guilty plea to one count of delivery of marijuana. Her sentencing is scheduled for February 27.
MASON CITY, Iowa- Those with the Mason City Police Department say they received 31 disturbance calls between Christmas Eve and 2 AM New Years day. They say 13 of those calls are directly related to fireworks with several reports of potential shots fired and people shooting off fireworks.

Authorities say this is the minimum number of calls that they received as it is difficult to single out fireworks calls. They say it all depends on how the dispatcher classifies the call when they receive them.

Residents we spoke with say they would like to see people use fireworks in moderation, but they did hear a lot of them being shot off New Years Eve.

They were distant and I knew they were fireworks, says Laura Bernemann of Mason City. I wasnt worried they were gun shots. They were clearly fireworks.

While ordinances vary from community to community on when you can shoot off fireworks, in Mason City, residents can only shoot off the festive explosives from 11 PM on New Years Eve until 12:30 AM New Years Day.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  A local family is celebrating the New Year with a new baby.

Sokun Monyboramey Khay was born at 1:01 a.m. New Years Day, making her the first baby born in 2018 at the Olmsted Medical Center.

Her name means full moon and her family thinks her birth date is very special.

To the custom Cambodia, at the first day of the New Year, it's a very big thing, Srey Kun Nem, mother of the baby, said. It's really a blessing.

Her dad realized she shares her birthday with someone very important in their culture.

That's why I found out that the Buddha born the same day, Sovimouth Khay, father of the baby said. My baby's born on the same day as Buddha.
The Ukrainian road industry in 2018 will receive about UAH 47 billion of financing due to the launch of the State Road Fund and additional sources, Ukrainian Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan has said.

"The Road Fund starts its work on January 1. For the first time the road industry will receive government-guaranteed financing. This year this is almost UAH 33 billion plus separate additional funding for a number of key highways for more than UAH 14 billion," he wrote on his Facebook page.

In addition, the minister noted that from January 1 Ukravtodor will be responsible only for 50,000 km of roads, the remaining 120,000 km are transferred to the balance of regions with guaranteed financing from the road fund in the amount of 35% of its revenues.

"Now everyone has the right and should demand quality roads from the local authorities, rather than nodding disappointedly at Kyiv," Omelyan said, noting that from January 1, 2018 the speed in settlements is limited to 50 km/h.

The minister added from January 1 fines are significantly increased. The fine for driving without a license will rise by 20 times, to UAH 10,200, and for a repeated violation some UAH 40,800. Persons deprived of the right to drive, violating the law, will pay a fine of UAH 20,400, and for the repeated violation during the year some UAH 40,800.
ROCHESTER, Minn.  Rochester police say a pastor was assaulted after two people broke into an apartment on the citys northwest side.

At round 4:50 on Dec. 29, police responded to the 1000 block of 41st St. NW after a pastor went from the bedroom to the living room and saw two black males wearing dark clothing in the living room.

Police say the suspects ran into the pastor, pushed him down, punched him in the face and hit him with a stick-like object.

The also allegedly said he was a lousy Christian.

The pastor suffered bruising on the leg, face, shoulder and cheek. He was treated at the scene. No arrests have been made.
(Updates death toll)

KINSHASA, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Congolese security forces killed at least four people on Sunday during protests against President Joseph Kabila's refusal to step down from office, according to the police and rights groups.

Three people were killed in altercations with security forces in the capital, Kinshasa, police spokesman Pierrot Mwanamputu said. Rights groups said at least two people in Kinshasa and one in the central city of Kananga were gunned down while protesting.

Catholic activists had called for protests after Sunday mass, one year after Kabila committed to holding an election to choose his successor by the end of 2017 - an election that has now been delayed until December 2018.

The delay has fuelled suspicions Kabila will try to remove constitutional term limits that forbid him from running again, as presidents in neighbouring countries have done. That in turn has raised fears the country will slide back into the kind of civil war that killed millions at the turn of the century .

Georges Kapiamba, a human rights activist, said he had confirmed with his network of observers that security forces killed at least two people in Kinshasa and one in Kananga.

Earlier in the day, Human Rights Watch's Central Africa director, Ida Sawyer, said security forces shot dead two men outside a church in Kinshasa, according to the organisation's researchers on the ground.

Anaclet Tshimbalanga, a rights activist in central Congo's Kasai region, confirmed that security forces had shot dead a demonstrator in Kananga.

Leonie Kandolo, a spokeswoman for the march organisers, said about 10 people had died.

Mwanamputu told Reuters that one of the deaths occurred when security forces in Kinshasa were attacked by young men, some of them carrying firearms and bladed weapons. He said the other two deaths were being investigated.

Kapiamba said at least 129 people were arrested in cities across the country, including several priests, and dozens were injured. Mwanamputu confirmed that arrests were made but did not say how many.

At the Paroisse Saint Michel in Kinshasa's Bandalungwa district, security forces fired teargas into the church, creating panic, opposition leader Vital Kamerhe, who was present at the mass, told Reuters.

SECURITY FEARS

The police had banned the demonstrations and said that all gatherings of more than five people would be dispersed to ensure public order. Across Kinshasa, police and soldiers searched vehicles and checked passengers' identifications.

Authorities also on Saturday ordered all internet and SMS services cut until further notice .

At the Notre Dame du Congo cathedral in Kinshasa's Lingwala district, where opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was attending mass, dozens of police and soldiers blocked the path of more than 100 opposition supporters as they prepared to try to march.

Tshisekedi, however, who had backed the activists' call to march, left the church in a vehicle, spurring angry shouts from the crowd, which said he was abandoning them.

At another church in the working-class district of Barumbu, a few dozen police officers used teargas and stun grenades against some 300 churchgoers, who waved bibles and sang religious songs as they tried to march, a Reuters witness said.

Some 40 percent of Congo's population is Roman Catholic and the Church enjoys rare credibility with the public, even though its leadership has not formally backed the protests.

(Writing by Aaron Ross; Editing by Larry King)
* Steel and iron ore open with modest gains

* Overall steel demand remains tepid

* Mills buy more higher-grade iron ore, lifting prices

SHANGHAI, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Chinese steel futures ticked higher on the first trading day of the new year, but concerns remain about tepid consumption in the world's top consumer.

Steel demand across the country is seasonally waning as construction activities slow due to cold weather.

"The sharp fall in physical steel prices in the last week of 2017 has encouraged some limited restocking by traders, which stabilized the physical market, but the overall demand remains weak and commercial inventories keep rising," said a trader in Shanghai.

Stockpiles of construction product rebar held by Chinese traders in big cities rose for a second week to 2.973 million tonnes, up 1.5 percent from a week ago, according to data tracked by SteelHome website. The most active rebar on the Shanghai Futures Exchange edged up 0.8 percent to 3,824 yuan a tonne by 0235 GMT, after declining 2.9 percent last week.

Steel mills in 28 major producing cities are cutting production until mid-March as part of the government's efforts to combat smog, leading them to turn to higher-grade iron ore to reduce pollution while still maximizing output.

Iron ore on the Dalian Commodity Exchange rose 1.7 percent at 539 yuan.

Coke inched up 0.4 percent to 1,995.5 yuan a tonne, while coking coal slipped 0.2 percent to 1,312 yuan.

Iron ore for delivery to China's Qingdao port settled almost unchanged at $72.61 a tonne on Dec. 29 from the previous day, according to Metal Bulletin.

(Reporting by Ruby Lian in SHANGHAI and Ryan Woo in BEIJING; editing by Richard Pullin)
(Corrects KOSPI, won's year-to-date pct change)

SEOUL, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Round-up of South Korean financial markets: ** South Korea's KOSPI stock index rose on Tuesday. The Korean won strengthened to a more than three-year high in the domestic market while bond yields fell. ** At 02:03 GMT, the KOSPI was up 5.60 points or 0.23 percent at 2,472.57. ** The won was quoted at 1,066.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform , 0.38 percent firmer than its previous close at 1,070.5. The currency was bolstered after North Korea called for lower military tensions with the South amid firm support from a strong yuan, said Jeon Seung-ji, a foreign exchange analyst at Samsung Futures. ** In offshore trading, the won was quoted at 1,066 per U.S. dollar, down 0.01 percent from the previous session, while in one-year non-deliverable forwards it was being transacted at 1,058.6 per dollar. ** MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.55 percent, after U.S. stocks ended the previous session with mild losses . ** The KOSPI is up around 0.23 percent so far this year, and down by 2.02 percent in the previous 30 days. ** The current price-to-earnings ratio is 12.10, the dividend yield is 1.28 percent and the market capitalisation is 1,242.04 trillion won. ** The trading volume during the session on the KOSPI index was 86,067,000 shares, and of the total traded issues of 875, the number of advancing shares was 442. ** Foreigners were net sellers of 31,575 million won worth of shares. ** The U.S dollar has fallen 0.38 percent against the won this year. ** In money and debt markets, March futures on three-year treasury bonds rose 0.06 points to 107.95. ** The Korean 3-month Certificate of Deposit benchmark rate was quoted at 1.66 percent, unchanged from its a previous close, while the benchmark 3-year Korean treasury bond yielded 2.122 percent, lower than the previous day's 2.13 percent.

(Reporting by Dahee Kim; Editing by Jacqueline Wong)
ALL TIMES IN EST/GMT ------------------------------------------------------- 1100/1600: The USDA releases weekly U.S. export inspections for grains and oilseeds. (Delayed from Monday due to the New Year's Day federal holiday) 1130/1630: The Treasury Dept holds weekly sale of 3-, 6-month bills. (Delayed from Monday due to the New Year's Day federal holiday) 1300/1800: The Treasury Dept. sells 4- and 52-week bills. ------------------------------------------------------- DIARY - Federal Reserve Events U.S. Indicators (Washington economics team)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
JAKARTA, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia stood at 848,601 in November last year, down 0.81 percent on year, the statistics bureau said on Tuesday, due to the higher alert status on Bali's Mount Agung volcano and its eruption later that month.

That compared to a 2.7 percent increase in October. November's drop was the first decline in foreign tourist arrivals since December 2015.

The total number of foreign visitors in Indonesia, including those passing through its borders from neighbouring countries and foreign workers with permits for less than one year, was 1.06 million, up 5.86 percent.

(Reporting by Nilufar Rizki and Tabita Diela; Writing by Fransiska Nangoy; Editing by Sunil Nair)
HANOI, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Here's a snapshot of Vietnamese dong exchange rates in the official and unofficial markets, indicative SJC gold prices in Hanoi and interbank offered rates at 0406 GMT.

January 2 USD/VND mid-point 22,415 USD/VND interbank 22,710/22,711 USD/VND unofficial 22,700/22,720 SJC gold (mln dong/tael) 36.51/36.73

Interbank offered rates Overnight 1.1-1.7

1 week 1.2-1.9

1 month 2.8-3.6

3 months 4.4-5.0

NOTES: As of Jan. 4, 2016, the State Bank of Vietnam has begun setting the mid-point rate on daily basis, allowing dollar/dong transactions to move in a band of +/- 3 percent around the mid point. The dong's exchange rate against other currencies is not restricted by a band. Interbank offered rates are the latest indicative bid/ask prices, quoted from market sources.

One tael is equivalent to 37.5 grams or 1.21 troy ounces. SJC gold prices are quoted by state-owned Saigon Jewelry Co.

For more interbank rate fixings released at 0400 GMT, click on .

For Vietnam market overview click on: Vietnam's bonds market auctions: Bonds auction results: (Compiled by Hanoi Newsroom)
BRUSSELS, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Belgium raised 2.185 billion euros ($2.64 billion) in an auction of short-term treasury bills on Tuesday with negative yields for both maturities sold, the country's debt agency said. Three- month treasury bills, the most frequently auctioned maturity, yielded a negative 0.621 percent, while six-month bills were sold for a negative yield of 0.615 percent. Investors have paid, rather than earned, interest for holding Belgian short-term paper at most auctions since 2014. ($1 = 0.8284 euros)

(Reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek)

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication.
BEIJING, Jan 2 (Reuters) - China has eased restrictions on coal imports by quickening the customs clearing process, sources in the trade and at utilities said on Tuesday, dampening record high prices as cheaper foreign supply lands at ports.

The country tightened imports by banning small ports from receiving foreign coal cargoes and delaying the process of issuing quality reports for imports from July 1.

Traders said it took as many as 40 days to clear customs compared with one to two weeks previously. Prices of the most-active thermal coal futures have fallen more than 5 percent from a record high of 641 yuan ($98.77) per tonne hit on Dec. 18.

Sources said authorities at major coal import hubs have shortened the time it has taken to issue a quality inspection report for foreign coal cargoes and have cut random checks since late December.

"More supplies are arriving at ports as utilities ready to stock up cheaper foreign coal," a Beijing-trader said.

A campaign to switch millions of households from using coal to natural gas has created a shortage of natural gas, forcing factories and many gas power plants to shut.

The campaign also unexpectedly boosted demand from coal-fired power plants, which are operating at higher rates to provide electricity for winter heating. "Power plants signed a large amount of import contracts for January and reduce consumption of high-price domestic thermal coal," another trader said.

In December, China temporarily halted imports by delaying customs clearance after the total import volume exceeded an unofficial government target, two trade sources said.

Market players, however, expect the curbs to make a comeback as early as next month on weakening demand.

($1 = 6.4900 Chinese yuan)

(Reporting by Meng Meng and Ryan Woo, Additional reporting from Ruby Lian; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)
By Ernest Scheyder

HOUSTON, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Cold weather gripping much of the United States is denting natural gas production in the nation's shale patches, with output of the heating fuel down more than 20 percent since last month in North Dakota's Bakken region, according to analyst estimates.

The United States relies more on natural gas than coal for heating and has ramped up exports of liquefied natural gas.

Flows of natural gas on interstate pipelines out of North Dakota dropped to about 1 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) on Tuesday, down from about 1.3 bcfd on Dec. 25, according to Genscape data. One bcfd is enough gas to fuel about five million U.S. homes.

"That drop is due to the freeze off we're seeing," said Andrew Bradford of BTU Analytics, an energy consultancy.

Natural gas production often can be affected by water vapor in pipeline systems freezing and hindering the flow of gas. Unlike crude oil, gas must be piped immediately to a processing facility.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued wind chill warnings for much of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains on Tuesday. In Hettinger, North Dakota, temperatures fell to -45F (-43C) on Tuesday morning, one of the coldest temperatures recorded on the planet for the day, according to the NWS.

Continental Resources Inc , the second-largest producer in North Dakota, declined to detail the effect cold weather was having on its natural gas output, but said it did expect a drop.

Hess Corp and Cabot Oil and Gas Corp , two of the largest natural gas producers and processors in North Dakota and Pennsylvania, did not respond to requests for comment.

The Genscape data relies on monitoring of interstate pipelines and does not take into account natural gas that may be used in state in power plants or for other uses. Texas and Oklahoma, for example, use most of their natural gas at facilities in state.

In Texas, natural gas transport on interstate pipelines is down about 20 percent. In Oklahoma, the drop is about 22 percent, and in Pennsylvania's Marcellus shale, the drop is about 5 percent, according to Genscape.

Natural gas demand in the lower 48 U.S. states is expected to reach an all-time high of 144.0 billion cubic feet per day on Tuesday, which would top Monday's record 142.0 bcfd, according to Reuters data going back to 2008.

(Reporting by Ernest Scheyder; Additional reporting by Liz Hampton in Houston and Scott DiSavino in New York; Editing by Susan Thomas)
Ukraine increased imports of goods from Russia by 38.6% in January-November 2017 year-over-year, to $6.3 billion, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) has reported.

Exports of goods to Russia rose by 11.9% over the period, to $3.06 billion. Total goods flow grew by 28.6%, to $9.36 billion.

The deficit of Ukraine's trade with Russia over the period was $3.24 billion, which is 79% worse than a year ago.

The NBU said that over the period exports of goods from Ukraine to the European Union (EU) grew by 32.7%, to $12.77 billion, and imports  by 23.9%, to $16.51 billion. Goods flow rose by 27.6%, to $29.28 billion, and the deficit of Ukraine's trade with the EU was $3.7 billion.

The central bank said that Russia's share of exports of goods from Ukraine fell from 9.1% to 8.5%, while of imports it grew from 12.6% to 14.3%, while the EU's share of exports rose from 31.9% to 35.3% and imports from 36.9% to 37.5%.

In general, exports of goods from Ukraine in January-November 2017 grew by 20.1%, to $36.19 billion, imports  by 21.8%, to $44.03 billion and the deficit worsened by 30.2%, to $7.84 billion.
(Adds Swala Oil and Gas, CanniMed)

Jan 2 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1500 GMT on Tuesday:

** Tanzania's Swala Oil and Gas will buy up to a 40 percent stake in Orca Exploration Group's PAE PanAfrican Energy Corp. for $130 million, Swala said. ** Medical marijuana company CanniMed Therapeutics Inc said it had entered into an agreement with Up Cannabis for the supply of raw material in the face of rising demand as Canada prepares to legalize recreational pot. ** Investment manager Principal Financial Group Inc said it would purchase Indian lender Punjab National Bank's minority stakes in their joint ventures. ** Marks & Spencer has sold its retail business in Hong Kong and Macau to its franchise partner Al-Futtaim as it retreats from international markets to focus on its core business in Britain, the company said. ** Glencore has agreed to sell one of two Australian coal mines it put up for sale last year to British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance for an undisclosed sum, the two companies said separately. ** Israel's Rami Levi Chain Stores has agreed to buy 20 percent of coffee and snack chain Cofix Group at a company valuation of 105 million shekels ($30 million). (Compiled by Akankshita Mukhopadhyay in Bengaluru)
SYDNEY, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Glencore has agreed to sell one of two Australian coal mines it put up for sale last year to British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance for an undisclosed sum, the two companies said separately on Tuesday.

The acquisition follows Gupta's purchase last year of the financially troubled Wyhalla steel works in southern Australia, part of a plan to build an integrated steel business by buying the unwanted assets of other companies.

The companies did not give the sale prices, but several sources familar with the sales process had told Reuters the mine was likely to fetch around $100 million.

Tahmoor produces about 2 million tonnes of coal a year, mostly high-quality coking coal used for steel making internationally and in Australia, including at the Whyalla facility, GFG executive chairman Gupta said in a statement.

"The acquisition of the Tahmoor mine is an exciting step forward in our stated strategy to create fully-integrated, end-to-end businesses in Australia, from raw materials and energy right through to high-value finished products ready for market," he said.

The transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018 pending foreign investment approval in Australia, a Glencore spokesman said.

Glencore put the Rolleston and Tahmoor mines up for sale last year as the mining and trading house looks to consolidate its coal activities around its Australian Hunter Valley mines producing thermal coal, used for power production. GFG Alliance, a $10 billion metals, industrials and energy group, has been snapping up distressed industrial assets in Britain, Australia and the United States in the past few years. The company runs metals group Liberty House and energy and commodities group SIMEC, with assets spanning steelmaking, aluminium smelting, engineering, renewable and non-renewable energy, commodities trading, shipping, property and finance.

(Reporting by James Regan; editing by Richard Pullin)
(Kitco News) - Gold prices are up and hit a more-than-three-month high in early U.S. trading Tuesday. A slumping U.S. dollar index that hit a better-than-three-month low today is bullish for the precious metals markets. Gold and silver markets are also seeing safe-haven demand on heightened geopolitical risks. February Comex gold was last up $4.50 an ounce at $1,313.90. March Comex silver was last down $0.02 at $17.12 an ounce.

A feature in the marketplace early this week are rising tensions in Iran as demonstrators in that country are demanding an overthrow of the ruling government. There has been a violent crackdown on the demonstrators by the Iranian government. U.S. President Donald Trump has tweeted that he supports the demonstrators, which is a dramatic shift from the Obama administration that was much more low key on such matters.

North Korea has made an overture to South Korea for negotiations, but is also maintaining it plans to ramp up its production of nuclear weapons, including leader Kim Jong Un reportedly saying he as a nuclear button on his desk.

The other key outside markets on Tuesday morning finds Nymex crude oil prices near steady on the day after hitting a 2.5-year high above $60.00 a barrel overnight. A supply disruption in the North Sea and the Iran demonstrations are supporting the oil market. The recent rally in oil prices is bullish for the precious metals and the entire raw commodity sector.

U.S. economic data due for release Tuesday includes the U.S. and global manufacturing purchasing managers indexes.

Technically,February gold futures bulls have the overall near-term technical advantage. Prices are in a steep three-week-old uptrend on the daily bar chart. Bulls next upside technical objective is pushing and closing prices above chart resistance at $1,340.00. Bears' next near-term downside price breakout objective is closing prices below solid technical support at $1,280.00. First support is seen at todays low of $1,304.60 and then at $1,300.00. First resistance is seen at $1,320.00 and then at $1,325.00. Wyckoffs Market Rating: 6.0

March silver bulls and bears are on a level overall near-term technical playing field. However, recent gains suggest a market bottom is in place and that more upside is attainable. The next upside price breakout objective is closing futures prices above solid technical resistance at $17.50 an ounce. The next downside price breakout objective for the bears is closing prices below solid support at the October low of $16.435. First resistance is seen at last weeks high of $17.175 and then at $17.25. Next support is seen at $17.00 and then at last Fridays low of $16.865. Wyckoff's Market Rating: 5.0.
Golden Star Resources (NYSE American: GSS; TSX: GSC; GSE: GSR) reports two fatalities occurred at its Prestea Underground Gold Mine in Ghana. An initial investigation suggests that two employees succumbed to smoke inhalation following exposure to blasting gasses on Friday, the company says. Golden Star suspended operations at Prestea Underground for the initial investigation, but full operations resumed on Monday. "On behalf of us all at Golden Star, and particularly the close-knit team at Prestea, we extend our sincerest condolences to the individuals' families and friends, says Sam Coetzer, president and chief executive officer. Safety is our highest priority and we take great care in ensuring that all of our underground team members have self-rescuers and that they are trained to use them correctly. We are conducting further investigations to understand why this tragedy occurred and how to prevent it from happening again."

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Caledonia: Blanket Mine On Track For 80,000 Gold Ounces By 2021





Caledonia Mining Corp. Plc (NYSE, AIM: CMCL; TSX: CAL) says its Blanket Mine in Zimbabwe remains on track to eventually churn out 80,000 ounces of gold a year by 2021. The company has declared a quarterly dividend of 6.875 cents per share. "2017 has been another significant year for Caledonia, having announced at the start of November a significant and continued increase in Blanket Mine's resource base and, shortly thereafter, an extension to the central shaft project to deepen the shaft by two extra production levels in order to access the increased resource base at those depths, says Steve Curtis, chief executive officer. Production guidance for 2017 is between 54,000 to 56,000 ounces of gold, and we expect to announce Blanket Mine's gold production for 2017 later this month. Blanket Mine continues to make progress towards its goal of 80,000 ounces per year by 2021 as a result of the implementation of the investment plan.
Editor's Note: View Kitco News' full 2018 outlook coverage

(Kitco News) - Known as a fan favorite, the Expert Series brings together well-known investors and Kitco regulars to find out where they will be putting their money in 2018.

This year, in a new twist to the feature, Kitco News has asked some of the most influential mining sector newsletter writers how they would invest $100K in the mining sector.

While the mining sector has struggled to maintain momentum, 2017 has been anything but boring with new assets like cryptocurrencies making waves in financial markets. What does 2018 have in store? Check out what the mining experts have to say!

PART I: Avoid Tesla 'Above All Else' in 2018

PART II: Put Half Your Investment In The Best Of The Best Of 2017 - Rick Rule

PART III: Pick Miners With Low Cost And Good Management - Marin Katusa

PART IV: Base Metals & Energy To Win In 2018 - USCF

PART V: Keep 10% In Gold And Avoid Long-Term Bonds - Frank Holmes

PART VI: These Are The 3 Companies Brent Cook & Joe Mazumdar Like In 2018

PART VII: Here Are Top 3 Investments To Avoid In 2018 - Mickey Fulp

PART VIII: Everything & Gold Will Rise in 2018, Except Bitcoin - Expert

PART IX: This Will Drive Gold Prices And Miners In 2018 - Jordan Roy-Byrnes

Expert: Mickey Fulp

Claim to Fame: Creator of the Mercenary Geologist

How would you invest $100k in the mining sector in 2018?

I cannot know that until opportunities present themselves in the coming year. My short-list of preferences is likely to include new companies with advanced projects in gold or copper located in geopolitically stable jurisdictions that follow the rule of law.

What will affect gold most in 2018?

The U.S. dollar.

What are the top 3 companies for 2018? Why?

Sorry, but I must pick four that have attracted my hard-earned capital in 2017: Allegiant Gold Ltd, Eagle Plains Resources, Integra Resources Corp, and Trilogy Metals Inc. For the various reasons, please visit my website: MercenaryGeologist.com and navigate to the Musings page.

What 3 investments would you avoid in 2018? Why?

Any speculation that contains the words bitcoin, cobalt, or lithium. Those were so 2017.

If you could describe 2017 in one word, what would it be?

Trump.

What are your thoughts on bitcoin in 2018?

Bitcoin is a big blown-up bubble begging to burst. But the $64,000 question is when will that inevitable event happen?

Any additional comments?

Contrarian speculations require patience and are best made during incipient bull markets for commodities. In my opinion, now is the time to position for windfall profits over the next five years.
Exports of Ukrainian-made Christmas decoration grew by 34.2% in January-October 2017 year-over-year, to $6.1 million, Ukraine's Economic Development and Trade Ministry has said on its website.

"Today the EU is the key buyer of Ukrainian Christmas decoration, but our decoration is also used for Christmas trees in the United States, Israel and even Maldives," the ministry's press service said, citing Deputy Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Ukraine's Trade Representative Natalia Mykolska.

In January-October 2017, 58% of total decoration was exported to the EU. Total supplies to the EU grew by 25%, from $2.8 million in January-October 2016 to $3.5 million in January-October 2017.

The share of decorations exported to the Netherlands is 30% of total Christmas decoration exports and 52% of total exports of decoration to the EU countries. The ministry said that in 2017, supplies of decoration to the Netherlands grew by 31.5%.

The ministry said that geography of decoration exports was expanded in 2017: Austria, Armenia and Romania started importing Ukrainian Christmas decoration.

Deliveries to UK grew 2.3-fold and to Russia  2.2-fold. Supplies to Georgia, the Czech Republic and Latvia rose more than 1.5-fold. Exports of decoration to Maldives grew 1.5-fold and to Poland and the United States  1.4-fold.

The ministry said that 86% of exported decoration is glass decoration.
National energy company Ukrenergo and state-owned enterprise Moldelectrica have discussed resumption of the 750 kV Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP (Mykolaiv region) - Isaccea (Romania) power line for 400 kV class voltage, the press service of Ukrenergo has reported, referring to a meeting in Chisinau held at the end of December.

"When the resumption of the 750 kV Yuzhnoukrainsk NPP-Isaccea power line for 400 kV class voltage was discussed, the key technical solutions and possibilities of their implementation were presented," the company said.

Ukrenergo said that at a meeting of the PECI/PMI Electricity Group (Projects of Energy Community Interest (PECIs) and Projects of Mutual Interest (PMIs) held on December 11, 2017 in Vienna the company presented a project to build the 750/400 kV Prymorska substation with double-circuit 400 kV Prymorska-Isaccea power line for obtaining PMI status. The final list of the projects is to be approved at a meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community in October 2018.

Ukrenergo said that the implementation of the following project will increase the scope of capacity exchange up to 1-1.2 GW starting from 2026. Besides, it will improve the reliability of electricity supply to consumers of the southern regions of Ukraine and Moldova. Moreover, the implementation of the project will lift restrictions on the renewables generation capacity throughput in the south of Ukraine and in the west of Romania.

The approximate cost of the Ukrainian part of the project is EUR 226 million. Romania's Transelectrica also supported the project.
By Yoon Ja-young



The government is considering stepping up its budget spending over the next five years to cope with structural problems such as the low birthrate and low economic growth.



The Ministry of Strategy and Finance disclosed its 2018-2022 guidelines for fiscal management Tuesday, based on which each ministry will set up plans for budget spending over the next five years.



According to the previous plan, the government is scheduled to increase its budget spending by 7.1 percent this year and 5.7 percent next year. The annual increase will be on average 5.8 percent for the next five years. However, the government is considering further increasing the budget spending.



While announcing its 2018 economic policy directives last week, the government had hinted it might have to spend more to solve chronic economic and social problems, since otherwise it will only add more fiscal burden to future generations.



Among the chronic problems it focuses on are falling economic growth and the low birthrate as well as low participation rate of women in economic activities and a high poverty rate among senior citizens.



The number of babies born last year is estimated at around 360,000, far below the 406,300 of 2016. The average number of babies born per woman is also estimated to be around 1.05, which is the lowest in the world.



Korea's working age population is expected to drop 18.9 percent between 2017 and 2037. The ratio of working age population to total population will also drop to 58.3 percent in 2037 from 73.1 percent last year. The means the economic and social burden will grow rapidly as fewer workers will support an increasing number of senior citizens.



Increasing participation of women in the workforce can be a solution, but the employment rate of women aged between 15 and 64 stood at only 56.2 percent last year.



"To find fundamental solutions for structural problems, the government plans to increase pre-emptive budget investment in the long-term perspective," said Kang Young-kyu, director in charge of the fiscal strategy division at the finance ministry.



The guidelines note the budget should be spent to create quality jobs for women and youths and improve quality of life by securing sources of household income.



It also stresses supporting innovative growth, which is the foundation for the Moon Jae-in administration's income-led growth. Unlike previous administrations that focused on conglomerates, believing the fruits of the chaebol will be shared by the working class through the trickle-down effect, the current administration shifted its focus to households away from the corporate sector. It aims at increasing household incomes to encourage more consumption and thereby boost the economy.



Based on the guidelines, each ministry will prepare their mid-term plans, which will be submitted by the end of this month. The government plans to submit the final version of the 2018-2022 budget management plan to the National Assembly by Sept. 2.




By Yi Whan-woo



Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon proposed Tuesday holding high-level talks with North Korea, Jan. 9, to discuss its participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.



Cho's offer came in response to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's New Year's message, in which he said he was willing to send a delegation of athletes to the South's first Winter Olympics.



Minister Cho suggested holding the cross-border dialogue at the truce village of Panmunjeom. He said Seoul is open to discuss the timing, venues, methods and other preparatory steps regarding the talks with Pyongyang.



"We propose to hold high-level talks on Jan. 9 at the Peace House (on the South Korean side of Panmunjeom)," Cho said during a press conference at the ministry in downtown Seoul. "We're willing to talk with the North freely over the necessary steps both sides must take. To do so, the dialogue channel at Panmunjeom should be restored promptly. We expect to hear a positive response from the North soon."



If North Korea accepts, this will be the first cross-border dialogue since President Moon Jae-in took office in May 2017. It will also be the highest-level contact between the two Koreas since December 2015 when vice minister-level officials met.



The two Koreas may exchange their ideas on the possible agenda, their respective representatives and other relevant issues.





Moon welcomes North Korea's PyeongChang overture 'Sanctions on North Korea are biting' Liberal, conservative parties poles apart over N. Korean leader's peace overture Kim Jong-un's sister speculated to lead delegation to South The two sides may also discuss a wide range of pending issues, such as international sanctions on the repressive state and its denuclearization.



Cho, however, said it is too early to pre-determine what North Korea will be interested in.



"We just hope the possible dialogue will help restore cross-border ties in the future," he said.



With a little more than a month remaining before the Winter Games, Kim abruptly mentioned sending a delegation to the sporting event Monday in a possible bid to ease his country's isolation.



Cho said Seoul did not consult with Pyongyang in advance before offering to hold high-level talks.



"We made our offer solely based on Kim's New Year's address," he said.



He added that the Moon administration opted for high-level dialogue among many levels of talks, considering cross-border relations have been suspended for years and also that Kim suggested the officials from the two sides "meet urgently."



Cho's proposal came amid debate over whether springtime military exercises between South Korea and the United States should be held off until after the Olympics.



The timing of the two parallel drills -- Key Resolve and Foal Eagle -- overlaps the Winter Games, slated for Feb. 9 to 25. The South hoped that postponing the exercises could induce North Korea to participate in the Olympics.




Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon said Tuesday that North Korea could demand "different treatment," apparently as a nuclear power, if rare talks take place between the two sides to discuss its participation in PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

"It appears that South-North talks will take place for the first time in a long time," Lee said during a ceremony to kick off New Year, noting that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un spoke in his New Year's message of a need for the two Koreas to hold a meeting at an early date.

Lee said the talks, if realized, could be daunting.

"There is a sufficient possibility of North Korea demanding different treatment as it is arguing (that is now a nuclear power)," Lee said. "Nonetheless, however we have to exercise imagination and wisdom and muster courage to take advantage of this opportunity."

Lee didn't elaborate on what "different treatment" may mean, but it apparently indicates that the communist nation could demand the South treat it as a nuclear weapons-armed state. Pyongyang has carried out six nuclear tests so far and recently claimed it has become the world's newest nuclear power.

Kim Jong-un said in his New Year's address that his country is willing to send a delegation across the world's most heavily fortified border to next month's Winter Games and said the two sides could hold an urgent meeting to discuss the issue.












An after-school English class takes place at an elementary school in Seoul in this file photo. / Korea Times file



By Kim Bo-eun



The education ministry's decision to ban extra-curricular English classes for first and second graders in elementary school is brewing major controversy.



The ban, set to go into effect in March, is intended to prevent young students from studying English before third grade in elementary school, when English starts becoming part of the curriculum.



Korean students' dependency on private education has weakened the role of public school education, and has resulted in an education gap between the haves and have-nots, which has far-reaching implications, including for job prospects.



Under the status quo, English classes are being conducted for first and second graders as part of an after school program.



However, despite the government's intention to curb the practice of studying ahead of the curriculum, voices are growing that the ban will make parents put their children into private education instead.



Concerns over costly substitute



Following the ministry's announcement in November, petitions have flooded Cheong Wa Dae's website, requesting the ban to be lifted.



"The ban will basically force parents to put their children into private education to learn English, as learning the language is a must in this era," a parent posted on the presidential website.



This is a concern for parents in rural areas that have few private academies as opposed to large cities.



"Especially in rural areas such as where I live, after-school programs are the only means through which my children could learn English, but now that the ban will go into effect, I have no idea what to do."



Most of the petitions addressed the cost issue of private education.



"The ban of after-school English classes which offered an affordable opportunity for children from ordinary families, will lead to the thriving of expensive private academies, leading to inequality in education opportunities according to income," another petition said.



The backlash grew after the ministry last month said it would ban English classes at daycare centers and kindergartens as well.



The ministry said days later that this plan was not finalized, and that it would make a decision after collecting public opinion.



Affecting livelihoods



The ban also affects after-school program instructors, who will have to seek new jobs at private academies.



An association of after-school program firms protested the move, to no avail.



"If the government's intention is to curb learning ahead of the curriculum, then it should regulate private academies as well," a member of the National After-school Corporate Association said. He declined to be named.



"Also, it doesn't make sense to only regulate after school programs for first and second graders _ it should extend to kindergartens and daycare centers as well."



The firms will continue to offer programs for upper grade students, but revenue is expected to plummet, as lower grade students account for an average of over 50 percent of those taking part in these programs at schools nationwide.



"The fall in revenue will make instructors leave after-school programs and seek positions at private academies," the member said.



The association said its voice has gone unheard because it does not have the clout that similar organizations of daycare centers and kindergartens have.



Need for follow-up measures



Amid the protests, a civic group campaigning against private education is welcoming the government's move.



"We welcome the ministry's decision, as a willingness to normalize public education," World Without Worries About Shadow Education said.



However, the group said it was important for the ministry to devise follow-up measures.



"For the ban to have an effect on curbing private education, English classes for third grade students must be designed for students that have not had prior education _ in order to prevent younger students from attending private academies," it said.



It added that the government needs to regulate the private education sector, starting with revising related regulations.




An apartment village in Songpa-gu, Seoul, near the Lotte World Tower, is littered with paper shot off the tower during the New Year countdown. / Yonhap.



By Ko Dong-hwan





Lotte World Tower launches fireworks in an event to welcome 2018. / Yonhap

Lotte World Tower's New Year "paper snowstorm" on its neighborhood has caused a flood of protests.



A part of the New Year countdown, 2.5 tons of confetti was shot into the air as the skyscraper launched 13,000 bundles of fireworks over 10 minutes from midnight. The paper covered streets, parking lots and cars in the vicinity.



Most of the paper fell over Jamsil-dong in Songpa-gu. Areas affected included a high-rise residential apartment village, Seokchon Lake Park and commercial districts with Lotte Department Store, Lotte World theme park and other buildings. Some of the paper reached areas as far as 10 kilometers away, according to reports.



Apartment village residents criticized the event and the Songpa-gu office said it was inundated with complaints. Cleaners were sent to clear the areas while security personnel at the apartment village swept up the mess there.



An online news outlet dubbed the tower "the icon of public harm."




Jeju International Airport is crowded with tourists. Jeju residents are protesting the government's project to build a new airport, saying the overwhelming number of tourists are already causing too many problems on the island. / Yonhap



Residents complain about excessive No. of visitors, oppose new airport



By Jung Min-ho



Every year, about 15 million tourists visit Jeju Island, home to only 660,000 people.



Over the past decade, the island has turned into Korea's tourism hub with many luxury hotels and resorts, thanks to an increasing number of visitors from overseas and other parts of the country.



But the island's commercial success has come at a steep cost. An overwhelming amount of garbage and noise has become a part of Jeju life. Traffic jams have become more common. Jeju's underground water has recently been found to be "in danger of being exhausted."



Now, the government is planning to build a new airport in southern Jeju, which it thinks will triple the number of tourists to 45 million by 2035.



Since the government announced the plan two years ago, thousands of Jeju residents have opposed it, saying their island is already suffering from an overwhelming number of tourists and more visitors will destroy the beauty that attracted them in the first place.



"We are opposed to the plan for the future of Jeju Island, which is now at stake," Kang Won-bo, director of the protesters' group, told The Korea Times. "Its once-pristine environment has been seriously damaged after it became popular with outsiders. There is more trash and traffic jams."



"In addition to such obvious harm, Jeju residents have to deal with the stress from many people and noise, which is everywhere. Many miss how it used to be."



According to Kang, many Jeju residents were "glad" when the Chinese government banned the sale of group tour packages to Korea last year following the deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system here.



Over the past few months, protesters' have raised their voices against the airport plan, holding rallies across the island and in Seoul.



Faced with the fierce opposition, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport suspended the plan and said it will reexamine Jeju's Seogwipo to determine whether the city is a proper site for airport construction.



One of the biggest misconceptions about Jeju's tourism boom is that it earns Jeju residents a lot of money, Kang said.



"Many commercial facilities on the island are owned by foreigners or major companies. They make a lot of money, while many of Jeju's small business owners make only a fraction of the money tourists spend here," he said.



For example, many Chinese tourists, which account for 80 percent of all foreign visitors to Jeju, come to the island in groups through Chinese travel agencies and eat in the restaurants owned by Chinese residents.



"Jeju natives complain that they have been forced out of businesses because of foreigners and major hotel chains. Meanwhile, they all share the cost of mass tourism. I think that's unfair," Kang said.



Protesters have also accused the ministry of failing to communicate with them from the beginning.



The ministry denied the allegation, saying it collected their opinions and communicated with them through several briefing sessions before the project announcement.



The ministry also said Jeju International Airport is already too crowded and, as demand will continue to increase, safety risks will rise too. According to estimates, the number of current users is 30 million, which is 4 million more than it was designed to handle.



"Due to an increasing number of aircraft at the airport, a plane crash could have happened Sept. 29," the ministry said. "To ensure safety and convenience for users, building another airport is essential."



The ministry said it is open to dialogue with Jeju residents. But if the opposition continues even after objective examinations and discussions, the ministry said it will take the issue to court.



When it comes to the issue of mass tourism, Jeju is hardly alone. Around the world, famous places such as Venice and Barcelona are also suffering from a massive influx of visitors.






Ukraine in 2018 will allocate UAH 305 million from the funds of the future special confiscation for the purchase of cars equipped with mobile X-ray machines.

The relevant provision is contained in the Law on the State Budget of Ukraine for 2018, published in the official parliamentary newspaper Holos Ukrainy.

In addition, funds from special confiscation will be used for social, labor and professional rehabilitation of disabled people, provision of housing for citizens, in particular, for Anti-Terrorist operation (ATO) participants, as well as for providing the population in rural areas with quality drinking water.

Earlier, in the previous version of this bill, it was assumed that the funds from the future special confiscation, in addition, would be aimed at strengthening the state's defense capability, investment programs and regional development projects, forming the infrastructure of the merged communities and developing the healthcare system in rural areas.

As reported, the Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko announced in early 2018 a special confiscation of another UAH 5 billion of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and his cronies.

"We have a special plan to confiscate another UAH 5 billion. So, early next year, we will conduct this special confiscation, and I hope that this time the government will be more organized, and we will help start a number of criminal proceedings for negligence on those who took means, and could not bring them to people," he said.

Lutsenko noted that only UAH 5 billion had been used from the UAH 22 billion of previously confiscated funds, which were distributed in June, as of December 1.
Gag photograph taken by an American soldier on August 5, 1952



By Robert Neff



In August 1952, an American soldier took a "gag shot" of his friend pretending to be drunk in front of a sign warning soldiers of what offences they could be prosecuted for  including drunkenness. The "gag shot" might have been amusing to some, but American alcoholics were a serious problem in Korea in the late 19th century.



In 1904, Horace Allen, the American representative to Korea and a former missionary, described alcohol as "the cause of most downfalls" in Korea. He may have been referring to one of his predecessors, William H. Parker.



When Parker arrived in June 1886, he was accompanied by a naval doctor due to his drunkenness. Parker managed to sober up for a few days but then, much to the Western community's embarrassment, started drinking again and was often found in a drunken stupor.



Even worse were allegations that he tried to force himself on a young Japanese woman while he was drunk. Much to the relief of the small foreign community (and probably the Korean court), Parker was relieved of duty in September and sent back to the United States.



Parker wasn't the only alcoholic. On December 11, 1894, a young Marine from the American warship Baltimore, who was temporarily attached as a guard to the American legation in Seoul, deserted his post and sold his rifle to a Japanese merchant for $10. He then disappeared on a drunken spree that lasted until December 23, when he suddenly reappeared. The Marine claimed "he had such an irresistible desire for drink that he could not help going after it." He was immediately clapped into irons and faced at least five years' imprisonment.



More alarming than the desertion was a letter sent to Washington, D.C., by Rose Moore, the wife of Samuel Moore, an American missionary. She wrote:



"We have to blush for our American soldiers and some of the officers from the Baltimore. They get beastly drunk and carouse about the streets in a most disgraceful manner, frightening and surprising the [Japanese] and Koreans."



Captain Benjamin F. Day, the commander of the Baltimore, responded that "it would have been surprising, and not in accordance with the usual experience with landing parties had there not been some drunkenness amongst them as they were supplied with money monthly" and added, "Men who do not get drunk are not plentiful in the Navy and Marine Corps."



While the hard-drinking reputation may have had some merit, in this instance it appears to have been undeserved or exaggerated.



An investigation was conducted by John Sill, the American Minister, who immediately summoned Rose Moore to his office to identify the service members. She could not.



According to Sill: "It turned out that she had, upon mere hearsay [she had heard from her husband], directly and squarely charged the officers and men with drunken and disgraceful carousals on the public streets." Sill demanded Samuel Moore to provide him the names of witnesses, but Moore claimed he could no longer remember the facts. Disgusted, Sill denounced him as a "holy liar" and the investigation was closed.


By Jun Hannah



Hannah Jun



Since 1927, TIME Magazine has devoted an annual issue to its Person of the Year. This distinction would go to the person who had the greatest influence  for better or worse  on events during the year. In 2016, this title went to U.S. President Donald Trump.

This year, TIME honored "the silence breakers"  individuals who spoke out against sexual harassment and assault and contributed to the broad social movement encapsulated by the #MeToo hashtag.



In many ways, the #MeToo movement has focused on female victims and male perpetrators. Given that men have typically been in more powerful positions and have exerted disproportionate influence on most sectors of society, women have had few incentives to cry foul and faced little hope of getting justice.

In this sense, understand (and agree with) the aim of empowering women to speak up against systematic exploitation.





TIME cover "The silence breakers" / Screen captured from TIME
Kim Jong-nam



For the past three or four months, I have been providing consultation for an organization to help them identify what core competencies its sales managers need to have and what their priorities should be in order to support their organization's vision and strategy. During the consultation process, I have had to make hypotheses, and I was able to test them out during the last two days of the workshop that I conducted with the sales managers. This workshop was meaningful because many sales organizations are not interested in identifying competencies for their sales managers, even though they do that for their other managers. Some sales organizations tend to focus on sales results as the sole competency and barometer for their sales managers, and the only criterion with which to decide whether they will develop their managers further. However, this excessive emphasis on sales tends to lead to a vicious circle, as Chris Argyris, an American organizational theorist, has described in his work. This circle happens because the organization's laser focus on sales will deflate the managers' appetites for growth; this lack of growth causes low productivity, which increases the company's emphasis on sales, thus beginning the circle all over again. In the end, both the organization and the sales managers lose out because neither of them is truly supporting the other.



This phenomenon is serious these days due to several factors, such as an economic slowdown, which leads to corporations having only short-term perspectives, and drastic environmental changes including unprecedented social, economic, and technological shifts. Thus, many organizations are now losing their enthusiasm for strengthening their long-term organizational or employee competencies. This negative organizational approach has the adverse effect of not motivating employees and letting them lose their initiative. What is worrisome is that when this vicious circle continues, the sense of unity between an organization and its employees will fade, the loyalty and engagement of its employees will disappear, and the organization's ability to carry out its strategy will be weakened. For this reason, how organizations view and approach their employees is key to the satisfaction of their stakeholders, including customers. This is why it is unwise to be interested only in immediate sales results.



There is no growth for either an organization or a person without increasing competencies. If you are not interested in figuring out which part of your body you would like to strengthen, how will you choose which exercises to do? This is exactly so in organizations. There are no excuses for any organization. If an organization wants to grow in future, they need to start working on a detailed implementation plan right now. Short-sightedness in organizations is dangerous for long-term growth and sustainability, because focusing on short-term profits may make the long-term perspective unclear. Thus, organizations should acknowledge that long-term vision and short-term strategy are both instrumental in becoming successful.



There is a deep connection between employees and organizations, and without employees' growth, there is no organizational growth. Given this, I think organizations should try looking deeply at what will help them remain robust in times of uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity they are dreading. How will they meet these challenges? Cutting management expenses? Introducing new technology temporarily? Harnessing a new marketing toolkit? These are all helpful, but the best defense is people, their people. To this end, I would like senior leaders of organizations to think about the three points below, which address why short-term profit should not take precedence over long-term sustainability.



First, just as it takes time for trees to grow, it takes time for employees to grow and play a primary role in leading their organizations. Employee competencies are not built in a day, so having a long-term vision for and support of employees is crucial. Second, if an organization and its employees do not envision, interpret and define their future together, the organization's overall, comprehensive competency will never become stronger. Third, in order for leaders to become true leaders, they should know how to help their employees become successful. Just asking their employees to fix their shortcomings will not help the organization prepare for the future effectively, but growing competencies will.



Since our economy has grown a lot over the past few decades, it is striking how few truly great Korean companies there are  the ones that are highlighted as long-term success models. Long-term quality trumps short-term quantity in managing an organization, and sales organizations can find that long-term quality by creating a competency-centric culture. When I finished the workshop today, one sales manager told me that this is the first time he realized that his organization and he are not totally different entities but rather very intensely connected. I hope many sales organizations begin to realize their employees are the secret ingredient to building a robust future.







Kim Jong-nam is the founding CEO of META (www.imeta.co.kr) and the author of two books, Organizations without Meetings and Breaking the Silent Rules.








By Gwynne Dyer





"The people behind what is taking place think they will be able to harm the government," said Iran's First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri. "But when social movements and protests start in the street, those who have ignited them are not always able to control them." And the question is: Which people did Jahangiri actually mean, and which government?



The hard-liners in Iran insist (as they always do on these occasions) that the demonstrations that broke out on Thursday and have continued every day since are the work of "anti-revolutionaries and agents of foreign powers." Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has warned anti-government protesters they will face the nation's "iron fist" if political unrest continues.



But there are actually two governments in Iran. One is the elected government of President Hassan Rouhani, a reformist who won a second term in last June's election. The other consists of the clerics and Islamic extremists (like the Revolutionary Guards) who serve the "Supreme Leader," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei  and it's Khamenei who has the last word in both theological and political matters.



There is always great tension between the two when Iranians elect a reformist government, and Eshaq Jahangiri has always supported the cause of moderation and reform. What he was actually signaling, in his cryptic remark, was his suspicion that the protests about economic conditions were initially incited by the hard-liners to harm Rouhani's government  and then got out of hand.



Iranians certainly have lots to protest against. Living standards have fallen 15 percent in the past 10 years. More than 3 million Iranians are jobless, and youth unemployment is about 40 percent. The price of some basic food items, like chicken and eggs, has recently risen by almost half.



It's not really Rouhani's fault. The main problem is that despite the 2015 deal that ended most international sanctions against Iran in return for strict controls on Iranian nuclear research and technology, U.S. financial sanctions remain in place. That has made most banks wary of processing money for Iran or extending credit to its firms, and so the promised economic benefits of the deal never arrived.



It is natural for ordinary people to blame the government when promised economic improvements don't happen, and so it may well have occurred to hard-liners to exploit that anger to discredit the reformist government. But the anger went deeper than that, and quickly turned into a protest against the Islamic regime in general.



One significant piece of evidence that Jahangiri's veiled accusation may be true is the behavior of the state-run media, which are almost entirely controlled by hard-liners. They reported virtually nothing about the much bigger demonstrations in 2009, but they gave front-page exposure to the current protests on the first day of the demos. Then, as the protesters' demands grew more radical, the state media stopped reporting on them.



In any case, Rouhani is no longer the prime target of the demonstrations, and they are no longer just about prices and jobs. They are protests against the entire regime, and the slogans are explicitly political. Previous outbreaks of protest have been put down by force in 1999, 2003, 2006 and most spectacularly in 2009, but three things are different about the current demonstrations.



The first is that the unelected parallel government of the mullahs, headed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is no longer sacred and beyond criticism. The crowds have been chanting "Death to the dictator" and even "Death to Khamenei," which is unprecedented in the history of the Islamic Republic. There have even been calls for the return of the shah who was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979 (or rather of his son, since he died long ago).



Secondly, for the first time the demonstrations began not in Tehran but in provincial cities. The initial outbreak was in Iran's second city, Mashhad, which is traditionally seen as a very conservative place. The protests only reached the capital on Saturday  and they have broken out in a dozen smaller cities as well.



And the third thing (which may account for the second) is that the majority of protesters this time are not middle-class students and professionals but lower-class people with very little to lose. This may also be why the crowds are less disciplined and more likely to answer violence with violence this time around.



None of this necessarily means that the Iranian regime is on the brink of collapse. It has already cut off the social media that the protesters use to organize, and it is notorious for its willingness to use force against its own citizens ( at least a dozen have been killed at the time of writing). Most opposition leaders are in jail or in exile, and there is no visible coordination among the protests.
Korean Mart Labor Union members protest against Shinsegae Group's plan to reduce its working hours, during a press conference in front of the conglomerate's head office in Seoul in this Dec. 12, 2017 file photo. / Courtesy of Korean Mart Labor Union





Controversy erupts over Shinsegae's 35-hour workweek



By Park Jae-hyuk



Koreans' long-awaited dreams of a work-life balance did not come true again last year despite the change of the government as both labor and management were not satisfied with proposals for reduced working hours for different reasons.

Asia's fourth-largest economy still seems to need more time to guarantee its people "life with an evening," the popular slogan published by People's Party senior adviser Sohn Hak-kyu, who stressed workers should be able to return home in time to enjoy dinner with their families.



While businesses have complained about the possible rise in their costs, workers have been concerned about wage cuts.



Shinsegae Group's implementation of a 35-hour workweek has also faced a backlash from union members who regard the retail giant's recent measure as a fraudulent act to save pay from its workers at its E-mart discount chains, following the increase in the minimum wage.



The nation's 10th-largest conglomerate was praised for its decision at first, because it was the first time a Korean conglomerate adopted a 35-hour workweek without a wage cut. Korea has a statutory working week of 40 hours.



Starting this year, its employees have begun working seven hours a day  from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a one-hour lunch break. Workers at Shinsegae's department stores, duty free shops and discount chains are also subject to the new standard, so its E-mart discount stores close at 11 p.m., an hour earlier than before.



At the time of the announcement, the Seoul-based company emphasized the working hours reduction would not mean a salary cut, as it will continue with regular annual wage increases.



However, Korean Mart Labor Union has criticized Shinsegae for allegedly taking a deceitful measure as workers could end up working more than seven hours if there is no additional employment. The union consists of workers at the country's top discount chains of E-mart, Lotte Mart and Home plus.



"Workers at discount stores usually do not finish on time, so shorter working hours cannot reduce the workload if there is no additional employment," said Jeon Soo-chan, head of E-mart's union.



The union members have claimed those who benefit from shorter business hours of E-mart are management, not workers, as it can save on night shift bonuses.



"Lotte Mart's 8,000 workers have already worked seven hours a day, but they always have to do overtime, due to the lack of staff," said Lee Hyun-sook, head of Lotte Mart labor union. "E-mart workers' concerns have already come true at Lotte Mart."



Shinsegae has denied their claims, saying labor and management will continue to negotiate salaries every year. The company also said it will reduce unnecessary works.



Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin gives a presentation on the vision of E-mart discount chain in this 2015 file photo. Shinsegae is the nation's first conglomerate that has adopted the 35-hour work week. / Korea Times file



SMEs fear shorter working hours



In addition to unions, most businesses do not welcome Shinsegae's implementation, as they cannot avoid rising costs caused by the minimum wage hike this year.

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have especially protested the reduction of working hours, citing labor shortages as a reason.



Korea Federation of SMEs (K-Biz) Chairman Park Sung-taek has urged the government to allow SMEs with less than 30 workers to extend their working time up to eight hours a day if labor and management agree with the overtime. SMEs Minister Hong Jong-hak accepted the business lobby's request.



Korea Employers Federation Vice Chairman Kim Young-bae also said the reduction of working hours will weigh on SMEs. He said large companies with over 1,000 employees should be subject to shorter working hours first, while smaller companies gradually cut down their working times.



According to the Korea Economic Research Institute, SMEs would bear relatively larger costs than conglomerates in sustaining output, if working hours go down. Also, such a measure deals a harsher blow to the manufacturing and transportation industries rather than retailers.

Moon takes firm stance

In spite of the resistance, the government is highly expected to continue to push ahead with steps for a work-life balance this year, considering that President Moon Jae-in has promised to cut the maximum workweek from 68 hours to 52 hours.



"If the National Assembly fails to pass the bill regarding the shorter working hours, the government should consider discarding the previous administrative interpretation on the maximum workweek," the President said in October last year.



Although Moon demanded the National Assembly pass the bill to amend the labor law, lawmakers could not agree with it last year.



In November last year, members of the National Assembly Environment and Labor Committee came up with a tentative agreement on amendment of the Employment Standards Act that trims the maximum workweek, while maintaining the rate of extra pay for holiday work.



Since then, Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chairman Park Yong-maan has urged lawmakers to pass the bill regarding a gradual and flexible cutback of working hours, ahead of the minimum wage hike.



The business lobby, which first opposed the decrease of working hours, changed its mind after the Supreme Court announced it would adjudicate on a related lawsuit. If the court rules in favor of labor, businesses have to cut their working times without exception.



Park has said businesses cannot accept the increase in the rate of extra wages for holiday work, but labor-friendly lawmakers have urged the committee to raise the allowance.



The revised bill has not been passed yet, and will be discussed during a provisional session of parliament next month.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the annual working time in Korea reaches to 2,113 hours, the second-longest among its members next to Mexico.
A student nurse may face a disciplinary hearing after live-streaming herself while at work at an east China hospital. / Courtesy of sina.com.cn



By Catherine Wong

A trainee nurse at a top hospital in eastern China who caused a stir online over the weekend after live-streaming herself while at work may face disciplinary action, according to local media reports. A trainee nurse at a top hospital in eastern China who caused a stir online over the weekend after live-streaming herself while at work may face disciplinary action, according to local media reports.

Social media users suggested the management team at the First Hospital of Yulin in Shangrao, Jiangxi province, keep a tighter rein on their workers.

The online debate began after the unnamed nurse filmed herself going about her normal duties on Saturday. The incident happened about 30 minutes before the woman was set to end her shift, Jiangxi News reported on Monday, adding that she was still wearing her uniform.

An unnamed director at the hospital was quoted as saying that the nurse was an intern who had been working there for less than six months.

He said she was not professionally qualified and did not have an employment contract with the hospital.

The management team would discuss the matter after the New Year holiday and decide on an appropriate course of action, he said.

Live-streaming has become a popular pastime in China in recent years, with some people making a living from their broadcasts. The report did not say if the student nurse had a large social media following.

While many internet users complained about the woman's actions, others were more supportive.
One of the women-only parking spaces in Hangzhou. / Courtesy of 163.com



By Catherine Wong





The controversy over women-only parking spaces in China has been reignited after a female motorist posted online she would not use them as the idea seemed sexist.

The parking spaces she encountered in Hangzhou in Zhejiang province are bigger than normal and have pink signs showing high heels inside them.

The woman driver said she went to Hangzhou over the New Year holiday, but felt uncomfortable using the parking spaces.

The post has attracted heated debate online in China, with some saying the initiative is blatant discrimination against women, while others said it was convenient for female drivers.

Some suggested that bigger car parking spaces should be marked for new rather than women drivers.

Fang Hongying, a car park manager, was quoted by the Zhejiang Daily as saying they spent 70 million yuan (US$10.7 million) to create the spaces for the improved safety and convenience of women motorists.

A similar controversy was sparked in Kunming in Yunnan province in October after women only parking spaces were introduced.

Many complained that the larger spaces reinforced the stereotype that women were worse drivers than men.

A similar scheme has also been introduced in Zhengzhou in Henan province.
Yanair airline has started selling tickets for Lviv-Batumi flights to be launched from June 8, 2018, according to a posting on the Ukrainian aviation news portal.

"First flights to Georgia will be serviced once a week on Fridays, and a second flight will be added on Tuesdays starting June 19. Departure from Batumi to Lviv is scheduled for 13:15, departure from Lviv to Batumi at 16:00," the portal said.

The booking system has the sale of tickets for these flights until the end of September.

The cost of a round trip economy class ticket is UAH 6,154, the price includes food and baggage allowance of 23 kg.

As reported, Yanair airline announced its plans to launch the Lviv-Batumi flight in the 2018 summer schedule on November 2, 2017.

"Today I first announce the launch of a new flight in the 2018 summer schedule  Lviv-Batumi. We are actively preparing for this. In the near term we will start selling [tickets] for summer 2018. I have no doubt that the Lviv-Batumi flights will be launched," Yanair CEO Yaroslav Ahafonov said.

Ahafonov said that the airline's development strategy for 2018 foresees the increase in the frequency of flights between Ukraine and Georgia and use of more capacious planes.

"We have reached the point of increasing the capacity at our regular flights and using more capacious planes - Boeing 737-400 and Airbus 320/321 and increasing the frequency. There are all preconditions for this," he said.

He said that demand on the Ukraine-Georgia route is growing.

"First this year we do not close flights for the winter schedule. As an example, the Kyiv-Batumi flight was fully loaded out and return," he said.

Yanair was registered in Zhytomyr on June 15, 2012. In July 2013, it received the operations certificate.
Ukraine posts 26.8% rise in imports of gas in 2017

Ukraine increased imports of natural gas by 26.8% or 2.972 billion cubic meters (bcm) in 2017, to 14.05 bcm, according to public joint-stock company Ukrtransgaz.

According to Interfax-Ukraine's calculations, imports from Slovakia in 2017 amounted to 9.91 bcm, Hungary to 2.835 bcm, and Poland to 1.305 bcm.

Imports in December 2017 amounted to 954.9 million cubic meters of gas, which is 42.5% less than in December 2016.

The monthly imports of less than 1 bcm in 2017 were recorded only in April when 0.54 bcm was delivered to the country. Imports varied from 1.073 bcm to 1.453 bcm in other months.

Ukraine has not been importing natural gas under the contract with PJSC Gazprom for more than two years (since November 26, 2015), purchasing resources exclusively on its western border.

As reported, Ukraine in 2016 reduced imports of natural gas by 32.7% (by 5.376 bcm) compared to 2015, to 11.078 bcm.
Tax innovations, introduced from the new year, that provide for the postponement of VAT payments for the import of unique equipment and the decline in rent when new gas wells are put into operation, will contribute to the development and technological renovation of production in Ukraine, Prime Minister of Ukraine Volodymyr Groysman said.

"Today it is important to ensure the modernization of the national economy, update the key assets of enterprises, equipment. That is why we introduce installments for 24 months so that we won't have to take expensive loans to purchase equipment, pay interest and another tax [value added]. We should revive the national industry and we'll be able to do this when we break down the barriers that are imposed on the introduction of new industries in the country," the PM said.

The norm on the postponement of VAT for industry was proposed for discussion in the summer of 2017 on the basis of the relevant experiment in the pharmaceutical and woodworking industries, the Department of Information and Communications of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine said.

The norm will be in force until 2020 and will be introduced in relation to each specific production on application. The range of industries that can take advantage of the possibility of deferring VAT is quite wide and extends to enterprises of machine-building, metallurgy, light industry, agro-industrial and food enterprises.
llegal armed groups fired at Ukrainian positions in Donbas five times on Monday, January 1, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters has reported.

"The first day of the new year did not bring peace to Donbas. Russian occupation groups continue to fire at the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in particular, from weapons banned by the Minsk agreements. In particular, Russian terrorist forces have violated the ceasefire five times over the past 24 hours. No Ukrainian soldier was killed or wounded in enemy attacks," the ATO HQ said in a statement on its Facebook page early on Tuesday.

In the Luhansk sector, militants fired from 82mm mortars and heavy machineguns near Luhanske.

In the Donetsk sector, the enemy was most active near the Azov Sea. In particular, militants used 120mm and 82mm mortars and infantry weapons near Pavlopil. They fired at fortified Ukrainian positions from grenade launchers of various types and small arms near Vodiane. On the outskirts of Verkhniotoretske, illegal armed groups launched more than ten 82mm mines at the positions of Ukrainian servicemen and also used grenade launchers and small arms.
Rome, January 2 - Former magistrate Ferdinando Imposimato, remembered for his work on the Aldo Moro case and the attempted assassination of John Paul 11, died in a Rome hospital aged 81 Tuesday. Imposimato was also a politician, elected as a leftwing independent in a Communist Party (PCI) list in the House in 1992 and the Senate in 1994. In 2013 the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) proposed him among others as candidate to become Italian president. Imposimato had been rushed to the critical ward at the Policlinico Gemelli Hospital on December 31.
Rome, January 2 - The harmonisation of sick leave inspection times has been dropped from a civil-service decree, the ministry said Tuesday. The times when workers must be available to inspectors who verify they are sick thus remain seven hours for public-sector workers and four hours for private-sector workers. The inspection times were to have been harmonised at seven hours for both sectors.
Catania, January 2 - A 27-year-old Nigerian woman was killed by a blow to the neck with a sharp object in the asylum-seeker reception centre at Mineo near Catania Tuesday. Police think she was murdered after a row with a fellow asylum seeker. The woman had been at the centre since December 2016.
Rome, January 2 - A 46-year-old Romanian-born man on Tuesday set fire to himself and died in his car in Turin after a row with his wife. Sources said his wife had kicked him out. She had reported him for domestic violence, sources said. On Monday he was served a restraining order, they said. On Tuesday morning he tried to get into their house and the woman called the police. He then ran to his car and set himself alight. The vehicle did not burn out and the man suffered only burns, but died from smoke inhalation, police said.
Rome, January 2 - A 38-year-old Somali man stole a nurse's uniform and tried to rape a 43-year-old woman in the maternity ward of a Rome hospital on New Year's Eve, sources said Tuesday. He was arrested on charges of sexual violence. The man went into the ward of Sant'Eugenio Hospital while the woman was giving birth and reportedly began groping her. She fended him off and called nurses who seized the man until police arrived.
Bari, January 2 - Interior Minister Marco Minniti travelled to Bari on Tuesday to chair a meeting of the committee for order and public safety convened after an ambush in Bitonto involving members of a local crime syndicate on Saturday left an 84-year-old woman dead. Anna Rosa Tarantino died while crossing a road in the town centre. 20-year-old Giuseppe Casadibari, a convicted criminal, also sustained injuries. He is thought by investigators to have been the real target of the attack. According to unconfirmed reports, he used Tarantino as a human shield during the attempted hit. Minniti on Tuesday called the woman's slaying "unacceptable". "A response is urgent," he said after chairing the public-order meeting. Minniti said "we have decided to act on a triple level: "Identifying and arresting the members of the two rival groups; facing in a structured way, with medium-term investigative activity, organised crime in the area; and drafting an extraordinary plan to control the territory". Bari Mayor Antonio Decaro said "these cowards struck a symbol". "We will react to this vile attack," he told reporters after the meeting with Minniti. The shooting is to be seen in the context of a turf war between rival clans for control of the local drugs trade. It may have been a reprisal for an earlier shooting outside the home of a local mobster on the outskirts of the city, investigators say. Tarantino's funeral was due to be celebrated on Tuesday, with local officials in attendance. A candlelit march and ceremony will also be staged in remembrance of her. The Puglia mafia, the Sacra Corona Unita (United Holy Crown, SCU), is the fourth and smallest of Italy's four mafias.
Bari, January 2 - Interior Minister Marco Minniti travelled to Bari on Tuesday to chair a meeting of the committee for order and public safety convened after an ambush in Bitonto involving members of a local crime syndicate on Saturday left an 84-year-old woman dead. Anna Rosa Tarantino died while crossing a road in the town centre. 20-year-old Giuseppe Casadibari, a convicted criminal, also sustained injuries. He is thought by investigators to have been the real target of the attack. According to unconfirmed reports, he used Tarantino as a human shield during the attempted hit. Minniti on Tuesday called the woman's slaying "unacceptable". "A response is urgent," he said after chairing the public-order meeting. Minniti said "we have decided to act on a triple level: "Identifying and arresting the members of the two rival groups; facing in a structured way, with medium-term investigative activity, organised crime in the area; and drafting an extraordinary plan to control the territory". Bari Mayor Antonio Decaro said "these cowards struck a symbol". "We will react to this vile attack," he told reporters after the meeting with Minniti. The shooting is to be seen in the context of a turf war between rival clans for control of the local drugs trade. It may have been a reprisal for an earlier shooting outside the home of a local mobster on the outskirts of the city, investigators say. Tarantino's funeral was due to be celebrated on Tuesday, with local officials in attendance. A candlelit march and ceremony will also be staged in remembrance of her. "We will never give in to the folly of violence that destroys the joy of life and which has here struck down an innocent victim," said Msgr Alberto D'Urso at the funeral homily. The faithful issued a message urging the killers "to understand the gravity of their actions, repent and demonstrate that with concrete gestures". The Puglia mafia, the Sacra Corona Unita (United Holy Crown, SCU), is the fourth and smallest of Italy's four mafias.
Italy took over chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) from Austria on January 1, 2018, and promised to continue efforts to implement the Minsk agreements, reads a statement posted on the OSCE website on Monday, January 1.

"The crisis in and around Ukraine has called into question the very principles on which the OSCE is based. Italy will continue to support all OSCE efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict and urges the sides to fully implement the Minsk agreements," Italian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Angelino Alfano said.

He said that Italy would also continue strengthening the OSCE's work to address other protracted conflicts through the existing formats: the Geneva International Discussions on dealing with the consequences of the 2008 conflict in Georgia; the 5+2 Transdniestrian settlement talks; and the work of the Minsk Group and the efforts of its three Co-Chairs in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Alfano noted that "strengthening multilateralism as an instrument to relaunch the 'spirit of Helsinki' and to further promote peace, security, stability and cooperation" was Italy's key priority for its 2018 OSCE Chairmanship.

The statement also says that the motto of the Italian OSCE Chairmanship will be "Dialogue, Ownership, Responsibility."

Alfano will present Italy's priorities to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on January 11.
PRESS RELEASE

U.S. Withdrawal from ITER Would Isolate U.S. Fusion Scientists

Dec. 30, 2017 (EIRNS)The National Academy of Sciences has made available a pre-publication version of its "Interim Report of the Committee on a Strategic Plan for U.S. Burning Plasma Research." Although soft-spoken, the report states, "A decision by the United States to withdraw from the ITER [International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor] project as the primary experimental burning plasma component within a balanced long-term strategic plan for fusion energy could isolate U.S. fusion scientists from the international effort."

The Senate has zeroed out funding for ITER each of the past few years. Less-than-minimal funding has been restored by the House. There is no indication yet what the Trump Administration FY19 budget request will be.

The report goes on to say that a withdrawal from ITER "would require the United States to develop a new approach to study a burning plasma." That a new U.S. domestic burning plasma experiment is not in the cards to carry out experiments that would be lost by not participating in ITER, is noted in the report by the "recent closures of domestic experimental facilities without new starts."

The report says that,

"Although our international partners have national strategic plans leading to a fusion energy demonstration device, the United States does not."

All of these efforts have "high-level governmental support including in some cases, accompanying legislation." (South Korea and China have such legislation.)

The Committee recognizes the progress made in the U.S. fusion program, and explains that a burning plasma experiment, such as ITER, has to be the next step.
PRESS RELEASE

Need To Show Caution on Iran Not Heeded by Trump Administration

Jan. 1, 2018 (EIRNS)With protests continuing in Iran for a fourth day, smaller than those of 2009 and some involving armed demonstrators, recommendations for caution from experts on the region are not being heeded by the Trump Administration. UN Ambassador Nicki Haley was the latest to wish for regime-change, saying Dec. 31, "We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day."

The eruption of protests followed by only two weeks the adoption by the United States and Israel of an action plan against IranSaudi Arabia is likely also a silent party to this planreported to include covert action. The protests began Dec. 29 in the southeastern city of Mashad, governed by hard-line conservative clerics who oppose the Rouhani government and even Ayatollah Khamenei as too reformist. In this respect it bears similarity to the start of the Syrian protests in Daraa in 2011. The Iranian protests have since spread primarily to cities and towns along Irans western border, with Iraq.

The Guardians Simon Tisdall, in a "watch what you wish for" piece, warns of a dangerous escalation of regional tensions. Trita Parsi, in a CNN op-ed, reports the leaders of the 2009 "Green Movement" still in Iran are not supporting these protests, which are much smaller so far. He notes the dominance of Mashad by religious hardliners who sought to take advantage of the populations legitimate economic grievances to score points against the Rouhani government, but have lost control of them because of economic grievances. Rouhani himself has recognized these grievances and urged peaceful protest over them. Parsi writes,

"Remember that Rouhani won re-election with 57% of the vote (and 70% voter participation) only seven months ago. That means its more likely that the core of the demonstrators are of a different ilk."

Rouhani, in a national address, said,

"People are absolutely free to criticize 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.... The government and people should help each other to resolve the issues."

In the southern city of Izeh, many protesters are armed, and several have been killed, it is not known by whom. The Telegram mobile phone app, created by Russian Pavel Durov, has been shut down by Durov at Irans request because Iranian agitators in exile were using it to push violence. Durov said,
PRESS RELEASE

Prospects for Japan/China Relations in Belt and Road Reported

Jan. 1, 2018 (EIRNS)Nikkei Asian Review yesterday ran an article reiterating Japans growing support for the Belt and Road Initiative.

"The Japanese government hopes to warm chilly relations with China by offering to help with Beijings Belt and Road Initiative, an effort to forge stronger economic links between it and countries to the west, extending as far as Europe."

The events have been reported before.

"Japan will extend financial assistance to Japanese companies doing business with China as part of the initiative, on a case-by-case basis.... The plan to improve ties with China, however, does not include a time frame for Tokyo to join the Beijing-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Under the proposed Belt and Road Initiative guidelines, the Japanese government will provide financial assistance to companies working in environmental and energy-conservation technology, industrial development in third countries, improving distribution systems and other areas. "Financial support will be provided through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Nippon Export and Investment Insuranceand other channels."

Nikkei adds, however, that support is consolidating in the Cabinet for Prime Minister Shinzo Abes intention to improve relations with China, and for his understanding that the North Korea crisis requires this.

It also reports the potential next step, that Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang will visit Japan for a trilateral summit with China and South Korea, likely in April 2018, and that Japan hopes to announce specific plans for joint China/Japan projects then.
Kima Jones is the founder of Jack Jones Literary Arts, a not-yet-3-year-old, three-person L.A.-based book publicity company whose clients are primarily women of color.

Jones is a savvy media strategist and creative force, already counting a Pulitzer Prize winner (Tyehimba Jess poetry collection Oilo) among her campaigns.

This year Jack Jones held its first ever writing retreat  solely for women of color  in Taos, N.M. The retreat included a whopping 17 full scholarships  funded by writers such as Roxane Gay, Natalie Diaz and Angela Flournoy  to support a wide range of applicants, including black women, LGBTQ writers, working women, Native American writers and Asian Americans.

With her discerning eye for literature, keen awareness of what makes a successful book in the digital age and drive to empower writers who have been marginalized in publishing, Jones is an important new voice on the national stage.

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agatha.french@latimes.com

@agathafrenchy
Just before New Years, economist Jared Bernstein published the second in what may be an annual feature: A plea to the media to call out politicians who try to conceal their intention to gut Social Security and Medicare by talking about reforms instead of cuts.

Bernstein, who served as chief economist for former Vice President Joe Biden, originally raised the alarm about this sort of weaseling a year ago. I seconded the motion then, and do so again now.

One expects politicians to conceal their intentions behind a obfuscating scrim. The problem is that news organizations become complicit in their underhanded efforts to cut social program benefits by employing the benefit-cutters terminology.

If the other fellow can get you to use his words, he wins. The late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.)

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Just after Christmas, for example, Politico achieved a multi-fecta in an article about disagreements between House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) over Medicaid and Medicare.

Reading from the top down, the article referred to overhauling the programs, to reform, welfare and entitlement changes and policy modifications. These are Republican terms for benefit cuts. Theres no excuse for journalists repeating them without defining them. But one has to drill pretty deeply into the Politico piece to find the first mention of benefit cuts (to paragraph 12, actually).

Other weasel words often found creeping into what purport to be objective reports about social programs are reshape, revamp, modernize and especially fix. As weve observed in the past, Republican plans for Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps and other such programs are fixes in the same sense that one fixes a cat or the Mafia fixes an informer.

Ive mentioned (in another context) the warning delivered in a 1965 speech by the late Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan (D-N.Y.) about what he called semantic infiltration in policy debates: If the other fellow can get you to use his words, he wins.

To Bernsteins list of words to watch out for, wed add a few suspect debating points that tend to creep into discussions of social programs:

Entitlements: Republicans and conservative enemies of Social Security and Medicare seem to have succeeded in turning this term into a dirty word. They use it to imply that recipients of these programs benefits dont get them because they need them, but just because  perhaps in the sense that the wealthy dont need another tax cut, but believe theyre entitled to it (though the GOP probably wouldnt use that example). The truth is that these programs are indeed entitlements in the truest sense  their enrollees have paid for them over their working lives, through the payroll tax, and in the case of Medicare through annual premiums, and therefore are entitled to the benefits theyve purchased.

Social Security will hold fairly steady as a percentage of GDP (left-hand scale), according to this projection by the Congressional Budget Office, but not so Medicare and Medicaid; beware when politicians try to lump them together. (Congressional Budget Office )

Social Security and Medicare are not the same thing: Conservatives often will lump these two programs together as drivers of the deficit, as though they play equivalent roles in federal budgeting. Sometimes theyll be lumped in with other social programs. One will see language such as this, from a CNBC.com article a few weeks ago: Programs such as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program comprise the bulk of the governments expenditures every year.

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Thats a bit like saying that Clayton Kershaw and I notched a total of 18 wins last year. The truth is that most of the growth in these programs is concentrated in healthcare, not Social Security. According to the Congressional Budget Office, Social Securitys share of gross domestic product will rise by about 1.5 percentage points over the next three decades, to 6.4%. The share going to Medicare, Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (if Congress ever gets around to reauthorizing CHIP) will rise by 3.3 percentage points, to 8.8%.

Leaving aside the question of why these outlays shouldnt be well within the resources of the richest nation in the world, its obvious that two distinct trends are at work. Social Securitys finances can be adjusted within the four walls of its benefits and its revenues, which come from the payroll tax, interest on its reserves, and income tax on benefits. The former can be cut and the latter raised.

The healthcare programs are sensitive to a key externality  the cost of healthcare. You cant reduce the cost of Medicare or Medicaid in any significant way unless you reduce the cost of those services  unless you simply eliminate those services. That makes the policy choices for those programs very different from those for Social Security. The lesson is: Beware of politicians who say Social Security and Medicare are too expensive, so we have to cut Social Security.

Whats driving the deficit? The sophistry of the claim that Social Security and Medicare are the biggest drivers of the national debt, as was implied in the Politico piece, is underscored by recent events. The article quoted Ryan as stating on CBS a few days before Christmas, We have to address entitlements, otherwise we cant really get a handle on our future debt. Thats a remark that deserves horselaughs, given that the tax cuts Ryan and his GOP colleagues just handed out to corporations and their wealthy donors will create a deficit of $1.4 trillion or more in the next 10 years.

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Jared Bernstein acknowledged in his most recent piece that the policy media has seriously picked up its game in the age of Trump. Both on health care and taxes, more often than not, journalists cut through the phony language and clearly identified who was expected to win and lose from the proposals.

Thats a positive sign. But semantic infiltration is a powerful force. Heres betting that one year from now, Bernstein and I will have to issue a third annual plea for journalists to beware of politicians weaseling.

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.
Airbus SE completed 2017 doing what it does best: selling its bread-and-butter narrow-body aircraft.

The European manufacturer on Dec. 28 firmed up its biggest-ever order from Indigo Partners for 430 A320 aircraft  a contract that was previously announced  while also unveiling a new deal for 50 reengined versions of the same jet. All told, the flurry of activity during the past two weeks has totaled 705 single-aisle plane orders with a sticker price of $81.5 billion, pushing its full-year tally ahead of the figure at rival Boeing Co.

The A320s success, coming in the final days of retiring sales chief John Leahys two-decade tenure, provides some respite for Airbus following a tumultuous few weeks after the planemaker unveiled a top management shakeup. The orders for smaller jets also expose the flank thats opened up at the other end of the manufacturers product line-up: wide-body and ultra large jumbos that are becoming increasingly hard to sell.

The final burst of deals pushed Airbuss net new orders for the year to just beyond 1,000 planes, including 48 wide-bodies. The company expected the total to lag behind the 700 or so aircraft it planned to deliver in 2017.

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At Boeing, net orders for single- and twin-aisle models amounted to 844 planes as of Dec. 19, and the U.S. company hasnt announced any sales contracts since then.

As if to hammer home the weakness of wide-body demand, Airbus also confirmed that an event scheduled for last week to mark the delivery to Qatar Airways Ltd. of its first A350-1000 twin-aisle plane will be delayed until early in the new year as the aircraft undergoes final preparations.

The move is the latest in a series of setbacks for the biggest A350 version, after United Airlines and Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. switched to the smaller -900 model, and adds a blemish to Airbuss push to bring that jet to market.

Airbus shares gained 27% in 2017 to value the manufacturer at 64.3 billion euros ($77.7 billion). Boeings shares surged 85% in 2017 to a market value of $175.6 billion.

The delay is also further evidence of Qatar Airways fickleness as a customer after past postponements and outright refusals by the airline to take deliveries of both narrow and wide-body jets, including a move earlier this year to scrap orders for four A350s. The carriers order backlog has come into focus amid the Saudi Arabia-led isolation of its home country that has forced the airline to scrap and divert routes.

At the same time, a much-needed follow-on order for Airbus A380s from Emirates, the biggest customer for that aircraft, remains elusive, despite signals by the manufacturer just a few weeks ago that a deal could materialize before year-end. Toulouse, France-based Airbus, which was widely expected to sign the A380 contract at the Dubai Air Show in November, needs the order to bulk up its backlog for the double-decker aircraft and keep the loss-making program alive.

Gaining clarity on the future of the A380 will be at the top of the to-do list for outgoing Chief Executive Tom Enders, who revealed plans in December to step down in 2019.

The companys chief operating officer and president of its commercial aircraft division, Fabrice Bregier is also on his way out, having announced he plans to leave Airbus next month.

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Expressing disappointment that a deal with Emirates failed to materialize at the Dubai event, Bregier said in November he was confident Airbus could secure an order before the end of the year. The executive has since said that should an order come, Airbus would be willing to commit to keeping the program going for another decade. Emirates President Tim Clark has said talks derailed in part because of the airlines concerns about the future of the model.

While Chicago-based Boeing Co. has had similar difficulties winning orders for its biggest wide-body jets, it has managed to sell the smallest version, the 787 and has committed to accelerating production rates for the aircraft.

Katz writes for Bloomberg.

bkatz38@bloomberg.net
The deal the worker struck was simple: $150 a day to tile a bathroom and stucco the walls of a home in Arcadia. The pay was to come at the end of each day but never did, according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court by the California labor commissioner.

After six days with no pay, the lawsuit alleges, the worker finally confronted his boss, who then snapped, called him a wetback and threatened to report him to immigration authorities.

Let me share something with you, not only am I [an ex]-sheriff, my family are all in the police department, the lawsuit says the boss wrote in a follow-up text message after refusing to pay the worker. You want to come to my job & create a issue, I will handcuff you take you into custody & wait for I.C.E to come take you in for felony threats.

The employer could not be reached for comment, but the claim is increasingly common. Complaints over immigration-related retaliation threats surged last year in California, according to the Labor Commissioners Office. Through Dec. 22, workers had filed 94 immigration-related retaliation claims with the office, up from 20 in all of 2016 and only seven a year earlier.

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The cases include instances in which employers allegedly threatened to report workers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, after they raised issues over working conditions, including wage theft. Other allegations include employers demanding different documents than those required by federal immigration law or refusing to honor documents that appear genuine.

Such threats have long been a fact of life for Californias community of more than 2.3 million people who are in the country illegally, advocates say. One lawsuit filed by the commissioner alleges a boss threatened to report a worker to immigration authorities several times each year.

Laws that took effect in 2014 specifically barring the practice probably played a role in the increase of official complaints filed with the state agency, as workers become more familiar with their rights.

But Labor Commissioner Julie Su and immigrant advocates said the rise also could be attributed to employers feeling more empowered to wield ICE as a weapon given an increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric and stepped-up enforcement by ICE.

Employers have even told the commissioners staff that they would call ICE on their workers, Su said.

That is the emboldening, she said. It is not just a coincidence and its not an accident there has been such a spike in threats to immigrant workers.

At the same time, immigrant advocates said workers who are here illegally seem less likely to report workplace violations, given the political climate.

Donald Trump has railed against illegal and legal immigration during the 2016 campaign and his presidency. (Carolyn Kaster / Associated Press )

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Su declined to single out a source of the anti-immigrant rhetoric. But President Trump has railed against illegal and legal immigration during the 2016 campaign and his presidency, often citing crime, including terrorism, as a reason for his stance, even though a number of studies show immigrants generally are less likely to commit crimes than those born in the U.S..

Trump has even compared immigrants to snakes when he  to adoring crowds  read the lyrics to a song titled The Snake in which a tender hearted woman took in a sickly snake, only for her to be shocked when it bit her.

Such remarks make some employers feel there is official support that these workers dont deserve any protection and dont deserve any rights, said Sebastian Sanchez, an attorney with the Employment Rights Project at Bet Tzedek, which provides legal services for low-income individuals. Sanchez helped the worker in the Arcadia case file claims with the labor commissioner, which eventually led to the commissioners lawsuit.

Mar Martinez, organizing coordinator for the Garment Worker Center in downtown Los Angeles, is also noticing more workers who say employers are holding the employees immigration status over their heads, even if some threats are less menacing than allegations in the Arcadia lawsuit.

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In one case, a worker tried to take sick days after an injury, she said. She was told, Sick days are for people with papers. Undocumented people dont get sick days, Martinez said.

Under federal and state law, workers are protected by minimum wage and other workplace laws regardless of immigration status.

Asked what steps ICE takes to ensure employers dont use the agency as a retaliatory tool, a department spokeswoman pointed to a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Labor Department. It says ICE, except in certain circumstances, will refrain from conducting workplace enforcement at a business under investigation by the Labor Department.

The memorandum says ICE assesses whether tips and leads concerning workplace enforcement are motivated by an improper desire to manipulate a pending labor dispute, retaliate against employees for exercising labor rights, or otherwise frustrate the enforcement of labor laws.

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California Labor Commissioner Julie Su says a rise in worker claims of threatened deportation was likely due to employers becoming more empowered to wield ICE as a weapon. (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times )

A spokeswoman for Su said no similar agreement exists between the state agency and ICE, and that because the Labor Commissioners Office does not share information with immigration officials, workers should not be afraid to file complaints regardless of immigration status.

In order for our democracy to function, the people, the residents of our state have to feel safe  to report a violation and seek the help of government, Su said.

ICE spokeswoman Danielle Bennett said her agency doesnt have a policy to check every anonymous, non-workplace tip for potential manipulation, but if labor violations are later found they would be taken into account.

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Whether an exploited undocumented worker can stay in the country depends on each individuals case, she said, noting there are special visas for victims of human trafficking.

Bennett declined to comment on what advocates thought might be behind an increase in retaliation complaints. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.

But worker advocates say ICEs new marching orders are giving threats more teeth.

The Trump administration has proved more willing than the Obama administration to arrest people here illegally who are convicted of minor crimes or who have no criminal history. In the last fiscal year, the arrests of people in the U.S. illegally with no criminal convictions more than doubled, to over 37,000.

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And last month, ICE acting Director Thomas Homan said he wants to increasingly target companies that hire undocumented workers and increase raids in cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco that restrict what police can and cannot do for ICE agents.

California took steps last year to protect people in the country illegally. A so-called sanctuary state bill dramatically reduces whom state and local law enforcement agencies can hold, question and transfer at the request of federal immigration authorities. And under another bill, employers also cant let federal immigration agents onto private business property without a judicial warrant.

Su has also sued several companies in California Superior Court for nonpayment of penalties after her office ruled they engaged in immigration-related threats. Since she reported last summer that ICE agents had showed up at her agencys offices looking for two workers, agents have not returned, Su said.

At the time, ICE said it could find no evidence of the visits. But Su said whether ICE is even called is beyond the point.

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What employers seek to do by making the threat is force the employee to back off, she said. Its to intimidate them into silence and also have a chilling effect on the rest of the workplace.

andrew.khouri@latimes.com

Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter
Man who took hostages at post office in Kharkiv was earlier prosecuted - regional police chief

A man who took 11 hostages at the Ukrposhta post office in Kharkiv on December 30, 2017 was earlier brought to criminal liability, according to Oleh Bekh, the head of the National Police office in Kharkiv region.

"We know that this person led an antisocial way of life. He was born in 1977. He is a resident of Kharkiv. He has already been brought to criminal liability for drug offenses. He most likely needs the assistance of psychiatrists," Bekh told reporters late on Saturday, December 30.

"He is safe and sound. He sustained suffered minor injuries during his detention and a clash with one of the hostages," he added.

According to Bekh, the man, according to the hostages, was in a state of alcoholic intoxication.

"He was not quite in a normal state. We will already establish this through psychiatric examinations Hostages told us that he used alcoholic drinks at the scene," he said.

According to Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor Yuriy Danylchenko, law enforcers will register the detention of the man in accordance with Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code, after which they will appeal to court within three days to choose a measure of restraint for the detainee.

"Undoubtedly, it will be a petition to choose a measure of restraint in the form of custody without bail," Danylchenko said.

As reported, a man seized the Ukrposhta post office near the Rost shopping center at Shevchenka Street in Kharkiv at about 15.00 on December 30. The attacker threatened to blow himself up.

The investigative directorate of the main office of the National Police of Ukraine in Kharkiv region started a pre-trial investigation under Part 2, Article 147 (hostage taking) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The man faces up to 15 years of imprisonment.
Here are the 2018 SAG Awards nominees reactions to their nods

The on-camera talent recognized during the 24th Screen Actors Guild Award nominations on Wednesday shared their excitement and gratitude for the special honor bestowed upon them by the acting community.

The SAG Awards serve up laurels for actors and ensemble casts working in television and film as voted by their peers. The awards show, hosted by The Good Place star Kristen Bell, will take place on Jan. 21.

LIST: The 2018 SAG Award nominees

In statements to the Los Angeles Times, several nominees repeatedly thanked their drama families, particularly the casts and crews of their respective projects. Heres what some of them had to say about the recognition:

Alison Brie. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Alison Brie, GLOW

It is such a great honor to be recognized by my fellow actors with this nomination. I am so proud to be part of a show that celebrates the craft of acting, with all its pitfalls and glories, and to be able to work with such a diverse group of insanely talented women. GLOW has meant the world to me and Im deeply thankful for this recognition for me and the cast. Thank you SAG-AFTRA!!

Millie Bobby Brown. (Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)

Millie Bobby Brown, Stranger Things

Screen Actors Guild! Thank you SO much for recognizing me and our cast for the second year in a row! This means the world coming from you, our peers. I am so lucky and honored to have the privilege of playing Eleven  a strong, powerful, badass, strange, wonderful character! Cant wait to celebrate with my Stranger Things family!

Timothee Chalamet. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Timothee Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name

What an incredible morning! This nomination is very close to my heart because its from the actor. When we made Call Me By Your Name, we had no idea what it would turn into. The experience in making the film with Armie [Hammer] was so special, and yet, we just didnt know. Simply put, Ive been blown away by the response this film has received. And, to be included in ensemble along with my Lady Bird family (congrats, Saoirse [Ronan]!) makes this recognition that much more special.

David Harbour. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

David Harbour, Stranger Things

If it isnt wildly apparent by now, Ill say it directly  I love actors! To be recognized by my peers in such distinguished company gives me a special joy. And Millie [Bobby Brown] and the show! Beyond.

When I act, when I create, I feel alive, full to bursting, and I feel of service to the mysterious goodness that firmly exists in this world. I have been rewarded with a life that indulges in the primacy of self, but at its core and at its purest and its best, it is a life of service. A service to audiences. To prod and poke when necessary, to comfort and entertain when times seem dark, to ever expand the human experience, to offer a reason to live, to celebrate to the gods the great gift and scourge that is consciousness. Sometimes it means expressing iron intellect and rigorous truth that bonds us all in the achingly profound wisdom of no escape. Sometimes it means revealing the intimate moments of endurance, of unexpected kindness, unasked for love. And sometimes it simply means making a fierce and joyful noise, to spin, to twirl, to throw your hands up with the relentless dips and climb aboard this roller coaster of life. Ya know, to dance. *insert Hopper dancing gif*

Thank you for recognizing me, as it might mean itll be easier to get more jobs doing it.

Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water

I am beyond thrilled to have received the honor of this nomination. And to receive it from fellow colleagues is huge to me. Guillermo [del Toro], this film and the entire cast and crew hold a very special place in my heart and always will. Each and every one of them made me better. I am truly delighted more than I can really express in words but my heart is fit to burst with pride for us all. Thank you dearest SAG members. Thank you for your embrace.

Sean Hayes. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

Sean Hayes, Will & Grace

I am so honored to be recognized in this category with these extraordinary actors. I love acting because I love actors. I also like to bake sometimes.

Richard Jenkins. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water

I am thrilled and humbled to be nominated by my peers for a SAG Award. This union is very close to my heart. Well, the SAG card is in my wallet, so its a little further south.

Zoe Kazan. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Zoe Kazan, The Big Sick

Thank you to SAG for honoring The Big Sick ensemble with a nomination. It means so much to us, especially from our acting peers. I am deeply proud to be a part of this film and to have brought Kumail [Nanjiani] and Emily [V. Gordon]s story into the world, especially at this time. We are particularly moved to have been recognized as an ensemble, as this was such an extraordinary collaborative experience Im excited to be reunited once more with my movie family, and to share this with Kumail, Holly [Hunter], Ray [Romano], Zenobia [Shroff], Anupam [Kher], and Adeel [Akhtar] and everyone else who helped bring The Big Sick to life.

Nicole Kidman. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Nicole Kidman, Big Little Lies

What an amazing morning! Thank you to SAG-AFTRA for recognizing Big Little Lies in such a significant way. Ive been acting since I was 14 and have dedicated an enormous amount of my life to my craft so to be acknowledged by my acting family is the most incredible honor.

Jason Bateman and Laura Linney. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Laura Linney, Ozark

I am so proud to be included in a list of such wonderful actresses who have raised the bar so high. What an amazing year for women in television. And I am especially proud to be representing Ozark with my TV spouse, the ever deserving Jason Bateman! Thank you SAG-AFTRA!

Marc Maron. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Marc Maron, GLOW

I am stunned and excited to be recognized by other actors in this way. I really never thought this was possible in my life. It helps to be surrounded by amazing actors and to have such a defined and well written character as Sam Sylvia and to be on a show as unique as GLOW. I am just a small part. So, thanks SAG for recognizing me and the mind-blowing ensemble that is GLOW.

Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick

We are so lucky to have been graced with the enormous talents of every single member of our cast. They each put a piece of themselves into our story and we are thrilled at being recognized. Thank you. And a special shout out to Holly Hunters individual nomination!

Now we have to go tell our real parents that they arent actually nominated.

Bob Odenkirk. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

I am thrilled to get this nomination from my fellow actors! At Better Call Saul I am surrounded by an ensemble of excellence  Michael McKean, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, everybody raises my game. Thank you to SAG-AFTRA.

Gary Oldman. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Gary Oldman, The Darkest Hour

No actor could ever deny the special satisfaction that comes from being recognized by your fellow artists  we all share the same challenges, insecurities, and uncertainties, chief among them, the question am I any good? this nomination, and in the wonderful company of the other nominees, is so very satisfying.

Margot Robbie. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Margot Robbie, I, Tonya

Im so incredibly moved and excited to be nominated by my fellow actors. I feel very fortunate to be able to have had the opportunity to bring Tonyas story to the big screen. Thank you to Steven [Rogers] for his brilliant and unique script, to Allison [Janney] and Sebastian [Stan] for being such incredible screen partners and to Craig [Gillespie] for his amazing direction and perfectly capturing the tone and essence of the film. Im so honored to be recognized among the truly powerful and wonderful women in the category. I cant wait to celebrate with everyone.

Sam Rockwell. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

It is such an honor to be nominated by your fellow actors, I have been a proud member of the Screen Actors Guild for as long as I can remember. To share it with this wonderful ensemble whom I have had the pleasure to work with over the years and others I got to collaborate with for the first time is truly special. I want to thank Martin McDonagh, our director and writer, for crafting these characters, as well as Woody [Harrelson], Fran [McDormand] and the rest of the cast who brought the town of Ebbing to life on screen. I am thrilled.

Ray Romano. (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

Ray Romano, The Big Sick

This is awesome but I wont believe it till the recount.
Alber Elbaz and Apple are not joining forces, despite tepid rumors to the contrary.

Sources told WWD that there is no collaboration or business partnership between the well-known designer and the tech powerhouse after speculation appeared in a small European media outlet.

A representative for Apple declined to comment, citing a policy on rumors. Reached by phone, Elbaz also declined to comment. While attending the Valentino show in October, WWD asked Elbaz what he was up to lately, but he demurred, saying, You know, silence is a beautiful thing.

Elbaz did discuss a bit about Apple and fashion during a 2016 talk with students at Beijings Tsinghua University, recounting his experience at the launch party for the Apple Watch and concluding then that the future of fashion was mixing technology and the humanity and beauty of fashion.

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Elbaz has been keeping busy with various design projects and plenty of speaking engagements since his abrupt and acrimonious 2015 dismissal from Lanvin, where he served as creative director for 14 years and revived the 129-year-old French fashion house. But he seems to be shying away from apparel.

Hes designed a Converse sneaker, released a limited-edition makeup line with Lancome, created a fragrance with French perfumer Frederic Malle, been recognized by the French government as a Commander of the Legion of Honor and even joined Instagram, where he has about 101,000 followers.

He was succeeded at Lanvin in March 2016 by Bouchra Jarrar, but she didnt last long. Amid chatter of friction between Jarrar and chief executive officer Michele Huiban, the designer left over the summer after just 16 months.

Olivier Lapidus was named Lanvins new creative director within days of Jarrars exit. He showed his first Lanvin collection in September for the spring 2018 womens ready-to-wear season.

Mimosa Spencer also contributed to this article.
The tragedies that play out in hospitals affect not just patients and their families, but the nurses and doctors who care for them.

In one day, a hospital staff could treat a child gravely injured in a car accident, lose a patient to a terminal illness and comfort a family member whose loved one is in surgery.

Healthcare workers develop a sort of emotional armor, but it can wear thin. Many say they need space to decompress after regularly witnessing the most devastating moments of peoples lives.

If we carried every single one of these deaths with us, we wouldnt even be walking anymore, said Darlene Warren, a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. You have to get rid of it.

Hospital administrators nationwide are increasingly recognizing the toll of health workers day-to-day duties and the risk of burnout and symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder. The problem has been garnering more attention amid recent mass shootings and destructive fires.

Jessica Thomas, a critical care nurse who started a program at USC to address secondary trauma, said caregivers who dont talk about their suffering might shut down and stop bonding with patients altogether.

Its really hard to admit you cant handle it, Thomas said. But the very thing that makes us good caregivers, in terms of being able to connect with people, can also be the most dangerous thing for your career when you get your heart broken.

It reminds you of your brother, your sister, your mother, and thats when you cry

At lunchtime on a recent weekday, dozens of staff from St. Joseph Hospital shared stressful on-the-job experiences. The hospital recently began a program called Code Compassion that hosts these regular meetings.

One woman described an agitated patient who grabbed a nurse and pulled her too close, frightening her. Another said her staff were upset after a patient repeatedly asked not to be seen by healthcare workers of a certain race.

Linda Boose-Shutes, a nurse at the hospital, said seeing hundreds of deaths doesnt make you immune to loss.

It reminds you of your brother, your sister, your mother, and thats when you cry, she said.

If we carried every single one of these deaths with us, we wouldnt even be walking anymore, said Darlene Warren, a nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange. Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times

The Code Compassion program also allows employees who feel stressed to call the hospital operator, who alerts a staff member who will come find them and bring water bottles, cookies and pretzels.

That gives the employee a few minutes to talk about and process their negative feelings, said Gemma Seidl, the programs architect and executive director of critical care for the hospital.

There wasnt an avenue for take a deep breath and Ill take care of it, she said.

First responders can also suffer from PTSD

In 2004, North Hawaii Community Hospital launched one of the first such programs, called Code Lavender.

The hospital, in the northern part of the Big Island, offers aromatherapy, reiki and pet therapy. The Code Lavender program was named after the emergency alert Code Blue  but instead references essential oil that promotes relaxation  and was started for patients, but soon expanded to include staff, said hospital spokeswoman Lynn Scully.

Because its a small community, staff may know the young boy who was brought in after a serious skateboarding accident, she said. Patients may be related to someone who works at the hospital. Anyone who needs a few minutes to recuperate can call a Code Lavender and talk to colleagues in the hospital chapel.

Theres no on-stage and off-stage, you have to be ready to go all the time, Scully said. You have a really hard job  sometimes its even harder when its stuff like that  and were acknowledging that.

Studies have suggested that repeatedly dealing with trauma leads to more anxiety in healthcare workers, as well as more drinking and other coping behaviors. Researchers say that years of helping people in stressful situations can cause symptoms that mimic the PTSD thats common among people whove suffered a traumatic experience firsthand.

The U.S. Department of Justice created a Vicarious Trauma Toolkit to address the work-related trauma that first responders, social workers and others may have after working with victims of crimes or other tragic events. Vicarious trauma can cause people to feel hopeless, fatigued, aggressive or scared.

USCs Thomas recalled a 26-year-old man who was in the hospital for months and died waiting for a heart transplant. The nurses had befriended him and his family as they kept his spirits up.

Its like losing a friend, she said. It was just devastating.

If an organization doesnt address that pain as normal, the negative feelings can chip away at workers identities and make them feel as though theyre not cut out for the job, said Thomas, who is the clinical director of the Emergency Department at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital. It can also cause them to become less compassionate over time, a phenomenon known as compassion fatigue.

Healthcare leaders need to create a place where workers can say theyre not up for a certain task and be met with, Its OK, I still respect you and I think youre awesome, Thomas said.

Thomas started a Code Lavender program at USC two years ago that delivers a healing basket with tea, lotion and other calming products to anyone in need. Her program was inspired by one at Cleveland Clinic, where she used to work.

Jessica Shaw, a professor in the Boston College School of Social Work, said the need for such programs for caregivers and first responders has become especially clear in the aftermath of mass shootings and other major tragedies.

We have folks who are in hospitals just mopping up blood.  We need to really attend to their health, Shaw said.

At St. Joseph Hospital, a Code Compassion has been called 12 times since the program was launched in July. Once was in October, when staff were worried about a colleague who was at the music festival in Vegas that was terrorized by a gunman.

Seidl said hospital staff have been asking her to hold the group meetings more frequently.

Times have changed, and theres so much craziness on top of what we do, she said.

Support our journalism Please consider subscribing today to support stories like this one. Get full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks. Already a subscriber? Your support makes our work possible. Thank you.

soumya.karlamangla@latimes.com

Twitter: @skarlamangla

ALSO:

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Groove on! Groove on! blared from speakers outside a gray warehouse in Santa Ana. Inside, a line of 60 people snaked through the shop, waiting to be helped by a budtender.

We were bombarded! said Robert Taft Jr., founder of the marijuana dispensary 420 Central.

When the shop opened at 7 a.m. Monday  Day 1 of legal recreational pot sales in California  a handful of people had already lined up. Within two hours, more than 100 customers, some still nursing holiday hangovers, had made purchases. As they walked out, Taft shouted, Enjoy your new freedom!

Californians voted to legalize recreational marijuana in 2016, and the historic law permitting such businesses took effect New Years Day  creating the largest legal pot market in the country. Hundreds of businesses have applied for temporary licenses, but industry officials expect a slow roll out as many cities have not yet given their approval. While the city of L.A. hasnt begun issuing licenses to pot shops, some dispensaries are expected to open in West Hollywood on Tuesday.

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Cathedral City Collective Care in Riverside County got permission to begin selling pot at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 1. (Maria Alejandra Cardona / Los Angeles Times )

On Monday, San Francisco businesses werent open for commercial sales of pot, but Berkeley was ready. One of the United States oldest dispensaries, the Berkeley Patients Group, opened its doors at 6 a.m. to a line of customers that snaked around the block and showed no signs of abating by late afternoon.

Among the many celebrants were Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and state Sen. Nancy Skinner, who cut a ceremonial green ribbon to mark the first sale.

Sean Luse, chief operating officer of Berkeley Patients Group, said some people had traveled from the Central Valley and towns in the Sierra foothills to visit the dispensary.

Id say the crowd size is about three or four times what we would typically see, Luse said. Now that its mainstream and open to anyone 21-plus, you have a different dynamic. People are coming in groups or as families  it feels festive today.

In San Diego, the wait stretched to 40 minutes at the Mankind Cooperative.

Were insane down here. And its still going on, girlfriend, marketing director Cathy Bliss said.

Store workers were handing out commemorative T-shirts showing astronauts on the moon and the phrase A giant leap for mankind.

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Californias new marijuana law allows sales to people from out of state. Bliss welcomed buyers from Iowa, Kansas and Canada.

Overall, she was thrilled. This is so cool, she said.

Back inside 420 Central, customers hunched over the glass counter, inspecting different flavors of pot  Grape Kryptonite, Girl Scout Cookies, Mega Queso. Prefer edibles? Budtenders pointed to a pack of dark chocolate covered espresso beans for $18. The nearby tip jar reads, Hate to be BLUNT WEED love a tip.

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)

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As Lucas Starr, 33, perused the shop, he thought about how much perceptions of marijuana had shifted during his lifetime. Growing up, the message from his parents and from society, he said, was that marijuana was a dangerous drug  a gateway toward a wrecked life. He thought back to the PSA commercials showing a fried egg and an announcer intoning, This is your brain on drugs. Starr, a musician and producer visiting from Dallas, said he initially bought into the fear, but eventually smoked marijuana and found that it calmed his anxiety.

Customer Judy Malgeri, 65, also finds marijuana therapeutic. She uses it to manage pain and bring back her appetite during chemotherapy for ovarian cancer. Although she already had a medicinal-marijuana card, she said she was very happy to see recreational pot legalized  anything that brings marijuana further into the mainstream, she said, is a good thing.

Its about time, she said, shaking her head at the memory of an era when police hassled people over a single seed of marijuana in a car. Arrested for a joint? Thats so sad. Its a fruit of the Earth.

Despite the new law, marijuana still straddles the line of public acceptability, and there was palpable apprehension among some customers Monday.

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When a man with graying hair and a Bluetooth headset walked inside the shop, he left his sunglasses on and did a double-take when he noticed a TV cameraman nearby. Asked what he was interested in, the man laughed nervously, saying, Its been a while, adding that he recalled enjoying edibles.

He settled on a container of cannabis-infused sea salt caramel candies and pulled $20 out of his wallet. I think this might be a one-time thing, the man said, laughing. The budtender smiled, telling him he was always welcome.

Approached by a reporter as he left the store, the man gasped. Oh my God! He continued, No, Im not here.

Earlier in the morning, Gary Goforth walked out of the shop smiling. His trip to the dispensary hadnt been planned, but while walking to breakfast, a man pulled up next to him and asked, Hey, wheres 420?

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Goforth hadnt heard of the shop, but offered to look up the location on his phone and ride along with the man to help him navigate. As a thank you, the stranger bought him a gram of indica.

The 27-year-old bartender  who said he sold marijuana during college to pay his rent  said legalization was a necessary step.

Its a new future, he said, adding that he hopes to get a job at the shop. Why not move up in the ranks in something you enjoy?

Back inside, Taft, the founder, smiled as he watched the line growing in the lobby.

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Weed the people should be proud, he said, delivering the first word with emphasis, so you know he didnt misspeak. Red and blue turns into green when we come together. We can change any law we want.

Taft then began to reminisce about how the dispensary, which opened in 2015 as a medical-marijuana shop, got its start. Back when he was hunting for a building, his friend who works in real estate showed him the warehouse. Taft thought it was too big  it reminded him of Costco, not a dispensary.

But moments later, he looked up at the address numbers on the side of the warehouse  420. He turned to ask his friend what street they were on. Central, the friend responded.

So youre telling me this is 420 Central? Taft asked.

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His friend fell to his knees in shock.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

Times staff writer Anna Phillips and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Black students in San Francisco would be better off almost anywhere else in California.

Many attend segregated schools and the majority of black, Latino and Pacific Islander students did not reach grade-level standards on the states recent tests in math or English tests.

A local NAACP leader called for declaring a state of emergency for black student achievement, a problem the citys school board acknowledged. The problem cannot be reduced to one sickness or one cure, said Rev. Amos C. Brown, San Franciscos NAACP branch president. Black students have been underachievers. Theyre living in toxic situations. Its amazing theyve done as well as they have done, but its criminal that sophisticated children in progressive San Francisco are performing at these levels.

But is the solution to fix whats broken, or to start schools anew? Answering that question has unveiled a heated political debate in Northern California.

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The districts strategy targets changing instruction, hiring, school culture and instilling the belief that all kids can learn. Vincent Matthews, San Francisco Unified School Districts superintendent since May, is expected to present a detailed strategy for improvement early in the new year. An opposing plan from a controversial nonprofit called Innovate Public Schools calls for starting new schools  traditional public or charter  from scratch.

For decades, San Franciscans have called attention to the achievement gap. Following an NAACP lawsuit regarding discrimination, the city entered into a 1983 consent decree mandating desegregation. Since then, the district has changed its school assignment rules.

More recently, a group of organizers from Innovate, which has brought some charter schools to the San Francisco Bay Area and receives money from the Walton Family Foundation, has been convening parents and calling renewed attention to the problem.

In September, Innovate released a report sounding the alarm on San Franciscos achievement gap  and called for the city to establish new schools as a remedy. Innovates organizers and parents held a news conference outside City Hall and organized a parent meeting with Matthews.

On the most recent round of tests, 87% of San Francisco Unifieds black students performed below standards in math, as did 79% of Latino students and 78% of Pacific Islanders. Ninety-six percent of districts in California that serve black students had better reading scores for low-income black students than San Francisco did, Innovate found. Many minority students attend schools that are highly racially concentrated in neighborhoods such as Bayview-Hunters Point, with high rates of staff turnover and relatively inexperienced teachers.

These factors, according to a recent district report, produce a form of academic segregation that can be especially hard to overcome.

And after decades of gentrification and displacement by tech workers, black families are moving out: In the 1998-99 school year, black students comprised 16% of SFUSDs students, compared with just under 7% last school year.

Some parents were shocked when they saw these statistics  individually, they knew there were issues, but they didnt realize their problems added up to a larger whole. The poor educational outcomes stand in stark contrast to the reputation the city has built for itself as the countrys center of technological innovation.

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Its been broken for a long time, said Geraldine Anderson, a mother of three who saw local schools cut back on hours from one child to the next. I see IT companies coming to San Francisco and so much money coming in for the city, but our kids wont be able to live here or participate.

Innovate has found advocates in parents struggling to find adequate schooling. Cyn Bivens, a native Angeleno, said she grew up getting straight Fs and felt she was just passed on from one grade level to the next. She felt that her generation, allowed an equal education for the first time in the wake of Brown v. Board of Education, grew up not knowing what a great education looks like. For her daughter, she wanted something different.

So she moved to San Francisco, sent her to a public school, and was shocked to learn that a kindergarten teacher made her daughter wear a diaper in front of her entire class. She shamed and humiliated her, Bivens said. Later, she learned another teacher had pulled her daughter by her collar. So she moved her into a charter school, which she felt was better, but not good enough. Shes doing a little better, but shes still struggling.

As a baby sitter for well-off San Franciscans who work in technology, investment and medicine and send their children to private school, Vanessa Martinez moves between the citys worlds. She moved to San Francisco when she was 14, married at 20 and has two children. She, too, moved her child out of a public school and into a charter, but isnt satisfied.

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In both schools, Martinez has struggled to get her son, Arthur, 13, the reading instruction he needs. Hes so behind, its hard to be at the same level as the other kids, she said. Arthur grew up speaking English, but he is still classified as an English learner. She is looking for a high school that can help him, but is coming up short. We dont have the money to pay for private school, she said. I went to see all the public high schools, and not even one is good  the kids arent learning.

Her husband, a native San Franciscan, had some of the same teachers as Arthur. So many people come here to get better opportunities. Facebook is right here, Martinez said. Our kids, all our family history, theyre here. We dont need more people coming from out of state. We need kids who can be ready for work.

Shortly after Innovate released its report, critics said the group took advantage of parents to support the agenda of growing charter schools. They seem to think that  the only solution is new schools, its charter schools, said Matthews. Matthews said as superintendent in San Jose, he saw Innovate support charters. He has had meetings with parents organized by Innovate in both districts, and said he found it fascinating that parents in both places developed the exact same script.

Innovate officials maintain that they support good schools, whether they be public or charter. The model is to start new schools  and let the principal hire the dream team, said Matt Hammer, Innovates founder and chief executive. As for critics, he said, theyre taking the focus off the problem and focusing it on a couple of our funders.

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Matthews wants to attack the achievement gap by improving the quality of his workforce, making sure teachers can serve different types of learners within the same classroom and ensuring students and teachers see achievement as something that can grow, rather than a fixed quantity. He is keeping a close eye on schools that appear successful but fail specific groups of students. If those students are succeeding, why arent African American students succeeding there? he said. Were doing all we can to keep high-quality teachers in our system and providing culturally relevant training.

Matthews said he isnt sure whether he will want to start new schools. I dont think theres only one solution, he said. School board President Shamann Walton declined to comment.

The issue has split the community, including local clergy and NAACP members. The NAACP has called for a national moratorium on charter schools, and Brown, the San Francisco branch chair, supports it. But another pastor and NAACP member, Arelious Walker, has come to the conclusion that the Bayview neighborhood needs charters. Why after 70 years have we not moved? The charter academies have got the solution, he said. I know about the NAACP and their national position  and I dont agree with them.

Matthews said he will continue to talk to parents and staff as he develops his plan. What were going to do is continue to move forward, he said. Things like Innovate, outside people will come along  Im going to put the plan forward to our district.

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But parents are impatient. They know theres an achievement gap, said mother Cynthia Segura. Its all the same to them  theyre not living the problem.

Joy.Resmovits@LATimes.com

@Joy_Resmovits
A 22-year-old man who killed a rookie California Highway Patrol officer on Christmas Eve after slamming his car into the back of the officers parked patrol car was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder.

Alameda County Dist. Atty. Nancy OMalley identified Mohammed Ali of Hayward as the driver of the speeding Cadillac that drifted off Interstate 880 and crashed against Officer Andrew Camilleris sport utility patrol vehicle.

Camilleri was killed in the crash. His partner, Jonathan Velasquez, who was in the drivers seat, was treated at a hospital and released.

OMalley said Ali, who has been hospitalized since the Dec. 24 wreck, also was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs and driving more than 100 mph.

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CHP Assistant Chief Ernest Sanchez said Ali is expected to be released from a hospital in the next 48 hours and will be jailed in Santa Rita.

The police SUV was parked on the interstates shoulder in Hayward as the officers watched for dangerous drivers when Ali crashed into them, police said.

Family, friends and hundreds of law enforcement officers and firefighters from around the country gathered Saturday in the Central California city of Stockton to remember Camilleri.

Camilleri, who had been a CHP officer since March, is survived by his wife and three children, ages 12, 6 and 2, according to Gov. Jerry Browns office.
Nearly two dozen chickens blocked a portion of the 605 Freeway in the Norwalk area Tuesday morning after their cage fell onto the road, the California Highway Patrol said.

The incident occurred just after 6 a.m. in the southbound lanes of the 605 Freeway near the westbound 105 Freeway. The driver transporting the chickens was unaware that the animals fell off the truck and did not stop. Seventeen chickens were rescued and two unfortunately went to chicken heaven, according to the CHP.

Traffic advisory: I-605 S/B near I-105 is a little heavy right now because of these little guys. (Photos courtesy of motorcycle CHP Officer C. Lillie.) @CBSLA @NBCLA @KTLA @ABC7 @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/kkO0dxAKlL  CHP Santa Fe Springs (@CHP_SFS) January 2, 2018

The driver was unaware and did not stopour count as of now looks like 17 chickens survived and were rescued, and two chickens unfortunately went to chicken heaven.   CHP Santa Fe Springs (@CHP_SFS) January 2, 2018

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This actual footage taken by motorcycle officer C. Lillie begs the question, why DID the chickens cross the road? Because they obviously did not want to become fast food on an LA area freeway, of course! pic.twitter.com/mixsaO1D0Y  CHP Santa Fe Springs (@CHP_SFS) January 2, 2018

Im sure the @ChickfilA cows would be happy this isnt them! pic.twitter.com/EtXX3eFWVI  CHP Santa Fe Springs (@CHP_SFS) January 2, 2018

sarah.parvini@latimes.com

For more California news follow me on Twitter: @sarahparvini
A San Diego man who was serving 70 years to life in prison had his sentence cut to eight years by Gov. Jerry Brown, who slashed the term over the objections of local prosecutors.

The commutation by Brown was one of 19 the governor handed down Dec. 23, the latest in an annual exercise of the governors clemency power.

He also pardoned 132 people, including seven who were convicted of largely minor crimes in San Diego courts.

Brown commuted the sentence of Jeremy Stewart, 33, who was sentenced to 70 years to life in prison in October 2010. He was convicted of burglarizing two homes and stealing thousands of dollars in property, Brown wrote.

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Stewart had previous convictions for a variety of crimes including other burglaries, receiving stolen property, petty theft and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Add it all up and he was sentenced to 25 years to life for each of the first-degree burglaries under the three-strikes law, with another 20-year felony enhancement sentence added on.

Brown said Stewarts crimes were fueled by a long term drug habit that he has worked to address in prison. He heads a 12-step group in prison, was lauded by prison guards who wrote to Brown, has earned a community college degree while behind bars and has never been disciplined while in prison.

Stewarts mother, Elizabeth Stewart of Santee, has mounted a petition drive on change.org advocating for her sons release. Its garnered more than 50,000 signatures.

The petition argues that the lengthy sentence was the result of the unjust application of the three-strikes law in effect at the time.The law has since been changed so that nonviolent offenders, like Stewart, would not always receive such lengthy life sentences.

He has been a model prisoner, Stewart wrote of her son in the petition. Jeremy made a terrible mistake, but should a nonviolent crime put him behind bars for life?

Stewart cares for her sons two children, and in the petition sought a sentence reduction to 20 years. Brown went further, saying Stewart had worked in prison to put his life on a productive path and his sentence would not allow him a chance at parole for decades.

Brown noted that both the Board of Parole Hearings recommended a commutation, as did the state Supreme Court in their reviews of the case.

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He also wrote that one victim of the burglaries opposed clemency, apparently because that person still did not feel safe.

The San Diego District Attorneys office also opposed clemency  a fact Brown did not mention in his message  because of both the overall circumstances of the case and the victims concerns, a spokeswoman for Dist. Atty. Summer Stephan said.

Given the totality of the circumstances, including the defendants criminal history, the District Attorneys Office opposed Jeremy Stewarts petitions for clemency based in part on a request from one of his victims, who continues to feel vulnerable and afraid to be home alone, years after being victimized, spokeswoman Tanya Sierra said in an email.

Elizabeth Stewart did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. However she wrote in a Christmas Day posting on the change.org site that she and her two grandchildren were at a restaurant when they received a phone call with the news of the commutation.

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Everyone in the restaurant could hear us crying, she wrote. The kids and I were overwhelmed with tears. Our waitress brought us cookies assuming we had just been given some terrible news. Oh how wrong she was.

Jeremy Stewart is currently at Centinela State Prison in Imperial County and is eligible for parole in June.

Moran writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Terri Swanson lives at the Crossing apartment community, a transit-oriented development adjacent to the Anaheim Canyon Metrolink Station.

Swanson and her husband moved to the complex in June so she could take a Metrolink train to Orange Station, from which she walks to her administrative assistant job at Chapman Universitys Attallah College of Educational Studies.

Thats the main reason we decided to live there, Swanson said.

The Anaheim community rents a one-bedroom, one-bath apartment for $1,743 to $2,072 per month, according to the buildings website.

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Swanson said she usually sees one other passenger get on her morning train while employees disembark on their way to Kaiser Permanente Orange County-Anaheim Medical Center or the PacifiCenter office park. Her husband uses his car to commute to work.

I see other cars leaving all the time, she said.

The Southern California Assn. of Governments encourages city governments to offer incentives for residential development, especially affordable housing, near transit hubs to alleviate traffic on some of the most congested freeways in the country.

Since transit-oriented development is a land-use issue, the Orange County Transportation Authority does not take a policy stance on the practice, said Eric Carpenter, an OCTA spokesman.

OCTA does, of course, encourage people to use public transportation, including the Metrolink rail system as an alternative to getting behind the wheel and adding congestion to our crowded freeways, Carpenter said.

In 2016, Anaheim adopted the Canyon Specific Plan, which rezoned commercial properties on both sides of Anaheim Canyon Station as a transit-oriented area that could include workforce housing.

OCTA plans to start construction in 2019 on a second track and platform at the Anaheim Canyon Station. The new platform will be on the same side as the Crossing apartments, allowing residents to board trains without crossing tracks.

From July to November 2017, a daily average of 338 Metrolink riders boarded at the Anaheim Canyon Station on weekdays. In that same time, a daily average of 1,614 riders boarded in Fullerton, 862 riders boarded in Santa Ana and 711 riders boarded in Orange.

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While transit-oriented living at apartment buildings such as the Crossing may not be incredibly popular now, public officials such as Placentia City Administrator Damien Arrula say Orange Countys demand for this type of housing will increase as the 91 Freeway becomes even more crowded.

Arrula spearheaded Placentias role in a planned Metrolink station and a 246-space parking structure in the citys historic downtown. OCTA plans to advertise for bids on the stations construction in late April or early May. Placentia will be the first new station on the Union Station-to-Riverside line in a decade.

As city employees its our job to serve the community and to plan for the needs of our citizens, residents and visitors, and to support our local economy, Arrula said.

The low vacancy rate among industrial or commercial properties can make it expensive for developers to purchase and redevelop them as high-density housing. Arrula said cities and developers who miss opportunities to build workforce housing run the risk of higher land costs in the future. This could translate into higher rents.

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Placentia plans to sell a parcel that formerly held a deteriorating packinghouse to a developer for a future transit-oriented development. Its preparing to request proposals from developers interested in acquiring the site.

To capitalize on this planned transportation hub, the Placentia City Council approved dual plans to encourage redevelopment of the industrial properties south of the BNSF railroad and revitalization of buildings in its historic downtown.

Another common strategy in transit-oriented development is to build parking structures so people can drive from their homes, park in a structure, and take trains to downtown Los Angeles, the Inland Empire or south Orange County.

Construction crews are excavating space for underground parking at the site of a future parking structure near the Metrolink station in Old Towne Orange. The structure is also expected to serve as desperately needed nighttime parking for merchants.

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In 2016, Chapman Crafted Beer opened its brewery and tasting room next to the site of the future parking structure. Once the structure is done, Chapman Crafted co-owner Wil Dee plans to work with the city to transform an alley on the side of his building into a paseo that will allow pedestrians to walk unimpeded to the train station.

With the temporary loss of a public parking lot, Chapman Crafteds customers have to park a little farther, but the long-term benefits to business owners, residents and train riders will be huge, Dee said.

As far as the structure goes, its a long time coming, he said. Its fantastic for the city to be able to partner with OCTA to get the parking.

Langhorne writes for Times Community News.
Kyiv authorities will present the city's draft general plan in 2018, Head of Kyiv City State Administration Vitali Klitschko has said.

"We are now preparing to present the capital's general plan to the public. Every resident of Kyiv will be able to see how his or her district or neighborhood will develop, and what is planned to be built," the city administration's press service quoted him as saying on the NewsOne television channel on Saturday.

According to Klitschko, it is necessary to put an end to chaotic construction in the capital. In addition, it is necessary to introduce a practice when social infrastructure is built simultaneously with residential houses, in particular, schools, kindergartens, and medical institutions.

"This should be a strategic plan for the development of our city. Of course, we will not approve it without public discussion," he said.
Recy Taylor, a black Alabama woman whose rape by six white men in 1944 drew national attention and eventually a public apology, has died at 97.

Taylor died in her sleep Thursday at a nursing home in Abbeville, Ala., her brother Robert Corbitt said. He said Taylor had been in good spirits the previous day and her death was sudden.

Taylor was 24 when she was abducted and raped as she walked home from church in Abbeville. Her attackers left her on the side of the road in an isolated area.

The National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People assigned Rosa Parks to investigate the case, and she rallied support for justice for Taylor.

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Two all-white, all-male grand juries declined to indict the six white men, who admitted to authorities that they assaulted her.

In a 2010 interview, Taylor told the Associated Press that she believes the men who attacked her are dead, but she still would like an apology from officials.

It would mean a whole lot to me, Taylor said. The people who done this to me ... they cant do no apologizing. Most of them is gone.

The Alabama Legislature passed a resolution apologizing to her in 2011.

Taylors story, along with those of other black women attacked by white men during the civil rights era, is told in At the Dark End of the Street, a book by Danielle McGuire released in 2010.

A documentary on her case, The Rape of Recy Taylor, was released last year.

It is Recy Taylor and rare other black women like her who spoke up first when danger was greatest, Nancy Buirski, the documentarys director, told NBC News in an email.

It is these strong womens voices of the 40s and early 50s and their efforts to take back their bodies that led to the Montgomery bus boycott and other movements that followed, notably the one we are witnessing today.
Colorado authorities were contacted with concerns about the mental health of Matthew Riehl more than a month before he shot and killed a deputy and wounded four others. But the 37-year-old man was never held for a mental health evaluation.

Authorities have said Riehl fired more than 100 rounds in his suburban Denver apartment before he was killed by a SWAT team on Sunday.

Wyoming College of Law students had been warned about Riehl, a former student, because of social media posts critical of professors at the school in Laramie, reported KTWO-AM in Casper, Wyo.

A Nov. 6 email from Assistant Dean Lindsay Hoyt told students to notify campus police if they spotted Riehl or his car near campus. In addition, security on campus was increased for several days.

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Campus officers called police in Lone Tree, Colo., in mid-November to warn them about Riehl, suggesting his rants were indicative of mental illness, University of Wyoming Police Chief Mike Samp told the Denver Post.

Samp said its 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, an attorney and an Iraq war veteran, had also 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 building in Highlands Ranch, 16 miles south of Denver. A caller said Riehl was acting bizarrely 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.

Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately after trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside 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.

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The wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, 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, Spurlock said. Two civilians also were injured.

All of the wounded except Deputy Jeff Pelle, 32, have been treated at hospitals and released. The son of Boulder County, Colo., Sheriff Joe Pelle was hospitalized in fair condition.

Hundreds gathered Monday night for a candlelight vigil for Parrish inside Mission Hills Church in Littleton, Colo.  the church he attended with his wife and two young daughters.
A 16-year-old New Jersey boy armed with a semiautomatic rifle shot and killed his parents, sister and a family friend on New Years Eve, authorities said Monday.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni said the teen would be charged with four counts of murder and a weapons offense. The shooting occurred late Sunday in the New Jersey shore town of Long Branch, about 20 minutes before midnight.

A possible motive for the violence has not been disclosed. The rifle used in the shooting was legally registered to a resident of the house where the killings took place, Gramiccioni said.

The teens name has not been disclosed, and it wasnt known Monday whether he had retained an attorney.

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The victims were identified as the boys 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.

Gramiccioni described the shooting as an isolated domestic incident and said the teen was taken into custody without incident.

The teens grandfather and brother were not targeted and left the home unharmed, police said.

Its a terribly tragic incident, Gramiccioni said.

The teen is expected to make an initial court appearance Tuesday, and prosecutors were considering whether they would seek to move the case to adult court.

Jalen Walls, 18, a neighbor who went to school with Brittany Kologi, told NJ.com that he frequently went to the Kologi house. He said the 16-year-old boy required special assistance and was cared for by his mother. The teen did not attend the same public schools as his siblings, he said.

But he was fully functional and comprehended what we were saying, Walls said.

Another family friend recalled seeing Steven Kologi recently.

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I could never have believed this could have happened. They were all good people, Carmen Gaudious told the Asbury Park Press. I just spoke to Steve three days ago. He looked good. It was cold so we didnt say much. He wished me happy holidays.

A family friend has set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for the familys funeral expenses.
There are few things more profoundly important to a woman than controlling when and if she has children. Almost all sexually active women have used at least one type of birth control in their lifetimes. One of the hallmarks of the 2010 Affordable Care Act is that it promised women comprehensive preventive care at no out-of-pocket cost if they were covered by employer-sponsored health insurance plans. Under regulations adopted under the Obama administration, that care included 18 methods of contraception.

Without insurance, the price of some contraceptives can be daunting for many women. In a legal filing in November, several state attorneys general, including Xavier Becerra of California, said that since the requirement for insurance plans to cover contraception took effect in 2012, women across the country had saved $1.4 billion on birth control.

But the fight for contraception coverage has been fraught, because not all employers have willingly agreed to participate. Churches and other religious groups were entirely exempted from the rule, and other not-for-profit religiously-affiliated employers with similar objections were allowed to opt out of providing the coverage via an accommodation or workaround: Basically, the insurance company or benefits administrator still had to offer birth control coverage to employees  but the employer wasnt technically involved and wasnt billed for it.

The issue here should not be an employers religious or moral beliefs but the needs, beliefs, health and safety of the employee.

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As the years passed, the exemptions grew broader. For instance, a Supreme Court ruling allowed some small, privately held companies whose owners had religious objections the same accommodation as not-for-profit religiously affiliated employers. Time after time, the government sought to placate employers who complained  or sued  because they claimed their religious beliefs were being ignored.

Then, in October, the Trump administration put into place  without the required advance notice or opportunity for public comment  far-reaching new rules offering full exemptions to employers who claimed a religious objection to contraception and also to those who claimed a moral objection. The exemptions would be available to private companies of all sizes as well as nonprofits. And those companies would not be required to offer the workaround that guaranteed contraceptive coverage for their female employees at no cost to the employer.

Fortunately, two separate court rulings last month rebuffed the administration on this issue. In the more recent one, U.S. District Judge Haywood S. Gilliam Jr. took the administration to task for illegally putting the rules into effect without first giving notice and allowing public comment as required by the federal Administrative Procedure Act. Gilliam issued a nationwide preliminary injunction and ordered the administration to return to the rules that were in place before October. The judge issued the order in response to a lawsuit filed by Becerra along with the attorneys general of Delaware, Maryland, New York and Virginia. They argued that the new rulings were not only illegally put in place but had harmed those states and their citizens already. The judge agreed, saying the new rules transform contraceptive coverage from a legal entitlement to an essentially gratuitous benefit wholly subject to their employers discretion.

In the tortured history of birth control coverage under the ACA, the government has made change after change to placate employers who objected on religious grounds to covering birth control. Now, the Trump administration has essentially neutered the mandate entirely, allowing any employer with any religious or moral objection to refuse to offer birth control coverage  without any requirement that they allow their insurance company to make an accommodation.

It is unjust and un-economical to deprive women of easy and affordable access to birth control. The issue here should not be an employers religious or moral beliefs but the needs, beliefs, health and safety of the employee. Why should our employers make the moral or religious decisions about our healthcare? Besides, it is already clear that there are plenty of ways for employers to register their objections and then allow insurance companies to step in and provide the insurance. Thats accommodation enough.

The new rules should be permanently rolled back. The Trump administration should not impose its wrongheaded moral principles on the rest of us by denying birth control coverage to women.

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In a year of extraordinary natural disasters from hurricanes to floods to wildfires, heres another record-setter: Fiscal year 2017 was the U.S. Forest Services most expensive fire season yet. The cost of battling blaze after ever-bigger blaze across the country topped $2.4 billion.

Two decades ago, the cost of fighting fires only consumed about 15% of the Forest Services budget. But increased development in and around undeveloped open spaces, along with, paradoxically, decades of fire suppression, mean that wildfires are growing larger, more intense and more dangerous to communities. Many scientists believe the warming climate is exacerbating the situation.

As the cost of firefighting has gone up, the Forest Service budget has stayed relatively flat. The result is that fire suppression now consumes 55% of the agencys annual budget, and some officials estimate that could grow to two-thirds in a few years.

Republican attacks on environmental rules threaten to torpedo the very real reforms needed for healthier forests.

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The problem is this: The Forest Service ends up hoarding the money intended for other forest management programs  including fire prevention  because officials know theyre going to need it later in the year to fight fires. The agency has to shelve vital programs designed to reduce the threat of catastrophic blazes, such as thinning dense tree stands, controlled burns or insect control.

That makes no sense. Its far more expensive to fight fires and to rebuild after fires than it is to prevent them  even before you take into account the terrible toll these mega-blazes have on life, property and the environment.

By comparison, the government provides emergency money from a federal disaster fund to communities ravaged by hurricanes, tornadoes and most other natural disasters.

The good news is that there is bipartisan agreement that the federal government has to fix the way it pays for fighting wildfires. There are proposals in Congress to allow the Forest Service to tap emergency funds when it exceeds its firefighting budget. So, in unusually bad years like 2017, the agency could get one-time funding to handle the need, rather than having to gut its forest health and prevention programs.

The bad news is that partisan, ideological battles have, so far, stymied the needed changes. Republicans, including several from California, are pushing for legislation that would tie the budget fix to forest management proposals that would allow for more commercial logging on public land while weakening environmental reviews and endangered species protections for such projects. This cynical attack on environmental rules threatens to torpedo the very real reforms needed for healthier forests.

California has a lot riding on the budget fix, especially in the Sierra, where drought and bark beetle infestations have killed more than 100 million trees since 2010, according to the Forest Service. Nearly a quarter of the trees have died in some areas, leaving vast swaths of orange and gray hillsides; the accumulation of dead fuel can cause fires to burn hotter and spread more easily. The Forest Service has tried to increase ecological thinning, which means cutting and removing some small and dead trees, and controlled burns to reduce the density of flammable material. But those are exactly the kinds of projects that are put on hold when the agency has to hoard money for firefighting.

Also, the state relies on the Forest Service for help in combating fires. The fires that raged through Northern California this fall were not on federal land, but the federal government sent 1,500 firefighters, along with air tankers, helicopters and water scoopers to help. State officials worry the ongoing budget crunch will weaken the Forest Services ability to assist in future fires.

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Congress must move forward with the bipartisan Forest Service budget fix. The longer it waits, the more fire prevention projects are delayed and the threat of more catastrophic fires grows.

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Ever since Donald Trump touched the Orb, praise be upon it, Ive been making This is what you get when you touch the Orb jokes.

If you dont know what Im talking about, Ill tell you: On his trip to the Middle East in May, President Trump, along with the Saudi king and the president of Egypt, laid his hands on a glowing white orb for two minutes. (Which strikes me as a long time to touch an orb.)

The image was reminiscent of J.R.R. Tolkien and 1970s low-budget Canadian sci-fi. It looked like they were calling forth powerful eldritch energies from the chthonic depths or perhaps the forbidden zone.

Ever since then, when things have gotten weird, Ive credited the Orb. For instance, when the Guardian reported that sex between Japanese snow monkeys and Sika deer may now constitute a new behavioral tradition, I tweeted, the Orb has game, you cant deny it. When Roy Moore, the GOP Alabama Senate candidate, was plausibly accused of preying on teenagers and many evangelical leaders rallied to his defense, invoking biblical justifications for groping young girls, I admired the Orbs cunning. And when the bunkered Moore decided to give one of his only interviews to a 12-year-old girl, I sat back and marveled at the Orbs sick sense of humor.

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Every generation has a responsibility to instruct the next on what is important. As an empirical matter, they  we  failed.

But I know in my heart that its not the Orbs fault things have gotten so weird, for the simple reason that rampant weirdness predates the Orb-touching by years.

I have a partial theory as to why, and it doesnt begin with Trump. It begins with a failure of elites and the institutions they run.

Three-fourths of Americans cannot identify all three branches of the federal government, according to an Annenberg Center poll taken earlier this year. One in 3 Americans cant name a single branch of government. More than a third of Americans cant name any of their rights under the 1st Amendment. A host of surveys finds that Americans, particularly younger Americans, are increasingly ambivalent or even hostile to free speech, and even democracy.

Even as knowledge of, and commitment to, our system of government has been eroding, partisan loyalty has radically intensified. Some studies find partisan identification is now at least as predictive of behavior and attitudes as race or gender. As we lose our old meaningful attachments, we find new ones in shallow tribalism.

These trends have been in the pipeline for a long time, and while one can point a curmudgeonly finger of blame at the people, particularly these kids today, the real blame falls to elites of all stripes  political, journalistic, economic and educational. Every generation has a responsibility to instruct the next on what is important. As an empirical matter, they  we  failed.

The failure runs deeper, though. Throughout American history, institutions outside of the government  Alexis De Tocqueville called them associations  have played a vital role in binding people together and giving them a sense of meaning and rootedness. Our politics, both national and local, were always downstream of these institutions.

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That intricate ecosystem has been supplanted by virtual communities, which serve not so much to educate and civilize but to reinforce pre-established beliefs. Elites who once guided think tanks, universities, even rotary clubs to temper and channel anger have been replaced by leaders who are more like followers, chasing the online mobs wherever they want to go. And all eyes are on Washington to solve our problems. Our politics, in other words, are upstream now.

The norms weve come to rely on no longer match the landscape. Like Japanese snow monkeys, were creating new behavioral traditions.

In this, Trump is less an aberration than a leader for his time. In his rhetorical contempt for free speech, his ignorance of basic constitutional facts, his addiction to drama and ratings, his personalization of every political question and conflict, and his uncanny ability to bring out the same qualities in his biggest detractors, he breathes new life into H.L. Menckens definition of democracy as the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard.

jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com

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To the editor: The Times editorial board attempts to shed light on sexual harassment in areas other than politics and show business. (A #MeToo moment for the poor and powerless, editorial, Dec. 28)

The board claims harassment is or could be rampant in lower-wage industries like restaurants, factories, farms and other places. It cites some evidence, but admits this evidence is hard to come by.

I think before pushing the panic button, it would be wise for the paper to tell us what it thinks sexual harassment is and what it is not. This is the 800-pound gorilla in the corner. Does harassment include off-color remarks made at the company drinking fountain? And where do off-color remarks or suggestions bump up against our right of free speech?

These difficult questions should be asked, because the scope and prevalence of sexual harassment could change drastically based on how we define it.

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Robert Newman, West Hills

..

To the editor: As a former senior vice president at a Fortune 500 company, I am very concerned about the #MeToo movement.

Im concerned there are going to be fewer opportunities for women in corporate America to advance, as companies may be too afraid of the potential litigation from claims, both true and exaggerated.

It may be easier to pick a candidate with less risk.

Kathleen Taylor, Newport Coast

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To the editor: And there you have it, in all its purple prose, in the top-10 year-end lists provided by one conservative writer and one liberal, the state of political discourse on both sides of the divide in our country today. (Sean Davis: The top 10 undercovered news stories of 2017, and Adam Johnson: The top 10 undercovered news stories of 2017, Opinion, Dec. 28)

Rhetoric, hyperbole, attitude and political partisanship, with little or no attempt at balanced assessment, consideration of context or often conflicting facts or real priorities impacting each complex situation. Just close your ears and eyes, and shout louder and more often than the other guy.

To use possibly the only accurate sound-bite ever to come out of President Trumps mouth, Sad!

Peter Vincent, Los Angeles

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..

To the editor: In his list, Sean Davis misleadingly claims that Russian collusion charges were a dud and reiterates a number of politically motivated accusations against the Obama administration and the FBI.

There is already a lot of evidence pointing to collusion. Four Trump campaign associates have already been charged with or pleaded guilty to crimes related to Russia, which intervened in the 2016 election.

Numerous Trump associates had previously undisclosed meetings with Russians. There is even an email chain showing that Donald Trump Jr. agreed to meet with a Russian attorney after he received an email offering him damaging information about Hillary Clinton.

Unlike the growing evidence against Trump associates, there is no evidence that President Obama was spying on Trump. Accusations to the contrary from a known liar who claimed that Obama wasnt born in America cannot be taken seriously.

Given that so many Republicans stood by as a retroactively registered foreign agent led a chant of lock her up at the partys 2016 convention and ignored Trumps admiration of Russian President Vladimir Putin, we shouldnt be surprised that some of them are now working to undermine the rule of law through politically motivated attacks.

David Bendall, Aliso Viejo

..

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To the editor: I loved these op-ed articles. Heres another important undercovered story: the growth of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in Congress.

Thirty-one Democrats and 31 Republicans have joined this caucus and already taken action on the climate crisis: They helped defeat an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have nixed a study on the impacts of climate change on the military.

As wild weather events continue, other members of Congress will surely enter the caucus under its Noahs ark rule: Bring a member of the opposite party with you.

Can a revenue-neutral carbon fee, which would cut greenhouse gas emissions quickly without growing the government, be far behind?

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Kathy Seal, Santa Monica

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Its a new year  happy! happy!  and being even-numbered that means elections across the country.

The political stakes, befitting the bigger-means-better Age of Trump, are considerably higher than usual.

For the first time in years, control of the House is seriously in play and, with it, the prospects for the latter half of Trumps presidential term, which could bolster his record for reelection in 2020 or prove a death march through a slough of subpoenas and congressional torment.

Control of the Senate is a longer shot for Democrats, but also within the realm of possibility  especially after last months upset victory in Alabama.

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Not least, there will be 36 gubernatorial races in 2018. In many states the winner will oversee the once-a-decade redrawing of congressional boundaries, which will go a considerable way toward determining control of the House of Representatives, not just for one election cycle but well into the 2020s.

Lets start with the House.

OK. There are 435 seats. Each will be on the ballot Nov. 6. To gain control, which they lost in 2010, Democrats need to win at least 24 seats held by Republicans.

Whats the chance of that?

Right now it looks pretty darned good. Midterm elections  so called because they fall at the midpoint of a presidents four-year term  tend to be a referendum on the incumbent, and that favors the opposition party because angry or unhappy voters are typically more inclined to turn out than contented voters.

Hmm. Is that some kind of fake news?

Actually, theres plenty of history to support that assertion. Going back to 1862, the presidents party has averaged a loss of 32 seats in midterm elections. In modern times, the presidents party has lost seats in 18 of the last 20 midterms, with an average loss of 33 seats.

Elections arent based on history. What about the current environment?

Thats also shaping up well for Democrats. Polls have found members of the party expressing far more interest in the midterm than Republicans, which is usually a sign of increased turnout. Also, on the so-called generic ballot question  which party would you rather see control Congress  Democrats are running significantly ahead of the GOP. Thats another positive sign for them.

Finally, Democratic turnout in several special elections in 2017 ran considerably higher than expected  even in contests the party lost  which is another reason for Democratic optimism come November.

So thats it for Republican Speaker Paul D. Ryan?

Not necessarily. Theres an old saying: (Fill in the blank) is a lifetime in politics. But we wont trot out that tired cliche. Suffice to say its a long way to November.

Anything to watch in the meantime?

Theres a special election in late March to fill a vacant House seat in southwestern Pennsylvania. Its strongly pro-Trump country  he carried the district by nearly 20 percentage points  but after the shocker in Alabama Democrats believe they may have a chance at another upset. If so, youll start hearing the W-word with increased frequency.

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W as in Wawa?

No, thats a chain of East Coast convenience stores. W as in wave.

How about the Senate?

There are 34 seats at stake in November, or just over a third of the 100-member body. Republicans will hold a 51-49 advantage once Democrat Doug Jones is sworn in as Alabamas new senator. That means Democrats need a gain of just two seats to take control.

So they have an even better shot at a Senate majority than winning control of the House?

Actually, no.

Huh?

Of the 34 seats, Democrats will have to defend 26, compared with just eight for Republicans. And of those 26, 10 are in states that Trump carried in 2016. So to prevail, Democrats will have to hold onto every seat they have, plus two held by independents who vote with the party. Then they need to pick up at least two Republican-held seats. Thats a pretty tall order.

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Indeed.

Their best shot appears to be in Arizona, where GOP Sen. Jeff Flake is stepping down, and Nevada, where Republican Dean Heller has the distinction of being the only Republican senator up for election in 2018 in a state won by Hillary Clinton. But in a wave year, other states could come into play.

And those governors races?

There will 36 gubernatorial elections across the country, in big states such as California, Texas, New York and Florida. Obviously, the winner will matter a lot to the folks living in those three dozen states. But the results will also have national import, owing to redistricting.

Do tell.

Every 10 years, after the latest census, the 435 House seats are reapportioned to reflect population changes across the country. In most states, it is then up to legislators to draw new congressional district lines, subject to gubernatorial veto.

The way those lines are drawn can go a long way toward determining which party wins each seat.

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After the 2010 census, the Republicans used their upper hand in statehouses to diminish Democratic strength across the country, allowing the GOP to keep a firm grip on the House throughout the decade. In 2016, for instance, Republicans won 50.6% of the congressional vote nationwide but 55.4% of House seats, or 21 extra seats, according to an analysis by the Brookings Institution.

When does the next census take place?

In 2020.

Thats a lifetime in politics!

Please.

mark.barabak@latimes.com

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@markzbarabak
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.

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In the short run, Congress must fund the government by Jan. 19 or face a potential federal shutdown when a temporary spending measure expires that was hastily approved before lawmakers recessed for the holidays.

Along with the funding deadline will be a push by Democrats  and an increasing number of Republicans  to tack on a legislative solution for the so-called Dreamers, the young immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children whose work permits and deportation protections are set to expire.

Dreamers have become a powerful political presence, with daily protests at the Capitol, putting enormous pressure on lawmakers to block the spending bill unless it includes new protections for them. Some 800,000 young people will begin to be at risk of deportation  1,000 a day  when Trump winds down the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in March.

On DACA, there is a deal to be had, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is part of a bipartisan group of senators working on legislation, said Sunday on CBS Face the Nation. I want to do it in January. I dont want to wait until March.

But House and Senate leaders first need to resolve the funding bill standoff, which hit an impasse last month as Trump and congressional leaders could not agree upon new budget levels for the remainder of fiscal 2018 or the scope of disaster aid for the unusually devastating hurricane and wildfire season.

Trump and most Republicans want to boost military spending, but Democrats are insisting on a commensurate increase in non-Defense-related accounts for other federal government operations. Recent talks at the White House did not produce an agreement.

Democrats are also pushing for more disaster funding after an $81-billion aid package  which would be the biggest ever  stalled in the Senate. They are particularly seeking better treatment for Puerto Rico, where large areas remain without electricity almost four months after Hurricane Maria.

Even as the minority in Congress, Democrats have leverage in negotiations because House Speaker Paul D. Ryan often has been unable to rally his Republican majority to approve spending bills over the objections of his partys most conservative deficit hawks. Moreover, such measures need 60 votes for passage in the Senate.

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The Republican math has been complicated by absences, notably as Arizona Sen. John McCain battles brain cancer back home. He is expected to return to Washington this month.

Paul Ryans going to have to have the courage to tell the hard right they cannot run the government, Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) said last month after Jones election in Alabama.

Jones stunned Washington when his upstart campaign routed controversial former judge Roy Moore, the Republican nominee in the special election to replace Jeff Sessions, the states longtime senator who became Trumps attorney general. Moore faced allegations of child molestation from dating teenagers when he was a county prosecutor in his 30s.

The arrival of Jones, a former federal prosecutor who won convictions of Ku Klux Klan members decades after the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing, not only bolsters the Democratic minority in the Senate, 51-49, but gives the party a potential electoral path in GOP strongholds heading toward the midterm election 10 months from now.

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Polls show an uptick in voter preference for Democrats, as Trumps own low approval numbers stagnate, signaling the start of a spirited election season.

Trump has just a few short months to make progress on his legislative agenda before lawmakers will want to turn more attention to their campaigns back home as Republicans fight to retain the majority in Congress.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Ryan and other GOP leaders are expected to meet with Trump in coming days to map out the 2018 agenda.

Ryan, of Wisconsin, has outlined his plans for overhauling entitlements  particularly cuts to welfare programs  but McConnell has signaled he is less interested in those issues as the Senate targets other priorities, including healthcare.

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McConnell has promised votes, expected this month, on legislation to soften premium hikes under the Affordable Care Act. But passage remains in doubt because other Republicans want to try again at repealing the healthcare law known as Obamacare.

Trumps plans for a $1-trillion infrastructure package remain uncertain, limited in part because the GOP tax cut package  which permanently slashes corporate rates and temporarily reduces some individual taxes  added $1.5 trillion to the deficit, making additional government spending unlikely.

We gave one of the biggest, largest tax cuts to the wealthy, Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) said on CBS. Were going to be paying for this for many, many years to come.

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the influential chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said he expects the House to revisit the tax bill by voting to make the individual tax breaks, which expire in 2025, permanent.

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Youll see a vote on that in the first 30 days, Meadows predicted.

But neither Republicans, nor Democrats, want to be seen by voters as threatening a government shutdown, which has proved unpopular in the past, pressuring them to the negotiating table as soon as Congress convenes.

lisa.mascaro@latimes.com

@LisaMascaro

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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a decree assigning state scholarships to outstanding public health figures, the press service of the head of state has reported.

According to the report, 13 doctors received lifelong scholarships, and 70 doctors got two-year scholarships.

The public health figures include employees of the municipally-owned Dnipropetrovsk Mechnikov Regional Clinical Hospital, a number of medical institutions in Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernihiv, Zaporizhia, Chernivtsi, Volyn, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Zhytomyr, Lviv, Kyiv, Rivne, Donetsk and Ternopil regions.

In addition, scholarships were given to employees of the institutions of the Ukrainian Health Ministry and the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine.
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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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,
Its the moment youve all been waiting for  my annual New Years column about what to expect in education in the year ahead. Cue the trumpets and commence the drum roll, please.

Actually, hold the marching band, because Ill surprise no one by revealing that almost all the discussion is somehow or other related to technology. This has been the case for a long time, and many of us have begun to feel a bit jaded by all the grand prognostications about technologys promise to revolutionize education.

But if you could put aside some of your weariness for a moment, you might notice that as 2018 dawns there is a slightly different note to the predictions that education experts are offering. There is a growing sense that weve now reached a point of no return regarding the ways that technology is impacting how and what students learn.

In other words, these experts really mean it this time when they say that the future they have been talking about for many years has finally arrived. Theres a lot thats good about that, and some thats bad, but theres no turning back now. Like it or not, technology now permeates virtually every aspect of education.

I dont pretend to understand half of it, but as an outside observer who pays close attention I can decipher a few key aspects to this development that we will increasingly notice in classrooms throughout the nation.

Technologys integral role in education is evident, for example, in the growing focus on content and not just hardware. Yes, there remains the issue of getting devices into the hands of all students. But as mobile devices become more ubiquitous, attention is shifting to what runs on them  to creating and identifying effective online curricula and learning-based apps and games.

The good news is that some of the solutions were seeing developed are undeniably powerful, innovative, research-based programs that open a world of learning opportunities for students. But there are still many dangers and potential conflicts, not the least of which is that its often big corporations bringing those opportunities into the classroom.

As some in the education community salivate over augmented reality, visual technology, and other pieces of the edtech landscape, its important to remember that those corporations are driven by the profit motive; they use the care and feeding of young minds to further their own interests. Its something to keep in mind every time you hear about the Googlification of the classroom, and other terms that are eerily reminiscent of every creepy science fiction story about mind control.

Another facet of this new tech-enabled, corporatized world of education that warrants scrutiny is the prevailing idea that there should be a straight line from what students learn to good-paying, in-demand jobs. That belief is whats driving all the talk about prioritizing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), STEAM (STEM with art thrown in), or whatever tech-related acronym is in favor at the moment.

When we hear predictions about robots replacing humans in the workforce it tends to create panic. And panic isnt the most thoughtful place from which to determine policy, education-related or otherwise.

While the need to make todays students ready for the growth industries of tomorrow is clear, theres also ample risk that in our rush to foster job-ready skills students will lose out on some fundamentals of a rich, meaningful education. Too many times Ive heard complaints by instructors in higher education about students coming to them with an appalling lack of writing and communications skills, for instance.

Its great if kids learn to code. Obviously, someone will need to program all those robots that are going to replace us. But we also need to make sure that students are, at a minimum, literate and capable of critical analysis. There should be a few things we can still do better than robots.

Aside from technology-related matters, theres another topic weve been grappling with for quite some time that were likely to hear lots more about in 2018, particularly in California: how to hold schools accountable.

For a long time, the states method of grading public schools was pitifully oversimplified; it reflected almost exclusively performance on standardized tests. The new accountability plan overcorrected, giving us color-coded charts that are meant to show school performance in a variety of metrics but are instead so complicated theyre nearly incomprehensible.

Whether California will revise the new system to make it clearer and more understandable is a question for this year. The answer will affect when and how intervention will occur at low-performing schools.

Finally, keep in mind that 2018 is an election year. Its easy to focus exclusively on high-profile statewide and congressional district races, but we should not overlook whats happening in our local communities. Many school board seats will be contested this year. We should all reserve a little time to study the issues and candidates so we can make informed choices about matters that directly affect our kids.

PATRICE APODACA is a former Newport-Mesa public school parent and former Los Angeles Times staff writer. She lives in Newport Beach.
The tiny town of Nipton, Calif., owned by a company that legally grows and sells marijuana, wants cannabis fans to know theyre welcome to come and party  provided they bring their own weed.

The Whistlestop Cafe and, to the left, the Nipton Trading Post, are among the buildings that have been renovated in anticipation of Niptons growth as a marijuana-friendly tourist destination. (Jay Jones )

Nipton, a former mining town with a population of 20, sits in the far eastern part of San Bernardino County near the Nevada border, about 10 miles off the 15 Freeway.

The entire town was purchased in 2017 by American Green, a publicly traded company that cultivates and sells marijuana. Recreational marijuana became legal in California on Jan. 1.

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The five-room Hotel Nipton has been restored to its early 20th century charm by American Green, a marijuana-cultivating company. (Jay Jones )

If you dont like cannabis, theres no reason for you to be here, said Mike Rosati, the companys marketing manager.

Why do partiers have to bring their own stash? Because its still illegal to sell recreational marijuana in unincorporated San Bernardino County.

Rosati said Nipton will build on the bud-and-breakfast industry that has sprung up in Colorado since that state legalized recreational pot three years ago.

Rooms at the Hotel Nipton, where the bathrooms are down the hall, rent for $99 a night. (Jay Jones )

In the last few months, the five-room Hotel Nipton, once an escape for early Hollywood actors; the Whistlestop Cafe and the Nipton Trading Post have all been renovated.

Hotel rooms cost $99 per night. The hotel sits on 80 acres of land, which also includes eco-friendly tents and hookup sites for RVs.

The trading post remains a stopping point, with sodas and restrooms for motorists traveling from the 15 Freeway to Searchlight, Nev. It has a vending machine that one day may sell various marijuana products.

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Tiny Nipton in far eastern San Bernardino County sits along the Union Pacific rail line linking Southern California with Las Vegas. (Jay Jones )

American Green has patented the machine, which determines whether a customer is 21 or older through the use of technology that scans a vein in a customers finger.

Though the vending machine displays video images of people toking up, it wont be stocked unless a county ordinance is changed.

No one has asked them to [change the law], said David Wert, spokesman for the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. Our planning people are always open to talking.

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Though American Green plans to host a variety of pot-friendly weekend events, Rosati said the company has no immediate plans to push for a change in law.

He said Nipton is content with creating a welcoming destination where visitors can enjoy pot products they have purchased elsewhere.

American Greens Mike Rosati demonstrates the finger-scanning technology of the companys patented vending machine that one day may dispense marijuana. (Jay Jones )

Rosati said there is some confusion as to precisely where in Nipton people can legally light up a joint. Because of Californias non-smoking laws, visitors wont be able to smoke pot in the restaurant, but it will be permitted in hotel rooms and outdoors behind the hotel.

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According to a spokeswoman for the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department, deputies will not harass marijuana enthusiasts who indulge in Nipton.

Where people partake is up to the privately owned facility, said Cindy Bachman, a public information officer.

Info: Nipton, (760) 856-2335

travel@latimes.com

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The 28-year-old university graduate stood in front of a bookstore window in central Tehran, pretending to browse the titles on the shelves. He really was looking out for Iranian security forces sent to quash anti-government protesters.

Kambiz, who gave only his first name, earned a physics degree but is among the millions of young Iranians who lack a steady job. For the past several nights, he has joined demonstrators in the side streets near Tehran University, chanting slogans to bring down the theocracy in the most significant unrest in Iran in nearly a decade.

There is no future for me, let alone for millions of high school or college graduates, said Kambiz, who has never voted in an election. I dont care about politics or domestic or foreign policy or the nuclear deal. I just need a predictable future.

Irans economy has continued to sputter despite the 2015 nuclear agreement that eased international sanctions, and its leaders are increasingly seen as making things worse  tolerating corruption while supporting costly proxy wars overseas. The resulting public frustration has bubbled over into six days of protests that have left at least 21 people dead, state TV reported Tuesday.

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The rallies in more than two dozen cities appear to herald a new crop of Iranian dissenters: young and working-class, alienated from a political system rigged by the ruling mullahs but connected through social media and filled with expectations for their own futures.

It is difficult to get a clear picture of the unrest; the Iranian government closely monitors journalists and allows foreign reporters outside Tehran only selectively. Most news and images from the protests, particularly beyond the capital, have come through Telegram and other Internet messaging apps and are difficult to verify.

But analysts say the protests  which began in the provinces before reaching Tehran  are being driven by working-class Iranians who are expressing an anger that seems sharper than in the last major political uprising in 2009. Demonstrators have chanted, Death to the dictator, meaning Irans supreme leader, and some have even called for a return to the monarchy that ruled before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that brought the clerical establishment to power.

This is a much broader and deeper disavowal of the regime as a whole, said Ali Ansari, founding director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at St. Andrews University in Scotland.

If 2009 was a very middle-class rebellion, this is much cruder than that and much angrier than that. This is simpler folk, people who are basically fighting to make a living every day and have very basic demands.

Irans leaders have painted the unrest as a foreign plot. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei broke his silence on the protests Tuesday, saying that Irans enemies, using the various tools at their disposal, including money, weapons, politics, and security apparatus, have allied [with one another] to create problems for the Islamic establishment.

The speed and geographic spread of the rallies have surprised not only the mullahs but also veterans of Irans mainstream political reform movement, forged in the crucible of a disputed 2009 election that many of todays protesters were too young to have voted in. A Tehran police official said this week that 90% of those arrested in the first five days of rallies were younger than 25.

A 25-year-old working in his fathers grocery shop in Tehran, who asked to be identified only as Saeed, sounded despondent when asked why he was protesting.

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Tell me what my future is, the high school graduate said in a near-whisper, elbows propped on the counter. I am a burden on my family. Im not able to earn enough money. Tell me what else to do.

The unrest began Thursday in the northeastern city of Mashhad, one of Irans most conservative cities. Hard-liners organized a rally against President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate cleric, that quickly expanded into a critique of the entire ruling system.

It got out of hand because the actual societal discontent cannot be channeled against a particular faction  it is structural, said Rouzbeh Parsi, an Iran scholar at Lund University in Sweden. No matter who is running the country, its the same crap for people at the bottom.

The 2009 uprising was centered in Tehran among educated, middle-class and politically engaged Iranians. Dubbed the Green Movement, those protests prompted a violent crackdown in which dozens were killed and thousands arrested. Authorities tortured prisoners and held Stalin-style show trials in which defendants were forced to confess they were foreign agents.

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The shell of the Green Movement  whose leaders, former Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi and former parliamentary speaker Mehdi Karroubi, remain under house arrest  still carries the hopes of many reform-minded Iranian urbanites. When Rouhani campaigned for reelection last year, many in attendance at his rallies wore green armbands.

But some analysts say the movement stalled not only because of the clampdown but also because its vision for reform appeared to stop at the ballot box.

In nearly a decade since, Irans economy has been further hobbled by sanctions, corruption and mismanagement. Youth unemployment is believed to exceed 30%. The crash of oil prices has robbed Iran of its most reliable source of foreign exchange.

Rouhanis promises that the nuclear agreement would help create jobs fell flat, and his attempts to impose austerity measures have slashed the subsidies on which many poorer Iranians had come to rely.

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The fact that many of the protesters dont have the experience [of 2009] means they are willing in different ways to try it again, Parsi said. The demands are sharper because theyve been cut to the bone economically much more than in 2009.

At the same time, access to satellite television and the internet  although subject to controls  has raised the expectations of Iranians who live in areas outside Tehran and challenged the theocracys ability to shape public opinion.

Several years ago, Iranians nationwide were enthralled by a documentary series by a London-based satellite channel that lionized former monarch Reza Shah Pahlavi, whose son was deposed in the Islamic Revolution.

Senior government officials appear to be blaming the protests on various forms of interference from outside. The secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, said 27% of social media hashtags celebrating the protests were created by the Saudi government.

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The U.S. has expressed open support for the demonstrators, calling for Iran to stop blocking social media platforms that allow them to communicate. President Trump chimed in again Tuesday on Twitter: The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights, he said. The U.S. is watching!

The current crop of protesters, lacking a leader or coherent message, have been greeted with skepticism by better-known critics of the establishment. Reihane Taravati, a social media activist in her 20s who gained notoriety in 2014 when she was arrested for participating in an online video inspired by the American pop song Happy, called the protesters fishy and dubious.

My friends and I dont identify with them, Taravati said. None of my many activist friends have any idea what or who the protesters are, what their agenda is, if they have any at all. Their slogans are weird.

The authorities response suggests they are focused on neutralizing the protests but not addressing fundamental grievances.

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Even if this dies down, in a few days time or six months time, the regime has a problem, in that this discontent will simmer until they either take dramatic steps themselves or are forced to take them, Ansari said.

These protests are an awakening, although people have been waking up for some time.

Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer Bengali from Mumbai, India.

shashank.bengali@latimes.com

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ALSO

Two killed in three days of stunning protests in Iran: What our correspondent saw

Trumps backing of Iranian protesters could backfire as Tehran cracks down

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Dogs, Deepak Chopra, Instagram weddings and other signs of change among Irans middle class

UPDATES:

1:40 p.m.: This article was updated with U.S. government reaction to the protests.

This article was originally published at 12:05 p.m.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said he believes that the murder of lawyer Iryna Nozdrovska is a challenge to the state and a test for society in terms of protecting women activists.

"We have a better situation with female congresses, but not with domestic violence and the role of women in politics. The murder of Nozdrovska is a challenge to the state and a test for society on the ability to protect women activists, justice in general and the ability to ensure it," he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Human rights activist and lawyer Nozdrovska disappeared at the end of 2017 and was found dead in a river in Vyshgorod district, Kyiv region, on January 1. Her body was sent to a forensic medical examination. The police have opened a criminal proceeding on counts of deliberate murder.

Bloc of Petro Poroshenko MP Mustafa Nayyem said that it was about Nozdrovska, who for a long time sought a verdict for the murderer of her sister, Svitlana, who was killed in a road accident in September 2015.

"The woman was knocked down by a drunk driver, the nephew of the chairman of Vyshgorod District Court, Dmytro Rossoshansky. Despite the obvious nature of the crime, relatives sought justice for more than two years. Lawyer Iryna Nozdrovska personally oversaw the case, spoke in court, and due to this she repeatedly received threats from the defendant and his relatives," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"In June last year, she managed to achieve justice. Rossoshansky was sentenced to seven years in prison. On December 27, the court heard an appeal. The court rejected an appeal lodged by the killer's lawyers, sent the case to a trial court and extended the defendant's arrest for 60 days. The father of the accused threatened Iryna: 'You will end badly.' And two days later, on Friday, December 29, Iryna disappeared," Nayyem said.

Vitaliy Serheyev, a former fiance of Nozdrovska, was interrogated as a witness as part of the investigation. According to him, he last saw Nozdrovska in August 2017.
The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has appealed to the Russian Foreign Ministry with the demand to confirm the fact and clarify the circumstances of the detention of anti-terrorist operation (ATO) soldier Oleh Nehoda in Moscow, an official representative of the consular service department of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, Vasyl Kyrylych, has said.

"We have appealed to the Russian Foreign Ministry with a petition to inform us whether the said citizen was detained. If the detention is confirmed, we demand to state on what grounds and under what circumstances the detention center was made, and also to urgently allow the consul to visit the detained Ukrainian," Kyrylych told Interfax-Ukraine on Tuesday.

Earlier, the media reported the detention in Moscow of ATO participant, resident of Kyiv Nehoda, who went to Saratov (Russia) to visit his sister late in 2017.
Audi moving away from Russian doll styling

Jan 2, 2018, 6:06am ET

The brand explained making cars that look the same was necessary in China.

Audi will move away from the so-called Russian doll approach to styling that has characterized nearly all of its cars over the past decade or so. The brand's future models will continue to share some styling cues but they won't be Xerox copies of each other.

"This [repetition] design process was used to make Audis more recognizable in newer and emerging markets. Now we are well known in major markets like China, we can begin to change this philosophy and give each car its own look," said company CEO Rupert Stadler in an interview with British magazine Autocar.

The recently-introduced fourth-generation A8 (pictured) spear-headed the brand's renaissance. While it's recognizable as an Audi, it wears a look of its own that stands out from the A4 and the A6, for example. The 2019 A7 puts an appreciably different spin on the same design theme.

Audi's design language will take another step forward when it introduces its first series-produced all-electric car in a few months' time. The model -- a crossover -- will compete in the same segment as the Tesla Model X.

"Design will go in a very different way. [Designers] will have more material space to play with, so we'll be able to produce [vehicles with] shorter overhangs and lower bonnets. It makes for a more attractive design overall," noted Audi design boss Marc Lichte.

Photography by Ronan Glon.
Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski took the oath of office Monday to begin his fourth four-year term in office, a little more than two weeks before he is due to face trial in an alleged pay-to-play scheme.

Joined by his family, Pawlowski was sworn-in by District Judge Rashid Santiago before a standing-room-only crowd of about 125 people.

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski takes the oath of office to begin his fourth term Jan. 1, 2018. Hes scheduled to go on trial Jan. 16 in federal court on charges of bribery, extortion, mail fraud, wire fraud and lying to the FBI. Posted by lehighvalleylive.com on Monday, January 1, 2018

In a 15-minute address, Pawlowski said he was "humbled by so many of you who have put their faith and trust in me and have elected me to serve you once again as mayor."

He expressed his willingness to work with the seven members of City Council.

"I am looking forward to working with you both individually and collectively in the coming term," Pawlowski said, according to remarks released by city spokesman Michael Moore. "Now that this long-fought election process is over, and we're no longer counting ballots, we can start counting what unites us ... the causes we believe in and the challenges we will tackle together, as a community. We may not always agree on how that should be done, but we do agree on the basic premise of making Allentown a better place to live for our residents, a better place to work and do business and a better place to play for those who visit our city."

The Democrat learned July 25 he'd been indicted on 55 federal charges, for allegedly accepting more than $150,000 in campaign contributions from potential city contractors.

He refused to step down or halt his re-election campaign and on Nov. 7, voters chose to keep him in City Hall over Republican challenger Nat Hyman and two minor party candidates. Allentown City Council President Ray O'Connell also ran a write-in campaign for mayor.

Pawlowski is scheduled to face trial beginning Jan. 16 in federal court in Allentown on the charges of bribery, extortion, mail fraud, wire fraud and lying to the FBI.

He was charged along with political consultant James Hickey and Allentown-based attorney Scott Allinson following an investigation related to the work of another consultant, Mike Fleck, for both Pawlowski and Reading Mayor Vaughn D. Spencer.

Fleck pleaded guilty in April 2016 to two federal counts, joining a raft of people linked to the investigation to reach plea deals with prosecutors.

Hickey pleaded guilty last month in federal court in Philadelphia, shortly after U.S District Judge Juan R. Sanchez in Allentown dismissed a motion to drop the indictment against Hickey and Pawlowski.

Pawlowski's attorney, John J. "Jack" McMahon Jr., said following Sanchez's ruling he will be prepared for the trial to start as scheduled.

Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski speaks after taking the oath of office for his fourth four-year term on Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, in City Hall.

On Monday in council chambers, Pawlowski did not directly address the pending trial. He was, however, critical of politics in Washington, D.C., and in Harrisburg for their lack of appetite for compromise.

"It has all created a type of 'boogeyman' politics, motivated by unfounded fears and discrimination against our most vulnerable citizens," he said in the remarks shared by the city. :But to the residents of Allentown I say this ... rest assured ... danger doesn't lurk in our public restrooms. Our Latino brothers and sisters are not criminals and our local police officers have far more important things to do than act as immigration agents. In these troubling times, I believe the way we conduct ourselves as leaders of major American cities is being looked upon like never before."

Pawlowski also said that by working together, the city can continue to set a new foundation.

"I am inspired every day by the people of our city ... by your hopes, by your dreams, by your determination," he said. "I am listening. I will keep on listening. And through our collective hard work we will continue on a path to a better tomorrow. I am proud to be your mayor. Thank you for your confidence and encouragement. Thank you Allentown and may God bless our city."

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
Easton has raised $153,000 to help clean up hazardous waste at an abandoned silk mill.

But that's just the beginning of what the city needs.

Mayor Sal Panto announced the Brownfield grant on Facebook for the mill at 620 Coal St. It's known as the Black Diamond site because John Robinson bought it in 1995 to make stainless-steel tabletops, sinks and accessories for the food service industry.

I am pleased to announce that we have received a $153,000 brownfield grant for the Black Diamond (formerly the Stewart... Posted by Sal Panto on Thursday, December 28, 2017

Panto said developer Tim Harrison has committed to matching the $153,000. Harrison wants to build 126 working-class apartments at the site once it's cleaned up.

But the city continues to wait for word of whether it will get a $2 million state grant, the amount needed to acquire the site and start clearing away the collapsing mill.

"We wont know anything until June," Panto said.

A fire in 2016 destroyed most of what was left of the mill. The project would convert the existing "powerhouse" building into a clubhouse but the rest of the buildings would be leveled for the apartments.

The city knows it must contend with lead paint and asbestos in the structures. But what remains underneath them is still a mystery. Underground tanks full of used oil will add to the cleanup price tag.

"We don't know the extent of any environmental pollutants," Panto said.

Panto held a news conference in July 2017 to introduce Harrison and his plan to put in a new community. The apartments and clubhouse might be adjacent to a small grocery store and health clinic.

In July Harrison estimated the first of the two phases of development, 60 homes, will cost in excess of $10 million.

Harrison brought in PIRHL, or Partners in Residential Housing Leadership of Cleveland, Ohio, to help with the project. The firm has built similar communities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Ohio.

The model would be similar to that of the Neston Heights public housing project: leases with no tolerance for gun or drug activity, and a community clubhouse where the Easton Boys & Girls Club could offer afterschool care, a local hospital could offer clinics, banks could offer credit counseling or neighbors could meet.

BY THE NUMBERS

Phase 1 calls for a 48-unit apartment building, a 12-unit apartment building and a 2,500-square-foot clubhouse. There will be one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments in the plan.

Phase 2 calls for a 20-unit apartment building with 10,780-square-feet of retail space, a 28-unit apartment building and an 18-unit apartment building.

Plans call for 170 parking spaces.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.
Within Pennsylvania State Police ranks, there's a great deal of internal confusion about the agency's policies for investigating officer-involved shootings.

And state police should strongly consider enacting a policy that triggers an outside, independent review when its troopers are involved in on-the-job shootings.

Those are the two top conclusions of a Northampton County grand jury investigation into the state police's use-of-force protocols following the shooting death of Anthony Ardo, 47, of Lower Mount Bethel Township.

The grand jury already unanimously found that troopers were justified in fatally shooting Ardo, who was suicidal and threatening to light a firework mortar wrapped around his neck during the May 20 incident.

But this second report concludes that it is best to hand such investigations over to an outside agency so the public can trust the findings of officer-involved shooting reviews.

"The Pennsylvania State Police as an agency of the Commonwealth is not above the law," the grand jury report finds. "They are not immune from public scrutiny."

District Attorney John Morganelli asked jurors to take the inquiry further and determine whether state police should bring in outside law enforcement agencies to investigating line-of-duty shootings by troopers.

"PSP leadership have a somewhat arrogant opinion of their own superiority over any other law enforcement agency which has contributed to their recalcitrant position of not relinquishing an investigation involving one of their own officers to another law enforcement agency," the grand jury report states.

A Pennsylvania State Police spokesman did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment on the grand jury's conclusions.

Morganelli said he hopes that state police leadership take the report under advisement.

"The Pennsylvania State Police is a good agency but it is not beyond critique, just like my office is not beyond critique. We all serve at the behest of the public," Morganelli said. " ... No agency, no elected official is above reproach here, including myself."

The report is not meant to disparage the troopers Morganelli's office works with daily, but it gets at the heart of concerns surrounding public confidence in police probes, Morganelli said.

"It is not enough to just say trust us, trust us, we are going to do a good job," Morganelli said.

While the grand jury agreed that Troopers Eddie Pagan and Jay Splain were justified in the fatal shooting, its probe found that troopers were given special treatment by the state police investigating team, from their own troop, that would not be afforded others subject to a criminal investigation.

The troopers were not interviewed until 30 days after the shooting and they were allowed to watch dash camera video of their encounter with Ardo before being interviewed.

Initially, state police agreed that Morganelli's detectives should take lead on the probe into Ardo's death, but then higher ups reversed course, citing the agency's longtime existing internal investigation policies. This led Morganelli to convene the grand jury.

But the grand jury found there was actually great confusion amongst state police surrounding what its use-of-force policy actually states.

Shortly after the shooting, Pennsylvania State Police Lt. Joseph Sokolofski contacted Morganelli asking the district attorney how he wanted to handle the investigation. Sokolofski initially agreed the district attorney's office should take the lead on the investigation.

Sokolofski was overruled by his superior Troop M Commander Capt. Richard D'Ambrosio, who said that agency policy would not allow Morganelli to lead a trooper-involved shooting investigation.

D'Ambrosio testified before the grand jury that he had consulted with his superior Major Dante Orlandi. This led grand jurors to ask state police to designate an official spokesperson of their choosing to testify before the grand jury.

The testimony of that spokesperson -- Major Douglas Burig -- contradicted D'Ambrosio's statements. Burig said he agreed with Morganelli that Troop M should have turned over the Ardo investigation to the district attorney's office.

This led to the grand jury's subpoeaning state police Commissioner Col. Tyree Blocker, who testified that both Burig and Sokolofski did not understand the policy.

State police tried to shut down the grand jury inquiry, arguing in court that it did not have a right to exist, let alone weigh in on the policy. Lawyers for state police wanted the investigation shut down or wanted to keep the report from becoming public.

"I thought that it was misguided to try to close down and try to shut down a grand jury investigation," Morganelli said. "(Northampton County) Judge (Stephen) Baratta I think pretty much gave them a reprimand on that."

The agency noted that investigators from different barracks are assigned to use-of-force cases and work in consultation with prosecutors, who have the ultimate say over whether a shooting was justified.

But the grand jury found many contradictions surrounding how state police try to prevent conflicts of interest.

While Burig said that investigators could be brought in from other troops, D'Ambrosio and Sokolofski disagreed and said they do not question personal or social relationships, believing their teams have personal integrity.

"There is no formal structure in place to assure that there are no personal or other relationships between the members of the investigating team and the involved officers to assure a transparent and unbiased investigation," the report found. "Self-reporting alone cannot be relied upon."

Experts say police shooting investigations should be independent to ensure objectivity and avoid the perception of bias.

The grand jury recommends that the state police commissioner "strongly consider" adopting the Pennsylvania District Attorney's Best Practices protocol for officer-involved shootings or adopt a protocol that involves an independent agency taking the lead in such investigations.

While dash camera footage of some of the incident exists, the grand jury discovered that the recording devices were not on when troopers were giving Ardo commands prior to the shooting. Eyewitnesses were able to corroboate the trooper's testimony, but the report notes that might not always be the case.

The grand jury recommends that troopers be outfitted with body cameras due to this. The report noted state police ignored a similar 2014 recommendation made by a Dauphin County grand jury.

Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
She's been revived many times in Portlaoise hospital. I just don't know what I'd do without Portlaoise. they are fantastic there. Mary Claire is the happiest little chid you'd ever meet. I don't know what we'd do. We'd have to move. We actually would consider moving because there is no other way around it. 

- Parent Rose Maher whose daughter suffers from a rare form of epilepsy but has received life saving treatment in Portlaoise a number of times.

I think it needs to be said that this isn't Susan O'Reilly's plan ore even a personal crusade. This is me bringing together teams to do a thoughtful analysis of what would be the best way to address very complex issues.

- Dr Susan O'Reilly, CEO of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group and lead author of the plan to downgrade Portlaoise hospital.

So it tookd a deluge in the Slieve Bloom Mountains for Mountmellick to get the oxygen of national publicity that will surely not last longer than 48 hours

-Letter writer to the Irish Independent, PKMcEvoy after the flooding hit the town.

There is not a dry stitch in the house. I live in a two storey house on Emmet Street so I slept upstairs last night. Downstairs is destroyed.

-Kathleen Gibson, who was one of the victims of the Mountmellick flooding.

I'd actively ask anybody who knows anything about these characters to come forward. What happened to the man in Offaly was absolutely shocking.

-Garda Chief Supt John Scanlon on a gang attack on bachelor farmer.

In my case freedom of speech died at about 12.20am on the morning of July 31st, 2017".

-Kevin Myers at the James Fintan Lalor school.

There is a little bit of me that really wants to shake him and say 'shake up here lad, you're our Taoiseach now, you have actually to do things seriously.

-Olivia O'Leary speaking about Leo Varadkar at the Laois Hospice annual meeting in Portlaoise.

Driving like this is the reason young men's car insurance is so high because of people like you driving at speed. It's absolutely appalling. It's like driving a loaded gun.

-Judge Catherine Staines to a man who drove 178kmph in a 120kmph zone.
The trolley crisis worsened at all Dublin / Midlands hospitals in 2017 which will be have to take more patients if the downgrade for Portlaoise hospital is executed.

End of year figures from the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) reveal that in total, 18,363 trollies were used in Emergency Departments or wards at Portlaoise and other hospitals in the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group (DMHG).

This group includes: St James' and Tallaght hospitals in Dublin, Naas General in Kildare and Tullamore in Offaly.

The trolley figure for the DMHG hospitals was up nearly 7% on the 17,183 trollies deployed at these hospitals in 2016. Apart from Portlaoise, all of the hospitals had to resort to more trollies to accommodate patients than in the previous year.

Tallaght had the worst problems with nearly 4,850 trollies used for patients who waited for a bed. It was up nearly 700 from the 12 months that went before.

Tullamore was not far behind with 4,774 trollies - up just 26. Naas used 3,361 trollies - up more than 300 while St James' deployed 2,178 - again up by more than 300 from 2016.

More than 3,200 patients had to be accommodated on trollies at the Portlaoise hospital last year according to the nurses' union figures.

The 2017 figures reveal the number of trollies deployed dropped by 5% at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise.

The Minister for Health Simon Harris is considering a plan drawn up by the DMHG to remove A&E, ICU, paediatrics, maternity and most surgery from Portlaoise. He said he wanted to consult further on the plan this year.

Nationally, for the second year running, the INMO say trolley and ward watch figures, heading into the final weekend of the year, recorded over 300 patients waiting on trolleys or on additional beds in wards of our busiest hospitals.

Overall, throughout 2017, 98,981 admitted patients were recorded as awaiting a hospital bed.

KEY FINDINGS

University Hospital Limerick recorded the highest annual number of 8869;

Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Galway recording 6815 and 6563 respectively;

The Mater University Hospital in Dublin was the capitals most overcrowded hospital with 5238 patients on trolleys during 2017; and

Smaller hospitals such as Our Ladys Hospital in Navan showed increases from 595 in 2016 to 2435 in 2017 and Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe recorded 1569 trolley figures compared with 892 in 2016.

Reacting to the level of overcrowding, Phil Ni Sheaghdha, the newly appointed General Secretary of the INMO, called on the HSE to explain how the predictable increases in Emergency Department (ED) admissions remain outside of the scope of hospitals to manage and control.

Overcrowding in late December and early January is getting worse. Despite investment in winter plans, smaller hospitals are now severely overcrowded which is manifestly unsafe and leads to higher cross infection and poorer outcomes for patients.

"Nursing staff, constantly working in this high pressure, unsafe environment, cannot be expected to put up with this obvious neglect of duty of care to them and the patients they try to care for any longer. It appears to me, that staff and patients, on the front line, were abandoned while the system shutdown for Christmas and the New Year.

Ms Ni Sheaghdha, who takes over the role of Co-Chair over the HSE Emergency ED Task Force, said there is a system of de-escalation which is mandatory for hospitals to follow, before spreading overcrowding to the entire hospital, which was abandoned during the Christmas period.

Our figures show that on December 28 and 29, 11 of the 29 hospitals used their full capacity protocol and placed additional patients on wards. Under HSE policy, the Joint Chairs of the Task Force must be notified in advance of use of Full Capacity Protocol.
From Wednesday, January 3, and continuing for the next two years, Laois motorists can expect further delays on the N7/M7 road as a project to add a lane to the road begins.

The widening of the existing M7 motorway from two lanes to three lanes will apply to both eastbound and westbound for approximately 14km, between Junction 9 Naas North, at Maudlins and the M7/M9 interchange at Junction 11.

The work will include replacing and relocating the existing ramps at Junction 10 Naas South Newhall to the main Naas Newbridge dual carriageway, the R445.

Traffic management will be in place during construction along the M7 from Junction 9 Naas North to Junction 11 M7/M9 at various phases during the term of construction.

Two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times between 6am and 10pm. For the duration of active construction works there will be a special speed limit of 60kph in place. And an emergency lane will be available through the works at all times.

According to the latest CSO figures, a total of 11,477 Laois people commute outside of the county for work. Many of these commuters can now expect some long term delays on their morning and evening journeys.

More than 1,700 leave Portarlington each day for work.

Read more: Laois job shortage proved by daily exodus of thousands of work commuters.

The M7 carries approximately 70,000 vehicles per day and is the main connection to the M9 to Waterford, the M8 to Cork and the M7 to Limerick.

The work will also include a bypass of Sallins and a new Interchange at Osberstown and is expected to be completed in early 2020.

Since the economic recovery, and the widening of the N7 from Newlands Cross to Naas, congestion has grown on the major artery at rush hour. Evening time, in particular, has seen massive queues, stretching back well past Kill as the traffic deals with narrowing of the road at Naas north, and jockeying for position before the M9 exit to Kilcullen, Athy and Kilkenny.

The major works will also include the construction of a new interchange at Osberstown between Junctions 9 and 10 which will be designated Junction 9a.

The Sallins Bypass will include approximately 1.7kms of new dual carriageway and 2kms of single carriageway, together with a 1.2kms of single carriageway link road from the bypass to Sallins town centre.

The project will include six new structures, including two bridges over the River Liffey, a bridge over the Grand Canal, the new Osberstown Interchange bridge over the M7 motorway and a minor road bridge carrying Osberstown Road over the Sallins Bypass. The Sallins Bypass bridge under the main Dublin Cork railway line is currently being constructed by Irish Rail in a parallel project.

n the analysis of some, improvements to traffic flow along the M7 corridor offers regional and national benefits by enhancing safety and reducing traffic delays for all road users travelling to and from Dublin, Waterford, Cork and Limerick.

Kildare County Council CEO Peter Carey, formerly of Laois County Council, has welcomed the work saying it would not only underpin economic recovery in this country, but also represent a tremendous investment in our local economy, improving the attractiveness of Kildare as a location for business and tourism opportunities.

Read more: Storm Eleanor - Met Eireann update warns of DANGEROUS 130 km/h WINDS #stormeleanor.

PICTURES: Baby Patrick (Paddy) O'Donnell is the first baby born at 'top notch' Portlaoise hospital in 2018.
A strain of influenza that hit over 100,000 people in Australia, is sweeping through Ireland, with the HSE confirming that "less than 10 people" have died directly related to the flu in the past fortnight.

Dr Kevin Kelleher is Director of the HSEs Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

Influenza-like illness has increased in all age groups except in those aged 0-4 years. Hospitalised cases of influenza and influenza-associated outbreaks in residential care facilities have also increased. The HSE has in the last fortnight also been notified of a small number of deaths directly related to influenza (less than 10).

He is urging high-risk groups to get the flu vaccine, which is "a moderate to good match" against the Aussie flu.

These indicators tell us that flu is actively starting to circulate in the community, yet its not too late for people at risk to get the vaccine from their GP or Pharmacist. Prevention is better than cure, and the increase in flu activity means it is even more important to get your flu jab if you are in an at-risk group. Initial indications so far point to more people in at-risk groups and more healthcare workers getting the flu vaccine this year. The HSE would urge those who have not yet been vaccinated to join their peers and their colleagues in getting the flu vaccine.

The vaccine takes two weeks to become effective.

High-risk groups:

All those aged 65 years and older

People including children with chronic illness requiring regular medical follow-ups such as chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease, chronic neurological disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders and diabetes

Those with lower immunity due to disease or treatment and all cancer patients

All pregnant women. The vaccine can be given safely at any stage of pregnancy

Those with morbid obesity i.e. Body Mass Index  40

Residents of nursing homes, old people's homes and other long stay facilities

Health care workers and carers of those in risk groups



People in at-risk groups can get the flu vaccine itself free of charge (people without medical or GP visit cards may be charged an administration fee). This is because they are at much greater risk of becoming seriously unwell if they catch flu, and may need specific treatment or hospital care.

Symptoms of flu

Influenza usually develop over a matter of a few hours and include a high temperature, sore muscles, dry cough, headache and sore throat. This is different from the common cold, which tends to come on more gradually and usually includes a runny nose and a normal temperature.

How to care for flu

Dr Kelleher said he is concerned that hospitals could be overburdened with flu patients.

"I am concerned that any significant increase in cases could pose a serious threat to our already overburdened hospital system. In the majority of cases, this flu, while serious, can be treated at home. However there will always be more severe cases, which will need acute medical intervention," he has stated today.

Anyone who gets flu is advised to stay at home, rest, drink plenty of fluids and use over-the-counter remedies like paracetamol to ease symptoms.

Anyone in one of the high-risk groups should contact their GP if they develop influenza symptoms. If you need to visit your GP or the Emergency Department, please phone first to explain that you might have flu.

Advice, tips, information and videos on getting over flu and other common illnesses are available at a new HSE website, www.undertheweather.ie.

Trolley numbers have shot up in Portlaoise and Tullamore hospitals
Newbridge woman Orla Tinsley is continuing her recovery from a double lung transplant which took place on December 20.

In an Instagram post on New Years Day she said she was feeling amazing. She is recuperating at the New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhatten where the operation took place.

It was the seventh time a pair of lungs had become available in the past few months, but the first pair that were suitable. Ms Tinsley has Cystic Fibrosis and has campaigned for greater services in Ireland for those with the condition.

The successful transplant took place just as the 30 year old was placed on life support in response to her worsening condition.

Ten days since double lung transplant great progress is being made, she tweeted on Monday. I feel amazing! My team @nyphospital is superb and I am very lucky.

Referring to a large tube in her nose she remarked I still cant swallow properly which can happen for a few different reasons and I am doing daily exercises to fix this. (I am dreaming of mashed potato with gravy, roast chicken, roast potato, carrots and a giant glass of milk).

My hearing has taken a hit too because that happens sometimes when youve on very high doses of oxygen or the feeding tube. It sounds like Im under water mostly! With time, this should return.

Every day feels like such a miracle. I have so much more energy than before and my motto will help conquer this journey: Be the tortoise, not the hare what a beautiful way to start the new year!

I am so grateful for my donor. I am so grateful to their family. I cant wait until a few weeks from now when Im running and swimming!

Earlier, she wrote on Twitter My new years resolution is to honor my donor every day through exercise, hard work and gratitude.

In the meantime she has urged the public to carry an organ donor card.

Please take a moment, take a breath, and help raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis. https://t.co/JM2njXiUAr #takeabreathforcf  Orla Tinsley (@orlatinsley) May 27, 2016

Make sure to let your loved ones know your wishes, that is key. I was saved because of the forward thinking of a donor and their loved ones, she tweeted in reference to a woman who was inspired to get an organ donor card having read her story.

Meanwhile it looks like she might be joining Kilcullen man James Nolan in representing Ireland in the Transplant Games. The Irish Kidney Association has reached out to her on Twitter and proposed that she aim for the World Transplant Games in Newcastle in 2019.

Definitely, if I can qualifiy, Ms Tinsley responded.

The Irish team will have an open door for you, the IKA said.

The past number of weeks have seen a significant jump in donations to Ms Tinsley on the GoFundMe account that was set up in her name in July by fellow Irish writer Belinda McKeon.

It has jumped approximately $10,000 to $96,833 as of this morning. The money will be used to support her while she recovers from the transplant. To donate, click here.
A Ukrainian serviceman has been killed in a tripwire mine explosion near the village of Novotoshkivske in Luhansk region, Defense Ministry spokesman Oleksandr Motuzianyk has said.

"One serviceman of the Ukrainian Armed Forces was blown up by an explosive device and sustained multiple injuries incompatible with life," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Tuesday.

Earlier, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters reported five ceasefire violations.
A man arrested in the course of an alleged burglary in Clane has been refused bail the day before the anniversary of his late brother.

At the Kilcock District Court sitting held in Naas today (January 2), Anthony Conroy, 5 Deansrath Lawns, Clondalkin, Dublin 22, was remanded in custody to appear at Athy District Court on January 9.

Gardai objected to bail for the 20 year old after he was arrested in Clane at 7.15am this morning.

The State is alleging that Mr Conroy committed burglary and related offences at two addresses at College Wood Manor, Clane, and at another home at Oatfield Close, Clane on New Years Day, and at another premises at Oatfield Park on January 2.

Evidence of arrest charge and caution was given to Judge Desmond Zaidan who was told that when the charges were put to Mr Conroy, he made no reply.

Gardai objected to bail on a number of grounds, including that the offences were alleged burglaries and trespass at a number of houses and that he had been, allegedly, caught red handed by the owner of the house in Oatfield Park.

Mr Conroy, the Court heard, did not say how he was transported, but that he had got a lift from a friend.

Another ground for objection to bail was that he had a history of bench warrants, with various courts having issued bench warrants for his arrest on ten occasions in the past.

Judge Zaidan said it was alleged that Mr Conroy had broken into a home with a young family and the risk of reoffending was pretty strong.

The Court was told that investigations into the alleged offences were ongoing and that Mr Conroy had admitted to taking xanax.

Sarah Connolly, BL, representing Mr Conroy, argued for bail to be granted on a number of grounds, saying that most of the bench warrants were issued in 2016.

She said her clients behaviour appeared to have changed since then.

She said Mr Conroys brother had died tragically in 2014 and his anniversary mass was tomorrow, January 3. A person had been jailed for the manslaughter of Mr Conroys brother.

Judge Zaidan said he had sympathy with Mr Conroy and his family on the death of his brother, but he found that the State had made its case for the refusal of bail and remanded Mr Conroy in custody until January 9.

He adjourned the matter for directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions on how the case and charges would proceed.
AUTHORITIES in Clare have warned members of the public to avoid exposed coastal locations due to stormy conditions.

Storm Eleanor is due to make landfall later this Tuesday, and a status orange wind warning is already in effect for Limerick, Clare and Tipperary.

Please be careful while out and about. https://t.co/y1gmrhWfNc  Limerick Council (@LimerickCouncil) January 2, 2018

Clare County Council has warned the public to avoid exposed coastal locations from this Tuesday evening through to Wednesday morning due to the forecasted stormy conditions.

The storm, named Eleanor under the Met Eireann/UK Met Office storm naming system, will move in off the Atlantic later this afternoon and will move very quickly across the country this evening.

Southwest to west winds of mean speeds 65 to 80 km/h, gusting to 110 to 130 km/h., are expected. Met Eireann also is forecasting very high seas along the Clare coastline, including the Shannon Estuary, with a risk of coastal flooding.

Tom Tiernan, Senior Engineer, Clare County Council, said: We are advising the public not to venture out unless necessary  particularly in coastal areas.

Motorists are asked to be careful when driving and to avoid parking vehicles in close proximity to exposed coastal areas. Any coastal areas which have previously flooded are at risk and people in such situations are advised to take appropriate precautions.

- Stay with the Limerick Leader for updates, online, on Twitter and on Facebook
UNIVERSITY Hospital Limerick was significantly the worst in the country for overcrowding in 2017 with nearly 9,000 patients being treated on trolleys, new figures reveal.

According to the annual Trolley Watch figures published by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, there were 8,889 patients treated on emergency department trolleys and on extra beds or trolleys in the wards at the Limerick hospital.

This is at least 2,000 more patients than any other hospital in the country, ahead of Cork University Hospital at 6,815 and University Hospital Galway at 6,563.

In 2016, there were 8,090 patients on trolleys. The lowest ever annual rate of overcrowding at the Dooradoyle facility was just 1,367 patients in 2007.

INMO general secretary Liam Doran has said that immediate and dramatic action is needed to tackle the overcrowding crisis.

Emergency dept very busy @ULHospitals over last few https://t.co/ArTt7YfOnz can attend Nenagh Ennis or St.Johns hospitals with minor illness/injuries leaving UHL ED for very ill patients as the flu season takes a serious grip. Support the frontline teams. Support UHL #flu https://t.co/UptHjkKhTi  Colette Cowan (@colettecowan1) January 1, 2018

Overcrowding in late December and early January is getting worse. Despite investment in winter plans, smaller hospitals are now severely overcrowded which is manifestly unsafe and leads to higher cross infection and poorer outcomes for patients. Immediate and dramatic action is now required if further misery and yet again, record-breaking overcrowding levels, are to be avoided as the New Year dawns.

Sinn Fein TD Maurice Quinlivan has described UHLs annual figures as stark, shocking and totally unacceptable. These are not just statistics, these are human beings. We know them because often they are our family, neighbours and friends. In many cases they are our grandparents, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters.

And on Tuesday morning, UHL had one of the highest rates of overcrowding with 55 patients on trolleys, amid a flu outbreak in the Mid-West.

On Monday, UL Hospitals Group CEO, Prof Colette Cowan said on Twitter that its emergency department was very busy in recent days as flu season takes a serious grip.
LIMERICKS local authority has convened its Severe Weather Assessment Team with localised flooding anticipated as the weather deteriorates.

A storm orange wind warning is in effect for Limerick until 9pm this Tuesday.

Limerick City and County Council said it had convened its Severe Weather Assessment Team following Met Eireanns weather advisory regarding Storm Eleanor.

The storm is tracking eastwards from the Atlantic Ocean and states: Storm Eleanor will move in off the Atlantic later this afternoon and will move very quickly across the country this evening. Southwest to west winds of mean speeds 65 to 80 km/h, gusting to 110 to 130 km/h., are expected. Very high seas along Atlantic coasts, with a risk of coastal flooding also.

The advisory is valid from 4pm until to 9pm this Tuesday.

High tide at Limerick Docks is expected at 6.59pm and is scheduled for 6.50pm at Mellon Point  near Pallaskenry  and Foynes Island at 6.26pm.

A council spokesperson said: It is anticipated that there may be localised flooding resulting from the windy conditions combined with high tide.

Sandbags have been placed in vulnerable areas such as near Sarsfield House, Merchants Quay by Limerick Courthouse, along with defences in Foynes and Askeaton.

The authority has continued to maintain its demountable flood defence barriers along the city quays and boardwalks which have been in place since the New Years Holiday, it said.

Duty engineers will continue to monitor the situation, said the spokesperson. The local authority is urging people to be careful close to open water and be mindful of strong winds.

The Severe Weather Assessment Team is a council-wide team that has met already this Tuesday. It is in contact with the HSE and gardai.
A YOUNG man is being questioned by gardai about a house fire in Limerick city this Tuesday morning.

The 19-year-old was arrested a short time after emergency services were alerted to the fire at a house in Ballynanty at around 10.10am

Four units of Limerick Fire and Rescue Service from Mulgrave Street attended the scene of the fire for more than an hour before the scene was declared safe.

A support vehicle also attended as a precaution.

While the house was occupied at the time, nobody was injured as everyone managed to escape before the fire spread.

It is understood the house was extensively damaged as a result of the blaze.

Gardai have confirmed they are investigating the cause of the fire and that a teenager is being questioned.

A 19 year old male has been arrested and is being detained at Mayorstone Park Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984, stated a garda spokesperson.
MET Eireann has extended its status orange weather alert warning of gale to storm winds across Limerick until early on Wednesday afternoon.

In an update this Tuesday night, the national forecaster stated the earlier weather warning will now remain in place until 2pm on Wednesday.

Earlier, Crews from Limerick City and County Council were deployed to deal with flooding as Storm Eleanor battered the country.

There were reports of localised flooding and surface water in several areas across the city and county with motorists being warned to exercise caution.

There is currently some flooding on Limerick city's Dock Road #stormeleanor @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/cMYb9vNk2u  Maria Flannery (@mariaflan) January 2, 2018

The local authority, which assembled its Severe Weather Assessment Team earlier on Tuesday, says it dealt with flooding at Merchant's Quay near the Potato Market, at Sarsfield House and at both O'Callaghan and Clancy Strands. George's Quay was also impassable.

.@LimerickCouncil crews dealing with flooding at Merchant's Quay near the Potato Market, car park at Sarsfield House and O'Callaghan and Clancy Strands. Please avoid areas of possible. #StormEleanor  Limerick Council (@LimerickCouncil) January 2, 2018

George's Quay in #Limerick is impassable due to flooding. #StormEleanor  Limerick Council (@LimerickCouncil) January 2, 2018

OCallaghan Strand barely walkable as a result of flooding in Limerick #StormEleanor @Limerick_Leader pic.twitter.com/BcJTF8aOaM  Fintan Walsh (@FintanYTWalsh) January 2, 2018

There are also reports of flooding at Steamboat Quay and in Corbally with crews from Limerick Fire and Rescue Service being deployed to assist a van driver who entered flood waters near Watch House Cross shortly after 7pm.

There are also reports of flooding in County Limerick. According to residents in Askeaton, the River Deel breached its banks in the town shortly before 6pm this Tuesday.

Several houses in the area of The Quay are believed to have suffered damage as a result.

The water came up quickly, according to local sources, but is now retreating slowly.

Sandbags were in place at houses along the street in order to prevent residential flooding.

Meanwhile, ESB Networks says around 800 customers are without power due to faults.

More than 600 customers have been affected in the Athlacca area while almost 200 have been affected between Abbeyfeale and Athea.

We have a large number of faults around the country due to #StormEleanor if you have lost supply please see https://t.co/VMtxFrW7FY if your are is NOT listed please ring us #staysafe  ESB Networks (@ESBNetworks) January 2, 2018

A status orange weather alert, issued by Met Eireann remains in place until 10pm.
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.
Stock Market News

Europe open: Stocks start the year in the red as miners, autos weigh 02-01-2018 10:27



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

FTSE 100 movers: IAG flies higher but Reckitt Benckiser takes a hit 02-01-2018 13:27



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

Sector movers: Miners, Telecoms do best 02-01-2018 12:28



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

Sythomer sells Leuna site in Germany for undisclosed price 02-01-2018 07:28



Stock News headlines are gathered from financial news sources around the web. Views and opinions on each item are from their respective authors and website. They are not opinions of LiveCharts.co.uk
Stock Market News

Tehran regime cracks down on protests, oil prices little moved 02-01-2018 08:30



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Verkhovna Rada First Deputy Speaker Iryna Gerashchenko, who represents Ukraine in the humanitarian subgroup of the Trilateral Contact Group, expects that the process on the release of Ukrainian political prisoners from Russian prisons, including Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, will be unblocked this year.

"For several months I put aside Oleh Sentsov's book 'Buy a Book - It's Funny' and a collection by relatives, friends and colleagues about Oleh. However, at the end of last year, when I was flying to the United States, I read these two collections on the plane. I want to have Oleh's autograph as soon as possible," she wrote on her Facebook page on Tuesday.

At the same time, Gerashchenko expressed confidence that in 2018 Ukraine would be able to unblock the process on the release of Ukrainian political prisoners from Russian prisons.

"At least, President [Petro] Poroshenko and the authorities are making every effort for this purpose at all possible international negotiations, meetings and venues," she added.

The North Caucasus Military District Court in Rostov-on-Don ruled in August 2015 to find Ukrainian citizen Oleh Sentsov, who had been detained in Crimea in 2014, guilty of setting up a terrorist group in the peninsula and sentenced him to 20 years in a high-security penal colony. The Russian Supreme Court later upheld the verdict.

The Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly called Sentsov's case politically motivated.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has welcomed the beginning of Bulgaria's presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"A Bulgarian MEP was the EU rapporteur on Ukraine's receiving visa-free travel. Now Bulgaria has become the EU's main rapporteur for the next six months, heading the Council of the European Union," he wrote in his Twitter microblog on Tuesday.

At the same time, Klimkin said that "we have a joint community, Cyrillic alphabet and the Black Sea with Bulgaria," noting that "they acceded to the EU and NATO a little earlier."

As reported, Bulgaria, whose presidency of the EU Council began on January 1, 2018, declared the national slogan "United we stand strong" as the motto of its six-month program.

The four priorities of Bulgaria's EU presidency are the future of Europe and of the young people  economic growth and social cohesion; European perspective and connectivity of the Western Balkans; security and stability in a strong and united Europe; digital economy and skills for the future.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko congratulated Bulgaria on the beginning of its first ever presidency of the EU Council.
The Indian government has provided over 130,000 serum doses to Ukraine as humanitarian assistance, the press service of Ukraine's Health Ministry has said on its website.

Some 80,000 doses of anti-tetanus serum, 35,000 doses of human tetanus immunoglobulin, 900 doses of anti-diphtheria serum, 14,400 doses of antirabies serum and 1,500 doses of lyophilizated snake antivenin.

All the serum has GMP quality certificate. The humanitarian aid provided by India will be distributed among the regions in line with their needs, including medicine for tetanus prophylaxis.

The ministry paid attention to the fact that some serum and immunoglobulins are present in Ukraine, as they were not registered in the country.

"Only in spring 2017 two antirabies immunoglobulins made in Israel and Ukraine were registered and manufacturers did not supply any documents for registration of other specific immunoglobulins," the ministry said.

The ministry recalled that it cannot be the initiator of registration of a drug, and local authorities cannot purchase unregistered medicines.

"Humanitarian goods are the only way to provide Ukrainian citizens with sera or immunoglobulins if necessary," the report said.

The 2018 national budget announced UAH 42 million for procurement of sera and immunoglobulins via international specialized institutions.
The names of suspects involved in the downing of Boeing Malaysian airliner MH17 over occupied eastern Ukraine during July 2014 will be revealed as soon as suspects are notified of suspicion, deputy head of Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) Yevhen Yenin has said.

"This is absolute nonsense and the work of hostile propaganda. All names will be released as they are notified officially. We are not talking about 120 individuals  this is Moscow's attempt to distract attention away from information about the Smolensk tragedy," he told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Tuesday.

Yenin said on his Facebook page: "The governments of Ukraine and the Netherlands continue to coordinate efforts with the aim of bringing those persons/states responsible for the terror act over the skies of Donbas to justice."

Earlier, a number of Russian media reported that on January 2 the Netherlands will disclose the names of those involved in the downing of the Malaysian Boeing. At the same time it was pointed out that the investigation established the names of 120 people involved in organizing and carrying out the terrorist attack against the crew members and passengers of the flight.
Kyiv police chief Dmyto Tsenov has conceded to formation of a citizens' action group of members of the public who demand a proper inquiry into the murder of lawyer Iryna Nozdrovska.

"I agree to work with you as a public," Tsenov said at a rally with a request to find Nozdrovska's killers, which was held near Kyiv Police Headquarters on Tuesday afternoon.

In turn, some participants of the rally started to put forward their candidatures and support the candidatures of other people who could join the group.

Earlier during the rally, the protesters demanded the formation of an investigative team, in particular, with the involvement of operative investigators from Kyiv, and interrogate those who repeatedly threatened Nozdrovska.

Tsenov said that this case is on his personal control.

"I report regularly to the head of the National Police, the acting minister... So far, the operative investigative group has already been approved. I invite you today at 8 pm after the hearing, and I'll talk with you. I will be in Vyshgorod," the regional police told the activists.

As reported, human rights activist and lawyer Nozdrovska disappeared at the end of 2017 and was found dead in a river in Vyshgorod district, Kyiv region, on January 1. Her body was sent to a forensic medical examination. The police have opened a criminal proceeding on counts of deliberate murder.

Bloc of Petro Poroshenko MP Mustafa Nayyem said that Nozdrovska for a long time sought a verdict for the murderer of her sister, Svitlana, who was killed in a road accident in September 2015.

"The woman was knocked down by a drunk driver, the nephew of the chairman of Vyshgorod District Court, Dmytro Rossoshansky. Despite the obvious nature of the crime, relatives sought justice for more than two years. Lawyer Iryna Nozdrovska personally oversaw the case, spoke in court, and due to this she repeatedly received threats from the defendant and his relatives," he wrote on his Facebook page.

"In June last year, she managed to achieve justice. Rossoshansky was sentenced to seven years in prison. On December 27, the court heard an appeal. The court rejected an appeal lodged by the killer's lawyers, sent the case to a trial court and extended the defendant's arrest for 60 days. The father of the accused threatened Iryna: 'You will end badly.' And two days later, on Friday, December 29, Iryna disappeared," Nayyem said.

Vitaliy Serheyev, a former fiance of Nozdrovska, was interrogated as a witness as part of the investigation. According to him, he last saw Nozdrovska in August 2017.
Before fully embracing the new year, wave goodbye to two more staples of San Antonio TV who announced their departure at the close of 2017.

Playful weather veteran Shaun Stevens bid farewell to his KABB job of 12 years Friday to devote his energies to a new career in San Antonio, and KENS reporter Natassia Paloma leaves for an anchor job closer to family.

They follow in the footsteps of Sarah Lucero, Karen Grace and Alicia Neaves, formerly of KENS, who also exited their jobs in recent weeks.

MORE: From TV to bodybuilding: Sarah Lucero over the years

Stevens, the longtime Fox News First meteorologist whose silly weather riffs on the Spurs-Heat finals even caught Jimmy Kimmels eye several years back, is staying in San Antonio but changing careers. Hes looking forward to sleeping in a bit and spending more time with his wife and three kids.

(KABB morning anchor) Ernie Zuniga and I first started the show with Kimberly Crawford on Jan. 2 of 2005, he wrote in an email. Its been a fantastic experience all along the way with (anchorwomen) Monica Taylor, then Jessica Headley and now Breanna Bars alongside Ernie.

I am leaving the station on the best of terms. My contract was up back in November but agreed with management to work through the end of the year. Ill be staying here in San Antonio. This is my home. I started a real estate investment company about a year and a half ago.

RELATED: KENS-TV anchor Karen Grace resigns

Ive been working it as a part-time side gig, but will be giving it a full-time effort now, he added.

Though hes having a hard time leaving the amazing people Ive been blessed to work with over the years, Stevens said hes grateful for his improved hours.

Not hearing the alarm at 2:20 in the morning will be amazing! Ill be spending a whole lot more time with my kids getting them ready and off to school as well as putting them to bed at night. Those are things Im looking forward to the most and was unable to do on a morning schedule.

His boss, WOAI and KABB general manager Dean Radla, was full of compliments for Stevens.

He will be missed. He's done an outstanding job for us during his tenure as morning meteorologist and the launch of Fox News First, Radla wrote in an email.

The program has always delivered outstanding ratings in key demographics as the only local news option from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m on weekdays. Shaun has certainly been a major contributor to our efforts and we wish him all the best.

RELATED: Things San Antonio said goodbye to in 2017

Mike Hernandez, KABBs weekend meteorologist, will be covering the morning shift until an official replacement is named.

KENS multiple departures

Natassia Paloma, a talented, multiskilled journalist, delivered her touching adios to bosses and friends Saturday.

Goodbye, KENS 5. Thank you, (News Director) Jack Acosta and (General Manager) Tom Cury for giving me the opportunity to grow as a reporter! Paloma wrote on Facebook. San Antonio and KENS will always have a special place in my heart  my son was born here! You all took such good care of me, will miss everyone!

In a private message, she elaborated on her departure: I've accepted a job in El Paso, my hometown, where shell be an anchor on the NBC affiliate.

Natassia is a great example of today's multiskilled journalist, Cury wrote in an email. We know she will enjoy being closer to her family."

RELATED: San Antonio TV anchor gives birth, and viewers can watch

Her exit follows the resignation of Karen Grace, a 12-year veteran of KENS-TV, who anchored the weekend news for 10 of those years.

(A) new chapter begins in 2018. Thank you to all my loyal viewers, friends and family. I appreciate all the supportive emails and messages during my ongoing medical leave, Grace wrote in a private message on Facebook Thursday.

Grace first indicated in November that she was taking leave for health reasons.

At KENS, an email from Cury made the rounds last week, indicating the station had accepted Graces resignation just before Christmas. We wish her well, Cury wrote.

Grace spent the holidays in Trinidad with her family.

Theyve been very supportive, she said. I only wish I couldve given my television family and viewers a proper goodbye, but the circumstances did not allow me to.

RELATED: Current and former San Antonio TV news anchors come clean: No makeup!

As for what her next chapter would be, Grace wrote that shes been doubling up on her already extensive charity work.

Another KENS anchor, Lucero, who bid farewell the week of Thanksgiving, has been enjoying lots of global travel with her husband before jumping full force into her second love: health, fitness and bodybuilding.

Former co-worker Neaves, by contrast, remains in TV news following her KENS departure in early December.

The multimedia journalist, reporter and occasional fill-in anchor at San Antonios CBS affiliate for more than two years accepted an anchor job at a station in South Carolina.

Neaves said shell be working as weekend evening anchor and reporter at CBS station WLTX-TV in Columbia.

jjakle@express-news.net
The new year's dining scene begins with a triumphal reboot of a longtime Houston Italian restaurant, Carmelo's.

Carmelo's owner Carmelo Mauro announced that he sold his restaurant at 14795 Memorial, which served its last meal under his ownership on Dec. 25, to Houston restaurateur Benjamin Berg. Cleverly Stone first reported the news on her Cleverley Food Talk Radio Show.

"After much research and discussion, my family and I decided to sell the restaurant to local restaurateur and neighbor, Benjamin Berg, who I wholeheartedly trust to honor and respect the Carmelo's name and only improve it in the years to come," Mauro stated.

It was an unexpected move for Berg, the owner of B&B Butchers & Restaurant on Washington. He has a busy year ahead of him: this week will mark the official opening of B&B in the Shops at Clearfork in Fort Worth, and in the fall he's set to open Benjamin, a new restaurant on the ground floor of The Star luxury apartment building on Rusk Street in downtown Houston.

Berg said he is keeping the name Carmelo's (and retaining the existing staff) and won't immediately begin changes because "everything happened so fast."

But big changes are in store for the Memorial restaurant. It's going to get a major culinary infusion via Berg's own brother, Daniel Berg, who will be executive chef. Benjamin Berg had already enticed his brother to move to Houston in February to begin work on Benjamin restaurant. When he gets to town Daniel Berg will immediately begin work on the menu at Carmelo's, Benjamin said.

Daniel Berg comes to Houston with an impressive resume that includes working for Daniel Boulud at Daniel and with Andrew Carmellini at A Voce, Locanda Verde, The Dutch and Bar Primi.

Mauro announced in October he would be shuttering his nearly 37-year-old restaurant on Christmas Day. Days later Stone reported that Mauro came to an agreement with Berg to buy the business.

Benjamin Berg will reopen Carmelo's on Jan. 3.

"My goal is to bring the best to Houston and constantly create unique and unparalleled experiences for patrons, and I plan to do the same at Carmelo's," Berg stated.
Doctors Hospital welcomed the first baby of 2018 early Monday.

At 8:17 a.m., Anastasia Nikole Martinez was born at 7 pounds and 1 ounce. She was greeted with joy by her parents, Rebecca Almaraz and Odell Martinez.

"We are very excited to have her," Almaraz said. "She was unexpected. We were supposed to induce tomorrow and my due date was the 31st, but she came today and she surprised us all."

Anatasia Nikole is Almaraz and Martinez's second child.

READ MORE: Laredo getting a chilly start to 2018

Almaraz said her labor was quick. She felt pains at about three in the morning and Anastasia was born at eight in the morning. It was a fast labor, she said.

Martinez is excited to have his baby daughter already.

"It's a blessing she's here," Martinez said. "We are glad she's here. My other daughter is 1 so they're very close in age. It'll be fun to see how they interact with each other."

Cynthia Garza is mother to Almaraz and grandmother to Anastasia.

"I feel good. She's my eighth grandchild," Garza said.

When asked about any New Year's resolutions for her daughter and granddaughter, Garza hopes that Almaraz continues being the mother she's been thus far.

"She's a really good mother at a young age. She brought up her first one really well. I just want her to continue doing the same with this one," she said.

READ MORE: New laws for 2018 and what you missed in 2017

Almaraz's resolution is that they have a good year and Anastasia continues being a very well behaved baby.

"She's very calm," Almaraz said. "Very different from my first child. So far she's a very good baby. We're very excited. I just want her and my daughter to interact well and I'm very nervous to see how that's going to go."

As the first baby of the year, Anastasia and her parents were presented with gifts courtesy of Doctors Hospital Auxiliary Volunteers, including a baby stroller, clothing, baby monitors and much more.
Editor's Note: This is part one of a two part story examining the homicides in Laredo in 2017. This article details the crimes from January to June 2017. For part two, click here.

With a dozen homicides recorded in Laredo in 2017, a one-digit decrease from 2016, the Gateway City earned a spot in a list of safest cities in Texas this year.

The U.S. Census Bureau lists over 1,200 cities as part of Texas. By this measure, Laredo ranks amongst the top 5 percent of safest cities in the state.

Laredo's homicide rate is on par with other cities of similar size, said Investigator Joe E. Baeza, LPD spokesman.

But unlike other cities, Laredo is touting its 10th year of continuous lower crime rate overall, including violent crime, according to Baeza.

Two of the cases included on this list are recent additions. These cases were not initially categorized as homicides, but have since been added to the list, according to records provided by LPD.

Manner and method of death in these cases have not been officially declared by the medical examiner, according to police.

READ MORE: Laredo getting a chilly start to 2018

"Homicide by definition means a death caused by something other than a natural cause," Baeza said. "Homicide cases are not always murders."

He also said that although the department is pleased to see a decline in criminal activity, there is still much work to be done in the new year.

"One homicide is one homicide too many for us." Baeza said. "These aren't just numbers on file. These aren't inanimate objects. These are real human beings, and their deaths have a real effect on their family members and loved ones left behind."

The youngest homicide victims this year were 16 years old, Leslie Sanchez and Jesus Alberto Pedraza-Trevino. Ricardo Rangel, 57, was the oldest victim.

Three of the victims were females and nine were males.

Seven died by shootings. Other causes of death were stabbing, physical force and unknown reasons.

January

The first homicide of the year transpired on Jan. 15, when Sergio Ramirez, 27, was fatally shot in the 2600 block of North Arkansas Avenue, LPD said.

At about 5 a.m., police and the Laredo Fire Department responded to a shooting reported by the intersection of North Arkansas and Price Street.

EMS encountered two men, Ramirez and Leonel Maldonado, 21.

Paramedics treated Maldonado for multiple gunshot wounds sustained to his chest and right bicep area. Ramirez had at least one gunshot wound to his head. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to reports.

Police said they learned that an altercation had occurred inside a home on Arkansas and it escalated into a shooting outside in the street.

Authorities arrested Guillermo Capetillo, 28, in connection with the shooting. He was later indicted on charges of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

February

The two recorded homicides for February happened within days of each other.

Juan Antonio Gutierrez, 38, was gunned down Feb. 22 with a .223-caliber rifle in the 3200 block of Cortez Street, near the intersection of U.S. 83 and Texas 359.

An investigation led to the indictment of Nelson Anthony Jasso, 29, on the charge of murder.

MORE ON LMTOnline.com: American killed in Mexico resort identified as city official

Police said the shooting happened when Gutierrez tried collecting rent from Jasso.

Jasso was detained after they found him hiding behind a car covered in blood.

Authorities discovered Gutierrez on the ground bleeding profusely from the chest area. He died at the scene.

Police determined that Gutierrez was shot in the chest with a high-powered rifle. Witnesses allegedly saw Jasso moving the body to the area where police found it, according to LPD.

Jasso stated was defending himself because Gutierrez attacked him with a knife. However, police said Jasso's wounds were self-inflicted.

Only three days later, on Feb. 25, David Alejandro Alvarado, 24, was found dead in his apartment in the 2700 block of East Montgomery Street. He had apparent stab wounds, according to police.

Prior to the discovery, the Laredo Fire Department had responded to a structure fire at about 5 p.m. Alvarado's body was discovered after firefighters extinguished the blaze, reports state.

Firefighters said they discovered four places inside the apartment where the fire appeared to have been intentionally started, according to reports.

A grand jury later indicted the homicide suspect, Mizael Delgadillo, 19, on the charge of murder.

Authorities said that when questioned, Delgadillo broke down and gave details of the case. During that conversation, he allegedly admitted to fatally stabbing Alvarado and setting the fires, according to police.

June

The fourth homicide of the year resulted in three LPD officers wounded after a shootout with the suspect.

Reyna Gonzalez Zamora, 50, was found fatally shot in her apartment June 2. She had a gunshot wound to her upper torso and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they were searching for Gonzalez's boyfriend, 55-year-old Antonio Gerardo Rodriguez, in connection to her death.

After locating Rodriguez, officers exchanged gunfire with him in the parking lot of the Stripes convenience store at McPherson and Hillside roads. Rodriguez died -- possibly of a self-inflicted gunshot wound -- and three officers suffered gunshot wounds.

July

On July 27, the body of 16-year-old Lesley Sanchez was found in the brush around the walking trails behind the Haynes Recreation Center.

Police said three of Sanchez's family members found her just before 4 p.m.

READ MORE: New laws for 2018 and what you missed in 2017

Evidence from the crime scene suggested a physical struggle ensued between Sanchez and her attacker as she attempted to fight him off.

Mario Angel Gonzalez, 24, was later arrested in connection with Sanchez's death.

When police spoke to Gonzalez at LPD headquarters two days after the homicide, they noticed he had a laceration to the palm of his left hand, cuts on his fingers, scratches to both arms and elbows, bruises to his chest, a mark on his forehead and several cuts and bruises to his legs and calves, according to reports.
Editor's Note: This is part two of a two part story examining the homicides in Laredo in 2017. This article details the crimes from July-December 2017. For part one, click here.

With a dozen homicides recorded in Laredo in 2017, a one-digit decrease from 2016, the Gateway City earned a spot in a list of safest cities in Texas this year.

The U.S. Census Bureau lists over 1,200 cities as part of Texas. By this measure, Laredo ranks amongst the top 5 percent of safest cities in the state.

Laredo's homicide rate is on par with other cities of similar size, said Investigator Joe E. Baeza, LPD spokesman.

But unlike other cities, Laredo is touting its 10th year of continuous lower crime rate overall, including violent crime, according to Baeza. He also said that although the department is pleased to see a decline in criminal activity, there is still much work to be done in the new year.

Three of the victims were females and nine were males.

Seven died by shootings. Other causes of death were stabbing, physical force and unknown reasons.

August

The fatal shooting of Jose Roberto Capetillo, 32, happened Aug. 8 at approximately 1:30 a.m.

Laredo Fire Department crews responded to a shooting in the 3100 block of San Luis Street.

First responders found Capetillo on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds to his body and head, according to the Fire Department.

Paramedics rushed him to Laredo Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

READ MORE: New laws for 2018 and what you missed in 2017

Just four days prior to the homicide, Capetillo was in jail facing criminal charges, according to custody records. Laredo police had arrested him in May on charges of possession of a controlled substance and robbery. Authorities said he allegedly knocked a woman unconscious to steal $80 and prescribed Xanax from her.

No arrest has been made in the homicide.

On Aug. 20, a man died as a result of a beating in the 2700 block of San Agustin Avenue.

Juan Pablo Sanchez, 40, allegedly knocked out Ricardo Rangel Jr., 57, and left him on the ground following an altercation, according to LPD.

An investigation revealed Rangel made a rude or lewd comment to Sanchez's spouse, police said. A physical altercation ensued and Sanchez knocked Rangel unconscious, according to LPD.

Rangel was taken to a local hospital and later transported to San Antonio Military Medical Center, where he died two days later.

Sanchez was arrested and initially charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. The charge was upgraded to manslaughter after Rangel's death.

September

Reynaldo Flores, 53, died Sept. 14 after being shot at the Ochoa Sanchez Park in the 3200 block of Monterrey Avenue.

Authorities said 33-year-old Rodrigo Garza De La Cruz shot Flores, stole a car at gunpoint and barricaded himself in a south Laredo home. He was charged with murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery with a firearm.

Police and Laredo Fire Department crews responded to multiple calls of shots fired at about 6:19 p.m. First responders encountered Flores with multiple gunshot wounds to the abdomen. He died at the scene.

Authorities recovered several large caliber casings. After the shooting, Garza allegedly carjacked a man's maroon Lincoln Town Car. A patrol officer spotted the suspect vehicle in south Laredo.

Garza then drove to a home in the Cielito Lindo neighborhood and barricaded himself inside. Garza surrendered after a three-hour standoff.

RELATED: Man shot outside North Laredo business after parking dispute

A search of the home yielded the assault rifle allegedly used in the homicide, several magazines and ammo.

October

On Oct. 2, Eloise Hodges Diaz, 50, was found dead after firefighters responded to a blaze in the 3400 block of San Agustin Avenue by Lafayette Street.

Police said shortly after the incident that there were no apparent signs of foul play. However, LPD investigators have since logged the case as a homicide.

First responders were dispatched to the structure fire at about 11 a.m. at the home. The Laredo Fire Department said the blaze was confined to the kitchen and bedroom areas. Firefighters found Diaz in the kitchen with heat-related injuries, officials said.

The case remains under investigation.

November

Gabriel Diaz, 25, died Nov. 2 after being shot several times outside his residence in the Towne North Mobile Home Park located off the 300 block of International Boulevard, according to authorities.

LPD said officers responded to a shooting report shortly after 2 p.m. Diaz's relatives gave police a description of a male who was seen walking through the neighborhood, reports state.

Officers canvassed the area and located the person of interest at the intersection of Michigan Avenue and Superior Drive.

Maurice Jerome Holmes, 37, was arrested and charged with murder in the death of Diaz. He was found in possession of a .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun and taken into custody, police said.

A second man, Santos Pruneda, 29, was later arrested in connection with the shooting. He was charged with murder.

Juan Jose Morales-Alvarenga, 56, of El Salvador, was found dead in east Laredo on Nov. 28.

First responders were dispatched to a deceased person report at about 6 p.m. in the area of Estrella and Los Altos drives, located off Texas 359, about 4.5 miles east of Loop 20.

A minor playing in the brush discovered Morales-Alvarenga's body, police said.

This marks the second case this year that was not initially labeled as a homicide, but has since been added to the list.

The case remains under investigation.

December

The last homicide of the year was the fatal shooting of Jesus Alberto Trevino, 15.

A 16-year-old boy was detained in connection with the case, according to LPD.

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Trevino's body was found in a brushy area of the Cheyenne Park.

U.S. Border Patrol later contacted Laredo police saying they had located the juvenile suspect near the border with a group of immigrants who had entered the country illegally, records state.

Police took custody of the juvenile and charged him with murder.

Police said Trevino was shot several times throughout various parts of his body. The Laredo Fire Department had said he also had a gunshot wound to the head.

The Webb County Attorney's Office is tasked with prosecuting juveniles. The juvenile in this case could face the possibility of being certified as an adult and be prosecuted by the Webb County District Attorney's Office.
Dec. 15

An officer observed a vehicle travelling northbound in the 5600 block of Weslayan with expired registration. A stop was conducted and during the course of contact, dispatch advised the driver had two open warrants with the Houston Police Department and he was then placed in custody. While conducting a vehicle inventory, drug paraphernalia was found.

Dec. 16

An officer observed a vehicle that was stationary in the 5800 block of WestPoint. The officer approached the vehicle and observed a male subject asleep on the driver side seat. The officer made contact with the subject who appeared to be intoxicated. The officer then placed the subject in custody for Public Intoxication and transported him to the West University Place Jail Facility where he was booked and processed without incident.

At 4:56 a.m., a Police Officer was dispatched to the 4200 block of Riley, in reference to a Burglary of a Motor Vehicle, which had already occurred.

An officer was dispatched to the 4100 block of Riley in regards to found property. Upon arrival, the officer took care and custody of the items and submitted them into the evidence room for safekeeping.

An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to a theft that already occurred.

An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to an identity theft that already occurred.

Dec. 17

At 1 a.m., Police Officers were dispatched to the 6300 block of Belmont, in reference to a Domestic Disturbance. Information was gathered and a report was generated.

An Officer was dispatched to the 6600 block of Weslayan in reference to a vehicle striking an electric pole causing significant damage. Upon further investigation it was discovered that the driver left the scene and was arrested for the misdemeanor offense of Duty on Striking Structure, Fixture, or Highway Landscaping.

Dec. 18

Officers received a call from a resident in the 2600 block of Barbra Ln. regarding an unknown subject who had just forced his way through the secured driveway gate of their residence. Officers responded to the scene and were able to locate an individual approximately one block away from the incident location who matched the description provided by the complainant. The subject was taken into custody and charged with the offense of Criminal Mischief.

At 6:40 a.m., officers were dispatched to check on a possible burglary of a motor vehicle at the 3700 block of Nottingham St. that already occurred.

At 7:41 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 4200 block of Law to meet with a subject who found a wallet on the corner of Law and Community. The original case was found property, and was later changed to burglary of a motor vehicle.

At 8:09 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the 4200 block of Ruskin for a report of a burglary of a motor vehicle that already occurred.

At 7:59 a.m., an Officer was dispatched to the 3800 block of Byron in regards to a burglary of a motor vehicle that already occurred.

At 9:38 a.m., an Officer was dispatched to the 3800 block of Byron in regards to a burglary of a motor vehicle that already occurred.

Dec. 19

An officer was dispatched to the 3600 block of Georgetown in reference to a Burglary of a Vehicle that already occurred.

At 4:43 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 3600 block of Georgetown in regards to a burglary of a motor vehicle that already occurred. A suspect was located in the area carrying items matching the description of items taken from that vehicle. The suspect was taken into custody for burglary of a motor vehicle and credit card abuse.

At 11:03 a.m., an officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby to speak with a complainant in regards to lost and or stolen property.

At 2:07 p.m., an officer observed a vehicle traveling northbound in the 6600 block of Weslayan with an expired Texas temporary registration tag. A traffic stop was conducted and after further investigation the driver was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance.

At 6:53 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the 3600 block of Tangley in regards to a burglary of a motor vehicle that already occurred.

Dec. 20

An Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference burglary of motor vehicle that already occurred.

At 6:30 p.m., a Police Officer was dispatched to the West U PD Lobby in reference to dog bite call, which had already occurred.

Dec. 21

An Officer observed a vehicle driving on the wrong side of the roadway in the 5800 block of Weslayan. A traffic stop was initiated and upon further investigation, the male driver was taken into custody for outstanding warrants and the front passenger was taken into custody for the misdemeanor offense of Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon.

At 7:53 p.m., an Officer was dispatched to the 5300 block of Kirby, in reference to a theft, which had already occurred.
Moldovan parliamentary Chairperson Andrian Candu has confirmed that he would temporarily perform presidential duties and would appoint new government ministers.

"As a guarantor of the Constitution, the Constitutional Court today offered a solution to the institutional blockade that President Igor Dodon has imposed by deciding to ignore the constitutional provisions. As an acting president, I will sign decrees on appointments of new ministers and will conduct their swearing-in ceremony," the parliamentary press service quoted Candu as saying on Tuesday.

The press service did not say when the decrees are going to be signed and the new ministers sworn in, saying this would be announced later, as the speaker and most of other public officials are currently on vacation.

Interfax has learned from its sources that the swearing-in ceremony is likely to be held on Friday, January 5.

It had been reported earlier that the Moldovan Constitutional Court had temporarily suspended President Dodon from performing his duties in order to unblock the process of appointing new government members. The Constitutional Court delegated the right to endorse the appointments to the parliamentary chairperson or to the prime minister.
The Katy Branch Library is one of only four branches of the Harris County Public Library that will host Playbots Coding Clubs in January, and Harris County is the only library in Texas to receive the national grant.

Mandy Carrico, HCPL adult services librarian of programs, partnerships and outreach, applied for the grant, intended to reach out to those underrepresented in computer science careers such as girls, minorities and people with disabilities.

"The grant is providing funding for coding programs for underserved groups," said Angel Hill, branch manager of the Katy library. "The group that we decided to do it for is junior high girls. A lot of girls come in the library."

Only three openings remained Dec. 19 for the Katy club which can register a maximum of 12 girls. Visit http://www.hcpl.net/location/katy-branch-library to register for the Katy club.

Katy and the Lone Star College-Tomball Community Library are offering a girls edition of Playbots to promote their interest in science and technology. The Tomball library had filled its slots by Dec. 19. Openings still remained, however, at the Jacinto City Branch Library and North Channel Branch Library for Playbots clubs. The clubs will focus on coding basics and concepts, applied coding, film work and community connections, according to the HCPL.

North Channel and Jacinto City branches' customers and communities are high in the audiences for which we were looking, said Carrico. At the other two branches, "we're celebrating women in these careers," she said.

The eight-week course is open to girls ages 11-14 at the Katy Branch Library from Jan. 8-Feb. 19. The girls will create short videos about their communities starring Lego Mindstorms robots that they will build and code.

"For the Katy branch," Hill said, "No matter what sort of activity we have for the teens, we seem to get the junior high girls. The kids already are coming into the library." She noted that Katy Junior High School is down the road from the library, which is at 5414 Franz Road, which may be a contributing factor.

Hill added, "We're really glad they let us aim at the ones coming into the library."

The grant provides funding for three staff members of the Katy branch to go for training this month to lead the club, said Hill. Carrico said they will learn coding, filming and editing.

A party for family and friends to view the films created by the club members is set for 5 p.m. Feb. 28, Hill said.

Carrico's division helps to provide resources and find grants to assist branches with programming, Hill said. "They're great at getting outside resources that a local branch may not be aware of or recognize as something that we can do. They find outside groups and businesses to partner with to fund library programs."

Playbots is a coding club made possible by a grant from the American Library Association and Google.

In October, the HCPL reported it was the only library in Texas to receive the ALA/Google Libraries Ready to Code grant. Carrico said the HCPL grant is under $25,000. The ALA announced more than $500,000 in grants for 28 libraries in 21 states plus the District of Columbia to design and implement coding programs for young people. Grantees were selected from a pool of more than 400 public and school libraries and officials said it is the first time the association has dedicated funding for computer science programs in libraries.

"The Libraries Ready to Code grants are a landmark investment in America's young people and in our future," said ALA President Jim Neal in a news release. "As centers of innovation in every corner of the country, libraries are the place for youth  especially those underrepresented in tech jobs  to get the CS skills they need to succeed in the information age. These new resources will help cultivate problem-solving skills, in addition to coding, that are at the heart of libraries' mission to foster critical thinking."

Carrico said HCPL and the other grant recipients will build a toolkit for other libraries to use. The grant will allow libraries to learn what works and doesn't and to fine-tune the curriculum and turn around and share it and adapt it to other libraries, she said.

Developed by U.S. libraries, the toolkit will be released in conjunction with National Library Week in April 2018, according to a news release.

"We plan to continue after the pilot," said Carrico, "and to use the notes and roll it out to more branches." Part of the grant pays for equipment that can be used again and again, she said, and the county can apply for other grants and combine them with county funds.
TOKYO - The year 2018 is shaping up to be the first year in a decade without national or other large-scale elections, so the Okinawa gubernatorial race will be a major focus of this year's political calendar.

The latest House of Representatives election was held in October, and half of the seats in the House of Councillors will be contested in 2019 - a year that also will see the unified local elections held every four years. Among regional elections scheduled for 2018, gubernatorial contests will be held in 11 prefectures including Okinawa, where the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station from Ginowan is an issue never far from the headlines. This election is also a magnet for the attention of the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

In an interview with media outlets at the prefectural government office on Dec. 21, Okinawa Gov. Takeshi Onaga reiterated his opposition to the planned move of the U.S. base to the Henoko district of Nago. "Will they put the boot into prefectural residents and build this thing? I won't let a new base be built in Henoko," said Onaga, who has been governor since 2014.

Onaga's first term has seen constant sparring between the central and prefectural governments. His term as governor expires on Dec. 9, and so far he has yet to publicly commit to running in the next election. "I'm doing my best and trying to get full marks every day I'm in office. I haven't thought about what I'll do beyond that," Onaga said. However, he is expected to throw his hat in the ring and seek a second term.

The base relocation issue is all but certain to be a central issue in the gubernatorial election, which will be held before the end of this year.

The Nago mayoral election, which will be officially announced on Jan. 28 with voting held on Feb. 4, is being positioned as a precursor to the gubernatorial election.

The Nago election is expected to be a head-to-head race between 72-year-old incumbent Susumu Inamine - an opponent of the base relocation who is seeking a third term - and Taketoyo Toguchi, a former municipal assembly member backed by the prefectural chapters of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito. Toguchi, 56, is running for mayor for the first time.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was bullish at a rally held for Toguchi in Nago on Friday. "After receiving the backing of Komeito, we're in a position to fight and win this election. I hope you'll help all you can," Suga said to mayors and assembly members from northern Okinawa.

In the previous mayoral election in 2014, the Komeito prefectural chapter let its members vote whichever way they felt was appropriate. Its decision this time to support Toguchi has boosted the spirits of Toguchi's campaign headquarters.

The LDP plans to send a bevy of party heavyweights, including Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai, to the region in the coming weeks. "It's an extraordinary all-out campaign for a mayoral election," a senior LDP official said.

Onaga visited Nago that same day to call for the cooperation of assembly members from across the prefecture who oppose the base relocation. "If we lose this election, political affairs after that will become harder. In a worst-case scenario, all of our political activities will become very tough," Onaga said.

Forces opposed to the base relocation, which support Onaga, have banded together for mayoral elections and national elections held in the prefecture and engaged in a widening "proxy war" against the government and LDP, which advocate moving the base.

Although opposition forces have the upper hand in elections across the entire prefecture, LDP-linked candidates won three straight mayoral races in the cities of Miyakojima, Urasoe and Uruma in 2017.

"If we lose the Nago race, it will become difficult for Onaga to run for another term in the gubernatorial election," an Onaga aide said.

The government is pushing ahead with the construction of seawalls that will surround the area to be reclaimed off Henoko.

"We'll steadily continue construction work for the relocation," a senior Defense Ministry official said, but added that the elections in Okinawa will be watched closely for any impact they could have on the base plan. "If Onaga wins the gubernatorial election, it might take a huge amount of time and money to complete the plan."

Gubernatorial elections are scheduled to be held in 2018 in 11 prefectures where the governors' terms will expire this year, including Okinawa, Fukushima, Ishikawa and Nagano. It also is possible that Saga and Miyazaki prefectures will hold elections this year, as their governors hold office until January 2019. Among ordinance-designated cities, three - Niigata, Fukuoka and Kumamoto - will hold mayoral elections in 2018.
A family with roots in Potomac, Maryland, was among 12 people killed Sunday afternoon in a plane crash in Costa Rica.

Irene and Bruce Steinberg, of Scarsdale, New York, were on vacation with their three sons when a single-engine Cessna they chartered went down in the Guanacaste region along the Pacific Coast. A family from Florida and two Costa Rican crew members were also killed in the crash.

Irene Ginsberg Steinberg, 51, grew up in Potomac and attended Winston Churchill High School. Her younger brother, Robert, lives in Virginia. Her parents, Marjorie and Allen Ginsberg, still live in suburban Maryland, said Tamara Steinberg Jacobson, Bruce's sister. Allen Ginsberg is a retired gastroenterologist who practiced for more than four decades in the Washington area.

Bruce Steinberg attended Columbia Business School and worked in investment banking; Irene Steinberg graduated from George Washington University and then studied social work at New York University, where she later taught classes, Jacobson said.

The couple met in their early 20s, she said. They spent most of their married life in Scarsdale, where they raised their three sons. Matthew, the youngest, was in 8th grade. William was in his first year at the University of Pennsylvania, and Zachary, the eldest, was a second-year student at Johns Hopkins University.

"This tragedy hits our community very hard," Rabbi Jonathan Blake from the Westchester Reform Temple in Scarsdale wrote in a Facebook post.

Blake said the family were "devoted members" of the temple and also active in Jewish organizations, including the UJA-Federation of New York and Seeds of Peace, a leadership training program for people from conflict areas.

Jacobson said the family was "very close" and loved to travel together. They previously had visited Singapore, China, Israel and central Europe.

Bruce Steinberg had recently turned 50, and his wife had surprised him with a party complete with a Bruce Springsteen cover band.

They continued their celebration in Miami this December, where they met up with extended family to celebrate the 80th birthday of Irwin Steinberg, Bruce Steinberg's father, as well as their youngest son's 14th birthday.

From there, the family of five flew to Costa Rica. At the end of the week, they boarded the plane, which was operated by Nature Air, to head back to San Juan, the capital.

The plane crashed not far from the Punta Islita airport where they boarded. Photographs and video of the crash site, posted on Facebook by Costa Rica's Ministry of Public Security, show still-burning wreckage of the plane surrounded by trees. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Costa Rican president Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera posted on Facebook Sunday evening."The government of Costa Rica deeply regrets the death of 10 American passengers and two Costa Rican pilots in the aircraft crash."
TOKYO - Studios where visitors can have themselves photographed in costumes of samurai warriors or high-ranking courtesans are becoming increasingly popular.

At Samurai Armor Photo Studio in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo, seven sets of yoroi kabuto (samurai armor and helmets) are prepared. The outfits were manually reproduced by highly skilled craftsmen based on ones that were used by samurai commanders around the Sengoku warring states period (from the late 15th century to the late 16th century).

The armor and helmets are made with real metal, not plastic, and thus one set weighs about 20 kilograms (about 44 pounds).

Visitors to the studio choose their favorite armor and helmets while listening to explanations in English about the historical background of the items. They change into suteteko traditional knee-length underwear and tabi split-toed socks.

Staff members help the visitors put on kosode short-sleeved kimono and flowing hakama trousers. The visitors also don other gear such as kote arm guards, suneate leg guards, do breastplates, katana swords and kabuto helmets.

Shooting 170 photos in 10 different poses in the indoor studio takes about 1 1/2 hours.

Fees for the standard course that includes photographs start from 13,000 yen (about $116) per person.

A two-hour course is also available, in which visitors go out on the streets and have themselves photographed outdoors.

The photo studio was opened in May 2016 by a nearby firm that runs call center services.

The company began the service as an in-house business venture to utilize vacant office space.

To start the business, studio manager Shimpei Takemura studied history and received training to help put on kimono and armor for about a year before the opening.

Takemura said that the number of visitors who used the service this year was about double that of last year. Most of the customers are foreigners - from the United States, France, Italy and other countries - who learned of the studio's service on the internet, he said.

At Henshin Shashinkan Studio Nanairo, another such facility in Tokyo's Asakusa area, customers can have their photos taken while dressed as oiran high-ranking courtesans.

After customers choose their favorite furisode long-sleeved kimono, it takes about an hour for the studio to apply makeup and style their hair in the gorgeously distinctive manner of an oiran.

The customers' hair is decorated with long kanzashi hair pins, traditional Japanese combs and many other hair accessories. Then they wear kimono and pose for photos on opulent sets.

The photo studio was established in December 2014 by the Kyoritsu Maintenance group, which includes companies that manage and operate dormitories for students and company employees. The corporate group began the service as a new business utilizing the group's know-how.

Mie Ichikawa, the manager of the studio, said the number of users has been steadily rising. The number has doubled from that at the time of the opening.

It also lets visitors wear geisha and other costumes, but most of them want to wear oiran costumes.

The oiran course takes about 2 1/2 hours and the fees start from 27,000 yen per person. The studio said there are about as many Japanese users as foreign ones.

Minerva Wong, 36, a flight attendant who came to Japan on a 10-day sightseeing trip with her husband from Vancouver, Canada, was among the customers.

"I learned Japanese history and kimono when I was very young, in elementary school," she said, adding that the oiran makeover was something she had never experienced before. "I think [the elaborate garments make it] very difficult to move, but it's very pretty, very beautiful. It's a good experience, one of the best experiences in Japan."

---

Suzuki is a Yomiuri Shimbun photographer
DES MOINES, Iowa, - As Republicans celebrated their tax bill passing Congress late last month, Iowa Democrats raised a toast of their own. Candidates for Congress and governor, gathered at the annual Progress Iowa holiday party, took turns recapping a year of sinking GOP poll numbers and Democratic special-election wins - the "waking of a sleeping bear," they said.

"If Trump were to run again, he'd be in deep trouble," said Janet Petersen, the leader of Iowa's Senate Democrats. "A dog bites you the first time, it's not your fault. The second time it bites you, it's your own damn fault."

Iowa, the epicenter of the Republicans' 2014 and 2016 surge, is not an obvious place for a Democratic comeback. Unemployment, sinking under 4 percent when Donald Trump won the state, has fallen to 3 percent. Iowa's Republican delegation to Washington voted for the tax cut bill with no qualms or protests. Iowans can also subtract their federal income taxes from their state income taxes, a bonus enjoyed in only five other states.

Despite it all, Iowa has seemingly soured on the president and his party. The end-of-year Iowa Poll, an industry standard conducted by Des Moines-based Selzer and Co., found Trump with just 35 percent approval in the state. Only 34 percent of Iowans said they would back Republicans for Congress in 2018, and 61 percent said they were turned off by politics altogether.

The discrepancy between the rosy economic picture and the public's distaste for Trump in Iowa has confounded both parties and complicated one of the major political stories of the decade - the Republican romp through the Midwest.

Why Iowa has turned against Trump and Republicans is a mystery that both parties are eager to figure out ahead of the 2018 midterms, looking to understand whether it's an aberration or a sign of a greater political trend.

Republicans took charge of Iowa's legislature last January and since then have advanced the agenda they promised voters - pushing through tax cuts, passing labor rules that require unions to hold fresh elections and maintaining a privatized version of the Affordable Care Act's Medicaid expansion.

Some conservatives saw it as a strong start and suggested polling that showed dark voter moods about Republican governance reflected a cynicism that would fade as the policies took effect.

"You've got record consumer activity. The market is high. Job growth numbers are impressive," said Drew Klein, the Iowa director of the conservative grass-roots group Americans for Prosperity. "Now, if you ask somebody, 'Is this something you feel?,' they might say no. But this is stuff that affects them down the line."

Few states had so loudly invited Republicans to try it their way. A swing state for decades, Iowa broke so dramatically in 2016 that Democrats wondered if it had become a demographic write-off. Thirty-one of Iowa's 99 counties voted for Barack Obama twice, then flipped in 2016 to support Donald Trump. Just 41.7 percent of Iowans backed Hillary Clinton for president, the weakest showing for a Democratic presidential candidate since 1980.

For the first half of the year, Democrats looked at Iowa as a cautionary tale. White voters without college degrees had wiped the party out in the eastern part of the state, where it had always won strong. National groups had tied Rep. Rod Blum, R, to Trump, expecting a wipeout in a district that had voted for Obama by 14 points in 2012. But Trump won the district, and Blum, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, became a reliable voter for his agenda.

Even Obama, in a subdued post-election news conference, cited Iowa as the place where Democrats lost their drive.

"I won Iowa not because the demographics dictated that I would win Iowa," he said. "It was because I spent 87 days going to every small town and fair and fish fry and VFW hall, and there were some counties where I might have lost, but maybe I lost by 20 points instead of 50 points."

Now, Iowa Democrats believe they've begun the climb back. On Jan. 31, the party easily held a state House seat in the first special election of the Trump era. On Aug. 8, it did the same, but in a southeast Iowa district where Trump had won by 21.3 points. And on Dec. 12, when most national political attention was focused on Alabama, Democrats lost a special state Senate race in red northwest Iowa by nine points. The seat had been so safely Republican that Democrats had not run a candidate in 2010 or 2014.

Jeff Kaufmann, the Iowa GOP chairman who has presided over the Republican surge, did not sugarcoat the matter. "They've picked good candidates, and there may have been a complacency factor on the part of Republicans," Kaufmann said. "I see that Senate race as a wake-up call."

It wasn't clear to Kaufmann whether the Trump administration would help or hurt going forward. In other parts of the Midwest, Trump's promise to pull out of NAFTA or to renegotiate the treaty drew Democratic voters away from Clinton. In Iowa, Trump's trade protectionism was a risk and came during a slump for farmers who depend on open markets. Longtime governor Terry Branstad, R, left Des Moines to become the administration's ambassador to China, and his successor, Gov. Kim Reynolds, R, has found herself lobbying the administration to go slow on changes to trade policy.

"Whenever we talk about pulling out, commodity prices are affected immediately, and that will be one of the first casualties that we'll see," Reynolds said at a Dec. 19 news conference. "So we're going to hold them accountable."

The out-of-power Democrats hope to take advantage of the simmering Trump angst, even if they were surprised in 2016. At the Progress Iowa gala on Dec. 19, where New York Mayor Bill de Blasio gave the keynote speech, Democrats talked confidently about running against the just-passed tax cut. It was, they said, going to sail right past the sort of Iowans who had trusted the GOP the previous year.

"They're going to see who the winners and losers are in this, and they're going to identify the corporations and wealthy people who came out way ahead of their families," said Nate Boulton, a state senator who is running for governor in 2018.

Some of the Democrats' takes on the tax cut began to sound like talking points. Locked out of power and watching Republicans preside over a growing economy, they were still optimistic that the state's new rulers would give them issues to run on. Policies favored by conservative groups such as Americans for Prosperity had sometimes divided Republicans. A conservative dream bill that would have ended professional licensing requirements for barbers, therapists and other skill-based professions was stopped by Republicans; state Rep. Bobby Kaufmann, R, son of the state party chairman, dramatically ripped a copy of the proposal in half.

Jeff Kaufmann, cognizant of how Democrats could run against his party, expected the state's economic picture to block them. "If the economy's good, I don't know if a lot of voters' analysis is going to go beyond that," he said.

Other Republicans were all-in on the federal GOP agenda. In a short interview, Blum said he was confident that the tax cut package - like the president, suddenly unpopular in Iowa - would become a boon for the party.

"People will see the benefits in their first paychecks in January," Blum said. "Their 401(k)s are 40 percent higher since November of last year. They're going to be retiring earlier. And if they're working, companies are going to be hiring more."

Asked about the Iowa Poll, Blum said he had not seen it.

"I don't pay attention to politics," he said. "I really don't."
South Korea proposed holding talks on Jan. 9 with North Korea to discuss participation in the Winter Olympics next month, a move that may ease tensions over the country's nuclear program.

South Korea is suggesting that high-ranking officials from both sides meet at the border village of Panmunjom, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told reporters in Seoul on Tuesday. It would be the first formal meeting between the two Koreas since 2015.

"We expect to sit down with North Korea face to face and frankly discuss mutual interests aimed at better inter-Korean relations," Cho said, reaffirming the government's willingness to talk to Kim's regime without conditions. "We look forward to Pyongyang's positive reaction to this."

South Korea is looking to move quickly after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un proposed talks with Seoul in a New Year's Day address, one of the most promising peace overtures since Donald Trump took office. The U.S. president has led a campaign to increase sanctions on Kim's regime and threatened military action to dismantle his nuclear program.

South Korea coordinated with the U.S. before making its proposal to North Korea, Cho said. In addition to clearing the way for North Korea's participation in the Olympics, Seoul wanted to use the opportunity to rebuild overall relations, he said.

Many obstacles remain toward a deal that could prompt North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons, which Kim on Monday said were essential to deter a U.S. invasion. Past efforts at dialogue have failed in the past, and the U.S. has said it will never accept North Korea as a nuclear power.

Still, the possibility of talks reduces the odds of a military conflict, which had seemed more probable as North Korea tested weapons and Trump issued threats. While Kim claims to have the capability to strike anywhere in the U.S. with a nuclear weapon, analysts say it's unclear if a warhead would be able to survive re-entry to the Earth's atmosphere and target specific locations.

Any talks are likely to have only a limited outcome as South Korea relies on the U.S. for defense and wouldn't want to undermine Trump's push to enforce sanctions against North Korea, said Lee Ho-ryung, chief of North Korean studies at the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses. Easy measures include humanitarian assistance and reuniting separated families, he said.

"The detente could last throughout this year, but it's too hasty to expect too much from this meeting," Lee said. "If the South believes that having eye contact with North Korean officials at the Olympics would lead to a shift of the situation, that would be only wishful thinking."

China, North Korea's largest trading partner, welcomed the push for talks and called on both Koreas to take the opportunity to improve ties. China has long called for negotiations to reduce tensions.

"It is a good thing," Geng Shuang, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry, told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday.

Earlier, South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered his government to act swiftly on Kim's offer. Since taking power last year, Moon has sought to ease tensions with North Korea through dialogue, offers of aid and an invitation to participate in the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, a city not far from the border dividing the Korean Peninsula.

"Improving inter-Korean relations and resolving the North Korean nuclear issue are not separate from each other," Moon said. Any talks must be closely coordinated with South Korea's allies and the international community, he added.
Suspects named in Malaysian airliner crash to be named after being notified of suspicion  Yenin

The names of suspects involved in the downing of Boeing Malaysian airliner MH17 over occupied eastern Ukraine during July 2014 will be revealed as soon as suspects are notified of suspicion, deputy head of Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) Evhen Yenin has said.

"This is absolute nonsense and the work of hostile propaganda. All names will be released as they are notified officially. We are not talking about 120 individuals  this is Moscow's attempt to distract attention away from information about the Smolensk tragedy," he told the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on Tuesday.

Yenin said on his Facebook page: "The governments of Ukraine and Netherlands continue to coordinate efforts with the aim of bringing those persons/states responsible for the terror act over the skies of Donbas to justice."

Later in the day, Yenin told the 112.Ukraina TV channel that there will not be 120 suspects, as reported by some media.

"We are talking about two dozen or so persons, but not 120. There is no way 120 persons will be included in this case," he said, adding that attention is now being paid by international investigators on several parts of the investigation and receiving additional evidence.

The Malaysian Boeing-777 airliner was shot down over an area in Russia-occupied Donetsk on July 17, 2014. All 298 persons on board were killed.
WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump on Tuesday appeared to suggest that Huma Abedin, a former top aide to Hillary Clinton, should face jail time, days after the State Department posted emails found on her estranged husband's computer that included confidential government information.

In a tweet, Trump also urged the Justice Department to act in prosecuting Abedin and former FBI Director James Comey, whom the president fired in May amid the mounting investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 presidential election and contacts between Moscow and Trump's campaign.

The president's tweet comes just days after the State Department posted online thousands of Abedin's emails, which were captured on the computer of Anthony Weiner, her estranged husband.

Those emails - some of which contained classified information - spurred the FBI in October to reopen its investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, although the bureau would ultimately conclude that the messages gave them no reason to change their conclusion not to recommend charges against Clinton or any of her aides.

The tweet also follows a Daily Caller report that Abedin had "forwarded sensitive State Department emails, including passwords to government systems, to her personal Yahoo email account."

Comey had said, even as he recommended they not be charged, that Clinton and her aides were "extremely careless" in their handling of classified information, and the president's tweet seizes on that theme. Comey has said, too, that while the FBI did not find evidence that Clinton's personal email domain was hacked, it would not be likely to see such evidence, given those who might make such attacks, and that hostile actors had gained access to the private commercial email accounts of people with whom Clinton was in contact.

Asked if Trump was urging the Justice Department to investigate Abedin, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders replied: "The facts of that case are very disturbing. The president wants to make clear that he doesn't feel that anyone should be above the law. In terms of any investigation, that would be something the Department of Justice would need to decide."

A Clinton spokesman did not reply to a request for comment. Dan Schwerin, a former Clinton campaign speechwriter, defended Abedin on Twitter.

Trump has long suggested that Clinton be prosecuted for her use of the private server and, while he backed off that sentiment soon after his election, he has renewed the calls in recent months as he has repeatedly attacked his own Justice Department.

His comment on the "sailors pictures" seems to be a reference to 30-year-old Kristian Saucier, who was sentenced to a year in prison for taking photos in a classified area of a nuclear submarine. Trump has previously compared that case to the Clinton email probe, suggesting that Clinton was given leniency that others weren't. Saucier, though, tried to destroy evidence - which is a critical indication of bad intent that investigators found lacking in the Clinton case.

Trump has previously accused Comey of leaking sensitive information after the former director testified that he had asked a friend to pass on notes he had taken of his interactions with Trump to a reporter for the New York Times in hopes of securing a special prosecutor to take over the Russia investigation. Ethics experts said Comey's actions appeared to be legally protected, provided he did not disclose classified information.

In his tweet, Trump referred to the "Deep State Justice Dept," an apparent reference to the president's contention that some elements of the U.S. intelligence apparatus have attempted to undermine his election. Trump has said there is no evidence that he colluded with Russian agents during the campaign.

Sanders said Trump "obviously" does not consider all members of the Justice Department to be among a "deep state" conspiracy to sabotage his presidency. She emphasized that Trump appointed Christopher Wray to run the FBI because the president "wants to change the culture of that agency and he thinks he's the right person to do that."

In a tweet, Sally Yates, the former acting attorney general whom Trump fired in January after she refused to defend his travel ban on immigrants from some Muslim-majority countries, accused the president of slandering Justice Department employees and called his pronouncements "dangerous."

After Comey was ousted, the Justice Department appointed Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is handling the ongoing Russia investigation and brought charges against former Trump aides, including former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

While leaders at the Justice Department answer to Trump, that institution has traditionally enjoyed a measure of independence from the president - especially when it comes to particular criminal investigations. A president meddling in such investigations and suggesting that someone working for a former political rival face "Jail!" is considered a serious breach of normal protocol; even former attorney general Michael Mukasey, a frequent Clinton critic, said Trump's campaign-trail idea to have a special prosecutor reinvestigate and jail Clinton "would be like a banana republic."

In an interview with the New York Times last week, Trump asserted that he has the "absolute right to do what I want with the Justice Department."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whom Trump criticized for recusing himself in the Russia probe given his own contact with Russian officials while serving as a surrogate for Trump during the campaign, has been somewhat sympathetic to GOP legislators who want matters they consider troubling to be investigated, including alleged wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation and the controversial sale of a uranium company to Russia.

Late last year, Sessions directed senior federal prosecutors to explore at least some of the matters and report back to him and his top deputy. The Justice Department's inspector general is also investigating the handling of the Clinton email investigation.

Asked to comment on the president's tweet, Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores said she could not "confirm or deny the existence of any ongoing investigations."
It's tempting to look at current events in Iran through partisan eyes with the hope of scoring points against either the previous administration or the current one. As for former president Barack Obama, Michael Singh writes, "Obama's administration, unsure how to help the protesters and reluctant to scuttle its nascent engagement with Tehran, responded to the demonstrations with diffidence, prompting criticism from left and right alike." However, Democrats argue that Iranians' hopes for democracy weren't crushed by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), as opponents of the Iran deal claimed. The influx of cash didn't do anything to stabilize the regime or discredit opponents. Besides, they argue, President Donald Trump's present inclination to speak out against the Iranian regime rings hollow given his Muslim travel ban (which includes Iran) and general contempt for human rights.

Nonsense, say pro-Trump apologists. Obama "failed" to turn Iran into a peaceful, more pliant regime. Trump's approach of continual pressure on the regime creates uncertainty for business, thereby creating pressure for more liberalization, both economic and political, they argue.

In truth, opponents and proponents of the JCPOA should get on the same page, while exercising a degree of humility - and without overestimating the degree to which U.S. actions influence the domestic situation in Iran. Longtime Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller tells me, "We need to recognize a certain reality. We have limited leverage over the regime and the protesters." "Less is more," he cautions. When Trump's tweets suggest regime change ("TIME FOR CHANGE!" he blasted on Monday), we risk looking weak and feckless when we are helpless to respond if the regime engages in a brutal crackdown. (Obama did just this when he continually called for Syria's Bashar al-Assad to leave power but did little to nothing to bring that about.)

That doesn't mean the United States should be silent, and both Democrats and Republicans should acknowledge that Trump's tweets in support of protesters generally hit the right note. At present, it is altogether unhelpful and unwise for JCPOA opponents and proponents to bicker back and forth about the past when an opportunity presents itself for domestic unity and international cooperation. Indeed, if anything, the current domestic unrest in Iran - not to mention Iran's international aggression and missile testing - underscores the argument we've made that the JCPOA is a small part of our larger concern with Iran and shouldn't distract from pressing issues, including the regime's suppression of internal dissent, its support for terrorist groups and its international aggression in Syria and elsewhere.

Mark Dubowitz, a fierce critic of the JCPOA, and Daniel Shapiro, the Obama administration's former ambassador to Israel, implore partisans to unite in support for Iranian human rights:

"One clear takeaway from these protests is that, as outsiders, we don't know enough. The causes of the protests are not monolithic, their scale is significant but not necessarily determinative, the trajectory is uncertain, the leadership unclear and the regime's response is likely to be repressive. We must approach these protests with humility in understanding their ultimate meaning and impact. They are big, bold, widespread, impressive and heartfelt-but we have no idea if these protests will mushroom into a genuine threat to the regime. . . .

"Nuclear deal supporters and opponents should resist the urge to make this a "gotcha moment" for people with whom they have tussled on Iran policy. This undermines the cause of ensuring broad, bipartisan support for peaceful protests, and hopefully real political change. Let's focus on the Iranian people and what the United States and our European allies can do to advance their aspirations, not our own political squabbles. We can all agree that hundreds of thousands of people protesting massive regime corruption and repression should worry autocrats all over the world, from Iran's Khamenei to Russia's Vladimir Putin to Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan."

Dubowitz and Shapiro argue for rhetorical support for the protesters, including use of "the airwaves on Persian-language television and radio to express their support for the Iranian people's human rights and aspirations. Let's provide details on the stolen assets held by regime and IRGC officials, and the vast sums spent on Iran's destabilizing regional interventions." They also urge Congress to support the protesters with one voice, use of the Magnitsky Act to target those using violence against protesters and "sanctions against global entities that supply the Iranian regime with tools of repression and censorship."

Ross praises the administration's public support for the protesters. "It should begin to put out what the Iranians have actually been spending on Syria, Hezbollah, the Houthis and the other Shia militias," he says. "There are economic grievances tied to corruption, cuts in subsidies, and increases in spending for the IRGC - and anger that the regime is wasting billions in Syria (and elsewhere) that should be spent on its citizens. So shine a spotlight on what the Iranians are spending not for Iran's security but to de-stabilize the region." He argues, "Reinforcing our sanctions on non-nuclear issues - on the entities tied to the Qods forces and the IRGC or the Basij are appropriate. But a walk-away from the JCPOA makes it easier for the Iranian regime to make us the issue - that is what they are trying to do."

We agree that a campaign promise to "rip up the deal" has to give way to the current reality in which we find ourselves. While focusing on the rights of Iranians to peacefully protest, we should resist the urge to make this moment about the United States and the JCPOA. Former Middle East negotiator Dennis Ross tells me that in considering our options, "The one thing we should not do is walk away from the JCPOA now. We want the Europeans to emphasize that peaceful protest is legitimate and an Iranian violent crackdown is not. We do not want to shift the focus onto the U.S. - Iran's behavior internally and externally must remain the focus of attention."

Former ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman, much in the vein of Dubowitz and Shapiro, advises via email that the administration should "1) make clear that the whole world is watching and will judge the regime by how it responds to peaceful protesters and 2) harness via overt and perhaps covert means print, radio, TV, and social media to highlight the costs of Iran's cronyism, corruption, economic misrule and foreign adventurism - all the subject of protest slogans raised by the demonstrators, and 3) as part of this effort targeted sanctions against regime figures, particularly IRGC who profit at the people's expense." As to the last item, he explains, "The U.S. was very good at this kind of political warfare in the Cold War but we have shown much less ability to wage this kind of struggle since it ended. If ever there were a time to repair that deficiency - this is it."

A few other items deserve consideration.

First, Congress and the administration should do everything in their power to nix Boeing's $20 billion aircraft deal with Iran. The potential for military use of civilian airplanes should be sufficient to block the deal, without the full-scale reimposition of sanctions.

Second, the administration should nix its idiotic travel ban (which would ban Iranian protesters, students and others from coming to the United States), cease hugging dictators such as Russia's Vladimir Putin and drop the noxious America First rhetoric, which signals contempt for the welfare of other peoples and the fate of our allies. Consistency on human rights is hard, but in the case of Trump, the egregious hypocrisy - fawning over the Saudis, Russia and other repressive regimes - hobbles our credibility.

And finally, it's time to stop sticking our fingers in the eye of European allies for the sake of juicing up the president's base. Provoking our allies is easy - and entirely counterproductive. Operating in concert with allies is not capitulation or weakness; it's the foundation of a sane foreign policy. Let's hope we find one in the new year, beginning with development of an actual Iran policy and a rethink of our attitude toward human rights.
A man who was found dead in the waters of Padre Island National Seashore was identified as a New Braunfels resident Monday, according to a report from the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.

Visitors found the man's body in the surf on Friday evening south of the Malaquite Beach Visitor Center, according to the report.



The man was identified as Kevin Francis O'Toole, 60, the report states.

RELATED: Neighbor found man 'smoldering' in East Side home, broke in to save him but was too late





Park rangers called on the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office to investigate the death after they found that O'Toole had severe head trauma.



Though an investigation is underway, the case did not close off any area of the area's popular tourist spots to visitors.

The sheriff's office is reportedly investigating the incident as a suspicious death and have not ruled it a homicide as of Monday.

The man was identified as Kevin Francis O'Toole, 60, the report states.

READ ALSO: Teen detained in San Antonio Walmart shoplifting case arrested on heroin charges

Park rangers called on the Kleberg County Sheriff's Office to investigate the death after they found that O'Toole had severe head trauma.

Though an investigation is underway, the case did not close off any area of the popular tourist spot to vistors.

The sheriff's office are reportedly investigating the incident as a suspicious death and have not ruled it a homicide as of Monday.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA
I grew up traveling to Mexico. It was an easy trip into Baja from Ventura County, California, my home. We would camp on desert points and surf for days. I always found the dusty peninsula and the country as a whole surprising, welcoming and exciting. It was not until the series of trips I took there in 2017 with Josh Partlow, our Mexico bureau chief, that I truly felt afraid. Afraid for my safety. Afraid for what Mexico had become.

RELATED: Grisly displays in Mexico tourist hub underline narco violence

The assignment started with a text from my editor, Nick Kirkpatrick, asking if I wanted to travel to a "sketchy narco zone," in Guerrero, one of Mexico's most violent states. The stories I had read about Mexican journalists being assassinated throughout the country for covering the violence and cartels were numerous. The country is second only to Syria in the number of journalists being killed on the job. But this is Mexico, a country and people I admire and respect. I knew with proper planning this was a story I wanted to photograph.

We started in the "Tierra Caliente," or Hot Land, an opium-producing region in the mountains of Guerrero that provides drugs to sustain America's heroin habit. This is a place where impoverished rural towns are terrorized by drug lords with names like "El Pez," the Big Fish, and "El Tequilero," a name that needs no translation. We met the relatives of the murdered, victims of multiple kidnappings, and vigilante groups that took up arms to protect their neighbors. It became obvious this was only a chapter of a larger story.

We witnessed a mustachioed cartel member carrying an assault rifle beating a man senseless in Acapulco, the world's second most dangerous city according to homicide statistics. The once posh resort town is now a narrow beach strip frequented mostly by Mexican tourists and semi-abandoned neighborhoods ruled by gangs and violence.

RELATED: Photos show death and destruction from 10 years of Mexican Drug War

In the border town of Tijuana, I met Cesar, a 27-year-old heroin addict who had started using at 18, the year his mother had committed suicide. Fluent in English and Spanish and boasting an encyclopedic knowledge of music, Cesar seemed to have charm and the ability to be successful. Instead, gripped by addiction, he is emblematic of the skyrocketing domestic drug use now present in Mexico.

Jalisco is one of Mexico's most prosperous states. It is dominated by Jalisco Nueva Generacion, now considered the country's most powerful cartel. We found ourselves at the scene of a homicide. Luz Margarita Ramirez Gallardo had survived two gunshots to the head a month ago, on the Day of the Dead, a traditional Mexican holiday. Now she was dead, slumped in the seat of a van outside her home in Guadalajara. The hit men came back to finish the job they had failed to complete the first time.

Drug demand remains high in the United States and these areas of Mexico suffer greatly trying to fulfill that need.
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel will pay a working visit to Ukraine on January 3-4, 2018; while in Kyiv, Gabriel will hold negotiations with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin, after which the two will visit Donbas, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry reported on Tuesday.

"The role Germany is playing together with France within the Normandy format framework to oppose Russia's aggression will be a key subject of the negotiations. In this context, the ministers will discuss further joint steps aimed at restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty and freeing Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russian prisons," it said.

Klimkin and Gabriel will also discuss aspects of "dynamic and productive" bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and Germany.

"In particular, the joint initiative of the Ukrainian and German foreign ministers regarding the Year of Languages is being implemented successfully. Qualitative growth of economic and investment cooperation indicators is observed. The German government is providing considerable practical assistance in carrying out systemic reforms in Ukraine," the ministry said.

During the negotiations, the two foreign ministers also plan to sign a bilateral agreement on employment of family members of employees of the diplomatic and consular establishments, it said.

"Pavlo Klimkin and Sigmar Gabriel will also make a joint trip to an area near the line of contact in Donbas," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said.
All parents want their child to have a skilled, knowledgeable teacher  but action under consideration in the U.S. Congress could make that much harder for us to achieve in San Antonio schools. Congress is currently determining whether to eliminate the largest federal resource dedicated for the development of teachers and school leaders.

The funding, called Title II-A, goes largely to help teachers strengthen their skills. If Congress zeroes out the funding, as it is now considering, San Antonio would lose crucial funding for unique and innovative teacher development programs that have actually led to positive outcomes for kids.

Recently, members from Chiefs for Change  a nonprofit, bipartisan network of educators dedicated to educational equity  have used Title II funds to support the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD)/Relay Teaching Residency. Through our partnership, were pulling together several proven approaches to teacher development to drive results for students. One exciting component of our partnership is that a cohort of 25 resident teachers are placed in one SAISD school. This provides unique opportunities for prospective teachers to receive on-the-ground training while fully immersed in one school environment.

Research has shown that teacher residencies like ours develop teachers who produce results for students earlier in their careers and who stay in the profession longer. Placed in the classrooms of expert teachers, residents get the chance to observe experienced educators modeling best practices. Residents also co-teach lessons and receive targeted feedback from these mentor teachers, as well as from Relay faculty.

Importantly, we have prioritized recruiting diverse candidates to join the Relay Teaching Residency program. In San Antonio, 92 percent of Relay residents identify as a person of color. A combination of forgivable loans, scholarships, and AmeriCorps Segal awards also make this residency program affordable for people from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. Another important component is the written commitment of residents to continue teaching in the district after completing the program.

To help address additional specific goals and needs of SAISD, we have also expanded our partnership beyond the residency to include a masters program. Over 50 experienced SAISD teachers are pursuing masters degrees through Relays program. This enables these teachers to gain the qualifications needed to teach advanced courses, such as advanced placement or international baccalaureate classes. By the 2018-2019 school year, SAISD aims to have 90 percent of its students complete an advanced course. Through our partnership, teachers can become the content experts students need when taking advanced classes that better prepare them for college.

Last year, 87 percent of Relay residents who completed their first year were hired for lead teaching roles nationally. Centro San Antonio, a local nonprofit, also recently recognized schools that participated in our Masters program  the Advanced Learning Academy and CAST Tech  for helping transform the educational landscape of downtown San Antonio.

Relay has a strong track record of providing professional development for teachers that actually works. While the SAISD/Relay partnership is still new, it has already begun showing how Title II funding can reinvent what teacher development looks like. We believe that over time, this residency will help build a strong pipeline of effective, diverse teachers who stay in the profession and help all students reach their full potential.

As we move forward, we should continue focusing on transforming teacher development, not eliminating it entirely.

Pedro Martinez is superintendent of the San Antonio Independent School District and a member of Chiefs for Change , a nonprofit, bipartisan network of diverse state and district education chiefs dedicated to preparing all students for todays world and tomorrows. Senior Dean Chris Fraser oversees Relay Graduate School of Educations high-impact teacher training programs in Texas  including its new campus in San Antonio  and Colorado.
President Donald Trumps expensive and unnecessary border wall shouldnt be built, but if it is, the federal government must not be allowed to abuse landowners and the nations eminent domain laws to get it done.

Past practice is not encouraging in this regard. Abuse is precisely what occurred when the government acquired border land a decade ago, including for a barrier in southernmost Texas, according to an investigation by the Texas Tribune and ProPublica.

The reporting by T. Christian Miller of ProPublica and the Texas Tribunes Kiah Collier and Julian Aguilar told of takings that were saturated with incompetence, ignorance of the law, harmful shortcuts and government heavy-handedness.

RELATED: Texas company one of four awarded contracts for prototype of Trump's border wall

How this land was taken should make us concerned for border landowners in any future with a Trump border wall in it. More than that, it should make us mindful of the vast powers the federal government has to take property. With that comes the ability to do it right  or grievously wrong.

The lessons: Be skeptical of first offers and that federal agents will adhere to  or even know about  laws that say landowners must be fairly compensated in such actions. If you can get legal help, get it. If you cant, find someone with expertise who can be an advocate for you or help you advocate for yourself.

In 2007, government agents were rushing to acquire thousands of acres of land along the border from California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas, but most of the land sought was along the Texas-Mexico border  a $18.2 million, 120-mile-long swath of the Rio Grande Valley. A congressional deadline to complete the project loomed.

What happened next was not pretty. According to the article:

Homeland Security circumvented laws designed to help landowners receive fair compensation. Formal appraisals didnt occur, and low-ball offers resulted because of substandard estimates of property values.

EDITORIAL: Dreamers, yes; border wall, no

Landowners who could afford legal help negotiated deals that, on average, tripled initial bids, while less sophisticated and poorer landowners took what was offered, though some managed slighter increases in settlements.

The Justice Department  no other word for it  bungled condemnation cases. It took property without knowing who the actual owners were, paid people for property they didnt own, didnt seek the return of the money, paid a second time for the same land, and condemned land without adequately researching such basics as property lines. Landowners spent time and money to correct government mistakes.

The government didnt account for valuable water rights when condemning land, which lengthened the compensation process.

The Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers referred questions from the Texas Tribune and ProPublica to the Justice Deparment, where an anonymous spokesman said the agencies followed proper procedures.

That mindset is precisely our fear. It takes no ownership of mistakes and essentially concludes that the end justifies the means.

RELATED: Trump's border wall one year into term is no more than prototype

Eminent domain  the ability of government to condemn a property for public (and sometimes private) uses  has always been controversial. The fact that it remains in U.S. law  upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in various cases  is, however, predicated on the notion that the federal government will not be able to cheat you out of the true value of your land.

But a fair reading of the Texas Tribune-ProPublica investigation reveals that such protections can be easily skirted  without penalty.

There are all kinds of good reasons for not building Trumps promised border wall. The border between the U.S. and Mexico is already well-guarded and resourced, there is no wall ever built that cant be overcome, immigration from Mexico is roughly at net zero, and many immigrants from Central America hoping for asylum are simply turning themselves in.

But another good reason not to build the wall is this question of whether the federal government under Trump will be unfairly aggressive in condemnation proceedings if the project gets that far. Consider: Before he was president, Trump tried to get homeowners property condemned  for a parking lot for Trumps casino in Atlantic City, one that went bankrupt.

We urge property owners  even those who support a border wall  to seek all legal options if faced with condemnation. And we urge nonprofit groups to help those without access to legal help. This will be more than a wall on their land  it will separate them from their land on the other side of the wall.

It shouldnt build the wall, but if the federal government does, landowners must be properly compensated. No shortcuts, no low-balling  and all of it proceeding with full knowledge of and adherence to U.S. condemnation law.
Militants fire on Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in Donetsk region on Tuesday using infantry armament and mortars

There was no complete ceasefire along the contact line in Donbas, since militants continue to violate it, using mortars in addition to infantry weapons, the press center of the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) headquarters reported.

"Over the course of the day, the invaders carried out two targeted shellings of the strongholds of the ATO forces," the report as of 6:00 pm on Tuesday, posted on the Facebook page of the press center.

In the Donetsk sector, the enemy fired at the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine using 82-mm mortars, grenade launchers and small arms at Verkhniotoretske. On the outskirts of Avdiyivka, militants fired at the defensive fortifications of the Ukrainian army using large-caliber machine guns. Ukrainian soldiers did not open fire.

"There were no violations of ceasefire in other areas of our defense," the ATO headquarters added.
To celebrate the humble burger, BurgerFest 2018 is taking place on January 22 - 29 in venues across the country.

This innovative food festival that is designed to bring food lovers to venues nationwide, will showcase the most creative and delicious burgers Ireland has to offer, as well as hosting burger-related events, tastings and demos to wash away the January blues.

The festival is the brainchild of the experienced and creative team behind Festival Crew, who between them have over 30 years experience creating and managing large scale innovative and successful food and drinks festivals over the past seven years, including Oktoberfest Beag, FEAST and Cork Food Festival, each attracting up to 28,000 visitors.

Over 300 venues throughout Ireland will be participating in the eight day festival which culminates in a competition to find Irelands Best Burger, as well as the best burger in every county.

Pubs, restaurants, hotels, cafes and fast food outlets across the 32 counties will be competing for their signature burger to win the prestigious title. The public will get the opportunity to vote for their favourite burger using the hashtag #IrishBurgerFest, as part of a strong national digital campaign that will accompany the festival.

Ernest Cantillon, Co-Founder of Festival Crew and owner of some of Corks leading food and drink venues, including Electric and Sober Lane, said As a venue owner myself I know that, rather than drawing in crowds, festivals often take people away from the pubs and restaurants. What we want to do is to bring the festival to the venues and drive footfall for them, as well as putting on a great event for the public.

"Our business model is low cost and low risk, and has proved to be hugely successful. We already have some amazing venues on board for the Burger Festival and we are looking forward to working with many more across the country.

Participation is only 95 per venue, and each venue can decide how they want to celebrate the glorious burger - by organising pop-up events, Man versus Food challenges, food demonstrations or creating their own unique daily burger specials to wow the public.

The festival has a track record in driving footfall and sales during the traditionally quiet post-Christmas period, with one venue reporting burger sales up 300% last year.

For more information check out www.thefestivalcrew.com
The death of a man in Cavan is being treated as murder.

Gardai in Bailieboro this morning said they have now launched a murder investigation following the conclusion of a post mortem examination yesterday, Monday, January 1 on the body of a 40-year-old man.

He was named locally as Marek Swider, who was originally from Poland and it is understood he has been living in Cavan for a number of years.

He died following an incident at a house at Dublin Street, Ballyjamesduff at around 11pm on 31 December.

Gardai have been in contact with his family in Poland and a Family Liaison Officer has been appointed.

Gardai investigating the fatal stabbing have appealed for information from the public.

They are anxious to speak to anyone who was driving on the Dublin road, Ballyjamesduff between 10.30pm and 12 midnight on December 31 and who may have had a dash cam in operation.

And to the Polish community or any member of the public who may any information whatsoever.

To contact Gardai in Bailieboro on 042-9694570 , The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Kyiv will receive defensive lethal weapons from the United States in 2018, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said.

"Our country's military budget will amount to record UAH 86 billion next year. We will receive defensive lethal weapons from our partners in the U.S. And will continue to reinforce the Ukrainian army with latest domestically-manufactured hardware," Poroshenko said on Facebook.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces are now among the most efficient ones in Europe, he said.

Welcoming the adoption of the 2018 national budget by the Verkhovna Rada on December 8, 2017, Poroshenko said, "The budget allocates UAH 86 billion for the army, which is nearly 25% more than this year. One fifth of the budget will be used on weapons and military hardware, which is 34% more than this year."

On December 23, Poroshenko said U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had reaffirmed in a telephone conversation with him that the U.S. would provide defensive lethal weapons to Ukraine.

"Just as we agreed with President Donald Trump calmly and without much noise, Ukraine will receive lethal defensive weapons from the U.S. This principled and long-awaited decision by the American administration was confirmed during my conversation with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson yesterday," Poroshenko said on Facebook.
Fruit and vegetable exports in December alone are estimated at US$276 million.

MARD said China, Japan, the US and the Republic of Korea were the biggest importers of Vietnamese fruits and vegetables between January and November. The markets with soaring imports from Vietnam were Japan (70.6%), the United Arab Emirates (57.4%), and China (54.9%).

Meanwhile, the country imported US$145 million worth of these commodities in December, raising the total fruit and vegetable imports this year to US$1.56 billion, up 68.1% from 2016.

The ministry said that 2017 was a bumper year for Vietnamese fruits with surging export turnover and entrance into many demanding markets.

MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong said there remains huge potential for Vietnamese fruits and vegetables in the global market. To tap this potential, the country must pay more attention to processing which is still the weakest point of Vietnam at the present.

He said many processing plants with high productivity and modern technologies are under construction nationwide.

He also emphasised the need to explore new markets, instead of focusing on traditional markets.
Washington : The United States has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil. The confirmation comes on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

"The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official told PTI on conditions of anonymity. "The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation, the official said. Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his

first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America "nothing but lies and deceit" despite having received more than USD 33 billion in last 15 years.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism. Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it has got "nothing but invective and mistrust" for all the actions it took in support of America's war against terrorism. PTI
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.
Yesterday protests carried on for the fifth straight day throughout Iran. Meanwhile, security forces have adopted a harder stance. On the fifth day the protests seemed to have decreased slightly in size, partially due to the increasing crackdown and partially due to the lack of a tangible focal point for the movement. The regime has also heavily reduced access to internet and communication, and it is also clear that many protests are not being reported, in particular from smaller towns and suburbs.

These protests are unprecedented in the history of the Islamic Republic. Never before has the regime seen such a widespread a movement, and never before have any of the big protest movements expressed such a radical and uncompromising mood. In the deeply conservative city of Hamedan hundreds of people were chanting: Khamenei is a murderer, his government is void.

In Ardabil one of the slogans, which has also found an echo elsewhere, was Hossein Hossein, is [the regimes] slogan, [but] rape is its delight, referring to the religious hypocrisy of the theocracy.

In Ahvaz protesters charged the police after it attempted to arrest some of them.

Protesters in #Ahvaz surround security forces after they make an arrest #iranprotests pic.twitter.com/auZavqdKrU  Potkin Azarmehr (@potkazar) January 1, 2018

Kermanshah, home to a majority Kurdish population, which recently suffered a devastating earthquake, has seen very heavy clashes over the past few days.

Mismanagement and corruption was the root cause of many avoidable deaths after the earthquake and much of this anger is bound to be expressed by the oppressed Kurdish population in this movement.

In and around Tehran protests have continued, also leading to heavy clashes. In this video the crowds in Tehran are chanting: Overthrow overthrow, the [mullah] republic.

#Update114- Iran, 40 minuets ago another part of #Tehran. People want to gather at revolution Square.

Chanting we want Downfall of the Akhunds Regime.#IranProtests #_ pic.twitter.com/EvDsGYqZmT  Raman Ghavami (@Raman_Ghavami) January 1, 2018

A heavy presence of security forces meant that large crowds could not gather, and yet protests continued throughout the night.

More importantly, the protests also spread to the industrial towns and villages around Tehran. In Karaj, an industrial bastion just outside of Tehran, what appears to be some thousands of people took to the streets which and clashed with the police.

Another video from Abadan shows crowds chanting death to unemployment.

In Shiraz, a video surfaced of crowds chasing away security forces on the streets.

Meanwhile, in Masjed Suleyman a huge protest took to the streets with some rumors saying the people temporarily took complete control of the city.

Another video from an unknown place shows how the masses are approaching security forces trying to win them over, saying dont be our enemies.

In the city of Rasht a women on the edge of one of the protests expressed the desperate situation of the working poor, many of whom are struggling daily with non-payment of wages.

My brothers child is working there, he hasn't received wages for three months and they have expelled him. He goes to the department of work...it's like this everywhere. Department of work! it belongs to the workers! How can it be that the state doesn't know [what is going on]. They have expelled everyone! How can it be that [the state] doesn't know!? [[A woman says something ]] They are telling us not to speak! Why shouldn't we speak?! He's come home with a pregnant [girl]. How can he afford that? [You are telling me] they don't know that the factories are not paying wages? They don't know? And then they tell us not to speak? Why should we not speak?"

There were also protests in at least Zanjan, Tuyserkan, Arak, Saveh, Amol, Sari and Qazvin. These are all peripheral areas with high unemployment and ordinary non-student youth seems to be at the head of the movements in most towns.

The unemployment rate among those aged 15 to 29 is well over 24 percent and that is only the official figure. It is even higher among urban youth and women. Many of these were counting on some kind of relief from the Rouhani government. But in spite of 4.2 percent economic growth last year  the first year of real growth in many years  unemployment and living costs have kept rising.

Another video which has circulated on Twitter is of a poor Iranian woman and sister of a martyr of the Iraq war. These people were previously pillars of support for the regime. Now the regime is accusing them of being paid by foreign powers to protest.

"I feel really bad. I went to Tehran twice to tell them about my problems. They didn't even spit at me. My brother went and martyred himself  [For what?] just so these guys could rule and his sister could prostitute herself? What does a martyrs sister [have when] she doesn't have [anything] to give to her children? Fuck the honour of Iran, [it hasn't given me anything] or to those like me. We are not American's [unitelligible] I speak my mother tongue! Leader! [referring to Khamenei - ed.] look at these hands! Are my hands toiling or you? The children are sleeping hungry! [the rest is unintelligible.]

  "  .            " pic.twitter.com/kFLGt4LBMp  Roozbeh Bolhari (@Roozbeh1963) January 1, 2018

These are the real conditions that millions of poor women are grappling with. Prostitution is something millions of Iranian women are forced into, and often fully sanctioned and organised by the clergy who use traditional temporary marriages, sanctioning prostitution in exchange for a quick buck. For four decades the working masses have kept their heads low and accepted their lot together with all the excuses of the clergy. There is not a day goes by without a major scandal involving top figures in the regime. The Mullahs have built up billion dollar empires and obscene lifestyles, while they have imposed austerity on the masses. This year the government is threatening to remove cash benefits to the poor and raise fuel prices by another 50 percent.

Meanwhile, immediately after the calming and reconciling words of Rouhani on TV yesterday, the crackdown has increased and the numbers arrested are now at at least 400, while around 20 people have been reported by officials to have been killed. At the same time, the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard Corp has announced that it is taking over security of Tehran from the police. This goes not only against the words of President Rouhani two days ago when he said that people would be allowed to protest peacefully - but also his campaign promise five years ago to remove paramilitary troops from the streets of Tehran. These so-called liberal democratic friends of the people are adopting the same exact methods that they claim to be against.

Unfortunately, a thin layer of leftist intellectuals has been echoing what many liberals are saying: that given the lack of a clear organisation and programme, this movement can come under the influence of reactionary domestic or external forces or that it might otherwise lose. Hence, they imply, we should not support or fully support this movement.

Iran Protests 2017 / Image: fair use

What they mean by this is that we should ask the hungry and desperate Iranian people to go back home and continue their fast and only come back out when they have an organisation worthy of our leftist intellectual friends support! Let us ask the mother to keep prostituting herself and send her children to bed hungry until enough academic papers have been written about a mass party that is pure and clean as angel tears, until one materialises out of thin air. Only then can the people come back out onto the streets. The distance between these friends and the real world could not be greater.

But how is it even possible to build a fully fledged democratic mass organisation under such a dictatorship? Such a thing is highly unlikely, if not impossible. These ladies and gentlemen are the same ones who write off building an organisation because they do not believe a revolution will come and then when it is set to occur, they write it off because it doesnt have an organisation. Either way, they oppose the revolutionary masses whom they do not trust at all  and that is the essence of it.

Fortunately, the Iranian masses are not too bothered with these people. For 30 years the liberal democrats and their social democratic hangers on have been preaching reforms and moderation every time the masses have taken to the streets. And what have they achieved? Absolutely nothing. 30 years of switching between conservative and liberal rule has led to precisely nothing. People are still oppressed, unemployed and struggling to survive. But the poor and uneducated of Iran have come to understand in three days what these gentlemen and ladies have failed to learn in three decades: that only a bold revolutionary stance will yield any results. The regime has clearly been shaken by the radical mood of these demonstrations, more so perhaps even than during many phases of the Green Movement in 2009.

Of course, the movement does need organisation and a clear revolutionary programme in order to succeed. The fact that the movement is completely raw and without a revolutionary leadership means that it is bound to meet many obstacles, which could potentially derail it. This remains a danger, in particular as long as the core of the working class has not yet joined it. Would not it therefore be all the more logical to support it even more vigorously and assist it in any way possible to develop such organisation and programme before it is derailed or otherwise compromised?

What we are witnessing are the first early stages of a revolutionary process. Some layers of the masses are taking their destinies into their own hands. In doing so they are anticipating events to come. They do not yet know what they want, but they know exactly what they dont want, and that is, everything which stands in the name of the Islamic Republic. What they are reflecting is the inability of Iranian capitalism to satisfy the most basic needs of the people of Iran  not even its traditional core base of support.

Through the process of struggle this fact and the class divide will become ever more clear. The task of revolutionaries is not to stand on the sidelines and explain what could go wrong if we lose but, rather, how to win this struggle! We must participate in the movement and patiently explain that only by taking power into their own hands, can the people achieve their modest goals and aspirations.
The Florida investment group which formerly owned The Tampa Tribune on Tuesday morning became the second interest to submit a bid on The Boston Herald since the tabloid declared bankruptcy last month.



Revolution Capital Group offered $5.75 million -- $3 million in cash, $2 million in severance and $750,000 in employee paid time off -- in its bid, The Herald reported.



The bid in total exceeds the $4.5 million offered by the earlier bidder, GateHouse Media, but the earlier offer was all-cash.



On Dec. 8, Boston Herald Inc. Publisher Publisher Patrick J. Purcell simultaneously announced the tabloid had filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware and reached a purchase and sale agreement with GateHouse.



Standard bankruptcy procedures require that The Herald be put on public auction and make itself available to all potential buyers before any deal -- which will be ultimately subject to court approval -- can go through.



Purcell, reacting to the news Tuesday, said, "We appreciate the increased interest in the Boston Herald companies and look forward to a vibrant, court-managed process to determine what is in the best interest of the newspaper's future."



Publisher since 1984, Purcell bought The Herald from News Corp in 1994.



GateHouse publishes 130 daily newspapers and more than 640 community publications across the country, including multiple Massachusetts publications including the Cape Cod Times, Patriot Ledger, Worcester Telegram & Gazette as well as more than 100 weekly newspapers.



According to Bloomberg, Revolution Media Group primarily operates as a strategic consultancy firm. On its website, the company markets itself as "a strategic marketing agency working with you to stay a step ahead of the changing media landscape."
Two rabbits with not a single line of dialog in "Alabama Story," opening Thursday at The Majestic Theater in West Springfield, set the stage for the humor-laced social-justice drama earning rave reviews around the country.

The play tells the true story of the state librarian of Alabama, Emily Wheelock Reed, who was persecuted for protecting books in the South during the days of the Jim Crow laws. In 1959, Garth Williams, a well-known writer and illustrator, had just published a children's book entitled "The Rabbit's Wedding," in which a black rabbit marries a white rabbit. State Sen. E. W. Higgins is outraged, certain that the book promotes race-mixing, and mounts a crusade to have it removed from the shelves and banned.

"Alabama Story" has been hailed as a social justice drama that's "a vest-pocket cousin" to "To Kill a Mockingbird." It has been described as a "love letter to reading," and productions have garnered both critical praise and standing ovations wherever it's been produced.

Playwright Kenneth Jones was inspired by a 1959 news clip from The New York Times entitled "Children's Book Stirs Alabama: White Rabbit Weds Black Rabbit," that offered a whole world of drama for the theatrical stage.

"In the piece, its two main characters are at odds with each other. You have a librarian who is passionate about the free-flow of information and who wants to keep the status quo, and a senator who wants to limit that free-flow of information. I knew there was something whimsical about the story - two people haggling over a children's book about an innocent story of a black rabbit marrying a white rabbit - and wondered if there was a way I might present a political story interwoven with a children's story," said author Kenneth Jones in an interview with The Republican.

"So, I introduced a presentational storytelling format that might remind you of a children's story hour set in a library, where the librarian reads a book to kids in the children's section. I wanted to have Garth Williams be the main character in the play telling the story to the audience, and he talks directly to the audience about writing his book and why he wrote it," he added.

Author Jones has introduced another story of childhood friends -- an African-American man and a woman of white privilege, reunited in adulthood in Montgomery that same year -- into his play, providing private counterpoint to the public events of the play.

"Because the political story focused on woman versus man, insider versus outsider, conservative versus liberal, I wanted to introduce a love story into the play to add some poetry to it. So, I devised a fictional story about a black man, Joshua, and white woman, Lilly, who are trapped by roles in the Jim Crow South, with almost every other scene charting their relationship," Jones said.

"Most of the story between Lilly and Joshua happens outdoors, so there is a lot of contrast between the sensuous world of the South such as trees, romance, and food, alongside the indoors of politics with desks, cigars, files, newspapers and the Capital," he added.

Majestic cast members include Cate Damon, Jack Grigoli, Rand Foerster, Melenie Flynn, Silk Johnson and Mark Dean. The play is directed by Sheila Siragusa.

The Majestic's producing director, Danny Eaton, invited Siragusa to direct "Alabama Story" after seeing a play she directed last summer at New Century Theatre.

"What attracted me to direct the play - my first time with The Majestic Theatre - was its similarity to Thornton Wilder's play 'Our Town,' which had a narrator just as playwright Kenneth Jones introduced into his story with Garth Williams, addressing the audience," Siragusa said.

"The author has written a story about love, race and heritage and made it really understandable. He has done something exceptional with this very interesting story and I hope audiences will love it as much as we do," she added.

A finalist in the 2014 Eugene O'Neill National Playwrights Conference and a 2016 nominee for the Steinberg/American Theatre Critics Association New Play Award, "Alabama Story" had its world premiere Jan. 9-24, 2015, at Pioneer Theatre Company in Salt Lake City, UT. It enjoyed five regional productions in 2016 in Cape Cod, Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan, with at least 11 more scheduled for the 2017-18 season theater season, including Massachusetts at The Majestic.

The play runs through Feb. 11.
A plumber who allegedly shot a colleague while working on Stonehill College campus in Easton has been arrested.



Dean A. Tupper, 57, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday in Taunton District Court after Massachusetts State Police arrested him on Friday, according to Bristol County District Attorney's Office.



Tupper faces charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, carrying a dangerous weapon on school grounds, lying to police and improper storage of a firearm.



He was released over the weekend on $1,000 bail.



On the morning of Oct. 11, police arrived at David Ames Clock Farm on the Stonehill College campus to find an employee suffering a wound to the knee.



Easton Police Department Detective Darren Mangott said Tupper, the reporting party, appeared to lie to him about the nature of the injury when first responders arrived to investigate and provide the shot man medical attention,



Tupper told Mangott he had been attempting to forge a bullet by molding lead on top of a Ramset charge when the charge exploded.



Later, an Easton police lieutenant investigating the case found a gun that had been ditched "in a grassy area behind the building where the incident occurred."

Plumber suspected in Stonehill College shooting claims 'workplace accident'



School spokesman Martin McGovern later expressed regret for the lack of transparency about the shooting, which was initially reported as a "workplace incident" and kept intentionally vague.



Tupper no longer works for the school.
CHICOPEE - Police are seeking the public's help as they work to identify a male suspected participating in a scam that stole $2,400 from a 76-year-old Florida woman.

A male contacted the woman, who lives in in Pembroke, Florida, on Dec. 18, claiming to be her grandson and in need of The cash after getting into a car crash, Michael Wilk, public information for the department, said.

The victim went to a Walmart in Florida and sent the money to the Chicopee Walmart. A suspect then went to the later Walmart and retrieved the money.

Wilk posted an image of the suspect, who is not the woman's grandson, on the department's Facebook page.

Wilk said Pembroke, Florida police reached out to Chicopee police. He did not have any additional information on the Chicopee connection and why the woman was asked to send the money there.

Those with information are asked to call at 413-594-1740. Or send a personal message to the Facebook page.

"Help us try and get this lady her money back, and locate those responsible for scamming an elderly lady," Wilk said.
GREENFIELD -- After 25 years of conflict, a judge will decide whether a "big box" store may be built on Route 2, also known as the French King Highway.

A final pretrial conference in the civil case -- where seven neighbors sued a developer and the Greenfield Planning Board -- is set for Jan. 26 in Franklin Superior Court.

The lawsuit dates from 2011, but the fight started in 1993 when Walmart proposed a store on the French King Highway. Amid heated civic debate, the town narrowly defeated the plans through a voter referendum.

A decade later, the issue reemerged. In 2004, the planning board rezoned a nearby parcel to allow for a big box store, and soon developer Ceruzzi Properties started looking for a tenant.

It wasn't until 2011 that the Planning Board gave the Connecticut-based developer -- through its Greenfield Investors Property Development LLC -- a permit to build a 135,000-square-foot store. The tenant wasn't named, but rumors circulated that Walmart was back in town.

A group of neighbors challenged the planning board decision in Housing Court, which has a branch in Greenfield, but Greenfield Investors tried to transfer the case to Land Court in Boston. The jurisdictional fight went all the way to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

The SJC ruled in 2016 that the appeal could continue in either Land Court or Superior Court, but declined to dismiss the case. Paula Carey, chief justice of the Massachusetts Trial Court, ordered the matter moved to Franklin Superior Court.

At the time, prominent Walmart foe Al Norman called the decision to hear the case locally "great news" for the plaintiffs.

"It's the longest battle over a big box store in the country that I'm aware of," said Norman, a Greenfield resident who founded a national group called "Sprawl-Busters."

The docket at the Greenfield courthouse was opened in April 2016, and judgment is due in April of this year. The final hearing has already been rescheduled a number of times. Judge Michael K. Callan will preside over the hearing Jan. 26.

The plaintiffs -- Ralph Gordon, Susan Gordon, Shirley Lowe, Joanna J. Mann, Melani Skawski, Michael Skawski and Joanna W. Mann -- are represented by the Northampton firm of Lesser, Newman, Aleo & Nasser.

The Doherty, Wallace, Pillsbury & Murphy law firm in Springfield is defending the Greenfield Planning Board, and the developers are working with the Boston-based Goulston & Storrs.

Greenfield Mayor William Martin has said he supports the proposed retail project.
LAWRENCE - Police are looking for clues in the shooting death Sunday night of a man visiting from the Dominican Republic.

The Eagle Tribune reported that the 22-year-old victim was found dead in a Honda Odyssey minivan just before 11 p.m. in the vicinity of 170 Reservoir St. He had suffered multiple gunshot wounds, authorities told the Boston Globe.

So far, officials have not made an official identification of the victim. Lawrence police and state police detectives attached to the Essex district attorney's office are investigating.

The killing was the city's 11th homicide of 2017.
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.
SPRINGFIELD -- As incumbents Denise Hurst and Barbara Gresham and newcomers LaTonia Monroe Naylor and Maria Perez were sworn in as members of the Springfield School Committee on Tuesday, they became a part of history.

This is the first time the committee is made up of a majority of women.

"I am truly humbled," said Monroe Naylor, cheered on by dozens of family members and friends who attended the swearing-in ceremony at Springfield City Hall. "I look forward to getting some wonderful things done with this committee."

The women were joined by incumbents Christopher Collins and Peter Murphy as well as Mayor Domenic Sarno, who by city charter serves as chairman of the committee.

"Each of you brings a significance and a background that is really welcome in this committee," said Collins, who was elected vice chairman of the committee.

Hurst, who was the top vote-getter in the November election, welcomed the new women to the committee and thanked her family for their support over the years.

"It is a lot of hard work, but it is definitely rewarding," Hurst said. "We don't sit here alone. We sit here because of everyone who got out and cast their vote, our friends and our family who support us."

Newcomer Perez said being elected to the committee is an opportunity to serve the community.

"I'm energetic and I'm ready to work," she said.

Keynote speaker Jake Oliveira, board director of National School Boards Association and past president of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, said it is important to remember the impact the Springfield School Committee has on the city as well as the state and all of New England.

"While it is widely known that Springfield is New England's and Massachusetts' second-largest school district in population, it is less talked about that it is the largest school district in New England that is overseen by an elected school committee," he said.

He said the economic impact of the school district is also very important.

"When compared to public and private employers in all of Western Massachusetts, with close to 4,000 employees, it is the sixth-largest employer in the area," he said.

Oliveira told committee members to acknowledge the importance of their role in the lives of students and families.

"Never forget the privilege it is to actually serve the constituents that you represent. Many have tried to sit in the seats you are sitting in today, but not all have been successful in that endeavor," he said.

Sarno and Superintendent of Schools Daniel Warwick said they are looking forward to continuing the work of improving all of the district's schools.

"Springfield is now being looked at not only locally, but statewide and nationally for some of the innovative programs we have here," Sarno said. "Do we sit on our laurels? No, we strive to do more."
WESTFIELD -- Detectives are seeking the public's help as they work to identify a male suspected of recently passing several counterfeit bills within the city.

Detectives posted photos of the suspect and his car on the department's Facebook page.

Detective Todd Edwards said the suspect passed some $500 to $1,000 worth of the bogus $50 bills at the Walmart on Dec. 18. The suspect used the bills to purchase items that could easily be resold, he said.

Those with information are asked to call Edwards at 413-642-9389 or by sending an email to T.Edwards@cityofwestfield.org.
By DAN LAMOTHE

The Washington Post

The Army's top political appointee has directed the service to launch a rare additional review in a case for the nation's highest award for combat valor, the Medal of Honor, after the Defense Department inspector general's office found errors in how the case was handled the first time.

Army Secretary Mark T. Esper directed a panel known as the Senior Army Decorations Board to again review the case of Cpl. David D. White, a Civil War soldier from the Berkshire County town of Cheshire who served with the 37th Massachusetts Regiment. Esper did not specify why but wrote in a Dec. 18 letter to members of New Jersey's congressional delegation, including Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker and Rep. Leonard Lance, that he wants to ensure that "all relevant documentation is examined" in the case.

Cynthia Smith, an Army spokeswoman, said in an email that Esper "has directed the nomination be reviewed once more as an act of prudence."

Bruce Anderson, a spokesman for the inspector general's office, said that based on the watchdog's review, "it appeared that relevant documents were not provided to the Army Decorations Board."

The directive comes after years of back-and-forth between the Army and White's family, which submitted a Medal of Honor nomination on his behalf in July 2011. The family has accused Army officials of mishandling the case and being unwilling to admit they were wrong after the fact.

The military continues to face allegations that it has not appropriately recognized the heroism of all U.S. troops who served with valor. Several posthumous Medals of Honor have been awarded in recent years for actions from the Civil War through the Vietnam War, and the Pentagon is in the process of reviewing the cases of several modern veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan.

White's colleagues credited him with capturing Maj. Gen. George Washington Custis Lee, the oldest son of Gen. Robert E. Lee, on April 6, 1865, during the Battle of Sailor's Creek near Farmville, Virginia. But another soldier in the area at the same time, Cpl. Harris S. Hawthorne, of the 121st New York Infantry, ultimately received a Medal of Honor for that action instead, prompting a protest among White's fellow soldiers in the 1890s that was denied by the Army.

Two other members of the 37th, Charles A. Taggart, a 19-year-old farmer from Otis, and Samuel E. Eddy, a 42-year-old blacksmith from Chesterfield, were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Battle of Sailor's Creek.

Taggart, who had been wounded at Gettysburg in 1863, was recognized for having captured an enemy flag that same day, fighting in hand-to-hand combat "with the fate of the contest still in the balance."

Eddy, who had been left for dead on the battlefield after having been pinned to the ground with a bayonet through his chest, did not receive his Medal of Honor until 32 years after the war. He was honored for having saved the life of his commanding officer by shooting one Confederate soldier as another ran him down with the bayonet.

Eddy is said to have received his medal from the Army when it was delivered in a brown paper bag, prompting the town of Chesterfield to organize a more formal presentation to recognize his gallantry. The town held a parade and celebration in 1982 at which more than 50 Medal of Honor winners gathered and Eddy's 86-year-old granddaughter was presented the medal.

The 37th Regiment, organized in the summer of 1862 in Pittsfield, saw duty in almost every major battle of the eastern theater of the war. It was estimated that only a third of the men in the unit survived to see the end of the war. Another Western Massachusetts soldier who served in a company of the 37th, Sgt. Charles H. Tracy, of Chicopee, earned his second Medal of Honor for service on April 2, 1865, at the Third Battle of Petersburg, the same week that White's unit was fighting at Sailor's Creek.

It was White's great-great-grandson, Frank E. White, of Clinton, New Jersey, who submitted a nomination for his ancestor to receive the Medal of Honor. Army documents show that the Army Decorations Board recommended within days that White receive the Medal of Honor. The case was then forwarded to the higher-ranking Senior Army Decorations Board, which typically includes two Army generals and the top enlisted soldier as voting members and a Medal of Honor recipient in an advisory role.

The review fizzled with the senior board, prompting members of Congress from New Jersey and Massachusetts - the homes of Frank White and his ancestor, respectively - to press the Army to give the case a full look. The senior board voted in 2014 to return the recommendation without voting, and instead requested the Medal of Honor documentation for Hawthorne. Then it decided in April 2015 to deny White's Medal of Honor outright.

U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, whose Massachusetts district includes Cheshire, is among the congressional supporters of securing further review of records of White's actions.

"Corporal David White's heroism during the Civil War was brought to my attention a few years ago after his great-great grandson visited my Washington office and shared his story. After learning more about his remarkable service during the Battle of Sailor's Creek, I decided to support his families effort to have the Army review his nomination for the Medal of Honor," said Neal. "If Corporal White did capture General Custis Lee in 1865, then I believe the Cheshire native deserves to be awarded our country's most prestigious military decoration. It would be another reminder of the significant role the people of western Massachusetts made during the Civil War."

Frank White said an Army contractor assigned to the case initially told him that his submission had to focus exclusively on the merits of his ancestor's case, rather than including context about Hawthorne.

That prompted frustration when the Senior Army Decorations Board sought out documents about Hawthorne from the National Archives, but did not review the evidence the family included in the initial submission. After the denial in 2015, the White family asked the Defense Department inspector general's office to review the case.

"He basically mandated that we strip out about half of the material that we had," the younger White said of the contractor assigned to their case. "We're hoping, naturally, that they will approve a Medal of Honor after looking at the evidence."

The case is complicated by the evolving standards for the Medal of Honor. In modern times, it has become extremely rare, recognizing only those who distinguish themselves with "conspicuous gallantry" while in battle with an enemy of the United States.

White said that his great-great-grandfather settled into farm life in rural Hawley, Massachusetts, after the war, and did not seek recognition. But in the years after the war, Hawthorne applied for the Medal of Honor, an action that was possible at the time, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

The original nomination package that the White family submitted concluded that Hawthorne lied about taking Custis Lee captive, but Frank White said he now thinks it as possible that both men could have had the general in their control at some point in the battle.

Material from The Republican is included in this story.
A secretive Massachusetts nonprofit, Strong Economy for Growth, has been fined for trying to influence the 2016 ballot questions on charter schools and marijuana and failing to disclose its donors.

Among the donors was the Romney for President campaign's political action committee, which gave $20,000.

Strong Economy for Growth paid the state's Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF) $31,000, which was the remaining money left in its bank account, as part of a settlement. The organization also agreed not to campaign in Massachusetts in 2018.

Strong Economy for Growth contributed $990,000 in 2016 to Great Schools Massachusetts, a committee formed to support a ballot question to allow more charter schools in Massachusetts. It gave another $178,000 to the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts to defeat a ballot question legalizing recreational marijuana for adults.

Voters rejected the charter school question and legalized marijuana.

Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, was a strong supporter of the charter school ballot question and an opponent of the marijuana question.

Baker spokesman Billy Pitman said, "The Governor was not aware of who contributed to this committee, and was not aware of or involved with its operations."

Strong Economy for Growth was organized as a nonprofit social welfare organization, which means that it did not have to disclose its donors.

But OCPF found that it was actually acting as a ballot committee - soliciting donations and spending money to influence particular ballot questions. Under state law, any ballot committee must disclose its donors.

The group disclosed its donors as a result of the settlement.

Rob Haskins, president of Strong Economy for Growth, said in a statement that the nonprofit formed in 2013 to advocate for public policy issues in Massachusetts, including job creation, education, public safety and support for various charitable causes.

"In 2016 our issue advocacy included contributions, consistent with our non-profit mission, to ballot committees seeking to lift the cap on public charter schools and oppose the legalization of marijuana," Haskins said. "Although all of the contributions to the two ballot committees were previously publicly disclosed, it was the determination of OCPF that some of the donors should have been publicly disclosed, and today we are happy to comply with that decision."

It was not immediately clear what interest Mitt Romney, the former Republican Massachusetts governor and 2012 Republican presidential nominee, had in the state ballot campaigns.

The address provided by the Romney for President group is Red Curve Solutions, a start-up founded by Bradley Crate that provides financial management for political campaigns. Crate was Romney's chief financial officer during his 2012 campaign. Crate also consults for Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. The Republican left a message for Red Curve Solutions seeking comment.

The OCPF review found that an organization called QXZ, whose major donor is Jeffrey Yass, donated $600,000 to Strong Economy for Growth. Strong Economy for Growth, on that same day, donated $300,000 to the pro-charter school committee Great Schools Massachusetts.

Yass, of Pennsylvania, co-founder of Susquehanna Investment Group, has been a strong proponent of educational choice, including charter schools and school vouchers.

Strong Economy for Growth also accepted $200,000 from Julie Schauer, of Pennsylvania, who has donated to anti-marijuana legalization efforts elsewhere in the country. The group then made $178,000 in contributions to the Campaign for a Safe and Healthy Massachusetts, the anti-marijuana ballot committee.

Another check deposited by Strong Economy for Growth for $25,000 had "charter school initiative" written on the subject line.

Strong Economy for Growth's president is listed as Haskins. There are no records of Haskins having made any independent political contributions.

On 2014 tax documents, Strong Economy for Growth listed Ernesto DiGiambattista as its president and director. DiGiambattista, founder and CEO of a Boston software company, donated $10,000 to the Republican State Committee over the last two years, and has also donated to the Massachusetts Republican House PAC and to Baker.

Neither Haskins or DiGiambattista could immediately be reached.

Andrew Balson, a former managing director at Bain Capital who founded Cove Hill Partners, a private equity firm, donated $200,000 to Strong Economy for Growth.

Subaru of New England, which is owned by Ernie Boch, a prominent supporter of President Donald Trump, donated $50,000.

Gilbert Winn, CEO of Winn Companies, donated $50,000, and Lawrence Curtis, president of WinnDevelopment, donated $25,000. Winn is a Boston-based real estate development company that has worked closely with state officials to build affordable housing.

This story was updated with Haskins' statement.
Having raised more than $11.7 million for her re-election campaign in 2017, Elizabeth Warren could be on pace to have more campaign cash than any incumbent U.S. senator, a new report has found.

The Massachusetts Democrat, who is rumored to be considering a 2020 presidential run, had a campaign cash balance of $12.8 million in September -- more than nearly any other incumbent senator has historically had at that time in the race, Politico reported.

The size of the senator's war chest, which has likely since grown in recent months, came despite what some observers predict will be an easy re-election fight, the news outlet noted.

Facing challenges from a series of Republican and independent candidates, Warren campaigned across Massachusetts in 2017, holding more than a dozen town hall-style events in addition to capitalizing on headline-grabbing incidents -- like her high-profile spat with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell -- to bolster her fundraising.

John Kingston, a Winchester businessman and 2018 Republican U.S. Senate hopeful, however, said the Politico report provides insight into the Democrat's commitment to Massachusetts voters and interest in pursuing a presidential run.

"Sen. Warren has spent much of the last year raising money, currying favor with out-of-state donors and politicians, traveling to other states and angling to win a Democratic primary for president," he said in a statement. "Massachusetts deserves a senator who will fight for them and their interests every single day in Washington, not an absentee senator spending their time trying to advance a political career."

Warren's campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to Federal Election Commission data, Warren trails just Doug Jones -- the newly elected Democratic senator from Alabama -- in total campaign fundraising between 2013 and 2018, with $21 million to his $23.6 million.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican and 2016 presidential hopeful, followed Warren with $14.9 million in total fundraising over the five-year period.

Both Jones and Cruz reported campaign cash balances of just around $5 million -- less than half of Warren's $12.8 million.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, a 2016 Democratic presidential hopeful who is rumored to be considering another bid in 2020, by contrast, has reported just $5.8 million in fundraising between 2013 and 2018 and a cash balance of $5.8 million.

Similarly, 2008 Republican presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, reported a cash balance of $5 million in October 2009 -- a year before his re-election.

Warren's campaign has yet to release its year-end campaign finance report, which will shed light on the senator's total fundraising, expenditures and cash balance at the end of 2017.

Campaign officials said they expect the figures to be made public in the coming days.
Although GOP-led efforts to overhaul the health care system and American tax code drew partisan rancor on Capitol Hill, at least one Massachusetts Democrat said he believes his party is willing to work with the White House on a bipartisan infrastructure package.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, a Springfield Democrat and ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said he thinks "there's room" for compromise on infrastructure improvements in spite of recent spats between the two parties.

Democrats' openness to working with President Donald Trump and the GOP, however, could wane if Republican leaders again work to draft legislation behind closed doors and attempt to move it without the minority party's input, the congressman offered.

Another possible complication to moving an infrastructure bill, Neal said, could come from Republicans.

"I think there's strong support for infrastructure improvement ... The president committed to it during the course of last year's campaign, and I think his problem is going to be with the Republican Party -- not with Democrats," he said in a recent interview. "We want an infrastructure bill."

Neal contended that Trump could have "a real problem" selling a $1 trillion infrastructure spending package to the Republican Party -- which just approved a $1.5 trillion tax plan.

The congressman added that although Democrats are "going to have to wait and see" if they can trust GOP leaders to reach a bipartisan agreement on infrastructure, the addition of Democrat Doug Jones to the Senate and upcoming mid-term elections could make such a consensus more likely in 2018.

"I think they're anxious. They've got to demonstrate some bipartisanship, and the president did campaign on the theme of infrastructure," he said. "So we're going to have to wait and see. I think that the country understands that you need a big infrastructure plan."

Trump told the New York Times last week that the minority party should come to him to help craft a bipartisan infrastructure plan, adding that he believes he can get "as many Democrat votes as we have Republican" on the issue.

"The Democrats should come to a bipartisan bill. And we can fix it ... We can do a great infrastructure plan through bipartisanship," he reportedly said.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said late last month that tackling infrastructure investment in 2018 would likely be more palatable than taking up spending and entitlement reform -- a nonstarter for Democrats, The Hill reported

"What the Democrats are willing to do is important because in the Senate, with rare exceptions like the tax bill, we've got to have Democratic involvement ... I hope we can go forward on infrastructure," he reportedly said. "I think there's a lot of interest in infrastructure. I think it's pretty popular with Democrats and Republicans."

For months, White House officials have been meeting and working with state and local leaders -- including executives with Springfield's Department of Public Works and Water and Sewer Commission -- on infrastructure-related issues.

Trump, in June, said his administration planned "to move quickly" to improve the country's infrastructure and vowed to do so under budget.

The president said his administration had already taken steps to reduce the time it takes to get permits and approvals, adding that he'd like to streamline the process so it takes two years or less for major transportation and other projects.
The SOMAH program will provide up to $100 million in rebates annually for the next decade to put solar on multifamily affordable housing in California, while allowing tenants to access the benefits.

Christian Roselund
I committed myself to go full-bore down the new Glade Runner mountain coaster at Bogus Basin.

Its a gravity-driven ride on more or less a one-person sled, though it can seat two. You control the speed. Push the handles forward and you go the maximum speed gravity allows, about 25 mph. Pull the handles back and you can slow down if the ride becomes too harrowing.

Harrowing it is. Even at what sounds like a tame 25 mph. Believe me, when youre sitting in a tiny sled on a tiny track, 25 mph feels like black diamond ski velocity when youre flying among trees at close quarters.

By: Teya Vitu
The Montana Womens Business Center (WBC) is a program of Prospera Business Network and is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Established in October 2009, the Montana WBC is one of over 100 business centers across the country. We provide the necessary tools and support to help women establish, grow and sustain businesses throughout the state of Montana.

The Montana WBC is focused on providing confidential business counseling and training services to women entrepreneurs and is a critical resource to those who are economically or socially disadvantaged. The Montana WBC gives women the opportunity to excel in business and contributes to the growth of economies throughout the state.

http://montanawbc.org/
The holidays are in full swing, and we love providing the gift of opportunity. In the spirit of giving, this edition features conveniently packaged, piping hot technologies that are all available for licensing.

http://mailchi.mp/0af39897b867/techlink-pulse-newsletter-december-2017?e=8b61329838
BEIJING, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinpingexchanged 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.
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.
By ZHANG YUNBI in Beijing, WANG MINGJIE in London and ZHAO HUANXIN in Washington ( China Daily ) 07:35, January 02, 2018

Pledges to boost reform, welfare of public and world stability are lauded

President Xi Jinping delivers his New Year address on Sunday. It was aired on television, radio and the internet. XINHUA

The New Year's speech delivered by President Xi Jinping on Sunday evening has gone viral on the internet and has won praise from observers at home and abroad with his pledges of greater efforts in boosting reform, public welfare and world stability.

Xi's speech, featuring traditional Chinese sayings such as, "Building a tall building begins with mounds of soil," attracted likes in social networks as many echoed his point of taking a step-by-step approach and working hard to turn blueprints into reality.

Shortly after its release, the video of the nearly 12-minute speech spread quickly on the two major Chinese social networksSina Weibo and WeChat.

Within the first 24 hours, the video issued by an official Weibo account of China Central Television alone scored more than 11 million views, 12,000 reposts and 44,000 likes.

Weibo user Jiangbaoqiu Barque quoted Xi's words, "Happiness is achieved through hard work," when commenting on the video.

Many WeChat users shared posts featuring nine photos that appeared on Xi's bookshelves for the first time as Xi delivered the annual speech.

The photos highlight some of Xi's great moments in the past year, including his visits to poor households and inspecting the military.

Bill Jones, Washington bureau chief of Executive Intelligence Review, said Xi's New Year's message delivered "a great sense of confidence and optimism" to the Chinese people and to the world.

"While the elimination of poverty has long been regarded as a major task for humanity with China, that dream is now becoming a reality, and has created a tremendous amount of optimism that it can also be eliminated globally," Jones said.

Peter Frankopan, a professor of world history at Oxford University, echoed Xi's point on valuing history and boosting peace, because "it is true that the aim for all must be to build a community who benefit from and share in a common future".

Christian Growitsch, director of the Fraunhofer Center for the Economics of Materials in Germany, said Xi addresses the most important aspects for the people of China and he speaks about climate protection and international trade, as in the Belt and Road Initiative, which is "promising for world development in 2018".

Starry Lee Wai-king, a lawmaker chairing the House Committee of the Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said she was moved when Xi said Hong Kong will undoubtedly have an even better future with the strong support of the motherland. She said Hong Kong will be better integrated into the country's overall development.

Fu Jing in Beijing and He Shusi in Hong Kong contributed to this story.
133 million tourists travel across China during New Year holiday

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.
(File Photo)

A second line of the China-Russia oil pipeline began operation on Monday, raising China's annual imports of Russian crude oil from 15 million to 30 million tons.

Construction began in August 2016 on the 941.8-kilometer second line from Mohe, the northernmost point of China, which borders Russia, to the city of Daqing in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province.

The line crosses North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The second oil pipeline was built in parallel with 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. It operated smoothly and its transmission was 3,812 cubic meters per hour at the Mohe station.

The first line from Mohe to Daqing was put into use on January 1, 2011. It has transported a total of 110 million tons of crude oil so far.
Adopted Chinese children search for roots to understand painful past

A mom and her adopted Chinese daughter together at an event in Beijing. Photo: VCG

"I am 200 percent sure that she is my daughter Now I'm calling all of my relatives," a father from East China's Jiangxi Province wrote on October 19 after spending 24 years searching for his second daughter, who was sent to a foster home and adopted in the US in 1993.

The message was sent to Lan, a US resident from China who has been helping adopted children find their biological parents for the past decade.

"Looking for the biological parents is not that simple, but it's closely connected with the future lives of these adopted children," Lan told the Global Times on Sunday.

The issue recently came under the spotlight when 20 children who were born in China and adopted by overseas families launched an appeal to find their biological parents, then recorded it in a video that went viral on the Chinese internet in December. In the three-minute clip, 20 children now living in the US, Canada or the Netherlands, expressed their wish to meet their biological parents.

All the children had been adopted from foster homes in Chongqing Municipality, the video said.

The video was uploaded by Lan on November 27.

"Most of the children in the video, with their parents, had visited China several times in search of their biological parents," Lan said.

They had also tried several other methods, such as issuing media reports or registering their information online. Some of them even paid large amounts of money to hire professionals in their search.

However, none of their efforts yielded any results.

"I had no choice but to make this video in the hope that the children's biological families would recognize them and contact us," Lan said.

About 200 have found their biological families through her efforts, and many more contacted her after the video became popular.

Asking everything

China began allowing overseas adoptions in 1992. It was then that Lan began to nurture friendships with some of the US families that adopted Chinese children. In 2000, many of those children grew up and they began "asking everything," with more families asking Lan for help in searching for their children's roots.

As a mother of three daughters adopted from different parts of China, Lan knows these children's pain in coming to terms with their true identity.

"These children have a good life abroad and a good education, but feel pain inside because there is always pity in their soul," Lan said, "They would ask themselves: Why did my parents not keep me with them? Am I not good enough?"

Many adopted children experience such emotions and often suffer psychological problems, some even driven to attempts at suicide.

In 2015, there were 2,492 adoptions registered by foreigners in China, accounting for 13 percent of the total number of registered adoptions, according to the National Bureau of Statistics in February, 2017. The number in 2005 was 14,036, with 12,864 children adopted by foreigners.

Back stories

Internet users noted that the Chongqing children video features 19 girls and one boy, prompting some to condemn the parents who intentionally "abandoned" their daughters, saying they were not worth looking for.

"I often see such comments If people could learn more about these girls' stories, they would change their minds about them searching for their biological parents and give them their blessing," Lan said.

"Looking for a child's roots is actually closely connected with the child's growth and health, both physically and psychologically," Lan said. "Many children needed to find their biological parents for certain treatments, but some of them had passed away before they could find them."

For many of these children, there were complicated reasons behind why they were sent to foster homes.

"In the past decade, when helping these children look for their biological parents, I got to know that many girls were not abandoned by their parents deliberately, but because of the pressure of traditional ideas, poverty, or a big change of family," she said.

These parents who "abandoned" their children also suffer greatly - they miss and worry about their children every day, feeling guilt about their decision, Lan added.

Regardless of why the children were sent for adoption, for parents, it is "an eternal hurt and pain of a lifetime," something that also drives them to search desperately for their children, Lan said.

Lan said that in the past, 80 percent of adopted children from China were girls due to the traditional backward thinking that valued boys more than girls. However, in recent years, there has been more of a balance in the numbers of adopted boys and girls, "maybe because Chinese people's ideas have somehow changed," Lan said.

The new policy allowing couples to have two children may also be playing a part in the declining number of children being abandoned, Luo Ruixue, a member of the women's rights group Women Awakening Network, told the Global Times previously.

But "the bigger challenge is changing people's traditional value that boys are more important," Luo said.
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Trisomy 21 results in extensive proteome remodeling, affecting proteins encoded by all chromosomes.

Yansheng Liu, Christelle Borel et al. Systematic Proteome and Proteostasis Profiling in Human Trisomy 21 Fibroblast Cells, Nature Communications doi:10.1038/s41467-017-01422-6

The symptoms of Down syndrome, or trisomy 21, the most common genetic disease - include facial dysmorphism, intellectual impairment, poor muscle tone and congenital heart disease. The syndrome results from the presence of three chromosomes 21, which explains why research until now has focused on analysing DNA and transcriptome (all the messenger RNAs synthesised from genes of our genome)."Nevertheless," explains Stylianos E. Antonarakis, honorary professor in UNIGE's Faculty of Medicine, "the proteins are highly informative molecules since they are more closely linked to the clinical signs of the syndrome. Studying them makes it possible to posit new hypotheses about the cellular mechanisms disturbed by trisomy 21". However, analysing all the proteins from clinical samples is technically a very difficult task - which is why the UNIGE researchers joined forces with a team led by Professor Ruedi Aebersold from ETHZ, who is a world expert in proteome studies.The scientists succeeded in quantifying 4,000 out of the 10,000 proteins synthesised by skin cells - a world premiere - using SWATH-MS, a new mass spectrometry technique developed by ETHZ. The protein differences between the cells of Down syndrome and a person without the genetic anomaly are low (1.5 times higher for the proteins produced by the chromosome 21 genes). They are difficult to detect with traditional techniques, meaning that it has been necessary to wait for an ultra-sensitive method to be developed in order to detect the tiny variations."What's more, the aim was only to analyse the protein variations due to the genetic anomaly, and not the variations that can be attributed to individual differences. So, we worked on fibroblastic cells from a pair of female twins who shared the same genetic background, except that one has trisomy 21 and the other doesn't," adds Christelle Borel, a researcher in the Department of Genetics and Development at UNIGE's Faculty of Medicine.A detailed examination of the twin's samples revealed several major findings to improve our understanding of the impact of Down syndrome on cells. Significant quantitative variations were observed in the proteins that are not encoded exclusively from genes on chromosome 21 but that also from genes that map to other chromosomes. Trisomy 21 causes an overdose of mRNA and proteins that dysregulate the cellular functions of the affected individual. The researchers then observed a cellular mechanism for self-regulating protein production, which was capable of counteracting an unusual overabundance of proteins.Under normal conditions, this mechanism helps correct minor excesses and regulates the amount of protein needed by our cells. But, because of an extra chromosome 21, which itself encodes proteins, the cells are left with a surplus of proteins and the self-regulating mechanism is no longer able to control and restrict the quantity. "For the first time," says Professor Antonarakis, "we have a comprehensive analysis of the proteins deregulated by trisomy 21, which may explain the causes of the different symptoms of Down syndrome".The UNIGE geneticists also found that trisomy 21 also affected the cell's various sub-structures, especially the mitochondria, which are responsible for the cell's energy processes. But here the problem is the very opposite: the proteins that make up the mitochondria are excessively diminished and affect their correct functioning. The last result was validated with samples from other patients with trisomy 21, it showed that the type of proteins affected is also extremely important for understanding what causes the symptoms."In general terms, protein turnover is accelerated in the trisomic cells. Then there are two kinds of proteins," says Christelle Borel. "The first assemble as a complex to perform a precise function. The second, on the other hand, operate alone. We discovered that it is the proteins in complexes that are degraded most quickly in the trisomic cells, which is something that could not have been discovered before." In fact, the proteins that assemble regulate mutually and naturally by forming the complexes, meaning their surplus is controlled. By contrast, there is an excess of solitary proteins that are not eliminated by the cell because they are functional alone.The UNIGE geneticists, in collaboration with the ETHZ experts, have taken a major step forward in our understanding of trisomy 21 by going beyond the gene and transcriptome to reach proteins. These initial discoveries, together with the demonstration of the technical feasibility, open new perspectives for research, since the methodology can be applied to other genetic diseases. "We now need to find which of the deregulated proteins are responsible for each particular symptom of Down syndrome. Then we need to see if new discoveries are possible for other types of cells such as neurons or heart cells, severely affected by trisomy 21," concludes Professor Antonarakis.
Taste preferences are related to personality traits of a person. Those who prefer food that is sweet are more friendly and are agreeable. Whereas, those who like bitter taste are psychopaths.



A group of researchers from Austria conducted a study at Innsbruck University and found that those who enjoy bitter flavors may have more than a few undesirable traits like sadism, narcissism, psychoticism and Machiavellianism.

Taste Preferences Reveal Your Personality

Sweet taste experiences are related to personality processes and, in particular, those bitter taste experiences are causally linked to hostile thoughts and behavior.





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." 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.



Taste Buds in the Stomach



Growing evidence suggests that sensory cells which enable us to taste sweetness, bitterness and umami are not limited to the tongue alone. These so-called Trpm5-expressing chemosensory cells are also found in the respiratory system, digestive tract and other parts of the body.



Although their precise function in areas other than the mouth is not fully known, these sensory cells are thought to play an important "gatekeeper" role, protecting the body against bacteria and potentially harmful substances.



Reference

Christina Sagiogloua and Tobias Greitemeyer. 'Individual differences in bitter taste preferences are associated with antisocial personality 7 traits.'Appetite (2015). doi: 10.1016/ j.appet.2015.09.031.



Source: Medindia 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." 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.Growing evidence suggests that sensory cells which enable us to taste sweetness, bitterness and umami are not limited to the tongue alone. These so-called Trpm5-expressing chemosensory cells are also found in the respiratory system, digestive tract and other parts of the body.Although their precise function in areas other than the mouth is not fully known, these sensory cells are thought to play an important "gatekeeper" role, protecting the body against bacteria and potentially harmful substances.Source: Medindia

Machiavellianism in psychology refers to a personality trait which sees a person so focused on their own interests they will manipulate, deceive, and exploit others to achieve their goals. Machiavellianism is one of the traits in what is called the 'Dark Triad', the other two being narcissism and psychopathy.
File Photo

After the ban, experts suggest enhanced monitoring of mammoth sales

As China fully closed the door on the ivory trade on Sunday, experts called for enhanced monitoring of those still selling ivory under the guise of mammoth tusks.

China honored its commitment to end the commercial processing and sales of ivory by the end of 2017, the State Forestry Administration said, adding it was China's "New Year's gift to the elephants," Xinhua News Agency reported.

"We received notice months ago that by the end of the year, we have to stop selling ivory products," an employee from central Beijing's Wangfujing Gongmei emporium, which sold ivory products, told the Global Times on Monday.

She said that all remaining ivory products were sealed in wait for further regulations. Recently, many customers seized their last opportunity to buy ivory products at the store.

"Banning the commercial trade of ivory showed China's great improvements in valuing ecology and stricter management," Xie Yan, an associate research professor at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

"We should notice that not only the unusual, large and representative species should be protected; actually we need to protect the diversity of the whole Earth," Xie said.

However, some shops at an antique market in Beijing were still selling ivory products on Sunday, and a shop assistant told the Global Times that the products they have were from mammoths, not elephants.

"We were told that selling ivory products from elephants is illegal, but that it is OK to sell the tusks of long-dead woolly mammoths," the shop assistant said.

A pendant made from mammoth tusk on display at the shop was for sale for 49,600 yuan ($7,623).

"Mammoths became extinct long ago, so the trading of their tusks does not affect their population," Xie said.

However, some sellers might continue to trade ivory under the guise of mammoth products, as the tusks of the two species are barely distinguishable by most people, Xie said, noting that enforcement departments should strengthen the monitoring of such cases.

The move affected 34 processing companies and 143 designated trading venues in what was the world's largest ivory market, according to Xinhua.

"Chinese authorities will continue to clamp down on ivory collecting as well as processing, sales, transportation and smuggling of elephant tusks," the administration said.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the population of African elephants has declined by 111,000 over the past 10 years. The overall trend in the poaching of African elephants show a decline from the 2011 peak but is still at a high level when viewed continent-wide.

According to the State Council's 2016 notice, auctions of ivory antiques can be conducted with administrative permission and under strict monitoring.

"This is beneficial for continuing cultural heritage," said Yu Jinsheng, secretary-general of the China Association of Auctioneers.

"With the new regulation, the price of ivory antiques would rise back to previous levels," Yu said.
In the last few decades immunotherapy has become an important part of treating some types of cancer. The chances of survival are better after immunotherapy.

One such immunotherapy method currently under clinical trial on patients with advanced melanoma is adoptive T cell therapy. The treatment is demanding both in terms of resources and for the patient, who needs to be in a condition to withstand it.Sharpens the T cellsIn simple terms, the treatment entails first removing the patient's own T cells from the tumour. T cells are the part of the immune system that recognises tumour cells. The patient's cells are then cultured in the lab and subsequently injected back into the patient."The aim is for them to seek out and fight the tumour and the circulating tumour cells", explains Goran Jonsson, researcher at Lund University. He is collaborating with Herlev university hospital in Copenhagen, which is one of few hospitals in Europe currently conducting clinical trials of this form of immunotherapy.Although the treatment outcomes are promising, only just below half of patients respond to this immunotherapy."Between 10 and 20 percent of those affected by advanced melanoma can be cured with a single treatment of adoptive T cell therapy. On the other hand, the treatment is very intensive, and has many side effects. It is therefore important to be able to predict which patients stand to benefit from the treatment, so that we give it to the right ones", say Inge Marie Svane and Marco Donia, physicians at Herlev university hospital and researchers at the University of Copenhagen.The more mutations, the betterIn order to find such markers, the researchers studied a group of 25 patients who had all undergone adoptive T cell therapy for advanced melanoma, because they either did not respond to previous treatment or had a recurrence of disease during previous treatment. The researchers analysed tumour cells from the patients at the molecular level.This revealed that the more mutations the tumour had, the better the result of the T cell therapy."We could show that the more mutations there were, the better. This is linked to the fact that every time the tumour mutates, new antigens are produced, known as neoantigens, that the T cells recognise as alien and want to fight. More mutations means more neoantigens for the immune system to discover", says Goran Jonsson.It's like a game of hide and seek: the more people join, the easier it is for the person searching to find those who are hiding.The researchers also saw that the survival rate was better if the part of the patient's immune system that infiltrates the tumour was active, even if the immune cells had not defeated the tumour."Because this treatment is not practised in many places in the world, the group of patients we can study is not very large, but our results clearly show a group of patients that can be identified on the molecular level who will have long-term benefits from the treatment", says Goran Jonsson.Source: Eurekalert
The natural bacterial flagellum itself is a unique self-assembled nanohelix which bacteria rotate to generate thrust.

"We have shown for the first time the ability to use bacterial flagella as a template for building inorganic helices," said MinJun Kim, professor of mechanical engineering, Lyle School of Engineering at Southern Methodist University and one of the authors of the paper. "This is quite a transformative idea and will have a great impact on not only medicine but also other fields."Compared to larger forms of aquatic motion, nanoswimming hinges on an understanding of the Reynolds number, the dimensionless quantities that relates fluid velocity, viscosity and the size of objects in the fluid. With a Reynolds number of one-millionth our own, bacteria must use nonreciprocal motion in the near absence of inertial forces. Using helical tails made of a protein called flagellin, many species of bacteria navigate these microscopic conditions with relative ease."If we were shrunk down to the size of a bacteria, we would not be able to use the breast stroke to move through water," Kim said. "If bacteria were the size of us, they could swim 100 meters in about two seconds."Other recently developed methods for constructing these helical structures employ complicated top-down approaches, including techniques that involve self-scrolling nanobelts or lasers. The use of this specialized equipment can lead to very high startup costs for building nanorobots.Instead, Kim's team used a bottom-up approach, first culturing a strain of Salmonella typhimurium and removing the flagella. They then used alkaline solutions to fix the flagella into their desired shape and pitch, at which point they plated the proteins with silica. After that, nickel was deposited on the silica templates, allowing them to be controlled by magnetic fields."One challenge was to make sure we had helices with the same chirality. If you rotate a left-handed helix and a right-handed helix the same way, they will go in different directions," Kim said.The team took their nanorobots for a spin. When exposed to a magnetic field, the nanorobots kept up the pace with their bacterial counterparts and were projected to be able to cover 22 micrometers, more than four times their length, in a second. In addition to this, the team was able to steer the nanoswimmers into figure-eight paths.While Kim said he sees a potential for nonconducting nanoscale helices in the area of targeted cancer therapeutics, he added that with his team's work, one might plate conductive materials to flagella and produce helical materials for electronics and photonics.Source: Eurekalert
Advanced aircraft exceeds testing expectations

The record of "five hits in succession" performed by China's home-developed Wing Loong II UAS, a high-end reconnaissance-strike unmanned aerial system (UAS), showed that the system equipped drone is combat-capable and will be widely used in future military actions, said an expert.

After multiple rounds of flight and firing tests, the Wing Loong II UAS has conducted firing tests with eight types of missiles and dozens of bombs, with a hit rate of 100 percent, the Xinhua News Agency reported, citing the State-owned aviation giant of Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC).

"The Wing Loong II UAS has successfully hit five targets in succession with five different types of missiles in a single sortie, setting a new live firing record for Chinese UAS," AVIC said.

"Successful tests over different terrains with different types of missiles and bombs showed that the Wing Loong II is equipped to effectively handle combat operations," Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times.

As drones are increasingly used in global military actions, the Wing Loong II will be deployed in China's future military actions, especially in anti-terrorism, peace keeping and border patrol operations, said Song.

The Wing Loong II UAS is a new generation of home-developed long distance reconnaissance-strike-integrated UAS by AVIC's Chengdu Aircraft Design &Research Institute (CADI).

According to CADI, within 10 months of its maiden flight [in February 2017], multiple live-fire tests had been conducted, including stationary targets, moving targets, time sensitive targets and air-to-ground coordination.

Meanwhile, the Wing Loong II UAS has successfully conducted simultaneous operations from a single ground station which had never been achieved by a Chinese UAS before.

Li Yidong, deputy chief designer of CADI, said in a television broadcast by China Central Television in December that the drone had successfully hit a moving target that the US counterpart had failed to hit for eight years.

China's UAVs already possess cross-border combat ability. Compared with the US, China owns similar technologies albeit lacks in experience, said Song. "However, after China completes its global navigation satellite system, we will soon develop a true global combat capability."

Song added that the development of Wing Loong II UAS is also a reflection of military and civilian integration as it could be widely used in field investigation during natural disasters.

Previous reports said it already obtained the largest order of Chinese advanced large-scale UAVs in the overseas market, even before its maiden flight.

Xinhua contributed to this story
Jia Yueting fails to keep promise of returning to deal with LeEco debts

On the last day of 2017, Jia Yueting, founder of debt-laden technology company LeEco, failed to keep his promise of "returning to China soon."

Jia's wife, Gan Wei, landed in Beijing on Sunday morning, posting on her Weibo account that she was back "with a mission."

China Securities Journal recently reported that Jia announced at a Faraday Future internal meeting in the US that the company managed to get more than $1 billion.

However, auto news outlet gasgoo.com reported that on December 25, Petroleum Authority of Thailand denied the report that the company is the investor in FF's A-round fundraising.

Jia was ordered by the China Securities Regulatory Commission's (CSRC) Beijing branch to return to the country by the end of December and deal with the company's debt. In an unusual public letter posted on December 25 that the CSRC said the failure to repay debt is "a serious violation of the legal rights and interests of listed companies and interests of investors, with an extremely negative social impact."

LeEco's expansion failed to take off, and as pressure from lenders mounted, in July Jia resigned as chairman of Leshi Internet Information &Technology Corp, the listed arm of LeEco, after promising on his social media accounts to repay LeEco's debts.

The CSRC said that starting in September, it had sent letters to Jia asking him to return to China, but "so far we have not seen any actions taken [by Jia]."

In December, Jia was placed on China's official list of debt defaulters after he failed to pay back more than 462 million yuan ($71 million) to Ping An Securities Group.

Online media platform jiemian.com reported that LeEco's Hong Kong branch, which provided on demand service for Hong Kong residents, had filed a petition with the local high court to begin liquidation.

"Only criminal crime is regarded as related to repatriation of international cooperation, and the Leshi incident has not yet been upgraded to a criminal one," Wang Zhibin, a partner with Shanghai Bright &Young Law Firm, told the Global Times on Monday.

The notice from the CSRC's Beijing branch is a regulatory measure, meaning the regulator has no compulsory method to make Jia return if he doesn't do so by the deadline, said Xu Hao, a lawyer at the Beijing-based Jingsh Law Firm.

The addition of Jia to China's national blacklist of "discredited" people by Beijing's No.3 Intermediate People's Court on December 12 was a civil action, Xu told the Global Times on Monday, which is also not sufficient to compel his return.
China started collecting an environment tax on Monday, as the country's Environmental Protection Tax Law took effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

The introduction of the tax called an end to the "pollutant discharge fee" which China had been collecting for nearly 40 years.

This is China's first tax designed for environmental protection, which will help establish a green" financial and taxation system to promote pollution control and treatment of pollutants, said Wang Jinnan, head of the Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning under the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

The view of a remote village named Shanghuang in Zhejiang. [File Photo: IC]

Chinas previous "pollutant discharge fee" took effect in 1979. However, some local governments exploited loopholes and exempted enterprises that were otherwise big contributors to fiscal revenue. For years, regulators had suggested replacing the fee system with a law.

The Environmental Protection Tax Law targets companies and public institutions that directly discharge listed pollutants. Under the new law, companies will pay taxes for producing noise, air and water pollutants as well as solid waste.

Tackling pollution has been listed as one of the "three tough battles" that the Chinese government aims to win in the next three years, according to the Central Economic Work Conference earlier held in December.
SEBEWAING  During a recent Unionville-Sebewaing Area School Board meeting, there was a presentation of the districts Multi-Tiered System of Supports.

The Districts Implementation Team consists of representatives of teachers, support staff and administrators from each building.

It is one component of the district's comprehensive Multi-Tiered System of Support, according to Superintendent George Rierson.

District Implementation Team members do data review sessions that focus on reading and behavior outcomes a couple of times a year.

The group also considers the efficiency of initiatives that we are implementing across the district, and individual team members also serve on building level leadership teams with other teachers and support staff representatives along with their building administrators, Rierson explained.

The presentation was done by high school and middle school teacher Mike Peters and elementary teacher Lori Kemp.

In other matters, band teacher Aaron Aikens requested funding for additional uniforms and instruments at the November Board of Education meeting, and his request was approved at the December meeting.

Uniforms cost $351 each and take about 180 days to make, said Aikens.

The board approved 12 marching band uniforms at a cost of $4,210. Because it will take several months for the uniforms to be manufactured, they will not be ready until the start of the 2018-19 school year. Also, the board completed the required superintendent evaluation.

Per Michigans Department of Education regulations, each school's board of education and each intermediate school district's board of education has to do a performance evaluation on administrators.

The Revised School Code requires board of education members do a superintendent evaluations yearly. The evaluation takes into consideration several factors and complicated regulations.

After reviewing an administrator's performance, the board assigns the administrator with a rating of: highly effective, effective, minimally effective or ineffective.

Riersons performance was rated as effective, with a score of 3.3 out of 4 points.

Effective was the same rating the board gave him during the last evaluation.

Rierson was hired as superintendent in 2011. Before that, he served as the district's middle and high school principal from 2007 until he transitioned to superintendent.
PORTLAND  Spend an evening of dancing, dinner, and drinks to support the rescue horses of the CT Draft Horse Rescue on Saturday March 24, 6 p.m. at Saint Clements Castle (1931 Portland-Cobalt Rd., Portland.

There will be a buffet dinner, raffles, live auctions, and a cash bar. Tickets are limited and are $70 per person. Call Lori to purchase tickets at 860-267-1542. Tickets can also be purchased via Paypal - send the payment to ctdraftrescue@aol.com (reference Denim, Diamonds, Drafts tickets on the payment). Tickets must be purchased by March 10 and are not refundable. The event is snow or shine. For more information visit www.ctdraftrescue.com, www.facebook.com/ctdraftrescue, or send an email to ctdraftrescue@aol.com.

Library to hold artist workshop

DEEP RIVER  The Deep River Public Library is pleased to present a Watercolor Workshop Series with local artist, Alan James. Budding artists will enjoy a step-by-step guided process to make the art of watercolor easy. Interested participants will have a choice of two dates to learn these techniques to master watercolors, Jan. 10, 5:15 - 7:45 p.m. or Jan. 24, 5:15 - 7:45 pm. All levels are welcome.

Registration is required for this program and will be done through Signup Genius. The link can be found on our website as well as the librarys Facebook Events page. In addition, the class is free, but artists must bring their own supplies. A list of these supplies can be viewed when you register for the class. They include professional quality paints and paintbrushes, a palate, rough or cold pressed paper, an eraser and paper towels.

For more information, go to website at http://deepriverlibrary.accountsupport.com and click on our monthly calendar, or call the library at 860-526-6039.

Girl Scouts of Connecticut seek volunteers

Girl Scouts of Connecticut is looking for volunteers across the state to help girls and young women in Connecticut shine. Volunteers can help prepare girls in Connecticut for a lifetime of leadership and be the mentor she needs to succeed.

Did you know that there are hundreds of girls in Connecticut who want to be Girl Scouts, but cant due to a shortage of volunteers? As a volunteer, youll introduce girls to new experiences that show them theyre capable of more than they ever imagined. You get to choose what capacity and how much you want to volunteer. Do you want to be a co-leader in a troop or help at a program or event? The choice is yours, and Girl Scouts of Connecticut will help you every step of the way!

As a Girl Scout volunteer, youll be a girls cheerleader, guide, and mentor, helping her develop essential life skills and confidence that will last a lifetime. Imagine the excitement, the impact, the memories madethose are the moments youll share at Girl Scouts.

Embark on an extraordinary journey of leadership. Learn more at www.gsofct.org/volunteer.

East Hampton Volunteer Ambulance recruiting new members

East Hampton  The number of volunteers in Fire and EMS agencies has been steadily declining nationwide. East Hampton and the surrounding towns have been no exception to the problem. By taking an EMT course and joining their local fire or EMS agency, residents can provide an incredible amount of help to their community.

In an effort to help recruit new members, the East Hampton Volunteer Ambulance (EHVAA), a private, non-profit organization, is hosting an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course beginning Jan. 8.

EVHAA Chief of Service Donald Scranton hopes that by hosting the course, members of the community will take advantage of this unique opportunity to serve the East Hampton community by providing a rapid, safe response to medical emergencies with timely, professional care of the sick and injured. The East Hampton Volunteer Ambulance provides 24-hour service to the residents and visitors of East Hampton, Haddam Neck, Middle Haddam and Cobalt; as well as surrounding towns when needed.

East Hampton residents who successfully complete the EMT course and meet agency requirements will be eligible for full reimbursement of EMT course costs. But this course isnt just limited to East Hampton residences. In fact, every town around East Hampton also relies heavily or entirely on volunteers to respond to calls for help in the community and many of those agencies will also reimburse the course costs for new volunteers.

The course will run at the ambulance station, located at 4 Middleton Avenue, on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, Jan. 8-April 5, 6-10 p.m.

EHVAA is utilizing he experience and resources of Code One Training Solutions, LLC of East Hartford to deliver the state-approved 180-hour EMT program. After meeting certification requirements, the newly minted EMTs will respond to emergency calls to provide efficient and immediate care to the critically ill and injured, and to transport patients to appropriate medical facilities

People interested in joining East Hampton EMS should contact the EHVAA directly by calling 860-267-9679 or by emailing Chief@ehems.org.

Portland Library to hold passport day

Portland Public Library, 20 Freestone Ave, Portland, will hold a passport day on Saturday, Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The snow date is Jan. 27.

A United States passport is a means of identification valid with all United States agencies; it is often preferred in domestic travel and is required for international travel. Due to the time involved in processing a passport, it is best to be prepared for the possibility that you will be required to carry a passport.

The Portland Library and the United States Postal Service have teamed up to offer a convenient and time-saving opportunity to apply for or renew a passport at the Library. To come prepared to have the USPS help you complete your application or renewal, please find information including fees, payment methods, and application forms available at the Library Information Desk or at your nearest Post Office. You may also check the library website for more information (www.portlandlibraryct.org).

You may either have your passport photo taken at the event for $15, or bring your own passport compliant photo. You will need to bring proof of citizenship, photo ID, and your payment(s) in the form of checks or money orders. Please note that multiple checks or money orders may be required for a single application.

No sign-up is necessary; just drop in. With all requirements met, most passports will be sent in four to six weeks. The National Passport information Line 1-877-487-2778.
New laws ring in the new year in California

Los Angeles (People's Daily) - Beginning Monday, new laws in the US will go into effect, pushing the boundaries of social conformity for 2018.

Among these, California  the state with the highest Chinese population in the US  will become the largest state to legalize the growing, selling and recreational use of marijuana. By contrast, such use has been legal in Washington State since 2012.

On the education front, public schools will be prohibited from denying lunch to children whose legal guardians cannot afford the expense. And beginning in this fall, school buses will be equipped with seat belts as a safety measure to ensure that children are not left behind.

On immigration, California law enforcement will no longer be permitted to ask about a persons immigration status, or detain immigrants in the absence of an established criminal cause.

Workplace reforms will provide 12 weeks of unpaid leave for new parents at companies with at least 20 employees, without risk to health coverage already in place. Employers will be prohibited from asking about previous salaries, and the hourly minium wage jumps to 50 cents an hour.

Marijuana consumption is prohibited on California roads for both passenger and driver.

Another law stipulates ridesharing drivers can be charged with a DUI, if their blood-alcohol level is .04 percent or higher.

Californians with HIV will no longer be subject to felony charges for exposing a partner, and diaper changing stations  a luxury in many parts of the world  will be required in womens and mens public bathrooms.

Federal authorities will be required to obtain a warrant before conducting immigration raids at the workplace, and landlords will risk civil penalties if they report renters who are in the country illegally.

Other laws in the Golden State range from the glamorous to the mundane.

 Registered voters will be able to cast their ballots through the mail, four weeks before an election.

 Giving farm animals antibiotics without a veterinarians prescription will be prohibited.

 Landlords will be required to provide information to renters concerning bedbugs, and will be subject to new rules regarding a potential infestation.

 The sale of marijuana will be allowed in some California cities, for any use.

New regulations will restrict counties in their ability to charge fees concerning monitoring of juveniles, and detention. Others will prohibit school employees from carrying concealed weapons on campus.

Meanwhile, a new $75 fee will be levied in some real estate transactions, such as refinancing a mortgage, to provide more low-income housing, and  to help fund road repairs  a tariff dependent on a vehicles value will be added to registration fees of gasoline and diesel-fueled cars.

Jaywalking violations will no longer be issued in California for stepping into a crosswalk after the flashing signal begins, given one can cross safely before time runs out
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - After a three-year hiatus as an entrepreneur and business owner, Josh Van Manen is rejoining Fifth Third Bank as a senior vice president and commercial relationship manager in the bank's Grand Rapids office.

"In this role, Van Manen will focus on profitable business development as well as monitoring the quality of an extensive existing portfolio of companies with annual gross sales of at least $20 million," according to a Jan.1 news release issued by Fifth Third Bank.

Earlier in his career, Van Manen spent 14 years as a relationship manager and eventually became managing director of Fifth Third's Structured Finance Group based in Denver, Colorado.

Van Manen developed and co-launched the bank's Sponsor Leveraged Finance Group, which is focused on wholesale lending opportunities with financial sponsors that invest in companies with $50 to $500 million in revenue.

Fifth Third Bank is the fifth largest banking entity in Michigan with total deposits of $17 billion, according to recent filings with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Fifth Third is West Michigan's largest banking entity, with 19 offices and $2.9 billion in deposits in Kent County.

Van Manen attended Grand Valley State University and graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas where he earned a bachelor's in finance and entrepreneurship.
DETROIT -- Former Detroit Deputy Police Chief Celia Washington admits she accepted a bribe of more than $3,000 from towing magnate Gasper Fiore, who is a key target in a wide-ranging municipal corruption probe.

The plea agreement entered into court records Tuesday, however, seems to include contradicting accounts of the crime.

While Washington admits she violated the law when she accepted an envelope containing between $3,000 and $4,000 in cash from Fiore, who intended the money to ensure more business for his companies, Washington also "maintains that she accepted the money from (Fiore) as a loan, which she intended to pay back," the plea deal says.

Washington "further maintains that when she accepted the money from (Fiore), she never intended to assist (Fiore) ... and she did not do so."

But according to federal prosecutors, "Washington assisted in issuing a police towing rotation list that continued to allow Fiore to violate the city's towing rules and that significantly benefited Fiore's companies."

Based on the plea agreement, Washington, who worked as a legal adviser to Detroit Police Chief James Craig from 2015 until her resignation in June 2017, could serve between 18 months and two years in prison, followed by up to three years supervised release.

She'll also be forced to pay restitution and a fine up to $250,000.

UPDATE: Former Detroit police official Celia Washington cops a plea with feds, insists she didn't help tow titan Gasper Fiore despite receiving $3,000. She "made a mistake," attorney says https://t.co/Ah6QiYXwLU @detroitnews pic.twitter.com/1lcwnd7hBx  Robert Snell (@robertsnellnews) December 29, 2017

Her lawyer, Arnold Reed, told the Detroit Free Press that Washington made one mistake and accepted a "relatively small amount of money" from towing company owner Gasper Fiore, knowing he wanted something in return. Reed said Washington never helped the Fiore.

"From her perspective, they were friends, good friends ... But he was trying to get something out of her," Reed told the newspaper.

Fiore, who owns Boulevard and Trumbull Towing, a large Detroit contractor, entered into a plea agreement earlier this month with the U.S. Attorney's Office. He was to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and serve 1 1/2 to 2 years in prison with up to three years of supervised release and $250,000 in fines.

Full Washington plea deal:

Fiore admits he attempted to bribe Clinton Township Trustee Dean Reynolds in exchange for lucrative municipal contracts. Reynolds is facing a charge of theft or bribery concerning federally funded programs.

The federal investigation ensnared several officials and took down Charles Rizzo and his son Chuck Rizzo of Rizzo Environmental Services. The younger Rizzo admitted he paid Reynolds about $50,000 and provided free legal services in order to influence or reward Reynolds for his help securing an extension of a Clinton Township trash hauling contract. He also paid former Macomb Township Trustee Clifford Freitas, also charged with bribery.

Charles Rizzo pleaded guilty this month to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for a failed embezzlement scheme involving the purchase of Dumpsters and garbage trucks, according to federal court records.
FLINT, MI - A mother accused of penetrating her two-year-old son with a foreign object before beating him to death may be eligible to be taken off the state's sex offender registry, an appeals court has ruled.

Issued Thursday, Dec. 28, the unpublished opinion from the Michigan Court of Appeals states that Genesee County Circuit Judge Geoffrey L. Neithercut did not follow proper procedure when ordering Crystal L. Shelton-Randolph to register as a lifetime sex offender and wear a monitoring tether if she is ever paroled from prison, and thus must reconsider the sentence.

In December 2015, Neithercut sentenced Shelton-Randolph to 15 to 50 years behind bars after pleading no contest to a second-degree murder charge for the death of her two-year-old son, Jordan Shelton. The child's death came roughly two months after the death of Jordan's twin sister, Ja'Mya Shelton.

A no contest plea is not an admission of guilt, but it is treated as such during sentencing.

Initially charged with first-degree felony murder, first-degree child abuse and first-degree criminal sexual conduct after authorities were dispatched to her Evergreen Regency apartment in 2013 for a report of a toddler not breathing, Shelton-Randolph, 27, struck a plea agreement in with the Genesee County Prosecutor's office, dismissing the child abuse and criminal sexual conduct charges against her.

Despite the dismissal of the criminal sexual conduct charge before sentencing, Neithercut ordered Shelton-Randolph to lifetime registration on the state's sex offender registry and ordered her to wear a monitoring tether if she is ever paroled from prison.

However, because the mother pleaded to a second-tier offense rather than first, she was not immediately eligible to be registered as a sex offender, the appeals court ruled.

Rather, the sentencing judge must state on court record that Shelton-Randolph's offense falls under a "catchall provision," showing that:

The defendant must have been convicted of a state-law violation or a municipal ordinance violation,

The violation must, "by its nature," constitute a "sexual offense,"

And the victim of the violation must be under 18 years of age.

"Although at the motion hearing the trial court stated that there was 'evidence of sexual abuse,' this declaration came after sentencing and does not provide an adequate explanation of why the court determined that the catchall provision applied," the appeals court opinion said. "The trial court shall hold a hearing to determine whether (Shelton-Randolph) must register as a sex offender pursuant to the catchall provision."

State sentencing guidelines called for a minimum sentence as low as 13.5 years for Shelton-Randolph, but in court, Neithercut said the woman needed to be sentenced to prison for a long period of time.

"What you have done shocks the community," Neithercut told Shelton-Randolph. "I hope it shocks you with reflection."

In November 2013, authorities were dispatched to an apartment at the Evergreen Regency apartment complex for a report of a toddler not breathing.

When emergency crews arrived, Shelton-Randolph was administering CPR to Jordan, according to police. The child was transported to Hurley Medical Center and pronounced dead.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said previously the child died from blunt force trauma.

A plea agreement called for the child abuse and criminal sexual conduct charges to be dismissed. Police said there was evidence of a foreign object being used to penetrate the child and that the injuries were fresh.

Part of the plea agreement also included handing the children's remains over to the twins' grandmother and her family.

Jordan's death came roughly two months after the death of his twin sister, Ja'Mya Shelton.

Police also responded to calls from the Evergreen Regency apartment in September 2013 after Ja'Mya was found not breathing and without a pulse. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Ja'Mya had no noticeable injuries and was treated earlier in the day for a breathing problem.

A medical examiner initially ruled the girl's cause of death as undeterminable, but later ruled it a homicide from asphyxia due to suffocation after a second investigation following the death of the girl's twin brother.

Prosecutors filed a second felony murder and child abuse charge against Shelton-Randolph after she allegedly admitted to covering her daughter's mouth and pinching her nose.

However, the charges were eventually dismissed after former Flint District Judge Tracy Collier-Nix ruled there was not enough evidence for Shelton-Randolph to face trial on the girl's death. Genesee Circuit Judge Judith A. Fullerton upheld Collier-Nix's ruling after prosecutors appealed the decision.

During the 2015 sentencing hearing, Shelton-Randolph and her attorney, Philip Beauvais, pointed to possible trauma from previous abuse from the children's father as motivation for Jordan's murder.

"My incarceration started long before I ever made it to the Genesee County Jail," Shelton-Randolph said during the hearing. "I've been a prisoner emotionally and mentally ... by the trauma of my past abuse inflicted by my children's biological father."
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A former teacher accused of slitting his wife's throat pleaded no contest to assault with intent to murder.

James Philip Chelekis, 32, who taught at Kentwood Public Schools, also pleaded guilty to two charges of first-degree criminal-sexual conduct for a sexual relationship with a student.

The charges carry potential life sentences.

He is no longer with the school district.

Chelekis entered the pleas on Tuesday, Jan. 2, when he was scheduled for trial in Kent County Circuit Court. Judge Paul Sullivan set sentencing for Jan. 23.

Chelekis is held on $1 million bond.

Amanda Chelekis filed for divorce less than a month after the June 27 stabbing at their home on Oakvale Drive SW in Wyoming, court records show.

Wyoming police responded just before 5:50 a.m. and found the victim's throat had been slit from one side to the other. James Chelekis told police he armed himself with a knife during an argument before she fell during a struggle, which led to her throat being cut.

She told police that he tried to kill her. She had defensive wounds to her hands that were consistent with her being attacked, police said in court records.

The couple's two children were home but not aware of the attack.

During the stabbing investigation, police learned that James Chelekis had a sexual relationship with a then-14-year-old Kentwood schools student.

The student told authorities she had a sexual relationship with Chelekis for one and a half years.

Police said photos and text messages confirmed the relationship.

Police said the stabbing victim did not know about her estranged husband's relationship with the teen until days after the attack.

James Chelekis was a math teacher at Crestswood Middle School. He had worked for the Kentwood district for six years.
WYOMING, MI -- The family of a mother of five children entered the new year in mourning following a shooting at the woman's home in Wyoming.

Irene Perez, 34, said her sister, Leticia "Letii" Vela, was the 25-year-old woman killed early Monday, Jan. 1, in the 2100 block of Lee Street SW. Police have not released her name as of Tuesday, Jan. 2.

Perez said her sister will be remembered as a loving and caring mother, sister, aunt and friend.

"She would to anything for anybody without expecting anything in return," Perez said. "She lived for her babies. She moved here about four years ago to give her kids a better life. She was a good mom."

Police were dispatched around 4:45 a.m. Monday to a report of a shooting. Officers arrived to find a woman who had been shot, and later pronounced her dead at the scene.

A K-9 track led to the arrest of a 37-year-old man, who police said lived with the victim. He was interviewed by investigators and remains in custody at the Kent County Jail as of Tuesday morning.

Police have not identified the man, but said he lived with the victim.

"We were all having some drinks, laughing and enjoying our time that night listening to music to bring in the new year," Perez said in a phone interview this morning. "Maybe he had too much to drink. From what I understand, they argued and he shot her. By the time we got back there, she was gone."

Officers recovered a gun at the home. Police previously said there is no indication of other suspects being involved in the incident. The case is being investigated as a homicide.

Vela was born and raised in Saginaw as one of seven children. Her sister said she moved to the Grand Rapids area four years ago, and had since convinced some of her family to move west with her.

"She loved her family so much and would do anything for us," Perez said. "She got us all to move out here to have better lives and to raise our kids somewhere safe."

Vela held various jobs, at times multiple at the same time, to provide for her family. Most recently she was hired at a local gas station.

She spent much of her free time with her family, often taking her children to the park to play or fish. Perez said that her younger sister didn't like to bait the hook, but enjoyed sharing the experience with her sons and nephews.

Vela's children -- ages 8, 7, 4, 2 and 1 -- are now being cared for by her mother and siblings. The family has created a GoFundMe page to assist in paying for Vela's funeral arrangements.

"We weren't prepared, she didn't have insurance," Perez said. "We're just trying to take her back home to Saginaw to be buried with our family. We want to take her back home."
GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Grand Rapids Public Schools cancelled a public hearing Friday, Dec. 29, about applying to become a Michigan Promise Zone to offer students free college tuition, after a notification error was confirmed.

Prior to Christmas, there was still some uncertainty about whether the district had met all state requirements and a second, precautionary public hearing was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 16.

This will now be the only hearing and special school board meeting on the issue. The board will vote on a Promise Zone resolution. Officials must submit their request to the Department of Treasury at least 30 days after the hearing/meeting.

The 5:30 p.m. meeting will be in the administration building, 1331 Franklin St. SE.

"Superintendent Teresa Weatherall Neal said we are going to do this by the book to ensure we are in full compliance with the law and cancelled the Dec 29 hearing,'' said John Helmholdt, GRPS communications director.

A Grand Rapids designation would provide students who graduate from any high school within the district boundaries - public, private or charter -- a scholarship to attend at least a two-year community college tuition free or four-year university.

Helmholdt said the information provided to district representatives from the Attorney General's office was "pretty clear and specific about public notification process."

He said the public hearing notice must be posted 20 days prior to the vote on the resolution and they were off a day.

Legislation signed by Gov. Rick Snyder in November expanded the Promise Zones, increasing the prospect of free college tuition for students in 15 instead of 10 communities.

There is a sense of urgency to get in the request because Treasury certifies Promise Zones on a first come, first served basis and Grand Rapids is vying for a new slot.

However, Mason County Board of Commissioners is holding a public hearing Jan. 9, regarding establishing a Promise Zone and could submit before GRPS.

There are 10 zones currently. Flint has secured one of the remaining five spots. Forest Park School District, Covert Public School District and the city of River Rouge have been on the waiting list since 2009.

Treasury is currently determining if all three entities remain interested in pursuing a zone.

To be eligible, the entity seeking to establish a zone must meet or exceed the state average poverty level for families with children under 18.

According to the Treasury, only students who live in the designated zone and graduate from a high school in that zone are eligible for scholarships under the law.

Officials say that means students living within a Promise Zone but attending school in another district such as through Schools of Choice are not eligible for scholarships, nor are students who attend school in the district but live in another community.

Newayo County and Muskegon Area Intermediate School District have the only West Michigan Promise Zones. For the full list, visit the Treasury website.
(Daytona Niles | MLive.com file photo)

By Justin P. Hicks | jhicks3@mlive.com

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Grand Rapids had 13 confirmed homicides in 2017.

It marked the highest total since 2013 when there were 17 such cases, but remains below the city's 20-year average of about 15 homicides per year.

The first four homicides of the year occurred within three weeks in March, followed by one homicide case per month through November.

No murder charges have been brought forward in nine of the 13 homicides, which all remain open investigations for the Grand Rapids Police Department. Four cases have resulted in charges being brought against the suspect, including one conviction.

Of the 13 deaths, 12 were the result of a shooting, with the remaining case being a stabbing.

Below is a status report for each of this year's homicide cases.

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Isaac Miguel

When: Before 1:50 a.m. Friday, March 10

Where: Outside a residence in the 800 block of Sheffield Street SW

Victim: Isaac Miguel, 62, was stabbed. He died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: Wellington Cortorreal, 41

The case: Police said Cortorreal called 911 to say he stabbed someone. On scene, officers located the suspect with a knife in his hand, and took him into custody without incident.

On May 2, Cortorreal was found incompetent to stand trial for open murder. District Judge Jennifer Faber ordered the man to go through counseling and treatment as recommended by the Michigan Department of Mental Health. He has 15 months to return to a level of competency that would allow him to stand trial.

Cortorreal is due back in court Jan. 11 for a status conference.

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Laurie Kay Lundeberg

When: Before 1 a.m. Saturday, March 18

Where: Outside a residence in the 400 block of Lincoln Avenue NW

Victim: Laurie Kay Lundeberg, 51, was shot. She died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: No arrests made.

The case: Police were dispatched to the area where Lundeberg was killed after receiving a report of multiple gunshots being heard. On arrival, they located her body outside the residence where she lived for at least 20 years.

This case remains an open investigation with no suspects arrested.

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Kiara Carter

When: Before 7 p.m. Monday, March 20

Where: Inside an apartment on the 800 block of Kalamazoo Avenue SE

Victim: Kiara Carter, 18, was shot. She died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: Cleo Malik Nelson, 16

The case: Police were responding to a report of a shooting when they arrived at the apartment. Several people inside the apartment at the time of the shooting fled before police arrived. During their investigation, officers identified some of those present for the shooting. They also learned that Carter was at the apartment to do someone's hair when the incident occurred.

On June 9, police arrested Nelson in the 900 block of Sheridan Avenue SW for being a juvenile probation absconder. He pleaded guilty to felony manslaughter, and admitted in court to accidentally shooting Carter while wielding an AK-47 rifle that he had removed a loaded clip from.

Nelson was sentenced Oct. 19 to eight to 15 years in prison. He was charged as an adult.

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Wesley Arthur Carroll

When: Around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 29

Where: Outside a residence in the 100 block of Putnam Street SW

Victim: Wesley Arthur Carroll, 52, was shot. He died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: No arrests made.

The case: Police were investigating a report of gunshots being heard in the area when they located a shooting victim later identified as Carroll.

This case remains under investigation, and no suspects have been arrested.

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Barry Roger Cooper

When: Around noon Wednesday, April 19

Where: In the 600 block of Letellier SW

Victim: Barry Roger Cooper, 54, was shot. He died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: Derin Michael Stephens-Roy, 24

The case: Police responded to a report of a man on the ground not breathing in the 600 block of Letellier SW. The man was located with blood on his face. Later, the Kent County medical examiner ruled the death a homicide by gunshot.

On April 24, Stephens-Roy was arraigned on charges of open murder and felony firearm in connection to Coopers death. After undergoing a psychiatric evaluation, he was found competent to stand trial, and waived his preliminary hearing in district court.

Stephens-Roy is due in Kent County Circuit Court on Feb. 12 for a status conference.

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Courtesy photo | Celeste Azul

D'Andre Bullis Sr.

When: Around 4:30 pm. Friday, May 5

Where: Outside a business on Grandville Avenue SW near High Street

Victim: D'Andre Bullis Sr., 23, was shot. He died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: Andy Gonzalez, 22

The case: Police were dispatched to a shooting in front of D'Rosy Salon on Grandville Avenue SW. During the incident, Bullis Sr. was fatally shot in the head, while his cousin, Manuel Villarreal, 26, was shot in the right leg and right foot. The shooter fled the scene, but was arrested and booked at the Kent County Jail the following day.

Villarreal testified against Gonzalez during a probable cause conference on May 16. He suggested the shooting was gang-related, and said he thought a fist fight was going to ensue between his cousin and two men in a nearby vehicle. The alleged shooter's accomplice, Miguel Perez-Garcia, 19, was charged with lying to a police officer.

Gonzalez was scheduled for a hearing Sept. 25 in Circuit Court, but it was adjourned. His jury trial is set to begin March 26.

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Demond Bridgeforth

When: Around 4:05 p.m. Saturday, June 10

Where: Outside Central Seventh Day Adventist Church near Sheldon Avenue SE and Oakes Street

Victim: Demond Bridgeforth, 28, was shot. He died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: No arrests made.

The case: Police found Bridgeforth unresponsive after he was shot in the area of 72 Sheldon Ave. SE. Due to a 2011 shooting, the victim had been paralyzed and used a wheelchair to get around.

The case remains under investigation, and no charges have been brought in the case.

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Larry Moore

When: Around 3:32 a.m. Sunday, July 16

Where: In the area of Bates Street SE and Henry Avenue SE

Victim: Larry Moore, 29, was shot. He died at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital. (Pictured above)

Suspect: No arrests made for murder charge.

The case: Police were dispatched to a report of gunshots heard on the city's southeast side. Officers found multiple bullet casings but no victims. Within minutes of arrival, they were notified by hospital personnel that a man arrived via private vehicle after being shot in the shoulder. He died a short time later.

This case remains under investigation. Two men have been arrested and charged as a result of the homicide investigation, though neither was charged directly with Moore's death, according to police.

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Courtesy photo | Ronnie Koppenhofer

Asonte Koppenhofer-Smart

When: Around 12:20 a.m. Friday, Aug. 11

Where: In a vehicle in the 800 block of Dickinson Street SE

Victim: Asonte Koppenhofer-Smart, 21, was shot. He died at St. Mary's Hospital. (Pictured above)

Suspect: No arrests made.

The case: Police located Koppenhofer-Smart, who suffered a gunshot wound to his upper torso. Officers believe he was in his vehicle when shots were fired at him. He was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, where he later died.

No further information has been released. The incident remains under investigation, and no suspects have been charged in this case.

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Sergio De Lucas and Miguel Diego Lucas

When: Early Saturday, Sept. 9

Where: In the area of South Division Avenue and Graham Street SW.

Victim: Sergio De Lucas, 27, (pictured above), and Miguel Diego Lucas, 23, were both shot. Both died at the scene.

Suspect: No arrests have been made.

The case: Police responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash in the area of Division Avenue and Graham Street. On scene, they located an SUV that crashed into trees in the area.

Officers located Sergio De Lucas inside the vehicle. He sustained a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. A short distance away, officers located Miguel Lucas in a Big Save parking lot. He was also dead with a gunshot wound.

Autopsies determined both victims were killed by gunshots, and that the manners of their deaths were ruled as homicides. No arrests have been made in relation to this case.

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Daran Adams-Jackson

When: Before 9 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22

Where: Inside residence at Cambridge Square Apartments, 1800 block of Mason Street NE.

Victim: Daran Adams-Jackson, 22, was shot. He died at the scene. (Pictured above)

Suspect: No arrests have been made.

The case: Police were dispatched to Cambridge Square Apartments after receiving report of an unresponsive man. They arrived on scene to find Adams-Jackson dead of a gunshot wound. An autopsy determined that the manner of death was a homicide.

The case remains under investigation. Police have not reported any arrests, and no suspect description has been released.

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Mike Clark | MLive.com

Gerald Love

When: Before 9:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13

Where: In the 400 block of Crawford Street SE

Victim: Gerald Love, 46, was shot. He died at a nearby hospital.

Suspect: No arrests have been made.

The case: Police were dispatched to a report of gunshots heard in the 400 block of Crawford Street SE. Upon arrival, officers located Love in the street with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital, where he died. Love's family later said he was on a service call for his towing company, Brother Love's Towing, when he was gunned down.

The case remains under investigation. Police said they don't believe the shooting was random, but have not reported any arrests.

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KENTWOOD, MI -- Just before the end of the year, Kent County officials lit a new flare in the sky above its closed Kentwood Landfill.

It is the second such flare installed at the site, and represents a major expansion of the system designed to capture and monitor methane gas seeping from beneath the ground of the 72-acre property. The Kent County Department of Public Works, which is responsible for managing the former landfill, announced the completion of the $1 million project in a Dec. 29 press release.

"Work at the site progressed as expected and the new flare is now activated," Molly Sherwood, environmental compliance manager at Kent County DPW, said in a statement. "Our project team is confident that this expansion will serve the site well to control the methane that is migrating outside the boundaries of the landfill."

Prompted by detection of methane migrating outside the perimeter of the facility last year, work began in August to expand methane collection, containment and monitoring at the site. The movement of methane gas outside the borders of the property was especially concerning because the decades-old landfill is now nearly surrounded by neighborhoods and municipal buildings.

Methane, which occurs naturally in landfills, is non-toxic and dissipates quickly when exposed to air. But the gas is flammable, specifically when trapped in closed-in spaces.

In fall 2017, the county began work installing 18 new gas collection wells at the landfill's western edge, ranging in depth from 15 to 106 feet, and eight new monitoring wells. The collection wells capture and divert methane migrating toward the edge of the property, using the flare system to burn off the potentially explosive gas.

The the county's initial plan called for work to begin in March, but various delays pushed back the project start until late August. The $1 million project, funded through revenue collected through the county's solid waste surcharge, was completed before the end of the year.

Once an open dump dating back to the 1940s, the 72-acre landfill located at 4900 Walma Drive SE was closed in 1976. One of 65 Superfund sites in Michigan, it is now managed by the Kent County Department of Public Works and monitored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the state Department of Environmental Quality.

Officials detected methane moving outside the perimeter of the facility in August 2016. The county later developed a plan to recapture the escaping gas and issued notices to 150 properties in the surrounding area.

Though potential methane exposure to homes in the area around the old landfill is a new concern, the issue in general is nothing new.

Methane was identified outside the landfill perimeter in 2009, when the new library building was being planned for at 4950 Breton Road SE.

Related: Membrane beneath new library will keep out gases from landfill

The Kentwood City Commission spent $45,000 on a polymer membrane designed to bar methane and radon gas from entering the building.

After the methane was detected again in 2016, residents expressed concern about the dangerous gas seeping into their homes and their water supply during a public meeting held on Aug. 31.

The Kent County Department of Public Works reports that voluntary testing in nine nearby residences and weekly monitoring in city of Kentwood facilities bordering the property have shown no intrusion of the methane inside the structures.

The county continues to offer local homeowners within 1,500 feet of the landfill's western boundary free methane testing through a third party, available by calling 616-632-7920. More information about the Kentwood Landfill can be found on Kent County's website at www.accesskent.com/kentwoodlandfill.
ADA, MI -- Spectrum Health will officially open its newest integrated care campus in Ada this week.

The new Integrated Care Campus at 7128 Fulton St. E., will open to patients on Monday, Jan. 8.

The public can tour the nearly $10 million facility during an open house from 5 - 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4.

The new 24,000-square foot facility will provide coordinated health services to the Ada community, said Tina Freese Decker, Spectrum Health's chief operating officer.

"Our patients have told us they want access to quality health care in their neighborhoods, and we are proud to open this wonderful new facility to serve the needs of those living in Ada and the surrounding communities," Decker said.

The new two-story facility will provide patients with primary care, pediatrics, women's health services, radiology, lab and outpatient rehabilitation.

In addition, occupational health services currently located within the neighboring Amway facilities will now be available in the ICC.

This is the seventh ICC Spectrum Health has constructed in the past 5 years. Others are located in Holland, Ionia, North Muskegon, Rockford and Grand Rapids.

The campus was designed and constructed by West Michigan firms, Dixon Architecture and Erhardt Construction.

The 12-hospital West Michigan health care system has 180 ambulatory and service sites.
A train on Ethiopia-Djibouti railway. By Li Zhiwei

Johannesburg (Peoples Daily)  A ceremony commemorating the launch of the Ethiopia-Djibouti electric railway was held today at Labu Station in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Stretching 470 miles and reaching speeds of up to 75 miles per hour, the train will reduce travel time from three days to twelve hours between the Ethiopian capital and the Red Sea port in Djibouti.

The $4.2 billion project was built by the China Civil Engineering Construction Company and the China Railway Group. The railway is the first electric train of its kind in the region.

The East African train is a landmark infrastructure achievement between China and the two countries.

Over the past decade, China has played a crucial role in developing railway transportation in parts of Africa, providing smaller nations with a much-needed boost to achieve regional integration.
PARMA, MI - Parma Elementary School students cheered residents of Faith Haven Senior Care Center with blankets they tied.

The 70 blankets were delivered by students on Friday, Dec. 15. Along with the blankets, students also handed out 70 stockings they stuffed with gifts.

Students also sang Christmas carols and talked with residents during this service-learning field trip.

"They learned that the true meaning of Christmas is to give and help others," teacher Stephanie Routh said.

The project was supported by Jackson Community Federal Credit Union, JoAnn Fabric and Crafts and Save Time Laundromat.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- Amtrak will offer compensation to passengers on a train that was delayed for more than 12 hours at various stops between Chicago and Pontiac, a company spokesman said.

Nearly 150 passengers were on the train that left at 8:25 p.m. on Dec. 31, more than two hours late, from Chicago, and faced multiple delays in Michigan, Amtrak has said.

The train and its passengers reached the destination in Pontiac at 1:42 p.m. on Jan. 1, more than 12 hours late.

The company said it will reach out to each customer who was on the train to open a customer relations case, which is pretty routine for the company, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said.

Correspondence with passengers is dependent on the contact information passengers left with Amtrak, he said. Amtrak will ask passengers what went well on the trip, and what could be improved, he said.

"Some might seek a refund, some might seek a credit for a future trip," he said.

The delay, lasting more than 12 hours total, was an unusual occurrence, he said, but pointed out that trains had power, and people had access to food and restrooms. He said Amtrak employees purchased food for passengers and began comping food and beverages on the train as it made its way across Michigan.

The weather was also unusual and contributed to the delay, he said. The company will look for reasons for the delay and determine what to do to avoid a similar situation in the future, he said.

The train delays were caused by an engine failure in Chicago, and a weather-related switching issue near New Buffalo. Relieving crews caused delays in both Kalamazoo and Albion, Amtrak said previously.

Passenger David Arnsdorf told WWJ he was frustrated and plans on not taking Amtrak trains in the future. He was on the train when it left Chicago, he told WWJ, and didn't arrive home in Ann Arbor until 12:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 1. He wants to be reimbursed for his ticket, according to the report.

"It's certainly not the expectation that lives up to what we and MDOT want to have for this service," Magliari said about the holiday delays.

Passengers on the train should ask Amtrak for what they think is fair, he said.

"We don't want to lose them as future customers," he said.

"There will definitely be compensation and apologies offered to each of the people we are able to reach," he said.
OSHTEMO TOWNSHIP, MI -- Residents of an apartment complex displaced by a fire on New Year's Eve may be able to return home today, Oshtemo Township Fire Chief Mark Barnes said.

Flames broke out about shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31 in a three-story Seville Apartments building at the corner of KL Avenue and Drake Avenue.

Barnes said many of the residents of the 11 occupied units were not home when the fire started, but management of the complex made calls to let them know.

The American Red Cross assisted with helping those who were displaced, Barnes said. The fire chief said he was hoping most of the residents will be able to reenter their apartments Tuesday, Jan. 2.

The fire began in the kitchen area of a top-floor apartment and extended into the attic. Barnes said the cause is believed to be cooking related.

He said the fire was knocked down about 15 to 20 minutes.

A lot of water was put into the attic, and Barnes said the units could not be occupied because of water in the insulation. A concern was that other ceilings could collapse. Only one unit sustained fire damage.

The building contains 22 units, but is split in half. Residents of the units on the other side of the building were able to re-enter the night of the fire.

A representative with Seville Apartments could not be reached Tuesday to confirm when residents would be able to return to their units.
PORTAGE, MI -- Residents escaped their burning mobile home through a bedroom window, the Portage Department of Public Safety reports.

Officers responded at 11:36 a.m. Monday, Jan. 1, to a mobile home on fire at 5147 Yarmouth Avenue.

Heavy fire and smoke were present on the front two thirds of the home that officials believe was occupied by two adults and six teenagers, officials said in a news release.

"A teenager alerted the family of a fire in the living room forcing the family to escape through a bedroom window at the rear of the trailer," the Portage Department of Public Safety news release states.

A neighbor assisted the family out of the window or windows, police said.

One adult and one teenage suffered minor injuries that required transport to the hospital, officials said.

The fire was contained within 35 minutes of arrival and fire crews were on scene for about three hours performing suppression, ventilation, overhaul, salvage, and investigation.

The cause of the fire in under investigation by the Fire Marshal and the estimated loss is valued at $11,000.

Comstock Fire Department and the Portage Police Division assisted the Portage Department of Public Safety Fire Division personnel at the scene. Pride Care ambulance provided emergency care and transport to the family.

Texas Fire Department, Oshtemo Fire Department, and off duty Portage Fire personnel assisted staffing city fire stations during the fire.

No injuries were reported to bystanders or emergency workers.

No smoke detectors that activated were reported, according to the news release.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- The downtown AMC movie theater is closed after a frozen pipe burst, causing damage inside the building, according to a company spokesman.

The Kalamazoo AMC Portage Street 10, located at 180 Portage Street, was closed Dec. 31 for a frozen/burst pipe.

It will remain closed Monday, Jan. 1, Tuesday, Jan. 2, and possibly longer, AMC Spokesman Ryan Noonan said by email.

"We've canceled shows for today and tomorrow and will reassess our opening timeline later this week," he said Monday night.

The web site for the theater states, "We apologize for the inconvenience, this theatre is temporarily closed."

There are no showtimes currently listed for the theater.

Kalamazoo experienced temperatures below zero this week including -11 recorded on Dec. 31, according to the National Weather Service.

The theater opened in November in the space formerly occupied by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema before it closed in April.
MOUNT PLEASANT, MI - Police are looking for a clothing bandit in Mid-Michigan.

According to the Isabella County Sheriff's Office, a man is wanted for taking several garments from a Mount Pleasant apartment complex's community dryer area around 7:40 p.m. on Dec. 27. Police did not name the complex but said it was on Deerfield Road.

The suspect, also seen in the photo above, is described as a 6-foot white male with a medium build and dark hair. He has a tattoo on the left side of his neck and was wearing a gray quilted North Face coat, dark shoes with white soles, possibly DC brand, dark gray pants and a navy-blue winter hat.

The suspect may have been driving a white car, possibly an Impala, police said. Anyone with information is asked to contact the ICSO at 989-772-5911.
DENVER -- A month before Matthew Riehl shot and killed a deputy and injured four others in Colorado, authorities were warned that Riehl was exhibiting signs of mental illness and could be a danger.

A series of social media posts made by Riehl raised enough concerns that police in Lone Tree, Colorado, were notified in mid-November about Riehl by a campus police at the Wyoming College of Law, according to the Associated Press.

Students had been warned about Riehl, a former student, in November and told that if he or his car were spotted on campus, they should contact campus police immediately because of social media posts critical of professors at the school.

Campus police eventually contacted police to warn them about Riehl in mid-November.

Riehl, an attorney and an Iraq war veteran, had also posted videos criticizing Colorado law enforcement officers in profane, highly personal terms, the AP reports.

Police were called to Riehl's apartment Sunday for a dispute between Riehl and someone else at the apartment building. However, responding deputies found no evidence of a crime and left before being called back to the scene.

Officers were given a key to the apartment and permission to enter, but once they walked in, officers said they were immediately under fire.

"They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type of attack on our officers," said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock.

Riehl killed deputy Zackari Parrish during the attack and also shot other officers before Riehl was shot and killed by an officer.
[January 02, 2018] Siyata Mobile Announces All 50 States Opt-In for United States FirstNet Public Safety Network MONTREAL, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siyata Mobile Inc. (the Company or Siyata) (TSX-V:SIM) (OTCQX:SYATF) is pleased to announce that on December 29, 2017, all 50 states opted-in for the FirstNet Band 14 Network, a monumental moment for public safety in the United States.

FirstNet was created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when New York first responders were hampered by inoperable communication networks. FirstNet is partnering with AT&T in building an LTE-based wireless network for public safety using AT&Ts existing LTE network alongside FirstNets 700 MHz spectrum, otherwise known as Band 14 and represents 20 MHz of highly desirable spectrum that provides good propagation in urban and rural areas. The First Responder Network Authoritys public-private partnership with AT&T provides first responders with immediate access to mission-critical capabilities over the FirstNet network. This includes priority and preemption features that give first responders their own fast lane on the public safety network to communicate and share information during emergencies, large events or other situations when commercial networks could become congested. Marc Seelenfreund, CEO and Chairman of Siyata Mobile, states, FirstNet will forever change the way first responders communicate and it should be applauded by the citizens of America. The launch of our Uniden UV350 in-vehicle cellular device coincides with the roll out of FirstNet, and greatly improves in-vehicle communication and safety during mission critical situations. As these hardware upgrades take place to be compatible on Band 14, we firmly believe the Uniden UV350 will be at the forefront of this paradigm shift in the industry. According to FirstNets press release issued December, 29, 2017 key milestones and activities planned for 2018 include but not limited to: Expanding the Network and Building Out Band 14: The First Responder Network Authority will issue work orders to deploy the RANs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the two opt-in territories in early 2018. This will give AT&T the green light to expand FirstNets footprint and deploy Band 14 capacity and coverage throughout the nation, proiding first responders with the bandwidth and mission critical connections they need to communicate, share information, and use innovative technologies every day and in every emergency.

The First Responder Network Authority will issue work orders to deploy the RANs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the two opt-in territories in early 2018. This will give AT&T the green light to expand FirstNets footprint and deploy Band 14 capacity and coverage throughout the nation, proiding first responders with the bandwidth and mission critical connections they need to communicate, share information, and use innovative technologies every day and in every emergency. Driving Public Safety Innovation: FirstNet will also unlock a new technology marketplace for public safety, enabling first responders to benefit from advancements in innovation. The FirstNet App store will be filling up with FirstNet-approved mobile apps that are optimized for public safety use over the first responder network. As previously announced on July 24, 2017 Siyata Mobile commenced device approval for the UV Uniden UV350 with a U.S. Tier 1 Cellular Operator. Additionally, Siyata recently secured a distribution agreement with CNM Wireless LLC, which provides distribution and logistics for wireless devices and accessories to a Tier 1 U.S. wireless operator exclusively, with which Siyata has commenced technical device approval. The flagship Uniden UV350 4G/LTE device is currently undergoing device approval with both Canadian and U.S. Tier 1 operators, and the Company aims to receive device approval from the carriers in Q1 and Q2 2018 respectively. According to a recent report by Inkwood Research, the global Public Safety and Security market is projected to grow to $537.20 billion by 2024 at a CAGR of 10.91 percent between 2016 and 2024. The report notes: Citizens and enterprises face continuous threats from cyber criminals, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. This has increased the demand for public safety and security solutions across the world. About Siyata Siyata Mobile Inc. is a leading global developer and provider of cellular communications systems for enterprise customers, specializing in connected vehicle products for professional fleets, marketed under the Uniden Cellular brand. Since developing the worlds first 3G connected vehicle device, Siyata has been a pioneer in the industry, launching the worlds first 4G LTE all-in-one fleet communications device in 2017. Incorporating voice, push-to-talk over cellular, data, and fleet management solutions into a single device, the company aims to become the connected vehicle communications device of choice for commercial vehicles and fleets around the world.

Siyata also offers rugged phones for industrial users and signal boosters for homes, buildings, and fleets with poor cell coverage. Siyatas customers include cellular operators, commercial vehicle technology distributors, and fleets of all sizes in Canada, the U.S., Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. Visit www.siyatamobile.com and http://www.unidencellular.com/ to learn more. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of: SIYATA MOBILE INC. Marc Seelenfreund

CEO and Chairman Investor Relations:

Arlen Hansen

Kin Communications

1-866-684-6730

SIM@kincommunications.com Sales Department:

Glenn Kennedy, VP Sales

Siyata Mobile Inc.

416-892-1823

glenn_kennedy@siyatamobile.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

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[January 02, 2018] The Telecommunications Industry and Retail of Devices in South Africa 2017 - Research and Markets The "The Telecommunications Industry and Retail of Devices in South Africa 2017" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering. Excluding broadcasting and postal services, the telecommunications industry was worth R148.8bn in 2016, with its value increasing by 1% year-on-year. The sector contributed 2.7% to GDP and employed 26,669 people, according to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA). The detailed report on the South African Telecommunications sector examines the key trends and developments in the sector over the last year and the market for mobile devices. Also discussed are the regulatory challenges facing the sector, particularly the revised plan for South Africa's broadband strategy, SA Connect, as well as the publication of the National Integrated ICT Policy. Profiles for 77 companies are provided. These include the three dominant companies in the mobile rena, Vodacom, MTN (News - Alert) and Cell C, as well as smaller firms such as FNB Connect and me&you which act as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). Also profiled are wholesalers and retailers of mobile devices including the largest non-network retailer of phones, PEP Stores, which sold more than 7 million handsets during 2016. Companies Mentioned 2C Telecoms (Pty) Ltd

A T C (Pty) Ltd

Afrihost (Pty) Ltd

Altron TMT (Pty) Ltd

Blue Label Telecoms Ltd

Broadband Infraco SOC Ltd

Business Connexion (Pty) Ltd

Celcom Group (Pty) Ltd

Cell C (Pty) Ltd

Cybersmart (Pty) Ltd

Dark Fibre Africa (Pty) Ltd

Datapro (Pty) Ltd

KNR Flatrock (Pty) Ltd

LG Electronics SA (Pty) Ltd

MRP Mobile (Pty) Ltd

MTN Group (News - Alert) Ltd

Metro Fibre Networx (Pty) Ltd

Microsoft (S A) (Pty) Ltd

Plessey (Pty) Ltd

Rain (Pty) Ltd

Reunert Ltd

Sentech SOC Ltd

Smart Village (Pty) Ltd

Strike Media (Pty) Ltd

Telemasters Holdings Ltd

Telkom SA SOC Ltd

Tellumat (News - Alert) (Pty) Ltd

Vodacom Group Ltd

Vumatel (Pty) Ltd

Wispa (Pty) Ltd For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/2rr6rn/the?w=4 View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005355/en/

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Tourists at the Great Wall. File Photo (Xinhua)

1. China and Other Countries Co-Launch Bilateral Tourism Year Programs, with Tourism Playing a Big Part in Public Diplomacy

On January 17, Chinese President Xi Jinping and President of the Swiss Confederation Doris Leuthard co-launched the China-Switzerland Tourism Year at Davos, followed by tourism year programs respectively between China and Australia, Denmark, ASEAN and Kazakhstan. Tourism has become a major part of public diplomacy.

(Source: global mainstream media)

2. Travel Continues Despite Terrorist Threats

On March 22, a terrorist attack near the Palace of Westminster in the UK resulted in five deaths and over 40 injuries. After that, the IPK International conducted a survey on terrorist threats and tourism in more than 20 tourist source markets across the world and found that the travel might be postponed, confined within ones national borders, or rescheduled from unsafe destinations to safe ones, but would continue anyway.

(Source: Travel Daily UK, Strait Times in Singapore)

3. Russia Allows E-Visa Holders to Enter Far East

As an effort to simplify the visa policy, the Russian government allows foreign visitors holding an electronic visa to travel to the Far East from August on. From January 1, 2018, the e-visa holders will be allowed to travel to not just the Free Port of Vladivostok, but also the Kamchatka Peninsula and Sakhalin Oblast.

(Source: Rossiiskaya Gazeta)

4. Caribbean Tourism Battered by Typhoon

On September 6, the typhoon Irma landed on Caribbean Islands, sweeping across many local tourist attractions and wreaking damages that were hard to recover in a short time. It also brings immeasurable loss to nearby tourist destinations such as Punta Cana, Cancun, Miami and Havana.

(Source: global mainstream media)

5. Zurab Pololikashvili Elected Secretary-General at the 22nd UNWTO General Assembly

From September 11 to 16, the 22nd General Assembly of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) was convened in Chengdu, China. It was the biggest general assembly in the UNWTOs history in terms of the number of delegates present. It elected Zurab Pololikashvili, former Georgian Ambassador to Spain, as its new Secretary-General.

(Source: www.eturbonews.com)

6. The World Tourism Alliance Established

On September 12, the World Tourism Alliance (WTA), initiated by China, was established. It is the worlds first global, non-governmental and non--profit tourism organization. Following the vision that Better Tourism, Better World, it aims at promoting economic development, poverty reduction and peace through tourism development, strengthening international tourism exchange, expanding consensus, sharing experience, deepening cooperation and facilitating sustainable, inclusive global tourism development.

(Source: http://www2.unwto.org/)

7. Chengdu Convenes B&R Tourism Ministerial Meeting

On September 13, the Tourism Ministers Meeting of Countries along the Belt and Road (B&R) was convened in Chengdu, China. It attracted the participation of tourism ministers from over 100 countries and regions, the heads of 41 international organizations and more than 1,000 delegates. It then issued the Chengdu Initiative on Tourism Cooperation along the Belt and Road. The number of Chinese tourists visiting other B&R countries and regions in 2017 is expected to exceed 25 million.

(Source: Jing Daily, etc.)

8. Chinese President Xi Calls for More Efforts to Promote the Toilet Revolution, Receiving Extensive World Attention

On November 21, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the nation to promote the Toilet Revolution nationwide, attracting extensive international attention. The move was reported and commented by global mainstream media including BBC, RFI, CNBC, Japanese Sankei, Zaobao, and The Economic Times of India. Chinas Toilet Revolution has been a media sensation across the globe.

(Source: global mainstream media)

9. Tourism Contributes to over 10% of Global GDP and Employment

At the Conference on Jobs and Inclusive Growth: Partnerships for Sustainable Tourism on November 27 in Jamaca, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) announced that: in 2016, the tourism revenue amounted to USD 7.6 trillion, accounting for 10.2% of the global GDP and the tourism industry hired 292 million people, accounting for 10% of the global workforce. It shows that tourism is playing a growing role in global economic development.

(Source: http://www2.unwto.org/)

10. The U.S. Bans Travelers from Six Muslim-majority Countries

On December 4, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to enforce the travel ban on six Muslim-majority countries, prohibiting the entry of travelers from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Chad into the U.S. On December 6, U.S. President Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital city of Israel, provoking widespread protests. The regional situation is still complex, casting shadow over global tourism development.

(This article is reprinted from the China Tourism News. Editors in charge: Dong Jing, Zhu Chuange)
Talking about the controversial National Medical Commission Bill, which was taken up by Parliament on Tuesday and referred to a parliamentary committee, Narayana Hrudalaya founder Dr Devi Prasad Shetty expressed concern about allowing aryuvedic doctors to practice allopathy.

"If they are allowed to prescribe some few basic drugs which is required to be given at a primary health centre in remote locations, I have absolutely no problems," he told CNBC-TV18 in an interview.

Dr Shetty said most components of the National Medical Commission Bill are progressive.

The Narayana Health Chairman also said that medical councils should not be dominated by doctors.

The National Medical Commission Bill aims to eliminate the Medical Council of India (MCI). Doctors across the country are protesting against the bill.

Below is a full transcript of the interview.

Ekta: If you could start by giving us your broad comments on what exactly do you think about the Medical Commission Bill and we now have news coming in that there will be a report which will now be submitted by the by the Budget session on it. So I do not think it is going to be debated in the parliament today.

A: The National Medical Commission Bill is essentially a new body which will replace the existing Medical Council with 25 member representatives. Most of them are doctors. Obviously, as a doctor practicing in India, I am also a bit apprehensive about some component, especially allowing the alternative medicine specialists to practice allopathy. I know it is not the intention of the government, but it has been somehow interpreted by quite a few of us as something which has to be clarified. So this is one of the main reasons why doctors are unhappy. Even I am very unhappy with that part. But most of the components of the commission is progressive and we need to change. We need to look at how do we produce millions of doctors what is required for our country.

Nigel: So what you are trying to say is that without those amendments that you are suggesting, you do not think the bill should go through? What is the likelihood of it going through in the current form?

A: I am not really looking at amendments, I am looking at the clarification from the government that ayurvedic doctors are not allowed to become allopathic doctors. This the only thing. If they are allowed to prescribe some few basic drugs which is required to be given at a primary health centre in remote locations, I have absolutely no problems.

Ekta: So the biggest point of contention for you is that for example, the Ayruveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (AYUSH) doctors, they should not be allowed to do a bridge course and then be allowed to practice modern medicine or allopathy. That is the key clause which you think is the most contentious in this?

A: Yes, it is a clause. They need to undergo a bridge course even to prescribe a few basic drugs. They need to undergo, but not to become allopathic doctors. But that was not the intention. I do not think anybody can imagine an ayurvedic doctor doing procedure like an allopathic doctor, even with a bridge course.

Ekta: In your interaction with government officials and maybe the president of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) etc. do you think that this clause will probably be rectified because there are some people who actually support it and say that the rural areas probably need more ayurvedic doctors and more doctors to practice regular medicine because general practitioners like yourself, do not venture into rural areas and hence there is underpenetration there?

A: If we have a sufficient number of doctors with allopathy practice, they are the ideal people to deliver healthcare in any part of the country. But unfortunately, we are short of two million doctors and it is very expensive and very difficult to produce that many doctors in short notice. It is not possible. So, next alternative is to empower somebody who has undergone a structure training programme may not be in our line, but give them a bridge course to prescribe some basic drugs for primary care  I am only talking about primary care  and if that is the intention, it is okay. But if the intention is to convert all the ayurvedic doctors as allopathic doctors like anybody else, that is unacceptable.

Ekta: That is one point. The other thing is that it also proposes abolishing the Medical Council of India and setting up another department for that which would include non-medical representation as well. Do you think that is a fair clause?

A: Across the world, in all the developed countries, the various councils governing medical practices have representatives from the civil society. It cannot be entirely 100 percent dominated by the doctors. In this body which is proposed, majority of them, other than three or four members, all the others are doctors, that too senior doctors who have reached some eminence. So it is not that it is a body which is totally made up of non-doctors controlling it.

Ekta: There is some contention with regards to the education part of it as well. We understand that there is going to be a final exam which is going to be taken by all MBBS doctors after they have passed their final exam already or licentiate exam if I am not mistaken. That seems to be a point of contention as well that we have already passed our final MBBS exam, why do we have one more final exam, after that? Do you think that is a fair clause considering that you are a well-qualified and well-entrenched surgeon as well?

A: All the graduating doctors of today are taking the exam. It is not called as an exit exam. It is called as National Eligibility cum Entrance Exam (NEET) for post graduate entrance exam. Essentially, instead of them appearing for two separate exams, for the post graduate admission, the test, this is one test which is like an exit exam. At the same time, it is will decide who is eligible to get post graduate seat. So no new exam has been added.

Ekta: So do you think that if this bill goes through without the clause of AYUSH doctors having that bridge course and starting to practice allopathy, would the IMA be okay with it if that clause is rectified?

A: I cannot speak on behalf of the IMA, but IMA definitely has a genuine apprehension and I expect the government to clarify it.
The government confirmed and finalised the issuance norms of electoral bonds on Tuesday, during the ongoing winter session of Parliament, reports CNBC TV-18.

Electoral bonds will be bearer bonds with a life of 15 days and will not carry the name of the payee. These will be interest-free banking instruments like promissory notes which can be encashed by political parties through specific branches of State Bank of India.

These bonds can be issued and purchased in multiples Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore through these select branches, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in the Lok Sabha.

The bonds can be bought during a 10-day window in the months January, April, July and October. An additional period Of 30 days will be specified in 2019, the year of general elections.

The purchaser will be allowed to buy bonds only if he or she has completed their Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and will be allowed to buy bonds only by making payment from a bank account.

These bonds will undergo five steps. First, the notified banks will be chosen, which as of now are select SBI branches. Then, the banks will issue the bonds. The bond can be bought via cheques or via digital payments. The donor will then have to specify the party of his or her choice within the specified period. Lastly, the party will deposit the bond in the bank account and the details will be stored with the Election Commission.
Rajat Bose of rajatkbose.com told CNBC-TV18, "I have two buy calls. One is on Bharat Heavy Electricals (BHEL) which I personally hold in my investment portfolio; that is a disclosure from my side. Put a stop loss below Rs 94.90, Rs 100 and Rs 101 are the two targets and the duration of both these calls would be up until the end of tomorrows trading session."

Cummins India is another buy. Rs 912 is the stop loss and Rs 931 and then Rs 939-945 would be the target. The stock is actually completing consolidation after a big move six trading sessions back when it climbed back up to Rs 960. That move could actually continue after this consolidation is over and there are certain signs that it might actually do so," he said.
Shivam Autotech is buzzing in trade. The stock is up 118 percent in one year and 43 percent in the last six months. In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Neeraj Munjal, Managing Director of the company discussed about what has got the stock buzzing.

The company is one of the largest manufacturers of gears in the country. Its major customer is Hero MotoCorp.

Recently the company invested Rs 200 crore in two new plants, one in Bengaluru and one in Rohtak. The Bangalore plant is focused on indigenisation of products for four-wheelers.

The company has also added customers like Maruti and Eicher Motors. Now the dependency has reduced and Hero MotoCorp is 70 percent of the total portfolio and 30 percent is other customers, which are going to ramp up next year with new investments, said Munjal.

We have invested in infrastructure and machinery so if the topline grows, the bottomline will also grow accordingly, he added.

Infrastructure wise we have done capex. Ramp up is going on with new and existing customers. The forecast for this year looks good, all our customers are pulling material, so there would be additional line balancing required, he further mentioned.

Total current debt of the company is around Rs 330 crore and average borrowing cost is around 9.5 percent, he said.

Speaking on growth, he said that he expects to see more than 15 percent growth in FY19 because new products and new projects are lined up.
UN Chief Antonio Guturres delivers his New Year's message to the world on December 31, 2017. Photo: AP

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wished everyone around the world a Happy New Year.

Guterres reminded the world of the conflicts that deepened and the new threats that emerged in 2017.

Global anxieties over nuclear weapons are the highest since the Cold War. Climate change is moving faster than we are. Inequalities are growing. We see horrific violations of human rights. Nationalism and xenophobia are on the rise, Guterres said.

He called for unity while looking ahead to 2018.

"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," he emphasized.

He urged leaders everywhere to make the following New Years resolution:

Narrow the gaps. Bridge the divides. Rebuild trust by bringing people together around common goals.
mployees walk along a corridor in the Infosys campus in Bangalore (Image: Reuters)

Salil Parekh took charge as managing director and chief executive of IT major Infosys today and said he is excited to lead the company at a time when technology is changing at a fast and disruptive pace.

On his first day at the corner-office, Parekh met some employees and toured the sprawling Infosys campus. He was even seen posing for a selfie with a few of them.

In a video address to employees, Parekh is said to have emphasised that each worker has a role to play in this "world of continuous technology disruption" and that they will have to be ready for the future, geared with necessary skills.

Parekh stated that he had met a few Infoscions and hoped that they can work together to accelerate the company's transformation.

Infosys, on its Twitter account, shared some pictures of the first day at work for Parekh.

In one of the pictures, he is seen posing against a backdrop with the familiar blue Infosys logo and a message that read "Welcome to Infosys, Salil".

In another photograph, the former Capgemini executive is seen interacting with some employees. A group of six also managed to get a selfie with the new CEO.

For Parekh, who has come on board for a tenure of five years, top priorities would include bringing back focus on revenue growth and business strategy.

His role will also be challenging considering that Infosys is trying to put behind the almost year-long public standoff between Infosys' high-profile promoters and the past leadership.

Some of the big tasks for Parekh will include driving growth amid increasing scrutiny in key markets like the US, retaining talent and skilling manpower on new-age technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Investors and market watchers will keenly wait for Parekh to spell out his strategy to spur growth for Infosys, which is slated to announce its third quarter financials on January 12.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra today addressed a joint session of the state legislature, outlining various achievements of the government, and hoped that the New Year would bring peace and enable development.

He urged lawmakers to make "some resolutions" in the New Year to advance the development of "our people and our state".

He said "let us resolve that from now onwards the problems faced in recent years" will not be allowed to become a baggage for the future, and added that the anxieties of the people will be replaced by aspirations of a prosperous future.

"I take this opportunity to wish all of you a very happy New Year and hope that 2018 shall be the harbinger of an era of peace which shall enable rapid growth and development of the state and foster harmonious social relations across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir," he told lawmakers.

He outlined the development-related programmes undertaken by the Union and the state governments.

"The major part of the Prime Minister's Development Package is dedicated to enhancing physical connectivity. The projects under the PMDP, upon implementation, will transform the infrastructural landscape of the state," he stressed.

The Union government was making a Rs 42,668 crore investment through the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways and the Ministry of Defence, and 19 projects have been approved, which include national highway projects, he said.

Some of the projects he mentioned included the Chenani- Nashri Tunnel, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year, and the JammuUdhampur Highway (completed).

He said the government was seized of the traffic problems in the capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu, and has initiated steps for structural changes to the landscapes of the cities.

To improve the traffic situation, Vohra said: "Unless the twin capital cities are decongested through appropriate detours, underpasses and flyovers, commuters would continue to face severe traffic jams, which would be unacceptable."

He said the government was making efforts to provide uninterrupted electricity to all registered consumers and to cover all un-electrified areas by 2019.

His address to the lawmakers also had a special mention of the devastating floods in 2014 in whcih more than 300 people died.

"The enormous damage done by the September 2014 floods cannot be forgotten. It reminds us of our systemic failure to appreciate the imperatives of flood management in the Valley and in the whole state," he said, adding that the government was committed to finding a permanent solution to the problem.

Vohra said a comprehensive flood management plan for river Jhelum has been devised and was under implementation.

To transform the state into a business hub, the state government has implemented 270 business reforms advised by the Union government, he said. "This has enormously improved our inter-state rankings. In a major shift, any new Industrial Unit in the state is presently being registered online".

He said that consistent with the national goals, the state government was working towards declaring all urban areas as Open Defecation Free (ODF) by March 31, 2018.

"It is a matter of serious concern that the contribution of agriculture and allied sectors to the Gross State Domestic Production has been steadily declined over the decades," he said.

"More recently, it has declined from 28.16 per cent in 2004-05 to 15.89 per cent in 2015-16. The government has decided to take steps to revive the agriculture sector. As a part of this renewed focus, steps are being taken to double the farmers' income by 2022, in line with the national target," he added.

He described the tourism sector as the "mainstay of our economy", citing data that around 1.2 million tourists, including over 26,000 foreigners, visited the state in 2017.

The governor said more than eight million pilgrims paid obeisance at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, while about 2.60 lakh yatris visited the Amarnath Shrine last year.

He praised the women of the state for being "stakeholders in furthering peace and development."

"Safety and security of our women is among the priorities of the government," he said.

On the return of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley, he said the Prime Minister's package has been a key initiative aimed at ensuring the return of Kashmiri Pandits.

Vohra said the government was committed to looking after the Kashmiri Pandits, who chose to stay when their brethren left the Valley during the period when militancy peaked.
Ports and shipping

India said today that it would be in China's interest that the shipping lanes in the Indian Ocean remain secure and asserted that the Indian Navy was keeping an eye on its key maritime areas.

In response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the Navy's deployments in the Indian Ocean have been "further structured" under the new mission-based deployment (MBD) concept.

He said China had operationalised its overseas base at Djibouti in August last year to provide operational turn around (OTR) facilities for ships on anti-piracy missions.

"China largely depends on the oil imports transiting through the Indian Ocean. It would be in China's interest that shipping lanes and traffic in the Indian Ocean remain secure," he said.

Bhamre said the Indian Navy maintains regular presence and surveillance in the maritime areas of its interest.

The Navy had operationalised a new 'mission-ready' plan for aggressive deployment of warships in critical sea lanes a few months back, seen as a move to check China's growing assertiveness in the Indian Ocean region. "At present, there is no information to suggest that China is exercising freedom of navigation operations in the Indian Ocean Region," said Bhamre.

In November, India had joined hands with the US, Japan and Australia to form a quadrilateral coalition to pursue common interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

To a separate question, Bhamre said government was aware of the urgent need for road infrastructure along the international borders in the country.

He said as per the operational requirement of the Army, 530 roads of length 22,803 km are identified for construction/improvement by Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
The finance ministry is not in favour of the Securities and Exchange Board of Indias proposal that listed companies should inform the stock exchanges as soon as they miss payment of monthly instalment on a term loan, sources told Moneycontrol.

The matter of disclosure of loan repayment defaults was discussed at the SEBI board last week.

The regulator had proposed that listed companies disclose a default on working capital loan within 30 days from the date of missing a payment, and that default on a term loan should be made within one working day.

With the finance ministry officials on the SEBI board not in favour of SEBIs proposed disclosure rule for term loan default, no decision was taken on defaults on either of the loans.

If a company misses a monthly repayment instalment, it is technically a default even though the bank will still treat that loan as a standard asset. It is only when the company does not make payments for three months in a row that the bank will have to classify the loan as a non-performing loan.

From a stock investors perspective, even a single miss on repayment is crucial information as it highlights the strain on the companys financials.

But banks and corporates argue that immediate disclosure of a loan instalment miss could aggravate what may be a temporary situation.

For instance, promoters routinely pledge shares and raise money. The disclosure of default to stock exchanges could trigger a sell-off in the stock. This could lead to promoters facing margin calls from the borrowers with whom they have pledged shares. An erosion in the value of the shares could narrow the promoters options to raise fresh funds. Also, a default may make other banks wary of lending to the promoters.

The finance ministrys worry is prompt disclosure of term loan defaults could harm banks  especially state-owned banks  which are just recovering from the NPA calamity that has hit the sector.

The finance ministry officials on the SEBI board proposed that disclosures of term loan defaults be made in a phased manner.

In the first phase, companies which had not paid the banks for 90 days be named, in the second phase, companies which have not paid banks for 60 days be named, and in the last phase, companies which have not paid banks for 30 days be named.

Also, the officials said that SEBI should first enforce the disclosure rules by credit rating agencies, approved in June.

Under the rules, the credit rating agency shall seek a no default statement from the issuer at the end of each month, stating that the issuer has not delayed on any payment of interest or principal in the previous month.

If the issuer fails to provide the statement, or mentions that it has delayed in repaying the bank, the credit rating agency will have to inform the stock exchanges within two days.

Bankers have reservations about immediate disclosures citing impact on other lenders for underwriting, credit and recovery decisions and on the corporates market position and commercial decisions thereafter.

A senior Bank of Baroda executive said, Many a time business requirements and situations change. So the cash flow mismatches are a common thing and we are not living in an ideal world, so maybe they need to define the default methods. It also hampers the underwriting processes for other loans as there is additional source of information which is good but raises more questions and corporates will be required to give explanations. However, I would say that the disclosure should be there but the immediate disclosure is practically a cumbersome process.

Another senior large public sector bank official also opposed the rush for immediate notification of default across banks. It (disclosure) is not required if there is a possibility of revival in the business. We should take a conscious call of calculating the risks. Ultimately disclosures to regulatory bodies becomes difficult to satisfy other lenders who have classified it as a performing loan at that time. It is a lengthy process of about 6 months to get the same status and position in the market. I think, the track record of the entrepreneur should also be looked at.

Moreover, in March 2017, the Reserve Bank of had submitted a list of large loan default cases (more than Rs 500 crore each) to the Supreme Court in a sealed envelope, this was in response to a public interest litigation on rising bad loans in the economy. Many experts pointed out the need to disclose the names publicly. However, the central bank had declined to make the list public, citing economic interest, fiduciary responsibility and commercial confidence. The apex court is yet to decide whether the information can be made public or not.

In the SEBI board meeting, one of the officials recommended starting with private banks not to with public sector banks which are already in a bad shape.

SEBI wants to implement this because of clear the gap of asymmetry of information.
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The next big trigger for India market is Budget 2018 which will be the last full Budget of the Modi-government ahead of general elections 2019.

Most analysts expect the government to focus on increasing government expenditure on rural economy as well as introduce a measure to kick-start investment cycle in the economy.

In the upcoming Union Budget, the government is expected to focus on infrastructure and the rural sector. The prime objective is to generate employment in the rural sector by the implementation of various measures, Abhimanyu Sofat, Vice President, Research, IIFL told Moneycontrol.

The government has been also focusing on agricultural subsidies to increase productivity and yields from cultivation. The central government launched the direct benefit transfer (DBT) for fertilisers in various states in the month of October 2017. This ensures that there is no extra burden on farmers as they will continue to get fertilisers at a subsidised rate, he said.

Sofat further added that such measures would increase the disposable income in rural India and drive the consumption pattern in India. Some of the stocks that are likely to benefit from the consumption-oriented landscape and likely consumption sector friendly sops in the Budget are Hatsun Agro, Jyothi Laboratories, and Varun Beverages.

Last month, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the government has been creating "instrumentalities" like providing agricultural inputs at lower cost and making cheap credit available to farmers so as to double their income.

Jaitley added that increase in income and purchasing power of the farmers "is extremely" important for the government as the growth of "larger economy depends on the economic potential and power of this group.

We feel this government is now realigning its policy priorities towards rural India. Going by these new priorities, rather than sectors we prefer to think in terms of businesses that would benefit from these structural tailwinds which will support rural income growth over the next few years, Lalit Nambiar, Executive Vice President, and Fund Manager, UTI AMC told Moneycontrol.

We think all businesses catering to the consumption and investment needs of the farmers are in for a bounty. This could span a wide spectrum of ideas right from a rural housing finance company, to a rural road or canal construction player, a tractor manufacturer and consumer stories in durables and staples which are closer to rural markets in terms of product mix, he said.

Heres is a list of top 10 stocks which are likely to benefit the most from the rural theme:

Can Fin Homes (CFHL): Target Rs612

Geojit Financial Services maintains a buy recommendation on Can Fin Homes with a target price of Rs612. CFHL is a south based housing finance company (HFC) sponsored by Canara Bank with focus on Tier 1 and 2 cities.

Going ahead, initiatives by the government like Housing for all by 2022 and incentive like credit linked subsidy scheme will drive the business growth for all HFCs and CFHL is well placed to exploit this growth opportunity.

The brokerage firm expects the net interest income (NII) and PAT to grow at a robust pace of 25 percent and 30 percent CAGR, respectively over FY17-19E led by strong loan growth (25% CAGR) along with stable asset quality.

UPL Ltd: BUY| Target Rs 887

Geojit Financial Services maintains a buy recommendation on UPL with a target price of Rs887. UPL is a leading manufacturer of crop protection products and ranks among the top 5 generic agro-chemical companies globally.

It offers a range of crop protection products, such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides. Led by backward integration and higher contribution from branded products, UPL enjoys superior EBITDA margin of 18%- 19.8% compared to industry average of 12-15 percent.

Despite facing adverse weather conditions and subsequent slowdown in demand, UPL maintained a Revenue & PAT growth 15 percent & 24 percent CAGR over FY15-17.

Going forward, we expect revenues to grow at 14.4% CAGR, while led by backward integration & better product mix, EBITDA margin to hover in the range of 20%-21% during FY17-19E.

Escorts: BUY| Target Rs829

Geojit Financial Services maintains a buy recommendation on Escorts with a target price of Rs829. Escorts Ltd (EL) is the third largest Agricultural tractor manufacturer in India. It has a strong presence in the north and west market, with an overall market share of 11 percent as on FY17.

The government focused approach to encourage farm mechanization and growth in infrastructure segment is expected to drive demand for tractors. EBITDA margins to expand by 270bpsYoY over FY17-19E driven by higher sales cost control initiatives.

The brokerage firm expects revenue & PAT to grow at 17 percent & 36 percent on a YoY CAGR over FY17-19E led by higher segmental revenue and new product launches.

Swaraj Engines Ltd: BUY| Target Rs2384

SMC Capital maintains a buy recommendation on Swaraj Engines with a target price of Rs2384.

Swaraj Engines Limited (SEL) is engaged in manufacturing engines for fitment into Swaraj tractors, which is manufactured by Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. at its Swaraj Division.

Increase current tractor penetration level, agri-mechanization, generating rural employment opportunities through various schemes, scarcity of farm labour especially during the sowing season, shortened replacement cycle, healthy credit availability, momentum in infrastructural projects etc. would be the positive drivers for tractor industry in the long-term.

The management of the company expects good growth for demand of domestic tractor due to Governments continued thrust on agri and rural sector, which would help the company to increase market share and financial growth of the company.

Godrej Agrovet: Rating BUY| Target - Rs 648

Axis Direct maintains a buy recommendations on Godrej Agrovet. We rarely see companies where all factors align, viz: (1) secular business with deep moat; (2) attractive industry dynamics; (3) strong corporate governance; and (4) excellent management team under a great leader. Godrej Agrovet (GAVL) is one such opportunity.

GAVL will continue its multi-year secular growth; tremendous growth potential in each segment as each business segment. GAVL operates in is either under-penetrated (animal feed) or in high growth areas (dairy, poultry, agri-inputs).

It has strong financials; more than 40 percent PAT CAGR over past 7 years, minimal working capital requirement, RoCE of around 20 percent, high asset turn (~5x). We expect 20 percent PAT CAGR over FY17-21.

SBI: BUY| Target Rs386

Prabhudas Lilladher maintains a buy recommendation on SBI with a target price of Rs386. Fresh slippages for the bank were lower than trends at Rs90 billion with half from the corporate book and half from SME/Retail/Agri.

Half of the corporate book slippage was from watch list bringing down the watch list to Rs212.9bn or 1.2% of loans (down from 1.35% in Q1FY18). 50% of watch list is now power and some exposure towards telecom/steel.

Bank expects retail slippages to be lower and recoveries to improve as they see more stability to the retail credit, with Agri recoveries to be realised in Q3/Q4FY18. The corporate slippages are likely to be volatile as there are few lumpy accounts still left.

Provisioning levels will remain elevated at 250-300bps of loans as the bank continues to improve PCR with a combination of aging and voluntary provisions.

SBI is Prabhudas Lilladhers preferred pick among PSBs as it will dominate market share on both loans & liabilities with strong low-cost deposits mix helping it keep the cost of funds much lower.

Hatsun Agro Products: BUY

Edelweiss in a report said that Hatsun Agro Product (Hatsun) is the dominant dairy player in its home state Tamil Nadu & surrounding southern states, underpinned by established brands Arokya, Arun Ice?creams and Ibaco.

The company has aggressively expanded its procurement network in untapped regions over the past few decades and boasts of 10,000 milk banks covering 13,000 villages spearheaded by strong relationships with farmers.

Hatsuns strength lies in its near 100% direct procurement as well as 100% exposure to the retail segment, commanding strong 9% EBITDA margin despite milk revenue share of nearly 70%.

The companys focus on untapped regions, premium product offerings and high ad spends has reinforced its pole position. Further expansion of its procurement network outside of Tamil Nadu and deeper into untapped geographies will drive Hatsun going forward.

Supreme Industries Ltd: BUY| Target Rs1450

Sharekhan maintains a buy recommendation on Supreme Industries with a target price of Rs1450. Supreme Industries Limited (SIL) is the most prominent plastic piping product player in India, with a market share of 14% in the organized domestic market.

The organized market currently accounts for 60% of the total market. Under GST regime, the shift in market share to the organised from the unorganised sector will benefit the largest players like SIL (7,300 plastic piping products with 916 partner channels) to gain the market share at a faster pace going forward.

Further, the company makes a conscious effort to enhance its existing offerings in its product basket as well as make new offerings across industries (infrastructure, affordable housing, Agriculture, etc) wherein the Government infuses a significant outlay for their progress.

The brokerage firm revised earnings estimates upwards for FY19/20E led by the expansion of its overall capacity beyond FY2018, surge in Government spending in key sectors where SIL has a strong presence and the fact that its significant.

Varun Beverages: BUY| Target 10-12% upside

Sharekhan maintains a positive stance on Varun Beverages (VBL). The company intends to enter into a binding agreement with PepsiCo India to acquire franchisee sub-territory in Jharkhand along with manufacturing facilities and franchisee rights for Chhattisgarh (subject to satisfactory due diligence and final approval of PepsiCo India).

The stock price of VBL has seen decent run-up of 15 percent post the recent acquisition of two territories. However, with 2-3 percent add-on in revenue and consequential add-on in earnings would result in 10-12% upside from current levels.

Further, the long-term growth prospects of VBL are intact, as the company is continuously focusing on acquiring new territories in different states and gaining operating efficiencies through various initiatives.

The brokerage firm maintains their positive view on the stock with 10-12% upside from current levels.

Action Construction Equipment (ACE): BUY| Target Rs165

LKP Securities maintains a buy recommendation on ACE with a target price of Rs165. The company is a leading player in Cranes, Material Handling & Construction Equipment in India. Given its strong brand equity ACE is a virtual duopoly in Mobile Cranes with a 63 percent market share and a leading player in Crawler & Tower Cranes.

ACE in our view is a huge beneficiary of operating leverage in all its key business verticals and is our pick to play the India Growth Story.

ACE is now fast emerging as a Pan India player in Road Construction & Farm Equipment and the recent entry of Institutional Investors this quarter lends credibility to our thesis on its ability to scale up in its high growth verticals.

ACE now is making material headway in its Farm Equipment business and should contribute to overall profitability this fiscal. The brokerage firm continues to remain optimistic on ACE and recommend a Buy with a price objective of Rs165.

Mahindra CIE: BUY| Target Rs 297

Motilal Oswal maintains a buy rating on Mahindra CIE with a target price of Rs297. Mahindra CIE (MACA) is a multi-technology automotive components supplier, with annual revenue of INR53b in CY16. It is one of the top manufacturers of forging parts in India (leader in crankshafts and stub axles) and the EU.

India contributes 38 percent of MACAs overall business, while the EU contributes the rest. It caters to top customers like Maruti, M&M, Tata Motors and Hero Moto Corp in India. MACA acquired Bill Forge (BFL) in India at INR13b in 2016, enabling it to diversify further.

MACA's India (ex BFL) business is focused on fast-growing/recovering segments of UVs, LCVs, and Tractors, which contribute nearly 2/3rd of revenue.

Top-2 customers, M&M and Tata Motors, which contribute over 55% to revenue (ex BFL), are witnessing a good recovery in volumes, driven by product lifecycle as well as rural recovery (for M&M).

: 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.
Benchmark indices closed rangebound session on a flat note but the broader markets corrected further on profit booking for second consecutive session Tuesday.

The fall led by banks, oil marketing companies and FMCG stocks was offset by gains in HDFC Group stocks and Reliance Industries. Auto stocks were mixed.

The 30-share BSE Sensex fell more than 100 points in afternoon on weak European cues but managed to recover in late trade to close flat. The index was down 0.49 points at 33,812.26 at close while the 50-share NSE Nifty gained 6.70 points at 10,442.20.

The market is expected to consolidate for few more sessions as investors await two key events - earnings that will begin next week and Union Budget that scheduled to be presented on February 1, experts suggest.

Largely experts expect Q3 earnings to be better than Q2FY18 and the Budget to be more populist one.

"December quarter earnings may not be exceptionally good but would positively surprise the street in select companies and we would rather be keen to watch the Q4 earnings for a more realistic peep into CY 2018," S Ranganathan, Head of Research at LKP Securities told Moneycontrol.

Given the many assembly elections coming up ahead of the General Elections in 2019, he sees some kind of populism in the ensuing Budget as there could be a rural tilt but that by itself does not mean that the reform process has taken a back seat.

The broader markets underperformed frontline indices, with the Nifty Midcap falling 0.7 percent. About two shares declined for every share rising on the NSE.

The Nifty PSU Bank was biggest loser among sectoral indices, falling 1.5 percent followed by Realty (down 1.1 percent), Pharma (down 0.5 percent) and FMCG (0.57 percent). However, Auto, IT and Metal indices gained 0.3-0.6 percent.

After December auto sales data, Eicher Motors plunged 4 percent and Maruti Suzuki declined 1 percent whereas Tata Motors, TVS Motor, Ashok Leyland and Mahindra & Mahindra gained 1-4 percent.

Oil retailers HPCL, BPCL and IOC were down 1-2 percent but ONGC rallied 2 percent on back of rising crude oil prices in international market. Brent crude futures were trading around USD 67 a barrel at the time of writing this article.

HDFC, HDFC Bank, Bharti Infratel, IndusInd Bank, Tata Power, Tata Steel, Coal India and HCL Technologies among others gained 1-3 percent while SBI, Indiabulls Housing, Bharti Airtel and Axis Bank were down 1-3 percent.

L&T dropped nearly a percent despite bagging two orders worth Rs 3,500 crore.

ITI shares rallied 5 percent after sources told CNBC-Awaaz that the government may sell its stake in the company in two tranches. NMDC gained 5.5 percent after the company hiked fines and lumps prices by Rs 500 per tonne for January 2018.

Reliance Naval, Reliance Communications, Jaiprakash Associates, Reliance Power, Reliance Nippon, Monnet Ispat, Bhushan Steel, Westlife Development, Adani Transmission, IFCI and Unitech were down 3-8 percent while Graphite India, HEG, Rain Industries, MTNL, Bajaj Hindusthan and Phillips Carbon rallied 5-12 percent.

On the global front, Asian markets ended mixed, with the China's Shanghai Composite and Hong Kong's Hang Seng rising 1-2 percent. European markets were under pressure as investors continued to monitor geopolitical unrest in Iran. France CAC, Germany DAX and Britain FTSE were down 0.4-0.8 percent at the time of writing this article.
Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund will wind up Aditya Birla Sun Life Quarterly Interval Plan - Series 4 with effect from January 5, a notice from the fund house said.

The scheme will be wound up as it was not able to meet the minimum number of investors criteria set by Securities Exchange Board of India, the fund house stated in a notice.

As per SEBI, all open-ended debt-oriented schemes should have a minimum of 20 investors and no single investor shall account for more than 25 percent of the corpus of the fund.
LocalBitcoins | This peer-to-peer exchange allows people from different countries to exchange their local currencies to bitcoins. Users post advertisements on the exchange stating their exchange rate and preferred payment method for buying or selling bitcoins. By replying to these advertisements, a trade is opened and escrow protection is automatically activated. Escrow protects both buyer and seller, by keeping the bitcoins safe until the payment is done and the seller releases bitcoins to the buyer. Bitcoins are placed in LocalBitcoins web wallet from where one can pay for their bitcoin purchases directly. However, investors need to be aware of scams as they are dealing directly with other people unlike other stock-like exchanges or centralized bitcoin trading sites.

At the turn of the New Year, the Government issued a warning against investing in cryptocurrency. The RBI had issued a similar warning earlier advising Indian investors to stay away from the rising digital currency craze.

Investment experts feel that the RBI and governments decision to warn investors could be indication of stricter policy and regulatory moves that could catch cryptocurrency investors on the wrong foot.

The biggest risk to cryptocurrencies is the lack of regulatory supervision. It may be possible that the Government bans all crypto exchange markets in the near future. In that case, all your hard-earned money invested in digital currencies would become inaccessible, Jagmal Singh, CTO, Paisabazaar.com told Moneycontrol. Thus, a regulatory crackdown can lead to investor lose access to all the money invested.

Singh says investors should not dabble in something they do not understand. One of the basics of investment is to understand what you are investing in. Unfortunately, most people, including many seasoned investors, do not yet understand cryptocurrencies and the underlying blockchain technology. Most people investing in cryptocurrencies are doing it to make quick money. We strongly advise against speculative investment. When everyone is greedy, you should be fearful, he said.

Amar Pandit, Founder & Chief Happiness Officer, HappynessFactory.in says money invested in digital currencies may become worthless. They answer to whether one should invest in digital currency is most certainly No. Those who invest in Bitcoins will get two rewards: a lot of heartburn as Bitcoin values bounces around like a kangaroo on steroids, and then heartbreak when the music stops, and their investment isnt worth the pixels and bytes theyre printed on he said.

On volatility, Pandit pointed out Bitcoins moved 150% to $19,511 in less than a month and then fell 30% to $13,703 (as on Dec 25, 2017).

Pandit also pointed out the threat of hackers getting hold of your investment in Cryptocurrencies. Digital currencies are always prone to Hacking. Recently, South Korean cryptocurrency exchange filed for bankruptcy after it was hacked for the second time, resulting in loss of over USD 70 million, he said.

Paisabazaars Singh also believes hackers could be a big threat to investors money. Investors are susceptible to smart hackers who may create social hacks to gain access to your money. And if someone takes your money by illegal means, it will be very difficult for any authority to track the culprits, Singh said.

Moreover, he pointed out that investors can also lose all the investment if they forget their access details. A major risks comes from the fact that your whole identity is saved in a cryptogprahic signature/key. You can lose access to your account if you lose access to the machine where you stored it. And unlike with internet banking credentials, there is no authority who can get these keys back. Also, if somebody else gets access to your signature/key, they can gain access to your money. So, you have to have a very sophisticated system of keeping backups safe and secure, which most people dont, Jagmal Singh said.
As many as 26 states and union territories have notified rules under the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act, 2016 (RERA) and 14 states and union territories have made a fully operationalised web portal for enabling online registration of real estate projects and agents. Till date, a total of 20,000 projects have been registered with the Regulatory Authorities across the country, as per the latest data shared by the housing and urban affairs ministry.

Six states and union territories have established permanent Real Estate Regulatory Authority and 23 States/UTs have established interim Real Estate Regulatory Authority. In Gujarat, permanent Appellate Tribunal has been set up. Ten other states and union territories have appointed an interim Appellate Tribunal under the Real Estate Act, the data said.

As for the total number of projects registered across the country, the number has touched 20,000 with Mumbai leading the pack with over 11,000 ongoing projects getting registered with the Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority.

Officials said that 20,000 ongoing real estate projects have been registered so far. This is not a small number in this short time, they said, adding Rera registered projects should from now on be used as a marketing tool by real estate developers to promote projects. RERA registered projects have a better chance of attracting buyers to invest in a project.

Six states and union territories that have constitutional issues as land in these states belong to the community or autonomous councils include Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim.

The central Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act (RERA) came into effect on May 1, 2017, exactly a year after it was passed by the Parliament. As per the Act, developers, projects, and agents had till July 31 to mandatorily register their projects with the Real Estate Regulatory Authority. Any unregistered project would be deemed to be unauthorised by the regulator.

Under RERA each state and UT will have its own Regulatory Authority (RA) which will frame regulations and rules according to the Act. But not all states have a real estate authority in place yet and some with one have diluted the original provisions as per the Central Act.

RERA covers both new project launches and on-going projects where the completion/occupation certificate has not been received.

According to the provisions of the Act, for ongoing projects which dont have a completion certificate issued, developers had to make an application to the authority for registration of projects within a period of three months from the date of commencement of this Act which was May 1.

Under RERA, a developer cannot sell residential or commercial units in a project, ongoing or new, unless those are registered with the regulatory authorities.

Most states have diluted rules to favour developers. Many states have moved away from the Centres definition of ongoing projects and excluded projects for which lease deeds of either 50 percent or 60 percent of the apartments have been executed or for which partial completion or occupation certificates have been obtained by the developer. This leaves little hope for homebuyers stuck with old unfinished projects.

On December 6 last year, the Bombay High Court had upheld the constitutional validity of the Act and its applicability to ongoing projects across states. The court also granted RERA authority more powers to grant additional time in exceptional cases to builders to complete projects. This extra time is to be granted to developers in compelling circumstances on a case-by-case basis, the order had said.

In a welcome clarification from the Bombay High Court, the RERA Authority would have to view the entire act holistically and appreciate provisions of the beneficial legislation. The court has also clarified that even the association of allottees may have the first right to develop in case of promoter default, however RERA Authority could in light of the purpose of ensuring completion of the development work within the stipulated time, if the authority does not find any deliberate lapse on the part of the promoters and there are exceptional circumstances compelling in nature which prevented the promoter to complete the development work, then it shall necessary for the authority to continue the same promoter under its directions, says Sudip Mullick who leads the real estate and infrastructure team at Khaitan & Co.
Carrots, corn, and candy. A New Years party was held on December 31 for macaques living in a natural reserve of central Chinas Taihang Mountain, according to chinanews.com.

A big 12-meter diameter dish for the wild macaques was placed outside at the end of 2017. It was full of apples, oranges, carrots, cucumbers, peanuts, and corn, their favorite fruits and vegetables, and also some fruit candies, a special treat to welcome the New Year.

The fancy and colorful feast was displayed in the shape of the Chinese character Fu (blessing), and the year 2018, attracting attention of visitors.

Taihang Mountain is well-known as the largest macaque community in China, with over 3,000 macaques getting along well with locals. At the call of the monkey king, the macaques gathered around table and enjoyed the year-end meal.

(Photos: Wang Zhongju/ Chinanews.com)
The Securities and Exchange Board of India has directed credit ratings agencies such as CRISIL, ICRA and BrickWorks to not withdraw their ratings on instruments abruptly.

However, these companies can suspend ratings if they have rated an instrument for at least five years or 50 percent of its tenure.

This circular comes in the wake of abrupt rating downgrades of Amtek Auto, JSPL and Bhushan Steel and Ballarpur Industries in the last few years in which credit ratings agencies had either suspended or downgraded ratings abruptly.

Earlier, SEBI had cautioned fund houses on debt fund management and advised them to be careful while investing in debt instruments. The market regulator had advised fund houses not to rely on credit rating agencies.

The SEBI board also increased the net worth requirement for rating agencies to Rs 25 crore from the current Rs 5 crore.

It also decided the promoter entity would have to maintain at least 25 percent stake in the rating agency for a period of three years.

Credit Rating agencies have also been barred from holding more than 10 percent stake in a peer rating agency.

SEBI also said CRAs will have to segregate their non-core activities into a separate legal entity to avoid any conflict of interest. "CRAs shall segregate their activities, other than the rating of financial instruments and economic/ financial research, to a separate legal entity."
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Shares of oil retailers fell 1-2 percent intraday Tuesday following further increase in Brent crude oil prices on ongoing supply cuts.

The stock price of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation was quoting at Rs 404.85, down 2.36 percent and Bharat Petroleum Corporation was quoting at Rs 501.50, down 1.88 percent while Indian Oil Corporation was down 0.94 percent at Rs 386.05 on the BSE at 11:20 hours IST.

Stock prices have been falling from last week, losing 6-7 percent as crude oil prices also remained on higher side.

Generally higher crude oil price is negative for oil marketing companies as it impacts their refining (difference between crude oil price and price of petroleum products coming out from oil refineries) and marketing margins.

Oil prices had their highest January opening since 2014 today, supported by ongoing supply cuts led by OPEC and Russia as well as strong demand.

Only rising US production, which is on the verge of breaking through 10 million barrels per day (bpd), is somewhat hampering the outlook into 2018.

Brent crude futures - the international benchmark for oil prices -were at USD 67.07 a barrel, up 0.3 percent while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at USD 60.58 a barrel, up 0.28 percent, from their last settlement of 2017.
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Shares of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) rose more than 2 percent intraday Tuesday on the back of oil and gas discovery in the Arabian Sea.

The company has made a significant oil and gas discovery to the west of its prime Mumbai High fields in the Arabian Sea, said Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, he said the discovery was made in the well WO-24-3 (WO-24-C) drilled west of Mumbai High fields.

"Based on the data generated during drilling, 9 objects/zones were identified and on testing all the objects flowed oil/gas," he said.

The discovery has indicated potential in-place reserves of about 29.74 million tonnes of oil and oil equivalent gas, he added.

Mumbai High, India's biggest oil field, currently produces 205,000 barrels of oil per day (just over 10 million tonnes per annum) and the new find would add to that production in less than two years' time.

ONGC is carrying out a further appraisal of the discovery and has intimated upstream regulator the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH).

ONGC produced 25.5 million tonnes of oil in 2016-17, which will reach 28-29 million tonnes by 2019-20, officials said.

Rajat Bose of rajatkbose.com has recommended buy rating on ONGC with stoploss below Rs 193 and targets of Rs 199 and Rs 202.

At 10:55 hrs Oil and Natural Gas Corporation was quoting at Rs 195.80, up Rs 3.40, or 1.77 percent on the BSE.

With inputs from PTI
BJP chief Amit Shah is likely to deliver his maiden speech in Parliament when the Rajya Sabha debates a Goods and Services Tax (GST) bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.

A party leader said Shah would deliver his speech in the Upper House on the proposed legislation, which sought to replace an ordinance issued in September to give effect to certain decisions of the GST Council.

The bill may come up for a discussion in a day or two, the BJP leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

The ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament is scheduled to conclude on Friday. Shah had made his maiden entry to Parliament during the session as a Rajya Sabha member.

The introduction of the GST is projected by the BJP as a major tax reform. Shah had earlier said the new tax regime had led to an "economic integration" of the country.
Police and fire men at a charred shop following the violence during celebrations of 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon, near Pune on Tuesday.(PTI)

Maharashtra police today booked leaders of two right-wing organisations in connection with an alleged attack on a woman by members of their outfits when she was returning after visiting the war memorial in violence-hit Bhima Koregaon village yesterday.

According to police, the woman alleged that the entire attack and arson was orchestrated by the two outfits.

The Pimpri Police today filed a case against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide who head Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan, respectively, and others under SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act and under various sections of the IPC including attempt to murder.

Earlier in the day, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar told reporters in Mumbai that Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan were responsible for yesterday's violence in Bhima Koregaon village in which one person was killed.

The violence had occurred at an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon in which the British Army comprising Dalits had defeated the Peshwas.

A large section of Dalits view the historical battle as the defeat of the 'casteism' of upper-caste Peshwas.

"A case was registered against Ekbote, Bhide, and others, under the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, Arms Act, 307 (attempt to murder) of IPC and rioting," said Police inspector Vivek Mugalikar.

The duo were booked after one Anita Savle approached the Pimpri police alleging that she and her friend were attacked by a group of people near Vadhu village adjacent to Bhima Koregaon. She alleged that the entire attack and arson was orchestrated by the duo.

Mugalikar said the case has been registered under '0' provision and will be transferred to Shikrapur police station.

According to the complaint, she and her female friend were attacked near Vadhu village by a group of people when they were returning after visiting the war memorial in Bhima Koregaon village.

She alleged that the attack was orchestrated by Ekbote and Bhide's outfits, the officer said quoting the complaint.

When contacted, Ekbote said some organisations were defaming his outfit by taking advantage of the entire situation.

He said he was receiving threatening calls.

"I condemn the entire incident which was unfortunate. I seek police investigation as well as action against those who are creating a rift in the society and those who are spreading rumours," he said.

Ekbote claimed that his outfit had a large number of Dalit youths.

Bhide, a staunch Hindutva leader, had a huge following in western Maharashtra.

In June, 2017, Pune Police registered a case against Bhide and his followers for allegedly obstructing the annual 'waari' procession.

At an election rally in Sangli district in October 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said he had come to seek blessings of 'Bhide Guruji' who had been an inspiration during the early days of his life.
BJP

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 today 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 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.
Healthcare services at multiple hospitals across the country were partially disrupted today when doctors went on a strike in protest against the controversial National Medical Commission Bill.

The emergency and critical care departments at the hospitals, however, functioned normally, according to reports from the states. The reports also said that doctors at several hospitals wore black badges at work.

The situation eased later in the day when the 12-hour nationwide stir, called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), from 6 am was called off after the Centre agreed to refer the proposed legislation to a parliamentary standing committee.

The bill had triggered wide protests from doctors as also the opposition parties. The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the Medical Council of India(MCI) and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course".

"We called off our strike as the Bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which has members from diverse fields and there should now be a fruitful discussion," said IMA's K K Aggarwal, who was spearheading the stir.

Terming the Bill as "anti-people and anti-patient", the IMA has stated that the bill purported to eradicate corruption is "designed to open the floodgates of corruption." Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in Parliament that talks were on with the IMA to clear their doubts.

"Talks are on. We have heard them (the doctors) and also presented our views," he said.

"This (Bill) is beneficial to the medical profession," Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha after the members raised the issue of strike by the doctors across the country. The strike by doctors in Kerala caused immense harship to those visiting hospitals across the state. While doctors in government and medical college hospitals boycotted out-patient services for one hour in the morning, the strike was observed for a longer duration in private hospitals. The doctors, however, attended emergency cases and those admitted in hospitals. Expressing anger over the stir, a 60-year old man told a television channel that it was irresponsible on the part of doctors to go on strike causing hardship to patients. Similar sentiments were echoed by several patients from different hospitals across the state.

Healthcare services were partially affected in parts of Odisha as doctors joined the strike.

A protest rally organised from Power House Chhak to Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar saw the participation of medical students and doctors in large numbers.

Dhananjay Das, a senior doctor at government-run Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, said the bill, if passed, will upset the medical fraternity in the country.

"The bill will bring down the standards of medical education in the country. It will be a big blow to the entire medical fraternity" he said.

The general secretary of the Odisha chapter of the IMA, Janmejaya Mohapatra, said the strike has affected healthcare services in outpatient departments of a few government and private hospitals, but the emergency and critical departments were functioning normally. West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) chairman Dr Nirmal Maji said healthcare services remained largely normal across the state.

"This is a Tughlaqi decision. This is a dangerous move and may ruin the medical system in the country. The bill will be a boost for quack doctors," Maji told PTI.

"I have spoken to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee this morning and she has given instructions for ensuring normal services. And our doctors, unlike some other states, are not skipping work. They are wearing black badges to work as a mark of protest," Maji said.

A protest rally, organised in Kolkata after OPD hours, witnessed the participation of doctors affiliated to the IMA's state unit and WBMC in large numbers.

Earlier in the day, patients visiting the city from the suburban areas complained that they were made to wait for long hours.

"I have come all the way from Sundarbans for an appointment with a cardiologist. I collected my ticket as early as 9.30 am but was made to wait for several hours," 73-year-old cardiac patient Pritilata Sammadar told PTI outside NRS Medical College and Hospital.

The scene was similar at other city hospitals this morning, where patients were seen queuing up outside the orthopaedic department.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is protesting against the discussion of the draft National Medical Commission Bill in parliament on Tuesday by carrying out a strike between 6 am to 6 pm.



The central government has left us no option but to call it a 'black day' in the history of medical profession. 'No to NMC (National Medical Commission)' is a slogan for medical community as well as every patient: Parthiv Sanghvi, Indian Medical Association pic.twitter.com/svYGvxyaJL

 ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

IMA president Dr K K Agarwal appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revise the draft bill in the larger interest of the medical profession. According to the IMA, the NMC has strongly opposed the draft bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body, claiming it will cripple the medical profession.



The Medical Commission bill to be sent to standing committee : Ananth Kumar.Union Minister in Lok Sabha  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

It provides for the constitution of four autonomous boards entrusted with conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessment and accreditation of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission (NMC).

The bill would supposedly make the functioning of the medical profession completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators. Regulators need to have an autonomy and be independent of the administrators. The National Medical Commission will be a regulator appointed by the administrators under their direct control, Agarwal told PTI earlier.

The bill also abolishes the Medical Council of India and possibly Section 15 of the IMC Act, which says that the basic qualification to practise modern medicine is MBBS, he claimed. It takes away the voting right of every doctor in India to elect their medical council. "

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 by a body in which majority are nominated by the government is certainly a retrograde step, Agarwal said.

He further said that the draft bill, in its current form, allows the private medical colleges to charge at will, nullifying whatever solace the NEET brought. The government can fix the fee for only 40 per cent of the seats in private medical colleges, he said. Also, it inducts non-medical people into the highest body of medical governance changing its perspective and character forever and introduces schedule IV to allow the AYUSH graduates to get registration in modern medicine.

The IMA appeals to the PM to recall the bill and rectify these anomalies. Parliament has a larger role to protect the interest of the medical profession of the country, Agarwal said. According to the draft bill, the commission will have government-nominated chairman and members, and the board members will be selected by a search committee under the Cabinet Secretary. There will five elected and 12 ex-officio members in the commission.

The draft bill also proposes a common entrance exam and licentiate exam that all medical graduates will have to clear to get practising licences, the official said. As per the provisions of the draft bill, no permission would be needed to add new seats or to start post-graduate courses.

The draft National Medical Commission Bill was on Friday approved by the Cabinet.

(With inputs from PTI)

CNBC-TV 18 also spoke to Devi Shetty, Chairman and founder of Narayana Health to understand a medical professional's viewpoint on the bill.
Karti Chidambaram

Karti Chidambaram, son of senior Congress leader P Chidambaram, has been summoned for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate on January 11 in connection with the INX media case, as per reports.

The investigating officer (IO) of the case will record his statement in the case.

The ED had conducted raids in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case in Chennai and Kolkata on December 1, including the house of a relative of former minister P Chidambaram.

ED had registered a case against him and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in May 2017.

It had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), ED's equivalent of a police FIR, against the accused named in the CBI complaint including Karti, INX media and its directors, Peter and Indrani Mukerjea, and others.

They said the ED will probe the alleged "proceeds of crime" generated in this case.

Karti had earlier moved the Supreme Court challenging the lookout circular issued against him which didn't allow him to travel to the UK for work. The court, however, permitted him to travel abroad subject to several conditions.
The Karnataka government today proposed to the Election Commission (EC) of India joint hosting of an Electronic Voting Machine challenge to clear doubts about its functioning.

The government also requested the commission to make available 250 randomly selected EVMs to plan and execute this challenge under it's overall supervision.

"It is our combined duty to ensure that there is no doubt in the minds of voters -real or perceived. For this, I would like to propose hosting an EVM Challenge, jointly hosted by the Government of Karnataka and the EC," Information Technology Minister Priyank Kharge today said.

In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner Achal Kumar Jyoti, he also mentioned about inviting important stakeholders of the scientific community like technocrats, scientists, corporates, R&D institutes,startups and tinkerers and not just political parties, to participate in testing EVMs for errors.

Last month, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanded that ballot papers be used during the assembly polls in the state, due early this year.

Expressing doubts about BJP's performance in Gujarat despite anti-incumbency and strong undercurrents against it, Siddaramaiah had said,

"the result is lending credence to that doubt about EVM." Kharge said for this challenge, individuals or interested parties can be allowed to test the EVM using instruments of their choice, and design documents, test descriptions and results, and security procedures used by EC can also be provided for the same.

Results obtained can be made public and long-term testing by a team of experts can be initiated, if deemed necessary, he said.

"The challenge needs to go beyond political parties and should be open to all the young and bright minds in the country to ensure a pure scientific engagement with the community without a political agenda," he said.

"The reason we should throw this challenge open beyond political parties is that a lot of individuals or corporates would not like to associate themselves with any political party," he added. Apprehension about possible EVM tampering through Bluetooth technology was raised by the opposition Congress during the assembly elections in Gujarat, which the Election Commission had termed "baseless".

Similar doubts about the credibility of EVMs were raised during the recently concluded civic polls in Uttar Pradesh and assembly elections earlier this year.
A video of kids singing nursery rhymes that discriminate against Chinese in a French kindergarten has evoked nationwide criticism, and Frances education ministry has told the kindergarten to stop immediately.

The French nursery rhyme Zhang, my little Chinese is full of Chinese insults: Zhang squats down to eat rice, poor him with small eyes; and, Swaying in sea, his head sounds like a ball bouncing around.

According to LefiGaro, a French daily newspaper, the song is not an assigned course by the education ministry but has been taught in the kindergarten in Aubervilliers, the suburbs of Paris for over a decade.

It became a matter of public concern after Asian parents offended by it posted the video online. Head of SOS Racisme anti-racist NGO Dominique Sopo criticized the songs portrayal of Chinese as short and small-eyed as racial stereotyping.

Local officials and anti-racist organizations in France have declared their opposition to the song being taught to the next generation. City mayor Meriem Derkaoui said that all forms of racial discrimination will not be tolerated.
Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav waves from inside a helicopter before he starts his election campaign meeting in Shahbad in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh April 15, 2009. An Indian regional party which held the balance of power in the last months of the Congress party-led government could again support a similar coalition, its leader said. Samajwadi Party or the Socialist Party (SP), which has four years dominated India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, could have substantial weight in deciding the general election that began on Thursday. Picture taken April 15, 2009. REUTERS/Pawan Kumar (INDIA POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTXE1E0

A new ray of hope has dawned in Muzaffarnagar where communal riots that broke out in 2013. The newfound hope comes after Jat and Muslim leaders decided to take back cases after meeting with former Chief Minister and Defence Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.

According to a report in The Times of India, the decision was made by the leaders of both groups after they met with Mulayam Singh Yadav last week at his Delhi residence. As per the deal, community leaders agreed to take back cases against each other in five riot-hit villages of the region i.e. Kutba, Kutbi, Purbaliyan, Kakda, and Hadoli. This, in turn, will lead to the withdrawal of 29 cases that were taken following the riots in the area where at least a dozen people died.

The decision was made reportedly after riot-hit victims and community leaders including Vipin Balian, President of Rashtriya Jaat Sanrakshan Samiti met with the veteran politician. As decided at Mulayam Singh's house in Delhi, people from five worst riot-hit villages agreed for a compromise on Sunday. Now, the residents will submit affidavits in courts on the next hearing. This compromise will lead to settlement of more cases in the region following years of unrest," Balian was quoted saying in the report.

A committee, headed by Ompal Nehra, former cabinet minister, was also formed under the veteran leader to work out a resolution on the cases and bring back peace in the region. Earlier, on Sunday leaders from both sides also attended a meeting organised in Muzaffarnagar city.

Over 60 people lost their lives and over 50,000 were displaced following the riots in Muzaffarnagar.
State Bank of India (SBI)

Union minister Shiv Pratap Shukla on Tuesday said no proposal regarding merger of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) is under consideration of the government.

However, the government has put in place an approval framework for proposals to amalgamate nationalised banks, the Minister of State for Finance said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

The Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Acts of 1970 and 1980 provide that the central government, in consultation with RBI, may make a scheme for amalgamation of any nationalised bank with any other nationalised bank or any other banking institution, he said.

To facilitate consolidation in the public sector banking space, the Cabinet in August gave in-principle approval for PSBs to amalgamate through an Alternative Mechanism (AM).

Subsequently in November, a panel under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was set up to examine proposals from banks for in-principle approval to formulate schemes of amalgamation.

A report on the proposals cleared by it will be sent to the Cabinet every three months.

Last year, five associates and Bharatiya Mahila Bank merged with State Bank of India (SBI), catapulting the countrys largest lender to among the top 50 banks in the world.

With the merger, SBI joined the league of top 50 banks globally in terms of assets. The total customer base of the bank will reach 37 crore with a branch network of around 24,000 and nearly 59,000 ATMs across the country.

The merged entity began with deposit base of more than Rs 26 lakh crore and advances level of Rs 18.50 lakh crore.
Amid the flurry of congratulations and welcomes on the announcement of Tamil superstar Rajinikanths foray into politics, Tamil Nadu BJP chief Tamilisai Soundararajan told the media that the actor's proposed party will be an NDA ally in 2019.

Rajinikanth had earlier said that he would take a call on the Lok Sabha polls "when the time comes".

On Sunday, Rajinikanth, ending a decade-long wait announced his 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 which was followed by a rousing applause from his fans and followers.

Also Read: If Tamil Nadu was a stock, I would go long: Anand Mahindra on Rajinikanth's entry into politics



Welcome actor Rajinikanths political entry with motto of corruption free good governance which is the sole aim of BJP

 Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan (@DrTamilisaiBJP) December 31, 2017

The state BJP chief had also congratulated Rajinikanth for his entry into politics on Sunday and wrote, "Welcome actor Rajinikanths political entry with motto of corruption free good governance which is the sole aim of BJP (sic)."

Actor Kamal Haasan, who has also made inroads into politics lately, congratulated Rajinikanth on Twitter and said, "I congratulate my brother Rajini for his social consciousness and his political entry. Welcome welcome."

The ruling AIDMK were cautious in welcoming the 67-year-old. Anybody is free to enter politics. Rajinikanth is a seasoned politician. But he will have to spell out his political blueprint, Party leader Maitreyan said.

Addressing fans on the valedictory of a six-day-long meet on Sunday, the actor had said he would launch a political party which will contest all 234 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu.

He said the party would be launched ahead of assembly elections at an appropriate time. Assembly election in Tamil Nadu is due in 2021.

The policies of the party will be taken to the people, he said and added that truthfulness, hard work, and growth will be the slogan of his party.

"Do good, speak and only good will happen," will be the guiding slogan, he said.

Meanwhile, in order to "bring about a positive change to Tamil Nadu politics", Rajinikanth launched a website and asked his followers to register themselves.
Muslims pray at the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia August 29, 2017. Picture taken August 29, 2017. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today took a swipe at those opposing the Modi government's decision to allow women to go for Haj without 'Mehram' (male guardian), saying they were suffering from the "chronic disease of anti-women mindset".

More than 1,300 women from across the country have applied to go for Haj without 'Mehram' (male guardian) and they will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to go for the pilgrimage.

"Those who are opposing the Modi government's decision to lift ban on women going for Haj without 'Mehram', are suffering from chronic disease of anti-women mindset," Naqvi said in a statement.

He reiterated that after the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all those women who have applied to go for Haj without 'Mehram' will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to go for the pilgrimage.

Taking on the critics of the decision who argue that the government has done nothing as it was Saudi Arabia which allowed women above 45 years to perform Haj without 'Mehram', Naqvi asked why earlier governments had not taken any action on it.

This decision was taken after the committee formed by the ministry to prepare a new Haj policy, flagged this issue with the government. It was followed by discussions between the government and Saudi authorities.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi yesterday dismissed 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 had said.

The Centre has for the first time decided to allow women pilgrims over the age of 45 to undertake the pilgrimage in groups of at least four sans 'Mehram'.

The term 'Mehram' refers to a male, a woman cannot marry in her life (i.e. father, brother or son etc). Till now, women pilgrims would be required to be accompanied by their husbands or 'Mehrams' during the annual pilgrimage.
Former ambassador to China and incumbent economic relations secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale has been appointed Indias next foreign secretary, the highest post for a diplomat in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Gokhale will succeed current foreign secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, whose extended tenure is scheduled to end on January 28.

A 1981-batch Indian Foreign service officer, Gokhale is the senior-most serving IFS officer after Jaishankar at the moment. He is considered an expert on China and is proficient in the use of Mandarin.

Gokhales knowledge of Mandarin and China proved useful when he was handling the Doklam crisis along with Jaishankar and National Security Advisor AK Doval.

This experience of his is perfectly suited for the job he is about to take up, considering Chinas growing ambitions posing a threat to Indias security interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

Known for his low profile and firm decisions, Gokhale is the only IFS officer to have served as Indias representative in both Taiwan and China.

In fact, before being appointed ambassador to China, Gokhale handled the MEAs East Asia division, which covers Indias ties with China, Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, North Korea and South Korea.
A new teaser that has appeared on World Intellectual Property Organization's website has increased hopes of a comeback by Microsoft to the smartphone arena.

According to a filed patent, the new design that features a 360-degree rotating hinge could well be a direct challenge from the tech giant that has till now been completely outplayed by its fellow competitors.

The new comeback could be the rumoured 'Surface Phone' following the existing notebook line, as per a report in TechXplore.

The new hinge design reportedly allows a smartphone to carry dual-display. Titled as "hinge with free-stop function" the design aims at solving the problem that comes with the use of dual-display smartphones including an inability to accommodate thin displays and the trouble in switching to different displays.

These problems can be solved when the hinge is allowed to rotate 360 degrees according to the patent. The new design is planned to come with at least one flexible mechanism that will follow a path which is shaped like the letter S. The 'S' shaped path of the first flexible connection member and the mirrored S-shape path of the second flexible connection member will create a cross configuration that, according to the patent, will ensure a free stop function along the entire 360 degrees of rotation.

While it is yet unclear when the plan will materialise, but it will not be surprising if Microsoft comes with a truly game-changing and disruptive model in 2018 itself.
Representative image

A massive fire that erupted on the New Year's eve in the UK has led to the destruction of around 1400 vehicles. Luckily, the fire that engulfed a multi-storey Echo Arena car park in Liverpool did not cause any human casualty.

According to a BBC report, investigators have stated that the accident occurred after a fire broke out in one of the cars that were parked inside the building. The fire, later spread to cars that were parked nearby, causing extensive damage.

The situation could have gotten worse if the fire had spread to nearby areas that were crowded as part of new year celebrations. According to reports, The Liverpool International Horse Show was being held in the nearby arena that was filled with both humans and horses. The horses of the show had to be shifted to the arena from the parking area after the fire broke.



Public Health England say if you see smoke from the Liverpool Echo Arena car park fire stay in, close all windows and doors and if difficulty breathing seek medical assistance.

Anyone with a lung condition or asthma should stay in or seek medical help if breathing difficult.  Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) January 1, 2018

The fire, that some rescue service officials claimed to be one of the worst they faced required over 20 fire engines to bring it under control. Many staying in the nearby apartments have been evacuated and people have been asked to be prepared for a possible building collapse.

Public Health England say if you see smoke from the Liverpool Echo Arena car park fire stay in, close all windows and doors and if difficulty breathing seek medical assistance. Anyone with a lung condition or asthma should stay in or seek medical help if breathing difficult, stated a tweet by the Merseyside Police.

However, no such relief is available to people who had parked their vehicles in the parking facility that had a capacity to hold 1600 cars.

A fireman, as per the report, even told a partygoer, "Well you best go and have a couple of drinks to celebrate new year because you're not going to get your car back."
Pakistani Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif speaks at a news conference in Islamabad

Pakistan on Tuesday challenged Donald Trump's claim that the US has given it more than USD 33 billion in aid over the last 15 years, saying verification by an audit firm would prove the United States President wrong.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a tweet said that Trump could hire a US-based audit firm "on our expense" to verify the USD 33 billion aid figure and "let the world know who is lying and deceiving".

"Pres Trump quoted figure of $33 billion given to PAK over last 15 yrs, he can hire a US based Audit firm on our expense to verify this figure & let the world know who is lying & deceiving..," Asif tweeted.

Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor at a press conference last week had said that the aid Pakistan received from the US was "reimbursement for support" Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda.

"Had we not supported the US and Afghanistan, they would never have been able to defeat Al Qaeda," he had said.

Asif's tweet came as Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) after President Trump strongly rebuked the country accusing it of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while "fooling" American leaders.

Pakistan's ambassador to the US was summoned to the NSC meeting, which discussed Pakistan's response to President Trump's fresh tirade while also reviewing the country's overall foreign policy, the DawnNews reported.

Shortly before the meeting commenced, the military had finalised its suggestions for Pakistan's response to Trump's allegations in a Corps Commanders' Conference held at General Headquarters.

A meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security has also been called on January 5 to discuss the US' allegations.

Following Trump's tweet, Asif yesterday responded immediately saying, "...Will let the world know the truth...difference between facts and fiction".

He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would do "no more" for it (in the fight against terrorism).

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister had said.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.

The White House today confirmed that an already-delayed USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan had been blocked.

It said the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.
Officers and soldiers of China's People's Liberation Army hold a flag and weapons during a training session for a military parade to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the World War Two, at a military base in Beijing, China, August 22, 2015. Troops from at least 10 countries including Russia and Kazakhstan will join an unprecedented military parade in Beijing next month to commemorate China's victory over Japan during World War Two, Chinese officials said. The parade on Sept. 3 will involve about 12,000 Chinese troops and 200 aircraft, Qi Rui, deputy director of the government office organizing the parade, told reporters in Beijing on Friday. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj - RTX1P5OK

China on Tuesday defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of "lies and deceit" and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted yesterday.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!", he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

On Tuesday, China, on expected lines, praised Pakistan's counter terrorism record.

"Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trump's criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

"China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides," Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts here say US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trump's criticism would affect China's efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said "We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges".

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries "reached a lot of consensus" on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

"The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard," Geng said.

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.

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 Islamabad's reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.
Protesters clash with police during march after Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski pardoned former President Alberto Fujimori in Lima, Peru (REUTERS)

Nine people were killed as fresh unrest hit Iran overnight, state television said today, with protesters trying to storm a police station despite attempts to crack down on the biggest demonstrations in years.

The attack on the police station in the town of Qahderijan, in the central province of Isfahan, led to violence that claimed the lives of six protesters, the state broadcaster reported.

A young member of the Revolutionary Guards and a passer-by were also reported dead in towns near the cultural hub of Isfahan city, while TV had earlier confirmed the death of a policeman in nearby Najafabad, shot dead with a hunting rifle.

That brings the estimated death toll to 21 in five days of unrest that represent the biggest challenge to the Islamic regime since mass demonstrations in 2009.

Protests remain focused on provincial towns and cities, with only small and sporadic protests reported in Tehran on Monday evening where a heavy police presence was reported.

The latest violence came despite President Hassan Rouhani's vow that the nation would deal with "rioters and lawbreakers".

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, described the unrest -- the biggest challenge to the regime since mass protests in 2009 -- as a "proxy war against the Iranian people".

"Hashtags and messages about the situation in Iran come from the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia," he told local media.

Iran's intelligence ministry released a statement saying "instigators" have been identified "and will be dealt with seriously soon".

The Revolutionary Guards have yet to fully intervene against the protesters, but published photos on Monday of three wanted people and called on the public to report any "seditionist elements".

Rouhani has tried to play down the unrest, which began over economic grievances in second city Mashhad last Thursday but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole with chants of "Death to the dictator".

"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."

Pro-regime rallies were held across several towns and cities -- reflecting continued support among a large conservative section of society.

Reporting restrictions remained tight, but videos on social media continued to show widespread anti-government protests in many areas.

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.
10 major events in China to watch out for in 2018

1. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up

President Xi Jinping placed emphasis on his speech on next years 40th anniversary of reform and opening on September 3, 2017, at the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum.

The 3rd Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of Communist Party of China (CPC) was held on December 18, 1978. The meeting decided to shift the countrys focus to economic construction and to implement the historic policy of reform and opening up. It was a profound and significant transition in the history of the CPC since the founding of the People's Republic of China.

2. Two Sessions

The 13th National Peoples Congress is scheduled for this March, at which time the country will elect a new leadership.

The 13th National Committee of the Chinese Peoples Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) will also be held in Beijing this March.

3. 2nd Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee

The meeting is scheduled to be held this month. At the meeting, the Party will discuss a proposal about amending part of China's Constitution.

4. Rural vitalization strategy

The strategy was first put forward in the report to the 19th CPC National Congress. It has been marked as one of the eight key working plans spelled out during the Central Economic Work Conference held in December 2017.

5. Chinas diplomatic agenda

Boao Forum for Asia will be held in Boao, Hainan, from Apr. 8 to 11.

The 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit will kick off in Qingdao, Shandong, in June this year.

The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is currently under preparation.

The China International Import Expo 2018 will be held in Shanghai from Nov. 5 to 10.

6. National supervision law to be passed

The 31st session of the 12th NPC Standing Committee submitted the draft national supervision law to the upcoming 13th NPC Standing Committee.

The strategy will ensure full and strict governance over the Party, and is a critical measure for the countrys anti-corruption campaign.

7. Implementation of Environmental Protection Tax Law and eco-compensation system

Chinas Environment Protection Tax Law went into full force on the first day of 2018, replacing the existing pollution discharge fee system with a new environmental protection tax.

In addition, Chinas damage compensation pilot reform has been expanded nationwide to protect and improve its ecosystem.

8. Launching of the Change 4 lunar probe

The probe is scheduled to be launched in 2018. It will explore the far side of the moon, a mysterious world that always faces away from Earth.

9. Command of Armed Police Force to be unified

The Armed Police Force was placed under the unified control of the CPC Central Committee and Central Military Commission starting on the first day of 2018, according to the CPC Central Committee.

10. 60th anniversary of the establishment of Guangxi and Ningxia autonomous regions

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Guangxi Zhuang and Ningxia Hui Autonomous regions. A series of projects, including livelihood and industrial projects, will be implemented in the two autonomous regions.
Pakistan has summoned the US envoy here to register its protest after President Donald Trump strongly rebuked the country for its "lies and deceit" accusing it of sheltering terrorists while receiving billions of dollars in aid.

The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Ambassador David Hale last night as Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from him over Trump's remarks.

A US embassy spokesman today confirmed that Hale met Pakistani officials but did not comment on what was discussed.

However, there was no immediate response from the Pakistan Foreign Office.

Trump yesterday 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 in aid over the last 15 years while "fooling" American leaders.

In his strongest attack on 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 & 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!," the president said.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif responded immediately saying, "...Will let the world know the truth... difference between facts and fiction".

He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would do "no more" for it (in the fight against terrorism).

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Trump's 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 Islamabad's reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.
Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharaf salutes as he arrives to speak on Pakistan's security situation at Chatham House in central London, February 15, 2010. REUTERS/Andrew Winning (BRITAIN - Tags: POLITICS CONFLICT MILITARY) - LM1E62F169T01

Former president of Pakistan General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf acknowledged the success of Indian diplomacy and said that Pakistan is not respected globally.

Talking to a Pakistani journalist Musharraf said that Modi is dominating Pakistan as far as global diplomacy is concerned and Pakistan has been isolated in the world.

You tell me, does Pakistan have any respect, internationally? Our international diplomacy is flawed. Modi is dominating us, we are isolated internationally. Why have we admitted that Lashkar-e-Taiba is a terror group? he said.

The exiled leader also said that it was wrong in part of Pakistan to admit that Lashkar-e-Taiba was a terrorist organisation, especially when India refuses to accept that jailed Kulbhushan Jadhav is a spy.

Nonetheless, Musharraf lauded the government of Pakistan on practising aggressive diplomacy in the case of Jadhav.

In another interview with ARY News of Pakistan, the 74-year-old had conceded that Lashkar-e-Taiba is active in the Kashmir valley and said he was always in favour of using the Pakistan-based terror outfit to suppress the Indian Army.

Yes, they (LeT) are involved in Kashmir. In Kashmir, it is between us and India. I was always in favour of action in Kashmir and they (LeT) are the biggest force, he said, railing against the fact that India got them declared as terrorists by partnering with the United States.

He had also declared himself as the biggest supporter of LeT and JuD. I am the biggest supporter of LeT and I know they like me and JuD (Jamaat-ud-Dawa) also likes me, Musharraf said. He also answered yes on being asked if he likes Saeed, adding, I have met him.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan hit out at US President Donald Trump's criticism of Pakistan, pointing that Trump was ignorant of the facts of the war in 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

On January 1, Trump's first tweet of the year, raised questions about Pakistan's integrity. He blamed them for giving the US nothing but "lies and deceit"

Khan slammed his claims and said that Trump seems to know nothing about the ongoing Afghan War.

"He knows nothing about history of war against terrorism and briefed by the people who are enemies of Pakistan," Khan told reporters.

Khan said that even though Pakistan is a victim of this war and has "faced destruction," it is still being blamed for supporting the extremists' group in the war zone.
January 02, 2018

Iran - Few Protests - Some Riots - U.S. Prepares The Next Phase

Updated below:

---

The riots and protests in Iran continue for a 6th day. While "western" media claim that the protests are growing I see no evidence for that in the various videos that appear online. The legitimate protests over price rises, failing private banks and against the new neoliberal austerity budget of President Rohani were hijacked early on by rioting gangs. These are obviously coordinated from the outside of the country through various internet applications, especially Telegram and Instagram:

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 ...

Blocking the specific control channels proved to be insufficient:

Special software used to circumvent the government filters could still be downloaded easily. And on Monday, as on other days, there were calls for protests online and on foreign-based Persian-language satellite channels.

The blockage of the internet applications was lifted today.

The original protests over economic issues seem to have died down after President Rouhani confirmed the right to protest, conceded economic problems and promised to take them on. Indeed there are only few new videos of genuine protest marches but an avalanche of videos of rioting, arson and tussling with police forces. The size of the protests are in a few hundred people or less. Counter demonstrations, expressing loyalty for the republic (not noted in "western" media), are bigger in size than the anti-government protests. Since December 28 protests and riots have occurred in a total of 66 cities by now, but only about 30 have been taking place each night. This might point to some planning behind the events. A daily switching of venues might be intended to prevent police preparations.

The groups of rioters are between 30 and 80 people in size with a some bystanders milling around. They seem to follow a flash mob strategy appearing here and there and to vanish again when police appears in force. In some cities rioters attacked police stations, military posts and were even stealing firetrucks. Some of the rioters are evidently trying to get their hands on weapons.

Altogether only a few thousand people, overwhelmingly male youth, seem to be involved. Thousands protest in Israel each week against the corruption of Prime Minister Netanyahoo. On New-Years-Eve more than 1,000 cars in France were set alight by arsonists. None of this is front page news but a few dozen riots in Iran get elevated to a "revolution".

The total death toll of the "peaceful protests" is now some 21 of which (by my count) at least five were policemen killed in attacks by "protesters" and two unrelated civilians who were run over and killed by rioters driving a stolen firetruck. Six rioters were killed when they tried to attack a police station in the town of Qahderijan. The governor there claimed that the attackers were armed with guns.

The same faking of pictures of large demonstrations and "evidence" of government brutality that we have seen with regard to the war on Syria is taking place with Iran. Videos of demonstrations from Argentine and Bahrain are used to claim large demonstrations in Iran. A tweet with the Bahrain video by a "journalist" who claimed it was in Iran has received more than 17,000 re-tweets. Videos from Spain or even movie scenes are purported to show police violence in Iran. A video of a man lying on his back and being cared for is once claimed to show that he has been shot by police while at the same time another propagandists claims that the man had a cardiac arrest after police used a taser on him. There are no signs of wounds or other trauma. The dude probably just passed out.

The terrorist group MEK (NCRI, MKO) "leaked" fake protocols of an alleged government meeting which it claims shows panic over the protests. Allegedly the government fears the leader of the MEK, Marjam Rajavi. The MEK has paid large sums to get support from politicians, including John McCain in Washington and elsewhere. During the Iraq-Iran war it fought against Iran on the side of Iraq. After the U.S. invaded Iraq the MEK was held in special camps under U.S. control. According to a 2012 Seymour Hersh report the U.S. military trained MEK fighters in the U.S. in sabotage and insurgency technics. These people are deeply hated in Iran but feared they are not. Their early engagement in the "protests" via their website and propaganda ops in Iran may point to deeper role in the riots.

The usual neoconservatives in the U.S. media are arguing for "more help" for the "Iranian people". The help they want to offer is designed to worsen their economic situation.

I earlier argued that the larger plan of the instigators of these riots is not aimed at winning a violent "regime change" conflict, but at causing a reaction by the Iranian government which can then be used to press especially Europeans to again isolate Iran. This plan is now confirmed by an op-ed in the Washington Post. Michael Singh of the Zionist lobby in Washington writes:

If the regime resorts to violence anyway, the international response should focus on diplomatic isolation. European and Asian states should reduce their diplomatic ties with Iran and downgrade Irans participation in international forums. Sanctions may also have a role ...

Unsurprisingly the neoconned WaPo editors are fully in sync with the lobby:

European leaders, who have been far more cautious, should speak up. ... On Sunday [President Rohani of Iran] recognized that the demonstrators had legitimate grievances and nominally accepted their right to protest. The Trump administration and other Western governments should aim to hold him to those words through diplomacy and the threat of sanctions in the event of more bloodshed.

The rioting at the current level is in no way endangering the Iranian republic. Should some rioters acquire weapons the intensity might change a bit. But unless they receive material and personal support from the outside, like it happened in Syria, the situation will soon calm down. The people of Iran are against such violence and the government has yet to use its manifold capabilities.

I had documented in earlier posts that the Trump administration, in tight co-operations with Israel, long prepared for an intensification of a conflict with Iran. Half a year ago the CIA set up a special office with a high level Iran hawk leading the charge. Last month Trump named another Iran hawk to lead the State Department Middle East section.

Since the Iranian people successfully achieved "regime change" in 1979 the U.S. and Britain have had an adversarial policy against Iran. It has ebbed and flowed in intensity but never changed. Under Trump we will see a rapid increase of hostile actions. The administration just called for a UN emergency session about the situation. That is a laughable move when one considers the size of daily murder the U.S. and its allies commit in Yemen, Syria and Palestine. But the operation that unfolds now is likely just a small part of a larger anti-Iran strategy that has yet to become visible.

Update (Jan 3, 01:00am EST)

I just checked various internet resources for two hours to find new videos of protests/riots of January 2 to 3. There were just a handful and none of them was remarkable. Some short clips of loud screaming of small crowds and light bashing with riot police. The protests and riots are obviously dying down.

This map is by HRA_news a Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA). It says "There were protests in at least 11 cities in #Iran on the sixth day".

Eleven cities is less than half than the thirty cities with protests/riots that were counted yesterday.

Posted by b on January 2, 2018 at 19:15 UTC | Permalink

Comments

next page 
Auto burglary

Someone smashed the window of a Honda CRV on Monterey Road and stole a laptop computer. The crime was reported 3:14pm Dec. 20.

A thief or thieves broke into a Ford F550 by smashing the rear side window. A saw worth about $1,000 was stolen from the vehicle. The burglary was reported 7:13am Dec. 28.

Someone broke into a Toyota Prius parked on Condit Road. The break-in was reported 9:02am Dec. 25.

Burglary

A burglar or burglars broke into a home on Seville Drive and opened all the family Christmas presents. The break-in was noticed by a handyman who was scheduled to perform work at the home. The worker arrived at the home and noticed the front door had been kicked in. The resident did not immediately know what was stolen from the home. The crime was reported 5:33pm Dec. 20.

Petty theft

Someone stole a rear license plate from a vehicle parked on Barnell Avenue. The theft was reported 7:18pm Dec. 20.

A woman left Hobby Lobby, 990 Cochrane Road, with a black bag containing merchandise she stole from the store. The crime was reported 2:07pm Dec. 22.

A man and woman on bicycles stole a package from outside a home on Calle Hermosa, but the victims chased the suspects down and retrieved their property. The incident was reported 2:35pm Dec. 27.

Someone stole a license plate from the front of a Ford Fusion parked on Burnett Avenue. The theft was reported 8:43am Dec. 25.

Stolen vehicle

A Morgan Hill resident left his vehicle at a mechanic shop in San Jose for repairs, and the vehicle was later stolen from outside the shop. The crime was reported 7:18pm Dec. 20.

A thief or thieves stole a Toyota from outside a store on East Dunne Avenue while the vehicle owner went inside to make a purchase. The victim told police he left the vehicle running with the keys in the ignition while he was inside the store. The theft was reported 5:08am Dec. 22.

Someone stole a multi-colored Ford F350 box van from Butterfield Self Storage, 955 Jarvis Drive. The van was decorated with the business name on the outside. The crime was reported 2:49pm Dec. 22.

A black Ford Mustang, stolen out of San Mateo County, was abandoned in front of a residential driveway on East Edmundson Avenue. The stolen vehicle was recovered 12:45pm Dec. 23.

Grand theft

A thief or thieves stole about $2,500 worth of tools from the toolbox on the back of a Mazda pickup. The vehicle was parked on La Alameda Drive when the theft occurred. The crime was reported 12:49pm Dec. 23.

Theft

Someone stole a wallet from a victims purse inside a store on Cochrane Road. The crime was reported 5:44pm Dec. 21.

Disturbance

A subject who was soliciting about politics outside Nob Hill Foods, 451 Vineyard Town Center, caused a disturbance with a customer. Police were called to stand by until the argumentative solicitor left the area. The disturbance was reported 6:15pm Dec. 21.

Found property

Someone found a Samsung Galaxy 4G cell phone on Carriage Drive. The phone was reported found at 2:17pm Dec. 26.

Fraud

A local resident lost his wallet, and later found unauthorized charges on his credit card account, including a $28 purchase from Amazon.com. The fraud was reported 3:45pm Dec. 24.

All subjects are innocent until proven guilty. Information is compiled from public records.
More than 1,400 swimming enthusiasts from Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan participated in an activity to swim across the Yangtze River to celebrate the New Year in Yibin, southwest Chinas Sichuan Province. The activity has allegedly been held for 44 years.
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A report has found that China has become the fastest growing tobacco consumption market in the world, though industry authorities have taken measures, such as raising tax on tobacco, to control the trend, Workers Daily reported on Jan. 2.

The country substantially lifted tax on cigarettes in 2009 and 2015, respectively, but the high prices were far from enough to cool the demand.

According to statistics, tax on cigarettes in China accounts for 59 percent of the sales price, but it is still less than the global average of 75 percent.

The payment capability of Chinese smokers grew by 85 percent from 2001 to 2016, and even doubled among low-end consumers, according to Zheng Rong, a professor at the University of International Business and Economics.

In addition, the smoking incidence of low-income groups is higher than high-income ones, and rural residents smoke more than urban people, according to Zhengs report.

The smoking rate of the countrys 200-million-plus floating population is higher than other people.

Hu Angang, a professor with Tsinghua University, said higher incidence of smoking in poverty-stricken areas and poor families is the main cause of poverty reoccurrence due to the treatment of tobacco-related diseases.

Global experience has indicated that raising tax on tobacco can effectively reduce the use of tobacco and cut public health expenditures, Zheng said, calling for higher cigarette prices to reduce smoking among low-income smokers.

With 316 million smokers, China has grown to become the largest tobacco market in the world. Data provided by Hu found that 6.4 million deaths could be attributed to smoking in 2015.

Treatment of tobacco-related diseases caused 53 billion yuan of direct losses and 297 billion yuan of indirect losses for China in 2014, according to statistics. The total of the two accounted for 10.59 percent of that years national health expenditures.

In recent years, China has rolled out a strict ban on smoking in more than 20 cities, but the campaign covers less than 10 percent of the whole country, which is far from being effective.

Jiang Yuan, deputy director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Tobacco Control Office, said raising the price and tax on tobacco is one way to control smoking.
Will Saudi Arabia and Russia maintain their grip on production, or could they succumb to another surge in U.S. shale? Is it possible for the economic collapse of a major producer to send crude prices soaring, or perhaps Silicon Valley will usher in the end of the combustion engine?

After ending 2017 at a two-year high, oil prices could go either way this year, and these five individuals could play defining roles.

The OPEC Kingpin

Saudi Minister of Energy and Industry Khalid Al-Falih is facing a crucial 12 months. Having defied skeptics in 2016 by reversing the kingdom's strategy and sealing the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' first output cut in eight years, the former chairman of Aramco finished last year on another high after securing a deal to extend the curbs to the end of 2018.

Now all Al-Falih has to do is ensure fellow members maintain their pledged cuts, keep Russia invested in the deal, and hope oil prices are high enough to ensure a successful initial public offering of Aramco without spurring another wave of U.S. shale. Simple.

Putin's Oil Man

If OPEC-watchers once fixated exclusively on every word of Saudi Arabia, they now obsess over a country that isn't even part of the cartel. Russia's decision last year to join OPEC in cutting oil production, after years of keeping its distance, has been critical in the success of the strategy.

Consequently, crude traders are just as likely to pore over the statements of Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak as of his Saudi counterpart. Novak, 46, has developed a clear personal bond with Al-Falih, helping the two countries to set aside years of mutual distrust and seal a historic cooperation agreement. Their partnership has been so strong that Citigroup Inc. calls it a " bromance," but it may be tested by pressure from Russian companies pushing for an early end to the cuts.

The Shale Pioneer

Growth in U.S. shale output is the biggest wild card for 2018, with estimates from 700,000 barrels a day to more than 1 million, depending on who you ask. At the center of the industry is the Permian in Texas, and Pioneer Natural Resources Co. is one of the biggest acreage holders in the basin.

Its CEO Tim Dove sees the area as the "lifeblood" of U.S. production for many years, forecasting production there will rise to 3.3 million barrels a day this year from about 2.85 million currently. But it's not all plain sailing. The company underperformed the S&P Energy index in the second half of 2017, possibly a victim of investors losing patience with the shale industry as a whole. Still, the company had already locked in selling prices for more than 70 percent of 2018 production as of the third quarter, according to a Bloomberg New Energy Finance survey.

The Latin Strongman

Crippling U.S. sanctions, overdue bond payments and dwindling crude production: Venezuela's president Nicolas Maduro has a lot on his plate heading into 2018. Promising a "new oil revolution," the increasingly authoritarian leader named a military general as the nation's chief oil supremo and embarked on a wide-reaching purge of officials at state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA, including two former petroleum ministers.

The Latin American nation's economic crisis has been worsened by dwindling crude output, which fell to 1.86 million barrels a day in November from more than 3 million in 2001. In 2018, the consultant Rystad Energy estimates some crude fields could decline by as much as 30 percent. That would put Venezuela's output well below its OPEC target, meaning the market could be tighter than the group intends.

The Tech Rockstar

Re-usable rockets and dreams of launching manned flights to Mars have long made Elon Musk a famous name for tech enthusiasts, but 2018 could be the year the oil market really takes notice. The six-foot-two South African entrepreneur hopes that 5,000 units of Tesla Inc.'s new lower-cost Model 3 electric car will roll off the assembly line every week by April. That would be a breakthrough for battery-powered vehicles, bringing what has been a luxury technology to the mass market.

If Musk succeeds, it will surely stoke speculation that electric cars will displace the internal combustion engine faster than expected. Even OPEC has conceded that oil consumption could stagnate in coming decades if battery-powered vehicles go mainstream. For now, oil bulls can take comfort in Tesla's teething troubles -- it's burning through $8,000 a minute and Model 3 deliveries during the third quarter numbered just 260.
The atypical Millenary returns this year, to the delight of women who  like the brand from le Brassus  love to flaunt their independence and their strength of character. An authentic exercise in horological style, with its complex openworked caliber placing its balance wheel front and center, instead of relegating it to the back as on models from other brands, this oval-cased timepiece boldly combines white and pink gold, mother-of-pearl, diamonds and steel.



Striking an elegant balance between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary design, Caliber 5201 is hand-wound, a fairly unusual option for a ladies watch movement. As of this fall, women will be able to own their Millenary even more intimately by adapting it to various facets of their personality with a choice of new straps  alligator leather, rubber, fabric or velvet-finished  available in a broad range of colors and designed for optimal comfort on the wrist. Dare to be a non-conformist and assert your own style by wearing your white or pink gold Millenary on a purple, pink or bright green strap !

Millenary

CASE : 18K white gold, gemset bezel and lugs, crown set with a cabochon-cut pink sapphire, sapphire crystal and caseback, water-resistant to 20m

SIZE : 39.5mm

MOVEMENT : mechanical hand-wound, Manufacture Caliber 5201, 21,600 vph, 54h power reserve

FUNCTIONS : hours, minutes, small seconds

DIAL : off-centered dial and small seconds counter in motherof- pearl, pink gold hands

STRAP : alligator leather, white gold pin buckle
Fewer strong earthquakes in Oklahoma thus far in 2017

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP)  Regulators and scientists say the number of 3.0 magnitude or stronger earthquakes in Oklahoma is declining.

The Oklahoma Geological Survey reports the number of quakes of at least that magnitude during 2017 was 294 through mid-December, compared to 624 total during 2016.

The geological survey has said the number began declining in mid-2015 after the state Corporation Commission began directing oil and gas producers to close some wells and reduce injection volumes in others.

The directive came after the quakes were linked to the underground injection of wastewater from their operations.

Geological Survey hydrogeologist Kyle Murray told The Oklahoman that researchers are learning a "trifecta" of injecting wastewater too quickly, injecting too much and too close to basement rock makes injection wells more prone to causing earthquakes.

Oil, gas drilling picks up in western Colorado in 2017

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP)  Figures show oil and gas drilling activity in western Colorado is at its highest pace in several years, with no signs of slowing down in 2018.

The Daily Sentinel reports Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission data through Dec. 8 shows drilling had begun on 113 wells so far this year in Mesa County, the most since 225 well starts there in 2008, the peak year of drilling activity in western Colorado's Piceance (PEE'-ants) Basin.

Garfield County has had 277 well starts this year through Dec. 8, up from 161 for all of last year.

Garfield and Mesa rank second and third statewide in drilling activity, far behind the 1,203 well starts so far this year in Weld County. Colorado has seen 1,741 well starts through Dec. 8 of this year

Wyoming's lease revenue climbs by 800 percent this year

CASPER, Wyo. (AP)  Wyoming's revenue from leasing land to oil and gas companies grew by more than 800 percent this year.

The Casper Star-Tribune reports the state netted about $146 million this year from leasing more than a half million acres of federal and state land.

State lands alone brought in $60 million this year  much higher than the typical revenue that stayed between $5 million and $7 million in past years.

The revenue from lease sales from the Bureau of Land Management and the auctions from the Office of State Lands added up to about $16 million last year when oil and gas activity was still in a downturn.

State officials say the Wyoming's decision to switch to an online auctioning system may have played a role in increasing revenue.

Alaska approves expansion plan for Point Thomson gas field

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP)  The state has approved ExxonMobil's plan to expand a gas field in far northern Alaska, ending months of negotiations after a previous plan was rejected.

Gov. Bill Walker's administration gave approval on Friday for the project that would expand development of the Point Thomson gas field east of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska's Energy Desk reported.

The field currently produces a diesel-like fluid, but it's located on a natural gas reserve that could play a crucial role for the state's liquefied natural gas project.

In a statement, Walker said the expansion project would add momentum to the pipeline project as it would demonstrate the commitment to move the gas.

ExxonMobil and the state have been battling over the field's development for years, but they reached a settlement in 2012. The settlement established the initial plan for the field, which came online last year.

The state in August rejected ExxonMobil's expansion plan, which aimed to increase natural gas production with the possibility of piping it to Prudhoe Bay if the state's pipeline project was not approved by 2019.

Under the approved plan, the two-year expansion includes ExxonMobil negotiating a commercial agreement to send gas to Prudhoe Bay as well as the engineering and design work for the necessary infrastructure.

The company said it's seeking to develop the field through a major gas sale. But if that doesn't work out, the company would consider selling it to Prudhoe Bay instead.
Just a few minutes after the stroke of midnight on Monday, Meagan and Richard Chavarria welcomed Midlands first baby of 2018.

The couples daughter, Chloe, was born 12:03 a.m. on New Years Day. Though the Chavarrias were expecting their daughters birth later in the month, Meagan thought the girl would arrive sooner.

She was actually due Jan. 23, and the night before [New Years Eve] I had this feeling, she said. I was like, Honey, just be ready just in case.

Meagan made her way to Midland Memorial Hospital early on Sunday. She said having a baby at the start of the year didnt hold much significance until they received encouragement from hospital staff.

It wasnt too much of a big deal, but our nurse riled us all up, Meagan said. She made it super exciting.

Chloe weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 18.75 inches long, according to a press release from MMH. Meagan said one reason the couple chose their babys name was because of the way it flowed with Tori, the name of their 3-year-old daughter.

The couple thought Tori would have a positive attitude toward becoming an older sister. Meagan said her daughter would sing and talk to Chloe during her pregnancy.

The moment we saw her, we were crying because we knew how much (Tori) was going to love her, Meagan said.

For Richard, it was emotional to welcome another girl into their family.

Just seeing her after she was delivered, it was just the most heartwarming thing Ive ever seen, he said. I dont know if its just girls that do it to me. Im sure a little boy would too, though. With her, I was just bawling.

For having the first child of 2018, the Midland family was presented with a gift basket arranged by Flowerland. Local merchants donated items for the mother and baby. Meagan said she was thankful for the gifts.

Its just a nice gesture, she said. As soon as she came out, I told her shes going to be a winner for the rest of her life just because it was such a competition with our nurse. She made it pretty fun.

***

Items in the gift basket included:

-Hooded towel and lotion from La Bebe Boutique

-Piggy bank from Graham Kracker

-WubbaNub pacifier from The Ivy Cottage

-Books and stuffed animals from Barnes and Noble

-Gift certificate from The Woodhouse Day Spa

-Blanket and gift certificate from Rhea Lanas

-Gift certificate from Simplicity Photography

-Nursing cover and Milkies freezer storage system from Midland Lactation Supplies

-Handmade knitted blanket and hat from Nifty Knitters for Newborns Midland Churches of Christ

-Grooming kit and wipes from Hope Chest, a program sponsored by MMH and March of Dimes

Source: MMH
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 longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world, things tend to get a little weird.

No, were not talking about some strange island in a distant country, were talking about the Padre Island National Seashore  a 70-mile patch of coastline in Corpus Christis backyard.

And on Wednesday, the park reminded its Facebook followers just how desolate and unique its beach is by posting a photo of an abandoned escape pod that washed ashore.

RELATED: San Antonio-area man catches huge bull shark on Texas coast, wins $20,000 at Sharkathon

The picture dates back to December 2009, after the pod supposedly came loose from a rig during a storm, but Education Coordinator William Botts said washed-up objects are nothing out of the ordinary.

Padre Island is certainly unusual in regards to the amount of marine debris that washes ashore here do to the currents, Botts said. Over the years a lot of odd things have turned up.

Its common to find seashells, dead fish and litter on the beach, but photos provided by the park show questionable objects like a mattress, axle, vending machine and even a computer.

RELATED: 8-foot hammerhead shark photographed on Padre Island shore

More than anything, Botts said bottle caps are constantly found along the shoreline, calling them the cigarette butts of this generation.

The Padre Island National Seashore, one of 13 Texas parks operated by the National Park Service, is situated between Mustang Island and South Padre Island.

Known as the longest stretch of undeveloped barrier island in the world, it separates the Gulf of Mexico from the Laguna Madre.

Click through the slideshow to view strange objects found on the Padre Island National Seashore.

rsalinas@mysa.com
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."

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In Focus with Allison Walker is a 30-minute public affairs program, featuring a roundtable of newsmakers representing a range of perspectives, including local officials and expert analysts as they tackle topical issues of importance to Floridians.

In Focus airs Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m., right after Political Connections.
Egypt has executed four Islamist extremists convicted of killing three military-academy students in a bomb attack almost three years ago.

The four men were executed at the Borg Al-Arab prison in Alexandria early on Tuesday.

The bombing took place in April 2015 outside a stadium in the Nile Delta city of Kafr El-Sheikh as the students were waiting for a bus to take them to the academy. Six people were also wounded in the attack.

In June, a military court in Alexandria upheld death sentences against seven defendants convicted of the killings. Three were sentenced in absentia and are still being sought by police.

Tuesday's executions bring the number of extremists executed over the past week to 19.

On 26 December, authorities executed 15 militants who had been handed death sentences by a military court after their convictions over a 2013 attack on a military checkpoint in the Sinai Peninsula. Sinai is the epicentre of an Islamist militancy that has spiked over the past four years.



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Egypt repaid nearly $30 billion in external debt in 2017 and will pay around $12 billion in 2018, a Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) source told state-owned news agency MENA on Tuesday.

In September, the CBE said that Egypt's external debt totalled around $79 billion in the fiscal year 2016-2017.

According to the source in MENA's report on Tuesday, the $30 billion paid in 2017 consisted of bonds and external debts to several international banks, including the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), in addition to loans and deposits from countries such as Saudi Arabia, Libya and Turkey.

The source also stated that Egypt met its obligations to Paris Club creditors in 2017.

Egypt will pay around $12 billion in 2018, the source said, adding that the country has always paid its debts on time, even during the various crisis periods between 2011 and 2016.

Later in 2018, Egypt is expected to receive the fourth tranche of an International Monetary Fund loan totalling $2 billion.



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Steinhoff International, the retail conglomerate that owns Houston-based Mattress Firm, said Tuesday that its accounting issues date back to 2015 or earlier.

The company said in a release that it will restate financial results from 2015, 2016 and 2017. It cautioned that the restatement of results prior to 2015 is "likely to be required."

Steinhoff, which last year acquired Mattress Firm for $3.8 billion, is running low on cash and investor confidence amid an accounting investigation that began last month. The company hired PricewaterhouseCoopers to examine the validity of its past financial statements and the value of roughly $7 billion in assets, and European regulators are investigating independently.

RELATED: Mattress Firm chairman says company will close 200 stores

The company revealed last month that it did not have "detailed visibility" into the cash flows of its many subsidiaries, which face financial uncertainty as the accounting scandal deepens.

Mattress Firm did not respond to a request for comment.

At a meeting with Steinhoff lenders last month, Mattress Firm chairman Steve Stagner said that his company plans to close about 200 stores as part of a strategy to boost revenue to $4 billion within the next five years. He said the plan will require about $200 million next year to terminate store leases and revamp its product assortment, among other things.

Randy Carlin, Mattress Firm's chief real estate officer, said in a statement that the company will determine the store closures after "case-by-case evaluations" during the next 18 months. He added that the company will continue to open stores and enter new markets.

The company late last month secured a $75 million line of credit. It plans to increase that amount to $225 million, the maximum amount available under the loan agreement.
New York-based Hearst Corp., the parent company of the San Antonio Express-News, achieved its seventh-consecutive year of record profits in 2017, Hearst CEO Steven Swartz said in a letter to employees Tuesday.

Revenue in 2017 was flat at $10.8 billion from 2016, but profit reached a new high partly because of gains on sales of investments, Swartz said in the letter. The diversified media company, which is privately owned, didnt disclose its earnings. The year was still marked with plenty of challenges, especially in its core publishing businesses.

Last year was another great year to be a consumer of media products but less so to be a provider of that content, Swartz said. While platform companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon and Netflix thrived through their dominance of advertising and ecommerce channels, many individual media brands struggled to get their share of the advertising pie and consumers bought fewer television bundles or magazine subscriptions.

Hurricane Harvey eroded otherwise growing profits at the companys newspaper division, which also includes the Houston Chronicle, San Francisco Chronicle and Beaumont Enterprise, Swartz said. The newspaper division was on track for its sixth-straight year of profit growth before Harvey hit the Houston and Beaumont markets, he said.

The company spent more than $200 million on capital improvements last year, mainly for new software, equipment and office space and $30 million on various venture capital projects in technology, finance and health care, Swartz said.

Hearst added to its newspaper holdings last year, acquiring newspapers in the New Haven, Connecticut, and Alton, Illinois, areas.

We certainly expect to acquire more newspapers over time, largely where geographic synergies and/or regional market opportunities are possible, Swartz wrote.

Revenue from print and digital subscriptions and from digital advertising reached 57 percent of total newspaper revenue. That is a key measure in our effort to lessen our dependence on print advertising revenue, Swartz said.

While our focus is increasingly on selling subscriptions to our premium news products, traffic to our free-to-the-consumer breaking news websites surged in 2017 to 7 billion page views and 42 million unique users, increases of 12 percent and 60 percent respectively, Swartz reported.

An expected revenue drop in the Hearst Television group of 30 stations occurred in 2017 after a record year in 2016 was driven by the presidential election and the Olympics. He predicted a strong year in 2018 with the Olympics and mid-term elections.

Hurricanes hitting our newspaper and television markets in Texas and Florida and terrible fires in California reminded readers and viewers of the essential role our journalists play in their communities, Swartz wrote.

He said the magazine and television groups were in the crosshairs of disruption and the magazine division needs more change.

With respect to many of our titles, we need the readers to pay more for the product. And we need to find a way to make digital subscription products work for magazines in the way that they are starting to work for newspapers, he said.

Swartz said bond rating company Fitch Group, led the way with an outstanding performance across the world.

Aviation safety company called CAMP was also profitable along with the Hearst Health portfolio and a business media unit that sells data and software used by consumers in daily activities.

The Hearst magazine unit added a new title in 2017, The Pioneer Woman Magazine, with Food Network star Ree Drummond. Hearst also acquired existing magazines, Mens Health, Womens Health and Prevention, from Rodale Inc.

dhendricks@express-news.net
With temperatures hovering in the upper 20s all day Monday, it was the perfect excuse to spend the first day of 2018 inside in the comfort of a heated home.

Dozens of brave souls, however, ignored instinct. Clad in nothing but bikinis, swim trunks and T-shirts, they plunged into the San Marcos River at Sewell Park for the city's Polar Bear Plunge.
Courtesy of Kelsey-Seybold Clinic

Every year, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic hosts a luncheon that celebrates employees who have served a milestone number of years, starting at 15 years. One hundred and fifty-eight employees, including 32 physicians, were honored at the event on Dec. 6. Throughout the organization, Kelsey-Seybold has more than 600 employees who have been with the company for 15 years or longer. Dr. David Mouton, M.D., an Internal Medicine physician at Tanglewood Clinic, celebrates a 45-year legacy at Kelsey-Seybold Clinic. Pictured from left are Tony Lin, M.D., F.H.M., Chairman and Managing Director, David Mouton, M.D., Internal Medicine, and James Hoyle, M.D., F.A.A.P., F.S.A.H.M., Medical Director of Clinical Operations.
Authorities are searching for an elderly man who was last seen Friday in southwest Houston, according to the Houston Police Department.

Lonnie Prior was last seen about 4 p.m. on Dec. 29 in the 15900 block of Lenclaire Drive, police said.
Egypt's National Electoral Commission (NEC) said Tuesday that the timeline of the country's 2018 presidential election will be made public at a press conference next Monday.

"All the details on this election's timeline will be made public next Monday because the NEC is keen that all measures are announced in a clear and transparent way," the commission's spokesman Mahmoud El-Sherif told reporters.

El-Sherif also indicated that "the two laws on exercise of political rights and terrorist entities" will be implemented when reviewing the list of presidential candidates. "Those who were finally convicted of committing terrorist crimes or who were found guilty of perpetrating ethical crimes will be banned from registering as presidential candidates or voting in the polls," said El-Sherif.

On Monday, MP Amal Rizkallah said in a statement that NEC should make sure that "those who were finally convicted of committing terrorist crimes are removed from the voting lists."

"As presidential and municipal elections are due to be held in Egypt in 2018, the NEC, which is constitutionally authorized with supervising all elections, must make sure that convicted terrorists and criminals will not be allowed vote or run in these elections," she added.

Rizkallah argued that the law on terrorist entities (law no. 8/2015) clearly states that "those who were designated as terrorists or members of terrorist organizations or placed on the travel ban lists, or prevented from entering the country, or who had their travel passports withdrawn, or were not allowed to have new travel passports, or lost the stipulation of good reputation, shall not be allowed to join parliament or take charge of public posts."

The MP said the above article means that Muslim Brotherhood members who were involved in terrorist crimes cannot run in any coming elections.

El-Sherif's statement comes four days after NEC head Lasheen Ibrahim told Al-Ahram newspaper that the timeline will soon be made public in a press conference.

The announcement is in line with Article 140 of Egypt's 2014 constitution, which states that "all the measures necessary for the country's presidential election to be held should be completed and made public 120 days ahead of the voting day," said Ibrahim, adding that "this means that the timeline should be announced as soon as possible in order for the vote to be conducted on time next April."

According to Ibrahim, Egypt's presidential election will be held in the second half of April and "that by 3 May 2018  or one week before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan  a president of Egypt should have been elected."

Ibrahim also indicated that the commission, which is fully in charge of supervising all of Egypt's elections and referendums, is currently involved in updating the country's voter lists as an initial move necessary to guarantee the integrity of the coming polls. "An estimated number of 60 million Egyptians will be entitled to vote in the coming presidential poll," said Lasheen, adding that "the updating of voter lists will continue until the ballot day is announced by NEC."

Egypt's NEC includes ten senior judges and is led by Ibrahim, who is the senior deputy chairman of the country's court of cassation.

Ibrahim revealed that NEC is probing the possibility of increasing the number of polling stations in order to make it much easier for citizens to vote. "Besides, electronic voting will be allowed for the first time in the coming poll, even though this will be on a limited scale," said Ibrahim.

The NEC head insisted that in accordance with the constitution, all polling stations will be placed under the complete supervision of judges. "We are committed to implementing the principle 'a judge for every voting box' in the coming presidential election. In addition to judges, local and foreign civil society organizations will be also welcomed to monitor the poll."

"All the licenses and permits necessary for this will be issued, not to mention that all media outlets will be given a free hand to cover the polls.

"The polls' voting card" has already been selected by the NEC. "It has a certain design that will make it impossible for anyone to forge or to be handled outside polling stations," said Ibrahim.

He also revealed that 389 public notaries across Egypt were named to help citizens wishing to document candidate recommendation forms. "As hopeful candidates will be required to collect recommendation signatures from citizens in different governorates, a certain form was designed, and thousands of copies will be made available in public notaries.

"In the end we hope that citizens will be keen to actively vote in the polls as long as guarantees for fairness and integrity are available. We hope that the coming presidential poll will push Egypt's democracy forward," said Ibrahim, vowing that "all members of the NEC will do their best to ensure that all candidates are treated on an equal footing in terms of campaigning, spending and media coverage."

According to Article 142 of the 2014 constitution, a hopeful presidential candidate must get the recommendations of at least twenty elected MPs, or the recommendations of at least twenty-five thousand citizens with voting powers in at least 15 governorates, with a minimum one thousand recommendations from each governorate.

Ibrahim indicated that a presidential candidate cannot spend more LE20 million on campaigning during the first stage of the race. "In case of a second run-off stage, a candidate shall not be allowed to spend more than LE5 million," he said.

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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.
Midland Memorial Hospital ranked below the average of 274 hospitals across the state in terms of the quality of care, according to Medicares Hospital Compare website.

Midland Memorial earned three stars, which trailed the 3.3-star average for hospitals statewide. The ratings range from one to five stars, with five being the best. Thirty-three hospitals received five stars, 84 rated four stars, 105 scored three stars, 43 received two stars, and nine had just one star.
When Alan Shane Dillingham, a historian at Spring Hill College in Alabama, lectures on the 1960s, he starts by displaying a timeline of the decade's most iconic, tumultuous year - 1968.

The assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy. The riots that shook Washington, Chicago, Baltimore and other U.S. cities. Campus protests. Civil rights protests. Vietnam War protests. The Tet Offensive. The My Lai Massacre. The rise of Richard M. Nixon and the retreat of Lyndon B. Johnson. And so much else: Black Power, "the White Album," Andy Warhol, "Hair," Apollo 8, the first black character in Peanuts.

"Was there something in the water?" Dillingham asks his students. "What is it about this year?"

With 2018 marking the 50th anniversary of that extraordinary year, Dillingham and more than 1,500 other historians descend on Washington this week for the American Historical Association's annual meeting, where they will grapple with that question and others about 1968 in a series of special panels.

The historians arrive in the nation's capital at a time when many of 1968's flash points still consume the country, including race, political polarization, war and America's standing in the world. The man who occupies the White House graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 1968 and got a draft deferment for bone spurs in his heels, exempting him from military service in Vietnam.

The election of President Donald Trump, who came of age in the '60s, and even the designation of gender-neutral bathrooms at the conference, are reminders that the political and social forces unleashed at that time still reverberate today. But the historians aren't looking at 1968 in the context of current events. Instead, they are focusing on how that year shaped - and was shaped - by global events.

In many ways, the panels represent the symbolic pass-the-torch movement that occurs in any field of historical study - a move away from first-person, character-driven accounts in favor of more detached analysis. Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson, feminist Betty Friedan and activist-turned-academic Todd Gitlin, author of "The Sixties: Years of Hope, Days of Rage," had great stories to tell (and sell) about the 1960s. But what didn't they see?

"I think the limitations of historical narratives dominated by participants tell a kind of romantic story - obstacles overcome, that kind of stuff," Dillingham said. "That's important, but it can also simplify these moments and prevent you from seeing important connections."

Younger historians, many of whom were born in the 1970s or later, are examining the '60s through a global lens that isn't tainted by nostalgia.

Dillingham, who is leading a 1968 panel at the conference, is 36. Chelsea Szendi Schieder, a historian who helped organize the special focus, is 34. Fabio Lanza, another '68 panel leader, was definitely around for 1968, but as a baby.

These younger scholars learned about King, Nixon and the Kennedy clan growing up, then in college and graduate school read works by historians who, as it happened, were often part of 1960s political movements. Gitlin, who teaches at Columbia University, was president of Students for a Democratic Society.

"This is not to dismiss a generation of scholars," Schieder said, "but I think right now is a kind of reckoning."

The papers being presented about 1968, for so long treated as an American artifact, certainly reflect that notion.

One is titled, "Long Live African Women Wherever They Are! Black Women, Pan-Africanism, and Black Power's Global Reach." Another is "Gender Trouble in Guatemalan Student Movement Memories." Schieder, who teaches at Meiji University in Tokyo, is presenting "Beyond the Barricades: The Possibilities and Pitfalls of the Campus-Based New Left in Japan," looking at campus protests that rivaled the more famous ones at Columbia and the University of California at Berkeley.

In the 1960s, just about every matter of strife in the United States - race, war, free speech, the establishment - was a matter of contention elsewhere. The timelines line up nicely.

In February 1968, students in Boston staged a hunger strike to protest the war in Vietnam. Not long after, 10,000 people, many of them students, marched in Paris against the war. There were riots in Memphis and Mexico, Washington and Poland.

"The problem with the U.S. and '68 is that it looks very insular, but it's not," said Lanza, a professor at the University of Arizona. "I think that is changing, though."

But first, historians have some pretty big questions to answer.

One: Which came first, the American chaos or the global chaos?

Another: Why does 1968 loom so large in the narrative of political and cultural change?

There's a building consensus, historians say, that although 1968 gets all the attention, it is actually a later chapter of a story that begins much earlier - after World War II.

The postwar baby boom in the West and Asia vastly increased the number of people who went to college in the early 1960s. Dorms were crowded. Students argued a lot - with one another and with university administrators. Many early campus protests, both in the United States and abroad, were not over Vietnam. They were over dorm living conditions.

"A lot of these small grievances start to snowball," said Dillingham, the Spring Hill College historian.

And the radicalization moves beyond college campuses, spurred by growing unease over the Vietnam War. As the body count in Southeast Asia grows, Americans take to the streets. But so do Europeans - and they have other concerns, too, including the Cold War clash between communism and democracy playing out on their doorstep. In August 1968, the Soviet Union invades Czechoslovakia to end the political liberalization movement known as the Prague Spring. Suddenly, the whole world seems like it's coming unglued.

Amid all of this, there's the incredible rise of the mass media, particularly television. In 1950, the number of U.S. households with TVs was 3.9 million. In 1968: 57 million. The adoption patterns are similar in other developed countries. So, when two U.S. athletes gave the Black Power salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, the footage is seen around the world. Television helps fuel protests, uniting activists at home and abroad.

"In the late 1960s, black civil rights activists in Alabama are also reading about struggles against colonialism in Africa," Dillingham said. "And they're reading about the Cuban Revolution. And they're reading about the Algerian struggle against the French. They start to understand their local fight within a global framework."

So what caused what?

"It's hard to know," Dillingham says, "because that global context is very much shaping local fights. The global and the local become deeply intertwined."

What's local in one place is global in another. Untangling all that is the goal for the conference - and beyond.

"As historians, we don't have the full picture yet because people weren't operating only within their national context," Schieder said. "So I guess what I'm really hoping in bringing all these different scholars together is that we can start to say, 'Oh, I only thought that happened in Argentina. Oh, I only thought that happened in Japan.' "

The scholarly infrastructure is now in place to make these connections. The 1960s even have their own academic journal, called, appropriately, the "The Sixties."

In an editorial in the first issue, the editors wrote: "Nostalgia, in its most primitive form, entails the indiscriminate love of a particular past because it is one's own."

That year, 1968. It belongs to the world.
Egypt has extended a nationwide state of emergency for a further three months, starting 13 January, state-run news agency MENA said on Tuesday.

The decree authorizes the army and police to undertake the necessary procedures to combat terrorism in order to preserve the safety of citizens and public properties across the nation.

The state of emergency was first imposed in April 2017 after two church bombings killed 47 people. It was then extended in July.

A new decree further lengthening it was issued in October. According the Egyptian constitution, a state of emergency cannot exceed six months from its date of declaration and decrees imposing or extending it should be approved by the parliament.

The new decree by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi was published in the official state gazette on Tuesday.

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Ladies, raise a gloved hand if your hands feel as frozen as Elsa's, especially in the winter.

Women's hands generally are colder than men's, and the old saying "cold hands, warm heart" may go a long way to explaining why.

Using thermal images, University of Utah researchers compared the hands of men and women, and found that women's hands typically run 2.8 degrees colder than men's.

Exposure to cold - whether it comes from taking a cold shower or a wintry walk outside - causes blood vessels in the hands and feet to contract, reducing blood flow there as the body seeks to protect the heart and other vital organs.

While this happens in men and women, the cold response is much quicker for women.

It's still a bit of a mystery why, but scientists suggest that differences in body size, composition and hormones are the culprits.

Women have more body fat and less muscle than men. The fat protects the vital organs, including the uterus, but it also restricts blood flow to the extremities.

Women also tend to lose heat faster from their skin because they're generally smaller than men.

That explains why so many women are shivering in office cubicles next to their male co-workers wearing short sleeves.

For most women, having cold hands, though uncomfortable, isn't cause for concern - unless it is a symptom of a medical condition known as Raynaud's.

Raynaud's disease causes fingers and toes to feel numb and cold in response to chilly temperatures or stress, according to the Mayo Clinic. The condition causes small blood vessels that carry blood to the extremities to spasm and severely constrict, affecting blood flow. This can lead to tissue damage.

Women are five times more likely than men to have Raynaud's. Symptoms include: icy fingers or toes, skin color turning white or blue with exposure to cold or stress, and red with stinging pain after warming up.

There are two types of Raynaud's - primary and secondary. The secondary type is caused by an underlying condition and is less common. The primary type is linked to family history.
The fourth house fire in the San Antonio-area Tuesday morning in a matter of several hours resulted in the death of at least one pet and a several others who are currently missing.

Firefighters responded around 10:20 a.m. to a home in the 200 block of Montpelier Drive. When they arrived, heavy fire and smoke was pouring out of the home.
A man is believed to have accidentally set himself on fire Tuesday morning in the kitchen of his East Side home, resulting in his death.

Firefighters responded to the blaze just before 9 a.m. at a home in the 200 block of Belmont Avenue, where they found the 75-year-old victim dead in the front room of the house.

A neighbor initially saw smoke rising from the victim's house and rushed over to see if the man was okay. The house is equipped with burglar bars, but the neighbor was able to break them loose and force his way inside.

RELATED: SAFD: Woman woke to loud bang before son spotted blaze in attic

"He was able to see his neighbor in the front of the house smoldering, unfortunately, basically on fire," said San Antonio Fire Chief Charles Hood.

The neighbor pulled the man to the doorway of the home, sustaining minor burns to his hand in the process, and then put out the fire on the victim using flour.

"We want to thank the neighbor for his quick action," Hood said.

Another neighbor, James S., 30, said he heard his dogs barking and a fire alarm ring and walked outside to see what was happening. Across the street, he saw the victim aflame, sitting in his front doorway.

"I ran up with my water hose to see if I could douse him off, but no..." he said.

Authorities then arrived and pronounced the man dead. Firefighters checked the rest of the house and found no other occupants.

RELATED: San Antonio bracing for this week's coldest days yet

Woody Woodward, a spokesman for the San Antonio Fire Department, said the victim was using his stove to stay warm, or had possibly been trying to extinguish a toaster fire, when his shirt ignited.

"This very well could have been a kitchen fire where the occupant set himself on fire accidentally," said Chief Hood said. "It's very tragic."

Hood warned San Antonians to not use "unorthodox" means to heat their homes, despite the cold weather. The fire department has already responded to numerous house fires since the beginning of the new year, many of which started because people were trying to stay warm in the freezing weather.

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
A father and his baby narrowly escaped a house fire that spread quickly Tuesday afternoon.

The two were napping in their Northeast Side home in the 4400 block of Sun Gate Street when a space heater on the back patio caught on fire around 1 p.m., according to Battalion Chief Noel Morones.

Luis Naveo, a neighbor, said he initially thought the smoke coming from the home was from a barbecue. But as he turned the corner with his grandma, they saw flames on the roof.

RELATED: SAFD: Neighbor found man 'smoldering' in East Side home, broke in to save him but was too late

Naveo said he ran to the home to knock on the door and may have helped wake the father up, who walked out of his home with his baby.

"The baby was coughing and he was coughing," Naveo said. "We got them in [our] house to warm them up."

The fire had spread through the attic of the home by the time firefighters arrived, Morones said.

Crews quickly put the fire out, but the damage had already been done. The house was declared a total loss and roughly $50,000 worth of property was destroyed during the fire.

RELATED: Chief Hood blames hoarding for strength of home blaze that killed at least one family pet

The homeowner had the space heater on outside for his pets. The pets were accounted for except for one cat, Morones said.

The fire was one of five major blazes the department responded to on a freezing Tuesday.

Morones advises residents to be careful when using space heaters and to make sure the devices are three feet away from anything flammable.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA
An Austin couple spent their time in a self-advertised 'kid-friendly' restaurant engaging in oral sex, according to an Austin American-Statesman report.

The manager of Baby Acapulco in the 13600 block of I-35 called police Saturday after noticing the couple's alleged lewd acts on one of the restaurant booths, the paper reported.
DENVER - Authorities in suburban Denver were investigating what led a 37-year-old man to fire more than 100 rounds in his apartment on sheriff's deputies, killing one and injuring four others. Two civilians were also injured.

The Douglas County coroner identified the suspect as Matthew Riehl.

A YouTube user named Matthew Riehl posted a YouTube video Dec. 13, saying he wanted to replace Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock and railing against the sheriff and other officers in profane, highly personal terms.

The incident began around 5:15 a.m. at Copper Canyon Apartments, 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.

"The suspect was just making a ton of noise and annoying everyone around him," Spurlock said.

Spurlock said deputies came under fire almost immediately and were shot "very, very quickly" after entering the apartment and trying to talk with the suspect, who was holed up inside 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 wounded deputies tried to pull the fallen officer, 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," 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.

The suspect was well-known to authorities in the Denver area but had no criminal record, said Spurlock, who declined to name him until his identity was confirmed.

Riehl said in his Dec. 13 YouTube video, called "Fire Sheriff Spurlock," that he would run as a libertarian, ending with holiday greetings and a vow to "fire all these bums come early next year."

Riehl is vague about his political beliefs and personal grievances, though his animosity clearly ran deep. He flashes the business card of an officer who, he says, shows up at homes after sunset with an attractive woman and "will then ambush you from behind the door."

Gov. John Hickenlooper ordered flags on all public buildings lowered to half-staff until Tuesday evening in Parrish's honor.
RAMALLAH, West Bank - An Israeli military court on Monday indicted a teenage Palestinian girl who was filmed last month in the West Bank slapping Israeli troops who refused to respond.

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 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 Tamimi, 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.

Bassem Tamimi 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."

Ahed Tamimi was arrested at her home in a pre-dawn raid three days after the confrontation, amid an uproar in Israel.

Ahed Tamimi 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 Nabi Saleh, a village of about 600 people, most of them members of Ahed Tamimi's extended family. For eight years, villagers along with Israeli and foreign activists have protested weekly against Israeli policies in the West Bank.

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.

Jarrar, who is in her mid-50s, is a popular figure among Palestinians and is known for fiery speeches against Israel. In 2015, Israel sentenced her to 15 months for incitement to violence.

Jarrar is a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a left-leaning faction opposed to peace with Israel and 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.

Israel's Shin Bet security agency referred questions to the military, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
MEXICO CITY - To commemorate the new year, an aspiring mayoral candidate of a small Mexican town sent a Facebook message on Sunday morning asking residents to unite to improve society.

"We only need maturity, seriousness, and responsibility to face the challenges that confront society," Adolfo Serna Nogueda wrote.

Later that day, Serna was shot and killed outside his home in Atoyac de Alvarez, along the Pacific Coast in the western state of Guerrero.

Serna, a member of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, was one of at least five politicians killed in the past week in Mexico on the eve of an important election year. Two days earlier, the mayor of another Guerrero town, Petatlan, about two hours north along the coast, was killed while eating with friends at a restaurant. And the day before that, a state congressman from Jalisco was gunned down while driving with his son. A former state congressional candidate and a town councilman were also killed in the past week.

The spate of violence was another reminder of the grave dangers inherent in Mexican politics, particularly at the local level, where drug gangs regularly exert influence. It has also prompted politicians from different parties to call for tighter security measures and to demand justice ahead of the elections taking place for more than 3,400 positions at all levels, including president, this summer.

Four of the five politicians killed were affiliated with the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). Top party officials have condemned the wave of violence and have asked to meet with federal officials to discuss the cases.

"We are six months from the presidential election and of course these attacks against our members are taken as a warning against participating," Angel Avila Romero, secretary general of the PRD, said last week, according to El Universal newspaper.

The killing of politicians has been a recurring problem in Mexico in recent years. Since President Enrique Pena Nieto's administration began in 2012, 61 current or former mayors have been slain, up from 49 killed in the previous administration, according to a count by the National Association of Mayors.

"We have called on the president asking for an immediate meeting to implement a security protocol for mayors," Enrique Vargas del Villar, the president of the association, said in a phone interview. "The insecurity cannot continue this way in our country."

Vargas del Villar said that mayors needed direct phone lines to the Interior Ministry to report any threats against them so that federal officials could intervene.

In states where drug gangs and cartels maintain a strong presence, local officials are at the greatest risk. Some have ties to criminal groups while others face extortion demands or other threats, according to security experts.

"This shows the breakdown of institutions due to the penetration of organized crime groups that apparently try to influence the electoral process," said Miguel Arroyo Ramirez, a lawyer and a founding member of an anti-crime civil society group. "When someone appears who doesn't share their interests, or has different interests, these groups don't have the slightest hesitation in eliminating those who are inconvenient."

The motives behind this past week's political killings remain unclear.

The mayor of Petatlan and a member of the PRD, Arturo Gomez Perez, was shot at point-blank range on Friday inside a restaurant in his town in front of several witnesses, according to local news reports. After the shooting, the governor of Guerrero, Hector Astudillo, called it a "cowardly and cunning crime" against a man "who behaved correctly and with great commitment to his people."

"We reject and repudiate this act," he wrote on Twitter.

On Dec. 28, Saul Galindo, a PRD state congressman from Jalisco, who was president of the justice committee, was shot while driving near his ranch in Tomatlan, authorities said. He had served as mayor of Tomatlan and was reportedly planning to run for the position again.

On Dec. 30, Gabriel Hernandez Arias, a town councilman in Jalapa, in the state of Tabasco, was found stabbed to death in his home, according to authorities. He was also with the PRD party.

The same day, lawyer Juan Jose Castro Crespo, was shot to death in Mexicali, a city in the border state of Baja California. Castro Crespo had been a PRD candidate for state congress and a president of the local bar association.

"In addition to being dismayed, the political class needs to step up its security measures," Heriberto Huicochea Vazquez, the head of the PRI in Guerrero, told the news site Bajo Palabra. He called on authorities to conduct rigorous investigations "so we can at least know the motive for why these homicides have occurred."

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The Washington Post's Gabriela Martinez contributed to this report.
Nine people were killed overnight in unrest related to protests in the Isfahan region of central Iran, the state broadcaster reported on Tuesday.

Six protesters were killed in the town of Qahderijan, one member of the Revolutionary Guards was slain in Kahriz Sang and one passer-by in Khomeinishahr, state television said, as well as one policeman killed with a hunting rifle in nearby Najafabad whose death had already been reported.

On Monday, Iranian police arrested 100 protesters in the capital, the deputy governor of Tehran said, as a police crackdown intensifies against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

"200 people were arrested on Saturday, 150 people on Sunday and around 100 people on Monday," Ali Asghar Naserbakht, deputy governor of Tehran province, was quoted as saying by semi-official ILNA news agency on Tuesday.

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Historical comparisons can be terribly flawed. Bearing that in mind, I could not help but think of talks with North Korea while watching a new British film, Darkest Hour, all about Winston Churchill in the darkest early days of World War II spurning pleas to negotiate with Nazi Germany.

Time and again, Neville Chamberlain, the prime minister who claimed to have won peace for our time after reaching an agreement with Adolf Hitler in September 1938, urged Churchill as his successor to make another deal with the Nazi tyrant. Instead, Churchill, with nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat, famously vowed, We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender.

It would appear far-fetched to suggest that South Koreans and Americans adopt a similar stance about talks with North Korea, but the film does dramatically raise the question of how far to go to mollify an enemy. Thats a topic we hear constantly amid debate over whether to stage a pre-emptive strike on North Koreas nuclear and missile facilities or continue looking for a peaceful resolution while applying ever tougher sanctions in hopes that Kim Jong Un will agree to negotiate the nuclear program that he vows never to abandon.

There is a parallel, too, between Italys offer to host negotiations between Britain and Hitler, and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov urging the United States to take the first step forward to negotiations with the North.

Lavrovs call is absurd considering that North Korea has already rejected Secretary of State Rex Tillersons declaration that he would be glad to talk to the North Koreans about anything with no preconditions. Lavrovs purpose is to increase Russias standing in Pyongyang, with which Moscow has been striving mightily in recent years to improve ties.

The parallel between Churchills resolve and the North-South Korean impasse might work the opposite way. To some, Kim might appear not as a tyrant in the Hitlerian mold but as a Churchill-like figure resisting mounting pressure from his enemies to give up all that he holds dear. Its easy for pro-Northers to fantasize the North Korean leader as the brave underdog standing up against foes all around, answering rising sanctions with rising resolve.

Or, in yet another analogy, South Koreas President Moon Jae-in might be cast as a Chamberlain-like figure looking for dialogue with a cruel enemy that will only exploit compromise and concessions, advancing steadily toward its goal of conquest of South Korea.

One wonders if Darkest Hour was really intended to inspire such analogies or simply to dramatize a turning point in modern history dominated by a single towering figure, namely Churchill. Regardless of the intent of the film, the comparison that sticks is that of a hero resisting negotiations that surely would have ended in frustration and failure, giving the enemy an advantage that would bring about defeat. If there is no figure comparable to Churchill battling those who would sacrifice the integrity of their country for an illusory peace, there is still a dictator with whom to contend.

Kim Jong Un has again betrayed his weakness with an extraordinary call for a revolutionary offensive to uproot nonsocialist practices. The campaign also verifies what has long been suspected  that Kim faces severe hostility among a poverty-stricken populace fed up with the cruel arrogance of the elite, notably the leader.

Its possible, even likely, that Kim will order more missile tests, perhaps a seventh nuclear test, more to impress his own people than to frighten his foes in Seoul and Washington. The fear of North Korea sending a long-range missile laden with a nuclear warhead to the United States raises the basic question of whether compromise and vacillation are a good idea against any threat. Thats the message of Darkest Hour about one mans determination not to let an enemy conquer, slaughter and enslave his people.

Donald Kirk has been a columnist for Korea Times, South China Morning Post many other newspaper and magazines. He wrote this for InsideSources.com.
Fifty years ago, North Korea rolled the dice in an extraordinary gamble against the United States when communist gunboats attacked and captured a Navy spy ship, the USS Pueblo.

One American sailor was killed in the Jan. 23, 1968, attack and 82 others were taken captive. The U.S. ship was forced into a North Korean harbor and its crew was tossed in prison, touching off an international crisis that dragged on for nearly a year.

An American naval armada gathered off North Koreas coast and North and South Korea alerted their armies for possible war. Lyndon Johnsons Pentagon prepared plans for the use of nuclear weapons against North Korea. A diplomatic sleight of hand finally ended the standoff, with Washington issuing a prerepudiated apology to North Korea.

Led by their haggard but unbowed skipper, Cmdr. Lloyd Pete Bucher, the surviving sailors, who had endured torture and food deprivation, were let go by North Korea and flown to San Diego, where cheering crowds greeted them on Christmas Eve 1968.

But the Pueblo itself  packed with advanced electronic eavesdropping gear and a trove of classified documents  was never returned. Today, it remains the only commissioned U.S. Navy vessel in the hands of a foreign power, docked next to a war museum in Pyongyang.

You dont need to be a Navy veteran to be angry at this state of affairs. But theres a perverse educational value in having the Pueblo moored in the Botong River, where American and other Western tourists visit it every year.

The ships first mission  which turned out to be its last  was a remarkably poorly planned affair. American and Soviet vessels had been eavesdropping on each others naval bases and coastal defenses for years without serious problems under an unspoken gentlemens agreement. U.S. Navy officers assumed the North Koreans would treat the Pueblo the same way.

The Navy assigned no warships or combat aircraft to protect the Pueblo. The ship carried only small arms and two jam-prone .50-caliber machine guns to defend itself. Cruising in international waters off North Koreas rugged east coast, it came under furious attack by four communist torpedo boats, two submarine chasers armed with cannons and two MiG jets.

Bucher tried to flee farther out to sea, since the Pueblo had no realistic way of fending off the onslaught. Nor did it have any efficient means of getting rid of its secret materials. Much of the classified gear and papers fell into North Korean hands when Bucher  with one sailor dead and 10 others wounded, including himself  decided to surrender.

Just two days before the assault on the spy ship, a 31-man North Korean commando team had come close to assassinating South Koreas president at his official residence, the Blue House, in Seoul. Together, the Blue House and the Pueblo incidents pushed North and South Korea closer to armed conflict than at any time since the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950.

In early 1968, the last thing President Johnson, his hands full with the Vietnam War, wanted was a second war on the Asian mainland.

Despite strident calls in the United States for revenge on North Korea, LBJ held off on the use of force while American diplomats opened secret talks with Pyongyang. Johnsons team persisted in the face of insults and foot-dragging by North Korean negotiators before a deal was eventually struck for Bucher and his men to be freed at the Bridge of No Return, in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas.

One wonders if President Donald Trump would have the same reserves of patience and restraint if faced with a similar provocation by North Korea today.

With satellites, ships and aircraft, Americas military still conducts numerous surveillance missions around the globe. We clearly need to keep tabs on what our enemies and potential enemies are up to in this volatile world. But spying on other nations is an inherently provocative act that can have unintended consequences.

Five decades on, the Pueblos forlorn presence in Pyongyang serves as a stark reminder of how such operations can go horribly wrong, bringing our country to the brink of war.

Jack Cheevers is author of Act of War: Lyndon Johnson, North Korea, and the Capture of the Spy Ship Pueblo. He lives in Oakland, Calif.
Turkey on Tuesday said it was concerned by reports of people dying and public buildings being damaged in Iran during a police crackdown against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

"We believe it is necessary to avoid violence and not succumb to provocations," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding it hoped foreign interventions would be avoided.

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Tipperary roads are to benefit from 13.06 million in funding in 2018.

Independent Tipperary TD, Mattie McGrath has welcomed funding of 13.06 million for National Primary and Secondary Roads for 2018 from Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).

There has been a significant increase in funding from 2.16m in the current year to 13.06m for 2018. The largest amount of funding is for improvement or pavement works which increase from 1.37 to 12.26.

Some of the schemes which will benefit next year are N24 Tipperary Town (Davitt street, Main street and Fr Matthew street), N52 and N65 Borrisokane, N24 Clonmel Bypass Overlay, N24 Carrick on Suir( 2 sections of the N74, N62 Thurles (extension of current scheme into Liberty Square), N62 Lismackin (Roscrea) and the N74 Golden.

Commenting on the news Deputy McGrath said, I am happy to welcome this funding which has substantially increased from previous years. During the talks on the formation of Government, I had fought hard to have roads funding for Tipperary increased as the County had severely suffered cuts to overall roads funding for almost 10 years.

In particular, I am delighted that the N24 through Tipperary Town including Davitt Street, Main Street and Fr Matthew Street is to receive 1.6m towards pavement strengthening and overlay. As many will be aware the condition of the surface of Main Street, Tipperary Town is in very poor condition with a number of years and this will finally be overcome.

4m has been approved for the N24, Clonmel bypass overlay. Under Minor Works, I am pleased that 150,000 has been allocated for whats known as Duggans bends at Ballydrehid, Cahir on the N24 which will hopefully increase safety issues and prevent further accidents at this location.

Unfortunately however, funding allocated to the Maintenance Programme has been reduced by approximately 1m to 900,000 which is disappointing and which I intend lobbing to have reversed, but overall, the increase in the main National Roads Allocations for 2018 is very positive for Tipperary as a whole and has to be welcomed! I want to thank Minister Shane Ross for, in the first instance his visit to Tipperary to view some of the issues outlined and his and his Staffs input into securing this increase in funding for 2018, concluded Deputy McGrath.
The late Tim Gleeson

The death has occurred of Tim Gleeson late of Bushfield, Carrigatoher, Nenagh, Tipperary. Sadly missed by his loving wife Bridie, daughter Noreen, sisters-in-law, nephew, nieces, relatives and friends. Reposing at Meehan's Funeral Home Newport this Wednesday evening 3rd. January from 5 p.m. with removal at 7 p.m., arriving at Mary Mother of the Church, Boher at 7.45. p.m. Requiem Mass on Thursday 4th January at 11.30 a.m., burial afterwards in Burgess Cemetery.

The late Teresa Bradshaw

The death has occurred of Teresa Bradshaw (nee O'Shea) late of Cullen Village, Cullen, Tipperary. Wife of the late Joe. Sadly missed by her loving family, son Bobby, daughters Lorraine and Ann, her eight grandsons, sons-in-law Jim and Denis, daughter-in-law Mary, sisters Eily and Phyllis, nieces, nephews, her long time friend Aileen, relatives, neighbours and friends. Reposing at her daughter Anns residence, Cullen Village on Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018 from 5pm to 7pm. Requiem Mass on Wednesday morning at 11.30am in St Patricks Church, Cullen. Funeral afterwards to Old Pallas Cemetery. House private Wednesday morning, please.

The late Essie Burns

The death has occurred of Essie Burns late of Emill, Cloughjordan, Tipperary. Deeply regretted by her sister, Mary, cousins, neighbours, relatives and friends. Reposing at Ryans Funeral Home, Nenagh on Tuesday evening from 7.30 - 9pm. Funeral arriving to Barna Church on Wednesday morning for 12o'clock mass and burial afterwards in Grawn cemetery.

The late Michael Murphy

The death has occurred of Michael (Mick) Murphy late of

Ballygall, Dublin / Kilmaley, Clare / Tipperary and formerly of Kilmaley, Co. Clare and former All-Ireland Hurling medal winner in 1945 with Tipperary and inducted into Thurles Sarsfields Hall of Fame. Peacefully in his 100th year in the loving care of his family and the staff of Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown. Beloved husband of the late Norah and loving father of John, Michael, Seamus, Mary and Gerard (Gerry). Sadly missed by his sisters Rev. Mother Bernadette, Evelyn and Bernadette, his nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, in-laws, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends.

Funeral arrangements to be finalised later. Please re-check late Tuesday evening, Jan 2nd, for further updates. A special word of thanks to the staff of the Mater Hospital, Beaumont Hospital, Ambulance Emergency Services and Beechtree Nursing Home, Oldtown for their excellent care of Michael. House private for family only please. Funeral Arrangements Later

The late Dena O'Meara

The death has occurred of Dena O'Meara (nee Casey) late of 5 Limerick Street, Roscrea, Tipperary. Reposing in Maher's Funeral Home, Roscrea this evening (1st January) from 5.00pm with rosary at 8.00pm. Removal on Tuesday morning at 11.30am arriving in St. Cronan's Church, Roscrea for Funeral Mass at 12.00. Burial afterwards in Dunkerrin New Cemetery.

The late Mary Ryan

The death has occurred of Mary Ryan (nee Bourke)late of Bawnbrack, Golden, Tipperary. Beloved wife of the late Walter. Deeply regretted by her loving family Bernard, Mary Mgt Hickey, Martin, Carrie McCarthy, Carmel McGrath and Walter, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, brother Anthony, sisters Rene and Angela, brother-in-law, sisters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and friends. Reposing at Devitts Funeral Parlour this Tuesday evening from 5.30pm with Removal at 7.30pm to the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Golden. Requiem Mass on Wednesday at 11.30am followed by Burial in Kilfeacle Cemetery. No flowers please.
Iran's Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused enemies of the Islamic Republic of stirring unrest across the country as a crackdown intensified against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Police have arrested more than 450 protesters in the capital Tehran over the past three days, the deputy provincial governor said. Protesters also attacked police stations elsewhere in Iran late into the night on Monday, news agency and social media reports said.

One member of the security forces was reported killed on Monday, bringing to at least 14 the death toll stemming from the boldest challenge to Iran's clerical leadership since unrest in 2009.

In his first reaction to the unrest, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus to create troubles for the Islamic Republic."

Khamenei said on his website that he would address the nation about the recent events "when the time is right".

HARSH PUNISHMENT

Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court, warned protesters on Tuesday that those arrested would face harsh punishment.

The semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Ali Asghar Naserbakht, the deputy governor of Tehran province, as saying that 200 people were arrested on Saturday in Tehran, 150 people on Sunday and about 100 people on Monday.

Hundreds of others have been arrested in other cities, according to agency reports and social media.

Naserbakht said the situation in Tehran was under control and police has not asked for the help of the Revolutionary Guards special forces.

Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Zolfaghari said 90 percent of the detainees were under 25-years-old, showing frustration among youths from the economic situation and lack of social freedoms.

Mehr news agency quoted a judiciary official as saying that several ringleaders of protests in Karaj, the fourth largest city in Iran, have been arrested.

Ghazanfarabadi said the detainees will be soon put on trial and the ringleaders would face serious charges including "moharebeh" -- an Islamic term meaning warring against God -- which carries the death penalty.

Iran's judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani ordered prosecutors on Monday to "punish rioters firmly".

The demonstrations which broke out last week were initially focused on economic hardships and alleged corruption but turned into political rallies.

Anger was soon directed at the clerical leadership that has been in power since the 1979 revolution, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate authority in Irans system of dual clerical and republican rule.

Many Iranians resent the foreign interventions and want their leaders to create jobs at home, where youth unemployment reached 29 percent last year.

Government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in a news conference that both protesters and the security forces should follow the law.

"People have the rights to protest but there is a difference between demonstration and riot...Even those who are confronting the rioters should act within the framework of law," he said.

Videos on social media on Monday showed an intense clash in the central town of Qahderijan between security forces and protesters who were trying to occupy a police station, which was partially set ablaze.

There were unconfirmed reports of several casualties among demonstrators.

In the western city of Kermanshah, protesters set fire to a traffic police post, but no one was hurt in the incident, Mehr news agency said.

State television reported that protesters burned down four mosques in villages in Savadkuh County in northern Iran on Monday.

REACTIONS

Rouhani refrained on Monday from accepting responsibility of problems raised by protesters and he blamed his predecessor and also Irans long-time adversary, the United States for the government's shortcomings.

Rouhani, seen as a pragmatist who is at odds with hardliners, said: "People on the streets do not ask for bread and water, but for more freedom," -- implying that the protesters were not targetting his government but the more rigid establishment.

U.S. President Donald Trump supported the protesters in a tweet on Monday: "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!"

Turkey said on Tuesday it was concerned by reports of people dying and public buildings being damaged in Iran.

"We believe it is necessary to avoid violence and not succumb to provocations," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that it hoped foreign intervention would be avoided.

The Russian Foreign Ministry was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying external interference was destabilising the situation and calling it "unacceptable".

Iran and Russia are the main allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States and Turkey support rebel groups.

*This story was edited by Ahram Online.

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By Online Desk

The Mumbai Police registered 16 FIRs and detained over 300 people in connection with protests by Dalit groups during the day-long bandh yesterday against the Bhima Koregaon caste clashes, while Internet services were suspended in Kolhapur following tension in the district.

The caste clash in the state has so far left two dead in three days.

Violence had erupted on Monday evening at an event to commemorate the Battle of Koregaon  a heroic episode in the Dalit history -- with demonstrators damaging buses, blocking roads and forcing shops to down shutters.

Here are the latest updates:

Dalits in Bhopal protested the Pune violence . Parts of Burhanpur city were tense after a shutdown was called and more than 10 buses were damaged.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said the Bhima- Koregaon violence was very unfortunate , but the Maharashtra governments patience averted situation to become worse.

Over 30 policemen sustained injuries in the city yesterday during the protest called by various Dalit groups, a senior police official said Thursday. More than 300 people had also been reportedly detained as part of the investigations into the incidents that occurred during the protests.

In the wake of protests spreading to Gujarat, buses in Junagarh shifted from depots to a division workshop in order to prevent damage. (ANI)

The Centre has assured the state government that all necessary assistance to deal with the violence and protests and bring back normalcy to the state. (PTI)

The Union Home Ministry has received a factual report from the Maharashtra government on the prevailing situation in the state. (PTI)

Normalcy restored in Mumbai after yesterday's protests over Bhima Koregaon violence in the state.

A Total of 16 FIRs have been registered relating to incidents during the Maharashtra Bandh yesterday and more than 300 miscreants have been detained: Mumbai Police [READ FULL REPORT]

A Dalit group held a protest march in Surat's Udhna locality to express solidarity with the community members in Maharashtra over the caste violence in Pune district on January 1.

BSP chief Mayawati on Wednesday accused the BJP and the RSS of engineering the caste violence in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra.

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today called for a time-bound inquiry into the Maharashtra caste clash and said strict action should be taken against those found guilty.

A 16-year-old student was killed in violence during a roadblock agitation in this district during Wednesday's Maharashtra 'bandh' called by Dalit parties.

An inquiry will be conducted in the incidents of violence that took place across Maharashtra. We are monitoring the CCTV footage of the violence: CM Devendra Fadnavis

Prakash Ambedkar called off its ' Maharashtra Shutdown' which left large parts of Mumbai and rest of the state virtually paralysed for 10 hours.

Normal route from South Mumbai to airport through Worli Sea face is clear: Mumbai Police

Activist and grandson of BR Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar withdraws Maharashtra bandh call Bhima Koregaon Violence

There has been no death of a person from Dalit community. Wrong messages are being spread on social media, people have to be very cautious. The situation overall is peaceful in Maharashtra: Deepak Kesarkar, MoS, Home Rural on Bhima Koregaon Violence

All train lines which were blocked by the protesters, have been evacuated and operations have resumed , informed the Western Railways.

Jo organised tareeke se Maharashtra ke andar hinsa karai jaa rahi hai aur jis prakar ke bhashan diye gaye hain, ek baar uss taraf bhi neta-pratipaksh thoda dhyan dein: Arun Jaitley in Rajya Sabha (ANI)

We condemn the statement by Law Minister, that we are raising Bhima Koregaon Violence issue to stall Triple Talaq Bill. We have been raising the issue of Dalit atrocities as this govt is anti-Dalit: Ghulam Nabi Azad in Rajya Sabha (ANI)

Traffic from Haji Ali Jn has been diverted through Mahalaxmi/ Senapati Bapat Marg temporarily due to congestion at Mela Junction: Mumbai Police

Traffic at Eastern Expressway affected due to Traffic Blockade near Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar. Traffic has been diverted to avoid inconvenience: Mumbai Police

Maharashtra: Heavy Police deployment in Aurangabad, stones pelted & vehicles vandalized by protesters #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/8RuCB3hNa2  ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Train services on Central Railway's mainline towards CSMT was affected, in turn delaying thousands of office-goers in Mumbai. [READ FULL REPORT]

'Rasta Roko' protest being held in Andheri on the Western Express Highway #Mumbai #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/2vsBRCvRRt  ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Several markets and most schools in Nagpur remains closed with protest marches taken out in many sensitive areas in the city. [READ FULL REPORT]

There is no cancellation of long-distance trains so far in Mumbai. (ANI)

Other Mumbai suburban services are being run amid intermittent protests at Elphinstone Road, Goregaon, Dadar, and Malad. (ANI)

Remaining services of Mumbai's AC local suspended for the day. (ANI)

#Mumbai: Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses and a car vandalized by protesters in Powai #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/CuZXzvwa02  ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Both up and down lines, which were blocked by the protesters from 12.05 hrs have been evacuated at 12.24 hrs and train operations have resumed at Goregaon. Trains are delayed due to it, according to Western Railways. (ANI)

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge says "Supreme Court judge should be appointed for inquiry in Bhima Koregaon violence. PM should also give a statement, he can't stay mum! He is a 'Mauni baba on such issues." (ANI)

Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge raises the issue of #BhimaKoregaonViolence in Lok Sabha, asks "who instigated and interfered in this event?" pic.twitter.com/XyNh3SKJwa  ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Security tightened outside Maharashtra Sadan. (ANI)

Two Thane Municipal Transport buses and an auto-rickshaw vandalized in Chendani Koliwada area. Four passengers have been injured in the incident. (ANI)

A rickshaw driver in Mulund told ANI, "We are supporting this bandh only because we are scared of our loss. They can vandalize anything here."

Maharashtra: Protests being carried out in the state; visuals from Nagpur's Shatabdi Square #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/CRxHim7qOl  ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Commuters stranded due to less number of auto-rickshaws and other transport in Mumbai. (ANI)

Administration and security forces are making all efforts to normalize the train operations, says Western Railways. (ANI)

Commuters are advised to avoid Kalanagar & MMRDA Junction for some time due to Rasta roko #TrafficUpdate  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 3, 2018

Large number of protesters have occupied the railway tracks at Nallasopara Station, disrupting rail traffic. (ANI)

Inter-state bus services from Karnataka-Maharashtra temporarily suspended as a precautionary measure. (ANI)

Protesters halt buses, auto-rickshaws at Lal Bahadur Shastri Road in Thane, also deflate bus tyres. (ANI)

Mumbai Dabbawallas Association has decided to not run its delivery service, today; head of the association Subhash Talekar says "means of transportation difficult for delivery of tiffins on time during the bandh in Maharashtra. (ANI)

"Few protestors tried to disrupt Railway services at Thane but were immediately cleared by RPF and GRP officials. Services are running uninterrupted on Central Railway as of now," says CPRO Central Railway. (ANI)

Maharashtra: Protesters halt a train at Thane Railway Station over #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/BHLsWmfpmk  ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2018

Protesters halt a train at Thane Railway Station. (ANI)

Section 144 has been imposed in Maharashtra's Thane till January 4, midnight, according to reports. (ANI)

In view of the protests, domestic carriers including government-owned Air India have waived charges for ticket cancellations and no show due to the ongoing unrest in parts of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra government must ensure rule of law. I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to maintain peace, says Jignesh Mevani

CSMT-Panvel harbour line services restored from 1640 hrs. @RidlrMUM @mumbairailusers  Central Railway (@Central_Railway) January 2, 2018

More than 100 people have been detained over different locations: Mumbai Police PRO

Activist and grandson of BR Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar had given a call for Maharashtra Bandh on Wednesday to protest against the Bhima Koregaon violence. Left parties have reportedly lent support to the call.

Maharashtra: Republican Party of India workers protest in Thane #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/v9mMS2APNR  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Mumbai Special train services being run on Harbour line between CSMT-Kurla and Mankhurd. All other services on Central Railway running normally.

Section 144 has not been imposed in Chembur or other parts of eastern suburbs: Mumbai Police PRO

Many shops are getting closed in Eastern Suburb of #Mumbai. One #BEST bus stoned, rasta roko at Amar Mahal #Mumbai @RidlrMUM pic.twitter.com/KVsL1XKgrx  Rakesh (@rakeshcamin) January 2, 2018

Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

Pune: Buses vandalised in Hadapsar, Fursungi; all bus services to Ahemadnagar, Aurangabad suspended #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/8ZH7zNsfwD  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday announced Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the deceased. He has also ordered a CID enquiry over the youth.

Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis orders judicial enquiry for #BhimaKoregaon incident.

Also orders a CID enquiry for the death of a youth & an assistance of 10 lakh to his kin.

Strict action will be taken against the all those who are spreading rumours & trying to invoke violence. pic.twitter.com/TvMVVgSWRV  CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 2, 2018

Thousands of Dalits from all across the state paid tributes at the Victory Pillar. Members of Samata Sainik Dal also carried out a parade. But, towards evening, a group of youths carrying saffron flags and with their faces covered, came on bikes shouting slogans Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhavani. Some of them threw stones at people returning from the victory pillar and at the police, an eyewitness said.

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism occurred at Bhima Koregaon in Shiroor tehsil on Monday afternoon when people were heading for the war memorial in the village, police said.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale demanded police protection for dalits in the wake of Monday's violence. "Dalit groups visiting Bhima Koregaon were stopped at Sanaswadi near Koregaon. Stones were hurled at them. No police force was available for their protection," Athawale said in a statement.

Jignesh Mewani, Omar Khalid, Prakash Ambedkar and Radhika Vemula in Pune at an event marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon (31.12.17) pic.twitter.com/s4ngA9T8hc  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Earlier on Monday, dalit leader and independent MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani visited the war memorial in the village. Mevani had also attended 'Elgaar Parishad' held in Pune to commemorate the battle Sunday.

The pillar commemorates the victory of around 600 British troops, comprising mainly Mahar (Dalit) soldiers, over a 2,000-strong Maratha force under the upper-caste Peshwas that was backed by a larger army of over 28,000 Maratha troops in the battle of Koregaon, which is considered a heroic episode of Dalit history.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to the celebration of the 'British' victory.
By Express News Service

MUMBAI/PUNE: Thousands of Dalits paid tributes at the Bhima-Koregaon Victory Pillar near Perne on the Pune-Ahmednagar road on Monday, though minor incidents of stone throwing were reported in the evening, causing tension.

Police, however, said the situation was under control.

ALSO READ: Sharad Pawar seeks probe in violence at Bhima Koregaon battle anniversary event

The pillar commemorates the victory of around 600 British troops, comprising mainly Mahar (Dalit) soldiers, over a 2,000-strong Maratha force under the Peshwas that was backed by a larger army of over 28,000 Maratha troops in the battle of Koregaon, which is considered a heroic episode of Dalit history.

Thousands of Dalits from all across the state paid tributes at the Victory Pillar. Members of Samata Sainik Dal also carried out a parade. But, towards evening, a group of youths carrying saffron flags and with their faces covered, came on bikes shouting slogans Jai Shivaji, Jai Bhavani. Some of them threw stones at people returning from the victory pillar and at the police, an eyewitness said.
Israel's parliament on Tuesday gave final approval to legislation aimed at making it more difficult for the government to hand the Palestinians parts of Jerusalem under any future peace deal.

The bill, approved by a 64 to 51 vote, is the latest blow to remaining hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas's office said US President Donald Trump's recent declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital and the new Israeli law amounted to a "declaration of war".

Formulated by Shuli Moalem-Refaeli of the far-right Jewish Home party, the new law comes weeks after Trump's decision on Jerusalem sparked deadly protests in the Palestinian territories.

It also follows a vote earlier this week by the central committee of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party in favour of extending Israeli sovereignty over settlements in the occupied West Bank.

The Likud vote was non-binding, but was a further expression of the hopes of many right-wing Israelis who oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.

The law approved on Tuesday determines that any ceding of lands considered by Israel to be part of Jerusalem would necessitate a two-thirds majority vote in parliament -- 80 out of 120 members of the Knesset.

It also enables changing the municipal definition of Jerusalem, which means that sectors of the city "could be declared separate entities", a statement from parliament read.

Israeli right-wing politicians have spoken of unilaterally breaking off overwhelmingly Palestinian areas of the city in a bid to increase its Jewish majority.

However, the new law is not necessarily definitive. It can be changed by a regular parliamentary majority of 61.

Israel occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank in 1967. It later annexed east Jerusalem in a move never recognised by the international community.

It claims all of Jerusalem as its united capital, while the Palestinians see the eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

The issue is among the most contentious in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"We've ensured the unity of Jerusalem," Education Minister Naftali Bennett, who heads Jewish Home, said after the vote.

"The Mount of Olives, the Old City... will forever remain ours," he wrote on Twitter.

Abbas's office said Trump's recognition and the Israeli law amounted to a "declaration of war on the Palestinian people and its political and religious identity".

The statement called the moves a "dangerous project for the future of the region and the world".

Saeb Erekat, secretary general of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, said the Israelis were moving ahead with such measures because the United States had stayed silent and signalled approval with Trump's Jerusalem declaration.

Hamas, the Islamist movement that runs the Gaza Strip, said Abbas should declare the end of the Oslo peace accords of the 1990s and withdraw the PLO's recognition of Israel.

Trump's December 6 decision upended decades of precedent and broke with international consensus, but maintains that Jerusalem's final status would have to be decided in negotiations between the two sides.

It has led to deep anger among Palestinians, with Abbas saying the United States can no longer play any role in the Middle East peace process.

On Monday, Abbas said 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".

Speaking of the Likud vote, he said "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".

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By AFP

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.

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.

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.

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.

WATCH | Iran protests grow, death toll mounts to 12

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.
By ANI

ISLAMABAD: 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 U.S. should not blame Pakistan for its failures in Afghanistan.

READ HERE | USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan blocked: White House confirms

Pakistans 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 Pakistans Twitter handle also became active and quoting Pakistans 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 Trumps 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 U.S. has got nothing, armys spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted that the aid the country had received from the U.S. was "reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda.

The Trumps scathing remarks come after a media 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.

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.
The United States, Britain and Norway have called on parties in the South Sudan conflict and their field commanders to stop violating the ceasefire signed last month, their head of missions in Juba said on Tuesday.

There have been at least five violations reported, blamed on both sides in the conflict.

The United States, Britain and Norway form a group that supported the 2005 accord leading to the independence of South Sudan from Sudan. They have threatened to impose individual or group sanctions for those violating the ceasefire.

Signed in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, the ceasefire is the latest attempt to end a four-year civil war, that has killed tens of thousands. It is also designed to allow humanitarian groups access to civilians caught in the fighting.

It aims to revive a 2015 peace deal that collapsed in 2016 after heavy fighting erupted in the capital Juba.

President Salva Kiir's decision to sack his deputy, Riek Machar, in 2013 triggered the war in the world's youngest country. It has been fought largely along ethnic lines between forces loyal to Kiir, who is Dinka, and Machar, who is Nuer.

The war has forced a third of the population to flee their homes.

"We call on all signatories, and the field commanders who answer to them, to immediately end all military operations," the three Western countries said in a statement.

They added that field commanders and their political bosses would be held accountable for violating the ceasefire and impeding humanitarian assistance.

There was no immediate comment from the army or the rebels.

The ceasefire was to be followed by further talks focusing on a revised power-sharing arrangement leading up to a new date for polls.

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Cloudy with occasional showers. Thunder possible. High 73F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

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U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Tuesday praised the courage of Iranian demonstrators and said protests across the country were spontaneous, not driven by outside forces.

After she read out social media posts written by Iranians in support of the protests, Haley dismissed Iranian leaders' contention that the protests were designed by Iran's enemies.

"We all know that's complete nonsense," she said. "The demonstrations are completely spontaneous. They are virtually in every city in Iran. This is the precise picture of a long oppressed people's rising up against their dictators."

Haley said the United States was seeking emergency sessions on Iran at the United Nations in New York and at the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"We must not be silent," she said. "The people of Iran are crying out for freedom."

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New Delhi: The central government, starting 2001, received 50 cases from the Jammu and Kashmir government for sanction of prosecution of armed forces under the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act (AFSPA), the ministry of defence told the Parliament.

The central government denied sanctions for 47 of them citing lack of evidence.

Replying to a question raised in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, minister of state Subhash Bhamre said that 50 cases were received starting 2001, maximum of which were received in the year 2006 (17).

The cases included death in operation, encounter, retaliatory fire, killing after abduction, beating of civilians, custodial death among other alleged offences. The government received two cases relating to rape of a woman and sanctions of persecution were denied for both.

Of the three cases that are pending, one relates to disappearance of a civilian in 2006, the second case is related to kidnapping of a civilian in 2011 and the other case relates to killing of a civilian in 2014. The reason for denial / pendency of prosecution sanction is on account of lack of sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case, said Bhamre.

AFSPA grants soldiers powers to search and arrest without a warrant. It also gives them power to fire if they think the situation cannot be handled any other way. The law was first imposed in Nagaland in 1958 but soon spread out to other parts of the country. Kashmir saw it in 1990 and in 2001 it was introduced in parts of Jammu. Since then, like most places of conflict, AFSPA has been blamed for and debated over for extrajudicial killings, encounters, disappearances. Last year, CM Mehbooba Mufti had suggested that AFSPA be removed on a trial basis but then added that it can be re-imposed whenever the situation demanded so.
New Delhi: It was just a few months ago that Kamla Bai went into labour while carrying a plate of freshly made bricks from the construction site to her tent. Soon, she delivered her first child covering in a film of brick dust.

If it was not for the other construction workers, the new mother who was also a bonded labourer would have lost her child.

Kamla and 97 others who were working as bonded labourers in Reasi and Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir were rescued on December 28 and 29, when the world was gearing up to welcome a new year. Among the rescued, there were 20 women and 41 children.

All the labourers who have now reached Delhi and are residing at a night shelter in Sarai Kale Khan, are now waiting for their release certificates from the government of Jammu and Kashmir so that they can begin a new phase of their life.

A team of National Campaign Committee for Eradication of Bonded Labour (NCCEBL), Socio Legal Information Centre (SLIC) and ActionAid India, with support of Samba and Reasi District administration, jointly conducted a raid at two brick kiln sites to rescue the bonded labourers, some of whom were working there since several decades.

The first raid was conducted on December 28 at Sri Ram Brick Kiln at Ghobasna in Ramgarh. Around 25 bonded labourers were rescued which included women, pregnant women, lactating mothers and women from Bilaspur and Janjgir Champa, Chhatisgarh. The second raid was conducted on December 29 at the BBK Brick kiln of the village Laiter, district Reasi.

The workers who were rescued submitted a memorandum on Tuesday at the Jammu and Kashmir House in Delhi where they have requested officials to grant them the release certificates without which they would be treated forever as migrant workers and be denied benefits due to the exploited bonded labourers.

Most of the rescued labourers claimed that they went to J&K in search of money and work but soon got trapped in a cycle that was difficult to escape.

Buddhwara Bai was only 17 when she eloped with her lover to Srinagar. Soon after wedlock did she realise that finding work was not easy and exploitation was a norm.

I am from Pharari village in Chhattisgarh. Now we have a family of eleven. After hunting for work from Jammu to Kashmir, I started working as a labourer. But whenever I wanted to leave or complained of poor wages, we were threatened. Being scared we were never allowed to leave the state without our families. That is the reason we were not able to leave. If anyone is sick, they allowed only one person to leave and that is the trick employed by them because no one can escape leaving their families behind. Even for buying vegetables or ration we were made to go alone. In this cold, we were left without warm clothes. We were sold to different brick kiln owners without us even getting to know about it, said Buddhwara Bai, who now suffers from breathing ailments due to continuous exposure to the brick dust.

The members who rescued these labourers complained that most of these construction site owners had a whiff of a possible raid and employed all possible tricks to hide the workers.

Nirmal Gorana, a member of NCCEBL said that the administration members were only interested in releasing bonded labourers in haphazard manner and no laws were followed.

No provisions of Bonded Labour Act, J&K Penal Codes and Labour Laws such as Minimum Wages Act, Payment of Wages Act, and Inter-State Migrant Workers Act were followed. The rescue team from the Samba district administration also tried to manipulate the case by threatening the labourers and passing derogatory comments. In Reasi also we had similar experience, Gorana told News18.

In most of these sites, the exploitation was on two levels, professional and personal. When the bricks made were not up to the mark, a truck would be used to run over the bricks and they would be ordered to make the bricks again.

According to the rescue team, at both the sites, it was found that the labourers were living under deplorable conditions with no proper shelter, clothes or food for the harsh winters. The labourers for both the sites shared that inspite of repeated request they were no warm clothes or blankets given. No toilet, school or anganwadi facilities were provided.

The labourers have been abandoned by their respective administrations without any payment of wages or interim compensation of 20 thousand as mandated under the centrally sponsored rehabilitation scheme by the government of India, said Gorana.

For some labourers, choice to work in J&K was not free but driven by caste bias and no work in their own homeland.

Shanti Devi, a mother of three is a Dalit and hails from Jharkhand. But after struggling for years to find a decent labour work in Jharkhand, she had to make a forced decision to work in J&K, however, soon she realised that it was just the beginning of another never-ending sad saga.

I have three children. We have been working there since the last eight years. I am from Gumla Zilla in Jharkhand. I was forced to leave the place because we did not have any means to work there. Since we are from a lower caste we were not even employed in villages there. I had too many mouths to feed, said Shanti Devi clutching onto her two year old in the night shelter.

Our work places kept changing from Srinagar, Jammu, etc. we were paid around 1000 rupees in fifteen days which was hardly sufficient for our family. We were never allowed to travel with family members as they thought we might escape, she added.

NCCEBL is all set to file a case in the Delhi High Court and approach the National Human Rights Commission with key demands such as the immediate issuance of release certificates, lodging of criminal cases against employer and officials who abused the workers, and initiate a chief secretary-level inquiry against both district magistrates for breaching law.

Chandan Kumar, member of NHRCs core group on bonded labour, was also a part of the rescue team. Kumar rued about the fact that officials from J&K house were not ready to believe the letters and records showing that they were indeed bonded labourers.

This is a vicious cycle of bondage where these bonded workers will end up in situations of re-bondage as both the district administrations have failed to formally recognise them as bonded labour and therefore their native state administrations wont rehabilitate them, he said.

Guruvuram, another rescued bonded labour, said that he along with four other families were forced to migrate. The entire group first came to Anantnag with a trafficker and were sold to Sri Ram brick factory owner, Tarsem Lal.

We worked in miserable conditions, including our small children and pregnant women who were made to work without any pay or wages. Despite repeated requests, we were never allowed to leave the premises and at night they would be kept under the surveillance of security guards to see to it that we do not run away, he said.
Bengaluru: Acting out of their own accord turned costly for a bunch of Bengaluru Police officials when they allegedly called out on a young woman for being seen with a Muslim boy. The Police have initiated disciplinary action against the accused constables and station in-charge for misbehaviour.

In a video message on Sunday, the Bengaluru woman had alleged that the police beat her up along with her friend as they belong to different communities and were seen roaming near a temple.

It all started on December 20 when the police received a public complaint alleging that the girl was found in the company of a boy who happened to be a Muslim on December 20, near the Subramanya temple. In the night, she was found moving alone and the police decided to bring her to the police station and also inform her parents.

The police said that she had left home without informing anyone at home two days before the incident. And this was not the first time that the woman had left home as there was another missing complaint registered against her in August.

However, the police chose to involve the Muslim man along with his family and called him to the police station the next morning.

The woman has alleged that the whole drama unfolded only because her friend was a Muslim. The police repeatedly beat us up and abused us and targeted my friend. They even insisted that we were lovers and made all sorts of accusations. Is it only because he was a Muslim man? the woman alleged in her video message.

Family members of both were called to the police station and the girl was sent with her father and the boy with her uncle.

The Superintendent of Police acknowledged the fact that the constables exceeded their brief and acted in an inappropriate manner with the Muslim man.

Disciplinary action has been initiated against the constable, head constable and the station in-charge for misbehaviour. A detailed inquiry is being conducted into the incident.
New Delhi: CRPF jawan Pradeep Kumar Panda had cheated death in 2016 while his seniors in CRPF died in a terror attack in Kashmir, but his luck ran out on Sunday when he fell to the bullets of Jaish-e-Mohammed's fidayeen squad. Panda, part of the Quick Reaction Team of CRPF's 132 battalion was one of the four jawans who died on January 31 in Kashmirs Pulwama.

In August 2016, Panda had taken on armed terrorists during an attack on Nowhatta Chowk Centre during Independence Day celebrations. According to senior CRPF officers, Panda kept firing at the terrorists even when his commandant Pramod Kumar was shot through the skull in last years attack.

"The QRT team had faced heavy firing right from the time when they were deployed at the Nowhatta Chowk. But they kept fighting undeterred," a CRPF official said.

Pandas heroism was praised by the highest officials. He not only risked his life to take on the terrorists, he successfully managed to neutralise the terrorists at Nowhatta and entered the building where they had holed up to bring out the bodies of two of the attackers.

Pradeep Panda and his team were recommended for the police gallantry medal. But after a year and one more attack, the brave CRPF constable is no longer there for the accolades.

His body will be taken to Liploi village in Rajgangpur of Sundergarh district in Odisha for the last rites on Monday. A native of Odisha, Pradeep Kumar Panda had joined the CRPF in 2006.
Mumbai: Violence that broke out over the 200th anniversary celebrations of Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune on Monday spilled into Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday. Thousands of Dalits disrupted rail and road traffic, and damaged more than a hundred buses in the city as they protested against the death of a 28-year-old man in Mondays violence and demanded action against those involved.

More than a 100 people were detained as protesters went on a rampage and riot police had to be called in. Chembur bore the maximum brunt of the Dalit outrage as more than 20 government buses were set on fire there. Protesters also disrupted road traffic in the suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line. They blocked roads in several areas, forced shops to shut down, and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.

State-owned buses were also targeted by Dalit protestors in Pune as 11 buses of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) and the Pune Municipal Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) were damaged.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed for calm and ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence. He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind Monday's violence. Fadnavis said Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.

In Pune, cases were registered against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the right-wing groups Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Policemen try to control the situation after a violent protest by Dalits over Bhima Koregaon violence in Mumbai on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

Dalit groups were celebrating the bicentenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those belonging to the Peshwa. Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as soldiers from the Mahar community  then considered untouchable - were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins, and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.

But this year, the protests got a political colour as several right-wing groups objected to the event, calling it anti-national. Fadnavis said that the police force in Pune has shown great restraint and managed to keep the situation under control.

But that did not impress Prakash Ambedkar, the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and grandson of B R Ambedkar. He has called for a 'Maharashtra bandh' on Wednesday to protest against the government's "failure" to stop the violence.

In Mumbai, hundreds of protesters also gathered Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration. Demonstrations were also held in Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi.

Charred vehicles following the violence during celebrations of 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon, near Pune on Tuesday. (PTI Photo)

In Thane, hundreds of protesters sat on a dharna on roads, forced shops to down shutters and damaged buses. Reports of violence and stone pelting were also reported from Pune and Solapur.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the event to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon battle as a "potent symbol" of resistance to RSS-BJP's "fascist vision".

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," he tweeted.

The Mumbai police, meanwhile, issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media. Maharashtra minister of state for home, Deepak Kesarkar, visited Bhima-Koregoan and neighbouring villages and said the situation was under control.

Several domestic airlines, including the government-owned Air India, have waived charges for ticket cancellations and no show due to the ongoing unrest in parts of Maharashtra.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the administration for the violence and demanded a probe into the incident. Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.

"Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches," the former Union minister said.

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan condemned the violence and urged people not to believe in rumours. Antisocial elements were trying to create tensions between Dalits and Maratha communities for political benefit, he said.
New Delhi: National Register of Citizens Assam coordinator and state Home Secretary Prateek Hajela has asked people whose names havent featured in the list to not panic.

Incidentally, Hajelas name is also missing from the updated NRC.

Hajela said though his name has not come, his wifes name is there in the NRC and this is true for a lot of households.

People like us, whose names are not there dont have to do anything. The names are not there because this is a work in progress. The verification process is still on, Hajela said.

Generally, the perception amongst common people is that you need to go to the government offices and get your name enlisted if it hasnt come in. But here you dont have to do anything. The verification will take place on its own and once it is done, the list would be updated, he added.

However, despite such assurances, several instances of people crowding seva kendras were reported from across the state.

The NRC authorities have also begun a massive publicity exercise, through television ads, newspaper ads and social media campaigns, asking the residents of Assam to not to worry. NRC Seva Kendra staff will also be campaigning in the villages, hold public meetings and distribute pamphlets.

Among those left out of the first draft are 48 lakh residents who gave certificates from panchayat pradhans as residence proof. The Supreme Court on December 5 overturned the Gauhati High Court order which refused to accept panchayat pradhan certificates as an identity proof.

Thus, these 48 lakh residents can breathe easy as the Supreme Court declared the panchayat certificate to be a valid document. Their names did not figure in the NRC as Hajela says, The Supreme Court has asked us to do elaborate checks. We havent yet started the process. It will begin in the coming days.

All eyes are on the next list of revised NRC as over 1.9 crore citizens of Assam are eagerly waiting to see if their names have come up or not. The NRC authorities had received applications from a total of 3.29 crore people who had submitted 6 crore documents. The next date would be decided by the apex court, which has been constantly monitoring the case.
New Delhi: India has said that US President Donald Trump's decision to cut aid to Pakistan has vindicated Indias stand on terrorism.

The decision of the Trump administration has abundantly vindicated India's stand as far as terror and Pakistan's role in perpetrating terror is concerned," Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Singh said countries who were earlier denying the role of Pakistan in terror activities on Indian soil, are also supporting India's viewpoint. "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," he added.

In a strongly worded message in his first tweet of the year, Trump on Monday said that US has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, but in return, Pakistan has given nothing but lies and deceit. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! he wrote.

Hours later, the US suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

Pakistans Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif lashed out at Trump saying they have already refused to do more for the US.

A Geo News report has quoted Asif as saying, We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trumps no more does not hold any importance.

Asif retaliated to Trumps claim and said that his no more claim stands no ground as all aids provided by the US has been accounted for. Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received, he said in a statement.

The relations between the US and Pakistan, long vital for both, have chilled steadily since Trump declared that Pakistan "gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror."
The New Year began with a bombshell of a tweet from US President Donald Trump calling out Pakistan for benefitting from billions of dollars in American aid and yet not helping in the fight against terrorists.

Trump tweeted that Pakistan has been taking the US for a ride. The US has given 33 billion dollars since 2002 and got nothing in return. No More. It took everyone by surprise because this sort of blunt language is never used in diplomacy. The world is still only just getting used to the American Presidents rather brusque ways of doing diplomacy.

Here in India, both folks within the government and academics have been welcoming this as a huge success for Prime Minister Narendra Modis diplomacy and his new found friendship with Trump.

But here are four reasons why India needs to be skeptical about the mismatch between Trumps words and his deeds.

TRUMP STILL MAKES A DISTINCTION BETWEEN HAQQANIS AND LASKHAR/JAISH

Even the latest tweet makes it clear that the US President is only interested in the Haqqani Network and Taliban, groups that target American soldiers and interests in Afghanistan. Back in October too, when the US Congress delinked LeT from Haqqanis in the National Defence Authorization Bill, other than a few murmurs in South Block and the Indian press, the outcome was the same: For America, Haqqanis are high-value targets. Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar are just incidental.

THIS WILL FURTHER DRIVE PAKISTAN INTO CHINAS EMBRACE

Already the Chinese are investing 50 billion dollars in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The Coalition Support Funds which Trump is seeking to block is just a mere 255 million dollars, a drop in the ocean compared to the amount China is investing. The Chinese will only be more than happy to move in and fill the vacuum that is being created by the exit of the US. Already, China is a part of the six-party dialogue process with the Taliban in Afghanistan. China is the largest investor and importer of Iranian oil and gas. This entire region could soon become an extended Chinese fiefdom and that could have disastrous consequences for India.

AMOUNT OF US AID HAS BEEN FALLING CONSISTENTLY

There was a time when the US, right after 9/11, during the Bush and Musharraf years, used to give Pakistan over 2 billion dollars in total aid every single year. It spiked to almost 4-and-a-half-billion in 2010. But in the years post the killing of Osama Bin Laden, US aid, particularly military aid, has fallen consistently. Truth is this money will not hurt Pakistan as much as it used to in the early years of the war on terror.

TRUMPS TWEETS/WORDS SPEAK LOUDER THAN ACTION

Back in August when Trump unveiled his new AfPak policy, he made all the right noises, putting Pakistan on notice. For a period, there was even a deep freeze in ties between Islamabad and Washington. But suddenly in October, after the rescue of an American couple who were held hostage by the Haqqanis, Trump was effusive in his praise for the Pakistani leadership. Problem with Trump is, his policies are decided in tweets, and thats a lousy way of making policy.
In November MPs approved three laws which allow for the creation of nuclear regulatory bodies ahead of the construction of Egypts first nuclear power plant which will be built at Dabaa, west of Alexandria. The three laws, passed during an emergency plenary meeting on 27 November, also paved the way for a visit by Russias president. Valdimir Putin arrived in Cairo on 11 December and, with President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi attended a ceremony to sign an agreement according to which Russia will provide funding and technical expertise for the Dabaa nuclear plant.

Talaat Al-Sewidi, head of parliaments Energy and Environment Committee, told Al-Ahram Weekly that the three nuclear laws have both a political and economic component.

They reflect the growing political partnership between Egypt and Russia under presidents Al-Sisi and Putin, and will help upgrade the energy sector which is essential for future economic growth. They underline how Egypts relations with Russia are growing stronger at the expense of relations with the United States and the European Union.

Parliament first approved a government-drafted law on the creation of the Executive Authority for the Supervision of Nuclear Stations for Electricity Generation. MPs then approved amendments to Law 13/1976 which allowed for the creation of the Authority of Nuclear Power Stations for Electricity Generation and of Law 7/2010 regulating nuclear activity in Egypt.



In the same month parliament approved an amendment to the Value-Added Tax (VAT) law of 2016 which raised the price of tobacco products. Minister of Finance Amr Al-Garhi said the VAT increase would generate revenues of between LE7-8 billion and allow the government to increase spending on social protection programmes, including the new national health insurance system.

But it was political rather than economic laws that dominated the years legislative agenda, says Samir Ghattas, an independent, left-leaning MP. Ninety per cent of the laws passed in 2017 addressed urgent political and security issues, Ghattas told the Weekly.



Topping the list was legislation creating the National Electoral Commission (NEC) which will oversee elections and referenda in Egypt. The NEC law, passed by parliament in July and ratified by President Al-Sisi in August, paves the way for presidential elections in 2018. The NECs 10-member board will be chaired by the deputy head of the Court of Cassation Lashin Ibrahim.

The NECs responsibilities range from preparing voter lists, delineating electoral districts, setting campaign and funding rules, ensuring media coverage is unbiased to announcing the final results.

At a press conference two weeks ago Ibrahim said the commission will begin meeting in February to prepare for presidential elections which are expected to be held in April 2018.

In October parliament endorsed the nationwide state of emergency declared following terrorist attacks against churches and monasteries in April. Constitutional law professor Salah Fawzi told the Weekly that while some commentators questioned the legality of the decree declaring a state of emergency which was issued on 12 October the fact is the constitution does not ban a re-declaration of emergency laws in cases of necessity.

Before the new emergency law was approved by parliament on 22 October Prime Minister Sherif Ismail issued a brief statement saying the move was necessary to help the government fight terrorist attacks.



Terrorist elements not only target security but seek to undermine the process of development, said Ismail. He vowed that the government will never invoke exceptional measures that negatively affect citizens freedoms and rights.

Parliament also amended the law regulating the performance of the Administrative Control Authority (ACA), Egypts main watchdog institution, in October.

Bahaaeddin Abu Shoqa, head of the Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee, told the Weekly the changes were necessary to combat corruption in government and administrative circles.



The ACA is now required to submit an annual report to the president, parliament and cabinet detailing its activities in the previous 12 months. The law also obliges ACA to coordinate with other watchdog institutions such as the Central Auditing Agency to forge an anti-corruption strategy and promote transparency. said Abu Shoqa.

The amendments give ACA more powers to tackle corruption and nepotism and reinforce accountability in government circles.



In November, parliament approved a government-drafted Youth Institutions Law which bans youth centres from engaging in political activity.

The first article prohibits employees of youth centres from using the centres premises for partisan activities or to promote political or religious agendas.

According to Parliamentary Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal, the constitution makes it clear that youth centres cannot be turned into forums for the raising of political issues.

Some MPs attempted to overturn the ban. Young people need to talk politics in a healthy environment where there is no threat of their falling prey to extremist ideas, argues Conservatives Party head Akmal Qortam.

MPs also passed new legislation banning remotely operated aircraft commonly. Kamal Amer, head of the National Security and Defence Committee, told the Weekly the law was necessary because drones capable of carrying explosives or weapons systems could be used by terrorists.

Article 1 of the law makes the Ministry of Defence the only authority with the power to license drones while Article 2 bans ministries, local councils, public institutions, companies and individuals from importing, manufacturing, assembling, handling or trading in drones without prior approval from the Ministry of Defence.

The law sets penalties of between one to seven years in prison, and fines of between LE5,000-50,000 for violators. In cases where drones have been used to facilitate terrorist attacks the death sentence can be applied.

MPs also passed new legislation regulating the formation of trade unions. Mohamed Abdel-Fattah, a member of parliaments Manpower Committee, said the 83-article law upholds rights enshrined in the 2014 constitution.

Article 76 of the constitution says workers should be free to form trade unions in a democratic way and unions can only be dissolved by a final judicial ruling, said Abdel-Fattah. The law served time on the older socialist policy which gathered unions beneath the umbrella of a single entity  the General Egyptian Federation of Trade Unions.

MPs, after consulting with trade unions, intervened to amend Article 12 of the draft, reducing the quorum necessary for workers to form a union from 250 to 150 workers.

Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal warned that MPs are unlikely to get a break from reviewing legislation in the New Year. Parliament needs to discuss amendments to the 2015 parliamentary election law which are necessary to ensure it conforms to the constitution, as well as draft laws on criminal procedures and the media.



Osama Heikal, head of the Media and Culture Committee, said a new law on national press institutions is expected to be passed in 2018. We hope the legislation will constitute a progressive step for the media in Egypt, he said.

Parliament approved two complementary economic legislations. The first was on industrial licences and the second on investment.



In March, MPs voted in favour of passing the 47-article law on industrial licences. Minister of Industry Tarek Kabil told MPs that the law mainly aims to facilitate procedures necessary for an industrial establishment to be licensed. This government-drafted law primarily seeks to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles standing in the way of investors wishing to invest in the industrial sector, said Kabil, adding that in general the law aims to widen the scope of industrial investments in Egypt.



Right now, the industrial sector only accounts for 18 per cent of GDP, and we hope that this law will push this percentage to be more than 30 per cent, said Kabil, adding that the law comes within the governments long-term strategy based on reducing foreign imports and promoting local industries.

The law cuts short the licensing period of an industrial establishment from as many as 634 days to just 14 days. It also eliminates as many as 795 conditions that were necessary for an investor to get an industrial licence, not to mention that it makes it much easier that the government and investors reach reconciliation on certain administrative and financial disputes, explained Kabil.

The other much-awaited law, on investment, was approved by parliament in May. Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr said the 112-article government-drafted law aims to create a more investment-friendly climate in Egypt. This comes through phasing out a lot bureaucratic obstacles and introducing greater investment incentives in order for Egypt to be able to be more competitive in this field, said Nasr.

The law is divided into seven chapters, the most important of which are on investment incentives and guarantees, settling investment disputes and underlining the social responsibility of private investors.



*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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New Delhi: The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill will be sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, while Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has said that the panel should file its report before the Budget Session.

The bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Friday by Health Minister JP Nadda. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar has confirmed the bill will now go to the standing committee.

Important Pointers From The NMC Bill:

 The bill seeks to allow practitioners of Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yoga and other alternative medicines to enter the field of modern medicine after completing a bridge course.

 The bridge course will be decided at a meeting between the proposed National Medical Commission, which will replace the Medical Council of India, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine.

 Section 15 of the bill provides for a mandatory examination for MBBS graduates. Without passing the examination they would not be enrolled in the National Register and would not be able to practice or pursue higher education.

However, AYUSH graduates would be registered after a crash programme, without taking this examination. The system would restrict MBBS students from practising while allowing AYUSH doctors to practice after the bridge course. Even foreign doctors are exempted from the examination.

 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 programmes, assessment, rating of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission.

 The government, under the National Medical Commission (NMC), can dictate guidelines for fees up to 40% of the seats in private medical colleges. This is aimed at relieving students from exorbitant fees charged by the colleges and is a standout feature of the bill.

 Earlier, medical colleges required the MCIs approval for establishment, recognition, renewal of the yearly permission or recognition of degrees, and even increasing the number of seats. Under the new bill, the powers of the regulator are reduced to establishment and recognition. This means less red tape, but also less scrutiny of medical colleges.

 Earlier, the MCI had 100 members where 12 were elected by the government and rest were elected from the doctors community. But now, NMC will have only 25 members and five of them will be elected by the doctor community and the remaining by the government.

 Earlier, MBBS doctors could perform minor incision and surgeries by themselves, while for a full-time surgery they had to pass the MS degree. But now, even AYUSH graduates who take the bridge course can apply for the MS course and practice surgery.

 Section 33(1)(d) of the NMC bill stipulates that the commission may permit a medical professional to perform surgery or practice medicine without qualifying the National Licenciate Examination, in such circumstances and for such period as may be specified by regulations. Such sweeping powers are not only illegal but also leaves ample scope for manipulation and corruption.
New Delhi: The pan-India strike by doctors on Tuesday to protest the National Medical Commission Bill has hit medical services across the country, with private hospitals and nursing homes shutting OPDs.

The protest, called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), has been supported by various establishments.

Madhya Pradesh was hit hard by the strike. In Bhopal, more than 250 private hospitals and nursing homes shut their OPDs for the day. Clinics were empty in Karnataka and Kerala too.

The state chapter of IMA in Karnataka extended full support to the strike and shut services with an exception being given to emergency services, casualties and operation theatres. Officials from the Karnataka IMA unit told CNN-News18 that the Private Hospitals & Nursing Homes Association(PHANA) has left it to individual doctors to decide whether they want to participate in the protest or not.

In Manipal Hospital, doctors have been given the option of taking the day off. In Lucknow, starting 1:30 pm, there is expected to be a big protest at the gates of King George Medical Hospital, wherein both government and private doctors will be participating.

In Maharashtra, as most medical services were shut, officials at IMAs state unit said the central government had left them with no option.

Even as doctors across the country observed a strike, President of IMA, Dr Ravi Wankhedkar, along with a group of other doctors, met MPs to oppose the Bill. The association has already met Sharad Pawar, Ram Vilas Paswan and expressed their concern over the Bill.

IMA has concerns about the new Bill replacing the Medical Council of India. Doctors from IMA Karnataka told CNN News18 that making a doctor sit for an exam to get a licence was unnecessary.

Further, the fact that the Bill allows those practicing alternate medicine to extend their practice to allopathy by simply doing a bridge course has also raised concerns among the medical fraternity. But there are vested interests behind this protest. One must realise that it is imperative that we spread proper medical care across the country, a source said.

The West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) strongly opposed the National Medical Commission Bill (NMCB) but kept its services open.

Speaking to News18, Chairman of WBMC, Dr Nirmal Maji, said, We will be protesting. This move will be devastating as this could help quacks to get into the medical system just by passing a bridge course. Unlike other states, we have decided to open emergency services, ICU, ICCU in all the government and private hospitals in Bengal because we dont want patient parties to run helplessly for treatment.

West Bengal Chapter of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), Chairman, Dr. Somnath Ghosh, said, The National Medical Commission Bill will have an adverse effect on doctors as well the patients. I personally feel that there is no need for such Bill.

Sources in the government have, however, told CNN News18 that all stakeholders, including the IMA, were consulted well in advance and that the Bill has been in discussion for long. Sources further said the inclusion of Ayush doctors in the Bill was the prime bone of contention that has led private doctors protesting the Bill.

Renowned cardiologist and founder of Narayana Hrudalaya, Devi Shetty, told CNN-News18 that the doctors were not opposing everything in the Bill. It is a huge one. They are opposing certain clauses. Even doctors feel that time has come for a radical change in the system the way medical practice is regulated in the country, he said.

Dismissing the fears of some doctors and IMA that the proposed NMC which will replace the existing IMC can also become corrupt, he said, It all depends on who is at the helm. A good person helming a bad Bill can make it good. A bad person helming a good one can make it bad.

Dr. Shetty said that the Centre had held detailed talks with the representatives of the doctors before preparing the draft Bill. He said only the doctors prepared it. There were also bureaucrats. It is not an entirely a government Bill. He added that he was also consulted by the Centre about the proposed Bill.
New Delhi: Clashes broke in Maharashtra on Tuesday as violent protests that started in Pune on Monday spilled over into Mumbai and other parts of the state.

The violence was sparked by a disagreement over whether the bicentenary of the 1818 Battle of Bhima-Koregaon, between the British East India Company and the Peshwa rulers of the Maratha Confederacy, should be celebrated or not.

In the early 1800s, the British East India Company had begun to exert its influence over the territories of the Marathas and the Peshwa, Baji Rao II, was forced to seek refuge in Satara after the British took control of his citadel at Pune.

In 1818, the Peshwa attempted to retake the city of Pune from the British with a force of 28,000 men  20,000 cavalrymen and 8,000 foot soldiers  mostly comprising of Marathas. A British force, comprising no more than around 800 soldiers, was on its way to Pune to meet with the main force stationed there when the Peshwas advance force spotted them.

As the British took refuge in a small village called Koregaon, which was surrounded by a low mud wall, the Peshwa decided to detach a small portion of his army, around 2,000 soldiers, to take on the British forces and the village of Koregaon.

On January 1, 1818, East India Company troops, comprising mostly Mahar Dalits, fended off the Maratha offensive. The soldiers fought through the night and managed to defend the village of Koregaon from the attackers.

According to one estimate, the Company lost between 200-300 troops that night but the Peshwa suffered heavier losses as 500-600 of his men perished in the battle. The Marathas, wary of reinforcements arriving from Pune in much larger numbers than their own, were forced to retreat.

The memorial marking the Companys victory over Marathas at Koregaon in 1818 has now come to represent Dalit pride. Several Dalit activists see it as a victory of lower-caste Mahars against the upper-caste Peshwas.

On January 1, 1927, the 109th anniversary of the battle, Dalit icon Dr BR Ambedkar, a Mahar himself, visited the site and commemorated the battle. Since his visit, the memorial has become a pilgrimage of sorts for Dalits, who throng the memorial on New Years Day.
Lucknow: Legendary Urdu poet Anwar Jalalupri, who translated Bhagwad Gita into Urdu couplets, breathed his last at the King George Medical University in Lucknow on Tuesday.

The 71-year-old was admitted to the hospital on Thursday after he suffered a brain stroke.

Jalalupri's son Jannisar, said "On December 28, my father went for a bath but didn't come out for a long time. When we broke open the door, we found him lying unconscious."

The last rites of the poet will be held on Wednesday in his native village of Jalalpur in Uttar Pradesh's Ambedkarnagar district. Jalalpuri is survived by his wife and three sons.

The poet had won laurels for translation over 700 shlokas of the Bhagwad Gita from Sanskrit to Urdu, with an aim to promote communal harmony.

Some of his important literary works include "Rahrau se Rahnuma Tak", translations of Gitanjali and Bhagwat Gita in Urdu. He also wrote dialogues for TV serial "Akbar the Great".

He had established a junior high school named after legendary poet Mirza Ghalib in Jalalpur in 1969. He was a member of the Uttar Pradesh Haj Committee and had also the Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh Board Of Madarsa Education.
New Delhi: One wears a smile on his face, another does it seldom. One speaks, the other just nods but they are always on the same page.

It is only when they set about asking questions and dictating orders, one gets an idea of how tough these two judges are in the Supreme Court.

Sitting in one corner of the Supreme Court complex  topographically, Court number 11 has perhaps become one of the most important courtrooms in the recent past.

Justice Adarsh K Goel and Justice Uday U Lalit, the two judges who constitute a bench in Court number 11, have come to characterise landmark orders, quick decisions, razor-sharp scrutiny and the confidence that judges of the highest court in India must possess.

When a lawyer argues, what he needs to deal with is an experience of almost 30 years each of the two judges as advocates, and a volley of questions that would find marked in the judges files. You hand out the correct answers, and it will not be years or months or even days before you have a propitious order in your hand.

Poised and resolute, the judges pass orders with a rare promptitude once they are satisfied with the facts, irrespective of how controversial or contentious a case could be.

In the last 15-odd months, this bench has touched upon subjects and issued orders which have more often than not witnessed only adjournments and refrain by the judiciary. The judicial determination by these judges, however, invariably goes down to the wire.

CCTV CAMERAS IN COURTS, TRIBUNALS

It was a bold decision by Justice Goel and Justice Lalit, which made judiciary shed years of reluctance to let cameras enter its courtrooms.

In March 2017, this bench ordered the installation of CCTV cameras in at least two districts of all states and union territories to record court proceedings. The judges clarified that the process had to begin with two districts and only then others would emulate.

What weighed in the minds of the judges was transparency and better case management.

Notably, the order on the judicial side came after several rounds of deliberations between the Centre and the top judiciary had failed.

Since August 2013, Union Law Ministers have written to the then Chief Justices of India at least thrice to consider recording the court proceedings in the interest of transparency, security and improved case management.

But SC judges demonstrated reluctance during the last communication in August 2016 telling the government that they felt a wider consultation was necessary before the final decision.

Not just this, many PILs demanding audio-video recording of proceedings had also been dismissed in the past, even though Law Commissions have made recommendations favouring it.

All this did not deter Justices Goel and Lalit to take the historic step.

DEADLINE FOR BAIL AND TRIAL IN LOWER COURTS TO CUT BACKLOG

Judicial services are missions for serving the society. The mission is not achieved if the litigant who is waiting in the queue does not get his turn for a long time. There are obstructions at every level in enforcement of right of speedy trial... in spite of all odds, determined efforts are required at every level for success of the mission. Ways and means have to be found by constant thinking and monitoring. Presiding Officer of a court cannot rest in the state of helplessness.

This is what the judges underlined when they framed an action plan for quick disposal of cases. In an unprecedented order, this bench set a deadline of just one week for deciding bail applications and two years for disposal of all serious crime cases by a sessions courts. The court further said that trials pending for five years or more should be decided by the end of 2017.

According to records, there are more than 43 lakh cases which have been pending for five years or more at the end of 2015, while 3,599 undertrials have been in custody for more than five years.

Referring to these statistics, the judges, in their judgment in March 2017, maintained said that an action plan has to be put in place with targets to be achieved by judicial officers, which will be reflected in their annual confidential reports (ACRs).

TECHNOLOGY, VIDEO-CONFERENCING IN MATRIMONIAL CASES

Aimed at providing equitable justice to both husband and wife, and employment of technological tools in making justice accessible to all, the judges directed that video-conferencing be preferably used when an estranged couple live in different cities while fighting an array of matrimonial cases against each other.

According to Justices Goel and Lalit, video-conferencing was an efficacious alternative method to transferring the trial to one place, which may not be convenient to either of the parties.

In any case, wherever such facility is available, it ought to be fully utilized and all the High Courts ought to issue appropriate administrative instructions to regulate the use of video conferencing for certain category of cases. Matrimonial cases, where one of the parties resides outside courts jurisdiction is one of such categories, the bench held in an order in March.

This order, though, was later set aside by a three-judge bench with 2:1 majority. On being referred by another two-judge bench, a larger bench presided over by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra, reviewed this order.

The CJI, along with Justice Khanwilkar, held that a trial video-conferencing would lessen chances of reconciliation between the parties, besides not being in sync with the provisions of the Family Court Act, which prescribes in-camera hearings.

The third judge on this larger bench, Justice DY Chandrachud strongly supported the views taken by Justices Goel and Lalit. Should this court even attempt to put a lid on the inexorable movement towards incorporating technology? If we do so, we risk ourselves being left behind as an anachronism in a digital age, he maintained.

Significantly, Justices Goel and Lalit have also not felt absolutely constrained by the majority view of the larger bench.

While dealing with transfer petitions, this bench has started recording undertakings by the parties that they would not object to trial through video-conferencing, which means such matrimonial trials will incorporate technological tools after all.

ABUSE OF ANTI-DOWRY LAW AND NO AUTOMATIC ARREST

Concerned with the gross abuse of Section 498A in the IPC wherein not just the husband but all his family members are ordinarily roped in by a woman complainant, this bench decided to bell the cat.

To remedy the situation, we are of the view that involvement of civil society in the aid of administration of justice can be one of the steps, apart from the investigating officers and the trial courts concerned being sensitized, the judges held in their July 2017 order, as they issued a string of directions to prevent the abuse.

The bench directed that no arrest should normally be effected without verifying allegations as violation of human rights of innocents cannot be brushed aside, which may also ruin chances of settlement.

The Justices ordered for the constitution of family welfare committees in every district. These committees would first vet the complaints received by police or the magistrate under Section 498A. No arrest can be made before this committee expresses an opinion on the veracity of the complaint and even during the trial, the trial court should dispense with personal appearances of all family members on each and every date of hearing. Trial courts were also ordered to permit appearance by video conferencing and the training of police officials dealing with dowry harassment cases.

This order met stiff resistance from various women rights groups, which even organized protests in front of the Supreme Court complex. Many lawyers also questioned the rationale of issuing directions in a criminal trial case and raised apprehensions that it would further dilute the anti-dowry law.

But Justices Goel and Lalit have stood firm on their decision. In several such cases that they heard after issuance of the directive, the judges have inquired about the constitution of the family welfare committees and training of police officials.

However, in an intriguing twist, a bench led by the CJI has also questioned the directions issued and in a separate case, CJI Misra has said that he would consider this matter as well.

FORCIBLY PERPETUATE MATRIMONY, WHEN IT HAS BROKEN DOWN IRRECONCILABLY

Should the Supreme Court acknowledge irretrievable breakdown of marriage as a ground for divorce and pass a decree without the mandatory 18-month period of separation?

For years, this question has been bothering Supreme Court judges. Some judges grant divorce exercising their power under Article 142 of the Constitution even while the Hindu Marriage Act made it mandatory for couples to stay apart for at least 18 months before parting with mutual consent, others refuse to do so when the Act provides for otherwise.

This quandary was finally put to an end by Justices Goel and Lalit, who by a ruling in September 2017, cut down the waiting period for divorce by six months in cases of divorce through mutual consent.

The bench underlined that Section 13B in the Act (divorce through mutual consent) was enacted to enable the parties to dissolve a marriage by consent if the marriage has irretrievably broken down, hence forcible perpetuation of status of matrimony between unwilling partners would not serve any purpose.

It said that the object of the cooling off period was to safeguard against a hurried decision if there was otherwise the possibility of differences being reconciled. "The object was not to perpetuate a purposeless marriage or to prolong the agony of the parties when there was no chance of reconciliation," noted the bench.

The Court acknowledged that every effort has to be made to save a marriage but pointed out that "if there are no chances of reunion and there are chances of fresh rehabilitation, the Court should not be powerless in enabling the parties to have a better option."

'ASTRONOMICAL' LAWYERS' FEE VS ACCESS TO JUSTICE

The Supreme Court happens to be the spot for high-stakes, high-pitched battles and the top lawyers are the ones running the show. Designated senior lawyers bring in their expertise with a fancy six or seven-figure fee. Interestingly, all these big cases would witness less than two dozen such lawyers appearing and arguing, which would a testimony of their mandate and explain why they would cost a bomb.

Not many judges would want to question the fee such lawyers charge but Justices Goel and Lalit are different.

In a judgment in December 2017, they supported the idea of putting a ceiling on the lawyers fee. The judges said that it was a barrier to access to justice and deprives poor litigants of suitable representation in courts.

Citing the astronomical fee being charged by top lawyers, the bench was critical of this developing into a culture and permeating down. The duo underlined that lawyers must remember their duty under Article 39A of the Constitution, which provides for ensuring equal opportunity for access to justice.

First step should be taken to prescribe floor and ceiling in fees.... Mandate for the Bench and the bar is to provide speedy, inexpensive justice to the victim and protect their rights. The legal system must continue to serve the victims of injustice, held the judges, as they urged the Central government to step in and consider a legislation to help the litigants get suitable representation.

Justice Goel, the eleventh judge in terms of seniority, was sworn in as a judge in the Supreme Court in July 2014. Justice Lalit was appointed a month later.

Their three-year-long stint, however, has been a testament of self-assurance and buoyancy the Supreme Court of India has to exude.

Mere disposal of a dispute should not be the only concern for judges of the apex court. Efficiency in the administration of justice and its delivery by the system called court should be the larger area of concern for the judges. The Justices have been endowed with the authority under Article 142 of the Constitution to pass any order for doing complete justice.

By their various orders, Justices Goel and Lalit have demonstrated a will to bring about positive changes in the justice delivery system.

Their orders have been questioned, criticised and even modified by a larger bench, but they have taken everything in stride when it comes to walking the extra mile for enhancing the competence of the justice dispensation system and adopting a modern outlook.
New Delhi: Three MPs from Assams main opposition party AIUDF, including Dubri's Badruddin Ajmal and Karimganj's Radhey Shyam could not make it to the first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) that was released on December 31 midnight.

"My entire familys name is missing from the first draft. Does this mean that the MPs and MLAs of Assam are also Bangladeshis?" Ajmal asked. His colleague Radhey Shyam added, "I am from the Hindu community and my name still doesnt feature on the list. Only my wife and sons names are there."

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 the massive exercise aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state that borders Bangladesh.

A top official, however, said that there is no need for anyone to panic and that the rest of the names are in various stages of verification.

The MPs said that 26 members of their families have been ignored in the first draft of NRC, which was released on the December 31. Ajmal told News18 that despite the names of 1.39 crore people from the list, Assam is quiet peaceful at the moment as people are hopeful that their names will feature in the second and third drafts.

Praful Mohanta of AGP also expressed hopes that looking beyond the confusion at this early stage, NRC exercise will ultimately lead to a positive result.

Mohanta told News18, "It is a historic moment. But there are problems. Even the Speaker of the Houses name is missing from the NRC. But this is a draft and the problems will be solved in the future drafts. There is a need for further scrutiny."

Mohanta said that once the entire exercise is completed, the Indian government must negotiate with Bangladesh to take back those who will be declared illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

In a recent interaction with the Awami league, we were told that so far there is no proposal from India to Bangladesh to take back the illegal migrants. India should now diplomatically push Bangladesh to take back their citizens, be it Muslims or Hindus, Mohanta told News18.

The AGP has further said that it will oppose any move to grant citizenship to Bangladeshi Hindus by amending the Citizenship Amendment Bill.
In case you missed it

United States President Donald Trump has vowed to cut aid to Pakistan for failing to act against terror groups operating on its soil. In a strongly worded message in his first tweet of the year, Trump said that US has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, but in return Pakistan has given nothing but lies and deceit. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! he wrote.

Seasoned diplomat Vijay Keshav Gokhale, considered an expert on China, was named the next foreign secretary succeeding S Jaishankar, who completes his extended tenure later this month.

Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear khaki. Constable Sudarshan Shinde turned into a hero by risking his life to help others at the fire tragedy in Lower Parels Kamala Mills Compound. The fire claimed the lives of at least 14 people and left 21 injured. It could have been much worse. A photo of the police officer, carrying an injured person on his shoulders has gone viral.

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.

The heart of the national capital came to a standstill as more than two and a half lakh revelers descended on India Gate to celebrate the New Year. The figure was seven times the estimation of the traffic police.

About 1.9 crore of the 3.29 crore Assam residents have been tagged as legal, while the rest await further verification. The much-awaited first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published on the last day of 2017.

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. Apart from validating ones Indian citizenship in the north eastern state, the NRC could also boost one's hope for better employment opportunities.

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, killing five CRPF personnel. 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.

Tamil Nadu BJP president Tamilisai Soundararajan has told the media that Rajinikanths proposed party will be an NDA ally in 2019.

NASA is turning 60 in 2018 and the agency is looking forward to launching a slew of important missions in the coming year, including one to "touch" the Sun.

Agree or disagree?

In a land where for half a century, the Dravidian movement, with rationalism and atheism as its founding principles, has spread its roots and no leader has dared to oppose it, Rajinikanth, a larger than life celluloid figure, turned everything upside down with his announcement of joining politics. Rajinikanth's entry could change the dynamic by making religion and spirituality mainstream ideas.

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? If Rahul Gandhi wants to seek the revenge for the 2014 election defeat, then he has to form a formidable combination of smaller parties and cobble together a non-BJP alliance.

Rajinikanth's announcement that he will launch a political party ahead of the next election and contest all 234 Assembly seats in the state will certainly shake up the political dynamics of the southern state. Veeraraghav TM writes Tamil Nadus political vacuum sucked in Rajini, but it doesn't guarantee electoral success.

(Get a fresh dose of the news that matters, delivered directly to your inbox, every morning. The perfect way, to get you started and informed, for the day ahead. Subscribe to News18 Daybreak here.)
New Delhi: What links perfume baron and AIUDF supremo Badruddin Ajmal, actress turned MLA Angoorlata Deka, NRC coordinator and Assam Home Secretary Prateek Hajela, ULFA(I) Commander-in-chief Paresh Barua and family members of Chief Adviser of All Assam Students Union Samujjal Bhattacharya?

It is the strange fact that none of their names figure in the first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. All of them have also asked others to not worry about the missing names as the list is still a work in progress document.

The first draft of NRC, which was published on the intervening night of December 31 & January 1, includes the names of 1.9 crore citizens of Assam. The NRC authorities had received applications from a total of 3.29 crore people who had submitted 6 crore documents.

Authorities have assured that theres no reason to panic if ones name is missing from the first draft. While releasing the first draft, the Registrar General of India Sailesh said, There is no reason to panic. The other names are in various stages of verification and as soon as the verification is done, we will come out with another draft.

Over 1.39 crore applicants did not find their names in the first draft even as people thronged the NRC Seva Kendras to check for their names.

Dibrugarh probably has the highest number of names enlisted, with district administration sources saying close to 80% of the names have figured in the list, it is the lower Assam districts like Hojai (33%), Barpeta (38%) and Nagaon (44.16%), where most residents are yet to get the legal citizen tag.

Among those left out of the first draft are 48 lakh residents who gave Panchayat Pradhans certificate as residence proof. The Supreme Court on December 5 overturned the Gauhati High Court order which refused to accept pradhans certificate as an identity proof.

Thus, these 48 lakh residents can breathe easy as the Supreme Court declared the panchayat certificate to be a valid document. Their names did not figure in the NRC since the authorities did not have much time to update their systems post the SC order.

In Cachar, an area which shares a border with Bangladesh, one Hanif Khan allegedly committed suicide after finding his name to be missing in from NRC. His body was found hanging in the backyard of his house and the locals claimed that he got scared after his name was not there in the NRC.

However, a senior police officer said we are trying to ascertain if there is some other reason behind the suicide".

The most wanted militant and commander-in-chief of the United Liberation Front of Assam  Independent (ULFA-I) Paresh Baruas name, too, expectedly does not figure in the list.

However, according to News18 Assam and NorthEast, Barua had rejected the NRC and said that this list is a conspiracy to Indianise the Assamese populace.

The whole process of listing the Assamese population began in 2013 and was carried out under the Supreme Court's orders.

While there was a strong apprehension of probable tension and violence, once the list was out, the state has remained calm 48 hours since the publication of draft NRC on December 31.
Pune: The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was marred by incidents of violence on Tuesday, with at least one person getting killed.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the 'British' victory.

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism occurred at Bhima Koregaon in Shiroor tehsil today afternoon when people were heading for the war memorial in the village, police said.

A man died in the violence, a top police official told PTI late in the evening. However, his identity and how exactly he died was not known yet, the officer said.

The violence erupted after a local group and some members of the crowd on its way to the memorial had an argument over some issue.

"Stone-pelting started after the argument. During the violence, some vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged," a police officer deployed for security at Bhima Koregaon said without elaborating.

He said the police stopped traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway for sometime following the incident.

The situation in the village is under control now, he said.

"More police personnel, including companies of the State Reserve Police Force, have been deployed," the officer said.

He said mobile phone networks were also blocked for some time to stop circulation of inflammatory messages.

The battle of Bhima Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818. Some Dalit leaders and thinkers view its outcome as a victory of oppressed classes over the upper-caste establishment of those times.

Earlier in the day, dalit leader and independent MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani visited the war memorial in the village. Mevani had also attended 'Elgaar Parishad' held in Pune to commemorate the battle yesterday.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale demanded police protection for dalits in the wake of today's violence.

"Dalit groups visiting Bhima Koregaon were stopped at Sanaswadi near Koregaon. Stones were hurled at them. No police force was available for their protection," Athawale said in a statement.

He appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to deploy additional police force in the village and provide protection to the members of local dalit community.
Jan 02, 2018 11:10 (IST)

(1/2) *Need for turning a civil issue into a criminal act: Marriages and divorces are fundamentally civil issues. There are the judicial and quasi-judicial forum to adjudicate such discards. Any act of violence also has redressed under the Indian Penal Code and hence, why create a new offence to make the issue of divorce a criminal offence?

* Absence of mechanism for maintenance for wives and minor children: The bill is completely silent on the aspect of how to provide for subsistence allowance to the aggrieved women and their children when the men may find themselves behind the bar after registration of the case. One of the provisions does talk about subsistence allowance but how will a man provide if he is jailed? Further, the government has not announced that there will be a separate corpus of funds to ascertain maintenance in such cases.

* Shutting possibility of reconciliation: Although the man and the woman will remain legally wedded in spite of utterance of the three words, it would become improbable they will ever reconcile after a criminal case is lodged against the husband. Somebody who has opted to give triple talaq is unlikely to accept the woman back once he is incarcerated because of a complaint by his 'wife'
President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and President of the National Council of Women (NCW) Maya Morsi jointly declared 2017 the Year of Egyptian Women on International Women Days. The announcement, made on 8 March, revived hopes of resolving several long-standing issues affecting women and their lives.

According to a legal amendment passed this year the NCW is mandated to enhance, develop and protect the rights and freedoms of women according to provisions in the constitution and international agreements ratified by Egypt.

The year also saw the launch of the 2030 strategy for Egyptian women. The plan consists of five strategic stages: political and economic empowerment, societal protection, and cultural and legal rights.

With the help of the government, Egyptian women finally will be able to collect their dues, at least as far as inheritance is concerned. Egypt previously had no sanctions by which to punish someone who keeps members of a family  usually women  from receiving their rightful shares of an inheritance. The problem is common for women in Upper Egypt as well as in some rural and urban areas. Often an inheritance is kept from a woman either because of greed or because the family fears property ownership would be transferred to her husband and not be kept in the immediate family.

Accordingly, the NCW passed a law guaranteeing inheritance rights for women. In February, the parliaments Legislative Committee approved an amendment proposed by the government to Inheritance Law 77/1943. Under this amendment, a number of violations would be considered criminal offences, including intentionally depriving heirs of their rightful inheritance. The amendment proposed punishment of at least three years in prison and a fine ranging between LE20,000 to LE100,000.

The law stipulates that withholding documents that could prove a persons legal right to an inheritance is also a violation. In such cases, the offender would be sentenced to at least six months in prison and a fine ranging between LE10,000 to LE50,000. If the violation is repeated, the amendment calls for a sentence of at least one year in jail.

Early this year, parliament approved a draft bill pushing for tougher penalties on sexual harassment. The bill imposed an increase in fines ranging between LE5,000 and LE10,000 on those who are found guilty of sexual harassment in public or private areas, with harassment defined as gestures or words or any modern means of communication, or any other action that carries sexual or pornographic hints.

Parliament also agreed on an amendment to the penal code on child sexual abuse in which jail terms were toughened to three years and fines of between LE20,000 and LE50,000 imposed. Stricter penalties were also imposed on abusers who use their authority in the setting of family, work or education to commit sexual harassment. They will now face a jail sentence of not less than three years and not more than seven years and a fine ranging between LE50,000 and LE100,000.

This year, women were also accomplished on the political and decision-making levels. After a cabinet reshuffle in February 2017 women took the helm of ministries. Hala Al-Said is minister of planning, follow-up and administrative reform. The Ministry of Investment and the Ministry of International Cooperation were merged into the Ministry of Investment headed by Sahar Nasr. This is in addition to the already appointed Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali and Minister of Immigration Nabila Makram.

For the first time, a woman also become a governor. Nadia Abdou became the first woman to be appointed governor of Beheira governorate.

Egyptian women also assumed leading international positions. Amany Abu Zeid assumed the post of infrastructure and energy commissioner of the African Union.

Meanwhile, Mushira Khattab, Egypts former secretary-general of the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, ran a tight race for the position of UNESCO general manager, eventually losing to French candidate Audrey Azoulay.

According to the World Economic Forums 2016 Gender Gap Report, Egypt ranked 99th among 144 countries in occupying higher positions for women. In the Arab region, Egypt ranked fourth after Morocco among 14 Arab countries.

In womens health, the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population launched the International Medical Conference for the Health of Arab Women which resulted in the Cairo Declaration.

The declaration included constructive strategies to promote health awareness and reduce the risk of chronic diseases in women. It included the prevention of violence and her empowerment through education, creating job opportunities, and improving her image in the media, and the rejection of all malpractices against her, as well as a health strategy through reproductive, mental health and non-communicable chronic diseases. The aim was equality and justice for both genders.

Throughout the year there was greater attention paid to womens health. The NCW and the Ministry of Health and Population upgraded health in the villages of Nasr Al-Nuba and Kom Ombo through medical convoys that received nearly half a million patients and nearly 100,000 women at the age of childbearing. All the services were provided for free at the states expense. The convoys included clinics in all medical specialties for early detection of breast cancer. Ten civil societies and the Eradication of Illiteracy and Adult Education Organisation readied the convoys which provide family planning services.

The Knock the Door campaign under the slogan Support your Country Strongly For Your Good was another highlight of the year. Launched in all villages of Egypt by the NWC, the campaign aims at finding the villages most harmed by floods to help families and pay field visits to the affected regions to decide the necessary measures needed, solve the problems of women in slums, and establish a complaints office, in addition to the Safe Cities initiative to create an atmosphere free from harassment and violence against women.

The council also sought to increase the role of women in the economy. The NCW set up a commission against discrimination to increase the communitys awareness of the importance of a womans role. This was done by launching a campaign whose followers reached 40 million during 2017. The council, in cooperation with other agencies, issued 100,000 identity cards for women in villages, the countryside and Upper Egypt. There is a plan to issue 500,000 IDs for free soon.

This is part of a broader plan to involve women in the job market. To that end, the Ministry of Social Solidarity launched an initiative through the National Institution for Family Development, affiliated to the Ministry of Social Solidarity, and allocated LE20 million in 2017 to fund female microenterprises in civil societies. They include the Cottage Industry Families Associations and Society Development Communities licensed by the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA).

Amendments were made to Law 11/2004 which sets up a family insurance fund to cope with the steady increase in prices. Money allocated for divorced women reached LE520 million. Female beneficiaries are over 250,000.

A total of LE250 million has been allocated to make nurseries safe.

On the political front, the NCW prepared a data base for women who wish to run in local elections, reaching 4,000.

The number of parliamentary female members is 90  15 per cent of the total number  76 of whom were elected in addition to 14 appointed. Moreover, women and younger female voters reached 55 per cent.

*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly

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New Delhi: The central government is likely to table the Triple Talaq bill in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, had witnessed protests by opposition parties like Congress, Left, AIADMK and DMK on various grounds. The opposition said the bill should be referred to a parliamentary panel for deliberation and fine-tuning.

Here are the key issues flagged by the opposition:

 When the marriage remains, why send husband to jail: It has been argued that after the Supreme Court verdict, instant triple talaq will not have an effect on a marriage. Therefore, the utterance will have no meaning in law and the marriage shall remain intact. If there is no impact on the marriage and the utterance is a nullity in itself, which act is proposed to be criminalised under the bill?

 Need for turning a civil issue into a criminal act: Marriages and divorces are fundamentally civil issues. There are judicial and quasi-judicial forum to adjudicate such discards. Any act of violence also has redressed under the Indian Penal Code and hence, why create a new offence to make the issue of divorce a criminal offence?

 Absence of mechanism for maintenance for wives and minor children: The bill is completely silent on the aspect of providing for subsistence allowance to the aggrieved women and their children when the men may find themselves behind the bar after registration of the case. One of the provisions does talk about subsistence allowance but how will a man provide if he is jailed? Further, the government has not announced that there will be a separate corpus of funds to ascertain maintenance in such cases.

 Shutting possibility of reconciliation: Although the man and the woman will remain legally wedded in spite of the utterance of triple talaq, it would become improbable they will ever reconcile after a criminal case is lodged against the husband. Somebody who has opted to give triple talaq is unlikely to accept the woman back once he is incarcerated because of a complaint by his 'wife'.
New Delhi: As India and China were engaged in their longest face-off in over three decades in Doklam, an unassuming Vijay Gokhale, Indias ambassador to Beijing, worked behind the scenes to defuse the tension.

The face-off lasted for 73 days and ended just ahead of the BRICS summit in Xiamen, China. Vijay Gokhale was the one constantly in contact with the Chinese side helping resolve the crisis that was termed a challenge for the relationship between neighbours.

Gokhale came back to the South Block soon after, assuming the charge of Secretary (Economic Relations) but the corridors of power were abuzz that he was the man set to take charge once Foreign Secretary S Jaishankars extension gets over in January end. Two months down the line, the formal appointment has been confirmed  the 1981 batch Indian Foreign Service officer is indeed the next Foreign Secretary.

Gokhale was Indias Ambassador to the Peoples Republic of China from January 2016 to October 2017. Before his assignment in Beijing, he served as Indias Ambassador to Germany from October 2013 to January 2016. He was also Indias High Commissioner to Malaysia from 2010 to 2013.

The administrator is a Masters in History from Delhi University.
While 2017 saw several celebrities taking the plunge, Virat Kohli-Anushka Sharma's wedding was undoubtedly one of the most talked about 'events' of the year. Not only did everyone freak out about the two tying the knot in an intimate ceremony in Tuscany, Italy, fans, well-wishers and netizens also discussed how the couple looked, the guests who attended the functions, all while circulating pictures on social media of the duo dancing at their grand post-wedding receptions in Delhi and Mumbai.

One of the most important aspects that had netizens talking was the outfits that the two sported for the ceremonies that were held. And while everyone was impressed with Virat's attire for all three functions, discussions on Anushka's Sabyasachi outfits were never ending, especially the bride's choice of lehenga for the D-day.

However, around the same time, same month, veteran actress Nafisa Ali Sodhi's daughter, Pia Sodhi, also got married. And the beautiful bride looked every bit a royal in 'an unusual bird's egg blue lehenga designed in an Indo-Victorian pattern in fine aari taari and zardosi' from Sabyasachi's Devi Collection.

Credit: @ Sabyasachi Mukherjee

And although there was nothing 'traditional' about the lehenga -- not the color certainly -- the sheer simplicity of the garment and the elegance and sophistication with which Pia carried herself in the ethereal attire, made her look every inch the royal.

Bridal jewellery, maangtika, kaliras and perfect makeup rounded off the stunning bride's look.

Credit: @ Kanupriya & Parag Credit: @ Kanupriya & Parag

What was also striking in Pia's attire was that Sabyasachi, very carefully raised the regal factor in the wedding lehenga by keeping the outfit light-weight and at the same time adding a double dupatta to amp up the look.

Credit: @ Pia Sodhi

It seems like the color red, the quintessential color brides-to-be opt for their wedding lehenga, has now made way for more subtle, eye-pleasing and elegant pastels and unconventional colours. Also, heavy lehengas for wedding are so last season. Light-weight and elegant - the are two words that should describe your wedding outfit this season.

So, brides-to-be, look no further, you have all the wedding fashion inspiration right here.
Varun Dhawan, who is reportedly dating fashion designer Natasha Dalal, has set the record straight on wedding rumours in a recent interview, saying he wants to get married but "right now, it's not on the agenda."

Varun and Natasha have often been spotted together at airports, movie launches and restaurants. In fact, Natasha also flew to London while Varun was shooting for his last outing Judwaa-2.

"Honestly, I would love to do that, but I don't know how my parents would react to it. Being Punjabis, they would want to do it the traditional way," Varun was quoted as saying by TOI.

Varun recently moved into his new, four-bedroom apartment, which he bought this year after giving two back-to-back hits-- Judwaa 2 and Badrinath Ki Dulhania. The actor said he wants to enjoy "this part of life" for a couple of years.

"It took me a while to get here, it's a big achievement. It's also important to enjoy moments. Right now, I'm in this Sufi zone, if I may say so. The next 12 months will reflect the mood and the zone I am in," he added.
New Delhi: Clashes broke out in Maharashtra on Tuesday over the bicentenary celebrations of the Battle of Bhima-Koregaon and protests even spilled over to Maximum City Mumbai. Congress president Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the BJP and RSS over the violence after Right-Wing groups were accused of sparking unrest.

A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance, Rahul Gandhi tweeted on Tuesday evening.

BJP leaders, however, hit back at Gandhi and said this was a Congress ploy to divide Hindus on the basis of caste.

Chikkamagaluru MLA and BJPs Karnataka state unit General Secretary CT Ravi tweeted back to Rahul Gandhi saying, Out of power CONgress aided by its Ecosystem is using Dalits to #BreakHindus. We Hindus must be on guard to thwart the sinister plot of Anti-Nationals.

Meanwhile, Dalit outfits in Maharashtra have called for a state-wide bandh in protest of the violence against their community. Dalit leader and independent MLA from Guajrat Jignesh Mewani appealed for calm on Twitter. Maharashtra government must ensure rule of law. I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to maintain peace, he tweeted.
New Delhi: Patidar leader Hardik Patel tweeted his support for Kumar Vishwas, a founding member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) just as the party is set to pick its nominees for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.

If there is one man who can make the fake nationalists in Parliament shut up, it is Dr Kumar Vishwas. But is someone in AAP scared of his growing stature that they are trying to finish off both this opportunity and the party, Patel tweeted on Tuesday.

According to party sources, Vishwas and Arvind Kejriwal, who were once thick as thieves, have not been on talking terms since the Punjab elections.

With an overwhelming majority in Delhi, AAP can nominate three MPs to the Upper House. Vishwas has openly staked his claim for a seat but sources indicate the party may disappoint him yet again.

That Vishwas has been trying to build a case to confront the leadership can be traced from his statements after poll debacles in Punjab, Goa and Delhi by-polls.

After reports emerged of a rift between the two, Kejriwal took to Twitter to write, "Kumar is my younger brother. Some people are trying to create a rift between us. Such people are enemies of the party. They better mend their ways. No one can separate us."

When the crisis deepened and it looked like Vishwas would not buckle, the Delhi Chief Minister had to go to Vishwas's residence to pacify him. "Naraz hai, milne ke liye aaya hoon (He is upset, I have come to meet him)," a smiling Kejriwal told reporters outside Vishwas's house, ahead of the dramatic midnight meeting.

Soon, images of Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and other senior leaders meeting a miffed Vishwas flooded TV screens. Vishwas looked defiant with his hands behind his back while a despondent-looking Kejriwal stood at a distance.

In October, in an exclusive interview with News18, Vishwas had said, I believe personal relations between leaders shouldnt influence the partys affairs. What I will say is that those who have been with us since the days of the Anna movement should be fearless and speak the truth. They should say what is right and what is wrong.

The relationship was tested yet again last month, during the partys National Council (NC) meeting when Vishwas was denied a speaking slot.

Manish Sisodia, though, intervened then and reached out to the leader to yet again sooth his bruised ego and personally invite him to speak.

Now, just a week ahead of the RS nominations, on Thursday, a group of Aam Aadmi Party volunteers, all donning the AAP cap, reached the partys headquarters on Rouse Avenue, New Delhi. Amidst chants of Humara Vishwas, Kumar Vishwas! (Our faith lies with Kumar Vishwas!), they demanded that Vishwas be sent to the Rajya Sabha.

Given the current situation in the country, where the PM and government are fooling the people on a daily basis, the country and the party need a strong voice in Parliament. Who better to take on the government than Kumar Vishwas? said Omendra Bharat, an AAP worker.

Despite the show of strength, party insiders say Vishwass chances of making a cut to the Rajya Sabha are slim. Party sources have said the AAP is likely to send senior leader Sanjay Singh along with businessman and former Congress leader Sushil Gupta and renowned chartered accountant ND Gupta to the Rajya Sabha.

When asked if a decision on the Rajya Sabha nominees would come soon, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said in a stock response, The decision will be taken by the PAC. You will all know soon enough.

An AAP source close to Kumar Vishwas said the deterioration of the Kejriwal-Kumar relationship began with the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

Arvind took all party workers to Varanasi for his own campaign. Vishwas, who was contesting from Amethi, was left to fend for himself. The party had three founding members who are still around  Kejriwal, Vishwas and Manish Sisodia. Kejriwal is CM, Sisodia is Deputy CM, but what did Kumar Vishwas get?

Vishwas finally seems to be seeking his pound of flesh from Kejriwal in the RS nomination. His friendship with the Delhi Chief Minister hangs by a fine thread which may break anytime soon.
New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party's Political Affairs Committee on Wednesday confirmed Sushil Gupta as one of its nominees for the Rajya Sabha elections.

Gupta, who has been the Chairman of Delhis Punjabi Bagh Club for the last 25 years and chairman of the Punjabi Bagh Co-operative Housing Society for 13 years, is technically, not even a member of the Aam Aadmi Party. However, he is not a stranger to politics.

Gupta started his political career as a student activist of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) and until three months ago, was a member of the Congress party. In 2013, he even contested, albeit unsuccessfully, the Delhi Assembly elections from Moti Nagar on a Congress ticket.

Gupta has wide-ranging business interests from land development to private educational and healthcare institutions. Among others, he owns and operates Delhis Ganga group of institutions, but when asked how he would describe himself, Gupta told News 18, Main purely kisaan hoon (I am purely a farmer).

Gupta had earlier claimed that he has no knowledge of his name doing the round in AAP circles. I read about my name being considered for the first time on the news. I am not someone who haggles for power.

When asked why he quit the Congress, Gupta was cryptic in his response, See, I dont believe in political parties. I believe in good people. I want to do work in the health and education sector and I will go with anybody who lets me work in that sphere. When I quit the Congress, I had said I was open to all.

Guptas name, though, has ruffled feathers even among Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals inner circle.

One AAP MLA, who is considered close to Kejriwal, had said, I heard that Sushil Guptas name was doing the rounds and I am disappointed. He is not someone who is seen with a lot of respect. He often hosts politicians at the Punjabi Bagh Club. He has come from the Congress. There are too many red flags. If this name comes up, I will oppose it. Isse achcha Kumar Vishwas ko hi bhej dete. (We should have sent Kumar Vishwas to Rajya Sabha instead)
New Delhi: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad elections have been postponed as members were divided over the names to be sent for the posts of international working president and president of the organisation.

Until further notice, Dr Pravin Togadia will continue as the international working president, and Gunampalli Raghava Reddy, a businessman from Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, as the president.

Talking to News18.com, VHPs international joint secretary, Surendra Jain, said, The election has been postponed for technical and internal reasons. It was postponed because the processes were not complete, internally we could not come to a consensus over the names for the posts.

Initially, reports had claimed that the name of former Himachal Pradesh governor and current VHP vice president, Vishnu Sadashiv Kokje, was proposed by the RSS.

Other names doing the rounds were of Milind Parande, joint general secretary of VHP and Surendra Jain. The meeting, though, resulted in 86% votes going to Togadia.

A VHP worker added that the organisations election is an internal matter and nobody can influence the process.
Tencent Holdings' WeChat, China's most popular messenger app, on Tuesday denied storing users' chat histories after a top businessman was quoted in media reports as saying he believed Tencent was monitoring everyone's account. "WeChat does not store any users' chat history. That is only stored in users' mobiles, computers and other terminals," WeChat said in a post on the social media platform.

"WeChat will not use any content from user chats for big data analysis. Because of WeChat's technical model that does not store or analyse user chats, the rumour that 'we are watching your WeChat everyday' is a pure misunderstanding." Li Shufu, chairman of Geely Holdings, owner of the Volvo car brand, was quoted in Chinese media on Monday as saying Tencent Chairman Ma Huateng "must be watching all our WeChats every day".

Like all Chinese social media platforms, WeChat is required to censor public posts deemed "illegal" by the Communist Party. WeChat's privacy policy says it may need to retain and disclose users' information "in response to a request by a government authority, law enforcement agency or similar body". WeChat did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

According to a report by Amnesty International, Tencent ranked at the bottom of 11 tech firms running the world's most popular messenger apps for how they use encryption to protect user privacy. China's cyber watchdog in September announced a new rulemaking chat group administrators and companies accountable for breaches of content rules.

In the same month, it handed down maximum penalties to tech firms including Tencent, Baidu and Weibo Corp for failing to properly censor online content, and asked them to increase content auditing measures.

Watch: Tech And Auto Show Ep 26 | Toyota Fortuner vs Isuzu mu-X, Hyundai Weekender & More
Islamabad: Pakistan expressed "deep disappointment" over US President Donald Trumps scathing remarks against it, saying the accusations strike with "great insensitivity" at the "trust" between the two countries.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi convened a National Security Council meeting here after Trump strongly rebuked the country accusing it of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and sheltering terrorists in return for USD 33 billion in aid over the last 15 years.

The NSC meeting, attended by the powerful military chief and other top senior military and government officials, observed that statements by the US leadership were "completely incomprehensible as they contradicted facts manifestly, struck with great insensitivity at the trust between two nations built over generations, and negated the decades of sacrifices made by the Pakistani nation".

US ambassador to Pakistan, David Hale, was summoned to the NSC meeting, which discussed Pakistans response to Trumps fresh tirade while also reviewing the countrys overall foreign policy, the Dawn News reported.

Following the NSC meeting, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a tweet challenged Trumps claim that the US has given Pakistan more than USD 33 billion dollars as aid over the last 15 years, saying verification by an audit firm would prove the US president wrong.

The foreign minister offered that Trump could hire a US-based audit firm "on our expense" to verify the USD 33 billion aid figure and "let the world know who is lying and deceiving".

"Pres Trump quoted figure of $33 billion given to PAK over last 15 yrs, he can hire a US based Audit firm on our expense to verify this figure & let the world know who is lying & deceiving..," Asif tweeted.

The meeting of the NSC, the top-level civil-military platform on security matters, in statement said that Pakistan has fought the war against terrorism primarily using its own resources and at a great cost to its economy.

"...the huge sacrifices made by Pakistan, including the loss of tens of thousands of lives of Pakistani civilians and security personnel, and the pain of their families, could not be trivialised so heartlessly by pushing all of it behind a monetary value, and that too an imagined one, the committee observed.

It said Pakistan would continue to play role for peace in Afghanistan.

The Committee reached a consensus that despite all unwarranted allegations, Pakistan cannot act in haste and will remain committed to playing a constructive role towards an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, not just for the sake of its own people, but also for the peace and security of the region and international community, according to the statement.

The Committee reiterated firm support of Pakistan for the US-led international effort in Afghanistan, including continuously facilitating vital lines of communications for smooth counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan by the international coalition.

It observed that close interaction with the US leadership following the initial pronouncement of Trumps policy on South Asia had been "useful in creating a better understanding of each others perspectives on the best way forward to achieve durable peace and stability in Afghanistan."

"Pakistan cannot be held responsible for the collective failure in Afghanistan and that blaming allies certainly does not serve the shared objective of achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region, according the NSC.

The NSC was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was held a day earlier to come up with a response to the accusations of Trump. Shortly before the meeting commenced, the military had finalised its suggestions for Pakistans response to Trumps allegations in a Corps Commanders Conference held at General Headquarters.

A meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security has also been called on January 5 to discuss the US allegations.

In his first tweet of the new year, Trump had accused Pakistan of basing its relationship with the US on nothing but lies and deceit.

"The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! he tweeted.

Following Trumps tweet, Asif yesterday responded immediately saying, "...Will let the world know the truth...difference between facts and fiction". He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would do "no more" for it (in the fight against terrorism).
The third edition of the Jazz and Films Festival took place on 10 and 11 December, honouring Egyptian jazz musician Yehia Khalil and French actress Jeanne Moreau, along with French filmmaker Jean Rouch and American jazz trumpeter Miles Davis.

The brainchild of Egyptian film critic and director Salah Hashem, this year's event was hosted by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina for the first time. The previous two editions were held at the Jesuit Center in Alexandria.



Combining music and cinema, the event is organized by Cinema Isis, an online portal created and run by Hashem, in collaboration with the French Institute in Alexandria.



The festival, which includes film screenings and discussions around jazz in cinema, aims at exploring the African aspect of the Egyptian personality through jazz music, a genre that has flourished on the hands of African-Americans.



"We always emphasize the Arab aspect of the Egyptian identity, often ignoring the African dimension of it," Salah Hashem comments. "I was interested in launching this festival for over 10 years. I believed in the importance of revealing the many facets of our country and there is nothing better than art for doing so, especially now, when we are witnessing a lot of fanaticism and violence."



The festival has screened several films, bringing to audiences different angles on jazz, a musical genre that has been on the rise since the 1950s.



Three tributes were paid to artistic icons during the course of the festival. The first two were to French actress Jeanne Moreau, who died in July 2017, and the famous African-American trumpet player Miles Davis, one of the key personalities in the history of jazz.



The festival opened with Elevator to the Gallows (1958), a crime drama directed by Louis Malle, starring Jeanne Moreau, with a film score by Miles Davis.



The film relates the tale of Julien (Maurice Ronet) who murders his employer Simon Carala (Jean Wall) with the help of Simons wife Florence Carala (Jeanne Moreau), who has an affair with Julien. The event drives a series of unexpected and unintentional incidents.



As the plot develops, Florence finds herself walking through the streets of Paris, where she is accompanied by Miles Davis, who improvises on his trumpet -- marking an important entry of jazz music into the heart of cinematic imagination.



As we listen to the improvisation and watch the image on the screen, we are offered some touching and melancholic music from the trumpet, matching well with Louis Malle's style.



Following the screening, the audience engaged in a discussion, exchanging views and comments on the film itself, on jazz and on cinematography.



The third tribute was to the famous French filmmaker and anthropologist Jean Rouch, whose filmography was also the subject of in-depth discussions during the festival.



Coinciding with the centennial of his birth, the festival screen one of Rouch's iconic films: I, a Negro (Moi, un noir, 1958).



Renowned for his unique style, Rouch helped erase the borders between documentary cinema and fiction film through numerous documentaries on the fate of Africans.



The festivals third edition also included a discussion titled The origin and the rebirth of jazz music." The talk took place in the presence of Egyptian drummer and jazz musician Yehia Khalil, the festivals guest of honour.



This article was translated from Al Ahram Hebdo (French) and edited by Ahram Online.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

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New Delhi: A day after the United States of America cut its aid to Pakistan over the latters terror activities, China has come out in its defense, saying that the world must acknowledge Pakistans contribution to countering terrorism.

In an official statement, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that its all-weather ally had made tremendous sacrifices to fight terrorism.

Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community must acknowledge that, Shuang said.

He further said that China was happy to see Pakistan work towards combating terrorism. China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our cooperation so that both sides are benefited, he said.

When quizzed on the impact US President Donald Trumps tweet will have on ties with Afghanistan, Shuang said that the three countries (China, Pakistan and Afghanistan) were related not just by virtue of geography, but also because of common interests.

Trump, in his first tweet of 2018, had lashed out at Pakistan for its inaction against terror groups. Pakistan has been taking the US for a ride. The US has given 33 billion dollars since 2002 and got nothing in return. No More, he wrote.

Afghanistan, too, has previously slammed Pakistan for shielding terrorists, but China has been trying to play peacemaker by extending a trilateral agreement wherein the China Pakistan Economic Corridor will be extended to Afghanistan.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying had recently clarified that the CPEC expansion and recently held trilateral talks between China, Pakistan and Afghanistan would benefit the whole region.
New Delhi: The United States of America had given a green signal to Israel to assassinate Qassem Soleimani, the leader of the Quds force of Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps. A report by Kuwaiti newspaper Al Jarida said, quoting a source, that there was an Israeli-American agreement on Soleimani whom they considered a threat to the interests of both countries in the region.

This development comes three years after the US quashed Israels attempt at killing Soleimani, the report said. According to the report, Israel was on the verge of killing Soleimani but the US government alerted Irans leadership. Post that, there is said to have been a discord between Israeli and American intelligence agencies.

Who Is Qassem Soleimani?

Considered as the single most powerful man in all of Middle East, Soleimani is the commander of Army of Guardians of the Islamic Revolution. It is widely believed that Soleimani had helped Syrian government during the latters civil war. In interviews in the Iranian press, Soleimani has called himself the smallest soldier and is yet said to be a commanding figure in Iran.

The revelation comes just 3 days after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar said that they had Soleimanis support when it came to resolving the Palestinian issue. Soleimani, before that, had also said that Iran had an upper hand and that Tehran was a source of stability in the region and not a state of crisis. In November last year, Soleimanis advisor was killed. In its annual report on terrorism, the US, in 2017, accused Soleimanis Quds Force of playing a destabilizing role in the military conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Yemen.
Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday, a day after US President Donald Trump tweeted accusing Islamabad of "lies and deceit".

The Prime Minister will chair the huddle to discuss the future course of action following the US President's scathing statement against Pakistan, a PM office statement said.

The moot will be attended by Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, Minister for Defence, services chiefs besides, senior civil and military officers, the PM office media wing said.

The United States had on Tuesday suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

The confirmation comes after US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America "nothing but lies and deceit" despite having received more than USD 33 billion in last 15 years.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US until the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in the fight against terrorism.

(With inputs from IANS)
New Delhi: The central bank of Pakistan on Tuesday gave its green signal to using the Chinese currency, Yuan, for bilateral trade with China. The decision to cozy up to Beijing comes just a day after US President Donald Trump vowed to stop all aid to Islamabad.

Adoption of the Yuan would mean that Pakistan and China would be able to replace the US dollar for transactions in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects.

Pakistan would now be able to pay for imports from China in Yuan and Chinese firms investing in CPEC projects in Pakistan would bring in funds and remit back their profits also in Yuan.

In a press release, the State Bank of Pakistan stated that Chinese Yuan (CNY) is an approved foreign currency for denominating foreign currency transactions in Pakistan.

SBP has already put in place the required regulatory framework which facilitates use of CNY in trade and investment transactions such as opening of L/Cs and availing financing facilities in CNY. In terms of regulations in Pakistan, CNY is at par with other international currencies such as USD, Euro and JPY, etc, it said.

This move is another indicator of the growing bonhomie between the two countries, which call each other all-weather allies. Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at around $14 billion in 2015-2016. Officials anticipate the trade volume to increase significantly under CPEC cooperation.

Beijing has committed to investing around $60 billion in the country by 2030 under a long-term plan of development cooperation with Islamabad. The CPEC is a flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

It may be mentioned here that after signing Currency Swap Agreement (CSA) with Peoples Bank of China (PBoC), SBP had taken a series of steps to promote use of CNY in Pakistan for bilateral trade and investment with China. SBP allowed banks to accept CNY deposits and give CNY Trade loans," Pakistans central bank said in its release.

"Considering the recent local and global economic developments, particularly with the growing size of trade and investment with China under CPEC, SBP foresees that CNY denominated trade with China will increase significantly, going forward; and will yield long term benefits for both the countries," the State Bank of Pakistan release said.

The move may have come just a day after Trumps stinging tweet on lies and deceit, but had been in the offing since at least mid-December. Pakistans interior minister, Ahsan Iqbal, who oversees CPEC implementation, had revealed on December 19 that China was seeking bilateral trade in its own currency.

When asked if the Chinese currency could be allowed for use in Pakistan, the minister said the Pakistani rupee would continue to be used domestically.
Islamabad: Pakistan has 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.

According to the Express Tribune, 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.

Earlier, Trump, yet again, castigated Pakistan for providing safe havens to terrorists.

Trump, in a strongly-worded tweet, said America 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 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 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

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, in a tweet, said Islamabad has already refused to "do more" for the United States.

"We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trump's 'no more' does not hold any importance," Geo News quoted Asif as saying in an interview.

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

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received," he added.

Also, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee to discuss Trumps remarks against Islamabad and take leaders of the opposition parties into confidence over the this matter, Geo News reported citing sources.

Meanwhile, an Al Jazeera correspondent has challenged the figure of the aid that had been given to Pakistan in the last 15 years.

The network's English Web Correspondent, Asad Hashim, replied to Trump's tweet and said the actual figure was $14.788 billion and not 33 billion dollars, as being claimed.
New Delhi: The proposed US Bill  Protect and Grow American Jobs  is riddled with "onerous conditions" and places "unprecedented obligations" on both Indian IT companies 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 companies 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 Companies (Nasscom) told PTI.

The Bill has been passed by the House Judiciary Committee and is now headed for the US Senate.

"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 translate 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 USD 100,000 if the company has to be exempted from the labour certification requirements.

Also, the client deploying the H-1B visa 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.
New Delhi: A day after US President Donald Trump said that US had been foolish to provide aid to Pakistan, the countrys Foreign Minister, Khawaja Asif lashed out at the former saying they have already refused to do more for the US.

A Geo News report has quoted Asif as saying, We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trumps no more does not hold any importance.

In a strongly worded message in his first tweet of the year, Trump said on Monday that US has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, but in return Pakistan has given nothing but "lies and deceit". They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! he wrote.

Asif retaliated to Trumps claim and said that his no more claim stands no ground as all aids provided by the US has been accounted for. Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received, he said in a statement.

Asif added, The claim by Trump regarding the funds, if we account for it, they include reimbursements too for the services rendered by 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. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018

The relations between the US and Pakistan, long vital for both, have chilled steadily since Trump declared that Pakistan "gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence and terror." Trumps tweet came just two days after a media report said that the US government was strongly considering withholding $255 million in aid to Pakistan for failing to cooperate on counter-terrorism operations. Asif also sent out a tweet soon after President Trump's tweet, saying, "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction." Shortly after Trump's attack, Asif had called on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. "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..  Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) January 1, 2018

Trump is disappointed at the US defeat in Afghanistan and that is the only reason he is flinging accusations at Pakistan, the foreign minister said in his statement later.

The Geo News report stated that Asif has said Pakistan does not want any aid from the US, whether they block it or not. "Trump can ask his administration as to why were funds given to Pakistan."

Asif further refused to let the US dictate terms to Pakistan and that the governments priority is the betterment of Pakistan and not any other countrys interests.
People took to the streets against the violence during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district on Monday that led to the death of one person. In this photo, Protestors are seen protesting at a railway station. (Image: Special Arrangement)
A Sadhu offers prayers after taking the ritual dips in the water at the 'Sangam' on the auspicious day of 'Paush Purnima' in Allahabad. (Image: AP)
Justin Kelly kisses Patrick Graver as they take part in a New Year's celebration on Times Square in New York. (Image: AP)
Children born to women who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy, especially when mothers are heavy smokers, are at an increased risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a new review of medical studies confirms.

Mothers who smoked during pregnancy had an overall 60 percent higher risk of having a child with ADHD compared to women who didnt smoke. For mothers who smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes per day, the risk of having a child who developed ADHD was 54 percent higher than for nonsmoking mothers. For mothers who were heavier smokers, the risk was 75 percent higher than for nonsmokers.

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An increased risk of ADHD for children of women who smoke while pregnant has been reported before. Whats new here, the authors say, is that the data have been pooled from studies in multiple countries and time periods, and also that as the daily tally of cigarettes went up, the risk of ADHD went up.

The findings lend greater strength and credibility and statistical power to previous studies that likewise show that pregnant women who smoke have a greater likelihood of having a child with ADHD, said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief, developmental and behavioral pediatrics, Steven and Alexandra Cohen Childrens Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park.

Adesman, who was not involved in the research, told Reuters Health by phone that the study has to be taken seriously. Women who smoke during pregnancy have one more reason to stop.

As reported in Pediatrics, Dr. Dezhi Mu and colleagues at West China Second University Hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan, China, analyzed 20 studies published between 1998 and 2017 that looked at the potential role of smoking during pregnancy and the risk of ADHD in offspring. Altogether, the studies involved nearly 3 million people in Europe, Brazil, Japan, Australia and the U.S.

The team found lower risks for ADHD in children of mothers who smoked in the U.S. and Europe, where more smokers stop smoking when they get pregnant.

It would be a big leap from that, but if you are a prior smoker and stop during pregnancy, the inference is that the risk of ADHD goes down, Dr. Jeffrey Newcorn, director, The Center of Excellence in ADHD and Related Disorders, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai told Reuters Health in a phone interview.

Data from seven studies showed that while mothers smoking had a greater effect than fathers smoking on ADHD risk, there was still a 20 percent higher risk of ADHD in children born to fathers who smoked.

The new analysis cant prove that smoking causes ADHD. Among other limitations of the new research are that different criteria were used to diagnose ADHD in the various studies, and tobacco use during pregnancy was self-reported by the mothers.

Newcorn, who was not involved in the research, would like to see more studies on the relationship between genetic and environmental factors in developing ADHD, as well as the role of nicotine exposure.

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This view that Egypt and Russia are headed towards a long-term strategic relationship is supported by several facts within the Arab region and broader changes going on across the world order. Both spheres demand we look to the future with a perceptive eye and new way of thinking, aimed at realising the highest interests of both countries. A strategic view should seek to achieve maximum benefit from every change taking place in the world and requires being ready for forthcoming transformations.

The strategic realities of the Arab world are totally unpleasant and cannot be relied upon solely to bring a qualitative leap that fits the minimum of common Arab interests, including Egyptian ones, except in a limited frame. Such interactions make the Egyptian states responsibility to search for additional sources of support outside the Arab region into a vital issue, especially considering that the number and intensity of threats surrounding the Egyptian state is unprecedented.

In spite of all the successes achieved in the war on terror, still terrorism has not yet been resolved. Solving that matter requires enormous resources and huge efforts. Besides, an important part of it is related to managing foreign relations, revitalising old friendships and building well-established alliances on multiple levels and fields.

On the international level, all indicators point out that grand changes are in progress in the structure of the world order. Perhaps not more than two decades or a little more will pass and a new world leadership will rest upon the shoulders of a number of powers from various continents, unlike the unipolar world as it is the case with the US now.

Such countries will have the necessary economic and military capabilities and moral influence to manage international affairs in a totally different way from that of the US.

Undoubtedly, Russia will be among this international elite along with China, Brazil and India. Definitely, this will affect the nature of the new world order emerging within the next two decades or more.

For its part, Egypt is not in a state of sufficient luxury to particpate among those leading elite. Due to its history, location, potentialities and moral influence, it is obliged to be in the heart of those movements and activities leading to a more balanced, more democratic and more just new world.

In this context, it is confirmed that Russia will not spare any effort in firmly establishing its world standing and moving in several paths.

Some of these paths implied a number of dangers and risks iat the outset, as was the case of its direct military intervention in the Syrian crisis at the end of October 2015.

However, the will of the Russian state was enough to secure a victory over the IS terrorism and prove itself in Syria and the wider Arab region. What Russia has attained through high cost it is now aspiring to firmly establish, and its next step is to stabilise its feet in the south of the Mediterranean, whether militarily, politically or economically. It is a matter that doesn't start out of thin air but the Russians have a previous and a long history of cooperation with all the North African Arab countries.

What Russia needs now is to find a place allowing it to continue the process of firmly establishing its standing with all its different dimensions.

So there are big interests regarding regional stability and the world order is progressing in a way that connects Egypt and Russia. These interests are far bigger than just a consensus on some current Arab and regional issues. They also transcend current and future bilateral interests, however vast.

In light of such a scene, searching for a long-term strategic alliance is a crucial issue for both countries which will encompass all fields of cooperation whether economic, commercial, developmental, nuclear, military or political.

Anything less than such an alliance -- that is, falling short of bilateral cooperation -- is surrounded by risks and setbacks no matter the contracts and treaties signed.

For instance, consider the construction and contracted 25-year operation of Egypt's first nuclear power facility by Russia, and the technical agreements ensuring the training of Egyptian technician crews and in methods of disposing of depleted nuclear fuel. The maintenaince of solid Egyptian-Russian relations is necessary over the next decades to avoid potentially dire consequences.

Building strategic alliances entails far more than just military cooperation and often such relationships are difficult to initiate. However, the clarity of objectives, strong will and constant gains will guarantee the two countries solve the expected problems.

One of the difficulties which face any Egyptian-Russian strategic alliance is a Russian assessment that views Egypts movement towards Moscow as being motivated by problems in its relations with Washington.

This misunderstanding needs preemption. Egypt must clarify that it is interested in building stable and permanent alliances that result in common benefits, not just transient political attractions.

Whats confirmed is that Russia is looking for a permanent military presence in the south of the Mediterranean. Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir made an offer to President Putin during their meeting a month ago to host a Russian military base on the Red Sea. The offer didnt go down well in Russia.

There was a formal Russian request a year ago to construct a naval base on a location thats near to Egyptian-Libyan borders. Egypt saw that as running contrary to its long-established policy of not accepting the construction of foreign military bases on its soil. What is acceptable is conducting joint training exchanges between Egyptian and Russian forces.

At the end of November last year, news reports in Moscow mentioned that President Putin ordered the Russian Defence Ministry to negotiate with Egypt in order to reach an agreement allowing mutual usage of both countries airports on the condition of five days prior notification and to confirm continuation for five consecutive years. This shed lights on the Russian strategic planning in a way that suits the potentialities of the Egyptian side.

In the case of Egypt being assured that this kind of cooperation, going hand in hand with the increasing armament relations, will achieve certain Egyptian interests, it is possible to accept this matter without hesitation.

The writer is a political commentator.

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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 worlds 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. Its 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, its 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.



Weve not received much from the diamond industry at all. I dont think weve 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 Mugabes 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.



Maranges 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 Zimbabwes 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 Mugabes 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 countrys 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 theres an investigation, where theres an investigation theres an allegation, and where theres an allegation theres a prima facie case ... theres 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 hasnt 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. Daily News
The National Education Union of Zimbabwe (NEUZ) has blasted the government after declaring that Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers that were on governments payroll will no longer be funded by Treasury.



While government said it recognised the complementary role that parents play in the ECD Programmes, the takeover of management and financing of ECDs was now beyond governments current capacity.



It is proposed that, the pending requests to recruit an additional 5 907 teachers at ECD level be shelved and pave way for parents and communities to continue supporting the provision of ECD services.



Parents and communities participation in supporting the provision of ECD schooling services will save the fiscus an additional $36 million in employment costs per annum, Finance and Economic Planning minister Patrick Chinamasa said in his National Budget late last year.



This means parents of children enrolling for ECD in public schools must foot the full bill to do with their offsprings early education, including paying for teachers salaries.



In a statement, NEUZ said governments stance is a double tragedy for the learning system and all its stakeholders.



The government should have consulted widely both parents, unions and its sister ministry of Labour, the organisations secretary-general Mathias Guchutu said.



As a union, we are battling against high level of retrenchments of ECD teachers who were left in the cold many years ago and were being unceremoniously replaced every term by government paid ECD teachers. The issue should be urgently revisited.



Teachers colleges had recruited and heavily invested in ECD training.



Some universities were now offering highly subscribed degrees in ECD training and all of a sudden the government plays reverse jive and literally dumps the process.



The move is set to hit the pockets of parents who are already struggling to make ends meet in view of the prevailing economic meltdown.



Zimbabwe introduced a national ECD policy in 2004 that requires primary schools to offer a minimum of two ECD classes for children aged three to five years old.



ECD is now bundled together with grades one and two and the four years are known as infant school, grades 3-7 as junior, and forms 1-6 as secondary school.



For long, the ECD sector has been underfunded due to weak prevailing economic conditions; with most funds for education allocated to salaries, leaving less than 3 percent for infrastructure and professional development.



The ECD sector has about 427 800 learners taught by 4 000 teachers, with 5 800 more qualified teachers required.



Only 21,6 percent of children aged between 36-59 months are attending an ECD programme. Daily News
Lawyers are increasingly becoming reluctant to represent Zanu PF due to non-payment of legal fees.



According to the ruling partys central committee report presented to the 2017 special extraordinary congress, some attorneys are owed fees as far back as 2008.



This comes as the ruling party has several pending cases before the courts, some from the 2008 presidential election run off.





In the report, the Zanu PF legal affairs department expressed disappointment that it had become vulnerable to attachment of property, and now runs the risk of legal practitioners refusing to handle Zanu PF matters in the future.



Lawyers who provided services to the party in 2013 harmonised elections have not yet been paid. It is very difficult for the department to work with disgruntled lawyers who sacrificed their time to render services to the party, it said, adding that the appeal is to the department of finance to pay arrear legal fees



Since the party is approaching 2018 general elections the department is appealing to the finance department to honour the external lawyers obligations that have been outstanding since 2013.

As many ordinary Zimbabweans are increasing struggling to afford legal representation, lawyers are struggling to raise money to pay for annual practicing certificates, with some reducing their legal fees.



According to Law Society of Zimbabwe, of the 3 000 lawyers registered with the High Court, during the first half of 2017 only 1 500 acquired practicing certificates  a prerequisite to operate legally.



However, not all of the 1 500 lawyers without practicing certificates are rogue lawyers, as some are said to be attached to civil service, corporate and other sectors.



Practicing certificates are acquired annually at a cost of $750, with most law firms committing to pay for their employees.



Lawyers who spoke to the Daily News on condition of anonymity claimed they were struggling to raise the practicing certificate fees because business had gone down owing to prevailing economic hardships.



The ruling party is currently battling numerous court cases, particularly in Mashonaland East Province, and is also seized with cases involving expelled and suspended members.



Mashonaland East province has six pending cases out of 40 which were in the last years report arising from the 2008 presidential run-off. Two cases related to murder charges and four are public violence, the department said.



The Zanu PF legal affairs department was also concerned in the way party structures were not complying with procedures in conducting votes of no confidence and disciplinary procedures. Daily News
(Newser)  New developments in the Miss America scandal that forced out the organization's CEO and other executives after "unacceptable" emails were revealed about past winners. One of the most vocal critics of the pageant's leadership after the revelations was Gretchen Carlson, a past Miss America winner and former Fox News host, and now Carlson is set to assume an important new role: She'll be serving as chairwoman for the Miss America Organization's board of directors, the AP reports. Carlson, who won the title in 1989 as Minnesota's representative, will be the first ex-pageant winner to head up the group, which was established in 1921. Three other past winners (Laura Kaeppeler Fleiss, 2012's victor), Heather French Henry (2000), and Kate Shindle (1998) will also take seats on the board, all effective immediately, per HuffPost.

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It was HuffPost's Yashar Ali who first revealed in December the internal emails exchanged among ex-CEO Sam Haskell and other board members. The emails referenced Shindle and 2013 winner Mallory Hagan, referencing their appearance, sex lives, and intelligence with what HuffPost calls "misogynistic and inappropriate language." Haskell initially called his correspondence "a mistake of words" and said he wouldn't step down, though he eventually did. Carlson, who tweeted Monday she was "honored" to take the helm, told HuffPost in a statement: "Everyone has been stunned by the events of the last several days, and this has not been easy for anyone who loves this program.  We appreciate the existing board taking the steps necessary to quickly begin stabilizing the organization for the future." (One ex-Miss America wants the entire board to step down.)
(Newser)  America welcomed its first baby of 2018 in Guam. Now another America shares her own first-baby news. That would be America Ferrera, who announced she's pregnant on New Year's Eve in what HuffPost calls the "cutest" way. The 33-year-old Ugly Betty and Superstore star put up an Instagram photo Sunday of herself and husband Ryan Piers Williams, showing them both sporting 2018 glasses while Ferrera held up a baby onesie with the words "Mas besos (por favor)," or "More kisses, please," for the camera.

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Ferrera's photo came with the caption: "We're welcoming one more face to kiss in 2018!" Page Six notes that Williams, 36, posted the photo on his own Instagram, with the caption: "Making room for new and beautiful things to come in 2018!" The couple have been married since 2011. (Read more America Ferrera stories.)
(Newser)  A Greyhound bus careened from a highway and plunged into a deep wash, killing a 13-year-old girl and injuring 11 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, per the AP. However, a passenger reported a possible medical issue with the driver, the Utah Highway Patrol said in a news release. 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.

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The unidentified girl was killed, and the bus driver and two passengers were taken by helicopters in serious condition to local hospitals. Cornia didn't have updates on their conditions. Eight other injured passengers were taken by ambulances to hospitals, he added. Cornia noted that roads were clear and conditions were good and weren't 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 didn't have information about the driver.

(Read more Utah stories.)
(Newser)  The death toll in the protests sweeping Iran is now at least 20and it could end up a lot higher under a recommendation from the head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court. According to Iran's semi-official Tasnim News Agency, Mousa Ghazanfarabadi said Tuesday that some of the hundreds of protesters arrested around the country could face the death penalty for "waging war against God," the AP reports. At least 450 people are believed to have been arrested in Tehran alone since Saturday. President Hassan Rouhani says he can understand public anger at the economy, but lawbreaking will not be tolerated. In other developments:

Support from Trump. President Trump has tweeted in support of the protesters, and administration officials say they're urging other nations to support Iranians' right to protest. "We are encouraging all nations around the world to publicly condemn the government violence and to support the legitimate, basic rights of those protesting," Brian Hook, the State Department's director of policy planning, tells the Wall Street Journal.

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Latest clashes . At least nine people were killed in overnight clashes, Iranian state media reported Tuesday, per the Washington Post. State TV said the latest deaths include six people killed in an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan. State TV also reported that a Revolutionary Guard member was shot dead in the town of Najafabad.

. At least nine people were killed in overnight clashes, Iranian state media reported Tuesday, per the Washington Post. State TV said the latest deaths include six people killed in an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan. State TV also reported that a Revolutionary Guard member was shot dead in the town of Najafabad. Solidarity from Syria . The AP reports that Syria, one of Iran's closest allies, has expressed its support for the Iranian government. A statement from Syria's Foreign Ministry Tuesday accused the US and Israel of destabilizing the region by supporting protesters.

. The AP reports that Syria, one of Iran's closest allies, has expressed its support for the Iranian government. A statement from Syria's Foreign Ministry Tuesday accused the US and Israel of destabilizing the region by supporting protesters. Differences from 2009 . The New York Times looks at the differences between this outbreak of unrest and the "Green Movement" in 2009. This time, Tehran isn't the center of the protests, which are being led by people in rural provinces once thought to have been the most loyal to the government.

. The New York Times looks at the differences between this outbreak of unrest and the "Green Movement" in 2009. This time, Tehran isn't the center of the protests, which are being led by people in rural provinces once thought to have been the most loyal to the government. Changing targets. The target of the protests has shifted since they began in the town of Mashhad last week, notes Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's Middle East editor. Protesters initially called for action on inflation and unemployment, but they're now calling for the removal of senior government figures, with some even demanding the return of the pre-Islamic Revolution monarchy.

(Iran has blocked social media as part of its crackdown on the protests.)
(Newser)  Some islands are created by underwater volcanic eruptions. This one was the work of New Zealanders who wanted to drink outside without being fined by police. A group of Kiwis on the Coromandel Peninsula, where drinking alcoholic beverages outside in public places was banned over the New Year period, dodged the liquor ban by building an island out of sand at low tide, the BBC reports. The group, which joked that being in "international waters" made them exempt from the ban, installed a picnic table and a cooler on the island and were seen drinking and enjoying the New Year's Eve fireworks after water rose around it, Stuff.co.nz reports.

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The group could have been arrested or fined $250 each if they had been caught drinking outside, but they were apparently undisturbed by police, who sound impressed by the effort. "That's creative thinkingif I had known that I probably would have joined them," local police commander John Kelly said, per the New Zealand Herald. It's not clear whether the group waited for low tide or found another way off the island when the party was over, though a photo shared on the Tairua ChitChat page on Facebook showed a kayaker and a paddleboarder nearby. It's not clear how long the giant island will last, but it survived the party: Residents said it was still visible Monday morning. (Across the Tasman Sea, thousands of people fled a beach when a fireworks display went wrong.)
(Newser)  When Veronica was raped more than 13 years ago, she says neither the police nor the hospital staff believed her story that a longtime friend attacked her while his mother was in the next room. "I was treated like a female crying wolf," said Veronica, who says the man raped her while she was unconscious. She believes he drugged her drink. The AP reports she was surprised, earlier this year, when she got a call from the initial investigating officer, John Somerindyke, who apologized for how she was treated and for something that Veronica didn't yet know: Her rape kit was among 333 kits that Fayetteville police had thrown away. Years after the kits were discarded, Fayetteville police began working with a crisis group to call the victims and tell them what happened.

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The Joyful Heart Foundation, which was founded by actress Mariska Hargitay and works to end the backlogs, says Fayetteville police may stand alone in the effort to contact survivors about trashed rape kits. The kits, about the size of a shoebox, had been collected in Fayetteville between 1995 and 2008. Police began throwing them away in 1999 to make space in the evidence room. Somerindyke, now a lieutenant, discovered the kits were missing in February 2015 when he reviewed unsolved rape cases. Of the 333 destroyed kits, 52 belonged to women whose cases had resulted in arrests, leaving 281 survivors with unsolved cases and no rape kits as evidence. Police reopened Veronica's case, but without the rape kit, the DA declined to prosecute. However, the man whom she identified as her rapist is now behind bars on a murder charge. Here, more on the department's effort.

(Read more rape stories.)
(Newser)  Colorado authorities were contacted with concerns about the mental health of Matthew Riehl over a month before he shot and killed a deputy and wounded four others. But the 37-year-old man was never held for a mental health evaluation, the AP reports. Authorities say Riehl fired more than 100 rounds in his suburban Denver apartment before he was killed by a SWAT team on Sunday. University of Wyoming College of Law students had been warned about Riehl, a former student, because of social media posts critical of professors at the school in Laramie, reports KTWO-AM. A Nov. 6 email from Assistant College of Law Dean Lindsay Hoyt told students to notify campus police if they spotted Riehl or his car near campus. In addition, security on campus was increased for several days.

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Campus officers called police in Colorado in mid-November to warn them about Riehl, suggesting his rants were indicative of mental illness, UW Police Chief Mike Samp tells the Denver Post. Samp says 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 says. Riehl, an attorney and an Iraq war veteran, had also posted videos criticizing Colorado law enforcement officers in profane, highly personal terms. Hundreds gathered Monday night for a candlelight vigil for Zackari Parrish, the 29-year-old deputy killed by Riehl, inside Mission Hills Church in Littleton, Colo.the church he attended with his wife and two young children.

(Read more Colorado stories.)
(Newser)  Kirstin Lobato will be happier than most to leave 2017 behind. Twice convicted of the brutal murder of a homeless man in Las Vegas, the 35-year-old is expected to start a new chapter when she becomes a free woman for the first time since 2001. A judge granted a request from a district attorney Friday that she be cleared of all charges and released "with prejudice," meaning Nevada can never again prosecute Lobato for Duran Bailey's murder, reports the Intercept. The move followed a judge's order vacating Lobato's murder conviction on Dec. 19, based on hours of testimony from pathology and entomology experts. They said Bailey, 44, was killedhis carotid artery was slashed and penis cut offaround 9pm on July 8, 2001, while 18-year-old Lobato was hours away from Sin City, per the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

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Prosecutors had claimed Lobato killed the homeless man in the morningbased on a rumor that she cut the penis of a man who tried to rape her weeks earlierbut that conflicted with an absence of blowflies, which collect on dead bodies. "Although we fully believe in her guilt  our resources are such that we are electing not to proceed with the third trial of this defendant, particularly considering the more than 15 years she has served in prison," Chief Deputy District Attorney Sandra DiGiacomo said Friday. It's not yet clear when Lobato, who had no connection to Bailey, will walk free. Though the judge said she should be released "forthwith," Lobato was convicted of voluntary sexual conduct in prison in 2007, which added a year to her sentence. Her Innocence Project attorneys say they will push for her immediate release regardless. (Read more wrongful conviction stories.)
(Newser)  A bizarre lawsuit out of Indianapolis revolves around life at the office and body odor. As IndyStar reports, the mess began when workers in the city's magistrate court complained about a co-worker's chronic body odor. That prompted Amber Bridges, as part of her role as lead staff, to place air fresheners around the office. Soon, others did the same, and the co-worker with the body-odor problem eventually complained to human resources. Bridges then got fired, the explanation being that she had created a hostile work environment. Now she is suing the city, arguing that her firing violates the American With Disabilities Act. The lawsuit makes a two-part argument: the co-worker's body odor is a protected disability, and, thus, Bridges cannot be fired because of her association with the co-worker.

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The case hinges on a part of the ADA that states "persons discriminated against because they have a known association or relationship with a disabled individual also are protected." The reason for the body odor is not specified, but an employment attorney not connected to the case tells IndyStar that body odor can indeed qualify as a disability under certain circumstances. Attorneys for Bridges and the city declined to comment, but the lawsuit says the city's "conduct was outrageous and malicious, was intended to injure Bridges, and was done with reckless indifference to Bridges' protected civil rights, entitling her to an award of punitive damages," per the IndyChannel. (Read more body odor stories.)
(Newser)  Days after escaping a quadruple murder that left three of his family members dead, Steven Kologi Jr. took to Instagram to remember his "beautiful and smart" sister and "the greatest parents I could ask for." "I just wish I could tell all of them how much they meant to me and how much I truly loved each and every one of them because I didn't do that enough," Kologi wrote, per the Newark Star-Ledger. Authorities say Kologi's 16-year-old brother opened fire inside the family's home in Long Branch, NJ, just before midnight on New Year's Eve, killing Steven Kologi, 44; Linda Kologi, 42; Brittany Kologi, 18; and a family friend, 70-year-old Mary Schultz. Prosecutors say Steven Kologi Jr. and his grandfather were home at the time of the shooting but were not harmed.

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The 16-year-old suspect, identified by the Asbury Park Press as Scott Kologi, had a learning disability and was home-schooled by his mother following bullying in elementary school, a family friend tells the Star-Ledger. She describes him as a "friendly, funny teenager" who liked to tell jokes. "I can't understand why he flipped out," she says, per the Park Press. "I can't think of anything." Police haven't disclosed a motive, but the teenwho was to make his first court appearance via video conference on Tuesday morning, per CBS New Yorkwill face charges of four counts of murder and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose. Prosecutors, who are aiming to try him as an adult, say the semi-automatic rifle used in the shooting was legally owned by a family member, who has not been identified. (Read more New Jersey stories.)
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New Delhi :

A police complaint has been filed against Dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani and JNU activist Umar Khalid for allegedly giving provocative speech at an event in Punes Shaniwarwala to mark the 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle on Monday.

In the complaint filed by two Pune youths Akshay Bikkad and Anand Dond, it was alleged that "Mevani's remarks triggered the tension in the state between two communities."

"He provocated (provoked) people to 'Come on street and retaliate.' Due to this statement people came out and tension erupted," the complaint read.

However, Mevani in a tweet asked people to maintain peace and Maharashtra government to take care of the law and order situation.

Maharashtra government must ensure rule of law. I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to maintain peace, Mevani tweeted.

Also Read | Rahul, Mayawati blame RSS-BJP for caste violence; Prakash Ambedkar calls for Maharashtra bandh today

Earlier on Monday, violent clashes erupted between two groups during an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon battle in which British Army comprising Dalits had defeated upper-caste Peshwas.

During the clashes, a Dalit man lost his life while several others were injured.

The Bhima Koregaon protest on Tuesday reached Mumbai and spread to as much as 13 cities of Maharashtra.

Angered over the death of the 27-year-old Dalit man, protesters damaged over 160 buses in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

Prakash Abmedkar, the grandson son of Bharat Ratna Bhimrao Ambedkar called for a state wide bandh on Wednesday.

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New Delhi:

Rajinder Khanna, former chief of the country's external intelligence agency RAW, was today appointed as Deputy National Security Adviser, according to an official order.

The post was lying vacant since Arvind Gupta, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, completed his tenure in August last year. Gupta was in August 2014 appointed to the post.

Khanna, a 1978 batch Research and Analysis Wing Service (RAS) officer, has supervised several counter-terrorism operations and is considered an expert on Pakistan and Islamic terrorism.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of Khanna as Deputy NSA on re-employment and on contractual basis, the order issued by personnel ministry said, without mentioning his tenure.

Khanna is at present Officer on Special Duty (Neighbourhood Studies) in the National Security Council Secretariat.

Neighbourhood Studies prepares policy papers of neighbouring countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Also read: Pakistani media taunts Kulbhushan Jadhavs mother; calls her qatil ki maa



The National Security Council, headed by Modi with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as its Secretary, is the apex body on all internal and external security-related matters.

It is for the first time when both the NSA the and Deputy NSA are from intelligence agency background.

Doval, a former Indian Police Service officer, retired as chief of Intelligence Bureau, country's internal intelligence agency, in January 2005.

Doval was India's main negotiator with the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane IC-814 that was taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan in 1999.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
New Delhi:

The 12-hour nation-wide stir called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest a proposed legislation seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, was called off on Tuesday after the Bill was referred to a parliamentary standing committee.



The committee has been asked to give its report before the Budget session.



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".



"We called off our strike as the Bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which has members from diverse fields and there should now be a fruitful discussion.



We are thankful to all the Lok Sabha members for supporting us," IMA's K K Aggarwal, who was spearheading the stir, said.



The strike called by the IMA went on for around eight hours on Tuesday.



The Bill was referred to the committee following protest from the opposition parties as well as doctors.



The IMA 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, and has declared today as a "Black Day".



Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in Parliament that talks were on with the IMA to clear their doubts.

Also Read: IMA protest against NMC bill may hit services in private hospitals, government hospitals asked to take steps



"Talks are on. We have heard them (the doctors) and also presented our views," he said.



"This (Bill) is beneficial to the medical profession," Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha after the members raised the issue of strike by the doctors across the country.



Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had written to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and the Union health minister demanding that the Bill be referred to a standing committee for examination.



"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.



IMA has 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.



It 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, the former president of the IMA, had said.



"It (the bill) takes away the right of every doctor in India to elect their medical council," he had said.



Dr Aggarwal had further said the Bill, in its current form, allows private medical colleges to charge at will, nullifying whatever solace the NEET brought.



Dr Wankhedkar had 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."

Also Read: Dalits protest in Mumbai after Bhima Koregaon battle anniversary clashes in Pune



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.

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Ranchi:

A Muslim teenager was beaten to death in the outskirts of Jharkhands capital Ranchi on the first day of 2018 after his request to lower volume of music turned into a heated argument and further escalated to a fight, police said.

According to Ranchi Police, the youth was killed after the teenager along with two other friends requested a group of boys playing loud music to lower the volume in Mandar village.

On Tuesday, people in large number of a particular community took to the National Highway - 33 to protest the killing. Road service were blocked for hours till Ranchi Police assured the protesters to nab the teenagers killers to the earliest.

The deceased teenager has been identified as Wasim Ansari, 19. He worked in Pune and had returned to Ranchi to celebrate New Year with family.

Also read: Murder convict knifed in Bhopal Central Jail by fellow inmate



A special team has been formed to nab people involved in the attack, said a senior police officer.

An inspector rank police officer told the media that around six to seven persons were involved in the attack. During our course of investigation we have learnt that few of his attackers are minors, said the officer.

Also read: "Smuggle or slaughter cows, you will be killed," warns Rajasthan BJP lawmaker



Another police officer said, Security forces have been deployed to prevent mischief mongers to incite riot kind situation in the area.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
Mumbai:

Several towns and cities in Maharashtra were on edge on Tuesday as Dalit protests against yesterday's violence in Pune spilled over to capital Mumbai, with agitators damaging scores of buses, and disrupting road and rail traffic, officials said.

Clashes between Dalit groups and supporters of right-wing Hindu organisations during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district had left a man dead Moday.

In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who head the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence, and appealed for calm. He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind Mondays violence.

Fadnavis said a Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.

Prakash Ambedkar, the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader and grandson of B R Ambedkar, has called a 'Maharashtra bandh' on Wednesday to protest against the government's "failure" to stop the violence.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Fadnavis by phone from New Delhi to take stock of the situation.

Singh was told that everything was under control and all possible efforts are being made to restore normalcy, sources in the home ministry told PTI.

Dalit groups were celebrating the bicetenary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle which the forces of the British East India Company had won over those belonging to the Peshwa.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community - then considered untouchable - were part of the East India Company's forces. The Peshwas were Brahmins, and the victory was seen as a symbol of assertiveness by Dalits.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the event to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon battle as a "potent symbol" of resistance to RSS-BJP's "fascist vision".

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJP?s fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," he tweeted.

BSP chief Mayawati too targeted the BJP and RSS over the violence in Maharashtra claiming that it seemed "casteist forces" were behind the clashes while also blaming the state government for not making adequate arrangements to prevent them.

"The incident which occurred could have been prevented. The government should have made adequate security arrangements. There is BJP government in the state, they let violence take place. It seems casteist forces like the BJP and RSS are behind the violence," Mayawati said.

In Mumbai, protesters disrupted road traffic in the suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line. They blocked roads in several areas, forced shops to shut down, and also attacked a journalist of a television news channel.

Also read: 81 journalists killed; violence and harassment against media staff shot up in 2017



Protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur.

Groups of protesters held demonstrations in Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi, police said.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration.

Protests were also held in Kolhapur, Parbhani, Latur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Kolhapur, Nanded and Thane districts, police said.

Heavy security was deployed in the eastern suburbs of Mumbai.

The Mumbai police, meanwhile, issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.

Maharashtra minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar on Tuesday visited Bhima-Koregoan and neighbouring villages and said the situation was under control.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the administration for yesterday's violence and demanded a probe into the incident.

Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.

"Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches," the former Union minister said.

Also read: BSP chief Mayawati says BJP, RSS behind Bhima-Koregaon violence, Jignesh Mevani appeals for peace

Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan condemned the violence and urged people not to believe in rumours.

Antisocial elements were trying to create tensions between Dalits and Maratha communities for political benefit, he said.

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable.

AAP spokesperson Preeti Sharma Menon said the Fadnavis government failed to keep peace. "The attack has resulted in unrest across the state between upper caste Hindus and Dalits," she said.

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Kashmir:

Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist Fardeen Ahmed along with other terrorists had attacked Pulwama CRPF camp to revenge the death of his trainer, Noor Mohammad Tantray alias 'Merchant of death' and inspirator, Burhan Wani.

Inspector General of Police (IG) Kashmir zone Munir Khan said, Ahmed along with two other terrorist had attacked the CRPF camp to avenge Noor Mohammads killing.

He also added that the 16-year-old Ahmed along with two others had come with the motive to cause maximum damage to the force.

The three were fidayeens. We had recovered 28 grenades from Ahmed's body, added the IG.

A senior CRPF official who requested anonymity said, The gunned down teenaged terrorist hailed from Tral, Burhan Wanis village. He was son of serving police personnel.

Wani was killed by joint security forces on July 8, 2016. His killing had triggered massive protests and prolonged period of curfews and shutdowns across the Valley.

Also read: Burhan Wani rally cancelled in UK after India raises protest



The officer added, During our course of investigation we have learnt that Ahmed was inspired by Burhan Wanis so called Kashmiri fighter status. His inclination towards Burhan Wanis anti-national believes helped the JeM leaders to indoctrinate him.

The CRPF officer added that they have also learnt that Ahmed had joined the militant outfit a few months back and was trained by JeM leader Noor Mohammad, who was killed in an encounter with joint security forces on December 26.

Also read: 'Merchant of death' Noor Mohammad Tantray dead: 4-feet-tall JeM commander meets his end in Kashmir



A video is making rounds in Kashmir, where one can see him surrounded with AK-47 rifles, several rounds of bullet and grenades and provoking Kashmiri youths to fight against Indian government. He can be heard saying, I will be with Allah in Heaven till the time message reaches you.

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New Delhi :

Three young boys, who had joined militant ranks recently, have surrendered before security forces in Kashmir, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

Another three young boys in valley came back home in response to the call of their families. God bless them, Director General of Police S P Vaid tweeted.

The police have made it a point not to reveal the identity of the youth, who surrender, in order to ensure their safety.

Also Read | Pakistan PM to chair crucial meetings following US aid culling

However, sources said two of the three boys who gave themselves up were teenagers hailing from a village in Pulwama district.

Security forces in Kashmir have maintained that they will provide all possible help to those local militants who want to renounce the path of violence and join the mainstream.

Nearly a dozen youth have laid down arms in the past two months in Kashmir.

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New Delhi:

As Donald Trump on Tuesday suspends USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan, News Nation called in some of the prominent defence experts from both sides of the border to discuss what the new US move means for Pakistan.

After the big US move, the world expected Pakistan to finally stop giving refugee to terrorists and walk the talk. However, Pakistan seemed to be not moved a little and continued talking in the same tone.

Pakistan defence expert Tariq Pirzada, who was a part of the debate penal said the move was USs frustration and Islamabad should not worry about it.

Also Read | Pakistan demands explanation from US after Donald Trump outburst

Before announcing the suspension of the annual aid on Tuesday, Donald Trump on New Years day launched a scathing attack and 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.

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Beijing:

China, on Tuesday, defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of "lies and deceit" and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!", he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

On Tuesday China, on expected lines, praised Pakistan's counter terrorism record.

"Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trump's criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

"China and Pakistan are all weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides," Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Also Read: US blocks USD 255 mn military aid to Pakistan, Trump says Pak has given US nothing but 'lies and deceit'

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts here say US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trump's criticism would affect China's efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said "We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges".

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries "reached a lot of consensus" on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

"The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard," Geng said.

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.

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 Islamabad's reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.

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Islamabad:

Pakistan has summoned the US envoy in Islamabad to register its protest after President Donald Trump strongly rebuked the country for its "lies and deceit" accusing it of sheltering terrorists while receiving billions of dollars in aid.

The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned Ambassador David Hale last night as Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from him over Trump's remarks.

A US embassy spokesman today confirmed that Hale met Pakistani officials but did not comment on what was discussed.

However, there was no immediate response from the Pakistan Foreign Office.

Trump yesterday 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 in aid over the last 15 years while "fooling" American leaders.

In his strongest attack on 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 & 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!," the president said.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif responded immediately saying, "...Will let the world know the truth difference between facts and fiction".

He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would do "no more" for it (in the fight against terrorism).

Also read: Pakistan PM Shahid Abbasi chairs meeting after Donald Trump's accusations



"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Trump's 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 Islamabad's reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Also read: China rushes to Pakistan's rescue after US bans military aid to South Asian nation



Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror.

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Islamabad:

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 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 and fiction..," Asif tweeted.

"We have already refused to the US mantra of 'do more' for it (US). We have told the Trump administration that we will not do 'no more' for it. The 'do more' does not hold any importance.

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted: "Coalition support funds has never been counted as AID in any accounting by Pakistan, nor will it be seen as part of assistance. It was compensation on expenses incurred on joint action on border. Other 'Aid' we should indeed talk about, because Pakistan never charged for NATO traffic".

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New Delhi:

In a strongly worded reaction to US accusations and allegations, the Pakistan Army spokesman, Major General Asif Ghafoor has asserted that the aid Pakistan received from the US was the reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda and other terrorist networks.



Pakistans Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has said that the US should not put blames for its failure in Afghanistan on Pakistan, adding that Pakistan has rendered unmatched sacrifices in the war against terrorism and there is no ambiguity about it.



Pakistan Foreign Office has also warned against the malicious campaign being used to trivialize Pakistan's achievements in the war against terrorism and said allies do not put each other on notice.



Pakistan's Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir-Khan said his country has given the US a free hand as anti-terror ally including land and air communication, military bases and intelligence cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16years. He added that in return the US has given Pakistan nothing but invective and mistrust adding that the US overlooks cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis, which is probably a veiled hint at India.

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New Delhi:

South Korea on Tuesday offered high-level delegation talks with North Korea next week over the possible participation of Pyongyang in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Earlier, in a televised New Year speech, North Korean dictator Kim Jong-UN said he was considering to send a team to South Korea for Winter Olympic Games in February.

Kim also said he was open to dialogue and two sides should urgently meet to discuss the possibility."

Reacting to the development, South Korea's president Moon Jae-in termed Kims New Year offer as "groundbreaking chance" to improve ties.

However, Moon said North Korea's nuclear programme would also be discussed in the backdrop of any discussions with Kim Jong-UN.

US president Donald Trump also reacted to Kims New Year speech and said, Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time.

Also Read | North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un welcomes New Year with threat, says he has nuclear launch button on his desk

The two rival nations last held high-level talks in December 2015 in the Kaesong joint industrial zone. The meeting, however, without an agreement as both side could not reach on a consensus.

In July last year, South Korea proposed two bilateral meetings but none of them could take place as North Korea continued testing nuclear missiles.

Though, Kim Jong-UN offered an olive branch to neighbouring South Korea, he continued to issue threats against US.

Kim said, a nuclear launch button is always on his table and US will not even be able to start a war.

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New Delhi:

The United States has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabads response to terrorism on its soil.

The confirmation comes on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but lies and deceit and providing safe haven to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time, a senior administration official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The President has made clear that the US 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, he said.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they had given America nothing but lies and deceit despite having received more than USD 33 billion in the last 15 years.

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

Here are the LIVE updates:

# Pakistani journalist and contributor to 'Dawn' newspaper has revealed how the aid from US to Pakistan has been used for human rights abuse in Balochistan, Sindh and PoK.

The Military aid given to the Pakistani Army has been used for Human Rights abuses in Balochistan, Sindh and KP. Hundreds of innocent Baloch, Sindhi and Pashtun are killed and thousands of picked up by LeAs instead to hunt the terrorists. https://t.co/xIzAzza9lx  Tanveer Arain (@tanvirarain) January 1, 2018

# Baloch activist Naela Quadri Baloch from World Baloch Women Forum (WBWF) has voiced for complete isolation of Pakistan and its citizens.

US must disengage with Pakistan and its terrorist army, it should stop giving funds to Pakistan, impose a travel ban on them, limit the international reach of Pakistani banks and isolate Pak from International financial system: Naela Quadri Baloch, World Baloch Women Forum (WBWF) pic.twitter.com/m3jShMxbI8  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

#US doled out billions of dollar over the years in aid to Pakistan... It was a vested interest of the Americans to keep the financing going for promoting their own agenda - Lt Gen (Retd) PN Hoon

# The World doesn't know as to how much of aid does Pakistan spend on infrastructure.. most of it seems to be going into wrong hands - Lt Gen (Retd) Rakesh Sharma

# Watch NewsNation's Exclusive talk:

# Cable News Network's (CNN) National Security analyst Sam Vinograd has voiced her opinion in support of Donald Trump's decision to cut military aid to Pakistan.

We have for decades looked aside as Pakistan allows dangerous activity within its borders. Enough is enough #Pakistan https://t.co/OdvRqGL5Ja  Sam Vinograd (@sam_vinograd) January 1, 2018

I couldnt agree more. Ive been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate. Lets make this happen @realDonaldTrump https://t.co/v4KrOrWOyS https://t.co/JNNChCfVqP  Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) January 1, 2018

# Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma came out in full support of Presdent Donald Trump's decision to curb military aid to Pakistan and said, I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan,

# Foreign Minister of Pakistan Khawaja M. Asif was quick to respond to President Donald Trump's tweet and said that soon there will be 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..  Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) January 1, 2018

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A woman in her 20s was injured by two men who tried to steal her handbag as she walked home along a street in Sapporo on Saturday night.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 11:55 p.m. in Higashi Ward. The woman told police she was returning home when she was attacked from behind by two men, Sankei Shimbun reported.

Police said the two men shoved the woman to the ground and then tried to yank her handbag from her shoulder. When the woman yelled out and resisted, one of the men hit her fingers and leg with a metal bar.

The two men then fled, empty-handed.

Police said the woman suffered two broken fingers and an injury to her right leg.

The two suspects were dressed all in black. Police are examining street surveillance camera footage to try and identify them. - Japan Today
DANBURY  The city workers who drive the snow plows would get a 2.75 percent raise to start the new year under a contract extension set to be ratified by the City Council on Wednesday.

The agreement, which covers about 100 workers in the departments of public buildings, public utilities and public works, would extend the existing contract by three years. Truck drivers and maintenance workers would receive a 2.75 annual raise through the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 677, would see the citys contribution to their health insurance plan remain flat for the first two years of the agreement, with a 2.5 percent increase in the final year.

Because of the savings on insurance, this is a good contract for the taxpayers, Mayor Mark Boughton said on Tuesday.

Under the deal, the city would continue to pay employees $9.95 per hour toward their health insurance for the first two years of the contract. The city contribution would rise to $10.20 in the final year of the deal.

The good thing about this contract is it holds down the price of health insurance, said Boughton.

John Capobianco, the secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 677, confirmed the details of the agreement but would not comment on the deal.

The Teamsters contract is the first of several labor union agreements under negotiation in Danbury that is ready for a City Council vote.

City Hall is negotiating with the unions representing police, firefighters and clerical workers. Those contracts expired in the summer, said Boughton, a nine-term Republican.

The City Council, which has a 14-to-7 Republican majority, is expected to vote on the Teamsters agreement during its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday.

rryser@newstimes.com 203-731-3342
AP Photo  Ahn Young-joon

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has warned the nuclear button is "always on his table" and brags that the entire US is now within the range of his country's nuclear missiles, according to the att.net website. Kim also said he was "open to dialogue" with South Korea.
State troopers are warning the public that the Connecticut State Police name is being used to obtain money fraudulently from victims.

A victim was contacted by an unknown individual claiming a personal check written by the victim, made payable to the Connecticut State Police, had bounced. The person then provided the victim a case number and claimed the alleged bad check was in reference to a payday loan. The individual subseqeuntly informed the victim payment was now owed for the bounced check.
NEW HAVEN - A progress report on the widening and deepening of the New Haven Harbor channel will be presented to residents and interested parties by officials of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers later this month.

Estimated to cost between $40 million and $50 million, the New Haven Port Authority would like to see the depth increased from 35 feet to 42 feet to allow for increased competition with shipping centers along the Northern Atlantic Coast

On Nov. 7, some corps officials, including members of its channel design team from Vicksburg, Miss., accompanied Port Authority Executive Director Judi Sheiffele; a ship pilot who regularly brings vessels into the harbor and a representative of the Connecticut Port Authority to a point in the channel beyond the breakwaters.

The purpose was to show the corps the issues that pilots experience as the channel is presently configured. Sheiffele said in February a number of pilots will go with her to Vicksburg to the corps ship simulation center to further advance the design.

The corps will have the test results of the material to be dredged by the time of the hearing, which is set for Jan. 10 at the Nathan Hale School, 489 Townsend Ave. Registration to speak at the information hearing begins at 6 p.m and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.

To date the corps has been conducting a cost-benefit analysis of the project, as well as designing the channel. As it proceeds with the study, one of the goals is to minimize the amount of material that will have to go to open water disposal sites.

There are a number of alternative beneficial uses the corps has to consider, which include creating oyster habitat and marshes, as well as beach nourishment. Qualifying for any of these depends on the kind of dredged material that is uncovered.

The corps will also look into capping historic disposal mounds, which in New Havens case would mean filling the borrow pit in the harbor. Such a decision would foreclose having to accept material from other dredging projects outside the city, always a worry for residents.

There has been a lot of coordination in reaching this point, Sheiffele said of the authoritys working relationship with the state and the corps.

Sheiffele said the Port Authority also has been working with the Connecticut Department of Acquaculture on such issues as creating new shellfish habitats. The report will also have to address the impact on existing shellfish beds in the channel which is not only being deepened and widened, but will also be straightened.

It will the Port Authoritys responsibility to acquire those shellfish beds that will be impacted.

The project to deepen the harbor, which is expected to be an economic boom for the city, was first kicked off in 2015 with a final report due Nov. 2019.

A deeper draft can result in a cost savings and a more efficient process for shippers, thereby increasing users in the harbor, according to officials.

The citys port moves the highest volume of goods on Long Island Sound with 8.7 million tons of cargo handled in 2014, and is ranked 59 out of 150 ports in the U.S. by the corps.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com Call 202-641-2577
NEW HAVEN  During a time when finances are tight and the political climate can be hostile to the vulnerable members of society, elected officials have a moral duty to serve each individual to benefit the entire community.

That was the message given Monday by Mayor Toni Harp, who had just been sworn in to her third term as New Havens 50th mayor.

I fervently believe all of us who call this city home, who bear responsibility for its well-being, and who are accountable for its future, have among our shared values a vision for justice in the programs, services and opportunities New Haven makes available, Harp said in her inaugural address at Hill Regional Career High School.

Taking the oath of office along with Harp were the 30 members of the Board of Alders  including seven newly elected and two who returned to the board after having served in the past  City Clerk Michael Smart, Probate Judge Clifton Graves Jr. and Board of Education member Edward Joyner.

Harp said she recently read an apt description of what we are called upon to do as public officials by Roman Catholic Bishop Robert McElroy of the Diocese of San Diego. Despite differences in religion, vocation and geography, Harp said she found common ground with McElroy.

The bishop writes of public service: It is a vocation that requires special and self-sacrificial concern for the poor  the vulnerable and the marginalized. It is a commitment to pursue the common good over that of interest groups or parties or self-aggrandizement. It is a profoundly spiritual and moral undertaking, Harp said.

She continued, That last line caught my attention: the idea that effective public service requires an appeal to the greatest good in each of us so we might have the necessary patience, so we pay attention to every detail, and so we consistently have the willingness to serve each individual, in an effort to lift the whole community.

Such an approach is necessary, Harp said, because the historic, distinguished city we serve is strong and stable, but storm clouds loom on its horizon.

At the federal level, there are threats from efforts to consolidate wealth in this nation, as well as voting rights, meaningful education and effective health care, Harp said. The sinister byproduct of these steps is a consolidation of opportunity itself. I dont believe its understatement to say were living in perilous times in this regard.

State officials face a projected $208 million budget deficit in this fiscal year and lack the collective will necessary to address unreliable revenues necessary to fulfill its many obligations, Harp said. The result is insufficient state aid to cities and towns, shortchanged social services and infrastructure maintenance deferred statewide, at its peril.

New Haven particularly needs the states financial support, because 54 percent of the citys land is nontaxable and the city provides many social services, she said.

In New Haven, the challenge we face as elected officials is to steer a steady course for this city, its residents and all who depend upon its prosperity, despite these strong headwinds and crosscurrents, Harp said.

It is community spirit that motivates us, strengthens us, and unites us, she said.

So today I call upon all those who identify with New Haven to join the citys police officers, firefighters, educators, social service workers and elected officials, and join this unified effort to provide for this community what is best for this community, Harp said.

New alders join board

Nine new members were sworn in to the Board of Alders by state Supreme Court Justice Maria Araujo-Kahn. They included Ron Hunt, D-3, Charles Decker, D-9, Renee Haywood, D-11, Jody Ortiz, D-17, and Kimberly Edwards, D-19. Hacibey Catalbasoglu in Ward 1 and Steven Winter in Ward 21, both registered Democrats, won as petitioning unaffiliated candidates. Abigail Roth, D-7, and Michelle Edmonds Sepulveda, D-30, previously served as alders and were elected again in 2017.

Ortiz, who is a former juvenile detention officer, said, Im looking forward to working with the youth and education department to help all children get involved in activities in their afternoons and evenings.  I think we could always have more activities available, she said.

Decker called this a really challenging moment for all of us in the city, the state and the country.  When I was running, one thing I was talking a lot about was making sure the community could be involved in development.

Decker, a former member of the Zoning Board of Appeals, called the Corsair, a 235-apartment complex on State Street, a project that came out better than it would have if that dialogue hadnt taken place.

Graves, formerly head of the citys prison re-entry program, praised his predecessor, Jack Keyes, who served 32 years in the position, calling Keyes a committed public servant and the pope of probate judges.

I promise not to let him down; I promise not to let you down, New Haven, cause here comes the new judge, Graves said.

Joyner, who was sworn in by his cousin, retired state Supreme Court Justice Lubbie Harper Jr., praised the late school board President Daisy Gonzalez, who died in July. There has never been a greater, more courageous leader.  Please dont forget her, he said. Joyner succeeded Gonzalez as president after her death.

Joyner, first elected to a two-year term in 2015, said, We have the best opportunity for children to get a great education but you can lead a horse to water  but we do have a great education system for those who want to take advantage of it.

He promised to serve with restraint. My character is a restrained, peaceful person, no matter what youve seen on other occasions. His comment drew laughter because of his role in a heated Board of Education meeting over the divided vote for Carol Birks, chief of staff for the Hartford Public Schools, as the next superintendent of schools. Joyner voted against Birks.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Congress and President Donald Trump should come to New Haven to see how welcoming a city can be to immigrants  escaping persecution across the globe, seeking freedom.

Saying the federal government needs some lessons in leadership, Blumenthal praised Harp and the city for bringing crime to the lowest level in years.  Let them see what Mayor Harp and her team are doing about education. He also said the city is acting against domestic violence and the opioid-addiction epidemic, which he called a scourge in our nation.

According to information released by City Hall, New Havens budget has been balanced each of her four years in office, violent crime has declined in each year, and the schools have enjoyed increased enrollment, increasing attendance rates, improving standardized test scores, increasing graduation rates, increased college enrollment and retention rates, and decreasing suspension and expulsion rates.

Before being elected mayor in 2013, Harp served 21 years in the state Senate.

Contact Ed Stannard at edward.stannard@hearstmediact.com or 203-680-9382.
Courtesy of CTNewsJunkie

HARTFORD  Connecticuts insurance exchange, Access Health CT, stayed open longer than the federal exchange, but it wont report its final enrollment numbers until Jan. 8.

As of Friday, Dec. 15, which was the deadline for the federal exchange, Connecticut had signed up more than 98,376 customers. At least 20,796 were new to the exchange, and as of Dec. 15 at least 7,200 customers who were enrolled in plans in 2017 had yet to sign up.
NEW HAVEN  Chapel Haven, an award-winning school for adults on the autism spectrum and with other special needs will hold a workshop on internet safety Jan. 19 that is open to the public.

Entitled Autism & The Internet: Sabotage, Safety & Strategies, the free workshop will feature internationally renowned autism expert Laurie Sperry from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and will be followed by an opportunity to tour the campus at 1040 Whalley Ave. The campus is undergoing a major expansion.

Sperry, in an interview from her home base in Colorado, said shes passionate about the issue and said she and other legal, forensics experts believe there is a perfect storm that puts those with special needs at greater risk than ever.

Sperrys research focuses on people with autism spectrum disorders who come in contact with the criminal justice system to ensure their humane treatment within the system.

That perfect storm, she said, is because of the following elements: more time is being spent on the internet rather than on other leisure activities; social isolation; lack of sex education tailored to the population; mainstream sexualization of children; the difference between chronological age and functional age; and lures, such as people posing as good people on the internet.

Sperry said her goal is to give families tips on how to address the risks and set parameters.

She recommends cultivating other interests to replace time on the internet.

Sperry said people with autism and other special needs are often either excluded from sexual education or taught with materials intended for neurotypical people.

She said those in both groups when taught generally, can recite body parts and other facts, but those with disabilities need to be taught about sexual nuances that may come naturally to the neurotypical crowd because there is so much sexual exploitation on the internet and danger that can arise from clicking on a site where material can be illegal.

Challenges with executive functioning make it hard for those with intellectual disabilities to be discerning when clicking on an IP address.

She said the population needs to be taught that if you do this, then this will happen.

Those with autism and other special needs have found themselves in legal trouble for accessing sites without knowing of their illegality, Sperry said.

One strategy, Sperry said, is to make it so there is someone to ask before clicking on a site.

She said the other question to weigh is whether to monitor internet use of a person who is over the age of 18.

You know your children and Id much rather have someone monitor them than have a knock on the door by police, Sperry said.

Sperry, a consultant to Chapel Haven, is a board certified behavior analyst and an assistant clinical professor at the Yale School of Medicine.

The workshop is free but pre-registration is required. To register or ask questions, call 203-397-1714, ext. 148 or send an email to admission@chapelhaven.org.

A survey of those belonging to the Facebook group CT Special Needs Families Networking Group indicates that internet safety is on the minds of those with sons and daughters who have autism or other intellectual disabilities.
Before the Luxor casino in Las Vegas was even a twinkle in a developer's eye, Henderson, NV, architect Harry Wilson was busy building his dream home. The resulting twin pyramids built by Wilson were described by the Las Vegas Sun as "a giant discarded Madonna bra, one pointy side larger than the other." To be fair, the Sun article is from 1996, so the reference was timely.

Wilson's pyramid house juts out on a residential street, and has three bedrooms and two baths in 2,887 square feet of space.

Inspired by a trip to Egypt, Wilson started construction on his pyramids in 1981. The similarities to Egypt's marvels aren't simply superficial. According to the Sun, the pitch of the roof is the same as the great pyramid at Cheops (52 degrees), the home faces true north just like Egypt's pyramids, and the bedroom is proportionally where the king's chamber would lie.

Back of pyramids realtor.com

So how does living in a pyramid even work? Listing agent Brad Whiting explains that from the inside, the pyramid feels like a relatively traditional house.

The master bedroom is upstairs, along with a bathroom and small sitting room. The bedroom ceiling used to go all the way to the tip of the pyramid (which lights up, naturally) until Wilson and his wife started to feel weird about all the space above them and installed a translucent ceiling. Wilson also put stained glass in the upper windows of the pyramid, so that when the sun rises in the morning one window's scene is projected on the tall bedroom wall, and as the sun sets, the other scene is visible.

Stained glass in master bedroom realtor.com

Downstairs, where the two other bedrooms are located, the walls are squared off below the windows, creating angled storage areasand keeping wall angles from steeply sloping.

"You'd have to have an extra-long broom handle to sweep that," jokes Whiting.

The downstairs also features a living room, dining room, family room, and kitchen. The second pyramid houses a two-car garage. There's a covered porch, several balconies, and a pool.

"It's been a very unusual listing," says Whiting, and not just because of the home's shape. The property, which was listed at $425,000, is currently in a contingency contract to a family with two special-needs kids who fell in love with the offbeat dwelling.

"The couple that wanted to buy the house got in touch and let us know they were interested but needed to wait for some money to come through before closing," he explains.

Living room realtor.com

Their two children use wheelchairs, and the layout of the house was perfect for them.

"They thought it would be a neat experience for the kids," he says. The angled storage spaces of the pyramid's base are the perfect size for the kiddos to use as hiding spaces and clubhouses.

The home is a famous locally, and the prospective buyers were excited to be able to give their kids a unique place to live.

"The owners are really great people, and they agreed to let the family live in the house until they can close," he said. "Real estate is so much more than buying and selling. It's more than just a house. Its peoples lives."

Whiting adds this deal was "a perfect matching of the right buyer with the right seller, and it ended up being a great thing."

The post Don't Miss the Completely Bonkers Double Pyramid House in Henderson, NV appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com.
Ohanaeze-Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) has called on Ndigbo to relocate their business headquarters to Igboland and make South-East the economic hub of Nigeria. Ohanaeze-Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) has called on Ndigbo to relocate their business headquarters to Igboland and make South-East the economic hub of Nigeria.

It lamented that most Igbo Youths lost their investments estimated at over N63 trillion in the North through the various fire incidence that gutted their shops, as well as the demolition exercises that was ordered by the Lagos State Government in the South West part of the country.

The group also urged Ndigbo to expect tougher times in 2018 and to be prepared to adjust to the economic realities on the ground.

OYC decried the number of Igbo youths killed in 2017 through the hands of soldiers who executed the infamous operation Python Dance II.

Against this backdrop, the group in a statement signed by its Secretary General, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and the National Vice President, Obinna Achionye, called on the Federal Government to protect every Nigerian irrespective of tribe or religion.

OYC said that Igbo Youths mourn our Youths who fell victim during the operation Python Dance and those killed in the North East.

We call on the Federal Government to protect all citizens no matter the circumstances.

We also call on our brothers outside Igboland to relocate their business headquarters to the South East in order to make the region economic hub of Nigeria.

It further commended the South East Governors especially the Enugu state Governor, for rising to the occasion to protect Ndigbo from Fulani herdsmen, Governor Umahi for his developmental strides in Ebonyi, Governor Obiano for preservation of Igbo political identity, Governor Ikpeazu for his Made in Abia Products and Governor Okorocha on his developmental strides in Imo. We urge all the Governors of South East to do more for the people.

The group also alleged that it has uncovered plot by some unnamed few Igbo leaders to create chaos in the leadership of OYC and alleged of plot to remove its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro.

It called on the South East Governors to warn this unnamed Igbo leaders because any attempt to dislodge the Leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide will spell doom for them as Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro tenure expires in December 2018.
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum as well as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. John Nwodo, have disagreed with President Muhammadu Buharis stance on the restructuring of the country, saying that the only way to go is for the federal government to restructure the federation and devolve powers to the states.

The president had in his New Year broadcast Monday said that the problem with Nigeria was not with its structure but its processes.

Buhari argued that the country had tried many systems of governance in the past and had jettisoned them because they failed.

He explained that if things were done properly, the country would perform better.

However, disagreeing with the presidents stance on the thorny issue, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum insisted that restructuring was the only way to go to save Nigeria from imminent collapse.

In a statement signed by Yinka Odumakin for the South-west, Senator Bassey Henshaw for the South-south, Prof. C. Ogbu for the South-east and Mr. Isuwa Dogo for the Middle Belt, the forum insisted that powers must be devolved to the states.

The group said: We cannot become a productive country under a 1999 Constitution which keeps 68 items on the Exclusive List including mineral resources which abound all over the country but which the states whose governors are constitutionally vested with authority over land cannot touch.

We need to give authority to the federating units over their resources for self-sustenance and paying all necessary dues to the federation to sustain common services.

We must devolve more powers and authorities to them to have effective state administrations.

The federal police has shown it lacks the capacity to deal with crimes in a multi-ethnic society like ours, the imperative of state police has never been more urgent than now.

Restructuring means nothing else than the above.

It is a call for the return to a Nigeria that worked under federalism as against the failing state we are becoming under a unitary structure.

Nigerians must organise, mobilise and work towards building an inclusive and productive country in 2018 using all democratic and peaceful means.

It is a year to battle for the soul of the country by the forces of federalism and upholders of a suffocating unitary system.

May victory be on the side of those who seek the progress of Nigeria.

Continuing, the forum said the president could not resolve Nigerias problems by either running away from it or ascribing it to the wrong source.

Unfortunately that is what we are doing as a country by playing down our crisis of structure while on a wild goose chase about process.

This is akin to a man going to Benin City while driving towards Benin Republic. The faster he runs the farther he is away from his destination.

The truth of the matter is that our nationhood crisis has peaked and there are no further opportunities to guarantee opportunities for our citizens no matter the good intentions of leaders or even unrealistic promises packaged to offer them false hope.

In 1983, when the Shehu Shagari administration was overthrown, its budget for a country of 80 million people was $25 billion. Thirty-five years after, the Buhari government has just proposed a $23 billion budget for about 180 million people!

The above clearly shows that there is no way out of our systemic crisis except we resume productivity which was our hallmark in the years that we practiced federalism as an entity.

We have exhausted all possibilities of a rentier and sharing economy and all that is left is unemployment, hunger, gnashing of teeth and conflicts among nationalities over shrinking opportunities, the forum added.

It welcomed Nigerians into the New Year after a gruelling and harrowing 2017 in which our people went through untold hardship as the crisis of our dysfunctional structure took its worst toll.

According to the forum, it was a hellish time when suicide became the man of the year as many citizens found life unworthy of living and jumping into rivers or hanging from ceilings became the order of the day.

It noted that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported a loss of four million jobs in 2017 with millions of those employed working without pay for several months.

The forum also stated that many citizens who fled abroad because there was no hope for them at home were subjected to all manner of degrading and inhuman treatment as the horror tales from Libya where Nigerians were auctioned for $400, turned to sex slaves, and subjected to extreme violence, continue to abound.

On the home front, life is becoming short, nasty and brutish as death and violence are now common place in the hands of AK 47-wielding herdsmen, armed robbers, kidnappers and enraged spouses.

It is a time when we should be having national introspection to know where the rain began to beat us, how to dry our clothes, and ensure that we are no longer exposed to rainfall.

Unfortunately, we are not addressing the cause of our affliction and only trying to rationalise our needless failure, passing the buck and running from the solutions to our problem.

We are in a period where empty platitudes are being offered our people instead of concrete assurances on reasoned prescriptions, the forum said.

Nwodo, who also spoke with THISDAY on the phone, said that he was yet to read the presidents speech but with Nigerians main source of income from crude oil threatened, government must unleash Nigerias potential by devolving powers to the states.

He warned that the worlds demand for oil was receding and that it might even further decline substantially in the next seven years, with implications as the main stay of the nations economy.

Unless we begin to develop alternative sources of revenue our country will cease to exist. The only way to avoid this is to release our potential by devolution of powers.

Until the government is nearer to the people and the people take their destiny into their hands the country cannot progress.

We never agreed to be a country where the federal government will be a united policeman for the whole country. We are not running a federation, we are running a unitary government and we cannot escape this, Nwodo said.

Meanwhile, a former governor of Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, in his reaction to the presidents stance on restructuring, called for the countrys economic restructuring to ensure the delivery of good governance.

The former Kaduna governor said the problem with Nigeria has always been leadership rather than its structures, explaining that the regional system failed because leaders were pursuing a secessionist agenda.

Although he aligned with the presidents position that the process of governance needs to be improved upon, he faulted the economic system being operated currently.

Musa said the economy was in the hands of the private sector, hence the impoverishment of the masses, and suggested the restructuring of the economy to ensure that the government plays a greater role.

The economy should be restructured. What we are operating now in which the economy is in private hands cannot help us.

We should restructure the economy so that government can play a greater role for sustainable development, he said.

The former governor agreed that saboteurs were behind the current fuel crisis and urged the government to address the situation.

He also called on Buhari to form a government of national unity in the New Year for all-inclusiveness, adding that Nigeria would be better off in 2018 if people subordinated personal interests to the public interest.

In his reaction, the publicity secretary of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State, Shakirudeen Olofin, commended the president for restating the governments commitment to the fight against corruption.

He, however, advised that the president should ensure that all pending corruption cases are speedily resolved to serve as a deterrent to others.

Olofin urged Buhari to be decisive in dealing with the fuel crisis, especially persons suspected to be responsible for the situation.
Yusuf Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari's son, Yusuf, is still in hospital after his bike accident.

According to Punch Metro, some armed policemen and officers of the Department of State Services kept vigil, as usual at the Cedar Crest Hospital, Gudu District, Abuja, welcoming the New Year 2018 as President Muhammadu Buharis son, Yusuf, spent six days in the facility.

A check at the hospital on Sunday around 8pm revealed that the policemen had been joined by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps as well as officials of the Federal Road Safety Commission.

Three FRSC vans and one NSCDC van were sighted by our correspondent stationed at the entrance of the Sam Mbakwe Street, giving an indication that these officials might also keep a vigil at the hospital.

On Sunday when Punch Metro got to the hospital around 7pm, Islamic prayer which involved some of the security officials was being observed at the entrance of the hospital around 7pm. There was no visiting top government official as of the time of filling this report.

A source on the ground told Punch Metro that it was sure the policemen and other officials would welcome the New Year at the hospital.

You can see that we are all here till the New Year comes. This is a top national duty too. Almost every Nigerian now knows the Presidents son is sick and admitted here. We wish him a quick recovery, the source said.

Yusuf Buhari was rushed to the hospital after having a power bike accident in the Gwarimpa Estate area on Tuesday and sustaining a head injury, which made him undergo a surgery.

Although the Presidents spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, had said Yusuf was in a stable condition and recuperating, the Presidents son had now spent six days at the facility and there were speculations that he might be flown abroad for further treatments at any time soon.

Many top government officials had been visiting the hospital and wishing the Presidents son a speedy recovery, while several groups had organised prayers in different locations across the country for his recuperation.
The Founder of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministries International, Abuja, Prophet Emmanuel Omale, has called for serious prayers f...

The Founder of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministries International, Abuja, Prophet Emmanuel Omale, has called for serious prayers for some political office holders including President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha Buhari, former President, in order to avert food poisoning, death and terminal diseases.Prophet Omale who stated this in the prophetic declaration for 2018, issued in Abuja, specifically solicited for divine intervention against resurgence of insurgency and death of a South-West State Governor, among others.He specifically revealed notable activities that would hearald Nigerias political landscape ahead of the 2019 general elections, among others. While describing the incoming yeas as full of expectation, hope and fear many Nigerian citizens, the Clery assured true worshippers of God of fulfilment in all ramifications.Below are the details of the prooehtic declaration. Excerpts:2018 is a very pregnant year, full of expectancy, hope and fear for many Nigerians. For those that worship the true God and believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, hope will be replaced by fulfilment.The three main issues that concerns a Nation are politics, physical climate and social co-existence.As 2018 is also a year where many are preparing for the 2019 elections, its quite a tense period for Nigerians. These are what God has revealed to me in Politics:1) I see a lot of challenges with the candidacy of President Muhammad Buhari, as his acceptance requires a lot of prayers and personal soul searching. God says another Northerner, a current Governor and a serving Minister amongst his close confidants will have a better acceptance.2) Aisha Buhari is a good woman and means well for the Nation. She requires special prayers for herself, especially against food poisoning and children, especially at child birth.3) A second term Governors wife in the South-West needs serious prayers for her health.4) The Nation should pray for the survival of a former President.5) PDP will lose Ekiti State.6) Kwankwaso will soon be without a party.7) APC will have huge challenges managing a backlash from National Assembly primaries.8) God has not finished purging PDP, therefore they require a lot of work to form a cohesive and vibrant challenge to APC.9) I see a third political party coming out by March/April. it will be a very strong coalition and will have the potential to redefine the Nigerian Political Map.10) The National Assembly should pray against loss of two prominent members due to road accident.11) A lot of sabotage awaits Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in PDP, though only him can give PDP a respectable showing.12) Alhaji Atiku Abubakar will be disgraced and humiliated out of PDP by sitting PDP Governors13) PDP Senators, House of Representatives Members and Governors are going to gang up against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.14) I see a PDP governor cross-carpeting to APC.OTHER PROPHECIES:15) Two octogenarians in the South-south require prayers to survive 2018.16) I see a violent but brief resurgence of Boko Haram activities around the months of March to June, and it will be finally defeated.17) Security Agencies and the general public should be vigilant against terrorist intentions on filling stations and other fuel depots.18) A Governor from the North West requires serious prayers to avert death from kidney and liver related ailments.19) We have asked for prayers in the past for Kaduna, Taraba, Benue and Plateau states. We must continuously hold them in prayer vigil, to avert more bloodshed that could last for 14 days.20) A critical bridge in the country should be urgently rehabilitated, to prevent massive loss of lives.21) Pray to God, to prevent a huge clash between herdsmen and people of a South Eastern state.22) Government should carefully handle the Financial sector, as I see panic withdrawals that may collapse two banks.23) Oil will not sustain the current high price.24) There will be massive floodings in unusual places in Nigeria.25) A new disease will be observed, worse than Ebola but all those born again in Christ will prevail.26) 2018 is a year of faith, as those that pray and give to the Work of God shall record uncommon breakthroughs.27) New sport talents will be discovered and will attain international reckoning.28) There is going to be massive arrest and detention of internet fraudsters. I see a situation where both National and International agencies will form a common front and wage serious war on those that engage in fraudulent internet activities.29) God brought Ibrahim Magu for this season to wage severe war against corruption; he will end up making Nigeria more acceptable internationally because of his relentless fight on corruption. God said, the more they fight Magu, the stronger and more powerful he will become because God is strongly behind him.30). Lieutenant General TY Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff, will be used to restore peace to the North such that Nigerians will be very happy and proud of him in 2018. After he leaves office, he will be highly celebrated as a war hero.31) The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris should pray against set-up and betrayals that will bring disgrace to his hard work. 32) I see many Pastors that are not called by God being highly disgraced in 2018.33) There will be a move to make a law that will checkmate the activities and operations of Churches in Nigeria, but the law will not be implemented.34) I see a very big and popular Man of God having a terminal disease that will be known to everybody. The only way that this Man of God can come out of this disease is to start using Gods money for what the money is meant for.ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE:35) I see instability in Sierra Leone.36) President Zuma of South Africa may resign.37) President Trump will have a better perception in 2018.38) Theresa May will lose the leadeship of the ruling party in the UK.39) A President in Central Africa may be assassinated. 40) POray against war in Cameroon
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau released a video message on Tuesday claiming a series of attacks in northeast Nigeria during the festive season.The shadowy leader released his first video message in months amid a surge in violence casting doubt on the Nigerian governments claim that the jihadist group is defeated.We are in good health and nothing has happened to us, said Shekau in the 31-minute video message spoken in the Hausa language common across northern Nigeria.Nigerian troops, police and those creating mischief against us cant do anything against us, and you will gain nothing, he said.We carried out the attacks in Maiduguri, in Gamboru, in Damboa. We carried out all these attacks.The video then shows footage from a Christmas Day attack on a military checkpoint in Molai village on the outskirts of the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, which the military said was thwarted by troops after one hour of battle.Boko Haram fighters in torn clothes were shown shooting from the back of battered pickup trucks.Shekaus message comes during an acceleration of Boko Haram attacks and just days after the jihadists killed 25 people outside Maiduguri, the birthplace of the Islamist insurgency.In December, Boko Haram attacked convoys of Nigerian soldiers and dispatched suicide bombers into crowded markets in towns across northeast Nigeria.At least 50 people were killed in November when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in Adamawa state.But Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said in his New Year address that Boko Haram has been beaten.Isolated attacks still occur, but even the best-policed countries cannot prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror, said Buhari.Shekau, a leader known for his lengthy, wild-eyed video messages, took over Boko Haram in 2009 after the death of its founder Muhammad Yusuf.Boko Haram, whose Islamist insurgency has left at least 20,000 dead in Nigeria since it began in 2009, has long been fractionalised.In 2016 it suffered a major split, when the so-called Islamic State group recognised Yusufs son, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, as leader.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the New Year broadcast made by President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday was depressing as according to the party, it completely failed to address serious economic and security issues confronting the nation and for which Nigerians earnestly expected answers from government.A statement issued by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in Abuja on Monday said Nigerians were again treated to another round of false claims and empty promises, which it observed had become a routine in the newly three years of the administration.The leading opposition party recalled that it had earlier advised the Federal Government not to bother about any New Year message to Nigerians because government would not have anything to say.We already knew the pattern and we advised against it this year. We knew their New Year message would heighten Nigerians despondency rather than providing us hope, the statement said.The party also expressed disappointment that instead of accepting that it has failed, the Presidency attempted to appropriate and claim credit for the achievements of the PDP.It said instead of inspiring the people, the address ended up depressing and annoying them the more as it held no message and did not proffer any solutions to the problems inflicted by the APC Federal Government.Instead of offering solutions or providing the indices for development, the Presidency deployed over 2000 words passing the buck, begging the question, making empty claims and attempting to appropriate achievements of the PDP administration.What could be more depressing than the fact that the President, who is also the Minister of Petroleum Resources, did not give a clear-cut solution to the acute fuel crisis bedeviling his nation today?The Presidents speech neither addressed how to raise the fallen value of the naira nor how to rescue the labour market from the 8 million job losses and acute unemployment being suffered by Nigerians under the APC.The address completely failed to respond to issues of corruption under the APC regime, including allegations of budget padding, secret oil subsidy deals, illegal lifting of crude worth trillions of naira, pillaging of Nigerias foreign reserve, diversion of billions of naira for insurgency related matters, all by APC interests.Furthermore, the speech had no assurances on the worsening economic recession ravaging families under this regime; it had nothing on the dilapidated infrastructure and attendant stress on the economy, which the APC government has caused Nigerians.Rather, what we heard was a boring litany of buck passing, lame declarations and barefaced attempt to appropriate and claim credit for achievements and landmark projects initiated, articulated and implemented by the PDP administration, including, the railway, electricity and agricultural projects.We challenge the APC Presidency to tell Nigerians which landmark project it has initiated, articulated and executed in its close to three years of governance.Also the citizens are eager to know what work percentage that have been added to projects that were being executed by the PDP before the APC took power by propaganda and lies in 2015.Nigerians have now seen that the APC has nothing to offer but has only succeeded in wrecking the nation and inflicting hardship on the people.The option before Nigerians is to kick out the APC come 2019 and return the PDP, which is now repositioned to bring the nation back to the path of national unity and prosperity we all once enjoyed.On this note, the PDP stands with the people to once again present a government that is serious, truthful and transparent, with an array of best hands harnessing and channeling our national resources for the good of all, as was the order before the unfortunate incursion of the APC.Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, has praised former President Goodluck Jonathan over his role in the resolution of the partys recent crisis as well as the successful conduct of its national convention.In a message of New Year felicitation to Jonathan, the party boss commended the spirit of statesmanship demonstrated by Jonathan within the party ranks.His said: In the year 2017, you stood firmly through thick and thin with our great party, the PDP during the most trying moments, you deployed your impeccable leadership quality and experience to successfully navigate the turbulent tide into the right path which culminated at the successful national elective convention that the party held on December 9, 2017.Indeed you are a statesman an epitome of hope and peace in Africas democracy and at home.
In an apparent response to the national broadcast by President Muhammadu Buhari, eminent Nigerians, including leaders of the South-East, South-South and South-West and their counterparts from the Middle Belt, have insisted that restructuring remains the panacea for Nigerias developmental challenges.The Southern and Middle Belt leaders, on Monday, insisted that restructuring remained the only way out of the crisis Nigeria had found itself.In a statement signed on behalf of the Southern leaders by Senator Bassey Ewa Henshaw (South-South), Yinka Odumakin (South-West), Professor C. Ogbu (South-East) and Mr Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), the leaders restated that restructuring, the leaders and not process, was key to resolving Nigerias challenges.In the statement, entitled: Nigeria in crises: Restructuring, not processing is the way out, the leaders said the dysfunctional structure of the Nigerian polity took its worst toll on Nigerians in 2017 when they said Suicide became the Man of the Year even as the National Bureau of Statistics reported the loss of over four million jobs.According to the leaders, the reference to process by the president as the bedrock of the nations challenges would amount to a wild goose chase if the structures of the polity were not tampered with to ensure productivity.Unfortunately, we are not addressing the cause of our affliction, but only trying to rationalise our needless failure, passing the buck and running from the solutions to our problem. We are in a period where empty platitudes are being offered our people instead of concrete assurances on reasoned prescriptions.Social scientists have argued correctly that a problem is not resolved either by running away from it or ascribing it to the wrong source. Unfortunately, that is what we are doing as a country by playing down our crisis of structure while on a wild goose chase about process. That is akin to a man going to Benin City while driving towards Benin Republic. The faster he runs, the farther he is away from his destination, the leaders said.The statement further read: The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum welcomes Nigerians into 2018 after a gruelling and harrowing 2017, during which our people went through untold hardship as the crisis of our dysfunctional structure which took its worst toll.It was a hellish time when Suicide became Man of the Year, as many of our citizens found life unworthy of further living and jumping into available rivers or hanging on the ceilings. The National Bureau of Statistics reported a loss of four million jobs in the year, with millions of those employed working without pay for several months.Our citizens who fled abroad because there is no hope for them at home were subjected to all manners of degrading and inhuman treatments such as the horror tales from Libya, where Nigerians were auctioned for $400, turned to s3x slaves and subjected to extreme violence.On the home front, life is becoming short, nasty and brutish as death and violence are now commonplace in the hands of AK 47-wielding herdsmen, armed robbers, kidnappers and enraged spouses.The statement indicated that the time was rife for Nigeria to start having national introspection, as according to them, the country needed to know where the rain began to beat it and how to dry the clothes.They submitted that rather than move forward, the nation was retrogressing.The truth of the matter is that our nationhood crisis has peaked and there is no further guaranteed opportunities for our citizens, no matter the good intentions of leaders or even unrealistic promises packaged to offer them false hope.In 1983, when the Shehu Shagari-led administration was overthrown, its budget for a country of 80 million people was $25.35 billion; years after, the Buhari government has just proposed a $23 billion budget for about 180 million people.The above clearly shows that there is no way out of our systemic crisis except we resume productivity which was our hallmark in the years that we practised federalism as an entity. We have exhausted all possibilities of a rentier and sharing economy and all that is left is unemployment, hunger, gnashing of teeth and conflicts among nationalities over shrinking opportunities, they said.According to the leaders, Nigeria could not become a productive country under the 1999 Constitution which they said kept 68 items on the exclusive list, including mineral resources that abound in the states.The statement further read: We need to give authorities to the federating units over their resources for self-sustenance and paying all necessary dues to the federation to sustain common services. We must devolve more powers and authorities to them to have effective state administrations. The federal police have shown it lacks the capacity to deal with crimes in a multiethnic society like ours, the imperative of state police has never been more urgent than now.Restructuring means nothing else than the above. It is a call for the return to a Nigeria that worked under federalism as against the failing state we are becoming under a unitary structure.Nigerians must organise, mobilise and work towards building an inclusive and productive country in 2018, using all democratic and peaceful means. It is a year to battle for the soul of the country by forces of federalism and upholders of a suffocating unitary system.May victory be on the side of those who seek the progress of Nigeria.Also commenting on the presidents opposition to restructuring, a prominent political commentator, Colonel Gabriel Ajayi (retd), faulted Buhari on his postulation as the alternative road Nigeria should travel because of the potential danger in retaining the existing convoluted and lopsided structure.He also warned against behaving like the Ostrich in the face of a powerful clique holding the rest of the major stakeholders in the Nigerian project hostage.No organisation or country can survive without some occasional radical changes. It is a truth about human existence advancement development and survival. Nigeria cannot be an exception.Rome was once a mighty empire with so much influence worldwide. It collapsed due to similar internal contradictions like ours.We must make hay while the sun shines. We must restructure Nigeria now before it is too late and before Nigeria restructures all of us as that will be too bad.For a long time now, a tiny minority of Nigerian privileged elite in whose hands Providence has placed the governance, have held the nation hostage. This has stunted regional initiatives and progressive growth of an otherwise vibrant black experiment, he said.In his own reaction, national treasurer and chairman of Afenifere in Lagos State, Chief Supo Shonibare, said it was instructive that the president acknowledged the growing and strident demand for restructuring and a return to a parliamentary system of government because of the existing unjust arrangement.Having tried the two forms of government, he said it should be clear to the president, which one had served the country and Nigerians better, progressive and forward-lookingPart of Shonibares response read: I wish the president a happy New Year. It is incumbent upon us to strive for a working structural arrangement to enable us to evolve as a working entity and not this present unwieldy ineffective unitary structure masked as a federal system.Instructive that the president, at least, acknowledges that some of us are clamouring for a parliamentary system. He said we have tried that system.What he hasnt considered is the length of time we spent in operating that system as a Republic. For the records, we only operated the parliamentary system for barely three years.The impatience the president alludes is more poignant in the way and manner the military jettisoned that system after only a short period.Meanwhile, we have patiently operated the presidential system for initially as a military junta enabling since 1966, with civilian rulership (not democracy) enabling since 1979.All we have experienced has been gloated, corrupt rulership with recurrent expenses verging on consuming 75 per cent of our total expenditure which figure increases to 80 per cent in some states.It is time to change a system that is not working, in in spite of the presidents best efforts and those of his predecessors and its time for us to wake up from being delusional and face the most effective structure able to meet infrastructural services, needs and a more inclusive growth trajectory and the inalienable right for the Nigerian people to demand a less expensive government structure, devolution of government and home rule. Its time for change if we hope to keep the Nigerian entity as a united federal nation.A delegate to the 2014 national conference, Chief Sola Ebiseni, described the pronouncement of the president as an utter disregard for the popular stand of Nigerians on restructuring.Ebiseni, a lawyer and former commissioner in Ondo State, claimed that the statement of the president clearly underlined his stance about being for all as opposed to being aligned to a minority that had consistently held the nation by the jugular.Ebiseni had triggered controversy at the conference when he submitted that contrary to belief, crude oil was first discovered in Araromi in Ondo State and not Oloibiri in Rivers State.Reacting to the presidents broadcast to the nation, the legal practitioner stated: President Buhari has been consistent in his contempt for the Nigerian people and one hopes this would be the last straw that will open Nigerians consciousness to the incurable feudal disposition of the man they emotionally elected.It is now clear, that when Buhari plagiarised the statement of being for everyone and no one, the message he was passing across was that no ones opinion would affect his fixed mindset of Nigeria being a conquered territory of his potentate supervision.He hasnt rubbished the noses of ordinary Nigerians as much as those leaders who still deceive themselves, particularly those who rightly believe that moving forward depends on the restructuring of this evil federation to achieve freedom of the federating nationalities, that this President is redeemable.His party, through its manifesto, promised true federalism and devolution of powers. His party was recently compelled by overwhelming public opinion to engage Nigerians in geopolitical town hall meetings and the larger clamour was for restructuring.He has no regards for all that. It is remarkable that the president, with all the knowledgeable people around him, could not differentiate between the structure of the Nigerian state, which is federalism, and the form of government, whether it is presidential or parliamentary.While the form of government is debatable, federalism, proper one at that, which guaranteed freedom of action for the federating units, is imperative for our continued existence as a nation, which the president insensitively regards as non-negotiable.As it is, Nigerians would have to decide either to liberate themselves or wait endlessly at President Buharis whims. This is the divine year for the battle line he has drawn with the people of Nigeria.
Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress(APC) in Kogi State and former Campaign Coordinator to President Muhammadu Buhari in Lagos State, James Faleke has described as the height of absurdity the donation of 6 Toyota Venza Cars and cash gifts of 2 Million Naira each by the Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello to masquerades in his hometown of Okene during the last Ekwechi(Masquerade) festival in December 2017.Faleke in a statement he issued on Tuesday,said it was indeed absurd that the same Governor who has not been able to pay workers salaries for several months and promised to clear all outstanding salaries and pensions last December without fulfilling it could go ahead to spend money buying car gifts for masquerades.I honestly dont know what is happening in our State. We thought the governor( Alhaji Yahaya Bello) would heed popular call to settle all outstanding salaries and pensions in the State last December as he promised after receiving the Paris refunds of close to 12 Billion Naira only for him to pay 40 percent of 2 months. So where did the rest of the money go? Next we heard was the news of the 6 Venza cars he bought and presented to masquerades in Okene through their Minders along with 2 Million Naira cash to each of the masquerades! How else can one be so insensitive to the welfare, yearnings and aspirations of his people.According to Faleke, the State Government that had denied all along it had no outstandings just released a fresh list of cleared staff.What this means is that those staff whose names were just released had been without pay for the past two years when the screening exercise began. So who is fooling who, Faleke wondered..The lawmaker bemoaned the situation where instead of providing succour for the citizenry across the State, what obtains is intimidation and harassment of hapless and harmless citizens all over the place. A case in point is the recent case in Iyamoye community where a group of youth were distributing End of Year gifts to APC Members and were attacked by Soldiers providing security for Governor Bellos appointed Local Government Administrator for Ijumu Local Government, Taofeek Isah. As an Administrator, the State Government provided him soldiers with which he harrasses perceived political opponents across the State. Of course, the newstands were agog few days ago with the news of how unidentified thugs hijacked the first batch of rice consignments donated by some Senators to alleviate hunger ravaging the workers homes. That is the reality of our dear State at the moment.He called on Governor Bello to turn a new leaf this year by re-ordering his governments priorities away from childish, wasteful, unproductive extravaganza to meaningful statecraft aimed at ameliorating the current unacceptable level of pains being inflicted on the people of the State.
Fuel marketers on Tuesday insisted that they could no longer import Premium Motor Spirit at a control price of N145 per litre.

Fuel marketers on Tuesday insisted that they could no longer import Premium Motor Spirit at a control price of N145 per litre.They also said they were not responsible for the recent scarcity of the product witnessed across the country.The Chairman of Depot and Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Dapo Abiodun, disclosed these to State House correspondents at the end of a meeting stakeholders in the oil industry had with Federal Governments delegation led by the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari.The meeting which was held at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja was also attended by the heads of the Department of State Services and the Nigeria Immigration Service as well as representatives of other paramilitary services.Abiodun said neither the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation nor the independent marketers could be blamed for the recent fuel scarcity.
Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins has called on the nations law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts into the rescue of several reverend sisters who were kidnapped from the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus Convent in Iguoriakhi in Edo State by gunmen on November 14 in Edo State.Condemning the increased spate of kidnapping in the country, Martins, at a press conference at the Holy Cross Cathedral hall in Lagos, to mark this years World Day of Peace, said that it was dangerous for the sisters being women to still be in the hands of their captors after 48 days.Today is the 48th day that the sisters have been in the hands of the kidnappers, so it has been a big source of worry and concern knowing that they are women, he said, adding that the Benin archdiocese had been in collaboration with security agencies in the state and the country as well as the state government to secure their release.It is really disheartening that in spite of all their efforts, the sisters are still there in bondage. It is disheartening that the security agencies have not been able to get the sisters out and one wonders why this is the case.We still do hope that the security agencies would do much more than is being done now in order to ensure that the sisters are released, he said.Answering questions on the state of the nation, the Archbishop lamented the plight of Nigerians, just as he called on President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the issue of poverty and hunger ravaging the nation.What we can see very clearly is that the poverty level in our country is very high, we sit in our offices as priests and we come in contact with the ordinary people who are really undergoing the pains of the problems of our economy.And we see them everyday coming to ask for even the smallest things that one can imagine. Therefore it hits us very straight in the face when we come in contact with these people. So, obviously, it means that the governments at all levels need to do a lot more than is being done right now.We were told that the economy was in recession and that it is out of recession now, of course, the economists can tell us more about that but what we know is that it doesnt seem to be making as much impact on the day-to-day lives of Nigerians. And that is where the test of whether we are in recession or not is, he said.The Archbishop called on the Federal Government to use all its material and human resources to cushion the effects of the hardship to safeguard the lives and well being of Nigerians, enjoining the Presidency to be explicit in its explanations to Nigerians on the $1 billion being requested from the excess crude account as funds needed to fight insurgency.Martins further explained that although Nigerians had confidence in the integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari, there were still sceptics who may doubt the sincerity of using the money to fight terrorism due to previous experiences in the nation.We are very cynical now given the experiences we have had over the years about government generally spending monies, he said, stressing that inadequate explanation was the reason some people were suspicious that the money were intended for electioneering campaigns since it was not routed through the 2018 budget.Commenting on the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria and other Nigerians being sold into slavery in foreign nations, the cleric said the church had various organisations reaching out to them to cushion their plight.He added that the church was also collaborating with various government agencies to reach out and alleviate sufferings of IDPs in line with the visions of the Pope.Referring to the Popes MeMartinis World Day of Peace which focused on issues of Migrants and Refugees: Men and Women in Search of Peace, Martins said that if the Nigerian government should ensure even and appropriate distribution of the nations resources to discourage illegal migration.He said that the Popes message was timely as it addressed issues youths migrating from Nigeria and perishing on the Mediterranean Sea and the deserts, adding It is the duty of every country to discourage illegal migration, he said.Pope Francis in his 2018 World Day of Peace message tagged; Migrants and Refugees: Men and Women in search of Peace which was read by Prof. Pat Utomi said that 22.5 million of the worlds population were refugees in search of a peaceful place to live and risked a lot in the process.In a spirit of compassion, let us embrace all those fleeing from war and hunger, or forced by discrimination, persecution, poverty and environmental degradation to leave their homelands, the Pope said.Pope Francis urged the world to pay attention to refugees and migrants quoting various scriptures on need to accommodate foreigners.He identified the causes of migration and highlighted a four pact action plan for the Catholic Church, United Nations, individuals and governments to cushion the hardship of refugees and migrants.The World Peace Day is set aside annually to spread the gospel of peaceful co-existence amongst peoples of the world.The event began with a Holy Mass at the Holy Cross Cathedral with the Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins as the Chief Celebrant, and he was assisted by the Director of Social Communicators, Msgr. Gabriel Osu.The event also witness the full participation of members of Catholic Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CAMPAN), Papal Knights/Medalists and some government officials.
Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, the spiritual director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu, has come under attack by Nigerians over his 2019 prophecies.

Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka, the spiritual director, Adoration Ministry, Enugu, has come under attack by Nigerians over his 2019 prophecies.

Mbaka in his new year message had declared that Buhari would be totally disgraced if he takes a shot at the presidency after his current tenure.





Some Nigerians who seem not to have forgotten the preachers support for Buhari in 2015 elections have asked him to stop politicising and face the word of God.





At the same pulpit three years ago, he had prophesied that then President Goodluck Jonathan would be defeated in the 2015 election and also supported Buharis change.





Here are some comments:





@kingmethods Fr. Mbaka, how market?before 2015 general elections, you said Buhari is the only person that can save Nigeria. And now before 2019 general election you are saying.Buhari, contest and be disgraced.

Fr. Mbaka Face your church and leave IPOB and Nigerian politics alone!!! Religion and politics dont go together









@ekanem Political reverend, you are a wolve in sheeps clothing, you have no place in Christianity ,you have made your stomach your god and have defrauded the gullibles, the law of Kama will catch up with you soon





@dukemomoh I wonder why this pastors normally use the situation on ground that we are all aware of to predict what will happen every time we are witnessing a new year.

They should stop disturbing us. Na mumu dem go fit deceive.





@elisha Mbaka at it again. Mbaka why? Part Three(3). I thought this is your man or could this be a rejoinder to Jonathans.





@Moses Fr. Politician Mbarka! You brought in Buhari!! you are sending him packing again!!









@Oparah But you said he is the messiah in 2015 abi no be you again.





@Kanu Stop politicking and face your ministry.





@Chinonye Dont take your words serious anymore ! you told us good luck was bad luck to us n Buhary was God sent, now another story ,please God is not an author of confusion





@Ogechime Mbaka shut up!!! You put us in this mess in the first place.





@julius Stop playing God!!! Almighty God is still using PMB! He is on God own assignment, he will carry it out to the last letter! So retrace your step prophet Mbaka. For your information God will not allow Corruption to kill our country Nigeria





@edward Its unfortunate that most of our men of God in the Christiandom have abandoned their calling an concentrate on so-called prophecy to gain patronage and that is exactly Wat father mbaka is doing wit the greatest respect





@anang Pure fake prophecy. I can tell you if the North want Buhari to be president and Buhari is willing to contest, its easy for him to win. Its not rocker science to read or understand the permutations and narratives of political alignment in Nigeria.

@Stanley The battle for 2019 has started. It is only a fool that will encourage Buhari to context election again in Nigeria. A government that cannot successful handle minor administrative issues of vetting list appointment.





@Felix Anybody can lose in any election, nothing is new about it. Again, cant you focus on soul winning and leave politics for politicians?





@Suleyman He is not God. Youre just an ordinary human being using a guess work. His prophecy is based on guess work.





@Abubakar When this man spoke against some actions of the Jonathan administration, people said he has been bought by the then opposition. Now that he speaks against some actions of the Buhari Administration, has he been bought by the present opposition? One cannot say what is what unless he sides with a particular inclination?




Today, a lot of Nigerians woke up to the news of Tunde Bakare, the Senior pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, saying God has instructed him to ...

Today, a lot of Nigerians woke up to the news of Tunde Bakare, the Senior pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, saying God has instructed him to run for president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but he does not know when.

He made the declaration while delivering his New Year sermon to his congregation on January 1st 2018, the clergyman who ran as Vice Presidential candidate with President Buhari in the 2011 election, said God has instructed him to return to politics and run for president and lead the nation to prosperity.





See how Nigerians on social media are reacting to the news...

Tunde Bakare said God wants him to run for presidency. Well I just remembered that God wants me to become the commissioner for happiness in 2019 pic.twitter.com/S0s5kzBuTQ January 2, 2018

This man called Tunde Bakare is just a scam! He's solely job is to distract Nigerians.  Olofofo (@olofofo_1) January 2, 2018

So Tunde Bakare claims God wants him to run for president again.. Another political telemundo is about to start early 2018 #TuesdayThoughts January 2, 2018

I'm sure tunde bakare is jealous of osibanjo lol

That's why he's now saying God said he's going to be the president of Nigeria 

Pastors wanna chop nation cake now oh it's for everybody now  pussy mouth (@edo_booty) January 2, 2018

God has asked tunde bakare to run for president. God has told mbaka that Dankwambo will be president....but for me, God has asked me to leave this country. And i will. Tunde run, Dankwambo run, Buhari run, while I run away pic.twitter.com/PcpgOIi6e5 January 2, 2018

Tunde Bakare said God asked him to run for presidency. Meaning that Buhari isn't delivering else we would have been praying for more grace. But Buhari has taken the grace of God for granted. Mbaka has pitched tent with Dankwanbo. All these are making things easier for Atiku.  ThankGod Ukachukwu (@tksilicon) January 2, 2018

God has been brought in again as countdown to the 2018 general elections begin in Nigeria. Fiery Lagos pastor, Tunde Bakare has said that he has received God's directive to contest for 2019 presidential election.  segun adio (@segunvc) January 2, 2018

Pastor Tunde Bakare has declared to run for the Nigerian Presidency in 2018.This is a sign that good things are coming. #Tundebakare January 2, 2018
Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs, Feyisetan Fayose, has said that those who oppose her husbands decisions are obstructing the work of...

Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs, Feyisetan Fayose, has said that those who oppose her husbands decisions are obstructing the work of God, warning that the consequences will be too much for them.Mrs. Fayose said God had revealed to her a long time ago that her husband was going for a position of authority higher than the governorship he currently holds.According to a statement issued by her Special Assistant (Media), Gbenga Ariyibi, Mrs. Fayose said this in Ado Ekiti during the New Years thanksgiving service.She said though God did not reveal to her the time and the position God has scheduled for her husband, the word of God would manifest at all costs.I want to plead with everyone, dont hunt for the downfall of this government, dont even try it.God is looking at you, and God is watching. Dont hunt for the failure of continuity. Why? Because our God is God of continuity, our leader is carrying the unusual grace; if you dont want to be disgraced, dont hunt for the downfall of this government, dont hunt for the failure of continuity, I have said my own.It is not him, its God through him. Look beyond him, and lets continue to work together in unity.God told me expressly, years back, that he needed Ayo Fayose in Nigeria.What brought about this was that, I was praying that the trouble of this man was too much, that I wanted God to take politics away from him, to separate him from politics, that I have had too much.But God said, Leave him to me, he is in the hollow of my palm, l need him in Nigeria, it is not only Ekiti. He is just passing through Ekiti State.Mrs. Fayose, who prayed fervently for the peace, progress and continuity agenda of the her husbands administration, said no amount of gang up or political manipulation would alter or shake her husband from the good plan God has in stock for him and the people of the state.Those at the thanksgiving service included the Deputy Governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola; his wife, Janet; the Chief of Staff, Dipo Anisulowo; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Modupe Alade; Head of Service, Dr. Gbenga Faseluka, notable traditional rulers, political office holders, market women and top government officials.
Death toll in the New Year massacre in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government area of Rivers State has risen to twenty one.

Death toll in the New Year massacre in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government area of Rivers State has risen to twenty one.

Reacting, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA Dakuku Peterside sympathized with the families of the deceased.





He said it was another set of death too many in a local government area that was held hostage by cult groups claiming supremacy and allegedly enjoying support from some politicians.





The NIMASA boss stated that the latest killings had once again exposed the lack of capacity and competence on the part of Governor Nyesom Wike to provide adequate security for Rivers people.





He regretted that while other parts of the state were in celebratory mood, the people of ONELGA were mourning the passing away of their beloved in the most gruesome manner.





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.





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, he said.





Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command said it was yet to ascertain the number of casualties, Spokesman of the Command, Nnamdi Omoni said the police were on top of the situation.





However, the authorities of ONELGA has confirmed the figures with the Council Chairman, Osi Olisah informing newsmen that ex Niger-Delta agitator, Johnson Igwedibia popularly called DonWanny led the attack.




A Man, his wife, five children and eight others were killed yesterday in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area ...

A Man, his wife, five children and eight others were killed yesterday in Omoku, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.Over 52 persons, who were also injured in the New Years Day attack by some gunmen, were in critical condition in hospitals.The victims had just concluded a service in an unnamed church when the gunmen opened fire on them.The bodies of the 15 victims, as at press time, were still at the pavilion of the secretariat of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Council in Omoku, their relatives and friends making efforts to identify them.The rampaging gunmen were suspected to be militants working for a man the military described as a notorious kidnapper, militant, cultist, ardent illegal oil bunkerer, Mr. Igwedibia Johnson, aka Don Waney, who is on the run, following the raid of his camp and shrines on November 20, last year, as part of 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourts continued efforts to rid the Niger Delta of criminals.In Southern Kaduna yesterday, a ruler Mallam Gambu Makama and his wife were gun down by mask-wearing gunmen in their home after midnight.Crude oil and gas-rich Omoku hosts the Federal College of Education (FCE) Technical, many multinational oil firms, oil servicing companies and other establishments, but most of the commercial banks in the ancient town have been closed for months, in view of insecurity, without the hope of the bankers returning to the city.An indigene of Omoku, who yesterday gave details of how the 15 worshippers were gunned down but would not want his name in print, to avoid his being trailed by the criminals, said as the Christians were leaving their various churches on January 1, the gunmen were spraying them with bullets at close range.The source said: Since 2014, when the crisis started in Omoku and its environs, over 500, mostly innocent people, have been killed.I am calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Nyesom Wike to take immediate action to secure the lives and property of residents of Omoku and its environs, especially with the forthcoming primaries of political parties and general elections.We do not deserve the killings in Omoku and its environs. We are not in a state of war. Don Waneys boys have regrouped and are terrorising innocent citizens. Over 52 wounded victims of New Year Day attack in Omoku are now in various hospitals and clinics.Police spokesman Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said he was yet to get details of the New Years Days incident from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Omoku.Omoni said immediately he got information about the killings in Omoku, he contacted the DPO, who promised to get back to him, but yet to do so, as at press time.Peterside laments Rivers killingsThe Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside has lamented the killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA) of Rivers State by unidentified gunmen shortly after attending New Years Eve service.Dr Peterside sympathised with the families of the deceased, saying its another set of deaths too many in a local government area that was held hostage by cult groups claiming supremacy and allegedly enjoying support from some politicians.He expressed regret that while other parts of the state were in celebratory mood, the people of ONELGA were mourning the passing away of their beloved in the most gruesome manner.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 stressed.The NIMASA boss stated that the latest killings have exposed the lack of capacity and competence on the part of Governor Nyesom Wike to provide adequate security for Rivers people.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, he said.
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...

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 $33bn in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies and 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 $255m 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.And in late December, Vice President Mike Pence told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan, President Trump has put Pakistan on notice.The comments were an extension of repeated US warnings that Pakistan must stop offering cross-border havens to Taliban factions operating in Afghanistan as well as armed jihadist groups fighting US troops and their Afghan allies.Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif responded to Trumps 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 Trumps National Security Council, wrote in an article published in February that the activities and operations of diverse terror groups on and from Pakistani soil, and the governments 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 countrys 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, she 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. (AFP)
Workers in Ile-Ife, Osun, on Tuesday joined their colleagues across the state to return to work after observing Monday as public holiday to celebrate the New Year.A cross section of the civil servants, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for declaring the holiday to allow them to be with their families.A visit to government offices showed that the state workers have resumed at their duty posts.Mr Wasiu Salami, a judicial officer who spoke with NAN, thanked God for keeping him and his family members alive in spite of the challenges in 2017.Salami appealed to the state government to listen to the workers demands by paying pending salaries to enable their families have a new lease of life.At Ife Central and East Local Government offices also revealed that workers have resumed duty in their various offices.Mrs Busayo Adedire, one of the workers, thanked God for sparing her life to celebrate the New Year.Adedire prayed for economic prosperity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians as well as progress for the nation.The Federal Government had declared Monday, Jan. 1, as a public holiday to mark the New Year.
JERSEY CITY -- A 23-year-old's New Year's Day death is expected to be ruled the first homicide in Hudson County in 2018 after authorities say he was shot in the head.

Taiwon Robinson, of Jersey City, was found unresponsive near Brunswick and Montgomery streets at about 6:15 a.m. after reports of a possible shooting, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced.

He was brought to Jersey City Medical Center where he was pronounced dead just after 7 p.m., she said. The shooting occurred in the alleyway of a residential complex near Ferris High School.

A man near the scene Monday afternoon said his mother heard a big boom and said shootings in the area are not common. The neighborhood is not classified as one of Jersey City's "hot spots" for violent crime.

The cause and manner of Robinson's death are pending. A city spokeswoman said he was carrying an illegal gun at the time of his death, though a motive for the shooting was not provided.

No arrests have been in connection with the fatal shooting. Anyone with information about Robinson's death is asked to call the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office at 201-915-1345 or leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor's website. All information will be kept confidential.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
HOBOKEN -- Ravinder S. Bhalla, an attorney and former councilman, was sworn in as Hoboken's 39th mayor Monday afternoon, pledging in his inaugural address to focus on core governmental functions, oversee infrastructure projects and rid Mile Square City of the semi-annual bar crawls that he called a "menace."

Bhalla, 43, was elected the state's first Sikh mayor in November. The historic win was mentioned frequently during today's inauguration, held in front of a crowd of about 700 in the auditorium of Hoboken High School.

In his inaugural speech, Bhalla referenced a rash of racially motivated attacks on Indian Americans in Hudson County in 1987, one of them a fatal beating of a Jersey City man in Hoboken.

"What a long way we've come," he said. "This past election was a model of diversity showcasing for New Jersey and America a city that cares less about who you love, where you came from, what your gender is, where you worship than they care about your ability to take on the challenges ahead for our city."

Bhalla's win in the six-person mayor's race came days after fliers appeared in Hoboken smearing him as a terrorist. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat who performed the oath of office for Bhalla, said the election result should be seen as a victory for the nation's principles and ideals.

"In a time of darkness, in a time of distress, in a time when there are headlines about the divisions and the divisiveness and the hatred and the bigotry and the ignorance, Hoboken looked around and said, you know what, we're going to find a qualified and competent, compassionate man of integrity," Booker said. "We're going to find someone who leads with love."

Bhalla succeeds one of his allies, Dawn Zimmer, who did not seek a third term last year. Bhalla toasted Zimmer, who sat on the stage behind him.

"Without Mayor Zimmer's guidance, hard work and persistence, I would not be standing here today," he said, calling her accomplishments "truly incredible and historic."

Bhalla was joined today by Hoboken's three at-large council members, Jim Doyle, Vanessa Falco and Emily Jabbour. Doyle begins his second full term today, Falco and Jabbour their first terms.

In November, Falco became the first African American person to win election to Hoboken's nine-member council. Falco addressed her own historic win in her remarks to the crowd, saying that growing up she was always proud that her mother was the city's first black school principal.

"I hope today I've accomplished the same for my boys," she said.

The man expected to become New Jersey's next attorney general, Gurbir Grewal, was also on the stage at Hoboken High School today. Grewal, like Bhalla a turbaned Sikh man, told a story about being mistaken for Bhalla during a recent visit to Hoboken.

"Hardly a block went by without someone stopping me and saying, 'Congratulations, mayor,' and offering me their best wishes," Grewal said. "I played along with it, and so I answered questions about parking on Washington Street and committed Ravi to more open space while holding the line on taxes."

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
Welcome to 2018.

Given the year that the Hudson music community enjoyed in 2017, with a brand spanking new concert venue in Jersey City and record turnouts for events in Hoboken and the Harsimus Cemetery, there's every right to optimism. And by community, I mean the musicians, the business owners and the fans, all of whom form a vital continuum in keeping live original music healthy.



But there are dark clouds on the horizon, too.

Listen to Jersey City musician and blogger Tris McCall, a man I'm always eager to quote because he's so much smarter than I am about so many things:

"The real estate spike has generated the surplus dollars that have driven our modest cultural revival. At the same time, we face a federal tax bill that seems designed to punish New Jersey, and the municipal government appears to have run out of fancy footwork and must conduct a citywide tax revaluation -- which could be a doozy. We haven't had one in forever. We don't know how the deck is going to play once those cards are shuffled. It's entirely possible that people in the Downtown and the Heights -- the two neighborhoods with the rock clubs -- are going to get hit with giant tax hikes that they can't even deduct. It might not play out like that. Nobody is sure. But that indeterminacy has given an edge of anxiety to everything that's happened in Jersey City in 2017. Look at real estate sales Downtown. Everything is flattening out. People are holding their breaths and waiting for the hammer to fall. That's what Jersey City feels like right now. At least to me."

Things aren't much brighter in Hoboken.

Money is so tight that the city has had to hire local bands instead of national headliners for the last few Arts & Music Festivals. Northern Soul is out of the equation. Maxwell's Tavern, struggling to establish an identity in the brave new world of post-gentrified Hoboken, lost its booker, closed its kitchen and has started booking frequent trivia nights and cover bands to cover costs. There's only one original music night on the club's event calendar for January, and even in the best of times, Maxwell's back room barely broke even. That's a big place to make a go of it as just a bar, as one scene regular observed.

Finnegan's has its open mic and bands will occasionally throw together a benefit show at Guitar Bar Jr. or some other alternative space, but Hoboken needs more venues soon, before the talented up-and-coming talent in town just throws up their collective hands and starts gigging exclusively in Manhattan and Brooklyn.



For 51 weeks a year, I observe and report on the Hudson music scene, and it's a job I both enjoy and relish: interviewing musicians and announcing upcoming events, reviewing new releases, and helping promote benefits and special events.

For the new year, for this week, I'm forgoing the role of journalist and writing as an advocate.

Here is what I would like to see in 2018:



1. LOSE THE TIP BOX

In my year-end round up last week, local musicians and promoters enthused about the number of places for bands to play in comparison to previous years. And that's true. But what was left unsaid is that too often, artists find themselves playing for free, or relying on passing around a tip jar (which is basically the same thing). A modest $5 cover won't kill local music; let bands take the initiative and run the door themselves, if overhead is the concern. But musicians deserve to be paid.



2. MORE ALL-AGES VENUES



The loss of The Funhouse, the all-ages performance space run by Crazy & The Brains, was a huge blow to high school and college students under age 21 eager to see live music. Shows at White Eagle Hall are 18+, but there are only a few shows a month there and they're more expensive than normal shows.

New Jersey liquor laws make it next to impossible to do all-ages shows in bars, but it's hard to believe that there are no suitable spaces in Hudson County to host bands.

JAX (The Jersey Art Exchange) in Jersey City had been promoting all-ages showcases for young bands, but they only had one event in December. Promoter Darren Deicide is moving his monthly "Hokum" shows to the Jersey City Theater Center, where they will be all-ages, so perhaps more events could be scheduled there.

Whatever the solution turns out to be, if there are going to be audiences for live original music in the future, then we need to find a way to let young, interested fans and musicians participate now.



3. MORE VENUES IN DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS



Downtown Jersey City and the Jersey City Heights have been revitalized in part because of an up-tick in nightlife, in much the same way that Hoboken was transformed from a post-industrial ghost town to a booming bedroom community in the '80s by the arts and music scene at Maxwell's.

But why stop there?

There are enormous stretches of unexplored real estate along the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail that might yield bars or restaurants willing to host live music. The west side of Hoboken, which once boasted a vibrant scene at Northern Soul and Do-It-Yourself shows at the Monroe Center and the Neumann Leathers Building, might have enormous potential.

Yes, things are better today than they were five years ago, but they could be better still. And with the L Train closing down soon for repairs, an awful lot of young people will be looking for an alternative to the clubs in Willliamsburg and Bushwick. That's a potential goldmine waiting to be tapped.

***

To all the underpaid musicians, put-upon fans, and undertipped waiters and bartenders; to the underappreciated promoters and owners and entrepreneurs who make live music happen; to the critics and bloggers and writers who keep me informed and inspired; and most of all, to my readers,



A happy, healthy, prosperous, and rockin' New Year,



Jim Testa

Your Constant Listener
JERSEY CITY -- Mayor Steve Fulop was sworn in for a second term at a City Hall ceremony this afternoon, promising to continue the policies his administration has implemented since he was first elected four years ago.

Fulop, 40, said is committed to fight for progressive values while driving what he called "the strongest local economy in the region."

"We've certainly made our share of mistakes, but as we start the next four years together, I am a better individual, a better mayor, and we are a better city with an even brighter future as we start this new term," he said.

Fulop has previously said his second term would bring more of the same, and his speech tonight echoed his past statements. He pledged to create more parks, build more affordable housing and hire more police officers.

He also patted himself on the back for his November re-election, when voters returned him to office with a record-breaking 77 percent of the vote.

"In a city full of diverse residents, with differing viewpoints and ever-changing needs, this result clearly proves that the vast majority of residents believe in our progress during the past four years, and are committed to working together to move Jersey City forward during the next four, too," he said. "I am beyond grateful to have earned your confidence during my first term, and I promise that I will never let you down."

The inauguration, in front of a crowd of more than 500 assembled inside City Hall's council chambers, included the swearings-in of all nine members of the City Council. Five are returning to the legislative body -- Rolando Lavarro, Daniel Rivera, Joyce Watterman, Rich Boggiano, Michael Yun and Jermaine Robinson -- while four are new to elective office: Denise Ridley, Mira Prinz-Arey and James Solomon.

The subsequent council re-organization meeting provided more drama than the preceding inaugurations.

One of the first orders of business was appointing a council president for the next two years. Lavarro and Watterman had been lobbying for the title, but the council voted 7-2 on a motion to reappoint Lavarro. Watterman, who was hoping to become the first black woman council president in the city's history, voted no, as did Rivera.

The result stunned many of the roughly 100 people who remained in the chambers following the inauguration. Watterman's daughter, Jennifer Watterman Moore, heckled the council from her front-row seat in the chambers following the vote.

"She should have been president!" Watterman Moore said. "That's terrible. You guys cannot keep your word."

Both Watterman Moore and Rivera blamed Yun, saying he told Watterman in recent days that he would support her for council president. Yun has clashed with Lavarro over the last four years but when Solomon made a motion to appoint Lavarro as president, Yun seconded.

Yun told The Jersey Journal it isn't true that he agreed to support Watterman and changed his mind at the last minute. He said he met with both candidates and decided Lavarro's experience gave him the edge.

Asked to respond, Rivera said, "Yun is a liar."

"That is horrible, ugly politics," Rivera said.

The council meets next for a caucus on Monday, Jan. 8.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
BAYONNE -- A city man was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child after he punched a car window, causing the shattered glass to hit two children in the rear seat, police said.

On Saturday at 3 p.m., police arrested Alejandro Galindo, 42, of Bayonne, after he punched the tail light and rear window of a 21-year-old victim's car, authorities said. The two men were known to each other, but police declined to say what precipitated the incident.

Glass from the rear window shattered and struck the children in the back seat, a 2-year-old and and a 3-month-old, but they were not injured, police said.

Galindo was charged with criminal mischief to auto and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said.

Corey W. McDonald may be reached at cmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @coreymacc. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.
JERSEY CITY -- Jury selection began today in the trial of a Jersey City man who was 16 when authorities say he murdered a Dickinson High School student.

Isaiah Huggins, who turned 18 today, is being tried for the April 26, 2016, murder of 17-year-old Rondell Rush, who was fatally shot in the area of Fulton Avenue near Martin Luther King Drive.

Arriving officers came upon a group of people moving a wounded Rush into a car and ordered them to stop, but the vehicle drove away, officials said.

The vehicle was stopped about four blocks away and Rush was taken to the Jersey City Medical Center by ambulance. He was pronounced dead the following afternoon, officials said.

Huggins, a Snyder High School sophomore at the time of the shooting, was charged as a juvenile on April 30, 2016. On Nov. 9 of that year, the charges against him were waived up to the Hudson County Superior Court Criminal Division, where he is being prosecuted as an adult.

"His involvement with the criminal justice system even as a juvenile is somewhat involved and includes several assaults," Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascale said when Huggins made his first court appearance on the murder charge as an adult.

The judge set his bail at $500,000 cash or bond and Huggins was remanded to the Hudson County jail in Kearny as a 16-year-old. He faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of murder.

The trial is before Hudson County Superior Court Mark Nelson in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.

The state is represented by Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Greg Mullens. Huggins is being represented by defense attorneys Mary Ciancimino and Caitlin Flood.
Firefighters responded to an early-morning house fire on New Year's Eve in Franklin Township in Hunterdon County.

The fire was reported by neighbors returning home just after 12:30 a.m. at a Pittstown Road residence, according to those at the scene. The homeowners were reportedly asleep inside when the fire broke out.

Firefighters worked quickly to contain the fire to a porch, the only part of the home to sustain fire damage. There was smoke damage to the interior of the house adjacent to the porch. Firefighters also used exhaust fans to ventilate the house.

One of the residents was checked for smoke inhalation, but did not go to the hospital, it was reported.

Pittstown Road was closed between Quakertown and Everittstown roads while the fire was extinguished.

Responding were Quakertown Fire Department and its EMS Division, Clinton Fire Department, Station 51 and township police.

A number of other departments were canceled while responding to the fire or asked to cover those who responded, including Annandale Hose Company (which covered Quakertown's firehouse), High Bridge Fire Department (which covered Clinton's firehouse), Lebanon Borough Fire Department, Kingwood Fire Department's tanker and Clinton Rescue Squad.
The coldest New Year's Day ever recorded in New Jersey did not deter about 500 adventurers in Asbury Park from running into the Atlantic Ocean on Monday, with an especially hardy few diving under the waves.

Turnout at the 15th annual Sons of Ireland Polar Bear Plunge was about half of what it was in peak years, longtime organizer Mitchell Martin said afterward.

"There were more spectators than plungers. Usually, it's the other way around," Martin said, referring to those who lined the boardwalk or climbed the rocks near the shoreline for a better view.

Martin, though, said he was more than satisfied, under the circumstances.

"I thought it was going be a dead year," he said.

Elsewhere in New Jersey, two other polar plunges were cancelled and a third was postponed, while the Atlantic City Polar Bear Plunge joined Asbury Park in continuing as planned.

In a concession to the elements, the Pledge of Allegiance was performed inside the Asbury Park Convention Hall, enabling participants to minimize their exposure. The sand was covered in some places with a thin layer of snow.

It was low tide when the plunge began at 1:30 p.m., after a half-hour delay due to some late arrivals. Rescue workers were stationed by a sand bar, about 100 feet out, and not letting anyone go further.

Matt Andras, taking part in his eighth straight Asbury Park plunge, said he was among those reaching the sand bar.

"It was freaking cold," Andras said.

"The water wasn't the problem. The water was fine. It was the outside air temperature. Your fingers and toes were numb before getting into the water," he said.

The polar plunge itself lasted only a few festive minutes. Some were wearing costumes, including a festive-looking Santa Claus, while others were clad in no more than their usual summer swimming gear.

Andras was especially hard to miss. He was wearing a tutu and feathered boa with his bathing suit.

All were drying out afterward inside the convention hall.

Mandy Hanigan, unlike many others, had visibly damp hair.

Hanigan, taking part in the plunge for a fourth year, explained that she wanted to maintain her streak of going underwater.

"I do it every year, so I was like, I've got to do it again. I don't know if it was the wisest choice," Hanigan said with a smile.

"It was really hard. Really painful," Hamigan added.

In the hours leading up to the plunge, organizers had expressed some sensitivity to blowback from those questioning the wisdom of proceeding.

Martin, who got busy with logistics and abandoned his planned dip, said no injuries or other problems were reported.

"As soon as everybody came inside, I started running around the floor, checking on people, seeing how everbody was. Everybody said they were cold, but they were warmed up," Martin said.

Participants paid $25 apiece for the event, which was a fundraiser for charity. The proceeds were still being tallied as of 6 p.m.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
(Photo via Facebook by the New Jersey Working Families Alliance.)

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Let's see who came out on top this year:

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1. U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez: His federal corruption trial led many New Jerseyans to wonder about the feds' motivation in deciding to bring this case to trial. The trial, which ended in a mistrial, saw 11 of 13 jurors giving up days of their lives to argue for his innocence, and paved the way for his comeback. His defiant declaration to the Justice Department: "if you want to prosecute, bring it on" shows a new-found readiness for battle. But here's the reality: the senior statesman of Latinos throughout the nation  unified and mobilized in this divisive era  and the distraction provided by #metoo claims about other legislators means that there is little appetite for Menendez's blood. Menendez emerged from his trial stronger than ever.

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2. Senate President Steve Sweeney: In the most expensive legislative race in history, Sweeney beat back an ill-advised challenge from the state largest teacher's union, the New Jersey Education Association, who jumped into bed with a candidate whose positions were antithetical to their own. They lost. Big time. Sweeney won. BIG Time. With the confidence of his chamber, he is a force that the new administration needs to reckon with, whether they like it or not.

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3. Phil Murphy: Thanks to the strategy concocted by Essex County Freeholder Brendan Gill, Murphy will be sashaying into Drumthwacket without having to break a sweat. That's good, because he'll need that energy in the years to come.

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(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

New Jersey's political bosses: The verdict is still out on the relationship between Murphy and Camden County power broker George Norcross, but the others in the back-room crowd will celebrate the New Year knowing that, after eight long years, finally there's a Democrat in office who will do their bidding. Many idealistic fools hoped that Murphy would demonstrate an independent streak once elected and work to clean up the proverbial swamp, but Murphy has promptly squandered any hope that he would take on the bosses, appointing a Cabinet that reflects not only New Jersey's demographic differences, but also its varying political allegiances. The problem will come in governing: the only folks whose primary loyalty is to Murphy is his senior staff. Everyone else, it would seem, has his own agenda, his own allegiances, which may conflict with Murphy's. And ours.

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Assemblyman Craig Coughlin: Coughlin formed a coalition comprised of South and Central Jersey Democrats along with legislators from Essex County (who defected from their Northern alliance) and did the unthinkable: he beat North Jersey, in the form of Assemblyman Vincent Prieto, who succumbed to Coughlin's challenge for the speakership. Coughlin will be instrumental in negotiating among factions in the legislature, and between the legislature and the governor's office.

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And who is hoping for a better 2018:

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Commuters: While it is encouraging that transportation appears to be a key priority for the Murphy administration, know that improvements will come with "expected delays."

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Sexual harassers: The number of careers that have supposedly ended because of bad behavior is both startling and discouraging. While it's grand that these folks are getting their comeuppance, I have to wonder when the creeps will start emerging as "rehabilitated" versions of their former selves. My gut tells me that many of these scenes are unplanned intermissions rather than final curtains.

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Congressmen Tom MacArthur and Rodney Frelinghuysen: Incumbent members of the House of Representatives enjoy a 90 percent election rate, but this is not a good time to be a Republican House member in New Jersey. MacArthur, who is entertaining a 2021 gubernatorial run, supported both the repeal of Obamacare and the Trump tax plan. Can his district really be that Republican? Frelinghuysen has attracted a formidable opponent in Mikie Sherrill, a former Navy pilot and former prosecutor who enjoys the backing of all four of the Democratic party chairs in the New Jersey 11th District, making this toss-up district the one to watch in 2018.

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(Photo by Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

The New Jersey GOP: The good guys in the party have been waiting for years for the end of the Chris Christie nightmare  a time in which they were prevented from building a bench, following their conscience or garnering any recognition, and a time in which party funds went to pay for Christie's legal expenses and some of his transportation costs. That era has finally come, and now they are saddled with an even bigger problem in their national party leader.

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Gov. Chris Christie: Among the saddest narratives is that of Christie, a man of incredible political skill and intelligence, who, for a short while, gave New Jerseyans hope that the system could be reformed. Catapulted to the national stage because of his very reasonableness, he lacked the confidence in himself to run in 2012, and then began to doubt his own moderate, bipartisan brand. So we were saddled with a "shoulda, coulda, woulda" governor who was never really thinking about us, but rather the conservative wing of the Republican Party, whose favor he sought perfervidly but never won. Wasted talent, misspent potential, squandered hope. Damn shame.

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Brigid Callahan Harrison is professor of political science and law at Montclair State University, where she teaches courses in American government. A frequent commentator on state and national politics, she is the author of five books on American politics. Like her on Facebook at Brigid Callahan Harrison. Follow her on Twitter @BriCalHar.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
Funding for improving or building new roads. Funding for schools. Money for Medicaid, housing assistance and neighborhood improvements.

How dollars are allocated for these services depends largely on figures compiled by the U.S. Census, conducted every 10 years to determine how congressional and state legislative districts will be carved out in the decade to come.

So it's vitally important to get the count right.

Which means that in New Jersey, it's time to worry.

With the 2020 Census looming, researchers say there's a good chance many of our residents will be undercounted - and, consequently, they will be under-represented when it comes time to determine public policy.

With the state's growing communities of color and immigrant populations, all of our cities contain what researchers term "hard-to-count" populations: areas where the 2010 Census mail return rate was 73 percent or less.

Close to 2 million of us live in such areas, more than 20 percent of our residents.

Significantly, many people living in such tracts are racial and ethnic minorities, as well as renters, single-parent householders, immigrants, people who struggle with English proficiency, and people with limited incomes.

Failure to count these people will have serious implications when it comes time to allocate federal dollars, and also when it comes time to establish the boundaries of legislative districts into the next decade.

An accurate census is also vital to ensuring that New Jersey gets its rightful number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Muddying the picture is the fact that the U.S. Census Bureau has been leader-less since May, when longtime former director John Thompson resigned.

Or that the White House has seen fit to cut costs by scaling back the bureau's budget, leading to the cancellation of two important field tests - one of which would have taken place in Puerto Rico to test the Spanish-language capabilities of Census systems.

Further threatening the outcome of the upcoming count is what Terry Ann Lowenthal, a former staff member of the House Census Oversight Committee, calls a "climate of fear" fostered by anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric coming from the Trump Administration.

Lowenthal, who served from 1987 to 1994, cautions that the surge in deportations on the part of the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency might scare off many people who might otherwise participate.

Ditto members of the state's large Muslim community, who are legitimately put off by the president's oft-stated animosity.

As members of New Jersey's congressional delegation head back to Washington after their holiday break, we hope they keep in mind the urgency of addressing these issues.

As Lowenthal observes, "There are no do-overs in the Census. The Census Bureau has one chance to get it right, and we'll have to live with the results for the next 10 years."

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.
The college professor arrested eight times since 2005 while protesting the New Jersey bear hunt is back behind bars, this time serving a 15-day stint in jail.

Bill Crain, 74, turned himself in at the Sussex County jail in Newton at 8:44 a.m. Tuesday, according to the county sheriff's office.

It is Crain's second stint in the county jail. The City College of New York psychology professor spent just over a week in the same jail in January 2017 following his 7th conviction stemming from an act of civil disobedience during the hunt.

His six prior convictions were resolved with fines.

Supporters are planning to gather outside the jail at 11 a.m. Sunday, exactly one year after a vigil was held for Crain during his first lockup.

Crain is scheduled to be released on Jan. 17, one day after Gov.-elect Phil Murphy -- who has said he will halt the bear hunt -- is sworn in as governor.

Upon pleading guilty Dec. 20, Crain alluded to Murphy's pledge and told the judge that he probably wouldn't see him next year.

The judge, in response, quipped that Crain should just sent a postcard.

While other bear hunt protesters have been arrested since New Jersey resumed the hunt in 2003, Crain remains the only one sentenced to jail.

He was arrested Oct. 14 after exiting the designated protest area in Fredon and walked across the street toward a check station for hunters returning with bears.

In addition to being sentenced to jail, an outcome that Crain said he expected, the judge fined him $2,500.

He had faced up to six months in jail for obstructing the administration of law, one of the two charges to which he pleaded guilty.

The judge agreed to let Crain serve his time while City College is in recess, in order for Crain -- a 47-year member of the faculty -- not to miss any classes.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook
Amber Alerts have been issued for two missing Texas girls who may have been abducted by a 44-year-old man with a criminal history and ties to southwestern Louisiana, according to reports by ABC News and Lake Charles-based KPLC-7.

Luluvioletta Bandera-magret, 7, and Lilianais Griffith, 14, were last seen Saturday (Dec. 30) in their hometown of Round Rock, about 20 miles north of Austin, the news stations report.

Authorities say the girls may have been kidnapped by 44-year-old Terry Miles, whose relationship to the girls was not immediately clear.

According to the report by KPLC-7, Miles is a person of interest in the suspicious death of a Round Rock woman. His criminal history includes a 2011 second-degree murder arrest in Sulphur, near Lake Charles.

The three may be traveling in a gray 2017 Hyundai Accent with Texas license plate JGH9845.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the missing children or Terry Miles is asked to call 911 or the Round Rock Police Department at 512-218-5516.

For the full report, click here.
Police are searching for a man reported missing from Algiers after he was last seen a week ago, according to a Monday (Jan. 1) news release from the NOPD.

Gregory Melrose, 57, was last seen around 9 p.m. on Christmas Eve in the 800 block of Diana Street, police said.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Gregory Melrose is asked to call Fourth District detectives at 504-658-6040.
Here are picks from NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune's food team for eating and drinking events in the weeks ahead.

SATURDAY (Jan. 6)

Carnival Kickoff  Pizza NOLA (141 W. Harrison Ave.) celebrates the start of carnival with the ceremonial arrival of Dong Phuong king cakes. Music by Benny Grunch. Complimentary breakfast and Coast Roast coffee. Free. 810 a.m.

Tamale Festival  Taste tamales from from several vendors at this new festival inside Poor Boys Bar (1328 St. Bernard Ave.). A tamale-eating competition and the crowning of a tamale king and queen are part of the festivities. Live music from Margie Perez, The Iguanas, and Dat Band. Free. 126:30 p.m.

'Farmhouse Chef' demo  Jamie DeMent, author of the new cookbook "Farmhouse Chef," will offer a cooking demonstration at SoFab (1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd.). DeMent is the owner of Piedmont restaurant in Durham, N.C. Free with museum admission. 1 p.m.

Leah Chase's 95th Birthday Party  Celebrate the birthday of the legendary Leah Chase at a gala dinner at the Hyatt Regency (601 Poydras St.). The event supports the Chase Family Foundation. $250. 710 p.m. See dookychasefoundation.org.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

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Jan. 20  Bal Masque, a benefit for the Link Stryjewski Foundation, brings in chefs from across the country. This year, the Haitian group RAM will headline.

Jan. 28  The annual King Cake Festival benefits Ochsner Hospital for Children.

March 810  Sip something strong at New Orleans Bourbon Fest.

March 9  Taste Belgian and Belgian-style beers at Nuit Belge.

March 15  Top Taco, the taco festival and competition, comes back for its second year and moves to Woldenberg Park.

March 23-24  Hogs for the Cause, the popular barbecue cookoff to benefit children with pediatric brain cancer, returns to the grounds outside the UNO Lakefront Arena.

Know of a great food event? Let us know at foodevents@nola.com.
When New Orleans City Councilwoman Stacy Head and her husband decided their children were reaching the age when they needed to have "the talk," she said she read "everything there was to read" about the topic.

But even though Head said she and her husband told their children where babies came from and what would happen to them biologically as they aged, her children "shut down and would not have conversations with us about puberty or sex," Head said.

Those conversations, she said Dec. 7 during a roundtable panel about the state of sex education in Louisiana, are illustrative of how important it is to have the state's schools be a part of the discussion, too.

Sex education is already a controversial topic in religious red states like Louisiana, where state law requires local school districts set laws to "provide procedures for the administration" of sex education in classes such as biology or physical education. In New Orleans, where a majority of schools are charters authorized by the independently elected Orleans Parish School Board and the state-run Recovery School District, OPSB's abstinence-first sex education policy only applies to district-run schools, meaning a majority of charter organizations lack a sex education policy.

However, findings released in December by the Louisiana Public Health Institute shed light on a growing number of school operators interested in using "comprehensive" sex education to teach students about abstinence, contraception and sexually transmitted diseases.

Head was joined by officials from two health nonprofits, the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies and the Louisiana Public Health Institute, for the Dec. 7 roundtable

"In Orleans Parish, a survey of school leaders show that nearly all of them -- 96 percent -- want comprehensive sex education in their schools because they know the importance of this education for their students," Lisanne Brown, LPHI's evaluation and research director, said.

LPHI surveyed 77 percent of the education agencies in New Orleans and found in 2016 that 81 percent of charter operators are ready and want sex education in schools. Currently only 24 schools -- or 29 percent -- have policies in place to teach sex education, the report stated. Fourteen percent of the charter operators surveyed are getting ready for sex education, but they are not yet ready to take action.

Researchers found the decentralization of the city's school system posed a challenge in assessing the state of sex education in New Orleans. Likewise, the stigma around discussing sexual health "makes many school staff uninterested and even unwilling to participate in the assessment," the report stated.

State law focuses on teaching abstinence, but LPHI stated there is room for a comprehensive approach in sex education. However, the report notes the state policy confuses educators concerned about what types of sex education curricula are possible and legal.

The report also stated school administrators feel like they lack the staff time or class time to devote to sex education. Educators also worry the staff lacks the training and comfort needed to teach comprehensive sex education. These concerns were also compounded by a reported lack of funding and instructional material to assist teachers in teaching sex education.

Brown stressed sex education should begin at home where parents and caregivers can speak with their children. However, she said, the "most effective" way to provide sex education is to continue those conversations in schools because "schools have an important responsibility to provide young people with honest, age-appropriate sex education."

Lawmakers in 2015 rejected bills by state Rep. Wesley Bishop, D-New Orleans, to mandate comprehensive sex education in New Orleans public schools by 2017 and survey New Orleans students about their sexual behavior. Regardless, Brown encourages parents to speak with their child's school leaders because "all students deserve this education."

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"These survey results, along with the fact that Louisiana consistently has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy and new STD and HIV infections in this country, clearly show that we need a change," Brown said.

"Teachers and school administrators see the consequences from not having this education and want to implement programs to improve their student's health, and from the parents' survey we know parents also agree," Brown added.

A statewide Internet survey of 600 parents found 84 percent of respondents believe sex education is an important part of school curriculum, and 74 percent believe schools should be required to offer sex education. Parents also believe sex education should begin before high school, with a large majority -- 65 percent -- believing it should begin during middle school between 6th and 8th grade.

Eighty percent of parents also agree with sex education information that emphasizes abstinence, but the survey stated they also want schools to provide information about birth control. The parents' survey can be read at GeauxTalk.org.

Additionally, 61 percent of Louisiana parents surveyed believe their child has received sex education or will be receiving sex education in schools. Officials are uncertain, however, about whether that is true.

"Louisiana state law does not require schools to offer sex education, so we know very little about what -- or even if -- schools are teaching sex education," Rheneisha Robertson, the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies's chief programs officer, said Dec. 7.

LPHI conducted the survey in collaboration with the Institute of Women & Ethnic Studies. In addition to collaborating with LPHI to create the survey, the institute has provided sex education classes to 2,500 young people in New Orleans since 2010 through middle schools and community groups. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides federal funding to Robertson's institute to support its sex education programs.

However, Robertson drew attention to how funding cuts to the U.S. Office of Adolescent Health will force them to discontinue offering many resources starting June 30. Those programs were used by more than 4,000 young people in southeast Louisiana, she said, but the institute will continue to work with New Orleans schools.

The survey findings were released as part of a Geaux Talk campaign to encourage parents to start conversations about sexual health at home and to contact their school board-members about including comprehensive sex education in their child's school curriculum. Head said the study confirms parents want "fact-based sex education, biologically based in schools."

Head stressed philanthropic organizations will need "to step in" to aide non-profits like Robertson's institute to "fill the void that the government has left for whatever reason" by cutting back funding. Head also said she hopes the Geaux Talk campaign will empower parents to tell the legislature that they want sex education in schools.

"This is an area where, again as a parent, I know we need help," Head said.

. . . . . . .

Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles.
Hawaii's climate commission has completed its first assessment of the state's vulnerability to sea level rise and the outlook isn't good. The report estimates that 20,000 Hawaii residents could be displaced by the end of the century, according to a story by the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.

The state's Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Adaptation Report was mandated by state law in 2014. The report explains how the state's chain of islands would be transformed by 3.2 feet of sea level rise by 2100. That's the worst case scenario of sea level rise estimated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the international body for assessing the science related to climate change.

If the sea rises 3.2 feet, as predicted, 25,800 acres of land in the state would be rendered unusable and 6,500 structures near the shoreline would be compromised or washed way, including hotels, shopping malls and small businesses, according to the report. Among the recommendations included in the report is a "managed retreat strategy" for vulnerable areas.
After 15 years, and after inspiring James Franco's "The Disaster Artist," filmmaker Tommy Wiseau finally gets what he's been waiting so long for: a theatrical release of his 2003 film "The Room," which will play in theaters nationwide for one night only. It tops this week's listing of off-the-beaten path events coming up for local film fans.

'The Room'

Elmwood Palace, Perkins Rowe (Baton Rouge).

The local theaters team with Fathom Events for a one-night engagement of writer-director-producer-actor Tommy Wiseau's midnight movie phenomenon "

" (8 p.m. Jan. 10), an unintentional comedy that has become known as the "Citizen Kane" of bad movies -- and which inspired actor-director James Franco's 2017 comedy "

." The program will include Tommy Wiseau commercials and the trailer for "Best F(r)iends," an upcoming film starring Wiseau and his "Room" co-star Greg Sestero.

For details, including ticketing information, visit the Fathom Events website

Prytania Theatre Classic Movie Series: 'The Mark of Zorro'

Prytania Theatre,

5339 Prytania St., 504.891.2787.

The New Orleans theater continues its twice-weekly screening series focusing on Hollywood classics. Next up: director Rouben Mamoulian's 1940 swashbuckling romance "

" (10 a.m. Sunday and Jan. 10), starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Basil Rathbone. Coming up: "Going My Way" (Jan. 13 and 17), "The Big Heat" (Jan. 21 and 24), "Boys Town" (Jan. 28 and 31), "In a Lonely Place" (Feb. 4 and 7) and "An Affair to Remember" (Feb. 11 and 13).

Tickets are $6. For details visit the

.

'Devil's Gate'

Chalmette Movies

. The local theater teams with IFC Films for a limited engagement of director Clay Staub's horror-thriller "

" (9:20 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 5 and 6), starring Milo Ventimiglia, Bridget Regan and Jonathan Frakes in the story of an FBI investigator who gets more than she bargained for when a missing persons case leads her to a remote farmhouse.

For details, including ticketing information, visit the Chalmette Movies website.

'Alien Intrusion: Unmasking a Deception'

Canal Place, Elmwood Palace, Westbank Palace, Covington Stadium 14, Slidell Grand, Perkins Rowe (Baton Rouge), Baton Rouge Movie Tavern, Cinemark 16 (Gulfport.)

The theaters team with Fathom Events for a one-night engagement of the documentary "

" (7 p.m. Jan. 11), based on the book of the same name and which seeks to find the truth behind UFO sightings.

For details, including ticketing information, visit the Fathom Events website.

Kenner Planetarium and Megadome Cinema

2020 Fourth St., Kenner

. The local planetarium continues its weekly Saturday screening series, with a focus on educational programming. The schedule for Saturdays in January: "

" (11 a.m., 27 mins); "

" (noon, 32 minutes); "

" (1 p.m., 42 minutes); "

" (2 p.m., 35 minutes); and "

" (3 p.m., 35 minutes).

Tickets are $6 ($5 for seniors and children). Open Tuesdays through Fridays by appointment only for groups. For details, visit

or call 468-7231.

Entergy Giant Screen Theater Aquarium of the Americas, 1 Canal St. The aquarium's in-house theater hosts regular screenings, with an emphasis on nature documentaries. For details, including ticketing information, visit the Entergy Giant Screen Theater website.

Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center

1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 504.352.1150

. The local alternative movie house continues its screenings of off-the-beaten-path indie films. New this week: director Philippe Van Leauw's wartime drama "

" (7:30 p.m. Friday through Thursday, Jan. 11); and actor-director Noel Wells' indie comedy "

" (9:15 nightly Friday through Thursday, Jan. 5 to 11). Holding over: the art documentary "

" (6 nightly through Thursday; 5:45 p.m. Saturday; 3:45 p.m. Sunday; and 5:45 p.m. Monday and Wednesday, Jan. 10), by French filmmaker Agnes Varda and muralist JR; and the British drama "

" (7:45 p.m. through Thursday; and 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Jan. 9 and Thursday, Jan. 11). Finishing its local run: the controversial Polish thriller "

" (9:45 nightly through Thursday).

Tickets are $8 ($7 for students and seniors; $6 for members), unless otherwise indicated. For details, visit the

.
President Donald Trump is emphasizing his vow to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border and additional conditions for an immigration deal, as congressional leaders and White House officials plan a meeting Wednesday (Jan. 3) that will set terms for a coming debate on the issue.

GOP lawmakers have largely avoided talking about the border wall, a central Trump campaign promise, in negotiations with Democrats on legislation to provide protection against deportation for 800,000 young undocumented immigrants while also bolstering border security and interior enforcement of immigration laws.

House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, was asked during a Fox News interview Tuesday about the likelihood a budget deal would include money for the border wall.

"I think there is an agreement that can be reached. It's got to start with border security, though, and putting money in place to start building the wall," Scalise said. "As President Trump said, he campaigned on this, and he won the presidency with this being a front and center issue. Let's go and secure our border."

The president said in September that he would end the Obama-era program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, in early March. Trump has expanded his demands for what he wants in exchange for a DACA accord: eliminating family immigration preferences and ending a diversity lottery program that provides visas to people in countries with low rates of migration to the U.S.

Trump punctuated the holidays with a series of tweets renewing demands that an immigration measure include a border wall, which is strongly opposed by Democrats and many Republicans in Congress. He's also accusing Democrats of playing politics in the debate.

"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 in a tweet Friday from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.

He wrote on Tuesday, "Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics."

Immigration is one of the top issues that Congress pushed into 2018 as Republicans who control the Senate and House focused instead on passing a massive $1.5 trillion tax-cut measure. Democrats are insisting that the next federal spending bill include protection for the undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children. The White House meeting Wednesday will include White House budget director Mick Mulvaney and legislative liaison Marc Short.

Republican lawmakers are pushing for a mandatory "E-Verify" system for employers to ensure their workers are documented and to include deep cuts to legal immigration.

Some of the young immigrants have expulsion protections that expire before March, with more than 7,900 already losing DACA protections since Trump acted in September, according to the Center for American Progress in Washington.

Bipartisan talks in the Senate for an immigration compromise could yield legislation addressing needs of the immigrants as early as next month. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has pledged to put such a plan on the Senate floor this month if it has broad support in both parties.

- Laura Litvan (c) 2018, Bloomberg

Correction: This story was updated after Bloomberg incorrectly reported that Scalise did not mention President Trump's proposed border wall during a Fox News interview.
With temperatures dipping into the low 20s and brisk winds making it feel even colder Tuesday (Jan. 2) on the North Shore, the Slidell Police Department is searching for the person it believes is responsible for the unusually frigid air and is prepared to take down the culprit "dead or alive."

In a tongue-in-cheek post on its Facebook page, the municipal police agency has put out a wanted poster for Queen Elsa from the 2013 animated musical fantasy movie "Frozen." Elsa, born with the power to manipulate ice and snow, is the film's tragic heroine and is now the make-believe quarry of the Slidell police. The department gave no indication that as to the believed whereabouts of the Disney ice queen.

On top of a poster offering a $1 million cash reward, the Facebook post says "Slidell PD has issued an arrest warrant for Queen Elsa from Frozen. As you can see by the weather, she is a very dangerous girl. Approach with caution!"

The Slidell Police Department Facebook item says the Harlan, Kentucky, Police Department was the first to link Queen Elsa to the frigid weather in the south.

"This funny post was originally made by the Harlan Police Department several years ago ... we had to borrow it!" The post is trending on social media Tuesday morning.
It began with a request from the police department in Dodge City, Kansas: Could Slidell police officers check out someone going by the name Michael Neu?

That was in May 2016. Detectives Michael Giardina and Nick Burtanog of the Slidell Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit didn't even know if Michael Neu was a real person. After all, the request from Dodge City was in connection with a complaint from a person who said they were conned out of money in an internet scam.

But the detectives soon found out that not only was Neu a real person, he was also willing to talk about what they said was his role in numerous internet scams. And some 18 months later it would lead to Neu being arrested and charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering.

In announcing his arrest in a news release Dec. 28, Slidell police said Neu was the "middle man" in online romance and Nigerian prince schemes. On Tuesday, detectives said those scams raked in more than $250,000. The detectives said they have tracked transactions involving victims in 17 states, including some in Louisiana.

Neu, who was arrested Nov. 28, remained in custody in the St. Tammany Parish Jail in Covington on $30,000 bond on Tuesday, jail records show. It could not be determined Tuesday if Neu is represented by an attorney.

Detectives Giardina and Burtanog spoke with a reporter from NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune Tuesday morning. Later Tuesday afternoon the department put out a news release providing some details of the investigation.

Shortly after receiving the request from Dodge City, the detectives found Neu and asked him to come to the police station to talk. During the conversation, Giardina and Burtanog said, he told them how years earlier he had been victimized in a romance scheme by someone he met on Facebook who called themselves "Maria Mendez,'' and how at some point he had gone from being a victim to being the "middle man'' in the scams.

In the romance scams, contact is made over the internet and often results in the victim continuing to send money -- typically routed through third parties -- to their romantic interest to help pay bills, cover airfare, etc.

In the Nigerian prince scam -- sometimes referred to by law enforcement as a "419,'' after the Nigerian statute outlawing fraud -- an email arrives from someone claiming to be or to represent a Nigerian prince or some other dignitary. They sometimes claim the recipient of the email is the beneficiary of a large sum of money but must first send some money or personal financial information, such as a bank account number, to speed the process. Other versions might involve someone purporting to be a government official seeking help moving money out of the country in exchange for a percentage of the total.

"They send out thousands of these day, hoping someone will bite,'' said Slidell Detective Daniel Seuzeneau, a police department spokesman.

And people do.

"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," Slidell police said in the news release announcing Neu's arrest.

The cases can be hard for authorities to crack because not only are the investigations complicated and time-consuming -- and often lead to people outside the U.S. -- but also because the victims are often too embarrassed to come forward.

Seuzeneau said the scams are so pervasive that for every person caught there are dozens more who are able to elude arrest.

Although police say Neu was the middle man, Giardina and Burtanog said their investigation took on the "Nigerian prince'' moniker.

The complaint from Dodge City involved a victim who had wired several thousand dollars to Neu. Dodge City police tracked that transaction to a Michael Neu in Slidell, police said.

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The Slidell detectives said Neu told them he had gone from being a victim to at some point becoming the middle person to whom "Maria Mendez'' directed scam victims to send money.

"'Maria Mendez' would send thousands of emails a day to people through email, text message, chatrooms, and social media, in hopes of finding a victim,'' Slidell police said in a news release later Tuesday afternoon. "The email's would consist of 'Nigerian Prince' scams, fraudulent IRS scams, reshipping scams, advance pay scams, etc.''

When someone would bite for the scam, Maria Mendez would direct them to wire Neu the money, police said. From there, the detectives said Neu told them he would wire the money to people Nigeria and keep a cut for himself. The police department's news release said the money was wired to "co-conspirators.''

The scammers use a "middle man'' to help conceal their identities and launder the money, police said.

The detectives said Neu was likely involved in several transactions per week. He set up numerous bank accounts to handle the money coming in from victims, the detectives said.

Police said most of the bank accounts were "frozen or closed due to him conducting suspected fraudulent transactions.''

"At some point, Western Union banned Neu from using their wire transfer services, forcing him to use other companies to do his transactions,'' police said in the news release.

The detectives said Neu told them in that first meeting that he knew it was illegal to wire such money to Nigeria. He was not arrested during that first meeting because the investigation was still ongoing, the detectives said.

The detectives had served approximately 40 search warrants in connection with the case, a time-consuming process as the papers were sent through the financial institutions legal departments. As information from those warrants slowly began coming back, the detectives said they noticed that Neu had continued to make wire transactions to Nigeria even after they had interviewed with him.

"He admitted he knew it was wrong,'' Burtanog said. "He admitted he kept doing it.''

Burtanog and Giardina said they don't know how much Neu would keep as his cut from the alleged transactions, but they said it likely wasn't very much.

Police said the investigation is continuing and that Slidell investigators are working with the U.S. Secret Service. It is unknown if additional charges will be filed, police said.

In the news release, police said there might be some recourse for some scam victims.

"If someone lost money to a scammer who had you pay using Western Union between January 1, 2004 and January 19, 2017, you can now file a claim to get your money back. Because of joint investigations by the FTC, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Western Union agreed to pay $586 million and admitted to aiding and abetting wire fraud. DOJ is now using that money to provide refunds to people who were tricked into using Western Union to pay scammers,'' the news release said.

The news release said people can visit this link for more information: https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/refunds/western-union-settlement-faqs
The last person to acknowledge the truth doesn't deserve the same credit as the first person who proclaimed it, but when a stolidly conservative publication swallows its pride and admits that it was wrong and liberals were right about a thing, then it seems fitting and proper to give that admission some attention. In this particular case, the thing is "stop-and-frisk," and the conservative publication acknowledging its error is William F. Buckley's baby, the National Review.

As the name suggests, stop-and-frisk allows the police to stop and frisk people without any evidence that they'd committed a crime. How anybody could think such a policy jibes with a 4th Amendment restriction against unreasonable searches and seizures is beyond me, but New York City - under the leadership of Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- trumpeted its stop-and-frisk policy and credited it with a low crime rate. It didn't matter to Bloomberg or to other proponents of the policy that black and Latino New Yorkers were complaining of incessant harassment.

Bill de Blasio, who followed Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion, promised during his campaign for mayor to discontinue stop-and-frisk, which caused The National Review to predict a scary increase in crime. But in a Jan. 1 column "We Were Wrong about Stop-and-Frisk," Kyle Smith, the magazine's critic-at-large, writes, "Today in New York City, use of stop-and-frisk, which the department justified via the 1968 Terry v. Ohio Supreme Court ruling, has crashed. Yet the statistics are clear: Crime is lower than ever. It's possible that crime would be even lower had stop-and-frisk been retained, but that's moving the goalposts. I and others argued that crime would rise. Instead, it fell. We were wrong."

The use of stop-and-frisk has gone down 98 percent since its peak in 2011. Smith acknowledges that de Blasio was "correct in saying the city could withstand a sharp decrease in stop-and-frisk. And he was right to draw attention to the social cost of the practice; more than 80 percent of those subjected to stop-and-frisk since the start of the Bloomberg administration were, according to the NYPD, completely innocent. That means hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers were unjustly subjected to embarrassment or even humiliation."

Wasn't that what everybody had been saying? That stop-and-frisk was a pro-harassment policy and not an anti-crime policy? Hooray, National Review for finally getting it.

It's important to give attention to the term "completely innocent," as used above. Assuming that Smith is using the same data and the same definitions as the the ACLU, which has tenaciously fought stop-and-frisk, completely innocent means that the person who was stopped and frisked was neither arrested or ticketed. But the point of stop-and-frisk is supposed to be violent crime reduction; so, what we really need to be asking is a question like this: How often did New York police find a gun on a person they stopped and frisked? According to data from 2011, when 685,724 stops were made, police found a gun less than 0.2 percent of the time.

So when the National Review says that 80 percent of those stopped and frisked were "completely innocent," not even that statistic, not even that admission, gets at how ridiculously inefficient stop-and-frisk was. Let's be plain, stop-and-frisk almost never led to the seizure of a weapon, even though getting weapons off the street is the reason New York officials said they were implementing stop-and-frisk.

This is important to us because just last year Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy was suggesting that New Orleans adopt the same stop-and-frisk policy that New York had abandoned. Kennedy wrongly asserted that stop-and-frisk had successfully kept the streets of New York safe and that New Orleans could become safer if we would do the same.

It's important to note that Kennedy had access to the same statistics mentioned above. It was not a secret that New York police who stopped and frisked pedestrians recovered a gun less than 0.02 percent of the time. Nor was it a secret that black and Latino residents of New York were complaining that the policy gave police carte blanche to harass them. And, still, Kennedy thought it was appropriate to suggest such a policy for New Orleans.

Crime is bad in New Orleans. There's no denying that fact. While we ended 2017 with fewer murders than we had in 2016, we're still embarrassingly higher than the national average and statistics show that there were more shootings in 2017 than 2016. But stop-and-frisk is guaranteed to subject many innocent people to harassment, which is just another way of saying it doesn't work.

If the National Review can begin the new year with an admission that it was wrong about stop-and-frisk, then Sen. Kennedy ought to be able to do the same.

Jarvis DeBerry is deputy opinions editor for NOLA.COM | The Times-Picayune. He can be reached at jdeberry@nola.com or at twitter.com/jarvisdeberry.
By almost any measure, the U.S. economy is humming. As 2017 came to a close, the White House reported that nearly 1.7 million new jobs had been created and the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.1 percent, the lowest in 17 years. The stock market reached record highs more than 60 times in the past year and closed above 24,000 for the first time in history.

"In the coming days, political analysts will write and the talking heads will discuss what this year means -- what it means for the president, what it means for Republican and Democrat parties, and for the never-ending political theater in Washington, D.C.," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in her Dec. 19 press briefing. "But I would encourage everyone to take a step outside of the Beltway bubble and consider what this year means for the American people."

Sanders' suggestion is that her boss, President Donald Trump, isn't getting the credit he deserves for revving the economic engine.

A Quinnipiac University poll released that same day supports the notion that Trump is getting much public benefit from the positive economic numbers.

The poll found found that 63 percent of Americans described the economy as either "excellent" or "good," higher level of confidence than any poll since 2000. But, according to the survey, Americans disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy by a 51-44 margin. Americans -- including almost 3 in 10 Republicans -- give former President Barack Obama more credit for the economy than they give Trump.

Since most Americans are not economists, opinion of the president's performance in that category has more to do with all the other factors that have kept his overall approval ratings at historic lows.

"Confidence in the economy is eclipsed by profound doubts about the president's level headedness, honesty, empathy for fellow Americans and handling of foreign policy," Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll, said.

Much of that collateral damage was self-inflicted by a president who rarely allows himself the benefit of an unexpressed thought.

It also might explain why the Republicans' $1.5 trillion tax cut has proved unpopular in the polls even though independent analysis confirms that about 80 percent of individuals will see a reduction in their tax burden this year.

But what about Sanders' point about how some of Trump's policies are playing out in real America? And not just laurels for what happened in 2017, but actual growth that signals confidence in the future? A New York Times news story published Monday (Jan. 1) seemed to all but declare "Happy days are here again."

"A wave of optimism has swept over American business leaders, and it is beginning to translate into the sort of investment in new plants, equipment and factory upgrades that bolsters economic growth, spurs job creation -- and may finally raise wages significantly," the piece begins.

"While business leaders are eager for the tax cuts that take effect this year, the newfound confidence was initially inspired by the Trump administration's regulatory pullback, not so much because deregulation is saving companies money but because the administration has instilled a faith in business executives that new regulations are not coming."

The Times points out that "there is a perception that years of increased environmental, financial and other regulatory oversight by the Obama administration dampened investment and job creation" and that "Trump's more hands-off approach has unleashed the 'animal spirits' of companies that had hoarded cash after the recession of 2008."

At the same time, The Wall Street Journal reports that in "U.S. cities with the tightest labor markets, workers are finding something that's long been missing from the broader economic expansion: faster-growing paychecks."

In those areas -- places like Minneapolis, Denver and Fort Myers, Fla. -- where unemployment rates stand near or even below 3%, the newspaper reports, businesses are raising pay to attract employees, often from competitors.

"It's an outcome entirely expected in economic theory, but one that's been largely absent until now in the upturn that began more than eight years ago," the story says.

So, two of the lingering problems from the 2008 recession -- corporations holding onto cash rather than investing and expanding, and wages remaining stagnant even as unemployment went down -- appear to be finally loosening.

Who should get credit for that?

Tim Morris is an opinions columnist at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. He can be reached at tmorris@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter @tmorris504.
Construction crews began hammering away at the intersection of Magazine Street and Louisiana Avenue on Tuesday (Jan. 2), kicking off road reconstruction work that's set to close the busy Uptown intersection for a month.

Part of a years-long US Army Corps of Engineers effort to install a drainage canal on Louisiana Avenue, the closure now in effect is detouring vehicular traffic away from the entire block of Magazine leading up to the intersection. The closure is scheduled to last for about 30 days, according to a news release issued by the Army Corps last Tuesday.

Already, many local business owners are angry about the closure. They attest to not having received nearly enough advance notice that a block of Magazine hosting more than a dozen businesses would be shut down for a month, nor are they happy about the amount of noise and vibrations caused Tuesday by plow driving.

"I want progress, I want them to be able to do it," said Deborah Schumacher, owner of Slim Goodies Diner. "I just know there are better ways than to shove it down your throat."

Constantine Georges, who owns the Dat Dog restaurant chain, was even more blunt in his assessment. Not only does the intersection closure pose new problems, but he said vibrations from construction on Louisiana have been rattling his restaurant for the past year.

"It's appallingly disruptive, in my opinion," Georges said Tuesday. "And it is devastating to the businesses that are trying to make ends meet."

Road closures and construction impacts have for years plagued residents and businesses along Louisiana Avenue, which since 2014 has been undergoing an estimated $82.6 million overhaul of about 1.5 miles from South Claiborne Avenue to Constance Street. The project, which is being undertaken by Boh Brothers Construction Co. at a cost of around $82.6 million, is scheduled to be finished by the end of this year.

Years of work have already wrapped up on other Army Corps canal construction projects on Napoleon and South Claiborne avenues. But long stretches of construction remain on Jefferson and Louisiana avenues, the latter of which sees traffic both ways weaving at intervals from one side of the neutral ground to the other, from South Claiborne to Laurel Street near the river.

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For his part, Constantine said he'd like to see the newly rebuilt neutral ground add more parking spaces from Tchoupitoulas Street up to just past Magazine. And Schumacher said she hopes the Army Corps might reconfigure the construction schedule and layout to somehow alleviate impacts from the closure.

Ricky Boyett, an Army Corps spokesman, acknowledged Tuesday that providing advance notice was hobbled by layers of approval from the contractor and the city, before reaching the Corps. He noted the Corps and Boh Brothers did hand out door hangars notifying businesses of the impending closure.

"The notice that we were able to give them was a lot less than we would have preferred as well," Boyett said over the phone Tuesday.

As for any alternative construction schedules, Boyett said the aim in closing the intersection completely for 30 days is to complete the work before Mardi Gras festivities crank up in February. Any alternative schedule, Boyett said, would have been unwieldy.

"This is how we're able to get this done in January so we're able to get out of everyone's way before Mardi Gras," he said.

Still, Schumacher said Tuesday that she and other business owners plan to bring their concerns to a public meeting scheduled by the Corps for 8 a.m. Thursday morning. But she's skeptical the meeting could produce any valuable results.

"The street's already shut down," she said. "Eventually, people will just not come here, so there has to be something done to accommodate businesses."
The exit ramp to Interstate 10 from Interstate 510 or Paris Road was closed to traffic Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 2), due to a crash involving an overturned 18-wheeler.

New Orleans Police said as of about 12:30 p.m. that drivers should expect "heavy delays" during clean-up efforts in the area. As of 2 p.m., the Louisiana Department of Transportation reported that the exit ramp was still closed. Traffic was being diverted to the La. 47 North-Little Woods exit.

Correction: This story previously included inaccurate information about the location of the crash and has been updated.
Hoda Kotb is beginning 2018 with a high-profile new gig: as co-anchor of "Today," NBC has announced. She replaces longtime "Today" anchor Matt Lauer, who was fired in November following allegations of sexual misconduct.

Kotb's new role as the host of the 7-9 a.m. hours of the popular morning show -- alongside co-host Savannah Guthrie, weather anchor Al Roker and Orange Room host Carson Daly -- began Tuesday morning (Jan. 2).

"This has to be the most popular decision NBC News has ever made, and I am so thrilled," Guthrie said after the show's new opening revealed Kotb was her new co-host.

"I'm pinching myself," Kotb responded. "I think we should send some medics to Alexandria, Virginia, where my mom has likely fainted after hearing the open of that show."

Kotb will continue to co-host the 10 a.m. hour of "Today" with Kathie Lee Gifford, a job she has held since 2008.

Kotb was a news anchor and reporter for New Orleans' WWL TV from 1992 to 1998 before joining NBC News as a correspondent for "Dateline." While with NBC News, she has won Emmy Awards, a Gracie Award and an Edward R. Murrow award. She also hosts "The Hoda Show" on SiriusXM radio.
The Lee County Department of Transportation will host a public meeting on the Littleton Road/Kismet Parkway Realignment Study from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at the Northside Baptist Church Worship Center, 8250 Littleton Road, North Fort Myers.

Lee County, in conjunction with the City of Cape Coral, is developing and evaluating alternative realignments for Kismet Parkway and Littleton Road at N.E. 24th Avenue. Littleton Road and N.E. 24th Avenue are on the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organizations 2040 Cost Feasible Road and Highway Projects Long Range Transportation plan to be widened to four lanes. The study includes evaluation of alternative intersection configurations at the N.E. 24th Avenue and Corbett Road intersections. A preferred realignment concept will be determined based on engineering analysis, traffic operations/safety, cost, environmental considerations and public involvement. The study is expected to be complete in summer 2018.

The meeting is an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the status of the study. The workshop is an open house format, and the public is welcome to come at any time between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Lee County DOT staff will be available to answer questions about the study.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs, or activities. To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Joan LaGuardia, (239) 533-2314, Florida Relay Service 711, or jlaguardia@leegov.com. Accommodation will be provided at no cost to the requestor. Requests should be made at least five business days in advance.

Members of the public with questions about the project or scheduled public workshop can contact Lee County DOT Project Manager Vince Miller at (239) 533-8577 or vmiller@leegov.com.

Source: Lee County

Lee County DOT schedules Littleton Road/Kismet Parkway Realignment Study public meeting By Staff | Jan 2, 2018



The Lee County Department of Transportation will host a public meeting on the Littleton Road/Kismet Parkway Realignment Study from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, at the Northside Baptist Church Worship Center, 8250 Littleton Road, North Fort Myers. Lee County, in conjunction with the City of Cape Coral, is developing and evaluating alternative realignments for Kismet Parkway and Littleton Road at N.E. 24th Avenue. Littleton Road and N.E. 24th Avenue are on the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organizations 2040 Cost Feasible Road and Highway Projects Long Range Transportation plan to be widened to four lanes. The study includes evaluation of alternative intersection configurations at the N.E. 24th Avenue and Corbett Road intersections. A preferred realignment concept will be determined based on engineering analysis, traffic operations/safety, cost, environmental considerations and public involvement. The study is expected to be complete in summer 2018. The meeting is an opportunity for the public to review and comment on the status of the study. The workshop is an open house format, and the public is welcome to come at any time between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. Lee County DOT staff will be available to answer questions about the study. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Lee County will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in its services, programs, or activities. To request an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication or a reasonable modification to participate, contact Joan LaGuardia, (239) 533-2314, Florida Relay Service 711, or jlaguardia@leegov.com. Accommodation will be provided at no cost to the requestor. Requests should be made at least five business days in advance. Members of the public with questions about the project or scheduled public workshop can contact Lee County DOT Project Manager Vince Miller at (239) 533-8577 or vmiller@leegov.com. Source: Lee County News from around the region Lee Schools: Numbers will dictate mask policies, COVID protocols Lee Schools superintendent issues 30-day mask mandate Lee Health announces partnership with provider of in-home medical care






Government promotes new vehicles but customers hesitate

There was no immediate rush after the Ministry of Finance announced last week that it would extend a tax rebate on purchases of new-energy vehicles (NEVs) until the end of 2020.

Consumers in Beijing seemed happy enough about the idea of tax breaks, but less optimistic about their chances of benefiting from them.

"To get a tax rebate, I would have to purchase an NEV, right?" a 25-year-old Beijing resident told the Global Times on Friday, "and in Beijing to buy an NEV, I would have to get a license plate."

"I'm told that I would have to wait until 2019 to get a license plate so I don't know what to say. Sounds like a great gift but it's not exactly easy cash."

At first he had hesitated over "all the hassles of having an NEV" such as finding a place to charge, but after failing three years in a row at the city lottery for a traditional license plate, he found the advantages of NEV became clearer: no lottery.

But that didn't work either.

"Apparently, I'm too late for a license plate even for an NEV because the line became so long," said the wannabe eco-driver. He should have bought one a year earlier, he muttered.

However, getting a license plate for an NEV is no problem in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province or Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

Yet motorists in the two cities expressed indifference to NEV tax rebates for another reason. Their chief concern has yet to be addressed: infrastructure.

"I think my biggest concern is not the tax break but about how practical it is to drive an NEV in Chengdu because honestly, I don't see many charging facilities around the city," a 27-year-old Chengdu resident told the Global Times on Friday. Like everyone contacted by the Global Times, he declined to be fully named.

"I guess we are slow adapting to NEVs, in terms of both our mind-set and infrastructure."

A Xi'an resident interviewed had not heard of the tax rebate.

"To be honest, I don't even know about it," he told the Global Times on Saturday. "People don't really talk about NEVs here in Xi'an, at least to my knowledge."

Policy successes

Anecdotal grievances about the perceived impracticality of NEV ownership seem to contradict the headline-grabbing rise of NEVs in the world's largest automobile market.

China has become the world's largest market for NEVs, with a growing list of domestic vehicle makers achieving technological breakthroughs.

Reporting on NEVs by domestic and overseas media regularly reflects a certain national pride in international competition: Finally Chinese companies can lead the auto industry with the most advanced technology or Western observers share fears that China will dominate the new sector.

In the first 11 months of 2017, NEV output grew 49.7 percent from a year ago to reach 639,000 vehicles. Sales jumped 51.4 percent to 609,000 units, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers on December 11.

The association estimates that annual NEV sales could reach about 800,000 units in 2017 and 1 million in 2018, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Domestic companies such as BYD Co Ltd and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group are expressing confidence in exporting China-made NEVs to overseas markets.

Industrial observers applaud the new, successful market driven by robust government policies, but there are caveats.

"I'm not trying to take away from the success China has achieved in recent years, but I am also not delusional about how we got here," a long-term Chinese auto industry observer told the Global Times on Saturday.

"I can say without any exaggeration that all of these successes in the NEV industry whether in terms of sales or technological innovation came from a robust, sophisticated State industry sponsorship system," said the observer, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Arab Emirates has extended its public diplomacy and communications program at The Harbour Group for another two years.

Fees and expenses for the effort are capped at $10M, making it one of the richest US PR campaigns bankrolled by a foreign government.

The extension kicked off Jan. 1.

THG will support the UAEs DC embassy in the development of a communications program to sustain and enhance public awareness and understanding of the UAE among US policymakers and opinion leaders.

It also will support the PR of UAE consulates in New York, Boston, Houston and Los Angeles.

Richard Mintz, THG managing director and former PA global chair at Burson-Marsteller, handles the UAE business.

Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the UAE, also works with THG. Both nations are involved in military action in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has an $80K per-month contract with THG for strategic communications counsel and support on general foreign policy matters and US-Saudi relations.

That one-year agreement began May 1, 2017.
Standing out in todays torrent of tweets from Donald Trump bashing Pakistan, Democrats, Iran, Crooked Hillary aide Huma Abedin, Rocket Man, Failing New York Times, Barack Obama and Deep State Justice Dept. is this gem:

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!

Fake news.

Trumps crazy tweet apparently was a reaction to the announcement today from the Flight Safety Foundation showing that no passenger anywhere in the world died from a jet crash in 2017.

In fact, The Atlantic helpfully pointed out that the last US airline fatality occurred in 2009 when a commuter turboprop crashed in Buffalo.

And what was the president doing in 2009? He was among signatories with Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric of a letter that ran in the New York Times urging President Obama and Congress to support the United Nations global climate conference in Copenhagen.

We support your effort to ensure meaningful and effective measures to control climate change, an immediate challenge facing the United States and the world today, read the letter copy. Please allow us, the United States of America, to serve in modeling the change necessary to protect humanity and our planet.

As for Trumps alleged strictness on commercial aviation, The Atlantic notes that the president proposed privatizing the air-traffic control system and reducing burdensome regulations on airlines. A real tough guy on aviation.

Trumps commercial aviation fantasy tweet did serve a purpose, getting 52K likes on Twitter.

The tweet adds to the Washington Posts tally of 1,950 false or misleading claims that Trump made in his first 347 days in office.

The tweeter-in-chief is a lock to brake the 2,000-bogus claim mark by the one-year anniversary of his inauguration, which is a long 18 days from now.
Automotive batteries require a regular charging cycle to last - and perform - as long as possible. Without that consistent charge-discharge-charge routine (the convenient byproduct of regular driving), the battery dies a quick death. Because many four-wheelers, 'froaders and part-time hobby vehicles are not used on a regular basis, their battery fails prematurely because of lengthy discharge windows between irregular use.

If you plan for that battery to last more than one season, your options include running the vehicle on a weekly basis during the off-season, swapping the battery into other vehicles that are used on a regular basis or frequently - if not constantly - keeping the battery on a maintenance charger.

As outlined in a piece about automotive battery use and abuse that appeared on Off-Road.com, the easiest way to maintain a battery is to maintain that battery. Duhhh - don't neglect it. The most effective maintenance is, bar none, regular long-duration operation, but if you have a crawler, mudder, sand rail or even a tractor or quad that's used inconsistently and/or parked for long periods of time, you're going to need to give that battery the right kind of maintenance with a battery charger.

Chargers are Very Not The Same

There are several distinct sorts of automotive battery chargers, and they do not - repeat, DO NOT - do the same things to that battery. The wrong charger, or the right charger used wrongly, will ruin a good battery. On the other hand, different kinds of chargers used the right way can rescue a battery that's gone flat or, at the least, keep an old battery running in peak shape.

This story (which may contain a few lines from its older brother) is about the chargers that keep automotive batteries in good operating condition, including trickling and floating your battery, smart and not-so-smart chargers, and the pros and pros of maintenance charging.

People Who Know Battery Chargers

Because the writers and editors at Off-Road.com are far better at ruining batteries than maintaining them, we sought out experts to get some facts straight. Jeff Schwen and Chris Hodges run Deep Cycle Battery in El Cajon, Calif, and specialize in automotive and custom battery applications like off-grid solar. Abe Hernandez is an electrical whiz servicing Airstream trailers and motorhomes, and a customer of Deep Cycle. Jim McIlvaine is an automotive battery expert with OPTIMA Batteries (operating in a managerial role versus the engineering position we previously labelled him with - sorry 'bout that). We spoke with all four for these stories.

Is there a difference between charging and maintenance charging? Is a maintenance charger a trickle charger?

"Trickle-charging is used interchangeably with the term float-charging. They mean the same thing in this case - you're keeping that battery topped off. Both qualify as a battery maintainer, giving the battery a maintenance charge that keeps it in peak shape," answered Schwen and Hodges.

"The terms float and trickle are used quite often to describe charging and have different meanings to different folks and the same meaning to others," added McIlvaine from OPTIMA. "Trickle generally refers to the rate of charge and is usually a lower amperage rate, like one or two amps. General charging may occur at significantly higher amperage rates. OPTIMA recommends not exceeding a rate of 10 amps on their batteries."

Is a trickle or float-charger man enough for heavy charging?

"Traditional float-chargers will provide constant voltage with tapering amperage to the battery, even when it is fully charged. Those are okay to use and certainly better than doing nothing to maintain a battery, but the smart chargers with microprocessors like our OPTIMA Digital 400 Performance Charger are a better option. Those chargers will vary and taper both amperage and voltage, depending on the needs of the battery."

"Float-charging is usually about keeping a battery topped off - between about 13.2 up to about 13.8 volts," Schwen added. "A float-charger will not fill a flat or low battery fast. It could take 80 hours for a float-charger to charge it. Battery maintainers that will charge at one volt can rescue a very low battery - these do exist. Read the packaging, the label. In most cases - especially without industry-guy tricks - a float or trickle-charger will not rescue a battery that's dead-dead, but might be able to do it with a pretty-dead battery."

"Make sure you've got a maintainer that's got the right amperage. You can buy a powersports maintainer that flows less than one amp - down to 750 milliamp and less - and it might not be able to float-charge a big 12-volt battery. If you're looking for a pure trickle charger, I like to recommend a Battery Tender. It's a great basic trickle-charger."

Editor's note: Despite the product being good enough for 48 other states, California and Oregon have seen fit to outlaw some Battery Tenders. Apparently, they're not made with enough unicorn farts. Keep in mind, California is also the state considering requiring cancer warnings on coffee.

How does the sweet old solid-state charger I inherited from Grandpa differ from a modern battery charger or maintenance/trickle charger?

The topic of different chargers and their value in the charging process could have filled a book. There was no shortage of back-and-forth on this between Schwen and Hodges at Deep Cycle. "There are smart chargers and there are dumb ones," started Schwen. "Smart ones read the battery they're charging and interpret power, size, condition, and charge accordingly. Some are smarter than others. Essentially, a smart charger stops charging once it gets too much resistance."

Schwen likes the old chargers. "The dumb ones give you the juice no matter what - they're hard to find nowadays. If you have one, keep it, but learn to use it - they're really useful, but they can screw up a battery if you use them wrong. A dumb charger won't shut off - risking ruining the battery, exploding the battery, all the bad stuff that comes with that. They don't sense, they just charge. Dumb chargers are good for restoring a battery's voltage. If a battery's voltage drops too low, or it's an old battery, or it's started sulfating (forming lead sulfate crystals on the plates), a high-amp charger can knock the sulfation off the plates."

McIlvaine tread more lightly. "Generally speaking, chargers that are microprocessor-controlled are better options than chargers that are not. I cannot officially endorse specific maintainers or chargers other than our own, but there are many great battery maintainer/chargers on the market. We simply don't have the resources to test each one, or monitor whether changes are ever made in how a charger is manufactured that could impact performance."

Are there any downsides to smart/processor-controlled chargers?

"Smart chargers can create surface charge - it's when the charger charges the top surface parts of the plates, but it's not charging below," stated Hodges. "A surface charge will get your car started, because the starter takes the charge from the upper section of the battery. This is not a good, deep soak charge, however - batteries charge from the bottom to the top; literally. A surface charge is not bad, it's just incomplete. Smart chargers work best when you can leave them on the battery for a period of time, to let them work."

Schwen agreed, but had a few caveats. "100% agreement on the benefits of a battery maintainer with a brain. Computer control helps the quality of the charge the battery is getting. High-quality programming from a high-quality processor matters too - a garbage maintainer/charger will give you garbage battery life."

Hodges added a few caveats of his own. "Smart chargers can be fooled by battery conditions and will not rescue a low battery, or may fail to properly charge a battery, in which case you can try a very-low amperage float-charter over a long period of time, but it might shut off because of the resistance in a dead battery too. Batteries can be tricky."

McIlvaine chipped in two caveats of his own. "Chargers with AGM-specific settings [absorbed glass mat - an OPTIMA-style spiral-cell battery] are becoming more common and those settings will generally do the best job of charging and maintaining OPTIMA batteries. However, it's important to avoid using gel charger settings on non-gel batteries." He added that nearly all automotive batteries, including OPTIMA, are not gel batteries.

"Even gel/AGM settings should be avoided, because gel batteries are a very different technology with different charging requirements. Using a gel charger setting may not fully-charge non-gel batteries (including OPTIMA batteries) and could damage them over time. In those situations, it's best to just use the regular or deep-cycle charger settings. Batteries are not inexpensive items to replace and a quality battery charger can more than pay for itself by extending the lifespan and reducing battery replacement costs over time."

What are some in-garage charging techniques that would help/protect/preserve a battery in a hobby/infrequently used vehicle?

"First, before storing your vehicle, check the voltage to ensure the battery is fully charged (~12.6-12.8V for REDTOPs and ~13.0-13.2V for YELLOWTOPs)," declared McIlvaine. "We recommend charging your battery before storing it. If it's not fully charged beforehand, give it a boost with an OPTIMA Digital 400 or 1200 Performance Charger."

"While in storage, we recommend using a quality battery-maintainer that is microprocessor-controlled. OPTIMA chargers provide an automatic restart in the event of power disruption, as well as temperature-compensated charging. Using a quality battery-maintainer on your battery prior to storage is an easy last step that will ensure a quick start when you're ready to go again."

"Use it or lose it," chimed in Hernandez. "I mean that for the battery, being driven and charged, and the maintainer. Keep one hanging on the garage wall - if you're not going to use the truck for a week or a month, you'll probably know it. That's when you plug in the maintainer."



"Speaking of don't forget, if you're going to charge with a powerful dumb charger, set the timer on the stove to remind you that the battery in the garage is getting a workout. You wouldn't want to go to bed with this setup running. The bottom line is, don't forget about the battery - don't let it sit. Get a battery maintainer of the right sort - float-charger, trickle-charger, maintainer, whatever - to keep that battery topped off with a little charge, all the time. Then read the instructions, read the box - don't do something stupid that will burn down your barn."

"If you don't have access to electricity where you store your vehicle," said McIlvaine, "make sure your battery is fully charged and completely disconnected when the vehicle goes into storage. When you bring it out again, top the battery off with a battery charger (not your alternator) before putting your vehicle back into service."

Can a solar panel do a good job trickle-charging?

Hernandez detailed the solar charging option, for those of us who don't park our trucks in caves, trailers, or on planets without a sun. "If you park your rig outside for long periods without using it, as with the Airstream trailers and RVs that I work on, a small solar panel with alligator clips that connect to your battery can do a pretty good job keeping 12-volt batteries topped off. You can also get small panels with a cigarette lighter plug that you can stick right in the lighter outlet, and then leave the panel on the dashboard. These little panels are only going to produce about 5-7 amps charge - perfect for a trickle."

He added some rules for charging with solar. "If you're going to use a solar panel - even a small one - to charge 12-volt batteries, it's got to have a voltage regulator. Solar panels need a regulator because their actual voltage is between 19 and 21 volts. If you feed 19-21 volts to your 12-volt battery, you're going to fry it. Fortunately, panels sold for charging or automotive applications usually have the regulator built-in. You've got to have the right regulator, too - it should be spec'd for 12 volts, because some semis run 24 volts. The regulator should step that 19-21 volts down to 12-13 volts."

"Don't forget: if you use a manual disconnect for your battery, your solar charger won't charge it unless it's connected directly to the battery! You wouldn't believe who makes that mistake..."

Is maintenance charging going to take as good of care of the battery as regular use?

"How often do you forget to do little things? Out of sight, out of mind," said Schwen. "Regular use for a four-wheeler or hobby truck is an oxymoron; you probably don't commute in your crawler. ... And when the weather's freezing and there's four feet of snow on the ground - when batteries need maintenance the most - you're worried whether your wife's Lexus will start, not if the battery in your quad is any good. Plug in a maintainer, and let it worry about the battery."

"The point is, the goal of a battery maintainer is to give the customer the best battery life. Plug one in and let it work."

McIlvaine from OPTIMA expanded on the lifespan of an automotive battery, and the benefit of maintenance chargers. "Once a battery is produced, it is always either being charged or discharged. Even batteries sitting on a shelf will slowly discharge over time, so it's important to periodically check the voltage of your battery and charge it whenever the voltage drops below 12.4 volts. By staying on top of the voltage of your battery and subsequently charging it when necessary, you are extending the lifespan of the battery by minimizing the opportunity for sulfation to occur and ensuring it is in proper working order when you need it the most."

"When batteries are discharged below 12.4 volts and left to sit in that state (such as in storage), that's when sulfation really starts to impact battery performance and lifespan. All lead-acid batteries can experience sulfation, but chargers with a desulfation mode, such as an OPTIMA charger, can help condition your battery and keep it performing at its best. By following proper storage techniques, you can extend the life of your battery and maximize performance. OPTIMA chargers have automated features that provide constant voltage to the battery and charge it as necessary to prevent overcharging. Additionally, they ensure the voltage never drops below 12.4 volts, so your vehicle is going to be ready when you are."

Sources:

Jeff Schwen & Chris Hodges

Deep Cycle Battery

1985 Friendship Drive, Suite B

El Cajon, CA 92020

619.448.5323

619Battery.com

Jim McIlvaine, eCare Manager

OPTIMA

5757 N. Green Bay Avenue

Milwaukee, WI 53209

888.867.8462

optimabatteries.com

Abe Hernandez

RV Mobile Service 2U

San Diego, CA

760.802.3238
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.
Cameroonian refugee Emilien Atanga (right), 24, talks with Joel Elbaz, 57, the host who lent him an apartment through U.S. home-sharing website Airbnb on July 18, 2017, in Paris.

Airbnb Inc, a U.S.-based home-sharing service provider, will optimize the quality of its listings, invest in customer service and strengthen cooperation with local governments to expand its presence in China, according to its head of Chinese operations.

"The Chinese domestic market has been our fastest growing market around the world," and the country is also Airbnb's second fastest growing outbound market, said Nathan Blecharczyk, chairman of Airbnb China.

In the last quarter alone, Airbnb has seen more than 1 million guest arrivals at listings in China. Compared to the same time in 2016, that number has almost tripled, and the company's domestic business in China has grown 100 times from 2015 to 2017.

"This growth is being driven by the passionate Chinese host and guest community," said Blecharczyk, adding domestic listings in China grew nearly 100 percent in 2017, especially in such top cities as Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu.

The company will open operations in key cities and regions in 2018, with China projected to be the largest tourist source country for Airbnb by 2020.

"As we grow, we will continue to focus on and prioritize quality. Our team will manually review every listing published to Airbnb in China and assist our hosts with everything they need to accurately and optimally describe their home to potential guests," Blecharczyk said.

"Moreover, we are going to launch a number of education initiatives dedicated to our hosts. The online learning platform, which includes online videos and articles, will teach them how to be an excellent host."

The company will further invest in social customer service coverage across the most important social media platforms in China.

In addition, Airbnb has signed memorandums of understanding with Chinese cities including Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Shanghai to strengthen cooperation with local governments.

Driven by an appetite for authentic travel, young people in China are increasingly turning to Airbnb. Eighty percent of its user base in China is younger than 35, and it estimates that in 2019, 62 percent of all outbound Chinese tourists will be aged 15 to 34.

There have been nearly 10 million guest arrivals by Chinese travelers on Airbnb since 2008, with over half of those occurring just in 2017.

Ma Tianjiao, an analyst with the Beijing-based internet consultancy Analysys, said nowadays, Chinese travelers are willing to try something different during a trip. "They are not satisfied with hotels. Home-sharing platforms offer diverse living experiences."
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.
Oregon continues to draw far more residents than it sends elsewhere, according to the companies that haul those newcomers' stuff.

Two moving services ranked Oregon among their top 10 destination states, where more people moved in than away.

United Van Lines said Oregon came in second, with 65 percent of moves being inbound. The St. Louis company said only Vermont saw a greater percentage of inbound moves.

Its competitor, Indiana-based Atlas Van Lines, put Oregon at No. 8, with 57.5 percent of moves being inbound.

In 2015, both companies said Oregon ranked first.

Moving companies frequently release migration data, but their findings represent only a subset of overall migration patterns -- households that hire moving companies.

But their numbers back up trends from government population tabulators, who also say the state is growing quickly due to in-migration.

The Population Research Center at Portland State University said Oregon grew to 4.1 million people in 2017, an increase of 65,000 from 2016. Migration accounted for 88 percent of that jump.

The U.S. Census Bureau, meanwhile, said Oregon was the ninth fastest-growing state in 2017, mostly due to people moving here from elsewhere.

That growth rate slowed to 1.4 percent in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, down from 1.7 percent in 2016.

United Van Lines top in-bound states

Vermont Oregon Idaho Nevada South Dakota Washington South Carolina North Carolina Colorado Alabama

Atlas Van Lines top in-bound states

Idaho Washington Nevada Tennessee Alaska Maine North Carolina Oregon Alabama Rhode Island

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus
As our intrepid legislators soon head to Salem for a short session, they would be well served to look at the plight of another state that is controlled by Democrats and labor unions.

Illinois is dead broke. They have no budget, a junk rating for bonds and an unfunded public employee pension obligation of $251 billion. A rating service stated that the massive pension liability results from a chronic tendency to defer difficult decisions. Sound familiar?

Our legislators will debate carbon policy and other whimsical subjects and steer clear of facing the fact that Oregon will be going the way of Illinois in the next few decades.

Allen Nesbitt, Northwest Portland
Facebook photos of Oregon refuge occupiers Jon Ritzheimer and Ryan Payne visiting the Bundy ranch in Nevada during the holiday break without permission have landed both in hot water.

A federal pretrial services officer in Oregon spotted the photos posted on Ritzheimer's Facebook page and alerted U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown in Portland just before the new year.

The judge, as a result, has moved up Ritzheimer's date to surrender to prison, from Feb. 15 to Jan. 12, and she made it clear that Ritzheimer must have no contact with any named defendant in either the Oregon or Nevada standoff cases before he starts his prison sentence.

The judge ordered Payne to return to home detention in Las Vegas.

Payne and Ritzheimer both pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy in the 2016 armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeastern Oregon. Ritzheimer was sentenced to a year and a day in prison.

Payne awaits sentencing in Oregon. He faces other federal charges in Nevada with Cliven Bundy and two of Bundy's sons, Ammon and Ryan Bundy, in the 2014 standoff near the Bundy ranch when officers tried to round up Bundy cattle trespassing on public land after decades of unpaid grazing fees and fines.

Pretrial services Officer Nick Nischik discovered the photos of Ritzheimer and Payne at the ranch, including one of them posing with Ritzheimer's wife and Payne's fiancee at the nearby Toquop Wash beneath Interstate 15 where the April 12, 2014, confrontation occurred between Bundy supporters and federal officers.

Nischik was concerned that the photos revealed the two had violated their release conditions, and sent them to the judge.

Ritzheimer had a "no-travel restriction'' on his Oregon release that required him to remain in Arizona pending his surrender to prison except as necessary to travel to Oregon for court. Ritzheimer was granted permission to travel to Las Vegas to stay at an Airbnb to celebrate his wedding anniversary on Dec. 22 and 23, but he wasn't given permission to visit the Bundy residence, about 80 miles northeast of Las Vegas, according to the court.

In fact, in Ritzheimer's request to be allowed to travel to Las Vegas for his anniversary, he wrote to his Arizona release officer, "I will not be going to the trial or federal courthouse to see the Bundy's (sic) if that's what you're thinking. Just wanna to (sic) make that clear.''

Ritzheimer also had a restriction against posting to social media except to promote his motorcycle repair business.

Ritzheimer said he met up with Payne while in Las Vegas, who invited him to the Bundy residence. Ritzheimer said he wasn't aware he was prevented from having contact with co-defendants and apologized to the court.

Before the Facebook photos were discovered, Ritzheimer's defense lawyer had asked the judge to ease his social media restrictions, noting his plan to run for Congress in Arizona. Yet, with the new date to surrender to prison, Ritzheimer has dropped that plan and instead will just prepare for prison, his wife posted on her Facebook page.

Once the mistrial was declared in Nevada on Dec. 20, Brown granted Payne permission to travel home to Montana over the Christmas and New Year's holidays to visit his children. He wasn't granted permission to visit the Bundy ranch, Brown noted in an email obtained by The Oregonian/OregonLive.

"I certainly did not intend to authorize his travel more than 80 miles from the Las Vegas Courthouse to the Bundy Ranch for social purposes,'' the judge wrote.

"I am concerned that defendants have taken advantage of this court's release accommodations in their favor,'' she wrote.

Brown determined that assertions by Ritzheimer's and Payne that they didn't think their visit to the Bundy Ranch violated their release conditions "were incorrect, but debatable in the context of overlapping release conditions from both the District of Nevada and the District of Oregon.'' She said she decided to address the allegations informally and not through formal proceedings.

Payne must remain at the approved residence in Las Vegas and leave only to go to and from court, his lawyers' offices, church or medical or treatment services.

Brown ordered him not to return to the Bundy ranch or "engage in social activities with his co-defendants."

If Nevada's U.S. District Judge Gloria M. Navarro dismisses the Nevada case with prejudice, meaning the government can't retry the Bundys and Payne, Payne is to surrender immediately to U.S. marshals in Nevada for a hearing to determine whether he'll be detained or released pending his sentencing in the Oregon refuge occupation case, Brown ordered.

If Navarro rules that the Nevada case can be retried, Payne may remain on release subject to home detention, Brown wrote.

-- Maxine Bernstein

mbernstein@oregonian.com

503-221-8212

@maxoregonian
Fortior Solutions, the Hillsboro company known as SureID during better times, has discharged most of its debt through a restructuring that created two new affiliates and put them in bankruptcy.

Chapter 11 filings Friday capped an awful year for the company, once among Oregon's most highly touted tech businesses. SureID collapsed last spring after losing a contract to supply identity verification services to the U.S. Navy, a deal that was responsible for 70 percent of its $57 million in revenue.

The bankruptcy filing, first noted by Adam Stein-Sapir of Pioneer Funding Group, says Fortior owed $57.9 million under a loan agreement with Goldman Sachs dating to 2015. Without the Navy business, SureID had no way to cover the debt.

Fortier will discharge most of its debt into a newly created company called Advance Science Technologies, according to Brentley Bullock of Perkins Coie, the law firm that represented the company through the process.

He said Goldman Sachs will take ownership of the new company and nearly $40 million in debt. That will leave Fortier with $20 million in debt going forward.

"It's a much healthier business than it was before," Bullock said.

SureID laid off 400 people last year, most of them in Hillsboro, before selling part of its business in October to Sterling Financial Solutions for $6.6 million. The bankruptcy filing identifies Goldman Sachs as owning a "significant" chunk of New York-based Sterling, a company that specializes in background screening of prospective employees.

The remaining portion of SureID changed its name to Fortior, focused on verification contracts with other branches of the military. Fortior had approximately 105 employees left after the Sterling deal.

According to documents filed with U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Fortior will focus on its remaining military business.

Goldman will own 25 percent of Fortior, according to Bullock, and Fortior's existing shareholders - including employees who received company stock as part of their compensation - will own the other 75 percent.

"The Board and Fortior's management believe that the proposed restructuring presents the most likely, if not only, means to preserve value for shareholders, and best serves all of Fortior's stakeholders," chief financial officer Sean Sullivan wrote in documents associated with the bankruptcy filing.

Correction: This article has been corrected to note that Fortior affiliates, not Fortior itself, filed for bankruptcy.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699
EAST LANSING, Mich. - At a time when nearly every aspect of politics feels suffused by issues involving gender, the leading Democratic contender for Michigan governor makes a point of rarely mentioning hers.

"I talk about jobs," former Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer says. "I talk about education. I talk about making government work for people. That's really the dinner-table issues that I hear from Michiganders in every part of our state."

Whitmer might not bring it up, but she represents what probably will be one of the 2018 elections' most significant trends: More women than ever are in the mix to potentially lead their states as governor - traditionally one of the hardest reaches for female candidates and a position now held by just half a dozen women.

Yet this year, at least 79 women - 49 Democrats and 30 Republicans - are running for governor or seriously considering it as filing deadlines approach, according to a tally by the Center for American Women in Politics at Rutgers University.

The numbers are more than double what they were four years ago and on track to surpass the record 34 women who ran for governor in 1994. In Ohio, there are three women running for governor in the Democratic primary and one in the Republican. In Georgia, both Democratic candidates are named Stacey.

Their candidacies are testing long-held attitudes about women and leadership. Voters tended to see women as "well suited for legislatures, where it's collaborative," said Debbie Walsh, director of the center. "It runs up against the stereotype to see women as the chief decider, the place where the buck stops."

The Trump era has seen a new burst of political activism among women, beginning the day after the inauguration, when they turned out by the tens of thousands in cities and towns across the nation, for what is thought to have been among the largest single-day political demonstration in U.S. history.

Female candidates are stepping up at every level of the ballot. Of the 15 seats that Democrats picked up in the Virginia House of Delegates, 11 were won by women - and the number could grow, depending on how the continuing dispute over another race is settled.

There is a real possibility in Michigan that Democrats may offer female nominees for every statewide elected office - something that doesn't worry Whitmer. In this environment, she said, "people look at that as an asset."

The 46-year-old attorney declared her candidacy nearly a year ago. Michigan Democrats were still reeling from a presidential election that saw Donald Trump put the state in the GOP column for the first time in 28 years.

In 2015, term limits forced her out of the Michigan Senate after eight years. "I really thought I would go back to the private sector, but I'm looking around at the Michigan my kids are growing up in and I know we deserve better," Whitmer said.

After seeing Trump win her state, "there is a sense that if we don't run, then we won't achieve," she said. "We won't have the communities, the states, the nation we want to live in and where we can raise our kids."

She quickly established herself as the front-runner for the nomination, lining up a raft of establishment endorsements. Among those who took a pass on the race was Rep. Daniel Kildee, a three-term lawmaker from Flint.

Polls have her running about even in a general-election matchup with Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, the likely GOP nominee in the race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.

Yet Whitmer remains largely unknown to most Michigan voters, nearly two-thirds of whom did not recognize her name in a recent Detroit Free Press survey.

Her campaign, though ahead in Democratic primary polls, still feels like a shoestring operation. It is headquartered over her dentist husband's office in Lansing, and one recent day on the trail found Whitmer's 15-year-old daughter chalking up driver's education hours by ferrying the candidate to campaign events.

She sets aside 20 hours a week for "call time," which is a nicer way to describe raising money, an aspect of campaigning in which many female candidates lag behind their male counterparts. She used to hate it, but "I've gotten more comfortable," said Whitmer, who is being outraised by Schuette, as she hung up from collecting an additional $500. "If you don't ask for money, people don't think you are a serious candidate."

Her candidacy comes at a moment of existential crisis for Democrats in Michigan. Some worry that Whitmer is too cautious and that she has not spelled out a detailed rationale for her candidacy. Those fears, too, draw comparisons to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who lost Michigan's 2016 Democratic primary to Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

To win, Whitmer will have to motivate African-American voters in a way that Clinton failed to.

A recent listening session she held with several dozen grass-roots organizers in western Detroit erupted into a raucous argument over whether it is practical to push hard for liberal causes such as single-payer health care, a $15 minimum wage and racial justice. Some vented their anger over tainted drinking water in Flint and the crime that every year puts their city at or near the top of the FBI's list of the nation's most violent cities.

"We don't have a backbone. We don't have an agenda. We don't have anything that people can stand on and say at least Democrats are for these three things, and we are allowing Republicans to wipe us out," said Brenda Hill, whose 22-year-old son was killed in a 2009 shooting that remains unsolved.

"You've got to win first!" community activist Martin Tutwiler shouted from the back.

Whitmer tried to mediate with a warning: "If we don't pull this together, we won't be sitting here next cycle, because we're going to be going extinct."

Female candidates have also moved to the forefront in other statewide races there. In addition to Sen. Debbie Stabenow, who is running for reelection, candidates vying to be chosen by their party at an April convention include former Wayne State University law school dean Jocelyn Benson, thus far unopposed for Democratic nomination to be secretary of state, and lawyer Dana Nessel, who is running for attorney general.

Nessel created a provocative video that went viral as new sexual abuse scandals were making the headlines on a near-daily basis in November. She asked into the camera: "When you're choosing Michigan's next attorney general, ask yourself this: Who can you trust most not to show you their penis in a professional setting? Is it the candidate who doesn't have a penis? I'd say so."

Four years before there was such a movement, Whitmer had her own #MeToo moment. Arguing against a bill that would prevent insurance companies from making coverage of abortion a standard benefit on their policies, the Senate Democratic leader stood on the floor of the chamber and revealed something she had never told even her father - that she had been raped when she was a freshman at Michigan State University.

"The thought and the memory of that still haunts me. If this were law then and I had become pregnant I would not be able to have coverage because of this," she told her colleagues. "How extreme, how extreme does this measure need to be?"

Her argument did not change a single vote, and the bill became law. But Whitmer said she heard from thousands of other women expressing support for her decision to make her story public.

But the politics of sexual misconduct may be tricky for Whitmer. Her Democratic opponents say that when Whitmer was working as an Ingham County prosecutor for six months in 2016, she was not aggressive enough in pursuing charges against former Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar for sexually abusing patients, including female gymnasts.

Whitmer insists the investigation was handled properly. After being prosecuted by the state attorney general who may well be her GOP opponent in November, Nassar will be serving 60 years on child pornography charges.

But wealthy businessman Shri Thanedar, one of her three Democratic opponents, said Whitmer is vulnerable on the issue in the current climate, adding: "She should do a favor to the Democratic Party by withdrawing from the governor's race because the Democrats cannot afford to lose the governorship in 2018."

"There are really some big questions about whether she was willing to take a politically difficult stand that would have put a predator behind bars," added physician Abdul El-Sayed, another Democratic contender.

Meanwhile, the battle lines are also being drawn for the fall election. Schuette rarely says Whitmer's name but regularly blasts the state's last Democratic governor. Jennifer Granholm's popularity plummeted as she presided over the economic crisis that began a decade ago and hit Michigan as hard as any state in the country.

"We can't go back to the Granholm era, which was a failed era," Schuette said in an interview.

Whitmer often hears their names linked. "Lots of women candidates get compared to one another because there's so few women in office and positions in corporate America," she said.

At a fundraiser in Grand Rapids, she compared herself instead to former governor John Engler, a Republican, who like Whitmer led his party in the state Senate before running to be the state's top official.

"Governor Granholm had all the right values but didn't have the right background," Whitmer said.

The small number of female governors currently in office reflects the additional hurdles faced by women seeking a state's executive office, advocates for more female representation said.

"When a woman is running to be the CEO of her state, our research shows that voters need more evidence to believe that she is prepared to do the job than it takes for them to believe that of a man," said Barbara Lee, a liberal philanthropist whose family foundation promotes women in politics. "People have become more comfortable with a woman at the table. They're still not as comfortable having a woman in charge."

Former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, noted that although she had run for other offices, "there was nowhere near the kind of spotlight and critique and constant coverage you get when you are running for governor. It was a constant revalidation of your credentials."

Sebelius recalled a 2002 debate in which she was onstage with a half-dozen male candidates. Though she was one of only two who had experience in statewide office, an Associated Press report chose to focus on Sebelius's open-toe shoes and the color of her nail polish.

The former Kansas governor said she is heartened by the number of women she sees running for the job in 2018 - including in her own state, where veteran state Sen. Laura Kelly jumped into the Democratic primary in mid-December and immediately became the favorite to win the nomination.

Increasingly, women candidates are citing their gender as an asset.

"I don't back down," Rep. Diane Black, R-Tenn., the first woman to chair the House Budget Committee, said in announcing her gubernatorial candidacy in August. "Maybe it's because I grew up in a family where we had nothing, or maybe it's because I was a single mom working the night shift as a nurse. It's just how I'm wired."

If female candidates are seeing new opportunity to reach for the top job in 2018, Whitmer said, they have other women to thank for it.

"In this cycle, the most surprising thing is how sustained the energy is, and the enthusiasm," Whitmer said. "I was always a little concerned that maybe we'd get numbed to everything that's happening, the enthusiasm would wane, and it hasn't for a second. A lot of it is being organized by and sustained by women."

Whether these efforts will translate into victories this year remains to be seen.

On a recent visit to a training center run by the Michigan Council of Carpenters and Millrights in Ferndale, union member Missy Kooiker told Whitmer that she knows a thing or two about breaking gender barriers. The first time Kooiker showed up at a meeting of her carpenters union local, one of the other members greeted her by saying, "Hi, Sunshine. Are you lost?"

Yet last fall, despite her union's endorsement for another barrier-busting woman at the top of the ballot, Kooiker veered - and voted for Trump. This time around, she said, neither party can yet count on her vote: "I think I'm untrusting of the government as a whole."

(c) 2018, The Washington Post. This story was written by Karen Tumulty.
Reading room with Chinese-style decorations in the Capital Library.

China's first national public library law comes into effect today, offering resources to a greater portion of the public.

Highlights of the Law

The law standardizes many services in public libraries around the country. The Supreme People's Court highlights certain aspects of the law below.

Services free of charge

Four types of services should be provided free of charge, including offering inquiry and borrowing services for document information, opening its public spaces such as reading rooms, organizing public lectures, reading promotion activities, training and exhibitions, and other service programs in accordance with national regulations.

Priority groups

For children, a reading area, guidance and educational activities should be provided by government-funded libraries.

For the elderly and the disabled, there should be special services and barrier-free facilities.

Open time

Public libraries are required to open on weekends and legal holidays.

Privacy protection and Digital services

Libraries are responsible for preventing a reader's personal information from being divulged. Moreover, government-funded libraries should strengthen their infrastructure for digital resources and provide document resource e-platforms.

Model public library

CGTN visited the Capital Library of China, which is one of the largest libraries owned by the city of Beijing.

With a collection of more than 6.5 million books of all kinds, the library is open all year round to the public.

During the New Year Holiday, there are various activities including local cultural lectures, book exchange activities, and a multitude of other exhibitions.

For the young ones, there are activities such as DIY New Year greeting cards, fairytale reading club, and a day for cartoon screenings.

All of the activities are free of charge and open to the public. People just need to make an appointment ahead of their visit.

A staff member of the Capital Library told CGTN that the institution already offers similar services. "Long before the public library law was enacted, we had designated reading areas for priority groups. For example, we have a rehabilitation literature reading room (for the disabled), and we have reading room only for kids."

Still needs improvement

Although libraries in China such as Beijing's Capital Library already have excellent facilities and services, the rest of the country still has a long way to go to accommodate such a tremendous population.

According to the 2014 statistics of the Ministry of Culture, there are 3,117 public libraries across china, while the U.S. has 9,082 public libraries, statistics from the American Library Association of the corresponding period show.

Such a large library to population ratio means the U.S. has ample places for the public to kick back and read.

CCTV anchor Bai Yansong gave an assessment of the US' public library system, noted that "'FREE TO ALL' is written on the entrance of the Boston Public Library, and I believe this not only means the library is free of charge, but also free to enter and exit for each and every one."

The director of the public service department at the Boston library explained,"The library welcomes everyone, whether you are young or old, poor or rich; whether you are an American citizen, a foreign immigrant, or a tourist, the library welcomes everyone."

There is a dedicated query system for people with disabilities, with voice prompts at each step, and the printer can even print braille directly. For older readers, the library provides books with larger characters, and it sends books to prison regularly.

China is now trying to have people in remote areas have access to public resources as well. News agency Xinhua stated in December, "China has set up 587,000 libraries in rural areas, according to a meeting about rural libraries held in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province."

Book reading habits in China

The Chinese are voracious readers, with the country's Academy of Press and Publication noting that "Chinese people read an average of 7.86 books in 2016, a slight increase from last year." Meanwhile, digital books are becoming more popular.

China ranked third place in the world on time spent reading, according to a global study released by the World Culture Score Index, which measures the amount of time that people around the world spend reading on a weekly basis.

With the new public library law coming out, a proliferation of libraries can be expected.
China Zheshang Bank Co Ltd is working closely with small and medium-sized enterprises in the high-tech sector.

The commercial lender is also looking for new innovative businesses such as those involved in the government-backed high-end equipment manufacturing industry.

CZBank has rolled out a raft of creative products as it explores opportunities to work with breakthrough SMEs such as Tianjin Emaging Technology Co Ltd.

The company specializes in research, development and promotion of magnetic bearing technologies.

Founded in 2006, Emaging spent years developing magnetic levitation technology.

Subsidiary Esurging (Tianjin) Technology Co Ltd even used a maglev system developed by the parent company to make blowers for sewage treatment plants.

"With the help of our technology, we are able to reduce blower bearing friction so that the bearings can spin between 20,000 and 30,000 revolutions per minute," said Hong Shenping, chairman of Emaging.

"That will help the operator of a sewage treatment plant cut energy consumption by more than 30 percent and reduce operating costs significantly," Hong added.

In a move to stay competitive, Emaging allowed sewage treatment plants to use the energy-efficient blowers manufactured by its subsidiary in a pay-later deal.

Under the agreement, the plants will pay later with part of the savings on their energy bills.

But this would not have been possible without the support of CZBank, as it is estimated that Emaging will only recoup equipment costs in two years.

The bank has acted as a middleman by extending credit to the company for the money it is owed from clients.

By using these innovative financial products, Emaging has increased its working capital and boosted its order book in 2017 after receiving a credit line of 200 million yuan ( million).

Up to mid-November 2017, the company had sold 300 blowers for 150 million yuan to sewage plants across China.

"The plan is to export our products (and services) to the United States in the near future, while we are in talks with buyers from Russia and Egypt," said Sun Jisong, general manager of Esurging.

The company has also produced permanent magnet motors and aims to expand into other fields, he added. These include general machinery and military equipment.

Emaging's tie-up with CZBank has been crucial and eventually led to a financial leasing program.

Since many of subsidiary Esurging's customers are interested in paying in installments, a financial leasing company controlled by the bank rolled out a service to ease cash flow problems, by purchasing the blowers and then leasing them to relevant companies.

Gao Yufeng, deputy general manager of the corporate banking department of CZBank Tianjin branch, said the lender plans to deepen cooperation with high-tech companies.

"Looking to the future, we are hoping to help Emaging when it seeks direct financing from capital markets through bond issuance and an initial public offering," Gao added.
In a time when treat yo self sends people to dine in some of the trendiest restaurants and travel to the most Instagrammable locations, we often forget there are others who deserve pampering as well. Though they may not tell us directly, pets deserve a day of luxury or even a new chew toy - even if their hardest day of work is fetching the newspaper from the porch.

Give a cute pooch or feline some extra love, and pamper them at one of San Diegos best pet stores or spas.

Boutiques + stores

Noahs Natural Pet Market

Through countless hours of research, the staff at Noahs Natural Market ensures that pet owners have the best selection of food and supplements to choose from. Noahs specializes in carrying RAW pet foods as well as dry, dehydrated, freeze-dried and canned foods. While shopping, owners can also pick up vitamins, herbal tinctures and, of course, toys for their furry friends. Pet washing and services are available, too.

4431 Cass St., Pacific Beach, 858.270.8161, noahsnaturalpetmarket.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BXtL0jaBzuD/?hl=en&taken-by=noahsnaturalpetmarket



Muttropolis

For pets who yearn to be the most stylish at the dog beach or park, they need a one-stop shop to find the trendiest accessories. Cue in Muttropolis, a store whose passion is to bring quality collars, toys, beds and treats to dogs and cats. Whether pet owners are shopping for a simple leash or a themed party outfit, pets will be turning heads left and right with their new stylish accessory.

La Jolla: 7755 Girard Ave., 858.459.2142; Solana Beach: 227 S. Cedros, 858.755.3648, muttropolis.com

Paw Pleasers

While every day is an opportunity to celebrate your pet, you now have the perfect excuse. Paw Pleasers prepares pet-friendly cakes, treats and ice cream perfect for a birthday or celebration. Custom cakes are available upon request.

2818 University Ave., North Park, 619. 293. 7297, pawpleasers.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWtjDJdgKgU/?hl=en&taken-by=pawpleasers



Dexters Deli

Since 1996, the staff at Dexters Deli has been working with customers to find the best food and treats for their pets. As each pet is different, Dexters Deli works to accommodate the needs of every pet-owner duo. Aside from the markets healthiest foods, Dexters Deli also sells gear, toys and gifts to make any pooch happy.

Carlsbad: 2508 El Camino Real, 760.720.7507; Del Mar: 1229 Camino Del Mar, 858.792.3707; North Park: 3773 30th St., 619.738.8677, dextersdeli.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVvBYwJAK03/?hl=en&taken-by=dexters.deli



Groomers + dog washers

Peticures by Tess

Located within Paw Pleasers, Tess bring 20 years of experience to owners who want to make their pets extra pretty. In each pedicure service, she pays close attention to detail while providing a pain-free service to your dog. Yes, dogs live a relaxed life already, but why not pamper them a little more?

2818 University Ave., North Park, 619.733.1661, peticures@gmail.com, peticuresbytess.com

Barkhouse

After a few rolls in the mud, pets need some extra scrubbing to get them back to their furry selves. At Barkhouse, their team provides a variety of services, including facials, washes and complete blow dries, to ensure your pet is relaxed. Self-service was is available also.

311 W. Washington St., Little Italy, 619.255.0545, mybarkhouse.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVFuD1jgx7a/?hl=en&taken-by=barkhousesd1



Dog Beach Dog Wash

When owner Mindy and Jane took their dog to the beach, they ran into several problems: messiness, lots of laundry and a big headache. To rid owners of stress, they now offer self-serve wash services a few blocks from the beach. Here, pets can be in the comfort of their owners presence while getting squeaky clean.

4922 Voltaire St., Ocean Beach, 619.523.1700, dogwash.com

Hairy & Merry

In no particular order, wash, stay, play, food and training are what pets and their owners can find at this Little Italy shop. The boutique pet hotel offers short term play care or overnight care, and to clean up, services include self-wash, express baths and full service grooming.

2400 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy, 844.225.4364, hairyandmerry.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BNvCrmTgrVS/?taken-by=hairyandmerry



Dirty Dogs

Since 2008, Dirty Dogs has been as San Diegos best grooming services. With a variety of packages to choose from, owners can choose one too meet their pets exact needs. The salon also offers healthy natural products and self-service washes.

Carlsbad: 2521 Palomar Airport Road, 760.438.3478; Carmel Mountain Ranch: 11835 Carmel Mountain Road, 858.451.3647; Carmel Valley: 3840 Valley Centre Drive, 858.3503478; Torrey Hills: 4639 Carmel Mountain Road, 858.259.3647; Solana Beach: 112 W. Plaza St., 858.418.3647, dirtydogs.com

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWaZANZBYKj/?hl=en&taken-by=dirtydogssd
City taps into national network to expand commuting options

Beijing has begun to tap into parts of the national railway network that lie within its administrative borders to aid the development of its urban sub-center in Tongzhou district as the Chinese capital launched two new railway lines at the turn of the New Year.

Experts said the addition of such lines allow resources to be allocated in a more economical fashion although there isn't much industrial impact to be felt now as the railway line is still in its earlier days.

The so-called sub-center suburban railway line, linking downtown Beijing with Tongzhou district, became operational on Sunday. The 38.8-kilometer line connects the city's Shijingshan district in western Beijing with eastern Beijing's Tongzhou district, where the sub-center lies.

With five stations on the line, passengers can get from Beijing Railway Station to Tongzhou in just 28 minutes on the model CRH6A train. In comparison, it will take one and a half hour when taking a bus.

Dozens of residents of Beijing's Tongzhou district gathered at the Tongzhou station on Monday afternoon to ask about tickets.

"The railway is really convenient. I can get up later for work in the morning from tomorrow on," a resident who only gave his surname as Dong told the Global Times on Monday.

Dong, who works at a technology company near Wangfujing subway station in the city center, said to get to work by 8 am, he has had to get up at 6 am to take a bus, as the subway is overcrowded. With the operation of the new line, he can leave home at 7 am and get to work on time.

Sun Zhang, a rail expert and professor at Shanghai Tongji University, said the suburban railway lines bolster areas of weakness in China's rail transit system and allow it to achieve higher-quality growth.

"The current urban rail transit system in China's big cities is imbalanced, with metro lines being predominant. Most metro lines are underground and their costs are very high. Also, their speeds are capped at 80 kilometers per hour because stations are about 1 kilometer apart, which is not economical," Sun told the Global Times.

Because metros are expensive and slower, in Western countries they are used only in city centers, Sun noted.

With stations at a wider distance of about 7 kilometers, suburban rail lines can run up to about 140 kilometers per hour and better at moving large numbers of commuters over long distances, Sun said.

Another line, which links Beijing's Changping district with the suburban districts of Huairou and Miyun, was also officially opened on Sunday. It spans 135.6 kilometers and has six stations.

The lines were among the 11 projects approved by the National Development and Reform Commission in June 2017 to relieve urban transport pressures and boost urbanization.

According to a guideline on the development of such suburban rail lines, the nation's top economic planner aims to build a "commuting circle" in big cities bringing major adjacent areas into one-hour travel times by 2020.

In the long run, suburban rail lines - often known as commuter lines - could help push institutional innovations and break administrative barriers in China's rail transit system, Sun said.

"Metro lines are subsidized by city budgets while State rail lines are subsidized by central financial resources. The introduction of these lines utilizes the assets of the State railway company and serves mainly the interests of localities. Innovative ways can be found to operate such ventures, such as the State railway company injecting existing assets as capital stock," Sun said.

Wu Yanlong, who works at a branch of real estate agency Homelink near Tongzhou station, said that he couldn't see any influence from the new suburban line yet.

"Most of our properties are for lease near the station. The rent is stable and shows no sign of rising," Wu added.
This is one of a series of my reviews of the book by prominent Catholic journalist, editor, and author Philip Lawler, entitled Lost Shepherd: How Pope Francis is Misleading His Flock (due to be released on 26 February 2018). Phil was kind enough to send me a review copy, and he and others have encouraged me to read the book and review it. Their wish is granted!

For background, see my paper, On Rebuking Popes & Catholic Obedience to Popes, and three posts concerning a few statements from the book that I found very troubling and questionable, including dialogues with both Karl Keating (who positively reviewed it) and briefly with author Phil himself (one / two / three).

*****

The Introduction (as it should) provides a very meticulous summary of Phils general outlook: to be explicated upon in the book. No one is left in any doubt as to his rather gloomy, troubled views after reading descriptions of Pope Francis and his opinions such as:

. . . leading the Church away from the ancient sources of the Faith. . . . a source of division. . . . radical nature of the program that he is relentlessly advancing. . . . encouraged beliefs and practices that are incompatible with the prior teachings of the Church. If that complaint is justified, he has violated the sacred trust that is given to Peters successors. . . . a Roman pontiff who disregarded so easily what the Church has always taught and believed and practiced on such bedrock issues as the nature of marriage and of the Eucharist . . . a danger to the Faith . . .

I do wholeheartedy agree with one suggestion that Lawler throws out in the Introduction:

Maybe my entire argument is wrongheaded. I have been wrong before and will no doubt be wrong again; one more mistaken view is of no great consequence.

If at length I conclude just that, then maybe these series of reviews (assuming they remain negative, as is likely) will persuade Phil that he is in the wrong. Hes been wrong before and will be again, as he humbly admits, so surely if I presently show that he is (entirely within the realm of possibility), he will change his opinion. And in that eventuality, I would be doing both him and his readers the greatest service. Perhaps this is why he sent me his book to review. Its admirable for a man to be open to being proven wrong.

In my brief direct dialogue with Phil Lawler (recorded in one of my posts), I warned him of the grave consequences of his being wrong on this matter. I am (thus far) very concerned about him, as well as his readers:

[Y]our book will sell like hotcakes. Im happy to see any author sell well (believe me), but I tremble for you, if in fact you are wrong about what you are saying. If you are, you will be responsible for leading many thousands astray, and that is a heavy burden indeed. [see James 3:1-12]

I wrote recently, that Id much rather be wrong (if I am) defending the pope, than to be wrong criticizing him wrongly and leading multiple thousands of people down the same path. Im sure youve agonized about it, because you have taken a long arduous path to your present position. Im urging  begging  you, to ponder it even more. Pray, fast, but (I say as a friend and colleague) be aware of the gravity of the topics that you have chosen to write about, in what will be a very popular book. You can ride that wave of fashionable opinion, but Im not sure it will be a blessing for you or your readers.

Even Luther always claimed that he never intended to split the Church (and his followers say the same to this day), and look what happened. It could have been very different, even from a Protestant perspective, but it wasnt.

Lawler in the Introduction cites one thing in particular: Pope Francis homily from 24 February 2017 as, in effect, the final straw. It caused a sea change in his view of Pope Francis. He reports that Something snapped inside me after reading what he construes as the Holy Fathers capitalizing on one more opportunity to promote his own view on divorce and remarriage. He concluded:

[I]n this case, the pope turned the Gospel reading completely upside-down. Reading the Vatican Radio account of that astonishing homily, I found I could no longer pretend that Francis was merely offering a novel interpretation of Catholic doctrine. No, it was more than that. He was engaged in a deliberate effort to change what the Church teaches.

No one had to wait for this book to come out, to realize the extent of Lawlers horror over this homily. He freely wrote about it in his Catholic Culture article of 1 March 2017: This Disastrous Papacy. Most of it was included in the Introduction, either unchanged or only slightly modified.

Very well, then. Since we know this was the single identifiable thing that decisively changed his mind about Pope Francis, lets take a look at it and see whether it really is as radical and anti-traditional as he claims it to be; whether it truly suggests or requires such a remarkable and earth-shaking conclusion as what Lawler has drawn from it. Ive already linked to it above, so readers can read all of it: from the same source that Lawler got it from. What was Pope Francis trying to say, and teach?

Its not that complicated. Its one of many of Pope Francis characteristic condemnations of legalism and casuistry or casuistic logic. Casuistry is one of the classic anti-Catholic accusations; often (ironically) made specifically against Jesuit reasoning. Dictionary.com defines the word as follows:

specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, especially in questions of morality; fallacious or dishonest application of general principles; sophistry

It goes on to give the historical example of: His spirit is the opposite of that of Jesuitism or casuistry (Wallace).

In itself, this is not and shouldnt be considered in the slight bit controversial. After all, it was a strong emphasis of St. Paul. He wrote quite a bit in his epistles about the relationship of law and grace, and how grace is the predominant factor by far (while not nullifying law altogether). Jesus view was exactly the same. He expressly denied abolishing the Law in His Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:17-20). Jesus emphasized justice and mercy over against legalism, precisely as Pope Francis does in this homily:

Matthew 23:23 (RSV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.

Likewise, Francis hammers down this theme in his homily, which was about the Pharisees asking Jesus, Is it lawful for a husband to put away his wife? And the pope commented:

Jesus does not answer whether it is lawful or not lawful; He doesnt enter into their casuistic logic. Because they thought of the faith only in terms of Yes, you can, or No, you cant  to the limits of what you can do, the limits of what you cant do. That logic of casuistry. And He asks a question: But what did Moses command you? What is in your Law? And they explained the permission Moses had given to put away the wife, and they themselves fall into the trap. Because Jesus qualifies them as hard of heart: Because of the hardness of your hearts he wrote you this commandment, and He speaks the truth. Without casuistry. Without permissions. The truth.

The point hes making is that Jesus didnt approach the question from merely a legal standpoint, which is how they were approaching it. They were doing their usual dill and cummin routine and missing the weightier matters about (in this case) marriage and divorce. Jesus went much more deeply into the matter, telling them that God only allowed divorce at all because of their hardness of heart. Jesus continued (the initial but shows that He is starkly contrasting His teaching with theirs):

Mark 10:6-12 But from the beginning of creation, `God made them male and female. [7] `For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, [8] and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two but one flesh. [9] What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder. [10] And in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter. [11] And he said to them, Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; [12] and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.

Lawler (as best I can tell) seems to think that the pope was quite negligent and lax in his duty because he didnt go on to cite these other parts of the gospel (Lawler cited 10:8-9, 11-12). But that doesnt follow. These homilies are mostly to priests. They know what the passage is. The pope is trying to bring out the deeper meanings of the passage, just as Jesus was doing with the overall question. It doesnt follow logically that if the pope doesnt expressly mention something in any given specific context, that he therefore denies it.

Yet that is how Lawler thinks. It really is outrageous, to treat a pope so cavalierly. If he claims that the pope has now denied the indissolubility of marriage (or worse), then by all means, his burden is to find direct passages where the pope did that, and condemn it (and I would immediately join him in his condemnation).

I will go find such passages now  i.e., do Lawlers work for him , since he didnt have time to trouble himself to treat the pope with even a minimum of routine fairness. Instead, we get a pathetic argument from silence, that completely misses the popes point, just as the Pharisees missed Jesus point in the original incident that is now recorded in Scripture.

The pope ends by making a both/and observation that is exactly what Jesus did in Matthew 23:23, cited above. Its beyond odd that he is now thought to be subverting the ancient faith, by following closely an explicit line of thinking that we have right from our Lord in the inspired revelation of Holy Scripture.

It takes the grace of God to help us to go forward in this way. And we should always ask for it. Lord, grant that I might be just, but just with mercy. Not just, covered by casuistry. Just in mercy. As You are. Just in mercy. Then, someone with a casuistic mentality might ask, But what is more important in God? Justice or mercy? This, too, is a sick thought, that seeks to go out What is more important? They are not two things: it is only one, only one thing. In God, justice is mercy and mercy is justice.

Hes opposing the either/or mentality that infested the Pharisees, and very often, Protestant contra-Catholic theology. Catholics, like Jesus, think in both/and terms. Hes also fighting against the juvenile conception of Christianity, or Catholicism in particular, as merely a set of dos and donts. Hes hardly the first person to do that! This is a very common teaching among Catholics, and Protestants and Orthodox as well.

In fact, I myself constantly exercise this approach (virtually every day!) as an apologist. If Im asked a question, especially by a non-Catholic or even by an atheist, my approach is not simply to say we believe this (a do) or The Catholic Church teaches that this is wrong (a dont). Thats catechetics (what is believed), and perfectly legitimate to begin with. But the problem is that the inquirer generally wants to know why we believe certain things are true and/or wrong. And thats apologetics, which gets into the why: the deeper rationales and intellectual / biblical justifications.

Thats what the pope was doing. He knows everyone in his audience knew the passage already. He chose to hone in on the deeper meaning of it: beyond legalism and casuistry and pharisaism and religion as merely a set of dos and donts: and on to the deepest realities of the teaching. The Pharisees (with Lawler in effect joining them) want a simple, sound bite answer. Jesus and Pope Francis (and Catholic thinking, generally) would much rather give a deeper, more involved, complex answer.

Lawler, on the basis of reading this homily, somehow concluded that Pope Francis was engaged in a deliberate effort to change what the Church teaches. This was his turning-point, and a major reason why his book exists in the first place (which is why he highlighted it, front and center, in the Introduction, and in an earlier article). But it is the height of uncharity and unfairness to draw such a momentous, negative conclusion on the basis of an argument from silence (i.e., the idea that the pope didnt assert and reaffirm indissolubility in this sermon; therefore, he must deny it).

I dont see what sees. To me, it is the 168th example of people seeing things; reading into things the pope said, that (far as I can tell) just arent there, and cant even plausibly be construed as possibly being there. Its like the improper eisegesis that is done all the time with the Bible: reading into Scripture stuff that isnt there, as opposed to reading out of it.

If Lawler wishes to assert that Francis has overthrown  or seeks to overthrow  the constant Catholic teaching on marriage, then certainly he can find passages where the pope undeniably does / seeks to do just that. So why didnt he do that? I would say that its because they dont exist. And what would Lawler say? That the pope is being deliberately secretive and conniving about his real beliefs? In other words, that its a grand evil, nefarious jesuitical conspiracy? Certainly, if this radical strain of thought is present in Francis, then it can be found, in a way infinitely more persuasive or compelling than the always-weak method of arguing from silence. And if it cant, it ought not be asserted that the pope believes something that cant be documented from his voluminous writings and talks.

With searching capabilities online today, finding relevant passages is ridiculously simple. And so I will find them. Francis teaches nothing different about marriage than what any other pope, or the Church teach:

1) Right in The Catholic World Report (1-23-16)  of which Lawler was editor from 1993 to 2005  we have the article, Francis affirms indissolubility of marriage, objectivity of annulment conditions. The pope stated: The family, founded on indissoluble marriage, unitive and procreative, belongs to the dream of God and of his Church for the salvation of humanity. Does that sound like Pope Francis is engaged in a deliberate effort to change what the Church teaches as regards marriage? Not to me. If it does to anyone else, perhaps they can explain to me why.

2) Aleteia hosted an article (9-30-15), entitled, Pope Francis Reaffirms that Catholic Marriage is Indissoluble. Pope Francis stated, Marriage is indissoluble when it is a sacrament. And this the Church cannot change. Its doctrine. Its an indissoluble sacrament. And he also observed:

With the reform of the marriage annulment procedure, I closed the door to the administrative path, which was the path through which divorce could have made its way in. Those who think this is equivalent with Catholic divorce are mistaken because this last document has closed the door to divorce by which it could have entered. It would have been easier with the administrative path. . . . Catholic divorce does not exist. Nullity is granted if the union never existed. But if it did, it is indissoluble.

That is supposedly radically anti-traditional and overthrowing what the Church has taught about it? If that were the case, then words mean absolutely nothing, and Lawler should withdraw his book as a result (since words have no meaning, and were all mumbling and grunting incoherently like apes). Or we can fall back on the conspiratorial view, that Francis is lying through his teeth and concealing his real evil intentions . . .

3) Deacon Nick Donnelly wrote in National Catholic Register on 20 April 2016 (Amoris Laetitia: A Hymn to Indissolubility and Fidelity):

During the 2015 Synod, some synod fathers advocated that the Church replace the term indissolubility to describe the life-long commitment of marriage, arguing most modern couples dont understand the word. However, indissolubility can be described as the dominant motif of Amoris Laetitia, with the word used 10 times and lifelong six times. It should not surprise us that Pope Francis views indissolubility as the one of the essential characteristics of the sacrament of Marriage: The indissolubility of marriage  what God has joined together, let no man put asunder (Matthew 19:6)  should not be viewed as a yoke imposed on humanity, but as a gift granted to those who are joined in marriage (62). The Holy Father describes the indissolubility of the sacrament of marriage as salvation history for the couple, a reference to the Biblical notion of salvation history, the history of Gods fidelity, constancy and loyalty towards Israel and the human race: Each marriage is a kind of salvation history, which from fragile beginnings  thanks to Gods gift and a creative and generous response on our part  grow over time into something precious and enduring. (221). A number of times in Amoris Laetitia Pope Francis refers to the indissolubility and fidelity of marriage as being a great and mysterious gift, quoting the words of St. Robert Bellarmine: the fact that one man unites with one woman in an indissoluble bond, and that they remain inseparable despite every kind of difficulty, even when there is no longer hope for children, can only be the sign of a great mystery (124). The Holy Father, with the Synod Fathers, is clear that the guarantor of this great mystery of indissolubility in marriage is the presence of Our Lord Jesus Christ, He who is perfectly faithful and perfectly loyal: Only in contemplating Christ does a person come to know the deepest truth about human relationships. Only in the mystery of the Incarnate Word does the mystery of man take on light Christ, the new Adam, by the revelation of the mystery of the Father and his love, fully reveals man to himself and makes his supreme calling clear (Gaudium et Spes, 22). It is particularly helpful to understand in a Christocentric key the good of the spouses (bonum coniugum) which includes unity, openness to life, fidelity, indissolubility and, within Christian marriage, mutual support on the path towards complete friendship with the Lord. Pope Francis exhorts us to so cherish and uphold the divine gift of indissolubility, that we have the courage to accompany and care for those wounded by the evil of divorce. Such care acknowledges the tragedy of separation and divorce and expresses the love at the heart of indissolubility: The Christian communitys care of such persons is not to be considered a weakening of its faith and testimony to the indissolubility of marriage; rather, such care is a particular expression of its charity (243).

4) Catholic News Agency, 25 April 2014 (Pope emphasizes indissolubility of Christian matrimony):

The holiness and indissolubility of Christian matrimony, often disintegrating under tremendous pressure from the secular world, must be deepened by clear doctrine and supported by the witness of committed married couples, Pope Francis said.

Much more along these lines could easily be found. This is documentation of what the pope actually holds: not mere cynical speculation from an argument from silence (the pope didnt assert particular Catholic teaching x in papal homily y; therefore, he must deny it, and wants to change x and constant Church tradition in general). That wont do. And Phil Lawler will have to do much better in order to prove his extraordinary thesis. Perhaps he has somewhere in the book. Ive only just started reading and reviewing it. But this particular argument, made a centerpiece of the Introduction, and a self-understood key to Lawlers own odyssey to a position of opposition to Pope Francis as a supposed radical theological dissident, utterly fails.

***

Photo credit: Image by TPHeinz (December 2017): discovered by a Google search for silence [Pixabay / CC0 Creative Commons license]

***
In the holy month of Ramadan, president Joe Biden of the United States offered the Taliban Pashtun Muslims of Afghanistan something they were long fighting for -- an unconditional withdrawal of foreign forces from their land.
The son and daughter of a house cleaner who died in a car accident on Wednesday, offered to repay all advance payments made to their mother even before making arrangements for her funeral, Chutian Metropolis Daily reported.

Duan Sangu, 49, was hit by a truck on the way to work at 6:30 am in Wuhan, Hubei province. She was sent to the hospital where she died of internal injuries.

Her daughter, Guo Wei, and son, Guo Feng, were going through their mother's belongings when they found details of advance payments made to her. They called Duan's customers to try to pay back the money, but were refused by all 11 people they reached.

"It (the call) was shocking, but moving as well," said Li Honggui, one of Duan's employers. "The funeral has not taken place yet, and they are worrying about us, the employers, it's indeed rare."

Duan had been working as a cleaner since 2004. She was "an honest woman", said Xiong Yulan, another employer who had 500 yuan returned to her by Duan when the latter found the money in an old coat Xiong gave her.

"She would not want to cause trouble for others, so we called the employers," said Guo Wei and Guo Feng.

Eight of Duan's former employers attended her funeral on Saturday.
Parliament on Wednesday ratified a Framework Agreement between the government of Ghana and the Republic of Mauritius for the development of technology and business parks in the country.



As part of the agreement, Mauritius has made a commitment of $75 million towards the development of the technology parks, which would begin at Dawa in the Greater Accra Region, along the Tema-Aflao highway.



There would be an establishment of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to develop, implement and manage the technology and business parks.



The SPV, which is to be known as the Ghana Smart City, shall be incorporated as a limited liability company under the Companies Act, 1963 (Act 179) of Ghana



Presenting the Committee of Communications report to the plenary before the agreement was ratified, the chairman of the committee, Kennedy Agyapong, said the Ghana Smart City would comprise a 3-star hotel, a cyber tower, an innovation to tower, an apartment block, a multi-purpose facility and a conference centre.



According to the chairman of the committee, the project would be established as Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Mauritius; and would facilitate the transfer of technology from the latter to the former through research and development activities.



He said those activities would foster greater interactions among industry, academia, educational and training institutions, the business and the finance sectors.



Mr Kennedy Agyapong further explained that the project would assist in building the capacity of export-oriented small and medium scale ICT businesses and position them to maximize their potential for growth, job creation and revenue generation.



Finally, the project will nurture the development of highly skilled ICT manpower and drive innovation in the economy through scientific research and commercialization of technology, the chairman said.



He said under the agreement, the Government of Ghana would provide among other things, land for the project and all such infrastructure required by the SPV during the operation phase.



Mr Kennedy Agyapong said Mauritius would design and prepare the master plan for the implementation of the project.



It was also agreed that people living in the project locality would be offered the opportunity to acquire the relevant employable skills in businesses and companies to be set up.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) has suspended the Assembly Member for the Asokwa New Town, Mr Oscar Riches, aka Ghana Beyeyie, for a year for allegedly assaulting the Deputy Coordinating Director of the KMA, Mr Kalem Abdellah Adam.



At the assembly meeting in Kumasi on Thursday, December 28, 2017, 37 members of the assembly voted that Ghana Beyeyie should be suspended for three months, four voted for six months, seven abstained, while 53 of them voted for the one year suspension.



The voting was conducted after the Public Relations and Complaints Committee (PRCC) of the assembly had presented its findings to the assembly meeting in Kumasi.



When Ghana Beyeyie, who had been participating in the assemblys deliberations, realised that the issue of his suspension was about to be tabled on the floor, he walked out of the meeting.



Assault



Ghana Beyeyie is said to have assaulted Mr Adam on November 22, 2017, when the latter was invited by the Finance and Administration sub-committee of the assembly to answer certain questions to which he could not provide answers.



Mr Adams explained that his boss, the co-ordinating director, was in the best position to answer those questions.



When Mr Adams was about to leave the meeting, the chairman of the subcommittee started raining insults on him.



In response, Mr Adam is said to have retorted that he came to work at the assembly on merit, with his certificate, a statement which infuriated Ghana Beyeyie. Upset by that insult, Ghana Beyeyie pounced on Mr Adams and in the process punched him several times on the face, leading to his pair of eyeglasses being damaged and a cut on his face.



Mr Adams was rushed to the Cocoa Clinic for treatment and he later reported the matter to the Kumasi Central Police which wrote to the assembly to release Ghana Beyeyei for investigation.



Presiding Member



The Presiding Member, Mr Abraham Boadi, later told the Daily Graphic that when Ghana Beyeyie appeared before the PRCC, he insisted that because the matter was before a law court he could not comment on it but failed to provide any documentation to that effect.



He said not even the explanation that the PRCC was not looking into the criminality of the issue but his conduct as an assembly member could convince Ghana Beyeyei to assist the committee.



Committee



Mr Boadi noted that all witnesses corroborated the assault and the committee recommended that Ghana Beyeyie should be suspended for a year, which the majority of assembly members voted for.



The committee recommended that Mr Adams should also be suspended for two weeks after he had rendered an apology to the Finance and Administration subcommittee of the KMA for claiming that he was at the assembly with his certificate.



At the assembly meeting, Mr Adams, who was almost in tears, apologised to the house about his comments and asked for forgiveness.



Touched by his show of remorse, the assembly voted unanimously against his suspension.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Upper West Regional Police Command says it has picked signals that groups of illegal miners from the southern part of the country have relocated to the Upper West Region following the clampdown on their activities in the south.



He said the regional police command had mounted strong vigilance to counter the upsurge in illegal mining in the region.



The Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Kwadwo Boapeah Otchere, said the regional command had mounted surveillance around the Black Volta in the Wa West, Wa East and Sissala East districts where the illegal miners were believed to have relocated to.



Their activities are being monitored after the regional police command destroyed their chanfan machines, water pumping machines, shovels and other equipment used in their operations, he told the media in Wa.



Mr Boapeah Otchere mentioned that four Burkinabe illegal miners had been arraigned before the High Court in Wa for engaging in the act on the Black Volta.



The four, who had been granted bail, were arrested during a routine police operation on some



galamsey sites in the region, he added.



Police re-strategise



Speaking on other matters bordering on security in the region, the police commander said his outfit had increased patrols to contain the upsurge in robbery, especially around Sawla and Tannina, following the closure of the Buipe and Yapei bridges in the Northern Region to traffic.



The closure of those two bridges had compelled vehicles travelling from the south to the north and beyond to use the Wa route.



He said the command had also mounted new snap checkpoints in the Wa municipality, especially, as part of measures to increase security presence in the town.



According to him, the police had re-strategized to combat highway robberies, theft of motorbikes, residential burglaries, cattle rustling and galamsey activities in the region.



He asked the public to remain vigilant and alert the police to suspicious persons or activities to enable the command to deal with crime and potential crime timeously.



Clampdown



The government, through the anti-illegal mining squad, Operation Vanguard, has embarked on a clampdown on illegal mining across the country.



Operation Vanguard has maintained operations in the Central, Western, Eastern and



Ashanti regions but is yet to visit the Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The aged and widows at Wiamoase and its environs have commended Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo, the Chief of Agric Nzema, for his annual ritual donations to the needy.



It must be emphasized that the people of Kumasi and the aforementioned areas, praised Nana Boadu, describing him as a cheerful giver.



In an interview, Maame Akosua Senu and others who benefited from the donation, they noted that when the celebration of Christmas was up, Nana Boadu constantly donated items such as clothes, fowls, rice and other things to them to put a smile upon thier face.



Maame Akosua Senu maintained that Nana Boadu has been donating to them for years and it came less as a surpise to her when the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako singled him out for praise during the party's recent Extraordinary National Delegates Conference held at Kumasi.



It would be recalled that Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo received praise from Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi when he informed the gathering that dream for the party to have an office complex couldn't have been completed if Nana Nkansah Boadu Ayeboafo hadn't contributed immensely towards the realization of it.



Nana Nkansah Boadu, on his part, stressed that, it is incumbent on everybody to extend whatever they have or their donations to the needy and those who find it difficult to fend for themselves.



He advised the general public to ensure that they will not subject their neighbors to hunger and hinted that ever since he started donating to the needy, his wealth has been multiplied.



He urged the public, especially men of substance to help the deprived ones, in order to enable them overcome their challenges.





Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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Former President Jerry John Rawlings has charged the current administration headed by President Akufo-Addo to act in a decisive manner "that will inspire public confidence", against the "rise of reckless vigilantism" gradually "breeding a new standard in lawlessness" in the country.



He has also tasked the Nana Addo government to address what he termed "official indiscretion in the cash for dinner seats affair" and "inflated budgetary allocations by a particular ministry", which he believes if unatttended to, can "lead to the escalation of corruption".



"I have on a number of occasions made remarks about the current president. That not withstanding, I have to caution that the rise of reckless vigilantism, which is breeding a new standard in lawlessness, has to be brought to book. Vigilantism perceived to be protected by political authority is a one-way road to a break down of law and order. The attacks on the High Court in Kumasi, the recent attacks on a Member of Parliament in Brong Ahafo and other reported incidents of highhandedness by perceived political agents have to be denounced forcefully and dealt with in a firm and swift manner that will inspire public confidence.



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," the former president said on Sunday when he addressed thousands of NDC faithfuls at the 36th Anniversary of the 31st December Revolution held in Ho.



This year's celebration dubbed: Uniting around the Principles of Probity, Accountability and Social Justice, featured the ritual ceremonial wreath laying and lighting of the perpetual flame.



The 31st December Revolution brought the Military Junta, the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) led by then Ft. Lt. J.J Rawlings into power in 1981.



Members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) turned up in their numbers to commemorate the anniversary. Party supporters and sympathizers were clad in party colours as they thronged the Nfodjo Park after partaking in a route march as part of the activities for the day.



Captured at the Nfodjo Park, venue for the event, were NDC presidential hopefuls, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, and Dr. Joshua Alabi.











More soon.....













Ladies and gentlemen, we have sunk so low as a country and we have betrayed the blood of all those who laid down their lives to stem the stinking tide of corruption that had engulfed Ghana over 30 years ago. The sacrifices many dedicated men and women endured to give our party life and succour has been abused and trampled upon by some in a manner even the elephant will be envious of.



Today many perceive politics as being synonymous with acquiring wealth at a fraudulently rapid pace and has nothing to do with service to country. Politics to some is no longer about the right of every individual to have a say in national decision-making through the District Assemblies and other grassroots political structures that were created to enhance equity and create a national wealth of ideas and sense of belonging. Today our politics is one of patronage and dependence on cash cows. Some people have used the leadership opportunities offered them to acquire ill-gotten wealth, which they now use to manipulate us.







Source: Nana Kwadwo Asante Agyemang/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The deputy Executive Director of the National Service Scheme and hopeful for the National Youth Organiser position of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye has lavished praise on party communicators in the Brong Ahafo region. Chronicling events of brutalities that were unleashed on the party communicators before, during and after the 2016 General Elections, Nana-B admitted, that without bravado, commitment, genuine sacrifice and love for the party, they would have abandoned their communication responsibilities as they constantly suffered unprovoked attacks.



He recounted how thugs led by Abdullai Naaba, brother to Collins Dauda and currently a fugitive, inflicted machete wounds, assaulted and vehemently intimidated NPP communicators in the region under the full glare of the police. These despicable atrocities and horrendous horrors he added, did not scare the party's communicators to abandon their service to the party. He tasked the Ghana Police Service to ensure that Abdullai Naaba and his syndicate are made to pay for their sins.



He noted that party communicators across the country, himself a member, played an undeniable role in bringing the party to power and as such, must be attended to, just as other party functionaries have been. He revealed his plan to set up a Welfare Fund to attend to party activists who suffer various forms of injuries while serving the party. The relatives of deceased party activists, mostly children and helpless widows often left unattended to, he revealed, would also be catered for by the Welfare Fund. He noted that a party that does not honour its hereoes is not worth dying for. This initiative he admitted, can be only be implemented if he is elected to be part of the National Executive Council as National Youth Organiser. He made an undisclosed cash donation to the party communicators during at an end of year meeting held in Sunyani for party communicators in the region.



On their part, the Brong Ahafo Communication team thanked Nana-B for his kind gesture, as many of them have been left unattended to since the party's ascension to power. They overwhelmingly declared their support for Nana-B in his quest to replace Sammy Awuku as National Youth Organiser and tasked other leading members of the party to come to the aid of communicators.

Source: peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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ABC/Adam TaylorFoo Fighters closed out 2017 with a New Year's Eve show in Las Vegas, but would the band ever do a Las Vegas residency? According to Las Vegas Weekly, the idea has crossed their mind.

The newspaper reports that during the show, frontman Dave Grohl revealed that the Foos had previously thought about a multi-date run in Sin City, with each night featuring a different set list. Apparently, the idea first came about around four years ago, and Grohl says they might revisit it "someday before we're in our 70s."

While we wait for that, Foo Fighters will be touring all over the U.S. throughout the year in support of their new album, Concrete and Gold. The first leg of the trek kicks off April 18 in Austin, Texas.

Among the rock artists who definitely have Las Vegas residencies upcoming: Incubus and Nickelback.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
China should be on high alert as New Delhi might continue to disturb Beijing on border issues, experts warned on Monday after a senior Indian cabinet official visited India's border police troops on Sunday to celebrate the New Year.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived at the "Indo-Tibetan Border Police" camp establishment in Matli on the India-China border on Sunday evening to spend the New Year with the Indian force, The Times of India reported.

On New Year's Day, the Indian minister would proceed to the Nelang valley to meet soldiers and take stock of the situation at about ten border posts located in the Nelang valley including the Naga and PDA posts before returning to Delhi, the report quoted an Indian official as saying.

"The minister's visit is essentially a provocative move after the Doklam standoff in 2017, for the so-called 'Indo-Tibetan Border Police,' which recruits multiple nationalities, has strong connections with the Dalai Lama clique," Wang Dehua, head of the Institute for South and Central Asian Studies at the Shanghai Municipal Center for International Studies, told the Global Times.

Their duty is mainly spying on China's border area for potential border conflicts, Wang added.

Although the two sides have returned to a stable track on developing normal bilateral ties due to a series of diplomatic mechanisms including the recently held border talks, there are still unsettled disputes on the China-India border, said Qian Feng, a researcher at the Chinese Association for South Asian Studies and a senior fellow of Tsinghua University's National Strategy Institute.

India will continue to cause drama on the border, so China should not relax its vigilance, said Qian. However, the conflict scales are likely to shrink from those of the Doklam standoff, as New Delhi is fully aware of Beijing's strong determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty after the 2017 dispute, he noted.

"As a matter of fact, the Indian government has lifted addressing border issues to a pressing agenda, and seeks to resolve such issues as early as possible, for it fears China will grow too strong to deal with by 2030," said Wang, adding that "Besides visiting the disputed border area, India will very likely continue to strengthen its military presence on the border."
Update: Public School Employees' Retirement System is new owner of former Patriot-News building

A building that housed The Patriot-News for more than a half of century has been sold for a second time in seven months.

812 Market St. in Harrisburg, which has been vacant for more than seven years, was purchased by a New York commercial real estate company, Twenty Lake Holdings in June for for $644,286.

L & B Realty Advisers LLP, Dallas-based real estate investment advisor purchased the building from Twenty Lake Holdings for $1.6 million on Dec. 20, according to Dauphin County property records.

The president of L & B Realty Advisers LLP, G. Andrews Smith, could not be reached for comment. Bill Gladstone, a real estate agent with NAI CIR, who was involved in the sale, said he doesn't know the plans for the building but, says that L & B Realty Advisers typically purchases properties on behalf of other investors.

The building is more than 90,000 square feet and originally had two floors. A third floor was later added. Built in 1953, it was used by The Patriot-News until 2010, when the newsroom and other departments moved to its current location in Hampden Township.
Good Tuesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

Welcome to your first political fill-up of the New Year.

We trust your holidays were happy and safe, and that you rang in 2018 in a just celebratory enough way to avoid the use of too many non-prescription painkillers on New Year's Day.

We'll start our first round-up with some leftovers from the tail-end of 2017. Specifically, the heart-warming tale of one Willie Singletary, who brings us the kind of plucky, underdog story that you'll only find coming out of the state's largest city.

As our friends at The Philadelphia Inquirer report, Singletary, a former Philadelphia Traffic Court judge who was jailed for lying to the feds, and whose office was so corrupt that city voters actually abolished it, is looking for a fresh start.

How, you might ask?

He wants to challenge U.S. Rep. Bob Brady, D-1st District, for the Democratic nomination for Congress this spring.

"Even though I made some mistakes, I'm not a mistake," Singletary said in a video announcing his candidacy, the newspaper reported. "And just like many in our community, we all could use a fresh start."

More from The Inquirer:

"Singletary, now 36, was one of several judges charged in 2013 in a ticket-fixing scheme that prosecutors said benefited the "politically and socially connected," and cost the state and city hundreds of thousands of dollars in unrealized fines.

A federal jury in 2014 found Singletary not guilty of the public corruption charges but convicted him of lying to federal investigators. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison and was released in November 2016. Traffic Court was abolished that year by voters in a statewide ballot measure; moving violations were absorbed by Municipal Court.

Singletary and the other former judges are appealing their convictions.

Singletary, a pastor who took the bench in 2008, is asking for a second chance at elective office under the slogan "A Fresh Start for Pennsylvania."

Now if that doesn't warm you all the way down to the cockles of your cockles, we don't know what will.

The rest of the day's news starts now.

A writer at PhillyMag suggests a way to solve the Mummers' diversity problem: Just call it a 'White Heritage Parade.' Or, y'know, just ignore that inane tradition (that works just fine for us).

BillyPenn brings you the city's best parking tweets and videos of 2017.

A total of 107 people died from homicides in Allegheny County in 2017, The Tribune-Review reports.

Here's your #Harrisburg Instagram of the Day:

Pennsylvania, other northeastern states are suing the EPA over pollution from the Midwest, WHYY-FM reports.

Every single municipality in Lancaster County has opted-out of expanded gambling, WITF-FM reports.

Felony conviction rates nationwide have risen sharply - but unevenly, Stateline.org reports.

White House aides are already anxious about 2018, Politico reports.

Heavy Rotation.

Here's one from what's arguably the last

Rolling Stones

studio recording that's actually worth listening to:

Tuesday's Gratuitous Hockey Link.

Here's 10 memorable moments from Monday's Winter Classic Game pitting the NY Rangers against the Buffalo Sabres.
Jake Kudrick, 12, is the youngest captain ever of a Mummer string band.

But the title comes from tragedy.

Kudrick's father, Teddy Kudrick, died of a heart attack on Oct. 19. He was 52 years old and had been the leader of the Duffy String Band for 32 years, according to Philly.com. Teddy Kudrick had inherited the title of captain from his own father, Henry Kudrick.

With Teddy Kudrick's death, the club decided to continue the tradition and pass the captaincy to Jake.

"Teddy was always going to have Jake be the successor, I guess you can say, to the throne, but we expected two or three more years when Jakey was a little taller," Charlie Kochensky, the president of the Duffy String Band told the Delaware County Times.

The Duffy String Band's performance was entitled "Wiz Wit," and told the story of how the Wizard of Oz came to be the wizard. Originally, Kudrick was supposed to play the leader of the munchkins to his father's wizard.

At the conclusion of the performance by City Hall, Kudrick took a bouquet of flowers and placed it on the ground where his father would have stood. He lifted two fingers to the air in an emotional moment, then walked away.

You can watch the performance from the 2018 Philadelphia Mummers Parade, and Kudrick's tribute to his father, in the video below.

Can't see the video? Click here.

Kudrick tied for fourth in the Mummers String Band Captain Competition, along with Fralinger String Band captain Thomas D'Amore. The Duffy String Band itself placed ninth in the competition. First place went to the South Philadelphia String Band.

Tonight Duffy received a 9th prize! Even more exciting is that our amazing #CaptainJake tied for 4th! No doubt that Teddy was with us today. Now, let's celebrate! #mummers #WizWit pic.twitter.com/vApys2MMtQ  Duffy String Band (@DuffyStringBand) January 2, 2018

Want more stories about Philly? Click here for all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love.
The Philadelphia Mummers Parade isn't afraid to get political.

Commentary on government has been a common feature during the skits put on by the Mummers' Comics Brigades.

This year was no different.

The Vaudevillains New Years Brigade, part of the Murray Comics, criticized Senator Pat Toomey and called for universal healthcare in its skit "Party Artery."

The skit, which featured original music and choreography, had the Vaudevillains dressed up as parts of the body. Germs dressed in green faced off against white blood cells, while the red blood cells, organs and beating heart danced in the background. One of the germs wore a nametag which read "Senator Toomer." On the germ's back was a dollar sign.

"Party Artery" is "the story of the forces of capitalism, greed and profit trying to block access to universal healthcare," according to the Vaudevillains Facebook page. Those forces are defeated "through solidarity, mobilization and resistance - ensuring we all have access to the free healthcare we deserve and need."

You can watch the skit in the video at the top of this story.

Can't see the video? Click here.

Last year the Vaudevillains put on an anti-Trump skit titled "Sanctuary City Meow & Furever." You can watch it at the link below.

The Vaudevillains weren't the only Mummers brigade with political messages in their skits. The Golden Slippers New Years Brigade's skit revolved around the soda tax (and the group's distaste for it). We'll have a video of that skit up shortly.

UPDATE: You can see the video of the anti-soda tax skit at this link.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story referred to free healthcare as the message in the skit. The skit calls for universal healthcare, not necessarily free.

Want more stories about Philly? Click here for all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love.
The Philadelphia Soda Tax has some fierce opponents.

Count the Golden Slipper NYB among them.

The Mummers group, part of the Murray Comics Club, devoted their skit for the 2018 Philadelphia New Years Parade to the tax.

"No taxation without carbonation" was the theme for the performance, which the group did on New Year's Day. You can watch a video of the skit at the top of this post.

Can't see the video? Click here.

The skit features men in black colonial dress taxing money bags from people dressed in Revolutionary War outfits. Eventually, there's a rebellion and one of the leaders of the men in black is tied up and brought onto a boat. He wears a sash with the word "Mayor" on it. As the ship sails off, two students emerge with money in their piggy banks.

The Philadelphia Soda Tax went into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. It is a 1.5 cents per ounce tax on sugary beverages. It raised $72.3 million in its first 11 months, according to Philly.com.

The tax money goes towards funding pre-K programs, schools and parks. It is strongly supported by Mayor Jim Kenney.

Opponents of the tax include the American Beverage Association-funded Ax the Bev Tax Coalition. The coalition claims that the tax has hurt businesses owners and forced them to cut jobs.

The Golden Slipper NYB weren't the only comics group who went political this year in their performance. The Vaudevillains NYB's skit, "Party Artery," tackled the issue of universal healthcare. You can watch that skit in the link below.

Want more stories about Philly? Click here for all our coverage of the City of Brotherly Love.
The butter sculpture first appeared at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in 1991.

The sculpture of Benjamin Franklin was made of 600 pounds of butter on metal framework by Raymond Mackintosh of Ontario.

The butter was donated by Keller's Creamery of Harleysville. After the show, the butter was donated to local food banks.

Subsequent sculptures were:

1992: Sculpture Raymond Mackintosh in 1992 depicted then-reigning state Dairy Princess Robin Wilbur of LeRaysville, Lauren Daubert of Lock Haven and one of Daubert's Brown Swiss calves.

1993: The 1993 sculpture saluted the state's ice cream industry and was made by Raymond Mackintosh. It showed an old-fashioned ice cream vendor scooping ice cream into a cone, a boy licking an ice cream cone and a girl waiting for hers.

1994: Raymond Mackintosh's sculpture in 1994 depicted a University of Tennessee linebacker tackling Penn State wide receiver Bobby Engram just after the Nittany Lions defeated the Volunteers, 31-13.

1995: James Victor of Conshohocken in 1995 sculpted a scene of three World War II soldiers with a carton of rationed butter, cheese and other dairy products.

1996: Edward Shank sculpted former President Eisenhower bottle-feeding a calf. The former World War II general lived on his farm in Gettysburg after his presidency.

1997: Edward Shank celebrated the Amish with a sculpture in 1997 depicting an Amish boy and a cow.

1998: Edward Shank saluted school food service with a sculpture a school cafeteria worker serving lunch to a boy. The little boy originally was sculpted as a little girl. Shortly before the Farm Show opened that year, Shank discovered that the cafeteria woman had slid to the floor and the little girl fell on top of her. He spent 30 hours repairing the damage to both figures and changed the little girl into a boy, because he didn't have enough supplies to rebuild a skirt.

1999: In honor of Miss Commonwealth, Edward Shank re-created "the statue of the beautiful lady on top of the state Capitol."

2000: Edward Shank's sculpture showed two carrousel horses, two children and carrousel framework.

2001: The 2001 butter sculpture by Edward Shank depicted a farmers' market with the theme "Simply Delicious."

2002: The 2002 sculpture by Ed Shank of Swatara Township was dedicated to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. It included a firefighter, police officer and soldier with flags

2003: Jim Victor carved a cow butter sculpture in 2003.

2004: The 2004 butter sculpture by Jim Victor paid tribute to Milton Hershey.

2005: The 2005 butter sculpture by Jim Victor was called "Preserving the Pennsylvania Farm." It shows a girl bottle-feeding a calf.

2006: The 2006 butter sculpture by Jim Victor depicted the past and future of the dairy industry.

2007: The 2007 butter sculpture by Jim Victor depicted Ben Franklin and the Liberty Bell.

2008: The themes of the 2008 butter sculpture by Jim Victor were 'Discover Dairy' and 'Milk: It Does A Student Body Good!'

2009: The 2009 butter sculpture by Jim Victor was a tribute to the Pennsylvania National Guard. A Pennsylvania National Guard soldier salutes a farm family in the sculpture.

2010: The 2010 butter sculpture by Jim Victor paid tribute to dairy farm families.

2011: The 2011 butter sculpture depicted children playing and a farmer giving them some milk.

2012: The 2012 butter sculpture honored the 100th anniversary of the Pennsylvania 4-H and the Pennsylvania State Association of County Fairs.

2013: The 2013 butter sculpture by Jim Victor of Conshohocken featured 'PA Preferred,' the official brand of agriculture products grown or made in Pennsylvania.

2014: The 2014 sculpture by Jim Victor showed a family enjoying milkshakes at the Farm Show.

2015: The 2015 sculpture by Jim Victor and Marie Pelton celebrated the 'Fill a Glass with Hope' campaign.

2016: The 2016 butter sculpture paid tribute to the event's 100th anniversary. It featured a FFA member exhibiting her dairy cow, a 4-H member with baby chicks and a lady and gentleman showing off blue ribbon apples and pies behind a quilt and spinning wheel. It was made by husband and wife, Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken in Montgomery County.

2017: The butter sculpture at the 2017 Pennsylvania Farm Show paid tribute to environmental stewardship. The sculpture depicts a landscape of a farm with a miniature barn, trees, hay bales and waterfall. It was made by husband and wife, Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken in Montgomery County.
Your legroom and your patience for bag fees shrank in 2017, but there was one historic positive outcome for air travelers. Not one person died in an accident on a commercial passenger jet the entire year, the safest year ever, according to two airline safety groups.

That does not mean 2017 was a year without aircraft crashes that killed passengers. Dutch aviation consult group t070 and the Aviation Safety Network found no fatalities because of accidents involving large commercial jets most popular with civilian passengers.

Those important distinctions exclude deaths involving military and cargo airline crashes and accidents involving smaller, propeller-powered aircraft, like the 12 passengers killed in a Cessna crash in Costa Rica on Sunday in the closing hours of the year, and the 16 U.S. troops killed in a cargo plane crash in July. Two crashes involving turboprop planes were recorded by to70, in which 13 people died.

The Aviation Safety Network estimated there were nearly 37 million flights in 2017, more than any year in history, meaning that aircraft mishaps are declining even as the number of flights continues to rise. The last commercial jet airline crash in which more than 100 people were killed was on Oct. 31, 2015, when 224 lives were lost after a flight from Russia broke apart in Egypt. The ASN, which tracks crashes using different metrics than to70, showed 10 recorded crashes involving small propeller planes and cargo aircraft, killing 44 passengers and 35 people on the ground in 2017. In 2016, the group counted 16 accidents with 303 dead.

The decline is a remarkable outcome for commercial airliners that managed to evade airborne disasters but racked up numerous fiascoes involving testy passengers and hostile crew. The combination of more flights, social media, rising fees and diminishing personal space have sparked a renaissance of air-passenger outrage. United Airlines stock plunged after video of a bloodied man dragged off a flight went viral; a Japanese airline apologized after a man who used a wheelchair had to climb a staircase on his hands; and a jolt of turbulence injured 10 on an international American Airlines flight, sending coffee into the overhead cabin lights.

Adrian Young, to70's senior aviation consultant, told The Washington Post that newer technology and enhanced aircrew training have all contributed to the improved safety record. Planes are crashing less often, and when they do, passengers are surviving them at higher rates. Cabins are more flame resistant and are built to evacuate more effectively than in the past.

"Cabin safety has improved by leaps and bounds since the 1970s and '80s," Young said. But he also cautioned that dips in aircraft crash fatalities are not indicators of a completely safe environment. Aviation is a "risk-laden business," he said, and accidents involving large, modern engine malfunctions are a cause of concern. For instance, an Air France aircraft suffered catastrophic damage to an engine during an international flight in September, forcing it to land.

Yet passengers and their high-tech devices may provide the greatest risk to flights moving forward, Young said. Lithium batteries common in laptops, smartphones and tablets can overheat and ignite, and their proliferation may lead to disaster in the air.

"A big lithium ion fire can be greater than capacity of the fire extinguishing system to stop it," Young said. "That's the risk."

President Donald Trump took credit for the historic safety record. He was "very strict" on commercial aviation during his first year in office, he tweeted Monday.

He tweeted: "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!"

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

The credit for 2017's safety record does not belong to one person, said John Cox, chief executive of Safety Operating Systems, an airline safety consultant group. "It was the work of thousands of people over decades. It's not a one-year phenomenon," Cox, a retired pilot. told The Post. Airline regulators, manufacturers, maintenance crews, dispatch crews and others all played a role, Cox said. When asked what the most dangerous part of flying can be, Cox often says it's driving to the airport.

(c) 2018, The Washington Post. Story by Alex Horton
Firefighters were working a second-alarm fire at a row home in Lebanon city Monday night amid subzero wind chill temperatures.

Flames were reported coming out the second-floor windows of the home near South 9th and Locust streets about 8:15 p.m., according to Lebanon County Fire and Emergency.

Firefighters confirmed no one was inside adjacent buildings as they fought back the blaze at the main home, but flames soon began spreading across connected roofs to two other homes.

Fire officials requested the Red Cross to report to the scene, presumably to help relocate occupants of damaged homes.

After about 20 minutes of fighting the fire from the inside, officials pulled firefighters outside because of concerns about the stability of the building, according to updates posted on the EMS Facebook page.

At about 9 p.m., newly arriving firefighters took over from the exhausted original crews.

There were no reports of injuries. The fire appeared to be under control about 9:15 p.m.

Temperatures in the area at 9 p.m. hovered around 10 degrees with a wind chill as low as negative 5.

Check back with PennLive for updates.
Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse had his hand on a Bible from 1560 has he was sworn in for his second term on Tuesday.

Papenfuse told audience members he chose that particular Bible since 2017 marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, and added the swearing-in ceremony was "seeped in the weight of history, but also looking ahead to the future."

Papenfuse, along with other city council members, was sworn in Tuesday. Papenfuse was reelected in an uncontested race in November.

During his remarks, Papenfuse told the audience he felt that one of the greatest accomplishments he and city council members have had in the past four years was restoring "a sense of collaborative work" within city government.

"I feel we will continue to work really well together as we move forward," he told audience members.

LIVE: Swearing-in ceremony for Harrisburg mayor Eric Papenfuse, other elected officials. Posted by PennLive.com on Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Papenfuse called his first term "an incredible honor" and reflected on how far the city has come in his tenure.

"When we started this journey, I knew it would take a lot of hard work to turn Harrisburg away from the threat of bankruptcy, and toward a new horizon of optimism and of hope," he told the audience.

He attributed the success in beginning that journey to not only city officials and staff, but members of the public.

"I knew it would take us all working together for Harrisburg to shake off the doom and gloom that once cast its bleak shadow over our homes, and that once made us a national symbol of failed government and broken promises," he told audience members.

As he begins his second term, he had a message to residents of Harrisburg - "your hard work is paying off."

In a conversation with a reporter following his remarks, Papenfuse called 2017 "an exciting year" thanks to the city seeing tax revenues increase for the second year in a row, which he said indicates people are relocating to the city.

"It's a slow process, but that's beginning to pay off," he said. "Just four years ago, there was a lot of uncertainty about Harrisburg's future, and I think right now, the general vibe is a very positive one."

Papenfuse hopes the city will continue to recover and grow, and exit Act 47 status.

When asked about how officials will respond to concerns of increased crime in the city, Papenfuse said there are plans to hire an additional 20 police officers this year.

Other aspects, such as a new police station in the Allison Hill community and community policing, were things Papenfuse said will help keep the city safe.

"I think in general, Harrisburg crime has gotten better over the last four years, and I think the city is generally safer, but we need to rebuild our police department and we need to continue to work with the community to make sure that we can reduce crime," he said.
Illustration: Liu Rui/GT

By Zhang Ye

During the tenures of former prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, Australia saw the South China Sea issue as a dispute between China and related Southeast Asian countries, and adopted a relatively neutral and balanced policy. However, in recent years, with conflicts in the region growing, especially after the US conducted so-called freedom of navigation operations, Australia has changed its policy considerably. Its bigoted actions have jeopardized not only China's national interests, but also Australian long-term interests, bringing Canberra's structural contradictions and strategic dilemma to a worse level.

Kissing up to the US has led to an imbalance in Australian strategy and squeezed its strategic space. For the smaller medium countries sandwiched between major powers, it is proper and rational to balance their relationships between major powers to serve their own interests. But over the South China Sea issue, Australia always follows the US and challenges China's maritime sovereignty and interests. This will poison its relations with China, shake up foundation for its strategic balance between China and the US and reduce its independence of foreign policy. Once Sino-US relations are strained, Australia will have to choose between the two countries and fall into a deeper strategic plight.

Besides, excessive involvement in the South China Sea has increased Canberra's strategic burden, widened the gap between its limited prowess and its goal to become a middle power. Australia has held this goal for a long time and wants to have its position in international affairs. However, due to its small population and limited strength, Canberra hasn't stood out in global geopolitics.

Recently Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said, "Australian people stand up." He emphasized the independence of Australia's national interests and diplomacy, and advocated the Indo-Pacific concept, trying to show Australia's important role in shaping regional security order. However, the huge gap between ideal and reality has produced many setbacks for Australia in implementing its foreign strategy. Australia uses the South China Sea issue to show its influence as a middle power, but too much interference in the waters will cost it enormous economic, diplomatic and military resources.

First, China won't allow Australia to take a free ride and meanwhile make provocations. Such provocations in the South China Sea may prompt China to adopt strong countermeasures which will seriously impact Australian economic development.

Increasing input in the South China Sea issue adds to the burden of Australia, exhausts its strength and derails its efforts to reach the goal of becoming a middle power.

Australia's actions that disturb the stability of the South China Sea and undermine regional countries' long-term interests will make the country more confused about whether it belongs to the East or the West.

About the South China Sea issue, Southeast Asian countries have contradictory attitudes to the nations outside the region including Australia. On the one hand, they want to use the power from outside the region to balance China. On the other, they are alert to the excessive presence of these nations that may threaten ASEAN's dominance. If Australian does not stop interfering in the South China Sea, it will undermine the peace and stability of the region and invite aversion from regional countries, making Australia more separate from Asian countries.

Fourth, Australia adopts a double standard on international arbitration and damages its national image on the international stage. Australia identifies itself as the protector of the world order, but it supported the Philippines in the so-called "South China Sea Arbitration." However, when Australia dealt with its own conflict with Timor-Leste over a sea border, it took a totally contrary stance and claimed all the results of the arbitration were meaningless and unacceptable.

Actually there is no conflict between Australia's goal and China's peaceful rise. Australia should realize changes in the current international strategic landscape and properly deal with China's development, not letting the South China Sea issue damage bilateral relations or become a tool for foreign forces to undermine regional stability. Australia has its own special position connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, its culture integrating East and West and its role bridging communication between China and the US. It should take advantage of these characters to do more for the peace and stability of the South China Sea and the development of its relationship with China.

The author is a researcher at the Chinese Naval Research Institute in Beijing.
Enrollment in health insurance coverage offered under the Affordable Care Act in Pennsylvania is down 8.7 percent from 2017, according to the latest figures from the federal government.

As of Dec. 28, 389,081 people in Pennsylvania were enrolled in coverage, down

The latest figures, which represent people who signed up for 2018 coverage, came during an enrollment period that ended Dec. 15, and which was significantly shortened by the President Donald Trump administration. In 2017, the enrollment period lasted until Jan. 31.

Nationally, about 8.7 people enrolled or were re-enrolled during the recent open enrollment period.

That number was considered surprisingly high, given the shortened enrollment period and months of talk of repealing the ACA, also known as Obamacare. The budget for advertising the coverage and helping people enroll also was cut.

"The robust numbers for sign-ups on the federal exchange -- 96 percent of last year's total -- surprised both supporters and opponents of the health law, who almost universally thought the numbers would be lower. Not only was the sign-up period reduced by half, but the Trump administration dramatically cut funding for advertising and enrollment aid. Republicans in Congress spent much of the year trying to repeal and replace the law, while Trump repeatedly declared the health law dead, leading to widespread confusion."

The 389,081 Pennsylvania enrollees represent people covered by private health insurance plans purchased

That doesn't include people covered by the other main arm of Obamacare, which is the expansion of the government-funded Medicaid program.

as of early 2017. That part of the ACA has yet to be substantially changed.
Alexandru Radita is shown in a photo from his 15th birthday party, three months before his death, in this handout photo. Emil and Rodica Radita were found guilty nearly a year ago in Calgary of first-degree murder of the 15-year-old, who weighed just 37 pounds when he died in 2013. A British Columbia social worker says she won't abandon her fight for a national alert system to prevent at-risk children from disappearing when their families unexpectedly relocate to different jurisdictions. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Government of Alberta, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
The ongoing softwood dispute with the United States may not be hurting Canada much yet but the industry is bracing for a new trade battle with the U.S. that could take a bite out of a part of the industry here that is already facing sharp declines. Stacks of lumber are pictured at NMV Lumber in Merritt, B.C., Tuesday, May 2, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
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.
FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2017, file photo, Logan Paul introduces a performance by Kyle & Lil Yachty and Rita Ora at the Teen Choice Awards at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. Paul has issued a more extensive apology for posting a YouTube video showing what appeared to be a body in a Japanese forest known as a suicide destination. The initial video he posted Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017, showed the prolific social media user trekking with friends in the Aokigahara forest near Mount Fuji. He seems aware the forest is sometimes chosen for suicides but is surprised to see what appears to be a body hanging from a tree. (Photo by Phil McCarten/Invision/AP, File)
Khmer Mozart in the Jungle

Story and photos by James Michael Dorsey

While touring the less famous Khmer temples of Beng Melea, a musician blinded by violence shows the juxtaposition of music and art in a land that's known two millennia of strife.

The leering death head signs warning of land mines were an extreme contrast to the ethereal music reaching my ears in that jungle morning.

Beng Melea was a center of Khmer culture when my own people were still nomadic hunter/gatherers, but today it sits alone and isolated, reclaimed by the jungle; watched over by a chattering Praetorian guard of monkeys, and full of warnings that if you step off a trail, you are likely to die.

Thousands of butterflies were dog-fighting in the gauzy yellow haze of a jungle sunrise. Shafts of light broke the foliage like laser beams and that image, filtered through the smoke of wood fires turned the maze of spider webs heavy with dew into shimmering prisms that grabbed the regal moths mid-flight, turning their life dance into a death struggle; an instant reminder of Buddhist karma.

Cambodia has known peace for about 35 of the past 2,000 years, so it must be forgiven if it wallows in a bit of self-pity. In Cambodia today, there are more than 40,000 amputees that are land mine victim, but even that has dignity in this land. Rather than begging for money, many land mine victims play music for tips at temple entrances. Many have formed impromptu bands that play traditional Khmer music, and some are quite good.

That day it was not the band of landmine musicians, but a single player whose soaring melodies transcended the familiar notes of Southeast Asian music and caused the monarchs to dance. Part of the great irony of the temples of Cambodia, is that their history of death and destruction has always been balanced by high art and music.

The solo player sat alone, cross legged in the alcove of a tumbled ruin, in a freshly ironed shirt, his sightless eyes wandering left and right while his fingers ran up and down the fret board of his thro like a bug on hot tin. The thro is a traditional instrument resembling a violin but with only two strings, and in the jungle they may be made from an old tin can and a tree branch, but this gentlemans was of high quality.

I approached silently so as not to interrupt his playing and only then noticed the tiny scars behind his eyes where the shrapnel had entered his head and cast him into perpetual darkness.

In a country where an estimated one out of 17 citizens is an innocent victim, I have yet to meet anyone without a tale to tell. My own guide, Soukhouen, had visited this very spot with his family for a picnic one month prior to my arrival. Sitting on something hard, he stood up to discover an anti-tank mine. He simply did not weigh enough to detonate it. I asked how much pressure it took to detonate the much smaller and more common anti-personnel mines and he said, Ten pounds, like a handshake. Wherever you go in Cambodia today, you are rarely more than ten pounds from eternity. What really chilled me was the matter of fact way in which he said it. They were words from a person who lives within inches of death each day and that is all much of the population knows.

The musician stopped playing abruptly and looked up at my ungainly western footfalls through lifeless eyes while inquiring, American?

Caught off guard I muttered a quiet Yes followed by How did you know?

You smell of meat, he said softly, then laughed and continued to play. I knew he was not joking. In many parts of Asia, I have been told that westerners smell like meat.

Soundtrack for Second-Fiddle Temples

I sat down next to him, surrounded by the last remnants of a once great civilization. Behind us a massive temple wall had collapsed, its heap of granite blocks, each carved with a piece of the history of the land around us. Morning dew evaporated as sun hit stone, sending ghost like fingers of mist skyward like prayer carriers. Dozens of alligator lizards did pushups while observing these strange visitors. Each massive block is a piece of a puzzle that would unlock past histories. Long before mankind produced the first book, the Khmer were carving epic histories and tales on their stone walls.

But today, we know Beng Melea pre-dates its showier cousin, Angkor, by at least a century. Satellite imagery has revealed a wagon wheel of roads emanating from its core, proving it to be an ancient hub of Khmer culture and trade. Many believe it was built as a precursor, or trial run as it were, before construction on Angkor commenced. But because of national poverty mixed with a pinch of apathy, it sits unwashed, and unattended, slowly being overgrown by the jungle it once ruled, governed by chattering monkeys and awash in land mines.

That was the amphitheater for the man I sat with, a grand crumbling ruin for heavenly music to reverberate all around. Birds sang as he played and more than one monkey added its voice to the choir. The trees were alive and it seemed the animals were joining in like a scene from Jungle Book.

For the longest time it was just the two of us and our choir, and I let the music send the rest of the world away.

His name was Qok and he was happy to share his story. Classically trained on the violin as a child in Beijing, and later in Hanoi, before returning to Phnom Penh to join an orchestra, he claimed to have been a prodigy before being swept up in the mass exodus from cities to rural life imposed by the Khmer Rouge. It was on that march that a mine took his sight but not his soul. He was not even the one who stepped on it; his brother did. It killed both his brother and father.

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Big play, mistakes cost Pirates in loss A rolling stone gathers moss. That saying could perfectly describe the Perryville Pirates football team on Friday night. One thing after another went wrong for Perryville in the first 

Park Hills fast start stymies St. Vincent As the St. Vincent Indians quickly found out, Park Hills is as good as advertised. The Rebels who return nine offensive starters and the entire secondary, along with multiple linebackers and 
Algeria's shale gas plans will take time, require tough reforms

By Lamine Chikhi and Oleg Vukmanovic

ALGIERS/LONDON

Petroleumworld 01 02 2018

Algeria needs to exploit its shale gas resources to offset a surge in local energy consumption that is eating into vital exports, but developing the industry will take time and require far-reaching reforms at the state energy firm.

The North African country is a key gas supplier to Europe, but exports have suffered from delays to several gas projects and a steep rise in the use of subsidized gas at home as the population has grown.

Algeria's gas exports are expected to fall to 54 billion cubic metres in 2017 from 57 billion in 2016, the state energy firm Sonatrach has said. In the decade to 2014, domestic gas consumption has more than tripled.

To reverse the fall in exports, Sonatrach has started talks with France's Total and Italy's ENI, Sonatrach officials say. The aim is to exploit shale resources estimated at 22 trillion cubic metres, the world's third largest.

The foreign firms have not confirmed this, although Total's CEO said in December his company was open to greater cooperation after Sonatrach said it would work with Total on shale gas.

The talks are part of changes pursued by Sonatrach's new chief, Abdelmoumen Ould Kaddour, a U.S.-trained engineer who took office in March aiming to overhaul a sprawling group hit by inefficiency, delays and corruption scandals. Sonatrach declined to comment for this article.

But new shale gas projects will not happen overnight as only limited geological survey data exists and Algeria needs to change legislation to offer more attractive terms to foreign firms, which are selective about investments at a time of low energy prices, industry sources say.

Key Western firms are anxious about gas supplies as Algeria's exports drop. They are also keen to break the link between what they pay for Algerian gas and the oil price, which can result in losses if crude prices are high.

But the bigger challenge for Ould Kaddour will be to shake up Sonatrach, no easy task in a country where senior figures wary of foreign influence can resist reforms.

Algeria should have launched shale exploitation years ago but lacked consistent and coordinated leadership, said Geoff Porter, head of North Africa Risk Consulting and an Algeria energy expert.

What Ould Kaddour is trying to do is risky, but necessary. He wants to wake Sonatrach up from its slumber, he said. But the changes ... may cause some pain. They will mean loss of prestige for some Sonatrach stakeholders and it will mean longer hours for some Sonatrach employees.

Algeria also needs to invest in oil projects to keep its crude output at one million barrels a day. Pumping has become more difficult as surface reservoirs have been exploited at some fields.

PRESSURE

Algeria shied away from change in its energy industry until European gas buyers started wondering whether to renew contracts as they fear Sonatrach might struggle to meet its obligations. Domestic gas demand is expected to rise further due to Algeria's growing population, industry sources say.

Algeria, which sells mainly to Italy, Spain and Portugal, is the third most important gas supplier to the European Union after Russia and Norway.

Any reduction in supplies from Algeria could increase European reliance on Russia, which has used gas to further its foreign policy aims.

Algeria's oil and gas exports make up 56 percent of GDP but have more than halved since 2014. Keeping local gas prices cheap is important for the government, which wants to preserve its welfare model to discourage any popular discontent.

Algeria needs the export revenue to support the state budget but the lack of investment and declining production trends are very worrying, a source at one of Algeria's main gas buyers in Spain said.

A source at a French importer of gas from Algeria said declining production threatened its ability to maintain flows.

We are looking at this closely and have been for some time, he said.

Algerian oil and gas output has stagnated due to delays in projects and lack of foreign investment. The Touat and Timimoun gas projects were due in 2016, but both will not come online until 2018, Ould Kaddour has said. The Reggane gas field is the only project to do so in the past three years.

Even with new fields planned to open by 2020, Algeria will only maintain gas output at the current 94 billion cubic metres a year unless it can make big strides in shale exploitation, Sonatrach sources say.

As cheap reserves get tapped out, Algeria risks becoming less competitive, especially if it sells gas on an oil-linked basis, industry sources say.

Such deals are unpopular with buyers because they tie the price of gas to that of crude oil. When oil is high and gas prices on freely traded European markets are low, buyers of oil-linked gas incur big losses.

The trend now is for long-term gas contracts to reflect gas prices at European trade hubs. Norway and Russia are moving to this model but Algeria has been slower to make the shift.

In November, Francesco Starace, chief executive of Italian utility Enel, said his company's long-term gas contracts with Sonatrach had begun to expire and it wanted to switch to deals not linked to the oil price.

In a sign that it sees need for change, Sonatrach is willing to offer more flexible short-term contracts in future instead of long-term deals, company sources say.

CHANGES

Ould Kaddour has made tough statements, warning that Sonatrach might fail to meet some client obligations and calling production delays unacceptable -- unusual talk in a country where officials rarely express criticism in public.

The comments might push some Sonatrach staff to work harder but will not translate quickly into the additional 30 billion cubic metres a year it hopes to extract from shale resources.

For a start, only limited geological survey information on gas reserves is available.

First of all we need to make sure our statistics on the potential are correct, we must go beyond the U.S. Geological Survey, said a former energy minister, asking not to be named.

Then the challenge is to convince oil majors to invest when low oil and gas prices are forcing companies to pick only the most profitable regions.

Ould Kaddour has said Algeria will get a new law with better terms in 2018, but no draft has emerged despite years of work. The issue is pressing because only a quarter of the last three gas concession rounds attracted bidders.

The Ahnet field could be the first be developed for shale resources, Sonatrach engineers say, but they see challenges ahead because Algeria lacks expertise.

It (shale) only works efficiently in the U.S for now, when they need seven days to have a well come online, we would need 70 days minimum, one engineer told Reuters.

Porter also said Algeria needed to win over southern communities who staged sit-ins in 2014 to prevent shale exploration, fearing their water supply would become polluted.








China denies selling oil illicitly to N.Korea

By Philip Wen and David Brunnstrom

BEIJING/WASHINGTON

Petroleumworld 01 02 2018

China on Friday denied reports it has been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was not happy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation.

Trump said on Twitter the previous day that China had been caught allowing oil into North Korea and that would prevent a friendly solution to the crisis over North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes that it conducts in defiance of heavy U.N. Security Council sanctions.

I have been soft on China because the only thing more important to me than trade is war, Trump said in a separate interview with The New York Times.

South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper this week quoted South Korean government sources as saying that U.S. spy satellites had detected Chinese ships transferring oil to North Korean vessels about 30 times since October.

U.S. officials have not confirmed details of this report.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters she had noted recent media reports including suggestions a Chinese vessel was suspected of transporting oil to a North Korean vessel on Oct. 19.

The Chinese side has conducted immediate investigation. In reality, the ship in question has, since August, not docked at a Chinese port and there is no record of it entering or leaving a Chinese port, Hua said.

She said she was not aware if the vessel had docked at the port in other countries but the relevant media reports did not accord with facts.

China has always implemented U.N. Security Council resolutions pertaining to North Korea in their entirety and fulfils its international obligations. We never allow Chinese companies and citizens to violate the resolutions, Hua said.

If, through investigation, it's confirmed there are violations of the U.N. Security Council resolutions, China will deal with them seriously in accordance with laws and regulations.

In the New York Times interview, Trump explicitly tied his administration's trade policy with China, North Korea's lone major ally, to its perceived cooperation in resolving the North Korea standoff.

When I campaigned, I was very tough on China in terms of trade. They made  last year, we had a trade deficit with China of $350 billion, minimum. That doesn't include the theft of intellectual property, O.K., which is another $300 billion, Trump said, according to a transcript of the interview.

If they're helping me with North Korea, I can look at trade a little bit differently, at least for a period of time. And that's what I've been doing. But when oil is going in, Im not happy about that.

An official with the U.S. State Department said the U.S. government was aware of vessels engaged in such activity involving refined petroleum and coal.

We have evidence that some of the vessels engaged in these activities are owned by companies in several countries, including China, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The United States says the full cooperation of China, North Korea's neighbour and main trading partner, is vital to the success of efforts to rein in North Korea, while warning that all options are on the table, including military ones, in dealing with it.

China has repeatedly said it is fully enforcing all resolutions against North Korea, despite suspicion in Washington, Seoul and Tokyo that loopholes still exist.

EVADING SANCTIONS'

South Korea said on Friday it had seized a Hong Kong-flagged ship suspected of transferring oil to North Korea.

A senior South Korean foreign ministry official said the ship, the Lighthouse Winmore, was seized when it arrived at a South Korean port in late November.

It's unclear how much oil the ship had transferred to North Korea for how long and on how many occasions, but it clearly showed North Korea is engaged in evading the sanctions, the official told Reuters.

South Korea's customs service concluded that the Lighthouse Winmore had loaded about 14,000 tons of Japanese refined petroleum products in South Korea on Oct. 11, reportedly bound for Taiwan, the official said.

But instead, it transferred as much as 600 tons to the North Korea-flagged Sam Jong 2 on Oct. 19 in international waters between China and the Korean peninsula, on the order of its charterer, Billions Bunker Group Corp., based in Taiwan, the ministry official said.

It was not immediately possible to find contact information for the company.

A spokesman for Taiwan's presidential office, Alex Huang, said the company was not incorporated in Taiwan.

As a responsible member of international society, Taiwan will continue to fully comply with all U.N. sanctions against North Korea, in order to support peace and stability in the region, he said in a statement.

The Hong Kong government said it was liaising with the Korean parties concerned to obtain further information about the incident, and will take appropriate actions as necessary.

Employees at the office of Lighthouse Ship Management, the ship's registered manager, in the Chinese port city of Guangzhou, declined to comment and said they had no knowledge of the situation.

China's foreign ministry spokeswoman said she did not have any information about the matter.

Both ships were among 10 vessels that the United States had proposed that the U.N. Security Council should blacklist for transporting banned items from North Korea, documents seen by Reuters this month showed.

China and Russia subsequently asked for more time to consider the U.S. proposal.

Ship tracking data in Thomson Reuters Eikon shows that the Lighthouse Winmore has mainly been doing supply runs between China and Taiwan since August.

Prior to that, it was active between India and the United Arab Emirates. In October, when it allegedly transferred petroleum products to the North Korean ship, the Lighthouse Winmore had its tracking transponder switched off.

The Trump administration has led a drive to step up global sanctions on North Korea in response to its efforts to develop nuclear-tipped missiles capable of hitting the United States.

The U.N. Security Council last week unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea for a recent intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) test, seeking to further limit its access to refined petroleum products and crude oil.

The U.S.-drafted U.N. resolution seeks to ban nearly 90 percent of refined petroleum exports to North Korea by capping them at 500,000 barrels a year.

It also caps crude oil supplies to North Korea at 4 million barrels a year and commits the Security Council to further cuts if North Korea conducts another nuclear or intercontinental ballistic missile test.

In September, the Security Council put a cap of 2 million barrels a year on refined petroleum products exports to North Korea.






Venezuela regime launch corruption probe on ex-oil czar Ramirez

By Deisy Buitrago, Marianna Parraga

CARACAS/HOUSTON

Petroleumworld 01 02 2018

Venezuela is investigating Rafael Ramirez, a once powerful oil minister and former head of state oil company PDVSA, in connection with an alleged $4.8 billion Vienna-based corruption scheme, the state prosecutor's office announced on Friday.

Prosecutor Tarek Saab said Ramirez and at least four other oil executives from the South American OPEC nation sold crude oil at below market prices in exchange for bribes.

Ramirez, who led PDVSA for a decade, told Reuters the allegation was a blatant lie.

Venezuelan authorities had warned earlier this month that they planned to launch a criminal investigation of the former oil czar, in an escalation of a corruption purge that has resulted in the arrest of dozens of senior oil executives.

(Ramirez) appears as the main intellectual author of what happened, said Saab, inviting Ramirez to Venezuela to defend himself.

Venezuela ordered the removal of Ramirez from his post as representative to the United Nations in New York last month.

What the prosecutor says is not only false but demonstrates a deep ignorance, said Ramirez.

He added that the Vienna office of PDVSA was not in charge of selling oil but rather monitoring prices of Venezuelan crude exports.

It's a blatant lie ... intended to persecute not only me but my team.

In his announcement on Friday, Saab also reported the arrest of Nelida Izarra, a former boss at a Vienna-based subsidiary of PDVSA, for alleged links to irregular purchases and sales of crude oil.

Saab also said he had ordered the arrest of two other PDVA officials who worked in Austria: Bernard Mommer and Irama Quiroz, as well as lawyer Mariana Zerpa. It is not immediately clear where Izarra was arrested or where the others currently reside.

Mommer was a pillar of oil strategy under former President Hugo Chavez, with oil sales serving as the cash cow for the country's socialist revolution. He was key in planning the nationalization of swaths of Venezuela's oil fields a decade ago and once served as the country's representative to OPEC.

The executives involved in the case were complicit in these modifications that caused serious damage to the Venezuelan State, allegedly in exchange for commissions in foreign currency, said a statement from the state prosecutor's office.

Critics say the ongoing oil graft purge has as much to do with score settling among old political rivals as it does with any real attempt to root out endemic corruption.

Ramirez, 54, has been an increasingly vocal critic of leftist President Nicolas Maduro in recent months. He was seen by some as angling to run in the 2018 Venezuelan presidential election, in which Maduro is expected to seek another term.

The alleged crimes being investigated occurred between 2009 and 2015. Saab did not explain how authorities had reached the conclusion that they yielded $4.8 billion in illicit profits.

The prosecution reported that 69 oil managers have been arrested over the last few months for corruption in PDVSA, including former oil minister Eulogio Del Pino, former PDVSA president Nelson Martinez and the board of directors of Citgo, a PDVSA subsidiary in Houston.






Russian tankers supply oil to North Korea via transfer by tankers at sea - sources

By Guy Faulconbridge, Jonathan Saul and Polina Nikolskaya

LONDON/MOSCOW

Petroleumworld 01 02 2018

Russian tankers have supplied fuel to North Korea on at least three occasions in recent months by transferring cargoes at sea, according to two senior Western European security sources, providing an economic lifeline to the secretive Communist state.

The sales of oil or oil products from Russia, the world's second biggest oil exporter and a veto-wielding member of the United Nations Security Council, breach U.N. sanctions, the security sources said.

The transfers in October and November indicate that smuggling from Russia to North Korea has evolved to loading cargoes at sea since Reuters reported in September that North Korean ships were sailing directly from Russia to their homeland.

Russian vessels have made ship-to-ship transfers of petrochemicals to North Korean vessels on several occasions this year in breach of sanctions, the first security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters.

A second source, who independently confirmed the existence of the Russian ship-to-ship fuel trade with North Korea, said there was no evidence of Russian state involvement in the latest transfers.

There is no evidence that this is backed by the Russian state but these Russian vessels are giving a lifeline to the North Koreans, the second European security source said.

The two security sources cited naval intelligence and satellite imagery of the vessels operating out of Russian Far Eastern ports on the Pacific but declined to disclose further details to Reuters, saying it was classified.

Russia's Foreign Ministry and the Russian Customs Service both declined to comment when asked on Wednesday if Russian ships had supplied fuel to North Korean vessels. The owner of one ship accused of smuggling oil to North Korea denied any such activity.

The latest report came as China, responding on Friday to criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, denied it had illicitly shipped oil products to North Korea.

North Korea relies on imported fuel to keep its struggling economy functioning. It also requires oil for its intercontinental ballistic missile and nuclear programme that the United States says threatens the peace in Asia.

The vessels are smuggling Russian fuel from Russian Far Eastern ports to North Korea, said the first security source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Reuters was unable to independently verify that the vessels had transferred fuel to North Korean vessels, whether the Russian state knew about the sales or how many Russian vessels were involved in the transfers. It was also unclear how much fuel may have been smuggled.

Ship satellite positioning data consulted by Reuters and available on Reuters Eikon shows unusual movements by some of the Russian vessels named by the security sources including switching off the transponders which give a precise location.

The security sources said the Russian-flagged tanker Vityaz was one vessel that had transferred fuel to North Korean vessels.

The Vityaz left the port of Slavyanka near Vladivostok in Russia on Oct. 15 with 1,600 tonnes of oil, according to Russian port control documents.

Documents submitted by the vessel's agent to the Russian State Port Control authority showed its destination as a fishing fleet in the Japan Sea. Shipping data showed the vessel switched off its transponder for a few days as it sailed into open waters.

According to the European security sources, the Vityaz conducted a ship-to-ship transfer with the North Korean Flagged Sam Ma 2 tanker in open seas during October.

Reuters could not independently verify the transfer as ship tracking data showed that the Sam Ma 2 had turned off its transponder from the start of August.

The owner of the Russian vessel denied any contact with North Korean vessels but also said it was unaware that the vessel was fuelling fishing boats.

Yaroslav Guk, deputy director of the tanker's owner, Vladivostok-based Alisa Ltd, said the vessel had no contacts with North Korean vessels.

Absolutely no, this is very dangerous, Guk told Reuters by telephone. It would be complete madness.

When contacted a second time, Guk said the vessel did not have any contacts with North Korean ships and that he would not answer further questions.

An official at East Coast Ltd, the vessel's transport agent, declined to comment.

Two other Russian flagged tankers made similar journeys between the middle of October and November, leaving from the ports of Slavyanka and Nakhodka into open seas where they switched off their transponders, shipping data showed.

In September, Reuters reported that at least eight North Korean ships that left Russia loaded with fuel this year headed for their homeland despite declaring other destinations, a ploy that U.S. officials say is often used to undermine sanctions.

A Russian shipping source with knowledge of Far Eastern marine practices said North Korean vessels had stopped loading fuel in Russia's Far Eastern ports but that fuel is delivered at sea by tankers using ship-to-ship transfers, or even by fishing vessels.

China on Friday denied reports it had been illicitly selling oil products to North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions, after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was unhappy that China had allowed oil to reach the isolated nation.

China's denial came a day after it blocked a U.S. effort at the United Nations to blacklist six ships Washington believes had engaged in illicit trade with North Korea, a U.N. Security Council diplomat said.

According to documents seen by Reuters this month, the United States had proposed that the U.N. Security Council blacklist 10 ships for illicit trade with North Korea.

It accused the vessels of conducting illegal ship-to-ship transfers of refined petroleum products to North Korean vessels or illegally transporting North Korean coal to other countries for exports.

Three North Korean ships among the 10 were blacklisted, along with a Panama-registered vessel.






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.


Posts first yearly gain since 2012 . Ongoing Nafta negotiations, July presidential vote pose risks.



Bloomberg



Posts first yearly gain since 2012 . Ongoing Nafta negotiations, July presidential vote pose risks.

By Justin Villamil

MEXICO CITY

Petroleumworld 02 01 1

For Mexico's currency, 2017 was a tale of two halves. After rebounding from a Trump-sized crater through July, the peso slumped -- although not quite enough to erase what turned out to be its first annual gain in five years. More Nafta jitters and a presidential election mean next year might be just as volatile.

The fate of Nafta , covering $1 trillion of trade between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, have weighed on the peso since Donald Trump took office. And July brings an election in which leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador looks likely to unseat Mexico's scandal-ridden ruling PRI party.

"A lot of the peso's gain was a correction of the over-pessimism in the past," said Danny Fang, an analyst at BBVA in New York. "For the first quarter of 2018, we can expect the MXN to remain sensitive to new rounds of political noise, with the electoral process and Nafta negotiations being the main drivers."

The peso sank nearly 14 percent immediately after the November 2016 victory by Trump, who threatened during his campaign to pull out of the trade pact. But then it quickly climbed, posting the best performance among emerging market currencies tracked by Bloomberg in the first quarter. Though the rally faltered by mid-year, the peso still ended 2017 up 5.4 percent, lagging only the Chilean peso's 8.9 percent gain among Latin American currencies. An increasingly hawkish central bank could help push the peso higher next year.
Chester Community Charter opened a new campus in Aston in the fall to accommodate growing enrollment, mostly from Philadelphia students. JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer Read more

Imagine waking your 5-year-old kindergarten student before 5 a.m., walking him to a street corner in the city's Far Northeast, then watching him board a bus for a 2-hour ride to a school more than 30 miles away.

Then, imagine he endures the same trip in reverse each afternoon. Five days a week.

For some parents, it's not just a bad dream. Such a routine is customary for an increasing number of Philadelphia students enrolled at Chester Community Charter School.

Data obtained by the Inquirer and Daily News show that the number of students commuting from Philadelphia to the state's largest brick-and-mortar charter school  now with four campuses in Delaware County  has exploded from 45 in 2014-15 to 1,131 this year.

Chester Community's growth with Philadelphia students is taking place even as the Philadelphia School District tries to control the expansion and financial costs of the 84 charter schools, with 65,000 students, that operate within its own borders. The district is moving to close those with poor academic records.

A spokesman for the charter school credits those moves with increasing Chester Community's appeal for Philadelphia parents. A Philadelphia district administrator says the growth says more about slick marketing by a school with a record of substandard performance.

Either way, it highlights another way that charter schools  publicly funded but privately run  continue to upend the educational landscape.

And at least some of the cost of the eight bus routes that ferry students from Philadelphia to Chester Community falls on the district and city taxpayers. By law, the district pays for transportation and receives partial reimbursement from the state.

Philadelphia officials last week could not pinpoint how much money was being spent to bus students to Chester Community; some may have been former students at charter schools that closed.

Information obtained by the Inquirer and Daily News shows the longest journey for Philadelphia students heading to Chester Community is on a kindergarten bus whose first scheduled pick up is at 5:24 a.m. at Academy and Newberry Roads in the Far Northeast. After 16 more stops, the bus delivers some children to Chester Community's West Campus on Bethel Road in Chester Township at 8:05 and drops others off at the school's new campus in Aston 10 minutes later.

Most of the other routes take two hours, but the ride on a kindergarten bus that begins at 57th Street and Cedar Avenue in Cobbs Creek, not far from the Delaware County line, lasts only about an hour.

"I can't imagine anybody who would tell you it's good for kids to be on a bus for a long time," said Uri Monson, the Philadelphia School District's chief financial officer, who keeps tabs on charter bills. "As someone who was on a bus for a long time as a kid, if you're spending that much time on a bus, it's hard. We have those concerns."

A. Bruce Crawley, a spokesman for Chester Community, said the school cannot control the transportation provided by students' home districts.

"On the other hand, we do find it reassuring to know that parents seem comfortable in having their youngsters participate in sometimes-lengthy commutes to have access to a CCCS education," he wrote last month in response to questions from the newspaper.

"We see this as further affirmation that parents believe in our school, that they feel comfortable about their children's safety and well-being on our campuses and they have confidence in our outcomes," Crawley wrote.

As enrollment grows, so do the profits of CSMI LLC, a for-profit education management company that operates Chester Community, and was founded and is run by Vahan H. Gureghian, a lawyer, entrepreneur, and major Republican donor.

CSMI's books are not public  the for-profit firm has never disclosed its profits and won't discuss its management fee. State records show that Gureghian's company collected nearly $17 million in taxpayer funds just in 2014-15. At that time, the school had 2,911 students, and CSMI was paid $5,787 for each. At that rate, more than 1,000 additional students from Philadelphia might mean nearly $6 million in new revenue.

Monson said some of the growth was fueled by students who transferred from the Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learning Partners Charter School in Northern Liberties when that school closed abruptly in the middle of the 2014-15 school year.

"Obviously, we knew it, because we get the bills," Monson said. "I get my monthly statement about what we're paying out and what the enrollments are."

But Philadelphia officials also say that Chester Community has mounted an aggressive marketing campaign and distributed glossy fliers that don't include information about the charter's academic performance.

"It is fundamentally a marketing strategy," Monson said. "The lure is how you sell yourself,We all have plenty of examples of advertised products that don't live up."

Results from the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exams released in September showed that Chester Community had some of the lowest scores among charter schools in the region: 15.6 percent of Chester Community students passed the PSSA reading test in the last school year; 6 percent passed math. Those scores are similar to those of Khepera Charter School in North Philadelphia, which the School Reform Commission has voted to close in June because of poor academics and financial woes. At Khepera, 15.8 percent of students passed reading; 2 percent passed math.

Crawley said children from low-income families "consistently suffer in comparison to high-income students" on standardized tests. Parents, he said, "seem to be aware that the strong and nurturing support at our school and our no-tolerance policies for disrespectful or violate behavior create the kind of academic environment they want for their children."

He said parents also seem to like that Chester Community makes Chromebooks and iPads regularly available to students and has interactive white boards in every classroom.

Growing enrollment was the reason Chester Community got permission to add the campus in Aston  the fourth location in the Chester Upland School District  when it obtained an unorthodox renewal this past summer that extended the terms of the school's operating agreement with that district until June 30, 2026.

Peter R. Barsz, the court-appointed receiver who oversees the financially distressed Chester Upland district and wields nearly all the powers of a school board, also gave the school a green light to expand its K-8 enrollment. The document not only authorized the site in Aston but also "any other added" locations in the district for the next nine years "as deemed necessary by Chester Community Charter School from time to time."

The renewal proposal Chester Community submitted to Barsz during the summer said the school expected its total enrollment would grow to 4,145 students by 2025-26. It already has 4,200.

Enrollment data the Inquirer and Daily News obtained from the Philadelphia district showed a 74 percent increase in the number students going to Chester Community this fall  648 to 1,131.

"We knew they were still growing, but we were surprised by the growth this year," Monson said. "We will audit, obviously, because there is a large jump in numbers. We want to identify where the kids come from."

Some of the students, he said, may have transferred from city charter schools. For the kindergartners, he said, the district will verify their addresses to make sure the children live in the city.

When a student moves from one charter to another, there's no increased cost to the Philadelphia district. The payment amount does not change even when the charter is in another district.

The Philadelphia School District's $2.9 billion budget includes $856 million for charter payments. So far, Monson said, the growth in the number of students at Chester Community does not pose a serious problem for the district's finances because enrollment at some other charters was lower than expected this year.

Monson said the Philadelphia school system was able to stem the number of students enrolled in statewide cyber charter schools by launching its own virtual school a few years ago. But he said the district has no recourse when families choose to send their children to charters except to publicize the district's own improvements, like better reading scores and higher high school graduation rates.

"Our best antidote, " Monson said, "is to keep having better schools in the district."
With the recent buzz around teaching STEM concepts to our children, it shouldn't be forgotten how the arts plays a role in enhancing the learning experience as well. One such program that teaches preschool kids using an arts-integrated approach is the Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program at Settlement Music School. The Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance recently awarded Kaleidoscope with its Pre-K Excellence Award.

We asked Tarrell Davis, Director of Early Childhood Programs, Settlement Music School, to tell us more about the program and Eleanor Brown, PhD , Professor of Psychology, West Chester University, about her research that suggested the program reduced the stress levels of its students.

What is Kaleidoscope?

TD: Kaleidoscope began in 1990 at Settlement Music School's Mary Louise Curtis Branch to serve a community need for childcare. Because of Settlement's expertise in music education, we decided to teach children through music. This teaching was so successful that shortly after came visual art and creative movement classes. We currently serve more than 80 students at our Mary Louise Curtis Branch, and 30 more children at our Germantown Branch.

The Kaleidoscope artist teachers and the early childhood teachers plan creative lessons together for homeroom and arts classes that reinforce cognitive skills, fine and gross motor skills, as well as science, literacy, and math skills. We teach these skills through school readiness concepts including patterns, change, and spatial awareness. What's more, Kaleidoscope teachers intentionally address self-help skills, problem solving skills, and social skills within their day-to-day interactions with the children. The skills we are teaching children carry them through life.

What does research about the program tell us?

EB: This research suggests that high quality arts programming can decrease stress levels for children facing economic hardship. In comparison to regular homeroom classes, music, dance, and visual arts related to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This is a meaningful finding, particularly for economically disadvantaged children, who are disproportionately likely to face dangerous or chaotic neighborhoods and frequent residential moves, as well as family financial strain.

In the ideal world, no child would grow up with economic hardship. As we work toward this ideal, it is important to identify mechanisms for alleviating the impact of poverty. We now have evidence that the arts can "get under the skin" and lower children's stress levels.

How did the effects of lowered cortisol change during the four year study?

EB: We studied 310 children who attended Settlement's Kaleidoscope Preschool over the course of four years. We measured children's cortisol at four different times during the school day, on two different days of the week, at the start, middle, and end of the school year.

The pattern of lower cortisol after arts classes was not apparent at the start of the year but emerged in the middle of the year and was maintained at year's end. It may be that certain physiological benefits of these arts classes depend on children's adjustment or accumulated skill acquisition. To experience certain self-regulatory benefits of the arts, for example, children may need to first acquire particular artistic skills. Notably, we found the same pattern of lower cortisol levels after music, dance, and visual arts classes, suggesting similar benefits of multiple arts modalities.

How did the study design account for other factors that could affect decreases in stress levels?

EB: Yes. Children were randomly assigned, based on preschool class, to different schedules of arts and homeroom classes on different days of the week, which allowed us to control for the impact of time of day on cortisol. Even after accounting for this impact, participation in an arts class related to lower stress levels.

The arts classes may have differed from homeroom along dimensions not measured in the present investigation, such as the proportion of teacher-directed activities, individual versus group activities, fine versus gross motor activities, or teaching quality. Future studies could control for such components and identify the "active ingredients" in the arts classes. The similar effects for music, dance, and visual arts, however, suggests the potential power of the arts for lowering children's stress levels.

How can school educators enhance their arts curriculum to further benefit kids?

TD: I believe that people who teach preschool are intrinsically very creative peopleyou have to be! If arts are integrated in approaching, say, a science lesson, I think that we will have stronger outcomes for our children and level the playing field.

For example, at Kaleidoscope for our 3-to 5-year-olds we infuse music and science in a lesson where our children are learning about liquids and volume by using an exploratory approach. Teachers and students fill aluminum bowls with varying amounts of water, and students run their fingers around the edges to help them distinguish sounds in correlation to the amount of liquid in each bowl. They discuss high pitch versus low pitch along with the concept of volume. They then extend the learning by creating songs using their singing voice to try and match each pitch, thus bringing the science lesson to life in a musical way. Using the arts can uncover newfound capabilities in both teacher and student.
Surrounded by supporters, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf holds up his signed veto of Senate Bill 3, legislation that would ban abortion after 20 weeks gestation. Read more

In December, Gov. Wolf vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have made it illegal to perform abortions as of 20 weeks and minimize the practice some call "dismemberment" abortion. Normally this is an issue I and other economists would steer well clear of in our writing because of how culturally and politically charged it can be on both sides.

Lately, however, the abortion debate has veered sharply into the realm of economics, putting it squarely on my radar. This year, several proponents of abortion rights have touted abortion's ability to improve economic outcomes for disadvantaged mothers.

I love economics. I teach economics. The field of economics allows me to put food on my table. But even I can acknowledge that some issues are about a lot more than economics. Whether we should or should not limit abortions in the United States is much more than an economic question dealing with dollars and cents. It strikes at the dignity of the human person and who we are as a country and a society.

For just a minute let's set aside the partisan rancor on both sides of this argument and make a simplifying assumption. Let's assume that no one wants to see a child's life end in abortion, but at the same time, we all want what's best for women and their families. How do we go about accomplishing those things?

The first step may be to acknowledge that abortion is not a solution to an economic problem, but economics can be a solution to the problem of abortion.

Economics does play a large role in many abortion decisions. A study from the Bixby Center at the University of California, San Francisco, found, for example, that about 40 percent of women it studied cited financial reasons for their decision to have an abortion.

However, trying to improve someone's economic situation by encouraging them to have an abortion is like trying to help someone lose weight by encouraging them to cut off a limb. It may be effective, but the solution will be worse than the problem.

Fix someone's economic situation and you'll have a lot more luck stopping abortions than you'll have promoting abortions to fix someone's economic situation.

Legal arguments to limit abortion are important, but the most effective way to reduce abortions is to convince mothers that they don't need them in the first place. That will only happen when mothers feel supported and cared for by their communities.

If the focus of progressive economic policies is really the health and well-being of all Americans, then Democrats should be looking for more ways to help parents say yes to life, not promoting abortion as a way to limit poverty.

This is an area where we as pro-lifers need to step up our game as well. We as a nation need to do more to support mothers and their children both before and after birth. Too often many of us fall into the temptation of focusing solely on the legal aspects of abortion.

The number of groups out there providing this support and care, without abortion, to mothers who need it is immense, but it is still not large enough. While much of this support can be extended privately through our churches and nonprofits, some also has to come publicly.

This means making sure that women's health-care providers who counsel against abortion get just as much support, if not more than, those who counsel in favor of abortion. There seems to be a misconception in the U.S. that Planned Parenthood is the only organization offering health care to low-income women. This is false.

Public support also means policies that move Americans out of poverty, promote paid family leave, and make child care more available and affordable.

Too many women choose abortion because they don't feel that they have the support or resources to raise their child once it's born. That's a choice that no woman should ever have to make and something that we as a society have the power to do something about.

The way to truly empower women, economically and beyond, is to give them every opportunity to say yes to life and not to reduce having a child to a utilitarian economic decision.

If we can find a way to get more support to mothers before, during, and after pregnancy, then we may be able to end the abortion business the old fashioned way, by reducing demand. That's an economic argument I hope we can all get behind.

Dan White is a director of economic research at Moody's Analytics in West Chester and teaches economics as an adjunct professor at Villanova University. @DanWhiteEcon daniel.white@moodys.com

Editor's note: This story was edited after publication to remove a reference to a piece written by Gov. Wolf. We regret the error.
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.
In The Greatest Showman, the interracial band of brothers and sisters rise up and assert their place, despite societys disapproval. In reality, the vast majority of African Americans throughout the South were enslaved and the ones in the north were subject to poverty, taunts, riots, and random violence and death. Read more

Here's how the fictional P.T. Barnum, the subject of the just-released The Greatest Showman, gets his start: He creates a theater for the "curiosities" who span the racial and gender spectrum. "They're going to love you," Barnum tells the so-called Bearded Lady, who goes on to sing "This is me" in a celebration of inclusion. The fictional Barnum gives these people more than a job; he gives them a family.

Here's how the real P.T. Barnum got his start: He heard about a slave named Joice Heth. Her owners said she was 161 years old and claimed that she was the nurse of George Washington. Heth was instructed to tell the many onlookers who came to see her about her relationship with the country's first president. "In fact," she said to crowds in Philadelphia, "I raised him." In 1835, Barnum visited Philadelphia and bought Heth "I became the proprietor of the negress" and began to display her at Niblo's, a theater at Prince Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Barnum bought Heth for $1,000, but after he and William Niblo printed handbills and took out ads all over town "The greatest curiosity in the world" they cleared more than $1,500 a week, according to Barnum's autobiography.

Because some northerners were wary of paying money to gawk at a slave, Barnum planted rumors in the press that she was not a slave and was saving money to buy her great-grandchildren out of slavery. This was a lie; Heth died a slave, and when she died, Barnum displayed her remains to gawking crowds.

That The Greatest Showman erased Heth from its narrative is no surprise: it's hard to tell a feel-good story about a man when he got his start by profiting off an elderly slave. The story the film tells is one of inclusion  Barnum creates a home for the "curiosities" of all colors. Indeed, the real-life Barnum, after this despicable beginning, became relatively progressive for his day. But it's important to understand that removing Heth from the narrative is an act of historical violence.

It's important to admit that all historical films need to make choices to fit a messy world into a two-hour story arc.

And we can excuse some of The Greatest Showman's minor errors. The incandescent lights depicted throughout the film did not illuminate American cities until Barnum's final years. The paparazzi who captured a quick kiss couldn't have done so at the point depicted in the film  1850  because film exposure time back then was measured in minutes, not seconds.

In The Greatest Showman, the interracial band of brothers and sisters rise up and assert their place despite society's disapproval. The group dances together, beats the naysayers, and two cast members  one white and one black  are able to "rewrite the stars" and embrace in a celebratory kiss. In reality, the vast majority of African Americans throughout the South were enslaved and the ones in the North were subject to poverty, taunts, riots, and random violence and death. In brutal antebellum America, no one could "rewrite the stars" for people of color.

Much has been written in recent years about how historical films depict race. In Steven Spielberg's majestic Lincoln, we see transformative depictions of Lincoln and his cabinet. As a historian of 19th century America, I was amazed by Spielberg's ability to resurrect many of the figures I've studied for years in old books and microfilms. But the film nonetheless downplayed the role of African American activists in passing the 13th Amendment, the one that ended slavery.

The depiction of race in The Greatest Showman, while offering a hopeful spirit of inclusiveness, is nonetheless a lie. When we whitewash history, we risk two things: First, we diminish the crimes committed by whites. Second, we minimize the suffering of people of color.

Most important, our history doesn't make sense when we omit racial injustice.

Without grappling with the history of Southern lynching, for example, we can't understand the Great Migration of African Americans to Northern cities. Without understanding redlining, the systematic 20th-century practice of excluding African Americans from becoming homeowners, we can't understand the wealth disparity between races. Likewise, when we celebrate a fictional 19th century in which African Americans are free to transcend the great evil of slavery, we diminish their suffering. We wouldn't  and shouldn't  base a hopeful musical on Auschwitz. Allowing the fictional characters of The Greatest Showman to easily overcome the obstacles of racism, to "rewrite the stars," rewrites history.



David Mindich is the chair of the journalism department at the Klein College of Media and Communication at Temple University. Before becoming a professor, Mindich worked as an assignment editor for CNN and earned a doctorate in American studies from New York University. mindich@temple.edu @dmindich
Newly elected Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner stands for a portrait at his law office on South Camac Street on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017. Read more

When the outspoken sheriff of Cook County, Ill., Tom Dart, was seeking to eliminate solitary confinement in the jails two years ago, he encountered resistance from a few dozen guards who worked in that unit. So Dart reassigned them all.

Kim Ogg, a longtime defense lawyer elected in 2016 as district attorney of Harris County, Texas, fired nearly 40 of the office's top prosecutors and replaced most of them with defense attorneys.

"I did not feel that I could rely upon the architects of the criminal justice system that I vowed to change," Ogg said in an interview this month.

Change also is coming to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office, with Larry Krasner, a career civil rights attorney, set to be sworn in Tuesday as the city's top prosecutor. It's unclear what form the first changes may take and when he'll unveil them, but Krasner campaigned on goals including reducing incarceration and eliminating use of the death penalty  developments unlikely to happen overnight.

Prosecutors, law enforcement officials, and attorneys who share Krasner's ideology told the Inquirer and Daily News in recent weeks that changing the culture of the office likely would be among Krasner's most important and challenging tasks  and would define his ability to implement his priorities and make a mark on the criminal justice system.

"For me, at least, it was a lot harder than I thought," Dart said of his attempts to spur systemic reforms. "I just was amazed at how difficult it was to move some of it."

Krasner has yet to specify what structural changes he may make when he inherits the post  which pays $177,000 per year and puts him in charge of 600 employees, about half of them prosecutors. He also has not named any top deputies or other staffers, and a spokesman said decisions would not be announced until Krasner officially takes over for Kelley Hodge, who was appointed interim district attorney after Seth Williams resigned and pleaded guilty to corruption charges.

In an interview last month, Krasner seemed keenly aware of the importance of inspiring buy-in among staff, saying that he's sought to be "direct and honest and truthful about my intentions with that office," and that he does not anticipate  or desire  a mass exodus of panicked prosecutors.

"I'm frankly very optimistic that what we're going to see is tremendous support among the rank and file," he said.

Projecting a message

So far, evidence suggests he could be right. The number of resignations in 2017 is about the same as in years past, according to figures from the District Attorney's Office, and even some of Krasner's most outspoken critics during the campaign  such as the head of the police union  have throttled back on combative rhetoric since his electoral win.

Still, if history elsewhere is any guide, Krasner is likely to face challenges.

Dart was elected in 2006  before the tide of liberal law enforcers began to rise  but said that as he's sought to reduce the jail population in Cook County, he's encountered regular resistance from the very people he's charged with leading: the union workers who staff the facilities.

The Teamsters there in 2013 took out a full-page newspaper ad ripping Dart, he recalled  just a day before he was set to meet with union leadership. And a union official told 60 Minutes this year that Dart downplayed or ignored staff concerns while appeasing inmates.

Dart acknowledged the fights and the challenges they sometimes cause. But he said he's sought to project a consistent and honest message to his staff, not just explaining his priorities but providing evidence about how his policies are working. He's been reelected twice and recently has been mentioned as a candidate for Chicago mayor. Earlier this month, the jail population reached its lowest total in decades.

"I couldn't try to make my life easier by getting along with everybody and walking away from things that I felt were so patently unjust," Dart said.

Ogg, the district attorney in Harris County, which encompasses Houston, said clear and consistent communication has similarly been key for her as she's sought to reform the office.

When she and other officials announced in February that low-level marijuana cases would no longer be prosecuted, a district attorney in a neighboring county said Harris County would become "a sanctuary for dope smokers."

But Ogg said she sought buy-in from staff on that initiative and others by stressing the policy would save time and money, and would allow prosecutors to focus on bigger and more serious cases.

By explaining decisions clearly and reinforcing them through policies and training, Ogg said, she's started moving the office away from a "lock everybody up" mentality  without sacrificing public safety.

"We put it in writing and we preached internally," she said. "The way to a safer city is higher-quality cases."

Supporters as skeptics

Still, a reality about prosecution  particularly in a city with as much crime as Philadelphia  is that some people will be sent to prison. And in that sense, Krasner may face a unique challenge in building his team: Some of his most fervent supporters may never apply to work for him.

Miriam Krinsky, founder and executive director of Fair and Just Prosecution, which trains and supports change-inclined district attorneys across the country, said being a prosecutor is viewed so unfavorably among some of the most ardent supporters of criminal justice reform that her organization started a fellowship program to try to change the perception.

And Abbe Smith, a defense attorney and law professor at Georgetown University, wrote in 2001: "I am saying to those who are committed to social and racial justice: Please don't join a prosecutor's office." In an email this month, she said she still believes it's hard "to be a 'good prosecutor' in a fundamentally bad system  one that historically criminalizes race and poverty."

At least one Krasner supporter, Ashley Henderson, a lawyer with the West Philadelphia-based Amistad Law Project, said: "At the end of the day, the role of the prosecutor is to lock people up. Personally, I believe that locking people up doesn't actually solve anything."

But even Smith acknowledged that Krasner's office could be an "excellent destination" for lawyers who share his views.

And Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg, a Philadelphia public-interest lawyer who voted for Krasner, said it just may take time for some lawyers to see how the new district attorney approaches the job.

"I did not support Krasner to light a match to the criminal justice system," he said. "I supported him to instill it with a better sense of justice."

Transformational change

A new sense of justice is certainly part of what Krasner is seeking to offer to his future employees. The job application on his transition website promises "transformational systemic change," and Krasner himself has said he views himself as part of a "progressive" movement.

Paul Hetznecker, a Center City civil rights attorney who defended protesters with Krasner, said being specific about how and when prosecutors will pursue or drop certain cases will likely be among the new district attorney's most important early tasks  and one that will show people in the office how Krasner intends to put his words into action.

"I think he needs to reassure people," Hetznecker said, "that his notion of justice can coalesce with their notion of justice."

Ogg said she's met with Krasner and given him advice on how to handle some early decisions. Dart has not met Krasner but said he would advise him to begin by focusing on the elements and policies he could directly control.

And Ogg, for one, is rooting for Krasner to succeed.

"Elections in prosecutors' offices result in shotgun marriages," she said. "But as long as we can articulate what our vision is and what we were elected to do, then I believe the employees will buy in."
Jerry Murphy, of the Two Street Strutters Comic Division, decided to strut down Broad Street sans jacket or shirt on one of the coldest Mummers Parades ever. Read more

It was a Code Blue Monday, and cops should have been sweeping characters off the frigid streets and into shelters, but that is not the Mummers Way on New Year's Day.

On Jan. 1 in Philadelphia, marchers in the 118th edition of the city-sanctioned parade formed west and north of City Hall on barren streets under blue skies. They stepped off at 9:09 a.m. when given the order.

There were reasons why the parade shouldn't have gone on Monday  the health of the marchers and the freezing of musical instruments. But there was one important reason why it should  tradition. While rain, snow and high winds postponed several editions of America's largest spontaneous folk parade, never had one been postponed because of low temperatures.

When weather tested the Mummers' mettle this year, they strapped on their back pieces, lined their golden slippers with newspaper (see, we are still good for something), picked up hand warmers, and strutted out onto the tundra.

It's hard to say how many of the expected 10,000 Mummers marchers and musicians developed cold feet and slept in, but the dangerously low temperatures kept many fans away. (Confession: I was not on the street because I am rehabbing from surgery. My coverage comes from TV and my "deputies" on the street.)

The scarcity of on-street fans would continue all day, but that is not to say there were no spectators. Just as the parade started, Sammy the Bull tweeted, "If you think I'm going to the Mummers Parade in sub zero temperatures and risk my immune system, you are absolutely right."

Parade attendance was down, but "not awful," in the words of one longtime parade watcher, who noted the morning crowds had gathered on the west side of Broad to catch the rays from the sun. By the time of the string bands, experienced attendees switched to the east side to catch the dying rays of the sun.

Parade director Leo Dignam told me the parade was moving more slowly than usual because of the presence of the warming buses, but that was expected. Despite the cold, there were numerous young children in the parade, mostly with the comics and wenches divisions.

Even before the start of parade, some wench brigades, including the enormous and raucous Froggy Carr, marched north on Broad Street to assembly points near City Hall, a tribute to the traditional northern parade route that was reversed south in 2015, pretty much out of desperation as parade attendance numbers fell. (The parade also was relocated to Market Street a few times as an experiment.)

The reversal of the parade route was the most profound change to the parade since 1998, when the fancy brigades abandoned judging at City Hall and marched into the Convention Center for the first time, where they have thrived.

This year was the second-coldest temperature for a Mummers Parade, following 1918, according to PHL17.

Why did they march? Because of tradition? Because they are Mummers? Because they are crazy?

Maybe all three.
The frigid weather that has left the Philadelphia region in a deep freeze has contributed to the death of one Montgomery County man and caused thousands of other people to flock to shelters for relief with temperatures expected to hover at arctic levels through the weekend.

In Ambler, Solomon Wynder, 70, was found dead in his one-room apartment after a neighbor called police to check on him Christmas Day, said Alexander Balacki, first deputy coroner in Montgomery County. Although his death was ruled the result of heart disease, the temperature in the apartment was 41 degrees and listed as a contributing factor, Balacki said.

Emergency officials are asking that residents take extra precautions to keep the most vulnerable safe  elderly relatives, children, and pets.

In Philadelphia, hundreds have checked into shelters around the city, where 2,500 beds are available, said David Holloman, director of external affairs for the Office of Homeless Services. The office has outreach workers and police encouraging the homeless to move indoors during the dangerously cold weather. Holloman said they were particularly concerned about the mentally ill or those whose judgment may be impaired through drug use. If necessary, he said, authorities will admit people involuntarily for their safety.

The shelters have hit 80 percent to 85 percent capacity at times, Holloman said. With the holidays occurring in the middle of the cold snap, he said, some people may have extended their family visits.

"The good thing about the holidays is that people are with their family," Holloman said, adding that he was not aware of any weather-related fatalities in the city and "we're hoping we don't experience that." Frostbite, he said, is also a concern, especially for those with medical conditions such as diabetes.

Weather forecasters are predicting the freeze will last several more days with snow, heavy winds, and temperatures that will dip below zero with the windchill. On Monday, it appears there will be some relief with "a little bit of a thaw" that comes with 40 degrees, the warmest since Christmas, said meteorologist Sarah Johnson of the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

"Friday and Saturday could be the coldest we'll see through this period," Johnson said, with temperatures not climbing past the single digits. "It will be important to wear plenty of warm layers."

Snow is expected Wednesday night into Thursday, with temperatures in the upper 20s to low 30s, and tapering off in the afternoon, Johnson said. While Philadelphia will see one to three inches, the Jersey Shore may get four to six inches, she said. North and west, the snow will drop off to a dusting. Winds, however, are expected to be 35 to 40 mph, which may create visibility problems as the snow falls or is blown from trees.

Pet owners must be diligent, especially with outdoor animals. Very young, very old, and sick animals are more vulnerable and may exhibit signs of distress, such as shivering. Clean drinking water that is not frozen is important, and animals should not drink from outdoor puddles, which may be a mixture of antifreeze or other harmful chemicals.

Jen Leary of the Red Paw Emergency Relief Team based in the Point Breeze section of Philadelphia said that as temperatures dipped last week, the group hit a record, responding to 22 fires that involved 52 pets in need. There was one ferret and the rest were cats and dogs, she said. Some needed emergency shelter, others starter kits as families were relocated. The busy week was not a complete surprise, she said, noting people still have holiday light displays, Christmas trees, and higher heating demands.

"People are doing everything they can to keep warm," Leary said.

In New Jersey, Burlington County spokesman Jason Tosches said a Code Blue emergency has been in place since Dec. 25 and will remain through Wednesday evening, when the county will reassess whether to extend it. He said the county has five shelters, including one for families.Those who use the shelters do so for a variety of reasons, including homeless people who had been living outdoors, or elderly and poor residents who have no heat. The number of people placed in shelters was not available Tuesday, but all of the shelters have reached capacity or had been close to capacity, he said.

"We would never turn anyone away, even if the shelters were at capacity," Tosches said, adding the county uses motels when needed.

Camden County has also opened shelters and warming centers with the severe cold weather.

"In these extreme weather conditions, we need everyone to be sheltered and out of the elements," Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez said in a statement. "If you must leave the house, please dress yourself and your children in warm clothing, hats and gloves. Also, please remember to check on elderly relatives and neighbors, and bring your pets indoors."

In Camden, Yorkship Family School dismissed students early on Tuesday because of heating issues, said Paymon Rouhanifard, superintendent of the Camden School District.

Temperatures at all district schools would be checked late Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning to determine if classes needed to be started later, Rouhanifard said.

In Gloucester County, officials have posted on its website how to prepare for an emergency during the cold weather and will also post updates on Facebook, said county spokeswoman Debra Sellitto.

"Gloucester County maintains 410 miles of roadway and 85 bridges," said Freeholder Heather Simmons, the public works liaison. "In this frigid weather, travelers should make sure they have their vehicles in good condition, including testing their car batteries and making sure that their wipers are in good operating conditions. It's a good idea to keep an emergency roadside kit in your car too, including a blanket and some nonperishable snacks in case they are waiting for roadside assistance."

In Bucks County, outreach workers have buses available to transport those who need rides to any of the county's three shelters, or churches that have opened their doors during the Code Blue emergency, said county spokesman Chris Edwards. There are dozens of homeless in the county, he said. "Those are the people who would be the most in need now."

In Montgomery County, press secretary Kaitlyn Foti said workers for Aging and Adult Services call at-risk seniors during a Code Blue to make sure they have all they need. The list includes those who are low-income or have a history struggling to pay heating bills, and those who live on their own and have medical problems. There are eight shelters in the county, and four Code Blue shelters, Foti said.

In the last few weeks, crews also have been working throughout the region to repair water main breaks, including at least three Tuesday in Northeast Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, and West Conshohocken. Officials suggest that homeowners take precautions to protect their pipes as well, steps that include insulating pipes on outer walls, leaving cabinets open beneath sinks, and leaving water trickling when temperatures dip below freezing for extended hours.

Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article.
Philadelphia Water Department workers pump the water out of the hole where an 8 inch water main pipe burst early Tuesday morning flooding at least 4 homes on Minden Road in the Northeast. MICHAEL BRYANT/ Staff Photographer Read more

A high volume of calls to the Philadelphia Water Department and area water companies are a sure sign winter has settled in.

But this year the calls are pouring in because of the extreme cold, according to the department, which supplies drinking water to households in Philadelphia as well as some suburban communities..

"We're getting a lot of calls from customers about frozen pipes," said Laura Copeland, a Water Department spokeswoman. "I think it's all over the city. It's not concentrated in any one area."

She said the situation is similar to several years ago, when there was a prolonged cold spell. The last two winters have been mild by comparison.

Copeland says the department is averaging about 20 calls a day reporting either suspected water main breaks or burst pipes in residences or businesses. Water main breaks are the responsibility of the city. For example, the department dispatched workers to fix a water main break in Northeast Philadelphia early Tuesday.

"The Philadelphia Water Department has seen a significant increase in call volume over the past couple of weeks related to broken service lines, frozen service lines, and broken water mains," Copeland said in a separate email response. "We are responding as quickly as we can to each call, however, there are delays in our ability to get to every broken water main to make repairs as quickly as customers may want. We're asking for patience while our crews work in the difficult conditions to make sure water service is restored to all customers that are dealing with a broken water main."

But for residential issues, Copeland said, "customers don't always know that this is their responsibility or they don't know what they need to do."

So the department is trying to educate customers through social media, offering home winterizing tips such as letting a trickle of water run from the tap in a basement sink overnight during extremely cold weather so pipes don't freeze. The first sign of a frozen pipe, by the way, is reduced water flow. If you have a frozen pipe, call a plumber for advice. In the meantime, shutting off the water supply to your home can prevent a frozen pipe from bursting.

But it's not just the city dealing with the issue.

Aqua Pennsylvania said a 30-inch water main broke in West Conshohocken around 6 a.m. Tuesday on Balligomingo Road between Route 476 and Front Street. Crews shut down the main by 11:30 a.m., reducing water flow for customers in areas including Tredyffrin, Conshohocken, West Conshohocken, Lower Merion, Upper Merion, Cheltenham, Plymouth, Whitemarsh, Springfield and Radnor.

Water pressure was slowly being restored to those areas throughout the day, but about 25 customers in Upper Merion were expected to have no water service until repairs were finished. The company did not provide an estimate when that might occur.

Meanwhile, New Jersey American Water warned that some customers dealing with frozen pipes might expect some delays.
Hoda Kotb, from left, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker appear during the 85th annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, in New York. Read more

Hoda Kotb has officially replaced Matt Lauer on Today.

Kotb, who stepped in as Savannah Guthrie's cohost when Lauer was fired over allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior, is now the official co-anchor on the NBC morning show, which has had a ratings increase since Lauer's departure.

"It's 2018, and we are kicking off the year right because Hoda is officially the co-anchor of Today," Guthrie announced on Today Tuesday morning. "This has to be the most popular decision NBC News have ever made, and I'm so thrilled."

Kotb responded: "I'm pinching myself."

"Hoda is, in a word, remarkable," NBC News chairman Andy Lack said in a memo to employees Tuesday morning. "She has the rare ability to share authentic and heartfelt moments in even the most difficult news circumstances. It's a tribute to her wide range and her innate curiosity."

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. NBC had paid Lauer in excess of $20 million a year.

In between segments during Tuesday's show, Kotb revealed to E! News that Lauer, who has largely been silent since leaving, privately congratulated her on the promotion.

"He was sweet this morning. Certain texts popped up, and there was one from Matt: 'Congratulations!' " Kotb told E! News. "And he said some nice words.

"It meant the world to me to hear from him," she said. "It was really nice."

Her obvious chemistry with Guthrie has helped the show get through the most difficult period in its 67-year-history. Lauer was fired Nov. 29 after several former coworkers came forward with claims of sexual assault and inappropriate workplace behavior. At least one former NBC reporter claimed NBC executives knew about Lauer's behavior and protected him.

Since Kotb stepped in to replace Lauer, the show has topped ABC's Good Morning America and CBS This Morning for four consecutive weeks. Kotb and Guthrie are the first pair of women to anchor Today.

"When you click with someone  man, woman  it doesn't matter. If it works, it works," Kotb told People magazine. "We're sort of like sisters, and everybody wants a sister."

Kotb, who joined NBC News in 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline, will still cohost Today's fourth hour alongside Kathie Lee Gifford.

CBS has not yet announced a permanent replacement for former CBS This Morning host Charlie Rose, who was also forced out over allegations of sexual misconduct. Longtime CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour has been cohosting the show on an interim basis.
As 2017 wound down, the president had some reassuring words for a roiled American people  pushing the notion that some folks out there are doing the hard work to make our strife-riven world a better place. "All across America people chose to get involved, get engaged and stand up," he wrote on Twitter. "Each of us can make a difference, and all of us ought to try. So go keep changing the world in 2018."

Of course, that president was the one who left office in January 2017, Barack Obama. The current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue woke up on New Year's Day in his winter palace, Mar-a-Lago, and, with a decadent court ball that would have received a thumb's up from Louis XVI still ringing in his ears, decided to poke a stick right in the eye of one of the world's too-many nuclear-armed nations. President Trump lashed out  without any seeming specific provocation  at Pakistan, accusing the South Asian power of "lies and deceit," harboring terrorists, and ripping off America to the tune of $33 billion.

The tweet  which had the predictable results of sparking fiery protests on the streets of Karachi and prompting the Pakistani government to recall its ambassador  seemed, on one level, to come completely out of left field. Yet in a strange way it seemed to capture the ominous tone for the arrival of 2018  a year in which the world seems closer to large-scale, destabilizing conflict than any moment since the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s, and arguably since those awful, goose-stepping years of 1938 and 1939.

Yes, it's about Trump, but it's also much, much bigger than Trump.

There are faint echoes of the economic calamities of the early 1930s that triggered a global wave of extremist and even totalitarian movements that quickly morphed into runaway militarism. Now, our last decade has seen the 2008 financial crisis put a spotlight on global inequality. And just like 80 years ago, liberal democracy struggles in the face of both religious extremism  from Kabul to Roy Moore's hometown of Gallant, Alabama  as well as radical political movements including far-right movements in Europe and the United States and an alarming new generation of dictators from the Philippines' Duterte to Turkey's Erdogan to Russia's Putin. And then there's North Korea's Kim Jung-un, in a league of his own  terrible at feeding his own people but shockingly good, we learned in 2017, at testing nuclear bombs and long-range missiles.

It doesn't have to be this way.

For most of my lifetime  perhaps because the memories of the horrors of 1939 to 1945 were still fresh  leaders of the United States knew that leadership in a nuclear-tipped world meant to speak judiciously, to balance their private thoughts about various dictators, rogues and thorny situations around the world with what can be diplomatically done, and said in public. If you watched news conferences by Barack Obama or George W. Bush, you might remember how their speech slowed down when the world's hot spots came up, how they carefully seemed to measure every word before it passed from their lips. No such luck with Donald Trump, who learned how to rally his public at the right hand of radio shock jock Howard Stern. To Trump, "diplomacy" is a form of foreign policy that ranks on his scale with "political correctness," a sign of weakness. With no experience in world affairs, he believes leadership only means talking "tough."

The impact isn't just bringing the U.S. closer to a nuclear conflagration with North Korea every time he tweets about "Little Rocket Man"  although there is that. It's also the signals he sends about other diplomatic entanglements that the president is certain he can cut through in 280 characters or less. For two decades, American political leaders have paid lip service to the provocative stance of moving our Israeli embassy to Jerusalem, while less vocally pushing for a peace deal between Israel and Palestine. Now that Trump is following through with the embassy move, however, hopes for Middle East peace are comatose, at best.

The New York Times is reporting today that Israeli's right-wing rulers  emboldened by Trump  are pushing to consolidate control over the disputed, occupied territories in the West Bank and kill hopes of a two-state solution for peace. "We are telling the world that it doesn't matter what the nations of the world say," the paper quotes Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan. "The time has come to express our biblical right to the land."

The encouragement of boldness  and conflict  over diplomacy is busting out all over. Trump's seemingly fawning relationship with Putin, for example, certainly won't discourage Russian expansionism in Ukraine or elsewhere. The website Axios last week carried a disturbing report on Trump's plans for 2018 that suggested the president is obsessed with a military solution to the nuclear tensions with North Korea, despite predictions that such a move risks hundreds of thousands of innocent lives.

Reported Axios: "Trump seems most interested in discussing military options on North Korea in these meetings. He is surrounded by advisers who share his concern about the rogue state, but not his fixation on a military strike. And some top officials have told us Trump's belligerent rhetoric on the subject makes them nervous. There is a reason the harshest assessments of Trump usually leak after North Korea meetings."

The thing is, history has shown is that there are indeed times when the iron fist is preferable to the velvet glove. The problem is we have a man in the Oval Office with no clue about how to make that distinction  and there are few other players on the world stage with the skill or the savvy to ease tensions rather than escalate them. We need a hero, or at least we need to pay homage to those mere mortals who still see a role for negotiation and diplomacy.

As the new year begins, it merits watching that North Korea and South Korea have started a very preliminary dialogue about having a more substantial dialogue on the eve of the Winter Olympics slated for South Korea in February. Any conversation with North Korea's Kim  the worst of the worst, burdened by a long history of his family's dictatorship breaking past agreements  needs to be watched closely. But with so much at stake in the Korean peninsula, every avenue short of war also needs to be explored to the fullest.

In the latter 20th Century, the world benefited from a generation of leaders who'd seen the horror of world war first hand. Now that a new millennium is at hand, the idea that real leadership is the pursuit of world peace seems a quaint idea, perhaps even radical. We need to rally behind those with the courage to fight for peace, even if that leadership is not coming from Washington. Or else 2018 won't be a happy new year, after all.
Larry Krasner takes the oath off office from his wife, Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Lisa M. Rau, at the Kimmel Center, as their son, Nathan, holds a Bible. Afterward, some in the audience chanted, "Lar-ry! Lar-ry!" Read more

For the first time in his decades-long legal career, Larry Krasner is a prosecutor.

The 56-year-old lawyer  who built a reputation in Philadelphia by suing the government and defending activists and protesters  was sworn in Tuesday as district attorney, promising to bring sweeping changes to an office he described as "off the rails" during his campaign to lead it.

"A movement was sworn in today," Krasner said after taking the oath of office at the Kimmel Center. "A movement for criminal justice reform that has swept Philadelphia  and is sweeping the United States."

Once considered a radical addition to a field of former prosecutors and government officials seeking the office, Krasner  who earned convincing victories in the Democratic primary and the general election  takes on overseeing about 600 employees in one of the busiest prosecutor's offices in the nation.

He has promised to end use of the death penalty, seek to end use of cash bail, and reduce the number of people behind bars.

He reiterated those goals during his inaugural address, saying he wanted to begin "trading jails  and death row  for schools," "trading jail cells occupied by people suffering from addiction for treatment and harm reduction," and "trading division between police and the communities they serve for unity and reconciliation."

His swearing-in highlighted an inauguration ceremony for several city positions that was attended by Mayor Kenney, members of City Council, and state and federal legislators and other elected officials.

Rebecca Rhynhart  who like Krasner has said she is part of a new Democratic movement in a city long controlled by an old guard  took the oath of office as city controller, the first woman to hold the position. More than 20 Common Pleas Court and Municipal Court judges also were sworn in.

"Philadelphia is changing, and people want more from their government," Rhynhart said. "People want change."

Rhynhart, 43, who defeated incumbent Alan Butkovitz in the Democratic primary before securing a general election victory, vowed to use her role as the city's top fiscal manager to probe potential waste or mismanagement at agencies including the Parking Authority, which has been engulfed in scandal.

She also said she wanted to help diversify city government and wash away the "mediocrity and corruption we see every day."

"We need to show the people of Philadelphia that our leaders will be just as good as the residents here," she said, drawing a laugh from the audience.

Krasner received the most enthusiastic response from the crowd. People rose to their feet as his wife, Common Pleas Court Judge Lisa M. Rau, swore him in. He placed his hand on a Bible held by their son, Nathan, 26. When that was finished, some in the audience briefly chanted, "Lar-ry! Lar-ry!"

Kenney, in a line that led to cheers from those in the audience, said Krasner's background as a public defender and civil rights attorney made him "the right man for this job at the right time."

Krasner grew up in St. Louis and the Philadelphia suburbs, the son of a crime-fiction author and an evangelical Christian minister. He graduated from the University of Chicago and Stanford Law School, then worked in Philadelphia as a federal public defender before opening his own practice in 1993.

He was part of a team of lawyers who defended about 400 protesters arrested at the 2000 Republican National Convention, has represented Black Lives Matter activists, and has sued law enforcement or the government on behalf of clients 75 times.

His candidacy  which was supported by liberal billionaire George Soros and was credited with pulling his competitors further to the political left  rankled the police union. John McNesby, president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, was a frequent critic, and a group of former assistant district attorneys also raised concerns during the race.

But McNesby softened his rhetoric after Krasner's victory in the general election. And Krasner has said he is optimistic that the rank-and-file will support him and his agenda.

He assumes an office that has been plagued by turmoil in recent years. Former District Attorney Seth Williams pleaded guilty to federal corruption charges last year and resigned, leading to the appointment of interim District Attorney Kelley Hodge.

But the mood at the inauguration Tuesday was largely celebratory and divorced from such news. Krasner repeatedly addressed the crowd as "family" and happily embraced his wife and applauded with the crowd after finishing his speech.

When practicing the swearing-in before the crowd arrived, Rau asked him how he was feeling. "Terrified," Krasner joked. "Just kidding."

Still, he may have quickly gotten a taste of life as an elected official. Almost as soon as the proceedings were over, a small group of Black Lives Matter protesters demanded that he make a statement about a fatal police shooting in East Germantown last month  and threatened to "shut down" the city if he didn't.

Krasner, speaking briefly with reporters before leaving for a family lunch, said he needed to evaluate the facts before drawing conclusions about any shootings by police.

He was in the District Attorney's Office by afternoon, and addressed employees at staff meetings.
Pictured above is Pennsylvanias State Capitol, where lawmakers and others are under scrutiny for allegations of sexual harassment. Read more

HARRISBURG  The longtime chief of security for the Pennsylvania Senate has resigned after he was accused of harassing two female subordinates, allegedly sending inappropriate text messages, including at least one with a sexually graphic photo, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Justin Ferrante stepped down Friday amid an ongoing investigation into the complaints, Senate officials confirmed Tuesday.

His departure came as the Inquirer and Daily News and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had been asking Senate employees questions about the allegations.

Ferrante declined to comment Tuesday. A resident of York County, he had worked for the Office of Senate Security since 1999, becoming director in 2004, according to a resume on LinkedIn. His salary was $78,542, state records show.

The Pennsylvania Capitol, like many statehouses across the nation, is facing a rising tide of workplace misconduct and sexual-harassment claims. State Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery) last month stepped back from his bid for Congress after misconduct allegations emerged. And Rep. Thomas Caltagirone (D., Berks) came under fire after reports that House Democrats secretly paid nearly $250,000 to settle a sexual-harassment claim against him.

The Senate's security office, which consists of about 15 people, works to ensure that the chamber's sessions occur safely and without interruption. It reports to the Senate's secretary and parliamentarian, Megan Martin, who is appointed by the chamber's leadership, in this case Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson). Martin did not respond Tuesday to messages left in her office.

The Senate in recent months hired the law firm of McNees Wallace & Nurick to investigate complaints by two women about Ferrante's behavior, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss a sensitive personnel issue.

According to the sources, one complaint came from Ferrante's deputy, Sue Salov, who told the law firm that he texted her inappropriate graphics and cartoons, as well as a picture of male genitalia.

He also allegedly once asked her, via text message, whether she wanted to view his genitalia to improve her mood, and during another phone call asked if one of her friends would show him her breasts, the sources said.

Salov declined to comment.

Keah Tingler, a longtime Senate security receptionist, told the law firm that Ferrante had on multiple occasions sent her photos of feces after visiting the bathroom during work hours, the sources said. When he returned to the office, he would sometimes throw a wet paper towel at her, the sources said.

He also asked her whether she would like to touch his testicles as he would prepare his appearance for the Senate's session, the sources said. Tingler also alleged he would sometimes ask her to roll on the floor.

Tingler declined to comment.
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. Iran has seen its largest anti-government protests since the disputed presidential election in 2009, with thousands taking to the streets in several cities in recent days. Read more

With Iran experiencing its largest, most widespread protests in years, thoughts in the White House will inevitably turn to Iran's 2009 "Green Movement," sparked by what was widely considered to be the rigging of presidential elections by Iranian authorities that year. President Barack Obama's administration, unsure how to help the protesters and reluctant to scuttle its nascent engagement with Tehran, responded to the demonstrations with diffidence, prompting criticism from left and right alike.

It should thus come as little surprise that President Donald Trump  fresh off repudiating Obama's nuclear deal with Iran  has taken the opposite tack and thrown his weight behind the protesters. But the Trump administration faces the conundrum that has long stymied U.S. officials seeking to support dissidents abroad: What precisely can we do, beyond issuing statements? After all, a loud statement unsupported by action is unlikely to have more impact than one delivered sotto voce.

Like so many protests around the world, the current demonstrations in Iran appear to have begun with bread-and-butter concerns. Iranians expected their lives to improve after the 2015 nuclear deal, and although Iran has experienced economic growth overall, Iranians still face rising prices and high unemployment. Economics and politics are inextricably linked, so it is not surprising that protesters have also decried corruption and expenditures on foreign conflicts in Syria and elsewhere at a time when domestic needs seem so great.

Given its own concerns about Iran's regional policies, Washington has a stake in this debate. Yet many, including many Iranians, will advise the United States and other foreign governments to stay quiet on the protests for fear of tarnishing them by association with outside powers. But the regime will seek to paint protesters as foreign agents regardless of the reality. The best way to counter this is not to remain silent but to ensure that U.S. statements of support are broadly multilateral and are backed with more practical steps.

The United States and its allies should, through public statements, private messages, U.N. resolutions and whatever other vehicles are available, clearly express their support for Iranians' right to protest. They should also warn authorities in Iran against any violent suppression of the demonstrations, whether such violence takes place on the streets or  as occurred after the 2009 protests  later on in homes and prisons, out of the public eye. Both the regime and demonstrators should be made constantly aware that the world's attention is fixed on them.

If the regime resorts to violence anyway, the international response should focus on diplomatic isolation. European and Asian states should reduce their diplomatic ties with Iran and downgrade Iran's participation in international forums. Sanctions may also have a role, but they should be carefully targeted against those responsible for any crackdown  as well as those outside Iran who facilitate their actions  so as not to harm the Iranians whom the measures aim to support.

Such warnings alone are unlikely to deter Iranian authorities, who have proved both savvy and ruthless in employing their security apparatus against dissidents. Thus another focus of the international community's response should be helping Iranians elude that apparatus and exercise the basic rights that it seeks to deny them.

In 2009, State Department official Jared Cohen, without authorization, implored Twitter to forgo a shutdown for scheduled maintenance that happened to coincide with the protests in Iran. Present-day officials, journalists and tech execs should take their cue from Cohen but go further, seeking to provide platforms outside Iran for dissidents to speak out and supply accurate information to those inside Iran about both the protests and the costs of the regime's policies, along with the technical tools Iranians need to evade censorship and surveillance.

Finally, the Trump administration should consider how its broader Iran policy affects what happens inside Iran. This is not to say that the United States should be in the business of currying favor with the regime's "moderates"  Washington has engaged in such efforts over the decades, largely fruitlessly. Instead, the United States can sharpen the choices facing Iran as a whole  and strengthen the arguments of pragmatists arguing for a change in policy  by raising the costs of Iranian regional adventurism and nuclear pursuits while keeping the door open to diplomacy should Iran wish to pursue its interests peacefully.

Western officials should avoid projecting their own hopes onto the Iranian protesters, whose grievances appear varied and are not necessarily aligned with our own complaints about the regime. Western officials should also keep their expectations of the protests in check. They could gather steam, or they could subside. The sign of a successful policy response will be its ability to survive either eventuality, based on the premise that an Iran that is more responsive to the needs of its people will be less dangerous to its region and to the United States.

Michael Singh is managing director and senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. @MichaelSinghDC
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.
JERUSALEM, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel's air force struck a Hamas military facility in the Gaza Strip early on Tuesday morning, citing a rocket fired at Israel hours before as the reason for the attack, the army said.

"An AIF (Israel Air Force) aircraft targeted a military compound belonging to the terrorist organization Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip," a military spokesperson said in a statement.

The strike took place on the night between Monday and Tuesday.

The army said the reason for the attack was a rocket fired by Gaza militants on Monday night, which hit an open field near a community in the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel. No injuries or damage were reported.

No organization immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket, but these rockets are usually launched by Islamist groups in Gaza that challenge Hamas, the organization that runs the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The military spokesperson said that the strike targeted a Hamas compound because "the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) holds Hamas solely accountable for events in the Gaza Strip."

A military official told Channel 2 TV news that the rocket fell very close to a populated area but did not trigger warning sirens. The army is checking whether it was caused by a malfunction in the warning system, the official said.

Hostilities between Israel and Gaza have been on the rise since U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a statement on December 6. In October, Israel blew up a tunnel crossing from Gaza into southern Israel, killing at least 12 Islamic Jihad militants and triggering vows to avenge.

At least 12 Gazans were killed in protests and clashes with Israeli military forces since Trump's announcement, and dozens more were injured.
In 2005, Indianapolis only professional ballet company, Ballet Internationale, shut down. Victoria Lyras, a former Pennsylvania Ballet dancer who had recently relocated to the city, was distressed by the state of Indianapolis art scene and saw a chance to rejuvenate it. Within two months she started making plans to found the Indianapolis School of Ballet, an institution thats thrived under her leadership. Eleven years later, Lyras is ready to complete her vision, by adding a professional company. The community wasnt ready before, says Lyras. But the time is now.

Victoria Lyras. Photo by Moonbug Photography, Courtesy Indianapolis Ballet.

Lyras and board president Michael OBrien announced plans in May, setting a $1.2 million capital campaign into motion. Set to launch on January 8, Indianapolis Ballet will have 10 to 12 dancers as well as apprentices. The schools advanced day program will provide supplemental dancers for some performances. The ensemble will feature former Cincinnati Ballet dancer Chris Lingner and ISB alumna and former Nashville Ballet dancer Kristin Young, both Indianapolis natives. The companys spring season will include two residencies at the Tobias Theatre at Newfields. Program highlights include Raymonda, Act III, and Lyras own stagings of Firebird and A Midsummer Nights Dream. Lyras, who trained at the School of American Ballet, plans to eventually incorporate more Balanchine works into the repertoire, but notes that, as her dancers come from many different backgrounds, she wants to give the company a chance to mesh stylistically.
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By Lawrence Hurley and Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  Transgender people will be allowed for the first time to enlist in the U.S. military starting on Monday as ordered by federal courts, the Pentagon said on Friday, after President Donald Trumps administration decided not to appeal rulings that blocked his transgender ban.

Two federal appeals courts, one in Washington and one in Virginia, last week rejected the administrations request to put on hold orders by lower court judges requiring the military to begin accepting transgender recruits on Jan. 1.

A Justice Department official said the administration will not challenge those rulings.

The Department of Defense has announced that it will be releasing an independent study of these issues in the coming weeks. So rather than litigate this interim appeal before that occurs, the administration has decided to wait for DODs study and will continue to defend the presidents lawful authority in District Court in the meantime, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

In September, the Pentagon said it had created a panel of senior officials to study how to implement a directive by Trump to prohibit transgender individuals from serving. The Defense Department has until Feb. 21 to submit a plan to Trump.

Lawyers representing currently-serving transgender service members and aspiring recruits said they had expected the administration to appeal the rulings to the conservative-majority Supreme Court, but were hoping that would not happen.

Pentagon spokeswoman Heather Babb said in a statement: As mandated by court order, the Department of Defense is prepared to begin accessing transgender applicants for military service Jan. 1. All applicants must meet all accession standards.

Jennifer Levi, a lawyer with gay, lesbian and transgender advocacy group GLAD, called the decision not to appeal great news.

Im hoping it means the government has come to see that there is no way to justify a ban and that its not good for the military or our country, Levi said. Both GLAD and the American Civil Liberties Union represent plaintiffs in the lawsuits filed against the administration.

COSTS AND DISRUPTION

In a move that appealed to his hard-line conservative supporters, Trump announced in July that he would prohibit transgender people from serving in the military, reversing Democratic President Barack Obamas policy of accepting them. Trump said on Twitter at the time that the military cannot be burdened with the tremendous medical costs and disruption that transgender in the military would entail.

Four federal judges  in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Seattle and Riverside, California  have issued rulings blocking Trumps ban while legal challenges to the Republican presidents policy proceed. The judges said the ban would likely violate the right under the U.S. Constitution to equal protection under the law.

The Pentagon on Dec. 8 issued guidelines to recruitment personnel in order to enlist transgender applicants by Jan. 1. The memo outlined medical requirements and specified how the applicants sex would be identified and even which undergarments they would wear.

The Trump administration previously said in legal papers that the armed forces were not prepared to train thousands of personnel on the medical standards needed to process transgender applicants and might have to accept some individuals who are not medically fit for service.

The Obama administration had set a deadline of July 1, 2017, to begin accepting transgender recruits. But Trumps defense secretary, James Mattis, postponed that date to Jan. 1, 2018, which the presidents ban then put off indefinitely.

Trump has taken other steps aimed at rolling back transgender rights. In October, his administration said a federal law banning gender-based workplace discrimination does not protect transgender employees, reversing another Obama-era position. In February, Trump rescinded guidance issued by the Obama administration saying that public schools should allow transgender students to use the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity.

(Reporting by Lawrence Hurley and Idrees Ali; Additional reporting by Andrew Chung; Editing by Will Dunham and Leslie Adler)
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In Frank Capras classic Christmas tale Its a Wonderful Life, the angel Clarence allows George Bailey to witness the horror of what would have happened to the community of Bedford Falls and to his neighbors had he not lived. As we all know, the fate of Bedford Falls residents under the usurious and exploitive rule of Mr. Potter, in what becomes Pottersville, is ugly and desperate. While George managed his familys building and loan company to serve peoples needs and make better lives possible for citizens of Bedford Falls, Potter rules the city for his own profit.

Sound familiar? Americans are living out the nightmare of Pottersville in Trumps America.

We dont have to imagine that nightmare. What is worth imagining is what American life could have, would have, should have been under a Hillary Clinton Presidency.

Democrats and progressives of all stripes will need to paint a vivid portrayal of the wonderful life we might have been living with Hillary Clinton as President and the possibilities they can deliver if they achieve congressional majorities.

Here are some features of the wonderful life I imagined had Hillary Clinton been elected:

*We would be enjoying a world in which a chief effort of the White House would be not to dispossess millions of people of their healthcare but rather to improve and expand the benefits of the very popular Affordable Care Act to even more Americans while working to lower premiums. In short, in the spirit of George Bailey, a Clinton White House would work to serve and help people, rather than milking the government to serve the interests of individual politicians themselves (including our President), lobbyists, and corporate interests.

In my own experience, I have seen many people in my various communities living in terror at the prospect of losing health insurance or having benefits reduced, such as having a lifetime cap on benefits. One family I know lives in terror of having lifetime caps put on benefits because if their father should have a recurrence of cancer, they will have face either bankruptcy or their inability to procure him necessary treatment.

This terror is prevalent.

*Under a Clinton Presidency, the many people registered under the DACA program would not be living in the terror of deportation they are currently experiencing. In addition to creating an environment of terror for many living within the United Sates, the repeal makes no economic sense, as research indicates the deporting DACA registrants would cost the U.S. economy up to 200 billion dollars.

If it makes neither human nor economic sense, it safe to presume that the underlying rationality of the repeal effort is racism.

Part of the wonderful life we missed out on was not having a President who functions as the Racist-In-Chief but seeks to unite rather than divide us. Im quite sure we would have a leader in Clinton who respects womens rights and would not be a Sexual Harasser-in-Chief either.

Imagine a leader who would not tolerate racism or sexism and would openly condemn both.

*Under Clintons leadership, we would likely also not have seen our environment come under siege. Certainly, we would not have seen the White House withdraw from the Paris climate accordand hence from the world communityand Clinton certainly would not have killed a ruling that restricted coal companies from dumping waste in our nations streams and rivers.

*While Trump has largely been quiet on education, particularly higher education, while his Education Secretary Betsy DeVos continues to work in support of for-profit education and against the interests of public education, Clinton promised to work to make higher education affordable. The state of New York this year distinguished itself as the first state of the union to make four-year public college tuition free for many of its residents whose families meet particular income requirements. Clintons campaign promises indicate she would have pursued similar policies.

Meanwhile, Trumps great contribution to American higher education was his fraudulent Trump University. Mr. Potter himself could not have come up with a greater scam to exploit peoples desires for a better life to feed his own greed.

And keep in mind that creating policies that make higher education accessible to many is not about giving away free stuff to undeserving Americans who are unwilling to help themselves.

Rather, it is sound economic and human policy. Student loan debt doesnt just cripple individuals; it cripples the whole economy, preventing young workers from buying homes, starting families, creating businesses and otherwise pursuing entrepreneurial ventures, saving, and otherwise contributing to an economy whose functioning is largely dependent on consumer spending (2/3 of the economy, to be precise). Moreover, creating an educated workforce undeniably helps the economy, allows us to compete globally, and serves our commonweal overall.

What would Hillary Clinton have done? Her promises indicate she would have pursued policies like George Bailey, creating institutions that serve and help people realize possibilities so they can then serve the world. She would not have used the government as her cash cow, asking the taxpayer to underwrite her lengthy stays at her own resorts.

Clinton articulated an understanding of governments need to serve the public good, not private interests. Funding education is not just good human policy, it is good economic and social policy, especially if we care about sustaining a democratic society, which requires an educated and critically-minded citizenry.

Our nation, under Clintons leadership and value system, could have been working toward this wonderful life.

*Finally, under Clinton, its hard to imagine we would have seen the recent tax bill just passed perpetrated on the American people. It is a huge redistribution of wealth that increases the national deficit and undermines the Affordable Care Act, promising to raise health insurance premiums and make healthcare less accessible to millions of Americans, not to mention giving permanent tax cuts to the very wealthy and to corporations already enjoying record profits.

It might have been a wonderful life to see average Americans be granted real tax relief without the cuts in services this bill will necessitate and to see the wealthiest pay a fair share to really make America great again by supporting the country and the workers who have made their wealth possible.

Instead, we have seen Trump turn America into a veritable Pottersville, feeding off the people to enrich himself and his class.

Worse, millions of Americans live in a constant state of terror and anxiety, feeling their lives threatened, the fruits of their labor made less accessible, the global situation more dangerous and volatile, and people overall being made more vulnerable.

What is important is that we recognize what has happened, and that we envision and understand what could make our American lives wonderful.

Just imagine what could have been happening this year to really make America great.
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Trump kickstarted 2018 by lashing out on Twitter, this time at 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, he wrote. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!

The U.S. and Pakistan have had a strained relationship regarding Pakistans commitment to stopping terrorism in the region and for purportedly allowing extremist groups like the Taliban and the Haqqani network to thrive.

U.S. officials also point to the fact that several high-ranking members of extremist groups, such as Taliban leader Mullah Mansour and al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, both spent time living in Pakistan without being captured the government; both of the aforementioned militant leaders were killed by U.S. military operations.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif wrote off Trumps tweet as another attempt to appeal to his voter base. He has tweeted against [Pakistan] and Iran for his domestic consumption, he said in a Geo TV interview Monday.

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 forced to explain Trumps tweet Monday after being summoned by Pakistans foreign office.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi called a meeting to have a discussion about Trumps latest comments and the tense U.S-Pakistan relationship.
A project headed by the Fillmore Soil and Water Conservation District has restored the water-holding capacity of the East Willow Creek flood-control structure.

The dam, built southwest of Preston in the 1950s, had remained in good condition. But thousands of cubic yards of topsoil had muddied the settling pond behind the dike over the years, resulting in decreased sediment retention and less effective flood control.

The restoration project was funded by a $226,000 Clean Water Fundgrant from the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources. Work on the project started in late November and wrapped up early last month.

On Friday, the Post Bulletin spoke with Fillmore SWCD administrator Donna Rasmussen about the restoration project and its benefits.

What does this project entail?

This project is part of the Root River Field to Stream Partnership; it's a project headed up by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. This particular flood control structure is in East Willow Creek Watershed. It was installed back in the 1950s, and it hadn't really had any maintenance done on it in that time. So the sediment had built up to where it really filled the pool area up to the outlet of the dam.

The purpose of this is to restore that water-holding capacity in the dam and also to allow sediment that may be coming off the land, that drains to the dam, to settle out behind there  because up to this point it had been filled. (The dam and pool) drains about 2,000 acres that's also part of a watershed study being done by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Along with that study, there is water monitoring going on in Crystal Creek, which is the tributary of East Willow. It's a great opportunity to see the effects on water quality when this dam gets cleaned out.

How does the dam restoration ties into the watershed study?

The watershed study encompasses about a 4,000-acre drainage area. The drainage area of the dam comprises about half of that. The monitoring that's going on is looking at the amount of sediment and nutrients that are moving off the landscape and into the stream and into Crystal Creek. By doing the work with the dam and some of the other practices in the watershed, they can see how effective those practices are.

How long had this dam been needing repairs?

The dam itself is in good condition. It's more of a restoration of the pool area behind the dam. It's been in place for over 60 years; the life expectancy of a structure like that is around 50 years. So, it was due for some maintenance.

There's the other things that are happening in the watershed at the same time  upstream of the dam  several thousand feet of waterways have been installed, grass waterways that should reduce the amount of sediment  moving with the water that enters the structure also. So that should extend the life expectancy of it into the future.

Will there be any continuation off of this project?

We do have some funds left, so we're looking at the possibility of using those leftover funds for similar-type projects in the rest of the watershed.

How much of the funding is left? What are some of those similar projects in the watershed you're looking at?

I think there's going to be  between $80,000 and $90,000 left of that $226,000. We're hoping that we can do similar (types) of projects on some of the smaller water storage structures that are in the watershed. Some of them may have been part of that original flood-control project back in the (1950s), and some may have been installed after that time. Those have been located and we know kind of where they are in the watershed.

Now it's just a matter of contacting the landowners and finding out who is willing to cooperate. If we have more projects than we have funds for, then it's prioritizing those in such a way that we're restoring the ones that have the biggest benefit for water quality.
Korea's annual trade volume has returned to over US$1 trillion for the first time in three years and the country will account for three percent of global trade this year for the first time.

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Customs Service said Korea's annual trade volume surpassed the $1 trillion mark as of Thursday.

Korea's annual trade volume crossed the milestone for the first time in 2011 and stayed above $1 trillion until 2014. Exports in the first 11 months of this year reached a record $524.8 billion, up 16.5 percent from a year earlier.

Last year, the U.S., China, Germany, Japan, France, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and the U.K. were the only countries whose trade volume surpassed $1 trillion. An official at the ministry said Korea is expected to rank ninth in the world this year.


In the memoir Cardiac Arrest: Five Heart-Stopping Years as a CEO on the Feds Hit List (written with Stephen Saltarelli), Howard Root tells the story of his experience as chief executive officer of Vascular Solutions caught in the crosshairs of the federal government when prosecutors sought to put his company out of business and to send him to the big house. Howard touched on one aspect of his story in the Wall Street Journal column Sally Yatess legacy of injustice at the Department of Justice.

Howard is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Among other things, he is a corporate lawyer turned entrepreneur, inventor, and corporate executive.

Howard faced down the government. The jury didnt think much of the governments case. It returned with a verdict of acquittal on all charges after a day of deliberations, and that includes the time spent electing a foreman.

Howards case is important in its own way. The prosecution was based in part on prosecutorial misconduct. The crimes charged were bogus. The case represents fruit of the poisonous Yates Memo tree. Howard had the resources to fight the governments unjust prosecution of him and his company, but the case exacted an enormous toll. It cries out for study and reform.

Howard thus seeks to engage prosecutors in discussion of his case and to tell his story in person to professional audiences of lawyers and businessmen for whom it holds immediate relevance. Last year, for example, he was invited to speak at the ABA Annual Health Fraud Institute held May 17-19, 2017 in Fort Lauderdale. In January 2017 the institute organizers selected Howards case to be featured, but that plan was destroyed in two steps.

First, none of the four prosecutors responsible for his case (Assistant United States Attorneys Bud Paulissen and Christina Playton of the Western District of Texas and Tim Finley and Charles Biro of the Department of Justice in Washington) would agree to show up at the conference to discuss the case. As a result, the case could not use be used for in-depth assessment. Instead, they picked United States v. Ayala, a case the government won. The prosecutors agreed to show up for that one. Even so, Howard was still invited to give the institutes keynote address on his case.

Second, about two weeks later, when his keynote speech was placed on the agenda, the Department of Justice told the institute organizers that if Root was scheduled to speak at the conference, no one from the Department of Justice would show up  either at that years conference or ever again at future institute programs. Department of Justice participation in the Annual Health Fraud Institute is a practical necessity for such a program. The institute organizers accordingly rescinded Howards invitation to speak.

It happened again in connection with the American Conference Institutes False Claims and Qui Tam Enforcement Conference scheduled for this month in New York City. Howard was in contact with the conference organizers to speak at the event, but the Department of Justice forewarned the organizers that they would not participate if Howard was on the program.

What is going on here? I wrote the Department of Justice to ask. Last week I submitted my inquiry to the departments Office of Public Affairs:

I write for the website Power Line (powerlineblog.com) and have written about the governments unsuccessful prosecution of Howard Root and Vascular Solutions in the Western District of Texas. Main Justice trial attorneys Tim Finley and Charles Biro had responsibility for the prosecution along with Assistant United States Attorneys Bud Paulissen and Christine Playton in San Antonio. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on all counts in February 2016. As I understand it, all Deparment of Justice representatives including those named above have refused to appear on any professional program at which Mr. Root also appears. Would you please provide me the departments comment and explanation? Thank you for your courtesies and consideration.

On Friday I received this response:

Greetings, Thank you for your question. The Department of Justice declines to comment. Best regards,

Lauren Lauren Ehrsam

Spokeswoman and Media Affairs Specialist

I also called Assistant United States Attorney Bud Paulissen and left a voicemail message conveying my inquiry to him at his office in San Antonio. He has not responded.

I draw the inference that there is no Department of Justice policy that precludes the departments participation at professional programs where Root also appears. What we have here is failure to communicate. It is a failure born of arrogance, irresponsibility, and cowardice.

NOTE: Howard told his story at a Center of the American Experiment presentation last year in downtown Minneapolis (video below). It is the most powerful presentation of its kind that I have ever seen. Here we have human interest, self-deprecating humor, life lessons, politics and proposed reforms, a scrappy struggle for success in the medical device business, federal regulation and the administrative state, criminal law, trial practice and (as in Howards Wall Street Journal column) Sally Yates and the Department of (In)Justice. And thats not all. We also have Amy Klobuchar and the Star Tribune. Its a riveting story and an incredibly rich case study. If you missed it when I posted it last year, you may want to check it out now.
Thats what Steve Sailer calls them, only they arent volunteers anymore. They are asking to be paid.

Who are they? Members of Politically Approved Minority Groups who offer to read novels in manuscript to identify any non-conforming elements. Sailer starts with an article in Slate:

Is My Novel Offensive? How sensitivity readers are changing the publishing ecosystemand raising new questions about what makes a great book. These advising angelspart fact-checkers, part cultural ambassadorsare new additions to the book publishing ecosystem. Either hired by individual authors or by publishing houses, sensitivity readers are members of a minority group tasked specifically with examining manuscripts for hurtful, inaccurate, or inappropriate depictions of that group.

Sailer goes on a quest to learn whether being a twinthe subject of a novel discussed in the Slate storyconstitutes Approved Minority Status:

The sensitivity auditing of this young adult novel about twins raises a question: are twins considered a minority group worthy of sensitivity concerns? Or are twins, like left-handed catchers and albinos, not worthy of minority status? If not, why not?

The answer seems to be No. Along the way he provides examples of some sensitivity readers who have described their qualifications in a sensitivity reader database. This one suffers from a number of minority statuses, most of which probably have never occurred to you:

LGBTQ+  especially non-binary genders, grey-/demi-/pan-/asexuality and grey-/demi-/pan-/aromanticism. Mental Health  personality disorders (especially, but not limited to, cluster B); being a queer person with a diagnosis; depression; self harm; anxiety (including panic attacks); suicidal thoughts; dissociation and depersonalisation; living on mood stabilisers. Other  unhealthy and abusive relationships (esp. non-romantic/non-sexual ones), with focus on either the abused or the abused; disordered eating (without an ED diagnosis); womb twin survivor (being an only child; knowing/feeling a twin shouldve existed); migraines, sunlight sensitivity, insomnia; polyamory; working in the Arts as a queer person with a MH diagnosis; other correlations of the aforementioned things.

Sailer comments:

So being a twin is not an identity politics category. But not being a twin can make you a womb twin survivor.

Here is another sensitivity reader:

I am Black (with Irish and Cherokee thrown in), autistic, aromantic, noetisexual, demisexual/asexual, Integrated Radical Non-Monogamist, Relationship Anarchist, autodidact, relationship fluid, disabled, single parent, in poverty, kinky switch/Dom/me, assigned female at birth, synesthetic, intersex, genderqueer, Army brat, survivor of several forms of abuse, left-handed, singleish, and pansexual. My disabilities and health conditions consist of endometriosis, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, fibromyalgia, eczema, secondary anxiety and depression. Ive had several major surgeries, survived more rapes than I can count, and narrowly escaped stalkers, domestic violence, and murderers. Ive been writing cuil fiction, my invented intersectional queer and polya genre, for nearly 20 years. I am also a not-quite widow.

What is a not-quite widow? I have no idea.

These people are, by their own description, more or less crazy. Yet authors and publishers seek them out (and perhaps pay them) to critique novels. Major elements of our society have gone mad; the problem is that they insist on taking the rest of us around the bend with them, and we dont want to go. This dynamic explains much of our 21st century public life, and it largely accounts for the fact that Donald Trump is our president.
More than two decades after California became the first U.S. state to legalize medical marijuana use, on Jan. 1 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.

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.

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 Jan. 1.

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 Jan. 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 Jan. 1.
Britain announced Friday it would return to "iconic" blue and gold passports after it formally leaves the European Union in 2019.

Since 1988, British passports have been issued with a burgundy sleeve along with other European Union countries.

Supporters of Brexit hailed the decision as a reclaiming of Britain's independence from the EU, while opponents have mocked their attachment to something superficial and have voiced concern that Brexit will diminish the country's standing in the world.

"The U.K. passport is an expression of our independence and sovereignty -- symbolizing our citizenship of a proud, great nation," Prime Minister Theresa May said on Twitter.

"That's why we have announced that the iconic blue passport will return after we leave the European Union in 2019."


EDINBURGH, Scotland, January 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Bachmann & Welser Capital Limited ("Bachmann & Welser"), a growing provider of Non-Recourse Funding, Monetization, Trade Finance, Project Finance, SBLC, BG and MTN, has today announced the successful completion of $750 million equity capital raise and additional commitments of $500 million from Middle-Eastern investors.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/623302/Bachmann_Welser_Capital_Limited_Logo.jpg )



Edward Bachmann, Co-founder and CEO of Bachmann & Welser said, "We welcome this timely capital infusion by our investors. It is a demonstration of the confidence we enjoy from our financial partners. At Bachmann & Welser, ensuring client satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do. Our newly established operations in Scotland will employ this additional funding to drive forward our global ambitions".

Bachmann & Welser will now be strategically positioned to broaden the company's global footprint. Appointed representatives will oversee the affaires of Bachmann & Welser in selected locations.

"Basel III capital requirement regulations has made it more difficult for mainstream banks to deploy capital in Trade Finance however Bachman & Welser can see a large market opportunity, especially with commodity prices and trade flow continuing their recovery and emerging market demand exceeding Trade Finance supply by some margin".

With an experienced team made up vastly of former City of London Investment Bankers and a competent Legal Team, Bachmann & Welser expects a significant growth by the end of the financial year.

Referrals from brokers and other professional intermediaries are welcome. Only applications with a minimum value of 7million will be considered. Terms and conditions apply.

For More Information: Please visit http://www.bachmannwelser.com Alternatively, you can call on +44(0)131-357-0361.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Sarah Atkins

Media Relations Officer

[email protected]

SOURCE Bachmann & Welser Capital Ltd
New business models in mobility will lead to wide-scale disruption, finds Frost & Sullivan's Mobility team

SAO PAULO, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Latin American market is rapidly embracing new mobility business models with a focus on an on-demand, integrated, multi-modal mobility network, driven by changing demographics, preferences, and technology. Frost & Sullivan finds that converging trends will lead to a paradigm shift from vehicle ownership to vehicle usage. Mobility solutions such as eHailing, bike sharing, and integrated mobility, are experiencing significant growth following enthusiastic consumer adoption. In addition, municipalities are looking for ways to include new mobility services within the modality mix. It is, therefore, imperative for stakeholders in the mobility value chain to develop innovative business model solutions to achieve long-term business sustainability and create new avenues for revenue growth.

Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Latin America New Mobility Business Models, Forecast to 2023, explores the market for, and impact of, new business models in Latin America, and analyzes the growing trends in shared and integrated mobility toward 2023, focusing on Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.

For more information, please visit: http://frost.ly/22u

Key insights uncovered by Frost & Sullivan include:

Focus on traditional modes of mobility: Mobility in Latin America , although rapidly changing, still focuses heavily on traditional modes and personal vehicle ownership;

Mobility in , although rapidly changing, still focuses heavily on traditional modes and personal vehicle ownership; Automotive OEMs expanding: OEMs began testing car-sharing pilots in 2016 and are expected to further venture into offering mobility solutions by 2018, in partnership with other market participants;

OEMs began testing car-sharing pilots in 2016 and are expected to further venture into offering mobility solutions by 2018, in partnership with other market participants; Mobility in Latin America will be platform enabled in the future: Integrated mobility is a single platform that offers seamless, flexible, first- to last-mile connectivity that is customer controlled and cost-effective;

Integrated mobility is a single platform that offers seamless, flexible, first- to last-mile connectivity that is customer controlled and cost-effective; Sharing economy: The sharing economy pushes for a pool of several users or members to create shared value toward value for many. At times of volatile economics, the sharing economy is a possible answer for value creation and addition. Between 2016 and 2023, bike sharing is expected to experience a 100% growth in bike volumes while the car sharing fleet is set to experience a tenfold increase.

"Wide-scale disruption with the entry of new mobility business models is heavily impacting traditional market structures and the positioning of traditional ecosystem participants among the new competition. This leads to changes in terms of regulations, investments and market structure," said Yeswant Abhimanyu, Latin America Mobility Research Manager. "It is vital for stakeholders to discuss how these new solutions aimed at the better use of existing structures can be included as a part of the public and private mobility mix. In addition, investment in infrastructure in order to enable more integrated and cost-effective services, through direct and indirect incentives, is pivotal. Infrastructure is the bedrock of a well-functioning mobility."

Latin America New Mobility Business Models, Forecast to 2023, is part of Frost & Sullivan's Global Mobility Growth Partnership Service program.

About Frost & Sullivan

Frost & Sullivan, the Growth Partnership Company, works in collaboration with clients to leverage visionary innovation that addresses the global challenges and related growth opportunities that will make or break today's market participants. For more than 50 years, we have been developing growth strategies for the global 1000, emerging businesses, the public sector and the investment community. Contact us: Start the discussion

Latin America New Mobility Business Models, Forecast to 2023

K10F-18

Contact:

Francesca Valente

Corporate Communications, Americas

E: [email protected]

P: +54 11 4777 5300

https://ww2.frost.com/

Related Links

http://www.frost.com



SOURCE Frost & Sullivan
"Extell has an exceptionally strong reputation with the lending and institutional investor communities and this sophisticated transaction affirms the confidence in Manhattan's luxury condominium market," said Gary Barnett, President and Founder of Extell Development Company. "New York City has never known a supertall tower of this caliber and we are pleased to have our institutional partners on board to deliver a product that will be truly exceptional."

Central Park Tower will be the definitive New York skyscraper with an incomparable offering in every respect. Situated on 57th Street with Central Park directly to the north, the tower is supremely located at the intersection of Columbus Circle and the Plaza District. Designed by renowned firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, known for such celebrated supertalls around the world including Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia, the building will include 179 ultra-luxury residences with gracious layouts, stratospheric views and access to New York's most elevated private club of full-service amenities.

Extell is co-developing Central Park Tower with SMI USA (SMI), the US subsidiary of Shanghai Municipal Investment, a leading infrastructural investment company responsible for the esteemed Shanghai Tower.

Central Park Tower will also be home to an approximately 300,000-square-foot Nordstrom department store. This new seven-story retail space will be the Seattle-based fashion retailer's flagship location in New York City, the first in its over 100-year history.

Extell pioneered the development of ultra-luxury skyscraper development on what is now considered the most prestigious residential corridor in Manhattan with One57, the first supertall tower on Billionaires' Row. The record-breaking glass tower overlooking Central Park, which redefined the New York City skyline, includes 132 premier condominiums above the Park Hyatt's new five-star flagship hotel. One57 is home to the most expensive residence ever sold in New York City history at $100.5 million.

Extell Development Marketing Group will exclusively handle the sales and marketing for Central Park Tower with sales expected to launch in 2018 and completion slated for 2019. For sales information, please call 212-957-5557 or visit www.centralparktower.com.

About Extell

Extell Development Company is a nationally acclaimed real estate developer of residential, commercial, retail, hospitality and mixed-use properties, operating primarily in Manhattan and other premier cities across the nation. In collaboration with world-class architects and design professionals, Extell creates properties distinguished by sophisticated design, gracious floor plans and first-class amenities.

Current projects under development include the largest condominium in Lower Manhattan, One Manhattan Square, located on the edge of the New York Harbor, offering breathtaking water and city views and over 100,000 square feet of amenities; The Kent at 200 East 95th Street, a building that pays homage to some of New York City's Art Deco structures with interiors that echo the classic elegance of the Upper East Side; and 70 Charlton, the first luxury residential development located in Hudson Square, a section within West SoHo. Extell has also restored and updated a number of classics in landmark neighborhoods, including the former Stanhope Hotel at 995 Fifth Avenue and The Belnord, a landmark building on the Upper West Side.

About SMI

SMI USA prides itself on integrity, professionalism and best-in-class assets. With the support of over 20,000 employees and decades of complex real estate planning and development, SMI seamlessly navigates projects from inception through disposition.

Founded in 1992, Shanghai Municipal Investment (formerly known as Shanghai Chengtou) is the largest state-owned enterprise in Shanghai. SMI currently has two publicly listed subsidiaries as well as 11 private affiliates and subsidiaries. The Company thrives in tandem with Shanghai's infrastructural planning, investments, constructions and operational agendas.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/623964/Extell_Development_Co_Central_Park_Tower.jpg

SOURCE Extell Development Company
The company's first large-scale MPV model, the GM8 is developed on GAC Motor's C-Class platform, which integrates the world's most cutting-edge technologies. The GM8 measures 5m in length and has a 3-meter-long wheelbase to ensure plenty of interior space. The grandeur of the new MPV is also reflected in its spectacular exterior design, luxurious cabin design, smart technology and excellent safety features. The seven-seat MPV is designed to meet the growing demand from Chinese consumers for a better driving experience. Its target consumers will be high-end elites who demand quality and safety for their family.

"Demand has been growing in the Chinese auto market for a spacious and practical MPV that can accommodate both business and family needs," said Yu Jun, President of GAC Motor. "With our new GM8, GAC Motor will not only meet, but will redefine the standards of the high-end Chinese MPV market."

Adhering to GAC Motor's brand philosophy of "innovation, quality and pleasure" and embracing cutting-edge technology, the MPV GM8 completes its line of luxury C-Class vehicles which also includes the GA8 sedan and GS8 SUV. The quality of the company's models has been affirmed by the market as GAC Motor was named the official service car provider and delivered a total of 380 cars including its GA8 sedan, GS8 SUV and GM8 MPV for the Fortune Global Forum 2017. While their desirability has been confirmed by their leading the field, the company has logged another year of record-breaking sales volume in 2017. The company achieved a 38.9% year-on-year increase from January to November in 2017 and has already met its target of annual sales volume of 500,000 for the year.

Setting a goal of achieving 1 million in sales volume by 2020, GAC Motor has structured a sustainable development strategy to produce quality vehicles with premium design, performance and reliability for global customers. It will continue to expand its global R&D network to develop more vehicles with cutting-edge technology and advance sustainable mobility. The company will further introduce four new models into the market in 2018, offering customers a wider choice with premium driving experience. It will release another mid- to high-end MPV by the end of 2018, which will be more focused on family use.

"The company's strategic goal is to create a world-class brand that excels in research, manufacturing, and sales," noted Yu Jun. "In the future, GAC Motor will continue to offer an automotive experience with enhanced vitality and creativity to our global customers."

GAC Motor is expected to return to North America International Auto Show (NAIAS) in 2018 with its entire lineup of vehicles and an all-electric concept car at the invitation of Rod Alberts, executive director of the Detroit Auto Dealers Association (DADA) and North America International Auto Show (NAIAS). It also plans to enter the North American market no later than 2019.

About GAC Motor

Founded in 2008, Guangzhou Automobile Group Motor CO., LTD (GAC Motor) is a subsidiary of GAC Group that develops and manufactures premium quality vehicles, engines, components and auto accessories. The company achieved a 38.9% year-on-year increase from January to November in 2017. GAC Motor now ranks the highest among all Chinese brands for five consecutive years in J.D. Power Asia Pacific's 2017 China Initial Quality StudySM (IQS). The company built a production and sales volume of 500,000 vehicles in 2017 and aims to reach 1,000,000 vehicles by 2020.

For more information, please visit:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GACMotor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gac_motor

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/gac_motor

Media Contact:

Sukie Wong

+86-186-8058-2829

[email protected]

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SOURCE GAC Motor
AHMEDABAD, India, January 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

eInfochips, a global product engineering services firm, announced today that it had signed an agreement with Arrow Electronics, a Fortune 118 company and global leader in technology design, manufacturing support, and supply chain services, to fully transfer and merge its business with Arrow Electronics Inc. Post the merger, eInfochips will act as a fully owned subsidiary of Arrow Electronics Inc. The transaction is expected to close this month, after successful completion of all closing conditions and upon receiving the statutory approvals.

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"eInfochips has been a leader in the product engineering services market. We have helped launch award-winning products in various domains for over 20 years. Unlike other services companies, we pioneered 'end-to-end' product design, including hardware, software and industrial design. With our focus on IoT-based solutions, cloud interconnects & mobility, combined with our expertise in designing electronic devices, we are in a unique position to enable product transformation and offer complete solutions to the business challenges of many of our customers. This acquisition by Arrow will allow us to leverage synergies between our engineering capabilities and digital transformation offerings with Arrow's tremendous breadth of electronics and enterprise products and solutions, and digital operations, including in IoT. This also brings a $23.8 billion-revenue Fortune 118 corporation to Ahmedabad, Gujarat which is a matter of immense pride to all of us at eInfochips. This acquisition is also a testament to our engineering execution, expertise in connected devices and connecting them to the cloud, and the trust that our clients place in us. We are excited to join forces with Arrow to further add value to our clients across the world," said Pratul Shroff, CEO of eInfochips.

This acquisition, once closed, will expand Arrow's 'sensor-to-sunset' capabilities, by combining eInfochips' Snapbricks IoT framework, as well as by adding eInfochips' 1,500 IoT solution architects, ASIC and embedded engineers, and software development resources to Arrow's already leading position in IoT design services. Also, adding eInfochips' end-to-end product design capabilities, digital transformation offerings in cloud services, IoT, intelligent automation, devops, and video management to Arrow's eDesign platform, will greatly augment the scale of digital services offerings to Arrow's 125,000 customers.

Once closed, significant benefits of this transaction include:

Comprehensive and connected IoT solutions and technologies for global companies looking for end-end product design and development, including sourcing components, engineering services, manufacturing support, product sustenance and digital transformation - that will accelerate time to market, provide cost benefits and enhance customer experience

Synergies in digital initiatives, including IoT and cloud services that will provide clients with cutting edge, sensor-to-cloud IoT platforms for their product and solution needs

Accelerate growth for eInfochips to expand current services and act as a catalyst for R&D and IP initiatives in the area of digital transformation

Allow Arrow to greatly enhance the value proposition to their vast 125,000 customer base

About eInfochips:

eInfochips is a product engineering and software R&D services company with over 20 years of experience, 500+ product developments, and over 40M+ deployments in 140 countries across the world, in multiple domains, including aerospace & defense, automotive, consumer electronics, home and industrial automation, medical devices, retail, security & surveillance, semiconductors, transportation & logistics, etc. Today, 60% of its revenues come from Fortune 500 companies and 80% from solutions around connected devices. From silicon to embedded systems to software, from design & development to deployment & sustenance, eInfochips maps the product journey of its customers. With its R&D centers in the USA and India, eInfochips continuously invests and fuel innovations in the areas of product engineering, device lifecycle management, IoT & cloud frameworks, intelligent automation, and video management. The company has sales presence in the USA, Japan, and India.

Visit http://www.einfochips.com for more information.

Media Contact:

Abhishek Binaykia

[email protected]

+91-9825500890

AVP Marketing, eInfochips



SOURCE eInfochips
MILPITAS, California, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SEMI today announced the appointment of Masahiko (Jim) Hamajima as president of SEMI Japan. Reporting to SEMI president and CEO Ajit Manocha, Hamajima assumes profit and loss (P&L) responsibility for SEMI Japan and leadership of SEMICON Japan along with all regional programs, events, and initiatives including SEMI Standards and industry advocacy. With more than 325 members, SEMI Japan plays a critical role in SEMI's global industry association, representing more than 2,000 companies worldwide in the electronics manufacturing supply chain.

With all-time records expected in 2017 for global semiconductor revenue at $400 billion (USD), semiconductor equipment revenue at $56 billion (USD), and semiconductor materials revenue at $48 billion (USD), Japan is an essential global player and has seen very strong recent growth. Japan supplies nearly one-third of the world's semiconductor equipment and more than half all wafer fab materials. As semiconductor manufacturing continues its strong global growth, SEMI Japan role in connecting SEMI member companies in Japan with opportunities to collaborate and innovate with companies worldwide will take on increasing importance in enabling members' growth and prosperity.

"With his long leadership experience at TEL, the largest semiconductor equipment company in Japan (and in the top-five globally), Jim understands the challenges and opportunities facing Japan as the global electronics manufacturing supply chain expands and evolves," said Ajit Manocha, president and CEO of SEMI. "Jim's solid track record in heading ambitious business transformations makes him the ideal choice to lead SEMI Japan in SEMI's 2.0 initiative. Jim will drive critical initiatives such as workforce development, greater environmental health and safety (EH&S) intensity, and new vertical application collaborations  like Smart Data and Smart Transportation that sharpen the industry's focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning."

Hamajima brings more than 30 years' experience in the semiconductor equipment industry in Japan and the U.S. and a comprehensive understanding of the global industry. Starting at Tokyo Electron Ltd. (TEL) in diffusion, Hamajima later held vice president positions overseeing multiple product lines at Tokyo Electron America and later for Cleaning Systems in Japan. Hamajima's experience includes leading complex integrations as senior vice president at Timbre Technologies and as vice president and general manager at TEL-FSI. Prior to joining SEMI, Hamajima served as vice president and general manager of Corporate Strategy at TEL. Hamajima holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgy from the Nagoya Institute of Technology.

"I would also like to thank Osamu Nakamura for his important contributions, first as a SEMI Japan Regional Advisory Board member, later as a SEMI International BOD member and most recently as president of SEMI Japan, culminating in the very successful SEMICON Japan 2017 in mid-December," commented Manocha. "I appreciate Osamu remaining as an advisor through the next several months to ensure a smooth transition and wish him a very happy retirement."

About SEMI

SEMI connects over 2,000 member companies and 1.3 million professionals worldwide to advance the technology and business of electronics manufacturing. SEMI members are responsible for the innovations in materials, design, equipment, software, devices, and services that enable smarter, faster, more powerful, and more affordable electronic products. FlexTech and the MEMS & Sensors Industry Group (MSIG) are SEMI Strategic Association Partners, defined communities within SEMI focused on specific technologies. Since 1970, SEMI has built connections that have helped its members prosper, create new markets, and address common industry challenges together. SEMI maintains offices in Bangalore, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Seoul, Shanghai, Silicon Valley (Milpitas, Calif.), Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.semi.org and follow SEMI on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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SOURCE SEMI
NEW DELHI, January 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Photography Book 'Wild at Heart: Animal Encounters Through my Lens' will support Smile Train India

Over the weekend, Padma Shri Deepa Malik launched a photography book titled 'Wild at Heart: Animal Encounters Through My Lens', published by 12-year-old, London-based photographer Ameya Kulkarni capturing his encounters with wildlife from across the world. The proceeds from the sale of the book will help fund free cleft surgeries to children across the country, through NGO Smile Train India.

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The book includes pictures taken in various destinations, over the years, based on Ameya's travels, from Iceland to South Africa, India to Belgium, and at his home in England.

Of the voluminous collection of the photographs he took, Ameya chose those for the book that he felt 'had a story to tell'. He says some pictures had scenes that fascinated him, "like the camels in the Thar desert"; while sometimes he found themes around which he, "actively took pictures such as with urban cows in India."

Speaking about why he decided to donate all the proceeds from his book, Ameya said, "We need to give back to society and no contribution is too early or too small." Further talking about why he chose to support clefts, Ameya shared, "Through my continued partnership with Smile Train, I would like to contribute towards improving access to better medical facilities for children with clefts earlier in their life, so that this simple surgery can be done when they are very young."

Speaking at the event, Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee Deepa Malik shared, "I am delighted and overwhelmed to see young supporters like Ameya coming forward to dedicate their work to charitable causes. Children born with clefts live a life of shame and isolation, unable to make friends or go to school, and support like this will go a long way in providing them a second chance at life. I congratulate Ameya for this initiative and wish him the best!"

Sharing more details about clefts and Smile Train's operations, Vice President and Regional Director, Smile Train - South Asia, Mamta Carrol said, "Hundreds of thousands of children continue to live a life of isolation just because they were born with clefts. However, a surgery transforms their life and many go on to pursue education, learn a trade, build a family. We are humbled by contributions of young supporters like Ameya who come forward and support the cause."

More information: The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Flipkart at http://bit.ly/2lidlnV

About Smile Train India:

Smile Train is an international children's charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. In India, over 35,000 children are born with clefts every year and hundreds of thousands of children with untreated clefts live in isolation; but more importantly, have difficulty eating, breathing and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is simple, and the transformation is immediate. Since the year 2000, Smile Train's sustainable model has provided training, funding and resources to empower local doctors and hospitals across India to provide 100%-free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities. This 'teach a man to fish' strategy has enabled Smile Train India to provide over 4,90,000 free surgeries through a network of more than 160 partner hospitals.

To learn more about how Smile Train India's sustainable approach has both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit: http://www.smiletrainindia.org.

Media Contact:

Neeraj Bali

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011-47856300

Smile Train India



SOURCE Smile Train India
Speculative investors ought to look for the busier firms with active plans for 2018, says Proactive oil guru

Our five picks are rigged up and ready for success

It has been something of a feast-then-famine year in the exploration and production sector. But early indications suggest 2018 could be a busier time for investors.

The oil price is ending 2017 in relatively good health, with Brent holding above US$60 per barrel and the price-supportive sentiments at OPEC will hopefully mean theres more macro-certainty than oil market investors have been used to in recent years.

Discipline will, however, likely remain a corporate buzzword. Nonetheless, there may well be many more exploration and development catalysts through the coming year.

Better oil prices equal bigger, more ambitious projects  and there are few things the AIM market likes more than an ambitious oiler with a decent story.

Speculative investors ought to look for the busier firms with active plans for 2018 (ideally plans that include well drilling with either exploration and/or appraisal targets).

Heres a few worth watching:

Chariot Oil & Gas Plc ( ): Two major wells in the schedule

Two significant wells could lift Chariot from its relative hibernation; success with either could be transformational from a value point of view.

Offshore Morocco, it is expected that a well will be drilled at the Rabat Deep prospect with a spud due in March.

It is a 768mln-barrel target, making it one of the largest in the schedule for the year. Importantly, success here could open up a regional play with significant follow-on potential seen in the area - there are six further leads in the same play which will all be de-risked by a discovery.

Elsewhere, in the Central blocks offshore Namibia, the schedule has yet to be finalised but it is anticipated that a well could be drilled in the second half of the year.

The target, Prospect S, is seen to have a possible 459mln barrels of crude. For Chariot, the plan is to partner up (the farm-out process is already underway).

With these two major projects in the schedule, plainly 2018 can be a real breakthrough year for Chariot.

Weald basin: UKOG, Alba Minerals and Angus Energy all in the spotlight

More wells are planned for the emerging onshore oil play in the Kimmeridge limestone zones through Southern England. Put simply, the goal is to prove that the successful 2016 tests at the Horse Hill site, near Gatwick airport, werent a fluke and that material oil business can be established.

In the best case scenario, investors will want to see wells drilled and testing, yielding oil flows somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 bopd in testing.

Horse Hill will likely be in the spotlight  it is the most advanced of the project and was definitively proven in 2016s well testing.

New production testing is now due.

In a recent series of stock market statements, the companies behind the project told investors that the new phase of work will get underway in late winter 2017/18.

The programme, which includes a 150-day production test and new drilling, is designed to confirm the commerciality of the Portland and Kimmeridge oil discoveries. It will also set up Horse Hill for the start of long-term production, targeted in early 2019.

Stephen Sanderson, executive chairman of ( ), the largest London-listed stakeholder in Horse Hill (with 32.4%), is targeting commercial production and cash flow by 2019.

The programme, geared to provide data to support a declaration of commerciality, will benefit greatly from the many significant Kimmeridge and operational learnings gained at our Broadford Bridge discovery. 

( ): Barryroe is back!

This time last year, Providence was on the list of oil explorers to watch too, and, while the Drombeg well, drilled in September, didnt work out, the group has another significant project in the books for 2018.

In the wake of the  disappointment, Providence is moving on to Plan B  which, if youve followed Providence for long enough, will sound an awful lot like what Plan A used to be.

Providence is returning to the undeveloped Barryroe field with a plan to further appraise the large discovery. The plan is to drill a new well and a side-track in either the second half of next year or the first half of 2019 (so perhaps Providence might still be 2018 Christmas feature too).

Barryroe 48/24-K, the new well, will be positioned some five kilometres away from the last well, on the east flank of the field.

Phase 1 drilling is targeting some 436mln barrels of oil in place, and it is expected to cost a total of US$25mln with Providences share at around US$20mln.

The company in October highlighted that the two planned well penetrations are designed to provide further "definition around structure, reservoir, fluid phase, connectivity and resource estimates", thereby materially moving the east flank of the Barryroe field towards development.

The Irish explorers valuation was a multiples of todays levels the last time Barryroe was in play, and whilst the company will still need the now fabled farm-out partnership to actually develop the field, a successful well programme will move the project forward massively.

Hurricane Energy Plc ( ): No big bang, but a crucial year nonetheless

No new wells here, so single event, big bang catalysts are unlikely. Nonetheless, Hurricane is entering a crucial year as it is moving the Lancaster field towards targeted first oil in the first half of 2019.

The coming months will be all about preparation and engineering.

Lancasters early production system (EPS) is due online in the first half of 2019 with this start-up phase forecast to deliver up to 17,000 barrels of oil per day. It is expected that the timeline up to the EPS reaching the 17,000 bopd target will be the main focus for investors.

In an interview at the Oil Council conference in London, chief executive Robert Trice explained that development work will be underway through 2018, likely starting around March or April, with the floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel potentially arriving at the field from September onwards.

( ): Moving fast in South America, lots of catalysts coming up

This reboot from the people who brought you Sound Energy has already moved quickly to secure new projects in South America, doing deals in Bolivia and Argentina.

Echo shares resumed trading on AIM just a week before Christmas following the release of an admission document on the proposed purchase of assets in Argentina.

In Argentina, Echo is acquiring 50% stakes in three concessions: Fraccion C, Fraccion D and Laguna De Los Capones, as well as 50% in the Tapi Aike exploration permit. Together this spans some 11,153 square kilometres in Argentinas Santa Cruz province.

The asset base comprises producing assets as well as exploration and appraisal. It is expected to drill several wells in the coming year to advance and expand the project.

Investors have been very supportive of the companys vision and expectations are high, with a busy schedule anticipated there should be plenty of reasons to follow the company through 2018.
Israel's Foreign Ministry on Monday said an expected visit by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence appears to have been postponed again.

Spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said the visit, which had been expected to take place the week of Jan. 14, is not on the ministry's schedule for January.

"The visit is not included in our provision of scheduled visits of high-level dignitaries in January," he said.

He gave no reason for the apparent delay and said it was still possible that Pence could decide to come. But he said there was no new date for an expected visit.


Bank of America has moved back into Base Resources, providing a significant institutional boost to the company's acquisition plans

This evidence of institutional support should boost retail sentiment during the ongoing fundraising

Merril Lynch has bought back into Ltd ( ) after it sold out before Christmas.

On 22 December 2017, the company was notified that had ceased to be a significant shareholder. Now though, two of the banks funds, Merrill Lynch Futures and Merrill Australia have taken its total stake to over 39.5mln shares, or 5.3%.

The initial sale followed the announcement of the potentially transformational US$75mln acquisition of the Toliara Sands project in Madagascar. At that point, Base also revealed that it was planning to raise US$100mln in new equity.

Base is currently capitalised at just over 160mln on the .
Glencore has sold one of two Australian coal mines it put for up for sale last year

Glencore PLC ( ) has sold its Tahmoor coal mine in Australia to British industrialist Sanjeev Guptas GFG Alliance for an undisclosed sum.

Tahmoor was put up for sale along with the Rolleston mine in Australia last year as Glencore looks to consolidate its coal activities around the Hunter Valley.

Glencore and GFG Alliance did not disclose the sale price for Tahmoor but sources told Reuters the mine was likely to have received about A$100mln.

Gupta has been buying unwanted industrial assets in Britain, Australia and the US over the past few years. Last year, it purchased the financially troubled Whyalla steel works in southern Australia as part of its plans to build an integrated steel business.

GFG executive chairman Gupta said Tahmoor produces about 2mln tonnes of coal a year, mostly high-quality coking coal used for steel making globally and in Australia, including at the Whyalla facility.

The acquisition of the Tahmoor mine is an exciting step forward in our stated strategy to create fully-integrated, end-to-end businesses in Australia, from raw materials and energy right through to high-value finished products ready for market, he said.

The deal is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018, subject to foreign investment approval in Australia.

Gupta runs metals group, Liberty House, and energy and commodities group SIMEC.
ICYMI: An unnamed potential new partner is now in exclusive contract negotiations which could finally see a farm-out deal for Barryroe

The Irish oil juniors have doubled in value since last week's encouraging farm-out news

In case you missed it, Irish oil explorers ( ) and Plc ( ) shares were boosted over the holiday period, as they appeared to move closer to a pivotal new partnership for the Barryroe oil field.

Barryroe is a significant oil project, with more than 1bn barrels of crude potentially present and production volumes projected at around 100,000 barrel per day but for several years the pre-development project has stalled.

Put simply, the project would be too big and too expensive for Providence and Lansdowne to take forward into production alone.

They have been seeking larger partners, with deeper pockets, ever since the breakthrough well success back in 2012, though the initial optimism was dented by the collapse of crude prices from highs above US$100 per barrel.

As capital budgets tightened across the sector, the prospect of new commitments to new expensive growth projects became increasingly unlikely, and thus investors in companies such as Providence became increasingly frustrated.

Now, however, crude prices are looking healthier (with Brent now staying comfortably above US$60) and many of the financially reset larger oil firms are again seen to be interested in taking new projects.

Exclusive farm-out talks now advancing

On Thursday, December 28, Providence revealed that it had signed an exclusivity agreement with an unnamed potential partner for Barryroe.

This was taken as particularly significant news, as Providence added that key commercial terms had been agreed with the possible farminee and the exclusivity period would allow negotiations to advance in order to conclude contractual negotiations.

If sealed, the partnership deal would deliver a multi-well programme at Barryroe, according to Providence chief executive Tony OReilly.

The news lit a rocket beneath the share prices of Providence and Lansdowne.

Having risen a further 31% on the first trading day of January to change hands at 11.5p, Providence is now up almost 100% since Thursdays announcement, whereas, Lansdowne is up some 130% in the same period, rising to trade at nearly 2p per share in early Tuesday deals.

New Barryroe drilling in the books potentially for 2018

Providence also updated on its preparations for new drilling at Barryroe. Thursdays statement confirmed that various work-scopes for the planned drilling had now begun.

These work-scopes include well planning and consenting, together with the preparation of the invitation to Tender (ITT) for the procurement of a drilling unit, which it is planned to issue in early Q1 2018, Providence said.

Drilling itself could potentially start in late 2018 or early 2019.

Providence holds 80% of Barryroe and it is presently the operator of the project, while Lansdowne owns the other 20%.

As those that have followed the Barryroe story closely will know, weve been here before with this project  this is not the first time that a game changing Barryroe transaction has been understood to be incoming  nonetheless, with new drilling already funded and being scheduled by Providence there is now a sense of renewed optimism among investors.
"My appointment as CEO has occurred at a highly active and exciting time for Vast, and I am delighted to have been chosen by the board to take the company forward."

New ( ) chief executive Andrew Prelea has issued a statement giving investors his vision and mission statement.

Prelea, who was president of Vasts Romania business, replaces Roy Pitchford who decided to step down in December.

"My appointment as CEO has occurred at a highly active and exciting time for Vast, and I am delighted to have been chosen by the board to take the company forward.

I have of course been involved with Vast for quite some time, and my involvement in the Romanian mining and metals sector goes back some 26 years.

He added: I joined Vast in 2012 to support the development of these assets into profitable mines.



With a strong network of contacts, extensive experience in-country and sound corporate knowledge, I look forward to supporting the continued growth of our company.

"It is with this experience and goal in mind that I have set out a framework of objectives for 2018, both corporate and operational, through which I intend to deliver real returns for our shareholders.

One of my primary tasks is to implement a wide-ranging cost cutting and saving programme at the corporate level during our next phase of growth, and, when balancing this with increased operational performance at our producing mines, I believe I can substantially enhance our current financial model.

Prelea highlighted that the company will continue to focus on core assets in Romania and Zimbabwe  namely the Manaila and Baita Plai polymetallic mines in Romania and the Pickstone-Peerless Gold Mine in Zimbabwe.

We have comprehensive work programmes underway at all of the above interests, aimed at directly increasing production, efficiency at every asset and move towards operational profitability in Romania in the near term.

News announcements will be made regularly in regard to achievements, in addition to our standard quarterly production reports - the first of which will be delivered by the end of this month.

Expansion is, meanwhile, also noted to be core pillar of Preleas strategy as highlighted that new projects and opportunities were now being assessed in both Romania and Zimbabwe. However, I would like to stress that expansion to new opportunities will be only be advanced if it can be demonstrated that it will not impact current projects or overall performance, he said.

At the same time, the company is continuing talks over potential institutional investments which are expected to be the principal component of Vasts future financing requirements.

We are currently in possession of several offtake offers that are all more attractive than the historic pricing achieved, and we are now focusing on the financing aspect that will be attached to the agreements.

There is one potential offtake and financing partner that we have identified as being particularly appealing and I hope to be in a position to announce an update on this imminently.

With this outlook for 2018, where both corporate and operational activities look set to deliver significant value to our shareholders, your board will not be resting idle.

Our performance over the next 12 months will be critical in achieving these objectives and it is with this in mind that we need to ensure that our board and management are capable and aligned to deliver.

Vast is seeking to strengthen its board with additional operational expertise in the coming months, and Prelea intends to monitor performance across all areas of the business to ensure that everyone associated with our company is providing the requisite skills and experience.
George Roach, CEO of ( ) tells Proactive of plans to float off its Zulu lithium project in Zimbabwe. Premier is approaching its 51% partner in RHA to assist in facilitating a long-term solution for the tungsten project following the loss of a third of its share value. George also tells Proactive how political changes in Zim could bode well for investors.
Atlas has traded $6 million worth of shares in the first two hours of 2018.

The most active stocks on the ASX intra-day

Atlas Iron's ( ) shares have soared 16.1% to $0.036 intra-day, with over 170 million changing hands.

The company is by far the most active on the ASX.

Taking a longer view, shares in the company are up 75% over the past two weeks.

Providing the positive re-rating has been Atlas diversification strategy which is expected to generate strong free cashflow for a minimal capital outlay.

Under a deal with Pilbara Minerals ( ), Atlas will purchase 1 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes of lithium DSO from the company over 15 months.

Pilbara Minerals will mine the ore at its Pilgangoora Project with Atlas taking ownership of the ore at the mine gate.

Atlas will process and transport the ore using its existing infrastructure, including its Mt Dove crusher and Utah Point port facilities

First export sales scheduled for June 2018 quarter.
The Western Australian gold miner is undertaking a recapitalisation strategy.

Discussions to refinance the loan are well progressed

( ) has been granted an extension to the maturity date of a term loan while it attempts to refinance the loan.

Lender Orion Fund JV Limited has agreed to defer the repayment date of the non-amortising term loan to 15 January 2018 from 31 December 2017 as part of a standstill agreement.

Discussions to refinance the loan are well progressed with settlement expected to occur by 15 January 2018.

The standstill agreement has been entered into by Blackham, Orion, key mining contractor and offtaker Osisko Bermuda Limited.

It covers the companys Matilda-Wiluna Gold Project in Western Australia.

Recapitalisation strategy

The agreement and refinancing form part of a broader recapitalisation strategy that Blackham is implementing.

After refinancing the loan, Blackham intends to undertake an entitlements issue to raise circa $36 million.

The recapitalisation strategy is underpinned by the intended support for the Matilda-Wiluna operations from Orion, MACA and Pybar Mining Services.

Milan Jerkovic to become executive chairman

As part of the strategy, non-executive chairman Milan Jerkovic will become executive chairman, taking a leading role in the operations and management of Blackham.

Milan Jerkovic said: Whilst 2017 has been a tough year for Blackham, the 2018 operational outlook for our Matilda Wiluna Gold Project is very strong.

The recapitalisation will ensure that Blackham is fully financed with a strong balance sheet to enable it to close out its finance facility with Orion in 2018 and to execute its forward plans.

These include significant ongoing exploration drilling targeted at both new deposits and at increasing gold reserves.

The company will remain in voluntary suspension until the earlier of 15 January 2018 or the announcement of completion of the refinancing and recapitalisation plan.
After the OPEC+ deal was extended not so long ago, several investment banks changed their predictions for the global oil prices in 2018. Bloomberg tried to compile those prediction into a single article.

In particular, when trying to describe the current state of the global oil market, Bloomberg experts say that the market may well end 2017 with a rally. If thats the case, this is going to be the second consecutive bullish year for the global market of crude oil.

Goldman Sachs is reported to have come up with the most optimistic forecast for the oil market. Given the fact that the OPEC+ deal participants have been very good at complying with the agreement, they experts decided to upgrade their Brent oil forecast by 7% up to 62 dollars per barrel.

As for JP Morgan Chase, the banks experts have been bullish on crude oil as well. They have upgraded their Brent oil forecast from 58 dollars per barrel up to 60 dollars per barrel.

UBS is also on the bulls team. They have upgraded their Brent oil forecast from 55 dollars per barrel up to 60 dollars per barrel. Its interesting to note that even though the OPEC+ deal was extended for the entire 2018, they are going to start to close down the deal unofficially at some point in the 3rd quarter of the year.

Credit Suisse experts have upgraded their Brent oil forecast from 53 dollars per barrel up to 60 dollars per barrel.

At the same time, Citigroup experts dont deny possible changes in the balance between the oil supply and demand. They are convinced that the market is going to be balanced in the 3rd quarter of 2018. With that being said, their forecast has been unchanged since July 2017  60 dollars per barrel. The same holds true for Barclays. Their forecast has been unchanged since July 2017  55 dollars per barrel.
Imphal, Dec 27 : "I managed to catch a glimpse of its tail", "I saw its shadow," "Lucky if you spot one!"

This usual banter among tourists at the tiny Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) in Manipur -- the world's only floating national park -- is not about catching the Unicorn.

They are talking about the endangered and elusive Sangai or Eld's deer -- popularly known as the "dancing deer" by the locals. Celebrated for its gait, it is ubiquitous in Manipuri art, culture and folklore.

Now untreated human waste is threatening its already jeopardised survival at the park, its last remaining refuge.

Spread around 40 square kilometres, KLNP is the protected southern rim of the saucer-shaped freshwater lake, the iconic Loktak, and is about a quarter of the size of Assam's famous Kaziranga National Park.

The swampy Loktak, originally a "wetland of wetlands" and the "lifeline" of the Manipur Valley's people, is famous for the phumdis -- the squelchy mass of vegetation, soil and organic matter bunched together and in various stages of decomposition -- that has thickened to form floating meadows.

It is the largest freshwater lake in northeast India, bordering Myanmar and straddling the Barak-Chindwin river basin in the Indo-Myanmar region.

At Sendra, the highest point of the lake, about an hour-and-a-half's drive from state capital Imphal, one gets a bird's eye-view of the phumdis dotting the water body.

Rings of green stretching across the clear blue expanse of the lake bring to mind images of crop circles synonymous with rumours of alien visitors.

These floating meadows harbour around 260 of the animals, whose dainty gait is said to inspire Manipuri dance traditions and folklore.

Under attack from water pollution due to untreated waste, these islets have thinned down -- making it tough for the deer to live on and off them.

Of the 40 square km of the national park, about 65 per cent (26 square kilometre) is covered with thick and almost contiguous mat of floating meadows.

"To support the weight of Sangai (weighing between 90 kg and 150 kg) and sustain a stable population of the deer, the phumdis needs to be at least a metre thick," Chongpi Tuboi of the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) told IANS.

Tuboi, a project scientist, in the WII's conservation action plan for Sangai, says the phumdis that have formed recently (it may take up to 20 years for one phumdi to form) are less than a metre in thickness.

"Overall, only nine square kilometres of the total park area has the required phumdi thickness of at least one metre," Tuboi said.

Loktak's water woes are mainly linked to loss of vegetation cover in its catchment and construction of the Ithai Barrage in the southern part of the lake.

While poor water quality has altered the vegetation cover and composition of the phumdis and hence their potential to sustain the Sangais, the construction of the barrage in 1983 disrupted the waterbody's natural flushing mechanism.

"The Lake was a seasonally flooded wetland with several small wetlands which used to be separated during low water levels and merged into one during the monsoon," Tuboi explained.

After the construction of the barrage, the water level in the Lake is maintained at a regular 769.12 metres above mean sea level so as to support the hydro-power project.

The lake is, as Tuboi says, in stress due to "permanent flooding".

This hinders the phumdis from settling down on to the water bed during the dry season and picking up nutrients and soil to maintain the desired thickness.

From 2008 to 2010, Tuboi and his colleagues Syed Ainul Hussain and Michelle Irengbam tested water samples across 11 sites of the wetland, which is fed by around 30 rivers and streams, including the heavily polluted Nambul and Nambol rivers.

The Ithai Barrage is the only outlet for this lake.

Both liquid effluents and solid wastes discharged from Imphal city are drained directly into Loktak via the Nambul river which flows through the city.

The results of the study published in journal Physics and Chemistry of the Earth in October reinforce the message that the Loktak lake is "severely polluted" due to the "influx of sewage and other wastes from the Nambul and Nambol rivers."

In addition, surface runoff from the surrounding agricultural and catchment areas is also diminishing the lake's water quality, as indicated by high nitrogen concentration.

The researchers recommend setting up sewage treatment plants at strategic locations, such as at the inlet channel at Toubul village, which is surrounded by the lake.

Meanwhile, Tuboi and his team have been surveying spots within the lake where a satellite population of the Sangai could be re-located.

"Sangai is the flagship species. If we save it, we save everything else. Before the fragile balance between the lake ecosystem and the local cultural practices are permanently lost, the lake needs to be restored by improving its water quality and hydrological regime," Tuboi added.
Jammu, Dec 28 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's brother Tassaduq Hussain Mufti was sworn in on Thursday as a Minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government and given the important portfolio of Tourism.

The other Minister sworn in on Thursday, Javaid Mustafa Mir has been allotted relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction and floriculture portfolio.

Abdul Rehman Veeri, state Revenue Minister, has been given additional charge of Hajj and Auqaf department.

Hajj and Auqaf portfolio had fallen vacant after Farooq Andrabi, who held independent charge of the portfolio, resigned from the state council of Ministers to pave way for Tassaduq's induction.

Earlier, Governor N.N. Vohra administered the oath of office to Tassaduq Mufti and Javaid Mustafa Mir at the Raj Bhawan's lawn here. Both were sworn in as cabinet ministers.

Tassaduq Mufti, 45, is a trained cinematographer, who earned critical acclaim for his camera work in the Vishal Bhardwaj directorial "Omkara".

When his father, former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed passed away on January 7, 2016, Tassaduq came back to support his mother and sister.

He was earlier in-charge of the Chief Minister's Grievance Cell. Prior to his nomination as a member of the upper house of the state's bicameral legislature, Tassaduq Mufti resigned as head of the cell.

Mir, senior PDP leader and MLA from Chadoora constituency in Badgam district, earlier also served as a cabinet minister in 2015 under the senior Mufti.

He was dropped when Mehbooba Mufti took over the Chief Minister in April 2016.

The Tourism and Culture portfolio was earlier with Mehbooba.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday claimed he has a nuclear button installed in his office and is ready to strike at any time. "The entire mainland of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear weapons, and the nuclear button is always on the desk of my office," Kim said in a televised New Year's address. The U.S. "should accurately be aware that this is not a threat but a reality."



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un delivers a New Year's address in Pyongyang on Monday, in this grab from [North] Korean Central Television. /Yonhap

But he also hinted at diplomatic overtures to South Korea amid increasingly crippling sanctions. Kim said he is willing to send a North Korean delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang and added both Koreas "could urgently meet" to discuss the matter. But the centerpiece of the speech was boasting of the "historic accomplishment of completing our nuclear capabilities." "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," he said. Kim added the goal for 2018 is to "mass produce and deploy nuclear warheads and missiles."

Turning to relations with South Korea, Kim said, "I sincerely hope the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics will be staged successfully." "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," he added. But he reiterated his demand that the South Korean government stop holding joint military exercises with the U.S. and stop bringing in U.S. weapons. The speech lasted half an hour. As in previous years, Kim began it by thanking people and soldiers for their "loyalty" and bowed in front of the camera.

Read this article in Korean
Kolkata, Dec 28 : Offers were made to as many as 1,200 students at the end of phase one of the 2017-18 placement season at IIT Kharagpur -- a 15 per cent jump from last year, a statement from the institute said on Thursday.

This placement season started with enrolment of 2,054 students which is the maximum at an individual Indian Institute of Technology.

"This is due to the wide variety of disciplines that are offered by IIT Kharagpur. The 1,200 offers are due to 200 companies that visited during the phase 1," the statement said.

In a new trend this year, PSUs started visiting the campus during November, which is much before the actual placement session started.

The placements for Undergraduate (UG) students touched the 75 per cent mark which is an improvement of 12 per cent while the placements for Postgraduate (PG) students is at 38 per cent showing an improvement of 14 per cent compared to last year. B.Arch saw a jump of 20 per cent this year compared to the last.

"This year the Career Development Centre (CDC) has initiated a placement drive for PhDs graduating/graduated within two months and this gave a fruitful outcome with 26 PhDs getting placed across reputed teaching and research institutions," the release added.
Lucknow, Dec 29 : Three persons were killed in the early hours of Friday when a speeding car rammed into a truck from the rear on the Lucknow-Delhi highway in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly, police said.

The victims were from Gopalganj, Bihar and were headed to New Delhi, a police officer said.

He said the truck (UP 21 N 9856), which was carrying buffaloes, suddenly applied brakes near a roadside eatery. The driver in the car (DL 9C 5280) coming from behind could not apply the brakes on time and smashed into the truck. The truck driver fled.

The deceased have been identified as Dilip Singh (48), his wife Vidya Devi (45) and his mother Munni Devi (65). The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, the officer said.
New Delhi, Dec 29 : The government is encouraging the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model through the National Culture Fund (NCF) to protect, restore and develop the historical sites and monuments of the country.

Till now, 29 MoUs have been signed with different private companies and public sector undertakings, government bodies, trusts under the Culture Ministry's NCF scheme for the maintenance and development of the centrally protected monuments and museums under Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Ministry said that out of the 29 projects, 11 has already been completed while the remaining 18 are going through the developmental works.

Companies like Indian Oil Corporation, NTPC, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd, Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, GAIL, Steel Authority of India, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, Sony India have come forward in restoring and preserving the historical sites and monuments like Mandu in Madhya Pradesh, Vikramshila in Bihar, Kanheri Caves in Maharashtra, Khajuraho Group of Temples in Madhya Pradesh and many others.

"There is no as such fund allocated or dispersed under this initiative. It is mainly the CSR money that an individual private company or PSU contributes toward the maintenance or restoration of a monument and the company decides their budget. It may be from three lakh to one crore," an official from the NCF told IANS.

According to the official, the Culture Ministry and the NCF are trying to encourage participation of more companies, both private and public to contribute their CSR money.

"Usually ASI works on their own but at times even they face financial crunch. In those situations we approach for the CSR fund and NCF provides with the fund to the ASI. There are few companies who have approached us and few whom we have approached. We want more companies to participate in this," the official added.

The NCF was established in November 1996 as a funding mechanism distinct from the existing sources and patterns of funding for the arts and culture in India. It enables institutions and individuals to support arts and culture directly as partners with its government.
Doha, Dec 30 : Novak Djokovic, 12-time Grand Slam champion, on Saturday withdrew from next week's Qatar Open due to a niggling elbow injury.

The former world No.1 and the top seed in Doha, said in a statement that he would not be able to defend the title, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Unfortunately, the situation with the elbow has not changed for the better since yesterday," said Djokovic.

"I still feel the pain. Therefore, I will have to withdraw from (the) ATP tournament in Doha."

His withdrawal came just 24 hours after the injury forced him to pull out of an exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi.
Ahmedabad, Dec 31 : In a first in the Gujarat BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party President Amit Shah were on Sunday forced to return the Finance portfolio to Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel after he sulked for two days after being given the second slot in the new Vijay Rupani cabinet but not the beats matching that stature.

Nitin Patel, who is in public life since 1977 and with the BJP from 1980, withdrew into a shell at his residence in Ahmedabad for two days without occupying his ministerial mansion on Thursday and Friday after Chief Minister Rupani distributed the portfolios to his new team, without Finance, Urban Development and Petrochemicals to him.

Nitin Patel had felt slighted way back in 2016 when Rupani, rank junior to him in the party and experience, was made the Chief Minister after the forced exit of Anandiben Patel in the wake of the Patidar agitation. He decided to keep quiet then.

Rupani is considered close to Amit Shah while Anandiben Patel is Shah's bete noire and Nitin Patel is believed to be in her camp. Inncidentally, the first woman Chief Minister of Gujarat was known to be a confidant of Modi but the circumstances had then forced her to put in her papers.

Nitin Patel had started giving interviews to Gujarati TV channels about his priorities as the Chief Minister when, at the last minute, he was told that he was only a deputy and Rupani, then Gujarat BJP President, would be the Chief Minister.

This time too Nitin Patel had to be content with the Deputy Chief Ministership but was shocked that his previous portfolios Finance and Urban Development were taken away from him and he was given Health and Family Welfare, Roads and Buildings and Narmada.

While new minister Saurabh Patel, son-in-law of industry doyen Dhirubhai Ambani's brother Ramnik Ambani, was given the Finance and Petrochemicals that he had handled earlier, the Chief Minister retained Urban Development.

Rupani had dropped Saurabh Patel last year but took him in his new government.

After sulking for two days and even triggering protests from the Patels, Nitin Patel eventually joined the Rupani cabinet saying Amit Shah had pledged to restore the key portfolios snatched from him.

"Amit Shah called me in the morning at 5.30 and promised to allot portfolios befitting me as the Deputy Chief Minister and asked me to take charge," he told reporters. Patel then assumed charge as cabinet minister in Gandhinagar.

Rupani, who left for Rajkot to attend a function to felicitate him in his hometown, said: "Nitinbhai Patel had conveyed his feelings to the party leadership, which has made changes in the portfolios and honoured him and now the matter rests there. It is a big family, sometimes these things happen, but it is over now."

The move by the Bharatiya Janata Party triggered widespread protests in the Patel community, with Patidar leader Hardik Patel urging Nitin Patel to quit the BJP and join the Congress. Senior Patel MLAs and other leaders in BJP also went to him and expressed their solidarity, including some asserting that he should be made the Chief Minister.

Nitin Patel said: "It is not about the portfolios or power but it was about my self-respect as the second-in-command that had been hurt. There was no way I was even thinking of quitting the government or the party for which I have sacrificed 40 years of my life and career."

He added: "I request my supporters to withdraw the 'bandh' announcement for Monday, called in support of my demands."

The Sardar Patel Group, which had spearheaded the Patidar agitation along with the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) led by Hardik Patel, called for a statewide 'bandh' on Monday.
Helsinki, Jan 2 : 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.
London, Jan 2 : Four young men have been killed in stabbing incidents in London amid New Year celebrations, the Met Police said.

Three were stabbed on New Year's Eve and a fourth in the early hours of New Year's Day in unrelated incidents, BBC reported on Monday.

Another young man stabbed on New Year's Day is in a critical condition in hospital.

Five men have been arrested over the death of an 18-year-old in Larmans Road, Enfield. No other arrests have been made.

In the other attacks, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Memorial Avenue, West Ham, and a 17-year-old boy was killed in Norwood Road, Tulse Hill, on New Year's Eve.

Early on New Year's Day, a 20-year-old man was fatally wounded in Bartholomew Court, Old Street. A second man in his 20s suffered critical stab injuries in the same incident.

The fatalities in the final hours of 2017 took the number of people stabbed to death in the capital last year to 80, the Met said.

Commander Neil Jerome said: "I am grateful to Londoners and visitors to the capital who co-operated with police 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 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."

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: "My thoughts today are with the families of four young men who have tragically been killed in four unrelated stabbings in our city last night.

"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."
Jerusalem, Jan 2 : Israel has arrested 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 on Monday that according to the investigation, Abdallah Arar, a Hamas operative, was behind the cell, Xinhua news agency reported.

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 organisation 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 US President Donald Trump said he recognises Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a statement on December 6.

Israel seized the West Bank and Gaza in the 1967 Middle East war and has been occupying them ever since, despite international criticism.
Tehran, Jan 2 : At least 11 people have died in Iran during five days of anti-government street protests that President Hassan Rouhani blamed on interference by foreign powers, media reported on Tuesday.

A policeman was killed in a shootout at one of the protests in the city of Nayaf Abad, in Isfahan province, the local Tasnim news agency reported, bringing the death toll so far to 11.

Three other officers were wounded by gunfire from one of the protesters on the fifth consecutive day of demonstrations against President Rouhani's economic policy, the same source said.

Another 300 people have been arrested at the various protests, which do not appear to be dying down despite Rouhani's calls for calm and the fact that the authorities have cut off public access to the social networks to try and prevent new demonstrations.

Iranian law punishes any demonstrations considered to be "contrary to the management of the country and its political institutions and to domestic and foreign policy."

In addition to shouting slogans against Iran, Rouhani and the country's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, the protesters have also set fire to trash containers and have broken the windows of some bank branches.

Meanwhile, the Iranian Intelligence Ministry reported on Monday that its agents have identified and arrested several key figures behind the recent disturbances at anti-government protest demonstrations over the past five days.

The ministry added that other suspects are being sought and will soon be arrested and treated severely.

Rouhani said Iran's enemies sought to incite Iranians to protest and had been outspoken in their desire to take revenge on Tehran for signing the 2015 nuclear agreement and its involvement in the Syrian conflict, in which Iran has backed forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

"To deal with Iran's success in various fields, the enemies have outspokenly said that they would shift the problem to Tehran, which is their own message and has nothing to do with our analysis," Rouhani said in statements published by the official IRNA news agency.

Speaking to a group of parliamentarians, Rouhani said his government has had many successes, such as the agreement to end Iran's nuclear weapons program reached in 2015 with six major world powers, and its role in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq.

The Iranian Parliament on Monday accused Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia of inciting disturbances within the demonstrations, according to a statement by parliamentary spokesperson Seyyed Hossein Naghavi Hosseini to the semi-official ISNA news agency.

The parliament did recognize that the Iranian people's confidence in their government had deteriorated due to increased costs of living, its economic policy and cases of corruption.

In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied the accusation, according to a statement from his office, saying "It's not only false. It's laughable".

The head of the Israeli government praised the Iranian demonstrators and their demands for freedom and justice.

Demonstrations against rising prices and corruption began Thursday in the city of Mashhad, then spread to other cities, and Iranian state TV reported Monday that more than 200 people had been arrested and an unspecified number injured.

Lawmaker Hedayat Allah Khademi told the semi-official ILNA news agency early Monday that two people were killed overnight in the southern city of Izeh.

It remained unclear if those deaths were included among the 11 dead cited by state television.

Khademi said it was still unknown whether the shootings of those two people were at the hands of protesters or police.

The lawmaker said several injuries and arrests occurred in Izeh, but he did not specify the number of detainees.

Since Sunday, authorities have blocked access to certain social media networks that have been used to organize protests.
San Francisco, Jan 2 : Facebook-owned mobile messaging app WhatsApp has stopped working on smartphones that support 'BlackBerry OS', 'BlackBerry 10', 'Windows Phone 8.0' and older platforms in the New Year.

"These platforms don't offer the kind of capabilities we need to expand our app's features in the future," a spokesperson wrote in a support note on the company's website.

"If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer OS version, or to a newer Android running OS 4.0+, iPhone running iOS 7+, or Windows Phone 8.1+ so that you can continue using WhatsApp," it said.

Users would be able to use WhatsApp but would not be able to create new accounts or re-verify existing accounts.

"Because we will no longer actively develop for these platforms, some features may stop functioning at any time," WhatsApp said.

WhatsApp would also end support for Nokia S40 after December 31, 2018 and Android versions 2.3.7 and older after February 1, 2020.

"As we look ahead to our next seven years, we want to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use," the company said.

"If you use one of these affected mobile devices, we recommend upgrading to a newer Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone to continue using WhatsApp," it added.
Hyundai plans to unveil the latest version of its quirky Veloster hatchback at the North American International Auto Show, better known as the Detroit Motor Show, set to open late next week.

Ssangyong Motor will kick things off with the release of its brand-new seven-seater multi-purpose SUV Korando Turismo on Wednesday, followed by the unveiling of its pickup truck, Q200, a week later.

A wave of new releases is expected to lead to fierce competition in the auto market here. Among 20 domestic models and 60 models from foreign automakers set for release this year, SUVs are the most abundant with a slew of hybrid and electric vehicles.

The automaker is also set to unveil a hydrogen-powered electric vehicle in February, in time for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

In the first quarter it will release an electric version of its Kona SUV that can travel up to 390 km on a single charge. The new version of its popular Santa Fe SUV will hit the market in the first half of this year, while its affiliate, Kia will roll out its new K3 and K9 sedans.

GM Korea and Renault Samsung hope to rebound from declining sales with new releases. GM Korea will start selling its midsize SUV, Chevrolet Equinox, in the first half of this year, while Renault Samsung will release its Clio hatchback in the second quarter. The hatchback has sold over 10 million units in Europe since 1990.

Meanwhile, BMW plans to roll out about a dozen new models including the small luxury X2 SUV and the high-performance M5 sedan in the first quarter. Mercedes-Benz will release its CLS four-door luxury coupe.

Volvo will launch its new XC40 SUV, while Porsche will release the new version of its luxury Cayenne SUV along with a couple of hybrid models.

Volkswagen, which has been suspended from selling vehicles in Korea, is set to resume sales with the new version of its popular Tiguan SUV.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain on Tuesday said Lt. Governor Anil Baijal's objection to the government's "Quality Health for All" scheme is due to "lack of knowledge of ground realities" and that it will render the scheme "unworkable".

"LG stalled both Mohalla Clinic schemes for a long time and asked to fix income limit for people to get health services. This is a very tough and complicated work and not a sustainable one," Jain told media persons here.

"Why can't all people be benefited by the healthcare policy? When all people pay tax, then all deserve free healthcare from the state. Why is the Governor against it? What is the need to fix income limit," he said.

"We assume that the Health for All should be taken as the right for every citizen -- be it poor or rich. It's about health of the people of Delhi," he maintained.

Under the scheme, the Delhi government provides free medicines, tests and several life-saving surgeries through a three-tier network of Mohalla Clinics, Polyclinics and Hospitals.

"If a hospital has to check the income certificate of each patient before referring him to a private hospital, it would require a whole set of bureaucracy and creation of many new posts," he said.

Every patient would need an income certificate, which most people did not have, Jain said.

"If you need it urgently from the SDM office, you would end up paying huge bribes. Secondly, false income certificates are available at a certain cost," he added.

The Minister said that so far 8,000 people had already availed the benefits of this outsourced scheme.

"When MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) dispensaries don't have any income limit, why can't Delhi Mohalla Clinics have the same norm," Jain asked.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : The government on Tuesday notified a scheme of electoral bonds in a bid to clean the system and bring transparency in political funding in the country.

Announcing the launch of the scheme in Parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the electoral bonds will bring a substantial amount of transparency in political donations against the present system of contributions.

The electoral bonds will be a bearer instrument in the nature of a promissory note and interest-free banking instrument which any citizen or a corporate body will be eligible to purchase.

The bonds would be issued in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore from specified branches of SBI.

The purchaser would be allowed to buy the bonds after fulfilling the KYC norms and by making payment from a bank account. It will not carry the name of the payee.

The bonds would have a life of only 15 days during which it can be used for making donations only to registered political parties which have secured at least one per cent of the votes polled in the assembly or Lok Sabha elections.

"Fifteen days between buying and selling is to ensure that they don't turn into parallel currency," Jaitley said.

In his Budget speech last year, the Finance Minister had announced that the government would bring in a scheme of electoral bonds to clean the system of political funding in the country.

Jaitley told reporters later that the intention of floating these bonds is to bring transparency in the funding of political parties and the election funding mechanism at large.

"The political funding mechanism developed over the last 70 years has faced wide criticism as people don't get clear details about how much money comes, from where it comes and where it is spent," he said.

He said to change the system of anonymous donations, the government brought a change in 2001 which made all donations made through cheques tax-exempt but that did not make a huge impact as only a few parties got some money through cheques.

"Even today, anonymous donations are very large in quantity. This money is from unknown sources and is neither clean nor transparent," he said.

The bonds under the scheme shall be available for purchase for a period of 10 days each in the months of January, April, July and October, as may be specified by the Central government An additional period of 30 days shall be specified by the Central government in the year of Lok Sabha elections.

"The bond shall be encashed by an eligible political party only through a designated bank account with the authorised bank."

Earlier in the Lok Sabha, Jaitley said the move would bring transparency as each donation will be reflected in the balance sheet of the donor.

"The element of transparency is that the donors who buy these bonds, their balance sheets will reflect they bought these bonds. Political parties will file their returns to the Election Commission and collectively also say this is the extent of bonds we have received.

"Therefore, this will be cleaner money coming from the donor, cleaner money coming into the hands of a political party and there would be a significant amount of transparency," said the minister.

Jaitley said there was no transparency when cash is given as the "source of money is not known, the donor is not known, where it is spent is not known".
Thiruvananthapuram, January 02 : The indian medical association (IMA) on Tuesday called off its stir against the national medical commission bill introduced by the central government in the wake of the lok sabha sending the bill to the parlimentary standing committee for more discussion.

Medicos in kerala also called off the agitation they have staging in front of the raj bhavan in the state capital since Sunday in protest against the bill.

The IMA is up in arms against the bill terming it anti-people and alleging that the bill will drive up the cost of medical education and encourage private medical colleges to exploit students.

The provisions in the bill relaxing the regulations for setting up private medical colleges would lead to widespread exploitation in the field of medical education, medicos argue.

The medicos also allege that the bill will adversely affect the health sector in the country since it allows the mixing of different systems of medicine.

They also oppose the provision in the bill that seeks to replace the medical council of india (MCI) with a new body.

The proposed bill allows AYUSH (non-allopathic medical systems ayurveda, yoga, unani, siddha, and homeopathy) practitioners to practice general medicine by undergoing a bridge course.

Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar told the lok sabha on Tuesday that the national medical commission bill had been sent to the parliamentary standing committee in the wake of concerns raised against the bill by opposition parties and medicos in the country.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : People in Delhi-NCR took the highest number of rides on cab-hailing platform Uber for a single night on New Year's eve, the company said on Tuesday.

Over 90,000 riders opted for "UberPOOL", a carpooling service from the company that allows the rider to share the ride and split the cost with strangers or co-passengers headed in the same direction.

"Hundreds of thousands of riders chose Uber, of which over 90,000 even used the UberPOOL option, considerably reducing the congestion on this busy night," Sanjay Gupta, Head of Marketing, Uber India and SA, said in a statement.

More than 22,000 riders in Delhi-NCR chose "uberPOOL", followed by Hyderabad and Bengaluru on the occasion, the company said.

A driver partner from Delhi-NCR completed 18 trips, making it the highest across the country, followed by one in Bengaluru who completed 14 trips in a single night, the company said.

Most popular drop off locations ahead of midnight were Whitefield in Bengaluru, DLF Cyber City in Gurugram, Connaught Place in Delhi, and Juhu Beach and Lower Parel in Mumbai, followed by Madhapur in Hyderabad and GST Road, Meenambakam in Chennai.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : The decomposed body of a male was found hanging from a tree in the forested area in the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus here, police said on Tuesday.

The university's security staff informed the police around 3 p.m. about the body after one of the security guards detected foul smell coming from the forest area in south Delhi, police said.

"The crime and Forensic Science Laboratory teams rushed to the spot and are investigating the matter. The body is being identified to ascertain whether it is of any student or an outsider," an officer said.

"Prima facie, the body appears to be a couple of days old. Details will be confirmed only after autopsy. The team is also taking help of university officials," he added.
Mumbai, Jan 2 : Saif Ali Khan, known for films like "Being Cyrus", "Omkara" and "Parineeta", says he will be a better actor in English as it is his primary language.

During an episode of online streaming service Saavn's upcoming show "Take 2 with Anupama and Rajeev", Saif spoke about his career, his daughter Sara and son Taimur, read a statement.

"One of the reasons why I got into films unfortunately, I'm being honest, is because I wasn't interested in my exams and academics and I just ran away from home and said 'Oh movies sound great'. But I didn't really know what I was talking about," said Saif.

"So, this desire and this understanding of acting came a bit late for me if it had always been there. If it had been there earlier maybe I might have chosen to struggle in the US, I don't know."

"But I think being sensible about it, you have more opportunities and again it's that nepotism thing again. Being mum's son (veteran actress Sharmila Tagore) would give me a more chance here to meet people than in America. But I think in English I speak in English as a primary language, unless I'm speaking to someone who is working for me usually.

"There's a difference there, so I think I will be a better actor in English because I'll know when I'm lying whereas in Hindi I've never said to a girl 'aapki aakhein itni khoobsoorat hai' (your eyes are so beautiful) so I don't know whether that sounds genuine or not, I'm not used to saying that," he added.

On his daughter Sara, who is gearing up for her debut film "Kedarnath", Saif says he always knew she wanted to be an actress.

"I have seen her do a very funny advert when she was four and she's been like this all along. There was actress Aishwarya Rai on stage in New York with people going ballistic and Sara sitting on the floor behind the curtain saying 'This is what I want to do'," said Saif.

"She always wanted to do this, it's just that she took a header you know a shine to academics and then ended up doing so well at Columbia that one thought came, listen maybe a slightly more stable thing because I don't know... who knows. I wish her all the best.

"It is like Soha's track but Soha didn't always want to become an actor, Sara did and this is something that she really wants to do so absolutely good luck I think it's a great job. We'd be talking about Sushant Singh Rajput all day which is great but it's not as interesting as discussing history with art like we used to," he added.

Taimur has been in the limelight even before his birth. Saif says he is a "blue eyed boy".

"He is a genetic treasure trove, he is. He has got a bit of Rabindranath Tagore, he is a bit of Raj Kapoor, a bit of Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, little bit of Bhopal. It's beyond me," said Saif.
Bilaspur (Hp), Jan 2 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday accused the previous Congress government of pushing the state to a financial crisis with a Rs 46,500 crore debt.

He said it was shameful that the party which ruled the state for decades had done little in the name of development, except borrowing loans and creating financial mismanagement.

Addressing a public rally here, Thakur said the new government would spend every single pie received from the Central government for people's development and welfare.

He said he met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who promised him all possible assistance to overcome the debt.

Officers have been asked to prepare proposals to overcome the debt, he said, adding the major challenge before him was to take the government out of the financial mess.

The Chief Minister said his government would not follow the revengeful attitude as was the case during the previous government.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday said that those opposing the triple talaq bill are the ones who have used Muslims as their vote bank.

"Some people are unable to digest large scale social and economic reforms initiated by the Narendra Modi government because these people treated the minorities, especially Muslims, as their vote bank," he told media persons here.

"These people are also giving baseless logic on the issue of triple talaq and they want this social evil to continue. But the Modi government is working without any pressure to ensure constitutional rights of women and their development with dignity," he added.

The Minister also defended his government's decision to allow women to proceed on Haj without 'mehram' (male guardian) in a group of four from this year.

Naqvi said that although the Saudi Arabia government allowed women above 45 years of age to perform Haj without a mehram but the earlier governments did not take any step to lift this "self-imposed" restriction.

He said that a committee formed by the Minority Affairs Ministry and headed by retired IAS Afzal Amanullah to prepare the new Haj policy pointed out this issue and recommended that when Saudi government's rules permit, and several Muslim countries too allow their 45-plus aged women to perform Haj without a mehram, why can't this be done by India.

"We examined this whole issue, talked to the Saudi authorities and accordingly lifted this ban on November 12 this year," Naqvi said.

More than 1,300 women from across the country have applied to go for Haj without mehram this year and all of them would be able to go for the pilgrimage as the government has exempted them from the lucky draw.
Patna, Jan 2 : Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama offered prayers for world peace at the Buddhist shrine in Bihar's Bodh Gaya on Tuesday, a day after he arrived in the city for a month-long stay till February 1, officials said.

"The Dalai Lama offered prayers for world peace under the 'Bodhi Vriksha' (tree of enlightenment) and also visited the sanctum sanctorum of the 1,500-year-old Mahabodhi Temple," said a Bodh Gaya administration official.

According to him, the spiritual leader spent nearly an hour near the Bodhi Vriksha, under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, and nearly half an hour in the sanctum santorum of the temple.

The Dalai Lama will deliver religious discourses before thousands of his disciples, mostly Tibetans and foreign followers from European countries and the US at Kalchakra Maidan on January 5 and 7 and later in the second week of this month.

Tight security arrangements have been made in Bodh Gaya -- about 110 km from Patna -- in view of threat perception to him. Hundreds of security personnel have been deployed in the temple town.

"There is foolproof security for Dalai Lama during his stay in Bodh Gaya," Gaya Senior Superintendent of Police Garima Malik said.

Bodh Gaya had witnessed a terror attack, with nine serial explosions rocking the Mahabodhi Temple complex in July 2013.

Nearly one lakh devotees from all over the world are likely to visit Bodh Gaya to hear the discourses by the Dalai Lama and thousands of them have already descended on the holy land.

The Dalai Lama has been living in India in self-imposed exile since 1959 when he fled his homeland after Chinese Communist troops took over Tibet.
Dehradun, Jan 2 : Health services were hit in Uttarakhand on Tuesday as private doctors went on a strike against the National Medical Council (NMC) Bill which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). The strike was later called off.

Private doctors in the hill state affiliated with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) downed shutters and did not conduct any surgeries, an IMA spokesman told IANS.

Major hospitals in the state capital like the Himalayan hospital, Max, Synergy, Mahant Indresh however conducted surgical procedures and kept the Out-Patient Departments open even as most of the 400 private clinics in the city took part in the nationwide strike.

As a result, most of the pressure came to the district and other government hospitals.

The strike was, however, withdrawn later as the government agreed to the IMA's demand and sent the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 to a select committee.

IMA's Regional General Secretary D.D. Chowdhary said the new Bill will not only be detrimental to the poor patients but would also render a death blow to the coming generations of medical practitioners.

The strike call evoked a mixed response in Roorkee and other cities.
President Moon Jae-in is considering a visit to Japan after the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang in February, a senior ruling party official said Monday.

The plans come at a tense time in Korea-Japan relations after a government inquiry found that a deal with Tokyo to compensate Korean victims of wartime sex slavery was seriously flawed.

No Korean president has visited Japan since Lee Myung-bak in December 2011. The deal, struck in murky circumstances with the Park Geun-hye administration in 2015, was to have eased relations, but now things are up in the air again.

"Cheong Wa Dae is pushing ahead with Moon's visit to Japan as a way to settle the issue," the official said.
Jerusalem, Jan 2 : Israel's Parliament passed an amendment on Tuesday that will make it more difficult for the government to cede parts of East Jerusalem in any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

The vote was held overnight with 64 lawmakers voting in favour of the controversial bill and 51 against it.

The bill was sponsored by the ultra-nationalist party of the Jewish Home, a major member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, Xinhua news agency reported.

It requires the government to raise wider support for relinquishing control over parts of Jerusalem as part of a peace plan. It increases the number of lawmakers required to approve such a deal from 61 to 80 in the 120-seat Parliament.

The law was criticized by the opposition as a serious blow to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The new legislation is also likely to heighten even further the tensions sparked by US President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Trump's statement triggered wide protest in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, costing the lives of at least 13 Palestinians during clashes with Israeli security forces.

Israel seized East Jerusalem, together with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of its "indivisible capital", in a move never recognised by the international community.

The Palestinians struggle against the Israeli occupation and wish to establish East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Mangaluru, Jan 2 : Two activists of a right wing Hindu outfit were arrested for assaulting two teenage girls for allegedly interacting with Muslim youths here on Tuesday, police said.

"We have arrested two men who were assaulting two young students at Pilikula (northeastern part of Mangaluru). The men claim to be members of Hindu organisation Bajrang Dal," Mangaluru Police Commissioner T.R. Suresh told IANS.

The police have registered a First Information Report under sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person).

"The youngsters studying at a Pre-University (PU) college in Talipady (about 23km south of Mangaluru) are said to have been attacked for meeting their male friends, who are Muslims. We are carrying out an inquiry into the incident," Suresh added.

A video showing four men, with one of them assaulting the students, was shared on social media on Tuesday. The video also shows a policeman trying to stop the men.
Islamabad, Jan 2 : Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Tuesday to discuss US President Donald Trump's move to cut all further aid to Islamabad on charges of harbouring terrorists.

The high-level meeting, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, was attended by the country's civilian and military leadership. Pakistan is expected to issue a response to Washington following the meeting, Geo News reported.

In his first tweet of 2018, Trump accused Pakistan of basing its relationship with the US on "nothing but lies and deceit".

"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.

"They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!, Trump tweeted on Monday.

According to reports, the NSC meeting was expected to be briefed by the Foreign Ministry on Pakistan's diplomatic efforts while the Director General Military Operations will detail the efforts taken in the fight against terrorism.

Pakistan's Ambassador the US Aizaz Chaudhry also arrived in Pakistan to attend the meeting.

On Monday, Pakistan's Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador David Hale to record a protest over Trump's tweet.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, replying to the President's tweet, said Pakistan would let the world know the truth. "There is a difference between facts and fiction."

Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir said Pakistan had extended unprecedented cooperation to the US to eliminate Al Qaeda from its soil and Afghanistan besides fighting the war against terror.

"Pakistan does not have any safe havens for terrorists", he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan accused Trump of "working on the agenda of Pakistan's enemies".

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a series of tweets said "the US was no longer interested in defeating terrorism".

Washington's latest move comes after the US was denied access to a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network in Pakistani custody.

According to the New York Times, the Haqqani member was one of the abductors who held an American and Canadian, along with their three children, hostage for five years.

US officials told the daily that the Americans demanded access to the man who they feel might have valuable information about the whereabouts of at least one other American hostage.

But Pakistani officials rejected the requests.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : The decomposing body of a truck driver was found hanging from a tree in the forested area in the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus here, police said on Tuesday.

The university's security staff informed the police around 3 p.m. about the body after one of the security guards detected foul smell coming from the forest area in south Delhi, police said.

"The crime and Forensic Science Laboratory teams rushed to the spot and during investigation identified the body as that of Ram Pravesh, 40," Deputy Commissioner of Police Milind Mahadeo Dumbere told IANS.

Pravesh, a resident of Najafgarh in west Delhi, worked as a truck driver. He was missing since Monday night, Dumbere said, adding that "Pravesh was under depression over some family dispute and it might be the reason behind his suicide".

Dumbere added that some construction work is on in the university campus and Pravesh had gone there to dump some construction material.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : The government on Tuesday notified a scheme of electoral bonds in a bid to clean the system and bring transparency in political funding in the country.

Announcing the launch of the scheme in Parliament, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the electoral bonds will bring a substantial amount of transparency in political donations against the present system of contributions.

The electoral bonds will be a bearer instrument in the nature of a promissory note and interest-free banking instrument which any citizen or a corporate body will be eligible to purchase.

The bonds would be issued in multiples of Rs 1,000, Rs 10,000, Rs 1 lakh, Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 crore from specified branches of SBI.

The purchaser would be allowed to buy the bonds after fulfilling the KYC norms and by making payment from a bank account. It will not carry the name of the payee.

The bonds would have a life of only 15 days during which it can be used for making donations only to registered political parties which have secured at least one per cent of the votes polled in the assembly or Lok Sabha elections.

"Fifteen days between buying and selling is to ensure that they don't turn into parallel currency," Jaitley said.

In his Budget speech last year, the Finance Minister had announced that the government would bring in a scheme of electoral bonds to clean the system of political funding in the country.

Jaitley told reporters later that the bonds will be reflected in the balance sheet of the person who purchases them but there will not be a disclosure about the political party to which these have been given. He said every political party will file return every year before the Election Commission as to how many bonds came to its notified account.

"Which donor gave how much to a political party will not be told. Once that is told and that identity is known, the past experience has shown, as in the case of cheque donations, then people will again go back and prefer to give by cash rather than allow clean money. Donations by cheques has not helped significantly improve the situation," he said.

Jaitley also said that not disclosing the party to whom bonds have been given will substantially help a lot of opposition parties. "Because in case a disclosure is made, it will be in the favour of ruling party and not in favour of the opposition party. The fact that it is not known, people will be free to donate to any political party of their choice," he said.

In an apparent reference to Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who had asked the purpose behind not disclosing names of political parties, Jaitley said people expressing apprehension should suggest a better system. "If better system is to disclose everything, then the past experience of 70 years has shown you will go back to the cash system. The idea is to move away from cash system," he said.

Jaitley said he wished that names were ultimately disclosed, but if it was done today, the new scheme may not take off.

He said the intention of floating these bonds is to bring transparency in the funding of political parties and the election funding mechanism at large.

"The political funding mechanism developed over the last 70 years has faced wide criticism as people don't get clear details about how much money comes, from where it comes and where it is spent," he said.

He said to change the system of anonymous donations, the government brought a change in 2001 which made all donations made through cheques tax-exempt but that did not make a huge impact as only a few parties got some money through cheques.

"Even today, anonymous donations are very large in quantity. This money is from unknown sources and is neither clean nor transparent," he said.

The bonds under the scheme shall be available for purchase for a period of 10 days each in the months of January, April, July and October, as may be specified by the Central government An additional period of 30 days shall be specified by the Central government in the year of Lok Sabha elections.

"The bond shall be encashed by an eligible political party only through a designated bank account with the authorised bank."

Earlier in the Lok Sabha, Jaitley said the move would bring transparency as each donation will be reflected in the balance sheet of the donor.

"Therefore, this will be cleaner money coming from the donor, cleaner money coming into the hands of a political party and there would be a significant amount of transparency," said the Minister.

Jaitley said there was no transparency when cash is given as the "source of money is not known, the donor is not known, where it is spent is not known".

He said people need to know how much funding comes, what kind of funding it is, from whom has it come and where is it spent.
Kolkata, Jan 2 : Violence returned to West Bengal's Bhangar on Tuesday, only three days after a peace rally was organised by the Trinamool Congress, as the leaders of the anti-power grid movement in the area accused the ruling party of attacking and terrorising villagers.

"The miscreants' group backed by local Trinamool Congress leader Arabul Islam attacked the villagers with guns and bombs in Bhangar's Machibhanga and Khamarait villages without any provocation.

"They also vandalised the movement committee's office in Natunhat and set the furniture on fire," Sarmistha Chowdhury, a leader of Jami, Jibika, Poribesh O Bastutantra Rakha Committee -- a platform for villagers backed by Maoist outfit CPI(ML) Red Star, told IANS.

"The attacks are conducted to terrorise the villagers ahead of the committee's rally to be held on January 4 against the power grid. Senior Trinamool leaders like Bidhannagar Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta was himself present during the attack by their men," she claimed.

Dutta, however, could not be contacted for his comments.

The two villages have been the epicentre of a movement against setting up of a power grid sub-station in the area by the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd (PGCIL) and witnessed large-scale violence over the last one year.

Tension started mounting in Bhangar in early 2017 over "forced" acquisition of 16 acres of farmland -- spread in the villages of Khamarait, Machhi Bhanga, Tona and Padmapukur -- by the state government for the proposed PGCIL sub-station.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : AIUDF President and Lok Sabha MP from Dhubri Badruddin Ajmal on Tuesday said he will request the Supreme Court to direct the authorities to expedite the process for issuing the second list of Assam citizens, after he found his and his kin's names missing from the first list issued on Sunday.

He said his party, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), wants all the Bangladeshis, who came into India illegally after 1971, to be deported.

The Registrar General of India on Sunday night issued the first Draft List of Assam Citizen Register containing 1.9 crore names in accordance with the Supreme Court directions to publish the first draft on or before December 31, 2017.

However, the names of Ajmal, his two sons Abdur Rahman and Abdur Rahim, and his brother Sirajuddin Ajmal are missing from the list.

While Sirajuddin is a Lok Sabha Member from Barpeta, Abdur Rahim is an MLA from Jamunamukh and Abur Rahman is a former MLA.

Besides, names of another 24 prominent persons, including several sitting MLAs and former MLAs of various political parties, are also missing.

These include Karimgnaj MP Radhe Shyam Biswas (also his wife and elder son), Gauripur MLA Nijanur Rahman, Dhubri MLA Nazrul Haque, Bhavanipur MLA Abul Kalam Azam, Bilashipara MLA Bashir Ahmad, Algapur MLA Nizamuddin Chaudhary, Abayapuri MLA Ananta Mallo, Dhing MLA Aminul Islam and former MLA Aditya Lantasa (all from AIUDF).

Also, the names of Baghabar MLA Sharman Ali, Rupohi MLA Nurul Hoda, former Minister Ardunda Dey, former MLAs Romi Nath, Abu Tahir Bepari, Mandira Roy and Habul Chakravarty, and MLAs Shukr Ali, and Kamolakha Dey Purkayastha (all from Congress party) are also missing.

Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs Ashwin Roy Sarkar and Angurlata Deka, apart from former Vice Chancellor of Assam University Tapadhir Bhattacharjee, also did not find their names in the first list.

The citizen register is being prepared as per the 1985 Assam Peace Accord signed by the Rajiv Gandhi government with the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and the Assam Gana Sangram Parishad.

As per the Accord, the government needed to identify and deport illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and provide constitutional safeguards to indigenous communities of the state.

"We will request all the people to maintain peace as we are sure that the genuine citizens would definitely find their names in the second list. Even if they do not find their names in the second list too, there are other legal recourses available. So, don't panic," Ajmal said.

"The entire process is being monitored by the Supreme Court and we think it is being done impartially. However, if the local officials get biased, it is a different thing. So, we request the apex court to direct the officials concerned to expedite the process for the second list," Ajmal said.

A Muslim man from Kashipur in Assam reportedly hanged himself from a tree on Monday after not finding his name in the first list. Local media reports identified the man as Hanif Khan, aged about 45 years.
Kolkata, Jan 2 : The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) and State Bank of India (SBI) on Tuesday jointly signed an MoU with non-government organisations (NGOs) from West Bengal for financing of 2,500 Joint Liability Groups (JLGs), or informal credit group of farmers.

The agreement was with five NGOs for promotion of JLGs in Purulia, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur, Burdwan and North 24 Parganas districts of the state.

SBI's Chief General Manager, Kolkata circle, Partha Pratim Sengupta said JLGs are basically are credit groups of small and marginal farmers who do not have proper title to their farmland.

"JLGs are informal groups of 4-10 members who are engaged in similar economic activities and who are willing to jointly undertake to repay the loans taken by the group from the banks," he said, adding that he hoped the project would be scaled up in a phased manner to cover the remaining districts of the state.

Nabard's Chief General Manager, Micro Credit Innovation Department G.R. Chintala said that 24.5 lakh JLGs have been credit linked by the banks in the country and of which 7.02 lakh groups were financed during 2016-17.

On the occasion, the Reserve Bank of India's Regional Director S.C. Murmu said the innovative nature of the social collateral, used under JLG mode of financing, would help in achieving the goal of hundred per cent coverage of the tenant farmers of the state under institutional finance in the shortest possible time.

He stated that the JLG promotion requires facilitators like NGOs who would take care of the education and financial literacy needs of the farmers.

Nabard's regional Chief General Manager A.K.Raybarman said it fixed a target of 80,000 JLGs to be credit linked in West Bengal for 2017-18.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : The Delhi High Court on Tuesday was informed by women's rights activists that 52 countries in the world have criminalised marital rape as they sought a direction to make it a criminal offence.

A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked if there was any study done on the impact of criminalising marital rape in countries such as Nepal, Britain or the US.

The court remarked that the exception in the law granting immunity to a husband was very wide, giving him absolute freedom to do whatever he wanted in a marital bond.

Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for Khushboo Saifi, who is one of the petitioners, said the number of women who experienced sexual violence by husbands was 40 times the number of women who experienced sexual violence by non-intimate perpetrators.

Petitioners NGO RIT Foundation, All India Democratic Women's Association and a marital rape victim have challenged as unconstitutional an exception to Section 375 and Section 376B of the Indian Penal Code.

Section 375 that defines rape also says sexual intercourse by a man with his wife aged 18 years or above is not rape even if it is without her consent. Section 376B deals with sexual intercourse by man with his wife during separation.

The Central government had told the court that criminalising marital rape "may destabilise the institution of marriage" and would become an easy tool for harassing husbands.
Rome, Jan 2 : The unrest that has swept Iran over the past six days will not help Italian companies invest in the oil-rich country, a top official from Italy's main business lobby Confindustria said on Tuesday.

"We need to see how the currently extremely difficult and highly critical situation evolves inside Iran," Licia Mattioli, Confindustria's Vice President for internationalisation, told AKI.

Many Italian companies have inked "large numbers of contracts" in Iran since it ended its trading isolation in 2016 after a deal with world powers to end crippling sanctions in exchange for curbing its nuclear activities.

These contracts - worth billions of euros - are currently "at different stages," said Mattioli.

"A country undergoing internal upheaval presents a complicated situation that can jeopardise such accords," she said.

But it would be "premature" to predict how current events will impact Italian companies and the contracts they have signed with Iran, she stated.

"But a country's stability is a necessary condition for foreign investment and is good for business," Mattioli said.

Officials say over 20 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran since the protests broke out on Thursday in the northeastern city of Mashhad - and spread to the capital Tehran and several other provinces.

The unrest was ignited by frustration at Iran's sluggish economy but has widened to include open defiance of Iran's ruling clergy.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un waxed positively lyrical in his New Year's address on Monday, saying the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang are an opportunity to "demonstrate the dignity and stamina" of the Korean people and offer an opportunity to "melt the frozen North-South relations."

Kim added that both Koreas "could urgently meet" to discuss the prospect of sending a North Korean delegation. At the same time Kim boasted that he now has a "nuclear button" on his office desk and threatened the U.S. with fire and brimstone after "completing" his nuclear arsenal.

North Korea seems to have concluded that its strategy of boasting about its nuclear weapons development combined with dialogue overtures to the U.S. has not worked. Many experts doubt that it really has completed the development of a nuclear-tipped intercontinental missile. Kim needs at least one or two more nuclear tests and to prove that his ICBMs are capable of re-entering the atmosphere without burning up. Until then, Kim must make keep the U.S. at bay, which is why he is now trying to cozy up to the South Korean government.

North Korea did sent no athletes to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi simply because none qualified. A pair of North Korean figure skaters have qualified for the Pyeongchang Olympics, but if they win nothing it could be embarrassing. Yet it seems Kim is willing to risk that. As Kim expected, Cheong Wa Dae immediately "welcomed" the overture, desperate for the domestic political advantage that comes from any seeming rapprochement.

But North Korea will never give up its nuclear weapons program, whether it participates in the Winter Olympics or not. It only wants to buy time. Many South Koreans know that, but others are ready to believe anything, and attempts to engage the North will only deepen the rift in South Korean society. That of course is exactly what Kim wants. Worse, Kim is trying to drive a wedge into the South Korea-U.S. alliance. Washington will never accept the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue if there is no prospect of the North abandoning its nuclear program.

Kim has so far simply ignored President Moon Jae-in's peace overtures. Why would he suddenly extend an olive branch now unless he has an ulterior motive? Of course Seoul has no need to ban North Korean athletes from competing in Pyeongchang or refuse to engage in dialogue. But it must make it absolutely clear that its alliance with the U.S. is unshakeable and that there is no future for inter-Korean relations unless the North scraps its nuclear weapons and missiles.


Bengaluru, Jan 2 : Karnataka would soon be hosting its first international travel expo in order to promote its tourist hotspots to travellers from across the world, state Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge said on Tuesday.

"The expo will provide an impetus to the inbound travel and tourism and would enhance the efforts of Karnataka Tourism to promote our destinations to the world travellers," he said at a preview event held here.

To be held from February 28 till March 2, the Karnataka International Travel Expo 2018 expects over 1,000 delegates from over 25 countries.

This will be the southern state's first such international expo in the tourism sector.

Through the three-day event, the state aims to promote its cities and towns through adventure and wildlife tourism, world heritage sites, pilgrimages, and Karnataka's festivals.

"The expo will be largest business-to-business (B2B) travel event in the country," claimed Kharge, adding that travel agents, tour operators, hotels, resorts from the state, international and domestic travellers among others are expected to be a part of the event.

Karnataka had received about 13 crore domestic tourists and nearly 7 lakh foreign tourists last year, he said, adding this made it ninth among Indian states in attracting international tourists and fourth in the number of domestic tourists.

Karnataka is home to two United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation world heritage sites -- a group of monuments in the village of Hampi, about 350 km north of Bengaluru, and Pattadakal, about 450 km northwest of Bengaluru, for its 7th century Hindu and Jain temples.

The state is also popular for its pilgrimage spots like Udupi, Sringeri in the coastal region and hill stations in the southwestern districts Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru, which are also well-known coffee-growing regions.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : The government has "no plans under consideration" to have an all electric vehicle (EV) fleet in the country by 2030, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

"There are, at present, no plans under consideration of the Department of Heavy Industry to make all vehicles in the country powered by electricity by 2030,"Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.

Earlier, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) had outlined its plans for a "complete shift to electric vehicle regime" by 2047.
New Delhi, Jan 2 : National passenger carrier Air India is expected to report a net loss of Rs 3,579 crore for 2017-18, Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

According to Civil Aviation Ashok Minister Gajapathi Raju, the airline is expected to make a net loss of Rs 3,579 crore as per "(budget estimates) (projected)" for 2017-18 from a (provisional) net loss of Rs 3,643 crore for 2016-17.

The minister, in a written reply to question in the Rajya Sabha, said the airline is projected to increase its operating profit to Rs 531 crore (BE projected) for 2017-18 from a provisional operating profit of Rs 215 crore for 2016-17.

On the divestment plans of the flag carrier, Raju said: "NITI Aayog in its recommendations, on strategic disinvestment of the Central Public Sector Enterprises in May 12, 2017 had given the rationale for the disinvestment of Air India and has referred to the fragile finances of the company, among various other reasons."

"Air India has been incurring continuous losses and has huge accumulated losses. Further, NITI Aayog in its report on Air India has stated that further financial support in a mature and competitive aviation market would not be the best use of scarce financial resources of the government."

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), in its meeting held on June 28, 2017, had given its "in-principle" approval for considering strategic disinvestment of Air India and its five subsidiaries and constitution of Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism (AISAM).

Replying to another question, Raju informed the Rajya Sabha that Air India "has presently identified 33 properties for sale".
Ujjain/Bhopal, Jan 2 : Taking lessons from the Gujarat election results, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday underlined the need to focus on the tribals and the Dalits in Madhya Pradesh, ahead of the state assembly polls later this year.

According to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) insiders, Bhagwat, who has been camping in Ujjain since December 30, is likely to discuss both state assembly election this year and parliamentary polls next year with top state leaders of the Sangh.

Over the last four days, the RSS chief has discussed the twin elections with top Sangh functionaries and laid extra emphasis on the need for social harmony in the state.

Talking to representatives of various RSS arms, he said: "Our aim should be to ensure our presence in every section of the society across the state. We have to pay special attention to reaching out to Dalits and tribals."

In the Gujarat election, the the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s victory margin saw a huge dip as compared to the previous election, as the backward castes, Dalits and the tribals had got alienated from the party there.

An RSS leader preferring anonymity said that the ongoing meeting was a national-level camp and only the top functionaries of the Sangh had been invited to attend it.

"The chiefs of intellectual, publicity, communication, services and management wings of the RSS are primarily taking part in this camp. The total number of participants in the meetings is barely 30," he said.

On January 4, Bhagwat will dedicate to people a newly-constructed Bharat Mata Mandir here. He is scheduled to stay in Ujjain till January 5.
United Nations, Jan 3 : US President Donald Trump will go all out to cut off aid to Pakistan if it continues to back terrorists, US Permanent Representative Nikki Haley has warned.

"The President is willing to go to great lengths to stop all funding for Pakistan if they continue to harbour terrorism," she told reporters here on Tuesday.

"The administration is withholding $255 million in assistance to Pakistan" because its "double game" of working with US at times and with terrorists at others "is not acceptable to this administration" she said.

"We expect far more cooperation from Pakistan in the fight against terrorism," she added.

In her meeting with the media to outline the US priorities for 2018, Haley, who represents the administration's hawkish positions, mentioned Pakistan's terror ties as the third area of concern after Iran and North Korea.

In his first Tweet of the New Year, Trump had called out Pakistan for giving "safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan" while making "fools" of US leaders. "No More" continuing aid to Islamabad, he declared.

Haley said that withholding aid to Pakistan was not linked to Islamabad's support for the General Assembly resolution criticising Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel although she had suggested before the vote that those backing it could lose aid.

It "has nothing to do with vote on Jerusalem. It is entirely connected to Pakistan's harbouring of terrorists," she said.

"However, as I said in December, we won't forget the Jerusalem vote," she added.

On Iran, Haley expressed support for those in Iran protesting against the government and said that she wanted to amplify their voices.

She said the US was calling for special sessions on the Iranian protests both at the UN headquarters in New York and at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Haley said that the US would never accept North Korea as a nuclear power and threatened more sanctions if it carried out any more nuclear or missile tests.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in)
Odd Dog Media has been awarded the 2017 Best Local SEO Campaign at the 3rd Annual Search Engine Land Landy Awards ceremony. The awards was held in New York City on October 25, with sponsors such as Google, Acronym Media and Stone Temple.

Odd Dog Medias submission was one of about 300 in this years competition, with the field of competitors made up of leading digital marketing agencies as well as in-house marketing teams and individuals who have achieved remarkable success in the digital marketing industry.

Every year, Search Engine Land holds The Landy Awards which are considered to be the Highest Honors in the search marketing industry. Companies around the world submit their projects that are voted on by an independent panel with the Top 5 finalists invited to join the awards ceremony held in New York City this year. The judges for the awards included editors and other leaders at Search Engine Land, a daily publication and information site covering all aspects of search engine marketing industry news, as well as tips, techniques, strategies and best practices.

Wining Best Local SEO Campaign is a huge honor for us. We have been focusing on Local Search for about five years now and even developed our own software to really keep things efficient for our larger clients. Its been a labor of love and it is humbling to see it recognized at this level. said Adam Broetje. Ultimately it took some extremely smart employees being incredibly creative in how we approach multi-location projects."

A Full list of 2017 Landy Awards recipients can be found here (https://searchengineland.com/landy-awards-spotlights-top-performers-seo-sem-industry-285601).

About the Search Engine Land Landy Awards

Search Engine Land created The Landy Awards in 2015 as a way to bring together the brightest stars in the SEO and SEM space and celebrate their innovations and achievements. In all, there are 24 award categories including Local SEO campaign of the Year award won this year by Odd Dog Media. The Landy Awards ceremony was held in conjunction with this years SMX East Conference.

About Odd Dog Media

Odd Dog Media is a Digital Marketing Agency based in Seattle, WA that believes marketing should be simple, and a little bit fun. They have proven to deliver new business through SEO, PPC, Web Development and on going digital strategy to their clients all over the country in a way thats affordable for SMB's. Odd Dog Media works primarily with service based SMBs and has helped hundreds of companies grow through their digital marketing over the last 10 years.
Nikki Giovanni

Salt Lake Community College and Westminster College welcome celebrated poet, writer, activist and educator Nikki Giovanni to SLCCs Grand Theatre on Thursday, Jan. 18, at 7 p.m., as the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Keynote speaker. The ticketed event is free and open to the public. Seats may be reserved online at grandtheatrecompany.com.

Giovanni will read from her latest works, then be joined by SLCC Poet Laureate, Lisa Bickmore for a follow-up conversation. This special event is part of each institutions 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. celebration and the Bastian Foundation Diversity Lecture Series hosted by Westminster College. Westminster and SLCC partnered to bring Giovanni, one of the most prominent American poets, to Utah  making her inspiring words and presence available to the community.

Giovanni has been dubbed the princess of black poetry, a national treasure and one of Oprahs 25 Living Legends. Her poetry is both edgy and accessible. She writes about race, violence, family, grief, love and friends with informal beauty thats been embraced by multiple generations. At 74, she recommends old age: its fun. Giovanni is a university distinguished professor at Virginia Tech. She has written and edited numerous books of poetry and works for children.

Giovanni was born in Knoxville, Tenn., and grew up in Lincoln Heights, an all-black suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. She graduated with honors from Fisk University in 1968, after which she attended the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. She published her first book of poetry, Black Feeling Black Talk, in 1968, and within the next year published a second book, thus launching her career as a writer. Her latest book is Bicycles: Love Poems (William Morrow). She has 25 honorary degrees, seven NAACP Image Awards and has been nominated for a Grammy, been a finalist for the National Book Award and authored three New York Times and Los Angeles Times best sellers.

What:

Poet Nikki Giovanni

A Bastian Foundation Lecture Series Presented by Westminster College in partnership with SLCC

Where:

SLCC Grand Theatre

1575 South State

Salt Lake City, Utah

When:

January 18, 2018

78 p.m.

Tickets:

Free, reserve seats online at grandtheatrecompany.com.

Westminster is a private, independent and comprehensive college in Salt Lake City, Utah. Students experience the liberal arts blended with professional programs in an atmosphere dedicated to civic engagement. With the goal of enabling its graduates to live vibrant, just and successful lives, Westminster provides transformational learning experiences for both undergraduate and graduate students in a truly student-centered environment. Faculty focus on teaching, learning and developing distinctive, innovative programs, while students thrive on Westminsters urban Sugar House campus within minutes of the Rocky Mountains. For more information, visit http://www.westminstercollege.edu or follow WestminsterSLC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Salt Lake Community College is an accredited, student-focused, comprehensive community college meeting the diverse needs of the Salt Lake community. Home to more than 60,000 students each year, the College is Utahs leading provider of workforce development programs. SLCC is also the largest supplier of transfer students to Utahs four-year institutions and a perennial Top 10 college nationally for total associate degrees awarded. The College is the sole provider of applied technology courses in the Salt Lake area, with multiple locations, an eCampus, and nearly 1,000 continuing education sites located throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Personal attention from an excellent faculty is paramount at the College, which maintains an average class size of 20.

The B. W. Bastian Foundation generously sponsors the Bastian Foundation Diversity Lecture Series at Westminster College. The Foundation, established in 1996 by entrepreneur and philanthropist Bruce W. Bastian, strives to build community and understanding by supporting local and national institutions. Financial support is directed to educational outreach, cultural and HIV/AIDS programs. A strong commitment is placed on programs and organizations that benefit, encourage, and preserve the rights of individuals and promote equality for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender community. Entering its 18th year in Fall 2017, the Diversity Lecture Series is one of the colleges most stimulating and thought-provoking initiatives that reflect its commitment toward the active and critical engagement of timely and relevant issues of diversity and inclusion.
With the ubiquity of big data and analytics, Elevada's technology is [solving] for the biggest pain points ... data harmonization and improving access to usable data.

Elevada, which solves knowledge workers needs for data agility, is pleased to announce its graduation from Southern Californias EvoNexus incubator program. Seeded by Invest Detroit Ventures, Elevada moves its headquarters from San Diego to Detroit and will be based out of TechTown in Midtown Detroit. Founded in 2014, Elevada provides agile data preparation and automation tools for customers in healthcare, pharma, life sciences and IoT industries.

We are excited about our move to the Midwest and impressed by the growing tech environment fostered in Detroit, says Elevadas CEO, Peter Dresslar. Being a part of Invest Detroits portfolio and TechTowns network will allow us to connect with prospects and partners as well as allow us to speed up our release cycles for our growing client base.

Invest Detroit is a certified Community Development Financial Institution through private, public and philanthropic sectors. Its affiliate Invest Detroit Ventures is committed to serving early-stage, regional startups with capital and growth opportunities.

Patti Glaza, GM of Invest Detroit Ventures explains, We are very excited to work with the Elevada team. With the ubiquity of big data and analytics, Elevadas technology is helping companies solve for the biggest pain points which are data harmonization and improving access to usable data. Elevada is a prime example of how Invest Detroit is investing in startups with great growth potential for the benefit of the region.

Founded by Wayne State University, TechTown offers incubation and acceleration strategies for tech companies to thrive. The growth of tech companies is strengthening neighborhood small businesses and commercial corridors across Detroit.

We are grateful to our partners at Invest Detroit in efforts to grow innovation in our region by supporting our local entrepreneurs, says Paul Riser, GM of TechTowns Tech Entrepreneurship. Having Elevada as part of the greater TechTown community is an asset to our users and partners who are reliant on data. Data agility and time-to-data are becoming more important with the growth of artificial intelligence and business insights.

About Elevada

Elevadas mission is to enable usable data contribution by every person in the enterprise. Elevadas solutions dramatically lower the barriers to everyday data tasks, turning data-cleansing chores into simple, automated directives. Business analysts and data scientists are freed up from data tasks and spend more of their valuable time in analysis and analytic development. Visit us at http://www.elevada.com.

About Invest Detroit Ventures

Invest Detroit Ventures is committed to supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem with capital, on-going mentorship, and community engagement. We implement targeted venture development programs to help build and promote scalable businesses in the region. Our team is committed to growing a robust tech community in Detroit and throughout Michigan. We are collectively focused on implementing an investment strategy that is inclusive and supportive of minority, immigrant, and women entrepreneurs. Visit us at http://www.investdetroit.vc.

About TechTown

TechTown is Detroits most established business accelerator and incubator, offering a full suite of entrepreneurial services for both tech and neighborhood enterprises. TechTown helps startup and established businesses develop, launch and grow, while strengthening and diversifying the local economy. Visit us at http://www.techtowndetroit.org.
Glass Repair El Dorado Hills We are excited to be providing glass repair services to the people in El Dorado Hills.

Macs Discount Glass, a top-rated glass repair service headquartered in El Dorado Hills, California, is proud to announce the launch of a brand new website for 2018. The company is now on the approved list for insurance to get auto glass replacement and has new Web-based information on these services. The company services not only El Dorado, California, but nearby communities such as Folsom, Roseville, Sacramento, and Fair Oaks - all in the greater Sacramento area of Northern California. It offers full service glass repair and glass replacement services for residential, commercial, auto, and windows of any kind in homes or businesses.

We are excited to be providing glass repair services to the people in El Dorado Hills with our new Web update, explained Erick McNabb, owner of Macs Discount Glass. Being a family business for over 30 years, our company is older than the Internet, but we recognize that today customers go first to the Web. Therefore, we have deployed a major upgrade to our website for 2018, with a special emphasis on being mobile-friendly. The new site is founded on the WordPress platform. The company offers a new "Click 2 Call" feature on the mobile-friendly website, which is handy for those seeking insurance-approved auto glass repair. The company has also launched via the website new locations that they service and also new city locations providing glass mobile repair.

Interested parties are encouraged to visit the website at https://www.macsdglass.com/, and specifically the new landing pages being populated at https://www.macsdglass.com/cities/. The latter has information specific to the glass repair needs of El Dorado, California. That page is indicative of the companys local strategy: residents of individual cities can read pages that give information specific to their needs. To do so, interested parties should visit the home page and scroll to the bottom, then find their city, and finally read the information on the city.

Most Important Feature - Insurance Jobs for Auto Glass Now Accepted

The website upgrade explains the companys service offering in greater detail than in previous version of 2016. For example, Macs Discount glass is a full service provider of glass like tabletop glass, which have become popular for any and all upcoming holiday events. These products help protect wood tables from damages. Similarly, even cabinet glass is popular nowadays because it helps make items in the home look tidy. As summer approaches, many homeowners often inventory their houses to look for glass windows and doors that need upgrades. A common scenario is if a client is selling a home; summer, of course, is peak sale season for homes in El Dorado Hills and other booming areas near Sacramento. Dual pane windows become an issue when selling the home. By visiting the newly upgraded website for 2018, busy consumers can find what interests them, preview the service offerings, and learn about glass replacement and repair services available. Most of all, the new website has information on insurance and how to use it on auto glass repairs. In terms of location services, the website explains that glass repair even extends to customers beyond the city of El Dorado Hills to the nearby cities near North Highlands and Sacramento.

About Macs Discount Glass:

Macs Discount Glass is family owned and operated by the McNabb family, residents of El Dorado county. The glass repair shop provides amazing service offerings at discounted prices. The family-owned and operated business has been passed down thru the generations, now being run by Erick and Lee McNabb. Macs Discount Glass specializes in auto glass as well as in glass repairs in buildings such as homes or offices. The company is both a commercial glass repair service and one for residential customers, too. If a customer resides in El Dorado, Folsom, Fair Oaks or other nearby cities, and they have glass repair need such as sliding glass doors or windows or a commercial need, such as a storefront, the company offers free estimates.

Contact Information

Media Relations

Macs Discount Glass

916-597-2098

info(at)macsdglass(dot)com
For anyone who is a maker, who is building something, its the ultimate achievement to win an IDEA.

The International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), presented by the Industrial Designers Society of America, is open for entries through March 19, 2018 with an expanded jury, a new look and some new categories. "One of the world's most prestigious and rigorous design competitions is moving into its 38th yearrevitalized and energized," declares IDEA 2018 Jury Chair Michael Kahwaji, IDSA, of Whirlpool Corp.

The jury features nearly three dozen experts from some of the worlds largest brands such as Google, Microsoft, Nike, Delta Faucet, REI, Targus, Stryker and Cartoon Network; major design studios including Whipsaw, fuseproject, Ammunition, HS Design and Metaphase; and leading universities. Bringing a global perspective, jurors originally hail from countries such as Canada, China, Germany, Guatemala, New Zealand, Nigeria, United Kingdom and the United States. Some are former IDEA winners who know just what it takes to get to the top.

We have curated a design jury with a well-balanced demographic," says Kahwaji, who also serves on the MFA Advisory Council at the College for Creative Studies and as an adjunct design instructor at the University of Notre Dame. "Im proud to announce this years jury includes 12 women, as well as experts in branding, service design and graphic design. This will enable IDEA to truly reflect the multidisciplinary facet of the competition.

Recently, the program has undergone major changes including the redesign of its trophies with the help of fuseprojectthe design studio founded by longtime IDSA member Yves Behar. For anyone who is a maker, who is building something, its the ultimate achievement to win an IDEA, says Behar. IDEA is the award by designers, for designers. Fuseproject worked with IDSA to rebrand IDEA and redesign the trophy to reflect the evolving industry it celebrates.

For 2018, the 20 IDEA categories include three new ones: Home, now including Kitchen; Furniture & Lightning, including Outdoor Furniture; and Lifestyle & Accessories. In 2017, two new categories were added: Branding and Consumer Technology.

IDEA earns worldwide recognition. Top winners are featured in INNOVATION magazine's Yearbook of Design Excellence, the IDEA Gallery and global media outreach. Follow the journey to #IDSAIDEA @IDSA on Twitter; Industrial Designers Society of America on LinkedIn and Facebook; and @IDSAdesign on Instagram. For information on sponsorship opportunities, contact sponsorship(at)idsa(dot)org.
A thousand narcissuses to be given away

By:Pan Chenxiao | From:english.eastday.com | 2018-01-02 09:31

Narcissuses prepared at Gongqing National Forest Park

A narcissus modeling exhibition will be held at Gongqing National Forest Park, located in the Yangpu District in North Shanghai, on December 30-31 and January 1. A thousand free premium narcissuses (Narcissus tazetta L. var. chinensis Roem as the scientific name) will be given to the visitors at the tourist service center close to the west gate of the park to celebrate New Year's Day.

Narcissuses

With lush fragrant blossoms, this breed is known as the most beautiful narcissus in the world. You can leave a message to the Official Account of Gongqing National Forest Park (ID: GongQingforestpark), Shanghai Flower News (ID: shanghaihuaxun) or Green Shanghai (ID: shlhsr) on WeChat to apply for the narcissus.

Also, you can show your engraved narcissus at the exhibition to win the prize. There will be some wonderful courses in terms of narcissus or the engraving of that later.
System One logo Bringing our companies together allows us to connect more people across broader networks faster.

System One, a leading provider of specialized workforce solutions and integrated services, today announced the acquisition of juvo telecom, a wireless telecommunications services company based in Cary, NC. juvo telecom specializes in site development, project management, program management, consulting and staffing solutions specially designed to support the wireless industry. As part of the agreement, juvo telecom will operate as MOUNTAIN, LTD., a System One division.

System One and juvo telecom combine expertise to amplify engineering services offerings and deliveries to broaden industry reach.

The wireless telecommunications industry is rapidly advancing. Bringing our companies together allows us to connect more people across broader networks faster, said Troy Gregory, President and CEO of System One. Our clients rely on the speed and performance that our rapid response and end-to-end wireless solutions provide. Broadening our geographic footprint allows us to do more to save our clients time and money.

juvo means forward in Latin. Aligning with MOUNTAIN, LTD. and System One, allows us to continue our forward momentum, said Tuan Ta President and CEO of juvo telecom. We are excited by the growth opportunities this presents to our clients and employees.

The juvo and MOUNTAIN teams share an unwavering passion for growing wireless telecom, said April Metivier, Chief Operating Officer at MOUNTAIN, LTD. Bringing our teams together gives MOUNTAIN the capacity, reach and power to do more to transform the industry.

Clark Hill served as System Ones legal advisor. The McQuillan Group assisted with the financial due diligence.

About System One

System One delivers specialized workforce solutions and integrated services. We help clients get work done more efficiently and economically, without compromising quality. For more than 35 years, weve built our reputation on exceptional talent, flexible delivery and full accountability. System Ones national network spans energy, engineering, IT, commercial, scientific & clinical, legal, marketing and beyond. System One is based in Pittsburgh, PA.

About juvo telecom

juvo telecom is a fully integrated wireless engineering services company that was funded in 2010. Dedicated to the rapid evolution of the mobile communications industry, juvo specializes in site development, project management, program management, consulting and staffing solutions. juvo telecom is located in Cary, NC.
CSSI Technologies Inc. announces new name and divestment of CoreIntegrator workflow software. I believe that the time is ideal to separate CSSI Technologies and CoreIntegrator in order to better execute the strategy and serve the customers of each entity." -- Dave Cornelius, CEO of CSSI Technologies

Computer Support Services, Inc. announces that it has officially changed its name to CSSI Technologies, Inc. (http://www.cssi.com). Simultaneously, the business announces that CoreIntegrator, its leading workflow and document management software product, will now operate as an independent company, CoreIntegrator, LLC.

According to CSSI Technologies CEO Dave Cornelius, We have seen tremendous growth in our business in recent years, including our CoreIntegrator operating division. I believe that the time is ideal to separate into independent businesses to better execute the strategy and serve the customers of each entity. Our new name, CSSI Technologies, better reflects our expertise in barcoding, data acquisition, mobile computing and custom programming technologies.

Since its founding in 1973 in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, CSSI Technologies has specialized in applying constantly evolving computer technologies to solve business problems. The company supports customers in manufacturing, distribution and delivery/logistics with data acquisition technologies such as barcoding and RFID, custom software development, and support for Microsofts market-leading ERP software Dynamics GP.

In the late 1990s, CSSI Technologies developed CoreIntegrator as a link between Great Plains accounting software and a nationally known content management system. CoreIntegrator has since evolved to include workflow, document management, integrations to many ERP solutions, advanced scanning and more. CoreIntegrator has consistently grown as a premier list of clients have discovered the benefits of our workflow solution, said CoreIntegrator CEO Tom Erickson. Now, as an independent business wholly focused on this product line, we will be better able to execute our strategy.

Mr. Cornelius remains CEO of CSSI Technologies, with Joe Tosolt serving as President. Mr. Erickson will assume the CEO role for CoreIntegrator, LLC. Both companies are headquartered in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

About CSSI Technologies, Inc:

CSSI Technologies (http://www.cssi.com) works with customers in manufacturing, distribution and delivery environments to improve profit and productivity through the smart integration of mobile computing and data acquisition technologies such as barcoding and RFID. CSSI also offers custom software development and support for the popular ERP software Microsoft Dynamics GP.

About CoreIntegrator, LLC:

Since the late 1990s, CoreIntegrator Workflow (http://www.coreintegrator.com) has been a leading software platform for Accounts Payable and Business Process Automation solutions. The versatility and ability to Automate Virtually Any Business Process has allowed CoreIntegrator Workflow to be used globally by thousands of users in both large and small organizations in almost every industry. Formerly an operating division of Computer Support Services, Inc, CoreIntegrator, LLC is now an independent company focusing on delivering the best possible service and support to our customers while providing a software solution that truly makes a difference in the day to day life of our customers.
"Drexel has a tremendous opportunity arising from three core pillars: the unlocked cell phone marketplace; consumer electronics; and same day/next day shipping, handling and distribution." said Jason Salmon, President of Drexel Industries.

Today, Drexel Industries announced changes to its senior leadership team.

"Drexel has a tremendous opportunity arising from three core pillars: the unlocked cell phone marketplace; consumer electronics; and same day/next day shipping, handling and distribution." said Jason Salmon, President of Drexel Industries. "This team of seasoned leaders brings strategy, integrity, and passion to their roles and care deeply about providing exceptional customer service and enhanced delivery systems to our customers."

To capitalize fully on the growth opportunity, the following executive team has been recruited to provide strategic direction and manage all facets of Drexel's sales, operations, finance and logistics:

John (JD) Abram, Vice President of Sales responsible for all sales activity for Drexel encompassing wholesale distribution, 3rd Party Logistics, and Drexels DAZN Over the Top (OTT) strategic partnership.

Prior to joining Drexel, Mr. Abram had a six year tenure at ZTE Canada, most recently as the Vice President of Terminal Sales. In this role, JD led a team that was responsible for expanding ZTE's presence in Canada from a relatively unknown Chinese manufacturer to now being positioned as the fourth largest OEM in Canada in terms of wireless device unit sales. The company realized this increase in sales primarily as a result of success with wireless operator partnerships, and included distribution relationships in the "unlocked", open market segment.

The experience of working with ZTE's multiple international divisions, bringing a broad portfolio of products to market in Canada including IOT, Smart Phones, Data Hubs and entry level wireless devices has given JD invaluable insights to what is possible within this marketplace.

Prior to joining ZTE, Mr. Abram had a successful 10 year career at Rogers Communications which led to his role as the Director of Sales for Ontario, in charge of a team of sales professionals and customer support staff, overseeing the activities of Rogers's largest corporate customers.

Prior to commencing his professional career, JD earned his Bachelor of Arts at The University of Calgary.

Jennifer Salmon, Vice President of Operations leads all operational aspects of the business including: warehousing, logistics, customer on-boarding, contract negotiation, Human Resources and Drexels corporate culture.

With over 20 years of experience in the Canadian communications industry, beginning at Shaw Communications and more recently as Vice President, Contracts at Canadian Cable Systems Alliance (CCSA), Jennifers dynamic personality has made her a successful negotiator, admired team leader and visionary who knows how to think outside the box. Jennifers experience with strategic planning and organization has contributed to Drexels steady expansion as a 3rd party logistics service provider and wholesale distribution.

As a graduate of the Richard Ivey School of Business and, more recently, the recipient of the CTAM Canada scholarship for the Fellowship at Harvard Business School, Jennifer has a love of learning and solving problems.

Bruce Powers, Vice President of Business Intelligence and Planning leads Business Intelligence, Strategic Planning, and Information Technology.

With over three decades of retail, wholesale, and distribution experience in the Consumer Electronics space, Bruce Powers understands nothing is more vital than exceeding customers expectations.

He developed a passion for consumer electronics early in life, embracing the ongoing evolution of products through his tenure at The Source (formerly Radio Shack Canada). After rising through the ranks, he left The Source as VP Merchandising and joined Affinity Electronics as VP Operations. As a member of the Affinity Electronics executive team since 2005, his organizational skills, problem solving abilities, and vision have played a key role in the growth and success of Affinity.

Mr. Powers attended the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto, graduating with a BASc degree. These studies developed his analytical skills and provided the foundation for effective problem solving through attention to details.

Tara Salmon CA, CPA (Illinois, USA), Chief Financial Officer leads all Finance functions, including Treasury, Tax, and Accounting. Tara has over 20 years' experience as a Canadian chartered accountant and a US certified public accountant.

Tara comes to Drexel from the Calgary office of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where she specialized in international taxation for over 10 years. Prior to that, she was in corporate tax at Meyers Norris Penny LLP, and in the audit practice at Ernst & Young LLP. Tara is also an active member with CPA Canada, acting as a tutor in the In-Depth tax program.

About Drexel Industries

Drexel Industries is a wholesale distribution and 3rd party logistics service provider focused on retail and telecommunications distribution and e-commerce order fulfilment.

Through a strong core of strategic partners including Telecommunications service providers, national retailer partners, and regional players, Drexel connects homes to a myriad of products and services throughout Canada, including: Amazon, Bell, Best Buy, Canadian Tire, Costco, Giant Tiger, Home Depot, Hudson Bay Company, Rogers, Shaw, Staples, Telus, The Shopping Channel, The Source, TJ Max, and Walmart. Drexels automated process offers all customers enhanced service and superior order fulfilment capabilities through same day shipping convenience.

Drexel, and through its acquisition of Affinity Electronics, represents quality and trusted brands, including: Affinity, Bragi, Case-Mate, Core Micro, Deltrans Battery Tender, DigiPower, Energizer, Escalade Sports, Huawei, iBolt.co, iDeal of Sweden, Jabra, Kalorik, Kenu Airframe, LifeProof, Losbu, Maxwest, Nokia (through HMD), OtterBox, Nite Ize, NuPower, Pelican, Samsung, Speck, and Vetta.

Additional information about Drexel Industries can be found at Drexel.ca and afffinitycanada.com
The School of Professional Advancement Digital Design program is undergoing a transformation and evolution to meet the needs of the workforce and better prepare students in the graphic design, animation, gaming and interactive fields to be competitive upon graduation," said Dr. Garcia.

The Tulane School of Professional Advancement announces the hire of Dr. Amanda Garcia as the new Director of Digital Design and Professor of Practice. Dr. Garcia comes to Tulane after a tenure at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi where she held the title of Graphic Design Program Coordinator.

Dr. Garcia holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with a research focus on Socially Responsible Design in Higher Education from Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and an M.F.A. in Graphic Design and Visual Communication from The Savannah College of Art and Design. She received her Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Design with an emphasis in Visualization from Texas A&M University at College Station.

"Design has the power to shape and impact our society in very meaningful ways," said Dr. Garcia. "With this philosophy in mind, the School of Professional Advancement Digital Design program is undergoing a transformation and evolution to meet the needs of the workforce and better prepare students in the graphic design, animation, gaming and interactive fields to be competitive upon graduation."

Dr. Garcia brings years of experience in the industry as an award-winning designer. She has worked with a diverse group of companies, including Time Warner Cable, Goodwill Industries, The Venetian Las Vegas, Volkswagen and United Way. With this deep professional knowledge and a passion for education, Dr. Garcia joins the Media Arts faculty with the goal of refining the Digital Design curriculum to include more rigorous courses with an emphasis on portfolio development using different technology platforms.

Digital design is a burgeoning field, and students who attain a Digital Design degree from the Tulane School of Professional Advancement will have the opportunity to learn from professors with real-world design experience and professional connections. Upon graduation, students can pursue careers in graphic design, animation, web design, interactive game design and more.

For more information on Dr. Garcia or the requirements for attaining a Digital Design degree at the Tulane School of Professional Advancement, interested parties can visit http://www.sopa.tulane.edu. Prospective students may also call the university directly at 504-865-5555 or visit Tulane's Uptown Campus in person at 6823 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, La 70118.

The Tulane School of Professional Advancement operates as part of Tulane University with the mission of offering career-focused degree and certificate programs catered to working adults. The school currently offers 26 undergraduate degrees and four master's programs. Classes are available at three campus locations as well as online. The faculty includes working professionals with pertinent industry experience who emphasize post-graduate job placement.
Patio door 50th anniversary sale We couldnt think of a better way to celebrate our anniversary than passing along savings to our customers, said Jeremiah Noneman, director of marketing at Milgard. Its our way of saying thank you.

Milgard Windows & Doors is celebrating 50 years of manufacturing quality patio doors by offering homeowners a $100 Amazon.com gift card with any Tuscany Series, Montecito Series or Aluminum Series sliding patio door or a $200 Amazon.com gift card for any Moving Glass Wall System purchased through February 28, 2018.

It all started in 1968 when Milgard Windows & Doors decided to manufacture their own sliding aluminum patio doors. After researching the top features that appealed to homeowners, Milgard hired engineers to develop quality aluminum patio doors for the Pacific Northwest region.

Fast-forward fifty years, Milgard is one of the largest and most trusted names for home windows and patio doors in the Western U.S. The patio door line has grown to include vinyl, wood and fiberglass in both sliding and swinging door styles, in addition to the aluminum sliding doors they started with. In response to the newest trend for indoor-outdoor living, Milgard also offers Moving Glass Wall Systems in bi-fold, pocket and stacking operating styles.

We couldnt think of a better way to celebrate our anniversary than passing along savings to our customers, said Jeremiah Noneman, director of marketing at Milgard. Its our way of saying thank you.

Purchases must be made through participating Milgard Dealers. All details are available at: https://www.milgard.com/50th-anniversary-sale

About Milgard Windows & Doors

Milgard Windows & Doors, a Masco company based in Tacoma, Washington, offers a full line of vinyl, wood, fiberglass and aluminum windows and patio doors for builders, dealers and homeowners, backed by a Full Lifetime Warranty, including parts and labor. The company has been recognized as Builders Choice for vinyl and fiberglass windows in the Western United States, in a yearly survey sponsored by Hanley-Wood Inc., publishers of BUILDER Magazine. Milgard is the highest online rated window and patio door brand, as measured by the 2016 NRS consumer sentiment study conducted by MetrixLab and commissioned by Masco. Milgard has approximately 3,800 dealer locations nationwide. For more information, visit milgard.com or call 1.800.MILGARD.

About Masco Corporation

Masco Corporation (NYSE: MAS), parent company of Milgard Windows & Doors, is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of branded home improvement and building products. Our portfolio of industry-leading brands includes Behr paint; Delta and Hansgrohe faucets, bath and shower fixtures; KraftMaid and Merillat cabinets; Milgard windows and doors; and Hot Spring spas. We leverage our powerful brands across product categories, sales channels and geographies to create value for our customers and shareholders. For more information about Masco Corporation, visit Masco.com.
"America First and the policies that flow from it have eroded the US-led order and its guardrails. We now see more clearly a world without leadership." - Ian Bremmer, Eurasia Group president

Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer and Chairman Cliff Kupchan are pleased to present this year's Top Risks report, which identifies the most challenging political and geopolitical trends and stress points for global investors and market participants in 2018, as well as a few red herringsissues that, despite media attention, are unlikely to pose a significant threat or drive instability in the coming year.

America First and the policies that flow from it have eroded the US-led order and its guardrails, with no other country or set of countries ready or interested in rebuilding it, said Bremmer. We now see more clearly a world without leadership.

Topping the list in 2018 is the risk presented by Chinas role in a global leadership vacuum: Chinas political model is now perceived as stronger than it has ever beenand at a time when the US political model is weakened, Bremmer and Kupchan write. Combine that with the strongest Chinese president since Mao Zedong and one of the weakest US presidents in modern history, and you end up with a moment of global reordering.

Below is a summary of all ten Top Risks for 2018. Click here for the full report and an exclusive video.

Bremmer and Kupchan will host an on-the-record conference call today at 11:00 EST/16:00 GMT to discuss the risks and take questions. Dial-in information is below.

1- China loves a vacuum

At a moment of policy incoherence and dysfunction in Washington, Chinas government has redefined the countrys external environment, set new rules within it, and developed the worlds most effective global trade and investment strategy, all while using Chinese tech companies to advance state interests. Beijing invests and extends its influence by promising noninterference in the political and economic lives of other countries, which are now more likely to align with and imitate China. The global business environment must adapt to new sets of rules, standards, and practices. US-China conflict, particularly on trade, will become more likely in 2018.

2- Accidents

Theres been no major geopolitical crisis since 9/11, and none created by governments since the Cuban missile crisis. But there are now many places where a misstep or misjudgment could provoke serious international conflict. The likeliest risk of accident comes from competition and conflict in cyberspace, the fight over North Korea, battlefield accidents in Syria, growing US-Russia tension, and the dispersal of Islamic State fighters from Syria and Iraq.

3- Global tech cold war

The worlds biggest fight over economic power centers on the development of new information technologies. The US and China will compete to master artificial intelligence and supercomputing, and will struggle for market dominance in Africa, India, Brazil, and even Europe, where governments must decide whom to trust and whose products and standards to embrace. Fragmentation of the tech commons creates both market and security risks, particularly as domestic companies battle global viruses.

4- Mexico

2018 will be a defining moment for Mexico as the NAFTA renegotiation comes to a head and voters choose a new president. A collapse of NAFTA talks would not kill the deal, but uncertainty over its future would disproportionately harm the Mexican economy given the countrys deep reliance on US trade. Ahead of Julys presidential election, public anger at government is running high thanks to high-profile corruption cases, drug gangs, and sluggish growth. Demand for change favors Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who represents a fundamental break with the investor-friendly economic policies of recent years, particularly for the newly opened energy sector.

5- US-Iran relations

Donald Trump has it in for Iran. The nuclear deal will probably survive 2018, but theres a substantial chance that it wont. Trump will support Saudi Arabia and work to contain Iran in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. The US will more frequently sanction Iran for ballistic missile tests, perceived support for terrorism, and human rights violations. Iran will push back. If the nuclear deal fails, Iran would ramp up its nuclear program, and the threat of US and/or Israeli strikes would again hang over the region, boosting oil prices.

6- The erosion of institutions

The institutions that support and sustain peaceful and prosperous societiesgovernments, political parties, courts, the media, and financial institutionscontinue to lose the public credibility on which their legitimacy depends. In 2018, the populism apparent in the Brexit vote and Trumps election will create a toxic, antiestablishment populism in developing countries. The resulting political turmoil, or a turn toward authoritarianism in some countries, will make economic and security policy less predictable.

7- Protectionism 2.0

The rise of antiestablishment movements in developed markets has forced (in some cases, enabled) policymakers to shift toward a more zero-sum approach to global economic competition and to look as if theyre doing something about lost jobs. As a result, walls are going up. Protectionism 2.0 creates barriers in the digital economy and innovation-intensive industries, not just in manufacturing and agriculture. New barriers are less visible: Instead of import tariffs and quotas, todays tools of choice include behind-the-border measures such as bailouts, subsidies, and buy local requirements. Lastly, measures will more often be micro-targeted at political rivals.

8- United Kingdom

Britain faces both acrimonious Brexit negotiations and the risk of domestic political turmoil. On Brexit, the principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed will encourage endless fights over details between and within the two sides. On domestic politics, management of Brexit could cost Prime Minister Theresa May her job. If so, she will likely be replaced by a more hardline Tory figure, significantly complicating the Article 50 negotiations. Or Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn could replace her after new elections, creating risks for both Article 50 talks and domestic economic policy.

9- Identity politics in southern Asia

Identity politics in southern Asia comes in several forms: Islamism, anti-Chinese and anti-other minority sentiment, and an intensifying nationalism in India. Islamism in parts of Southeast Asia fuels local forms of populism, most prominently in Indonesia and Malaysia. Resentment of ethnic Chinese, who hold a disproportionate share of wealth in several countries, has made a strong recent comeback, particularly in Indonesia. Persecution of Myanmars minority Muslim Rohingya has triggered a humanitarian crisis. In India, the risk is that Prime Minister Narendra Modis use of Hindu nationalism to consolidate support ahead of the 2019 elections could give cover to radicalized elements of society that want to target Muslims and lower-caste Hindus.

10- Africas security

In 2018, negative spillover from the continents unstable periphery (Mali, South Sudan, Somalia) will affect Africas core countries (Cote dIvoire, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia). The principal threats come from militancy and terrorism. The dangers posed by Al Shabaab in East Africa and Al Qaeda in West Africa are not new, but theyre likely to intensify. Foreign partners that have helped stabilize weak governments in the past are distracted. Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Ethiopia face increased security costs at a time when their governments need to reduce spending, and attacks would undermine foreign investor sentiment.

Red herrings

A besieged Trump administration has little ability to enact destabilizing, or any other kind of, policies. The Eurozone will again shrug off political risk in the new year. Venezuelas political conflict appears frozen for the moment as President Nicolas Maduro proves surprisingly resilient.

***

Top Risks Conference Call Dial-in (11:00 EST/16:00 GMT)

+1 (877) 888-4291 (US, CANADA)

+1 (785) 424-1878 (INTERNATIONAL)

CONFERENCE ID: 43991

***

Eurasia Group is the world's leading global political risk research and consulting firm. By providing information and insight on how political developments move markets, we help clients anticipate and respond to instability and opportunities everywhere they invest or do business. Our expertise includes developed and developing countries in every region of the world, specific economic sectors, and the business and investment playing fields of the future. Headquartered in New York, we have offices in Washington DC, London, San Francisco, Brasilia, Sao Paulo, Singapore, and Tokyo, as well as on-the-ground experts and resources in more than a hundred countries. "Politics first grounds our work: Politics is the lens through which we view the world, and we are committed to analysis that is free of political bias and the influence of private interests.
Image credit: Flickr/Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington When our team gathered together to discuss our predictions for the New Year, the room was filled with an overwhelming sense of positivity and anticipation to see what we could collectively accomplish in another years time.

The Climate Trust, a mission-driven nonprofit that specializes in mobilizing finance for conservation projects, announced its fifth annual prediction list of carbon market trends.

The trends, which range from the maritime industry following aviations lead in carbon reduction commitments to increased dismantling of federal agencies addressing climate change, were identified by The Climate Trust based on interactions with their diverse group of working partnersgovernment, investors, project developers, corporates, and the philanthropic community.

In the face of federal inaction, the momentum around climate action in 2017 was extraordinary, said Sean Penrith, Executive Director for The Climate Trust. When our team gathered together to discuss our predictions for the New Year, it quickly became apparent that despite the big lift ahead of the U.S. (and the world) related to climate change, the room was filled with an overwhelming sense of positivity and anticipation to see what we could collectively accomplish in another years time. We hope that sentiment is reflected in our forecast.

1. More links will be added to the cap and trade chain gang. North America has had two regional cap and trade markets operating the last several years, the Western Climate Initiative (WCI), involving California, Ontario and Quebec, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), involving nine northeastern states. Mexico has just crashed the party announcing in mid-December plans to launch a national mandatory market in August 2018. The list of jurisdictions linking up with cap and trade markets will only grow in 2018. New Jersey and Virginia are on a clear pathway to join RGGI, and several states that are already part of RGGI are considering expanding cap and trade to the transportation sector. Oregon is also poised to join WCI in 2018, as passing cap and trade legislation is one of the Governors top priorities. Ontario is facing political uncertainty around its future in WCI with the party leading the polls pledging to pull out of WCI and pass a revenue neutral carbon tax instead. Despite this pledge, the challenges of pulling out of the linked market and broad business support in Ontario belie that a change in government doesnt necessarily mean the end of cap and trade in Ontario. A dark horse jurisdiction may also emerge in 2018. Expect 2018 to be the year of continued momentum towards expanding cap and trade markets, and the emergence of new states examining whether such an approach makes sense for them.

2. States, U.S. cities will quicken the pace in developing climate change adaptation plans. 2017 was a horrific year for natural disasters that wrought havoc throughout the United States. By October, natural disasters had already cost the United States over $25 billion according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and that was before wildfires broke out in southern California. PBS reports that 2017 is on track to break records for the number of major natural disasters in a year. With many of these events crippling major U.S. cities, officials and citizens will be thinking hard about how to prepare their cities for a future with more frequent and stronger disasters. Some cities have already taken the lead on developing and implementing climate adaptation strategies, such as Miami Beachs efforts to elevate streets and install pumps. In 2018, we predict that a record number of cities will begin the process of developing climate change adaptation plans.

3. Institutional investors will increasingly count social and environmental impact as part of their fiduciary obligation. Foundations will follow McKnight's early lead by committing to invest endowment dollars (not just grant money) into climate mitigation and social improvement projects. Likewise, university endowments will adopt policies that address climate change in their investment portfolios as an integral part of their fiduciary commitment.

4. Shipping will follow aviations lead and agree to a carbon reduction commitment that will rely on offsets at the onset. A few years ago, the biggest future carbon market youve never heard of was created when the international aviation sector agreed to carbon reduction targets. Given the international nature of airline travel, aviation emissions have proven difficult to regulate. The establishment of a commitment, overseen by the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization, and the creation of an offset market to allow the sector time to develop biofuels and fuel-efficient fleets, has provided a roadmap for other multi-national industries to follow. The clear candidate to follow this blueprint is the maritime industry. Although a growing number of shippers have called for some form of regulation, developing countries, which are dependent on ships to transport their manufactured goods to major markets in developed countries, have called for a go-slow approach. However, annual shipping emissions are already 30% greater than those from air travel and forecast to grow by another 17% if left unchecked. Meeting the Paris commitments will require progress on developing and agreeing to a framework for the shipping industryjust like in the aviation sector.

5. The first year of the Trump administration has seen deregulation and dismantling at agencies working to combat climate change. While President Trump has made broad and sweeping actions to reverse progress on addressing climate change, such as withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement, deliberate and quiet efforts are having a powerful effect at the agency level. Scott Pruitt, Director of the EPA, has taken a meticulous approach to deconstructing decades of regulation and basic environmental protections, including repeal of the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, which sought to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The Department of the Interior announced plans to hold the largest-ever auction of oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico, and many scientific and administrative posts have been filled with people hostile to curbing greenhouse gas emissions. With at least three more years of the Trump presidency to go, we predict that the EPA and offices focused on climate change in other agencies will see further deconstruction in 2018.

6. The Trump administrations intransigence on climate science will backfire in the 2018 midterms. Republicans remain the only major party in a global democracy to deny basic climate science. With intensifying weather, scientific consensus that anthropogenic greenhouse gases are to blame, and cheap renewables and electrified transportation demonstrating that mitigation can be affordable and improve our lives, the position of the Trump administration and many Republican party members simply cannot be sustained. In 2018, we expect Democrats to increasingly fight for the economic and environmental benefits of carbon pricing and look to chastise climate-denying legislators for their ignorance and intransigence. This strategy (which David Roberts calls agnoism) will pay dividends in the 2018-midterm elections, and Republicans will (slowly) reconsider the tenability of their outdated position on climate change.

7. U.S. companies will voluntarily, and increasingly, report on financial policies and performance related to the environment and social responsibility. The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) recently published its Exposure Draft Standards for 79 industries, with the public comment period having closed on December 31, 2017. We predict there will be a continued increase in the number of U.S. companies that choose to include discussion of their policies and performance regarding the environment, social responsibility and similar matters in their required external reports or in what is often referred to as a sustainability report. Even though the standards are not legal requirements, we predict an upturn in voluntary acceptance that will inspire other companies to feel obligated to provide similar disclosure to their stakeholders. Due to the prominence and credibility of the SASB Board members, the SASB has generated considerable momentum in a short period. The end result is a win-win for the companies and capital markets because the disclosures are not onerous and focus on financially material sustainability factors that result in providing extremely useful information for investors.

8. Public support of dairy digester development will shift to credit enhancements to mitigate risks for private investors. Explosive growth in the development of California digesters will continue in 2018. In 2017, California awarded grants to build 18 new digesters over the next two years (which will almost double the number of digesters in the state). With double the funding available in 2018, we expect more than 35 new projects to be supported. As projects become more cost-effective, their technology becomes increasingly understood and their impacts are proven, private capital can, and should, play a greater role in building new digesters to meet the states goalssignificantly reducing methane emissions. To encourage this transition, expect climate-policy advocates, project developers, and the dairy industry to increasingly advocate for shifting public support from grant making to credit enhancements that mitigate risks for private investors in dairy digesters. In 2018 we expect to see a final design for Californias pilot financial mechanism to be proposed. We also expect a large number of advocates will line up to fund this mechanism, with at least $25 million to backstop price guarantees for the environmental markets that drive project economics but face real regulatory risk.

9. Climate smart agriculture and soil health will gain prominence in 2018. Collective activities in agriculture, forestry, and land use change are responsible for 21% of our global emissions, second only to the energy sector. The international 2017 climate talks in Bonn released the blockade restraining the agricultural sector from playing an active role in solutions for climate change. At the 23rd Conference of Parties (COP), the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) took up the charge to address issues related to agriculture. The path set by the SBI and the SBSTA now engages agriculture as a strategic priority to develop on-the-ground practices that help curb greenhouse gas emissions. The Nature Conservancy found that natural climate solutions offers over one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation we need by 2030 to achieve our Paris target of a less than 2 C world. We will witness agriculture step up and adapt to climate friendly practices in the face of global population growth and the impacts of rising temperatures on smallholder farmers. The Sustainable Development Goal of achieving a hunger-free world by 2030 is being challenged by these mounting influences. The outcome of COP23 means that the theory, research, and discussions on agriculture will finally turn into tangible action on the ground.

10. Global health implications of climate change will sound an alarm for insurance markets. Climate change is on track to deliver the biggest global health threat of the 21st century, according to the British medical publication, The Lancet. Increasing global temperatures will aid the spread of vector-borne diseases like Malaria, Lyme disease, Zika virus, and water born illnesses such as Cholera and Toxoplasmosis. We have already begun experiencing the increased mortality risks from flooding, intense precipitation, and high summer temperatures and fires. Sadly, we will witness even more pronounced health impacts this year. While the property and casualty insurance market has become aware of the effects of a changing climate, the healthcare sector is just starting to understand the import that this will have on health care costs, services, and delivery. Ceres conducted research that ranked 148 of the largest insurance companies in the country. While Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA recognizes climate change as a significant threat to public health, a few companies surveyed by Ceres stated that they do not believe climate change is a material business risk. We will see an awakening in the health insurance sector in 2018 and an effort to follow European insurers who are active in combatting and adapting to climate change. The former CEO for AXA SA, Henri de Castries, said in his 2016 speech, We have no choice, a 2C world might be insurable, a 4C world certainly would not be. The alarm clock for the health insurance industry will sound off loud and clear in 2018.

The Trusts two decades of expertise in this space has laid the foundation for our team to make sound carbon market predictions year after year, said Sheldon Zakreski, Director of Asset Management for The Climate Trust. In fact, a record number of our 2017 predictions hit the mark, including environmental justice groups taking an active role in climate policy decisions, private industry picking up U.S. government slack, the California Air Resources Board prevailing in a high-profile lawsuit, China taking the lead in carbon markets, as well as an alarming number of U.S. citizens becoming climate refugees, with a related surge in momentum for global climate litigation.

Director of Investments, Kristen Kleiman, added, In particular, Californias move to recommit to their cap and trade system provided a valuable market signal to support linkages and increase jurisdictional participation in offset markets. Riding this wave of market interest, The Trust is now poised to fully commit our $5.5M pilot carbon investment fund, and launch our $100M 10-year private equity Fund II in 2018.

Building upon a legacy of innovation and leadership in the carbon market, The Climate Trust mobilizes conservation finance to maximize environmental returns. We value air, water and soil through the development, purchase and sale of qualied offsets and a relentless investment in people and projects with environmental purpose | http://www.climatetrust.org | @climatetrust | facebook.com/TheClimateTrust
Military spouses have shaped legislation, been commanding advocates for military children and spearheaded organizations that have raised millions for our veterans and their families," said Suzie Schwartz, President of Military Spouse Programs at Victory Media.

Nominations Now Open to Honor Military Spouses; Winner Announced at USO-Metro Gala in May

PITTSBURGH (January 2, 2018)Now in its eleventh year honoring the dedication and sacrifices of our nations more than 1.1 million military spouses, Military Spouse magazine opened nominations today for the 2018 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year (MSOY). The award program honors military spouses from all six branches of the Armed Forces who are making a difference in their communities. Americans are urged to nominate inspiring military spouses who are making important contributions to our country, now through January 31 at http://www.msoy.militaryspouse.com. The nomination form includes an easy to fill out on-line application where nominators can highlight the military spouses impact on his or her family and community.

Brittany Boccher, a Little Rock, Arkansas-based Air Force spouse, was nominated and awarded the 2017 Armed Forces Insurance MSOY for her work in making resources available for military families with exceptional medical needs. Boccher is the mother of a son with Downs Syndrome. Past winners also include an Army spouse who uses her expertise as a psychologist to strengthen military marriages; a Marine spouse entrepreneur who runs a successful business and mentors military spouses as they start their own careers; a National Guard spouse who helps civilians understand the complexities of a Guard serving at home as well as overseas; a Navy veteran stay-at-home dad who advocates tirelessly on behalf of military families with special needs; and a Marine wife who started the Semper Fi Fund and America's Fund with just $500, and now operates with more than $120 million to help wounded, critically ill and injured services members and their families.

Military spouses have shaped legislation, been commanding advocates for military children and spearheaded organizations that have raised millions for our veterans and their families, said Suzie Schwartz, President of Military Spouse Programs at Victory Media. These spouses give so much of themselves to their families and our country and I ask that everyone take a moment to honor this amazing group of men and women who truly go above and beyond for our nation.

Nominations will be accepted January 2-31 across all six branches of the United States military: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and National Guard. Nominees will then be organized at the base, district (Coast Guard), and state (National Guard) level. Voting to select winners will be held in multiple phases:



February 1: Meet the Candidates profiles are published online at msoy.militaryspouse.com.

February 5-9: Nominees are narrowed down by national vote to one winning Spouse of the Year from each base, district and state. See the voting timeline at: http://www.msoy.militaryspouse.com/ .

February 13: Base Winners are announced

February 16: Top 18 are announced

February 20: Voting will be held for an anticipated group of more than 200 base-level representatives to determine each services 2018 Armed Forces Insurance Branch Spouse of the Year.

February 23: Six branch winners are announced.

March 2: Final voting is conducted by a judging panel to determine the 2018 Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year.

For the first time, the overall winner will be announced at the USO-Metro Gala in Washington D.C. on May 10. The new partnership between Military Spouse of the Year and USO-Metro is a natural fit in their shared mission to provide military service members, and their families, resources and opportunities to connect with others who have selflessly served our country.

For nine years, Armed Forces Insurance has been a part of the Military Spouse of the Year program and we couldnt be more proud of the accomplishments of military spouses, said Lori Simmons, Chief Marketing Officer at Armed Forces Insurance. The resilience, dedication and innovation military spouses bring every day to their communities is admirable. We are pleased to honor their service and that of their service members.

To learn more about the Military Spouse of the Year award, including nominee eligibility, rules and regulations, and program alumni visit http://www.msoy.militaryspouse.com.

About Military Spouse:

Military Spouse is the leading destination for the nation's 1.1 million military spouses, who contribute to their communities, the military and each other every day. A division of Victory Media, Military Spouse provides online and print resources for military families on PCS, careers, education opportunities and family life. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. Founded in 2001, Victory Media is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) that connects the military community to civilian employment, entrepreneurial and education opportunities through its G.I. Jobs, Military Spouse, Vetrepreneur, STEM JobsSM and Military Friendly brands. Learn more at http://www.victorymedia.com.

About Armed Forces Insurance:

Armed Forces Insurance was founded in 1887 by military leaders with a single mission: to protect the property of those who protect our nation. The company provides premium quality, competitively priced property and casualty insurance to military professionals throughout the United States and overseas. Armed Forces Insurance understands that its members have unique circumstances and insurance needs, enabling the company to offer a level of personalized service that's unequalled in the industry. For more information, visit the website at http://www.afi.org or call 1-800-495-8234, and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
After 30 years in business, we figured it was time for a facelift to our digital presence. We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new, mobile-friendly MilfordMD.com website with new features! Websites are no longer stagnant practice brochures. Todays websites are more like online destinations. Visitors to the MilfordMD.com website can interact in real time, get updated information and navigate easily to get whatever they need in seconds.

MilfordMD Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center has unveiled MilfordMD.com, its newly designed mobile-friendly website, which gives visitors the opportunity to consult with practice physicians virtually, book consults online, watch video testimonials, have live chats and more. Weve been building the new MilfordMD.com web experience for about a year, says cosmetic surgeon Dr. Richard Buckley, medical director at MilfordMD Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center, in Milford, Penn. Websites are no longer stagnant practice brochures. Todays websites are more like online destinations. Visitors to the MilfordMD.com website can interact in real time, get updated information and navigate easily to get whatever they need in seconds.

The MilfordMD website offers an easily accessible online library describing todays cosmetic options. Online visitors can use our navigation bars to find the procedure they want and learn all about it, Dr. Buckley says. For example, a person interested in Botox injections can access information, including recent blogs on Botox; see how its done by viewing an in-office video demonstration; even, fill out a form for a confidential virtual consultation, so they can find out if theyre candidates and what it might cost if they have the procedure. They can look at a gallery of before and after photos, as well as read patient testimonials from people who have had Botox.

The website makes it easy for visitors to learn more about the doctors and staff and contact MilfordMD by email or phone. Patients can log into their private accounts and patient portal. They can even view their consults, including what was discussed and their possible transformations, made possible with images from MilfordMDs newly added Vectra XT 3D imaging and Visia Complexion Analysis System.

MilfordMD has added an online pricing feature, where visitors can fill in a limited amount of information and the practice will email them an estimate on what their desired procedure will cost, according to Dr. Buckley. We offer information on financing options on the website, and up-to-date information on practice specials that can save patients hundreds of dollars on their favorite cosmetic procedures, he says.

New patients can download patient information forms, to save time during their office visits. And out-of-town patients can get a glimpse of accommodation and dining options, while in Pennsylvania for their procedures at MilfordMD.

For those who want to shop for skincare products or cosmetic services online, for themselves or as gifts for the holidays, MilfordMD.com features an online shopping cart. Our MediSpa services, including HydraFacial MD, peels and body waxing, are gift favorites. Now, its easy for people to go online and purchase a product or cosmetic procedure without leaving home, Dr. Buckley says.

MilfordMD.com continues to offer a live chat option, where people can ask questions about procedures and more on-the-spot. We made sure that with all the bells and whistles, we paid attention to the basic tenants of a good website. MilfordMD.com is easy to navigate, simple in design and is perfect for mobile access, Dr. Buckley says. More and more people are checking us out with their smart phones. The website loads easily and looks great on any smart phone or tablet. MilfordMD is an extension of our practice. Its the first impression many people get of who we are and what we do. We invite people to take a look and tell us what they think.

About MilfordMD Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center:

The MilfordMD Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center offers state-of-the-art highly specialized procedures in laser and cosmetic surgery and aesthetic skin care. In addition to its AAAHC accredited surgical center and extensive laser surgery capabilities, MilfordMD offers physician designed skin care products for home use. Milford Pennsylvanias MilfordMD Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center is sought out by patients from around the world for expertise and innovation in cosmetic treatments performed by Board Certified Physicians, Richard E. Buckley, M.D. and Marina Buckley, M.D.

MilfordMD Cosmetic Dermatology Surgery & Laser Center is located at 303 W. Harford Street, Milford, PA 18337. Tel: (800) 664-1528. For real patient video testimonials, visit our MilfordMD YouTube channel.
"It is inspiring to hear about these students' commitment to small businesses in America," said Ted Devine, CEO of Insureon. "Insureon is proud to contribute toward the education of the next generation of America's small-business owners and supporters."

Insureon, the nation's leading online provider of small business insurance, today announced the winners of its fall 2017 Small Business, Big Impact scholarship competition: Andrea Cable of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and Selena Shore of Orange Park, Florida. Each will receive $2,500 to help with their tuition and other educational expenses.

Since 2014, Insureon has awarded more than $50,000 in scholarship funds to the next generation of small-business supporters. To be considered for the scholarship, students are asked to write an essay describing their favorite small business.

Andrea's essay focuses on her own small business, Andrea Cable Photography. She shares her journey about starting her business as a junior in high school, and how today she is able to balance running a wedding and senior portrait photography business with being a full-time student. Andrea is currently a junior at Eastern Mennonite University, where she is studying business administration, accounting, and photography.

In her essay, Selena told the story of a popular pizza shop in her hometown, NYC Meatballs and Pizzeria. She described how in addition to making delicious meals, the owner, Rocky, supported the community by holding fundraisers for families in need and donating supplies during Hurricane Irma. Selena is a junior at the University of South Florida, where she is majoring in biomedical science. She hopes to attend USF's College of Pharmacy once she graduates.

"It is inspiring to hear about these students' commitment to small businesses in America," said Ted Devine, CEO of Insureon. "Insureon is proud to contribute toward the education of the next generation of America's small-business owners and supporters."

To read the winning essays, visit the scholarship winners' page: http://www.insureon.com/insureonu/small-business-scholarship/winners.

Insureon's Small Business, Big Impact scholarship program is held three times annually, providing a total of six scholarships per year. Insureon is accepting applications for the next round of scholarships January 3 through March 31, 2018. For more details, visit http://www.insureon.com/insureonu/small-business-scholarship/.

About Insureon

Headquartered in Chicago, Insureon provides industry-leading technology that connects small-business owners with top U.S. insurance providers via a simple online application tool. The companys agents are certified in 50 states and have helped more than 200,000 customers compare options to find the best policies to protect their businesses. For more information, visit http://www.insureon.com.
AGC Automotive and Dibotics partnership "We found the same innovation spirit in the AGC Automotive and Wideye teams and were delighted to have contributed to this major breakthrough for Autonomous Driving, said Raul Bravo, CEO of DIBOTICS.

There are several reasons why seamless integration of LiDAR inside the vehicle is a major step for industry:



The LiDAR sensor is fully protected inside the vehicle cabin and does not require extensive sealing

The aperture of the LiDAR is kept clear in all conditions with windshield features (wipers, defrosting, )

LiDAR is fully effective in a high mounting position, for the best long-range vision

The LiDAR data can be combined with other sensors around the car to offer the best redundancy of data

Each sensor is totally hidden inside the vehicle, behind IR glass windshield and/or behind IR glass trims

As automotive glass manufacturer leader, AGC Automotive has created a dedicated entity, totally devoted to autonomous vehicles and LiDAR integration: WIDEYE.

The ecosystem of autonomous vehicles deserves all our attention and a dedicated service to face new challenges said Michel Meyers, Mobility Business Development Office Director  AGC Automotive Europe. Automotive infrared transparent glass and LiDAR integration with Dibotics are a real breakthrough. This presentation at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is the first step of our commitment to autonomous vehicle revolution.

As partners, AGC AUTOMOTIVE and DIBOTICS share the same vision of autonomous vehicles: both are device agnostic and can work with every type of LiDAR sensor. Both companies strongly believe that LiDAR will be the key enabler for Autonomous Vehicles, combined with other sensors to provide maximum safety to drivers. They are both also fully convinced that design will remain a main topic and a powerful trigger for autonomous vehicles adoption.

As a pioneer in real-time processing of LiDAR data, hearing that something is not possible with LiDAR motivates us to push even further and open new possibilities. We found the same innovation spirit in the AGC Automotive and Wideye teams and were delighted to have contributed to this major breakthrough for Autonomous Driving, said Raul Bravo, CEO of DIBOTICS. Were sure that LiDAR manufacturers, OEMs and Tiers1 will highly appreciate the potential of this innovation.

After multiple tests and glass prototypes production, Dibotics and AGC AUTOMOTIVEs products & services are ready for scale-up and will be presented to the Consumer Electronic Show CES in Las Vegas, JAN 9-12, 2018 in the DIBOTICS Booth (BUSINESS FRANCE AutoTech PAVILION  CP 5  CENTRAL PLAZA) and their main LiDAR partners.

ABOUT DIBOTICS

Dibotics is a Paris-based company offering innovation in real-time LiDAR processing. Founded in 2015 by Raul Bravo and Olivier Garcia, two serial entrepreneurs with extensive experience of 15 years in LiDAR processing for mobile robotics applications, Dibotics has an original approach that differs from the traditional solutions. Its sensor-agnostic 3D SLAM technology (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) and Augmented LiDAR created the first solution allowing advanced features like point-wise classification, objects detection & tracking and calibration-less Sensor Fusion to be performed only based on the sensor data itself. All of this performs without requiring any learning (deterministic) and can be embedded in a small and low-power integrated circuit (SLAM on Chip).

For more information about the Augmented LiDAR solution, please visit http://www.augmentedlidar.com

For sensors other than LiDAR (Radar, 3D ToF Camera, Sonar), please visit http://www.dibotics.com

ABOUT AGC AUTOMOTIVE & WIDEYE

The AGC Group, with Tokyo-based Asahi Glass Co., Ltd. at its core, is a world-leading supplier of flat, automotive and display glass, chemicals and other high-tech materials and components. AGC Automotive Europe specializes in production of windows (OEM and replacement) for vehicle manufacturers. It also provides ready-to-assemble systems (fixation devices), higher value added functional systems (antennas, sensors, heating elements) and enhanced property glazing (improved thermal, sound and vision comfort). Wideye is a dedicated entity of AGC, totally focused on autonomous vehicle ecosystem, thanks to 3 value axes: supply of exclusive infrared transparent glass for vision and non-vision glazing & LiDAR covers, tailor made design of parts for LiDAR integration, and LiDARs global integration with partners.

For more information about AGC go to: http://www.agc-automotive.com (automotive glass), http://www.agc-arg.eu (ARG) or http://www.agc-glass.eu (corporate site). For more information about Wideye go to http://www.wideye.vision
Since our taxes are going down, its only right that our workers wages go up. Our people work very hard and they have made Express a successful company. Im pleased that we are able to do this for our employees. - Bob Funk, Express CEO

Bob Funk, CEO of the nationwide staffing company Express Employment Professionals, announced today that all non-executive level employees at the companys international headquarters in Oklahoma City will receive a $2,000 bonus as a result of the tax reform legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump last week.

The corporate tax cuts will allow us to invest more money in our people, Funk said. Since our taxes are going down, its only right that our workers wages go up. Our people work very hard and they have made Express a successful company. Im pleased that we are able to do this for our employees.

Trumps federal tax reform translates into a 22.5 percent reduction in the Pass Through Rate, which reduces the tax by 10 percent of Taxable Income for Express, meaning more employers are able to redirect tax savings into infrastructure and increased employee compensation.

I hope the wave of companies issuing additional pay increases as a result of tax reform legislation continues, Funk said. The demand for workers is very high in this growing economy and that means workers will be more selective in their job search.

In a survey of 1,951 businesses conducted by Express in the second quarter of 2017, respondents were asked, What hurdles stop applicants from accepting a job at your company? Thirty percent (30%) said low pay stops applicants from accepting a job, making it the most popular response.

Its clear that pay is a top motivator for job seekers, Funk said. There is a wide range of factors to which employers much be sensitive when growing their workforce. Strategic pay and compensation packages are key to making a good hire, especially as the skills gap widens and the labor market tightens. This new law allows companies to be competitive in the current market.

Tax reform will play a major role in the growth of corporations leading into 2018 and beyond, allowing companies to succeed and continue investing in their employees and local communities.

This is a very exciting time for Express and the national economy, Funk said. Business has been strong and I think this tax cut will make it even stronger, ultimately benefiting the American worker.

***

If you would like to arrange for an interview with Bob Funk to discuss this topic, please contact Sheena Karami, Director of Corporate Communications and PR, at (405) 717-5966.

About Robert A. Funk

Robert A. Bob Funk is chairman and chief executive officer of Express Employment Professionals. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the international staffing company has more than 770 franchises in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. Under his leadership, Express has put more than 6 million people to work worldwide. Funk served as Chairman of the Conference of Chairmen of the Federal Reserve and was also the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

About Express Employment Professionals

Express Employment Professionals puts people to work. It generated $3.05 billion in sales and employed a record 510,000 people in 2016. Its long-term goal is to put a million people to work annually. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

###

For More Information:

Sheena Karami

Express Employment Professionals

Director Corporate Communications

(405) 717-5966

Sheena.Karami(at)expresspros(dot)com
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The most expensive private home in America will hit the market this spring in Los Angeles for a cool $500 million.

The Bel Air mansion was designed by Paul McClean, the same architect who built the $88 million estate Beyonce and Jay-Z bought in 2017. McClean's contemporary homes have also sold to the Winklevoss twins, Calvin Klein, and Swedish DJ Avicii.

Los Angeles real estate developer Nile Niami bought the hilltop property in 2012 for $28 million and gutted the original 10,000 square-foot house to make room for the mega-mansion, which he dubbed "The One," according to the New York Times.

At 100,000 square-feet, the house will also be one of the largest private residences in the US  but the amenities sound more like a hotel than a home.

Within floor-to-ceiling glass walls, there's a casino, a jellyfish tank, a beauty salon, a nightclub with VIP seating, plus two indoor swimming pools and two spa pools, and an infinity edge moat surrounding the property.

Niami told the Times he included the Gatsby-like amenities "because it's cool."

"Let's say you're a super-wealthy single dude who just sold your company. You've just moved to LA and you don't know anybody, so you hire someone to fill your house with partiers," Niami told the Times. "You want everyone to know who you are, but you don't want to talk to anybody. So you go sit in your VIP room."

Following up on the article... @ mccleandesign

Niami expects the eventual buyer will purchase the mansion as a fifth or sixth home and use it like a private hotel when they're in town. The home has 20 bedrooms, seven of which are in a separate building for staff. The master suite measures 5,500 square feet and includes a separate pool, kitchen, and office.

Although McClean is no stranger to designing mansions  over half of his homes are larger than 8,000 square feet  "The One" was a challenge, he told the Orange County Register.

"There are very few homes this size," McClean said. "We had to think of it in a different manner than other homes. We looked at hotels. We even looked at palaces because that's what this is, a modern-day palace."

The most expensive home ever sold to date in the US went for $137 million, while the most expensive home in the world, a chateau in France, sold for $300 million.

Many real estate experts cited by the Times are skeptical Niami will find a buyer willing to shell out anywhere near $500 million for "The One."
Well, the slum can boast of an elite bilingual private school although not attended by the kids in the slum.

In Nima, as in many of Africas slums, there is an overcrowded population living in precarious circumstances, occupying substandard housing structures with few, if any, public services to rely upon. The hallmarks of a slum are everywhere, from the tangles of small shacks to the abundance of dust and debris.

Children living in the slum face barriers to accessing and remaining in school that are accentuated by very low family incomes, poor infrastructure and high population density.

The town is popular because of its market  the Nima market.

However, the middle of this slum has one of Accra's most expensive private schools which runs a bilingual curriculum; German Swiss International School.

German Swiss International School was founded in Accra at the beginning of 1966.
A representative of the Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, Sergeant revealed that on Monday, January 1, 2017, law enforcement agents were sent to the Concord residence of the boy who was playing with the weapon in a bedroom before it discharged firearms.

ALSO READ: Kenyan Police officer shoots self after killing lover

Efforts to resuscitate him at a hospital yielded no positive outcome as he succumbed to death. No further information has followed the story of his demise.

Kids should be kept away from weapons

The US is a country that offers liberty to its citizens in respect to safety. This freedom has however posed a danger to the lives of children living in its environment.

There have been a number of cases involving teenagers killing themselves. This has often occurred in academic institutions that has seen quite a number of instances where some youths attack their colleagues in a nasty onslaught.

ALSO READ: Kidnapper who made pepper soup with intestines of victim nabbed by police

What will however appear shocking to most is a child's desire to kill members of his family. The case of a 16-year-old New Jersey teenager, Scott Kologi who allegedly murdered his family members with a semi-automatic rifle on New Year's Eve.
The accused was sentenced to 12 years and eight months in prison by three judges at a court in the northern city of Santiago del Estero, the Independent News UK reports. The sufferer who is now 30 years old told the El Liberal Newspaper that the practice was commonplace in the family of the incestuous man.

Other relations of Bulacio who was captured by the police in the city of Loreto after 45 days on the run, also engage in the shocking dealings according to the victim.

I was not the only one, there are relatives of his who do the same to their sisters and daughters, she confirmed in an article published by El Liberal.

The story came into the purview of the public when the abused took her five-year-old son on a visit to see a doctor. The child was reportedly very ill at the time.

El Liberal also reported that Bulacio who lived in a room with the victim raped the latter in the presence of their children. A DNA test carried out to determine the paternity of the offsprings served as proof prompting criminal charges relating to sex crimes against him.

Just like Austrias Josef Fritzl

The incident has been likened to the case of Austrias Josef Fritzl, who locked his daughter, Elisabeth in a cellar so that he can sexually violate her. Fritzl, now 82 years old was condemned to a life behind bars following a court verdict.

Elisabeth reportedly bore the convict who was tried in the year 2009, seven children over a 24-year period.

In Nigeria, money making rituals are part of the motivation inspiring scenarios where fathers engage in a sexual intercourse with their daughters.

The month of September 2017, saw a Magistrate's court in Ekiti State, Nigeria, remand a 55-year-old old man, Bashiru Adeyanju, who told a judge that two native doctors instructed him to sleep with his 17-year-old daughter.
The AFP reported that a militia group, Mai-Mai armed group is suspected to have attacked the house in Museienene, North Kivu province of the country.

Joseph Kabila became president of DRC since January 2001 after the assassination of his father, President Laurent-Desire Kabila. He was elected as President in 2006, and given the mandate again in 2011 to rule for a second term.

An election was supposed to have been held in November, 2016, but was suspended until early 2018, following a claim that the government would want to conduct a census before the elections.

Meanwhile, the DRC has experienced lots of insurgencies and attendant attacks. In this particular suspected arson, an army official told the AFP that The residence of the head of state in Musienene has been targeted in an attack from 03:00 and then burned by the Mai-Mai.
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The suspect who has been identified as Constable Emmanuel Asiedu was believed to have engaged in a robbery incident after he was seen allegedly flouting road signs whiles driving a red Toyota Camry saloon car with a Nigerian number plate No. KTU-723EJ.

Police told mynewsgh.com that the suspect had evaded the toll tax by failing to stop when he was asked to do so at Oyibi.

READ ALSO: Juju man in police grips for possessing fake currencies

The Sargent who was on duty at a tollbooth chased the suspect with a Police motorbike and intercepted the said car at Oyibi Junction.

When the suspect was questioned and asked to drive back to the station, he reportedly refused and rather pulled a pistol on the Sargent, saying that he was also a police officer.

The superior, however, raised an alarm and with the help of civilians around, the suspect was arrested and sent to the station.

Police retrieved items including 11 pieces of Police Gotta handsets and a foreign Pistol with seven rounds of ammunition in the suspects car.
According to a statement issued by UNICEF, half of these births were recorded in nine countries including India, China, Nigeria and the US.

READ ALSO: Woman steals baby to appease man after she could not tell the whereabouts of his baby

The statement added that while many of these babies will survive, some will not make it past their first day, citing 2016 where 2,000 children died within the first 24 hours.

However, the UNICEF Representative in Ghana, Rushnan Murtaza said her organization has resolved to work tirelessly to make every child survive through the year.

She said this will be done through low cost solutions.

In order to ensure this happens UNICEF will this month launch a global campaign dubbed 'Every Child Alive', to demand quality healthcare solutions for every mother and their newborn.
The split was not triggered by popular demand, nor was it decided in a referendum; it largely resulted from the inability of negotiators to strike a satisfactory new partnership deal in democratic times.

Slovak-born Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis spoke via telephone on Monday with his Slovak counterpart Robert Fico who dubbed the divorce "an unprecedented example of a peaceful split of a federal republic" in a Facebook post.

Hundreds of Czechs and Slovaks held an annual meeting on the Velka Javorina mountain straddling the Czech-Slovak border that first began in 1845. Since 1992, the gatherings have protested the unpopular split.

"We had no problem being together. We had a problem with how to be together," former Slovak foreign affairs minister Milan Knazko told AFP.

While recent surveys suggest that around half of Slovaks are happy with independence, a 1990 Czechoslovak opinion poll showed that just under 10 percent of Slovaks wanted their own country while in the Czech part of the federation only five percent of respondents wanted to go it alone.

'Reasonable step'

"Czechoslovakia didn't fall apart like the Soviet Union, and it was not torn apart like the former Yugoslavia. It just split," Knazko said.

An actor-turned-politician that played a popular role in the Velvet Revolution, Knazko was one of the four members of the Slovak delegation that held talks with Czechs in the summer of 1992 on the split.

"During the negotiations we tried to find a form of maintaining our federation. At one point, Czech PM Vaclav Klaus said we should rather have separate countries than to engage in some kind of experiment," Knazko recalled.

After their amicable divorce, the two countries have maintained close trade ties and political cooperation in forums like the Visegrad Group.

Bratislava and Prague joined the EU in 2004, but the smaller Slovakia pushed further ahead in 2009 by joining the eurozone. Both are also NATO members.
She said much of her family worked in a carpet factory in Kashan, a town 250 kilometres (150 miles) south of the capital, but they have all recently lost their jobs.

"The owner of the factory cannot afford to buy thread for carpets and so he sacked everyone. How should they survive?"

It is a story heard up and down the country as Iran struggles to recover from years of poor economic management and crippling international sanctions.

On Sunday night, Tehranis listened to President Hassan Rouhani address the mass protests that have spread across Iran since Thursday, in which he said people had the right to protest but should not engage in violence.

"He says it's free for people to protest but we're scared of speaking. Even now, I'm scared of talking to you," said 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?"

'We'll have to pay for it'

Many people are nonetheless put off by the violence they have seen from protesters who have attacked banks, government buildings and symbols of the regime.

Sara, a 26-year-old student in conservative dress, agreed with the government line that the protests were being "guided from abroad", but even she felt the protests began over "people's economic hardship".

"I'm not at all for demonstrations in which public property is vandalised. When some break windows, then we'll have to pay for it later," added Shiva Daneshvar, a 55-year-old housewife.

But everyone understands the frustration seething under Iranian society.

"I think people don't like to vandalise and set fire to places, but this is the only way to make their voices heard," said Nasser Khalaf, 52, who works for an oil company, adding that he has two unemployed sons in their twenties.

Many feel the nation has not been rewarded for enduring decades of hardship -- the tumult of the 1979 revolution, eight years of brutal war with Iraq in the 1980s and recent US sanctions.

"After 40 years they have realised that all the hardship... was in vain," said Arya Rahmani, a 27-year-old nurse.

"I'm working in this society but I always have the stress of whether I'm going to be sacked tomorrow."

"Mr Rouhani says 'protest in a proper way', but what is the proper way? If I come and say 'Mr Rouhani, I'm an educated person but I'm unemployed'... well, he wouldn't give a damn."

Trump in 'his palace'

There was typical derision regarding US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly tweeted his support for the protests in recent days, saying Monday that it was "TIME FOR CHANGE!"

"Verbal support is of no use," said Rahmani. "He's living in his palace and here I'm arrested. What can Trump do?"

"It would be better if he didn't support the protests," added Khalaf, saying that external support from opposition groups was also unwelcome.

Many harbour a deep mistrust of Trump after he barred Iranians from visiting the United States as part of his ban on "terrorist" nations.

"The government should improve the people's situation to a level where Trump won't dare say such a thing," said Mirzaie, the housewife.

Underlying it all is a deep-seated frustration that their country has failed to capitalise on its huge potential.

"Our country is really like gold. Whatever you can think of, you can find in Iran. But we are not benefiting at all from the things we have in our country," said Mirzaie.

It remains unclear where the protests will go from here.

Without a clear leadership structure, the protests may struggle to stay focused, particularly if authorities decide to crack down more firmly than they have so far.

Khalaf, the oil company employee, said that may be tougher than during the last mass protests that followed allegations of election-rigging in 2009.

"In 2009 when people took to the streets it was only in Tehran and so they easily managed to suppress it," he said.
Kim used his annual speech to warn the United States that he has a "nuclear button" on his table while offering an apparent olive branch to South Korea, saying he was prepared for talks and may send a team to the Winter Olympics there.

The softer tone and the surprisingly snazzy Western-style suit and matching grey tie -- a stark change from his usual dour Mao suits -- had analysts trying to read the unexpected sartorial signals.

"Kim Jong-Un's silver Western-style suit and horn-rimmed glasses, as well as the fact that he was not wearing a badge of his grandfather and father, shows his confidence and stability. It signals that he is in control," Professor Yang Moo-Jin of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul told AFP.

Robert Kelly of Pusan National University described the torchbearer of the Kim dynasty as looking more like "a banker, wearing Armani".

"There has been a lot of speculation that he is trying to make North Korea look more modern and connected. His father's Mao suits looked ridiculous in the 21st century," he was quoted as saying in the New York Times.

"Its a flimflam... Just a show."

South Korea's state-run Korea Institute for National Unification, said it appeared that Pyongyang had gone "to great lengths for the image-making".

"The change from previously darker Maoist suits to a softer-toned grey Western-style suit appears to be aimed at portraying the image of peace stressed in the speech and reflecting a relaxed state of mind following the completion of nuclear statehood," it said.

Whether it was the change in Kim's tone or wardrobe that was at work, South Korea responded favourably, reaching out to Pyongyang on Tuesday with the offer of high-level talks next week.
The US military says an American soldier has been killed fighting in eastern Afghanistan.

A military statement issued Tuesday said four other soldiers were wounded during a "combat engagement" on January 1 in the Achin district of Nangarhar province. It said two of the wounded were in stable condition and the other two have returned to duty.

Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, expressed condolences, saying we are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own.

We are deeply saddened by t... @ GEN John Nicholson

The US casualties happened as President Donald Trump prepares to send thousands of more troops into Afghanistan, according to The Hill, despite defense experts saying it won't make much of a difference in breaking the current stalemate.

Trump sent 3,000 troops to the wartorn country last summer, bringing the current number of troops in Afghanistan to 14,000.
At Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, violence, drug use, and gang activity run rampant.

It seems like the last place any law-abiding citizen would want to visit, let alone live for two months.

But that's exactly what nine people did on the A&E documentary series "60 Days In," whose fourth season premieres Monday.

The show took participants from all over the country and sent them undercover to live as inmates at Fulton County Jail. Given false identities and booked under fake charges, the participants lived among the population of the jail without corrections officers or their fellow inmates knowing their secret.

The participants are tasked with finding out as much information as possible about the inner workings of the jail and reporting back to chief jailer Col. Mark Adger, one of the only jail employees in on the ruse.

In early episodes, the undercover volunteers are constantly tested by veteran inmates. Some participants had their cover stories immediately questioned for possible inconsistencies. Others had their property stolen or were pressured into buying items for other people from the jail's commissary, a common experience for new inmates.

"It can be very difficult, especially depending on the strength of your own psyche, to withstand such pressures," Adger told Business Insider. "They felt hopeless. They felt they were at the mercy of whatever happens next."

As much as 20% of the jail's 2,500-inmate population is affiliated with a gang, according to data provided by Adger, and learning to navigate gang life was critical to fitting in.

"The easiest thing for most civilians is stay in your own lane," Nate, one of the participants, told Business Insider. "Don't try to cross the gang members in a negative light because you know they will take care of it if they feel disrespected."

Season 4 marks the second installment of the show to take place in Atlanta, with the first two seasons filmed at Clark County Jail in southern Indiana. Previous seasons shined a light on various aspects of life in jail, including the brutal living conditions, the demoralizing food, and the inventive ways inmates create and distribute drugs.

This season comes with a built-in twist  according to A&E, Adger had to end filming early after one of the participants blew their cover and compromised the safety of the other undercover inmates.
Subway has brought back the $5 footlong two years after officially retiring the popular deal. On Monday, the sandwich chain announced it would sell the larger size of five of its classic sandwiches for $4.99.

The decision, which applies to the Veggie Delite, Spicy Italian, Black Forest Ham, Meatball Marinara, and Cold Cut Combo sandwiches, was a controversial one  and comes at a critical point for Subway.

The sandwich chain's US store count dropped by more than 900 in 2017, or almost three times as many locations as closed the year before. National sales declined at stores across the US last year, people with knowledge of the situation told Business Insider.

Franchisees in crisis

Roughly 400 franchisees signed a petition protesting the chain's plan to bring back the $5 footlong deal, the New York Post reported in December.

Responses to the return of the promotion were mixed among the more than a dozen current and former franchisees who spoke with Business Insider (many on the condition of anonymity, as franchisees are not allowed to talk to the media).

"I don't understand the backlash," one franchisee said. "For one, the promotion only includes five of our footlongs." Further, the person said, unlike when customers create their own sandwiches at the chain, the five sandwiches being promoted have "controlled formulas," which the person said would "enable franchisees to have better control over food cost."

Other franchisees indicated that concern over this specific deal was less pressing than other issues.

"We are upset about doing the $4.99 footlongs, but them doing a coupon drop for three straight months is more upsetting than that," another franchisee said, referring to Subway's promotion strategy toward the end of last year. "We believe that the problems are really at headquarters."

Franchisees and Subway employees also expressed concerns over the chain's ability to keep up with trends and serve fresh produce. Some said the most pressing issue  a direct cause of hundreds of closings  was that Subway had opened too many locations, with nearby stores cannibalizing one another's sales.

Of course, not all franchisees are unhappy with their situation. Some franchisees told Business Insider that they thought the store closings were a natural part of Subway's maturation and suggested the return of the $5 footlong could be a key opportunity to grow traffic at the chain after years of decline.
On Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018 Tonto Dikeh thanked her surgeon for the work he did on her body. She wished him and his team a happy new year.

"HAPPY NEW YEAR TO MY SURGEON AND HIS CREW. Wish you all a great and fulfilled new year,Thanks for all you do for humanity..Thanks for letting God use you in my life as a great source of Joy!!

"For the first time I took my time to appreciate my new body(Damn too sexy by the way),I cried,I leaped with joy and all I can say is am so ready to conquer the world with my new found confidence...Thank you so much Dr. Ayo @grandvillemedlaser and thanks to all the pretty nurses & doctors (recovery center) Super thanks to my Executive producer You are awesome honey,Love you so much Mama. Thanks

"#KINGTONTO #MAMAKING #RADICAL4JESUS #KINGTONTOREALITYTV #LINDAIKEJITV #YOU ARE MOT READY YET I TELL YA #REALITYATITSPEAK #EXCITED #MOTHERHOOD #SEXYMUM #SURGERY #COSMESTIC SURGERY #GANG #FULL BODY RECONSTRUCTION #LIPO #NOPASTIC #NATURAL #HAPPYOLDIE #AM ALL FOT MAKING MAMAKING LOOK BETTER #KINGSMOM #2018 #BODY UNVEIL PARRY LOADING   #WE ARE NOT REGULAR," she wrote.

ALSO READ: Top 5 celebrity scandals of the year

Tonto Dikeh shocked many Nigerians about her surgery, when Linda Ikeji released the teaser from her reality show In the trailer, the beautiful and controversial actress revealed that she's "going to be having a cosmetic surgery."

"My body is something I have been extremely ashamed of" she further said in the clip as we see her in the nude in an operating room. There are scenes of Tonto Dikeh going under the knife also.

Tonto Dikeh, despite her controversial status is one celebrity with a good heart. She is known to be one of the most benevolent celebrities as she is quick to help the needy.
ALSO READ: Watch new trailer for EbonyLife Films' romantic comedy

The movie also starred Doris Simeon, Gbenro Ajibade, Frankincense, Jumoke Odetola and Kehinde Olorunyomi among others.

Speaking with Pulse on his role as Uche, Wole Ojo said: I loved being on the set of Bachelors Eve. Despite the challenges faced, it felt like a walk in the park with the director whose creativity solved same. The story indeed is a true reflection of what can happen in 24hours before tying the knot, reminding us that there shouldnt be room for secrets between the intended parties, friends and even families. It is without an iota of doubt a wonderful romantic comedy.

ALSO READ: The Wedding Party 2 grosses over N120M in 12 days

On his part, the director, Rotimi Raji, said: Directors constantly face challenges that pop up during production while trying to create a film that will not only stand out from other productions but will also retain high technical aspects synonymous with quality productions. This is no different and Im glad that months of diligence and resilience has paid off, culminating in this fantastic production. I believe in the Tourism potentials of the country and explored this angle. It is one of the key ways of enhancing film tourism in Nigeria.
It belongs to a feline category popularly known as the "Janus Cat" reported to have a short life span due to their numerous health challenges. Bee's owner submitted it to a rescuer who has managed to nurse it despite a rare physical condition.

The care giver whose involvement has been quite helpful, has recorded some progress nurturing the animal based on comments posted on Facebook. Bettie Bee's appearance has gained a lot of attention from cat lovers all over the world who have expressed eagerness concerning learning about it.

ALSO READ: This is what a starving polar bear looks like

Her carer revealed that she has created a page for the celebrity animal because of high demand from people to see her progress and too many strangers on my personal profile. So everyone who sent me messages and friend requests to follow BB can like this page, she wrote on Facebook.

She is thriving, growing like a normal kitten,

She has been to the vet when she was one day old. We decided its best to take her back for scans, etc. when she is a bit bigger, the carer added while commenting on the growth of the animal.

The Frank and Louie cat

Well-wishers of the challenged Bettie Bee are hoping it grows to live as long as its Frank and Louie predecessor which lived for a period of 15 years. The famous two-faced animal which passed away around December 2014, holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for the longest lived Janus cat according to National Geographic.

ALSO READ: 5 animals that Africans see as evil

Leslie Lyons, a specialist in feline genetics at the University of Missouri's Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, think the case was quite outstanding.

"The animals also generally don't live very long due to health problems related to their deformitymaking Frank and Louie's 15-year run that much more impressive," he said.
The incident occurred along the Lekki-Epe Expressway where the robbers flagged to a halt two cars, a Toyota Camry and a Toyota Corolla.

After ensuring a compliance by the drivers, other members of the gang of thieves who attempted the robbery emerged from a hidden location in a bid to facilitate a theft.

RRS agents soon made an appearance at the scene just as the robbers made to get away with the vehicles. Punch News reported that the suspects took to their heels, ditching the vehicles as well as a toy gun in their possession.

In a statement, the police confirmed the incident stating that the victims were on their way to celebrate the new year when they were attacked. The four-man gang of robbers reportedly jetted off into the bush when they saw the police approaching.

The robbers fled into the bush and abandoned the victims and one of their improvised guns. They were chased into a bush, but no arrest was made.

The victims disclosed that two of the robbers posed as policemen before another two, who were lurking in the bush, came out, asking them to surrender their keys. They added that they were going to Epe to celebrate the New Year," the statement reads.

ALSO READ: NPF immortalize officers who died in Zenith bank raid

State police commissioner, Edgal Imohimi, has admonished his men to ensure that the fleeing robbers are captured. In the same vein, SP Chike Oti, a spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command also reiterated the force's commitment in ensuring a safer highway.

The energy expressed by the police in respect to the robbery will come as a relief and a welcome development to most Nigerians who have lost faith in the competence of the organization in battling crime.

The end of the year 2017, saw an intense criticism of its Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) department based on reports relating to violence against civilians who were reportedly extorted.

A recent nationwide protest saw Nigerians calling for an end of SARS though a counter group promoting the hashtag #SupportSars on Twitter has made a case for a reformed SARS as opposed to ending it.

ALSO READ: More tension in Ondo as SARS operative allegedly kills man

The opposers, mostly comprising of women, were however dismissed as a set of individuals being used to channel a police propaganda aimed at ensuring the continued existence of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
The motivation behind the killing of the victims who consist of his parents, 44-year-old father, Steven Kologi; mother, Linda Kologi, 42; sister, Brittany Kologi, 18; and family friend Mary Schultz, 70, is yet to be determined.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni disclosed in a statement that the troubled youth was unable to launch an attack against two other family members comprising of his grandfather and brother.

The pair were able to escape danger at their residence located at 635 Wall Street.

Its a terribly tragic incident, said Gramiccioni concerning the slaughter which has ensured that Scott face a four-count charge of murder and a weapons offense on Monday, January 1, 2017.

According to reports, the tragic incident was the first time the police has responded to calls relating to violence at the home of the deceased.

Despite the shock that has welcomed the gruesome murder, Joe Rios, 52, described the killer as "the nicest kid in the world" in a chat with the New York Post.

He came to watch the softball games with Linda and he was always smiling. This is totally out of the blue,"

This is not something I ever thought this young boy would do. I dont know what happened. He was not a violent kid. He was always smiling, Rios added while expressing how baffled he was concerning the attack.

Here are what psychologists are saying about the murder

Kathleen Heide, a University of South Florida professor who has two published books on family killings considers the murder a less frequent incident.

"Based on the research thats been done in the field, youre looking, at most, one case a year," Heide who has spent decades studying cases in which people kill their family members said concerning the recent homicide.

Mario Garrett, a professor of gerontology at San Diego State University however thinks parricide has become the new wave in respect to the issue of crime in the United States of America. Children killing their parents is the fastest growing type of family homicide, he wrote in a Psychology Today report.

In Nigeria, youths have made a desire for money the chief reason why they kill their parents. Prosper, a 24-year-old man is one in a list of people who have attempted this.
Karnataka border checkpost stops stamping seals on hands of Kerala farmers after furore

Earlier on Friday, there were reports that officials at the Bavali checkpost were stamping seals on the hands of farmers who wanted to visit their farmlands across the border.
While fireworks were enough for some people, Nigerians introduced themselves to 2018 with cans of chilled booze, prayers for favour and brand new clothes, as per new beginnings.

The culture of celebrating the new year is not new in any way. (I mean, theres a reason why people buy Christmas clothes).

2018, though, has a special implication for most people. The last year was brutal to most and making merry would have been a way to start a new chapter on a high, well-dressed and slightly-intoxicated note.

But first, all the glory must be to the lord. Amen?

On the cusp of January 1, millions of Christians screamed happy new year in chorus after hours spent praying for Gods mercy and favour in the new year.

For some though, it was not enough.

At Ojuelegba, for instance, a small band of Pentecostals gathered under the bridge, caressing the cool January 1st morning with fervent worship and prayers for Nigeria and then themselves.

When asked why she chose to have a prayer session on the first day of the year, the leader of the group, Sister Nwokocha said, "This year is going to be a big year for all of us. We have to show God that we want his mercy and we know that he will answer our prayers".

Whats New Years day without a party?

And whats a Nigerian party without booze?

The long queues at malls like Surulere's Shoprite on the 31st could have been a good-enough sign.

But if you somehow missed them, there was no missing the throngs of people at Elegushi (it seemed like the whole of Lagos heard there was free money at the beach) and the bottles of champagne, brandy, vodka and cans of beer that they cancelled like angry class teachers.

After a long swig of his bottle of brandy, one of the revellers, referred to as Kazeem, broke into Jaywon's "This Year" before shouting, "I no go die this year. Baba God, I hope say I get plenty money this year".

Obviously, most of this alcohol washed down elaborate meals featuring the only type of fuel that we could get access to over the holidays, Jollof Rice and its other cohorts.

Fresh, fly people

While most of these happened in familiar places, at home, in church, at the beach, Christmas cloth behaviour flourished in full force.

Theres an emerging sneaker culture among the countrys young people, and even though Aba and China are responsible for most of them, they were out in masse as their owners celebrated the new year.

Looking good is a very Nigerian thing, so naturally, the older generation stepped up to the plate with Voile lace, Ankara and too much sauce.

Together, all of this created a celebratory mood put together by some of the most resilient people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting.

On every other day, its always a race for survival in the most populous black nation on earth, but on January 1st as they have learned to do for years, Nigerians let their worries into Gods hands, put on their finest clothes and celebrated as best they could.

Plot Twist: Work resumed the day after.

Hangover or not, many Nigerians are already back to daily routines and the memory of the new year celebration will become more faint with each tranche of work.
The capital, Windhoek, and coastal town Swakopmund contain German colonial-era buildings such as Windhoek's Christuskirche, built in 1907. The country is a beautiful Wild West land that holsters in the hip of Africa and strung on the studded belt of Capricorn.

Here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Namibia

1. Visit a Traditional and Authentic Himba Village  The Himba people with an estimated population of 50,000 people can be found in the northern parts of Namibia.

They are a semi-nomadic tribe and one of the most recognisable and traditional tribes in all of Africa, due to the dress of the female tribe members and by the fact that they cover their skin and hair with ochre, butter and herbs known as otijize.

The otijize gives their skin and hair an orange/red tint. The Himba idea of beauty is inspired by mud.

2. Experience the Beauty of Epupa Falls  According to Wikipedia, the Epupa Falls which is also known as Monte Negro Falls in Angola are created by the Kunene River on the border of Angola and Namibia, in the Kaokoland area of the Kunene Region. The river is 0.5 km wide and drops in a series of waterfalls spread over 1.5 km, with the greatest single drop being 37 m. The name "Epupa" is a Herero word for "foam", in reference to the foam created by the falling water.

The Epupa Falls is a beautiful waterfall in an otherwise dry, but stunning region. The falls are best visited just after the rainy season when the roads are less difficult to navigate and the water level is still high, around April/May.

The water levels drop dramatically later in the year and similar to Victoria Falls, they are almost dried up by September/October.

3. Climb the Mountains of Damaraland  Damaraland is said to be one of Namibias most dramatic collection of landscapes. The area is known for amazing for wildlife, sunsets, rock art and stargazing, however, one of the major draws here is hiking and rock climbing.

This region contains both the Spitzkoppe, one of the countrys most famous landmarks, a group of peaks, often called the Matterhorn of Africa due to their shape and the Brandberg, known as the Fire Mountain, the tallest mountain in Namibia.

Both have incredible trails that attract climbers from all over the world. These are not easy hikes/climbs and you will need a guide, so do your research before you attempt either of these! Also, being one of Namibia's last unofficial wildlife regions, it's home to critically endangered black rhinos, desert-adapted lions and elephants, as well as the full range of Namibia specialties such as gemsbok, zebra, giraffe and spotted hyena.

4. See the Ancient Rock Engravings at Twyfelfontein  It is thought that the ancient rock engravings at Twyfelfontein are the work of early hunter gatherers, dating back around 6000 years. It consists of a spring in a valley flanked by the slopes of a sandstone table mountain that receives very little rainfall and has a wide range of diurnal temperatures.

The site was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 and is definitely worth a visit on your trip to Namibia.

5. Photograph 900-Year-Old Dead Trees in Deadvlei  This is a clay pan characterized by dark, dead camel thorn trees contrasted against the white pan floor. It is one of the most famous, alluring and photographed spots in Namibia and it lies around 6km away from Sossusvlei. The 900-year-old blackened trees are dead but the air is so hot and dry that they do not decompose making it one of Namibias most iconic sights.
Due to the rise of unemployment rate in Nigeria, so many people have taken the bull by the horn and have become their own bosses.

But the lack of sufficient funds makes it difficult for young entrepreneurs from achieving their business goals but there are lots of businesses you can start with little or no capital at all.

ALSO READ: How to stop stressing about your finance

Here are business you can start with little or no capital.

1. Event Planning

Event planning is a growing business venture in Nigeria. Nigerians love parties and events, keying into this business wont be a bad idea and it actually doesnt require much.

As an event planner, your job is basically to plan events and get paid for doing so. The only thing you need to do is get different vendors for an event and make sure the event goes well all through.

You can start an event planning business by organizing mini-parties and event, making sure it goes well. Then as you grow you get to get more events to plan. The bigger the event, the bigger the pay.

2. Freelance writer

If writing is your hobby and you really love to write, then you can set up a business just based on creating contents for blogs, website and magazines and you get paid regularly.

ALSO READ: 5 bad financial decisions you will regret

As a freelance writer, you really dont need to have a huge capital. As long as you have the important things for writing online which is a laptop and internet connection., then you are good to go.

3. Social media influencer

Thanks to social media, you can become an influencer.

If you social media savvy, then you should consider becoming a social media influencer. Every business and brand today is going online to grow their business and they cant do it alone without the help of someone who knows about social media platforms well.

If you have a good online presence, you really dont need any capital to start up. With just a phone or laptop and good internet connection, you can become a social media influence

4. Event host

Lots of events happen every day which would need the service of an event host.

If you have the talent of speaking to a large crowd, being able to engage an audience, then you should think of starting an event hosting business. This business actually doesnt need any capital. The only thing you is your ability to engage an audience.

5. Tutoring

Another business you can do which doesnt require any capital is tutoring.

ALSO READ: 5 simple ways to save during a recession
Quick summary

So yesterday, Jan 1 2017, a newly-married woman known as Retty Petty on Instagram calls out fashion brand, Rika Oto By Me, accusing them of withholding her dress from her on her wedding day even though payment had been made, only to deliver the dress to actress Mercy Aigbe for her birthday photo shoot. The full gist can be found here.

Rika Oto By Me, founded by Maryam Elisha, has yet to make a comment at the time of this story despite the scorching backlash and venom being spat at the brand's name online as a result of the accusation. Again, this is understandable.

While many Nigerians are used to hearing of poor services and terrible customer relations by vendors, Rika Oto By Mes indiscretion is on a whole new level.

And the whole situation brings to the fore, all the familiar excesses people bear from Nigerian wedding vendors.

Wedding vendor issues

Nigerian weddings can cost up to $9,460-413,515 with guest lists matching the super-sized budget, CNN says in a recent report, quoting market research group, TNS Global.

However, this stat, alongside divinely beautiful wedding photos splashed all over social media pages cant hide the ugly underbelly of the industry and it is in the lap of these vendors that blame roundly sits most times.

For every fantastic wedding you see pictures of, theres a strong likelihood that the cake company nearly sent the bride into a full blown panic before delivery was finally made; or that the photographer arrived pretty late, missing some moments that would have made for great lifetime memories for the couple.

Sometimes its the event decoration guys, the makeup artistes, the live band, the food vendor, the small chops people who arrive so late and start scampering all over the place, the grills guys, the cocktail team, etc.

See, the list of vendors that could undo a couples happy day with poor performance is actually vast and it looks like more than a few Nigerian vendors enjoy some perverse pride in not doing as they and the bride/event planners have agreed.

At my cousins wedding in 2016, the event decor guys had been contracted to come on Friday and set up the whole place for the reception ceremony, says Tolani who was the Maid of Honour when her cousin tied the knot in Ibadan two years back.

They didnt show up till we were leaving for the church ceremony on Saturday. That was after we finished the whole engagement ceremony!

Needless to say they were not done at the time the reception was supposed to begin, she says.

I remember my sisters wedding in 2013. The photographer decides at the last second that he cant make it and sends someone else. Most likely because he got a better paying gig. This is after everything had been concluded between him and the couple.

These things have somehow become relatable vices, an expectation of mediocrity so prevalent that after agreeing to pay what is required, brides still make drawn out pleas to vendors to stick to the plan.

, please deliver the food on time o. Please in the name of God, I beg you, guests will be seated at 1pm.

Come at 11am. Please o. I beg, dont disappoint us o.

85% of the time, Mrs. Kalejaiye and her huge gele will arrive at 12:50, when the bride's tears of fear must have ruined her make up already.

Vendors' excesses no one needs in 2018

This article is not in denial of the maddening realities of planning a Nigerian wedding. Its also not to put down the efforts of vendors who take their jobs serious and do the best they can.

However, there can be no excuse for a vendors best not meeting up to what they were paid for. If the couple pays for a wedding vendor to arrive, deliver, perform etc at a certain time and they agreed, they need to honour the agreement.

Its greed - and thats one major problem - when vendors know they cant deliver but accept the job just because the money is good.

Late delivery, poor services, lackadaisical attitude after getting paid, and pulling an extremely crazy stunt like the one Rika Oto By Me is being accused of all these need to be left behind in 2017.
I'm all about celebrating the face, body, and hair that make you you. It's what I've always taught my 9-year-old daughter. You're uniquely beautiful, exactly the way you are.

Fine, but I was born with the wrong hair color. It's a meh dark brown. Not rich enough to be a luxurious mahogany, and not deep enough to be a heart-stopping obsidian. There's no drama to it. Since fourth grade, I've felt that my authentic self is a sparkly caramel blonde. The shade that Dorothy Parker once sarcastically called "assisted gold."

Blonde black women can carry a faint hint of controversy. Although some WOC have naturally golden locks, most of us are brunetteand it's been argued that rocking sunny strands (through dye, wigs, or weaves) is chasing whiteness. Sorry, no. I've been an inner blonde for decades, and it had nothing to do with Marilyn or Madonna. It was about Tina Turner's frosted mane on the Private Dancer album cover. Grainy clips of a platinum-haired Etta James crooning "At Last." Naomi Campbell's golden extensions onVogue Italia's July/August 1990 cover. Tyra, Halle, Ciara. Goddesses, all. There's an established trajectory of black-girl blonde fiercenessand I wanted to be part of the club.

For a long time, dyeing my hair wasn't an option. I chemically relaxed my hair for most of my life, and double processes can cause major damage. But when I went natural four years ago, it was finally safe to take the plunge. I marched to midtown Manhattan's Hair Rules (a salon dedicated to pampering all textures) with my brand-new curls and had them dyed a warm honey hue with sunny highlights. Honestly, I've never felt more me (and when I say "me," I mean T-Boz in the "Creep" video).

With my big, blonde spirals framing my face, I felt as glowing as the sun. I was so confident, so... extra. My jeans got tighter. My lipstick got brighter. I laughed more. Newly single, I started flirting with the divorced dads at after-school pickup. I was on fire!
The rejuvenated Boko Haram, under the brutal stewardship of Abubakar Shekau, embarked on a reign of terror that has resulted in the death of over 20,000 people and the displacement of over 2.5 million.

At the height of its powers, the terrorist group controlled about 20,000 square miles of territory spread across over 11 local government areas with a total population exceeding 1.7 million people.

Enter General Muhammadu Buhari

Boko Haram post-2015 presidential election

The fortunes of the terrorist group has suffered dramatically since Buhari was elected president in 2015, just as the man promised.

A bulk of the president's campaign hinged on his promise to make Boko Haram disappear as the sect had grown to become one of the deadliest in the world only a couple of years ago.

The president excitedly beat the war drums and promised the Nigerian people that the sect would be a bad dream that would quickly be forgotten if he was elected.

He was, and Boko Haram's grips on territories started to loosen drastically after an intense military campaign carried out by troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and armies of neighbouring countries.

In December 2016, the miilitary took a stab at the heart of Boko Haram's Camp Zero base inside Sambisa Forest and declared victory.

President Buhari described the turn of event as the "final crushing of Boko Haram terrorists in their last enclave".

While the administration considered the 'defeat' as the perfect Christmas gift for a nation that has been scarred with insecurity, the Nigerian public treated the news with scepticism.

It wasn't misplaced.

In response to Buhari's premature declaration, Shekau released a video where he declared a renewed war on the country, urging his followers to, "Kill all the infidels and detonate bombs everywhere, Yes! I want you to kill, slaughter and abduct."

On January 7, 2017, at least five soldiers were killed during an attack by Boko Haram fighters on an army base in Buni Yadi, Yobe State.

Only a day later, two civilians in Borno State were killed in a residential area in the Kaleri area of Gwange after an attack by two female suicide bombers.

Hours prior to this, three suicide bombers, all male, attacked a military checkpoint in the area, killing themselves and a civilian fighter after one of their vests detonated.

These set the tone for a long bloody year of suicide bombings and several savage armed attacks on civilians and security personnel.

In what was one of the sect's bloodiest attacks in 2017, at least 69 people, including soldiers and civilians, died after an ambush of an oil exploration team in the Magumeri area of Borno in July.

The attack was carried out by another faction of Boko Haram under the leadership of Abu Musab al-Barnawi. Three civilians were also abducted during the attack and have been in captivity ever since.

This happened just a month after an ambush attack by militants on a police convoy on the Maiduguri-Biu highway led to the death of three people and the abduction of 16 women, some of them police officers.

For Boko Haram, it was almost business as usual, with over 80 separate attacks that led to the death of hundreds.

Buhari's response

The frequency of Boko Haram's attacks in 2017 forced the president and members of his media team and the military top brass to dial back on their initial claims and start saying the group is "technically defeated", a term the president first used in December 2015.

With every inquiry into the government's success in fighting the insurgency, the term "technically defeated" keeps surfacing, with the government claiming that the group is only capable of attacking "soft" targets.

In his New Year's Day address on Monday, January 1, 2017, the president insisted that "we have since beaten Boko Haram", even though he also admitted that "isolated attacks still occur" because it's impossible to "prevent determined criminals from committing terrible acts of terror" just as it happens in "even the best-policed countries" across the world.

Why Buhari needs to be more honest about Boko Haram's 'defeat'

There's no doubt about the fact that President Buhari's administration has made great strides in curbing the influence of Boko Haram from the menace that it was only a couple of years ago.

However, as many have pointed out, his administration may be making a significant mistake in exaggerating its success against the group.

One of President Buhari's loudest campaign promises was his pledge to rescue all the kidnapped Chibok girls from the group's grips.

Since he became president, his administration has negotiated the release of 103 of the schoolgirls in addition to the 60 that had escaped earlier.

In a recent report by the Wall Street Journal on that negotiation process, it was revealed that the president approved the payment of 3 million and five Boko Haram commanders to secure the release.

113 of the girls still remain in captivity while the president continues to insist that their captors don't pose a significant threat anymore.

Despite the government's claim that the group holds no sway anymore, they still have hundreds of captives who they exploit however they see fit.

On Monday, December 1, the army revealed that 700 people had just escaped from the custody of the group from the Lake Chad area where they were forced to work as farm labourers.

Two of them, who appeared to be underage girls, delivered babies at the military holding facility in Borno after their escape.

While the presidency clamours for the support of the Nigerian public in the war against Boko Haram, it's not helping itself with what many consider a myopic appraisal of the situation.

This is why when it was announced that the Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) had approved the withdrawal of $1 million from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) to strengthen the fight against Boko Haram, many cried foul play.

"Why do you need a staggering $1 million to fight an enemy that's been defeated?" Nigerians questioned with raised brows.

The Federal Government was forced to explain that the fund also covered other security problems in the country, but the damage was already done.

Against a sense of what many consider a generally underwhelming performance by the Buhari administration, the presidency appears to want to claim every credit it can for itself, and the Boko Haram war is one of its biggest selling points as the 2019 general elections approach.

For good reason.

According to the 2017 Global Terrorism Index, Nigeria experienced an 80% drop in the number of deaths caused by terrorist attacks in 2016, the largest reduction in the world.

However, despite this monumental feat, if 2017 showed Nigerians anything, it's that Boko Haram is still not yesterday's news.

Every suicide bombing, especially with teenage girls, and every attack on a remote community makes the government's victory claims ring hollow.

How do you explain to people in the northeast that the terrorist group their government keeps explaining is defeated still has the means to carry out attacks that are killing them by the dozens?

At this point, all it serves is appear to be a bold-faced deception against the reality that they continue to face.
President Buhari special adviser on Senate, Ita Enang confirmed this in Abuja on Tuesday, January 2, 2018.

Enang said copies of the bill, tagged Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill 2017, were transmitted to President Buhari late last week by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Omolori.

The peace corps bill has just been forwarded to the president and it is undergoing the standard procedure, he said.

Enang said if the bill is signed, the president will retain one copy and return the remaining two copies to the National Assembly for further action.

When assented, the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill 2017, will give legal backing to the establishment of Peace Corps of Nigeria.

The bill will also allow all serving members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, both regular and volunteers, to be absolved into the Nigerian Peace Corps at commencement.

Police vs Peace Corps

Recall that the Nigerian police had stormed the Peace Corps headquarters on February 17, 2017 and arrested the head of the organisation, Dickson Akoh, and about 49 other members.

The police accused Akoh of using the Peace Corps, registered as a non-governmental organisation, to swindle young job seekers -- of the sum of N40,000 -- and operate as a para-military agency.

Akoh pleaded not guilty and was granted bail.

The Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently ordered the Nigeria Police to unseal the headquarters of the Peace Corps and pay N12.5 million as damages.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the civil servants included permanent secretaries and other senior workers on salary Grade Levels 15 to 17.

Addressing the civil servants at Government House in Benin, Gov. Obaseki said the meeting was to share thoughts towards ensuring a more efficient and result oriented civil service.

He noted that due to the present economic situation, there was need to avoid the luxury of running government as in the past and embrace efficiency based on use of technology.

We will emphasis training and re-training for our civil servants; we need to create an environment where we should enjoy coming to work, he said.

Obaseki said his administration would not negotiate the health of the people of the state as the State Health Insurance Scheme would be made compulsory for all, especially the civil servants, to enable them to access quality good healthcare.

I am tired of medical request to travel abroad for medical care, the governor said.

The governor said his administration would start a housing project within the year and called on the workers to key into the project and ensure they benefited.

The era of automatic promotion is gone because people must earn their promotion.

Promotion will not be delayed as assessment will be done on time; delay in promoting workers will not be tolerated, he said.

Responding to suggestions made by some of the civil servants on how to move the state civil service forward, the governor promised to recruit more workers, provide more facilities, logistics, and secure additional 1,000 computer in addition to the 1,000 bought in 2017.

Earlier, the Head of Service, Mrs Gladys Idahor, appreciated the governor for his commitment to improve and develop the capacity of civil servants in the state.

Idahor pledged the loyalty and commitment of the workforce, saying this year we will be more committed and dedicated as civil servants to ensure effective service delivery.
The marauding Fulani herdsmen carried out the devastating attacks in Guma Local Government Area, where Ortom is from, and Logo LGA.

While speaking to journalists at the Government House in Makurdi on Tuesday, January 2, 2018, the governor said the attacks were successful due to negligence from the Federal Government who failed to heed to its warnings about the group.

The governor said the state had notified the Federal Government of the threat of the herdsmen after they vowed to resist the state's anti-grazing bill.

He said, "Several innocent people have been killed. Women and children murdered with their throats slit open.

"Many people are still missing while several houses have been destroyed. The whole of Guma and Logo have been turned into desolate lands.

"You would recall that I made official reports to the federal government about the intended invasion of Benue State by these herdsmen who claimed that they would resist the (Anti-Grazing) law. I have never seen where people would come out with this level of impunity.

"This is unfortunate; we are living in a country that is presumed to be our own. Security agencies in this country had been aware of the impending attacks and what you are seeing here is just a tip of the iceberg.

"So many people have been killed, houses razed and some of those killed had their throats slit, eyes and private organs removed and killed like animals.

"You can imagine that innocent women and children and unarmed people were slaughtered in cold blood just for no reason at all because they want to be law abiding.

"I feel sad about all this. Is this how we are going to continue? The federal government and President Muhammadu Buhari must rise and give us protection to show that we are truly citizens of this country.

"Though we will continue to urge our people to be law abiding, there is a limit to what we can bear. This is not fair, it is not right and certainly unacceptable."
Mbaka, who is the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministries Enugu (AMEN) issued the warning at the new year eve service of his Ministry at its Adoration Ground Emene, Enugu State..

He berated the Buhari administration, saying it brought untold hardship upon the people, adding that the President must quickly find a solution to the numerous challenges in the country - economic hardship tops the list.

"He should change quickly or else Nigerians will change him in 2019," Mbaka said.

'Good man'

Mbaka, however, opined that Buhari is a good man but has been hijacked by a cabal.

He advised the Northerners to look for another candidate in place of Buhari ahead of the 2019 election.

ALSO READ: Mbaka needs to outgrow his childishness

The preacher suggested Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo as a suitable replacement for Buhari. He said the governor is performing very well in his state.
The commands spokesman, Mr Nnamdi Omini, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Tuesday that though no arrest had been made, some clues had been gotten.

NAN reports that gunmen had attacked and killed 14 people that were returning from crossover church service in Omoku in the early hours of Jan. 1 and injured 12 others.

The police will ensure that the victims get justice even in their graves,

No stone will be left unturned in the course of our investigations, the long arms of the law will catch up with the killers, Omini said.

According to him, the killing was a rude shock to the command because strategic security measures had been put in place before the Christmas celebrations.

He said that security had been tightened at the entry and exist points in the state, while vehicular and foot patrols were increased in the state among other security measures.

The police spokesman said that the pre-Christmas security strategy had worked until the early hours of Jan 1, when the hoodlums struck at Omoku.

He, however, assured members of the affected community that such killings would be prevented in the future.

According to him, Amoured Personnel Carriers had been stationed at strategic positions in the community,while the command was working out a new security strategy to prevent crime in the state in 2018 and beyond.
The victims had been killed in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the state while they were on their way back home from New Year's crossover service on Monday, December 1, 2018.

While leading the Rivers State Security Council on a fact finding and sympathy visit to the families of the deceased, Governor Wike promised that the state's security agencies will crack down very hard on the perpetrators.

He said, "We have placed a N200 million bounty for relevant information that will lead to the arrest of all those involved in this unfortunate act of violence.

"Anybody who is connected to this crime in any way will have his/her houses forfeited to the Government. This place has been peaceful before this unfortunate mayhem.

"You cannot shed innocent blood and go free. We are working with all the security agencies to do everything possible to arrest the perpetrators. They must pay for this.

"I am pained by this unfortunate mayhem. Enough is enough."

According to the statement released by the governor's Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, he was accompanied to Omoku by the Brigade Commander of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General A.A Bande, the Commander of Joint Task Force, Colonel M.N Madi, Rivers State Deputy Police Commissioner, Ahmed Magaji and Rivers State Director of the Department of State Services, Mr Tosin Ajayi.

While visiting the families of the deceased victims, the governor commiserated with them and promised that the state government will support them in burying their loved ones.

Wike faces criticism on insecurity in Rivers

While the state recovers from the shock of the massacre, Governor Wike has been criticised for his handling of security in the state.

While responding to the tragedy, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, who is an indigene of the state, said the governor is incompetent to handle the security situation in the state.

He said, "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."

On Tuesday, January 2, 2018, Wike's predecessor and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, called on the governor to ensure the security of lives in the state and stop playing politics with important issues.

He said his successor has everything at his disposal to fight insecurity in the state and that he should resign if he can't handle the challenge.

"I was governor of Rivers State, I did not play PDP/APC politics. Life is life, it has no symbol. Nobody has APC life or PDP life.

"The first responsibility of a governor which is what the oath of office requires, is that you swear to protect lives and property.
While speaking to State House correspondents on Tuesday, December 2, 2017, the former Rivers governor said his successor has everything at his disposal to fight insecurity in the state and that he should resign if he can't handle the challenge.

The minister's comment is a reaction to the killing of 17 residents of the state who were on their way back from New Year's crossover service in Omoku, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area.

Amaechi said, "It never happened when I was governor. We (the security chiefs and myself) ensured that we didn't sleep at night. We stayed awake for the citizens to sleep. I think the governor needs to do much more than that or quit the office.

"I was governor of Rivers State, I did not play PDP/APC politics. Life is life, it has no symbol. Nobody has APC life or PDP life.

"The first responsibility of a governor which is what the oath of office requires, is that you swear to protect lives and property.

"When you don't protect life and property, what do you do? It is impeachment. Unfortunately, there is no House of Assembly in Rivers State.

"There is too much noise coming from Rivers State. The governor just wakes up and starts shouting, abusing people. That is all he does. Mr. Project painting roads.

"The first thing you do is human capacity development and keeping human beings and we are losing lives every day.

"I just don't know because the things are there for him to work with. He is not like me when during my second term, President Goodluck Jonathan took away Police, SSS. The Army brigade commander couldn't visit me.

"But in his case, everyone is disposed to him. He can see the Commissioner of Police, director SSS, unlike my period but we fought insecurity.

"But because he needs these people for election purpose that is why they are still there, that is why they are killing, we need much more than that.

"Unfortunately, I swore not to be talking about Rivers anymore but you dont keep quiet in the face of 21 lives, you cant just keep quiet.

"I have said it that nobody should criticise his successor. But a successor that watches the lives of people go like that and does not care? God will bless him."

Amaechi vs Wike

Even though he was Rivers State governor between 2007 and 2015, Amaechi hasn't enjoyed the best relationship with his successor, Wike.

The feud resulted in a very ugly clash between the security details attached to both men when their convoys came head to head in November.

Wike alleged that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) personnel and soldiers attached to Amaechi attacked his convoy.

A statement released by the governor's office read, "Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike on Saturday escaped assassination as Special Anti-robbery Squad Operatives and soldiers of the Nigerian Army in the motorcade of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi attacked his convoy.

"The governor who was on project inspection was attacked at Nwanja Junction on Trans-Amadi Road. The SARs Personnel and Soldiers in the Minister's convoy hit down the Governor's Escort Rider and attacked the policemen in the pilot car."
"What the hell is going on with this country? Why is an official police site ... tweeting in Arabic?" she wrote. "Did you mean to placate the barbaric, Muslim, gang-raping hordes of men?"

Von Storch's tweet appeared to reference chaotic 2015 New Year's Eve celebrations in Cologne, which were marred by mass sex assaults on women by men of mostly North African origin.

Cologne police told AFP their complaint alleges that the tweet flouted laws against incitement to hate.

Von Storch's account was blocked by Twitter for 12 hours following her post, and the tweet has since been removed.

She posted the same comment on Facebook, which then also took it down, citing "incitement to hate (paragraph 130 of the German penal code)".

Twitter and Facebook's tough stance came as an anti-online hate speech law came into effect on January 1 in Germany.

Social media companies that fail to remove illegal inflammatory comments could face up to 50 million euros ($60 million) in fines.

A Cologne police spokesman said it was long-standing practice to send out information in several languages during large gatherings and events.

"We simply want people to be able to understand us," said the spokesman.
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.

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.
The shooting came just three days after a gunman, identified as a wanted jihadist, killed nine people in an attack on a church south of the capital.

An assailant rode up in the back of a motorcycle taxi and opened fire on the liquor store in Cairo's twin city Giza at around 1:30 am (2330 GMT Sunday), when the streets were still bustling with New Year revellers, the sources said.

The store's Coptic owner survived but two of his friends who were celebrating with him were killed.

Police are still investigating the motive of the attack, the sources said.

Alcohol consumption is forbidden by Islam and liquor stores, most of which are run by Copts, have come under attack in the past by hardline Muslims who believe they should be banned.

On January 2 last year, a Muslim slit the throat of a Coptic liquor store owner in the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria.

The assailant was sentenced to death after telling the court that he would kill all alcohol sellers if he could.

Egypt's Coptic Christians make up about 10 percent of the country's 93 million people, and are the largest religious minority in the region.
Protests broke out Thursday and have quickly grown to become the biggest test for the regime since mass demonstrations in 2009.

"We have been in touch with the Iranian authorities and we expect that the right to peaceful demonstration and freedom of expression will be guaranteed," a spokeswoman for the bloc's foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

"We will continue to monitor developments," the spokeswoman added.

The latest demonstrations on Monday came despite President Hassan Rouhani's vow that the nation would deal with "rioters and lawbreakers".

The total death toll linked to the protests currently stands at 13. Authorities have confirmed more than 400 arrests since the outbreak of the unrest, of whom around 100 have been freed.
It was the final New Year appearance alongside Akihito for Princess Mako, his eldest granddaughter, who is scheduled to wed her college sweetheart in November and leave the royal family.

The Imperial Palace said more than 73,000 people attended his address, many waving small Japanese flags and shouting "Banzai" or "Long live".

"Happy New Year. I'm sincerely glad to celebrate the new year together with you," the emperor said in a televised address from a glass-covered balcony at the palace, where he was flanked by Mako and other family members.

They will make two further appearances before the crowd in the afternoon.

The emperor shocked the country in 2016 when he signalled his desire to take a back seat after nearly three decades in the job, citing his age and health problems.

He will be the first emperor to retire -- on April 30, 2019 -- in more than two centuries in the world's oldest imperial family.

Akihito's eldest son, 57-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, is set to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne a day later.

The status of the emperor is sensitive in Japan given its 20th century history of war waged in the name of Akihito's father Hirohito, who died in 1989.

Akihito has keenly embraced the more modern role as a symbol of the state -- imposed after World War II ended. Previous emperors including his father, Hirohito, had been treated as semi-divine.
Rossoshansky was jailed in June 2017 but immediately filed an appeal.

The high-profile case was seen a test of the Ukrainian justice system's ability to fairly prosecute people with links to the upper echelons of power who had seemed untouchable prior to the pro-EU revolution that swept Kiev in 2014.

"She had succeeded in demonstrating to the court that there was plenty of evidence that Rossoshansky had been under the influence of drugs when he caused the accident," the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group said in a statement.

Rossoshansky was sentenced in June to seven years behind bars.

The Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group said Nozdrovska had received constant threats during the trial "from Rossoshansky himself, and from his mates".

A Kiev court turned down Rossoshansky's appeal last Wednesday and ordered him to remain in a detention centre for another 60 days while the case underwent further hearings.

Kiev police said the 38-year-old mother of one was reported missing on Friday and that her body was discovered Monday.

"Iryna Nozdrovska's body, reportedly naked, was found in a river in the Vyshhorod district near Kiev," the rights group said.

Parliament member Mustafa Nayyem -- a prominent leader of the 2014 street protests that pulled Ukraine out of Russia's orbit -- wrote on Facebook that Rossoshansky's father "warned Irina during (Friday's) hearing: This won't end well for you".

The Kiev region's police chief Dmytro Tsenov denied having received any reports of intimidation or other complains from Nozdrovska.

But more than 100 people rallied outside the Kiev police headquarters shouting "shame" and demanding an impartial investigation into Nozdrovska's death.

Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin underscored the national significance of the incident by calling it "a challenge to the state".

This is "a test of our society's ability to protect female activists and to ensure justice as a whole".

US 'shock'

The former Soviet republic has come under growing criticism from its Western allies for failing to implement the institutional changes promised by the new brand of leaders who replaced the Russian-backed leadership nearly four years ago.

Diplomats and economists both identify Ukraine's corrupt court system as one of the biggest impediments to foreign investment and public trust in the authorities.

The US embassy issued a blunt statement Tuesday saying it was "shocked and saddened" by the activist lawyer's death.

"Those responsible must be brought to #justice," the US embassy said on its official Twitter account.

The Kiev region's police said it had already interrogated 50 people and suspected that Nozdrovska's murder was linked to her work on Rossoshansky case.

"We have ascertained that this murder happened because of the last court case in which she played such a big role," the Interfax-Ukraine news agency quoted police spokesman Mykola Zhukovych as saying.
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Maruti Suzuki is the big exception, with double-digit surge in volume

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 companies 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.
'At least three top bureaucrats have been declared guilty in recent years in connection with scams where they had no pecuniary benefit.'

'But in the telecom case, a money trail is declared irrelevant because no scam has been proved in the first place.'

'Fair enough; so we must punish illegality without criminality, but ignore possible criminality as suggestive of illegality,' points out T N Ninan.



IMAGE: Former telecom minister A Raja gives the thumbs up after he was acquitted by a special court in the 2G scam case. Photograph: Kamal Singh/PTI Photo

'Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'

-- Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland.

So here are six things coming to us as judicial findings, or flowing from them: There was no telecom scam.

Andimuthu Raja did nothing wrong.

The government lost no money.

The whole thing was just wrong public perception.

The Supreme Court was off its rocker.

And a rogue Comptroller and Auditor General dreamt up fanciful numbers.

If we believe those six, here's what else we have to reckon with:

The first-come, first-served policy for giving out scarce radio spectrum had logic to it, and the government has the right to make policy.

Forget that, more than three years earlier, the prime minister had argued for the auction of coal mines when there were many more applicants than coal blocks. No first-come, first-served then.

Apart from which, within a matter of hours on a fateful day in January 2008, the first-come, first-served policy had been twisted out of shape -- not once, but twice.

First, by retrospectively changing the qualifying date, and then by changing the ranking method for those who got a letter of intent.

There was nothing wrong with the note that Mr Raja sent to the prime minister, spelling out his proposed course of action.

A problem was caused only because two officials in the prime minister's office did not brief the prime minister on the full import of the note.

But if there was nothing wrong with the action proposed in the note, how can a problem be caused by its approval, based on either a selective or full briefing?

At least three top-rung bureaucrats have been declared guilty in recent years, in connection with scams where they had no pecuniary benefit. But in the telecom case, a money trail is declared irrelevant because no scam has been proved in the first place.

Fair enough; so we must punish illegality without criminality, but ignore possible criminality as suggestive of illegality.

We are told that giving cheap spectrum to more operators in 2008 lowered telecom costs and expanded the market. But tariffs continued to fall after spectrum was auctioned at sky-high prices in 2010, and the market continued to expand too.

Bear in mind also that when eight companies had their Raja-given licences cancelled by the Supreme Court in 2012, they were not prime movers driving pricing and market expansion; rather, they were bit players with a combined market share of less than 8 per cent.

Even if you ignore the issue of the counter-factual, Mr Raja's spectrum pricing and the growth of the telecom market were not cause and effect.

Practically everyone in the government was trying to limit the damage.

The law minister suggested that a group of ministers consider the issue, so the judge raps him on the wrist.

Officials suggested hybrid pricing, to minimise the loss from under-priced sale; they get hauled up for partial briefing.

A telecom secretary who blocks Mr Raja is criticised, another who plays along is innocent.

As for those calculations of astronomical losses, were they pulled out of Vinod Rai's hat?

One figure of potential loss was based on what an operator, S Tel, had offered to pay for spectrum.

Another figure was derived from the prices that overseas telecom operators paid for buying into companies that had no assets other than spectrum. And so on.

The Central Bureau of Investigation came up with its independent assessment of loss; but we can't believe the CBI, can we?

Finally, three companies whose telecom licences were scrapped by the Supreme Court were fined Rs 5 crore each, and five others Rs 5 lakh each, as they were the beneficiaries of the 'wholly arbitrary and unconstitutional action' by the department of telecommunications.

Since there was no scam and no illegality, the companies should ask the court for a refund, with interest and penalty for collateral damage.

In the end, one can only take recourse again to Lewis Carroll: 'Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.'
'The world's economy is booming and growing at 3%. But even in this environment, India's growth has declined.'

'This is because of the deliberate slowing down induced by eccentric actions like demonetisation,' argues Aakar Patel.



Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

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 Putin in Russia and 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 Modi's in one sense.

The individual leader in all three instances is more popular than the party because he has broadened the traditional base.

Modi regularly polls an approval rating of over 70%. 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% 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 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 party's 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, 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 don't 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 Modi holds with the Indian immigrants when he's 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 BJP's 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 Modi because he is self-made unlike dynastic Rahul.

The second category of 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 don't 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 Modi or anyone else, and now or in the future.

It is the charisma and belief in 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 Modi's economic performance: He's a flop. Manmohan Singh has pointed out that Modi will be unable to match the average rate of growth delivered by Singh over a decade.

In the corporate world (which loves Modi), where the chief executive is judged by quarterly results, Modi would have been fired.

To me the important data point is this: In 2009 the world's economy contracted because of the financial crisis. Today it is booming and growing at 3%. But even in this environment, India's growth has declined.

This is because of the deliberate slowing down induced by eccentric actions like demonetisation.

This failure will influence 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 don't 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 Modi's personal support, reacts to it.

Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own.
'It is not happening in the same manner as it was happening during the time of the Peshwas.'

'Whatever happened during the Peshwas cannot happen now.'

Image only published for representational purposes.

Bhima-Koregaon near Pune witnessed tension and violence this year when Dalits, like they have done for many years now, congregated at the site of the battle between the East India Company and the Peshwa's forces exactly 200 years ago.

Aiding the British in the battle of Bhima-Koregaon were the Mahars, a Dalit community who claim the victory against the Peshwa empire as their own and commemorate it every year.

This year, events took on an added edge with Jignesh Mevani, the newly elected Dalit MLA from Gujarat, visiting the site, incorporating a Jay Stambh or victory memorial, to pay tribute.

Violence broke between those marking the victory over the Peshwas and those protesting the commemoration, in which one person was killed.

The Battle of Koregaon on January 1, 1818 marked the last confrontation between the Peshwas and the British, and brought about the end of the Maratha empire.

Dalit intellectual Dr Anand Teltumbde does not share the Dalit perception about the significance of the Koregaon battle for Dalits, or its contemporary relevance.

"Who is the fool who can claim that caste oppression was not there in India!" Dr Teltumbde tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.

Why is the bicentennial of the British victory over the Peshwas so significant for the Dalit community, and why are they celebrating it?

As a matter of fact, I don't know. There is nothing that happened. They (the Dalits) fought the war for the ruling powers (the British) and there is nothing significant.

What was that war about?

Every history book records that 1818 marked the last Anglo-Maratha war. That was the last battle they fought.

The Peshwas were reduced to weaklings by that time and they were not in (power in) Pune too.

They were trying to regroup their soldiers and attack Pune again with a big unit.

A small battle was fought there and that was the end of the Maratha empire and the rise of the British empire.

The Mahars were dominant in the Bombay Infantry of the British army, but that does not mean they were in a majority.

Out of 49 men, 22 men were identified as Mahars. So one cannot construe that they fought for caste and this (view) is total distortion.

Was discrimination against the Dalits common in the Maratha empire?

Of course. That was the societal factor.

Discrimination of Dalits was well recorded and caste discrimination reached its zenith under the Peshwas.

But that does not mean that the Mahars reacted in the battle the way it has been coloured.

Can you cite examples of what kind of discrimination the Dalits faced under the Peshwas?

Some say the Dalits had to hang a pot around their neck to spit in and tie a broom around their waist to sweep the ground as they walked to remove the so-called impurities.

Is that true?

These are all folklore. Dalits could not cross streets or sit by the roadside. These things have been spoken about.

I have not gone though any historical evidence about this in any book or papers.

Who is the fool who can claim that caste oppression was not there in India! It was there.

By calling it folkore, are you saying that the discrimination against the Dalits was exaggerated?

It must have been there because it was purely Brahminical rule (under the Peshwas).

Even today that is happening. That is the truth.

They will try to reinforce their rule and power as they were out of power for some time.

These things keep happening, but to say that because of that (discrimination against the Dalits), this (the 1818 war) happened...

Dalit intellectuals whom I read said the arrival of the British was good for Dalits as Lord (Thomas Babington) Macaulay introduced the English language and uplifted the Dalits' status in Indian society. Is it true?

That (theory) is totally nonsense. All these kind of things are getting distorted in identity (politics).

Lord Macaulay had no business to liberate Dalits, they had to liberate themselves.

Lord Macaulay brought the English language for his colonial logic and colonial gains.

This is a known fact, but I don't know why people don't read and understand this logic.

Do you think a Brahminical order is resurgent in contemporary Indian society as witnessed in the Peshwas' time?

There is a resurgence of some kind (of a Brahminical order).

It is not, however, happening in the same manner as it was happening during the time of the Peshwas.

Whatever happened during the Peshwas cannot happen now.

But there is resurgence. They (Brahminical forces) are trying to recreate the same situation.

What kind of oppression do Dalits face now?

Can't you see? Lynchings are happening.

Not only Dalits, but any poor person cannot dissent. They cannot stand before (the State). They are suppressed ruthlessly.
Pakistan on Tuesday challenged Donald Trumps claim that the United States has given it more than $33 billion (Rs 2.09 lakh crore) in aid over the last 15 years, saying verification by an audit firm would prove the US president wrong.

Pakistans Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a tweet said that Trump could hire a US-based audit firm on our expense to verify the $33 billion aid figure and let the world know who is lying and deceiving.

Pres Trump quoted figure of $33 billion given to Pak over last 15 yrs, he can hire a US based Audit firm on our expense to verify this figure & let the world know who is lying & deceiving.., Asif tweeted.

Pakistan Army spokesman Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor at a press conference last week had said that the aid Pakistan received from the US was reimbursement for support Islamabad gave to the coalition for its fight against Al Qaeda.

Had we not supported the US and Afghanistan, they would never have been able to defeat Al Qaeda, he had said.

Asifs tweet came as Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi chaired a meeting of the National Security Council after US President Trump strongly rebuked the country accusing it of giving nothing to the US but lies and deceit and providing a safe haven to terrorists in return for $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while fooling American leaders.

Pakistans ambassador to the US was summoned to the NSC meeting, which discussed Pakistans response to President Trumps fresh tirade while also reviewing the countrys overall foreign policy, the DawnNews reported.

Shortly before the meeting commenced, the military had finalised its suggestions for Pakistans response to Trumps allegations in a Corps Commanders Conference held at General Headquarters.

A meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security has also been called on January 5 to discuss the US allegations.

Following Trumps tweet, Asif on Monday responded immediately saying, ...Will let the world know the truth... difference between facts and fiction.

He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would do no more for it (in the fight against terrorism).

Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years, the minister had said.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror. The White House on Tuesday confirmed that an already-delayed $255 million military aid to Pakistan had been blocked.

It said the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabads response to terrorism on its soil.
Unhappy over the censor boards green signal to Bollywood film Padmavati with certain changes, a Rajput outfit on Tuesday demanded a total ban on the film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and threatened to set ablaze the cinema halls screening it.

The Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena said the censor boards nod to the controversial film was unfortunate.

The Gujarat president of the outfit, Raj Shekhawat, made an open threat, saying the RRKS members would take the law into their hands if the film was not banned across the country.

The Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone-starrer has already been banned in Gujarat and some other states.

The RRKS is a splinter group of the Rajasthan-based Rajput Karni Sena, which is also against the release of the film.

It is unfortunate that the censor board has decided to give the film a U/A certificate with only five changes. We will not accept this.

We want a total ban on the film, which glorifies the barbarian invader, Alauddin Khilji. Just like Gujarat and some other states, we want the Centre to stop its release in the other parts of the country as well, Shekhawat said.

Stating that a few changes here and there were not sufficient when the entire film was distorted and not based on historical facts, he said, We want the government to impose a pan-India ban on the film. Otherwise, we will take the law into our hands and not hesitate to set ablaze cinema halls (screening the film).

According to Shekhawat, a mere change in the disclaimer or in the title would not serve any purpose as the viewers would eventually believe what they saw in the film.

A panel of experts had also said that there were too many flaws (in the film). (The erstwhile) Mewar royal familys Maharaja Arvind Singh, who was also on the panel, had said that facts were distorted in the film. Even then, the censor board has taken such a decision. We will not sit quiet if the film is released, he said.

On December 30, the Central Board of Film Certification, headed by Prasoon Joshi, had announced that Padmavati would be given a U/A certificate and suggested that the director changed the films title to Padmavat.

It had also suggested certain modifications in the disclaimer of the film, making it clear that it did not glorify the practice of Sati, and relevant changes in the song, Ghoomar, to befit the character portrayed in it.

The CBFC had clarified that the U/A certificate would be issued to the film once the modifications were carried out and the final material was submitted.

The film got stuck in a controversy after various Rajput groups alleged that it distorted history, a claim repeatedly denied by Bhansali.

As the anti-Padmavati protests spread across various states, the films December 1 release was deferred as it did not have a clearance from the censor board.

Image: Members of the Rajput community chant slogans as they protest against the release of Padmavati. Photograph: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nepal Singh on Tuesday tendered an apology after creating a controversy for his statement that army jawans "ought to die".

The BJP MP from Rampur had earlier made a statement over the recent deaths of Indian Army soldiers in Pakistan ceasefire violations and terror attack at a Central Reserve Police Force camp in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir in the wee hours of December 31.

Yeh toh roz marenge Army mein, koi aisa desh hai jahan army ka aadmi na marta ho jhagde mein? Gaon mein bhi jhagda hota hai to ek na ek to ghaayal hoga hi! Koi aisi device batao, jisse aadmi na mare? Aisi cheez batao ki goli kaam na kare, use karwa dein. (They will die every day in the Army. Is there any country whose soldiers do not die while fighting? Even in villages if there is a scuffle, at least one person will get hurt. Name a device from which people do not die? Tell one such thing which can stop the bullet), the BJP MP had said.

Later, the MP apologised and said his comments were misinterpreted.

"I didnt intend to disrespect the army. I am saddened. I apologise for my statement but it didnt say anything like this. I had said scientists are trying to invent such a device, which can avert the bullet so that soldier can be protected," he said.

With inputs from ANI
Hopefully everyone made it through New Years Eve safe and sound. If one of your resolutions is going out to see more blues, now is the time to start.

A great way to start off in fine blues style is to see two-time Blues Music Award Winner Guitar Player of the Year, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters. He is back at the Infinity Music Hall Norfolk stage on Friday. Earl has performed with such greats as Carlos Santana, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Otis Rush, and one of his favorite bands, The Allman Brothers. He performs with an intensity that hasnt cooled in close to four decades of playing. He was fun to watch during last years festival season. Joining him on vocals and harmonica is Diane Blue.

Sunday, the Connecticut Blues Society Jam returns to the Pine Loft. This is a monthly event, usually on the first Sunday of the month. The featured guest is Gene Donaldson on vocals and guitar. The CTBS All Stars, handling the stage, welcome all jammers.

Friday, Smokin With Chris brings in The Coffee Grinders and the Tipping Chair Tavern has The Colbys. The Coffee Grinders will be at Stateline Station on Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. show.

Saturday, it is River City Slims Birthday Bash with The Mighty Soul Drivers at the Maple Tree Cafe. Get ready for some celebrating. Another birthday bash is taking place at Cafe 9 on Friday where Greg Sherrod is the guest of honor.

Creamery Station is doing a show to celebrate the life of a good friend and road manager, Vinnie Mannocchi, on Friday at the Spaceland Ballroom, dubbed Creamery Station & Fam. There will be some early acoustic songs by friends before Creamery hits as well as a TBA group of close friends coming up to play a short interlude set during our break, as well as a liquid light show by A Case Of Space. The evenings proceeds will go to the Mannocchi family to help with their expenses.

If you are traveling towards Rhode Island, The Knickerbocker Cafe has an excellent weekend. On Friday, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones are there, followed by Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez on Saturday.

The International Blues Challenge (IBC) is less than two weeks away. The IBC represents the worldwide search for those blues bands and solo/duo blues acts ready to perform on the international stage, yet just needing that extra big break. Each affiliate of the Blues Foundation can send a band and a solo/duo act to represent its organization at the IBC. The Connecticut Blues Society is sending Easy Baby in the band category, and Frank Breen as the solo/duo artist.

The IBC is judged by blues professionals from across the world, who have years of experience in listening to, producing, and creating blues music. The foundation has established a set of criteria, by which all acts are evaluated throughout the five days of the IBC.

This is a truly international showcase. The week opens on Tuesday with a concert featuring bands from various countries. The IBC officially opens at the Clayborn Temple, a key site in the civil rights struggle of the 1960s, where Dr. Martin Luther King spoke during the Sanitation Workers strike. A umber of Canadian bands are in the IBC as well as Germany and Switzerland. More blues later that night on Beale Street. You can read more about the IBC at: https://blues.org/international-blues-challenge/.

If you cannot make it to Memphis, listen to Vinny Marini and his program, Music On The Couch. He is bringing the IBC to you live, with interviews of acts participating in the IBC. You can find Marini at http://www.musiconthecouch.com.

Mark your calendar for the Connecticut Blues Societys annual Blues Blizzard on March 10. If you like a lot of blues and a great party, this is it. Once again, the VFW in West Hartford will host the event.

Doors for the best blues dance party in Connecticut open at 5 pm. Plan on arriving early as the hall and the dance floor fill quickly. The bands include The Sidewinders; Six Pack of Blues; Jr. Kraus and the Shakes; Vit B3; and the Rich Badowski Blues Band.

Now is a good time to plan for summer festivals. You can do well and keep busy with fests within the state. There are enough shows within an easy drive throughout New England and nearby states. Many of the festivals use this time of year to sell discounted tickets.

Get the complete Blues Beat schedule on Thursday at the blog http://bluesbeatnews.wordpress.com/. Any questions or comments should be sent to Domenic Forcella at TWBlus@aol.com.
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.
Connecticuts two U.S. senators will travel to Puerto Rico this week to learn about the ongoing damage from Hurricane Maria.

This trip will shine a glaring light on Puerto Ricos continuing humanitarian and economic crisis, said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) in a release. Since I last visited the island in October, the federal response has been shamefully inadequate. Across Connecticut, I have heard heartbreaking stories from families who have recently arrived and other families still on the island.
SALISBURY  Noble Horizons welcomes United States District Court Judge William F. Kuntz and former 17-year ACLU president, author and law professor Nadine Strossen for a discussion of Strossens new book, Hate: Why We Should Resist It with Free Speech, Not Censorship. The event will be held Jan. 21 at 2 p.m.

Nadine Strossen was the first woman to lead the American Civil Liberties Union, the nations largest and oldest civil liberties organization, which she served as President from 1991-2008. When she stepped down as ACLU President, three Supreme Court Justices (Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Antonin Scalia, and David Souter) participated in her farewell and tribute luncheon. She remains a member of the ACLUs National Advisory Council and is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Strossen graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard College and magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was an editor of the Harvard Law Review and met classmate William Kuntz, her interviewer..

Kuntz was nominated to a seat on the U.S. District Court by Barack Obama and confirmed unanimously in 2011. Prior to his appointment as the Federal Judge for the Eastern District of New York, Kuntz practiced law for 28 years and taught at Brooklyn Law School. He graduated with an A.B. from Harvard College, an M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. Kuntz and Strossen have homes in the Tri-State region.

Strossen and Kuntz will discuss issues raised in Strossens book, including whether hate speech laws violate our constitutional guarantee of free speech; the fine line between protected and punishable hate speech and whether hate speech laws actually provoke the feared harms of hate speech. Questions from the audience will also be considered.

Due to limited seating, this free program is by reservation only at www.noblehorizons.org or 860-435-9851. Noble Horizons, located at 17 Cobble Road in Salisbury, CT, is a retirement community on over 100 acres at the foot hills of the Berkshires.

Russian pianist Margarita Nuller to perform in Litchfield

LITCHFIELD - St. Michaels Parish will present a concert by pianist Margarita Nuller on Sunday, Jan. 7 at 4 p.m., part of the First Sundays at Four series.

Nuller was born into a family of musicians in St. Petersburg, Russia. She began playing the piano and taking lessons from her mother, pianist Tatiana Selkova, when she was just five years old. She then attended a music school, affiliated with the St. Petersburg Conservatory, for gifted children, and subsequently graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory.

Nullers repertoire includes major works from the piano literature such as all 32 Beethoven Sonatas, all Chopin Etudes, Scherzos and Sonatas among others. Since her arrival in the United States in 1990, she has performed extensively as a soloist and chamber musician in the New York metropolitan area and in New England. She has also played recitals in Brazil, Russia, Spain, and Portugal, and has been soloist with the Arkansas Symphony, Danbury Symphony, Klassika Orchestra in St. Petersburg, Russia, and the Chamber Orchestra of Puerto Rico.

Nuller played her debut recital at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City as a winner of the Artist International Auditions. Her CD of Russian music was released on LArt label in 2003. She has attended many summer festivals including the SIPO in Obidos, Portugal, the Shandelee Festival in New York, and Music in the Palaces Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. She has also taught at the University of Hartford, the Moussorgsky College of Music in Russia, and the Connecticut Conservatory in New Milford.

She has a very busy teaching studio in New Fairfield and is on the faculty of the Kent School in Kent. Her students have been accepted at prestigious music schools, including the Eastman School of Music in New York, Peabody Conservatory of Music, and Oberlin College. She has been an adjudicator for the MTNA Piano Competition of New Jersey and for other state and local competitions. She has recently been playing and will be recording works by Boston composer Nickolas Van Slyck.

All are welcome to the concert; tickets are $20. A meet-the-artist reception will follow. St. Michael's

is located at 25 South Street, just off the Litchfield Green. For more information, call 860-567-9465

Red Cross prepares for Heroes Ball

HARTFORD  The American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region presents the 13th Annual Red Cross Heroes Ball on Saturday, March 3, 6-11 p.m. at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. This years event will honor the brave, selfless, and strong humanitarians who supported the Red Cross during the 2017 hurricanes.

The 2017 hurricane season was among the top 10 all-time most active seasons on record. Hurricanes Maria, Harvey, and Irma left millions without food and shelter, displaced from their homes, separated from their families, and in the most devastating of cases, lost their lives. In the face of this great devastation, the Red Cross has been there. Like a hurricane, humanitarians from all over rushed to the affected areas, heading straight into the storm to provide care, shelter, and hope to those affected.

We are excited to host this years ball to honor individuals, companies, and foundations that worked with the Red Cross to provide relief to those affected by hurricanes this year, said Mario Bruno, CEO, American Red Cross Connecticut and Rhode Island Region. Each year, we celebrate the lifesaving mission of the Red Cross. This year, we are proud to recognize the heroes who provided hope to those who lost everything during the devastating hurricane season..

The Red Cross Ball will feature an evening full of fun and inspiration featuring a live and silent auction and live band. Mohegan Sun is a proud sponsor of this years Red Cross Ball.

Sponsorship opportunities are now available. For more information, contact Libby Richardson at Libby.Richardson@redcross.org or 860-678-4310. Tickets can be purchased at www.redcross.org/RedCrossBall.
Chinese people celebrate the new year during a countdown event at a Yongdingmen Gate in China's capital Beijing, Dec. 31, 2017.

As China begins a new year, the big question for its economy is whether government leaders will stick to their promises to control financial risks and rely on "high-quality" growth.

The twin policy pledges, frequently repeated by President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang, imply that the government will curb credit emissions and be satisfied with slower but more sustainable economic growth.

Policymakers and regulators faced the identical issues at the start of 2017, but their performance before the critical 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October was decidedly mixed.

Under pressure to deliver on the CPC's promise to double gross domestic product in a decade by 2020, the government looked the other way while state-owned banks let loose a wave of new loans.

In September, net new lending of 1.27 trillion yuan (U.S. $193 billion) topped forecasts, rising 16.5 percent from a month earlier and sparking expectations that loans would hit a new high in 2017.

New loans fell back in October but then surged again in November to 1.12 trillion yuan (U.S. $169.3 billion), setting a record for the 11-month period, according to Reuters reports.

Most of the credit was for home and property financing, boosting speculation in the high-growth investment sector that the People's Bank of China (PBOC) had promised to control.

Despite the government's focus on new-age factors, including technology, innovation, consumption and services, to drive the economy, the lending gave an old-fashioned push to construction-related industries to underpin growth.

The official Xinhua news agency acknowledged the backsliding in a year-end economic report.

"China has maintained prudent monetary policy since 2011. However, in practice the policy has been loosening slightly due to downward pressure on economic growth," Xinhua said.

IMF warnings

The loans have defied repeated warnings in the past year from the International Monetary Fund about the "dangerous" pace of credit increases, as well as a downgrade of China's sovereign debt in September from Standard & Poor's ratings agency.

In the latest frictions last month, an IMF review of China's financial stability criticized its rising credit levels and complexity of the country's system. The fund cited banking practices such as lending to prop up growth and employment, and compensating investors for losses from risky financial products.

IMF officials said that "credit growth will not slow sustainably unless tolerance for job losses and slower economic growth rises, particularly at (the) local level, and new sources of revenue are found for local governments."

The PBOC responded that the assessments "have fully acknowledged China's achievements" in promoting financial stability, but cited "a few descriptions and views in the reports that we don't agree with."

The government continued to rely on lending to boost GDP growth to 6.9 percent through the first three quarters of last year, topping both Premier Li's target of "about 6.5 percent" for last year and the 6.7-percent expansion in 2016.

Aside from clashes with the IMF and rating agencies, the loan binge also contradicted China's own official policy goals for 2018, which stress risk reduction, credit cutoffs for "zombie" enterprises, support for the "real economy," and slower but steadier growth.

"Achieving high-quality development is imperative for China to maintain sustainable and healthy development of the economy and society," President Xi said on Dec. 6, according to Xinhua.

Policymakers echoed the same themes at the annual Central Economic Work Conference in Beijing last month.

A statement issued at the end of the three-day conference appeared to downplay the need for deleveraging, suggesting tolerance for increases in debt.

"Prudent monetary policy should be kept neutral, the floodgates of monetary supply should be controlled, and current and social financing should see reasonable growth," the statement said.

"China will maintain a hardline stance on irregular and illegal activities in the financial industry to forestall risks," it said.

But the conference statement quickly drew attention for what it did not say.

"Compared with the statement from last year, analysts have noticed the absence of 'deleveraging' in the wording," Xinhua said in a year-end commentary on Dec. 21.

The news agency cited a research note from China International Capital Corp., arguing that although deleveraging was not mentioned, "financial risk control is still a priority."

The lukewarm assurance is unlikely to be seen as an adequate response to calls for more urgent action to restrain credit growth.

"Since October, Chinese economic policymakers have expressed little interest in tackling the country's mountain of debt, which has accumulated rapidly over the past decade," The New York Times said.

Chinese performers play drum music during a countdown event celebrating the new year at Yongdingmen Gate in China's capital Beijing, Dec. 31, 2017. Credit: Reuters Challenge for 2018

China's challenge this year is not whether it will set sound goals, but whether it will ignore them again and fall back on credit-fueled stimulus policies if economic growth slips too fast or too far.

One consideration working in favor of sustainable risk and growth policies is that China no longer needs such high rates to fulfill the CPC promise of doubling GDP by 2020.

The steady and relatively high growth maintained through November has created "room for policymakers to step up efforts on risk control, poverty relief and pollution next year," Xinhua argued in a report on Dec. 14.

In a Xinhua report on Dec. 23, an official of the government's central leading group on financial and economic affairs, said the goal of doubling GDP could be met with annual growth of 6.3 percent through 2020.

"Judging from current economic performance, there will not be any huge barrier in meeting the goal," said Yang Weimin, deputy director of China's Office of the Central Leading Group on Financial and Economic Affairs, which is in charge of leading and supervising the economic work of both the CPC Central Committee and the State Council.

Scott Kennedy, deputy director of China studies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said in September that China's leaders appeared comfortable with even lower growth in the range of 5.8 percent to 6.2 percent for 2018-2020 as they pursue their priority for managing risks.

"My sense is that the government is likely to encourage a slightly looser monetary policy for the next couple of months to ensure China gets safely through the Spring Festival without hiccups, but reducing financial risks will still be the top priority for the coming year," Scott said by email last month, referring to the Chinese New Year which falls on Feb. 16 this year.

Official growth rates in a lower range would be uncharted territory for China's leaders, however, tempting them to spur growth with traditional stimulus measures.

Gary Hufbauer, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, said China's government is likely to do whatever it takes to keep GDP growth rates from falling below 6 percent in the coming year, even if it means pumping up credit.

"I think the judgment of the Chinese authorities is that the financial risk is less than the political risk," Hufbauer said in an interview.

"They may be wrong but they certainly act as if a drop in the growth rate to a more normal level ... would be a political disaster," he said.

In that respect, the forces at work in 2018 are much the same as those seen last year, despite Xi's consolidation of power since the party congress.

While Xi's authority is unquestioned, it is unclear whether he will use it to throttle credit down, cut off loss-making enterprises, and face the consequences for jobs.

The course of 2018 is likely to be determined by political calculations rather than promises of economic reforms as China faces its "three tough battles" of managing major risks, alleviating poverty, and controlling pollution.
Online Chinese news platform Toutiao has suspended more than 1,000 accounts after being sanctioned last week for alleged breaches of regulations and for spreading "pornographic and vulgar content."



The popular app has also included a channel titled "New Era," in a reference to the political "thought" of Chinese President Xi Jinping, "to release information or reports about China's accomplishments and efforts after socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era," according to a statement on its official account on social media platform WeChat.



"The move is a step to better promote mainstream values and the spirit of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China," The Global Times newspaper, a tabloid run by the mouthpiece of the ruling Chinese Communist Party, reported.



Beijing's Cyberspace Administration on temporarily suspended both Toutiao and Phoenix News. Both apps were also accused of "having serious problems in guiding public opinion."



The apps had "carried pornographic content, seriously misled the public and had a very negative impact on the social media environment," the administration said in a statement on its website.



Both companies have promised to tighten up controls on content and management of staff, after they were summoned to a meeting with internet supervision officials, official media reported.



A Toutiao source at management level confirmed that the company's management had been "called in for a chat" by the Cyberspace Administration.



"We have already made a statement and explained everything on group chat, but it's not convenient for me to comment on any of this," the source said.



"I can't give any kind of interview on this."



Toutiao said it had banned 1,101 accounts for "posting low-quality content in violation of governmental regulations." The Global Times said the accounts had featured celebrity gossip, sexual innuendo and violence.



From now accounts will be scored out of 100 for appropriateness of content, it said, with "inappropriate content" triggering a 20-point deduction and a two-day posting ban.



Broader content controls

A journalist who asked to be identified only by his surname, Zhang, said the Cyberspace Administration was cracking down on any form of public expression not directly sanctioned by the government, under the guise of "inappropriate content."



"They're tightening controls on content still further, only this time the [companies] are self-censoring more stuff," Zhang said.



An academic surnamed Xu said much of Toutiao's content was "low-end, pandering to popular tastes," however.



"I think the stuff they thought should be the headlines didn't have that many followers, even though there are a huge number of readers on there," Xu said.



"The Communist Party is really exerting tight control over public opinion these days," she said.



A Toutiao user surnamed Wu said President Xi Jinping plans to extend his ideology across China in 2018, "in the spirit of the 19th party congress" during which it was enshrined in the ruling party's charter last October.



"A lot of news [in China] no longer serves the function of news, although it certainly does serve a function," Wu said. "Some social media platforms are still able to help people who need help by posting some news about society."



"It's pretty clear when you have social media platforms shutting down and then talking about the spirit of the 19th party congress what is going on," he said. "Xi Jinping said in his New Year's address that he planned to ensure that the 19th party congress spread [across all levels of society]."



"I think the window for the Chinese people to make their concerns and demands known has now closed," he said.



Veteran journalist Zhu Xinxin said the pure ideology now required of China's state media was behind the recent closure of a number of print newspapers.



"Any journalist or editor with any talent for expressing an independent point of view is naturally going to run afoul of government controls on the media and insistence on ideological unity," Zhu said.



Reported by Gao Feng and Yang Fan for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Dai Weisen for the Cantonese Service. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie.
Financial compensation plans for Lao residents displaced by a high-speed railway linking the country with China have been finalized and are being reviewed by provincial authorities, with two provinces already approving their terms, Lao sources say.



The Peoples Councils of Luang Namtha and Vientiane provinces have already approved the compensation packages, Rattanamany Khounnivong, deputy minister at the Lao Ministry of Public Works and Transport, told RFAs Lao Service.



Three other councils in Oudomxay and Luang Prabang provinces and in the capital Vientiane are now reviewing them for approval, he said.



And once everything is set, my ministry and the Finance Ministry will begin making payment to affected villagers right away, Rattanamany said, while declining to provide details of the amounts offered to offset residents losses of homes, land and livelihoods.



Under Lao Decree 84 issued in April 2016, Lao citizens losing land to development projects must be compensated for lost income, property, crops, and plants. And project owners must guarantee that living conditions for those displaced will be as good as, or better than, they were before the project began.



More than 4,400 families, some of whom have already been moved from their land, are now waiting for compensation originally promised to them by November, sources said.



Its already the end of the year, and its still quiet, one Luang Prabang resident still living on his land told RFA at the end of December. We havent heard anything yet, and we need compensation to be paid as soon as possible.



Concerns over transparency



Also speaking to RFA, other sources voiced concerns over lack of transparency in the payment process.



Of course I worry about compensation, a resident of Nong Vieng Kham Village in the capital, Vientiane, said.



I dont want there to be any leaks [of the funds], and I dont want any middle men to be involved, RFAs source said, speaking like the others interviewed on condition of anonymity.



If the government pays us $500 per square meter, I want to receive $500--not $200 or $300, he said.



Meanwhile, a resident of Vientianes Ban Nathom village expressed confidence in the payment process.



I think the process will be transparent and the payments will be fair, the source said, noting that compensation had been paid fairly in the past in projects building the Lao National Assembly Building and a road leading to an important Buddhist religious monument.



First scheduled for completion by 2015, plans now call for work on the railway to end in 2021, with Chinese companies promising completion by that date despite the challenges of boring tunnels in mountainous areas of the countrys north.



Landlocked Laos expects the planned railway to lower the cost of exports and consumer goods while boosting socioeconomic development in the impoverished nation of nearly 7 million people.



Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Max Avary. Written in English by Richard Finney.
A former Tibetan political prisoner weakened by beatings and torture suffered in detention has been placed under house arrest by Chinese authorities angered over his contacts with rights groups and media outlets outside the region, Tibetan sources say.



Shonu Palden, 40, was summoned by police in Gansu provinces Machu (in Chinese, Maqu) county on Dec. 27 and was questioned for hours about a report published by the Dharamsala, India-based Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD) earlier in the month.



The report detailed the hardships faced by Paldens eight-year-old daughter Namgyal Dolma, who has been barred from attending school because of her fathers previous involvement in protests calling for Tibetan freedom from Chinese rule.



Chinese police have now criticized him for spreading word of his case outside the area, and have scolded him severely, TCHRD staff member Trisong Dorje told RFAs Tibetan Service, adding that Palden was accused of harboring political motives for discussing his case with others.



Shonu Paldens family, relatives, and friends are worried that the authorities may now arrest him again, and that if this happens, his failing health may grow even worse, Dorje said.



Palden now lives in poor health at his home in Machu after being released in 2013 by prison authorities who feared he might die behind bars as a result of the beatings and torture he endured while detained, TCHRD said in a Dec. 18 report.



He now suffers from blocked arteries, failing eyesight, and breathing and hearing problems, and his family is struggling to meet the costs of his medical care, the rights group said.



Local authorities are meanwhile refusing to admit Paldens daughter to school, saying that her birth date was entered improperly on an application.



But similar cases have been quickly and easily resolved, TCHRD said in its report, adding that local authorities have told Dolmas parents the real reason she has not been admitted is her fathers participation in the protests for which he had been sent to prison.



Reported by Sangye Dorje for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Benpa Topgyal. Written in English by Richard Finney.
A wealthy businessman wanted by authorities in Vietnam on charges of espionage has been detained by immigration officials in Singapore and is seeking asylum in Germany to avoid being repatriated, according to reports.

Vietnams Ministry of Public Security issued an order to prosecute Da Nang-based real estate developer Phan Van Anh Vu, 42, on Dec. 20 for deliberately disclosing state secrets under Article 263 of the countrys Penal Code, state media reported last week, without providing details about the charges.

Vu was not at home or at his office the following day when authorities tried to arrest him, the report said, adding that police had seized important documents after searching his house and subsequently began the hunt for him.

The fugitive tycoon, who is also an intelligence officer, is believed to have entered Singapore on Dec. 21, but was arrested a week later when he tried to cross the border into Malaysia on a passport that had been cancelled by Vietnamese authorities, media reports said. Reuters news agency quoted a lawyer engaged by Vus family as saying he was attempting to travel to Germany.

Other reports quoted Vus lawyers Tuesday as saying they had not been granted access to their client in Singapore, and that they had written to the German embassy there about the case, saying the tycoon could face a death sentence if repatriated to Vietnam.

The lawyers also noted that Vu could reveal important information about the kidnapping of a Vietnamese former oil executive in Berlin, but said they had yet to receive an answer from German officials.

In July, Vietnamese security agents grabbed Trinh Xuan Thanh from a park in Berlin in an operation Germany called a scandalous violation of its sovereignty, though Hanoi maintains that he returned home voluntarily.

Thanh, who will be tried later this month, is one of several executives arrested by authorities this year in a crackdown on corruption in Vietnams banking and energy sectors.

Asylum difficult

German lawyer Petra Isabel Schlagenhauf, who represents Thanh, told RFAs Vietnamese Service that it will be difficult for Vu to obtain German asylum based on his current situation.

An asylum petition formally only can be made in German territory, not from outside, but there could be the possibility of a humanitarian visa in the German migration law, she said.

I cant say what will be the official German position about that. But all depends on whether it is possible to avoid having this person [taken] back to Vietnam.

Le Nhu Tien, a former member of Vietnams National Assembly, criticized what he called loopholes in Vietnams legal process that he said have allowed defendants in corruption cases to flee the country or go into hiding.

Tien, who is also former deputy head of Vietnams Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children, told RFA the fugitives had made off with trillions of dong (1 trillion dong = U.S. $44 million) in assets and questioned whether Vietnam is determined enough to recover the money.

According to state media reports, Vu was formerly a police senior lieutenant colonel with close ties to former secretary of the Da Nang Communist Party Committee and Communist Party Central Committee member Nguyen Xuan Anh, who was removed from both posts in October last year.

Reported by RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Emily Peyman. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.
FIREFIGHTERS tackled several incidents over the New Year, including fires and crashes.

Dearne station staff attended a van fire on High Street, Thurnscoe at 6.30pm on Saturday.

Staff left the scene around half-an-hour later  the blaze is thought to have been set deliberately.

Three crews from Rotherham, Maltby and Aston stations attended a house fire on Alpine Road, East Dene at midnight on Monday morning.

The accidental blaze had begun in a first-floor bedroom  no injuries were reported. Staff left the scene around one hour later.

Two teams from Edlington and Doncaster stations responded to a house fire at Victoria Road, Edlington at 12.20pm on Monday.

The propertys front door was ablaze  thought to be the result of a deliberate act. Staff left the scene at around 1.30pm.

And Edlington and Central stations responded to a one-car collision on Tickhill Road, Maltby at around 12.20am on Tuesday.

Staff rescued one person from the vehicle, leaving the scene at around 1am.
Three miles east of White Earth, ND, you can find Feiring Angus Ranch. Doug and Ceylon Feiring own Feiring Angus Ranch, along with sons, Brett and Brady, and daughter Shambre. One of their major philosophies is, "To never overstock pastures with more animals than the land can handle." Generation after generation of Feiring Angus have all received the same lecture. Feiring Angus does not use popular genetics in their breeding program, for they believe that cattle should adapt to mother nature the way that mother nature intended it. They strive to produce cattle that will return the most profit with the least input and labor.

Ash Coulee Ranch was started in 1967 by Anthony Davis with the purchase of 13 heifer calves from the Bob Joyce dispersion. They calve from 100 to 140 registered angus cows a year depending on weather and the hay supply. As with Feiring Angus, Ash Coulee has always tried to raise cattle in touch with mother nature and the environment that northern North Dakota will allow with very little extra supplement. Scott Davis bought the ranch from his father in 1980, and with help from his family and his brother, Davis has continued the progress that his father started. Ash Coulee has selection pressure developed a cow herd that is very easy calving with excellent maternal traits, and has never been creep fed. The Ash Coulee cow must calve unassisted, raise a big calf, and breed back in time with what mother nature will allow. No exceptions.

Feiring Angus and Ash Coulee will be selling top quality bulls that fit their environment, calve easy and grow on April 21, 2018. Visitors are always welcome.
Cell Grazing, dormant season grazing, swath grazing, crop residue grazing and bale grazing, everything you need to know about grazing. Steve Kenyon, Green Pastures Ranching Ltd. will be in Sidney on January 17 to speak about these grazing alternatives. The workshop will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Richland County MSU-Extension Meeting Room, 1499 N Central Ave, Sidney, MT. Cost to attend will be $20 which will include lunch.

Steve Kenyon runs a custom grazing business in the Westlock, Alberta area under the name of Greener Pastures Ranching Ltd. He on average manages about 1000 head of livestock on 3000 acres of leased land. By using extended grazing techniques, he is able to pasture cattle year round. This is accomplished by using a combination of intensive cell grazing, dormant season grazing, swath grazing, crop residue grazing and bale grazing. Steve has become well respected in the agriculture community for his business management and innovative ideas.

Steve has been teaching sustainable grazing management for more than ten years and has been a keynote speaker at many conferences and seminars throughout Canada and the U.S. He is a writer for the Stockman Grass Farmer magazine and also for the Canadian Cattleman Magazine. He is also the author of "The Calendar of the Year Round Grazier". Steve has a very energetic personality, which compliments a very down to earth common sense approach to farm business management. Yet he is still just a producer and presents in a very honest and straightforward style. Steve has developed and instructs the "Year Round Grazing Systems" Agricultural Business Management Course. This three-day course includes a human resource component, economics, finances, grazing principles, cell design and pasture rejuvenation. This course will take you right into design and planning of a year round grazing system

The Mission statement of Greener Pastures is "Economic Sustainability for Generations" It is important to provide an enjoyable, profitable and sustainable business for future generations. Steve believes that to be profitable in the long term, you must use sustainable agriculture practices. You have to work with nature, not against her. Greener Pastures is an environmentally sustainable ranch that improves the land. The focus is to maintain an effective water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle and mineral cycle. Our wildlife habitats and riparian areas need to be preserved. The health of our soils and our soil organisms needs to be understood and protected in order to ensure that our agricultural businesses remain profitable and sustainable.

To learn more about Steve, check out his website http://www.greenerpasturesranching.com and join us on January 17 at the Richland County MSU-Extension meeting room, 1499 N Central Ave, Sidney, MT.

We will also be co-hosting the Soil and Water Conservation Districts of Montana and the Natural Resource Conservation Service Soil Health Workshop Series on January 19 at Richland County Event Center. To register for this workshop visit http://www.swcdm.or/soil-health or contact Ann, 406-433-5711. Early registration cost through January 8 is $15. At the door registration is $20.

Derek Axten and Brendon Rockey will be the featured speakers at that workshop focusing on the cropland side of soil health. Derek Axten owns and operates a diversified grain farm in Southern Saskatchewan with his family. He has implemented innovative ideas to improve sustainability and profitability of the family farm. While attending workshops and conferences with his wife, they met farmers and scientists who taught them to change the way they looked at farming. This led to their journey towards soil health and regenerating their farmland. Learning about soil biology and how soil functions, has renewed their passion for farming, and improved the farm's productivity.

Brendon Rockey of Rockey Farms in Center, Colorado, raises specialty potatoes and quinoa on 500-acres under irrigation at 7,600 feet above sea level using a biotic approach. Brendon chooses to use biological inputs like companion crops, livestock, green manure and flowering strips instead of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Biotic management supports a healthy, diverse pollinator population as well as a healthy farm and healthy consumers. You can find more information on these two speakers at http://www.notill.org/derek-axten and http://www.brendenrockey.com.
Rambur Charolais is located just south of Sidney, MT and was founded more than 30 years ago by Howard Rambur. When he started in the ranching industry, Howard wanted to work with a breed of cattle distinctly different from any other breeds in eastern Montana, so he chose the Charolais.

The Charolais, at the time, was a relatively new breed to the area and was still able to retain its full French heritage. Even though the breed grew quite large as adults, Howard had a goal to modify the Charolais to not only suit his customers, but also to ensure that the animals fit the Montana environment. The Charolais put on pounds quickly, which led to calving problems. Rambur then bred the animal down to a smaller frame, which led to calving ease. For decades, Rambur Charolais perfected its breed and now has customers all over the country that use the Charolais bull on their first calf heifers.

Rambur's cattle have done well at the Denver Stock Show, have won top honors three times, and have even received Reserve Champion on several other occasions.

A Rambur Charolais cow's profile will have smooth shoulders for calving ease, sound feet and legs and a good carcass structure. Cows are bred to be tough on the ranch, and they have to be able to calve easily, flesh easily, and have fertility and structural soundness in the rough Montana climate.

At the end of the day, Rambur runs 300 Charolais cows as well as 150 head of Angus cows. The ranch also offers Angus bulls along with its famous Charolais bull program. The operation farms about 600 acres of corn and hay each, and includes an on-site feedlot.

Rambur Charolais will market its cattle on April 8 at the ranch. Stop by and visit or call them at 406-482-3255.
This is the first year that the Watford City High School DECA class put on such an event. The McKenzie County Library in Watford City held this event for the DECA students and the community members that attended every day. It was held when DECA replaced the former school group of FBLA.

As many people are familiar with FBLA which stands for Future Business Leaders of America. DECA which may not be as familiar with, has been around for nearly 70 years and has impacted the lives of more than ten million students, educators, school administrators and business professionals since its founding in 1946. DECA also prepares emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance hospitality and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.

Riley Lane works on the coloring activity for the day. (Photo by Wendy Lough)

DECAs programs and activities have constantly evolved as they use the latest technology and apply cutting edge educational research. Its organized into two unique student divisions each with programs designed to address learning styles, interest and focus of its members. The High School Division includes 3500 chapters, 200,000 students.

Mr. Cody Brooks is the High School Teacher who is now in charge and changed the group from FBLA to DECA. On the day I was there, December 13, there were only 2 young girls with a Mother that attended. The student, little girls and parent had a good time with the coloring activities that Gracie had chosen for that days' activity to go along with the book.

The DECA student starts out by reading a book for that day, then there is an activity that completes the program. Gracie enjoys working with kids and plans on going on to college for a career that will keep her in a field that she enjoys.
NJ Transit

Federal Transit Administration Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams outlined a series of concerns regarding an updated financial plan for the Hudson Tunnel project in a letter to New York State Director of Budget Robert Mujica on Dec. 29.

Among the issues Williams raised was that there is no 50/50 agreement between the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), New York and New Jersey.

There is no such agreement, Williams wrote in the letter, which was obtained by Crains New York Business. We consider it unhelpful to reference a non-existent agreement rather than directly address the responsibility for funding a local project where 9 out of 10 passengers are local transit riders.

An agreement between USDOT, New York and New Jersey was established in 2015 under the previous Obama Administration. Elected officials from New York and New Jersey met with President Trump and other USDOT representatives in September to make the case for the Gateway Program and called the meeting productive, but inconclusive.

Securing a financial commitment from the federal government for the Gateway Program has also been used as a bargaining chip in the delayed confirmation of Ronald Batory as the Federal Railroad Administrator.

In his response to Williams, Mujica referenced the 2015 agreement, as well as the meeting this summer between administration and elected officials.

The USDOT stepping away from the 50:50 framework now would represent stepping away from a previously agreed upon path and the entire basis for getting this critical national infrastructure project done, wrote Mujica.

Williams also questioned the new financial plans move toward what she labeled as greater federal reliance. Williams said the project is now 100 percent dependent on federal financial assistance given that the plan calls for 50 percent of the funds from Federal Capital Investment Grants (CIG) and the other 50 percent from a trio of Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loans. She also explains that the plans expectation of $5 billion or more in CIG funds could exhaust the CIG program completely.

Mujica responded that labeling the utilization of federal loan programs to pay for infrastructure as federal assistance or federal dependency is a misinterpretation that goes against decades of precedent when it comes to funding infrastructure projects of this scale and importance.

Williams letter also notes that the project budget was reduced $2.2 billion without explanation.

We understand this new plan does not address the rehabilitation of the existing tunnels, and now only addresses the building of two new tunnels. Given the age of the existing tunnels was the impetus for the project, we question the decision to ignore any funding commitment to that critical component, and to omit billions in other costs previously acknowledged to be part of the overall project cost, wrote Williams.

Phase 1 of the Gateway Program includes three elements: the Portal North Bridge Project, the new two-track Hudson River Tunnel and Hudson Yards Concrete Casing. At the time the updated financial plan was released, New York and New Jersey said the cost to rehabilitate the existing tunnels would be addressed in the future, as rehabilitation work on the tunnels was not expected to begin until 2026.

Williams noted that the federal government remains open to paths that would enable the Gateway Program to proceed before concluding that infrastructure will be discussed in Congress in the coming weeks. Mujica reciprocated his departments willingness to engage the federal government and expressed his hope that any national program with the ambition to improving our infrastructure must begin with Gateway.
French stocks opened lower in the first trading session of the New Year Tuesday as traders returned to their desks following a long holiday weekend.

Encouraging manufacturing data from China as well as ebbing tensions on the Korean Peninsula failed to cheer investors.

The benchmark CAC 40 was down 21 points or 0.39 percent at 5,291, with automakers leading decliners as the euro got off to a strong start in 2018 on fears of ECB stimulus tapering. Renault fell 2.3 percent and rival Peugeot dropped 2.4 percent.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com
Army causes heavy causalities on Saudi army, its mercenaries [02/January/2018]



SANAA, Jan 2 (Saba)  The army and popular forces caused heavy casualties on Saudi-paid mercenaries over the past hours in the battle front lines, a military official told Saba on Tuesday.



In the border province of Najran, the army and popular forces attacked against sites of Saudi-paid mercenaries and fired Katyusha missile on their military vehicles' groups, killing and wounding dozens.



Also in Najran, the army in cooperation with popular forces waged a military operation on Saudi military sites of al-Khashba hilltop, and launched an artillery shelling on gatherings of Saudi soldiers in al-Shabakah, al-Makhrawq, raqabat al-Sudis, Nahuqa, Husn al-Hamad.



Separately, in Jizan's border province, the sniper units of the army and popular forces shot dead two Saudi soldiers in Saudi military sites of Dukhan, Jahfan. Also, they fired an artillery shells on Saudi soldiers' groups in al-Masna site.



In Taiz province, four military vehicles of Saudi-paid mercenaries were destroyed and their crews were killed by the army and popular forces, while the army's artillery units hit mercenary groups in al-Samin hilltop in Thubab district.



Meanwhile, several Saudi-paid mercenaries were killed and injured when the army and popular forces hit their groups in al-Zughn area of Serwah district of Marib province.



Finally, in province of Lahj, the army and popular forces foiled an attempt of Saudi-paid mercenaries to infiltrate towards al-Dar al-Baidha area, causing large losses among the mercenaries.

Saba
Army shoots down 29 aircraft, destroys 1,569 vehicles, eight naval pieces in 2017 [02/January/2018]

SANA'A, Jan. 02 (Saba) - The army and popular forces destroyed 1,569 military vehicles and eight naval units, and shot down 29 aircraft of the US-Saudi aggression in 2017.



On the other hand, the army and popular forces launched 45 ballistic missiles during the same year.



The military and the Popular forces destroyed eight Abrams tanks, 196 armored vehicles, 31 tanks, 1,337 various ordnance of the US- Saudi aggression and its mercenaries, according to a report issued by the military Information, Saba got a copy of it.



the naval forces and the coastal defense destroyed eight naval military pieces of the Saudi-American aggression in 2017, distributing over two boats and four battleships, and a spy submarine and a frigate.



The report said that the air defenses of the army and the popular forces shot down 29 aircrafts, including two F-16 and one F-15, and one Typhoon, two Apache, a Black Hawk, and a helicopter, and a MQ9 plane, and 19 spy aircrafts.



The missile force of the army and the popular forces fired 45 ballistic missiles into the depth of the Saudi and UAE positions and their mercenaries on various fronts, including three Burkan-1, and three Burkan-2, three H-2, and three Zelzal-3.



Ballistic missiles launched last year also included a winged cruise missile and a Qaher missile M-2, and a missile has not been revealed yet.



During the same period, the missile force also fired 293 homemade missiles, distributing to 62 Zelzal-1 missiles, 109 Zelzal 2 missiles, 10 Sumod missiles, five al-Sarkha, Cry, missiles, 1 al-Sarkha-2 missile, 4 al-Sarkha-3 missiles, 38 Uragan missiles, 57 Grad missiles and seven other missiles.



According to the report, the sniper units of the army and the popular forces managed during the last year to shot and killed 399 Saudi soldiers and 1,894 mercenaries.



The army and popular forces carried out qualitative military operations on the positions of the Saudi enemy and its mercenaries.



The army and popular forces broke 552 moves, causing the enemies losses at their ranks, despite the air support by the aggression warplanes.



The army and popular forces burnt 43 weapon stores of the enemy and its mercenaries in 2017.



HA



Saba
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
New Laws to Know for Oregonians

Oregon Senator Kim Thatcher (Dist 13) reports on new laws going into effect.







(SALEM, Ore.) - With the new year upon us, you've probably heard about several of the higher profile or controversial laws, soon to go into effect, that passed during the last legislative session.

I would like to highlight some of the good, bipartisan bills that passed that may not have had much media attention.

All of the bills below I am proud to have sponsored and passed during the 2017 legislative session. Though, in several cases it seems a shame that a law had to be passed to begin with but that's often what happens as courts interpret statutes and situations arise which reveal deficiencies in the law.

Protecting the Community

If a sexual predator has been convicted twice of rape, sodomy, or unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree, they will have a presumptive sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of release or parole.

Just two months ago, a man from Eugene was convicted for the third time of rape. He had been convicted of raping and abducting a 17-year-old girl in 1989 and a different woman in 2003, months after he was released. He was released again, and in 2015 raped a third woman.

If this law had been in effect in 2003, the third woman never would have been raped by this man. I don't think these disgusting predators ever deserve a third chance. I am very pleased to have chief sponsored this bill. There is no doubt in my mind that this new law going into effect today, will save many from the life altering trauma of rape.

SB 249 A and SB 250, protects victims of sexual exploitation. Not too long ago Portland Police set up a "decoy website," for sex trafficking and within a three year period, it received over 150,000 calls from people seeking sex with teenagers.

Many of these pimps exploit, blackmail, and force vulnerable victims into prostitution. Unfortunately, some of these young people get caught up in the system and are charged with prostitution even if they have been forced into it.

SB 249 A establishes procedures for such a person to file a motion to vacate a conviction for prostitution if the person was a victim of sex trafficking at or around the time of offense. These individuals have to show they were recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided or obtained for the purpose of commercial sex acts.

SB 250 allows victims to mount an "affirmative defense" against prostitution if they were either 15 years of age or younger, or over the age of 15 and forced, tricked, or coerced into commercial sex acts. Both of these bills go into effect today.

HB 2740 A modified the definition of "trafficking in persons" to include 15, 16, and 17-year-olds. This law goes into effect today. Believe it or not, yesterday 15, 16, and 17-year-olds who were being trafficked, were not considered to fall under the legal definition of being "trafficked" by a pimp.

I was glad to sponsor this bill and align our juvenile laws and standards to more appropriately respond to the reality of sex trafficking of minors.

Informing victims of their rights

SB 795 A requires police and hospitals to inform victims of sexual violence that they have a right to receive counseling services from a victim advocate. It is already in law that they have a right to these advocates but it has not been required that those victims be made aware of this right and service.

This bill changes that. When someone is raped or sexually assaulted, it can be devastating. Victims can have a hard time knowing what to do next or even knowing what choices they actually have. The victim advocate can greatly help these sexual assault victims to access resources they otherwise would not know about. This law also goes into effect today.

Privacy

HB 3077 A is another bill I sponsored that goes into effect today. It helps protect a victim's or witness's anonymity and privacy during a court criminal discovery process by withholding social media and electronic email addresses from victimizers. This is a good example of a law catching up with technology.

There was already a law that prevented a district attorney or a defense lawyer, in the absence of a court order, from providing a defendant with a victim's or a witness's address, telephone number, Social Security number, date of birth, credit, or bank account information. This law enshrines and extends that same protection to a victim's social media and email accounts.

Jobs

SB 1028 is another bill that I chief sponsored and it goes into effect today. It authorizes professional licensing boards to consider and substitute relevant work experience for a high school diploma or equivalent education requirements.

In other words, if someone without a high school diploma has been working a job for many years and the licensing or certification requires a certain education level, this bill directs the licensing board to consider their real-life experience.

One of my biggest complaints about the state burdening business and hindering the average citizen, is its licensing schemes. This bill recognizes the dynamic circumstances of Oregonians. There are people in Oregon who dropped out of high school and went straight into the workforce.

They have been in their trade for quite some time and have a deep knowledge of their specific craft. They should not be barred from advancement because they unfortunately could not finish high school or couldn't afford college training. I was very happy to be a chief sponsor of this bill.

Education

It requires colleges to annually provide to each student information detailing the amount of education loans they have received; the amount of tuition and fees the student has paid to the institution; the estimate of the total payoff amount of loans the student has received; an estimate of the amount that the student will have to pay each month to service their loans; and the percentage of borrowing limit that the student has reached for each type of federal loan.

College loan defaults are on the rise and it is imperative students have a clear understanding of their debt obligations.

Veterans and National Guard

HB 3423 A The Oregon Promise Grant is available to students that attend college within six month after high school graduation. However, many of Oregon's National Guard members are recruited during high school.

They are sent to basic training and then onto service duty training. This can take up to a year and by that time, the national guardsmen are no longer eligible for the Oregon Promise Grant. This bill changes the law to extend the same opportunity when these guardsmen and women finish their training.

They will have six months from the time they complete their training to take advantage of this grant to further their education. This law goes into effect today.

Transparency

In 2009, I introduced HB 2500 that created the "Transparency Website" to make information about state agency revenues, expenditures, contracting, human resources, and other data publicly available at one location for citizens.

If you haven't been on this website, I would highly recommend checking it out by clicking here. Since that time, we have slowly added different government agencies and functions onto the website to maximize public awareness, government accountability and transparency.

The newest bill, HB 2946 A expands Oregon's transparency website. It allows semi-independent state agencies, public universities, Oregon Health and Science University, the Oregon Tourism Commission, the Oregon Film and Video Office, and the Travel Information Council, the Children's Trust Fund, Oregon Corrections Enterprises, the State Accident Insurance Fund, the Oregon Utility Notification Center, and any state-designated public corporation to be added onto the website for the public to see and scrutinize.

The transparency website has always been close to my heart. I am proud that this new law is building on the founding of what I began back in 2009. This law goes into effect today.

Second Chances

HB 3446 B is an interesting bill. During a Senate Judiciary committee we heard testimony from an individual in his late 40's who had a felony driving conviction. When he was much younger, his license was suspended for speeding numerous times but he continued to drive. Eventually, he was given a felony for not complying with his suspension.

Since that time, he has not been in any trouble with the law and has maintained a clean driving record after his license was reinstated. However, he still has a felony. These felonies in Oregon could not be expunged, or taken off his record. This bill allows the court to reduce this felony conviction to a Class A misdemeanor.

It requires that the convicted person successfully complete probation. It also requires that the court consider the nature and circumstances of the crime and the history and character of the person. If it is determined by the court that they have met this criteria, then their felony can be reduced to a misdemeanor.

I think if someone reforms their behavior and can demonstrably prove that to a court, then they should have a second chance. This bill takes effect today.

Charitable Giving

SB 378 A Adds Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association to list of entities eligible for individual income tax return checkoff contribution.

In 2017 Forbes reported on a survey conducted by WalletHub that ranked Oregon in 14th of the 50 states of most charitable in donations.

This bill helps expand that list of generous giving by adding our first responder volunteer firefighters to our list eligible for the individual income tax contribution. This bill went into effect on October 6, 2017.

Source: Senator Thatcher; If you want to contact Sen. Thatcher's office you can send an email to: sen.kimthatcher@oregonlegislature.gov or call 503.986.1713

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Welcome to the New Year. It might be three days old today, but the novelty of the change from 2017 to 2018 is still new and thats reason enough to rejoice, especially if you are still on holidays.

Speaking of holidays, the past few days have been divine for many of us. Its truly wonderful to be able to step back, take a breather, re-vitalise and re-energise for the New Year. We wish these holidays would last longer.

But not everyone had the same luxury of course. For many people, they made sacrifices so that everyone else could have the time of their lives.

Today on this first edition of 2018, we want to acknowledge with gratitude the work of people who toiled throughout the public holidays tirelessly to allow everyone else to celebrate.

We are talking about the Police officers all over Samoa, the doctors and the nurses at the hospitals throughout the country. These people would have had to sacrifice time with their families and loved ones for the call of duty.

But our thank you does not stop here. We acknowledge the hardworking crew of the Samoa Shipping Corporation who keep the travelling public moving between Savaii, Upolu and vice versa. We thank the airport workers, pilots, crew and everyone else involved in the aviation industry.

Sometimes we take for granted the work these people do, but it is times like these when we come to accept that without them, international travel, inter-island travel would be impossible.

Lets not forget those supermarkets, stores, hotels, restaurants, bars, bus, taxi drivers and all service providers that remained opened during the holidays. We thank you for providing such essential services and doing so with a smile.

We also want to thank the Metrological Office, the staff of the Disaster Management Office, the Electric Power Corporation workers, Samoa Water Authority and all public servants who were on call in case of emergencies.

We want you to know that the people of Samoa appreciate your service. You all play such a vital role in days like these and we are all indebted to you for your commitment and dedication.

Today, what weve learnt over the years is that these special days disappear as quickly as they arrive. Another year has begun and whether we are prepared for it or not is irrelevant because time waits for no man.

What we do know is that the world seems a more uncertain place with violence, strife and hardships tearing people apart.

In Samoa, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaois first address of the year on the front page of the paper you are reading gives us a glimpse into some of the exciting things we can look forward to.

Faster and cheaper internet connection through the Tui Samoa Cable is on top of the list.

The Tui Samoa Cable will bridge the digital divide for our people and our neighbouring island nations; promote economic and social developments, and provide Samoa with access to fast, reliable and affordable wholesale broadband internet, Tuilaepa said. This is a vital progression toward effective connectivity that will further strengthen education and health, trade, employment creation, and information sharing.

The progress of Samoa Airways, launched two months ago, will be another interesting project to follow in 2018.

In November of 2017, the Samoa Airways was launched and has since been burning the sky, flying to New Zealand and Australia, said Tuilaepa.

Our partnership with Virgin Australia over the last ten years had taught us that it is crucial for Samoa to own and manage its own airline. Twice we joint venture with major international carriers, and twice they failed us.

On the jobs front, there is good news since the closure of Yazaki EDS last year.

The former Yazaki Samoa compound has reopened for business with the opening of two New Zealand based Companies  Fero and Sleepwell operations in Samoa, the Prime Minister said.

When Yazaki Samoa announced its closure in 2016, people were worried of what the future holds for them. However just a month into closure of Yazaki, Fero and Sleepwell had begun their operations, providing 120 immediate jobs with the first choice given to those who were employed by Yazaki.

The companies had undertaken that by 2020, five hundred more jobs will be available. God has certainly responded to our prayers.

Well that is great news to begin the year.

Its important that we remain optimistic in the face of great adversity.

We say this because in this country today, there are some real concerns we cannot ignore. It has everything to do with making sure our leaders put people first.

In doing that, they must desist from being greedy, but insist on doing what is right and making sure they are accountable, transparent and follow the key principles of good governance in their decision-making.

For this newspaper, weve said this before and we will say it again. Our biggest hope for 2018 is that it will become the year when Prime Minister Tuilaepas government will not make any excuses, but clean up the rot called corruption and abuse that has been going on behind closed doors for far too long inside some government ministries and corporations. This is hurting our people. The time has come for the government to address these issues once and for all.

We also hope they will pay attention to the growing number of young people hawking goods on the streets and the poor people of this nation who continue to call for help when it comes to basic things like water and electricity.

What do you think?

Have a wonderful Wednesday Samoa, God bless!
Dear Editor,

Re: Tax, churches and the govt.

Being a police officer is a hard job too. But look at how crappy they have just been treated. What about nurses?

They work as hard as Ministers. Do they have to pay taxes? Is it ok to tax hardworking nurses because they are mostly female so their treatment is not important?

What about teachers, the educators for the future success of Samoa, do they pay taxes on the pitiful wage they make?

These peoples jobs are every bit as important as a ministers job.

Would an off duty police officer walk away from a serious crime being committed?

Would an officer or a nurse walk away from a first responder situation if they were called upon when off duty?

Would an off duty nurse walk past a dying or injured person on the street? They are also 24/7 professional employees.

Wendy Wonder
The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (F.E.S.A.) has launched an investigation to determine what started a fire that had consumed a large part of Faasootauloa Pati building at Vaitele on New Years morning.

The building houses the I&P NGG Cho Ltd Supermarket and bakery as well as another cafe.

The building was engulfed in flames in the early hours of New Years Day.

As of yesterday, the store had been completely emptied out leaving the burnt remains.

According to an eye witness who spoke to the Samoa Observer on the condition of anonymity, the fire started on the top floor.

It occurred not long after the New Years church services had ended.

It all happened at around one in the morning, the eye witness said.

We were just finishing up our church service here in Vaitele when we saw fire trucks rushed towards the fire."

We went and saw the top of the building on fire."

The fire trucks were very fast and they did a good job in putting out the fire. The road was blocked off for about half an hour for the safety of the public.

Efforts to get an official comment from the Fire and Emergency Services proved unsuccessful as of yesterday.

But an official told the Samoa Observer they have started their investigation.
Pro-activeness, responsiveness and better service.

These are the goals the Ministry of Police has put in place as they move forward in the New Year, according to a statement it issued on New Years eve.

Tonight we bid farewell to 2017, the statement reads.

As the Management we would like to take this opportunity to extend our Faafetai and Faamalo to all who have shared this journey with us.

The Samoa Police service takes this opportunity to look back on the events of 2017.

We have had successes, but we have also experienced shortfalls in our service delivery.

They are also grateful for the support given by the community.

We highlight our ongoing partnership with the community in fighting crimes in Samoa.

We have been fortunate to receive the support shown by members of the public with a number of our crime prevention activities.

We say thank you to the leaders of religious denominations across Samoa, pulega Alii ma Faipule, our Government sectors and partners, business community as well as our non-government organisations for opening their doors to us as we find ways to fight crime.

The Police Service however continues to seek support from the public.

We ask our community to continue supporting us to protect our women, children and vulnerable people of Samoa.

Our people are known for their hospitality, friendliness, openness and especially our communal way of living.

We hope that the communal nature of our people by working together to prevent crimes will continue on in 2018.

They also acknowledged shortcomings.

We have also had shortfalls in 2017 and we will continue to work on remedies to address our shortfalls and to better serve our people.

Rest assured Samoa that we will also work towards addressing the issues that has often plagued the good name and reputation of the Samoa Police.

In our line of work, there are always going to be critics, but we believe that there are also members of our community who see the hard work and efforts of our officers in keeping Samoa safe.

We continue to rely on the good will of our community to support us. Together we can make a difference.

The Samoa Police Service will continue to strive to be pro-active, responsive and a trusted organisation that will serve you better in 2018.

Last week, one of the two prisoners who escaped has been captured.

Aniseko Vaelei has been remanded back into the custody of the Prison authorities; however the other inmate, Uili Manuleleua, is still on the run.

He is the last of the four prisoners who escaped from the Tafaigata prisons on Wednesday, 20 December, 2017, to be captured.

We advise members of the public not to approach him directly because he is considered aggressive and dangerous.

If anyone knows of any information in regards to his whereabouts, please contact the police immediately on phone 22 222 or any nearest police post.
Waiting to check into her room at the Tanoa Tusitala Hotel was Jody from Vancouver, Canada, and what better way to kill time than to lie by the pool and work on her tan.

Its pretty strange to have a tan in January where Im from in Canada so its going to be nice going back home with a tan and look all refreshed. Although it probably wont last long, Jody Young said to Dear Tourist.

Jody has been spending the last couple of weeks travelling through Australia and New Zealand for the Christmas and New Year season.

Ive just come from spending time in New Zealand, travelling around there and then was in Australia visiting with some family and now Im here in Samoa for a week. Im meeting a friend of mine from Canada who is also doing some travelling.

Were spending two days in Apia and then we will head to Saletoga sands and we have plans to do some sightseeing at all the other villages, I cant remember their names but the goal was to have a beach-y relaxed kind of holiday.

When choosing her last destination before heading back to Canada, Jody did some research to decide which of the islands she would visit and it looked like up and coming Samoa was the pick for the Canadian traveller.

Well I was doing some research and originally was looking at Fiji first, but then I heard that Samoa was the more untouched, not so tourist-y island. I looked at some photos and I really wanted to visit the To Sua trench that I saw online. From what I read, Samoa seemed like an up and coming tourist destination and its a place that is just so far away, but it really caught my eye and so here we are.

Its humid, but its nice. Its negative 5 degrees where Im from, so Im not complaining. Its great. If weather permits, Id like to do a snorkeling boat trip, theres a company that I researched before coming here and they do trips around the different islands so fingers crossed that will work out.

According to Jody, the best part about her trip is meeting her work colleague in the middle of the Pacific far from their North American home.

My friend that Im meeting here pretty soon is spending her 35th birthday here in Samoa. She quit her job and has been travelling for the past six months. I just told her I was going to be here in Samoa and she decided to come meet me.

Shes on the last leg of her trip and Im on the last leg of my trip so what better way to end our travels than to meet up here. And well get to fly home together so thats going to be fun.
At age 88, Korean War veteran Stan Levin has earned the right to spend all his evenings in the warm comfort of his Serra Mesa home.

But several nights a month for the past six years, Levin has patrolled the streets of downtown San Diego, handing out free sleeping bags, socks and snacks to homeless men and women he finds sleeping on the sidewalks.

Levin, who makes all his street runs with fellow veteran Gilbert Field, is the No. 1 delivery man for San Diego Veterans for Peaces Compassion Campaign. The program was started seven years ago by member Jan Ruhman, who was troubled by the large number of unsheltered veterans he saw shivering in the cold downtown.

Since 2011, the campaign has distributed more than 3,250 sleeping bags. About 40 percent of downtowns homeless population are veterans, Field said, but the bags are distributed to any one in clear need.

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It doesnt matter to us if theyre veterans, Levin said. Theyre all out there in the cold. They all need help.

Levin said he feels an intuitive connection with the people he meets on the streets. As a boy growing up in Philadelphia, he endured extreme hardship hed rather forget. And his combat experiences in Korea left him with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, something he sees in many of the homeless people he meets.

Every night I go out, I get the same good feeling, Levin said. Its extremely rewarding and I feel like a made man afterward.

Veterans Stan Levin, left, and Gil Fields, both with San Diego Veterans for Peaces Compassion Campaign, with some of the sleeping bags they distribute to the homeless downtown. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune )

Levin has been an active member of San Diego Veterans for Peace for many years. He often writes for local news websites and newspapers about his anti-war beliefs and his work with the homeless.

In one poetic essay he composed last May, Levin wrote: They are human beings, having worth, no less than the rest of us / In some ways superior in their caring and sharing and looking out for each other / Like so many species of forest animals / they are being inexorably squeezed out of their habitat into the shadows.

Levin started his working life in an acrobatic duo who performed in burlesque shows and nightclubs. But when his partner bowed out to attend college, Levin joined the Navy at age 21. That was in 1950, the year the U.S. entered the Korean War, a conflict Levin prefers to call the Korean debacle.

He served as a sonarman 2nd class on a small ship stationed six miles off the coast of North Korea. In 1951, he was assigned to Operation Strangle, a mission to disrupt the supply chain of weapons arriving from China. The death and casualty toll on the nightly commando boat raids was so high and their efforts so futile, Levin said he couldnt bring himself to talk about his combat experiences for nearly 50 years.

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After the war, Levin met his wife, Estelle, and theyve been married nearly 65 years. They had three children  two surviving daughters and a son who was killed years ago in a failed parachute demonstration at the San Diego County Fair.

After leaving the Navy in 1954, Levin worked for Convair where he wired airplanes. Then after college, he spent 17 years as an elementary school teacher, followed by 17 years selling real estate and finally about 25 years as a real estate contractor.

Levin said he discovered San Diego Veterans for Peace several years ago while attending a public event and he found that the nonprofits goals lined up with his own.

San Diego Veterans for Peace is a chapter of the national nonnprofit Veterans for Peace, which has 125 chapters in the U.S. and six in other countries. There are about 5,000 members worldwide, including about 50 in San Diego.

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Field, the local chapters director of communications, said the organizations mission is to educate the public on the true cost of war. Most of those efforts involve public events, speeches, articles, marches and banners. Its most prominent local campaign is protesting the Miramar Air Show.

The launch of the Compassion Campaign is unique among Veterans for Peace chapters. Field said the local members discussed the need and voted to open a separate fundraising account to buy some sleeping bags for homeless vets.

Initially, they raised $3,000 to buy 50 bags at a sporting goods store. But when they saw theyd barely scratched the surface of the need downtown, the Compassion Campaign became a permanent mission, and Levin and Field became its most active distributors.

Using a PayPal donation site (sdvfp.org/donate/), Compassion Campaign raises money continuously. Every time the account reaches $1,700, they purchase a lot of 50 four-pound extra-large polyester bags and hit the streets.

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Stan Levin, left, and Gilbert Fields, who are with Veterans for Peace, zip up the new sleeping bag they just gave to Shayne Dunn, who is homeless, after they found Dunn sleeping in a parking lot in San Diego on Friday. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune )

At least three nights a month, the veterans head out to distribute up to 20 sleeping bags at a time. Levin and Field say they spend about 90 minutes to two hours driving around to find the right beneficiaries for the program.

Theyve developed a vetting process to determine which people are truly in need and which people will sell or trade the sleeping bag for cash or drugs. They prefer approaching those bedded down for the night because their need is clear. Although Levin was once chased for a block by a mentally ill man, most people greet the team with tears and hugs.

We look for the onesies and twosies, people who are alone, likely newly homeless, with very few possessions and usually sleeping on the street with little more than a blanket or jacket, Field said.

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Over the years, the veterans have expanded the program, adding warm socks to their giveaways as well as hard-boiled eggs for those who are hungry. Many of the people they meet are so sick  mentally, physically or chemically  that they need help pulling on the socks or sleeping bag.

I enter their lives with a pair of socks and sometimes I put them to bed, Levin said. What we do is let them talk. To many people, they dont exist so we let them know someone cares.

Field said Levin is tireless in his desire to work the streets, often sending him emails once or twice a day to find out when a new shipment of bags has arrived.

Stan is special because at 88 years old, hes down in the worst parts of downtown at night when he doesnt have to be, helping these homeless people, Field said. I think he gets more out of it than they do.

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Levin agrees.

The gratitude that is spilled on us out there is overwhelming, he said. Ill do it until all the people are off the streets or until Im not around anymore.

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pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com
Irans supreme leader broke his silence Tuesday on the anti-government protests erupting across the country, blaming the deadly unrest on foreign enemies.

During the escapades of the past several days, Irans enemies, using the various tools at their disposal, including money, weapons, politics and security apparatus, have allied [with one another] to create problems for the Islamic establishment, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying by state media in his first comments on the unrest that began Thursday.

Iran would be saved, Khamenei said, by the spirit of courage, sacrifice and faith within the nation.

He made the remarks during a weekly meeting with families of slain soldiers, but indicated on Twitter that he would deliver a more detailed address on the protests when the time is right.

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In recent events, enemies of #Iran have allied & used the various means they possess, including money, weapons, politics &intelligence services, to trouble the Islamic Republic. The enemy is always looking for an opportunity & any crevice to infiltrate &strike the Iranian nation. pic.twitter.com/HIXtudRAue  Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) January 2, 2018

State television reported that nine people were killed overnight in clashes between security forces and protesters, including rioters who attempted to raid a police station to capture weapons. That brings the death toll in the unrest to at least 21, according to the Associated Press.

Protests that began in the city of Mashhad over economic grievances have since spread to more than two dozen cities, with demonstrators confronting riot police and paramilitary forces while chanting for an end to the theocracy  the most significant outburst of public anger in Iran in nearly a decade.

The Trump administration called on Iran to stop blocking popular social media platforms, such as Instagram, which are being used by Iranian protesters.

The more available these sites are, the better it is, U.S. Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein said. He added that the platforms were legitimate avenues of communication, and he urged Iranians to find ways around government efforts to block them, such as use of virtual private networks, which often serve as a way for people to circumvent official censorship in many countries.

We want to amplify their messages, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Tuesday at U.N. headquarters, before reading several purported social media messages that were highly critical of the Iranian government.

Haley said freedoms enshrined by the United Nations were under attack by Iranian authorities, including rights to free speech and liberty. She said the U.N. Security Council would hold an emergency meeting, possibly this week, to discuss the Iranian protests. It is likely that Russia would veto any attempted U.S.-sponsored sanctions against Tehran.

Haley said that there were no unilateral measures yet being proposed by the U.S. but that Washington would look closely at Irans testing of missiles as deadlines for U.S. certification of the Iran nuclear deal and to extend sanctions waivers loom later this month.

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Iran is seeing the biggest antigovernment protests in years. Whats driving the unrest? 

President Hassan Rouhani has acknowledged peoples disappointment with the economy  which has been battered by international sanctions and, more recently, the declining price of oil  but said security forces would crack down on demonstrators who resort to violence.

The deputy governor of Tehran, the capital, said that 450 people were arrested over the last three days, the semiofficial Iranian Labor News Agency reported.

But Ali Asghar Naserbakht said the capital was under control and predicted that the demonstrations were calming down.

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Yesterday saw less people protesting on the streets, Naserbakht said, according to the news agency. The police for the most part calmed down the riots by inviting people to respect law and order, and arrests were made only in cases where people insisted on carrying out illegal activities.

Irans deputy interior minister, Hossein Zolfaghari, said security forces had decisively countered lawbreakers while allowing peaceful demonstrators to air their frustrations.

In most parts of the country, the situation has returned to normal, and with the cooperation of the people and with the efforts of the security forces, the remaining unrest in some regions will soon end, he said, according to state media.

Special correspondent Mostaghim reported from Tehran and Times staff writer Shashank Bengali from Mumbai, India. Times staff writer Tracy Wilkinson in Washington contributed to this report.

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shashank.bengali@latimes.com

Follow @SBengali on Twitter for more news

UPDATES:

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1:50 p.m.: This article has been updated with comments from Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein.

11:30 a.m.: This article has been updated with comments from Nikki Haley and a revised death toll.

10:20 a.m.: This article was updated with comments from the Trump administration.

4:10 a.m.: This article was updated with staff reporting and comments from Irans supreme leader.

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This article was originally published at 12:32 a.m.
The national conversation on sexual misconduct by people in power was the biggest social issue of 2017, and it doesnt show any sign of stopping in 2018.

In local politics, there has been no larger debate than the allegations against Mickey Kasparian, a labor leader accused by two women of sexual misconduct. One says he he groped her several times and once held her down to his office sofa, the other says she was coerced into a sexual relationship with him in the workplace. He denies all the allegations against him.

Kasparian is the head of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135 and the San Diego Working Families Council. Until his recent resignations, he was president of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council and a member of the local Democratic Partys Central Committee.

He has been an ally Democratic candidates and the countys party alike, and his support has made the allegations the thorniest issue in progressive circles since former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner.

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The accusations will be sorted out in the various lawsuits that are currently underway, but politically, its more complex. To help keep things straight, and see where Democratic candidates and incumbents stand, the Union-Tribune has created a spreadsheet to follow how incumbent Democrats and candidates respond.

They will all be emailed with a series of yes-or-no questions that ask if Kasparian should resign from Local 135, should he leave the Working Families Council, has the local Democratic Party responded appropriately to the allegations and will the politician accept support from Kasparian. So far county supervisor candidates have all been contacted, and more will be emailed in the coming days.

Besides responses to the four questions, the speadsheet also tracks when Democrats were first contacted and when they replied (or havent replied), among other details. The goal is to be as transparent as possible. The spreadsheet will be updated with responses as they come in. Progress is being tracked at https://sdut.us/kasparian.

Feedback from readers will help make this process better, so please do not hesitate to email or leave a comment in the chat section of the spreadsheet or email the reporter.

Background

Labor leader Mickey Kasparian accused in lawsuit of sexual assault, seeking foursome 

Dems tried to kick out Mickey Kasparian months ago, and the party boss said no 

Assemblywoman says labor leader should resign Democratic Party post over harassment allegations 

Progressives, Democrats demand investigations, suspension of labor leader 

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Twitter: @jptstewart

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joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
A man sleeping inside a parked truck in Bay Park was killed early New Years Day when another truck ran into it and the driver ran off, police said.

The crash happened around 3:15 a.m. at the intersection of Clairemont Drive and Burgener Boulevard and is being investigated as a hit-and-run fatality, said San Diego police Officer Dino Delimitros.

Police said a man was driving a Chevy Silverado north on Clairemont when he hit a parked GMC truck, where the other man was sleeping, and then hit a van.

After crashing into the two vehicles, the driver got out of the Chevy and ran north on Clairemont Drive, police said.

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The San Diego Police Departments Traffic Division is investigating the incident. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

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phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar

ALSO

The vanishing San Diego single-family home
A 25-year-old man was hospitalized but expected to survive after he was stabbed by apparent gang members who chased him down near a Logan Heights trolley station Monday, police said.

The victim was approached by two or three men just before 8:45 p.m.Monday on Commercial Avenue near an Orange Line trolley stop,San Diego police Sgt. Ed Zwibel said.

The suspects ``issued a gang challenge before chasing the victim about a block, to the area of 33rd Street and Imperial Avenue. One of the men stabbed the victim several times in the upper body before all of the suspects fled on foot, Zwibel said.

The victim was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

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The suspect responsible for the stabbing was described as Hispanic, about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds, between the ages of 24 and 26 and wearing a grayhooded jacket and jeans. Gang unit detectives were investigating the assault, and anyone with information related to the incident was asked to call the SDPD gang unit at (619) 531-2847 or San Diego County Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.com
A man who had been crawling on a roadway in Nestor early Monday was killed when he was hit by a car, San Diego police said.

Its unclear why the man was on the ground around 1:30 a.m. on eastbound Palm Avenue near 18th Street. Bystanders attempted to get the man out of the street but were unsuccessful, police said.

The man was hit by a silver Chrysler sedan. He died at the scene.

The driver of the Chrysler and passengers stayed at the collision site after hitting the man in the road. Alcohol was not a factor in the incident, police said.

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Visibility in the roadway was difficult at the time because of fog, police said.

The San Diego Police Departments Traffic Division is investigating the incident.

dana.littlefield@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @danalittlefield
A former San Diego County Sheriffs deputy was shot while on-duty in Colorado early Sunday morning.

Deputy Taylor Davis, now with the Douglas County Sheriffs Office in central Colorado, was injured when responding to a report of a disturbance at an apartment complex. Davis worked for the San Diego County Sheriffs Department for about three years.

Douglas County Sheriffs Office Deputy Zackari Parrish, 29, was shot and killed, and Deputies Michael Doyle, Jeff Pelle and Castle Rock Police Department SWAT Officer Thomas ODonnell were also shot and injured in the incident. Two civilians were also shot, according to a news release from the Douglas County Sheriff.

The gunman, who was identified by the Douglas County coroner as Matthew Riehl, 37, was also shot and killed.

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The San Diego County Sheriffs Department released a statement offering support for the families of the victims.

We wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of Deputy Parrish and the Douglas County Sheriffs Department for their tragic loss. We also wish those who were injured and their families a complete and expeditious recovery, the statement said.

Taylor worked in San Diego from 2013 until 2016 according to Transparent California.

The Douglas County Sheriffs Office said that at 3 a.m. deputies received a report about a verbal disturbance between two men at an apartment complex and went to investigate. One of the men said the suspect was acting strange and appeared to have psychiatric problems, but police left the complex about 45 minutes later after determining that no crime had occurred.

The Douglas County Sheriff said deputies were called back to the complex around 5:15 a.m. and one of the men gave them a key and permission to enter the apartment. Just before 6 a.m. the suspect began firing a rifle from his bedroom and shot four deputies.

Three deputies were able to retreat, but one, Parrish, was unable to do so. The gunfire and injures prevented the other officers from rescuing him.

A SWAT team entered the apartment at 7:30, and the gunman was killed in a shootout. ODonnell, one of the officers on the team, was also shot. The Sheriffs Office said it appears that the suspect fired more than 100 rounds.

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Twitter: @jptstewart

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joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1841
Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah said Tuesday he will not seek re-election after serving more than 40 years in the Senate, opening the door for former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to run for his seat.

Hatch, 83, said hes always been a fighter, but every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves.

Hatch is the longest-serving Republican in the Senate. He chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee and was a major force in getting a tax overhaul through Congress and signed into law in December.

He also played a key role in persuading President Donald Trump to sign proclamations scaling back two sprawling national monuments in Utah that Hatch and other conservatives considered examples of government overreach.

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In a statement, Hatch said he decided to retire at the end of his seventh term after much prayer and discussion with family and friends over the holiday break.

Only in a nation like ours could someone like me  the scrappy son of a simple carpenter  grow up to become a United States Senator, he added.

An announcement from Senator Orrin G. Hatch. #utpol pic.twitter.com/UeItaLjR3j  Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) January 2, 2018

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who now lives in Utah, has been eyeing a Senate run, but Trump had encouraged Hatch to seek re-election.

Romney thanked Hatch in a statement on Facebook and said Hatch has represented the interests of Utah with distinction and honor.

Romneys statement did not mention his own plans.

Trump had been open in recent months about pressuring Hatch to stay in the Senate, particularly as Romneys ambition for the seat became apparent. Trumps private lobbying campaign was bolstered by a public love-fest, as Trump invited Hatch with him on Air Force One in December as he shrunk the boundaries of the two Utah monuments.

Trump called Hatch a fighter and a special friend of mine, and thanked Hatch for his vocal support when it wasnt exactly the easiest thing to do.

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Romney has a far more tortured relationship with the president, having been a vocal critic of Trumps during the 2016 campaign, including delivering a broadside address in March 2016 condemning Trump. But after the election, Romney submitted himself as a candidate to be secretary of state in an excruciatingly public interview process.

Since Trump has moved into the White House, Romney has been a frequent detractor, particularly after Trump equivocated on condemning white supremacists in Charlottesville last summer.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday she had not discussed Romneys potential candidacy with Trump and could not say whether the president would support him.

Amid earlier speculation about Hatchs plans, the Utah senator stepped up to defend Romney, a fellow Mormon. Last month Hatch lashed out at former White House adviser Steve Bannon for his attack on Romney and the Mormon Church.

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At a rally for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, Bannon called Romney, the GOPs 2012 presidential nominee, a draft dodger who hid behind his religion. Romney received a draft deferment for missionary work in France during Vietnam.

Hatch called Bannons attack disappointing and unjustified and said Romney has sought every opportunity to serve the country.

Hatch defended the selfless service of missionary work and said hed be happy to explain his church to Bannon, adding, Ive got a copy of the Book of Mormon with his name on it.

Late last year, Hatch also found himself in a heated debate with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio. The dispute occurred as Republicans pushed a near $1.5 trillion, 10-year tax cut for businesses and individuals through the Senate Finance Committee over Democrats objections.

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Brown, a liberal firebrand, said people know Republicans want to help the rich because its in their DNA.

Hatch told Brown hed heard enough, adding that hes helped disadvantaged people my whole stinking career. As the two senators talked over each other, Hatch said he was tired of Democrats bull crap.

In the statement announcing his decision to retire, Hatch cited work helping create the Americans with Disabilities Act, expanding childrens health insurance and expanding use of generic drugs.

Hatch also served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was at the center of many of the biggest confirmation battles. During his time on the committee, the Senate has confirmed nearly 1,900 federal judges.

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In 2000, Hatch sought the Republican nomination for president, saying he had more experience in Washington than his opponents and insisting he could work with Democrats. He withdrew from the race after only winning 1 percent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses and then endorsed George W. Bush.

Hatch frequently wrote religious songs and recorded music in his spare time as a way to relax from the stresses of life in Washington. One of his songs, Unspoken, went platinum after appearing on WOW Hits 2005, a compilation of Christian pop music.

While seeking re-election in 2012, Hatch pledged it would be his last term. He seemed to waver on that decision in recent months with Trump publicly calling on him to run again.

Romney would enter the Senate race as the heavy favorite, having carried Utah in 2012 by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 over Democrat Barack Obama. Romney, an unabashed Trump critic, would likely be among a small number of influential Republicans willing to take on Trump.

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Derek Miller, a Utah businessman who had been considering a run for Hatchs seat, said Tuesday that Romney has popped up more frequently at policy gatherings, chamber of commerce meetings and social events in Utah.

I go to events and I see Gov. Romney there, over the last couple months, when I never saw him at those events before, Miller said.

Associated Press writers Zeke Miller, Steve Peoples, Thomas Beaumont and Michelle Price contributed to this story.
Its an election year. That means high drama, political and policy battles and renewed attention on you, the voters.

The L.A. Times political team will be there to help as you sort through the noise and make decisions. To get you started, here are some political questions were pondering.

Will President Trump come to California anytime soon?

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Trump is about to become the first president since Dwight D. Eisenhower 64 years ago to skip a visit to the Golden State during his first calendar year in office. And he doesnt appear to have any plans to take Air Force One to the countrys most populous and economically powerful state before he marks his first full year in office Jan. 20.

Which Trump will come to the negotiating table on immigration?

Weve seen the president have both a warm embrace of the plight of undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and a staunch Build the wall! line of rhetoric for his political base. Democrats believe they can persuade him to help the so-called Dreamers, but it depends on which stance he wants to take in 2018.

What will Mitch McConnell focus on?

Congress returns to Washington with a heftier-than-usual agenda of unfinished business. Lawmakers must quickly tackle spending matters and what to do about the Dream Act. With a slimmer Republican majority in place in the Senate this week, dont expect it to be a smooth process for the GOP leader.

How will California tangle with the federal government this year?

2017 brought a year of resistance and political energy as the new administration settled in. After one year of Trump, what do Gov. Jerry Brown and the majority Democrats in the Legislature have in mind?

Are there other lawmakers to fall in sexual misconduct probes?

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Two California Democrats have quit in recent weeks after accusations of harassment, along with several members of Congress. With politicians returning to work this week in Sacramento and Washington, how many more will become the subjects of investigation? The #metoo movement affected this state more than any other. The Times pulled together a list of the accused across industries, finding a powerful person was accused of misconduct at a rate of nearly once every 20 hours since some of Hollywoods top actresses stepped forward with allegations about Harvey Weinstein.

WHATS AHEAD IN SACRAMENTO

As lawmakers return to Californias capital Wednesday, there will no doubt be a new vibe given the sexual harassment investigations that started while they were out of session. The Legislature also will be missing three assemblymen.

Policy battles will take new forms, as legislators consider the fall elections. Our team put together a quick look at the biggest to come.

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Between bracing for Obamacare repeal and skirmishing over single-payer, 2017 was a busy year for healthcare in California politics. That wont let up in 2018, reports Melanie Mason, as a potential battle over government programs such as Medicaid could have major implications for the state budget. And the rift in the Democratic party over single-payer healthcare will remain, with backers of sweeping overhaul pressing ahead while legislators seek to offer alternatives to calm the progressive base.

Jazmine Ulloa explains how California lawmakers could step in to protect the online privacy of consumers in 2018.

Coming in 2018 are major debates on rent control and the future of Proposition 13s property tax restrictions, Liam Dillon writes in his preview of big housing issues to watch this year.

Rent control is first on the docket with a legislative committee hearing on Jan. 11 for a bill that would allow cities and counties to expand their rent control policies. Among potential Proposition 13 ballot measures that could be on the 2018 ballot is one sponsored by the California Assn. of Realtors that would allow those 55 and older to take part of their property tax breaks with them if they buy a new home.

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Dillon also co-hosts Gimme Shelter, a podcast on the California housing affordability crisis, which publishes every two weeks. The latest episode has predictions for the year ahead.

WHATS AHEAD FOR VOTERS

Nows the time for the races that matter most to start to kick into gear.

Candidates running for governor have spent months and even years laying the groundwork for their campaigns  raising money, securing endorsements and courting party activists. But most of their efforts have been largely out of the view of voters. That will change in 2018, starting with major fundraising disclosures in January, followed by party endorsement fights, and then a sprint to the June primary, Seema Mehta reports.

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Seeking to avoid disunity, the California Democratic Party chairman has asked statewide candidates not to seek the party endorsement at the groups spring convention. Some Democrats arent happy about it, Mehta reports.

Meantime, the lack of prominent GOP candidates on statewide ballots has some Republicans sweating turnout for the congressional midterms. Patrick McGreevy explains how efforts to repeal the new gas tax and vehicle fees might help.

The path to Democrats taking back the House, or not, goes through California. Sarah Wire has the story on the key trends were going to be keeping an eye on as the midterms approach.

As David Lauter observes, almost all signs point toward big Democratic gains, largely driven by Trumps widespread unpopularity. And Mark Barabak has a lets-get-real checklist on the Democrats chances at returning Nancy Pelosi to the speakership.

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A reminder you can keep up with these races in the moment via our Essential Politics news feed on California politics.

NATIONAL POLITICS LIGHTNING ROUND

As the death toll in five days of anti-government protests in Iran climbed, Trump cheered protesters on. Heres why that could backfire.

Pakistan lashed out after 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.

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Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. said the courts will take a closer look at how to prevent sexual harassment of clerks.

Trump falsely claimed hes signed more bills than any other president, and he tweeted that his approval rating is the same as Obamas. Its not.

Get the latest about whats happening in the nations capital on Essential Washington.

AS LEGAL AS IT CAN BE

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The new year also came with some monumental change in California: For the first time, growing, buying, selling and smoking weed is fully legal.

Well, sort of.

Marijuana is still classified as an illegal drug at the federal level. But thanks to the overwhelming Proposition 64 vote in 2016, Golden State pot shops opened their doors, hired new staff to help with the flood of customers and even had gimmicks to reward devoted cannabis fans who arrived bright and early New Years Day to mark the occasion.

Our teams are covering the new era from multiple angles.

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And despite the hoopla, there actually are a whole bunch of places where its not actually allowed.

BOTH SIDES SEE TAX VOTE AS A GIFT

Democrats in the California Senate are planning to write legislation to lessen the effects of the elimination of popular tax breaks in the GOPs overhaul of the federal tax system.

Sarah Wire and Christine Mai-Duc report that with the tax bill vote behind them, vulnerable California congressional Republicans now have potentially more to worry about heading into the 2018 midterms as Democratic activists try to hammer them on the issue.

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George Skelton looked at the issue being a winner for the Democrats in the midterms  maybe.

POLITICAL ROAD MAP: LAWMAKERS MAKING THE GRADE

When Californias state legislators return to Sacramento on Wednesday, they will no doubt be eager to begin mapping out a legislative agenda that they think voters will like come election day in the fall. Theyll also no doubt be talking about the grades they received for their work in 2017.

In his Political Road Map column, John Myers writes that these are grades given by powerful interest groups  some of the only information voters have when it comes to understanding what a member of the state Senate or Assembly has been doing all year long.

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TODAYS ESSENTIALS

-- As we do each year, our team gathered Californias new laws in one place, so you can see how they affect everything from your commute and the workplace to what you talk about around the water cooler.

-- Another state lawmaker has resigned: Assemblyman Sebastian Ridley-Thomas stepped down, blaming health issues for his departure before the end of the two-year session in August.

-- Meet Preet Didbal of Yuba City, the first known Sikh woman in the nation to serve as a city mayor.

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-- A state Assembly member wants to require sexual harassment training in Hollywood and health standards for fashion models to combat eating disorders.

-- New polling in the top 2018 statewide contests  the gubernatorial and Senate races  points to Democrat-on-Democrat battles in the general election.

-- Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who took a pass on seeking statewide office, finally admitted that he is considering running for president in 2020.

-- A local Indivisible activist group has endorsed one of Rep. Duncan Hunters challengers.

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-- Emilys List has made its pick in another contested GOP-held seat, endorsing former Clinton advisor Sara Jacobs, who is running against Rep. Darrell Issa.

-- Six things you probably didnt know about the Californians in Congress.

-- San Franciscos next mayor will be a political star in California. Who will it be?

LOGISTICS

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Essential Politics is published Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

You can keep up with breaking news on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics?

Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com.

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Complaints of sexual harassment by San Diego city workers rose noticeably in 2017 from previous years, nearly quadrupling from the year before.

In 2017, workers made 19 formal complaints about sexual harassment to either the citys Equal Employment Investigations Office or within city departments.

Thats the largest annual number in the past five years, and almost four times more than the five complaints filed in 2016, according to data provided by the city.

Overall, there were 55 complaints of sexual harassment filed since 2012, the third-most of the nine categories of discrimination the city catalogs. Only complaints of racial discrimination (94) and retaliation (86) exceeded complaints of sexual harassment.

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The city produced the data following a Public Records Act request filed by The San Diego Union-Tribune. The request sought copies of all complaints of sexual harassment filed by city workers since 2012, as part of the newspapers efforts to document sexual harassment in the workplace in light of the #MeToo movement and the focus it has brought to sexual harassment.

A city spokeswoman said its not clear why there was a surge in sexual harassment complaints.

The City investigates all EEO complaints that are brought to its attention and has not determined a reason for the number of complaints recently submitted, spokeswoman Katie Keach said in an email.

The city initially denied the request because formal complaints filed with the office are confidential under city regulations. So the people who filed each complaint as well as the subject and a description of the harassment cant be revealed.

The newspaper also requested in lieu of copies of complaints that the city provide a tally of the aggregate number of complaints of sexual harassment for the past five years.

The data did not specify individuals or departments and did not say what the outcome of the complaints or investigations were.

The second-greatest number of sexual harassment complaints came in 2013, when 11 were filed. That was the same year that former Mayor Bob Filner resigned amid a raft of accusations from women, including several city workers, that he had groped, manhandled and harassed them at City Hall.

State law requires sexual harassment prevention training for supervisors. Keach said that since 2015 the city has provided sexual harassment training to all employees, supervisory and non-supervisory.

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She said that this year the city provided such prevention training to all 11,105 workers.

Have you been subjected to or witnessed sexual harassment at the city of San Diego, or any government office? What was your experience like? Share your story confidentially by phone or email with Greg Moran at (619) 293-1236; greg.moran@sduniontribune.com.

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Twitter: @gregmoran

greg.moran@sduniontribune.com
Jerry Browns 16th and final year as California governor will once again see him in his most valuable role: as a defender of state finances against reckless legislators who constantly want to increase spending, oblivious to the states history of wildly fluctuating revenue and its massive debt load.

In a March phone interview with two members of The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board, Brown described endless battles with lawmakers over their crazy bills and desires and agreed that many had no long-term financial perspective.

Well, governor, here we go again. With the Brown administration preparing to meet its Jan. 10 constitutional deadline to introduce the states 2018-19 spending plan, progressive Democrats in the Legislature are tired of constantly being urged to contain spending, especially after hearing forecasts that revenue is expected to be $7.5 billion higher next fiscal year than previously believed.

Outgoing Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de Leon, D-Los Angeles, and dozens of other Democratic lawmakers are likely to renew their push for the state to adopt a single-payer health-care system, undaunted by estimates it would cost $400 billion a year, more than triple the states current $125 billion general fund budget.

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Many state lawmakers and all four of the announced Democratic candidates for governor want to create universal free preschool for all 4-year-olds from low-income families, which would cost at least $5 billion a year and possibly much more.

Three weeks ago, Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, chair of the Assembly Budget Committee, outlined a proposal for $4.3 billion in new spending in 2018-19. Ting wants to provide health insurance to unauthorized immigrants at an eventual annual cost of $1 billion; to expand subsidized preschool and child care; to increase state-funded college scholarships; and to restore automatic cost-of-living increases for benefits going to the aged, blind and disabled. Past proposals to fund college savings accounts for every newborn baby and to provide spending money to about 400,000 University of California and California State University students are also likely to resurface.

Ting and others argue many Californians have not benefited from the states healthy economy. But this rationale doesnt lay a glove on Browns argument that its perilous to add permanent new spending programs when revenue oscillates wildly because of Sacramentos overdependence on income and capital-gains taxes paid by the very wealthy. Three times since 2003, year-over-year revenue has dropped 5 percent or more. In the first fiscal year following the start of the Great Recession, it fell a staggering 19 percent  from $103 billion to $83 billion  leading to brutal cuts that hammered public schools and reduced key services. This is why every spare dollar should be put in the states rainy-day fund  to cushion the blow when the revenue roller coaster goes down, as it inevitably will.

The need for prudence becomes even more obvious when considering the state has more than $300 billion in unfunded pension and retirement health care liabilities  and thats based on optimistic expectations about future investment returns.

There are many reasons California ranks low among the states in fiscal solvency, but a big one is because Brown wasnt governor for the 12 years before he returned to office in 2011, and predecessors Gray Davis and Arnold Schwarzenegger were often happy to spend every dollar in boom years.

So if the Legislature crafts a budget that creates costly new obligations, the good news is that Brown will veto it. The bad news is that state residents cant count on the next governor to do the same.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & Opinion

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An estimated 200,000 U.S. customers shopped at independent stores as part of the first-ever Small Business Saturday, promoted this year by American Express as a day to support local, independent businesses, the card issuer said.

Customers who used their AmEx cards on Nov. 27 - right between Black Friday and Cyber Monday - received $25 back on shopping and dining at independent merchants and restaurants if they registered ahead of time with the card issuer.

Preliminary data on small retailers that accept American Express Cards showed that they saw an average 27 percent increase in sales on those cards this year compared to the Saturday after Thanksgiving in 2009.

A few San Diego businesses actively promoted the post-Thanksgiving benefit including the Babies By the Sea boutique in Encinitas. Julie Fairchild, who handles promotion for the boutique, said that sales were strong.

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It definitely was worthwhile and made a difference in sales, Fairchild said. We are very happy to have been a part of the program. I am certain we got some new customers that may not have shopped with us otherwise.

American Express initially limited the promotion to 200,000 card members who enrolled, but because of the heavy demand an additional 100,000 people can get the credit if they shop locally by Dec. 31. More information about the incentive can be found on the Small Business Saturday Facebook page.

American Express hopes it will snowball into a grassroots movement.

In all, 130 small business advocate groups, public and private organizations and elected officials - including the governors of Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Oregon and Utah - promoted Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday milestones included:

 10,000 small businesses signed up and received free Facebook advertising to promote their products and services.

 Nearly 30,000 tweets were sent using the hashtags #smallbusinesssaturday and #smallbizsaturday.

Small Business Saturday helped create broad awareness of the importance of supporting the independent small businesses that are so vital to our communities, said Kenneth Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer for American Express.
A sea of cameras captured a rumpled, handcuffed, angry-looking Dominique Strauss-Kahn as plainclothes detectives took the International Monetary Fund head from a police precinct to court. The images werent unusual for a high-profile criminal case in the U.S., but in his French homeland, theyd be illegal.

While American authorities have condoned, or at least tolerated, such perp walks for more than a century, in France its been illegal to show images of suspects in handcuffs since 2000. French politicians and citizens alike are upset by the images, which they say make Strauss-Kahn, accused of sexual abuse, appear guilty.

DSK Handcuffed: Photo Shock, read a headline in Tuesdays daily Le Parisien.

Dominique still is presumed innocent, said Martine Aubry, head of Frances Socialist party, which had been expected to make Strauss-Kahn its nominee to challenge President Nicolas Sarkozy in next years election.

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Sylfie Vallon el Kadri, a French civil servant, said the images of Strauss-Kahn in court were difficult to bear.

It was very humiliating for him whatever the results of the investigation are, she said. Whether he is guilty or not, his image is certainly tarnished. His political career has just stopped abruptly.

In the United States, and especially in New York, criminal suspects are literally walked out of police precincts with officers to face charges in court.

Celebrities including Johnny Depp and Russell Crowe, professional athletes, politicians and average Joes arrested for headline-grabbing crimes in New York have all received such treatment. In Dallas, Lee Harvey Oswald was being walked when he was shot in 1963, the iconic image captured by hungry photographers.

I think it is humiliating, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said of the practice. But, you know, if you dont want do the perp walk, dont do the crime.

Bloomberg quickly corrected himself, noting that suspects are innocent until proven guilty.

Strauss-Kahn made his perp walk in the early-morning hours Sunday as he left a Harlem precinct to face charges of attempted rape and sexual abuse in a suspected attack on a hotel maid. Photographers waited hours outside the station house for him to emerge. Later, photos captured a scruffy Strauss-Kahn inside a Manhattan courtroom.

The New York Police Department doesnt make a practice of letting reporters know when a suspect is going to leave a precinct, but they also dont go to special lengths to sneak someone out when cameras are waiting outside. The department does not release mug shots.

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These arent scheduled events, said chief spokesman Paul Browne.

Whether quietly tipped off by police eager to show off good detective work, or just employing savvy beat reporters, the media somehow always seem to know where the suspect is going to be, and theres no law prohibiting the practice.

The media is relentless. Theyll follow police cars, and hang out of trees. They do whatever they have to do to get a picture, said Al Primo, a TV consultant who came up with the ABC Eyewitness News idea.

A lawsuit in the late 1990s challenged what was known as the staged walk, where police sometimes paraded the suspect outside for no other reason than so media could take pictures. A judge ruled that staged walks violated the suspects Fourth Amendment rights, but in 2003 a U.S. appeals court found that non-staged perp walks were constitutional.

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Defense attorneys say the images can be hard to counter, and can sometimes poison a jury pool, but they generally tolerate the practice as a necessary evil.

Philip J. Dinhofer, the lawyer who argued the case against staged walks, said non-staged walks can provide a public service by showing the public who was caught so other potential victims can come forward. He said they also can help calm the public after arrests are made for high-profile violent crimes.

He questioned whether the public treatment Strauss-Kahn faces is any different from the embarrassment former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is going through after his public admission that he fathered a child with another woman.

The public exacts a high price from its political leaders to be beyond reproach on public and ethical grounds, he said. Sometimes you stick your neck out into the public realm and it gets cut off.

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The practice varies around the world - in Japan, for instance, police generally cover suspects faces with jackets or scarves whenever they might be caught on film.

Some other countries, however, make the U.S. approach look tame.

In Mexico, suspects are paraded in front of cameras handcuffed, bruised and often bloodied. Several countries in Southeast Asia parade suspects accused of drug crimes in front of journalists at news conferences and pile any seized contraband on a table in front of the accused.

For violent crimes, Thailand goes a step further, forcing some suspects whom police say have confessed to re-enact their alleged crimes in front of journalists and family members of victims. The stagings can be gruesome - one included the corpse of a murdered child - and they have occasionally incited lynch mobs.

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Not every prominent U.S. suspect gets a perp walk, though the reasons some authorities avoid them arent necessarily related to the rights of the accused. In Los Angeles, for instance, its common for celebrities to be shuttled to and from court using hidden routes, in large part because the media crush can be so overwhelming that police consider a perp walk to be a potential safety hazard.

Even so, photographers in Southern California have often been able to get shots of big-name suspects such as O.J. Simpson and Michael Jackson in handcuffs. Dr. Conrad Murray, who is accused of manslaughter in Jacksons death, managed to avoid handcuffs when he was arrested last year after his attorneys argued with authorities over the terms of his surrender.

In New York, law enforcement would likely have been accused of giving the French suspect special treatment had he been spirited away secretly. New York Jets lineman Mark Gastineau, Al Sharpton and Son of Sam David Berkowitz were all walked in front of cameras. So were David Lee Roth, Tupac Shakur, Carlo Gambino and John Gotti.

According to police historian Thomas Reppetto, in 1903, the NYPD once paraded a bunch of arrested Mafia suspects through the streets of Little Italy.

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The department said it was because it couldnt get the horse-drawn wagons to come. But really police wanted to show the mob they were in charge - and they made the press happy, too, Reppetto said.

An arrest is a public event, he said.

---(equals)

Associated Press Writers Sarah DiLorenzo in Bangkok, Elaine Ganley in Paris, Katherine Corcoran in Mexico City and Larry Neumeister in New York contributed to this report.
Dr. Zipes explains why  and how!  to get started on your most important New Years resolution.

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We are pleased to bring you Your Weekly Checkup, a regular online column by Dr. Douglas Zipes, an internationally acclaimed cardiologist, professor, author, inventor, and authority on pacing and electrophysiology. Dr. Zipes is also a contributor to The Saturday Evening Post print magazine. Subscribe to receive thoughtful articles, new fiction, health and wellness advice, and gems from our archive.

Whenever I get the urge to exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes. This quote, repeated often, is attributed to Paul Terry, founder of the Terrytoons animation studio. The precise source is less important than the thrust of the message: although said in jest, its impact is harmful to your health!

Despite the fact that study after study has validated the benefits of exercise, many Americans still sit all day at work, watch TV at night, and drive short distances instead of biking or walking. They do not realize that even mild exercise such as walking slowly or performing household chores like vacuuming, washing windows, or folding laundry can be beneficial. Two recent studies, one from Harvard investigators and the other from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, examined the exercise patterns of a large number of people, and found that the most active folks reduced their mortality by 50 to 70 percent compared with the least active, sedentary participants.

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One of the most exciting recent discoveries about the benefits of exercise comes from the Liverpool John Moores University in the United Kingdom. They found that a single exercise session can offer immediate protection to the heart through a mechanism called ischemic preconditioning. Exposing the heart repeatedly to short episodes of inadequate blood supply (ischemia), such as might occur during strenuous exercise, protects the heart to resist a longer, more serious episode of ischemia. The investigators found that a single vigorous workout provided cardioprotection lasting 2-3 hours, while repeated exercise sessions weekly yielded even greater and longer protection. The benefits of exercise can help mitigate the negative impact of other risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

What should you do for 2018?

Pick an activity you enjoy and are likely to continue: dancing, bowling, golf, walking the dog, or playing with your children or grandchildren. Start small: maybe 10 minutes initially, and gradually increase the duration and intensity over time. Exercise with friends: If you need motivation, plan to exercise with friends at a fixed time, four or five days a week. Knowing your colleagues are waiting is more likely to keep you in the game. Write it down: maintain a diary that details what you do, and your response to it. Finding that you can exercise longer with greater ease is a superb incentive to continue to even greater heights.

Exercising enables you to take control of your own health and well-being, reduce stress, maintain mental acuity and productivity, and decrease the risk of heart disease and some forms of cancer. Make it your number one New Years resolution!
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Suffragette Rebecca Eastman wrote articles, fiction, and drama for a host of publications at the turn of the century. Her work was largely forgotten, save her novel The Big Little Person, which became a silent film in 1919. Eastmans story The Girl with Henna Hair appeared in the Post in 1919, and its witty treatment of WWI-era society romance offers a subtle glimpse into the class culture of turn-of-the-century New York.

Before Leagues of Nations and armistices and prohibition, before uniforms and panoplied flags of the Allies on Fifth Avenue, before Over There, and before even Its a Long, Long Way to Tipperary  before all the splendid trappings that accompany the horrors of war and the reactions which follow it there is no exaggeration in saying that some of the finest looking men, physically, in New York were the chauffeurs and footmen of the rich.

To particularize at once, Henry Binks, of Springfield, Vermont, when he stood upon a New York curb, clad in the bottle-green livery of the Channing-Cholmondleys, with a priceless sable robe over his arm, was a sight to fill the eye of anyone who cares for beauty. A rhapsody of masculine attractiveness, Henry waited with his rug until whatever moment it should please Miss Edythe Cholmondley to come forth from the latest haunt of fashion, where she had been undergoing the terpsichorean and bacchanalian torments of a the dansant, and step languidly into her limousine and allow Henry to lay the sable over her chiffons. Then drawing her pretty little chin down so that it touched her neck, and looking up at him from under her penciled eyebrows  penciled by both Nature and Edythe  she would murmur in the tired sweet voice of one who is completely rested and care free: Home, Henry!

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Henry Binks heart always gave an immediate answering hop, and a deeper color flooded his already rosy cheeks as he closed the door and took his seat beside Fiske, who drove for the Channing-Cholmondleys. Then when they had reached home  it was usually almost six blocks away  Henry, again unsteady in cardiac localities, would get down from his post, open the door, remove the robe, go up and ring the bell in order that Joseph, despicable snob that he was, might open the door for Miss Edythe. And when Joseph had forbiddingly closed the door behind her Henry would go back to the car, climb up beside Fiske and sigh heavily. For a long time Fiske thought it was either foiled ambition which caused these exhalations from Henry or else some of those socialist notions which always got everyone concerned into hot water.

You dont want to get thinking youre as good as Miss Edythe, because you arent, and nothing will ever make you, commented Fiske after a particularly unbearable heave from Henry. Her old man earned every dollar hes got, honestly, and he spends nothing on himself and family compared to what he could spend if he didnt know it was wicked. Old man Cholmondley likes to help people help themselves. Its his hobby. It was him that induced me to let my Matilda go to college. Theres just one aristocracy in this country, says he to me, and its the aristocracy thats open to everybody  the aristocracy of education. He was right, Henry Binks; but only part right, and I tell you why. If you think my Matilda with her A.B. and going on to an A.M. is anything like Miss Edythe  

I dont! interrupted Henry Binks, who knew Matilda well. They drove along in a sort of silence, until Henry unconsciously sighed again.

It certainly gets on my nerves  the way you sit and sigh, fumed Fiske. Why cant you be contented? You were crazy to be mechanician of the Cholmondley cars and youve got five of the best boats in any private garage in the city to fuss over. It was your own notion being a footman, and though I must say that you perform your duties in a way that does me credit I dont see why you keep on if it riles you so to see the Cholmondleys put on dog.

Have the family complained of me? inquired Henry with his first show of animation.

Not much! Theyre stuck on your style. Fiske stole a predatory look at the perfect specimen of manhood beside him. Wont you come round to the flat tonight? he asked with wheedling hospitality. The Cholmondleys are having a dinner for Baron von Blentz, and we wont be needed. Matildas going to make a rarebit about half past 10 on her new electric chafing dish.

No, thanks, said Henry Binks in the tone of one who has another engagement. Im going to the opera.

Hey?

Oh, Im going to stand up. Between the acts I intend to roam round and see how New York society looks after it gets off its evening coats.

You wont look fit. That checked sack suit of yours  

I hired a dress suit. It isnt quite big enough, but it will do if it doesnt give way.

Henry Binks didnt think it was necessary to inform Fiske that he had seen in the social notes that the Channing-Cholmondleys had given their parterre box to the Lorings that night, and that Miss Edythe would go to the opera. Had he done so Fiske, who had annoying intuition, would have guessed the real cause of those sighs.

No one who had any right to call Miss Edythe Cholmondley Edythe ever called her Edythe. She went by the unoriginal appellation of Peaches and Cream, because that combination perfectly described her complexion and general sweetness. And it happened that when the Lorings and Peaches drifted into the Metropolitan the magnificent figure of a young man in a dress suit which pinched, but which had not yet given way, lurked in the quiet low passage outside the parterre boxes.

Miss Edythe Cholmondley swept Henry up and down with one of her caressing glances. It wasnt that Peaches was man crazy; it was simply that she loved life and everything about it  never having had any cause to do anything but love it. Her eyes caressed any flowers in any shop window, any pretty slum child, and any young man. After optically caressing Henry Binks, she gave a little start and looked back at him half questioningly before she entered the box. Who is the enormous Adonis? inquired Nancy Loring with a giggle in her ear.

I dont know  except that he is the image of Henry Binks.

Henry Who?

Our new man of whom you are so jealous.

Why, Peaches, of course!

Miss Loring immediately darted to the door and looked out, but found the corridor empty.

All through the second act of the premiere of the new and beguiling French opera, Nanny and Peaches whispered and were whispered to by their chaperon and the men of the party. Every now and then Peaches, who had occasional qualms about talking, would settle down demurely and try to listen to the prima donna, but nobody had any mercy on her.

Meanwhile, from below, Henry Binks sweltering horribly in the tight dress suit surveyed her with wistful longing. He liked music, too, and the opera was making havoc of his lovesick wits. The more he looked at Edythe, up above him in her little private expensive heaven, the more passionately miserable he became. And when a certain supremely gorgeous and melting tenor voice hushed even the Channing-Cholmondley box into poignant silence, Henry Binks, feeling that he could stand unrequited love and high life no longer, rushed unseeingly forth to the icy air on Broadway. The reason he didnt immediately rush into an adjoining building was that though he could swallow a drink if anything depended on it he hated the stuff. Not caring therefore to dispel the thought of Peaches with alcohol there remained only the movies and Matilda. Having flipped up a coin to see which it should be, the films lost.

Matilda Fiske, A.B., dressed exclusively in shirt waists and skirts, wearing striped silk waists at night and striped madras ones by day. She wore tortoise-shell glasses both daily and nightly, she used the Western r, and she was always asking you if you had read some book which was neither a novel nor a detective story. And she was pained when you hadnt read it. Positively the worst thing about Matilda, though, was her hair. There was a great deal of the hideous dark red stuff, and its color always made Henry feel slightly ill.

Matilda had been about to mix the rarebit with beer, but when Henry Binks came in she substituted milk. She wasnt going to have Henrys corruption on her head! Among those present at Matildas this evening were a girl chum of hers  also in a striped silk waist and unromantic shoes  and an underling lecturer on economics, who was one of those people who are so extremely polite that they inspire everyone else with the desire to be rude.

Lord Roberts says, in the Evening Post tonight, that Germany has been preparing for war for years and intends to fight England, remarked Matilda by way of small talk as she cheerily stirred the rarebit.

Id like to see a real good old-fashioned war! ejaculated Henry.

Well, you never will see another war, sir! prophesied the polite professor of economics. An important war is economically impossible, because  

Nummy, nummy! interrupted Matilda, who had just sampled the rarebit.

Too bad! mourned Henry. War would be a cinch for me. I can shoot easier than I can breathe! This last statement had especial significance at the moment.

I must say, Mr. Binks, that Im flattered that you should have put on a swallowtail just to come to my rarebit, remarked Matilda after the rest had gone. But you neednt next time. The professor didnt.

She favored Henry with one of her annoying superior smiles, and Henry gazed fixedly at her dreadful hair. It was the most objectionable mahogany red, and behind those tortoise-shell glasses she had meanish designing green eyes.

That professor looks like a licked cur! remarked Henry heartily by way of adieu; Matildas hair, eyes and clothes being entirely on his nerves by now.

Looking at Matilda, he decided, was about as pleasant as listening to the teeth of a comb grating on a window pane.

The next day, late in the afternoon, when Miss Edythe Cholmondley  her hair was straw yellow and fluffy  came daintily down the red-carpeted steps from her the dansant she found her Henry waiting as usual, superb in bottle green; but no limousine and no Fiske.

Excuse it, miss, but we were almost out of gas, apologized Henry. Fiske is very much ashamed. He will be back at once.

Miss Cholmondley didnt look disturbed at Fiskes absence because she had for some time been looking for a chance to ask Henry Binks a leading question.

Where were you born, Henry? she asked, propounding it, and at the same time burrowing her neck deliciously with her chin.

Springfield, Vermont, miss.

Is it a pretty place, Henry?

Sometimes in the year its pretty. The homeliest time is the muddy season, when the mud comes right up to the hubs.

And I suppose its prettiest of all at apple-blossom time? For of course you do have apple trees in Vermont, Henry?

You couldnt mention a kind of apple we havent got on our farm. Back of the barn theres an orchard of Maidens Blush. Henry warmed to his subject. You should see that orchard round the last part of May, with lilacs growing round the edges, over the stone wall. He paused and panted.

I suppose the sky looks so close that you could almost reach up and pull down a little piece of white cloud for a pillow?

I never thought of it before, but the sky is awful close in the spring.

Just like a mother bending over all those cunning little new things  bending over them and watching them, Henry.

The car having rolled noiselessly up to them Henry Binks opened the door in ecstasy, laid the sable robe across Georgette knees, and heard the music of those sweet tired words, Home, Henry! as in a beatific dream.

Home, Henry! Adorable phrase!

Unfortunately for the purposes of a fiction writer Henry Binks was not afflicted with ambition. He liked automobiles, and he liked tinkering with them, and he always would. Maybe someday if it came handy he might own a garage, but he really didnt care much who owned the garage as long as he could fuss round the latest thing in a gasoline engine. New engines and Home, Henry!  those two things were all he needed to satisfy his poetical cravings.

That night, late, as he sat in his room alone, staring at the front page of his evening paper, he rehearsed again and again those few short words they had had about mud and apple blossoms.

Society Girl Elopes With Her Chauffeur! he read at last, in headlines, and a crimson blush consumed him. It made things so common, it lowered Edythe Cholmondley indescribably somehow to have the fact so flamingly announced that it was at all possible for a society girl to elope with her chauffeur. If Henry had been a little more worldly, and much more ambitious, and a little less decent and sincere, he would have thrust out his chest and said: This other man got away with it. Why not I?

Indeed he might have gone on and said many other things to himself if he had not been too modest and perhaps too slow. He could perfectly well have argued, for instance: I am every bit as good looking as any of the young men she dances with. Indeed, Im better looking than most of them, because I live in the fresh air and dont drink too many cocktails.

Henry Binks could also have said if he had happened to remember it: There isnt anything better in the corpuscle line in this country than the old New England blood that flows through my veins. Wasnt my grandfather a governor of Vermont? Didnt my Uncle Henry Binks  

But because he found contentment in the machinery of motor cars and was happy in his content Henry Binks didnt trouble himself to think he was better than he was or even to estimate exactly how good he was. All the estimating he bothered with was considering how far short the rest of her sex fell when compared with Edythe Cholmondley. He loved her  oh, yes, he realized that  but he could see her every day and worship her from afar; and what more did he want?

Edythe Cholmondleys life was so full of pleasant happenings that it didnt seem odd to her that she always felt in a hurry to get away from those afternoon dances in order to see Henry Binks again. Neither did she think it queer that she looked at his back steadily all the while she was in the car, and never gave Fiskes shoulders even a passing glance. She wasnt often stirred by any longing to talk to Henry; it was enough to see him or to know that she could see him whenever she wanted to merely by calling her car. Whenever she wanted to see Henry she saw Henry. No wonder Henry was satisfied, for Miss Edythe never missed a day.

Blissfully they both thought that everything would always go on just as it was going, forever; or at least as long as they wanted it to. Rather abruptly, however, the Channing-Cholmondleys ceased inviting German barons to dine, and at the same time things stopped going on as they always had.

Henry Binks was one of those who stood on curbs and assured excited strangers that America had no call to take the European war personally. Never having been abroad and never having thought at all in international terms he considered Belgium farther from his ken than Mars, which he had seen all his life. Despite the fact that he read with distaste what was going on it didnt seem any more real to him than the horrors of Libby Prison in his history; or the sufferings of the ancient Egyptians. The names of those French and Belgian towns where such awful things were happening didnt sound like regular places, such as Bridgeport and Worcester.

Henry woke up with a bang when America declared war, and putting all selfish thoughts of the poetry of machinery and the maddening rapture of unrequited love behind him he got ready to sail for France among the first.

The last time he went for Edythe Cholmondley in the official capacity of her footman he thought she looked decidedly white and doubly alluring.

You are leaving us, Henry? she asked as he held open the door.

Yes, miss.

Her lips trembled a little and she looked down on the usual red carpet which stretched over the sidewalk.

Before you go, Henry, I want to give you something, she said. Ive looked round the shops and I couldnt see anything I thought youd like. So I want you to suggest something.

There is nothing you could give me that I want  except one thing, he said quietly, but with a quick glance at the too oblivious Fiske. And as it isnt fitting for me to ask for it I shall have to go without it.

Blood of the governor of Vermont, where were you? You should have dared!

I dont know whether I have decided on the right thing or not, she said in staccato tones, because it was strange how unexpectedly and easily one cried, these days. But  for some absurd reason, Henry, I thought you might like this! Dont open it until you get on board. And then, if you dont want it throw it to the mermaids. Good-by, Henry.

Good-by, miss. With their eyes they kissed each other. Are we going anywhere else tonight?

With the same respect as usual he laid the sable rug on her knees.

Nowhere else tonight. She tried to add Home, Henry! but as she made a wretched failure of it she managed to pretend that the effort was a cough.

Her first unhappiness, which was also his, was the greater of the two, because she was not going to fight, as he was, with the serene cool knowledge that he was and always had been a splendid shot. She would just stay at home and watch things get slowly worse, while he went into the thick of it and became a hero.

Henry Binks, of Springfield, Vermont, had never known such happiness as the fevered joy that transfused his soul when he opened Edythe Cholmondleys little gift the minute Fiske was otherwise engrossed. It was her picture, and a little four-leaf clover under the glass.

Henry, said the tiniest letter he had ever received, I send you my picture and wish you luck. The four-leaf clover is remarkable because it is the only one I ever have found. So you see I pass on all my luck to you. E.C.

On account of many qualities that had never distinguished him in peace, Henry Binks, like many others, became distinguished in war. His lack of imagination, his lack of nerves and his calm confidence and splendid hatred inspired men who fought with him. Even covered with mud, and weary, Henry Binks was still too handsome to be described in a dispassionate and convincing manner. He was Henry Binks, and there never was and there never has been anyone quite so prepossessing; or so helpless about bettering himself. He didnt want to better himself! If he should survive the German explosives he hoped to get back to the Channing-Cholmondleys again, and he wrote as much in his one letter to Peaches:

Dear Miss Cholmondley: I cannot help thanking you for the picture and the four-leaf clover, which so far has brought me so much luck that theyve all taken to calling me the boy with the enchanted life. When we get this mess cleaned up over here Im coming home with a brand-new idea for an aeroplane engine. Ill work it out between times, because you know without my saying it that I want to come back to you. I invented the engine idea one day when I got trapped in a shell hole, and I can tell you I was afraid I would be bumped off before I had a chance to tell anyone. Ive drawn it all out; and Im mailing one copy to you and one to Miss Matilda Fiske, so that there will be a double chance of my getting the idea safe home. And if the Huns should prove too much for even your four-leaf clover I want to leave you all there is in the idea as a mark of my feeling for you. There may not be anything in it though. Remember me respectfully to your folks, and believe me, Truly yours, HENRY.

Though he had never asked her, and didnt want her to do it, and half wished he had never been halfway polite to her, Matilda Fiske wrote to Henry systematically twice a week, on her typewriter, and told him the news. How he yawned as he read those businesslike epistles, and how he writhed at the remembrance of her waists and hair! At last, however, Matilda typed him that she had an opportunity to come to France with her college unit, and have her expenses paid, and that she would see him soon.

After that as he never heard from her again he decided that something serious had happened to Matilda, and he regretted it. Even though she might have made the supreme sacrifice, his teeth were on edge when he thought of her. Sometimes, though rarely, he would be overcome with remorse over the way he had snubbed her. After all she had been a faithful old dog of a highbrow.

The principal reason Henry Binks sorrowed when hostilities ceased was that he hoped to be the first American to walk through the central aperture of the Brandenburg Thor. So anxious was he to get to Berlin with his gun that he meditated continuing the war on his own hook, so to speak; but he impulsively gave this up when he was ordered home among the first. Suddenly he felt ill with longing to see the Statue of Liberty.

Home! Why, just saying the word made him quiver! And as for Home, Henry!  well, his eyes went so moist he couldnt see her picture through the blur.

When he came up the bay, a captain, and received a thrilling welcome on the dock he decided not to go straight to Vermont that day, to see his parents, but to hang round New York a while. It was such a funny feeling to be saluted on the Avenue! One or two of Miss Edythes former swains were unconsciously subservient to him. Well, of course, hed have to take off his uniform in a few days, and get back to the garage and go and see somebody about his engine.

Yes, New York was a pretty nice place, except for the new system of Subways, which irritated Henrys nice sense of planning. He couldnt go into the Subway without getting lost, and popping out at the wrong place, and having to pay another fare. Endless passages and flights of steps and conflicting arrows bewildered him.

One day when he emerged to the street to discover that he was, as usual, lost, he found himself looking straight into the blue eyes of Edythe Cholmondley. Two little gray-gloved hands came to lie in his brown-gloved ones, and a peace-blossom blush took liberties with her neck and cheeks.

Captain Binks! she cried in sweet familiar tones, no longer tired. Why didnt you let us know?

Well, I was going to drop in on Mr. Cholmondley at the office this afternoon, but this is where your new Subway landed me, he said, almost fluently for him.

Of course you have had the most wonderful adventures, winning the war for us! Will you come to tea at five oclock today, and tell me all about it? she asked. It was then about 2 p.m.

Yes! assented Captain Henry Binks with brevity.

In his joy at her invitation he was afraid if he tried to say more that he would make some gross error, which would cause her to uninvite him. Heavens, she was more beguiling than ever! Could there be anything lovelier on earth than the way those yellow curls strayed out on her forehead?

I want to hear everything about the war, she continued volubly. The family wouldnt let me go. They said I was too young; though I put on old clothes and made one committee think I was 30. Dont forget, now, Captain Binks. Five oclock!

And she stepped gracefully into her little car and drove away, smiling back at him briefly.

Henry Binks, Captain, U.S.A., stared after her unbelievingly. Call? Yes, it was true  he had promised to call at the Channing-Cholmondleys. He, their former footman, was going to pay a social call. It was both wonderful and awful. The thought of sitting defenseless in a chair before his divinity terrified him. She would be equipped with a formidable battery of a tea tray. She had said tea and she had meant tea. He had seen plays with tea trays in them, plays in which people said glibly how many lumps, and whether or not it should be lemon, and didnt lose the drift of the conversation or spill anything on the rug. Let alone tea taking, he didnt even know how to make a call. He forgot all about being in love with Miss Edythe Cholmondley; indeed he wished for the moment that he had never seen her. Being democratic was all right, but even in democracies you wanted to choose your own circle.

To reassure himself he took her well-worn picture from his pocket and smiled at it fondly as he remembered a certain dangerous night when after three sleepless days he had gone to sleep in the midst of giving an order, and in that brief moment had dreamed, with delicious irrelevance, of holding Miss Edythe Cholmondley tight in his arms and of kissing her wealth of yellow hair. And he had heard her say as she lay against his shoulder:

This is really home, Henry. This is what I always thought and meant when I said Home, Henry!'

And now he was afraid to go and see her! Perhaps when he got there it would be all right. Perhaps he ought to give back the four-leaf clover, now that he was through with it. For doubtless she had given it to him for the duration of the war. He would never be through with her picture, however, even if he was at the moment a little out of humor with it.

Fortunately, he was unaware that he had been a bone of contention with the Channing-Cholmondleys. He little thought that when Mr. Cholmondley had read aloud of his promotion and Miss Edythe Cholmondley had said at once that she would ask him to call if he came home alive, chaotic language had rent the atmosphere of a family who prided themselves on never interrupting each other. This episode had naturally whetted Edythes desire to have him call.

Not daring to be a single second late Henry Binks mounted the ChanningCholmondleys well-known steps at exactly one minute of the zero hour, and pressed the button. It was something of a relief to be admitted by an unfamiliar maid instead of the hated Joseph.

Folks home? inquired Henry, knowing at once by the maids rapid shift of manner that he had made his first blunder.

Captain Binks? Yes; Miss Cholmondley expects you, said the maid, forgiving Henry because he was so handsome.

She showed him upstairs into a huge and cavernous drawing-room, in which there were at least 25 different places to sit, comfortably or uncomfortably, as you chose. Disdaining chairs and sofas Henry stood and waited. And waited. And waited. The maid, of course, had evaporated noiselessly, and almost immediately materialized again to say that Miss Cholmondley would soon be down. Outside, somewhere in the vast halls, a pompous clock ticked pompously, and chimed with startling sweetness, once, at a quarter past the hour. Otherwise the house was as a tomb. Henry grew more and more apprehensive and seriously meditated making a quick get-away. Did they always keep men waiting like this? His putties creaked louder and louder; it seemed to him that the very sound of his breathing was uncouth. Well, in a few hours it would all be over.

In his subconscious mind curiously enough he realized all the time that if she ever came down he could take Miss Edythe Cholmondley in his arms, make love to her and carry her off  if he only knew how to begin. But he didnt know how; and there was no way of finding out. Moreover, he wouldnt have the slightest idea what to do with her when he had carried her off. Really that was the whole trouble, when he thought of it.

At last she came in on him suddenly, and caught him wiping damp beads from his forehead on his clean pocket handkerchief. She walked straight up to him, not afraid at all, took his hand by way of greeting, dropped it at once, walked two miles to the nearest uncomfortable chair, and waited for him to catch up. Then as Henry had foreseen they sat and faced each other.

What kind of clothes have you got on? he blurted.

He was used to seeing women in uniform overseas, but he had never pictured Miss Edythe in a uniform. Hers was most businesslike and unfeminine, and she wore sensible shoes, like the ones Matilda had thrust before him so offensively in the old days. Under her coat, judging from the visible collar and cuffs, she must be wearing a mannish shirt waist. Ugh! Worst of all, her boyish little hat concealed every strand of the dear yellow hair.

This is my regular uniform, she said. Ive been working at home here, day and night. And then by way of a starter she asked: What does it feel like to be in a real battle?

It cant be described, he said heavily. Her eyes werent so very pretty after all, when you had time to look at them carefully.

In came the maid with the dreaded tea wagon.

How many lumps?

A couple.

Lemon?

No; milk.

Miss Cholmondley poured out the cream, and then passed him the cup. Before he had decided which hand to hold it in, the maid passed him a huge silver dish divided into compartments, in each of which were dainties that went delectably with tea. Henry surveyed the food exhibition carefully.

No, he said at last. No, thanks.

Captain Binks, one of your ancestors was a governor of Vermont, wasnt he? she asked tirelessly after he had parried her every question about war, and she hadnt seemed in the least interested in his new engine. He had counted on that engine too!

So they say.

He had been holding his cup as if it was a game to see how long you could balance a full cup of liquid in a trembling hand without spilling a drop in your saucer.

I dont believe you like tea, she said at last, after she herself had encouragingly sipped two cups.

Teas all right, he remarked as he put down the untasted cup with relief.

It was the queerest thing, but he felt like being twice as boorish as he really was. The situation was so unnatural that he couldnt help behaving much worse than he felt. Give her back that four-leaf clover? Bosh! Why be so sentimental over a piece of hay? Distance certainly had lent enchantment! Now that he had her here all to himself so romantically, now that he was her returned hero, now that he had risen from the place of her footman to a seat in her proud drawing-room and all that sort of thing  he felt as if he had had a surfeit; yes, an overdose of Miss Edythe Cholmondley. The girl gave him one last generous chance.

Do you remember that long-ago afternoon when we talked about apple blossoms? she urged. Obstinately she hated to relinquish her romantic dream.

Yes, I do; and my folks wrote me that a blight had passed over that orchard and the trees I told you about are all dead.

But there are other trees, I hope? Im sure I have seen apples on the market.

I dont know.

Perhaps if she had been wearing her chiffons he would not have felt so completely disenchanted.

Did Matilda Fiske die? he asked suddenly.

No indeedy! Matilda went overseas and worked in hospitals under fire until she was wounded and had to be sent home. Fiske said today that she is better than she ever was. She goes round talking to clubs. She told about her experiences at that club where mother gave the Roman Revel just before the war. Matildas quite eloquent, they say. Ive almost been jealous of her.

Youre a crackajack  compared to Matilda, he said enthusiastically. He might just as well have said: Bad as you are you might be a little worse!

Well, I must be skipping along, he announced suddenly.

And then, just to show that he could, he stood up very straight and smiled down at her, looking so like her old dream days of him that she caught her breath in rapture.

Its too bad, he said with quick self-possession. Its awfully too bad, Miss Cholmondley.

Yes, Henry, it is too bad.

And yet, though its mighty disappointing, its a whole lot better than as if we found we did care. That would have been complicated and unpleasant.

Oh, Henry, you are nice after all! she cried delightedly.

She threw her unbecoming cap down on a chair, and then her yellow hair crowned her in the usual upsettingly pleasant way.

Ive certainly had a lot of fun thinking I was in love with you, he admitted gratefully.

And I suppose Id better hand back your picture and your luck.

It always is done, Henry.

He handed them to her with something of the grace with which he formerly wrapped her in the sable robe, and looked at her quizzically when she dropped them in the fire.

You really are a gentleman, Captain Binks, she sighed. I shall always thank heaven for that.

Ive been rude  ever since I came, he said. He strode to the tea wagon, and drank the cold tea as if it was delicious. Then composedly he helped himself to a rolled sandwich and ate it with relish, even with a gay abandon, as if he had eaten hundreds of her sandwiches.

Yes, it was a very nice dream, he agreed. It is too bad that we both realize it is time to wake up.

Its all right! she affirmed stoutly. I like happy endings, and this really is one, because, whereas before I was in love with you, and half ashamed of it, now I am proud that I simply  like you. You must come again to tea, she added cordially when the maid came to show him out.

I shall come again very soon, he assured her; though they both knew that he wouldnt.

His train for Vermont left at midnight, but before he went home to be lionized and to pooh-pooh lionizing he knew that he ought to call on Matilda Fiske. Of course Matilda would tell him didactically about the war. She would know all about the war; she would know more than Foch, and she would outline what Foch should have done. Probably she was at work writing a book of advice to the Allies. And her hair would be worse than ever.

Matilda, who answered the telephone herself, commanded him to come right up and stay to dinner; and he accepted in the tone he had used in France when replying to his superior officer.

Despite the scarcity of maids, a chic and obsequious one admitted Henry and ushered him into the living room, which looked less crowded with mission furniture than he had remembered it. There was a real wood fire instead of a gas log, and a pot of real live primroses on one of the tables. When Matilda came in, which she did at once, she wore a gown of ravishing peacock blue, half low in the neck, with floating sleeves; and she wore peacock-blue silk stockings, and shining black slippers with frivolous heels and huge buckles. The green eyes, which you would have thought would have sworn at the dress, harmonized with it, like strange unusual music. But queerest of all, that discordant hair had turned beautiful. That hair was simply gorgeous!

Matilda! he gasped. What have you done to yourself?

I havent done anything except leave off my glasses, and try to get away from anything that savors of a uniform.

But you  your hair! Its so different.

Didnt you know that henna hair had come into fashion? Sit down, Henry, and talk, but dont talk war. Anything but war! I want to forget about that war  for an hour or two. What have you been doing since you landed?

Besides getting lost in the Subway, Ive been to Edythe Cholmondleys to tea. In fact, I just came from there.

She looked at him intently.

Dad always said that you were in love with Edythe Cholmondley, she remarked with a peculiar quality in her voice.

I thought I loved her myself, until this afternoon.

Yes, the war certainly had changed the world. Here he sat talking about love with Matilda!

I always knew she wasnt suited to you, said Matilda judicially. Though you need a wife to look after your interests more than anyone I know, Henry, you dont want a little nestling chicadee thats all fluffy feathers and sentiment. You need someone to help you push yourself, and pummel some ambition into you, regularly. You could get anywhere at all, Henry dear, if you only had the right girl to make you believe in your own importance. You want cheering from the side lines, dear, and a trainer who believes in you.

Right then and there, with no warning at all and without knowing at all how it happened, he was holding Matilda in his arms and kissing her hungrily.

Why  I didnt know I cared anything about you, he stammered, later. I thought you irritated me.

Its about the same thing, she said comfortingly. But Ive been in love with you since the first minute I saw you. Dad knew that too. In fact, the only thing dad doesnt seem to know is that Im sorry he insists on driving the Cholmondleys  when it isnt necessary for him to do anything.

That means nothing to me, said Captain Binks hilariously. Matilda, Ive got the greatest little old idea for an engine, and  

Sit down and tell me all about it, she invited him.

Three hours later she murmured as they watched the dying fire:

Ive got the greatest little old ideas about furnishing a home. Just think of our having a home, Henry!
The two ships are scheduled to enter service in 2022 and 2024. A substantial number of German manufacturers, among them numerous small and medium-sized enterprises, will supply parts of significant value for each ship, including the complete hull and main engine coming from Neptun Werft in Rostock.

Andreas Ufer, member of the management board of KfW IPEX-Bank, noted cruise ship construction is booming.

'The aim is to shape this trend for the lowest possible level of emissions for mankind and nature,' he said. 'We are pleased that our financing is helping to advance LNG propulsion.'

The construction not only affects Meyer's location in Turku, but also its whole supply network, both in Finland and Germany, on a 'significant scale,' according to Jan Meyer, CEO of Meyer Turku. He added: 'This combination of our successful distribution and the closely-tailored structured finance will sustainably secure jobs in Germany and Europe.'

KfW IPEX-Bank stepped up as the syndicate leader, initial mandated lead arranger, facility agent, documentation agent and Hermes agent. As earlier reported, the banking syndicate also includes BNP Paribas, HSBC, Commerzbank, Santander, BBVA, Bayern/LB, DZ Bank, JPMorgan and SMBC.

KfW IPEX-Bank is contributing 686m to the total financing package. Alongside a cover from the Finnish ECA, Finnvera, the financing is also backed by export credit insurance from Germany (Hermes cover). Finnish Export Credit, a subsidiary of Finnvera, will make up the majority of the funds at the OECD-set ship refinancing scheme commercial interest reference rate.

The loans, granted separately for each ship, have a term of 12 years from the respective newbuild delivery date.

Both ships will be equipped with dual-fuel technologyLNG and marine dieseland, according to Royal Caribbean, they will be largely powered by LNG. Additionally, the cruise company is testing fuel cells as a supplemental energy source aboard an existing ship in preparation for use on the Project Icon vessels. Royal Caribbean hopes fuel cells will play a key role in powering the hotel functions.

KfW IPEX-Bank has operated for 10 years, following its Jan. 1, 2008, spin-off from KfW to become a legally independent GmbH (private limited company) with 441 employees. Within KfW Group, it is responsible for the export and project financing activities which have been carried out since the 1950s. Today, 680 employees work for the wholly-owned subsidiary of KfW at its headquarters in Frankfurt and at 10 foreign offices.

Since 2008, the bank has become established as a leading specialist financier in Germany and Europe. It offers structuring of medium- and long-term loans designed to support key industrial sectors in the export industry, for the development of economic and social infrastructure, for environmental protection and climate change mitigation, and to secure the supply of raw materials.

Since its spin-off, KfW IPEX-Bank has supported more than 3,000 projects and disbursed new commitments totalling 143bn.

'Right after its formation in 2008, our bank was confronted with the turbulent developments of the financial market crisis and managed to be successful,' CEO Klaus Michalak said. 'Through tailored financing for German and European exports and investments, we have given companies reliable support and thus contributed to safeguarding domestic economic power, jobs and growth.'
The RCL Colombo - Tuticorin service (RTC) will serve the two ports twice weekly with the inaugural sailing on 8 January with the vessel Charlie.

Charlie Chu, RCL evp business said Introducing this new service to the market is in response to main line operators requesting for more feedering options.

Being a feeder company, we have been strongly encouraged by main line operators forecasting an increase in volume who are using Colombo as a transhipment hub, which prompted this move.
A pair of longtime users making their first legal buy. A cancer survivor. A former federal prosecutor.

They were all among the first to buy marijuana from Bay Area stores as recreational sales of the drug became legal in California on New Years Day, with licensed stores open across the region in Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose and Santa Cruz.

Stores scanned IDs of customers with each transaction to check whether the shoppers were 21 or older  the age requirement for purchase. Once inside, state law limited daily purchases to 1 ounce of cannabis flower, 8 grams of concentrated cannabis and six immature plants per customer.

Among the first to buy at the Berkeley dispensary was Anthony Moraga, 28, who drove from Merced to take his spot in line at 4 a.m., paying $152 for his purchase two hours later.

Its time to demonstrate responsible healthy use, rather than the party crowd we have been demonized as, Moraga said. Were definitely not your lazy stoners.

Customers ranged from those taking the senior discount with a medicinal-use card to those making their first legal cannabis buy.

They all stood in front of glass counters surveying the wares, pointing at containers and then asking about potency, price and physiological effects, many taking a whiff of the buds through holes in the plexiglass boxes on display  a scene not unlike a department store perfume or cosmetics counter.

Products ranged from $5 rolled joints to $100 vaporizer packs.

Miki Arredondo, 62, didnt need much help making her selection. She has been a regular customer at the Berkeley Patients Group as she battled a rare soft tissue cancer, using cannabis for pain and nausea instead of prescription medications. She finished chemotherapy a year ago and her hair has grown back, but she wanted to be part of the celebration.

Ive been waiting for this for 40 years, she said of the unrestricted access. I believe marijuana saved my life.

Elizabeth Stoke and Jonny Holder drove from Napa with their Jack Russell terrier puppy, Chuck Norris, to make the first legal purchase of marijuana of their lives Monday.

Ive smoked since I was 17, said Holder, who was a few decades beyond that now. I dont take pills. I dont drink. I smoke pot.

They were initially wide-eyed at the selection and took the time to smell a few options before selecting high-end buds and a reloadable vaporizer pen  spending $283.73 like civilized customers, he said.

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.

Henry Wykowski, a former assistant U.S. attorney in San Francisco, said he was excited to make a purchase, but disappointed legalization took this long in California. He called the day, better than Christmas as he purchased 1 gram of Nevilles Purple strain from Harborside in Oakland for $20.01.

Its a statement, he said. Its like voting.

S.F. Chronicle cannabis editor

David Downs contributed

to this report.

Jill Tucker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jtucker@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @jilltucker
First they tried it the old way. The crazed shooter burst into the room, and everyone tried to hide. Just about everyone got shot.

Then the 10 people running the simulation at UC Berkeley on what to do during a shooting rampage tried things the new way  cobbling up a plan for fighting back. They hurled pretend laptops, books and chairs at the shooter the second he burst into their office.

The result?

The pretend killer managed to get off a couple of shots, but then he was swarmed and subdued. And thats exactly what the police team training this group of university educators and office workers the other day on how to deal with active shooters thought would happen.

The old-school approach of closing the door, locking it and turning out the lights just doesnt always work anymore, UC Berkeley police Sgt. Sabrina Reich told the staff of the campus Center for Educational Partnerships. Theyre expecting you to just lie down and take it.

Were telling you not to do that. Were saying, You have to have options to fight back.

The staffers hung on every word, most sitting literally on the edges of their seats. They knew what anyone paying attention to the news for the past few years has known: Mass shootings are on the rise, and being in a crowd of any kind can be dangerous.

Times have changed, said Marsha Jaeger, the assistant vice chancellor who runs the partnerships center and took the training with her staff. I didnt imagine 40 years ago that it would get to this stage, where there are so many shootings all the time, but obviously thats the reality of things.

Its the American culture now. Its disheartening. But we have to be prepared. So we need this kind of training.

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

There is now nearly one incident a day in America in which four people or more are shot, according to studies by the Gun Violence Archive website. Not all get big headlines like the shootings that killed five people in Tehama County in November. But make no mistake, police say: This is a new age of fear.

Were not trying scare you, Reich told the class. We dont want you to be paranoid. But we want you to be prepared.

The federal Department of Homeland Security has led the way in the more aggressive response, recommending two years ago that workplaces abandon training courses based purely on locking doors and hiding and instead adopt the new FBI program called Run, Hide, Fight.

That program recommends first trying to escape. If that doesnt work, barricade yourself into a hiding place  and while youre there, be prepared to fight back with everything you can.

Campuses throughout the nation and the hundreds of private active shooter training companies, such as the Alice Training Institute  from which UC draws for its course  are now emphasizing that approach.

We do this to give them options, said UC Berkeley police Cpl. Wade MacAdam, who conducted the partnerships center training with Reich. It used to be wed say, What should we do if it happens? Now we say, What should we do when it happens? 

Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

MacAdam, UC Berkeleys main crime prevention officer, has been giving active shooter training courses since 2000, and every time a massacre hits the headlines, the requests for his courses spike. But with the escalation of high-profile attacks in recent years, hes given a new name to what he does.

There are so many attacks with multiple victims now that we no longer call this active shooter training, MacAdam said. We had stabbings at UC Merced, people driving over others with vehicles, mass shootings of many kinds  now we use the term targeted violence.

In 2015, the UC police team conducted 18 training sessions on the campus and its satellites. In 2016, that number shot up to 47, and at last count there had been 35 in 2017.

Requests for the courses soared most recently after the October massacre in Las Vegas that left 58 people dead at a country music festival, Reich said. She noted that the chances of one of these things actually happening to you are very small. But the awareness is useful for stoking interest in getting prepared.

Look, these things happen fast, Reich told the class, pointing out that most active shooter incidents start and finish within five to seven minutes. It can take police more than five minutes to arrive, and during that time, the people being shot at are on their own. In effect, theyre the first responders.

The workers at the partnerships center training the other day took their roles seriously.

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.

Reichs advice for what to do first is look for a way out. This involves some preparation  whenever you go into a room, a theater or another enclosed space, note where the door is and visualize how you would flee. Make it a habit, Reich said.

If escape is not possible, the next tactic is to lock and barricade the door with whatever is handy, the instructor said. But the important new distinction to that old tactic is the counterattack preparation.

If you have lockdown, youve got to be ready to fight  you have to, MacAdam said. So think about what you can use as a weapon ... an aluminum water bottle? A pen to poke in someones eyes?

Reich added: Ten chairs flying at their head and face when theyre coming in the door  that can be overwhelming. Now we can have the advantage.

To demonstrate, the team ran the two drills of first being passive, and then fighting back using foam balls to simulate water bottles and other weapons. What stood out for the class was that the shooter, played by partnerships educator Boun Khamnouane, had tunnel vision when he burst in.

Each time he pointed his plastic toy gun at someone, his attention was focused on that person. That gave everyone else in the room a chance to flee or attack.

The tunnel vision thing was real, but also when they started throwing stuff at me, my whole plan for shooting people went away, Khamnouane said after the drill. I started just looking at the objects coming at me. Gave people the opportunity to fight back.

Office manager Joshua Smith was one of the first to fling the foam balls in the drill. It was eye-opening.

I had a stronger sense of control than I thought I would, he said. Id like to think I could throw a chair now if I get in in that situation.

But, Smith added, I would certainly hope I wouldnt be put in that situation to begin with. I hope none of us are.

Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @KevinChron
Mike Kepka / The Chronicle 2012

Oakland Police are investigating the first killing of the year, which was reported at 7:36 a.m. Monday at the 5400 block of Crittenden Street.

Police said that a woman was slain and a suspect is in custody. They did not release any other information about the victim or the suspect.
When the California Supreme Court voted 4-3 Dec. 21 to give ailing patients broad rights to sue pharmaceutical companies for defective warning labels on generic drugs, the deciding vote was cast by a judge from a lower court.

Louis Mauro, a justice on the state appeals court in Sacramento, was seated on the high court for the case by random selection to fill the vacancy created by Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegars retirement on Aug. 31. Werdegar, a moderate Republican appointed in 1994 by then-Gov. Pete Wilson, her onetime law school classmate, had announced her departure plan on March 3, but Gov. Jerry Brown has not yet nominated her successor.

In an interview, Werdegar said she made the early announcement with some reluctance  she didnt want to be regarded as a lame duck  but was hoping to avoid disruption on the court.

I really wanted to give the governor time to consider who he would like to name as a replacement ... to have a smooth transition, she said. I share the general bafflement as to what the delay has been.

Brown has moved deliberately, at times, when filling other seats on the court. His most recent appointee, Justice Leondra Kruger, took office in January 2015, nine months after Justice Joyce Kennard retired. It was the longest vacancy in the courts history.

But the current situation would seem to carry more urgency because Browns next selection will be his fourth to the seven-member court. It will be the first time Democratic appointees have held a majority since 1986, when Chief Justice Rose Bird and Justices Cruz Reynoso and Joseph Grodin, all named by Brown, were removed by the voters after a campaign that focused on their reversals of death sentences.

A new majority, chosen by Republican Gov. George Deukmejian, then moved the court to the right, upholding most death sentences and criminal convictions and overturning some past rulings that favored workers and consumers.

The court shifted toward the ideological center a decade later, particularly on social issues. Chief Justice Ronald George, a Wilson appointee, wrote the 1997 ruling overturning a state law that required parental consent for minors abortions and the 2008 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in California. Werdegar was part of the 4-3 majorities in both cases.

The current chief justice, Tani Cantil-Sakauye, appointed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger  who also named Mauro to the appeals court  has a generally moderate record and has been a vocal critic of the Trump administrations immigration raids on courthouses.

But the court is still the only Republican-majority institution in a state that has become overwhelmingly Democratic.

Grodin, who during and after his court tenure has taught law classes at UC Hastings in San Francisco, said the current vacancy is having an impact.

Important law is being made, sometimes in close cases, with the pro tem participation of judges who are not Supreme Court justices, he said by email. Some closely decided rulings could be reconsidered and reversed once a seventh justice was appointed, he said, and in addition, judging from the perspective of the Supreme Court is different from the perspective of a court of appeal justice.

Werdegar agreed.

On the good side, we get acquainted with our court of appeal colleagues, and thats delightful, she said. The detriment is, you have someone who joins us for one case and is gone. Then you have another person. It doesnt provide continuity  particularly, she said, in close cases that her successor might vote to reconsider.

Cantil-Sakauye, in her annual meeting with reporters Dec. 11, said the court has suffered a loss of productivity from the vacancy, dividing Werdegars former workload among the remaining justices and trying to put off action on deadlocked cases.

Its difficult to operate without a seventh justice, the chief justice said.

Longtime court-watchers are perplexed by the governors inaction in the 10 months since Werdegar announced her departure.

Ive been wondering the same thing myself, said Gerald Uelmen, a retired Santa Clara University law professor and veteran chronicler of the states high court. He said theres been speculation that Brown was preoccupied with other issues, like the two conferences he attended in Europe on climate change, but Uelmen noted that the governor on Dec. 23 appointed 33 judges to trial courts and two others to state appellate courts.

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.

January will mark the fifth month of hearings in which Werdegars seat will be occupied by appeals court justices, selected in alphabetical order under a system the court adopted three decades ago. Previous rules authorized the chief justice to pick the temporary replacements, giving rise to occasional accusations of bias.

At least one more round of temporary replacements is likely before Browns nominee, whoever that is, can be confirmed by the state Commission on Judicial Appointments and seated on the court.

The governor has been a judicial trailblazer, having named the nations first openly gay and lesbian judges, and the state Supreme Courts first female, black and Latino justices during his first stint in office from 1975 to 1983.

More recently, he appointed James Humes and Therese Stewart as the first openly gay and lesbian justices on a California appellate court, both as members of the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco. One of them could be promoted to the high court, and commentators have noted that Humes was a top legal aide to Brown during his time both as attorney general and as governor.

But Brown has looked outside the judicial system for his three current Supreme Court appointees  Kruger, a former U.S. Justice Department attorney, and Goodwin Liu and Mariano-Florentino Cuellar, both from the academic world. All three, like Brown, attended Yale Law School.

The longer the vacancy lasts, as Uelmen observed, the harder it gets to predict what Brown will do.

The governors office, asked for comment, stuck to generalities.

Theres no set deadline/timeline for the governor to fill the vacancy, spokesman Brian Ferguson said by email. The aim of our office is to appoint the best candidate from a broad and diverse pool of applicants.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko
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
Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk have made a point of wallowing in the weird and pushing the envelope with shows like American Horror Story and Scream Queens, but their latest creation for Fox is a real shocker: Its an old-fashioned dramatic series about first responders in Los Angeles with stock characters and familiar story lines, evoking classic shows like Adam-12 and Emergency and contemporary fare like Dick Wolfs Chicago Fire and Chicago PD.

9-1-1, premiering on Wednesday, Jan. 3, is remarkable mostly because it isnt. But because Murphy and Falchuk created it, 9-1-1 is meaty and engaging. Connie Britton (Nashville) is a dedicated dispatcher  perhaps too dedicated, as she takes each emergency personally, and its taken a toll on her psyche.
They were handing out fresh starts Monday at Ocean Beach, but you had to go into the water to get one.

Getting a fresh start is what jumping into the ocean on New Years Day is all about, and never mind that all the problematic stuff from 2017, including climate and president, is still very much around.

Three hundred people showed up at the foot of Taraval Street for the annual rite. Its less a swim than a baptism, because hardly anyone did anything more than jump in and jump out.

Were just here to wash away last year, said Charles Briseno of Alameda. Things like Trump. Im not sure jumping in the water will do that. Im not sure the whole ocean could do that. But youd be surprised.

Brian Stannard of San Francisco said he doubted that his minute or so in the 53-degree Pacific Ocean would accomplish much.

Its not going to change the election, he said. But maybe we might get some better luck this year.

Nothing about the plunge is official. Its not sponsored by anyone, and nobody sells tickets. Its just a bunch of neighbors and friends who show up at the foot of Taraval Street. This year, bartender Jeannie Fontana brought a bullhorn and proceeded to give forth such instructions as there were.

Fast swimmers, line up over here, she said. People who may still be drunk, line up over here.

And then, precisely at noon, the plungers  most but not all wearing bathing suits  ran west into the surf. A few folks started dog-paddling toward Japan, immediately thought better of it and turned around. Most people stayed in the water for a minute or so. Jim Jaworowski stayed in for 15 seconds.

Thats long enough for me, he said Get in, get out. Get 2017 out of your system.

As brief as it was, the plunge at Taraval Street was among the polar bear swims around the U.S. that didnt get canceled Monday because of the brutal weather. Even the annual San Francisco Bay swim from Alcatraz to Aquatic Park got rerouted Monday because heavy fog made the route unsafe. Those swimmers departed from Pier 39 instead, keeping a wary eye out for the sea lion that has taken to chomping swimmers in recent weeks.

At the beach at Taraval Street, a few firefighters from Station 18 stood vigil, in case anyone needed rescuing. No one did. They posed for selfies with the plungers instead.

Afterward, some of the crowd headed to a nearby tavern, which was offering plungers and non-plungers alike a $6 special on Irish coffee.

This thing isnt commercial, Jaworowski said. Nobodys trying to make a profit. Its just people jumping in the ocean on New Years.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com
Youths who vape are more likely to light up.

Thats the conclusion reached by UCSF researchers, who found that using any form of tobacco  including electronic cigarettes, chewing tobacco, water pipes and snuff  makes a teenager more likely to get hooked on conventional cigarettes.

Teens who experimented with tobacco in any form were at greater risk of future smoking, said senior author Benjamin Chaffee, a UCSF dentistry professor and one of those who conducted the study of 10,384 youths ages 12 to 17 who were nonsmokers at the outset of the research.

The authors said their study was the first to investigate whether using all forms of non-cigarette tobacco leads to smoking cigarettes. Clearly, they said, it does.

After a year, 4.6 percent of the youths in the survey had smoked cigarettes. Those who had tried a non-cigarette alternative were more than twice as likely to have smoked a cigarette within the previous month as those who had not tried e-cigarettes or other smokeless tobacco products, the UCSF study said.

Trying more than one alternative increased the odds of becoming a regular cigarette smoker, the researchers said. And all the alternatives  vaporizers, cigars, water pipes, chewing tobacco  were equally likely to lead to cigarettes, the study found.

The study, published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Associations online Pediatrics magazine, runs counter to the message of the e-cigarette industry, which touts electronic vaporizers as a safer alternative to cigarettes. A vaporizer, or vape, allows a user to inhale a mixture of liquid nicotine and water vapor instead of cigarette smoke.

At Gone With the Smoke, an e-cigarette store near Union Square in San Francisco, customers stand at the tasting bar where, for $1, they can sample such nicotine flavors as bubble gum, milk and honey, apple pancake custard and dozens of others designed for young palates. A thick cloud of vapor enveloped the store Tuesday.

Saleswoman Jenny Park said blaming e-cigarettes for hooking children on regular cigarettes wasnt fair.

There could be lots of reasons why people smoke, she said. Peer pressure. Friends. Parents. There are so many factors.

Chaffee called for tighter federal regulation of liquid nicotine, including a ban on flavors and raising the legal age for purchase to 21. The researcher said the e-cigarette industry is using the same arguments  flavor, satisfaction, safety  that the tobacco industry used half a century ago to turn young people into users.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted last year to ban the sale of e-cigarettes, menthol cigarettes, and fruit- and candy-tinctured tobacco products. Tobacco firms led by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. fought back, sponsoring a petition drive that gathered nearly double the number of required signatures to put the ban on the ballot. The citys voters will get their say on the matter in June.

A spokesman for Lets Be Real San Francisco, a tobacco-industry-funded group that supported the petition drive, noted that California already bans the sale of e-cigarette products to people under 21. The group is fighting the citys attempt to ban adult consumer choices, said the spokesman, Kevin Keane.

Many consider vaping to be the most successful and widely accessible tool to help adults transition away from smoking, Keane said.

Chaffee, the UCSF researcher, said e-cigarettes are helping to reverse a 20-year decline in cigarette use and are contributing to the rising popularity of cigarettes.

In the last few years, research has focused on the potential of e-cigarettes to engage never-smoking adolescents in tobacco use, Chaffee said. Our findings confirm that the use of the full range of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, cigars, tobacco water pipes, and smokeless tobacco, is associated with greater odds of future cigarette smoking.

The study found that 90 percent of adult smokers tried their first cigarette by age 18. In 2016, nearly 4 million middle and high school students said they used tobacco.

Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com
I have lived in San Francisco on and off since 1974 and in this, my final word as a San Franciscan, I would like to explain why Ive gone and left. Its the driving.

San Francisco has always been notoriously difficult to drive in. We take our sometimes seemingly and sometimes genuinely random one-way streets, our insane hills, our unannounced dead ends and our secret alleyways seriously. I, for instance, live on a terrace that you cant actually find on Google Maps, and not one resident here wants that to change. As a town, we didnt so much explode the typical grid as let a spoiled and angry child fling shards of blocks into the air and then declare their scattered testimony to be city planning. What kind of monsters made Market, the key street in the city, diagonal to everything else, and then used it to bisect the Financial District, then threaded traffic across it to get to the main commuter bridge and the ballpark?

Guidebooks for tourists discuss most of the above but demur when it comes to the worst part of driving here: drivers. For most of my life, San Francisco had the worst drivers Id ever encountered. I eventually made peace with them when I realized it was obvious that about 7 in 10 had never actually driven before. This was why they seemed to have woken up behind the wheel of a car, puzzled as to what all those switches and pedals did, nervous about doing anything wrong, coasting to a stop when there was a green light ahead, baffled by how angry everyone else was when they had worked so hard to center their car over those dotted white lines, suspicious of accelerating, as that seemed aggressive or even Republican in its intent. If San Francisco ran on a kind of European elan, driving was, like coveting your neighbors summer home, something that might occur but was simply not talked about.

There is a newer kind of bad driver here. I could do a taxonomy of the types of vehicle, from the mud-spattered Land Rover just back from Burning Man (even if its, I dunno, February) to the gold-plated Lamborghini Aventador that we all made fun of when it seemed to be an outlier. But the specific model doesnt matter so much as the attitude expressed, somewhat by the car, but mostly by how it is driven: I am going places. That is short hand for selfishness, the same way I deplore voter fraud is shorthand for racism. Because if youve watched how these new bad drivers maneuver down Gough or Fulton or Mission or Geary, you already know that their more complete motto is I am going places and Im going to get there (wherever there is) ahead of you (no matter who you are) because  (well, well get into that a little later).

When you throw a bag of Adderall-infused fish into the aquarium of meek, thoughtless San Francisco drivers, the result is a bizarre ecosystem of flamingos and hippos, each of them constantly startling the other with what appears to them like witless and inexplicable dominance displays.

Washington Square is one of my favorite San Francisco places, because it isnt square, its not on Washington Street, and the statue there isnt of Washington but Ben Franklin, placed in part to disguise the universally loathed temperance fountain donated to encourage San Francisco to stop drinking booze. In other words, the only thing that could make it a more traditional San Francisco spot is if neighborhood opposition had kept it from being built in the first place.

Im fond of eyeing the intersections near here to see what the state of the art in four-way-stop etiquette looks like. In the old days, taking right of way was made almost impossible because no driver wanted to trash his or her progressive ideals by taking anything, much less what someone else might deserve more. The Subaru Outback with Eugene McCarthy stickers on it would only cross the intersection when convinced they were doing it not for themselves but for the indigenous people of El Salvador.

Its not that this is untrue now. Its that these same people are still here, only 20 years older. They are now hood-to-taillight with new drivers who have absolutely no problem taking the right of way, especially if it doesnt belong to them. Because that is the rule when you are new San Francisco: if someone has yielded right of way to one car, or one pedestrian, or one confused tourist hokey-pokeying at the corner with one foot in the road, he has yielded to you, too, wherever you are. It turns out right of way belongs to whomever feels most entitled to take it. There are no consequences. At least not that they admit to. I, on the other hand, see a pretty dire consequence.

My girlfriend and I were recently standing in front of Golden Boy, where the sun somehow shines constantly on that line that lasts all afternoon, and ahead of us were people who were Part of the Problem (#PotP, if you like) and one was explaining to the rest that no, parking was not hard anymore. He gestured toward the street, where his Infiniti was double-parked. As long as you turn your hazards on, youre good. You can park anywhere in San Francisco like that. His friends werent skeptical. Instead, they seemed suddenly enlightened. You can now do anything.

The reason youre not supposed to double-park is that its dangerous for other drivers. The reason theres a right of way is so that we dont all run into each other. The reason there are rules is that theres a society here, and were all supposed to fit in somehow. But not anymore. The progressive, fussy, overly sensitive, yammering groups of San Franciscans asserting that we need to have our needs understood and rights acknowledged in order to get along together dont matter anymore.

San Francisco has frequently been the nose cone of a missile that the rest of the continent follows during times of social change. We were early to gay rights, Beats, hippies, the human potential movement, AIDS, every wax and wane of tech, not to mention that whole Gold Rush thing. I would have been annoyed to live here in the 1850s, 1880s and even the 1960s, but for every era like that, a new era arises to torment the previous generation. So, but for one problem, I can say: this too will pass, and in 20 years something else will be here that will also seem dire. The problem is that 20 years time frame, because Im not sure its going to happen.

Right now we are a citywide incubator of unbridled capitalism, the masters of our digital future working toward the end of the troublesome concept of we. And driving is where it comes out most obviously to me.

Why do people sometimes lose the will to drive, coasting to a stop? Why is right on red a secret so many are excluded from? Why does using a turn signal feel for some drivers like giving away their Social Security number? There are so many bad behaviors to catalog, but heres the most terrifying:

Why do folks need to get there before you do? Its because as a city, our current contribution to American culture is that we no longer see the future as a renewable resource. Were a smart people  smart people tend to move here  and we as a species are suffering a dawning awareness that we have gone past sustainability and into darkness. Its over. We as a city believe weve got about 20 years left before everything collapses. It is lovely that we recycle, and its charming that we charge for paper bags. But Im not talking about those cosmetic touches, those sustainable cocktails we serve in first class as the plane goes down. I mean something much bigger. Optimism depends on faith, and our faith in organizing to prevent disaster has been co-opted. Which is embarrassing for San Francisco.

This feeling has been engineered here. We have a cultural pessimism that pre-existed the insanity in Washington. It makes jettisoning we much more easy. If theres not much left at the end of the rainbow, then one of us is going to get there first, and take it. This attitude crystallizes every time someone gets behind the wheel of a car here, but you see it unfolding on sidewalks, in restaurants, in real estate, in the absurd construction of skyscrapers on landfill.

We are all in this together. We always have been and we always will be, no matter where things go. But for the past few years in San Francisco, its been apparent the counter-myth is ascendant. And this is why I left  it turns out there are places that havent yet conspired in the assisted suicide of we. There are places where people look each other in the eye, even when they drive.

A friend at a party a few nights ago said that San Francisco has lost its mission statement. I disagree  its just that the mission has changed, to protect that which is yours, before we get to the end, which we all see coming, hard and fast. Thats our mission statement.

Buckle up.

Glen David Gold is the author of the novels Carter Beats the Devil (2001) and Sunnyside (2009) and the forthcoming memoir I Will Be Complete (Knopf, June 2018). He has moved, ironically, to Los Angeles. Email: books@sfchronicle.com
A man was shot to death Monday night in West Oakland, marking the citys second homicide of the new year, authorities said.

The shooting occurred about 5:25 p.m. on the 3400 block of Adeline Street, near the intersection of 62nd Street, according to the Oakland Police Department.
Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns

There are few pop culture icons who have spoken to the freaks and the weirdos of the world quite like David Bowie. Its not so surprising, then, that its been a tradition over the years, in several cities, to celebrate the mans birth with a holiday called Bowiemas.

The Stud, one of the San Franciscos oldest queer bars (and one recently saved from closure by a collective of queer nightlife personalities) is hosting and promising all the goods. Fans can dance to Bowies catalog all night long, pay respects during a midnight Mass in his honor and compete in a costume contest. This year, the club is also planning to feature Bowie-themed drag and burlesque.
Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press

NEW YORK  Democrats in high-cost, high-tax states are plotting ways to do what their states representatives in Congress could not: Blunt the effect of the newly passed Republican tax overhaul.

Governors and legislative leaders in New York, California and other states are considering legal challenges to elements of the law that they say unfairly single out parts of the country. They are looking at ways of raising revenue that are not penalized by the new law. And they are considering changing their state tax codes to allow residents to take advantage of other federal tax breaks  in effect, restoring deductions that the tax law scaled back.
BOSTON  Most of the largest U.S. public universities do not track suicides among their students, despite making investments in prevention at a time of surging demand for mental health services.

Without that data, prevention advocates say, schools have no way to measure their success and can overlook trends that could offer insight to help them save lives.
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 the Associated Press that he practiced alternative medicine and that 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, seeks 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 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.

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.

Sadie Gurman is an Associated Press writer.
PASADENA  Floral floats rolled under sunny skies as the Rose Parade drew thousands of revelers for Southern Californias colorful New Years Day tradition.

The 129th annual parade got started Monday in Pasadena with an announcement by the grand marshal, actor Gary Sinise, and a military flyover.

Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to watch 39 floats decked out with countless flowers, along with show horses, marching bands and celebrities. Millions more watched on TV.

Among the floats was an award-winning entry from China Airlines featuring a scuba diver floating above fish and a coral reef. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artists Earth Wind and Fire performed atop a red and white float re-creating the Forum, the famous Los Angeles-area arena celebrating its 50th anniversary.

There were blue skies with just a few wisps of clouds and temperatures reached the low 70s after a chilly night.

It has rained only once on the Rose Parade in the past six decades  that was in 2006  and it has never been canceled because of weather.

The theme of the 2018 parade is Making a Difference, and Sinise was chosen to lead the proceedings because of his devotion to veterans issues.

Sinise, who played Vietnam vet Lt. Dan Taylor in 1994s Forrest Gump, said when he was picked that he was happy to serve as grand marshal because of the vets he seeks to help.

If shining a little spotlight on me on January first can shine a spotlight on them to help me make a difference in their lives, I am very, very grateful to do that, he said.

Veterans and family members of those killed in action appeared on some of the floats.

Spectators started lining the 3.5-mile route Sunday, many of them camping on sidewalks and braving overnight temperatures in the low 40s.

Kevin Watson lives about 15 minutes away from Pasadena, but he and his wife made the road trip in their RV to watch the Rose Parade.

It beats sleeping on the sidewalk, he said.

Watson paid $250 to park his RV at the Rusnak Maserati of Pasadena parking lot and had an open view to the parade. Then there were the perks of having an RV at hand: a shower, bathroom, kitchen and warm bed.

Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said there were no known threats to the parade, but fan safety remained first priority and security was tight. No major problems were reported. There were a handful of arrests, mostly for public intoxication, police said.

The Los Angeles Times contributed to this report.
A 22-year-old Hayward man was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder as well as driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol in the Christmas Eve crash that killed a California Highway Patrol officer and injured his partner.

Prosecutors said Mohammed Abraar Ali was driving at 120 mph when he swerved and slammed his red Cadillac CTS-V into a CHP cruiser occupied by Officers Andrew Camilleri and Jonathan Velasquez, who were on patrol for intoxicated drivers and were parked on the Winton Avenue on-ramp to Interstate 880 in Hayward.

Camilleri, a married father of three who had graduated from the CHP academy in March, was killed. Velasquez was injured, but has since been released from a hospital. Ali remains hospitalized with undisclosed injuries at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley. The CHP anticipates he will be released in the coming days and transferred to Santa Rita Jail in Dublin.

More for you News CHP officer killed in Christmas Eve freeway crash in Hayward

Ali faces five felony counts, including second-degree murder, driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and recklessly driving at speeds over 100 mph, Alameda County District Attorney Nancy OMalley said.

OMalley and CHP Chief Ernie Sanchez announced the charges at a news conference Tuesday. In a statement of probable cause accompanying the charging documents, CHP Officer Joshua Hughes wrote that before the 11:30 p.m. crash Ali was witnessed driving at a high rate of speed and aggressively weaving though traffic.

Ali admitted to using marijuana before the crash and had THC in his system, Sanchez said. A blood test at the hospital revealed Ali had a blood alcohol content of .11 percent, Hughes wrote. The legal limit is 0.08 percent.

Two days later, Ali admitted to detectives he was drunk and high, and said he had threatened his wife that night before driving from Manteca to Hayward, according to court papers.

Ali said he not only was impaired but that he should have pulled over at least three times, but did not and made the decision to keep driving, Hughes wrote.

Sanchez said Ali had never previously been arrested by the CHP for driving under the influence. He had been arrested in December 2013 on suspicion of a burglary in Fremont, but charges in that case were later dismissed, according to the Alameda County Sheriffs Office.

Ali has an active security guard license that was issued by the state Bureau of Security and Investigative Services in September 2016.

The crash comes as the CHP rolls out a new statewide public service campaign aimed at combatting driving under the influence of marijuana. State traffic safety officials said they expect an influx of stoned drivers with the legal sale of recreational marijuana that started Monday.

Drinking and driving is socially unacceptable  smoking marijuana and driving is equally as unacceptable, Sanchez said Tuesday.

Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky
D Dipasupil/BET/Getty Images

Last month, we reported Bryan "Birdman" Williams, co-founder of Cash Money Records, was looking for a quick sale of his blinged-out Miami mansion, slashing the price from $20 million to $16.9 million. Now we've learned what's behind the rush.

The South Florida Business Journal recently reported Birdman is facing $12 million foreclosure proceedings, on not only his 19,970-square-foot luxury home, but also a 26,040-square-foot Miami office building, which is home to his Hit Factory Criteria Recording Studios.
Drinking is not allowed on beaches or at other public places in Coromandel, New Zealand, over the holidays, but a group of enterprising young Kiwis were determined not to ring in the new year with thirsty throats.

At the same time, they did not want to risk a fine of $250 ($180 in U.S. dollars) for violating the alcohol ban. Their solution? Build an island off the coast.
JERUSALEM  Israels parliament passed a law on Tuesday requiring a supermajority to relinquish control over any part of Jerusalem, a move that could hamstring the citys division in any future peace deal.

The amendment bars the government from ceding Israeli sovereignty over any part of Jerusalem without approval of at least 80 of the legislatures 120 members. But the law itself can be overturned with a simple majority, making it largely symbolic.

The law also permits the government to remove outlying Palestinian neighborhoods from the city, a move promoted by hard-liners to preserve Jerusalems Jewish majority. They would be turned into separate municipalities under Israeli control.

The Knesset approved the legislation in a 64-52 vote early Tuesday, with opposition politicians saying it would make it even harder to make peace with the Palestinians.

Israel claims all of Jerusalem as its capital. The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, which Israel captured in the 1967 war and annexed in a move not recognized internationally, to be the capital of their future state. Tensions rose after President Trump declared Jerusalem to be Israels capital last month, breaking with decades of U.S. policy and an international consensus that the citys status should be decided in peace negotiations.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called the legislation tantamount to declaring war on the Palestinian people.

This vote clearly indicates that the Israeli side has officially declared the end of the so-called political process and has already begun to impose dictatorial and de facto policies, Abbas office said in a statement.

The amendment came just days after the ruling Likud partys central committee called for the annexation of West Bank settlements.

Ilan Ben Zion is an Associated Press writer.
1 Garage fire: An estimated 1,400 cars were destroyed in a huge fire that raged through a seven-story parking garage in the northern English city of Liverpool. The fire next to Echo Arena started Sunday and was brought under control by Monday morning. There were no reported injuries. Officials set up a shelter to help the many people who could not get home because their cars had been burned. Witnesses said vehicles seemed to explode every couple of seconds when the fire was at its peak. They said it appeared to start in the engine of an older vehicle and quickly spread. Nearby apartments were evacuated because of the heavy smoke.

2 Deadly crash: A prominent British businessman and his family were identified Monday as victims of a seaplane crash in Australia. Compass Group CEO Richard Cousins, his fiancee, her daughter and his two sons died Sunday when the single-engine plane sank rapidly after crashing into the Hawkesbury River near Sydney. Australian pilot Gareth Morgan from the tour company Sydney Seaplanes also died in the crash. Cousins had recently been recognized by the Harvard Business Review for his performance as CEO of the multinational catering company. The 58-year-old planned to step down from his post in March. Sydney Seaplanes has suspended its flights while the crash is investigated.
TEHRAN  Clashes overnight between protesters and security forces in Iran killed nine people, state television reported Tuesday, including some rioters who tried to storm a police station to steal weapons.

The demonstrations, the largest to strike Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, have seen six days of unrest across the country and a death toll of at least 20.

The protests began Thursday in Mashhad over Irans weak economy and a jump in food prices 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.

State TV reported that six rioters were killed during an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan. It reported that clashes were sparked by rioters who tried to steal guns from the police station.

State TV also said an 11-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were killed in the town of Khomeinishahr, while a member of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed in the town of Najafabad. It says all three were shot by hunting rifles, which are common in the Iranian countryside.

The towns are all in Irans central Isfahan province, some 215 miles south of Tehran.

It wasnt clear if the Revolutionary Guard member was the same fatality reported late Monday night by Irans semi-official Mehr news agency. Mehr had said an assailant using a hunting rifle killed a policeman and wounded three others in Najafabad.

Monday marked the first night to see a fatality among Irans security forces.

President Hassan Rouhani has acknowledged the publics anger over the Islamic Republics flagging economy, though he and others warned that the government wouldnt hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers.

That was echoed Monday by judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadegh Larijani, who urged authorities to confront rioters, state TV reported.

I demand all prosecutors across the country to get involved and the approach should be strong, he said.

President Trump, who has been tweeting in support of the protesters, continued that theme 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.

He criticized the Iranian governments response to the protests and also chided European governments for watching in silence as the protests turn violent.

While some have shared Trumps tweets, many in Iran distrust him because he has refused to recertify the nuclear deal and his travel bans have blocked Iranians from getting U.S. visas.

State TV has reported that some protesters invoked the name of the U.S.-backed shah, who fled into exile just before Irans 1979 Islamic Revolution and later died.

Irans economy has improved since its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Iran 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. But that improvement has not benefited the average Iranian.

While the protests have sparked clashes, Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its affiliates have not intervened as they have in other unauthorized demonstrations since the 2009 election.

Nasser Karimi and Jon Gambrell are Associated Press writers.
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#BTS BTS to appear on YouTube music show next week South Korean superband BTS, along with Coldplay front man, Chris Martin, will appear on YouTube's weekly music show next week, the septet's agency said Saturday. The K-pop sensa...
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) allocated $110,000 to support programming and operations at senior centers on Staten Island's South Shore.

Borelli's district is home to the highest number of senior citizens per capita of any of the New York City Council districts.

"I know how important these senior centers and services are to residents of the south shore," Borelli said in a statement. "We have a disproportionately high number of senior citizens in this district compared to other areas of NYC, so we are also disproportionately impacted when funding for seniors is reduced or cut. Investing in programming and resources for seniors will continue to be a priority for me over the next four years."

The funds will go to the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island, Lifestyles for the Disabled, Eger Health & Rehabilitation Center, Great Kills Friendship Center, Mount Loretto Friendship Club, Community Agency for Senior Citizens, and the New York Road Runners.

The Great Kills Friendship Center and Mount Loretto Friendship Club will each receive $20,000.

The organizations will use the funds for a range of support services, including the South Shore mobile food service, horticultural workshops and the Jewish Community Centers's annual Senior Olympics.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island's first civil service testing center will open next week in Stapleton on Canal Street.

Until now, Staten Island residents had to travel to testing sites in Brooklyn Heights or lower Manhattan.

The Computer Based Testing Site -- located on the 3rd floor of 135 Canal Street -- will provide space for exam testing as well as a dedicated computer room for the public to apply for city jobs and upcoming exams.

The opening on Wednesday, Jan. 10, is part of the city's Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) push to have an exam center in every borough and is the second center the agency to open in a year, with one opening in Queens in July.

Taking a test is the first step in the process to applying to one of New York City's 80 agencies, which employ hundreds of thousands of people.

MANY TEST FOR FEW SPOTS

The computer-based tests are competitive: 72,582 people were scheduled to take the firefighter exam between Sept. 5 and Oct. 14 while the agency was only 300 firefighters below headcount, an FDNY spokesman told the Advance in October.

Last fiscal year 23,032 people took the police officer exam, but the NYPD told the Advance that there were only 41 open positions during that period.

And 68,720 people took the Sanitation worker exam in 2015, while only 1,175 were hired as of mid-October, the Sanitation Department told the Advance.

Information about the most popular civil service jobs can be found at www1.nyc.gov/jobs and for details about how to register for tests, use DCAS's website http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcas/html/work/exam_monthly.shtml#oc.

The city released its exam schedule for January for positions including corrections officer, environmental police officer, motor vehicle operator, school safety agent and traffic enforcement agent. The testing period runs through Jan. 31 and application fees for exams range from $40 to $101.

The testing site will be closed on Jan. 13 and Jan. 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.
Update: The emergency response was finished shortly after 9 a.m., according to an alert from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A crash reportedly is causing delays on the Goethals Bridge, New Jersey-bound, during the Tuesday morning rush hour.

The accident has caused the right lane to be blocked on the westbound span, according to Total Traffic NYC.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- Richard Luthmann's alleged accomplice was granted bail, but the controversial lawyer and a third defendant remain behind bars pending their bail hearings.

U.S. District Judge Jack B. Weinstein upheld the court's previous decision to grant Michael Beck, 59, bail during a hearing Tuesday in Brooklyn federal court.

The Staten Island man will be confined to home detention and electronic monitoring. He is not permitted to work, use the phone or travel, Weinstein said.

"The bail restrictions are sufficient," the judge added.

About two weeks ago, U.S. District Judge Steven M. Gold granted Beck bail after his family put up a $1.5 million bond package.

Federal prosecutors appealed the decision, arguing Beck was a danger to the community and that he was the "muscle for the [George] Padula family."

Authorities claim there were approximately 150 phone calls between Beck and Padula over the past two months.

"He was leading a double life," said prosecutor Moira Kim Penza. "Beck is connected to people his family have no idea about."

Beck allegedly lured a man who owed him money to a law office, kept him from leaving and pointed a gun at his head and knee, authorities said.

"He told his co-defendant to shoot him," prosecutors said.

Beck's lawyer, Jim Branden, previously denied the allegations.

The bail hearings for Luthmann and Padula are still pending.

Padula's initial bail package was denied based on the allegations that he allegedly associated with Bloods gang members, had several firearms and assault rifles in his family home and his relatives have ties to organized crime, authorities said.

There is a status conference on the case scheduled for Thursday.

The defendants are charged with various counts of wire fraud, money laundering, kidnapping and extortion conspiracy.

The scam was launched in the summer of 2015, between Luthmann, Padula and an unidentified co-conspirator, who sold scrap metals to overseas clients, said an indictment filed in Brooklyn federal court.

Initially, the defendants schemed to defraud victims by contracting to ship them valuable scrap metals but not sending anything in return, the indictment said.

When one victim threatened to press criminal charges, Luthmann allegedly said to refund his money.

At that point, the defendants decided they would pad the weight of the containers with cheap filler materials beneath the valuable scrap metal, the indictment said.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- This year's Coney Island Polar Plunge was a cold one.

Thousands of participants braved temperatures below 20 degrees and water temperatures at a frigid 37 degrees for the 114th annual Coney Island Polar Plunge.

The event, which raises money for the Coney Island community, featured a smaller crowd than normal due to the frigid temperatures.

However, those who did take part in this age-old tradition were lively and excited to take that first step into the icy Atlantic.

Over $30,000 was raised for this year's plunge, and helped benefit the New York Aquarium, Alliance for Coney Island and other local arts and history organizations.

2018 Polar Plunge features frigid temperatures and icy waters 10 Gallery: 2018 Polar Plunge features frigid temperatures and icy waters

Staten Islander Tom Swanson has participated in 6 Polar Plunges and said the frigid temperatures were "not at all" concerning him, as he waited his turn to run towards the water.

"It's just an adrenaline rush," Swanson added.

"Bring it on," another participant stated.

Sean Sweeney, a Staten Island resident who has done the Polar Plunge for 24 years, said that stepping into the waters "is all adrenaline."

"I do it for people who can't do it," Sweeney stated.

Chris, a resident of Queens, said that his first Polar Plunge was "cold," but that "you can't beat it."

It's important "to give back to the neighborhood, Coney Island," Chris added, adding that he'll likely be back for another go next year.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Welcome to the world, Gianna Grace Maniglia!

Maria, 32, and Charles, 34, of Westerleigh, welcomed their newest addition at 9:22 a.m. on New Year's Day at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) in Ocean Breeze.

Weighing 7 pounds, four ounces and 20 and 3/4 inches long, Gianna was the first baby born at SIUH, a spokeswoman for the hospital confirmed.

One-and-a-half-year-old Bianca is a proud big sister, Maria told the Advance from her hospital room where she said she's feeling great and is excited to have the hospital's first baby.

The Maniglias said they spent New Year's Eve "low key" at a friend's house hanging out and enjoying pizza, all while Maria was having contractions.

"They weren't that bad; they were still very mild at that point," Maria said.

"I wasn't in active labor until early this morning and we came to the hospital at 5:30 a.m.," she said, joking that the birth of Gianna was much quicker than Bianca.

"Six pushes and she was out!," the mom of two said.

Charles said Bianca was mesmerized the moment she saw her little sister and wouldn't take her eyes off of her.

After visiting Gianna in the NICU, Bianca didn't want to leave, saying "baby! Baby!" and pointing to the door as she walked back down the hallway to mom's hospital room.

"She's been kissing my belly and saying baby the whole time. She's so excited," Maria said.

Gianna was taken to the NICU because Maria had group B strep and wasn't finished with her second dose of antibiotics because Gianna was born four days early.

The family is anxiously waiting to go home as a family of four.

The first New Year's Day baby, a boy born to Ariana Pumarejo and Eirk Erazo, was born at Richmond University Medical Center at 12:24 a.m., according to a spokesman for the hospital.
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This year has been a year of anniversaries. It is the 10th anniversary of the highly successful artist-in-residence project at Namadgi National Park marked by a survey exhibition of past and present participants at Craft ACT in May.

The Canberra Spinners and Weavers (CSW) marked 50 years of their flourishing organisation with an exhibition of work from those years at the Canberra Museum and Gallery.

It has been 10 years since the establishment of the Canberra Glassworks in the Kingston Power House and 40 years of the well supported Emerging Artists Scheme (EASS) at the ANU School of Art and Design.

As always it has been difficult to choose my five best shows of 2017.

They are a personal choice of some of the exhibitions I enjoyed during the year. Among the top five it would be hard not to include exhibitions by Kirstie Rea and Neil Roberts, two notable Canberra artists.
A pair of celebrity street racers stopped in to lend a hand at the Canberra Institute of Technology ahead of the Summernats car festival on Thursday.

Farmtruck and AZN from the Discovery Channel's Street Outlaws series had flown all the way from Oklahoma City to work with students at CIT's Fyshwick campus.

Chris Wroe from the Canberra Institute of Technology (left) with celebrity street racers Farmtruck and AZN. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong

The pair had been working with CIT automotive and metal fabrication students to turn a clapped-out Chevy truck - shipped over from the United States - into a souped-up drag racer.

CIT student Chris Wroe said the team had been working flat out to get the truck ready for the start of the Summernats festival.
Global pallets and container group Brambles has flagged a one-off tax benefit of up to $US155 million ($217 million) from US President Donald Trump's corporate tax cut but says any change to its effective tax rate is unlikely to be material.

And apart from the tax rate reduction, there were a "number of measures" that could affect the company negatively, it said in a statement without elaborating.

Brambles, which operates in more than 60 countries and has significant operations in North America, estimated it would receive a non-cash benefit of $US125 million to $US155 million as at December 31 due to a lower deferred tax liability in the US.

"Subject to further review and analysis, Brambles' preliminary assessment of the total tax reform package is that any change to the group's effective tax rate is unlikely to be material," it said.
Glencore has agreed to sell one of two Australian coal mines it put up for sale last year to British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta's GFG Alliance for an undisclosed sum, the two companies said separately on Tuesday.

The acquisition follows Gupta's purchase last year of the financially troubled Wyhalla steel works in southern Australia, part of a plan to build an integrated steel business by buying the unwanted assets of other companies.

Sanjeev Gupta Credit:Bloomberg

The companies did not give the sale prices, but several sources familiar with the sales process said the mine was likely to fetch around $100 million.

Tahmoor produces about 2 million tonnes of coal a year, mostly high-quality coking coal used for steel making internationally and in Australia, including at the Whyalla facility, GFG executive chairman Gupta said in a statement.
Once again, the issue of African youth crime is in the media. I would like to expand the debate to consider the role of schools and education in helping young people with an African background integrate and achieve opportunities in Australian society. This would also help reduce racism and negative perceptions by non-African Australians.

How do we teach about Africa in the classroom? What perceptions do all students, not just those of African background, gain about Africa and Africans? As a history and geography teacher who has had a high proportion of refugee students in my classroom, I have examined and considered these issues.

I believe that a simplistic, primitive view of Africa tends to be conveyed. It is reinforced by textbooks and reading material. These issues are not intentional, but are the result of a crowded curriculum and a lack of awareness or consideration of cultural diversity by many publishers.

Students who have come from South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia may have lived in refugee camps all their lives. The skills needed to survive in a camp can be very different from the compliant behaviour expected in an Australian classroom. The frustration that arises from having your life and future livelihood beyond your control, for years on end, in the hands of a remote UN organisation, is difficult to imagine.
It is difficult to disagree with the recent contention (Alexander Dunn, Comment, 28/12) that Australia needs to reset its economic settings and discourse. Our 26 years of continuous, record growth belie a more fragile outlook. Our exports are less diversified than since the wool boom of the 1950s. Inequality is rising, wages growth is sluggish, hurting the economy generally.

And Dunn is right to point to the success of our superannuation industry and its vast untapped potential as a source of future growth and wealth, notably from Asia.

Our economic future cannot depend, however, on its further financialisation. Nor we should be taking our cue from the late Lee Kuan Yew's authoritarian brand of Singaporean capitalism or the City of London. The "City of London Corporation", far from acting as "Britain's economic engine", was in large part to blame for the impact of the global financial crisis, revealing the consequences of having a rapacious, unaccountable financial sector as the driver of one's national economy. The corporation is an offshore Cayman Islands inside Britain and connected to tax havens globally. Britain's working people paid the price, while highly-leveraged financiers who concealed their assets enjoyed a billion pound bail-out.

Moreover, there are bigger challenges to the future of super and better means of harnessing its power. In the early 1990s the federal Labor government began to build a system of compulsory superannuation contributions. More than 95 per cent of workers hold super accounts, double that of 20 years ago.
Exposure to fine particulates from burning coal, vehicle exhausts and other pollution sources is linked to an increased risk of pre-term births, according to a study of more than 1 million Chinese births that included an Australian researcher.

The study, published Wednesday by the American Medical Association's JAMA Pediatrics journal, claims to be the first to examine the impact of particles of 1 micrometre (PM1)  a millionth of a metre  or smaller.

Health a risk: A woman and child wear masks during a hazy day in Beijing. Credit:AP

It found that an increase in PM1 of 10 micrograms per cubic metre over the entire pregnancy led to a 9 per cent increased risk of a pre-term birth. Where pollution was over 52 micrograms per cubic metre, the chance of a pre-term birth rose 36 per cent.

While governments around the world are starting to set guidelines or warn about PM2.5 and PM10 levels, the study suggests authorities should urgently review standards to include PM1 levels, and to broadcast those readings.
Coastal regions around Australia are experiencing unusually high tides this week, flooding some low-lying areas, thanks to an unusual confluence of astronomical and meteorological factors.

The so-called wolf moon - the first full moon of the year - also happens to be a "super moon". At some 50,000 kilometres closer than its furthest extent - a phase of proximity that "makes men mad" according to Shakespeare - our nearest partner in space is exacting an extra pull on the world's water.

Walking on water in Woy Woy: king tide inundates a low-lying pier on Tuesday. Credit:Nick Moir

The earth's own orbital eccentricity with the sun also means that at this time of year, we are about 5 million kilometres closer to the sun - a point known as the perihelion - than at our most distant in July.

"With this super moon and perihelion, what we're experiencing is the full might of the gravitational force" on the earth, said Alan Duffy, an astronomer and associate professor at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne. "You can expect a larger range in the tides both high and low."
The Turnbull government has ruled out holding a plebiscite or postal survey before the next election on Australians' preferred model for becoming a Republic even if Queen Elizabeth's reign ends during the current parliament.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed on Tuesday there would be no such vote during this parliamentary term even if there is a change of British monarch, despite Mr Turnbull saying the day before that an end to the Queen's reign would be the obvious moment at which the republic issue becomes "live again".

Mr Turnbull had on Monday suggested that a postal survey similar to that which decided the same-sex marriage debate might be used to guide how the nation evolves from a monarchy to a republic, including how a president is chosen.

The swift walk-back prompted acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek to dismiss Mr Turnbull's remarks as a "thought bubble" and to suggest he was bowing to conservative elements in his party.
Hilton, who has been engaged once before to Greek shipping heir and socialite Paris Latsis for six months in 2005, and had relationships with Kardashian-adjacent, Brody Jenner and actor Jared Leto, once moved in the same social circles as Nicole Richie, (her former best friend, and Simple Life co-star) Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears.

It was a time marked by Juicy Couture tracksuits, low-rise jeans, and defined abdominals.

It also marked the beginning of two mediums: celebrity blogs, such as the now notorious Perez Hilton, and women whom viewers loved to hate on reality television. In many ways, Hilton's lack of social mores, her apparent thirst for publicity, her unabashed love of revealing clothing, her excesses and extraordinary wealth, paved the way for Keeping up with the Kardashians -- a fact Hilton has never been shy about mentioning, going so far as to say she made her former close friend famous.

Although the persistent rumour that Kardashian West was not a friend but a personal assistant, is, according to Kim at least, false.

"I would work with Paris, and I would love to organise and clean out their closets and get rid of all their stuff and sell it on eBay and then shop for them, shop for her. That was my job. I loved it," Kim recalled on Watch What Happens Live. "But people will say 'assistant.' They always have it wrong."
Kim Kardashian has thanked doctors and nurses after her son was hospitalised for three nights following a pneumonia diagnosis.

In two tweets on Wednesday morning, Kardashian, 37, revealed two-year-old Saint West suffered from a bout of the illness towards the end of December.

Kardashian West with husband Kanye West and their children, North and Saint. Credit:Kim Kardashian West/Instagram

"My precious baby boy is so strong!" Kardashian wrote. "After spending three nights in the hospital & seeing my baby get multiple IV's [sic] and hooked up to oxygen machines, our end of year was challenging. Pneumonia is so scary."

Pneumonia is a lung infection which results in inflammation of the lungs' air sacs. Symptoms include flu-like symptoms, as well as having trouble breathing and chest pain.
It would be too generous to say that the likes of Howard and Latham, career politicians, are ignorant, or that they are unaware of the impact of their scaremongeringthey know the score in terms of how much power the right holds in Australia. It's the fear that their reign of manipulation will not last that is driving them to proselytise so fervently against an imagined foe.

They breathlessly fill up airwaves and television slots with red-faced forewarnings that sound as though they'd be better suited if made from behind a pulpit. They tell you that the fire and brimstone is already here, that they are afraid to speak their minds for fear of public backlash, that Australian society has been weakened, that Australians are now far too sensitive , andmost ominouslythat if this threat is not confronted then the country will be lost to Them.

There is a hysteria surrounding alleged political correctness in Australia. There is currently a garbled mess of accusations against "cultural Marxists" and "gay militancy" that has seeped out into the mainstream , which means it's necessary that we ring in this new year with a focus on the inane mythology being spun by those looking to sell a conspiracy that simply doesn't exist.

Mark Latham, who if not for his wealth and political history would more likely be seen inside a train station raving about the End Times and gay people marrying dogs and cats, is still marketed as being "controversial" by members of the press despite calling for white people to "take back" Australia, his allegations that a "new militant gay-left [is] seeking to sack those that believe in God, and man-woman marriage", and that gay Australians are overrepresented in the media. And yet, Mark Latham, despite all of the bombastic gibberish about an organised, non-white, God-hating, gay horde coming for freedom of speech, is very much employed, and his face and equally nauseating words are smeared across countless publications on a nearly weekly basis.

The accusations of there being any kind of gay militancy in Australia is especially audacious, but nonetheless a common refrain of those who see the passage of gay marriage as symbolising legislative political correctness. In Australia, homophobic violence, and discrimination targeting members of LGBTQI communities has resulted in deaths, physical violence, verbal abuse, and the mental health challenges of those impacted by this bigotry are often overlooked, or outright ignored. According to a report the NSW Council of Social Service (NCOSS), those who identify as LGBTQI are made to experience "a higher level of social disadvantage than the general population in Australia", and that includes gaps in healthcare services, difficulties in accessing education programs, and an increased likelihood of living in poverty. If there is a militant gay movement in Australia, the conditions of gay Australians would not be in the state that they are.

With pitchforks and torches at the ready, it's the freedom to be draconian, and callous that those decrying "political correctness gone mad" are fighting for. It is the fear of being confronted by those most impacted by their brutalitythese are the snowflakes that so quickly melt the moment they are challenged.

They prefer that their homophobia, misogyny, racism, and their deep-seated hatred of the poor, be left alone. For too long, they've found comfort in espousing abhorrent, even fascist views, without conflict, and they've enjoyed the rush of hearing their peers laugh, and join in. It's the worry that their privileges are no longer enough to spare them from the ramifications brought about by their words that is sending them into a panic. It isn't that society has become too sensitive, but that tolerance for cruelty and bigotry poorly masked as witticism has ebbed to a small degree, just enough to make the likes of Latham, and Howard writhe and shout on television as though they've seen the devil himself.



The likelihood of the flatulent resistors of "political correctness" realising that their dogmatic beliefs, which range from love-it-or-leave it nationalism, to their attacks on welfare and any non-white recipient of government assistance, are a kind of hypersensitive list of commandments, is slim. The spectre of political correctness is certainly no leftist creation. There is no gay Stalinist hiding under their bed. The monster is none other than themselves.
A 16-year-old boy has been rushed to hospital after he was found unconscious on a beach at the Georges River in Sydney's south.

Emergency services were called to Keith Longhurst reserve in Kentlyn, near Campbelltown, just before 1pm with reports a teenage boy had been pulled from the river.

A helicopter winches a 16-year-old boy to safety after he collapsed on a beach at the Georges River. Credit:Inspector Ziggy Hamann/NSW Ambulance

A NSW Ambulance spokesman said seven crews responded to the scene, including a rescue helicopter.

Emergency crews had to walk almost two kilometres through remote bushland to get to the boy, who is understood to have suffered a medical episode while he was in the river.
"This afternoon a red belly slithered up into your front left tyre. Please be careful," the note read.

Despite the warning, Michael Garbutt was still caught by surprise when he found a venomous snake under the bonnet of his car.

Michael Garbutt found a red-bellied black snake under his bonnet after parking his car in Kurnell. Credit:Unknown

Out for an evening walk at Kurnell in Sydney's south on December 28, he returned to his car parked next to the skate park to find the note on his windscreen.

"So I popped the bonnet and there it was coiled up underneath," the high school teacher said.
Kurt Bratby was on a houseboat, getting ready to go wakeboarding, when he heard the plane engine roaring. A moment later, his friend called out that it had crashed.

Mr Bratby, a real estate agent, said he and his friends used two boats to reach the seaplane as it sank rapidly in the waters of Jerusalem Bay, north of Sydney, about 3pm on New Year's Eve.

"We immediately dived down ... we were touching the plane," Mr Bratby said. But fuel obscured the water and within a minute and a half the plane was too deep to reach.

"It could have exploded, it could have done anything," he said.
Two men have been charged after they allegedly pulled a knife and tried to rob four people on Montague Road at West End on New Year's Day.

The string of alleged offences started about 7pm, when a 31-year-old man approaching the intersection of Montague Road and Mollison Street was threatened by two men with a knife.

The pair demanded the man's mobile phone but he refused and walked away.

About 15 minutes later the men approached a 22-year-old man who was waiting at a bus stop on Montague Road and allegedly threatened him with a knife and took his phone.

About 7.30pm the men targeted a 34-year-old man who was walking along Montague Road.
A man has died on the Gold Coast after crashing his boat into another vessel before mounting the bank on Tuesday evening.

Police believe the driver, a 43-year-old Clear Island Waters man, suffered a medical incident that caused him to slump over the controls.

The boat mounted the bank after colliding with the other vessel. Credit:7 News Gold Coast - Twitter

The boat was making its way along the waterway behind Conifer Crescent in Broadbeach just before 6pm when it accelerated suddenly, before crashing into another moored vessel and mounting the bank.

Paramedics tried to resuscitate the man but he was declared dead at the scene.
Bracing for potentially severe storms has become a regular occurrence for large parts of south-east Queensland in recent days and the wild weather returned once again on Tuesday, delivering heavy rain, large hailstones and power outages.

Three dangerous storm cells moved over the region on Tuesday afternoon with areas south of Brisbane copping the brunt of the wild weather.

The storms roll over Chatsworth near Gympie, about 175 kilometres north of Brisbane. Credit:Joanne Kasper - Facebook

More than 55 millimetres of rain fell in one hour at Beaudesert in the Scenic Rim region and nearby North Tamborine recorded more than 35 millimetres in the same time period.

Tamborine Village saw hailstones two to three centimetres in size fall, but there were no damaging wind gusts reported with the strongest about 50km/h.
A man who allegedly drove a car into crowds at a busy Melbourne intersection killing an elderly grandfather and injuring 17 others has been charged with murder.

Police said in a statement on Tuesday, the accused driver, 32-year-old Saeed Noori, who was already charged with 18 counts of attempted murder and one count of conduct endangering life, has had one of those charges upgraded to murder following the death of an 83-year-old Northcote man.

Antonios (Anton) Crocaris, 83, died about 11.30pm on Friday, eight days after becoming one of 18 pedestrians hit by a car that drove down the Flinders Street tram tracks in Melbourne, hitting pedestrians at Elizabeth Street.

The additional murder charge was filed on Tuesday at the Melbourne Magistrate's Court.
A young man stabbed in Port Phillip Prison on New Year's Day went to jail to do his time and not to die on his cell floor, friends and family calling for answers have said.

Hassan Jeng was stabbed in the chest inside his cell in Scarborough North, a unit for at-risk prisoners, after a fight broke out about 7pm on Monday.

Six other prisoners were inside the cell at the time.

Guards found Jeng on the ground with a stab wound to his chest. The 23-year-old died in his cell.
Commuters travelling into the city from the east, south-east and north-east will be forced to wait up to an hour before hitting the city centre, as the Andrews Government capitalises on the quieter holiday period to carry out a two-week construction blitz.

The works are part of a $30 billion government program to boost road and rail capacity across the network.

Commuters on the Cranbourne/Pakenham and Frankston lines have been warned it will take between 40 to 75 minutes to reach the city, due to level crossing removal works and signalling upgrades.

Buses will replace trains between Moorabbin and Flinders Street on the Frankston Line from January 2-9 and on the Cranbourne/Pakenham line between Flinders Street and Westall from January 2-9, and between Caulfield and Dandenong from January 10-17.
Ecoville community park in Tarneit. Credit:Joe Armao, Fairfax Media. Mr Patton said police had spoken for several years about concerns that African youths were over-represented in serious violent and public order offences. He said that police acknowledged there was an issue with "young thugs" in street gangs, but that it was important to not elevate the status or credibility of these gangs, which were not involved in serious organised crime. "There is a common misconception that Victoria Police does not and has not acknowledged that it is an issue," he said. "That is incorrect.

"The vast majority of those in the African community are very good, very decent people, irrespective of their age...we're talking about a small group of African youth." Mr Patton said the gang crime squad was now able to be deployed to assist suburban and regional detectives to investigate offences linked to youth crime. It was another development in a two-year push to cut youth crime, he said. "This isn't something that's just jumped up in the past month." He acknowledged that the force was given legal advice that unlawful association laws  billed as a major weapon for police when they were introduced by the Andrews Government in 2015  could not be used.

Police were working with government to draft new laws that would make it harder for criminals to associate, he said. Ms Neville said that reforms announced more than a year ago targeting youth offenders  including the provision of youth control orders, and so-called Fagin's Laws cracking down on those who direct youth offenders  could be used by police in coming months. Acting federal Labor leader Tanya Plibersek expressed support for deepening Commonwealth-state co-operation to tackle gang violence in Victoria, but hit back at the comments from Mr Turnbull, Health Minister Greg Hunt and other federal Liberals, dismissing them as empty political point-scoring. "We don't really have what you'd call a plan from the Prime Minister, we've had a few thought bubbles. So if the Prime Minister has a plan that he'd like to discuss with Labor, we'd be open to any such discussion," Ms Plibersek said on Tuesday. "I think it would be much more useful to have Greg Hunt and Malcolm Turnbull and others offering serious solutions and a bit of support instead of doing things like cutting the budget of the Australian Federal Police that might actually be useful in a situation like this. Instead of hyperbole, let's see some concrete propositions  then we can have a sensible discussion."

The AFP has been forced to absorb $184 million of cuts over four years, which has hit the organisation's efforts on organised crime, the drug trade and other issues. Labor  at both state and federal levels  has also made clear it will continue to oppose mandatory sentencing, which it argues does not work. Victoria's state opposition and federal Liberal MP Sarah Henderson have backed the controversial change as well as hardening of Victorian bail laws. Jason Wood, a former police officer and now federal Liberal MP, has called for a series of new measures that would see a Commonwealth-state joint task force established with 80 AFP officers stationed in Victoria. Mr Wood said he had been pressuring the Prime Minister for federal intervention on this issue for some time. Mr Turnbull and Mr Wood travelled to Melbourne in June to announce one extra intelligence officer that could be deployed to work on youth crime within the national anti-gangs squad, but the squad has a focus on broader organised crime-based offending, rather than the crimes often linked to youth.
Murderer Trudi Lenon is in hospital after she was reportedly attacked inside prison by a fellow inmate.

Lenon, who is in custody at Bandyup Women's Prison awaiting sentencing for the murder of Aaron Pajich, was attacked by a prisoner on New Year's Day.

Trudi Lenon.

It is understood she sustained serious burns during the incident, and was taken to Fiona Stanley Hospital for treatment.

The Department of Corrections confirmed Lenon was the prisoner injured during the assault, and the incident has now been passed onto WA Police for investigation.
A 70-year-old Perth man has described the terrifying moment he was punched and had a knife held to his neck during a home invasion.

Police are investigating two violent robberies in Perth's western suburbs last month which may be linked.

Police released this photo of the 70-year-old victim. Credit:Phil Hickey

Perth detectives are seeking information and witnesses to the robberies which happened on December 1 in Wembley.

The first happened about 6pm when a 70-year-old man was woken up by two dark-skinned intruders in his home on Lake Monger Drive.
Pattaya: Australian paedophiles hoping to stay under the radar in Thailand are facing tougher scrutiny from a Royal Thai Police-led unit tasked with policing sex crimes against children.

Up to 180 suspected foreign child sex abusers, including Australians, regularly visit or live in Pattaya, a city notorious for its seedy nightlife, according to a child protection organisation.

Pattaya, 100 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, has been trying to clean up its sleazy reputation. Credit:Andreas Neubauer / Alamy Stock Photo

Supagon Noja, director of Thailand's Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Abuse Centre, says most of the suspects escape justice using increasingly sophisticated ways to interact with children, including through the internet.

"They are very clever and difficult to catch," Supagon told Fairfax Media while flicking through files on almost 700 suspects that he has collated over years. Among the suspects in his files are ministers of religion, entertainers, retirees and school teachers.
Berlin: Germany's Bavarian conservatives are pressing for corporate tax cuts and cuts to welfare payments for asylum seekers, further complicating talks to form a new government.

Chancellor Angela Merkel hopes to secure a fourth term in office by persuading the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) to extend the "grand coalition" that ruled Germany for the past four years, even though both blocs suffered big losses in September's election. Exploratory talks are scheduled from January 7 to Jan 12.

The board of Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union sings the national anthem in front of a screen showing the Chancellor. Credit:AP

But policy papers prepared by the CSU, sister party to Merkel's Christian Democrats, point to difficult negotiations ahead.

The two conservative parties have presented a more unified front in recent months after prolonged conflict over Merkel's decision in 2015 to welcome more than one million migrants to Germany.
Islamabad: Pakistan has lashed out after Donald 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.

US Ambassador David Hale was summoned to the Pakistani Foreign Ministry to discuss the US President's statement, US Embassy spokesman Richard Snelsire said.

Supporters of the Pakistan Defence Council, an alliance of hardline Islamist religious parties, participate in a rally against America, in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, on Friday. Credit:ANJUM NAVEED

Pakistan then lodged a strongly worded protest and asked for clarification of Trump's comments, according to two foreign office officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump also said on Monday, US time, that the United States had "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $US33 billion ($42 billion) in aid over the last 15 years while getting "nothing" in return. He pledged to put a stop to the aid.
Our California's Taxes the highest in the County? We examined it, and here's what we found:

Now that the tax reform bill has passed, big-spending California politicians have a problem.

AdvertisementThe state's General Fund receives 65 percent of its revenue from personal income tax collections, and 35 percent of the personal income tax revenue collected comes from just 0.4 percent of California households, about 60,000 of them, according to 2014 tax data.

Until this week, California politicians could tell wealthy taxpayers, "It's deductible! Don't even worry about it!"

And they paid, even as the top rate climbed to 13.3 percent. Like padding on the walls, the deductibility of state and local taxes limited the pain of head-banging.

But the padding is gone with the new tax reform bill, which limits the deduction for state and local taxes to $10,000. How many of those 60,000 households already have a U-Haul parked in the driveway?

If not a U-Haul, they could have a WING or a DING, acronyms for a new type of trust that may allow Californians to avoid state taxes without moving. "Incomplete Gift Non-Grantor Trusts" are available in Wyoming, Delaware and Nevada (WING, DING and NING, respectively.)

But if you're not into the wing-ding thing, you can move to any other state and pay less in taxes.

This was verified last spring by Politifact, after Assemblyman Travis Allen, a candidate for governor, said California's taxes are "among the highest in the nation."

"We decided to examine Allen's claims on this topic," sniffed the researchers. Here's what they found.

California's top income tax rate of 13.3 percent is, in fact, the highest in the nation. Maine was second with a top rate of 10.15 percent. Some states, including Texas, Nevada and Florida, have no income tax.

California's state sales tax rate, 7.25 percent, is the highest in the nation (local sales taxes push the rate even higher). Second place went to Indiana, Mississippi, Rhode Island and Tennessee, all at 7 percent. There is no sales tax in Oregon, Montana, New Hampshire or Delaware.

The only California tax Politifact found to be not the highest in the nation was the property tax. New Jersey captured the title of Highest Property Tax Rate, more than 2.1 percent.

California's property tax rate is held in check by Proposition 13, which limits the rate to 1 percent of the assessed value, and which sets the assessed value at the purchase price plus no more than 2 percent per year. When property values go up, Californians are not taxed out of their own homes or businesses by the local assessor's latest estimate of what their property is worth.

Before Proposition 13 was passed by voters in 1978, California's property tax rate averaged around 2.6 percent of the assessed value, which was completely unrestrained and skyrocketed along with the real estate market.

Politifact found that because of Proposition 13, California's average effective property tax rate is among the lowest in the nation, 0.72 percent.

So the claim that California's taxes are "among the highest in the nation," Politifact decided, was "Mostly True."

Since then, the state has raised the gas tax and the car tax. And last week, a new initiative was filed for the November ballot that would begin the process of dismantling Proposition 13, starting with business properties.

It's as if somebody posted the rating of "Mostly True" on a bulletin board for motivation in Sacramento. Don't try to tell them they can't beat New Jersey.

There can't be more than 100 percent of anything  including voters

Do you lock your front door when you go out? Why? Keep that answer in mind while we catch up on the latest news about problems with the voter rolls in California.

Two nonprofit watchdog groups, Judicial Watch and Election Integrity Project California, have just filed a federal lawsuit against Los Angeles County and the state for failing to comply with the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The law requires states to "conduct a general program that makes a reasonable effort to remove the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters."

The law also requires each state to maintain for at least two years, and make available for public inspection, "all records concerning the implementation of programs and activities conducted for the purpose of ensuring the accuracy and currency of official lists of eligible voters."

But some counties in California, especially Los Angeles, are getting a failing grade on that test.

Every two years, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission releases a required report on state voter registration practices. The most recent report came out in June, 2017. Judicial Watch compared the EAC's data to the most recent census data for about 3,000 counties in the United States.

"Eleven of California's 58 counties have voter registration rates exceeding 100 percent of the age-eligible citizenry," the lawsuit states.

In Los Angeles, 112 percent of the people who are eligible to vote are registered to vote. Statewide, the rate is 101 percent.

If this was a movie, it would be "The Producers," the Mel Brooks comedy about an out-of-luck Broadway producer and an accountant who sell investors vastly more than 100 percent of the profits of their next show, then try to produce a sure-fire flop.

Along with being one of the funniest movies ever made,"The Producers" is a helpful math tutorial for elections officials: There can never be more than 100 percent of anything.

When people move to a new address or are no longer with us for any another reason, they may not tell the county Registrar that they've departed. "About 21 percent of all of California's voter registrations, or more than one in five, are designated as inactive," the lawsuit says, the highest rate of inactive registrations of any state in the country.

According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, there are 1,515,330 inactive registrations in Los Angeles County.

And it may be double that. According to the lawsuit, a Judicial Watch employee called the L.A. County Registrar-Recorder's office in June to ask whether the website listing of "total registration" included both active and inactive registered voters. The answer: the website lists only active registrations. When asked how many inactive registrations were in Los Angeles County as of June 15, 2017, the county employee reported that there were 3,475,328.

That makes the total voter registration in L.A. County 144 percent of the citizen voting-age population. More than 40 percent of L.A. County's voter registrations are inactive, and we don't know how many of the "active" registrations are people who have moved, which the county would know if it checked its voter file against the National Change of Address database.

Judicial Watch asked the state and county for public records about its process for checking. They didn't even get a copy of the script for "The Producers."

Under new election laws in California, counties will soon be mailing absentee ballots to every registered voter, and there will be unattended drop-boxes where ballots can be returned.

So instead of having a verified communication from a voter to request an absentee ballot (or become a permanent absentee voter), elections officials will just mail ballots out to every name on the voter rolls.

Tourists underneath the Santa Monica Pier. Are California taxes really higher?

Anybody could mark that ballot and drop it in an unattended ballot-collection box. There's a chance that a forged signature might be picked up by the screening software that's used to process absentee ballots, but under the new law it's easier to give your ballot to someone else to deliver for you, so that door may not be locked very tightly.

Elections can be costly. Nearly every ballot asks voters to approve higher taxes, more debt, and a lot of public officials who will spend the money. Ballot collection can become a sophisticated form of legalized theft.

Do you lock your front door? Judicial Watch and Election Integrity Project California are asking that question of state and local election officials. The people of California deserve an answer.

Susan Shelley is a columnist and member of the Editorial Board for the Southern California News Group. Reach her at [email protected], or follow her on Twitter: @Susan_Shelley.
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Chahid El-Hafed, Jan 02, 2018 (SPS)  The General Assembly of the Sahrawi Lawyers Union has denounced the plunder and the illegal exploitation of Western Sahara natural resources by the Moroccan occupation forces.

The Union also denounced the unfair trials of the detainees of Gdeim Izik group, calling on the international community to put pressure on Morocco to bring it to comply with the international law and create a UN body for the protection of the Sahrawi people.

According to the Sahrawi News Agency, the Sahrawi lawyers Union reaffirmed its "total support to the struggle for freedom and building, under the leadership of the Frente POLISARIO, the only legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people."

In addition to the illegal exploitation of the Sahrawi natural resources, the General Assembly also condemned the discriminatory and arbitrary policy and the exclusion practiced by the Moroccan occupation against the Sahrawi workers and citizens in the occupied cities and South of Morocco.

The Union also expressed "solidarity with the Sahrawi political detainees in the Moroccan prisons, demanding their immediate and unconditional liberation, calling for the creation of a UN mechanism, through the MINURSO- tasked with the protection of the Sahrawi people.

It also called on the Moroccan government to "release 151 Sahrawi war prisoners," insisting on "disclosing the truth about the fate of the disappeared Sahrawis and facilitating access of media, observers, personalities and parliamentary delegations to the occupied Sahrawi territories."

The General Assembly of Sahrawi Lawyers Union urged all components of the Sahrawi people to "be united to face the Moroccan occupation and thwart its abject plans," saying that "resistance remains the only way to liberate our people and our homeland."SPS

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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.
STAMFORD  Police say six men were arrested this weekend after they were found with more than three pounds of pot, nearly $5,000 in cash and 87 vaporizer canisters containing THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Capt. Richard Conklin said the arrests came after Narcotics and Organized Crime officers conducted surveillance for several weeks of what turned out to be a marijuana dealing operation on Raymond Street.
Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.
We're guessing fireworks aren't illegal in Iceland but they might want to reconsider their stance on that.

Arni Sigursson's 2018 got off to quite the start in Iceland thanks to this fireworks fail that turned the street into a fiery, if colourful, war zone.

Another reason to be grateful our own New Year's displays tend to be overwhelming shit.

Via Reddit
Beach monitoring reactivated last summer at seven Coromandel and two west coast beaches, testing to see whether faecal bacteria levels are OK for contact recreation, such as swimming and surfing has kicked off again.

Last summer reactivation of the Waikato Regional Councils water quality monitoring programme was the first such testing since 2009.

The re-activation is part of a council drive to gain better information about whats happening in coastal waters and to provide a community service. It resumes this summer.

Between November and March, beach users can go to www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/coastalresults to check what the latest results are for the targeted beaches.

Results last summer were generally positive, with minor, temporary issues only reported for one week at Whitiangas Buffalo Beach.

The east coast beaches monitored are Whitianga, Hot Water Beach, Tairua, Pauanui, Whangamata and Whiritoa, and Sunset Beach and Ngarunui on the west coast.

The testing provides valuable guidance for swimmers and surfers, says coastal water quality scientist Pete Wilson.

The number of faecal bacteria present in the water indicates the likelihood of contracting a disease from many possible pathogens in the water such as bacteria or viruses.

On our website, results from the monitoring programme are compared to national guidelines to determine the suitability for recreational use.

Water quality at Waikato region beaches is generally high but caution should be taken following heavy rain, says Pete. Heavy rain flushes contaminants from urban and rural land into waterways, which then make their way to the coast.

These contaminants may be present in the water for up to 48 hours after heavy or prolonged rainfall.

Last summers issue at Buffalo Beach appeared to have been a blip, the sort of thing that can happen after heavy rain. Bacteria levels there were back to normal by the time the next sample came in, says Pete.

If any issues of concern are identified, the regional council works with district councils and the Waikato District Health Board to assess results that may have public health implications and to provide the public with the best quality information.

Our monitoring programme, while it isnt picking up major issues, will help provide assurance to the public going forward and help us track any trends or emerging issues, says Pete.
Click the image above to watch the video

I went to hear a light parlour version of Handels Messiah performed in a church in Katikati. There was something very unique about this edition, but first I chatted with Marjorie Partington, a member of St Pauls Prebyterian Church who reminisced about her childhood.

I was brought up in the north of England, says Marjorie, where the Messiah was big at Christmas.

Its always enjoyable hearing someone elses connection to a piece of music. George Frederick Handel, born in Germany, moved to London, was a celebrated opera oratorio composer of his day and composed the Messiah in 1742. She continues.

Even now I get a shiver when I hear some of the choruses because its so evocative of growing up. This performance today is very special because it was written for a parlour, not a big church. Handel approved of this because it made money. There were benefit concerts, and the money he would use to help the poor and the oppressed.

It was decided in 1784, on the 25th anniversary of Handels death to stage a series of his concerts. Some of his best-loved works were republished in new editions.

The Messiah was one of these, despite it being performed continuously since Handel had composed it. Amateur music-making in the home had risen in popularity so an arrangement for parlour performance of this work was made and published in 1784.

Somehow a copy of this edition made its way to New Zealand. One of only four known copies world-wide, this manuscript has now surfaced in Katikati.

How did this happen?

Firstly, one of Katikatis early pioneering families, the Killens had a historic silk gown which one of the descendants Dr Barbara Smith gifted to the Western Bay Museum. The Killen Gown was mounted and is on display there.

Barbaras cousin, Colin Smith is a grandson of Mary Elizabeth Killen and came to the museum when Te Papa National Services Te Paerangi Conservator of Textile and Costume, Sam Gatley was there in August 2016 to mount the gown for safe display.

Colin watched the process and remembered his grandmother wearing the garment.

He decided to gift three violins to the museum.

The violins were headed to Te Papa, says Western Bay Museum manager Paula Gaelic. They could see we were looking after their family treasures properly, and doing it by Te Papa standards.

Colins wife Stephanie Smith recalls what else had come into their possession.

Colin bought a violin from an auction and this manuscript came with it, says Stephanie. We didnt realise it was there, we just thought it was an old piece of music, a version of the Messiah for parlour performance we thought was quite funny  to have a performance in your front room. Im slightly embarrassed to say it was sculling around in our piano stool up in Auckland for several years just in a paper bag. It was in poor condition when we acquired it. Through a long series of circumstances, Rachel Griffiths-Hughes at the University heard about it and decided to do some research on this particular version of the Messiah.

It was found to be an 18th Century manuscript on rag-based paper rather than wood-pulp based paper, says Stephanie. They used linen rags with the result that its not acidic and lasts, and they also used high quality inks in the 18th Century. Even though this had a hard life and the title page has detached, the text blocks are still in really good condition and can be read and played and copied. If that had been made 100 years later with the acidic papers that they used in the late 19th Century it would probably be crumbling to bits.

I didnt notice until ten years this manuscript at the bottom of the pile until ten years after I bought it, says Colin. That was about 20 years ago.

I tried to find out who originally owned it but havent been able to ascertain that. Rachel Griffiths-Hughes from Waikato University has spent quite a bit of time on it for which we are all very grateful.

Colin understands there are three other known copies of the manuscript, one in New York, one in the British Library system and one in the Handel Collection.

And then theres this one. I suspect it came with the violin and the ships piano when it came up for auction. It probably came in the 1840s or 50s.

Colin asked Paula if shed like to have a concert for the museum.

I cant believe weve got the manuscript here in our small town of Katikati, says Paula. Its never been on display in the Southern Hemisphere before and very few people in the world would have seen it.

Colin was able to hear it for the first time with performers from Waikato University.

This amazing piece of music which was a big hit in London was transported we think along with a piano, a violin and a cello to New Zealand on that treacherous five month voyage for people setting up a new life here, says Rachel. For people who know the work well its different and refreshing. For people who dont know the work well, theyll hear this piece of music done for parlour performance as it could have been done in NZ as early as 1860.

To have the performance of the Messiah here in a church would be very familiar to Handel and I think hed approve, says Marjorie.

Stephanie and Colin Smith.
Businesses are getting behind Whakatane District Councils project to strengthen the districts link with White Island.

The Gateway to White Island/Whakaari project is part of an economic strategy to encourage visitors to stay longer in the Whakatane District.

An increasing number of international media are visiting the island and Tourism New Zealand recently named it as one of the top 10 things to do in the country.

However, many international tourists only visit for one day, taking a tour to White Island/Whakaari and then returning to another city or town.

The Whakatane District Council believes a greater connection between the town and White Island/Whakaari will help showcase more of what Whakatane has to offer, resulting in visitors staying longer.

Whakatane District Council Business Services Manager Roslyn Barlow says White Island offers a point of difference no other region in New Zealand can match.

We can leverage off this to attract more international and domestic travellers and maximise the awareness of Whakaari once theyre here.

Were encouraging local businesses to create products and services that have a connection with White Island. For example, you could create a special volcano dish on a menu or create a quirky t-shirt design. Its about developing a connection and engaging with customers, she says.

Businesses are already getting behind the initiative, with Mata Beer having developed a new pale ale +64 which features White Island on its label.

A feasibility study for a land-based White Island/Whakaari centre is underway which will allow visitors to learn about the Islands history and to get a sense of the White Island experience if they cant make the trip by sea or air.

Other initiatives to visually improve the link to White Island/Whakaari include new billboards erected on the main roads leading into Whakatane, large-scale photographic panels wrapping the exterior of the Whakatane i-SITE and a new volcano-styled slide at the recently-upgraded Wairaka Centennial Park playground.

Those wishing to share their ideas or gain more information about the project can contact Whakatane District Council Events and Tourism Advisor Nicola Burgess on 07 306 0500 or email Nicola.burgess@whakatane.govt.nz.
Following on from a record-breaking year for sales across 2017 - with the sale of Solandge, Wabi Sabi, Northern Star and the continued construction and delivery of superyachts across the world - Moran has proudly introduced the distinctive Feadship Madsummer to a new owner.

With a stripped-back contemporary style by Redman Whiteley Dixon, Madsummer (ex Twizzle) is a boat built for comfort, style and space thanks to expert Dutch engineering and exemplary British design.

With ample accommodation for 10 guests on board, the Todhunter Earle and Redman Whiteley Dixon style throughout the interior compliments an exterior ahead of its time and hints at the world-class service available through Madsummers experienced crew of 14.

An award-winner, a record-breaker for 2018 and a remarkable superyacht in its own right, Madsummers 2018 sale announcement has fired to starting pistol on a year already rife with sales.

We look forward to bringing you more from the brokerage market in the very near future as we collate the latter stage sales of 2017 and move forward into a new year with renewed confidence in a market rife with activity; as Moran Yacht & Ship has today proven.
Syracuse, NY -- A murder case dear to Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick's heart will go to trial again next week after the first jury verdict was thrown out on appeal.

Colleen Meadow was found strangled to death inside her Syracuse apartment in 1985. It was a horrific death, but one that especially affected Fitzpatrick, who was the assistant prosecutor on the scene at the time.

Three decades later, Meadow's estranged husband, Ronald, was found guilty of murder by a jury in 2014 after cold-case investigators retested evidence using advances in DNA technology.

That DNA evidence pointed to Ronald's DNA under the victim's fingernails.

But that wasn't enough for a conviction -- after all, it was undisputed that Colleen and Ronald had been in contact after she moved out.

So Fitzpatrick, who prosecuted the first trial himself, also introduced evidence of an abusive relationship preceding Colleen's death.

Part of that evidence included testimony from friends that Colleen had told them about previous abuse.

Now-retired Judge Anthony Aloi ruled that the friends were allowed to offer that testimony, despite the fact it was typically disallowed hearsay. The judge argued that the victim couldn't provide the testimony herself because she was dead.

And Aloi told the jurors that they weren't supposed to determine whether the statements were true or not -- that would be impermissible hearsay. Instead, they were to consider the statements established background, state of mind, and motive and intent for the murder.

An appellate court in Rochester didn't buy it. They ruled that the statements attributed to the victim shouldn't have been allowed.

That sent the case back for another trial. Meadow was freed on bail, relaxing the timeline for a new trial. Meadow currently resides in Georgia, where he moved after Colleen's death.

Since the original 2014 trial, which pitted Fitzpatrick against longtime defense lawyer Edward Z. Menkin, a lot has changed.

Aloi retired and Meadow acquired a New York City lawyer to retry the case.

Fitzpatrick confirmed today that he will retry the case himself. Lawyer Andy Frisch is expected to defend Meadow this time around.

And visiting judge John Crandall will preside over the new trial. It's set to begin next Monday morning, Jan. 8.
Syracuse, NY -- A former student teacher for Solvay, Liverpool and North Syracuse will spend 6 months in jail for possessing child porn.

Jared Basko, 30, of Solvay, pleaded guilty today to promoting a sexual performance by a child, a felony, in August 2016. He admitted possessing a video of a naked 10-year-old girl. That plea satisfied all the charges against him; Basko was originally charged with three felonies for uploading child porn to the internet.

Basko had faced up to 2 1/3 to 7 years in prison if convicted after trial. Under his plea agreement, he will spend 6 months in jail and 9 1/2 years on probation, County Court Judge Thomas J. Miller said.

Basko did not use school computers for the porn and no local students are believed to have been subjected to sexual contact, state police said at the time of his April 2017 arrest.

Basko was a student teacher for the three school districts at various times in 2016.

He will be sentenced for the felony March 2. He remains free until then.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Jared Basko was a substitute teacher for three districts. In fact, he was a student teacher for Solvay, Liverpool and North Syracuse school districts, troopers said.
DEWITT, N.Y. -- Two people were injured Tuesday when a man drove the wrong way on the New York State Thruway and crashed into another car, troopers said.

Kenneth J. Cannon, 25, of Syracuse, was arrested by the New York State Police and charged with reckless endangerment. He was taken into custody after a head-on crash on Interstate 90 west in DeWitt.

State police responded to the Thruway in DeWitt at 12:07 a.m. after a caller reported a driver was traveling east in the westbound lane. Moments later, a head-on crash was reported, troopers said.

Cannon drove the wrong way on the Thruway, troopers said. He hit another vehicle between Interstate 481 and Carrier Circle, state police records show.

Cannon was arrested on the Thruway. He didn't appear impaired and was not injured, troopers said.

The two people who were riding in the car Cannon struck suffered minor injuries, troopers said.

Cannon was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony; reckless driving, a misdemeanor; and multiple vehicle and traffic violations. He is being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center pending his arraignment.
This feature is coordinated by The Post-Standard/Syracuse.com and InterFaith Works of CNY. Follow this theme and author posted Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

Nan Bader

My year of teaching English in Morogoro, Tanzania was transformative in many ways. One my earliest experiences occurred when one of our students was killed riding his bike on the treacherous roads. This affected the entire school community. The students were gathered in the chapel that night and started singing hymns as only Africans can sing. In Africa, everyone sings from an early age up through old age. The hymns to begin with were solemn and somewhat mournful and continued through the night. But as daylight broke through, the music's tone changed to a triumphant one, and the songs became songs of victory over death. During worship that morning, the pastor celebrated the life of the lost student, and there were tears amidst the smiles as they came together, students and teachers, as a community. This occurred during my first week in Morogoro, I had no experience with the language or the culture but even though I could not understand the words yet, I could understand the feelings and emotions. I realized in that moment of sharing the community's grief, we all cry the same tears, and we are all the same as human beings.

Nan Bader worships at Luther Memorial Lutheran Church in North Syracuse and is active with the mission team and global mission ministries. Nan is also involved with local and church wide Lutheran ministries. She is a retired English teacher and in 1985 spent a year teaching at a Lutheran School in Morogoro, Tanzania.
Ed Rogers is a contributor to the PostPartisan blog, a political consultant and a veteran of the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush White Houses and several national campaigns.

By Ed Rogers | The Washington Post

In reflecting on America's politics of the last year, it is impossible not to conclude that the president's tweeting has been momentous. So far, I am unaware of any organization that has quantified exactly how much damage President Donald Trump has caused by tweeting, but I think some substantial percentage of his problems and negative ratings must be directly attributable to his tweets.

The Washington Post's Ashley Parker and Josh Dawsey reported that the White House is considering various changes to compensate for this or that weakness plaguing the White House. Undoubtedly, some of those changes are needed. But regardless of whatever staff shakeup occurs, it must torment West Wing staff who know the president's inappropriate tweets are still going to send the White House into a tailspin.

Once the president tweets, the rules of the Trump White House require everyone to double down, adopt the president's missive as wisdom and harangue allies into denying the obvious and joining the fight. It is impossible for the White House staff to perform their best when the president is constantly saying the wrong thing on Twitter. Trump would certainly continue to make his share of gaffes if he didn't tweet, but those routine mistakes can be managed and explained away by traditional partisan political spin and damage control. His tweets, however, are like blood splatter on the wall at a crime scene. They tell a story that can't be ignored.

With that said, perhaps Trump's tweets serve a useful purpose. His tweets are unfiltered and reveal the truth. Trump is the first president to allow us access to his real-time stream of consciousness and mental meandering. And even though the tweeting has damaged his presidency, knowing the truth about his thinking is important. After all, if it weren't for the president's tweets, we would not have as clear a picture of his underlying thinking and character. And a president's thought process and true character should not be hidden. In that regard, his tweeting has been useful. Right?

Well, I have yet to meet anyone who thinks Trump's tweeting has been a net plus for him. Over the holidays, I spent a lot of time with family and friends in Alabama and California -- many of whom were early Trump supporters and would vote for him again today. Yet none of them think the president has served himself well via his tweeting. So, I get asked all the time: "Why does he do it?" As if I am supposed to know. While we know Trump better because of his tweets, what we know is disturbing.

The Trump administration is accomplishing a lot, but there is a Mr. Hyde character inside the president's head controlling his thumbs. If something doesn't change, the fate of the Trump presidency and the Republican Party in the 2018 midterms might look no different than that which met Dr. Jekyll.



2017 editorial cartoon year in review
WASHINGTON - Congress faces a jam-packed to-do list when it returns this week, with deadlines looming on difficult issues - including how to fund the government and avoid a shutdown, stabilizing the nation's health-insurance program for poor children, and whether to shield young undocumented immigrants from deportation.

Fresh off a party-line vote to overhaul the tax code, the negotiations will test whether Congress and the White House still have the potential to craft any form of bipartisan agreement. If so, several of the year's most contested issues might be resolved with months to spare before the 2018 midterm campaign heats up.

If not, the government could soon be on the verge of a shutdown, with pressing questions regarding health care, immigration and other policies left unresolved. Also on the agenda is emergency relief for regions upended by last year's natural disasters, a key national security program and the fate of an agreement to stabilize health insurance markets under the Affordable Care Act.

A big unknown is whether the shortened timeline will prove an asset in addressing all the issues before Congress, or a hindrance.

"Some of these things they're talking about are huge, contentious issues," said Jane Calderwood, who served as chief of staff for then-Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. " I can't imagine it's doable, and certainly not doable in a thoughtful way."

Jim Manley, who served as an aide to then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said, "I'm not sure I've seen anything like it, at least in recent years, where so much high-profile stuff has to be done right out of the gate,"

Officials in both parties hope to make progress by Jan. 19, when a short-term government funding bill that Congress passed last month expires.

On Wednesday, senior congressional leaders from both parties will meet at the Capitol with White House budget director Mick Mulvaney and legislative-affairs director Marc Short to renew talks on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which expires on March 5. In September, President Donald Trump decided to sunset the program - started under the Obama administration - that protects 700,000 young immigrants, often called "dreamers," from deportation.

Congressional Republicans and the White House have demanded that any deal to protect these immigrants include stronger border enforcement - but exactly what that looks like is expected to be a key sticking point in negotiations.

"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.

Congressional Democrats express openness to finding additional funding for border security but have ruled out funding the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border that Trump promised during his presidential campaign.

"We're not going to negotiate through the press and look forward to a serious negotiation at Wednesday's meeting when we come back," said Drew Hammill, an aide to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

Democrats are under intense pressure from Hispanic lawmakers and progressive activists to reject any government funding deal that does not resolve the issue. Already, Democratic senators have helped pass multiple funding deals that did not include DACA protections, including one in December.

About 22,000 DACA recipients failed to renew their applications after the Trump administration gave them 30 days to do so this September, with reports emerging of some applications getting lost in the mail. At least 7,800 people in this group had lost their DACA status by December, and the rest will lose protection before March, according to the Center for American Progress, a center-left think tank.

"If Democrats don't hold the line and ensure dreamers get protected, the unity between the grass roots and the elected party will shatter," said Ben Wikler, Washington director of the progressive group MoveOn.org. "Democrats and Republicans have already kicked this can down the road three times already. A fourth time is unacceptable."

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said last month he hopes a bipartisan working group led by Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, comes up with a deal the Senate can pass in January. But he didn't commit to a specific timetable for a vote.

"We have been gridlocked on this issue for years," McConnell told reporters last month. "We do not want to just spin our wheels and have nothing to show for it."

But congressional Republicans face pressure from conservative lawmakers and activists not to find protections for dreamers. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, an immigration hawk, said last month that he urged Trump in a private phone call not to renew DACA.

"Granting amnesty rewards lawbreakers and destroys the rule of law," King said.

Beyond DACA, lawmakers will also have to agree to new government funding levels or pass another short-term extension of spending limits - known as a continuing resolution - by Jan. 19. Failure to do so would cause a government shutdown, which would cost the economy about $6.5 billion every week it lasts.

Keeping the government funded at existing levels (or increasing government spending) would put Congress on track to trigger automatic spending cuts through what is called the sequester, because of a 2011 law that imposed caps on spending. Congress must raise these caps, as it did in 2013 and 2015, by February to avoid these across-the-board cuts to government programs.

But Democrats and Republicans have been unable to resolve an impasse over how to raise the caps. Republicans passed a bill in December to increase military funding alone by $650 billion through Sept. 30. Congressional Democrats have held firm to the line that every dollar increase in military spending must be met by an equal increase in domestic spending, in line with previous agreements in the past to avoid the sequester.

Lawmakers also will have to increase the debt ceiling by March, when the Treasury Department can no longer meet the federal government's financial obligations without additional borrowing, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Similarly unresolved is the Children's Health Insurance Program, which 9 million children use to help meet their medical costs. Right before the Christmas break, Congress plowed $3 billion into CHIP - money that will prevent 1.9 million children from losing coverage in January, according to the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute. But that temporary solution keeps CHIP funded for only three more months, and state health programs throughout the country have begun notifying families that funding could expire.

In November, House Republicans passed a bill to fund CHIP, but Democrats argued that the measure did so by removing money from a public-health preventive-care fund set up under the Affordable Care Act. Democrats want CHIP funded without cutting funding for other federal health programs.

The law authorizing the government to obtain communications of foreign intelligence targets without an individualized warrant - a process that also collects the emails and phone calls of any Americans in communication with the foreign targets - is set to expire on Jan. 19. The program, originally set to end on Jan. 1, was extended for three weeks at the last minute before the Christmas recess.

Intelligence officials have said that under the law, which is known as Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act, existing court orders allowing surveillance will remain in effect until April. Security hawks and the intelligence community have defended it as an essential safeguard against terrorism and a valuable tool for gathering foreign intelligence, while civil-liberty advocates say without revisions it creates the potential for abuses of government power. A House aide predicted that the program would be put to a stand-alone vote shortly after Congress returns.

Before the Christmas break, the House approved an $81 billion relief package for victims of recent hurricanes and wildfires in California. Democrats criticized that plan as inadequate, particularly for the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, which are still struggling with widespread power outages. Democrats in the Senate rejected the House package right before the Christmas recess, but members of both parties agree on the imminent need to allocate emergency funding.

Disaster funding "may have to slip to next year," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said last month. "I think we can work it out in a bipartisan way. I certainly do. But just jamming it through without consulting us and not being fair to so many other parts of the country doesn't make sense."

Senate Republican leadership also had promised Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, passage of a bill to shore up the Affordable Care Act's individual markets in exchange for her yes vote on the GOP tax package.

The Republican tax bill is expected to undercut the insurance markets by eliminating the individual mandate - a requirement under the ACA that Americans buy insurance or face a penalty.

Collins has backed one measure to give insurers $4.5 billion to compensate costs for the very sick and another that would restore "cost-sharing reductions" for poor people. (The Trump administration cut off these payments.) Either one would help offset at least some of the impact to the markets caused by the tax law and other administration actions.

But it is not clear that the measures can get through Congress. Republicans in the House have signaled they may refuse to let McConnell honor that agreement, to which they were not a party.

(c) 2018, The Washington Post. Jeff Stein wrote this story.
State Sen. John DeFrancisco says businessman Harry Wilson's decision to stay out of the 2018 race for New York governor - one that seems to open the field for Republican candidates - won't affect his own plans on whether to seek the GOP nomination.

DeFrancisco, R-DeWitt, said through a spokeswoman Tuesday that he still plans to decide this month whether to seek the GOP nomination to challenge Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

"It really hasn't changed the senator's thinking," spokeswoman Tiffany Latino-Gerlock said of Wilson's exit. "He said his decision will be made based on the level of support he receives and the ability to run a successful race."

Wilson, who was ready to spend $10 million of his own money on the campaign, had been considered among many Republican leaders to have the best shot of unseating Cuomo.

Wilson, 46, of Westchester County, ultimately decided against seeking the GOP nomination because he didn't want to be away from his family during a long campaign, the New York Daily News reported Monday, quoting an unidentified source. Wilson's four daughters range in age from 9 to 16.

DeFrancisco, 70, the state Senate's deputy majority leader, is among three prominent New York Republicans still considering whether to jump into the race.

State Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb, R-Canandaigua, who launched his campaign last month, is the only Republican to formally enter the race.

Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro and former Erie County executive Joel Giambra are also considering a bid.

New York Republican Committee Chairman Ed Cox said party leaders will meet this month to discuss the GOP ticket for 2018.

"We have several seasoned, well-known individuals, as well as other outstanding potential candidates, with excellent records of public and private sector experience," Cox said in a statement Tuesday.

"Harry Wilson would have also been an outstanding candidate for governor, but I understand and respect his personal decision not to run for the family reasons so eloquently expressed in his announcement," Cox said.

DeFrancisco met privately with Wilson about two weeks ago to discuss their exploratory campaigns. DeFrancisco has said the GOP must be united and avoid a primary for governor if the party wants to unseat Cuomo in November.

DeFrancisco began a statewide tour in August, traveling across 32 counties to build support among Republicans. He plans to continue the tour this month.

Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751
Liverpool, N.Y. - Rich Lickfield has decided to close one of his Regional Donut Authority shops, just a little more than a year after it opened.

He'll continue to make donuts at Great Northern Mall and on the weekends at the Central New York Regional Market.

Lickfield said he made the decision to close the shop at 207 Oswego Road last weekend.

"It's just not a successful location," he said today. "Enough cars drive by there, but people don't see it."

Lickfield said on Facebook he's closing the Liverpool location because it's not profitable. "We are not going out of business," he wrote on the page. "We just need to find someplace that will be financially successful."

Lickfield opened a Regional Donut Authority in Great Northern Mall in November 2017. The shop there is open during mall hours seven days a week. Most mornings the mall location opens a little early, so mall workers can stop in on their way to work, he said.

Lickfield said he's looking for another location to replace the Liverpool one. "I need more foot traffic or drive-thru," he said.

The Syracuse area has a handful of handmade donut shops, including Just Donuts in Phoenix, Serres in East Syracuse, and Glazed and Confused in downtown Syracuse. Lickfield said he thinks there's room for all those donut makers in the area.

"It's not like we're on top of each other," he said. "I think there's a lot of room for donut shops. Real donut shops. I just couldn't get enough people in there."
A group of New Zealanders built a small sand island off the coast on Sunday to avoid a ban on drinking in public places during the New Year holiday.

The community of Coromandel on New Zealand's northern island bans alcohol in public places over the holiday. The revelers spent Sunday afternoon building the sand structure during low tide, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Once the island was complete, the group added a wooden picnic table and cooler, the Herald said. The tide came in soon after.

Members of the group reportedly said the liquor ban didn't apply to them on their island because they were in "international waters," according to the Herald. The group stayed on the island into the night, drinking and watching fireworks.

"That's the one thing I absolutely love about the Coromandel: the inventive nature of the people," Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie said, according to the Herald. "It's about creativity. The legal reality is somewhat different."

Police Inspector John Kelly said authorities weren't aware of the island building.

"That's creative thinking," he said, according to the Herald. "If I had known that, I probably would have joined them."

Those violating the drinking ban in Coromandel face a fine of about $180 or arrest, according to the BBC.

Contact Kevin Tampone anytime: Email | Twitter | Google + | 315-454-2112
A 16-year-old armed with a semiautomatic assault rifle fatally shot his parents, sister and a family friend in a gruesome burst of violence that took place just before the start of the New Year, officials in New Jersey said Monday.

The teenager, who was not identified, was taken into custody by the police and is expected to be charged with four counts of murder, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said at a news conference on Monday morning.

The incident unfolded around 11:43 p.m. at the family's house in Long Branch, a small beachside town about 45 minutes south of Newark. Officials did not say what sparked the outburst.

The emergency call came from within the house, Gramiccioni said. The teenager's grandfather and brother were able to escape; officials do not believe they were targeted.

All four victims died on the scene, Gramiccioni said. They were identified as Steven and Linda Kologi, 44 and 42; Britney Kologi, 18, the suspect's sister; and Mary Shultz, 70, a family friend who lived in the house.

"We are investigating this and are confident that it's a domestic incident, that it's completely isolated," Gramiccioni said.

The weapon, which officials described as a Century Arms semiautomatic rifle, was registered to a family member at the house, Gramiccioni said. He said the arrest of the 16-year-old was "uneventful."
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 ...
With AI growing exponentially more sophisticated and permeating into more areas of everyday life, its potential to emulate its human counterparts in the more artistic endeavors has kept even its most ardent proponents somewhat skeptical.

While philosophers and science fiction have entertained the prospect of creative machines for decades. Industry leaders, such as Google and IBM's Watson supercomputer team, have attempted to tackle the issue head-on. Recently, the operators of a Czech nightclub have put the question of more human-like robots to the test where it really counts  or at least bumps  the dancefloor.

For the past three weeks, a repurposed automotive assembly robot has spun records as a resident DJ at Prague's five-story Karlovy Lazne Music Club, which bills itself as the "biggest music club in Central Europe." The club's managers commissioned the development and programming of the modified robot arm, which can not only select, spin, and scratch records with special software and a custom-built, wax-holding pincer, but can also "dance" to the beat of music it plays.

The owners say that the new DJ has helped draw curious crowds, but some club goers have returned less-than-enthusiastic reviews of its performance, saying that the technology fails to read the emotion of the crowd and, as a result, curates music somewhat, well...robotically.

While attendees may express mixed opinions, club manager Adam Lipsansky told Reuters that the DJ has received a positive reception. "People are excited (about the robot), because they haven't seen anything like this around Europe, and I am not sure if there is something similar in the world," he told the publication.

Even if the club goers saw room for improvement in how the robot maintained a vibe, most are likely no strangers to robotic DJs due to the automated programming that powers popular music streaming services, such as Spotify and Pandora.

Both services use machine learning to curate personalized playlists for each of their millions of users, with algorithms honing individual listening preferences by determining similarities between artists and songs through use of programming that accounts for how our neural networks process music, memory, and emotion.

Given the sophistication and popularity of the services - Spotify alone has more than 100 million users - it seems only a matter of time before programmers take what they have learned from pumping billions of songs through earbuds and incorporate live crowd reactions to drive the right mix through club speakers.

While the Prague nightclub's operators assure that their robot represents the first DJ of its kind, the continuing evolution of machine learning, and its growing intersection with music and interpreting human body language, all but ensures that it will be far from the last.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
For people who are attending New Year's Eve parties, here are some tips from experts on how to deal with the inevitable hangover after waking up on Jan. 1.

There is an underlying theme among the recommendations that prevention is better than cure, so as always, people are advised to drink moderately.

Limit Alcohol Consumption And Stay Hydrated

According to Dr. Jennifer Ashton, the chief medical correspondent for ABC News, the best way to deal with a hangover is to not have to do so in the first place. Ashton recommends people to limit their alcohol consumption in New Year's Eve parties, so that waking up on the first day of 2018 will not be too much trouble.

Ashton also suggests for people to stay well hydrated throughout a night of drinking, which is echoed by the Mayo Clinic in its recommendation to drink a glass of water after every alcoholic drink.

Keep Eating And Avoid Darker Alcohol

Lenox Hill Hospital emergency physician Dr. Robert Glatter, meanwhile, suggests eating before drinking, as the food will slow down alcohol absorption. Meals with high fat and protein will do the best job at this, Glatter said.

Another recommendation by Glatter is to avoid darker alcohol, including whiskey, bourbon, and red wine. These drinks have more toxic chemicals called congeners, created during fermentation, that increases the risk of hangovers.

Ride Out The Hangover

The Inquirer's Mari Schaefer probably has the most basic advice for people looking for tips on how to deal with hangovers.

"About the best you can do is manage the symptoms, ride out the misery, and remind yourself to behave better the next time," Schaefer wrote, adding the very important warning of not getting behind the wheel to drive while drunk.

Lankenau Hospital emergency physician Ben Usatch echoed the drinking advice of "everything in moderation" to avoid hangovers. According to Usatch, people with hangovers can usually handle the symptoms while at home, but in extreme cases such as those with uncontrolled vomiting, a visit to the emergency room will be needed.

Is There A Cure For Hangovers?

There is currently no approved treatment for hangovers, though earlier this year, two Yale students had a breakthrough with an anti-hangover formula named SunUp. It might be a while before the product arrives to the market though.

Alternatively, British scientist David Nutt discovered last year a synthetic alcohol named alcosynth that will allow people to get drunk but without experiencing the symptoms of hangovers. However, like SunUp, people will not be able to enjoy alcosynth soon, though Nutt hopes that it can replace normal liquor in the market by 2050.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
An entire nest of about 20 to 30 perfectly preserved dinosaur eggs was accidentally discovered under an excavation site in China.

Construction workers were digging up a school site on Christmas Day 2017 when one of them came across what was initially thought to simply be a large oval-shaped stone. Eventually, the group stopped excavation work on the site when they began suspecting that what they unearthed were actually a litter of prehistoric eggs.

Police authorities were called into the property, which was later sealed off as paleontologists arrived to collect the eggs. They were taken to the Dayu County Museum for dating and identification.

Eggs Laid By The Last Dinosaurs

Paleontologists revealed in a report that the eggs are 130 million years old. This means that they were laid during the Cretaceous Period in the Mesozoic Era.

The period, which started 145 million years ago and lasted for nearly 80 million years, marks the end of the dinosaurs. Toward its end, 80 percent of the prehistoric creatures died for reasons that remain undetermined up to this day. A majority of marine and flying reptiles were killed, with only plant life surviving the mass extinction.

While they were still alive, dinosaurs were believed to inhibit Ganzhou City, where the eggs were found. A separate report even stated that the China Paleontology and Fossil Protection Foundation declared the city as the "hometown of dinosaurs in China." Daya County, in particular, is believed to be a lakeshore, making it a suitable reproduction ground for the prehistoric creatures.

Eggs Recovered From Home Of The Oviraptor

True enough, a rich deposit of Oviraptor eggs was uncovered in the area. Such dinosaurs are described as small, feathered creatures with tiny wings, birdlike legs, and beaks similar to that of modern parrots. They possessed many other characteristics as birds of today, like sitting on their eggs for hatching.

Researchers reported in a study that six species of Oviraptor dinosaurs were named after Ganzhou, like the Ganzhousaurus nangkangensis or commonly known as the Ganzhou Lizard.

Some bones belonging to a Ganzhousaurus was recovered along the Nanxiong Formation near the city's railway station. The fossils are believed to be about 66 to 72.1 million years, which dates back to Maastrichtian Stage, the last of the three stages under the Cretaceous period.

Some recent reports claim that the eggs belong to Oviraptors but the Daya County Museum has yet to release the results of their investigation.

While such dinosaurs were believed to roam Mainland China and Mongolia, a fossil of a similar creature was found in Hell Creek, a rock formation encompassing both North and South Dakota.

In a statement, the fossil was determined to belong to a birdlike dinosaur with a height of 11.5 feet and weight of around 440 to 660 pounds. It is now displayed at the Carnegie Museum.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Round Rock, Texas, police have issued an Amber Alert for 7-year-old Luluvioletta Bandera-Margaret, left, and 14-year-old Lilianas Griffith, center. Terry Miles, right, is considered a suspect in their abduction. He was last seen Dec. 30 and could be headed toward Louisiana, police say, according to a report from the Austin Statesman. (Photo via Round Rock Police Department)
Seven is the magic number on the third floor of City Hall, but Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome wasn't able to conjure it up this week.
The three-day candidate qualifying period kicks off Wednesday for a pair of seats on the 18th and 19th Judicial District Court benches.

State District Judge Tony Marabella, 71, of the 19th JDC announced in September that he is retiring May 1.

Former state District Judge Robin Free of the 18th JDC resigned in June, several weeks before he was set to return to the bench following a yearlong suspension.

Suspended judge J. Robin Free resigns after accusations of 'bizarre' behavior, harassing deputies Embattled state District Judge J. Robin Free resigned Friday, just three weeks before he was set to return to the bench after a yearlong suspension.

The elections for the seat Marabella has held since 2003, and the seat Free had held since 1996, are scheduled for March 24 with runoffs April 28 if needed.

Early voting runs March 10 and March 12-17.

Lawyer Fred Crifasi announces candidacy for 19th JDC seat being vacated by Tony Marabella A former law partner of retiring 19th Judicial District Judge Tony Marabella would like to take the judge's place when he steps down May 1.

Fred Crifasi, one of Marabella's former law partners, is the only announced candidate to date for the 19th JDC Division H seat. The 19th JDC hears cases from East Baton Rouge Parish.

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Tom Acosta, Tonya Lurry, Miracle Myles and Thomas McCormick are among those expected to qualify to run for the 18th JDC Division B seat that retired Judge Edward "Jimmy" Gaidry has been filling on an interim basis since July.

Retired Judge Edward 'Jimmy' Gaidry appointed on interim basis to fill post vacated by Robin Free Retired Judge Edward "Jimmy" Gaidry has been named to fill on an interim basis the seat on the 18th Judicial District Court left vacant by the

The 18th JDC hears cases from West Baton Rouge, Iberville and Pointe Coupee parishes.

Marabella's term does not expire until the end of 2020, but he would not have been eligible to run again because of his age. He has been involved in the legal profession for 45 years and said he decided it was time to slow down.

Free's term also wasn't set to expire until Dec. 31, 2020, so whoever wins that election also will serve through the end of 2020.

Free was suspended without pay for a month in 2014 for accepting an all-expense-paid trip from a Texas lawyer whose client was awarded $1.2 million in a personal injury lawsuit tried in the judge's court.

He was suspended again for a year without pay in mid-2016 for comments in front of a victim's family showing bias toward prosecutors, abusing his contempt authority in two separate cases, making inappropriate remarks toward women during domestic abuse proceedings and using slang when speaking to defendants in several criminal cases.
The Louisiana School for the Deaf, which is undergoing a review, needs significant changes to improve its performance, a member of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education said Tuesday.

"We really, really need to make some major changes there," said Kathy Edmonston, a BESE member who lives in Gonzales.

The issue may come up when BESE meets on Jan. 23-24.

The school, which sits on 116 acres on Brightside Lane in Baton Rouge, serves deaf and hard-of-hearing students from around the state.

State Superintendent of Education John White said in July that the Louisiana School for the Deaf and two others are struggling schools by the state's definition.

Edmonston, who helped initiate the review, said she has attended five meetings about the school.

Based on the comments she has heard, part of the problem is focused on how the school is administered. "They (parents and others) feel like it has to do with the administration," Edmonston said.

She said the school also pales in comparison to comparable schools elsewhere, including Texas.

Edmonston said another issue is how school officials nurture non-hearing students from a young age.

"We have kind of dropped the bill on that," she said.

BESE in October approved a contract for Education Development Inc., to review operations of the Louisiana School for the Deaf, the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired and the Louisiana Special Education Center.

Louisiana seeks proposals for improving schools for deaf, visually impaired, special education students The state Department of Education issued a request for proposals Friday aimed at improving three special schools, including the Louisiana Scho

The latter two are in Baton Rouge and Alexandria respectively.

The schools for the deaf and visually impaired are rated F by the state.

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The review includes a check of operations and academic programming and includes on-site visits, interviews with focus groups and study of national models.

The $155,000 study  financed with federal grants  was supposed to be finished around the end of 2017.

The school has been embroiled in controversy in the past.

It was closed temporarily in 2008 after reports of sexual misconduct surfaced. The school re-opened after the state spent $531,000 on safety improvements.

That same year the state hired an outside consultant to review the response by the Louisiana School for the Deaf when five people were arrested on sex-related counts.

In the late 1990's reports of sexual activity and rapes among students sparked calls for the formation of a task force by then state Superintendent of Education Cecil Picard.

State Rep. Patricia Smith, D-Baton Rouge and a veteran member of the House Education Committee, said Tuesday she has heard the recent concerns.

"A couple of issues brought up by the folks that I have been working with from the deaf community feel like the kids are not getting a quality education at the school," Smith said.

Smith said that concern has been brought to White's attention.

"Some of the problems we have are interpreters and making sure that everybody on staff knows ASL," she said, a reference to American Sign Language.

"It is important that the folks realize that ASL is a language," Smith said. "It is not just using it as a tool for interpretation."

"It is truly a language for kids who are deaf or hard of hearing," she said.

Jada Lewis, a BESE member who lives in Baton Rouge, could not be reached for comment. Lewis also helped launch the study.

The director of the Louisiana School for the Deaf did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The new year is going to be a big one in politics. Both the Senate and House could wind up in either party's hands, lots of state houses are up for grabs, and the guy in the White House has proven a potent rallying point for the resistance. The very direction of our country feels like it's at stake.

Louisianans loves their politics as much as anyone, but this time around, we're likely going to relegated to the spectator section.

There's no Senate seat up for grabs, and no sign that any of the state's six House members plan to retire and create a vacancy. Louisiana has no swing districts, the kind that realistically could switch from one party to the other. The governor, other statewide officials and the entire Legislature won't face voters until 2019.

It's going to be a change of pace after a consequential stretch that gave the state two new U.S. senators and a new governor, plus new mayors for Baton Rouge and New Orleans. So far, the biggest race on the 2018 calendar is the contest in Jefferson Parish to replace sheriff-turned-talk show host Newell Normand.

Then again, we're only two days into the year, and if 2017 is any guide, 2018 could well have some surprises in store. In an era in which Alabama can host a hotly contested Senate race  and the Democrat can emerge on top  it's fair to expect the unexpected.
On a temperate afternoon this fall, Martin L.C. Feldman indulged in a bout of nostalgia in his spacious study, searching high and low for the only poem he's ever had published.

He bent over at the waist  against his doctor's directions  and emerged with a yellowed copy of "They Killed Cock Robin," a wistful relic of his short-lived writing career.

As a federal judge and spry widower, Feldman is unaccustomed to orders that don't come from a higher court. He wields what he describes as "overwhelming" power, deciding the fate of career criminals and overseeing high-stakes civil litigation.

In 1985, as he was cutting his teeth on the federal bench in New Orleans, he refereed a Cold War asylum dispute that unfolded in the murky waters of the Mississippi River. The international drama, involving a Soviet seaman who had jumped ship, threatened to start World War III, as Feldman recalls it.

More recently, he served a seven-year stint on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in Washington, D.C., a secretive panel that authorizes federal eavesdropping in terrorism and espionage investigations. His work in that part-time capacity was so sensitive he refused to discuss it with his best friend, Antonin Scalia, the U.S. Supreme Court justice who died last year.

So in the refuge of his stately home off St. Charles Avenue, Feldman holds medical advice in much the same regard as federal sentencing guidelines. Both are non-binding, in the judge's view, and often irritating.

"I have an entire box of poems I could never get published," Feldman said ruefully, returning to his parlor with the help of a walker. He began reading aloud, unprompted, as if instructing a jury at the end of a lengthy trial.

Two months had passed since a crash that nearly ended his career, and on this October day, the judge had received a positive report from his hip surgeon. The road to recovery was arduous, exacerbated by a broken hip Feldman suffered during his convalescence.

His resolve had been tested like never before the night of Aug. 30, when the collision broke three of his ribs and landed him in the hospital for six weeks.

A chauffeur the judge hired to take him to a social gathering was involved in an accident near Calliope and Tchoupitoulas streets. The judge refused medical treatment at the scene, according to a police report, and was in such a state of shock he didn't realize he was injured until a few days later.

"I have never, in my entire life, felt my age until this accident," said Feldman, who will turn 84 in late January.

'90 percent back'

Feldman has gradually returned to the bench following an intensive physical therapy regimen, saying just before Christmas that he's about "90 percent back." In the interim, his version of taking things easy called for working from home throughout his rehabilitation. He worried his prolonged absence would clog up his docket or  even worse  burden his colleagues.

"I'm not behind," he said.

Those who know the judge aren't surprised by his stubborn return, as Feldman is about as set in his ways as a train on a track. He drinks Beefeater gin martinis  often at lunch  and relishes West Coast jazz. He takes pride in his appearance and is partial to sharp tailoring.

Once an aspiring linguist, the judge has a knack for pinpointing accents in public, be it a Polish tourist or a waitress from the Midwest. He once bewildered a court reporter by addressing a defendant in Mandarin.

Feldman reads as much as 12 hours a day and writes his opinions by hand, eschewing email and computers. His 2014 refusal to legalize same-sex marriage in Louisiana  his proudest yet most controversial ruling  went through 14 drafts in his study.

When determining a prison sentence, Feldman insists on conducting his own research rather than delegating it to staffers. "My philosophy for 34 years has been that, if I'm going to deny someone their freedom and liberty, I'm going to do the work myself," he said.

Feldman has been a fixture in the Eastern District of Louisiana court since his 1983 appointment by President Ronald Reagan. And despite his recent hardships, retirement does not appear to be in the offing. When anyone asks when he plans to hang up his robe, he tells them he enjoys his job too much to consider it work.

Once they reach age 65, federal judges may retire or go on "senior status," overseeing a reduced docket, without taking a pay cut. But neither of those options has ever appealed to Feldman.

"He's indomitable," said Bill Pryor, the former Alabama attorney general who serves on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta. "He's still performing at a very high level intellectually."

'It just grabbed me'

Feldman never planned to practice law, let alone become a federal judge. A St. Louis native, he moved to New Orleans at age 17 to study biblical archaeology and linguistics at Tulane University. He switched his major to English before graduating in 1955, convinced he would be a poet.

In a moment of introspection, Feldman told his roommate he was unsure what he would do with his life. "You look like a lawyer, Marty," his roommate responded. After confirming that assessment in the mirror, Feldman reported to Tulane's law school and registered on the spot.

He earned his degree in 1957 and became the first law clerk of John Minor Wisdom, a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge who would remain a father figure to Feldman until his death in 1999. Wisdom  for whom the opulent federal appeals court building in New Orleans is named  was a widely revered scholar and liberal Republican who famously wrote in a 1967 school desegregation case that "the Constitution is both color blind and color conscious."

The clerkship shaped the trajectory of Feldman's legal career and  with notable exceptions  his eventual jurisprudence. Wisdom's robe now hangs in Feldman's chambers.

As a young attorney, Feldman joined Weinstein, Bronfin & Heller, a small firm that specialized in complex commercial litigation. His clients included the likes of Boise Cascade, a timber company; General Dynamics, an aerospace and defense corporation; and Blue Cross of Louisiana, and he traveled the country as a young man doing their bidding in federal court.

Feldman has always loathed parties, but he became something of a socialite in his adopted home of New Orleans. "I fell in love with this place," he recalled recently in his chambers. "It just grabbed me."

In 1973, the Fashion Group of New Orleans, a nonprofit women's group, named Feldman among the 10 best-dressed men in the city, a recognition bestowed at the "Prix d'Elegance" at Gallier Hall.

"Neckties tell more about a man than any other item of apparel," Feldman told the States-Item newspaper at the time.

Feldman knew neckties. His late wife, Melanie Pulitzer Feldman, a well-known interior designer, was born into the family that ran Wembley Industries, a company that once touted itself as the largest manufacturer of men's neckwear in the world. In a 1985 profile, The Wall Street Journal described Martin Feldman as a millionaire who owed "much of his wealth" to his spouse.

Feldman remains cynical about politics, and he outright opposes elected judgeships. But he owes his own lifetime appointment to political connections. A lifelong Republican, he served as special counsel to the state GOP and to former Louisiana Gov. Dave Treen.

In 1983, the governor received a call from the White House about a seat on the New Orleans federal bench that had opened upon the death of U.S. District Judge Jack M. Gordon. Treen asked Feldman whether he was interested.

Within weeks of his nomination, Feldman had been confirmed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Looking back, the judge said he was astonished by how seamless the vetting process was, particularly compared to the partisan gridlock that judicial nominees often encounter today.

It didn't take long for Feldman to realize the power he wielded in his new role. On his first day on the bench, he handled a petition to delay the execution of Benjamin Berry, a man who had murdered a guard during a bank robbery in Metairie. Feldman granted the stay, but Berry was executed a few years later in Louisiana's electric chair.

Old-fashioned conservative

Feldman's name emerged at times for a possible appointment to an appellate judgeship. But he's shown no interest in such a role, in large part because he is addicted to the drama and banter of the trial courtroom.

Attorneys are typically of two minds about practicing before Feldman. Some appreciate his meticulous level of preparation and intolerance for nonsense. Others feel belittled  if not outright insulted  by his temperamental sidebars and short fuse. One lawyer recalled seeing a Post-it note behind Feldman's bench that read, "Patience, Patience, Patience."

Feldman is known to inveigh against "false theater" and "Tulane and Broad" tactics, a jab at the less genteel goings-on at Orleans Parish Criminal District Court.

In recent years, he has seemed personally offended by prosecutions he views as a waste of federal resources, such as the 2015 trial of New Orleans lawyer Michael Arata and Hollywood producer Peter Hoffman on tax fraud charges. Feldman reversed the jury's guilty verdicts on more than a dozen counts in that case, issuing a 124-page polemic in which he railed against prosecutors' "mean-spirited hype."

"He doesn't suffer fools well," said Pat Fanning, a former prosecutor who has practiced in federal court for 40 years. Fanning represented Hoffman's ex-wife, Susan, who was convicted of conspiracy in the tax fraud case.

"If you come into his court and you're prepared and don't (mess) up, you'll like him a lot because he knows the law and is quick with his rulings. If you go in there unprepared or waste his time with some frivolous motion, you'll be looking over your shoulder at your ass seeing what's left of it after he's finished chewing on it."

Another veteran defense attorney, Arthur "Buddy" Lemann, described Feldman as a "complex person."

"He portrays himself as being ancient. His suits come from England, and he likes walking around with a cane," Lemann said. "But he thinks in a modern sense, and he's reasonable, even if he's ruffled by something."

Feldman considers himself conservative, but in the traditional sense. In an interview before Christmas, he denounced Roy Moore, the Alabama Senate candidate, as a "right-wing nut."

In the courtroom, Feldman typically errs on the side of limited government. Some of his most important rulings have been notable not for an action he ordered but for his refusal to disrupt the status quo. "Those not accountable to the public ought to stay out of the business of legislating," he told an interviewer three decades ago, a succinct synopsis of conservative distaste for judicial overreach.

One such decision came about two years into his tenure on the federal bench. In 1985, amid rising tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, Feldman was asked to intervene in a controversy involving Myroslaw Medvid, a Ukrainian seaman who jumped off a Russian merchant vessel near Belle Chasse and swam a quarter-mile to the bank of the Mississippi River.

Soaking wet and visibly nervous, Medvid carried a note that read "Policia" and "Novi Orlean." He was interviewed by local authorities, telling them through an interpreter that he wished to remain in the U.S. American officials ordered him returned to his vessel, but Medvid again jumped overboard before being forcibly returned to the ship.

The fate of the seaman became a national sensation, as the State Department scrambled to determine whether Medvid actually wanted asylum. In subsequent interviews, he said he wished to return to the Soviet Union, though some officials said that he appeared to have been drugged by the Soviets.

Feldman heard testimony on a motion that sought to prevent Medvid from being taken out of the country. Despite the "enormous emotional and humanitarian appeal" of the request, he ruled that "no amount of self-centered patriotism compels this court to conclude that the judiciary should insert itself into the foreign policy of this country."

Medvid ultimately returned home and was not executed for the attempted defection.

"The desire to learn the truth is understandably compelling," Feldman wrote. "But the wisdom of doing so should be decided by the proper branch of government, not the federal judiciary."

'It says what it says'

The judge expressed similar views when he upheld Louisiana's ban on same-sex unions in 2014, a ruling that was trumped the following year when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. His opinion stood out at a time when other federal jurists around the country were ruling that gay couples' right to equal treatment trumped a state's authority to define marriage.

Feldman insisted Louisiana had a "legitimate interest" in addressing the meaning of marriage through the "democratic process." He took particular criticism for suggesting, at the outset of his ruling, that homosexuality was a "lifestyle choice."

Like an umpire making a close call at home plate, Feldman said he knew the opinion would elate one side while rankling the other. "I called it as I saw it," he said. "I thought it needed to have a free and open debate."

Feldman does not liken his own jurisprudence to that of Scalia, the late Supreme Court justice known for his uncompromising conservatism. But he said he and his friend agreed that "when you take the robe, your personal opinion no longer matters."

"I dont understand how a judge can infect a statute or the Constitution with his or her notion of what it ought to be," Feldman said. "It says what it says."

Perhaps the most lasting lesson Feldman learned from Wisdom, the 5th Circuit appellate judge, has been to keep an open mind. Raised Jewish, he converted to Catholicism nearly a decade ago, receiving the sacrament of baptism at a private ceremony.

Feldman's spiritual journey was significantly affected by his friendship with Scalia, a devout Catholic. The men traveled around Europe together and spent many late nights talking about faith and the law. Today, Feldman carries Scalia's rosary, an item he cherishes more than his conference room full of accolades.

"It was love at first sight," Feldman said, recalling the first time he met Scalia, years ago at a party in New Orleans. "I've had a blessed life."
It was really cold Tuesday morning in southeast Louisiana.

In New Orleans, temperatures dropped to 25 degrees shortly before 7 a.m. at the Louis Armstrong International Airport, tying the record low previously set for Jan. 2 in 1984.

Baton Rouge didnt break any records, but came close. At 7 a.m., the Baton Rouge Metro Airport recorded a temperature of 21 degrees, just 1 degree warmer than the record low of 20 degrees set in 1979.

The arctic blast that has swept across the eastern United States from north to Deep South is expect to remain in the region for a few more days.

A "nor'easter-type system" off the eastern seaboard is helping to slow a warming trend, keeping a mass of cold air over a wide swath of the eastern U.S., said Gavin Phillips, a forecaster with the National Weather System.

Lows are forecast to be in the teens Tuesday night and the 20s Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights in the Baton Rouge area. In the New Orleans area, lows will be in the 20s Wednesday and Thursday nights and in the 30s on Friday night.
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.
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.
Students at a school on the NSW Mid North Coast got more than they bargained for when they discovered snake eggs in their sand pit.

Wildlife volunteers were called to the school in Laurieton on December 20 and removed 12 eggs from the sandpit.

Later that same afternoon, the students discovered more eggs buried in the sand.

The sand pit was closed for safety reasons so that volunteers could thoroughly search the area and remove the eggs.
Police are scouring acreage properties on Palm Island for a murder weapon after a father was stabbed to death with scissors on New Year's Day.

The 52-year-old man's teenage son has been charged with murder and faced Townsville Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

Police were called to the Palm Island home about 4.50pm on Monday to reports a man had been stabbed in the neck outside the family home in nearby bushland.

The alleged victim was rushed to the islands hospital before being airlifted to Townsville Hospital, about 70 kilometres to the south.

However, doctors could not save the man and he was declared dead about 8.45pm.
A man accused of stealing two phones holding photos of the final days before a mother and daughter were killed in a shocking Christmas Day car crash will front court on Tuesday.

Makayla Tritton and her mother, Karin, were killed in the head-on crash, east of Brisbane, while father Laurence and sister Tarmeka were sent to Princess Alexandra Hospital.

Makayla Tritton was killed in a car crash in Manly West.

As Laurence and Tarmeka recovered in the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbanes south, a 51-year-old man allegedly stole phones belonging to Mr Tritton and his wife, which held photos of the last days the family spent together.

Police have charged a 51-year-old Logan man with stealing, possession of stolen property and unrelated drug offences.
A large group of youths allegedly bashed and robbed beachgoers in a wild brawl on the St Kilda foreshore in the early hours of Thursday, December 14. Detectives are investigating links between at least four violent and destructive sprees at short-term rental properties  including a near-riot at a party in Werribee on December 19-20  and an emerging western suburbs street gang, known as MTS, or Menace to Society. There was also an alleged assault on a police officer on Boxing Day at Highpoint Shopping Centre in Maribyrnong by a young man of African origin, and later that week, reports of a group of youths bent on trashing and occupying a local park in Tarneit. African youth leaders believe a small core of repeat offenders are responsible for the majority of crime blamed on their communities, and this was backed up by Victoria's police minister Lisa Neville, who said on Tuesday: "Victoria Police have known, recognised, that there are a small number but a core group ... of criminal thugs." Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton and police minister Lisa Neville speak about youth crime. Credit:Chris Hopkins

What is a street gang? Acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said on Tuesday that youths involved in recent offending were members of street gangs, but was careful to differentiate between them and groups involved in organised crime. But he acknowledged that there have been instances of members later becoming involved in serious organised crime. So, what is a street gang? This is not as straightforward as it may seem; in fact, a Victoria Police detective superintendent dedicated a master's thesis to it. Detective Superintendent Boyle interviewed 43 officers about street gangs and he found that the gangs did not have to have a name, or a structure, but often shared an ethnicity. They were also typically violent in groups of more than two. "Confident in doing things together they would not normally do alone," one officer told Detective Superintendent Boyle.

Street gangs are also fluid, can set up and disband within a period of days, but were likely to have a defined territory. Why is the ethnicity of those involved important? Reports on youth crime have overwhelmingly focused on those of an African background, with a smattering also detailing the involvement of Pacific Islander youths. Police and government have not shied away from referring to race in discussions about the topic, but have  for the most part  attempted to qualify their statements by ensuring they do not smear an entire community, and emphasising the importance of collaboration to solve the issue. And in some cases, race is referred to when police are providing a description of an offender who they are trying to arrest.

The counter argument is that referring to race alienates those communities who police and governments are ostensibly trying to collaborate with, and that the background of white offenders is never analysed or questioned. The vast majority of young offenders in Victoria are Australian-born. Are certain ethnicities over-represented in crime? Since at least 2012, police have spoken of their concerns that people of certain ethnic backgrounds are over-represented in crime statistics. Those who are Sudanese-born are between six and seven times more likely to offend than people who are Australian-born.

There are issues with this measurement, including having a relatively young population who are within the age bracket when people are most likely to be criminals, and the absence of long-term averages. The rate of offending by those of Pacific Islander background is harder to quantify, but police believe they are also over-represented. The vast majority of criminals in Victoria are Australian-born. There are more offenders aged 25-34 in Victoria than those aged 15-24. Credit:Paul Jeffers How significant an issue is youth crime?

There are more offenders aged 25 to 34 in Victoria than those aged 15 to 24, according to the latest Crime Statistics Agency figures. There were 51,562 offender incidents involving those aged 15 to 24 last year, about 30 per cent of all incidents in the state. Youth crime rates have been declining for the past decade (and an overall drop in crime was also recorded in September and December). What are police saying about this? In a press conference Tuesday, acting police commissioner Shane Patton acknowledged "there is an issue" with street gangs.

"They're behaving like street gangs, so let's call them that, that's what they are. We acknowledge that; we acknowledge there is an issue. It is important to stress that we don't want to elevate these young thugs, these young criminals, to any status or give them any type of credibility they shouldn't already have." The aftermath of the wild party at an Airbnb property in Werribee last December. Credit:Jason South What are they doing about the problem? Mr Patton said the gang crime squad would help suburban and regional detectives investigate youth crime offences. Police were working with government to draft new laws that would make it harder for criminals to associate, he said.

Victorian police minister Lisa Neville said that reforms announced more than a year ago targeting youth offenders  including the provision of youth control orders, and so-called Fagin's Laws cracking down on those who direct youth offenders  could be used by police in coming months. Premier Daniel Andrews has called more arrests of young offenders in Victoria. Credit:Darrian Traynor What has Daniel Andrews said about all this? In a press conference on Friday, December 22, the Victorian Premier said: "Whilst I know it it is tempting to try and excuse some of this behaviour, it's not excuses we need, it's arrests that we need." What has the Coalition said about this?

Quite a lot. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, who represents the seat of Flinders, said gang violence was "out of control". Victorian shadow attorney general John Pesutto said "we are living through, at the moment, one of the worst periods of gang violence our state has perhaps ever seen." Even Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull took time out from a Sydney surf lifesaving announcement to say he was "very concerned about the growing gang violence and lawlessness in Victoria and in particular in Melbourne", making sure to blame the Victorian premier for the problem. Have we heard this before? The Coalition had significant success challenging the Labor Government ahead of the 2010 election on its law and order credentials, and is keen to replicate that success.
Loud explosions were heard as a large suspicious blaze engulfed an Essendon home on Tuesday night and threatened neighbouring houses.

More than 13 fire trucks were dispatched to the Nimmo Street home in Melbourne's north-west about 10.30pm. Neighbours were told to take shelter as dangerous embers and smoke filled the area.

A suspicious fire in Essendon threatened neighbouring homes on January 2. Credit:Twitter/@Greaza

Multiple triple zero calls were made by locals who reported hearing loud bangs and screaming.

Residents were told to keep their windows and doors closed and air-conditioning units turned off as 40 firefighters launched an aggressive attack to save neighbouring homes.
A man has been punched, bitten and thrown against vehicles before his phone was stolen in a broad-daylight road-rage incident in Melbourne.

Police wish to speak to this man over a vicious road rage attack in Melbourne.

The 25-year-old Sunshine West man was driving his silver Honda Jazz on Maribyrnong Road in Maribyrnong about 3.30pm on December 30 when he was rear-ended by a blue Audi hatch.

He was approached by the driver of the Audi and after a conversation, was allegedly assaulted by the man. The Audi driver punched, bit and threw him against nearby vehicles before stealing the victim's phone and fleeing from the scene.

The alleged offender, who was photographed during the attack at the Walter Street intersection, is described as bald with a sleeve tattoo on his left arm and tattoos on his lower back.
A young South Sudanese man jailed for violent offending won a reprieve from deportation to his homeland because authorities failed to consider the impact on his family and his mental health problems.

The 25-year-man, whose identity is redacted, was jailed in 2012 for armed robbery and other offences that a sentencing judge described as "dangerous, frightening and extremely violent".

Credit:Louie Douvis

Such was his offending that the federal government cancelled his humanitarian visa  issued when he came to Australia as a refugee, aged 14  to have him sent back to South Sudan once released from prison.

Amid the scrutiny on recent crimes in Melbourne involving young men of African background, state Police Minister Lisa Neville confirmed on Tuesday that some of the 18 people last year referred by Victoria Police to the federal government for visa cancellation were from Sudan.
Two more men have been charged after violent clashes erupted outside a Melbourne event hosted by controversial British alt-right commentator Milo Yiannopoulos.

Melbourne North Crime Investigation Unit detectives charged the two men following chaotic scenes at the protest out the front of the Melbourne Pavilion on Racecourse Road and Stubbs Street in Kensington on December 4.

Milo Yiannopoulos Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

A 33-year-old Surrey Hills man has been charged with affray and assault offences while a 48-year-old Eltham man was also charged with affray and assault offences.
Activists and health departments around the country continue to advance strategies to "End the Epidemic" (EtE) in their jurisdictions, yet a central question remains. Are these ambitious plans appropriate in all U.S. jurisdictions, particularly given uneven access to health care systems? In places such as New York State, Washington State, and Washington, D.C., Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has made it possible to provide nearly all uninsured people with comprehensive health care, including free HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access. In these settings, a call to end HIV/AIDS as an epidemic through increased testing, linkage to care and treatment, and comprehensive prevention services seems more feasible. But with Louisiana being the only state in the Deep South that has expanded Medicaid to date, are EtE strategies realistic in the southern U.S.?

TAG is currently working in partnership with the Southern AIDS Coalition to provide capacity and technical support in three southern jurisdictions interested in launching EtE strategies: Louisiana, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee (Fulton County, GA, and Houston, TX, have been implementing their own EtE strategies). Not only are there clear reasons for the advancement of EtE strategies in these jurisdictions, there is also tremendous determination among community activists and health departments to take full advantage of existing opportunities despite the failure of Republican governors to accept federal assistance to expand health care coverage for the poor and marginalized residents in their state.

Increased advocacy and key stakeholder involvement in southern jurisdictions in which EtE initiatives are moving forward can lead to better utilization of existing HIV/AIDS funds available through the Ryan White program.

"Southerners are known for their creativity and ability to stretch a dollar," says Carolyn McAllaster, Director of the Duke HIV/AIDS Policy Clinic and the Southern HIV/AIDS Strategy Initiative (SASI). "Most southern states are using their AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) to help pay for medical insurance including premiums, co-payments, and co-insurance costs."

Melanie Thompson, chair of the prevention and care committee on the HIV/AIDS task force in Fulton County, GA, echoed the possibilities of leveraging Ryan White funds to gain access to broader health care coverage. "We're expanding the use of Ryan White funds to pay for the Health Insurance Continuation Program (HICP), which has been happening for quite a while," she said, referring to the use of federal and state dollars to cover private health insurance premium costs for people living with HIV. "The Strategy to End AIDS in Fulton County recommends forming a working group to troubleshoot issues with HICP/ADAP, and that suggestion has now been approved by the Georgia Department of Public Health."

Ryan White, particularly at current funding levels, is not enough to address the needs of the ever-growing HIV-positive patient population it is meant to serve. With increased advocacy, however, Ryan White may increase insurance access for more people living with HIV with little to no income, improving outcomes on health issues that require specialty care not covered by Ryan White. Community mobilization under EtE initiatives may also ensure that Ryan White programs are running efficiently with no lag time between diagnosis, linkage to care, and access to medications.

In the last few years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have strongly encouraged -- and in most cases required -- that jurisdictions develop integrated plans for the care, treatment, and prevention of HIV. The hard work to develop these integrated plans has created new opportunities for better coordinated efforts within state governments and potentially lessened the administrative burden of submitting separate care and prevention plans, which was required in the past. With this restructuring only recently completed, some southern jurisdictions may wonder what added benefit an EtE plan would provide.

To end epidemics, marginalized communities also need plans that provide solutions to the social and structural determinants of health that drive HIV epidemics and are frequently left out of jurisdictional plans. Arizona recognized this need in developing their integrated plan and decided to mobilize community early in that planning process, addressing structural barriers and stigma more specifically in the recommendations and effectively turning their integrated plan into an EtE document.

States with conservative governors who have refused to expand Medicaid are perhaps the most in need of this enhanced collaboration between key stakeholders and increased advocacy. McAllaster agreed, "EtE initiatives can push policy makers who are not typically focused on HIV to become engaged. I'm thinking of city mayors who, for the most part, stay silent on the issue of the HIV epidemic."

Even if expansion remains unlikely, plans can push state and city governments and health departments to more intently focus on barriers to care and treatment, better coordinate resources, and advocate for Medicaid waivers that are friendly for HIV and vulnerable populations.

Even without Medicaid expansion, southern states have the opportunity to improve linkage to care and PrEP access. Many jurisdictions are already having some success with this. With increased attention and advocacy through EtE planning, successes in the region may be translated and replicated.

According to Thompson, "six clinics have implemented pilot Rapid Entry programs in keeping with a recommendation from the Strategy to End AIDS in Fulton County, with initial medical visits on the same day or within three days of initial presentation or presentation for reengagement. Of these, four received specially targeted Ryan White funds to begin their clinics."

Even without EtE initiatives, other southern states have found creative ways to improve linkage to care. In much of the South, large percentages of people living with HIV reside in rural areas, differing from the character of the epidemic in the rest of the country. Thanks to the efforts of community advocates, North Carolina and Alabama have implemented telemedicine to treat individuals living outside of large urban areas. In addition, several states, including Louisiana, North Carolina, and Virginia, have launched data-to-care strategies: using surveillance information to notify health care workers when a patient they're seeing may have fallen out of care.

Finding those windows of opportunity to link people living with HIV to support and health care services is key. According to McAllaster, "The Corrections Navigation Program that was implemented in 2014 in Tennessee is an important initiative to provide persons living with HIV who are being released from prison with enhanced transitional case management and incentives to promote linkage to medical care."

McAllaster also notes that, where PrEP access is concerned, southern jurisdictions are on the move. "There are an increasing number of community health centers that provide access to PrEP as well as HIV treatment," McAllaster explained. "An example would be the Open Arms Clinic in Jackson, MS. In Jacksonville, FL, the non-profit JASMYN is focused on LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 23, providing them with services and advocacy, including an STI clinic, HIV care linkage services, case management, transportation, social activities, and support groups." State AIDS Education and Training Centers are improving provider knowledge about PrEP, and several clinics have gotten foundation or other funding for PrEP clinics.

A key component of EtE strategies is the ownership and leadership of affected communities in every step of drafting, finalizing, implementing, and evaluating the final plan. Stronger community organizing among people living with or vulnerable to HIV in the South is perhaps one of the most important opportunities that emerges out of this process. With very dire circumstances in southern states involving limited resources, high levels of HIV and LGBT stigma, and hostile political environments, building a critical mass of people living with or vulnerable to HIV who are willing to directly challenge elected officials and the political establishment can be a daunting task. Ending HIV, as a campaign framework, creates new possibilities to mobilize people living with HIV in what have historically been more difficult political climates.

EtE campaigns give key stakeholders a broad platform to advance new, ambitious policy changes. With the advent of PrEP and proof that people with HIV who are successfully on treatment and virally suppressed cannot pass on the virus to others even with condomless sex, a whole range of new arguments are available for advancing policy and program changes at the city, county, or state level that increase access to effective prevention and treatment while decreasing the stigmatization and criminalization of affected communities.

In addition to using an EtE framework to unite a number of prevention, treatment, and structural policy issues under one umbrella, EtE campaigns can be a great way to highlight the cost of not expanding Medicaid in Southern states. In June 2017, the Mississippi Department of Health announced that it was closing one of its STD clinics in Jackson. Even worse, it would also begin charging $25 for an HIV test in the poorest state in the country.

An EtE campaign in a place such as Jackson, MS -- where TAG is looking to begin work with community leaders in this jurisdiction in early 2018 -- could effectively scale up public pressure on the state to show the cost of divestment in public resources for comprehensive health coverage through Medicaid. According to estimates, nearly 300,000 people in Mississippi would qualify for Medicaid under the expansion, and the state would receive $427 million in new funding from the federal government. So although Southern jurisdictions that haven't expanded Medicaid can still do a lot under an EtE plan, it should dovetail with advocacy for Medicaid expansion under the ACA.

Despite the ongoing struggles to expand Medicaid in Republican-controlled states and relentless federal attacks on the ACA, we believe the time to continue pushing for the resources to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. is now. Several opportunities are still available in the South, all of which are dependent on community leadership as part of an EtE process.

[Note from TheBody.com: This article was originally published by Treatment Action Group in Dec., 2017. We have cross-posted it with their permission.]
George Towne is an artist living with HIV. And he likes to paint hot guys. "I've always known that I'd like to paint and represent gay men that I knew and who inspired me or who I thought were sexy," he said. I first saw George's work a few years ago at an art show featuring erotic images of gay men, and I became an instant fan. His work is not only sexy, but beautiful and full of life. More than just painting, George Towne captures emotion and soul in his work, giving you a glimpse into the private life of his subjects. George grew up in the small town of Port Jervis, New York, about a two-hour drive from New York City. He moved to Manhattan in 1990 to attend the School of Visual Arts when he was just 18. Related: Imprisoned HIV Activist Creates Beauty Behind Bars

"Roly and Chase, First Pose," oil on canvas George Towne

"Coming out of the closet was something I did immediately upon coming to New York, " George said, "but, you know, that was still a long time ago. People weren't really that out, there were no role models at the time. It was tougher then." It was also the middle of the AIDS crisis, and a challenging time to be exploring sexuality.

"Eric, Seated, Chair," oil on canvas George Towne) "Dave St. Sebastian," oil on canvas (Courtesy of George Towne

"When I first got to the city, my first one-night stand showed me how to use a condom, so I was very lucky in that regard. He put the condom on me and said, 'always use this.' It was actually a miracle, because at the time, I know people who came here [to New York] and seroconverted, and that was a really terrible time, because people were dying left and right," George said. "I consider myself lucky that what he said to me stuck." As a struggling young artist, he took work in bookstores and galleries to pay the rent, while still pursuing art. "I was always taught to paint what you know," George said, "and I know a lot about gay men. And I like to work figuratively, meaning I like to represent a person or a tree, or a landscape. I like to draw from the figure or from photography." In his early 20s George became active in the AIDS movement and joined ACT UP. "It really helped me learn about political things," George said. "I was so young, I didn't quite understand the difference between a Republican and a Democrat!" Across years, as the HIV terrain changed with the introduction of medications that worked, George found himself not being as diligent with his safe sex habit. "I got, like, condom fatigue." George explained. "It's like that after so many years, after my whole sexual blossoming, having been forced to use this ... to have this barrier between me and another person, I think I started to slip up here and there." George tested HIV positive in 2005. He's been on medications since 2009, and feels very fortunate that he's been able to benefit from the advances in HIV science. "I've not had any real side effects, which is great." After finding out he was living with HIV, he decided to take the news as an opportunity. "As soon as I turned HIV positive, I knew that I should consider coming out about that, because as an artist, a visual artist ... you know, there are professions of people who frankly aren't able to come out about their HIV status," George explained. "I knew that a visual artist has a little bit more of a luxury, that there wouldn't be as much stigma." George found support through groups like Visual AIDS, helping his work gain exposure and proving that someone living with HIV can create beautiful things. His work has been featured in numerous art shows, including exhibits sponsored by GMHC and Visual AIDS. George has also created works of people he considers heroic. Some of his subjects include gay former Rep. Barney Frank; James Dale, the activist who challenged the Boy Scouts of America's stance on gay scout leaders all the way to the Supreme Court; and AIDS Activist, playwright and author Larry Kramer.

George Towne and Larry Kramer at the Leslie-Lohman Museum GMHC

In the last 10 years or so, George has expanded his subjects of heroes and hot guys to include landscapes. Many of these new paintings are devoid of people, showing the beauty of the specific place, and containing subtle comments on the past. "The Meat Rack on Fire Island ... if you paint the Meat Rack with no people in it," George explains, "if you know that back before there was an internet and before people used to just go on Grindr, people would just go to the Meat Rack [between Cherry Grove and the Pines]. It would be filled with guys cruising or even having sex right out in the open, because it wasn't patrolled. It was kind of our land." His painting of the Meat Rack with no people almost alludes to the ghosts of men who are no longer with us, men who were victims of the AIDS crisis.

"Meat Rack Swamp," oil on canvas George Towne

He also has a piece showing the ocean at Fire Island. "It's just the ocean, but it's kind of receding, so you see, what's left over from the ocean. It's kind of like the loss or the loneliness."

"Fire Island Morning, Ocean," oil on canvas George Towne
The Banaue Rice Terraces, a UNESCO Heritage site in the mountains of Northern Luzon, were built around 2000 years ago. Rupert Parker sets out to explore them

The Ifugao, the indigenous people who live in this region, believe their ancestors constructed the terraces. Theyre frequently called the Eighth Wonder of the World and were built by hand, using mud and stones. Theyre irrigated from above, and if laid end to end, would encircle half the globe. As well as planting and harvesting the rice, maintenance is a year round occupation for the Ifugao.

Its a ten hour drive from the Philippine capital of Manila, mainly flat, though open countryside, but finally the road begins to climb as it reaches the Cordillera, a series of spiny mountains that reach around 2900m. It narrows and negotiates the gradients in a series of long curves before reaching the scruffy town of Banaue at 1200m. Its raining and the hills are covered in mist, preventing me getting my first glimpse of the famous terraces.

Next morning the cloud is still hugging the hills but rain has stopped and the sun begins to burn through. The Ifugao were once fierce head hunters, hiding deep in the mountains and never succumbed to Spanish colonisers. It was only in the 20th century that American missionaries began to make headway, converting them to Christianity, although around 5% still practise the old animistic religion.

Their culture revolves around rice, with an elaborate array of rituals linked with planting, cultivation and consumption. Theres only one harvest a year and, when scientists tried to introduce more productive strains, the rice didnt taste the same. Even worse, the new breeds couldnt resist the winds blowing through the terraces and the experiment was a complete disaster.

My first stop is above the village of Bangaan and Im surrounded by carpets of green tumbling steeply down the hillside, studded with water and climbing up to the sky beyond. Its April and the first seedlings have already been transplanted to the rice paddies and will stay there until harvest in September. In the village women are sorting the dried sheaves of last years rice, while their daughters pound the husks.

I retrace my steps and carry on to the saddle above Batad. Theyve only just driven the road through here and vehicles are still clearing rock falls and mudslides. The terraces here, if anything, are even more spectacular and I set out to hike to the village of Cambulo. The path climbs uphill, through the terraces, before leading into a small forest, dotted with waterfalls. It emerges at a small shack where I rest and buy welcome refreshments.

From here, the terraces get steeper and the narrow path leads along the edge of the paddies, water on one side and a steep drop on the other. You need a certain amount of nerve, and a good sense of balance. Still there are villagers working in the paddies, up to their knees in the mud, picking out the weeds. In the distance I see Cambulo, not much more than a cluster of houses, completely inaccessible by road.

I arrive to a hive of industry. Roofers are busy replacing the thatch on the tops of traditional wooden houses. Others are toasting rice in huge woks, the first stage in the manufacture of rice wine. When the grains are blackened, theyre transferred to huge vats of boiling water. Yeast is added and then the liquid is poured into jars to ferment. As you can imagine, it gets drunk fairly quickly and the batch theyre making is for a forthcoming wedding. Im offered a rare month old vintage and, of course, cant refuse.

Although the Rice Terraces are now recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, they require a colossal amount of maintenance if theyre not going to crumble into the hillsides. Fortunately, the villagers still depend on rice for their livelihood, and around 80% of the terraces are still under active cultivation. Theyre still in danger, however, as many young Ifugaos are leaving to find work in the city. If that continues it could lead to a shortage of manpower and this great feat of engineering will be no more.

At the moment all is well and Ive only explored a fraction of the network of trails running through the rice terraces. Most of them are only accessible on foot but theyre slowly being connected to the modern world as new roads are constructed

You can easily spend a week trekking from village to village, staying in basic accommodation, and experiencing a way of life thats slowly disappearing.

The Banaue Hotel makes a comfortable base to explore the region, if you dont want to stay in the villages.

Philippine Airlines flies direct from London to Manila.

Its More Fun in the Philippines has tourist information.
NORWALK  The frigid weather is taking a toll not only on people and pets but also on household plumbing, leaving pipes frozen and people without heat. City officials are seeing a spike in complaints from renters with no heat.

Anthony Badaracco, owner of Badaracco Plumbing & Heating of Norwalk, said the telephone began ringing Friday with calls from customers in distress.

This is probably the biggest freeze-up winter weve had in the 16 years Ive been in the business, Badaracco said. A lot of no-heat calls. When theres no heat, then we get the freeze-ups that follow. We get baseboards that freeze up, water mains that freeze up. Most people that have a crawl space thats unheated have broken or frozen pipes.

Spike in heat complaints

In Connecticut, any home or workplace that falls below 65 degrees is legally deemed injurious to the health of the occupants. And since temperatures have fallen, complaints have spiked. On Tuesday, Thomas Closter, chief environmental officer of the Department of Health, received four calls about heat before the day was half over.

He said that, as temperatures plunged below freezing, responding to heat complaints had become the bulk of inspectors work. in the past two weeks, they looked into a dozen complaints.

We have calibrated thermometers, and we go out and do readings, he said. If an inspector finds the temperature is below 65 degrees, the department reaches out to the landlord or property manager.

According to Closter, the department has been successful in swiftly restoring heat in many cases. A lot of these are taken care of over the phone. Because we dont have the luxury of waiting when its this kind of temperature. We need to have immediate correction.

He added that landlords and property managers are usually eager to solve the problem quickly in order to prevent pipes from freezing.

When the heat is out, many resort to space heaters in the interim. Michele DeLuca from the Fire Department said to remember that space heaters need space, and recommended keeping them three feet away from paper, bedding and furniture, and to never plug them into an extension cord or leave them running when sleeping or out of the room.

The library is also a designated warming center during its hours of operation, and the Open Door Shelter is opening up its community spaces for people who need a warm place during the day. Farhan Memon, the spokesperson for the Al Madany Islamic Center, said that the extremely cold weather has also led the center to consider becoming an official warming place in the future. If you need a warm place to stay overnight, call 211 to be connected with a warming center.

People without heat  give us a call if its under sixty-five degrees, Closter said. We can see what we can do to help.

Preventative measures recommended

Badaracco said his company answered nearly two-dozen calls over the weekend and another 10 on Tuesday from people from Greenwich to Norwalk, Westport and beyond, most with frozen pipes in their homes. If the pipe is copper, Badaracco Plumbing uses a thawing machine to unfreeze it. If the pipe is PEX tubing, plumbers heat the area in which the pipe is located.

The longer a pipe remains frozen, the more susceptible it is to breaking. The bill for unthawing and repairing frozen and broken pipes, and getting heat restored, can run between $600 to $1,300, according to Badaracco.

For homeowners, that makes preventing pipe freezes and breaks preferable to calling a plumber.

If you feel comfortable, a small space heater can help tremendously, Badaracco said. You want to make sure your pipes are well wrapped with insulation. You also to make sure theres no drafts. Wind is the biggest contributing factor to frozen pipes.

For water pipes that are already frozen, Badaracco advised using a hair dryer rather than a heat gun, which can cause a fire.

Service restored to SNEW customers

In South Norwalk, a water pipe serving Monterey Village broke, leaving approximately 180 customers without service for part of Tuesday. South Norwalk Electric and Water initially believed a main line had broken beneath Grove Street but later learned it was the service line to the complex. The break was repaired and water service was restored by afternoon, according to SNEW Director of Water Operations Thomas Villa.

The public utility company hadnt yet established if the break was related to the cold weather.

The frost can move the ground, Villa said. Whether that had something to do with it, or it could have been the age of the pipe.

The frigid temperatures did knock out, for the time being, SNEWs water storage tank on Michael Street late Saturday night, sending water cascading down the sides of the structure to the alarm of neighboring residents. Villa said SNEW believes an overflow valve froze and water spilled out the top hatch.

SNEW rerouted affected customers to another of its storage tanks as it investigates and repairs the Michael Streets facility. In general, SNEW hasnt received an inordinate number of service calls regarding frozen water pipes, Villa said.

Weve had a few but with the extent of the cold weather weve had I would have thought wed have more, Villa said. My guess is people are paying closer attention to their situation.

City monitoring municipal buildings

Michael Sgobbo, property manager for Guardian Service Industries, which oversees a dozen municipal buildings, from City Hall to libraries and the police and fire headquarters, said precautions are being taken.

Weve been raising the indoor temperatures a couple of degrees to compensate for the lower temperatures in light of this continued freeze that were experiencing, Sgobbo said. We also have our staff in a little earlier in the mornings so that they can tour the buildings to make sure that there are no issues going on.

School officials are keeping their fingers crossed as temperatures remain below freezing. Norwalk Public Schools, which reopened Tuesday after the holiday break, had no frozen pipes or other weather-related problems, according to Director of Facilities Bill Hodel.

Norwalk Hospital had one minor incident. A sprinkler head in an empty space within a non-clinical area of the hospital froze and was quickly replaced, said Andrea Rynn, director of public relations for the Western Connecticut Health Network, which runs the hospital.

Our crew was able to take care of things so quickly, Rynn said. Just that one minor thing, thankfully.
NORWALK  In an era when people find romance through apps and same-sex marriage is legal, it may seem as though the importance of a physical LGBTQ bar has been diminished.

But on Saturday night, as people filtered into Norwalks newly opened Troupe429, patrons testified to the continued need for safe spaces.

LaReissa Skinner, a transgender man from Norwalk, described going out to a bar on Washington Street, only to be forcibly dragged out of the mens bathroom in front of his friends and family.

T.J., of Danbury, who requested his last name not be used, recently had a stranger at a local bar volunteer that he would not want his son to be gay.

Why have a gay bar? asked T.J. Thats why.

Saturday night was T.J.s first time at Troupe429. Behind the bar were a dozen portraits of famous figures from the LGBTQ community, ranging from Sylvia Rivera (known for her activism during the Stonewall Riots) to RuPaul Charles (quite possibly the most famous drag queen in the world). While the venue has only been open for little over a month, bartender Jeffrey Diman could already greet regulars by name as he poured beers and put out copper mugs of complimentary Goldfish and animal crackers.

Troupe429 got its start in January 2016 as an underground party in a basement Italian restaurant in Times Square. The name is partly a reference to the word gay spelled out on an alphanumeric keypad and partly an homage to the film Troop Beverly Hills, a favorite of the owners, Diman said. In November, the party debuted at its permanent location in Norwalk.

It has hosted arts and crafts nights, movie screenings and appearances by celebrities including April Carrion, a contestant from the television show RuPauls Drag Race.

Jeda DeVore, a Norwalk native who was visiting Troupe429 for the first time, walked over to his friends to share his verdict. I love it. I love the bathrooms, which are gender neutral. I love the crayons.

Let it be known that this club is all the way love, said Keisha Greene, of Norwalk.

Its awesomesauce, said DeVore. He said after seeing Chick-Fil-A  a franchise of a company criticized in 2012 for donating millions of dollars to organizations against same-sex marriage  open in Norwalk, he was especially gratified to see a place like Troupe429 come to the city. Thats why I was so happy when this place opened. There has never, ever been an LGBT bar in Norwalk  and Ive lived here 25 years, my whole life.

Fairfield County was once home to what was reputed to be the longest-running gay bar in the country, the Cedar Brook Cafe in Westport, and the largest monthly transgender/queer party in New England, which took place in Triangles Cafe in Danbury. The Cedar Brook Cafe closed in 2010 after 71 years of operation; Triangles Cafe closed in 2015 after over three decades.

John Rizzo, who had been a longtime DJ at Triangles, came to Troupe429 on Saturday to spin tunes for former Triangles-goers who had traveled to Norwalk for a reunion. As he set up his equipment, he spoke on the importance of LGBTQ bars throughout history.

To him, they represented a freedom in the face of hardship. They didnt care what was playing, he said of the people he played for. They wanted to get lost that feeling, to feel that love. To feel free. Feel acceptance. ... People can be going through some really, really tough times, and they always give feedback  they say thank you, because the music helps them. While sometimes that feeling is hard to tap into, he said when it does, its magic. It is a culture he hopes Troupe429 will help preserve.

Its touching history  the people who paved the way for everybody. I guess to understand where we are today, you have to remember where we came from. And the relevance, the importance of it.

Outside at the bar, others remembered how LGBTQ bars of times past had shaped their lives.

It felt like home, said Alex, of Bethlehem, who asked his last name not be used. You wanted to be there all the time. Not just Saturday.

For him, it was difficult to remember what the inside of the bar looked like  what was important was the feeling. He pointed out it welcomed all people  not just beautiful young clubgoers. Triangles Cafes first Yelp review describes a surreal combination of young, just-off-the-plane brazilians; established gay elders; children of the ice storm; prosperous guppies; hardscrabble bears; deep woods trannies; expat new yorkers; and closeted married guys.

Andrew Adam, of West Haven, also described Triangles Cafe as home. He remembered when it began to decline. When you walked in before all the apps, thered be 300 people on a Saturday night, he said. And one day, we walked in there, and there was nobody in there anymore  because of the apps.

They hoped places like Troupe429 would help fill the hole left by the closures of legendary establishments like the Cedar Brook Cafe and Triangles.

Its good. We need places to go, Alex said. Are they going to survive? Its up to us.

rschuetz@hearstmediact.com; @raschuetz
From local activity to widespread cases, all 50 states are reporting battles with influenza.

The Centers for Disease Control recently issued its Week 50 map, which shows both Illinois and Missouri tracking widespread cases of the flu through Dec. 16.

Locally, Anderson Hospital in Maryville issued a statement on Thursday restricting visitors.

Anderson Hospital must sometimes implement temporary visitor restrictions during the flu season, the statement says. Due to recent increased flu cases seen in our ER and admitted patients, as of December 27, we are taking these precautionary steps as advised by the Illinois Department of Public Health:

 No visitors displaying flu-like symptoms (cough, runny nose, etc.)

 No visitors under age 18 allowed on patient floors.

 Visitors in the Pavilion for Women are limited to babys sibling(s) and 4 others determined by the mother.

Chief Nursing Officer at Anderson Hospital Lisa Klaustermeier said in the statement the goal is to limit exposure of current patients to those who might be ill.

Patients are recovering from various illnesses, so we cannot risk subjecting them to the flu and other cold viruses. We regret any inconveniences, but the health of our patients is our priority, Klaustermeier said.

The flu, as defined by the CDC is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness.

Flu symptoms can include: a fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, headaches and fatigue.

The Madison County Health Department, 101 East Edwardsville Road in Wood River, offers flu vaccines from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays and from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Fridays.

For more information, call 692-8954, ext. 2.

Health Information Manager Amy Yeager, of the Madison County Health Department, said after consulting with others in the office, the consensus is that flu cases are up, but are nothing out of the ordinary.

From what we are monitoring, activity is increasing in Madison County. Its activity common for this time of year, Yeager said.

And there are more people who dont have the flu than do so its important for those people to protect themselves, Yeager said.

From a public health standpoint, we think its important to emphasize the prevention points, Yeager said.

And, no, its not too late for a vaccine as Yeager said flu season usually lasts through March.

While the various vaccines will cover either three or four strains of flu, they still take up two weeks to become fully effective.

Yeager also said that theres no guarantee that a vaccine recipient wont get the flu, but the impact wont be as severe.

In addition to receiving a vaccine, Yeager said health departments are stressing the three Cs: Clean, Cover and Contain.

Yeager said clean hands are key in preventing the spread of illnesses this time of year so a thorough hand-washing is essential.

In addition, covering the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing can help prevent the spread of the virus, Yeager said.

Finally, staying home when stricken by the flu and containing the germs will go a long way in reducing the spread of the virus, she said.

The Litchfield School District cancelled classes on Dec. 7 and 8 due to the number of students absent because of the flu.
On January 1, 1868, Edward M. West and his son-in-law, Civil War veteran Major William R. Prickett, opened the doors of a new bank in Edwardsville, Ill., located at the site now occupied by the Madison County Administration Building. One hundred and fifty years later, TheBANK of Edwardsville is stronger than ever and looking well into the future.

This anniversary is not something we take for granted because its so rare for any business, and especially a bank, said Grady Ambuel, Senior Vice President of Marketing at TheBANK. Its had the same name for much of its existence, and to this day continues to be a locally-owned community bank.

Originally named West and Prickett after its founders, it would soon be renamed TheBANK of Edwardsville. It has survived through times when most other banks have failed or been absorbed by larger banks, providing generations of customers with the products and services they need, and doing so with a smile.

TheBANK is eight years older than the telephone and 11 years older than the Edison lightbulb. It has survived economic depressions, recessions, wars, and an ever-changing banking industry. Its been through everything and has always come through, Ambuel said. Thats because weve always put the customer first. While our array of retail, commercial, mortgage lending, wealth management and online services have grown over the years, dedication and commitment to our customers has always been our main focus.

With 150-year-old roots in the region, a key to TheBANKs success has been being a good corporate citizen and giving back to the communities it serves. While TheBANK continually seeks to support customers with cutting-edge banking products, it has always been community-oriented in supporting numerous charitable, civic and educational organizations throughout the Metro East and St. Louis.

What makes us unique is that we dont just write checks, says Ambuel.

Our directors, officers and staff are personally involved as chairpersons, committee members and volunteers in over 400 different local charities and community organizations. In addition, we are heavily committed to education. From employees volunteering in grade school reading programs, to sponsoring financial literacy programs for teens and young adults, to funding numerous scholarships for high school, home school, college and trade school students, supporting education is a major priority for TheBANK.

Combining its interest in operating both as a quality bank and good corporate citizen, TheBANK has also created products to assist the unserved and underserved who have not  for a variety of reasons  been a part of mainstream banking.

To be an integral part of the solution, TheBANK offers a checking account designed to help those who need to rebuild their financial strength and improve their credit scores, says Ambuel.

Likewise, we also have loan products with non-traditional underwriting criteria to help individuals have a path to homeownership and help stabilize communities where homeownership has been a challenge.

As part of its continuing effort to serve the unbanked and underbanked, TheBANK opened the first fully bilingual, full-service banking location in the St. Louis metro area in Fairmont City in 2015, reaching out to an entire population that had little, if any, access to traditional banking products and services.

Serving a largely Hispanic population, its located in the Fairmont City Library, which is the hub of the community, and has attracted customers throughout the St. Louis metro area, says Ambuel. It has been a tremendous success for TheBANK, and most importantly, for the people the center serves.

Today TheBANK has 20 locations in Illinois and Missouri. The most recent is a loan production office in St. Charles, Mo., which opened in November, joining a full-service Clayton branch in St. Louis. And as TheBANK of Edwardsville commemorates its sesquicentennial, Ambuel said it will continue to examine its own history to see its future  for the benefit of its customers and communities.

Its been that way for generations, he said. We will continue to focus on our core values, continue to grow and adapt to an ever-changing world, and will remain true to our customers, our local communities and our historical roots.

TheBANK of Edwardsville is a leading, locally-owned bank in the St. Louis Metro area with 20 locations in Illinois and Missouri. It has a tradition of providing personal service, offering the most innovative products and giving back to the communities in which it serves dating back to 1868.

For more information, please visit us online at www.thinkthebank.com, on Facebook at www.facebook/thebankofedwardsville or on Twitter at @4thebank.
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Linkedin Hendri Yulius (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 2, 2018 16:21 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2faa56a 3 Opinion LGBT,#LGBT,#LGBTRights,homophobia,homosexual,homosexuality,social-media,#SocialMedia,#homosexuality Free

After an almost two-year intense debate and battle, the Constitutional Court finally rejected the Family Love Alliance (Aliansi Cinta Keluarga/AILA) proposal to outlaw consented sex between people of the same sex. AILA aimed to amend the Criminal Code articles that only penalize same-sex relations with minor. Eerily, this demand was also accompanied by a proposition to criminalize sex outside legal marriage.

This decision demonstrates that the states responses are far from uniform when it comes to LGBT issues. As I argued elsewhere, different actors came with different political stance on LGBT issues.

During the 2016 anti-LGBT hysteria, Vice President Jusuf Kalla argued that the state did not need to interfere into issues of sexuality.Then coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs Luhut Panjaitan also said LGBT people should be treated equally before the law. Even more intriguing is President Joko Jokowi Widodos suggestion that the police must protect LGBT from threats.

These statements show that the state is not a uniform and inherently homophobic entity. But rather, it is AILA and civil society in general that are acting as the vanguard of criminalization of LGBT.

This homophobic civil society action unfortunately continues in different forms.

Not so long after this small victory in the Constitutional Court, another homophobic action also came from the public. A netizen named Sri Mulyani on Dec. 21 uploaded on her Facebook a short video showing two men demonstrating mutual affection on a motorbike.

The video went viral with netizens accusing the men for being gays, leading to cyber bullying. It was later revealed they were siblings who had not met for a long time. Furthermore, such public display of affection between men is common in the Middle-Eastern culture, which both come from. Reportedly due to stress, their mother fell ill and the brothers were traumatized to the point of refusing to leave home.

What does this false accusation reveal about the contours of the rising homophobia in Indonesia?

These surveillances are unsurprisingly recurring in recent persecution against LGBT communities. Apart from the aforementioned video, in March last year, a group of vigilantes invaded a house to arrest two men in Aceh for allegedly having same-sex relationships. Before bringing those men to the police, attempts to violently torture, insult, record the pair, and circulate the video in social media were inevitable, which then contributed to the canning of both under the sharia law for consensual sex.

Technology has been increasingly used to capture and publicly shame those labeled as LGBT or engaged in homosexual acts. In May 2017, the police arrested 141 men in a raid of an allegedly gay sauna in North Jakarta, and let the pictures of those men, alongside their personal details, distributed in social media.

These incidents and AILAs proposal to outlaw homosexuality and extramarital sex can be thought of as homophobia from below, describing in which members of the public have become the active actors in persecution against LGBT people, and even demand for state intervention into sexuality matters. This move creates impressions as if they are representative of the larger public.

Equally important, digital technology also plays an important role in enabling and shaping the naming and shaming, as the understanding of privacy and sexuality has simultaneously been altered against the backdrop of the internationalization of LGBT identity and rights.

The ubiquitous use of technology  particularly social media  in everyday lives has enabled action-at-a-distance  action that affects other individuals without physical or face-to-face interaction. The online distribution of the list of gay men arrested in a reportedly gay sauna does not only publicly shame them, but might also interrupt their families and professional lives.

However, this should also be understood in the changing nature of privacy and sexuality. In her 2017 book, The Right to Maim, the queer theorist Jasbir K. Puar asserts that the pervasiveness of technology has produced new relations and contradictions between private and public, in which one is prompted to expose themselves through such technology, while also wishing for privacy. We post, we expose, and we let others watch us.

As such, sexuality has made into the public realm through categorizations and regulations. This shift becomes more complex, considering the uptake of digital technology in Indonesian LGBT communities. When those gay social media was deemed providing safe space for interactions, with the increased moral panics surrounding LGBT, homophobic individuals might also commit particular action-at-a-distance through infiltrating those gay social spaces. Their profiles can be screenshot and disseminated easily. This action is possible to shame or punish LGBT, as being LGBT in Indonesia is still loaded with shame, viewed against the norms, and could put one at risk in their personal and professional life.

A newly emerging online local application, CELUP (Cekrek, Lapor, Upload  Capture, Report, and Upload -- has just incited an immediate concern about violation against privacy. Developed by university students, it aims to curb indecent behavior (tindak asusila) in public spaces, in particularly publicly displayed affections.

This is the challenge and battle in todays Indonesian gender and sexuality politics: when LGBT identity/rights are globalized, technology becomes ubiquitous, and privacy is consequently blurred, while surveillance from ordinary people can become an action-at-a-distance modality to perpetuate homophobia from below.

This is the next battle arena, after the small victory in the Constitutional Court.

***

The writer, who obtained his Masters in public policy from the National University of Singapore, is the writer of Coming Out and a lecturer of gender and sexuality studies. He is currently pursuing his Masters by Research in Gender and Cultural Studies in The University of Sydney. See other writings by Hendri Yulius here.

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We are looking for information, opinions, and in-depth analysis from experts or scholars in a variety of fields. We choose articles based on facts or opinions about general news, as well as quality analysis and commentary about Indonesia or international events. Send your piece to community@jakpost.com.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.
Koran Kami with Lucy in the Sky (Our Newspaper with Lucy in the Sky) is the latest book by veteran journalist Bre Redana, who worked for Kompas for 35 years before retiring in October. In his book, Bre writes about printed journalism and how different it is to digital journalism.

Koran Kami with Lucy in the Sky is a story about veteran journalist Santosa Santiana, also known as SS, who is asked by friends to create a newspaper amid the popularity of online media. The team recruits retired journalists and names their newspaper Koran Kami (Our Newspaper). They believe it is still possible for printed media to survive in this day and age. Bre includes a brief romance between SS and a subordinate, Lucy.

Lucy in the Sky in the title came from The Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

In 2015, Bre wrote the short essay Inikah Senjakala Kami (This is our twilight) that was published in Koran Kompas on Dec. 27 of the same year. The essay, which discussed the end of printed media, was commented on by other journalists, among them Wahyu Dhyatmika as well as Bayu Galih and media researcher Wisnu Prasetya Utomo.

When asked about the connection between the novel and the essay, Bre said both touched on the same problem. He said many people had misunderstood Inikah Senjakala Kami and thought that Bre had underestimated the role of digital media.

I just want people to realize there has been change. Its because the change that was brought about by a different type of media is very fundamental, Bre explained after a discussion on his book at Kedai Tjikini in Central Jakarta on Dec. 20.

Read also: Print media still trusted for now, says Press Council

'Koran Kami with Lucy in the Sky' author Bre Redana (left), moderator Candra Gautama (center) and Press Council member Nezar Patria during a discussion on the book on Dec. 20 at Kedai Tjikini in Central Jakarta. (JP/Ni Nyoman Wira)

Bre then cited the concept of the medium is the message by Canadian intellectual Marshall McLuhan. The news presented by printed media and digital media have different natures, he stated. Many people say that content is [the most] important, that any platform is the same. I dont think it is [the same]. With the novel, I wasnt limited by page. I had the freedom to say whatever I wanted.

The discussion on the book also featured Press Council member Nezar Patria as one of the speakers. "I dont fully agree with what Bre said [in the book] because there's a kind of romanticism about printed journalism, as if it's better than the digital journalism of these days," Nezar said. "I appreciate the romanticism, but [...] we cant dismiss that mainstream media has been replaced by digital media's growth."

However, Nezar explained the reason behind Bre's romanticism, especially when it questions the principles of good journalism. He acknowledged that digital media has its problems, among them accuracy, the culture of fast news that floods people with information that they easily forget, hate speech and fake news, which he saw as very alarming. How do we fight fake news? Of course we cant point at digital media as the ultimate culprit because almost all mainstream media seems not to be doing anything to decrease or silence it, Nezar said.

Bre, who wrote Koran Kami with Lucy in the Sky as tanda mata (memento) for Kompas, said that in the book he mostly wanted to describe and apply core values that could not be changed. Those values are humanity, love, friendship, brotherhood, he said. Im not resistant to change, but what I preserve are those values. In journalism, for example, its accuracy.

Koran Kami with Lucy in the Sky is not Bres first novel and certainly will not be his last. He will not write a sequel to Koran Kami or about the media in his next effort. It will be about NKRI [Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia], he said, smiling. (asw)
In the desert town of Night Vale, all conspiracy theories are real. Scientists knock on the door of a house that does not exist. A faceless old woman lives in your home, rearranging your books and demanding your Wi-Fi password. Mysterious lights pass overhead while everyone pretends to be asleep.

These are all part and parcel of the morbidly funny Welcome To Night Vale, a cult podcast that takes the form of a community radio show set in a fictional town in the American south-west, where residents are so plagued by bizarre perils - from dark hooded figures to a glow cloud that rains dead animals - that they regard them as mundane.

Created by American writers Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor, the weird world of Night Vale has recently branched out into fiction, first with the inaugural Welcome To Night Vale novel in 2015, which they followed up last year with It Devours!, a kooky thriller about science and religion.

Fink, 31, says he and Cranor, 42, began writing the novels to explore Night Vale outside the perspective of the radio show, on which host Cecil Palmer reports, often with cheery nonchalance, on the town's macabre happenings.

"These novels are a way to tell newer, bigger stories in the same world," he says over Skype from Portland, Oregon, where he is touring with the Welcome To Night Vale live show.

The first novel, a New York Times bestseller, is told from the perspectives of Jackie Fierro, who has been stuck running a pawnshop as a 19-year-old for decades, perhaps centuries (time does not work in Night Vale) and Diane Crayton, the single mother of a shapeshifting teenager.

In It Devours!, scientist Nilanjana Sikdar investigates the phenomenon of great pits appearing suddenly around town and finds herself embroiled in a doomsday cult that worships a ravenous entity called the Smiling God.

"We wanted the book to be about science and religion and the way they intersect in people's lives," says Fink. "These subjects are often talked about in conflicting terms, which is a really simplistic way of looking at them."

As a scientist, Sikdar is considered a foreigner in Night Vale, where townspeople literally refer to her as "Outsider".

"We wanted to have some fun with someone who recognizes the weirdness of Night Vale," says Fink, who is married with no children.

He notes, however, that there are plenty of weird and dangerous things in the real world. "There are things that can randomly kill you at Night Vale and that's also the case in the real world - just that in Night Vale, it's aliens, not disease."

Read also: Team behind 'Serial' plans new podcast

He has seen his fair share of weirdness while touring America. Once, while driving in Montana, he saw a black, windowless tower coming out of a mountainside. "It looked like something out of The Lord Of The Rings. It looked like it didn't belong in the real world."

The tower turned out to be the ventilation shaft of an abandoned mine. Fink went on to work it into the first episode of his podcast Alice Isn't Dead.

Fiction has presented a new challenge for him and Cranor. "A podcast is just 25,000 words long, whereas a novel is 80,000 to 100,000 words."

For a podcast, he adds, one can go into the episode with a single phrase in one's head - such as "wheat and wheat by-products", a random phrase that he later spun into an episode in which all the wheat and wheat by-products in Night Vale transform into venomous snakes.

"For a novel, you have to think about it in a much bigger way - what is this about, where is it going, how do I want it to end?"

Fink and Cranor started Welcome To Night Vale in 2012 after they met through the theater collective New York Neo-Futurists and decided they enjoyed collaborating.

Since then, the twice-monthly podcast has been downloaded more than 180 million times worldwide and turned into a live show that has toured 16 countries. A television adaptation by FX is in the works, with Fink and Cranor as executive producers. They are also working on a third novel.

There is a dystopian bent to Night Vale, where the City Council has banned numerous things such as computers, writing utensils and the aforementioned wheat and wheat by-products. Residents are monitored around the clock by the secret police, who abduct family members of voters during election season. "Remember, this is America!" Palmer reminds his listeners. "Vote correctly or never see your loved ones again."

Fink is concerned his own reality is following suit, given the turmoil following the election of Mr Donald Trump to United States President in 2016. "When you write dystopian fiction, it's not great when real life starts to look like your fiction."

He cites the example of Mayor Pamela Winchell, a character who gave absurd press conferences and once hid behind a tree pretending the journalists assembled were not there. He compares this with former White House spokesman Sean Spicer, who, during a presidential press conference, huddled among bushes while reporters sought to question him.

"That was a funny little thing we wrote and then Sean Spicer stole Winchell's bit. That was a weird moment for us."

Fink hopes the show, while maintaining its surreal humor, will continue to be "useful" in a time of creeping dystopia. "We try to write towards what's happening. We are hoping our work reflects the world."
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Linkedin Viriya P. Singgih (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 2, 2018 18:15 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fb0253 1 Business energy-and-mineral-resources-ministry,non-tax-revenue,ignasius-jonan Free

The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry recorded a significant annual increase of 61.45 percent in non-tax state revenue (PNBP) to Rp 129.07 trillion (US$9.53 billion) throughout 2017, which accounted for 49.6 percent of the national PNBP figure for the year.

This achievement shows that the energy and mineral resources sector, besides its role of ensuring an affordable energy supply and domestic added value, also has a great influence on national development and economic growth, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius Jonan said in a statement on Tuesday.

The biggest contribution came from oil and gas, coal and minerals and renewable energy.

The PNBP from oil and gas reached Rp 85.6 trillion in 2017, surpassing the initial target of Rp 76.6 trillion, while, coal and minerals contributed Rp 40.6 trillion compared to the Rp 32.7 trillion target.

The revenue increase from coal and minerals was a result of the governments decision to relax an export ban on mineral ores in January 2017. Since then, miners have been allowed to export certain commodities, including low-grade nickel ore and washed bauxite, as long as they commit to establishing a smelter within the next five years.

As a result, the ministry was able to book Rp 23.2 trillion in royalties, Rp 16.9 trillion in mining commodities sales and Rp 500 billion in permanent fees.

The PNBP from renewable energy, especially geothermal power, reached Rp 933 billion, surpassing the original target of Rp 671 billion. (bbn)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post)  Tue, January 2 2018

For many, 2017 was too much to bear. Sectarianism, which reached a fever pitch this year during the last leg of the Jakarta gubernatorial election, led many to believe that it would be a harbinger of things to come in 2018. In other parts of the world, things were not much different.



In the United States, President Donald Trump practically sucked the oxygen out of the room by dominating the news cycle with his defense of white supremacists and his threats to unleash fire and fury against North Korea.



Even Germany, a beacon of stability in Eu...
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) New Delhi, India  Tue, January 2, 2018 19:54 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fb28da 2 World Israel,India,missile,weapon Free

India is to buy 131 surface-to-air missiles from Israel in a $70 million deal, the defense ministry announced Tuesday ahead of a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Barak missiles made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are to be used for India's first aircraft carrier which is under construction.

Netanyahu will lead a business delegation to India on a four day trip expected in mid-January. Israel has become a major defense supplier to India, selling an average of $1 billion of military equipment each year.

Last April the two countries signed a military deal worth nearly $2 billion which includes the supply over several years of medium-range surface-to-air missiles, launchers and communications technology.

It was unclear whether the deal announced Tuesday was part of that.

The Indian defense ministry also said it had approved the purchase of 240 bombs from Russia's JSC Rosonboron Exports for $188 million.

"This procurement will address the deficiency of precision-guided munitions in the IAF (Indian Air Force) arsenal, besides enhancing the offensive capabilities of the IAF," it said in a statement.

India, which has longstanding territorial disputes with neighbors China and Pakistan, has signed several big-ticket defense deals since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014.

It has however been moving away from relying on traditional ally Russia for military hardware.
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 2, 2018 18:19 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fb0ddc 4 Business Monetization,infrastructure-project Free

The Office of the Coordinating Economic Minister plans to monetize a number of infrastructure projects through the Limited Concession Scheme (LCS), kontan.co.id reported on Monday.

Currently, the office is preparing a presidential regulation on the legal basis of the policy.

Undersecretary for industry and commerce Elen Setiadi said on Sunday that his office was still waiting for proposals from state-owned enterprises (SOEs) on which infrastructure projects could be monetized.

Next Week, maybe, we can finalize [the plans] after Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin [Nasution] agrees on what projects can be monetized, Elen said.

Meanwhile, the undersecretary for infrastructure acceleration and regional development Wahyu Utomo said the draft would be discussed with a number of related ministries before being handed over to the Presidential Office.

He declined to mention the projects that would be monetized through the LCS scheme. The Transportation Ministry proposed airports, while the State-owned Enterprises Ministry wanted road projects to be included, he added.

Previously, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi said a number of assets like Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya, Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Banten and I Gusti Ngurah Rai in Bali were among the projects that could be monetized.

Under the LCS, existing infrastructure will be offered to investors and granted as operational concessions. The funds raised would be used to finance other infrastructure projects. (srs/bbn)
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Linkedin Eric Randolph (Agence France-Presse) Tehran, Iran  Tue, January 2, 2018 13:55 1341 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fa6f79 2 World Iran,protest,economic-inequality Free

A fifth night of unrest in Iran saw a policeman killed and sporadic demonstrations in several parts of the country, local media and online users reported Tuesday, despite moves to crack down on the biggest protests against the regime in years.

Small groups of protesters ran through the streets of Tehran on Monday evening, before a heavy police presence restored calm, local agencies said.

The unrest remained focused on provincial towns and cities, although fewer videos on social media suggested less activity in many areas.

State television said one policeman was 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".

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, described the unrest -- the biggest challenge to the regime since mass protests in 2009 -- as a "proxy war against the Iranian people".

"Hashtags and messages about the situation in Iran come from the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia," he told local media.

Iran's intelligence ministry released a statement saying "instigators" have been identified "and will be dealt with seriously soon".

The Revolutionary Guards have yet to fully intervene against the protesters, but published photos on Monday of three wanted people and called on the public to report any "seditionist elements".

Rouhani has tried to play down the unrest, which began over economic grievances in second city Mashhad last Thursday but quickly turned against the Islamic regime as a whole with chants of "Death to the dictator".

"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."

Pro-regime rallies were held across several towns and cities -- reflecting continued support among a large conservative section of society.

A total of 13 people have so far been reported killed in the protests, including six killed by gunfire in the western town of Tuyserkan on Sunday and two others shot dead in the southwestern town of Izeh.

Two more, including a teenage boy, were run down and killed by a fire engine stolen by protesters in the western town of Dorud on Sunday -- a story emphasised on state television.

Reporting restrictions remained tight, but videos on social media continued to show widespread anti-government protests in many areas.
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Linkedin Anton Hermansyah and Farida Susanti (The Jakarta Post) Tangerang, Banten  Tue, January 2, 2018 12:22 1341 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fa3d70 1 Business Jokowi,airport-transportation,operation Free

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Tuesday inaugurated the new airport train that connects Soekarno-Hatta Airport Station in Tangerang, Banten, and Manggarai Station in South Jakarta.

Wearing a casual purple shirt and red running shoes, Jokowi arrived at the airport train station at 9:00 a.m. He was accompanied by State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Rini Mariani Soemarno, Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and Public Works and Public Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.

"After three years of working hard, we can finally officiate the airport train," the President said in his speech.

He said the airport train would be integrated with other public transportation such as the Greater Jakarta Commuter Line, the light rail transit (LRT) and the bus rapid transit (BRT).

Jokowi then rode the airport train from Soekarno-Hatta station to Sudirman Baru Station (BNI City) in South Jakarta. The trip took about 55 minutes.

The airport train operates 42 single-trips per day.

Services from South Jakartas Sudirman Baru Station starts at 3:51 a.m., with the last train departing at 9:51 p.m., as several facilities at Manggarai Station are still under construction.

From Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, trains run at at hourly intervals with the first train departing at 6:10 a.m. and the last train departing at 11:10 p.m .

Tickets are available at a flat price of Rp 70,000 (US$4.9). (bbn)
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Linkedin (Agence France-Presse) Islamabad, Pakistan  Tue, January 2, 2018 14:01 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fa783e 2 World US,trump,Pakistan,tweetstorms Free

Pakistan has summoned the US ambassador, an embassy spokesman said Tuesday, a rare public rebuke after Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad with threats to cut aid over "lies" about militancy.

Ambassador David Hale was asked to go to the foreign office in the Pakistani capital on Monday night, after Islamabad responded angrily to the US President's allegations that it provided safe havens for militants in the latest spat to rock their alliance.

A US embassy spokesman confirmed Hale met officials, but added: "We don't have any comment on the substance of the meeting."

There was no immediate response from foreign office officials.

Trump used his first tweet of 2018 to tear into Islamabad.

"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 early-morning New Year's Day tweet.

"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

Pakistan hit back swiftly, saying it had done much for the United States, helping it to "decimate" Al-Qaeda, while getting only "invective & mistrust" in return in angry comments from its foreign and defence ministers.

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.

After the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, Washington forged a strategic alliance with Islamabad to help in its fight against militancy.

But US leaders have often complained that Pakistan, long accused by Washington and Kabul of supporting the Taliban, has done too little to help.

Of foremost concern is Islamabad's attitude toward the powerful Haqqani network, whose leader Sirajuddin Haqqani is the deputy leader of the Afghan Taliban.

The group is accused of some of the most lethal attacks on US forces in Afghanistan, and was dubbed by America's former top military officer Mike Mullen as a "veritable arm" of Pakistani intelligence.
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Linkedin Hwang Sunghee (Agence France-Presse) Seoul, South Korea  Tue, January 2, 2018 15:50 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fa9ade 2 World Korea,KimJongUn,dialogue Free

South Korea Tuesday proposed high-level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un called for a breakthrough in relations and said his country might attend the Winter Olympics in the South next month.

Kim used his annual New Year address to warn he has a "nuclear button" on his table, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating in the Pyeongchang Games.

South Korea's unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon told a press conference that Seoul was "reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form".

"The government proposes to hold high-level government talks with North Korea on January 9 at the Peace House in Panmunjom," Cho said, referring to a truce village in the demilitarised zone separating the two Koreas.

"We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties."

Cho added that the specifics of the proposed talks, including its agenda, could be discussed through the inter-Korean hotline at Panmunjom, which has been cut off since 2016.

The Koreas, divided by the demilitarised zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, last held high-level talks in 2015 in an effort to ease border tensions.

Those talks were led by then-South Korean national security adviser Kim Kwan-Jin and his North Korean counterpart Hwang Pyong-So but failed to reach an agreement.

"Just the fact that they are meeting will be meaningful because it signals an attempt on both sides to improve relations," said Koh Yu-Hwan, a political science professor at Dongguk University.

But once they sit down, the North could put Seoul in a difficult position by making unacceptable demands such as an end to the annual joint military drills with the United States, Koh added.

"What North Korea is trying to do is re-establish its relations (with Seoul) as a nuclear state. The South's dilemma is whether we can accept that," Koh said.

Dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favoured engagement to defuse tensions with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim's suggestion that there could be an opportunity to kick-start dialogue.

However, he indicated that improvements in inter-Korean ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearisation of the North.

Moon proposed Red Cross and military talks last year, but Pyongyang did not respond.
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Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 2, 2018 19:22 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fb21e0 2 City Jakarta-accidents,North-Jakarta Free

Three children were found dead on Monday on a vacant plot of land owned by state-owned PT Kawasan Berikat Nusantara (KBN) in Cilincing, North Jakarta, after apparently being electrocuted.

The victims are a 12-year-old resident of the Marunda low-cost apartment building, and two others aged 8 and 13, who both lived on Jl. Marunda Kongsi in Cilincing, North Jakarta.

They allegedly trespassed on the land to abuse inhalants, as glue commonly used for sniffing was found on the scene.

The empty land, owned by KBN, is closed to the public [by concrete fences]. Judging by the evidence in the form of a peeled-off cable, the police suspect the victims died of electrocution, Cilincing Police chief Comr. Ali Zufron said in a statement on Tuesday.

The bodies were found while several residents of the Marunda low-cost apartment building were playing volleyball.

One of the residents went to retrieve the volleyball, which had bounced away from the court and toward the area, and found the three bodies nearby the fence. The residents then reported the discovery to the police.

Ali said the children might have been dead for two days before being found by the residents.

The police took the bodies to National Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, for further examination. (wit)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Tue, January 2, 2018 21:45 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2fb3fcc 1 Business tourists,arrivals,November-2107 Free

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) announced on Tuesday that tourist arrivals from January to November reached 12.68 million last year, or 21.84 percent higher compared to the figure in the corresponding period in 2016.

BPS head Suhariyanto said his agency was still waiting for the data in December, which was supposed to be the peak season of tourist arrivals, but many tourists had to cancel their trips to Indonesia, particularly to Bali because of the eruption of Mount Agung.

Let's just wait for the December data to know how many foreign tourists we welcomed in 2017," he said at a press conference in Jakarta.

Indonesia targeted to have 15 million foreign tourists last year.

Arrivals at two major airports  Soekarno-Hatta International Airport and Ngurah Rai International Airport  decreased by 0.93 and 9.63 percent year-on-year (yoy), respectively.

He said arrivals at Ngurah Rai Airport and Lombok International Airport in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) decreased steeply in November by 22.55 percent and 14.39 percent respectively.

China, the largest contributor, contributed 13.36 percent to total tourist arrivals in November, followed by Singapore with 12.25 percent of tourists, Malaysia with 11.30 percent and Australia with 7.81 percent. (srs/bbn)
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Linkedin David Wainer (Bloomberg) Tel Aviv, Israel  Tue, January 2, 2018 18:15 1340 1f87594453bb792833e1ece3a2faf5eb 2 World Israel,US,Mike-Pence,visit Free

Vice President Mike Pence, who postponed a Middle East trip after Arab leaders denounced the new US policy on Jerusalem, isnt scheduled to visit Israel in January, either, according to an Israeli official.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said the visit isnt included in the schedule of high-level dignitaries in January, without elaborating on the reason for the delay. White House and Pence spokespeople didnt have immediate comment.

The vice president had planned to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December and deliver a speech to the Israeli Knesset, but the visit was put off until this month.

The official reason given was a critical Senate vote on the tax reform bill, but the postponement followed Arab objections to President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who claims east Jerusalem for the capital of a future state of Palestine, canceled a scheduled meeting with Pence in response to the US move.
Posted Monday, January 1, 2018 11:00 pm

For nearly 50 years, he's been the one to call when you needed something. He's made house calls and hospital visits. He's been there to celebrate the joy of new babies and there to comfort patients when the times got rough.

But Dr. Roger McFarlin officially hung up his stethoscope on Wednesday, Dec. 27, retiring from HSHS Family Medicine in Hillsboro.

A 1962 graduate of Hillsboro High School, he returned to the community in 1972 to practice medicine with Dr. Jim Telfer.

The son of the late Lloyd and Nelda McFarlin, he earned his bachelor of science degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and then graduated from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Kentucky. Before returning to Hillsboro, he completed an internship at Denver General Hospital in Colorado and did two years of private practice in Anaconda, MT.

"He offered me a job, and I wanted to be close to my family and friends," said Dr. McFarlin.

Over the years, he's taken care of hundreds of community residents, and made sure they had the best possible care. The best part of his job - his patients, which is also the part he will miss the most.

"They're not just our patients," said his wife Doris. "They're our family and our friends."

Throughout his career, he has been on the medical staff at Hillsboro Area Hospital and served on the hospital's board of directors, and was the medical director at Montgomery Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He has served on the board for both the Montgomery County Health Department and the TB Board, and is a longtime member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

In 2005, he was honored by the Hillsboro Education Foundation's Distinguished Alumni Award, and in 2013, he received the Rural Physician of Excellence Award from the Illinois Rural Health Association.

During his retirement, he plans to keep busy on his farm and with his family.

"We'll just continue to do what we do and enjoy each other's company," he said.

At this time, the HSHS Family Medicine Clinic in Hillsboro will remain open with nurse practitioners Megan Adams and Ki Ristia Allen-Lampe.

"I appreciate the patients and their friendship and trust," Dr. McFarlin said. "And I've appreciated the opportunity to take care of them."
Posted Monday, January 1, 2018 11:00 pm

The city of Witt held their council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at the Witt City Hall.

An update was given by Stephen Bowers on the problems the city of Witt is having with the Monroe St. lift station. Prairie State quoted the city $19,000 for repairs. However, Bowers stated that the city employees can make the repairs for less money. Reinforced towels are still creating a problem getting caught in the pumps in the lift stations, and the city wants residents to understand that these types of items cannot be flushed. The board voted not to spend more than $6,000 to make repairs to the Monroe St. lift station, and this amount includes outside contract labor and materials.

Alderman Jay Martin made a motion to adopt the sexual harassment ordinance as presented. That motion passed.

After much discussion, a motion was made to decrease the amount of water provided to Montgomery County Rural Water (MCRW), due to the shortage of rain. John Bauerle abstained and Donna Yeske voted no.

Repairs of the bridge on North St. and Illinois St. are needed, due to the washing out of the road. Repairs include replacing the culvert. The road has been barricaded for the time being.

The council has accepted the resignation of Shawn Cady, which was submitted on Nov. 11. The council also accepted the resignation of Tim Taylor which is effective immediately.
Jack Read's School Days

Jack read (Richard Attenborough), a son of a grocer from Pimlico, finds himself being awarded a scholarship to Saintbury, an exclusive public school, thanks to a report which suggested an experiment to mix boys from different classes. Unsurprisingly he finds himself the odd one out with many of the boys mocking his less than refined ways whilst he struggles to follow some of the traditions of the school which humiliate the new boys. But he finds himself an ally in new teacher Mr. Lorraine (Robert Flemyng) who in turns finds himself becoming romantically involved with Lynne Hartley (Sheila Sim), the daughter of housemaster Lloyd Hartley (Cecil Trouncer).

It is kind of interesting watching "The Guinea Pig" as during the 80s I went to an all Boys school which had formerly been a grammar school which still had some of the types of traditions which you encounter in this movie. There was the almost ritual humiliation of being a new boy, whilst the history of the school was drummed in to us by headmasters who often wore their gowns. Anyway what you get in "The Guinea Pig" is a simple story of a working class boy proving himself in amongst those who think they are better than him and in doing so improving himself.

Of course there is an almost amusing side to "The Guinea Pig" with Richard Attenborough who had turned 24 when this movie was released; I believe 23 when he made it. On top of that Attenborough was already married at the time and his wife Sheila Sim appears in this movie as the daughter of Lloyd Hartley who ends up with Mr. Lorraine whilst Attenborough finds himself becoming interested with the girl who works in a book shop. In many ways it is these added elements which help to make this a little more entertaining than it is as without these this is just a predictable walk through of an academic underdog storyline.

What this all boils down to is that "The Guinea Pig" is an okay movie especially for those who enjoy the vintage movies of Richard Attenborough. But there is nothing which is stand out about it.
Unlocked Graduates is a new leadership programme in the model of Teach First that works to get top graduates into prisons working as frontline prison officers for two years. Their first participants started at six prisons in the south east at the beginning of September, and Unlocked is now recruiting for 2018.

Sabrina graduated with a BSc in Psychology from Aston University in July 2016. Here she tells us why Unlocked Graduates was the right choice for her next step, and why shes so excited about beginning her career in the prison service...

Did you know what you wanted to do when you left university?

I wasnt exactly sure what route I wanted to take after my degree, however I knew I wanted a role where I could be a source of support or mentor people who needed it and help change lives.

When did you realise Unlocked Graduates was the right choice for you?

I wanted a graduate scheme and I wanted to find one that would help me develop and gain additional qualifications. I came across the Unlocked Graduate programme, looked through it and automatically knew it was job I wanted.

I previously worked in a primary school for my placement year, and felt like the Unlocked Graduates scheme would be a very similar role, just with greater responsibilities and with adults as opposed to young children.

Was working in the prison service something youd considered before?

I had never considered being a prison officer, but looking through the Unlocked website made me eager to become one. Thinking about the impact I could have, I knew I had to apply. I feel its vital to have a diverse workforce, and being a young black female myself, I know it isnt always the easiest. However, I knew this role at Unlocked would enable me to be a role model.

Was there anything in your past that made you want to pursue this career area?

I havent had the easiest of upbringings; my mum was a single parent, unfortunately she died when I was 11 and then I went into local authority care.

I refused to allow my past experiences prevent me from reaching success, I didnt want to be another statistic, I wanted to be an inspiration to others, to show them that they can achieve anything they desire despite any setbacks.

This leadership development programme at Unlocked will enable me to do this, whilst providing me with opportunities and qualifications to help me excel in my role.

What are your immediate hopes for your career?

Im extremely excited to start my position this year, to motivate, encourage and support others whilst aiming to reduce rates of reoffending. I know the role will be challenging, but life isnt easy, and I dont think a job should be easy either.

As long as at least one person can say Sabrina believed in me and helped me then Ive succeeded.

Interested? Unlocked Graduates is recruiting for its 2018 cohort at the moment. You can apply on their website.

This article originally appeared on Bright Network.
The 'Little Miss' series has announced a new, feminist character: Little Miss Inventor.

The Little Miss series by Roger Hargreaves is wildly popular, having run for 45 years and counting. There are over 90 other characters, including Miss Bossy and Little Miss Somersault. This new book will cleverly be released on March 8, 2018, meaning it will coneside with International Womans Day and British Science Week.

Although we would have liked to see this done quite some time sooner, this is an important step in the right direction, especially considering how big this franchise is and how many young girls it influences. In STEM careers, females are significantly underrepresented, which results in women having harder times in these fields and not pursuing these careers, just because they are considered a more male job. It has been noted by Microsoft that even when girls start showing an interest in a STEM field at around age 11, by age 16 their interest has significantly diminished.

Little Miss Inventor is a wonderful addition to the variety of characters, and hopefully more diverse characters continue to come from these books, giving young girls role models to look up to. It is important to have these role models, because even though many strong female protagonist are coming out in the media, there are still frequent gender stereotypes.

These stereotypes not only hurt young girls, but young boys just as much. A study from the Journal of Adolescent Health showed that gender norms that appear in childhood have negative impacts that carry into adulthood. Some of the repercussions of gender norms in girls include depression, leaving school early, and exposure to violence.

This reiterates the importance of having more female role models, such as Little Miss Inventor.
Poet Tony Walsh is gifting usage of his poem This Is The Place to a charity supporting communities in Greater Manchester.

The verses captured the response of the city after a terror attack at an Ariana Grande show last May killed 22 concert-goers.

The poet, who writes under the name Longfella, recited the piece at the vigil for the victims of the bombing at Manchester Arena and later at the One Love Manchester concert and it came to symbolise the defiant response to the attack.

Walsh has announced he is gifting usage of the work and associated royalties to the Forever Manchester charity, which initially commissioned it in 2013, to support grassroots community activity.

He said: This Is The Place has entered the fabric of the city in a way an artist can only dream of.

Every day I receive a request to use the poem in all sorts of different ways and people stop me in the street to tell me how it has helped or affected their lives.

It feels only natural to continue to use the poem to help a charity that really makes a difference to the people of Greater Manchester.

The poem has already been used to make a book, a record, a piece of artwork and been used on buildings across the city and has raised more than 150,000 for Forever Manchester, the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnhams homelessness fund.

6 months on. Always remember, never forget. Choose Love, Manchester.  ThisIsThePlace Book (@thisplacemcr) November 22, 2017

Nick Massey, chief executive of Forever Manchester, said: Back in 2013 we asked Tony Walsh to bring our cause to life, to give it a voice and a personality to our local communities.

What we got back was the amazing poem This is the Place.

But it was never intended to mark a moment in time, its a poem that should always remind us just how important our local communities are, in bad times, sure but perhaps more importantly, in good times too.

Communities matter now more than ever. Lets recognise their value and make sure that we nurture them and play our role in ensuring they thrive, now and forever.

The poem will be available for free for educational purposes in school libraries and colleges but businesses will be requested to make a donation to the Forever Manchester charity in accordance with their size and usage.

Profits from any requests to produce merchandise will also benefit the charity.
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Relief is on the way for residents of Eastwood who have endured wells running dry and poor water quality for years.
The rupee retreated from fresh five- month high level to trade lower by 4 paise at 63.72 against the US currency in early session on some dollar buying by importers and banks.

The domestic currency opened marginally up at 63.67 and jumped 6 paise to a fresh five-month high of 63.62 at the interbank foreign exchange market on dollar selling by exporters.

However, the rupee lost steam soon and retreated to a low of 63.72 at 0930 hrs, down by 4 paise compared to previous close of 63.68 a dollar.

The stock markets also opened strong but lost some of the gains later. The BSE Sensex was trading up 48.77 points or 0.14 per cent at 33,861.52 after hitting a high of 33,964.14.

FIIs bought shares worth Rs 325 crore in net basis on Monday.

Globally, the US dollar fell against major currencies as traders booked profit after passage of US tax bill and expectations of monetary tightening by central banks supported the euro and the British pound.

On Monday, the rupee kicked off the new year on a bullish note by surging to close at a fresh five-month high of 63.68 a dollar, gaining 19 paise against its US counterpart.
The Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Tuesday gave in-principle approval for the construction of two Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals, 100 bedded hospital in Bahadurgarh and 150 bedded in Bawal.

This was revealed by the Haryana Minister of State for Labour and Employment minister, Nayab Singh after meeting the Union minister, in New Delhi. Saini said that in the meeting, Gangwar advised to identify land of five acre each for the construction of these two hospitals. The Union minister also suggested identifying 2.5 acre land adjoining the already approved 2.5 acre.

For this purpose, directions have been issued to ESI Healthcare, Haryana to issue in-principle approval letter, he added.
Pandemonium marred Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohras opening address to a joint session of the assembly here as the opposition raised slogans against the failure on all fronts of the PDP-BJP state government and staged a walkout.

As Vohra started his address to begin the Budget session, members of the National Conference and Congress stood up shouting slogans against the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government.

They shouted PDP-BJP Hai Hai and obstructed Vohras speech before walking out of the House. Vohra later delivered his address to the bicameral House.

The legislature was scheduled to take up obituary references to former members who passed away since it met the last time.

Earlier, Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, brother of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was sworn in as a member of the state Legislative Council, the Upper House.

Tassaduq Mufti has already been inducted into the state cabinet and he has been assigned the Tourism portfolio.

Speaking to the media after staging a walkout from the legislature, Ali Muhammad Sagar, legislator and senior NC leader said: We have walked out of the session against the failure of the state government.

State government has failed on every front. Todays protest has been staged to tell the government that it has failed in giving even basic amenities to people.

Both the NC and Congress legislators staged a sit-in outside the legislature after walking out of the House.
The 40-day Budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir legislature began on Tuesday on a stormy note with opposition members disrupting Governor NN Vohras address by raising slogans against the PDP-BJP government and later staging a walkout.

In his address to the joint session of the legislature, Vohra appealed to the Kashmiri separatists to be part of the peace process and accept special representative Dineshwar Sharmas offer to engage in dialogue.

As soon as Vohra started his address in Central Hall, opposition members were on their feet raising slogans against the government and demanding its dismissal.

The Governor stopped his address for a while as the opposition continued to wave placards and raise slogans against the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party governments failure on all fronts.

They accused the state government of having derailed the panchayat system by deciding to hold indirect election of sarpanches.

The Governors address was not audible in the din as opposition members thumped their desks to disrupt his speech.

Members of the Congress, National Conference and independents later staged a walkout after the senior-most NC member Mohammad Shafi Uri read a memorandum that he later submitted to the Governor.

Independent MLA Engineer Rashid, who is considered pro-separatists, did not walk out and continued disrupting the Governors address, demanding the dismissal of the Mehbooba Mufti government over the killing of innocent people in Kashmir.

Before the session began, he demonstrated outside the legislature complex demanding the right to self-determination in J&K.

After walking out, opposition members squatted outside the Assembly where leader of Congress legislature party Rigzin Jora, and National Conference MLAs Ali Mohammad Sagar and Devinder Rana said the coalition government has failed on all fronts from security to governance.

They said the government has failed to control corruption that has touched a new high under the present regime. Security personnel and innocent people were getting killed in the Valley but the government claims the situation is improving.Casualties suffered by security forces have increased manifold, they said.

Border residents are facing the brunt of Pakistani shelling which has also gone up alarmingly, a 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 border residents have increased manifold, he said.

In his address, the Governor stressed that the challenges to the peace process will be met through dialogue, which is the best means of resolving all disagreements.

Peace is a great force-multiplier. As engagements with all stakeholders gain ground, there will be yearning for peace.And when peace comes, it will create its own externalities, he said.
A new species of semi-aquatic spider has been discovered scuttling over corals exposed by the receding tides on an Australian beach. The spider has been named Desis bobmarleyi in honour of the legendary reggae musician and his song High tide or low tide, by the scientists who discovered it.

Desis bobmarleyi belongs to a family of marine spiders with special behaviours that allow them to survive submersion in water. They seem to have adapted to an underwater lifestyle by hiding in air-filled pockets in rock cavities, shells and seaweed.

While the tide is high and the spiders homes are covered by water, they build silk chambers in these pockets to seal themselves inside, allowing them to breath. Then, at low tide, they emerge from their chambers to feed on small shore-dwelling creatures, which they pierce with their large jaws.

It is partly this behaviour that inspired the unusual name for the new species, but its not the only reason. The song High tide or low tide promotes love and friendship through all struggles of life, said Barbara Baehr, a spider expert at Queensland Museum, Australia, who co-authored the study describing the new spider, It is Bob Marleys music that aided a field trip to Port Douglas in coastal Queensland to collect spiders with a highly unique

biology.

The description of the species was published in the journal Evolutionary Systematics. Male and female specimens were found living on coral along the shoreline by the Great Barrier Reef.

Mike Gray at the Australian Museum described in a blog post how marine spiders had once been common residents of Sydney harbour but were relatively unknown now. Although marine spiders are known from many areas of the Australian coast, it appears that people rarely notice them, wrote Gray.
The journal, Nature, has selected David R Liu, a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Boston, as the first of the 10 people who mattered in 2017. Liu has developed gene-editing tools that are new to nature, and that could one day save lives, says the write-up in the journal.

In October 2017, the journal had carried a paper by David Liu with Nicole M Gaudelli, Alexis C Komor, Holly A Rees, Michael S Packer, Ahmed H Badran and David I Bryson, working at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, which described a technique of targeting a single component of a vast DNA molecule and making a correction in that component, without disturbing the rest of the molecule.

It is this DNA molecule, of course, which is present in the nucleus of every cell of an organism, which contains the action programme of what proteins the cell will produce, and hence the characteristics of the organism. If there are errors in that programme, naturally, cells do not produce the right proteins, and there is disease or malfunction of the organism. The DNA itself is a chain of millions of units, in the form of two complementary strands in the shape of a helix, but folded and compact, to fit inside the cell nucleus. The millions of units in the DNA are grouped in segments, which are the codes for specific proteins. The segments, in turn, consist of groups of three links in the chain, and each group of three, called a triad, codes for one of 20 possible amino acids, which are the components of proteins.

A segment of DNA thus entails a large collection, in a specific order, of amino acids from a menu of 20 possible ones. As the segment can be long indeed, a huge sequence of amino acids, and hence a huge number of distinct proteins can be specified by the code. There is also the device of more than one coding for some amino acids, to take care of errors in the structure of the units. Errors, however, do occur and these change the specific structure of proteins, leading to disease with a genetic origin.

A promising method to repair such errors has been with the recent technique, CRISPR, which cuts the DNA at a place that can be specified by the clinician. If this cut is made at the place where an error has crept in, there is a possibility for the error not to persist when the two parts rejoin, resulting in a remedy of the genetic error.

The units that make up the triads, a sequence of which make up the segments of DNA, consists of just four basic kinds, which are named, A,T,G and C. These units occur in the two strands of the DNA in only four possible combinations  G-C or C-G and A-T or T-A. Occurrence of any one in one strand thus determines the units of the other strand, and this is the principle behind each strand being able to build up the complementary strand when a cell divides.

Now, as each unit, called a base pair, can thus be one of four kinds, a triad can be in 4x4x4=64 forms. These are the combinations of base pairs that code, with redundancy built in, for the 20 amino acids of which all proteins consist.

The CRISPR technique has derived from a system that is native to bacteria, in their defence against viruses. Viruses are little more than their own DNA and what they do to the cells that they infect is to monopolise the cells resources for their own proliferation. The defence that bacteria employs is to copy a segment of the virus DNA into its own DNA and use this template, at a subsequent virus attack, to chop the attacker at the place where the segment appears, with the help of associated segment, called the CAS (CRISPR Associated) gene. CRISPR/CAS is thus a powerful tool which makes use of a portion of a strand of DNA, along with the enzyme, CAS9, to cleave DNA at an identified place.

The authors of the paper in Nature note that about half of all known point mutations or single point errors in genes, which cause disease, are because a C in a base pair changes to T and the CG pair becomes a TA pair. The ability to change an AT pair back to a GC pair could thus have great value in correcting genetic features that cause disease. Carrying out such correction with the help of CRISPR/CAS9 and related paths, which involve a break in the DNA, has undesirable outcomes. As the methods only create a break at a specific location and have little control on how the two parts of a divided DNA would rejoin, there could be chance insertion or deletion of a part of the DNA, or the movement of a segment to another part of the DNA. Methods that directly target the error in the DNA structure, by converting one base pair into another, called base editing, have thus been developed.

A number methods have been developed, the paper says, to convert a C into a U (a form related to a T) and lead to permanently converting a CG base pair into a TA. This is also the change that occurs spontaneously. No methods, however, had been developed to convert AT to a GC, which would help reverse a great many CG to TA base pair changes that are associated with disease. This is the task Liu and his group, particularly Nicole Gaudelli and Holly Rees, undertook and is described in the Nature paper. While the conversion of GC to TA has used enzymes found in nature, the reverse conversion required the creation of a new and unknown enzyme in the laboratory.

The Nature citation that recognises Lius work says that his lab pioneered the development of new enzymes and the first methods to convert G to T in many organisms. The methods were successfully used in bacteria, yeast, plants, zebra fish, and animals and recently in China to correct a single base pair mutation in a human embryo. But there was no assurance that Lius team would be able to find an enzyme that could make it possible to reverse, or change TA to CG. Till the relentless efforts of Nicole Gaudelli, in Lius team, nobody could come up with the evasive enzyme.

The enzyme has been tried out with the base, A, in different environments and has even succeeded in correcting a genetic cause of build-up of iron in tissue and organs. The efficiency of base editing was found to average a high 53 per cent and there were no adverse effects. This advance in single base pair editing, could be refined to give clinicians access and control over patients genetic heritance.
Late last year, business reporters from across the world were invited to Shanghai  Chinas largest city  to witness the people of the most populous country in the world shop relentlessly for 24 hours.

The Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, one of the worlds largest retailers, has been celebrating the countrys ability to buy in abundance through its shopping fests since 2009. Through its 11.11 shopping festival, held on November 11 each year on Singles Day (an official national festival in China where young people celebrate the fact that they are single), the company has turned the countrys purchases into a spectacle for the world.

With humongous monitors that kept a count of the countrys spending each microsecond, the fest-day sales last November had clocked in at about $25.4 billion (over Rs 1.5 trillion), making it the largest shopping extravaganza ever held in the world. Sales events like Black Friday (day following Thanksgiving Day in the US, usually in November) and Cyber Monday (Monday after Thanksgiving Day where websites push online shopping) had existed much before Alibaba introduced its flagship shopping event. But the advent of Internet on mobile phones has effectively allowed the Alibaba Group to convert people into consumers who shopped religiously  not just when given discounts, but also to establish brand loyalty.

The very same mobile phone has managed to turn Indians into diligent shoppers as well, awakening the buyer in many smartphone-owning citizens. Even those who rarely visit shopping malls are now made aware of the best time to buy a television or a mobile phone, thanks to the mobile applications of shopping portals. The online shopping festivals, particularly, have succeeded in turning non-believers in digital purchasing into believers who are eager to grab the deals on offer.

Shopping festivals are not just about offering consumers products at great prices, but are platforms for brands to explore newer and more innovative ways of engaging with people. It is to showcase how technology presents an opportunity for consumer engagement, Alibaba Group Chief Marketing Officer Chris Tung told IANS in an email. With increasing Internet penetration in China (over 53 per cent of the total 1.37 billion population), visits to shopping malls have been digitised for the convenience of millennials, the drivers of online shopping, who admit to impulsive shopping online  a trend that mirrors in India as well.

Indias leading e-tailer Flipkart and the local arm of American e-commerce major Amazon, along with other digital platforms, have managed to get Indians  not just from metros, but also from smaller towns  to go on an online shopping spree largely through their shopping festivals. The average Indian shopper, who was known to put his/her money on a product  that too a brand he or she has known for long  only after making a store visit, was suddenly seen waiting for Big Billion Day (Flipkarts online sales event) or Amazons Great Indian Festival to purchase a mobile phone.

In 2016, about 69 million of Indias 1.25 billion population had shopped online and the number was expected to cross the 100-million mark in 2017, according to a Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) study. When we launched in India four years ago, e-commerce was mostly an urban phenomenon limited to occasional shopping in few categories  led by discounts. The real opportunity to let anyone, anywhere in India buy online was unaddressed. We were driven to create a company that transforms how India buys and sells, an Amazon India spokesperson told IANS.

From kitchen knives, plastic containers, televisions, refrigerators to smart phones and even gold and diamond jewellery, Indians have now turned themselves into devoted digital consumers who boldly shop for their daily needs, luxuries and fancies online. The use of technology could soon further revolutionise our shopping experience, following the footsteps of the country pioneering in the e-commerce space  China. The Alibaba Group is now working extensively to diminish the barriers between online and offline shopping experiences.

The company has brought in new retail, which is equipping brick and mortar stores with technological mediums, allowing buyers to scan product barcodes for information about them, pay for them digitally, and even have them delivered at home. We want to digitise the offline world because we believe that integrating online and offline shopping experiences presents the best experience for consumers.

And once they experience how much simpler the process becomes, they are more compliant to adopting technology into the shopping experience, Tung asserted. By bringing the online and offline worlds closer, the company is demonstrating how it can eliminate the apprehension over technology and online shopping that exists among the older generations, a common aspect even in India. With the trust online platforms have managed to gain among Indians, the future of digital shopping in our country certainly seems to be a strong one  with the sect of believers in digital consumption only set to increase.
People rarely enjoy meeting a jellyfish. On the beach they appear limp, amorphous and blistered in the sun. In the water its often a brush of a tentacle on exposed skin followed by a sting.

They hardly evoke the serene elegance of a turtle or the majesty of a breaching humpback whale. But despite making a poor first impression, jellyfish are among the most unusual animals on Earth and deserve a second chance to introduce themselves.

Theyre survival masters

Jellyfish are among the most abundant organisms in the sea. Recent research suggests there are about 38 million tonnes of them just in the mesopelagic: the upper 200 metres of ocean.

Whats more, they are common in all oceans and have colonised the majority of marine habitats, including the deep sea.One reason they are so common is that contrary to appearances, a body made from jelly is a very successful strategy. Gelatinous bodies have evolved independently three times and have existed, largely unchanged, for at least 500 million years, surviving all five major extinction events in the Earths past that wiped out 99 per cent of all life.

They have superpowers

Many jellies have evolved unique abilities, some of which seem almost supernatural. Comb jellies produce mesmerising bioluminescent displays. One tropical species has formed a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae, which act like their own personal solar panels and let them obtain energy straight from the sun. Other species can produce copious amounts of offspring: large moon jellyfish females have been witnessed releasing over 400,000 young at a time.

Their piece de resistance is surely their second chance at youth. When conditions are unfavourable, certain species including compass, barrel, and moon jellyfish can reverse their development and effectively turn back into jelly-juveniles in order to wait out the hard times.

They have an amazing childhood

Many jellyfish belonging to the class scyphozoa have a remarkable and complex life cycle. These different life stages are so varied they were thought to represent entirely different species for a long time. Adult jellyfish reproduce sexually, releasing thousands of babies known as planulae into the plankton. Planulae spend a handful of days floating around before settling on hard substrata such as rocks, or artificial surfaces such as concrete or plastic.

Each planula then develops into a polyp, a small (two mm to three mm), stationary life form that feeds off floating bits of plankton. These polyps reproduce asexually, forming a colony of clones. When the time is right, the clones undergo a process known as strobilation, which transforms each one into something that looks like a stack of pancakes on a string. One by one, they are then released into the surrounding plankton. Although only a few millimetres in size, and lacking the obvious characteristics of an adult, the pancakes are in fact tiny jellyfish. Eventually they will mature into sexually reproducing adults and begin the cycle anew (assuming they dont reverse-develop if conditions are poor).

Depending on the species, a polyp can produce one, a handful, hundreds or even thousands of jellyfish at a time, sometimes over a period of many years. The combination of the amazing reproductive ability of adult jellyfish, coupled with the asexual reproduction of polyps, is thought to be one of the reasons why vast swarms, known as blooms, of jellyfish can apparently appear out of nowhere.

They have been a boon for mankind

Jellyfish can undoubtedly cause ecological and economic problems for humans. Mass outbreaks of jellyfish can overrun fish farms, block cooling pipes of power stations, burst fishing nets and damage tourist businesses. Their stings can also cause a severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis and even kill people. But jellyfish are also a source of medical collagen, which can be used in wound dressings or reconstructive surgery, and they are considered a delicacy in Japan and China.

But the greatest jellyfish contribution to humankind must be the green fluorescent protein, a common biomarker synthesised from crystal jellies. GFP allows scientists to monitor how certain genes work in real time, and has proved invaluable in medical research, being used in well over 30,000 studies including the study of HIV and Alzheimers disease. As such, the scientists behind the synthesis of GFP were awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2008. Jellyfish may well have started out as the villain, but to many scientists around the world, they have become the inadvertent hero.

They remain a fascinating mystery

There is still so much to discover about these amazing organisms. There is a lot of evidence to suggest jellyfish numbers are increasing in certain areas due to climate change and overfishing of other species. This has lead to the idea they may be increasing worldwide. However, at present, we simply lack the hard data to say with any confidence what is happening to the majority of these populations.

Another mystery is the actual role jellyfish play in ecosystems. Until recently it was thought that jellyfish may not be eaten by anything aside from the occasional turtle or sunfish, and they didnt make a significant contribution to the food chain. This prompted concerns that as jellyfish populations swelled there would be no natural control, and ecosystems may become jelly-dominated.

This concern is not totally trivial and a jellyfish-dominated ecosystem seems to have established off the coast of Namibia. But new analytical techniques involving acoustics, marine cameras, chemical analysis and DNA analysis have shown a variety of species actually do eat jellyfish. This means jellyfish likely play a more important role in marine ecosystems than previously thought. Documenting and understanding this is a top priority for jellyfish researchers.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Tuesday said the controversial National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill has been sent to the standing committee of Parliament even as doctors across the country have gone on a 12-hour countrywide strike called by the IMA.

The Union minister informed the Lok Sabha after taking into the consideration the demands of several members of the House and medical fraternity, the National Medical Commission Bill has been referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.

He requested the Chair to ask the committee to give its recommendation prior to the Budget session.

Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister JP Nadda had said that he has spoken to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and also put forth the perspective of the government in view of the strike.

The IMA has called the strike against the NMC Bill, which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. The Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha last week.

On Monday, a delegation of the IMA led by President KK Aggarwal and its national President Ravi Wankhede met Nadda, seeking strict amendments in the Bill.

The IMA has called the Bill anti-people and anti-patient.

The new Bill will also allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homeopathy and ayurveda to practice allopathy after completing a bridge course.

The IMA has 2.77 lakh members, which includes corporate hospitals, poly-clinics and nursing homes, across the country.

The protests come as the Bill is set to be taken up for discussion in Parliament on Tuesday.
A day after violent clashes were reported between two groups in Pune which left one dead, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday sought a judicial probe into the matter even as violent protests reached Mumbai.

We need to find out whether it was a planned incident or not. The police were present there in large numbers otherwise it would have been much worse, Fadnavis told media.

We will be requesting the Supreme Court for a judicial inquiry into the matter CID inquiry will also be conducted in the death of the youth, added Fadnavis as he announced Rs.10 lakh compensation for victims kin.

The violence erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima on Monday during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of the East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits.

Several lakhs of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some right-wing groups carrying saffron flags.

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged.

The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district. Rahul Fatangale, 28, from Nanded was killed in the incident.

NCP President Sharad Pawar blamed the Maharashtra administration for lapses and suspected the involvement of anti-social elements taking advantage of the situation to indulge in violence, which started with stone-pelting.
Two days after a terror attack on a CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir left four security personnel dead, in a shocking statement a BJP MP has said that those in the army are bound to die. He later apologised for his insensitive comments.

Talking the media, parliamentarian Nepal Singh from Uttar Pradeshs Rampur said: Those who are in the army are bound to die, is there any army in the world where the soldiers dont die?

Even in a brawl or a fight in a village, someone is bound to get hurt, he added.

The shocking statement created uproar especially on the social media as many slammed the MP and asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to sack the leader forcing him to issue a quick clarification and an apology.

I never meant to insult the army. I am very sad and I apologise for what I said, he said.

Four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and three local militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) were killed in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on Sunday after guerrillas attacked a CRPF training centre triggering fierce fighting that lasted nearly 12 hours.

Heavily-armed militants stealthily entered the camp in Lathpora area about two hours after midnight, hurling grenades and resorting to indiscriminate gunfire.
A day after caste clashes in Pune, Dalits in large numbers laid siege to Mumbai, blocking traffic and forcing shops to down shutters. As per reports, train services were also disrupted. As per the Mumbai police PRO, more than 100 people have been arrested.

A leader of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM), Prakash Ambedkar, who is Dr. BR Ambedkars grandson, also gave a Mumbai Bandh call for Wednesday.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday sought a judicial probe into the matter.

We need to find out whether it was a planned incident or not. The police were present there in large numbers otherwise it would have been much worse, Fadnavis told media.

We will be requesting the Supreme Court for a judicial inquiry into the matter CID inquiry will also be conducted in the death of the youth, added Fadnavis as he announced Rs.10 lakh compensation for victims kin.

The violence erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima on Monday during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of the East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits.

Several lakhs of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some right-wing groups carrying saffron flags.

The Mumbai Police advised the people not to believe in rumours and also clarified on traffic movement and situation.

Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged.

The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district. Rahul Fatangale, 28, from Nanded was killed in the incident.

NCP President Sharad Pawar blamed the Maharashtra administration for lapses and suspected the involvement of anti-social elements taking advantage of the situation to indulge in violence, which started with stone-pelting.
Minister of State for Home Affairs, Hansraj Ahir on Tuesday said a total of 580 terrorists have been killed since 2014 under the Narendra Modi government as compared to 471 between 2010 and 2013.

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Ahir said: There has been a huge increase in the number of killed terrorists. A total of 471 terrorists died between 2010 and 2013 while 580 terrorists have killed since 2014.

This is an accomplishment of the government, he added.

The statement comes two days after a terror attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Jammu and Kashmir left five security personnel dead.

Heavily-armed militants stealthily entered the camp in Lathpora area about two hours after midnight, hurling grenades and resorting to indiscriminate gunfire.

The Union government has faced the ire of the opposition following reports that despite receiving a tip-off about an impending fidayeen strike, the security forces failed to prevent the attack.
The Triple Talaq bill which was listed to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday will be delayed to Wednesday as the Centre is trying to build a consensus to ensure the smooth passage of the bill.

We are in talks with Congress party and others Hoping for a smooth passage (of Triple Talaq bill) in Rajya Sabha. It might be tabled tomorrow, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters outside the Parliament House.

According to reports, with the numbers not favouring the government in the Rajya Sabha, it would be difficult to get the bill passed as was done last Thursday in the Lok Sabha.

Therefore, a meeting between the ruling BJP and the opposition led by Congress and chaired by chairman of the upper house of Parliament, M Venkaiah Naidu is likely to be held on Tuesday.

The opposition parties have already met to decide their course of action on the bill.

The opposition parties including the Congress, Left, AIADMK and the DMK are in favour of sending the Muslim Women Protection of Rights in Marriage Bill 2017 to the Standing Committee but the government rejected the demand.

The amendments to the bill moved by the opposition too were rejected.

But the biggest bone of contention between the BJP and the opposition is the on the three-year jail term clause for the erring husband. The opposition has said that the clause can be misused by women to harass their husbands.
Fiery Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has thrown her hat into the ring to lead an anti-Modi opposition front in 2019. Consequently, Sonia Gandhi may reconsider her decision to retire.

Trinamool Congress MP Derek OBrien dropped clear hints about Mamatas ambitions at a recent press briefing. He launched into a lengthy account of the TMC chiefs four-decade long political career, the multiple ministerial portfolios she has held in the union government, her stunning victory in the 2016 state assembly polls which gave her a second term, her leading role in opposition protests against various decisions of the Modi government like demonetisation and so on. She has the best credentials to take on the BJP, OBrien summed up.

While Mamata has always claimed that she doesnt have Prime Ministerial aspirations, those who know her say she is focusing her energies on winning friends and influencing leaders in opposition parties to gain acceptability as a leader. She has even reached out to Gujarat Patidar activist Hardik Patel who is widely credited with helping the Congress to bring down the BJPs seat tally in the recent state elections. OBrien was at pains to point this out to the press.

Leadership tends to be a contentious issue among opposition parties, making unity a challenging task. Now that Mamatas ambitions are out in the open, a unified anti-Modi front may not be easy to forge. All eyes are on Sonia and Rahul. Sonia is probably the only one with the stature to put together an alliance to take on the BJP in the 2019 general election. But she may have to forgo her desire to see Rahul as PM to achieve it.

Goel earns his spurs

Vijay Goel has earned his spurs as minister of state for parliamentary affairs. He is believed to played a dynamic role behind the scenes in hammering out a compromise between the BJP and the Congress to resolve the impasse in the Rajya Sabha.

Goels secret weapon was his amicable relationship with Manmohan Singh. Not many know that the two get on quite well. In fact, when Goels daughter got married, Manmohan Singh attended the wedding. He was PM then but to the surprise of guests, spent a considerable amount of time at the reception.

When Narendra Modi suggested to Venkaiah Naidu and Arun Jaitley that they should seek a resolution to the Congress demand for an apology for questioning Manmohan Singhs patriotism in an election speech in Gujarat, Goel swung into action at his own initiative.

Apparently, he telephoned Manmohan Singh and sought a meeting. The former PM obliged and the two met for an hour. Goel then went to Jaitley to report the gist of his meeting. It was on the basis of Goels report that Jaitley and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad drafted a statement to end the impasse.

Goel is believed to have met Manmohan Singh again with the final draft to seek his approval. The former PM said he would go along with the consensus decision. BJP circles are bemused at how pro-active Goel was through this crisis and ultimately proved useful in resolving it.

Long wait?

The BJP is satisfied that it has scored brownie points with its Hindu voters by getting the Lok Sabha to pass the triple talaq bill in just a day. But it looks like the bill will have a long wait before it becomes law.

Opposition parties are annoyed that the government bypassed the convention of sending a new bill to the requisite standing committee for discussion and review. The government ignored the standing committee route and rammed the bill through in the Lok Sabha because it wanted to send a political message to its constituency. Sending it to the standing committee would have delayed its passage.

The opposition was helpless to stop the BJP game because it doesnt have numbers in the Lok Sabha. But it plans to flex its muscles in the Rajya Sabha when the bill comes up for discussion and passage next week.

They plan to press for a unified demand that the bill go to a select committee before it becomes law. They feel there are many flaws in the bill. One such flaw is that the police can suo moto take action if it believes that a man has divorced his wife using triple talaq. This gives enormous room for misuse and harassment.

Since the opposition has a majority in the Rajya Sabha, especially if all the parties stand together, the government may be forced to agree. Sending the bill to a select committee means that it may be a long while before triple talaq becomes a criminal offence punishable with a jail term

TN on the boil

After the handsome victory of Sasikalas nephew T T K Dinakaran in Jayalalithaas constituency of R K Nagar, where a bye poll was held recently, political parties in the Tamil Nadu are bracing themselves for a mid-term assembly poll in 2018. Even the ruling AIADMK knows its time is up.

The only way of delaying the inevitable is to lengthen the hearings that are going on in the Madras High Court challenging the disqualification of 18 MLAs belonging to the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK. It seems that as long as the case remains undecided, the E K Palaniswami government may survive despite its obvious fragility.

The funny thing is that whichever way the verdict goes, the current government will fall. If the 18 MLAs are disqualified, it will mean 18 bye-elections. After the R K Nagar verdict, EKP and his ally O Panneerselvam know that their faction may not win a single seat. A resounding defeat is the first step to the fall of the government.

If the disqualification is revoked, then too the government will fall because all parties are likely to join hands to bring a winning no-confidence motion against EKP. Politics in TN is on the boil.
The twin challenges of being a minority in his home state and the immense disadvantage of the Muslims for not being skilled in modern Western learning, was a wake-up call for Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (1818-98) to accept modern learning or face extinction. The task that he countenanced was stupendous as it was difficult for the Muslim elite to accept subordination under British rule, thus signalling a total departure from the earlier phase of grandeur of Muslim rule of seven hundred years. He effected the transition early in his life and saved many among the British in 1857. He was also aware of the relative backwardness of his community and tried to rectify the situation.

To rejuvenate the Muslim community, Sir Syed prepared a set of ground rules to be followed to attain the objective. The most important and unequivocal shift was in the acceptance of the British Raj as the legitimate government of the land. He was aware that he would meet stiff resistance as it meant a total departure from the earlier hope of restoration of Muslim rule. However, the huge setback at the debacle of 1857-58 created some space for him and like Rammohan Roy (1772-1833) in the context of his social reform amongst the Hindus, he reinterpreted the ancient texts. Sir Syed reinterpreted the Quran and asserted that jihad was prescribed only when peace was disrupted by non-Muslim rulers and if property and freedom of worship were threatened. Since the British were accused of neither, Muslim resistance to such a reasonable administration was unwarranted. To reinforce his argument, he emphasised the fact that the British were treating Muslims impartially, and this meant that the Muslims were to be loyal to such rule and defend the same. He faced considerable criticism and yet he was able to elicit some support for his fresh interpretation. The most important outcome of this move ~ a rapprochement between the Muslims and the colonial masters ~ was envisaged and accepted by a large section of the Muslim elite.

Equally Sir Syed was conscious of the fact that for this new cooperation to be successful, the British suspicion and hatred reinforced by the Revolt of 1857 had to be overcome. Discounting the factor of religious fanaticism, he tried to convince the British administration that the rebellion was the consequence of certain wrong policies of the administration which fomented dissatisfaction in the army. He also blamed legislation which was jarred with the established customs and practices of Hindustan. He also tried to prove that the Hindus were as much involved in the rebellion as the Muslims. He also provided examples of Muslim efforts and success in saving a number of British lives and property. He rejected the perception created by the press that the entire Muslim community was involved in the rebellion.

Sir Syed attempted to remove all the social barriers that existed between the British and the Muslims. By his own efforts he was able to bridge the gulf created by racial and religious differences between the two. These attempts were made as essential pre-requisites for his ultimate goal of advancing modern education for his community as education and education alone, can be the means of national regeneration. He derived inspiration for this during his visit to Britain in 1869-70 when he realised that education can provide the foundation for modernity by instilling politeness, knowledge, good faith, cleanliness, skilled workmanship, accomplishment and thoroughness. He also took note of the progress that Bengali Hindus and Parsees made only because they took advantage of modern Western education and lamented that the Muslims did not follow this course. This realisation instilled in him a sense of mission to change the Muslim indifference towards modern education. He questioned the opposition to modern education and contended that to the contrary, Islam always encouraged the pursuit of modern knowledge. What he wanted was a combination of worldly progress while retaining the positive aspects of Islam to remain good pious Muslims.

With such a vision and total dedication working 18 hours a day, his main objective was to establish an independent Muslim college in India, akin to Oxford and Cambridge universities. It would imbibe both the spirit of Islams greatness and the content of modern education of the West. Despite opposition from the orthodox section of Muslims, Sir Syed and his associates were undaunted and with the support of the British, he established the Muhammadan Anglo Oriental College at Aligarh in 1875. He meticulously planned the institution and the principal and the senior faculty members were Englishmen noted for their academic excellence and who had supported his mission. He succeeded in creating a new Muslim elite group, which never forgot that they were the former rulers of India but equally aware of the present decline.

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) supported the establishment of Aligarh Muslim University after Sir Syeds death, as a legitimate Muslim demand as it would enable the community to play a more crucial role in the political arena. In the immediate perspective, one notable effect of Sir Syeds efforts was a slow but sure change in the British policy towards Muslims. By the 1880s, the memory of 1857 largely faded and there was an acceptance by the British administration that the Muslims were a backward minority community and deserved both protection and support.

In articulating this separateness and backwardness, the Aligarh school stood at the opposite pole of the Indian National Congress. It rejected the Congress philosophy of one Indian nation as it perceived such a doctrine as dangerous, as Hindus and Muslims were separate groups. Sir Syed argued that if representative institutions were allowed in India, the majority community would not protect the interests of the smaller communities. Pointing to the disproportionate share of the Bengali bhadralok Hindus in the higher echelons of the civil service, he remarked that no single Mohamedan will secure a place in the Viceroys council. The whole council consists of Babu so and so, Mitter Babu so and so, Ghose Babu so and so, and Chakrabarty so and so. The rejection of the Congress programme was total.

Sir Syed died in 1898 and his abiding contribution was the ability to link Muslim well-being to the loyalty to the Raj, indeed an equation of total hostility to total loyalty. However, subsequent developments led to a reappraisal of this policy of unconditional loyalty to the Raj and with the example of the Congress to secure concessions which eventually led to a shift within the Aligarh movement.

Sir Syeds major objective was to motivate the Muslims to embrace modern Western education and be at par with the Hindus who were already reaping its benefits. He mentioned the limited role of vernacular education and emphasised that English education was urgently needed by the country and by the people in their day-to-day life. Modern science and political economy were his priority areas and even JS Mills political economy was considered to be essential reading. Before the establishment of the Congress in 1885 he pleaded for close and cordial relations between the Hindus and the Muslims ~ two eyes of the same body. He cautioned that we shall only destroy ourselves by mutual disunity and animosity and ill-will to each other. But the establishment of the Congress changed this plea for cooperation to open hostility. In his reckoning, India was not yet ready for self-rule and even if the British left India, the country was destined to be ruled by other European powers like Russia, France or Germany, all of which would be worse than the British. His prescription was that the British should continue to rule India indefinitely for its progress. In this there is a marked similarity between Rammohan and Sir Syed as the former predicted the possibility of India gaining freedom after 150 years, while Sir Syed had no such thought. He never proposed a two-nation theory. His mission was to bring about parity for his community and co-existence based on equal opportunities. As the modern Gini co-efficient principle has demonstrated, Sir Syed realised that inequality in education is the basis of all other inequities. The similarity between Sir Syed and Rammohan is too clear to be missed.
The furore over the recent arrest of the cartoonist Bala in Tamil Nadu for critiquing the chief minister, the police commissioner and the collector, it seems, went a little overboard. However, the arrest of the cartoonist, Aseem Trivedi, on charges of sedition some years ago was the exposure of an embarrassing tendency of Indian institutions to clamp down on criticism. Worse even those in authority who pounce on criticism in a cartoonists humour, hardly realise that this love of repression is contrary to the democratic principle of freedom of speech.

However, there is no denying that in some cases, the cartoonists humour is nothing but an act of aggression. Sometimes it can be really devastating, and instead of producing laughter, it occasions anguish or even trauma.

Six years after the NCERTs political science textbook, Indian Constitution at Work, was introduced in Class XI syllabus, it was vetted by a panel of distinguished academics in 2012. The reason was that a Shankar cartoon that showed Nehru cracking the whip on Dr BR Ambedkar for delaying the Constitution was included in the text. The cartoon drawn in 1949 was found offensive by those who saw themselves as admirers of Ambedkar. In fact, for all its subtlety, the visual could have been avoided without in any way belittling the worth of the text because it was written for students of an impressionable age.

Moreover, there was no point in conveying any lesson to Class XI students through a caricature of Ambedkar. The pupils with tender minds should rather have been taught how Dr Ambedkar had worked strenuously to frame the Constitution. The other objectionable message of the piece might have been that Dr Ambedkar worked at a snails pace, as he was shown sitting on a snail.

It is sometimes hazardous to use cartoons to illustrate historical events. In 1949, when the cartoon was drawn, Shankars icon, Nehru, was depicted as rushing about on a white horse in 1929, calling for Poorna Swaraj in Lahore, or dashing up the stairs into aeroplanes. Here was a man in a hurry getting increasingly impatient for change and bored with bureaucratic formalities.

There have been cartoons on political personalities like Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao, Atal Behari Bajpayee, LK Advani and Manmohan Singh. Kutty, one of Indias leading political cartoonists, practised his art on PC Sen, Atulya Ghosh and even Jyoti Basu. In 1999, Jyoti Basu ordered the arrest of someone who had posted nasty things about him and his son. Social networking sites have also quite enthusiastically featured spoofs picturing Mamata Banerjee, Sonia Gandhi, Anna Hazare et al.

A few years ago, a professor of Kolkata was arrested for circulating a picture spoof of the chief minister of West Bengal. In 2011, cartoonist Harish Yadav was arrested for drawing a cartoon in Prabhat Kiran showing Narendra Modi. During Emergency, one could recall how anti-Congress sentiments bloomed on the walls of West Bengal.

In the global context, the cartoon with Sir Robert Walpole, the famous Whig leader, as the subject titled Idol Worship or the Way to Preferment was much discussed; it depicted a servile place-seeker kissing his enormous butt. During the eighteenth century, English caricaturists enjoyed depicting politicians while urinating and defecating. However, the most outrageous cartoon was a post-coital Adolf Hitler in bed with Anne Frank. In Denmark, the offensive cartoons against Prophet Mohammad were printed by the media which elicited widespread outcry.

Art follows life. The mad, mad world of cartoonists has since long imbued their fans with a sense of humour. Through thick and thin they have made their viewers live by their wit. Sense and nonsense, parody and satire have co-mingled to give the admirers a reason for living. Everything vanished; the smile remains. With the advent of the printing press, books and newspapers have taken the task of witty and sarcastic remarks and commentaries. The coming of Internet has served to share everything with the click of a mouse.

A cartoonist is an artist with a printed message. There is nothing excessive in directing satire against corruption in the circles of power that the artist should be labelled even seditious. Well be it bad enough to indulge in bad taste to evoke a sense of humour, but what is perhaps worse is the use of stern legal action for matters that have nothing to do with serious crime.

Nehru quipped while launching Shankars Weekly, Dont spare me, Shankar.
Nine inmates have been killed and their bodies set on fire in a riot at a prison in Brazils Goias state, officials said.

Military Police Commander Divino Alves told the media the melee broke out on Monday between members of rival gangs at the prison in Aparecida de Goiania, the second largest city in the state, and it took officials nearly two hours to restore order, Xinhua reported.

The Executive Superintendence of Prison Management said in a statement that inmates in section C of the prison invaded section B, and started a fire.

Firefighters were called in to battle the flames, and smoke could be seen rising from the facility.

Another 14 inmates were injured in the fighting and they returned to their cells after receiving emergency treatment, according to Brazils G1 news website.

As many as 106 prisoners took advantage of the mayhem to escape, and officials have captured 29, the report said, adding that another 127 left the prison due to the confusion, but returned voluntarily after the situation died down.

Officials were searching for the other escapees.

Prison riots are fairly common in Brazil, where the overpopulation of prisons is a pervasive problem.
Chinas new hypersonic ballistic missiles will not only challenge the defences of the US but also be able to more accurately hit military targets in Japan and India, a media report said on Tuesday.

The report in the South China Morning Post comes after Tokyo-based The Diplomat magazine reported that Chinas rocket forces conducted two tests late last year of a new hypersonic glide vehicle or HGV, known as the DF-17.

Citing US intelligence sources, The Diplomat last month reported that the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force carried out the first test on November 1 and the second one two weeks later.

Both tests were successful and the DF-17 could be operational by around 2020, the US intelligence sources were quoted as saying.

Asked about the two tests, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang today declined to react saying the Defence Ministry should be approached for information on this. Both tests were successful and the DF-17 could be operational by around 2020, the US intelligence sources were quoted as saying.

HGVs are unmanned, rocket-launched, manoeuvrable aircraft that glide and skip through the earths atmosphere at incredibly fast speeds.

Compared to conventional ballistic systems, HGV warheads can travel at much higher speeds, lower altitudes and less- trackable trajectories. The approach leaves defence systems less time to intercept the warhead before it drops its payload.

The DF-17 test missiles were launched from the Jiuquan launch centre in Inner Mongolia and flew about 1,400 km during the trial, The Diplomat reported.

Chinese state media first reported on the countrys HGV technology in October, with footage of the system in a hypersonic wind tunnel in various arrays.

Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming said HGV technology has become part of the nuclear strategy between the worlds three big nuclear powers: China, the US and Russia.

Compared to conventional ballistic missiles, HGVs are more complex and difficult to intercept, Zhou told the South China Morning Post.

The US, Japan and India should be worried about Chinas developments in HGV technology because it can reach targets quicker and more accurately, with military bases in Japan and even nuclear reactors in India being targeted, he was quoted as saying by the daily.

China eyes artificial intelligence for fire-and-forget cruise missiles.

Chinese military specialists said the DF-17 was one of several iterations of glider systems developed by the PLA, including the DF-ZF which has been through at least seven tests.

Song Zhongping, a former member of the PLAs Second Artillery Corps, the rocket wings predecessor, said the DF-17 was the weaponised model of the DF-ZF prototype.

Song, a military commentator for Hong Kongs Phoenix Television told the Post that the HGV system could be used with various kinds of ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles with a range of at least 5,500 km.

He also said multiple HGV warheads could be used with the DF-41, which has a range of at least 12,000 km and can hit anywhere in the US in less than an hour.

Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Dong said HGVs could also be used to target and destroy a US anti-missile system known as THAAD, or Terminal High Altitude Area Defence, which are currently deployed in South Korea to war doff- attacks from North Korea.

Chinas HGVs  could destroy the THAAD radar system if there is war between the two countries, Wong said.

Once the THAAD radars fail to function in the first stage, it could reduce the window to raise the alarm about the PLAs [ICBMs]  leaving the US without enough time to intercept, he said.
Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in his New Years 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. Finlands 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.
Four young men have been killed in stabbing incidents in London amid New Year celebrations, the Met Police said.

Three were stabbed on New Years Eve and a fourth in the early hours of New Years Day in unrelated incidents, BBC reported on Monday.

Another young man stabbed on New Years Day is in a critical condition in hospital.

Five men have been arrested over the death of an 18-year-old in Larmans Road, Enfield. No other arrests have been made.

In the other attacks, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Memorial Avenue, West Ham, and a 17-year-old boy was killed in Norwood Road, Tulse Hill, on New Years Eve.

Early on New Years Day, a 20-year-old man was fatally wounded at Bartholomew Court, Old Street. A second man in his 20s suffered critical stab injuries in the same incident.

The fatalities in the final hours of 2017 took the number of people stabbed to death in the capital last year to 80, the Met said.

Commander Neil Jerome said: I am grateful to Londoners and visitors to the capital who co-operated with police to enable the vast majority of people to enjoy New Years Eve.

However, there were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences.

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.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: My thoughts today are with the families of four young men who have tragically been killed in four unrelated stabbings in our city last night.

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.
India and Pakistan have no choice but to keep engaging themselves for a better neighbourhood, a leading Pakistani newspaper said on Tuesday.

Where India seeks to engage Pakistan, Pakistan should engage with India, and forthrightly express its concerns about Indias actions and posturing, the Dawn said in an editorial.

The comment followed a reported meeting in Bangkok between National Security Advisers General Nasser Janjua (retired) of Pakistan and Ajit Doval of India. Neither country has officially commented on the meeting.

The Dawn felt that Jammu and Kashmir was likely to have featured heavily in the talks.

If the violence along the Line of Control (LoC) can be quelled and Pakistan and India take up unexpected confidence-building measures on the Kashmir issue, a window of opportunity for a wider dialogue may again open, it said.

But it noted what it said was the inconsistency of Indias policy towards Pakistan  the Modi government at times aggressively maligning Pakistan and deploying anti-Pakistan rhetoric for domestic political purposes to occasionally permitting unexpected and somewhat positive gestures.

Asking rhetorically why the two countries were talking, the Dawn said: There is simply no alternative; geographical and security realities mean that India and Pakistan will always have a number of reasons to speak to one another, no matter how hawkish a government there is in New Delhi.

Foreign policy and national security cannot be totally subjugated to domestic politics.

For Pakistan, the challenge remains the same: managing what is likely to remain a hostile relationship with India while reassessing a national security strategy for the long-term benefit of Pakistan itself.

The daily warned Pakistan against allowing hostility emanating from India to distort the fight against militancy and extremism domestically.
Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected comments by Iran President Hassan Rouhani, who blamed Israel for standing behind the anti-government protests in Iran.

Netanyahus remarks on Monday followed comments by Rouhani, who on Sunday accused the US and its two close allies, Israel and Saudi Arabia, of fuelling the recent unrest in Iran, Xinhua news agency reported.

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; its laughable.

The 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. Thats 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 the US, Israel, and Saudi Arabia for involvement in the unrest in order to destabilize the country.

Irans unity was a bullet (arrow) in their eyes and our progress and success in the world of politics and against the US 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 US 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 12 people have been killed in rallies across Iran in protest against the regime.
South Korean authorities on Tuesday proposed a high-level dialogue with North Korea on January 9 in the truce village of Panmunjom.

The government proposes holding a senior-level inter-governmental dialogue of the South and the North (Koreas) on January 9 at the Peace House in Panmunjom, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told a press conference.

The Peace House is a building in Panmunjom controlled by South Korea, reports Efe news.

The dialogue overture comes a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year address that Pyongyang was willing to take necessary measures, including dispatch of delegation to the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics.

Cho anticipated that the two Koreas would frankly discuss issues of mutual concern, inter-Korean relations as well as the issue on North Koreas participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in South Koreas PyeongChang county in February .

The minister said communication channels between the two Koreas in Panmunjom should be restored immediately to hold the inter-Korean, inter-governmental talks, suggesting to discuss details on the January 9 dialogue, such as setting agenda and forming delegations through the restored communication channels.

All inter-Korean communication channels have been severed since the previous South Korean government under impeached President Park Geun-hye decided unilaterally to close down the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to North Koreas fourth nuclear test in January 2016.
The US military has intensified airstrikes in Somalia in the past week, killing at least 17 Al-Shabaab terrorists behind the increased deadly attacks in countries including Kenya.

The US Africa Command (Africom) in two separate statements on Monday said its forces killed four terrorists some 25 km from Mogadishu on the evening of December 27, destroying one vehicle-borne improvised explosive device, preventing it from being used against the people in Mogadishu, Xinhua reported.

Africom also said at least 13 terrorists were killed on December 24 in Somalia as Washington intensified airstrikes to weed out Al-Shabaab militants.

US 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 US forces have carried out a series of drone strikes in recent months in Somalia, targeting Islamic State 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.
Montreal, CA (H4T1V6)

Today

Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High 26C. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy in the evening. Increasing clouds with periods of showers after midnight. Low 17C. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.








Organization: Windle Trust Uganda (WTU)

Funding Source: United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR)

Duty Station: Uganda

About US:

Windle Trust Uganda is Non-profit organization whose primary mission is

to equip refugees and others affected by conflict in Africa to meet the

challenges of development through providing access to education, training, and

employment opportunities by advocacy and direct programme activity. Windle

Trust Uganda has been a leading provider of access to university education,

post-primary education, and vocational training for conflict-affected Africans

since 1996. WTU works in partnership with United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR).

Job Summary: The Education

Project Assistant will support the day-to-day implementation of the Education

project within the refugees settlement of posting. This position is

responsible for supporting settlement operations with regards to education;

will entail maintaining close contact with schools and other educational institutions

on a daily basis within the settlement on the overall education programming

direction of Windle, UNHCR and OPM on the adaptation of UNHCRs Uganda

Education Strategy, on monitoring and assessing impact, on provision of

technical assistance, and on liaising with partner agencies. In exercising

these responsibilities, the post oversees the implementation of strategies to

address particular situations arising from different contexts in the field, as

well as provision of technical advice and support (on early childhood, learning

achievement in primary education, accelerated education, secondary education

access, and vocational skills training) to schools, head teachers and other

staff with management responsibilities related to education management, and as

needed to those representing education issues on behalf of Windle International

Uganda, including senior management.



Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Tasked with mainstreaming refugees within

national education systems is fostered as the main approach with support

to education for refugee and host communities, in collaboration with

relevant partners across the settlement.

Participation of persons of concern in

decisions and initiatives pertaining to their own education is assured

through continuous assessment and evaluation using participatory, rights

and community based approaches.

National education provision capacities

are improved through direct engagement, research and advocacy with all

relevant external interlocutors.

Protection within the school environment

is actively promoted in collaboration with other relevant programmes.

Persons of concern are treated with

dignity, respect and professionalism in line with the UNHCR Code of

Conduct. Integrity in the delivery of education services is assured by all

education staff.

Education activities have political and

financial support from external partners.

Adhere to Windle International Ugandas

policies, tools, handbooks and guidelines

Assist with the implementation of the

support function portfolio according to workplan

Prepare and develop status reports as

required by education project officer and settlement manager

Ensure proper filing of documents

including case studies from schools

Promote and share ideas for improvement of

the support function

To improve the community teachers ability

to source, assess, develop and utilize a range of appropriate teaching and

learning materials that can be used inside and outside the classroom for

learners.

To sustain the ongoing development by

encouraging participation and relationship building amongst learners,

teachers and community education committees.

To improve the classroom teaching and

learning through classroom observations, mentor and individual and group

assessments of community teachers.

He/she should be in a high standard of

performance, punctual and disciplined.

Conducting daily school supervision and

monitoring.

Support the project officers in developing

community teacher induction and refresher training manuals.

Support project officers in developing

community education committees training manual

Participate in the development and

improvement of education monitoring tools

Conduct teacher evaluations on teaching

methodologies (Learner-Centered Methods)

Improve project documentation.

Initiate innovative evaluations in

emergency practices.

Support project officers in reporting and

procurement of scholastic materials, recreational kits and school

uniforms.









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The ideal candidate for the Windle Trust

Uganda WTU Education Project Assistant job opportunity must hold a

Bachelors Degree in Education or Social Sciences, SWASA or other related

courses.

Additional training in education is

desirable as an additional qualification.

Three years of experience in Educational

programming with reputable institution, national or international NGO;

Broad knowledge and understanding of

Education concepts and issues in development context especially in Uganda

Working knowledge of the logical framework approach to project design,

monitoring and evaluation/project cycle management

Background in relevant education systems

with good knowledge of relevant curricula.

Demonstrated experience and skill in

community action planning, networking and research, analysis and report

writing

Strong facilitation and presentation

skills with a passion for sharing knowledge

Ability to work with communities in a

local setting of refugee settlement and some basic Knowledge of the local

language will be an added advantage

Field experience in programme implementation

and coordination.

Knowledge of refugee protection principles

and framework.

Familiarity with INEE Toolkit standards is

highly desirable.

Must be in possession of a valid riding

permit is strongly recommended for this position.

How to Apply:

All interested applicants should submit their applications including

detailed curriculum vitae, , current salary information, copies of academic

transcripts and certificates, including telephone contact and details of at

least three references addressed to:

Human Resource Manager,

Windle Trust Uganda,

Plot 726, Mawanda Road, Mulago Hill,

P. O. Box 24230 Kampala. Uganda

Deadline: 2nd January 2018
Organization: Windle Trust Uganda (WTU)

Funding Source: United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR)

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda

About US:

Windle Trust Uganda is Non-profit organization whose primary mission is

to equip refugees and others affected by conflict in Africa to meet the

challenges of development through providing access to education, training, and

employment opportunities by advocacy and direct programme activity. Windle

Trust Uganda has been a leading provider of access to university education,

post-primary education, and vocational training for conflict-affected Africans

since 1996. WTU works in partnership with United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees (UNHCR).

Job Summary: The Senior Accountant

will contribute to the development and implementation of the department

accounting systems, policies and procedures. Supports the department through

the collection, processing, recording, reconciliation, analyzing and reporting

of financial data, verifying the validity completeness and accuracy of the

source documentation. The Senior Accountant is responsible for ensuring all

payments to both service providers and staffs are processed timely, preparing

monthly financial reports, reconciling and monitoring movement of cash at the

head office. S/he should maintain complete and proper records of revenue,

expenditure, assets and liabilities and ensures the accuracy and integrity of

financial information. This position reports to the Finance Manager



Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly

financial reports

Maintain and file financial records and

regularly post accounts data into Quickbooks

Update accounting records as and when

transactions take place, and ensure that proper documentation is filed for

each transaction

Conduct cash counts on regular basis

Provide feedback on budget verses actual

expenses

Make wire requests for the office

operations

Maintain the books of accounts and

database

Assist in monthly reconciliations

Work closely with the Finance Manager on

Financial Planning

Other tasks as assigned/delegated by

supervisors









Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

The ideal candidate for the Windle Trust

Uganda WTU Senior Accountant job opportunity must hold a University degree

in Finance, Accounting, Business administration and management or other

related field.

At least two years of progressive

professional experience in development programmes, with reputable

organization or government agency;

Strong track record of leadership and

proven ability to produce demonstrable results;

Extensive network within the development

community;

Field experience is a strong asset.

Fluency in English is required.

Excellent organization and coordination

skills

Must be result-oriented

Working experience in the civil society

sector;

Demonstrated work experience in

campaigning, lobbying and policy engagement, stakeholder management in

civil society arena, project management, advocacy and representing an

organization at various levels;

Negotiation skills;

Verbal and written communication skills;

Ability to build working relationships;

Analytical skills;

Presentation skills;

Time management;

Intercultural and interpersonal skills;

Ability to work under pressure and to work

with multiple conflicting priorities.

Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, Power point

How to Apply:

All interested applicants should submit their applications including

detailed curriculum vitae, , current salary information, copies of academic

transcripts and certificates, including telephone contact and details of at

least three references addressed to:

Human Resource Manager,

Windle Trust Uganda,

Plot 726, Mawanda Road, Mulago Hill,

P. O. Box 24230 Kampala. Uganda

Deadline: 2nd January 2018
MANZINI  Gawuzela did it again!

This was the 7th edition of Umlilo Crossover and as expected the number of people who attended grew. Last year saw 20 000 people in attendance and this year it recorded over 25 000 people. The massive festival held at the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre brought gospel fanatics from the four corners of the country who all made sure that they cross into the New Year in Gawuzela style. Gawuzela through his company, Umlilo Music had a number of partners join him for the 2017 edition which included Swazi Mobile as the main partner, Amandla Financial Services and South African Gospel mass choir Tshwane Gospel Choir. As per the norm candles were lit just before the clock struck midnight signalling the start of 2018. These saw Mavuso Trade Centre turned into a serene candlelit affair. This time Gawuzela sang his famous track, Thuma Mina as he ushered the masses into the New Year. As the countdown to the New Year continued, lights were switched off and gospel music lovers waved their candles, while in deep prayer. Each person who was there said their individual prayers for their hopes for the New Year.

Countdown

Joining Gawuzela on stage during the countdown and prayer session were guests Bishop Bhekibandla Vilakati, leader of the Jericho Church and the Swaziland National Council of Arts and Culture (SNCAC) Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Dlamini. After the prayer, Gawuzela and his group Mduduzi Nezinceku Zamagagwugawu gave a one hour performance leaving gospel music lovers wanting more. They sang their famous songs which include Iyakwehla Imvula, Through It All and Siza Ungamubulali. As the group performed, the excited gospel music lovers danced and sang as they were entertained by the groups dancing moves on stage. Gawuzela thanked all gospel fanatics who supported the event saying he was amazed by the turn up to an event that was always the best.
MBABANE  While most people were lining up their fireworks, preparing to welcome the New Year, Maphalaleni residents were without a roof over their heads.

This comes after a raging hailstorm blew away roofs of about 40 homesteads, including a school in that area, on the afternoon of New Years Eve. The year started on a sad note for Maphalaleni Community Primary School as three classes and two teachers houses, one of which houses the head teacher Richard Nkambule were destructed by the storm. In an interview, Nkambule narrated that books which were kept in the affected classes were damaged by the storm. He stated that the situation could have been much worse had it not been for residents who came to their rescue. Nkambule narrated that resident who live close to the school rushed there after seeing that the storm would cause a lot of damage. He said they moved furniture and other items from the affected classes to those that were not hit by the storm. He related that they were yet to inform the regional education officer (REO) about the incident.

Nkambule could not state how much the school would need to fix the damages but said they would do an assessment today. He shared that teachers who stayed at the school houses were recalled from home to assess damage to their houses. He stated that as much as his was damaged, another teachers house was even more affected. We are hoping to fix the damage before schools open, Nkambule said. Maphalaleni Member of Parliament Mabulala Maseko confirmed that about 40 homes, including the school, were affected by the storm. Maseko said the storm hit their constituency at around 2pm in about four different intervals. He shared that an elderly woman was hit by a brick as her newly completed house suffered the same fate as those of her neighbours. He said the elderly woman was treated and was not in a critical state.

By the time of compiling this report, some people were still searching for their corrugated iron sheets which were blown away by the storm. Maseko narrated that not only were homes affected but livestock as well. He said birds, chickens, and kids (baby goats) died due to the storm. He said fields were also not spared as maize plants were coiled and broken while smaller ones were crushed to the ground. The Mp added that farmers would be dealt a huge blow as they would have to replant their fields. The state of the road is also very bad and our main river is overflowing, Maseko narrated. The MP said crossing the river had become a problem as the bridge was affected by the storm. He said they would today go to the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to ask for assistance as the state of the road was problematic to residents. The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) Public Relations Officer, Setsabile Sibisi, could not give figures of how many people were affected as their officers were still doing assessments at the time of compiling this report. Sibisi, however, stated that about 10 affected households were visited yesterday and added that the number was expected to increase.
MBABANE  His Majesty King Mswati III is expected to commission Ingatja to fetch the sacred shrubs (lusekwane) this afternoon.

This, after the dancing of the Little Incwala which took place in all the royal residences. The Little Incwala started at Ludzidzini Royal Residence before the Monarch proceeded to the other residences. Yesterday, the King returned with the Little Incwala from Buhleni Royal Residence to Ngabezweni where he is expected to commission Ingatja. It has not been established when the main Incwala would be danced but the ministry in charge of cultural events said the main Incwala holiday was likely to be announced today.

The main Incwala holiday has not been communicated but we are hoping that the date will be announced today, said Minister Princess Tsandzile whose ministry is in charge of national events. Ideally, the main Incwala holiday is announced by the Minister of Home Affairs on the day of the commissioning of Ingatja. Normally, the main Incwala is danced four days after the commissioning of Ingatja. The fourth day after the commissioning of Ingatja which is expected today will be on Friday.






MANZINI  A civil servant lived approximately for an hour in 2018 as he was brutally murdered and robbed of his valuables just after crossing over into the New Year.

The incident took place near Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO) building in Manzini just after midnight yesterday. The man is one of four who died under different tragic circumstances over the New Years weekend.

A source close to the matter said, Lucky Ndlela, who was a former teacher and was currently employed at the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, had driven to the hub of the country to do some business on the night. The source said Ndlela was inside his car, two armed robbers approached and used a stone to break one of the cars windows with the intention of getting inside. Ndlela kicked the door open, sprang out of the car and tried to escape. However, the robbers stoned him and he fell to the ground and when he tried to get up, they stabbed him once to the head and he fell to the ground again, said the source. He said, while the man was groaning in pain on the ground, the robbers searched him and took his valuables which included an undisclosed amount of money and cellphone. The source said they then went back to search his car and went away with other valuables.

Luckily, the source said there was a woman who was passing by and witnessed the incident. He said without wasting time, she rushed to Manzini Police Station to report the matter. However, there was nothing the police could do to save the life of the government employee as they found his body soaked in a pool of blood coming from the deep wound on his head. Some officers rushed him to the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital where he was certified dead upon arrival while others registered a statement with the witness. Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Khulani Mamba confirmed the incident and said police were still investigating the matter and no arrest had been made yet. Meanwhile, one of the elder brothers of the deceased said they had nothing to say to the media regarding Luckys death. In another incident, a businessman was tragically killed when his vehicle was swept down a river while driving across an overflowing bridge at Mndobandoba near Big Bend on Saturday night.

Thulani Senzo Qwabe (39) of Malindza, who was a director of a microfinance company in Siteki, was driving alone towards Matata, at around 10pm when the incident occurred, police said. According to the police, he was driving a Mazda sedan when floods swept the vehicle to the Mndobandoba River near Matata. Police said they found his body floating along the banks of the river on Sunday morning; about 12 hours after his vehicle had been swept into the river. According to the family, Thulani had just dropped his cousin at Mndobandoba and was now driving back home when the tragic incident occurred. The deceaseds elder sister, Nomphumelelo Qwabe, said her brother had earlier crossed the bridge when going to the cousins place but when he returned, he found the bridge overflowing. She said witnesses told the family that Thulani tried to drive through the overflowing bridge but the volume of the water increased as the vehicle was mid-way through the bridge and, as a result, the vehicle was swept into the river.




Troy

Republican Steve McLaughlin was sworn in as Rensselaer County executive at the county courthouse Monday, promising to put the same energy that fueled the battle for his new position into working for county residents.

I fought hard to get to this office, McLaughlin said. I want you to know I will fight even harder for Rensselaer County.

McLauglin won the county executive seat in a tight race against Democrat Andrea Smyth, in which McLaughlins character came into question after a recording surfaced in which he had a vulgar conversation with an Assembly aide.

His new post has an annual salary of $121,300.

McLaughlin, a 53-year-old Troy resident, said he is looking forward to having a clean slate in 2018, following the controversies in 2017.

Anytime you have a new year you have new resolutions and new opportunities, he said.

The courthouse was packed Monday as oaths of office were also taken by county legislators, Troy City Council members and others. Among those in the crowd were current and former state, local and congressional officials, includingU.S. Rep. John Faso, R-Kinderhook, and former Congressman John Sweeney.

Among his priorities for the county, McLaughlin talked about developing the Hudson River waterfront in the Schodack area around routes 9 and 20, and expanding broadband services to areas that are still without adequate internet access.

The former state Assemblyman said his seven years in the state Legislature would be a benefit in working with the state because he has institutional knowledge of how things get done at the Capitol.

What I dont have is institutional knowledge here in the county, McLaughlin said, but Ill gain it rapidly.

He would not comment on the exchanges recorded between him and an aide, the nature of which remain a topic of dispute. The Assemblys Ethics and Guidance Committee is reviewing a complaint about his treatment of the staff member, Jennifer Polaro.

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McLaughlin was secretly recorded last summer berating Polaro 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 house.

McLaughlin later produced his own recording in which the staff member acknowledged she had accused him of physical abuse to "bait" him. Then last week, Polaro stated on Twitter that she retracted her allegation only after being pressured to do so by McLaughlin, who at the time was campaigning in the Republican primary for the county executive post.

Im not really going to address it, McLauglin said Monday when asked about the situation. It doesnt remain a controversy. Its been addressed. The person recanted it, and now has recanted the recantation.  Its at this point getting to be a little bit ridiculous.

McLaughlin added that he received a conciliatory Christmas card from Polaro.

McLaughlin succeeds Republican Kathleen Jimino, who led the county for 16 years and did not seek a fifth four-term. An event to honor Jimino and other women in elected office will be held by the Rensselaer County Republican Committee on Thursday at Parti Events & Banquet Hall.
BETHLEHEM  The Bethlehem school board will discuss Wednesday whether to revisit a purchase agreement it signed with the Albany County Sheriff's Office for the old Clarksville Elementary School.

At the request of County Attorney Dan Lynch, the district will consider selling the property for a one-time lump sum payment of $325,000, rather than agreed-upon incremental payments totaling that amount over a three-year period.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP)  The call came in to police dispatch just after 5 p.m. on a cold November evening in the small Arizona town of St. Johns: There was a body on the front porch of a house.

Detective Debbie Neckel fastened her bulletproof vest and headed out. As she and Sgt. Lucas Rodriguez approached the blue two-story home, Neckel fixed her eyes on two people, a teenager and an 8-year-old boy standing nearby.

Rodriguez walked toward the house, and Neckel toward the boy, whom she knew from the neighborhood. His arms were outstretched, and he was near tears.

"'My dad, my dad. My dad's dead,'" Neckel recalled him saying as she gave her first interview about the case to The Associated Press. "'I think my dad's dead.'"

The boy's father, Vincent Romero, 29, was found face-down on the staircase inside. The body on the porch was Romero's friend and co-worker, Timothy Romans, 39, who rented a room there.

A swirl of suspects would emerge before a truth was revealed that no one saw coming: The 8-year-old killed both men.

The child came home Nov. 5, 2008, and killed his father with a single-shot .22-caliber rifle, holding the bullets in his small hand to reload after each shot. He called to Romans that something was wrong, then shot him, too.

Nine years later, the boy is days from his 18th birthday with a chance to move on from a crime that has defined his life. He will sign paperwork Friday freeing him from intensive probation, psychological evaluations, travel restrictions and having his every move monitored.

"Things will be fundamentally different," said his attorney, Ron Wood.

The Associated Press isn't identifying the teen because of his age at the time of the shootings.

The transition will be easier because of the support network he built since pleading guilty to negligent homicide in Romans' death, said Wood and Apache County Attorney Michael Whiting, who prosecuted the case.

The charge for killing his father was dropped. Whiting said at the time that it was in the boy's best interest not to be forced to acknowledge killing his father.

The boy first was held at a youth treatment center near Phoenix, then moved to a group home and then a foster home. Besides a trio of probation violations when he was 12, he's avoided trouble. He will likely stay in the foster home beyond his 18th birthday and continue treatment until he's 21, Whiting said.

His probation officer declined to discuss the case, and periodic evaluations of the boy that might shed light on his treatment are sealed.

Whiting said he could not discuss specifics but noted that several people have gone out of their way to ensure the boy gets help. At one point, a psychiatrist who treated him offered to take him in.

Romero's mother, Liz Castillo, has been the boy's biggest supporter, regularly attending hearings and visiting him. She declined to comment but said early on she would not give up on her grandson.

The boy initially told authorities he found the men dead when he got home from school.

His role might have gone undiscovered much longer if Romans had not been on the phone with his wife while he waited for Romero to grab a car part, Neckel said. Romero went in, saw his son with a gun and scolded him for getting it from underneath his bed. The boy ran upstairs, turning and shooting his father as he followed.

Romans cut short his conversation with his wife, Tanya, when the boy called for him.

"Tim, I need you to come in here," he said, according to court transcripts. "Something's wrong with Dad."

Tanya Romans urged police to talk to the boy. Still, no one thought he was a suspect.

But authorities came to think he might have witnessed the crime and was in danger. Neckel was the lead investigator, promoted to detective a day before the shootings. She and sheriff's Cmdr. Matrese Avila interviewed the child, who confessed in a videotaped interview released early on by prosecutors.

The nation watched as the boy  sitting in an oversized chair, his feet dangling  gave conflicting accounts before admitting to killing both men.

He buried his head in his jacket at the end, saying: "I'm going to go to juvie."

Neckel told the AP this month that when they first started quizzing him, she believed the cheerful boy with a singsong voice was covering for someone.

She started to realize the truth after about 45 minutes, and when she watched the tape, it sank in. A key moment, she said, is when the boy demonstrated how one of the bodies shook and he kicked it with his foot.

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"We had one focus  literally one focus  to get the name of the killer," she said. "It was supposed to be an adult. And we were supposed to go out and save the day and get (the boy) out of danger."

Neckel knew the boy from her neighborhood in the town of about 3,500 near the New Mexico border. He was the child who jumped on the trampoline with his cousin, played outside with his dog, tried to coax a cat from a culvert, called her "Mrs. Neckel" and said, "Have a good day at work" when she pulled out of her driveway.

After their interview, she went into the restroom and cried. Her regret, she said, was not including him in her suspect pool from the start.

No motive was revealed, but the boy mentioned he was spanked for not bringing home some school papers.

Neckel said the papers were a behavioral report from his teacher. Romero and his wife, Tiffany, told the boy he would be spanked once for each day he forgot them, Neckel said. That day he would have received four swats.

A woman who answered a cellphone listed for Tiffany said it was the wrong number. Her father, Jeff DeVall, hung up when reached on his cell.

Police investigated possible abuse but found nothing that would have warranted charges, Neckel said.

Tanya Romans thinks the justice system forgot about her husband. She said she was asked to submit any concerns for an upcoming hearing but she and their two daughters decided it's pointless.

She's well aware the teen's birthday is Dec. 29. Hers is, too.

"At the beginning, people would say, 'Time heals,' and I was thinking, 'How?'" she said. "All I can say is, by the grace of God, my kids have been OK."

She remembers Tim Romans through the personalities of her four grandchildren, hears him in the raspy voice of the one named after him and sees him in the face of another.

For Neckel, she developed what she called an unreasonable fear of children for about a year after the boy was charged. But she said seeing her grandchildren on the holidays shortly after the shootings helped her cope.

She spent her free time online researching kids who kill, trying to better understand what happened in the most difficult case of her police career.

She found promise in stories of two people who killed as teenagers and later became a college professor and a crime novelist.

"I can't give up on a kid," Neckel said. "I hope that releasing him isn't the worst mistake ever made. But he was a little kid. You have to give him a chance."
[January 01, 2018] The fourth stop of EM Scry Meetup takes place in Tokyo

TOKYO, Jan. 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 20, 2017, local time, EM Scry.info Meetup Asia came to a successful close in Ginza, where attendees exchanged their opinions on blockchain technologies. Before the get-together in Tokyo, the fourth stop of the EM Scry.info Meetup, the Scry team had met members of local blockchain communities in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Beijing. The event designed for the community in Tokyo brought together over 240 blockchain technology and project enthusiasts in Japan, including blockchain technology developers with many years of experience in the field and creators of commercial applications for the technology. At the event, the founder, Eva Fo, shared with the attendees details of the technologies that power the Scry project, including the underlying architecture and the Scry DBCHAIN. When commenting on the future of Scry, Eva said, "Scry is like a new-born baby, which needs developers' continuous development and maintenance. Once the development of the major function modules of the protocol are completed, we then need to improe the major function rules-based subsystems and the vessel used for processing a massive amount of data as well as the rules themselves. We need to spend the necessary amount of time and effort on both to make sure that the whole functions perfectly. We welcome solo software developers as well as software companies in Japan to join Scry with the aim of building a blockchain-based and reputation-centric digital community.



In early 2018, Scry plans to release the first version of the developer environment. Scry is in the process of developing a full 3D interactive application for end users. The first version of the application is scheduled to be released in mid 2018. Scry also plans to roll out product iterations and updates every six months with the goal of maintaining ongoing improvement of the product while continuing to develop the entire ecosystem. Eva added that the players who have become engaged with Scry come from all walks, including Japan's insurance and banking sectors, as they realize that they strongly risk being disenfranchised and put out of business if they fail to engage with the blockchain and decentralized applications sector. As the intermediary used by blockchain applications to connect industry data with smart contracts, Scry is in the perfect position to provide the fundamental application layer which will allow traditional industries to adopt blockchain technology. A highly autonomous and smart contract-based society, where the data acts as the carrier and consumer credit is used as the medium, will deliver a powerful new social architecture via the consensus mechanism. Blockchain technology is able to help create value more efficiently and reduce operating costs, as well as drive the growth of emerging technology firms and accelerate the momentum across the leading resource-rich companies that have the advantage due to their leadership position in their respective industry.

Looking ahead, the toll fee charged for autonomous vehicles is likely to be collected via the blockchain protocol; intelligent investment consultants will be able to provide advice on any kind of investment portfolio; in much the same way that robots now undertake the vast majority of the work in today's unmanned factories. The technology will connect real individuals and corporate entities that grow with Scry. Future stops of the event plan to include the hosting of salons from time to time for blockchain technology and project enthusiasts in Japan with the aim of sharing blockchain knowledge with more people and helping more companies and individuals benefit from Scry and other blockchain services. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20171229/2022011-2 SOURCE Scry.info

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[January 02, 2018] The launch of Chatello App ICO

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Associare announced today the launch of its Initial Coin Offering (ICO), to fund the continued development of its proprietary new app, Chatello. Chatello is slated to become the Social Media industry's standard go-to app for the monetization of social media followers and influence. Currently, there are no apps in the market that have found a way to effectively and efficiently serve as a revenue generating communication platform, enabling social media influencers, celebrities, and businesses that utilize social media, to monetize their presence, and establish genuine, synchronous or asynchronous, communications between influencers and their follower base. One-to-one, anytime, anywhere, all the time. "While the celebrities with 20 million followers or more have found ways to monetize their influence, those with followers of 100K  20M ave not been able to effectively monetize their sizeable social media presence, until now," says Rabie Fares, Associare's CEO. "Followers would happily pay a reasonable fee to be able to communicate with the people they follow and admire, and until Chatello, there has been no social media platform that enables this."



With Chatello, you can communicate in ways you never could before, and with people you never had access to before. Chatello gives you the power to ask questions or seek advice, from the people you most admire. You can chat with celebrities and influencers around the world with a simple click. We are committed to getting onboard at least 100 global and/or regional celebrities and influencers, to use Chatello. We have already received commitments from 4 celebrities, and we haven't even launched the App yet.

Rabie concludes by adding "beyond a mere social media app, we see Chatello as a pioneering revenue generating communications platform." The ICO is open to everyone, visit us at chatello.com. The ICO is open from Jan 2 to Feb 15, 2018 valued at US$10M and priced at US$2 per CHA token. We are projecting revenue of US$20M by the second year of operations, with a plan to give away 20% from the profit to the initial Chatello token buyers. It's our way of thanking our early backers, and its our commitment to honor this offer. Contact: investors@associare.com | Twitter @associare | associare.com | +61450000061

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[January 02, 2018]

Pundi X starts bringing cryptocurrencies to physical stores in 2018

SINGAPORE, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pundi X, a cryptocurrency point-of-sale ("POS") solutions provider for retail stores, today announced that it launched three working products before its public token sales on January 21, 2018. These POS devices can help the retail store owners to convert crypto to fiat, crypto to crypto to fiat and fiat to crypto for transactions. The company also established strategic partnerships to roll out its POS devices in 2018.

Three working products made for different types of retailers

Pundi X has built and launched three types of POS devices that can cater needs of different kinds of of retail outlets. The first generation device- XPOS 1 is codenamed 'Mount Agung.' It can be installed in the stores with the limited space of the counter, such as restaurants, cafes or currency exchange booths.

XPOS 2 is 'Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.' It's small, light and highly portable Pundi X POS device. This type of device is suitable for the retailers in the farmer market where they don't have counter or less space to station their POS devices.

As for the third generation POS device, its code name is Halla. It comes with much larger screens and is designed for large retail stores with big counters so that the store owners can display the sales items or store advertisement.

All these three models are working products, NFC-compatible and be able to get integrated with Bitcoin, Ethereum, NEM, Qtum, Achain, Stellar Lumens and other blockchain platforms and enable consumers to easily check out items with cryptocurrencies (BTC, ETH, XEM, LTC, PXS, QTUM, XLM, ACT tokens), fiat money, bank card, mobile wallet or a Pundi X Pass card in the near future. These POS devices can help the retail store owners to convert crypto to fiat, crypto to crypto to fiat and fiat to crypto for transactions./p>







As for POS device roll-out plan, Pundi X has partnered with the companies in the US, Canada, Indonesia, India, the Philippines, and Singapore. They are Appsolutely covering the Philippines market, WandX covering India, CannaSOS covering North America, U.CASH covering Canada and North America.

In Indonesia, the rollout will be built upon Pundi-Pundi (QR payment solution) with over 100,000 registered users and 600 partnered merchants. Pundi-Pundi recently signed a strategic partnership with Warmindo, a food stall chain owned by Indofood. About 45,000 Warmindo stalls will get Pundi solution for cashless transactions. Also, Pundi X, in collaboration with E2Pay will build a new financial app for a religious group in Indonesia with 100 million members. One of the objectives is to enable donation by using cryptocurrencies.

"Due to the inquiries we received during the roadshows, the team decided to get more working products ready before our public token sale begins. We know that we need to get the devices made immediately and distributed right after the fundraising," said Zac Cheah, CEO of Pundi X. "2018 will be an exciting year for Pundi X. We are ready and look forward to getting more cryptocurrencies in more places."

Public token sale starts on January 21 with a new hard cap

Pundi X will raise its funding through the public token sale. It will officially commence on January 21 and run until it reaches the hard cap of 35 million US dollars or January 31, 2018. The team plans to install at least 100,000 Pundi X POS devices over the next three years across all target markets.

The limited time pre-sales have already successfully raised a total of 10,833 ETH, 622 BTC, 597,442 XEM, and 50,000 QTUM - equivalent to 23 million US Dollars (price value as of December 20th) from 1,481 individual investors. Established token investors include Lon Wong President of NEM and Patrick Dai CEO and founder of Qtum.

About Pundi X

Pundi X is a cryptocurrency point-of-sale ("POS") solutions provider for retail stores seeking to accept digital currencies in Southeast Asia. Pundi X POS enables shops, cafes and convenience stores to sell cryptocurrency to the average consumer and builds on the success of Pundi-Pundi, which is one of Indonesia's most popular QR code cashless payment apps. Pundi-Pundi has already signed up more than 100,000 registered users and over 600 merchant partners in Jakarta in less than a year of operation.

To build a better cryptocurrency ecosystem, Pundi X is a member of XPOS Consortium, Indonesian Blockchain Association, Singapore Fintech Association, Fintech Association of Hong Kong, ACCESS, and Swiss Finance and Fintech Association.

For more information, please visit https://pundix.com/.

You can also find us on the following social media channels:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PundiXLabs

Telegram: http://t.me/pundix

Medium: http://medium.com/pundix

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/pundixlabs

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOIf6WeLEzZi3DQxzenTZeA

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pundi_x/

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pundi-x-starts-bringing-cryptocurrencies-to-physical-stores-in-2018-300576302.html

SOURCE Pundi X
[January 02, 2018] Arrow Accelerates IoT Leadership Position with eInfochips Acquisition

Arrow Electronics (News - Alert) , Inc. (NYSE:ARW) announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire eInfochips, one of the world's largest design and managed services companies. eInfochips works with global Fortune 1000 companies at every phase of technology deployment, including developing custom hardware and software and new IoT-based business models. eInfochips will expand Arrow's IoT "sensor-to-sunset" platform by adding engineering, solution architecture, embedded software development, security, mobile device connectivity, app development, cloud configuration and management, and managed services including big-data analytics. "Upon close of this acquisition, eInfochips advances our IoT strategy, expands our offerings, and moves us into the rapidly growing IoT services market. As a result, we will deliver complex and connected IoT solutions and technologies across multiple cloud platforms," said Michael J. Long, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of Arrow. "This acquisition adds over 1,500 IoT solution architects, engineers, and software development resources to Arrow's already leading position in IoT design services." "Arrow has redefined design engineering with our industry-leading eDesign digital platform. Customers now collaborate on Arrow.com with hundreds of online-enabled engineers. Our engineers help customers with online reference designs, cloud-based design tools, and our eDesign platform," said Matt Anderson, chief digital officer of Arrow. "Conecting eInfochips' IoT capabilities and engineers to our eDesign platform will substantially augment the scale of eInfochips' services, delivered via digital tools, to Arrow's 125,000 customers."



eInfochips is headquartered in San Jose, Calif., with locations in India and Europe, and 1,500 employees globally. eInfochips' breadth of capabilities spans chip design, to product and IoT solution delivery, and across many industries, from retail and consumer, to industrial automation, healthcare, and aerospace. The transaction is expected to close this month.

Arrow Electronics (www.arrow.com) is a global provider of products, services and solutions to industrial and commercial users of electronic components and enterprise computing solutions. Arrow serves as a supply channel partner for more than 125,000 original equipment manufacturers, contract manufacturers and commercial customers through a global network of more than 465 locations in 90 countries. Safe Harbor The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for forward-looking statements. This press release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or facts to differ materially from such statements for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to: our ability to expand our capabilities and offerings; our ability to deliver more and enhanced solutions; our ability to retain eInfochips' employees; our ability to maintain and grow eInfochips' sales and profits; and the other risks described from time to time in the company's reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission (including the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q). Forward-looking statements are those statements which are not statements of historical fact. Forward-looking statements can be identified by forward-looking words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "may," "will," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," and similar expressions. Shareholders and other readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. The company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any of the forward-looking statements. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180101005070/en/

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[January 02, 2018] Padma Shri Deepa Malik Launched 12-year-old's Photography Book to Raise Funds for Free Cleft Surgeries for Children in India

NEW DELHI, January 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Photography Book 'Wild at Heart: Animal Encounters Through my Lens' will support Smile Train India Over the weekend, Padma Shri Deepa Malik launched a photography book titled 'Wild at Heart: Animal Encounters Through My Lens', published by 12-year-old, London-based photographer Ameya Kulkarni capturing his encounters with wildlife from across the world. The proceeds from the sale of the book will help fund free cleft surgeries to children across the country, through NGO Smile Train India. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160531/373623LOGO )

(Photo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/623832/Smile_Train_Ameya_s_Book_Launch_by_Deepa_Malik.jpg )

The book includes pictures taken in various destinations, over the years, based on Ameya's travels, from Iceland to South Africa, India to Belgium, and at his home in England. Of the voluminous collection of the photographs he took, Ameya chose those for the book that he felt 'had a story to tell'. He says some pictures had scenes that fascinated him, "like the camels in the Thar desert"; while sometimes he found themes around which he, "actively took picture such as with urban cows in India."



Speaking about why he decided to donate all the proceeds from his book, Ameya said, "We need to give back to society and no contribution is too early or too small." Further talking about why he chose to support clefts, Ameya shared, "Through my continued partnership with Smile Train, I would like to contribute towards improving access to better medical facilities for children with clefts earlier in their life, so that this simple surgery can be done when they are very young." Speaking at the event, Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee Deepa Malik shared, "I am delighted and overwhelmed to see young supporters like Ameya coming forward to dedicate their work to charitable causes. Children born with clefts live a life of shame and isolation, unable to make friends or go to school, and support like this will go a long way in providing them a second chance at life. I congratulate Ameya for this initiative and wish him the best!"

Sharing more details about clefts and Smile Train's operations, Vice President and Regional Director, Smile Train - South Asia, Mamta Carrol said, "Hundreds of thousands of children continue to live a life of isolation just because they were born with clefts. However, a surgery transforms their life and many go on to pursue education, learn a trade, build a family. We are humbled by contributions of young supporters like Ameya who come forward and support the cause." More information: The book is available for purchase on Amazon and Flipkart at http://bit.ly/2lidlnV About Smile Train India: Smile Train is an international children's charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. In India, over 35,000 children are born with clefts every year and hundreds of thousands of children with untreated clefts live in isolation; but more importantly, have difficulty eating, breathing and speaking. Cleft repair surgery is simple, and the transformation is immediate. Since the year 2000, Smile Train's sustainable model has provided training, funding and resources to empower local doctors and hospitals across India to provide 100%-free cleft repair surgery and comprehensive cleft care in their own communities. This 'teach a man to fish' strategy has enabled Smile Train India to provide over 4,90,000 free surgeries through a network of more than 160 partner hospitals. To learn more about how Smile Train India's sustainable approach has both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit: http://www.smiletrainindia.org. Media Contact:

Neeraj Bali

nbali@smiletrain.org

011-47856300

Smile Train India



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[January 02, 2018] Siyata Mobile Announces All 50 States Opt-In for United States FirstNet Public Safety Network

MONTREAL, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Siyata Mobile Inc. (the Company or Siyata) (TSX-V:SIM) (OTCQX:SYATF) is pleased to announce that on December 29, 2017, all 50 states opted-in for the FirstNet Band 14 Network, a monumental moment for public safety in the United States.

FirstNet was created in response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when New York first responders were hampered by inoperable communication networks. FirstNet is partnering with AT&T in building an LTE-based wireless network for public safety using AT&Ts existing LTE network alongside FirstNets 700 MHz spectrum, otherwise known as Band 14 and represents 20 MHz of highly desirable spectrum that provides good propagation in urban and rural areas. The First Responder Network Authoritys public-private partnership with AT&T provides first responders with immediate access to mission-critical capabilities over the FirstNet network. This includes priority and preemption features that give first responders their own fast lane on the public safety network to communicate and share information during emergencies, large events or other situations when commercial networks could become congested. Marc Seelenfreund, CEO and Chairman of Siyata Mobile, states, FirstNet will forever change the way first responders communicate and it should be applauded by the citizens of America. The launch of our Uniden UV350 in-vehicle cellular device coincides with the roll out of FirstNet, and greatly improves in-vehicle communication and safety during mission critical situations. As these hardware upgrades take place to be compatible on Band 14, we firmly believe the Uniden UV350 will be at the forefront of this paradigm shift in the industry. According to FirstNets press release issued December, 29, 2017 key milestones and activities planned for 2018 include but not limited to: Expanding the Network and Building Out Band 14: The First Responder Network Authority will issue work orders to deploy the RANs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the two opt-in territories in early 2018. This will give AT&T the green light to expand FirstNets footprint and deploy Band 14 capacity and coverage throughout the nation, proiding first responders with the bandwidth and mission critical connections they need to communicate, share information, and use innovative technologies every day and in every emergency.

The First Responder Network Authority will issue work orders to deploy the RANs in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and the two opt-in territories in early 2018. This will give AT&T the green light to expand FirstNets footprint and deploy Band 14 capacity and coverage throughout the nation, proiding first responders with the bandwidth and mission critical connections they need to communicate, share information, and use innovative technologies every day and in every emergency. Driving Public Safety Innovation: FirstNet will also unlock a new technology marketplace for public safety, enabling first responders to benefit from advancements in innovation. The FirstNet App store will be filling up with FirstNet-approved mobile apps that are optimized for public safety use over the first responder network.



July 24, 2017 Siyata Mobile commenced device approval for the UV Uniden UV350 with a U.S. Tier 1 Cellular Operator. Additionally, Siyata recently secured a distribution agreement with CNM Wireless LLC, which provides distribution and logistics for wireless devices and accessories to a Tier 1 U.S. wireless operator exclusively, with which Siyata has commenced technical device approval. The flagship Uniden UV350 4G/LTE device is currently undergoing device approval with both Canadian and U.S. Tier 1 operators, and the Company aims to receive device approval from the carriers in Q1 and Q2 2018 respectively.

According to a recent report by Inkwood Research, the global Public Safety and Security market is projected to grow to $537.20 billion by 2024 at a CAGR of 10.91 percent between 2016 and 2024. The report notes: Citizens and enterprises face continuous threats from cyber criminals, natural disasters, and terrorist attacks. This has increased the demand for public safety and security solutions across the world. About Siyata Siyata Mobile Inc. is a leading global developer and provider of cellular communications systems for enterprise customers, specializing in connected vehicle products for professional fleets, marketed under the Uniden Cellular brand. Since developing the worlds first 3G connected vehicle device, Siyata has been a pioneer in the industry, launching the worlds first 4G LTE all-in-one fleet communications device in 2017. Incorporating voice, push-to-talk over cellular, data, and fleet management solutions into a single device, the company aims to become the connected vehicle communications device of choice for commercial vehicles and fleets around the world.

Siyata also offers rugged phones for industrial users and signal boosters for homes, buildings, and fleets with poor cell coverage. Siyatas customers include cellular operators, commercial vehicle technology distributors, and fleets of all sizes in Canada, the U.S., Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. Visit www.siyatamobile.com and http://www.unidencellular.com/ to learn more. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of: SIYATA MOBILE INC. Marc Seelenfreund

CEO and Chairman Investor Relations:

Arlen Hansen

Kin Communications

1-866-684-6730

SIM@kincommunications.com Sales Department:

Glenn Kennedy, VP Sales

Siyata Mobile Inc.

416-892-1823

glenn_kennedy@siyatamobile.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required under the applicable laws.

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[January 02, 2018] BIOLIFE4D Names Dr. Ravi Birla as its Chief Science Officer

CHICAGO, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BIOLIFE4D , a biotech pioneer leveraging advances in tissue engineering to 3D print human organs viable for transplant, today announced it has named Dr. Ravi Birla as its Chief Science Officer. Birla previously served as the Associate Director of the Department of Stem Cell Engineering at the Texas Heart Institute in Houston.

Birla is a highly regarded expert in the field of cardiac tissue and organ fabrication, cardiac tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. With specific interests in whole heart bioengineering, fabrication of 3D heart muscle, bioartificial ventricles, valves and blood vessels, Birla is an ideal leader for BIOLIFE4Ds scientific team as the Company continues to develop its innovative technology for 3D printing a human heart viable for transplant. As we continue through the development stage for our technology, its critical to ensure we have the brightest minds and best talent in the industry to support our mission and steer the direction of the Company forward. We are excited to have Ravi join our team, as his expertise aligns perfectly with what we are working to achieve, said Steven Morris, CEO of BIOLIFE4D. With his experience in heart bioengineering and fabrication of heart components Ravi will be an invaluable resource to both our scientific and medical teams. We have worked to build an incomparable team of experts, and the addition of Ravi further strengthens that. Birla has a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and was also recruited to serve as Director of the Artificial Heart Laboratory with the Division of Cardiac Surgery at the renowned University of Michigan Medical School. He has served as a professor at both Tulane University and the University of Houston, and during both appointments, was the Principal Investigator of its NIH funded Artificial Heart Laboratory. Birla most recently served as the Associate Director of the Department of Stem Cell Engineering at the Texas Heart Institute, where he led day-to-day operations and scientific direction for large scale research initiatives. Im thrilled to be joining BIOLIFE4D at this incredibly exciting time for the company. My career has been dedicated to finding and developing innovative solutions for cardiac bioengineering, and Im excited to be joining an organization that shares my vision, said Birla. I look forward to getting started with all of my colleagues, and to bring my expertise and experience to the forefront as we continue to develop our 3D bioprinting process. We have an incredible team of scientists and medical professionals at BIOLIFE4D, working diligently all toward the same important cause  to give people the gift of time  and its very rewarding to be a art of it. I remain committed to achieving the scientific goals of BIOLIFE4D and work diligently with the entire team to bioengineer human hearts suitable for patient transplantation.



Birla joins an impressive team of medical and scientific professionals at BIOLIFE4D, including: Adam Feinberg , Ph.D. (Scientific Advisory Team Leader); Dr. Jeffrey Morgan , M.D. (Chief Medical Officer); Ibrahim Ozbolat , Ph.D.; Sean Palecek , Ph.D.; Shayn Peirce-Cottler , Ph.D.; Ramille Shah , Ph.D.; Raimond Winslow , Ph.D.; and Janet Zoldan , Ph.D. BIOLIFE4D has filed a $50 million initial public offering with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Regulation A+ equity crowdfunding rules, allowing everyday investors to help the company bring its groundbreaking cardiac tissue regeneration and organ replacement process to market. The Reg A+ rules, outlined under the 2012 Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, allow companies to raise up to $50 million in equity from non-accredited investors and others.

To learn more about BIOLIFE4D and to express interest in investing visit https://biolife4d.com/invest/ . About BIOLIFE4D BIOLIFE4D is a pioneering biotech company laser focused on leveraging advances in life sciences and tissue engineering to 3D bioprint a viable human heart suitable for transplant  lifesaving technology that gives patients the gift of time. With BIOLIFE4D, a patient-specific, fully functioning heart will be created through 3D bioprinting using the patients own cells  eliminating the well-known challenges of organ rejection and long donor waiting lists that plague existing organ transplant methods. Financed through equity crowdfunding, BIOLIFE4D is driving a movement to transform the treatment of heart disease, the leading cause of death among both men and women globally. Learn more and invest at biolife4d.com . Connect with us on social media on Twitter (@BIOLIFE4D), Facebook , LinkedIn , and Instagram . Although you are currently able to express your interest in investing, BIOLIFE4D Corporation is not yet accepting investments. No money or other consideration is being solicited by the company at this time, and if sent in response, will not be accepted. No offer to buy the securities can be accepted and no part of the purchase price can be received until the offering statement is qualified, and any such offer may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance given after the qualification date. If you indicate interest, your indication of interest involves no obligation or commitment of any kind. Media Contact

Matthew Bretzius

FischTank Marketing and PR

biolife4d@fischtankpr.com

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[January 02, 2018] Centrexion Therapeutics Raises $67 Million; Launching Phase 3 Program for CNTX-4975 in Knee Osteoarthritis Pain in 2018

Centrexion Therapeutics Corporation, a company focused on developing non-opioid, non-steroidal therapeutics for the treatment of chronic pain, today announced the successful completion of a $67 million Series D financing. Proceeds will be used to fund the Phase 3 program for Centrexion's lead therapy, CNTX-4975, a synthetic, ultra-pure injection of trans-capsaicin, for the treatment of chronic pain due to knee osteoarthritis (OA). CNTX-4975 is a highly differentiated, novel, non-opioid therapy that is designed to be injected directly into the painful joint. In clinical trials conducted to date, a single injection of CNTX-4975 has provided substantial, quick-onset pain reduction in patients with moderate to severe OA pain. In the recently completed Phase 2b TRIUMPH clinical trial, this reduction in pain began within days and continued through six months, demonstrating a durable response. Treatment with CNTX-4975 also resulted in significant reductions in knee stiffness and improvements in joint function. OA is a rapidly escalating public health issue that is projected to affect nearly 67 million Americans by 2030.1 "We made extraordinary progress with our clinical programs in 2017, including the positive Phase 2b TRIUMPH clinical trial of CNTX-4975, which showed one of the largest reductions of pain associated with knee osteoarthritis reported in any placebo controlled clinical trial. These results pave the way for our Phase 3 program to commence in the first quarter of 2018," said Jeffrey B. Kindler, chief executive officer of Centrexion Therapeutics. "With our CNTX-4975 data demonstrating an impressive degree of pain relief and an adverse event profile similar to placebo, we are looking forward to advancing this potential new therapy, which we believe can benefit millions of people suffering from chronic pain. We will also further advance our deep clinical pipeline of other non-opioid therapies that address new and emerging biological targets for pain." New Enterprise Associates (NEA) led the financing with strong participation from new and existing investors, including Quan Capital, ArrowMark Partners, certain investment funds advised by Clough Capital Partners L.P., InterWest Partners, 6 Dimensions Capital, and Efung Capital. In conjunction with this financing, Centrexion named Sara Nayeem, M.D., partner at NEA, and Stella Xu, Ph.D., managing director of Quan Capital, to its board of directors.



"There is an urgent need for safer, more effective approaches to treating chronic pain, which is why we are thrilled to work with Centrexion to deliver on the promise of their exciting pipeline of novel, non-addictive pain therapeutics," said Dr. Nayeem. "We look forward to partnering with this talented management team as the company moves into its pivotal Phase 3 program for CNTX-4975 and continues to advance its clinical pipeline." Leerink Partners LLC acted as a financial advisor to the company for the financing.

About CNTX-4975 CNTX-4975 is based on Centrexion's proprietary STRATI technology (Synthetic TRans cApsaicin ulTra-pure Injection), a highly potent, ultrapure, synthetic form of trans-capsaicin (a medicine traditionally derived from the chili plant). CNTX-4975 is designed to be injected directly into the site of pain to provide rapid onset, large reduction and long duration of relief from moderate to severe pain without affecting touch sensibility or position sense. CNTX-4975 works by targeting the capsaicin receptor (TRPV1) to selectively and rapidly inactivate the local pain fibers transmitting signals to the brain. With a short half-life, CNTX-4975 is cleared from the body within 24 hours. This approach is designed to provide pain relief that can last for months until the ends of the local pain fibers regenerate, while maintaining normal sensation, such as touch, pressure and position, and without the risks of toxicities of NSAIDs and injected corticosteroids, or the side effects, including abuse and addiction, associated with opioid treatments. About Centrexion Therapeutics Corporation Centrexion Therapeutics Corp. is focused on advancing the treatment of chronic moderate to severe pain with one of the largest exclusively pain-focused pipelines of non-opioid, non-addictive therapies in active development. Centrexion Therapeutics recognizes the needs of over a quarter of a billion people living with chronic pain worldwide, and aims to develop new, safer and more effective therapies that overcome the limitations and challenges associated with current pain treatments. Founded by world-renowned leaders in drug development and well-funded by key investors, Centrexion Therapeutics is building a pain treatment powerhouse to address the substantial and growing global chronic pain epidemic. Centrexion Therapeutics has recently relocated from Baltimore, Md. to Boston, Mass. For more information about Centrexion, visit http://www.centrexion.com. 1. Hootman JM, Helmick CG. Projections of US prevalence of arthritis and associated activity limitations. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;54:226-9. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005164/en/

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[January 02, 2018] Beyond Limits Selected for Prestigious 31st Annual 2018 Edison Awards

GLENDALE, Calif., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Beyond Limits, a developer of advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive computing solutions, today announced that they have been selected as a nominee for the 2018 Edison Awards. Since 1987, the Edison Awards have recognized and honored the most innovative new products, services and business leaders in the world. The winners will be announced at the Edison Awards Gala in New York, NY on April 11, 2018. Beyond Limits, launched in 2014, is a pioneering artificial intelligence company with a storied history in space exploration. Beyond Limits cognitive AI is inspired by the functional behaviors of the human brain to provide human-like cognition and reasoning. With 42 technologies developed for NASA's famed Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), tested and proven in programs like the Mars Rover missions, the company offers cognitive AI and reasoning systems available for the first time for commercial use. Powered by Beyond Limits innovations, the company's technology is an evolutionary leap beyond conventional "machine" AI to a human-like ability to perceive, understand, correlate, learn, teach, reason and solve problems faster than existing AI solutions. With technologies proven in the unknown and extreme environment of space, Beyond Limits delivers AI software capable of tackling complex industrial and enterprise challenges for leading global customers in energy, healthcare and financial services to transform their businesses and industrial operations. Beyond Limits solutions are more flexible, powerful, and scalable than conventional AI, in a much smaller footprint, and are deployable on off-the-shelf hardware, in the cloud, on a chip, or embedded in a device. Beyond Limits announced a Series B investment with BP Ventures, and has been mentioned in top press such as Forbes, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Financial Times and more. "It is an honor to be selectedand highlighted as an innovative company by the Edison Awards," says AJ Abdallat, CEO of Beyond Limits. "Beyond Limits comes from the same scientific tradition as Thomas Edison, with a can-do attitude inspired by our NASA  JPL heritage of solving tough problems to benefit people around the world with cutting-edge AI solutions."



The Edison Awards are inspired by Thomas Alva Edison, who received 1,093 U.S. patents because of his outstanding new product development methods. Award winners represent "game changing" products and services, as well as excellence and leadership in innovation around four criteria: Concept, Value, Delivery, and Impact. The Edison Award is a prestigious accolade, honoring excellence in new product and service development, marketing, design and innovation. The Edison Awards are an annual competition that honor innovation, recognize achievement and celebrate success from organizations across the globe. For more information on the Edison Awards, please visit www.edisonawards.com.

About the Edison Awards Originally established in 1987 by the American Marketing Association, but an independent organization since 2008, the Edison Awards have recognized and honored some of the most innovative products and business leaders in the world and is among the most prestigious accolades honoring excellence in new product and service development, marketing, design and innovation. http://www.edisonawards.com/index.php About Beyond Limits Beyond Limits is a pioneering Artificial Intelligence company based in Glendale, California, with a storied history in space and defense, notably AI technology developed at JPL that assisted operation of the Mars Rover Curiosity. From its origins at Caltech/JPL, the NASA facility in Southern California, Beyond Limits owns exclusive licenses to 42 blocks of sophisticated IP developed through NASA R&D investment, a $150 million AI technology head start. Founded in 2014, Beyond Limits develops IP enhancements for NASA, and also drives new innovation on its mission to bring space program technology to commercial applications here on Earth. The company is a recognized AI leader with breakthrough cognitive technology that goes beyond conventional AI, binding deep learning and machine learning tools together with symbolic AIs that emulate human intuition. Beyond Limits cognitive agents are trained and deployed to solve a variety of industrial and enterprise problems in energy, fin-tech, healthcare, and logistics. For more information, please visit our website www.beyond.ai. Media Contact: Jennifer Rodriguez

Firecracker PR

1-888-317-4687

188082@email4pr.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/beyond-limits-selected-for-prestigious-31st-annual-2018-edison-awards-300576072.html SOURCE Beyond Limits

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[January 02, 2018] Yale Launches Online Auctions on RestaurantEquipment.bid to Empty Commons for Renovation

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After receiving a $150 million donation from Blackstone co-founder and Yale alumnus, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Yale University has plans to create a world-class campus center by renovating the historic Commons and Memorial Hall. Once complete in 2020, the Schwarzman Center will provide a central location for students to meet, eat, and view performing arts. But before that happens, Yale is tasked with removing and finding a new home for the furniture, fixtures, appliances, professional-grade kitchen equipment, and over 1,000 chairs from the first two floors of the building. To do this, they have launched two online auctions at www.RestaurantEquipment.bid to give the community a chance to bring home a piece of Yale history. Two auctions will be launched in total: one for the first floor of Commons and one for the basement floor, ending January 11th and 18th respectively. Bidding for all items starts at $1.00, no matter what the item is, even the kitchen's giant conveyor-driven dishwasher with a sticker price exceeding $50,000. The auction is about finding a good home for the items from Commons. The hope is that many of these pieces will be bid on by Yale students, faculty and alumni who have a connection to Yale and the history of Commons. The decision to remove items from Commons through RestaurantEquipment.bid aligns with Yale's ongoing ffort to create a sustainable campus. One of the university's primary objectives outlined in the Yale Sustainability Plan 2025 is to ensure sustainable consumption and disposal patterns across campus. Hosting an online auction with bids starting at $1.00 ensures that anyone who can provide a home for the items has a shot at winning them.



Yale Hospitality is a multi-division organization comprised of Yale Dining, Yale Catering, Yale Auxiliary & Retail, as well as a full-service bakery and Culinary Support Center. Yale Hospitality serves an average of 14,000 meals a day in student dining, restaurants, cafes, convenience stores and at catered events. The organization is comprised of 880 professional, culinary and service team members. Yale Hospitality has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing its commitment to community, sustainability and hospitality excellence. In 2016, Yale Hospitality received the coveted International Food Manufacturer Association Silver Plate and ultimately the Gold Plate Awards (the Academy Award of the food industry). In addition, the department was recognized by the honorable Toni Harp, Mayor of the City of New Haven for its commitment to the city. Yale University has been dedicated to expanding and sharing knowledge, inspiring innovation, and preserving cultural and scientific information for future generations since its founding in 1701. Yale's reach is both local and international. It partners with its hometown of New Haven, Connecticut to strengthen the city's community and economy. And it engages with people and institutions across the globe in the quest to promote cultural understanding, improve the human condition, delve more deeply into the secrets of the universe, and train the next generation of world leaders. Yale is committed to improving the world today and for future generations through outstanding research and scholarship, education, preservation, and practice.

RestaurantEquipment.bid is an online auction platform focusing on restaurant and foodservice equipment. After 30 years of business, RestaurantEquipment.bid has helped thousands of operators source and sell equipment and supplies. Through our enduring relationships with global chains, independent operators, manufacturers and distributors, RestaurantEquipment.bid sells equipment and supplies at tremendous value. For more information

Neal Sherman

President | RestaurantEquipment.bid

188058@email4pr.com

585-259-6353

1-800-572-4480 ext. 111 View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yale-launches-online-auctions-on-restaurantequipmentbid-to-empty-commons-for-renovation-300576160.html SOURCE RestaurantEquipment.bid

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[January 02, 2018] Predictive Technology Group Appoints Dr. Michael Dey To Board Of Directors

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Predictive Technology Group, Inc. (OTC PINK:PRED), announces the appointment of Michael Dey, Ph.D. to the Board of Directors of Predictive Technology Group, Inc. Dr. Dey will assist in corporate governance and guide the development and commercialization of technology and products in all PRED subsidiaries. Predictive Technology Group, Inc. (OTC PINK: PRED), announces the appointment of Michael Dey, Ph.D. to the Board of Directors of Predictive Technology Group, Inc. Dr. Dey will assist in corporate governance and guide the development and commercialization of technology and products in all PRED subsidiaries, www.predictivetechnologygroup.com.



In addition to serving as a PRED Board Member, Dr. Dey will continue as Chief Executive Officer of Predicitive Therapeutics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of PRED. Before joining PRED, Dr. Dey had executive positions at Wyeth, later acquired by Pfizer, where he was both the President and the President of Scientific Affairs division for Wyeths Womens Health Care business. As President of Wyeths Womens Heath Care business for seven years, Dr. Dey managed its global resources of more than $3 billion annually.



We are very pleased to have Mike join PREDs Board of Directors, said Bradley Robinson, CEO of PRED. Mikes breadth of knowledge and experience in life sciences will greatly assist in advancing science and technology and bringing related diagnostics and therapeutics to the clinic to improve the care and outcomes of patients. Before his leadership role in women's health care, Dr. Dey served as Vice President, General Manager of ESI Pharma, Inc. In 1995, with Wyeths acquisition of American Cyanamid and Lederle Standard Products, Dr. Dey became President of ESI Lederle, Inc. As President of ESI Lederle, Dr. Deys responsibilities included directing one of the largest generic companies in the U.S. with more than $500 million in sales, approximately 150 people in R&D and 100 people in marketing and sales. ESI Lederle sold both oral and injectable products that included Tubex, the prefilled syringe delivery system.

Dr. Dey received an undergraduate degree in Biology/Chemistry in 1973, a Masters Degree in 1980 in Pharmacology and Toxicology and a Ph.D. in 1984 in Pharmacology and Toxicology. Predictive Therapeutics plans to launch several new molecular diagnostic tests focused on womens health, and a therapeutic drug for the treatment of endometriosis. Dr. Deys appointment will assist PRED to reach these commercial milestones effectively. About Predictive Technology Group, Inc.

Predictive Technology Group, Inc. (OTCPINK:PRED), a Salt Lake City, UT, based Life-Sciences Holding company formed in 2013, aims to revolutionize patient care through predictive data analytics, novel gene-based diagnostics, and companion therapeutics through its wholly owned subsidiaries Predictive Therapeutics and Predictive Biotech. Its subsidiary companies currently focus on four main categories: Endometriosis, Scoliosis, Degenerative Disc Disease and Regenerative Tissue Products. PRED is exploring possibilities for additional disease identification and treatment categories in its integrated, registered laboratories. PRED subsidiaries use genetic and other information as cornerstones in the development of new diagnostics that assess a persons risk of illness and therapeutic products designed to identify, prevent and treat diseases more effectively, www.predictivetechnologygroup.com, www.predrx.com, and www.predbiotech.com. For more information about Predictive Technology Group, Inc. and the release, contact Rich Kaiser, Investor Relations, YES INTERNATIONAL, 757-306-6090, and yes@yesinternational.com. Forward-Looking Statements- To the extent any statements made in this release contain information that is not historical, these statements are essentially forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, including the difficulty of predicting FDA approvals, acceptance and demand for new vaccines and other pharmaceutical products, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development and launch, reliance on key strategic alliances, availability of raw materials, availability of additional intellectual property rights, availability of future financing sources, the regulatory environment, and other risks the Company may identify from time to time in the future. Contact Rich Kaiser

YES INTERNATIONAL

757-306-6090

yes@yesinternational.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1985fb2b-4ffc-4c83-b47d-21159f4cee82

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[January 02, 2018] iLOOKABOUT Announces the Appointment of Phillip Millar as a Director

TORONTO, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- iLOOKABOUT Corp. (TSXV:ILA) (iLOOKABOUT or the Company) is pleased to announce that on December 20, 2017, the Board of Directors (the Board) of the Company unanimously agreed to appoint Mr. Phillip Millar as a Director of the Company.

Mr. Millar received a Political Science degree from Western University prior to joining the Canadian Armed Forces as an Infantry Officer with the Royal Canadian Regiment, serving his country for twelve years, deployed on many overseas missions with the United Nations and NATO. Over the course of his career, he received specialized training in Information Warfare with the United States Staff college, Psychological Operations with the British Army, High-Level Strategic and Tactical courses within Canada's Military, and a variety of vigorous "gut check" courses including Parachute and Reconnaissance Operations. While serving, he also completed his Master's degree at Royal Roads University in Conflict Analysis and Resolution, writing his thesis on the impact of cultural awareness and conflict operations. Mr. Millar has in-depth expertise in the field of leadership. He ran the Leadership School for the Army in Ontario and participated in numerous exchanges with NATO partners developing Leadership Training and Accountability ystems for the military chain of command.



After leaving the military for medical purposes, Mr. Millar completed his law degree at Western Law in 2007. He transitioned into the Ministry of the Attorney General as an Assistant Crown Attorney prosecuting those charged with a variety of crimes including numerous fraud cases. He then moved into private practice at a large law firm and practised Civil Litigation and Real Estate until opening his own law firm and building it into a successful and well-known institution in southwestern Ontario. Mr. Millar is an active real estate investor and has worked on many major projects and start-up ventures creating wealth and jobs within complex regulatory frameworks.

Mr. Gary Yeoman, Chairman & CEO of the Company commented, Mr. Millars diverse and rare background will be an exceptional resource to the Board with his ability and strength in strategic planning, interpretation of complex regulatory regimes, analysis of leadership challenges, and his proven ability to identify and implement unorthodox solutions to challenging problems. We are exceptionally pleased to welcome Mr. Millar to the Board. About iLOOKABOUT

iLOOKABOUT is a software, data analytics and visual intelligence company focused on real property. The Company primarily serves the property assessment, property taxation, municipal, insurance, and appraisal sectors, both public and private, in North America. iLOOKABOUT provides powerful data analytics to the real estate industry through its Real Property Tax Analytics software offering. The Companys proprietary StreetScapeTM imagery and real property focused web-based application, GeoViewPort, unifies property related data and enables desktop review of properties. iLOOKABOUT has integrated analytics and workflow management applications into GeoViewPortTM which create highly valued service offerings for its clients. To augment its technology based offerings, the Company provides real estate consulting services, with a focus on the Property Tax and Valuation sectors. iLOOKABOUTs common shares are traded on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ILA. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contact: Gary Yeoman, Chairman & CEO gary.yeoman@ilookabout.com 416.347.7707 www.ilookabout.com

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[January 02, 2018] Qtum Foundation, Trusted IoT Alliance, and Chronicled, Inc. to Develop Secure IoT Use Cases

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chronicled, Inc. and The Qtum Foundation have announced a collaboration to combine the Internet of Things (IoT) with Blockchain technology, developing real-world use cases integrating smart devices with a secure distributed ledger back end. This will take place in collaboration with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Through this partnership, Qtum and Chronicled will work together to define and support a roadmap of fundamental research at UC Berkeley, developing post-quantum applied cryptography, zkSNARK-based privacy-preserving smart contracts, and zero knowledge proofs for large computations. "The partnership with Chronicled and UC Berkeley represents the frontier of innovation in IoT, smart contracts, and privacy for enterprise applications. We are delighted to be partnering with some of the strongest researchers and innovators in the world who are leading enterprise implementations," said Qtum Foundation founder Patrick Dai. Qtum is developing a leading blockchain data network in Asia, using a hybrid model that combines the UTXO transaction model with a virtual machine layer for smart contracts. Meanwhile, Chronicled will pursue development of smart contracts to integrate IoT device registrations on the Qtum blockchain. Both Chronicled and Qtum are members of the Trusted IoT Alliance, a consortium of companies ranging from startups to Fortune 100 enterprises. The Alliance is focused on leveraging the power of the blockchain to secure high-value physical assets. Members of the Alliance, which is based in San Francisco, include Bosch, BNY Mellon, isco, and UBS.



"We have been collaborating with the team at Qtum for almost a year through the Trusted IoT Alliance, and we are excited to bring the latest IoT integration capabilities to Qtum," said Chronicled CTO Maurizio Greco. "We see a future where trusted device provisioning, authentication, data logs, and payments are just around the corner." A team of researchers at UC Berkeley is currently focused on using applied cryptography to develop solutions for identity, ownership, and provenance validation as well as other use cases at the intersection of blockchain and IoT. Through collaboration with Chronicled and Qtum, they hope to devise real-world use cases and gain insight from two teams that have been developing and applying the technology for enterprise customers.

"It is great to work with strong commercialization partners who both value the need for fundamental research and who see a path to commercialization of the applied cryptographic methods that we have under development in the lab," said Alessandro Chiesa, Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley. For his part, Trusted IoT Alliance Executive Director Zaki Manian said, "We are excited to be in a position to administer development grants to integrate Trusted IoT devices with the Qtum Blockchain technology. We see a win-win for our members in the Alliance and the Qtum ecosystem." Software developers and researchers are encouraged to visit the Trusted IoT website to apply for grants, here: https://github.com/Trusted-IoT-Alliance/Quantum-Foundation-Proposals About Chronicled

Based in the innovation hub of Silicon Valley, Chronicled is a technology company leveraging blockchain and IoT to power smart, secure supply chain solutions. Chronicled offers a Blockchain-based Smart Supply Chain Platform and secures IoT device identities, data, and event logs and automates IoT-dependent business logic using smart contracts. Chronicled is also a founding member of the Trusted IoT Alliance, with the mission of creating open source tools and standards to connect IoT and blockchain ecosystems to deliver business value. About Qtum

Qtum is a blockchain application platform. At its core, Qtum combines the advantages of the Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) model, an Account Abstraction Layer allowing for multiple virtual machines, and a proof-of-stake consensus protocol aimed at tackling industry use cases. The Qtum Foundation, headquartered in Singapore, is a decision making body charged with accelerating the development of this open network and protocol. Learn more at qtum.org.

CONTACT:

Sam Radocchia, CMO, sam@chronicled.com

John Scianna, john@qtum.org

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qtum-foundation-trusted-iot-alliance-and-chronicled-inc-to-develop-secure-iot-use-cases-300576290.html SOURCE Chronicled

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The Biotech Showcase is an investor and partnering conference devoted to providing private and public biotechnology and life sciences companies an opportunity to present to, and meet with, investors and pharmaceutical executives during the course of one of the industry's largest annual healthcare investor conferences.

About Tremeau Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Tremeau is a new pharmaceutical company focused on providing non-opioid pain treatments for rare diseases and other unique patient conditions with no approved treatments. Tremeau's unique approach to acute and chronic pain in rare diseases is rooted in the mechanism of action, documented efficacy, and clinically differentiated profile of COX-2 selective NSAIDs.

For additional information about Tremeau, please visit www.tremeaurx.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005059/en/
[January 02, 2018] 5 Steps for a Home Remodel

MISSION, Kan., Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) As a homeowner, there is nearly always a laundry list of projects with time and budget constraints when it comes to a home remodel.

Photo Courtesy of National Association of the Remodeling Industry



This step-by-step guide from the experts at the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) can help ensure you get the maximum return on your investment and make the most of your remodel. Step 1  Identify Reasons for Remodeling

Deciding whether to undertake simple aesthetic changes or a full remodel can be difficult. One of the best ways to decide is to figure out why you are remodeling in the first place, whether its to make your new house feel more like home or to update a 1950s-era kitchen. Step 2  Set Your Budget

Every home is unique in structure, age, quality and craftsmanship, which all impact the price of a remodel. Since no one can see through walls before demolition, the quote you receive will likely not be 100 percent accurate. However, a qualified remodeling company will be open and honest about the ssues and challenges it might face during the process. Account for these adjustments by planning for any surprises with a 10 percent cushion, just in case.



Step 3  Hire the Right Team

To help ensure you find the right company for the job, you should do your research. Referrals from friends and family are one way to find a remodeler. National associations like NARI provide unbiased information and resources that can help you find qualified, certified remodelers in your area. With more than 6,000 members, the organization represents professional remodelers who adhere to a strict code of ethics. Many hold certifications in remodeling, kitchen and bath design and lead carpentry. Find more information and resources at NARI.org. Step 4  Understand the Plan

Communication is key in a successful remodeling project. Keep the lines of communication open between you, the remodeling contractor and the work crew. Dont be afraid to ask questions. Let them know your familys schedule and whether you have pets confined somewhere. Make sure to specify the best way to reach you, such as phone, in-person or e-mail, and how often you wish to communicate with your remodeling contractor about your project.

Step 5  Complete the Project

While the dust is settling and the remodel is almost finished, take a moment to walk through your project and note any adjustments that need to be made while the contractor is still on site. Contractors often provide guarantees of workmanship, so find out what they cover and for how long then include this information in your work agreement. You should also take another look at the contract and confirm you have signed permits, receipts, change orders, lien waivers, warranties and manufacturers guides at your disposal. Remodeling a space can be a major project, but with the right help, resources and information, you can make your dream home come to fruition.

Michael French

mfrench@familyfeatures.com

1-888-824-3337

editors.familyfeatures.com About Family Features Editorial Syndicate

Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free  with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/92d0fd4a-8c3c-410e-935a-0b3ce64c7aa4

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[January 02, 2018] 5 Tips to Have Fun and Enhance Learning

MISSION, Kan., Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (Family Features) According to the United States Department of Commerce, 65 percent of jobs for kids today dont exist yet, which is why its important for them to explore the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as those occupations are growing at a rate of 17 percent. This type of education increases science literacy, creates critical thinkers and can prepare the next generation for a bright future.

Photo Courtesy of Mega Bloks



STEM is educational, but it can also be enjoyable for the whole family. Consider taking your childs learning further with these five tips that can help create playful experiences and spark educational fun. Start Early. According to the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, brain and skill-building experiences are critical for child development early in life, and high-quality, early STEM experiences can support childrens growth. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills can even be developed with programming and coding toys that light up and make sounds.



Encourage Creative Construction. STEM toys can be fundamental learning tools that can help children build and construct creatively at any age. The world is a canvas for creative construction, as children can draw with tools around the house to build their first masterpieces. If your little one enjoys 3-D building and matching, a toy like the Mega Bloks Big Building Bag is perfect for little builders to explore the concept of construction with big blocks, allowing for endless creativity to build anything they can imagine. Use Technology to Your Advantage. With some reports estimating children spend an average of seven hours a day on smart devices, look for ways to turn this time into learning time. Make tech time count with options that teach kids how to code, build apps and make digital projects come to life. Or have them build their own video game from scratch. Kids can build their own levels, heroes and art to make their stories come to life.

Play Your Way. Additionally, STEM toys can be helpful learning tools for everything from sequencing to building and planning. Integrating an activity that your child is already interested in is one way to introduce more education into their play time. With KamiGami, you can inspire future scientists with interactive STEM features where they can build six-legged animal robots and learn programming to create dances with lights, movements and sounds. Find Resources in Your Community. Interacting with STEM toys and experiences offers nearly endless possibilities for young children to develop their skills in fun and engaging ways. Try looking for community events centered around science or engineering. Many local community centers offer classes and may host special STEM-focused events, organizations and science fairs. Find more information and ways to creatively inspire your childrens learning opportunities at mattel.com. Michael French

mfrench@familyfeatures.com

1-888-824-3337

editors.familyfeatures.com About Family Features Editorial Syndicate

Established in 1974, Family Features is a leading provider of free food and lifestyle content for print and online publications. Our articles, photos, videos and web content solutions save you time, money and help create advertising opportunities. Registration is fast and free  with absolutely no obligation. Visit editors.familyfeatures.com for more information. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/122b092b-518a-4899-a83f-537092edf083

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[January 02, 2018] 3M Announces Upcoming Investor Event

3M (News - Alert) (NYSE: MMM) today announced the following investor event: Fourth-quarter 2017 earnings conference call on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018, at 8 a.m. CST. The earnings call can be accessed at (800) 762-2596 within the U.S. or +1 (212) 231-2916 outside the U.S. This event will be webcast live, and a replay will be available on 3M's Investor Relations website at http://investors.3M.com.



About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to the world's problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter (News - Alert) @3M or @3MNews.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005526/en/

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[January 02, 2018] Redgrave LLP Welcomes Nationally Recognized eDiscovery Lawyer Christopher Q. King in Chicago, Illinois

CHICAGO, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Redgrave LLP, the premier law firm focusing exclusively on eDiscovery and Information Law, announces the arrival of their new Partner, Chris King. Mr. King's addition gives Redgrave LLP three eDiscovery attorneys ranked among the very best in the nation by Chambers and Partners. (Jonathan Redgrave and Kevin Brady are also ranked.) In addition to its unique Chambers distinction, Redgrave LLP also has been recognized as "leading the pack" with five lawyers recognized by Who's Who in Legal: Jonathan Redgrave, Kevin Brady, Hon. Nan Nolan (ret.), Karen Hourigan, and Monica McCarroll, a number which now stands at six with the addition of Chris King. Chris will head the Firm's new Chicago office.



"We are thrilled to have Chris join our Firm out of his home city of Chicago," said Victoria Redgrave, Managing Partner of Redgrave LLP. "Chris' demonstrated acumen in eDiscovery, Privacy and Information Governance matters, his commitment to client service, and his reputation for excellence with clients and co-counsel make him a tremendous asset and a great fit for our firm's culture." Ms. Redgrave continued, "Chris' experience successfully arguing discovery motions in dozens of federal and state court cases enables him to consistently identify risks as well as opportunities for efficiency and cost-effectiveness for clients involved in major litigation."

"I have long admired Redgrave as the platinum standard for eDiscovery and Information Governance," said Mr. King. "I am truly looking forward to working with the best team in the business." Mr. King will continue his representation of clients in a variety of industries, including insurance, financial services, health care, and manufacturing. He is joined in Chicago by Nan A. Nolan and Margo Eckstein. ABOUT REDGRAVE LLP: Redgrave LLP is focused exclusively in the area of Information Law. It is the only law firm with three of top 20 eDiscovery lawyers in United States, Jonathan M. Redgrave, Kevin F. Brady, and Christopher Q. King as rated globally in 2017 by Chambers and Partners. Redgrave LLP provides Fortune and Global 500 companies and Am Law 100 law firms with the legal and technical advice, business strategy, and legal representation needed to support their immediate and future legal, regulatory, and operational requirements related to eDiscovery, Data Privacy and Security, and Information Governance. The Firm's dedicated teams of legal, business, and technical professionals are at the forefront of helping global organizations address the ever-evolving challenges associated with the creation, receipt, storage, retrieval, production, and destruction of documents and electronic information. Redgrave LLP has offices in Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, Cleveland, Chicago, Minneapolis, and San Francisco. Visit redgravellp.com Contact: Ann Koepke, Redgrave LLP

703-592-1168 | akoepke@redgravellp.com View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/redgrave-llp-welcomes-nationally-recognized-ediscovery-lawyer-christopher-q-king-in-chicago-illinois-300576180.html SOURCE Redgrave LLP

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[January 02, 2018] Prominent Insurance Lawyer Damon Vocke Joining Duane Morris

Former General Re Corporation President and General Counsel Damon Vocke is joining the Duane Morris insurance practice, the firm announced today. Vocke had most recently headed his own firm, the Vocke Law Group, with locations in New York, Chicago and Stamford, Connecticut. Along with partner Ronald Lepinskas and special counsel Mark Holton from the Vocke firm, he joins a Duane Morris insurance industry practice group that comprises over 100 lawyers in offices across the firm. Vocke will be working with the group nationally and particularly in New York. Said Matthew A. Taylor, the new Chairman and CEO of Duane Morris, "When highly accomplished lawyers such as Damon and his group decide to come to Duane Morris, we think it makes an important statement about our firm, both in terms of our growth trajectory as well as our exceptionally collaborative culture. The sophisticated nature of Damon's, Ron's and Mark's respective practices in class actions, regulatory and investigations fits well with our overall Trial practice and our Insurance Division specifically." "With its national reputation in the insurance industry, Duane Morris offers my clients an optimal platform," said Vocke, who will be named Head, Corporate & Regulatory Litigation of the Insurance Division at Duane Morris. "I know many of the lawyers in the firm's insurance group and their highly regarded practice. We are delighted to be joining them." As President of General Re Corporation, Vocke had executive responsibilities for a $6 billion business across 30 countries. He was also Chairman of a Lloyd's syndicate, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of a German affiliate and Chairman of United States Aviation Underwriters in New York. In his capacity as Group General Counsel of Gen Re, he also had responsibility for Legal, Regulatory, Governance, Compliance and Claims. Both for Gen Re and for major insurnce clients of his own firm, Vocke has led high-profile reinsurance, regulatory and white collar criminal defense matters. Before his tenure at Gen Re, Vocke had built a marquee practice at a major firm representing insurance clients in a broad range of complex matters.



Lepinskas, who will be resident in the Duane Morris Chicago office as partner, was also most recently at Gen Re prior to joining the Vocke firm, serving as Global Casualty & Liability Claims Manager overseeing professional lines, general casualty lines and workers' compensation involving thousands of claims valued at several billion dollars. Previously, as a litigator at major firms, he handled re/insurance coverage, class action defense, mass torts, securities and RICO actions. Holton, who will be resident in the Duane Morris New York office as special counsel, has represented investment banks; insurance brokers; insurance and reinsurance firms; accounting, consulting and law firms; the federal government and major news media organizations.

Max Stern, Chair of the Duane Morris insurance practice, said, "With the addition of Damon's group, we are substantially expanding our insurance capabilities in the East Coast, Midwest, London and broader international markets, focusing on complex work with visibility to the C-suite at major insurers. It's a terrific move for Damon, Ron and Mark, as well as for Duane Morris." Vocke holds both an undergraduate degree (with High Distinction) and a J.D. degree from the University of Michigan. He is a Director of the World Affairs Forum. Lepinskas received his J.D. degree, with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School, where he served on the Law Review and was also a Patino Fellow. His undergraduate degree is from Dartmouth College, summa cum laude. Holton is a graduate of the University of Virginia Law School, where he served on the Virginia Law Review and was awarded Order of the Coif. His undergraduate degree is from Harvard College cum laude. Following law school, he clerked for the Chief Judge of the U.S. District court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, the late Honorable Morley L. Sear. About the Duane Morris Insurance Practice Duane Morris' Insurance and Reinsurance practice is a nationally recognized leader in its field, has received a top-tier ranking from U.S. News-Best Lawyers and is consistently ranked by Chambers USA as one of the most highly rated insurance firms in the United States. With over 100 attorneys working in the firm's offices nationwide, the practice handles the full range of insurance matters, representing commercial liability insurers in general, excess and professional lines, as well as clients operating in all lines of the insurance and reinsurance business, including property and casualty, life, accident and health, management and professional liability, financial lines, surety and financial guaranty. About Duane Morris Duane Morris LLP provides innovative solutions to today's multifaceted legal and business challenges through the collegial and collaborative culture of its more than 800 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally. The firm represents a broad array of clients, spanning all major practices and industries. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180102005693/en/

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"The committee substitute further asks the Council to reiterate that it is in the best interests of the City to continue negotiations with Edgemoor and to establish a timeline for initial review of a newly submitted MOU and related information. It also directs the City Attorney and appointed outside counsel to continue negotiations on a Memorandum of Understanding with Edgemoor Infrastructure and Real Estate LLC for the terminal modernization project. The document suggests that Husch Blackwell LLP and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hall and Dorr LLP will remain involved in the negotiation process, along with the City Attorney.





"It also lays out a specific timeline moving forward. On Tuesday, January 9, the City Attorney and appointed outside counsel will be expected to provide the Council with an update on the renewed negotiations with Edgemoor. Specifically, the committee substitute directs negotiators to provide updates on key issues within the previous MOU: as well all items of concerns raised by the City Council in the interim."

There's more news on this front but for tonight let's make sure that we're all on the same page . . .So far, here's the best Summary of what the future holds . . .Developing . . .
Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens sold voters an action flick, but he's giving us a real war They already feel so long ago, those campaign ads. Remember? Eric Greitens, running to be Missouri's governor, billing himself as a former Navy SEAL and literally shooting guns and detonating explosives? Remember how he barked at us that this was exactly how he'd blow up Show-Me politics? He won.

Kansas City's fading "alternative" magazine argues against the tenure of the new jock-in-chief with typical talking points. Here's the partisan screed that hasn't improved the fortunes of this publication enduring tough times. Take a look:
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

Democracies neither threaten nor can be threatened. To the contrary, they work responsibly and methodically to promote understanding and consolidate stability and good neighbourly relations in their region, the Greek Foreign Ministry said in an announcement, according to ANA.

"Greece will continue on this course responsibly. We hope our neighbours opt for the same course of action. Rather than being a weakness, our faith in democratic principles and methods is a strength," the FM concluded.

Earlier, 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 week.

Turkey is one of the main Mediterranean competitors of the Greek tourism industry and has been hit strongly by terrorism and political instability culminating in numerous coup attempts during recent years.

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: A.Savin License: CC-BY-SA
Oman will delay implementation of Value-Added Tax (VAT) till 2019, but will start 'selective tax' on some goods later in the year, reports said.

The application of the selective tax on certain products will start by the middle of 2018, a Times of Oman report quoting Oman TV said.

The products targeted for the so-called sin tax are fizzy drinks, cigarettes and energy drinks, it said.

The delay in collecting the VAT until 2019 is expected to provide the countrys businesses with more time to prepare for it, the report said.

Saudi Arabia and the UAE have launched a 5 per cent VAT on January 1. It was earlier planned to introduce VAT in all GCC states simultaneously in January 2018. But this has been delayed in some countries.
editorial@tribune.com

Ramkrishan Upadhyay

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 1

For the first time, the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation has issued notices to over 2,000 residents of Sectors 16 and 22 for not paying the house tax amounting over Rs 3 crore over the years.

Sources said the notices had been issued after they were found defaulters in the provisional list prepared during the GIS survey conducted by a company engaged by the civic body.

While the MC has been issuing notices to the defaulters of house tax of the commercial properties but no such notices had ever been issued to defaulters of residential properties.

Sources said the survey of the residential property was likely to be completed in March.

An official of the MC said the civic body would send notices to all such defaulters found in the survey.

Sources said the notices had been served under Section 138 of the Municipal Act, which authorises the Commissioner to attach, sale or seal the property of the tax defaulters.

An officer of the department said though the department had recovered over Rs 4 crore of the arrears in the recent past, more than Rs 12 crore was still pending against the defaulters.

Recently, the Municipal Corporation has issued a notice to the PGI also for paying a sum of Rs 6,82,99,735 pending against the institute as outstanding property tax.

A week after the MC served notices to political parties for not paying property tax, the Chandigarh unit of the Congress has decided to deposit the tax. The MC had issued notices to the Congress Bhawan, Sector 35; Punjab Congress, Sector 15; Chandigarh BJP office, Sector 33; and Punjab BJP office in Sector 37 recently.

While approximately Rs 15,52,000 is pending against the Punjab Congress Bhawan, Rs 4,63,599 is pending against the Chandigarh Congress Bhawan. The Punjab BJP has been served the notice for depositing the amount of Rs 16,72,000, while the Chandigarh BJP has been told to pay around Rs 7 lakh.

Sources said Pradeep Chhabra, president, Chandigarh Congress, today met officials of the MC over the notice.

He said: We will deposit the tax after clarifying certain discrepancies in the notice.

A week on, Cong to pay tax

A week after the MC served notices to political parties for not paying property tax, the Chandigarh unit of the Congress has decided to deposit the tax. The MC had issued notices to the Congress Bhawan, Sector 35; Punjab Congress, Sector 15; Chandigarh BJP office, Sector 33; and Punjab BJP office in Sector 37 recently.

Chhabra meets MC officials

Sources said Pradeep Chhabra, president, Chandigarh Congress, on Monday met officials of the MC over the notice. We will deposit the tax after clarifying certain discrepancies in the notice, he said.
Yogendra Yadav

Yogendra Yadav

Not just because of the two rounds of Assembly elections due this year will 2018 be the year of election. And not just because of the possibility that the Lok Sabha elections may be advanced to the end of this year. Whether that happens or not, this year is going to be all about the forthcoming elections. The Budget speech this year will be an election speech. The Economic Survey and all economic statistics will be seen from an electoral prism. And so would the meteorological data on the monsoon. Chinese movements in Doklam and border skirmishes with Pakistan would not be external relations. They would be about event management and public relations for the regime. The Supreme Courts judgment on Ayodhya would be awaited less for who owns the land, more for its implications for political arithmetic. The crisis in Assam linked to the National Register of Citizenship would be noticed not for the human tragedy, but for how it could be milked electorally outside the state. This is what we mean by an election year.

Election fixation is of a different order this time, partly because this regime is generally fixated on elections. Nothing else matters; not public criticism, not protest movements, even the plight of the people. Democratic legitimacy has been reduced to electoral victory. Hence the PMs personal involvement in every round of elections, big or small.

This election year is also going to be extraordinary as the stakes are impossibly high. The forthcoming parliamentary election is not just about a second term for Mr Modi, or about the completion of the BJPs dominance of the political map of India. It's not just about whether whether Rahul Gandhi or the Congress party will have a future or not. Nor is it just about whether it is the end of the road for regional formations like the BSP, INLD, AAP, or the Left parties. Its about the future of the republic of India. Ever since the ascent of Mr Modi to power, the country has witnessed the most determined and vigorous onslaught on the foundations of our republic. Already compromised during the Congress regime, autonomous institutions have been reduced to their lowest ever since the days of the Emergency. Much of the mainstream media, especially television, is an extended arm of the ruling party. Constitutional commitment to diversity and protection of religious minorities has been reduced to a farce unlike ever before in independent India. Another term for this regime could well inscribe these practices into the DNA of our body politic. Thus, this year is not about watching an electoral horserace. It is about watching the making and unmaking of the future of India. This is the lens we need to deploy to make sense of 2018.

Much of the political speculation through this year would centre round who, when and how: Who is leading the horserace? When would the elections be held  as due in 2019 or along with Assembly elections in December 2018? And how is the electoral alignment shaping up? Would there be a grand anti-BJP coalition? But these are not the real questions. Instead, we should focus on what. The real question is what are the issues around which the electoral contestation will take place.

All we know is that the race is not as one-sided as it appeared before the Gujarat elections. All we can say is that the ruling partys discomfiture in rural areas is not limited to Gujarat. No doubt, the BJP faces tougher contests in most Assembly elections due this year than in Gujarat. The Congress is not likely to hand over Karnataka as easily as it did Himachal Pradesh. Given its rather low base, the BJP is unlikely to do anything spectacular in Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura, but for some political horse-trading or ethnic violence. It is fair to say that the country hasn't witnessed much of an opposition over the last three years and a half, except some routine anti-Modi-ism or some ritual noises in Parliament. Would we now witness some serious opposition on the ground? To be sure, an SP-BSP alliance in UP, Congress alliance with the BJD in Orissa and the DMK in Tamil Nadu and Nitish Kumar's return to the fold of Opposition can radically alter electoral equations. Yet, offering a credible opposition is not just about uniting the parties whose lack of credibility brought the BJP to power in the first place.

What's at stake? Not just the PM's position but that of the very republic. The question of election timing is linked to this. If the opposition can offer a credible alternative, then Mr Modi may be forced to advance the elections to cut his losses and to prevent his growing unpopularity from becoming a wave.

The critical question of the year is about the issues on which political and electoral battle takes shape. Mr Modi is sharp enough to realise that at the end of nearly four years, he does not have anything tangible to show to his electorate, especially to those in rural India. While he remains more popular than any of his rivals, he knows this is a fragile asset. The Gujarat election has indicated the direction that Mr Modi is likely to take if faced with a serious challenge: communalism and jingoist nationalism. So, we should not be surprised if 2018 witnesses sudden resurfacing of some forgotten mosques/temple disputes, if some minor border conflict is blown up into a tele-war. The opposition might try to counter it with liberal/secular talk which does not resonate with the electorate or with caste coalitions.

A serious counter to this can come from two directions: farmers movements and youth protests. 2017 witnessed a transformation of rural distress into farmers movements. Nearly 200 farmers organisations have come together to demand guaranteed remunerative prices and a complete one-time loan waiver. This government has neither the understanding nor the will to respond to this crisis by anything other than palliatives. This year will be the test of farmers' movements' ability to coordinate their struggle. The youth unrest is at once more amorphous and dispersed, but potentially more disruptive than the agrarian crisis. Watch 2018 for any signs of coordinated youth action on equal access to education and right to employment.

This election year, the final equation is simple; it is either agrarian crisis and youth unrest or Hindu-Muslim conflict. Which way this equation tilts will determine the electoral outcome and Indias future for some time to come.

yogendra.yadav@gmail.com
Smita Sharma

Smita Sharma

AHEAD of the disengagement between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam on August 28, 2017, Prime Minister Modi's close strategic minds were spending a sleepless night. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, NSA Ajit Doval, Army Chief BS Rawat, Foreign Secretary (FS) Jaishankar and senior MEA officials were engaged in a close conversation with Beijing. Indias interlocutor was its Ambassador Vijay Keshav Gokhale who did the talking late into the night with a senior Chinese representative. Finally, as the mutual disengagement was agreed upon there, was a sigh of relief and New Delhi called it a result of its matured diplomacy. With Vijay Gokhale now appointed as the new Foreign Secretary and China more assertive than ever before in Indias neighbourhood and in the Indo-Pacific, will his knowledge of China and his recent experience of its diplomatic hard bat become the key to some innovative diplomatic initiatives?

New Delhis pundits are excited. Vijay Chauthaiwale, Foreign Policy Cell in charge of the BJP, says, Vijay Gokhale thinks and acts very fast and is exceptionally talented. The way he handled the Doklam crisis shows he has the necessary skills to deal with such situations.

The outgoing FS

A 1981 batch Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Gokhale replaces Dr S Jaishankar on January 28 with an appointment term of two years and will have big shoes to fill. Considered one of Indias brightest strategic minds, Jaishankar was credited for the highly successful first official visit of Prime Minister Modi to the United States that saw him being embraced by the West after years of being treated as a pariah. Jaishankar himself had a broad-based experience, having served in DC, Moscow and Beijing before donning the Foreign Secretarys hat that had eluded him during the UPA regime. He replaced Sujatha Singh under controversial circumstances in January 2015 and received a further extension in 2017, thus superseding senior diplomats. But With Navtej Sarna, a batch senior and currently Ambassador to US retiring on December 31 and re-employed for a year, Gokhale's appointment as the seniormost diplomat meant no superseding. Gokhale has not served in the immediate neighbourhood or the US and Russia, but has handled all postings crucial to the One China Policy, including Taiwan and Vietnam and is an astute South-East Asia observer. He served in Malaysia for four years before heading to Germany and also handled Japan bilaterally. He has had bilateral and multilateral exposure of finance portfolios and troubled spots in Africa and the Middle East in his current role as Secretary Economic Relations. He is now a well-rounded diplomat.

With India upping its ASEAN Policy and facing the neighbourhood embrace of the dragon, and with the China-Pak axis becoming a growing concern, Gokhale will have his task cut out. Additionally with Rohingya, Iranian, Palestinian and Korean crises and the possibilities of limited conflicts impacting large Indian diaspora, the MEA under Gokhale in the days ahead will need to synchronise better with the Defence Ministry.

No dramatic change expected

Speculations are on though if Jaishankar will be accommodated in the Prime Ministers Office in some advisory capacity in the months ahead, especially given the turnaround in India-US relations and the bonhomie with the Trump administration, of which he has been a key architect  and if that might squeeze Gokhales work space and authority. When Shiv Shankar Menon was the NSA, he literally controlled the MEA internally too despite Ranjan Mathai as FS. But during Jaishankars term, all ambassadorial postings had his clear stamp and he was the man in control of MEA internally, says a senior diplomat.

But most do not expect is a dramatic change in the NSA-FS equation once Gokhale takes over.

While on China, Pakistan and the immediate neighbourhood, Doval has been a driving force, there was a clear understanding between him and Jaishankar on security and strategy policies. Diplomatic sources suggest that Gokhale will adhere to the perceived lines and barring a hierarchical change between him and Doval, a working chemistry between the two should emerge naturally.

Gokhales colleagues describe him as a pragmatic intellectual with clarity of thoughts. He is known to speak his mind but stays away from media glare. A 1979 IFS and retired Ambassador, Anil Wadhwa, who knows Gokhale from their days of language training in Hong Kong, says: He is a solid officer with a rounded background and enough of experience to handle issues at hand. I am certain that he will be excellent in this job.

Unlike Delhis bureaucratic culture, Gokhale comes to office very early and is almost halfway through his day's work by the time the others pour into office. But a batchmate of his questions if he will display strategic flamboyance. He is a steady hand who will drive carefully and safely. But in todays era of diplomatic turmoil, some amount of unpredictability will also be needed, cautions the retired diplomat.

smitaindelhi@gmail.com
shalender@tribune.com

US President Donald Trump has stirred the political waters in the subcontinent with his strongest-yet tirade against Pakistan. With Trump, distortion of past events comes naturally as long as he gets his message across. All that can be gleaned from Trump's tweet is that he is angry. But each overwrought inflexion in his tweet is not the truth as we see it: Pakistan was press-ganged into providing US military access to Afghanistan and ditch its Afghan allies much against its best interests. Since then, Islamabad has paid heavily for this arm-twisting. Trump is flawed in thinking the US was giving free lunches to Pakistan for the past 15 years; the $ 33 billion of US aid can never reimburse the costs imposed on social harmony and the economy for an endless war on Pakistan's friendly, fellow-Muslim neighbour.

India may try to ride the bandwagon of US anger to put its two bogeymen  Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar  permanently out of action. However, this is not the first time a US President has simulated anger at Pakistan. India will be missing the woods for the trees if it thinks Trump's outburst is all about snagging a few much-wanted militants; US already has a well-oiled drone-cum-intelligence campaign with Pakistani concurrence for that. The concern is strategic: the US feels the heat of a budding Pakistan-China-Russia axis in Afghanistan; even Ashraf Ghani made bold to assure China about signing up for the One Belt One Road project.

Trump's recent National Security Strategy has advised India to open its purse strings for Afghanistan. It needs to get a bigger bang for the buck it will be obliged to spend in Afghanistan. However, India will pointlessly deplete its political capital by being fixated on the two Imams. After all, Osama bin Ladens killing did not diminish the bloodlust of Salafi gangs around the world. The key, from India's point of view, is resolving Kashmir and retaining a small turf of influence in Afghanistan. As Trump pointed out, Pakistan should do more because it is adequately compensated. Since India owes Pakistan nothing, the two Imams can't be tamed by riding on US coattails.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Palwal, January 2

Panic spread in the town this morning after a 45-year-old man went on a killing spree and murdered six people, including a woman, in different areas of the town.

He was arrested around 6.30 am as he was roaming in a street near Sukhram Hospital.

Naresh Dhankhar, a resident of Omaxe City residential society in Sector 2, resisted his arrest by assaulting the cops. He was reportedly hit on the head and overpowered. The injured accused has been referred to the civil hospital at Faridabad.

Earlier, the incident created panic as the information about the serial attacker got viral on social media and the locals were asked to be alert and remain indoors.

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The information about his arrest was flashed around 8 am. The police who collected the information about the accused from the CCTV footage from a private hospital claimed that Naresh had assaulted and killed a middle-aged woman undergoing treatment there, before fleeing. He had attacked and killed five other people between 2 am and 4.30 am on Tuesday, it was said.

The identity of the victims is still to be ascertained. The police are on the job to ascertain the facts, including the motive behind the killings, said a police spokesperson.

Suspecting that the accused could be mentally ill, he said the accused who was an ex-serviceman and was in a disturbed state of mind for the past few months, had also assaulted a policeman in the city a few months back. The cop had suffered minor injuries.

The accused hails from Mahchhgar village of Faridabad district, and was a resident of Palwal for the past some time.
editorial@tribune.com

Bijendra Ahlawat

Tribune News Service

Palwal, January 2

I just cannot believe it. What has happened is completely shocking as my sister-in-law was innocent, says Mohammed Irfan (28), a resident of Buraka village. Anjum, wife of his cousin Hanish, a government teacher, had come to attend her sister-in-law who had been admitted to a private hospital for delivery a couple of days ago.

Anjum (34), a mother of three minor children, had reached the hospital in the noon and had decided to stay overnight with her relatives. She was asleep in the corridor just outside the ward when she was hit with a rod till she died, he said. Who will now take care of her nine-month-old baby and two other children aged four and nine who are waiting for her at home in Buraka, he said with tears rolling down. He said the police had handed over her body, but he was unable to take her to the village in this condition.

Inconsolable over the death of his uncle Subhash (42), a guard, Raju said that Subhash belonged to Sikohabad in UP and he was the sole bread earner of his family of four.

He said no one ever could think of such an unfortunate death of a hardworking person who was still in his prime age. The night watchmen here who are mainly emigrants are shocked over the incident, he said.

We are still looking for relatives of two persons, including one who was done to death in his sleep on the side of a road, for handing over their bodies after the post-mortem, said an employee of the Civil Hospital here.

Describing it as a black day in the history of the city, local MLA Karan Singh Dalal, however, blamed it on alleged laxity on the part of the police. He said that the accused, Naresh Dhankar, could have been arrested the previous night as a complaint of molestation was lodged by a woman, a resident of his colony, last evening.

He demanded adequate compensation and government jobs for the next of kin of the victims.
editorial@tribune.com

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, January 2

The Haryana Governments Jeevan Rekha project, aimed at combating Hepatitis C, has been extended to all 21 districts of the state. With this, residents can visit any Civil Hospital across the state and get free-of-cost tests as well as drugs for the treatment of the deadly disease popularly known as kala peelia.

Nodal Officers have been appointed in all Civil Hospitals, while Civil Surgeons have been given the power of emergency purchase of drugs to ensure uninterrupted treatment.

The Health Department has tied up with a private path-lab chain, to which patients are sent for screening for the hepatitis C virus. The infected persons are given medicines free of cost. The entire cost of tests and treatment is borne by the state, said Dr Parveen Malhotra, Head of the Medical Gastroenterology Department at the PGIMS here. He is the Principal Nodal Officer of the Jeevan Rekha project.

Haryana has become the only state in the country to provide free-of-cost detection as well as treatment of Hepatitis C, Dr Malhotra said.

The project was launched in 2013. Initially, the medicines were provided free of cost to patients belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC) and Below Poverty Line (BPL) categories and at subsidised rates to patients from the general category.

In February 2017, the benefit of free-of-cost medication was extended to all patients. The testing facility and medicines, however, were available only at the PGIMS, and general hospitals in Fatehabad, Hisar, Kaithal and Sonepat.

Now, the free-of-cost testing and treatment facilities, including drugs, have been extended to all 21 districts of the state. Jail inmates have also been covered under the project.

In 2015, oral drugs for the treatment of Hepatitis C became available in India and these were put on the emergency drug list of the state government. Thanks to that, the patients were no longer required to take injections for the treatment of Hepatitis C.

In Haryana, about 10,000 patients of hepatitis C have been successfully treated to date, while around 5,000 are under treatment.

How the project started
editorial@tribune.com

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Mahendragarh, January 2

The fear of rabi crops drying due to inadequate supply of irrigation water looms in Bhungarka, Shimli, Akbarpur, Sirohi-Bahali and Nangal Kalia villages of the Nangal Choudhary region here. Farmers of these villages say sufficient canal water was available when they cultivated mustard, gram and wheat crops but water scarcity these days could ruin them.

Our crops are on the verge of getting damaged as we are not getting adequate canal water for the past over a month. We have submitted a memorandum addressed to the Chief Minister to the Deputy Commissioner, urging him to redress their grievance. We will be compelled to launch an agitation if sufficient water for irrigation is not made available soon, says Manpal Yadav, a farmer.

Sources say as Nangal Choudhary has been declared a dark zone due to the depleting water table in the region, farmers here are fully dependent on canal water for irrigating their fields. Moreover, installation of a tube well is banned here.

Sanjay Yadav, SDO (Agriculture), Narnaul, says mustard and gram crops are in the flowering phase nowadays and need another round of irrigation while wheat crop fields are watered at a regular interval of at least three weeks.

Meanwhile, Abhay Singh Yadav, BJP legislator from Nangal Choudhary, has urged Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to make water available in the district to protect rabi crops from drying. I have apprised the Chief Minister on the phone about the scarcity of irrigation water for rabi crops in the district. Farmers were glad to get adequate canal water for cultivating crops in October and November but they are now worried that their crops will get damaged if they are not irrigated again soon, says Yadav, adding that farmers will suffer heavy financial losses in case of crop loss.

SK Yadav, Superintendent Engineer (Irrigation), Narnaul, says adequate water is being supplied to villages from the Nawalpur distributary. Only some villages located at the tail-end are not getting canal water but we are making efforts to ensure canal water reaches there, he adds.
editorial@tribune.com

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, January 2

Families of the soldiers martyred in the Pathankot airbase attack are upset over unfulfilled promises made by the state government and politicians.

Sanjeevan Rana from Shahpur of Kangra and Jagdish Chand of Basa village in Chamba district were two soldiers from Himachal, who were martyred fighting terrorists in the Pathankot air base. Passions ran high at the martyrdom and most of the leaders, including former CM Virbhadra Singh, visited the families and made many promises.

One of the promises was government job to one of the kin of the martyrs.

Pinki Devi, widow of Sanjeevan Rana, sitting with her children in the courtyard of her house on the Pathankot-Kangra national highway, said the life of her son had been ruined by false promises of politicians. She said her son Shubam was doing the B Pharma course when his father was martyred. He was promised a government job by then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

With an eye on government job my son left his course mid way and started pursuing government officials for getting a government job. Now after more than a year, my son has not been given job, Pinki Devi lamented.

Political leaders are not serious about what they promised to our family. My son is of tender age. I am worried that he might not get depressed in the absence of his father, she said.

Sanjeevan Rana was the only bread earner in this family. Pinki Devi said she had the responsibility to get her two daughters married off and settle her son.

I believe it was not the tragedy for us but for the whole country and everyone assured to stand by us on the day my husband attained martyrdom. But now, I am alone to face all odds. No one is there, she said.

She said leaders had promised memorials in the name of her husband and a job for her son but all promises proved fake.

Rana was survived by his septuagenarian father Rattan Singh, son Shubham 23, two daughters Komal and Shivani, and wife Pinki Devi.

Havildar Jagdish Chand, a cook in the Army, was cooking in the mess when the terrorists attacked the Pathankot air base. He killed a terrorist at Pathankot airbase bare handed.

His village Basa is located near the borders of Kangra district. Basa village has no road connectivity, no internet and health facilities.

Daughters of Jagdish Chand and his family had demanded that a pucca road should be constructed to the village.

Kiran (25), the elder daughter, said living in tough conditions, she had completed her B.ED this year while her younger sister Tamanna (20) is pursuing graduation.

Our village has no facilities like internet which is required for studies. There are no roads leading to our village. We have to trek for two km to get a bus on a link road. But it is the advice given by our late father who has asked us to get well educated whatsoever be the conditions that keeps us going, she said, adding that it is not possible for girls to reach school or college during rainy seasons.

Kiran and Tamanna have to help their mother Sneh Lata (47) as their brother Rajat (22) is also serving in Dogra regiment of the Army.

Revealing their ordeal, girls said winters were not easy. It gets dark early and for girls it is unsafe. So we had to rush to reach home on time, said Tamanna.

Sneh Lata, wife of the martyr, said their only demand was for health, road and mobile facilities for their village. BJP MP Shanta Kumar had promised us that a BSNL tower would be installed in the village but it is still to come up, she said.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Solan, January 2

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today mocked at former CM Virbhadra Singh for winning the Arki seat by merely about 6,000 votes as against his earlier record of winning by 15,000 to 20,000 votes.

Thakur, who made a brief stop-over at Chamakhri Pul in Arki, on way to his maiden visit to Bilaspur, said despite being a six-time CM, Singh could only win by a slender margin.

He thanked the people of Arki for extending support to the party, adding that they had made the going tough for the former Chief Minister.

He said the government would accord the top priority to development. He also met truckers at Chamakhri Pul and assured them of all assistance.

A rousing welcome was extended to the CM by the local BJP mandal at Galog, Darlaghat and Kararaghat.

The CM earlier addressed a gathering at Ghanahatti in Shimla where BJP workers accorded him a warm welcome.

Thakur credited his victory to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the national BJP president Amit Shah and said he aimed to see the BJP retain power for 10 to 15 years.

The CM said there was a close contest in Shimla (Rural) but they will have to work hard from now to ensure the partys victory in the next elections. The Centre had assured all possible assistance for the states development. We are here to serve the people and not to boast of the works. Work is worship for us and my government is committed to welfare of the people, he added.

Paying heed to the demand of the people for opening a marketing yard at Ghanahatti and a BDO office, he asked them to submit a proposal. He also listened to grievances of the people near Darlaghat.

IPH Minister Mahender Singh Thakur and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Dr Rajiv Saizal, Mayor, Shimla Municipal Corporation, Kusum Sadret and other office-bearers of the party were also present.

Blames Cong for fiscal mess in state

Addressing his maiden public meeting at Municipal Ground in Bilaspur, Jai Ram Thakur blamed the Congress government for pushing the state into financial debt of around Rs 46,500 crore. He said it was shameful that the party had done little development.

The government would spend every single penny received from the Centre on development.

He said he had met the Finance Minister and the Prime Minister, who had assured him to provide all possible assistance to overcome the debt. Officers had been asked to prepare proposals to overcome the debt, he said, adding that the major challenge was to pull the state out of financial crisis. He said that few independent MLAs also wished to join the party though the people of Himachal Pradesh had given an overwhelming mandate and the party was in absolute majority. He also praised the efforts of former chief ministers Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal for the partys victory.JR Katwal, MLA, Jhanduta, pleaded for an early solution to the Bhakra Dam oustees problems. MLA,Ghumarwin, Rajinder Garg, MLA, Bilaspur, Shubhash Thakur also welcomed the CM.

Policies to be made on Vision Document: CM
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Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 2

Opposition Congress could take a final decision on the selection of its Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader at the meeting of the newly elected legislators scheduled for January 4 here in the presence of Central observers.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi had on December 29 appointed observers for Gujarat and Himachal so that selection of the CLP leader could be undertaken. In case of Himachal, the observer is Sushil Kumar Shinde, AICC general secretary and in charge of Congress in Himachal. He will be assisted by Bala Sahib Thorat, a former minister from Maharashtra.

With the four-day winter session of the Assembly to begin at Dharamsala from January 9, the final decision as to who would lead the party in the house would be taken before this. Former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh (83) remains the front runner for the CLP leaders post, which he has held in the past also. However, now it remains to be seen whether the party high command would be in favour of this move or not.

The Congress has 21 seats as compared to 44 of the BJP in the 13th Vidhan Sabha. The Congress had a tally of 36 seats in the last Assembly. In all probability, the newly elected legislators could adopt a single line resolution, authorizing AICC president to take the final decision.

However, with the BJP undertaking a complete generational shift by appointing 52-year-old Jai Ram Thakur as Chief Minister and eight of his Cabinet colleagues being in the 46- 53 age group, it has become a compulsion for the Congress too to bring in the younger leadership to the forefront.

Rahul ji, in his speech here during his recent visit, has made it amply clear that there will be single leadership to ensure that there is no factionalism and bickering, said a senior party functionary.

Under the changed circumstances, it is being expected that party high command could be in favour of a younger leader. The names of Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Ram Lal Thakur, Harshvardhan Thakur and Mukesh Agnihotri are also doing the rounds for the CLP leader.

The probables
amansharma@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, January 2

The Supreme Court has granted a one-time compensation of Rs 15 lakh to a deaf and mute rape victim from Himachal Pradesh who had delivered a girl child, modifying a high court order directing the state government to make monthly payments.

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The apex court said it was not initially inclined to interfere with the high court order but later thought it necessary to make some appropriate arrangement regarding the payment of compensation to the victim, having regard to her disability.

The top court modified a Himachal Pradesh High Court order directing the payment of Rs 30,000 per month for life as compensation to the victim, who is 80 per cent handicapped.

"In the circumstances, we deem it appropriate to modify the order of the High Court insofar as it pertains to the payment of compensation to the victim by directing the State to deposit an amount of Rs 15 lakh in an interest bearing fixed deposit in the name of the victim in any nationalised bank in consultation with the Member-Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority...," a bench of justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay Kishan Kaul said.

It said the interest accrued in the fixed deposit shall be withdrawable every month and be paid to the parents of the victim girl, so long as the parents are alive.

The court further directed for appropriate steps to be taken from time to time to ensure that the amount is actually spent on the welfare of the victim.

Standing counsel Varinder Kumar Sharma appearing for the state said that instead of making monthly payments, as directed by the high court, it would be appropriate, that a lump sum amount be directed to be paid to meet the ends of justice in the instant case.

The Himachal Pradesh government has challenged the high court order, saying there was no scheme for compensating the rape victim for life time.

It had said the quantum of compensation awarded by the high court was contrary to the scheme and the highest compensation payable was Rs 1 lakh in case of death or disability equal to or more than 80 per cent.

The high court had on June 29, 2016, while dismissing the appeal of convict Rajneesh alias Vicky, said that the prosecutrix was doubly in disadvantageous position since she has to maintain herself and her baby.

"She belongs to the lowest strata of the society. She has already suffered a lot. Thus she needs a special rehabilitation," it had said and partially modified the trial court order to direct Rs 10,000 per month as victim compensation, in addition to Rs 20,000 awarded to her by the trial court by way of fine, during her life time.

On June 26, 2015, a sessions court at Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh had held Rajneesh guilty of rape and sentenced him to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,000.

According to the FIR lodged on December 26, 2013 by the parents of the victim, the convict, taking advantage of the prosecutrix who is deaf and mute, had raped her several times and impregnated her.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Dinesh Manhotra and Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 2

Opposition disrupted Governor NN Vohras address to the assemblyand later walked out of the sessionon Tuesday to protest the state governments decision to hold Panchayat elections next month without extending the 73rd amendment of the Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir.

As the first day of the 40-day Budget Session went under way, opposition Congress and National Conference accused the state government under Chief Minister Mehbobba Mufti of "murdering democracy".

Vohras appeals for calm went unheeded in the din, and opposition parties Congress and NC walked out after accusing the state government of failing on all fronts.

PWD Minister Naeem Akhtar later criticised the Opposition for disrupting the Governors address, and blamed the insurgency in the state on the misdeeds of Congress and NC.

Both Mufti and her brother Tassadaq Hussain Muftiwho was recently made tourism ministerwere in the House.

Panchayat elections will begin in the state on February 15, 2018. The Opposition has called the exercise farcical.

What 73rd Amendment promises

The 73rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution was passed by Parliament in 1992 to do away with the inherent weaknesses of the Panchayati Raj system. The main features of the 73rd Amendment, 1992, are:

1) Creation of a state election commission to conduct elections to panchayats.

2) To review the financial position of the panchayats, states must set up a state finance commission for five years.

3) Tenure of panchayats fixed at five years. If dissolved earlier, fresh poll to be held within six months.

4) Reservation for women in panchayats (chairman and members) up to one-third of the seats

5) Reservation of seats for SC/ST in panchayats in proportion to their population
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Dinesh Manhotra & Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 2

The Budget session of the J&K Legislature today began on a stormy note as the united Opposition National Conference and Congress  staged a noisy protest during the Governors address and also walked out in protest against failure of the PDP-BJP regime on all fronts.

As soon as Governor NN Vohra started delivering his address to the joint session of the Legislature on Tuesday morning, all Opposition MLAs, carrying placards, stood up, seeking the Governors attention towards the alleged failure of the ruling coalition on all fronts.

The Governors appeal for calm also went unheeded in the din, as the Opposition raised slogans against the ruling dispensation in the presence of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her brother Tassaduq Hussain Mufti, who was recently made Tourism Minister. Levelling allegations regarding human rights violations, trampling of democracy by amending the state Panchayati Raj Act, backdoor appointments and large-scale corruption, the parties tried to corner the government. Though the Governor patiently listened to the Opposition MLAs and appealed for calm, they continued their protest. Amid noise, the Governor started his address.

Later, all NC and Congress MLAs staged a walkout from the Central Hall and held a sit-in outside the complex but the Independent MLA from the Langate Assembly segment, Engineer Abdul Rasheed, continued to raise his voice till the Governor concluded his address. This government has failed on all fronts. We lodged our protest and submitted a memorandum to the Governor in a democratic manner. This government has pushed J&K into an odd situation where the people are subjected to total political uncertainty said Ali Mohammad Sagar, senior NC legislator and former minister.

Nawang Rigzin Jora, the leader of the Congress Legislature Party, criticised the government for subversion of J&K Constitution by not holding the Assembly session within six months as per the constitutional requirement. This government does not have the courage to face the queries of MLAs which is the only reason that they did not call the normal session within six months. This government has become a den of corruption. Be it regional discrimination or killing of security personnel and civilians, the government has created total chaos and confusion, Jora said. Government spokesperson Naeem Akhtar, who later criticised the Opposition for disrupting the Governors address, saying their allegations lack substance.
editorial@tribune.com

Jasmine Singh

Out the many vices of humans, taking things for granted is an important one. Taking friends, family, health and our heritage for granted! Do we ever sit back and think about our roots, place we came from? Do we ever try to locate the imprints of our culture and heritage? Well, Chandigarh-born Sonia Dhami, director of The Sikh Foundation, is one woman who saw the depth of Punjabs rich culture and heritage, and thus joined the organisation that was into not only preserving it, but also taking it to the rest of the world.

I have been with Sikh Foundation for almost eight years now. While in Chandigarh I was associated with 300th year of Khalsa celebration, where our company did the landscaping near the gates of Anandpur Sahib. Later, I was related to a few projects in the UK, and when I moved to California, it just seemed so right that I joined the organisation founded by Dr Narinder Singh Kapany. It sure is educating the world about Sikh culture, language and heritage, shares Sonia, who sees a renewed interest in the younger Sikh generation in the west to know more about their culture.

Western world

In the West, students are exposed to the museum culture. However, not many Sikh students could find anything that they could directly relate to. Now, with two running art galleries - one in San Francisco and one in Arizona - youngsters and everyone else has so much material that they can dig into.

Creating consciousness about the importance of preserving the arts and culture in the form of manuscripts, paintings, sculptures, coins stamps and also through monuments and architectural spaces, Sikh Foundation has recently released a book, Sikh Art from the Kapany Collection. Sonia is also one of the editors of the book.

In this book, 15 leading scholars assess the Kapany Collection, an art resource, using it to introduce Sikh art, ethos, religion, culture and history to a larger audience. The 320-page book is co-published by the Sikh Foundation and the Smithsonians Asian Culture History programme.

Community feeling

Over the years, the organisation has held various international exhibitions. Today, I can see appreciation of Sikh art. In fact, the organisation is not only making the Sikh community feel proud, but also the non-Sikhs aware of the rich heritage.

On her visit to India this New Year, Sonia made it a point to take her family to Patiala to see the historical monuments. The good thing is that restoration work is being carried out at many places. However, a lot needs to be done still.

jasmine@tribunemail.com
editorial@tribune.com

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, January 2

As doctors at government and private hospitals today went on strike, patients had a harrowing time. Civil Hospital, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), Deepak Hospital and others kept their OPDs shut.

Huge rush was witnessed at the OPDs and people, who had come from outstations, had a difficult time. The emergency services, however, remained open at all hospitals. At DMCH, the OPD remained shut while at the CMCH, it started late around 11 am. The doctors were wearing black badges. At Civil Hospital, the OPD was opened from 1 pm to 2 pm but by that time, most patients had returned.

At Civil Hospital, the reception staff were disbursing OPD slips to patients. But they did not tell the patients about the strike. After waiting for two or three hours, most patients returned home. Only a handful of patients waited till 1 pm when the OPD was opened.

When The Tribune team asked the person disbursing the OPD slips if doctors would be coming to see the patients, he said he was not sure whether the doctors would be coming since they were on strike.

Manpreet Singh had come from Shimlapuri to get an injection administered. I have been waiting here since 8 am. The doctor has not arrived yet and the hospital staff are asking us to keep waiting. He was not aware of todays strike.

Another patient, Kanta came to see an orthopaedician. I had pain in my right leg. I have been waiting for the doctor since 9 am. The person disbursing the OPD slips is asking us to keep waiting, she said.

There were many patients who had come to get anti-rabies vaccine administered. Dimple, one of the patients, said: I came for the first dose but the doctor has not arrived yet. I am not aware that the doctors are on strike. Raj Kumar and his son Dhruv had also come from Shimplapuri to get anti-rabies vaccine. Amrik Singh Chauhan said it seemed he had to return without getting the vaccine. I have been waiting here for the past three hours, he said.

Parveen, who had come from Shivpuri, was also disappointed at not seeing the doctor. The hospital staff are asking us to wait but only God knows when he will arrive.

At the CMCH, the patients were relieved as they were able to see the doctor. The OPD was opened around 11 am.

At the DMCH, the OPD services remained shut. Bhinder Singh, who had come from Bathinda to see an orthopaedician, said: I was disappointed to see that the doctors were not siting in the ortho department, he said. Renu Kashi from Barnala, who had come to see a gynaecologist, had to return without seeing a doctor. I had an appointment today. But I was unable to see the doctor. I had taken leave from my workplace to see the doctor. Now, one more time I had to get my days salary deducted to see the doctor, she said.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had declared January 2 as Black Day for medical practitioners all over India and given a strike call.

What IMA office-bearers say

Dr Avinash Jindal, President, IMA (Ludhiana Branch), and other office-bearers said they were observing strike against the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill in its present form with which the government wanted to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). By 2:30 pm, the government announced that it would refer the Bill to the standing committee and the doctors called off their strike. But by that time, OPD timings were over, they said.

Objections to NMC Bill

1 NMC is a pro-private management Bill paving the way for widespread corruption. It removes all regulations required to start a medical college. Under this Bill, no one needs any permission to start a medical college. Also, any private medical college can increase its UG/PG seats by itself.

2 Medical education in the country will become expensive placing the lower socio-economic groups to great disadvantage. Only up to 40% of seats in a private medical college can be regulated by the government as far as college fees is concerned. For 60% or more seats the private colleges will fix the rates which means that the poor students from SC/ST classes will be deprived of medical education.

3 Huge loopholes in financial penalties ranging from Rs 5 crore to Rs 100 crore will open the floodgates of corruption.

4 It is anti-patient since it permits and promotes unscientific mixing of systems of medicine. It closes the gates for Indian medical graduates while it opens the gates for foreign doctors and foreign educated medical graduates.

5 Only five states will be represented in the NMC at any point of time. The other 24 will be unrepresented, thereby denying them their privileges.

6 The State Medical Councils, which are sovereign bodies through enactment of state legislatures, will come directly under the NMC.

7 Medical universities do not have representation in the NMC. One university per state will be represented in an advisory body called Medical Advisory Council.

8 A medical Bill like NMC without the concurrence of the medical profession and medical association will be a disaster.

9 This Bill is anti-people since it is pro-rich and pro-private managements. The cost of medical education and healthcare will rise astronomically.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, January 2

Anti-Pakistan slogans were raised in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday by some BJP members as the House paid homage to the CRPF personnel killed in a terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir on December 31.

Just as Speaker Sumitra Mahajan entered the Lok Sabha chamber, some BJP members raised Pakistan murdabad (Down with Pakistan) slogans.

The Speaker then read out obituary reference related to the killing of five CRPF personnel in Pulwama in a terror attack on the last day of 2017. She termed the attack as a cowardly act.

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The members then stood in silence for a few minutes in memory of the slain security personnel.

A few days ago, some Shiv Sena members joined by a few BJP MPs had raised similar slogans referring to the treatment meted out to the kin of Kulbhushan Jadhav by Pakistani authorities in Islamabad. PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Mumbai/Pune, January 2

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday ordered a judicial inquiry into Monday's Pune riots that killed one person, even as violence spread to Mumbai.

Both Dalit and Maratha groups took to the streets in several cities of Maharashtraincluding Mumbaion Tuesday, affecting rail and road traffic, reports said.

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In a latest development, the central railway suspended suburban services between Kurla and Vashi on its harbour corridor and is running special services between CSMT-Kurla and Vashi-Panvel section.

Shops and business establishments were shut and a senior journalist of a national news channel was attacked as groups of youths from Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd, and Govandi joined the protest, police said. The journalist however was unhurt, an eyewitness said.



Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration, he said.

Mumbai Police PRO said section 144 has not yet been imposed in Chembur or other parts of eastern suburbs, although security was heightened in Chembur.

The protesters stopped local train services at the Govandi and Chembur railway stations of the Harbour Line.

Protesters also blocked the Sion-Panvel Highway.



Mumbai Police also tweeted that the traffic at Chembur remained affected.

The department said in a tweet: "Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media".

Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

Central Railway's Chief PRO Sunil Udasi said protesters stopped the suburban services, but added the railways had nothing to do with the incident.

Media reports said protesters threw stones and damaged shops in Mumbais Ghatkopar. There were reports of buses being vandalised in Pune's Hadapsar and Fursungi. Buses to Ahmedabad were briefly suspended.

Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for a statewide shutdown on Wednesday, while Republican Party of India workers held protests in Thane.

Violence erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima on January 1 during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of the East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits. One person was killed in the riots in Monday.

Inquiry

Chief Minister Fadnavis announced a judicial inquiry into the violence, and warned people against believing rumours.

"A sitting High Court judge will head the inquiry," Fadnavis said. "The youth's death would be probed by the CID," Fadnavis told reporters, appealing for calm.

"Maharashtra is a progressive state which does not believe in casteist violence," he said. "Strict action would be taken against those who use social media to spread rumours," he said asking political parties to refrain from saying anything that would fuel tensions.

"Around three lakh people had gathered (for the battle anniversary celebrations). Some people tried to create a serious scene. But six companies (of security personnel) were posted. Police promptly controlled the situation and averted a major problem," Fadnavis said, adding that his government had decided to give Rs 10 lakh compensation to the victim's kin.

Fadnavis statements came after Nationalist Congress Party national president Sharad Pawar accused the Maharashtra government of not doing enough to contain the violence.

"Why did the administration not take adequate precautions for this event which has been celebrated peacefully for 200 years? Due to its lapses, there was confusion and rumour-mongering, resulting in the violence," the Nationalist Congress Party chief said.

'Inaction'



Pawar suspected the involvement of anti-social elements taking advantage of the situation to indulge in violence, which started with stone-pelting. The administration was aware of the huge crowd coming for the event for the past three four days.

Several lakhs of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some right-wing groups carrying saffron flags.

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged.

The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district.

Rahul Fatangale, 28, from Nanded was killed in the incident. "This is highly condemnable. It is imperative for the political and social forces to deal with the situation calmly and without resorting to provocative statements that could worsen matters," Pawar said. PTI/Agencies
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 2



Under pressure from the medical and political community, the government on Tuesday referred the revolutionary bill seeking to scrap the Medical Council of India to the parliamentary standing committee on health.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Ananth Kumar said that in view of the demands from the medical fraternity and several MPs the bill was being sent to the parliamentary panel with a request for an early examination and a report before the commencement of Budget session.

The government said it wanted to pass the bill by the next session.

The move to refer the bill to the panel comes on a day of the Indian Medical Associations all-day strike in protest of the new law which proposes to replace the MCI with a new regulator called the National Medical Commissioner with four autonomous boards each looking after separate areas of UG, PG education, accreditation and ethics.

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The NMC Bill also enables future possibilities of traditional medicine practitioners to prescribe modern medicines.

It provides for a licensiate exam at the level of MBBS pass-outs, a provision the IMA is dead against.

Most western nations have exit exams to test the quality of medical graduates.

India has long grappled with poor-quality medical education imparted by thriving private sector medical schools most of which are run by corporate or political people.

Many MPs, even of the ruling BJP, are opposing the bill which stresses outcome-based monitoring of medical colleges rather than simply looking at infrastructure and faculty as was the norm under the MCI which used to hold annual inspections to permit existing institutes to even add UG and PG seats.

Under the NMC Bill, a standard set of guidelines will be prescribed. Medical colleges will be required to show compliance on their websites and there will be no annual inspections. Managements can add seats as long as they comply. The rationale in the bill isa good college will be automatically tested when its MBBS pass-outs sit for the exit test without clearing which they cannot practise medicine.

Exit exam will be the bedrock of outcome-based monitoring of medical schools in India which has allowed over-regulation of the sector by doctors-dominated MCI to go on for far too long. This has bred serious corruption. The new bill hits at that root and seeks to create quality medical graduates besides encouraging opening up of medical sector, government sources said.

The government hopes the parliament committee will approve the bill soon because it was the committee which had given a clarion call to scrap the MCI calling it a corrupt body which had failed to live up to its mandate under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, January 2

The government on Tuesday maintained that the National Medical Commission Bill that sought to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body would be beneficial to the medical profession.

On a day when the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for suspending routine services for 12 hours in protest against the Bill, Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda said talks were on with the IMA to clear their doubts.

This is beneficial to the medical profession, he said in the Rajya Sabha after members raised the issue of strike by the doctors across the country against the Bill.

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He said talks with the striking doctors were going on.

Talks are on. We have heard them and also presented our views.

Besides seeking to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body, the bill also proposes to allow alternative medicine graduates to practise allopathy after completing a bridge course.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) says the Bill will cripple the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators.

Nadda had held talks with the IMA members on Monday to clear doubts about the Bill.

Earlier, raising the issue, Naresh Agarwal (Samajwadi Party) said many patients had died due to the strike called to oppose the Bill that would enable superseding of the elected medical professionals body.

Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government should take initiative to end the strike. PTI
shalender@tribune.com

Mumbai, January 2

Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for a Maharashtra bandh tomorrow to protest the state governments failure to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district yesterday.

Ambedkar alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence.

He said the Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front, besides 250 organisations, have supported tomorrows shutdown.

Ambedkar, the grandson of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, has appealed for peace during the bandh period. Referring to the caste clashes in Bhima Koregaon, Ambedkar ruled out any conflict between Marathas and Dalits.

If there was any tension, the 200th anniversary commemoration of the Bhima Koregaon battle would not have taken place. Yesterdays programme was organised by Sambhaji Brigade (a Maratha organisation), he said while addressing a press conference here. He alleged the trouble occurred because of Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan, headed by Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, respectively.

Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Sabha (ABHS), Peshwa heirs, had opposed the event. We held talks with ABHS after which they decided against opposing, he said.

The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwas army, was marred by incidents of violence yesterday, with at least one person being killed.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community  then considered untouchable  were part of the East India Companys forces.

Ambedkar alleged that villagers were provoked by the Shivraj Pratisthan while the Hindu Ekta Agadhi hurled stones at people going towards the Koregaon war memorial. He demanded that various types of grants and subsidies being given by the government to villages along Koregaon, Shiroor and Chakan be stopped.

Ambedkar said a judicial probe ordered by CM Devendra Fadnavis should be headed by the Chief Justice of the High Court and not by a sitting judge.  PTI

Its RSS/BJPs fascist vision

A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance. -- Rahul Gandhi, Cong president

Pawar blames state govt

Why did the administration not take adequate precautions for this event which has been celebrated peacefully for 200 years? Due to its lapses, there was confusion and rumour-mongering, resulting in the violence. -- Sharad Pawar, NCP Chief

Sena sees a conspiracy

There seems a big conspiracy in the recent spurt in sporadic caste-related violence that has been erupting in the state. This needs to be thoroughly investigated and the hidden hand exposed. -- Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP



Two outfits behind trouble

The trouble occurred because of the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and the Shivraj Pratishthan, headed by Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, respectively... The state government failed to stop violence. -- Prakash Ambedkar, Dalit Leader
shalender@tribune.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 2

China today refuted media reports that blamed Chinese construction projects for water quality deterioration in certain sections of the Brahmaputra.

Some recent media reports had suggested that Beijing was building dams in upper Yarlung Tsangpo river region causing Brahmaputra waters to turn black in some parts. There have also been some reports about earthquakes in Tibet that led to the formation of three huge artificial lakes in the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Bend region. Serious questions were raised about the threats posed to Assam and other places along the Brahmaputra course. China has, however, dismissed news reports about artificial lakes.

Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India Counselor Xie Liyan said in a statement, According to the investigations by relevant departments of China, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake stuck Milin County of Nyingchi City in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China at 6 am on November 18, 2017. The Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Bend region was seriously affected by the earthquake, resulting in shattered land surface, reduced vegetation, and soil exposure.

The statement further added, Massive landslide and collapsing occurred along the Yarlung Zangbo range, causing negative impact on water quality of the river. Indeed, water in the Motuo sector of the Yarlung Zangbo turned turbid. However, according to analysis of satellite images, environmental and hydrological data, there have been no large-scale human activity around relevant sections of the Yarlung Zangbo.

Beijing maintains it is not in violation of any existing agreement and remains in touch with the Indian side on the issue concerning trans-border rivers through existing channels.
shalender@tribune.com

New Delhi, January 2

The Delhi High Court today stayed a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda, who was present in the court, and granted him interim bail till the next date of hearing this month with a direction that he will not leave the country.

The order came on Kodas plea seeking suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court.

Koda, who was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in the allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), also challenged the December 13 and 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence, respectively, which was admitted by the high court.

The former chief minister was granted bail by a trial court till January 18.

In his appeal, Koda said the trial court order holding him guilty was bad in law. The appeal and stay on the fine was opposed by CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema. The agency, however, did not oppose interim bail granted to Koda till January 22.

The high court had on December 22, 2017 stayed a trial court order imposing a fine of Rs 50 lakh on VISUL in the case till the next date of hearing. The high court on December 20 had sought response of the CBI on an appeal by Kodas close aide Vijay Joshi against the trial courts order awarding him three years jail term in the coal scam case.

All pleas filed so far in connection with this matter will be heard on January 22.

Koda, ex-coal secretary HC Gupta, former Jharkhand chief secretary AK Basu, and Joshi were awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based company.

While sentencing the convicts, the special court had said white collar crimes were more dangerous to the society than ordinary crimes.

It had imposed fines of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta, respectively, in the UPA-era coal scam. A fine of Rs 1 lakh was also imposed on Basu.  PTI
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Shillong, January 2

In a setback to the ruling Congress in poll-bound Meghalaya, its senior legislator Alexander L Hek and three other MLAs joined the BJP on Tuesday.

Apart from Hek, former deputy speaker Sanbor Shullai (who also headed the NCP in the state until last year) and two Independents -- Justine Dkhar and Robinus Syngkon -- joined the party at a rally here along with another member of the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council Hambertus Nongtdu.

Union Minister of State for Tourism Minister K J Alphons, who is also the election-in-charge of the BJP in Meghalaya, said the party will "throw" the Congress out of power in Meghalaya.

"We are going to throw the most corrupt government in Meghalaya (from power). Mr chief minister, your days are numbered. This is just the beginning," Alphons claimed, while welcoming the new entrants to the party.

"You (Meghalayans) have been ruled by the Congress which deprived you of what you deserved. Your ministers have stolen your money. This has to stop," he said.

Addressing the rally, Northeast in-charge of the BJP, Ram Madhav, said, "What a way to welcome the New Year with four MLAs. I have no doubt they will continue to be re-elected as MLAs again," he said.

Terming it a 'ghar wapsi' for Hek, Madhav said, "The BJP is the present and future of India and Meghalaya's future is the BJP."

Hek had earlier contested on BJP ticket in 1998, 2003 and 2008. He joined the Congress in 2009 and was re-elected in the 2013 elections retaining the Pynthorumkhrah seat.

Earlier, the MLAs jointly tendered their resignation letters to Speaker A T Mondal.  PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Ravi S. Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 2

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Tuesday accused the central government of lapses in protecting military installations in the state despite growing attacks on them, two days after a pre-dawn strike on a Central Reserve Police Force camp in south Kashmirs Pulwama killed five troopers.

Addressing the BJP-led NDA government during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Congress Parliamentarian Scindia wondered what happened to its claims of revenge on Pakistan and terrorists for the growing insurgency in the state.

Scindias also cited reports of a secret meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval with his Pakistani counterpart and demanded to know the central governments policy on its neighbour.

"What is the government's Pakistan policy? The NSA met the Pakistani NSA in Bangkok after the family of Kulbhushan Jadhav was ill treated by Pakistan. On the other hand, cross- border attacks are going on," Scindia said during Zero Hour.

A Pakistani national security division official was quoted by Dawn newspaper as saying that a meeting between Pakistan NSA (Retd) Lt Gen Nasser Khan Janjua and India's Ajit Doval took place on December 27 in Thailand.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde asked Scindia to not politicise the matter.

"When people were celebrating (the new year), Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attacked a CRPF camp in Pulwama. Five soldiers laid down their lives. The soldiers are sacrificing their lives protecting the country but the government does not look serious in protecting them," Scindia said.

He also wondered why the Prime Minister was maintaining "total silence" over it.

"There have been a series of terror attacks on our military installations in the last couple of year. A committee by Lt Gen (retd) Philip Campose had suggested measures to strengthen security at defence installations. But the government is in deep slumber," said Scindia.

Some heavily armed gunmen stormed the CRPF camp in south Pulwama in a pre-dawn strike in the small hours of Sunday. Five troopers and all three militants were killed in the strike and the nearly 12-hour gunfight that followed. Pakistan-based militant organisation Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) later claimed the attack. With PTI




uttara@tribuneindia.com

Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Lucknow, January 2

The decision to allow women to travel to Haj without a mandatory male companioncalled a 'mahram'was taken by the Saudi government, an RTI activist has said, countering Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's claim on the policy change.

In a press statement on Tuesday, RTI activist Saleem Baig said although Prime Minister Narendra Modis mention of it in his monthly radio talk Maan Ki Baat gave the impression of it being a decision by the Indian government, it was in fact Saudi Arabia that changed its rules.

The actual credit goes to Saudi Arabia for relaxing the 'mahram' requirement for a woman going for Haj. One needs to understand that these rules have been made by Saudi Arabia and not the Indian government, he pointed out, after Modi called it a step toward empowering woman.

Quoted Saudi Arabias revised guidelines, Baig said: "Women over the age of forty-five (45) may travel without a mahram with an organised group. They must however, submit a no-objection letter from their husband, son or brother authorising her to travel for Haj with the named group. This letter should be notarised. This has also been highlighted on the visa requirements column on the Saudia.com the official website of Saudi Arabian Airlines. which is the national carrier airline of Saudi Arabia.

He also said that the question of 'mahram' was not homogenous across the schools of Islamic jurisprudence.

He informed under the Hanafi sect women are not allowed to travel without a 'mahram' for Haj, but other schools did not follow this. For example, a Shia woman can perform Haj alone without a mahram.

According to Baig, there were some 25 ayats or verses in the Quran referring to Haj as a pillar of Islam and spelling out the rules of what is lawful during pilgrimage. However, not one of them mentions that a woman needs to be accompanied by a mahram. But as this had been the rule that had been prevailing in Saudi Arabia where Kaaba is located, one had to obey the law of the land, he said.

Modi had claimed on Sunday that his government had removed the restriction, after which hundreds of women have applied to travel alone for the pilgrimage.

A day later, MIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi called the claim false, and said women over 45 from several other countries had been travelling to the pilgrimage alone for years.
rajivbhatia82@gmail.com

Mumbai, January 2

Police have recorded the statement of a co-owner of Mojo's Bistro in connection with the fire at '1 Above' pub here, an official said on Tuesday.

Yug Pathak, the co-owner of the Mojo's Bistro pub and son of a retired IPS officer, was questioned by a team of the N M Joshi Marg police.

"On Sunday, we recorded Pathak's statement which is part of our investigation," Additional Commissioner of Police (central region) S Jayakumar told PTI.

He said action will be taken after a thorough investigation. As of now, the probe is underway, he added.

Fourteen people were killed and 21 others injured when the fire broke out in the upscale '1 Above' pub and spread to Mojo's Bistro a storey below in the Kamala Mills compound here on December 29.

The city police on Monday arrested two managers of the '1 Above' pub over allegations that they fled without helping the guests.

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, an official earlier 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 have also issued lookout notice against the main accused.

On Sunday, the police had arrested two persons for allegedly providing shelter to the pub owners. They were later produced before a court which granted them bail on a bond of Rs 25,000 each.  PTI.
gspannu7@gmail.com

New Delhi, January 2

In sharp contrast to the noisy start to the Winter Session, the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday set a record after 15 years by taking up all the 15 listed starred questions during the Question Hour, while 18 members spoke on issues of public importance during the Zero Hour.

The last time all listed starred questions were taken up was in 2002 during the 197th Session of the Upper House, officials in the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.

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This was made possible as 10 of 20 members in whose names questions were listed were absent from the House, but the chairman allowed many members to ask supplementary questions.

At the end of Question Hour, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said, So, all questions are completed today. During the Zero Hour, members raise issues of public importance, while they question the government on various issues during the Question Hour.

Earlier, when a number of members asking questions were found absent, he said Something special is happening!

On seeing many members absent during Question Hour, the chairman also said that surprisingly, five or six members who had questions listed against their names did not turn up.

They have the liberty. I dont question them. At the same time, we have a responsibility. If you file a question, so much time, energy and resources are spent. Not coming to the House is not a good practice. Keep that in mind, he said.

When some members complimented the chairman for smooth conduct of business, Naidu returned the compliment saying, Your cooperation is good, so my operation was very smooth... thats why the House was able to set this record.

Members sought governments responses on several major issues, including GST filing, poor rating of Indian Renewal Energy Companies, regulation of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, non-performing assets, clinical trial of drugs and Air Indias operating losses.

As many as 11 members were allowed to speak on issues of public importance during Zero Hour, while another eight were allowed to read out the text of their special mentions.

Due to disruptions and scarcity of time, texts of Special Mentions are usually laid on the table of the House towards of the end of the day but the chairman has suggested that they be taken up in the pre-lunch period.

The Rajya Sabha today made history. For the first time, all Zero Hour submissions, all Special Mentions were fully completed, said Naidu amid thumping of desks by members in the House of Elders.

The chairman expressed hope that in future too, the members would not waste time and stick to the schedule.

Uproarious scenes and adjournments have been witnessed on several occasions in the past two weeks for various reasons during the Winter Session of Parliament.  PTI
Oaklyn Fire Department/Facebook(OAKLYN, N.J.)-- Volunteer firefighters in New Jersey waded through a near-frozen lake to rescue a dog that fell through thin ice.



Witnesses called 911 Saturday morning after seeing the Shar Pei walking and then falling through the ice behind a residence on Newton Creek, the Oaklyn Fire Department wrote on Facebook.



Photos released by the fire department show two rescuers as they carefully navigate the ice toward the open hole of water where the dog fell in. Once the firefighters reach the opening, they get into the water to retrieve the dog and place him on a sled attached to ropes being pulled toward the shore.



Once close enough, one firefighter picked up the pup and carried it to dry land.



Neither the rescuers nor the dog were injured during the ordeal, Oaklyn Fire Chief Scott Cairns told NJ.com.



"It's a good feeling to have a successful outcome," Cairns said. "It's basically the entire reason we're in this business."



The rescue marked the all-volunteer department's 300th call of the year, Cairns told the NJ Pen, a local news site in Camden County, New Jersey.



For Oaklyn being a small town, thats a pretty high number, he said.



The dog, whose name is Lilly, was reunited with her owners in Audubon Park shortly after the incident, Cairns told NJ Pen.



It was a busy New Year's weekend for the fire department. Shortly before rescuing the dog from the lake, firefighters had extinguished a fire out of a working garage that was attached to a chicken coop, the department wrote on Facebook.



The fire was sparked by a heating lamp that the owners were using to keep the chickens warm in the frigid temperatures below 20 degrees, according to NJ.com.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
amansharma@tribunemail.com

Patna, January 2

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar owns movable and immovable assets worth Rs 56.23 lakh, while his son Nishant is more than four times richer than him.

According to details of assets declared by the chief minister and his cabinet colleagues uploaded on the state government's website, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi is also richer than his boss, with movable assets worth Rs 94.92 lakh.

Kumar has movable assets worth Rs 16.23 lakh in addition to a 1,000 sq ft flat in Delhi valued at Rs 40 lakh.

The value of Kumar's total assets saw a marginal decline of Rs 26,000 compared to the previous year when it stood at Rs 56.49 lakh, the information uploaded on government website yesterday said.

Kumar, who is also the national president of the JD(U), owns two cars -- a 2015 model Ford Ecosport and a 2016 model Hyundai Grand i10 Asta.

Kumar also owns nine cows and seven calves. His outstanding vehicle loan has come down to Rs 43,458 from last year's Rs 3.79 lakh.

His son Nishant, who is dependent on him, possesses movable and immovable assets worth Rs 2.43 crore, a little more than four times over those held by his father.

Nishant's movable assets are valued at Rs 1.18 crore, while immovable assets are worth Rs 1.25 crore.

His assets include ancestral land, both agricultural and non-agricultural, besides residential buildings at Kalyanbigha in Nalanda district and Hakikatpur in Patna district's Bakhtiyarpur.

Besides, Nishant has inherited a plot at Kankarbagh in Patna, a post office account, balance of bank accounts, ornaments and receipts from the government on account of salary, GPF, gratuity etc. from his late mother's side.

Kumar's wife Manju Sinha, a teacher at a government school, passed away in 2007.

Apart from the chief minister, all other 27 ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, have furnished details of their movable and immovable properties.

Modi is richer than Kumar, with movable assets worth Rs 94.92 lakh which include Rs 46.54 lakh as bank deposits, a Maruti Swift car valued at Rs 4.38 lakh and jewellery worth Rs 2.94 lakh.

Modi's wife owns movable assets worth Rs 1.35 crore which include Rs 73.28 lakh in bank deposits and jewellery valued at Rs 12.60 lakh.

The couple jointly owns a 1825 sq feet plot of land in Gautam Budh Nagar district in Uttar Pradesh, the market value of which is Rs 33.73 lakh.

Besides, Modi has outstanding loans/dues of Rs 16.09 lakh.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, another senior minister, who belongs to the chief minister's party, owns assets worth Rs 6.30 crore with Rs 9.91 lakh shown as cash in hand, while his wife has movable assets worth Rs 36.23 lakh, including ornaments worth Rs 14.30 lakh.  PTI
shalender@tribune.com

Aditi Tandon & Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 2

The governments push for an early passage of the anti-instant triple talaq Bill has put the Congress in a spot with the opposition party undecided on how best to negotiate its position on the draft law when the same comes up for passing in Rajya Sabha tomorrow.

Though listed today, the Bill was not taken up following the failure of government-opposition talks on its handling and in part due to other government business that had to be transacted.

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Having passed the Bill in Lok Sabha where it has the numbers, the ruling BJP government is sitting back waiting for the Congress-led opposition to clarify its stand on the issue in Rajya Sabha where the BJP is in minority.

In a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of Rajya Sabha today, the Congress and some other opposition parties are learnt to have asked for the Bill to be referred to the select committee. Sources say the Government declined the suggestion on grounds that Rajya Sabha alone was authorised to make such a reference and the opposition could raise the demand on the floor of the House tomorrow when the Bill is taken up. The government has allocated four hours for discussions though the Congress is asking for more time.

Confident of having scored political points ahead of some state elections this year, the government is seeking to isolate the opposition by forcing them to stand either with the Bill or against it.

Congress dilemma is apparent. In Lok Sabha, Congress MPs supported the Bill in principle and though they moved amendments seeking clarity on subsistence allowance for divorced Muslim women, they did not press for a vote on these amendments. The Congress did not even vote with the amendments moved to the Bill by other opposition leaders, including MIMs Asadudin Owaisi. The tough call for Congress is whether to press for voting on its amendments to the Bill in Rajya Sabha tomorrow or make its suggestions and let the Bill pass.

Pushing for a vote on amendments can give an impression of Congress opposing the Bill. This will bring back memories of 1986 when the then PM Rajiv Gandhi overturned an apex court order which ruled in favour of a divorced Muslim woman to be monetarily compensated by her husband. Its a difficult situation, a Congress leader acknowledged, equally aware that demand for a select committee reference in RS would also be exploited by the BJP, which will dub Congress as anti-Muslim women.

It is further learnt that Congress president Rahul Gandhi is not in favour of voting against the Bill. To that extent, Congress hands on proposed amendments in RS are tied unless the party position alters tomorrow morning and it decides to go along with the larger opposition, which may seek a vote on their amendments. A possible escape for Congress tomorrow could be flagging Maharashtras anti-Dalit violence in Rajya Sabha and keeping the focus on this issue considering one person even died at Bhima Koregaon village.

Indications that Congress will move notices for adjournment of proceedings in both Houses to discuss this issue came today when Rahul Gandhi tweeted: A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance. The government, however, is geared to take up the triple talaq Bill which a senior minister today described as top priority. RS is certain to witness a face-off.

Fee cap for martyrs kids saved Rs 3.2 cr: MoD
rchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, January 2

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday attacked the Congress for its "confused" stand on the Triple Talaq Bill, as Opposition parties wanted the Bill to be sent to a select committee.

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"These days a number of reforms are being brought in. The Triple Talaq Bill is one of them," the Minority Affairs Minister told reporters here.

"The Congress takes one step forward and then 10 steps backward. The party is confused on triple talaq," he said. "The Muslim women are happy, but I don't know why the Congress is sad," he added.

The Minister's remarks came just before the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 was listed for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha, when the House meets after a three-day break.

Earlier in the day, the opposition parties met 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 Congress and some other parties demanded in the Lok Sabha that the Bill should be sent to the Standing Committee but the government rejected their demand.

The amendments to the bill moved by the opposition too, were rejected.

The government lacks a majority in the upper House and is making efforts for the bill's smooth passage by reaching out to opposition parties.

Send it to select committee

Communist Party of India leader D. Raja on Tuesday said that the Left wants the Triple Talaq Bill to be referred to the Select Committee and accused the government of "bypassing the committees" on crucial bills.

"As far as Left parties are concerned, we want this bill to be referred to the Select Committee. But the BJP-led NDA government is bypassing the committee system," he said "They are saying 'don't send bills to the Standing Committee for closer scrutiny'. When it comes to Rajya Sabha, we will demand that it should be sent to the Select Committee," he said.

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017, has been listed for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The bill to criminalise triple talaq was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.
editorial@tribune.com

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Barnala, January 2

Braving the cold, officers of State Cooperative Agricultural Development Bank Ltd, Barnala, today staged dharnas in front of the houses of willful and influential defaulters for the recovery of their loan amount.

They first had breakfast in front of the door of former state director of their bank Pardeep Singh and then had lunch while sitting at the main gate of state core committee member of the Istri Akali Dal Rajinder Kaur, also known as Hind Motor Wale.

Bank officers accused Kaur of misbehaving with them while the latters family denied all allegations.

Pardeep Singh had taken a loan of Rs 38 lakh five years ago. Embarrassed, Pardeep Singh, failing to convince officers to lift the dharna, handed over two cheques for Rs 5 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.

The bank officers were led by Regional Officer (RO) Rajnish Bansal from the Patiala division office, while other members included Assistant General Manager, Barnala, Manohar Lal, Managers Mukesh Kumar and Kulbir Singh and other clerical employees of bank branches from Barnala and Tapa. They sat on dharna in front of Kaurs residence on the Handiaya road around 10 am and lifted their protest after five hours.

Bibi Rajinder Kaur took 12 loans of Rs 91 lakh in the past three years from us for various purposes, but has not returned a single penny so far. Today she misbehaved with us when we sat on dharna, said RO Bansal.

Patiala, Sangrur, Barnala, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Ropar and Mohali districts come under Patiala division.

We did not misbehave with anyone .We told the bank staff that we do not have cash. They can take our property if they want their amount immediately, said Charnjit Singh Khattra, Kaurs husband.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 2

The Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) will declare results 15 days after the last examination for Classes X and XII from the current session onwards. This was stated by Secretary, School Education, Krishan Kumar at a press conference here today.

A delay in the declaration of results in the past, often as late as May, has posed problems for students during admissions to higher classes, particularly in professional colleges outside the state.

Addressing the press conference, Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary said, The department had made significant improvement in functioning to tide over crises in different branches.

Evaluation has been made mandatory for all schoolteachers. Earlier, a majority of the teachers did not participate in the exercise, Kumar said.

The department is starting one section in English medium in 1,953 government schools from April 1. At least 700 schools will be provided with 10 tabs each to aid IT-enabled education. The department has signed an MoU for free Internet and WiFi services for government schools from June onwards, he said.

The department has introduced a Best School award in different categories for outstanding work to bring in greater accountability. The best schools at the primary level for all 217 blocks will get prize money of Rs 2 lakh each. Best schools at the district level for the middle, higher and senior secondary categories will be given cash prizes of Rs 5, 7 and 10 lakh, respectively, he said.

Kumar informed that in a new facility, students can get their papers re-evaluated in case they were not satisfied with their marking. Under the existing practice, the students could apply for recounting of their marks. The department has initiated action against at least 85 teachers in whose evaluated work there was a difference of more than 10 per cent.

The PSEB has done away with the practice of giving any equivalence certificate to students from other boards. We did not see any logic in a CBSE, Haryana or any other state board-pass student giving us any equivalence certificate, Kumar said.

Students will appear in board exams in schools other than their own, Kumar said. They will be offered centres near their schools. At least 217 schools have been asked to install CCTV cameras due to their record of allowing copying, he said.

The secretary said from April 1, all certificates, including marks cards, would be available online. The department had also initiated work on digitising old records.

The government is going ahead with creating a separate cadre of teachers for border areas. The department conducted 2,602 inspections during the past four months. As many as 262 teachers were found reaching late, 73 were found absent and 78 absent for the past very long time, he said.
editorial@tribune.com

Gagan K Teja

Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 2

A 70-year-old man from Belumajra village in Patiala district died in custody after he was arrested and was being brought to Ghagga police station in a drug case this afternoon.

His family members and other village residents blocked the Patiala-Patran road, demanding action against the policemen who had arrested him. Later, a case was registered against head constables Jaswinder Singh, Bhola Singh and Gurmail Singh and two unidentified persons under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC.

Harnek was arrested from the village dharamshala, where he was sitting with other villagers.

Three head constables and two constables picked up Harnek amid resistance from villagers. He was being brought to the police station in a car, but he collapsed on the way.

Villagers claimed that Harnek used to consume poppy husk at times, but was not involved in any case and it was his arrest that led to his death.

The situation remained tense for a few hours on the Patiala-Patran road as the protesters overturned a car and smashed another car of a Sub-Inspector.

The dharna was lifted after a case was registered against the cops. The body was sent to the Samana hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Superintendent of Police (SP, Detective) HS Virk said it seemed to be a case of natural death. Though we have registered a case against the three cops on the demand of villagers, we will wait for the postmortem report for further action. The cops were bringing him to the police station when he collapsed, possibly due to cardiac arrest, he said.

We have asked all cops who had gone to arrest him to submit their detailed statement, he added.

Villagers vandalise vehicles

Five cops arrested Harnek Singh in a drug case from his village when he was sitting with a few villagers. He was being brought to the police station in a car, but he collapsed on the way. Later, agitated protesters overturned a car and smashed another car of a Sub-Inspector.
editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 2

After the surfacing of new evidence in the sand mining row, the Opposition has demanded a fresh probe against Irrigation and Power Minister Rana Gurjit Singh.

The Opposition also dismissed the probe conducted by the Justice JS Narang (retd) Commission as an eyewash.

Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Khaira, in an open letter to Justice Narang, alleged that startling facts ignored by him showed that the commission inquiry was not only shoddy, but also full of deceit.

He said the Ministry of Corporate Affairs current records showed that Amit Bahadur was a director in the company registered at the office owned by the minister. He alleged that they were the frontmen of Rana Gurjit, but the Narang commission ignored the fact.

He also alleged that Justice Narang ignored the fact that Gurinder Singh transferred Rs 5 crore to the account of Jatin Garg, nephew of Sahil Singla, who in turn transferred the amount to Rajbir Enterprises for the bidding money. He never tried to probe Jatin to find the source of such a huge financial entry, Khaira said.

The AAP leader said if Justice Narang had genuinely tried to investigate, he would have found a quid pro quo between tainted contractor Gurinder Singh and Rana Gurjit.

He said Justice Narang ignored that the ministers employees were allotted more than the known two mines. He demanded that Narang should tender a public apology to the people of Punjab for a bogus and premeditated clean-chit inquiry. He demanded that Narang should deposit back to the public exchequer money misused by him as it was a planned case of deceit.

In a separate press release, former Deputy Speaker Bir Devinder Singh said in view of the expose linking a payment of Rs 5 crore to the mining auction, a fresh probe by a sitting High Court judge was the only option to ascertain the truth.

I wonder how and why Justice JS Narang (retd) failed to follow the trail and the source of this huge amount which was directly linked to the sordid auctions of the sand mines, he asked.

This grave lapse in the probe does not seem to be inadvertent. How can an inquiry commission headed by a retired High Court Judge choose to ignore such a vital lead in the matter that was being inquired into? he said. He alleged that the transfer of Rs 5 crore by Gurinder Singh to the account of Rajbir Enterprises clearly established his direct link to the mining auction and connected all missing dots that Justice Narang refused to follow and ignored the irrefutable documentary evidence.

Rana Gurjit must step down as a minister to pave the way for a transparent and independent judicial probe into the scandal, Bir Devinder demanded.
editorial@tribune.com

Jupinderjit Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 2

Several leaders of the AAP in Punjab have expressed resentment over reports that the national party leadership may nominate former state affairs incharge Sanjay Singh and two businessmen-turned-politicians to the Rajya Sabha from New Delhi.

Reports and tweets circulated today said the party was likely to nominate Sushil Gupta, a former Congress leader; Naveen Gupta, vice-president of the Institute of the Chartered Accountants of India; and Sanjay for three RS seats. The nominations would be announced tomorrow, party sources said.

Reports from Delhi suggested a rift in the party over Sanjays nomination. A section of Punjab MLAs said the party would be sending wrong signals by choosing him. What is his contribution? He could not win the Punjab elections for the party, said some of the MLAs.

Representatives of several wings of the NRIs demanded that meritorious leaders should be nominated for the RS seats. Manjinder Singh Sandhu, NRI wing (California), and others said the AAP leadership should pick a Punjabi for at least one of the seats.
uttara@tribuneindia.com

Sydney

Researchers in Australia have found a way to increase wheat production by up to three times through their "speed breeding" procedures inspired by NASA experiments to grow the crop in space.

The NASA experiments involved using continuous light on wheat that triggered early reproduction in the plants, said Lee Hickey of University of Queensland in Australia.

"We thought we could use the NASA idea to grow plants quickly back on Earth, and in turn, accelerate the genetic gain in our plant breeding programmes," Hickey said.

"By using speed breeding techniques in specially modified glasshouses we can grow six generations of wheat, chickpea and barley plants, and four generations of canola plants in a single yearas opposed to two or three generations in a regular glasshouse, or a single generation in the field," he said.

The study, published in the journal Nature Plants, showed that the technique could cut the length of plant breeding cycles.

"Our experiments showed that the quality and yield of the plants grown under controlled climate and extended daylight conditions was as good, or sometimes better, than those grown in regular glasshouses," Hickey added.

Hickey said information on how to use speed breeding was increasingly in demand from other researchers and industry.

"There has been a lot of interest globally in this technique due to the fact that the world has to produce 60-80 per cent more food by 2050 to feed its nine billion people," he said.

While the technique has largely been used for research purposes so far, it is now being adopted by industry.

In partnership with the Australia company Dow AgroSciences, the scientists have used the technique to develop the new "DS Faraday" wheat variety due for release to industry in 2018.

"DS Faraday is a high protein, milling wheat with tolerance to pre-harvest sprouting," Hickey said in a statement released by the University of Queensland on Tuesday.

"We introduced genes for grain dormancy so it can better handle wet weather at harvest time - which has been a problem wheat scientists in Australia have been trying to solve for 40 years," Hickey said.

"We've finally had a breakthrough in grain dormancy, and speed breeding really helped us to do it," he said. IANS
shalender@tribune.com

THE Burma Government has appointed a committee of officials and non-officials to draw up a scheme for the spread of imperial ideas among the people of that province. The means suggested to this end are, (1) the organisation of a Boy-scout movement, (2) starting an employment bureau, (3) improving the relations between the public and schools and (4) organising courses of lectures on Imperial subjects. Until the whole scheme and the objects with which it has been framed are published, nothing definite can be said about it. It is hard to know why the Burmese alone require any particular propaganda of imperialism which is not required in other parts of the Indian Empire.
editorial@tribune.com

Jotirmay Thapliyal

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, January 2

Doon Universitys research scholar Khimanand Balodi has bagged the prestigious United Arab Emirates Mohammed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund fellowship for working on vulture conservation. Mohammed Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund has been working in the individual species conservation initiatives across the globe. It recognises leaders in the field of species conservation and helps elevate the importance of species in the broader conservation debate. An amount of 5,000 USD has also been provided to Khimanand.

Khimanand Balodi has been working in Uttarakhand for the conservation of rare species of vulture for quite some time now. The fellowship has added another feather to his cap. He has already been bestowed with the Future Conservationist Award for his works in vulture conservation. The award has helped Khimanand undertake training in wildlife conservation in Canada. He has also been honoured by the Oriental Bird Club and Wildlife Trust of India particular for his excellent works in vulture conservation.

In Uttarakhand, Khimanand Balodi recently conducted a study on vultures and has suggested the need to draft a comprehensive Uttarakhand State Vulture Conservation Action Plan for long-term conservation of the species. In his another major study, Khimanand Balodi attributed carcass dumping near high-voltage power transmission lines as the major reason behind vulture electrocution in parts of Dehradun.
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Beijing, January 2

China on Tuesday defended Pakistan saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather allys outstanding contribution to counter terrorism, a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of lies and deceit and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

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On Tuesday, China, on expected lines, praised Pakistans counter-terrorism record.

Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifices for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter-terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trumps criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter-terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

China and Pakistan are all-weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides, Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

During the first-ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan here last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long-running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Analysts here say the US is mounting pressure on Pakistan as it has firmed up an alliance with Beijing by allowing heavy Chinese investments in the strategic CPEC corridor providing China access to the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.

Asked whether Trumps criticism would affect Chinas efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said, We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges.

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries reached a lot of consensus on cooperation.

This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter-terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard, Geng said.

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.

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 Islamabads reluctance in the war against terrorism.

Unveiling his new South Asia policy in August, Trump had warned of tougher measures against Pakistan if it failed to cooperate with the US in the fight against terror. PTI
uttara@tribuneindia.com

BEIJING, January 2

China will continue to fully, accurately and strictly implement United Nations' sanctions on North Korea in accordance to Chinese laws, the commerce ministry said on Tuesday.

The latest UN sanctions limit a country's refined oil products exports to North Korea at no more than 500,000 barrels per year starting Jan 1, 2018, the ministry told Reuters in a faxed statement.

China exported no oil products to North Korea in November, Chinese customs data showed, apparently going above and beyond sanctions imposed earlier last year by the United Nations in a bid to limit petroleum shipments to the isolated country. Reuters
uttara@tribuneindia.com

LONDON, January 2

Iran's Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused enemies of the Islamic Republic of stirring unrest across the country as a crackdown intensified against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Police have arrested more than 450 protesters in the capital Tehran over the past three days, the deputy provincial governor said. Protesters also attacked police stations elsewhere in Iran late into the night on Monday, news agency and social media reports said.

One member of the security forces was reported killed on Monday, bringing to at least 14 the death toll stemming from the boldest challenge to Iran's clerical leadership since unrest in 2009.

In his first reaction to the unrest, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said: "In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus to create troubles for the Islamic Republic". Khamenei said on his website that he would address the nation about the recent events "when the time is right".

He did not mention any enemies by name but Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia were behind the recent riots in Iran.

"Saudis will receive Irans unexpected response and they know how serious it can be," Shamkhani was quoted as saying by Tasnim news in an interview with Beirut-based Al Mayadeen TV.

Harsh punishment

Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court, warned protesters on Tuesday that those arrested would face harsh punishment.

The semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Ali Asghar Naserbakht, the deputy governor of Tehran province, as saying that 200 people were arrested on Saturday in Tehran, 150 people on Sunday and about 100 people on Monday.

Hundreds of others have been arrested in other cities, according to agency reports and social media.

Naserbakht said the situation in Tehran was under control and police has not asked for the help of the Revolutionary Guards special forces.

Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Zolfaghari said 90 per cent of the detainees were under 25-years-old, showing frustration among youths from the economic situation and lack of social freedoms.

Mehr news agency quoted a judiciary official as saying that several ringleaders of protests in Karaj, the fourth largest city in Iran, have been arrested.

Ghazanfarabadi said the detainees will be soon put on trial and the ringleaders would face serious charges including "moharebeh"  an Islamic term meaning warring against God  which carries the death penalty.

Iran's judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani ordered prosecutors on Monday to "punish rioters firmly".

The demonstrations that broke out last week were initially focused on economic hardships and alleged corruption but turned into political rallies.

Anger was soon directed at the clerical leadership that has been in power since the 1979 revolution, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate authority in Irans system of dual clerical and republican rule.

Iran is a major OPEC oil producer and regional power deeply involved in Syria and Iraq as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia.

Many Iranians resent the foreign interventions and want their leaders to create jobs at home, where youth unemployment reached 29 percent last year.

Government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in a news conference that both protesters and the security forces should follow the law.

"People have the rights to protest but there is a difference between demonstration and riot...Even those who are confronting the rioters should act within the framework of law," he said.

Videos on social media on Monday showed an intense clash in the central town of Qahderijan between security forces and protesters who were trying to occupy a police station, which was partially set ablaze.

There were unconfirmed reports of several casualties among demonstrators.

In the western city of Kermanshah, protesters set fire to a traffic police post, but no one was hurt in the incident, Mehr news agency said.

State television reported that protesters burned down four mosques in villages in Savadkuh County in northern Iran on Monday.

Reactions

Rouhani refrained on Monday from accepting responsibility of problems raised by protesters and he blamed his predecessor and also Irans long-time adversary, the United States for the government's shortcomings.

Rouhani, seen as a pragmatist who is at odds with hardliners, said: "People on the streets do not ask for bread and water, but for more freedom," -- implying that the protesters were not targetting his government but the more rigid establishment.

US President Donald Trump supported the protesters in a tweet on Monday: "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!"

Turkey said on Tuesday it was concerned by reports of people dying and public buildings being damaged in Iran.

"We believe it is necessary to avoid violence and not succumb to provocations," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that it hoped foreign intervention would be avoided.

The Russian Foreign Ministry was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying external interference was destabilising the situation and calling it "unacceptable".

Iran and Russia are the main allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States, Saudi Arabia and Turkey support rebel groups. Reuters
gspannu7@gmail.com

Jerusalem, January 2

Israel has extended the detention without trial of a prominent Palestinian politician by another six months, the army said on Tuesday, meaning she will spend at least one year in custody.

Khalida Jarrar was arrested on July 2 for being a senior member in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a movement considered a terrorist organisation by Israel, the United States and the European Union.

She had been released from prison only a year before.

Details of the accusations against her are secret, as is customary with Israeli administrative detention orders, which allow detention without trial for renewable six-month periods.

A legislator in the largely defunct Palestinian parliament, she was given a six-month administrative detention order in July.

On December 24, the detention was extended by another six months after security personnel found she still poses a substantial threat, the Israeli army said.

The decision to hold Jarrar under administrative detention was made as a last resort, after the military official who signed the arrest warrant was displayed confidential information that clearly substantiates the threat posed by Jarrar, the army said in a statement.

Many PFLP leaders are in custody and Jarrar has been jailed multiple times.

The 54-year-old had only been released in June 2016 after 14 months in an Israeli jail for allegedly encouraging attacks against Israelis.

Israel says administrative detention is intended to allow authorities to hold suspects while continuing to gather evidence, with the aim of preventing attacks in the meantime.

But the system has been criticised by Palestinians, human rights groups and members of the international community who say Israel abuses the measure.

The Addameer rights group says around 6,150 Palestinians are currently in Israeli jails, including around 450 in administrative detention.

Jarrar is the 11th member of the Palestinian parliament currently in jail, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club NGO.

According to the Prisoners Club, Palestinian lawmaker Nasser Abdel Jawwad of Hamas was arrested this week in Salfit in the occupied West Bank. The military had not immediately responded to a request for confirmation.  AFP
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Islamabad, January 2

Pakistan has summoned US Ambassador David Hale to register its protest after President Donald Trump accused the country of lying and deceiving America by sheltering terrorists while receiving billions of dollars in foreign aid, a media report said on Tuesday.

The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) summoned Hale on Monday night. Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from Hale over Trumps remarks, The Express Tribune reported.

There was no immediate response from foreign office officials.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

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 the 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 tweeted on New Year's Day.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif responded immediately and said, ...Will let the world know the truth...difference between facts and fiction.

He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would not do no more for it (the fight against terrorism).

Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years, the minister said. PTI
rchopra@tribunemail.com

Islamabad, January 2

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will chair the Cabinet and the National Security Committee meetings to discuss Pakistans response to US President Donald Trumps accusation that Islamabad deceived America by sheltering terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid.

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 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 White House later said the US had suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan, saying the fate of such assistance would depend on Islamabads decisive action against terrorists.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

Radio Pakistan reported that Abbasi would preside over a meeting of the federal cabinet on Tuesday, which would discuss among other things, national security issue.

Official sources said Trumps remarks would be the main point of discussion in the meeting.

The cabinet meeting will be followed by the meeting of National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday. The Prime Minister will chair the NSC meeting which will review in detail the security situation of the country and the region.

The meeting will be attended by Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir-Khan, services chiefs and senior civil and military officers.

Sources said the NSC meeting would help to firm up the final response to the latest accusation by the US.

In August, Trump had accused Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorists.

Pakistan has been cautious in reacting to the latest remarks by Trump and so far only Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif has on the record spoken about it.

We will respond to President Trumps tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth..difference between facts & fiction.., Asif tweeted on Monday. PTI
Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it.





I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends.





More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it.





The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity.





About me:

I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS.

Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line).

Age: 42

Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed.





I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it).
Mounira, a 20-year-old Somali with her son Mubarak, shortly after being evacuated with others from Libya to Italy  UNHCR/Alessandro Penso

ROME, Italy  A first group of 162 refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and Yemen has arrived safely in Italy from Libya, in a landmark operation putting an end to months of detention and suffering.

The group  which included families, single mothers, unaccompanied children and disabled people  was evacuated on Friday (December 22) in two Italian military aircraft. All of them are in need of health care and counselling after being held captive in inhumane and degrading conditions and undergoing abuse from traffickers, smugglers and others on hazardous journeys across Africa.

This is really groundbreaking.

For the first time, we have been able to evacuate vulnerable refugees straight from Libya to Italy. This is really groundbreaking and a much welcome development that could not have happened without the strong commitment of the Italian authorities and the support of the Libyan Government, said Vincent Cochetel, UNHCRs Special Envoy for the Central Mediterranean Situation.

We really hope other countries will follow the same path, Cochetel added.

This refugee baby was born three weeks ago in a detention center in Libya. He was evacuated to Italy yesterday with his mother. He is safe, now.



Life can prevail over war, exploitation and abuse. pic.twitter.com/ypDymJNM2Y  Filippo Grandi (@RefugeesChief) December 23, 2017

One of the evacuees, Timnit  a 25-year-old Eritrean  was almost overcome with emotion and relief.

I didnt believe it when UNHCR told me that I was coming to Italy, she said. I still cannot believe it now that I am here.

Timnit had been trying to join her husband in Germany for nearly two years. Alone in Libya, she was detained on several occasions for long periods. She sits in a wheelchair with a thick blanket around her legs, as she explains she can no longer walk on her own due to the pain.

My pain is psychological, my legs hurt more when I am angry, she said.

In an attempt to end her suffering, 10 days ago Timnit made the risky attempt to cross the Mediterranean with smugglers.

Her travel companions carried her on their backs to the boat, but after three hours it was intercepted by the Libyan Coast Guard and all 100 passengers were brought back to Libya and detained.

Timnit, a 25-year-old Eritrean refugee, sits on a wheelchair unable to move due to the pain in her legs, shortly after being evacuated from Libya to Italy.  UNHCR/Alessandro Penso

I havent spoken to my husband since attempting to cross by boat. When I call him and tell him UNHCR has taken me to Italy by plane, hes never going to believe me, she smiled.

The group was accompanied from detention facilities by Libya-based UNHCR staff and then flown to Italy on two separate aircraft to the military base near Rome. UNHCR has welcomed the evacuations as a new mechanism to deal with people in need of resettlement in Libya, where many countries do not have embassies and dealing the complex mgiration issues is particularly challenging.

Upon arrival, all refugees went through medical checks and were given warm clothes and a hot meal before undergoing identification procedures. UNHCR staff and CARITAS volunteers welcomed the refugees and provided them with information upon arrival.

The refugees will now be transferred to several reception facilities where accommodation and assistance will be provided by the Episcopal Conference of Italy through Caritas.

Shawki, 19, fled Taizz in Yemen because of war.

The situation at home was terrible, but Libya is worse than Yemen because you are not scared only of the fighting, you are scared of people coming to kidnap you and asking for ransom. Anything can happen to you. My friend and I paid US$5,000 just to be freed, he explained.

The number of refugees evacuated from Libya is expected to reach 400.

Shawki entered Libya through Egypt to where he had flown.

I tried to get a visa to enter Europe, but it wasnt possible. Thats when I decided to come by sea," he added.

The number of refugees evacuated from Libya is expected to reach 400 with a third evacuation from Libya to Niger in the coming days.

This has only been made possible after intensive efforts from our staff and partner organizations. The smile of relief on the faces of those evacuated is a source of additional motivation to save more. We really count on international solidarity to help us reach our objective of bringing to protection 1,300 highly vulnerable refugees out of Libya as soon as possible. added Cochetel.
Delhi: 2 bootleggers held; 144 cartons of liquor seized

New Delhi, Jan 1 (UNI) Delhi police has arrested two bootleggers and recovered 144 cartons of illicit liquor from their possession from near Moolchand flyover area here.

"On receiving tip-off regarding transportation of illicit liquor in cars, a trap was laid last night near Moolchand flyover and two persons were apprehended. From their two cars 144 cartoons of illicit liquor were recovered," police said here on Monday.

According to police, both the accused persons used to procure liquor from a godown in Gurgaon as per the demand from their boss Suresh Pandit. Accordingly, they used to cover the cartons with
In particular, for the first nine months of 2017, Asia Commercial Bank (ACB) was recorded to achieve total pre-tax profits worth about VND2 trillion ($88.37 million) and total after-tax profits worth VND1.5 trillion ($67.29 million), respectively 61 and 53 per cent up against the same period in 2016.

Based on these statistics, ACBs profit for 2017 is forecast to exceed the original expectation of VND2.2 trillion ($97.24 million).

A significant number of Vietnam-based commercial banks anticipated total profits of trillions of dongs by the end of 2017

In addition, Saigon Thuong Tin Commercial Joint Stock Bank (Sacombank) also reported surpassing its expectation of VND585 billion ($25.79 million) in pre-tax profit for 2017, with a profit of VND1 trillion ($45.2 million) during the first nine months, a five-fold increase over the same category in 2016 and almost doubling the planned profit for 2017.

Likewise, a significant number of Vietnam-based commercial banks, including Vietcombank, BIDV, Viettinbank, Techcombank, MB, HDBank, LienvietpostBank, OCB, and TPBank also expected their profits to be worth trillions of dongs by the end of 2017.

Financial specialists attributed banks' increased profit to positive credit growth. With the credit growth level anticipated at around 19 per cent, a raise in banks returns was expected. In addition, improved non-performing loan management also added to banks profitability.

Dr. Bui Quang Tin, a lecturer at Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City, explained that banks had a major restructuring progress, especially in the area of risk management.

Judging the current state of Vietnam-based banks, Le Anh Tuan, deputy general director of Dragon Capital's investment and economy division, noted that the accelerated restructuring process played an important factor in enhancing the overall performance of the industry. During the year 2017, commercial banks profit performance drew substantial attention, while the slowly warming real estate market also had a positive impact on bank credit.

However, it is of paramount importance that Vietnam-based banks should pay more attention to risk management and credit quality in order to obtain higher returns, leading to highly distributed profits, Tuan added.

To date, a remarkable number of bank managers expected that the positive credit growth would support commercial banks to strengthen control over non-performing loans and reduce reserve funds with the intent to increase their profits.
Director general of GSO Nguyen Bich Lam

Export turnover grows slower than in previous years, but it has reached a new record. What stands behind this discrepancy?

The export turnover increased by over 21 per cent (excluding price factor, it rose by 17.6 per cent), which is the highest increase since 2012, but lower than in 2007, 2008, and 2011 (139.8, 128.6, and 125.8 per cent, respectively).

However, the overall value of export turnover in 2017 broke records, as it signified huge structural changes. In the previous years, Vietnams export structure was dominated by crude oil and natural resources. In 2017, mobile phones and components, electronic equipment, computers and components, machinery, and spare parts made up the larger proportion. Additionally, the export turnover of vegetables and fruits hit $3.52 billion, up 43 per cent on-year.

In your opinion, what were the major contributors to 2017's new export records?

They are the outcome of the administrative reforms, the improving business climate, creating more favorable conditions for investment and business, and FDI attraction. Especially, time for export-import procedures and time for specialised inspection of export-import goods have been reduced, complying with the directions set out in four Resolutions (each named No.19/NQ-CP) on major tasks and solutions for improving the business environment and national competitiveness issued in 2014-2017.

This is also the result of an enabling and action-oriented government, as well as the determination of policy makers, the business community, and millions of farmers who contributed to the strong growth of agricultural, fishery, and forestry exports. In my opinion, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have made significant contributions to the growth achieved this year.

In early 2017, we were concerned about the price of dragon fruit after Long An decided to expand the dragon fruit cultivation area. Finally, dragon fruit, along with mango, lychee, and star apple, can now be exported, making a huge contribution to the agricultural sectors export turnover of $3.52 billion.

However, Vietnam's miraculous export growth is heavily dependent on the FDI sector, especially Samsung, is it not?

The domestic sector contributed $58.53 billion and the FDI sector (including crude oil) $155.24 billion to the total national export turnover of $213.77 billion. In 2017, Samsung made $53.2 billion, up 31 per cent on-year, focusing on exporting electronic equipment, computers, mobile phones, and components, among others. In particular, Samsung contributed 5.34 percentage points to the processing and manufacturing industry's growth of 14.5 per cent and 3.88 percentage points to the industrial sector's growth of 9.4 per cent.

The FDI sector, especially big multinational corporations like Samsung, has made significant contributions to Vietnam's economic development. This is also an achievement of the Vietnamese economy because not only developing countries, but also developed ones like Japan, South Korea or the US are focused on FDI attraction.

In fact, developed countries have attracted the most FDI. The US government has reduced corporate income tax from 35 to 20 per cent, and is expected to go further down to 15 per cent in order to attract FDI and facilitate domestic enterprises. Thereby, we should be delighted, not worried that Vietnam has attracted leading international corporations and FDI firms, remarkably contributing to socioeconomic development and the state budget, creating jobs, and taking up a high proportion in total export-import turnover.

Despite the favourable export momentum, the National Assembly has set the target for export growth at 7-8 per cent in 2018, equivalent to that of 2017. Do you think this goal is realistic or is it too modest?

If we reach this goal, the export turnover will hit $230 billion in 2018. I believe the target was calculated carefully because export turnover depends on the world marketwhat with price fluctuations, consumer demand, and the recovery of the world economy.

I think the export growth target is reasonable. According to the forecasts of the World Bank, global trade growth will be 3.8 per cent, lower than the 4 per cent of 2017. By the International Monetary Funds forecasts, it will be 3.9 per cent, also lower than this year.

In my opinion, the $230 billion export turnover will be difficult to achieve due to the strengthening protectionist trends. Moreover, the European Commission has just issued a yellow card warning for Vietnamese fishery products and the US applied anti-dumping and anti-subsidy taxes to cold-rolled steel and some other steel imported from Vietnam. We should do our utmost from early 2018 to reach this goal.

2017 spotlight: outstanding socioeconomic events In 2017, Vietnam saw a number of positive and negative socioeconomic developments. Here are the nine most remarkable events of the year gathered by newswire Vnexpress.

2017 GDP growth surpasses expectations The GDP growth is estimated to raise to 6.81 per cent in 2017, the highest increase since 2011 and surpassing the target, professing to the power of the economy and forecasting brighter economic performance in 2018.

2017a year of remarkable success With 13 socioeconomic development targets accomplished and a GDP growth of 6.7 per centthe highest in the last ten years2017 is considered a special year for the Vietnamese economy.

Vietnamese-Korean trade celebrates quarter century milestone After 25 years, Vietnamese-Korean two-way trade turnover hit $60 billion and is expected to reach $100 billion by 2020.
Gretchen Carlson, who is best known for her decades-long tenure as an anchor at conservative broadcaster Fox News, made headlines in 2016 when she sued the networks then boss Roger Ailes for a reported US$20 million, precipitating his departure. Photo wbur.org

Her appointment, announced in a statement on Monday, came just over a week after the resignation of the pageants under-fire CEO Sam Haskell, who had written some of the emails that contained misogynistic, fat  and slut-shaming language.

"Honoured to move this iconic program forward with so many amazing volunteers," the 51-year-old Carlson, who won the competition in 1989, wrote on Twitter.

Carlsons appointment was effective immediately, the organisation said, adding that three other former winners would join the board of directors.

"Most previously serving directors have resigned," the statement said.

Dozens of former beauty queens had demanded that Haskell step down after The Huffington Post published leaked internal emails that included a vulgarity to refer to past winners and the shaming of one over her weight and sex life, with Haskell calling her "a piece of trash".

The news site initially quoted the Miss America Organisation as saying it was notified about the emails months earlier and fired a telecast writer  the "most egregious author of inappropriate comments".

But in a matter of days, Haskell, Miss America president Josh Randle and board chair Lynn Weidner all resigned.

The scandal prompted the shows producers, Dick Clark Productions, to sever ties with the organisation.

Carlson  who is best known for her decade-long tenure as an anchor at Fox News  made headlines in 2016 when she filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against the networks then boss Roger Ailes, precipitating his departure. The suit was settled for a reported US$20 million.

Commenting on the scandal, Carlson said: "Everyone has been stunned by the events of the last several days, and this has not been easy for anyone who loves this programme.

"In the end, we all want a strong, relevant Miss America and we appreciate the existing board taking the steps necessary to quickly begin stabilising the organisation for the future."
At least 80 people were killed in stabbings in London in 2017, more than half of them under the age of 25. (Photo: AFP/Daniel Leal-Olivas)

The unusually concentrated spate of violence will add to growing concerns about knife crime in the British capital, which is at its highest level for five years.

At least 80 people were killed in stabbings in London in 2017, more than half of them under the age of 25.

Detectives launched four separate murder investigations into the overnight attacks, which took place away from the city centre, where more than 100,000 people had gathered to watch the New Year's Eve fireworks.

An 18-year-old man was stabbed in Enfield, north London, late on Sunday evening, and later died in hospital. Five men have been arrested, police said.

Earlier, at around 7.30 pm (1930 GMT), a 20-year-old man was stabbed in West Ham in east London, while in Tulse Hill, in the south, a 17-year-old boy was killed at around 10.40 pm.

In the early hours of Monday morning, a 20-year-old man was fatally stabbed in Old Street, a busy area filled with bars and clubs east of the city centre.

A second man in his 20s was hurt in the same incident, and was taken to hospital suffering critical stab injuries.

"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," said police commander Neil Jerome.

Police registered almost 12,100 knife attacks in London in the year to March 2017, which left more than 4,400 people injured - the highest figures in five years.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said Monday that 77 people died from knife crime in the city between January 1, 2017, and December 22.

In November, Mayor Sadiq Khan's office revealed that 40 of those killed since the start of the year were under the age of 25.

Khan has launched a major campaign to reduce knife crime, including giving some high-risk schools metal detectors, while the government is also looking into tougher measures for people carrying knives.
Vinacomin made a loss of over VND14.882 trillion ($656 million) during 2010-2015

According to the inspection conclusions signed by Deputy Chief Government Inspector Ngo Van Khanh, the agency has detected a series of violations of the management board of Vinacomin and its subsidiaries in financial management, investment, capital contribution, as well as land and natural resources management.

The conclusion showed that Vinacomin spent about $4.4 million (VND77.678 trillion) to invest in Southern Mining Co., Ltd. (Cambodia). Up to date, this investment is likely to be lost. The findings showed that Vinacomins Board of Management, particularly deputy director general Doan Van Quang, has neither complied with regulations on investment nor examined the feasibility of the project before the investment decision.

Besides, Vinacomin's investment in Crommit Co Dinh, Thanh Hoa Co., Ltd. (VTCC) was ineffective. Vinacomin decided to contribute over VND587 billion ($27 million) and conducted a disbursement of VND112 billion ($5 million), but the project has been pending since 2013.

Vinacomin also contributed VND314 billion ($14.3 million) to Ferro Crom Carbon factory, which has been idle since 2014, causing a loss of VND113 billion ($5.2 million) to Vinacomin during 2012-2015.

Regarding the management of capital and assets, the inspectorate's conclusion pointed out illegal and impractical decisions, providing guarantees for loans exceeding the bank's legal lending limit, leading to high losses in some investments.

Particularly, Vinacomin lost the ownership capital and owes Thai Nguyen Non-Ferrous Metal JSC (Vimico) over VND24.6 billion ($1.1 million). Vinacomin confirmed the guarantees for loans exceeding the bank's legal lending limit, so that Thai Nguyen Non-Ferrous Metal JSC had to pay for Eximbank Thailand $13.7 million (including initial debt and interest amount).

Vinacomin also contributed over VND870 billion ($38.3 million) without carefully reviewing and conducting the necessary procedures, leading to capital stagnation for a long time. Several investments in other countries, including Cambodia and Laos, suffered a total loss of over VND380 billion ($16.75 million). Vinacomin also lost VND180 billion ($8 million) in three undisclosed businesses that the firm previously invested in.

The Government Inspectorate also detected violations of regulations on production and business management committed by Vinacomin board members and the director general, causing a loss of VND740 billion ($32.6 million) to the company.

In several other projects, Vinacomin miscalculated or declared wrong tax amounts, leading to millions of dollars of losses. The Government Inspectorate proposed to handle the firm's wrongdoings and retrieve VND754 billion ($33.2 million).

The Government Inspectorate has also detected many violations in the supervision and appraisal of coal trading, as well as violations in the management of construction, land, natural resources, and assets, causing a loss of VND75 billion ($3.3 million).

With these outcomes, the Government Inspectorate has recommended proper penalties for the group and individuals related to such violations.

The Inspectorate requested the Ministry of Public Security (MoPS) to receive this dossier to review, investigate, and handle Vinacomin and subsidiaries violations. Vinacomins subsidiaries were named as Huu Nghi Cement JSC (Phu Tho), Ha Giang Cement JSC, and Binh Nguyen JSC (Dak Nong).

The Government Inspectorate also recommended MoPS to investigate those decisions related to investment, finance, and debt guarantees that caused losses to the group.
Big shot Hanoi buyers are looking to spread the wealth to the provinces

A range of real estate projects have been introduced to Hanois market from Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Danang and Nha Trang. The projects include The Charm, Sunrise City, Ocean Villas, Hyatt Regency, Olalani, Fusion Alya, Azura and Blooming Park.

Talking with VIR at a recent road show to introduce Sunrise City, located in Ho Chi Minh, in Hanoi, Novaland Joint Stock Company marketing deputy director Huynh Du An said many units were sold to Hanoians and those from northern provinces.

Meanwhile, a range of other central and southern projects have been rushing into Hanoi. Setia Becamex launched Binh Duong provinces Ecolakes My Phuoc in the capital late last week, a week before TD Group introduced the Costa Nha Trang to Hanoians. This week Singapores Guoco Lands Canary, located at the Vietnam-Singapore Industrial Park in Binh Duong province, will be unveiled to northern customers.

Bringing Ecolakes My Phuoc to Hanois market is one of our key marketing strategies. Hanoians are paying more attention to higher standards of living and are interested in ecological housing, said Khoo Teck Chong, general director of Setia Becamex.

VIR was told that for many projects in the central and southern parts, roughly 70 per cent of customers were from Hanoi and other northern provinces.

Matthew Koziora, sales director of VinaCapital - developer of the Azura in Danang, said the first 60 units, out of 225, were launched in Hanoi recently.

Out of the 40 units sold, 90 per cent of the buyers had come from Hanoi.

Hanoi has, according to Koziora, proven itself to be a key market for most new projects in Vietnam, given the demographics of these immediate catchments.

While condominium offerings will always be available in Hanoi due to previous pent-up demands, we can see that not all projects will enjoy a healthy sell-through, as was seen 12 months ago.

We do see, however, given the price differentials between house and land packages in Hanoi versus Ho Chi Minh City, that this market will be better received in the current marketplace and over the next six months as opposed to condominium project offerings at this time, Koziora said

Ngo Huu Truong, managing director of a real estate agency in Ho Chi Minh City, said many customers from Hanoi and Haiphong had come to Ho Chi Minh City to find out information about new projects there.

Demand is real and many projects investors have realised this trend and they are coming to Hanoi to promote their projects, Truong said.

He also said the jury was still out on how effective the promotions were.

I think that these developers [who bring their projects to Hanoi] have at least seen their target to raise their image and brand names in northern customers, Truong said.
PV Power is expected to conduct its IPO on January 31, 2017

The revenue of PV Power was estimated at VND30.987 trillion ($1.36 billion) in 2017, exceeding the yearly plan by 6 per cent. Its pre-tax profit was VND2.5 trillion ($110 million), surpassing the yearly plan by 83 per cent.

In 2018, the company targets reaching a generation capacity of 21,570 million kWh (while it is estimated at 20,529 million kWh in 2017), revenue of $1.36 billion, and pre-tax profit of over $84 million.

Previously, PV Power also published its equitisation plan. The company will put more than 468.3 million shares, or 20 per cent of its charter capital, up for sale at its initial public offering (IPO) on January 31, 2018 with the initial price of VND14,400 ($0.64) apiece.

The shares will be listed on the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX) and PV Power expects to earn at least VND6.74 trillion ($296.79) in proceeds, according to HNX.

Meanwhile, Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (BSR), the operator of Vietnam's first operating oil refinery Dung Quat gained VND80.517 trillion ($3.54 billion) in revenue, VND8.035 trillion ($353.2 million) of after-tax profit, much higher than the 2016 profit of VND1.682 trillion ($74 million).

BSR is expected to obtain VND78.392 trillion ($3.45 billion) of revenue, including VND3.473 trillion ($152.7 million) of after-tax profit in 2018.

The company will conduct Vietnams biggest-ever IPO on January 17, 2018, hoping to garner about VND4 trillion ($175.8 million) for the state coffers.

BSR will sell nearly 241.6 million shares, equivalent to 7.79 per cent of its charter capital, to the public at the initial price of VND14,600 ($0.64). At this price, BSR is valued at $2 billion, making it the largest firm ever to hold an IPO.

PetroVietnam will retain 43 per cent of BSRs charter capital, while a maximum of 49 per cent will be sold to strategic investors within three months of the IPO. About 0.21 per cent of the shares will be offered to the companys employees.
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.
The Second Federal Chamber of the Argentine Court of Justice has confirmed the legal proceedings of Judge Claudio Bonadio against the former Peronist President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and several others who worked with her.

The chamber has rejected the request made by Ronald Noble (former head of Interpol), to testify on behalf of the accused.

Even though they have not been subject to previous sentences, judges Martin Irurzun and Eduardo Farah have confirmed the warrants for internment against the former president (who now benefits from parliamentary immunity), her Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hector Timmerman (who is subject to house arrest because of his health) and three individuals who had worked with her: Carlos Zannini, Luis DElia and Fernando Esteche.

The accused are charged with obstruction of justice, abuse of authority and aggravated concealment, but no longer with high treason; this final charge had been used for the last time against General Juan Peron, in 1955.

This absurd matter is premised on the belief that the 1992 and 1994 attacks against Israels embassy in Buenos Aires and AIMA, it seems, were perpetrated by the Hezbollah acting on behalf of Iran. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, the theory goes, would have then been bribed by Teheran to put an end to the proceedings against several Iranian ministers. Except that, for already a fortnight, the thesis that the Hezbollah and Iran might be responsible for the attacks has been invalidated after the FBI provided the results of the DNA tests.
On 28 December 2017, the protests against unemployment shook the region of Khorasan [1]. They spread the following day to Northern and Western Iran.

52 people, charged with chanting  Death to the Dictator! , were arrested at Mecchad where the police had, to start with, mingled with the protestors.

At Kermanshah (near Iraqs border with Iran), new slogans have appeared: the People are begging, the clergy is acting like God,  Freedom for political prisoners and Freedom or death.

Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri (photo) accused the  conservatives  (that is, whoever supported the anti-imperialist Revolution of Imam Khomeini) of organizing this movement covertly. Mr. Jahangiri was himself one of the organizers of the pro US coloured revolutions in 2009, when he was a member of the campaign team of Mir-Hossein Mousavi. He was a candidate in the 2017 Presidential Elections before stepping down, a move that advantaged Sheikh Hassan Rohani.
What the hell is wrong with the men of Vanderpump Rules, a party boat invaded by braindead pirates? I feel like were stuck in a Rube Goldberg machine of cheating where they do something stupid, lie about it, get found out, barely assuage the tears of their wronged partners, and then do it all over again so that everyone can pout, complain, wail, and drown their sorrows in a never-ending whirlpool of sadness and regret.

First, we must continue to deal with Jax and his dalliance with Faith, which nearly splintered his relationship with Brittany though they continue to soldier on. This hour starts with the girls waking up on Brittanys couch in their identical glasses that are uniquely wacky in their own special ways. They slept over because they were having a Fuck Jax party and spent the night with Brittany in case he were to show up in the middle of the night and try to apologize once again. They werent needed because the Toms and Peter got Jax a hotel room at the Standard in Hollywood, a hookup hotel so debauched and coke-fueled that even the spirit of Hugh Hefner thinks its being extra. (I mean, was one of their couches not available?)

Anyway, they order Taco Bell from Postmates, proving the on-demand economy will eventually ruin everything we hold dear. Jax shows up and freaks out about what is happening in his apartment, completely forgetting that his girlfriend  whom he forces to make sandwiches after his tiring bartending shifts  pays for half of the rent. This is part of Jaxs problem right there: He cant get from a me place to a we place and include Brittany in his idea of himself as a person. Also, there is the problem of Faiths place, which he keeps visiting much to the regret of a certain 93-year-old woman with a foot fetish.

God, Jax is so awful. He says, No one tells me how to act in my own house, and then tells Brittany exactly how she should behave in her own house and completely misses the irony of the whole situation. (Jax wouldnt be able to catch a case of irony if it was an STI.) Then he tells Stassi, Scheana, and Katie that none of them can criticize him because none of them are perfect either. Oh God, where do I even start with this jiggling mound of post-steroidal aspic?

Jax is just always going to cheat. No matter what Brittany does, no matter who hes with, his vain need for validation will always be more important that the feelings of his partner and he will forever disappoint her. But I think that disappointment is part of the appeal of cheating for him. He wants a woman who is so devoted to him that she will let him abuse her emotionally and still not leave. If that happens, maybe then he isnt the awful nothing that he thinks himself to be. Thats why he doesnt want an open relationship. If he were allowed to sleep with all the women that he wants on the side, there would be no appeal left. Maybe Brittany should give him the permission, because hed probably never take it. The woman who will eventually tame Jax Taylor will be the first one to call his bluff.

Anyway, Tom Schwartz also is back in the hot seat for making out with a girl and not remembering it at all. While Tom and Jax may have a similar pattern, I think theyre absolutely nothing alike. Tom is just so irresponsible and running from adulthood that he continues to get blackout drunk and then make out with girls. Like he said to Lisa, he would never consciously cheat on Katie. I dont think he wants to. I think hes actually happy in his marriage. Hes just unhappy about having to grow up.

Schwartz doesnt have a cheating problem; he has a drinking problem. If he can address that, then he wont have any need to surreptitiously kiss cocktail waitresses with overly manicured eyebrows at clubs with horrendous names like Bungalow.

I have a deep and unabiding love for Schwartz and hate Katie in the way that teenagers hate anyone who makes them put their phones away for ten minutes, but I totally side with her here. I think she can easily get over the making-out part, because it is incidental to the embarrassment that shes feeling. The problem is that it keeps happening and Tom will take no responsibility for it, like the fact that he doesnt remember it means that someone else was in control of his body. Well, alcohol was in control of his body, but hes the one who put it there.

When they have their altercation in the back alley of SUR (now with its own step and repeat) Katie storms out and says, Get it together. Whats wrong with you? That is exactly the right thing to say. This isnt about Schwartz cheating on her or not. Its about getting it together. Its about being an adult. This show is ultimately about the struggles of a bunch of hot, 20-something party people trying to adjust to adulthood. Out of all of them, Tom is the furthest behind. He may have gotten married, but he still wants to live that fraternity lifestyle where consequences are null and void because he drank his bodyweight in Goldschlager.

Of course, the info about Tom making out with some girl comes courtesy of Lala, who is mad that Katie made fun of her relationship with this married guy again. Lala tells Ariana and Scheana about Tom making out with her friend in the hopes of breaking up Tom and Katie. This is a horrible plan. Ultimately, Katie is always going to side with Tom. Even if shes pissed off for a while, shell forgive him and the anger will have to go somewhere. It is going to be directed right back at Lala and that fight will not be about Toms drinking problem. It will be about Lalas shutting-her-face problem. Oh great, we have yet another year of everyone hating Lala coming. Oh whee.

I cant really care about that, just like I cant care about Jax and DJ James Kennedy Esq. drinking absinthe. Now, I have never done absinthe, but I have done enough hallucinogens to think that it doesnt really work. Of course its potent, but really, can it be that insane? Ive taken six tabs of LSD at once and not lost my shit like these two did off of one pale green shot that was legally provided in a California bar. It cant be that insane.

I also cant care about Stassi planning this stupid party and finding out  shocker  that having any job outside of the reality-television arts is actually quite difficult. I also cant care about Lisa and Ken and whether or not theyre going to have Schwartz and Sandoval as partners. We all know that this drama is only for the cameras. And as for their negotiations, they actually got a better deal out of this. They were going to get a 10 percent stake for $120,000, but they walked away with a 5 percent stake at $50,000. Thats a $10,000 savings. What kind of shifty businesspeople are Lisa and Ken anyway?

What I can care about is Tom Sandoval, who was crestfallen when he heard the news about Schwartz at Guillermos birthday party. He came out into the back alley to find Schwartz sitting in one of the chairs with the fabric pockmarked with cigarette burns, his head between his legs and his fountain of messy hair pointed toward the grease-slicked asphalt. Is it true? Sandoval asked.

Yeah, Schwartz said. I think it is.

I told you, if youre going to kiss someone other than Katie, Sandoval snarled, Its going to be me. He stared down at Schwartz who lifted his head, unable to meet his friends glare. Instead he reached out his arms and grabbed each of Sandovals firm butt cheeks in one hand. He pulled his partner toward him and nuzzled his nose into Sandovals crotch. He could feel the contours of his package against his face, could feel the slow boiling of Sandovals blood in his member as he expelled his hot, lusty breath onto it.

Im sorry, Schwartz said, as he wrapped his arms around Sandovals waist. Im sorry. Im sorry. Im sorry, he said, as he stared up Sandovals torso, searching for his eyes, his mouth slightly open as if he were about to say something or as if he were dying to have it filled.
Photo: NBC/Will Heath/NBC

Tiffany Haddish auditioned for Saturday Night Live three times before the Girls Trip star was asked to host. I was super grateful to be there in that capacity, as opposed to as a regular performer. To be a host is a super big honor. I couldnt believe I was the first black woman comedian to do it, Haddish told the New York Times about her SNL episode, which introduced us to the inimitable Boo Boo Jeffries. I Googled and saw that Whoopi Goldberg had been on it, so I reached out to her. To Haddishs surprise, Whoopi had only done a single SNL sketch. Her advice: You the first, bitch, you better do a good job.

To no ones surprise, she did. Haddishs monologue addressed Hollywood sexual harassment  If youve got your thing out, and shes got all her clothes on, youre in the wrong  which she says shes dealt with in the past. Her secret: I always make fun of the guy. I make it a joke, she told the Times. Most of the time they get scared. And I let everyone know Im a tattletale. That I will snitch. That might be why it took me so long to get where Im at now.
Get ready to say Senator Doug Jones. The Democrat who upset Republican Roy Moore in Alabamas December 12th special election takes office tomorrow, January 3rd.

Its a historic day for Alabama.



Democrat Richard Shelby switched to the Republican party in 1994 when Democrats found it hard to win elections. Democrat Richard Shelby switched to the Republican party in 1994 when Democrats found it hard to win elections.

Critics charge some inside the GOP targeted Representative Mo Brooks to clear the way for Luther Strange. Critics charge some inside the GOP targeted Representative Mo Brooks to clear the way for Luther Strange.

Jones will become the states first Democrat to serve in the Senate since 1994. Democrat Richard Shelby switched parties when the political winds started blowing against him. Shelby switched to the GOP the day after voters ushered in the Republican Revolution. That gave the GOP control over both houses of Congress.

Vice-President Mike Pence will swear-in Jones, officially giving him the title of Senator.

Immediately after the swearing-in ceremony, Senator Jones will officially go to work for Alabama in the United States Senate.

Jones had well-organized, widespread, enthusiastic support from Democrats across Alabama and beyond.

Republicans, intentionally or not, helped Jones win.

Jones replaces Luther Strange. Then-embattled Alabama Governor Robert Bentley appointed his fellow Republican to the seat held by Jeff Sessions. That appointment of Strange came after President Trump selected Senator Sessions to serve as United States Attorney General.

Many have criticized Bentley for picking Strange. At the time, Strange was Alabamas Attorney General and was actively investigating possible misconduct by Governor Bentley.

Jones had a once-in-a-lifetime path to become senator. Ironically, Republicans unwittingly helped pave the way.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, through political action committees, helped pump millions of dollars into the primary race.

That money and the advertising it bought, as intended, derailed Representative Mo Brooks.

Brooks, considered by many the most conservative viable option, was knocked out during the primary. That left Strange and Judge Roy Moore as the top two vote-getters.

President Trump endorsed Strange. But, during a campaign-style visit to Huntsville, the President told the crowd he may have made a mistake. President Trump suggested he would support Moore if he defeated Strange.

Moore indeed beat Strange in the GOP runoff. That set up a race between Judge Moore and Doug Jones.

Several women came out accusing Moore of dating them when they were in their late teens. Other accusations were more severe. One accused Moore of molesting a 14-year-old girl while he was in his early 30s.

Many Republicans abandoned Moore. Eventually, President Trump threw his support to Moore.

Judge Moore didnt handle defeat well. Hes yet to concede to soon-to-be Senator Doug Jones.




Horrifying moment a horse collapses in the street during London's spectacular New Year's Day parade

By Khaleda Rahman and Anthony Joseph for MailOnline 2 January 2018This is the horrifying moment a horse collapsed in the street during London 's spectacular New Year's Day parade.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 a white horse that was pulling a carriage 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.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 spokesman for the event 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.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.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 OlympicsMr 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.'
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.
A 32-year-old man has been charged in relation to an alleged assault at the Marion Bay Falls Festival.

Tasmania Police arrested the Carlton man on Sunday night, December 31.

Detective Constable Damien Mcvilly confirmed the incident was the third indecent assault complaint the police received during the Falls Festival.

Detective Constable Damien Mcvilly confirmed the incident was the third indecent assault complaint the police received during the Falls Festival.

A woman was allegedly grabbed on the breast about 9.30pm on New Year's Eve in the mosh pit of the main stage and the incident was witnessed by several people.
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.
Local residents have spoken of the horrific moment nine people, believed to be backpackers, were found in varying states of consciousness following a suspected mass drug overdose in a Victoria Park home.

Police were called to the home on Colombo Street just after 11pm on Tuesday evening, after reports people were "violently ill" at the home.

The house where the suspected drug overdose occurred. Credit:9 News Perth

A WA Police spokesperson said on arrival, officers found up to nine people in semi-conscious and unconscious states.

Neighbour Sebastian Arevalo and his partner Sophie Barnett told Radio 6PR they witnessed people being wheeled from the home on stretchers.
Washington: Airlines recorded zero accident deaths in commercial passenger jets last year, according to a Dutch consulting firm and an aviation safety group that tracks crashes, making 2017 the safest year on record for commercial air travel.

Dutch aviation consulting firm To70 and the Aviation Safety Network both reported on Monday there were no commercial passenger jet fatalities in 2017. "2017 was the safest year for aviation ever," said Adrian Young of To70.

United Airlines Boeing 747 flying over Australia. Credit:Craig Abraham

To70 estimated that the fatal accident rate for large commercial passenger flights is 0.06 per million flights, or one fatal accident for every 16 million flights.

The Aviation Safety Network also reported there were no commercial passenger jet deaths in 2017, but 10 fatal airliner accidents resulting in 44 fatalities onboard and 35 persons on the ground, including cargo planes and commercial passenger turbo prop aircraft.
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.




Roll out the barrel! Procession of men set fire to whisky barrels filled with burning hot tar in 160-year-old tradition

By Stewart Paterson For Mailonline 1 January 2018Whilst most were raising a glass this New Year's Eve, 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 as the colourful procession lit up the town in the black of night.Each of the men carried a whisky barrel filled with burning hot tar along the streets, all while wearing fancy dress.Only men are permitted to become 'guisers', and to become one they are required to have been born in the Allen Valleys.Locals and visitors flocked to the town to see the guisers called on to fulfil their duty and crowds gathered from 11pm before the barrels were ignited at 11.30pm.The men lift the barrels above their heads up onto the top of their heads and follow a band through the streets.At midnight, the procession arrived at the Bar'l fire in the town centre, where they were used to ignite a ceremonial bonfire - and the crowds shout 'Be damned to he who throws last.The quirky tradition dates back at least 160 years but could some believe that it began in the Middle Ages.Read more: Age-old festival blazes through Northumberland town | Daily Mail Online
Residents Asked to Conserve Power in Extreme Cold

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH, KY - As extremely cold temperatures in our area continue to push the electrical grid to its limits, the Tennessee Valley Authority is urging residents to be mindful of how much energy they use.According to TVA officials, residents can reduce their energy load by turning heaters down a couple of degrees, making sure lights are off when not using them and waiting to do laundry or running the dishwasher until temperatures warm up a bit.As of 5:15 a.m. Tuesday the average temperature across the region was 10 degrees, and power demands were high according to a tweet on TVA's Twitter page. Residents are being asked to lower their thermostats 1-2 degrees, especially during the peak hours of 6 to 9 a.m.The National Weather Service in Paducah says temperatures are not expected to climb above the freezing mark until Sunday evening, with lows expected to dip back down into the single-digits on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights.
Arlington Man Charged in Double Stabbing

By West Kentucky Star Staff

CARLISLE COUNTY, KY - An Arlington man has been charged with assault after a stabbing Monday afternoon in Carlisle County.According to Kentucky State Police, troopers responded with Bardwell Police around 5:30 p.m. to a report of a stabbing on Highway 51 near Arlington.The preliminary investigation reportedly showed 52-year-old Danny T. Malady stabbed and cut 35-year-old Phillip A. Parker and 59-year-old William D. Simon after an argument in a parking lot.Parker was taken by ambulance to Jackson Purchase Medical Center for treatment of injuries he received in the assault. Simon was flown by helicopter to Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, TN for treatment of his injuries. Both men were later released.Malady was arrested and charged with first and second degree assault, and public intoxication. He was booked into the Ballard County Jail.
Carlisle Stabbing Leaves Two Injured, One Arrested

By West Kentucky Star Staff

ARLINGTON, KY - Kentucky State Police arrested a man Monday afternoon following the stabbing of two people.At approximately 5:30 pm, KSP received notification from Carlisle County Dispatch that two people had been stabbed on Highway 51, just north of Arlington. Troopers responded to the scene, along with Clinton Police and Carlisle County Ambulance Service.

Police say 52-year-old Danny T. Malady of Arlington, 35-year-old Phillip A. Parker of Clinton, and 59-year-old William D. Simon, of Arlington, were in an argument in a parking lot on Highway 51 South in Carlisle County. Immediately following the argument, police say Malady assaulted Parker and Simon with a knife, stabbing and cutting both of them.

Parker was transported by ambulance to Jackson Purchase Medical Center, where he was treated for his injuries and then released. Simon was transported by helicopter to Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, TN, where he was treated and released.

Malady was arrested and charged with alcohol intoxication in a public place, 2nd degree assault, and 1st degree assault. He was lodged in the Ballard County Jail.
No Injuries in Fire at Calvert City McDonald's

By West Kentucky Star Staff

CALVERT CITY, KY - Fire engulfed the Calvert City McDonald's restaurant late Tuesday morning.Just before noon, the Marshall County Sheriff's Office was advising residents to avoid the area of the 3000 block of US-62, as firefighters battled the blaze.Witnesses on the scene Tuesday morning tell West Kentucky Star that the building was fully engulfed.There is no word yet on what started the fire, but McDonald's officials told West Kentucky Star there were no injuries.Mike Love, the Owner/Operator of the restaurant, issued a statement saying, "The safety of our customers and employees is a top priority for us. We are grateful that everyone is safe and thankful to the first responders for their quick action. We will continue to work closely with the Calvert City Fire and Police Departments as they investigate the situation"We will have more on this story as details become available.
New Program Offers Assistance to Military Women

By The Associated Press

HOPKINSVILLE, KY - A new program to help female soldiers is on the way to the Fort Campbell area.

The Kentucky New Era reports Women Elevated will celebrate the opening of a facility in Clarksville, Tennessee on Jan. 12. The program will provide services in Clarksville and in Hopkinsville to current and former military women.

Tangi Smith, an Army veteran who started Women Elevated, says the nonprofit organization will offer services that include hot meals, laundry facilities, temporary housing, job placement and classes in resume-building and credit-score building.

Smith says the goal is to prevent crisis situations such as homelessness and job loss.

___

Information from: Kentucky New Era, http://www.kentuckynewera.com
Kentucky House Begins 2018 Session Amid Turmoil

By The Associated Press

FRANKFORT, KY - The Kentucky House of Representatives has gaveled in the 2018 legislative session amid a sexual harassment scandal that toppled the former House speaker.

Acting House Speaker David Osborne presided over the House chamber at about noon on Tuesday. Former speaker Jeff Hoover resigned as speaker in November after acknowledging he settled a sexual harassment claim with a woman in his office.

Hoover's resignation won't be official until he presents it to the full House of Representatives. Some of Hoover's GOP allies have lobbied for him to rescind his resignation. Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has not been among them. Bevin said Tuesday he expects Hoover to officially resign this week.

This year, lawmakers must craft a two-year state spending plan. Bevin has said the budget "won't be pretty."
KY Dept. of Insurance: $15M Returned to Consumers

By The Associated Press

FRANKFORT, KY - The Kentucky Department of Insurance's Consumer Protection Division says it returned more than $15 million to Kentucky consumers in 2017.

About $10.5 million of that came as restitution to consumers from companies that didn't comply with the state's insurance code.

In 2017, the Consumer Protection Division received approximately 5,100 complaints and responded to over 13,000 calls on issues related to health, life, auto, homeowners, and commercial insurance.

The department says $600,000 was also returned to Kentucky's General Fund as a result of civil penalties and regulatory settlements with insurance companies.
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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.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - 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.

(Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
German reactor permanently shut down

02 January 2018

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The Gundremmingen B boiling water reactor in southern Germany was disconnected from the grid on 31 December after 33 years of operation. The government had ordered the plant to close by the end of last year as part of the country's energy transition.

The Gundremmingen plant (Image: RWE)

The reactor was disconnected from the grid at 12.00pm that day and was switched off about half an hour later. The shutdown process was carried out in the presence of retiring power plant manager Michael Trobitz and his successor Heiko Ringel.

Gundremmingen B - a 1284 MWe boiling water reactor (BWR) - has generated a total of 330 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity since it started up in 1984. In a statement, operator Kernkraftwerk Gundremmingen (KGG) said this is more than half of Germany's annual electricity consumption. It noted that over its lifetime, Gundremmingen B operated with a capacity factor of around 90%. The unit is 75% owned by RWE and 25% by EOn.

RWE Power executive board member Nikolaus Valerius said, "We are proud of the performance of the Gundremmingen team, who operated unit B safely and reliably until the last hour, optimising it with the same professionalism." He added, "With great motivation, we now tackle the safe dismantling of the plant."

While regulatory approval to decommission the unit is still pending, KGG said work will now begin to transfer the used fuel from the storage pool at Gundremmingen B into Castor containers and taken to the on-site interim storage facility.

Under Germany's nuclear phase-out policy, Gundremmingen C - a 1288 MWe BWR that started up in 1985 - will be able to continue operating until the end of 2021.

Phase-out policy

In September 2010, an agreement was reached between Germany's nuclear power plant operators and the government to grant eight-year licence extensions for reactors built before 1980, and 14-year extensions for later ones. The price exacted for this included a tax of 145 ($175) per gram of fissile uranium or plutonium fuel for six years, yielding 2.3 billion per year; payment of 300 million per year in 2011 and 2012, and 200 million 2013-16, to subsidise renewables and for funding rehabilitation at the Asse salt mine waste repository. A tax of 0.9 c/kWh for the same purpose would follow after 2016. At the end of October 2010 these measures were confirmed by parliamentary vote on two amendments to Germany's Atomic Energy Act, and this was confirmed in the upper house the following month.

Then, in March 2011, the government declared a three-month moratorium on nuclear power plans, in which checks would take place and nuclear policy would be reconsidered. Chancellor Angela Merkel decreed that the country's nuclear power reactors which began operations in 1980 or earlier should be immediately shut down. This decision was not based on any safety assessment, and did not result in removal of the fuel tax.

In May 2011, after increasing pressure from anti-nuclear federal states, the government decided to revive the previous government's phase-out plan and close all reactors by 2022, but again without abolishing the fuel tax.

Germany now has seven power reactors in operation with a combined generating capacity of 9444 MWe. The next scheduled closure of a German reactor is EnBW's 1392 MWe Phillipsburg 2 pressurised water reactor in 2019.

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
Tianwan 3 starts supplying electricity to grid

02 January 2018

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Unit 3 of the Tianwan nuclear power plant in China's Jiangsu province was connected to the grid on 30 December. The Russian-supplied VVER-1000 is scheduled to enter commercial operation later this year.

Tianwan unit 3 (Image: CNNC)

Tianwan 3 and 4 are AES-91 VVER-1000 units designed by Gidropress and supplied by Russian state nuclear company Rosatom. AtomStroyExport is the main contractor, supplying the nuclear island. First concrete for unit 3 was poured in December 2012, while construction of unit 4 began in September 2013. Two similar VVER-1000 reactors (units 1 and 2) began operating at the site in 2007.

The process to load a total of 163 fuel assemblies into the core of Tianwan 3 got under way on 18 August. The start-up process began on 27 September, with the reactor achieving criticality two days later.

Following permission from the Chinese regulator, power at Tianwan 3 was raised to 25% of capacity, after which the turbine was brought into operation and electrical tests of the field and power delivery systems were carried out. This process was completed at 1.29pm on 30 December, Rosatom noted. "Power unit 3 was, thereby, connected to the grid. All systems performed in normal operational mode."

Power output from the reactor will now be maintained at 25%. Dynamic tests will later be performed at 50%, 75% and 100% of capacity. Upon completion of initial testing at full thermal capacity, demonstration operation will proceed at nominal capacity for 100 hours, after which preliminary acceptance procedures will follow. Preliminary acceptance is the starting point of a two-year warranty period for the operation of Tianwan 3. The unit is scheduled to enter commercial operation later this year.

"Construction of the third and fourth power units of the Tianwan nuclear power plant are being implemented in record-breaking time and can be considered examples of excellent international cooperation in the energy field," said Kirill Komarov, Rosatom's first deputy director-general for corporate development and international business."

The State Council gave its approval for the third phase of the Tianwan plant (units 5 and 6) - both featuring Chinese-designed 1080 MWe ACPR1000 reactors - on 16 December 2015. First safety-related concrete was poured for unit 5 later that month and for unit 6 in September 2016. Unit 5 is expected to enter commercial operation in December 2020 and unit 6 in October 2021.

The Tianwan plant is owned and operated by Jiangsu Nuclear Power Corporation, a joint venture between China National Nuclear Corporation (50%), China Power Investment Corporation (30%) and Jiangsu Guoxin Group (20%).

Researched and written

by World Nuclear News

Related topics
A government official who took an extended vacation in Mexico was shot and killed.

50-year-old Douglas Bradley of Imperial Beach in San Diego County was spending time in the tourist zone in Ixtapa when he was robbed at gunpoint.

Bradley was the director of finance in Imperial Beach.

Police said that the incident unfolded on Thursday, at around 4:00 a.m.

Witnesses at the scene told investigators that they saw several men running after the government official.

They then fired several shots.

The witnesses claimed that they called the police but Bradleys body was found lying in a parking lot at 8:00 a.m., or about 4 hours after the shooting.

So far, no arrests have been made.

The U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana are working with officials in Mexico to return Bradleys body to the United States.

Bradley was not married and he did not have children.
Wrexham still waiting for Home Office action on anti-social behaviour despite requests from MP

This article is old - Published: Tuesday, Jan 2nd, 2018

An invitation to Home Office Ministers to support work on anti-social behaviour has still not been replied to  a month after it was sent.

In November 2017 Wrexham.com reported that Wrexham MP Ian Lucas had written to Under Secretary of State for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism, Victoria Atkins, calling for support with work being done to tackle issues with anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

Mr Lucas also requested that the minister met with himself and a group from Wrexham to discuss the efforts being made in the town.

Some of the work being done in Wrexham has already received financial backing  with funds being allocated to help homeless people by the late Carl Sargeant as Communities Minister in the Welsh Government during the summer.

However Mr Lucas says the letter to the Home Office, which was sent several weeks ago, has yet to receive a reply.

Mr Lucas said: I am very disappointed that the Home Office have not taken up my invitation to see the work being done in Wrexham.

The council secured funding from the Welsh Government to help homeless people shortly after raising the issue with them, but in contrast the Home Office have yet to even reply when we raised issues about Novel Psychoactive Substances.

There is further work going on in Parliament on ways to tackle NPS  alongside David Hanson MP and Lucy Powell MP, Ill be taking part on a Parliamentary investigation into the subject in the New Year  but, so far, that work is not receiving the attention it deserves from the Home Office.

Support from Ministers should be in the form of funding  and, at the very least, I would expect Ministers to take some kind of interest and pay some kind of attention.

So far, that just isnt happening.
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley issued a stern warning to North Korea on Tuesday, saying the US "will never accept a nuclear North Korea."

"As we hear reports that North Korea might be preparing for another missile test -- I hope that does not happen, but if it does -- we must bring even more measures to bear on the North Korea regime," she said. "The civilized world must remain united and vigilant against the rogue state's nuclear arsenal. We will never accept a nuclear North Korea."

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held out a rare olive branch to South Korea "We won't take any of the talks seriously if they don't do something to ban all nuclear weapons," Haley said

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held out a rare olive branch to South Korea on Monday, offering talks about sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next month.

Kim struck an unusually conciliatory note in his annual New Year's Day address, declaring his wish "for peaceful resolution with our southern border."

He also warned the United States that North Korea's nuclear ambitions were now complete and the launch button was "always on the desk in my office."

When asked about the offered talks, Haley said first and foremost North Korea needs to stop making nuclear weapons.

"We won't take any of the talks seriously if they don't do something to ban all nuclear weapons in North Korea. We consider this to be a very reckless regime, we don't think we need a Band-Aid and we don't think we need to smile and take a picture," she said. "We think that we need to have them stop nuclear weapons and they need to stop it now.

She continued: "So North Korea can talk with anyone they want but the US is not going to recognize it or acknowledge it until they agree to ban the nuclear weapons that they have."
INDIANAPOLIS (News Release) What you dont see can, in fact, hurt you, especially if its radon, a tasteless, colorless and odorless gas that can build up in homes without residents knowledge.

January is National Radon Action Month, and the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) is urging homeowners to test their homes for radon.

You cant see or smell radon, so testing is the only way to know how high the radon levels are in your home," said State Health Commissioner Kris Box, MD, FACOG. "By testing, you can take immediate action to reduce your homes radon level if necessary and help protect your familys health.

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in most soil and can cause lung cancer. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the number-one cause among non-smokers, responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates.

It enters homes and other buildings through small cracks and holes in the foundation, where it becomes trapped and accumulates in the air. When people breathe in radon, it damages the lungs. Long-term exposure can eventually cause lung cancer.

Because radon has no taste, smell or color, a home must be tested to find out how much radon is in the air. There is no safe level for radon, but the EPA and U.S. Surgeon General recommend fixing homes that have levels at or above 4pCi/L (picocurie per liter).

Testing radon levels in your home can help prevent exposure, and its simple and inexpensive. A radon testing kit can be purchased at most home or hardware stores. If high levels of radon are detected, licensed contractors can install mitigation systems to eliminate the problem and protect you and your family.

To learn more about radon, visit the ISDHs radon page at http://www.in.gov/isdh/24346.htm.

Visit the ISDH at www.StateHealth.in.gov for important health and safety information, or follow us on Twitter at @StateHealthIN and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/isdh1.
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Terre Haute Regional Hospital welcomed the first baby born in the Wabash Valley in 2018. Ryan McBroom and Candi Cusick are the proud parents of a baby boy, Zane Patrick McBroom, as he was born at 3:21 a.m. Cusick said he wasn't due until January 16th, and he threw his mom in a loop when she started showing signs of labor back on the 30th.

"We didn't come in until yesterday, because I wasn't sure if I was in labor," Cusick told News 10.

She spent 15 hours in labor, but looked very happy as she and father McBroom welcomed the media to room 254. We asked both parents about their son sharing his birthday with a holiday.

"I think he'll love it," McBroom told us. "He'll always have something to remember, the first baby born in 2018."

Mom and baby are doing fine, hoping to head home on the 2nd.

"We have a healthy mom and baby, first baby of the year, the best way to ring in the new year," said Dr. Fatima Hina.
DETROIT (AP)  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 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 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 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 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. 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 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 percent 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 favor. This years list included blithering, gauche and mugwump, which refers to a person who remains aloof or independent  especially from party politics.
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar has said he aspires to a united Ireland based on "cross-community support" in remarks released on Tuesday, the UK Press Association reported.

"In terms of a united Ireland, our constitution is clear on this," he said. "Our constitution aspires to there being a united Ireland. I share that aspiration."

But Varadkar made clear that unity between Ireland and Northern Ireland -- which is part of the United Kingdom -- could come about only "by consent."

"When it does come about I would like to see it command a degree of cross-community support," he added.

The remarks, which are likely to provoke criticism from unionist Northern Irish politicians, come just a few weeks after a deal was reached during Brexit negotiations between the UK government and the European Union on the historically sensitive issue of the Irish border.

The question had threatened to derail the talks and brought the controversial issue of a united Ireland to the fore.

The demilitarization of the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland was a key element of the Good Friday Agreement, the 1998 deal that ended years of sectarian conflict.

The UK's planned departure from the European Union raised the prospect of a return to a "hard" border, as Northern Ireland would leave the EU while the Republic of Ireland remained in the bloc. But in an agreement reached in December, the UK and EU pledged that there would be no hard border.

Even after the border deal was struck, concerns remained in Dublin over the UK government's handling of the issue. There is also unease that the commitments made by British Prime Minister Theresa May regarding the border may not be as solid as the initial wording suggested, which could strengthen support for Irish nationalism.

Jennifer Todd, professor in the School of Politics and International Relations at University College Dublin, said Varadkar's remarks were a direct response to the British government's approach to Brexit negotiations.

Todd said the British government -- under pressure from pro-Brexit lawmakers -- is "asserting an unreformed traditionalist concept of sovereignty over Northern Ireland" and has not listened when the Irish government "tried to say this diplomatically."

But Paul Bew, emeritus professor of politics at Queen's University Belfast and cross-bench peer in the British House of Lords, said that Varadkar's insistence on the need for consent and cross-community support had brought a new, more conciliatory tone to the debate.

"It's not actually provocative, it's meant to be the opposite," Bew said. "What he's doing here is trying to pull back from the irritation he has caused in the unionist community by the stance he took over the past several weeks ... this is an attempt to conciliate."

Building support for Irish unity across both Catholic and Protestant communities in Northern Ireland is "a 50-year project," Bew said. Varadkar's remarks are "a way of saying ... we don't want unity any time soon."

Whatever his motivation, Varadkar is likely to come under renewed fire from pro-unionist parties in Northern Ireland.

In the days before the border deal was brokered, Varadkar and his government were accused of exploiting the negotiations to forward their ambitions for a united Ireland. Varadkar was insisting that talks should not progress until London committed to preventing a "hard" border.

Members of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) -- a Northern Irishle party fiercely loyal to the British monarch -- were particularly outspoken, with the party's leader, Arlene Foster, accusing the Irish government of hijacking the talks.

READ MORE: Who are the DUP?

In an interview with the BBC Radio 4 Today program in November, Foster was particularly critical of Simon Coveney, Ireland's Foreign Minister, who had previously said he "would like to see a united Ireland in my lifetime. If possible, in my political Iifetime."

"He's of course entitled to have that aspiration but he should not be using European Union negotiations to talk about those issues," Foster said.

Ten days later in the UK Parliament, DUP politician Nigel Dodds described the Irish government's approach as "aggressive" and "disgraceful."

Varadkar rejected the claims at the time, insisting: "There is no question of us trying to exploit Brexit ... we want to build bridges, not borders."
There's an increased risk of dying from heart disease if you drink frequently -- especially if you are in the lowest socioeconomic class, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal PLOS Medicine.

By comparison, the negative effects of binge drinking are more equitable. No matter your socioeconomic status, weekly binge drinking raises your risk of dying from heart disease in comparison with those who don't binge, the researchers estimated.

Binge drinking increased the risk of early death among all participants in a new study But drinkers of high socioeconomic status benefit from alcohol's protective benefits for the heart

"Although a number of previous studies have found a 'protective effect' of moderate alcohol consumption, according to results from our study, this seems to be mostly the case among people with more advantaged socioeconomic position," said Dr. -yvind N-ss, senior author of the study and a senior scientist at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. "This 'protective effect' is almost absent among the disadvantaged."

The French paradox

The relationship between moderate drinking and heart disease was noticed decades ago as part of "the French paradox."

As explained by Dr. Michael Goyfman, director of clinical cardiology at Northwell Health's Long Island Jewish Forest Hills in New York, the paradox is this: The French tend to eat the kinds of fatty foods that lead to heart problems, yet cardiovascular disease is less common in France than expected.

Scientists hypothesized that this is because the French also tend to drink red wine with their meals, said Goyfman, who was not involved in the new study.

"Over the years, they've done numerous studies where they ultimately did show that red wine consumption and other types of alcohol seemed to decrease the risk of having cardiovascular disease," he said.

The "novel part" of the new study, Goyfman noted, is that N-ss and his co-researchers not only looked at the health effects of alcohol, they stratified effects based on socioeconomic status.

What's with the glass, not what's in it

Gathering socioeconomic and health data from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, a team of international researchers analyzed information on 207,394 adults who completed their census questions between the years 1960 and 1990. Each person's socioeconomic position was classified as either high, middle or low, based on 20 indicators, including household income and education.

During the study period, there were a total of 8,435 deaths due to cardiovascular disease.

Infrequent drinking was associated with a lower risk of death due to cardiovascular disease, the researchers found.

The researchers defined infrequent consumption as between once a month and once a week. Moderately frequent drinking was defined as two to three times per week, and very frequent was four to seven times per week.

Very frequent drinking was associated with increased risk of cardiovascular death -- but only among those with low socioeconomic position, the researchers found. As a group, participants of low socioeconomic status who drank frequently experienced about 42% more deaths due to cardiovascular disease than infrequent drinkers, the study authors estimated.

The team also found that moderately frequent drinkers had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than infrequent drinkers: Overall, moderately frequent drinkers experienced about 22% less deaths due to heart disease, according to the study estimates.

This beneficial relationship was slightly more pronounced among moderately frequent drinkers of high socioeconomic position, the researchers said. Moderately frequent drinkers of high class experienced about 33% less deaths than infrequent drinkers, based on the team's estimates.

This finding "suggests that the proposed benefit from drinking a glass of wine per day could actually be the lifestyle that accompanies the glass -- and not the contents (of the glass) in itself," said Eirik Degerud, co-author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Five or more drinks on the same occasion was considered a binge. (In the United States, five or more drinks is considered a binge for men. For women, the standard is four or more drinks.) When responding to how often they binged, participants' answers included "not last year," "a few times (in a year)," "one to three times a month" and "once a week."

Weekly (or more frequent) binge drinkers experienced about 58% more deaths due to heart disease than non-bingers, the researchers estimated.

Binge drinking was equally prevalent among people of all socioeconomic classes, Degerud noted.

"The most important finding was that binge drinking increased the risk of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in participants with both high and low socioeconomic position," he said.

Goyfman agrees that the new study results are "important."

Effects based on 'social environment'

"One thing to keep in mind is, this study is only based on an analysis of data from a questionnaire," Goyfman said. The study cannot prove causality; you cannot say that "just being in the low socioeconomic status category itself is what causes this less beneficial effect."

Maybe people in a higher socioeconomic status have more time to exercise, or maybe they buy higher-quality and healthier food. Still, the study may be used as a springboard to "delve into this topic further," Goyfman said.

Christina Mair, an assistant professor of behavioral and community health sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, also hopes the study inspires more research.

Mair, who was not involved in the study, believes it has a "key strength" in its "large, population-based database."

The greater impact of drinking on lower socioeconomic status individuals is "an important health disparity to measure, understand and seek to reduce," Mair said. But because of differences in socioeconomic status between Norway and the United States, she noted, the "results may not be applicable here."

"Much of my work focuses on the social environmental determinants of these disparities," Mair explained. For example, she has studied the ways in which lower-income neighborhoods are more socially disorganized and have less access to health-protecting resources, including healthy foods, while having a greater number of liquor stores, which are linked to violence.

"Without addressing disparate environmental conditions and access to resources, we will not be able to eliminate these avoidable disparities," she said.

According to the study authors, the differences in risk across socioeconomic classes could have been influenced by unknown factors, such as whether drinking is accompanied by a different set of behaviors in each class. For instance, those of higher socioeconomic status may be more likely to eat a healthy meal while drinking.

Still, previous studies have shown that people of lower socioeconomic status have higher risk of many unfavorable health outcomes when drinking, Degerud noted: "The risk of hospitalization for alcohol-related events, such as violence or accidents, seem to be higher among those with lower socioeconomic position."
JACKSON, Miss. (AP)  The Latest on the opening day of the 2018 Mississippi Legislature (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

A long-serving Mississippi lawmaker says he has recovered from an illness that had been diagnosed as dementia.

Rep. Steve Holland, a Plantersville Democrat, made the announcement Tuesday as lawmakers met for the first time in 2018.

He says his short-term memory problems cleared up in August. Holland says they may have been caused by a previous illness, although he also says his improvement may be a "providential miracle."

Holland had previously announced he would retire in 2019 at the end of this four-year term, but now says he's unsure of his plans.

An undertaker, Holland has been a lawmaker more than 30 years. He's known for dramatic speeches and humor, but also was a key policymaker when Democrats held the majority.

___

Noon

The Mississippi Legislature has started its 2018 session with plenty of issues to consider.

Lawmakers could debate creation of a lottery. They could try to rewrite a school funding formula. They could seek a long-term plan to pay for highway construction.

This is the second year of a four-year term. Republicans continue holding a supermajority in both the House and the Senate, after special elections to fill seats of legislators who left.

The GOP gained one Senate seat when Democrat Bill Stone of Holly Springs departed and a Republican, Neil Whaley of Potts Camp, was elected.

Joel Carter is being sworn in to the Senate on Tuesday, the opening day of the three-month legislative session. He succeeds Sean Tindell, another Gulfport Republican who was appointed to a nonpartisan judicial post.
GULFPORT, Miss. (AP)  Authorities say a 9-year-old girl was shot in the head with an arrow from a crossbow in Mississippi.

Harrison County Sheriff Troy Peterson said in a news release that Ashley Reynolds Patton sustained a blunt injury to the back of her head Wednesday evening, leaving her in critical condition.

Peterson said emergency responders found the girl "incoherent, in and out of consciousness." She was stabilized at a Gulfport hospital and then taken to the University of South Alabama Women's and Children's Hospital in Mobile.

News outlets report investigators learned a 16-year-old family member had shot the crossbow. The teen was released to a guardian and a case will be presented to a grand jury. No charges have yet been filed.
GAUTIER, Miss. (AP)  Police in coastal Mississippi say a New Year's Day shooting left one man dead and another injured.

Gautier police Capt. Casey Baxter told the Sun Herald that police responding to a report of a shooting just before 9:15 a.m. Monday found two men suffering from gunshot wounds.

Baxter said both men were taken to a hospital, where one was pronounced dead. Baxter said the other man went into surgery and was expected to survive.

Baxter said Willie Campbell Jr. was arrested Monday and faces one charge of manslaughter and one charge of aggravated assault. He was being held without bond and it wasn't immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could comment on the charges.

Baxter said the investigation was ongoing. Anyone with information was urged to call police.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The Florida A & M University community is in mourning after the loss of Former Dean and Chemistry Professor, Ralph W. Turner.

FAMU officials report that Turner dedicated nearly 50 years of service to the university and retired as a distinguished chemistry professor in 2016.

He passed away on December 26, while visiting family in Philadelphia.

Turner was 80 years old.

Turners tenure at FAMU began in 1967 when he accepted a position with the Department of Chemistry as an associate professor.

He later became a full-time professor, department chair and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. In 2006, Turner was promoted to interim dean of the college and served as dean from 2008 until 2012.

Former FAMU President Frederick S. Humphries, Ph.D., met Turner in 1959 when they both began graduate school at the University of Pittsburgh, where they earned doctoral degrees in chemistry.

He was an extremely talented man, said Humphries. He had tremendous discipline. He worked hard. He had an ability that sustained him when things got tough to stay in there and get a good resolution no matter the issue.

Family and friends are asked to come celebrate his life at his funeral on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 839 Cedar Springs Highway in Jakin, Georgia.

A viewing will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., at the church.
(WTXL) - A south Georgia city leader has made the list of Georgia Trend's 100 Most Influential Georgians.

The list, which recognizes those in each part of the Peach State, was released Monday.

This year's list recognizes former Valdosta City Manager Larry Hanson, who served as the city manager for 22 years. After retiring, he became the Georgia Municipal Association executive director.

Other big names who made the list include Gov. Nathan Deal and newly elected Atlanta mayor and Florida A&M University alum Keisha Lance Bottoms.

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.

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A number of high-profile cases in the Big Bend are scheduled this year, but will they finally be decided?

There's really no way to know for sure as we've seen with certain cases.

The time it takes to dig through all the evidence, the changing of judges and attorneys, it all factors into some major cases that are scheduled to be heard this year.

More than three years after FSU professor Dan Markel was murdered, the search for justice continues. Alleged triggerman Sigfredo Garcia has been in and out of court more than a dozen times.

His trial was supposed to start this month, but it's been pushed back six more months. Prosecutors explained in June why this trial is taking a while to happen.

"Murder cases frequently get continued, so there's lots of reasons that can happen," said Georgia Cappleman, the deputy assistant state attorney."This is an ungangly beast that we're trying to wrangle."

Garcia is expected back in court Jan. 3, the same day as Katherine Magbanua, also charged in Markel's murder. Her trial is scheduled for Jan. 22. Her attorneys have maintained the state has a weak case.

"They were just proved wrong," said Christopher DeCoste, a defense attorney. "They're making these accusations based on little pieces of information and trying to connect imaginary dots with invisible lines."

This month, a new grand jury is expected to look at the death investigation of FSU student Andrew Coffey. In December, a previous grand jury found enough evidence to move forward with criminal charges.

"Obviously, we have a young man who died too soon," said Jack Campbell, the state attorney for Florida's 2nd Judicial Circuit. "It's a tragedy to lose his life, and I have promised his parents I'm going to do everything in my power to find out that truth."

In February, a quadruple murder case goes back to trial. Last summer, Henry Segura finally had his day in court, but after three grueling weeks, it ended in a mistrial.

"We wanted Henry to walk out of here with us, so we're going to do everything we can to make that happen next time," said Nathan Prince, who is the lead defense attorney in the case.

"We're obviously seeking justice for Ms. Peters and her children, but we will be trying this again and trying to get justice in the long run," said Jon Fuchs, an assistant state attorney.

Just because these are scheduled to start this year doesn't mean they actually will. The Markel and Segura cases are several years old, but we'll be following them closely as usual.
(WTXL) - A New Year means new laws for states across the country including Florida and Georgia.

What are some of the big ones for both states?

Florida has a few impacting families and entry-level workers while Georgia's new laws affect certain first responders and those of you looking into buying a car.

Let's start with the sunshine state minimum wage is going up by 15 cents to $8.25 an hour, which is a dollar more than the national standard.

In 2004, Florida voters approved adjusting the minimum wage each year based on what's called the Consumer Price Index. If you look back at the year 2005, the minimum wage was just six dollars and 15 cents.

Also new this year, a plan when it comes to parenting. For divorced and separated parents with children, this time-sharing plan creates a schedule for visitations, in case the parents can't come up with their own or if the court orders a plan.

There's also a new website for parents when it comes to paying and getting child support.

Over in Georgia, a new tax provision charges those buying an used car based on the sales price or the state's book value, whichever is higher.

Used-car dealers say this means buyers will end up paying a lot more, but supporters of the law say used and new cars will now have the same tax formula.

We'll wrap up with a new law designed to help firefighters battling health issues.

Local fire departments will offer insurance for members with certain types of cancer by providing lump sums up to three years of disability for firefighters who can't work due to a specific injury or illness.

Also in Florida, new state employees will see changes when it comes to their retirement plans.
TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- The 2018 Point in Time count of the number of people experiencing homelessness is fast approaching. The Big Bend Continuum of Care is looking for volunteers to assist in this annual survey.

On the weekend of January 23rd, volunteers will hit the streets to learn about individuals experiencing homelessness here in the Capital City.

The Big Bend Continuum of Care conducts the survey across 8 Big Bend counties to gain detailed information about the homeless community from year to year. The Kearney Center partners in the point in time survey by allowing volunteers to interview residents who agree to participate.

The daytime supervisor, Anthony Billops, says participants must disclose personal information about their lives and experiences in order to get the homeless population the help they need. Billops says, "The Point in Time survey actually gives us an idea of who were helping and why we're helping them and that helps us to help them."

Billops adds, community volunteers receive training from The Big Bend Continuum of Care prior to the survey. The window to sign up to volunteer ends on January 14th. If you would like to volunteer, visit the Continuum of Care website at http://bigbendcoc.org/PITVolApp2.html.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 00:34:22|Editor: Yamei

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BERLIN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Maximilian Arnold and Wolfsburg have agreed on contract extension, the Bundesliga club announced in an official statement on Monday.

The Germany international has signed a two-year contract extension without a release clause, ahead of scheduled. Hence, Arnold will stay with the "Wolves" until June 2020.

"The long-term extension ahead of scheduled documents our mutual trust and common ambitions," Wolfsburg's sporting director Olaf Rebbe said.

Wolfsburg is Arnold's youth club where he plays since 2009. The midfielder made his senior debut in 2011 and made 140 league appearances to provide 10 assists and 20 goals.

"I am delighted to extend my contract at Wolfsburg ahead of schedule. In Wolfsburg I turned to a Bundesliga player. I would like to spend my future here and take another step," Arnold told the club's official homepage.

Wolfsburg sit currently on the 12th position of the standings. They encounter third placed Borussia Dortmund at the 18th round of Bundesliga on January 14.
One Iranian policeman was killed on Monday by the rioters in the ongoing protests in Iran. (Reuters Photo)

TEHRAN, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- One policeman was killed by the rioters in the ongoing Iran's protests, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.

The policeman was killed in clashes with protesters in Iran's Najaf Abad city. Three others were injured in the shootout.

Over the past days, anti-government protests erupted in some Iranian major cities. In a number of cases, they turned into violence and clashes between the protesters and police.

Unconfirmed foreign reports said that at least 10 protesters were killed in the clashes.
Iranian students protest at the University of Tehran during a demonstration driven by anger over economic problems, in the capital Tehran on December 30, 2017. (AFP PHOTO)

MOSCOW, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday that Moscow hopes the ongoing mass protests in Iran will not develop into severe violence and that any external interference with the situation is unacceptable.

"It is Iran's internal affairs. We hope that the situation would not develop under the scenario of violence and bloodshed," Russian media quoted the ministry's spokesperson as saying.

External interference destabilizing the situation is inadmissible, the ministry said.

At least 15 people have been killed in recent rallies across Iran in protest against the regime, according to Iranian media.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 03:54:56|Editor: Jiaxin

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THE HAGUE, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Netherlands started the new year with wind and rain and a 17-percent decrease of incidents and also less severe incidents during New Year's Eve compared to last year, the Dutch police announced on Monday.

Last year 7,126 incidents were recorded. During the turn of the year 2017 to 2018 and this year the amount of incidents was 5,930. The largest numerical decrease concerned the number of fireworks incidents. This category fell by 27 percent, from nearly 3,000 in 2016/2017 to 2,140 incidents in 2017/2018.

The number of arrests fell by 22 percent compared to the previous year. In 2016/2017 488 people were arrested, this year 382. The figures relate to the period from 0.00 p.m. on December 31, 2017 to 8.00 a.m. on January 1, 2018.

"An initial analysis of figures shows that the turn of the year was manageable," said Liesbeth Huyzer, member of the national police board, in a police press release. "In the run-up to New Year's Eve, the police put a lot of efforts into combating the trade in illegal fireworks and, as in previous years, a lot of police were deployed during the turn of the year. The weather undoubtedly also played a role."

The number of violent incidents against police and employees with a public task also decreased, both physical and verbal violence, the police stated. For now nine violent attacks against agents have been recorded this year, compared to 50 last year.

Verbal violence decreased by 74 percent, from 69 incidents in 2016/2017 to 18 this year. The number of incidents against employees with a public task, such as firefighters, ambulance personnel and security officers dropped from 14 to 8.

"I am pleased with this apparent decline, but every incident is one too much," said Huyzer. "Emergency services do everything possible to ensure that the turn of the year is festive and above all safe. Our people commit themselves with soul and happiness and at the end of the night they just want to go home unharmed."

The turn of the year in the city of The Hague also went by without major incidents. In the region The Hague 98 arrests were made. At the Kaapseplein square police officers were attacked with fireworks and a camera man of TV station RTL was hit by fireworks.

"Unacceptable," said The Hague mayor Pauline Krikke in a press release. "I thank all police aid workers, fire brigade, ambulance, hospitals and all other services for their good work. It is of course great that there were no major incidents and that the turn of the year was a party for most people in The Hague. But every incident is one too many."

Approximately 15,000 people visited the National countdown moment, the fireworks show at the Hofvijver in The Hague. The show was in doubt due to the heavy wind, but the mayor ultimately gave the green light. Some other fireworks shows were canceled.

The New Year's Eve in the Dutch capital Amsterdam also didn't have major incidents, the municipality announced in a statement. The number of fire brigade and ambulance trips was slightly lower than last year. Over 9,000 people attended a fireworks show in Amsterdam East.

In total, the Amsterdam police arrested 43 people, mostly for throwing heavy fireworks, expressing threats and violence. In the Rotterdam region, 90 arrests were made for similar incidents.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 06:40:15|Editor: yan

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NEW YORK, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people celebrated the New Year's day on Monday by joining the annual polar bear plunge in Coney Island, New York, despite the colder-than-usual weather.

Temperatures outdoors stood at around minus eight degrees Celsius for the annual tradition that began in 1903. The water temperature was estimated at three degrees Celsius.

The brave participants were cheered for and applauded by hundreds of others who watched them taking the challenge.

This year, the swimmers are raising funds to support the Coney Island community, including the New York Aquarium, Alliance for Coney Island and other local arts and history organizations.

Coney Island is a neighborhood of 50,000 with a poverty rate close to 30 percent and is situated right on the Atlantic Ocean. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 07:00:17|Editor: Jiaxin

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HAVANA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Cuba marked the start of the New Year with a 21-gun salute in honor of the 59th anniversary of the 1959 Revolution and the quality of life accomplishments made since.

The revolutionary movement led by Fidel Castro succeeded in toppling the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista on Jan. 1, 1959.

Capital residents and tourists alike turned out to observe the ceremony, which took place starting past midnight Sunday, at the colonial-era San Carlos de La Cabana fort on the eastern side of Havana Bay.

The weekly Trabajadores, the only national publication to come out on New Year's Day, said "2018 should be a year to reflect on history."

In the past six decades, Cuba has made tremendous strides in education, healthcare, life expectancy and scientific research, and continues to make progress in these areas.

Life expectancy has improved to 80.45 years for women and 76.50 years for men.

"Behind each ... statistic are lives saved (and) the quality of life, happiness and satisfaction of our people," Minister of Public Health Roberto Morales Ojeda said at an earlier ceremony held last week.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 07:40:21|Editor: Jiaxin

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SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nestled on Cuba's easternmost tip, Santiago de Cuba is the nation's second-largest city, and the most important revolutionary site.

Known as the "Cradle of the Cuban Revolution," the city of nearly half a million people witnessed the hapless but decisive offensive that signalled the beginning of the end for the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista.

On July 26, 1953, legendary revolutionary leader Fidel Castro and his rebel army launched an attack on the town's Moncada Barracks, then the country's second most important military stronghold. They were repelled by the army, but the revolutionary uprising that would unseat Batista on Jan. 1, 1959 was officially begun.

To launch a surprise offensive, Castro had about 100 rebels, mostly from Havana, transported in small groups to a farm just outside Santiago that he rented under the guise of raising foul.

The rebels gradually concentrated at the Siboney Farm, gathering arms and munitions until it was time to move on the barracks.

Declared a National Monument, today the farm houses a museum to this chapter of the revolution, displaying photographs, documents and even one of the 16 vehicles the rebels used to arrive at the barracks.

"Here you can observe all of the preparations of the attack and how the farm was transformed into a makeshift and undercover military camp," the museum's Aleidy Oliva told Xinhua.

After the revolution, the Moncada barracks were turned into a school, though today it also houses a museum.

"The museum's seven rooms present all of the actions taken by the revolutionaries led by Fidel and the situation that led to the attack," the museum's Ana Santacruz said.

More than three million people, both Cubans and foreigners, have visited the site.

Following the failed assault, the rebels were put on trial. Castro eloquently spoke in his own defense and gained prominence for the revolutionary ideals he espoused.

Castro was sentenced to 15 years in prison but public pressure led to his pardon some 20 months later. He and his fellow revolutionaries went to Mexico, where they continued their struggle to overthrow Batista, returning in December 1956 to launch a second offensive.

Santiago de Cuba again served as their base. Years later, on Jan. 1, 1984, then president Castro paid tribute to the city and its residents' support for the rebel movement, bestowing on it the title "Heroic City of the Republic of Cuba."

After his death on Nov. 25, 2016, the life-long revolutionary returned to Santiago, where he is buried at the local Santa Ifigenia Cemetery.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 07:50:23|Editor: Jiaxin

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BRASILIA, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nine inmates were killed and their bodies were set on fire in a riot on Monday at a prison in Brazil's central state of Goias, local authorities said.

Military Police Commander Divino Alves told local media the melee broke out on Monday afternoon between members of rival gangs at the prison in Aparecida de Goiania, the second largest city in the state, and it took officials nearly two hours to restore order.

The Executive Superintendence of Prison Management said in a statement that inmates in section C of the prison invaded section B, and started a fire.

Firefighters were called in to battle the flames, and smoke could be seen rising from the facility.

Another 14 inmates were injured in the fighting and they returned to their cells after receiving emergency treatment, according to Brazil's G1 news website.

As many as 106 prisoners took advantage of the mayhem to escape, and officials have captured 29, the report said, adding that "another 127 left the prison due to the confusion, but returned voluntarily after the situation died down."

Officials were searching for the other escapees.

Prison riots are fairly common in Brazil, where the overpopulation of prisons is a pervasive problem.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 08:20:27|Editor: Jiaxin

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ISLAMABAD, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least six people were killed and 12 others injured in a gas cylinder blast at a hospital in Pakistan's northern Attock district, local reports said.

The incident happened in District Headquarters Hospital where the hospital's building was partially collapsed due to the cylinder explosion, local news channel said Monday night, adding that the killed included women and kids.

Police said the cause of the cylinder explosion has not been determined, but the blast might have happened due to gas leakage.

The report also quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the blast happened in women's ward, and several patients were said to be buried under the debris of the collapsed building.

Rescue teams were carrying out operation to pull out the injured people from the rubble.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 09:10:33|Editor: Jiaxin

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CANBERRA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) --A man was killed by lightning strike at a popular tourist destination in Australia's Northern Territory (NT), local authorities said on Tuesday.

The 35-year-old man was hiking with four family members on the Rim Walk at Kings Canyon, 450 kilometers southwest of Alice Springs, when he was struck at approximately 5pm local time on Monday.

"There was two storms approaching, there was some flash floods and there was surrounding lightning," Vicki Koum, NT Police Acting Duty Superintendent, told reporters 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."

The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday afternoon issued severe thunderstorm warnings for several parts of the NT, including Kings Canyon.

In a statement on Monday evening, a NT Police spokesperson said that the nature of the weather event delayed rescue efforts.

"The remote location and inclement weather hampered the rescue efforts with flash flooding causing delays," the spokesperson said.

"We have since recovered the body. The other hikers were not injured, however they are suffering extreme shock."

Kings Canyon is one of the most popular hiking spots in Central Australia with visitors regularly flocking to the spot to see the sun set or rise over the 71,000 hectare Watarrka National Park.

The area remained open on Tuesday as police carried out an investigation.

"It's a very sad tragedy. Unfortunately it's a lightning strike, death by nature. Very sad," Koum said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 09:15:34|Editor: Yamei

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ISLAMABAD, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan summoned U.S. ambassador in Islamabad late Monday and lodged protest over U.S. President Donald Trump's tweet in which he doubted Pakistan's role against terrorism, according to local reports.

U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale was called to the Foreign Ministry after high level consultations between Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and civil and military leaders.

Trump earlier twitted 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."

Trump further wrote that "They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

The reports said that Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua summoned the U.S. ambassador and sought clarification about Trump's remarks.

She told the U.S. envoy that Pakistan has taken action against all militants' groups without any discrimination and regretted that her country's sacrifices are being ignored.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif and opposition leaders joined hands to come up with angry reaction to Trump's tweet and said the U.S. president is shifting blame of the U.S. failure in Afghanistan to Pakistan.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 09:20:35|Editor: Jiaxin

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ISLAMABAD, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in the Afghan city of Jalalabad, the northern Afghan province of Balkh and a Coptic Church in Egypt.

Nearly 18 people were killed and several others injured when a suicide bomber struck a funeral of a former government official in Jalalabad on Sunday, according to officials.

A magnetic mine blast in Balkh province killed at least one person on Sunday, reports said.

"Pakistan condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations and reaffirms its firm commitment for continued efforts and cooperation for elimination of this menace. We express solidarity with the government and people of Afghanistan in the fight against terrorism," a Foreign Ministry statement said on Monday.

"We believe concerted efforts by states, and close cooperation among them, are needed for eliminating the common challenge of terrorism," the statement said.

The Foreign Ministry also condemned the heinous terrorist attack on a Coptic Church in Helwan in the South of Cairo on Dec. 29 in 2017, resulting in the loss of precious and innocent lives.

"We would like to convey our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the families of the victims. We pray for a full recovery of those who were injured due to the attack," the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 09:40:37|Editor: Jiaxin

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SUVA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Seventy people died from road accidents in Fiji last year, the highest such number recorded by police over a decade in the South Pacific Island state, which has a population of around 900,000.

Rusiate Tudravu, assistant commissioner for Fiji's Police Chief of Operations, said on Tuesday that speeding continued to be a major area of concern for drivers involved in road accidents and despite repeated calls to adhere to the national speed limits set out by the authorities, the traffic infringement notices clearly indicated blatant disregard for the law which needed to change to avoid accidents and fatalities this year.

Tudravu said these statistics was evident during the first 15-day period of Operation Yalodei where 1,700 speeding infringement notices were issued throughout the country.

He urged Fijians not to look at the work of traffic officers whether they are conducting random breathalyzer checks or radar operations as an obstacle to their travel plans, but know that these authorities were conducting their work to reinforce the issue of safety.

Operation Yalodei has 500 police officers patrolling the country during the festive season keeping Fiji safe for everyone.

Tudravu said that the police force was optimistic that people will adopt a change of attitude about road safety in 2018 so that roads could be safer for drivers and pedestrians.

According to Fiji's Land Transport Authority (LTA), motor vehicle registrations have been growing significantly in Fiji over the last few years with an average growth of 9 percent from 2015 to 2016.

The total number of valid vehicles in Fiji as at December 2016 was 110,763, and 72 percent were private vehicles, followed by 16 percent commercial vehicles and 10 percent public service vehicles.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 10:10:40|Editor: Jiaxin

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UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expresses on Monday his concern about reports of the violent dispersion of protestors by the national security forces in the Congolese capital, Kinshasa and other cities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), resulting in the death of at least five people, the wounding of several others and the arrest of over 120 persons.

The Secretary-General calls on the DRC government and national security forces to exercise restraint and to uphold the freedom of speech and peaceful assembly rights for the Congolese people.

The UN chief urged 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.

The agreement, popularly referred to as the "31 December agreement", represented a significant step towards a peacefully managed transition in the African country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 10:15:42|Editor: Jiaxin

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KATHMANDU, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nepali government on Monday relaxed provision for opening star hotels in areas outside capital Kathmandu by reducing the number of rooms required to be star hotels.

By amending the Regulation on Hotels, Lodge, Restaurant and Bar recently, Nepal's Department of Tourism downsized the number of rooms required to be called from one to five star hotels.

As per the new provision, a five-star hotel outside Kathmandu Valley should have at least 80 rooms, down from earlier provision of 100 rooms.

Likewise, four-star hotels should have 60 down from 80 while three-star hotels should have 45 rooms down from 60. The two and one star hotels should have 30 and 15 rooms, from the earlier provision of 40 and 20 rooms respectively.

Also, four- and five-star hotels outside Kathmandu are not required to arrange parking area if the location is remote and vehicle cannot travel. Swimming pool is also not required in the mountainous regions for the four- and five-star hotels.

Rajesh Lamsal, an officer at the hotel division of the Tourism Department told Xinhua that the new provision was made to ease and encourage investors to open star hotels outside Kathmandu Valley.

"Earlier, the standard was the same for the hotels all over the country," he said.

According to the Tourism Department, no provision has been changed regarding standards for the hotels inside Kathmandu Valley.

There are currently 11 five-star hotels in Nepal and five four-star hotels in 2017, according to the Tourism Department.

Lately, Nepal has been seeing an influx of international hotel chains including Sheraton, Marriot, India's Hotel Leela Palaces and OYO Rooms and Thailand's Dusit International.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 10:40:47|Editor: Jiaxin

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SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday welcomed the New Year's address by Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), ordering government officials to resume inter-Korean dialogue and draw up follow-up measures.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 10:45:49|Editor: ZD

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Photo taken on Jan. 6, 2018 shows container cranes at the Myanmar Industrial Port in Yangon, Myanmar. Myanmar's foreign trade suffered 3.27 billion U.S. dollars' trade deficit in the first three quarters of the fiscal year 2017-18 (April-March), an increase of over 368.79 million dollars correspondingly against 2016-17. (Xinhua/U Aung)

YANGON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's foreign trade suffered 3.27 billion U.S. dollars' trade deficit in the first three quarters of the fiscal year 2017-18 (April-March), an increase of over 368.79 million dollars correspondingly against 2016-17.

According to the latest statistics of the Ministry of Commerce, the country's foreign trade topped 23.25 billion U.S. dollars as of December 2017, up 3.78 billion dollars compared with the same period of the last fiscal year.

During the first nine-month period, Myanmar's export amounted to 9.99 billion U.S. dollars, including 3.58 billion dollars through border trade and 6.41 billion dollars through normal trade.

The period's import exceeded 13.26 billion U.S. dollars, made up of 2.045 billion dollars through border trade and 11.23 billion dollars through normal trade, a decrease of 18 million dollars against last year.

Myanmar mainly exports agricultural products, animal and fisheries products, forest products and manufacturing goods, while it chiefly imports capital goods, intermediate goods and consumers goods.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 11:30:58|Editor: Yamei

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HANOI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Those who produce or trade dirty food in Vietnam can be sentenced up to 20 years in prison, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to Vietnam's amended Penal Code which took effect on Jan. 1, the slightest penalty for filthy food producers or traders is a fine of 50-200 million Vietnamese dong (2,200-8,800 U.S. dollars) or a jail term of 1-5 years, and the heaviest one is a jail term of 12-20 years, daily newspaper Tien Phong (Pioneer) reported.

The heaviest penalty is applied to serious food poisoning cases which sicken over 200 people or kill at least three people, or use large volumes of banned substances in foodstuffs.

Vietnam witnessed 111 food poisoning cases in 2017, which sickened 3,352 people and killed 22, said the country's Preventive Health Department.

It saw 129 food poisoning cases that affected 4,127 people and claimed 12 lives in 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 11:30:59|Editor: Yamei

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SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- California began its first historic legal sales of recreational marijuana in Oakland, a major port city on the U.S. west coast, on the first day of the year 2018.

Harborside, the largest nonprofit collective dispensary in Oakland, opened her doors at 6 a.m. (1400 GMT) on Monday to sell the first grams of pot to its customers.

As the most populous state in the United States, California joined a growing number of other states in the country to have legalized the sale of non-medical marijuana, which marked the the launch of a new industry in California, one that is heavily regulated and taxed, with revenues expected to reach several billion U.S. dollars each year.

The legalization of marijuana ends 100 years of "propaganda and prohibition," Steve DeAngelo, founder of Harborside, who is also a marijuana advocate, told local media.

California passed Proposition 64 in 2016 to legalize the recreational use of weed in California, which took effect on Jan. 1, 2018.

However, only shops with both local permits and state licenses to sell recreational cannabis will be able to serve customers who don't have doctor's recommendations for medical marijuana.

Moreover, pot can be sold only to adults 21 years and older, and will be taxed at 15 percent.

At present, a total of 29 U.S. states have adopted medical marijuana laws and seven states have adopted the most expansive laws legalizing marijuana for recreational use.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 11:30:59|Editor: Yamei

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CANBERRA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A member of the Australian government on Tuesday called for international visitors to the country to pass a driving test before they can hire a car.

Sarah Henderson, a Member of Parliament (MP) for the governing Liberal National Party (LNP), on Tuesday announced a push for a more stringent approach to international drivers' licenses.

In addition to implementing a driving test, she also suggested that all international visitors hiring a car be subjected to a compulsory safety video.

"It is a real danger that these international tourists are coming across from other parts of the world, getting into a hired car ... and they really are a moving time bomb," Henderson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Tuesday.

"I just don't think it's good enough that there's no verification of someone's driving experience when they arrive in Australia."

"On a weekly basis, we are hearing of incidents involving international drivers on the wrong side of the road, stopping in the middle of the road taking photographs of koalas ... (and) running through stop signs."

Henderson's south-western Victorian electorate of Corangamite is home to the iconic Great Ocean Road, one of the state's most popular destinations for international visitors.

Statistics compiled by VicRoads, the state's roads authority, found that 20 percent of crashes on the Great Ocean Road involved international drivers.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 14:01:26|Editor: Yamei

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SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Tuesday offered to hold a high-level dialogue with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Jan. 9 in the truce village of Panmunjom.

"The government proposes (to the DPRK) holding a senior-level inter-governmental dialogue of the South and the North (Koreas) on Jan. 9 at Peace House in Panmunjom," South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon told a press conference.

The Peace House is a building in Panmunjom controlled by South Korea.

The dialogue overture came a day after top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un said in his New Year speech that Pyongyang was willing to take necessary measures, including dispatch of a DPRK delegation to the South Korea-hosted Winter Olympics, and to discuss with Seoul about it.

Cho anticipated that the two Koreas would frankly discuss issues of mutual concern to improve inter-Korean relations as well as the issue on the DPRK's participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games to be held in South Korea's eastern county of PyeongChang in February .

The minister said communication channels between the two Koreas in Panmunjom should be restored immediately to hold the inter-Korean, inter-governmental talks, suggesting to discuss details on the Jan. 9 dialogue, such as setting agenda and forming delegations through the restored communication channels.

All of inter-Korean communication channels have been severed since the previous South Korean government under impeached President Park Geun-hye decided unilaterally to close down the Kaesong Industrial Complex in response to the DPRK's fourth nuclear test in January 2016.

If realized, the talks would mark the first inter-Korean dialogue since the Moon Jae-in government was sworn in last May. The last inter-Korean dialogue was held in December 2015 for a vice ministerial-level meeting.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 14:16:31|Editor: Yurou

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JALALABAD, Afghanistan, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Up to 60 Islamic State militants have been killed in the eastern Nangarhar province as the Afghan government forces mopped up their hideouts since early Tuesday morning, spokesman for the provincial government Attaullah Khogiani said.

The government forces backed by aircrafts targeted the positions and hideouts of IS militants in parts of Haska Mina district since early Tuesday morning. So far 60 insurgents have been killed and 18 others injured, Khogiani said.

One civilian died and 13 others were injured during the ongoing operations.

According to the official, the militants have been using residential houses in the fight, and the security forces are sparing no efforts to protect civilians in the ongoing operations.

IS militants, who are active in parts of the eastern Nangarhar province, haven't commented on the report yet.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 14:21:32|Editor: Yurou

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NEW DELHI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- India's Health Ministry has asked all federal government hospitals to take necessary steps to ensure that healthcare and emergency services not be affected by a strike call from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against new medical law.

IMA called on Indian doctors and nurses to suspend routine services for 12 hours on Tuesday to protest against a bill that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India with a new body.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled at the Indian parliament last week, is likely to come up for discussion on Tuesday.

The bill also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda to practice allopathy after completing a bridge course.

IMA has been strongly opposing the bill, saying it will "cripple" the functioning of medical professionals.

Reports said IMA members also held a meeting with Health Minister J P Nadda and conveyed their concerns over the new bill. The association has also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to redraft the bill and rectify some of its provisions to protect the interest of medical practitioners.

According to IMA, the provision which allows homoeopathy and ayurveda graduates to practise modern medicine after completing a bridge course will promote "quackery."
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 14:31:34|Editor: Yurou

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BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The State Council announced the appointment and removal of several senior officials Tuesday.

Kong Xuanyou was appointed vice minister of foreign affairs and Yan Qingmin was appointed vice chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission.

Gao Xiang was appointed deputy director of the Cyberspace Administration of China, replacing Ren Xianliang.

Li Shushen replaced Wang Enge as vice president of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Zhang Jun was appointed president of Beijing Institute of Technology,, replacing Hu Haiyan.

Li Yanrong replaced Xie Heping as president of Sichuan University.

Wu Pute was appointed president of the Northwest Agricultural and Forestry University.

Zheng Shanjie was removed from the post of deputy director of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office.

Yin Xiaojing and Lin Wu no longer serve as deputy directors of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Zhang Tong was removed from the post of director of the office of a central joint audit meeting. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 15:01:39|Editor: Zhou Xin

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FARAH, Afghanistan, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A district police chief was killed following an insurgent ambush attack in Farah, western Afghanistan overnight, the latest in a string of attacks against officials, local police said on Tuesday.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 15:16:46|Editor: Zhou Xin

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JERUSALEM, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel's air force struck a Hamas military facility in the Gaza Strip early on Tuesday morning, citing a rocket fired at Israel hours before as the reason for the attack, the army said.

"An AIF (Israel Air Force) aircraft targeted a military compound belonging to the terrorist organization Hamas in the southern Gaza Strip," a military spokesperson said in a statement.

The strike took place on the night between Monday and Tuesday.

The army said the reason for the attack was a rocket fired by Gaza militants on Monday night, which hit an open field near a community in the Eshkol Regional Council in southern Israel. No injuries or damage were reported.

No organization immediately claimed responsibility for the rocket, but these rockets are usually launched by Islamist groups in Gaza that challenge Hamas, the organization that runs the besieged Palestinian enclave.

The military spokesperson said that the strike targeted a Hamas compound because "the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) holds Hamas solely accountable for events in the Gaza Strip."

A military official told Channel 2 TV news that the rocket fell very close to a populated area but did not trigger warning sirens. The army is checking whether it was caused by a malfunction in the warning system, the official said.

Hostilities between Israel and Gaza have been on the rise since U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a statement on December 6. In October, Israel blew up a tunnel crossing from Gaza into southern Israel, killing at least 12 Islamic Jihad militants and triggering vows to avenge.

At least 12 Gazans were killed in protests and clashes with Israeli military forces since Trump's announcement, and dozens more were injured.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 15:21:47|Editor: Lu Hui

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TAIYUAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The northern Chinese coal-rich province of Shanxi has issued regulations to establish tourism as its main economic development impetus in a bid to further detach itself from its traditional coal mining industry.

According to the provincial tourism regulations, effective Monday, the provincial government will develop tourism into a strategic pillar industry by increasing investment and support, and promoting integration with other industries.

Shanxi has a history that dates back several thousand years, leaving behind a large number of cultural relics. Geographically, it features the Great Wall to the north, the legendary Taihang mountains to the east and the Yellow River to its west.

The province received about 514.8 million domestic tourists from January to October 2017, an increase of 27 percent year on year.

Shanxi is a vital energy base in China. Coal mining has been contributing to its development over the past decades, resulting in a deteriorating environment and social problems.

China's State Council in September released a guideline to support the economic transformation of Shanxi, making sure that by 2020 its coal mining industry notably declines, and a tourism demonstration zone is built.

By the end of 2015, Shanxi had 270.9 billion tonnes of known coal reserves, accounting for 17.3 percent of the country's total, the third largest following Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 15:31:54|Editor: Zhou Xin

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TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian security official said Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Britain are major players behind recent anti-government protests, Press TV reported Tuesday.

Certain countries are waging a "proxy war" against the Islamic republic via social media and the internet, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was quoted as saying.

The United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia are behind the recent riots in Iran, he said, adding that the hashtags and social media campaigns in Iran are all being guided by these countries.

"Based on our analyses, around 27 percent of the new hashtags against Iran are generated by the Saudi government," the Iranian official said.

Shamkhani also said this foreign-backed intervention is aimed at hampering Iran's progress in different spheres.

"What is happening in Iran will be over in a few days, and there is no reason to worry at all," he noted.

At least eight people, seven civilians and one security policeman were killed as protests against the government's economic policies, including looming price hikes, continued in major cities in Iran over the past days.

According to Iran's security officials, scores of protesters had been arrested.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 15:57:00|Editor: Zhou Xin

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NEW DELHI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A lawmaker from India's ruling Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) Nepal Singh triggered a row saying those who serve in country's army were bound to die.

"They die every day in the Army. Is there a country in which Army personnel don't get killed in a fight?" Singh told media in response to the latest killing of five paramilitary troopers in a gunfight with militants in Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Whenever there is a scuffle in a village, someone is bound to get injured," he said. "Tell me one device that can help in saving lives. Say any such device that can make the bullets ineffective and we will get that implemented."

Singh is a lawmaker from India's Uttar Pradesh.

His comment sparked a controversy on social media networking sites and were seen as insulting towards the Indian Army.

The criticism forced Singh to defend himself saying he has not insulted army.

"I have not insulted the army. I am sad, I apologize but I have not said anything like that," he said in a clarification.

The comments come a day after Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh condemned the attack on the India's paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, saying "sacrifice of the soldiers won't go in vain."

On early Sunday three militants believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) stormed CRPF camp firing bullets and grenades in Pulwama district of region. The militants engaged the paramilitary inside their training camp, killing five CRPF personnel and wounding three others.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 16:02:01|Editor: Zhou Xin

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HANOI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam exported roughly 5.9 million tons of rice worth nearly 2.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, posting respective year-on-year rises of 20.5 percent and 20.8 percent.

Of the rice volume, nearly 40 percent went to China, and 9.3 percent to the Philippines, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs on Tuesday.

Vietnam is likely to export 6.3 million tons of rice in 2018, mainly due to high demand from the Southeast Asian market, especially the Philippines, local traders predicted.

Vietnam's paddy rice-growing area was over 7.7 million hectares in 2017, down 26,100 hectares against 2016, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

As a result, the country's paddy rice output dropped for the first time over the past 20 years to 42.8 million tons in 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 16:07:03|Editor: Zhou Xin

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SHIBERGHAN, Afghanistan, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 26 militants including seven foreign nationals have been confirmed dead after unmanned planes targeted the positions of Islamic State (IS) militants in Darzab district of the northern Jawzjan province in Afghanistan on Tuesday, provincial police chief Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani said.

"Acting upon intelligence report, the security forces conducted drone strikes against IS rebels in Darzab district early today morning killing 26 fighters including seven foreigners on the spot," Jawzjani told Xinhua.

Some 20 more insurgents sustained injuries in the raids, the official added.

Without identifying the nationality of the foreign fighters, the official said that foreign nationals from some countries are fighting alongside IS insurgents in Darzab district.

However, he said that investigation has been initiated.

Meantime, Afghan defense ministry has confirmed that five IS commanders including notorious Raes Ghani and Agha Rahim are also among those killed in the air strikes.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 16:17:04|Editor: Lu Hui

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Fireworks explode over the London Eye during the New Year celebrations in London, Britain, on Jan. 1, 2018. (Xinhua/Ray Tang)

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- As the new year gets underway, world leaders reflected on their mixed experiences in 2017 and looked to 2018,calling for unity and promising economic progress.

CALLING FOR UNITY

UN 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.

"Unfortunately - in fundamental ways, the world has gone in reverse," said the UN chief. "On New Year's Day 2018, I am not issuing an appeal. I am issuing an alert - a red alert for our world."

French President Emmanuel Macron urged citizens of his country in his televised address Sunday to end "irreconcilable divisions" in the coming year.

"At the national level, the year 2018 will be about the cohesion of the nation," said Macron, calling upon his fellow French to participate in citizen consultations in order to make Europe "more sovereign, more united and more democratic."

As for the European project, Macron reaffirmed that he was "committed to Europe," and deeply believed that "Europe is good for France."

Russian President Vladimir Putin Sunday called on the people to express love to their family members in his New Year greeting.

"The new 2018 year is about to begin. For sure, this holiday takes place every year, but we still perceive it as new, kind, desired; believe that everything we wish during these minutes, all our hopes will become true," Putin said.

PROMOTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday in her New Year message that 2017 had been "a year of progress" for Britain as it negotiates its exit from the European Union. She promised to make a success of Brexit in 2018, strengthen the economy and build a "fairer society for everyone" over the next year.

"We also have to carry on making a difference here and now on the issues that matter to people's daily lives," May said.

In her end-of-year statement Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for cohesion among German people and promised to quickly form a stable government, saying that "we will become more aware of what holds us together."

"The world is not waiting for us," Merkel said. Now the conditions would have to be created for Germany to prosper even in 15 years. The guiding principle of the market economy is a good compass, the German chancellor said, adding that the important thing is not only to secure and create jobs and to prepare society for digital progress, but also to put families first and provide dignified care.

Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama pledged on Sunday to continue to grow the South Pacific Island state's economy in 2018 and bring greater opportunity for Fijians.

"We had to keep growing the Fijian economy, bringing greater opportunity into the lives of our people and caring for those Fijians who are most vulnerable in our society," the prime minister said in a New Year Message.

"My government will continue to find innovative ways to ensure that every Fijian shares in our development and our economic growth -- Fijians from all walks of life, all levels of society and every corner of the country," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 16:22:07|Editor: Zhou Xin

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TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia is among major players behind recent unrest in Iran, a senior Iranian security official was quoted as saying by Tehran-based Press TV on Tuesday.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said certain countries are waging a "proxy war" against the Islamic republic via social media and the Internet.

The United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia are behind the recent riots in Iran, he said.

The hashtags and campaigns on social media concerning the situation in Iran are all in fact being guided by these countries, he said, adding that "Based on our analyses, around 27 percent of the new hashtags against Iran are generated by the Saudi government."

Shamkhani said that this foreign-backed intervention is aimed at hampering Iran's progress in different spheres.

"What is happening in Iran will be over in a few days, and there is no reason to worry at all," he said.

At least eight people, including seven civilians and one security policeman, were killed and dozens injured as protests against the government's economic policies, including looming price hikes, continued in major cities across Iran over the past days.

According to Iran's security officials, scores of protesters were arrested.
Iranian students scuffle with police at the University of Tehran during a demonstration driven by anger over economic problems, in the capital Tehran on December 30, 2017. (AFP PHOTO)

TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian security official said Saudi Arabia, the U.S. and Britain are major players behind recent anti-government protests, Press TV reported Tuesday.

Certain countries are waging a "proxy war" against the Islamic republic via social media and the internet, Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was quoted as saying.

The United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia are behind the recent riots in Iran, he said, adding that the hashtags and social media campaigns in Iran are all being guided by these countries.

"Based on our analyses, around 27 percent of the new hashtags against Iran are generated by the Saudi government," the Iranian official said.

Shamkhani also said this foreign-backed intervention is aimed at hampering Iran's progress in different spheres.

"What is happening in Iran will be over in a few days, and there is no reason to worry at all," he noted.

At least eight people, seven civilians and one security policeman were killed as protests against the government's economic policies, including looming price hikes, continued in major cities in Iran over the past days.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 16:42:11|Editor: Zhou Xin

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NEW DELHI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Indian police Tuesday arrested a former Army officer for allegedly murdering six people in a span of just one hour in the northern state of Haryana.

All the crimes took place in different areas of the state's Palwal town, just 80 km from the national capital, between 2:30 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. (local time) this morning, police said.

"We have arrested Naresh Dhankad, a former Indian Army lieutenant, for going on a killing spree with an iron rod. We have recovered the murder weapon," a senior police official said.

The arrest took place after the accused was caught on CCTV footage at one place of murder.

"His first victim was a 35-year-old woman in a local hospital, where she had gone for a relative's delivery. It was the hospital's CCTV footage that helped us identify him," he said.

"After committing the first murder, Dhankad killed four other people between Agra Road and Minar Gate of Palwal. His last victim was a security guard," the official added.

Police said Dhankad, who works in the Haryana agriculture department after taking retirement from the Indian Army, has been admitted to a hospital after he was nabbed from a desolate area.

"We just want to know about the state of his mental health as we find no reason so far for him to commit the random murders," the official said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 17:32:22|Editor: Lu Hui

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NEW DELHI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A Dutch tourist died Tuesday after sustaining head injuries while jumping off a moving train in India's western state of Rajasthan.

Police said that the victim has been identified as 54-year-old Erik Johannes from the Netherlands, who was on his way to see the iconic Taj Mahal in the tourist town of Agra in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, along with a British friend.

"The incident took place this morning at the main railway station in Rajasthan's Sawai Madhopur district when Johannes and his friend boarded a wrong train that was headed to the Indian capital instead of Agra on the opposite direction," local police official Giga Ram said.

"Both realized their mistake when the train started moving and jumped off. They fell down on the platform. While Johannes died on the spot after sustaining fatal head injuries, his friend escaped unhurt. He was rushed to a hospital but was declared brought dead," he added.

A case has been registered in the incident and the Netherlands Embassy in Delhi has also been informed about the death, another official said. "We have kept the body in a local mortuary for his family members to arrive in this country," he added.

Rajasthan is frequented by foreign tourists particularly during the winter because of a number of historical palaces across the state, while Agra is well known for Taj Mahal monument.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 17:52:29|Editor: Lu Hui

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ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The following are news highlights in Ethiopia's major media outlets on Tuesday.

--The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) said it will implement 80 road projects with 46 billion birr (1.7 billion U.S. dollars) budget this Ethiopian fiscal year. (Fana Broadcasting Corporate/FBC)

--The Chinese-built Ethio-Djibouti railway line on Monday announced passengers and freight tariffs. (Fana Broadcasting Corporate/FBC)

---Omo Kuraz-II, one of the four sugar factories being built under Omo Kuraz sugar development project, has begun regular production. (Fana Broadcasting Corporate/FBC)

--The Ethiopian Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources (MoANR) is to let more than 7 million farmers participate in irrigation development in this Ethiopian dry season. (Fana Broadcasting Corporate/FBC)

--A four-day international management conference that focuses on building the capacity of African institutions will be held in Addis Ababa this week.

The conference will be held from January 3-6, 2018 at the School of Commerce of Addis Ababa University. (Ethiopian News Agency/ENA)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 17:57:31|Editor: Lu Hui

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HANOI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam gained seafood export turnovers of nearly 8.4 billion U.S. dollars in 2017, up 18.5 percent against 2016, the country's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said on Tuesday.

Regarding three key seafood items, prawns and shrimps, and tuna, prawn and shrimp exports surged 20 percent to over 3.8 billion U.S. dollars, with exports to major markets, excluding the United States, growing considerably.

Vietnamese prawn and shrimp exports to China, Europe and South Korea grew 60 percent, 42 percent, and 33 percent respectively, the ministry said, adding that Vietnam exported bigger amounts of processed seafood last year.

The bigger proportion of processed seafood plus potential removal of a yellow card on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing issued in 2017 by the European Commission will be an important base for Vietnam to make seafood export turnovers of 9 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.

Vietnam hopes that the European Commission will remove the yellow card, and give it a green card on IUU fishing in April 2018.

Vietnam will put the fight against IUU fishing into its revised Fisheries Law and build a national action plan to prevent, minimize and eliminate IUU fishing by 2025, said the ministry.

According to the association, 62 firms in Vietnam have committed to purchasing and importing seafood from legal fishing vessels with clear origin.

The country gained a total seafood output of more than 7.2 million tons in 2017, up 5.2 percent against 2016, the ministry said, noting that roughly 3.4 million tons came from catching, up 5.3 percent, and over 3.8 million tons came from aquaculture, up 5.2 percent.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 18:40:01|Editor: Chengcheng

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Black-necked cranes are seen in Linzhou County of Lhasa City, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Jan. 1, 2018. Tibet has become the world's largest winter habitat for critically endangered black-necked cranes. It is currently temporary home to over 8,000 black-necked cranes, around 80 percent of the world's total population. (Xinhua/Zhang Rufeng)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 18:27:37|Editor: Zhou Xin

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JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's official marketing agency Brand South Africa on Tuesday called for collective effort in 2018 to turn around the country's economic growth.

This was said by the Brand South Africa's CEO Kingsley Makhubela in his message for the New Year. He called for collective commitment from all stakeholders to strengthen the country and build a more resilient nation brand.

He said, "As a collective, we in Brand South Africa, together with government, business and civil society need to strengthen our collaborative efforts to ensure that we get back on our development trajectory of improving the climate for investment and business expansion, which consequently translates into conducive conditions for economic growth and job creation in South Africa."

Makhubela said the New Year brings a hope for renewal and prosperity and opportunities, while the country has made great strides in many aspects before, a lot needs to be done. He called for tolerance and unity this year.

Makhubela said 2018 is promising, "There are encouraging indications that 2018 will be a year of continued positive transformation for South Africa and its people. The confidence of local and international investors remains high as attested by various reputable international investment bodies."

According to the 2017 World Bank's Africa Competitiveness Report, South Africa is ranked number two. This means the country's global ranking for 2016-17 improved by nine places from 56 in the 2014-15, 47 out of 138 countries worldwide.

It is also ranked number four as the most attractive investment destination in Africa based on the growth factor of gross domestic product, ease of doing business and significant population according to the 2016-2017 Africa Investment Index 2016 by Quantum Global Research Lab.

The 2017 Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance recently released also ranked South Africa number six out of the 54 countries for its quality of governance. There are many international reports released late last year which showed some positive improvement for South Africa.

Makhubela said, "With these indicators come the firm resolution to achieve desired results and meet deliverables, for the past year has seen us make momentous decisions that have set the nation on a new direction. This year let us promise ourselves that we will maintain a positive attitude throughout the year-whatever the challenges."

Makhubela called for active citizenry in 2018 in the communities to strengthen governance.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 19:17:48|Editor: Lu Hui

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Photo taken on June 26, 2017 shows the China's new bullet train "Fuxing" at Beijing South Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China. China's next generation bullet train "Fuxing" debuted on the Beijing-Shanghai line June 26, 2017. A CR400AF model departed Beijing South Railway Station at 11:05 a.m. for Shanghai. At the same time, the CR400BF model left Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station for Beijing. The new bullet trains, also known as electric multiple units (EMU), boast top speeds of 400 kilometers an hour and a consistent speed of 350 kilometers an hour. (Xinhua/Ju Huanzong)

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's high-speed rail tracks will hit 38,000 km by 2025, higher than 25,000 km registered by the end of 2017, the railway operator said.

The country's operating high-speed rail tracks accounted for 66.3 percent of the world's total by the end of 2017, said Lu Dongfu, general manager of China Railway Corporation.

Its fixed asset investment on railways in 2018 will be 732 billion yuan (about 112 billion U.S. dollars), lower than the annual average during the 2013-2017 period, according to Lu.

The operator is aiming to build 4,000 km of new rail lines this year, 3,500 km of which will be high-speed rail tracks.

China's railway network will hit 175,000 km (about 108,740 miles) in length by 2025, compared with 127,000 km of operating tracks by the end of last year.

In 2017, a total of 3.04 billion passenger trips were made on railways, up 9.6 percent year on year. More than 56 percent of those trips were made on high-speed railways.

About 70 percent of rail tickets were sold online, while more than 70 percent of freight business were transacted online.

The maximum speed of China's bullet trains rises to 350 kilometers per hour, when Fuxing (Rejuvenation) bullet trains started operation between Beijing and Shanghai on September 21, 2017.

The Fuxing trains are a substantial upgrade on the previous bullet trains known as Hexie (Harmony). Entirely designed and manufactured in China, the Fuxing is more spacious and energy-efficient, with a longer service life and better reliability. The Fuxing also has a sophisticated monitoring system that automatically slows the train in case of emergency or abnormal conditions.

Last year, 3,600 cargo train trips were made between China and European cities, surpassing the previous six years combined, Lu said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 19:37:54|Editor: Zhou Xin

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RAMALLAH, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) vowed on Tuesday to act against Israeli parliament's vote to consolidate its sovereignty on Jerusalem, official Palestinian radio Voice of Palestine reported.

"It is part of new U.S.-Israel collaboration to destroy the two-state principle" after U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration of Jerusalem as Israel's capital, said Saeb Erekat, secretary general of PLO.

The Palestinian leadership is determined to face "all American and Israeli attempts by acting to obtain full UN membership for the state of Palestine as well as going to the UN Security Council, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court," he added.

Erekat also said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has outlined a strategy, "the most important of which is to end the division and return unity to the homeland."

According to the top PLO official, Palestinians have held 36 meetings with the U.S. administration in hope of relaunching a serious peace process.

"But the Americans have breached all their commitments" and Abbas has responded by declaring the current U.S. administration "is no longer part of the solution by part of the problem," Erekat said.

Earlier in the day, the Israeli parliament passed a bill that stipulates a two-third support of its members before any Israeli government can give up control over any part of Jerusalem, which Israel believes is an indivisible part of Israel.

The bill, which is an amendment to Israeli basic law, prevents any division of Jerusalem, thus practically allowing no future negotiations over the holy city. Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 19:47:58|Editor: Zhou Xin

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TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's judiciary on Tuesday called on the participants in violent unrests against the consequences of their disorderly conduct, Tasnim news agency reported.

Rioters arrested, after the Interior Ministry's note of ban on such gatherings, will have to face more severe punishment because they have consciously taken to the streets and resorted to violence, Head of Tehran's Revolutionary Tribunal, Mousa Qazanfarabadi was quoted as saying.

As the days pass by, those arrested in riots will face heavier penalties, as they are not deemed to be protestors any more, but rioters seeking to harm the core of the Establishment, said Qazanfarabadi.

The court chief said that individuals already detained in Tehran and other cities on charges of leading the riots and having links with foreign espionage services will appear in court very soon.

Qazanfarabadi went on to say that a number of the most wanted mercenaries have been captured by the security forces amid the recent riots.

On Monday, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani ordered the country's prosecutors to take serious measures in dealing with the rioters vandalizing public properties amid the recent civil protests.

Amoli Larijani urged the prosecutors to monitor the situation closely, steer those pursuing legitimate demands towards lawful methods, and get tough with vandals destroying public and private properties and violating the rights of others.

At least eight people, including seven civilians and one security policeman, were killed and dozens injured as protests against the government's economic policies, including looming price hikes, continued in major cities across Iran over the past days.

According to Iran's security officials, scores of protesters were arrested.
An Iranian woman raises her fist amid the smoke of tear gas at the University of Tehran during a protest driven by anger over economic problems, in the capital Tehran on December 30, 2017. (AFP PHOTO)

TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's judiciary on Tuesday called on the participants in violent unrests against the consequences of their disorderly conduct, Tasnim news agency reported.

Rioters arrested, after the Interior Ministry's note of ban on such gatherings, will have to face more severe punishment because they have consciously taken to the streets and resorted to violence, Head of Tehran's Revolutionary Tribunal, Mousa Qazanfarabadi was quoted as saying.

As the days pass by, those arrested in riots will face heavier penalties, as they are not deemed to be protestors any more, but rioters seeking to harm the core of the Establishment, said Qazanfarabadi.

The court chief said that individuals already detained in Tehran and other cities on charges of leading the riots and having links with foreign espionage services will appear in court very soon.

Qazanfarabadi went on to say that a number of the most wanted mercenaries have been captured by the security forces amid the recent riots.

On Monday, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani ordered the country's prosecutors to take serious measures in dealing with the rioters vandalizing public properties amid the recent civil protests.

Amoli Larijani urged the prosecutors to monitor the situation closely, steer those pursuing legitimate demands towards lawful methods, and get tough with vandals destroying public and private properties and violating the rights of others.

At least eight people, including seven civilians and one security policeman, were killed and dozens injured as protests against the government's economic policies, including looming price hikes, continued in major cities across Iran over the past days.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 20:18:05|Editor: Zhou Xin

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RAMALLAH, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Central Council (PCC) announced Tuesday that it has sent out invitations to various political factions, including Hamas movement and Islamic Jihad, to take part in its upcoming convention, scheduled on Jan. 14.

The process to send out the invitations to its 124 members will be completed by Tuesday, Khaled Abu Elayyan, official of the Palestinian National Council, said.

Hamas movement spokesperson Hazim Qassim told Xinhua that his movement "received an oral invitation from Fatah movement leadership," adding that "Hamas is now studying its response to this invitation."

In a televised speech on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of Fatah movement on Dec. 31, 2017, the Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said that the Palestinian Central Council "will convene in the coming days to discuss strategic issues, significant to our people."

The PCC is the second highest legislative body in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), after the 800-member Palestinian National Council, which is considered the Palestinian parliament.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 20:18:05|Editor: Zhou Xin

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COLOMBO, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A British national aged 37 was found dead in a suburban area of Colombo on Tuesday, according to local police.

The police found his body on Tuesday noon with injuries on his face in the area called Maligawatte in Colombo. According to his passport, he had arrived in Sri Lanka on Dec. 25 last year on one month visa.

An investigation has been launched to determine whether this is a murder or not. The police said the body had been brought to the Colombo National Hospital.

Tourism Promotion Minister John Amaratunga told Xinhua that he was waiting for the police report on the death of the British national.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 20:28:08|Editor: Zhou Xin

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TRIPOLI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has repatriated more than 19,000 illegal immigrants from Libya in 2017, an IOM official said Tuesday.

"The program helped 19,370 illegal immigrants return to their countries of origin in 2017 by airlifting them to the capitals of those countries," Juma Ben-Hassan, coordinator of the IOM Voluntary Return Program in Libya, told Xinhua.

"The immigrants assisted by the organization to return to their countries are of 27 African and Asian nationalities," Ben-Hassan added.

The IOM and the Libyan authorities launched a humanitarian repatriation program to return immigrants detained in Libyan shelters to their countries of origin.

Libya, which suffers insecurity and chaos, is a major departure point for illegal immigrants hoping to cross the Mediterranean toward European shores.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 20:42:01|Editor: Xiang Bo

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Photo taken on Jan. 2, 2018 shows ice cubes along Songhua River in Harbin, capital of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. In winter, Harbin hosts an international ice and snow festival and a number of ice carving competitions annually. The ice cubes collected from the frozen Songhua River are in large demand. (Xinhua/Wang Jianwei)
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 20:33:08|Editor: Zhou Xin

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LONDON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- British rail commuters are spending up to five times as much of their salary on season tickets compared to the rest of Europe, according to a new study.

Research showed that regular travellers will spend as much as 13 percent of their salary travelling to work by train in Britain from Tuesday. This compares with between 2.5 percent and 5 percent of worker's salaries in countries such as France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

The findings come as millions of passengers are preparing to return to work on Tuesday after the festive season are hit with the biggest fare increase since 2013.

Train ticket prices soar in biggest increase in five years. Fares are due to go up by an average of 3.4 percent on Tuesday, with season tickets going up by 3.6 percent, the largest increase since 2013, sparking protests outside railway stations across the country.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC), a federation of trade unions in England and Wales, said workers travelling from Chelmsford in Essex to London will have to pay 13 percent of their salary for a 381-pound (516-U.S. dollar) monthly season ticket.

Season tickets will increase a third faster than wages in 2018, said the TUC.

The British government sets regulated rail fares and it was announced in summer 2017 that tickets would increase by 3.6 percent this month. The rise covers 40 percent of tickets, including most season tickets and standard returns. Other tickets, including off-peaks, can be set by rail companies.
Foreign Ministers of member states of the African Union (AU) met for the 30th ordinary session of the AU Executive Council held under the framework of the 28th AU summit at the Union's Headquarters in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, Jan. 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Michael Tewelde)

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Despite encouraging steps in the past five years, huge challenges remain in the fight against corruption in Africa, for which the African Union (AU) has declared the year 2018 as African anti-corruption year, said Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the AU Commission.

In his New Year message, the chairperson underlined that the fight against corruption assumes even greater importance and urgency.

He noted that the year has been declared "Project 2018", with the theme, "Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa's Transformation," under which the upcoming summit of the AU heads of states will also be held.

"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," he said.

He has also reiterated that the pan-African bloc remains committed to working with its 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," said the Chairperson.

He has expressed hope that the south Sudanese stakeholders would 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 in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa in December 2017.

"The people of South Sudan, who have endured so much pain and suffering, desperately need and deserve peace," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 20:48:11|Editor: Zhou Xin

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GENEVA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The world's leading conservation organization World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has applauded China's landmark ban on ivory sales.

Starting from Sunday, it will be illegal to process or sell ivory and its products in China.

WWF said in a statement that with the doors to the ivory trade closing in China, the world starts 2018 "a step closer to a land free of the slaughter of endangered animals".

"China's actions, more than those of any other country, can reverse the trend of elephant poaching and illegal ivory trafficking, and have a significant impact on the future survival of African elephants," it said.

A recent WWF survey shows that the ban has widespread support from a strong majority of consumers surveyed and that it is likely to substantially reduce ivory purchase.

Dr. Fred Kwame Kumah, Director of WWF Regional Office for Africa, commented that "China has shown great leadership on this urgent issue".

"This ban means we start 2018 a step closer to a world where the demand for ivory is extinct not elephants," Kumah said.

China's State Forestry Administration has said that by honoring its commitment to ending commercial processing and sales of ivory by the end of 2017, China has sent a "new year gift to the elephant".

Chinese government figures show that the move will affect 34 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading venues, with all of them to close, in the world's once largest ivory market.

John E. Scanlon, Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), also praised China's latest move and commented that "there is certainly reason for hope".

"The world still needs to do more to tackle both supply and demand to put an end to the poaching of elephant and trafficking in ivory," he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 20:48:12|Editor: Zhou Xin

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TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday warned of what he calls the enemies' all-out efforts to harm the Islamic republic, Tasnim news agency reported.

The enemy has been always seeking to find an opportunity to infiltrate into Iran and harm the Iranian nation, Khamenei said in his first comments on the unrest in some Iranian cities that broke out on Thursday.

"The enemies of Iran allied with each other by employing various tools at their disposal, including money, weapon, politics and security organizations, in order to cause problems for the Islamic establishment," he was quoted as saying.

Khamenei described the Iranian nation's courage, devotion and faith as the main factors in warding off the hostile moves.

At least eight people, including seven civilians and one security policeman, were killed and dozens others injured as protests against the government's economic policies, including looming price hikes, continued in major cities across Iran over the past few days.

According to Iran's security officials, scores of protesters were arrested.

Earlier in the day, Iran's judiciary warned participants in violent unrests of the consequences of their disorderly conduct.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 21:03:15|Editor: Xiang Bo

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LANZHOU, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- While traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is favored by many patients to avoid the side effects of Western remedies, it is also a new choice for sick crops.

A remedy using extracts from multiple Chinese herbs was approved by the French certification body ECOCERT in mid-December, and was therefore allowed to be implemented in organic farming in the United States and Japan.

The biological remedy, developed by the research institute of natural medicine of Lanzhou Jiaotong University in Gansu Province, can effectively treat and prevent diseases in vegetables, fruit trees, tea and tobacco, without causing harm to crops and the environment, its research team said.

Since 2014, the remedy has been used in more than 60,000 hectares of farmland in Gansu, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Fujian provinces.

The Chinese government is encouraging biological remedies, which are much less toxic and more efficient than traditional pesticides, said Professor Shen Tong, who leads the team.

In early 2015, China started a campaign to ensure zero growth in pesticide application by 2020, as the country's average annual pesticide use in 2012-2014 rose 9.2 percent from the 2009-2011 level, weighing on production costs and food safety.

Under the move, China's pesticide use has dropped in the past three years, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture said last month.

Li Yuanzhu, who manages a 4-hectare wolfberry farm in Gansu's Yumen City, said the effect of the remedy had "exceeded expectations."

"In the past, we used pesticide to kill insects after they damaged the berries. But now, the herbal medicine can protect the berries from insects," Li said, adding that the crop has not been sick for over a year.

Last year, Li's wolfberries met standards for export to the European Union. "We plan to grow another 20 hectares and prepare for the export," he said.

A pilot program involving potatoes in Gansu saw the cure rate of a fungal disease reached 75 percent and output grew by 16 percent, said researcher Zhang Wenjie with the provincial station of plant protection and quarantine.

Developing biological remedies for crops has become a global consensus, China has mastered key technology, said Guo Qingyi with the provincial science and technology department.

The remedy won prizes at the annual China Yangling Agricultural Hi-Tech Fair, an influential event of its kind, in 2011, 2015 and 2017.

Gansu in China's northwest is the country's largest producer of TCM plants, recording an output of 1.1 million tonnes in 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 21:23:17|Editor: Zhou Xin

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KABUL, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Afghan forces, in operations against IS group, had killed 86 militants inclduing seven foreigners in the eastern and northern region of the conflict-hit country in a single day on Tuesday, officials said.

In the crackdown backed by aircraft, 60 militants loyal to the hardliner IS outfit were killed in the eastern Nangarhar province.

Spokesman for the Nangarhar provincial government Attaullah Khogiani said Tuesday that the crackdown which began early Tuesday morning and covered parts of Haska Mina district, besides killing 60 IS fighters, have also injured 18 others.

Similarly, the government forces conducted drone strikes against IS militants in Darzab district of the northern Jawzjan province Tuesday morning, killing 26 fighters including seven foreigners, provincial police chief Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani confirmed.

According to Jawzjani, the security forces, acting on intelligence report, conducted drone strikes against IS rebels in Darzab district early Tuesday morning, killing 26 fighters including seven foreigners and injuring 20 others.

Without identifying the nationality of the alleged foreign fighters, Jawzjani said that foreign nationals from some countries are fighting along with IS insurgents in Darzab district.

Security officials have said that the government forces will intensify operations against anti-government militants including IS in winter to destroy their hideouts and bastions elsewhere in the militancy-riddle country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 21:43:21|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BERLIN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) in Germany is preparing possible sanctions against U.S. social media giant Facebook, the newspaper "Rheinische Post" reported on Tuesday.

The national competition watchdog accuses Facebook of indiscriminately collecting and using data from German users without their knowledge or consent.

"We criticize the fashion in which the company collects and uses personal data as a potential abuse of market power," Andreas Mundt, President of the Federal Cartel Office, told "Rheinische Post".

According to Mundt, users' data were systematically collected by Facebook from its own website, as well as from nominal third sources such as Instagram and Whatsapp, without letting them be aware of the practice and thus have an opportunity to object. The Federal Cartel Office informed the U.S. Menlo Park-based company about its related antitrust concerns before Christmas.

Mundt said that he would now "wait and see how Facebook reacts to our criticism." The Federal Cartel Office would then decide whether sanctions needed to be applied. Unless the social network proposed a solution of its own, German antitrust authorities would have no other choice than to prohibit the illicit "collection and use of data from third sources without express consent of the users."

The President of the Federal Cartel Office expressed confidence that the so-called "effects doctrine" in competition law would enable it to apply sanctions on Facebook, whose headquarters is abroad. Under the doctrine, which has been the source of controversy among international lawyers, a state is entitled to change behavior which occurs outside of its own jurisdiction when it has domestic implications.

"We can effectively take action against a violation, if it has effects within the German Federal Republic," Mundt argued.

Following a preliminary assessment, the Federal Cartel Office already complained about Facebook's data collection practices back in mid-December. German antitrust authorities consider the U.S. company to occupy a dominant market position in Germany, a claim denied by the social network.

The sanction threatened against Facebook draws further attention to a growing desire by European governments to subject digital business to more effective regulation. In particular, senior officials on the continent have repeatedly attacked what they view as tax evasion practices, privacy law breaches and abuses of market power by business giants like U.S.-based Google, Facebook and Amazon.

Several member states have consequently announced related joint policy initiatives across the European Union (EU) during discussions on the digital economy held under the framework of Estonia's recent presidency of the European Council in 2017.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 21:43:22|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BAGHDAD, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces killed 15 Islamic State (IS) militants who were trying to infiltrate into Iraq from neighboring Syria, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said Tuesday.

Acting on intelligence reports, the federal police and the Iraqi intelligence Agency ambushed and killed 15 IS militants who were trying to move into Iraq through the Syrian border in western Iraq, Brig. Gen. Saad Maan, spokesman of the ministry, said in a statement.

The intelligence agency spotted the infiltrated terrorists, who were carrying weapons and explosive vests, and tracked them for several days before killing them, Maan said.

On Dec. 9, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi officially declared full liberation of Iraq from IS militants after Iraqi forces seized the entire border areas with Syria and the nearby desert in western Iraq.

However, individual IS militants are still trying to infiltrate into Iraq from neighboring Syria through the roughly 600-km-long border with vast rugged areas and desert land.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 21:43:23|Editor: Yamei

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JERUSALEM, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel's parliament passed an amendment on Tuesday that will make it more difficult for the government to cede parts of East Jerusalem in any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

The vote was held overnight between Monday and Tuesday, with 64 lawmakers voting in favor the controversial bill and 51 against it.

The bill was sponsored by the ultra-nationalist party of the Jewish Home, a major member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition.

It requires the government to raise wider support for relinquishing control over parts of Jerusalem as part of a peace plan. It increases the number of lawmakers required to approve such a deal from 61 to 80 in the 120-seat parliament.

The law was criticized by the opposition as a serious blow to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The new legislation is also likely to heighten even further the tensions sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Trump's statement triggered wide protest in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, costing the lives of at least 13 Palestinians that were killed during clashes with Israeli security forces, according to Palestinian media.

Israel seized East Jerusalem, together with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of its "indivisible capital," in a move never recognized by the international community.

The Palestinians struggle against the Israeli occupation and wish to establish East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 21:48:24|Editor: Zhou Xin

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ISTANBUL, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- More than 250 Syrian refugee children in Istanbul got gifts for the New Year and had a good time with their families.

The children were presented winter clothes and stationery items at a special ceremony by Social Market, a charity organization founded by Beyoglu district of Istanbul.

"During this difficult period of time, it is our duty to provide help to our little Syrian brothers and sisters," District Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan said at the ceremony.

The children, after getting their gifts, spent time with their families watching several theatrical plays and the performance of a magician.

Social Market has offered help to some 100 low-income Syrian families over five years.

The number of registered Syrian refugees in Turkey has hit 3.3 million, and about 500,000 of them live in Istanbul, according to latest reports.
Birds fly on a foggy day near the Dome of the Rock, located in Jerusalem's Old City on the compound known to Muslims as Noble Sanctuary and to Jews as Temple Mount, Jerusalem, January 2, 2018. (REUTERS PHOTO)

JERUSALEM, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel's parliament passed an amendment on Tuesday that will make it more difficult for the government to cede parts of East Jerusalem in any future peace deal with the Palestinians.

The vote was held overnight between Monday and Tuesday, with 64 lawmakers voting in favor the controversial bill and 51 against it.

The bill was sponsored by the ultra-nationalist party of the Jewish Home, a major member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition.

It requires the government to raise wider support for relinquishing control over parts of Jerusalem as part of a peace plan. It increases the number of lawmakers required to approve such a deal from 61 to 80 in the 120-seat parliament.

The law was criticized by the opposition as a serious blow to the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The new legislation is also likely to heighten even further the tensions sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Trump's statement triggered wide protest in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, costing the lives of at least 13 Palestinians that were killed during clashes with Israeli security forces, according to Palestinian media.

Israel seized East Jerusalem, together with the rest of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, during the 1967 Middle East war. Israel annexed East Jerusalem shortly after the war, claiming it part of its "indivisible capital," in a move never recognized by the international community.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 21:53:25|Editor: Zhou Xin

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BERLIN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The number of Germans in employment rose at the fastest pace since 2007, showed official figures published on Tuesday by the Federal Statistical Office.

The Wiesbaden-based government statisticians estimated that 638,000 more people (plus 1.5 percent) were employed in 2017 compared to the previous year. The number of German workers consequently soared to 44.3 million in absolute terms, marking the "highest level witnessed since the re-unification" in 1989 when the current national data series began.

"The growth in employment which has already lasted for twelve years is retaining its momentum," read a statement by the Office.

According to the Office, most new positions in 2017 were created in the service sector (plus 1.7 percent). Manufacturing employment grew at a slower annual rate of 0.8 percent, with 61,000 more individuals in work.

Higher labor participation rates among native Germans as well as a positive effect of immigration compensated for the negative demographic effects in Germany. Given a rapidly aging population and a relatively low birth rate, economists have repeatedly warned that Germany's working population is shrinking in size and that the number of its pensioners rises, which is shouldering a growing fiscal burden.

The Office pointed to strong economic growth as another important factor. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew for the eighth consecutive year in 2017, driven by a domestic increase in private household consumption due to low unemployment and rising real wages, as well as higher-than-expected international demand for German exports.

The Munich-based Ifo Institute for Economic Research expects the current trend to persist and German employment figures to break historical records again in 2018 and 2019 as a consequence.
File photo by Xinhua/Zhang Baoping

ABUJA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 21 churchgoers returning from a midnight service were feared killed following a mass shooting early Monday in Nigeria's oil-rich state of Rivers, a local official said on Tuesday.

The gunmen allegedly opened fire on a group of churchgoers who had kept vigil in a church to usher in the new year in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni area of the state early Monday, said Dakuku Peterside, head of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.

The gunmen were suspected of being members of local cult groups fighting for supremacy, said Peterside, an indigene of the area.

He told reporters that the gunmen shot indiscriminately at the church returnees.

The local police have confirmed the mass shooting, saying an investigation was underway to uncover the identities of the gunmen.

Omondi Nnamdi, a spokesman for the police, said some wounded victims were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 22:13:31|Editor: Zhou Xin

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ANKARA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 1,632 illegal migrants were held across Turkey on Monday, Turkish army said Tuesday.

Among these illegal migrants, some 1,556 from Syria were trying to illegally cross into Turkey, according to a written statement released by Turkish General Staff.

Security forces have also caught 64 migrants who were trying to illegally cross into Greece from Turkey.

Over 12,000 unlicensed packages of cigarettes were also captured on the Turkey-Iran border.

Turkey has been a main route for refugees trying to cross into Europe since the beginning of the civil war in Syria.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 22:18:33|Editor: Zhou Xin

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JUBA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's main rebel group, the Sudan People's Liberation Army-in-Opposition (SPLA-IO), has set up a team to monitor a fragile truce that came into effect on Dec. 24.

The rebel movement said in a statement Tuesday that its leader Riek Machar established the body in order to monitor and report all violations of the cessation of hostilities agreement they signed between the government and several other opposition groups in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia late last year.

The SPL-IO said the team would work with cease-fire monitors from the regional bloc, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to monitor the treaty and ensure unhindered humanitarian access.

"These officers shall receive and work with visiting delegations of the regional and international members of CTSAMM in their respective locations of deployment in SPLM/A IO controlled areas," Lam Paul Gabriel, SPLA-IO deputy military spokesperson said in a statement posted on his Facebook page.

IGAD last week strongly condemned South Sudan's warring factions after they violated a cease-fire, hours after it came into effect.

Both sides blamed each other for starting the latest wave of violence which left over 30 people killed in a week's period.

The warring factions had previously violated several cease-fires since the conflict erupted four years ago.

Meanwhile, Troika countries, composed of Britain, United States, and Norway, on Tuesday also condemned the violation of the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) agreement in the East African nation.

The group warned that that field commanders, and their political superiors, will be held accountable for violating the pact and impeding humanitarian aid.

"The Troika strongly condemns these violations. We call on all CoH signatories, and the field commanders who answer to them, to immediately end all military operations, abide by their CoH commitments, and put the South Sudanese people's well-being ahead of their own narrow political interests," the three western countries said in a joint statement released in Juba.

South Sudan has been embroiled in four years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people, creating one of the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world.

A peace deal signed in August 2015 between the rival leaders under UN pressure led to the establishment of a transitional unity government in April, but was shattered by renewed fighting in July 2016.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 22:23:34|Editor: Zhou Xin

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PARIS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- France is still in favor of a "regular, direct and demanding" dialogue with Iran in the context of continuous anti-government protests in the country, the French foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

"As the minister has had the opportunity to say on several occasions, France is in favor of a regular, direct and demanding dialogue with Iran," the ministry said in a written response to the media, adding that "this dialogue includes the issue of human rights".

France is paying close attention to the situation in Iran, and "expresses its concern at the large number of victims and arrests," according to the ministry.

"These issues, like the general respect for human rights, will be at the heart of our discussions with the Iranian authorities in the coming weeks," the ministry added.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is scheduled to travel to Tehran on Friday to prepare for a planned visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Iran.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 22:43:40|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Zambian government said on Tuesday that schools in areas where there was a cholera outbreak in Lusaka, the country's capital, will not reopen to avoid cross-contamination.

Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said schools in all the areas cited as epicenters of the waterborne disease in the city will remain closed until when the ministry had conducted a thorough assessment of the situation.

Public schools were expected to reopen on January 15.

He told reporters during a press briefing that the number of cholera cases had continued increasing and almost reaching 2,000 with 48 deaths recorded and that the ban on public gatherings in the city applies to even schools.

He said the ministry was liaising with the Ministry of General Education to ensure that the safety of pupils at the schools, adding that inspectors have since been dispatched to check on the conditions at the schools by sampling the water as well as sanitary conditions in the affected areas.

The government has banned public gatherings of more than five people in order to contain cholera which has continued escalating since October last year.

Last week, President Edgar Lungu ordered soldiers to get involved in fighting the cholera outbreak.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 22:53:42|Editor: yan

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KAMPALA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has signed into law the controversial constitutional amendment bill that removes the presidential age limit of 75 years, an official said here on Tuesday.

Senior Presidential Press Secretary Don Wanyama told Xinhua that Museveni on Dec. 27 signed into law the constitutional amendment bill 2 of 2017 to scrap the presidential age limit of 75 years, which now allows the incumbent president to run in the 2021 elections.

On Dec. 20, a total of 317 lawmakers mainly from Museveni's ruling party, National Resistance Movement (NRM), voted for the amendment of Article 102 (b) to scrap the presidential age limit of 75 years.

"The president has assented onto the bill and forwarded it back to parliament. It's now law. The law no longer stops him from contesting for the office of president. It's the decision of the party to front the elections," said Wanyama.

Museveni while delivering his New Year message on Sunday hailed the 317 lawmakers for defying intimidation, malignment and blackmail to amend for a flexible Constitution to deal with destiny issues of Africa.

At least 62 legislators, mainly opposition, voted against the bill that removed a cap that barred any Ugandan citizen below the age of 35 or older than 75 years to hold office of the president in the East African country.

Opposition and campaigners who are opposed to the bill argue that the move by the ruling NRM was intended to allow Museveni, now 73, to run in the 2021 elections when he will be over 75.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 23:08:44|Editor: yan

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DUBAI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced for the first time a value-added tax (VAT) at a standard rate of 5 percent on goods and services since Jan. 1.

Nearly all goods and services are affected, from electricity bills to shopping baskets, with the exception of education, healthcare and some other services such as train and flight tickets.

For instance, the customers at the coffee shop will now have to pay 15.75 UAE dirhams for a cup of coffee latte instead of the previous 15 dirhams as written on the menu.

In order to narrow the deficit, the UAE has issued multi-billion-U.S.-dollar government bonds in recent years and implemented a 100-percent excise tax on tobacco products and energy drinks in October 2017.

"The UAE VAT rate of 5 percent is among the lowest in the world. In Egypt, it is 14 percent; in Lebanon it's 11 percent," Dubai-based economist Nasser Saidi, president of Nasser Saidi and Associates, told Xinhua in an e-mail.

Still, there are no taxes levied on personal or corporate incomes, but foreign banks have been paying 20 percent on their profits for over a decade.

As a major oil supplier, the UAE suffered from a slump in the price of oil from 110 dollars a barrel in mid-2014 to fewer than 26 dollars at the start of 2016.

While oil prices have recovered to more than 60 dollars a barrel thanks to an agreement of OPEC to limit output, the UAE's five-year budget surplus turned into a deficit in 2014 and the fiscal balance has been in the red since then.

Although school fees are not taxed, parents will have to pay VAT on school materials like pencils and writing pads as well as school uniforms and bus fares.

However, the UAE government's consumer protection department has urged people to report cases if they find shops exaggerate price increases in order to take advantage of VAT.

Business which register a turnover of above 100,000 dollars in the last 12 months will have to pay VAT on their services.

According to Saidi, there will be a dampening effect of VAT on growth because of the negative effect on consumption growth, but should be mild and could be offset by higher investment spending by government.

But not everybody shares Dr. Saidi's optimism. "Any increase in the transaction cost is never a good news for investors," Fathi Ben Grira, the CEO of stock brokerage company Menacorp, told Xinhua.

The Dubai Financial Market closed Tuesday trading 1.22 percent higher, boosted by insurance firms and real estate stocks.

"However," he added, "if we restrict the analysis to 2018, the VAT should not have a material negative impact on the UAE stockbrokerage industry: stocks valuation is relatively low and potential gains over the year can be important, which will more than offset the additional cost of the VAT for investors."

Ben Grira said "We anticipate better trading activity in 2018 than in 2017 despite the introduction of VAT."

According to Alex Chen, General Manager of the recently opened Chinese Business Hub in the emirate's newest free zone complex Dubai South, "the 5 percent VAT will not be a determining factor in most Chinese companies' decision to do business in Dubai or not, and their primary consideration continues to be how the market is for them."

The UAE is home to over 4,000 Chinese firms, while over 300,000 Chinese nationals live in the Gulf state whose government is a staunch supporter of China's Belt and Road Initiative.

The bilateral trade between China and the UAE reached a total of 170.2 billion dirhams (46.37 billion U.S. dollars) in 2016, which made China the UAE's biggest trade partner for the third consecutive year, according to UAE Ministry of Economy.

Chen added that "but as most Chinese companies in Dubai are trading firms whose revenue can easily exceed the threshold for VAT registration, the VAT's impacts for them are real."

For the Chinese businessman, the impacts are two-fold, namely in relation to "compliance costs, as many experts say that VAT is to be borne by end-users, but they ignore the fact that business owners need to hire tax experts to comply with all VAT regulations."

The Chinese Business Hub manager estimated "that for each Chinese company this cost is at least 18,000 dirhams (4,900 dollars) or above, which is a considerable amount for most Chinese small and medium enterprises."

What's more, he added, "is the psychological impact: many Chinese companies don't see Dubai as tax free any more. And they are afraid that more taxes will come or the VAT rate can be increased anytime in the future."

Chen said Dubai can introduce some investment incentive at the same time, so this concern can be alleviated.

For Dr. Saidi, the advantages of VAT dominate. For the UAE, VAT means an "improved sovereign credit rating because of improvement in fiscal prospects and reduced budget deficits."

The new tax also means "improved knowledge of economy (data and statistics from VAT returns) which could lead to improved policy made by government and businesses," he said.

The four other Gulf Arab states Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman plan to levy the 5 percent VAT at a later stage in 2018 or 2019 which would complete a unified VAT scheme within the six member states comprising Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).
File Photo: A new born baby is weighed at the Anxin county hospital in Xiongan New Area, north China's Hebei Province, Oct. 1, 2017. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) estimated Monday that nearly 386,000 babies were born on New Year's Day, over 90 percent in less developed regions.

The agency reported that globally, over half of these births were estimated to have taken place in nine countries: India (69,070), China (44,760), Nigeria (20,210), Pakistan (14,910), Indonesia(13,370), the United States (11,280), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (9,400), Ethiopia (9,020) and Bangladesh (8,370).

Among those children, some will unfortunately not make it past their first day. In 2016, an estimated 2,600 children died within the first 24 hours every day of the year. UNICEF said that for almost 2 million newborns, their first week was also their last.

In all, 2.6 million children died before the end of their first month. Among them, more than 80 percent died from preventable and treatable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia.

Over the past two decades, the world has seen unprecedented progress in child survival, halving the number of children worldwide who die before their fifth birthday to 5.6 million in 2016. But despite these advances, there has been slower progress for newborns. Babies dying in the first month account for 46 percent of all deaths among children under five.

Next month, UNICEF will launch "Every Child Alive," a global campaign to demand and deliver affordable, quality health care solutions for every mother and newborn.

These solutions 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.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 23:38:55|Editor: yan

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LAGOS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 50 people lost their lives and many others injured after Fulani herdsmen attacked a Tiv community in central north Nigeria's Benue State, the governor said Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters in Makurdi, the state capital, Governor Samuel Ortom said the people were slaughtered, children killed, and several had their hands chopped off, during Tuesday's attack.

Ortom said nine livestock guards were killed and their Hilux patrol van razed in the attack.

The governor blamed the federal government for not protecting the people.

He said the federal government was alerted on the threat of the herdsmen who had vowed to resist the anti- grazing bill enacted by the state government.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 23:48:57|Editor: Yamei

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Aerial photo taken on April 25, 2017 shows the scenery of Baiyangdian, one of the largest freshwater wetlands in north China, in Anxin County, north China's Hebei Province. China announced the plan for Xiongan New Area, an economic zone about 100 kilometers south of Beijing, on April 1, 2017. The new area will span Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties in Hebei Province, eventually covering 2,000 square kilometers. Hebei announced recently it would call for international bids to plan and design Xiongan New Area. Global companies are welcomed to bid with their ideas for a 30-square-km area at initial stage. (Xinhua/Mou Yu)

BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The framework plan for Xiongan New Area was deliberated at a conference on the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region held in Beijing on Tuesday.

Xiongan New Area is a new economic zone near Beijing designed to integrate the capital with surrounding areas.

According to the plan, more domestic and foreign talent will be invited to participate in the creation of Xiongan, and investment, finance, tax and land policies will be formulated.

Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli presided over the conference, saying the work of relieving Beijing of functions nonessential to its role as the capital has progressed smoothly so far. A batch of major projects for the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in transportation, ecology and industry have shown good results.

China announced plans in April 2017 to establish Xiongan New Area about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing. It covers Hebei Province's Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties.

The country aims to "develop forward-looking plans and adopt high standards for building Xiongan New Area", according to the report of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in October.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-02 23:53:58|Editor: yan

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XINING, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- On Monday, Chuenpen Tashi, a mountain guide, celebrated New Year's Day in Hoh Xil, high in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu in northwest China's Qinghai Province.

It was Tashi's first New Year in Hoh Xil since it became a World Heritage Site last year. The name Hoh Xil means "beautiful young woman, blue mountain" in Mongolian.

"The past years were just like a dream to me, and the once bloody Hoh Xil has now entered the best of times," said Tashi, 35. "The year 2018 will be a new beginning, and as a warden here, I will try my best to protect the clean soil under my feet."

The area listed by the UNESCO covers some 6 million hectares at an average altitude of over 4,600 meters, making it an ideal habitat for Tibetan antelope.

Years of care have allowed the wild animal populations to grow, but also brought hardships for Tashi's family. In 1994, his uncle was killed by poachers, and four years later, his father died while patrolling the mountain.

Over 70 people work Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve and over 90 percent of them are Tibetan.

In the 1980s, Hoh Xil was plagued by poachers who hunted Tibetan antelopes for their hides, which were made into shahtoosh shawls.

"During the craziest period, poachers drove trucks into Hol Xil, and slaughtered wild animals," said Luo Yanhai, deputy head of the forestry police bureau. "Wild animals were skinned and their bodies discarded everywhere."

At the end of the 20th century, the number of Tibetan antelope in Hoh Xil had decreased from more than 200,000 to less than 20,000.

"In the past, the budget was tight, so when we patrolled, we lived in tents and lit candles," said Tashi. "The tents were often attacked by bears."

During the arduous patrols, the patrollers ate instant noodles and pancakes. Due to the high altitude, they had to use pressure cookers to cook the noodles.

"In winter, we would take high-calorie food like butter, but due to the cold, they froze easily," Tashi recalled.

"Daily patrols are our routine," he said.

The population of the Tibetan antelope has increased and Hoh Xil currently has more than 60,000 antelopes.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 00:34:04|Editor: Mengjie

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Pakistani soldiers stand guard near an attack site in Quetta, Pakistan, on Jan. 2, 2018. At least 12 people including five security personnel were injured in a terrorist attack at a checkpoint in Pakistan's southwest city of Quetta on Tuesday evening, local Urdu TV Channel Dunya reported. (Xinhua/Asad)

ISLAMABAD, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- At least 12 people including five security personnel were injured in a terrorist attack at a checkpoint in Pakistan's southwest city of Quetta on Tuesday evening, local Urdu TV Channel Dunya reported.

According to the reports, two unknown gunmen opened fire at a security check post of Frontier Corps (FC) in Baleli area of Quetta, the capital of the country's southwest Balochistan Province.

In retaliatory fire from the security troopers, the two attackers were shot dead soon after they launched the attack.

An intensive fire exchange took place between the two sides in which at least five security personnel and seven passer-bys sustained injuries.

Police, rescue teams and additional contingents of security forces rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to the hospital.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. Some local media reports said it was a suicide attack. However, no official has confirmed it so far.

The outlawed group of Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 00:44:06|Editor: yan

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ACCRA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday took a giant step towards the fight against corruption as he assented to a bill for the establishment of the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP).

The bill aims to establish the OSP as a specialized agency to investigate specific cases of corruption involving public officers, politically exposed persons and persons in the private sector involved in the commission of corruption and to prosecute the offences on the authority of the Attorney-General.

At a brief signing ceremony held at the Flagstaff House in Accra, Akufo-Addo said his hope and expectation is that the establishment of the office is going to be an important step in the collective determination to root out corruption in the public life of Ghana.

He said corruption is a major bane in the development of Ghana, and hopefully, this office will make sure that public officials, past and present, are held to account for their actions, and that corrupt acts will no longer go without investigations.

The establishment of the OSP is one of the key campaign promises of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP). Enditem
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 00:49:07|Editor: yan

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LONDON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- A search started Tuesday for young people in Britain with ideas that are out of this world.

The SatelLife Challenge, now in its second year, is looking for innovative proposals from 11 to 22-year-olds which have the potential to use data collected from space to benefit the British economy, health or the environment.

Science Minister Jo Johnson said: "Young people today will be an integral part of our mission to grow the UK's share of the global space market to 10 percent by 2030. We need to ensure the potential benefits of space are felt across the whole economy and encourage young British entrepreneurs to develop ideas that rival the best in the world."

Adina Gillespie, head of applications for Earth Observation and Science, at Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, is one of the expert judges who will decide the winners of the challenge.

She said: "The SatelLife competition is a great initiative to encourage young people to think about satellite applications and consider future careers in the space industry -- and we have a lot of fun along the way."

A spokesperson for the UK Space Agency said: "The UK space industry builds 40 percent of the world's small satellites and 25 percent of the world's telecommunications satellites. It supports 40,000 jobs and generates 14 billion pounds (19 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue across the country."

Ideas from last year's competition ranged from solutions to help increase the survival rate of heart attack victims by using GPS trackers in fitness devices, to an app that warns people about impending natural disasters, guides them safely away and alerts emergency services.

The competition, which closes on Feb. 25, aims to support the development of science, data handling and technological skills, is split into three age groups with a total prize fund of 68,000 U.S. dollars.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 00:54:10|Editor: Yamei

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TEHRAN, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Tuesday warned of what he calls the enemies' all-out efforts, including inciting unrest, to harm the Islamic republic.

The enemy has been always seeking to find an opportunity to infiltrate into Iran and harm the Iranian nation, Khamenei said in his first comments on the unrest in some Iranian cities that broke out on Thursday.

"The enemies of Iran allied with each other by employing various tools at their disposal, including money, weapon, politics and security organizations, in order to cause problems for the Islamic establishment," he was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

Khamenei described the Iranian nation's courage, devotion and faith as the main factors in warding off the hostile moves.

According to unofficial reports, at least 20 people, including civilians and security policemen, were killed and dozens of others injured as protests against the government's economic and social policies continued in major cities across Iran over the past few days.

According to Iran's security officials, scores of protesters were also arrested.

On Tuesday, a senior Iranian security official also said that Saudi Arabia is among major players behind recent unrest in Iran, Press TV reported.

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said certain countries are waging a "proxy war" against the Islamic republic via social media and the internet.

The United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia are behind the recent riots in Iran, he said.

The hashtags and campaigns on social media concerning the situation in Iran are all in fact being guided by these countries, he said, adding that "based on our analyses, around 27 percent of the new hashtags against Iran are generated by the Saudi government."

Shamkhani said that this foreign-backed intervention is aimed at hampering Iran's progress in different spheres.

"What is happening in Iran will be over in a few days, and there is no reason to worry at all," he said.

Earlier in the day, Iran's judiciary warned participants in violent unrests of the consequences of their disorderly conduct.

Rioters arrested after the interior ministry's ban on such gatherings will have to face more severe punishment because they have consciously taken to the streets and resorted to violence, head of Tehran's Revolutionary Tribunal, Mousa Qazanfarabadi, was quoted as saying.

As the days pass by, those arrested in riots will face heavier penalties, as they are not deemed to be protestors any more, but rioters seeking to harm the core of the Establishment, said Qazanfarabadi.

The court chief said that individuals already detained in Tehran and other cities on charges of leading the riots and having links with foreign espionage services will appear in court very soon.

Qazanfarabadi went on to say that a number of the most wanted mercenaries have been captured by the security forces amid the recent riots.

On Monday, Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli Larijani ordered the country's prosecutors to take serious measures in dealing with the rioters vandalizing public properties amid the recent civil protests.

Amoli Larijani urged the prosecutors to monitor the situation closely, steer those pursuing legitimate demands towards lawful methods, and get tough with vandals destroying public and private properties and violating the rights of others.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 01:14:14|Editor: yan

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GAZA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes launched on Tuesday a raid on the Gaza Strip, with no injuries reported, according to Palestinian sources and eyewitnesses.

Sources reported for Xinhua that Israeli aircraft targeted with a number of rockets the "marine" site, located in Khan Younis governorate south of the Gaza Strip, belonging to Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas movement.

No injuries or material damage were reported in the targeted area, the sources explained.

Israeli army said the warplanes raided a military compound belonging to Hamas movement in a response to a rocket fired from Gaza on Monday evening. No injuries or damage were caused in the incident.

The army added in a statement that Hamas is solely responsible for what is going on in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, none of Palestinian factions claimed responsibility for the incident.

It is noteworthy that Palestinian territories witness mounting unrest following U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration last December on recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and moving U.S. embassy there.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 01:34:19|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Egypt has decided to extend the nationwide state of emergency for further three months starting from Jan. 13 over security challenges, according to a presidential decree published in the official gazette on Thursday.

"The armed forces and the police will take all necessary measures to face the dangers of terrorism and its finance, maintain security across the country, and protect public and private properties and the lives of citizens," said the decree issued by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.

The emergency state extension comes a few days after a terrorist shootout outside a church southern Cairo killed at least 10 people, including a policeman and one of the two perpetrators.

Egypt's constitution allows the president to declare a three-month state of emergency and extend it only once after the parliament's approval. If the president wants a second extension, it has to be a new announcement.

The first time Sisi imposed a three-month nationwide state of emergency was in last April, following a twin bombings at two churches in northern provinces of Gharbiya and Alexandria that killed at least 47 and wounded over 120.

A constantly renewed partial three-month state of emergency and a curfew have also been imposed on some parts of North Sinai province since October 2014 after a terror attack on a military checkpoint in the province that killed at least 33 soldiers.

The country has been suffering a wave of terrorist attacks that killed hundreds of policemen and soldiers following the military removal of former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to the mass protests against his one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks had been centered in restive North Sinai province bordering Israel and the Palestinian Gaza Strip, before spreading to several provinces and starting to target the Coptic minority in the most populous Arab state.

Most of the terrorist operations were claimed by the so-called Wilayat Sinai (Sinai State or Province), a Sinai-based group affiliated with the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

Last month, a terrorist attack against a mosque in a village in Arish city of North Sinai killed at least 310 Muslim worshippers and wounded over 120 others, marking the deadliest terror attack and the first against a Muslim mosque in Egypt's modern history.

However, no group has yet claimed responsibility for the mosque attack.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 01:54:21|Editor: yan

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DAMASCUS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Syria's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday slammed the anti-government protests in Iran as "conspiracy," stressing Iran's ability to foil it, according to state news agency SANA.

In a statement, the ministry said the Syrian government vehemently condemns the stances of the United States and Israel regarding the current protest movement in Iran.

It highlighted the "destructive role" of such countries in destabilizing the peace and stability in the region "with the aim of controlling its resources."

The ministry also attributed the role of the U.S. and Israel to their desire to "weakening the axis of resistance in the region following the wobbling of their conspiratorial project and the victory on the terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq."

Iran was a major partner in defeating the Western project in Syria, the ministry stressed.

Meanwhile, the ministry stressed its support to Iran, saying the sovereignty of Iran must be respected far from any intervention in its internal affairs.

"Syria has faith in Iran and it's confident that Tehran will fail the conspiracy and continue in the path of development," the ministry concluded.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 02:39:31|Editor: yan

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ATHENS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The 8 billion euros (9.6 billion US dollars) redevelopment project of Athens' former airport Hellinikon has moved a step closer to reality in 2018, media reported Tuesday.

The draft presidential decree on the investment plan was submitted for approval to the Council of State, Greece's supreme administrative court, Greek news agency AMNA reported.

"Due to the importance of the plan, the court's president Nikolaos Sakellarios forwarded it straight to the plenum for discussion," the report said.

Authorities and experts consider the plan to create a metropolitan park and develop real estate on the seaside site of the former airport as a key plan to help restore growth in the ailing economy.

The airport closed before the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

According to a survey by the Athens-based Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research, the redevelopment of derelict buildings and their surroundings into a park and residential area would create 70,000 jobs and boost Greek GDP by some 1.5 percent over the next two decades.

Greek government officials have expressed confidence that the final stages of the process in the Council of State will roll out quickly and by June 2018, bulldozers will start digging at the site.

"Works will begin by summer 2018. An emblematic investment begins, and it will not be the only one," Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tweeted recently.
A picture of the Tor-M2DT autonomous short-range anti-aircraft missile system is posted on the website of the Russian Defense Ministry.

MOSCOW, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Russian troops in the country's far north and the Arctic will be equipped with the Tor-M2DT autonomous short-range anti-aircraft missile system in 2018, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.

The decision was announced by Alexander Leonov, Chief of the Russian Land Force's Air Defense Lieutenant.

The Tor-M2DT system adapted to severe climatic conditions is intended to operate at extremely low temperature and difficult terrain, the ministry statement read.

Russia is strengthening defense forces in the Arctic as it has stepped up efforts to exploit resources in the region and explore a polar shipping route.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 02:59:34|Editor: yan

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KAMPALA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) on Tuesday lauded China's ban on ivory trade as a major milestone step.

UWA Executive Director Andrew Seguya told Xinhua that China's decision will go a long way in the conservation and protection of the African elephants.

"We are very grateful that the Chinese government has found in its heart to stop trading in this commodity," said Seguya.

"It gives us a lot of hope for elephants of Uganda, elephants of Africa and elephants of the world. So we congratulate the Chinese government for that decision," he said.

The doors to the ivory trade in China closed on Dec. 31, 2017, as it became illegal to process or sell ivory and its products in China.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the population of African elephants declined by 111,000 over the past 10 years. The overall trends in the poaching of African elephants show a decline from the 2011 peak, but are still at levels too high when viewed continent-wide.

China's State Forestry Administration has said that by honoring its commitment to ending commercial processing and sales of ivory by the end of 2017, China has sent a "new year gift to the elephant".

Chinese government figures show that the move will affect 34 processing enterprises and 143 designated trading venues, with all of them to close, in the world's once largest ivory market.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 03:04:36|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Egypt paid about 30 billion U.S. dollars of its financial dues and foreign debts in 2017 and the country is committed to further pay over 12 billion dollars in 2018, official MENA news agency reported on Tuesday.

"The paid off amount involves bonds and foreign debts to international banks including the African Export-Import Bank, deposits and loans from countries including Saudi Arabia, Libya and Turkey, in addition commitments by government bodies and dues to the Paris Club," MENA quoted an official source from the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) as saying.

CBE Governor Tarek Amer said in early October last year that Egypt had paid 17 billion dollars of its foreign debts since the country floated its local currency in November 2016 to face dollar shortage, noting that Egypt plans to pay another 8 billion dollars before the end of 2017.

Egypt's foreign debts rose by about 42 percent to reach 79 billion dollars in the 2016-17 fiscal year that ended late last June, compared with 55.8 billion dollars a year ago.

Going through economic hardship over the past few years of political turmoil and relevant security challenges, Egypt started last year a strict three-year economic reform program including austerity measures, energy subsidy cuts and tax increases, besides local currency floatation, which all led to nationwide price hikes.

Egypt's reform program is encouraged by a 12-billion-dollar loan from the International Monetary Fund, half of which has already been delivered to the most populous Arab country.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 03:14:39|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's National Election Authority (NEA) will announce on Jan. 8 the timetable for the 2018 presidential elections, the authority said in a press conference on Tuesday.

"A panel was also formed to receive requests from local and international NGOs that are willing to oversee the electoral process," said NEA spokesman Mahmoud al-Sherif.

He said that the announcement will be made in a press conference in Cairo during which "all information pertaining to the process in terms of timing and procedures will be disclosed."

The NEA spokesman noted that the maximum electoral publicity for each candidate in the first electoral round is limited to 20 million Egyptian pounds (about 1.1 million U.S. dollars).

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi took office in mid-2014, a year after he led the ouster of his Islamist predecessor Mohammed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against Morsi's one-year rule and his now-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group.

Sisi said in November, 2017 that the 2018 presidential elections will be held in March or April as scheduled, stressing that he will not seek to change the constitutional limit of two four-year presidential terms, thus ruling out a third presidential term for himself after a possible second one.

Although he has yet to formally announce his candidacy for the 2018 election, Sisi is widely expected to do so and to earn a landslide victory due to the absence of competitive challengers in the presidential bid.

A pro-Sisi campaign said last December that it collected over 12 million signatures of Egyptians, more than 11 percent of the population, supporting Sisi to run for a second presidential term.

Egyptian rights and opposition lawyer Khaled Ali announced in November last year his intention to join the presidential race. However, there is a possibility for Ali's disqualification as he had received a suspended three-month jail term earlier in September over an obscene hand gesture he reportedly made after winning a court order challenging the government.

On the other hand, former air force commander and former prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, who fled Egypt after narrowly losing to Morsi in the 2012 elections, announced from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) his intention to run for president.

However, Shafiq then came back from the UAE to Egypt in early December and said he will reconsider his bid for Egypt's presidency.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 03:19:41|Editor: yan

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LAGOS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday condemned in strongest terms the senseless attacks during the new year celebration, which caused numerous deaths and injuries among civilians.

In a statement reaching Xinhua in Lagos, the country's economic hub, the Nigerian leader described the incidents as reprehensible and unacceptable.

In northern Kaduna state, unknown gunmen in the early hours of Monday killed a traditional ruler in Sanga area of the state and his wife.

Similarly, unknown gunmen on Jan. 1 killed at least 16 persons, including women and children, who were on their way back from the New Year cross-over church service in Omoku area of oil rich Rivers State.

On his part, Samuel Ortom, the governor of central north Benue, said herdsmen had killed up to 50 persons between Monday and Tuesday in Guma and Logo areas of the state.

Buhari directed law enforcement agencies in both states to intensify their current efforts in order to speedily bring the perpetrators to face the wrath of the law.

The president appealed to the communities affected not to embark on reprisal attacks.

He enjoined them to allow the security agencies to carry out comprehensive investigations to properly punish the culprits.

Buhari commiserated with the families of the victims and wished the injured faster recovery.
Dayton, Ohio, Jan. 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dayton, OH: The 804 Building, centrally-located in the heart of downtown Dayton, Ohio, is dedicated to offering a unique and exceptional environment in which to conduct business, both for resident companies that call The 804 home and clients temporarily utilizing the meeting and event spaces to host professional gatherings. Recently, the safe money strategists at Safe Money Partners found a home in The 804, where their commitment to improving the lives of clients meshes perfectly with the ideals espoused by The 804 owners, Jeff Mohlman and Doug Eastham.

The 804 started as a warehouse, but has since been repurposed, initially with the intent of turning it into an urban indoor storage facility. However, co-owners Mohlman and Eastham soon saw that this beautiful, historical building had much more to offer, and the old bones of the classic architecture became the foundation for an idea, one that revolved around creating unique and dynamic work spaces to serve the growing Tech Town community.

From this dream arose a truly inspiring establishment, one in which local businesses could take up permanent residence, area businesses could host meetings and events, and a social and professional atmosphere could be fostered. The result was a newly reimagined version of The 804, complete with commercial and office spaces. The updated retro atmosphere quickly drew a diverse array of tenants, including everything from financial and real estate services to a restaurant, coffee shop, bar, club, and vape store. This, in turn, has made for a one-of-a-kind meeting and event space for businesses looking to invigorate and inspire employees, business partners, clients, and more.

Safe Money Partners is just one of the many like-minded businesses that has chosen to partner with The 804, exemplifying the ideals of quality and community that make this downtown building so extraordinary. Positioned at the crossroads of America, surrounded by a growing tech industry, The 804 could easily have fallen to progress. Instead, it has been preserved and granted a second chance to serve the local community.

Safe Money Partners is a valued member of The 804 family, specializing in final expense life insurance and offering over 50 years of combined experience in multiple financial planning disciplines. This business helps clients plan for the future, protect themselves and their loved ones, and gain peace of mind, making them a great fit for The 804.

With space available for resident businesses, customizable meeting and event venues, and a relaxing and inviting social atmosphere, The 804 has become a gem of the downtown revival, serving the community in new and exciting ways.

About The 804: The 804 Building started as a warehouse that co-owners Jeff Mohlman and Doug Eastham intended to transform into a storage facility. With the growth of nearby Tech Town, however, they realized the potential to create a unique business center and event venue. Today, The 804 tenants include financial groups, food services, and real estate offices, among others, and the venue provides off-site meeting spaces catering to all levels of businesses and events.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 03:44:45|Editor: yan

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LUSAKA, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's Foreign Minister Harry Kalaba on Tuesday announced his resignation from government, citing failure to tackle corruption.

In a post on his Facebook page, Kalaba said he could not continue in government and watch those expected to end corruption in the forefront of looting public resources.

"I have just dropped my resignation letter as foreign affairs minister with President Edgar Lungu - a position I have cherished and held for over four years," he added.

He said he will remain as Member of Parliament of the ruling party.

On Monday, he posted another statement on his Facebook page where he denounced the rising tide of corruption experienced in 2017, a statement that has riled some members of the ruling party, with some calling for his resignation.

However, presidential spokesperson Amos Chanda told local media that State House had not yet received the resignation letter.

He becomes the third minister to leave President Edgar Lungu's government after the firing of two other ministers.

Last week, Lungu fired Minister of National Development Planning Lucky Mulusa. Former Minister of Information and Broadcasting Corporation Chishimba Kambwili was fired in November last year.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 04:44:56|Editor: yan

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RABAT, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's top tourist destination Marrakech closed 2017 with a record number of 2.5 million tourists, which increased 20 percent compared with 2016, local media reported on Tuesday.

The city registered 7 million nights spent for tourism purpose, up 18 percent from 2016, reported financial news site Medias24.com, citing the spokesperson of Marrakech regional tourism center Abdellatif Abouricha.

The number of tourists increased significantly in November and December of 2017, reaching its peak on the New Year's Eve as all hotels in the city were packed, the same source noted.

German tourists rose by 56 percent in the country's top tourist hub, and French visitors with 19 percent growth, followed by Spanish, Scandinavian and local tourists.

This performance was due in part to the increase in the number of flights to the "Red City," a nickname of Marrakech, which grew from 245 flights weekly in 2016 to 361 in 2017.

Marrakech expects the growth to continue in 2018 to attract some 2.7 million tourists.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 05:10:01|Editor: Yamei

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David Davis (Xinhua file photo)

LONDON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Brexit minister David Davis said Tuesday negotiators in Brussels cannot cherry pick terms of a new trade deal with Britain.

Looking ahead to developments in 2018, Davis said his objective is that services can be traded across borders, from highly regulated sectors like financial services to modern ones such as artificial intelligence.

"Given the strength and breadth of our links, a deal which took in some areas of our economic relationship but not others would be, in the favored phrase of EU diplomats, cherry picking," Davis wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

In terms of scope, the final deal should, amongst other things, cover goods, agriculture and services, including financial services, and be supported by continued intelligent cooperation in highly-regulated areas such as transportation, energy and data, he wrote.

But Davis admitted that negotiations between both sides will continue this year to generate the "thunder and lightning" seen in 2017.

In his new year message Davis spelt out what the coming months will bring as Westminster and Brussels start talks on a new relationship between the UK and the EU.

Davis said he understood people saying that the first responsibility for proposing solutions to the conundrums presented by Brexit lie on the British side.

"But that does not mean that the process should be all one way. In my experience, the world sees Brexit as a European issue, not solely a British one," he added,

The negotiations about the future will not be straightforward, said Davis.

"They will generate the same public thunder and lightning that we have seen in the past year. But I believe they will be successful, because the future of the Europe continent is best served by strong and successful relationships," he wrote.

Davis acknowledged that people wanted to know more about Britain's future relationship with the EU.

He said: "The thirst for knowledge should not blind us from the areas where established positions already exist. Brexit will allow us to take control of our borders, our money and our laws. We will use the opportunity of an independent trade policy to strike deals with other countries from around the world.

"Our approach is simple: we are looking at the full sweep of economic cooperation that currently exists and determining how that can be maintained with the minimum additional barriers or friction, while returning control to the UK Parliament."

Davis added that with enough determination and flexibility a successful outcome can be found, without threatening the EU's most important priority, the integrity of the European single market.
In this artwork, hair follicles grow radially out of spherical skin organoids, which contain concentric epidermal and dermal layers (central structure). Skin organoids self-assemble and spontaneously generate many of the progenitor cells observed during normal development, including cells expressing the protein GATA3 in the hair follicles and epidermis (red). (Credit: Jiyoon Lee and Karl R. Koehler)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- American scientists have cultured the skin tissue with hairs in a laboratory, using stem cells from mice.

The study, published on Tuesday in Cell Reports, said it lent a clue to the better understanding of hair growth and a new possibility for drug testing.

The study showed that a single skin organoid unit developed in culture can give rise to both the upper and lower layers of skin, and the two layers grew together to allow hair follicles from which the hairs grew to form as they would in a mouse's body.

Karl Koehler, author of the paper and a researcher at the Indiana University School of Medicine, described the tissue like "a little ball of pocket lint that floats around in the culture medium."

"The skin develops as a spherical cyst, and then the hair follicles grow outward in all directions, like dandelion seeds," Koehler said.

Researchers said that the skin grew a variety of hair follicle types similar to those present naturally on the coat of a mouse. It consisted of three or four different types of dermal cells and four types of epidermal cells, making a diverse combination that more closely mimics mouse skin than previously developed skin tissues.

They learnt that the epidermis grew to take the rounded shape of a cyst, then the dermal cells wrapped themselves around these cysts. But when this process was disrupted, hair follicles never appeared.

"It's very important that the cells develop together at an early stage to properly form skin and hair follicles," Koehler said.

None of the previously cultured skin tissues were capable of hair growth.

The rounded shape of the tissue, however, prevented the hairs from shedding and regenerating as the hair follicles grew into the dermal cysts.

Koehler's team believed, once the hair follicles found a way to complete their natural cycle in the culture medium, the organoids were looking to offer more possibilities for medicine and be used as a blueprint to generate human skin organoids.

"It could be potentially a superior model for testing drugs, or looking at things like the development of skin cancers," Koehler said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 05:45:08|Editor: yan

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KIRKUK, Iraq, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen shot dead an official of a Turkoman party in the ethnically mixed city of Kirkuk in northern Iraq on Tuesday, a security source said.

The attack occurred in the evening at a marketplace in al-Askari district when armed men opened fire on Alaa al-Din al-Salihi, head of branch of the Turkoman Front in the district, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

Hassan Turan, deputy head of the front which is an umbrella for several Turkoman parties, told reporters that Salihi's assassination is part of a series of attacks that targeted the Turkoman minority and their front's headquarters.

"The attacks during the past days also targeted the Turkoman districts in Kirkuk by mortar rounds," Turan said.

The ethnically mixed city of Kirkuk, some 250 km north of Baghdad, is part of the disputed areas between the central government and the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan.

Disagreements between Baghdad and the Kurdish region have been high for years, as the ethnic Kurds consider the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk and parts of Nineveh, Diyala and Salahudin provinces as disputed areas and want them to be incorporated into their region, a move fiercely opposed by the Arabs and Turkomans and by Baghdad government.

In mid-October, the Iraqi federal security forces took control of Kirkuk province, including its oil oilfields and military bases, after the withdrawal of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

Since then, the city witnessed attacks by gunmen against the Iraqi forces and civilians from time to time, while the western and southern part of the oil-rich Kirkuk province have been witnessing attacks by remnants of Islamic State militants.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 05:55:10|Editor: yan

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UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- The president of the UN Security Council for January said Tuesday that the Council will focus attention on three spotlights, namely non-proliferation, Afghanistan and Central Asia, and the Middle East.

Kairat Umarov, the permanent representative of Kazakhstan to the UN and also president of the Security Council for January, told a press conference that the Council will hold a high-level briefing on the agenda item of non-proliferation and confidence building measures on Jan. 18.

"We expect some heads of state, ministers to attend the briefing," he said, adding that the briefing will be addressed by President of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"Today we should pay more attention to the building of trust and confidence among political leaders and among countries," he said, adding that without this, "none of the issues will be solved. This is what today's world is lacking."

Umarov also said that UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will address the Council on non-proliferation issue on Jan. 18.

Speaking of Afghanistan and Central Asia, Umarov said that Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, Kairat Abdrakhmanov, will preside over the ministerial-level debate on Jan. 19 on building partnerships between Afghanistan and Central Asia, hoping to build a model "to link security and development."

"We should look at the conflict areas from new perspective. When we are working on security, development should go hand in hand. Then we can create a sustainable security, and a sustainable peace," he said.

On Jan. 25, the Council will discuss the situation the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue, he noted.

According to the agenda of the Council for January, Council members will be following closely developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Council is also expected to adopt a resolution renewing sanctions in the Central African Republic (CAR) and the mandate of the Panel of Experts assisting the 2127 CAR Sanctions Committee.

The Council will also be updated on the situation in South America and Europe in January. On Cyprus, the Council will be briefed in consultations on developments and the latest report on UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus and is expected to renew the mandate of UNFICYP for another six months.

Over the month, Council members will likely follow closely developments in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Myanmar, Ukraine and Yemen, and other meetings may be scheduled, he said.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 06:00:11|Editor: yan

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PARIS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron and his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani have decided to postpone a visit to Tehran by the French foreign minister, the Elysee Palace announced on Tuesday evening.

Macron and Rouhani held a telephone conversation on Tuesday, which was scheduled before the protests in Iran in recent days, said the president's office in a press release.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was scheduled to travel to Tehran on Friday to prepare for a planned visit of Macron, which would be the first visit by a French president to Iran since 1976.

The press release said that the two leaders decided "by mutual agreement" that Le Drian's visit would be delayed, but it did not specify any reason.

"A new date will be fixed by diplomatic channel. Exchanges between Paris and Tehran will continue in the coming weeks," said the press release.

The phone call allowed Macron to "expressed his concern about the number of victims" in the unrest in Iran and "urged his counterpart to restrain," according to the press release.

It also underlined that "fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and demonstration, must be respected."

In their talks, Macron and Rouhani also exchanged views on the 2015 nuclear agreement, peace processes in Iran and Syria, as well as the anti-terrorism fight, it added.

At least eight people were killed as protests against the government's economic policies continued in major cities in Iran over the past days.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 06:25:14|Editor: yan

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LISBON, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa vetoed on Tuesday the amendments to the law on the financing of political parties, according to a statement posted on the website of the president.

The statement said that Rebelo de Sousa decided to return, without promulgation, the draft of the parliament concerning party financing, "based on the absence of publicly scrutinizing the change introduced in the mode of financing of political parties."

The presidential veto obliges the parliamentarians to two options: either change the amendments to overcome the doubts of the head of state or confirm the law with a broad majority of two-thirds in the parliament, it said.

Rebelo de Sousa proposed on Dec. 27 that Prime Minister Antonio Costa and his fellow parliamentarians seek prior approval from the Constitutional Court (TC) before putting new party finance rules into law.

The president was presented with the draft on Dec. 22, one day after it was approved by the parliament in an electronic vote. The Central Social Democratic-Popular Party (CDS-PP) and the PAN (People Animals and Nature Party) voted against the draft law, objecting to the fundraising amendment.

According to the draft law, there will no longer be an upper limit on how much money a party can collect through fundraising initiatives. Furthermore, VAT will be waived on all political party activities.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 06:30:16|Editor: yan

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ATHENS, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) Prime Minister Zoran Zaev voiced optimism on Tuesday wrapping up a visit to Greece that the two neighboring countries will reach during 2018 a solution on the name dispute which divides them for over two decades, Greek national news agency AMNA reported.

"For our part, we are ready for a substantial and true engagement into resolving the name issue in the first six months of this year. I am convinced that it is possible to find a solution, but of course it is also necessary to encounter readiness from the other side," Zaev said, according to AMNA.

Zaev said he chose to spend the New Year holidays in the port city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece to send a message that politicians should open closed doors in order for citizens to communicate and cooperate better between them and abandon prejudices, according to the report.

FYROM's Premier was a guest of Thessaloniki Mayor Yannis Boutaris since Saturday, but both sides refrained from making statements to local media, underlining that the visit was private.

According to an-emailed Press statement from the office of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Tuesday the two premiers exchanged wishes for a Happy New Year during a telephone conversation.

Athens and Skopje are at odds over the use of the name of Macedonia since Greece's northern neighbor broke away from Yugoslavia in 1991.

Macedonia is the name of a northern province in Greece and Athens is worried that the use of the same name by the neighboring state could lead to territorial claims.

Following a government change at Skopje in 2017 the climate of cooperation between the two sides for resolving the name issue has improved, fueling optimism for an end to the dispute.

The name row can be resolved during 2018, UN mediator Matthew Nimetz said a few weeks ago in Brussels.
Source: Xinhua| 2018-01-03 06:35:17|Editor: yan

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HELSINKI, Jan. 2 (Xinhua) -- Unusually mild weather and heavy rains this winter have given Finnish environmental officials a sampling of what negative impact the warmer climate may have on agriculture and the water protection career, Finnish national broadcaster Yle said on Tuesday.

Markku Puustinen, an agriculture specialist at the Finnish Environmental Center, told Yle that the situation in southern Finland is now "uncontrollable" and seriously undermines the efforts to block agricultural nutrients from flowing into waterways.

In Finland, hundreds of millions of euros are spent each year on concrete water protection measures. They include the construction of protective lanes and artificial wetland between waterways and agricultural land. If the current situation continues, much of the investment is in vain.

In normal winters, fields should be frozen and covered with snow in Finland, but now fields in southern Finland are wet and barren. Soil and nutrients get washed away to rivers and lakes and will next summer enhance the eutrophication phenomenon.

This winter has witnessed unusually heavy rains, with rivers running at high water levels and thus increasing the flow of nutrients to lakes and to the Baltic Sea.

In the measuring station of Nuuksio, near Helsinki, the total amount of rainfall in 2017 was 944 millimeters, while the figure is 700 millimeters in a normal year. Experts said the level of nutrients for the summer 2018 algae growth will double.

Besides the environmental impact, the situation affects farming directly. It makes ineffective the spending on artificial fertilizers. The fact that fields do not get frozen enhances the growth of fungi.

Farmers try to solve the problem by changing the cycle of breeds. Farmer Joonas Juuso told Yle an oat field will be used for hay now.

Finnish experts are envisioning new ways of preventing the fertilizers from going "down the drain". Seppo Knuuttila, a special researcher at the Finnish Environmental Center, told Yle that instead of focusing on circular economy, the effort should be in conserving nutrients, water and also reducing the area of land used for cultivation.
BERKELEY, Calif. and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BriaCell Therapeutics Corp. ("BriaCell") (TSX-V:BCT) (OTCQB:BCTXF), an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company with a proprietary targeted immunotherapy technology, announced that it will be attending Biotech Showcase 2018. The conference will be held January 8-10, 2018 at Hilton San Francisco Union Square (333 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102). Dr. Saeid Babaei, BriaCells Chairman of the Board, and Dr. Bill Williams, BriaCells President & CEO, will be available for one-on-one meetings from January 8 to January 11, 2018 in San Francisco.



To arrange a one-on-one meeting with BriaCells Management and the Board in San Francisco, please kindly contact:

Farrah Dean

Manager, Corporate Development

Email: farrah@BriaCell.com

Phone: 1-888-485-6340

An updated presentation will be available for download at http://briacell.com/investor-relations/presentations/.

About Biotech Showcase

Biotech Showcase is an investor and networking conference that provides private and public biotechnology and life sciences companies with an opportunity to present to, and meet with, investors and pharmaceutical executives in one place during the course of one of the industry's largest annual healthcare investor conferences. Investors and biopharmaceutical executives from around the world gather in San Francisco during this bellwether week which sets the tone for the coming year.

In addition to biopharmaceutical and life science company executives, Biotech Showcase delegates include investors in private and public companies, sector analysts, bankers and industry professionals. For more information on Biotech Showcase 2018, please visit https://ebdgroup.knect365.com/biotech-showcase/.

About BriaCell

BriaCell is an immuno-oncology focused biotechnology company developing a targeted and safe approach to the management of cancer. Immunotherapy has come to the forefront of the fight against cancer, harnessing the body's own immune system in recognizing and selectively destroying cancer cells while sparing normal ones. Immunotherapy, in addition to generally being more targeted and less toxic than commonly used types of chemotherapy, is also thought to be a potent approach with the potential to prevent cancer recurrence.

Bria-IMT (SV-BR-1-GM), the Company's lead product candidate, is derived from a breast cancer cell line genetically engineered to release granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a substance that activates the immune system by allowing the body to recognize and eliminate cancerous cells by inducing tumor-directed T cell and potentially antibody responses.

The results of two previous proof-of-concept clinical trials (one with the precursor cell line not genetically engineered to produce GM-CSF and one with Bria-IMT) produced encouraging results in patients with advanced breast cancer. Most notably, one patient with metastatic breast cancer responded to Bria-IMT with substantial reduction in tumor burden including breast, lung, soft tissue and brain metastases. The company is currently conducting a Phase I/IIa clinical trial for Bria-IMT in patients with advanced breast cancer. This trial is listed in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03066947. The trial is being conducted along with the co-development of BriaDX, the Companys companion diagnostic test. The interim data for the first 10 patients is expected by the first quarter of 2018. Additionally, the FDA recently approved the roll-over combination study of Bria-IMT with pembrolizumab [Keytruda; manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.] or ipilimumab [Yervoy; manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company] for patients previously treated with Bria-IMT in the Companys ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical trial in advanced breast cancer. The roll-over trial is listed in ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03328026.

BriaCell is also developing Bria-OTS, an off-the-shelf personalized Immunotherapy. Bria-OTS consists of 14 individually pre-manufactured genetic alleles. BriaCells BriaDX companion diagnostic reveals a patients specific HLA-types and the 2 best matching alleles are administered to the patient. BriaCells 14 alleles (8 Class I and 6 Class II) cover approximately 90% of the Breast Cancer population while eliminating the complex manufacturing logistics required for other personalized immunotherapies. Bria-OTS is a personalized therapy without the need for personalized manufacturing.

BriaCell is also developing novel, selective protein kinase C delta (PKC) inhibitors. PKC inhibitors have shown activity in a number of pre-clinical models of RAS genes transformed cancers including breast, pancreatic, non-small cell lung cancer and neuroendocrine tumors (such as carcinoid tumors).

For additional information on BriaCell, please visit our website: http://briacell.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation which involves known and unknown risks relevant to the Company in particular and to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in general, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. These risks are more fully described in the Company's public filings available at www.sedar.com.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact Information

For further information, please contact:

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp.:

Farrah Dean

Manager, Corporate Development

Email: farrah@BriaCell.com

Phone: 1-888-485-6340
Islamabad: Pakistan's Opposition leader Imran Khan was on Tuesday granted bail by an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in cases of attack on the state-run Pakistan Television headquarters building in 2014.

Reacting to the news, Khan referred a dialogue from the Bollywood movie 'My name is Khan' with Shah Rukh Khan in the lead and posted on Twitter, "My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist. Moreover, the SC has pronounced me Sadiq and Ameen and I am coming after them crooks."

My name is Khan and I am not a terrorist. Moreover, the SC has pronounced me Sadiq and Ameen and I am coming after them crooks!  Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) January 2, 2018

The chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is accused of inciting violence and attack on the PTV building and police during a 104-days anti-government protest.

The ATC judge Shahrukh Arjumand approved Khan's anticipatory bail plea after hearing the arguments of the defence and the prosecution, a court official said, PTI reported.

In August 2014, Khan's supporters and ally the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) allegedly attacked properties in Islamabad's Red Zone, including those of state institutions.

Khan is also accused of attacking a police officer, Senior Superintendent of Police Asmatullah Junejo.

Following the court's order, Khan also took the opportunity to attack the ousted Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif and "lack of transparency".

"Nawaz Sharif could not have withstood half of the scrutiny that I went through," he told reporters, referring to the trial against him in the Supreme Court in which he was acquitted in 2016.

"There are cases against me because I am holding them (Sharifs) accountable," Khan said, adding "I have never stolen anything in my life."

In November 2017, Khan had surrendered before the ATC in four cases regarding the sit-ins after the court ordered to confiscate his movable and immovable assets. In December 2017, the PTI chief had moved the court for the cases to be transferred to a civil court, but his plea was turned down.

After his surrender, the court withdrew Khan's arrest warrants and granted pre-arrest interim bail.

(With PTI inputs)
PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is currently lodged in Ranchi's Bisra Munda jail, has planned to launch an agitation, which will be announced on January 6.

Lalu's followers, who visited him at Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi, said the former Bihar chief minister has chalked out a plan to take on his opponents.

Lalu is lodged in jail after a special CBI court found him guilty of financial embezzlement in the notorious 970-crore fodder scam. The quantum of punishment will be announced on January 3.

He has already been convicted in another fodder scam case four years ago and spent two months in jail before being given bail.

The RJD chief is unlikely to be present in the court during his sentencing, informed his son and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav.

RJD, after the conviction of Lalu Prasad Yadav, is in fix for its next leader.

Commenting on the issue, Tejashwi Yadav said, "I have seen it all, but one has to accept the challenges and shoulder the responsibilities."

"Opponents think Lalu Yadav is finished after going to jail. They are hugely mistaken. People of Bihar are outraged, they will give a strong reply to this. Lalu ji would have been Raja Harishchandra for BJP if he had allied with them," Tejashwi said in a reference to Nitish Kumar.

Meanwhile, there was low-key New Year celebration at Lalu's residence.

The green colour iron gates of 10 Circular Road remained closed. None of the RJD activists and supporters who thronged the residence of former Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi could get in.

A Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, Bhai Virender, said there was no question of any celebration in Lalu Prasad`s absence.

According to Lalu Prasad`s staff, only a few RJD leaders were allowed into the house. They met Rabri Devi and their sons Tej Pratap Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav.

Rabri Devi told the media that her family was not celebrating New Year as Lalu Prasad was not in Patna. "I have greeted the people on this occasion."

Normally, Lalu Prasad used to tell security personnel to open the main gate on New Year day for people to meet him. In his inimitable style, he would gift a red rose to Rabri Devi.
The Indian Institutes of Management Bill, 2017 was passed by the Rajya Sabha recently. It was passed in the Lok Sabha in July 2017. A historic move in the field of education!

The Bill has taken some much-awaited and much-needed measures for giving more autonomy to the 20 IIMs in the country. It grants the status of national importance to these institutions and restricts the role of government in their functioning. It gives the IIMs the power to grant degrees to their students, making them at par with their global counterparts.

There is much to be celebrated, but is this enough? How come even after over five decades of existence only one IIM, i.e., IIM Ahmedabad, is in the top 50 of the QS Global MBA Rankings 2018? Will this Bill be able to take it higher to the top 20 at least? Will this be able to get more IIMs in the top 20 rankings in the near future? Sadly, the answer is a 'no'.

What this Bill does is to stop something that was clipping the wings of IIMs. It does not enable them to fly higher.

As an alumna of IIM, as an ardent believer in the power of education, and as someone with immense faith in the potential of such institutions, I have a few suggestions to make. It could be considered as a New Year Wish List. Hope it is heard by someone and not remains only a wish.

As much as a written examination is important to gauge the academic skill-sets of a student at the time of selection, other parameters too need to be evaluated for shortlisting candidates. IIMs currently give some weightage to group discussion and interview skills, however, they are not enough. What works in real-life after a student steps out of college, is what should be evaluated. There are many bright students who may not be quick at solving quantitative aptitude or logical reasoning questions, but they can have a logical and mathematical bent of mind. Also, not all students will be experts at English grammar or comprehension skills. However, they could be good at overall communication, which is what is important in practical life. The current system gives proportionately higher weightage to the written examination.

In addition to this criterion, IIMs can look at a student's overall academic records, or his extra-curricular activities, or personality, or aptitude for learning, or passion for striving for the best, or entrepreneurial bent of mind, or, in fact, even the desire for conducting research in future. The point is only the ability to solve certain mathematical or English language questions cannot and should not gauge the ability of a student to get through IIMs. To be fair, this malaise is deep-rooted in the Indian education system, and IIMs are no exception.

What intrigues me is how freshers are expected to study for a management degree. The best MBA institutes across the world take people with some experience to study management. I did so and was better placed to understand some of the concepts taught to me. I still wonder how a fresher could have related to them. Their world-view is usually different from the ground reality.

The same holds true for the faculty. There are some amazing professors at IIMs and some of them are very dedicated to their profession. However, many of them lack industry experience and are not well-conversant with the changing world outside. The government can contribute to faculty development programmes by sponsoring their trainings. The IIMs too need to make efforts to attract the best talent. Teaching should be given monetary incentives at par with the standards set by private companies. Teaching as a profession has to be made lucrative and sustainable.

Industry leaders or alumni can be encouraged to teach. They may not want to invest the time and effort in academic formalities that come with teaching, but they can be given assistants who can help them. People who are out in the industry know what is required to excel.

Curriculum development is another area that is a sore point. Ask any alumni how much of what they studied in classroom are they using in their practical experience, and their answers may be disheartening. Certain concepts that were taught years back, are still there in the books. May we ask why? How many teachers are talking about bitcoins, artificial intelligence, virtual reality, electronic vehicles, or cyber security in their classes? Are they even a part of the curriculum? Are the teachers equipped to teach such subjects? Industry leaders and even ex-students can pitch in to make the curriculum more relevant.

Related to this is the pedagogy. Why are we still confined to the four walls of the classroom? What about e-learning? In fact, a blended learning approach is the best way forward. Why are we restricted to only Indian teachers for a particular institute? The Internet has made the world a smaller and more efficient place. Why are we not using the best of brains from across the world who can take virtual classes?

Since ages, paper-based subjective question system is being used to evaluate the performance of a future manager. Just because a student can reproduce certain theoretical concepts taught in the class, does it qualify him to a good manager? Do real-life managers need only this skill-set? In fact, many times, remembering the theories is not even important. Online search engines have made this task redundant to an extent. A potential manager can be evaluated for personality development, quality of classroom interactions, feedback from the industry where he may have interned, and extra-curricular activities in addition to the theoretical knowledge and its application. Moreover, the evaluation should not be based on one examination, but be continuous to check for a steady growth.

The government and the IIMs need to incentivise research even in areas that are considered risky. Programmes need to be designed to think beyond the conventional areas of specialisation like finance, marketing or strategy. The world is full of possibilities and all it requires is someone to make them a reality through research.

Education is not a one-time activity. We all are learning all the time. The IIMs must strive to attract their alumni not only as teachers, but also as students again to re-learn certain concepts and to enrich themselves with the experience of their batchmates. Short-term courses can be designed keeping such students in mind. There can be an open-source learning system where everybody contributes not for marks, but for the sheer joy of learning and spreading education.

The government must be lauded for giving the IIMs more autonomy, but its responsibility doesn't end there. Both, IIMs themselves and the government need to work in tandem to make IIMs the best in the world - a place that not only Indian students eye, but students from across the world too. People like me are always ready to pitch in and our numbers are not small. Anybody listening?

(Shobhika Puri is a freelance writer)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)
Danish English

Release no. 1/2018

With acceptance from all 238 shareholders in iStone AB, representing 100% of the share capital, Columbus A/S completes the previously announced acquisition of 100% of the shares in Swedish iStone AB, a leading provider of business applications and e-commerce solutions in Sweden and Norway (cf. release no. 23/2017 of 30 November 2017).

All conditions in the offer have been fulfilled, and the closing procedure has been completed. Columbus and iStone will therefore now start the integration of the two companies.

We are very pleased to be able to welcome iStones employees to Columbus. iStone and Columbus are a perfect match both businesswise and culturally, and together we can create even more value for our customers and reach our strategic business goals, says CEO & President in Columbus, Thomas Honore.

The acquisition of iStone is a game changer for Columbus, which in one stroke has increased revenue by 50% and is completely in line with Columbus vision of becoming a global strategic partner leading customers in the digital transformation of their business.

Strengthened market position

With the acquisition of iStone, Columbus has almost 2,000 employees globally and hereby expands its global footprint, and at the same time becomes market leading in the Nordic region.

As a supplement to Columbus expertise within business applications and IT services, iStone contributes with deep expertise within e-commerce and a broader ERP business. With a common industry focus on manufacturing, food, retail and distribution companies, Columbus will also offer a complete solution portfolio to customers globally.

Besides the common industry focus, iStone comes with a market leading position within ERP solutions for the Swedish manufacturing industry. Combined with Columbus complete industry solution portfolio for manufacturing companies it opens new opportunities for creating further value for iStones existing and new customers.

Integration will be initiated

The integration of iStone and Columbus will take place gradually over the coming years. In the first phase iStone will continue its daily operation and will be working on new business opportunities together with Columbus.

Columbus expects to be able to implement similar initiatives in iStone as done in Columbus during the previous years which resulted in increased earnings capacity in Columbus. The EBITDA margin in iStone is therefore expected to increase over the coming years.

iStone will operate under the name iStone a Columbus company.

Ib Kune

Chairman

Columbus A/S

Thomas Honore

CEO & President

Columbus A/S Contact for further information

Thomas Honore, T: +45 70 20 50 00.
More than being careful about indulgences between Christmas and New Year, one actually needs to be watchful of overconsumption between New Year and Christmas. Applying that axiom to political understanding, all those instantaneous outpourings on TTV Dhinakaran's triumph at the RK Nagar by-elections - analysis, discussions, tweets, status messages, trolls and so on - can be overlooked as unhealthy chatter of the Christmas- New Year week. But before embarking on the New Year and start enduring discussions on Rajinikanth's political plunge, one needs to understand Dhinakaran's electoral victory, which is being fashionably decried as a 'shame' by the elite.

As the rhetoric went, it was 'money, money and nothing else' and that it was the murder of democracy by the people of RK Nagar. Self-styled champions of democracy across the intellectual spectrum, from news media to politics to social media, through their erudition and eloquence, also created a general impression that Dhinakaran was the most unworthy of the candidates in the fray and that the people would not have touched him with a barge pole but the cash-for-vote transaction. Perching themselves at a moral high ground, they spoke as though money was being given to voters for the first time in RK Nagar.

Well, this belated attempt to elucidate that money alone did not swing the electoral fortunes at RK Nagar in December 2017, when everyone else is animatedly figuring out the prospects of Rajnikanth in Tamil Nadu politics, is definitely not to justify or glorify Dhinakaran's feat of polling 89,013 votes, which is 40,707 votes more than the runner-up, AIADMK's E Madhusudhanan. This is to drive home the point that singular factors like money or star power or film popularity alone cannot bring success in politics.

To have a real hang of RK Nagar elections, some myths need to be busted. One is the popular assumption that Dhinakaran is a political novice and another is that people invariably voted for symbols or parties and not for candidates.

Dhinakaran has been in active politics, even if he has not been under the limelight, for at least two decades, serving a term in Rajya Sabha (2004-10) and contesting two Lok Sabha elections from Periyakulam, winning in 1999 and coming runner-up in 2004.

It was during his tenure as MP he was entrusted with the task of ensuring the victory of J Jayalalithaa in the by-election from Andipatti Assembly constituency in 2003.

That Andipatti by-election happened much before the legendary Thirumangalam by-election of 2009, which the DMK took as a prestige affair and it ultimately gave political pundits the term 'Thirumangalam formula' to refer to the cash-for-vote transaction.

In 2003, Jayalalithaa's victory was paramount for her to remain as Chief Minister and Dhinakaran mobilized the voters of Andipatti at the household level. That was the time when documentary identification was made mandatory for exercising the franchise and the AIADMK ensured that all voters had at least a bank passbook, which was one of the accepted documents. Dhinakaran devised and executed the entire strategy by understanding the social dynamics and also establishing a personal rapport with the local people.

When he went to RK Nagar, 14 years and many elections later, in April 2017 to conquer it under the AIADMK banner, he did not have the advantages of Andipatti, which being a segment of his Periyakulam Lok Sabha constituency was a familiar ground.

Yet, he overcame the handicap by reaching out to the local people, and worked at the ground level even after the elections were cancelled in April. He had been a guest at several weddings and a mourner at almost every funeral at RK Nagar in the past eight months, thus endearing himself with the local people and also interacting with them.

The local people, too, started liking him. Even if they cannot be credited with the genius and political acumen of the man after whom the constituency has been named (Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan), they are not naive enough to not see through the series of games that were played against him.

For those who are not aware of the roadblocks that Dhinakaran faced, the first one was the freezing of AIADMK's 'two leaves' symbol as there was an alleged split in the party. Then, the election was cancelled when it looked that the popularity of 'hat', the symbol that was given to the EPS faction of AIADMK in April, was surging.

Then the Election Commission was procrastinating on calling for the re-election, which was finally done a few days after the 'two leaves' symbol was given back to the party whose two factions had merged but after expelling Dhinakaran. Once again, the 'hat' symbol was denied because he had familiarized himself with that symbol and 'pressure cooker' was given instead.

In those repeated bids to prevent Dhinakaran from capturing the RK Nagar, and the different splits engineered in the AIADMK, the people saw the invisible hand of the BJP. That the BJP is highly unpopular in RK Nagar was evident from the results - its candidate, Karu Nagarajan, garnered 1417 votes, as against the NOTA score of 2,373.

So, it can be inferred that the people, particularly those from the minority communities preferred Dhinakaran because he openly spoke against the BJP, which the other two major candidates, Madhusudhanan and DMK's Marudhu Ganesh refrained from doing.

If the DMK could just get 24,651 votes and lose the deposit, it was because many of the traditional DMK supporters saw no possibility of a political change in the state by sending Marudhu Ganesh to the Assembly.

Also, a rumour was spread that the DMK was all set to join hands with the BJP, which gained credence with Prime Minister Narendra Modi suddenly calling on DMK chief M Karunanidhi. So they voted for Dhinakaran hoping that he would bring down the present government, under Edappadi K Palaniswami, which they suspect to be a stooge of the BJP.

Despite all these factors, if those who pointed fingers at 'money' got away with that, it was because the news media was flush with reports of cash distribution in RK Nagar. But no one could exactly pinpoint as to which party was distributing cash.

Some reports said that it was the AIADMK that excelled in cash distribution in December. Whatever it was, cash distribution during elections precedes even the 2009 Thirumangalam by-election. For those with short memory, Rajinikanth himself had acknowledged the existence of the cash phenomenon, way back in 1996. In his historic speech - was it not a political plunge? - mobilizing people against J Jayalalaithaa, he urged his followers to take money from whoever gives them but vote only for the DMK-led alliance.

So, it is preposterous to suggest that the people, who have been seeing cash flow whenever there was an election, fell for a few currency notes with no political aspirations of their own and elected Dhinakaran. They probably found in him an ideal candidate, who is undoubtedly the most flamboyant, affable and articulate among the top notch lot.

Well, that may bring the obvious question: 'did they not know of his and his family's precedents, the court cases and so on?' Perhaps they did, but they knew more about the other two top candidates, who are local politicians. They too have precedents that the 'national' media might not have taken note, but the voters would definitely have.

For all you know, Dhinakaran invoked hopes among the RK Nagar voters of ushering in a change in the state's political order.

Yes, it is a lesson for Rajnikanth, who too promises change in the political order. As Dhinakaran is accused of possessing piles of cash, Rajnikanth has cartloads of charm and personal charisma. But that popularity alone will not convert to votes.

He needs to reach out to the people as a politician, understand their political aspirations and win over their confidence as a potential leader, just as Dhinakaran did to win just one by-election.



(G Babu Jayakumar is a senior journalist based in Chennai.)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)
New Delhi: SS Rajamouli gave us not just a historic masterpiece in Baahubali I and II but also a new obsession called Prabhas. The actor from South became a nation's heartthrob in no time and ever since Baahubali 2 came out, there has been no looking back for Prabhas.

Now, the actor, who is currently shooting for Saaho opposite Shraddha Kapoor will apparently be seen in a romantic Bollywood film soon. According to BollywoodLife.com, Prabhas has been quoted as saying in an interview, I watch a lot of Hindi films. I live in Hyderabad, where 60 percent of the people speak Hindi. I am getting good offers from Bollywood. I had okayed a script three years ago. It is a love story that I will do post Saaho.

I made a good association with Karan Johar. If I want anything, I think I can ask him. He has helped us a lot. In fact, I met some actors (from Bollywood) in Karans house. They were all very chilled out, said he.

Who knows we might see Prabhas in an out-and-out commercial Bollywood masala potboiler? Well, as of now no official word has been made about the upcoming project.

'Saaho' stars Prabhas and Shraddha in the lead and the film is being helmed by Sujeeth. The trilingual venture is being shot simultaneously in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi respectively. It also stars Neil Nitin Mukesh and Jackie Shroff in pivotal parts.

The film will hit the screens this year.
New Delhi: The proposed US Bill -- Protect and Grow American Jobs  suggesting tweaks in H-1B visa, the most sought after among Indian IT professionals, may see huge deportation.

As per media reports, if the proposal gets approved, it can cause an estimated deportation of 500,000-750,000 H-1B visa holders. The Bill has been passed by the House Judiciary Committee and is now headed for the US Senate.

The bill proposes new restrictions to prevent abuse and misuse of H-1B visas. It tightens the definition of visa- dependent companies, 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.

The Bill proposes to raise the minimum wage substantially to about USD 100,000 if the company has to be exempted from the labour certification requirements.

The software services provider will have to notify the US authorities if the client has displaced a worker, an obligation that is unprecedented.

Software body Nasscom has cautioned that the Bill is riddled with "onerous conditions" and places "unprecedented obligations" on both Indian IT companies and clients using H-1B visas.

"We do not know the exact timeline but we have been told it will come up early 2018," R Chandrashekhar, President, National Association for Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) has 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.
New Delhi: The investigation arm of the Revenue Department has sent notices under the GST anti- profiteering law to three entities, including retail shopping outlet Lifestyle International, for allegedly not passing benefit of cost reduction to consumers.

The Directorate General of Safeguards (DGS), entrusted to investigate the cases of profiteering under the new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, had last week served notices to franchisee of McDonald's family restaurant -- Hardcastle Restaurant.

Besides, based on complaint filed by a departmental store, the DGS has also sent notices to Sharma Trading Company for not reducing price of a body lotion variant of 'Vaseline'.

The authority has given time till January 12 to these entities to file their reply to the notice stating whether they admit that the benefit of reduction in tax rate or input tax credit has not been passed on to consumers by way of commensurate reduction in prices.

These entities have been asked to submit copies of balance sheet, profit and loss account of 2016-17, GST returns for July-September and details of invoice wise outward taxable supplies, price list prior to and post November 15, 2017, according to the notices posted on DGS website.

With effect from November 15, 2017, the government had reduced prices of over 170 goods and services.

As per the notice, an individual has complained to the Standing Committee that Lifestyle International Pvt Ltd, Mahagun Mall, Vaishali, Ghaziabad, has "not fully passed on the reduction in rate of tax" from 28 per cent to 18 per cent on Maybelline FIT Me Foundation.

In the application against Hardcastle Restaurants Pvt Ltd in Mumbai, a consumer has complained that the restaurant has charged the same price for 'McCafe Regular Latte' pre and post the GST rate reduction. GST rate on restaurants were lowered from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

Besides, a departmental store has complained that Sharma Trading Company has not passed on the benefit of GST rate reduction to 18 per cent from 28 per cent on 'Vaseline VTM 400 ml'.

The recent notices by the DGS is in addition to two more sent to 2 entities last month.

On December 15, 2017, the DGS had sent notices to UP- based Vrandavanesharee Automotive Pvt Ltd, authorised dealer of Honda Cars, for not passing on tax reduction benefits under GST.

Besides, it had received 36 complaints against real estate Pyramid Infratech based in Gurugram, Haryana, for not passing on benefits of cost reduction post GST roll out.

As per the structure of the anti-profiteering mechanism in the GST regime, complaints of local nature will be first sent to the state-level 'screening committee' while those of national level will be marked for the 'Standing Committee'.

If the complaints have merit, the respective committees would refer the cases for further investigation to the Directorate General of Safeguards (DGS). The DG Safeguards would generally take about three months to complete the investigation and send the report to the anti-profiteering Authority.

If the Authority finds that a company has not passed on GST benefits, it will either direct the entity to pass on the benefits to consumers or if the beneficiary cannot be identified will ask the company to transfer the amount to the 'consumer welfare fund' within a specified timeline.

The authority will have the power to cancel registration of any entity or business if it fails to pass on to consumers the benefit of lower taxes under the GST regime, but it would probably be the last step against any violator.

According to the anti profiteering rules, the authority will suggest return of the undue profit earned from not passing on the reduction in tax to consumers along with an 18 per cent interest as also impose penalty.
New Delhi: Union minister Shiv Pratap Shukla on Tuesday said no proposal regarding merger of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) is under consideration of the government.

However, the government has put in place an approval framework for proposals to amalgamate nationalised banks, the Minister of State for Finance said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

The Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Acts of 1970 and 1980 provide that the central government, in consultation with RBI, may make a scheme for amalgamation of any nationalised bank with any other nationalised bank or any other banking institution, he said.

To facilitate consolidation in the public sector banking space, the Cabinet in August gave in-principle approval for PSBs to amalgamate through an Alternative Mechanism (AM).

Subsequently in November, a panel under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was set up to examine proposals from banks for in-principle approval to formulate schemes of amalgamation.

A report on the proposals cleared by it will be sent to the Cabinet every three months.

Last year, five associates and Bharatiya Mahila Bank merged with State Bank of India (SBI), catapulting the country's largest lender to among the top 50 banks in the world.

With the merger, SBI joined the league of top 50 banks globally in terms of assets. The total customer base of the bank will reach 37 crore with a branch network of around 24,000 and nearly 59,000 ATMs across the country.

The merged entity began with deposit base of more than Rs 26 lakh crore and advances level of Rs 18.50 lakh crore.
New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said the government has entered into an unchartered territory as far as bankruptcy and insolvency Code is concerned and would continue to modify the law dealing with the issue.

"Insolvency and bankruptcy is an area in which it is only in the recent years that we have chartered into. It is a learning experience," the Minister said while winding up a debate on the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code Amendment Bill, which was later approved by the Rajya Sabha through a voice vote.

The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 2017 Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha last week.

The government, Jaitley said, has been encountering situations which were not anticipated earlier and assured the House that it would continue to take corrective action.

The bill seeks to replace an ordinance which was promulgated in November to prevent unscrupulous persons from misusing or vitiating the provisions of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).

The ineligible persons or entities will include undischarged insolvent, wilful defaulter and those whose accounts have been classified as non-performing asset.

These persons, however, can become "eligible to submit a resolution plan" if they clear all the overdue amounts with interest and other charges relating to their NPA accounts.

Those defaulters who had participated in the insolvency proceedings before November 23 can also bid for stressed assets provided they clear their dues in a month.

Responding to the concerns of the members, he said the whole effort was to make banking sector robust and detach it from politics.

"You need a strong banking system ...You need banks which are able to lend money to large industries, to infrastrucute projects, to small industry, for educational loans. ...It is all part of the economy that you need a robust banking system," he said.

Jaitley said during the insolvency process, banks and unsecured creditors will have to take some haircut and if the same management comes back, nothing would change.

The objective of the bill is to allow creditors to move to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in case of insolvency.

"We have now started that resoltuion process ...There are several hundereds of them and almost more than 500 have been disposed of. Creditors are using these procedures," the Minister said.

He said large pending cases are broadly in two categories - one with large assets, functional plants and factories and the other are either trading companies or EPC companies with little assets.

Jaitley said as far as asset-owning companies are concerned, fetching the best prices is the target and any bid which is not viable can be rejected. It is for creditors to decide how much haircuts they want, he said.

Earlier, the Opposition had asked the government to identify willful defaulters of bank loans.

Former Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram while initiating the debate on the bill supported it but pointed to various clauses which according to him would deter Indian companies from participating in the process.

"I think one should have been a little more rigorous in the exclusion clauses. One should have kept exclusion to a very, very small number which definitely must be excluded. But I am afraid by making the clauses so broad, so over-inclusive, practically everybody in the financial world is likely to be excluded," Chidambaram said.

He said a major concern was lack of a bidder for a company as a 'going concern'.

BJP's Bhupender Yadav while supprting the bill said over 500 aplications for insolvency have been filed with the NCLT.

Naresh Aggarwal (SP) asked the government to throw light on insolvency professional and also asked if the bill would help in checking the NPAs of banks.

A Navaneethakrishnan of AIDMK supported the bill, saying agri loans and educational loans should be excluded from the purview of NPAs. Sukhendu Shekhar Roy (TMC) said there was a need to identify willful defaulters of bad loans.

Attacking the government for being non-serious on recovery of non-performing assets (NPAs) that are estimated to have touched Rs 10 lakh crore, D Raja (CPI) sought to know "why the government is afraid of corporate companies" and not publishing the names of defaulters.

Jairam Ramesh (Cong) raised concern about lenders taking "big haircuts" or discounts on claim value of NPAs and asked if this is going to be a "norm".
New Delhi: Salil S Parekh to formally took over as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director (MD) of Infosys on Tuesday.

A master of Engineering degrees holder in Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, and a Bachelor of Technology degree holder in Aeronautical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, Salil S Parekh replaces U B Pravin Rao, who had earlier replaced Vishal Sikka as the interim CEO and Managing Director.

Parekh was one of Capgemini`s five deputy CEOs and was responsible for a clutch of businesses that reportedly accounted for 45 percent of the company`s revenue.

Earlier in December, IT major Infosys had announced the appointment of Salil S Parekh as CEO and MD, effective from January 2, 2018.

The Bengaluru-headquartered company had been searching for a new CEO since August this year after Vishal Sikka quit amid turmoil in the company. It had formed a Nomination and Remuneration Committee chaired by Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw to search for the CEO.

Sikka resigned from Infosys after a prolonged battle between the Board and the company founders leading to the return of Nilekani, a company co-founder, at the helm in August.

Nilekani, himself one of Infosys` seven founders and a former CEO, was named chair in August in a victory for the founders, who led by Narayana Murthy have waged an acrimonious battle with the board for months over alleged corporate governance lapses.
NEW DELHI: The national capital on the first day of this year came to a standstill as over 2.5 lakh pedestrians gathered at the India Gate to celebrate the occasion. In addition, the heavy movement of motorists choked all routes to central and other parts of Delhi.

Traffic was thrown out of gear as the number of people emerging from the centre of the city was seven times of what was estimated, according to an official statement released by the traffic police on Monday evening.India Gate kept trending on social media sites, such as Twitter, with commuters taking to the platform to troll the police for not being able to control the menace. Following this, all routes leading to India Gate had to be shut.

The traffic police also started issuing alerts on social media platforms.

"The total number of pedestrians who reached Rajpath must be around 2.5 lakh. It was seven times of what was expected. Due to the crowd around Rajpath, movement of cars was blocked," said Depender Pathak, special CP (traffic).

Key roads such as Akshardham, ITO, DND, Ashram, towards Film City, and Sector 18 flyover in Noida towards Mall of India, had traffic inching very slowly throughout the day. The situation worsened in the afternoon as more people stepped out to enjoy January 1, after the fog settled a bit.

Massive traffic jams around Delhi's India Gate area. pic.twitter.com/D8sOsZgxIZ  ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018

"It was a most harrowing first day. I started from Mandi House to reach Connaught Place but got stuck in traffic for around two hours. It was unprecedented," said Nitika Vats, a banker by profession.

What added to commuters' woes in south Delhi was closing down of Lajpat Nagar flyover, a busy and key route connecting NCR towns, for repair after huge cracks appeared on it earlier this week.

Delhi: Huge rush at India Gate on #NewYear2018. Police say almost 1 lakh visitors are present in the area. pic.twitter.com/9UuCtfgFCq  ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2018

All the arterial and key roads of the Capital witnessed hour-long jams as new year revellers got out on the cold Monday afternoon. Roads along religious establishments were jammed as well as scores of people visited these places throughout the day, starting early morning, to mark the new beginnings.

With most offices closed for the day and schools, too, having winter vacations, families visited tourist places such as India Gate and different malls in the city and the National Capital Region, leading to slow vehicular movement.

Traffic crawled at Chattarpur Mandir and Sai Mandir due to a gathering of devotees. Also, vehicles moved bumper to bumper on both carriageways of Bhairon Marg due to a gathering of people near Pragati Maidan and those visiting the Delhi Zoo.

In northwest Delhi, there was heavy traffic on the Netaji Subhash Marg, due to the gathering of devotees near the Gauri Shankar temple. There was obstruction of traffic in the carriageway from the Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar towards Alipur (service road) due to the bursting of a water pipeline.

"It was a crazy traffic everywhere across the city on Tuesday. It took me three hours to reach Mehrauli from Lajpat Nagar. The Delhi traffic police should have been prepared to handle the crowd. But no such arrangements were made," said Sandeep Bali, RWA, Mehrauli

"Traffic on Akshardham was extremely bad. The scenario was no different when we entered Noida. There was a long queue of cars towards Mall of India and it took us more than 30 minutes to cover a distance of 2 kms. There was no one manning the traffic. The police must have anticipated the situation," said Brig Girish Gogia (retd).

"It took me two hours to get to Connaught Place, as all the routes to the place were choked. This was unimaginable on a New Year day. There were no arrangements in place to manage this kind of traffic in the Capital city." Shikha Singh, a commuter.

Mondays traffic was worst the Delhi NCR saw in years. To travel from South Delhi to Noida, it took us more than two hours. The worst part was that traffic cops could not be spotted.

"Delhi Police had been claiming to ensure smooth traffic, which certainly did not happen," Avernita Srivastava, Dean, at an educational institute.
New Delhi: The country's onion production is estimated to decline by 4.5 percent to 21.4 million tonnes in the current 2017-18 crop year due to lower acreage, as per the agriculture ministry data released on Tuesday.

The country had harvested 22.4 million tonnes in the last 2016-17 crop year (July-June), the ministry said in a statement.

As per the ministry's first advance estimate, area sown to onion remained lower at 1.19 million hectare in the current year as against 1.30 million hectare in the last year.

To ensure sufficient domestic supplies and curb price rise, the government has imposed the minimum export price (MEP) of USD 850 per tonne, which would be applicable on shipments of the commodity till January 20.

Among other key vegetables, production of tomato and potato are likely to be better than last year.

As per the initial data, potato production is estimated at 49.3 million tonnes in 2017-18 compared to the actual output of 48.6 million tonnes in 2016-17.

Similarly, tomato production in the current year is likely to be around 22.3 million tonnes as against 20.7 million tonnes in 2016-17, an increase of 7.7 percent.

Total vegetable production is expected to to be around 180.68 million tonnes this year compared to 178.17 million tonnes last year.

Among fruits, mango output is pegged higher at 20.7 million tonnes in the current year on higher yields as against 19.5 million tonnes in the last year.

Banana output is, however, expected to drop slightly to 30.2 million tonnes in 2017-18 from 30.47 million tonnes previous year.

Total fruit output is estimated to increase to 94.88 million tonnes in the current crop year from 92.9 million tonnes in the last year.

In case of plantation crops like coconut and cashew nut, total production is likely to remain flat at 18 million tonnes for 2017-18 crop year as against 17.97 million tonnes.

In case of spices, the total output is pegged at 8.16 million tonnes this year as against 8.12 million tonnes last year.

Total horticulture production of the country is estimated to be at an impressive level of 305.4 million tonnes during 2017-18, which is 1.6 per cent higher than the previous year and 8 per cent higher than the past five years' average production.
New Delhi: The Ministry of Railways is set to approach the Cabinet to clear two semi-high speed projects. The ministry will soon submit the proposal for cabinet clearance.

The ambitious Rs 18,000 crore project for increasing train speeds on the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah rail corridors has already got the Niti Aayog's approval.

he mega project is meant to bring about a paradigm shift in rail operations enabling trains to run at 160 km per hour on the busiest routes on the Indian railway network.

Aiming at reducing travel time between the three metropolises, the project envisages fencing off the entire 3,000 kms on both routes, upgradation of signalling system, elimination of all level crossings and installing train protection warning system (TPWS), among other works to make trains run at an increased speed of 160 kmh.

The 1,483-km long New Delhi-Mumbai rail route will also include the Baroda-Ahmedabad sector, and is estimated to cost Rs 11,189 crore.

The 1,525-km long New Delhi-Howrah route, which also includes the Kanpur-Lucknow section, is estimated to cost Rs 6,974 crore.

Railways is also working on eight other semi-high-speed routes at present. These include the 244-km Delhi-Chandigarh corridor, for which French major SNCF has submitted a feasibility report.

Russian Railways is working on a feasibility-cum-implementation study of 575-km Nagpur-Secunderabad corridor and similarly the Chennai-Kazipet and Mysuru-Bengaluru-Chennai routes are also being planned with German collaboration.
New York, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PHI Group, Inc., (www.phiglobal.com ) (OTCQB: PHIL), a company focused on mergers and acquisitions and investments in natural resources, energy, agriculture and special situations, announced today that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a Romanian company to build an industrial park, clean energy power plant and greenhouse facilities for organic agriculture and medicinal plants in Transylvania, Romania.

According to the MOU, PHI Group and the Romanian joint venture partner will enter into a definitive agreement to consummate this transaction by the end of January 2018. PHI Group is committed to building a 50-MW gas-fired power plant, a minimum of 10 hectares of greenhouses for organic farming and medicinal plants, and an industrial park together with manufacturing and healthcare facilities.

The Company intends to finance this project through one of the sub-funds to be set up in Luxembourg during the first quarter of 2018 and may also utilize additional financing from certain European banks. Further details will be disclosed after the signing of the definitive agreement.

Transylvania region is rich in mineral resources, including gold, copper, natural gas, salt, and sulphur. Stock raising, agriculture, wine production and fruit growing are important occupations. Agriculture is widespread in the Transylvania Plateau, including growing cereals, vegetables, viticulture and breeding cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry.  

Henry Fahman, Chairman and CEO of PHI Group, Inc., stated: We are excited to work with our Romanian joint venture partner on these projects and believe the Luxembourg bank fund structure can be a very useful financing mechanism to support these kinds of investments. In addition, we have also received favorable indication of interest from certain European banks.

Horace Horumba, President of PHI Group Eastern Europe, concurred: We are pleased to engage in these operations, whereby we can take advantage of the geographical rich land resources in a prosperous partnership process with the local authorities and local businesses communities. Our focus is one hundred percent (100%) renewable energy and green technologies implementation towards our technological production facilities. Horace added:  We believe whole-heartedly in investing into sustainable green developments which will pay great dividends for the local communities and ensure a prosperous future for our immediate and long term plans.

About PHI Group

PHI Group (www.phiglobal.com) primarily focuses on mergers and acquisitions and invests in select industries and special situations that may substantially enhance shareholder value. PHI Group also provides M&A and consulting services through its wholly owned subsidiary, PHI Capital Holdings, Inc. (www.phicapitalholdings.com)

Safe Harbor

This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected on the basis of such forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe-harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
In a shocking incident, a man has been arrested in Palwal in Haryana for allegedly killing six people within a span of two hours.

He used an iron rod to kill the people and the incident was caught in a CCTV camera.

The accused, believed to be a retired Army jawan, first killed a woman on the second floor of Palwal hospital. The woman was an attendant of a patient undergoing treatment in the hospital.

Following this, he walked out of the hospital and killed four people who he met on his way while escaping.

He was arrested from Adarsh Nagar area of Palwal. According to reports, he tried to confront the cops who went to arrest him. However, the cops retaliated and managed to arrest him.

The alleged psycho killer suffered injuries during the arrest and was taken to Palwal Civil Hospital for treatment. He was then referred to a hospital in Faridabad for further treatment.

Among the deceased are three security guards while the identity of two others is yet to be ascertained. The murders took place between 2 am and 4 am on January 2.

The accused has been identified as Netrapal, who once served in the Indian Army. He is currently employed in the irrigation department. A native of Faridabad, the accused lived in Omaxe City in Palwal.

According to police, there is no clue yet on why he committed the crime but an investigation into the same is on.
NEW DELHI: 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 United States.

"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 U.S. 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.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament has sparked a row by saying the those deputed in Army are bound to die. Responding to a question on the recent attack by terrorists on a CRPF camp, the BJP MP, Nepal Singh, said that theres no country where armymen dont die.

They will die in Army everyday. Tell me one country where army personnel do not die, said the BJP leader.

Apparently upset over the raising of the issue of armymen being killed in terror attacks, Singh said, Even when a scuffle breaks out in a village, someone or the other gets injured. Tell me a medicine that can save lives.

Tell us one thing that can make bullets ineffective, we will get that implemented, he added.

"Ye to roz marenge Army mein, koi aisa desh hai jahan army ka aadmi na marta ho jhagde mein? Gaon mein bhi jhagda hota hai to ek na ek to ghaayal hoga hi! Koi aisi device batao, jisse aadmi na mare? Aisi cheez batao ki goli kaam na kare, use karwa dein" says BJP MP Nepal Singh pic.twitter.com/Tnb0gT0VKr  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

After uproar over his statement, Singh said that he did not insult martyrs. Though he also offered an apology, he maintained that he did not say anything that would insult a martyr.

In a bizarre explanation of his statement, he said that "scientists are working on a device which can save soldiers from bullets".

"Maine ye bola tha ki vaigyanik lage hue hain aur koi device dhoondh rahe hain ki koi goli aaye to lage nahin, sipaahi ka protection ho jaaye (I had said that scientists are working on looking for a device, using which a bullet can be turned ineffective and the soldier be saved)," he said.

This comes even as Union Home Minister assured Rajnath Singh on Monday assured that the sacrifice of jawans would not go in vain and their valour would be given due acknowledgment.

"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.

In a pre-dawn strike on Sunday, at least 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.

Three terrorists were also gunned down by forces during the gunbattle.

One of the terrorists killed was identified as Ali Sozal, a native of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The other two were identified as Fardeen Mohibuddin and Manzoor Ahmed Baba, who hailed from J&K'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.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed a special CBI court order which awarded three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal block allocation scam case.

The court also put a stay on the fine imposed on Koda by the lower court till the next date of hearing.

Koda was sentenced to three years in jail and a fine of Rs 25 lakh was imposed on him by the special CBI court.

The court also granted two months statutory interim bail to Madhu Koda and three others for appealing to the High Court.

The CBI had initially sought the maximum sentence of seven-years jail term against Koda and others convicted in the Jharkhand coal scam. Former coal secretary H C Gupta, former Jharkhand chief secretary Ashok Kumar Basu, Koda's close aide Vijay Joshi, along with the company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL) were also held guilty of corruption and criminal conspiracy.

Koda and others were found guilty of allocating Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to Kolkata-based private company VISUL.

Special Judge Bharat Parashar pronounced the order.

"They are criminals holding the office. Its a classic case of corruption involving high public servants," the CBI told the court.

The eight accused persons were earlier granted bail by the court after they had appeared before it in pursuance to the summons issued against them.

(With agency inputs)
NEW DELHI: The BJP on Monday 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.

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 & console Pak over the snub? https://t.co/or0FHHtjA5  GVL Narasimha Rao (@GVLNRAO) January 1, 2018

His remarks came after President Trump said Pakistan had given the US 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!" the US president 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

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.

(With Agency inputs)
NEW DELHI: More than two lakh doctors are observing a nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday.

The twelve-hour strike, which is in force from 6:00 am-6:00 pm today, is to protest the National Medical Commission Bill, which aims to replace the MCI. With doctors staying off duty, the protest against the new bill has left many patients in the lurch.

Meanwhile, the National Medical Commission bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha today after which the upper house of the Parliament send it to the Standing Committee.

The Standing Committee will submit a report on it in the first week of the budget session.

In Kerala, while the doctors at the state-run medical colleges decided to keep away from the Out Patient Department for an hour from 8:00 am-9:00 am and at the state-run hospitals from 9:00-10:00 am, in many private hospitals the protests would continue till 6:00 pm.

Kerala: Doctors protest outside Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram against National Medical Commission Bill pic.twitter.com/bfnS9TyENV  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

However, the emergency services have not been affected.

To register their protest against the new bill, more than 3,000 doctors from 14 districts staged a dharna in front of the Governor's house in Thiruvananthapuram.

"I was being examined by a doctor and mid way, other doctors came and pulled my doctor away. I am now waiting for the doctor to return. This is very cruel," said a woman at the state-run General Hospital.

Similarly, in Karnataka, hundreds of private hospitals shut their OPDs to protest against the NMC Bill, 2017.

#Visuals from Vivekananda General Hospital in Karnataka's Hubli; OPD services closed from 6 AM till 6 PM today in support of IMA's call for protest against National Medical Commission Bill pic.twitter.com/qrX3yj1b8o  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Most of the private hospitals would not operate their OPDs between 6:00 am-6:00 pm on Tuesday, said President of the Karnataka chapter of IMA HN Ravindra.

Protests were held by doctors in the national capital as well.

Doctors protest against National Medical Commission Bill, in Delhi pic.twitter.com/cSiIbE7yEs  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill was tabled in Parliament on Friday. It will replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) besides allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and Ayurveda, to practice allopathy after completing a bridge course.

The bridge course will be decided upon at a meeting between the proposed National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine.

The draft bill was introduced by Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Lok Sabha on Thursday to replace and subsume the MCI. The NMC Bill, 2017, which was approved by the Union Cabinet on December 18, is to set up a new and transparent system of regulating health care.

"We have been forced to protest as we have no other option," said Indian Medical Association official N Sulphi.

The government, however, maintained that the bill is beneficial for the medical fraternity. Union Health Minister JP Nadda said in Rajya Sabha, "This is beneficial to the medical profession". He also said the talks with the striking doctors were going on. "Talks are on. We have heard them and also presented our views."

The protests come at a time when the Bill might be taken up for discussion in Parliament, later on Tuesday.
NEW DELHI: Amid global backlash and America's decision to snap its $255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, Jamaat-ud Dawa chief and 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed launched an attack on New Delhi on Tuesday.

Saeed claimed that India is behind US President Donald Trump's move to cut the military aid to Pakistan.

This comes after White House declared that it does not plan to send $255 million aid to Pakistan at this time. The statement came after US President Trump tweeted that the country has "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years while getting nothing in return, pledging 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."

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

Following the development, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Kahqan Abbasi convened a high-level security meet, which was attended by top officials of Army and ISI.

Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) recently issued a notification prohibiting the collection of donations by Hafiz Saeed's Jamaat-ud Dawa (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 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.

The New York Times reported on December 29 that US 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.
NEW DELHI: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday called off the nationwide doctors' strike after the National Medical Commission Bill was sent to the standing committee of Parliament.

The twelve-hour strike, which was in force from 6:00 am today, was participated by more than two lakh doctors.

The protest was against the National Medical Commission Bill, which aims to replace the MCI. With doctors staying off duty, the protest against the new bill has left many patients in the lurch.

The National Medical Commission bill was, meanwhile, tabled in the Lok Sabha today after which the upper house of the Parliament send it to the Standing Committee.

The Standing Committee will submit a report on it in the first week of the budget session.

In Kerala, while the doctors at the state-run medical colleges decided to keep away from the Out Patient Department for an hour from 8:00 am-9:00 am and at the state-run hospitals from 9:00-10:00 am, in many private hospitals the protests would continue till 6:00 pm.

However, the emergency services have not been affected.

To register their protest against the new bill, more than 3,000 doctors from 14 districts staged a dharna in front of the Governor's house in Thiruvananthapuram.
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in Uttar Pradesh has said that India is a country only for those following Hindu religion. The BJP MLA, Vikram Saini, said that since the name of the country is Hindustan, it suggests that it belongs to Hindus.

He further said that today everyone gets benefits irrespective of their caste. In an apparent attack on the previous governments, he said that earlier those with the longest beards got the fattest cheques.

Mai kattar Hinduwadi hu. Hamare desh ka naam Hindustan hai, arthaat ye Hinduon ka desh hai. Aaj bina jaati bhed ke sabko samaan roop se laabh milta hai. Ab se pehle jitni lambi dadhi hoti thi, utna lamba cheque milta tha (I am a staunch Hinduwadi. The name of our country is Hindustan, which means it is a country of Hindus. Today people are getting benefits irrespective of their caste. Prior to this, those with the longest beard got the fattest cheques), said Saini.

The statement was made by the BJP leader at a public gathering in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh on Monday.

He further said that some incompetent people once stopped Muslims from leaving the country, because of which we are in trouble today. Had they left India, all the land would have belonged to us, Saini added.

This came as a double embarrassment for the ruling party as a party MP earlier sparked a row saying those deputed in Army are bound to die.

Responding to a question on recent terror attack on CRPF camp in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP MP Nepal Singh said that there is no country where armymen dont die.

They will die in Army everyday. Tell me one country where army personnel do not die, he said.

Apparently upset over the raising of the issue of armymen being killed in terror attacks, Singh said, Even when a scuffle breaks out in a village, someone or the other gets injured. Tell me a medicine that can save lives.

In a pre-dawn strike on Sunday, at least 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.
New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed the ruling party over violence which erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district, saying that RSS andBJP 'fascist vision' wanted to keep Dalits at the bottom of society.

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," the handle of the office of Rahul tweeted.

A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance.  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 2, 2018

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday ordered a judicial inquiry into the violence. "A sitting High Court judge will head the inquiry," Fadnavis said, a day after a youth died as a group, opposed to the celebrations due to the 'British victory' in the battle, clashed with Dalits rallying their way to the battle memorial.

Maharashtra CM @Dev_Fadnavis orders judicial enquiry for #BhimaKoregaon incident.

Also orders a CID enquiry for the death of a youth & an assistance of 10 lakh to his kin.

Strict action will be taken against the all those who are spreading rumours & trying to invoke violence. pic.twitter.com/TvMVVgSWRV  CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 2, 2018

The East India Company had defeated the Peshwa's army in the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district.

He added that Rs ten lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed. The youth's death would be probed by the CID, Fadnavis told reporters.

The CM also appealed for calm and peace, saying Maharashtra is a progressive state which does not believe in casteist violence. Strict action would be taken against those who use social media to spread rumours, he said and appealed to political parties to refrain from saying anything that would fuel tensions.

The violence sparked off protests in various parts of the state on Tuesday, including in Mumbai where protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur.

Meanwhile, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for Maharashtra bandh on Wednesday to protest the state government's 'failure' to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village.

Ambedkar alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence. He said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front, besides 250 organisations, have supported the shutdown.

(With PTI inputs)
Raleigh, NC, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Timeless Cares, a non-profit organization, assists by bringing together businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOS) and individuals to assist both on a local and national level. Based out of Raleigh, NC with branches on the east coast, Timeless Cares helps improve financial literacy, gives grants, local haircuts for the youth, feed the sick and shut in, fundraising cook outs, and disadvantaged widows and children. With a goal of impacting those less fortunate, the Timeless team rallies together to bring as much good to the world as possible. With the holidays arriving the Timeless Cares Team was excited to adopted two families.

Going above and beyond the call of duty Timeless Cares was able to become close with the mother of the first family, the Tomlinsons. With 5 children ranging from 1 to 14 years old, the mother was invited by the Timeless team to join the shopping venture for gifts for the children. The team even made sure that she got a few gifts of her own as well. They paraded around Target for educational gifts, sports, toys, books and even a bike. Not only did the team have fun, but their children offered great advice for the toys and what is popular currently. The evening ended with lots of hugs and laughs from all parties, plus a bunch of pictures and a live stream.

The second family that Timeless Cares adopted was an elderly mother and daughter from Turkey. They didnt speak much English and were more difficult to get in touch with. The Timeless Team purchased gift cards for the family and hand delivered them. They were received by the Faraman family with hugs and gratitude.

Timeless Cares has huge goals for 2018 and what they want to accomplish. Their big focus moving into the first quarter is finalizing their website to include a link to donate as well as an application for those in need locally. The Timeless Team will continue its efforts internationally and is excited about what is in the works for existing and up and coming charities and causes.
New Delhi: Terrorism-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir have reportedly been fewer in the four years of Modi government than in the preceding four years when Manmohan Singh was the country's Prime Minister.

According to official figures accessed by news agency ANI, there were 1218 terrorism-related incidents in the state between 2010 and 2013 but with Bhartiya Janata Party at the centre, there have were 1094 such incidents between 2014 and 2017. The number of terrorists gunned down has, however, seen a rise with 580 being shot dead in the last four years as compared to 471 in the four years before.

J&K Terror Incidents: According to latest official data accessed by ANI there were lesser terror related incidents in BJP govt than UPA govt. BJP (2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017) there were 1094 incidents vs UPA (2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013) there were 1218 incidents.  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Civilian casualty has seen a downward spiral in the last four years. Between 2014 and 2017, 100 civilian deaths in the state - eight less than in the fourt years when UPA was in power.

The Modi government has repeatedly claimed that it has come down hard on terrorism - especially in Jammu and Kashmir. Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently said that the government is looking at finding effective and more permanent solutions to what has become a global menace, and added that Indian forces kill five terrorists daily. "I have told my soldiers deployed at the border not to fire first at Pakistan, but give a fitting reply by firing countless bullets if they fire first. India is no more a weak nation, but a strong country," he had said recently.

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs last month cited four reasons for the fall in terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir - demonetisation, NIA investigation, the killing of top terrorists and the efforts by Kashmir interlocutor Dineshwar Sharma.
NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister (EAM) Sushma Swaraj, will undertake her first visit of the year 2018 to three South East Asian countries - Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore - from 4-8 January.

The visit is aimed at giving further boost to bilateral relations the South East Asian countries within the framework of India's Act East Policy.

"On the first leg of this visit, EAM Swaraj will be in Thailand on 4-5 January. She will hold an official meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand Don Pramudwinai, who will also host a dinner in honour of EAM," the MEA said in a statement.

While in Thailand, Swaraj is expected to discuss bilateral relations, with particular focus on political, defence and economic ties and on further enhancing India's engagement with the ASEAN countries.

Thailand will assume the role of coordinator country for India-ASEAN relations later this year.

During the visit to Indonesia on 5-6 January, EAM Swaraj will co-chair the 5th meeting of India-Indonesia Joint Commission with her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi, who will also host a banquet in the EAM's honour.

The two ministers will also inaugurate the second meeting of ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks.

As the biggest country in the ASEAN region with the largest economy, Indonesia is an important partner for India, including in trade and strategic matters. In recent times, there has been intensive engagement between the two countries bilaterally, as well as plurilaterally.

The Joint Commission meeting and other engagements of EAM will enable the two countries to chart out the course of partnership during the year 2018.

During the last leg of her trip, Swaraj will inaugurate the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) of ASEAN countries on January 7 in Singapore.

The theme of the event is "Ancient Route, New Journey: Diaspora in the Dynamic ASEAN-India Partnership". She will have bilateral meetings with the leaders in Singapore and also interactions with the PIO delegations from ASEAN countries, who are participating in the PBD.

During her trip, the EAM will also share with her interlocutors the relevant information about the forthcoming ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit, which marks 25 years since the establishment of Dialogue Partnership between Indian and ASEAN.
Ujjain/Bhopal: Taking lessons from the Gujarat election results, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Tuesday underlined the need to focus on the tribals and the Dalits in Madhya Pradesh, ahead of the state Assembly polls later this year.

According to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) insiders, Bhagwat, who has been camping in Ujjain since December 30, is likely to discuss both state assembly election this year and parliamentary polls next year with top state leaders of the Sangh.

Over the last four days, the RSS chief has discussed the twin elections with top Sangh functionaries and laid extra emphasis on the need for social harmony in the state.

Talking to representatives of various RSS arms, he said, "Our aim should be to ensure our presence in every section of the society across the state. We have to pay special attention to reaching out to Dalits and tribals."

In the Gujarat election, the the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s victory margin saw a huge dip as compared to the previous election, as the backward castes, Dalits and the tribals had got alienated from the party there.

An RSS leader preferring anonymity said that the ongoing meeting was a national-level camp and only the top functionaries of the Sangh had been invited to attend it.

"The chiefs of intellectual, publicity, communication, services and management wings of the RSS are primarily taking part in this camp. The total number of participants in the meetings is barely 30," he said.

On January 4, Bhagwat will dedicate to people a newly-constructed Bharat Mata Mandir here. He is scheduled to stay in Ujjain till January 5.


Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday said that a request would be made to the Supreme Court for a judicial probe into the Koregaon violence that led to the killing of one youth in Pune.

He further said that an investigation by the CID would be conducted into the death of the youth, announcing a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the kin of the victim.

The incident had occurred on Monday when lakhs of Dalits assembled in Pune to attend an event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon.

During the event, violent clashes erupted between Dalit and Maratha groups, leading to the death of the youth.

More than five lakh people, mainly from the Dalit community, had assembled in Pune this year for the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle, in which British forces had defeated an army of Peshwas on January 1, 1818.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the 'British' victory.

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism occurred at Bhima Koregaon in Shiroor tehsil when people were heading for the war memorial in the village, police said.

A man died in the violence, a top police official told PTI late in the evening. However, his identity and how exactly he died was not known yet, the officer said.

The violence erupted after a local group and some members of the crowd on its way to the memorial had an argument over some issue.

"Stone-pelting started after the argument. During the violence, some vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged," a police officer deployed for security at Bhima Koregaon said without elaborating.

He said the police stopped traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway for sometime following the incident.

The situation in the village is under control now, he said.

"More police personnel, including companies of the State Reserve Police Force, have been deployed," the officer said.

He said mobile phone networks were also blocked for some time to stop circulation of inflammatory messages.

The battle of Bhima Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818. Some Dalit leaders and thinkers view its outcome as a victory of oppressed classes over the upper-caste establishment of those times.

(With agency inputs)
MUMBAI: Amid Dalit protests in parts of Maharashtra, BSP chief Mayawati on Tuesday lashed out at the ruling BJP government blaming them for the Bhima Koregaon violence.

"Yeh jo ghatna ghati hai yeh roki ja sakti thi. Sarkaar ko wahan suraksha ka uchit prabandh karna chahiye tha (The incidents of violence could have been avoided. The government should have made proper security arrangements)," Mayawati told ANI.

The BSP chief, also called a Dalit leader, held RSS responsible for the violence.

"Wahan BJP ki sarkaar hai aur unhone wahan hinsa karayi, lagta hai iske peeche BJP,RSS aur jaati wadi takaton ka haath hai (The BJP government in the state is responsible for the violence. BJP and RSS are likely to be behind it)," she added.

Dalit groups on Tuesday staged protests in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra, resulting in massive traffic snarls, including on the Mumbai-Panvel highway.

A day earlier, violence erupted in the village of Koregaon-Bhima during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Anglo-Maratha War between the Army of Peshwa Bajirao II with a small force of East India Company that comprised a large number of Dalits.

On Monday, hundreds and thousands of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some rightwing groups carrying saffron flags.

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged. The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district. The violence led to the death of Rahul Fatangale, 28, of Nanded.
New Delhi: Popular messaging platform WhatsApp has withdrawn support from certain platforms from December 31. WhatsApp has now stopped working for people using BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Windows Phone 8.0 and older.

WhatsApp has said that it will not work on `Nokia S40` after December 2018. Also, Android OS version 2.3.7 and older will also stop functioning after February 1, 2020.

WhatsApp wrote in a blog, "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 to a newer OS version, or to a newer Android running OS 4.0+, iPhone running iOS 7+, or Windows Phone 8.1+ so that you can continue using WhatsApp."

"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," it added.

WhatsApp said that there is currently no option to transfer your chat history between platforms. However, it will provide the option to send your chat history attached to an email.

The following platforms are no longer supported:
MUMBAI: Continuing its crackdown on unauthorised construction 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.

Commercial establishment owners must assess themselves if they adhere to the Fire Codified Requirements, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said, adding that if they were found non-compliant they would face action.

Demolitions were carried out in Todi Mill and Raghuvanshi Mill areas today, a senior BMC official said.

During the day, civic officials inspected 134 commercial establishments in G, N and E wards and demolished 53 unauthorised structures, the BMC said in a late-night statement. Fifty hookah parlours were sealed, the official said.

From December 29 till yesterday, BMC officials have inspected 615 establishments and demolished illegal constructions or alterations at 355 hotels and pubs.

Fourteen people died in a massive fire at the '1 Above' pub at Kamala Mills on December 29. The BMC has initiated a demolition drive against illegal constructions at hotels and pubs after the tragedy.

The Mumbai fire department is going to install a new software for the monitoring of database of fire rules compliance, a senior civic 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.

The BMC today again appealed owners of commercial establishments to ensure that their premises are fire norms compliant. The owners should assess if their premises comply with the Fire Codified

Requirements on their own or face action, said an official statement.

Besides, municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta asked seven zonal deputy municipal commissioners to conduct inquiries and find out why action was not initiated against illegal alterations/ constructions at commercial structures earlier.

A BMC official said that Mehta expressed anger over the failure to take action promptly.
Mumbai: Traffic on the Eastern Highway here came to a standstill on Tuesday morning after an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district turned violent. Clashes between Dalit and Maratha communities affected not just road movement but also took a toll on local trains on the Harbour Line.

A day earlier, on Monday, one person was beaten to death and several vehicles were torched when members of the Dalit community were allegedly attacked by members of the Maratha community. This was a direct fallout of celebrations of British troops over Peshwa Bajirao IIs forces on January 1 of 1818 in a battle in which Dalit soldiers were part of British forces. As a result, simmering tensions with the Maratha community inflamed.

'Raasta Roko' was attempted at several locations across Mumbai but the biggest impact of the unrest was seen on the Eastern Highway and on Harbour Line. Mumbai police took to Twitter to calm the situation. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.

Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

While Section 144 has been imposed in Chembur and other parts of eastern suburbs, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also said that his government will request the Supreme Court for a judicial inquiry into the clashes during the celebration of 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Pune district.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CWN Mining Acquisition Corporation (the Company) (TSXV:CWN) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced acquisition of a 28.57% interest in the issued and outstanding shares of New Age Developments Ltd. (formerly 2018334 Alberta Ltd.) (the Initial Investment). The Initial Investment constitutes a change of business of the Company from a Tier 2 Mining Issuer to a Tier 2 Investment Issuer (the Change of Business).



Initial Investment

The Initial Investment was completed pursuant to a purchase and subscription agreement (the Agreement) among the Company, New Age Developments Ltd. (New Age) and the former sole shareholder of New Age, Hong Kong Shing Chi City Holdings Limited (HK Holdings). Under the terms of the Agreement, the Company purchased 1,000,000 common shares in the capital of New Age (the New Age Shares) from HK Holdings and subscribed for an additional 100,000 New Age Shares directly from New Age, in each case at $1.00 per New Age Share for an aggregate investment and subscription amount of $1,100,000. The 1,100,000 New Age Shares held by the Company represent 28.57% of the issued and outstanding New Age Shares, with the remaining 2,750,000 being held by HK Holdings.

New Ages sole asset is the land and improvements located at 4401 Macleod Trail, Calgary, Alberta, which is comprised of 35,884 square feet of land and a 939 square foot vacant log structure (the Property). New Age acquired the Property on March 31, 2017 for an aggregate purchase price of $3,750,000, and the New Age Shares issued to the Company under the Agreement are priced at the same valuation. The Company intends to explore the development opportunities for the Property with HK Holdings. As New Age holds no other asset other than the Property, the Company and HK Holdings may also elect to hold their investment in New Age and the Property for long term capital gains.

Name Change and Ticker Symbol Change

The Companys shares are currently halted in connection with the Change of Business, and it is expected that trading will resume on January 3, 2018 at which time the Company will be classified as a Tier 2 Investment Issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange, will change its name to GCC Global Capital Corporation and will trade under a new ticker symbol, GCCC.

Further details regarding the Initial Investment and the Change of Business are included in the Filing Statement of the Company dated November 24, 2017, which is available under the Companys profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval at www.sedar.com.

New Director

The Company is pleased to announce that Mr. Michael G. Wang has joined the Board of Directors of the Company. Mr. Michael Wang has over twenty years of working experience in the financial services and technology sectors. Mr. Wang is currently a Director at Royal Bank of Canada, private banking and wealth management department. Michael and his team provide financial and business advice and structure financial solutions for RBC High Net Worth private banking clients. Prior to the current role, between 2016 and 2017, Mr. Michael Wang was the Managing Director, Head of Corporate banking at China Construction Bank in Toronto. Mr. Michael Wang and his team cover both Canadian and Chinese corporate clients across different industries. Mr. Michael Wang leads the corporate banking department to develop the banks Canadian investment/corporate banking market. From 2006 to 2016, Mr. Michael Wang worked at different positions at Royal Bank of Canada, including RBC Capital Markets and RBC enterprise strategy. Mr. Michael Wang worked in the technology sector in various positions, from engineer to senior management roles, across European, North America and Asian markets. Mr. Michael Wang holds a bachelors degree of Engineering and gained his MBA from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. Michael is a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) charter holder.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information please contact Andrew Liu, Chief Financial Officer at (778) 389-9960.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information set forth in this news release may contain forward-looking statements that involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, certain of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "continue", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "potential", "proposed" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. These statements are only predictions. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Companys plans for its investment in New Age and the Property. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
Mumbai: He climbed seven floors of a burning building thrice to bring down three people on his shoulder. One of the heroes in rescue operations after the tragic Kamala Mills fire that killed 14, Constable Sudarshan Shinde was, on Tuesday, honoured for his valiant and selfless effort.

DD Padsalgikar, Mumbai Police Commissioner, appreciated the bravery shown by Shinde after a blaze that gutted two rooftop restaurants in Kamala Mills on Thursday night.

Nothing can compensate the loss of lives in the #KamlaMillsFire but PC Sudarshan Shindes efforts to evacuate victims & save lives, deserves being commended. Our prayers are always with the grieving families. pic.twitter.com/tEhTYsTnl3  CP Mumbai Police (@CPMumbaiPolice) January 1, 2018

One of the first to reach the spot, Shinde - along with fellow cops from the Worli Police Station and local fire brigade officials - began rescue operations immediately. A photograph showing him with a woman on his shoulders since went viral on social media with people lauding the cop.

Speaking to DNA, he later recounted the horrific sight on top of the building. "When I reached upstairs, everything was burnt and charred. When I reached down, I could hear exploding sounds. Which I feel were of alcohol bottles and gas cylinders. There were several hookahs that added to the intensity of the flames. I could see only one woman coughing. The rest, I believe, may have died of suffocation, he said. The woman was put in an ambulance but she reportedly died en route.

Eyewitnesses however say Shinde continued to battle the inferno and continued to do his best to rescue as many as possible. And he was not alone.

Apart from bravehearts from the Police and Fire Department, there were many others who too threw caution to the wind in their bid to help. Suraj Giri and Mahesh Sable - guards with Times Now channel which has its office in the same building - also jumped right in to help out. "I was at the link room when I saw the fire break out. The regular exit had been blocked, as a lot of cloth that made up the decor for the nightclub caught fire. I then went to another terrace and directed patrons to escape from there," said Sable.

While an inquiry has been ordered into what started the fire and accusations have been flying about illegal permissions being possibly given to the two resto-bars, there are tales of tragedies of 14 families. But that number could have gone up had a handful of heroes not stepped in and stepped up.
Los Angeles: Actor Jessica Alba has welcomed her third child with husband Cash Warren.

The Sin City: A Dame To Kill For star shared the news on Instagram, posting the first photo of her baby boy.

A post shared by Jessica Alba (@jessicaalba) on Jan 1, 2018 at 11:05am PST

"Cash and I feel so blessed. Haven and Honor are already obsessed with their new baby bro," she added.

Alba also has two daughters, nine-year-old Honor and six-year-old Haven, with her husband.

Warren also posted a photo with his newborn son on Instagram and wrote, "Hayes Alba Warren: You sure know how to ring in the new year! You showed up a few days early but we couldn't be any happier. Your Mamma is the strongest woman I know... You're so lucky to have her by your side."

"You have two amazing sisters who already adore you and I know you'll be thankful to have them guide the way. On your first day of life, I promise to love you, to cherish you, and to provide you with a sandbox full of dreams to explore," he added.
New Delhi: Renowned Shayar Anwar Jalalpuri passed away on Tuesday morning in Lucknow, reports suggest He was 71. Jalalpuri was admitted to a medical college in Lucknow since the last four days owing to a brain haemorrhage.

He was an Urdu shayar and had translated the holy Bhagwat Geeta in the language.

According to reports, his last rites will take place in his hometown, Jalalpur.
PUNE: As lakhs of Dalits had assembled in the city on Monday to attend an event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Pune, there were violent clashes between Dalit and Maratha groups, resulting in the death of at least one person and injuries to several.

However, the main event at the Jay-stambh (victory memorial) at Bhima Koregaon was largely peaceful and clashes were reported from neighbouring villages.

More than five lakh people, mainly from the Dalit community, had assembled in Pune this year for the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle, in which British forces had defeated an army of Peshwas on January 1, 1818.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the 'British' victory.

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism occurred at Bhima Koregaon in Shiroor tehsil when people were heading for the war memorial in the village, police said.

A man died in the violence, a top police official told PTI late in the evening. However, his identity and how exactly he died was not known yet, the officer said.

The violence erupted after a local group and some members of the crowd on its way to the memorial had an argument over some issue.

"Stone-pelting started after the argument. During the violence, some vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged," a police officer deployed for security at Bhima Koregaon said without elaborating.

He said the police stopped traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway for sometime following the incident.

The situation in the village is under control now, he said.

"More police personnel, including companies of the State Reserve Police Force, have been deployed," the officer said.

He said mobile phone networks were also blocked for some time to stop circulation of inflammatory messages.

The battle of Bhima Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818. Some Dalit leaders and thinkers view its outcome as a victory of oppressed classes over the upper-caste establishment of those times.

Earlier in the day, dalit leader and independent MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani visited the war memorial in the village. Mevani had also attended `Elgaar Parishad' held in Pune to commemorate the battle yesterday.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale demanded police protection for dalits in the wake of today's violence.

"Dalit groups visiting Bhima Koregaon were stopped at Sanaswadi near Koregaon. Stones were hurled at them. No police force was available for their protection," Athawale said in a statement.

He appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to deploy additional police force in the village and provide protection to the members of local dalit community.

Meanwhile, NCP President Sharad Pawar said that it was known to the authorities that 200th year to Koregaon Bhima war is being completed in 2018, yet no prior arrangements were made by them.

"There was a need to give attention to this event by the government, which unfortunately, they have not been able to do so," Pawar said adding that there might be a conspiracy behind the violent clash.
MUMBAI: The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation on Tuesday suspended all the bus services to several districts in the state in view of the violence during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon in Pune.

The bus services were suspended in Ahmednagar and Aurangabad district of Maharashtra after several buses were vandalised by protesters today in Pune's Hadapsar and Fursungi, said an ANI report.

Pune: Buses vandalised in Hadapsar, Fursungi; all bus services to Ahemadnagar, Aurangabad suspended #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/8ZH7zNsfwD  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Yesterday, several lakhs of Dalits had congregated around the Victory Pillar (Vijay Stambh) erected by the British in Sanaswadi village when suddenly stone pelting started, allegedly by some right-wing groups carrying saffron flags.

In the clashes that ensued between the two groups, more than 30 vehicles, including buses, police vans and private vehicles, were torched or damaged.

The police fired tear gas to control the mobs and prohibitory orders were imposed in the entire Pune district.

Rahul Fatangale, 28, from Nanded was killed in the incident.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said the violence was unfortunate and condemnable.

"I had apprised the chief minister about taking adequate precautions. More care should have been taken. There should be a judicial probe into the incidents of violence. All sections of the society should unitedly and peacefully foil attempts of anti-social elements," Munde tweeted.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar too condemned the incident and blamed the administration for the violence during the event. He also demanded the state government to launch an inquiry into the incident.

"Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died unfortunately. People from political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches," the former Union minister appealed.

Appealing for peace, Pawar said such situations need to be defused patiently by those in political and social spheres without any provocative speeches being made.

Pawar noted that locals in Vadhu village said that right-wing groups in Pune were making proactive speeches against the event three to four days prior to it.
A foreign national from Netherlands jumped to death from a train in Rajasthan. The incident occurred in Sawai Madhopur area of Rajasthan when the foreign national and his friend boarded a wrong train.

The friend of the deceased suffered minor injuries, following which he was rushed to a nearby hospital.

They were supposed to board a train to Agra from Sawai Madhopur but they boarded a wrong train. After realising the same, they jumped off the moving train.
New Delhi: NASA has big plans for 2018. While the space agency already revealed its plans to launch a mission that will 'touch the Sun', it has now made another mission announcement.

NASA has said that its flying observatory Sofia is preparing for its 2018 campaign, which will include, among others, observations of celestial magnetic fields, star-forming regions, comets and Saturns giant moon Titan.

In September 2017, NASA's Cassini mission  a probe to study Saturn and its rings  came to an end after a fruitful duration of 13 years.

This will be the fourth year of full operations for Sofia, short for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, with observations planned between February 2018 and January 2019, NASA said on Friday.

Sofia is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 100-inch diameter telescope. It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Centre, DLR. Scientists believe that the observatorys investigations will help them understand how magnetic fields affect the rate at which interstellar clouds condense to form new stars.

One programme using the observatorys newest instrument, the High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera-Plus, called HAWC+, will help astronomers better understand how energetic, active black holes contribute to the most luminous, distant galaxies, NASA said.

These observations could help them learn whether the luminosity of these active black holes is driven by star formation or accretion of material onto the central black hole. Sofia will also conduct observations to better understand how methane levels change with seasons on Mars.

Another team of researchers is planning to study comet 46P/Wirtanen as it passes close to the Earth, to search for clues in the comets dust that may help better understand the evolution of the early solar system, the US space agency said. Researchers also plan to utilize Sofias mobility to study the atmosphere of Saturns moon Titan by studying its shadow as it passes in front of a star during an eclipse-like event called an occultation.

The American space agency will also be celebrating its 60th year in 2018.

(With IANS inputs)
CHENNAI: The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) continued its crackdown on the rebel TTV Dhinakaran camp by sacking his nine supporters on Tuesday.

Stung by the bypoll defeat, the ruling AIADMK removed nine party supporters of Dhinakaran, who recently took oath as MLA from RK Nagar constituency.

Dhinakaran had recently secured a vigorous win in RK Nagar bypoll by defeating its candidate E Madhusudhanan by a margin of over 40,000 votes.The RK Nagar constituency went to polls on December 21, necessitated by the death of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa in December last year.

Dhinakaran, sidelined by the ruling camp (EPS-OPS) a few months ago, contested the election as an independent candidate on a 'pressure cooker' symbol.

On December 29, the AIADMK had sacked nearly 130 functionaries in Tiruppur, Dharmapuri and Pudukottai districts on charges of bringing disrepute to the party.

Such action was triggered after the partys candidate was defeated in the RK Nagar by-poll.

"At this rate, they need to expel all 1.5 crore AIADMK supporters who are behind us," said Dhinakaran in response to a question on sacking of his supporters.

Those who faced the action included R Samy, a former MLA from Melur in Madurai and a staunch supporter of Dhinakaran.

In a joint statement, O Panneerselvam and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Palanisamy named the functionaries, holding various posts including membership to the powerful decision making General Council and covering the AIADMK units in Madurai, Villupuram, Dharmapuri, Tiruchirappalli and Perambalur among others.

They were being "removed" since they went against the party's principles and brought "disrepute" to the AIADMK, the two leaders said in the statement.

"Party workers are requested not to have any truck with them," Palanisamy, also the Chief Minister, and his deputy Panneerselvam, said in the statement.

Putting up a brave face in wake of the bypoll loss, Palaniswami said action will be taken against those who "betrayed" AIADMK.

"Action will be certainly taken against all those who betrayed AIADMK," he told reporters after a meeting to analyse the defeat.

Panneerselvam, who was also present at the press meet, issued a similar warning.

Palaniswami reaffirmed that the rival camp won due to a "tacit understanding" with the DMK.

He asked how the DMK, which polled about 57,000-odd votes in the 2016 Assembly polls, could get only around 24,000 votes this time.

Former chief minister J Jayalalithaa had won he seat last year, defeating Shimla Muthuchozhan of DMK by about 35,000 votes.
MATHURA: A 35-year-old woman on Tuesday tried to immolate herself inside a police station in Kosikaln town of Mathura district over an alleged delay in the arrest of people accused of raping her, a police official said.

The woman has accused two persons, including a 19-year- old teenager, from the town of raping her last month.

A case was registered on the basis of her complaint, the official said.

The woman has accused the police of laxity in probing the matter and claimed that one of the accused even pressured her to withdraw her complaint.

But inspector Udayvir Singh Malik, in-charge of Kosikalan police station, claimed that the accused were absconding.

Today, the woman reached the police station in Kosikal town and poured kerosene on her body. She then tried to burn herself but she was prevented by police officials.

Police officials said there were doubts over the woman's allegations. However, they said, a probe was on.
In a shocking incident, a woman in Uttar Pradesh sold her 15-day-old child to gather money for the treatment of her ailing husband. She sold her child for a sum of Rs 45,000.

The woman said that she was compelled to sell her baby because she could not afford the treatment of her husband through other means. We did not have adequate funds, the woman told ANI.

The incident took place in Mirganj area of Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh.

#UttarPradesh: Woman sold her 15-day-old baby for Rs 45000 for treatment of her ailing husband in #Bareilly's #Mirganj, says "didn't have adequate funds" pic.twitter.com/HtJMZOtlpz  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2, 2018

While the incident comes as a shocker, this is not the first time that such happening has come to light.

In May 2017, there were reports of a family in Tripura selling their child for as little an amount as Rs 200. They had sold the child to an autorickshaw driver.

The Social Welfare and Social Education Department had taken note of the incident and assured that it was making all efforts to bring the child back to the family.
TORONTO, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Slate Office REIT (TSX:SOT.UN) (the "REIT"), announced today that it has agreed to acquire 20 South Clark Street, located in downtown Chicago, Illinois for a price of US$85.6 million (US$225 per square foot). The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions.



We are excited to acquire a high-quality well-located asset in downtown Chicago that offers such attractive returns, said Scott Antoniak, the REITs Chief Executive Officer. The acquisition of 20 South Clark is a first step in our US expansion strategy. We believe the Chicago market provides ample opportunity for future expansion.

20 South Clark Highlights

379,903 square foot, 31-story, downtown office complex located in Chicago, Illinois.

Prominent location in Chicagos downtown Central Loop submarket, surrounded by the citys legal, government and financial centres.

Unique underground walking access to Chicagos train system, providing a direct link to OHare International Airport, and adjacent buildings.

84% occupied with a weighted average lease term of 5.0 years.

High quality tenants with in-place rents that are ~18% below market.

The acquisition of 20 South Clark is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2018 and purchased using existing balance sheet liquidity and new debt financing.



About Slate Office REIT (TSX:SOT.UN)

Slate Office REIT is an open-ended real estate investment trust. The REIT's portfolio currently comprises 38 strategic and well-located real estate assets located primarily across Canada's major population centres. The REIT is focused on maximizing value through internal organic rental and occupancy growth and strategic acquisitions. Visit slateofficereit.com to learn more.

About Slate Asset Management L.P.

Slate Asset Management L.P. is a leading real estate investment platform with over $4.5 billion in assets under management. Slate is a value-oriented manager and a significant sponsor of all of its private and publicly-traded investment vehicles, which are tailored to the unique goals and objectives of its investors. The firm's careful and selective investment approach creates long-term value with an emphasis on capital preservation and outsized returns. Slate is supported by exceptional people, flexible capital and a proven ability to originate and execute on a wide range of compelling investment opportunities. Visit slateam.com to learn more.

For Further Information

Slate Office REIT

+1 416 644 4264

ir@slateam.com
Passengers travelling on a Hawaiian Airlines flight on the New Year's Eve ended up celebrating the New Year twice.

Flight HAL446 took off from New Zealand's Auckland in 2018 and landed in Hawaii's Honolulu in 2017. Thanks to the different time zones across the globe!

The flight which was scheduled to leave Auckland at 11:55 pm, left at 12:05 am on January 1. Interestingly, it arrived in Honolulu at 10:16 am on December 31.

In between New Zealand and Hawaii lies the international date line and so the former is 23 hours ahead of the later.

Honolulu goes by GMT-10 time while Auckland goes by GMT+13 and this very well explains the 'time travelling'.
Beijing: A day after US President Donald Trump tore into Pakistan for squandering billions of American aid meant to flush out terrorism, China on Tuesday defended Islamabad saying the world community should acknowledge its all-weather ally's 'outstanding contribution' to counter terror.

"Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made an outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter-terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said when asked about Trump's criticism of Pakistan, PTI reported.

He added that China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter-terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

"China and Pakistan are all-weather partners. We stand ready to promote and deepen our all-round cooperation so as to bring benefits to the two sides," Geng said.

China is currently investing heavily in Pakistan as part of the USD 50 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) over which India has raised objections as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan on Monday, Trump had accused it of 'lies and deceit' and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more", he had 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

Afghanistan's Ambassador to the US Hamdullah Mohib had welcomed Trump remarks. "A promising message to Afghans who have suffered at the hands of terrorists based in Pakistan for far too long," he had 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

Meanwhile, during the first-ever trilateral meeting of the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan last week, Beijing had announced plans to extend the CPEC to Afghanistan which shares close ties with India.

Afghanistan also accuses Pakistan of sheltering Taliban militants, leading to a long-running spat between the two countries. China is seeking to mediate between the two neighbours through the trilateral mechanism.

Asked whether Trump's criticism would affect China's efforts to bring peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Geng said "We believe as neighbours China, Pakistan and Afghanistan are closely linked not only geographically but also in terms of common interests. It is natural for us to enhance communication and exchanges".

He said during the December 26 trilateral meet, the three countries "reached a lot of consensus" on cooperation. This included the three nations enhancing cooperation on counter-terrorism and fighting against terrorism in all forms and manifestations.

"The parties will enhance cooperation in this regard," Geng said.

(With PTI inputs)
Colombo: China will invest $1 billion in the construction of three 60-storey buildings at a mega-project near Sri Lanka's main port, Colombo said on Tuesday, as Beijing aims to boost its influence in the Indian Ocean.

The deal follows an earlier Chinese investment of $1.4 billion to carry out reclamation work for the wider Colombo International Financial City development, strategically located next to Sri Lanka's harbour, the only deep sea container port in the region.

The countries hope the project, initiated by former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse, will create a financial centre in the Indian Ocean comparable with those in Singapore and Europe, drawing billions in foreign investment and thousands of jobs.

Sri Lankan officials said 60 per cent of the 269 hectare (672 acre) reclamation, due to finish next year complete with yacht marina, had already been completed.

No completion date was given for the buildings, the first for the development.

"China Harbour (company) will put in $1 billion to build three buildings," Sri Lanka's urban development minister Champika Ranawaka told reporters in the capital.

"These three 60-storey buildings will be able to attract more foreign companies into Sri Lanka."

The controversial project was formally launched after a visit to Colombo by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2014 but work was suspended by the new administration, which came to power in January the following year.

It resumed after the state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) entered into a fresh agreement with the new government in August 2016, despite geopolitical concerns from regional super power India.

Colombo is a key hub for Indian import-export cargo. Beijing has been accused of seeking to develop facilities around the Indian Ocean in a "string of pearls" strategy to counter the rise of its rival and secure its own economic interests.

After protests by New Delhi, Colombo removed freehold rights granted to the Chinese company and offered the land on a 99-year lease instead.
London: Police have arrested more than 450 protesters in the Iranian capital Tehran over the past three days, the deputy provincial governor said on Tuesday, as a crackdown intensified against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Protesters also attacked police stations elsewhere in Iran late into the night on Monday, news agency and social media reports said.

One member of the security forces was reported killed on Monday, bringing to at least 14 the death toll stemming from the boldest challenge to Iran`s clerical leadership since unrest in 2009.

Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehran`s Revolutionary Court, warned protesters on Tuesday that those arrested would face harsh punishment.

The semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Ali Asghar Naserbakht, the deputy governor of Tehran province, as saying that 200 people were arrested on Saturday in Tehran, 150 people on Sunday and about 100 people on Monday.

Hundreds of others have been arrested in other cities, according to agency reports and social media.

Naserbakht said the situation in Tehran was under control and police has not asked for the help of the Revolutionary Guards special forces.

Mehr news agency also quoted a judiciary official as saying that several ringleaders of protests in Karaj, the fourth largest city in Iran, have been arrested.

Ghazanfarabadi said the detainees will be soon put on trial and the ringleaders would face serious charges including "moharebeh" - an Islamic term meaning warring against God - which carries the death penalty.

Iran`s judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani ordered prosecutors on Monday to "punish rioters firmly".

The demonstrations which broke out last week were initially focused on economic hardships and alleged corruption but turned into political rallies.

Anger was soon directed at the clerical leadership that has been in power since the 1979 revolution, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate authority in Irans system of dual clerical and republican rule.

Iran is a major OPEC oil producer and regional power deeply involved in Syria and Iraq as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia.

Many Iranians resent the foreign interventions and want their leaders to create jobs at home, where youth unemployment reached 29 percent last year.

Government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in a news conference that both protesters and the security forces should follow the law.

"People have the rights to protest but there is a difference between demonstration and riot...Even those who are confronting the rioters should act within the framework of law," he said.

Videos on social media on Monday showed an intense clash in the central town of Qahderijan between security forces and protesters who were trying to occupy a police station, which was partially set ablaze.

There were unconfirmed reports of several casualties among demonstrators.

In the western city of Kermanshah, protesters set fire to a traffic police post, but no one was hurt in the incident, Mehr news agency said.

Khamenei has stayed silent so far. Rouhani refrained on Monday from accepting responsibility of problems raised by protesters and he blamed his predecessor and also Irans long-time adversary, the United States for the government`s shortcomings.

Rouhani, seen as a pragmatist who is at odds with hardliners, said: "People on the streets do not ask for bread and water, but for more freedom," -- implying that the protesters were not targetting his government but the more rigid establishment.

U.S. President Donald Trump supported the protesters in a tweet on Monday: "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!"

Turkey said on Tuesday it was concerned by reports of people dying and public buildings being damaged in Iran.

"We believe it is necessary to avoid violence and not succumb to provocations," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that it hoped foreign intervention would be avoided.
A meeting of Pakistan National Security Committee (NSC), chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, hit out at US President Donald Trump's tweet from Monday and said the remarks made target the trust between the two countries.

Held late Tuesday evening, the committee expressed "deep disappointment" at the allegations made by Trump, according to Dawn News. Trump - in his first message of 2018 - has charged Pakistan for basing its relations with the US on 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!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 1, 2018

Reaction to the tweet in Pakistan has been furious. The NSC called termed it, "completely incomprehensible as they contradicted facts manifestly, struck with great insensitivity at the trust between two nations built over generations, and negated the decades of sacrifices made by the Pakistani nation."

Pakistan's ambassador to the US - Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry - was also part of the NSC meeting. Reports suggest that he was consulted on how a proper response through official channels can be given.

Earlier in the day, US ambassador in Pakistan - David Hale - was summoned by Pakistan's Foreign Office in what is being seen as a rare public rebuke from Islamabad.

Ties between the two allies have steadily deteriorated in recent months with Washington repeatedly urging Pakistan to step up in its fight against home-grown terrorist outfits. Pakistan has countered saying it has already made enormous sacrifices in the war on terror. Some here even feel that US' insistence is to appease India.

In addition, China's increasing bonhomie with Pakistan - say several security experts - has further emboldened the country to test relations with the US.
Days after a blaze burnt down a building in Brox in New York, another massive fire broke out in a building here on Tuesday morning. As many as 150 fire personnel were rushed to the area and local media reports suggest eight residents were rescued in the initial efforts.

Fire broke out in a building close to a zoo in the Commonwealth Avenue in Van Nest in the early hours of Tuesday. Thick smoke was seen coming from the building and close to two dozen fire trucks reached the spot. While the cause of the fire is under investigation, the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) has said priority is first on bringing the blaze under control.

#FDNY members on scene this morning of a 5-alarm fire, 1547 Commonwealth Ave #Bronx pic.twitter.com/BTxJpH94ir  FDNY (@FDNY) January 2, 2018

Last week, a massive blaze in the same area had resulted in the death of 12 residents. Reports quoted officials as saying that the fire was caused by a toddler playing with a stove.
SAI PAULO: Inmates from rival gangs battled at a prison in Goias state today, leaving nine dead and 14 injured, authorities told the Brazilian news site G1.

Officials said the violence at the Colonia Agroindustrial prison in the Aparecida de Goiania Complex apparently erupted when inmates from one cellblock invaded three others where prisoners from rival gangs are housed.

The attackers set mattresses on fire when they entered the neighboring corridors and burned the bodies of those who were killed, authorities said. Firefighters were able to contain the fire.

Authorities confirmed the number of dead, but said identifications had not yet been made, G1 reported.

Local media said about 106 inmates escaped during the riot, and officials had recaptured 29. The reports said 127 other inmates fled during the violence but returned voluntarily.

Officers from the Special Penitentiary Operations Group regained control of the prison with the support of military police about two hours after the riot started.

Exactly one year ago, a prison riot at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex in Amazonas state caused 56 deaths. A day later, four prisoners were killed at the Puraqueuqara Prison Unit in the same state.

Thirty-three more inmates died January 6 in a riot at a prison in Roraima state, and 26 were killed January 14 when inmates rebelled at Alcacuz prison in Rio Grande do Norte.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Tuesday 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 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 and fiction..," Asif tweeted.

"We have already refused to the US mantra of 'do more' for it (US). We have told the Trump administration that we will not do 'no more' for it. The 'do more' does not hold any importance.

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Sherry Rehman tweeted: "Coalition support funds has never been counted as AID in any accounting by Pakistan, nor will it be seen as part of assistance. It was compensation on expenses incurred on joint action on border. Other 'Aid' we should indeed talk about, because Pakistan never charged for NATO traffic".

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 and 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 was considering withholding USD 225 million in aid to Pakistan reflecting its dissatisfaction with the latter's reluctance in the war against terrorism.
Islamabad: The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan David Hale on Monday night and lodged its protest against US President Donald Trump`s 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 President`s 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.

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.
WASHINGTON: The United States has suspended its $255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House has confirmed, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

The confirmation comes on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for $33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

"The United States does not plan to spend the $255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation, the official said.

Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America "nothing but lies and deceit" despite having received more than $33 billion in last 15 years.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism.

Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it has got "nothing but invective and mistrust" for all the actions it took in support of America's war against terrorism.

"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 Pakistan Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to shouted questions from reporters on "what is your plan on Pakistan?"

Several US lawmakers came out in support of Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan.

"I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan," Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma said.

"You're either with the US, or against us. We will always help our friends, but for too long, the US has propped up countries that do not share our goal to end terrorism. I'm proud to see our president take bold steps to put America first," Mullin said.

"I couldn't agree more," tweeted Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky.

"I've been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate," said Paul.

Samantha Vinograd, CNN's national security analyst spoke in favour of Trump's move.

"As a way to make it clear to the Pakistanis that enough is enough, if President Trump actually follows through, it could be an effective move," she said in an opinion piece published on the CNN website.

"It isn't the only step by any means, but it could be the right one," she said.

"Great start. Why give millions to countries who would harbor our enemies?" Trump's son Donald Trump Jr tweeted on Monday.
The accident took place in Novotoshkivske, Luhansk region

Open source

Ukraines military suffered another fatality in the conflict zone in Donbas.

None of our troops suffered due to enemy provocations; however, one Armed Forces fighter suffered multiple lethal wounds as he walked on an explosive device, Oleksandr Motuzyanyk, Defense Ministry spokesman said on a regular briefing in Kyiv.

According to the official, one enemy attack was reported in Luhansk region over the last 24 hours. 82 mm mines hit Luhanske; militants also opened fire from heavy machineguns.

In Donetsk region, the enemy shelled Verkhnyotoretske, Vodyane and Pavlopol, using 82 and 120 mm mortars.
Ukraines road-building industry will receive around $1.66 billion of financing through the start of operation of the State road fund and other sources, Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan said this, Interfax-Ukraine reports.

The road fund will begin its operation from 1 January. For the first time, Ukraines road-building industry will receive financing guaranteed by the government. This year, it is almost $1.17 billion plus separate extra funding of a number of key highways  over $495 million, - the minister explained on his Facebook page.

Also, the minister reminded that beginning on 1 January Ukravtodor will be in charge of only 50 thousand kilometers of the countrys roads, while the remaining 120 thousand kilometers will be managed by regional authorities with guaranteed financing out of the road fund to the tune of 35% of its receipts.

From now on, every citizen will have the right to and should demand quality road construction and maintenance from local authorities, instead of complaining about Kyivs actions, - Omelyan remarked, also adding that from 1 January 2018, the maximum speed allowed in towns and urban areas will be restricted to 50 km/h.

Furthermore, the minister also reminded that penalties will become significantly harsher from 1 January. The fine for driving a vehicle without a license will increase 20-fold  to $360, while another such violation will cause a fine amounting to $1,442. Anyone who is stripped of a right to drive a vehicle, in case of breaking the law, will have to pay a fine of $721, whereas those who violate the law again within a year will have to pay $1,442.

From now on, a fine for speeding within towns and urban areas will be punished with a fine of $120, which has been raised from $18.

Any driver who leaves the scene of an accident will now have to pay $120, as opposed to $8 previously. Also, such violation may result in the drivers loss of the right to drive a vehicle for a period of up to six months.

And finally, from 1 January, electric cars in Ukraine will become among the cheapest in Europe. Purchases of electric cars have been exempt from VAT and excise duties. We expect to start seeing cars with Ukrainian license plates in all of the EU member states. I am confident that Ukrainians will favor this eco-friendly means of transportation with close to zero operational costs. For instance, an owner of an electric Nissan Leaf will be able to save around $1,766 per year just on fuel alone. This is not even to mention the fact that the price of inspection for electric cars is also significantly lower.
The duties of the president temporarily shifted to chairman of the parliament or prime minister

Open source

The Constitution Court of Moldova temporarily stopped the powers of Ihor Dodon, the President of Moldova. The court made such decision on January 2 on the request of the group of the MPs from the ruling coalition as Interfax reported.

The decision was grounded to the fact that last week Dodon rejected the nominees of five ministers and two vice ministers offered by the prime minister for the second time. According to the legislation, the president possesses a right to reject the nominees only once.

The Constitution Court decided that the duties of the president temporarily shifted to the chairman of the parliament or prime minister.

One of them will sign the decrees on the appointment of the new members of the government in the next days.

The similar situation took place in October 2017 when Dodon rejected the nominee of Evgeny Sturza for the position of the Defense Minister for many times. Then the Constitution Court stopped the powers of Ihor Dodon and the chairman of the parliament signed the appointment of Sturza to the post of the Defense Minister.
625 Ukrainians appealed to the Polish authorities with the request to provide them the international protection in 2017 and the dozens of thousands of the Ukrainian refugees are out of question. Svitlana Krysa, the Head of the Consular Department of the Embassy of Ukraine to Poland claimed this to 112 Ukraine.

According to her, the number of the Ukrainian refugees in Poland or those who want to get the international protection decreased in comparison to the previous years and the number announced by the Polish prime minister does not correspond to the reality.

'We talk about the real number of the refugees from Ukraine in Poland not for the first time because this issue was raised by former Prime Minister Shydlo and now Morawiecki names the number of the refugees from Ukraine that is high but according to the official information, only 625 Ukrainians appealed with the request to provide them the international protections during January-November 2017. The number decreased in four times in the comparison to 2014 and it decreased twice in comparison to 2016. 1306 people asked for the international defense in 2016. Totally, 21% of the Ukrainians asked for the status of the refugee in 2017 among the total number of the foreigners that appeal for the international defense', she claimed.

Krysa noted that the Ukrainians come to Poland and other EU countries for the job placement.

'Our citizens that come to the EU countries, particularly to Poland are treated as the labor migrants. First of all, it is people that come for the job placement, education and there is no moral right to call all those people migrants', the diplomat claimed.

She added that the statements of the Polish authorities on the dozens of the refugees from Ukraine are the excuse for the EU countries to not accept the migrants from other countries of the migration risk', she concluded.

'I think it is the inner policy of the concern to not accept the migrants from other countries of the migration risk. The Ukrainians cannot be treated as the token money. It is a political issue, political aspect and excuse of Poland for other EU countries to not accept the migrants from other countries of the migration risk'.

Earlier Mateusz Morawiecki, the Prime Minister of Poland claimed that Poland accepted at least a few dozens or even hundreds of the thousands of the refugees from Ukraine.

Earlier the UN reported that about 107 000 people arrived in Europe through the Mediterranean Sea or land routes in the first half of 2017. The leaders of most EU countries agreed on the acceptation of the refugees by each country according to the quotas. At the same time, some countries, particularly Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic expressed their unwillingness to open the borders for the migrants.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine demanded from Russian Foreign Ministry to confirm the fact of the detention of Oleh Negoda, the soldier of armed Donbas Conflict and specify all circumstances. Vasyl Kyrylych, the Head of Department of Consular Support claimed this as Interfax-Ukraine reported.

'We appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia with the request to inform on the detention of the mentioned citizen. We demand to report on the grounds and the circumstances of the detention, place of the detention and to immediately allow the consul to visit the detained Ukrainian in the case it took place', Kyrylych said.

Earlier the mass media reported that Oleh Negoda, the soldier of the armed Donbas Conflict was detained in Moscow. He went to visit his sister in Saratov at the end of December 2017.
The list of persons involved in the downing of the MH17 will not be released for wide audience until they get their charge papers. Yevhen Yenin, Deputy Prosecutor General said that in his commentary for 112 Ukraine TV channel.

Neither Ukrainian, nor Dutch investigators are ready to release the names of these people. As soon as the investigation is over, the respective group of individuals will have their bills of indictment served. Then we plan to pass the cases to the Dutch court, the official said.

Yenin also mentioned that the Constitution of Ukraine forbids delivering the accused Ukrainian citizens to any other country; in such cases, the court hearings will be held in the video conference mode, and thus, the Dutch court will be able to pronounce the verdicts. The verdicts will take effect in Ukraine; further on, the detained individuals will be able to solicit for serving time either in Ukraine or in the Netherlands, he explained.

Boeing 777 of Malaysian Airlines, flight number MH17, was destroyed while performing a regular flight from the Netherlands to Malaysia in July 2014. The tragedy took place in the sky over the militant-held section of Donetsk region. All 298 people aboard deceased; most of the victims,196, were Dutch, but there were citizens of other nine countries as well.

The international investigation group found out that the civilian aircraft was downed by the surface-to-air missile; it was fired from Buk, the anti-aircraft missile launcher, which belonged to a unit of the regular Russian army and was operated by servicemen of Russias armed forces. The group decided that the perpetrators of the tragedy will be judged in the Netherlands, namely in the ICCT.
A torchlight procession to honor the birthday of Stepan Bandera on January 1 was held in the frontline Avdiivka, located in close proximity to the occupied Donetsk. This was reported by local media.

March was held by representatives of the Political Parties Svoboda, Right Sector and National Corps. Judging by the photos, the event was attended by about a hundred of people.

Police and military guarded the order during the procession.

According to the information of the Internal Ministry, 57 events in honor of Bandera's birthday were held in 21 regions of Ukraine on Monday. Violations of law and order during them were not recorded.

As it was reported earlier torchlight processions on the occasion of the 109th anniversary of the birth of Ukrainian nationalist Stepan Bandera were taking place in Ukraine on January 1.

Stepan Bandera is a Ukrainian politician, ideologist and theorist of the Ukrainian nationalist movement of the 20th century. On the day of his birth on January 1, Ukraine traditionally hosts events commemorating his memory, which end with torchlight processions.
To use a stock market metaphor, for Russia, the political market of the Middle East is booming, Maxim Suchkov writes. The shares it has acquired by engaging with Syria and other countries are rising in political value, and Russia feels its prepared for long-position investments.

It may be just a matter of perception, Suchkov adds, but Moscow is now seen as a primary go-to for regional states that have been flocking to the Russian capital throughout the year. Most, if not all, only hope to get Moscow on board to solve their own regional, local and even tribal conflicts of interests. Nevertheless, Russia can praise itself for getting what it was aiming for: to be consulted, heard and feared.

The US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel has given new life to Russias role in what was once known as the Middle East peace process. Dmitry Maryasis reports, There is some consensus that the Trump decision will provide Moscow with additional opportunities to strengthen its influence on this process, where it already has good working relations with all parties to the conflict. Yet opinions differ between experts and policymakers on whether Moscow needs to step up its peacemaking efforts now. Some believe Russia should take advantage of what they see as favorable political conditions and try to revive the settlement process  this time managed by Moscow. Others consider it necessary to keep monitoring the latest developments on Jerusalem, but be modest in actions given that the parties own readiness to negotiate is at best minimal.

Moscow and Riyadh have also agreed, with other parties, to extend the 2016 OPEC plus deal aimed at decreasing oil production to keep up prices on the international market. Consultations on oil and gas collaboration have allowed Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud to discuss regional political matters, although the extent of Russia-Saudi cooperation may have its ceiling, if oil prices stabilize or fall, writes Nikolay Kozhanov.

The bump in Russia-Saudi ties comes as Riyadh deals with disappointment regarding US decisions on Jerusalem and Yemen, Bruce Riedel reports. The crown prince is especially vulnerable, he writes. He has flaunted his relationship with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. He also owns the Yemeni debacle. Human rights groups are calling for him to be sanctioned, and he has no credentials as an opponent of Israel or a defender of Jerusalem. Rumors eagerly fed by the Israeli press abound that he has visited Israel. His many enemies are only too eager to portray him as a tool of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Saudis were outmaneuvered on Jerusalem both by their traditional rival Iran and by Turkey, Riedel adds. Even worse for Riyadh, Jordan is posturing as the foremost defender of Arab and Islamic claims to Jerusalem. The Saudis took the Hijaz and the two holy cities from the Hashemites just a century ago. It is very humiliating for the Saudis to appear weak on Jerusalem compared with the Hashemites. The Saudis tried to persuade Jordanian King Abdullah not to attend the Islamic summit in Turkey and then briefly detained a prominent Palestinian-Jordanian businessman to intimidate Abdullah by threatening the Jordanian economy. The Saudi detention of Sabih al-Masri was reminiscent of the detention and forced the resignation of Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in November.

It is Syria where Russia has invested the most in the region, and ownership of the Syria crisis comes with risks. Moscows close ties with the Syrian government have allowed conversations to begin about oil, energy, infrastructure, agricultural cooperation and investment, Anton Mardasov reports. Operationally, Suchkov adds, the Syrian campaign has been a testing ground for Russian military reform, with Moscow having tested about 200 types of newly manufactured and modernized arms. Senior officials in the Russian government observe a much bigger demand for Russian weaponry around the globe.

Moscow can claim credit for brokering cease-fires based on de-escalation zones, worked out with Turkey and Iran, which have dramatically reduced the violence and become the on-the-ground reality driving the Astana-Sochi negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition parties. As Mardasov writes, The Kremlins idea to summon the Syrian National Dialogue Congress in Sochi and to later embed its results into the stalling Geneva process is fully based on the four existing de-escalation zones. The Kurdish Afrin district may theoretically also become a new de-escalation zone. However, to function steadily, the zones need stability on the lines of contact between government forces and the opposition. With the existing system of control over the cease-fire allowing punitive measures only against the opposition, it is profitable for Damascus and Tehran to delay any real political dialogue with the dissidents, especially as the world community still hasnt precisely defined the principles of the transition stage that should lead to actual reforms in Assads regime.  The Syrian government is evidently ready for dialogue with the opposition and even for some sort of integration with it, provided opposition forces disarm under conditions set by Damascus.

A major hurdle for the Syrian National Dialogue Conference to be held Jan. 29-30 in Sochi is the participation of the Democratic Union Party and its armed wing, the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (YPG). It is perhaps no coincidence that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a terrorist with whom cooperation is not possible, as Moscow flirted with an invite to Sochi for the Syrian Kurdish parties. Russia searches for ways to have the Kurds represented without breaking its promise to Iran and Turkey to jointly agree on invitees, Fehim Tastekin reports. By doing so, Moscow gives the impression that it respects Ankaras red lines but isn't hesitating to display its relations with the Kurds. The latest such display was to invite Sipan Hemo, general commander of the YPG, to Moscow several weeks ago. 

For its part, Turkey is seeking to position itself for post-conflict political and economic advantage. Khaled al-Khateb reports from Aleppo that Turkey has reopened the al-Rai border crossing, which is bustling.  The crossing's location is distinct because of its proximity to al-Bab, one of the largest cities in terms of area and population and a valuable strategic site in the Euphrates Shield area in northern Aleppo. Turkey has provided modern facilities and equipment to manage the crossing, which is expected to receive an increasing number of commercial trucks and help move the reconstruction process forward.

While Russias Syria commitment is providing the Kremlin with the benefits of a newfound respect and leadership in the region, Suchkov says the arrangement could also represent a serious long-term liability. Moscow owns this problem, from the fate of Assad to the humanitarian aid to the restoration of Syria. To address these challenges in 2018 in an adequate and face-saving manner, Russia might need much closer engagement with regional stakeholders. This is where the shares of political influence accumulated over 2017 may come in handy.
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!)
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!)
Spanish bakery and cafe brand Granier has continued its UK expansion with a new store in Stratford, London.

The store, located at Central Square in the Stratford Centre, opened late last month and offers a range of fresh artisan breads and pastries from around the world, alongside sandwiches and salads. Hot drinks and fresh juices are also available.

We are very excited to welcome Granier Bakery and Cafe at the centre, said Tony Whitehorn, Stratford Centre manager. The new addition will further enhance the overall offer of the shopping centre.

Granier Bakery and Cafe plans to extend its partnership with City Harvest London, a charity that works to redistribute food that would otherwise go to waste.

Granier has more than 300 stores in Spain, the US, Italy, Portugal and the UK and is eyeing further growth in the UK, particularly London. So far, the business has stores in locations including Notting Hill, Bayswater, Putney, Woolwich and Kingston-upon-Thames.
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.
Andrew Wyeth's Helga series: Above and below. Click the image to expand.

Probably somewhere in between is the best answer. For all who are not familiar with Wyeth and his Helga Series, I shall endeavor to explain it simply as 240 pieces of work (mostly water color studies, some spontaneous sketch studies in monochromatic mediums and a smaller number of finished egg tempera canvases) of one woman, Helga Testorf, that were made between 1971 and 1985.Andrew Wyeth had met Helga as a young 32 year old woman, when she helped as a caregiver for another one of Wyeth's favorite subjects, Karl Kuerner. Mr Kuerner was the subject of one of Wyeth's best works, Karl (portrait of Karl Kuerner). Helga, like her employer Karl Kuerner, was of German descent. Helga immigrated to the United States and Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania in 1961, eventually became a mother and homemaker before becoming Karl's caregiver. Due to her association with Mr. Wyeth, she eventually developed an keen interest in poetry and art. Before Andrew Wyeth's death, Helga was one of the ailing artist's primary caregivers.Why Andrew Wyeth became infatuated with this Pennsylvania Fraulein is unclear, other than he obviously found her a fascinating subject. Some hypothesized that it was her reddish blonde hair that set the tone for this series of renderings by the enigmatic artist that drew Wyeth to concentrate so much time and effort on the interpretation of this woman's visage and the ego within. Her chiseled features, her supple form, her pensive stare and ultimately, Helga's innate devotion to the process could have given the great artist the insatiable purpose to slavishly devote so much of his creative energies to one subject.Some folks; however, luridly speculated that Helga's alluring visage engendered a passionate affair between she and the doting artist. For those who considered an affair was afoot, Andrew Wyeth's wife Betsy did not disappoint.Betsy, his wife of many decades and who was also his business manager, is said to have let rumor run unabated until she sold the entire series to Leonard E. B. Andrews in 1986. It has been estimated that the series sold well in excess of over six million dollars. She then denied that the scathing rumor was true, and was convincing to the point of plausibility. Today the rumor is not the subject, but rather Andrew Wyeth's profound artistry within the Helga series.Wyeth's true genius was to visualize, and record by brush stroke the essential beauty of the unfolding world around him, and not only Mr. Andrews, but we everday art lovers were the true beneficiaries.Shortly after purchasing the series, Mr. Andrews did allow the National Gallery of Art to organize a national tour of the entire collection that traversed the nation to show at some of the more prominent galleries between 1987 to 1989. It could well be the last time this collection will ever be seen again in its entirety. I was fortunate in having the opportunity to see the show at the National Museum of Art in Washington, DC. It was an inspiring show in its enormity, and its rich earthy tones were so reminiscent of the great painter's best work; however, some of the spark that was inherit in much his best early work was missing for me. For me, I grew tired of the sameness of the subject and I longed for the weathered boats and buildings, the fields of tall brown winter grasses and the subjects that were just part of the bleakness that was inherent in each of his canvasses.Since that last hurrah, Mr. Andrews has broken up the collection, with much of the series purchased for a large sum of money by an anonymous Japanese collector. Fortunately today, there are many of these works from the original collection being shown in museums and art houses around the world. Although the Helga collection will probably never again be assembled in its former state of togetherness, we will always have the many fractured pieces of the Helga series as a representation of a time in Andrew Wyeth's life when he obviously needed inspiration to create. And if it took his infatuation with Karl's caregiver, Helga Testorf, to be that inspiration so be it. The world will always be a better one because of the creativity of Andrew Wyeth, and the Helga series will be yet another chapter in his well spun tale.
The reforms in Ohio include a ban on keeping veal calves in crates so small that the animals cannot even turn around, and a ban on cutting off dairy cows tails for medically unnecessary reasons. Photo by iStockphoto

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Today, we are celebrating the implementation of some major reforms for farm animals that went into effect yesterday in Ohio  a ban on keeping veal calves in crates so small that the animals cannot even turn around, and a ban on cutting off cows tails for medically unnecessary reasons.

Theres quite a backstory to these reforms, including a pivotal fight that played out in Ohio in 2010 and that forever changed the way the state deals with animal welfare.

In 2009-2010, The HSUS led a coalition seeking to qualify a ballot initiative to stop extreme confinement of farm animals in Ohio, which had been lagging on a wide range of animal welfare issues.

Ohio was the number two egg producer at the time in the county, with 27 million hens in extreme confinement in battery cages. It was also among the top 10 states in pig and veal production, and extreme confinement for sows and calves was routine in these industries.

Whats more, the state had a thriving cockfighting subculture, and the players in the industry openly defied the states weak and unenforced law. It was the number two puppy mill state, with no state standards to assure humane treatment of dogs in these operations. And it was a free-for-all when it came to ownership of dangerous wild animals as pets  no rules at all.

To address some of the problems for farm animals, we assembled a team, including hundreds of volunteers, to collect 500,000 signatures of registered voters in the state  enough to qualify a ballot measure requiring that laying hens, veal calves, and breeding sows be allowed to lie down, stand up, turn around, and freely extend their limbs.

Just days before our signature-gathering submission deadline, then Gov. Ted Strickland reached out to a mutual friend who is a major player in the agriculture community. He asked me to consider Gov. Stricklands idea of my sitting down with leaders in Ohio agriculture to see if we could work out a deal to avoid both sides spending millions of dollars in a bruising election battle, with one side certain to lose.

I agreed to the discussions, but with just days until the signature-gathering submission deadline, it was a tall order to get there, especially for groups that had been such staunch adversaries.

After 48 hours, most of it spent locked in a room at the governors mansion with the then head of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation and leading commodity organizations in the state, we hatched an eight-point reform agenda that all parties would work to enact and implement and remake animal welfare in the Buckeye State. In return for the agriculture communitys support for the sweeping agenda, we would not submit the measure to the ballot for a vote.

The ban on veal crates and dairy cow tail docking took effect yesterday, after an agreed-upon phase-in period. We also agreed that the state would phase out the use of gestation crates in the state by 2025; place an immediate moratorium on permits for new battery cage confinement facilities for laying hens; ban strangulation of farm animals and mandate humane euthanasia methods for sick or injured animals; and ban the transport of downer cows for slaughter.

We demanded a strengthened anti-cockfighting law, a ban on private ownership of dangerous wild animals, and reforms on the puppy mill front.

Now eight years later, I am very pleased about the implementation of standards for veal calves and tail cutting of dairy cows, along with the previous reform on downer cows and inhumane methods of killing them. The ban on gestation crates is still several years ahead. Sadly, the Ohio Livestock Standards Board has not faithfully barred new battery cage facilities from opening, but at this point, it would be foolish for the industry to compound its bad behavior by building more such inhumane housing operations, given that 300 major food retailers have said they will stop buying eggs from such operations.

It wasnt easy with the other provisions either. It took six years for the anti-cockfighting law to pass (it should have taken six minutes), with one key state senator fighting it for inexplicable reasons (the Ohio Poultry Association was a staunch supporter of the effort to strengthen the anti-cockfighting law and was as frustrated as we were by legislative stonewalling). After Gov. Strickland left office, the state also failed to act on implementing a ban on dangerous wild animals kept as pets. That attitude changed overnight after a deranged exotic animal owner released more than 50 dangerous wild animals into the town of Zanesville, and the state led the national news because it had no law to prevent this kind of mayhem. Gov. John Kasich and the legislature then scrambled to pass a new law, and its worked very well since.

Now, eight years later, our teams are once again out in the field in Ohio gathering signatures  this time for a new measure to crack down on puppy mills. The state did pass a weak law to deal with puppy mills after our historic animal welfare agreement, but after five years of implementation, its not doing the job. The new measure, pushed by Stop Puppy Mills Ohio, is more comprehensive and will lead to stronger standards for the care of dogs.

There are times when negotiations are needed. And there are times as well when we must initiate even stronger reforms. That time has come for puppy mills.
MIT Tech Review's Antonio Regalado rounds up the year's stupidest, worst moments in tech, from the guy who created his own CRISPR-based gene therapy to beef up his muscles and injected it to Donald Trump's Twitter feed to the FCC's Net Neutrality catastrophe. Of course, Juicero rates a mention.



Last year we put Facebook on this list for propagating fake news. This year we are nominating Twitter. Specifically, @realDonaldTrump. The president's tweets are often misogynistic, can drip with racial animus, and single out private citizens for intimidation. According to the White House, Trump's utterances are "official statements" even when he's retweeted murder videos and threatened North Korea with nuclear annihilation (" they won't be around much longer!"). Twitter says it allows the president to stretch its terms of service because he's "newsworthy" and "of public interest." Or maybe it's because, by one analyst's estimate, Trump's twitter account is worth $2 billion in market value to the struggling company. Trump and his intriguesRussia, women, taxes, court picksare certainly social-media catnip. Let's hope disaster doesn't follow.

The Biggest Technology Failures of 2017 [Antonio Regalado/Tech Review]





(via Beyond the Beyond)
Alabama newspaper publisher H. Brandt Ayers has apologized for spanking female employees while he was publisher of The Anniston Star newspaper in the 1970s.

Ayers, who is currently the chairman of the company that publishes the newspaper, has been accused by several women of spanking them or their colleagues, including one time when he bent a woman over a desk for being a "bad girl" and hitting her hard with a metal ruler 18 times.

According to Time:

Former reporter Veronica Pike Kennedy told the Alabama Political Reporter that Ayers spanked her with a metal ruler in the Star newsroom in February 1975. She said she was working early one Saturday when Ayers approached her about a piece of writing, and told her, "I want you to read this. This is a fine piece of writing. I'll come back in a little while, and you can tell me what you think." When he came back, Kennedy recalled, she told him she liked the writing, and asked him who wrote it. In response, she said, Ayers said she was being a "bad girl" and "I'm going to have to spank you." She said Ayers then bent her over a desk and hit her, hard, 18 times with a metal ruler. Kennedy was 22 at the time, and Ayers was 40. "I was literally holding on to the chair," Kennedy said. "He picked me and the chair up, and wrestled the chair out of my hands. And he started spanking me."

A former Star reporter, Mike Stamler, saw the assault from across the room, but, "I didn't know what to do. I wasn't expecting something like that to happen." In fact, it was common knowledge in the newsroom that Ayers spanked his female employees, but nobody felt empowered to say or do anything about it.

In response to the allegations, Ayers, now 82, said to the Star: "As a very young man with more authority than judgment, I did some things I regret. 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."

Interesting to note that the day before, he was singing a different tune when talking to the Alabama Political Reporter: "I have no memory of the alleged incidents. Of course I intend to remain as Chairman of this company which has been the central mission of my family for three generations."

Image: frankie m.
Lifestyle / Travel and Tourism

by Christina Russo and Adam Cruise

China has reportedly imported more than 30 wild caught elephant calves from Zimbabwe in a controversial if not cynical move which took place on the very day China banned the sale of ivory.31 wild elephants recently captured in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe have been airfreighted abroad, according to Zimbabwean government sources official who has asked to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. The shipment was confirmed by the Zimbabwean Conservation Task Force.The elephants are very young, between the ages of 3 and 6. Two of them are particularly fragile: One female calf is struggling to stand and has open sores on her body; she has been weak since she was captured. Another elephant, noticeably small, "is quiet and reserved. When approached by other elephants, she moves away. She is suffering from trauma and is possibly being bullied," the official says.The elephants were captured from Hwange on August 8 and footage of the operation was secreted to reporters. The Guardian published the explosive video footage , which showed captors repeatedly kicking a five-year old female elephant in the head.Ethiopian Airlines shipped the animals on Friday, according to photos sent to reporters from Zimbabwe. The animals are presumably in or on their way to China: Zimbabwe has sent at least three known shipments of wild caught elephants to China since 2012. Last year, one of the elephants died during transport.According to Chunmei Hu, an advocate at the Freedom for the Animal Actors organization, two zoos - Chongqing Safari Park and Daqingshan Safari Park - are awaiting elephants, based on Chinese media reports.International trade in live elephants is legal , however it is increasingly being debated at the highest level.At a recent CITES meeting in Geneva, representatives from the African Elephant Coalition - a group of 29 African nations that represents 70 percent of the elephants' range - raised serious concerns at the trade. Ali Abagana, speaking for the delegation of Niger, told the conference that their country is "concerned about the plight of African elephants, including juvenile animals, captured and sent to captive facilities outside of the species' range."The CITES Secretariat consequently tasked a working group of nations and NGOs to debate the parameters of the live trade in elephants, which exists against a backdrop of poaching that has seen a third of Africa's elephants wiped out in the past decade. The working group is being chaired by the United States and includes among others: Ethiopia, Kenya, China, the hunting lobby group, Safari Club International (SCI), animal welfare organizations including Humane Society International (HSI), World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). .While the working group deliberates more concerns been raised about the ethics of capturing wild animals for permanent captivity.Peter Stroud, the former curator of the Melbourne Zoo from 1998-2003 who was involved in sourcing elephants from Thailand, calls moving wild caught animals to zoos is "unconscionable.""There is now abundant evidence that elephants do not and cannot thrive in zoos," Stroud says. "Young elephants will never develop naturally as socially and ecologically functioning beings in zoos. They will face a very long and very slow process of mental and physiological breakdown resulting inevitably in chronic physical and mental abnormality, disease and premature death."The capture of wild elephants for permanent captivity is illegal in South Africa.Ed Lanca, Chairman of the Zimbabwean NSPCA, echoes Stroud's views: "There is no sound basis for the removal of wild caught baby elephants to facilities that are ill equipped nor prepared to provide adequate long-term care for these animals. At all times, the welfare of these animals must remain paramount said Lanca.Lanca argues that Chinese tourists should instead be encouraged to visit Zimbabwe and "experience these majestic animals in their natural environment. Zimbabwean animals belong to the nation and must be protected. Wildlife remains our heritage."The Zimbabwean Conservation Task Force documented the transport on its Facebook page , along with photos of the trucks and crates the elephants were shipped in. At the end of its post, ZCTF wrote, "We would like to thank everyone who tried to assist in stopping this terrible event from taking place but unfortunately, we have failed yet again."CITES officials in Zimbabwe were asked to comment on the export. At the time of this writing, there was no response.
News / Health

by Staff Reporter

After visiting Mbuyanehanda maternity hospital at Parirenyatwa where she donated to babies delivered on 1 January, 2018, the First Lady, Amai Auxillia Mnangagwa is today at Harare Hospital.33 babies were born at the hospital yesterday and the First Lady has goodies for them.
News / Local

by Staff Reporter

Mthwakazi republic party youth are staging protest at the Tredgold courts against the arrest of members who demonstrated at the ZITF church service accusing president Emerson Mnangagwa over the Gukurahundi massacres.The police are delaying to take the arrested to court and lawyers are currently engaged in negotiations with the police on way forward.The eight accused were supposed to appear in court today but police wanted them to admit guilty and pay fines without going to court.Their lawyer Dumisani Dube said they are against paying fines and want the matter to be taken to court.The eight had been detained since their arrest on Sunday.
News / Press Release

by PDP

Emmerson Mnangagwa's last act of 2017 was a bad decision to deploy soldiers on young protestors in Bulawayo at a church service ironically convened to celebrate the peaceful and bloodless nature of the coup of 14 November 2017.The People's Democratic Party restates the supremacy of the constitution which in section 59 provides for the right to petition and protest peacefully.Demonstration is therefore a constitutional right which neither the President nor those who pretend to protect him or represent him cannot take away without a declaration of a state of emergency.As has become the new norm the spin has come in a more stubborn way to justify the use of military around this issue.ZANUPF claims that the church service was not the right place to protest yet we know that Hunzvi and his people protested before the former Chief Justice and the former President, yet Mugabe in his ruthless ways did not send the army to abduct them.As much as we are concerned by the violation of the rights of those who were protesting, we are equally concerned with the abuse of our security forces by the elites.We have always complained about the use of the uniformed forces to settle political scores, in 2008 just like during Gukurahundi a whole army was deployed against unarmed civilians who were said to be supporters of the MDC.A decade later the army was also at the centre of settling ZANUPF factional battles albeit with no criticism because of the result everyone wanted, the ridding of Mugabe and the former first lady from hell.Criticism was also minimal when the same style used in Bulawayo was used on Chombo and his henchmen; the temptation has always been to say the Chipangas are criminals who deserved it.This pattern is however not ending in fact it is being compounded and magnified by the new President's rhetoric, here is a man who speaks differently but acts quite the same as Mugabe.In the midst of shrills around giving the lacoste frontman a chance, we have always expressed our reservations and suspicion around the President's velvet glove and iron fist approach.In an article summarising political events of 2017, President Biti warned that the new challenge the democratic contingent faced is how to deal with the state/party/military conflation.The shift of power from the Shake-Shake Building to KG6 now called Tongogara Barracks.This is a point he also made in his speech at the gathering of the Daily Maverick on 22 November 2017 in Sandton."You and I know from the studies of countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, once tanks are on the street or a television program has been interrupted by men in uniform it is just a matter of time before it happens again."This is the challenge we face today but it is not a challenge that only the opposition in Zimbabwe must be concerned about but everyone else must be concerned.The appointment of General Chiwenga as the Minister of Defence against the demands of the constitution expresses fear of self-replication of the coup.We respectfully submit that micro managing the army is not a solution to military tanks rolling back into the streets someday.The solution lays in the will to deal with roots of the coup, this includes solving the underlying problems and the mechanisms around the use of military infrastructure.The authorities must deal with the political economy of the coup through embracing the principles and rules set out in section 211 to section 217 of the constitution. There is no substitute to this.What happened in Bulawayo two days ago is counter progressive because it is a continuation of the older order which centred around military coercion of dissenting views.What is needed is to transform the security sector, ensure they concentrate on their professional duties with a clear demarcation from civilian politics. Again there is no substitute to this.A democratic election is also another ingredient away from the politics of a coup, again micro managing the military cannot substitute this process.With specific attention to the Bulawayo protest, the bygones statements by President Mnangagwa have been exposed it is an old narrative pursued by President Mugabe the only difference is that of semantics, Bob preferred the "moment of madness" diction.The effect of both is that the authorities want the issue to be swept under the carpet hence the demonstrations of the 31st of December 2017.Our position has always been that an enquiry must be opened something which must be very easy to do considering that the current President claims he was not involved in the massacres.The long and short of the story is that the underlying democratic issues must be addressed, if that happens there will be no need to use military force on civilians neither will there be a temptation by others to use a military coup as a means of redress.Together Another Zimbabwe is PossiblePDP Communications
News / Press Release

by Tabani Moyo, Memory P. Kadau

The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition notes with great concern the arrest, detention and torture of youth activists in Bulawayo who demanded that President Mnangagwa comes clean on his role in Gukurahundi which saw the mass killings of an estimated 20 000 citizens in Matabeleland and Midlands provinces soon after independence.The activists were arrested by members of the Zimbabwe National Army at a church service at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo and were detained at an army barrack, One Brigade Headquarters, before they were taken to the police. At the military barrack they were allegedly tortured and suffered severe fractures.We note that the military have no arresting powers and wish express our concern at the continued militarization of the state. The army officials' actions are a violation of the rights enshrined in the constitution which guarantees freedom of expression and gives citizens the right to petition and hold public officials accountable.We urge the president to take note of the legitimate grievances by the youths and institute remedial actions towards genuine transitional justice and reconciliation. These are issues of national importance that require a lasting solution rather than knee-jerk responses through state repressive machinery.The actions of the army and police under instruction from the state which continues to pay lip-service to the Gukurahundi massacres are deplorable and a grave concern for the justice order in Zimbabwe. We note that 30 years later, the Executive has not acknowledged these inhumane killings neither has it made a public apology to the affected families.We are worried that the state and its agents have been intimidating an already fragile and traumatized populace mainly in the Matabeleland and Midlands regions by unleashing violence and attempting to silence citizens demanding state accountability to such heinous deeds.We are equally concerned that numerous public programmes meant to bring closure to the massacres continue to be foiled by the state, cases being the foiled Organ on National Healing, Reconciliation and Integration and currently the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission, which has spent half of its 10 year tenure before being operationalized.We reiterate our call on the government of Zimbabwe to immediately:Develop, through inclusive consultations, and roll out a citizen centred National Healing and Reconciliation programme that should be built around:a. Transparencyb. Truth and Truth Tellingc. Justiced. Respect for the constitution, human rights and rule of law2. Abandon any form of intimidation and violence on citizens that are demanding accountability from those officials that were involved in Gukurahundi3. Allow citizens to freely express themselves as enshrined in the constitution and allow public dialogue on the redress of past and current injusticesFor and On Behalf of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition:Tabani Moyo Memory P. KadauCrisis in Zimbabwe Coalition Crisis in Zimbabwe CoalitionSpokesperson Acting Director+263772266430 +263772985424moyojz@gmail.com director@crisiszimbabwe.org
News / Press Release

by Khulani David Ndhlovu

Revolutionary greetings comrades. I opined from the onset that Mnangagwa's accession to power was nothing but a mere change of personalities at the helm and the continuation of the old system-Mugabeism. Mnangagwa wholly subscribes to Mugabeism and he won't divorce this ideology any time soon.The case in point is the ruthless arrest of 8 Matebeleland youth's who demonstrated at a religious gathering in the presence of the president about the Gukurahundi atrocities. What is most worrying is the fact that they engaged in a peaceful demonstration, but still got arrested.What happenned to the freedom of expression? This exposed Mnangagwa who parades himself as the champion of human rights yet he is a certified autocrat.Gukurahundi issue is very fragile hence the president must handle it with great care. If the voice of the people is the voice of God why were the peaceful demonstrators assualted and arrested? This is what is going to happen in the upcoming elections. Democracy in Zimbabwe is unconcious, we therefore, need strong opposition to resuscitate democracy and give it the much needed breath of life. We can't at this age allow the ruling party degenerate into embracing the economy of blood and iron. This is an archiac economy that belongs in the dustbins.The arrests confirm that Zimbabwe is a military state and the rise to power by Mnangagwa have dissolved even the remaining minute particles of democacy. The arrest of the 8 Matebeleland demonstrators is a premonition of the death of democracy. Mnangagwa and his military allies are so committed in molesting democracy. They will do anything and everything to remain in power. It is thus the duty of all the citizens to condemn the abuse of power by Zanu Pf. It is high time this evil marriage between the security apparetus and Zanu Pf is dissolved. If this mischivious partnership continues unabbatted, then we must kiss democracy good bye.Let us come together and defend democracy. If we fail, democracy will crumble further and our hopes for free and fair elections are doomed. Democracy gives light to the nation and therefore, extinguishing it will consign us into darkness and anarchy.As NPP youth, we condemn the arrest of the 8 Matebeleland demonstrators with the contempt it deserves. We therefore, advocate for the dropping of their charges and their immediate release. In one accord we say: #BringBackTheMatebeleland8 Victory is certain, allutta continua.NPP National youth spokesperson Khulani David Ndhlovu
Opinion / Columnist

In recent days, there has been renewed interest in the proper use and possible abuse of executive orders and other presidential assignments. Many citizens and lawmakers expressed concern over the content and scope of several of President Munangagwa's appointments and assignments. In particular President's Mnangagwa's decision to assign his deputy Constantino Chiwenga the defence portfolio has been described as a violation of the constitution by the opposition cry-babies and some so called legal experts.Despite the increased public attention focused on executive orders and similar directives, public understanding regarding the Legal foundation and proper uses of such presidential appointments is limited. Thus, the increased public attention generally has been accompanied by confusion and occasional misunderstandings regarding the legality and appropriateness of various presidential actions. The constitution provides a general overview of the President's use of executive directives.Mr Magaisa and Mr Douglas Mwonzora all of the MDC T have tried on the social media to mislead the people and indeed to vilify the president in his work. The deliberate misleading by both and all can either be attributed to misunderstanding of the constitution or shear malice and mischief.The detractors have started by saying Vice Presidents are prohibited by the constitution to hold any other public office. This is not true as the constitution does not prohibit vice presidents from holding public offices. Section 106 sub section (2) of the Zimbabwean Constitution states that "Vice Presidents, Ministers and Deputy Ministers MAY NOT during their tenure of officea) Directly or indirectly hold any other public office or undertake any other paid work.The reader must note the use of the word MAY. This means that the Act is not prohibitive, it may and it may not. So there is no outright prohibition of the Vice presidents to hold ministerial positions. This then exposes Magaisa in his crusade to tarnish the image of the president of Zimbabwe and that of the Vice President.Further to the constitution section 104 states clearly that ministers are appointed, in this case the president did not appoint Chiwenga as a minister of defence but assigned him to administer that ministry. There is a difference between assignment and appointment. Chiwenga was given powers to supervise the portfolio and was not appointed as a minister in that ministry.Section 99 of the constitution clearly tabulates the functions of the Vice President. Which is to, "assist the president in the discharge of his or her functions, and perform any other functions including the administration of any Ministry, department or Act of Parliament, that the President may assign to them."Please not the use of the words ANY MINISTRY in section 99. So there is no ministry which is sacred and which cannot not be assigned to a Vice President or any other person at the pleasure of the president. The contention by the MDC through Mwonzora that the actions of the president were unconstitutional is indeed vexatious and embarrassing.the statement by the chief secretary clearly cited section 99 which is proper and correct, the president assigned and did not appoint. it is therefore wrong to say that Chiwenga was appointed minister, he was simply assigned to administer the ministry, meaning if there is the minister Chiwenga is overall in charge of that minister and his actions. That is hitting the ground running, apportioning responsibility to people.It should be noted that the Ministry of defence has a great function of defending Zimbabwe's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and national interests. it must participate in the creation of common regional security and architecture, contribute to the maintenance of international peace and stability. This ministry oversees the military which like that of any democratic country is one of the elements identifying national values and security interest and as such must complement and not conflict with political, economic, social, demographic and informational elements of national power.The cabinet of Zimbabwe is an executive body of appointed government ministers; this is headed by the president. The president has every right under the law to choose who should be part of the cabinet.Magaisa erroneously believed that section 215 DEMANDS THE PRESIDENT TO appoint a minister of defence. While the president has the powers to appoint ministers the constitution allows him to assume the administration of those ministries and keep them to himself.Magaisa forgot to read section 104 which says" The president appoints Ministers and assigns functions to them including the administration of any Act of Parliament or of any Ministry or department, but the President MAY RESERVE TO HIMSELF THE ADMINISTRATION of an Act, Ministry or department." Note that there is no special attention given to any ministry but the president may reserve to himself or his vice president the administration of any ministry.So section 215 is not a mandatory provision and must not be taken in isolation. The opposition is sworn to oppose anything but this time Munangagwa was on point and acted constitutionally.THE SEPARATION OF POWERSOne of the great and enduring gifts from the liberation was the inclusion of separation of power principles in the Constitution. The Framers had studied the writings of Montesquieu and other political philosophers as well as the workings of the separate branches of the other governments. Their conscious design to enforce this separation of functions was carefully explained in COPAC. The separation of powers is now enshrined in both the structure of the Constitution and various explicit provisions of Articles.Yet, in the previous Administration, a baser motive seemed to prevail in the use of executive power where the executive repeatedly flaunted his executive order power to curry favour with narrow or partisan special interests.A President who abuses his executive order authority undermines the constitutional separation of powers and may even violate it. History will show that President did not abuse his authority in a variety of ways and that his respect for the rule of law is unprecedented. Given this pattern, no one should be surprised that President Munangagwa is on point and only the wishful thinking of the opposition seeks to demonise his effort. But it would be a mistake to try to restrict a President's lawful and proper executive order authority because of one abusive opposition legal mind.Moreover, defenders of executive authority will find much in President's use of executive orders and proclamations that is instructive--even if they dispute the political intelligence in doing so. In short, some helpful lessons can be learned from recent experience about how an aggressive President can use his power for appropriate and beneficial purposes, and these lessons can help guide the current and future Presidents of Zimbabwe in making executive decisions.In the end, the constitutional separation of powers supports both sides of the argument over a President's proper authority. It reinforces a President's right or duty to issue a decree, order, or proclamation to carry out a particular power that truly is committed to his discretion by the Constitution or by a lawful statute.Thus, no simple recitation of governing law or prudential guidelines is possible. However, History and practice are useful tools in understanding the President's authority, and a Legal framework of analysis exists to help determine issues of validity. Beyond questions of legality, there are many separate but important issues of policy. Two broad policy questions present themselves: (1) whether a given power the President possesses ought to be used to the best interest of the nation, and advance a particular policy objective, and (2) whether a particular draft directive effectively advances such a policy goal.Authority for these directives must come from either the Constitution or statutory delegations.If the President's authority is implied or inherent in a statutory grant of power, Parliament remains free to negate or modify the underlying authority. Parliament also has some latitude in defining or refining the procedures the President must take in the exercise of that authority, although there are some constitutional limits to the powers to micromanage executive branch decision-making procedures.When the President is lawfully exercising one of these functions the scope of his power to issue written directives is exceedingly broad. In short, he may issue or execute whatever written directives, orders, guidelines communiques, dispatches, or other instructions he deems appropriate.The President also may issue directives in the exercise of his statutorily delegated authority, unless Constitution has specified in law that the statutory power may be exercised only in a particular way. In sum, a President has broad discretion to use written directives when he is lawfully exercising one of his constitutional or statutorily delegated powers. Any broad power or discretion can be abused, but it would be wrong to confuse such potential or real abuse with the many legitimate uses.A proper understanding of a President's power to assign and appoint officers or ministers will enable him to use this power confidently in the exercise of his constitutional responsibilities and to implement important Administration policies. An aggressive use of this power is necessary for a modern President to project strength as he manages the country.Section 201 of the constitution talks about the appointment OF a MINISTER Responsible for Civil Service it does not say that another minister in another department cannot be in charge.In short Magaisa and Mwonzora got it very wrong and have tried to demonise the President. The argument by both men is meant to disrespect Vice President Chiwenga.Vazet2000@yahoo.co.uk
Parliament has passed the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Amendment) Bill, 2017 with the approval of Rajya Sabha. Lok Sabha already had passed the bill in August 2017.

The Bill seeks to amend National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Act, 1981. The Act establishes NABARD for providing and regulating facilities like credit for agricultural and industrial development in the rural areas.

Key Features of the Bill

The Bill allows Union Government to increase capital of NABARD from Rs. 5000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore. Further, it allows Union Government to increase the capital more than Rs 30,000 crore in consultation with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), if necessary.

The Bill provides that Union Government alone must hold at least 51% capital share of NABARD. Further, it transfers share capital held by RBI valued at Rs. 20 crore to Union Government. Currently RBI holds 0.4% of paid-up capital of NABARD and remaining 99.6% is held by Union government and this causes conflict in RBIs role as banking regulator and shareholder in NABARD.

The Bill replaces terms small-scale industry and industry in tiny and decentralised sector with terms micro enterprise, small enterprise and medium enterprise as defined in MSME Development Act, 2006. Further, it allows NABARD to provide financial assistance to banks if they provide loans to the MSMEs.

The Bill substitutes references to provisions of the Companies Act, 1956 with references to the Companies Act, 2013. It includes provisions dealing with definition of a government company and qualifications of auditors.
 



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A 15-year sovereign-guaranteed loan of up to EUR 150 million to UZ will help electrify and connect the Dolynska-Mykolaiv-Kolosivka railway line to the high voltage grid, install a second track on single track sections in the Dolynska-Mykolaiv railway line and, therefore, increase overall throughput capacity and efficiency of the railway operations, the report says.

It will be co-financed by a similar-sized loan from the European Investment Bank and supported by grant funding of EUR 6.8 million provided by the EUs Neighbourhood Investment Facility.

Once implemented, the project will lead to significant reductions of CO2 emissions of over 140,000 tonnes a year.

The project will also promote better corporate governance at UZ through the preparation and implementation of the Corporate Governance Action Plan. Other important institutional and efficiency development elements of the project are the Energy Efficiency Investment Plan and the Energy Management Strategy, which will be implemented during the course of the project.

Read alsoEBRD provides US$350 mln syndicated loan to Ukraine's largest steel millEBRD Country Director for Ukraine Sevki Acuner said: By supporting this project, the EBRD is not only promoting an efficient and ecologically friendly means of transportation but is contributing to the development of best international corporate governance standards at UZ.

All contracts under the project financed by the EBRD will be procured by open tender in strict compliance with the EBRD's Procurement Policies and Rules. This will provide equal opportunities for eligible bidders and contribute to the transparency and cost efficiency of the investment programme, according to the press service.

Read alsoEBRD to lend EUR 25 mln for Ukraine's MHP for construction of biogas plant in Vinnytsia regionThe EBRD is the largest international financial investor in Ukraine. To date, the Bank has made a cumulative commitment of almost EUR 11.7 billion through 390 projects since the start of its operations in the country in 1993, the report says.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

Trend:

Italy would continue strengthening the OSCEs work to address protracted conflicts through the existing formats.

Italys Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said in his article posted on the OSCE website on the Italian 2018 OSCE Chairmanship priorities.

He said that Italy would continue the work of the OSCE Minsk Group and the efforts of its three Co-Chairs in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

There is a need to create an independent structure responsible for real estate inventory and valuation in Azerbaijan, Rashid Heydarov, a real estate expert, told Trend.

In recent years, Azerbaijan has pursued a very successful policy to improve management in the real estate sector, he said. In order to continue this policy, rules for compilation and maintenance of a single real estate cadastre have been established in Azerbaijan. These rules make it possible to carry out technical inventory of all types of real estate in Azerbaijan to determine their quantitative and qualitative indicators and create a single information bank of e-cadastre.

He noted that there is a great need for such an information bank in Azerbaijan.

Various state structures, municipalities, legal entities and individuals will be able to use this bank either free of charge or on a paid basis, Heydarov added.

Technical inventory will make it possible to take important steps for development of many sectors of the economy, he said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Maksim Tsurkov  Trend:

2017 can be described as a very successful year for the transport and logistics sector of Azerbaijan. Special attention of the country's leadership to this sector - which has the potential to become the main locomotive of the non-oil sector's development - played a decisive role here.

2017 was remembered by a number of important events and trends - the launch of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway, the progress in implementation of other major projects, the growth in freight traffic compared to last year, the work carried out to improve the transport infrastructure and the situation in public transport are the key ones.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway

The launch of BTK is certainly the main event of the year. A solemn ceremony to open the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway took place on October 30 at the Baku International Sea Trade Port with participation of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Emine Erdogan, heads of governments of Kazakhstan, Georgia, Uzbekistan, as well as the delegations of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

On the same day, the first freight train was sent along BTK. It carried 32 containers loaded with grain. The train was sent from Kazakhstan's Kokshetau on Oct. 24 and its final destination was Turkish Mersin.

The first cargo transshipment operation along BTK took place at the Akhalkalaki station.

In November, Turkey announced its readiness to begin construction of a second railway line within the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars corridor in its territory.

Later, a protocol was signed in Baku, which approved the reduction of tariffs for transportation along BTK in 2018. The tariffs for cargo transportation between Azerbaijan and Turkey on the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway were announced in December.

In late November, the first freight train was launched along the corridor in the opposite direction - from Turkey to Central Asia.

The project receives a great and wide coverage - BTK is covered by media outlets of the US, South America, and Asia. A number of countries are interested in using BTK. Specific interest is expressed by Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Belarus, Afghanistan, Russia and even the Netherlands. This year, Azerbaijan will hold a presentation of BTK's potential in China.

The main goal now is to increase the volume of cargo transportation from 6.5 to 17, then to 25 and subsequently to 50 million tons per year.

Trans-Caspian Transport Route (East-West)

In April, the Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company CJSC and Kazakhstan Railways JSC established a joint venture for cargo transportation along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route (TCITR). Also, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine may create a joint venture to introduce the principle of a "single window" in the processing of goods carried through TCITR.

In June, the TCITR International Association signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Association of Transport and Communications of China during a meeting of the corridor participants in Astana.

In 2018, new competitive tariffs will be set for transportation along TCITR. At the same time, the 2018 plan of transportation via TCITR was approved at more than 3.5 million tons, while about 15,000 containers are planned to be transported from Turkey to Kazakhstan, Central Asia and China. Also all railway administrations and ports of the Caspian Sea and the Black Sea set preferential attractive tariffs. TCITR is planned to reach 7-8 million tons of cargo in transportation by 2020.

Also, the TCITR International Association plans to expand the range of transported goods. There are plans to transport 520,000 tons of oil products, 350,000 tons of grain, 364,000 tons of non-ferrous metals and 360,000 tons of coal from Kazakhstan along the route in 2018.

In addition, the TCITR International Association will open a representative office in Istanbul.

North-South

The North-South project also took quite big steps in 2017. The route is expected to be fully put into operation in two-three years. In March, a test train was successfully sent via the border railway bridge across the Astarachay River.

In February 2016, Iran began construction of the Qazvin-Rasht and Astara (Iran) - Astara (Azerbaijan) railroad sections.

The Astara-Astara railway, as well as a station and cargo terminals in Iranian Astara were expected to be put into operation on Dec. 25, but then this was postponed to January 2018. Azerbaijan will use railway facilities in Iranian Astara for at least 15 years.

For the Rasht-Astara railway - another important section of the corridor - Azerbaijan has allocated a $500 million loan for Iran to finance its construction. Construction will begin in the first half 2018. The opening of the 164-kilometer section is planned for 2020, making it possible to travel from Baku to Nakhchivan by train.

In early December, the Board of Directors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved the granting of a loan for implementation of the North-South Transport Corridor Project, as well as for development of the railway sector of Azerbaijan. ADB itself will issue $400 million, and the French Development Agency (FDA) will provide another $175 million in co-financing.

Funds from ADB will be allocated in two tranches of $250 million and $150 million, respectively, while the funds of FDA will be allocated similarly in tranches of $75 million and $100 million. Also, the project provides for $1 million worth of technical assistance.

Cargo transportation along the route is currently being carried out multimodally. Cargoes are delivered from Iran by trucks to Azerbaijan's Astara, and from there by rail to Russia and also to Georgia with the purpose of developing the South-West direction.

Already in January 2018, member countries of the North-South project will discuss the freight transportation to Europe with the operators and freight forwarders of India. Also in January, as expected, India will begin exporting container cargoes to Russia via Iran and Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, cargo transportation along the North-South international transport corridor for three quarters of 2017 exceeded 4.7 million tons, which is 21.6 percent more than the indicator for the same period of 2016.

Baku International Sea Trade Port and Free Trade Zone

In March 2016, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed an order on measures to establish a free trade zone type special economic zone in the Alat Settlement of the Garadagh District of Baku, including the territory of the new Baku International Sea Trade Port.

The work on the establishment of the FTZ is underway.

Furthermore, the first phase of construction is coming to an end in the port itself. The first phase is expected to be completed closer to the middle of 2018, after which the volume of cargo handling will be 1,280 tons per day.

After the completion of the first phase, the Baku International Sea Trade Port will be able to receive up to 10-11 million tons of cargo each year, and annually handle up to 50,000 TEU (standard 20-foot containers). However, as early as 2017, the Port showed a significant increase in cargo handling compared to 2016.

Roadmap for Development of Logistics and Trade

The Strategic Roadmap for the Development of Logistics and Trade, approved in December 2016 by President Ilham Aliyev, remains as a key factor in the development of transport and logistics sectors of Azerbaijan. Under the Road Map, until 2020 it is planned to create 18,900 new jobs, and GDP is planned to increase by 605 million manat.

Growth of cargo transportation

Throughout 2017, the State Statistics Committee of Azerbaijan recorded an increase in cargo transportation in Azerbaijan.

So, in January-November 2017, transportation sector of Azerbaijan transported 206.2 million tons of cargo, which is 1.8 percent more than the same period of 2016.

In general, the transportation and logistics sector of Azerbaijan is an extremely promising direction of economic development, and the work carried out by the state in this direction gives every reason to expect further success in this segment in 2018.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Azerbaijan needs to make some changes to the legislation to further develop the private sector, said Keiko Honda, executive vice president and chief executive officer of the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) of the World Bank Group (WB), in an interview with Trend.

Azerbaijan has a good infrastructure and can more actively attract private sector to the country, said Honda, who paid a one-day visit to Baku.

This is not just about private financing, she noted adding that it is necessary to slightly change the legal framework in order to improve the cooperation between the state and private sector and attract independent electricity producers.

Honda believes that this step will further develop the private sector and increase the volume of private investments in the country.

Director for Operations at the MIGA Sarvesh Suri, for his part, told Trend that the main goal of the Azerbaijani government is to diversify the countrys economy, and the WB is ready to support Azerbaijan in this issue.

Azerbaijan pays great attention to the development of agriculture and various infrastructure projects in order to diversify its economy, noted Suri.

Moreover, Azerbaijan today is actively developing the sphere of transportation and freight traffic, he added.

He said also that the World Bank is ready to support Azerbaijan in these issues.

Azerbaijan joined the World Bank in 1992. As part of the cooperation with Azerbaijan, MIGA provided guarantees for loans to Azercell, Baku Coca-Cola Bottlers, Kocbank Azerbaijan (now YapiKredi Bank Azerbaijan) and for other companies in different years.

The latest project, in which the agency participated, was the provision of a loan guarantee for the construction of the Trans Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP) that is a part of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) project.

In 2017, MIGA supported private investments worth $4.7 billion in developing countries.

MIGA has supported more than 800 projects since 1998.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25

By Nigar Guliyeva  Trend:

The protocol on introduction of amendments and additions to the agreement between the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic on international road traffic dated Sept. 4, 1996, entered into force on Dec.30, 2017, the Uzbek Foreign Ministry reported on Jan.2.

The protocol on amendments and additions to the agreement was signed on Oct.6, 2017 in Tashkent.

The protocol was adopted with a view to deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of transport communications by expanding the scope of application of the intergovernmental agreement.

Under the document, the parties provide and guarantee to each other a free transit regime across the territories of their states, as well as agree to create favorable conditions for carrying out transportation along the Tashkent-Andijan-Osh-Irkeshtam-Kashgar automobile route.

The new transport corridor Tashkent - Andijan (Uzbekistan) - Osh - Irkeshtam (Kyrgyzstan) - Kashgar (China) is the shortest automobile route from the Fergana Valley to China.

In late October, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and China successfully organized the first pilot caravan of nine cars that passed along this route.

Presidents of Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan Shavkat Mirziyayev and Almazbek Atambayev agreed on the construction of the Tashkent-Andijan-Osh-Irkeshtam-Kashgar road during the talks in Bishkek in early September.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 2

By Ali Mustafayev  Trend:

Kazakhstan's diplomatic mission to the UN started work on support of the activities of the Security Council, Kazakh media outlets reported.

Previously, on January 1, the country took over the chairmanship of the Security Council of the United Nations.

On January 3, Kazakhstan's diplomatic mission will officially present and approve the program of work within the UN Security Council as well as inform the UN and international media regarding its January program.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, Jan. 2

By Huseyn Hasanov  Trend:

Twenty Toyota Hiace minibuses have started to operate on the routes most popular among Ashgabat residents, the Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper reported.

The next-generation minibuses will operate on the Ashgabat-Anau route. On Wednesdays, Thursdays and weekends, they will carry citizens who travel from different parts of Ashgabat to Altyn Asyr, the largest market of the Turkmen capital.

There is a plan to increase the travel frequency of new vehicles by opening the Ashgabat-Abadan route as well as the routes to the eastern bazaar from large residential areas of the capital.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 6

By Umid Niayesh Trend:

In recent years, there were always claims in Iran that the Islamic Republics trade ties surged under the ex-president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Washington became Tehrans first trade partner during the administration of the pragmatic president, who was at office from 1989 to 1997.

The claim was first raised in the 1990s by Asr-e-Ma, an analytical weekly, established by left-hand Organization of the Islamic Revolution Mojahedin (OIRM), which later became one of the core parties of the reformist wing in Iran.

The speculation raised again by hardliner conservatives during the Hassan Rouhani presidency, after the Islamic Republic reached a historic nuclear deal with the US-led Western powers in 2015, which paved the path to removal of international sanctions against Tehran.

What the claims say:

According to the claims, the US increased its annual trade with Iran to $5 billion during the Rafsanjani period and became Tehrans "first trade partner," in particular in 1991-1995, in a bid to dominate the Islamic Republic economically and make Tehran dependent on Washington.

The US oil firms were purchasing 30 percent of Irans crude directly and bringing into account the indirect crude purchases, almost 50 percent of Irans export was sold to US firms and nearly 35 percent of Iran's foreign exchange earnings were provided through the United States.

However, in 1995 a total embargo on dealings with Iran by American companies was imposed by then president, Bill Clinton. This ended trade, which had been growing following the end of the IranIraq War (1980-1988). The next year, the American Congress passed the Iran-Libya Sanctions act, designed to prevent other countries from making large investments in Iranian energy.

The official figures

Despite the "$5 billion turnover" and "first trade partner" claims, indirect business is not included in two countries trade turnover. 

The official statistics indicate that before the Islamic Revolution, the mutual trade between Tehran and Washington experienced the highest value in 1978, when the US exports to Iran accounted to $3.7 billion. The same year Irans imports from the US reached $2.9 billion. On the verge of the revolution, the US and West Germany were Irans top trade partners.

The US was exporting technology, industrial equipment as well as agricultural and consumer goods to Iran.

Tehran and Washington broke off diplomatic relations following the seizure of US embassy staff in Tehran in the months after the 1979 revolution. Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days (Nov. 4, 1979-Jan. 20, 1981), after a group of Iranian students supporting the Iranian Revolution took over the embassy.

In 1981, the first year after releasing the hostages, US exports to Iran accounted to $300 million, against $64 million worth of imports.

In the following years, the mutual trade between the two countries was changing, going up and down, but never again witnessed record figures registered before the Islamic Revolution.

The US energy firms, reportedly continued crude oil purchase from Iran, worth $3.5 billion per year, via their subsidiaries till the mid-1990s, when sanctions were broadened.

Three decades of trade ties

In the years following the Islamic Revolution, the Iran-US mutual trade fluctuated from year to year, experiencing the highest value in 1987, but it registered a sharp fall and came down to zero, in 1996, after the Clinton administration imposed new sanctions against Tehran in 1995.

The trade was restored in 2000 when bans on carpets and caviar imports from Iran were lifted.

In 2008, bilateral trade totaled over $787 million, registering a 148 percent increase, which was followed by a sharp fall the next year, when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became Irans president for the second term.

Removal of international sanctions against Tehran in 2016 only contributed to Irans imports to US, which experienced a 700-percent rise year on year to $88 million, meanwhile the overall trade stood at $260 million, 11 percent less than the preceding year.

The latest statistics released by the United States Census Bureau reveal that the condition has worsened compared to 2016.

Mutual trade turnover between the two countries stood at $159.7 million during the first ten months of 2017, 23 percent less year on year.

The US exports to Iran reached $109.8 million in the 10-month period (18 percent less year on year), meanwhile Irans export to US decreased by about 3 percent to $49.9 million in the same time span.

The table below covers the trade information between Iran and the US in 1985-2016 (based on data from the US Census Bureau):

Year Exports (million USD) Change (%) Imports (million USD) Change (%) Balance (million USD) Trade turnover (million USD) Change (%) 1985 74 - 725 - -651 799 - 1986 34 -54 569 -22 -535 603 -25 1987 54 58 1668 193 -1,613,5 1722 185 1988 81 49 9 -99 72 90 -95 1989 55 -31 9 -4 47 64 -29 1990 163 194 7 -21 156 169 165 1991 528 225 231 3293 297 758 348 1992 748 42 1 -100 747 748 -1 1993 616 -18 0 -86 616 616 -18 1994 329 -47 1 700 328 330 -47 1995 277 -16 0 -75 277 278 -16 1996 0 -100 0 -100 0 0 -100 1997 1 450 0 - 1 1 500 1998 0 -100 0 -100 0 0 -100 1999 48 - 2 - 46 50 - 2000 17 -65 169 6929 -152 186 269 2001 8 -52 144 -15 -136 152 -18 2002 32 299 156 9 -124 188 24 2003 99 210 161 3 -62 260 38 2004 85 -14 152 -6 -67 237 -9 2005 96 13 175 15 -79 270 14 2006 86 -10 157 -10 -71 243 -10 2007 145 68 173 10 -28 318 31 2008 683 372 104 -40 579 787 148 2009 280 -59 65 -38 216 345 -56 2010 211 -25 95 46 117 306 -11 2011 233 10 1 -99 232 234 -23 2012 251 8 2 110 249 253 8 2013 308 23 2 5 306 310 23 2014 187 -39 0 -100 187 187 -40 2015 282 51 11 271 293 57 2016 172 -39 88 712 84 260 -11
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Security forces have arrested at least 450 protesters in the capital Tehran over the past three days.

The governor of Tehran, Aliasghar Naserbakht, has said that 100 individuals were detained on Monday, ILNA news agency reported.

He further forecast that the situation in the capital city would become calm today.

The governor ruled out the possibility of using the IRGC forces in dealing with the unrests, saying the police forces are in full control of the city.

The state-run TV reported that nine individuals were killed across the country over the last night, putting the death toll of the unrests in the country at 20.

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.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Officials in the southwestern city of Izeh have decided to temporarily close schools on Tuesday due to concerns over growing unrests, media reports suggested.

It was earlier reported that at least two individuals were killed during the protests in the city of Izeh in Khuzestan Province on Sunday.

Over the past week, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities, including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices, but the economic protests soon turned into anti-government demonstrations.

The government officials have urged people to refrain from participating in the illegal protests.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has implicitly criticized Paris over hosting Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK), an exiled opposition group that backs the overthrow of the Islamic Republic.

In a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday, Rouhani said that Iran criticizes Paris over the fact that a terrorist group that provokes extremism in Iran has a base in Paris, local media outlets reported.

The Iranian president further urged his French counterpart to take actions against the terrorist group in line with the policy of fight against terrorism.

Over the past week, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities, including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices, but the economic protests soon turned into anti-government demonstrations.

The government officials have urged people to refrain from participating in the illegal protests.
The Trump administration is raising the possibility it could impose more sanctions on Iran to punish it for cracking down on protesters, AP reported.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert says sanctions are one tool the U.S. has to respond to Irans behavior. She says the U.S. is watching reports very closely of any potential human rights abuses. Shes alluding to existing sanctions authorities that allow the U.S. to target Iran for human rights violations.

Over the past week, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities, including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices, but the economic protests soon turned into anti-government demonstrations.

The government officials have urged people to refrain from participating in the illegal protests.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Security forces have arrested at least 40 individuals in the northwestern province of Ardabil during the recent political unrests in Iran.

Prosecutor of Ardabil Province, Naser Atabati, has said that most of the detainees were released after interrogation but 15 are still under custody, Mehr news agency reported.

In the meantime, unconfirmed reports have suggested that about 90 people were arrested in Tabriz City.

However, MP for Tabriz Shahabodin Bimeqdar has denied the reports, saying no protests were held in his city.

Over the past week, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities, including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices, but the economic protests soon turned into anti-government demonstrations.

The government officials have urged people to refrain from participating in the illegal protests.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

At least 150 protesters have been detained in the northwestern city of Hamedan over the past six days, authorities said.

The governor of Hamedan City, Ali Ta'ali, has said that local and nonlocal people are among the detainees, Tasnim news agency reported.

Over the past week, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities, including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices, but the economic protests soon turned into anti-government demonstrations.

The government officials have urged people to refrain from participating in the illegal protests.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 3

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Two bikers have fired bullets at the building of the governor office of Lanjan County in the central province of Esfahan, state-TV reported.

According to the report, the assault has claimed no victims and the attackers have fled.

Over the past week, some groups of people joined demonstrations in a number of cities, including the capital Tehran, Mashhad and Kermanshah to protest against high prices, but the economic protests soon turned into anti-government demonstrations.

The government officials have urged people to refrain from participating in the illegal protests.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

The recent political unrests in Iran seem to bring the country to the brink of chaos, but the outcome of the ongoing protests is still under the question.

Lack of a charismatic leader and serious alternative for the administration as well as fears over the appearance of extremist groups appear as the main shortcomings of the latest round of anti-government demonstrations in Iran, discouraging a large number of people to join the rallies.

Despite President Hassan Rouhanis efforts to calm down angry and emotional protesters, the unrests continued into Tuesday, leaving at least nine killed over the last night across the country.

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 in a move aimed at easing the emotional atmosphere.

The death toll of the unrests in the country has reportedly surpassed 20 and hundreds of protesters have been detained, but no one has a clear view of how the ongoing developments would impact the political landscape of the Middle Eastern nation.

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, but the economic protests soon turned into anti-government demonstrations.

Although many commentators have already speculated about the roots of the recent developments and their possible outcomes, it still appears tough to accurately talk about the main force behind the movement.

Whatever the possible outcome of the protests could be, the lack of a clear leadership seems to weaken their impact.

On the other hand a group of protesters have targeted overthrowing the establishment, but the lack of a credible alternative for the current establishment appears as a main factor lessening the effectiveness of the attempts.

This is while fears over the possible emergence of extremist groups in case of undermined security still exists, causing a large number of citizens and even political dissidents to remain vigilant about the disastrous results of uncalculated political movements.

Maybe that is why President Rouhani has, so far, avoided temptations to appeal to the elite IRGC force for putting down the unrest, an indication of his strong will to rule out the possibility of any bloody suppression.

In the current situation if the unrest continues to worsen and turns into the real chaos, no peaceful transmission of power is possible, but national dialogue and taking serious measures aimed at tackling corruption and improving the economic life of ordinary people could help the country climb out of the crisis.

The continuation of the chaos would definitely lead to further domestic restrictions and jeopardize the hopes for carrying out reforms in the society, which would eventually fuel more western-imposed sanctions on the nation over the situation of human rights, putting the nation under a greater economic pressure.

Finally, to imagine the catastrophic failure of uncalculated political moves, it is enough to have a look at the fate of the regional nations who attempted to establish justice in their countries through chaos.

No need to remind that those who wanted to set the Iraqi people free and secure them from the evil of Saddam Hussein fell victims to sectarian violence.

However, the elite ruling system in Iran should expect greater unrests if it refuses to carry out immediate reforms and fulfill its promises to ensure justice in the Iranian society.
A 13-year-old girl died and 11 others were injured after a Greyhound bus traveling west from Green River slid off the right shoulder of I-70 Sunday night, KSL reports.

The bus slipped off the road and traveled into a steep wash, coming to rest about 200 feet off the highway near Emery, according to a report from the Utah Highway Patrol. Police responded to the scene of the crash around 11 p.m.

The 13-year-old was found dead at the scene, police said. The bus driver and two of the passengers were transported by medical helicopter in serious condition to a hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado, and the Utah Valley Medical Center.

Eleven passengers suffered various injuries and were transported by ambulance to hospitals in Price and Richfield. One passenger was uninjured.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but a passenger told police the driver may have had a medical issue, according to Utah Highway Patrol trooper Jared Cornia.

The bus was en route to Las Vegas, Nevada.

Identification of the victims has not yet been released, pending notification of family.
Turkeys Foreign Ministry expressed concerns on Jan. 2 over violence that erupted on Dec. 28 in Iran, stressing that violence and provocations must be avoided in Iran, Hurriyet daily News reported.

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.
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, Premium Times reports.

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.
The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador David Hale on Monday night and lodged its protest against US President Donald Trumps tweet wherein he accused Pakistan of lies and deceit, Express News reported.

The US Embassy confirmed that Ambassador Hale was summoned by the Foreign Office at 9pm.

Sources said Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from the ambassador over the American 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.
South Korea on Tuesday offered talks with North Korea amid a standoff over its weapons programs, a day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he was open to negotiations but that his country would push ahead with mass producing nuclear warheads, Reuters reports.

The offer for high-level talks next Tuesday had been discussed with the United States, the Souths unification minister said, while a decision on whether to push back a massive joint military drill between South Korea and the United States until after the Winter Olympics was pending.

Tension has been rising over North Koreas nuclear and missile programs, which it pursues in defiance of years of U.N. Security Council resolutions, with bellicose rhetoric coming from both Pyongyang and the White House. The North sees the regular war drills between the South and the United States as preparations for war.

We look forward to candidly discussing interests from both sides face-to-face with North Korea along with the Norths participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon told reporters.

Cho said he expects the dialogue at the border village of Panmunjom, if it happens, to be focused on North Koreas participation at the Olympics in February, but other issues would likely arise, including the decentralization of North Korea.

Should the talks be held on Jan. 9, it would be the first such dialogue since a vice-ministerial meeting in December 2015.

The offer landed after a New Years Day speech by Kim who said he was open to dialogue with Seoul, and for North Korean athletes to possibly take part in the Winter Games, but he persistently declared North Korea a nuclear power.

After welcoming Kims address, South Korean President Moon Jae-in had asked his government earlier in the day to move as quickly as possible to bring North Korea to the Olympics.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the recent positive comments from both sides about improving relations, and Kims remarks about participating in the upcoming Olympics, were a good thing.

China welcomes and supports North Korea and South Korea taking earnest efforts to treat this as an opportunity to improve mutual relations, promote the alleviation of the situation on the Korean peninsula and realize denuclearization on the peninsula.

North Korea, which regularly threatens to destroy the United States, South Korea and Japan, tested its most powerful intercontinental ballistic missile in November, which it said was capable of delivering a warhead to anywhere in the United States.

Kim said in a New Years Day speech on Monday he would consider sending a delegation to the Olympics.
03:19 (GMT+4) At least 36 people were killed when a bus tumbled down a cliff onto a rocky beach Tuesday along a narrow stretch of highway known as the Devils Curve, Peruvian police and fire officials said.

The bus was carrying 57 passengers to Perus capital when it was struck by a tractor trailer shortly before noon and plunged down the slope, said Claudia Espinoza with Perus voluntary firefighter brigade.

The blue bus came to rest upside down on a strip of shore next to the Pacific, the lifeless bodies of passengers strewn among the rocks.

Its very sad for us as a country to suffer an accident of this magnitude, Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said in a statement.

Rescuers struggled to pull out victims from the hard-to-reach area in Pasamayo, about 70 kilometers (43 miles) north of Lima.

No road leads directly to the beach, complicating rescue efforts, Espinoza said, though police and firefighters managed to transport six survivors with serious injuries to nearby hospitals by helicopter.

Traffic accidents are common along Perus roadways, with more than 2,600 people killed in 2016. More than three dozen died when three buses and a truck collided in 2015 on the main costal highway. Twenty people were killed in November when a bus plunged off a bridge into a river in the southern Andes.

The nations deadliest traffic crash on record happened in 2013 when a makeshift bus carrying 51 Quechua Indians back from a party in southeastern Peru fell off a cliff into a river, killing everyone on board.

Espinoza said the passengers in Tuesdays crash included many returning to Lima after celebrating the New Years holiday with family outside the city.

The highway is known as the Devils Curve because it is narrow, frequently shrouded in mist and curves along a cliff that has seen numerous accidents. Police said the bus fell an estimated 80 meters (262 feet).

02:06 (GMT+4) According to Peruvian police, at least 25 people have died in Pasamayo, Peru, after a bus plunged 330 feet into a ravine. Thirty others are said to be injured, Sputnik reported.

Dino Escurdero, the chief of the Highway Police, told local media outlet Channel N that the current death toll is estimated to be at 25, however, the numbers could go up to either 40 or 50 dead as they "still do not have precise figures."

"At least 25 people are dead and around five are injured among those found," Escudero told local outlets. "The police and firefighters are working to rescue the victims of the crash, but we believe the death toll could rise."

The bus left Tuesday morning from the northern city of Huacho and was headed to Lima when the accident took place on the Pan-American Highway. A total of 57 passengers, in addition to the driver and one crew member, were said to be onboard, Blu Radio reported Escudero saying.

The portion of the highway that the bus was travelling on is known by locals as "la curva del diablo," which translates to the curve of the devil. The chief later added that the bus went over the cliff, which lies along the Pacific Ocean, after it collided with a truck.

Some of the injured were taken to nearby hospitals in Chancay and Ancon.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 2

By Rufiz Hafizoglu  Trend:

Turkey is one of the countries of the region that play an active role in global and regional politics. One can say that the year 2017 was one of the most dynamic in the political history of the country.

What were the most memorable events of 2017 for Turkey?

Armed attack in nightclub in Istanbul

An armed attack took place on Jan. 1 at the Reina nightclub in Istanbul last year. Thirty-nine people were killed, 69 were injured as a result of the terrorist attack.

On Jan. 17, Istanbul police detained Uzbekistan native Abdulgadir Masharipov, known as Abu Muhammad Khorasani, who committed the terrorist attack.

Appeal of Turkish political parties to parliament to amend constitution

On Jan. 10, the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) appealed to the Turkish parliament on amending the countrys constitution. The amendments provided for Turkeys transition from a parliamentary form of government to a presidential one.

Boeing 747-400 cargo plane crash

Turkish cargo plane Boeing 747-400, on a flight from Hong-Kong, crashed near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan Jan. 16 morning. The plane crashed several kilometers from the Manas airport.

Thirty-seven people were killed in the plane crash.

Mass dismissals of officials

On Feb. 8, a total of 4,464 people were dismissed within the fight against the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who was involved in the military coup attempt of July 15, 2016. Operations against the supporters of Fethullah Gulen are underway in Turkey.

Political scandal between the Netherlands and Turkey

On March 11, The Dutch authorities didnt allow Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Turkish Minister of Family and Social Policies Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya to enter the Netherlands to participate in a meeting with the local Turkish community ahead of the April 16 referendum on constitutional reforms in Turkey.

Referendum to amend Turkeys Constitution

On April 16, a referendum was held to amend Turkeys Constitution. As many as 51.33 percent of voters cast their ballots in favor of the amendments to the constitution, 84 percent of voters participated in the voting. According to the amendments, the number of seats in the Turkish Parliament will increase from 550 to 600.

The amendments also suggest allowing Turkish citizens to run for the MP seats from the age of 18 (previously, the lowest age limit was 25), and holding parliamentary elections every 5 years (previously, the parliamentary election was held every 4 years).

Under the amendments, a Turkish citizen, no younger than 40, is allowed to run for president.

Furthermore, the amendments stipulate that the Turkish president heads the government and is granted the power to appoint ministers or replace them. Also, presidential hopefuls arent required to be non-party nominees any more.

Turkish president joins Justice and Development Party

On May 2, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Binali Yildirim, head of the party, proposed Erdogan's candidacy for the post of the party leader at the ceremony held for this occasion.

Mass demonstrations of opposition in protest against arrest of MP

On June 14, in a protest against the arrest of an MP from the opposition Republican Peoples Party (CHP), Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the leader of the party, and his supporters started a march from Ankara to Istanbul. The protest demonstration lasted 25 days.

New cabinet formed in Turkey

On July 19, Prime Minister of Turkey Binali Yildirim announced the composition of the new Cabinet.

Defense Minister Fikri Isik was appointed as deputy prime minister. Osman Askin Bak was appointed as Turkeys minister of youth and sports, and Abdulhamit Gul was appointed the justice minister.

Turkish Deputy PM Numan Kurtulmus was appointed as minister of culture and tourism. Deputy PM Nurettin Canikli was appointed the minister of defense of Turkey.

Tender for construction of wind turbines

In August, Germanys Siemens AG won a tender for construction of 10 wind turbines in Turkey.

The wind turbines are planned to be built in five provinces of Turkey, including its capital Ankara.

According to the tender terms, the construction should be completed within 21 months.

Moscow-Ankara agreement on Russian S-400 air defense systems

In September, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey signed an agreement with Russia to buy the S-400 Triumph air defense systems. Thus, Turkey became the first NATO country to use Russian-made air defense systems.

On Dec. 29, Turkey signed a loan agreement with Russia to purchase the S-400 Triumph air defense systems. The total purchase price was $2.5 billion and the first supplies are scheduled for late 2019-early 2020.

Turkey increasing military bases

In late September, Turkey deployed its military base in Somalia, where 200 Turkish servicemen will serve. As much as $50 million was spent on the construction of the military base. This is Turkeys second military base outside the country.

Previously, Turkey adopted a law ratifying an agreement with Doha on deployment of Turkish military contingent in Qatar. On June 9, the military agreement between Qatar and Turkey came into force. The document was signed in Ankara on November 10, 2016.

Visa crisis between US and Turkey

On Oct. 8, the US suspended issuance of visas to Turkish citizens due to the arrest of an employee of the US Consulate General in Istanbul. Turkey also suspended the issuance of visas to US citizens.

Turkish authorities, commenting on the arrest of the Consulate Generals employee, noted that he had links with the movement of Fethullah Gulen.

The crisis in relations between the US and Turkey was resolved on Dec. 29, 2017, and the parties resumed issuing visas.

New opposition party created in Turkey

On Oct. 25, an opposition party led by Meral Aksener was created in Turkey. The new opposition party is called Iyi Parti (Good Party).

The motto of the newly created party is Turkey will become better.

Aksener, who claimed to become chairperson of Turkeys Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), was expelled from the party Sept. 8.

D-8 should expand, says President Erdogan

On Oct. 20, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressing the D-8 summit said the composition of the D-8 Organization for Economic Cooperation (aka Developing 8) should expand.

Erdogan noted that economic and political ties between the D-8 member countries should also expand.

The Turkish president also said the D-8 member countries should use national currencies in trade.

Domestic car production

On Nov. 2, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the names of companies that will take part in manufacturing of domestic cars.

Anadolu Grubu, BMC, Kiraca Holding, Turkcell and Zorlu Holding are among them.

Erdogan said that starting from 2021, Turkey will start exporting domestically made cars to neighboring countries.

OIC emergency summit on Jerusalem in Istanbul

On Dec. 6, US President Donald Trump proclaimed that the US recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

On Dec. 13, East Jerusalem was declared the capital of Palestine in a resolution adopted following the OIC emergency summit in Istanbul. The OIC also urged all countries to condemn the US decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

After this, Turkey provided Palestine with a grant worth $10 million for economic development. Turkey will also build an industrial zone in Palestine.

Turkish presidents historic visit to Greece

On Dec. 7, the first visit of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Greece took place. The previous visit to Athens by Turkish President Celal Bayar took place in 1952.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, before his visit to Greece, proposed to amend the Lausanne Peace Treaty of 1923.

Making changes to the Lausanne Treaty will benefit not only Turkey, but also Greece. Turkey is ready to discuss the details of the Lausanne Treaty with Greece if it agrees to make such changes, Erdogan said.

Erdogans visit to Greece will be remembered not only because it is the first visit to the country at the level of the president of Turkey over the past 65 years, but also by Erdogans political polemics with President of Greece Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

---

Rufiz Hafizoglu is the head of Trend Agency's Arabic news service, follow him on Twitter: @rhafizoglu
KYODO NEWS - Jan 2, 2018 - 17:38 | World, All

Nepal has banned solo climbs of its mountains including Mt. Everest starting from the upcoming spring climbing season in a bid to reduce the number of accidents, according to local newspapers.

The new regulations, announced by the tourism ministry, also bar people who are blind or double amputees from scaling mountains.

Besides promoting safety, the new rules are also aimed at boosting employment of Sherpa guides. However, it remains to be seen how stringently they will be enforced.

Since 1920, over 200 people have died on the 8,848-meter Mt. Everest, the world's highest mountain.

The ban has drawn criticism from both elite climbers and people with physical disabilities alike. Nepalese Gurkha veteran Hari Budha Magar, who lost both legs in an explosion in Afghanistan, slammed the new rules as discriminatory.
Acquisition

Alliant 2 protest heads to court

The battle over the General Services Administration's award of its $50 billion Alliant 2 IT product and services contract is moving to the courts.

Five protests were filed in late November after GSA made 61 awards for the Alliant 2 full-and-open track out of 170 total bids, leaving scores of firms disappointed that they missed out.

Alliant 1 incumbents Kratos Defense & Security Solutions and Peraton -- the former Harris Corp. IT business -- were among those protestors. Another incumbent, Centech Group, also protested the awards after not making the list of 61, as did Capgemini Government Solutions.

Now, however, Centech and another evidently disappointed company in OBXTek have taken their objections to the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Tysons Corner, Va.-based OBXTek first filed its lawsuit on Nov. 29 and Falls Church-based Centech filed its lawsuit Dec. 26.

The Government Accountability Office dismissed all outstanding protests against Alliant 2 on Dec. 20, as is customary when protests get taken to Federal Claims Court. A separate protest filed by Compuline International was dismissed Nov. 30.

Both OBXTek and Centech are objecting to different provisions in the solicitation but their cases will be decided in a single case, according to court documents. Officials at OBXTek declined comment and representatives from Centech could not be reached for comment.

OBXTek -- who did not protest to GAO -- is seeking an injunction that would order GSA to re-evaluate the company's proposal, according to OBXTek's heavily redacted 30-page complaint.

The company alleges GSAs evaluation of OBXtek's bid was "materially flawed... internally inconsistent and arbitrary" and the proposal would have been chosen for award otherwise, the complaint says.

A schedule for the case posted on Dec. 6 says GSA is due to make its filing for the case by Jan. 19 and OBXTek must file a motion for judgment by Feb. 2. GSA must then file a response to that motion by March 2. OBXTek's reply to GSA's response is due by March 16 and then the agency must respond by March 30, according to the schedule.

Centech has received $27.9 million in task orders from Alliant 1, according to Deltek.

A longer version of this article first appeared in Washington Technology, an FCW sibling publication.
Good enough for government work?

I am guessing that most every blog reader has heard the somewhat-contemptuous phrase, "good enough for government work," used to discuss production that is mediocre at best and slipshod at worst. What few know, however, is the origin of this phrase, as discussed by Doris Kearns Goodwin in No Ordinary Time, her 1995 book about the home front during World War II.

It turns out that the original meaning of this phrase was the exact opposite of the meaning it has since been given. Originally, it described war production that was done to such exacting quality and performance standards that it could be used by the military to help win the war. Originally, the way the phrase was pronounced was not with the accent on "enough" (good enough for government work), but on "good" (good enough for government work).

I take up that story in this post for two reasons. One is that my current year-end vacation has prompted me to think about this story again, and to apply it to government folks who are managing important procurement contracts. The second is that the story should prompt, I think, a New Year's resolution.

I have been thinking about the origin of this phrase again while on vacation in Miami (yes, fellow Northeasterners, it's been in the seventies and low eighties). As is my wont, I've been reading lighter books -- including Look Homeward Angel, by the great-but-now-somewhat-forgotten novelist Thomas Wolfe (not to be confused with Tom Wolfe), and David McCollough's epic 1977 yarn on the construction of the Panama Canal, The Path Between the Seas.

Toward the end of McCullough's book, he discusses the last major step in completing the canal: construction of the locks that would allow ships to proceed through various elevations along the route. The contractor selected to develop the electrical system for the locks was General Electric. At this point, McCullough writes, GE was a "still young, still comparatively small" firm. This was the very beginning of the age of electricity; the first factory electrification in the U.S. had occurred only a year earlier.

Succeeding with this contract was crucial to GE. This was not merely the company's "first large government contract." Its performance would receive worldwide attention; it was "a chance like none other to display the virtues of electric power."

How did GE react? The company set up a special department, with hand-picked employees "concentrated solely on the Panama project. Company employees were sent to the isthmus to become thoroughly familiar with all aspects of the problem.

According to McCullough, "the result was an unqualified success." The company had produced a product good enough for government work."

I bring up this example to encourage creative thinking by federal managers about the important procurement projects in which they are involved. Do you have any where the contractor's success (or failure) would have an impact beyond that one contractual relationship with the government?

If yes, you should consider how to structure the business relationship to take advantage of this. Should you be assigning more contract administration and performance tracking resources to increase the broader visibility of the contractor's performance on the contract? Should you be announcing planned enhanced performance reporting on the contract in the RFP? Are there benefits to the government that you should ask bidders to consider -- including a lower price -- due to the contract's wider significance?

Thinking about this phrase also suggested to me a New Year's resolution for all of us. We all know the meaning this phrase has taken on. What about promising to remind those we deal with of the original meaning, and to look for and highlight examples of work that is good enough for the original meaning of the term?

To adapt a phrase from debates about the meaning of constitutionalist phrases, perhaps we should brand ourselves as "good enough for government work originalists," who cherish the original usage and want what the government produces to be good enough to warrant the original meaning. So in promoting the phrase, good enough for government work, we are both expressing an ideal and also an aspiration for how government needs to get better to realize that ideal.

With that, I send all blog readers best wishes for 2018.
[caption id="attachment_3731" align="alignnone" width="620"]

Peking University School of Transnational Law

Peking University School of Transnational Law.[/caption] Legal educators helping future attorneys prepare for 21st century careers are certainly concerned with the influence of technology on the practice of law. But increasingly, legal technology education and research often comes from the United States and isn't likely to help international law students keep pace. Peking University Law School is looking to change that. The elite Chinese law school will partner with cloud-based analytics platform Gridsum to introduce a new research center focused on examining potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) within China's legal system. Gridsum will provide the technical and research backbone to the center as part of the partnership, drawing in part from AI technology developed for the company's "Faxin Wei Su" tool, a litigation service operating on Chinese communication platform WeChat's micro application platform. The new center, the Peking University Legal AI Lab and Research Institute, or the "Legal AI Lab," launched on Friday with a ceremony hosted by Jingyi Ye, deputy party committee secretary of Peking University. Also in attendance were Shouwen Zhang, dean of Peking University Law School and director of the Legal AI Lab; Xiaolei Yang, vice president of Peking University Law School and executive director of the Legal AI Lab; and Guosheng Qi, CEO of Gridsum. Peking University Law School and Gridsum have partnered over curricular opportunities prior to the Legal AI Lab launch. In 2014, researchers at the law school used the Gridsum's Media Dissector tool to analyze over 30,000 news reports and published a report on the media trends throughout the year. In part, this launch addresses imperatives put forth by China's State Council. In July 2017, the country's government approved an agenda, the "Next Generation of Artificial Intelligence Development Plan," to invest heavily in research and development around artificial intelligence across the nation's industries. This policy was bolstered later in the year by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, which launched a three-year plan to promote the development of next generation AI technologies and create a regulatory pathway for the proliferation of AI development. "We are excited to be at the forefront of China's legal AI development and to have the opportunity to work in close cooperation with globally renowned legal academic institutions and individuals," Qi said in a statement. "The combination of Peking University's highly experienced legal community and our cutting-edge AI and big data technology will directly benefit the development and application of AI across China's judicial system as it migrates towards a 'Smart Court' initiative."
NVIDIA Corporation NVDA has generated significant returns for investors last year and has the potential to exceed expectations this year as well. The stock has soared 81.3% in the past one year, significantly outperforming the industrys gain of 46%.



Lets check out the reasons for this impressive surge in share price and consider why NVIDIA will continue its momentum in this year as well.





Key Catalysts



NVIDIAs innovative product pipeline and strength in gaming and high-end notebook GPUs have kept it well positioned. Last year launch of GeForce NOW and SHIELD TV remained key growth drivers. The recently introduced TITAN V graphics processing unit (GPU) is another tailwind.



The company is in the process of gaining market share among gaming service providers, thereby strengthening its position in the workstation-based gaming services in supercomputing segments. The advanced gaming cards also add value to PC manufacturers. NVIDIA has decided to license its graphics IP, which should generate strong revenues.



Moreover, its chips meant for the industries such as artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, machine learning technologies, advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) as well as data centers are further positives as these industries have started gaining momentum. NVIDIAs focus on GRID platforms can increase GPU adoption in data centers, giving it an advantage against its competitors.



Furthermore, the companys partnership with Japanese company  Komatsu  to bring in AI computing platform to the construction and mining equipment industry is a testament of its AI initiatives. Its alliance with Baidu for bringing in AI technology in cloud-computing services, self-driving vehicles and home assistance spaces will stoke growth going ahead.

NVIDIA Corporation Revenue (TTM)

NVIDIA Corporation Revenue (TTM) | NVIDIA Corporation Quote

Positive Estimate Revision

The stock has seen solid earnings estimate revision activity in the last 30 days. Estimates for the current quarter have risen from $1.13 per share to $1.15 per share, while for fiscal 2018 estimates have risen from $4.13 per share to $4.19 per share. It has also topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate by an average of 33.5% in the trailing four quarters.



Notably, Semiconductor  General industry to which NVIDIA belongs currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 4 out of more than 250 industries, suggesting it is well-positioned from this perspective, especially when compared to the other segments.



Bottom Line



NVIDIA remains one of the best performers in the semiconductor space. Given the accelerated momentum in AI, gaming, datacenter and automotive technology, we believe this Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stock, with a long-term EPS growth estimate of 11.2%, will continue to rally in the near term. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.



Many might argue that NVIDIA, with its hefty forward P/E valuation of 46.2x, compared with the industry average of 19.4x, is a risky bet. Nevertheless, we beg to differ as high valuations and increasing share prices do not necessarily indicate that the stock does not have much upside potential left.



NVIDIA has grabbed attention with striking performances on the back of impressive earnings results and strong growth projections.



Furthermore, with its continued efforts toward attaining a leading position in several emerging industries such as AI, deep learning and driverless cars industry, NVIDIA has outpaced others in the space, including Advanced Micro Devices AMD, Intel Corp. INTC and STMicroelectronics STM, in terms of growth.



Therefore, we believe investing in this stock will yield promising returns for your portfolio in the short term.



Zacks Editor-in-Chief Goes "All In" on This Stock



Full disclosure, Kevin Matras now has more of his own money in one particular stock than in any other. He believes in its short-term profit potential and also in its prospects to more than double by 2019. Today he reveals and explains his surprising move in a new Special Report.

Download it free >>



Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report



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Zacks Investment Research
As California prepared to legalize marijuana sales, CNN reporter Randi Kaye ended 2017 on a high note, covering New Years Eve in Colorado, where recreational cannabis has been legal since 2012.

Giving the Sunshine State a glimpse of its future, the CNN News fixture handled joints at a paint and puff party and even lit a gas mask bong for one reveler.

I just want to point out, that this is all legal in Colorado, host Anderson Cooper told co-host Andy Cohen.

While Kaye did not appear to partake in any drug use herself, Twitter users provided commentary as she rode a pot bus, which took revelers to various pot-related stops, including a marijuana grow house.

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But not everyone was loving CNNs cannabis-friendly coverage. Some people online noted their distaste of the report.

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This could be, in part, because its become exceedingly rare to watch people even smoke tobacco on television. A 1971 law barred cigarette advertisements from the small screen, and a 1986 follow-up added smokeless products to the banned ads. Television programming followed suit, with fewer characters sparking their lighters in subsequent years.

But this isnt the first time that CNN and Kaye teamed up on marijuana coverage. Heres a 2014 clip about a previous Kaye joint investigation:

See original article on Fortune.com

More from Fortune.com
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.

Dice and casino chips lying atop Social Security cards.

Image source: Getty Images.

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.

Story continues

Two Social Security cards lying atop a W-2.

Image source: Getty Images.

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.

Scissors cutting through a hundred dollar bill.

Image source: Getty Images.

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.

A couple putting coins in their piggy bank.

Image source: Getty Images.

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.

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Fang Holdings Limited SFUN was a big mover last session, as the company saw its shares rise more than 14% on the day. The move came on solid volume too with far more shares changing hands than in a normal session. This continues the recent uptrend for the companyas the stock is now up 25.4% in the past one-month time frame.

The company has seen no positive estimate revisions in the past few weeks, while its Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter has moved higher over the past few months, suggesting that more solid trading could be ahead for Fang Holdings. So make sure to keep an eye on this stock going forward to see if this recent jump can turn into more strength down the road.

Fang Holdings currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) while its Earnings ESP is 0.00%.

SouFun Holdings Limited Price

SouFun Holdings Limited Price | SouFun Holdings Limited Quote

Another stock worth considering in the Business - Services industry is WageWorks, Inc. WAGE which carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Is SFUN going up? Or down? Predict to see what others think:Up or Down

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Full disclosure, Kevin Matras now has more of his own money in one particular stock than in any other. He believes in its short-term profit potential and also in its prospects to more than double by 2019. Today he reveals and explains his surprising move in a new Special Report.



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Smoke and fire are seen during a protest in Alborz Province, Iran, in this still image taken from video (IRINN/ReutersTV via REUTERS)

Oil prices have climbed to their highest levels since 2015 amid ongoing protests in Iran  and that could hit the cost of fuel at UK pumps.

Brent crude, used to price international oil, was at $67.18 (49.56) a barrel on Tuesday morning, up 0.5%, after hitting a May 2015 high of $67.29 a barrel earlier in the day.

It was the first time since January 2014 that the crude oil benchmark opened the year above $60 per barrel.

MORE: Leading economists predict gloomy 2018 for business, workers and consumers

Growing unrest in Iran set the table for a bullish start to 2018, the US-based Schork Report said in a note to clients on Tuesday.

Anti-government protests were staged in Iran on Sunday, the fourth day of unrest against the regime.

Coupled with continued cuts to the supply of oil by the OPEC cartel and Russia, the rising price could soon be felt by British motorists at the pumps.

Fuel prices have been on the rise in recent weeks (Source: RAC Foundation)

According to the RAC Foundation motoring organisation, the average price of petrol at December 28 was 120.7p per litre, and diesel stood at 123.4p.

It predicts prices to rise by almost a penny over the next two weeks. In July, petrol cost on average 113.7p/lt with diesel at 115.6p.

MORE: Eye-watering rail fares hikes are pricing people out of work

US crude output is also slipping from a record-high, with weekly production down in the week before Christmas for the first time since mid-October.

I would not be surprised if any outcome of the current crisis would be ultimately negative for the oil price, Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt told Bloomberg.

Should the protests lead to regime change, it might attract massive new investments and result in higher output.

Could the price of fuel in the UK be set to surge? (Jonathan Nicholson/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

And, Avtar Sandu, senior manager of commodities in Singapore-based Phillip Futures, told Gulf News: We do see a spike in crude oil prices due to the geopolitical risk associated with the current public unrest in Iran. If the unrest spurs to the larger part of the country, we might see a larger surge in oil prices.

Story continues

Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused the countrys enemies of stirring days of protests that have claimed at least 22 lives.

In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence services to create troubles for the Islamic Republic, he was quoted as saying in a post on his official website.

MORE: Mammoth wind farm planned for middle of the North Sea

The protests began last Thursday in the city of Mashhad, initially against price rises and corruption, but have since grown into a wider anti-government sentiment.

US president Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Iranians were finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime.




UPDATED: Jia Yueting, the colorful founder of the struggling LeEco Group, says he cannot yet return to China, putting him in defiance of an order from one of the countrys financial regulators.

In a Dec. 25 instruction, the China Securities Regulatory Commission said it wanted Jia back in China by Dec. 31 to take action over the mounting debts at the sprawling tech and video streaming group. Having missed that deadline, Jia on Tuesday used his WeChat social media account to publish a letter he sent to the CSRC on Dec. 31, in which Jia says he cannot return to China while he is making good progress on the refinancing of electric cars company Faraday Future in the U.S.

The fundraising for Faraday Future in the United States is making significant progress and there are many tasks I need to push forward in order to ensure the production and timely delivery of the [latest model] FF91, Jia said. In previous blogs, Jia had suggested that if he returned to China he feared not being allowed to return to the U.S. where Faradays future is likely to be decided.

In the new posting, Jia said he had asked his wife and his older brother, Jia Yuemin, also a board director of listed unit LeShi Internet Technology, to meet with the CSRC. Jias wife, Gan Wei, appeared to land in Beijing on New Years Eve, posting messages on her Weibo social media account from the airport, and saying that she was back with a mission. That left it unclear whether Jia himself had returned or defied the CSRC order.

Lawyers have pointed out that Jias defiance of the CSRCs instruction may have civil, rather than criminal implications. But Jias problems at home are mounting.

In mid-December, he was placed on Chinas list of debt defaulters and on a national blacklist. By the end of the month a court announced that it had seized substantially all of his assets in China. In his message, Jia points to a missed debt payment in July last year that triggered an asset freeze and multiple other calls for debt repayment. The mounting cash problems mean the shutdown of nearly all the groups non-listed companies and the layoff of 10,000 staff.

Story continues

Jia also pointed to supply-chain shifts in the phone handset market in 2016  LeEco group company Coolpad manufactures phones for other brands as well as the companys own LeEco phones  that had a ripple effect across the consortium.

Jia recently announced a $1 billion cash lifeline for Faraday Future. But one of the purported investors, Thailands leading energy group, PTT, denied its involvement.

Related stories

China Box Office Expands by $2 Billion to Hit $8.6 Billion in 2017

Wanda to Slash Internet Division (Report)

China Court Seizes Assets of LeEco Boss Jia Yueting

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Tuesday, January 2, 2018

What to watch today

2018 has arrived. With U.S. stocks coming off their best year since 2013, investors come into the second year of the Trump administration and the second-to-last year of the decade with Wall Street expecting higher stock prices amid corporate tax rates that have been slashed.

Tuesday should be quiet in markets as traders and investors return to work. The year will begin with a little look back at 2017. At 9:45 a.m. ET, well get the December U.S. manufacturing PMI report. Economists are expecting a print of 53.9. Any reading above 50 signals growth.

Later this week, the December jobs report, auto sales, and ISM manufacturing readings will be released. Economists forecast that 188,000 jobs were created in December while the unemployment rate should hold steady at 4.1%. On the earnings side, results from Monsanto (MON), Stanley, Black & Decker (SWK), and Constellation Brands (STZ) will be highlights.

Read More

Top news



Bridgewaters Steinberg killed in plane crash: Bridgewater Associates executive Bruce Steinberg and his family were among 10 Americans killed when a charter plane crashed into a mountain in Costa Rica on Sunday. [Bloomberg]

New York Fed takes names in search for next chief: It may be the trickiest job to fill in central banking. And as the Federal Reserve Bank of New York search committee casts a wide net to find a replacement for its outgoing president, William Dudley, the wish list is getting long. [Bloomberg]

BP expects US earnings uplift from tax reform: British energy company BP (BP) expects a positive impact on future post-tax earnings from changes to U.S. corporate taxes, it said on Tuesday. The company said the lowering of the U.S. tax rate requires revaluation of BPs U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities and estimated a one-off non-cash charge of about $1.5 billion on 2017 fourth-quarter results. [Reuters]

Pension funds dilemma: What to buy when nothing is cheap?: Retirement systems that manage money for firefighters, police officers, teachers and other public workers arent pulling back on costly bets at a time when markets are rising around the world. Some public pension funds are adding to traditional allocations of stocks and bonds while both are expensive. Others are loading up on more private-equity or real-estate holdings that are less liquid and sometimes carry high fees. [The Wall Street Journal]

Story continues

For more of the latest news, go to Yahoo Finance

Iranian students protest at the University of Tehran during a demonstration driven by anger over economic problems, in the capital Tehran on December 30, 2017. Students protested in a third day of demonstrations, videos on social media showed, but were outnumbered by counter-demonstrators.(Photo credit STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Yahoo Finance Originals

Six market themes to track in 2018

The NFL is not dying, but it may be plateauing

Your pay-TV rate might be increasing  heres what to do about it

5 changes in the travel industry that could cost you in 2018



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FILE PHOTO: A man pumps petrol for his car at a petrol station in Hanoi, Vietnam December 20, 2016. REUTERS/Kham/File Photo

By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Devika Krishna Kumar

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit mid-2015 highs in early trading on Tuesday but dipped to settle slightly lower as major pipelines in Libya and the UK restarted and U.S production soared to the highest level in more than four decades.

It was the first time since January 2014 that the two crude oil benchmarks opened a year above $60 per barrel. Prices were buoyed by large anti-government rallies in Iran and supply cuts led by OPEC and Russia.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures (CLc1) settled 5 cents lower at $60.37 a barrel. In early trading WTI hit $60.74, the highest level since June 2015.

Brent crude futures (LCOc1), the international benchmark, settled 30 cents, or 0.5 percent lower at $66.57 a barrel. The session high of $67.29 was the highest since May 2015.

The spread between U.S. crude and Brent (WTCLc1-LCoc1) hit the narrowest in nearly two weeks.

The 450,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity Forties pipeline system in the North Sea returned to full operations on Dec. 30 after an unplanned shutdown.

Repairs have been completed on a Libyan oil pipeline damaged in a suspected attack last week and production is restarting gradually, engineers said.

"The resolution of the North Sea pipeline issue is having the expected result that the Brent-WTI spread is narrowing today," David Thompson, executive vice-president at Powerhouse, an energy-specialized commodities broker in Washington.

Thompson added that traders have been returning to work from the holidays, boosting volumes.

"Despite the day's price weakness, both Brent and WTI remain in solid, long-term bullish trends - $58.95 is nearby support on WTI front-month futures and $65.60 is the corresponding support on front-month Brent futures."

Iran's Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused the country's enemies of stirring unrest, as the death toll rose to 21 from anti-government demonstrations that began last week.[nL8N1OX0XY]

Story continues

Iran is OPEC's third-largest crude producer. Iranian oil industry and shipping sources said protests have had no impact so far on oil production or exports.

"Geopolitical risks are clearly back on the crude oil agenda after having been absent almost entirely since the oil market ran into a surplus in the second half of 2014," Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB, said, also citing Kurdistan and Libya.

Oil prices have been supported by production cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia. The cuts are scheduled to cover all of 2018.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories have fallen by almost 20 percent from their historic highs last March, to 431.9 million barrels.

Strong demand growth, especially from China, has also been supporting crude.

However, rising U.S. production, which is on the verge of breaking through 10 million bpd, has tempered the bullish outlook.

"We think U.S. tight oil production growth warrants close monitoring as it could spoil OPEC's market-balancing efforts, pushing the market into surplus in 2018," Barclays bank said.

October U.S crude production rose 167,000 barrels per day to 9.64 million bpd, according to the EIA's monthly production report. If the figure is not revised next month, it would be the highest monthly level since May 1971.

(Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore; editing by David Gregorio and Susan Thomas)
By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Devika Krishna Kumar

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices hit mid-2015 highs in early trading on Tuesday but dipped to settle slightly lower as major pipelines in Libya and the UK restarted and U.S production soared to the highest level in more than four decades.

It was the first time since January 2014 that the two crude oil benchmarks opened a year above $60 per barrel. Prices were buoyed by large anti-government rallies in Iran and supply cuts led by OPEC and Russia.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures (CLc1) settled 5 cents lower at $60.37 a barrel. In early trading WTI hit $60.74, the highest level since June 2015.

Brent crude futures (LCOc1), the international benchmark, settled 30 cents, or 0.5 percent lower at $66.57 a barrel. The session high of $67.29 was the highest since May 2015.

The spread between U.S. crude and Brent (WTCLc1-LCoc1) hit the narrowest in nearly two weeks.

The 450,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity Forties pipeline system in the North Sea returned to full operations on Dec. 30 after an unplanned shutdown.

Repairs have been completed on a Libyan oil pipeline damaged in a suspected attack last week and production is restarting gradually, engineers said.

"The resolution of the North Sea pipeline issue is having the expected result that the Brent-WTI spread is narrowing today," David Thompson, executive vice-president at Powerhouse, an energy-specialized commodities broker in Washington.

Thompson added that traders have been returning to work from the holidays, boosting volumes.

"Despite the day's price weakness, both Brent and WTI remain in solid, long-term bullish trends - $58.95 is nearby support on WTI front-month futures and $65.60 is the corresponding support on front-month Brent futures."

Iran's Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused the country's enemies of stirring unrest, as the death toll rose to 21 from anti-government demonstrations that began last week.[nL8N1OX0XY]

Story continues

Iran is OPEC's third-largest crude producer. Iranian oil industry and shipping sources said protests have had no impact so far on oil production or exports.

"Geopolitical risks are clearly back on the crude oil agenda after having been absent almost entirely since the oil market ran into a surplus in the second half of 2014," Bjarne Schieldrop, chief commodities analyst at SEB, said, also citing Kurdistan and Libya.

Oil prices have been supported by production cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Russia. The cuts are scheduled to cover all of 2018.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories have fallen by almost 20 percent from their historic highs last March, to 431.9 million barrels.

Strong demand growth, especially from China, has also been supporting crude.

However, rising U.S. production, which is on the verge of breaking through 10 million bpd, has tempered the bullish outlook.

"We think U.S. tight oil production growth warrants close monitoring as it could spoil OPEC's market-balancing efforts, pushing the market into surplus in 2018," Barclays bank said.

October U.S crude production rose 167,000 barrels per day to 9.64 million bpd, according to the EIA's monthly production report. If the figure is not revised next month, it would be the highest monthly level since May 1971.

(Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore; editing by David Gregorio and Susan Thomas)
U.S. West Texas Intermediate and internationally-favored Brent crude oil futures are trading higher early Tuesday in response to large anti-government rallies in Iran. Additionally, the market posted its strongest opening to a new year since 2014, underpinned by the OPEC-led supply cuts.

At 0728 GMT, February WTI crude oil is trading $60.66, up $0.24 or +0.40%. March Brent crude oil is at $67.22, up $0.35 or +0.52%.

Daily March Brent Crude

Traders are optimistic that the rally which ended 2017 would continue into the new year especially since the two crude oil markets opened the year above $60 per barrel for the first time since January 2014.

Fundamentally, the market is being supported by on-going cuts in production by OPEC and Russia, and last weeks pipeline explosion in Libya.

Daily February West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil

Today, the market is being underpinned by geopolitical tension in Iran. Anti-government protesters demonstrated in Iran on Sunday in defiance of a warning by authorities of a crackdown, extending for a fourth day one of the most audacious challenges to the clerical leadership since pro-reform unrest in 2009.

Gains could be limited today because as of December 30, the 450,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity forties pipeline system in the North Sea returned to full operations after an unplanned shutdown.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
U.S. West Texas Intermediate and international-benchmark investors took advantage of last weeks extremely low volume and drove prices to their highest levels since mid-2015.

February WTI crude oil futures settled the holiday-shortened week at $60.42, up $1.95 or +3.34% and March Brent crude oil ended the week at $66.87, up $2.14 or +3.31%.

Weekly March Brent Crude Oil

Buyers controlled the momentum all week. The first day after the Christmas break, prices spiked sharply higher on the news of a pipeline explosion in Libya. This news came on top of a pipeline shutdown in the North Sea that has been supportive for the markets, especially Brent crude oil, for a little more than two weeks. Additionally, prices were also been supported by strong demand from China, consecutive drawdowns in U.S. supply and the OPEC-led plan to cut output, trim the global supply and stabilize prices.

At mid-week, WTI prices were driven higher by data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, which showed a modest drop last week in domestic oil production to 9.75 million barrels per day (bpd) from 9.79 million bpd the previous week.

WTI prices were further supported by a drop in U.S. commercial crude storage levels, which dropped by 4.6 million barrels in the week-ending December 22 to 431.9 million barrels, according to the EIA.

This weeks EIA report showed total gasoline inventories increased by 600,000 barrels last week and moved above the upper limit of the five-year average range.

The government report went on to say that U.S. refineries produced about 10.2 million barrels of gasoline a day the week-ending December 22, up by about 100,000 barrels a day compared to the prior week. Additionally, total motor gasoline supplied, the EIAs proxy for demand, averaged over 9.2 million barrels a day for the past four weeks, up about 2% compared with the same period a year ago.

In other news, U.S. drillers held the number of oil rigs steady for a second straight week at 747 in the week to December 29, General Electric Co.s Baker Hughes, Inc. energy services firm said on Friday.

Story continues

Weekly February WTI Crude Oil

Forecast

Early this week, the price action will be controlled by momentum. Prices will rise if investors returning after the two-week holiday decide that crude oil is cheap given the current fundamentals. Prices will weaken on profit-taking if they decide the market is too expensive.

At some point, investors are going to have to price in the probability that the Forties pipeline will be fixed and that supply in the North Sea will return to normal. Additionally, prices could fall if the damage from the Libyan pipeline explosion is repaired.

Given that last weeks rally was driven by extremely low trading volume, I expect prices to weaken during the course of the week because I dont think hedge funds and money managers are going to be willing to pay up for crude oil at this time.

This article was originally posted on FX Empire

More From FXEMPIRE:
Jan 2 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- In late summer, Verizon Communications came to Rupert Murdoch with a surprise acquisition offer. Verizon, wanted to buy pieces of Twenty-First Century Fox, Murdoch's television and film conglomerate. Representatives of the two companies secretly met at least once to discuss a merger. Murdoch, 86, shrugged off the talks as uninspiring, according to an associate. http://nyti.ms/2lALsbO

- A wave of optimism has swept over American business leaders, and it is beginning to translate into the sort of investment in new plants, equipment and factory upgrades that bolsters economic growth, spurs job creation - and may finally raise wages significantly. http://nyti.ms/2lAEjZ8

- Retail cannabis shops in California opened their doors on Monday for the first time, inaugurating what proponents say will become the world's largest market for legalized recreational marijuana. http://nyti.ms/2lAY3f3

- Gretchen Carlson, who was Miss America in 1989 and in recent years has become a prominent voice against workplace sexual harassment, will take over as chairwoman of the pageant's board of directors, the organization announced on Monday. http://nyti.ms/2lzFbNB

(Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom)
From BlackRock: Instead of spending, most retirees are holding on to assets 20 years into retirement. Bruce Wolfe discusses research into how retirees are managing their sources of cash against their spending.

Something unexpected has been the shared experience for our most recent generation of retirees. The vast majority havent been spending their retirement savingsleaving nest eggs mostly untouched and living on ready sources of income instead. However, future retirees may be less fortunate.

A recent paper by the BlackRock Retirement Institute (BRI) based on research in conjunction with the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) found that on average across all wealth levels, most current retirees still have 80% of their pre-retirement savings after almost two decades in retirement. Digging deeper, across all wealth levels measured, more than one third of current retirees actually grew their assetsleaving a considerable amount of money on the table.

Assets hold mostly steady over 20 years (median non-housing household assets)

Are you nervous about spending your savings? Join in >

Financial industry norms and academic theorieseven popular beliefshave always assumed assets saved for retirement would be systematically withdrawnfollowing the 4% rule or some other rule of thumb or systemby retirees in order to maintain a consistent standard of living. Technically, this is referred to as consumption smoothing whereby individuals seek to have consistent spending on par with pre-retirement levels. The papers findings begin to challenge these thinkingsat least for the group of retirees in the study.

Looking back: most didnt need to or didnt want to spend savings

Most retirees in our study appear to have coped and managed pretty well in retirement. Many could have afforded to withdraw a little and, in some cases, a lot more from their retirement accounts but chose not to, potentially leaving in some cases large amounts of hard-earned savings unspent.

Story continues

Looking forward: need to spend down retirement assets may only increase

Many of the retirees captured in this research were fortunate to be able to maintain a reasonable standard of living without significantly tapping into their retirement savings principal. Future retirees may not be so lucky for several reasons:

Pension benefits . On average, 42% of the retirees tracked in the research received income from a defined benefit (DB) pension: Few, if any, of those retiring over the next 10-20 years can expect income from a DB plan.

Social Security . Income from Social Security is the largest component in the retirement income mix for all retirees, but pressure on Social Security finances could lead to a future drop in benefits.

Rates of return . Over the past 35-plus years asset classes have delivered robust returns in the form of asset appreciation and interest income; few asset classes are expected to perform at the same levels into the near future.

Savings behavior . Future retirees will need to save more and be more confident around drawing down retirement assetsor else be prepared for potentially significant belt tightening.

Longer life span. People are living longer and will need to have their retirement assets last longer, in some cases much longer.

Shifting demographics and a more challenging market environment will only elevate the complexity and importance of helping retirees maximize the value of retirement savings. But the good news is that with improved savings behavior, steady and consistent investing, and sound guidance on retirement income, future retirees can take the steps necessary towards a comfortable standard of living.

Bruce Wolfe is the Executive Director of the BlackRock Retirement Institute (BRI) and a member of the U.S. & Canada Defined Contribution (USDC) Group. He is the newest contributor to The Blog.

The iShares Barclays 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT) fell $0.38 (-0.3%) in premarket trading Tuesday. Year-to-date, TLT has gained 8.95%, versus a 21.71% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index during the same period.

TLT currently has an ETF Daily News SMART Grade of A (Strong Buy), and is ranked #2 of 28 ETFs in the Government Bonds ETFs category.

This article is brought to you courtesy of BlackRock.

You are viewing an abbreviated republication of ETF Daily News content. You can find full ETF Daily News articles on (www.etfdailynews.com)
Logan Paul

YouTube/Logan Paul

The YouTube star Logan Paul has apologised and deleted a video of him and his friends discovering a body in Japan's so-called suicide forest.

The Aokigahara forest has developed a reputation as a site where many Japanese people have killed themselves.

In the video, released late last month, Paul and his friends were planning to camp in the forest overnight but stumbled upon a corpse hanging from a tree.

Paul blurred the face of the body, but he and his friends stood around the corpse and filmed it before leaving the forest.

"I've never made a mistake like this before," Paul said in an apology on Twitter on Monday.

Tweet Embed:

https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/948026294066864128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

Dear Internet, pic.twitter.com/42OCDBhiWg

And he also published a short apology video on his YouTube channel on Tuesday:

Youtube Embed:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/QwZT7T-TXT0

Width: 560px

Height: 315px

Paul initially found fame through the Twitter-owned video service Vine and has since migrated to posting daily videos on YouTube. His younger brother is Jake Paul, a fellow YouTube star who has been accused of turning his neighborhood into a "war zone" after a series of parties, stunts, and fan attention.

NOW WATCH: Why your iPhone's battery life gets shorter over time

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In an apparent bid to showcase their resolve for backing the government, protesters in a restive Afghan province have displayed small arms.

The January 2 protest in the remote southwestern province of Uruzgan comes amid a tense showdown between the national unity government in Kabul and regional strongman Atta Mohmmad Noor. The longtime governor of northern Balkh Province is reluctant to leave his post two weeks after the government claimed to have approved his resignation on December 18.

The youth and the people who are carrying their arms today are saying we will not allow anyone to oppose the government, Rahimullah Popal, a protest leader, told Radio Free Afghanistan in Uruzgans capital, Tarin Kot, on January 2.

While the protesters refused to say who specifically they were protesting against, their anger was clearly aimed at Noor. We are also calling on the Taliban to join the peace process, Popal said. Since the withdrawal of most NATO troops from Afghanistan in late 2014, the insurgents have overrun large swathes of predominantly Pashtun-populated Uruzgan while repeatedly besieging Tarin Kot.

Yet Attaullah Afghan, a protester in Tarin Kot, now says he is ready to defend Kabul. I have picked up arms to back my government and resist anyone who is opposing this government and might be harboring thoughts of bringing it down, he told Radio Free Afghanistan.

Qudratullah Rahimi, another armed protester, agreed. Our aim is to back our government in ending defiance, he said.

Speaking in his northern city of Mazar-e Sharif on January 2, Noor accused Kabul of attempting to marginalize leaders of the armed groups who fought against the Soviet-backed Afghan regime in the 1980s. They also fought each other in a civil war and the Taliban in the 1990s.

We do not want secularism to be dominant in our country, he told supporters.

Reported by Radio Free Afghanistan correspondent Sharifullah Sharafat from Tarin Kot, Uruzgan. With Reporting by Tolo News.
A provincial police chief has claimed that airstrikes have killed more than two dozen Islamic State (IS) militants, including foreign fighters, in northern Afghanistan.

Speaking to Radio Free Afghanistan, Faqir Mohammad Jawzjani, police chief in northern Jawzjan Province, said unmanned aircraft targeted militant meetings in the remote Darzab district on January 2.

Based on the specific target information, our aircraft targeted major meetings of Daesh in the village of Saradara and Alkhani [in Darzab district], he said, referring to IS by its Arabic acronym. More than 26 people were killed in the attacks, which included some foreigners and prominent militant commanders, and many more were injured.

Jawzjani said the dead included seven foreign militants. Three of these, he claimed, were French nationals while four were from neighboring Uzbekistan. It is not clear how Afghan authorities established the identities of the fighters within hours of an airstrike in a region largely controlled by IS for more than two years.

The dead included famous militant commander Qari Zia, who was also known as Shuja. The other prominent militants were named as Yaqub and Shaikh, who was a judge and had recently arrived from [the IS enclave] in eastern Nangarhar Province, he told Radio Free Afghanistan.

He added there were rumors of some civilian casualties in the region. He told Radio Free Afghanistan that two civilians were also killed in the airstrikes because they had gone to one of the meetings to resolve a tribal problem.

Afghanistans independent Pajhwak news agency, however, quoted a local anti-militant commander, Dadullah, as saying 10 civilians including five women, four men, and a child were killed in an airstrike after IS militants stopped their vehicle to use it for transporting their comrades who were injured in previous air attacks.

Darzab, a strategic district that connects Sar-e Pol and Jawzjan provinces, has been under militant control for more than two years since renegade local Taliban commander Qari Hekmat joined the remnants of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan in 2015. Last year, they extended their control to neighboring Qush-Teppa district. Their atrocities forced thousands of civilians to seek shelter in Sheberghan, a small town that serves as the administrative center or provincial capital of Jawzjan.

Jawzjani said Afghan forces are conducting ground operations against militants in various localities around the province, which borders Turkmenistan.

Our air force is ready to strike the militants if we have credible information and specific coordinates about their hideouts, he said.

 With reporting by pajhwok.com
In opioid epidemic, states intensify prescription drug monitoring

This article originally appeared on Stateline, an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Long before the current opioid epidemic, most states developed drug-tracking systems to allow physicians and pharmacists to check patients prescription drug use, including opioid painkillers, to determine whether they may be receiving too many pills, at too high a dose or in dangerous combination with other medications such as sedatives and muscle relaxants. But few prescribers took advantage of the systems.

Now, faced with a drug overdose epidemic that killed more than 63,000 people in 2016, at least 39 states are insisting that health professionals use the systems, known as prescription drug-monitoring programs, or PDMPs, to analyze each patients prescription drug use before writing another prescription for highly addictive drugs such as Percocet, Vicodin and OxyContin. In Missouri, the only state without a monitoring program, St. Louis County adopted a local drug-tracking system and made its use by physicians mandatory.

We saw a big nationwide push this year to make prescription drug-monitoring programs mandatory, more comprehensive and effective, and easier to use, said Chad Zadrazil, a legislative attorney with the National Alliance for Model State Drug Laws, a federally funded drug policy organization based in Iowa. He said some states also are expanding access to the databases to assist in public health initiatives.

In the past, drug databases were used primarily by police to track down so-called pill mills, where doctors indiscriminately prescribe opioid medications for cash. And most pharmacists consulted them before filling a prescription. But few doctors took the time to review the databases before prescribing highly addictive opioids.

Until states began requiring physicians to use prescription drug-monitoring programs, fewer than 35 percent of medical professionals used the tracking systems to identify patients who may be at risk for addiction and overdose, Zadrazil said. Now, in states that require doctors to consult PDMPs, he said, physician usage rates exceed 90 percent.

Overall opioid prescribing has declined in those states as well, as have drug-related hospitalizations and overdose deaths. States also are seeing a rise in addiction treatment as more doctors refer patients to treatment after discovering they are taking painkillers from multiple sources and are likely addicted, according to an analysis from Brandeis Universitys Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Training and Technical Assistance Center.

New features

In addition to requiring doctors and other prescribers to use the tracking systems before prescribing potentially addictive and deadly drugs, Wisconsin, Utah and a few other states are adding information to prescription drug-monitoring programs -- including overdose rescues, hospitalizations for drug-related conditions and drug-related arrests -- that can help physicians determine when to curtail a patients drug use.

And for doctors who see a need for addiction treatment, Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin include referral information about treatment services.

Arizona, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and a handful of other states are revamping their drug-monitoring programs to make them compatible with electronic health record software systems commonly used by physicians and pharmacists, Zadrazil said. And nearly all states have started allowing busy doctors to appoint a delegate who can access the sensitive information and download patients drug history into their medical records prior to their appointment.

At least 47 states have started adding drug-monitoring data from one or more nearby states so physicians can see whether patients are receiving medications from prescribers in other states.

More than half of all states have added a physician assessment function to their PDMPs so doctors, nurses and other prescribers can see how their prescribing practices compare with others in their state, and whether and how often they are exceeding Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and state-imposed dosage and quantity limits. Washington state and Wisconsin send those report cards to doctors supervisors and medical directors.

A growing number of states also send unsolicited alerts to doctors, pharmacists and law enforcement when a patient starts receiving dangerously high doses of prescription opioids, has been taking opioids for longer than recommended, or is taking opioids in combination with other drugs such as sedatives or muscle relaxers that could cause dangerous interactions.
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, Dec. 19, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Solar Park Freetown project was inaugurated and commenced by His Excellency The President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma in presence of former Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Samura Kamara and Hon. Minister of Energy, Henry Macauley, who are leading the project. Together with the Project Manager and EPC Contractor, the project total costs have been reduced from the initial USD18 million allocation to only USD12.6 million for all project components, including certain critical infrastructure additions. The Government of Sierra Leone represented by the Ministry of Energy is pleased to announce that Sierra Leone has undergone a number of critical steps leading up to the historic landmark event on 12th of December 2017. The ratification of the ADFD Loan by the Sierra Leone Government, establishment of a working Project Implementation Unit (PIU) at the Ministry of Energy in Sierra Leone, and the re-appointment of the UAE based Advanced Science and Innovation Company (ASIC) LLC as the Project Manager and Lead for the Solar Park Freetown Project and the appointment of the EPC, SMRT Projects and Energy Solutions (SMRT P&ES).



Photos: http://APO.af/AP63uC

The landmark 6MW Solar Park Freetown Project won the first prestigious International Renewable Energy Agency and Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (IRENA/ADFD) financing facility. It was initiated and coordinated by late Ambassador Siray Alpha Timbo and Dr. Bahige Annan, the Consul General of Sierra Leone in Dubai, UAE, then developed with the Project Manager, Filip Matwin, CEO of ASIC. In close cooperation with the Minister of Energy and the PIU, the Project will in fact, leave an important legacy for Sierra Leones future development.

The Solar Park Project will provide a substantial access to clean renewable and sustainable electricity to both urban and western rural districts around the capital, Freetown, a first in the history of the country. This is a record to note, for Renewable Energy Projects across West Africa as a region, adding valuable and long-awaited clean electricity to the grid, not to dismiss the power and supporting infrastructure brought by critical international experts to Sierra Leone in the field of Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development.

Solar Park Freetown Project is specially designed to include a number of institutional and critical human resource arrangements for sustainable management and international best practices of the IRENA/ADFD project facility. The Project has been specifically structured by the Project Manager in coordination with the PIU, to ensure implementation of sustainable Renewable Energy combined with knowledge transfer specific to Sierra Leones geographic and socio-economic situation. This in line with His Excellency, the President of Sierra Leone and IRENA / ADFDs goal of sustainable electrification in Sierra Leone.

The total cost of the project, which budget has been considerably reduced over the year by the Project Consortium (PM & EPC), include assets such as an upgrade of road and grid-power infrastructure, with a necessary extension of the 161KV grid power line, a distribution substation, and a MV/HV substation as part of the total project. This combined with the 6MW Power Plant will significantly change the economic future of the country and the people of Sierra Leone.

The Project Manager ASIC and the EPC SMRT have already started works and are expected to make steadfast progress on the project. Monthly updates to the PIU, community and the press will be given by the Project Manager and the EPC. At each of the critical stages of the project, it will be shown and explained, the development of the Solar Park works and overall Project, to show good governance, full transparency and community inclusion.

Project Summary  Key Facts

Funding Agencies: Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) and the Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL)

Owner: Ministry of Energy of Sierra Leone

Project Manager: Advanced Science and Innovation Company (ASIC) LLC from the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

EPC Contractor: SMRT Projects and Energy Solutions from Sierra Leone

Type of Power Plant: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Plant

Connection Type: Grid Connected with additional infrastructure

Capacity: 6MWp

Module Type Polycrystalline - 350Wp

Cumulative Energy Yield (25 Years): ~more than 190,000,000.00 kWh

Period of Execution: 12 Months

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Energy, Republic of Sierra Leone.

For further information:

Ministry of Energy- Project Implementation Unit - Dr. Patrick Tarawalli - Tel: +232 88 28 25 60 - e-mail: ptarawalli@msn.com

Project Manager- Advanced Science and Innovation Company (ASIC LLC Mr. Filip Matwin (CEO/Project Manager) - e-mail: filipm@royalgroupuae.com

EPC Contractor - SMRT Projects and Energy Solutions - Nabil Bazzi (Managing Director/Head EPC) - Tel: +232 88 50 18 80 - e-mail: n.bazzi@smrtpes.com
adityan92 wrote:

Hi all, I gave my GMAT today and scored a 610, Q47 V28 IR 3 . Deeply disappointed in myself. I had prepared rigorously from 1st November onwards. My initial score was 540, V32 Q33. Thanks to GMAT club, I was able to improve my score from Q33 to Q47. However, my target score for this attempt was 650-670. This is just a brief background, now I need all your help in determining whether I should apply to B-schools or not.



Target B-schools :



1st Pref - ISB Hyderabad/Mohali

2nd Pref - INSEAD, IE Business School, EDHEC



This is my present profile as of now:



Work experience 3.8 years



- Associate in one of the top global investment banks

- Working presently in business intelligence and engineering (Transitioned from ops based role to a tech and data analytics based role)

- Saved over 150 hours of work through my efforts in the same space.

- Consistently been a top performer through out my career.



Educational qualification



- Certified Alteryx Designer

- Passed CFA level 2

- GPA 3.0 from Christ University, Bangalore, India

- Bachelors in business management, majored in Finance

- 75% in my class 12th Board examinations (CBSE Board)



Leadership roles



- President of my corporate toastmaster club.

- Backstage head for college production house.



Apart from this my interests lie in automation, robotics and fintech. I want to do MBA to rebrand myself as a fintech person. My hobbies include home automation projects, gaming etc.



Honestly, guys I feel defeated. I know I am going to get up dust myself and get a better score, atleast a 100 point improvement, but as of now, I really need to understand what should I do? Some people feel that I have a good profile and I should go ahead and apply, others are telling me my probability of acceptance is less than .1



I really could use some help and motivation!



Thank you in advance

It's likely to be an uphill battle, at least for the top schools. There are just too many people applying with great profiles. Taking the GMAT again and getting a better score would make the whole process a lot easier._________________
user2405 wrote:

I got into Cornell (The Johnson School) with a massive scholarship (100k). I am thinking of taking it but I also ended up getting interview invites at Penn, Dartmouth & MIT but was rejected. I am in 2 minds in that do I reapply next year & crush the interviews (assuming I get some) or should I take this? I want to end up at MBB and while a scholarship is impressive, I know school networks matter in terms of recruitment. I also made the mistake of not applying to Columbia, Chicago and Northwestern (I wish I had) since I think I would have at least scored interviews there. I am 27, went to an Ivy for grad school (3.9 gpa) & a seven sisters school (3.8 gpa in stem) for undergrad, had high test scores (so cumulatively, that helped me score interviews). I work in research so that combined with the advanced degrees makes me non-traditional.

Hi,I would accept this generous offer and move on. Cornell has reasonable amount in MBB, maybe not like M7. They have consulting route which will be helpful too. You do not know if you will get this offer next year or not. However, If you decide to apply next year, be sure to focus with Tuck as it provides full feedback to learn more. I do not know about other schools' feedback.Good luck
AaronPond wrote:

This is a Useful to Evaluate question, which borrows many tactics from traditional Strengthen/Weaken questions. (The leverage phrase in the question stem, which would be most helpful in evaluating clearly indicates this question type.) With Useful to Evaluate questions, "Minding the Gap" is critical. The correct answer will either plug the gap (Strengthen) or explode the gap (Weaken). Trap answers will not address the logical gap.



The primary logical gap in this question is the disconnect between the data and the conclusion. While the data tells us that workers who spend 20+ hours in front of a computer monitor exhibit a 12% reduction in cognitive abilities after 15 years, we dont know if that 12% reduction is actually caused by the exposure or if it might be caused by something else during those 15 years. (For example, what if most people who sit at a job for 15 years see a much greater decline in cognitive ability? A mere 12% reduction could actually show that sitting in front of computer monitors keep your brain relatively sharp! Alternatively, what if it isnt the radiation that causes the decline; instead, sitting in one position for 15 years is what actually causes it?) We need to find the answer choice that addresses this gap in some way.



Answer choice A moves the goalposts on the reader, getting the reader to think that the reversibility (or permanency) of the damage matters. This introduces an emotional, human component to the story, but one that isnt related to the logical gap. A is a trap answer.



Answer choice B traps those who misunderstand what the problem is asking. While questioning the 15-year period might be interesting if someone is evaluating the study as a whole, the question stem explicitly asks us to identify the question that can best help us evaluate the specific reasoning presented. Answer choice B does not address the logical gap between the data and the conclusion.



At first glance, answer choice C looks like it helps us to compare the rates of cognitive decline across a spectrum of various occupational tasks. However, answer choice C is a Yes/No question that doesnt really help us much: if the answer is No, then it appears that occupational tasks might not determine cognitive decline. But if we answer Yes, then we only know that there is a relationship between occupational tasks and cognitive decline. We dont know what that relationship is, and we have no data points to compare. Answer choice C gets us started, but is very weak .



Answer choice D doesnt mind the logical gap. In fact, the problem states that the average cognitive decline was 12%. This data point implies that either (1) all of the participants somehow had the exact same 12% drop, or (2) some people were above and others were below the 12% average. That is how average works. It is very likely that the data was spread around the 12% average, so D tells us very little. And D certainly doesnt address the lack of clear causal link between monitor exposure and cognitive decline.



Answer choice E gives us a strong comparative that can help us prove (or disprove) a potential causal link. The answer to the question in this answer choice would give us a measurable number against which we can compare the 12% cognitive decline. Whether the cognitive decline rate of the average worker is higher than, lower than, or equal to the measured 12% decline, such data could give us strong leverage to evaluate the reasoning in the argument. Answer choice E is the correct answer.

AaronPond

Sir,With all due respect,I would like to point out that you have posted the question on 21:29 and posted the OE at 21:33.At least give people some time to give their point of view.Then you can step in whenever you want.Its a good question by the way.
New Delhi, Jan 2 (IBNS): India's External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj, is scheduled to visit Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore between Jan 4 and 8, according to a release by the ministry on Tuesday.

The ministry said that within the framework of India's Act East Policy, there have been intensive bilateral interactions in various sectors with the countries of South East Asian region in recent years. To give these interactions a further boost, the External Affairs Minister (EAM) will visit the three South East Asian countries.

On the first leg of this visit, EAM will be in Thailand on January 4-5, 2018.

She will hold an official meeting with Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, who will also host a dinner in honour of EAM.

All aspects of bilateral relations with Thailand will be discussed with particular focus on political, defence and economic ties and on further enhancing India's engagement with ASEAN countries.

Thailand will assume the role of coordinator country for India-ASEAN relations in the middle of 2018.

During the visit to Indonesia on January 5-6, 2018, EAM will co-chair the fifth meeting of India-Indonesia Joint Commission with her Indonesian counterpart Retno Marsudi.

Minister Marsudi will host a banquet in EAM's honour.

The ministers will also inaugurate the second meeting of ASEAN-India Network of Think Tanks.

EAM will call on the President of Indonesia, and have other official engagements, including an interaction with representatives of the Indian community.

She will also meet the new Secretary General of ASEAN, Lim Jock Hoi.

As the biggest country in the ASEAN region with the largest economy, Indonesia is an important partner for India, including in trade and strategic matters.

In recent times, there has been intensive engagement between the two countries bilaterally, as well as plurilaterally.

The Joint Commission meeting and other engagements of EAM will enable the two countries to chart out the course of partnership during the year 2018.

During her visit to Singapore on January 6-8, EAM will inaugurate the Regional Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) of ASEAN countries on January 7, 2018. The theme of the event is "Ancient Route, New Journey: Diaspora in the Dynamic ASEAN-India Partnership".

She will have bilateral meetings with the leaders in Singapore and also interactions with PIO delegations from ASEAN countries, who are participating in the PBD.

The Regional PBD is a large scale event covering a wide range of sectors including political relations, economic and investment, tourism and culture, connectivity, start-ups, S&T etc.

PIO delegations from all ASEAN countries, including ministers, eminent personalities, business and socio-political leaders are participating in the event, the ministry said.

On all three legs of her visit, EAM will share with her interlocutors relevant information about the forthcoming ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit, which marks 25 years since the establishment of Dialogue Partnership between Indian and ASEAN.

A series of events has been organized by MEA over the past year to celebrate this jubilee in different Indian cities and also ASEAN countries, which will culminate in the Summit later this month in New Delhi.
Attock, Jan 2 (IBNS): At least six people were killed as a cylinder blast ripped through the premise of District Headquarters Hospital in Pakistan's Attack area on Monday, media reports said.

The blast left 12 others injured.

DCO Attock Rana Akber Hayat confirmed to Geo News that the deaths occurred after a portion of the hospital building collapsed following the blast.

A portion of the woman's ward was damaged in the blast.

An inquiry has been ordered into the matter.


Islamabad, Jan 2 (IBNS): Attacking US President Donald Trump over his 'lie' tweet, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said his nation has already refused to do more for the United States.

We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trumps no more does not hold any importance, Asif said in an exclusive interview with Geo News.

Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received, Asif said in a strongly worded statement in response to Trumps tweet that accuses Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorists that the US is hunting in Afghanistan," he said.

Speaking on the claim made by Trump on the aid given to Pakistan by the US, he said: "The claim by Trump regarding the funds, if we account for it, they include reimbursements too for the services rendered by Pakistan."

Hours after US President's Donald Trump tweeted to accuse Pakistan of "lies and deceit", country's Foreign Office summoned United States ambassador David Hale to lodge its protest over the statement.

Sources told Geo News, Hale was summoned to record protest against Trumps statements.

To discuss Trump's statement, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee, sources told the news channel.

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.

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 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.
The Statement adds: Ayatollah Ahmad Alam-Al Hoda, the Friday Prayer Leader in the city of Mashhad, where the mass protests began on Thursday 28th December, said: Is it proper that the Monafeqin (the regimes pejorative description of the Mujahedin-e Khalq, MEK or PMOI), who are the mercenaries of America and Europe and whose leader is a  woman, to come and say that she thanks you? . Now, the Imam of Age (the twelfth Shiite Imam), his representative {Khamenei] and all Hezbollahis are angry that a woman, who is the leader of the Monafeqin, would say I thank you! The Ayatollah was, of course, referring to Mrs Rajavi and the fact that she had thanked and congratulated the people of Mashhad and cities throughout Iran for rising up against the corruption and oppression of the clerical regime.

The fascist mullahs are deeply concerned at the mass street protests. They have plundered the Iranian peoples resources to finance brutal conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, while they live in supreme luxury themselves. Meanwhile the people are faced with spiraling costs and dire living conditions. Tens of thousands of ordinary Iranian civilians, including huge numbers of women and young people, have bravely taken to the streets, shouting Death to Rouhani, Death to Khamenei, Down with the Dictator, Free Political Prisoners in Iran and other anti-government and political slogans.

He added The mullahs, fearful that their repressive rule is about to crumble, have mobilized huge numbers of police and security forces to put down the rebellion, but the people have courageously marched on, often calling to the police to arrest the thieves who control Iran. It is clear that these protests, the most significant for ten years, are an indication that the beleaguered Iranian people are fed up with the turbaned tyrants who have allowed their country to become an international pariah, exporting terror worldwide and fomenting sectarian conflict throughout the Middle East.

Stevenson emphasizes, The corrupt Ayatollahs are right to identify the PMOI and Mrs. Rajavi as the main threat to their continued tyrannical rule. As the most formidable and best-equipped democratic opposition movement, the PMOI is poised to restore order and call democratic elections whenever the mullahs are driven from office. The massive street protests now spreading like wildfire across Iran show that the downfall of this evil regime is imminent.

In a very strongly worded message goes on to call on EU members: It is time the EU stopped its wretched, handwringing policy of appeasement to one of the most repressive regimes in the world. Instead, Europe must now demonstrate solidarity with the 80 million Iranian citizens who are struggling to overthrow the fascist clerical regime and replace it with a modern, democratic government, able to restore freedom, justice, womens rights and human rights, while abolishing the death penalty, torture and the export of terror and conflict.

In similar move, EP Vice- President Ryszard Czarnecki issued the following press release on 31 Dec 2017

The heroic people of Iran are demonstrating against the religious dictatorship. They have had enough of the high costs of living, government corruption and dreadful living conditions. They are shouting Death to Khamenei, Death to Rouhani, Down with the Dictator, Free Political Prisoners in Iran.

As Vice-President of the European Parliament, I express my full solidarity with the people of Iran who want a regime change. The Iranian opposition under the leadership of Ms. Maryam Raja vi have called for these protests to continue. This uprising which began in Mashhad on Thursday 28 December has now extended to other big cities and tens of thousands of Iranians, especially the younger generation and women, are at the forefront of these protests.

The Iranian regime, in a desperate move has organized a rally against the PMOI opposition movement and had called for more executions. This is unacceptable for us. We strongly condemn the regimes behavior. The European Union must condemn the violent reaction of the Iranian regimes security forces and the IRGC against the demonstrators.

Also, Gerard Deprez MEP, the President of Friends of a Free Iran in the European Parliament in a separate statement on 30 December 2017 called on the EU 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 full text of his statement is as follow:

On behalf of Friends of a Free Iran in the European Parliament, I wish to salute the people of Iran who started protesting against the high costs and terrible living conditions. This great uprising, which began in Mashhad, Irans second biggest city, on Thursday 28 December, is continuing and spreading to all over Iran. Many people our shouting Down with the Dictator, Free Political Prisoners, Long Live Freedom,

My colleagues and I in the European Parliament have been campaigning for a free, secular Iran for many years and there is a lot of sympathy in our Parliament for the Iranian democratic opposition under the leadership of Madam Maryam Rajavi who was our guest speaker, a few weeks ago on 6 December in Brussels.

It was interesting to note that some senior leaders of this regime, including the Friday Prayer leader of Mashhad, have blamed the PMOI for leading this uprising. This shows once again that Mrs. Rajavi and her movement are most feared by the mullahs and are the alternative to this religious dictatorship.

I call on the EU 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.
Criticism of the supreme leader is taboo in the Islamic Republic and it constitutes a frequent cause for political imprisonments. Public gatherings without the approval of security forces are also considered illegal, but as of Monday, Iranian citizens were continuing to respond to calls on social media for mass demonstrations. This coordinated defiance of the countrys repressive laws has helped the current protests to secure a reputation as the most widespread and significant instances of anti-government activism since the 2009 Green Movement, which grew out of disputes over the reelection of then-President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

These same factors have led to a predictable crackdown on the protests by security forces, which had reportedly led to at least a dozen deaths by Monday. UPI indicated that this figure had been publicized by Iranian state television, which also declared that at least 400 people had been arrested, including 200 in Tehran on Sunday night alone.

This latter claim, however, seems to be at odds with the reporting of other media outlets that are close to hardline elements of the Iranian regime. Fars News Agency, for instance, claimed that only scattered groups had been observed protesting in the Iranian capital and that these had been organized under a central authority, the ringleader of which was arrested. Such claims build upon those that were made by Tehran officials as early as Friday. At that time, the Associated Press quoted the citys governor, Mohsen Hamedani, as saying that only 50 people had gathered, most of whom dispersed immediately when warned by police.

A subsequent AP report cast doubt upon the notion of a ringleaders arrest, pointing out that no central leadership had emerged in these protests, which appear instead to be a spontaneous outpouring of the frustrations of the Iranian public. The AP also repeated some observers earlier claims that the Mashhad protests had been initiated by hardliners in an effort to turn the peoples economic grievances against President Hassan Rouhani, a major architect of the 2015 nuclear agreement with the United States and five other world powers.

IranWire also mentioned the allegations and quoted one analyst as saying that the Mashhad hardliners scheme was like setting a match to a gunpowder store that neither those who lighted the match nor the government has any control over. This comparison was largely based on the observation that the Iranian people are well-justified in their economic grievances and that the Iranian system is inherently incapable of addressing those problems.

In the midst of the present crisis, many Iranian officials, including Rouhani, have acknowledged the first point but rejected the second. UPI quoted Rouhani as expressing awareness of the fact that economic problems have not diminished as they were expected to do in the wake of the nuclear deal. But he went on to call for unity across the country, under the leadership of the existing government, with an eye toward fixing those problems. At the same time, he rejected as illegitimate the broader grievances that had been voiced in these protests, including those that relate to his failure to deliver on promises of reform.

The Los Angeles Times observed that Rouhani described the anti-government protestors as only a small minority, which threatens the sanctity of the Islamic revolution. His description of the crisis is different from that of Fars News in that it makes no apparent effort to downplay the size of the demonstrations, only the scope of the message. Yet many elements of the regime have expressed interest in cracking down on both of these factors, and it is not clear to what extent the president will contradict their message, even in the wake of the first dozen protest-related casualties.

On one hand, the LA Times quoted Rouhani as urging security forces not to repeat the mistakes of the 2009 Green Movement by suppressing the protests with fatal violence. But on the other hand, CNN indicated that Rouhani had cited a past history of handling mass protests, in comparison to which the current demonstrations would be nothing. Seeing as these protests have been widely described as outpacing all others since 2009, it may be difficult to interpret Rouhanis commentary as anything other than a reminder of the regimes suppressive capabilities.

Other elements of the Islamic Republic have been much more straightforward, however, in calling for the use of this suppression. Time Magazine reported on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps vow to crush the protests, a call that was repeated by Kayhan newspaper, which is considered to be a mouthpiece for the office of the supreme leader. In an analysis of the developing situation, the AP indicated that the supreme leader alone would ultimately determine the next steps to be taken by the regime in response to protests.

In its own analysis, Al Jazeera concluded that this system with the supreme leader at its head would continue to prevent the regime from adapting to changing circumstances, including but not limited to the economic situation that sparked Thursdays protests. While the relevant grievances provided a backdrop for the repetition of Rouhanis call to unity, Al Jazeera finds that hardliners affiliated with Supreme Leader Khamenei effectively rejected the prospect of such unity long ago.

The system described in that analysis is one in which protests are endemic and suppression is the only effective government response to them. IranWire similarly declared that according to one expert, the government has no other choice after having overseen the implosion of the nations economy. And while it may not yet be clear exactly what strategy Khamenei plans to pursue in the coming days, it is certainly clear that repressive measures went into effect very soon after the protests began to spread beyond Mashhad and beyond their economic messaging.

Some of the advocacy for repression has focused on restrictions in the flow of information. For example, Tehrans Friday prayer leader Movahedi Kermani used his most recent sermon to call for a model of internet access that emulates that of China, in which no thought that goes against Chinas system enters peoples minds.

The Iranian internet is already heavily filtered, and Twitter has been blocked since it played a major role in organizing the Green Movement protests. But the tech savvy Iranian public has steadily adapted, both by using proxy networks to evade the restriction and by shifting activist communications to other platforms, most notably the instant messaging app Telegram. Now, numerous reports indicate that Telegram and the image sharing app Instagram have both been blocked. Additionally, there have been some reports of mobile internet outages recurring intermittently throughout the country.

There is no doubt that the immediate motive for such restrictions is to diminish the peoples ability to organize domestically. But at the same time, remarks from figures like Kermani also underscore their conviction, however earnest it may be, that the protests are at least partly the result of foreign infiltration. While Kermani referred to anti-government sentiments entering Iran from the outside, the Isfahan prayer leader Mohammad Taqi Rahbar repeatedly said in an interview with IranWire that he believed some people were trying to exploit the peoples economic grievances in service of a larger goal.

Like Rouhani, Rahbar promoted a narrative that accepted economic issues as legitimate while rejecting all others and suggesting that some or all of them were contrary to the Islamic religion itself. According to CNN, the governor of Lorestan Province did essentially the same, claiming that all recent clashes between government forces and the people were instigated solely by foreign intelligence services and domestic terrorists or takfiri groups.

No evidence has been provided to support the notion of foreign infiltration as a driving force behind these protests. But, of course, the demonstrations have caught the attention of foreign leaders who have a reputation for opposition to the leadership of the Islamic Republic.

US President Donald Trump commented on the situation several times via Twitter, saying in one post, 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. Vice President Mike Pence used the same platform to express his own support and arguably went further by implying the possibility of future American support. We must not and we will not let them down, he wrote.

Israeli Prime Minister Bejamin Netanyahu predictably weighed in on the situation as well, posting a YouTube video on the topic on Monday and wishing the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom. The AP reported that Netanyahu also took the opportunity to criticize European leaders for remaining silent even as reports accumulated of the regimes worsening crackdown. This is of course reminiscent of Israeli and American criticisms of the Europeans reactions to other issues of concern such as Irans ballistic missile program and its influence in the broader Middle East.

Trump indicated that his government would be keeping an eye on human rights violations in the midst of the current demonstrations. That administrations previous activities on Iran policy suggest that information along these lines will likely be highlighted for European partners in an effort to develop more widespread support for an assertive Iran policy.

With this in mind, it is also likely that the Iranian regimes recent crackdowns on internet access have been directed not only at limiting the flow of information within Iran but also at limiting the outward flow of information about the demonstrations. Helping to justify this conclusion, IranWire pointed out that according to persons who had witnessed protests on Saturday at Tehran University, security forces directed most of their attention toward preventing participants and bystanders from capturing photos or video of the event.
The population is angry because of the severe lack of economic and political freedoms they have under the Regime, extremely high costs of living, widespread corruption orchestrated by the mullahs, and ever-increasing unemployment.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) controls roughly 40% of the economy and could easily fix these problems if they wanted to but they dont.

Chris Doyle, director of the London-based Council for Arab-British Understanding (CAABU), wrote an op-ed on the growing protests for Arab News.

He wrote: The regimes response has not varied from its time-honoured approach, or that of its ally, the regime in Syria. It has escalated its repression with mass arrests, cutting off the internet, and use of live ammunition. Countering opposition rallies with pro-government rallies holds little water, just as it is shorn of any credibility in places like Syria.

Not only are the Regime not even attempting to address the problems of the Iranian people, they are also content to blame everyone but themselves for the problems: the Iranian people, the West, the other countries in the Middle East.

What makes it worse is the amount of money that Iran received from the nuclear deal- supposedly to fix their economy. This money has instead financed terrorist proxies, undermined leaders, and destabilised other nation states; including plunging billions of dollars into the Syrian regime to help Bashar Assad remain in power.

How can the region and the world react?

Doyle wrote: The options are limited. Providing clandestine help for the protesters risks confirming the Iranian regimes dark narrative. Escalation could only lead to more bloodshed, as in Syria.

egional interventions and support for proxies have little track record of constructive success.

Internationally handling Iran has proved nearly impossible.

He cites the 2015 nuclear deal as an example of the international community failing to temper the Iranian Regime.

Support for the protesters, however, need not come in the form of weapons or money. It could be something as simple as working with the Iranian Resistance politically- that would really rile the Regime.

Doyle wrote: The Iranian regime knows at its core that it is from the Iranian people it has the most to fear. It is a pity that it seems to be against its DNA to work for them, not against them.
As California legalizes pot, laws collide at US checkpoints

California has legalized marijuana for recreational use, but that wont stop federal agents from seizing the drug  even in tiny amounts  on busy freeways and back country highways.

Marijuana possession still will be prohibited at eight Border Patrol checkpoints in California, a reminder that state and federal laws collide when it comes to pot. The U.S. government classifies marijuana as a controlled substance, like heroin and LSD.

Prior to Jan. 1, its going to be the same after Jan. 1, because nothing changed on our end, said Ryan Yamasaki, an assistant chief of the Border Patrols San Diego sector. If youre a federal law enforcement agency, you uphold federal laws.

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The checkpoints, located up to 100 miles (161 kilometers) from Mexico, are considered a final line of defense against immigrants who elude agents at the border. They also have been a trap for U.S. citizens carrying drugs, even tiny bags of marijuana.

About 40 percent of pot seizures at Border Patrol checkpoints from fiscal years 2013 to 2016 were an ounce (28 grams) or less from U.S. citizens, according to a Government Accountability Office report last month. Californias new law allows anyone 21 and over to carry up to an ounce.

The Border Patrol operates 34 permanent checkpoints along the Mexican border and an additional 103 tactical stops, typically cones and signs that appear for brief periods.

Ronald Vitiello, acting deputy commissioner of parent agency Customs and Border Protection, called drug seizures an ancillary effect of enforcing immigration laws. Motorists typically are released after being photographed and fingerprinted. They generally arent charged with a crime because prosecutors consider them low priority.

The clash between state and federal marijuana laws played out on a smaller scale near the Canadian border in Washington after that state legalized marijuana in 2014. California is a far busier route for illegal crossings with many more agents.

State and federal marijuana laws have conflicted since California became the first to legalize marijuana for medical use in 1996. Next week, California will be among seven states and Washington, D.C., with legal recreational pot.

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U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, a staunch opponent of legalization, said last month that he was taking a close look at federal enforcement, suggesting a tougher stance than President Barack Obamas administration.

At highway checkpoints, Border Patrol agents look for signs of nervous drivers, like clutching steering wheels and avoiding eye contact and interrupting when passengers are asked to state citizenship. Some panicked drivers make a U-turn when they spot the checkpoint, a dead giveaway.

One recent morning on westbound Interstate 8 about 40 miles (64 kilometers) east of San Diego, an agent standing outside a booth under a large white canopy stopped drivers for a few seconds to ask their citizenship or waved them through after peering inside.

In about an hour, three raised enough suspicion to be ordered aside for a thorough vehicle search.

A dog discovered a marijuana stash about the size of a thumbprint inside the pickup truck of a man with Arizona license plates who was taking his elderly uncle to a hospital appointment. It would have taken up to an hour to process the arrest, so agents released him after seizing the pot and warning it was illegal.

I didnt know that, sorry, the driver said, walking to his truck after waiting on a bench a few minutes while the dog searched.

The animal sniffed something in another car but found nothing in the seats or trunk. The apologetic driver said she smoked marijuana a week earlier, implying the odor lingered.

The Pine Valley checkpoint, amid oak- and chaparral-covered mountains on the main route from Arizona to San Diego, gets busy with drivers returning from weekend getaways but is less traveled than others.

Agents say a checkpoint on Interstate 5 between San Diego and Los Angeles can cause a 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) backup in 90 seconds during peak hours.

The government faces pushback over checkpoints. Some residents complain about delays and trespassers trying to circumvent checkpoints  some even dying from heat and exhaustion. Motorists who consider them a privacy invasion steadfastly refuse to answer questions and post their test encounters on YouTube.

Border Patrol officials insist they are effective. Without them, Vitiello said, smugglers would have open passage to cities like Phoenix and Albuquerque, New Mexico, once past the border.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1976 that agents can question people at checkpoints even without reason to believe anyone in the vehicle is in the country illegally and dont need a search warrant.

Michael Chernis, an attorney who represents people charged with marijuana crimes, believes checkpoint seizures are a waste of resources but acknowledged the government is empowered.

The bottom line is, theres absolutely no protection against federal interaction when it comes to adult use, he said.
School virtual shooter training program aimed at survival

The shooter rapidly fires through the front doors of an elementary school with an assault rifle and blasts his way down the hallway. Screaming children are running for their lives or frozen in fear. Teachers quickly try to decide: barricade the doors, or make a run for it with their students?

Police officers arrive with guns drawn, working their way through the school. Finally they confront the shooter and end the threat.

Using cutting-edge video game technology and animation, the U.S. Army and Homeland Security Department have developed a computer-based simulator that can train everyone from teachers to first responders on how to react to an active shooter scenario. The training center is housed at the University of Central Florida in Orlando and offers numerous role-playing opportunities that can be used to train anyone in the world with a computer.

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With teachers, they did not self-select into a role where they expect to have bullets flying near them. Unfortunately, its becoming a reality, said Tamara Griffith, a chief engineer for the project. We want to teach teachers how to respond as first responders.

The $5.6 million program  known as the Enhanced Dynamic Geo-Social Environment, or EDGE  is similar to those used by the Army to train soldiers in combat tactics and scenarios using a virtual environment.

Originally designed for police and fire agencies, the civilian version is now being expanded to schools to allow teachers and other school personnel to train for active shooters alongside first responders. Homeland Security officials say the schools version should be ready for launch by spring.

Each character has numerous options, including someone playing the bad guy, said project manager Bob Walker. For example, each teacher has seven options on how to keep students safe, and some of the students in the program might not respond or be too afraid to react. So that becomes another problem to be solved.

Once you hear the children, the screaming, it makes it very, very real, Walker said.

The program can have the shooter be either an adult or a child.

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We have to worry about both children and adults being suspects, he said.

The programs designers listened to real dispatch tapes to understand the confusion and chaos that goes along with such frightening situations, Griffith said. They also talked to the mother of a child killed in the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, who walked them through everything that happened that tragic day.

It gives you chills when you think about whats happening on those tapes, Griffith said. It tore us apart to listen to her and what she went through.

But it all serves one main goal: to train educators to save lives when an armed attacker bursts through a school door.

Another EDGE program, which was launched in June, has an active-shooter scenario involving a 26-story hotel that includes numerous possible environments for first responder training: a conference center, a restaurant, or office spaces. As many as 60 people can train on the program at once and can be located anywhere.

Its important that this provides agencies like fire and law enforcement an opportunity to train together, said Milt Nenneman, Homeland Security Science and Technology First Responder Group program manager in a recent Justice Department article. Very seldom do they have the opportunity to train together in real-life, and it is hard to get those agencies time away from their regular duties.

School safety advocates say safety training gets pushed to the back burner until a tragedy happens. Amanda Klinger, director of operations for nonprofit Educators School Safety Network, said this new program could help change that.

I hope that people will sort of see this simulation as a really cool and engaging way, she said, to think about school safety.
South Korea has offered to hold high-level talks with North Korea over the North possibly taking part in the Winter Olympic Games next month.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said Tuesday that South Korean officials want to meet North Korean diplomats in one week. He said the two sides could meet at Panmunjom, a village in the demilitarized zone separating the Koreas.

The meeting would be the first high-level talks between the sides since December 2015.

The South Korean offer came one day after North Korea leader Kim Jong Un gave his New Years Day message. In it, Kim announced that he is considering sending a team to take part at the winter games, in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

Late Monday, South Korean President Moon Jae-in welcomed the North Korean offer. However, he added that any improvements in relations between North and South Korea could take place only with the North ending its nuclear weapons program.

Grant Newsham is a researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies in Tokyo. He told VOA that the Moon administration considers restarting talks a possibility. He said the effort represents the desire by some South Koreans to somehow reach a deal with North Korea.

Newsham expressed concerns, however, that South Koreans blame the United States for the situation on the Korean Peninsula. He said, there is a belief that somehow its the Americans fault that the Koreas are divided. He added that conflict on the Korean Peninsula would not serve any group involved.

Chinas government is an ally of North Korea. It said it supported talks between the two sides. A foreign ministry spokesman said it was a good development that could ease tensions and support the removal of nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula.

In his speech, Kim Jong Un warned the United States that North Koreas nuclear program is a reality. He said that he has the ability to use nuclear weapons if attacked.

U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the situation on the social media network Twitter. He said strong restrictions on North Korea and other forms of pressure are working.

Of the offer of talks, Trump said, Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see!

Im Mario Ritter.

Richard Green reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted his report for VOA Learning English. The story also includes material from VOAs Victor Beattie and the Reuters news agency. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

demilitarized zone  n. an area where soldiers and weapons are banned

fault  n. responsibility for a bad situation or mistake
The American space agency NASA and the technology company Google have identified an eighth planet in a faraway solar system.

That solar system now has exactly the same number of planets as our own.

Machines made the surprising discovery, not human researchers.

NASA and Google representatives made a joint announcement about the discovery on December 14.

The newly discovered planet orbits the star known as Kepler-90. The system is about 2,545 light-years away. A light-year is about 9.5 trillion kilometers.

Researchers have named the planet Kepler-90i. Like Earth, Kepler-90i is the third farthest planet from its sun.

However, Kepler-90i is much closer to its sun. It only takes the planet 14 days to orbit Kepler-90. So, its surface is much warmer -- 427 degrees Celsius. In fact, all the planets in the Kepler-90 solar system orbit closer to their sun than Earth does to our sun.

So far, this is the only other eight-planet solar system that researchers have found. Eight is the largest number of planets ever observed around a single sun.

Our solar system had nine planets up until 2006, when the International Astronomical Union decided Pluto did not meet the requirements to be considered a planet. Instead, the group renamed it a dwarf planet.

But some astronomers believe there could be a large ninth planet far off in our solar system. They call it Planet X, and believe it is the size of Neptune.

Researchers also believe there could be nine or more planets in the Kepler-90 solar system.

Google used data from NASAs special planet-hunting device, called the Kepler Space Telescope, to locate Kepler-90i. The company used the data to develop a computer program with machine learning. This means it can learn and improve itself without a programmer telling it to do so. The program carefully studies planetary signals that are so weak it would take humans years to examine them.

Christopher Shallue is a senior software engineer at Google in Mountain View, California. He said, This is a really exciting discovery, and we consider it to be a successful proof of concept to be using neural networks to identify planets, even in  situations where the signals are very weak.

NASA astrophysicist and Kepler project scientist Jessie Dotson said she is so excited to see where this goes next.

Shallue partnered with astronomer Andrew Vanderburg of the University of Texas at Austin to develop this machine-learning program. The two trained a computer to identify planets beyond our solar system. To do so, it used observations of the minor changes in the brightness of stars when planets passed in front of them that the Kepler Space Telescope had recorded.

Shallue and Vanderburg plan to continue hunting for new planets. They plan to use the program to examine the more than 150,000 stars that the Kepler Space Telescope has already identified.

So far, researchers have confirmed the existence of more than 3,560 planets beyond our solar system. The Kepler Space Telescope, which launched in 2009, located about two-thirds of them.

Another 4,500 possible exoplanets await confirmation.

Im Pete Musto.

Marcia Dunn reported this for the Associated Press. Pete Musto adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor.

We want to hear from you. What kinds of new planets do you think we will discover in the near future? How do you feel this might change life on Earth? Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

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Words in This Story

solar system  n. a star and the planets that move around it

light-year(s)  n. a unit of distance equal to the distance that light travels in one year (about 5.88 trillion miles or 9.46 trillion kilometers

dwarf planet  n. an object in space that looks like a small planet but lacks special qualities that are required for it to be defined as such

data  n. facts or information used usually to calculate, analyze, or plan something

exciting  adj. causing feelings of interest and enthusiasm

concept  n. an idea of what something is or how it works

neural network(s)  n. a computer system designed to be similar to the human brain and nervous system

exoplanet(s)  n. a planet that is beyond our solar system
Pakistan called a meeting with the United States ambassador in Islamabad Tuesday.

The talks came one day after U.S. President Donald Trump criticized Pakistan for continuing to provide shelter for terrorists. He was speaking about militants who are fighting U.S. forces in nearby Afghanistan.

The presidents comments about Pakistan appeared on the Twitter online messaging service.

In his first tweet of 2018, Trump said the U.S. government has "foolishly" given Pakistan over 33 billion dollars in aid over the past 15 years. In return, he continued, the U.S. had gotten "nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools.

Trump added, "They (Pakistans government) give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

U.S. officials have long accused Pakistan of failing to deal with or of secretly helping the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network. The two groups have carried out cross-border attacks against Afghan and U.S.-led forces.

Pakistans government denies claims it is sheltering Afghan militants. The government says anti-state militants are using Afghanistan for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.

On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif reacted to Trumps comments. The official wrote on Twitter that his country "will let the world know the truth...difference between facts and fiction."

Rafiq Dossani is with the Rand Corporation research group.

There is no doubt that Pakistan remains a safe haven in many areas for terrorist activity. I mean, compared to the last two years, things have changed dramatically for the better, but not at the level where it should be.

Dossani told VOA that Asif wants the world to know that his country "is in the front lines of the battle against terrorism. He said Pakistanis believe they have paid dearly for problems that were created a long time ago without their consent.

He was speaking about the 1979 invasion of Afghanistan by the former Soviet Union.

Dossani said Pakistanis "feel aggrieved" that what they have lost "is so much more than any other country." He said that their failures have been recognized more than their sacrifices.

President Trump announced his administrations policy on South Asia last August. At the time, he accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to terrorists.

The administration also announced at the time that it was suspending $255 million in military assistance until Pakistan takes steps to fight extremists.

Richard Green and Ayuz Gul reported on this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted their report for Learning English. Mario Ritter Jr. was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.

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Words in This Story

deceit  n. dishonest behavior

haven  n. a place of shelter or safety

fiction  n. a made-up story; something that is not true

dearly  adv. very much

consent  n. approval; a sign of agreement on an action

aggrieve  v. to give pain or trouble to; to cause an injury
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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..
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. is an insurance and financial services company. The company provides life insurance, group and employee benefits, automobile and homeowners insurance and business insurance, as well as investment products, annuities, mutual funds, and college savings plans. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Lines, Personal Lines, Property & Casualty Other Operations, Group Benefits and Hartford Funds. The Commercial Lines segment provides workers compensation, property, automobile, liability and umbrella coverage under several different products, primarily throughout the U.S., within its standard commercial lines, which consists of The Hartford's small commercial and middle market lines of business. The Personal Lines segment includes automobile, homeowners and home-based business coverage to individuals across the U.S. The Property & Casualty Other Operations segment includes certain property and casualty operations, currently managed by the company, that have discontinued writing new business and substantially all of the company's asbestos and environmental exposures. The Group Benefits segment offers group life, accident and disabi

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Red Hat, Inc. provides open source software solutions to develop and offer operating system, virtualization, management, middleware, cloud, mobile, and storage technologies to various enterprises worldwide. It offers infrastructure-related solutions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, an operating system platform that runs on hardware for use in hybrid cloud environments; Red Hat Satellite, a system management offering that helps to deploy, scale, and manage in hybrid cloud environments; and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, a software solution that allows customers to utilize and manage a common hardware infrastructure to run multiple operating systems and applications. The company offers application development-related and other technology solutions, such as Red Hat JBoss Middleware, a solution for developing, deploying, and managing applications; integrating applications, data, and devices; and automating business processes in hybrid cloud environments; The company's application development-related and other technology solutions also includes Red Hat cloud offerings, a software solution that enables customers to build and manage various cloud computing environments; Red Hat Mobile, a software development platform that enables customers to develop, integrate, deploy, and manage mobile applications for enterprises; and Red Hat Storage, a software solution that enables customers to manage large, unstructured, or semi-structured data in hybrid cloud environments. It also provides consulting, support, and training services; and realtime operating system, distributed computing, directory services, and user authentication. Red Hat, Inc. has collaboration with Juniper Networks Expand to provide a unified solution for enterprises designed to manage and run applications and services. The company was formerly known as Red Hat Software, Inc. and changed its name to Red Hat, Inc. in June 1999. Red Hat, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

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20 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.
Canadian Western Bank provides personal and business banking products and services primarily in Western Canada. The company offers current, savings, cash management, US dollar, and chequing accounts, as well as organization, strata solution/condo, general trust, and trust fund investment accounts. It also offers commercial lending and real estate, and equipment financing and leasing products; loans and mortgages; secured and unsecured lines of credit; registered retirement savings plan; consolidation, vehicle, and recreation vehicle loans; and credit cards. In addition, the company offers cash management services; life and disability insurance products; and ATM, mobile, and online banking services, as well cheque order services. Further, it provides investment products comprising guaranteed investment certificates, registered retirement income funds, tax-free savings accounts, registered education savings plans, and mutual funds, as well as personal and business planning services. Canadian Western Bank has a strategic partnership with Temenos AG to support small and medium sized enterprises with financial decision-making and enhancing their businesses. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada.

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Wall Street analysts have given CGI Group a "Buy" 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 CGI Group wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Wells Fargo & Co. is a diversified, community-based financial services company. It is engaged in the provision of banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance. It firm operates through the following segments: Community Banking, Wholesale Banking, Wealth & Investment Management, and Other. The Community Banking segment offers complete line of diversified financial products and services for consumers and small businesses including checking and savings accounts, credit and debit cards, and automobile, student, and small business lending. The Wholesale Banking segment provides financial solutions to businesses across the United States and globally. The Wealth and Investment Management segment includes personalized wealth management, investment and retirement products and services to clients across U.S. based businesses. The Other segment refers to the products of WIM customers served through community banking distribution channels. The company was founded by Henry Wells and William G. Fargo on March 18, 1852 and is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A  Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. De C.V., Dal-Tile Peru SRL, Dal-Tile Puerto Rico Inc., Dal-Tile Services Inc., Dal-Tile Shared Services Inc., Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC, Dal-Tile of Canada ULC, Daltile, Daltile, Dekaply NV, Durkan, Dynea NV, Eliane Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Eliane S/A - Revestimentos Ceramicos, Emilceramica India Pvt Ltd., Emilceramica S.r.l, Emilgermany GmbH, Emilgroup Asia Ltd, Explorer S.r.l., F.I.L.S. Investments Unlimited Company, Feltex Carpets Ltd, Feltex Carpets Pty Ltd, Feltex New Zealand Ltd, Fibremakers Australia Pty Ltd, Flooring Foundation Ltd, Flooring Industries Limited S.a r.l., Flooring XL B.V., Floorscape Limited, Godfrey Hirst & Co Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Group, Godfrey Hirst NZ Ltd, Hytherm (Ireland) Limited, IVC BVBA, IVC Far-East Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited.
Wall Street analysts have given Enel Generacion Chile 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 Enel Generacion Chile wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
Intel pretty much dominates the PC processor space, with AMD nipping at its heels (and attempting to make a comeback in a big way thanks to its new Ryzen line of chips). This year Qualcomm will start to compete in the PC space too, thanks to Windows 10s support for ARM-based processors.

But once upon a time Intel and AMD werent the only companies producing x86 chips for desktops. VIA Technologies was a minor player in this space up until a few years ago, but the company has largely been focused on embedded chips for the past few years.

Now a company called Zhaoxin, which is co-owned by Shanghai and VIA is announcing plans for a new line of processors that could eventually compete with AMD and Intels latest offerings.

Its not clear if VIA is actively participating in development of the new chips, but VIA has a license to product x86 processors, which means that Zhaoxin does too.

Zhaoxin has produced a handful of x86 processors over the past few years, but according to reports from eefocus and semi.org.cn, the new KX-5000 is the first to fully support modern technologies including DDR4 memory, PCIe 3.0, and USB 3.1 Type-C.

The 28nm chips will be available in quad-core and octa-core versions clock speeds up to 2.4 GHz. They also feature integrated graphics and support 4K video playback.

Zhaoxin plans to move to a 16nm processor and support speeds up to 3 GHz for its upcoming KX-6000 chips, and add support for DDR5 memory and PCIe 4.0 with the eventual KX-7000.

At this point Zhaoxins chips arent likely to overtake Intels (or even AMDs) in the global market. But China has been focused on developing home-grown alternatives to chips designed by Western companies for a number of years, so I wouldnt be surprised to see Chinese PC makers like Lenovo opt for these chips for computers that will be sold in their home market.

In fact, Lenovo is already said to be planning to launch an M6200 computer powered by the KX-5000 sometime this year.

via forum-3dcenter, Golem.de, PC Games Hardware, and Guru 3D

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Ronald Reagan

The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.

Albert Einstein

If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time - a tremendous whack.

Winston Churchill





It isnt so much that liberals are ignorant. Its just that they know so many things that arent so.

With integrity nothing else counts; Without integrity nothing else counts.

Winston Churchill





Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life, but define yourself.

Harvey S. Firestone





It is inaccurate to say that I hate everything. I am strongly in favor of common sense, common honesty, and common decency. This makes me forever ineligible for public office. H. L. Menken



Referenda insure all have a voice in land use decisions.

U.S. Supreme Court

Listen carefully to first criticism of your work. Note just what it is about your work the critics don't like - then cultivate it. That's the only part of your work that's individual and worth keeping.

Jean Cocteau
Cancer cell during cell division. Credit: National Institutes of Health

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown that experimental diabetes drugs can make cancer cells more vulnerable to traditional chemotherapy agents, and they say such combinations should be explored to potentially improve outcomes for cancer patients.

Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, investigators demonstrated in cancer cell lines and animal models that the research compounds - similar to common anti-diabetic agents known as thiazolidinediones (TZDs) - sensitized lung tumor cells to carboplatin chemotherapy. Tumors in rodents treated with the combination of carboplatin and one of the experimental compounds, SR1664, weighed less than those in animals treated with carboplatin alone.

The research also showed that the combination sensitized triple-negative breast cancer cells in the laboratory, causing them to self-destruct. However, not all types of cancer cells appear to be made vulnerable to chemotherapy combined with the experimental compounds, the authors note.

The scientists, led by cancer biologist Bruce Spiegelman, PhD, say "these data strongly suggest that [the experimental anti-diabetes compounds] should be explored for clinical use in combination with traditional chemotherapy for a variety of malignancies."

First author of the report is Melin Khandekar, MD, PhD, a radiation oncologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who carries out research in the Spiegelman lab. Other authors are at the Scripps Research Institute Department of Molecular Therapeutics.

The experimental compounds used in the study target a newly discovered cellular process by which cells repair themselves in response to DNA damage, such as the damage caused by a number of chemotherapy agents. The process involves a change called phosphorylation of PPAR-gamma, a receptor discovered by Spiegelman that is essential for fat cell development. PPAR-gamma is also a target of the TZD class of anti-diabetic agents, which include rosiglitazone and pioglitazone. PPAR-gamma is expressed in a number of cancers, including lung, triple-negative breast, colorectal, and pancreatic cancers.

The potential for diabetes drugs to enhance chemotherapy goes back a number of years. In 2007, Spiegelman and colleagues reported that rosiglitazone, sold as Avandia, combined with a platinum chemotherapy agent halted or shrank mouse tumors as much as three times more effectively than either of the drugs given alone. These results suggested that giving the diabetes drug with platinum-based chemotherapies might improve control of cancers that eventually become resistant to platinum chemotherapy agents. However, reports of heart attacks in patients taking rosiglitazone led to a federal warning label being placed on the drug - a warning that was later removed, according to Khandekar. "The earlier reports kind of tarnished this idea" of combining diabetes drugs with chemotherapy, he said.

The new research involves drugs developed at Scripps by Patrick Griffin, PhD, a co-author on the PNAS paper. They also act on PPAR-gamma but in a way different from the conventional TZD drugs; the scientists refer to the novel compounds as "non-canonical agonist ligands" or NAL, of PPAR-gamma. They retain many of the properties of the TZD anti-diabetes drugs but have fewer side effects such as weight gain, bone loss, and fluid retention, according to the report's authors.

By identifying the phosphorylation of PPAR-gamma as a mechanism by which cancer cells can repair DNA damage, "we now have a rational basis for using these non-canonical agonist ligands of PPAR-gamma" to render cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy, explains Spiegelman.

Khandekar adds, "These drugs may provide an even safer alternative [than the older TZD anti-diabetes drugs] that you could combine with existing chemotherapies" to enhance the treatment of patients with certain cancers.

Explore further Advances in type 2 diabetes drugs
Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

With a mortality rate estimated at 10%, the life-threatening condition known as thyroid storm (TS) demands rapid diagnosis and treatment and can benefit from new evidence-based guidelines for TS developed by researchers in Japan. The article entitled "Thyroid Storm: A Japanese Perspective" is part of a special section on Japanese Research led by Guest Editor Yoshiharu Murata, Nagoya University, Japan, in the January 2018 issue of Thyroid.

In the article, author Takashi Akamizu, Wakayama Medical University, Japan, presents updated diagnostic criteria, extensively revised patient management and treatment guidelines, and newly developed algorithms based on information gathered on patients with TS from hospitals throughout Japan and from the medical literature. The most common cause of death from thyroid storm was multiple organ failure, followed by congestive heart failure, respiratory failure, and arrhythmia. Also identified are as yet unanswered clinical questions and the future studies needed to better understand TS and its outcomes and prognosis.

"The definition of TS is often somewhat vague, and many reports are of an anecdotal nature. The efforts by our Japanese colleagues to better define the diagnostic criteria and management recommendations are, therefore, highly welcome," says Peter A. Kopp, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Thyroid and Professor of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Molecular Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL. "The proposed framework will serve as a solid foundation for future research and reflection about this challenging clinical entity."

More information: Takashi Akamizu, Thyroid Storm: A Japanese Perspective, Thyroid (2017). Takashi Akamizu, Thyroid Storm: A Japanese Perspective,(2017). DOI: 10.1089/thy.2017.0243
(HealthDay)For children exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in utero, the risk of autistic traits may be mitigated by use of periconceptional folic acid supplementation, according to a study published online Dec. 26 in JAMA Neurology.

Marte Bjrk, M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Bergen in Norway, and colleagues conducted a population-based prospective cohort study involving Norwegian-speaking women attending routine ultrasonographic examinations. Data were included for 104,946 mothers of children aged 18 to 36 months with available information on use of AEDs and folic acid supplementation.

The researchers found that the risk for autistic traits was significantly higher at 18 and 36 months of age for the 335 children exposed to AEDs (adjusted odds ratios, 5.9 and 7.9, respectively) when their mothers had not used folic acid supplements, compared with children of mothers who had used supplements. The corresponding risks were lower at 18 and 36 months of age among women without epilepsy (adjusted odds ratios, 1.3 and 1.7, respectively); the corresponding risks were not significant at 18 and 36 months of age among the 389 children of women with untreated epilepsy. There was an inverse association for the degree of autistic traits with maternal plasma folate concentrations and folic acid doses. There was no correlation for AED concentration with the degree of autistic traits.

"Fertile women using AEDs should take folic acid supplements continuously," the authors write.

One author disclosed financial ties to Novartis.

Explore further Folic acid during pregnancy could help to prevent autism caused by antiepileptic drugs

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
(HealthDay)Laser monotherapy improves health-related quality of life (HR-QOL) in female patients with radiation-induced breast telangiectasias (RIBT), according to a study published online Dec. 20 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.

Anthony M. Rossi, M.D., from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and colleagues conducted a prospective study at their institution involving breast cancer patients with chronic radiation dermatitis. Twenty-two female patients with RIBT completed HR-QOL questionnaires before and after laser monotherapy.

The researchers found that 13 of the patients exhibited telangiectasias across the decolletage and axilla as well as the breast. During the study period, 16 patients reached the 50 percent RIBT clearance threshold and 11 of these patients (69 percent) completed HR-QOL questionnaires at follow-up. Statistically significant improvements were seen in emotional and functional Skindex-16 HR-QOL domains and in overall Skindex-16 HR-QOL score. There was also significant improvement in Breast-Q Adverse Effects of Radiation scores, showing a decrease in specific physical and cosmetic concerns that affect radiated breast skin. Transient post-treatment pain and redness were common adverse events.

"Breast cancer patients with RIBT presented with substantial deficits in several HR-QOL arenas," the authors write. "Laser monotherapy effectively treated the appearance of radiation dermatitis in these patients and also significantly improved HR-QOL."

Explore further Radiation prior to surgery reduces risk of secondary tumors in early-stage breast cancer

Copyright  2017 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Very frequent consumption of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but only among people in the lowest socioeconomic position, according to a new research study published in PLOS Medicine by Eirik Degerud from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, and colleagues.

Individuals with low socioeconomic position are known to consume alcohol less frequently than those in higher positions, but experience a higher rate of alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths. Degerud and colleagues analyzed socioeconomic and health survey data, as well as cause of death information, on 207,394 Norwegian adults who were born before October 15, 1960 and completed mandatory censuses in Norway between 1960 and 1990.

Moderately frequent alcohol consumers (2-3 times per week) had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than infrequent drinkers, and this association was more pronounced among people in the highest socioeconomic position. Very frequent consumption of alcohol (4-7 times per week) was associated with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease among people in the lowest socioeconomic position. The authors also report that weekly binge drinkers had higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who did not binge drink in the past year, but the risk did not seem to differ by socioeconomic position.

"It is unclear if [these difference in risk] reflects differential confounding of alcohol consumption with health-protective or damaging exposures or differing effects of alcohol on health across socioeconomic groups," the authors say. "The heterogeneity between groups in the population needs to be assessed when making population recommendations regarding alcohol consumption."

In an accompanying Perspective, Jurgen Rehm and Charlotte Probst of Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health write that the new findings are an important piece of the puzzle in understanding the complex interactions between socioeconomic position and mortality. An implication of the new paper, they say, is that "it is not appropriate simply to extrapolate from risks associated with alcohol use in higher-income populations to address lower-income populations where the impact of alcohol use is highest."

Explore further Drinking heavily is disproportionately harmful for the poorest in society, with a greater risk of dying or becoming

More information: Degerud E, Ariansen I, Ystrom E, Graff-Iversen S, Hiseth G, Mrland J, et al. (2018) Life course socioeconomic position, alcohol drinking patterns in midlife, and cardiovascular mortality: Analysis of Norwegian population-based health surveys. PLoS Med 15(1): e1002476. Journal information: PLoS Medicine Degerud E, Ariansen I, Ystrom E, Graff-Iversen S, Hiseth G, Mrland J, et al. (2018) Life course socioeconomic position, alcohol drinking patterns in midlife, and cardiovascular mortality: Analysis of Norwegian population-based health surveys. PLoS Med 15(1): e1002476. doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002476
In a recently published article in JAMA IM, 'A Clear-Eyed View of Restasis and Chronic Dry Eye Disease,' Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin, physician-researchers at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, discuss why US consumers may have paid billions for a drug deemed ineffective in other countries. Credit: Dartmouth Institute

Why are Americans, both as patients and taxpayers, paying billions of dollars for a drug whose efficacy is so questionable that it's not approved in the European Union, Australia or New Zealand? Restasis, a blockbuster drug sold by Allergan to treat chronic dry eye, has done $8.8 billion in U.S. sales between 2009 and 2015, including over $2.9 billion in public monies through Medicare Part D. Restasis and Allergan have been in the news lately due to the company's novel legal strategy of transferring their patents on the drug to the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe in order to stave off competition posed by generic drugs.

However, in a recently published article in JAMA IM, "A Clear-Eyed View of Restasis and Chronic Dry Eye Disease," Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin, physician-researchers at The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, argue that a more fundamental question we should be asking is: Does Restasis even work?

The FDA approved Restasis to increase tear production in 2003, after a 1999 application failed when reviewers and a unanimous FDA advisory committee concluded it did not meet efficacy criteria. Even though Restasis did not improve symptoms scores (compared to a placebo) when tested directly in the pivotal trials, the FDA accepted indirect evidence from the validation study in which, at six months, 15% vs. 5% of patients had a response with Restasis vs. placebo in a pooled analysis.

Meanwhile, regulatory agencies in other countries found the evidence of Restasis's efficacy unconvincing. Australia's regulatory agency found that the trialsthe same ones submitted to the FDAshowed no convincing or sustained benefit to patients who had been treated with the drug. Although Canada approved Restasis for a narrower group of patients in 2010, its health technology assessment unit was unconvinced of the drug's benefit and recommended Canada not pay for it. Schwartz and Woloshin's research found that no Canadian provincial or federal drug plan currently does.

So why did Americans pay more than $1.5 billion a year in 2016 alone for a drug that potentially does so little, and to treat a condition that many would not even consider to be a disease? Schwartz and Woloshin point to the extensive marketing campaign to sell chronic dry eye (CDE) as a diseaseand Restasis as the only viable treatment option. From 2016-2017, Allergan spent $645 million advertising Restasis, including its mydryeyes.com website. The website, Schwartz and Woloshin say, recasts the merely unpleasant experience of itching or watery eyes (often caused by allergies, weather, or other common irritants) as disease. Visitors to the site and to another Allergan website, Restasis.com, are also warned of potential health consequences of undiagnosed and/or untreated CDE disease.

Schwartz and Woloshin also note that both websites offer online help locating a doctor, though neither site discloses that participating doctors many have company ties. Allergan paid over $9 million to 24,152 U.S. doctors from 2013-2015, and the "find-a-doctor" feature includes seven of the top 10 payees.

"Disease awareness campaignslike chronic dry eyesare an effective way for companies to sell a disease to sell a drug," Woloshin says. "But people shouldn't assume that you even need a drug to treat symptomsor that the advertised drug actually relieves the symptoms in the quizzes."

Restasis might not have become such a blockbuster drug, Schwartz and Woloshin argue if consumers, doctors, and payers had easy access to independent drug information. While U.S. and foreign regulatory documents are valuable sources, they are often underutilized. Many doctors, they say, learn about new drugs not from regulatory documents but from company-sponsored promotional efforts. In addition, although regulators now produce more structured, readable documents, reviews for older drugs, such as Restasis, are often poorly organized, and missing information remains a problem. Reviews may be heavily redacted and some are never released. Unlike its counterparts in Europe and Australia, the FDA currently does not release reviews for drugs not approved (even when marketing applications are withdrawn prior to final regulatory action). Schwartz and Woloshin argue that they should.

"When you think of all the good that could have been done with the billions spent on Restasis in the U.S., it reminds us how high the stakes are for better independent information about how well drugs work," Schwartz says.

Explore further Generic eye drops for seniors could save millions of dollars a year

More information: A Clear-Eyed View of Restasis and Chronic Dry Eye Disease, jamanetwork.com/journals/jamai  /fullarticle/2666792 A Clear-Eyed View of Restasis and Chronic Dry Eye Disease, DOI: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2017.7904
YEREVAN.  Deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament Eduard Sharmazanov is confident that Russia is Armenias number one ally.

Asked by Armenian News-NEWS.am whether the country would face new challenges amid the continuing escalation of the situation between Russia and West after signing new Armenia-EU partnership agreement, Sharmzanov replied that Armenia should continue to deepen its economic, political, military and humanitarian ties with Russia.

He added that Yerevan has also to deepen its ties within the CSTO and the Eurasian Economic Union.

Eduard Sharmazanov, who is also the spokesperson for ruling Republican Party of Armenia, noted that Armenia could become a bridge between the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union, as well as between Iran  EAEU and Iran - EU.

According to Deputy Speaker, it is necessary to distinguish partners from allies. Armenia is in partnership with EU, but the country has established alliance with Russia, the CSTO and the Eurasian Economic Union.

The EU and Armenia signed a comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement on November 24, 2017 in Brussels.
Armenia army General Staff chief heads for Moscow

Google locks Afghanistan government accounts

City to be built in US desert for millions of people

Denmark to build giant 'energy island' at sea

Newspaper: 'Soros' NGOs to bring 2 large-scale education programs to Armenia

Newspaper: Satellite footage of 44-day Artsakh war could make scandalous revelations

Some 6,000 Islamic extremists surrender to Nigeria authorities

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

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Russia, Azerbaijan deputy FMs discuss implementation of Karabakh agreements

Armenia army General Staff chief meets with 3-month training camp reservists

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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

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From paying bills to sorting out your portfolio, advisors offer some tips for cleaning up your finances in the new year.

New Year's resolutions can save you a few pounds and a little money, but maintaining your financial resolve year-round is a substantial investment in yourself.

Taking another look at your finances, from your paycheck to your portfolio, at the beginning of the year can pay huge long-term dividends, according to financial advisors.

"If setting goals is the first step, then taking action is the next," says Luke Vandermillen, vice president at Principal Financial Group, "We know that a lot of well-intentioned New Year's resolutions can quickly fall off the wagon."

The key to success is making simple financial changes that you may only need to think about once. John S. Kiernan, the senior writer, and editor at credit and finance site WalletHub, says signing up for credit alerts through credit agencies Equifax (EFX) - Get Equifax Inc. Report , TransUnion (TRU) - Get TransUnion Report and Experian can help avoid errors that damage your credit score. That damage can increase your credit card rate and make it more difficult to secure a loan or mortgage.

Kiernan also suggests setting up automatic payments that pay bills immediately after you receive your paycheck and just before your monthly due date. That will both improve your credit score by reducing your ratio of debt to available credit and help pay down high-interest credit-card bills. Transferring outstanding credit card balances from high-interest cards to cards with 0% monthly interest can also help pay down that balance and add as much as a month's worth of salary to an emergency fund. Though the Financial Industry Regulatory Agency (FINRA) says everyone should have 12 to 18 months' worth of income saved, it notes that 54% of Americans don't have such a fund in place.

"You don't need to put the rest of your financial life on hold until your emergency fund is complete. Rather, chip away at it over time," Kiernan says.

Advisors note that this is a good time of year to give neglected retirement plans like your 401(k) or IRA another look as well. Catherine Golladay, Charles Schwab's senior vice president for 401(k) participant services and administration, suggests the following course of action

Rebalance: Your retirement plan may have been knocked off balance by recent stock-market fluctuations and may need to be rebalanced to ensure that one investment isn't an outsized portion of your portfolio.

Your retirement plan may have been knocked off balance by recent stock-market fluctuations and may need to be rebalanced to ensure that one investment isn't an outsized portion of your portfolio. Check beneficiaries: If you got married, divorced or had a baby this year, this is a good time to make sure that your savings go to the right person in the event of your death. If your married, the law makes your spouse the default beneficiary. If you have other ideas about where your money should go, speak up now.

If you got married, divorced or had a baby this year, this is a good time to make sure that your savings go to the right person in the event of your death. If your married, the law makes your spouse the default beneficiary. If you have other ideas about where your money should go, speak up now. Find old 401(k)s: In a gig economy, you're going to change jobs a few times. That may mean you have money sitting around in a 401(k) from another employer. That gives you the chance to compare 401(k) plans, roll it into an IRA, move the old money into your new plan, or leave it alone. If you take the latter option, make sure you tweak settings to reflect your current situation and risk tolerance.

"Your 401(k) is a long-term investment that you'll contribute to and maintain throughout your career," Golladay says. "While January is a great time to revisit your allocations and other settings, don't forget to make periodic adjustments as you go."

Most importantly, advisors suggest using this time of year to consider the bigger financial picture. Anthony D. Criscuolo, a certified financial planner with Palisades Hudson Financial Group in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., points out that your annual finances include more than just your short-term payments and long-term portfolio. They encompass just about all aspects of your life and warrant serious consideration as you face the year ahead.

"Look at all the issues confronting you," Criscuolo says. "Consider all tax, accounting, estate planning, insurance, business management, retirement, and charitable-giving considerations."

This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.
Ngl Slice looks like it could be fun.

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im thinking it will be fun to see in a theater, im hoping it's one of those horror/gross out movies that's fun with an audience lol

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Anna and the Apocalypse sounds fun

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I'm hoping A Quiet Place is interesting (and that they satisfactorily explain why tf the family doesn't just MOVE AWAY, bc I wonder that every time I see the trailer).

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lmao that's a good point.

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I thought we were to understand that this was a worldwide phenomenon?

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I neeed to see this

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i'm assuming that whatever creature is out there killing people with its enormous claws is everywhere, so where could they move to that's safe? if this thing is attracted to noise, some house in the middle of nowhere is probably the best place to be. i like the detail of them pouring sand to walk on because it absorbs the sound of their impact when they walk barefoot.

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Everyone's saying it's a monster; was that revealed somewhere?



When I saw the trailer I thought it was like a zombie/"infected" situation or a paranormal/supernatural situation. I'm gonna be disappointed if it's just a monster.



tbh, I get the feeling that if family members get killed, they'll just ~disappear~ and you'll never see what got them. Horror movies nowadays are pulling that shit a lot.

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details like the sand give me hope that this will actually be well executed.

i felt tense watching the trailer and haven't felt that watching a trailer for an american horror movie since it follows.

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it reminds me of the premise of bird box. if it's similar to that premise then the survivor's have no way of knowing what areas are safe.

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My dads convinced its something like The Village

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i'm most excited about this film atm. i love a good monster flick. hopefully it'll deliver what it comes at night couldn't for me.

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I still didn't see It Comes at Night, but I want to despite all the negative feedback I keep hearing lol

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It's good. People are assuming things when they hear the title and then getting confused at how the movie plays out.



The filmmakers should have gone with another title, but they were being all ~artistic and shit.

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i don't necessarily think it's a horrible movie, i just went into the film with the expectation that something out there was actively hunting these people when it turned out to be a more low key family drama sort of thing. i love monster movies and i had high hopes that the It in It comes at night would be some kind of fresh take on vampire or whatever. i hope this isn't too spoilery, trying to keep it vague.

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does it comes at night have jump scares? like is its scary~ or more of a psychological thriller?



Edited at 2018-01-02 12:48 am (UTC)

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I loved it.

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it's boring af and nothing ever happens.



it had a lot of potential though.

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I always want to know about the monsters in monster movies but then Im a big scardey cat so I could never watch these films in theaters lol. Covenant was really pushing it for me.

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Watch this secretly be a Cloverfield tie in lmao

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Never heard of this one but I'm here for it.



It Comes At Night was...alright? It didn't deliver the way the trailers sold it but I left it satisfied.

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I'm curious if this will mark the separation of irl couple Emily Blunt and dude from the Office.

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I gasped out loud when the kid knocked over the lamp. Omgggggggg. Im intrigued if only because thats the first trailer thats ever had that effect on me but I dont handle the tension of horror movies well, lol!



I do wonder how they kept their kids silent as babies tho (and need to know that trick actually :B)

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where drug dealers, corrupt politicians, headstrong police, and anti-ghost activists all live side by side



Sounds like BRIGHT but not shitty. I believe in Chance!



I've read various articles that said Destroyer is out next I MEAN THIS YEAR 2018 which I doubt but if it is I am 100% game.



Edited at 2018-01-01 11:15 pm (UTC)

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omg i need to see that

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I'm excited for Slice!



Also excited for A Quiet Place, which wasn't on the list.



A lot of movies on this list didn't have trailers yet (or not that I could find). There's this jack black movie coming out by Eli Roth that sounds intriguing. Eli Roth making a kids movie?!

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The House with A Clock In Its Walls!

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yes! lol i commented again before I saw yours!



I wanna read the book

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OH! that reminds me! That Jack Black movie, The House with a Clock In its Walls , is based on a book, which I need to find so I can read it for the ONTD reading challenge ;D





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All of these sound good tbh. Except Strangers better have a happy ending.

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all of them should die

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Anna and the Apocalypse sounds cool.

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Given the people involved, "The Endless" piques my interest for sure. "Resolution" was so damn underrated and so damn good.



Having "The New Mutants" be horror is the stupidest thing imaginable.

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I also enjoyed Resolution

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I'm praying that Winchester house movie starring Helen Mirren isn't a piece of shit.



I'm also looking forward to The Little Stranger, adapted from Sarah Waters' novel and starring Ruth Wilson 



Basically haunted house movies r my fav

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I need to put that book on hold too!

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It's okay but far from her best imo. It's one of those novels where the movie has room to improve the story.

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oh, i used to work as a tour guide at the winchester mansion. i really hope the movie doesn't cause an uptick in tourists, because they'll just be disappointed. people always go on the tours hoping to be spooked out but tbh it's not scary at all when you're with a bunch of other people.

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Looking forward to a few but especially Victor Crowley.

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I'm super excited to see the John Krasinski movie. Can't remember the title though

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A Quiet Place :) me too!

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Lol. I was editing. Not fast enough though.



I'm excited because they're using a deaf actress too

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the new insidious comes out this week, and even though movie 3 wasn't as great as 1 or 2 i'm still going to see it because of lin shaye.

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I can't wait to see it. I love those movies, even the bad ones. Patrick WIlson should never ever turn around. Ever.

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i'm most excited for the john krasinski/emily blunt one

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ot but since it's my own post idc.



i was gonna do a horror movies that are 10 years old post. i made one using 2007 movies, but then i thought, maybe i should be doing 2008 movies? but when i looked at the 2008 movies honestly they were like.. all remakes, the fuck. i felt so uninspired that i stopped.



maybe i'll go back to the movies released in 2007 and are now 10 years old, and submit it later lol

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Definitely go with the list with the better movies. Just switch the title to the past tense: "movies that turned 10 in 2017."

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Lol ty! I'll submit it later for the late night ONTD crowd~

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Do the better movies

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omg all of them? i'm so tired of remakes. an original idea is like a cool glass of water for me.



go for it!

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2008 had Splinter, 4bia, Cold Prey 2, Pontypool, Sauna, Outpost (+ ontd favs Lake Mungo & Let The Right One In) tho



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Jane Fonda is EIGHTY? Hot damn I need the rolodex holding all of her physician and surgeon info. She looks great.

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Also photoshop and tons of make-up.

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She looks good/not 80 in motion as well though

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lol! i thought this said "prince harry and meghan markle break up"! for just a second i was LIVING.

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I did too lol

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Same lol

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omg the drama i NEED

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this is the fresh drama we need in 2018

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break the internet for real

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Late May? I want to say the 19th but I wasn't paying much attention

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Is it just me or is Martin the true hero of The Crown?



like goddamn everyone should just listen to Martin always.



underappreciated king tbh.

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Basically, yeah. I felt so sorry for him (and the Queen) when he couldn't keep his promotion.

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I have no memory of who this character even is. I can't retain anything when I binge watch, I guess.

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He was Elizabeth's private secretary until she became queen and then he got demoted because of stupid rules He was Elizabeth's private secretary until she became queen and then he got demoted because of stupid rules

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Agreed. He was the only one rightfully horrified by that awkward speech she gave.

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He does officially become the sovereigns secretary.. probably on the show in the next season though the actor will change and he gave him life 

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her wedding dress is going to be black? interesting

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i think OP meant engagement dress.

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no way, op means the dress on the cover. there's no way in hell she could do that, but it would make royal dish crash, which i would live for.

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lmao okay i thought that description sounded exactly like the dress in the pic



can't imagine the queen letting her wear a non-traditional wedding dress

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lmao royaldish is so pressed about her entire existence, its amazing. im so glad that the would harry ever date a woman of color? thread got shut down because WHEW the racists and ugh why does it matter, were all humans, theres only one race, im white but the phrase people of color offends me comments were a lot.



Edited at 2018-01-02 03:49 am (UTC)

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It feels like a lie



like, she's been married before so I guess not wearing white could be appropriate but I doubt she's gonna wear black

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oh I think it's describing her engagement photo dress

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A black wedding dress would be badass.

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And regretted it.

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back when i was a baby goth (and still wanted to marry someday)i dreamed of a black wedding dress like this one

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A black wedding dress would be really cool. I want something like this:

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Vera wang had/has black wedding dresses, I tried to get my friend to get one. She almost went for the blush but ended up with boring ivory

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I want to get married in a black dress. I never wear white anyways so why should I on my wedding day? (Hope I don't chicken out)



Edited at 2018-01-02 08:15 pm (UTC)

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my wedding dress is going to be burgundy. I refuse to play in to stupid wedding traditions.

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- Her wedding dress is described as a "black tulle gown with silk organza skirt, hand appliqued with silk tulle ruffles and embroidered with gold feather thread-work". It's reported to have cost 56,000.



engagement photo dress* not wedding dress

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I was about to say, this is the engagement dress?

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the price of her dress is why many people do not like the royal family. who the hell needs to wear a dress that cost 56000 absurd.

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Is that 75k is US dollars? That is ridiculous but many celebs and rich people spend a lot more than that. At least it isn't six figures. ETA: ok I thought that was the wedding dress not engagement dress. Idk. Maybe it was a loaner from the stylist. That is dumb to spend for a dress for a few hours but rich, famous people don't do like us.



Edited at 2018-01-02 03:10 am (UTC)

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all reports say what it costs but that doesnt mean she didn't borrow it for the shoot.



if it was bought that would be a waste of money cause all the promo the designer got is worth way more than that dress is worth.

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I believe she paid with her own money so not sure why it should impact people liking/hating the royal family.

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who cares? They (not just royals but a lot of celebs too) have the money to buy it, borrow it etc and you don't. Get over it.

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How does one even put such a price tag on a dress? I just dont get it. No way the materials or work cost that much so why would anyone want to pay it? You could get a young up-and-coming designer to make an even prettier dress for maybe one thousand euros and you wouldnt even rip off the designer.



But as my mom always says, (free translation) the one who asks is not stupid, the one who pays is.

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Im so tired of the Royal family

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Same. Why there is a royal family in 2018 baffles me.

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Black dresses are cool.



I'm getting a little bored of them, tho. I feel like there's been a little too much manufactured drama surrounding their upcoming nuptials.

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Its so sad how her family and childhood best friend sold her out to magazines. I hope she has some better people surrounding her now.

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i'm so neutral about her, but i got upset reading her friend's interview. they were friends since they were 4 or 5 and she sold her out because she's still mad that she split from her 1st husband.

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That explains it

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I bet shes having an affair with the husband.

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the friend had hundreds of hundreds of photos and home videos and kept them for literally decades... even after a fallout?? like something ain't right in her head. she was weirdly obsessed with meghan's divorce.

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I read parts of the interview so maybe I'm not getting the whole picture but it was so weird when she was talking about the first husband, like was she insinuating that meghan cheated on him?

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I was at my Nana's over Christmas and all the Harry Megan stuff was on tv my Nana loves ha!



She was like "She has everything going against her joining that family, she's black, she's been divorced, she's Catholic, she's American! but she's amazing and shes a lovely speaker and she seems just wonderful" lmao

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Her wedding dress won't be black. They are describing the dress she wore in the engagement shots.

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I would live for that if she did pull a Lucy Coe & showed up in a non-white wedding dress.

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imma need this chick to write a book on securing the bag bc i am v intrigued by her come up. from d list actress/divorcee to duchess she did social climbing right

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I would say being on a show for like 7yrs makes her at least C-list

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I wanna know who their mutual friend that introduced them is



This girl I know got to live at Kensington Palace for a bit just because she was a nanny to the Captain of some polo teams kids. Like, that's one way to get an in maybe.

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It was a Canadian designer I think- the one whose shirts she wears. I think living in Toronto instead of LA worked to her favor. Lol

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The guy who runs the soho club in Toronto

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I bet you it was jessica mulroney. Her father in law is a former prime minister of canada. Before meghan met harry she was hanging out with the mulroneys and through them them the trudeaus. Since both are children of former pms and one is a current pm i bet that was her in

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It was Misha Nonoo. She probably taught Meghan all about social climbing.

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From what it sounds like, she just knew one right person who hooked her up.

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I feel like this was all just luck and the right timing

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she's an absolute social climber

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to add to previous comments, her work with UN and degree in international studies helped a lot. I remember growing up in nigeria International relations/studies with french was the "secure the bag" job cos it meant mixing with dignitaries from european french speaking countries. I'm surprised it took her so long to get there, maybe wanted to marry for love and money.

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I like hearing about them in small does but it already feels like the media is going to update us every single time of them does anything remotely boring.

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*rolling my eyes*

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What and these brothers aren't?

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You realize that people have commonly wished death upon each other since before the internet, right?

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nah



fuck these 2 i would be down if they died tomorrow

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Im with you. I hope he falls on a giant spike and bleeds out slowly while being forced to watch himself in a mirror.

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I hope the irs audits him.

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he's gonna get someone killed with his bullshit. i firmly believe that.

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I hope the ghost follow him home an paranormal activity him to death.

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aaaaaaand i'm out

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Gross

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this is why I hate youtube the past 5 years or so. Back in 2005 it used to be this site filled with unedited home videos, people sharing their talent or random funny moments caught on camera... but it has now been used as a platform for uppermiddleclass white kids to gain attention for doing the dumbest shit and getting away with it

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Mte

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some of these people on there because famous and I don't get how you can call somebody online a celebrity your not brad pitt.you go all over America and most people wouldn't know who the fuck this guy is.

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aka jackass.

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THISSSS

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and then they whine about how hard their life/job is, and how sometimes they wish they could just walk away as if they can't.

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i literally did not know who he is and wouldn't if it weren't for ontd.



Edited at 2018-01-02 12:05 pm (UTC)

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Ugh. Are we really still surprised when YouTube "celebs" are gross and tasteless in their desperation for attention?? (I mean, I'm a nervous laugher too, but I certainly wouldn't post it on the goddamn Internet.)

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right? people cannot help thow they react to troubling or disturbing things but editing and posting a video of you and your friends laughing around a person who just commited suicide seems to show a certain lack of empathy

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and people like this make money to and it makes me sick get a fucking job u lazy dicks.

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Wtffff GROSS

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I'm so glad you made this post! I was about to make it after seeing stuff on twitter, but I didn't want to invest any time learning about this creep's video tbqh.

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the sky is blue, scum like him remain sewage waste, what's new u g h

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can 2018 be the year that finally ends his "career?"

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Ive been waiting for it in 2017 but these 2 brothers have been doing so much dumb, problematic and just plain annoying stunts and still keep getting millions of views and followers.



I blame the parents, tbh. Probably did not screen youtube as a site or bothered to check on the content because they figured 2 young white boys are more harmless than Idk, rap or something . Their fans are usually middle school aged white kids with too much time and spare allowance in their hands.

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shut youtube down

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This shit right here +1.

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This is social media, so bye, I guess!

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with the whole ending of net neutrality...maybe it will?

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Okay true

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The internet was a mistake.

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ikr? this should be the end of it



or make it a diy site again, literally nothing of value would be lost

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idts

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Only if Twitter goes first (and takes its most infamous WW3 escalating user along with it...)

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I think not!! 0.000000000000000000001% of youtubers are actually awesome, hdu.

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I mean I know y'all are being hyperbolic but it's important to remember that YT/social media has also given a voice to marginalized people.

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...or at least modify it so that disgusting, attention seeking assholes like this guy can't make money off of it.

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they need to cordon off that whole area in Aokigahara somehow.



all the movies glorifying it and stuff like this is really disturbing.

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just the fact that it exists is honestly such a sad phenomenon, it's awful that it's become a tourist attraction

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Tourist??people go there to find bodies?



That shit is something else..

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So when I first heard about it (I don't remember where) the person/site made it seem like it was the forest itself/some presence in the forest that made people kill themselves after they went in, so I thought for a while that that's what it was (and no, this was long before the movies). But I guess it's actually just a place that people designate to go kill themselves in? /doesn't actually know that much about it

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It's too big.

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I hate the notoriety around it.

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It really disturbing. I know that's one place in Japan that, when I eventually visit, I'm staying as far away from as humanly possible.

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Aoikigahara is a very popular destination not just for foreigners, but for Japanese as well, mostly because it's advertised in Japan as a beautiful forest with plenty of Japanese wildlife, beautiful large caves (which you can take tours of), and the spectacular view of Mt. Fuji.



Living there I met plenty of people who had visited and never came across a dead body, to be honest, I think you would have to look for them because the volunteers and park rangers who do this as their job spend hours every day looking in the forest, grid mapping it, calling in bodies they find. It's not a regular occurrence like they're finding bodies left and right, sometimes they find empty tents or bags where people changed their minds. But these are WAY off the main track.



It isn't forbidden to go off the path, but it's definitely suggested to stay on your course mostly because people get lost far more than people who come out here to die. Kids, adults, etc all have wandered off the path and have gotten extremely lost very quickly, it's dark, incredibly quiet and full of caves which means that some of the ground you walk on might be very thin and you could fall into a cave and hurt yourself or die by accident. Getting lost happens more often there than anything else which is why they have tour guides available--but there are some "tour guides" which are really just guys who aren't trained, but go into the forest a lot bc they live around the mountain and they might know a few things, but they aren't like legitimate tour guides who have decent knowledge of what to do in specific situations, like coming across a dead body.



I don't know how or why Logan and his group walked off the path in the first place and them finding a dead body doesn't seem like a coincidence. Like it just seems like that's what they were looking for, not ghosts, but something truly real and horrifying for their viewers.



I don't really "watch" YouTube, so I don't know who this guy is, but he clearly wanted to get something out of his trip to Aoikigahara, which is to prove it truly is the "suicide forest", so I definitely believe he went in there planning to find a body, all the smiles on him and his friends faces sicken me.

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I didn't see the video but maybe it was nervous laughing? The article mentioned how they were serious later on

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Nope, his friend says "I feel kind of sick" and he replies "What, you've never stood next to a dead guy?" then laughs.

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This is the context that made the whole thing disturbing. Like, how in the fuck are people defending him/passing his laughter off as a "coping mechanism" after seeing that he's clearly laughing at his own gross callousness?

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Even if they were, why share it?? It wasn't an accident during a livestream or something.

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I only watched the twitter clip, but it did seem like it to me. Regardless ALL of it was in poor taste.

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Putting aside the fact that he shouldn't have posted this footage at all, he could've edited out his laughter. Whether nervous or genuine, anyone with a hint of self-awareness would realise it's weird to post.

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I saw the video and I can understand that but it doesnt really matter to me. He didnt need to post it

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even if it was...they probably spent hours putting this footage together, editing it, etc and at no point did it cross their mind as to how deeply insensitive this would be

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he filmed a dead body, went up close to film his hands etc. and purposely blurred out the guys face in editing....in all this editing he didnt think that maybe he shouldnt fucking post this shit?? nah, hes vile as fuck and his reaction was not one of nervousness

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someone on twitter posted a longer clip and they laughed way more than the clip linked in this post

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Yes, I get that. But even after that he choose to publish that video. He could have chosen not to.

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people used to be way more desensitized, beheadings and hangings were family entertainment and newspapers used to publish pictures that you today have to look up on special websites.

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Don't forget the upper-class twits who toured asylums back in the Day, because people with mental illnesses (or who just got to uppity) are so amusing.

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The fact that most people are so disgusted and saddened by this proves that people "nowadays" are not desensitised. Far from it. In times gone by hanging and other executions used to be spectator sports.

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In high school and even now (I'm 23) so many of my friends are obsessed with websites full of videos of people dying. The internet has made it so much easier and so much more permissible to explore extremely dark parts of one's mind and it sometimes bothers me - obvious we are all intrigued by death, obviously we all find it fascinating, that's just part of being human... but I don't think it's something we should be desensitized too, either. I've literally seen horrible stories on the news, said "Oh god, that's so awful." and had friends counter "Oh please, have you seen that video of the night club that burned hundreds of people alive? THAT'S horrible. I've seen worse on 4ch." My age group in particular seems obsessed with the idea of becoming unaffected by horrific violence.

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"People" no its men and they have always been like this. Men are inherently fucked in the head.

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i genuinely don't understand why all these preteen girls are obsessed with him



his ex posted a video about how emotionally/verbally abusive he was and how terrible it was living in that house

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The tweens who make these kinds of people famous, love and defend them, and see nothing wrong with their actions are going to make really "interesting" adults. I don't see most of them maturing or growing out of it tbh.

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They think its ok cuz It's not White person's body .



If this was not filmed in Japan or white person's body was found , they never said same things .



Edited at 2018-01-02 03:21 am (UTC)

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it sounds like his fans are the kinds of people theorized in black mirror episodes.

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Social media has rewarded sociopathy and stupidity and has perpetuated the exaltation of white men. I just wanted to share photos with friends and family lol.

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right, not to mention going in the forest in the first place meant that was what they were looking for, most likely.

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If it had suicide in the title he probably couldn't monetize it. But you know he would have if he could.

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the first instinct of everybody with a phone now is to turn it on and film shit to put on youtube.even if there life is in danger I got to film this shit so it can go viral

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right? i would never go to the forest anyway as i'm easily scared and i'd feel intrusive, but i would probably run/scream/cry, not be like 'hey hang on, just gotta film this or take a photo'.

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Haha, Jerry Seinfeld.

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I really don't understand how the fact that his 38 year old self dating a 17 year old back in the day gets ignored (outside ONTD).

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Oh how very Jerry Lee Lewis of him. So gross.

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I think it might be due to Shoshanah defending him. Or at least she did back in the mid 90s.

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Vincent Cassel remains the worst

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I don't know either because it has been mention in magazines and on tv. Ewww!

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ikr, even Julia tapdanced around that way back & I thought "you've got enough money you don't have to suck up to him"

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my mom was saying that everyone at the time let it ~go because he made a big deal to wait until she was 18, which she thought was WILD even then

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LMAOO

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Don't worry. The world ends tomorrow anyway.

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Annnnnnnd Julia Louis Dreyfus continues to be the only decent redeeming Seinfeld cast member.

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What did Jason Alexander do?

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

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He deliberately made a nursing woman lactate (by making baby noises) in order to win a televised poker game.

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I see op is looking to diversify his wank posts for 2018 <3

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new year, same fka

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Isn't it a little early for a wank post? Are we not gonna at least wait until 7pm EST so some of us can be drunk/high for this?

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I don't think we've ever had a Jerry Seinfeld post on ONTD before. Not that I can remember.

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Sis that one where he refused to hug Kesha was fairly iconique.

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yeah, plus no one ever lets us forget he dated a 17yr old [nor should they!!!]

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can we not tho

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Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in Hello! Your entry got to top-25 of the most popular entries in LiveJournal!Learn more about LiveJournal Ratings in FAQ

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at least it's not about the lordE drama again

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Looking like a male version of old lady Maxine from the Hallmark cards

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I fully do not understand the critical love for TSoW.

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I think its a lot of projecting.

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A lot of these girls like fish dicks.

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Same, it was actually kind of disappointing.

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i loved sally hawkins and her performance in it, but otherwise it was ok

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The ONTD love I actually understand to a degree, because there are a lot of very specific tastes here that are dissimilar to mine, and I am used to that.

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It was fine to me. Sally was great but I was largely meh on it. I thought the cinematography was beautiful though.

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I don't get it either and I was one of the "hell yeah monster sex!!" people :p



Like, Sally Hawkins gave a great performance and it was pretty, but otherwise...

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I actually loved it.

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well it's a deeply personal film to me because of Guillermo's intent behind it



i'm sure it's not-that-deep.jpg for most ppl but it's why i love it, anyway

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Agreed, I kind of hated it actually

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I watched Lady Bird yesterday and it was so good. I loved it so much.

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Not here for the fact that Slaymothee gets bumped from Best Actor to Best Breakout!

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It's what the Woody Allen supporter deserves.

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not to be a broken record, because the woody allen supporter did a good job in the film, but i'm happy to see accolades withheld from at least one man who's remained silent about sexual violence.

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i'm not sure what his age has to do with his acting ability? i'm not defending him but i don't get that argument

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Hes trash

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I need to see so many movies but Get Out totally deserves it. It was so good and creative and said some shit that needed to be said.

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If you had told me at the last Oscars that one of the frontrunners this year would be Get Out I would not have believed it. And I actually think it has a real shot at winning.



Also, just give Willem Defoe that Oscar so more people go see The Florida Project.

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I just watched it. He was really great.

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I didn't realize the Globes are this fucking weekend! I am so curious to see who ends up winning, this year is crazy.

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Holy shit

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Does anyone have any great recommendations for documentaries that came out this year?

edit: Also I'm super happy that Get Out and Daniel Kaluuya are getting recognition. I just started Black Mirror and I really loved his episode. Even his performance in that was incredible.



Edited at 2018-01-02 06:12 pm (UTC)

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Documentary or docuseries? The Keepers is very good.

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I've seen The Keepers! I keep telling everyone I know to watch it. The story was heartbreaking and disturbing but the storytelling was so well done it haunted me for days. I still think about Jane Doe (Jean) :'(

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strong island by yance ford! i believe it's on netflix.

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Icarus (it's on Netflix US): about the Russia doping scandal featuring the guy who broke the scandal wide open. Honestly, it starts off as a regular documentary and then 20 minutes into it, it morphs into a geo-political thriller.



Tickling Giants: about Bassem Youssef (known as the Jon Stewart of Eygpt) gave up his life as doctor to start a comedy fake news show. It's funny, fascinating, and sad all at the same time



I haven't seen these yet, but they are on my to-watch list:

City of Ghosts

Ex Libris

Abacas

Human Flow

Faces Places

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I would love to see Del Toro win an Oscar. He got robbed with Pans Labyrinth. I know people here arent big fans of Alejandro Inarittu but he definitely deserved his Oscar along with Alfonso Cuaron. Babel is Alejandros better directing work though. Would also love to see Sally Hawkins win. She got passed over completely for Blue Jasmine.

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I was really surprised DelToro didnt win for Pans. Honestly it should have one best foreign film and best original screenplay at least.



This year seems to be DelToros year to win the Oscar and Mexicans will continue to dominate next year as Cuarons Roma will be released next awards season

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Its surprising he wasnt nominated, given the love the Academy showed that film, but I wouldnt say its surprising he didnt win. That was the year the heat was really on to finally give one to Scorsese.

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i dunno, nolan could definitely build up speed again

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Bahaha, more like Fluid In Italy!

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I, Tonya, CMBYN, 3Billboards, Lady Bird, Wonderstruck, Last Flag Flying, Disaster Artist and Florida Project all leaked.



Edited at 2018-01-02 06:23 pm (UTC)

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well his almost mother in law is Mia Farrow, so CMBYN might get a bit awkward in that household

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Here for Mexicans continuing to dominate the Directors chair at the Oscars

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In the beginning, I thought Get Out, getting any awards Ive was far fetched, but I honestly can see it pulling the upset and maybe winning Best Picture.



Lady Bird vs Get Out...I would be fine with that battle. Both deserving movies.

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I read a summary of lady bird and I didnt really get the point....I want to see it so maybe that will help

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This is me too. I was thinking that maybe I had to see it to be amazed.

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get out was one of the first movies i saw in 2017 and it's still one of my fave movies from the year so i'd be here for a win

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Lady Bird was a good film. Laurie and Beanie were great and Saoirse was Saoirse lol.



Get Out was fabulous and I bought it on iTunes. I definitely need to see it again.



mother! was some weird ass shit. the last hour was fucking hell to watch.

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I want to see mother! again. It was weird not falling into either the Hate or Love category. My friend fucking loved it and I wish I felt the same when we were discussing it lol

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Yeah, I was kinda indifferent to it. Didn't love it or hate it. Everyone gets so impassioned by that movie, either because they love it and so they want to defend it or because they hate it and want to convince everyone else it was trash, meanwhile I'm just a literal *shrug* about it.

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Michelle Pfeiffer was the only one who tried in that shitfest. But her character didn't make sense anyway

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finally watched Lady Bird



you know you are getting old when you start to sympathise with the mothers in coming of age movies, lol.

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I liked that I could sympathize with both of them.

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she is never going to pay off these student loans :/

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and really liked Beanie Feldstein in this

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I loved, loved, loved Laurie's performance. Her final scene killed me. If that doesn't win the Oscar, fuck them.

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I was with both of them. The scene where the mom asks Lady Bird if she's tired because she's dragging her feet brought me right back to my teenage years for example but I also was all in for the mom every time Lady Bird acted like a brat.

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I was more caught up in the shitty situation that was middle class america. AND the fact that it gets worse five years later in 2008...

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CMBYN was my movie of the year by far, hope Timmy sweeps.

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no thank you

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very true. outside of timothee and ivory this movie's losing a lot of steam already, which is weird as hell. sony classics needs to up their game



Edited at 2018-01-02 06:47 pm (UTC)

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Mine too, I absolutely loved it. Some of the award contenders have yet to come out here, but I don't think any of them are gonna hit me as hard as CMBYN did.

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i wish i could say i agree, but lord. tim and armie are trying me irl, and the film's editing sucks most of the life out of the story.

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No. Not with that miscast Hammer.

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Lmao the nos youre getting are killing me. Its like no, this isnt your favorite movie, youre wrong!

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Credit: CC0 Public Domain

If you want to buy good wine, Elizabeth Wolkovich says stop looking at labels and listen to your taste buds.

An Assistant Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Wolkovich is among the co-authors of a new study, which suggests that, though vineyards might be able to counteract some of the effects of climate change by planting lesser-known grape varieties, scientists and vintners need to better understand the wide diversity of grapes and their adaptions to different climates. The study is described in a January 2 paper in Nature Climate Change.

"It's going to be very hard, given the amount of warming we've already committed to...for many regions to continue growing the exact varieties they've grown in the past," Wolkovich said. "But what we're interested in talking about is how much more diversity of grape varieties do we have, and could we potentially be using that diversity to adapt to climate change.

"The Old World has a huge diversity of winegrapes - there are over planted 1,000 varieties - and some of them are better adapted to hotter climates and have higher drought tolerance than the 12 varieties now making up over 80% of the wine market in many countries," she continued. "We should be studying and exploring these varieties to prepare for climate change."

Unfortunately, Wolkovich said, convincing wine producers to try different grape varieties is difficult at best, and the reason often comes down to the current concept of terroir.

Terroir is the notion that a wine's flavor is a reflection of where, which and how the grapes were grown. Thus, as currently understood, only certain traditional or existing varieties are part of each terroir, leaving little room for change.

"There's a real issue in the premier wine-growing regions that historical terroir is what makes great wine, and if you acknowledge in any way that you have climate change, you acknowledge that your terroir is changing," Wolkovich said. "So in many of those regions there is not much of an appetite to talk about changing varieties."

But even if that appetite existed, Wolkovich said, researchers don't yet have enough data to say whether other varieties would be able to adapt to climate change.

"Part of what this paper sets up is the question of how much more do we need to know if we want to understand whether there is enough diversity in this crop to adapt wine regions to climate change in place," said Ignacio Morales-Castilla, a co-author of the study and Fellow at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University who investigates which winegrape varieties will adequately mature where under climate change. "Right now we know we have this diversity, but we have little information on how to use it. One of our other suggestions is for growers to start setting aside parts of vineyards to grow some other varieties to see which ones are working."

But even if researchers came to the table armed with information about grape diversity, Wolkovich said the industry - both in the traditional winegrowing centers of Europe and around the world - still faces hurdles when it comes to making changes.

In Europe, she said, growers have the advantage of tremendous diversity. They have more than 1,000 grape varieties to choose from, research repositories such as INRA's Domaine de Vassal that study this diversity, and expertise in how to grow different varieties. Yet strict labeling laws have created restrictions on their ability to take advantage of this diversity.

For example, just three varieties of grapes can be labeled as Champagne or four for Burgundy. Similar restrictions have been enacted in many European regions- all of which force growers to focus on a small handful of grape varieties.

"The more you are locked into what you have to grow, the less room you have to adapt to climate change," Wolkovich said. "So there's this big pool of knowledge, and massive diversity, growers have maintained an amazing amount of genetic and climactic response diversity...but if they changed those laws in any way in relation to climate change, that's acknowledging that the terroir of the region is changing, and many growers don't want to do that."

New World winegrowers, meanwhile, must grapple with the opposite problem - while there are few, if any, restrictions on which grape varieties may be grown in a given region, growers have little experience with the diverse - and potentially more climate change adaptable - varieties of grapes found in Europe.

Just 12 varieties account for more than 80 percent of the grapes grown in Australian vineyards, Wolkovich said, more than 75% percent of all the grapes grown in China are Cabernet Sauvignon - and the chief reason why has to do with consumers.

"They have all the freedom in the world to import new varieties and think about how to make great wines from a grape variety you've never heard of, but they're not doing it because the consumer hasn't heard of it," Wolkovich said. "In Europe, people do blend wines...but in the New World, we've gotten really focused on specific varieties: 'I want a bottle of Pinot Noir,' or 'I want a bottle of Cabernet.'

"We've been taught to recognize the varieties we think we like," she said. "People buy Pinot even though it can taste totally different depending on where it's grown. It might taste absolutely awful from certain regions, but if you think you like Pinot, you're only buying that."

As Wolkovich sees it, wine producers now face a choice: proactively experiment with new varieties, or risk suffering the negative consequences of climate change.

"With continued climate change, certain varieties in certain regions will start to fail - that's my expectation," she said. "The solution we're offering is how do you start thinking of varietal diversity. Maybe the grapes grown widely today were the ones that are easiest to grow and tasted the best in historical climates, but I think we're missing a lot of great grapes better suited for the future."

Explore further Washington produces record harvest of wine grapes in 2016
Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Researchers have applied Nobel prize-winning microscope technology to uncover an ion channel structure that could lead to new treatments for kidney stones. In a recent study published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, researchers revealed atomic-level details of the protein that serves as a passageway for calcium across kidney cell membranes.

Approximately 80 percent of kidney stones are comprised of calcium salts. They are extremely painful to pass, and depending on size and location can require surgery to remove. Ion channels that span kidney cell membranes help reabsorb calcium from the urine before it can form kidney stones. The new study is the first to show molecular details of the essential kidney calcium channel, called TRPV5, in its closed form. The study also reveals how inhibitor molecules attach to and close the channel, leaving calcium stranded in the urine where it can form kidney stones.

"Now that we know what the protein looks like in its inhibited state, drugs can be made with the intention of modulating TRPV5 activity and potentially treating kidney stones directly," said first author Taylor Hughes, PhD candidate in the Department of Pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

In the new study, Hughes and colleagues used a technique called cryo-electron microscopythat won the 2017 Nobel prize in Chemistryto view rabbit TRPV5 attached to its inhibitor molecule, econazole. Cryo-electron microscopy enabled the researchers to zoom in and see protein structures in atomic details. From the new vantage point they could identify different protein regions, including the portion that crosses kidney cell membranes, and attachment sites for molecules like econazole.

"When performing cryo-electron microscopy, we shoot electrons at our frozen protein and it allows us to take pictures of individual protein molecules. With these pictures and advanced computer software we are able to create 3D models of these molecules. These 3D models have the potential to be so precise that we can actually see the atoms that make up the protein," Hughes explained.

The 3D models helped the researchers predict how TRPV5 opens and closes for the first time. "To understand how a protein moves we need multiple structures to compare to one another," Hughes said. "We were able to draw conclusions about the mechanisms of action by comparing our inhibitor-bound structure to a previously published TRPV6 structure solved without an inhibitor. TRPV5 and TRPV6 are part of the same subfamily of proteins and very similar in sequence as well as structure." The new research builds upon experiments performed by Tibor Rohacs, MD, PhD, at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and computations by Marta Filizola, PhD at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The researchers viewed TRPV5-econazole complexes under the 12-foot tall cryo-electron microscope housed at the Electron Imaging Center for NanoMachines in the California NanoSystems Institute at University of California Los Angeles. Vera Moiseenkova-Bell, PhD, senior author on the study, has access to this facility as a member of the West/Midwest consortium for high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy supported by the National Institutes of Health. The study also brought together other researchers from Case Western Reserve University, University of California Los Angeles, Rutgers University, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Pfizer. Moiseenkova-Bell is a Mount Sinai Scholar and former Associate Professor of Pharmacology at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

"This publication is the first time the structure of TRPV5 has been solved. Now, structures for four of the six TRPV subfamily members are available at near-atomic resolution for further scientific investigation," Hughes said. According to the researchers, future studies could include targeted therapies to modulate the protein channels in people suffering from kidney stones.

Explore further Electron microscope images reveal how cells absorb a vital mineral
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.

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Jan Klepac and Jan Langos offer their opposing views in their two opinion pieces from our achives.

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This article was originally published in The Slovak Spectator on October 13, 1995.

January 1, 1993, the Czechoslovak Federal Republic split into two separately independent nations: Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Although the country divided peacefully in what came to be known as the "Velvet Divorce," no referendum was ever held to determine popular sentiment on the subject. September 27, 1995, marked the 1,000th day since Slovakia gained its independence.

Yes, Slovakia was ripe for self-determination



By Jan Klepac

To reply to this question at the present time is, for a proponent of Slovak independence, apparently disadvantageous. We are becoming more and more aware of the difference between the present Slovakia and Slovakia the way it should be. Slovakia is building the pillars of sovereignty but at the same time sawing the branches of democracy underneath.

This is one of the reasons why representatives of both camps, the federal nostalgics as well as the faithful Slovak nationalists, are inconspicuously trying to raise the question: "Do you want an independent Slovakia or do you want democracy?" I fundamentally reject this forced way out.

I am for democracy in a sovereign and independent Slovakia. I do not consider my nation as being unable to establish democracy without foreign curatorship. At the same time, I condemn the idea of renouncing democracy for a certain period just to build up a stronger Slovak sovereignty.

While balancing 1000 days of Slovak sovereignty I want to point out several facts. I was for the confederation between Czechs and Slovaks where both republics would delegate those authorities which, once entering European structures, they will delegate to the European Union.

The Czech side's attitude during meetings prior to the rejection of the so- called "Milovska agreement" convinced me of how unrealistic this idea was. Sovereign Slovakia resulted from a dilemma: federation as it used to be or immediate separation.

Establishing a sovereign state was truly magnificent. Its opponents' pessimistic prognosis that Slovakia will not be accepted into international groups and that Slovak sovereignty will mean economic collapse did not come true. On the contrary, Slovakia started to gain respect on the international level and the proceeding transformation of the economy is reflected in rising ratings by international financial institutions. Sovereign Slovakia was gradually accepted even by those political subjects that voted against its constitution and declaration of sovereignty in the past. This progress was reached despite the fact that conditions in the beginning were worse than in the Czech Republic. The main reason was that the authoritative and economic levers were in Czech hands during the federation.

I suppose that sovereignty became more advantageous than the mutual accusations and the never-ending discussions about who is taking advantage of whom, which were permanently weakening the common state. The year 1992 proved that the Czechoslovak Federal Republic was in an agony that should not be prolonged and that Slovakia was ripe for self-determination of its future.

It is a big mistake that the promising development was doubted by current governmental ornaments after other parliamentary elections. The clamor for stability with the current violations of democratic norms and customs is the way to a totalitarian regime.

Despite this, I consider the present situation in Slovakia to be an exam as well as a chance. If we pass this exam and democratic forces win with their programs and their solidarity, it will be a significant precedent for the young Slovak Republic.

Good society depends on how brave its members are. If we stay unconcerned, we will carry the consequences of our own passivity towards power. If we do not resign and do not renounce political radicalism, we will create a new chance for this country for which we all carry the responsibility.

Jan Klepac was a founding member of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), then he founded the nationally-oriented Christian Social Union (KSU). In 1995, he was head of the economic department in President Kovac's office.

No, political power has been abused



By Jan Langos

During the election campaign of 1992, the Kosice bureau of Slovak TV conducted an inquiry on the election's results. At that time I said to the reporter that Vladimir Meciar is going to dismember the federal republic and cease the economic transformation process. But nobody is a prophet at home.

A thousand days of Slovakia's independence is not enough to answer the question: Was it beneficial to split the common state of Czechoslovakia for the sake of Slovakia's overall development?

In March 1990 at the rally called "Let's be honest," Meciar yelled to the crowd that there is plenty of space for communists in jail. At that very moment the communist "hawks" knew they had found their man. On their way to corporative power there were two major obstacles: A rational concept of economic transformation, based on privatization through standard methods, especially public tenders and extensive voucher privatization, or a federal state. Voucher privatization and the founding of investment funds and companies accelerated the emergence of a capital market and the real possibility of capital concentration, which would be out of reach of political power. Public tenders, transparent and under public control, thwarted any possible merging of political and economic power, that is, creating a group of major proprietors enjoying political power. The federal organization of state is the only reliable protection against the emergence of corporative dictatorships these days.

After Meciar was removed from office for the first time in 1991, he initiated the creation of the "national block" in the federal parliament. Ever since that time, the MPs for HZDS, SNS, and SDL, which recently gave birth to the Association of Slovak Workers - that is the present ruling coalition - have voted against all fundamental transformation laws and prevented passing the law on a referendum about the future of the common state.

Unlike in the Czech Republic, the majority of the Slovak electorate didn't understand the necessity and positive effect of quickly transforming the economy and society. On the contrary, it believed a mighty leader. The consequence of this was the election results of 1992 and the inevitability of splitting the state. It must be said that independent Slovakia didn't emerge from the free will of Slovak citizens but from the desire of Slovak political representatives for economic and political power. For the fathers of statehood, January 1, 1993, meant the limitless possibility of acquiring economic power in their state. This was their real interest. That's why the election winners were not able to give the new republic any tangible vision. That's why they feed increasingly miserable people with shallow myths of a thousand year struggle for national existence, mythic voyages on rafts and bonfires of independence.

The unlimited personal power of leaders of a fascist corporative state attracts primitives as well as some intellectuals. This is the case especially in Slovakia, a country with no experience with life in a democratic environment, legal state or individual liberties. The chosen acquire limitless opportunities for putting their dreams through by force. The result of this is a society torn from the inside, xenophobia, hostile relationships, anti-Meciarism as fundamental to the opposition's policy, the search for support from similar regimes in the East, Russia or Serbia.

The brutal pressure of political power generates fear but it generates an ever-growing resistance too. That is part of the hope for Slovakia. But the other part of it must be created by the socially accepted positive meaning of existence of a sovereign state. And that's the most important task for the present democratic opposition.

Jan Langos was Minister of the Interior in the Czechoslovak Federation and a founding member of Public Against Violence (VPN). In 1995 he was an independent member of parliament.

13. Oct 1995 at 0:00 (modified at 2. Jan 2018 at 11:00) | Jan Klepac & Jan Langos
Regulatory institutions have a crucial impact on the business environment. What can be done to improve their functioning? Michal Krcmery, AmChams Director of Government Affairs, takes a closer look at this issue.

AmCham Slovakia has for long been a strong advocate of principles such as transparency and expertise in public policy making. Together with its partners in the Rule of Law Initiative, a wider business coalition of 14 employers organizations, business associations and chambers of commerce, AmCham has been continuously stressing the importance of these principles and their implementation in practice.

What does the business community need?

Both foreign and local companies doing business in Slovakia need a stable and predictable business environment. Regulatory institutions play a very important role for the business community, especially in setting the rules and making decisions that often have long-term effects on individual industries as well as the whole business environment.

Businesses in Slovakia need regulatory institutions that are truly independent. Even though the reality often shows us otherwise, in the ideal world that we should always strive for, regulatory institutions should not be susceptible to political pressure. Their decision-making should be based on objective facts that are published and verifiable, not on political decisions. Companies, whether Slovak or international, need predictability in order to be successful in their respective industries and improve the competitiveness of Slovakia.

While being responsible for oversight of regulated industries or financial flows worth billions of euros, transparency is a key feature in the business community as well as the general public rightly expect. This starts from the selection process of their leadership to daily management as well as decision-making processes. All the relevant stakeholders should be informed in advance about how decisions are made and clear and transparent communication channels should be ensured.

Moreover, it is crucial for regulatory institutions to maintain their expertise. This means having enough expert personnel in respective fields of activity and active cooperation with experts from the external environment, including the business community, academia or the NGO sector. Regulation always follows innovation. As innovation is not limited by borders and many industries are rapidly changing their trends and nature on the global level, it is important for regulatory institutions to actively monitor regional and global regulatory trends and enhance cross-border cooperation with their partner institutions abroad.

Most importantly, for Slovakia to become more competitive as an economy and a country as such, there needs to be trust and dialogue between the business community and the public institutions. Regulatory institutions can be an important tool in promoting this trust and dialogue, if they are truly expert, transparent and independent.

Reality check

In this sense, 2017 has been a very important year as several regulatory institutions, including the Public Procurement Office (UVO) or the Regulatory Office for Network Industries (URSO) have changed their leadership. In addition, important personnel changes have also been made in the appellate bodies of these institutions  the Council of the Public Procurement Office (Rada UVO) and the Regulatory Council (Regulacna rada). However, it is important to openly ask: have these changes been done in a transparent way? Have they contributed to more independent and predictable regulatory institutions?

AmCham, in cooperation with many of its partners in the Rule of Law Initiative, played an active role in promoting these principles during the selection process of leaders or members of the above mentioned regulatory institutions (UVO, URSO, Rada UVO, Regulacna rada). Our experience during the past couple of months resulted in several recommendations on how to improve the selection process of the leadership of regulatory institutions in Slovakia.

How can the selection process be improved?

1: Transparency

Goal: Unification of the selection process for various regulatory institutions

Recommendation:

Unify the standard features of a selection process in a general legal norm (e.g. Civil Service Act)

Important features of the selection process such as public hearing, role of an expert committee, minimal time line, scope of publishable information about candidates, evaluation criteria for candidates, etc. will be set as basic standards for all regulatory institutions

2: Independence

Goal: Elimination of political influence to the maximal possible extent

Recommendation:

Strengthening the role of the National Council (NR SR) in the selection process including transfer of many competencies from the government level

Constitutional majority (90 votes) needed for a candidate to be approved by the National Council, leading to the need for a wider agreement between political parties

3: Expertise

Goal: Inclusion of relevant experts in the selection process

Recommendation:

Mandatory establishment of an expert committee in the selection process. It should include all of the stakeholders relevant for the specific regulatory institution (defined by relevant legislative norm);

It will be also eligible to conduct public hearings with candidates as well as prepare preliminary evaluation (to be disclosed publicly) based on objective criteria set at the beginning of the process.

While such a preliminary evaluation will not be legally binding and the final vote will still be the responsibility of the National Council, it should create enough public pressure to ensure expertise will be a key factor in the decision-making process.

We realize that many of these recommendations are ambitious and will require political will. However, if implemented, they can significantly improve transparency, independence and expertise of regulatory institutions which are crucial for a stable and predictable business environment in Slovakia.

Michal Krcmery is Director of Government Affairs at AmCham Slovakia

Originally published in Connection, the magazine published by AmCham Slovakia

2. Jan 2018 at 12:30 | Michal Krcmery
Since the arrival of the German carmaker Volkswagen in 1991 the automotive industry has been given many names, like a pillar of Slovakias economy or the engine of its growth.

The three major carmakers and their subcontractors account for about 12 percent of gross domestic product and produce more than one million cars annually. The car production will increase significantly in the coming years as the British carmaker Jaguar Land Rover is planning to launch production in its brand new plant in Nitra in late 2018. On the other hand, the arrival of the fourth carmaker and its suppliers deepens the shortage of a qualified labour force in Slovakia.

New models

The three carmakers in Slovakia Volkswagen Slovakia (VW SK), Kia Motors Slovakia and PSA Groupe Slovakia manufactured 1,043,247 cars in Slovakia in 2016. This is an increase of almost 5,000 units from 2015 while carmakers are producing at the brink of their existing capacities. All three carmakers report the arrival of new models, which means new investments in millions of euros.

The Bratislava-based VW SK completed in 2016 its five-year investment plan when it invested a total of 1.9 billion.

2017 is the year of the launch of new models, recruitment of new employees and finalising of investments, Lucia Kovarovic Makayova, the spokesperson for VW SK, told The Slovak Spectator. For the first time in history we are working on the launch of three SUV models concurrently.

Of these, two have not been produced in Bratislava so far - Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q8.

In September 2017 VW SK launched production of the new generation of Porsche Cayenne. The next SUV models to be produced in Bratislava will be the new generation of Volkswagen Touareg and the new model of Audi Q8. This will increase the share of SUVs from 57 percent in 2016 higher.

(Source: Investment and Advisory Guide)

Trnava-based PSA Groupe Slovakia is preparing for the production of a new B segment model. This will require a 165 million investment and 420 new employees. Once the investment plan is completed, the current production capacity will be boosted from 300,000 to 360,000 vehicles per year.

For its expansion, it applied for state aid. In May 2017, the cabinet approved the investment incentive of 18.6 million in the form of tax relief.

We fought for this investment with France, which is the mother country of PSA, Economy Minister Peter Ziga said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. Had we not offered the investment stimulus, it is possible that the company would move production back to France.

The production of the new model should begin at the end of 2018. Full production capacity will be achieved in 2020.

The Slovak arm of the French company is also preparing for the launch of a new engine plant in 2019. It will produce 3-cylinder EB Turbo PureTech petrol engines while it will be the first plant outside France.

PSA produces the Peugeot 208 in Trnava and the new Citroen C3 model while the latter is produced exclusively in this plant.

Zilina-based Kia Motors Slovakia is also preparing for the production of a new model.

It will be a new generation of one of the models that we are producing, said Jozef Bace, spokesperson of Kia Motors Slovakia, while he refused to specify the model. He added that preparations are already underway.

The plant produces models Kia Venga, Kia ceed and Kias bestseller, the Sportage.

All three carmakers agree that the biggest challenge the automotive industry is facing is the shortage of a qualified labour force.

Equally as other employers we assume that this trend will continue, said Bace.
President Kiska: We must be proud of Slovakias story

Top Slovak constitutional officials agree on the need to be proud in their New Years addresses. Apart from naming achievements in the first 25 years of sovereign Slovakia, President Andrej Kiska pointed to petty wrangles in politics and insufficient recent results.

Slovakia as a free society passed the most important test of 2017, namely the regional elections in November, in which the extremists were soundly defeated, Kiska said in his New Years speech, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

As voters, we were able to decide well at an important moment, to keep Slovakia a self-confident, modern and democratic country, he added.

Building on his speech from a year ago, Kiska said that Slovakia has never had so many resources with which to make major progress in some key issues. He avoided mentioning disputes with the prime minister or cabinet and did not criticise them; but he hinted indirectly that despite good economic development, what is missing are political courage, honest effort and  most crucial  political and social results, the Sme daily wrote about his speech delivered on January 1 on the public-service RTVS network.

The number of jobless people is at record lows, the countrys economy is growing soundly, president said, as cited by TASR. Nevertheless, political courage, sincere effort and the most important thing  results  are still mostly lacking. In this respect 2017 was instead an unpleasant year of truth.

The president further complained about what he called petty wrangles that keep sidelining fact-oriented policies.

25 years of independence, and other anniversaries

The president further congratulated the public on the 25th anniversary of independent Slovakia, stating that life in the country has always improved when its people focused on seeing the country as just, secure, free and social.

The humanely exhausted and economically destroyed open-air museum that was Slovakia when it emerged on the map of the free world from behind the Iron Curtain has been turned by us into an open, modern and viable country, a state that has managed to use the unique potential of European integration to become a firm part of the most secure, free, prosperous and best governed part of the world, Kiska noted, adding that Slovakia is a better place to live in after 25 years of independence thanks to its peoples efforts.

In his speech, Kiska also mentioned several anniversaries Slovakia is celebrating in 2018, from a centenary of the establishment of Czechoslovakia, through the 1948 communist coup and the 1968 Soviet invasion, to the defeat of Vladimir Meciar, his HZDS party and his autocratic politics in 1998 as well as Slovak independence in 1993, Sme wrote on January 2.

2. Jan 2018 at 13:33 | Compiled by Spectator staff
We have to see Slovakia as a success story: PM Fico on the 25th anniversary

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of sovereign Slovakia, Prime Minister Robert Fico stressed the special relation between Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

In his January 1 address hailing the anniversary of the countrys independence, Prime Minister Robert Fico stressed the special relation his country has with the Czech Republic  since they both arose from the division of communist Czechoslovakia. The prime minister also called on people to be proud of Slovakia and to do things together so that the success story will continue in the upcoming years of independent existence, the Sme daily wrote on January 2.

Nonetheless, were facing major expectations, Fico added, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The people want  and its absolutely comprehensible  the faster approximation of their living standards to Western Europe. However, this requires Slovakia to remain secure, democratic and respectful towards the political, civil and social rights of its citizens, apart from its clear pro-European orientation. These are the fundamental parameters of an independent statehood that have always been honoured by my governments.

Fico: Let us continue the success story in the next years

Lets be proud of our country, Fico noted, as quoted by TASR. Lets respect what weve achieved together. Each of us and we together are drawing upon the successful history of our young state. Lets do things together so that we can see it as a success story in the next years of our independent existence.

PM added that in the first 25 years of its independence Slovakia has managed to become a social state, fully established and respected worldwide. The vision of national political elites of the past centuries has turned true, a vision for which these people had been fighting even at the cost of their own freedom, said the social democratic prime minister.

The young generation views the era of the Czechoslovak state as too distant, as if it were centuries ago, instead of a mere 25 years ago, Fico pointed out.

They consider Slovak statehood as natural and perhaps even a boring matter of course, the prime minister said, as quoted by TASR.

He added that someone could perhaps make a cynical observation that the division of the federation wasnt dramatic enough, so its lacking emotions.

Its perhaps a mistake by the social and political elites not to sufficiently point out the unique way the independent republic was set up, Fico summed up. It seems that we arent careful enough in distinguishing between sound patriotism and nationalism and extremism. We must work more on the relationship to state symbols.

2. Jan 2018 at 13:44
Slovakia becomes UNHRC member for three years

It is an international reward for its former and current human rights activities, according to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Slovakia has become a member of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) for a three-year period as of January 1, 2018, the Slovak Foreign Ministry reported on its website.

Slovakia views its election to the UNs most important human rights body as an international reward for its former and current human rights activities, the ministry wrote, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

During its three-year mandate Slovakia wants in particular to fight all forms of racism and xenophobia and actively implement sustainable development goals, including support for childrens rights, religious beliefs and tolerance.

In 2018, the Slovak Republic will participate in the Councils activities along with its EU partners, including Belgium, Germany, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Croatia and Spain, the ministry added.

An inter-governmental body within the UN system, the Human Rights Council consists of 47 states responsible for promoting and protecting all human rights around the globe. The UNHRC holds three regular sessions a year, and it can decide at any time to hold a special session in order to address human rights violations and emergencies. Its member states are elected for three-year terms.

2. Jan 2018 at 13:54 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Slovakia launches online health care

But some doctors warn against the problems the system might cause.

After nearly 10 years of waiting, Slovakia launched the eHealth system on January 1, 2018. It's expected to improve health care and quality of life. The system has cost some 80 million so far.

The launch of the system was protested by medical organisations that complained it was not prepared for all outpatient departments.

With this system in place, patients only need to show doctors their ID cards. Before, they had to use health insurance cards. The doctors will scan the cards with the reader and will immediately receive the patients medical information. The medical records will also be available online. Doctors can even prescribe medication online. Once patients receive their online prescriptions, they can show their ID card at the pharmacy where the online prescription will be accessible, the Hospodarske Noviny daily reported.

Online health care should benefit both patients and healthcare workers, unlike the current system, said Peter Blaskovits, head of the National Health-Care Information Centre (NCZI), the systems administrator, in mid-December.

The vision of eHealth is to provide correct information at the right time and in the right place at all stages and processes of care for citizens health, Blaskovits added, as reported by the SITA newswire.

January 1, 2018 is not the date of the world's ending; it is a date when certain legal provisions come into force, but that does not mean that the eHealth system is not already working at this moment, he added, as quoted by SITA.

So far, 92 hospitals are connected to the system, Hospodarske Noviny reported.

No fines in 2018

The NCZI head claimed that the system will not impact the work of doctors. If their is an internet outage, the doctors can continue in their work. Medical records will be sent online as soon as the internet is restored, he explained, as reported by SITA.

Doctors organisations said the system was not ready to be launched in all outpatient departments. Two weeks before the official launch, however, they claimed doctors will face the risk of sanctions if they do not use the system. The law requires mandatory participation of all outpatients departments and those who do not participate may be fined. The highest sanction bans doctors from practicing medicine in Slovakia, SITA reported.

Even after launching the system, some doctors still lack information on what to expect. They are afraid of the chaos the system may cause as it may prolong the waiting time for patients.

We need to know what our doctors need to do to connect, what functions they can and have to use, head of the Association of Private Doctors, Marian Soth told Hospodarske Noviny, adding they do not know what their duties are.

Soth tested the system one year ago and it took him half a day to connect. Thus, he thinks many doctors will need expert help.

This may result in a longer waiting period, according to Peter Makara, head of the Slovak Society of General Practice. As result, they are asking for a gradual connection of doctors to the system.

NCZI refused the proposal, but adopted a compromise: doctors will not face any fines in 2018, Hospodarske Noviny reported.

2. Jan 2018 at 21:31 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Slovakia saved money on late Spartan aircraft

The Defence Ministry received a discount because of late delivery in the end of December and has already returned part of it to the state budget.

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Slovakia will save 879,000 on the first military transport aircraft C-27J Spartan due to a late delivery from an Italian producer.

The Defence Ministry has already returned part of the money (400,000) it received from the Italians in the end of 2017 to the state coffers. This money will be used for the ministrys expenditures on the modernisation plans in 2018, the TASR newswire reported.

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Read also: Have you seen the new Slovak Spartan? Read more

It is a result of difficult negotiations, but Im glad that we agreed upon a significant discount from the original price for the delay, Defence Minister Peter Gajdos said, as quoted by the SITA newswire.

The first Spartan plane was delivered 49 days late. It landed at the military air base in Kuchyna, in the Zahorie region, in 2017.

The second Spartan plane is expected to arrive in Slovakia sometime in the next three months. The ministry has no information regarding potential delays, SITA reported.

The purchase of the two Spartan planes dates back to 2008 when the supplier was selected in a public competition, but the agreement was signed only in 2014. Part of the contract includes five-years of logistics support, TASR wrote.

2. Jan 2018 at 21:39 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Kazimir is the 2018 European Finance Minister of the Year

The Slovak Finance Minister was recognized by the specialised monthly magazine.

Finance Minister, Peter Kazimir, has been chosen for the 2018 European Finance Minister of the Year award by the British monthly, The Banker. The award recognizes his work and the resulting improvements made to the Slovak economy, the Finance Ministry wrote on January 2.

Since Kazimir took up the post of finance minister in 2012, the Slovak economy has seen a pronounced revival, with the Slovak budget deficit scrunched down from 4.3 percent of GDP in 2012 to the planned 0.83 percent of GDP this year, according to the weekly.

Im glad that our accomplishments are being recognised abroad as well, the minister said in response. Its a result of our efforts, but also the fact that we represent an equal partner for others in Europe, he also said, adding that the award represents a commitment to the future.

Reasons for selection

The Banker pointed to the growth in the Slovak economy, which equaled 3.3 percent in 2016 and maintained the same figure in 2017 by estimation. In the current year, the economy is expected to grow at a pace of 3.7 percent.

I hope that our economy will fare well in the future, mostly by virtue of investments in the automobile industry and technological innovations, Kazimir said.

The decision to award the prize to Kazimir was based on an evaluation by The Bankers editorial staff as well as a survey given to influential European bankers and economists. In the past, the award has gone to Irish minister, Michael Noonan, and Latvian minister, Dana Reizniece-Ozola.

The Banker is part of the Financial Times Business group (since 1996), TASR wrote, adding that it has been published since 1926 in more than 180 countries worldwide.

2. Jan 2018 at 21:53 | Compiled by Spectator staff
Anadarko Petroleum Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and gas properties. It operates through three segments: Exploration and Production, WES Midstream, and Other Midstream. The company explores for and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). It is also involved in gathering, processing, treating, and transporting oil, natural-gas, and NGLs production, as well as the gathering and disposal of produced water. The company's oil and natural gas properties are located in the United States onshore and deepwater Gulf of Mexico; and Algeria, Ghana, Mozambique, Colombia, Peru, and other countries. As of December 31, 2018, it had approximately 1.5 billion barrels of oil equivalent of proved reserves. The company was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.

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The following companies are subsidiares of Dominion Energy: 96WI 8me LLC, Alamo Solar LLC, Align RNG Arizona LLC, Align RNG Arizona-Snowflake LLC, Align RNG California LLC, Align RNG California-Corcoran LLC, Align RNG Grady Road LLC, Align RNG LLC, Align RNG Magnolia LLC, Align RNG North Carolina LLC, Align RNG North Carolina-Bowdens LLC, Align RNG Utah LLC, Align RNG Utah-Milford LLC, Align RNG Virginia LLC, Align RNG Virginia-Waverly LLC, Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, Azalea Solar LLC, BOE Holdings Inc., Blackville Solar Farm LLC, Blue Ocean Energy Marine LLC, BrightSuite Home LLC, BrightSuite Inc., BrightSuite Solar CT Inc., BrightSuite Solar SC Inc., BrightSuite Solar VA Inc., Buckingham Solar I LLC, CEA Americus LLC, CEA CO-Fort Morgan LLC, CEA Clovis LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Colorado LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Georgia LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Idaho LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Nevada LLC, CEA Dairy RNG New Mexico LLC, CEA Dairy RNG Texas LLC, CEA Greely LLC, CEA Mason LLC, CEA TX-Dimmitt LLC, CID Solar LLC, CNG Coal Company, CNG Power Services Corporation, Carolina Gas Transmission Corporation, Catalina Solar 2 LLC, Clean Energy Asset USA LLC, Clean Energy Enterprises Inc., Clipperton Holdings LLC, Consolidated Natural Gas Company, Correctional Solar LLC, Cottonwood Solar LLC, Cove Point LNG LP, Cove Point LNG Limited, DE Arlington Solar LLC, DE Fluvanna Solar LLC, DE Hanover Solar LLC, DE Henrico Solar LLC, DE King William Solar LLC, DE Louisa Solar LLC, DE Newport News Solar LLC, DE Powhatan Solar LLC, DE Virginia Beach Solar LLC, DECP Holdings Inc., Dairy RNG Holdings LLC, Dairy RNG NY LLC, Dairy RNG NY-Curtin LLC, Dairy RNG OH LLC, Denmark Solar LLC, Dominion ACP Holding Inc., Dominion Alternative Energy Holdings Inc., Dominion Atlantic Coast Pipeline LLC, Dominion Capital Inc., Dominion Cogen WV Inc., Dominion Energy Fuel Services Inc., Dominion Energy Gas Distribution LLC, Dominion Energy Generation Marketing Inc., Dominion Energy Inc., Dominion Energy Kewaunee Inc., Dominion Energy Marketplace LLC, Dominion Energy Nuclear Connecticut Inc., Dominion Energy Overthrust Pipeline LLC, Dominion Energy Payroll Company Inc., Dominion Energy Questar Corporation, Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline LLC, Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline Services Inc., Dominion Energy RNG Holdings II Inc., Dominion Energy RNG Holdings Inc., Dominion Energy Services Inc., Dominion Energy Solar CA LLC, Dominion Energy Solutions Inc., Dominion Energy South Carolina Inc., Dominion Energy Southeast Services Inc., Dominion Energy Technical Solutions Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies II Inc., Dominion Energy Technologies Inc., Dominion Energy Terminal Company Inc., Dominion Energy Wexpro Services Company, Dominion Equipment III Inc., Dominion Equipment Inc., Dominion Fairless Hills Inc., Dominion Fowler Ridge Wind LLC, Dominion Gas Projects Company LLC, Dominion Generation Inc., Dominion Greenbrier Inc., Dominion High Voltage Holdings Inc., Dominion High Voltage MidAtlantic Inc., Dominion Investments Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline Holdings Inc., Dominion Keystone Pipeline LLC, Dominion MLP Holding Company III Inc., Dominion Mt. Storm Wind LLC, Dominion Nuclear Projects Inc., Dominion Oklahoma Texas Exploration & Production Inc., Dominion Person Inc., Dominion Privatization Florida LLC, Dominion Privatization Georgia LLC, Dominion Privatization Holdings Inc., Dominion Privatization Kentucky LLC, Dominion Privatization Maryland LLC, Dominion Privatization Pennsylvania LLC, Dominion Privatization South Carolina LLC, Dominion Privatization Texas LLC, Dominion Privatization Virginia LLC, Dominion Products and Services Inc., Dominion Projects Services Inc., Dominion Resources Capital Trust III, Dominion Retail Gas Holdings Inc., Dominion Solar Construction and Maintenance LLC, Dominion Solar Gen-Tie LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings I LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings II LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings III LLC, Dominion Solar Holdings IV LLC, Dominion Solar Projects A Inc., Dominion Solar Projects B Inc., Dominion Solar Projects C Inc., Dominion Solar Projects D Inc., Dominion Solar Projects I Inc., Dominion Solar Projects II Inc., Dominion Solar Projects III Inc., Dominion Solar Projects IV Inc., Dominion Solar Projects V Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VI Inc., Dominion Solar Projects VII Inc., Dominion Solar Services Inc., Dominion State Line LLC, Dominion Voltage Inc., Dominion Wholesale Inc., Dominion Wind Development LLC, Dominion Wind Projects Inc., ESCT-SA-Suffield LLC, Eagle Holdco Solar LLC, Eagle Solar LLC, Eastern Shore Solar LLC, Enterprise Solar LLC, Escalante Solar I LLC, Escalante Solar II LLC, Escalante Solar III LLC, Four Brothers Solar LLC, Fremont Farm LLC, Granite Mountain Holdings LLC, Granite Mountain Solar East LLC, Granite Mountain Solar West LLC, Greenbrier Marketing Company LLC, Greenbrier Pipeline Company LLC, Greensville County Solar Project LLC, Hardin Solar Energy LLC, Hecate Energy Cherrydale LLC, Hecate Energy Clarke County LLC, Hope Gas Inc., Imperial Valley Solar Company (IVSC) 2 LLC, Indy Solar Development LLC, Indy Solar I LLC, Indy Solar II LLC, Indy Solar III LLC, Innovative Solar 37 LLC, Iron Springs Holdings LLC, Iron Springs Solar LLC, Louis Dreyfus Natural Gas, Maricopa West Solar PV LLC, Moffett Solar 1 LLC, Moorings Farm 2 LLC, Mulberry Farm LLC, Mustang Solar LLC, PSNC Blue Ridge Corporation, PSNC Cardinal Pipeline Company, Pavant Solar LLC, Phone House, Pikeville Farm LLC, Prairie Fork Wind Farm LLC, Public Service Company of North Carolina Incorporated, QPC Holding Company LLC, Questar Corporation, Questar Energy Services Inc., Questar Field Services LLC, Questar Gas Company, Questar InfoComm Inc., Questar Southern Trails Pipeline Company, Questar White River Hub LLC, RE Adams East LLC, RE Camelot LLC, RE Columbia Two LLC, RE Kansas LLC, RE Kent South LLC, RE Old River One LLC, Richland Solar Center LLC, Ridgeland Solar Farm I LLC, SBL Holdco LLC, SCANA, SCANA Communications Holdings Inc., SCANA Corporate Security Services Inc., SCANA Energy Marketing LLC, SCANA Pharmacy LLC, SRFI LLC, Scana Corporation, Scott-II Solar LLC, Seabrook Solar LLC, Selmer Farm LLC, Siler Solar LLC, Sol Madison Solar LLC, Somers Solar Center LLC, South Carolina Fuel Company Inc., South Carolina Generating Company Inc., Southampton Solar LLC, Summit Farms Solar LLC, Sussex Drive Solar Project LLC, TA - Acacia LLC, TWE Myrtle Solar Project LLC, The East Ohio Gas Company, Trask East Solar LLC, Tredegar Solar Fund I LLC, VP Property Inc., Virginia Electric And Power Company, Virginia Power Fuel Corporation, Virginia Power Nuclear Services Company, Virginia Power Services Energy Corp. 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The following companies are subsidiares of Franklin Resources: AdvisorEngine, AdvisorEngine Inc., Alumcreek Holdings LLC, Athena Capital Advisors, Balanced Equity Management, Balanced Equity Management Pty. Limited, Benefit Street Partners, Bissett & Associates Investment Management, Brandywine Global Investment Management Europe Limited, CCPF GP Holdco No.2 Limited, CCPF No.2 (GP) Limited, CCPF No.2 LP, CP Industrial Management LLC, CP Intermediate Holdco Inc., CRM Software LLC, Clarion Gramercy (Deutschland) GmbH, Clarion Gramercy (UK) Limited, Clarion Gramercy Limited, Clarion Partners Europe Ltd., Clarion Partners Holdings LLC, Clarion Partners LLC, Clarion Partners Securities LLC, Clarion REIM South America Holdings LLC, Clarion REIM South America Invsetimentos Imobiliarios Ltda, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure (North America) Pty Limited, ClearBridge RARE Infrastructure International Pty Limited, Darby - Hana Infrastructure Fund Management Co. 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Ltd., Franklin Templeton Investments (Asia) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments (ME) Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Australia Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Corp., Franklin Templeton Investments Japan Limited, Franklin Templeton Investments Poland sp. z o.o., Franklin Templeton Investments South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Franklin Templeton Investor Services LLC, Franklin Templeton Investimentos (Brasil) Ltda., Franklin Templeton Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Magyarorszag Kft., Franklin Templeton Management Luxembourg S.A., Franklin Templeton Overseas Investment Fund Management (Shanghai) Co. 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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.
A national foreign language project, with a focus on English, meant to enable Vietnamese college students to reach a globally recognized level in terms of their English command has foundered after 10 years of implementation, on both teachers failure to meet requirements and learners inability to live up to benchmarks.

On December 29, Vietnams Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) organized a summative meeting on the extra English programs for three-year teacher training colleges and higher education institutions in 2008-2016.

Here, Tran Anh Tuan, deputy director of the Department of Higher Education under MOET, noted the shortcomings of Vietnams National Foreign Language Project 2020, which was kick-started in 2008 and will end in 2020.

Under the guidelines of the massive project, college students who do no major in foreign languages are required to meet level B1, or intermediate, upon graduation, with English understood as the primary among the foreign languages, Tuan said, referring to the six-level Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

This major objective has not been met: lower than 20 percent of college graduates could reach their expected level of English language proficiency.

B1 is the third level on a six-step A-C scale in accordance with the CEFR, written by the Council of Europe. The CEFR is a popular reference tool to determine a persons level of English competency.

The three major obstacles, as reported by school representatives at the December meeting, include a low level of English competency upon college admission, limited training hours, and below-standard English proficiency of teachers of English.

Bad input, tight schedule

School representatives claimed that the inadequate command of English when students enter college has led to considerable challenges in boosting them to level B1.

Surveys conducted in 2014 by Hue University and the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport revealed that respectively 90 and 93.4 percent of fresh intakes were at level A0 and A1, and only 10 and 6.6 percent were at A2.

In simple terms, they knew next to nothing about English on the day they entered college.

With such input, the in-college teaching of English meets with extra difficulties.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, dean of the department of foreign languages under the Ho Chi Minh City University of Transport, said that students need 360-400 hours of training to go from A2 to B1.

The actual classwork at our school is currently set at 100 hours, Dr. Anh added.

A 2015 survey showed that fewer than 20 percent of our 4th-year and 5th-year students could reach the output standard.

A native speaker (R) teaches an English class in Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The story from the University of Economics and Business Administration, as part of Thai Nguyen University (TNU), may raise a few eyebrows.

According to Professor Dang Van Minh, vice-rector of TNU, after a few years in effect the B1 threshold has actually hindered 2,000 students from graduating on schedule, which sparked hard feelings.

We set such a high standard but could not figure out the proper way there. TNU had to lower it to A2 instead, Prof. Minh admitted.

English teachers held accountable

The language competence of teachers of English is also to blame.

MOET ran a check of college lecturers language proficiency in 2013 and found that among the 500 lecturers of majors other than English, no one reached level C2, the highest CEFR level, 71 attained C1, and most were on B2.

Nineteen lecturers could only meet the A2 standard, and three got A1, all lower than the standard set for students.

College teachers in Vietnam are required to reach C1 if they teach English or use the language as the medium of instruction in majors other than English.

It is compulsory for lecturers who do not use English in their teaching to achieve B1 if they hold a masters degree, and B2 if they have a doctorate.

Solutions: change from below, aid to practitioners

A representative from a university believed a prerequisite to the national projects success is a boost in the quality of English teaching in high school.

He called for MOET to think up proper solutions.

Despite early exposure to English, now as early as first grade (at six years old), many Vietnamese students rank below average in proficiency when entering higher education.

This, coupled with capped training hours, makes it even more arduous for them to reach level B1 after a few years in college.

Representatives from numerous universities advocated the enhancement of the language competence of English teachers.

Dr. Tran Khac Hoan, from the Vinh University of Technology Education, appealed to the national project management for more professional teacher training, especially when it comes to overseas training programs.

Dr. Hoan believed this should extend also to schools outside the realm of MOET.

Phan Thanh Tien, from Hue University, suggested the management allocate a fixed annual budget for extra English classes at educational institutions to make for sustainability.

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Individuals caught polluting the environment in Vietnam are to be subject to jail terms, instead of merely cash fines, this year as the Penal Code has been amended to become more stringent to this offense.

From January 1, people found guilty of dumping waste to cause damage to the environment will be fined up to VND3 billion (US$132,159) or jailed for up to seven years, according to the amended Vietnamese 2015 Penal Code.

The previous law, the 2009 Penal Code, did stipulate that owners of manufacturing facilities or businesses could be criminally charged if they cause severe or particularly serious consequences to the environment.

However, the 2009 law did not provide any specific parameters to determine the severity of an offense.

As it was impossible to rule that a business has severely polluted the environment, most of the individuals responsible were able to avoid criminal charges, Hoang Van Thuc, deputy head of the General Department of Environment, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

For instance, the operator of the Chinese-owned Pacific Crystal textile factory in the northern province of Hai Duong was only subject to an administrative fine of VND672 million ($30,000) even when the facility was caught dumping undertreated wastewater into the environment in February 2017.

The amended 2015 Penal Code, taking effect from this year, includes measureable parameters such as the volume of wastewater or the weight of solid waste being dumped, and the number of violations, which makes it easier to criminally charge violators, Thuc elaborated.

This means from now on, businesses that pay little attention to technology or waste treatment systems are more likely to face jail terms, he warned.

The General Department of Environment inspected nearly 1,000 businesses in 2015 and 2016, and found 25 to 30 percent of them breaching the standards on environmental protection.

These violators may have been able to avoid criminal charges but the new law now has measurable parameters to file criminal charges against them, he said.
Located 1,500 meters above sea level in Lam Dong Province in the southern part of the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, Da Lat is a tourist destination popular with local and foreign visitors thanks to its year-round cool weather and scenic landscapes.

City of a Thousand Flowers and City of Eternal Spring are among the common nicknames given to Da Lat, reflecting its colorful, archaic beauty rarely seen elsewhere in a tropical country like Vietnam.

Late last year, authorities in Da Lat unveiled a draft urban plan for the new face of the city center, which is part of a government-approved scheme in 2014 to develop Da Lat and its vicinity by 2030.

The redesign, which is estimated to cost over VND3 trillion (US$132.3 million), includes the construction of a six-hectare modern shopping center at the location of what is now the decades-old Hoa Binh Cinema, which looks over the citys iconic Da Lat Market.

The Da Lat Market in the center of Da Lat in Vietnams Central Highlands. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A tourist city of international stature

The Hoa Binh Cinema, Da Lat Market, Xuan Huong Lake and a nearby hill where once stood the official residence of provincial leaders  collectively referred to as the Hoa Binh area  together make up the 30-hectare future center of Da Lat, according to Le Quang Trung, director of Lam Dongs Department of Construction.

Having been established for over half a century, the area is in a bad state of deterioration with disorganized urban planning that is unsuitable for a tourist destination of its scale and historical significance, Trung explained.

The redesign looks to transform the area into a tourist city of international stature by establishing a financial complex with a five-star hotel, organized residential neighborhoods, and a public space that stretches around the Da Lat Market.

If everything goes as planned, the urban design will be approved in late January, after which site clearance and construction will begin right away, Trung said.

The key idea of this redesign is to put a forest inside the city and the city inside a forest. Therefore, it is crucial that the density of green spaces be maintained at all costs, Trung added.

The new urban planning will also set a height limit for buildings within the downtown area, with each building not allowed to have more than five floors.

According to the construction director, all current green spaces will be kept intact, while some residential areas and hotels near the Da Lat Market will be cleared to make way for the planting of even more trees and flowers to beautify the downtown view.

The Da Lat Market is packed with tourists at night. Photo: Son Nguyen/Tuoi Tre News

Skepticism

Despite all these positive prospects, many are still concerned that the demolition of the current center of Da Lat to construct an almost entirely new one would bring more harm than good to the citys landscape.

Huynh Quoc, a tourist who loves Da Lat, points to the new administrative complex of Lam Dong Province as the latest example of the conflict between modernity and nature in Da Lat.

The VND1 trillion ($44.05 million) complex, constructed between 2009 and 2015, has become an eyesore in Quocs opinion due to its alien vibe against the overall atmosphere of Da Lat, being a giant block of concrete in the middle of a nature-friendly city.

I was shaken to hear that the Hoa Binh area will be transformed into a modern financial and service complex, Quoc said, adding that he has grown wary of the juxtaposition of modern and Da Lat.

Ngo Viet Nam Son, a published Vietnamese architect, asserted that green and aquatic spaces, not buildings, must be the highlight of the new Da Lat center for it to truly become an attractive tourist city.

The preservation and improvement of green and aquatic spaces must be the first and most important step in planning the city center. The Xuan Huong Lake and its vicinity must be placed at the center of the new downtown subdivision, Son said.

The Lam Vien Square that overlooks the Xuan Huong Lake in Da Lat. Photo: Son Nguyen/Tuoi Tre News

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London stocks finished in the red following a steady start, weighed down by a stronger pound and a worse-than-expected reading on UK manufacturing.

The FTSE 100 ended the day down 0.52% at 7,648.10, retreating from last week, when the index ended the year at a record high of 7,687.77. At the same time, the pound was up 0.55% against the US dollar to 1.3594 - its high water mark of 2017 - and 0.37% higher versus the euro at 1.1282 as traders began to reposition for the New Year.

News earlier in the day that the Eurozone manufacturing sector ended 2017 with record growth served to lift the single currency to its best level in three years against the US dollar.

Miners reversed early losses to top the leaderboard on the heels of upbeat manufacturing data out of China, adding to the sector's strong rally at the end of 2017. By the close of trade in London, the FTSE 350 mining index had climbed 1.06% to change hands at 18,916.53, after China's Caixin manufacturing PMI came in ahead of expectations of 50.6 at 51.7 in December, up from 50.8 the month before.

The continuing downdraft in the US dollar also lent a helping hand, boosting the prices of some base and precious metals.

Nevertheless, some economists cautioned that Tuesday's reading on Chinese factory sector activity might be masking underlying weakness. That sentiment was echoed by traders at Sucden Financial.

"The start to 2018 saw LME prices maintain the steady tone, helped by a weakening USD and better than forecast China manufacturing PMI data for Dec. However, only tin and zinc made another new high, trading up to 20100 and 3352 and with the complex now sending out 'overbought' signals we could see a short term correction unless fresh news propels the market higher," said Sucden Financial.

Meanwhile, data released earlier showed that growth in the UK manufacturing sector slowed more than expected in December.

The IHS/Markit CIPS manufacturing purchasing mangers' index fell to 56.3 last month from a 51-month high of 58.2 in November, missing expectations for a smaller drop to 58.0.

Still, the average reading of 57.0 over the final quarter of 2017 was the best since the second quarter of 2014.

Although December saw rates of expansion in output, new orders and employment slow from November's highs, growth in all three remained solid and well above long-run trends.

In corporate news, BT racked up healthy gains after an upgrade to 'buy' from Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, while ASOS edged higher after being raised to 'buy' from 'hold' at Deutsche Bank and GVC Holdings was boosted by an initiation at 'overweight' from Barclays.

However, Carpetright slumped as it was cut to 'hold' from 'buy' at Deutsche Bank

Marks & Spencer was also in the red after confirming the sale and franchise of its retail business in Hong Kong and Macau to its long-established franchise partner Al-Futtaim.

BP gushed lower after saying it expects changes to US tax rates to trigger a charge of about $1.5bn (1.1bn) before benefiting the company in the long run. The oil company said lower corporate taxes under President Trump's plan require it to revalue its deferred tax assets and liabilities. BP expects the $1.5bn one-off cash charge to affect its fourth-quarter income statement.

Compass Group fell as it confirmed the death of its chief executive, Richard Cousins, and his family in a plane accident over the weekend, and said it has moved forward the date of his succession. The appointment of the catering group's European chief operating officer, Dominic Blakemore, as chief executive was moved forward to 1 January from 1 April.

BBA Aviation was on the back foot as it ended a seven-month search for a new chief executive by appointing internal candidate Mark Johnstone to run the company.

British Airways and Iberia owner IAG flew higher as it swooped-in to buy assets and invest in Niki, a former part of the collapsed Air Berlin group. IAG's Spanish budget arm, Vueling, will buy 20m of assets from the Austrian airline and provide up to 16.5m of liquidity to Niki, which will form part of a new, separately run Austrian subsidiary.

Airlines also benefitted from supportive comments out of analysts at JP Morgan.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,648.10 -0.52%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 20,681.45 -0.22%





FTSE 100 - Risers

Anglo American (AAL) 1,595.00p 2.94%

Centrica (CNA) 141.20p 2.84%

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 668.80p 2.73%

easyJet (EZJ) 1,501.00p 2.53%

Kingfisher (KGF) 343.40p 1.69%

ITV (ITV) 167.80p 1.39%

BT Group (BT.A) 275.00p 1.21%

Rio Tinto (RIO) 3,988.50p 1.18%

Hargreaves Lansdown (HL.) 1,823.00p 1.17%

Glencore (GLEN) 394.20p 1.08%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Rentokil Initial (RTO) 307.50p -3.30%

Admiral Group (ADM) 1,948.50p -2.67%

Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) 425.40p -2.57%

Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 372.00p -2.54%

Experian (EXPN) 1,599.50p -2.23%

RSA Insurance Group (RSA) 619.00p -2.13%

Unilever (ULVR) 4,045.00p -1.95%

Smith & Nephew (SN.) 1,263.00p -1.94%

Worldpay Group (WPG) 418.50p -1.76%

Diageo (DGE) 2,678.00p -1.72%

FTSE 250 - Risers

Evraz (EVR) 354.70p 4.32%

Ultra Electronics Holdings (ULE) 1,399.00p 3.86%

AA (AA.) 176.55p 3.85%

Ferrexpo (FXPO) 303.00p 3.38%

Vedanta Resources (VED) 830.00p 3.17%

Rank Group (RNK) 246.00p 2.90%

Go-Ahead Group (GOG) 1,528.00p 2.62%

Fidelity China Special Situations (FCSS) 241.50p 2.55%

Greene King (GNK) 568.40p 2.41%

ZPG Plc (ZPG) 338.40p 2.36%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Pets at Home Group (PETS) 170.60p -3.29%

Dechra Pharmaceuticals (DPH) 2,028.00p -3.24%

Just Group (JUST) 165.00p -3.11%

Diploma (DPLM) 1,209.00p -3.05%

Marshalls (MSLH) 442.00p -2.84%

Euromoney Institutional Investor (ERM) 1,268.00p -2.84%

Beazley (BEZ) 521.00p -2.53%

Greencore Group (GNC) 224.00p -2.48%

Aggreko (AGK) 779.40p -2.45%

RPC Group (RPC) 860.00p -2.44%
London's blue chip stocks continued to drop on Tuesday, following further oil price weakening and a mixed Asia session in the wake of an Australian rate cut.

After Monday's session was knocked lower by poor manufacturing sector data, the FTSE 100 was down another 25 points the following morning, or 0.38% at 6,668.47 after half an hour of trading, while the FTSE 250 was 0.47% lower at 17,059.51.

The 25 basis point rate cut from the Reserve Bank of Australia took the cash rate to an all-time low of 1.5%, was all-but priced in it would appear and came as little surprise to investors, said analyst Craig Erlam at Oanda.

"The RBA isnt expected to be the only active central bank this week. The Bank of England meets Thursday and it is widely expected to ease monetary policy in an attempt to combat the Brexit impact early," he said.

"The construction PMI data for July is likely to offer further evidence of the BoEs need to act soon, with the number seen falling even deeper into contraction territory  expected at 43.8  as the first casualty of the Brexit vote shows signs of falling even further into decline."

CMC Markets Michael Hewson noted that the recent slide in oil prices since the peaks in June appeared to have gone almost unnoticed throughout most of July, though investors seemed to be paying more attention as the selloff gained pace in the last week, with Brent prices down over 15% from their peaks, on the realisation that markets have overestimated the speed that the supply glut would be worked off.

US prices have lost 9% in the last week alone, as rig counts have continued to rise and gasoline inventories have refused to drift lower.

On the data front, UK construction PMI numbers are due at 0930 BST, with Hewson saying the data are unlikely to be any better than Mondays manufacturing figures.

In the US, as the Federal Reserve also ponders its rate adjustment, personal income and spending and the PCE deflator are at 1330 BST.

In corporate news, Direct Line Group was top of the early leaderboard as the insurance company delivered a chunky special interim dividend alongside its half year report for the six months to 30 June, where gross written premiums for ongoing operations were 3.9% higher, driven by strong growth in motor in-force policies - up 2.5% - and a 9.5% increase in premium rates.

While operating profit from ongoing operations decreased 12.2m to 323.6m, which Direct Line attributed to 18.5m lower investment gains, the board declared an interim dividend per share of 4.9p, up from 4.6p, and a special interim dividend of 10.0p per share.

InterContinental Hotels shares maintained their rebound of recent months as although earnings were hit by the strong US dollar in the first half of the year, the Holiday Inn operator swerved the conditions that have led to recently lowered guidance from rivals Hilton and Marriott and said it remains confident in the outlook for the rest of the year.

Reported revenues of $838m for the six months to 30 June were down 8% on the previous year's and short of analyst expectations, though underlying sales, which excludes the effect of disposals and exchange rates, rose 5% to $771m.

First-half silver and gold production rises of 6% and 23% respectively helped to boost Fresnillo's earnings to $474m from $317.9. The company said it was well-placed to meet 2016 silver production guidance of 49m  51m ounces, and recently increased 2016 gold production guidance of 850,000  870,000 ounces.

Travis Perkins was a leading faller as it said like-for-like sales in July had been below normal levels in the wake of the UK's decision to leave the European Union as it posted a 10.7% rise in interim profits to 176m.

Market Movers

FTSE 100 (UKX) 6,673.48 -0.31%

FTSE 250 (MCX) 17,070.22 -0.40%

techMARK (TASX) 3,460.38 -0.26%

FTSE 100 - Risers

Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 371.00p 4.48%

Fresnillo (FRES) 1,957.00p 1.77%

Randgold Resources Ltd. (RRS) 8,995.00p 0.95%

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) 3,041.00p 0.90%

Worldpay Group (WI) (WPG) 296.60p 0.82%

Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 797.50p 0.76%

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) 1,708.50p 0.47%

DCC (DCC) 6,805.00p 0.44%

BAE Systems (BA.) 533.00p 0.38%

Admiral Group (ADM) 2,157.00p 0.37%

FTSE 100 - Fallers

Travis Perkins (TPK) 1,502.00p -2.72%

Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS) 185.30p -2.01%

Coca-Cola HBC AG (CDI) (CCH) 1,542.00p -1.53%

BHP Billiton (BLT) 949.50p -1.43%

Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) 52.52p -1.37%

Intertek Group (ITRK) 3,497.00p -1.35%

Kingfisher (KGF) 332.90p -1.33%

Barclays (BARC) 149.45p -1.29%

Johnson Matthey (JMAT) 3,231.00p -1.28%

British Land Company (BLND) 663.50p -1.19%

FTSE 250 - Risers

BBA Aviation (BBA) 248.90p 5.91%

Pendragon (PDG) 32.85p 5.69%

Electrocomponents (ECM) 297.50p 2.59%

Greggs (GRG) 1,076.00p 2.28%

Kaz Minerals (KAZ) 166.70p 1.96%

Sophos Group (SOPH) 232.20p 1.53%

Aldermore Group (ALD) 141.20p 1.29%

IP Group (IPO) 151.70p 1.13%

Rentokil Initial (RTO) 217.80p 0.93%

Centamin (DI) (CEY) 164.60p 0.92%

FTSE 250 - Fallers

Rotork (ROR) 198.50p -7.07%

Elementis (ELM) 208.70p -4.92%

Meggitt (MGGT) 416.00p -4.06%

International Personal Finance (IPF) 251.80p -3.78%

Domino's Pizza Group (DOM) 380.30p -3.28%

Zoopla Property Group (WI) (ZPLA) 286.30p -2.95%

Countryside Properties (CSP) 222.00p -2.67%

AO World (AO.) 138.90p -2.39%

Grafton Group Units (GFTU) 540.50p -2.26%

Amec Foster Wheeler (AMFW) 427.20p -2.24%
Londons FTSE 100 was down 0.6% to 7,645.13 in afternoon trade on Tuesday, kicking off the new year on a downbeat note after ending 2017 at a record high, with broker notes providing much of the action.

British Airways and Iberia owner IAG flew higher as it swooped to buy assets and invest in Niki, a former part of the collapsed Air Berlin group. IAG's Spanish budget arm, Vueling, will buy 20m of assets from the Austrian airline and provide up to 16.5m of liquidity to Niki, which will form part of a new, separately run Austrian subsidiary.

The airline was also boosted by an upgrade to buy from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, which said the stock is attractively valued.

Budget airline EasyJet was also in the black after an upgrade to neutral by BofA ML, although the bank said it still prefers Ryanair, which it rates at buy.

BT Group was riding higher after an upgrade to buy from neutral, also at BofA ML.

Meanwhile, Anglo American was on the front foot as Credit Suisse upped its price target on the neutral-rated stock to 1,580p from 1,550p.

On the downside, consumer goods giant Reckitt Benckiser fell following a report that its biggest shareholder, JAB Holdings, is planning to cut its stake in the company further.

Risers

Centrica (CNA) 140.30p 2.18%

International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 664.00p 2.00%

easyJet (EZJ) 1,485.50p 1.47%

Anglo American (AAL) 1,571.00p 1.39%

Kingfisher (KGF) 342.00p 1.27%

Mediclinic International (MDC) 657.60p 1.25%

ITV (ITV) 167.53p 1.23%

BT Group (BT.A) 274.65p 1.09%

Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) 8,900.00p 0.85%

Barratt Developments (BDEV) 651.80p 0.66%

Fallers

Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) 425.76p -2.48%

Admiral Group (ADM) 1,954.00p -2.40%

Rentokil Initial (RTO) 312.40p -1.76%

Reckitt Benckiser Group (RB.) 6,800.00p -1.72%

GKN (GKN) 314.00p -1.69%

Ashtead Group (AHT) 1,958.50p -1.68%

Worldpay Group (WPG) 418.90p -1.67%

Micro Focus International (MCRO) 2,481.00p -1.66%

RSA Insurance Group (RSA) 622.40p -1.60%

Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 375.86p -1.53%
The Toronto-Dominion Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides various personal and commercial banking products and services in Canada and the United States. It operates through three segments: Canadian Retail, U.S. Retail, and Wholesale Banking. The company offers personal deposits, such as chequing, savings, and investment products; financing, investment, cash management, international trade, and day-to-day banking services to businesses; and financing options to customers at point of sale for automotive and recreational vehicle purchases through auto dealer network. It also provides credit cards; real estate secured lending; auto finance; consumer lending; point-of-sale payment solutions for large and small businesses; wealth and asset management products, private banking, investment advisory, and trust services to retail and institutional clients; and property and casualty insurance, as well as life and health insurance products. The company also provides capital markets, and corporate and investment banking services, including underwriting and distribution of new debt and equity issues; advice on strategic acquisitions and divestitures; and trading, funding, and investment services to companies, governments, and institutions. It offers its products and services under the TD Bank and America's Most Convenient Bank brand names. The company operates through a network of 1,085 branches, 3,440 automated teller machines, and 1,223 stores, as well as offers telephone, digital, and mobile banking services. The Toronto-Dominion Bank was founded in 1855 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

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Sasol Ltd. is a holding company. The firm engages in the provision of liquid fuels, chemicals, and low-carbon electricity. It operates through following segments: Mining, Exploration and Production International, Energy, Base Chemicals, Performance Chemicals, and Group Functions. The Mining segment secures coal feedstock for the Southern African value chain, mainly for gasification, but also to generate electricity and steam. The Exploration and Production International segment develops and manages oil and gas exploration and production in Mozambique, South Africa, Canada, and Gabon. The Base Chemicals segment involves the marketing of commodity chemicals based on the group's upstream Fischer-Tropsch, ethylene, propylene and ammonia value chains. The Performance Chemicals segment markets commodity and differentiated performance chemicals. The Energy segment sells and markets liquid fuels, pipeline gas, and electricity. The Group Functions segment includes the head office and centralised treasury operations. The company was founded in 1950 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

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The Boeing Co. is an aerospace company, which engages in the manufacture of commercial jetliners and defense, space and security systems. It operates through the following segments: Commercial Airplanes; Defense, Space and Security; Global Services; and Boeing Capital. The Commercial Airplanes segment includes the development, production, and market of commercial jet aircraft and provides fleet support services, principally to the commercial airline industry worldwide. The Defense, Space and Security segment refers to the research, development, production and modification of manned and unmanned military aircraft and weapons systems for global strike, including fighter and combat rotorcraft aircraft and missile systems; global mobility, including tanker, rotorcraft and tilt-rotor aircraft; and airborne surveillance and reconnaissance, including command and control, battle management and airborne anti-submarine aircraft. The Global Services segment provides services to commercial and defense customers. The Boeing Capital segment seeks to ensure that Boeing customers have the financing they need to buy and take delivery of their Boeing product and manages overall financing exposure. The company was founded by William Edward Boeing on July 15, 1916 and is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

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More than 26,000 jobs available in South Dakota as Labor Day arrives

More than 26,000 jobs are available in the state, which is the highest numbers they have been historically, according to a department official.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Theres a lot of land to cover to get through New Mexicos 33 counties.

Yet, the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs Wonders on Wheels mobile museum accomplished the feat in 2017.

The mobile museum featured paleontological resources from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science in a traveling exhibit called Dinosaurs of New Mexico.

And 17,430 New Mexicans took part in it over a seven-month period.

We were the first, says Margaret Marino, director of the NMMNHS. (The DCA) felt the dinosaurs would be a nice way to start the program. We had staff help with development of the design and structure of the space and how other museums would use this space.

Marino says the traveling exhibit helped children learn how fossils were formed, what paleontologists do, what dinosaurs ate, how they lived, and their habitat.

We tried to pick things that kids would know about, Marino says. Dinosaur skulls, the vertebrae. Things that would capture the attention and then lead to the asking of questions.

Marino presented the information during a NMMNHS executive board meeting in November where the board was impressed with the work that was put in.

Its such an amazing thing to get this out to the rural communities, Marino says. We are talking about small communities that never really have access to museums. It helps enrich the lives of the students. Thats been the focus.

Marino says three educators traveled with the WoW exhibit. All of the information given was in line with state educational standards and taught at a fourth- or fifth-grade level.

What we wanted to do was capture the imagination of the visitors, she says. We are the only natural history museum in New Mexico. The museum always strives to be a statewide institution. We currently have some collections in Carlsbad and those will be going up to Farmington.

In fact, during the inaugural run, the mobile exhibit visited 40 schools, 27 libraries, four tribal schools, eight tribal libraries, three tribal youth centers, and participated in two tribal events and seven other events.

The tour started in Hobbs in Lea County on April 17 and the run ended in Santa Fe on Nov. 25 at the New Mexico Museum of Art centennial celebration.

WoW logged just under 500 hours  498.5 to be exact  serving school students and adults in rural parts of the state without access to museums.

During the eight months of traveling, 13,144 children and 4.286 adults toured the Dinosaurs of New Mexico exhibit.

The WoW is a specially retrofitted 38-foot RV featuring 300 square feet of exhibit and curriculum-based programming.

Under the program, the WoW brings specific exhibits curated from one of DCAs eight state-run museums to public schools and libraries in communities throughout New Mexico.

This year, WoWs featured exhibit is from the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture in Santa Fe.

It will present a unique look at the 24 Native American tribal communities of New Mexico, told through the eyes of Pueblo, Apache and Navajo children.

The upcoming exhibit was guest curated by Dr. Jessie Ryker-Crawford (Ojibway) and Dr. Shelley Valdez (Laguna Pueblo), president of Native Pathways, a nonprofit educational company.

The program is supported by the J.F. Maddox Foundation, the SP and Estelle Yates Family Foundation, The Chase Foundation, and the New Mexico Public Education Foundation.

Marino is happy with the results of last years inaugural tour.

It turned out beautiful, she says. The communities had a chance to experience it. And they didnt have to pay for anything. Its taken a great deal of support to get it off the ground. Its been great to see students get the opportunity to spend an afternoon learning about what the museum offers.
WASHINGTON  Wisconsins Supreme Court can soon right a flagrant wrong stemming from events set in motion in 2014 at Milwaukees Marquette University by Cheryl Abbate. Although just a graduate student, she already had a precocious aptitude for academic nastiness.

On Oct. 28, in an undergraduate course she was teaching on ethics, when the subject of same-sex marriage arose, there was no debate because, a student said, Abbate insisted that there could be no defensible opposition to this. (Marquette is a Jesuit school.) After class, the student told her that he opposed same-sex marriage and her discouraging of debate about it. She replied  he recorded their interaction  that there are some opinions that are not appropriate that are harmful  do you know whether anyone in the class is homosexual?  in this class homophobic comments  will not be tolerated. The students appeals to Abbates superiors were unavailing  the chairman of her philosophy department referred to the student as an insulin (sic) little twerp  so he gave John C. McAdams his recording of Abbate rebuffing him.

McAdams, a tenured professor then in his 41st year at Marquette and a conservative who blogs about the schools news, emailed Abbate seeking her version of the episode. Without responding to him, she immediately forwarded his email to some professors. She has called McAdams the ringleader of extreme white (sic) wing, hateful people, a moron, a flaming bigot, sexist and homophobic idiot and a creepy homophobic person with bad argumentation skills. This aspiring philosophers argumentation skills can be inferred from her reliance on epithets.

Before McAdams had written a syllable, she claimed for herself the coveted status of victim, branding as harassment his request for her side of the story. Striking a pose of bravery, she accused him of trying to scare me into silence. When, on Nov. 9, McAdams blogged, his post took no position on same-sex marriage, but said this should be a debatable issue. The next day, Abbate drafted a letter asking that McAdams be disciplined. He was.

After this matter earned national media attention, she received some critical emails, some of them vile, and Marquette rightly branded them hate mail. However, for these, and for the unspecified harm that they supposedly caused Abbate, McAdams was held to be somehow blameworthy. Marquette, however, offered no evidence that he had anything to do with the emails. After a committee drawn from the universitys monochrome culture recommended suspending McAdams without pay for two semesters, Marquettes president insisted that McAdams also express in writing deep regret, and confess that his blog post was reckless and incompatible with Marquettes mission and values. McAdams refused and has been unemployed ever since.

Being a private institution, Marquette had a right to be as hostile as it obviously is to the First Amendment  except for this: Its contract with tenured faculty says no one shall be disciplined for exercising legitimate personal or academic freedoms of thought, doctrine, discourse, association, advocacy, or action and that the threat of dismissal shall not be used to restrain constitutional rights. A circuit court, ignoring Marquettes ignoring of a Wisconsin contract, refused to adjudicate this dispute. Deferring to Marquette, the court essentially held that a professors academic freedom exists only until some other professors, and university administrators, say it does not. So, the deferential court allowed Marquette an unconstrained right to settle a contract dispute in which it was an interested party.

Because there is almost no Wisconsin case law concerning academic freedom that could have guided the circuit court, McAdams is asking the state supreme court to bypass the appeals court and perform its function as the states law-developing court. He is also asking the court to be cognizant of the cultural context: Nationwide, colleges and universities are under pressure  all of it from within the institutions  to enact or implement speech codes or otherwise restrict speech in various ways.

This episode, now in its fourth year, began because McAdams tried to assist a student who suffered unprofessional behavior by a bullying instructor. Abbate has moved on. Now at the University of Colorado, she is still a perhaps career graduate student, writing a doctoral dissertation on the importance of the rights of  animals.

The wreckage she left in her wake illustrates how rights are imperiled when judicial deference becomes dereliction of judicial duty. Prospective Marquette students, and Marquette alumni, must decide whether this school, awash with the current academic hysteria and corruption, merits their confidence and support. Wisconsins Supreme Court must lay down the law that can stop some of the rot that this case illustrates.
For the 25th year in a row, the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ, has released its annual survey of journalists killed around the world. The list includes 42 journalists and four media workers killed, some while covering war, others murdered in retaliation for their reporting. Another 20 were killed in circumstances that CPJ cannot confirm were related to their work. A record 262 journalists were imprisoned around the world, with Turkey, China and Egypt topping the list for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump wages a relentless campaign to discredit journalism in the United States, often with rhetoric that could potentially incite his followers to violence. Trumps policy of ramping up mass deportations could even send one Mexican journalist, currently jailed in the United States, back to Mexico, where he might be killed.

Emilio Gutierrez Soto is being held in immigration detention in El Paso along with his 24-year-old son, Oscar. They fled Mexico in 2008, seeking political asylum after Emilio received death threats for his work as a reporter.

I wrote some articles where I described how the military was acting in the northwest of Chihuahua, Emilio told us, via telephone, on the Democracy Now! news hour, from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement prison. This caused disgust at the Ministry of Defense, which sent the head of the 5th Military Zone in Chihuahua, Gen. Garcia Vega, to threaten me, saying I had already written three articles noting corruption and assaults against the population by members of the military. He said, Youve written three articles, and theres not going to be a fourth one. And, of course, there was a fourth article.

That was in 2005. In 2008, Emilio received an urgent message from a friend who had heard from someone in the military that he was being targeted for assassination. He grabbed his vital documents and his son, Oscar, and fled to the United States. After seven months in detention, he was released, pending a court ruling on his request for political asylum. Emilio and Oscar survived by operating a food truck in New Mexico until last July, when the judge ruled against him. They were taken to the immigration jail in handcuffs. From detention, Emilio appealed the decision.

If we are deported, that obviously implies death, he told us. If the (Mexican) government didnt give its consent for criminal groups to work with impunity, certainly the conditions would be different.  The government of Mexico is the most corrupt government in the hemisphere and obviously enjoys no credibility. CPJ reported that Mexico is the country with the highest number of journalists killed explicitly in retaliation for their reporting. Just last month, journalist Gumaro Perez Aguinaldo was murdered in the southern state of Veracruz, gunned down while attending a Christmas pageant at his sons school. He was at least the 12th journalist to be killed in Mexico last year.

On the Friday before Christmas, Bill McCarren, the executive director of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and U.S. Rep. Beto ORourke, D-Texas, met with Emilio and Oscar at the El Paso ICE detention center, and then met with William Joyce, acting field office director for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement in El Paso, and ICEs local chief counsel, Elias Gastelo, to request Emilio and Oscars release. In addition to the compelling proof that journalists are regularly killed in Mexico, McCarren brought a petition with 18,000 signatures from across the United States demanding Emilio and Oscars release. According to McCarren, chief counsel Gastelo told them to tone it down. McCarren took that to mean that they should be less public in their campaign to support Emilio: We are here to shed light, when we believe someone is being arbitrarily detained. It is our job to ensure everyone knows his name.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Board of Immigration Appeals granted Emilio and Oscar a full stay of their deportation order. The case will be moved from the Texas border region to Virginia, where his advocates hope Emilios dire situation will receive proper consideration. In addition, his legal team wants them released immediately pending appeal.

Even in the United States, where a free press is enshrined in the Constitution, the climate for reporting has gotten so bad that a coalition of organizations led by the Freedom of the Press Foundation has organized the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker to provide reliable, easy-to-access information on the number of press freedom violations in the United States  from journalists facing charges to reporters stopped at the U.S. border or asked to hand over their electronics.

Journalism is an unacceptably dangerous profession the world over. Democracy depends on a vigorous free press, and it is up to all of us to demand it, and to defend it.

Amy Goodman is the host of Democracy Now!, a daily international TV/radio news hour airing on more than 1,400 stations. She is the co-author, with Denis Moynihan and David Goodman, of Democracy Now!: 20 Years Covering the Movements Changing America. Distributed by King Features Syndicate.
The start of the new year could be an uneasy one for roughly 18,000 individual New Mexicans who get their health insurance through New Mexico Health Connections, one of only four of the not-for-profit co-ops still operating under Obamacare. Twenty-three were running in 2014, funded with millions in federal loans. It will be up to the state Office of the Superintendent of Insurance to provide those customers, who purchased their coverage through the exchange, with the reassurance and protections they need, and the oversight to make sure the company remains viable.

Health Connections has been bleeding about $20 million in red ink a year, and its capital reserve was dangerously low, even with a $10 million sale effective Jan. 1 of its larger commercial customer base to an out-of-state for-profit company.

The entire Health Connections board departed after June 30 last year, with three new members listed on the companys Sept. 30 financial statements. Those no longer serving include insurance expert Chris Krahling and cancer doctor Barbara McAneny, president-elect of the American Medical Association.

The company attributed the change to normal election cycles, but wholesale substitution of a corporate governing body raises questions. Where is the institutional memory in the boardroom? And the companys top executive team, including CEO Martin Hickey, will move to the new for-profit company, True Health, a subsidiary of Virginia-based Evolent Health. So in essence, Health Connections has new governance and new management to tackle its old financial worries.

Insurance Superintendent John Franchini signed off on the sale despite testimony from Presbyterian Healthcare, the University of New Mexico and Blue Cross Blue Shield focusing on Health Connections finances and questioning its ability to meet claims its members already have incurred.

Presbyterian and UNM said they were owed a combined $28 million  roughly nine times the amount of Health Connections capital as of Sept. 30, even with the $10 million sale to Evolent  for services provided to people insured by Health Connections. The argument could be made that the company was insolvent as of Sept. 30, though Health Connections would likely dispute the numbers.

Franchini noted only a few of the co-ops were still in operation around the country and said he thought Health Connections made a valuable contribution to competition in the New Mexico market. Thats despite the fact the remaining 18,000-member customer base for the individual coverage line is dwarfed by others in the market. Presbyterian Health Plan, for example, has about 470,000 total members. That leads to much lower per-member costs for administrative and other services.

Franchini also acknowledged in an interview with Journal reporter Marie C. Baca that Health Connections had been operating under the financial supervision of his office since June.

Its not clear exactly what that means, nor did he provide details on how the existing liabilities of the company left behind in the sale would be handled if its cash flow doesnt improve. Further, is True Health on the hook for pending claims attributable to the customers it has acquired?

These questions are important. Both UNM and Presbyterian submitted testimony detailing issues with pending claims, with Presbyterian raising the possibility that it could be forced to seek payment directly from Health Connections customers if it doesnt get paid by the company for providing hospital care, emergency room and other services.

One question not addressed in any of the sale discussion is what happens to the roughly $77 million in federal loans that brought Health Connections into the world. Do they have to be repaid? If so, when?

Franchini cant be faulted for wanting to keep another competitor in the market. But having chosen this path, the burden is on him to make sure that both health care providers and New Mexicans insured with Health Connections are protected.

This editorial first appeared in the Albuquerque Journal. It was written by members of the editorial board and is unsigned as it represents the opinion of the newspaper rather than the writers.
Temperatures were low, but spirits were high as Albuquerqueans dove into the New Year Monday morning during the Jewish Community Centers annual Polar Bear Plunge.

By the time participants braved the outdoor pool, the sun was shining, but temperatures hovered in the high 30s, though they reached 50 by the afternoon.

Jack Freed gave it a try for the first time this year, and he joked that starting off in a warmer year might better prepare him for more miserable future conditions.

Figured wed start soft and next year well be ready for the blizzard, he said as he toweled off after the dive.

He said the nicer weather didnt leave him feeling slighted and it didnt make the jump any less jarring.

It is a little warm out, I thought Oh it wont be that bad,  he said. It was. It was pretty cold.

For many, the plunge is as much about the frigid experience as it is about giving. This year, the funds raised through the Polar Bear Plunge went to the ABQ BioPark polar bears, Special Olympics New Mexico and the JCCs camp scholarship fund.

I thought it would be really fun and its for the polar bears, and I think theyre cute, said 9-year-old Anastasia Cohen.

Cohen, wearing a polar bear hat and sipping a cup of hot chocolate topped with marshmallows, said she cannonballed into the pool, and would consider participating again in the future.

JCC development coordinator Lauren Duling said the 100 or so jumpers this year seemed drawn to the plunge as both a way to give back and as a symbol of a fresh start.

Jumping in, throwing everything in the pool, Duling said. Everythings behind you.
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

Journal Staff Writer

What is supposed to be a season filled with love, sharing and compassion turned into a nightmare for one Albuquerque family, when they returned home in mid-December to find their house broken into and their small dog dead.

Their plight would inspire members of the community and Albuquerque police personnel to step up and, in essence, rescue their holiday.

When Gregorio Bazan returned home from his job cleaning floors on the morning of Friday, Dec. 15, the door to his familys home was wide open, and his wife wasnt home.

His home near Unser and Arenal had been broken into; a black shoeprint was left on the door and the frame had been demolished.

Inside, the Christmas tree had been toppled and ornaments lay scattered around the tile floor.

The familys TV, equipment from the garage, and every last Christmas present had been taken from under the tree, leaving the two daughters without any gifts a little more than a week before the big day.

The familys miniature poodle, Peluchin (Spanish for Fluffy), was also missing.

After combing the neighborhood, they found him dead on the sidewalk around a block away.

Its unclear how he died.

Bazan and his wife, Mara Segura, only speak Spanish, but brother-in-law Scott Daughtry of Albuquerque wrote of their experience in a recent letter to the editor.

This was an absolutely devastating and demoralizing event, especially during Christmas, he wrote.

Daughtrys wife, Lydia, said the family is still struggling to come to terms with what happened.

We still cant believe it, she said. We grew up being Christians, so we believe everybody is nice.

Amid the devastation and disappointment, the Albuquerque Police Department and members of the community found a way to shine a light on the familys all-but-ruined Christmas.

Allison Nodes, an APD crime scene specialist, was dispatched to the home to gather evidence, and she said the familys story stuck with her.

It just broke my heart, she said. I cant imagine having that kind of death of a pet around Christmas. So I wanted to do something that would make them maybe think a little bit less about their heartbreak.

So she asked fellow members of the Crime Scene Investigations Unit for donations to help replace the missing gifts that had been under the tree, including stuffed animals for 11-year-old Adely and gift cards for 19-year-old Ariadna.

True to her word, she came by just before Christmas with a bag full of Christmas presents, said Scott Daughtry.

They were also given a voucher for a fee-free pet adoption from one of the citys shelters, for when the family feels ready to take in another animal.

Nodes said her unit, and other squads within the police department, often look for a family theyve encountered that can use a bit of help around the holidays.

A lot of us love our jobs but its really hard when you see people and theyre having one of the worst days of their lives, Nodes said. Its nice to be able to do something to kind of ease the burden.

Meanwhile, customers at Leilanis NM Restaurant where Lydia works as a waitress had donated around $300 and homeowners whom Segura cleans for gave $2,000.

She had faith that there were still nice people out there, Lydia said, translating for Segura.

Lydia said for her, the experience made her grateful for the police force, which she admitted she has been critical of in the past.

I appreciate what they did for my sister, she said. They deserve a lot because theyre out there, they leave their families and they dont know if theyre going to come back.

Journal staff writer Katy Barnitz contributed to this report.
DENVER  In some versions of a story Jan. 2 about the slaying of a Colorado sheriffs deputy, The Associated Press reported erroneously that more than 580,000 people have taken advantage of mental health services in the state since they were expanded after a 2012 mass shooting. The department said Wednesday that agencies have provided mental health services more than 580,000 times, but some of those instances might have been one individual getting help multiple times.

A corrected version of the story is below:

Man who killed Colorado deputy livestreamed himself

Videos made by the man who shot and killed a Colorado sheriffs deputy after concerns were raised about his mental health show the gunman calling 911 and then opening his apartment door and talking to responding officers before the shooting

DENVER  Videos made by the man who shot and killed a Colorado sheriffs deputy after concerns were raised about his mental health show the gunman calling 911 and then opening his apartment door and talking to responding officers before the shooting.

The footage, livestreamed on Periscope, was obtained by Denvers KUSA-TV. The station broadcast clips from two videos in which Matthew Riehl says he would not hurt anyone except to defend himself before calling authorities.

Maybe I bought over 1,000 rounds of ammunition from Walmart. Its not illegal, he says.

Later, he tells a police dispatcher that a man had invited him to his house and was acting strangely.

When authorities arrive at Riehls suburban Denver apartment, the footage shows him talking to at least two officers, telling them he wants to file an emergency restraining order against his domestic partner. He is upset when one officer offers to give him a phone number to call, and leaves the doorway to go back into a room.

Did you not get the message? Wow. They didnt get the message. They lied, he is heard saying on the video.

At another point, Riehl is seen holding a glass in his hand and says hes had two scotches. He is heard saying that drinking would help him defend himself if someone bothers him.

The TV station said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock verified the authenticity of the videos and said the 911 call made by Riehl was the second one from his apartment in Highlands Ranch, 16 miles (about 25 kilometers) south of Denver, on Sunday.

The first 911 call was made by Riehls roommate, who told authorities Riehl was acting strangely and might be having a mental breakdown. Responding deputies to that call found no evidence of a crime and left.

The footage shows the shooting but the station did not air that footage. A clip purporting to show it has been posted elsewhere online.

Riehl, an attorney and an Iraq war veteran, previously posted videos criticizing Colorado law enforcement officers in profane, highly personal terms.

Wyoming College of Law students had been warned about Riehl, a former student, because of his social media posts critical of professors at the school in Laramie.

A Nov. 6 email from Assistant College of Law Dean Lindsay Hoyt told students to notify campus police if they spotted Riehl or his car near campus, KTWO-AM in Casper, Wyoming, reported. 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 its possible that Colorado authorities faced the same issue as Wyoming officials when an apparently mentally ill, dangerous person makes indirect threats.

The deputys slaying was the most recent in a string of fatal shootings involving suspects who may have had mental health problems, and the state has expanded services in hopes of finding a solution.

Colorado opened 12 walk-in mental health crisis centers across the state and set up a 24-hour hotline after a gunman killed 12 people in a suburban Denver movie theater in 2012. Doctors testified the gunman, James Holmes, was mentally ill.

The Colorado Department of Human Services said the state has provided help more than 580,000 times under the expanded services, but some of those instances might have been one individual getting help multiple times.

Riehl was licensed as a lawyer for five years in Wyoming and voluntarily gave up his license in 2016, said Wyoming Bar Association executive director Sharon Wilkinson.

He practiced at a law firm in the small city of Rawlins and later opened his own practice but withdrew from the bar in October 2016, making him ineligible to practice law in the state, Wilkinson said. Thats the same year records indicate he moved back to Colorado.

Wilkinson says the bar received no complaints about Riehl.

Authorities have said he fired more than 100 rounds before he was killed by a SWAT team.

Riehl, armed with a rifle, wounded four deputies, including Zackari Parrish in the initial gunfire. The other three deputies managed to get away but had to leave Parrish behind because of their injuries and the ongoing gunfire. Parrish later was declared dead.

About 1  hours later, the SWAT team arrived and exchanged fire with Riehl. He was killed and a fifth officer was wounded.

Two people in nearby apartment units were also wounded sometime during the prolonged standoff.
OTERO COUNTY  New Mexico State Police continue their investigation of a fatal vehicle crash that killed a 42-year-old Carrizozo man on U.S. Highway 54 at milepost 100 Friday, according to a NMSP press release.

In the release NMSP spokesman Ray Wilson wrote State Police responded to a fatal vehicle accident involving a 1990 Ford Taurus and a 1984 Peterbilt tow truck on U.S. Highway 54 North at milepost 100 between Carrizozo and Tularosa around 8:30 p.m. Friday.

The initial investigation indicated the tow truck was turning around on Highway 54 to load a disabled vehicle, Wilson stated in the release.

He wrote the Taurus was traveling south on Highway 54 then struck the tow truck.

In the release, Wilson wrote that the driver of the Taurus, John Schlageter, who was not wearing his seatbelt sustained fatal injuries in the crash.

Schlageter was pronounced dead at the scene by a field deputy from the Office of the Medical Investigator, Wilson stated in the release.

He wrote that alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the fatal accident.

In the release, Wilson wrote theres no further information available at this time because the accident remains under investigation.



2018 the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.)

Visit the Alamogordo Daily News (Alamogordo, N.M.) at www.alamogordonews.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
FARMINGTON  A Flora Vista woman is accused of embezzlement and forgery charges after allegedly embezzling more than $26,000 from her grandmother.

Cassie Davis, 32, was charged on Nov. 28 in Aztec Magistrate Court with a second-degree felony count of embezzlement, four third-degree felony counts of forgery (issue or transfer) and a fourth-degree felony count of forgery (issue or transfer), according to court records.

She is accused of embezzling $26,800 from her grandmother and unlawfully signing six checks payable to herself from her grandmothers checking account, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

Steve Murphy, Davis attorney, said he hasnt seen any of the discovery or evidence from the San Juan County District Attorneys Office for the case and is looking forward to it.

Davis made her first appearance in magistrate court on Dec. 11 and was booked into the San Juan County Adult Detention Center and released on the same day, according to court records.

Aztec Magistrate Court Judge Mark Hawkinson approved a motion to modify Davis conditions of release to allow her to travel to Colorado for work. The motion stated she is an employee of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

A San Juan County Sheriffs Deputy was dispatched to a residence on County Road 3516 in Flora Vista on Nov. 27 about a large amount of money that had been embezzled and fraudulently obtained, according to court documents.

The victims son told police there was six checks ranging from $800 to $11,000 that Davis is accused of writing and signing to herself between June 15, 2016, and Aug. 1, 2016.

While reviewing the checks, the grandmother told the deputy the signatures on the checks were not hers.

The deputy noted the signatures on the checks were not consistent and the grandmothers name was not spelled correctly on one of the checks, according to court documents.

The affidavit states Davis was paid $400 a month from 2013 to the end of 2016 to assist her grandmother with her errands including driving her to appointments.

Davis grandmother moved in with her in March 2016 and lived there until the grandmother was hospitalized in April 2016. It was in November 2016 the grandmother moved back to her residence.

Around that time, Davis uncle noticed his mother was receiving notices from bill collectors stating bills had not been paid. He checked his mothers checking accounts and noticed a large amount of money was missing.

During an interview with the deputy, Davis said her grandmother wrote her three checks in large amounts of $11,000, $5,000 and $3,000 payable to her because the grandmother had arthritis and was not able to sign her own name.

Davis told the deputy there were no other checks written to her in large amounts.

She alleged her uncle was trying to set her up and trying to take her grandmothers money, according to the affidavit.

A preliminary hearing for Davis is scheduled for 8 a.m. on Jan. 25.
PARKS, Ariz.  A contractor has found a significant failure in the heating system at an Arizona vacation cabin where a family of four was found dead of possible carbon monoxide poisoning, authorities said Tuesday.

Coconino County sheriffs officials said the heating unit was the only gas appliance in the cabin in Parks, about 20 miles west of Flagstaff.

In a statement, sheriffs officials said a licensed contractor from a heating and cooling company checked the unit at the cabin and found a significant failure in the heating system which would be consistent with carbon monoxide overcoming the residence.

Sheriffs officials added that the manner and cause of death will be determined by the county Medical Examiners Office.

The bodies of the four family members, including two children, were discovered Monday following a request for a welfare check.

A friend of the family told deputies that members had not returned phone calls.

Authorities said a deputy reported a strong odor of gas coming from the home before the bodies were discovered.

The El Mirage family has been identified as 32-year-old Anthony Capitano, 32-year-old Meaghan Capitano, 4-year-old Lincoln Capitano and 3-year-old Kingsley Capitano.

El Mirage is located about 25 miles northwest of Phoenix.
ROUND ROCK, Texas  Police are searching for a 44-year-old man theyve identified as a person of interest in the death of a woman and abduction of her two daughters.

Authorities say Terry Allen Miles is being sought for questioning in the death of 44-year-old Tonya Bates, whose body was found Sunday at the home they shared in Round Rock, north of Austin.

Round Rock police Chief Allen Banks said Monday that Miles and Bates were roommates.

He says its not clear how long Bates had been dead before her body was found.

Banks says investigators believe Miles took the womans 14- and 7-year-old daughters. An Amber Alert was issued Sunday for the girls.

The Hyundai Accent that Miles is believed to be driving was last seen in northern New Mexico or southern Colorado.
WASHINGTON  The Trump administration on Tuesday threw the weight of the U.S. government behind the protesters taking to the streets of Iran, rooting them on despite the risk of helping Iranian authorities dismiss a week of major demonstrations as the product of American instigation.

As Irans supreme leader accused enemies of Iran of trying to destabilize his country, the State Department pressed Tehran to unblock social media sites used by the protesters. It even offered advice to tech-savvy Iranians on circumventing state internet controls.

President Donald Trump declared it was time for change in Iran, and other officials floated the possibility of additional sanctions. At the United Nations, Ambassador Nikki Haley sought a Security Council meeting to show support for those protesting in the Islamic Republic.

We want to help amplify the voices of the Iranian people, said Haley, who appeared before cameras to recite the chants of protesters across Iran. She said Irans claim that other countries were fomenting the unrest was complete nonsense, describing the dissent as homegrown.

Borrowing from a response playbook it has used before, Irans government blamed the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Britain for the protests. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the 78-year-old supreme leader, said Irans enemies were using money, weapons, politics and spies to create problems for the Islamic system, the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution.

Trump was undeterred, praising Iranians for finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. In an allusion to possible sanctions in response to human rights violations, Trump said the United States would closely monitor the situation.

The U.S. is watching! the president tweeted.

Beyond rhetoric, though, it wasnt clear what the Trump administration could do substantively to empower the protesters, who are railing against corruption, mismanagement and economic woes including higher food prices. His support also sets up a potential test of his presidential leadership if the protests  already deadly  grow more violent.

At least 21 people have died and hundreds have been arrested over six days of demonstrations, the largest in Iran since the Green Movement that erupted in 2009 following a disputed presidential election. The new outbreak started in Mashhad, Irans second-largest city, and has expanded to many others.

Iranian authorities have sought to suppress the protests in part by shutting down key social media sites protesters use to communicate, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and the messaging app Telegram. On Tuesday, Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein urged Irans government to unblock the sites.

They are legitimate avenues for communication, Goldstein said. He said the U.S. has an obligation not to stand by.

Iranians seeking to evade the blocks can use virtual private networks, Goldstein said. Known as VPNs, the services create encrypted data tunnels between computers and can be used to access overseas websites blocked by the local government.

The primary U.S. goal is to ensure enough global attention to deter Iranian authorities from violently cracking down on protesters with impunity, said a senior State Department official involved in Iran policy. The official wasnt authorized to comment by name and demanded anonymity.

For Trump, the protests have served as an unexpected but welcome opportunity to rally the world against Iran, and U.S. officials said the administration was actively encouraging other countries to back the protests. Early U.S. attempts to get European allies to coordinate their messaging with the U.S. ran into obstacles, but several countries including France and Italy have joined in expressing concerns.

In the U.S., Trumps full-throated support for the protesters has renewed the debate about how best to encourage change in Iran, whose government Trump deems a top national security threat.

Under President Barack Obama, the U.S. took a more cautious approach during the last major wave of anti-government protests. It was concerned about enabling Iranian authorities to exploit longstanding suspicions of the U.S., dating back to American and British support for a 1953 coup toppling Irans elected prime minister.

Ben Rhodes, Obamas former deputy national security adviser, said too much ownership of the protests by Trump would likely be counterproductive.

I cant imagine that the people marching in the streets of Iran are looking to Donald Trump for inspiration or support, Rhodes said. I just dont think it helps things for the White House to make this into a U.S.-versus-the-Iranian-government circumstance.

But former Sen. Joe Lieberman, a staunch Iran critic, said its a given Tehran will portray dissent as externally provoked.

Thats a very weak excuse for American inaction and inconsistency with our own interests and values. Im glad President Trump is not following that advice, Lieberman said in an interview.

It wasnt immediately clear what effect Trumps support was having on the protests, although Irans state TV reported his tweets and some Iranians shared them online.

When it comes to supporting the Iranian aspirations, Trumps credibility may be dented by his hostility to the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement and his inclusion of Iranians in his travel bans.

Trumps insistence in an October speech on using the term Arabian Gulf in place of the Persian Gulf also riled the Iranian public. There also was criticism of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for saying America was working with people in Iran for a peaceful transition of that government.

___

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

___

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP
Copyright  2018 Albuquerque Journal

SANTA FE  The state Supreme Court has temporarily blocked 10 bills passed during last years 60-day legislative session from becoming law, granting a stay sought by Republican Gov. Susana Martinez.

The governor contends she vetoed the bills  most of which passed the Legislature with broad, bipartisan support.

Legislative leaders, in turn, say the governors vetoes arent valid  either because she acted too late or failed to explain her objections to each bill, as required by the state Constitution. A district judge agreed with lawmakers, but Martinez appealed.

Tuesdays Supreme Court order was a 3-2 decision with the majority writing that it made sense to grant a stay  preserving the status quo from before litigation began and giving the Supreme Court a full and fair opportunity to rule on the merits of the case.

The court hasnt yet scheduled oral arguments.

The final ruling could set a precedent in New Mexico for how vetoes must be carried out.

In Tuesdays order, the Supreme Court warned that its decision shouldnt be construed as an assessment of the probability of success on the merits by either party.

At stake is legislation allowing computer science to count toward high school math and science requirements, allowing industrial hemp to be grown for research purposes and giving local governments more leeway to expand broadband access.

Half of the 10 bills passed without a dissenting vote during last years regular session. The Martinez administration even testified in support of at least one of the bills.

But the governor issued the vetoes in a tense standoff with lawmakers over the budget.

In June, legislative leaders filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of the vetoes. In August, a district judge ordered Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver to chapter the bills  a process that puts them on the books as state law.

The lawsuit contends Martinez didnt specify her objections when she struck down some of the bills  leaving them little explanation for why she rejected them  despite a constitutional requirement that she return vetoed legislation with objections to the House or Senate.

In some cases, the governor simply said the bills werent necessary for the health, safety and welfare of New Mexicans.

The lawsuit also contends that, for some bills, the governor didnt act within a three-day deadline.

The Martinez administration, however, says she met every legal requirement.

As weve said all along, there is no doubt these bills were vetoed, Martinez spokeswoman Emilee Cantrell said in a written statement. This is just another example of what legislators will do when they dont get their way.

Chief Justice Judith Nakamura and Justices Petra Jimenez Maes and Edward Chavez concurred with granting the stay while Justices Charles Daniels and Barbara Vigil were in dissent.

Its unlikely lawmakers will pursue a veto override of the bills, especially while the validity of the vetoes remains in doubt. In any case, a 30-day session of the Legislature begins Jan. 16.
New Mexicans are invited to join the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Abiquiu Lake  about 30 miles northwest of Espanola  this Saturday as it hosts its annual Midwinter Eagle Watch event from 10 a.m. to noon.

Visitor volunteers  who will help count eagles over a sizable stretch of the area  will be meet at the Abiquiu Lake Project Office, with doors opening at 9 a.m. The Wildlife Center will give a short educational program on bald eagles, featuring their non-releasable bald eagle, Maxwell, organizers said in a news release. Hot coffee and snacks will be available. Volunteers are asked to dress warmly and bring binoculars, notepads, and drinking water.

The purpose of the watch is to count eagles along standard, non-overlapping survey routes as part of a national Midwinter Bald Eagle survey. National Wildlife Federation officials have asked each state to count the raptors along standard routes to provide data, according to a news release.

Organizers also said that volunteering for the watch is a great opportunity to encourage shared environmental stewardship efforts with the public to promote wildlife conservation. The count also helps create public interest in bald eagles and their conservation, organizers said.

Researchers plan to index the total wintering bald eagle populations in the lower 48 states and to identify previously unrecognized areas of important winter habitat.

The count has become a national tradition since 1984, and is an annual event at Abiquiu Lake.

The Abiquiu Lake Project Office is located on State Highway 96 just 2 miles west of the State Highway 84 junction.

For additional information, call the project office at 505-685-4371.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.<br>
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LIBERTYVILLE - Fremont Township Republican Organization's committeemen unanimously rejected GOP Governor Bruce Rauner and endorsed his conservative challenger, State Representative Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) in the upcoming GOP primary gubernatorial race. The group is angry with the way the Republican base has been "ridiculed culturally, consigned to the fringe, and betrayed" by Governor Rauner.

The Republican Committeemen of Fremont Township voted unanimously to endorse Representative Jeanne Ives for governor of Illinois, said Fremont Township Republican Organization Chairman Glenn Garamoni. Governor Rauner turned his back on the campaign promise of conservative reforms with no social agenda. After three years, the families and businesses of Fremont Township have experienced no financial relief, and practically no improvement in the 'state of the State.'

The endorsement is the first official indication of the Illinois Republican Party rank and file's dissatisfaction with Rauner.

Garamoni said, "Conservative families comprising the Republican base have been ridiculed culturally, consigned to the fringe, and betrayed by Governor Rauner on issues that are critical to our platform  most notably, on his decision to sign into law taxpayer-funding of abortion on demand. The governor has offered only token and mostly inconsequential reforms to reverse the steep decline of Illinois: culturally, morally, and financially. He is no longer trusted by the base of his party, and cannot win the 2018 election without the unified, enthusiastic support of Illinois Republicans.



As a State Representative, Jeanne Ives consistently stood up for the interests of families and business  even in the face of powerful opposition, ridicule and threats of violence. She has kept the promise that she made to her constituents, to be a lobbyist for the taxpayer. We would like to see her integrity and commitment replicated at all levels of government. We are confident that Ives has the good character that we look for in a leader, and the policy insight and political will to lead the charge in Springfield, for a better Illinois.



Ives said, I am proud to receive the endorsement of The Fremont Township Republican Organization. The organization represents the grassroots of the Republican Party. Their endorsement highlights how critical the relationship between state and local government will be in solving our states most urgent problems. Their support is tremendously important to our campaigns fight to deliver the conservative reform agenda that Governor Rauner promised, but deserted in favor of the agenda of Chicago Democrats.
The following lines are not the fruit of an overactive imagination or the result of typos. They are taken from a document signed Dec. 13 in Istanbul by leaders of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), among them Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. The leaders expressed support for an independent and sovereign Palestinian State on the borders of 4 June 1967, and reaffirmed their attachment to the just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution with east Jerusalem as the capital of the State of Palestine  consistent with  the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative adopted by the Extraordinary Islamic Summit Conference in 2005 as a strategic choice. According to their resolution, US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel thus violates the foundations of the peace process that stipulate that City of Al-Quds Al-Sharif as a final status issue 

In addition to the protest against US President Donald Trumps controversial Jerusalem declaration, the leaders decided to ratify the OIC support for the Arab Peace Initiative, which promises normalization of ties with Israel in return for a withdrawal to its 1967 borders. Along with a tirade against colonialism, settlement, apartheid and the ethnic cleansing it has been practicing in the occupied Palestinian territory in 1967, the communique of the Istanbul summit recognizes Israel within the borders that existed before it occupied the West Bank 50 years ago.

In 2005, when the OIC voted in favor of the Arab Peace Initiative, Iran abstained. As of now, Iran is a signatory of a summit communique and detailed summit resolutions directly pertaining to two states  Israel and Palestine  as the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and declaring East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital. The term East Jerusalem  as opposed to Israels insistence on a united Jerusalem that includes its western and eastern sections  appears in the official summit documents no fewer than seven times. There was good reason Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the summit host, declared its resolution historic.

Paradoxically, while the Saudi crown prince seems to be disowning the Arab initiative sponsored since 2002 by his own country, by presenting to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas the "Trump peace plan," Iran is publicly accepting it. Rouhanis support of the Arab Peace Initiative obviously does not stem from any special love for Israel. An intelligence researcher told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that the position presented by Rouhani in Istanbul coincides with the increasingly spreading protest in Iranian streets against the large budgets fueled by Iran to Syria, to Hezbollah and to Gaza-based terror groups. He claims that Rouhani objects to the adventurous diplomatic policy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, under the leadership of Qasem Soleimani. The source recalled that it was Rouhani who led to the signature of the Iran nuclear deal with the world powers, which subsequently reduced sanctions against Iran.

The absurd expectation in Jerusalem that Saudi Arabia would open its gates to Israel, which locks the gates to a permanent peace agreement with the Palestinians, enables Iran for the moment to dance at two weddings: In the morning it tangoes with Hamas and Hezbollah and expresses reservations about the summit resolution, and in the evening it invites Abbas to visit Tehran. In between, Rouhani takes time to condemn several states in our region aligned with the United States and the Zionists. The efforts that Israel invests in its occupation enterprise and in frittering away prospects for peace enable Iran to integrate into the Arab and Muslim club without paying Israel any membership dues.

Several days after the Islamic summit resolution was adopted, on Dec. 20, Israels public broadcaster Kan reported about a closed meeting of the Knessets Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. According to the report, the committees chairman Avi Dichter of the Likud Party refuted rumors about a rapprochement between Israel and moderate Arab states. He spoke in response to the results of a Palestinian Research Center survey indicating that most Palestinian residents of the Israeli-occupied territories believe Israel has ties not only with Egypt and Jordan, the only two Arab states that signed a peace agreement with the Jewish state. Seven of 10 respondents believe Israel has an alliance with Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Of course its nonsense, Dichter reassured his listeners, theres no alliance and nothing like it. It is no secret that in return for ties with pragmatic Arab states Israel would have to pay with territorial withdrawal, a currency not recognized by Israelis who vote for Dichter and company. The committee chairman  and former Shin Bet security agency chief  did not inform participants at the meeting about the Istanbul summit resolution. Israeli media could not find any room for such good news, either.

The Arab media did not seem interested in Irans support for the Arab Peace Initiative, either. Palestinian journalist Daoud Kuttab, writing for Al-Monitor, chose instead to underscore the disappointing turnout, with only 16 heads of state taking part in the summit, and no more than 30 OIC member states sending representatives. He cited Palestinian analysts who focused on the tensions evident at the summit within the Arab and Muslim world and the pessimistic atmosphere that prevailed. Ali Abunimah, the co-founder of the Electronic Intifada, lashed out at Arab leaders for wasting everyones time, Kuttab wrote.

No one in Israel wasted time on the summit communique and on the Iranian support for the Arab Peace Initiative. Jerusalem is no longer interested in good news from the neighborhood. The prime time Channel 10 evening news led off on Dec. 28 with an exclusive report about dramatic diplomatic understandings between Israel and the United States, designed to block Iranian expansion in the Middle East. Diplomatic affairs correspondent Barak Ravid reported that at a secret White House meeting, senior Israeli and American defense officials reached understandings regarding the strategy and policy required vis-a-vis Iran. Policy required is synonymous with preparation for war. Peace, in any case, would follow afterward.

When Ahed Tamimi, a 16-year-old Palestinian girl, slapped and kicked two Israeli soldiers near her home in the West Bank, news outlets and the public could not get enough of the story. Israeli security forces rushed to detain the girl, and brought her before a military judge to extend her remand. When a rocket fired from Gaza lands on the outskirts of the southern town of Sderot, air force planes scrambled to bomb the launch sites in Gaza. When an Islamic summit, in the presence of the president of Iran, declares recognition of Israel coexisting peacefully side by side with a Palestinian state with its capital in East Jerusalem, West Jerusalem is in no hurry to go anywhere.

More accurately, Jerusalem is heading backward rapidly. The Muslim and Arab worlds, including Iran, reaffirmed their commitment to the two-state solution as a response to Trumps Jerusalem proclamation. But the Netanyahu government reacted to the proclamation crisis by running away from the two-state solution. In fact, the Israeli government continued to evoke West Bank annexation ideas, as a means to eliminate this solution.
Chinese smartphone manufacturers will have to boost their sales in foreign markets in order to maintain their market share in 2018, according to research firm TrendForce. The company said there are multiple factors that will affect the growth of Chinese device makers this year. A key factor is the saturation of the Chinese market, i.e. the fact that the majority of potential customers in China already have a smartphone and a decreasing number of people is already looking to upgrade their device with a new one. TrendForce states that both OPPO and Vivo will be affected by the market saturation since the business models of the two manufacturers rely primarily on sales generated within their home country. Not only are they facing less room for growth, the two companies also have to deal with the increased prices of smartphone components. This year, the research firm expects that the BBK Electronics-owned manufacturers to see a ten percent drop in smartphone sales compared to 2017.

On the other hand, TrendForce expects that Xiaomi will see a boost in its sales due to its commercial success in emerging markets like India and Indonesia. In fact, the research firm projects Xiaomi will catch up to OPPO and Vivo in terms of handset sales, and most of this growth will come from overseas markets. In the third quarter of 2017, Xiaomi shipped around 9.2 million smartphones in India, closing the gap with current market leader Samsung. To further boost its market share in the South Asian country, Xiaomi aims to increase its offline sales by opening more brick-and-mortar stores.

TrendForce also released its predictions regarding Samsungs smartphone sales, having forecasted its shipments will drop by three percent in 2018, although it is expected to retain its top global position ahead of Apple and several Chinese companies. In the previous year, the South Korean companys entry-level smartphone range, the Samsung Galaxy J series, made up the majority of its shipments, according to TrendForce, and the success of the lineup compensated for the companys poor sales in China. The research firm also predicts that in 2018, more smartphone makers will incorporate technologies like 18:9 aspect ratio displays and dual cameras. Likewise, devices with 3D sensing and under-display fingerprint scanners may start shipping by the second half of 2018.
Chinas National Development and Reform Commission has taken note of the surge in DRAM prices in recent months, and according to official Xu Xinyu, the organization will be keeping a close eye on the industry and its major players to guard against price fixing. Thus far, no evidence of price fixing has been found, but DRAM prices have steadily risen over the last 18 months, culminating in a total rise of over 50%. This could potentially be explained by a sharp increase in demand due to the growth of the smartphone market, especially in China, where the booming market contains a great number of players of all sizes, all of whom demand DRAM for their products. Still, even the increased demand may not be enough to explain such a fast and aggressive upshot in DRAM pricing, leaving investigators to look to price fixing as a possibility. This may also be a rebound effect from falling prices back in 2016.

Two of the top players in the world, Samsung and SK Hynix, have not yet made any official announcement regarding this news just yet. For Samsungs part, the company allegedly spoke with officials from the National Development and Reform Commission, and denied any wrongdoing. For the time being, the Commission has not found any reason to implicate any companies in particular, and is unsure exactly how it would go about obtaining the cooperation of foreign authorities, should a firm outside of China be found guilty.

For those not in the know, DRAM is an essential part of a smartphone; its the basis of flash memory. This same type of memory is used in a wide range of other applications across the computing world. Samsung is currently the top player in the worldwide DRAM market, and routinely makes advances in the DRAM space faster than competitors. Runner-up SK Hynix is from South Korea, like Samsung, and normally nails down technological advances just a few weeks or months after Samsung does. Price fixing, meanwhile, is a practice where a group of companies get together to agree to drive up the price of a good arbitrarily. Given Samsung and SK Hynixs sheer size and role in the market, just the two of them conspiring to price fix could potentially upend prices for the whole industry, making it easy to see where Chinese regulators suspicions are coming from.
HMD Global is set to launch a new Nokia-branded Android smartphone on Friday, January 5th, as the Finnish company already started teasing its upcoming product event on social media platform Weibo. While the firms next device will initially debut in China, its likely to make its way to the West later this year, as was the case with all of HMDs Android devices released over the course of 2017, save for the Nokia 7 thats still expected to launch in Europe this winter. The phone vendors teaser included the mention of the Nokia 6, suggesting that the companys next launch may be dedicated to the Nokia 6 (2018), a revised version of the first Nokia smartphone released in the brands post-Microsoft era.

The Nokia 6 (2018) has already been rumored about for several months, with HMD recently certifying one of its possible models in the Far Eastern country. The handsets certification suggested it will boast dual-SIM capabilities, though its still unclear whether it will feature a Hybrid SIM setup or a dedicated microSD card slot that can be used simultaneously with a double SIM tray. While the revised version of the Nokia 6 should still be advertised as a mid-ranger, its understood to be targeting a more premium market segment than its predecessor as recent rumors indicate it will use the Snapdragon 660 instead of a weaker chip from Qualcomms Snapdragon 400 series. The device is also expected to sport 4GB of RAM and be offered in two variants with 32GB and 64GB of internal flash memory. A 3,000mAh battery is also said to be part of the package and wont be removable, though Quick Charge 3.0 support may be available. The rear camera of the Nokia 6 (2018) will be a 16-megapixel affair, whereas its front-facing sensor will be of the 8-megapixel variety, sources said late last year.

While HMD already started rolling out Android 8.0 Oreo to a number of its smartphones, the Nokia 6 (2018) is rumored to run Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box and will only be updated to a newer OS iteration following its launch in China. That may not be the case for the international model of the handset thats likely to be announced at MWC in late February before hitting the market in March, providing HMD with enough time to optimize an Oreo build for its new smartphone. The Nokia 6 (2018) is said to be sold in Black, White, and Blue, though additional colors may debut in select markets.
LeEco founder Jia Yueting refused a state-issued order to return to China and personally settle the debts of his struggling tech group, Reuters reported Tuesday, citing a statement from the 44-year-old billionaire posted on social media platform WeChat. The entrepreneur said he must remain in the United States as hes currently in the process of raising funds for keeping Faraday Future afloat, with the endeavor itself supposedly requiring his personal presence. The Beijing unit of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) that issued the order last week has yet to react to the development in any capacity.

Mr. Jia said his brother Jia Yuemin was asked to attend a meeting with the agency last Friday in order to provide the CSRC with an update on the matter but its currently unclear whether any such gathering ended up taking place. As part of the same communication, the businessman said he blames himself for LeEcos current financial predicament and the negative impact it had on other companies in China, which is the main reason why the CSRC asked him to get personally involved in the crisis in the first place, citing a lack of corporate and legal responsibility LeEco showed to its suppliers and creditors. Mr. Jia said hes still adamant to set the stage for the production and timely delivery of the FF91, a Faraday Future-made electric vehicle thats currently said to be close to discontinuation as the startup is undergoing an exodus of disillusioned talent, according to recent reports. Mr. Jia is widely believed to be controlling the Los Angeles-based firm that doesnt have a publicly acknowledged Chief Executive Officer, though the size of his stake in the business remains unclear.

Numerous units of LeEco were already publicly listed as debt defaulters in China, as was Mr. Jia himself. The future of the Chinese conglomerate remains unclear, though its consumer electronics division is understood to be a priority to its efforts to stay afloat and resume normal operations. Most industry watchers attribute the companys current predicament to its aggressive expansion strategy that saw it overleverage its assets by taking over $1.5 billion in debt and investing it in long-term and moonshot projects that didnt manage to pay off its matured loans.
OnePlus has started rolling out OxygenOS 5.0.1 update to the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T handsets. This update is based on Android 8.0 Oreo, and it follows the OxygenOS 5.0 update which was released back in November, but was later stopped by OnePlus due to some bugs that needed to be ironed out. That being said, the OnePlus 3 and 3T are now receiving a new update which is bringing some new features to the two phones, along with a new security patch, read on if youre interested.

This new update was published on the companys official website, and the changelog says that this update is adding support for aptX HD on both the OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T. In addition to that, the Wi-Fi hotspot device manager has been added as well, and the same can be said for Adaptive Mode) screen calibration. This update will also update your OnePlus 3 / OnePlus 3T handset to the latest security patch (for December), while the update also brings a number of bug fixes and stability improvements. That is more or less it as far as the changelog is concerned, and many of you have probably already received this update, as the announcement went live on OnePlus website a couple of days ago. If you havent received this update yet, dont fret, as it is a staged rollout, and not everyone received it at the same time, but if youre not willing to wait, you can always install a VPN application from the Play Store, set it to Canada, and the update should be available to you straight away. Every global user of the OnePlus 3 and 3T is getting the very same update, so downloading and installing this update with some help from a VPN app will not change anything as far as the software version is concerned.

The OnePlus 3 and 3T were announced back in 2016, those two phones were the only smartphones that OnePlus introduced in 2016, and they were both the companys flagships at the time they were released. These two phones look the same, even though the OnePlus 3T is a bit more powerful, but they share most of the specs as well.
It stands to reason consumers with a limited-data plan attached to their mobile phone line would be more inclined to use Wi-Fi connections where and when possible. Which is exactly what is now being highlighted with the latest data from NPD where cellular data usage was 67-percent higher in 2017 with unlimited data plan users, than limited-data plan users. The findings come as part of the NPD Group Connected Intelligence Smartphone and Tablet Usage report which looks to highlight various smartphone data usage trends in the US during the year. The information is based on individual data collected from more than 2,500 smartphone devices, including data plan information from more than half of those 2,500 cases.

The report highlights that limited-plan users consumed 8-percent more Wi-Fi compared to unlimited data users over the last three months while also noting how in October the figure spiked to an 18-percent difference. Generally speaking, the report explains 31.4GB of data was typically used each month by smartphone owners in the US. Something NPD states is representative of a 25-percent increase year-over-year with the previous monthly data consumption total said to be around 25.2 GB. While 31GB may sound like a lot on an individual basis, this figure is relevant to the total data consumed by a smartphone owner  inclusive of both data used on Wi-Fi and a cellular connection. NPD attributes the increase in 2017 to a more general increase in the use of greater data-demanding services and features such as video and music streaming, as well as increased usage of social media apps and services. Although the findings do seem to point to video streaming as the single biggest contributor to spent data with NPD suggesting 83-percent of all data used by smartphones owners in 2017 was for video.

While some of this might seem obvious, the conclusions from the report do look to point out this is something US carriers will have to take account of going forward. As not only does the report highlight how limited-plan users tend to opt towards Wi-Fi usage where available, but also how unlimited data users tend to be less inclined to switch to Wi-Fi at all and even when using heavier data-demanding services and features, such as video. In other words, switching to unlimited does not only afford consumers the option to consume more cellular data, but may actually encourage them to. An aspect which is likely to further increase as even more customers make the switch from a limited-data plan to an unlimited plan and placing an even greater strain on the network capabilities of the carriers. On a side note, the report also suggests iOS users in general were more likely to use cellular data than Android users  who according to the numbers were more inclined to switch between cellular and Wi-Fi connections.
Property taxes are getting the spotlight in both the Republican and Democrats' primary contests.

Illinois is one of the "high tax states" where taxes in excess of the new federal $10,000 deductible cap are really not that unusual. Between property taxes, a 32% hike in state income taxes, gas taxes, sales taxes and others, Illinoisans are growing in frustration with their tax gatherers. When will enough be enough?

CHICAGO - Who's not focused on Illinois' outrageously high property taxes these days? During the last two weeks of 2017, property owners throughout the state stood in lines to pay their taxes early with hopes they could deduct them for the last time when they file federal income tax returns next April.

Gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy - son of the late Bobby Kennedy - criticized his party for ignoring or covering up the property tax issue in a Peoria Journal-Star interview over the weekend.

This is not the Democratic Party that represents Kennedy values. These are people who are making money off the system as property tax appeals lawyers thats destroying our ability to educate the next generation of kids in our state. You want economic development? Jobs go to where the highly educated high school and college kids are. You cant produce highly educated high school kids when you rely on property taxes. Everybody knows that, yet we cling to that system because our leadership is property tax appeals lawyers, and theyre destroying our state.

The Chicago Tribune's editorial Monday ripped the Democrats on the same topic, blaming Speaker Mike Madigan, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook Co Board President Toni Preckwinkle:

In 2016, Cook County Assessor Joseph Berrios began the year staunchly defending nepotism in his office. He began 2017 engaged in an ethics battle with the countys inspector general. And he begins 2018 under intense scrutiny for a property assessment system that, according to a lawsuit, perpetuates institutional racism, a serious, recurring charge Berrios denies. Most politicians would not survive with a professional record as questionable as his. But bad press has never sidelined Berrios. It hasnt ended his political relationships either. From Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle to House Speaker Michael Madigan, Berrios allies protect him and campaign donors help re-elect him.

The discussion opened up Monday in the IL GOP with gubernatorial primary challenger State Rep. Jeanne Ives' criticism of how incumbent Governor Bruce Rauner has handled the property tax issue during his first term. On her Facebook page, Ives wrote with a link to the Chicago Tribune editorial:

The response from the Dems and Rauner has been pathetic. Want to change the system? Get rid of the corruption. Rauner should have focused on this rather than a fake freeze amendment. Leadership matters and I have never met a leader who says they are not in charge.

The parties will decide their nominees in the March 20, 2018 primaries.
The Samsung Galaxy S6 recently got an update that was supposed to improve the overall experience, but it also brought some issues. According to user reports, the Galaxy S6 keeps losing its Wi-Fi connection after being updated to new the firmware carrying build number G920FXXu5EQI8, which in turn also affects battery life. It seems the update triggered a Wi-Fi authentication glitch and the phone wont stay connected to Wi-Fi for more than a few minutes. Users report that this happens on all Wi-Fi networks, and that re-entering the Wi-Fi passwords does not solve the issue. No solution is available at this point for this matter, but Samsung is currently looking into the matter and is expected to issue a fix soon enough.

The issue is not only frustrating, but also costly in some cases. Users dont always notice at once that their Wi-Fi connection has dropped, and staying online with no Wi-Fi can incur extra data costs. The phone connects to Wi-Fi, but drops shortly after and yields a message saying authentication error occurred. Moreover, users are also reporting that the Wi-Fi connectivity issues are also taking a heavy toll on the smartphones battery. As the device keeps trying to reconnect to available Wi-Fi networks, its battery drains significantly faster than it should. Some users have even tried restoring the smartphone to factory settings and resetting the cache partitions, but to no avail  the issues persisted.

Affected Galaxy S6 users took to the official Samsung Community forums, as well as other sites such as Twitter and Reddit, to report on the matter. Based on the number of user reports, it seems that the issue is quite widespread. The good news is that a Samsung Community moderator acknowledged the issue and said that developers are working to fix it, albeit no additional information is available at this point. If Samsung is aware of the glitch and is working on it, however, it shouldnt take too long before it figures out what went wrong so it can fix it. In the meantime, some users have found a couple of workarounds such as setting the router to broadcast only on 2.4GHz, or changing the DNS setting to STATIC. These tricks may not work for everyone, but theyre the only solutions available until Samsung rolls out an official fix.
Last month, a forum moderator over at MIUI Forums said that Xiaomi dropped the Redmi Note brand for its budget phones, though according to a new rumor, the Redmi Note 5 is on its way. The forum post that was published last month was moderators opinion, and was not based on any info provided by the company, so this new rumor may actually be accurate. Xiaomis forum moderator suggested that the Redmi 5 Plus replaced the Redmi Note 5, at least based on the release timeframe, but if this new rumor is to be believed, the Redmi Note 5 is coming, and it will be announced in the second quarter of this year.

This rumor is coming from China, of course, and it also suggests that the Redmi Note 5 will be fueled by the Snapdragon 632, which would make it a mid-range smartphone, of course. The rumor goes on saying that the Redmi Note 5 has been in testing for quite some time now, and it also states that the Snapdragon 632 is coming. The Snapdragon 632 will, allegedly, be less powerful than the Snapdragon 636, as it will sport lower clock speed, but it seems like it will be identical to the Snapdragon 636 in every other way. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 is expected to ship with a 5.99-inch display with an 18:9 aspect ratio, at least according to this rumor. The device also sport rather thin bezels, similar to the ones on the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 5 will sport 4GB of RAM if this rumor is to be believed, and even though storage hasnt been mentioned, chances are that Xiaomi will release both 32GB and 64GB storage models.

The device is also expected to ship with a dual camera setup on the back, and if the provided info is to be believed, it will sport two 12-megapixel cameras, while the Redmi 5 and Redmi 5 Plus comes with a single main snapper. A new price point was not mentioned in the rumor, but previous rumors suggested that the device will cost 1,599 Yuan ($246), and that may end up being true, in any case, well have to wait and see what will happen.

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Xiaomi has confirmed that the Mi A1, which is part of the Android One program, is officially receiving Android 8.0 Oreo. The Xiaomi Mi A1 was launched back in September 2017, marking the Chinese companys first device to ship with stock Android out of the box. But despite being an Android One device it didnt come with the latest software  the company instead promised an update to Android 8.0 at a later date. Now, that date has arrived and Xiaomi has confirmed via its official Twitter account that the software will be rolling out gradually to devices across the globe.

The Chinese manufacturer initially rolled out the Android 8.0 Oreo beta for the Mi A1 a while back, something that confirmed various new features that were set to be included in the final update. The final update, which will roll out in batches, weighs in at 1107.4MB and includes the December 2017 security patch. In terms of features, the new software brings Picture-in-Picture mode and WebView enhancements. As well as this, the redesigned settings menu is introduced to Mi A1 users, alongside the tweaked notifications panel and new adaptive app icons. Also included is the new keyboard navigation and the AAudio API for improved audio. As a result of the newly tweaked software, the battery performance should also receive a boost, while Xiaomi has also included support for fast charging, which was a highly requested feature among users. The support will be yet another welcome addition to the Mi A1s already-impressive spec sheet, which includes a large 5.5-inch fullHD display and Qualcomms Snapdragon 625 on the inside. Not only this, but 4GB of RAM is also included alongside 64GB of internal storage, while the camera department is also pretty impressive, with a front-facing 5-megapixel sensor, and a dual 12-megapixel camera setup on the rear, all of which is available for the equivalent of $275.

Although the Xiaomi Mi A1 is only just receiving Android 8.0 Oreo, the device has already been confirmed to receive this years Android P update, which is expected to see a late summer release. Not only this but because of the Android One program, its likely to be one of the first devices to receive the software. For now, though, those still waiting for the Android 8.0 update should make sure they have the latest December update installed (7.12.19) in order to receive the new software.
In 2017, the Ukrainian State defense industry UkrOboronProm plants started and successfully completed development and testing of new military equipment and weapons, with the goal to strengthen the Ukrainian army in the near future. Only this year the BTR-4MV1, the combat UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) Horlytsya, the 3D observation radar 80K6T, T-72AMT main battle tank and many other modern weapon products were demonstrated.



New Ukrainian-made BTR-4MV1 8x8 Armoured Personnel Carrier APC vehicle (Picture source Defense Blog)

The BTR-4MV1 was unveiled for the first time to the public in Kiev during the Defense Exhibition Arms and security in October 2017. The BTR-4MV1 was developed using BTR-4 operation experience in combat zone. The vehicle is build using NATO standards and technological solutions in accordance with the latest generation of armored vehicles technology. This allowed to achieve fundamentally new combat capabilities of the new vehicle.

The first prototype of the BTR-4MV1 was equipped with the BM-3 "Shturm" remote-controlled weapon station, but the vehicle can also be fitted with other weapons station as the BAU-23x2, "Grom" turret or BM-7 "Parus" turret. The BM-3 "Shturm" turret is armed with a ZTM-1 30 mm automatic gun which can be remotely operated to provide increased soldier protection in hostile environments. There is also two launchers on the right side of the turret for the Barrier anti-tank laser-guided missiles.

The BTR-4MV1 is based on an modular platform offering the possibility to install additional types of protection (including ceramic plates and explosive reactive armour) to reach the fourth and fifth protection levels in accordance with the NATO standards.

The BTR-4MV1 has a crew of three including driver, commander and gunner and can carry seven troops at the rear of the hull.



New Ukrainian-made T-72AMT main battle tank

The T-72AMT is an upgraded variant of the Soviet-made T-72A main battle tank (MBT) developed in Ukraine by the Kiev Armoured Plant. It was developed based on the experience acquire by the Ukrainian troops in the Anti-Terrorist Operation Zone (ATO) zone.

The protection of the T-72AMT has been upgraded with new armour around the turret and Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA) mounted at the front and each side of the hull.

Main armament of the T-72AMT consists of one 125mm 2A46 smoothbore gun, which has a rate of fire of six to eight rounds a minute. It can also fire anti-tank laser-guided missile developed by State Kyiv Design Bureau Luch. This missile uses a semi-automatic guidance from laser beam and can penetrate 750 mm of armour at a range of 5 km.

The T-72AMT main battle tank is motorized with a diesel engine developing 840 hp, it can run at a maximum road speed of 60km/h.
Jacob Lew, former Treasury Secretary under Barack Obama, told Bloomberg radio that the GOP tax cuts will substantially drive up the deficit and leave America "broke":

"It's a ticking time bomb in terms of the debt... What we've seen is a tax cut that spends money we don't have to have very concentrated benefits for global corporations and the top 1 percent, and it's leaving us broke."

What's next: Lew said America's poorest will be hit the hardest as the GOP struggles to cope with the rising debt. "We are going to see proposals to cut health insurance for poor people, to take basic food support away from poor people, to attack Medicare and Social Security. One could not have made up a more cynical strategy."

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Gretchen Carlson, former Fox News anchor and 1989 Miss America, was named chairwoman of the Miss America Organization's board of directors yesterday, AP reports.

Why it matters, via the New York Times: "Carlson, ... whose harassment lawsuit against the Fox chairman Roger Ailes led to his departure in July 2016, will be expected to lead the pageant through its own harassment scandal."
Israeli and White House officials say Vice President Mike Pence is expected to visit Jerusalem later in January.

White House officials tell Axios these plans are still in the works and no date has been finalized, and two Israeli officials tell me he's expected on January 21 for a visit that will last around 24 hours.

Details:

The Israeli officials said that during the trip to Israel Pence is expected to meet President Rivlin, PM Benjamin Netanyahu and head of opposition Itzhak Herzog.

He will also visit the Western Wall and Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial.

It is still unclear if Pence will give a speech at the Knesset  the Israeli parliament  as he planned to do in his original trip.

For now Pence is not expected to meet Palestinian officials during his trip.

Pence planned to visit Israel two weeks ago but postponed his trip because of the Senate vote on the tax reform. Another reason for postponing the visit was the crisis between the U.S. and the Palestinian Authority over President Trump's Jerusalem announcement. PA president Mahmoud Abbas has announced he will not meet Pence.

From Israel: One of the Israeli officials said PM Netanyahu's aides proposed to the VP's office the 21st of January as the date for the visit  right after Netanyahu returns from a trip to India. The Israeli official said no final decision was made but that Pence is looking favorably at this date and the expectation in Jerusalem is that he will arrive.

From Washington: Alyssa Farah, Press Secretary for Vice President Mike Pence, told me: "As we've said all along, the Vice President is going in January. We're finalizing details and will announce specifics of the full trip in the coming days."
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued his first public comments Tuesday on the unrest currently gripping Iran, blaming foreign "enemies of Iran"  especially "intelligence services"  for the protests.

A tweet previously embedded here has been deleted or was tweeted from an account that has been suspended or deleted.

More to come: Khamenei added that he'd have "something to say" when the "time is right" after a night of continued unrest that saw nine more die across Iran, including a member of the nation's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, per the AP.
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.
South Korea has proposed high-level talks with North Korea next week in the border town, Panmunjom. This comes after Kim Jong-un suggested in his New Year's Day speech that the two countries "urgently meet," per the NYT. The key topics up for discussion: military exercises and the Olympics.

Why it matters: It would be the first official dialogue between the two countries since South Korean President Moon Jae-in took office last year. Moon has been pushing for talks, whereas Trump's approach has been to keep a military option on the table.

The North and South used to communicate through a telephone hotline in Panmunjom, until 2016 when former South Korean president Park Geun-hye shut it down. The South's point man for North Korean relations recommended this week that the countries reopen that line.

What Kim said: He suggested Monday that his country send a delegation of athletes to participate in the winter Olympics, which will be hosted this February in South Korea.

Picture this: North Korean athletes traveling across the Demilitarized Zone between the two countries. It would be quite the symbolism to mark the outset of 2018 after a year of tensions ratcheting up over potential conflict on the Korean peninsula.

North Korean athletes traveling across the Demilitarized Zone between the two countries. It would be quite the symbolism to mark the outset of 2018 after a year of tensions ratcheting up over potential conflict on the Korean peninsula. The two countries marched together at the opening ceremonies of the 2004 Athens Olympics and of the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the same year they held their first summit meeting.

Kim also touted the DPRK's nuclear capabilities and suggested the two countries build peace. "Above all, we must ease the acute military tensions between the North and the SouthThe North and the South should no longer do anything that would aggravate the situation," Kim said.

He also suggested South Korea and the U.S. end their joint military drills, which the North interprets as preparation for invasion. This could potentially add tension to the South's relationship with the U.S., per the NYT.

Trump weighed in, pointing out that the North's interest in talking is "Perhapsgood news, perhaps not  we will see!"

Go deeper with the NYT's Choe Sang-hun
The Trump administration has called on the Iranian government to lift restrictions on social media apps including Instagram and Telegram, AP reports. The restrictions were temporarily imposed to "maintain tranquillity during the anti-government protests in the country, per Iran's state-sponsored news agency. Iran's government blocked access to social media as part of its "iron fist" response to the pro-reform protests.

Why it matters: Tech platforms have allowed groups to organize around ideas in ways that they could not before. Many argued that access to social media helped facilitate protests that led to democratic revolution during the Arab Spring in 2012.
By Trend

Over the past 24 hours, Armenias armed forces have 145 times violated the ceasefire along the line of contact between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said on January 2.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

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By 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.

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By Trend

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.

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By 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.

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By 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.

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By Trend

Vice President Mike Pence, who postponed a Middle East trip after Arab leaders denounced the new U.S. policy on Jerusalem, isnt scheduled to visit Israel in January, either, according to an Israeli official, TIME reports.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon said the visit isnt included in the schedule of high-level dignitaries in January, without elaborating on the reason for the delay. White House and Pence spokespeople didnt have immediate comment.

The vice president had planned to meet with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in December and deliver a speech to the Israeli Knesset, but the visit was put off until this month.

The official reason given was a critical Senate vote on the tax reform bill, but the postponement followed Arab objections to President Donald Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who claims east Jerusalem for the capital of a future state of Palestine, canceled a scheduled meeting with Pence in response to the U.S. move.

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By Umid Niayesh/ Trend

In recent years, there were always claims in Iran that the Islamic Republics trade ties surged under the ex-president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Washington became Tehrans first trade partner during the administration of the pragmatic president, who was at office from 1989 to 1997.

The claim was first raised in the 1990s by Asr-e-Ma, an analytical weekly, established by left-hand Organization of the Islamic Revolution Mojahedin (OIRM), which later became one of the core parties of the reformist wing in Iran.

The speculation raised again by hardliner conservatives during the Hassan Rouhani presidency, after the Islamic Republic reached a historic nuclear deal with the US-led Western powers in 2015, which paved the path to removal of international sanctions against Tehran.

What the claims say:

According to the claims, the US increased its annual trade with Iran to $5 billion during the Rafsanjani period and became Tehrans "first trade partner," in particular in 1991-1995, in a bid to dominate the Islamic Republic economically and make Tehran dependent on Washington.

The US oil firms were purchasing 30 percent of Irans crude directly and bringing into account the indirect crude purchases, almost 50 percent of Irans export was sold to US firms and nearly 35 percent of Iran's foreign exchange earnings were provided through the United States.

However, in 1995 a total embargo on dealings with Iran by American companies was imposed by then president, Bill Clinton. This ended trade, which had been growing following the end of the IranIraq War (1980-1988). The next year, the American Congress passed the Iran-Libya Sanctions act, designed to prevent other countries from making large investments in Iranian energy.

The official figures

Despite the "$5 billion turnover" and "first trade partner" claims, indirect business is not included in two countries trade turnover. 

The official statistics indicate that before the Islamic Revolution, the mutual trade between Tehran and Washington experienced the highest value in 1978, when the US exports to Iran accounted to $3.7 billion. The same year Irans imports from the US reached $2.9 billion. On the verge of the revolution, the US and West Germany were Irans top trade partners.

The US was exporting technology, industrial equipment as well as agricultural and consumer goods to Iran.

Tehran and Washington broke off diplomatic relations following the seizure of US embassy staff in Tehran in the months after the 1979 revolution. Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days (Nov. 4, 1979-Jan. 20, 1981), after a group of Iranian students supporting the Iranian Revolution took over the embassy.

In 1981, the first year after releasing the hostages, US exports to Iran accounted to $300 million, against $64 million worth of imports.

In the following years, the mutual trade between the two countries was changing, going up and down, but never again witnessed record figures registered before the Islamic Revolution.

The US energy firms, reportedly continued crude oil purchase from Iran, worth $3.5 billion per year, via their subsidiaries till the mid-1990s, when sanctions were broadened.

Three decades of trade ties

In the years following the Islamic Revolution, the Iran-US mutual trade fluctuated from year to year, experiencing the highest value in 1987, but it registered a sharp fall and came down to zero, in 1996, after the Clinton administration imposed new sanctions against Tehran in 1995.

The trade was restored in 2000 when bans on carpets and caviar imports from Iran were lifted.

In 2008, bilateral trade totaled over $787 million, registering a 148 percent increase, which was followed by a sharp fall the next year, when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became Irans president for the second term.

Removal of international sanctions against Tehran in 2016 only contributed to Irans imports to US, which experienced a 700-percent rise year on year to $88 million, meanwhile the overall trade stood at $216 million, 11 percent less than the preceding year.

The latest statistics released by the United States Census Bureau reveal that the condition has worsened compared to 2016.

Mutual trade turnover between the two countries stood at $159.7 million during the first ten months of 2017, 23 percent less year on year.

The US exports to Iran reached $109.8 million in the 10-month period (18 percent less year on year), meanwhile Irans export to US decreased by about 3 percent to $49.9 million in the same time span.

The table below covers the trade information between Iran and the US in 1985-2016 (based on data from the US Census Bureau):
On the front, the 2019 Hyundai Veloster gets a large hexagonal grille, with slim headlights resting on top of it.

Hyundai has started off the new year with a teaser of the latest generation Veloster which is scheduled to debut at the upcoming North American Internation Auto Show in Detroit. In the latest teaser video, Hyundai has revealed the 2nd generation Veloster's outline before lighting it up with constantly changing LEDs. One can still make out certain changes in the new generation model from the South Korean manufacturers.

On the front, the 2019 Hyundai Veloster gets a large hexagonal grille, with slim headlights resting on top of it. The hood appears to be lower and the 2019 Hyundai Veloster gains sharper edges than its predecessor and is complimented by large tail lights.

Under the bonnet, the new generation Veloster will get two engine options- a 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine producing max power of 159bhp, while the 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel engine will belt out 198bhp of power. The petrol engine will come mated to a 6-Speed manual or a 6-Speed automatic gearbox. The diesel engine gets a 6-Speed manual or a 7-Speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

You can watch the video here .
By Trend

Iran has reopened Parvizkhan border crossings with Iraqs northern Kurdistan region after closing the border checkpoint at Baghdads request in response to the secession referendum in the area back in October.

The governor-general for Irans western province of Kermanshah, Houshang Bazvand, has said that officials reopened the border checkpoint on Tuesday morning, Mehr news agency reported.

Iraq had asked the Islamic Republic to close its border crossings with Kurdistan after the region held a controversial referendum on independence on September 25.

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WVU Medicine Berkeley Medical Center and the Martinsburg Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of a new outpatient surgery center Dec. 21. Both organizations are in Martinsburg, W. Va.

Here's what you should know:

1. The surgery center will open for the public Jan. 3.

2. The center has four operating rooms and 12 preoperative and postoperative procedure rooms.

3. The center will only open two ORs initially, and it will open the other two ORs in the middle of the year.

4. Center physicians will offer gastroenterology and ophthalmology services to begin with. Once the additional ORs are opened, center administrators anticipate adding other specialties.

5. Center Director Nicole Sinsebox, RN, said the center was developed to "assist us in accommodating the health needs of our community."
Physicians should be active on multiple social media platforms to build a trustworthy brand, according to a Medscape article.

Here's what you should know:

1. Social media can be an invaluable tool for physicians to build a brand, demonstrate expertise, collect reviews and educate patients; but to accomplish any of these tasks, practices need to have a social media presence.

2. Medscape's Managing Editor of Social Media Liz Neporent said, "If you are going to do social, you have to know what your purpose is. When you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. The same is true for social."

3. Social media needs to be thought of as an integrated marketing strategy. Instead of thinking of social media as a standalone entity, think of it as a recruiting tool  every like, comment or post on your page works as an independent referral.

4. Having patients like your page is an important aspect of social media. Dallas-based Genecov Orthodontics' Office Manager Tara Hudson said the practice uses social media to hold contests, post about staff accomplishments, share community events the practice is sponsoring and share "lots of smiling patients." The results have been noticeable.

She said, "The average person thinks a doctor is a doctor is a doctor. They assume the doctor has a certain skill level. They want to know who you are as a person, what makes you different. Social media helps you get that across."

5. As to what platform you should be investing in, an all-around approach is desirable, but efforts should be microfocused to ensure a practice is reaching an audience that'll most likely utilize its services.

For more information, click here.
Moving into the New Year, one development to watch is the ICD-11 version for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics.

Here are six things to know about ICD-11.

1. The World Health Organization is working to prepare ICD-11 coding guidelines, which are set for release in 2018.

2. The Joint Task Force steering group has been helping with preparation efforts. According to WHO, the group has offered strategic and technical advice.

3. WHO also started a Medical Scientific Advisory Committee in 2016. According to WHO, experts on the committee were primarily tasked with advising on scientific content for ICD-11.

4. Additionally, a Revision Steering Group was participated in the revision process for roughly a decade. WHO said the group primarily offered "guidance through reviewing the content to ensure adequate coverage of the full scope of healthcare diseases and related health conditions while addressing the needs of users."

5. A Beta draft of ICD-11 is available here. The draft, updated routinely, is not final.

6. The current proposal for ICD-11 includes "gaming disorder" under the subcategory of "disorders due to addictive behaviors," according to Fortune. The ICD-11 draft describes a gaming disorder as "a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behavior ('digital gaming' or 'video-gaming'), which may be online (i.e., over the internet) or offline, manifested by: 1) impaired control over gaming (e.g., onset, frequency, intensity, duration, termination, context); 2) increasing priority given to gaming to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other life interests and daily activities; and 3) continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences."

Read more about ICD-11 here.

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A federal judge has dismissed an injunction requested by hospital groups and health systems to block payment cuts for drugs purchased through the 340B Drug Pricing Program.

Here are six things to know.

1. In November, CMS released its 2018 Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System rule, which finalized a proposal to pay hospitals 22.5 percent less than the average sales price for drugs purchased through the 340B program. This change would reduce Medicare payments to hospitals by $1.6 billion. CMS said it would implement this policy in a budget-neutral manner by offsetting the projected $1.6 billion decrease in drug payments by redistributing an equal amount for non-drug items and services within the OPPS.

2. Less than two weeks after the OPPS rule was released, the American Hospital Association, America's Essential Hospitals and the Association of American Medical Colleges sued HHS to halt the payment cuts. The groups were joined in the lawsuit by three health systems: Brewer, Maine-based Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems; Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System; and Hendersonville, N.C.-based Park Ridge Health.

3. In their lawsuit, the hospital groups and health systems argued the 340B provisions of the OPPS final rule violate the Social Security Act and should be set aside. The lawsuit further alleged the 340B provisions are outside of the HHS secretary's statutory authority.

4. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit Dec. 29, meaning CMS can proceed with the cuts. The judge said the lawsuit was premature, but he did not rule on the merits of the case.

5. The hospital groups and health systems may refile their lawsuit after exploring other avenues to challenge the cuts, according to a joint statement released by the hospital groups.

"Making cuts to the program, like those CMS has put forward, will dramatically threaten access to healthcare for many communities with vulnerable patients," said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the AHA. "We are disappointed in this decision from the court and will continue our efforts in the Courts and the Congress to reverse these significant cuts to the 340B program."

6. The Trump administration was pleased with the court's ruling. "Under President Trump, the Department of Health and Human Services has acted to lower the cost of medication for Medicare beneficiaries," an HHS spokesman told The Wall Street Journal. "This ruling allows that effort to move forward and advance President Trump's strong commitment to addressing the high cost of prescription drugs."

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Congress failed to repeal and replace the ACA in 2017, and though it is unclear if Republicans will be able to dismantle the legislation with midterm elections looming in 2018, there are still actions President Donald Trump can take to undermine the ACA, according to The Hill.

Here are the five ways President Trump could weaken the ACA in 2018.



1. Follow through on his October executive order. President Trump signed an executive order in October aimed at easing ACA regulations on association health plans and extending short-term coverage. These policies have not yet been enacted, and many experts have questioned how hard President Trump will push them in 2018.

In a Thursday interview with The New York Times, President Trump said the threat of association health plans could be used as a bargaining tool in attempts to negotiate bipartisan health legislation with Democrats.

2. Continue outreach cuts. The Trump administration cut ACA outreach funding by 90 percent in 2017, and if President Trump decides to cut funding again, it is unclear what the implications will be for enrollment in 2018.

3. Target the essential health benefits. While President Trump cannot repeal the ACA's essential health benefits law without Congressional approval, he can loosen the definition of these benefits to give states the flexibility to change their interpretations of the law.

4. Allow insurers to leave counties. State insurance commissioners took many stopgap measures to prevent insurers from leaving counties in 2017, but unless the Trump administration takes steps to solidify markets in 2018, the ACA could weaken significantly.

5. Not support ACA stabilization bills. The Alexander-Murray market stabilization bill and a reinsurance proposal from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, have received support from Senate leadership, but unless President Trump pressures the House to support the measures, they have a much lower chance of passing into law.

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CVS Health's $69 billion bid for Aetna represents CVS CEO Larry Merlo's most ambitious and challenging step in his 27 years with the pharmacy giant, the Hartford Courant reports.

Here are four things to know about Mr. Merlo's career and the proposed Aetna deal.



1. Mr. Merlo, a pharmacist, became CEO of CVS in 2011. Since taking the reins, he began transitioning the drugstore chain into a healthcare company. Mr. Merlo removed tobacco products from CVS' shelves. The move cost CVS $2 billion annually, but elevated its standing within the healthcare sector. He also turned around a financially draining $27 billion merger with pharmacy benefits manager Caremark.



2. CVS Health's proposed acquisition of Aetna, unveiled in December, is Mr. Merlo's next move toward growing CVS' role within the healthcare industry. Under the potential merger, CVS Health will establish and expand its walk-in medical "MinuteClinics," which currently operate in more than 1,000 pharmacies. The goal is to move care closer to where patients live, strengthening the partnership between pharmacists, physicians and patients. Improving care outcomes and avoiding costly emergency room visits are a few of the deal's end goals, which the companies intend to reach through early care interventions at neighborhood clinics.



3. Scott Mushkin, a managing director at Wolfe Research in Stamford, Conn., told the Hartford Courant the deal represents something different than Mr. Merlo has ever attempted as CVS' CEO.



"What Larry surprised on the upside is that he's really been good at navigating CVS through pretty hostile competitive dynamics over the last few years. The difference now is that they actually have to create these clinics or these mini-centers. Yes, they have MinuteClinics. They need a lot more than MinuteClinics to really make this work," Mr. Mushkin said.



4. Patricia Kroboth, PhD, dean of the pharmacy school at the University of Pittsburgh, where Mr. Merlo studied, told the Hartford Courant Mr. Merlo's pharmacy education is a key part of CVS Health's pivot toward the healthcare sector  and its move to acquire Aetna.

"He has that in-depth knowledge of what it means to be a pharmacist who is interacting with the public and through his other experiences what it means to manage the insurance aspects of this," Dr. Kroboth said. "He understands how sometimes spending more money on drugs makes the overall cost of a disease less."



For the full Hartford Courant article, click here.



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70-year-old Harvey J. Makadon, MD, a prominent physician advocate for the LGBTQ community, resigned from Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Dec. 8 following allegations of sexual misconduct, according to The Boston Globe.

A spokesperson for Boston-based Harvard Medical School confirmed to The Boston Globe Dr. Makadon's status as a faculty member at the institution also ended Dec. 8.

His resignation from Beth Israel follows a previous Boston Globe report that said Dr. Makadon, who also practiced as a physician at Fenway Community Health Center, continued to work at Fenway Community for years despite several complaints alleging he had repeatedly engaged in sexual harassment and bullying. He was forced to resign from Fenway Community by March 1, according to the report.

Three men have come forward with allegations against Dr. Makadon and discussed their complaints with The Boston Globe Jan 2. The three individuals told the publication they reluctantly came forward with the allegations in the hope that medical institutions will take greater care to protect medical students, residents and patients from harassment, according to the report.

Through statements provided by his lawyer, Dr. Makadon told The Boston Globe some of the allegations against him are untrue, but apologized for his behavior in other cases.

"I now understand that at times my behavior caused some to feel uncomfortable in my presence. For that, I am truly sorry," Dr. Makadon said in the statement. "I have worked hard during my career to advance the care of patients with HIV and sexual and gender minorities.  I have never knowingly used my role to harm those whom I sought to help."

The Massachusetts State Board of Registration in Medicine lists Dr. Makadon's license as "active," but notes he is not currently practicing. Dr. Makadon's has no record of healthcare facility discipline, no record of felony or serious misdemeanor convictions and no record of out-of-state discipline, according to his profile on the board's website.

To read the full report, click here.

Editor's note: Becker's Hospital Review reached out to Beth Israel Deaconness Medical Center for comment and will update the report as more information becomes available.
The West Virginia Supreme Court will rule on two arguments pertaining to the proposed merger of Huntington, W.Va.-based St. Mary's Medical Center and Cabell Huntington (W.Va.) Hospital Jan. 23, according to The Herald-Dispatch.

The two arguments stem from complaints submitted by Steel of West Virginia, a steel company that has voiced its opposition to the deal since it was announced in 2014. The company has said the proposed transaction would create a healthcare monopoly in the Huntington area and would likely result in higher prices and diminished quality of care for consumers  an argument the Federal Trade Commission also used to oppose the merger, though it later opted to suspend its challenge.

The first argument involves Steel of West Virginia's complaint regarding the West Virginia Health Care Authority's decision to grant Cabell Huntington and St. Mary's a certificate of need for the proposed merger. The steel company alleged the state healthcare authority violated the law by failing to consider a "superior alternative" to the proposed merger and failing to obtain information on other prospective bidders. A federal judge approved the healthcare authority's decision to grant the CON approval last April.

The second argument involves an appeal by West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey to an October 2016 trial court decision that ruled his office must turn over documentation relating to the merger requested by Steel of West Virginia, the report states.

The attorney general's office previously claimed the disclosure of the documents, which included letters from politicians and local business leaders supporting the proposed merger, was impertinent because Mr. Morrisey secured the documents during an antitrust investigation into the deal.

To read the full report, click here.
The new A-Class gets a new evaluation with a climate tunnel with wind speed of up to 50kmph and temperature going as low as minus 28 degree Celsius.

Mercedes-Benz's next launch is going to be the new-generation A-Class hatchback, which is all set to make its global debut at this year's Geneva Motor Show 2018. However, before its global unveiling, the Stuttgart-based carmaker has showcased a new trailer for the car, teasing a camouflaged 2018 Mercedes Benz A-Class which is undergoing cold weather testing.

The new video teaser gives us an extensive reveal on the car and the kind of testing it has gone through. While Mercedes Benz has not made it official, it is believed it will pull the wraps off the new-gen A-Class on the first day of the Geneva Motor Show, which is March 8, 2018.

Apart from being tested in the harsh sub-zero winter climate of Sweden, the new A-Class gets a new evaluation with a climate tunnel with wind speed of up to 50kmph and temperature going as low as minus 28 degree Celsius.

Under the bonnet, the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class could come with a 1.6-litre or a 2-litre petrol engine, and a 2-litre or a 1.5-litre diesel motor. All the engines will get a 9-Speed DCT gearbox, with reports of a 6-Speed manual transmission as well. The car might also get also get the new turbocharged 1.3-liter petrol engine developed by Renault and Mercedes, which is available in three power configurations - 157 bhp, 138 bhp and 113 bhp.

You can watch the teaser video here .
Montrose (Colo.) Memorial Hospital and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reached an agreement regarding age-discrimination complaints filed by former hospital employees, according to the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.

Under the agreement, which had not been accepted in federal court as of Dec. 29, MMH said it will pay the EEOC $400,000 for legal expenses and settlements to the nearly 30 involved employees, according to the report.

Additionally, the former employees may apply for open positions at MMH, the hospital told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel via statement. The hospital said it does not have to rehire the former employees who apply, but it must equally consider them as candidates.

The case stems from an EEOC lawsuit in which the agency claimed a group of workers, age 40 and older, were fired or forced to quit due to age. According to the EEOC, hospital managers made ageist remarks, and one nurse was fired for "performance deficiencies for which younger nurses were treated much more leniently." These actions, the EEOC said, violate the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

MMH officials told the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel the hospital denies the allegations but decided "the Montrose community was best served by an earlier end rather than protracted litigation and legal fees."

Hospital Board Chairman Ron Courtney said in the report the EEOC originally sought $2.5 million in damages.

For more on this story, read the full Grand Junction Daily Sentinel report here.

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Palo Alto, Calif. could become the first city in the U.S. to deliver blood supplies via drones, according to WTOL.

The company behind the emerging technology is Matternet, a startup based in Menlo Park, Calif. that focuses on building autonomous drones for blood and plasma delivery.

The Stanford Blood Center, which is located in Palo Alto, is interested in this technology to cut down on transportation time for blood supplies to Palo Alto-based Stanford Hospital.

"We'll use a drone to deliver blood from Stanford Blood Center about 3.5 miles to Stanford Hospital down the road," said Tho Pham, the medical director for the Stanford Blood Center.

Currently, it can take anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour to transport blood from the blood center to the hospital. However, a drone could cut this time to 10 minutes.

The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced it would select a small number of pilot projects to help integrate drones into various industries. City officials submitted their application to approve Matternet's drones for blood supply delivery. The FAA is expected to make a decision within 90 days.

"We saw it as a really opportune moment for us to be in potentially on the front end of developing policies that could affect cities in the future," said James Keene, Palo Alto's city manager.
In 2009, The New England Journal of Medicine published two studies, the INVEST and Australian trials, that cast doubt on the benefits of vertebral augmentation.1,2 The analyses found no significant differences in pain relief between vertebroplasty and a sham intervention. These studies fueled confusion among providers, leaving many in the industry unsure of the potential benefits associated with vertebral augmentation.

This content is sponsored by Medtronic

Patients with a VCF have a five-fold increased risk of suffering a subsequent vertebral fracture compared with their pre-morbid condition or age matched controls.3, 4 Each additional VCF increases a patient's mortality risk.5

Several recent large clinical studies followed for at least 12 months after vertebral compression fracture (VCF) have concluded that mortality rates following VCFs are significantly higher for patients treated conservatively versus VP or BKP, while other studies have concluded no difference. For more information, visit www.medtronic.com/bkpmortality.

Since 2009, six retrospective claims studies have been published, where researchers focused on mortality risk of balloon kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty compared to that of non-surgical management.

1. The 2017 Ong et al. analysis investigated if VCF patients were at a higher risk of mortality in the years following the publication of the 2009 trials. The study included more than 2 million patients, broken down as follows: 261,756 BKP patients, 117,232 VP patients and 1,698,956 NSM patients.6 Overall, the propensity-adjusted 10-year mortality risk for the VCF population was 85.1 percent; procedure comparisons at 10-year follow up showed:

24 percent higher mortality risk for NSM versus BKP, p<0.001

8 percent higher mortality risk for NSM versus VP, p<0.001

13 percent lower mortality risk for BKP versus VP, p<0.001

2. The Edidin et al. 2015 study examined a total of 1,038,956 VCF patients with up to four years follow up. Of the patients, 141,343 patients underwent BKP and 75,364 underwent VP. The non-operated patients had a 55 percent higher propensity-adjusted mortality risk (p<0.001) than the BKP patients and a 25 percent higher mortality risk (p<0.001) than the VP patients. Researchers found the non-operated patients experienced significantly higher adjusted risks of pneumonia, myocardial infarction/cardiac complications, deep vein thrombosis and urinary tract infection than the BKP patients experienced. Also, the non-operated group had lower adjusted risks of subsequent augmentation/fusion, subsequent augmentation and pulmonary/respiratory complications.7

3. The 2014 Lange et al. study analyzed 3,607 patients with osteoporotic VCFs, of which 598 underwent BKP or VP with a five-year follow up. Using propensity score matching, researchers found patients in the operated group were 43 percent less likely to die compared to the non-operated cohort (p<0.001). Further, those patients receiving BKP had a 66.7 percent 60-month adjusted survival rate compared to the 58.7 percent survival rate for VP (p=0.68).8

4. In 2013, McCullough et al. studied one-year mortality risk among 10,541 augmented patients and 115,851 NSM patients. The study, utilizing a 20 percent sample of Medicare data, found mortality was lower in the augmented group (5.2 percent) than in the control group (6.7 percent) using traditional covariate adjustments (p<0.001). After propensity score matching, accounting for selection bias, however, the researchers found no significant difference between the augmented (5.6 percent) and control patients (5.2 percent) for one-year morality (p=0.18).9

5. The 2013 Chen et al. study compared VP, BKP and non-operated management for VCF patients with total follow up of 129,783 person-years. The study involved 68,752 VCF patients broken into the following cohorts: 55.6 percent nonoperative, 11.2 percent VP and 33.2 percent BKP. The study demonstrated kyphoplasty yielded longer three-year patient survival at 59.9 percent compared with VP at 49.7 percent and non-operated treatment at 42.3 percent (p<0.001).10

6. The 2011 Edidin A. et al. study analyzed Medicare data from 2005 to 2008 to assess the mortality risk for VCF patients receiving non-operated management, BKP or VP with up to four years follow up. Of the 858,978 total patients newly diagnosed with VCFs, 13.9 percent (119,253 patients) received BKP and 7.4 percent (63,693 patients) received VP. Researchers found adjusted survival rates of 60.8 percent in the operated cohort to be higher compared to 50 percent in the non-operated cohort (p<0.001). In comparing the operated subgroups, survival of 57.3 percent for VP patients, was lower than 62.8 percent for BKP patients (p<0.001).11

Despite much clinical evidence supporting vertebral augmentation,12,13 some providers strayed away from the procedures. For example, vertebral augmentation volume fell from 24 percent in 2009 to 14 percent in 2014 (p<0.001), according to the 2017 analysis.6 Payers also harnessed the two 'sham' trials to deny payment for vertebral augmentation. In the U.S., a Medicare contractor published negative coverage, later revising that policy with restrictive requirements.

"The 2009 studies caused significant confusion as to the effectiveness of the procedure and what to do with the patient," says Douglas Beall, MD, of Edmond-based Oklahoma Spine Hospital.

Josh Hirsch, MD, Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital's Neuro Interventional Radiology director and the American Society of Spine Radiology's immediate past president, noted, "Trials should inform our decision-making, not make the decision for us. That is the key to patient-centric care."

Did the 2009 studies shift VCF treatment patterns?

The most recent of the retrospective claims studies on VCFs and mortality risk, the 2017 Ong KL, et al. analysis is titled, "Were VCF Patients at Higher Risk of Mortality Following the 2009 Publication of the Vertebroplasty 'Sham' Trials?" Medtronic funded the analysis and offered minimal input into the study's design, but did not engage in the data collection, management, analysis or interpretation.

Kevin Ong, PhD, PE, principal engineer of Exponent and adjunct member of Drexel University's School of Biomedical Engineering in Philadelphia, served as principal researcher for the Exponent-led study. Drs. Beall, Hirsch and others also served as researchers.

"[In addition to other factors,] we wanted to examine whether the publication of the 2009 'sham' control studies resulted in lower use of vertebral augmentation. We found that, in the five-year period following 2009, patients had greater mortality risk for VCF patients," says Dr. Ong.

Investigators used Medicare data to examine U.S. vertebral augmentation rates between 2010 and 2014 compared to the previous five-year period. The study examined the difference in mortality and morbidity of VCF patients pre- and post-2009 and compared risks between vertebral augmentation and NSM.

In addition to the mortality risk findings listed above, the analysis revealed the following key data points:

1. Vertebral augmentation patients accounted for 20 percent of VCF patients in 2005, peaking at 24 percent between 2007 and 2008 before dropping to 14 percent in 2014.

2. VCF patients' propensity-adjusted mortalityrisk was 4 percent greater between 2010 and 2014, compared to VCF patients' risk in the 2005 to 2009 time period (p<0.001).

3. At one year, cardiac complications and pneumonia were associated with at least 10 percent greater morbidity risk for NSM patients compared to BKP patients. Dr. Ong and his team did not see a higher prevalence of baseline co-morbidities in NSM patients compared to augmentation patients.

4. The length of stay for NSM patients clocked in at 0.2 days shorter than the BKP patients. However, about twice as many BKP patients were discharged home.6

The following limitations apply to the 2017 study and are generally applicable to the other retrospective claims analyses:

Retrospective database analyses may be prone to selection bias 6-11

Confounding by other unmeasured selection bias or variables not considered in the analysis is possible 6-11

Causality of treatment received with mortality outcomes cannot be demonstrated6-11 nor can causality of the sham trial publications to increased mortality found in the 5-year period following6

Cause of death not available in database 6-11

Was not possible to evaluate all possible comorbidities 8,10

Outcomes such as pain and quality of life were not available6-11

Dr. Hirsch agrees with the conclusion: "We found that there has been an increase in the mortality rate of all VCF patients in the second group [2010 to 2014] compared to the first group [2005 to 2009]."

Impact on payers, referrers and providers

The 2017 analysis' findings align with the majorityof the five above studies on mortality and VCF patients published after the 2009 'sham' studies.

"[The study] will certainly help strengthen our overall data collectively and protect our positive coverage policies that are in place," says Jeff Cambra, general manager of Medtronic. "This will likely be valuable data, especially for treating and referring physicians."

Dr. Hirsch believes this study will provoke a discussion among referring clinicians about the best evidence-based treatment for their patients.

"These procedures really do provide meaningful benefits to patients," he says. "I manage many patients with conservative therapy; there's a role for that. What I object to is when patients call their doctors and the doctor says there is nothing to do [for treatment]."

About Balloon Kyphoplasty - Indication and Risk Statement

Kyphon Balloon Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of pathological fractures of the vertebral body due to osteoporosis, cancer or benign lesion. The complication rate with Kyphon Balloon Kyphoplasty has been demonstrated to be low. There are risks associated with the procedure (e.g., cement extravasation), including serious complications, and through rare, some of which may be fatal.

Risks of acrylic bone cements include cement leakage, which may cause tissue damage, nerve or circulatory problems, and other serious adverse events, such as: Cardiac arrest, Cerebrovascular accident, Myocardial infarction, Pulmonary embolism and Cardiac embolism. For complete information regarding indications for use, contraindications, warnings, precautions, adverse events, and methods of use, please reference the devices' Instructions for Use included with the product.

Conclusion

Medtronic is laser-focused on enhancing treatments for patients with VCFs and partners with the National Osteoporosis Foundation and National Bone Health Alliance. The national education outreach partnerships are designed to raise awareness about spine fracture risk and BKP as a treatment alternative among 70,000-plus clinicians and consumers at society meetings and via social media channels.

"We are committed to driving innovation, building upon our strong portfolio of clinical data, and educating consumers and clinicians on ways to prevent, diagnose and treat patients with vertebral compression fractures," says Mr. Cambra.

Since surgeons performed the first Medtronic Kyphon Balloon Kyphoplasty procedures in 1998, it has been used to treat more than 1 million fractures.

Drs. Ong, Beall and Hirsch are hopeful the new analyses will shed light on the implications of VCF treatment patterns and add to the conversation.

"These findings give a real insight in the implications of the shifting in treatment patterns," concludes Dr. Ong. "I think our study will add to the debate about whether VCF patients should be treated with augmentation."

References

1Kallmes D, et. al, A Randomized Trial of Vertebroplasty for Osteoporotic Spinal Fractures. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2009 Aug. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa0900563.

2Buchbinder R, et. al, A Randomized Trial of Vertebroplastyfor Painful Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2009 Aug. DOI: 10.1056/ NEJMoa0900429.

3Lindsay R, et al., Risk of new vertebral fracture in the year following a fracture. JAMA. 2001; 285(3):320-33

4Ross P, et al., Pre-Existing Fractures and Bone Mass Predict Vertebral Fracture Incidence in Women. Ann Intern Med. 1991; 114(11):919-923.

5Kado DM, et al. (1999) Arch Intern Med 159:1215

6Ong KL, Beall DP, Frohbergh M, Lau E, Hirsch JA. Were VCF patients at higher risk of mortality following the 2009 publication of the vertebroplasty "sham" trials? Osteoporosis International 2017 Oct 24. doi: 10.1007/s00198-017-4281-z. PubMed PMID: 29063215.

7Edidin AA, Ong KL, Lau E, Kurtz SM. Morbidity and Mortality after Vertebral Fractures: Comparison of Vertebral Augmentation and Non-Operative Management in the Medicare Population. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2015 Aug 1;40(15):1228-41. doi: 10.1097. PubMed PMID: 26020845.

8Lange A, Kasperk C, Alvares L, Sauermann S, Braun S. Survival and cost comparison of kyphoplasty and percutaneous vertebroplasty using German claims data. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2014 Feb 15;39(4): 318-26. doi: 10.1097/ BRS.0000000000000135. PubMed PMID: 4299715.

9McCullough BJ, Comstock BA, Deyo RA, Kreuter W, Jarvik JG. Major medical outcomes with spinal augmentation vs conservative therapy. JAMA Intern Med. 2013 Sep 9;173(16):1514-21. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2013.8725. PubMed PMID: 23836009; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4023124.

10Chen A, et. al, Impact of Nonoperative Treatment, Vertebroplasty, and Kyphoplasty on Survival and Morbidity After Vertebral Compression Fracture in the Medicare Population. J Bone & Joint Surgery, 2013.

11Edidin AA, Ong KL, Lau E, Kurtz SM. Mortality risk for operated and nonoperated vertebral fracture patients in the medicare population. J Bone Miner Res. 2011 Jul;26(7):1617-26. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.353.

12Wardlaw D, et al., Efficacy and safety of balloon kyphoplasty compared with non-surgical care for vertebral compression fracture (FREE): a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet. 2009 Feb. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(09)60010-6.

13Klazen CA, et al. Clinical course of pain in acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. 2010 Sept. DOI: 10.1016/j.jvir.2010.05.018.

PMD020431-1.0

UC201806890 EN

Kyphon Balloon Kyphoplasty incorporates technology developed by Gary K. Michelson, M.D.
Tampa, Fla.-based Physician Partners of American welcomed minimally invasive spine surgeon James St. Louis, DO.

Here are five insights:

1. Dr. St. Louis is the founder of Tampa-based Laser Spine Institute. He is board certified in orthopedic surgery and will treat patients at two Tampa locations.

2. Throughout his career, Dr. St. Louis has served as chief of surgery at Woodland Medical Center and medical director of HealthSouth, both in Pensacola. Fla. He served on the Florida Board of Osteopathic Medicine from 2008 to 2012.

3. Dr. St. Louis is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics and American Association of Physician Specialists.

4. After earning his medical degree from the University of Health Sciences Osteopathic Medical School in Kansas City, Mo., Dr. St. Louis enlisted in the U.S. Army.

5. Dr. St. Louis completed his residency at Kennedy Medical Center in Cherry Hill, N.J.
Over the last few years there has been several dynamic changes in the world of patient acquisition for orthopedic and spine practices. As 2018 approaches, here are 3 of the most important digital trends that practices should know about to continue to grow their patient volume:

1. The Shift to Smartphone Usage

For the first time in history, more internet traffic and usage has come from mobile devices than desktop computers. In fact, in 2016-2017 up to 60% of all internet usage was from a smartphone or tablet and the average American spent up to 5 hours per day on a mobile device.

As a result of the growing usage of smartphones over desktops, Google has been encouraging businesses to update their websites to mobile-responsive websites. A mobile-responsive site is one that automatically changes its layout and placements of certain menus and buttons automatically.

Over the last few years, Google has begun penalizing websites that do not make this upgrade by pushing them further down in organic Google search results (many times off the first page) if the search came from a mobile device..

What this means for your practice: If a potential patient in your area is looking for an orthopedic or spine specialist, or treatment for a specific condition, those practices with mobile responsive sites will outrank those that do not. Considering that 70% of patients use Google to search for a condition or a physician, if your website is not ranking on the first page because your site is outdated, you could be losing hundreds of patients per month to your competitors.

Many practices are often hesitant to update their websites because of the perceived cost. However, redesigning your website may not cost as much as you think. You should also consider how much new patient revenue you may be losing to your competitors by not doing so.

2. The Shift to Video Content

In 2017, 33% of all online activity was spent watching videos and 45% of people spend an hour or more each week watching videos on sites like YouTube and Facebook. YouTube is now the second most popular search engine in the world behind Google.

For orthopedic and spine practices, many patients are opting to watch videos of physicians explaining causes and treatments for conditions like sciatica or meniscus tears, instead of reading long form written content.

This speaks to the modern patient having less time to read content and wanting to get information easily and effectively. Patients who watch videos featuring a physician feel as if they get an insight into that physicians personality and demeanor before even meeting them. In fact, 73% of people said that seeing a video influences their decisions.

What this means for your practice: Investing in high quality video content is imperative for your practices digital marketing strategy. Video content can include Q&As with physicians, patient testimonials and physician introduction videos. These videos can be used in multiple incarnations including as part of an effective social media marketing strategy and YouTube marketing strategy.

3. Social Media as a Primary News Source

According to a 2017 Pew Research Study, 67% of all Americans get at least their news from Social Media sites. This represents a significant shift from print and TV being the primary news sources, but does not seem all too surprising considering that the average American spends almost two hours per day on social media sites.

The likely reason for these shifts is that social media sites like Facebook serve as aggregate news sites where users can get information from all of their trusted news sources, from local newspapers to national TV networks, in one single place. Sites like Facebook recognized very early on how to monetize the time users spent on the site or app by allowing for highly targeted advertisement being shown to their over 1 billion users.

What this means for your practice: All of this time spent on social media each day is the perfect opportunity to highlight your services and expertise to potential patients.

When executed correctly, Facebook and Instagram ads can target users by their locations, behaviors, purchases, websites they have recently visited and their interests. Knowing the behaviors of those in need of orthopedic or spine care can allow you to target ads directly to those in your area and increase brand awareness as well as generate new patients. Imagine a newspaper ad or billboard that was shown only to those with an orthopedic injury or spine condition? Thats what social media marketing can do for your practice.

About the Author

Daniel Goldberg is the CEO and Creative Director of Gold Medical Marketing  the only firm in the country specializing exclusively in Orthopedic, Spine and Neurosurgery Practice Marketing. Daniel has lectured extensively on the topic of Orthopedic and Spine Practice Marketing at some of the most esteemed medical conferences across the country, including Beckers Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management Conference.

Gold Medical Marketing works with practices across the country to create the most effective marketing strategies based on their location and patient demographics.

The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Becker's Hospital Review/Becker's Healthcare. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this article are not guaranteed. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright of this content belongs to the author and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them.
German company Evonik recently unveiled its Resomer PrintPowder material to create 3D-printed implants for spine and orthopedics, reports 3D Printing Industry.

CTL Amedica was recently granted a patent for a screw offset blocking mechanism designed for its Monet anterior cervical fusion system.

Oxford Performance Materials recently published a study in The Spine Journal comparing the characteristics of 3D-printed PEKK with PEEK and titanium-coated PEEK.

Osseus Fusion Systems on Feb. 4 launched Aries-TS, its 3D-printed transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion device.

Joshua Rovner, MD, is the first spine surgeon to implant Globus Medical's Hedron IA, a 3D-printed anterior lumbar interbody fusion spacer.

German company NGMedical on Feb. 5 reported the first implantations of its Move-C cervical disc prosthesis.

Spine developer CoreLink recently surpassed 5,000 implants with its 3D-printed Mimetic Metal technology.

Orthopedic implant company LimaCorporate is opening two facilities dedicated to 3D printing, according to 3D Printing Media Network.

Nexxt Spine continues to make additions to its 3D-printing fleet, installing its seventh laser beam printer.

Samuel Joseph Jr., MD, of Tampa-based Joseph Spine Institute recently performed the first procedure with Osseus Fusion Systems' Aries-L Titanium Spinal Implant.

Dr. Kent Ellington performs OrthoCarolina's 1st 3D-printed total talus replacement OrthoCarolina's first total talus replacement with a 3D-printed implant was recently completed by Kent Ellington, MD.

Surgeon pioneers spinal surgery with custom implants in Mississippi  4 highlights Orthopedic spine surgeon Edward Smith, MD, performed Mississippi's first surgery using a patient-specific spinal rod implant, according to a Jan. 2 press release from Rush Health Systems.

Startup creates 1st 3D-printed porous implants to imitate bone  4 insights Startup device company FossiLabs is using a new form of 3D printing to create fully porous PEEK bone-like structures within implantable devices, Medical Plastics News reports.

How Stryker plans to grow Mako  4 insights from chief technology officer Robert Cohen The next decade of orthopedics will be defined by technologies like 3D printing and robotic navigation systems.

Life Spine gains FDA clearance for titanium ALIF spacer Life Spine received FDA 510(k) clearance Dec. 23 to market its Titanium Stand-Alone ALIF System.

Anatomics surgical guide study shows efficacy of 3D-printed implants for spinal fusion In a 129-patient study, Australian device company Anatomics evaluated the efficacy of its 3D-printed SpineBox kit in transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion procedures, reports 3D Printing Industry.

SeaSpine reports 25,000th implantation of PEEK device for spinal disorders SeaSpine reported the 25,000th implantation of its NanoMetalene interbody device Dec. 18.

The Spine Journal study evaluates bone growth in RTI Surgical's surface technology An October study in The Spine Journal compared the in vivo characteristics of RTI Surgical's 3D-printed PEKK Tetrafuse 3D Technology with PEEK and titanium-coated PEEK.
Nexxt Spine will unveil its Nexxt Matrixx System at the upcoming 2017 North American Spine Society annual meeting.

Here are five things to know:

1. The Nexxt Matrixx System is a portfolio of 3-D printed porous titanium interbodies and vertebral body replacement devices. The devices are available in various heights, lengths, widths and lordotic angualation combinations.

2. The system uses Nexxt Spine's innovative technology to create implants with optimized open porosity, residue-free surfaces and radiographic imaging. Nexxt Matrixx implants have four times more bone appostition surface area and double open pour volume when compared with other implants.

3. The textured titanium alloy surface is designed to cause a positive bone response, such as an increase in osteoblast differentiation and surface osteointegration.

4. The implants are indicated for use as cervical and lumbar intervertebral fusion devices and available nationwide. Nexxt Spine will showcase them at the North American Spine Society annual meeting next week.

5. Nexxt Spine is a medical device manufacturer focused on developing solutions to treat spinal pathologies.
Xtant Medical received FDA clearance for product line extensions for the Irix-A interbody spacer.

Here are five key points:

1. The clearance allows Xtant Medical to add three different size configurations to Irix-A, a standalone interbody device used in anterior lumbar interbody fusions.

2. In addition to the extension, Xtant Medical can also expand the indications of use to include use with allograft, such as Xtant Medical's OsteoSponge.

3. Xtant will now add three additional degrees of lordosis to Irix-A, providing surgeons with a wider variety of choices to correct a patient's loss of lordosis and improve sagittal balance.

4. Currently, Irix-A offers a titanium and PEEK composite implant, with the additional option of titanium plasma coating, all with eight or 12 degree of lordosis for alignment with the curvature of the spine.

5. Xtant Medical plans to release the additional implant options to customers later in the year.

More articles on devices and implants:

DePuy Synthes launches Trumatch Titanium 3D-Printed Implants: 5 things to know

Chinese firm invests $14M in orthopedic device developer: 3 notes

Implanet receives FDA clearance for JAZZ Passer: 4 takeaways
Thomas Scully, MD, Tucson, Ariz.-based Northwest NeuroSpecialists, discusses which innovative spine techniques  including non-fusion technology and titanium devices  impact how he practices. He also shares the greatest challenges he faces as a spine surgeon today.

Dr. Scully will be speaking at the Becker's 16th Annual Future of Spine + The Orthopedic, Spine and Pain Management-Driven ASC Conference. To learn more and register, click here. Contact Maura Jodoin at mjodoin@beckershealthcare.com or Kristelle Khazzaka at Kkhazzaka@beckershealthcare.com for further information about sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities.

Question: What are one or two new spine techniques you think will impact your practice? Are you implementing any of them now?

Dr. Thomas Scully: I have been using more non-fusion technologies, such as coflex as well as cervical total disc replacements. I anticipate I will continue to use them. In addition, I am excited about various fusion surfaces for our implants. I have moved away from PEEK. I have been experimenting with various titanium devices as well as a newer implant.

RTI's Tetrafuse is a novel surface that I have implanted in some ACDF patients and I really like its properties. It is also much easier to determine fusion status with it compared to titanium. In addition, it possesses some of the benefits of PEEK from the modulus of elasticity perspective. However, it is not hydrophobic, rather, it promotes fusion.

Q: What are spine surgeons' greatest concerns or challenges right now?

TS: There are, as usual, many! Insurance companies' continued lack of authorizations for procedures or imaging and the incessant hoops to jump through to care for patients continues to loom large. I really think the progressively aging community makes it difficult to know how aggressive to be with octogenarians, etc. We need to be good stewards with Medicare dollars, but, also not deprive patients of increased quality of life given the right spinal surgical procedure.
Titan Spines nanoLOCK surface technology helps patients heal faster, benefiting both patients and spine surgeons who, in the new era of pay-for-performance healthcare, are rewarded for faster healing with fewer complications, readmissions, revisions and other performance-based metrics.

As medical advancements and patient care evolve, a fundamental shift is underway that is moving away from fee-for-service and toward pay-for performance healthcare that financially rewards faster healing with fewer complications, hospital readmissions, surgical revisions and so on. Subsequently, spine surgeons and hospitals are increasingly under the microscope. Titan Spine has developed a surface technology, called nanoLOCK, to help improve early interbody fusion patient outcomes through the application of nanotechnology that ironically can only be seen under the microscope. It does so by prompting the patients natural bone growth mechanisms from virtually the moment it has been implanted.

The key to Titan Spines differentiation is its surface technology. The nanoLOCK surface is revolutionary in that it interacts with the cell at a nanoscopic level, unlocking that natural response of cell surface receptors to produce various factors that encourage the growth of bone, says Adam Bruggeman, MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon with the Texas Spinecare Center in San Antonio. Through this groundbreaking technology, implants with the nanoLOCK surface are able to speed up the host bone response, theoretically leading to improvements in patient outcomes and faster healing times.

On January 1 of this year, MACRA (Medicare Access & CHIP Authorization Act of 2015) went into effect. It is being driven by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and mirrored by an increasing number of private insurers to reach a triple-aim goal to improve patient health, improve patient experience of care, and reduce the per capita cost of healthcare in a country encumbered with soaring U.S. healthcare spending totaling more than $3 trillion in 2015.1

MACRA created the Quality Payment Program which changed how CMS pays practices that provide care to Medicare beneficiaries, placing emphasis on quality care and improved patient outcomes. Physicians serving a large enough CMS population are now required to participate in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).

This change has led the pivot from fee-for-service to pay-for-performance, effectively re-defining success when it comes to spine fusions. No longer are one- to two-year outcomes sufficient. Now, CMS and payers demand improved episode of care outcomes for the first 30 to 90 days post-op, while still maintaining positive long-term outcomes. No longer are CT/X-ray confirmation of fusion, long-term reduction in ODI and VAS, and general patient satisfaction enough. In this new era, care metrics include broader and cost-associated criteria that align with the triple aim objectives, including: complications, readmissions, pain reduction, infections, revisions, time to discharge, rapid symptomatic improvement, time to return to work, quality of life and cost, among others.

This pay-for-performance framework is geared toward linking surgeon compensation to these early patient outcomes.

So, what does MIPS mean for surgeons? MIPS now ranks surgeons among their peers nationally and reports scores publicly, adding a level of accountability to the mix. Surgeons are ranked on a 100-point scale on a composite of quality of care, the sharing of care information, and activities that are taken to improve care. MIPS is budget neutral and incentivizes high-performers funded by penalties applied to low-performers.

Financially, there is a lot at stake. In 2019, the lowest performers will be penalized 4 percent of their CMS income while the highest performers will be rewarded 4 percent. The adjustments increase to +/- 9 percent by 2022. Moreover, since these records will be publicly available via resources such as Propublica and SurgeonRatings.org, it means accountability and therefore reputation in the local community is on the line.

What can surgeons do to improve patient outcomes, achieve positive reputation, and reach financial incentives? Some may choose to modify patient selection, surgical skill sets or surgical approach. However, most physicians believe the easiest change to make relates to the products used in surgery and during the episode of care. Surgeons can embrace new technologies that are engineered to improve early post-op and long-term patient healing and recovery, and therefore increase the likelihood of improved community reputation and increased financial incentives on the winners side of the bell curve.

In terms of interbody fusions, there is a vast range of products available to surgeons. So how does a surgeon select an interbody fusion device that effectively stimulates a patients body to start growing bone and fuse as quickly as possible?

Titan Spines Endoskeleton interbody devices featuring its nanoLOCK surface technology takes advantage of a concept called biomimicry that leverages natures expertise in solving complex challenges. nanoLOCK is created through a proprietary subtractive manufacturing process to generate osteoclastic pits and nano-scaled textures within them to best mimic the architecture of natural bone at the micro and nano levels that are integral to natural and rapid bone remodeling and production. By mimicking native bone, nanoLOCK promotes the rapid osteogenic differentiation of attachment-dependent stem cells while skipping the time-consuming resorptive phase of bone remodeling.

There are many ways to improve your positioning in a value-based care model, but most will require significant infrastructure changes and cost money, says Dr. Bruggeman. Switching to the utilization of Titan Spine implants is the easiest, and likely most cost effective, manner in which to immediately make a successful transition into the new paradigm of value-based care.

There has been substantial published research into how Titan Spines surface technology can impact rapid bone growth. For example:

 Osteogenesis: The Titan Spine surface was found to be sufficient to create an osteogenic environment without the addition of exogenous growth factors, which the authors concluded may induce better and faster bone formation during interbody fusion.2

 Angiogenesis: It was shown that the Titan Spine surface stimulated an angiogenic-osteogenic environment with factors important in bone formation and remodeling. The researchers stated that this angio-osteogenic environment may enhance bone formation, implant stability, and fusion.3

 Inflammation: The Titan Spine nanoLOCK surface was found to upregulate anti-inflammatory factors and down regulate inflammatory factors, while PEEK demonstrated the opposite effect. The authors stated that the fibrous tissue interface seen with PEEK implants may be due to increased inflammatory cytokines and decreased cell viability.4

 Nano-architecture: It was shown that nanoLOCK generated a significantly higher amount of the osteogenic and angiogenic factors necessary for bone growth and fusion compared to the other titanium surfaces tested, including the Titan original surface. The researchers concluded that osteoblast lineage cells are sensitive to specific micro/nano-structures, even when overall macro roughness is comparable, and suggest that nano surface characteristics such as skewness and kurtosis are important variables.5

All of this in-vitro research appears to translate to faster patient healing. Optum Health data show that surgeons who use Titan Spines surface technology for their patients reduce the average length of stay during index hospitalization from three days to two days as compared to competitive implants. They also show that Titan Spine patients are able to begin physical therapy more than twice as fast as its competitors and are able to attend a statistically greater amount of physical therapy.

In my patients, I see the earliest changes occurring in the immediate postoperative period, said Dr. Bruggeman. Physical therapists have commented on how quickly the Titan patients recover and their speed of progressing through the discharge criteria. Many floor nurses have commented on lower pain scores and less requirement for pain medications compared to other patients.

Titans in-vitro findings also appear to translate to lower overall treatment costs. The same Optum Health study showed treatment with Titan Spines surface technology demonstrated a reduced total cost of medical claims through 24 months post-op of over $11,000 versus its competitors by lowering the cost of medical claims during index hospitalization and the two-year post-op period.

By allowing patients to be more active at earlier time points, patients are using less narcotics and requiring fewer readmissions, said Dr. Bruggeman. The faster and more robust fusion results are leading to fewer, if any, revisions on Titan patients, thus driving cost out of the healthcare system.

For surgeons looking to excel in this new high-stakes, high-reward pay-for-performance era, Titan Spines nanoLOCK is uniquely qualified to help spinal fusion patients heal faster and meet the triple aim objectives of improving the quality of healthcare at a reduced cost. When faced with the heat of being placed under the microscope, surgeons can now find solace under the same microscope at the nano level.

This article is sponsored by Titan Spine.

1. https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/downloads/highlights.pdf

2. Olivares-Navarrete, R., Gittens, R.A., Schneider, J.M., Hyzy, S.L., Haithcock, D.A., Ullrich, P.F., Schwartz, Z., Boyan, B.D. (2012). Osteoblasts exhibit a more differentiated phenotype and increased bone morphogenetic production on titanium alloy substrates than poly-ether-ether-ketone. The Spine Journal, 12, 265-272.

3. Olivares-Navarrete, R., Hyzy, S.L., Gittens, R.A., Schneider, J.M., Haithcock, D.A., Ullrich, P.F., Slosar, P. J., Schwartz, Z., Boyan, B.D. (2013). Rough titanium alloys regulate osteoblast production of angiogenic factors. The Spine Journal, 13, 1563-1570.

4. Olivares-Navarrete, R., Hyzy, S.L., Slosar, P.J., Schneider, J.M., Schwartz, Z., and Boyan, B.D. (2015). Implant materials generate different peri-implant inflammatory factors: PEEK promotes fibrosis and micro-textured titanium promotes osteogenic factors. Spine, Volume 40, Issue 6, 399404.

5. Olivares-Navarrete, R., Hyzy S.L., Gittens, R.A., Berg, M.E., Schneider, J.M., Hotchkiss, K., Schwartz, Z., Boyan, B. D. Osteoblast lineage cells can discriminate microscale topographic features on titanium-aluminum-vanadium surfaces. Ann Biomed Eng. 2014 Dec; 42 (12): 2551-61.
Union Pubic Service Commission has declared the result for the written examination conducted for Combined Defence Services (CDS) Examination (II), 2017. Candidates can check the result from the official website, upsc.gov.in

Here's how to check:

Go to the official website

Click on the link, 'Written Result: Combined Defence Services (II), 2017'

After clicking the same, the result will be displayed on the screen

Take a printout for future use

Submission of original certificates:

The exam was conducted on November 19 at various centres.

According to the official notification, qualified candidates are required to submit the original certificates in support of age (Date of birth), educational qualifications, NCC (C) (Army wing/senior division air wing/naval wing) etc. claimed by them along with attested copies thereof, to Army Headquarters, A.G.'sBranch/Rtg./CDSE entry section for males and SSC women entry section for women candidates, West Block-III, ground floor, Wing 1, R.K. Puram, New Delhi-110066 in case of IMA/SSC as their first choice and to IHQ of MoD (Navy), DMPR (OI and R Section), Room No.204, 'C'-Wing, Sena Bhawan, New Delhi-110011 in case of Navy as their first choice, and to PO 3 (A) Air Headquarters, 'J' Block, Room No. 17, Opp. Vayu Bhawan, Motilal Nehru Marg,New Delhi-110011 in case of Air Force as their first choice.

About UPSC:

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is an organisation that works under the central government to recruit staff for various posts in the various ministries and departments, and in subordinate offices. The commission also conducts examinations for the recruitment in various departments of the state.

For any query, candidates can check out the official website.

Read: Uttarakhand madarsas proposes to begin Sanskrit as a subject

Read: CBSE Class 10, Class 12 date sheet 2018: To be released in the first week of January

For more updates, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail.com
This content is sponsored by Titan Spine.

Q: In your opinion, what is the role of "surface technology" for interbody spinal fusion implants?

Adam Bruggeman, MD, Texas Spine Care, San Antonio: Surface technology is the new frontier for today's spine surgeons. For decades we have thought of interbodies as spacers designed to hold two bones in anatomic space from each other, but not designed to participate in the fusion. Surface technology changes the paradigm of interbody devices by creating a device that is actually a participant in the fusion as opposed to being a bystander or inhibitor of fusion.

David DeWitt, MD, NeuroSpine Center of Wisconsin, Appleton: Anything implanted in the body triggers a reaction. This reaction starts when the body's cell receptors, called integrins, interact with the surface of the implant. This takes place at the nano-structure level and triggers an internal cellular response. Technology has now advanced to the point that we are able to study the cellular responses to different implant nano-structure surfaces. The creation of spinal implants that utilize surface nano-technology to harness the body's cellular response to promote fusion will optimize the surgeon's ability to provide patients with the desired outcome.

Q: How do devices that incorporate this type of technology function differently from others, for instance, like those made of PEEK?

Kade Huntsman, MD, Salt Lake Orthopaedic Clinic, Salt Lake City: There is very good basic science indicating PEEK is hydrophobic, causes local cell death and the creation of a fibrous tissue layer around the implant which inhibits fusion. A specialized surface using titanium will signal the local cells to become osteoblasts, stimulate them to be highly functional and use the local hosts biology for fusion. It does not make sense to use implants that inhibit our goal of fusion, when implants that will help us are available.

Dan Bradley, MD, Texas Back Institute, Plano: Bone is known to have a natural affinity for titanium and has a natural attachment. We've seen this for decades in the dental industry. There is quite a bit of science and literature and experience with surface technology and titanium there. However, as we really study PEEK, it's hardly used in any other spine or orthopedic implant than for fusion. We know it's hydrophobic and has a fibrous layer that repels bone and diminishes fusion aspects. Some of the more recent research suggests PEEK inhibits bone growth locally.

Q: When did the cellular reaction to implant surfaces first become important to you?

Raphael R. Roybal, MD, Chatham Orthopaedic Associates, Savannah, Ga.: Once I found out about it, basically. This is a technology that has actually been around for a while, but the spine community has taken a while to catch up. In general orthopedics there has always been references to bony ingrowth and titanium coated stems used for hip ingrowth or tooth implants, and that's a hostile environment. It's been a well-known technology for years that we have ignored in the spine world until now.

AB: The cellular reaction became important to me as the latest YODA studies were being published regarding BMP and its use in spine surgery. The last eight to 10 years have seen tremendous focus on biologics as opposed to the implants themselves. Implant surface technology provided an alternative pathway to fusion that didn't involve the expensive biologics that were being placed on the market, many without significant scientific research. The research surrounding cellular biology and implant surfaces is impressive and overwhelming when compared to the research seen in the biologic industry with regards to spinal fusion.

Q: Describe how this cellular reaction impacts spinal fusion surgery and outcomes.

DD: In my practice, harnessing this cellular response has given me greater confidence that I will get a fusion every time. I don't utilize adjunctive therapies such as internal or external bone stimulators. I don't use any braces. I have used a variety of different bone grafts and synthetics that all work with these nano-scaled titanium implants. My graft choice is based on lowering cost and decreasing morbidity. I am more aggressive about letting patients return to activity and in some cases have let patients perform activity as tolerated immediately postop without compromising their outcome.

AB: The outcomes data is still being accumulated, but my personal experience is earlier return to function when compared to previous techniques I used with biologics and PEEK cages. Hopefully surgeons currently using surface technology implants will be publishing data soon to allow for more discussion revolving around the effectiveness of this technology specific to spinal fusion and outcomes.

What is interesting to me is the way that the bone seems to be reacting to these implants on early CT scans. I am seeing trabecular bone that appears to be condensing around the stress lines of the endplates, particularly on the edge of the implant where there is significant endplate to implant contact. This is similar to what is seen on proximally-coated total hip implants in general orthopedics.

KH: In my practice, on a daily basis, I see patients that I have fused using titanium cages with a subtractive surface technology, and the patients do better quicker. This is anecdotal in my practice, but many studies have now been completed, and many more underway, that confirm my clinical practice experience.

Q: What benefits have your patients experienced?

DD: Lower cost of care. Improved early postop outcomes and accelerated return to activity with higher fusion rates.

DB: Its my impression that my patients experience higher fusion rates using this implant with earlier clinical results. It's been a win-win. They feel better sooner and heal more thoroughly with a lower risk of complications. These days you also have to look at the value proposition, and this is affordable technology for the type of procedure were doing.

RR: You can see the implant very conclusively during intraoperative X-rays and you can place the implant more accurately. You can have a better designed implant with more structural integrity so you're able to do more with it. I think in the future, there will be more sophisticated implants fabricated in more anatomically correct ways or extension capabilities for a natural interbody fit. The benefit would be to promote arthrodesis and promote it in a way that we have a higher percentage of success in the material use.

Q: Why do you think there is a growing trend away from PEEK and toward titanium?

KH: PEEK is an antiquated technology that was probably sufficient when we used large doses of BMP, although that combination had a high subsidence rate. As surgeons moved away from BMP, fusion rates decreased, and the choice of implant became a priority. Now, the surgical community is beginning to understand PEEK is suboptimal for bone growth and fusion.

We were taught the modulus of elasticity was better in PEEK, which is a marketing ploy not based in science. The design of the implant, surgical technique, and placement of the implant on more structurally-sound areas of the endplate need more consideration from surgeons than the modulus of elasticity.

AB: Many trends are driven by marketing and industry, but I think this is a case where science is driving the trend. PEEK was clearly driven by industry and was sold as a way to better match the stiffness and modulus of elasticity of bone to prevent stress shielding and subsidence. In reality, PEEK still showed subsidence and the subsidence rate of titanium was related to implant design, location of implant placement, and surgical technique.

A side benefit of PEEK was the ability to see fusion through the cage and limit scatter seen in older MRI and CT scans. The growing scientific evidence showing the downsides of PEEK combined with the upregulation of osseous integration seen in titanium is driving the trends today.

Q: But didnt the industry primarily move away from titanium implants in the late 1990s? How are the new titanium designs different?

KH: Titanium implants have changed dramatically in the past 20 years. Earlier designs, such as threaded cages, were subject to subsidence because of their design limitations. They would violate the endplates, usually be placed centrally in the vertebral body on the weakest structural area, and had relatively small footprints. Imaging of the neural structures around these dense implants was difficult, with the design of the implant and the poor quality of MRI and CT technology at that time.

Now, new designs, spearheaded by Titan, are very easy to image around. The comparison of earlier titanium implants to those manufactured by Titan is like apples to oranges. New cages have better designs, use far less titanium, so they are less dense and easier to image, spare the endplates, and are placed on better load bearing surfaces of the endplates. Also, Titan has the only true nanotechnology implant that has been proven to interact with osteoblasts and stimulate them to form bone. Again, MRI and CT scan technology has dramatically improved to allow better imaging with less scatter.

Q: There also appears to be a trend to coat PEEK implants with titanium, which appears to combine the best of both materials: the osteogenic benefits of titanium with the radiolucency and modulus of elasticity of PEEK. How do you view these types of implants?

DD: I think the new composite devices are an admission of the failure of PEEK. The high rates of fusion and low subsidence rates with new titanium implant designs clearly debunks the myths put forth regarding the modulus of elasticity and the fact that PEEK cages are now being coated with titanium is an admission of the value of implant surface. The reality is that the coated surfaces are creating more potential problems with delimitation of the surface and third body wear debris.

The titanium coatings that are being applied have not even been studied in term of a cellular response. The data in the literature on roughened titanium surfaces and cellular responses to it are almost entirely based on a proprietary surface which is different than the surface coating being applied to PEEK. Touting that an unstudied surface application has the same osteogenic properties appears to be another attempt to confuse the spine community as they did successfully with their modulus of elasticity campaign.

DB: In my view, these types of devices are an unnecessary compromise with significant limitations. They have a complex manufacturing process that was abandoned decades ago in the dental industry because of potential failures. Because the titanium-coated PEEK is bonding two materials together, there will always be risks of particulate debris, which isnt good in the neural elements.

Q: In researching titanium coated implants, I discovered at least one instructions for use (IFU) warned that excessive insertion forces may cause damage to the implant, which seems to shift liability away from industry and the FDA to the surgeon. What are your thoughts on this?

DB: I hadn't seen that in the IFU before and it worries me. When I look at that statement it makes me wonder what specifically constitutes excessive insertional force and how am I as a surgeon supposed to know how much that is. When there is a choice of implants, why would I want to use one prone to mechanical failure and has warnings? I would be putting myself and my patients at risk.

DD: Similar to off label use this IFU shifts liability to the surgeon using the product. To my knowledge, "excessive insertion forces" is not even defined in the warning. "Excessive force" failure may be within the range of force required for routine intra-operative implantation. There have already been anecdotal cases of de-lamination during routine implantation.

I am aware of a preliminary study that simulated interbody implantation stresses on titanium coated PEEK cages using a foam block model. Results demonstrated not only de-lamination of plasma sprayed titanium from the PEEK but also shear failure within the titanium layer itself. Surgeons using these implants need to be aware of the possible complications related to surface debris particles.

Q: How are acid-etched titanium surfaces different than coated surfaces?

KH: Acid etched titanium surfaces are much different because they use a subtractive technology, which leaves powerful molecular bonds that will not leave debris behind at insertion. This is very different than an additive surface. Coatings can come off and leave large debris or microscopic debris, and subsequent failures. This does not happen with implants that have utilized subtractive technology, because the titanium is still bonded to the adjacent titanium molecules by powerful bonds.

RR: The acid-etched surfacing is a reduction technology. You're starting with a solid block of titanium and you are removing part of that titanium to create the macro, micro, and nano-scaled textures. The coated implant would be PEEK that is either sprayed or amalgamated with a titanium coating, so you have less accuracy as far as replicating the environment osteoblasts like and you have the uncertainty between the titanium coating and whatever material you are coating.

The coating is subject to de-laminating, fracturing or creating debris during insertion that might be counterproductive to bony fusion. If the interface breaks and coating comes off, that could induce an osteolytic reaction that lessens the chance of arthrodesis.

Q: How do you see surface technology continuing to evolve in the future?

AB: I see further studies being done to see what can be done on this microscopic and nanoscopic level to further induce bone formation and fusion. In addition, there will likely be a focus in the biologic industry on developing complementary technologies to assist the fusion process. Many current biologics induce initial osteolysis or cause inflammation, both of which are counterproductive to the process that occurs when an appropriate handshake happens at the microscopic level between titanium and bone.

RR: I think surface technology is going to be used more. It's apparent with everyone who is trying to coat their pre-existing implants with some kind of titanium surface that the device is trying to promote fusion and would benefit from nanotechnology that provides this microscopic architecture for bone growth. I foresee this might be utilized in surfacing titanium screws as well as cages and implants in the interbody space. It's possible theyll surface other devices used in fusion such as interspinous devices and anterior plates. Its something that derives a very friendly environment that all implants could benefit from if the goal is fusion.
Kamal Haasan had already announced his political entry, last November, on his birthday, and recently Rajinikanth too, made it official, that he would be entering politics. While everyone are abuzz if Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan would meet and discuss about their political ambitions, here is a possible chance for that.



It is a known fact that Nadigar Sangam is organizing a grand 'Natchathira Vizha', in Malaysia, on January 6, and all of the top stars including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijay, and others are said to be attending the function. Will this grand event give way for Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan to meet each other and speak their hearts out to each other? Will they discuss about the future of Tamil Nadu, as politicians?



Let us wait and watch.
Ellvena Graham, president of the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has urged MLAs to get back to power-sharing

Northern Ireland needs a year of "change and progress" in 2018 after politicians failed to provide support to business during 2017, it has been claimed.

Ellvena Graham OBE, the president of the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Northern Ireland needed to get out of the "quagmire" and see political and economic change during 2018.

She said last year had brought "many challenges" for members of the chamber, "not helped by the continued absence of a regional Assembly and Executive".

"Our businesses needed the support of active and engaged public representatives to boost their confidence but it wasn't there - that has to change in 2018," she added.

And Ben Turtle of commercial property agents Savills said the restoration of devolution was also need to kickstart investment.

Ms Graham said the lack of an Assembly - which has been in deep freeze since the resignation of then Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness a year ago - was also robbing the province of a voice in Brexit negotiations. It was also making the lack of clarity over Brexit even more damaging.

"Sharing a land border with the EU means Northern Ireland has a crucial stake in these negotiations - yet discussions are going on without a cohesive Northern Ireland voice and that of business being heard directly.

"If we remain stuck in the quagmire of 2017, Northern Ireland's potential to become an economic powerhouse may never be realised. 2018 must be the year of change and progress - both politically and economically."

Ms Graham said that recognition of Northern Ireland's "unique" trading circumstances was crucial to a UK-EU trading deal. And a cloud would persist over business without clarity on the future trading relationship.

Already, uncertainty was "undermining many firms' investment decisions and confidence".

However, she said even the best Brexit deal "won't be worth the paper it's written on" unless Northern Ireland tackles its existing barriers to growth.

It could not continue without an Executive where NI ministers were in charge of decisions. "Businesses need the support of active and engaged public representatives to boost their confidence at this critical time," Ms Graham said.

And she said the draft economic strategy announced by then-Finance Minister Simon Hamilton last year was now "sitting on a shelf and is now covered in dust".

"The strategy must be reactivated by a new Executive as soon as one is formed," she said.

The devolution of corporation tax also needed to move forward, while other fiscal matters were also pressing, she added.

"We also look forward to air passenger duty and Vat on tourism being reviewed by the next budget in 2018 and welcome the fact negotiations and consultations are due to open on a city deal for Belfast - but this must be extended to all cities," she said.

"City deals give cities certain powers to create jobs and support economic growth. They are a boost for investment in skills, economic development and prove attractive to investors."

And transport improvements were also required. She said Belfast's new rapid transit scheme, due to be introduced in September, should help ease congestion.

And Ms Graham also called for progress on other road projects - while the green light on the North South Interconnector should be given by the Department for Infrastructure "as soon as possible".

She added: "Businesses and employers need access to electricity in the most cost efficient manner possible and a positive decision on the proposed Interconnector is key to achieving this."

The Planning Appeals Commission gave its recommendation on whether the interconnector should go ahead to the department late last year. However, the nature of the recommendation has not been disclosed.
Northern Ireland business people have been recognised for their contribution to the economy in the New Year Honours list.

From a knighthood for Wrightbus co-founder William Wright, to an OBE for Dunbia's Jack Dobson and an MBE for venture capitalist Jayne Brady, a range of sectors is represented.

Ellvena Graham, the president of the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry and chair of the NI Economic Advisory Group, has received an OBE for services to economic development and the advancement of women in business.

Chamber chief executive Ann McGregor said: "The award is a fitting recognition of the unique voluntary contribution which Ellvena has made to economic development in Northern Ireland as chair of the Economic Advisory Group, a supporter of the Prince's Trust and more recently as president of NI Chamber. She has also been a role model for women in business through her career success as the former head of Ulster Bank in Northern Ireland and head of business for Ireland and in her current roles as chair of the ESB Group and the Belfast Waterfront/Ulster Hall."

William Wright (90) co-founded Wrightbus in Ballymena with his father Robert. It's now become an international leader in bus-building, with turnover of around 260m and over 1,800 employees.

Mr Wright's knighthood is the second big honour he's received lately. In November 2016, Queen's University announced it was naming its new mechanical and aersopace engineering centre The William Wright Technology Centre. Mr Wright was awarded a CBE in 2011.

Economist John Simpson said Mr Wright's elevation to a knighthood was "well-deserved". His career is a special example to young aspiring competent engineers who start with strong motivation and a mindset to develop organisational skills to supplement their personal abilities.

"His is a lifetime story of good, basic early learning giving a basis for what has become an internationally famous business," he said.

Another major strength had been to draw on the talents of the people of Ballymena, Mr Simpson added.

Meanwhile, Jayne Brady has received an MBE for services to economic development. Ms Brady, who has had leadership roles in multinationals and start-ups, is a partner at venture capital firm Kernel Capital.

Niall Olden, managing partner of Kernel Capital, said: "We at Kernel Capital are delighted at the inclusion of our colleague Jayne Brady on the New Year's Honours List.

"Jayne has made a tremendous contribution to business, ensuring the positive impact of venture capital within Northern Ireland's innovation ecosystem."

And, Jack Dobson, co-founder of Dunbia along with brother Jim of Co Tyrone meat firm Dunbia, receives an OBE for services to economic development. In the list, he's described as a group executive director for Dunbia and a consultant to Cranswick (Ballymena) - a subisdiary of UK plc Cranswick, which bought Dunbia's pork business just over a year ago.

Rhona Quinn, a founding member of construction firm QMAC, also receives an OBE for services to the NI construction industry and the community.

And John Martin Hughes, the managing diretor of Ryobi Aluminium Castings (UK) has also been given an MBE for services to economic development, along with Kenneth Nelson, the chief executive of economic development agency LEDCOM. Professor Gerard Parr has also been awarded an MBE for services in developing telecoms infrastructure.
The South African owner of Poundland has said that it may have to restate more historic accounts as an accounting scandal at the company deepens.

Steinhoff, which also owns Harveys and Bensons for Beds, was plunged into crisis last month after revelations of accounting irregularities linked to its 2016 accounts.

On Tuesday, the firm said although an internal investigation is ongoing, the restatement of the financial statements for years prior to 2015 is likely to be required, adding that the 2016 and 2015 financial statements can no longer be relied upon.

The group also warned investors to exercise caution in relation to the financial statements.

The initial revelation triggered a share price collapse, a management overhaul, lenders deserting the firm and credit insurance being withdrawn from its operating companies.

Last week Steinhoff was again downgraded by ratings agency Moodys, which has warned that it may not have sufficient funds to sustain its European operations.

Cutting Steinhoffs credit rating from B1 to Caa1, its second such downgrade, Moodys said the move reflected the increasing pressure on the companys liquidity profile.

Moodys pointed out that Steinhoff has 1.47 billion euro of debt maturing next year, and the investigation into accounting irregularities could make it challenging to either repay or refinance.

In December, Steinhoff installed an acting chief executive, Danie van der Merwe, following the resignation of Markus Jooste.

Steinhoffs chairman, the South African retail billionaire Christo Wiese, had been acting as executive chairman on an interim basis following Mr Joostes departure, but resigned in order to address any possible conflict of interest that may exist.

Mr Wieses Brait investment group owns stakes in Virgin Active, New Look and food chain Iceland.
The Fermanagh woman talks to Laurence White about her unusual childhood, a career that took her all over the world and how at one point she feared the emotional fall-out from her work as a therapist would result in her also needing professional help.

In the Imperial War Museum archives lie details of horror mercy killings in the Burmese jungle during the Second World War which involved a Northern Ireland doctor. The medic was a member of the famous Chindit soldiers who fought behind Japanese lines during the conflict and who had to carry out a distressing order when their force was in danger of being overrun.

The soldiers could not evacuate some seriously wounded colleagues which left them with a terrifying choice. These men either faced an agonising death from their wounds or torture and then death at the hands of the Japanese forces.

The order was given for the doctor, who had been born and educated in Northern Ireland before going to England, to administer morphine to as many of the wounded soldiers as possible and then they were shot by their own side to spare them further suffering.

A fictionalised account of this event is one of the themes in a novel by Fermanagh author Sheila Llewellyn which will be published this month.

Walking Wounded draws on extensive research into the causes and treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among war veterans. Set in a military hospital just after the end of the Second World War it also examines what would now be regarded as a barbaric medical practice but which then was regarded as a way of treating psychiatric disorders.

The advice often given to authors is to write about what they know and the treatment of PTSD is a speciality which Sheila practiced in Northern Ireland at a renowned trauma centre after moving here in 2003.

But it was only when she retired from that post and began seriously considering a career in writing that the idea for the novel began to take shape.

She was undertaking a PhD in creative writing and thought about penning a series of short stories charting the development of PTSD treatment from the American Civil War to the modern conflicts of Iraq and Afghanistan.

As part of her research she spent some time combing through dusty copies of the Lancet medical journal in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital archives and came across a startling discovery - the use of brain surgery to treat PTSD and other psychological conditions.

Known as leucotomy, fairly basic tools were used to bore holes in the skull and snip away parts of the brain. Sheila says: "I was so shocked that someone had suggested that this was a suitable treatment for what we know as PTSD. It just leapt out at me that this was where I needed to put the focus of my writing."

Her novel charts the conflict between those who believe in the surgical intervention and a senior psychiatrist who sees talking therapies as the proper approach.

She realised that she must get the medical facts spot on to give validity to her novel but also accepted that she was setting it in a period much different from today.

"I had to judge what they did within the ethics of the period. They were not monsters and were convinced that this was a suitable panacea for a psychological disorder. That was what it was like in that period. Otherwise I would have been writing a cast of villains."

It was not only her latter day work that informed her choice of theme, but also her father Herbert's experience in those same Burmese jungles. He had fought there - although not with the Chindits - and had sent home letters and journals from the front line, although most of those were of a strictly personal nature.

She recalls: "Time and time again, the soldiers fighting in the jungles had to make horrendous choices leaving wounded colleagues behind. That was something my father never talked about.

"In one of the very last conversations I had with him we were talking about his life in general. He said to me that I could never imagine the horrors of that war in Burma and what the soldiers went through."

In her book she uses an unusual metaphor based on fact to convey how those horrors left so many unable to talk about the war when they came home. Before the soldiers set off to go behind enemy lines the voice boxes of the mules they used to carry equipment were cut to prevent them braying and alerting the Japanese to their presence.

Sheila, now aged 69, had an unusual upbringing. When her father returned from the war he began working for a major construction company and subsequently moved to what was then British Guiana on the northern coast of South America, taking Sheila with him.

His job was to build homes for the staff of a French-Canadian company involved in bauxite mining on the banks of the Demerara River. Sheila lived there from the age of eight to 11 and for the first year had no school to attend. She had books sent out to her from London and also developed a voracious appetite for reading, spending hours in the camp library.

After four years, her father moved to Barbados, founded his own building firm and died there in 1969. She had returned to England, where she was born, to live with an aunt and uncle - a very different couple from her father. Her uncle was a committed socialist and wanted her to study in Moscow. Her father's wish was for her to go to Oxford, something she was to do many years later.

But her initial university studies were in Manchester, a city she loved, and where she met her husband, Ken Dennison, an engineering student from Enniskillen. "In 1968, I came to Northern Ireland to meet his friends and family and we got married that year."

After their studies they went to Africa and it was the beginning of a somewhat unconventional marriage. "We had no children and both of us wanted interesting jobs. Both of us got contracts in various parts of the world which meant spending periods of time apart, but it sort of worked. After all, next year we will celebrate 50 years of married life.

"Although we had not returned to Northern Ireland, we felt emotionally connected to it and wherever we were in the world we kept abreast of what was happening here," she says.

Her quest for an interesting career took her all over the world. One of her first jobs abroad was to Iran to teach English to professionals like doctors and engineers.

"This was in November 1978 just as the revolution against the Shah had begun. I was supposed to be there for six months but only spent around half that time.

"I was in Tabriz in the north of the country which was quite Russian in outlook, with many of the revolutionaries Marxist. I was able to move about quite freely. Many of the professors in the university were leaving and the students were on strike. They used to hiss at any Americans they met - it was their way of showing displeasure.

"At one stage the British consul had to return to the UK and he said I could stay in the consulate until he returned. It was a bit surreal as there was only me and a nightwatchman in the building. That was the only time I felt a bit exposed. I had to be careful as there was an unofficial curfew and a dead body was found near the consulate at one stage."

Other jobs took her to Zambia, Singapore and east Germany but she still found time to further her education - indeed she has amassed an astonishing six degrees including a PhD. She was a manager in British Gas providing training for workers in the oil industry but it was her decision to take a psychology degree with the Open University which changed her life.

On graduation in 1995 she began work as a therapist at Macclesfield Hospital helping people suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, including families bereaved by vicious drug gangs and soldiers who had been on NATO duty during the war in the Balkans.

Sheila decided to develop her expertise and then fulfilled her father's wish to see her study at Oxford, where she undertook a post-graduate diploma specialising in PTSD. She recalls how one of the tutors had been working with soldiers who had fought in Vietnam and, like the Burmese soldiers all those years before, had witnessed badly wounded colleagues being shot rather than left to fall into enemy hands.

"That course was a formative moment in my life. I found it very satisfying to work in that area of therapy, trying to get people to assimilate what had happened to them and how to live with it," she adds. When her husband took early retirement, the couple decided to move to Enniskillen and Sheila began work at the Centre for Trauma and Transformation in Omagh where she came in contact with not only survivors of the Omagh bombing and those bereaved by it, but also others suffering psychological damage from other parts of Northern Ireland and even the Republic of Ireland.

Part of her work was training nurses in cognitive behavioural therapy in an EU-funded project which spanned the border. "That was an amazing induction to Northern Ireland for me, a really interesting and satisfying job and now with Brexit it shows why we need to keep the border porous."

She says that civilians, like those caught up in the events of the Troubles, have different problems to deal with compared to soldiers. "The soldiers coming back from war suffering from PTSD have to deal with it, but not in the theatre of conflict where the events which triggered it happened. The civilians we deal with in Northern Ireland were living in the area where the event occurred and where, they believed, those who had caused them to be bereaved or who had injured them still lived. They are dealing with abnormal things which have become normal because they have lasted so long."

Sheila admits that dealing with traumatised people is also difficult for the therapists. "I remember I used to go swimming after work and would find myself mulling over what I had listened to during therapy sessions and thinking that I might end up on my own waiting list.

"However, Omagh was a very professional place to work and we were supervised and could talk through any problems with superiors. That was not seen as a sign of weakness but instead was built into the professional activity of the therapists.

"Therapy can be a Catch 22 situation. If you become immune to what people are telling you at clinics then it is time to give up that work as you are not processing what they are going through. However, if you show too much empathy then that is damaging to you as a therapist. I don't think I ever got to that stage and I really miss that work."

She had one burning unfulfilled ambition, however - to write. And it was regular Belfast Telegraph contributor Malachi O'Doherty who helped her on that road.

"I really didn't know how to get involved. I went to Queen's University and met Malachi at an open memoir class he was taking. He introduced me to the weekly writers' group run by Ciaran Carson and one of the first people I met was award-winning poet Sinead Morrissey. I don't think I would ever have become a writer had I not come to Northern Ireland. It was the right time for me but there is great support here and people are so generous with their time and willing to help you.

"The more I write - and I write every day - the more I want to and I have never stopped for the last five or six years."

And it is writing which has been widely acclaimed. Although Walking Wounded is her debut novel, she won the P J OConnor RTE Radio One Drama Award and the Silver Award for the Best Broadcast Radio Drama in the New York International Radio Drama Festival in 2012.

She has also been shortlisted for the Bridport Short Story prize, the Sean O Faolain Short Story prize and shortlisted twice for the Costa Short Story award.

She has received support from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and one high-profile fan is two-time Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel who took a special interest in this novel and sent it to her agent who had suggested some changes.

To Sheilas delight it was picked up rapidly by Sceptre, an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton, news which the author heard on the night that Donald Trump was elected president of the US.

It seems that momentous and unexpected events follow Sheila wherever she goes.

Walking Wounded by Sheila Llewellyn is published by Sceptre, Price 16.99. It will go on sale on January 25
Prince Harry has promised fiancee Meghan Markle he will stub out his 17-year cigarette habit, while many of us have made quitting smoking a New Year resolution. Lee Henry asks well-known personalities how they did it.

I found the smell of smoke enticing rather than nasty

Journalist and broadcaster Malachi ODoherty (66) lives in Belfast with wife Maureen. He says:

I grew up in a family of smokers, often with a cloud in the middle of the living room. My parents urged me not to smoke but werent surprised when I started. My sister Brid taught me to smoke. I was trying to impress a girlfriend called Jackie, from Rathcoole.

At first I coughed and choked a lot. When Brid was finished with me, I could blow smoke rings. I thought that was urbane; just the note I wanted to strike. I was 17. A lot of my school friends had been smoking since childhood and thought I was daft taking it up at an age at which I should have known better.

In my early twenties, I tried several times to give up. The biggest difficulty was that smoking friends didnt really want me to stop. In newsrooms at that time, nearly everyone smoked at their desks. The real journalist could type with a cigarette between the fingers.

I succeeded in breaking the habit when I was in India in the mid-Seventies among people who did not smoke. Even then, giving up was hard. The mind plays tricks on you. The desire for a fag sneaks up on you deceptively. It kids you that, since you are doing so well, you deserve one wee puff.

And it was years before I could be confident I was in the clear. Non-smokers would moan about the smell of smoke in a room: I always found it enticing, never a nasty off-putting smell. Always a temptation.

I have no other such addictions, so I cant compare but it would not surprise me if giving up tobacco was as difficult as giving up heroin. I am off them 40 years now. In an extremely stressful situation, I might yet be tempted.

I met a friends brother who had lung cancer...

Playwright Rosemary Jenkinson (50) lives in Belfast. Her play May The Road Rise Up opens at the Lyric Theatre in February. She says:

Having started at university, I smoked on and off for years. I was mainly a social smoker, as I couldnt have a pint without accompanying it with a fag  sometimes Id even have a cigarette hangover on top of a normal one.

I once lived with a boyfriend who was a non-smoker but I always had a packet tucked away and smoked when he was out, like some secret nico-holic.

Later, when I moved abroad, I was really into strong Gauloises, which I thought were uber-cool. By my late thirties, I had a barking cough like a sea lion and couldnt walk up Cave Hill without wheezing.

One night in Kellys Cellars, I met a friends brother who had lung cancer. He had been a heavy smoker and it brought home the risks to me.

The worst thing was he was sitting next to my fumes and, yet, I was so selfishly hooked, I could hardly bring myself to put out the cigarette.

That was the last night I ever smoked. For a while, I brought a cork with me to the pubs so I would have something to fidget with instead of a cigarette  unfortunately I started biting my nails more.

Happily, nowadays, I dont even miss smoking.

I found God and realised I no longer wanted to smoke

Model and dancer David Idris (18) lives in Belfast. He says:

I began smoking when I was 15 years old, just a few weeks before my 16th birthday. I started because I was in a relationship with a girl at the time, and, being young and naive, I also felt I had to try and impress her.

I got addicted, fell in with the wrong crowd and started smoking 10 cigarettes a day. If I was out partying, Id probably smoke about 15. When I would get stressed, depressed or insecure, Id really crave a cigarette.

I got to a point in my life where Id go to the bus stop bins and literally pick up a half-finished cigarette because I couldnt afford any.

I decided to quit smoking just a few months before I turned 18. I went to a church one Sunday afternoon and during that Sunday service I felt that God was calling me. I decided to get to know God better, woke up one day and I just didnt have the urge or the desire to smoke anymore.

A lot of people in the modelling industry do smoke.

I believe thats because of

insecurities and anxiety more than anything, but it is frowned upon.

Directors know that smoking is bad for your skin and can destroy a models youthful looks.

I resorted to a book to help me ... and it was liberating

Fantasy author Jo Zebedee (45) lives in Carrickfergus with her husband Chris and daughters Becky (17) and Holly (12). She says:

My first cigarette was shared around the side of my primary school in P7, down by the little river that tracked the playground and, at university, I established a hefty habit, which continued through most of my twenties.

I muttered about giving up but was never that hung up on it. The stats were on my side: I could give up in a few years and still have time to reverse any damage.

Then, I became pregnant. Suddenly, this wasnt about me but about someone who wasnt getting a say in the matter. I had run out of time.

I tried cold turkey and didnt get far.

In the end, I resorted to Allen Carrs The Easy Way to Stop Smoking.

It was completely liberating. Stopping smoking didnt have to be a whole lifetime thing. I could choose not to smoke a day at a time and if I fell off the wagon, I could just stop again the next day.

I finished the book in October and stopped.

Between October and December 31st, 1999, I had about five cigarettes.

I smoked my last on New Years Eve. To this day, I dont call myself a non-smoker. Not because I have cravings but because thats how I gave up, by not making grand statements about being or not being a non-smoker. But I dont think I will smoke again.

I went cold turkey ... its been surprisingly easy

BBC Radio Ulsters The Art Show presenter Steven Rainey (36) lives in Belfast with his fiancee Zoe (34). He says:

A relationship Id been in had just come to a messy end and I found myself pacing round my empty flat, wondering what to do with myself. I was listening to Miles Davis and something about the music seemed to cry out for a cigarette. Thats how I started smoking at the age of 21.

But as silly as that was, I stuck at it for another 15 years or so. Money was always tight but somehow Id find enough for a packet of cigarettes.

And as the years went by, smoking became a part of my character and how I saw myself.

I would use it to mark time  smoking to break up the day or to reward myself for completing a task in work  but I knew it was bad for me and I think the clock had been ticking for a long time.

I would get out of breath quicker than I should and I stopped enjoying the act of smoking.

Seeing people on the street smoking while I was sat on the bus, I would look at their screwed up faces as they inhaled and wonder whether I looked like that.

So I quit. I went cold turkey. And so far (a month), its been surprisingly easy.

I probably should have done this years ago.

My nicotine infatuation ended, thanks to my wife

Crime novelist Anthony Quinn (46) lives near Dungannon with his wife Clare (43). His latest novel, Undertow, is out now. He says:

For years I was the worst type of tobacco addict, a social smoker, too busy entertaining and being entertained to be aware of how many cigarettes I was consuming.

Most of the time they werent even my own cigarettes. I smoked by proxy on nights out at the weekend and then, during the week, overwhelmed with disgust, I wouldnt even look at a cigarette pack, let alone stare down the length of a lit one.

I was a serial quitter. Sometimes months would go by without me smoking and then, on another night out, a sudden pang for nicotine would overtake me and Id find myself scouring the darkest corners of the bar for a fellow smoker.

To be honest, smoking was an adventure that started during my student days at Queens University Belfast. I was a shy and incredibly reticent 19-year-old, preferring to spend long hours in the library tower block reading and writing poetry than actually conversing with other human beings.

Then one night in a quiet corner of the Student Union bar, a friend gave me one of his cigarettes and something in my brain burst into life.

Somehow, the act of smoking made me feel more eloquent and daring. I felt as though my tongue had been magically untied.

On one of those nights out, I met my wife, Clare, a medical student. Smoking was anathema to her entire outlook on life but she tolerated my social smoking, at least at the start.

Eventually something awoke in her, probably the realisation that she was going to be stuck with me for the rest of her life, and she asked me to quit.

My infatuation with nicotine evaporated thanks to the love of my life.

Benefits of stopping smoking begin within less than an hour

20 minutes

Your blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal.

8 hours

Oxygen levels in your blood return to normal and the levels of carbon monoxide are reduced by more than half.

24 hours

Carbon monoxide has been eliminated from your body. Your lungs start to clear out mucus and debris.

48 hours

Your taste and smell is improved.

72 hours

Breathing becomes easier. Your energy levels increase.

2 to 12 weeks

Circulation improves throughout the body, making walking and running much easier.

5 years

Your heart-attack risk falls to about half that of a smoker.

10 years

Your risk of lung cancer falls to about half that of a smoker.

15 years

Your risk of heart disease is nearly the same as someone who has never smoked.

For tips on quitting smoking, visit the website nicorette.co.uk

Useful charities which could help: blf.org.uk/take-action and cancerfocusni.org
A depraved couple who imprisoned a disabled woman for eight years and kept her as their sex slave received more than 180,000 in legal aid, it can be revealed.

Keith and Caroline Baker were jailed last April for a crime which shocked Northern Ireland.

They detained their victim, who had severe learning difficulties, in a squalid room at their Craigavon home.

She weighed just 6st (38kg) when she was found by police in early 2013.

Now it can be revealed that the couple, who took four years to admit their guilt, received 182,562 in legal aid to fund their defence.

Keith Baker - branded a "Svengali-type figure" by a judge - had a bill of up to 112,028.

His wife, who was described as a "pawn doing his bidding", received a further 70,534 towards her defence.

The payments were revealed after a Freedom of Information request by the Belfast Telegraph.

Under legal aid, the Government pays the cost of lawyers for those who cannot afford legal representation.

It has long been a source of controversy because of the huge sums handed out.

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Last year, Stormont's public spending watchdog criticised the failure to address the cost of legal aid in Northern Ireland.

The annual cost has been running at more than 100m on average since 2011.

DUP MLA Edwin Poots said the Bakers' case was another example of our "massive" expenditure.

"No one doubts anyone's right to legal aid, or the need to spend money on it, but our legal aid bill is a third more than what it probably should be," he said.

Mr Poots added: "I was on the justice committee which looked at legal aid, and it's clear our spending is very heavy.

"However, we met huge resistance from the legal system in our attempts to reduce spending."

Mr Poots said he believed people would be "shocked" by the Bakers' legal aid bill.

Expenditure for the case was released by the Legal Services Agency.

It shows Keith Baker's 112,028 legal aid costs included 93,151 for Crown Court representation and 12,026 in respect of his initial appearances in the magistrates court.

Some of his bill includes fees for work carried out representing Caroline Baker in the Crown Court before she transferred to a new solicitor.

The couple's overall bill includes VAT and disbursements. These are costs incurred during the course of the trial by the instructing solicitor, such as fees for expert witnesses and other professional or specialist reports.

The Legal Services Agency said: "The fees payable in the Crown Court are standard fees set out in legislation: these are the Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules."

The PSNI stumbled upon the Bakers' house of horrors case when officers were called to investigate a "domestic row" in January 2013.

The couple kept their victim in squalid conditions, forcing her to use a toilet overflowing with human waste, and preventing her from leaving her tiny room by removing the inside door handle.

When she was rescued she had only one sound tooth and was "severely emaciated".

The Bakers confessed to the three charges they jointly faced - two of engaging in sexual activity with a mentally disabled person and one of inciting such a person to engage in sexual activity knowing she had such a disorder and "knowing that because of it she was unlikely to refuse".

Keith Baker admitted a further six counts of rape of the same woman and a final count of indecently assaulting the woman.

Caroline Baker pleaded guilty to three offences of "aiding and abetting, counselling and procuring" her husband to rape their victim and a single count of indecent assault.

Keith Baker was sentenced to 20 years, 15 of which he must serve in jail. His wife was sentenced to three years with 18 months to be spent in jail.

In a report from last January, Stormont's Public Accounts Committee said expenditure on legal aid was still "unacceptably high".

It previously examined Northern Ireland's legal aid spending in 2011, calling on the Department of Justice and Legal Services Agency to urgently reform the system and to establish effective financial controls over cost.

However, last January's report said minimal progress has been made. At the time, committee chair Robin Swann said: "We are seeing average annual costs of 102m per year since 2011 - this is simply unacceptable."
The HSE is urging people in high-risk groups to get the flu vaccine.

The first flu deaths have been recorded in the Republic of Ireland as the dreaded 'Aussie flu' sweeps the country.

Flu cases have led to 73 hospitalisations so this this winter, 19 of which occurred last week.

It has now been confirmed for the first time that lives have been lost.

HSEs assistant national director for health protection Dr Kevin Kelleher spoke on RTE Radio 1s Morning Ireland about the looming prospect of a flu epidemic.

He confirmed that currently less than ten people have died after contracting the flu in Ireland this winter.

Kelleher explained that some people are more at risk of "Aussie flu" than others and that the symptoms can affect you very quickly.

Im not sure if the Australian flu is the Irish flu because they got it from us, or its the Australian flu because we got it from them, but we know its that virus, he said.

The flu, generally speaking, really hits you very hard.

"You speak to people who've had the flu and know they've had the flu, been told explicity they've had the flu, they often find it difficult to get out of bed, it's not an easy thing to do.

Its just the few people who have pre-existing conditions or who are quite elderly, who often have pre-existing conditions, who need to be admitted to hospital.

In Northern Ireland the Public Health Agency is urging people who are eligible for the free flu vaccination to get it without delay.

Dr Lorraine Doherty, Assistant Director of Public Health (Health Protection) at the PHA said: "Getting the free flu vaccine is the single most important thing you can do to help protect yourself against flu.

"With high levels of flu activity in Australia during their winter, and the potential for similar here, it is more important than ever that everyone who is eligible gets vaccinated.

We are fortunate to have a more comprehensive flu vaccination programme than Australia or England, but the benefits can only be realised if a high proportion of the groups who can get the vaccine actually take up the offer."

Dr Doherty added: Everyone who is eligible to be vaccinated against flu should see it as a positive step in protecting their health and the health of others around them. It will also help reduce the burden on our health service during an already busy time of year. All Trusts here make flu vaccine available to healthcare workers.

Getting the free flu vaccine is the single most important thing you can do to help protect yourself against flu. With high levels of flu activity in Australia during their winter, and the potential for similar here, it is more important than ever that everyone who is eligible gets vaccinated.

We are fortunate to have a more comprehensive flu vaccination programme than Australia or England, but the benefits can only be realised if a high proportion of the groups who can get the vaccine actually take up the offer."
The impact of the clashes that broke out in Pune on the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle was felt in Mumbai as well.

Both Dalits and Marathas have taken to streets on Tuesday and are staging 'rasta roko' protests across Maharashtra, including Mumbai. As per latest reports, protests have now spilled over to Thane with workers of the Republican Party of India (RPI) taking to streets in the city.

Several schools and colleges in Mumbai have been closed with protests intensifying in the city. Over 100 people have been detained across Mumbai in the wake of violent protests against the Koregaon Bhima violence.
A Belfast law graduate has called for new legislation to curb vigilante paedophile hunters after he was wrongly identified as a sexual predator and falsely accused of grooming children

A Belfast law graduate has called for new legislation to curb vigilante paedophile hunters after he was wrongly identified as a sexual predator and falsely accused of grooming children.

The Queen's University graduate was left confused following a sudden influx of friend requests on social media, before it became apparent that he shared the same name as one of the vigilante group's targets.

A barrage of profane abuse soon followed.

"It made me feel sick to the stomach. I was so angry when I realised what had happened, so many people were calling me a paedo," he said.

"Some of it was absolutely disgusting."

The aspiring solicitor was also inundated with messages from friends who believed he was the person accused and felt like he had "no choice" but to post an online status in which he rigorously defended himself.

He also criticised those who are behind the vigilante movement, but the post only attracted more abuse.

"I have been called a c***, a paedo sympathiser and told that I should be ashamed of myself," he said.

"I had to make it clear that it wasn't me, but the real reason for the hateful messages is simply because I have chosen not to go along with the mob mentality and believe in due process."

Online vigilante groups work by setting up fake profiles, and then pose as youngsters in order to snare paedophiles attempting to groom children.

The wrongly-identified man voiced his "vehement" opposition to those presenting themselves as "protectors of the community" and branded their online activities as an incitement of "citizen led violence". He warned that online outrage quickly morphs into calls for "justice outside the law" from members of the public and accused those in the group of falsely claiming that their chief concern is children's welfare.

"These groups, in their quest to publicly shame individuals, are self-serving attention seeking bullies and thugs more concerned with tabloid and online social media titillation than they are with the protection and safeguarding of children," he wrote on Facebook.

One commentator replied: "It's people like you that allow these sick f***s to believe they can go around and destroy kids' lives with no consequences."

The unsuspecting target of online hate made clear he was not defending anyone who commits sexual offences, but rather their right to due process, and said there is no point trying to reason with his critics.

"Unfortunately it doesn't matter what you say, you'll never convince these types of people that what they are doing is wrong," he said. The innocent victim is now calling for legislation to curtail vigilante groups who he warned could accuse anyone and have the potential to destroy lives.

"There is nothing stopping someone who has a vehement dislike of you from setting up a fake dating account and using your photo and address - if this group turned up at your door, how would you be able to defend yourself?" he asked.

"This group is not being governed by any clearly defined statutory parameters and is completely unregulated.

"Legislative curtailment of this activity is needed, because these videos are viewed hundreds of thousands of times online."

One online vigilante group here came under fire recently following the apparent suicide of a Co Antrim man it exposed publicly, accusing him of grooming what he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Detective Chief Inspector David McBurney of the PSNI's Public Protection Branch said that it is the role of the PSNI to deal with those allegedly involved in this type of crime, not other groups which are "unaccountable" and could "potentially undermine" investigations.

He said that if such groups are motivated to help safeguard children, they need to bring the information to the police.
The funeral of a nurse stabbed to death at her home on Christmas Day will take place on Thursday.

Jayne Toal Reat (43) died in her daughter's arms following the incident, which happened shortly before 6am on December 25 at a house on Mornington Lane in Lisburn.

Ms Reat, who had worked in Craigavon Area Hospital, will be laid to rest at St Patrick's Church in Banbridge, followed by a private cremation.

A death notice describes Ms Reat as the "much-loved mummy of Charlotte".

Her daughter Charlotte (21), who lives in Comber, was also injured in the attack, along with a male victim who is understood to be Jayne's partner, Joseph Tweedie.

The family is asking those attending the funeral to wear "suitable attire with something small in powder blue or baby pink as these were Jayne's favourite colours".

Nathan Ward (19) has since been charged with the murder of Ms Reat.

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 also scheduled to appear at Lisburn Magistrates Court on Monday, January 8.

Expand Close Nathan Ward, who has been charged with Jaynes murder Photopress Belfast / Facebook

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Following her death, Ms Reat's daughter Charlotte shared a heartbreaking last photograph of herself with her mother.

She posted an image taken on Christmas Eve, just hours before her mother was murdered.

"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," Charlotte said on her Facebook page.

"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."

She had worried the photo had been lost forever, after sharing it through social media on 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 screen-shot it for me on Christmas morning," Charlotte said.

"Love my angel with all my heart and soul."

And the partner of murdered Jayne, body builder Joseph Tweedie, also paid a heartfelt online tribute to Jayne on Saturday.

He changed his Facebook profile picture to one of Charlotte and Jayne, saying: "Love these pair so much, miss you Jayne."
Proud Belfast mum Georgina Devine has given birth to one of the first babies of 2018 in Northern Ireland.

Mason Devine was born at the Royal Victoria Hospital at 4.53am, weighing in at six pounds 12.5 ounces.

He is 29-year-old Georgina's third child after having given birth to two daughters previously.

She said that she had been shocked to discover she was expecting a boy as she had assumed that the baby would be another girl.

"It is brilliant. It is just so different. I was just so shocked," she said.

It will be a busy year for Georgina, whose two other children are five-year-old Zara and Sophia, who is 17 months.

She said that dad Damien and her family are all "over the moon" with the new arrival.

Georgina said that her girls were coming to the hospital to meet their new brother and would "probably think he is lovely".

Despite having her hands full, Georgina added that she hoped to be able to relax at home later in the evening following the natural birth, which was two days' overdue.

Another new mum, also called Georgina, was celebrating with her husband John and family members at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby boy Eben Bosse pictured with mum Sandra.Eben born at 3 am and weighed in at 9 pound 7.5 ounces. Stephen Hamilton/Presseye New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby boy Mason Devine pictured with mum Georgina .Mason born at 4.53am and weighed in at 6 pounds 12.5 ounces. Stephen Hamilton/Presseye New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby boy Mason Devine pictured with mum Georgina. Mason was born at 4.53am and weighed in at 6 pounds 12.5 ounces. Stephen Hamilton/Presseye New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby boy McCaughran born to mum Tina at 1.14am and weighing in at 8lb 6.5 ounces and being held by midwife Louise Ul Eachain Stephen Hamilton/Presseye New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby Eben with Mum Sandra Bosse who was born at 3am and weighed 9 pound 7 1/2 ounces New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby Eben with Mum Sandra Bosse New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby McCaughran with Midwife Louise Ui Eachain New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby McCaughran (yet to be named) / Facebook

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Whatsapp New Year babies at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast - Baby boy Eben Bosse pictured with mum Sandra.Eben born at 3 am and weighed in at 9 pound 7.5 ounces.

Mrs King gave birth to baby Annie Ivy at 8.11am yesterday weighing in at 71b 3oz.

Georgina (34) went on to say that baby Annie, her firstborn, was a "happy surprise".

She indicated that the infant was named after her aunt Annie who died last year.

"We knew we were having a girl," she added. Georgina, a restaurant manager at The Tides Restaurant in Portrush, said she did not think that she would have been the first to give birth at the Co Londonderry hospital on New Year's Day.

Making an even earlier appearance at Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital was baby boy Eben Bosse, born to mum Sandra.

He arrived at 3am tipping the scales at nine pounds and 7.5 ounces.

Last year, James and Emily were the two most popular babies' names in Northern Ireland.

James knocked Jack off the top spot in the province overall although it remained the number one choice in Co Londonderry.

Jacob and Amelia were the favourites in Belfast, Jack and Emily in Armagh, Harry and Emily in Lisburn, and Ryan and Grace in Newry.

Oliver and Jack were the first choice names for newborns in 12 UK cities.

Muhammed and Amelia were the most favoured in London, Jacob and Olivia in Cardiff, and Jack and Olivia were the favourites in Edinburgh.

According to Mumsnet, the top girls' names in the UK in 2017 were Olivia, Amelia, Emily, Isla, Ava, Isabella, Lily, Jessica, Ella and Mia.

Meanwhile, the most popular boys' names were Oliver, Harry, George, Jack, Jacob, Noah, Charlie, Muhammed, Thomas and Oscar.
Gritters have been out on some roads due to the icy conditions

A fresh weather warning is in place for Northern Ireland today as heavy winds herald a stormy start to 2018.

The Met Office has issued a yellow alert from 6pm this evening running through until tomorrow morning. Forecaster Eileen Stamp said the warning of strong gusts will be in place until 8am tomorrow, with winds reaching up to 70mph.

It follows a chaotic start to the new year, as treacherous black ice on Northern Ireland's roads caught out early morning motorists yesterday.

Police issued an urgent warning after attending several accidents.

One of the worst affected areas was Ballymena in Co Antrim.

Hazardous driving conditions forced police to close the M2 in both directions at Ballymena between the Seven Towers roundabout and Broughshane.

One motorist complained: "The roads were horrendous this morning. They looked wet but were icy. Cars crashed in a few places and a lorry jack-knifed as well."

Motorists were advised to avoid the area and seek alternative routes after accidents were reported between the Lisnevenagh Road, Seven Towers roundabout and northbound M2.

Other main routes in the town, including Ballymoney Road, Frys Road and Cushendall Road, were described locally as "extremely dangerous", with motorists assuming that the roads had been gritted.

Police said that the roads had not been gritted and were "badly affected by patchy ice".

Braid councillor Beth Adger said although she was aware of a road traffic accident at the Ballee roundabout on the outskirts of Ballymena yesterday morning, she did not believe that there was any need for the roads to have been gritted in the district.

She said she noted a temperature of 5C on her return from a New Year's Eve Watchnight service.

The PSNI advised motorists to reduce speed and exercise caution due to "adverse weather causing difficult driving conditions on many roads in the area".

Police issued the same advice to motorists in Co Armagh, with the Tandragee Road in Newry closed due to hazardous driving conditions.

Diversions were in place between Carnbane and Jerrettspass and motorists were advised to avoid the area.

Adverse weather conditions causing difficult driving conditions were also reported on many roads in the Dungannon area of Co Tyrone.

PSNI Mid Ulster described road conditions on the A29 from Dungannon to Moy as "treacherous" and highlighted the need for caution at the Stangmore roundabout.

On New Year's Eve, the Department for Infrastructure, which is responsible for gritting Northern Ireland's road network, warned of a "risk of icy conditions on higher routes across northern and western domains before showers move across around midnight".

The Trafficwatch information service advised of black ice in the Ballymena area shortly after 8.30am, when motorists were told that gritting was under way. Motorists were urged to drive with caution.

A spokesperson for the Department for Infrastructure said: "Temperatures were forecast to remain above freezing this morning. However, in some localised areas the temperature dipped below freezing.

"Those roads considered at risk were treated and engineers will continue to monitor the situation."

Today the weather is expected to turn wet, with forecasters predicting a band of rain will move across Northern Ireland.

The temperature is expected to rise to 8C-9C today, with lows of 4C-5C.
A Co Down man who was caught up in a ferocious fire that gutted a multi-storey car park and destroyed up to 1,600 vehicles has described "explosion after explosion" as the flames ripped through the building.

Another Ulster woman said she thought it was a terror attack as fire engulfed the car park in King's Dock, next to the Echo Arena in Liverpool on New Year's Eve.

Dromara man Raymond Jess was there with 26 staff from his Mossvale Arena Party company - course designers for the massive Liverpool International Horse Show - when the fire broke out next door.

He said smoke filled the building and they had to rescue horses from the stabling area. He described how the raging fire was terrifying, with explosions going off every few seconds.

"We heard some talk about a car fire at around 4.30pm," Mr Jess said. "The powers that be said that it was contained and that they were looking at it, but as time went on it was clear that it was out of control.

"We had to stop the afternoon performance and bring the horses out of the stabling area and into the main arena. The stables were directly below the car park and there was water rushing in on them from the firemen's hoses.

"We brought around 38 horses in the arena and had to keep them calm.

"They were getting upset when the announcements came over the PA system for people to remain calm, that they were safe and to stay where they were. Everything was very well conducted.

"There was a lot of smoke coming into the main arena at one stage, but they closed the fire doors and put on extractor fans and cleared it. Everyone was very calm, there was no sense of panic.

"When we left the stadium we saw the full extent of the fire. We saw the flames coming out of every opening on every level of the multi-storey car park. They were raging flames. I was scared looking at it, to be truthful.

"We could hear explosion after explosion. It was like Beirut. And it sounded like gunfire going off. There were petrol tanks and oil tanks blowing up and tyres going up. It was really vicious. Some people had brought their dogs and left them in their car while they were at the show. They are all gone now."

Media reports have since stated that a number of dogs were rescued.

Kelda Morgan, who lives in St Johnston on the Londonderry-Donegal border was also at the Liverpool event with her young daughter Eliza.

"The first I knew anything was wrong was when all the grooms started running into the stabling area," she said. "Then all the horses came into the arena and the announcements came over the PA telling us what was happening. I think that these days in these situations you do think what it could be, something bad.

"We asked the security people and they told us it was just a car on fire and that they were containing it. But no-one was allowed out of the arena and the smell of smoke was coming heavy through the back doors.

"The wind was blowing the smoke in the other direction away from the arena. If it had blown in the other direction I wouldn't like to imagine what would have happened.

"We were in there for two hours before we were allowed to leave. There was smoke coming right through the arena but we were told to stay where we were. We went to the shopping area but the air in there was heavy with smoke as well.

"When we were allowed out that's when we saw the fire. There were loud explosions almost every second, the smoke was billowing out. It sounded like a firework display going off, it was so loud. I was scared then. I just wanted to get away and get home."

No-one was injured in the blaze believed to have started in the engine of a 4x4 vehicle.
The residents had to be taken out by firefighters using ladders and breathing apparatus

The scene of an overnight fire at a set of flats on the Ardoyne Road in Belfast on January 2nd 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The scene of an overnight fire at a set of flats on the Ardoyne Road in Belfast on January 2nd 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

The scene of an overnight fire at a set of flats on the Ardoyne Road in Belfast on January 2nd 2018 (Photo by Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph)

Seven people have been rescued from a flat complex after a motorbike was set on fire in a hallway.

Residents of the two-storey block in the Ardoyne Road in Belfast were trapped in their homes due to smoke, Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) said.

The fire was reported at about 5.20am on Tuesday.

The residents had to be taken out by firefighters using ladders and breathing apparatus, while other crews fought the blaze.

A number of people were treated for smoke inhalation and the communal hall and doors of flats were damaged in the fire.

A NIFRS spokesman said: "The occupants were alerted early, by smoke alarms actuating in the hallway.

"NIFRS control staff reassured callers and provided lifesaving advice to those trapped until fire crews arrived on scene."

The PSNI said the fire was being treated as malicious and o fficers appealed for witnesses.
Leo Varadkar and his deputy Simon Coveney hope to meet Stormont's political leaders over the next few weeks

Donald Trump's famed boardroom negotiating techniques would be no help in reaching a deal to resolve Northern Ireland's political crisis, the Irish Premier has said.

While several recent US presidents used their influence to help broker peace deals in the region, Leo Varadkar has ruled out the current incumbent playing a useful role.

Referring to Mr Trump's business advice book, The Art Of The Deal, Mr Varadkar said: "I have read The Art Of The Deal and the basic concept behind that is 'a good deal is when I win and you lose'. That's not the kind of deal that is going to work in Northern Ireland."

The Taoiseach added: "So while President Trump has many enormous talents and abilities, I don't think bringing about peace in Northern Ireland would be his skill set.

"But certainly we are always open to assistance from the US."

Northern Ireland has effectively been without a devolved government for a year.

Its institutions collapsed amid a bitter row between former powersharing partners the DUP and Sinn Fein about a botched green energy scheme.

The late deputy first minister, Martin McGuinness, stood down in protest over the DUP's handling of an investigation into the scandal, in a move that triggered a snap election in March.

A number of attempts to restore powersharing following that poll foundered, with several deadlines for a deal having already been missed.

Mr Varadkar and his deputy Simon Coveney hope to meet Stormont's political leaders over the next few weeks as part of renewed efforts to resolve the powersharing crisis.

The Taoiseach said last month that he would make a fresh bid to help forge a deal in January, but insisted the only two options if talks fail would be to call another Assembly election or convene the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference (BIIGC).

He said the Irish government expects to have "real and meaningful involvement" if talks to save powersharing fail.

However, DUP leader Arlene Foster has dismissed the BIIGC as a "talking shop".
Two people had a lucky rescue after a member of public raised the alarm when they got into difficulty on their jet ski in Ballyhalbert Bay.

Donaghadee RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew assisted two people to safety on Monday January 1.

The crew were paged at around 11.40am by Belfast Coastguard after reports from a member of the public in Ballyhalbert Bay that a jet ski with two people on board appeared to be in trouble.

The lifeboat crew proceeded to the reported location where two men were assisted onboard the lifeboat and their jet ski was taken under tow to Ballyharbert Harbour.

The RNLI said they were wearing "appropriate clothing" for the conditions where the sea was described as "rough".

Donaghadee RNLI Lifeboat operations manager Peter Irwin said: "Following the call for assistance we were able to locate the jet ski with two people onboard quickly in what was worsening conditions, thanks to the quick thinking of a member of the public alerting the Coastguard.

"We would remind anyone going to sea to carry a means of communication in case of emergency, and let someone know when they are due to be back. Thanks to our volunteer crew who gave up their New Years Day plans in response to the page."
Central government employees have been demanding a hike in minimum pay. Photo for representation: Reuters.

While 2017 saw the Central government implementing the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission on allowances, nearly 50 lakh employees are now hoping that the government this year considers their demand for a hike in minimum basic pay.

Central government employees have been demanding that the basic minimum pay be hiked from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000. Following the implementation of Seventh Pay Commission's recommendations, the basic pay was increased from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 based on a fitment factor of 2.57 with effect from January 1, 2016.

However, representatives of government employees' unions have demanded that the fitment factor be increased to 3.7 so as to ensure that the basic pay is hiked to Rs 26,000 per month.

Some media reports in September last year suggested that the Central government was considering increasing the minimum basic pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 21,000.

However, a few months later, some media reports citing Ministry of Finance sources scotched earlier speculations and said the Ministry has no plans to revise the minimum basic pay for Central government employees.

Narendra Modi-led Cabinet approved the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission on House Rent Allowance (HRA) and other allowances for 48 lakh Central government employees on June 28 last year. The pay commission's recommendations were cleared with 34 modifications.

Subsequently, several state government also okayed revision in salaries of employees based on the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission.

While Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government announced revision in pay scales for 8 lakh employees and pensioners in September, Vasundhara Raje government in Rajasthan announced revision in salaries from November.

WATCH: Finance Minister Jaitley announces 3 Cabinet approvals
Police in the Republic are investigating after a bomb hidden in a vacuum cleaner box was sent to a social worker

Police in the Republic are investigating after a bomb hidden in a vacuum cleaner box was sent to a social worker.

A threatening note was attached to the "highly complex" device, believed to be linked to the respected woman's work.

Sources said gardai and army experts have rarely seen such an elaborate bomb.

A Dublin-based criminal gang has been identified as the chief suspect.

"As part of her work as a senior social worker, this woman has had to interface with criminality as part of her job," a source said.

"What seems to have occurred is that a Dublin-based criminal gang had a deep grudge against this lady because of her diligent work in a particular case."

After the bomb was delivered to the social worker's place of work on November 16, she placed it in the boot of her car and drove for over half an hour to an event attended by a large group of children.

It was when the target arrived at this event that she gave the vacuum cleaner box a further examination. It is understood she noticed wiring and became suspicious.

She then placed it on the ground at the venue's car park. Gardai were contacted and an army bomb disposal team was called to the scene. They examined the device before carrying out a controlled explosion.
The stab death of a Polish man on New Year's Eve is being treated as murder, gardai have said.

The 40-year-old died in hospital on New Year's Day following the incident on Dublin Street in Ballyjamesduff in Co Cavan late the previous evening.

Gardai have contacted the man's family in Poland.

Following a post-mortem examination, officers said they were treating the death as a murder

Appeals have been issued for anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident - from around 10.30pm until midnight on New Year's Eve - to come forward and also for members of the Polish community and for anyone who was driving or may have dashcam footage of the incident to come forward.

Gardai in Bailieboro are investigating.
Two orange status - the second highest - weather warnings have been put in place

Tens of thousands of homes and businesses across the island of Ireland have been hit with blackouts caused by Storm Eleanor.

In the Republic high winds left at least 55,000 properties with no power as games swept in from the Atlantic.

In Northern Ireland about 21,000 customers, mainly across the border counties, were facing cuts to electricity supplies for the a night.

Flooding hit Galway city, Salthill, Oranmore and Clarinbridge as high tides combined with gales gusting to 130kmh during rush hour. Some cars were abandoned in Oranmore as roads were blocked while others in a car park in Salthill were partially submerged. Trees, branches and other flying debris were reported as having brought down power lines and poles.

ESB Networks said that counties worst affected in the Republic included Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Monaghan. In Gort, Co Galway households were warned about potential disruption to water supplies after power cuts hit the local pumping station.

In Galway, streets around the docks were flooded after high tides breached defences and inundated the areas around the Spanish Arch, Claddagh, Dominick Street, Quay Street and nearby streets. Water was more than one foot deep in places.

The Coast Road from the city to Oranmore was also impassable at rush hour as high tide combined with the strong winds to cause local flooding. There were also reports of spot flooding on the N85 Ennis to Ennistymon road in Co Clare.

Irish Water said ESB crews were on site but it would take several hours to get supplies back up again.

"We ask customers in the Gort area who have a mains water supply to conserve their water until the electricity supply is restored and the pumping station is back in full production," said a spokeswoman.

ESB Networks said its crews were working to get people reconnected "where it is safe to do so".

"Aiming to restore as many customers as possible tonight, they will deploy again before first light tomorrow," a spokesman said.

"Further damage to the electricity network can be expected in north Leinster as the storm tracks east. Fallen trees on overhead lines are responsible for most of the damage to the network."

NI Electricity said the number of reported power outages will increase through the night.

Julia Carson, NIE Networks communications manager, said: "We advise customers to keep mobile phones charged and have batteries available for torches in case they experience power cuts.

"NIE Networks will be working into the night to do all that we can to restore electricity supplies to our customers as quickly and safely as we can.

"Safety is paramount and there are some areas where the high wind speeds may impact on our ability to assess the damage and carry out repairs."
A photographers tour of abandoned railway depots and car cemeteries around the world has been made into a book to raise money for a Scottish charity.

David McKerans fascination with derelict cars, rail engines and boats has seen him cover thousands of miles over the last three years in countries including France, Spain, Cuba and Namibia.

His trip started at the Bowling harbour boat graveyard on the River Clyde and the proceeds from the book, titled Rack and Ruin, are to go to homelessness charity Glasgow City Mission.

Mr McKeran, who runs David McKeran Photography and is a partner with Matrix Business Growth Consultants in Glasgow, said: Over the past few years Ive been combining my passion for photography with raising funds for Glasgow City Mission, an organisation thats doing fantastic work tackling the challenges of homelessness.

I was told about the boat graveyard in Bowling and I found that the rotting wood, rusting metal and twisted shapes provided the scope for some dramatic images.

I started to think about where else I could find more abandoned boats and other subjects which offered similar photographic opportunities.

This led to a three-year project, visiting boat graveyards, car cemeteries and abandoned railway depots.

I visited various sites in Scotland and England as well as trips to France, Spain, Hungary, Sweden, Cuba and Namibia.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, London, after the announcement of their engagement.

Prince Harry and his bride-to-be Meghan Markle will visit the London studios of a youth-orientated radio station to learn about its work supporting young people.

The couple, who are reportedly holidaying in France, will meet presenters and staff from Reprezent FM, which trains hundreds of young people every year in media and employment skills.

Harry and Meghan have already carried out their first official royal visit together, travelling to Nottingham for a series of engagements a few days after it was announced the couple planned to wed.

They will marry at St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle on May 19.

Prince Harry and Ms. Markle will visit @ReprezentRadio in Brixton on 9th January, to see their work supporting young people through creative training in radio and

broadcasting, and to learn more about their model of using music, radio and media for social impact. pic.twitter.com/6CuhOJd7LX  The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) January 2, 2018

The Reprezent training programme was established 10 years ago in response to the rise in knife crime, to help young people develop and socialise through radio.

It has grown to become a hotbed of UK music talent with the DJs and presenters working in the music industry, running club nights and producing their own music.

More than 4,000 young people have been through the Reprezent programme, with over 3,000 more on the waiting list.

Wow. Prince Harry + Meghan Markle to visit @ReprezentRadio and explore the "social impact" of the Brixton station... https://t.co/aoBKUOOSkB pic.twitter.com/nh1IuptnjI  CLASH (@ClashMagazine) January 2, 2018

It offers accredited training and support in topics ranging from audio and radio production and editing, to communication skills and confidence building, work experience and volunteering.

Harry and Meghan will visit the Reprezent FM studios at POP Brixton, a temporary project that has turned disused land into a creative space for local, independent businesses.

They will learn more about the training programmes, and meet some of the current and former volunteers who have benefited from their time on the courses.

Harry and Meghan will make their trip to Brixton next Tuesday after returning from their reported New Year break to the French Riviera.

The prince whisked his bride-to-be away to the warmer climate of the Mediterranean coast on December 31.
Prisoners, back, try to contact relatives after a rebellion at the Colonia Agroindustrial prison in the state of Goias, Brazil (Claudio Reis/O Popular/AP)

Inmates from rival gangs battled at a prison in Brazil's Goias state on Monday, leaving nine dead and 14 injured, authorities said.

Officials told the Brazilian news site G1 that the violence at the Colonia Agroindustrial prison in the Aparecida de Goiania Complex apparently erupted when inmates from one cellblock invaded three others where prisoners from rival gangs are housed.

The attackers set mattresses on fire when they entered the neighbouring corridors and burned the bodies of those who were killed, authorities said. Firefighters were able to contain the fire.

Authorities confirmed the number of dead, but said identifications had not yet been made, G1 reported.

Local media said about 106 inmates escaped during the riot, and officials had recaptured 29. The reports said 127 other inmates fled during the violence but returned voluntarily.

Officers from the Special Penitentiary Operations Group regained control of the prison with the support of military police about two hours after the riot started.

Exactly one year ago, a prison riot at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex in Amazonas state caused 56 deaths.

A day later, four prisoners were killed at the Puraqueuqara Prison Unit in the same state.

Thirty-three more inmates died on January 6 in a riot at a prison in Roraima state, and 26 were killed on January 14 when inmates rebelled at Alcacuz prison in Rio Grande do Norte.

AP
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has dismissed the prospect of Donald Trump's reputed deal-making prowess being of use to break the Stormont deadlock.

The Executive collapsed in January last year and talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein have failed to see it restored.

Intervention by the United States in the peace process has proved useful in the past, particularly during the Clinton administration in the 1990s.

But Mr Varadkar has cast doubt on Mr Trump's ability to help solve the current impasse, despite the US president's much boasted reputation for deal-making, as set out in his own book, The Art of the Deal.

The Taoiseach said: "I have read The Art Of The Deal and the basic concept behind that is 'a good deal is when I win and you lose'.

"That's not the kind of deal that is going to work in Northern Ireland."

"So, while President Trump has many enormous talents and abilities, I don't think bringing about peace in Northern Ireland would be his skillset.

"But certainly we are always open to assistance from the US," Mr Varadkar said.

He added that one item he would like to discuss when he visits the White House in March is the appointment of a full-time US ambassador to Ireland, if one hasn't been appointed by then.

The British and Irish governments are planning fresh efforts to reinstate the Assembly this year.

January 16 will mark exactly a year since an Assembly election was called after the late Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness resigned in protest over the Renewable Heat Incentive scandal.

Mr Varadkar has said that his government doesn't support direct rule from London, but said there are two options in the absence of a deal between Sinn Fein and the DUP - fresh elections or the convening of the British-Irish Inter-governmental Conference (BIIGC).

The Good Friday Agreement provides for matters that are not devolved to be dealt with by this conference.

Mr Varadkar has said that the Irish government expects to have "real and meaningful involvement" if talks to save powersharing fail.

However, DUP leader Arlene Foster has dismissed the BIIGC as a "talking shop".

Mr Varadkar also said he aspires to a united Ireland by consent and with cross-community support.

He said he followed the idea of former SDLP leader John Hume of an "agreed Ireland".

Mr Varadkar said: "In terms of a united Ireland, our constitution is clear on this.

"Our constitution aspires to there being a united Ireland. I share that aspiration. But only on the basis that it is done by consent, and when it does come about I would like to see it command a degree of cross-community support. And that's the way I would envision it."

He added: "I very much follow the school of thought of the great John Hume, who talked less about a united Ireland and more about an agreed Ireland and a set of relationships that we can all be happy with. That's the way it should be."

The Taoiseach's comments are likely to further strain his already difficult relationship with unionists in Northern Ireland.

In November, DUP leader Arlene Foster accused Irish Foreign Affairs Minister and Mr Varadkar's deputy, Simon Coveney, of "aggressive" behaviour after he spoke of his desire for a united Ireland.

Mr Coveney told a parliamentary committee that he wanted to see a united Ireland in his political lifetime.

"I am a constitutional nationalist, I would like to see a united Ireland in my lifetime," he said.

"If possible, in my political lifetime."

Mr Coveney added that any moves toward Irish unification should be careful, should learn from the past and ensure more steps are taken to protect and include a unionist minority.

Following his comments, Mrs Foster said: "Why then did Simon use this moment in time to talk about his aspiration for a united Ireland in his political lifetime? I think that's quite aggressive."

Uncertainty around Brexit has seen relations between Dublin and London and the DUP deteriorate in recent months.

In December, Mr Varadkar admitted relations with Britain were "strained" because of disputes between governments on what kind of arrangement should be made for Northern Ireland after Brexit.

The DUP has criticised Mr Varadkar's Fine Gael party, saying that multiple references to the possibility of a united Ireland in current Irish politicians' lifetimes were unhelpful.
A boy carries his dead brother on his shoulders while he waits at a cemetery in Nagasaki in an image taken by US Marine Joe O'Donnell in 1945 Vatican Press Office

The Pope 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.

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.

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.

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.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close April 1969 - shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, a South Vietnamese woman mourns over the body of her husband, found with 47 others in a mass grave near Hue, Vietnam. HORST FAAS Newly independent Bangladesh guerrillas in Dacca use bayonets to torture and kill four men suspected of collaborating with Pakistani militiamen who had been accused of murder, rape and looting during months of civil war. HORST FAAS, MICHEL LAURENT FILE - In this March 1973 file photo taken by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, American prisoners of war look through barred wooden doors at the last detention camp at Ly Nam De Street in Hanoi, North Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, File) Horst Faas FILE - Associated Press photographer Horst Faas is shown in this undated file photo in Ca Mau, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/File) FILE - In this Jan. 16, 1966 file photo taken by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, Lt. Col. George Eyster of Florida is placed on a stretcher after being shot by a Viet Cong sniper at Trung Lap, South Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, File) Horst Faas FILE - In this Dec. 18, 1971 file photo shot by Associated Press photographers Horst Faas and Michel Laurent, part of a Pulitzer prize winning series, a guerilla leader in Dacca, Bangladesh, beats a victim during the torture and execution of four men suspected of collaborating with Pakistani militiamen accused of murder, rape and looting during months of civil war. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, Michel Laurent) HORST FAAS, MICHEL LAURENT FILE - In this May 11, 1965 file photo, Associated Press photographer Horst Faas tries to get back on a U.S. helicopter after a day out with Vietnamese rangers in a flooded plain of reeds. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/File) FILE - In this Aug. 1962 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, South Vietnamese government troops from the 2nd Battalion of the 36th Infantry sleep in a U.S. Navy troop carrier on their way back to the Provincial capital of Ca Mau, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, File) HORST FAAS FILE - In this March 19, 1964 file photo, one of several shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas which earned him the first of two Pulitzer Prizes, a father holds the body of his child as South Vietnamese Army Rangers look down from their armored vehicle. The child was killed as government forces pursued guerrillas into a village near the Cambodian border. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) HORST FAAS FILE - In this April 2, 1967 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, wounded U.S. soldiers are treated on a battle field in Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) Horst Faas FILE - In this June 1965 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, South Vietnamese civilians, among the few survivors of two days of heavy fighting, huddle together in the aftermath of an attack by government troops to retake the post at Dong Xoai, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) Horst Faas FILE - In this April 2, 1967 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, a dead U.S. soldier lays on the battlefield with a sheet over him in Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) Horst Faas FILE - In this April 2, 1967 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, a wounded U.S. soldier is given water on a battlefield in Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, has died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) Horst Faas FILE - Associated Press photographer Horst Faas is shown in this undated file photo in Ca Mau, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/File) FILE - In this Jan. 1, 1966 file photo taken by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, women and children crouch in a muddy canal as they take cover from intense Viet Cong fire at Bao Trai, about 20 miles west of Saigon, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) HORST FAAS FILE - In this March, 1998 file photo, former Associated Press Saigon photo chief Horst Faas, left, and former AP Saigon bureau chief Richard Pyle pose at a Laos crash site, as a U.S. MIA search team excavates a hillside for human remains and artifacts from a helicopter crash that killed four Vietnam war photographers in 1971. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Roger King, File) Roger King FILE - In this 1967 file photo Associated Press photographer Horst Faas works in Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo) FILE - In this April 1969 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, a South Vietnamese woman mourns over the body of her husband, found with 47 others in a mass grave near Hue, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, File) HORST FAAS File - In this December 1965 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, a U.S. 1st Division soldier guards Route 7 as Vietnamese women and school children return home to the village of Xuan Dien from Ben Cat, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) Horst Faas FILE - In this March 30, 1965 file photo taken by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, injured Vietnamese receive aid as they lie on the street after a bomb explosion outside the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, File) Horst Faas FILE - In this Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 file photo, former Associated Press editor and photographer, Horst Faas, looks at his retrospective at the Couvent des Minimes in Perpignan, southern France, during the Visa pour l'Image, the 20th International Festival of Photojournalism. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Laurent Rebours, File) LAURENT REBOURS FILE - In this March 1965 file photo shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, hovering U.S. Army helicopters pour machine gun fire into the tree line to cover the advance of South Vietnamese ground troops in an attack on a Viet Cong camp 18 miles north of Tay Ninh, Vietnam, northwest of Saigon near the Cambodian border. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, File) HORST FAAS FILE - In this undated file photo, Associated Press photographer Horst Faas is shown on assignment in South Vietnam. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/File) FILE - In this March 19, 1964 file photo, one of several shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas which earned him the first of two Pulitzer Prizes, a father holds the body of his child as South Vietnamese Army Rangers look down from their armored vehicle. The child was killed as government forces pursued guerrillas into a village near the Cambodian border. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas) HORST FAAS FILE - In this Dec. 18, 1971 file photo shot by Associated Press photographers Horst Faas and Michel Laurent, part of Pulitzer prize winning series, newly independent Bangladesh guerrillas in Dacca use bayonets to torture and kill four men suspected of collaborating with Pakistani militiamen who had been accused of murder, rape and looting during months of civil war. Faas, a prize-winning combat photographer who carved out new standards for covering war with a camera and became one of the world's legendary photojournalists in nearly half a century with The Associated Press, died Thursday May 10, 2012. He was 79. (AP Photo/Horst Faas, Michel Laurent) HORST FAAS, MICHEL LAURENT / Facebook

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Whatsapp April 1969 - shot by Associated Press photographer Horst Faas, a South Vietnamese woman mourns over the body of her husband, found with 47 others in a mass grave near Hue, Vietnam.

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.
Pakistan has hit back after US President Donald Trump accused it of harbouring terrorists, denouncing his New Year's Day tweet as "completely incomprehensible."

The government summoned the US ambassador to complain but stopped short of demands by protesting Islamic groups to expel the envoy.

The latest round of tit-for-tat attacks between the two countries was ignited by Mr Trump's tweet on Monday. He said the US had "foolishly" given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars (24 billion) in aid in the last 15 years and had received nothing in return but "lies & deceit".

He also reiterated longstanding allegations that Pakistan gives "safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan".

A statement issued after a National Security Committee meeting, which was attended by Pakistan's prime minister and the powerful army chief of staff, said the US was making Pakistan a scapegoat for its own failure to bring peace to Afghanistan after 16 years of war.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have long accused each other of harbouring militants, and have exchanged lists of wanted terrorists they want apprehended and returned. Afghanistan has also provided what it says are the locations of militant camps inside Pakistan.

Pakistan denies supporting militants, pointing to its own war against extremist groups battling to overthrow the government. It blames the burgeoning insurgency in Afghanistan on runaway corruption, infighting that has paralysed the Kabul government and record drug production.

Pakistan says the chaos next door has spawned a proliferation of insurgent groups, including an Islamic State affiliate that has attacked it from hideouts in Afghanistan.

The National Security Committee statement said Pakistan is among the countries hardest hit by terrorist attacks, having lost thousands of civilians and soldiers to the violence that has convulsed the region since the September 11 attacks.

The contradictions at the heart of US-Pakistani relations were on display on Tuesday, when the Jamaat-ud-Dawa movement held protests in Lahore calling for the expulsion of the US ambassador.

The group is headed by Hafiz Saeed, who also founded the militant group blamed for the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The State Department has offered a 10 million dollar (7.3m) reward for Saeed, who is wanted on terrorism charges, but he lives openly in Pakistan and frequently appears at public rallies.

Pakistan recently placed Saeed under house arrest for 11 months, but a court released him, citing lack of evidence.

AP

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters to expect more details on specific actions against Pakistan over the next day or two.

"In terms of Pakistan, as I said, our goal is that we know that they can do more to stop terrorism and we want them to do that. That seems pretty simple," she said.

"In terms of specific actions, I think you'll see some more details come out on that in next 24 to 48 hours."

AP
At least 12 people have died 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.

State TV said 10 people were killed during clashes on Sunday night. Two demonstrators were killed during a protest in western Iran late on Saturday.

President Hassan Rouhani acknowledged the public's anger over the Islamic Republic's flagging economy, though he warned the government would not hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers.
Former CEO and chairman, Royal Bank of Scotland, Meera Sanyal (left) and UP-based poet Imran Pratapgarhi.

Hectic parleys and deliberations are on in AAP as the top leadership is trying to zero in on three faces for its Rajya Sabha nominations this week.

While top party sources confirmed that national spokesperson and former Punjab in-charge Sanjay Singh has made the cut, former CEO and chairman of Royal Bank of Scotland, Meera Sanyal and prominent UP-based poet Imran Pratapgarhi have emerged as top contenders for the other two tickets.

Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal and deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who are on a holiday, will convene a meeting of the political affairs committee by Wednesday and make a formal announcement thereafter.

While the party is strategising for the three seats, its leadership continues to remain divided over fielding 'rank outsiders'.

As AAP reached out to prominent personalities like Raghuram Rajan and Arun Shourie, among others, over the past few weeks, party members have raised questions on sidelining their own leaders.

Several leaders told MAIL TODAY that the debate is on 'if the party should reward and promote its most loyal soldiers or import faces from outside'.

"Will this not demoralise party leaders and workers who have been tirelessly working for the party?" wondered a party source. Sanyal, member of the AAP national executive, has not been actively involved in the party's core decision-making and campaigns.

Large sections of the party have instead pitched for senior leader Ashutosh, who has been a far more prominent and visible face of the party.

Sources said Pratapgarhi, who often takes on PM Modi, is being brought in to offset poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas, who has staked claim on a Rajya Sabha seat.

The party needs a minority face, but roping in Pratapgarhi, who is a 'rank outsider', would mean he will stymie AAP's prominent minority leader and Okhla MLA Amanatullah Khan.

However, having Pratapgarhi on board would give the party a new voice that will mount attack on Modi at a time when Kejriwal has refrained from doing so.

Meanwhile, all eyes remain on Vishwas, who claimed to have support from a section of the MLAs
Centre, states should invest more in healthcare: Venkaiah Naidu Naidu claimed that the modern day lifestyle is creating a lot of health problems and stressed the need to raise awareness about its adverse effects among the people.

Vice President Venkaiah Naidu has urged the Centre and state governments to invest more in the healthcare sector and educate people to get health insurance.

Stating that providing proper medical service is the need of the hour, Naidu on Saturday said private sector investments and public-private Partnership (PPP) model should be encouraged more for the betterment of healthcare in the country.

The central and the state government must together spend more in the health sector. Also people should be educated about getting health insurance. Many people in India are worried about the cost but health insurance is very much required, Naidu said at the 11th Global Healthcare Summit organised by the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) here.

We must all focus more on the service. The medical service in India is the need of the hour. India is still lagging behind in spite of a lot of advancement in medication. The centre is encouraging private sector in the medical healthcare sector. We must also go with the PPP model, he added.

Claiming that India has the potential to become a medical tourist centre in the future, the Vice President said accessibility and affordability of healthcare should be ensured as a large section of the countrys population belongs to the middle and lower-middle class.

Naidu claimed that the modern day lifestyle is creating a lot of health problems and stressed the need to raise awareness about its adverse effects among the people.

The modern day lifestyle is creating serious health hazards. The doctors should indicate the people to go back to their cultural roots and follow the disciplined, systematic lifestyle. Diabetes is a major challenge faced in the country, he said.

He also urged the Indian medical practitioners staying abroad to come back to the country and help the society as all the opportunities are now available here.

I would be happier if you people can come back to India and do something to help the society. Earlier the opportunity was very less here so people went to different parts of the globe for work. But now everything is available in India. Naidu added.
Dr.Martyn deserved this honor due to his consistently excellent academic and commercial contribution to drug research and pharmaceutical product development and the remarkable contribution he has made to the industry

Juniper Pharmaceuticals a diversified healthcare company , announced that Juniper Pharma Services co-founder Martyn Davies, has been appointed as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in Her Majesty's 2018 New Year's Honours List.

The honors system recognizes people who have made achievements in public life and have committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.

Honorees are proposed by a committee and then approved by the Prime Minister and the Queen.

Dr. Davies will officially receive his CBE medal at an Investiture in 2018.

Dr. Davies has been granted one of the United Kingdom's most prestigious awards in recognition of his contribution to science and his ground-breaking achievements in pharmaceutical research and drug development.

Now an advisor to the board of Juniper Pharmaceuticals and Chair of Juniper's Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Davies is also an Emeritus Professor at the School of Pharmacy within The University of Nottingham.

Dr. Davies co-founded Molecular Profiles (now Juniper Pharma Services) in 1997.

He has played a significant role in the contract development and built-up organization's rapid growth and expansion over the last 20 years.

He worked on several hundred products, including over half of the world's top 20 blockbuster drugs.

In 2013, the company was acquired by Columbia Laboratories (now Juniper Pharmaceuticals).

Dr. Davies originally qualified as a pharmacist, with first-class honors before earning his PhD from the Chelsea School of Pharmacy in 1984.

During his academic career, Dr. Davies has published 425 scientific papers and supervised over 70 PhD students and mentored over 40 postdoctoral fellows.

He is a Fellow of the Controlled Release Society, UK Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, Royal Society of Chemistry, American Institute of Biological Engineering and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

Dr. Davies is also the part of editorial boards of many journals including the Journal of Controlled Release, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and European Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
The United States of America, following up on a threat levelled by its president Donald Trump, has indeed suspended financial aid to Pakistan.

News agency PTI reported it was able to get a White House confirmation that America would not be sending $255 million in military aid to Pakistan for now. The agency quoted an unnamed Trump administration official to report the confirmation.

"The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," PTI quoted the official as saying.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance."

The development, which IndiaToday.in was unable to independently confirm, came just hours after US President Donald Trump delivered a rude New Year shock to Pakistan. Lashing out at Islamabad, Trump said his country had "foolishly" spent billions in giving aid but got nothing in return except 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," Trump tweeted before suggesting that his administration would stop 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. 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, sending the Shahid Khaqan Abbasi government in Pakistan into a huddle and causing the Pakistani defence ministry to respond in a similar language.

"Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16 yrs, but they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis," the ministry said via an unverified Twitter handle.

Islamabad also summoned the US ambassador to Pakistan, David Hale, in order to lodge a protest over Trump's tweet, local media reported.

Trump's tweet, seen by many as a surprise, comes after months of Washington increasing the pressure on Islamabad to be more transparent and committed in the fight against terrorism. The Trump administration in the US has repeatedly called Pakistan out for providing 'safe haves' for terrorists, charges that Islamabad has repeatedly denied.

WATCH | Pakistan Trumped: Global isolation inevitable for 'terroristan' now?
We might be sulking about how bad a year 2017 was, thanks to several historical decisions that the world took (Donald Trump, anyone?), but turns out we might have some reason to be happy. 2017 was the safest year on record in commercial aviation history, with not one single death in commercial passenger jets.

Airlines recorded zero accident deaths in commercial passenger jets last year, according to a Dutch consulting firm and an aviation safety group that tracks crashes, making 2017 the safest year on record for commercial air travel.

To70 estimated that the fatal accident rate for large commercial passenger flights is 0.06 per million flights, or one fatal accident for every 16 million flights.

The Aviation Safety Network also reported there were no commercial passenger jet deaths in 2017, but 10 fatal airliner accidents resulting in 44 fatalities on board and 35 persons on the ground, including cargo planes and commercial passenger turbo prop aircraft.

2017 IN AVIATION

COMMERCIAL PASSENGER JET DEATHS: 0

FATAL AIRLINER ACCIDENTS: 10

FATALITIES: 44 ON-BOARD, 35 ON GROUND (INCLUDING CARGO PLANES AND COMMERCIAL PASSENGER TURBO PROP AIRCRAFT)

That figure includes 12 people killed on December 31 when a Nature Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft crashed minutes after takeoff into a mountainous area off the beach town of Punta Islita, Costa Rica.

In comparison, there were 16 accidents and 303 deaths in 2016 among airliners.

The deadliest incident last year occurred in January, when a Turkish cargo jet smashed into a village in Kyrgyzstan as it tried to land at a nearby airport in dense fog, killing 35 on the ground and all four on board.

The Aviation Safety Network said 2017 was "the safest year ever, both by the number of fatal accidents as well as in terms of fatalities."

In 2017, among the airline accidents, five involved cargo flights and five were passenger flights. One out of 10 accident airplanes was operated by an airline on the EU "blacklist".

Given the expected worldwide air traffic of about 36,800,000 flights, the accident rate is one fatal passenger flight accident per 7,360,000 flights.

The low number of accidents comes as no surprise, according to ASN President Harro Ranter. Ranter said, "Since 1997, the average number of airliner accidents has shown a steady and persistent decline, for a great deal thanks to the continuing safety-driven efforts by international aviation organisations such as ICAO, IATA, Flight Safety Foundation and the aviation industry."

On December 31, aviation had a record period of 398 days with no passenger jet airliner accidents. Additionally, a record period of 792 days passed since the previous civil aircraft accident claiming over 100 lives, says ASN.

Over the last two decades, aviation deaths around the world have been steadily falling. As recently as 2005, there were 1,015 deaths aboard commercial passenger flights worldwide, the Aviation Safety Network said.

The last fatal passenger jet airliner accident worldwide took place in November 2016 near Medellin, Colombia and the last commercial passenger aircraft crash to kill more than 100 people occurred in October 2015 in Egypt.

2017: THE SAFEST YEAR IN AVIATION HISTORY

The ASN says that its statistics are 'based on all worldwide fatal commercial aircraft accidents (passenger and cargo flights) involving civil aircraft of which the basic model has been certified for carrying 14 or more passengers.'

As a result, the June 7 accident involving a Myanmar Air Force Y-8F transport plane that killed 122 is not included in the list of accidents.

However, even after including military transport aircraft as well as non-commercial flights, the total number fatalities would be 230 in 24 fatal accidents. Still the lowest numbers in modern aviation history, says the website.

THE FIVE DEADLIEST COMMERCIAL FLIGHT CRASHES

1. Tenerife Airport Disaster: March 27, 1977

Deaths: 583

Two Boeing 747s; one belonging to KLM and the other, PanAm, collided head on on a foggy runway in Los Rodeos airport in Tenerife.

2. Japan Airlines Flight 123: August 12, 1985

Deaths: 520

When Japan Airlines' Flight 123 spiralled out of control and crashed into Mount Takamagahara in central Japan, only four people survived out of the 524 on board. Till date, it is counted as the largest single aircraft accident in aviation history.

3. Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision: November 12, 1996

Deaths: 349

The Charkhi Dadri accident is the worst mid-air crash in the world. When Saudia Flight 763 from Delhi to Dahran, and Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 from Shymkent to Delhi collided mid-air over the city of Charkhi Dadri in northern India, 349 people were killed. Out of the 349, 312 were on board the Saudia flight, and 37 were on the Kazakhstan Airlines flight.

4. Turkish Airlines Flight 981: March 3, 1974

Deaths: 346

It was a design flaw on the Turkish Airlines Flight 981 from Orly Airport in Paris to Heathrow in London that led to one of the worst aviation disasters in modern history. The aircraft, carrying 335 passengers and 11 crew members crashed nose-down into the Ermenonville forest, north of the French capital, right after take off.

5. Air India Flight 182: June 23, 1985

Deaths: 329

This incident was spoken of as the world's deadliest terror attack involving a plane, for more than a decade-and-a-half, before 9/11 dislodged it from that position. The Air India Flight 182 from Toronto in Canada to Mumbai in India, exploded mid-air after a bomb planted by Sikh terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa went off, with the aircraft crashing into the Atlantic Ocean in Irish airspace and killing all 329 on board.

(The writer tweets as @ananya116)

(With inputs from Reuters)
After Baahubali's glowing success, every industry has their sights set on Prabhas, who became an international sensation after the two films. Soon after the release of the SS Rajamouli franchise, Prabhas signed Saaho, and that was touted to be his Bollywood debut. However, Prabhas clarified, that it is not the case, as Saaho is a trilingual film

In an interview to Times of India, Prabhas spoke about his Bollywood debut, which is going to be a romantic film. "I watch a lot of Hindi films. I live in Hyderabad, where 60 per cent of the people speak Hindi. I am getting good offers from Bollywood. I had okayed a script three years ago. It is a love story that I will do post Saaho," he said.

He also spoke fondly of filmmaker Karan Johar. "I made a good association with Karan Johar. If I want anything, I think I can ask him. He has helped us a lot. In fact, I met some actors (from Bollywood) in Karan's house. They were all very chilled out," said the actor.

It would be interesting to see Prabhas abandon his fiery action look, and take on a romantic avatar. In fact, he is quite keen on doing such a role, and says that every actor would want to move out of the shell they've created for themselves. "In Hollywood, the guy who plays Batman and Spiderman also plays normal characters. The biggest stars in the world want to play different characters. We can't give the excuse that because an actor played a superhero in his previous film, his next one won't work. If the script is not good, the film will not work. Instead of saying that the script does not work, we say that the actor didn't work in the role. That is the problem. I was doing a lot of action films and people loved me in those movies. After that, I did a small love story and it was a hit as the script was good. People forgot that I had done so many action films and started liking me in the love story."

Meanwhile, Prabhas is in Los Angeles, shooting for Saaho. He will soon be joined by Shraddha Kapoor. Saaho is expected to hit the screens this year.
In hopes of healing both themselves and the world around them, friends and family of Tara Roe have been performing random acts of kindness in her honour this holiday season.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 2/1/2018 (1340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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In hopes of healing both themselves and the world around them, friends and family of Tara Roe have been performing random acts of kindness in her honour this holiday season.

Roe was one of 58 people killed by a lone gunman who fired on a crowd of people attending a country music festival in Las Vegas on Oct. 1.

FILE Originally from Brandon and more recently of Alberta, Tara Roe was one of 58 people killed in a mass shooting in Las Vegas in October.

Its been a tough time coming to grips with what has taken place, lifelong friend Megan Nevin said, adding that the negative cloud the tragedy created went against the positive memories she maintains of Roe, whom she grew up with in Brandon.

The idea to re-inject Roes positivity into the world came approximately one month ago while Nevin was waiting in line for family photographs with Santa Claus at Winnipegs St. Vital Centre.

Upon reaching the front, Nevin paid for the photo package of the person behind her, leaving them a note that cited Roe as her inspiration for the act of kindness, a model that various members of Roes circle of friends and family have been following ever since.

SUBMITTED Rosa Villamizar received a pleasant surprise at Komfort Kitchen on Saturday, when after brunch with her husband she found their bill had been covered by a Good Samaritan, in honour of local Las Vegas shooting victim Tara Roe.

"Its nice that even though shes no longer here we can continue to spread love in her name," Nevin said. "If we can spread her love and energy to anyone else, it makes your heart smile."

During recent weeks, random acts of kindness made in Roes name have spread throughout Manitoba, and even North America thanks to a social media promotion of the effort using the hashtag #honor58.

The notes that many of these community stewards leave behind encourage the recipients of their good deeds to "pay it forward," which Nevin said took place several times over at Brandons Robins Donuts last month, where one of Roes friends paid for someone elses bill only to have the deed snowball several times over as people paid for others bills.

A similar thing happened at Brandons Komfort Kitchen over the weekend, where random acts of kindness kicked off when a friend of Roes gave a sizable tip to a waitress.

Restaurant manager Carissa Scott said that this act of kindness was paid forward when this waitress covered the bill of a table of people, who in turn paid for another tables bill.

After enjoying brunch with her husband on Saturday, Rosa Villamizar found that her Komfort Kitchen bill had been paid by an anonymous person, who left a note behind citing Roe as their inspiration.

Villamizar posted this note on social media in hopes of inspiring others to follow suit, explaining that she also intends to "pay it forward," adding, "Let the love, kindness, goodness and positive energy win."

Roes mother, Brenda Smith, said that she was not surprised to learn that Taras circle of friends were able to find a way to help others in memory of her daughter.

"It is, for some, a part of their healing as they continue to struggle with a sense of loss," she said, adding that she, too, has been performing random acts of kindness in the community.

Unlike many within Roes circle of friends, Smith said that she hasnt been leaving a note behind that explains her inspiration, choosing instead to let her acts of kindness speak for themselves. "Any outreach of compassion big or small makes the world a little better."

Nevin said that its impossible to know how many people have been touched by these random acts of kindness, but that with its "pay it forward" directive she hopes to see it continue to spread like the wildfire of positivity it has already proven itself to be.

 tclarke@brandonsun.com

 Twitter: @TylerClarkeMB
The model of seaplane that crashed and killed six people on New Year's Eve is generally reliable, according to a transport safety official leading the investigation.

But investigators do not know if the plane had the stall warning system recommended by Canadian authorities after the same model crashed and killed another British family in 2015.

The Sydney Seaplanes aircraft plunged into Jerusalem Bay north of Sydney, killing British chief executive Richard Cousins, 58, his sons Edward, 23, and William, 25, his fiancee Emma Bowden, 48, her daughter Heather, 11, and pilot Gareth Morgan, 44.

The plane remains largely intact beneath 13 metres of water.
Brian McKeown, Long Jetty Shining a light on methadone stigma It was encouraging to read Mary Ellen Harrod's perspective on methadone treatment ("Stop blame game: methadone users don't deserve stigma", January 2). Surely having to regularly undertake a two-hour round trip to legitimately access any kind of treatment is concerning. Elizabeth Atkins, Glenbrook

Regarding the tragic auto accident involving Craig Whitall, Harrod is absolutely correct. Alas, the nature of the widespread reporting of this tragedy reflects the stigma that Harrod laments, and reinforces it. Any medical student knows that with regular administration of an opiate, any opiate, tolerance develops to effects generally experienced by the neophyte user, such as sleepiness, respiratory depression, etc. Tolerance is also a reality to which many long-term pain patients can attest, who after repeated treatment with opiates no longer experience the analgesic relief obtained initially. Bottom line: the fact that MrWhitall reportedly had just received his daily dose of medicine gives no more of a clue as to the cause of this terrible accident than had he just left a barber shop. Criticism of methadone that ignores decades of scientific study is a great disservice to patients and their healthcare providers  and to the community as a whole.

Robert G. Newman, MD, New York City (former Assistant Commissioner for Addiction Services, NYC Health Department) I live in Kings Cross and come across a lot of heroin users and those who seek treatment here with the methadone program. Many users of the methadone treatment will recover and live stable lives "like anyone else" but many others will struggle and revert to heroin use. Of these, many will bounce between methadone and heroin many times over and will struggle with the addiction and the often terrible consequences. Sadly, not like anyone else, these people will need a lot of help and support. I do not wish to stigmatise any of the people involved in the tragedy of addiction but in order to help them we need to be a little less focused on normalising such a terrible situation. Simeon Glasson, Elizabeth Bay It is unfortunate that the use of insulin to control type 1 diabetes was included as an example concerning treatment for opioid dependence. There is a difference. Type 1 diabetes is not a choice. Opioid use is. People with type 1 diabetes need insulin to stay alive. They have no say in the matter.

Jill Phillips, Ettalong Beach And while you're asking, PM ... A postal survey about a republic? Good idea ("PM flags a plebiscite on the republic and hits back at Keating", January 2). While we are at it, why not add questions about voluntary euthanasia, real action on climate change, an Aboriginal voice in the constitution plus several other issues where the Parliament is out of touch with the regular findings of public polling? Paul Parramore, Sawtell

Once again, politicians are failing to do their job. Instead of presenting argument that leads their constituents through the pros and cons, and them vote in Parliament, our PM is once again cringing behind divisive populism. This is the mark of a weak leader and a cowardly shopkeeper unable to face his customers. Tom Loveday, Erskineville Dear Malcolm, just add one box on the federal ballot sheet at the next election. A tick or a cross. It's that simple. And it's that cheap. So instead of wasting millions AGAIN use the KISS principle. Keep it simple, stupid. Edwina Considine, Bellevue Hill Why do we need a president? Surely we have no need for someone to place a rubber stamp on legislation which has passed parliament. As for making a speech on special occasions, surely the prime minister could do that. Let's save the money. Second, if we do need a president having him/her popularly elected is not a good idea  they will have a "mandate" and we will run the risk of another 1975. Come the referendum let's hope that the questions are not designed to guarantee a negative outcome, as happened the last time.

Philip Roberts, Coledale The easiest model for a republic is to make the governor-general our head of state. S/he could be nominated for a fixed four-year term and elected by a two-thirds majority of the Parliament in a joint sitting. We could even keep the use of royal. But after Sir Tony knighthoods should be ditched. David Neilson, Invergowrie First we need to decide if we need a head of state in addition to the head of government, which is the prime minister. If we do so decide, second we must determine the duties and powers of the head of state, including the person's relationship to the government, the parliament, the executive and the people. Third we must decide the person's title and fourth the process by which the person would be selected and appointed. The 1999 republic referendum failed because these four questions were not answered in the order given to the satisfaction of a majority of Australians.

If we keep asking the wrong questions or put questions prematurely the republic enterprise will fail, again. Andrew Smallman, Mona Vale Waiting for the Queen to die before we become a republic is the equivalent of a son or daughter waiting for their parents to die before they leave home. Pathetic. John Truman, St Leonards Fortunately, the odds are that the Queen will outlive both Malcolm and his government, saving us all from another postal ballot and yet another republic debate.

Adam Johnston, Davidson Undue budget surgery One can only feel admiration for the staff of St Vincent's Hospital who struggle to stretch services with the finite budget they have been allocated ("St Vincent's slows down surgery as budget bites", January 1). Budget cuts have also seen the closure the mental health service (H2M) at this hospital, which is devastating for people suffering from mental health illnesses. How much of the NSW government's proposed $2billion for the unnecessary rebuilding of the stadiums could easily ease St Vincent's hospital budget requirements and restore vital health services? Leo Sorbello, Leichhardt The motto of the Sisters of Charity was/is "Caritas Christi Urget Nos" (the love of Christ urges us) and this was the foundation and ethos of St Vincent's. But with the last nun gone from the hospital recently, perhaps St Vincent's has got with the times and the prospect of a bonus is what now urges senior management. I hope not. I wonder how many days of in-patient palliative care could be provided by $25,000 (the reported bonuses) when palliative care beds are cheaper than other beds. Surely if the motto was still the motivation, palliative care beds would be the last to be closed because they are often used by the very poor who don't have other resources and support networks when they are dying.

Paul Compton, Randwick Maybe it's time for a plebiscite on priorities for this government. Its decisions and priorities are wacky. Wendy Stephen, Mosman A must-read Elizabeth Farrelly's article ("Search for chivalry in today's world", December 30-31) should be read by all mothers to their teenage daughters. Young women are being pressured to have random sex by society.

No longer is she able to meet a young man and get to know him - really get to know him as a person. Then she might find that she and he will experience that most delightful of experiences: a courtship! She might find that young men can be chivalrous given the opportunity. Denise McElhone, St Ives Festive fizzer? A "Vienna-style classical music concert from the Opera House steps" (Letters, January 2) at the next NYE fireworks would be an excellent way of keeping crowd numbers to a manageable size. David Wellham, Broulee

Fly: far, far away Flies are an abomination upon the face of the earth ("Pesky they may be, but flies are our friends" (January 2). I know which I'd rather live and cope with, flies or poo ... and it sure ain't flies. Guy Pease, Mosman Beaches: north v south Sutherland Shire's beaches are indeed "welcoming and uncrowded", Tony Nicod (Letters, January 2). However, with Scott Morrison as the local MP they won't provide much respite for daytrippers wishing to evade conservative politicians.

Peter Mahoney, Oatley But Maroubra has the Bra Boys. Niki Zmak, Maroubra Bert's out of the blocks, whipping Alex Bert Candy has already won the letter of the year for his brilliant summation of the rosy-cheeked Lord Downer (Letters, January 2).

Barrington Salter, Neutral Bay I wanted to thank whoever it was who pushed the stop button on the roller coaster of politics in Canberra in the last couple of weeks. I feel like I've had a much-needed break. And then, on the second day of the new year, Bert lets loose with a long, steaming letter about rewarding second-rate politicians for their inadequacy and I know it's fast forward again. I'm strapping myself in for the ride! Lyn Savage, Coogee Wonderful to see Bert Candy hitting his straps so early in the year. 2018 looking good. Max Edwards, Kanahooka
A man accused of stealing two mobile phones from the hospital room of a man who lost his wife and daughter in a horror Christmas Day car crash has a lengthy criminal history, a court has heard.

Mark Graham Newstead, 51, faced Southport Magistrates Court on Tuesday charged with nine offences including two counts of stealing.

Makayla Tritton was killed in a car crash in Manly West.

Police allege Mr Newstead sneaked into the Princess Alexandra Hospital room of Laurie Tritton over the weekend and stole the phones.

Mr Tritton and his daughter, Tameka, are recovering in hospital after the crash on Brisbane's bayside on December 25 that claimed the lives of his wife Karin and youngest daughter Makayla.
By Anisur Rahman

Dhaka, Jan 2 (PTI) Bangladeshs 50-member Cabinet was today expanded with three lawmakers being inducted as ministers in the Sheikh Hasina government.

With a little more than a year left of the government?s term, President Md Abdul Hamid administered their oath of office at Bangabhaban presidential palace in a ceremony, which was also attended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

With the latest inclusion, the Awami League government has now a cabinet of 53 members with 33 ministers, 17 state minister and two deputy ministers.

ICT specialist and entrepreneur Mustafa Jabbar and ruling Awami League lawmaker AKM Shajahan Kamal were sworn in as ministers while another lawmaker of the party Kazi Keramat was appointed as a state minister.

In past two years, speculations on a cabinet reshuffle were heard several times, but Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina brought no major changes to the council of ministers, the bdnews reported.

The Awami League government started its second term by forming a cabinet of 49 members on Jan 12, 2014. PTI AR PMS
A woman has been charged with murder after a man was shot dead at a Gold Coast home.

The 46-year-old man was found in the Southport home with a single gunshot wound, believed to be to the back, early on Wednesday morning. He died despite medical attention.

Police investigate the scene of a fatal shooting in Southport. Credit:Nine News

On Wednesday, police launched a murder investigation.

Detective Acting Inspector Matt Ward said there had been no previous reports of domestic violence within the six-month relationship but investigators were looking into whether there was unreported violence.
Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles has blamed a record-breaking flu season for a statewide hospital backlog that left a majority of critically ill patients waiting longer than four hours for a bed.

Health department figures for November show 57 per cent of Category 1 patients had to wait longer than four hours to be admitted after presenting to Queensland's emergency departments.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles says a flu outbreak contributed to increased hospital waiting times. Credit:Tammy Law

Dr Miles, who was sworn into the position last month, said the wait times were the result of a surge in flu cases.

"Paramedics and our emergency department clinicians worked tirelessly last year to make sure critically ill people were seen on time," he said in a statement.
A man accused of killing a woman who made a desperate call to police for help in the moments before her death has faced the Bendigo Magistrates Court.

Police allege Charles McKenzie Ross Evans, 44, murdered Alicia Little, 41, by hitting her with a car out the front of her rural home in Kyneton on December 28.

Alicia Little pictured with the man accused of killing her, Charles Evans. Credit:Seven News

Mr Evans was arrested and charged with a single count of murder following Ms Littles death.

Several of Ms Little's family and friends were in Bendigo on Tuesday morning to see Mr Evans face court.
The second man to drown in dangerous waters off Phillip Islands coast in a week was swimming between the flags, lifesavers say.

Local surfers are now calling for multilingual warning signs at Woolamai Beach, which was closed on Tuesday afternoon due to rough conditions, to stop the "avoidable" deaths.

The Mitcham man, 46, was washed off a sandbank at Woolamai Beach and pulled into a rip just before 5pm on New Years Day.
Every summer it's the same. I've now worked at CHOICE, the consumer advocacy not-for-profit, for four years and, guaranteed, every summer there's a story about unsafe products. This year it was a rusty knife in a bonbon, last year it was exploding hoverboards. The year before: mermaid tails.A pool product that involved strapping kids' feet together for fashion, ignoring the drowning risks.

There's a reason why we keep seeing stories about unsafe toys and exploding products: Australia has a surprisingly weak system when it comes to product safety. Our system requires businesses to act if something goes wrong, but it doesn't require them to always think about safety before they start selling to the public.

This bon-bon Christmas wreath is genius. Credit:Guideastuces.com

The number of product safety recalls, where businesses pull harmful products off shelves, in Australia is growing at a rapid rate. In 2015, recalls increased by 20 per cent on the previous year. In 2016, there was almost a 30 per cent increase.

Some of these recalls are on products that are so faulty they can cause serious injury or death. This year, the first Australian was killed because of a faulty Takata airbag.We've also seen exploding pressure cookers from Aldi that have caused third-degree burns.
Public submissions to the Turnbull government's review of religious freedom in Australia will be kept secret, in a marked departure from normal processes, according to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's department.

The department, which has control of the inquiry, said it would not publish the submissions, which is in stark contrast to ordinary parliamentary inquiries, in which most submissions are automatically released.

Philip Ruddock said he wanted to be "as open as possible" in the conduct of the inquiry. Credit:Nick Moir

"Submissions to the Expert Panel will not be published online," a department spokesman said in an emailed statement. "However, where individuals provide consent, submission extracts may be included in public materials."

Late on Tuesday, however, Mr Turnbull's media team sought to intervene by suggesting inquiry chairman Philip Ruddock would decide if submissions were published. The PM's office then instructed his own department to issue a new statement to that effect.
European stocks faltered at the start of the trading year on Tuesday as an impressive run-up in metals and mining stocks reversed, while strength in oil companies and banks was not enough to stop the slide.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index dipped 0.2% in early deals, while euro zone stocks fell 0.3%.

Basic resources stocks weighed the most, with the sector index down 0.6%. Rio Tinto, BASF and BHP Billiton all fell.

The mining sector had surged to a five-year high at the end of last week, riding a wave of rising copper and other base metal prices, but Tuesday's dip suggested investors were taking profits after a strong run.

Oil, which marked its highest start to the trading year since 2014, supported benchmarks with oil majors across the region rising in concert with crude. Statoil and Total were among the strongest gainers.

Financials also rose with Santander and Unicredit among top banking stocks.

In other eye-catching moves, Lufthansa slipped 6.3% after British Airways owner IAG agreed to buy Air Berlin's insolvent Austrian airline Niki.

The German carrier had backed out of a deal to buy Niki's assets in mid-December due to competition concerns.

Germany-listed shares in South African retailer Steinhoff surged 12% to the top of the STOXX, despite the firm saying its 2015 results would also have to be restated. The company also said its internal review of accounting irregularities was progressing.

Broker moves also drove trading: an upgrade to "buy" from Sydbank sent Vestas Wind up 2.7% after the company secured several new orders. (Reuters)

Source: www.businessworld.ie
It was announced today that Irish Continental Group plc (ICG) has entered into an agreement, with the German company Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesselschaft & Co.KG (FSG), whereby FSG has agreed to build a cruise ferry for ICG at a contract price of 165.2 million. Upon completion, it will be the largest cruise ferry in the world in terms of vehicle capacity.



The Agreement between ICG and FSG provides that the cruise ferry is scheduled for delivery before Mid-2020. Twenty percent of the contract price will be paid in instalments during the construction period. The balance of 80% will be paid on delivery. ICG intend to utilise credit facilities to finance the cruise ferry.



The cruise ferry will accommodate 1,800 passengers and crew, with capacity for 5,610 freight lane metres, which provides the capability to carry 330 freight units per sailing. Overall, it will effectively be a 50% increase in peak freight capacity compared to the MV Ulysses.



The cruise ferry is being built specifically for Irish Ferries Dublin  Holyhead services. It is expected to replace the schedule of the MV Ulysses, which in turn will replace the currently chartered vessel MV Epsilon in the fleet. This will allow for the deployment of the W.B. Yeats (arriving Mid 2018) full-time on the direct Ireland  France route alongside the MV Oscar Wilde.



Commenting on the investment, Chief Executive Officer, Eamonn Rothwell said, "This investment underpins the confidence the Group has in the markets in which we operate. Alongside the recent investment in the MV W.B. Yeats, it brings our total investment to 315m for these two vessels designed for our operations on the Irish Sea."

He added, "The construction of a cruise ferry of this size will offer both additional capacity and an enhanced experience for both our tourism and freight customers. This infrastructural investment enhances the bridge to the UK & Continental Europe that is a vital part of the continued success of Irelands open economy."

Source: www.businessworld.ie
By Anisur Rahman

Dhaka, Jan 2 (PTI) A Bangladesh court today ordered the arrest of former prime minister Khaleda Zia in connection with bomb attacks on a bus during an anti-government agitation in 2015 that killed eight persons, a police official said.

Judge Joynab Begum of the Comilla district court accepted the charge sheet filed by the police in the case and issued the arrest warrant, the official said.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by 72-year- old Zia, had boycotted the 2014 general elections which were held under the Awami League government. The BNP had emerged as the main opposition party outside parliament.

The BNP, along with 20 alliance partners, had given a call for a nationwide transport blockade in 2015 in protest against the first anniversary of the polls.

Eight passengers were killed after protestors hurled petrol bombs on a bus in the central Comilla district during the agitation.

"The judge issued the arrest warrant after accepting the charge sheet submitted by police," the official told PTI over telephone.

The former prime minister is also facing a number of graft cases and a sedition charge for her "slanderous" remarks two years ago when she "expressed doubts" about the casualty figures of 1971 Liberation War in which officially three million people were killed, during the nine-month long war against Pakistan.

Zia also faces similar charges in different courts for spearheading a protracted violent campaign three years ago in which over 125 people lost their lives, mostly in arson attacks on buses and trucks.

Todays court order came a day after prosecutors demanded death sentence for the BNP leader and Zias son Tarique Rahman and 48 others for their alleged involvement in two cases of murder and blasts.

Rehman, the BNPs senior vice president who lives in exile in London, is accused of planning an attack in 2004 in which more than 10 grenades were thrown in a rally organised by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasinas Awami League party when she was in opposition and Zia was in power.

Hasina, who sustained permanent hearing impairment, had a narrow escape in the attack that killed 24 people and injured 300 others. PTI AR SMJ
One Chinese academic has been suspended and another has been removed from his post as the "Me Too" movement, which encourages women to speak out against sexual harassment and assault, makes its way onto mainland college campuses. Photo: Visual China

Chinese universities have been rocked in recent weeks by sexual-assault allegations against two academics as the Me Too movement extends from the U.S. into China.

One of the accusations, leveled against a prominent scientist from an aeronautics research institute in Beijing, was prompted by the movement that began in the U.S. in the wake of numerous sexual-assault allegations leveled against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, according to Luo Qianqian, the woman who documented the alleged Beijing attack.

Luo, a Chinese scholar currently living in the U.S, accused her former supervisor, Chen Xiaowu, on Monday of trying to force himself upon her behind a locked door after duping her into his sisters house 12 years ago. Luo was working on her doctoral degree at the time.

She said on a post on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform modeled after Twitter, that she was eventually let go unharmed because she continued crying.

Chen, a professor of computer science at Beihang University whose work has won national awards, has been suspended pending an investigation.

The following years of my life, during which he served as my supervisor, was a nightmare because he treated me so badly, Luo wrote.

She said she was prompted to revisit this dark chapter in her life after reports of sexual-harassment allegations directed at Weinstein in October led to a campaign known as the Me Too movement for women, encouraging them to stand up against sexual harassment and assault. The movement has brought down dozens of powerful men, including U.S. Senator Al Franken, veteran film stars Kevin Spacey and TV news personality Matt Lauer in addition to Weinstein after they were accused of sexual harassment.

Luo, who also earlier published her account on Zhihu, a Chinese question-and-answer website similar to Qoura, said that it enabled her to reach out to six other women who were allegedly harassed by Chen.

Administrators at Beihang, previously known as Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, acted swiftly on the allegations and suspended Chen on Monday pending an ongoing investigation.

Beihang has zero tolerance for violations of teachers code of ethics, and such allegations will be dealt with seriously once they are substantiated, the university said in a statement late Monday.

In a response via Beijing Youth Daily, Chen said he was aware of the accusations from former students, but said he had done nothing illegal and would leave the matter to investigators.

China doesnt have a law on sexual harassment, although rape is generally punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Separately, Nanchang University removed Zhou Bin from his post as a deputy head of its Institute of Chinese Classics on Dec. 18 after a former student accused him of sexual assault. Zhou is still employed at the university.

The student, identified only by the pseudonym Xiaorou, said in a Weibo post that the alleged assaults, which lasted for seven months in 2016, didnt stop until she developed trauma-related disorders. She didnt offer details on what kind of trauma she suffered or the nature of sexual assault involved.

She also didnt say what prompted her to come forward.

The university said it is working with local police to investigate the allegations and Zhou will be allowed to continue to work at the university pending results from the investigation.

Contact reporter Li Rongde (rongdeli@caixin.com)
Hyundai Motor Group sales slumped in China last year amid diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Seoul over South Korea's deployment of a U.S. anti-ballistic-missile system. Above, a Hyundai Motor Co. Genesis luxury sedan gets a final inspection on a production line at the company's plant in Ulsan, South Korea, on April 24. Photo: Visual China

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Group is predicting modest global sales for 2018, suggesting a slow recovery after a diplomatic spat hurt its sales in China last year and as domestic brands become increasingly competitive.

Hyundai Motor Co. and affiliate Kia Motors Corp. set their combined target for this year at 7.55 million vehicles after missing their sales goal of 8.25 million cars last year, Hyundai said in a statement on Tuesday.

"With low global economic growth and spreading protectionism in major trading partners, Hyundai Motor Group has to be quick in responding to rapidly changing business environments," the automakers chairman, Chung Mong-koo, was quoted as saying by South Koreas Yonhap News Agency.

The firms sales slumped in China  the worlds largest car market  last year amid diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Seoul over the latters deployment of a U.S. anti-ballistic-missile system.

From January to November, Beijing Hyundai Motor Co. and Dongfeng Yueda Kia Automobile Co. managed to sell 970,000 vehicles combined in China  a 38% drop in sales compared with the same period the year earlier, according to Yonhap.

In October, Seoul and Beijing agreed to put their relationship back on track, easing bilateral political tensions over the installation of the anti-missile defense system.

Analysts said South Korean automakers have weathered the toughest time caused by the political backlash, but their prospects will likely remain difficult in the years ahead as affordable domestic brands increasingly put pressure on their business.

South Korea brands were hit the hardest among foreign automakers by Beijings efforts to upgrade its domestic technological know-how in the industry, said Wang Cun, an industry analyst with the China Automobile Dealer Association.

Wang added that Hyundai is in an embarrassing situation, as its efforts to sell more high-end automobiles have been stymied by fierce competition with Japanese and German automakers that are well-established in this area.

Japanese carmakers experienced a similar political backlash back in 2012 when the countrys nationalization of the Diaoyu Islands sparked a wave of anti-Japanese protests in the country.

Companies like Honda Motor Co. Ltd. have since recovered, as they successfully managed to make strategic shifts, including focusing on the countrys youth, Wang said.

Similarly, Hyundai Motor is also trying to diversify its product lineup, including emphasizing its SUVs and electric models.

The company plans to launch electric models by 2025, but by then it could be too late as domestic and other foreign electric-vehicle-makers will already have started mass production, Wang said.

Contact reporter Mo Yelin (yelinmo@caixin.com)
Modified On Jan 30, 2018 10:03 AM By CarDekho

Here's all the info about Mercedes' electric car concept that is set to be showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed its lineup for the 2018 Auto Expo and the Concept EQ crossover is on the list. However, it's not the first time the carmaker is showcasing this electric car concept as it was first revealed at the 2017 Paris Motor Show. While many might call it the first electric car from Mercedes-Benz, this is, in fact, their third car devoid of all the combustion noise and smoke. Electrified versions of the B-Class and SLS AMG have already been in and out of production and there are a few plug-in hybrid cars in its lineup that can run on electricity for short distances. So, let's get you up to speed on what the Concept EQ is all about.

Design

Mercedes-Benz has taken a safe route with the Concept EQ's design. Tall SUVs and crossovers are in huge demand and the EQC aims to cash in on this trend. The Concept EQ forms the base for what we can expect from the carmakers EQ line of electric cars in the near future.

Since it's an electric car, we can expect it to be silent and soothing. Mercedes-Benz wants to drive that point home and has therefore wrapped up the EQ's interiors and body in blue LED accent lights. The paint, on the other hand, looks like brushed aluminium. Inside too, everything looks exorbitant, just the way we have come to expect from a concept. There are large screens displaying various information on the dashboard and behind the front seats.

Powertrain

Mercedes-Benz has confirmed that first production-spec EQ car, the EQC, will be equipped with a dual motor setup generating 408PS of power. All-wheel drive and instant torque from the electric motors will give the EQC a 0-100kmph sprint time of under 5 seconds. The cruising range per charge is said to be around 500 kilometres.

Launch Date

The Mercedes-Benz EQC is set to roll off the carmaker's Bremen plant in Germany in 2019. The automaker has also hinted at having more EQ cars with electric powertrains. A smaller EQ car will be manufactured at the Rastatt plant while the Sindelfingen facility will work on higher-end EQ models with luxurious touches.

Based on the EQC name, its safe to assume that upcoming EQ cars could follow the A, C, E and S naming convention similar to other cars in Mercedes-Benz lineup. That makes the EQA, EQE and EQS the most probable future candidates in the upcoming EQ range of electric cars.

Auto Expo 2018  Mercedes-Benz Lineup

Upcoming Electric Cars In India

Maruti Suzuki Sets Sight On Manufacturing Affordable Electric Cars In India
Honda has registered a growth of 26 per cent in December. It sold 12, 642 units as compared to 10, 071 units in December 2016. In addition, it also did a total of 129, 964 units in the period April to December as compared to 108,522 units in the same period for 2016 registering a growth of 20 per cent.

Hondas success has no doubt come on the back of the sales of the facelifted Honda City as well as the Jazz based WR-V compact SUV which it launched last year. However, despite the SUV craze, it is the City which has led Hondas charge registering a total sale of 62,573 units over the course of the year.



Commenting on the sales figures, Yoichiro Ueno, President and CEO, Honda Cars India said, HCIL experienced robust growth during 2017 backed by good demand for all our products across segments, especially the Honda City & WR-V. As we welcome the New Year 2018 we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers for the continued support to the Honda brand, and look forward to another fruitful year ahead.

Honda City  9.33 Lakh Onwards

City | Honda city | Honda
Here are the few international cars that were spotted testing by our spy sleuths in the month of December.

Cadillac XT4

The upcoming XT4 is a compact crossover in Cadillacs scheme of things. It is an all-new vehicle positioned below the XT5. It will be based on the Cadillacs modular C1XX platform. Styling wise it is expected to retain the family styling. It is likely that the vehicle will borrow some safety tech from its bigger sibling, the XT5. Under the hood will be a 2.0-litre turbocharged motor with an eight-speed automatic. It will lock horns against the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class.

Porsche Mission E

Porsches all-electric sedan, the Mission E, was spotted playing in the Scandinavian snow. The Mission E will take the battle against the Tesla Model S. It will have the arsenal of a battery pack that will reportedly hold more than 530 kilometres of driving range. The 0-100kmph is expected to take 3.5 seconds, and 200kmph in under 12 seconds. It will also be able to recharge 80 per cent of its driving range in 15 minutes thanks to the use of an 800V system.

Jaguar I-Pace

The Jaguar I-Pace maintains almost all of the design cues from the concept. Jaguar claims that the I-Pace will have a range of at least 350 kilometres and itll be able to dash to 100kmph in around four seconds. A 90kWh lithium-ion battery sits between the axles, driving two electric motors for a total output of 395bhp and 700Nm. The in-house developed Lithium-Ion batteries use pouch cells for their energy density and efficiency. They will give 80 per cent charge in 90 minutes and 100 percent in just over two hours from a 50kW DC charging point

Toyota Avalon

The Avalon is Toyotas full-size sedan for the US market. The sedan is set to enter into its fifth generation. It moves to the Toyotas new modular TNGA platform which currently underpins the Camry . The sedan retains its basic dimension with its design cues such as stylish headlamps, modern grille and sharper lines while maintaining the Avalons conservative styling. Under the hood will be the same line-up of engines ranging from four-cylinder to a V6 including a hybrid powertrain. The sedan will continue its fray against the Buick Lacrosse, Nissan Maxima and the Chrysler 300.

Ford Ranger FX4

The 2019 Ford Ranger FX4 will get added ground clearance and styling tweaks to make it unique from the standard Ranger. The grill appears to be inspired by the elder sibling, the Explorer. When launched, the Ranger could be offered in a number of configurations to compete against the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon. Powertrain options could include a full complement of Ecoboost four and six-cylinder engines and perhaps a diesel too. Ford might use the direct-injected twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 as the premium choice. Ford's new ten-speed automatic, co-developed with GM, is also expected.

Toyota Auris

Introduced in 2006, the Auris, in Europe at least, is a replacement for the Corolla hatchback. The Auris will enter into its second generation now. It will move to the scalable TGNA platform for increased dimension and less weight. Engines and transmissions are likely to be carried over from the new C-HR. The Auris hybrid is one of the highest selling cars for Toyota in Europe. With every fourth Toyota sold in the old continent being a hybrid, the next-gen Auris is going to be an important car for the Japanese giant

Ford Focus Wagon

The next generation Focus Wagon is set to grow in dimension as can be seen on the test mule. Which means the new wagon will offer superior rear passenger legroom and a bigger boot. Powertrain would be a host of EcoBoost and turbo diesel mills, including the 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo via the new Fiesta ST to show up, albeit in a lower state of tune. A hybrid version is also on the cards. On the inside, the digital dash and the Fiesta-like setup of the upcoming Focus interior are expected to make its way in the Focus range.

Ford Ranger XLT

The 2019 Ford Ranger XLT was spotted undergoing cold weather testing. The prototype is wearing the production front fascia which is more distinct than the Ranger FX4. The XLT gets a lower ground clearance and skinnier tyres. The XLTs grille has its own characteristic styling thats different to the FX4. However, it goes without saying that both vehicles borrow heavily from the design cues of their elder sibling, the F-150. With the new iteration, it will get an option of a range of four-cylinder and six-cylinder EcoBoost engines mated to the new ten-speed automatic gearbox.
There are heaps of ways for individuals to get cash. That is the single thing which makes individuals run for...
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of instigating violence, on a day when Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra felt the repercussions of an attack on members of the Dalit community at Bhima Koregaon near Pune.

Mayawati said it seemed there was a nexus between the BJP, the RSS and other fringe elements, ANI reported.

She said the incident could have been avoided, and that the Maharashtra government should have made necessary safety arrangements.

Meanwhile, PAAS leader Hardik Patel also expressed his anger on the incident via Twitter.

i?aai? i?a aaai? i?aa !!!aaaai?i?,i?aaaai?i? i?a ai?aai?i?i? i?i? i?i?a ai? aai? 2018 i?i? aaaai?a,aai? aaai? i?aa ai?i? i?i?ai? aai?i?a aaai? i?i?aaaa ?? - Hardik Patel (@HardikPatel_) January 2, 2018

Incidences of violence were reported across the state today, especially in the western Maharashtra and Marathwada regions.

Some Dalit organisations' protests on streets led to traffic congestion and chaos in Mumbai.

Protesters damaged buses at Chembur station. Shops in Ghatkopar were forcibly shut down. The Eastern Express highway remained blocked for eight hours.

To learn more, read our full report on the Bhima-Koregaon protests.

(Inputs from ANI)

Koregaon-Bhima violence: India Today's ground report from Mumbai's Chembur and Govandi station
Gambia's turning point

ICR Research By

Published 21 December 2017

Leaving behind a past of political unrest and financial mismanagement, Gambia is at the start of an exciting new chapter. Led by a new, democratically-elected government and witnessing an upturn in construction, the country is about to open its first cement production facility.

As the smallest country on the African mainland by area, Gambias economy relies heavily on tourism and agriculture. No wonder then that the Ebola crisis and poor harvest of 2014 led to a stagnation of economic growth that year with GDP improving by just 0.9 per cent. The economy picked up in 2015 with a rebound of 4.3 per cent, but estimates for 2016 were revised down from 4.3 to 2.2 per cent when the countrys political situation took a turn for the worse.

Presidential elections in December 2016 saw the incumbent President Yahya Jammeh, who had led the country for 22 years following a military coup in 1994, defeated by Adama Barrow of the United Democratic Party. When Jammeh refused to cede power, Barrow took refuge in Senegal. After weeks of pressure from regional players and the threat of military action, the former president eventually admitted defeat and Barrow returned to the country to be sworn in as president on 19 January 2017.

To continue reading this story and get access to all News, Articles and Video sections of the CemNet.com website, please Register for a subscription to International Cement Review or Login
Dangote Cement Nepal is denied mining licence

02 January 2018

Dangote Cement Nepal Pvt Ltd has lost its attempt to win an open bid for a mining licence in Nepal. It has been technically disqualified for the detailed exploration of three limestone mines, after its proposal lacked details about the experienced hands needed for such work.



However, Dangote group General Manager, Hikmat Thapa, said: We are saddened by news that we are disqualified technically. The Investment Board Nepal (IBN) had approved the investment in 2013 following an assessment of the company.



Company officials in Kathmandu also claim that they were disqualified without considering Dangotes experience in cement manufacturing in Nigeria. The notice for the invitation of proposals lacked any specific criteria on including Nepali technical expertise, explained Rup Rawal, an official at the company. The company announced it would establish a plant in three years with a capacity of 6000tpd. This is at least five times the capacity of any large cement manufacturing plant today.



DoMGs Deputy Director General, Ram Prasad Ghimire, claimed that Dangotes proposals lacked essential documents on the required skilled manpower and it was not considered qualified for the next financial proposal.



Dangote had applied for three mines; two in Dhading and one in Palpa. The Chinese company Huaxin and United Cements recently won two of the key limestone mines Dangote was bidding for.

Published under
A small plane crashed in Costa Rica on New Years Eve, killing all aboard. According to The New York Times, the Cessna 208B Caravan carried two American families and a tour guide from Punta Islita to San Jose. The accident ranked as the deadliest in Costa Rica since 1990. While both the United States and Costa Rica mourn the dead, air travel in general remains very safe.

1. The crash marks the second of its kind in 4 months

This small plane crash comes as the second crash in four months involving Nature Air, the eco-conscious carrier that operated the small plane. An earlier crash on Sept. 5, 2017 killed a Costa Rican woman and an American man. Four other people survived and the cause remains under investigation.

Enio Cubillo Araya, the director general of Costa Ricas civil aviation agency, told The New York Times the two crashes appeared as isolated episodes. The country and the aviation industry are in mourning, he said. The government of Costa Rica stands in solidarity with the relatives of those who lost their loved ones during this holiday.

Next: Authorities do not yet know how the crash will affect tourism.

2. The tiny nation has enjoyed a tourism spike

In recent years, the tourism boom in Costa Rica has seen tourists flocking to the peaceful, biodiverse country. The Central American nation of 4.8 million received a record nearly 3 million visitors in 2016.

Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera expressed his condolences on Twitter, CNN reported. The government vows to do everything necessary to help the victims family members in whatever they need in this difficult moment and sends them the solidarity of all the Costa Rican people, Solis said. The U.S. State Department also continues to monitor the situation.

Next: Donald Trumps tweet is true  but not totally pertinent.

3. Trump touts the safety of air travel in 2016

On Jan. 2, President Donald Trump took credit for air travel safety. The Hill writes that his comment came in response to a new study that showed 2017 was the safest year on record for commercial aviation. Airlines recorded zero deaths on commercial passenger jets worldwide, according to a report published by the Aviation Safety Network.

Overall, 44 people in total died on 10 fatal commercial passenger and cargo plane crashes. Those crashes involved small propeller planes and cargo aircraft. While Trump is correct that air travel did see 2016 pass without a fatality on commercial jets, he did not elaborate on what exactly he did to improve it.

Next: He also left out a crucial detail.

4. Commercial air travel has not seen a fatality in almost a decade

Forbes reports that, for the seventh year in a row, no United States-certified airline operating anywhere in the world saw a fatality. The last time anyone died on a U.S.-certificated scheduled airline was Feb. 12, 2009, when Colgan Air Flight 3407, operating as a Continental Connection flight between Continentals hub at Newark, New Jersey, and Buffalo, New York, went into an aerodynamic stall short of the runway. It crashed into a house in Clarence Center, New York. All 49 people onboard, as well as one person on the ground, died in the crash.

Next: Air travel accidents do happen, however.

5. That does not mean issues do not occur

Nearly 3.7 billion people flew in 2016, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization. Thats more than triple the number that flew 25 years ago. CNN Money reports that better technology, training, and global regulations have contributed to a decline in incidents since 1992.

That said, Forbes notes that some serious accidents do happen, especially during landing and takeoff. On Oct. 28, American Airlines Flight 383 accelerated down the runway at Chicagos OHare International Airport toward Miami. As it did so, something broke inside the planes right under-wing engine. The engine exploded into flames, but pilots did bring the plane to a safe stop. The fire totaled the plane, but all 170 people aboard escaped with their lives and only 20 injuries resulted.

Next: Even those issues make up a tiny fraction of air travel.

6. Most passengers will never experience an emergency in flight

In 2015, U.S. airlines flew 7.6 billion miles on planes with 10 or more seats. They carried a zero fatality rate, but the accident rate even came in at just 0.155 per 100,000 aircraft flight hours. In 1960, when air travel really began to take off, U.S.-certificated air carriers saw 7.9 accidents per 100 million aircraft miles flown. The fatality rate came in at 44.159 per 100 million aircraft miles. Those rates dropped to 0.732 accidents and 0.119 fatalities per 100 million aircraft miles in 1997. In fact, the sole year since 2000 that saw the fatal rate rise above 1/100 million was 2001. That, of course, came after four jets enacted the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Next: Overall, Americans should feel safe in the skies, even if they arent exactly comfortable.

7. Air travel ranks high in safety, not so much in comfort

As Mashable points out, 2017 did see airlines inconvenience passengers repeatedly. An 11-hour blackout at Atlantas international airport in December grounded more than 1,500 flights and stranded thousands. The Federal Aviation Administration still needs to address shrinking airplane seat sizes. And in April, United Airlines dragged a passenger off an overbooked flight after he refused to leave the seat he had paid for. Finally, due to a scheduling system glitch, American Airlines accidentally allowed all of its pilots to take vacation during the holidays. Major issues persist, but at least we can all fly in relative safety. Thats a start.

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Even the legal system makes some New Years resolutions. There are going to be some major legal changes at the federal and state levels after a tumultuous 2017. A lot of these laws are meant to address the issues that came up during the past couple of years, and some are bound to make us angry all over again. Here are some of the major changes to the law that happened on Jan. 1, 2018. The last one will make you laugh or cry; you be the judge.

Voter ID laws

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Voter ID laws take effect on Jan. 1 in both Iowa and West Virginia. Voter ID laws are intended to prevent voter fraud. These laws are passed despite the lack of evidence supporting any major voter fraud ever being reported or discovered.

In Iowa youll be required to sign an oath that verifies your identity if you are unable to show a valid ID in 2018. In 2019 youll be given a provisional ballot if you are unable to produce ID.

You are now required to show a valid form of ID when you head to the polls in West Virginia. They will accept photo or non-photo ID.

Next: Some efforts for a better and more equitable work environment.

New employee protections

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California is prohibiting employers to ask about your salary history in an effort to narrow the gender wage gap. Only the employee can offer that information voluntarily. Potential employees can also request a pay scale for that position. This law is also intended to prevent employers from deciding whether to hire you based on your salary history.

Nevada is providing some much-needed relief to employees or employee family members who are victims of domestic violence. The new state law requires employers to provide up to 160 hours of paid leave so that they might get into a better situation and not lose their job because of it.

Vermont is providing some protections on privacy for its citizens. Vermonts new state law prohibits employers from asking for potential or current employees social media accounts.

Washingtonians will now have paid sick leave. Full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers can all accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. This coincides with legal protections of tips, a rise in the minimum wage, and protections of employees enforcing their minimum wage.

Next: The new law enforcement laws

New policing laws

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One of the most controversial laws is Californias unofficial Sanctuary State law. This law limits local law enforcement in how they will assist immigration officers. State Bill 54 will prohibit state and local law enforcement agencies, including school police and security departments, from using money or personnel to investigate, interrogate, detain, detect, or arrest persons for immigration enforcement purposes.

New Jersey will require police officers who deal with sexual assault to get special training in how to handle those matters appropriately. Most police officers were unequipped to handle such sensitive matters before and this law is intended to help protect the victim when theyre reporting assaults.

In an effort to make it easier to deal with police, North Carolina is including a description of law enforcement procedures during traffic stops and the actions that a motorist should take during a traffic stop, including appropriate interactions with law enforcement officers, in the Drivers License Handbook.

Next: Who keeps the cat in the divorce?

Familial laws

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Pets are now treated the same as children in Illinois state law when it pertains to divorce and no longer will be treated as though they are property when dividing assets. Now there will be sole custody or joint-custody of the family dog. This law does not apply to service animals as they would be placed with the person who is in need of their service.

Most New Yorkers will be getting eight weeks of paid family leave. The purpose of the paid family leave is so that an employee can have time to bond with a newly born, adopted or fostered child; care for a close relative with a serious health condition; or assist loved ones when a family member has deployed abroad on active military service.

Next: Ms. Frizzle would be excited about these new laws.

School laws

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Both Illinois and California are now requiring feminine hygiene products be made available free of charge to school students. In California, the law only applies to schools in low-income neighborhoods.

Tennessee has a couple of major changes coming its way in the school system. Following a deadly school bus crash in 2016 where six children perished, Tennessee now requires new school bus drivers to go through the proper training and be at least 25 years of age. It also makes a new requirement of maintaining transportation supervisors.

Free-speech is vehemently protected on college campuses in Tennessee. No one can turn away a public speaker because their views oppose another.

Next: Prohibition keeps getting rolled back state by state.

Light it up! New marijuana laws

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California is the latest state to legalize marijuana. The law makes recreational marijuana highly taxed and should generate significant revenue for the state. It will also help reduce crime because almost nobody will be arrested for it anymore. However, you may not be able to purchase it right away since businesses werent allowed to apply for business licenses until Jan. 1.

Colorado is fortifying their marijuana laws. You can now grow up to 12 marijuana plants for personal use. If you are a medicinal marijuana user, you are allowed up to 24 plants at any given time. The purpose of the cap is to prevent black market sales out of state.

Next: All new taxes

Most of the new tax reform law starts this year

This year, we will all be under different tax brackets. Some of us may be saving a couple hundred bucks a year (if were lucky) and a very small minority will save millions or billions of dollars. This is just the first part of the GOP tax reform bill that narrowly passed last year. A lot of the other major changes will roll out in the coming years.

Happy New Year, everyone!

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For Subscribers Line play leads Pueblo West to win 48-0 over Pueblo County

Pueblo West High School continued its dominance of Pueblo County in the annual Pigskin Classic between District 70 rivals with a 48-0 win at Dutch Clark
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Churchwhat comes to mind when you hear that word? Is it a building? A place of worship? When the "church" was birthed in Acts it wasn't a building, a 501c3 organization, or a place people went. The church was then and still today people.

For many, church has become a place you go.

A place you worship rather than a place of worship.

A religious organization focused more on programs and productions rather than the proclamation of the Gospel.

If Jesus were to come to many churches today do you think He'd be welcomed?

I think if Jesus were to come to many churches today He'd be unwelcomed, because too often we are caught up in what color the walls should be painted, the style of worship, or we're trying to decide if there should be chairs or pews, and many other silly things. Not that those things shouldn't be addressed, but they shouldn't be the focus. Many believers don't even know why the early church began to gather together in Acts chapter 2.

To many Christians church is a place you go, not who you are. In Christ, we are the church. This has been talked about for decades. We all know the what concerning what the church isit's people. Imperfect people, I might add.

Acts 2:42 says, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer."

Have you ever wondered why the text of Acts 2:42 is toward the end of Acts chapter 2?

The Holy Spirit shows up at Pentecost and then beginning in Acts 2:14 Peter begins to proclaim the Gospel. The people asked Peter and the other apostles in verse 37, "Brothers, what shall we do?" Peter responds in verse 38 with, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." After the proclamation of the Gospel people began to gather together.

The word "church," according to Smith's Bible Dictionary at Blue Letter Bible, says this:

Church:

(1.) The derivation of the word is generally said to be from the Greek kuriakon ("belonging to the Lord." But the derivation has been too hastily assumed. It is probably connected with kirk, the Latin circus, circulus, the Greek kuklos because the congregations were gathered in circles.

(2.) Ecclesia the Greek word for church, originally meant an assembly called out by the magistrate, or by legitimate authority. It was in this last sense that the word was adapted and applied by the writers of the New Testament to the Christian congregation. In the one Gospel of St. Matthew the church is spoken of no less than 36 times as "the kingdom." Other descriptions or titles are hardly found in the evangelists. It is Christ's household (Matthew 10:25) the salt and light of the world (Matthew 5:13, 15) Christ's flock (Matthew 26:31; John 10:15) its members are the branches growing on Christ the Vine John 15; but the general description of it, not metaphorical but direct, is that it is a kingdom (Matthew 16:19). From the Gospel then we learn that Christ was about to establish His heavenly kingdom on earth, which was to be the substitute for the Jewish Church and kingdom, now doomed to destruction (Matthew 21:43). The day of Pentecost is the birthday of the Christian church. Before they had been individual followers Jesus; now they became His mystical body, animated by his spirit. On the evening of the day of Pentecost, the 3,140 members of which the Church consisted were-

(1). Apostles;

(2). previous Disciples;

(3.) Converts.

In Acts 2:41 we have indirectly exhibited the essential conditions of church communion. They are

(1). Baptism, baptism implying on the part of the recipient repentance and faith;

(2). Apostolic Doctrine;

(3). Fellowship with the Apostles;

(4). The Lord's Supper;

(5). Public Worship.

The real Church consists of all who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ as His disciples, and are one in love, in character, in hope, in Christ as the head of all, though as the body of Christ it consists of many parts."

I'm no early church expert nor am I a theologian. I'm just a dude that loves Jesus and writes. I'm also a youth pastor, but that doesn't imply I know everything there is to know. But I do know that after the Gospel was preached people began to come together devoting "themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42).

People began to assemble together because of Jesus!

Because the Gospel was proclaimed people gathered in "ecclesia". Too often, we worship the act of worship or a certain worship leader or band, a certain pastor, a church's production, and many of us even think that in order for our lost family and friends to hear about Jesus they need to come to church. In Acts the Gospel was preached in a marketplace and then they gathered together. The Gospel needs to be proclaimed not just in the walls of our churches but in our schools, workplaces, marketplaces, etc! Church isn't meant to be a place to gather to just hang out, be entertained, or be a place to go only when life gets hard and bad things happen. So many think church is the only place where the Gospel can be shared. That's what Satan wants you to believe!

Proclaiming the Gospel is proclaiming Jesus regardless of what the world says and does.

If Jesus were to appear to many Christians in "ecclesia" today He'd be unwelcomed, because they are too focused on other things than simply proclaiming the Gospel inside and outside the walls of the church building. There are many great churches all over the world. I'm not saying every church is wrong nor am I suggesting any church in particular doesn't proclaim the Gospel. What I am wanting to get at is we Christiansas individualsneed to get back to what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20 and what Luke writes in Acts chapter 2 about the early church. This doesn't mean we will be perfect. One million Christians could gather in "ecclesia" and they still wouldn't be perfect. But Jesus is! Thankfully, Jesus sees fit to use imperfect people as His vehicle to deliver the Good News to the world!

This article isn't about whether or not the church you are connected with is right or wrong in anyway. It's not about your church's theology or how it's governed. This is about you. And me. If we want Jesus to be welcomed in our churchesor "ecclesia"then we must get back to our roots. Revival will only come when there is true repentance! When the Gospel is preached and sinners turn to Jesus the kingdom of darkness doesn't stand a chance! It begins with each of us individually crying out to God, seeking forgiveness, and humbly doing what God has called us to do. We are all called to "make disciples" as Jesus commands in Matthew 28:19. We are all called to "go into all the world and proclaim the gospel" (Mark 16:15). Again, the Gospel shouldn't only be proclaimed within the walls of our church buildings!

Proclaiming the Gospel is more than just verbal communication. We must also proclaim the Gospel by the way we live. Does the way you live point others to Jesus?

We also must not forget that the early church first began to gather together after the proclamation of the gospel because of Jesus.

So, whether it's two or three gathered in "ecclesia" or 32,000would Jesus be welcomed with open minds, open hearts? Would he see a people living out his commands without grumbling? Would he find a people of love, grace and forgiveness? Would he find a peoplelike King Davidafter His own heart?

"And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, 'I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.'"  Acts 13:22 ESV

Can that be said of you and I?

Are we proclaiming the Gospel beyond just the walls of our churches?

Aaron Hall is the youth pastor at More 2 Life Ministries (More2Life.tv) in Okeechobee, Florida. You can follow his personal blog here: AaronHallBooks.com or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. This article first appeared on Aaron's blog: AaronHallBooks.com

Click here to receive Aaron's blog posts in your email inbox.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright  1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.  Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright  2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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A book on chastity may not seem relevant to teenagers necking in a parked car. First-aid kits don't seem relevant to two boys beginning a scuffle. Wedding vows don't appear relevant to a person plunging into an affair. When we are morally committed to a course of action, it narrows the horizon of what we see as important, practical or useful.

We live in a culture which is furiously committed to sexual perversion, to a life of diversionary amusements and to the accumulation of creature comforts. Avid participants in this culture will have a very different view of relevance to that of a faithful Christian.

For a Christian, relevance is determined by a permanent standard: what pleases God, as revealed in Scripture. This standard is nuanced by our historical understanding of the Christian faith. With this in place, a Christian rejects several mangled forms of the idea of relevance.

First, relevance is not determined by how current or novel something is. The idols of contemporaneity, "progress", and innovation have no intrinsic purchase on whether something is valuable, useful or pertinent. To equate relevance with novelty is a sub-Christian understanding of the world.

Second, relevance is not determined by how popular and useful something seems to a generation wise in their own eyes. If Proverbs teaches us anything, it is that fools feel quite justified in their self-destructive path, and openly scoff and mock the way of wisdom.

Third, relevance is not determined by how easily understood and plausible something seems to others. A lack of spiritual understanding is charged as spiritual dullness and immaturity, not as a faulty message or failure to connect.

Fourth, relevance is not determined by how notorious and famous something becomes. The cream rises to the top, they say, but so does the scum. When all men speak well of you, you are in mortal danger, said Jesus.

A Christian understands relevance because he understands what man is, and what man is for. If you understand man as a creature made by and for God, you can understand what has, as Webster's defines it "significant and demonstrable bearing" on His existence.

In this sense, relevance is determined by whoever is making the judgement. If the beholder is an unbeliever committed to self-rule and self-indulgence, you can be sure the claims of Christianity will seem "irrelevant" to him. Our goal is not to "make Christianity relevant" to him. Our goal is to show him his whole concept of what is valuable is skewed and rebellious. In other words, the only way for a rebel to consider Christianity relevant is if he becomes, by regeneration, a worshipper.

The mission of Religious Affections Ministries is to help churches conserve and nourish historic, Biblical Christianity by clearly articulating the teachings of the Bible concerning truth, goodness, beauty and rightly ordered affections in life and ministry. Visit Religious Affections Ministries.

Originally posted at Religious Affections Ministries.
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."
Protests erupted in several parts of Mumbai on Tuesday, a day after a 28-year-old Dalit died in Pune district following an altercation between two groups during celebrations to mark the bicentenary of a British-Peshwa war (Photo: AP)

Today, Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra felt the repercussions of an attack on members of the Dalit community at Bhima Koregaon near Pune. But how did violence break out in Bhima Koregaon in the first place?

Primary police investigations have revealed that the trouble started in Vadebudruk village, where Ganesh Mahar's tomb was desecrated by some right-wing elements on December 29. (Ganesh Mahar, who was from the Dalit community, cremated Sambhaji, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji).

Local police sorted out the issue with villagers, so that there would be no law and order problems.

Later, unidentified individuals organised a march on January 1.

PROBE INDICATES NO PRE-PLANNING OF ATTACK BY DALITS

Dalit groups had come to Bhima Koregaon to celebrate the bicentenary of the victory of Mahar soldiers (who fought with the British) against peshwa soldiers.

Police have found that Dalits who participated in the celebrations had come with women and children, and didn't carry any weapons or rods.

The injuries to those injured in the violence also showed that no weapons - sharp or others - were used.

This indicates that the Dalit participants hadn't planned any violent attack.

Meanwhile, the findings also indicate that people holding saffron flags carried out a march at the same time. When the two groups crossed each other, stone-pelting began. This led to the violent attack.

Police are trying to identify the individuals who organised the march. They have arrested 9 people who participated in it, and are gathering call data to find out who gave instructions for it to be carried out.

An FIR was filed at Vadebudruk village, where Govind Mahar's tomb is located. After some fringe elements attacked the tomb, its guard filed an FIR which blamed Milind Ekbote and the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti for instigating violence.

A second FIR, which names both Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, was filed under the Atrocity Act by a Dalit activist.

Police say they will verify facts and check call data records before finalising action.

WATCH | Koregaon-Bhima violence: India Today's ground report from Mumbai's Chembur and Govandi station
2017 on Christian Today: A year of triumphs and tragedies

It's been a momentous year. As well as the usual views and reviews, these are some of the news stories covered by Christian Today during 2017.

January

Donald Trump was inaugurated after a bitter and bewildering election campaign. Evangelical luminaries including Paula White and Franklin Graham took part in the ceremony, despite protests against the latter's inclusion because of his well-known views on Muslims and gay people. One of Trump's first acts was to attempt to ban Muslims from the US; the courts overruled him and the issue is ongoing.

In other news, the Provost of St Mary's, Glasgow, Kelvin Holdsworth, held a service which included a reading in Arabic denying the divinity of Christ. Jill Saward, a much-loved and respected campaigner for sexual assault victims after her own traumatic experience, died suddenly.

February

Evangelicals in the US scored their first big win with the nomination of conservative judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court.

Traditionalist bishop Philip North was appointed to the diocese of Sheffield. There is an outcry among supporters of women priests and he is ultimately forced to step down, casting an unflattering light both on the Church of England's episcopal selection procedures and its vulnerability to pressure groups.

John Smyth, an evangelical leader associated with the Iwerne camps for public school pupils, was revealed to have been a sadistic abuser. Among his victims was the future Bishop of Guildford.

March

Conservatives were up in arms about Disney's first openly gay character and love scene, in Beauty and the Beast  but is there a better way of handling this? The head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Russell Moore, comes under fire for his criticisms of racism and of Donald Trump, but wins backing as well. Donald Trump has another go at banning Muslims. The former Queen's Chaplain Gavin Ashenden quits the 'liberal' Church of England. There's a Church in Wales row over whether Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans, is to be the next Bishop of Llandaff; he is gay and there are accusations of homophobia after he's passed over. Westminster is attacked by a terrorist with a van; Khalid Masood killed and injured more than 50 people.

April

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, attended Spring Harvest. 'Jesus prayed that we would be united. Our witness depends upon us being united,' he said. 'How we experience the love of Christ is transformed by unity.' The National Trust got into a row over egg hunts  not Easter egg, note. God forbid a national body should have anything to do with religion.

In Egypt, 44 people were killed in bomb attacks on churches on Palm Sunday, April 9. Egypt's Coptic Christians have been frequent targets of Islamists. GAFCON, the conservative Anglican grouping, decided to appoint a 'missionary bishop' to England for congregations unhappy with the CofE.

May

A horrific attack on an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester left 22 people dead and many injured. 'There is a proper anger and rage in the face of events like this,' said the Bishop of Manchester.

Agroup of Coptic Christians traveling to a monastery in central Egypt were attacked by Islamists. At least 29 died and 24 were wounded. Many children were among the victims.

President Trump sacked FBI director James Comey and has had to fight off suspicions about his motivation. The Archbishop of Canterbury visited the Middle East, holding meetings with political leaders as well as religious figures.

At home, the CofE was showing increasing strains as moves by conservatives to create parallels structures gained pace.

June

Britain went to the polls in an election designed to cement the Conservatives' hold on power as the country entered negotiations on Brexit. It didn't work out like that. A disastrously poor campaign from Theresa May and a surge of support for Jeremy Corbyn saw a hung Parliament. The Liberal Democrats were badly hit and the Tories were forced to rely on the Democratic Unionist Party to prop them up.

The Scottish Episcopal Church, part of the Anglican Communion, voted to allow gay marriage.

Grenfell Tower burned down. It would emerge later that warnings about safety were ignored and that fire regulations were wholly inadequate. Churches ministered to the survivors. It was an appalling tragedy.

A damning report into the Church of England's handling of abusive Bishop Peter Ball found it 'colluded' in the abuse and excoriated former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey.

July

The Church of England voted to back special services marking new identities for transgender people and to call for the banning of 'conversion therapy' for gay people. The Charlie Gard case, where the parents of a baby with a life-threatening condition fought to keep him alive against doctors' advice, continued to make headlines; he died at the end of the month. Bible scholar and translator Eugene Peterson drew conservative ire with an apparent statement of support for gay marriage, but retracted it.

August

Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim is released from prison in North Korea. He had been in jail for more than two years accused of 'trying to use religion to destroy North Korea' and was in poor health. Christian Aid warned the East Africa famine crisis was the worst in a generation. President Trump faced fierce criticism over his response to disturbances in Charlottesville in which he appeared to blame 'both sides', leading to charges he was defending fascists. Evangelicals defended his statement as 'bold and truthful'.

The US city of Houston faced catastrophic floods after Hurricane Harvey. Conservative church leaders issued the 'Nashville Statement' condemning homosexuality and transgender ideology. Others condemned their condemnations.

September

Indian priest Fr Tom Uzhunalil, kidnapped in Yemen by Islamic State, was freed. Unfounded rumours that his captors planned to crucify him had circulated. Myanmar's vicious programme of ethnic cleansing against its Rohingya minority was denounced by the UN. The systematic purging of the Rohingha has seen horrific acts of violence committed by the army including rape, torture and the burning alive of children. Aung San Suu Kyi has failed to acknowledge the army's actions.

Evangelical Christians mourned the death of Muslim convert Nabeel Qureshi, a writer and speaker, who died of cancer at aged 34.

October

The worst mass shooting in modern American history sees Stephen Paddock kill 58 people and injure 546 more as he shot from the window of a Las Vegas hotel room. Church leaders led calls to prayer, while the stock price of firearms manufacturers rose.

A meeting of Anglican primates took place in Canterbury and despite tensions over gay marriage was judged a success at the time, though later conservative press releases appeared to contradict this.

The 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation was celebrated, recalling the occasion when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, though he probably didn't. Four British missionaries are kidnapped in Nigeria; one will die.

November

A gunman killed 26 people and wounded 20 others at First Baptist Church, Sutherland Springs, Texas, in America's worst church shooting. Devin Patrick Kelley was wounded as he left the church and later shot himself in the head. A pregnant woman and three of her children were among his victims.

Australia overwhelmingly backed same-sex marriage in a vote that left conservative Christian leaders 'deeply disappointed'.

Zimbabwe's ageing President Robert Mugabe resigned, giving the country some hope after years of misrule and corruption.

A minister in the Scottish Episcopal Church, Kelvin Holdsworth, sparked outrage when he suggested praying for young Prince George to be gay and in due course 'blessed with the love of a fine young gentleman'.

December

Pope Francis visited Myanmar and raised the plight of the Rohingya privately with its leaders.

Donald Trump announced the US would unilaterally recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital, alarming and outraging most of the rest of the world but delighting his evangelical backers. Also in the US, controversial Republican Roy Moore is hit by allegations about serious sexual misconduct. Despite heavy backing by evangelicals, he loses the Alabama Senate race to Democrat Doug Jones in a stunning upset. Moore is challenging the result.

The Church of England is lambasted in an official review of the way it handled the George Bell case, in which a revered bishop was assumed to have been a paedophile on insufficient evidence.

An attack on Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan, left 11 dead and more than 50 injured.

The new Bishop of London is to be a former nurse, Sarah Mullally.
Dispute between North Korea and the U.S. intensifies; former US Ambassador says Trump's primary choice is to use force

The tension between North Korea and the United States of America continues to escalate with no signs of slowing down. U.S. Security Advisor and former ambassador stated force is the only way to stop the threats of the rogue nation.

North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un utilized his New Year speech for another set of threats against the United States. Kim addressed his people on Monday about his plans for 2018 involving their military deployment, North Korea's involvement in the Winter Games, possible peace talks with South Korea, and the country's missile program capable of reaching the U.S.

"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.

When asked about his take on Kim's speech, United States President Donald Trump simply replied with, "We'll see, we'll see." POTUS is yet to release his full statement about Kim's remarks.

Former U.S. ambassador and current security Advisor John Bolton stated that the primary option to retaliate against North Korea's threat is force. During an interview with Fox News, Bolton stressed that the U.S. and China should work together to neutralize the North Korea and its nuclear program.

"I don't think North Korea will ever voluntarily give up their nuclear programme. Enormous pressure through sanctions has not slowed down the regime at all," he said. The advisor then added, "There is one diplomatic play left here. You cannot coerce China into this, but you can persuade them that their national interest requires getting rid of the regime."

A conflict is also brewing between the U.S. and China, with Trump accusing the country of illegally selling oil to North Korea. Trump tweeted, "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 is this continues to happen." China quickly denied Trump's allegations.

There are also several reports indicating a possible alliance between North Korea, China, and Russia.
Nokia 4, Nokia 7 Plus may be released alongside Nokia 1, other HMD Global smartphones

Aside from the recently rumored Android Go-based Nokia 1, HMD Global is also allegedly set to release Nokia 4 and Nokia 7 Plus. Both handsets were spotted on the partial list of the Finnish manufacturer for smartphones that are set for 2018.

According to reports, Nokia 4 and Nokia 7 Plus were discovered when the APK file of the Nokia camera app was unzipped. The app also points to the possible release of the rumored Nokia 1, Nokia 9, Nokia 8 (2018), and Nokia 6 (2018). This manifests that there will be five new Android-based Nokia smartphones that will arrive this year.

Speculations indicate that Nokia 7 Plus will be a bigger version of Nokia 7. It will run with Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 chip. Last year's Nokia 7 sported a 5.2-inch display, a glass design with aluminum frame, and a Snapdragon 630 processor. With that, there is a possibility that Nokia 7 Plus will be an improved version of Nokia 7. On the other hand, Nokia 4 will be an all-new offering with fresh specifications. Features of the phone are not yet revealed as of this writing.

Recently, there are rumors about the release of Android Go-based Nokia 1 phone, which is an affordable smartphone. It will be the first Android Go smartphone from HMD Global that comes with an IPS LCD display with HD resolution, 1 GB RAM, and 8 GB internal storage. It is expected to have a similar camera with Nokia 2, and it could also be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 212 processor. Since Nokia 1 is an Android Oreo phone, it will feature lighter versions of Google apps like YouTube Go, Files Go, and Maps Go.

The company will also release its next flagship smartphone, the Nokia 9. The phone will be launched on Jan. 19, and it will feature a thin bezel and a 5.5-inch display. It will also come with a dual camera setup and Snapdragon 835 chipset. According to further reports, the rumored Nokia devices will be allegedly released along with Nokia 6 (2018) and Nokia 8 (2018), which are both likely the upgrades of the original Nokia 6 and Nokia 8.
Authorities are investigating whether a man arrested at a downtown Houston hotel on an assault charge after a stash of weapons was found inside his hotel room shortly before a New Year's Eve celebration was seeking to harm others.

Russell Lawrence Ziemba was jailed Sunday on charges of assaulting an officer and trespassing at the Hyatt Regency Houston, according to court documents. Raising the possibility that his aim could have been "inflicting casualties," Harris County prosecutors initially opposed bond  then asked for $500,000.

"Local and federal investigators are investigating defendant to determine if firearms & ammo possessed in hotel room with a high vantage point for purpose of inflicting casualties," prosecutors wrote in court documents.

At a court hearing late Monday night, Harris County criminal law hearing officer Lisa Porter set bail at $105,000 after hearing about Ziemba's work history, honorable Army service and Bronze Star. If he makes bail, Ziemba will not be allowed to have firearms as a condition of his release.

The long-time machinist's arrest for allegedly kicking a police officer while drunk came hours after police found an assault rifle, a shotgun, a handgun and a pile of ammunition while trying to get him to leave his room near the top of the Hyatt Regency Houston, which has a 29-story atrium.

With thousands of revelers set to converge on the hotel for a large-scale New Year's Eve bash hours later, officials were initially quick to try to allay fears that the suspect was planning any sort of mass shooting.

"This is not Las Vegas," one official emphasized. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo tweeted Sunday there was "no unlawful intent found."

But later Sunday, prosecutors filed paperwork arguing Ziemba "poses a risk to the safety of the victim or community or is a flight risk" and accordingly should be denied bond.

A Houston police spokesman late Monday declined to comment on the apparent inconsistency between prosecutors' statements and authorities' initial assurances.

"I'm going to have to refer you to the statements made yesterday," said the police spokesman, Victor Senties.

During Monday night's court appearance, prosecutors did not oppose bond entirely, but pushed for $500,000 bail. The court hearing shed light on the chaos that led to his most recent charge. It started around 1:30 a.m. Sunday when, police say, they showed up to help handle a belligerent man who'd been drinking at the hotel bar. He reeked of alcohol and slurred his speech, according to a statement read in court Monday.

After causing problems in the lobby, Ziemba returned to his room on the 28th floor of the 1200 Louisiana high-rise. But once he got to his floor, police were summoned upstairs for guest complaints.

The responding officer didn't find anything on the 28th floor, but as he headed back downstairs he ran into a couple in the elevator complaining about a man in lobby.

Downstairs, the on-duty manager told Ziemba he needed to leave and police brought him to his room to retrieve his belongings. As he packed his clothes, the officer spotted several shotgun shells and a magazine for an assault rifle on a desk near the TV.



When he finished packing up and brought his belongings downstairs, Ziemba allegedly refused to leave the building, triggering the trespassing charge. In the lobby, authorities said, he refused to put his hands behind his back and tussled with police, ultimately kicking one before several officers subdued him.

Ziemba was taken into custody and left to sober up for hours before police could interview him. Although initial reports indicated he could face a weapons charge, officials later said the guns appeared to be legally owned and kept at the hotel for safekeeping.

The FBI confirmed Sunday that it was helping with the investigation but deferred questions to Houston police as the lead agency.

Court documents arguing against bond noted that Ziemba was already out on bail for a prior charge at the time of the Sunday incident. Two days before Christmas, the Massachusetts native was charged with a misdemeanor count of unlawful carry after a handgun was spotted in plain view in his vehicle, according to court records. He was released on $1,000 bond within a day.

Over the past two decades, he has faced a handful of other charges, though none of his convictions in those cases earned him jail time.

A former Breaux Machine Works employee, according to court documents, Ziemba was arrested for misdemeanor DWI in 1997 and the same charge in 2014. The first time he received probation; in the second instance, he netted a one-year loss of his driver's license in addition to 18 months of probation.

He also was arrested for misdemeanor unlawful carry in 2014, though the charge was dismissed when he was convicted in the drunken-driving case around the same time. The court in 2014 returned to him the .45-caliber semi-automatic confiscated during that arrest.

As of late Monday, Ziemba was being held in the Harris County Jail. Prosecutors asked that if he made bond he be subject to a number of conditions, including that he stay away from the Hyatt, not drink, and not have weapons.

Despite the disruption early in the day, the downtown hotel was ready by New Year's Eve for its impressive drop of 50,000 red and white balloons. Police amped up security around town as guests packed into the hotel atrium, partying and celebrating with almost no indication of the drama that had unfolded there less than a day earlier.
Charities and members of the public are being invited to take part in a campaign which aims to encourage volunteering in 2018.

The Volunteer Pledge campaign is being run by the International Voluntary Service, which places people abroad for volunteering opportunities, and so far has the support of 14 charities. These include Oxfam, Royal Voluntary Service and Sense Scotland.

The campaign encourages members of the public to make a pledge to volunteer at some point in 2018, while New Years resolutions are still fresh. It launched on New Years Day and will run throughout January. At the end of each month, pledgees will receive an email to volunteering opportunities across the country.

IVS is running the campaign, with a budget of 20,000. The campaign aims to combat the decline in volunteering after figures published last year by the Office for National Statistics that show that volunteering levels have declined by 15 percent over a decade. The analysis suggests that the value lost to the UK was 1bn just between 2012 and 2015.

A spokesman for IVS said: The benefits of volunteering are huge not just for the volunteer but also for those around them. Some organisations and communities depend on volunteers, so volunteering can have a huge impact on the capacity of an organisation and the lives of those who depend on the support. It's also a fantastic way to make friends and pick up new skills while gaining invaluable life experiences.

More information on the campaign can be found here.

Oxfam launches Give a Shift campaign

Oxfam has also launched a campaign - Give a Shift - to encourage people to volunteer in its charity shops.

The comedian, Harry Hill, is supporting the campaign and recently volunteered in one of the charity's London shops.

He said: Ive really enjoyed looking behind the scenes of Oxfam. Ive been coming here since I was 12. Now Ive got to look behind the curtain. Ive got to work the tills, and met some very interesting customers. Anything that involves the public has potential to be fun. You never know who is going to walk in the door and what they are going to say to you.

Oxfam has released a video of documenting Hill's experience volunteering.
A new company, Giftcoin, is hoping to launch an online giving platform this year that will use blockchain technology to bring about a revolution in charitable giving by helping charities to be more transparent and build better relationships with donors.

The company plans to use blockchain technology  a method of recording transactions using a peer-to-peer network  to create a giving platform using a new cryptocurrency, also called Giftcoin, to donate to charity.

Using smart contracts, Giftcoin plans to keep donors informed about how the charities they support are progressing and only unlock funds once certain requirements have been fulfilled.

For example, if a donor has given money to a charity planning to build a well, the project could be broken down into three stages: finding the land, building the well, handing it over to the community. After each milestone is reached, donors will be told. Once this has been independently verified, the next stage of funding will be released to the charity.

The company will also build an app to enable members of the public to donate small amounts each time they make a purchase by rounding the amount up. It will charge a fee to anyone wanting to move their accumulated tokens off the platform, or to anyone wanting to convert another cryptocurrency into Giftcoin.

The founders are Alex Howard, a serial entrepreneur whose ventures include the UK charity Optimum Health Clinic, Tim Bichara, a technologist and entrepreneur, Jonathan Beddoes, a technology entrepreneur, Chris Cain, a systems analyst, and Ben Evans a blockchain enthusiast who has worked for Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank.

The company has a number of charity advisers offering support including Jon Duschinsky, who created the Ice Bucket Challenge, Lady Astor of Hever, vice-president of the National Autistic Society and patron of a number of other causes, and Shirley Conran, author and founder of the Work Life Balance Trust. Giftcoin also has advisers from the blockchain and investment communities.

The first token event, the process of investing in Giftcoin to enable its founders to build and pilot the platform, will begin next month and aims to raise between $2m and $10m.

Giftcoin plans to test the platform in June and then launch in beta in July before rolling the final product out in September.

Empower donors

Duschinsky told Civil Society News that he believes the new platform could be the solution to a problem that charities have "grappled with for years.

He said that charities have found it hard to implement the relationship fundraising model that was developed by Ken Burnett, but that Giftcoin offers a really joined up solution that will empower donors".

Were at the beginning of a disruption that the charity sector has known is coming for a while, he added. We know we can be more efficient, we know we can be more joined up.

Duschinsky also said that the donor base is changing and that the sector needed to adapt. While it might be relatively new technology, which is not yet widespread, he said that it is maturing incredibly quickly and that there are opportunities here for donors, for beneficiaries and also for charities.

He said he doesnt expect people to move straight away from giving by cheque to Giftcoin, but added that there is a "massive amount of money sitting in cryptocurrency - people have invested an absolute fortune and that they cant get that money out of cryptocurrency and put it back into dollars for a number of reasons.

Giftcoin has published a whitepaper outlining its plans, which can be read here.
Kirsty Weakley takes a look at some of the issues charities can expect to be grappling with in the coming year.

Making predictions is a difficult and dangerous business, and if 2017 taught us anything it was that the unexpected can and will happen. That said, here are some things that charities should be aware of as 2018 gets underway.

High hopes for the Civil Society Strategy

Tracey Crouch, minister for civil society, announced that she would be developing a cross-departmental strategy for the sector. A proper consultation is due to kick off any day now.

The charity sector has long been calling for government to have a more joined-up approach, and is likely to engage strongly with the process, albeit with an element of scepticism.

Charities will want the new strategy to succeed but will have to doubt whether Crouch can push through meaningful change. Since the charities brief was moved from the Cabinet Office to the Department for Digital Culture Media and Sport there have been concerns that the cross cutting functions of the Office for Civil Society risked being lost. This grew when Crouch had civil society added to sport - already a big portfolio.

The government published a response to a comprehensive House of Lords report into charities just before Christmas, which could broadly be summed up as thanks - well consider this as part of the Civil Society Strategy. And Crouch ruled out more funding on day one. So the sector will wait to see what meaningful change can be delivered.

New leadership at the Charity Commission

Its fresh start for the sectors regulator. Helen Stephenson joined as chief executive last year and a new chair is due to be appointed shortly.

Right at the end of last year, it was announced that Kenneth Dibble, currently the regulators legal director, will stand down from that role and join the regulators board. This prompted criticism from NCVO over the regulators own governance.

With rumours that former minister for civil society, Rob Wilson, is among the shortlisted candidates anticipation about who the next chair will be is extremely high.

Whoever they are the next chair will quickly need to address the issue of the regulators own funding model - particularly the thorny issue of large charities paying for the regulator.

A formal consultation on levy options has already been delayed a number of times and at the end of last year the Commission indicated it was still expecting to press ahead.

The Commission can expect stiff opposition from a number of sector bodies with concerns about the principle and the practicalities of their plans.

Deadline on GDPR looms

If you havent heard about General Data Protection Regulation, which is coming into force this spring, then where have you been?

All organisations processing data must comply with stricter rules to ensure that people understand what data is being collected about them, why and how it will be used.

After some high-profile charities were found to have breached existing data protection rules last year, the sector is particularly alert to the need to get this right, while some remain concerned that the new rules may make it harder to communicate with potential donors.

There is now plenty of advice and guidance available. The Information Commissioners Office recently released its guidance, the Institute of Fundraising has published a guide, and the Small Charities Coalition has released a toolkit aimed at small charities.

Governance and leadership initiatives

For the the charity sector 2017 was the year it woke up to the need to do more to support leaders, particularly volunteer trustees.

First we had the House of Lords Committee on Charities report. Then there was the Charity Commissions research into trustees. Both carried a clear message that governance is vital, and that boards need to be more inclusive and diverse, and have better support.

Expect to see many initiatives to build on these recommendations in the coming months. A number of initiatives are already underway. A new Charity Governance Code has been launched, and Sir Stephen Bubb has announced plans for an institute at Oxford.

Difficult economic climate

Charities cannot ignore the impact the wider economy is likely to have. Continuing pressure on public finances is likely to be passed on to charities which rely on government contracts or grants.

At the same time fundraising charities may struggle to raise money from people as cost-of-living increases put pressure on disposable income.

Resolution to the sleep-in shift crisis?

Last year a dispute between the care sector and the government came to a very public head when the government insisted that workers who had been paid a flat rate to sleep over should have been paid at the minimum wage.

Care charities and other providers say that the governments advice has changed and that the public sector, not the providers, should pay workers what they are owed.

This April, in the case Royal Mencap Society v Mrs C Tomlinson-Blake, an employment appeal tribunal upheld an employment tribunal ruling from August 2016 that Mencaps sleep-in shift employee should have been entitled to the minimum wage throughout her shifts worked for the charity. The case has since been referred to a court of appeal, due to be heard in March 2018, so the dispute remains unresolved.

Enforcement action by HMRC was paused in July and the autumn the government launched a voluntary scheme, giving providers 12 months to conduct a self-review make arrangements to pay workers by 31 March 2019. This was heavily criticised by charities and unions as something of a fudge.

The rise of charity bots

Well not just bots, but the pace a scale of change in artificial intelligence, blockchain and virtual reality technologies means weve now reached the point where we will begin to see them having a tangible impact on charities.

From new ways to support beneficiaries, raise money, and changes in working practices, I hope we see charities getting to grips with emerging technology that is rapidly going mainstream and embracing the opportunities and facing up to the challenges this year.

Civil Society Media is hosting its next breakfast briefing on GDPR on 20 February 2018. For more information, and to book, click here




Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Wysocky says it is hard to separate texting drivers from drunken drivers as he cruises down a suburban interstate highway. Both weave. They speed up and slow down for no obvious reason and get too close to other cars. They endanger their lives and others.

Theres one, he says, as a woman zips past. But even though he could see her texting, he couldnt ticket her  Florida statutes wouldnt allow it because she wasnt breaking any other traffic laws.

Florida, with some of the nations deadliest roads, is one of the last states to not fully ban texting while driving, but the Legislature will soon consider a bill that would. However, studies conflict over whether such bans have any effect.

Currently, Florida law says texting by noncommercial drivers is a secondary offense  law enforcement officers must see another violation like speeding or an illegal lane change before they cite a driver for texting. The bill would make texting a primary offense. The fine for a first offense would remain $30 plus court costs and add no points to the drivers record. Previous attempts have failed, but this bill has support from legislative leaders.

Forty-three states already make texting while driving a primary offense. Three besides Florida list it as a secondary offense  Nebraska, Ohio and South Dakota. There is no state law against texting in Arizona, Montana and, for noncommercial drivers 22 and older, in Missouri. The federal government estimates that in 2015 accidents involving texting and other distracted driving killed almost 3,500 people nationally  more than nine per day  and injured almost 400,000. A Florida trooper, Carlos Rosario, was seriously injured in March when investigators say a texting driver struck him as he worked along a Miami highway shoulder.

Rosario spent two months in the hospital undergoing several surgeries to repair injuries to his face, spine and legs. He will remain off duty until at least late 2018. Driver Hugo Olivares received five years probation on Dec. 20.

You see it every day when you are out driving  people texting. It has become part of our culture, said Democratic state Rep. Emily Slosberg, one of the bills sponsors.

She was seriously injured in a 1996 traffic accident caused by a reckless driver that killed her twin sister, Dori, and four other teens. Her father, former state Rep. Irv Slosberg, long pushed traffic safety bills including the states mandatory seat belt law, and she has picked up the mantle.

It is time for the Legislature to send a message that we will no longer accept this deadly behavior on our roads, she said.

The state says Florida car crashes killed almost 2,700 this year, but the number killed in texting-related accidents is unknown. Under the current law, only about three drivers a day are cited statewide for texting while driving.

According to Insurance Institute for Highway Safety statistics , five of the seven states without a primary offense law had 2016 highway death rates above the national average. Ohio and Nebraska were below; South Dakota and Missouri were just above. Florida, Montana and Arizona tied for the ninth-highest fatality rate.

Counterintuitively, the IIHS says its studies also show that states enacting bans experience no decrease in accidents even though surveillance shows the number of drivers texting drops substantially. Vice President of Research Jessica Cicchino said the reasons arent known  perhaps texting drivers hold their phones lower so they wont be seen. That takes their eyes further off the road for longer, increasing the risk.

A 2014 University of Alabama at Birmingham study , however, showed a 3 percent drop in fatalities in states after a full texting ban with the best results among young drivers.

Opponents of a texting ban generally fall into two camps. First, libertarians, who say current law is sufficient if texting leads to swerving, tailgating or other dangers. Issue tickets for that, they say.

Minorities fear texting bans lead to racial profiling. State Sen. Perry Thurston, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat, said the law would save lives but he is concerned some officers would stop mostly black drivers. If the law is adopted, he wants statistics collected to make sure minorities arent disproportionately ticketed.

An American Civil Liberties Union study showed that after Florida made driving without a fastened seat belt a primary offense in 2009, black drivers were significantly more likely to receive tickets than white drivers even though studies showed blacks were only slightly less likely to buckle up.

Its disappointing but the reality in some communities is that this is an issue, said Thurston, an African-American.

At a turnpike rest stop near Fort Lauderdale, retired insurance salesman Steve Josephson said he supports the bill because too many distracted drivers have almost hit him and hes tired of being stuck behind people who are watching their phones when traffic lights turn green. He says he doesnt text and drive.

Landscaper Francisco Martinez wasnt sure whether he likes the ban, but said he stopped texting and driving 11 months ago after his first child was born.

But it is tempting, particularly when someone is trying to reach you, he said.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Members of the Dalit community are detained by police during a protest in Mumbai (Photo: Reuters)

The repercussions of the attack on members of the Dalit community at Bhima Koregaon near Pune on Monday were felt in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday.

Some Dalit organisations' protests on streets led to traffic congestion and chaos in Mumbai. Incidences of violence have been reported across the state especially in western Maharashtra and Marathwada regions.

In Mumbai, the protest began in Chembur as some youths gathered at the railway station and stalled train services. That affected the services on Harbour Line for more than half an hour. The service resumed for a brief period but was again stalled for more than three hours.

VIOLENCE AT CHEMBUR

The protest at Chembur station took a violent turn after the protestors damaged buses of Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST). Soon after that the protest spread to Sion, Matunga, Ghatkopar and Mulund.

LIVE | All the latest updates from the Bhima-Koregaon protests

Shops in Ghatkopar were forcibly shut down. Traffic on the Eastern Express highway was badly hit for almost three hours as the protestors blocked the highway near Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar in Ghatkopar.

Similar protests have been reported in western Maharashtra and Marathwada. The police have confirmed that at least 134 state transport buses were damaged till 4 pm by the protestors.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

A group of upper-caste people had attacked the Dalits who had gathered at Bhima Koregaon to pay tributes on the occasion of 200th anniversary of a battle between the army of the peshwa and the East India Company. One person died and at least three dozen were injured in the stone pelting.

The Dalits believe that their forefathers who fought against the peshwa on behalf of the British had played an important role in ending the peshwa rule four months after the battle.

FADNAVIS ANNOUNCES COMPENSATION

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the attack on the Dalits will be probed by a committee of a Supreme Court justice. He also has announced compensation of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased.

Taking an aggressive stand on the issue senior Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for a state bandh on Wednesday. A few Left organisations too have backed his call. Ambedkar alleged that the workers of two organisations, Shiv Pratishthan and Hindu Ekta Aghadi were behind the attacks on the Dalits.

The Pune police have booked Manohar Bhide of Shiv Pratishthan and Milind Ekbote of Hindu Ekta Aghadi for inciting violence and under the provision of Atrocities Act.

The Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have alleged that the attack was pre-planned. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik alleged that the police did not take any action though they were aware that some miscreants were trying to create unrest through messages on social media

State Congress president Ashok Chavan said that the attack shows that some people have planned to create rift between the Dalits and the Marathas. "Those who have trust in the progressive thoughts should come together to foil the attempts to create such rift," Chavan said.

WATCH | Koregaon-Bhima violence: India Today's ground report from Mumbai's Chembur and Govandi station
Payphones in O'Hare International Airport, circa 1963. Source: Chicago Dept of Aviation

Airports, mostly seen as gateways that ferry passengers to distant cities and far-flung countries, have grown beyond their original mandate.

Although long-distance travel is still their primary role, airports have recently moved to make traveling more efficient and enjoyable for travelers  and more profitable for the airports themselves. In recent years, an ever-expanding and impressive mix of dining and shopping amenities greet fliers at major travel hubs. A recent survey by airport membership association Airports Council International - North America identified the top 10 airport amenities on the continent  including top-of-the-line new features airports intend to add in the next few years. Along with amenities like ATMs, free internet access and more vending machines, the ACI's list also included pet relief facilities, children play areas and rooms for nursing mothers. "Whether engaging with passengers through an animal therapy program to instill a sense of calm in a busy terminal, or providing ample electrical charging stations for mobile devices, airports are committed to not only meeting passengers' expectations but exceeding them," said Kevin Burke, the ACI-NA's president and CEO.

According to the ACI-NA survey, airports are adding more nursing rooms for mothers. Source: Pittsburgh International Airport

In part to make way for these new amenities, airports told the ACI-NA that over the next three to five years, they plan to phase out or eliminate lesser attractions  so travelers will need to bid goodbye to airport smoking rooms, payphones and bank branches. 'Built-in customer base'

Although cash machines are plentiful at many airports, staffed bank branches are already quite rare. Yet one notable holdout is Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, where a branch of the Wings Financial Credit Union thrives.

"The local bank has a built-in customer base, as they began as a credit union for airline and airport employees," said airport spokeswoman Melissa Scovronski, "So we don't expect to eliminate that service." Smoking lounges still exist at just a handful of major U.S. airports, including Washington Dulles International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. However, several are already moving to square themselves with years of anti-smoking public policy: Salt Lake City International Airport closed all its smoking rooms last year, and by the end of 2018, Denver International will shutter its last remaining smoking lounge.

Smoking lounges at many U.S. airports are being snuffed out. Source: Denver International Airport
Meridian Hive Meadery in Austin, Texas. Source: Lea Hendry-Valle

To the probable delight of revelers attending this year's annual South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, craft distilleries are becoming a growing feature of urban culture. As of August 2016, there were 1,315 active craft distillers in the U.S., according to a joint study released last year by the American Craft Spirits Association and the International Wine and Spirits Research. According to the report, those distillers account for approximately 12 percent of cases of spirits sold each year. As it happens, more than 70 of those establishments are located in Texas  and several are concentrated in and around the rapidly growing Austin area. The craft liquor boom is partially an exponent of Texas' strong reputation for cultivating small business and entrepreneurship. Austin, a university town with offbeat appeal and an entrepreneurial spirit, provides spirit makers with a ready-made customer base of young customers and hipsters  many of whom are known to gorge on artisanal foods, coffee and liquor. The city's motto, "Keep Austin Weird," is reflected in its burgeoning craft distillery industry. Recently, CNBC took a look at some of the more noteworthy establishments that have sprung up around Austin, and regardless of one's preference  be it whiskey, gin, tequila, moonshine, or even mead  there's something for practically everyone.





Revolution Spirits in Austin, Texas. Source: Lea Hendry-Valle

Revolution Spirits Distilling Co.

During a trip to Kentucky in 2007, Revolution Spirits co-founder Mark Shilling had an epiphany while sampling some high-quality, homemade moonshine. In 2014, Shilling and his partner Aaron Day opened Revolution, a craft liquor business that offers a dizzying array of specially blended gin, whiskey and liqueurs that are popular with Austin's faithful.

"Being small and independent gives us the freedom to be experimental," Shilling told CNBC  and that spirit of experimentation is apparent in Revolution brands like its Single Barrel Series gins and "Farmhouse Series" of fruit liqueurs.



Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery and Tasting Room, Austin, Texas. Source: Deep Eddy Distillery



Deep Eddy Vodka Distillery

Nestled on Highway 290 between Austin and Dripping Springs, Deep Eddy's spacious glass and timber distillery and tasting room is a well-trafficked tourist attraction. Named after the historic, man-made Deep Eddy swimming pool (the oldest public pool in Texas), the distillery was founded in 2010 by Chad Auler and Clayton Christopher, two Texans who wanted to develop and market premium, high-quality vodkas made with all-natural ingredients. Deep Eddy's first release was a Sweet Tea Vodka, which was a hit with locals and led to more flavors like lemon, peach, cranberry and the store's current top seller, Ruby Red Grapefruit.

Although Deep Eddy Vodkas are now distributed in all 50 states and Canada, the company remains ingrained in Austin's unique culture.



Treaty Oak Distillery in Austin, Texas. Source: Lea Hendry-Valle

Treaty Oak

The Treaty Oak owns an important place in the history and folklore of Texas, with its namesake partly derived from a landmark treaty in the 1830s between local Native Americans and Texas' first colonists.

Located just outside of Austin, the spacious property includes a tasting room, a gift shop, a bar and a restaurant in addition to the distillery. The brand's primary products include a range of vodkas, rums and gins that include Graham's Texas Tea, a sweet tea vodka; Starlite Vodka; Red-Handed Bourbon; and Waterloo Gin. In addition, Treaty Oak markets an experimental brand of spirits produced in limited quantities and only available in Austin.



A sampler of Meridien Hive Meads. Source: Lea Hendry-Valle

Meridian Hive Meadery

Made from a fermented mixture of water and honey, Mead is considered the world's oldest alcoholic beverage. Although often associated with Vikings and Norse gods like Thor as opposed to cowboys, one of largest, top-selling "meaderies" in the U.S. is located deep in the heart of Texas.

Meridian Hive Meadery was founded in 2012 by Eric Lowe and Mike Simmons, both engineers by trade, who saw tremendous marketing potential for high-quality mead within the growing craft beer scene, where an estimated 80 percent of craft bars also serve mead. Meridian Hive currently offers three carbonated draft meads (Discovery, Rhapsody and Haven), as well as several traditional uncarbonated versions and limited- run special batches. Meridian is available throughout Texas, and can be ordered online.



Austins Argus Cidery Source: Gavin Valle

Argus Cidery

Texas's first Cidery, which opened its doors in 2010, is named after the Founder's Father, Argus Delbert Mickel. Argus's son Wes Mickel (also named Argus; Wesley is his middle name) and his older brother Jeff now serve as co-Owners of the business, which has been influenced by Wes' culinary training.

Available nationwide, Argus Cidery produces artisanal ciders and fruit wines that are 100 percent natural, with no sugar or additional added ingredients. Unique offerings abound, like "Vinho Pearde" (fermented, lagered pear juice) and "Tepache" (made with pineapple juice). Argus also offers a host of apple-based ciders, including the dry and tart Ciderkins and Ginger Perry. "It's fruit as it ferments, all natural and no tricks," Jeff Mickel told CNBC.



Dulce Vida in Austin Source: Dulce Vida Tequila
Hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over the protests seen in the aftermath of Pune's Koregaon Bhima riots, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the ruling central party had a "fascist vision for India".

And, a "central pillar" of this vision is that "Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society", Gandhi continued. " Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," the Congress chief tweeted, referring to the Una flogging and Rohith Vemula suicide.

Gandhi's tweet came after a day of unrest in Mumbai and Pune. Both the cities saw sporadic instances of violence following the death of a man during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the of the Koregaon-Bhima battle in Pune yesterday.

A central pillar of the RSS/BJPi??s fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance. - Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 2, 2018

Every year on January 1, Dalits march to the Koregaon Bhima battle memorial in Pune in order to mark the anniversary of the 1818 Battle of Koregaon, in which the Britishers defeated an army of Peshwas.

Yesterday, a group opposed to the celebration of the anniversary of the battle got into an argument with a crowd of Dalits. In the ensuing melee a man was killed.

The Maharashtra government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the death even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis asked people to refrain from believing rumours. He also asked political parties not to make "decisive statements" even as the Opposition alleged that right-wing organisations had perpetrated Monday's violence.

The sentiment was echoed by Dalit leader and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's grandson Prakash who called for a Maharshtra bandh tomorrow and alleged that the perpetrators of yesterday's violence had the "tactic support" of the Fadnavis government.

Meanwhile, the situation in Mumbai remains tense with police detaining more than 100 protestors. Air India and Jet Airways have waived their cancellation fees to flights in and out of Mumbai even as the city's traffic police made arrangements for road diversions.

WATCH | Koregaon-Bhima violence: India Today's ground report from Mumbai's Chembur and Govandi station
In 2014, the market got overexcited amid a surge in IPOs until there simply wasn't enough money to support their stocks  and that's at risk of happening in the near future, Cramer said.

"I keep thinking back to March of 2014, the last time deals started coming at a fever pitch. That was the era where we were seeing companies come public at a nine or ten times enterprise-to-sales valuation and the market loved it right up until it didn't," the " Mad Money " host said.

Nearly $10 billion has been raised for IPOs so far in 2017, making this one of the strongest starts to the year for IPOs in over a decade.

An oncoming wave of initial public offerings could pose a threat to the bull market and lead to a pause, Jim Cramer said.

Cramer pointed to Thursday's and Friday's back-to-back IPOs of retailer Canada Goose and software company MuleSoft.

Cramer said the two shouldn't worry investors yet. He embraced Canada Goose as a rare sign of growth in a struggling sector, and called MuleSoft "a terrific company" that even after a 45 percent run right out of the gate, "seems like  it's got more room to run."

But if the two are the start of a trend, more of the same could lead to oversupply in the market, Cramer warned.

"I always says that what ultimately kills the bull is supply, because the stock market, like any other market, is all about supply and demand. When the market's roaring, more companies will want to come public, and sooner or later we get so many IPOs that the market's flooded with supply and it overwhelms the demand," the "Mad Money" host said.

That could result in the market pause so many analysts have been predicting since the rally began, Cramer said.

"Do you know that this might be my 20th IPO cycle in 37 years where I see the supply coming, and it looks to me like we're white water rafting together. And we hear the falls, but we're having such a good time we say to ourselves, 'Why stop?'" he asked.

"Well, I'll tell you why. The bottom of the waterfall is too far from here. Nobody makes it out alive," Cramer continued. "So, forgive me, but if IPOs keep coming at this torrid pace  I'm eventually going to have to tell you to get out of the raft."

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Colonial-era train tracks in India will finally undergo a much-needed makeover, and big global players are betting big on the sector. A landslide victory in Uttar Pradesh last weekend gave Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi the political capital he needs push through several big-ticket reforms to stimulate the economy.

A commuter waits for a train at a train station in Mumbai. Kunal Patil | Hindustan Times | Getty Images

The win in UP is seen as an endorsement of the current regime's efforts to improve government, especially after the fourth-quarter gross domestic figures proved that the controversial "demonetization" did not hurt the economy as much as expected. The 312 out of 403 seats they collected in the state assembly, as reported by the Election Commision of India, translate into artillery for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party. The BJP can now pass even bolder legislation in parliament with a large majority in both upper and lower houses. Those initiatives include streamlining the national sales tax, improving labor reforms, solving land acquisition issues, and fostering better governance and transparency.

Richard Iley from BNP Paribas wrote in a note that in short-term, BJP's gains "should help ease the passage of the good and services tax (GST) bill through parliament in the current session, ensuring that the landmark reform is introduced by July 1st as widely hoped." He added that "longer-range, a further legislative assault on illegal wealth, changes to restrictive labor and land acquisition laws and further FDI liberalisation are all likely further next steps and reforms that the administration is likely to press on in the next 12-24 months."

Railways poised to benefit

Research firm BMI projected that India's transport infrastructure sector will grow by 6.1 percent in real terms in 2017 and average 5.9 percent annually through 2021, making it the fastest-expanding component of the country's infrastructure sector. In mid-February, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his 2017 Union Budget to the Parliament where he outlined his plan for infrastructure and railways. The funds allow state-owned Indian Railways to modernize its infrastructure and service operations, which includes laying 3,500 kilometers of new tracks in the coming year (2017-18) and feeding 7,000 stations with solar power in the medium term. Jaitley also announced a new Metro Rail Act to streamline existing laws, and allow greater private participation in construction and operation.

Several foreign companies have won contracts to improve the state-owned monopoly. These include companies like Alstom, Bombardier and General Electric. CNBC spoke with French engineering group Alstom's Asia-Pacific vice president, Jean-Francois Beaudoin, to find out what's next for India. Alstom has been in India since 1990, but Beaudoin says that investments have only massively accelerated in the past few years. Two-thirds of its backlog orders come from India, and the company has multiple plans in the pipeline. In 2015, Alstom won two rail contracts worth up to $3.98 billion to make and maintain electric locomotives over 17 years. The company had also signed a contract worth over $215 million, to provide electrification, signaling and telecommunications system for the 343-kilometer-long eastern portion of the Dedicated Freight Corridor. Both these projects are expected to reduce congestion for passenger service and freight trains. They allow for faster, safer and heavier trains to move across the country. Beaudoin notes that Jaitley's speech showed that the Indian government is really committed to speeding up the modernization of its infrastructure, which presents opportunities for companies like Alstom.

"Since the new government came to power three years ago, the willingness for transparency, simplification and promotion of foreign investment in India, with the 'Make in India' policy, for instance, has helped a lot for industries like us developing business in India."



Out of its 4,000 employees in Asia-Pacific, Alstom has 2,700 in India, which they say is 10 times what they had five years ago. Eleven percent of the company's 2016 revenue came from Asia-Pacific, with Australia, China, India, Hong Kong and Singapore being the biggest drivers.



The big picture
According to Braziel, U.S. companies have introduced new ways of fracking and drilling that allow them to extract more hydrocarbons, the main ingredients of petroleum and natural gas.

"If we look forward for the next five years, the forward curve of crude oil in the United States is at $50 flat," the president and CEO of RBN told Cramer. "It's the ingenuity of U.S.-producing companies. We've learned how to produce and make money at 50 bucks."

United States oil producers are behind oil's current lower prices, which are here to stay for the foreseeable future, oil guru Rusty Braziel told " Mad Money " host Jim Cramer on Friday.

"It's the technology that makes it work," Braziel said. "You get a lot more hydrocarbon out of each well, [and] we're getting it cheaper per unit because the well costs haven't gone up much at all."

And, with President Donald Trump pushing for deregulation in the fossil fuel industry, energy companies are "feeling great" despite the drop in prices, said Braziel, who advises a number of big-name energy players.

If those companies see some federal regulations lifted, that could lead to a chain reaction that keeps oil prices at bay for good, Braziel argued.

"Now they're looking at a situation where regulations are at least expected to be dialed back, which is a great thing, which means that they'll be able to produce for less money, which means they'll be able to have lower break-even prices, which means they'll be able to make more money, which means they'll be able to produce more hydrocarbons, which means ... perhaps we could make so many hydrocarbons that the price stays low no matter what," the CEO said.

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Bill Gates suggested in a recent interview that robots should be taxed when they are doing the role of a human worker, but the CEO of a leading automation firm took issue with that idea.

ABB Group CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer, speaking Saturday with CNBC on the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing, suggested that many have the wrong idea about robots' place in the economy, and he took on the Microsoft co-founder's tax proposition.

"Taxing robotics is as intelligent as taxing software," he said. "They are both productivity tools. You should not tax the tools, you should tax the outcome that's coming."

Robotics, he explained, is one of the fastest growing technologies in the world, and it makes a "significant contribution" to society by helping to make work safer and less dull.

"If you look at economies with the lowest unemployment rates in the world and correlate it with robotics: Germany, Japan, South Korea have the highest robotics rates with more than 300 robots per 10,000 workers, and they have the lowest unemployment rates," Spiesshofer said. "So robotization and automation, wealth and prosperity go hand-in-hand."
F-35 aircraft aboard the USS America, an amphibious assault ship for the Navy. Andy Wolfe | US Navy

If Americans think more defense spending will make them safer they should think again, according to a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Just because you're spending more on the military doesn't mean we're going to have a more effective military force," said Dan Grazier, a former Marine captain and defense industry expert at the Project On Government Oversight, a Washington watchdog group. "That has proved true throughout history." President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 budget blueprint calls for a $54 billion increase in national defense spending, which represents an increase of about 10 percent over the sequestered levels. "If President Trump wants to truly rebuild the military, he should actually slash budgets," Grazier wrote in a POGO blog post Friday. "It would force the Pentagon and Congress to make the difficult choices necessary to produce a more effective fighting force." He notes that if the fiscal 2018 budget plan gets approved in Congress it would mean total defense spending of nearly $640 billion, which includes $65 billion for so-called Overseas Contingency Operations war funding. When combining other national security spending and veterans costs, the government outlays represent more than $1 trillion per year, Grazier said. In the budget document, the Trump administration stated "this defense funding is vital to rebuilding and preparing our armed forces for the future." The White House's budget request said "key investments in maintenance capacity, training systems, and additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters would enable the Air Force, which is now the smallest it has been in history, to counter the growing number of complex threats from sophisticated state actors and transnational terrorist groups."

President Donald Trump applauds aboard the pre-commissioned USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in Newport News, Virginia, March 2, 2017. Saul Loeb | AFP | Getty Images

Yet Grazier contended that just throwing more money at defense isn't the answer because "it is just going to get flushed down the typical Pentagon spending holes." In an interview, he said what matters most is "how you spend it  and we do not have a track record of spending it well." Grazier added, "Basically, the Pentagon and defense contractors and their allies in Congress want to throw a whole lot money at these really complicated [weapons] systems and spread the subcontracts around the country." On his blog, Grazier wrote that defense budgets during the Obama administration peaked in 2011 and went "down incrementally in the years since, but they remained higher than at any time during previous administrations, including at the peak of the Reagan buildup in the 1980s." "What did we get for those massive budgets? We didn't get more fighter planes. We didn't get more ships," he said. "Almost every day we are bombarded with dire warnings from services that the force is the smallest it has ever been. For some people, there will never be enough spending on the Pentagon."

USS Gerald R. Ford built by Huntington Ingalls. CNBC
A man who attacked soldiers at Paris Orly airport on Saturday carried a petrol can and shouted he was there to "die for Allah," Paris prosecutor Francois Molins said.

According to testimony of soldiers who witnessed the attack, the assailant put his air gun to the head of a woman soldier and shouted to other soldiers with her: "Put down your guns. Put your hands on your head. I am here to die for Allah. In any case, there will be deaths."

The attacker, who Molins named as Zied ben Belgacem, was shot dead by the other soldiers. Molins said three people were being held in police custody.

He said Belgacem's choice of target and evidence that he had been radicalised justified launching a terrorism investigation.

Meanwhile a police officer was shot and injured during a road check in the town of Stains northeast of Paris on Saturday, according to Paris police. The national police official said there was no immediate sign of any link between the Orly incident and the Stains shooting.

Passengers at Orly airport told of gunshots and panic.

A witness identified only as Dominque said on BFM television: "The soldiers took aim at the man, who in turn pointed the gun he had seized at the two soldiers."

Another man said on BFM that three soldiers were targeted, and they tried to calm the man who seized the weapon. Then the man said he heard two gunshots.

The soldier who was attacked is part of the Sentinelle special force installed around France to protect sensitive sites after a string of deadly Islamic extremist attacks. The force includes 7,500 soldiers, half deployed in the Paris region and half in the provinces.

Orly is Paris' second-biggest airport behind Charles de Gaulle, serving domestic and international flights, notably to destinations in Europe and Africa.

The shooting came after a similar incident last month at the Louvre Museum in which an Egyptian man attacked soldiers guarding the site and was shot and wounded.

Saturday's attack further rattled France, which remains under a state of emergency after attacks over the past two years that have killed 235 people.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A GOP-proposal to shift health-care costs to the states has many governors worried that the plan would create a financial squeeze on their budgets.

Now, municipal bondholders can share those concerns.

The Republican-proposed bill to replace Obamacare would hurt the credit ratings for U.S. states, according to Moody's Investors Service, because it would shift a greater share of the cost of Medicaid to the states.

That could raise borrowing costs for states and lower the value of bonds already held by investors.

The joint state-federal Medicaid program for low-income households grew rapidly under the six-year-old Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known as Obamacare, and has been consuming a larger share of many state budgets every year.

It's far from clear that the Republicans' proposed replacement, known as the American Health Care Act, will survive in its current form. The proposal has already drawn criticism from both the conservative and moderate wings of the GOP.

States currently run the Medicaid program and pay part of the cost; Washington pays the rest based on a formula that varies from state to state, no matter how much the program costs. The new proposal would replace those reimbursements with a fixed payment.

That would leave the states on the hook for extended coverage or rising costs beyond those capped federal contributions. The change would create a greater financial burden on states, Moody's reported.

The proposal would also phase out funding for expanded Medicaid by 2020, leaving states to pick up the difference or to drop enrollees from their Medicaid programs.

It's also not clear just how hard the proposed formula would hit state budgets. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated the proposed health-care law would cut federal spending by $880 billion between 2017 and 2026, when spending would fall by 25 percent compared to current-law projections.

"States will face difficult decisions in this regard," Moody's reported on Friday. "If states maintain the expansion programs for non-elderly adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, they will be on the hook for a larger portion of expenses related to new enrollees."

State Medicaid spending has been growing steadily, placing a financial strain on state budgets and forcing tax hikes or spending cuts to make up the difference. The state share of Medicaid spending is expected to grow to 28 percent of tax revenue by 2025, up from 24.5 percent in 2017, Moody's estimated.
A woman walks past a Trump Place building, part of an apartment complex on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York.

The never-ending quest for the perfect apartment in New York City could be getting that much tougher, new data suggests, thanks to new competition for scarce supply from other parts of the worldand one surprising country in particular.

Newly released figures from TripleMint, a residential real estate start-up based in New York, points to a shift in the countries most interested in buying into the city's active housing market, which attracts more than its fair share of domestic and international buyers and remains one of the world's priciest.

Over the course of 2015 and 2016, the company tracked the location of visitors on its website hunting for housing, ranking countries by a percentage of total foreign searches for that year, and compared the results. It found the biggest mover was Russia, which jumped from #20 on their top searchers list in 2015, to #2 last year, landing just behind the United Kingdom.

The results were somewhat surprising, taking place during a volatile period in U.S./Russia relations. The country is being hammered by accusations of hacking as well as electoral meddling, although it was unclear to what extent those events influenced TripleMint's data, if at all.

Nevertheless, the findings came as a surprise to the company.

"We had no idea that we were going to find that," David Walker, TripleMint's CEO, told CNBC in an interview. "It was fascinating seeing this data and how much search traffic has picked up from Russia."
That outcome after a two-day meeting failed to reach a compromise, indicated a victory for Trump's representative, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and a defeat for nations like Germany who sought a strong defense for free trading principles.

"I think generally it's a concern to reduce all kinds of free trade," he said, responding to a recent meeting of G-20 finance ministers, which saw the world's largest economies drop a pledge to keep global trade open.

Volkmar Denner, CEO at Bosch, told CNBC at the China Development Forum on Sunday that having free trade is beneficial to all countries and industrial players.

The chief executive of German manufacturer Bosch said the reduction of free global trade is a concern, and that it will be very difficult for President Donald Trump to recover U.S. manufacturing jobs, lost over the decades to low-cost locations.

Speaking about German chancellor Angela Merkel and finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, Denner said it was likely the two leaders will be disappointed with the outcome.

"I think they have promoted, personally, free trade, and therefore I think they most probably will be disappointed because Germany is a country that's relying heavily on export. And since we are (a) strong industrial nation, we rely on good relations (with) all the countries we do trade with," he said, adding that the difficulty of realizing free trade agreements in the current environment is becoming a concern for German industry.

The Trump administration has put emphasis on having "fairer" trade deals with other countries, vowing to renegotiate existing agreements like the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada. Since taking office, Trump also pulled the U.S. out of a key 12-member Pacific trade deal.

That trend, Denner said, is a big concern for Bosch, which has an extensive presence in the U.S. through manufacturing and R&D facilities.

"So far we consider the NAFTA region as one region economically. If this is changed, especially in the relation between the United States and Mexico, this of course is a burden for us and we urgently need to know what the real regulations will be in terms of taxes or whatever...we need clarity," he said.

Trump has also underpinned his "America First" message by urging U.S.-headquartered manufacturers to consider moving jobs back to their home country and threatening to impose penalties on those planning to shift jobs abroad.

Denner said the administration's emphasis on recovering manufacturing jobs lost to low-cost overseas locations was understandable, but the road will likely be tough.

"The policy that we have been following in Germany, I always considered to be a better one because we really are proud to manufacture goods and we have done a lot to keep manufacturing inside the country competitive, although we also have very high wages," he said.

Denner added that Germany kept itself competitive by driving innovation and high-tech manufacturing. But, he acknowledged, the situation in Germany is different to the U.S.

"To turn this around for the United States, having lost so many manufacturing jobs over time, I think will be very, very difficult."

Many critics have said one of the countries that can benefit tremendously from a more protectionist stance from the U.S. is China  Chinese leaders have slowly drummed up their support for more free trade globally.

On China, Denner said that market had the second largest number of Bosch employees after Germany  with more than 60,000 employees  as well as 45 manufacturing sites and 23 technical centers, and that he was very positive on the country.

"We have a very, very strong local footprint and this helps us to enjoy significant growth. We didn't publish the official numbers yet, but (last year) we had double digit growth of our sales in the country, so it's very favorable," he said, adding that Bosch's strategy in the mainland is to bring new technologies into the country.

Denner said he did not see a lack of access to the Chinese market, a common criticism against Beijing from foreign companies, but added certain Chinese regulations  such as restrictions imposed on moving local profits out of the country  were headed in the wrong direction.
The U.S. has to push for sustainable improvements to health care, according to the CEO of Johnson & Johnson.

Congressional Republicans unveiled a broad plan for replacing Obamacare on Mar. 6, which was met with harsh resistance from various factions, including medical service providers who said the bill would probably cause many patients to lose insurance and raise healthcare costs.

For J&J CEO Alex Gorsky, the U.S. saw some "good news" for health care under Barack Obama's presidency and the key will be to make smart revisions going forward, he told CNBC from the China Development Forum in Beijing.

"Whether you take the new plan, the old plan, we are going to have to make changes," he said.

"The challenges are that we still have a lot of other issues to take care of how are we going to make sure that we continue to make some of the important improvements to health care, from a quality, from an affordability and from a sustainability point of view," he said. "And I think that's what we're going to have to work on, to bring forth the next round."
The countdown to the grand finale has begun, with less than two weeks remaining for the finale. Naturally, excitement levels in the BB 11 house are rising with commoners ready to go to any extent to reach the Top 4.

Hina, Luv and Puneesh discussed how Vikas is left alone in the house after Priyank's eviction. Akash told Hina that Shilpa is not making eye contact with him ever since she had a conversation with his mother. Akash said that she was taking his side and was correct. He added that he however didn't want Shilpa to win. Hina said that the best person should win.

Hina was seen pointing out how Shilpa never took care of hygiene and how she had been portrayed to be perfect on the show. Hina told Vikas that they are real people and hope people are able to see that.

Puneesh told Shilpa he hadn't revealed his real identity on the show and Priyank and others are kids in front of him. He said that what they did on the show, he had done ten years back. Puneesh, Shilpa and Luv said Akash's journey in the house had been full of dirt. Puneesh said that earlier he could have saved Akash over Bandgi but when he saw his attitude he realised his mistake. Hina and Luv on the other hand discussed how Puneesh is playing a brilliant game and it was foolish of Vikas to save him many a time.

Bigg Boss congratulated the remaining six contestants to make it this far in the show and announced a task wherein the housemates had to rank themselves from 1 to 6 (1 being the highest and 6 the lowest) with mutual consent. Akash said he deserved to be on the No. 1 spot since he is the most entertaining contestant in the house while Vikas said that Akash could at most be on the third or fourth place.

Shilpa too supported Akash saying that people who came in the house fond his game entertaining. Vikas said that according to him Shilpa deserved to be on No. 1 because her journey in the house has been beautiful. Shilpa said she saw herself in 1, 2 or 3 spot. Hina said she didn't see Akash on No. 1 spot. She said that either she or Shilpa deserve the spot. Puneesh said he couldn't see himself on the last three spots. Shilpa's list is Akash (1), Hina (2), Shilpa (3), Vikas (4), Puneesh (5)and Luv (6).

Puneesh doesn't agree and says he deserved No. 1 spot, followed by Akash at No. 2, and Luv at No. 3. Puneesh argued that celebs already have a fan base, and that the commoners have won a place in the hearts of the viewers. Luv quotes the example of viewers saving him over Hiten and Priyank to which Shilpa agrees.

The commoners--Puneesh and Akash refuse to take the last three spots and celebs eventually had to step back to avoid any dirty arguments at this point in time. The final ranking was--Akash (1), Puneesh (2), Luv (3), Shilpa (4), Hina (5) and Vikas (6).

Bigg Boss informed housemates that ranking was not just to know the opinion of the housemates but it was also a nomination task and now barring the top 2 spots, everybody was nominated.

Akash and Puneesh broke into celebration thinking the two have been saved. Hina got visibly upset while surprisingly Shilpa was seen in a celebratory mode, happy with the success of Puneesh's plan.

Depressed Hina said she needed to pack her bags now while Shilpa congratulated Puneesh and Akash. Puneesh later told Akash that it was the survival of the fittest and it was good that they took stand for themselves.

Luv on the other hand got unhappy being nominated along with the three celeb contestants. Hina consoled him by saying that anybody could go at this moment. Puneesh remarked that celebs are not 'mahaan' they are 'gadhe'.

Akash being Akash roamed around in the house saying he knew that he was No. 1 all along and that he had shown it to everyone. He mocks Shilpa, while she blasts him for his selfish attitude.

Hina told Vikas that they have made a huge mistake by giving in to Akash's tantrums and said that they behaved like they were in second week and not in 14th week. Vikas said that they were unfair to the viewers by ranking themselves low. He said that it was better if all of them got nominated.

What all the housemates don't know is that the voting lines are closed for this week and everybody is at risk of elimination.
Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers had strong words for President Donald Trump's administration on Sunday, warning that the White House could be squandering one of its most valuable assets.

"I think that making policy based on facts, advancing issues based on analysis, is central to the effective functioning of government. And so I'm very concerned by the repeated tendency to engage in alternative facts and to assert things that are not supported by reality," Summers told CNBC from the China Development Forum in Beijing.

"And I think over time that will do great damage to credibility, and in many ways in governing, credibility is the coin of the realm."

Summers also addressed Saturday's communique from the G-20 finance ministers and central bankers, which appeared to break the long-standing practice of strongly endorsing open trade. That outcome indicated a victory for Trump's representative, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, and a defeat for nations like Germany who sought a strong defense for free trading principles.
A days-old agreement between a major Saudi company and one of China's largest enterprises represents "the next level" of strategic collaboration between the two countries, according to the Saudi firm's CEO. Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), a manufacturing company involved in chemicals and more, signed an agreement Thursday with Chinese state-owned Sinopec Group for new joint projects and potentially increased investment in an existing joint venture. Speaking with CNBC on Saturday morning at the China Development Forum in Beijing, SABIC CEO Yousef Abdullah Al-Benyan explained that deal. "I think it does not really represent a shift (in how Saudi businesses approach China), but it brings it to the next level of strategic collaborations between  you know Saudi Arabia and China  and specifically SABIC and Sinopec," he said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (2nd-L) meets with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (2nd-R) at Great Hall of the People on March 17, 2017 in Beijing, China. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

One of the key components of the deal, he explained, is a desire to expand the two firms' technological and innovative collaborations. Benyan called that dimension "very important" because of Chinese politicians' desire to "move from low product productions to mid- and high-end through technology innovations." "I think we would like to capture that to be part of this growth in China," he said. "And at the same time, Sinopec has also found SABIC is a very good gateway to go into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in terms of investment and opportunity." Benyan said that now is a good time for Chinese companies to be looking at investing in Saudi Arabia because of his government's "Saudi Vision 2030" plan to diversify its economy. "They have been very clear that they want to improve the business environments in Saudi Arabia. They want to open up for serious business to come, they are changing their regulations, they are bringing more incentive programs, they have been more strong on governance and transparency," he said. "And I think this will attract a lot of people to take an opportunity, to take this really 2030 vision and really grow with it as well."
But Bini Smaghi, a former member of the ECB's executive board, expressed doubts about the viability of a rate hike before the conclusion of European quantitative easing.

That commentary had moved markets as it seemed to conflict with ECB guidance delivered only days prior.

Speaking with CNBC at the China Development Forum in Beijing, Bini Smaghi refuted a suggestion made by ECB policymaker Ewald Nowotny, who said Thursday the central bank would decide at a later date whether it would first raise rates or conclude its bond-buying program.

Europe is fortunate to have Angela Merkel , China is resilient but challenged, the U.S. could get left behind economically and the European Central Bank is unlikely to raise rates before ending its bond-buying program, Societe Generale Chairman Lorenzo Bini Smaghi said in a wide-ranging interview Saturday.

"I think it's going to be difficult. I think the difference is that we have negative rates in Europe," he said, contrasting the ECB's domain to the situation faced earlier by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

"And I think to some extent if you bring negative rates back to zero this would be less dramatic," he added. "I'm not expecting this to happen very soon. Although once you go back to zero I think the important thing is to taper rather than raising rates."

On the subject of European politics, Bini Smaghi said the wave-making nationalistic factions, like the one led by French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, will ultimately fail to break apart the union.

"I think in the end, France and other countries have too much to lose from Europe falling apart. I think most French people are in favor of the euro, in favor of Europe," he said. "I mean, Europe has to deal with many challenges, immigration, terrorism, the economy, which is growing too slowly."

"I think it's a question also of politicians, mainstream politicians trying to work more on delivering for the people. That's what is really disappointing.

The continent, he said, was "lucky to have" German Chancellor Angela Merkel in her dealings with leaders in Poland, Turkey  and the U.S., where she just visited President Donald Trump.

As for the world's largest economy, and the Trump administration behind its helm, Bini Smaghi said he is seeking clarity.

"I think the U.S. needs to know what they want to do, I mean if they really want to go down a protectionist route, I think this really hurts American business," he said. "The U.S. is 20 percent of the world economy. If they close down, the rest of the world will develop without them. I think they just need to realize that."

, which is already projected to overtake the U.S. in economic weight in coming years, "seems quite resilient" but it still faces some economic management issues, according to Bini Smaghi.

"They have challenges because they have a large pot of savings that cannot really get out of China because of capital controls. So if it is invested, or in China, there's a risk of, you know, up and downs in the stock markets. If they open the capital accounts and then there is a risk of depreciation of the . If they want to counteract that, reserves go down," he said. "So there are some trilemmas, I would call, that they have to solve."

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China is backing globalization for one very simple reason, according to Allianz CEO Oliver Bate: The country absolutely needs it.

The financial services giant's CEO spoke with CNBC Saturday on the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing, and he addressed the apparent rise of China as free trade's global champion  at least rhetorically.

"The interesting thing is it's not because people are nice. People are rational and intelligent: They need," Bate said. "As China is moving to an economy that more and more depends on global trade in an active role  not just as an exporter of pieces, but of goods and services  and as they go into other countries, it gets a lot more dangerous because the country doesn't have the experience and how to operate in different cultures and other environments."

"As they move forward they need partners because, when the dragon shows up in a small country or vis a vis a small company they want to invest in, people get scared," he said. "And I think they will look to partners to help them on that journey, while we, in other parts of the world are trying to blame globalization for problems that have nothing to do with globalization. They're just due to bad management."

As for China's economic management, Bate struck a strongly bullish note on the business prospects within Asia's largest economy.

"This market is really, really exciting because not just is the economy growing still 6.5 percent - 7 percent, the insurance industry is just starting," he said. "Despite the fact that it has been growing very very strongly and even in some provinces you had 200 billion in premia, it's going to grow double digits and it's going to grow faster as people amass enough wealth to start now to protect it."
House Intelligence Committee chair Devin Nunes said Sunday he has still seen no evidence to show Trump Tower was wiretapped after reviewing information from the Department of Justice.



"Was there a physical wiretap of Trump Tower? No, there never was," the California Republican representative told "Fox News Sunday."



It marks another rebuke of President Donald Trump's explosive claim that the Obama administration tapped his phones ahead of the 2016 election, which he stood by as recently as Friday. The White House has defended Trump's accusation even amid rebuttals from top congressional leaders and a key foreign ally.

The Department of Justice said Friday it turned over information congressional committees sought on the allegation. Top lawmakers asked for any evidence of potential court orders or warrants related to Trump, his campaign surrogates, family or friends.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the intelligence committee's Democratic ranking member, said Sunday he expects FBI Director James Comey to rebut Trump's claim at a hearingMonday. The hearing is related to the committee's ongoing investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election.

"I expect that he will.And I hope that we can put at end to this wild goose chase because what thepresident said was just patently false. And the wrecking ball it created has banged into our British allies, our German allies," Schiff told "Meet the Press."

Nunes said Sunday he is not aware of a foreign intelligence surveillance warrant to monitor Trump. He added that "if you take the president literally, it didn't happen."

However, he noted that he remains concerned about "other surveillance activities," referencing the communications related to formerNational Security Advisor Michael Flynn that were leaked. Flynn'scontradictions to White House officials about his calls with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the U.S., led to his resignation.

Trump did not back down from the wiretapping accusation on Friday.

"On wiretapping by this past administration, at least we have something in common, perhaps," Trump said to German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a joint press conference. The National Security Agency allegedly monitored phone calls involving Merkel and her aides, straining relations with Trump's predecessor, President Barack Obama.



That statement came just after key senators said Thursday they did not have evidence to support Trump's wiretapping accusation.



"Based on the information available to us, we see no indications that Trump Tower was the subject of surveillance by any element of the United States government either before or after Election Day 2016," the statement by Republican Chairman Sen. Richard Burr and Sen. Mark Warner, the committee's Democratic vice chairman, said.



Nunes and Schiff both said last week that they did not have evidence to support the wiretapping accusation. Nunes said he did not "think there was an actual tap of Trump Tower."

The White House and its allies in recent days have attempted to change the interpretation of Trump's explosive tweets from earlier this month. In four separate statements on Twitter, Trump said he was the target of a wiretap.



In two of those, Trump put quotes around the term, which White House Spokesperson Sean Spicer said means he may not have meant it literally. Still, in one of those tweets, Trump called it a "fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October."



Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!

Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!

I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!

Spicer argued Thursday that Trump referred to "broad surveillance," not a physical wiretap. He contended that reporters have focused too much on the president's accusation, which he made without citing evidence, and not statements denying that Trump campaign officials had ties with Russian officials.



Nunes said Sunday he has not seen evidence to show collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Governments across the world may be fretting over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation on employment, but Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday his government does not fear the technology.

Japan is struggling with a declining and aging population, and sluggish growth. Abe said AI could actually help the country to grow.

"Machines equipped with AI, or machines that are essentially robots no longer perform only narrow  functions  the machines of tomorrow will be tasked with solving  (a) multitude of challenges," Abe told an audience at the CeBIT technology trade show in Hannover, Germany, on Sunday.

"Japan has no fear of AI. Machines will snatch away jobs? Such worries are not known to Japan. Japan aims to be the very first to prove that growth is possible through innovation, even when a population declines," the prime minister said. Japan has taken a leading role in the development of robotics, with some of its biggest companies like SoftBank releasing products.
"Japan and Europe, those who value freedom and human rights and respect democratic rules must act in cooperation," Abe told an audience at the CeBIT technology trade fair in Hannover, Germany. "That's why we must conclude an economic partnership agreement between the Japan and EU in order to express this commitment."

Negotiations between the EU and Japan for a free trade agreement began on March 25, 2013, but has faced roadblocks because of disagreements over issues from auto industry regulations to limits on Europe's food goods.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday urged the European Union (EU) to finally sign a free trade deal with Japan following nearly four years of negotiations.

Merkel backed Abe's comments, urging negotiators to "do it quickly" and then slammed the EU for its slow decision-making process.



"Decision making in the EU is sluggish  it's not a blame game and I get often it's the individual member states  Often they can't agree," Merkel said.



Japan is the EU's sixth-largest trading partner behind the likes of China and Russia, and last year accounted for around 124.5 billion euros (about US$133.7 billion) of trade.



The comments from Abe and Merkel come following meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump who has continuously taken an anti-globalization stance. Trump has accused Japan of purposefully devaluing its currency to boost its exports, a charge that Abe has denied. The U.S. president has also withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a major trade deal that included Japan. Trump's agenda has put more emphasis now on a free trade pact with the EU.



Trump's advisor Peter Navarro, who heads up the National Trade Council, also accused Germany of using the weak euro to boost exports. Against this backdrop, Merkel warned against putting up barriers between countries.



"It's very good that Japan says we want a free trade agreement ... Germany would love to be a propelling driver behind the agreement coming into being. We do want open markets  we certainly don't want any barriers  we want to link our societies with one another and let them deal fairly with one another and that is what free trade is all about," Merkel said.



Abe framed his comments around the need for connectedness among countries, just as technology increasingly is becoming connected. Talking about the internet of things (IOT)  the billions of internet-connected devices expected to come online in the next few years  Abe said that Germany and Japan need to work together to drive innovation.



The Japanese prime minister called for "common technology standards" across the world to help this. "IOT will connect everything," Abe said.

He added: "It is through connectedness that economies will grow, Japan having grown through reaping  the benefits of free trade and investment, wants to be the champion upholding open systems alongside Germany."
President Donald Trump will need "creative diplomacy" to resolve the issue of North Korea's nuclear aggression, warned former U.S. Ambassador to China Max Baucus.

Beijing, a long-term ally to Pyongyang, is a key player in this situation, so Chinese engagement remains a crucial tool at Washington's disposal, Baucus, a Democract who served under President Barack Obama, told CNBC on Monday.

While Beijing has helped on international sanctions, mainland officials haven't gone as far as they can to curb Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions for fear of risking instability on the Korean Peninsula, Baucus said.

"If the Peninsula becomes unstable and (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-un goes, South Korea will take control and become another country on China's doorstep under U.S. influence."

But if Trump plays his cards right, he can convince Chinese President Xi Jinping to do more, Baucus said.
President Donald Trump's approval rating has hit a new low, according to the latest Gallup poll.



As of Sunday at 1 p.m. ET, Trump's approval rating has sunk to 37 percent, while those who disapprove of the president's job stands at 58 percent. His approval rating stood at 45 percent one week prior.

(Source: Gallup.)

The Gallup poll, which measures public opinion and attitudes, and has margin of error of 3 percentage points, also noted the economic confidence index was down 3 points to 7. Consumer spending was up $16, however, at $111.

Gallup polled about 1,500 adults nationwide.

The latest numbers came as U.S. House Republicans work on changes to the health-care bill that would repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. Trump has been wooing lawmakers to vote for the bill, according to Reuters.

He won the backing of a dozen conservative lawmakers on Friday after an Oval Office meeting in which the president endorsed a work requirement and block-grant option for Medicaid.

Americans also anticipate the Trump administration rolling out a major overhaul of the U.S. tax code, one of the hallmarks of the president's campaign.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer has told Ireland's Sunday Independent newspaper that the administration may not begin tax reform until late spring or the summer. Though, many don't expect to see tax reform until next year.

Trump has also been criticized for his handling of allegations of Russia ties and rhetoric surrounding global warming.

FBI Director James Comey is set to testify Monday on Trump's claims that former President Barack Obama "wire tapped" Trump Tower.

-- Reuters contributed to this report.
"This is due to the fact that many people believe that Angela Merkel in Germany has done a good job but that she is a little bit tired," he added.

"It is incredible how Martin Schulz has changed the situation of the Social Democrats," said Thomas Oppermann, the chief whip of the SPD told CNBC.

The extraordinary party convention took place in the east of Berlin with rainy weather adding to a depressed feeling outside. But inside, the hall was buzzing with banners everywhere and an excited crowd.

The winds of change were palpable in the rather low-key red brick Berlin Arena on Sunday, where the center-left Social Democrats (SPD) voted overwhelmingly for Martin Schulz to be their candidate for the next German chancellor.

At the event, people carried banners with "Jetzt ist Schulz" ("now it's Schulz" which is a play of words with the German saying "now it's enough"). The crowd vigorously cheered the headline speech from Schulz who continuously stressed that he wants more justice and fairness in the country. Party delegates also officially backed him as their party leader on Sunday with Schulz getting 100 percent of the vote.

"We want the SPD to be the strongest political power in Germany," Schulz said. "And I want to be the next chancellor of Germany," he added before several minutes of clapping and cheering from the audience.

What would have sounded like a joke only three months ago - when the approval ratings of the SPD were around 20 percent - it's now a real possibility the party will prove successful with it neck-and-neck against Angela Merkel's CDU (Christian Democratic Union) in all the latest polls.

With the slogan "time for more fairness" and a pledge to reinstate social justice in Germany, Schulz tries to appeal to non-voters but also those who feel disenfranchised with the current political system. He has promised to roll back elements of the so-called Agenda 2010, which laid the foundation for the economic recovery Germany has seen since the early 2000s.

Schulz is currently modelling himself as an ordinary everyday man who got a second chance after being addicted to alcohol.

"Martin Schulz is somebody with a clear attitude, with a fantastic authenticity. He is able to talk to the people and to touch people," Oppermann told CNBC.

Germany is set to hold its federal election on Sunday 24, September.


Akash Dadlani has been raising the ire of many in the house. From breaking the house rules, to throwing tantrums over the smallest of things, the Dadlani scion has even refused to pay heed to Bigg Boss' advice in the past.

Dadlani has been on a roll ever since he got saved from this week's nominations. Tonight, he will put his foot down and refuse to do any house work. This will go down well with Hina and Shilpa who will join hands to show him his place.

Bigg Boss tonight will announce the task to win contendership for Ticket to Finale. Two housemates will get the golden to fight for the precious ticket.

For the Mount BB task, the lawn area will be converted into a large snow mountain and a stepper placed on an incline denotes the mountain climb. The contestants must carry bags with each other's name and either empty it to signify the choice of elimination or form an alliance by saving it from someone else who is trying to empty it. The main motive for the contestants here will be to ensure that their bag pack reaches the top of the BB Mountain safe and sound.

Mastermind Vikas Gupta cracks a deal with Hina and the two of them decide to stand by each other during the task. On the other hand, his sworn rival Luv Tyagi is determined to get Vikas out and keeps instigating him during the task. The two ladies of the house, Shilpa and Hina, team up to oust Akash from the task.
House flipping is hot again, with investors flipping property at the fastest pace in a decade. Yet behind their walls, that picture-perfect dream home could conceal a nightmare.

A flipped house is one that has been sold at least twice within one year. Real estate site Trulia said more than six percent of last year's home sales were flipsthe most since before the financial crisis.

With flipped property soaring in popularity again, so are the risks associated with buying a lemon, experts say.

"What you have to watch out for is if a house has been totally renovated, everything , not just the kitchen or a bathroom, but the whole house, "Frank Lesh, executive director of the American Society of Home Inspectors, told CNBC's "On the Money" in an interview.

"That's a good sign that it was probably flipped fairly quickly," he warned.

In the speed to fix-up a house and re-sell it at a profit, corners could be cut. Work could be completed without required permits, or Lesh said, appliances or lighting could be installed without "proper connections in the electrical panel."

In especially hot property markets, fixer-uppers that mask flaws are more prevalent, he said. "Because people are trying to turn around houses very quickly and if a market is hot, sometimes people forego the home inspection and that is never a good idea," Lesh added.

Some quick turnover homes have only had cosmetic fixes that mask mechanical or structural issues that even trained eyes may not be able to catch.

"There are a lot of things that a home inspector can do but there's just some that we can't," Lesh acknowledged.
Sir Martin Sorrell is arguably the most important advertising executive in the world.

As CEO of the WPP Group, he oversees a global marketing machine that he's assembled for more than 30 years. His group's companies include J Walter Thompson and Ogilvy & Mather, Young & Rubicam, and more than 100 others, and clients include two of every three Fortune Global 500 companies.

When Fortt Knox sat down with him for its most recent podcast, he spoke about his childhood, his career, and the pivotal choices he made. He didn't disappoint.

Here are some of the best lessons:

It's Never Too Late

Sorrell was CFO at then-upstart ad firm Saatchi & Saatchi, when he decided to quit and build his own company. At the time, he was 40 years old.

In an era when Mark Zuckerberg, Evan Spiegel and the Google founders are starting companies in their teens and early 20s, that might sound like a late start, but Sorrell doesn't see it that way.

"I thought it would be good to have a go. I'd made a little bit of money, and borrowed 250,000 pounds [around $310,000 in today's exchange rate]," he said. "Forty in those days used to be a pretty critical age. Because you think of yourself starting work when you're about 20, you come out of college, and finishing when you're 60. Now, of course, here I am at 72 still going."

Then again, Sorrell doesn't seem to follow the calendar most people do. Today he's the father of an infant daughter, his fourth child.
Dawn breaks behind the Houses of Parliament and the statue of Winston Churchill in Westminster, London, Britain June 24, 2016.

The U.K. government told the European Union Monday that it will trigger Article 50 on March 29, officially kicking off the process to exit the bloc. This means that U.K. and EU officials will have until the 29th March of 2019 to agree on how the U.K. will leave the Union and how they will trade in the future.



But such negotiations will be complex and the two-year deadline might not be enough. As a result, U.K. officials have already approached the World Trade Organization to see what they can do in case they cannot reach a deal within the two-year deadline.



"British officials have worked with a number of people in the Secretariat, including Director-General Roberto Azevedo, who have explained a wide range of WTO rules including things like independent schedules in goods, services and agriculture and how these schedules could come into being," Keith Rockwell, spokesman for the WTO, told CNBC via email.

"They have also explained Article 24," he added.

Article 24 refers to the section of the WTO agreement on tariffs and trade that allows trading partners, in this case the EU and the U.K., to implement an interim agreement while they are negotiating a new trade arrangement. This would mean that the EU and the U.K. could continue discussing Brexit beyond 2019 and for as long as necessary.

The article states that any interim agreement should include a schedule for a new free-trade area "within a reasonable length of time"  but it doesn't determine what is reasonable. According to Politico, this could last for 10 years and still be considered "reasonable"  pushing Brexit until 2029.

"Importantly, both the UK and the EU would have to agree on this," Keith pointed out.

It is in the EU's interest to ensure good trading relations with the U.K., but according to an international official, who didn't want to be named due to the sensitive topic, in Brussels there is one clear mandate for the negotiations: "Brexit has to be worse economically than staying in the EU."

Such an approach could have an impact on agreeing on an interim deal.

It's not the first time that a "transitional" deal has been mentioned but this has always been followed by other controversies.

"My view is that it will take longer than (the two years)," the Irish finance minister, Michael Noonan, told CNBC on Monday.

"I think that everybody now even though they haven't stated it openly areI would envisage a transition period," he added.

Though it would give more time to both negotiating sides, EU officials claim that the U.K. would have to continue paying into the EU budget and being subject to rulings from the European Court of justice during that time  but these are two of the reasons why Brexiters want to leave the EU rapidly.

"An interim deal is what many people involved in the Brexit preparatory talks have been suggested, and not just for trade. There will need to be a longer time for the U.K. to dismember itself from the EU and a transition deal can include all exit issue plus trade," Fredrik Erixon, director of the European Centre for International Political Economy told CNBC via email.

He added that the U.K. is likely to get away with a 10-year deal at the WTO. "I don't think there are many countries that would have anything critical to say of such a deal as they would be helped by it," he added.



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Brazilian President Michel Temer eats barbecue in a steak house in Brasilia after meeting with ambassadors from countries that import Brazilian meat

Brazil's President Michel Temer has told foreign trading partners that they should not lose their appetite for steak in an effort to temper concerns after the country's lucrative meat industry was thrown into turmoil over a corruption scandal.

President Temer met on Sunday with foreign diplomats and executives from Europe, the U.S. and China to say that his government was confident about the quality of Brazilian meat after a series of raids on Friday suggested that some of the country's top meat producers had been selling rotten meat for years.

"The federal government wants to reiterate its confidence in the quality of our national product," commented President Temer.

"This standard of excellence is that over time it has opened the doors of more than 150 countries, with permanent audit, monitoring and risk assessment."

Brazil is the world's largest producer of red meat and relies heavily on exports to Europe, China and the U.S., which provide a $12 billion boost each year to the country's embattled economy.

However, Friday's investigation, which culminated in the closure of three meat-packing plants and deeper probes into a further 21, has thrown the health of the industry into question. Of the 21 under investigation, six ship to international markets.

It is claimed that managers within the firms bribed health inspectors and politicians to obtain government certificates for their products. So far, 30 senior civil servants have been suspended and are under investigation for corruption.

Among the accused are JBS, the world's largest beef exporter, and BRF, the biggest poultry producer. Both companies have denied the allegations.

"We will not tolerate deviations and acts of corruption. We are taking aggressive measures against servers and companies and sharing information with the Federal Police and the Public Prosecutor's Office," Eumar Novacki, executive secretary of the case within Brazil's Federal Police force said on Friday.

Agricultural production employs 6 million people in Brazil and is home to more than 4,800 meatpacking businesses.



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Brexit will be a "huge burden" to both the U.K. government and parliament, which could render these bodies ineffective at addressing other issues, warned a report by the U.K.-based think tank the Institute for Government (IfG).

The IfG suggests that up to 15 new bills, in addition to the Great Repeal (Brexit) Bill, could be required to secure the U.K.'s future beyond its exit from the European Union. These will be announced at the annual Queen's Speech in May, and could address topics such as agriculture and trade.

The Queen's Speech forms part of the ceremonial start to the parliamentary year and outlines proposed legislation. The IfG's report argues that as roughly 20 bills are outlined in the speech, the predicted high proportion of those to be related to Brexit leaves little room to address other, perhaps domestic, issues.

The IfG also suggests that the legislative upheaval that Brexit is likely to catalyze could lead to the government using different routes to make changes to U.K. law, which could mean that such legal amendments are not subject to parliamentary scrutiny.

"The legislation required for Brexit will leave little parliamentary time for anything else  it will be a challenge for both the government and parliament to do all this while still ensuring full scrutiny and leaving room for the government's domestic policy agenda," Hannah White, IfG director of research, said in a statement.

But Andrew Hood, a lawyer at Dechert specializing in EU law and former legal adviser to previous U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, told CNBC via telephone that the potential 15 additional bills, "minimizes the cliff-edge fear that people have." Hood added that U.K. parliament only has a "certain bandwidth," meaning that domestic issues could be "put on the backburner," but the significance of Brexit meant that it ought to take priority.

He suggested that new U.K. immigration law could be an area to be foregrounded.



In response to the report, a U.K. government spokesperson said in a statement sent to CNBC that: "We've been clear that where there could be significant change, for example in areas such as customs or immigration, there will be primary legislation." It detailed that: "Parliament will have every opportunity to debate and scrutinize the Great Repeal Bill during its passage."



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Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Alex Gorsky, CEO, J&J. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 20 March 2017.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview".

Interviewed by Eunice Yoon, Beijing Bureau Chief, CNBC at China Development Forum 2017.

Eunice Yoon: How concerned are you about some of the protectionist rhetoric that's been coming out of the White House?

Alex Gorsky: I think that's the real opportunity for a forum like this, where we get business leaders, political leaders, global leaders together to talk about what can we do to make sure that we have a positive, healthy environment for trade around the world. Look I realized that there're a lot of issues and a lot of discussions taking place, but I am encouraged, I am always optimistic about these kinds of conversations in a forum like this, that we can figure out the way forward.

EY: And how important is globalization to a business like yours?

AG: It's critical. Johnson & Johnson, we're a very global company, we have more than 250 companies in countries around the world, we've been here in China for 35 years, and when you look at our innovation hubs, you look at our supply chains and you look at our commercial, it's a global network. And frankly to be successful, to be competitive, you got to be a global company, particularly in healthcare today, so we intend to continue that measure going forward.

EY: What kind of protectionist measure that you think would be the most damaging you think, either to your business or to the pharma more broadly?

AG: We think going forward, there're clearly opportunities to harmonize quite a few aspects of healthcare to serve more patients, so let's start for example with regulatory reforms. There're more we could bring to regulatory reforms to the various food and drug administrations around the world, the faster patients are going to get medications. And of course we need to make sure that they're effective, of course we need to make sure that they're safe. But how do we do that in a more harmonize global way is absolutely critical. How do we make sure that we standardize and make more consistent some of the more quality standards, so that we increase and ensure high quality goods for patients around the world, so those are a couple of areas that we focus on with government officials.

EY: What do you think of the border tax?

AG: Well I think it's still early days. And I had the opportunity to spend in Washington DC, and talk to a lot of officials, and really we're still early in the day, we have to see how it works out. I think at the end of the day, we want to make sure that we can access capital so it can be mobile, transferable, around the globe, and can be as efficient as possible. And we'll see how that ends up playing out in the next coming weeks and months.

EY: President Trump wants to see manufacturing return to the U.S., how realistic is that? Will we see a big boom in manufacturing in the U.S.?

AG: Well, again we have to see exactly what policy changes. I think the concerns have been you have seen a lot of manufacturing and there're a lot of reasons for that. One is certainly how technology has changed manufacturing. And that's probably been related to tax and various trade policies. But I think it's going to take a combination of efforts, it's even going to take how we educate of workforce. But I'm optimistic that we can find a way to - number one remain important global trading partners, and at the same time ensure that we've got an environment in the United States that's conducive to great manufacturing jobs as well.

EY: Have you had a chance to review the new healthcare plan?

AG: I have, I've taken a look at it, and getting there too. The good news over the last several years with the Affordable Care Act is we've got about another 15 to 20 million people access to healthcare in the United States. I think the good news is that people with preexisting conditions can actually get coverage and get care especially if in your early 20s it's great because you'll be covered by your parents' insurance policies until you find some other means. The challenges are that we still have a lot of other issues to take care of how are we going to make sure that we continue to make some of the important improvements to healthcare, from a quality, from an affordability and from a sustainability point of view. And I think that's what we're going to have to work on, to bring forth the next round. I think regardless of, you know, whether you take the new plan, the old plan, we are going to have to make changes. So the question is how we pull meaningful important changes in place that are ultimately going to help us have a great healthcare system over the next several decades.

EY: What elements do you think need to stay, what elements would have to change, just because the estimates around the new healthcare plan is that 24 million people could lose their healthcare?

AG: Well I think that there are a lot of estimates being thrown around right now. And I think the key elements that we want to say stay is - first of all we've got to make sure that the number of uninsured stays low. You know that it's gone from about 17 percent down to 10 percent because we've got 25 million more people covered today. We want to maintain that. The preexisting clause, we definitely want to make sure that people with really difficult conditions aren't put at a disadvantage. I think making sure that young people can get access to healthcare. I think the elements that we need to take on are - how do we change some of the fundamental, how do we move from instead of paying for healthcare products, how do we move to change into an episodic of care and outcomes based approach. How do we build better partnerships between very fragmented systems of hospitals insurers and product providers. So again I'm optimistic that we can work together in different ways we can change some of the payment and structural changes to address you know the long term sustainability of healthcare in the United States.

EY: President Trump has also tweeted about how it's important that the drug industry bring prices down, what do you think needs to happen, from your side, a pharmaceutical side and also what do you want to see coming out of the White House to help support the industry?

AG: Well I think it's much broader than just a pharmaceutical issue. It's a healthcare issue. If you think about it, healthcare or pharmaceuticals only represent about 10 to 15 percent of overall healthcare spend. And if you look at, you know, the dramatic improvements that have been made in healthcare for example, you know if you were born in the early 1900s in the United States the average life expectancy was a little over 50 years old. Today it's close to 80 years old, and a lot of those improvements have been due to you know drugs that can keep infections down, treat cardiovascular disease and other areas. So I think what's important is to make sure obviously that we continue to innovate, that we bring out products that can cure Alzheimer, that can cure cancer, that we price responsibly, that we work on some of the reimbursement mechanisms be it Medicare, be it Medicaid or through private insurance. And I think there's ways to do that that can help contain overall costs, make sure that we continue to have an innovative environment that can take on new diseases and be part frankly of a reform of the entire healthcare system.

EY: Is your takeover of the Swiss company Actelion? Is that part of the overarching plan?

AG: Well, we look at it as a partnership. We're very excited about you know the science, the technology and the new options for patients that Actelion brings. They've got a great track record of innovation in drug conditions like pulmonary arterial hypertension, very difficult to treat condition. We think we can break the great science in execution, that they've been able to do over the last 20 years and merge it with you know the very diverse platform that we have at Johnson & Johnson the global reach that we do for around the world. We think it's going to represent a very significant opportunity and we're quite excited about it

EY: I want to ask you a little bit more about China. What opportunities do you see here?

AG: We see a lot of opportunities. I think you know, for one, it starts with there's still a lot of unmet medical needs in China. And the good news is about 800 billion more people have now got access to healthcare than what they did even 10 or 20 years ago. But if you look at the incidence of things like lung cancer or other conditions cardiovascular disease, there's still a lot more patients that could get access and get treated, so we're looking forward to that. We're working a lot on things like minimally invasive surgery. How do we take things like hip or knee replacement that previously could have resulted in several weeks in a hospital and have patients ambulated within a matter of days. We think that's a huge opportunity. And finally you know the emerging millennial population from a consumer point of view now they want to look better. They want to feel better. They want new products and they really want to move beyond products, they want to move to experiences and things that are very personal and meaningful and targeted to them. So we think all those things represent really significant opportunities here in China.

EY: With all the talk of a trade war between the US and China, do you worry that relations could deteriorate, and if so what would that mean for American companies doing business here?

AG: Well you're always worried that you're going to have some untoward events that result in unintended consequences like you mentioned, but I'm actually much more hopeful. I think if you look back at the very long rich history between the United States and China, I think it's fundamentally very sound. The world will do better when China and the United States do better as partners. And so it's really my hope that in the coming meeting between the leaders of the countries that we're going to be able to again build on that strong foundation. And I think it will send a very important message. I think a vote of confidence around the world when we work together in that way.

EY: I want to ask more about that meeting. What do you want to see when Trump and Xi meet for the first time?

AG: Well, I think first of all it starts with establishing a strong relationship. I think whether it's in business, whether it's in politics making sure they both understand philosophically you know the objectives that each of them have and the agendas that they've been in elected office to have. I think two is how do we find ways through tax, through trade, regulatory reform where it's win-win or it's good both for China as well as the United States, because again I think that creates a lot of momentum for the global economy. So I think those are some of the key areas I'd love to see them focus on.

EY: J&J has a huge business here in China. Just based on what you're seeing, how healthy is the economy here, and how healthy is the consumer?

AG: We're very proud of the business that we have here. We've been here for about 35 years. We have a strong consumer, a strong pharmaceutical, strong consumer business. We have over 10,000 employees. I've been much more optimistic particularly over the last six to 12 months with what I'm seeing here in China. When you look at some of the areas for us that are very important, the steps have been taken around intellectual property; the number of new scientists available to join our innovation centers and to help us in research and development. For example we'll invest about a half a billion dollars in research and development right here in China. And right now many of those products are intended to be used right here in healthcare. One day being able to export those around the globe. I think it represents a pretty significant and exciting opportunity.

EY: What about the Chinese consumer?

AG: Well the Chinese consumers are also getting very healthy but they're also very demanding. You know what you find is that they want access to natural products. They want access to the very highest quality products. They want to make sure that the products are customized personalized for their own needs and they want it on their terms Vis a Vis the Internet. And so when you're able to provide them however, the products that fit those needs, it's a big opportunity.

EY: You mentioned the importance of R&D. How has the proposal about scaling the H-1B visa affected you, or is that something you guys worry about?

AG: It hasn't affected us to a significant degree, again you know we're fortunate in being a global company we attract talent from around the world and you know frankly we think diversity includes making sure that we've got the right environment helps us be our very best. We haven't to this point in time seen a real significant impact from that.
Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Long Guoqiang, Vice-President, DRC. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 20 March 2017.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview".

Interviewed by Eunice Yoon, Beijing Bureau Chief, CNBC at China Development Forum 2017.

Eunice Yoon: What's your view on the rise of anti-trade and anti-globalization sentiment around the world?

Long Guoqiang: Globalization brought a lot of positive things to all the countries, all the people. I think all countries, including China, benefitted a lot from globalization. It is a double-edged sword, when it brought the positive things, people also need to take some costs. For every country, the same. I think for quite a long time, when people forecast on the cost of free trade, there's always some voice against the free trade. Traditionally, such kinds of voices are popular in countries with weak competitiveness. What is new is that recently, especially after the global financial crisis, the voice of trade protectionism in advanced countries - actually these countries are the biggest benefitted (beneficiaries) from globalization - the voice of anti-free trade or trade protectionism in such advanced countries become bigger and bigger. The problem is that, the reason is that many people attributed a lot of problems; economic problems, social problems, to globalization, actually this is not true. But you know, because of the Internet, the communication change a lot. In the past, the traditional media like yours, like TV, like newspapers dominated the communication, the news. But in the era of the internet, all the people can put their voice on the Internet.

EY: So what does China want to do, to try and quiet down some of those voices and to support globalization?

LG: Actually in China (there are) also different voices. The mainstream of the voice in China wish to maintain the globalization, because it reflects the demand of economic development. It reflects the demand of the production growth. Also we think we should explore the potential of globalization, as well as, we need to take some action to avoid the negative effects of globalization. So basically, as you may have read the speech by President Xi in Davos, that we should be insistent on free trade and maintain globalization.

EY: China has been criticized in the past for being protectionist itself. So what more does China want to do, to open its markets, and to defend itself against that kind of criticism?

LG: After the global financial crisis, we found that many countries have adopted some kind of trade protection measures. And China, as the biggest international trader, trading country, we how to say most of the protectionism (is) against China. So we don't like protectionism. And for Chinese government you know, we adopt a lot of measures to further open up our market. Even after the financial crisis, we liberalize the markets, for trade, for foreign investments and so on. So our government tries to work together with the international community to further promote the liberalization and facilitation of trade and investment to further promote international cooperation.

EY: What would you say to international companies who complained that the opening up hasn't been fast enough, or the reforms and structural reforms haven't been moving at a quick enough pace?

LG: I personally think the China government adopted a lot of measures, of liberalization in trade and investments. One reason that the complaints by foreign investors are that the speed of liberalization in China is not as fast as they expected. I contacted a lot of management people from the foreign companies, that China government announced very ambitious reforms and opening up planning and they've implemented in the past three years for this administration, and made a lot of progress. But the people can tell with the plan the whole China to go faster than...this is one reason. Another reason I think when the central government announced a lot of new policies, new measures; China as a big country, the local governments they need to implement it, so for specific investors, maybe there'll be some problems in specific projects, in specific regions. So it's understandable, if you compare China with other countries, I think we are very ambitious to further promote the trade and investments liberalization. And if you talk with the people, I think basically the evaluation is very positive, especially in this forum you can meet a lot of people, why so many high level people come to this forum reflects the confidence, the expectation on China for the development, for the reform and opening up.

EY: One of the complaints that we've been hearing more recently from foreign companies is that it's more difficult for them to get their money out because of the restrictions on capital outflows. When do you think that policy will change?

LG: You know, Chinese yuan, the RMB is not fully convertible according to Chinese regulations. So in the past years, especially the past three years, a lot of emerging economies meet with the challenges of capital outflow. So, for such kind of countries, the governments adopt some measures to prevent the rapid outflow. But for China you know, our Premier answered the questions during the (National) People's Congress that on the current account, the government still adopt the commitment that it is free for companies, for individuals to both in or out, put in or put out their capital, and in the capital account, the government to check if it's legal or not...if legal, there's no problem for the companies to put the money abroad.
Hony Capital, a Chinese private equity firm that says it has about $10 billion under management, is in a potentially tight spot as Beijing implements capital controls and anti-globalist rhetoric grows more popular throughout the world.

But John Zhao, Hony Capital's CEO, struck a positive note in a Saturday interview with CNBC at the China Development Forum, pointing to the guidance of China's leadership.

"If you listen to President Xi [Jinping], he made a remarkable speech at Davos and he is advocating globalization, addressing some of the problems past globalizations had cost," he said. "And if you listen to that blueprint, it's all about more trade, more globalization."

Yet Beijing itself has clamped down on capital outflow, and Zhao offered a frank assessment of that situation.

"Immediately it has some setbacks: When the money doesn't flow, the deal stops," he said. "I think a lot of these adjustments are really meant for better development. But then, as a tactician you need to be aware of that, so the money flow restriction has had an impact to the deals and things have slowed down, and we'll just see what happens."
As Chinese investors look to diversify their holdings, Manulife could benefit.



Earlier this month, the Canadian giant became the first financial institution to secure an investment company wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) licence in China, which allows it to launch investment products on the mainland via a wholly-owned local subsidiary.

"We have investment products that are manufactured around the world, allowing people access to global investment opportunities, and we'll be able to sell them to qualified institutional investors here in China," CEO Donald Guloien told CNBC at the China Development Forum in Beijing.

Many local investors are trying to internationally diversify, he said, so there's healthy demand for those products, which will cover everything from equities to fixed income to agriculture.

Even as leading experts worry over China's economic problems like high levels of leverage and debt, Guloien said he remains confident.
A key criticism leveled against both Facebook and Google is that the companies are not doing enough to arrest fake news on their platforms.

"They've always maintained they were sort of digital engineers standing there with their digital spanners, trying to tighten the nuts on their digital pipes and not being responsible for the content that was going through the pipes," said Sorrell.

Sorrell, whose company owns ad agencies such as the Grey Group and Ogilvy & Mather, was speaking to CNBC at the sidelines of the China Development Forum, where he said the two tech giants have to exert more control over ad placements on behalf of brands, and take more responsibility for it.

Facebook and Google 's runaway success in capturing large stakes in the digital advertising market comes with responsibilities and they need to do more when curating how advertisements are placed on their platforms, according to WPP Group CEO Martin Sorrell.

"They can't just say look we're a technology company, we have nothing to do with the content that is appearing on our digital pages," Sorrell said. He added that, as far as placing advertisements was concerned, they have to be held to the same standards as traditional media organizations.

Another concern is that sometimes advertisements are automatically placed alongside objectionable and inappropriate content within those platforms that brands do not have control over.

"The big issue for Google and Facebook is whether they are going to have human editing at this point ... of course they have the profitability. They have the margins to enable them to do it. And this is going to be the big issue  how far are they prepared to go?" Sorrell said, adding they needed to go "significantly far" to arrest these concerns.

A failure to address such issues could see Facebook and Google potentially take hits on ad revenue if brands stop advertising on their platforms. For example, French advertising firm Havas recently pulled all its ad spend from Google and its video platform, YouTube.

The Guardian reported that Havas took the step after talks with Google broke down because the tech giant couldn't provide specific reassurances, policy and guarantees over the filtering and classification of video or display content.

Havas' decision came after the UK government joined organizations including the Guardian, BBC and Transport for London in pulling advertising from Google and YouTube, the Guardian report said.

Sorrell said blanket withdrawals from advertisers across these digital platforms will not solve the problem. Instead, he urged for greater cooperation with the tech giants.

"I think the most constructive way of doing it is getting Google and Facebook to understand the problem, which I think they do, and to get them to step up to control it just like any other media right now would in a traditional sense," he said.
Is he single, is he dating, or is he dating more than one girl? There has a been a lot of talk about Priyank Sharma's love life of late. The reality TV star who survived in the house for 13 weeks, finally clears the air about his relationship status in an interview with Spotboye.

Is he still dating Divya?

Priyank told Spotboye that he had made it clear that his relationship with Divya was over, before his re-entry in the house.

"When I got evicted for the first time, Divya and I had discussed that things are not working out between us. And then I went back into the house rather quickly after that, so I feel some questions had remained in her mind. But I have moved on. Perhaps Divya had some things in her mind and she wanted to clear them when she came to the house- but we couldn't communicate much. Also we didn't hav phones inside, so I couldn't call her after she left. From my side it was always clear that our relationship is over- and I hope that she too is clear about this now and hereafter," he told Spotboye.

So is he dating Ben?

"Ben and me are very close. But she is just a friend. We knew each other before entering the house. And after getting in the house, we got to spend much time together. We used to support each other in all matters. Yes, I accept that I was bit protective of her. But then, I had the same feeling for Hina. Benafsha left the show, then I used to be more with Hina. But it doesn't mean that Hina and I are dating; it is just pure friendship on that front too. I love Ben but as a friend and I respect her too."

So, Priyank for now is single as he wants to focus on his career. Good news for his female fans?
Former Morgan Stanley Asia Chairman Stephen Roach said Monday that the G-20 financial leaders' dropping their traditionally strong support of free trade was "disturbing" and reflected rising protectionism in the U.S.



"It's pretty disappointing when you get finance ministers from leading countries in the world who, out of the blue, are unable to validate the commitment to anti-protectionism which is the underpinning globalization," Roach, a senior fellow at Yale University's Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, told CNBC from the China Development Forum in Beijing.



"That's an obvious reflection of the shifts in the political winds in the United States and indicative of a U.S. economy that is backing away from multilateralism," Roach said. "It was a disturbing meeting."



Finance ministers and central bank governors of the world's 20 biggest economies were unable to follow through with their commitment to endorse free trade in the G-20 communique, as the new Trump administration seeks to put "America first."



Instead of "globalization as a force that is bringing us together, (Trump) feels it is a force that is punishing American middle-class workers," Roach explained.



The economist explained that point with the example of an Apple iPhone having parts from over 50 countries in a "world that is linked through global supply chains."
The world has exhausted all options for dealing with North Korea and the situation cannot be resolved until there's a change in the regime's direction, or a change in the regime, former United States Defense Secretary William Cohen told CNBC Monday.

"There are no good options that are available right now, we've tried them all. I've been, over the years, involved in the six-party talks in seeing if we could find a way to work together, but it's always one step forward, two back," Cohen said at the sidelines of the China Development Forum in Beijing. "That would be the most difficult issue to resolve. I think that's the most dangerous issue we have facing us today. Kim Jong Un seems dedicated to being even more provocative, more aggressive," he added.

A sales assistant watches TV sets broadcasting a news report on North Korea's nuclear test, in Seoul, January 6, 2016. Kim Hong-Ji | Reuters

Geopolitical tensions heightened in recent weeks after North Korea launched ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan and tested a new type of high-thrust rocket engine. The potential deployment of a U.S. anti-missile system in South Korea saw China retaliating against Seoul. However, Cohen, who is chairman and CEO of the Cohen Group, said President Donald Trump has put together a good national security team. People such as Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson are people who could offer good advice in dealing with the North Korea situation, he said.

It is then up to Trump on whether he would act on the advice he is given. "If you look at the people you've put in there, mostly people in the military in the national security team, that's good, because the military men are the last ones that want to go to war So I'm encouraged, I think we need to give President Trump some time, and again this is new for him, he's had no government experience. So things that you could say in the past don't go over quite as well in that Oval Office," Cohen said. On U.S.-Russia relations, Cohen, who once expressed concerns about Trump, said the situation would not improve until the president clarifies his companies' financial ties with Russia.

There's a cloud hanging over the Trump administration saying, 'What is the nature and basis of this bromance?' William Cohen former United States Defense Secretary, on Trump and Putin
Following is the transcript of a CNBC interview with Andrew N. Liveris, CEO, Dow Chemical Company. The interview was broadcast on CNBC on 20 March 2017.

All references must be sourced to a "CNBC Interview".

Interviewed by Geoff Cutmore, Anchor, CNBC at China Development Forum 2017.

Geoff Cutmore: So let's start Andrew by just asking you how good or otherwise you feel about the growth momentum that the Chinese economy has right now.

Andrew N. Liveris: Look, the growth momentum in China is based on their pivot of a few years ago almost as President Xi came into power that discusses domestic sector growth economy rather than an export reliant economy. I'd say a few years in, it's going as well as they wanted. And for Dow surpassing our expectations because the other pivot that's occurred here is the obvious one of the environment.

I mean when they hit the food safety issues a few years ago when they hit the, you know, the issues of water and clean water in their riverways, if you look at the air and the air pollution especially in places in the urban centres like Beijing, they've accelerated their notion in the 13th five year plan speaks to it of putting in place sustainable growth. So, sustainable growth, if you put the technologies and the products, these are domestic sector purchases, these are companies being born all over China. SMEs to reform state-owns that are needing these technologies and that will create new types of growth. They call it high quality growth. So instead of high volume only, high quantity that's high quality.

GC: The government has been trying to restructure and reform, part of that has been down to the environmental story. But some of it has also been about access capacity around the state owned enterprises. They've also been slowly opening the door in some sectors of the economy where there has been limited access. Are you concerned at all that under the pressure they feel now from the American administration some of those progressive moves get rolled back or suspended?

AL: So that's, that's a very big question, has several big bite sized chunks. Let's go one by one and I'll give you the Dow view. The reforms as it relates to excess capacity in.. let's call it me two product lines that the state owned enterprises have been primarily involved in. They used to call those pillar industries. In essence those cutbacks, those factory shut downs mostly for environmental reasons but really because of structural capacity reasons - oversupply, they're not low on the cost curve here they're higher on the cost curve. Very few of those commodities do they have some sort of competitive edge. Those are being welcomed. Those are being, in fact Dow never participated in building petrochemicals here. We've built in places like Saudi Arabia or the United States that are much lower on the cost curve. And so the pivot from restructuring the structure of the supply side to working the demand side and then really look at the demand side as I said earlier as a domestic sector quality demand side to change the skills they need for the digital age to put in place efficient transportation smart cities and better food supply. All those technologies are innovation driven so low cost integration commodity, as a base fine they've got enough building on top of that an innovation centric economy through investment here in China like Dow has done. We have a very large R&D center, our second largest in the world is right here in China.

We have got 750 Chinese scientists working towards all these environmental drivers but also domestic drivers working with Haier to give them a more efficient washing machine so it uses less water and takes out bacteria; working with Nippon paints and take out pollutants in indoor air quality; and many other building projects and materials projects that I can quote. Those sorts of growth drivers are right in the sweet spot of technology driven companies. Now as it relates to the US administration and the back and forth that's begun and I want to emphasize the word begun. It's begun because what? The inequity perceived in global distribution of wealth is not just unique to emerging countries it's very much in the centrepiece of developing countries and the United States. You know what President Trump got elected on was very simple and that is the income distribution of the US economy as it became more and more of a service sector economy, the factory workers, the displaced workers of America didn't have a job to look forward to. And the conundrum there is there's a half a million science based jobs open in the United States as we speak. So what the issue is isn't really China-centric. The issue really is US-centric. How do I rekindle manufacturing the United States? Not by taking it away from someway but rekindling it in the United States. Now will that manifest itself into a discussion on trade? Absolutely. What's fair trade look like? You said it in your question. Access. Are all US companies being able to access the Chinese market equitably according to whether they are important whether they are local. No. So what does fair trade look like? And is it in fact what we used to have in trade agreements? That's a discussion that's opening up. I call that healthy. I, as a global company want to access the Chinese market, the US market, the South American market, every market on the same standard.

GC: So you don't think you get that access in China?

AL: Well so over all the years that we've been operating here we could never do a petrochemical complex without making it a joint venture. Technology transfer had to occur in China's first manifestation of economic growth. Now that they've got their own technology they need it less. Service sector countries, companies can't access this market. The financial services insurance companies, health sector, sector companies. So those you know access issues on investment, not necessarily on trade of goods are importing. China has been pretty good under WTO standards. We can import pretty much everything here as a manufacturer from elsewhere but to invest here - we didn't have equal access.

GC: But do you not feel conflicted that you are now perceived to be part of Donald Trump's drive for "America first" when your business makes two thirds of its revenue from the rest of the world?

AL: The question is flawed because I am not part of anyone's drive to make America first. I'm part of President Trump's activity to rekindle manufacturing so it's not a zero sum game. And that is fundamental, is the answer to your question. This is not a zero sum game. We all know that. People who trade in the global system, we know what has to happen here and to satisfy a population's feeling of inequity, globalization hasn't been fair. Think about it this way, America pretty much since World War 2 has been a consumption economy. In essence you can import pretty much anything to America and sell it in America in any environment retail or in the channel you want. To invest in America, there hasn't been any incentive to invest other than the market. So whether you're an importer or an investor if you're a consumption economy, the American economy is the best in access. Every other economy is an investment economy. Even Europe has protections around investment. So I would say to you there is a recalibration going on globalization. Think of it as not consumption but investment. I want to be part of that conversation. So I get a better answer for the Dow chemical company.

GC: You have a very nuanced view on this strategy. The problem is that people read the headlines and they see the fact that Steve Mnuchin was unprepared to put an anti protectionist language in the G20 communique that sends a terrible message doesn't it? To anybody that believes that free trade lifts income levels for everybody?

AL: So people elect governments, governments do what they have to do to protect their people. We should not judge why the democratic process elects this or that. Dow is 120 years young. We work with every government. And I've been CEO for a dozen years. I work with every government in the United States, every government around the world. Including this one here. So I am not afraid of headlines. It's the body of work that goes below the headlines. That's more important behind every statement, there's a body of work that has to happen. And I would say very important to the US government is job creation in the manufacturing base of America. And if you look at the raw data, America has lost that battle the last three decades. It wants to regain footing. Now there are some advantages - entrepreneurial, best universities in the world, energy, low cost energy. The petrochemical chemical sector that I belong to, investing 180 billion dollars as we speak, Dow 7 billion dollars. So we are not starting from zero. So what businesses like ours have to do is help with the body of work together to get America what it needs investment and growth and job creation for the new age not yesterday's era the new era. And then grow from there off of a flat level playing field. I'm all for that in any country.

GC: But I mean not to get too theoretical about this but Ricardian comparative advantage is all about trade happening to the advantage of both parties. And if you can manufacture at a lower cost somewhere else trying to bring those jobs back to America is trying to reverse the rules of economics isn't it?

AL: Yeah, and we're not going to spend an awful lot of time at this point because it's a one or two hour interview probably. But please remember what's happened to the world based on technology the industrial age 4.0 the fourth industrial revolution is creating this another, another pressure it's enormous on job creation. It's in essence the digitization of industries not just digitization of communication or even digitization of e-Commerce which everyone in the in the world probably understands somewhat if you're an online shopper or for sure use a smartphone.

But the digitization of manufacturing has begun. And companies like Dow are digitizing. That means we're not creating the same sort of jobs we used to create. So the war on human capital and the war on job creation has moved and the governments that get that, when they rebuild their manufacturing sectors to this new economy have to look at skills, look at their education system and they have to look at many things that other countries might do and build them all together like Germany and apprenticeship programs. Many of us have become universities in our own right because the universities are not giving us what we need. So when you look at competitive advantage think of it in the context of the technology age. And what we haven't done to prepare our kids and frankly the displaced workers out there mostly in Western economies we can't protect them. We have to skill them, we have to help them get these new skills to deal with robotics and automation and the Internet of Things and the digitization of every factory floor and in by so doing we create an ecosystem of new jobs.

And I mentioned earlier half a million of these jobs are opened in the United States as we speak. Me? Yeah. We're not going to get there overnight but we can make that happen faster if (we) cooperate with governments and get them into the right programs.

GC: But let's just bring this back to a human level, look we understand the points that you're making and I'm sure as you've explained them to people that you've spoken to here as you've gone into some of the details perhaps their eyes widened and they've gone, now I start to see some of the reasons why you're involved. But you must also be getting some pressure here I would imagine. A little bit of blowback particularly from the Chinese who see you now as being a party to an administration that's had relatively harsh language towards this government.

AL: Look, I've been coming to China since the 70s. One thing I know about the Chinese culture in the Chinese people and Chinese leadership, they never overreact. They are patient and they seek to understand. The meetings I've had frankly have been nothing like you describe. They've been more... Well, now that you're inside discussing this and understanding it the way you're understanding it. Tell me a lot more about it and how does it apply to the relationship. And I'm getting that sort of question. And you know I won't push back on the label you're giving me. Remember I'm a global CEO. You said those statements earlier.

GC: And you're in a unique position of having helped both administrations. You were also involved with President Obama's administration. As you compare the approaches of the two, how do you feel what Trump is doing is more effective in terms of rolling back some of the red tape and the barriers to you doing business?

AL: Yeah the distinction is interesting because the three pillars of activity are almost the same. The work products on what are the technologies of the future? What are the policies to encourage them? How do we get the workforce skilled? The emphasis in this administration is the last two. The workforce skilling and training and finding national programs that make sense as recent as yesterday, two days ago in the United States. We had a meeting on that when the German chancellor visited. How did we learn from Germany and then most importantly the point you made? How do we take out these headwinds to enable manufacturing to invest in this country in the US again?

Just to give you one step. The average regulatory cost to a US manufacturer is a small medium and large, is roughly $19,500 per employee per year. The average cost to all other sectors is less than half of that at $9,900. So the manufacturing sector has his added burden at double the rate of every other sector. So just working on that alone. Forget everything else that gets done would immediately enable the policy environment to have an effect on investment. There are many other things I could talk about but those two areas, regulatory and training, those two areas our emphasis points on this administration.

GC: On the regulatory, and I am going to wrap it up here because I know you need to go off. Let me just ask you then about the process here to finally get this deal over the line with DuPont, because it's felt torturous I think to me looking from the outside. So it must have felt even tougher for you on the inside here. You're talking now about a second quarter closure of this. How frustrating though has this regulatory process been?

AL: So antitrust regulatory, regulators around the world whether they be the EU or China or in the US any time too big businesses get together, you know, we were expecting that there would be some of this. It's taken much longer in Europe than we imagine, because there was a very decent thesis put out by the regulator that we had to respond to that it had never been raised before. And also the context of the deal changed. The other deals that happened pretty much right after us, changed the context of our deal. No matter which way you want to say it you couldn't just look at our deal and say well I'm looking at those other two coming along. So that created a series of delays. You mentioned a second quarter. So first half is what we said. I'm very confident we're going to get there. In fact first half is what we're all planning on. We have put in place now all the programs to get us ready for day one. We're gearing up down DuPont are getting ready to create this new company that will then have three companies spun out of it. The regulatory remedies for sure have been frustrating. I've used a line which I'm going to use on you three months of delay in the context of $30 million of new value  fine.

GC: But couldn't Europe do with a little bit of Trump va va voom when it comes to getting these things to run a bit faster?

AL: There are plenty of people commenting on what the EU is like and what there isn't and including from the US right now. My experience with the EU is 27 nations trying to  the EU 27  trying to make a decision on pretty much anything is dramatic, but its own bureaucracy rate. So yeah, could it have been easier and simpler? For sure. But look, I see a finish line. So you know what. Whatever it took to get from there to that finish line - fine. I'm a big boy. We know how to get this done. This deal is phenomenal, when it's day one I can look at it and say that's all memory, faded memory.


FBI Director James Comey confirmed for the first time Monday that the agency is investigating Russia's influence on the 2016 U.S. election, including any "links" between Moscow and Trump campaign officials.

Comey and National Security Agency Director Adm. Michael Rogers appeared before a extraordinary hearing by the House Intelligence Committee on the extent of Russia's meddling in the presidential election. The committee's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, said if it can be proven that the Trump campaign worked with Russia to swing the election to President Donald Trump, it would represent "one of the most shocking betrayals of our democracy in history."

In his opening statement, Comey publicly acknowledged what has been widely reported for months: "The FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. And that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government, and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts," Comey told lawmakers.

Comey did not signal whether collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia took place. He also did not say whether any Trump affiliates, specifically, were targeted in the investigation.

The investigation began in July, months before the election, Comey said, adding that he cannot predict when it will conclude. The FBI director said he cannot say more "about what we are doing and whose conduct we are investigating" because the investigation is ongoing and classified.

"We just can't do our work well or fairly if we start talking about it while we're doing it," Comey said.

The U.S. intelligence community has accused Moscow of trying to influence the election, saying it initially wanted to derail then-candidate Hillary Clinton and then developed a preference for Trump. National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers, who also testified Monday, said the agency stands by the intelligence community's earlier report on Russian meddling and its level of confidence in the findings has not changed. But he added that he could not divulge information beyond what was released in an unclassified report.

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that the House hearing did not show any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"Following this testimony, it's clear that nothing has changed. Senior Obama intelligence officials have gone on record to confirm that there's no evidence of a Trump-Russia collusion," he told reporters at his daily briefing. Spicer added that he did not know of any White House officials under investigation and said Trump's confidence in Comey has not changed.

Spicer instead pointed to concerns about so-called unmasking of U.S. officials, pointing to the release of information about calls related to former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

Comey and Rogers deflected many questions about specific parts of the probe or surveillance activities, saying they could not publicly discuss sensitive information. They repeatedly declined to answer questions about specific American people, including Flynn, Trump ally Roger Stone and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Comey stressed several times that his decision not to answer certain questions should not be read as an indication of what the FBI is or is not investigating.

The FBI typically does not comment on ongoing investigations, especially those involving classified information, he said. Comey added that the Department of Justice gave him permission to do so under the circumstances.

After Comey confirmed the investigation, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tweeted that Trump and the Justice Department should let the investigation go on without any "interference or political pressure of any kind whatsoever." Attorney General Jeff Sessions has recused himself from probes related to the Trump campaign.

The Trump administration has denied that the president's campaign cooperated with Russia before the election. Trump alleged earlier Monday that Democrats "made up and pushed the Russia story" to cover up the presidential election loss and argued that finding people who leaked information about his associates is "the real story."

The top Republican and Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee differed in public statements on the evidence of collusion Sunday. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told Fox News that he saw no information to show collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.



However, Schiff told "NBC's Meet the Press" he saw "circumstantial evidence of collusion" and direct evidence of "deception."

The California congressman said Monday that "we do not yet know" whether Russia had help in its campaign from U.S. citizens, including people related to Trump's campaign.

"If the Trump campaign, or anybody associated with it, aided or abetted the Russians, it would not only be a serious crime, it would also represent one of the most shocking betrayals of our democracy in history," Schiff said.

Both Rogers and Comey said they did not have evidence that Russia influenced vote tallying in key states that helped to decide the election. Comey added that the FBI saw efforts to penetrate voter registration database but not voting machines or tabulation processes.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.
The 19 finance ministers of the euro area met in Brussels Monday to discuss the Greek bailout program. However, the group is faced with problems of its own.

The current president of the Eurogroup, Jeroen Dijsselbloem, is at risk of losing his seat after a general election in the Netherlands last week, where his Labour Party saw a significant setback. As a result, Dijsselbloem is unlikely to keep his role as Dutch finance minister and could therefore leave the Eurogroup.

"As you know my mandate runs until January. The formation of a new coalition government in the Netherlands may take some months so whether there's a gap between the arrival of a new minister and the end of my mandate is too early to say," Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the acting finance minister of the Netherlands told reporters in Brussels.

"If there is a gap in time between those two then it's up to the Eurogroup to decide how they want to proceed and I think I should discuss it with the ministers in the coming months," he said as he arrived for a meeting with the other 18 ministers. During this time, ministers are set to discuss "what solutions they would prefer."

The Dutch politician is popular among the group and is a strong advocate of further integration in the euro zone. The Irish finance minister, Michael Noonan, said Monday that Dijsselbloem has been a "very good president" and the Belgian minister, Johan Van Overtveldt, stressed that Dijsselbloem has done "a great job."

On Monday, Dijsselbloem told the German Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) -- which is the bailout fund of the euro area -- should become a European version of the International Monetary Fund.

However, until now, every president of the Eurogroup was a sitting finance minister, which could mean that once the Netherlands elects a new minister, Dijsselbloem will no longer head the euro's finance ministers meetings.

Nonetheless, a new precedent could be set. Some European officials have been discussed for some years the idea of a permanent president to the Eurogroup.

Johan Van Overtveldt, the Belgian finance minister, said Monday that he's "totally prepared" to discuss such possibility.

Furthermore, the Spanish minister, Luis de Guindos, who previously ran against Dijsselbloem to lead the group, denied that he is a candidate to the seat. His name resurfaced as a potential replacement to the Dutch man following the elections in the Hague.

Speaking to reporters in Brussels, ahead of a scheduled meeting, de Guindos said that "in principle, he is not a candidate to anything."



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FBI Director James Comey on Monday publicly refuted President Donald Trump's claim that the Obama administration wiretapped Trump Tower before the 2016 election, saying neither he nor the Justice Department have evidence to back the president's explosive tweets.

"With respect to the president's tweets about alleged wiretapping directed at him by the prior administration, I have no information that supports those tweets. And we have looked carefully inside the FBI. The Department of Justice has asked me to assure you that the answer is the same for the Department of Justice and all its components," Comey testified before the House Intelligence Committee.

It marks perhaps the strongest rebuke yet of Trump's allegations, which the bipartisan leaders of both the House and Senate intelligence committees said they have not seen evidence to support.

National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers, who also testified Monday, said the U.S. did not ask Britain to spy on Trump. In defending Trump recently, White House press secretary Sean Spicer cited a Fox News analyst who alleged the key ally did so, prompting an angry rebuff from the intelligence agency GCHQ.

The White House has defended Trump's tweeted accusations even amid rebuttals from top congressional leaders and a key foreign ally. Despite Comey's public statement on behalf of the FBI and Justice Department, Spicer said that Trump has no plans to back away from the claim and suggested that all information may not yet be available.

Trump himself did not back down from the accusation as recently as Friday.

"On wiretapping by this past administration, at least we have something in common, perhaps," Trump told German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a joint press conference. The NSA allegedly monitored phone calls involving Merkel and her aides, straining relations with Trump's predecessor, President Barack Obama.

Following Comey's rebuttal, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on him to "retract his claim immediately."

The White House and its allies in recent days have attempted to change the interpretation of Trump's explosive tweets from earlier this month. In four separate statements on Twitter, Trump said he was the target of a wiretap.



In two, Trump put quotes around the term, which Spicer said means he may not have meant it literally. Still, in one of those tweets, Trump called it a "fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October."



Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my "wires tapped" in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!

Is it legal for a sitting President to be "wire tapping" a race for president prior to an election? Turned down by court earlier. A NEW LOW!

I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!

How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!

Spicer argued on Thursday that Trump referred to "broad surveillance," not a physical wiretap. He contended that reporters have focused too much on the president's accusation, which he made without citing evidence, and not statements denying that Trump campaign officials had ties with Russian officials.
James Comey, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), pauses during a House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence hearing concerning Russian meddling in the 2016 United States election, on Capitol Hill, March 20, 2017 in Washington, DC.

FBI Director James Comey warned the House Intelligence Committee on Monday he would not be able to share all of the information he has about Russian meddling in the U.S. presidential election.

"Our ability to share details with the Congress and the American people is limited when those investigations are still open, which I hope makes sense," Comey said. "We need to protect people's privacy. We need to make sure we don't give other people clues as to where we're going. We need to make sure that we don't give information to our foreign adversaries about what we know or don't know."

Although the FBI's practice is to avoid confirming the existence of ongoing investigations, it made an exception in this case because it views doing so as being in the public interest.

Comey said he has been authorized by the Justice Department to confirm that the FBI is investigating Moscow's efforts to interfere in the November election, in which Donald Trump clinched a surprise win and emails from Democrats were leaked online. The FBI is investigating whether people associated with Trump's campaign coordinated with Russia.

"Because it is an open, ongoing investigation and is classified, I cannot say more about what we are doing and whose conduct we are examining," Comey said.

While the FBI has briefed some congressional leaders and committee members in detail about the investigation, Comey stressed that he would not go into detail about what he shared during those discussions at the televised committee hearings.

He acknowledged his inability to go into detail is "extremely frustrating" to some people but warned people to avoid reading into it.

"Please don't draw any conclusions from the fact that I may not be able to comment on certain topics," he said. "I know speculating is part of human nature, but it really isn't fair to draw conclusions simply because I say that I can't comment."

Here are the questions that Comey declined to answer in full.
President Donald Trump's proposed spending on Social Security and Medicare could have detrimental consequences for future generations, former Sen. Bob Kerrey told CNBC on Monday.

The Democrat former senator from Nebraska said the U.S. will see an $80 billion increase in spending on the two programs.

"We geezers vote in large fractions. It is a lot easier to screw young people than older people because they don't vote and we do," the 73-year-old Kerrey said on "Squawk Box."

Kerrey's comment came after Trump's first budget proposal requested to spare big social welfare programs such as Social Security and Medicare from any cuts.

Conservatives had been clamoring for reforms to those programs to save money. Trump vowed to protect them as he campaigned for president last year.

The plan also included a 10 percent increase in military spending next year, funding to deport undocumented immigrants and build a wall on the border with Mexico.

Kerrey, who also served one term as governor of Nebraska, was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1992.

Reuters contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump will not be able to improve relations with Vladimir Putin until the Republicans "follow the money" to better understand Washington's ties with Moscow, according to a former U.S. Defense Secretary.

President Donald Trump delivers remarks U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks at the American Center for Mobility, a test facility for driverless car technology for American Manufactured Vehicles in Ypsilanti Township, Michigan, U.S. March 15, 2017.

Relations between the U.S. and Russia have been strained by claims that people connected to the Trump administration have had inappropriate relations with Russian counterparts and that Moscow may have helped Donald Trump win the U.S. general election.

Prior to that, relations had already faltered after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

Former U.S. Defense Secretary William Cohen told CNBC Monday that any ties between the two countries will continue to be strained by uncertainty.

"President Trump will find it hard to move ahead with Republicans in the Senate saying 'Wait a minute, we want to investigate, we want to follow the money, and we want to look at Mr. Manafort and others.'"

U.S. lobbyist and consultant Paul Manafort is currently under investigation by the FBI, CIA and National Security Agency. As well as working on several U.S. Republican campaigns, Manafort has worked as an adviser on the Ukrainian presidential campaign of Viktor Yanukovych, whose direct ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin was one of the reasons for his ouster in 2014.
Brands including HSBC, U.K. retailer Marks and Spencer and L'Oreal have pulled advertising from YouTube over the past few days, while agency group Havas has paused ads from U.K. clients including Domino's Pizza and Hyundai Kia pending discussions with Google.

"There have been stories over the past few days about brands appearing against content that they wouldn't like to appear against and particularly on YouTube, and so for me it is a good opportunity for me to say, first and foremost, to say sorry this should not happen and we need to do better," Matt Brittin said at a press briefing Monday at the start of industry conference Advertising Week Europe in London.

Google's EMEA president of business and operations has apologized for the misplacement of advertising next to extremist content on its video site YouTube.

Brittin said Google, which has the world's biggest digital advertising platform, has invested "millions" and has thousands of people working to make sure "advertising practices are good."

"I've spoken personally to a number of advertisers. Those that I have spoken to, we have been talking about a handful of impressions, and pennies not pounds of spend, but however small or big the issue, it is an important issue that we address," he said.

"We've got a comprehensive review under way  we have for some time  looking at how can we improve here and we are accelerating that review."

Unilever Chief Marketing Officer Keith Weed, who was with Brittin at the briefing, declined to comment on whether it had pulled advertising for any of its brands  which range from deodorant Axe (Lynx in the U.K.) to detergent Surf  from YouTube.

"We won't make any public statement. I'm a great believer in talking about where the industry needs to get to, and what are the things we need to [do] collectively, the first accountability does go to the media companies because at the end of the day we are spending our money on their platform," he said.

"I think the best way to do negotiations with any supplier is one on one and in private, and so you won't find us coming out and making big public statements about particular customers. And we are working hand in hand," Weed added.

About 400 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube every minute, Brittin said, claiming that 98 percent of "removals" happen within 24 hours and adding that it will be looking at its policies, controls and how those are enforced. But it has a job to do in making sure it doesn't remove content that is controversial, but not illegal, for example.

"It is not as simple as it might seem, so you might say: Why don't you just exclude content that relates to war or that relates to politics? Well actually if you were to do that you would exclude important news content or documentary content. 

"Firstly on policies, this is about what content within YouTube do we deem to be safe for advertisers, and we're going to raise the bar on that. That would include things like looking at our definition of hate speech, or our definition of inflammatory content, so that we raise the bar on what is deemed acceptable for advertising," Brittin said.

Google expects to make further announcements on how it is tackling the problem of ads appearing next to extreme content "in the coming days," he added.

Pivotal Research Group on Monday downgraded Alphabet stock from buy to hold after media buying agency Havas pulled spending from YouTube and Google Display Network in the U.K.

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The eleventh season of Bigg Boss has been a promising one. There is no doubt about the fact that it was quite entertaining, with evictions being nail-biting and captaincy tasks interesting.

After turning tables with the the nomination task last night now makers have left us in shock by giving Puneesh Sharma the 'Ticket to Finale'. What...Really? Yes, you read that right.

Puneesh has become the first finalist of BB 11. According to latest reports, each contestant had to carry another contestant's bag. They had to stand on a slope and destroy the other's bag so that they could win the task. And surprisingly, Puneesh stayed till the last

#BB11 Puneesh Sharma Has won Ticket To Finale! And Becomes First finalist

Bigg Boss had decided to put the remaining 6 gharwale in a tight spot by asking them to rank themselves, with 1 being the highest and 6, the lowest. And as you may expect, the episode was high on drama. They fought and showed their competitive side.

By now we all know, the most difficult task in the house is to have aapsi sehmati (mutual consent). Akash and Puneesh fought their way out and reached the final week. As a result Hina, Vikas, Shilpa and Luv got nominated.

However, it is confirmed that voting lines are closed for this week.
Astrophysicist and television host Neil deGrasse Tyson launched a rallying cry on Twitter, changing President Donald Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan to "Make America Smart Again."



In the message chain that elicited tens of thousands of retweets, Tyson warned about the potential effects of a lack of investment into climate change, education, health and science, concluding with a twist on Trump's infamous slogan:

"We all want to Make America Great Again. But that won't happen until we first Make America Smart Again," said the tweet, sent to Tyson's 7.01 million followers.

Tweet 1

The sequence also contained a tweet harboring a thinly veiled warning on the dangers of groupthink:

"The very best way to support and feed your delusions: Surround yourself with people whose world views match yours exactly."

TWEET

TWEET

TWEET

TWEET

TWEET

TWEET

Although the messages did not explicitly mention Trump or the 2018 U.S. budget proposal unveiled on Thursday, Tyson's tweets follow his pledge to refrain from making public criticisms of the administration until he had seen some policy proposals.



The areas highlighted by Tyson over the weekend were among those seeing the most severe proposed base discretionary funding cuts for 2018, including education with a proposed 13.5 percent drop, health and human services with a proposed 16.2 percent drop and the Environmental Protection Agency, staring down the barrel of a more than 31 percent tumble in proposed funding.
Forget buying that new car, opt for a scarf and gloves and head to Norway if you want to achieve true happiness, a new report suggests.



Renowned for its good public services and political stability, Norway can now also claim pole position as the happiest country on earth, having risen in the ranks to surpass Denmark and claim first place in this year's World Happiness Report.

The study, which measures social factors alongside economic data, points to the limitations of financial factors in achieving happiness. Therefore, Norway vaulted ahead despite its economy being hit by the plummeting oil price, meanwhile happiness in the U.S. continues to wane despite incomes increasing.

"This report gives evidence that happiness is a result of creating strong social foundations. It's time to build social trust and healthy lives, not guns or walls. Let's hold our leaders to this fact," said Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, which produced the report in association with the United Nations.

Norway sped ahead from fourth place last year to steal the top spot in the annual rankings, which combine economic, health and polling data on approximately 3,000 respondents in each of more than 150 countries. It is joined in the top five by fellow Nordic states Denmark, Iceland, Finland and central Europe's Switzerland, which averaged a comparable happiness level of 7.5 out of 10.

The Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden were also placed in the top 10.

Norway (7.53) Denmark (7.52) Iceland (7.50) Switzerland (7.49) Finland (7.46) Netherlands (7.37) Canada (7.31) New Zealand (7.31) Australia (7.28) Sweden (7.28) Israel (7.21) Costa Rica (7.07) Austria (7.0) U.S. (6.99) Ireland (6.97)

The U.S.'s happiness has slipped over the past year, however, the report suggests. Despite rising wages, overall happiness has fallen from 13th position globally to 14th, pointing to a need for a more comprehensive approach from government, the report suggests.



"The predominant political discourse in the United States is aimed at raising economic growth, with the goal of restoring the 'American dream' and the happiness that is supposed to accompany it. But the data show conclusively that this is the wrong approach," said Sachs, in a section of the report entitled "Restoring American Happiness".

Income per person has increased roughly three times since 1960, but measured happiness has not risen  indeed, it has dipped over the past decade from 7.5 out of 10, to 6.8 out of 10.

"The United States can and should raise happiness by addressing America's multi-faceted social crisis rising inequality, corruption, isolation, and distrustrather than focusing exclusively or even mainly on economic growth, especially since the concrete proposals along these lines would exacerbate rather than ameliorate the deepening social crisis."

The comments follow a recent speech by Helen Clark, head of the UN Development Program (UNDP), in which she spoke out against the "tyranny of GDP (gross domestic product)", arguing that quality of growth is more important.

The U.S. ranked just ahead of Ireland, which took 15th place, and was followed by Germany in 16th, the U.K. in 19th and France in 31st.

However, economic factors remain a certain contributor to achieving social cohesion and overall happiness, the report finds. The ten bottom spots were taken by some of the world's poorest countries, with happiness levels averaging approximately 3 out of ten.

These included Yemen, South Sudan, Liberia, Guinea, Togo, Rwanda, Syria, Tanzania, Burundi and Central African Republic.



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Singapore-listed Ezra Holdings has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection in the United States, with the oilfield services firm becoming the highest profile victim regionally of a crippling fall in oil prices since highs above $100 a barrel in 2014. Ezra Holdings is one of the largest offshore marine services providers in Asia, but the business has struggled to overcome a series of headwinds that cast doubt over its ability to operate as a going concern. The filing comes after months of demands from its patient but unsympathetic creditors, and wasn't a surprise to investors or analysts who watch the space.

Vessels pass an oil refinery in the waters off the southern coast of Singapore. Edgar Su | Reuters

"Oversupply of offshore supply vessels along with the influx of newly built vessels resulting in low competitive charter rates compounded the financial difficulties of Ezra's business divisions," said Robin Chiu, the company's chief restructuring officer, in a court filing. The decision to file for bankruptcy comes just weeks after its associate, EMAS Chiyoda-Subsea, also filed for Chapter 11 in the United States, underpinning the concerns in the sector. "The Ezra Chapter 11 filing is intended to optimize the scope and extent of the restructuring options available and to protect the interests of all stakeholders of the company, including its creditors and shareholders, from hostile actions that could harm the company and its stakeholders by diminishing the group's value," it said in a statement to the SGX. Ezra was once a $2 billion company, competing with great success for lucrative offshore contracts. But its market value has seen an aggressive decline in recent months, as investor worries over its debt and liabilities continued to mount. Its shares have fallen around 80 percent this year alone. Experts who spoke to CNBC say nervous investors sensed that its contracts were getting cancelled or delayed and the turnaround wasn't progressing as fast as it should. By February, Ezra acknowledged its deteriorating outlook and warned the market that it faced a going concern issue, further testing the confidence of key stakeholders. It attempted to stop the losses with a self-imposed trading halt in mid-March. But in a further worrying sign, it also disclosed guarantees on nearly $900 million in liabilities and loans for its troubled Emas Chiyoda Subsea stake. "Ezra is one of the bigger sized companies here, so it was a bit of a concern that it's facing problems," said Daryl Liew, managing director and head of Portfolio Management at REYL. "Whenever you lever up and you have such high debt levels leading into a time when (oil) prices are taking a big fall, it's always going to be an issue." Two other entities under the group, Emas IT Solutions Pte Ltd (EMIT) and Ezra Marine Services Pte Ltd (EMS), were also included in the filing. The future of its other two other listed entities on the Singapore Exchange, Emas Offshore Limited (EOL) and Triyards, is still unknown. Ezra said it would hold a meeting as soon as "reasonably practicable" to carry out a "transparent restructuring process" with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.

Assessing the exposure

Ezra management has been working to stabilize the firm, even as a slew of actions from creditors piled on fast. The 20 largest creditors are owed around $600 million, according to court filings. It is understood the company owes more than $270 million to Singapore's largest lender DBS Group Holdings and $184 million to the second largest bank, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp., its two largest creditors. It also owes about $108 million to a Singapore affiliate of HSBC, according to a Reuters report. "Our exposures to Ezra Holdings were moved to non-performing in the third quarter, and suitable provisions have been made," DBS said in a statement to CNBC. OCBC repeated that it has been stress testing this sector since the third quarter of 2015. "We have pro-actively reviewed several related accounts for close monitoring, and assisted customers to reschedule and restructure their loans," said Koh Ching Ching, head, Group Corporate Communications, OCBC Bank.

"Specific provisions were created, and additional general provisions were made for the potential further deterioration in the oil & gas portfolio. We are however unable to share details of specific customer loans." It is believed the company has estimated assets of between $500,000 and $1 billion, against estimated liabilities of between $100 million and $500 million, according to reports. Analysts said Ezra was likely to require more equity to survive, and a potential restructuring could include a debt-for-equity swap and a potential debt extension. "The Ezra Chapter 11 Filing is intended to optimize the scope and extent of the restructuring options available and to protect the interests of all stakeholders of the Company (including its creditors and shareholders) from hostile actions that could harm the Company and its stakeholders by diminishing the Group's value," the company said. "The moratorium afforded under the Ezra Chapter 11 Filing stays claims against the Ezra Chapter 11 Entities and enforcement actions against their assets." Bank of Singapore Chief Economist Richard Gerram said the bankruptcy of such a major firm reflects the on-going challenges in the sector. "The banks raised provisioning against bad loans so presumable they've been putting a bit of money aside for this kind of eventuality," he told CNBC's The Rundown. "We've been family cautious on oil."

SGX responds
House Speaker Paul Ryan holds up a copy of the American Health Care Act during a news conference with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (L) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden, March 7, 2017.

House Speaker Paul Ryan told the National Review's Rich Lowry he has been hoping to reform health care for the poor since his frat-party days.



"So Medicaid, sending it back to the states, capping its growth rate, we've been dreaming of this since I've been around  since you and I were drinking at a keg. ... I've been thinking about this stuff for a long time," Ryan said. "We're on the cusp of doing something we've long believed in."

Lowry quipped that "I was thinking about something else [at keg parties]. He was thinking about reforming Medicaid."

Ryan didn't immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment.

A video of the discussion was posted on YouTube on Friday.

The American Health Care Act, which Republicans rolled out earlier this month to replace Obamacare, would cost their health insurance by 2026, the Congressional Budget Office found last week. President Donald Trump has endorsed the plan, but nearly have said they have "serious concerns" about it.

Ryan, 47, holds a bachelor's degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity.
South Carolina Representative Trey Gowdy grilled FBI Director James Comey on Monday.

The House Intelligence Committee heard Comey's testimony in regard to allegations made by President Donald Trump that President Obama wiretapped him and the extent of Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election.

A transcript of the exchange follows.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Rep. Gowdy: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Director Comey, you and I were discussing the felonious dissemination of classified material during the last round. Is there an exception in the law for current or former U.S. officials who request anonymity?

Director Comey: To release classified information?

Gowdy: Yes, sir.

Comey: No.

Gowdy: Is there an exception in the law for reporters who want to break a story?

Comey: Well, that's a harder question, as to whether a reporter incurs criminal liability by publishing classified information, and one probably beyond my ken. I'm not as good a lawyer as Mr. Schiff said I used to be.



Gowdy: Well, I don't know about that, but the statute does use the word publish, doesn't it?

Comey: It does, but that's a question I know the Department of Justice has struggled with through administration after administration.

Gowdy: I know the department struggled with it, the fourth circuit struggled with it, lots of people struggled with it, but you're not aware of an exception in the current dissemination of classified information statute that carves out an exception for reporters?

Comey: No, I'm not aware of anything carved out in the statute. I don't think a reporter's been prosecuted, certainly in my lifetime, no.

Gowdy: Well, there have been a lot of statutes at bar in this investigation for which no one's ever been prosecuted or convicted, and that does not keep people from discussing those statutes, namely, the Logan Act. In theory, how would reporters know a U.S. citizen made a telephone call to an agent of a foreign power?

Comey: How would they know legally?

Gowdy: Yes.

Comey: If it was declassified and then discussed in a judicial proceeding or a congressional hearing, something like that.

Gowdy: And assume none of those facts are at play, how would they know?

Comey: Someone told them who shouldn't have told them.

Gowdy: How would a reporter know about the existence of intercepted phone calls?

Comey: Same thing. In a legitimate way, through an appropriate proceeding where there's been declassification, and any other way in an illegitimate way.

Gowdy: How would reporters know if a transcript existed of an intercepted communication?

Comey: Same answer. The only legitimate way would be through a proceeding, appropriate proceeding. The illegitimate way would be somebody told them who shouldn't have told them.

Gowdy: What does the term mask mean in the concept of FISA and other surveillance programs?

Comey: As Director Rogers explained, it's our practice, approved by the FISA court, of removing the names of U.S. persons to protect their privacy and their identity, unless it hits certain exceptions. So, masking means, as Mike Rogers said, I'll often see an intelligence report from NSA that will say, U.S. person number one, U.S. person number two, U.S. person number three and there's no further identification on the document.

Gowdy: Admiral Rogers said that there are 20 people within the NSA that are part of the unmasking process. How many people within the FBI are part of the unmasking process?

Comey: I don't know for sure as I sit here. Surely more, given the nature of the FBI's work. We come into contact with U.S. persons a whole lot more than the NSA does because we may be conducting  we only conduct our operations in the United States to collect electronic surveillance, to conduct electronic surveillance  so I can find out the exact number. I don't know it as I sit here.

Gowdy: Well, I think, Director Comey, given the fact that you and I agree this is critical, vital, indispensable  a similar program is coming up for reauthorization this fall with a pretty strong headwind right now  it would be nice to know the universe of people who have the power to unmask a U.S. citizen's name, because that might provide something of a roadmap to investigate who might have actually disseminated a masked U.S. citizen's name.

Comey: Sure. The number is relevant. What I hope the U.S., the American people will realize is the number's important, but the culture behind it is, in fact, more important, the training, the rigor, the discipline. We are obsessive about FISA in the FBI for reasons I hope make sense to this committee, but we are  everything that's FISA has to be labeled in such a way to warn people, this is FISA, we treat this in a special way. So, we can get you the number, but I want to assure you, the culture of the FBI and the NSA around how we treat U.S. person information is obsessive, and I mean that in a good way.

Gowdy: Director Comey, I am not arguing with you, and I do agree the culture is important, but if there are 100 people who have the ability to unmask and the knowledge of a previously masked name, then that's 100 different potential sources of investigation. And the smaller the number is, the easier your investigation is. So, the number is relevant. I concede the culture is relevant. NSA, FBI, what other U.S. government agencies have the authority to unmask a U.S. citizen's name?

Comey: I think all agencies that collect information pursuant to FISA have what are called standard minimization procedures, which are approved by the FISA court that govern how they will treat U.S. person information. So, I know the NSA does, I know the CIA does, obviously the FBI does. I don't know for sure beyond that.

Gowdy: How about the department of  how about main justice?

Comey: Main justice I think does have standard minimization procedures.

Gowdy: All right, so that's four. The NSA, FBI, CIA, main justice. Does the White House have the authority to unmask a U.S. citizen's name?

Comey: I think other elements of the government that are consumers of our products can ask the collectors to unmask. The unmasking resides with those who collected the information. And so, if Mike Rogers' folks collected something and they sent it to me in a report and it says, "U.S. person number one," and it's important for the FBI to know who that is, our request will go back to them. The White House can make similar requests of the FBI or of NSA, but they can't on their  they don't on their own collect, so they can't on their own unmask. [To person offscreen] I got that about right?

Unknown person offscreen: Yeah, that's correct.

Gowdy: So I guess what I'm getting at, Director Comey, is you say it's vital, you say it's critical, you say it's indispensable. We both know it's a threat to the reauthorization of 702 later on this fall, and oh, by the way, it's also a felony punishable by up to 10 years. So, how would you begin your investigation, assuming for the sake of argument that a U.S. citizen's name appeared in the Washington Post and The New York Times unlawfully? Where would you begin that investigation?

Comey: Well, I'm not going to talk about any particular investigation 

Gowdy: That's why I said in theory.

Comey: You would start figuring out, so who are the suspects? Who touched the information that you've concluded ended up unlawfully in the newspaper, and start with that universe, and then use investigative tools and techniques to see if you can eliminate people or include people as more serious suspects.



Gowdy: Do you know whether Director Clapper knew the name of the U. S. citizen that appeared in "The New York Times" and "Washington Post"?

Comey: I can't say in this forum, because again, I don't want to confirm that there was classified information in the newspaper.

Gowdy: Would he have access to an unmasked name?

Comey: In some circumstances, sure. He was the Director of National Intelligence, but I'm not talking about the particular.

Gowdy: Would Director Brennan have access to an unmasked U. S. citizen's name?

Comey: In some circumstances, yes.

Gowdy: Would National Security Advisor Susan Rice have access to an unmasked U. S. citizen's name?

Comey: I think any, yes, in general, and any other national security advisor would, I think, as a matter of their ordinary course of their business.

Gowdy: Would former White House Adviser Ben Rhodes have access to an unmasked U. S. citizen's name?

Comey: I don't know the answer to that.

Gowdy: Would former Attorney General Loretta Lynch have access to an unmasked U. S. citizen's name?

Comey: In general, yes, as would any attorney general.

Gowdy: So, that would also include acting A.G. Sally Yates?

Comey: Same answer.

Gowdy: Did you brief President Obama on  I'll just ask you  did you brief President Obama on any calls involving Michael Flynn?

Comey: I'm not going to get into either that particular case, that matter, or any conversations I had with the president, so I can't answer that.

Gowdy: Director Comey, there's been some speculation this morning on motive. I'm not all that interested in motive. First of all, it's really hard to prove. Secondarily, you never have to prove it. But I get that people want to know. I get the jury always wants to know why. I think you and I can agree there are a couple of reasons that you would not have to unlawfully, feloniously disseminate classified material. It certainly wasn't done to help an ongoing criminal investigation, because you already had the information, didn't you?

Comey: Again, I can't answer in the context of this particular matter.

Gowdy: How about in theory? Is there something a reporter would have access to that the head of the FBI would not?

Comey: It's hard for me to answer. I would hope not when it relates to 

Gowdy: I would hope not, too, since it's part of our surveillance programs. I would hope that you had access to everything as the head of the world's premier law enforcement agency. I would hope that you had it all. So, if you had it all, the motive couldn't have been to help you, because you already had it. And Admiral Rogers, the motive couldn't have been to help you, because you already had it. So, in the universe of possible motives for the felonious dissemination of classified material, we could rule out wanting to help the intelligence communities and the law enforcement communities. Those are two motives that are gone now. That leaves some more nefarious motives. Is the investigation into the leak of classified information  has it begun yet?

Comey: I can't say because I don't want to confirm that that was classified information.

Gowdy: Well, I don't want to quarrel with you, Director Comey, and I do understand that you cannot ordinarily confirm or deny the existence of an investigation, but you did it this morning citing DOJ policy, given the gravity of the fact pattern. Would you not agree that surveillance programs that are critical, indispensable, vital to our national security, some of which are up for reauthorization this fall, that save American lives and prevent terrorist attacks also rises to the level of important?

Gowdy: I think those programs are vital, and leaks of information collected pursuant to court order under those programs are terrible. And as I said in my opening statement, should be taken very, very seriously. What I don't ever want to do is compound what bad people have done and confirm something that's in the newspaper, because sometimes the newspaper gets it right. There's a whole lot of wrong information about, allegedly, about classified activities that's in the newspaper. We don't call them and correct them, either. That's another big challenge, but we just don't go anywhere near it because we don't want to help and compound the offense that was committed.

Gowdy: I understand that, Director Comey, and I'm trying really hard not to get you to discuss the facts at bar, but some of the words that appeared in this public reporting include the word transcript, which has a very unique use in the matters that you and I are discussing this morning. That is a very unique use of that word. Wiretap has a very specific meaning. The name of a U. S. citizen that was supposed to statutorily be protected is no longer protected. So, some of this reporting  let's assume 90 percent of it is inaccurate. That other 10 percent is still really, really important. And to the extent that you can rely on the dates in either the Washington Post or The New York Times, we are talking about February of this year is when the reporting first took place. So, we are, we're a month and a half or two months into something that you and I agree is incredibly important and also happens to be a felony. So, I'm just simply asking you to assure the American people. You've already assured them you take it really seriously. Can you assure them that it is going to be investigated?

Comey: I can't, but I hope people watching know how seriously we take leaks of classified information, but I don't want to confirm it by saying we're investigating it, and I'm sorry I have to draw that line. I just think that's the right way to be.

Gowdy: Well, I'm not going to argue with you, Director Comey, but it is  you know, we're going to discuss a lot of important things today, whether Russia attempted to influence our democratic process is incredibly important. Whether they sought to influence it is a separate analysis, incredibly important. The motive behind that interference and influence, incredibly important. Our U.S. response, incredibly important. Some of that may rise to the level of a crime. Some of it does not rise to the level of a crime. One thing you and I agree on is the felonious dissemination of classified material most definitely is a crime. So, I would ask you, and I understand some of the procedures that you are up against  I would humbly ask you to seek authority from whomever you need to seek authority from. Because I'm going to finish the same way I started. This is an agreement between the American people and its government. We are going to  we, the American people, give certain powers to government to keep us safe, and when those powers are misused and the motive is not criminal investigations or national security, then I'll bet you my fellow citizens are rethinking their side of the equation. Because that U. S. citizen could be them next time. It could be you. It could be me. It could be anyone until we start seriously investigating and prosecuting what Congress thought was serious enough to attach a 10-year felony to. With that, I would yield back, Mr. Chairman.

Comey: Can I just add a response to what you said? I agree with you, Mr. Gowdy. Two things folks at home should know. First, an unauthorized disclosure of FISA is an extraordinarily unusual event, so be assured were going to take it very seriously, because our trust -- the American people and the federal judges that oversee our work is vital. And second, that this conversation has nothing to do with 702. Folks often mix them together. 702 is about targeting non-U.S. persons overseas. Pursuant to the FISA statute, the FBI can apply to collect electronic surveillance in the United States, but it's a different thing from 702. The conversation you and I are just having is about this, which is vital and important, but I just didn't want to leave folks confused.

Gowdy: Director Comey, you are 100 percent correct, and I am 100 percent correct in saying that that is a distinction that doesn't make a difference to most of the people watching television. You are exactly correct. What we are reauthorizing this fall has nothing to do with what we are discussing, other than it is another government program where the people consent to allow government to pursue certain things with the explicit promise it will be protected. So, you're right, they're different. But in the eyes of people watching, it is the U. S. government officials leaking the name of a U. S. citizen, and if it can happen here, it may happen there. Trust me, you and I both want to see it reauthorized. It is in jeopardy if we don't get this resolved.

The source of this transcript is closed captioning.


Kimly, a company that operates food centers, launches its IPO at the SGX on Mar. 20, 2017.

Singapore's largest traditional coffee shop operator marked a stellar debut on the Singapore Exchange, or SGX, with shares trading 120 percent above its initial public offer (IPO) price on debut.

As well-caffeinated senior executives stood side by side for the ceremonial banging of the gong at the commencement of SGX trade, the gathered crowd hollered and applauded in surprise as the stock surged to S$0.55 Singapore cents, well above its S$0.25 cents offer price.

"We are heartened by the reception that we have received for our IPO and look forward to further enhance and grow our operations to reward our shareholders," said Kimly Limited Executive Director Vincent Chia.

"With our listing, we now reach out to an even bigger market who can partake in the flavors of Kimly not only as customers but also as our shareholders."

Kimly issued 173.8 million new shares, representing 3.8 million offer shares for 25 cents each and 170-million placement shares for the same price.

The Temasek Holdings unit Heliconia Capital Management was a pre-IPO investor in the chain via its agreement with Vanda 1 Investments. The ICH Gemini Asia Growth Fund, managed by ICH Gemini, was also an investor. The two funds collectively hold 25-million conversion shares in the company, representing 2.17 percent of its post invitation share capital.
Rubin's company, Essential Products, is reportedly planning to release a new high-end smartphone this spring, and SoftBank planned to market the phone in Japan, the Journal said. But Apple subsequently agreed to commit $1 billion to SoftBank's Vision Fund, a move that "complicated" SoftBank's investment in Essential Products, the Journal reported Monday.

Andy Rubin, a co-creator of Android, lost out on a $100 million investment from SoftBank as Apple deepened ties with the Japanese investor, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal.

Apple did not directly block the deal, the Journal said, though Rubin's premium phone would be released ahead of the highly anticipated 10th anniversary iPhone. The deal was "nearly complete," sources told the Journal.

Rubin was the CEO of Android, which Google bought in 2005 to form the basis of its smartphone operating system. At Google, Rubin's leadership of its smartphone business helped turn Android into the world's most widely used smartphone platform. Rubin left Google in 2014 to start various projects, including an incubator for hardware start-ups. He has not publicly discussed Essential or its plans.

The deal's fallout highlights the growing influence of SoftBank's Masayoshi Son, who made a splashy announcement last year to invest $50 billion in the U.S., aiming to create 50,000 jobs.



For more on the story, see the full article at WSJ.com












The British physicist Stephen Hawking fears he will not be welcome in the United States because of his criticism of how President Donald Trump is treating the country's scientists.

Hawking made his comments in a recorded interview for ITV's "Good Morning Britain."

"Trump was elected by people who felt disenfranchised by the governing elite and a revolt against globalization. His priority will be to satisfy this electorate who are neither liberal nor that well informed," he said.

"The reaction to the election of Donald Trump may have been overdone, but it represents a definite swing to a right-wing, more authoritarian approach."
A worker waits as a shipping container is unloaded from the Hapag-Lloyd Holding AG Prague Express cargo ship onto a truck in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Just as the United States looks to take a more protectionist tilt, Brazil is talking up its push towards free trade.

At this weekend's meeting of G-20 finance ministers, Brazil was one several nations to point out dangers of anti-globalization  a message crafted largely for listeners in the United States. The country's finance minister, Henrique Meirelles, said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that, "we had adopted during the last years some protectionist measures for some sectors of the economy, and the net result was not positive."

"At the end of the day, the products became more expensive and Brazilbecame less competitive," he told the newspaper. "In Brazil, we are moving toward a more open trade policy."

The Latin American giant is attempting to recover from an economic recession which hit under the 13-year leadership of the populist Workers' Party. That control ended last year when President Dilma Rousseff of the Workers' Party was impeached. Her successor, President Michel Temer, has called for greater openness on trade.





Ease of Doing Business ranking

Source: World Bank "Doing Business in 2017" survey, JPMorgan Asset Management.



"As a result of many years of a wary attitude to trade, the comments you hear from Brazilian officials today have a different flavor, a more open flavor," said Alejo Czerwonko, emerging market strategist at UBS Wealth Management.

"The new rhetoric toward more trade openness in Brazil is important," he said. But, "Brazil remains a relatively closed economy. Opening up takes time."

Other analysts agree.

"There are very many different models and in Latin America specifically, Brazil is learning from the countries Mexico, Colombia and Chile," said Gabriela Santos, global market strategist at J.P. Morgan Asset Management.

As for any lessons on how protectionism might affect U.S. growth, "it's much too early for us to speculate," Santos said. "Looking forward, the shift in tone is important but you also have to see the implementation of change."
Workers sit on the pavement near a construction site in Beijing, China, on Wednesday, March 2, 2016.

The world's second-largest economy has many challenges ahead, both external and domestic.



At the China Development Forum in Beijing, former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers said he believes Chinese policymakers are struggling most with capital outflows and an overheating property market.

Meanwhile, People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said in a March news conference that China's corporate debt levels are too high, but it will take time to bring them to more manageable levels.

President Donald Trump has also not been easy on China, from accusing the Asian nation of "currency manipulation" and stealing American jobs.

This week for CNBC's Trader Poll, we want to know what you think China's biggest challenge is.
Gujarat's Health Department has come up with a ground-breaking idea for solving the serious issue of shortage of doctors in rural areas.

They have resorted to substituting the real doctors with children who would act as doctors. These children will be referred to as 'Bal Doctors' and will be in charge of their fellow classmates' health and wellness.

via GIPHY

According to a report by TOI, school students who were until now patients, being diagnosed by actual doctors will now be diagnosing their fellow classmates.

A class 6 student at a government school in Aravalli district has been nominated for the pilot programme.

But, there's nothing to fret for as these 'bal doctors' are not just going to be equipped with stethoscopes and ayurvedic medicines but each bal doctor will be given an apron, a torch, booklets and posters on health related problems as well.

What else one would seek in a doctor to trust him with their health? And what could be a better way to study medicine if not posters?

via GIPHY

An order of the Health Department to primary schools reads, "These Bal Doctors will administer ayurvedic treatment in cases of minor diseases. They will encourage other students to wash their hands before the mid-day meal. They will also monitor the Weekly Iron and Folic Acid Supplementation (WIFS) Programme (of the National Health Mission), held every Wednesday. They will work to make their fellow students addiction-free and give primary information about seasonal diseases."

The officials have also said that these Bal Doctors will receive training and will be under the supervision of a nodal teacher who will monitor their activities.

Well isn't this how it should have been?

A few weeks of training could have easily replaced the tiresome process of MBBS and we even wouldn't have to face a scarcity of doctors in the first place.

However, there's always a contradictory force to every sane and brilliant idea.

Dr Yogendra Modi, president of Indian Medical Council's state branch told TOI, "We only believe in allopathic medicines and a person must be considered a doctor only after they've done MBBS."
President Donald Trump on Monday denied he colluded with Russia in the 2016 U.S. election, lashing out at Democrats ahead of a public hearing on the investigation into Moscow's alleged influence on the contest.

In a series of tweets, the president cited former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper's statement this month that no evidence of collusion between Trump and Russia existed. Trump alleged that Democrats "made up and pushed the Russia story" to deflect from the presidential election loss and argued that finding people who leaked information about his associates is "the real story."

The denials come ahead of a rare public House Intelligence Committee hearing on the probe into Russian meddling in the election, which will feature testimony from FBI Director James Comey and National Security Agency Director Michael Rogers. The U.S. intelligence community has accused Moscow of trying to influence the election, saying it initially wanted to derail then-candidate Hillary Clinton and then developed a preference for Trump.

The Trump administration has denied that the president's campaign cooperated with Russia before the election. Comey's and Rogers' testimony may cast more light on any ties.

Trump blamed Democrats on Monday for stirring concerns about Russia, but top Republican lawmakers John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio, among others, have publicly said they want to find out more about Russia's role in the election.

The top Republican and Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee differed in public statements on the evidence of collusion Sunday. Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told Fox News that he saw no information to show collusion.

However, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he saw "circumstantial evidence of collusion" and direct evidence of "deception."

Accusations of Russia connections have dogged the Trump administration since he took office in January. His first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, resigned last month following revelations that he misled White House officials about whether he discussed sanctions on Russia in conversations with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the U.S., before Trump took office. The Obama administration brought those sanctions in response to the alleged meddling.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions then recused himself from any investigations into the Trump campaign following accusations that he misled senators about his contact with Kislyak during his January confirmation hearing. Sessions, a former senator and Trump campaign advisor, admitted that he met with the ambassador during the campaign but said he did so in his capacity as a lawmaker.
President Donald Trump must clarify the reasons behind his friendship with Russia President Vladimir Putin in order to start repairing relations between Washington and Moscow, former Defense Secretary William Cohen told CNBC on Monday.

"There is a cloud hanging over the Trump administration saying what is the nature and the basis of this bromance (with President Putin)?" Cohen asked when speaking at the China Development Forum in Beijing.

Tensions between Russia and the U.S. have been strained since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, with Washington imposing sanctions on Moscow.



Despite hopes from both administrations that relationships could be improved as a result of Trump's election, many observers feel the ties have regressed to levels of hostility not seen since the Cold War.

Cohen argued that the healing process between the two countries could only begin once Trump adopted a transparent approach when it comes to his financial affairs.

"The president should be asked three questions: Number one, what do you own? Number two, what do you owe? And three, to whom you owe it? And if you resolve those issues, then you remove the cloud (as) we all want a better relationship with Russia," Cohen said.
Let's not beat around the bush, much of President Trump's recent slide in the polls is because of this now-infamous early Saturday morning tweet from March 4th.

The conventional wisdom about President Trump's accusation that President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower is that the president should never have discussed the issue at all and certainly should not have mentioned President Obama by name.

But that conventional wisdom is only half right. It comes from the same mistaken thinking that says President Trump should stop tweeting, period. With an established news media dead set against him, President Trump would be making a big mistake to suddenly go silent or even relatively silent on Twitter, where has a direct and unedited line of communication to the voters.

That said, President Trump could have avoided a lot of grief had he indeed refrained from using President Obama's name and simply tweeted about his anger upon seeing stories that some kind of government surveillance was used during the election and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.

Not only would such a tweet get the focus and attention he wanted, it would have been based on an election narrative most of the news media and a lot of the public already took for granted.

Instead, the focus became all about the current president accusing his predecessor of a serious potential crime. That was the kind of ugly focus that turned the American people off. We like the idea of a president who wants to stop and get to the bottom of intrusive government surveillance. We don't like a president who seems all too focused on beating down his personal enemies.
The U.K. will formally kickstart its divorce proceedings with the European Union on March 29, representatives of the government led by Prime Minister Theresa May announced Monday.

In a statement issued by the government department for exiting the EU, minister David Davis said that the U.K. was "on the threshold of the most important negotiation for this country for a generation."

In June last year, the U.K. voted to leave the EU, the first sovereign state to do so in the bloc's 60-year history. To get negotiations going - a process that has a two-year time limit- the U.K. government has to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which sets out the formal steps that have to be taken.

The U.K.'s representative in Brussels Monday informed the EU Council's President, Donald Tusk, of next week's move.

"The Government is clear in its aims: a deal that works for every nation and region of the UK and indeed for all of Europe  a new, positive partnership between the UK and our friends and allies in the European Union," Davis added in his statement.

This story is developing. Please check back for further updates.

for the latest on the markets.
The directors of the FBI and National Security Agency gave more details Monday on the extent of Russian influence in the 2016 U.S. election, confirming an open FBI investigation into Moscow's alleged interference and refuting President Donald Trump's explosive claim that Trump Tower was wiretapped.

FBI Director James Comey and NSA Director Michael Rogers testified before the House Intelligence Committee in an extraordinary public hearing amid its ongoing investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the contest. Comey confirmed for the first time that the FBI is investigating Russia's influence on the 2016 U.S. election, including any "links" between Moscow and Trump campaign officials.

"The FBI, as part of our counterintelligence mission, is investigating the Russian government's efforts to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. And that includes investigating the nature of any links between individuals associated with the Trump campaign and the Russian government, and whether there was any coordination between the campaign and Russia's efforts," Comey said.

The U.S. intelligence community has accused Moscow of trying to influence the election, saying it initially wanted to derail then-candidate Hillary Clinton and then developed a preference for Trump. In his opening statement, Rogers said Monday that the NSA stands by its earlier report on Russian meddling and its level of confidence in the findings has not changed. But he added that he could not divulge information beyond what was released in an unclassified report.

The investigation began in July, months before the election, Comey said, adding that he cannot predict when it will conclude. The FBI director said he cannot say more "about what we are doing and whose conduct we are investigating" because the probe is ongoing and classified.

The committee's top Democrat, Rep. Adam Schiff, said if it can be proven that the Trump campaign worked with Russia to swing the election to the then-Republican nominee, it would represent "one of the most shocking betrayals of our democracy in history."



The Trump administration has denied that the president's campaign cooperated with Russia before the election. White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Monday that the House hearing did not show any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

"Following this testimony, it's clear that nothing has changed. Senior Obama intelligence officials have gone on record to confirm that there's no evidence of a Trump-Russia collusion," he told reporters at his daily briefing. Spicer added that he did not know of any White House officials under investigation and said Trump's confidence in Comey has not changed.

Comey and Rogers deflected many questions about specific parts of the probe or surveillance activities, saying they could not publicly discuss sensitive information. They repeatedly declined to comment on questions about specific people, including former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and Trump ally Roger Stone.

Comey publicly refuted Trump's claim that the Obama administration wiretapped Trump Tower before the 2016 U.S. election, saying neither he nor the Department of Justice have evidence to back the president's explosive tweets. Despite this, Spicer later Monday defended Trump's claim, suggesting that all relevant information may not yet be available.

In his opening statement, committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., reiterated his previous public statement that he has seen no evidence Trump Tower was wiretapped. However, he expressed concerns about "possible other surveillance methods" of Trump associates and the leaking of potentially classified information.

Schiff, a California Democrat, also stressed in his statement that he has seen no evidence to back the accusation, calling it "slanderous." He added that "we do not yet know" if Russia had any help from American citizens, including Trump associates, as it allegedly waged the influence campaign. Schiff said he wanted to find out what Trump aides knew about Russian activities and when.

Republicans on the committee used their questions mostly to press Rogers and Comey about leaks of potentially classified information and surveillance of U.S. citizens. Trump has also deflected attention to the release of information, saying the FBI should focus on investigating that.

Both Rogers and Comey said they are concerned about leaks of potentially classified information. However, Comey said he could not make an assurance that leaks will be investigated.

Trump blamed Democrats on Monday for stirring concerns about Russia, but top Republican lawmakers John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio, among others, have publicly said they want to find out more about Russia's role in the election.

The top Republican and Democrat on the House committee differed in public statements on the evidence of collusion Sunday. Nunes told Fox News that he saw no information to show collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

However, Schiff told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he saw "circumstantial evidence of collusion" and direct evidence of "deception."

Accusations of Russia connections have dogged the Trump administration since he took office in January. His first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, resigned last month following revelations that he misled White House officials about whether he discussed sanctions on Russia in conversations with Sergey Kislyak, the Russian ambassador to the U.S. before Trump took office. The Obama administration brought those sanctions in response to the alleged meddling.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions then recused himself from any investigations into the Trump campaign following accusations that he misled senators about his contact with Kislyak during his January confirmation hearing. Sessions, a former senator and Trump campaign advisor, admitted that he met with the ambassador during the campaign but said he did so in his capacity as a lawmaker.
Both Democrats and Republicans grumbled about partisanship during the Senate confirmation hearing of Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch.

Judge Neil Gorsuch arrives for the first day of his Supreme Court confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Hart Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill March 20, 2017 in Washington, DC.

Members of the Senate Judiciary Committee used their opening statements to reflect on better days where judicial appointees were measured by merit and not their ideological leanings.

Sen. Lindsey Graham said he voted for the confirmation of Barack Obama's nominees, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, because they were both highly qualified and led "exemplary lives."

Graham argued that Gorsuch is "every bit as qualified." The South Carolina Republican said he has yet to hear a Democrat prove that Gorsuch is not suitable for the job.

Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the committee, said Gorsuch's record demonstrates "an unfailing commitment" to the "constitutional order and the separation of powers." Judicial independence is one of the ideals that "enlivens [Gorsuch's] body of work," Grassley said in his opening statement Monday.

While Republicans called on Democrats to put country above party and confirm Gorsuch, the Democrats similarly accused the GOP of partisanship in their refusal to confirm Obama's nominee Merrick Garland.

Ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein began her opening statement by slamming the GOP for their "unprecedented treatment" of Garland, who was denied a confirmation hearing. Feinstein, a Democrat from California, described Garland as a mainstream moderate nominee.

"For those of us on this side, our job is not to theoretically evaluate this or that legal doctrine or to review Judge Gorsuch's record in a vacuum. Our job is to determine whether Judge Gorsuch is a reasonable mainstream conservative or is he not," Feinstein said Monday.

Other Democrats on the committee echoed Feinstein's comments, repeatedly bringing up how Republicans stymied Garland's nomination. Democrats also raised concerns about how a conservative majority on the Supreme Court would allegedly favor big businesses at the expense of individuals.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse spent much of his opening statement characterizing what he called a "5 to 4 rampage" or "5 to 4 shopping spree" in which conservative judges ruled in favor of business interests. The Democratic from Rhode Island highlighted the landmark Citizens United decision which nullified federal laws nullified federal laws limiting corporate and union contributions to political campaigns.

Gorsuch served as an appeals judge for the 10th Circuit in Colorado. At 49, he is among the youngest Supreme Court nominees ever and could have a strong presence on the court for decades.

Even before President Donald Trump made his choice, senators set the stage for the second straight year of partisan clashes over the seat, left vacant by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Trump has said Gorsuch, who cites Scalia as an inspiration, "has outstanding legal skills, a brilliant mind, tremendous discipline and has earned bipartisan support."

Conservatives have praised Gorsuch for what they say is the application of the theory of judicial overreach on religious issues, such as when he ruled in favor of Hobby Lobby, a company that opposed parts of the Affordable Care Act that compelled coverage of contraception. In statements praising him after the nomination, key Republican lawmakers also highlighted what they called his close reading of text of the law.

 CNBC's Jacob Pramuk contributed to this report.
President Donald Trump's plan to scrap a landmark rule to cut planet-warming emissions from power plants will likely be a drawn-out process and face a thicket of legal obstacles. Trump will sign an executive order on Tuesday to overhaul the Clean Power Plan, a senior administration official told reporters. The plan regulates carbon emissions from fossil-fuel burning electricity plants  particularly those that burn coal  and gives states a framework for new standards. The rule has been challenged in court by a number of states and industry groups. It is fiercely opposed by Trump, who claims regulations put coal miners out of work, though market forces are likely more to blame for the industry's struggles. "While there's no political support in the administration for the Clean Power Plan, it's not the kind of thing you can just do away with quickly," said David Konisky, associate professor at Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs.

The EPA will start a new rule-making process to replace the Clean Power Plan, the White House official confirmed. That would include issuing its intent to revisit the rule, taking comments, releasing the new rule and then taking additional comments  a process that typically takes a year or more. Any rule that Trump's EPA writes is certain to be less stringent than former President Barack Obama's Clean Power Plan. It will almost surely draw legal challenges from environmental groups and states. The administration official acknowledged as much to reporters on Monday.

How the legal fight could play out
Books have played a crucial role in Jeff Bezos' life, in more ways than one. There's the obvious reason: The company that made him a multi-billionaire originally started as an online book retailer. He's also spent his career changing the way books are published and sold, devouring many small bookstores in the process. But the Amazon founder and CEO also has an abiding love of reading, and it has played a key role in forming him as a leader. In biography "The Everything Store," author Brad Stone describes how books shaped Bezos' leadership style and way of thinking. In fact, according to the book, there is a list of books Amazon employees refer to as "Jeff's Reading List." It includes autobiographies, business and technology reads and even a novel, and according to Stone, many Amazon executives have made their way through these volumes. How many of these have you read? 1. "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

Ishiguro's novel is a first-person narrative told by a butler who recalls his time serving in the army during the first World War. Stone writes that it is Bezos' favorite novel. "Bezos has said he learns more from novels than nonfiction," Stone writes. 2. "Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies" by Jim Collins

This famous management read explains how companies that succeed build environments where "employees who embrace the central mission flourish," Stone writes.

The key thing about a book is that you lose yourself in the author's world. Jeff Bezos founder and CEO of Amazon

3. "Creation: Life and How to Make It" by Steve Grand

"A video game designer argues that intelligent systems can be created from the bottom up if one devises a set of primitive building blocks," Stone writes. "The book was influential in the creation of Amazon Web Services, or AWS, the service that popularized the notion of the cloud." 4. "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap  and Others Don't" by Jim Collins

Author and business consultant Collins briefed Amazon executives on many of the principles in this book before its publication, according to Stone. It explains how "companies must confront the brutal facts of their business, find out what they are uniquely good at, and master their flywheel, in which each part of the business reinforces and accelerates the other parts." 5. "The Innovator's Dilemma" by Clayton Christensen

In this book, Christensen argues that companies improve by embracing disruptive innovation. Michael Bloomberg, founder and CEO of the eponymous company, once described the book as "absolutely brilliant." "An enormously influential business book whose principles Amazon acted on and that facilitated the creation of the Kindle and [Amazon Web Services]," Stone writes. "Some companies are reluctant to embrace disruptive technology because it might alienate customers and undermine their core business, but Christensen argues that ignoring potential disruption is even costlier." 6. "Sam Walton: Made in America" by Sam Walton

"In his autobiography, Walmart's founder expounds on the principles of discount retailing and discusses his core values of frugality and a bias for action  a willingness to try a lot of things and make many mistakes," Stone writes. "Bezos included both in Amazon's corporate values." 7. "Lean Thinking: Banish Waste and Create Wealth in Your Corporation" by James Womack and Daniel Jones

This book explores how major American, European and Japanese companies applied a series of "lean thinking" principles in an attempt to cut costs and boost efficiency to survive the 1991 recession and grow over the rest of the decade. 8."Memos from the Chairman" by Alan Greenberg

"[The book is] a collection of memos to employees by the chairman of the now defunct investment bank Bear Stearns," Stone writes. "In his memos, Greenberg is constantly restating the bank's core values, especially modesty and frugality." 9. "The Mythical Man-Month" by Frederick P. Brooks, Jr.

"An influential computer scientist makes the counterintuitive argument that small groups of engineers are more effective than larger ones at handling complex software projects," Stone writes. 10. "The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvements" by Eliyahu Goldratt

"An exposition of the science of manufacturing written in the guise of the novel, the book encourages companies to identify the biggest constraints in their operations," Stone writes, "and then structure their organizations to get the most out of those constraints."

11. "Data-Driven Marketing: The 15 Metrics Everyone in Marketing Should Know" by Mark Jeffery

"[This is] a guide to using data to measure everything from customer satisfaction to the effectiveness of marketing," Stone writes. "Amazon employees must support all assertions with data, and if the data has a weakness, they must point it out or their colleagues will do it for them."

12. "The Black Swan" by Nassim Taleb
North Korea called itself a nuclear power on Monday, but the question now is whether U.S. President Donald Trump recognizes the rogue regime as one, a strategist told CNBC Tuesday.

That's an important development to watch as actions taken by Trump against North Korea will likely result in a cold war between the U.S. and China, said David Roche, president and global strategist at Independent Strategy. Such a turn of events between the two major powers would have global implications, he added, pointing to how it would affect worldwide trade and investment.

Outlining the two likely scenarios that could play out, Roche said the U.S. may try to contain North Korea by having "rings of missiles throughout the Asia Pacific region pointing at Pyongyang" or it could try to remove the hermit nation's leader Kim Jong Un through an attack.

Both those scenarios undermine China's influence  they would remove a key strategic ally from Beijing's foreign policy plan  and would lead to an "almost inevitable cold war" between China and the U.S., he said.
Police have arrested more than 450 protesters in the Iranian capital Tehran over the past three days, the deputy provincial governor said on Tuesday, as a crackdown intensified against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Protesters also attacked police stations elsewhere in Iran late into the night on Monday, news agency and social media reports said.

One member of the security forces was reported killed on Monday, bringing to at least 14 the death toll stemming from the boldest challenge to Iran's clerical leadership since unrest in 2009.

Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court, warned protesters on Tuesday that those arrested would face harsh punishment.

The semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Ali Asghar Naserbakht, the deputy governor of Tehran province, as saying that 200 people were arrested on Saturday in Tehran, 150 people on Sunday and about 100 people on Monday.

Hundreds of others have been arrested in other cities, according to agency reports and social media.

Naserbakht said the situation in Tehran was under control and police has not asked for the help of the Revolutionary Guards special forces.

Mehr news agency also quoted a judiciary official as saying that several ringleaders of protests in Karaj, the fourth largest city in Iran, have been arrested.

Ghazanfarabadi said the detainees will be soon put on trial and the ringleaders would face serious charges including "moharebeh"  an Islamic term meaning warring against God  which carries the death penalty.

Iran's judiciary chief Sadeq Larijani ordered prosecutors on Monday to "punish rioters firmly."

The demonstrations which broke out last week were initially focused on economic hardships and alleged corruption but turned into political rallies.

Anger was soon directed at the clerical leadership that has been in power since the 1979 revolution, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the ultimate authority in Iran's system of dual clerical and republican rule.

Iran is a major OPEC oil producer and regional power deeply involved in Syria and Iraq as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia.

Many Iranians resent the foreign interventions and want their leaders to create jobs at home, where youth unemployment reached 29 percent last year.

Government spokesman Mohammad Baqer Nobakht said in a news conference that both protesters and the security forces should follow the law.

"People have the rights to protest but there is a difference between demonstration and riot...Even those who are confronting the rioters should act within the framework of law," he said.

Videos on social media on Monday showed an intense clash in the central town of Qahderijan between security forces and protesters who were trying to occupy a police station, which was partially set ablaze.

There were unconfirmed reports of several casualties among demonstrators.

In the western city of Kermanshah, protesters set fire to a traffic police post, but no one was hurt in the incident, Mehr news agency said.
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) The Delhi High Court today stayed a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda, who was present in the court, and granted him interim bail till the next date of hearing this month with a direction that he will not leave the country.

The order came on Kodas plea seeking suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court.

Koda, who was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), also challenged the December 13 and 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence respectively, which was admitted by the high court.

The former chief minister was granted bail by a trial court till January 18.

In his appeal, Koda said the trial court order holding him guilty was bad in law.

The appeal and stay on the fine was opposed by CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema. The agency, however, did not oppose interim bail granted to Koda till January 22.

The high court had on December 22, 2017 stayed a trial court order imposing a fine of Rs 50 lakh on VISUL in the case till the next date of hearing.

The high court on December 20 had sought response of the CBI on an appeal by Kodas close aide Vijay Joshi against the trial courts order awarding him three years jail term in the coal scam case.

All the pleas filed so far in connection with this matter will be heard on January 22.

Koda, ex-coal secretary H C Gupta, A K Basu, former Jharkhand chief secretary, and Joshi were awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based company.

While sentencing the convicts, the special court had said "white collar crimes" were more "dangerous" to the society than ordinary crimes.

It had imposed fines of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta respectively in the UPA-era coal scam. Rs one lakh fine was also imposed on Basu.

The convicts were granted statutory bail for a period of two months to enable them to file appeals in the Delhi High Court.

So far, four out of 30 coal block allocation scam cases have been decided by the special court, including this order, and 12 people and four companies have been held guilty.

The convicts were tried for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the offence of cheating carries a maximum punishment of seven years jail term, criminal breach of trust by public servants entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The CBI had said that the firm had applied for allocation of Rajhara North coal block on January 8, 2007.

It had said that although the Jharkhand government and the steel ministry did not recommend VISULs case for coal block allocation, the 36th Screening Committee recommended the block to the accused firm.

The CBI had said that Gupta, who was chairman of the screening committee, had concealed facts from then prime minister Manmohan Singh, who at that time headed the coal ministry too, that Jharkhand had not recommended VISUL for allocation of a coal block. PTI PPS AG HMP DV
The world is moving toward crisis and a state of "geopolitical depression" as the presidency of Donald Trump accelerates divisions among citizens and the unraveling of the global order, risk consultancy Eurasia Group warns. Liberal democracies are suffering from a deficit of legitimacy not seen since World War II, and today's leaders have largely abandoned civil society and common values, Eurasia Group says in its annual assessment of top geopolitical risks. The breakdown in norms opens the door to a major event that could rock the global economy and markets. "In the 20 years since we started Eurasia Group, the global environment has had its ups and downs. But if we had to pick one year for a big unexpected crisis  the geopolitical equivalent of the 2008 financial meltdown  it feels like 2018," said Eurasia Group President Ian Bremmer and Chairman Cliff Kupchan. U.S. global power is "sputtering to a stall" as the Trump philosophy of retrenchment and unilateralism sows confusion among both allies and rivals, Eurasia Group says. The world now lacks leadership to steer it through the impending crisis. "'America First' and the policies that flow from it have eroded the U.S.-led order and its guardrails, while no other country or set of countries stands ready or interested in rebuilding it  significantly increasing global risk." Here are Eurasia Group's top risks in 2018:

China will fill the vacuum left by the United States

In the absence of U.S. leadership, China faces less resistance in setting the international standards in trade and investment, technology development and the value of noninterference in other countries' affairs. This could force businesses to adapt to a new set of rules and may increase tensions with the Asia-Pacific region's more democratic powers.

Miscalculations spark conflict

The world has become more dangerous because there is no global power to underwrite security and many subnational and nonstate actors can carry out destablizing actions. Cyberattacks and terrorism are two top risks, but there is also the chance of a miscalculation leading to conflict as North Korea continues to test ballistic missiles in a region full of U.S. allies and as the United States and Russia back rival factions in Syria.

Technology cold war

The United States and China are racing to dominate areas like artificial intelligence and supercomputing, setting up a battle to supply other countries with civilian infrastructure, consumer goods and security equipment. This could lead to a fragmented tech space in which China and countries in its sphere of influence seek to control the flow of information and the United States guards against foreign investment in American tech companies.

Tough year for Mexico

Mexico and investors in its economy will suffer more than the United States if NAFTA negotiations do not succeed this year. A presidential campaign that begins in March will make it difficult for Mexican candidates to accept tough compromises with an antagonistic Trump administration.

Deteriorating U.S.-Iran relations

The Trump administration has announced a more aggressive strategy to clamp down on Iran's nuclear program and involvement in foreign affairs. This raises a number of risks, including that the 2015 Iran nuclear deal dissolves, tensions lead to a deadly conflict in the Persian Gulf or another regional theater and a more assertive Saudi Arabia takes the U.S. stance as a green light for actions that escalate tensions.

Falling trust in democratic institutions

The rise of an "increasingly toxic antiestablishment sentiment" is eroding trust in political institutions in democratic countries, as well as the media and the electoral system in the United States. Weakness in these institutions can lead to instability, authoritarianism, unpredictable policy and conflict.

Rise of protectionism 2.0

Countries are using nontraditional measures  bailouts, subsidies and "buy local" requirements  to protect intellectual property and technology, a trend that can be called "protectionism 2.0." This could lead to a surge in protectionism, a more complex and contradictory regulatory environment, and resentment among countries whose policies are seen to target one another.

Brexit gets tougher to manage

The United Kingdom is moving toward a phase of its separation from the European Union that will bring more difficult negotiations, including designing a border for Northern Ireland and finalizing the U.K.'s divorce bill. Prime Minister Theresa May needs to clarify the U.K.'s goals to reach a deal with Europe, but as she reveals her hand, her leadership may be challenged by rival political factions with contradicting priorities.

Identity politics in southern Asia

Islamism in Indonesia and Malaysia, Indian nationalism, and anti-Chinese and anti-minority sentiment across southern Asia are on the rise in countries that are growing more prosperous. These strains of identity politics can contribute to instability and protectionism and bleed over into economic policy in ways that damage the business environment.

Africa becomes less stable
Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the Senate as the body moves into the 2018 session. But a Republican former senator says one Democrat holds nearly all the legislative power: Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

"Chuck really controls the play of the field now," former Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., said Tuesday on CNBC's "Squawk Box." "What issues he's willing to be bipartisan on will determine whether there is legislation."

The Senate's top Democrat already held significant influence in a chamber with such a narrow majority  one that will shrink by one when Alabama Democrat Doug Jones is sworn in on Wednesday.

Gregg said the Senate's voting rules for the 2018 fiscal year give Schumer even more sway over the legislative process.

In passing sweeping tax reform at the end of 2017, Senate Republicans used a process known as reconciliation, shrinking the number of required votes to a simple majority.

Republicans can't use this move again until the 2019 budget is passed  a circumstance that weakens the power of the slim Senate majority and necessitates cooperation.

"It changes everything," Gregg said. "This means that everything that involves policy is going to have to be bipartisan. That puts all the cards in Chuck Schumer's hands."

Both parties' legislative strategies will be affected by the lack of reconciliation, Gregg said. The New York Democrat, who represents a large constituency of staunch opponents of President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, may be empowered to undermine Republican bills at every turn. Republicans may be forced to abandon the sweeping legislative packages they introduced in 2017 in lieu of a more piecemeal approach.

And this dynamic will play out as both parties look ahead to the midterm elections of 2018, which many analysts and statisticians claim will favor the Democrats.

"The bottom line is that Chuck Schumer basically controls the state of play in the Senate and therefore legislatively," Gregg said.

"Everything now is in the context of the next election."
In keeping with a sharp pivot underway among Republicans, U.S. Representative Mark Meadows, speaking on CBS' "Face the Nation," drew a hard line on federal spending, which lawmakers are bracing to do battle over in January.

When they return from the holidays on Wednesday, lawmakers will begin trying to pass a federal budget in a fight likely to be linked to other issues, such as immigration policy, even as the November congressional election campaigns approach in which Republicans will seek to keep control of Congress.

President Donald Trump and his Republicans want a big budget increase in military spending, while Democrats also want proportional increases for non-defense "discretionary" spending on programs that support education, scientific research, infrastructure, public health and environmental protection.

"The (Trump) administration has already been willing to say: 'We're going to increase non-defense discretionary spending ... by about 7 percent,'" Meadows, chairman of the small but influential House Freedom Caucus, said on the program.

"Now, Democrats are saying that's not enough, we need to give the government a pay raise of 10 to 11 percent. For a fiscal conservative, I don't see where the rationale is. ... Eventually, you run out of other people's money," he said.

Meadows was among Republicans who voted in late December for their party's debt-financed tax overhaul, which is expected to balloon the federal budget deficit and add about $1.5 trillion over 10 years to the $20 trillion national debt.
The head of a small biotech company-turned-crypto has made hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock sales already.

John O'Rourke, president, CEO and chairman of Riot Blockchain, disclosed in a Friday filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that he sold 30,383 shares at a weighted average price of about $28.61 a share.

That means O'Rourke received a gross payout of $869,256 and made at least $712,000 on Riot's 600-plus percent price surge in the last few months on a name change that added the word "blockchain."

Announcements tying companies to the blockchain technology that also backs bitcoin have caused several tiny stocks to soar dramatically in the last several months. In December, bitcoin itself had briefly surged about 1,900 percent for the year.

Riot Blockchain was once primarily a biotech company named Bioptix. In early October, the company announced it was changing its name to focus on blockchain-related investments, and shares soared. The company also changed its ticker symbol to RIOT from BIOP.

The stock climbed 648 percent from $5.16 at the end of September to a closing high of $38.60 on Dec. 19. As a result, the company's market value jumped from around $17 million this past summer to near $270 million in December, according to FactSet.
Chinese consumer stocks should do "really well" in 2018, Jonathan Fenby, China chairman at TS Lombard, told CNBC on Tuesday.

Fenby reasoned that this was due to the Chinese government's policies.

"If you believe in the politics, and I think we do now with Xi Jinping, it's going to be the fallout from the attempt to make China a fairer place, to spread the benefits of growth more widely (that will impact stocks)," he said.

This includes initiatives on behalf of the Communist Party to improve health, education and pension services.

The consumer staples sector of the Shanghai and Shenzhen-based CSI 300 index is up over 83 percent in comparison with 1 year ago, according to Reuters data. This includes stocks such as beverage company Kweichow Moutai and supermarket chain Yonghui Superstores.

Consumer staples steamed ahead of the technology and telecommunications sectors for example, which were up 23.2 percent and 24.0 percent respectively over the past 12 months.
Just before heading home last month, Congress approved a stop-gap extension of existing spending levels, known as a continuing resolution, which runs out Jan. 19. Unless extended, a series of mandatory furloughs and service cuts would kick in.

Any shutdown, even for a few days, would be costly. Congressional fiscal gridlock resulted in a 16-day stalemate in October 2013 that cost the economy more than $1 billion a day, according to most estimates.

If lawmakers miss the Jan. 19 deadline, some benefits, like unemployment insurance and veterans' benefits, could be delayed or reduced. Among the headaches: national parks, museums and many passport offices would shut down; the Small Business Administration and FHA would stop guaranteeing new loan applications; farm subsidy checks would stop flowing, and IRS tax processing would slow down.

Keeping the government spending at existing levels, or raising spending, could trigger automatic spending cuts as part of a system, known as the sequester, that was put in place in 2011 to hold the line on spending. To head off automatic cuts across the board, Congress will have to raise those spending caps.

But lawmakers have been deadlocked along party lines over how to raise the caps. Republicans want to boost military spending by $650 billion through the end of this fiscal year. Democrats insist that any increase in military spending must be matched dollar-for-dollar with higher domestic spending.

Even if they can agree on a spending plan, lawmakers face another fiscal deadline of March to increase the debt ceiling. That's when the Treasury Department is expected to run out of cash to pay the government's bills without borrowing more money.
The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed lower, down by 0.2 percent, with most sectors in negative territory and major bourses pointing in opposite directions.

Automotive stocks were among the negative performers Tuesday, down 0.1 percent amid weaker-than-expected car registrations data. Schaeffler sank to the bottom of both the sector and the Stoxx 600, down almost 5 percent.

Looking at individual stocks, advertising firm Publicis Groupe fell toward the bottom of the pan-European index, after Macquarie downgraded the stock from "outperform" to "neutral." Shares of the company dipped almost 3 percent.

Elsewhere, embattled South African retailer Steinhoff said Tuesday that it may have to restate its accounts "for years prior to 2015." Steinhoff's stock dipped significantly in 2017 due to an accounting scandal. Shares of the Frankfurt-listed firm surged to the top of the European benchmark Tuesday, up more than 9 percent.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average opened 100 points higher.
One high school senior says he is forking over $1,700 for college, even before being admitted. Ash Parasa, a high school senior at Morris County School of Technology in Denville, New Jersey, reveals to Money that he will be paying more than a grand for the flurry of fees that come with applying for college. After adding up the costs associated with submitting 20 college applications, ACT and SAT subject test reports and a supplemental financial aid application  called the CSS  the total comes to $1,700, the high school student says. His parents "willingly" spent the money, according to Money, but he acknowledges that the price is pretty steep. "It's a lot of money that I think we shouldn't have to pay just to apply to college," Parasa tells Money.

The cost of applying

College can be costly long before students even set foot on campus, but some application fees are significantly pricer than others. U.S. News and World Report recently ranked the application fees of 967 colleges for the fall of 2016 and found that the average cost was $43, with the most common fee being $50. The survey found, though, 50 colleges with steep application fees of $75 or more. Schools with standout application fees included Stanford University ($90), Columbia University ($85), Duke University ($85) and North Carolina State University ($85). Parasa's decision to apply to 20 schools is ambitious, and The College Board recommends five to eight applications is typically enough to ensure acceptance into a school. Still, once the fees start stacking up, applications can end up taking a major bite out of your budget. Students with limited financial resources, however, have options, and might qualify for an application fee waiver.

Colleges are making a lot of money off rejected applications

Turns out, all those application fees are providing colleges with a steady stream of revenue, CNBC Make It previously reported. LendEdu recently calculated how much colleges and universities are making off application fees by using 2015-2016 college admissions data. The schools that topped the list were making millions from ambitious applicants. The University of California-Los Angeles was the top money-maker, and with its application fee of $70 and an enrolled-to-admitted ratio of 35 percent, raked in $5,367,180 off declined applications and $6,488,300 off total applications.

The University of California-Berkeley, which has an application fee of $70 and an enrolled-to-admitted ratio of 42 percent, ranked second, making $4,590,110 in revenue off declined applications and $5,522,510 from total applications. "It is important to remember," the study notes, "this money is revenue for the colleges, not profit. To ensure standards and reputations are upheld, colleges must ensure each application is thoroughly reviewed by a university employee  and rightfully so. The colleges transfer this cost onto the prospective student through application fees."

Make it count
The geographical nature of Iran's ongoing anti-government protests is unique, analysts told CNBC on Tuesday.

At least 20 people have been reported killed during clashes as of Tuesday night, bringing the death toll from the unrest to 21. The deputy provincial governor of Tehran said Tuesday that police had arrested more than 450 protestors over the past three days, as authorities look to contain the widespread anti-government demonstrations that erupted last week.

"The geographical pattern of the protests is very interesting," Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal analyst for the Middle East and Northern Africa at risk consulting firm Verisk Maplecroft, told CNBC in an email Tuesday.

Protests against economic hardships and alleged corruption initially flared in Iran's second city of Mashad on Thursday. The clashes have since escalated across the country, with many protesters calling for the religious establishment to step down.



"The protests have since not only spread geographically but also broadened in scope to incorporate a wide range of popular grievances  There is no doubt now that the protests have now taken on a life of their own," Soltvedt said.

"Crucially, the protests are now firmly beyond the control of any political factions or movements."
"This one is almost populism on the move. There's real dissatisfaction in the Iranian population with the lack of growth in the economy, which they were promised," Stavridis said in an interview with " Power Lunch ."

Several hundred people have been arrested in cities across the country, according to officials and social media, as police intensified their crackdown against the demonstrations that began last week.

The anti-government protests in Iran feel different than the 2009 uprising, with the unrest more broad-based and occurring in more cities, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander James Stavridis told CNBC on Tuesday.

Protesters gather outside the Iranian Embassy in central London on January 2, 2018, in support of national demonstrations in Iran against the existing regime.

The protests are the boldest challenge to Iran's clerical leadership since 2009, when a disputed presidential election prompted millions to take to the country's streets to voice their anger. The reformist protests  often referred to as the "Green Movement"  were ultimately crushed by the state.

Stavridis said the unrest presents both a challenge and an opportunity for the Trump administration.

"The challenge is getting the messaging right," he said. "The opportunity would be to see the end of this ayatollah regime. Too soon to tell, but this one feels different."

So far, the Trump administration is on point, as long as the statements are on the side of the people and not about overthrowing the regime, Stavridis said.

However, what's really important is that U.S. allies get involved.

"We don't want the United States to be the lone voice here because that will create the lightening rod that could undo the beginning of this protest," Stavridis warned.

 CNBC's Sam Meredith and Reuters contributed to this report.
iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- 2018 has arrived and is off to a bone-chilling start.

Just ask the more than 200 million people in the U.S. currently in the grips of a New Year's Day deep freeze encompassing almost the entire eastern two-thirds of the country.



The extreme cold was responsible for at least five deaths, as records fell from the Midwest to the Northeast.



In St. Paul, Minnesota, 10 people were taken to the hospital for carbon monoxide poisoning. Authorities said a faulty boiler was likely to blame. All 10 were hospitalized in stable condition, according to ABC affiliate KSTP-TV.



There were wind-chill alerts in effect from Texas to Maine today, with life-threatening wind chills felt from the upper Midwest to northern New England.



Firefighters battled a house fire in Lincoln, Nebraska, in minus 10 degrees as their hoses sprayed water that quickly turned to ice.



And in Washington, D.C., firefighters had to use flares to thaw frozen ladders as they tried to tame a two-alarm blaze.



In Chicago, today felt like it was below zero throughout the day and wind chills stuck in the single digits in New York City.



In New York City, the air temperature was 9 degrees at midnight for the ball drop -- making it the second-coldest on record and the coldest New Year's celebration in a century. Wind chills dipped below zero much of the night.



The Deep South has not been spared from the freezing conditions. Temperatures dropped into the teens this morning, making cities like Jackson, Mississippi, feel like they were in the single digits around sunrise.



There were also icy roads in Dallas, Texas, in the last 24 hours and this morning it felt like the temperatures were in the teens in New Orleans, Louisiana.





It will be another frigid morning across much of the country Tuesday, with temperatures feeling like it's below zero once again from the Midwest to New England.



There will be single-digit wind chills from Denver, Colorado, to Little Rock, Arkansas, and New York City.



And the Southern states will be the same -- from Dallas, Texas, and New Orleans to Tallahassee, Florida, residents will also feel like temperatures are in the teens early Tuesday morning.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) The Congress today demanded an unconditional apology from BJP MP Nepal Singh for his reported comments that army jawans should expect death because of the profession they are in.

During the Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said the comments by the BJP MP reflected that the government was not serious about the lives of the armed forces personnel.

"The remarks by the BJP MP are not accpetable. He must tender an unconditional apology," Scindia said while raising the issue of the terror attack on a CRPF battalion in Pulwama on Sunday.

Singh, who represents Rampur constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had reportedly said "these things happen", while replying to a question about deaths of security personnel in the attack.

Scindia said terrorists have been targeting military establishments in the last couple of years but the government is not strengthening security around them which shows that the current dispensation does not respect the lives of armed forces personnel.

"They had earlier said we will get at 10 heads (from Pakistan) for one. Now they are allowing the security personnel to die," said Scindia.

Rebutting the Congress leaders allegations, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar accused the opposition of politicising the issue, asserting that government has high regards for the armed forces. PTI MPB ARC
Iran's Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused enemies of the Islamic Republic of stirring unrest, as anti-government demonstrations that began last week continued.

"In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus to create troubles for the Islamic Republic," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying in a post on his official website.

Khamenei said he would address the nation about the recent events "when the time is right."

Police have arrested more than 450 protesters in the Iranian capital Tehran over the past three days, the deputy provincial governor said on Tuesday, as a crackdown intensified against anti-government demonstrations that began last week.

Protesters also attacked police stations elsewhere in Iran late into the night on Monday, news agency and social media reports said.

One member of the security forces was reported killed on Monday, bringing to at least 14 the death toll stemming from the boldest challenge to Iran's clerical leadership since unrest in 2009.

Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court, warned protesters on Tuesday that those arrested would face harsh punishment.

The semi-official ILNA news agency quoted Ali Asghar Naserbakht, the deputy governor of Tehran province, as saying that 200 people were arrested on Saturday in Tehran, 150 people on Sunday and about 100 people on Monday.

Hundreds of others have been arrested in other cities, according to agency reports and social media.

Naserbakht said the situation in Tehran was under control and police has not asked for the help of the Revolutionary Guards special forces.
If you hope to see more money in your bank account in 2018 than you did last year, you'll need a strategy to get there. While tackling your earning, saving and spending habits can seem daunting, it doesn't have to be complicated.

In fact, it can be as simple as doing this exercise  all you need is a piece of paper and a pen, "Shark Tank" investor Kevin O'Leary tells CNBC Make It.

"Take a 90-day period in your life, three months," O'Leary says. Add up all of the money you earned or received. "Gifts you get, the job you've got, if you work a part-time job, if you sell stuff on eBay, whatever it is, list every source of income over that three-month period."

Then, on the other side of the sheet of paper, tally your expenses.

"Make sure you capture every dime you spent in that period, I don't care what it is," he says. "A double latte, I don't care  list it."

Taking a look at October, November and December of 2017 will help you get a sense of your consumption habits overall, O'Leary explains.

"A three-month period is a really good snapshot of what your lifestyle is, including all the purchases you make in clothing, in fashion, the places you go, the vacations you take. Every use of funds," he says.
Mitt Romney is likely to run for the Utah Senate seat vacated by Orrin Hatch's retirement, a source told CNBC.

A source who has long been close to Romney believes the former Massachusetts governor and Republican presidential nominee will run for Senate later this year. Separately, NBC News reported that Romney wants to seek the Senate seat, citing a person familiar with his thinking.

Romney, 70, has been one of the harshest Republican critics of President Donald Trump. He is popular in Utah, the state where he now lives.

The former governor has slammed some of Trump's public comments and taken different stances from him on some foreign policy issues, particularly the U.S. relationship with Russia. However, he has long pushed for conservative economic principles.
Please take your seats.

It is that time of year again: our annual closing dinner, where we look back at the year that was, to toast and roast the year's deal makers on Wall Street and in Washington and look ahead to what may come next.

And what a year it was.

This year, we decided to hold our dinner at the Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., just down the road from the Mar-a-Lago resort, better known as the Winter White House. Given that President Trump has spent nearly a third of his presidency  that's not a typo  at one of his properties, as The Wall Street Journal reported, we figured we would try to make it convenient for him. There were a surprising number of free openings at Mar-a-Lago given all the cancellations by foundations and charities, but ever since an artist projected "Pay Trump Bribes Here" on the Trump International Hotel in Washington, our conflicts committee suggested that hosting the dinner at Mar-a-Lago would be a bad idea.

More from The New York Times:

In a Year of Nonstop News, a Batch of Business Books Worth Reading

Tax Cuts Benefit the Ultra Rich, but Not the Merely Rich

More American Jobs? Broadcom Deal Might Mean the Opposite

We also figured holding the dinner in Florida would be convenient for so many of you moguls and machers already down here looking for real estate since the tax bill was signed into law. The other bonus of buying here, of course, is that your home is protected even if you file for bankruptcy.

Sitting at the dais are Mr. Trump along with the first lady. (Ivanka, Jared and the rest of the family were away on vacation.) Next to him are Rupert Murdoch and his new B.F.F., Robert Iger of the Walt Disney Company, who just gave up any hope of running for president in 2020, a condition of his deal to buy most of 21st Century Fox's assets. To their right are the chief negotiators for the tax plan: Gary Cohn and Steven Mnuchin (and Ms. Mnuchin's wife, Louise Linton, who I should mention  and I'll be sure to hashtag this on Instagram  is wearing a beautiful scarf from Hermes and gown by Valentino).

The seating chart is, of course, always a bit complicated. We had to keep Jeffrey Bezos of Amazon from the dais to prevent Mr. Trump's Twitter war with him from interrupting the festivities. And we had heard that Mr. Bezos had a practical joke planned: He was going to tell Mr. Trump that he had chosen Mexico City as Amazon's second headquarters.

Masayoshi Son, SoftBank's founder, is also here this year. He is seated at the Uber table, having just struck a deal to invest $9 billion in the company at a 30 percent discount to the company's previous valuation of $68 billion, although he had also invested $1 billion at the company's previous valuation to maintain the fiction that the company was still worth $68 billion. It's been a tough year at the Uber table of frenemies: Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber's new chief executive; Travis Kalanick, Uber's founder; Arianna Huffington, an Uber board member; and Bill Gurley, one of Uber's largest investors. To help keep the peace, we've invited a calming influence to sit with them: Anthony Scaramucci, the Mooch, who had his own tough year as the president's director of communications for a hot minute.

We had extended an invitation to Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, but our invitation was returned. When we tried to call him at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, otherwise known as the Royal Prison, we were told, "The hotel telephone lines are currently disconnected until further notice." (By the way, that's not a joke.)

And then there is the Facebook table: Mark Zuckerberg is here this year along with Sheryl Sandberg. We're sorry to say that Vladimir Putin could not make it. I jest! Sort of.

Finally, we have the Bitcoin table: The Winklevoss twins, newly minted as Bitcoin billionaires (cut out the gloating and spitballs to the Facebook table, please) and Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase's chief executive, who has said Bitcoin mania is "worse than tulip bulbs," adding: "It won't end well. Someone is going to get killed." We'd love to hear the dinner conversation among you all.

Now, on to the toasts of 2017.

DEAL OF THE YEAR Amazon.com's acquisition of Whole Foods came as a true surprise. The deal has the potential to truly accelerate Amazon's march into our daily lives by giving it an even closer distribution point to our homes. It also was a signal to the rest of the marketplace that nothing is off limits. The betting line is that the next land grab for Amazon is pharmaceuticals, which may have driven CVS's $68 billion bid for Aetna. Also, a postscript: One deal that has not received enough credit but that proved itself in 2017 was Walmart's acquisition of Jet.com. The $3.3 billion acquisition of a money-losing site seemed like a mistake, but has breathed new life into Walmart's e-commerce business.

SURPRISE I.P.O. SUCCESS Roku, the streaming television company, went public, and its stock is up 280 percent, one of the highest increases of the year. The company is being compared to Netflix and is considered a pure-play bet on over-the-top streaming television services.

A SIGN OF THE TOP? Blue Apron, a meal kit service, went public and quickly fell faster than Pets.com. Who thought that was a good idea?

TRUMP WINNERS Stock investors were some of the biggest beneficiaries in 2017, with a rally that began when Mr. Trump won the presidency. On an individual basis, Stephen A. Schwarzman of the Blackstone Group gambled early and publicly on Mr. Trump, despite protests inside and outside his firm. It gave him a ringside seat to the White House last year. Saudi Arabia backed a new $40 billion infrastructure fund by the firm. And Mr. Schwarzman, like the entire private equity industry, was a beneficiary of the new tax plan, which kept carried interest taxed at capital gains rates with only a slight adjustment.

MORAL C.E.O. WINNER Kenneth C. Frazier of Merck was the first chief executive on one of Mr. Trump's councils to rebuke the president's comments after violence in Charlottesville, Va. A wave of executives followed suit, but only after Mr. Frazier made the first move. That took real courage.

TWITTER C.E.O. WINNER Lloyd C. Blankfein of Goldman Sachs won Twitter in 2017 with this witty tweet during the solar eclipse: "Wish the moon wasn't the only thing casting a shadow across the country. We got through one, we'll get through the other."

Blankfein tweet

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR Say what you will about Elon Musk  he has fans and critics  but he again proved that he thinks differently. Sure, he introduced new Teslas and sent more rockets into space. But he also introduced perhaps his craziest idea: the Boring Company. Technically, he founded the company in December 2016, but it was during 2017 that we really learned about his ambitions: He wants to dig huge tunnels under the earth to create a patchwork of roadways. The economics and physics of it all have been questioned. But as a venture capitalist, Jason Calacanis, said this summer: "Betting against Elon Musk is betting against the future of humanity, and it's an incredibly stupid thing to do."

THANK YOU OF THE YEAR Janet Yellen, the departing Federal Reserve chairwoman, deserves our genuine thanks for steering the economy successfully and overseeing a drop in the unemployment rate to levels not seen in decades. She took verbal abuse from our president, who called her "obviously political" before he was elected, only for him to double back and praise her once he realized that his economy was her economy, too.

MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE IN BUSINESS The exposure of bad behavior by men toward women in the workplace  and elsewhere  throughout virtually all industries was perhaps the most important and profound story of the year. It has already shaken up a multitude of businesses, and more revelations are likely to come. Its impact on our culture and office politics will last far longer, hopefully, than anything else discussed at tonight's dinner.

QUESTION OF THE YEAR Why does the administration really want to block the AT&T-Time Warner deal? Of course, the speculation in media circles is it has to do with Mr. Trump's war on CNN. That may or may not be true. But the president didn't help himself when Sarah Huckabee Sanders quoted him as saying he supported a rival merger between Mr. Murdoch and Disney, saying that "this could be a great thing for jobs" when it plainly will result in layoffs.
President Donald Trump claimed on Tuesday that Democrats "are doing nothing" to protect hundreds of thousands of young immigrants.

The president's tweet further inflames sensitive congressional talks on legislation to shield those individuals from deportation.

Trump ended the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in September but with a six-month delay to force congressional action. If lawmakers cannot reach a solution by March 5, those immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children will no longer be protected from deportation or have the ability to work legally in the country.

Bipartisan congressional leaders plan to meet with Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney and White House legislative affairs director Marc Short on Wednesday to discuss DACA and the looming Jan. 19 government funding deadline. Republicans have pushed for more border security funding in exchange for immigrant protections.

While Democrats have signaled they could support such a deal, Trump complicated matters last week by insisting on including money for his proposed wall on the U.S.-Mexico border in an agreement. Democrats have said they will not vote for funding for the proposed barrier.
Australian diplomats may have provided the United States with the key information that led the FBI to initiate the Russia probe now being headed by special counsel Robert Mueller, The New York Times reports, citing four anonymous current and former U.S. officials.



George Papadopoulos, a former foreign policy advisor to the Trump campaign, told the Australian diplomat Alexander Downer that Russia had damaging information on Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, the Times reported this weekend. The May 2016 conversation happened while the two were drinking heavily at the upscale Kensington Wine Rooms in London, the Times said.



Australian officials informed the U.S. about the conversation two months later, after the hacked emails became public, the newspaper said. According to the report, the information from the Australians was influential in the FBI's July 2016 decision to open the inquiry into Russian meddling in the election and potential collusion with the Trump campaign.



The Times' report contradicts President Donald Trump's claims that the Russia probe was spurred by information found in an unsubstantiated dossier compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele. Trump has called the dossier a "pile of garbage." In December, he posted a message on Twitter claiming the dossier was used "as the basis for going after the Trump Campaign!"

Papadopoulos pleaded guilty in October to lying to the FBI and has since been cooperating with Mueller's investigators.



An attorney for Papadopoulos did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC. The White House declined to comment to NBC News about the Times' report but said it is "continuing to cooperate with the Special Counsel in order to help complete their inquiry expeditiously."



Trump and members of his team have sought to play down the role that Papadopoulos held in the campaign, with the president calling him a "young, low level volunteer."



Papadopoulos' fiancee, Simona Mangiante, disputed that account in a December interview with ABC News. Mangiante said Papadopoulos' cooperation with Mueller would "make a big difference" in the Russia probe, and she called Papadopoulos "the first domino in Russia-gate."



The special counsel's office declined a request for comment from CNBC.



Read the full report at The New York Times here.
People watch a television news screen showing pictures of US President Donald Trump (C) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un (R) at a railway station in Seoul on November 29, 2017.

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that sanctions on North Korea are "beginning to have a big impact" following news of proposed talks between Pyongyang and South Korea.

"Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not  we will see!" Trump tweeted about the possible dialogue between the neighbors.

Trump tweet: 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!

The United States and allies including South Korea and Japan have put increasing economic pressure on Kim Jong Un's rogue dictatorship amid its nuclear and missile development. North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test last year. In November, Pyongyang conducted the latest in a string of missile tests, and the device flew farther than any of its previous missiles.

In his New Year's Day address, Kim said "the entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, a nuclear button is always on my desk." Despite the threat, he floated the possibility of talks with South Korea when the country hosts the Winter Olympics next month.
Shares of Weight Watchers rose 8 percent Tuesday after the company announced that music producer DJ Khaled will be its "social media ambassador" in 2018.

Weight Watchers said Khaled will document his progress on social media as he completes the "WW Freestyle" weight-loss program.

Khaled has a wide following on social media. As of Tuesday morning, he had 3.92 million followers on Twitter. The music mogul also gets 3 million to 4 million views per Snap on Snapchat and has 8.9 million followers on Instagram.

"By capturing and sharing his process, he will enliven and inspire his community, showing that it's possible to integrate healthy habits into your life," Weight Watchers President and CEO Mindy Grossman said in a release.

With the Khaled endorsement, the company is likely trying to keep the momentum it's seen since signing Oprah Winfrey, as well as expand more into the male demographic.

The WW Freestyle program was launched last month with a campaign featuring Winfrey, who holds a 9.87 percent stake in Weight Watchers. Winfrey has made about $300 million since investing in the company in 2015, with her endorsement boosting sales and the value of the stock.

The press release did not comment on Khaled's compensation.
Technology is fuelling a new wave of workplace sexual harassment, as social media provides intimate details of workers' personal lives and systems deployed by some companies allow would-be stalkers to track their colleagues' location in real time.

The role of new technologies in enabling workplace sexual harassment emerged in readers' responses to a Financial Times' investigation into inappropriate sexual behaviours in professional relationships. Many readers argued that the overall environment had improved in recent years, as companies took their responsibilities more seriously and individuals' attitudes changed.

But some highlighted a new threat.

Professional social networks such as Facebook's Workplace and instant messaging service Slack have been embraced by big global companies who want to promote idea sharing and networking across time zones. Companies of all sizes have adopted applications including shared Outlook calendars in the name of efficiency.

"It's great to connect people across the world to form cross-border teams and share expertise," one financial services worker wrote to the FT. "But, if some guy at the company is persistently trying to ask you out on a date, or pressuring you into sex, it means he has loads of tools to stalk you online, get tonnes of information about you, and find your whereabouts, which is really scary.

"And because all these systems are company mandatory, you can't block the guy, switch messenger off, or hide your profile from him. At least if you're harassed on Twitter or Facebook, you can block people or close your account," the reader wrote.

A spokeswoman for Workplace  which keeps user accounts separate from personal Facebook pages  says that individuals cannot block colleagues but that companies administer their own portals and have the option of blocking or deactivating specific users.

Unlike some other platforms, Workplace asks users to sign up to an "acceptable use policy" which prohibits creating content that is "harmful" or "deceptive or defamatory". The policy does not explicitly reference sexual harassment. The spokeswoman declined to say how or whether the policy is enforced.

Gmail's corporate email function allows users to block senders, but calendars cannot be hidden from company administrators. "Protecting employees against workplace harassment should ultimately rest in the hands of the company's management, including HR," a spokesperson for Google says. "That said, technology can play its part in the process" of protecting employees.

Microsoft sets the default calendar settings on its Office software to private so individuals cannot see what their coworkers are doing. Microsoft says clients had not asked for additional controls or permissions. Slack, which does not have a blocking function on its platform, declined to comment.

The head of HR for a FTSE 250 company says his firm used Outlook for scheduling as well as several professional networking apps, and had "no issues arising to date in respect of any of these platforms".

"The benefits they bring in terms of collaboration are significant and underpin both productivity and innovation," he adds.

Another FT reader, also working in financial services, wrote that social media "makes creeps worse . . . like when it's late at night and they try to direct message me on Instagram saying how hot I look or how they can't sleep. At the same time, I'm connected on Instagram to plenty of coworkers who, you know, don't send me weird messages and act like totally normal human beings."

More from The Financial Times:

Tencent denies storing users' WeChat conversations

LeEco founder defies order to return to China

Morgan Stanley enters robo-advice investment market

Monica Parker, founder of workplace behavioural consultancy Hatch Analytics, warns that workers should exercise caution. "Social networks do make us more likely to share aspects of our lives we might not share with colleagues, and those aspects can be used against us," she says.

A woman working in Silicon Valley says she and her peers have employed a simple strategy: "Many of us have simply stopped putting up anything on Instagram, period."

"One of my mentees, age 30, was so badly cyberstalked, I got her in touch with the local FBI field office in Chicago, which took her complaints quite seriously," she adds.

Samantha Mangwana, a lawyer at Slater and Gordon, recalls social media being used against one of her clients who had made a complaint about sexual harassment.

The complaint "became widely known and that resulted in her being hounded on Facebook," says Ms Mangwana. "It's hard to express how difficult it is for someone when they're faced for the first time with such vitriol from such a high number of people who previously they considered their friends . . . That feeling of isolation and being shunned by everyone and actually being hated, is intense.

"In one case I later acted in, my client had attempted to commit suicide in order to end it all," she adds.

There is only one upside  if it can be called that  to high tech sexual harassment through social networks and messaging platforms. As Ms Parker puts it: "It gives a great paper trail of the abuse should a person choose to report it".
martyrs children

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Notwithstanding protest by the armed forces, the government today made it clear that there will be no immediate review of its decision to put a cap of Rs 10,000 per month on educational assistance given to children of martyrs or of those disabled in action.

Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the educational assistance has been capped as per recommendations of the 7th pay commission and those demanding its review have been communicated about the governments position on it.

"Reply has been sent (to them) stating that the combined amount of tuition fee and hostel charges has been capped at Rs 10,000 per month in accordance with the recommendations of the 7th Central Pay Commission as accepted by the government," Bhamre said.

Under the scheme, rolled out in 1972, tuition fee of children of martyrs or those disabled in action were completely waived in schools, colleges and other professional educational institutions.

However, on July 1, the government had issued an order capping the amount to Rs 10,000 per month, triggering discontentment among all the three services.

The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC), comprising the Army, Navy and the Air Force chiefs, had written to the defence ministry requesting the issue to remove the cap.

Approximately 250 students have been reported to be affected during current financial year following the governments decision to cap the assistance, Bhamre said, adding that "the allowance shall go up by 25 per cent each time DA rises by 50 per cent."

He said that out of a total 2,679 students during the year 2017-18 (up to December 27, 2017), 193 students have been reported to be drawing more than the capped amount.

"The savings have been reported to be Rs 3.20 crore approximately. The highest amount drawn has been reported to be Rs 18.95 lakh per annum per student," said Bhamre. PTI MPB ASK ASK




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Middle" > < ItemStyle Width =" 150px" > < /ItemStyle > < /asp:BoundField > < asp:BoundField HeaderText =" Estado" DataField =" EstadoTexto" ItemStyle-Width =" 150px" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Left" ItemStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < ItemStyle Width =" 150px" > < /ItemStyle > < /asp:BoundField > < asp:ButtonField ButtonType =" Image" CommandName =" INCIDENCIAS" ImageUrl =" ~/Images/incidencias.png" Text =" Boton3" HeaderStyle-Width =" 25px" FooterStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" FooterStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" HeaderStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" ItemStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < FooterStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /FooterStyle > < HeaderStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" Width =" 25px" > < /HeaderStyle > < ItemStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /ItemStyle > < /asp:ButtonField > < asp:ButtonField ButtonType =" Image" CommandName =" APP" ImageUrl =" ~/Images/view_16x16.gif" Text =" Boton4" HeaderStyle-Width =" 25px" FooterStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" FooterStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" HeaderStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" ItemStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < FooterStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /FooterStyle > < HeaderStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" Width =" 25px" > < /HeaderStyle > < ItemStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /ItemStyle > < /asp:ButtonField > < asp:ButtonField ButtonType =" Image" CommandName =" EDITAR" ImageUrl =" ~/Images/file_edit_16x16.gif" Text =" Boton1" HeaderStyle-Width =" 25px" FooterStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" FooterStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" HeaderStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" ItemStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < FooterStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /FooterStyle > < HeaderStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" Width =" 25px" > < /HeaderStyle > < ItemStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /ItemStyle > < /asp:ButtonField > < asp:ButtonField ButtonType =" Image" CommandName =" BORRAR" ImageUrl =" ~/Images/trash_16x16.gif" Text =" Boton2" HeaderStyle-Width =" 25px" FooterStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" FooterStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" ItemStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" ItemStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" HeaderStyle-HorizontalAlign =" Center" HeaderStyle-VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < FooterStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /FooterStyle > < HeaderStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" Width =" 25px" > < /HeaderStyle > < ItemStyle HorizontalAlign =" Center" VerticalAlign =" Middle" > < /ItemStyle > < /asp:ButtonField > < asp:ButtonField ButtonType =" Image" CommandName =" 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modified 2-Jan-18 10:30am.



Hi, can any one suggest and nuget package for converting PDF to Image in asp.net core 2.0.







Anyways, you can look for any useful library here, pdf to image .net - Google Search

The sh*t I complain about

It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem

~! Firewall !~



Ghostscript[^], which is available under the AGPL license as well as a commercial license.



There are a couple of NuGet packages - for example, Ghostscript.NET[^] - but it's not clear whether they support ASP.NET Core. It might be easier to shell out to the Ghostscript command-line tool[^] instead.





"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."

- Homer







Would you please let me know how to code Remotedeskop system in Asp.net using C#







Also there's a good open source solution, though not .NET based:

Apache Guacamole

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

- Benjamin Disraeli



i try some types but not working,And how to solve this issue



Member 12780697 wrote: i try some types but not working What types? Do you mean types of a frameworks? Crystal Report is one of the most widely used framework.



Lastly, date to date is just a filter. Every reporting software/library provides options that can be configured to select a range of date values to get the report for. Which library are you using?

The sh*t I complain about

It's like there ain't a cloud in the sky and it's raining out - Eminem

~! Firewall !~



please tell me all steps in details to implement https for mvc site



[RequireHttps]

public ActionResult Login(string redirectUrl) {}



do i need to use [RequireHttps] ?



do i need to change any property of project?



do i need to bind certificate in IIS level to test it?



how to test https in my local pc?



please guide me with step-by-steps details.



@imports in CSS or, for example, if you use a JavaScript library with an external source you may need to update the reference (or your users will see an "insecure content" warning in their browsers.)



You may also need to update callback references in, for example, Paypal if you use their Instant Payment Notifications, and in Google Analytics.



Otherwise you can enforce https within web.config - but you may want to ensure everything is working first. You can obtain free SSL certificates from Lets Encrypt[^] - if you're on a Windows server, I quite like the Certify[^] manager for getting and installing them.



There no real need to test it locally - as I say, you can test it on https while leaving plain http in place, until you're happy it's all working, and then enforce https (See below). If you really want to, you can though - but exactly how depends on your local setup. You'll need to open your router, and point a domain to your machine and bind that in ISS... etc etc.



Here is what I put in web.config to enforce https:



Copy Code < system.webServer > < rewrite > < rules > < rule name =" httpsredirect" stopProcessing =" true" > < match url =" (.*)" / > < conditions > < add input =" {HTTPS}" pattern =" off" ignoreCase =" true" / > < /conditions > < action type =" Redirect" redirectType =" Permanent" url =" https://{HTTP_HOST}/{R:1}" / > < /rule > < /rules > < /rewrite > < /system.webServer >





"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

- Benjamin Disraeli







Regardless, it's a practices issue in my book. I like the [RequireHttps] in theory, but I don't like setting the standard that server configuration should be in the hands of the dev. More to the point, using that construct leaves it up to the dev which information should be protected and which is freely available, and that's very bad practice. What if you forget to tag a controller or method with [RequireHttps], when in reality the server admin should really be setting a redirect? I don't intend to be liable for those decisions, that's why management makes the big bucks.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."

- Benjamin Disraeli



A_Griffin wrote: MVC or Winforms

Should that perhaps be "MVC or Web forms"?





"These people looked deep within my soul and assigned me a number based on the order in which I joined."

- Homer







i have a ASP.Net MVC project where i can integrate elmah but the problem is my project solution has many projects like asp.net mvc, BAL, DAL. if i integrate elmah in asp.net mvc project then i will not be able to log error by elmah from DAL or BAL. i want to log error from any project and for that i need to implement elmah in separate project.



i read two write up but still could not figure out the way to achieve my goal. those urls are



https://dzone.com/articles/writing-custom-error-loggers-for-elmah

https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/566705/Making-elmah-axd-a-log-viewer-for-multiple-applica



i am following first article link. they said we need to install elmah core library which i did and also i create a class file



ElmahLog : Elmah.ErrorLog extending Elmah.ErrorLog and override few elmah functions.



now do not understand what to write inside those function.



here is the code

Copy Code public class ElmahLog : Elmah.ErrorLog { public override string Log(Error error) { throw new System.NotImplementedException(); } public override ErrorLogEntry GetError( string id) { throw new System.NotImplementedException(); } public override int GetErrors( int pageIndex, int pageSize, IList errorEntryList) { throw new System.NotImplementedException(); } }



so please tell me how to log error from the above function into sql server db. also tell me how to incorporate elmah.axd log viewer in asp.net mvc project to view all error which logged from my UI,DAL and BAL.



please tell me what config entries i need to add in mvc project and separate project where i add elmah core.



please guide me if anyone did it before.


Microsoft's Edge last month posted its first ever double-digit browser share, while Google's Chrome slid for the third month straight.

Mozilla's Firefox once again held steady, keeping its head above water.

According to data published Sunday by California-based metrics company Net Applications, Edge's October share climbed by 1.4 percentage points, ending the month at 10.2%, the first time Microsoft's browser broke through that psychologically important barrier. The gain was the largest ever for Edge in a single month, almost double that of the previous record set in December 2019.

The increase was so large that it immediately raised suspicions that it was a miscount by Net Applications rather than a reflection of reality. Bolstering that was an even greater boost to the share of Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE), the obsolete browser the Redmond, Wash. company has started to strip of some of its support. IE's share for October  5.6%  was 1.7 points higher than the month prior, a jump so out of character as to be unbelievable.

Edge's gain was understandable, at least. Microsoft relaunched that 2015 browser earlier this year when it recast Edge with the Google-dominated Chromium technology, the same that powers Chrome. Not only did Microsoft make Edge a Chrome copy, but it also expanded support to versions of Windows other than 10, as well as macOS and, more recently, Linux.

Since January, Edge has slowly been adding share; 3.2 points since the Chromium-based Edge went final in the Stable channel. In the past 12 months, Edge has gained 4.1 percentage points, for an average of a third of a point per month.

At that pace, Edge should sit at almost 11% by year's end and at 15% by December 2021. Of course, that assumes Edge can maintain growth, which in turn requires one or more rivals continues to give up share.

The most likely loser? Chrome, mostly because of its titanic share but also because Edge is, well, Chrome wearing a different outfit.

Microsoft's launch of Windows 10 20H2  the H2 signifying the year's second feature upgrade  last month may assist Edge as it continues to climb: 20H2 includes Chromium Edge. That should accelerate the replacement of original Edge, the version introduced in mid-2015 that ran only on Windows 10, with the sounder Chromium browser.

Chrome down for third consecutive month

Chrome dumped seven-tenths of a percentage point in October, falling back to 69.3%. The decline was the third in as many months, an unusual run that's occurred only four times in the browser's 15 years. (The last time it happened before this was in September-December 2019.)

Whenever Chrome suffers losses in two or more straight months, it's tempting to wonder whether the browser has peaked. Computerworld has tentatively pegged more than a couple such milestones before but been proven wrong each time. The browser could easily bounce back as it has before.

Computerworld's latest forecast  as always, based on Chrome's 12-month average  stayed with growth, albeit pared significantly from 30 days ago. Chrome should return to 70% by March 2021 and reach 71% by September 2022. (The latter was three months later than last month's forecast, showing how present declines quickly impact future gains.)

Edge remains Chrome's most dangerous competitor, primarily  and this is Google's own doing to some degree  because the former is the latter, what with both relying on Chromium. But Microsoft has cards to play here that Google cannot match; Microsoft will leverage its enterprise management reputation and expertise in an attempt to wean commercial customers from Google's browser.

Microsoft's strategy, then, would be the opposite of Google's. The latter pushed Chrome to consumers until its share reached tipping point, and employees demanded the right to run the same browser they'd become familiar with at home. Microsoft would instead hope to win over business users in the expectation that they might want to run the same browser on home PCs, tablets or even phones.

Firefox: Not dead yet!

Firefox didn't move its share needle last month; it stayed at the same 7.2% mark it earned in September. That meant Firefox didn't gain any ground. It also meant it didn't lose any, probably its most important goal for now and the foreseeable future.

Mozilla's browser also stuck to the bad news forecast of last month, although Computerworld's current prediction puts it under 6% in August 2021, two months later than last month's estimate. At its 12-month rate of decline, Firefox will dip below 5% in May 2022.

Elsewhere in Net Applications' numbers, Apple's Safari slumped by two-tenths of a percentage point in October, sliding to 3.4%. Opera Software's Opera fell by a slightly-larger three-tenths of a point to end the month at an all-time low of seven-tenths of a point.

Net Applications calculates share by detecting the agent strings of the browsers used to reach the websites of Net Applications' clients. The company counts visitor sessions to measure browser activity.

Or it used to.

At the same time it published October's share numbers, Net Applications announced that it's pulling the plug on the data source. "October 2020 is the last month of data," the firm said. "Why? An upcoming change in browsers will break our device detection technology and will cause inaccuracies for a long period of time."

The change Net Applications cited would remove much of the agent string information used not only to compile analytics such as browser and operating system share, but also by advertisers and/or scammers to "fingerprint" individuals so that they can be more thoroughly tracked as they conduct their online lives.

Computerworld has not yet decided whether to continue the "Top web browsers" series, and if so, which alternate data source might be used.

Stay tuned.
John Longworth is Co Chairman of Leave means Leave, an entrepreneur and was formerly Director General of the British Chambers of Commerce.

In the run up to Christmas, we learned that the CBI was reporting manufacturing order books at a 30-year high and export order books at a 20-year high. Forbes magazine reported that the UK is the best place in the world to do business. The Bank of England said that the City of London is Europes Banker and advocated what amounted to unilateral financial passporting into London. The EU chief negotiator declared that any transition period must end in 2020 (hurrah!). There was an agreement on a move to the next phase of negotiations with the EU.

Should we feel optimistic?

Well, we also witnessed Lord Heseltine declaring that leaving the EU is worse than having Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister. The establishment, by definition, favour the status quo because the status quo favours them. The establishment are appalled and angry that the population have had the effrontery to depart from the norm. After all, those who believe that politics is the application and exercise of power and that democracy is about the manipulation of the people had a terrible shock in June 2016  when the silent majority spoke and said they were prepared to take a risk for a better future, to shake up the status quo. Suddenly, the majority became the radicals and allied themselves with the many entrepreneurs, natural disrupters and risk takers, who supported the Leave campaign and still do.

Seeing the glass half empty, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) establishment this week declared that it is vital that the British Government obtain trade relations with the EU as soon as possible in order that companies can continue to import from the EU without tariffs and without disruption. At one stroke this undermines the UKs negotiating position, since it demands a single outcome, presumably at any cost  something that no business would ever do in a negotiation. It completely ignores the massive export and current account benefits of a competitive currency, and also is blind to the ability of the UK to unilaterally remove tariffs on imports once we leave the EU. Most astonishingly of all, it runs completely contrary to the campaign the BCC ran for years and which was always Number One on the current Director Generals agenda: the demand from business for deregulation, something which is only possible if we leave the EU.

In the run-up to the holidays I participated in a Sky News review. In one sentence the presenter mentioned cliff edge and crashing out  I had to correct him, and this at the end of 2017, when Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to leave the EU.

If we listened to the doom-mongers and nay-sayers of the political, business and media establishment, we would all believe that the glass is half empty.

The truth is that this negotiation, the extraction of the UK from the EU, has little to do with Brussels, but is a domestic battle within the the UK. In fact, it is a sort of glorious revolution. The EU is almost irrelevant to the outcome, as Britain will be freer and economically more prosperous if we get a trade arrangement with the EU and also if we dont, provided the Government adopts the right policies and maximises the opportunities and freedoms that Brexit affords. But that means over turning the status quo, not salvaging it as our Chancellor is desperate to do. It means defying the status quo establishment and that will be the crux and heart of the political discourse for the next few years.

Most ironic in all this is the extent to which Corbyns Labour Party is at the heart of the pro-status-quo establishment. Poorer people in Britain could be so much better off if we were to remove external tariffs, either unilaterally, or via trade deals, especially in the areas of food, clothing and footwear, but shamefully Labour does not want this. They are happy to see ordinary UK taxpayers fund farm subsidies for country land owners in the UK Rich List and then, to add insult to injury, forcing those same ordinary folk to pay an average 20 per cent more for their basic needs, clothing and food, in order to protect the monopoly profits of those same rich individuals  you could not make it up!

We live in a topsy turvy time, but we should be optimistic. Notwithstanding that the Government have been too ready to trade freedoms for a deal, the Prime Minister now has the opportunity to leverage what we have offered in order to obtain a reasonable trade arrangement. The ostensible cost of this, at upward of 40 billion, say, paid over time as and when it arises, is a big number (perhaps too big) but it is a small price to pay for our freedom. It is also far less than we would have paid by remaining in the EU.

The key is that the Prime Minister must not be afraid to walk away without a trade arrangement. Most trade in the world and most UK international trade occurs within global rules, within WTO rules of trade. Crucially, we must not give away our newly-won freedoms and we must be able to utilise these during any transition period.

We are in a strong place right now. The Prime Minister needs to recognise this. Provided she does, we will undoubtedly be better off, whatever the outcome of the negotiations with the EU

It is also axiomatic that the institutions of government, and parliaments in particular, gather powers and power to themselves. Just as the institutions of the EU have become so powerful as to be on the verge of a supranational state, so the UK Parliament will do the same as it realises its new status. Over time its power will inevitably grow, whatever the outcome of the negotiations  ironically, we saw this in the recent actions of the rebels. Yet another reason to be cheerful.

So, the answer is that we Leavers, and that should mean all of us, should certainly be optimistic. It will not be long before our independent, liberated, prosperous and free country becomes to define the new status quo.
Delhi Police is all set to revamp the tourist police unit, meant to help foreigners in need. Now, personnel of Delhi's tourist police will soon be interacting in English, along with other foreign languages such as Russian, German, Mandarin, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, Japanese and French.

Apart from being an important tourist destination itself, Delhi is also a transit point for national and international trotters.

At times, they face problems related to transport, accommodation and tourism related information, and often fall victim to cheats and touts, whereby they end up losing belongings and valuables. Hence, a dedicated unit - tourist police of Delhi - was set up in 2004.

The national Capital is the most unsafe place for foreigners in the country accounting for almost 40 per cent of the crimes reported against tourists in 2016, according to data released by the National Crime Records Bureau.

Out of 382 cases of crime reported against foreign nationals across the country, 154 cases were from Delhi, followed by Maharashtra and Puducherry with 38 and 33 cases.

According to the NCRB data, 154 foreigners were subjected to crime in Delhi in 2016 as compared to 147 in 2015 and 164 in 2014. Recently, a survey was conducted by decoy cops of the vigilance department to know the functionality and problems of tourist police.

"Most cops in the unit were found struggling while interacting with foreigners. They were not even able to interact in sign language," the report says. The feedback was taken seriously by top cops and it was decided to revamp the unit.

The unit comprises of around 100 cops and as many as 15 PCR vans.The areas frequented by tourist PCR vans include New Delhi Railway Station, Red Fort, India Gate, Rajghat, Humayun's Tomb, Janpath, Palika Bazar, Pahar Ganj and IGI Airport.

"Special language classes have been organised for tourist police where initially spoken English is being taught to them. Along with English, basic words and sentences of other foreign languages are also being taught," a senior official said.

Data reveals that on an average, more than 400 queries are resolved or answered by tourist cops. Out of these, half of them come from foreigners.

Explaining the objective of tourist police, the official said it is to avoid harassment to tourists by touts and help them get transport and lodging at appropriate rates.

"Tourist police will also ensure safety and security against cheats and pickpockets, eve-teasing, molestation, drugging, etc." the official said.
GLEN ROBERTSON, Ontario  52 homes in Glen Robertson have been placed under a boil water advisory after an equipment failure in North Glengarry.

Water to the homes was shut off late Jan. 1 due to a pump failure at the Water Treatment Plant in Glen Robertson.

The township advises residence to boil their water for at least one minute before drinking it.

Affected residents are being provided bottled water and the Glen Robertson Social Centre has been opened so that the bathrooms can be used.

The Township hopes to have the water back on later in the day on Jan. 2.
Costa Maya is forecasting some 1.3 million passengers this year, up from approximately 1 million last year.

To handle the growth, the port has obtained permits and the budget to extend berths three and four to accommodate Oasis-class ships, Darik Garteiz, port director, told Cruise Industry News.

Once we are finished we will be able to accommodate three larger ships and one smaller ship at the same time, he said.

Both the MSC Seaside and Royal Caribbeans Harmony of the Seas are slated to call at Costa Maya this year. Other callers include the Norwegian Breakaway and Disney ships.

We are seeing more afternoon calls, moving into the evening, Garteiz said. We would love to have overnight calls. However, we are a very young port and still need to build out our evening options. As the destination develops, not only the port facility but the destination as a whole, I am sure, will be delivering a few surprises.

The current guest record stands at 14,000 cruise guests in one day.

On the average, with three ships in port, there are usually around 11,000 guests. The maximum one-day capacity could be as high as 17,000, according to Garteiz.

The ports expansion is only the beginning, he continued. We are investing a great deal into expanding our current food and beverage capacity, port facilities, shopping venues and our shore excursion portfolio. At the end of the day, we are working to be comfortable at just under 20,000 guests.

For this season, Costa Maya introduced Bacalar Fort and Seven Color Lagoon tours and the Aqua Rocket, a new speedboat, while the Uvero Beach Club has been redone, among other efforts.

More activities are also being introduced in the Maya adventure park, including a monster truck circuit, as well as an animal encounter with tropical birds, monkeys and more.

For 2019, a new attraction named Journeys to the Mayan Legends is slated to open. This will be a river ride within the Mayan jungle showing guests different aspects of Mayan tradition, science and myth, Garteiz said.

Our plate is pretty full for now; however, we are nowhere near the end of the line. Ask me again next year, and I am sure I will have more news.
American Cruise Lines announced today that it had raised over $14,000 for the Connecticut Food Bank in time for the 2017 holiday season.

For the past five years, American Cruise Lines has held a Holiday Give-Back Program, which donates $50 for each cruise ticket sold during the holiday season to the Connecticut Food Bank.

The Connecticut Food Bank was founded in New Haven in 1982. It partners with food retailers, growers, donors and volunteers to source food and distribute it through a network of community-based programs. The Connecticut Food Bank provides food to hungry adults and children in six Connecticut counties: Fairfield, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London and Windham. They are an affiliate of Feeding America, the nations food bank network, and are the largest centralized source of emergency food in Connecticut. Last year, they distributed enough food to provide more than 18 million meals.

We are so pleased to contribute to this fantastic organization and our staff looks forward to volunteering at the Wallingford center each year. There is nothing more rewarding than giving back and directly effecting our local community in a meaningful way, especially during the holiday season, said Susan Shultz-Gelino, Director of Sales for American Cruise Lines.
Anonymity and privacy are not about closing the door when you go to the bathroom. For the individual, they might be about personal autonomy, political liberty or just protecting yourself in the digital world.

For the enterprise, employee privacy mitigates the risk of social engineering attacks, even blackmail. The more an attacker can learn about key people within an organization, the more targeted and effective they can make their attacks. Educating employees about how to protect their privacy, therefore, should be a core part of any security awareness program.

You can take specific, concrete steps to protect your privacy or that of your organizations employees, but they require energy, time and some technical know-how.

Privacy vs. anonymity

The universe believes in encryption, a wise man once opined, because it is astronomically easier to encrypt than it is to brute force decrypt. The universe does not appear to believe in anonymity, however, as it requires significant work to remain anonymous.

We are using privacy and anonymity interchangeably, and this is incorrect. An encrypted message may protect your privacy  because (hopefully) no one else can read it besides you and your recipient  but encryption does not protect the metadata, and thus your anonymity. Who you're talking to, when, for how long, how many messages, size of attachments, type of communication (text message? email? voice call? voice memo? video call?), all this information is not encrypted and is easily discoverable by sophisticated hackers with a mass surveillance apparatus, which is most these days.

A final thought before we dig into specific technical tools: "Online" is now a meaningless word. Meatspace and cyberspace have merged. We used to live in the "real world" and "go online." Now we live online, and things like geotracking of cell phones, facial recognition in public physical spaces, and so forth mean no amount of "online anonymity" will help you if your meatspace self is not also anonymous, which is nearly impossible these days.

Here are some steps to being completely, absolutely, but not really, only a little bit anonymous.

1. Use Signal

You may have heard the mantra, "Use Signal, use Tor," and while this one-two punch combo is a great start, it won't take down your opponent. Signal is the best-of-breed encrypted messaging app that lets you send text messages and voice memos as well as voice calls and audio calls. It looks and feels just like any other messaging app but under the hood uses encryption that, to the best of our knowledge, not even the National Security Agency can brute-force.

What about the metadata? Any network-level adversary can tell that you're using Signal, for starters, and if your adversary is the U.S. or Five Eyes, then they have mass surveillance access to all Signal traffic and know who is talking to whom, when and for how long.

Email encryption PGP, once bleeding edge cryptography for the masses, has fallen behind the times. No security software can be effective if it is unusable by its target audience, and PGP is so finicky to use that it is extremely easy to shoot yourself in the foot with it. If you are a software developer, using PGP to sign your code is a must. For secure, private, end-to-end encrypted communication, though, unless you have a large nation-state or three in your threat model, and you're technically proficient, you should not be using PGP. Use Signal instead.

The makers of Signal are well aware of these technical limitations and are researching ways to push the boundaries of what's possible. Metadata-resistant communication is an unsolved, cutting-edge technical research problem.

Bottom line: Signal is the most secure, easy-to-use messaging app available to date, and offers marginally more anonymity than any other app. Do not rely on it for strong anonymity, however. In fact, it's questionable whether anything provides strong anonymity these days, which brings us to Tor...

2. Use Tor

Tor is the largest, most robust, and most effective metadata-resistant software project, and the Tor Project does great work in the space, but the technical limitations of how much anonymity Tor can achieve have been evident to researchers for some time. No clear fix or replacement looms large on the horizon.

The Onion Router, better known as Tor (which is not an acronym by the way; the initial-caps spelling is a shibboleth to identify outsiders) is optimized for low-latency web browsing, only supports TCP (not UDP, sorry torrenteers), and won't work when accessing many larger websites, as they block access via Tor.

Tor does not offer guaranteed, complete anonymity, even for web browsing, but it is the best thing we've got at the moment. Like so many things in life (and the internet), Tor is dual use. The same technology journalists use to research stories anonymously is also used by criminals to do bad things. When you hear folks badmouthing the scary "Dark Web" and suggesting "someone should do something," remind them that just because bank robbers drive cars on the highway doesn't mean we propose banning cars or highways.

The Tor Browser should be your go-to choice for mobile usage. The Brave browser also offers a Tor option. Theres an official Tor Browser app for Android devices and OnionBrowser offers a Tor Project-endorsed but unofficial app for iOS.

3. Dont expect anonymity from VPNs

VPNs are not anonymous. There is literally nothing anonymous about using a VPN. No anonymity here. Did we mention VPNs don't offer anonymity? Just wanted to make sure we're clear on this point.

Since everyone expects VPNs on a list of anonymity tools, we're going to debunk the idea instead. All a VPN does is move trust from your ISP or, if you're traveling, your local coffeeshop or hotel or airport WiFi network to someone else's server. There are many legitimate security reasons why using a VPN is a great idea, but anonymity is not on that list. Anywhere. Not even at the bottom.

Unlike Tor, which bounces your traffic through three Tor nodes spread across the internet, making it very difficult, but not impossible, for an adversary to see what you're doing, a VPN simply shifts your traffic from your ISP (at home) or coffee shop WiFi (on the road) to the VPN's servers. That means the VPN provider can see all your traffic. That means that an adversary that gains control of the VPN's servers, by hacking them or by serving the VPN provider with a court order, can also see all your traffic.

VPNs are great. Use them. The good ones are way more trustworthy than your dodgy local coffeeshop WiFi network, but they offer zero anonymity.

4. Use zero-knowledge services

Google can read every email you send and receive. Office 365 scans everything you write. DropBox opens and examines everything you upload. All three companies  among many others  are PRISM providers, per the Snowden documents, meaning they cooperate with mass surveillance programs. If Google can see it, so can folks in Washington. You have no privacy on any of these services.

Of course, you could encrypt everything before using Gmail or before uploading your vacation photos to DropBox. If you care about privacy, and can figure out how to use PGP, you probably should. On the other hand, though, you could also choose to use service providers that advertise zero-knowledge file storage.

While you can never fully trust that a service provider hasn't been backdoored, DropBox-alternative SpiderOak, based in the U.S., advertises zero-knowledge file storage. Protonmail, based in Switzerland, advertises zero-knowledge email and claims that it's mathematically impossible for them to hand over your email to a third party.

We don't endorse any of these providers, and you should do your homework before entrusting anything important to them. However, the field of zero-knowledge file storage is an encouraging sign, and one worth keeping an eye on.

5. Be careful what you post online

Privacy is about autonomy, the notion that you choose to share what you want to share and to keep private what you want to keep private. If there's something going on in your life you don't want the entire world to know about, then posting about it on social media  for the entire world to see  may, ergo, not be the best idea.

There's a striking generational gap on this topic. Older generations cringe at the idea of airing their dirty laundry in public, while the generation that grew up with a cell phone welded to their palm thinks over-sharing is normal. There's a time and place for everything. Deliberate sharing of things you want to the world to see clearly has value.

Consider also that sharing a particular detail about your life may not appear sensitive on its own but taken in aggregate with many other shared personal details can build up a picture that you might hesitate to put onto a hostile internet.

Publishing on social media today is more permanent than chiseling hieroglyphics in stone. Take a step back and consider the whole picture of what you're sharing.

6. Check those app permissions

Mobile apps, for both iOS and Android, tend to request way more permissions than they actually need and are frequently caught extracting personal details from users' phones and transmitting those details back to the app maker in highly inappropriate ways.

Does that random app really need access to your microphone? (What for? Is it going to record everything you say?) What about your location? (Why? Is it going to track your location?) Your address book? (Does that app really need to know who all your friends are? What for?)

Neither Android nor iOS make it especially easy to do so, but dig through your settings and turn off unneeded permissions with extreme prejudice.

7. Use an ad blocker

In the olden days of glorious yore, advertisements were a one-to-many broadcast. An advertisement today bears no relationship to your grandpa's ads. Now one-to-one advertising networks watch you to better target ads at you.

Tracking your every move online and, increasingly, in meatspace, is the business model of huge chunks of Silicon Valley. Google and Facebook are two of the largest players in this space, and they track you all across the web and into meatspace, even if you don't have an account with either (though most of us do), and even if you aren't logged in.

Installing an ad blocker is no magic cure, but a paper-mache sword is better than nothing at all when the enemy hordes invade. The Brave Browser blocks ads and trackers by default. AdBlock has a good reputation, and other extensions are worth exploring, such as the Electronic Frontier Foundations excellent Privacy Badger extension. You can also sinkhole ad network DNS requests at your local router level.

8. Dump your home assistant

If you value your privacy and anonymity, for the love of the dogs chuck your home assistant (Amazon Echo, Google Home, etc.) and your snitch-in-a-box (Amazon Ring) into the trash. These always-on digital snoops are poisonous to privacy and anonymity, and there is no meaningful way to make them less privacy-invasive.

Ubiquitous deployment of such "assistants" makes clear the collective action problem: It doesn't matter if you choose not to purchase and install one of these devices. If all your neighbors own them and use them, then your privacy is toast. If everyone else in your neighborhood has a Ring recording everything that happens, then your movements in meatspace will also be recorded and tracked.

The technical tips we've provided here offer little more than a band-aid on a gaping wound. Use them, but be under no illusion that they will do much to protect your privacy.
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US President Donald Trumps threat to stop payment to the Pakistan Army for logistical support in Afghanistan has not come as a surprise.

The Trump administration has made no bones about its unhappiness with Pakistan, and the signs were there for all to see. Beginning with the announcement of the new Afghanistan policy in August, Pakistan has been on Trumps radar. Everyone saw it coming, but perhaps not as the first tweet in the new year. Predictably, Islamabad called in the US ambassador and protested the presidents harsh words.

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

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...  Hamid Karzai (@KarzaiH) January 1, 2018

What President Trump has in mind for Pakistan is not clear. For now he has stopped the money annually given to the Pakistan military for allowing the US forces to use its territory to carry supplies to its soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. Pakistan also allows the US to launch drone attacks from its soil and co-operates with US intelligence agencies in handing over suspected al Qaeda terrorists.

Yet in 2011, Osama Bin Laden was found living in the garrison town of Abbottabad. Pakistans ISI plays footsie with the US as and when it suits its interests. But payments were regularly made since 2001 for this help. This is just part of the payment, not all.

Many hardliners in India are delighted and believe New Delhis voice is being heard in world capitals. So far, this is not a game-changer for Pakistan. The tipping point, which will force Pakistan to mend its ways, has not yet come. Indeed once Trump announces what other measures he has in mind one will be in a better position to judge. But for now, if it is just funds that will be slashed, it would not mean much.

A tweet dear Trump is not enoughtime for the USto be tough you now regret billions you gavethink of the livesyou could have saved  Kapil Sibal (@KapilSibal) January 2, 2018

Indians at Trump's Pakistan tweet pic.twitter.com/u3BD5sn7t9  omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) January 2, 2018

American financial aid to Pakistan has been steadily dwindling over the years. At one point, Pakistan was the third-largest receiver of funds from the US. Nor will this be the first time that an American administration has withheld aid to Pakistan. In fact, the Pentagon during former president Barack Obamas term had withheld $300 milllion as military reimbursement in 2016.

In July last year, the Trump administration blocked $350 million. In the 1990s too, Washington had cut off aid to its allay because of Pakistans nuclear programme. Pakistan has survived all that.

Today it also has a cash rich all-weather friend to help out if necessary. Pakistan is the centre piece of Chinese President Xi Jinpings "one belt, one road" initiative. It is pouring in nearly $50 billion for the project. Money, therefore, cannot be the only leverage that the US has over Pakistan. But being on the wrong side of a powerful country and the world's only superpower has its downsides. Many see the action against 9/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed by the Pakistan government as an indication of things to come. But this is again nothing new.

Once the pressure eases, things will go back to what it was. Saeed remains a major asset for Pakistans military and he wont be sacrificed so easily. How will this affect India? Should New Delhi now get aggressive with Pakistan, cross the LoC and crush terror camps and hope to get away with it? Hardly.

Unless Pakistan provokes New Delhi with a major terror attack, aggressive military action inside Pakistani territory is not the answer. Islamabad will not take Indian action lying down. New Delhi is not Washington and relations with India a different ball game.

Although Indian officials claim that its diplomacy against Pakistan is working well and is having a major impact, this is wishful thinking.

Pakistan is at the receiving end not because of Indian diplomacy, but because of the mistakes committed by the Pakistan military in Afghanistan. Much of the goodwill that was there in abundance for Pakistan during the fight against Russian occupation of Afghanistan has evaporated.

The armys role in helping the Taliban and the Haqqani network to target American and NATO soldiers earlier had turned the US and its allies against the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi. While in the past, the US and western allies were not willing to give Indias complaints against Pakistan any credence, today because of its own experience in Afghanistan, it is willing to join New Delhi in condemning Islamabad, more specifically Rawalpindi. Beyond that nothing has changed.

It is also a fact that the US President may rant and rave as much as he wants, but finally for the stabilisation of Afghanistan, Pakistan remains crucial. Sooner or later, he will realise what other American leaders before him did. The US will need Pakistans goodwill in Afghanistan.

While the US and Pakistan will continue with the war on words for some time, eventually things will settle down. But till that time, the Pakistan military may not be averse to normalising ties with India. Despite the recent fiasco over Kulbhushan Jadhav and angry accusations on both sides, the NSAs of India and Pakistan met in Bangkok. A few weeks earlier, Pakistan army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had asked lawmakers to normalise ties with India. Was this because he wished to send a signal to Washington?

Because in his talks to parliamentarians, the general also said that Pakistan wanted to live in peace with all its neighbours, including Afghanistan and India. Yet this was followed by an attack on the Loc where an Indian major and three others were killed. Heavy shelling by both sides continue. India also retaliated the death of its soldiers.

The signals from Pakistan are conflicting. For New Delhi, it is important to take care of its security and not depend on anyone else to fight its battles.

Also read: Trump's Af-Pak policy is an opportunity for India
The new year started on a grim note for professors of 28 state-funded colleges of Delhi University (DU). Due to an ongoing row between DU and the Delhi government, these professors greeted the new year with no salary in their pockets - which is the result of the government's decision to freeze funds in July last year.

In July 2017, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia had decided to discontinue the financial aid provided by the Delhi government to colleges sending a wave of panic across the university.

As a result, the funding to 28 colleges of DU, including prominent ones like Gargi College, Kamala Nehru College, Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Shaheed Rajguru College, Maharaja Agrasen College and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, was halted as the colleges had been operating without governing bodies.

Now caught in the crossfire between DU and the Delhi government, professors claim that they do not have money to pay off their children's fees, rent of their houses, and EMIs. For these professors, it is nowhere close to 'Happy' New Year - as most greeted 2018 but with empty pockets.

S K Garg, principal of Deen Dayal Upadhyaya College, which is fully funded by the Delhi government, is foreseeing a financial crisis unfolding at his college.

"We are neither in a position to pay salary to our staff nor do we have funds for paying electricity, water and telephone bills. Financially, everything is held up, as we have not paid our outsourced security staff and sanitation staff," Garg said, adding that the college had to divert funds to ensure basic functioning of the institution.

"We cannot afford disconnection of electricity and water services so we have diverted the funds ideally meant for extra-curricular activities to pay the salary of our staff and essential services" he added. "So far, we have paid two months' salary from our own savings and examination fees collected from our students but now we are penniless," Garg informed.

Professors in the varsity have termed the salary cut as an arm-twisting measure by the central university due to an ongoing tussle between the state government and Centre's interest - which has led to financial crippling of professors' expenditure.

Bhupinder Kumar Chaudhary, associate professor of history at Maharaja Agrasen College, another fully-funded college of Delhi government, said, "Today, a middleclass family has its house running on EMI and if teachers are not receiving their salary, they are bound to run into financial difficulties within the first week of every month.

"How will we meet the monthly EMI deadline, how do we pay off the school fees of our children and other regular expenses? Some have to pay their rent by 7th or 10th of the month. Is this being taken into consideration?" Chaudhary wondered.

Keshav Mahavidyalaya has been able to pay off the salaries on time, but it is the routine functioning of the college that has suffered a setback and is likely to be put on a back burner soon.

"Shortage of funds will soon lead to academic crisis and second semester will be paralysed. How are we expected to conduct activities like symposium without enough money?" said Pradeep Kumar, professor of computer science at Keshav Mahavidyalaya.

Aware of the crisis, a senior official of Delhi government's education department, told MAIL TODAY that as soon as the names for governing body panel are sent to the government, funds to the colleges will be released with immediate effect.

"Delhi government will release the salary as soon as the names of panel members of governing body are submitted to us by the university," said the official, on condition of anonymity.
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Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said he has ordered an inquiry in the Koregaon-Bhima riot (Twitter/ANI)

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a judicial inquiry into deadly clashes that erupted during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the of the Koregaon-Bhima battle in Pune.

One person died after a group, opposed to the celebration due to the "British victory" in the Battle of Koregaon, clashed with a rally of Dalits making its way the Koregaon Bhima battle memorial.

CM Fadnavis said he has ordered an inquiry to find out the exact circumstances of the death and said people "should not believe in rumours".

"Around 3 lakh people had gathered (for the Koregaon-Bhima battle anniversary celebrations). Some people tried to create a serious scene. But six companies (of security personnel) were posted. Police promptly controlled the situation and averted a major problem," Fadnavis said.

"We have ordered a judicial probe in the incident under a sitting HC judge," the chief minister added. "Rs 10 lakh compensation for the next to kin of the deceased (has been announced)."

"I appeal political parties to refrain from making any decisive statements," Fadnavis also said, a sly reference to Opposition parties alleging the role of 'right-wing' forces in the violence seen at Bhima Koregaon yesterday.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar said he had spoken to locals who alleged that "some outsiders who belonged to right-wing organisations provoked the violence". Meanwhile, the Congress claimed the violence that took place was "completely pre-meditated."

The violence took place during an annual trek Dalits make to mark the anniversary of the 1818 Battle of Koregaon, in which British forces defeated an army of Peshwas.

(With inputs from Kamlesh Sutar in Mumbai)

WATCH | Dalits take to streets in protest after deadly Pune Koregaon Bhima violence
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Corp., U.S. HealthWorks, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Alaska, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Arizona, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Florida, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Georgia, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Illinois, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Indiana, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Kansas City, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Kentucky, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Maine, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Minnesota, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of New Jersey, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of North Carolina, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Ohio, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Pennsylvania, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Tennessee, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Texas, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Washington, U.S. HealthWorks Medical Group of Wisconsin, U.S. HealthWorks Provider Network of Colorado, U.S. HealthWorks of Colorado, U.S. HealthWorks of Illinois, U.S. HealthWorks of Indiana, U.S. HealthWorks of Kansas City, U.S. HealthWorks of Minnesota, U.S. HealthWorks of New Jersey, U.S. HealthWorks of North Carolina, U.S. HealthWorks of Pennsylvania, U.S. HealthWorks of Tennessee, U.S. HealthWorks of Washington, U.S. HealthWorks of Wisconsin, U.S. Medgroup, U.S. Medgroup Of Kansas, U.S. Medgroup of Arkansas, U.S. Medgroup of Delaware, U.S. Medgroup of Illinois, U.S. Medgroup of Massachusetts, U.S. Medgroup of Michigan, U.S. Medgroup of New Jersey, U.S. Medgroup of North Carolina, U.S. Medgroup of Ohio, U.S. Regional Occupational Health II, U.S. Regional Occupational Health II of NJ, USHW of California, USHW of Texas, Valor Healthcare, Victoria Healthcare, WWLTACH, West Gables Rehabilitation Hospital, and Wisconsin Prosthetics & Orthotics.
Drax Group plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the generation and supply of electricity in the United Kingdom. The company operates through three segments: Generation, Customers, and, Pellet Production. It produces low carbon and renewable electricity; and provides system support services to the electricity grid. The company owns and operates Drax Power Station that produces electricity from biomass and coal with an installed capacity of 3,906 megawatts (MW) located in Selby, North Yorkshire; Cruachan Power Station, a pumped hydro storage station, with an installed capacity of 440 MW located in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland; and Lanark and Galloway hydro-electric power stations with an installed capacity of 126 MW located in southwest Scotland. It also owns and operates combined cycle gas turbine power stations, including Damhead Creek power station with an installed capacity of 805 MW; Rye House power station with an installed capacity of 715 MW; Shoreham power station with an installed capacity of 420 MW; and Blackburn power station with an installed capacity of 60 MW located in England. In addition, the company owns and operates Daldowie fuel plant that processes sludge from a wastewater treatment plant and converts it into dry and low-odour fuel pellets. Further, it manufactures and sells compressed wood pellets for use in electricity production; supplies and manages electricity and gas for large industrial and commercial sector customers, as well as small businesses; and provides debt recovery services. Drax Group plc was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Selby, the United Kingdom.

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HFF, Inc. provides commercial real estate and capital market services to the consumers and providers of capital in the commercial real estate industry in the United States. The company offers debt placement services, such as construction and construction/mini-permanent loans, adjustable and fixed rate mortgages, bridge loans, entity level and mezzanine debts, forward delivery loans, and tax exempt and sale/leaseback financing to the owners of various properties comprising office, retail, industrial, hotel, multi-housing, student housing, self-storage, nursing homes, condominiums and condominium conversions, mixed-use properties, and land, as well as senior, independent, and assisted living facilities. It also provides investment advisory services to commercial real estate owners; and equity placement, as well as assists clients in the sale of their commercial real estate debt note portfolios. In addition, the company offers private equity, investment banking, and advisory services, including equity capital to establish joint ventures relating to identified properties or properties to be acquired by a fund sponsor; structured finance; institutional marketing and fund-raising services for public and private commercial real estate fund sponsors; advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, sales and divestitures, management buyouts, and recapitalizations and restructurings; and private placements of preferred securities. Further, it provides loan sales and commercial loan servicing to life insurance companies. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

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The fact that we have to admit in this day and age is that focusing on health and healthcare systems is of the utmost need. 2017 witnessed a number of healthcare crises in India, including the death of 60 children in Gorakhpur and the huge smog crisis in Delhi NCR. We'll definitely see a few more of these crises in 2018, and we need to be prepared.

It's quite significant that 2018 began with a nation-wide doctors' strike in many private hospitals. It suggests that the healthcare crisis is bound to intensify, as we see more health issues emerge.

The best you can do in this scenario is to be prepared to fight against some of the issues that affected this nation's health the most last year, and are bound to continue affecting us all this year as well.

Also Read: 5 health issues celebs brought into focus in 2017

Take a look at our pick of the six diseases you need to fight in 2018:

1. Lung diseases

This especially applies to people living in areas where air pollution-levels are rising by the day, like Delhi NCR. Experts have recently commented that Delhi NCR residents will soon have to depend on oxygen cylinders to be able to survive. Even if we don't have to get oxygen cylinders, we have to admit that the current state of the atmosphere is giving rise to many respiratory diseases, from frequent coughs to infections in the lungs.

What you need to do is to avoid stepping out during the early and late hours of the day, when pollution levels are at a peak. Wearing a smog-mask is also going to help. To find out other things you can do to protect your lungs, click here.

Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Instagram/smoglimit Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Instagram/smoglimit

2. Swine Flu

The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme revealed late in 2017 that the year had seen a rise in swine flu cases by 20 times in India! 8,543 people have succumbed to the H1N1 virus between 2010 and 2017, and the death toll is expected to rise in 2018. The worst hit states in 2017 were Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

What we need is better awareness about the H1N1 influenza, and get ourselves checked even if we have a single symptoms. To find out what precautions to take against swine flu, click here.

3. Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, also referred to by its short form, TB, claimed more than four lakh lives in 2016. The World Health Organisation released this data in October 2017, by which time more cases had come up in India, despite the government's National Strategic Plan for Elimination of Tuberculosis.

What we need, as the government itself is trying to do, is to intensify the fight against TB. Pharmaceutical companies and researchers are trying their best to come up with cures and treatments. What we can do to help the situation is to take a note of the symptoms, and get tested regularly.

4. Obesity

A report by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4), based on a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the number of obese people in the country have doubled in the last decade. That is quite alarming, because obesity leads to everything from diabetes to heart diseases.

Indians are clearly at a higher risk of being obese, and a report even claimed that there's been a rise in obesity among kids in Delhi. You need to be aware of this condition, and make better lifestyle choices. Exercise, proper nutrition and cutting off bad habits can only help you fight obesity better.

Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Instagram/diariodepernambuco Image for representative purpose. Picture courtesy: Instagram/diariodepernambuco

Also Read: Breast cancer to depression, birth control pills can be harmful for your health in many ways

5. Malnutrition

While we're battling obesity on the one hand, parts of the Indian population is dealing with the other end of the prism--malnutrition. This especially affects women and children in the country. The Global Nutrition Report of 2017 revealed that more than half the women of reproductive age suffered from anaemia.

38 percent of children below the age of five also have stunted growth as a result of malnutrition. 21 percent of children below the same age have been categorised as "wasted" or "severely wasted". If these numbers don't alarm you, then we don't know what will. The situation is quite dire, and needs everything from balanced nutrition to better care of women and children in India.

6. Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed types of cancers among women in India, though there's nothing really common about the disease, or what it does. Researchers revealed last year that 76,000 women are likely to die due to breast cancer by 2020. As we get closer to that date, we need to learn how to fight this major health issue better.

We need to break away from the myths about breast cancer, while also making sure that we test ourselves regularly, manually or through mammograms. To find out other details about breast cancer, click here.
MidSouth Bancorp, Inc., a bank holding company, through its subsidiary MidSouth Bank, N.A., provides various community banking products and services to commercial and retail customers in the United States. The company offers various deposit products, including interest-bearing and noninterest-bearing checking accounts, money market, savings accounts, investment accounts, and NOW account deposits, as well as time deposits, such as certificates of deposit; and commercial and industrial, commercial real estate, and consumer loans, as well as other loans secured by real estate. It also provides cash management services; and electronic banking services comprising remote deposit capturing services, Internet banking, and debit and credit cards. As of March 1, 2019, the company had 42 offices located in Louisiana and Texas, as well as a network of approximately 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs. MidSouth Bancorp, Inc. was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana.

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White Mountains Insurance Group Ltd. engages in the acquisition of businesses and assets in the insurance, financial services and related sectors. It operates through the following segments: HG Global/BAM, NSM, Kudu, and Other Operations. The HG Global/BAM segment refers to the White Mountains's investment in HG Global Limited, and the consolidated results of Build America Mutual Assurance Company (BAM). The NSM segment comprises of full-service managing general underwriting agency and program administrator for specialty property and casualty insurance. The Kudu Segment provides capital solutions for boutique asset managers for a variety of purposes including generational ownership transfers, management buyouts, acquisition and growth finance and legacy partner liquidity. The Other Operations segment comprises of the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiary, WM Capital, its wholly-owned investment management subsidiary, WM Advisors, and its other intermediate holding companies, as well as certain consolidated and unconsolidated private capital and other investments. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Hanover, NH.

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Chennai, Jan 2 (PTI) Doctors across Tamil Nadu today struck work in protest against a proposed legislation seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body. Government doctors boycotted work for one hour from 9.30 AM to 10.30 AM, an office bearer of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association said. Private practitioners affiliated to Indian Medical Association (Tamil Nadu branch) held state-wide protests, IMA state president Dr Jayalal said. The stir called by IMA was withdrawn later in the day after the Bill was referred to a parliamentary standing committee, which has been asked to give its report before the Budget session.

The Bill was referred to the committee following protest from the opposition parties, as well as doctors.

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". According to the Bill,the commission will have government nominated chairman and members and board members will be selected by a search committee under the Cabinet Secretary. There will be five elected and 12 ex-officio members in the panel. Political parties in Tamil Nadu, including the main opposition DMK, also opposed the Bill and demanded its withdrawal,alleging that it went against the rights of states DMK alleged that the recommendation of Parliamentary and expert committees, mooting a uniform fee structure for private medical colleges, were rejected. The Bill envisages private medical colleges filling up 60 per cent seats and it "confirms that it is to give away medical education to private players," party working president M K Stalin said. PMK leader and former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss demanded that the bill be withdrawn or sent to a Parliamentary Standing Committee. It should be tabled only after deleting clauses, including those "which went against social justice and states rights," he said. Aspects like allotting 60 per cent of seats to private colleges would hit chances of deserving candidates from the government quota, he said and pointed out that 65 per cent of seats in private institutions in Tamil Nadu are now with government and the rest with colleges. CPI(M) State Secretary G Ramakrishnan also demanded that it be withdrawn and alleged that it was a denial of states rights and a bid to privatise medical education and services. PTI VGN APR RBS
After the National Medical Commission Bill suggested a replacement of Medical Council of India with a new body, the Indian Medical Association called for a protest against it.

The bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

In fact, the bill also proposed to allow alternative medicine graduates to practice allopathy on the completion of a 'bridge course'.

Doctors believed that the new bill would debilitate their functioning. In protest of it, the IMA observed today as 'Black Day'.

The Delhi Medical Association also supported the protest and backed the idea of shutting all OPDs in private and corporate services. However, the emergency and critical services were operational.

Due to the protest, patients in Karnataka had to wait outside hospitals. In Bangalore, while smaller hospitals shut their OPDs, large scale hospitals are reported to have functioned normally. However, OPD services in government hospitals remained unaffected.

Maharashtra on the other hand, saw a participation of 40,000 doctors in the protest and many patients were deprived of consultation.

To voice their opinion, IMA members had a meeting with Union Health Minister JP Nadda. They had also written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting a re-drafting of the bill and some of its provisions.

In the letter, they voiced their concerns about the impact of the bill on the employees of the Medical Council of India. They mentioned how such a decision would impact their future and their permanence of employment on a large scale.

Doctors called off their protest after the government sent the bill to a parliamentary committee for review.

Here are the main demands of IMA:

1. There should be no bridge courses and only MBBS should be the recognised degree.

2. There should be no licentiate exam after one gets a MBBS degree.

3. There should be 1 elected representative in NMC from the Registered Medical Graduates of every state.

4. The bill proposed a separate national register to record the names of all the licensed AYUSH practitioners who qualify for the bridge course. IMA demanded that the names of BAMS and BHMS graduates are already registered with their respective councils and so there should not be separate registration for AYUSH.

5. IMA demanded an answer about the autonomy of the National Medical Commission, as the bill stated that the central government would be entitled to give directions to the commission and the autonomous boards.

6. Protesting the bill's proposal to do away with permissions to start a medical college, IMA suggested legitimate inspection to start and run a medical college.

IMA, which has more than 2.5 lakh members, has termed the bill as 'anti-poor', 'anti-people' and 'anti-patient'.
The Donald Trump's 'Buy America, Hire American' initiative might soon hurt thousands of foreign workers in the United States. The Trump administration is considering a proposal that would prevent extensions of H-1B visa. This directly affects thousands of Indian immigrants working in the US on H-1B visa as they could be deported.

What is H-1B visa?

It is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

What is the new proposal?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the body that looks after public security, immigration, citizenship etc, is considering a measure which could stop foreign workers from keeping their H-1B visas while their green card applications are pending.

Currently, the authorities can extend the H1-B visas beyond the permissible two- or three-year terms even if the green card is pending, but if this so-called 'self-deportation' measure is implemented then 500,000 to 750,000 Indian H-1B visa holders could be deported.

"The idea is to create a sort of 'self- deportation' of hundreds of thousands of Indian tech workers in the United States to open up those jobs for Americans," said a US source briefed by Homeland Security officials as reported by McClatchy DC Bureau.

Other proposals

Earlier, the Trump administration had also considered revoking an Obama-era rule that gives work authorisation to the spouses of H-1B visa holders. Former President Barack Obama, under H-4 dependent visas, made spouses of H-1B visa holders eligible to work in the US.

"DHS is proposing to remove from its regulations certain H-4 spouses of H-1B non-immigrants as a class of aliens eligible for employment authorisation," the agency said.

This move will not hamper job prospects of those with H-1B visas but could affect their stay in the US as their spouses would not find work easily.

According to the notice, the changes are being made in light of President Trump's 'Buy American, Hire American' order issued earlier this year.

Also read: DACA: All you need to know about the immigration program and how will it affect Indian-Americans
While all of us kissed 2017 goodbye only once--at 12am, precisely, as January 1, 2018 hit us--there are a lucky few who got to experience the end of the year twice!

In what science-fiction fans might enthusiastically call time-travel, the passengers aboard a Hawaiian Airlines flight bid goodbye to 2017 twice, thanks to the time-zone differences.

Also Read: If you are expecting special treatment from a flight attendant, here's what you should do

The Hawaiian Airlines Flight HA446 took off from Auckland, New Zealand, at 12.05am on January 1, 2018, and reached Honolulu, Hawaii, at 9.45am on December 31, 2017.

That this even happened was coincidental, since the flight was actually supposed to leave and reach in 2017 itself. But it was thanks to a 10-minute delay that this feat of technical time-travel was made possible, reveals Mashable. It's because of this delay that the passengers reached Hawaii a day early, since Auckland is 23 hours ahead of Hawaii.

Also Read: This is how an airline staff deals with unruly passengers on a flight

Not only did the passengers aboard this flight get to technically travel back in time, they also got to experience the last day of the year 2017 all over again.

It's incidents like these that make us believe that time travel is real, in a way. Well, at least it was for the passengers and flight crew aboard that flight!
(EDS: Updates with details)

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Rajinder Khanna, former chief of the countrys external intelligence agency RAW, was today appointed as Deputy National Security Adviser, according to an official order.

The post was lying vacant since Arvind Gupta, a former Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer, completed his tenure in August last year. Gupta was in August 2014 appointed to the post.

Khanna, a 1978 batch Research and Analysis Wing Service (RAS) officer, has supervised several counter-terrorism operations and is considered an expert on Pakistan and Islamic terrorism.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the appointment of Khanna as Deputy NSA on re-employment and on contractual basis, the order issued by personnel ministry said, without mentioning his tenure.

Khanna is at present Officer on Special Duty (Neighbourhood Studies) in the National Security Council Secretariat.

Neighbourhood Studies prepares policy papers of neighbouring countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal.

The National Security Council, headed by Modi with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval as its Secretary, is the apex body on all internal and external security-related matters.

It is for the first time when both the NSA the and Deputy NSA are from intelligence agency background.

Doval, a former Indian Police Service officer, retired as chief of Intelligence Bureau, countrys internal intelligence agency, in January 2005.

Doval was Indias main negotiator with the hijackers of the Indian Airlines plane IC-814 that was taken to Kandahar in Afghanistan in 1999. PTI AKV KIS
Chennai, Jan 2 (PTI) Customs officials today seized gold worth Rs 23 lakh that was concealed in a popcorn maker and arrested a passenger who arrived from Dubai at the Chennai airport.

Acting on a tip off, the customs sleuths probed the passenger and his checked-in baggage in which he was carrying a "popcorn maker box" and a "portable CD radio player", an official release said.

On realising that the goods were "unusually heavy", the officials dismantled and recovered gold sheets that were concealed in the popcorn maker and the portable CD player, it said.

Total 782 grams of gold valued at Rs 23 lakh of 24 carat purity was recovered and the passenger was arrested under provision of Customs Act, 1962, the release added. PTI VIJ KIS
NCB officials are almost sure that an international racket is behind the recent rise in operation but are peeved that they could nab only the carriers. (Photo: Pixabay)

Kochi: In the biggest ever haul of cocaine in the state, a Filipina was caught by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials at Nedumbassery airport with 4.8 kg of the contraband valued at Rs 25 crore in the international market on Monday.

The woman named Jonna De Torres (36) arrived at the airport from Sao Paulo in Brazil. She travelled via Addis Ababa and Muscat. Cocaine was found hidden in a wrapped trolley bag she carried.

This is the third big haul of cocaine in a row at this airport. Last month NCB-Cochin had arrested a Venezuelan national with one kilogram of cocaine, and in November a Paraguayan was caught with 3.6 kg of the narcotic drug.

NCB officials are almost sure that an international racket is behind the recent rise in operation but are peeved that they could nab only the carriers. The Filipina was caught when she was found moving suspiciously before immigration clearance.

When her trolley bag was checked cocaine was found inside. She was understood to be on the lookout for someone outside waiting, said an official. Officials said that Kochi had become a soft target for narcotic drug trafficking both for local use and transit since major airports have upped surveillance.

New Year demand also must have prompted the racket to smuggle in such a large amount of the contraband. NCB has now decided to intensify the bid to crack the racket and catch the people operating in the state in association with other law enforcement agencies.

NCB officials said that the Filipina would be produced in a magistrate court and NCB will seek her custody for interrogation.
Bengaluru: New Years Eve in Bengaluru is marked by high revelry, followed by the inevitable low of trying to find transport back home. Booking a cab is an expensive prospect and hundreds of party goers found themselves stranded in HAL, Marathahalli, Whitefield and Kadugodi. The situation seemed bleak. Soon, a ray of hope arrived  the Bengaluru police played Good Samaritan on the night of January 1, escorting hundreds of people home in police patrol vehicles! Nearly 200 people were dropped at their homes in Whitefield and surrounding areas, in a police effort that lasted till the break of dawn.

Abdul Ahad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Whitefield division told Deccan Chronicle, We received information from our police personnel patrolling the streets, about people were not able to hail cabs as there were a very limited number available. So, we spoke to the Commissioner of Police and explained the situation to him, requesting for permission to use patrolling vehicles to drop the public home. He immediately gave us the go-ahead.

The information was passed on to ground staff, who began approaching people asking if they wanted a ride home. Around 80 patrolling vehicles were in the Whitefield division and 30 were assigned to drive people back home. We directed officials on ground to give first preference to women, children and senior citizens, said DCP Ahad.

Another senior police officer expressed surprise by the absence of cabs. It was late at night and they had no way of getting home. We wanted everyone to be safe and this was our solution. We approached people standing near malls, pubs, restaurants and other laces and asked them if they wanted our services. They were surprised, but they quickly hopped into the patrolling vehicles and enjoyed the drive!

The public were quick to show their appreciation and lauded the efforts of the Bengaluru City police. Amar Kumar and his family, who were dropped to Kadugodi were excited to have the police were dropping them back home.

It is a warm gesture by the police who give their time to safeguard us. If it hadn't been for their timely, welcoming presence, we would have to risk walking several kilometres to get home. They have earned our utmost respect.


Koda was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL). (Photo: PTI/File)

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed a trial court order awarding three-year jail term to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in a coal scam case till January 22, by when it has also sought response of the CBI on his appeal challenging the conviction and sentence.

Justice Anu Malhotra also stayed the order imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Koda, who was present in the court, and granted him interim bail till the next date of hearing this month with a direction that he will not leave the country.

The order came on Koda's plea seeking suspension of sentence and regular bail till pendency of his appeal before the high court.

Koda, who was held guilty of corruption and conspiracy in allocation of a Jharkhand-based coal block to Kolkata-based company Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL), also challenged the December 13 and 16, 2017 orders of conviction and sentence respectively, which was admitted by the high court.

The former chief minister was granted bail by a trial court till January 18.

In his appeal, Koda said the trial court order holding him guilty was bad in law.

The appeal and stay on the fine was opposed by CBI counsel Tarannum Cheema. The agency, however, did not oppose interim bail granted to Koda till January 22.

The high court had on December 22, 2017 stayed a trial court order imposing a fine of Rs 50 lakh on VISUL in the case till the next date of hearing.

The high court on December 20 had sought response of the CBI on an appeal by Koda's close aide Vijay Joshi against the trial court's order awarding him three year-jail term in the coal scam case.

All the pleas filed so far in connection with this matter will be heard on January 22.

Koda, ex-coal secretary H C Gupta, A K Basu, former Jharkhand chief secretary, and Joshi were awarded jail terms of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching a criminal conspiracy in the allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based company.

While sentencing the convicts, the special court had said "white collar crimes" were more "dangerous" to the society than ordinary crimes.

It had imposed fines of Rs 50 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 1 lakh on VISUL, Koda and Gupta respectively in the UPA-era coal scam. Rs one lakh fine was also imposed on Basu.

The convicts were granted statutory bail for a period of two months to enable them to file appeals in the Delhi High Court.

So far, four out of 30 coal block allocation scam cases have been decided by the special court, including this order, and 12 people and four companies have been held guilty.

The convicts were tried for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants) of the IPC and under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the offence of cheating carries a maximum punishment of seven years jail term, criminal breach of trust by public servants entails a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

The CBI had said that the firm had applied for allocation of Rajhara North coal block on January 8, 2007.

It had said that although the Jharkhand government and the steel ministry did not recommend VISUL's case for coal block allocation, the 36th Screening Committee recommended the block to the accused firm.

The CBI had said that Gupta, who was chairman of the screening committee, had concealed facts from then prime minister Manmohan Singh, who at that time headed the coal ministry too, that Jharkhand had not recommended VISUL for

allocation of a coal block.
Soon after the protests escalated in Mumbai and suburbs, police swept into action to avoid any untoward incidents. Police personnel donned riot gear and patrolled the protests hit areas where incidents of stone pelting were reported. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Mumbai: Dalits took to streets in parts of Mumbai on Tuesday to protest against the violence which ignited in Pune on Monday.

Soon after the protests escalated in Mumbai and suburbs, police swept into action to avoid any untoward incidents. Police personnel donned riot gear and patrolled the protests hit areas where incidents of stone pelting were reported.

Traffic was hit on the Eastern Express Highway near Mumbai and local train services were also disrupted.

A protester who was trying to immolate himself was saved just in time.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has warned people not to spread rumours on social media.

More than 100 people have been detained over different locations, news agency ANI reported the Mumbai Police PRO as saying.

Reports quoting eyewitnesses said the commotion commenced at Chembur naka. The police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. Unconfirmed reports also suggest that a bus was stoned at during the protests.

Violence was also reported from Powai, Mankhurd, Bhandup, Govandi, Sion and Mulund where several shops were forced to pull down their shutters.

The protesters blocked roads in several areas of Mumbai, forced shops to shut down. A few shops that stayed open were vandalised. Outlets in Ghatkopar were also closed.

A journalist of a television news channel was also attacked by a group of protesters in the Amar Mahal area near Chembur station. However, he escaped unhurt.

The central railway has suspended suburban services between Kurla and Vashi on its harbour corridor and is running special services between CSMT-Kurla and Vashi-Panvel section. An announcement regarding the same is being made at all stations of the central railway.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration.

The protesters stopped local train services at the Govandi and Chembur railway stations of the Harbour Line.

Central Railway's Chief PRO Sunil Udasi said the agitators came out on tracks and stopped the suburban services, though the railways has nothing to do with the incident.

Mumbai Police on its Twitter page requested citizens not to spread rumours.

Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked BJP and RSS for the clashes.

A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance.  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 2, 2018

Meanwhile, Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM) leader Prakash Ambedkar has called for Maharashtra bandh on Wednesday to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima Koregaon village in Pune district on Monday.

Ambedkar alleged that Hindu Ekta Aghadi was responsible for the violence.

He said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front, besides 250 organisations, have supported Wednesdays shutdown.

Ambedkar, the grandson of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar, has appealed for peace during the bandh period.

Referring to the caste clashes in Bhima Koregaon, Ambedkar ruled out any conflict between Marathas and Dalits.

"If there was any tension, the 200th anniversary commemoration of the Bhima Koregaon battle would not have taken place. Yesterday's programme was organised by Sambhaji Brigade (a Maratha organisation)," he said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai.

Read: As Dalit protests hit Mumbai, Ambedkars grandson calls for state bandh tomorrow

Clashes between Dalit and Maratha groups broke out on Monday during an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to the celebration of 'British' victory.

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism occurred at Bhima Koregaon in Shiroor tehsil on Monday afternoon when people were heading for the war memorial in the village, police said.

The violence erupted after a local group and some members of the crowd on its way to the memorial, had an argument over some issue.

"Stone-pelting started after the argument. During the violence, some vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged," a police officer deployed for security at Bhima Koregaon said without elaborating.

He said the police stopped traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway for some time following the incident.

Maharashtra: Violence between two groups during an event to mark 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune yesterday, vehicles set on fire pic.twitter.com/5RpITAK4qB  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Mobile phone networks were also blocked for a few hours to stop circulation of inflammatory messages.

The battle of Bhima Koregaon was fought on January 1, 1818. Some Dalit leaders and thinkers view its outcome as a victory of oppressed classes over the upper-caste establishment of those times.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale demanded police protection for Dalits in the wake of Monday's violence.

"Dalit groups visiting Bhima Koregaon were stopped at Sanaswadi near Koregaon. Stones were hurled at them. No police force was available for their protection," Athawale said in a statement.

He also appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to deploy additional police force in the village and provide protection to the members of local Dalit community.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered judicial enquiry for Bhima Koregaon incident and has also ordered a CID enquiry for the death of a youth and an assistance of Rs 10 lakh to kin of the victim who died on Monday.

He said strict action will be taken against all those who spread rumours and try to invoke violence.

Meanwhile, the situation in Pune remained under control on Tuesday with Section 144 still imposed in the area.
Despite Bengaluru being a fast growing city, the BBMP is not able to augment its revenue through property tax, road digging fee, optical fibre laying, advertisement fee and so on. (Photo: DC)

Property tax, road digging fee, advertisement fee (to name a few) - the BBMP abounds in sources of revenue. If the extent of road-laying and construction work taking place across the city is anything to go by, the Palike should be flush with funds. No. The cash-strapped BBMP depends on the state for nearly 46% of its funding, inhibiting its ability to provide the city with infrastructure and a better quality of life. The civic body is lax about revenue collection, however, with very little accountability among its officers and illegal commercial establishments in residential zones depriving it of crores in property tax, reports Aknisree Karthik.

Its evident to most that the BBMP is not every good at keeping the city clean and tidy. Although it is rushing to make up for lost time now by laying roads that are durable with the state assembly elections fast approaching and on the government s prodding, the city has lived with pothole-filled roads for years and the garbage on the streets tells its own story.

The list of the civic agencys ineptness, however, doesnt end there, but extends to its revenue collection as well. While it mops up revenue in the form of service charges, advertisement taxes, trade license fee, building regulation fee and and so on, its principal source of revenue is property tax. For years it has fallen far short of its target in collecting this tax, the mainstay of its income, with many in the city getting away without paying it. It has done a little better of late , managing to mop up Rs 1,723 crore of its target of Rs 2,600 in property tax in the first six months of the year alone, the highest it has collected in five years. While linking GIS to the property tax system appears to have paid off, experts believe it can do a lot better on this front

The BBMP is also failing miserably in collecting the advertisement tax and fee due to it. Having set itself a target of mopping up Rs 82 crore from both sources it has not even reached half its target so far, going by official sources . Move on to road cutting and optical fibre cable laying and things are no better. Although it aimed to make Rs 350 crore from both, in the absence of a proper system or the needed staff it has failed to check the rampant illegal road cutting all over the city, which has robbed it of its rightful income.

Failing to generate adequate revenue of its own, the BBMP is, not surprisingly, heavily dependant on state funds for its survival. Of the Rs 9,243 crore allocated in its last annual budget, its own revenue constituted only Rs 4,252 crore.

Mr Sridhar Pabbisetty, CEO of Namma Bengaluru Foundation, believes the BBMP can do a lot better in generating revenue if it pulls up its socks and makes its officers more accountable. "The BBMP should fix accountability on its officials for their failure to collect property tax. The Standing Committee for Taxation and Finance should also be held responsible. What stops it from carrying out a thorough audit and figure out the reasons for their failure to meet their property tax targets year after year?" he demands.

The civic activist also blames rampant commercialisation of residential areas for the shortfall in BBMPs revenue collection. The BBMP is losing crores in revenue from the commercial activities carried out in residential areas against all norms. If it succeeds in putting a stop to this, the illegal establishments will automatically move to the commercial areas, where they should rightfully be and apply for trade licences, he points out

Regretting that despite Bengaluru being a fast growing city, the BBMP is not able to augment its revenue through property tax, road digging fee, optical fibre laying, advertisement fee and so on, Mr Pabbisetty says this shows how rampant corruption is in the civic body and how much in cahoots the politicians and babus are.

Sadly, when an officer tries to do his job, his reward is a transfer, he laments. Take former assistant commissioner (advertising), Mathai, who exposed a revenue loss of Rs 2,000 crore. Instead of empowering him to take action, he was handed a transfer order, he notes with disgust, warning that unless the BBMP ups its game, it will continue to go to the state government with a begging bowl for funds to improve the citys infrastructure.

Without a system in place, defaulters make hay

Every year the BBMP fixes a target for property tax collection and comes out with reasons for not meeting it at the end of the year. This year the target was Rs 2,600 crore. But with just two months left for the financial year to end, it has managed to collect only Rs 1,723 crore," regrets Mr D S Rajashekar, president of the Citizens' Action Forum, noting that the shortfall in collection continues despite the introduction of GIS to identify properties.

Giving an example of how poor the system in place is, he says, "I have been paying property tax regularly. I have paid it both manually and online over the years. But the other day a ward revenue officer walked up to my house and said I had not paid property tax for many years. If they do not have a proper system in place to update the tax I have paid, just imagine how easy it would be for people to get away without paying the tax!"

Pointing out that even today, while an estimated 19 lakh properties are supposed to pay property tax in the city, only 16 lakh actually do, civic activists argue that a little efficiency could help the BBMP mop up as much as Rs 7000 to Rs 8000 crore from this tax alone.

It is the duty of the ward revenue officer to check for new buildings coming up in an area and report if any existing building has planned an expansion by building more floors. But the BBMP does not have a proper record of this kind and the officials keep mum as their hands are greased, Mr Rajshekar charges, adding, The BBMP will not have to resort to beating of drums, writing on the walls of the homes of tax defaulters and so on if its officials do their job.

Palike still heavily dependent on state grants: Sapna Karim, head, civic

articipation, Janaagraha

In the first six months of the year the BBMP collected Rs 1,723 crore in property tax as against its annual target of Rs 2600 crore. This is the highest it has collected in the last five years and commendable from a revenue generation perspective.

The GIS enabled property tax system that it announced in the 2017-18 Budget was a good move. Taking steps to identify and geo-reference properties is key to ascertaining the extent of revenue the city can generate through property tax alone, its principal source of income. The civic agency has also done well in paying off pending bills to the tune of Rs 1,200 crore in the first half of the year from a capital expense budget of Rs 6,088 crore.

But it is heavily dependant on state grants with 46 per cent of its total revenue of 4,250 crore coming from the government. This heavy reliance on the state inhibits its ability to focus on providing better infrastructure and a high quality of life to the people. In fact, Bengaluru ranks at a low 19th among the 21 cities covered by the Annual Survey of Indias City Systems(ASICS) when it comes to investing in adequate funding for infrastructure and services, a direct fallout of its inability to raise more revenue of its own.

At the end of the first half of the year the BBMP still had a high residual budgeted spend on infrastructure totalling Rs 5758 crore. As many as 2,422 tenders and 2,515 job codes for an investment of Rs 1206 crore were raised in the first half of the year. While this may be less when compared to the same period the previous year, it is still a very good indication of potential projects in the pipeline.
Chaos prevailed in Parliament with the Congress slamming Mr Singh for his remark and sought his apology.

New Delhi: The BJP-led NDA, which has been harping on nationalism and invoking the sacrifices of Army and security personnel, was caught on the wrong foot on Tuesday when its Lok Sabha MP from Rampur, Nepal Singh commented that it was normal for soldiers to die during a combat.

Woh toh roz marenge, Army mein (those in the Army are bound to die daily). Is there any country where armymen dont die during jhagda (fighting)? Even when there is a fight in a village, one or two persons are bound to get injured, Mr Singh told a news agency while reacting on the December 31 terrorist attack on a CRPF camp in Pulwama in J&K in which five security personnel were killed.

Chaos prevailed in Parliament with the Congress slamming Mr Singh for his remark and sought his apology. A red faced BJP pulled up the MP, who later apologised for his comments.

I did not say anything to insult the Army. I have always supported the Army and promoted them. I am saddened and I apologise if they felt... But I did not say anything like that, he said. The MP added that he always encouraged more people to join the armed forces.

Holding on to the controversial comment on the terrorist attack, Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia questioned the governments Pakistan policy. He slammed the government over National Security Adviser Ajit Dovals meeting his Pakistani counterpart in Bangkok last week, notwithstanding Pakistani authorities ill-treating the family of Indian death row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav in Islamabad.

Rebutting the charges, parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar accused the Congress of trying to play politics over a sensitive issue.
Chennai: The Madras high court came to the rescue of a lady doctor who was denied PG medical admission on the ground that she has not completed two years of minimum service by excluding the maternity leave availed by her. The court directed the authorities to admit her in Diploma in Gynecology and Obstetrics for the next academic year 2018-19 without the necessity of applying and writing the Neet examination 2018.

This case would throw light as to how the government officials are acting contrary to the Rules, prejudicing the rights of women government servants like the petitioner. It is nothing but an incidence of woman harassment. Refusing to grant the legal benefit itself is an incidence of harassment of woman or discrimination of woman. The officials who are supposed to take decision need to be sensitised regarding the entitlement of maternity leave of women government servants, said Justice N. Kirubakaran while allowing a petition from Dr U. Ishwarya.

The judge said no Act or clause or rule/condition would take away the fundamental and human right of a lady to conceive and give birth to a child and the consequential benefits like maternity leave, if she is an employed woman. If any such condition has been prescribed by the authorities, it has to be declared as null and void, the judge added.

Referring to the contention put forth by the special government pleader that approved probationers alone were entitled to maternity leave, Justice Kirubakaran said nature does not discriminate whether the woman was an approved probationer or unapproved probationer with regard to childbirth.

The very purpose of having maternity leave was to avoid hard labour or work at the time of pregnancy as it would be detrimental to the servant/employee and also the health of the foetus. Hence, benefits given under Rule 10 (a) of Tamil Nadu Fundamental Rules were equally applicable to the petitioner, an unapproved probationer and there cannot be any discrimination, the judge added.

Pointing out that the petitioner has scored 1097 marks in Neet PG 2017, the judge said the petitioner was already frustrated as she has been made to run from pillar to post for no fault of hers and the right of admission accrued to her should not be vitiated merely because the time limit for admission stipulated by the Supreme Court was already over. In the middle of the academic year, if the petitioner was to be admitted in the course, it would not only be against the interest of the petitioner but also society as the clinical training and study, which the petitioner would have got from October 1 to till date could not be gained by her. Hence, the petitioner could not be admitted during the present academic year.

The interest of justice requires only admission of the petitioner in a PG diploma course in the next academic year, the judge added.
MANGALURU: Veteran Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary, who recently broke down in public in the wake of an insult allegedly heaped on him by forests minister B Ramanath Rai, has caused much anxiety among local leaders as the former Union minister's tears could cost the ruling party dear in forthcoming elections to the Legislative Assembly.

Though Mr Poojary has lost a couple of times in Lok Sabha polls, he holds sway over voters belonging to Billava community, traditional supporters of Congress. In recent days, he has been ignored after he turned a bitter critic of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and his supporter Vinay Kumar Sorake was dropped from the ministry during a reshuffle last year. The video of Mr Poojary in tears has gone viral much to the chagrin of party leaders who fear it could impact the prospects of the Congress in the coastal region. Besides, his close associate, Harikrishna Bantwal, joined the BJP recently and has been repeatedly mentioning about Mr Poojary's emotional outbursts in public rallies.

At a function held at Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, Mr Harikrishna Bantwal spoke about district in-charge minister Mr B Ramanath Rai using abusive language while mentioning about Mr Poojary, thus hurting the sentiments of three-lakh odd members of Billava community.

A day after, Mr Poojary broke down while addressing a gathering at Garodi Sri Brahman Baidarkala Temple, saying he was hurt by insinuations hurled against him by Mr Rai. The video footage of this event with Mr Poojary in tears soon went viral in the region, causing unrest among members of Billava community.

Mr Poojary in tears will definitely damage the party's image in the next election. Surveys have given us only two seats in Assembly elections. A section of Muslims has distanced from the Congress and is with SDPI. Though Billavas are traditional supporters of the Congress, in recent years they are drifting towards BJP. But the recent incident of Mr Poojary breaking down and blaming minister Mr Rai will further distance Billavas from the Congress, a senior elected representative told Deccan Chronicle.
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.
The removal of the app is Googles way of retaliating to Amazons refusal of selling Googles products and services on their e-commerce platform.

In the world of consumer technology, apps play an important role and decide the rise or demise of a particular platform. Googles YouTube is currently the biggest source of video content on the web and every platform provides an app to access it  except for Amazon, whose Fire TV stick and Echo Show tablets are currently witnessing the withdrawal of the app.

The removal of the app is Googles way of retaliating to Amazons refusal of selling Googles products and services on their e-commerce platform. Google had been in talks with Amazon for reaching an agreement on selling their products on their marketplace while Google would make available Amazons content on their devices such as Chromecast and others. Google had also been looking forward to providing their apps on Amazons Fire TV platform. However, neither party could reach a conclusion, leading to the Search giant pulling off the support for YouTube from Amazons latest range of Echo smart devices.

In an interview to The Verge, YouTube said, Weve been trying to reach an agreement with Amazon to give consumers access to each others products and services. But Amazon doesnt carry Google products like Chromecast, and Google Home doesnt make Prime Video available for Google Cast users, and last month stopped selling some of Nests latest products. Given this lack of reciprocity, we are no longer supporting YouTube on Echo Show and FireTV. We hope we can reach an agreement to resolve these issues soon.

Currently, Fire TV owners can access the website version of YouTube from browsers such as Firefox and Silk. Another way to keep using YouTube is to prevent updating the firmware so as to keep the app working.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Gold worth Rs 14 lakh, ingeniously concealed as hooks of handbags for women being carried by a passenger, has been seized at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here, a senior customs official said today.

Acting on intelligence, the accused was intercepted by the customs after his arrival from Dammam, Saudi Arabia, yesterday.

"A detailed search resulted in recovery of 24 pieces of gold which were given circular shape and used as hooks of three ladies bags carried by him. The accused had coated the hooks with silver colour to avoid suspicion," he said.

The seized gold, weighing about 500 grams, is worth Rs 14 lakh, the officer said.

The passenger, who hails from Rajasthan, has not been arrested, he said. PTI AKV SMN
Tamimi's father Bassem has said she was upset when she approached the soldiers after her 15-year-old cousin was shot with a rubber bullet. (Photo: AFP)

Ramallah (East Jerusalem): An Israeli military court on Monday indicted a teenage Palestinian girl who was filmed last month in the West Bank slapping Israeli troops who refused to respond.

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 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."

Tamimi was arrested at her home in a pre-dawn raid three days after the confrontation, amid an uproar in Israel.

Tamimi 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 Tamimi's extended family. For eight years, villagers along with Israeli and foreign activists have protested weekly against Israeli policies in the West Bank.

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.

Jarrar, who is in her mid-50s, is a popular figure among Palestinians and is known for fiery speeches against Israel. In 2015, Israel sentenced her to 15 months for incitement to violence.
I like Sen. Hatch, but he has been naive about this tax plan and apparently doesn't know math. Even if you dont itemize, it would hurt many typical Utahn families of two working parents with a combined income of $60,000 and four dependent children ranging from 17 through 24 that are trying to get through school. Right now, non-itemizers in this scenario pay taxes of $2,521. Under the new law, it would be $3,939. Not good.

If you itemize it gets worse, and more Utahns itemize than most other states because of the many charitable donations. Currently, if a family has a home with a $200,000 mortgage, withholding to match their Utah tax liability ($1,153), pay real property taxes of $2,500 and donate $6,000, they will pay income tax of $1,503. They get to itemize, plus they receive $24,300 in personal exemptions on their family.

Under the new program where the personal exemptions are stripped away, the tax would be $4,023, thus more than doubling their tax.

Come on, Hatch. This is hurting Utahns big-time. Either he doesn't fully understand this reform, or he is keeping something from the public.

I know the numbers. I am a retired CPA conservative Republican who will openly defy Hatch and any others who try to justify how this new tax bill is in the interest of average middle-class Utahns.

Oliver Meservy

Lehi
Happy New Year. Heres a look at the news for Jan. 2.

Carbon County hopes to curb opioid issue

The Deseret News published a special report over the weekend about Carbon Countys ongoing battle with the opioid epidemic.

Carbon County has one of the highest rates of prescription opioid deaths in the Beehive State, and its known nationwide for its high rate of retail opioid prescription dispensed per 100 people, the Deseret News reported.

The impacts of the opioid epidemic have become personal in the county.

In the cities, to hear about drug overdose and these other things, you may think its so foreign to you. In these small communities, every one of us knows somebody who is affected by it," Carbon County Commissioner Jake Mellor said. "Most everyone here in this small community also knows somebody who has committed suicide, mostly because its a smaller population and we mingle. We get to know our neighbors."

Read more about the crisis at the Deseret News.

Irans leader blames enemies for protests

Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei blamed the countrys enemies for the recent protests across the country, CNN reported.

Protests erupted across Iran last Thursday. At least 21 people have died so far from the protests, which have included storming a police station and an attempt to steal weapons from authorities.

Khamenei blamed Irans enemies for the attack. He did not specify who the enemies were.

"The enemy is waiting for an opportunity, for a flaw, through which they can enter," he said. "Look at these events over the last few days. All those who are against the Islamic Republic, those who have money, those who have the politics, those who have the weapons, those who have the intelligence, they have all joined forces in order to create problems for the Islamic Republic and the Islamic Revolution."

President Donald Trump commented on the situation in a tweet Tuesday.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/948164289591902208

Read more at CNN.

Utah native makes Forbes 30 Under 30 list

Christina Qi made Forbes 30 Under 30 list released in late 2017, thanks to her career in financial technology, according to the Deseret News.

Qi, who graduated from Hillcrest High School and later the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, made her name working at Domeyard LP, a hedge fund that focuses on high-frequency trading.

It took nearly three years for the hedge fund to grow.

Qi was effective at raising money, but the young traders needed to build up the technology and infrastructure required for data-driven trading  securing servers in the Chicago Mercantile Exchanges data center, writing a few million lines of code, and setting up the capability to support several petabytes of data," Forbes reported.

Qi first arrived in the Beehive State when she was 3 years old after her parents left China to attend college at Utah State.

"We grew up really poor, like welfare, food stamps poor," Qi said.

Read more at the Deseret News.

Meet the first baby born in Utah for 2018

Baby girl Hannah was the first baby born in Utah in 2018, according to the Deseret News.

Hannah made her debut at Timpanogos Regional Hospital, weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces, the Deseret News reported.

Hannahs mother, Valerie, told the Deseret News she thought shed give birth around 6 p.m. on New Years Eve.

That proved not to be the case.

"It just went really fast," she said. "It was almost midnight when the baby started to come. That last push was right after midnight. It was hard, but I had a really good nurse helping me."

Read more at the Deseret News.

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Passengers on a recent flight to Hawaii time-traveled to celebrate the new year.

Hawaiian Airlines Flight HA446 left Auckland, New Zealand, at 12:05 a.m. on Jan. 1, 2018, but arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii, at 9:45 a.m. on Dec. 31, 2017. Auckland is roughly 23 hours ahead of Hawaii.

Flightradar24, which keeps track of flight patterns across the world, tweeted that time travel is possible.

Time travel is possible!

Flight #HA446 just took off from New Zealand in 2018 and will land in Hawaii back in 2017! pic.twitter.com/3KsCEniCOL  Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) December 31, 2017

According to Mashable, the flight was supposed to leave 10 minutes earlier in 2017. Delays pushed its departure to 2018, creating the time-traveling flight.

Perhaps the flight attendants wanted to have their own toast in one time zone before heading to another. In any case, the passengers and crew on the flight will have the rare experience of celebrating New Year's Eve twice in one day, Popular Mechanics wrote.

Twitter celebrated the flight with memes on Sunday night.

Flights crossing time zones are nothing new. Online calculators to help travelers figure out time differences between flights can be found online.
Its a funny thing, technology. Its supposed to make lives easier. It's a problem solver. But some try too hard while some just miss the mark completely. In the end, they just end up being absurd, weird and downright ridiculous.

Some products change our lives for the better, some end up becoming a necessity. Then there are some that are no more than a money-making ruse by companies. They are packaged as something futuristic, but even after a millennium, its unlikely we can ever put these products to good use.

In this list, we list out the most ridiculous products we saw come out this year. Some were broken from the start, some were totally overkill while some were just pointless.



1. Juicero

Juicero could very well be the poster boy for tech that is completely pointless. The overpriced Wi-Fi enabled device was technically launched in 2016 but it was this year when the smart juicer was hailed as the worst technological innovation of all time. The juicer didnt allow you to juice fruits and vegetables you normally buy from the store. Instead, the $699 juicer worked only with proprietary packets of blended produce, each priced $4-$10 which was only available through subscription. If that isnt outrageous already, Bloomberg soon discovered you can simply use your hands to squeeze the packets to get the juice. No Juicero needed. The company continued to claim the machine delivered better results and Wi-Fi helped subscriptions to the juice packets easier, but ended up refunding its customers and shutting shop after 16 months of operation.



2. Griffin Connected Toaster

For long, the perfect example of tech that we dont need was an app-based toaster. 2017 finally saw the joke becoming reality thanks to Griffin, a company that claims to manufacture useful and fun solutions. The Griffin Connected Toaster has Bluetooth connectivity and a smartphone app. It costs $100 and its only mission is to make your bread toast perfectly crusty. The app will let you set the precise toast settings with a few taps and even remember your preferences. But then again, so does the rotating dial on dumb toasters.



3. Withings Connected Hairbrush

2017 seemed like the year when companies thought, if its not broke, just put Bluetooth in it and call it smart. Thats exactly what Nokia-owned Withings and Loreal did with its connected hairbrush. Apparently, you werent brushing your hair that well all this while, so you might need help of a hair-brush that has microphones, and a bunch of other sensors that will analyse your brush strokes and send the data to the app on your smartphone. The app will then tell you if your hair is unruly based on how long you spent brushing it, as if you wont know it yourself.



4. Samsung Bixby

This was the year of AI, not. AI-based digital assistants are now one too many thanks to offerings by Samsung, HTC and even Panasonic. However, none of them are actually useful. Samsungs Bixby goes a step further by becoming a physical bloatware as Samsung thought putting a dedicated button on its phones will make life remarkably easy. Truth be told, Samsungs AI was hyped up to learn your daily habits and tailor itself to your life. Samsung promised visual search, contextual commands, all through an apparently easy interface. In reality, none of the features actually worked. For one, the voice commands werent available for the first three months of its arrival, and even when it did arrive, it was hardly reliable. Bixby does hold a potential and it remains to be seen what Samsung will do with it in 2018, but for now, we will give this one a pass.



5. Light L16 Camera

The Oxford dictionary defines overkill as excessive use, treatment or action, but for better understanding, lets just change its definition to the Light L16 camera  A camera with 16-cameras that can take 81-megapixel photos. It consists of 16 individual camera modules and the images captured from them is combined into a single photograph, giving you a glorious shot packed with pixels. Apart from that, it can do ultra-lowlight photos, 5X optical zoom, depth of field control, focal pane adjustment, fine image noise control and much more. Call it a supercamera if you will, but Ill just stick to overkill.



6. Jaguar Sayer

Reinventing the wheel is a phrase that has been used way too many times but trust Jaguar to actually try and do so. And amusingly, this wheel is square. This isnt a car. Its an independently operating steering wheel. Jaguars concept of a futuristic steering wheel is a bit too sci-fi for the immediate future but hey, this is 2017 and we have seen all sorts of dumb things becoming smart, so much so, that almost nothing surprises us anymore. Named after its beloved designer, the Jaguar Sayer is an AI-based rectangular steering wheel that you carry along with you at all times. This belongs to a future when owning a car is too mainstream. Instead, you own just the steering wheel. It syncs with your smartphone and delivers not just your driving requirements, but also allows you to live out of a steering wheel. Perhaps the most ridiculous piece of tech in this list, the Jaguar Sayer is nowhere close to being real, but we wish it were. So much.



7. Hushme

Do you harbour a fantasy of speaking like Bane while you are on your phone? Then the Hushme is the perfect device for you. A Kickstarter project conceptualised as a voice mask for smartphones that will muffle your voice to prevent people from eavesdropping while youre on your phone, Hushme is one of the most outrageous gadget weve seen this year. But theres more. Muffling your voice is only part of the deal. Hushme drowns your voice by emitting a series of sounds through a set of external speakers. It might beep like R2-D2 or even make the sound of rain. You can talk like Daft Punk or in the voice of God. But what's most amusing is the fact that a lot of people on Kickstarter thought its a good idea and it's already a reality.



8. Sensorwake Oria

Apparently, a foul smelling room makes us feel tired. So Sensorwake, a French startup thought it would be a good idea to spread different smells in your bedroom to help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. Sensorwakes spreads the aromas through recyclable scent capsules and a fan to dispense the contents of the capsule. Consider this an olfactory alarm clock, one that uses aromas instead of the harsh alarm tone. There are two patented scents which include powered rose, peach and pear with notes of talc and musk. Now, we might say the job can also be done using scented candles and incense sticks, and they dont cost $150.



9. Nissin Ramen Fork

Slurping while eating your ramen is a mortal sin and is the last thing you can wish upon on a person. Nissin, the same company famous for making instant noodles, also wants people to stop making that annoying sound of slurping noodles. So it came out with a Ramen Fork that is fitted with noise-cancellation tech which, lo and behold, connects to an app on your phone, and emits a certain wavelength of sound to cover up the sound of slurp. Yeah, thats just about it. Its battery powered and not waterproof and already available for $130.
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AIM-listed Surface Transforms has appointed Michael Cunningham as its new non-board finance director, with immediate effect.

Cunningham joins the group from Bentley Motors, where he is currently profitability controller. Prior to joining Bentley, he was finace director of Aquila Truck Centres, commercial director of MAN Truck and Bus UK, and financial controller of Preston Group, a family owned car dealership.

Cunningham is a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, holds an MBA from the European School of Management and Technology in Berlin and a Bachelor of Engineering degree from Queens University Belfast.

Chief executive officer Kevin Johnson said: "We are delighted to welcome Michael to this senior role in the company. In particular the combination of his extensive automotive experience and strong strategic financial management will be most valuable as the company moves onto the next stage of its development.

At 1325 GMT, the shares were down 2.8% to 14.95p.
London stocks were set to kick the year off in record territory on Tuesday, with miners likely to take the lead following some upbeat data out of China.

The FTSE 100 was called to open seven points higher at 7,694, after finishing 2017 at a record high of 7,687.77.

Chinas Caixin manufacturing PMI came in ahead of expectations of 50.6 at 51.7 in December, up from 50.8 the month before.

London Capital Group analyst Jasper Lawler said: The evidence of continued demand from heavy industry in China helped give industrial metal prices a positive start to 2018. The industrial data from China lends weight to the idea that the somewhat unexpected global growth rebound that underscored 2017 will continue into 2018.

He added: The outperformance of the heavily weighted mining sector was one reason alongside currency-weakness that propelled the UK benchmark higher last year. Traders will be looking for clues where big money will park funds for 2018 in the first few days of January. We think the price breakout in UK blue-chip stocks means momentum will be in their corner for the opening quarter of 2018.

The UK manufacturing purchasing managers index is due at 0930 GMT.

In corporate news, BP expects changes to US tax rates to trigger a charge of about $1.5bn (1.1bn) before benefiting the company in the long run. The oil company said lower corporate taxes under President Trump's plan require it to revalue its deferred tax assets and liabilities. BP expects the $1.5bn one-off cash charge to affect its fourth-quarter income statement.

Elsewhere, Compass Group confirmed the death of its chief executive, Richard Cousins, and his family in a plane accident over the weekend, and said it has moved forward the date of his succession. The appointment of the catering group's European chief operating officer, Dominic Blakemore, as chief executive was moved forward to 1 January from 1 April.
Mifid II, a new regulatory regime governing the European financial sector, will come into effect on Wednesday 3 January 2018 with new rules that are expected be "somewhat negative" for brokers, most investment banks and asset managers, analysts have warned.

The new regulations, which are the second part of the European Union's Markets in Financial Instruments Directive, will be imposed by the accompanying Markets in Financial Instruments regulation, MiFIR.

MiFID II and MiFIR will affect all businesses involved in the distribution and trading of financial instruments in the 31 countries of the European Economic Area. The new regulatory framework governs market abuse, trade reporting requirements, sets out enhanced investor protections, and many other things that regulators say will protect investors, boost transparency and aims to rebuild the trust that was lost in global financial crisis.

The new rulebook, for which the financial industry has spent more than $2bn on preparations since it was initially proposed in 2011, affects financial market participants involved in investment activities, including banks, brokers, asset managers, and financial market infrastructure companies such as exchanges and other trading venue operators. In short, most of the changes govern the way that providers exchange data and information, how they charge clients and how they disclose their charges.

Mifid II will force investment firms to disclose all their costs and charges, including management, advisory, custodian, fund entry and exit charges. These costs will be have to expressed both as a percentage and in pounds and pence, with firms needing to show actual historical charges and forecasting the upcoming year's.

IMPACT ON FINANCIAL FIRMS

"The old model  whereby every broker spoke to every investor and research was (almost) freely available  is coming to an end," said Exane BNP Paribas head of equities Vincent Rouviere, as part of the broker's major research report on the impact of the new regime on investor relations. "In its place, we expect to see a more exclusive model with time, relationships and flows increasingly concentrated among a smaller number of counterparts,"

Implications are "generally negative for brokers and all but the largest investment banks, somewhat negative for asset managers, slightly positive for FMIs, and manageable for most other banks", analysts at credit agency S&P said on Tuesday.

While its scope is huge and it aims to promote some fundamental changes to market structure, as yet, MiFID II is not expected to have a significant impact on credit ratings in the next one to two years, said S&P analyst Giles Edwards. "Over the longer term, the disruptive nature of this major regulatory change will become more apparent, and the winners and losers will likely emerge more clearly," Edwards said in a report on MiFID on Tuesday.

"There will likely be more losers than winners."

VISIBLE MIFID CHANGES

One of the most widely reported changes is over charges for investment research, which has historically been wrapped up as part of wider trading costs. As part of the new rules, fund managers will be required to provide investors with a clear breakdown of the charge.

As part of this, fund managers and other FCA registered companies will either need to pay for or stop receiving any 'substantive' research they use, with investment banks and stock brokers forced to separate charges for research and brokerage services to avoid conflicts of interest. This may vastly curtail or even put a virtual stop to the previous flow of hundreds of broker research reports into email inboxes across the City every weekday.

Around a fifth of fund managers plan to pass some of the additional cost burden onto investors, one survey last year found, while other asset management firms say they will absorb the cost of research themselves. For those unwilling to pay for research, some firms plan to produce reportage, or un-substantive research, rather than analysis.

So while some investors will initially see new costs, the EU believes that the transparency in MiFID II will encourage providers to compete more aggressively on pricing, which would be good news for investors. However, one report suggested some analysts could lose their jobs as the prices for access to research fall. Research from McKinsey estimated the $4bn spent by the 10 largest banks on research each year is likely to fall by almost a third as clients become more choosy over what they pay for.

On the first day of the regime there may be signs of the new regulation, but there is not expected to be much major disruption.

"I see it a bit like the Millennium Bug warnings -- loads of preparation and scare stories but ultimately on the day it passed smoothly" said Mike van Dulken, head of research at Accendo Markets. "But this is not a binary thing like Y2K, this time there's many, many complex moving parts. Costs, I would say, have already gone up - just look at how compliance departments have got bigger.

"You have remember, we're still at the tail-end of a major financial crisis. This regulation is all about making sure similar things don't happen in the future. You'd expect the costs to come down due to competition, but while I'm sure there will be some more costs that crop up along the way I imagine most have already been incurred. The risk is that research may becomes more concentrated among the bigger shops, with smaller shops maybe finding it a negative if research is sold pay-as-you-go."

TRANSPARENCY FOR INVESTORS

Other transparency changes affect financial advisers, who will be required to detail how the advice they offer will meet their clients' objectives and need to display whether it is based on broad or restricted analysis. Independent financial advisers and discretionary fund managers will be banned from receiving and retaining third party payments or benefits in relation to the provision of services.

For all institutions, information including price and volume on almost all trades will need to be reported immediately, with bond traders for the first time required to publicly report deals and having to do so within 15 minutes. Brokers and investment managers will also have to keep a record of all conversations related to a deal for at least five years.

For investors, every investment apart from deposits in bank and building society savings accounts, is covered by MiFID.

For those buying a complex financial product without taking independent financial advice, your fund manager, platform or broker will be required to show that it has checked that you understand the risk involved. But most funds, including unit trusts and open-ended investment companies, will fall into the 'complex' category, though some investment trusts will.

RISE OF REGTECH?

Because of the new regulatory regimes of MiFID and the data protection compliance under the EU's General Data Protection Regulation also beginning this year, 2018 will be the year when regulation technology, or 'regtech', really takes off, predicted Sophie Guibaud of Fidor Bank.

Due to the need to be fully compliant with these new rules, financial organisations will be looking at immediate options to help them decrease their regulatory risk and costs, while also improving the customer experience next year," she said. "The new regulations will, in future, have a huge effect as financial organisations relationships with regulators will rely upon real time data to be shared to improve and speed up risk management and market stability, all through the power of APIs.

Barclays has already begun testing regtech to ensure the bank implements changes to regulation correctly. As part of an innovation drive by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority, the bank, which has paid more than 500m in UK regulatory fines since 2009, is trying out the regulatory technology that tracks updates to regulations within the FCA handbook and aligns their implementation to Barclays internal policies.
BBA Aviation has ended a seven-month search for a new chief executive by appointing internal candidate Mark Johnstone to run the company.

Johnstone, who heads BBA's engine repair and overhaul division, will join the board on 1 April to replace Simon Pryce, who stepped down in early June after 10 years as CEO.

The aviation support services company said it had carried out a thorough review of internal and external candidates before deciding Johnstone was the right person for the job. Wayne Edmunds, interim CEO, will return to his role as a non-executive director.

Johnstone joined BBA from GKN in March 2008 as corporate development director. He has held several other jobs at the company before becoming president and chief operating officer of engine repair and overhaul in June 2016. Johnstone, a chartered accountant, will be based in Orlando, Florida.

Nigel Rudd, BBA's chairman, said: "Mark's strategic and operational experience in finance and in managing a number of the group's businesses over the last 10 years gives him a deep understanding of the company and the right skills to take on the role of group chief executive. The board feels that he is the ideal candidate to lead the group forward."
Purshottam Solanki, the fisheries minister in Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's Cabinet, isn't happy with his portfolio, which he's now been given thrice.

"This is my 5th term as an MLA, and this is the third time I have been given this department,"

Solanki said. "Should I sit by the seashore and catch fish?"

Solanki explained that he was given the fisheries portfolio despite having a large votebank in the Koli community, which he said accounts for 20 per cent of Saurashtra's population.

News of Solanki's dissatisfaction comes after Deputy CM Nitin Patel complained that he wasn't given a ministry to match his stature. He resumed work after Amit Shah told him that the process to give him a suitable department had begun, and requested him to take charge.

"Why was Nitin Patel given special treatment, and why was I left out?" Purshottam Solanki asked.

Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, a BJP lawmaker, said the party was trying to sort out the issue.

Watch: Gujarat: New government under CM Rupani sworn in
Compass Group has confirmed the death of its chief executive, Richard Cousins, and his family in a plane accident over the weekend, and said it has moved forward the date of his succession.

The appointment of the catering group's European chief operating officer, Dominic Blakemore, as chief executive was moved forward to 1 January from 1 April.

Cousins, his fiancee and three children died in a plane accident in Australia on new year's eve.

Paul Walsh, the company's 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."

Under Cousins, shares in Compass have risen almost sevenfold from 236p to 1600p, with more than 9bn returned to shareholders through dividends and buybacks.

In September he announced his plans to step down as CEO after an 11-year stint. Last year he also stepped down from his role as a non-executive director at Tesco in objection to its proposed acquisition of Booker.
British Airways and Iberia owner IAG has swooped to buy assets and invest in Niki, a former part of the collapsed Air Berlin group.

IAG's Spanish budget arm, Vueling, will buy 20m of assets from the Austrian airline and provide up to 16.5m of liquidity to Niki, which will form part of a new, separately run Austrian subsidiary.

The assets include up to 15 Airbus A320 aeroplanes and an "attractive" portfolio of slots at various airports including Vienna, Dusseldorf, Munich, Palma and Zurich.

The new Vueling unit plans to employ approximately 740 former NIKI employees to run the operation.

IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said: "Niki was the most financially viable part of Air Berlin and its focus on leisure travel means it's a great fit with Vueling. This deal will enable Vueling to increase its presence in Austria, Germany and Switzerland and provide the region's consumers with more choice of low cost air travel".
Speciality chemicals company Synthomer has sold its Leuna site in Germany to Alberdingk Boley Gmbh for an undisclosed price.

The site will continue to manufacture products for Synthomer for an initial period prior to transferring the manufacture of product to the remaining Synthomer network.

The Leuna site was bought as part of the Hexion PAC acquisition in 2016. The ongoing operational savings related to the sale of the site form the final part of the group's $12m synergy target relating to that acquisition.

Accordingly the sale, which completed on Monday, will conclude the integration of Hexion PAC into the Synthomer Group.
(Eds: Combining related reports)

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2 (PTI) Healthcare services at multiple hospitals across the country were partially disrupted today when doctors went on a strike in protest against the controversial National Medical Commission Bill.

The emergency and critical care departments at the hospitals, however, functioned normally, according to reports from the states.

The reports also said that doctors at several hospitals wore black badges at work.

The situation eased later in the day when the 12-hour nationwide stir called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) from 6 am was called off after the Centre agreed to refer the proposed legislation to a parliamentary standing committee.

The bill had triggered wide protests from doctors as also the opposition parties.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was tabled in Parliament on Friday, seeks to replace the Medical Council of India(MCI) and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course".

"We called off our strike as the Bill has been referred to a Parliamentary Standing Committee which has members from diverse fields and there should now be a fruitful discussion," said IMAs K K Aggarwal, who was spearheading the stir.

Terming the Bill as "anti-people and anti-patient", the IMA has stated that the bill purported to eradicate corruption is "designed to open the floodgates of corruption." Earlier in the day, Union Health Minister J P Nadda said in Parliament that talks were on with the IMA to clear their doubts.

"Talks are on. We have heard them (the doctors) and also presented our views," he said.

"This (Bill) is beneficial to the medical profession," Nadda said in the Rajya Sabha after the members raised the issue of strike by the doctors across the country. The strike by doctors in Kerala caused immense harship to those visiting hospitals across the state. While doctors in government and medical college hospitals boycotted out-patient services for one hour in the morning, the strike was observed for a longer duration in private hospitals. The doctors, however, attended emergency cases and those admitted in hospitals.

Expressing anger over the stir, a 60-year old man told a television channel that it was irresponsible on the part of doctors to go on strike causing hardship to patients. Similar sentiments were echoed by several patients from different hospitals across the state.

Healthcare services were partially affected in parts of Odisha as doctors joined the strike.

A protest rally organised from Power House Chhak to Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar saw the participation of medical students and doctors in large numbers.

Dhananjay Das, a senior doctor at government-run Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar, said the bill, if passed, will upset the medical fraternity in the country.

"The bill will bring down the standards of medical education in the country. It will be a big blow to the entire medical fraternity?" he said.

The general secretary of the Odisha chapter of the IMA, Janmejaya Mohapatra, said the strike has affected healthcare services in outpatient departments of a few government and private hospitals, but the emergency and critical departments were functioning normally. West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC) chairman Dr Nirmal Maji said healthcare services remained largely normal across the state.

"This is a Tughlaqi decision. This is a dangerous move and may ruin the medical system in the country. The bill will be a boost for quack doctors," Maji told PTI.

"I have spoken to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee this morning and she has given instructions for ensuring normal services. And our doctors, unlike some other states, are not skipping work. They are wearing black badges to work as a mark of protest," Maji said.

A protest rally, organised in Kolkata after OPD hours, witnessed the participation of doctors affiliated to the IMAs state unit and WBMC in large numbers.

Earlier in the day, patients visiting the city from the suburban areas complained that they were made to wait for long hours.

"I have come all the way from Sundarbans for an appointment with a cardiologist. I collected my ticket as early as 9.30 am but was made to wait for several hours," 73-year-old cardiac patient Pritilata Sammadar told PTI outside NRS Medical College and Hospital.

The scene was similar at other city hospitals this morning, where patients were seen queuing up outside the orthopaedic department.PTI TEAM GSN GSN
The government ate humble pie Tuesday as the controversial National Medical Commission Bill 2017 was sent to Parliament's standing committee on health.

That happened amid protests not just by the Opposition, but within the ranks of the BJP, too.

This was followed a flash strike by doctors across the country.

They said the Bill was regressive and against their interests.

Kerala: Doctors protest outside Raj Bhavan in Thiruvananthapuram against National Medical Commission Bill pic.twitter.com/bfnS9TyENV - ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

WHAT HAPPENED IN PARLIAMENT

In Parliament, the first salvo was fired by SP MP Ramgopal Yadav, who directly contradicted the stand taken by Health Minister JP Nadda.

Yadav, the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Health, wrote to the Speaker pointing out that the committee had not given a nod to the controversial Bill, but had instead suggested that the Bill be sent to the Committee.

This was followed by another committee member Jairam Ramesh, a vocal critic of the Medical Council of India.

Nadda's stand was that the Bill was an outcome of an earlier Standing Committee's recommendation that the MCI be scrapped, and that a medical commission be set up.

But even before the Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha, it was clear there would be strong opposition.

The BJP hadn't bargained on its allies opposing the Bill.

MPs from the AIADMK, TRS and TDP have medical colleges in large numbers, and at least 23 of them are doctors or had a private practice.

This group lobbied with the top brass of government, including Arun Jaitley, Ananth Kumar and Nadda. That apart, over the three-day New Year weekend, the 2,500 Indian Medical Association branches across the country canvassed with MPs in their constituencies, pointing to the lacunae in the Bill.

COMMITTEE REPORT DUE BEFORE BUDGET SESSION

Ahead of the 2019 polls, the BJP was hoping to showcase the significant jump in medical seats that would come about courtesy the National Medical Commission.

It was also hoping to sell the 'medical education becomes cheap' dream to the masses, since the fee to be paid for a medical seat would be set by the council.

The party had found itself on the backfoot in the Gujarat elections with Rahul Gandhi's incessant attack that the BJP had sold out medical education in the state to a handful of industrialists like Zydus promoter Pankaj Patel and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's close friend Gautam Adani.

Now the committee will have to give its report ahead of the Budget Session of Parliament.

I.M.A AIRS GRIEVANCES

Top health ministry sources had defended the Bill on the grounds that it would curtail corruption, which the MCI had become in byword for. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), on the other hand, put out a one page advertisement in newspapers airing its grievances.

It said that not only would the new commission bring medical education completely under government control and any autonomous voice (which the MCI was meant to be) would be drowned, but corruption would increase manifold too.

The central government has left us no option but to call it a 'black day' in the history of medical profession. 'No to NMC (National Medical Commission)' is a slogan for medical community as well as every patient: Parthiv Sanghvi, Indian Medical Association pic.twitter.com/svYGvxyaJL - ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

Now, any lacunae in a medical college will be studied by the three member Medical Accreditation and Rating Board (MAR) and the minimum penalty would be half of the total fee collected for the entire batch for one year.

"A batch of 150 students typically collects Rs 15 crore as fee annually. This means the MAR can penalize a college for a minimum of Rs 7.5 crore. And this can go up to 10 times," IMA sources pointed out.

"Three people in this country, all nominated by the government, will decide how much penalty to impose on a college."

ALSO WATCH | Belly dancers and booze at state-run medical college in Meerut
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) and India Post Payments Bank today signed an agreement for training of employees of the latter in the area of payment banking.

"Under the agreement, IICA has been entrusted with the key responsibility of capacity building of IPPB through training of its officials/employees besides providing research support by instituting Research Chairs in the emerging area of payment banking," an official statement said.

"After green and white revolution, a financial revolution in India is all set to transform the rural economy," Corporate Affairs Secretary Injeti Srinivas said.

With massive network of post offices, India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) can very effectively remedy the lack of financial inclusion in India, he added.

"Mobilisation of household savings ? a sound pillar giving strength to Indian economy ? has been facilitated by Department of Posts since long," said A N Nanda, Secretary, Department of Posts.

IPPB is a flagship "financial inclusion" initiative of the government to cover major portion of the countrys population that is outside the ambit of formal banking, it said. PTI DP BAL
The first internet heroes of 2018 have emerged. In a heartwarming tale of ingenuity and perseverance, a group of New Years Eve revellers in New Zealand expertly evaded a beach booze ban by building a makeshift island off the coast.

An anonymous observer told Stuff.co.nz that the group arrived at the Tairua Estuary in the coastal town of Coromandel on Sunday afternoon. During low tide, they constructed a modest island out of sand and installed a wooden picnic table and an esky.

As the tide came in, the partiers settled down for a round of well-deserved drinks, telling onlookers they were safe from the booze ban because they were stationed in international waters.

The ban forbid alcohol consumption at the beach and other public places in the Coromandel area on New Years Eve. Offenders could be fined $227, but it seems this sly squad had little to fear from authorities.

Local police commander Inspector John Kelly offered praise for the private alcohol island.Thats creative thinking, he told Stuff. If I had known that I probably would have joined them.

Even Thames-Coromandel Mayor Sandra Goudie applauded the effort, saying Thats the one thing I absolutely love about the Coromandel  the inventive nature of the people.

The friends were seen cracking open cold ones and enjoying the fireworks from the safety of their sandy fort for the rest of the night. The island was still standing as of New Years Day, a beacon of hope as we begin 2018.

GALLERY BEGINS AFTER THIS ADVERTISEMENT
During the calendar year 2017, Honda's sales grew by 15 percent selling 178,755 units compared to 156,107 units in 2016. Honda's highest-selling car was the new Honda City which recorded cumulative sales of 62,573 in 2017. The sedan also became the highest-selling mid-size sedan during the calendar year 2017.

Recommended Video - Watch Now! Cars Discontinued In India 2017 - DriveSpark

Honda Models Sales In December 2017 Brio 291 Jazz 1,891 Amaze 1,415 City 4,365 WR-V 3,760 BR-V 880 CR-V 40

The Honda City also led the sales in December 2017 for Honda selling 4,365 units while the Honda WR-V was the second highest-selling Honda vehicle during the same month.

The Honda City has managed to outperform other rivals such as the newly launched Hyundai Verna, the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, the elegant Volkswagen Venta as well as the Skoda Rapid. The new City facelift was launched in India in 2017 with a host of upmarket features.

The Honda City is available in 1.5-litre petrol and diesel versions. While the petrol engine produces 117bhp with a reported mileage of 17km/l in the manual gearbox variant, the diesel engine develops 99bhp and returns a fuel efficiency of 25.6km/l in the manual gearbox version.

Dual front airbags and ABS with EBD is available as standard fitment across variants of the Honda City, while front side and side curtain airbags are available in the top variant.

Mr Yoichiro Ueno, President and CEO, Honda Cars India Ltd. said, "2017 has been a milestone year for Honda Cars in India, as our best seller Honda City completes 2 decades of unparalleled success in India. Honda City has emerged as the highest selling mid-size sedan during 2017. I would like to thank our customers for their strong support to the model."

"HCIL experienced robust growth during 2017 backed by good demand for all our products across segments, especially the Honda City & WR-V. As we welcome the New Year 2018 we would like to take this opportunity to thank all our customers for the continued support to the Honda brand, and look forward to another fruitful year ahead," he added.

DriveSpark Thinks!

The Honda City has managed to become the highest-selling mid-size sedan in 2017; however, the newly launched Hyundai Verna is fast catching up to the leaders in the segment. Honda should take note of the popularity of the Verna and is expected to bring the next-generation City by 2019.
By Andy Rowell

Many East Coasters will be returning to work today in bitter cold conditions after the second-coldest New Year on record.

The low temperatures over the festive period did not go unnoticed by President Donald Trump who tweeted in late December:

"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. Bundle up!"

The utter ignorance and stupidity underlying this tweet is staggering for someone with so much power. As the New York Times noted in response: "Trump's tweet made the common mistake of looking at local weather and making broader assumptions about the climate at large."

The paper added: "To use an analogy Mr. Trump might appreciate, weather is how much money you have in your pocket today, whereas climate is your net worth. A billionaire who has forgotten his wallet one day is not poor, anymore than a poor person who lands a windfall of several hundred dollars is suddenly rich. What matters is what happens over the long term."

"Trump is free to tweet whatever he likes. And he will continue to do so. But to use cold weather as some sort of rebuttal of broader climatological warming is not even close to accurate, factual or funny," said CNN.

And over the long term, Trump's toxic assault on science will have an impact on the quality of the science that the U.S. produces. In time, there will be a so-called "brain drain" of leading climate experts who will leave the U.S. to escape the noxious fumes of the Trump administration.

And it has already started to happen. Some 18 scientists are taking up French President Macron's offer to relocate to the country to continue work on climate change. The majority of these are relocating from the U.S.

One of the world's most influential climate scientists, Camille Parmesan, is one such scientist, who currently works at the University of Texas and Plymouth in the UK. Her 1996 study published in the journal, Nature, on butterflies was one of the first scientific studies to document impacts of climate change on wildlife.

In an interview with the Guardian, she outlined why she has decided to relocate to France: "The impact of Trump on climate science has been far greater than what the public believe it has."

"He has not only slashed funding, but he's gone on the attack in any way he can with his powers as the president. University researchers are buffered from this, but scientists working at government agencies have really felt the blow," said Parmesan. "They have been muffled and not allowed to speak freely with the press, they have had their reports altered to remove 'climate change' from the text, and are being told to leave climate change out of future reports and funding proposals."

"This degrades the entire climate science community. Scientists are fighting back, but Congress needs to exercise its constitutional powers and keep the executive branch in check. This is not a partisan issuethis is about the future of America," said Parmesan.

Reposted with permission from our media associate Oil Change International.
By Arnoldo Valle-Levinson and Andrea Dutton

For Americans who live along the east and Gulf of Mexico coasts, the end of the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season on Nov. 30 was a relief. This year forecasters recorded 17 named storms, 10 of which became hurricanes. Six were major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger), and three made landfall: Harvey in Texas, Irma in the Caribbean and Florida, and Maria in the Caribbean and Puerto Rico. It was the most costly season ever, inflicting more than $200 billion in damages.

Many scientists have found evidence that climate change is amplifying the impacts of hurricanes. For example, several studies just published this month conclude that human-induced climate change made rainfall during Hurricane Harvey more intense. But climate change is not the only factor making hurricanes more damaging.

In a study we co-authored with our colleague Jon Martin, we showed that two converging natural climate processes created a "hot spot" from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Miami where sea levels rose six times faster than the global average between 2011 and 2015. We also showed that such hot spots have occurred at other points along the Eastern Seaboard over the past century. Now we see indications that one is developing in Texas and Louisiana, where it likely amplified flooding during Harveyand could make future coastal storms more damaging.



Nearly every site measured has experienced an increase in coastal flooding since the 1950s. The rate is accelerating in many locations along the east and Gulf coasts. EPA

Solving a salinity puzzle



Our work started when Jon Martin showed one of us (Arnoldo) salinity data from water trapped between sediments lining the floor of the Indian River Lagoon in east Central Florida. Here groundwater with zero salinity pools along the coast behind several barrier islands. Jon and his research team were analyzing changes in water chemistry and found that salinity had increased dramatically over the preceding decade. This suggested that saltwater was rapidly intruding into the lagoon.

This process is typically driven either by sea level rise or humans pumping fresh water from underground, or some combination of the two. Arnoldo consulted online data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and found that sea level rise had accelerated rapidly at nearby Trident Pier between 2011 and 2015. While global sea level has been rising at an average pace of about 1 foot per century, this site had recorded an increase of about 5 inches in a mere five years.

When Arnoldo shared this finding with Andrea, an international expert in past sea level rise, she was floored. These rates were ten times higher than the long-term rates of sea level rise along the Florida coastline. Further investigation showed that all tide gauges south of Cape Hatteras showed a similar uptick over the same period. This raised two questions: Had similar rates of rapid sea level rise previously been observed in the southeast U.S.? And what was causing this temporary acceleration?

Stations with positive sea level trends (yellow-to-red) are experiencing both global sea level rise and lowering or sinking of the local land. Stations illustrated with negative trends (blue-to-purple) are experiencing global sea level rise and a greater vertical rise in the local land. NOAA

Converging climate patterns



Previous work along the Atlantic coast had identified the area north of Cape Hatteras as vulnerable to accelerated rates of sea level rise, particularly in the context of climate change. Warming of the planet is expected to weaken the Gulf Stream, a powerful Atlantic Ocean current that pulls water away from the east coast and carries it northward. Slowing down the Gulf Stream leaves more water in place along the coastline, raising sea levels.

But this mechanism could not explain a jump of this magnitude in sea levels south of the Cape. Another previous study offered an additional clue. It proposed that the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), a seesaw pattern in air pressure over different regions of the North Atlantic Ocean, could explain the shift in the position of short-term variations in sea level rise.

Shifts in the NAO alter the position of the jet stream, wind patterns and storm tracks, all of which affect the distribution of water in the North Atlantic basin. Ultimately, the cumulative effects of NAO on the ocean determine whether water will pile up to the north or south of Cape Hatteras. Thus, water piled up preferentially to the north of Cape Hatteras in the period 2009-2010, and to the south from 2011 to 2015.

When the NAO is in its positive phase (left), the contrast between high pressure over the Azores and low pressure in the far north Atlantic is stronger than normal, which leads to mild storms over northern Europe and drying over the Mediterranean. UCAR, CC BY-ND

This NAO-related mechanism explained where sea level accelerations might occur along the Atlantic coast, but did not seem to explain their timing. We filled in the blanks by examining tide gauge records over the last century along the entire U.S. Atlantic coast. This review showed that the timing of short-term sea level accelerations, lasting one to several years, was correlated with the accumulated signal of another recurring climate pattern: The El Nino Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, which is the result of an oscillation of atmospheric pressure in the Tropical Pacific Ocean basin.



Although ENSO occurs in the Pacific, its effects propagate across North America, altering air temperatures and wind regimes in the eastern U.S. These changes in wind distributions can affect water transport in the North Atlantic Ocean, causing it to build up along the Eastern Seaboard at times. Other scientists have shown that this transport ultimately determines the timing of short-term accelerations in sea-level rise along the Atlantic coast.

In summary, we found that short-term accelerations in sea level rise have repeatedly occurred over the last century, sometimes occurring south of Cape Hatteras and sometimes focused north of the Cape. These hot spots can exceed rates of 4 inches in five years, and can occur anywhere along the U.S. Atlantic coast. They form when the accumulated signals of ENSO and the NAO converge, displacing seawater toward the coastline.

A wild card for coastal flooding

Our research has serious implications for coastal planners. Global warming is raising sea levels along the entire Atlantic coast, and communities should be preparing for it. In addition, our findings show that sea level can rise and fall around this level by more than 4 inches over a five-year period, due to variability in ocean-atmosphere interactions in the Pacific and Atlantic ocean basins. This variability can occur over the course of five to 10 years.

These hot spots amplify the severity of coastal flooding that is already occurring from storms and king tides. Residents between Charleston, South Carolina and Jacksonville, Floridaa stretch where sea levels are at least 4 inches (10 centimeters) higher now than they were in 2010have found this out the hard way.

Now we are looking at data from the Gulf of Mexico, where tide stations are also showing water levels which are typically higher than predicted. The increase along Florida's Gulf coast is past its peak, but Texas and Louisiana are still seeing an acceleration in sea level rise. Accelerations in sea level rise are hard to predict, and it is unclear whether they will become more serious over time. But they make it even more urgent for coastal communities to take sea level rise seriously today.

Reposted with permission from our media associate The Conversation.




As we look back on the most noteworthy environmental stories of 2017, one cannot help but start with the extreme weather that has caused so much destruction to so many around the globe. And with that, the year brought heightened concern for protecting our planet with focused attention on issues like renewable energy, electric vehicles and plastic pollution. And while 2017 was also marked by challenges with the U.S. pulling out of the Paris agreement and making other questionable environmental policy changes, we all enter a new year with the ability to make positive change.

1. Extreme Weather on the Rise

The 2017 hurricane season was one of the most catastrophic in decades. In August, Hurricane Harvey caused major damage in Houston, Texas. Then Hurricane Irma followed as the most powerful Caribbean storm on record. And on Sept. 20, Hurricane Maria swept over Puerto Rico, killing 64 people, destroying the power grid to such an extent that half the island is still without power, and causing billions of dollars in damage. In addition to the hurricane season, wildfires stretched across the west with the Jones and Whitewater fires in Oregon, the Pyette Wilderness fires in Idaho, and the Reef fire in Montana. Several more fires continued to blaze through the end of the year, with the most notable being the Thomas Fire, the largest blaze in California in history, which began burning in early December and will likely continue into 2018. Earthquakes also shook the world in unprecedented numbers. A 6.7 magnitude earthquake in the Philippines in February displaced more than 3,000 families. And in December, a 6.5 magnitude quake in Cipatujah, Indonesia could be felt from 190 miles away. The U.S. also experienced several small earthquakes, including eight quakes in August in Oklahoma and a few more recently in Santa Clara County and San Jose, California.

Roosevelt Skerrit / Flickr

2. The U.S. Withdraws From the Paris Agreement



On June 1, President Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris agreement, spurring backlash from nation leaders worldwide. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, started a campaign called "Make Earth Great Again," and announced that he would be giving away $70 million in multi-year grants to climate scientists who want to continue their research in France. The U.S. now stands as the only country in the UN that does not support the agreement.

YouTube

3. Continuing Rise of Renewables



Despite the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris agreement, many cities and States made huge progress in 2017. Oregon and Washington joined a global alliance in November, promising to phase out coal by 2030. In May, Madison, Wisconsin committed to 100% renewable energy and net-zero carbon emissions and Abita Springs, Louisiana voted to go all renewables by 2030.

iStock

4. New U.S. Leadership Steps up to Fill the Void



The U.S. also had major corporations and private and public leaders step up to the challenge in the wake of President Trump's withdrawal. At COP23 in Germany, 20 companies promised to phase out coal including BT, Engie, Kering, Diageo, Marks & Spencer, Orsted and Storebrand. In October, New York City's former Mayor Michael Bloomberg pledged $64 million to shut down coal plants in the U.S. And in June, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a nonbinding agreement with China to cooperate on renewable energy technology, including zero-emissions vehicles and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

California Gov. Jerry Brown and President Xi Jinping Aaron Berkovich

5. China Takes Huge Steps in Renewables



In possibly the most unexpected scenario, China, which topped the charts with nearly double the carbon emissions of the U.S., made drastic changes to their consumption. In January, the country announced a $361 Billion Renewable Energy Investment by 2020 and started work right away. They installed 35GW in just seven monthsmore than twice as much as installed by any other country in all of 2016increasing their solar PV capacity to 112GW total. They've also temporarily shut down thousands of factories to cut down on the deadly air pollution and the city of Shenzen has almost completely electrified their bus fleet. China's new perspective on climate action has already changed the lives of the more than 1.3 billion of its people and will no doubt be making the planet healthier for all of us in the future.

A 40-megawatt floating solar farm in China's coal-rich Anhui province Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.

6. Pruitt Undermines the EPA



On Feb. 17, Scott Pruitt was sworn in as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) administrator. Pruitt, the former attorney general of Oklahoma, sued the EPA more than a dozen times before taking leadership of the agency. Pruitt has made an effort to dismantle the EPA by dismissing several scientists from its Board of Scientific Counselors, supporting the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris agreement, and lifting federal regulations on the oil and gas industry. Then, after a six month review, on Oct. 9 Pruitt signed a measure to repeal the Clean Power Plan, which aims to reduce carbon emissions from electric power generated by coal-burning power plants by 32 percent by 2030, relative to 2005 levels.

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt visited the USS Lead Superfund in East Chicago, Indiana. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency / YouTube

7. Zinke Shrinks National Monuments



While Pruitt undermines the EPA, Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke has reduced precious regulations on U.S. protected lands. With Zinke's support, on Dec. 4, Trump announced huge reductions to two national monuments in Utahthe Bears Ears National Monument and the Grand Staircase-Escalanterolling back two million acres of federally protected land and potentially opening it up to oil drilling and logging. Zinke also urged unspecified reductions in Nevada's Gold Butte National Monument and Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which straddles the California-Oregon border. The report also urges the president to consider changing the boundaries of two marine monuments in the Pacific Ocean: Pacific Remote Islands and Rose Atoll. And in December, Zinke auctioned off 700,000 acres of public lands for fracking.

Bears Ears National Monument Valley of the Gods Bob Wick / BLM

8. President Trump Signs Executive Order on DAPL and Keystone XL



On Jan. 24, President Trump signed an executive order to move the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines forward. Just one day later, on Jan. 25, a diesel pipeline in Northern Iowa spilled 138,600 gallons from a leaked system. It was also reported on Jan. 23, that 52,830 gallons of crude oil spilled onto an aboriginal land in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Water protectors and state security personnel faced off across a fence near the Dakota Access Pipeline construction site. Rob Wilson / Facebook

9. Oceans Littered With Plastic



A number of studies were released in 2017 that opened the lid on plastic pollution in the world's oceans. In June, it was reported that microplastic particles have infiltrated the pristine Antarctic, and the levels are five times higher than previously estimated. In November, it was found that deep sea creatures who live seven miles below the surface were consuming plastics. And there were several instances were whales, birds and other marine life were found dead with stomachs full of plastic. Fortunately, there were many who stepped up to start cleaning beaches and find innovative ways to clean the sea.

Greenpeace Philippines sent a strong message about plastic pollution with a giant "Dead Whale" art exhibit. Vince Cinches

10. Electric Vehicles Change the Game



Electric vehicle sales surged 63 percent in 2017, with China topping the market. Several car brands also announced their own inexpensive electric models including Volvo and Volkswagen, making them more affordable and accessible than ever. In addition to the surge, Tesla installed huge supercharger stations in California, making it ever more possible to get from point A to point B without fear of the batteries running out.
2017 was an exceptional year for ordinary citizens who stepped up to come to their communities' needs and in the process, sent a clear message that anyone can make a difference. As we turn the calendar to 2018, we look to this list as inspiration for others to act as boldly.

1. The California Heroes

Wildfires have been blazing through the west since late summer and the natural landscape has been burnt to the ground in the process, causing families and animals to flee. Hundreds of volunteer firefighters have stepped up to fight the blaze and ordinary civilians have risked their lives to save family heirlooms, displaced pets and wild animals. These heroic acts prove that there is one thing the fires haven't taken and that is the human spirit.

2. The New Mexico Tribes Who Said No to Fracking

Several Native American tribes in New Mexico voiced their concerns about an ordinance to regulate oil and gas fracking on their sacred lands in November. They filled public meeting halls, calling for better protections for the land, air and water with the support of many community members who raised their fists in solidarity. Ahjani Yepa of Jemez Pueblo, one of the many brave tribe members who spoke out, said, "The land is our Bible. Once it is gone, you cannot print another copy."

3. The Concerned Citizens Who Blocked Approval of an Oil Train in California

An oil train moves through California's Central Valley. In 2009, 10,000 tank cars transported crude oil in the entire U.S. This one terminal alone proposed bringing in 73,000 cars a year. Elizabeth Forsyth / Earthjustice

In November a group of citizens, with the help of Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity and Sierra Club, was successful in their lawsuit filed to Kern County, stating that the risk of a massive refinery and rail project in their community was not fully assessed. The project would have allowed imports of up to 63.1 million barrels of crude oil per year. The win was a huge success for the community and the environment.



4. The Peruvian Farmer Who Took a German Energy Giant to Court

Saul Luciano Lliuya Pascale Sury

Saul Luciano Lliuya, a farmer in Peru, filed a lawsuit against German energy giant RWE that claims they have endangered his hometown of Huaraz by melting glaciers and swelling a mountain lake that threatens to flood the region. The suit calls for $20,000 towards the $4 million cost of building flood protections for Huaraz.



5. The Pangolin Men

The pangolin is the only scaled mammal in the world, it also the most trafficked. But, there a group of men in Zimbabwe who call themselves the "Pangolin Men" because they have devoted their lives to protecting the species. The men work at Tikki Hywood Trust, where they rehabilitate the animals so that they can go back into the wild.



6. The Man Teaching Ex-Coal Miners to Be Bee Keepers

Appalachians learn beekeeping skills John Farrell

Mark Lilly, a retired insurance adjuster, has found a way to strengthen his rural West Virginia community through his favorite hobby, beekeeping. By teaching former coal miners in his town how to keep bees, he is giving them a new sense of purpose and some are even able to make a decent income at it. The bees are also helping the natural environment, which was been ravished by the coal industry. "We spent a lot of years scarring the land," Lilly said. "Now we will begin trying to heal some of those scars."



7. The Farmers Transforming Mountaintop Coal Mines

Crew members Eva Jones and Chris Farley, residents of Mingo County, work the soil. It is compacted, composed of blasted rock, and lacks organic matter. Paul Corbit Brown / YES! Magazine

As part of the Refresh Appalachia initiative, former coal miners and others who have been put out of work in West Virginia are turning mountaintop removal sites into hope. Through farming and forestry, the Refresh crews are revitalizing the hillsides to be profitable and sustainable for the local communities that surround them. The crew members also receive training in sustainability careers such as solar installation, making it win-win all around for the economically depressed region.



8. The 98-Year-Old Man Who Donated His Walgreens Investment to Build a Wildlife Refuge

Russ Gremel / Facebook / Chicago Tribune

Chicago-Native Russ Gremel found himself with quite a bit of money after investing $1,000 into Walgreens nearly 70 years ago. Gremel decided to donate the $2 million he had accrued to the National Audubon Society, who bought a 400-acre plot of land from Augustana College to turn it into a wildlife refuge that can be used for education and enjoyment for many years to come.

9. The Man Who Led a Volunteer Group to Clean up the Beach

When Afroz Shah, a 33-year-old lawyer, in Mumbai, India saw Versova Beach for the first time, he was shocked. The beaches were completely covered in rotting trash, with some patches getting up to 5.5 feet high. Recognizing the extreme risk to the health and safety of his community, Shah began cleaning. Slowly but surely, he built a volunteer group of 1,000 people to clean the beach. Almost two years later, Shah and his group, the Versova Resident Volunteers, cleaned up 11,684,500 pounds of trash, most of it plastic, that had accumulated along the shoreline. Shah won a "Champion of the Earth" award from the UN for his efforts.

10. The Kids Who Filed a Climate Lawsuit Against the U.S. Government

 Robin Loznak Photography, LLC

In an historic effort, a group of 21 young adults and children are challenging the U.S. government's approach on climate change. In November 2016, the group's lawsuit, supported by Our Children's Trust, was approved by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken. In June, the Trump administration filed for an appeal of Aiken's order in the Juliana v. United States case to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, but it was denied. And the young group got a trial date for Feb. 5, 2018. "I'm excited that we have a date now," said Jayden Foytlin, 14, of Rayne, Louisiana. "I think we are all looking forward to our day in court. I feel like we are that much closer to justice."


An oil pipeline has leaked about 200,000 liters, or 52,834 gallons, of crude onto an aboriginal community in the oil-rich province of Saskatchewan, Canada.

This is the province's largest pipeline breach since July's disastrous 225,000 liter (59,438 gallon) Husky Energy Inc spill, in which some oil entered the North Saskatchewan River and cut off drinking water supply for two cities.



The latest spill happened on reserve lands of the Ocean Man First Nation. Ocean Man Chief Connie Big Eagle told Reuters that a local resident smelled the scent of oil for a week, located the spill and brought it to her attention on Friday.

While no homes were affected, the spill is about 400 meters (1,320 feet) from the local cemetery, Big Eagle said.



The Saskatchewan government was informed of the spill on late Friday afternoon, but the public was only notified of the spill on Monday.



Doug MacKnight, assistant deputy minister of the petroleum and natural gas division in the Economy Ministry, told reporters that the delayed announcement was due to the government not knowing the spill volume until Monday morning.

"At that point we felt it was prudent to let everyone know what we were up to," MacKnight said.

The pipeline was shut down after the breach was discovered. It is currently unclear how the leak happened or which company operates the underground pipeline that breached, as multiple pipelines operate around the site of the leak.

"There are a number of pipes in the area," McKnight said. "Until we excavate it, we won't know with 100-percent certainty which pipe." Excavation of the affected line is planned for Wednesday and will be sent for testing.

Tundra Energy Marketing Inc, which owns a pipeline near the spill, has been handling cleanup efforts since Saturday. As of Monday, 170,000 liters (44909 gallons) have been recovered.



According to the Regina Leader Post, the Ministry of Environment was notified of the spill on Friday afternoon, with the government saying it came from a Tundra-owned line.

Chief Big Eagle also told Retuers, "We have got to make sure that Tundra has done everything that they can to get our land back to the way it was. That can take years."



"They have assured me that they follow up and they don't leave ... until we are satisfied," she added.

MacKnight said that the oil spilled onto low-lying agricultural land that contains a frozen slough and did not enter any water sources such as creeks or streams. At this time, the spill has reportedly not affected air quality or wildlife.
Two major pipeline spills were reported the same week that President Donald Trump signed orders to move the Keystone XL (KXL) and Dakota Access (DAPL) pipelines forward. The recent breaches highlight the dangers of unreliable fossil fuel infrastructure in North America.

The president signed executive orders on Tuesday. One a day later, about 138,600 gallons of a diesel mix spilled from a broken pipeline in Iowa.

The pipeline is owned by Oklahoma-based Magellan Midstream Partners, which recently reached an $18 million settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency over alleged violations of the Clean Water Act, involving three pipeline spills in Texas, Nebraska and Kansas.

On Monday, reports emerged of a Tundra Energy Marketing Ltd-owned pipeline that spilled 52,830 gallons of crude oil onto aboriginal land in Saskatchewan, Canada. The spill happened on reserve lands of the Ocean Man First Nation.



Trump promises that pipelines such as the Keystone XL and the Dakota Access will help increase domestic energy production and create jobs. Energy companies also say that pipelines are safer and more environmentally friendly to move fuel compared to rail or trucks.

But Tundra and Magellan's pipeline breaches only exacerbate the concerns of indigenous communities who are the ones who see these projects built then rupture in their backyards.

"Of course everybody's not happy that it happened in the first place ... You hope that these things will never happen to you or to your community and so yah, it was shock. It was a surprise," Ocean Man Chief Connie Big Eagle told Canada's Global News.

Big Eagle told Reuters that a local resident smelled the scent of oil for a week, located the spill and brought it to her attention on Friday. While no homes were affected, the spill is about 400 meters (1,320 feet) from the local cemetery, Big Eagle said. The Saskatchewan government was informed of the spill on late Friday afternoon, but the public was only notified of the spill on Monday.



According to a ProPublica report, America's 2.5 million miles pipelines "suffer hundreds of leaks and ruptures every year, costing lives and money," and these lines are only getting older. Not only that, the report notes that pipeline accidents have killed more than 500 people, injured more than 4,000 and cost nearly $7 billion in property damages since 1986.



As actor and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio tweeted Wednesday: "This week, an oil pipeline spilled approx. 53k gallons of oil in an indigenous community. Why push risky projects when better options exist?"

DiCaprio's tweet cited a statement from David Archambault II, the chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.

"We are not opposed to energy independence," Archambault said in response to Trump's orders. "We are opposed to reckless and politically motivated development projects, like DAPL, that ignore our treaty rights and risk our water. Creating a second Flint does not make America great again."

Trump's executive orders will revive the highly contested DAPL that will cross through disputed Sioux land and the Missouri River, which is the tribe's primary source of drinking water.

The Iowa spill was discovered Wednesday morning nearby the city of Hanlontown and did not reach water sources or cause injury to people or wildlife.

However, as Greenpeace researcher Jesse Coleman told the Guardian, while the Magellan leak is "not a major disaster" compared to other spills, it draws attention to the risks of pipelines.

"This really speaks to the central problem, which is that we're not even surprised that this company spilled something out of a pipeline because it's inevitable," Coleman explained. "That's what's really frightening about these larger pipelines."



"You can never really rehabilitate an area that got soaked in gasoline. Even this spill, it can't be cleaned up," Coleman added. "That gives you some idea of what will happen when the Dakota Access pipeline or the Keystone XL pipeline fails. It's irreversible."
New Delhi, Jan 1 (PTI) India can reach a capacity of 17,000 megawatts in renewable energy by the year 2022, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

During the Question Hour, Minister of state for power, new and renewable energy R K Singh said the share of renewable energy was progressively increasing in the Indian electricity mix.

"In the year 2015-16, with 65.78 billion units, the share of renewables was 5.61 per cent. This increased to 6.59 per cent in the year 2016-17. In growth terms with 82 billion units, the renewable generation in 2016-17 was around 25 per cent higher than the previous year," he said.

As per the share of renewable energy in the total electric power generation capacity, the addition was 52.2 per cent, he said.

The minister said the installed capacity was consistently increasing. PTI ADS ARC
By Jeremy Symons

While running for president, Donald Trump threatened to virtually eliminate the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), leaving only "little tidbits."

Scott Pruitt, Trump's EPA administrator, has been tasked with the job of tearing down the agency from within. This is the man who sued the EPA 14 timeswith strong financial backing from companies seeking to weaken clean air and clean water standardswhen serving as Oklahoma's Attorney General.

The president has used deception to reassure the general public that critical environmental laws will continue to protect public health and he is now taking our country in a dangerous direction.

Here are five ways he and Pruitt will go about weakening the agency responsible for keeping our air clean, drinking water safe and toxic chemicals from harming our families:

1. Gut the EPA's Budget

Deep budget cuts at the EPA are being proposed under the guise of fixing budget issues.

In reality, the agency accounts for a mere two-tenths of one percent of federal spending. Any claim that major budget issues can be dealt with on the back of such a small sliver of the budget is false.

Instead, the proposed budget cuts are a clear signal to a narrow group of special interests and supporters who share Trump's disdain for the EPA because environmental regulations don't serve their agenda.

2. Relax Enforcement Against Illegal Pollution

Leaked budget documents show that Trump has already directed the EPA to curtail pollution-monitoring and get states "to assume more active enforcement roles." But this isn't about states' rights; it's merely a convenient cover for gutting federal enforcement responsibility without any assurance that states will pick up the slack.

In fact, Pruitt took Oklahoma in the opposite direction as attorney general by shutting down the state's environmental enforcement unit.

Meanwhile, delegating enforcement to states puts everyone at the mercy of neighboring states' enforcement. Almost every state has communities that are downwind or downstream from polluters across state boundaries.

3. Roll Back Pollution Standards

"The future ain't what it used to be at the EPA," Pruitt explained in a fiery speech to the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington shortly after his contentious and narrow confirmation by the Senate. He went on to pledge he would "roll back the regulatory state."

President Trump has already issued an executive order seeking to weaken Clean Water Act protections for American rivers and streams. With Pruitt now at his side, he is expected to next take aim at rolling back standards that reduce toxic emissions from cars and power plants.

Trump says he is slashing federal clean air and water standards to ease what he calls "job-crushing regulations." Of course, increasing pollution does not grow the economy.

4. Use Misinformation to Justify Political Agenda



During his confirmation hearing, Pruitt ran away from his anti-environmental record and assured senators that he was "concerned" about pollution contributing to climate change, that mercury "should be regulated" and that ground-level ozone is "a dangerous pollutant."

Once he had been confirmed as EPA administrator, his tone changed back to his roots. Pruitt is already a ready partner to Trump when it comes to spreading misinformation and denying climate change.

Political interference in science will come in many forms, but the most dangerous may be an effort to permanently meddle with the EPA's scientific capacity under the guise of "reforming" the scientific process. Such meddling is a top Trump transition goal, according to Myron Ebell, the head of Trump's EPA transition team.

Ebell makes no bones about it: The objective, he's said, is to permanently cripple the agency's capacity to bounce back under future presidents.

5. Surrender to Allow "Sue and Pollute" Lawsuits

We expect Pruitt and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to take up a new practice of surrendering to "sue and pollute" lawsuits in court. That would abandon the legal defense of EPA rules against suits brought by some polluters who would rather fight in court than invest in cleaner technology.

Pruitt may even take the unprecedented step to refuse to recuse himself from overseeing decisions about lawsuits that he himself brought against the EPA as Oklahoma's attorney generalconveniently switching sides from plaintiff to defendant.

The question now is how Pruitt and Trump will contend with growing opposition as they walk the tightrope between broad public support for the EPA's mission while serving the narrow interests of those who want to permanently weaken the agency.

If we remain vigilant and demand accountability from our elected officials, we can make every step they take along that tightrope more strenuous than the last.
[Editor's note: The New York Times reports that the Trump Administration is preparing executive orders that would have far sweeping consequences for the United Nations and multilateral treaties. According to their sources, the order will call for "at least a 40 percent decrease" in U.S. funds to the United Nations, while another calls for a review of America's multilateral treaties, including the recent and historic Paris agreement on climate change. This blog post is in response to this news.]



By Andrew Light and David Waskow

Last year was full of contradictions. Climate action made substantial strides forward, with momentum building on many fronts: The Paris agreement went into effect with record-breaking speed; countries amended the Montreal Protocol to phase-down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the most potent class of greenhouse gases; and the world created a global market-based mechanism to reduce CO2 emissions from civil aviation, to name just a few.

Then the election of Donald Trump as president of the U.S. suddenly raised doubts about whether the country will continue to play a leadership role and cooperate with other nations on climate policies. President Trump's derisive comments about climate change and the equivocation (at best) that his cabinet appointees have shown for international climate policies could put the U.S. at odds with the world.

But at this critical juncture, America should not become a climate isolationist. The rest of the world appears determined to press ahead in tackling climate change's threats to humanity's future. There are many good reasons the U.S. should not pull out of the international climate action movement:



Diplomatic Isolation

America's most steadfast allies and trade partners support the Paris agreement. One-hundred and ninety four countries joined the agreement; only three did not (Syria, Nicaragua and Uzbekistan). Many of the 130 heads of government who came to Paris in December 2015 emphasized the wide-ranging impacts of climate change on health, well-being and security and ultimately, each of the countries that joined the agreement did so in their own self-interest.

As countries worked to create the agreement, the landscape of global diplomacy was forever altered, with climate change breaking out of its historical silo to become an issue as central to international diplomacy as trade and security. This has also been reflected in the G7 and G20, where climate change has come to the center of the agenda.

Withdrawing from this wave of cooperation risks much. Countries are now clearly assessing each other's contributions to the stability of the global climate regime as a strong measure of whether they are good partners more broadly. If the Trump Administration doesn't honor its international commitments on climate change, they very well may find it difficult to engage countries on the new administration's priority issues.

We've been here before. Former Secretary of State Colin Powell described the reaction when President George W. Bush pulled the U.S. out of the Kyoto Protocol. As he told the New York Times, "when the blowback came, I think it was a sobering experience that everything the American president does has international repercussions." This assessment was echoed more recently by former U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change Todd Stern, who went on to say that a withdrawal from the Paris agreement would probably be, "much, much more significant than what happened before."

Leaving the Paris agreement would indicate the U.S. is abandoning its place in the international climate regime, where other countries will surely step into the vacuum and reap the benefits of global leadership. And just staying in the agreement is not enoughfailing to also honor our commitments or help generate international progress could isolate the country from continued global engagement on this core issue.

World leaders from Chancellor Merkel of Germany to President Xi of China have made clear the importance of continued U.S. engagement on climate change. The first test of the Trump Administration may come soon at the G7 meeting in Italy in May or the G20 meeting in Germany in July, when we may see host countries propose an extension of the strong language on climate change delivered at the last meetings of these fora.
Norwegian zoologists have discovered some 30 plastic bags and other marine debris inside the stomach of a malnourished 20-foot Cuvier's beaked whale.

The whale was an adult male that weighed about 2 tons. Local authorities were forced to euthanize the distressed animal on Jan. 28 after repeatedly stranding itself off the shallow waters of Sotra, an island near Norway's southwestern coast.

After it was put down, University of Bergen researchers analyzed the whale's stomach and determined that the various non-biodegradable objects were likely the cause of death.

"Our whale was emaciated; little fat and low weight. But its stomach was full of plastic, which likely killed it," University of Bergen associate professor Hanneke Meijer tweeted.

According to NRK, large quantities of small plastic as well as candy wrappers and plastic bread bags were found in addition to the 30 plastic bags. The items had packaging and labels in Danish and English.

University of Bergen associate professor Terje Lislevand told the Associated Press that the whale's intestine "had no food, only some remnants of a squid's head in addition to a thin fat layer."

Lislevand also told Norwegian publication Bergens Tidende that the whale was likely in pain due to its clogged stomach.



"The plastic was like a big ball in the stomach and filled it almost completely," he said.

The whale might have mistakenly ingested the plastic bags thinking it was squid, its preferred source of food.

Lislevand remarked that the animal was one of the first Cuvier's beaked whales to be spotted near Norway.

EcoWatch has documented many instances of whales suffering and even dying because of plastic waste. But ocean plastic is not just a problem for whales. Fish, seabirds, turtles and many other marine creatures are choking from the 8 million metric tons of plastic garbage that enters our oceans every year.

Unfortunately, if consumers do not reduce their use of plastic and plastic-intensive goods, the problem will only get worse. A widely reported study found that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050 if the world continues to consume and dump this form of non-biodegradable waste at current rates.
A new Tel Aviv University study pinpoints the inverse correlation between a known oncogene -- a gene that promotes the development of cancer -- and the expression of an oncosuppressor microRNA as the reason for extended pancreatic cancer survival. The study may serve as a basis for the development of an effective cocktail of drugs for this deadly disease and other cancers.

The study, which was published in Nature Communications, was led by Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, Chair of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine, and conducted by Hadas Gibori and Dr. Shay Eliyahu, both of Prof. Satchi-Fainaro's multidisciplinary laboratory, in collaboration with Prof. Eytan Ruppin of TAU's Computer Science Department and the University of Maryland and Prof. Iris Barshack and Dr. Talia Golan of Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most aggressive cancers known today. The overwhelming majority of pancreatic cancer patients die within just a year of diagnosis. "Despite all the treatments afforded by modern medicine, some 75% of all pancreatic cancer patients die within 12 months of diagnosis, including many who die within just a few months," Prof. Satchi-Fainaro says.

"But around seven percent of those diagnosed will survive more than five years. We sought to examine what distinguishes the survivors from the rest of the patients," Prof. Satchi-Fainaro continues. "We thought that if we could understand how some people live several years with this most aggressive disease, we might be able to develop a new therapeutic strategy."

Calling a nano-taxi

The research team examined pancreatic cancer cells and discovered an inverse correlation between the signatures of miR-34a, a tumor suppressant, and PLK1, a known oncogene. The levels of miR-34a were low in pancreatic cancer mouse models, while the levels of the oncogene were high. This correlation made sense for such an aggressive cancer. But the team needed to see if the same was true in humans.

The scientists performed RNA profiling and analysis of samples taken from pancreatic cancer patients. The molecular profiling revealed the same genomic pattern found earlier in mouse models of pancreatic cancer.

The scientists then devised a novel nanoparticle that selectively delivers genetic material to a tumor and prevents side effects in surrounding healthy tissues.

"We designed a nanocarrier to deliver two passengers: (1) miR-34a, which degrades hundreds of oncogenes; and (2) a PLK1 small interfering RNA (siRNA), that silences a single gene," Prof. Satchi-Fainaro says. "These were delivered directly to the tumor site to change the molecular signature of the cancer cells, rendering the tumor dormant or eradicating it altogether.

"The nanoparticle is like a taxi carrying two important passengers," Prof. Satchi-Fainaro continues. "Many oncology protocols are cocktails, but the drugs usually do not reach the tumor at the same time. But our 'taxi' kept the 'passengers' -- and the rest of the body -- safe the whole way, targeting only the tumor tissue. Once it 'parked,' an enzyme present in pancreatic cancer caused the carrier to biodegrade, allowing the therapeutic cargo to be released at the correct address -- the tumor cells."

Improving the odds

To validate their findings, the scientists injected the novel nanoparticles into pancreatic tumor-bearing mice and observed that by balancing these two targets -- bringing them to a normal level by increasing their expression or blocking the gene responsible for their expression -- they significantly prolonged the survival of the mice.

"This treatment takes into account the entire genomic pattern, and shows that affecting a single gene is not enough for the treatment of pancreatic cancer or any cancer type in general," according to Prof. Satchi-Fainaro.

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Research for the study was funded by the European Research Council (ERC), Tel Aviv University's Cancer Biology Research Center (CBRC) and the Israel Science Foundation (ISF).

American Friends of Tel Aviv University (AFTAU) supports Israel's most influential, comprehensive and sought-after center of higher learning, Tel Aviv University (TAU). TAU is recognized and celebrated internationally for creating an innovative, entrepreneurial culture on campus that generates inventions, startups and economic development in Israel. For three years in a row, TAU ranked 9th in the world, and first in Israel, for alumni going on to become successful entrepreneurs backed by significant venture capital, a ranking that surpassed several Ivy League universities. To date, 2,400 patents have been filed out of the University, making TAU 29th in the world for patents among academic institutions.
Excessive desire to succeed, compete with others may have negative impact on youth psychological health

WASHINGTON -- The drive to be perfect in body, mind and career among today's college students has significantly increased compared with prior generations, which may be taking a toll on young people's mental health, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

This study is the first to examine group generational differences in perfectionism, according to lead author Thomas Curran, PhD, of the University of Bath. He and his co-author Andrew Hill, PhD, of York St John University suggest that perfectionism entails "an irrational desire to achieve along with being overly critical of oneself and others."

Curran and Hill analyzed data from 41,641 American, Canadian and British college students from 164 samples who completed the Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, a test for generational changes in perfectionism, from the late 1980s to 2016. They measured three types of perfectionism: self-oriented, or an irrational desire to be perfect; socially prescribed, or perceiving excessive expectations from others; and other-oriented, or placing unrealistic standards on others.

The study, published in the journal Psychological Bulletin, found that more recent generations of college students reported significantly higher scores for each form of perfectionism than earlier generations. Specifically, between 1989 and 2016, the self-oriented perfectionism score increased by 10 percent, socially prescribed increased by 33 percent and other-oriented increased by 16 percent.

The rise in perfectionism among millennials is being driven by a number of factors, according to Curran. For example, raw data suggest that social media use pressures young adults to perfect themselves in comparison to others, which makes them dissatisfied with their bodies and increases social isolation. This has not been tested and further research is needed to confirm this, said Curran. The drive to earn money, pressure to get a good education and setting lofty career goals are other areas in which today's young people exhibit perfectionism.

In another example, Curran cited college students' drive to perfect their grade point averages and compare them to their peers. These examples, according to Curran, represent a rise in meritocracy among millennials, in which universities encourage competition among students to move up the social and economic ladder.

"Meritocracy places a strong need for young people to strive, perform and achieve in modern life," said Curran. "Young people are responding by reporting increasingly unrealistic educational and professional expectations for themselves. As a result, perfectionism is rising among millennials."

Approximately half of high school seniors in 1976 expected to earn a college degree and by 2008, that number had risen to over 80 percent. Yet, numbers of those earning degrees has failed to keep pace with rising expectations, according to Curran. The gap between the percentage of high school seniors expecting to earn a college degree and those with one doubled between 1976 and 2000 and has continued to rise.

"These findings suggest that recent generations of college students have higher expectations of themselves and others than previous generations," said Curran. "Today's young people are competing with each other in order to meet societal pressures to succeed and they feel that perfectionism is necessary in order to feel safe, socially connected and of worth."

The increase in perfectionism may in part be affecting the psychological health of students, said Hill, citing higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts than a decade ago.

Hill urged schools and policymakers to curb fostering competition among young people in order to preserve good mental health.

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Article: "Perfectionism Is Increasing Over Time: A Meta-Analysis of Birth Cohort Differences From 1989 to 2016," by Thomas Curran, PhD, University of Bath, and Andrew Hill, PhD, York St. John University. Psychological Bulletin, published Dec. 28, 2017.

Full text of the article is available from the APA Public Affairs Office and at

http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/bul-bul0000138.pdf.

Contact: Thomas Curran at T.Curran@bath.ac.uk.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA's membership includes nearly 115,700 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people's lives.

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Cambridge, MA (January 2, 2018) -- If you want to buy good wine, Elizabeth Wolkovich says stop looking at labels and listen to your taste buds.

An Assistant Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Wolkovich is among the co-authors of a new study, which suggests that, though vineyards might be able to counteract some of the effects of climate change by planting lesser-known grape varieties, scientists and vintners need to better understand the wide diversity of grapes and their adaptions to different climates. The study is described in a January 2 paper in Nature Climate Change.

"It's going to be very hard, given the amount of warming we've already committed to...for many regions to continue growing the exact varieties they've grown in the past," Wolkovich said. "But what we're interested in talking about is how much more diversity of grape varieties do we have, and could we potentially be using that diversity to adapt to climate change.

"The Old World has a huge diversity of winegrapes - there are over planted 1,000 varieties - and some of them are better adapted to hotter climates and have higher drought tolerance than the 12 varieties now making up over 80% of the wine market in many countries," she continued. "We should be studying and exploring these varieties to prepare for climate change."

Unfortunately, Wolkovich said, convincing wine producers to try different grape varieties is difficult at best, and the reason often comes down to the current concept of terroir.

Terroir is the notion that a wine's flavor is a reflection of where, which and how the grapes were grown. Thus, as currently understood, only certain traditional or existing varieties are part of each terroir, leaving little room for change.

"There's a real issue in the premier wine-growing regions that historical terroir is what makes great wine, and if you acknowledge in any way that you have climate change, you acknowledge that your terroir is changing," Wolkovich said. "So in many of those regions there is not much of an appetite to talk about changing varieties."

But even if that appetite existed, Wolkovich said, researchers don't yet have enough data to say whether other varieties would be able to adapt to climate change.

"Part of what this paper sets up is the question of how much more do we need to know if we want to understand whether there is enough diversity in this crop to adapt wine regions to climate change in place," said Ignacio Morales-Castilla, a co-author of the study and Fellow at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University who investigates which winegrape varieties will adequately mature where under climate change. "Right now we know we have this diversity, but we have little information on how to use it. One of our other suggestions is for growers to start setting aside parts of vineyards to grow some other varieties to see which ones are working."

But even if researchers came to the table armed with information about grape diversity, Wolkovich said the industry - both in the traditional winegrowing centers of Europe and around the world - still faces hurdles when it comes to making changes.

In Europe, she said, growers have the advantage of tremendous diversity. They have more than 1,000 grape varieties to choose from, research repositories such as INRA's Domaine de Vassal that study this diversity, and expertise in how to grow different varieties. Yet strict labeling laws have created restrictions on their ability to take advantage of this diversity.

For example, just three varieties of grapes can be labeled as Champagne or four for Burgundy. Similar restrictions have been enacted in many European regions- all of which force growers to focus on a small handful of grape varieties.

"The more you are locked into what you have to grow, the less room you have to adapt to climate change," Wolkovich said. "So there's this big pool of knowledge, and massive diversity, growers have maintained an amazing amount of genetic and climactic response diversity...but if they changed those laws in any way in relation to climate change, that's acknowledging that the terroir of the region is changing, and many growers don't want to do that."

New World winegrowers, meanwhile, must grapple with the opposite problem - while there are few, if any, restrictions on which grape varieties may be grown in a given region, growers have little experience with the diverse - and potentially more climate change adaptable - varieties of grapes found in Europe.

Just 12 varieties account for more than 80 percent of the grapes grown in Australian vineyards, Wolkovich said, more than 75% percent of all the grapes grown in China are Cabernet Sauvignon - and the chief reason why has to do with consumers.

"They have all the freedom in the world to import new varieties and think about how to make great wines from a grape variety you've never heard of, but they're not doing it because the consumer hasn't heard of it," Wolkovich said. "In Europe, people do blend wines...but in the New World, we've gotten really focused on specific varieties: 'I want a bottle of Pinot Noir,' or 'I want a bottle of Cabernet.'

"We've been taught to recognize the varieties we think we like," she said. "People buy Pinot even though it can taste totally different depending on where it's grown. It might taste absolutely awful from certain regions, but if you think you like Pinot, you're only buying that."

As Wolkovich sees it, wine producers now face a choice: proactively experiment with new varieties, or risk suffering the negative consequences of climate change.

"With continued climate change, certain varieties in certain regions will start to fail - that's my expectation," she said. "The solution we're offering is how do you start thinking of varietal diversity. Maybe the grapes grown widely today were the ones that are easiest to grow and tasted the best in historical climates, but I think we're missing a lot of great grapes better suited for the future."

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Very frequent consumption of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, but only among people in the lowest socioeconomic position, according to a new research study published in PLOS Medicine by Eirik Degerud from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo, and colleagues.

Individuals with low socioeconomic position are known to consume alcohol less frequently than those in higher positions, but experience a higher rate of alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths. Degerud and colleagues analyzed socioeconomic and health survey data, as well as cause of death information, on 207,394 Norwegian adults who were born before October 15, 1960 and completed mandatory censuses in Norway between 1960 and 1990.

Moderately frequent alcohol consumers (2-3 times per week) had a lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than infrequent drinkers, and this association was more pronounced among people in the highest socioeconomic position. Very frequent consumption of alcohol (4-7 times per week) was associated with an increased risk of dying from cardiovascular disease among people in the lowest socioeconomic position. The authors also report that weekly binge drinkers had higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those who did not binge drink in the past year, but the risk did not seem to differ by socioeconomic position.

"It is unclear if [these difference in risk] reflects differential confounding of alcohol consumption with health-protective or damaging exposures or differing effects of alcohol on health across socioeconomic groups," the authors say. "The heterogeneity between groups in the population needs to be assessed when making population recommendations regarding alcohol consumption."

In an accompanying Perspective, Jurgen Rehm and Charlotte Probst of Canada's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health write that the new findings are an important piece of the puzzle in understanding the complex interactions between socioeconomic position and mortality. An implication of the new paper, they say, is that "it is not appropriate simply to extrapolate from risks associated with alcohol use in higher-income populations to address lower-income populations where the impact of alcohol use is highest."

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Research Article

Funding:

The study is part of a research project that was funded by the Research Council of Norway (grant number 2137788, https://www.forskningsradet.no). N received the funding and the corresponding author ED is a postdoctoral researcher on the project. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests:

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation:

Degerud E, Ariansen I, Ystrom E, Graff-Iversen S, Hiseth G, Mrland J, et al. (2018) Life course socioeconomic position, alcohol drinking patterns in midlife, and cardiovascular mortality: Analysis of Norwegian population-based health surveys. PLoS Med 15(1): e1002476. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002476

Author Affiliations:

Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway

Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Center for Psychopharmacology, Oslo, Norway

Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit, School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom

Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway

IN YOUR COVERAGE PLEASE USE THIS URL TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE PAPER:

http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002476

Perspective Article

Funding:

The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Competing Interests:

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Citation:

Rehm J, Probst C (2018) What about drinking is associated with shorter life in poorer people? PLoS Med 15(1): e1002477. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002477

Author Affiliations:

Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, CAMH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, CAMH, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Institute of Medical Science (IMS), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Institute for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany

IN YOUR COVERAGE PLEASE USE THIS URL TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE FREELY AVAILABLE PAPER:

http://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1002477
Chennai, Jan 2 (PTI) Top actor Rajinikanth today said it was his desire to create a political revolution in Tamil Nadu, a "historic" state that facilitated major changes.

"Tamil Nadu is a very historic place...be it Gandhiji discarding his usual attire and going in for a loin cloth.. everything had a start from here...many things," he said.

In a brief four-minute informal address to the media here, two days after declaring his political entry, he said "it is my desire to start from here a political revolution."

Future generations will live better if a change was facilitated now, the actor said.

Everybody has a responsibility in the initiative which was like the struggle for independence, he said and added that the present one was a "democractic struggle." Rajinikanth said he was media shy and rarely interacted with reporters.

Sporting a smile, he said he was not sure on handling the media.

However, he assured journalists that he would address them after party related work was done.

Rajinikanth said he had worked as a proofreader in a newspaper in Karnataka for two months.

To a question on "spiritual" politics interpreted by some as communal politics, Rajinikanth told reporters earlier at his residence that what he meant was politics based on truthfulness and honesty devoid of caste, creed and religion.

He, however, declined to specify when he will announce the name and symbol of his proposed party.

"I myself do not know," was his reply when questioned by reporters.

Asked if he will meet the people, he said in due course it will be made known.

"At one go, I cannot tell you everything," he said.

Yesterday, Rajinikanth called on spiritual heads of the Ramakrishna Math here and sought their blessings. PTI VGN VIJ BN
PharmaMar (MSE:PHM) has announced today a commercialization and distribution license agreement with Megapharm Ltd. for the marine-derived anticancer drug Aplidin (plitidepsin) in Israel and the territory known as the Palestinian Authority.

According to the agreement Megapharm will register Aplidin on behalf of PharmaMar and distribute the compound in both regions. PharmaMar will retain exclusive production rights and will supply the finished product for clinical and commercial use.

Aplidin is PharmaMars second most advanced anticancer drug which is currently under development for the treatment of multiple myeloma and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. The Company announced in March 2016 that plitidepsin has shown positive results in a pivotal Phase III clinical trial (ADMYRE) for multiple myeloma .

According to Luis Mora, Managing Director of PharmaMars Oncology Business Unit, "we are about to address our first strategic alliance with Megapharm for the commercialization of Aplidin for multiple myeloma in Israel and the territory known as the Palestinian Authority. Our commitment is to bring a novel and first-in-class therapy to patients in need."

Miron Drucker, CEO of Megapharm, stated that "the agreement between PharmaMar and Megapharm offers a major advance for healthcare in our territory as Aplidin provides a novel mechanism of action for treating multiple myeloma; we hope to bring access to the most innovative treatments to our patients in Israel and the territory known as the Palestinian Authority".

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About Megapharm Ltd.

Megapharm Ltd. is a leading Israeli private pharma marketing company, founded in 1989, exclusively representing a number of major American, European and Japanese pharmaceutical companies. Megapharm provides its partners with a full set of commercial capabilities, including registration, market access and sales and marketing. Megapharm has demonstrated dynamic sales growth by developing a strong company presence and expertise in selected therapeutic areas (i.e. Oncology, Hematology, CNS, Orphan and metabolic drugs) and a proven track record for obtaining national reimbursement and inclusion of its products in Health Funds in Israel. Additional information can be found at: http://www.megapharm.co.il

About PharmaMar

Headquartered in Madrid, PharmaMar is a world-leading biopharmaceutical company in the discovery and development of innovative marine-derived anticancer drugs. The company has a pipeline of drug candidates and a robust R&D oncology program. PharmaMar develops and commercializes YONDELIS in Europe and has three other clinical-stage programs under development for several types of solid and hematological cancers, lurbinectedin, plitidepsin, PM184 and PM14. PharmaMar is a global biopharmaceutical company with subsidiaries in Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Belgium and the United States. PharmaMar fully owns other companies: GENOMICA, a leading molecular diagnostics company; Sylentis, dedicated to researching therapeutic applications of gene silencing (RNAi); and two other chemical enterprises, Zelnova Zeltia and Xylazel. To learn more about PharmaMar, please visit us at http://www.pharmamar.com.

Disclaimer

This document is a press release, not a prospectus. This document does not constitute or form part of an offering or invitation to sell or a solicitation to purchase, offer or subscribe shares of the company. Moreover, no reliance should be placed upon this document for any investment decision or contract and it does not constitute a recommendation of any type with regard to the shares of the company.
(New York, NY - January 2, 2018) --Mount Sinai researchers have discovered that normal immune cells called macrophages, which reside in healthy breast tissue surrounding milk ducts, play a major role in helping early breast cancer cells leave the breast for other parts of the body, potentially creating metastasis before a tumor has even developed, according to a study published in Nature Communications.

The macrophages play a role in mammary gland development by regulating how milk ducts branch out through breast tissue. Many studies have also proven the importance of macrophages in metastasis, but until now, only in models of advanced large tumors. By studying human samples, mouse tissues, and breast organoids, which are miniaturized and simplified versions of breast tissue produced in the lab, the new research found that in very early cancer lesions, macrophages are attracted to enter the breast ducts where they trigger a chain reaction that brings early cancer cells out of the breast, said lead researcher Julio Aguirre-Ghiso, PhD, Professor of Oncological Sciences, Otolaryngology, Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology at The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

This research shows that macrophages' relationship with normal breast cells is co-opted by early cancer cells that activate the cancer-causing HER2 gene, helping in this newly-discovered role of these immune cells. The findings from this study could eventually help pinpoint biomarkers to identify cancer patients who may be at risk of carrying potential metastatic cells due to these macrophages and potentially lead to the development of novel therapies that prevent early cancer metastasis.

Early treatment of high-risk patients may prevent the formation of deadly metastasis better than the current standard of treating metastatic disease only once it has occurred, said key researcher Miriam Merad, MD, PhD, Director of the Precision Immunology Institute and the Human Immune Monitoring Center and co-leader of the Cancer Immunology program at The Tisch Cancer Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

"Our study challenges the dogma that early diagnosis and treatment means sure cure," Dr. Aguirre-Ghiso said. "In this study and in our previous studies, we present mechanisms governing early dissemination. This work further sheds light onto the mysterious process of early dissemination and cancer of an unknown primary tumor."

Researchers hope to build on this study by identifying which macrophages specifically control early dissemination. They also hope to further detail how early disseminated cancer cells interact with macrophages in the lungs where metastases eventually form and how this interaction can be targeted to prevent metastasis.

"Here, we have identified how macrophages and early cancer cells form a 'microenvironment of early dissemination' and show that by disrupting this interaction we can prevent early dissemination and ultimately deadly metastasis," said Dr. Merad. "This sheds light onto the mysterious process of early dissemination and for patients who have metastasis cancer that came from an unknown source."

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This study was funded by the following grants and agencies DoD-BCRP BC133807, BC112380, BC132674, NIH/National Cancer Institute CA109182, CA191430, CA196521, CA163131 CA216248 F31CA183185, Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation Tumor Dormancy Program, Human Frontiers Science Program, Schneider-Lesser Foundation Fellow Award, Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) NCI-K22 (22CA 201054) NIH 1S10RR024745 and S10OD023547-01.

About the Mount Sinai Health System

The Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest integrated delivery system encompassing seven hospital campuses, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai's vision is to produce the safest care, the highest quality, the highest satisfaction, the best access and the best value of any health system in the nation. The System includes approximately 7,100 primary and specialty care physicians; 10 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 18 on U.S. News & World Report's "Honor Roll" of top U.S. hospitals; it is one of the nation's top 20 hospitals in Cardiology/Heart Surgery, Diabetes/Endocrinology, Gastroenterology/GI Surgery, Geriatrics, Nephrology, and Neurology/Neurosurgery, and in the top 50 in four other specialties in the 2017-2018 "Best Hospitals" issue. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in six out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 12th nationally for Ophthalmology and 50th for Ear, Nose, and Throat, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Mount Sinai St. Luke's and Mount Sinai West are ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org/, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
PITTSBURGH, Jan 2, 2018 - Despite improvement in the rates of people dying of sepsis in the hospital, the condition is still a leading cause of hospital readmissions and costs, as well as long-term disabilities and impairments, prompting University of Pittsburgh and University of Michigan medical scientists to develop thorough recommendations for post-hospital recovery care and future clinical trials.

The review, published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association, calls for a significant focus on developing an evidence-based approach to optimal care for the 14 million patients worldwide who survive hospitalization for sepsis each year.

"Current treatment guidelines emphasize interventions that reduce short-term mortality, but with little information on strategies to minimize physical disability, cognitive impairment or health deterioration after sepsis," said senior author Derek Angus, M.D., M.P.H., the Dr. Mitchell P. Fink Professor and chair of Pitt's Department of Critical Care Medicine. "We need to focus not only on saving the patient's life, but on ensuring the patient will have the best possible quality of life after leaving the hospital."

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction that can develop following an infection. It is the leading cause of death of hospital patients, and half of survivors do not completely recover, with a third of those dying in the following year and a sixth experiencing severe, persistent physical disabilities or cognitive impairment. In one study, only 43 percent of previously employed patients returned to work within a year of contracting septic shock and only 33 percent of patients living at home prior to contracting sepsis returned to living independently by six months following their discharge.

Angus and lead author Hallie Prescott, M.D., M.Sc., assistant professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine in U-M's Institute for Healthcare Policy & Innovation, reviewed medical literature and compiled the results of studies - with particular emphasis on clinical trials - related to sepsis survivorship.

Despite a dearth of large clinical trials to test interventions aimed at improving outcomes for sepsis patients after hospital discharge, Angus and Prescott recommend three strategies that aim to prevent long-term disabilities:

High-quality early sepsis care that includes rapidly following protocols to help the patient fight infection, managing pain through light sedation that allows for the patient to be awakened and reoriented daily, and encouraging early mobility while the patient is still hospitalized.

Post-discharge assessment and treatment that gets patients into rehabilitation with physical, occupational and speech therapy shortly after discharge, and quick referral to therapists if new impairments develop.

Screening of patients for conditions that may have been present prior to hospitalization, such as high blood pressure, and tailoring post-discharge medications to account for individual patients' increased susceptibility to new complications. Patients and their caregivers also should be educated about sepsis and details of their hospital stay, referred to patient and caregiver support groups, and encouraged to establish their goals for future care and quality of life.

"While we are making these recommendations based on available research, many important questions about post-sepsis morbidity remain unanswered," said Prescott. "Future research is needed to better characterize how pre-sepsis health affects long-term outcomes after sepsis so we can best tailor treatment and long-term recovery to the patient."

###

This work was supported by grants K08 GM115859 and R01 GM097471 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health.

About the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine

As one of the nation's leading academic centers for biomedical research, the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine integrates advanced technology with basic science across a broad range of disciplines in a continuous quest to harness the power of new knowledge and improve the human condition. Driven mainly by the School of Medicine and its affiliates, Pitt has ranked among the top 10 recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health since 1998. In rankings recently released by the National Science Foundation, Pitt ranked fifth among all American universities in total federal science and engineering research and development support.

Likewise, the School of Medicine is equally committed to advancing the quality and strength of its medical and graduate education programs, for which it is recognized as an innovative leader, and to training highly skilled, compassionate clinicians and creative scientists well-equipped to engage in world-class research. The School of Medicine is the academic partner of UPMC, which has collaborated with the University to raise the standard of medical excellence in Pittsburgh and to position health care as a driving force behind the region's economy. For more information about the School of Medicine, see http://www.medschool.pitt.edu.

About the University of Michigan Institute of Health Policy & Innovation

University of Michigan's Institute of Health Policy & Innovation is the nation's leading university-based institute of health services researchers evaluating how healthcare works and how it can be improved, and advising policy makers to inform change. Our researchers collaborate across dozens of focused teams to improve the quality, safety, equity and affordability of healthcare services. IHPI brings together more than 500 investigators from U-M's top-ranked schools of medicine, nursing, public health, engineering, social work, law, business, and public policy, among others, as well as partners from local research groups to address healthcare's biggest challenges. http://www.upmc.com/media

Contact:

Allison Hydzik

Pitt Health Sciences

Office: 412-647-9975

Mobile: 412-559-2431

HydzikAM@upmc.edu

Shantell M. Kirkendoll

University of Michigan

Office: 734-764-2220

smkirk@umich.edu
A fugitive Vietnamese intelligence officer wanted in his homeland for allegedly disclosing state secrets has been arrested in Singapore, his lawyers said Tuesday.

A German lawyer has called for the detainee, Phan Van Anh Vu, to be sent to Germany, arguing that he could help the investigation into a Cold War-style kidnapping in Berlin last year.

Vu, who is also a property developer, was detained on Thursday at a Singapore border checkpoint as he attempted to cross into Malaysia.

Police in the central Vietnamese city of Da Nang said in recent days that Vu, 42, was being sought for deliberately revealing state secrets, but gave no further details.

Singapore lawyer Remy Choo told AFP he met Vus family, who had confirmed that apart from being a property developer, he was also a senior officer in the Vietnamese intelligence services.

My clients family are concerned that there is an imminent risk of repatriation, Choo said, adding that Vu was seeking safe haven in a European country.

His arrest follows a year in which Vietnamese authorities jailed or arrested scores of former officials, bankers and state executives as part of a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown which some observers say is also driven by political infighting.

One of the most high-profile cases involved the alleged kidnapping of a Vietnamese former oil executive in Germany.

Trinh Xuan Thanh was snatched from a Berlin park by Vietnamese security agents in July in a Cold War-style operation that stunned many inside and outside the one-party state. It prompted Germany to decry a scandalous violation of its sovereignty.

Vietnamese officials insist Thanh, who will go on trial later this month, returned home voluntarily.

 State secrets 

In Germany a lawyer representing both Vu, on a request of the detainees wife, and Thanhs asylum request is pushing for Berlin to grant a residence permit to Vu on grounds of international law or urgent humanitarian reasons.

A letter from the German lawyer obtained by AFP states that Vu is a lieutenant colonel of the Vietnamese secret police in division five of the ministry of public security which is responsible for the abduction of Trinh.

The lawyer writes that a Vietnamese arrest warrant against Vu dated December 21 accuses him of revealing state secrets and that, if sent home, he could face the death penalty.

In a letter to Germanys embassy in Singapore, the lawyer states that Vu could provide German authorities with valuable information on the abduction of Mr Trinh and other matters.

Germanys foreign and interior ministries declined to comment on the matter.

Another of Vus lawyers in Singapore, Foo Cheow Ming, confirmed his arrest. His lawyers have not yet been allowed to see him.

Singapore authorities said in a short statement only that Phan Van Anh Vu was arrested on 28 December 2017 for committing offences under the Immigration Act.

Observers say Vietnams anti-corruption sweep, which has echoes of a graft crackdown in Communist China, is being led by a conservative leadership in place since 2016.

Many believe it is as much about weeding out political enemies aligned with the former leadership as cracking down on graft.

burs-fz/tgb/boc
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani phoned his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday to demand action against a "terrorist" Iranian opposition group he accused of fomenting recent protests.

We criticise the fact that a terrorist group has a base in France and acts against the Iranian people and we await action from the French government against this terrorist group, Rouhani told Macron, according to a report on Iranian state television.

He was referring to an exiled Iranian opposition group based in Paris and called the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq.

Iranian authorities accuse the group, which the regime describes as hypocrites, of fuelling the unrest rocking the Islamic republic and of links with regional Sunni rival Saudi Arabia.

General Rassul Sanairad, a political deputy to the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, said Tuesday the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq had been instructed by the Saudi rulers and some European states to create insecurity in Iran, Tasnim news agency reported.

Nearly a week of unrest has seen 21 people killed and hundreds arrested in Iran, in the biggest test for the Islamic regime in years.

It began in second city Mashhad on Thursday and quickly spread to other towns and cities.

However, Tehrans deputy mayor said the city, which had witnessed small protests the past three nights, was calm on Tuesday night and no incidents had been reported, ISNA news agency said.
French President Emmanuel Macron Tuesday expressed his concern over unrest in Iran during a telephone conversation with counterpart Hassan Rouhani and called for "restraint and appeasement," his office said.

Macron brought up the number of victims from the demonstrations, and the two leaders also decided to postpone French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drians visit to Tehran this week to a later date, the Elysee said.

The two leaders conversation came after nearly a week of protests in Iran marked by deadly violence and hundreds of arrests.

Macrons office said the French leader underscored that fundamental rights including freedom of expression and freedom to demonstrate must be respected.

Rouhani in turn asked Macron to take action against a Paris-based Iranian opposition group called the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq (the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran, PMOI), which he accused of fomenting the recent protests.

We criticise the fact that a terrorist group has a base in France and acts against the Iranian people and we await action from the French government against this terrorist group, Rouhani told Macron, according to a report on Iranian state television.

Tehran accuses the PMOI of fuelling the violence and being linked to its Saudi rivals.

In a statement sent to AFP in Paris by Afchine Alavi, of the National Council of the Iranian Resistance, PMOI said to date, there are dozens of defenceless protesters killed by Revolutionary Guards and thousands more arrested, without giving sources.

Tehrans remarks reflect the panic of the mullahs regime in the face of the extent of the uprising against the religious dictatorship and the growing popularity of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) and the Iranian Resistance, the statement said.

According to official figures, 21 people have died since the start of the protests on December 28 in the northeast city of Mashhad.

Macrons office did not mention the opposition groups presence in France.

It said the two leaders had evoked the 2015 nuclear accord, with the French president wanting its strict application under international supervision, while Rouhani sought the backing of the international community to defend this accord and respect the commitments undertaken.

President Donald Trump has hinted of a possible US withdrawal from the nuclear deal between Iran and six world powers  Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States  that was a signature foreign policy achievement of the administration of his predecessor Barack Obama.

General Rassul Sanairad, a political deputy to the head of Irans powerful Revolutionary Guards, said Tuesday the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq had been instructed by the Saudi rulers and some European states to create insecurity in Iran, Tasnim news agency reported.
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India is to buy 131 surface-to-air missiles from Israel in a $70 million deal, the defence ministry announced Tuesday ahead of a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Barak missiles made by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems are to be used for Indias first aircraft carrier which is under construction.

Netanyahu will lead a business delegation to India on a four day trip expected in mid-January. Israel has become a major defence supplier to India, selling an average of $1 billion of military equipment each year.

Last April the two countries signed a military deal worth nearly $2 billion which includes the supply over several years of medium-range surface-to-air missiles, launchers and communications technology.

It was unclear whether the deal announced Tuesday was part of that.

The Indian defence ministry also said it had approved the purchase of 240 bombs from Russias JSC Rosonboron Exports for $188 million.

This procurement will address the deficiency of precision-guided munitions in the IAF (Indian Air Force) arsenal, besides enhancing the offensive capabilities of the IAF, it said in a statement.

India, which has longstanding territorial disputes with neighbours China and Pakistan, has signed several big-ticket defence deals since Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to power in 2014.

It has however been moving away from relying on traditional ally Russia for military hardware.
Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Too often, authors come to me only several weeks before they want to launch their books, asking me to help them create a publicity campaign.

One of the first questions I ask is, Whos the target market for your book?

Nonfiction authors have a pretty good idea. They rattle off the demographics and likes and dislikes of their ideal readers in about 30 seconds, sometimes with a little prodding from me.

For fiction authors, the question often stumps them.

Before I tell them where they can find their target market, I help them define its precision and accuracy. Here are my five best tips on how to do that.

How to Define Your Ideal Readers

1. Start with the demographics.

If youve written a literary novel, chances are good your readers are college educated. Trying to market a love story about a young Amish girl? Most of your readers are probably Christian, and many of them shop at Walmart, a big box retailer that loves these wholesome books.

For World War II historical fiction, targeting mostly men, many of the Baby Boomers.

Here are questions to ask about your readers demographics. If you dont know the answers off the top of your head, pay attention to your readers when you meet them in person, talk to them on the phone and engage on social media. Look for clues that will help you answer these questions:

Male or female?

Age range?

Income range?

Occupations?

Job titles?

Religious preference?

Do they live in a specific region of the world or a country?

Democrat, Republican, Independent? Do they even care about politics?

Gay or straight?

Married, single or divorced?

Whats the familys living arrangement? Are they boomerang parents whose twentysomething kids live at home? Or is the target market the kids who moved back? Do your readers live in retirement communities?

Are they part of the sandwich generation, caring for still-at-home kids and elderly parents?

2. Dont stop there. Know their likes and dislikes.

For example:

What are their hobbies and interests?

Do they travel? If so, where?

Do they invest money? Or are they in deep debt?

What business problems keep them up at 3 a.m.?

What lifestyle problems cause sleepless nights?

What are their favorite TV programs?

What magazines might you find on their night stands?

Do they listen to the radio? Talk radio? Jazz? Hip-hop? NPR?

What social issues and causes do they care about? Are they activists?

What influencers (celebrities, experts, thought leaders, famous authors) do they follow?

(Continue reading on my blog.) http://bit.ly/2kIW8Uj



Publicity expert Joan Stewart, a PR mentor aka The Publicity Hound, works with small business owners who need free publicity to promote their expertise. She shows you how to establish your credibility, enhance your reputation, position yourself as an expert, and sell more products and services. To receive her free DIY publicity tips twice a week, subscribe here. See all the ways you can work with Joan. Or contact her and ask a burning question about PR, self-promotion or social media.

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The celebrations of the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle turned violent as Dalits and locals in Pune's Shiroor tehsil repeatedly clashed.

The clash has now spilled over to Mumbai, disrupting road and railway traffic.

Mumbaikars protesting against the Koregaon Bhima battle celebrations have allegedly taken to the streets, and so have Dalit groups. Roads have been blocked across Maharashtra, while several schools and colleges in Mumbai have been shut down.

The question that is still baffling people is, why are the protesters and Dalits clashing over a battle that took place 200 years ago.

Here's a brief history of the Koregaon Bhima battle that will help you understand this:

The Battle of Koregaon (aka Koregaon Bhima battle, or Bhima Koregaon battle) was fought between the British East India Company and the peshwa's army at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818.

Legend has it that about 500 Mahar soldiers under the East India Company clashed with a 25,000-strong army of Peshwa Bajirao II.

Mahars, at this point, were considered an untouchable community, and were not recruited in the army by the peshwas.

Despite this, as per the Dalit version of the Koregaon Bhima battle, Mahars approached Peshwa Bajirao II to let them join his army against the British. Their offer was turned down. That is when the Mahars approached the British, who welcomed them into their army.

The Battle of Koregaon ended with the British-led Mahar soldiers defeating the peshwas. The victory was not just of a battle for the Mahars, but a win against caste-based discrimination and oppression itself.

In 1851, the British erected a memorial pillar at Koregaon Bhima to honour the soldiers -- mostly Mahars -- who had died in the battle.

On January 1, 1927, Bhimrao Ambedkar started the ritual of holding a commemoration at the site of this pillar, one that is repeated every year.

This year, that commemoration turned violent, for many non-Dalit Marathas don't feel the same way.

Those protesting the commemoration of the Koregaon Bhima battle victory are miffed because it basically celebrates the "British victory" against the Marathas.

So far, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale has demanded police protection for Dalits in the wake of the violence.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered an inquiry, and asked people "not to believe in rumours".

For latest reports on the protests, click here.
The Farmers' Union of Wales has said that despite Brexit uncertainty there is a cause for optimism in the year ahead.

The farming union has joined the NFU in giving out a New Year message of hope and optimism for the future of British farming.

The FUW said there is more optimism now than there was twelve months ago.

Key messages put forward by the FUW in 2016 and 2017, which originally appeared to have been shunned or contradicted by the UK Government, are now being adopted.

Words like transition have replaced the no deal is better than a bad deal type rhetoric, and most have now joined the FUW in recognising that a post-Brexit UK framework for agriculture, agreed in partnership between Governments, should protect, not undermine devolution and devolved Nations.

Meanwhile, on the domestic front, its call for a more proportionate and targeted approach to Nitrate Vulnerable Zones has been accepted.

However, in 2018, the union said the British government needs to ensure such moves towards "sensible and proportionate" policies stay on track, and are not put off course by those who have "little understanding of or care" for the practical needs of businesses and family farms.

'Realistic'

Glyn Roberts, President of FUW, said farmers must also be "realistic" about the challenges facing the industry over the coming year.

He said: "The forthcoming negotiations on the future trading relationship between the UK and EU will have an impact on each and every Welsh farm business and businesses which interact with them; each of the 27 remaining Member States will have priorities in terms of future trade agreement, and we must therefore ensure that Welsh agriculture is not left out in the cold or disadvantaged in the final trade agreement.

"Whether it is dealing with individual problems on behalf of members, working to achieve sensible changes to legislation which help farm businesses or lobbying for a sensible outcome to Brexit, the FUW will continue to do its utmost in 2018 to ensure the Welsh family farm is recognised and protected.

"Given the uncertainties we face over the coming years, it is more difficult than ever for those family farms to make plans for the future. In terms of securing farm business resilience in the coming years I believe that it is essential to thoroughly analyse financial situations, and work for efficiencies.

"This will assist with planning as best as possible for the future, ensuring the best possible future for our businesses."
Farmers and landowners can now apply for up to 6,800 per hectare to create new woodland on their property for financial and environmental benefits.

Applicants can now apply for the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant  a scheme to help farmers and landowners reap the benefits of woodland creation.

The grant is open to all qualifying land managers. Successful applicants will receive a two-year capital grant of up to 6,800 per hectare, as well as an opportunity to apply for annual maintenance payments for ten years.

Environment Minister Therese Coffey said planting trees is one of the best ways landowners can invest in the British environment for future generations.

"They provide a haven for wildlife, reduce flood risk and improve water quality  making them some of our most cherished assets," Ms Coffey said.

"I have seen first-hand how planting trees can really make a difference at places such as the Lowther Estate in Cumbria, so I would urge landowners to apply to this scheme.

Alternative income

Aside from the environmental benefits, planting trees on land can offer an alternative source of income for farmers.

Alongside the Woodland Creation Grant, landowners can also apply for the Woodland Creation Planning Grant to help with planning and proposals.

This grant has already supported two large-scale planting schemes in England this autumn: Doddington North Moor in Northumberland and the Lowther Estate in Cumbria.

Mr Hugh Davis, the owner of Treworder Barton Farm in Cornwall, has received funding from the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant to plant a new productive woodland that enables him to quickly produce a crop of timber for wood markets.

The grant has covered 80 per cent of the planting costs with an ongoing payment of 200 per hectare for the next 10 years.

Speaking about his application, Mr Davis said: "Planting is relatively straight forward. For the first two years, you need to keep weeds under control and protect young trees from other threats, for example pests, frost or drought. Once they are established, looking after the trees is relatively low maintenance.

"The thing with forestry is that you cant play catch up. You need to plan ahead and invest sooner rather than later. Im very pleased Ive done it."
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 growing human population and a changing environment have raised significant concern for global food security, with the current improvement rate of several important crops inadequate to meet future demand.

The speed breeding platform developed by teams at the John Innes Centre, University of Queensland and University of Sydney hopes to change this.

It 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.

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."

New solution

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."

Breakthrough

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.

Range of crops

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.

'Speed up the process'

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."

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.
A public vote has opened for East of England Co-op members and customers to back the best of East Anglian produce as part of the eagerly-anticipated Producer of the Year competition.

Now in its sixth year, the awards are a celebration of growers, farmers and producers from across Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The East of England Co-op has shortlisted two producers from each county to go head-to-head in the annual event.

The 2018 shortlist is: Wicks Manor Pork and Ken Green Fish Merchants in Essex, Havensfield Eggs and Purely Pesto in Suffolk, and Buxton Potatoes and Gnaw Chocolate in Norfolk.

From Monday 1st January until Wednesday 31st January, shoppers in the East of England will be encouraged to vote for their worthy winner and fly the flag in support of their countys producers.

Following the vote, three County Champions will be selected, before a panel of food and farming experts visit each nominee in February to judge who will be crowned as the overall Producer of the Year 2018. The winner will then be announced at the East of England Co-ops annual Supplier Supper in March.

'Hard-working'

Roger Grosvenor, Joint Chief Executive at the East of England Co-op said: Producer of the Year celebrates the hard-working local people behind the great-tasting products our customers see on our shelves.

Food provenance is incredibly important to the East of England Co-op and we are proud to stock hundreds of fantastic produce from across the region as part of our Sourced Locally campaign.

Our shortlisted six are all eager to make it to the final. I would like to urge everyone to take two minutes to vote and show your support for some of our regions best-loved food businesses.

More than 19,000 votes were cast in 2017, when Coggeshall-based Great Tilkey Honey  famed for its 100% natural Essex and Suffolk honey  was crowned Producer of the Year.

'Real privilege'

Michael Coe, co-founder of Great Tilkey Honey with his wife Deborah, said: Winning Producer of the Year was absolutely fantastic and a real privilege. The East of England Co-op is a great champion of local produce and has been so supportive throughout our journey as a small business.

Producer of the Year promotes the best food suppliers in East Anglia and I encourage the public to vote for their favourite producer. Every vote counts and from personal experience I know there is nothing better than receiving recognition from the people who enjoy your products.

Votes can be cast online and in East of England Co-op stores on selected dates. Everyone who casts a vote this year will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win 150 of shopping vouchers.

To celebrate the shortlisted producers, the East of England Co-op has created six short films which showcase the real people behind the regions favourite local produce. These can be viewed on the East of England Co-op YouTube channel.

The East of England Co-op works with approximately 100 local producers through its multi-award winning Sourced Locally initiative, which has generated over 57million for the regional economy since launching in 2007.

Producer of the Year plays a vital role in continuing the Sourced Locally ethos by encouraging shoppers to consciously buy local and quality produce throughout the year.
Photograph: Vitaly Titov/123RF

A post shared by @zoocapisce on Dec 30, 2017 at 11:32pm PST

Armenia's culture is deeply rooted in religion, and it's something that forms a major part of the people's lives. It's no surprise that the country's major tourist attractions are its beautiful stone monasteries. Go monastery-hopping on a trail that will take you to some of the country's best.Head first to the, which lies 44km south of Yerevan. The monastery started out as a dungeon (khor virap means deep well). When pagan King Trdat III (or Tridates) ruled over Armenia, his Christian assistant Gregory (Grigor) Lusavorich attempted to spread his teachings to the people. Angered by his audacity, the king had Gregory thrown into a dungeon. He was left down there for 13 years. The king then fell ill and Gregory was summoned to try and save him. Gregory cured the king of his madness, making a believer out of him. From then on, he was allowed to preach Christianity freely, and was named St Gregory the Illuminator. Following this, the king made Christianity the state religion. Pagan temples were destroyed and churches built over them, and the Armenian Apostolic Church was born. The monastery compound also houses the 17th-century Church of the Holy Mother of God, one of Armenias most important pilgrimage sites.
Rumour Has It...

As per Bombay Times, ''Over the last few weeks, there have been murmurs that Shahid Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan chose not to cross paths at the red carpet of a recent glamour and style award ceremony.''

Not True At All

''However, what not many know is that the actors had exchanged pleasantries and had a cool interaction, too. It all happened at the enclosure meant for a special photo-shoot after the ceremony.''

When Shahid Made Kareena Laugh

According to an eyewitness, Shahid Kapoor entered the room when Kareena Kapoor was doing a set of solo pictures with the celebrity photographer. The actor not only greeted her, but also said some funny things about her dress to make her laugh.

The Ex-Lovers Were Extremely Comfortable

"Shahid and Kareena were extremely comfortable; he watched her being shot and even suggested an improvisation that could enhance the display of her floor-length dress.''

Everything Was Very Normal

'Their interaction seemed very normal," says the eyewitness, adding that after a few minutes, they were joined by Jacqueline Fernandez and Sonam Kapoor.

When Sonam Entered The Room

''Sonam and Kareena shot pictures together. While Jacqueline shot her pictures, Sridevi and Deepika Padukone also entered the scene. They, too, completed their photo-shoots before Shahid, which he had insisted upon since he didn't want them to wait.''

What Shahid Did

''Shahid stepped aside for nearly an hour, and politely awaited his turn to face the camera, displaying chivalry towards his female colleagues.''

Shahid Kapoor Wanted Them To Leave As...

"He wanted them to leave soon because it was already past midnight," ends the eyewitness.
Varun On His Marriage Plans

"The next step is something every individual wants to take at some point, but right now, it's not on the agenda."

He Wants To Enjoy Bachelorhood

"I have just moved into my new house, and I want to enjoy this part of life for a couple of years before I think of the next step. It took me a while to get here, it's a big achievement. It's also important to enjoy moments."

He Says He Is In The Sufi Zone Right Now

Varun told the daily, "I had this big change happen to me while shooting for 'October' in Manali earlier last year. I was surrounded by nature and there weren't too many people around, so I would often find myself just staring at the sky and relaxing. I'm not the kind of person who loves nature, but I was so overtaken by the beauty of the moment that I realized that we don't take time to sit and think about what we want to do; we just end up being robots. Right now, I'm in this Sufi zone, if I may say so. The next 12 months will reflect the mood and the zone I am in. "

But Will His Wedding Will Be A Low-Key Affair Like Virat Kohli- Anushka Sharma's?

To this he replied, "Honestly, I would love to do that, but I don't know how my parents would react to it. Being Punjabis, they would want to do it the traditional way."

Biwi No 1 Remake Is Just A Rumour

When told that there were speculations about him teaming up with his father for a remake of Biwi No 1, Varun said, "It sounds good, but it's just a rumour. It is too early to say whether we will team up soon and what we could work on next. He is not an 18-year-old; for his health and in general, I want him to take it easy. 'Biwi No. 1' might seem exciting and people have been asking us about it, but honestly, there is no truth to it at the moment. Right now, I'm busy with October and another new film."

2018 Is The Year To Grow On!

"It's going to be a testing time. For me, 2017 was a great year, box-office wise, but in the world around, there were disturbing events. Donald Trump's election didn't go down well with people, there were conflicts in the Middle East... after all, a war in any country affects the mood of the people across the world. I hope and pray 2018 will be a good year for all of us. Personally, bahut masti kar li, ab 2018 is the year to grow up. Who knows, I might become a kid again in 2019. Let's see!", concluded Varun.

Meanwhile,

The actor has flown off to a beautiful, undisclosed location to celebrate New Year and has been sharing some drool worthy pictures of him flaunting his ripped physique on the beach.
By now you've probably heard about the cryptocurrency craze. Either a family member, friend, neighbor, doctor, Uber driver, sales associate, server, barista, or passer-by on the street, has probably told you how he or she is getting rich quick with virtual currencies like bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple, or one of the lesser-known 1,300-plus investable cryptocurrencies.

But how much do you really know about them? Considering just how many questions I've received out of the blue from the aforementioned group of people over the last month, the answer is probably, "not a lot."

Today, we'll change that. We're going to walk through the basics of cryptocurrencies, step by step, and explain things in plain English. No crazy technical jargon here. Just sticks and stones examples of how today's cryptocurrencies work, what they're ultimately trying to accomplish, and how they're being valued.

Let's get started.

What are cryptocurrencies?

Simply put, cryptocurrencies are electronic peer-to-peer currencies. They don't physically exist. You can't pick up a bitcoin and hold it in your hand, or pull one out of your wallet. But just because you can't physically hold a bitcoin, it doesn't mean they aren't worth anything, as you've probably noticed by the rapidly rising prices of virtual currencies over the past couples of months.

How many cryptocurrencies are there?

The number is always changing, but according to CoinMarketCap.com as of Dec. 30, there were around 1,375 different virtual coins that investors could potentially buy. It's worth noting that the barrier to entry is particularly low among cryptocurrencies. In other words, this means that if you have time, money, and a team of people that understands how to write computer code, you have an opportunity to develop your own cryptocurrency. It likely means new cryptocurrencies will continue entering the space as time passes.

Why were cryptocurrencies invented?

Technically, the idea of an electronic peer-to-peer currency was being tinkered with decades ago, but it wasn't truly successful until 2008, when bitcoin was conceived. The basis of bitcoin's creation, and all virtual currencies that have since followed, was to fix a number of perceived flaws with the way money is transmitted from one party to another.

What flaws? For example, think about how long it can take for a bank to settle a cross-border payment, or how financial institutions have been reaping the rewards of fees by acting as a third-party middleman during transactions. Cryptocurrencies work around the traditional financial system through the use of blockchain technology.

OK, what the heck is blockchain?

Blockchain is the digital ledger where all transactions involving a virtual currency are stored. If you buy bitcoin, sell bitcoin, use your bitcoin to buy a Subway sandwich, and so on, it'll be recorded, in an encrypted fashion, in this digital ledger. The same goes for other cryptocurrencies.

Think of blockchain technology as the infrastructure that underlies virtual coins. It's the foundation of your home, while the tethered virtual coin represents all the products built on top of that foundation.

Why is blockchain a potentially better choice than the current system of transferring money?

Blockchain offers a number of potential advantages, but is designed to cure three major problems with the current money transmittance system.

First, blockchain technology is decentralized. In simple terms, this just means there isn't a data center where all transaction data is stored. Instead, data from this digital ledger is stored on hard drives and servers all over the globe. The reason this is done is twofold: 1.) it ensures that no one person or company will have central authority over a virtual currency, and 2.) it acts as a safeguard against cyberattacks, such that criminals aren't able to gain control of a cryptocurrency and exploit its holders.

Secondly, as noted, there's no middleman with blockchain technology. Since no third-party bank is needed to oversee these transactions, the thought is that transaction fees might be lower than they currently are.

Finally, transactions on blockchain networks may have the opportunity to settle considerably faster than traditional networks. Let's remember that banks have pretty rigid working hours, and they're closed at least one or two days a week. And, as noted, cross-border transactions can be held for days while funds are verified. With blockchain, this verification of transactions is always ongoing, which means the opportunity to settle transactions much more quickly, or perhaps even instantly.

How are transactions verified on a blockchain?

You might be wondering how these blockchain transactions are verified. After all, there are logistics involved, such as making sure that the same virtual coin isn't being spent twice. Often this verification falls onto a group of folks known as "miners."

Cryptocurrency miners are nothing more than people with high-powered computers who are competing against other people with high-powered computers to solve complex math equations. These equations are a product of the encryption designed to protect transaction data on the digital ledger.

The first miner to solve these equations, and in the process verify transactions on the ledger, gets a reward, which is known as a "block reward." This reward is paid out in virtual coins, and is an example of how bitcoin transactions are verified. This process is referred to as "proof of work."

The only other major verification process in place is known as "proof of stake." Instead of having people use tons of resources trying to solve complex equations to verify transactions, the proof of stake model chooses who gets to verify the next block of transactions based on their ownership in a virtual currency. In essence, the more you own, the better chance you have of getting to verify transactions. With proof of stake, there is no competition among your peers and no excessive energy usage while solving complex equations, which can make it much more cost-effective.

The proof of stake model also rewards those folks who verify transactions differently. Instead of being paid in virtual coins, the stakeholder earns the transaction fees tied to that block of transactions.

Are blockchain networks public or private?

The interesting thing is that blockchain has the opportunity to be public or private. As you might imagine, a private blockchain would appeal most to businesses, while public blockchains are most appealing to consumers who might want to use their virtual currency to buy goods or services, or to cryptocurrency investors.

A private blockchain, just as it sounds, allows a business to place restrictions on who has access to data, and who can make transactions on the network. Meanwhile, public blockchains allow anyone to join and participate. Bitcoin is an example of a public blockchain.

Is it true that cryptocurrency transactions are anonymous?

The answer to this is, "it depends." Most cryptocurrencies aren't as anonymous as you'd think. Sure, you don't have to supply your Social Security number or bank account to begin trading or investing in cryptocurrencies, but any transaction you make is still going to be recorded in the underlying digital ledger.

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) won a court case against cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase that required the exchange to turn over information on 14,355 users who, between 2013 and 2015, exchanged at least $20,000 worth of bitcoin. While the IRS primarily sought this info to go after possible capital-gain tax evaders, the bigger idea here is that these transactions aren't as anonymous as you'd think.

There is, however, a group of cryptocurrencies known "privacy coins" that have a sole purpose of beefing up the anonymity and privacy of a transaction. They use specialized protocols to help hide the identity of the sender of a payment. Monero and Dash are examples of coins that belong to this specialized group.

How do virtual coins fit into all of this?

As noted, digital currencies are what investors are buying. In nearly all instances, buying a cryptocurrency won't give an investor any ownership in the underlying blockchain technology. This happens to be one of the biggest differences between cryptocurrencies and traditional investments, like stocks. If you buy stock in a publicly traded company, you own a fractional percentage of that business. That's not the case with nearly all cryptocurrencies.

So, what do the virtual coins do exactly? In many instances, the coins are required to pay for transactions fees on a blockchain. Ethereum, which is one of the largest cryptocurrencies by market cap behind bitcoin, requires users of its blockchain to pay transaction fees in its coin, known as Ether. But there are other potential applications.

For example, Ripple's coin, known as the XRP, may serve as an intermediary that'll allow transactions to settle faster. Ripple is a blockchain company that's focused on partnering with big banks and financial institutions. Imagine that a customer in Japan wants to make a payment to a business in the U.K. If this payment were routed through Ripple's blockchain, it could take the payment in Japanese yen, convert that payment into XRP coins, then convert those coins into British pounds. All of this could theoretically be done instantly, or at the very least considerably faster than traditional banks (and hopefully for a lower cost).

How should cryptocurrencies be valued?

Truth be told, no one knows the answer to this, because it's dependent on a number of factors. These include:

How quickly blockchain technology is adopted by bigger businesses;

How quickly merchants are willing to accept virtual currencies as a form of payment;

Whether governments around the world will accept cryptocurrencies as legal tender, or choose to ban them entirely.

It's also unclear at times how cohesive a virtual coin and its underlying blockchain are. The example above involving Ripple's blockchain and its XRP shows how the two work pretty well hand-in-hand. Not all cryptocurrencies have a coin that has a clear-cut use or enhances the value of its underlying blockchain. This is why valuing cryptocurrencies often proves difficult.

Why have cryptocurrencies gone up so much?

Again, there's no 100% correct answer here, but the key in their success remains two factors. First, retail investors (i.e., non-professional investors) have accounted for most virtual currency trading. Institutional investors have kept to the sidelines because either their company won't allow them to invest in cryptocurrencies, or they're simply too volatile to merit an investment. Retail investors tend to be more reliant on their emotions relative to institutional investors, leading to moves that tend to overshoot to the upside, and downside.

The second factor is that this isn't exactly a "fair" market. Among traditional equities, like the stock market, an investor has the opportunity to buy, sell, and even bet against an equity. Money can be made if an equity moves up or down. With nearly all cryptocurrencies, except bitcoin, buying or selling is the only option. There is no way to make money if a cryptocurrency goes down, which naturally tends to incentivize buying. This probably won't last forever, but it's played a key role in pushing prices higher.
The Mumbai Police has issued an advisory for commuters, as Maximum City feels the impact of clashes that broke out in Pune on the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle.

Here's how traffic has been diverted, accrording to a tweet posted by the Mumbai Police at around 5:20 pm. (Please see note with updates, at the bottom of this article)

1. Vikroli north and south bound diverted to LBS road.

2. JVLR diverted towards Saki Vihar

3. Sion Panvel Highway diverted at Umarshi Bappa Chowk to Jhama Mahal Chowk to Panjrapol

The force said traffic congestion had been reported on these roads, and asked commuters to avoid them for the moment: Eastern Express Highway (at Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, Cheda Nagar and Kamraj Nagar), Sion Panvel Road at Chembur Naka, JVLR near Powai.

The Mumbai Police requested commuters to use LBS Road as an alternate, "where traffic is moving though slow."

Due to certain agitations, traffic congestion is reported on Eastern Express Highway (at Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, Cheda Nagar and Kamraj Nagar), Sion Panvel Road at Chembur Naka,JVLR near Powai #TrafficUpdate 1/2 - Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

2/2 Commuters are advised to avoid these roads for the moment. Request you to take LBS Road as an alternate where traffic is moving though slow #TrafficUpdate January 2, 2018

NOTE: As of 10:44 pm, the Mumbai police has not further updates about road traffic on its Twitter account. We can confirm that traffic began moving late this evening on the Eastern Express Highway.

To get all the latest updates on the protests, follow our live blog.
Crude prices ended 2017 on a high note. West Texas Intermediate (WTI), which is the U.S. oil price benchmark, finished the year above $60 a barrel. The global benchmark, Brent, closed above $66 per barrel. They were up 11% and 17%, respectively. Furthermore, crude rebounded more than 50% from its bottom earlier in the year and ended at a 2.5-year high.

That said, analysts don't expect current pricing to last. The International Energy Agency, for example, warned that 2018 wouldn't be a happy new year for the oil market because it expects supply to exceed demand in the first half. Meanwhile, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) sees rising U.S. supply pushing down crude prices in 2018. It expects Brent to average $57 per barrel while WTI should be around $53. Those lower prices suggest that 2018 could be a challenging year for oil stocks. However, that might not be the case for all of them, since several can thrive at $50 oil, so anything above that level would be icing on the cake. Here are three that could still be big winners this year even if crude prices deflate.

A cash flow machine at $50 a barrel

Encana (NYSE:OVV) unveiled an update to its five-year plan in mid-October. The company noted that it had pushed costs down to the point where it could prosper if oil averaged $50. In fact, at that level, Encana could grow cash flow by a 25% compound annual growth rate through 2022. Furthermore, its plan would generate a cumulative $1.5 billion in free cash flow over that time frame.

Under Encana's current expectations, it will consume all the cash produced in 2018 on drilling new wells if crude averages $50 a barrel. However, that would set it up to start generating free cash flow by 2019. That said, if the EIA is correct that crude will average $53 a barrel this year, then Encana would start generating excess cash a year earlier than expected. That could potentially allow the company to begin returning more money to investors, through increasing its dividend or buying back stock.

Fast-paced growth

Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC) announced its 2018 budget in mid-November. The company said that it expects to spend $4.2 billion to $4.6 billion on drilling new wells and building out its midstream infrastructure, which would fuel 14% oil production growth in 2018. Furthermore, the company said it could finance that plan within cash flow at $50 oil.

Given that level, Anadarko noted that its plan could generate more than $700 million in free cash flow in 2018 at current crude prices. That possibility for excess cash positions the company to potentially return more money to investors in 2018 beyond its planned $2.5 billion share repurchase program.

A balanced blend of cash returns and growth

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) revealed its three-year operating plan this past October. The U.S. oil giant stated that it expected to spend about $5.5 billion per year through 2020, which would fuel a 5% compound annual production growth rate while driving cash flow up by a 10% compound annual rate. Furthermore, the company noted that it could achieve that growth while also returning significant cash to investors and improving its balance sheet. In fact, ConocoPhillips indicated that it could increase its dividend and repurchase $1.5 billion in stock each year while reducing debt by $5 billion as long as oil averaged $50 a barrel. Moreover, at that price point, it would end 2020 with $5.4 billion in cash, due in large part to asset sales it completed in 2017.

Meanwhile, if oil prices were above that level, ConocoPhillips would generate even more cash. That would allow the company to hit its debt-reduction target even sooner and might lead it to buy back more stock, as it's aiming to return 20% to 30% of its cash flow to investors each year.

Thriving even if the analysts are correct

Many oil analysts don't think that higher oil prices are here to stay, with several anticipating that crude will give back some of its gains in early 2018 due to production outpacing demand. That said, even if oil does fall back into the low $50s, that's plenty high enough to provide Encana, Anadarko, and ConocoPhillips with the fuel needed to finance strong growth rates with room to spare. As a result, these producers could use their excess cash to buy back a boatload of stock next year, which could make them big winners in 2018.
A farmworker has been charged with drink-driving after taking his tractor to a town centre to buy pizza.

Luke Cockburn, 26, was arrested in Carlisle, Cumbria, after he drove a green Fendt tractor into the town centre to get a late-night takeaway.

Officers from Cumbria Roads Police team tweeted a picture of the tractor in the city centre, which has been retweeted hundreds of times.

See also: Tractors on the road  rights, wrongs and road regulations

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said in a statement: Luke Cockburn, aged 26, of Orchard House, Moorhouse, was charged with driving a motor vehicle with alcohol level above limit.

He is scheduled to appear before North Cumbria Magistrates Court on 30 January 2018. He was arrested in the early hours of Christmas Eve on suspicion of driving his vehicle, a green tractor, while under the influence of alcohol in Carlisle city centre.
After OLX, Reliance JioPhone is available on Amazon India News oi-Abhinaya Prabhu

Update: Amazon has removed the listing of the Reliance JioPhone on its website within hours of spotting the device at a higher price tag.

The Reliance JioPhone that took the Indian mobile phone market by storm a few months back has made its way to the headlines today. Well, the device touted to be the world's smartest feature phone is now listed on Amazon India at a relatively higher price point.

A seller has listed the JioPhone on the online retailer for Rs. 1,745 and an additional delivery charge of Rs. 49. So, the total pricing that one has to pay for this device is Rs. 1,794. Notably, the device was launched at an effective price of Rs. 0 as the Rs. 1,500 security deposit will be refundable to the users after three years of adhering to some terms and conditions.

The listing on Amazon by the seller Gadget Geek Business Solution shows that the rating is too low at just 1.1 out of 5. However, there are some customer reviews stating that they have got the device shipped to them. Even if it is a genuine listing, the pricing is quite higher and Reliance Jio is not directly selling the product on Amazon.

Given that the JioPhone is available at almost all the major retailer stores, customers interested in buying the feature phone can head over to a nearby store to purchase it. While purchasing the JioPhone, users will be asked to get a new Jio SIM card and recharge it with a monthly plan of Rs. 153. Having said that, even on purchasing the JioPhone from Amazon India, buyers will have to visit a nearest Jio store to get the Jio 4G SIM card.

Except for the higher price tag, the JioPhone listing on Amazon India claims that the device is a dual-SIM model and that users can use any SIM card. However, this is not the case as the JioPhone has only one SIM slot (model number F90M) and will work only with the Jio 4G SIM card as it is a carrier locked device. This makes us doubt the authenticity of the JioPhone listing on Amazon India.

Prior to Amazon, the JioPhone was spotted on OLX and several users took to the online classifieds platform to sell the JioPhone. It is worth mentioning that the terms and conditions of Reliance Jio and the company's policies state that the buyers of the device do not have the rights to sell, lease or transfer the device to others.

Best Mobiles in India
Nokia 3310 4G specifications revealed via updated TENAA listing News oi-Chandrika HMD Global is expected to unveil the Nokia 3310 4G variant at the upcoming MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2018.

When HMD Global launched the modern avatar of the iconic Nokia 3310 in 2017, the fans were more than happy. In the past few weeks, we have come across many evidences saying that the company is now planning to launch a 4G variant of the feature phone.

The device recently made a visit to the Chinese certification site TENAA, confirming its existence. Although the website revealed the pictures of the Nokia 3310 4G, none of the phone's specifications was listed. Well, to our delight, the TENAA listing has just been updated and it gives away some of the key specifications of the feature phone. Apparently, it will come with quite a few upgrades over the original Nokia 3310.

According to the TENAA listing, the Nokia 3310 4G will be powered by a dual-core processor featuring the clock speed of 1.5GHz, under the hood. However, the name of the chipset remains a mystery. The feature phone will also offer 256MB of RAM and 512MB of internal storage space.

On the software front, it appears to run on YunOS 5.2.0. Talking about the display, the Nokia 3310 4G is fitted with a 2.4-inch TFT, non-touch display with a screen resolution of 240240 pixels. Moreover, the listing reveals the presence of a 1,200mAh battery inside the device.

The TENAA listing further reveals, the new Nokia 3310 model will carry support for various network bands, including Band 38, Band 39, Band 40, and Band 41, as well as standards such as GSM, TD-SCDMA, and TD-LTE. This indicates that the handset would only a few 4G networks in India. That being said, there is a possibility that HMD Global launches a different variant for the Indian market that will come with wider support.

While the Nokia 3310 4G variant will come with a faster processor, enhanced memory along with more onboard storage, the handset will not get any upgrades in terms of design. It will feature the same aesthetics as the original Nokia 3310 model.

HMD Global is expected to unveil the Nokia 3310 4G variant at the upcoming MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2018, which will take place in late February in Barcelona, Spain.

Via

Best Mobiles in India

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Mumbai Police was out in force today following violent protests over the Koregaon-Bhima riots (Photo: Mangesh Ambre/India Today)

Yesterday's deadly violence in Pune during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the of the Koregaon-Bhima battle is slowly spiraling into a major storm with Maharashtra Dalit leader Prakash Yashwant Ambedkar calling for a state-wide shutdown tomorrow.

Prakash, the grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and a leader of the Bhartiya Republican Party - Bahujan Mahasangh, while calling for the band also alleged that the perpetrators of yesterday's violence belonged to "right-wing organisations" and had the "tactic support" of the Devendra Fadnavis state government.

At the same time, Ambedkar said he was "appealing for peace" and promised that "tomorrow's bandh would be peaceful" even as he asserted that had he not controlled the Dalit crowd on Monday the situation would have been worse.

The aftermath of yesterday's riots has already seen violence. Mumbai and Pune have seen protests and rallies, with some sporadic incidents of violence.

Mumbai's Chembur and Ghatkoper suburbs have been particularly affected with demonstrators damaging shops and bring railway services to a halt.

Today's protests come after a clash between two groups during yesterday's anniversary celebrations of the 1818 Battle of Koregaon, in which the Britishers defeated an army of Peshwas.

A group opposed to the celebration of the anniversary clashed with Dalits marching to the Koregaon Bhima battle memorial in Pune. The clash led to the death of one man.

Maharahstra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging people "not to believe in rumours", said a judicial inquiry into the man's death will be ordered. Fadnavis also asked political parties to "refrain from making any decisive statements".

The chief minister's comments before Ambedkar issued his call for a state-wide bandh. The Mumbai Police spokesperson, reacting to the call for the state-wide bandh, said his force will be fully prepared.

Earlier, Opposition leaders used yesterday's riots and the following protests to take aim the Fadnavis-led Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.

"I spoke to the locals of Vadhu village and I am told that some outsiders who belonged to right-wing organisations provoked the violence", Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar claimed.

The Congress too made similar allegations. "The attack was completely pre-meditated. Some people from RSS were campaigning in the area for some time and were trying to instigate people on the backdrop of recent tensions," Raju Waghmare, spokesperson of the Maharashtra Congress, said.

(With inputs from Kamlesh Sutar in Mumbai)

(The story has been updated to include additional comments made by Ambedkar)

WATCH | Dalits take to streets in protest after deadly Pune Koregaon Bhima violence
Ring out the old  ring in the new
Defeat-ISIS Coalition Reflects on 2017, Looks Forward to 2018

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Jan. 1, 2018  Today, the 70 nations and four organizations that comprise the coalition that's dedicated to the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria reflect on progress made in 2017 and look forward to 2018, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

The defeat-ISIS campaign, which commenced in 2014, achieved its most significant progress in 2017 as key cities in Iraq and Syria, including Mosul, Hawijah, Qaim, Tal Afar, Raqqa and Tabqah, were systematically liberated from ISIS' so-called caliphate, officials said.

During 2017, over 61,500 square kilometers of territory was liberated from ISIS across Iraq and Syria, meaning "more than 98 percent of the land once claimed by the terrorist group has been returned to the people," said Army Lt. Gen. Paul E. Funk II, commanding general of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve.

Liberation of Millions

More than 4.5 million people were liberated from ISIS oppression in 2017, said Funk, who added this represents a "remarkable achievement by our partners leading to [the liberation of] a grand total of 7.7 million people over the three years of Operation Inherent Resolve."

The coalition began 2017 with 67 member organizations, and concluded the year with 74, Funk said. This, he said, indicates the international resolve to defeat ISIS is "stronger than ever, and we will continue our efforts to prevent the resurgence of this perverse ideology."

However, ISIS' "repressive ideology continues," the general said. And, he added, the conditions remain present for ISIS to return.

"Only through coalition and international efforts can the defeat [of ISIS] become permanent," Funk said.

Looking to Future Success

The coalition looks forward to further success in 2018, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the global effort to defeat ISIS in 2017 will be remembered, officials said. This includes hundreds of brave Iraqis and Syrians who gave their lives for their nations, service members from coalition nations and the many innocent Iraqis and Syrians who have died as a result of ISIS' terrorism, officials said.

As 2018 begins, the Iraqi government looks forward to continuing to help its people rebuild after the nation's complete liberation from ISIS, officials said. Syrian Democratic Forces remain engaged in the final phases of liberating the middle Euphrates River Valley, officials added.

Building on these accomplishments, the coalition's efforts are refocusing on supporting the international community's whole-of-government efforts to prevent the re-emergence of ideology-based terrorism and to assist partners in bolstering security that will enable stability in the region and around the world, officials said. The future success of non-military activity will be decisive in the defeat of ISIS, officials said.

Continued Training

The coalition's contribution will be largely through continued training of Iraqi security forces and the Syrian Democratic Forces, who will provide security for their people and their national borders, officials said. The coalition will build on the training that has already been delivered to over 126,500 Iraqis and more than 12,500 Syrians to date, officials added.

Support from the international community is vital to the defeat of ISIS and achievement of stability in the region," said British army Maj. Gen. Felix Gedney, deputy commander of strategy and support for CJTF-OIR.

Despite a string of successes by ISF and SDF, much work remains to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS, officials said. The terrorist group is still attempting to establish regional networks and remains a regional and global threat through its ability to organize or inspire acts of violence against innocent people around the world, officials added.

Coalition officials urge international governments and nongovernmental organizations to answer the call of the Iraqi and Syrian people to build conditions that prevent the re-emergence of violent extremism, so that the people of Iraq and Syria can be permanently freed from the horrors of ISIS.

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Yemeni naval forces seize Saudi autonomous underwater vehicle

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 1, 2018 05:53PM

Yemeni naval forces, supported by allied fighters from Houthi Ansarullah movement, have managed to seize a Saudi autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in Yemen's territorial waters.

Brigadier Aziz Rashed, deputy military spokesman for the Yemeni army allied with Ansarullah, told the Arabic service of Russia's Sputnik news agency on Monday that the AUV was remote controlled, and had detailed pictures of its operation zone.

Rashed identified the craft was of REMUS (Remote Environmental Monitoring UnitS) series, which are primarily used to detect mines and examine the shipwreck, and operate with WiFi and GPS trackers.

The senior Yemeni military figure noted that the AUV has an operational endurance of 24 hours, and can cruise at 5.93 knots (11 kilometers) per hour. It is used in reconnaissance missions and is capable of either storing information or transferring data via online connections.

Rashed went on to say that Saudi Arabia, through various means, is seeking to spy on the type and number of weapons in the inventory of Yemeni military forces.

On August 12, 2017, Yemeni naval forces, backed by fighters from Popular Committees, targeted and destroyed a military vessel in a missile attack off the coast of the country's southwestern province of Ta'izz.

A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that the frigate was targeted with a guided missile in waters near the port city of Mukha, situated 346 kilometers south of the capital Sana'a.

On July 29, 12 Emirati troopers lost their lives and another 23 sustained injuries when their frigate was targeted with a guided missile off the coast of Mukha.

An unnamed military source told Yemen's official SABA news agency that the vessel was heavily loaded with various munitions, and the missile attack caused a series of explosions that lasted for several hours, before water-dropping planes could extinguish the flames.

The source added that the wounded Emirati soldiers were transported to the Eritrean port city of Assab to receive treatment.

The Yemeni navy has warned the Saudi-led military coalition, which is assisting Riyadh in its war on Yemen, against any adventurism in the Red Sea, efforts to prevent humanitarian convoys from reaching the strategic port city of Hudaydah and attacks on Yemeni fishermen.

The naval force has warned that the escalation of confrontation in the Red Sea does not serve the interests of any side, emphasizing that Yemeni fighters would not hesitate to give a befitting response to any act of aggression against their country.

Yemeni snipers kill 2 Saudi soldiers in Jizan

Meanwhile, two Saudi soldiers have been killed when the Yemeni army and fighters from the allied Popular Committees launched two separate attacks against the kingdom's southwestern border region of Jizan in retaliation for the Riyadh regime's campaign against the impoverished Arab country.

An unnamed military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Arabic-language al-Masirah television network that Yemeni snipers fatally wounded the soldiers in the al-Dokhan and Jahfan military bases of the region, located 967 kilometers southwest of Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, on Monday evening.

Also on Monday, Yemeni army soldiers and their allies launched a barrage of artillery rounds at a gathering of Saudi troops in the kingdom's southwestern region of Asir, with no immediate reports of casualties and the extent of damage caused available.

Saudi airstrike leaves two civilians dead in Hudaydah

Separately, two people were killed and as many injured when Saudi warplanes targeted a vehicle traveling along a road linking al-Garrahi and Hays districts of Yemen's western coastal province of Hudaydah.

At least 13,600 people have been killed since the onset of Saudi Arabia's military campaign against Yemen in 2015. Much of the Arabian Peninsula country's infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and factories, has been reduced to rubble due to the war.

The Saudi-led war has also triggered a deadly cholera epidemic across Yemen.

According to the World Health Organization's latest count, the cholera outbreak has killed 2,167 people since the end of April and is suspected to have infected 841,906.

On November 26, the United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) said that more than 11 million children in Yemen were in acute need of aid, stressing that it was estimated that every 10 minutes a child died of a preventable disease there.

Additionally, the UN has described the current level of hunger in Yemen as "unprecedented," emphasizing that 17 million people are now food insecure in the country.

It added that 6.8 million, meaning almost one in four people, do not have enough food and rely entirely on external assistance.

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Jordan rejects coup reports after king relieves siblings from army posts

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 1, 2018 06:31AM

Jordan's royal palace has denied rumors of a coup plot that surfaced after King Abdullah last week relieved his siblings from top army posts in a major shakeup.

The palace further said in a statement that it would take legal measures against those who propagated "lies and false claims" in social media and online websites aimed at driving a wedge between the royal family and ordinary Jordanians.

"These fabricated news circulated recently are aimed at undermining Jordan and its institutions," the palace said.

On December 26, the monarch said that his brothers Prince Ali and Prince Faisal and his cousin Prince Talal would be retired to make a way for 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 been in charge of the royal guards responsible for the king's protection for years.

Talal Bin Mohammad, a Sandhurst graduate who was an officer in the elite special forces, was also relieved from his duties. They were all given honorary promotions.

An army source said the king's decision 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 dismiss scores of top army generals.

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 king who himself is an elite special forces commander said.

But reports recently said the three princes were arranging for a coup in cooperation with the UAE and Saudi leadership. Amman categorically denied the claims.

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War Crimes Court Review Says Bosnian Croat General's Suicide Not Preventable

RFE/RL's Balkan Service January 01, 2018

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.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bosnia-hague -tribunal-review-praljak-suicide-not- preventable/28949747.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Saudi-Led Coalition's Airstrike in Western Yemen Kills 20 Civilians - Source

Sputnik News

15:43 01.01.2018

SANAA (Sputnik) - As many as 20 civilians were killed and eight others were injured as a result of an airstrike conducted by the Air Force of the Saudi-led coalition on a fuel station in the Yemeni city of Al Hudaydah, an unnamed source familiar with the situation told Sputnik on Monday.

"On Monday, the coalition's jets carried out airstrikes on a fuel station at the city market in the Al Garrahi District, which claimed lives of 20 people and injured eight others," the source said.

According to the source, the information about the victims is preliminary and the death toll is likely to grow as there are those, who remain missing, and the search and rescue operation is ongoing.

Yemen has been engulfed in a military conflict since 2015, with the government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi fighting against the Houthi rebels, backed by army units loyal to former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Since March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf Arab countries has been carrying out airstrikes against the Houthis in Yemen under Hadi's request.

In November 2017, tensions between the rebels and Saleh escalated. On December 4, shortly after reaffirming the end of his alliance with the Houthis, Saleh was killed by them.

 Sputnik

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Jordan's King Dismisses Coup Rumors After Firing Siblings From Top Army Posts

Sputnik News

13:08 01.01.2018

Recently media reports appeared suggesting that Jordan King Abdullah's siblings holding important military posts were colluding with Saudi Arabia and the UAE in a bid to stage a coup in the country.

Amman has categorically rejected the claims that King Abdullah's decision to relieve his brothers Prince Ali and Prince Faisal and his cousin Prince Talal from top army positions was linked to rumors about a brewing coup d'etat, according to the official statement of the palace.

The statement also reads that the palace is ready to proceed with legal action against those promoting "lies" in social media and "these fabricated stories, circulated recently, are aimed at undermining Jordan and its institutions."

The rumors surfaced in the wake of King Abdullah's move to fire his brothers Prince Ali, head of the royal guards, and Prince Faisal, head of Saudi Arabia's Royal Air Force and Deputy Chief of Staff, and his cousin Prince Talal, officer of the elite special forces on December 26.

The king's decision immediately prompted media reports that the dismissals were due to members of King Abdullah's family being in contact with Saudi authorities and the UAE.

However, the monarch explained that their retirement was a part of a broad armed forces restructuring plan aimed at reorganizing the army's hierarchy and adapting it for modern warfare and the fight against terrorism.

 Sputnik

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Somalia Charges 5 for Attack That Killed over 500

By Harun Maruf January 01, 2018

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.

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.

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Nigerian Military: 700 Abductees of Boko Haram Escape Captivity

By VOA News January 01, 2018

Nigeria's military says more than 700 people abducted by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram have escaped captivity in the northeast of the country.

Army spokesman, Col. Timothy Antigha, said the escaped captives were given shelter at a military holding facility in the northeastern town of Monguno, in Borno state.

Antigha did not say over what time period the captives escaped or whether or not they are still being sheltered by the military. There has been no independent verification of the army's claim.

In a statement, Antigha said the abductees included men, women and children, and he said most were forced to work as farm laborers by the insurgents on various islands in Lake Chad. He said the military was monitoring the escaped captives to ensure there are no militants hiding among them.

The spokesman said the captives' escape was connected to a recent armed forces operation against the militants, named Deep Punch II. He said the operation was aimed at "destroying Boko Haram infrastructure and logistics; such as communication centers, fabrication yards, bomb-making equipment, vehicles and other means of sustenance."

In a New Year's address, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said that Boko Haram had been beaten. Boko Haram has killed about 20,000 people in its eight-year long insurgency aimed at turning parts of Nigerian into a staunchly-Islamic state.

Police, civilians, churches, and mosques, have been among its targets for attacks.

Last Monday, on Christmas, Nigerian soldiers say they thwarted an attempted terrorist attack by suspected Boko Haram militants on the city of Maiduguri.

Army officials gave no details on what happened.

But one a local militia leader told the French News Agency the militants used the cover of a civilian convoy to approach a military checkpoint outside the city and started firing.

Soldiers responded with their own gunfire. Reinforcements from inside Maiduguri rushed to the scene, driving off the would-be terrorists.

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Millions of Assamese woke up to a new year with a sense of trepidation. The million-dollar question - is he/she a citizen of India? - was topmost on their minds.

The government of Assam has published the first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC); it contains the names of 1.9 crore people out of the total application of 3.29 crore applicants.

The register aims to separate genuine Indian citizens from illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. The north-eastern border state has been plagued by illegal immigration for decades.

Dhubri MP Badruddin Ajmal and a few notable MLAs whose names are not present in the first list include Nurul Huda, Aminul Islam, Shiladitya Dev, Sherman Ali Ahmed and Sukur Ali Ahmed among others.

The draft register will be available to the general public till January 31 and they can check it from 10 am to 4 pm can be accessed at the following sites:

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 and www.nrcassamonline.in.

The initial publication of the register has caused confusion as many legal residents of Assam have found their names missing.

However, according to NRC officials there is no need to panic as names are under various stages of verification and the first draft will be updated. The commission aims to complete the process by 2018.

"This is going to be a historic moment, not just for Assam, but for the entire country. While Assam was the only state which prepared an NRC way back in 1951 in the wake of post-Partition migrations, Assam will again be the only state to have a Register which will contain the names of all genuine Indian citizens residing in the state," Sarbananda Sonowal, Assam's Chief Minister said.

The Opposition has also praised the publication of the first draft. The leader of the Opposition in Assam and Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia said, "NRC is good news for Assam. It was a demand that arose during the Assam andolan [of the 1980s]."

"The names of the Indians who have documents prior to 1971 may not have been included in the first list of NRC but I hope their names will be included in the second list after proper verification," Aminul Islam, an MLA of the All India United Democratic Front, said.
President Xi delivers New Year speech vowing resolute reform in 2018

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:55, January 01, 2018

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.

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'US Mainland in Our Nuclear Strike Range' - Kim Jong-un

Sputnik News

09:30 01.01.2018(updated 10:46 01.01.2018)

North Korea's Supreme Leader offered a sobering New Year's Day message, touting the country's intercontinental nuclear strike capabilities. Despite his indications that this would serve as a deterrent to invasion, the statement is most likely to add fuel to the fire.

In his New Year's Day speech on Monday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un touted his country as a nuclear power which possesses the technological capability of striking the US mainland.

"The US mainland is in our nuclear strike range. The United States will never start a war with me and our country," he said, adding that Pyongyang has "completed the creation of North Korea's nuclear forces."

Kim also emphasized that "the nuclear button is always on my desk," which he said is "not blackmail but reality."

Meanwhile, Retired Admiral Mike Mullen, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has warned that Washington and Pyongyang are now closer than ever to a nuclear war.

"We're actually closer in my view to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we've ever been. I don't see the opportunities how to solve this diplomatically at this particular point," Mullen told ABC News.

The tensions around North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons program persist due to the repeated nuclear tests and missile launches carried out by Pyongyang in violation of the UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions.

As a response measure, the UNSC has introduced a spate of sanctions against Pyongyang aimed at hampering the development of the North Korean nuclear weapons program.

 Sputnik

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North Korea Leader Warns US of Reality of its Nuclear Program

By VOA News January 01, 2018

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says the United States must realize that the North's nuclear program is a reality.

In his annual New Year's address Monday, Kim warned that he has a nuclear button on his desk. "The entire area of the U.S. mainland is within our nuclear strike range," Kim said. "The United States can never start a war against me and our country."

The North Korean leader said his country "can cope with any kind of nuclear threats from the U.S. and has a strong nuclear deterrence that is able to prevent the U.S. from playing with fire."

"The U.S.," he said, "must realize this is not blackmail, but reality."

Kim vowed to not attack unless his country's peace was threatened.

He also took a conciliatory tone with South Korea, suggesting that he was "open to dialogue."

Kim said he would consider sending a team to the Winter Olympics, to be held in February in his southern neighbor.

Kim's annual New Year's address is widely considered to be an indication of his direction and priorities for the upcoming year.

Last year, Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump engaged in a series of escalating verbal exchanges, with Trump warning that North Korea would face "fire and fury" if it threatened the United States.

Pyongyang responded by saying it was considering test firing an intercontinental ballistic missile into waters near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam. Soon after, the North launched two long-range missiles over Japan and in September conducted its sixth nuclear test.

The war of words continued in Trump's address to the United Nations in September, when the president referred to Kim as a "Rocket Man" on a suicide mission.

Kim responded in a statement that described Trump as a "dotard," which means senile, and that described his behavior as "mentally deranged."

In November, the North announced it had reached its goal of developing operational ICBM capability after it launched a long-range Hwasong-15 missile that could potentially reach the U.S. mainland.

Kim also suggested in his New Year's speech that the North and the South should meet to discuss the possibility of the North sending athletes to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

South Korean presidential office spokesperson Park Soo-hyun said Monday the Blue House welcomes Kim's "willingness" to send North Korean athletes to the Olympics and "the suggestion that the two governments hold a meeting to discuss the issue."

Sung Yoon Lee, an associate professor in Korean studies at Tufts, told VOA the current South Korean administration is "all for dialog and inter-Korean cooperation."

Sung said South Korea welcomes what he called the North's "peace overture" that would place the South in "a better position to even try to persuade the United States to endorse South Korea's keen interest in re-opening the Kaesong Industrial Complex that was shut down almost two years ago."

South Korea suspended all activities at the industrial zone it operated jointly with North Korea to punish the Kim Jung Un government for conducting nuclear and missile tests.

The possibility of re-opening the complex, however, is fraught with complications, Sung said. "Kaesong has been a funnel, a cash cow for the North Korean regime, with South Korea sending upwards of $100 million, sometimes $120 million a year to the North Korean regime for workers' wages, which, of course, must have been diverted to North Korea's weapons development program," putting it in direct violation of the United Nations security resolution.

When Kaesong closed, South Korean companies left behind over $600 million in equipment and raw materials.

VOA's Victor Beattie in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.

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Iran defense minister urges order, law in addressing people's demands

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 1, IRNA -- Iran's Defense Minister, reacting to the recent incidents in the country, said that people's demands could be met under peace, security and order in the framework of the law.

'The Iranian people over the past four decades have emphasized using legal methods to ask for their legitimate rights, and they will continue to do so,' Brigadier General Amir Hatam said at a meeting of defense managers and experts on Monday.

General Hatami said that the world arrogance and enemies of Iran are after creating insecurity and instability in the country.

'We should try to abort all their plots through national solidarity, unity and integrity,' he said.

The Iranian defense minister went on to call on the Iranian public to try to preserve order, obey the law and strengthen their unity in pursuit of their demands.

'The best way is maintaining public security and addressing the needs of the people appropriately,' General Hatami said.

2044**1771

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Rouhani slams Trump's "meddlesome" remarks over Iran's protests

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 15:32, January 01, 2018

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday criticized U.S. President Donald Trump for sympathizing the Iranian anti-government protesters, local media reported.

"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 in the cabinet meeting on Sunday.

"This guy who is against the Iranian nation from head to toe has no right to sympathize with them," Tehran Times daily quoted him as saying.

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.

On Sunday, Hbibollah Khojasteh Pour, deputy governor of Iran's Lorestan province, confirmed that two people were killed overnight in western Iran in anti-government protests.

Khojasteh Pour said that the two people were killed in Dorood city of Lorestan province following the protest demonstrations in the city.

He blamed the foreign intelligence agencies for flaring up of the peaceful protest gathering of the people.

The videos posted on social media showed police trying to disperse the crowd by using tear gas and water cannons.

In a tweet on Friday, Trump made remarks about the recent protests in Iran and said the Iranian government should "respect their people's rights, including right to express themselves."

Iran's Foreign Ministry on Saturday also condemned U.S. "interference" in the country's internal affairs.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said that "meddling" remarks of the U.S. president and his support for recent protests in some Iranian cities are "opportunistic and deceitful."

On Sunday, Rouhani stressed that people should express their grievances in a way that would lead to better living conditions for citizens and investment in the country.

"Some of the economic problems of people date back to some years ago, while some others are related to the present day. The government and nation should join hands and help each other," said the Iranian president.

However, people's criticism does not pertain to the economy alone. People have things to say about corruption and transparency. They say things should be transparent," he said.

"People criticize that corruption should be fought more seriously, and why some issues are not disclosed to them properly. Criticism in the country's entire affairs is a right of the people and we believe that the government and country belong to people and people should be able to well express what they wish to," he said.

Rouhani stressed that criticism is different from violence and sabotage of public property. "We welcome criticism. And the related bodies should open way for people's legal criticism and protest and even demonstrations and congregation. This is a right of the people," he added.

Also, Qasemi on Sunday condemned a statement by the Canadian government about recent protests in Iran as a violation of international obligations of Canada and said it lacks any legal value.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran regards the meddlesome position of the Canadian government as a violation of the country's legal and international obligations," Qasemi was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.

In a statement on Sunday, the Global Affairs Canada, which manages the country's diplomatic and consular relations, voiced its support for the recent protests in Iran.

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Five people killed during Sunday riots in Hamadan, Khuzestan: Iranian officials

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 1, 2018 09:33PM

Iranian officials say that a total of five people were killed during riots following protest rallies held in the country's western province of Hamadan and southern province of Khuzestan on Sunday.

"Unfortunately, three people lost their lives following or during the destruction of public property in the city Tuyserkan," said Hamadan province's deputy for political and security affairs, Seyyed Saeed Shahrokhi, on Monday.

Since Thursday, groups of Iranian protesters have staged demonstrations in several cities to voice their anger over rising prices and economic conditions. Sporadic violence has erupted during the protests, causing a number of casualties.

"Protests held in Izeh on Sunday night resulted in the deaths of two people," said Izeh's parliamentary representative Hedayatollah Khademei.

He added that the deaths were still being investigated, and that conditions in the city had returned to normal.

On Sunday, a Lorestan provincial official said two people were killed during a protest rally in a western Iranian city on Saturday, adding that Takfiri groups and foreign intelligence services appear to be behind the killings.

Also on Monday, Iran's Intelligence Ministry announced that it has identified and arrested some of the agents behind riots.

Earlier in the day, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani reiterated that the Iranian people are completely free to express their criticism of the government or stage protests according to the Constitution and citizenship rights, noting that the people would deal with a "small and minority group" of rioters and lawbreakers exploiting the protests as an excuse to chant slogans in violation of the law and people's demands, insult the sanctities and values of the Islamic Revolution, and damage public property.

"The enemy will not remain silent vis-a-vis the nation's progress and greatness, but there are also deceived people among the protesters who have rightful demands," Rouhani said.

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Rohani Sees Opportunity As Death Toll In Iran's Upheaval Rises

RFE/RL January 01, 2018

President Hassan Rohani says unrest that has left at least a dozen antigovernment protesters dead could be a chance to address problems plaguing Iran amid the biggest challenge to the authorities since violent demonstrations erupted after a disputed election handed Mahmud Ahmadinejad a second presidential term in 2009.

Speaking after a meeting with the heads of parliamentary committees, Rohani said the protests, which entered a fifth day on January 1, are not only about economic issues, but also a cry from citizens for more freedom.

The unrest "may seem to be a threat, but it can be turned into an opportunity to see what the problem is," the Fars news agency quoted Rohani as saying.

The unrest entered a fifth day on January 1, with demonstrations reported in several towns and cities, including Tehran where a car was set reportedly set alight.

Video posted on social media showed crowds of people -- some chanting "Death to the dictator!" -- walking through the streets of Tehran.

A police spokesman said on January 1 that one officer had been shot dead and three wounded during unrest in the city of Najaf Abad, the first reported security-force fatality since the antigovernment demonstrations began last week. It was unclear when the incident occurred.

The authorities have attempted to quell the uprising, which has been marked by crowds of hundreds of younger Iranians chanting antigovernment slogans and ripping up posters of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Islamic republic's supreme leader, with strong warnings and by blocking popular social-media applications and disrupting some Internet services.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in a tweet that the upheaval shows Iran is "failing at every level" and that it was "TIME FOR CHANGE!"

"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 wrote.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on January 1 that the unrest was "Iran's internal affair," adding that any "external interference destabilizing the situation is inadmissible." It did not elaborate.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel expressed concern on January 1 about the death of protesters and urged the Iranian government to respect people's rights.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the "brave Iranians" protesting against 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 on January 1.

Iranian state TV reported on January 1 that at least 10 people were killed the previous night as demonstrations, sparked by rising costs of basic food supplies such as eggs and poultry, swept across the country.

The broadcaster gave no details on the most recent fatalities but said some armed protesters tried to take over some police stations and military bases but "faced serious resistance from security forces."

State TV's report would bring the number of dead to at least 12 after authorities confirmed two protesters were killed on December 30 in the western town of Doroud. In addition, hundreds have been arrested.

Actions on the streets of Tehran and other cities, including Sanandaj, Mashhad, Ilam, Khoramdareh, and Kermanshah, may have started over rising food prices, but demonstrators have also started to voice concerns over corruption allegations and government transparency.

Rohani, in his first public remarks since the start of the protests, said on December 31 that Iranians had the right to protest, but he warned that those demonstrations should not make the public "feel concerned about their lives and security."

That line appeared was backed up by judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Amoli-Larijani, who called for a crackdown on "rioters" and "vandals."

"Those who have a demand must know that no one will get anywhere through disorder," he was quoted as saying by state TV Channel One on January 1.

Video and other information on social media showed protests taking place on December 31 in the capital, Tehran, and other cities, although crowd sizes were unclear.

Video footage appeared to show police in Tehran using water cannon to disperse demonstrators gathering in Ferdowsi Square in the center of the capital.

Officials said on December 31 that some 200 protesters in Tehran had been arrested the previous day.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have blocked popular social-media websites.

Users of the social networks Instagram and Telegram were unable to access the services on December 31.

Both applications are popular among Iranians and useful in helping set up gathering points for demonstrators who are disappointed with rising prices and Rohani's unfulfilled promises to guarantee rights to freedom of expression and assembly.

The United States has condemned the arrest of protesters, with Trump cheering on the protesters via Twitter.

Trump tweeted on December 31 that it looks like the Iranians "will not take it any longer," adding, "The USA is watching very closely for human rights violations!"

Rohani criticized Trump over his tweets, saying he "has forgotten that he had called Iranian people 'terrorists' a few months ago."

Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, also commented on the upheaval in Iran, saying Iran's government is "being tested by its own citizens."

"We pray that freedom and human rights will carry the day," she said in a statement on December 31.

Israel's intelligence minister voiced encouragement for the protests on January 1, but said his country's policy was not to get involved in Tehran's internal affairs.

Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani-Fazli warned earlier on December 31 that protesters who create unrest "are responsible for their actions and should pay the price."

The hard-line Revolutionary Guards and its Basij militia -- which led the crackdown against the 2009 protests -- have so far appeared to stay away from the demonstrations. However, in a statement carried by state media, it said, "The Iranian nation...will not allow the country to be hurt."

With reporting by Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL's Radio Farda, Reuters, AFP, AP, and dpa

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-demonstrations- deaths-fifth-day/28949535.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Protests in Iran Continue as Tehran Urges People to Calm Down

Sputnik News

15:29 01.01.2018

New protests continue to erupt across Iran, even as the country's president urged the citizens to calm down and to express their criticism without resorting to violence.

The protests in Iran continued throughout last night, with their participants apparently reluctant to respond to the attempts made by the country's leadership to ease tensions.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called upon his fellow countrymen to remain calm, admitting that protesting and voicing discontent are among the "constitutional rights" of Iranian people, but pointing out that criticism should not be marred with violence.

"Criticism [is] different from violence or inflicting damage on public properties," Rouhani, said as quoted by the Iranian broadcaster Press TV in the outlet's Twitter post.

Iranian state TV reported Monday that at least twelve people have perished during the protests, ten of whom were killed in clashes on Sunday night.

Two protesters were killed in Doroud, a city in the Iranian province of Lorestan, though local authorities blamed foreign agents for this loss of life.

Earlier on Sunday, the Iranian authorities also restricted access to the social media apps Instagram and Telegram, which the protesters allegedly employ to coordinate their actions, according to media reports.

Opponents of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani hold a protest outside the Iranian embassy in west London, Britain December 31, 2017

'Hijab Hero'

A lone female protester has earned praise on social media, with some people even calling her a hero, after she was captured on camera standing bareheaded and waving a white flag, effectively violating the laws imposed since 1979 that require women to observe the Islamic dress code, which includes wearing a hijab in public.

According to the Mirror however, police in Tehran had announced earlier that they no longer detain women who do not adhere to these rules.

 Sputnik

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Iran State TV: 12 Dead in Iran Protests

By Ken Bredemeier, Michael Lipin January 01, 2018

Iranian state television says 12 people were killed overnight during anti-government protests, with President Hassan Rouhani vowing security forces would "respond to rioters and lawbreakers."

Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested since protests broke out last week against economic conditions in the country and the government's military ventures in Syria, Iraq and Yemen as part of a battle with Saudi Arabia for influence in the region.

State TV said, "Some armed protesters tried to take control of some police stations and military bases, but they met strong resistance from security forces."

Rouhani declared, "The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society."

New protests broke out as night fell on New Year's Day in Tehran, the Iranian capital, with images of burning cars shown on local media.

In a speech to parliamentary leaders, Rouhani lashed out at foreign countries, including the United States, Israel and especially Saudi Arabia, for allegedly fomenting unrest in Iran.

"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, while singling out Riyadh for "blatantly" saying it "will create problems in Tehran."

But U.S. President Donald Trump rebuffed the Iranian leader's remarks, saying in a New Year's Day Twitter comment that it was "time for change" in Iran.

"Iran is failing at every level, despite the terrible deal made with them by the Obama Administration," Trump said, referring to the 2015 international deal to curb Tehran's nuclear development program in exchange for easing economic sanctions against Tehran. "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."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the protesters "brave" and "heroic," while wishing them "success in their noble quest for freedom."

Demonstrations erupted first last Thursday in Mashhad, Iran's second largest city, and then spread to other parts of the country.

Rouhani minimized the unrest, saying, "This is nothing."

He said, "Criticism and protest are an opportunity not a threat. 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. The people are absolutely free in expressing their criticisms and even protests. But criticism is different to violence and destroying public property."

The Trump administration says it is "very concerned" about Tehran blocking Iranians from communicating via social media platforms in a bid to dampen the protests.

Iran blocked access to messaging app Telegram and photo-sharing app Instagram on Sunday, with state media saying the moves were meant to maintain peace. Iranians had been using the apps to communicate about the street demonstrations, the biggest outpouring of public discontent with Iran's clerical leaders since 2009 protests against the results of a disputed presidential election.

In an interview with VOA's Persian Service on Sunday, Michael Anton, deputy assistant to the president for strategic communications, said there is not much the U.S. government can do about Iran's social media clampdown. But he said the Trump administration expects the United States and other Western companies to halt any concessions to the Iranian government.

"[They should] not bow to any demands for censorship or curtailment of information," Anton said. "[They should] continue doing business the way they always have, and let information flow freely into Iran." He added that U.S. officials will be watching how those companies handle the issue.

Telegram in particular is very popular in Iran, with more than 50 percent of the country's 80 million population said to be active on the app.

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov, a Russian entrepreneur whose company has offices in London, posted a tweet on Sunday, saying Iran had blocked access to the service after his refusal to shut down communication channels that he said were being used for peaceful protests.

In an online statement, Durov said it is unclear if the blocking of Telegram will be permanent or temporary. He said Telegram would "rather get blocked in a country by its authorities than limit peaceful expression of alternative opinions."

This report was produced in collaboration with VOA Persian.

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Amid Iran Protests, Trump Faces Decision on Sanctions

By William Gallo January 01, 2018

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.

"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 hasn't 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.

While the protests may not "materially affect" the Trump administration's stance on the JCPOA, they could make Washington's European partners more open to the U.S. idea of further pressure, says James Carafano, a foreign policy specialist at the Heritage Institute.

"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 Iran's 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 Iran's nuclear ambitions.

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 Iran's nuclear program, and say Iran's support for militants across the Middle East has gone unaddressed.

But Trump's 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.

Trump's 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."

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Naresh, the 40-45-year-old ex-Army man who allegedly murdered 6 people, seen in a CCTV grab

Haryana's Palwal woke up on a cold and foggy Tuesday morning today to discover that a man has brutally killed six people within a span of two hours.

The murders, which were carried out between 2 am and 4 am in different locations of the city, were committed using an iron rod.

The police said the suspected killer - identified as an ex-Army man who goes by the name of Naresh - has been arrested. They said he was found in an injured state in Palwal's Adarsh Colony.

Palwal's Superintendent of Police Sulochana Gajraj said Naresh was around 40 to 45-years-old and "appeared to be mentally weak". Gajraj suggested that Naresh's victims were chosen at random, saying he "attacked whoever he came across on the streets".

"We have recovered an identity card from him which suggests he is a retired Army man, but further investigations are still be carried out," Garg added.

The murders were committed in different areas - Naresh first killed a woman in a hospital in Palwal.

He reached the facility at around 2:30 in the morning, killed the woman - identified as Anjum - and hid in a washroom in the building.

Naresh then escaped from the hospital and murdered five more people. Four were killed out on the streets in an area between Palwal's Agra Road and Minar Gate.

The sixth person to be killed was a watchman employed by a local engineering workshop. The guard was killed near the market on Palwal's Rusulpur Road.

Exclusive photo of accused captured on cctv camera. (Photo: Anuj Mishra) Exclusive photo of accused captured on cctv camera. (Photo: Anuj Mishra)

Naresh was finally arrested from the Adarsh Colony area where he attacked the police officers who had come to apprehend him. Once in custody, he was taken to Palwal's civil hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Naresh was later moved to a different hospital in Faridabad.

Following the murders, police in Palwal have issued a high alert and are interrogating the accused.

WATCH VIDEO | Haryana's psycho killer: Man batters 6 people to death in 2 hours
Iranian Protests Prompt Different Western Responses

By Jamie Dettmer January 01, 2018

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."

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."

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, 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.

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.

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."

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Trump threatens to pull plug on US aid for Pakistan

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 1, 2018 03:08PM

US President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off foreign aid to Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of harboring violent extremists.

Trump said in his first tweet of 2018 that Washington had "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," wrote the US president on Monday.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

Washington has long accused Islamabad of allowing militants to operate relatively freely in Pakistan's porous border regions to carry out operations in neighboring Afghanistan.

Back in August, Trump declared that "Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror."

The US president's latest tweet comes following an increasingly tense back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad. US-Pakistan ties have taken a nosedive under the Trump administration.

While unveiling his "national security strategy" earlier this month, Trump said that he might cut off the aid for Pakistan for good. "We make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help."

During the announcement, Trump said Pakistan needed to fulfill its obligation in countering terror because it received "massive payments" from Washington every year.

"We have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory. And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help," he said.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that his government was preparing a response that "will let the world know the truth."

"We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly inshallah...Will let the world know the truth ...difference between facts & fiction," said the tweet.

US Vice President Mike Pence last week told American troops during a visit to Afghanistan that "Trump has put Pakistan on notice."

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 better crack down on terror groups in Pakistan.

Successive US governments have criticized Pakistan for links with the Taliban and for harboring slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Senior civilian and military officials in Islamabad have frequently said the US government is making Pakistan a scapegoat to cover Washington's failure in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan has been gripped by insecurity since the United States and its allies invaded the country as part of Washington's so-called war on terror in 2001. Many parts of the country remain plagued by militancy despite the presence of foreign troops.

The United States invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. The US-led invasion removed the Taliban from power, but US forces have been bogged down there through the presidencies of George W. Bush, Barack Obama and now Trump.

During the past 16 years, the Taliban militants have been conducting terrorist attacks across the country, killing and displacing civilians.

In addition, the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group has recently managed to take recruits from Afghan Taliban defectors.

Militants are now launching attacks on both Pakistani and Afghan soil.

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Trump Accuses Pakistan Of 'Lies And Deceit,' Threatens To Pull Billions In Aid

RFE/RL January 01, 2018

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 had "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.

There's been no official comment yet from Islamabad but Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that his government was preparing a response that "will let the world know the truth."

Asif was quoted by Pakistan's Urdu-language Geo Television as saying Trump's tweet was the result of frustration and that Washington should pursue diplomatic not military means to deal with Afghanistan's militants.

"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 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.

It was not immediately clear why Trump chose to send the message on Pakistan, but in the past he has accused Islamabad of supporting "agents of chaos" and has 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 Abdullah Abdullah at the presidential palace in Kabul late on December 21, Vice President Mike 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.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/pakistan-us-trump-acuses-lies- deceit-threatens-pull-billions-aid/28949804.html

Copyright (c) 2018. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Trump Slams Pakistan for Providing 'Safe Haven' for Terrorists From Afghanistan

Sputnik News

15:55 01.01.2018(updated 16:26 01.01.2018)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - The United States has allocated millions of dollars in aid to Pakistan, while the latter has not contributed to countering terrorism and provided safe harbor to terrorists from Afghanistan, a situation that cannot continue any longer, US President Donald Trump said on Monday.

"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 Washington-Islamabad relations have deteriorated since Donald Trump took office at the beginning of 2017.

When revealing a national security strategy at the end of 2017, Trump said that Pakistan has to help the US in its anti-terror fight in exchange for "massive payments" that Washington makes to the country annually. At the same time, Vice President Mike Pence said to American servicemen in Afghanistan during his latest visit to the troubled Asian nation that "President Trump has put Pakistan on notice."

In August 2017, Trump said that Pakistan would have "much to lose," if it did not take measures to fight against terrorists, who were hiding on the country's territory. He also noted that "Pakistan often gives safe haven to agents of chaos, violence, and terror."

 Sputnik

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President Trump Criticizes Pakistan for "Lies and Deceit"

By Ayaz Gul January 01, 2018

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 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!"

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.

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.

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Open Skies Treaty: Russia's Restrictions for US Observers Enter Force

Sputnik News

12:42 01.01.2018(updated 12:44 01.01.2018)

With Russia due to limit the number of airfields that can be used by US surveillance aircraft within the framework of the Open Skies Treaty as of January 1, the document seems to face a test for durability this year.

Signed in 1992, the Treaty on Open Skies became one of the key measures for building confidence in post-Cold War Europe.

It has been operating since 2002 and allows participating countries to openly collect information on each other's military forces and activities. Russia ratified the treaty in May 2001.

The Sky is Closing

In September 2017, The Wall Street Journal reported Washington's decision to close the airspace over the states of Alaska and Hawaii to Russian observers.

According to the newspaper, it was the White House's response to Moscow placing restrictions on US overflights of Kaliningrad, Russia's enclave between Poland and Lithuania in the Baltic region.

The range of a reconnaissance flight can be up to 5,500 kilometers, while Russia reduced the figure to 500 kilometers as far as flights over Kaliningrad are concerned.

The Kremlin, for its part, urged Washington to make any claims under the treaty in strict accordance with the document.

As of New Year

Last month, a military-diplomatic source told RIA Novosti about Russia's plans to reduce the number of airfields that can be used by US surveillance planes.

"The number of airfields available to the United States will be reduced as of January 1. This is a mirror step in response to the relevant US measures against Russia, also due to be introduced in January," the source said, citing the US' intention to close the airspace over Alaska and Hawaii for Russian observers and limit the range of flights.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, for her part, confirmed that Moscow considers US accusations that Russia is violating the Open Skies Treaty unfounded. Zakharova said that Russia was forced to accept a number of reciprocal restrictions, due to be introduced on January 1.

According to her, "the Russian side stated in the consultative commission on the Open Skies Treaty about its intention to cancel overnight stays at three airfields during flights involving the United States."

In addition, in December, Russia sent a note to the US mission to the OSCE on the termination of a number of bilateral agreements with Washington on January 1, 2018. The deals were related to facilitating the execution of surveillance flights under the Open Skies Treaty.

Georgia Says No

The military-diplomatic source told RIA Novosti that another stumbling block for future surveillance flights was Georgia's reluctance to open its airspace for Russian aircraft.

"Observation flights in 2018 are on the verge of collapse due to Georgia's reluctance to open its airspace for Russian surveillance aircraft. The draft decision of the consultative commission on the Open Skies Treaty has not been approved for several months because of Tbilisi's position," the source said.

The source added that next meeting of the Open Skies Consultative Commission will be held in Vienna in January.

In this context, Russian political analyst Vladimir Kozin told Sputnik that "the reluctance to open its airspace is a gross violation of the treaty, given that Georgia is a participating country."

US State Department's Response

RIA Novosti cited a State Department source as saying that the US calls on Russia to "constructively interact" in resolving the situation around the Treaty on Open Skies.

The source claimed that since 2004, the US has allegedly recorded Russia's violation of the terms of the treaty, and on June 20, 2017 formally designated these claims in three areas.

According to the source, this pertains to Russia's restrictions on surveillance flights over the Kaliningrad region, the ban on flights along the 10-km corridor on Russia's border with South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as the deviation from the agreed flight routes under the pretext of force majeure.

The source said that the measures introduced by the US in relation to Russia were the abolition of "some flexible opportunities in the spirit of good will." At the same time, the official declined to comment on Russia's retaliation measures.

"We will carefully consider any Russian measures as soon as they are announced and specified," the source added.

 Sputnik

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Syria's Assad replaces three key ministers in cabinet reshuffle

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 1, 2018 05:54PM

Syrian President Basher al-Assad has partially reshuffled his cabinet by replacing three key ministers.

Syria's official news agency, SANA, reported on Monday that Assad had issued a decree appointing new defense, industry and information ministers.

The Syrian president appointed General Ali Abdullah Ayoub as defense minister, Mohammed Mazen Ali Yousef as industry minister and Imad Abullah Sarah as information minister, according to the report.

Ayoub, a former chief of staff in the army, replaced Fahad Jassim al-Freij, who had held the post since 2012. The new information minister, Sarah, was previously the head of Syria's radio and television.

SANA did not elaborate on reasons behind the replacements.

The ministerial reshuffle comes at a time when Syrian government troops and allied forces have been gaining more ground against terrorists over the past two years.

Syria has faced foreign-backed militancy since March 2011, when regimes opposed to him armed and financed some of his domestic political foes in an attempt to have him forcefully removed from power. Those armed factions were soon joined by an array of international terrorists pouring into the country to help oust the Syrian president.

But the government in Damascus persevered as different factions of the society rallied around Assad in the face of all-out militancy.

Syria's allies, Iran and Russia, also offered advisory military help, and Moscow started launching an aerial bombardment campaign against extremist groups in the country in September 2015 upon a request from the Syrian government.



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Dozen civilians killed in new US-led strikes in eastern Syria

Iran Press TV

Mon Jan 1, 2018 02:48PM

A so-called monitoring group says at least a dozen civilians have lost their lives when the US-led coalition purportedly fighting the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group carried out a series of aerial assaults in Syria's eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Monday that twelve members of a family, including five women and children, were killed in US-led aerial attacks against civilian areas in Soussa village.

The Britain-based observatory noted that the death toll is expected to rise as some people had been critically wounded in the airstrikes.

The London-based Airwars organization, which tracks civilian deaths in US-led airstrikes, says a total of at least 5,961 civilians have been killed as a result of the attacks in Iraq and Syria.

The SOHR reported on November 23 that 2,759 civilians, including 644 minors and 470 women, had been killed in US-led aerial attacks against civilian areas in Syria over the past 38 months.

The monitoring group added that the US-led air raids had claimed the lives of 98 people, including four children and as many women, between October 23 and November 23 this year.

The SOHR went on to say that the civilian fatalities had been mostly recorded in the northern provinces of Hasakah, Raqqah, Aleppo and Idlib in addition to the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr.

The US-led coalition has been conducting airstrikes against what are said to be Daesh targets inside Syria since September 2014 without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.

The military alliance has repeatedly been accused of targeting and killing civilians. It has also been largely incapable of achieving its declared goal of destroying Daesh.

On December 14, Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates stated that the US-led coalition is indeed targeting civilian facilities and providing Daesh terrorists with cover.

It noted that Daesh terrorists have been purged from most regions in Syria only through counter-terrorism operations conducted by government troops and allied fighters from popular defense groups.

The Syrian foreign ministry also criticized the so-called advocates of human rights and rule of law for turning a blind eye to the atrocities the US-led coalition is perpetrating in Raqqah and Dayr al-Zawr provinces.

Syrian forces engage Takfiri militants near Damascus

Meanwhile, Syrian government forces have engaged in fierce skirmishes with foreign-sponsored Takfiri militants east of the capital Damascus.

The SOHR reported that Monday's fighting was concentrated inside a military installation near the suburb of Harasta.

The observatory said the Syrian air force conducted at least a dozen airstrikes against militant positions in Harasta and nearby areas.

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Assad Reportedly Appoints Syria's Chief of General Staff as New Defense Minister

Sputnik News

18:55 01.01.2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Syrian President Bashar Assad issued a decree on Monday appointing Chief of the General Staff of the Syrian Arab Army Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayoub as the country's new defense minister, local media reported.

Moreover, Mohamed Mazen Ali Yousef was appointed as the new minister of industry, while Imad Abdullah Sarah  as the minister of information, the Sana news agency reported.

Sana hasn't provided the explanation on reasons behind the new appointments.

Ayoub has replaced Fahd Jassem al-Freij who had been the defense minister for some five years. The new information minister used to be a chief of the state radio and television.

The reshuffle comes after a series of crucial victories over Daesh in Syria that has been liberated from terrorists almost in full. Russian President Vladimir Putin said in the beginning of December 2017 that both banks of the Euphrates river had been cleared from extremists two years after the start of Russian military campaign in Syria under the official request of Damascus.

 Sputnik

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The CEO of as US-based company was arrested at Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) Sunday for the grave offence of making a hoax call regarding the presence of a bomb.

The catch, however, is the passenger's insistence that he hadn't made a call about a "bomb" about "BOM", which the aviation code used for the Mumbai airport. The code comes from the time the Maximum City used to be called Bombay.

The passenger, 45-year-old Vinod Moorjani, was take a flight from Mumbai to Delhi, then take a connecting flight to Rome.

Moorjani claims called the CSIA landline in order to get an update on the departure status of his domestic flight. According to Moorjani, he dialled the airport helpline and asked for "BOM-DEL flight status".

The helpline operator, Moorjani claimed, did not respond adequately and hung up. Hours later, Mumbai Police's Sahar unit, which has jurisdiction over CSIA, placed him under arrest.

The reason was that the helpline operator's account of the phone call was complete different from the passenger's.

According to the woman operator, Moorjani called the helpline and said "bomb hai". The operator claims she then asked the caller to confirm what he had just said but the passenger hung up, following which authorities were informed about the call.

According to a PTI report quoting unnamed airport officials, Moorjani was annoyed with the flight delays at the Mumbai airport and so made the bomb hoax call.

Moorjani , who was arrested on Sunday evening, was produced in court on Monday and was released on bail. He has been booked under IPC sections 506(II) (criminal intimidation), 505(I)(b) (intent to cause fear or alarm to public).

(With inputs from Nagarjun Dwarkanath in Bengaluru and PTI)

WATCH | 1993 Mumbai: When India Today's Newstrack captured moments after blasts
Christians urged to live godly lifestyles

Christians have been urged to endeavour to be good ambassadors of their faith and live lifestyles that truly show they are followers of Jesus Christ as they enter year 2018.



Reverend Isaac Obed Asamoah, the Senior Pastor of Gospel Faith Ministries, who was preaching during the Watch-Night Service in Accra, said being good followers of Christ would enable Christians to make a difference in a world that was full of dishonesty.

Preaching on the theme: Entering Your Promised Land  The Walls of Jericho Must Fall, Rev. Asamoah urged Christians not to let their faith in God wane but must work hard to enable them to achieve their goals in the New Year.



He said Ghanaians should put in their maximum efforts so that together, we can build a healthy, peaceful and prosperous nation with God on our side.



Rev. Asamoah said during every watch-night service, which ushers in the New Year, many people made resolutions but there was the need to work hard to be able to achieve those goals.



He said people should also discard negative thoughts that could prevent them from achieving their goals and be positive about life as they trust in God.



Rev. Asamoah noted that though life was full of obstacles and challenges, it was also full of blessings, adding that reliance on God and hard work, just as the Israelites did, would enable one to receive such blessings.



There are always actions you can take and good decisions you can make that will keep you moving towards your dreams and aspirations, he said, and urged the people not to lose focus.



One of the obstacles confronting Ghana was corruption, he said, and called on the leadership to be committed in its fight to enable the Government to get the needed revenue to develop the nation.



Rev. Asamoah, however, commended the Government for taking a bold step to fight illegal mining, and the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to continue to fight and eradicate it to save the next generation from water scarcity and destruction of farmlands among other necessities.



He later led the congregation, who were all clad in white, in praise and thanksgiving, to pray for the Government, political parties and the nation for a peaceful and prosperous year.


CJ asks Media Coalition to go to court over mild fines

The Media Coalition Against Galamsey has been directed by the Chief Justice to use the judicial process to seek redress in its protestations of mild fines imposed by the courts on offenders.

While responding to a petition by the Coalition over the sentencing of 10 Chinese illegal miners in Tarkwa last September, Chief Justice Sophia Abena Boafoa Akuffo, per a letter signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Alex Poku-Acheampong, said the petition was receiving the necessary attention.

Meanwhile, Her Ladyship the Chief Justice would like to advise that you use the judicial process to address your grievances, the letter dated December 14, 2017 said.

A similar petition to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice is yet to be responded to.

Operation Vanguard, the joint taskforce instituted by President Akufo-Addo to combat illegal mining in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions recently called for a review of what it says are not very deterrent fines imposed on convicted illegal miners.

In the Tarkwa case, a Circuit Court sentenced the 10 illegal Chinese miners to a fine of GH2,400 each or in default serve 30 months in prison, leading to a call by the Coalition over the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court to adjudicate the matter.

The coalition also argued that: Under section 99(3) of the Act, as amended by the Minerals and Mining (Amendment) Act, 2015 (Act 900), a foreigner convicted of engaging in small-scale mining is liable to a fine of not less than 30,000 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment of not more than 20 years or both. Therefore, the circuit court judge was bound by law to, at least, having found the illegal Chinese miners guilty, sentence them to pay a minimum fine of GH360,000.00. The judge did not have discretion to award a sentence below that prescribed by law and therefore the purported conviction is void.

Operation Vanguard when it issued its latest operational updates in December since inception on July 31, 2017, said should the trend of mild fines continue, it could potentially undermine the national fight against the galamsey menace.

According to Operation Vanguard, of a total of 109 foreigners arrested for illegal mining, 23 have successfully been convicted, with 22 of them being Chinese.




Divine Intervention Prayer Centre donates to orphanage

The Divine Intervention Prayer Centre at Darkuman, a suburb of Accra, has donated assorted items to the Chosen Children Orphanage to put smiles on their faces during the festive season.

The items include biscuits, mini bags of rice, edible oil, bathing and washing soap, assorted drinks and an undisclosed amount of money.

Prophetess Naomi Ampomah Baffour, the Leader/Founder of the Centre, said the items were procured through voluntary contributions by members.

She encouraged Ghanaians to be compassionate on the less privileged and provide for their need just as Christ, our Saviour, did for mankind.

Madam Gertrude Mensa-Bonsu, the Proprietress of the Orphanage, expressed appreciation to the church for the kind gesture and said the items would go a long way to relieve the plight of the children.

Madam Mensa-Bonsu said the Orphanage, which was initially established as a rehabilitation centre in 2008, was developed into an orphanage about eight years ago.

She said the orphanage, which currently had 65 orphans aged two to 21 years, faced a lot of challenges including inadequate finances to feed the children, payment of utility bills and school fees, and medical care.

She, therefore, made a passionate appeal to governmental and non-governmental organisations and individuals to assist the Orphanage with computers and a vehicle for outreach programmes.

Madam Mensa-Bonsu thanked Sonnie Badu, a UK-based Ghanaian gospel musician, for his continued support to the Orphanage.


Galamseyers relocate to Upper West

The Upper West Regional Police Command says it has picked signals that groups of illegal miners from the southern part of the country have relocated to the Upper West Region following the clampdown on their activities in the south.

He said the regional police command had mounted strong vigilance to counter the upsurge in illegal mining in the region.

The Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police Mr Kwadwo Boapeah Otchere, said the regional command had mounted surveillance around the Black Volta in the Wa West, Wa East and Sissala East districts where the illegal miners were believed to have relocated to.

Their activities are being monitored after the regional police command destroyed their chanfan machines, water pumping machines, shovels and other equipment used in their operations, he told the media in Wa.

Mr Boapeah Otchere mentioned that four Burkinabe illegal miners had been arraigned before the High Court in Wa for engaging in the act on the Black Volta.

The four, who had been granted bail, were arrested during a routine police operation on some

galamsey sites in the region, he added.

Police re-strategise

Speaking on other matters bordering on security in the region, the police commander said his outfit had increased patrols to contain the upsurge in robbery, especially around Sawla and Tannina, following the closure of the Buipe and Yapei bridges in the Northern Region to traffic.

The closure of those two bridges had compelled vehicles travelling from the south to the north and beyond to use the Wa route.

He said the command had also mounted new snap checkpoints in the Wa municipality, especially, as part of measures to increase security presence in the town.

According to him, the police had re-strategized to combat highway robberies, theft of motorbikes, residential burglaries, cattle rustling and galamsey activities in the region.

He asked the public to remain vigilant and alert the police to suspicious persons or activities to enable the command to deal with crime and potential crime timeously.

Clampdown

The government, through the anti-illegal mining squad, Operation Vanguard, has embarked on a clampdown on illegal mining across the country.

Operation Vanguard has maintained operations in the Central, Western, Eastern and

Ashanti regions but is yet to visit the Upper West, Upper East and Northern regions.
GOIL Opens Filling Station

The Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL) in fulfilment of the mandate to provide strategic services to the motoring public towards nation building has open yet another Filling Station at Achimota to deliver unique service to motorist exiting the national capital through the main Accra to Kumasi route.

The modern service station is equipped with facilities to ensure the safety, satisfaction, security and friendly customer interaction also have convenient entry and exit points, Mr Michael Lagble, GOIL Southern Zone Manager stated during the opening of the GOIL Achimota Filling Station.

He gave the assurance that GOIL would continue to offer the best customer service and quality fuel, explaining that consumers would continue to have value for money for the products purchased and called on the motoring public to patronage the station.

Mr Lagble said GOIL will continue to expand and open service stations at strategic inter and intra city routes for the benefits of Ghanaians.

Mr Abdul Nasser Seidu, GOIL Achimota Service Station Dealer told the CDA Consult in an interview that, I have operated filling stations for the past ten years with other Oil Marketing Companies but have decided to switch over to GOIL due to the brand identity, quality of service, supplies margin and the guided liberty for operation.

GOIL is not only the foremost indigenous OMC but an industry giant holding the Ghanaian identity and protecting our national heritage.

Mr. Marcus Deo Dake, GOIL Head of Fuels Marketing told the CDA Consult in an interview on the side lines of the opening the new GOIL Achimota Filling Station that GOIL will continue to play a strategic and leading role in the downstream petroleum sector in the country.

We will continue to uphold our vision to market quality petroleum and other energy products and services in all our branches in an ethical, healthy, safe, environmentally friendly and socially responsible manner; Produce and manufacture goods or provide services which enhance or support the marketing, distribution and sale of the Companys products and services, he said.

He said GOIL will continue to ensure that professionally trained, high quality, motivated workforce man our stations, working as a team in an environment, which recognizes and rewards performance, innovation and creativity, and provides for personal growth and development.
Special TV Licence Courts to operate from January 4, 2018

Special TV Licence Courts to start sitting every Thursday with effect from 4th January, 2018, has been approved by the Chief Justice.

They will adjudicate TV licence cases in all the regions, sitting from 8:30am to 4:00pm, a letter addressed to the Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) by the Judiciary Secretary, Justice Alex Poku-Acheampong has said.

The letter dated December 11, was in response to an earlier one by the GBC to the CJ in November requesting for the designation of special courts to adjudicate TV licence cases.

Read also TV licence fees, to pay or not to pay

The letter reads in part:

We write to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 6th November, 2017 in respect of the above-mentioned subject.

This is to inform you that the Honourable Lady Chief Justice has granted your request for the establishment of Special TV Licence Courts as indicated in the attached document.

The Courts located in the regions are to sit every Thursday with effect from 4th January, 2018 until otherwise directed. The time for the Court sitting is 8:30am to 4:00pm.
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu today sought a report from the Haryana government on the killing of a Rajya Sabha attendant in Bahadurgarh.

When the House assembled, Naidu said he had learnt that Ashok Kumar, a chamber attendant at the Rajya Sabha, had been shot dead on December 30 at his residence in Bahadurgarh town.

He asked the Secretary General to seek a report from the Haryana government on the killing and what action has been taken.

Ashok was reportedly shot at around 8 PM when he was returning home on his motorcycle in the Arya Nagar area after buying milk.

Kumari Selja (Cong) too mentioned of the incident in her Zero Hour mention on rising incidents of crime against women in Haryana.

She said crime was increasing in Haryana and the state government was not doing enough. PTI ANZ ARC
Banker enters NDC flagbearship race

A 42-year-old banker and businessman, Nurideen Iddrisu, has expressed strong interest in the flagbearship of the National Democratic Congress when nominations are opened eventually in 2018.

Mr Iddrisu, who founded Deen Petroleum Ghana Limited, says he comes in as a neutral personality with a unifying appeal to galvanise the support base of the party towards the attempt to wrest power from the governing New Patriotic Party.

At an encounter with the media in Wa last Friday, the oil and gas consultant said he arrived at the decision after wide consultations with various persons at different levels of the party's structure across the country, and felt his candidature would give the party a formidable presence in the next election.

In the 35-minute interaction, he emphasised that his ambition was hinged on a vision to see a nation in which all citizens would be empowered through education, good health and jobs, and a mission to lead a planned and sustained investment in people and infrastructure for the rapid creation of a sustainable economic development and empowered citizens.

Impressive profile

Mr Iddrisu hails from Wa, capital of Upper West Region, and prides himself as being NDC at heart with years of activism in politics and experience in business and corporate management.

He was born in 1975, and schooled in Wa before obtaining O' Level and A' Level certificates at Achimota School in Accra.

He has since also obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing and a Master of Business Administration in finance, both from the University of Ghana, Legon.

His working career in a relatively young life has crisscrossed various sectors of the local economy, with his impressive profile featuring a chequered experience in the petroleum industry especially.

Attired in flowing white and accompanied by only close associates, he expressed confidence in his own ability to turn delegates in his favour when the times comes, stressing that his engagements with the rank and file of the party had given him positive feedback about his new ambition to lead the NDC.

Party re-organisation

He stated, however, that he would comply with the party's orders for any campaigning to be stayed until after the ongoing re-organisation efforts at all levels of the party's structure was completed.

Indeed, the NDC has embarked on internal re-organisation following its electoral defeat in the 2016 polls, and despite subtle campaigning by a growing list of individuals, the virtual ban has muted the expected cacophony of campaign jingles and rhetoric.

Mr Iddrisu is the second prospective candidate so far from the Upper West Region to have expressed an interest to lead the NDC. Long serving Member of Parliament for Nadowli-Kaleo Constituency, Alban Bagbin, has earlier confirmed his interest in a similar interaction with the media in Wa.

But while Mr Bagbin and the other names, including President John Mahama, are established figures both within the party and on the national scale, Mr Iddrisu is daring to dine with the strong and mighty in an adventure that may turn heads in his direction in coming days.

Quick read:

A 42-year-old banker and businessman, Nurideen Iddrisu, has expressed strong interest in the flagbearship of the National Democratic Congress when nominations are opened eventually in 2018.






June 4th, 31st December more befitting national days than August 4 - Asiedu Nketiah

The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, has advocated the institution of June 4th and 31st December as national days.

He says ideals of those epochs have affected national governance more than the August 4 birthday of the United Gold Coast Convention, the first political party formed in Ghana 70 years ago and precursor of the ruling New Patriotic Party which occasion was recently marked with a public lecture addressed by the Speaker of Parliament.

But Asiedu Nketiah, who was speaking at the 36th anniversary celebration of the 31st December Revolution in Ho on Sunday, said given what impact the two Rawlings-led interventions have had on the nation, they deserve to be observed as national holidays.

I believe that June 4th and 31st December are more befitting for celebrations as national holidays than the August 4 that people are talking about, he said, explaining that the two events did something that affect the governance of this country. We have all benefited from what June 4th and 31st December Revolution stood and still stand for. So if for nothing at all, we are all trying to fight corruption and we are not making progress after the Revolution changed into a democracy, so dont you think that it would be good for this country for us to dedicate a day when we remind ourselves of the principles of probity, accountability and social justice?

If we are not going to remind the youth about these principles, how are they going to practice them after we are dead and gone?

{mp3}asiedu_nketia_ho_31st_december{/mp3}

He said probity, accountability and social justice are principles no nation desirous of success can do without and dedicating a day or two to drive home these important principles will be a right thing to do.

Read also: General Mosquito asks Prez Akufo-Addo to sign Special Prosecutor bill

Asiedu Nketiah said celebrating those two days is not about celebrating President Rawlings alone, but its about reminding us as Ghanaians, that those are our principles and without which no country can be governed successfully and rid it of corruption.

So my brothers and sisters, I just want to send a clear message to the ruling NPP that if you are going for equity, you must go with clean hands. We are ready in NDC to dance in the same glass bowl with the NPP and their appointees in the fight against corruption.

He therefore called for transparency in the processes to prosecute perceived corrupt government officials, be they former appointees or still in government.
President Mahama was not late to Revolution Day event

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 36th Anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution which came off in Ho on Sunday, says President Mahama was not late to the event.

Former President Jerry Rawlings, lead celebrant, had openly mocked ex-President John Mahama of keeping him waiting because he had failed to observe appointed time, saying it was a lesson Mahama had failed to learn.

However, Mr. Kofi Adams, National Organiser of the NDC, prompted Rawlings about a mix-up in the arrival times given former President, Mahama, which saw Rawlings apologise to John Mahama for the criticism before he resumed his seat.

The LOC, in a statement Monday, described the mix-up as unfortunate, saying We wish to state emphatically from the outset that former President Mahama was not late to the Revolution Day event.

It should be noted that what transpired leading to the remarks of the Founder of the NDC and former President, Jerry John Rawlings was an apparent communication lapse. Former President Mahama's Office was informed to arrive at 10am. It should be noted that Former President Mahama duly complied and in fact arrived earlier at 9:50am.

It must be well acknowledged that Former President Rawlings after having been informed of these facts, in a statesmanly manner, publicly corrected the impression he had created earlier and apologised to President Mahama.

The just observed 36th Revolution Day contrary to claims by our opponents of an imploding NDC has clearly showcased to the nation that the entire rank and file of the NDC is united under the umbrella and deeply committed to the principles of Probity, Accountability and Social Justice.

We take this opportunity to thank all comrades for your participation, support and contributions towards a very successful event, said Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzrah (MP) and chairman of the Local Organising Committee.
Rawlings: Why I criticize the NDC the way I do, I must remove the log in my own eye first

Below is the full official address of former President Jerry Rawlings at the 36th Anniversary commemoration of the 31st December Revolution, held in Ho on Sunday.

SUNDAY 31ST DECEMBER, 2017

Togbui oo, Mama oo,

National Chairman of the NDC

Members of the Council of Elders

Former President John Mahama,

Party Executives,

Leading members of the NDC,

Cadres of the Revolution,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen:

It is an honour to join you here in Ho to celebrate the 36th anniversary of the 31st December Revolution.

It is also heartwarming to note that sympathisers of the ideals of June 4, 1979 and 31st December 1981 have travelled from across the country to commemorate the revolution and give meaning to the theme "Uniting Around the Principles of Probity, Accountability and Social Justice."

Togbui oo, Mama oo, ladies and gentlemen, events such as todays are meant to remember and affirm our deep-rooted association with a momentous period in Ghanas history when patriotic men and women of this country took a bold step to confront a state of decline that had led the international community to write Ghana off as a failed state.

Ghanas position as a pacesetter on the African continent and a global beacon of hope had evaporated following a series of political misadventures that had crippled our economy and left the people in a state of hopelessness.

The records are there for our young ones to study and appreciate but the history writers have always thought it convenient to distort the facts to suit their elitist and so-called highly educated leanings. So the June 4 uprising and the 31st December revolution which were borne out of a state of uncontrolled corruption, wretchedness and gloom has oft been described as a coup detat by a group of characters who ought to know better.  a great affront to the millions of Ghanaians who rose in unison to denounce the monopoly of a select few who thought the right to rule was their birthright.

The same group of people and their puppets oversaw an economy that retrogressively provided limited opportunities for an increasing population. The price of goods and services were escalating in an unprecedented manner by 1981. The economic indicators were all negative at the time.

For those who have forgotten and have a veneer obscuring their view, corruption had its own local terminology, Kalabule. In 1982 at the advent of the revolution, Ghanaians had to queue for essential commodities such as bread and maize in order to make ends meet. This did not break down the resolve of the people. The young and able-bodied ones, mostly drawn from the universities travelled to the hinterlands to help cart cocoa onto trucks and trains to the ports for export. The desire to die for mother Ghana was the driving force behind the revolution. It was a re-birth of the spirit of patriotism  the love of ones country.

The economy recovered significantly over the ten-year period from 1982 to 1992 when we established constitutional rule after a decade of grassroots democracy never before experienced in the country. The Economic Recovery Programme, the Structural Adjustment Programme, the Financial Adjustment Programme and the introduction of the Value Added Tax were tough but bold decisions taken to tighten our belts while offering the country the much-needed turnaround in economic and infrastructural development.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is important that we do not forget and indeed we cannot forget the progress this country made under the PNDC and subsequently the first NDC government that offered Ghana a great new lift off for economic development. For those who have today turned the clock of progress around and allowed kalabule to confidently walk back into the soul of the country, history has to be re-told because their arrogance and indifference has almost brought the country to its knees. Under the guise of a capitalist property-owning democracy we have gradually re-institutionalized corruption and allowed a select few to monopolise resources and by virtue of that become political kingmakers who dictate even the choice of constituency party executives.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have sunk so low as a country and we have betrayed the blood of all those who laid down their lives to stem the stinking tide of corruption that had engulfed Ghana over 30 years ago. The sacrifices many dedicated men and women endured to give our party life and succour has been abused and trampled upon by some in a manner even the elephant will be envious of.

Today many perceive politics as being synonymous with acquiring wealth at a fraudulently rapid pace and has nothing to do with service to country. Politics to some is no longer about the right of every individual to have a say in national decision-making through the District Assemblies and other grassroots political structures that were created to enhance equity and create a national wealth of ideas and sense of belonging. Today our politics is one of patronage and dependence on cash cows. Some people have used the leadership opportunities offered them to acquire ill-gotten wealth, which they now use to manipulate us.

Ladies and gentlemen, I did indicate a year ago that the loss at the 2016 elections was self-inflicted. The ideals of probity, accountability, integrity and social justice did not manifest itself in our policies and conduct at all times. Some of our own comrades chose to be impervious to reality and we experienced a crushing defeat that haunts many till today.

The grassroots of our party has been paralysed by the complete dearth of principles to drive the party. Our youth are being motivated by monetary influence rather than principles. Many have no clue about the ideals of the party and only see political association as an economic association, further emboldening the so-called kingmakers.

The time has come for the rhetoric to stop. The time has come for the men and women who believe in the ideals of June 4, 31st December and the NDC to rise up. The time has come for a new revolution. This is not about Jerry Rawlings. This is about you and generations to come. Rawlings is not a faction and will never be. The ideals you believe in and for which I stand for and represent, are ideals that will stand the test of time no matter how long some choose to distort it with transient economic might. You have to be strong, steadfast and politically robust. You have to rise up to be counted just as our dynamic women, selfless youth, workers, farmers, petty traders, comrades did for us three decades ago. Sadly we ended up disrespecting and denigrating these people who knew nothing but to offer themselves to the party and country.

The NDC needs men and women at its various Executive positions who have the strength of character to boldly lead the party and ensure that they have the ability to rein in members of their own government when in power. Our party structure was weak, abused and ignored in the immediate past and when change comes that change must be one that carries with it the power and will of the people. If we do not allow that revolutionary change but allow materialism and money politics to dictate our choices, then we will stay in the political abyss for a considerable period.

Some latter-day party officials have now made it their chore to denigrate me for speaking loudly and forcefully about the wrongs in the NDC when the party was in power. Many of these political novices, eager to please their paymasters may be oblivious to the countless times my counsel was treated with contempt. I cannot lay claim to the position of party founder and spend time criticizing another party or institution when my house is burning. Removing the log in my eye is the only way to legitimize any right to expose the speck in anothers.

I have on a number of occasions made remarks about the current president. That not withstanding, I have to caution that the rise of reckless vigilantism, which is breeding a new standard in lawlessness, has to be brought to book. Vigilantism perceived to be protected by political authority is a one-way road to a break down of law and order. The attacks on the High Court in Kumasi, the recent attacks on a Member of Parliament in Brong Ahafo and other reported incidents of highhandedness by perceived political agents have to be denounced forcefully and dealt with in a firm and swift manner that will inspire public confidence.

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.

Togbui oo, Mama oo, Ladies and Gentlemen, the NDC faces serious shortcomings irrespective of the challenges of the new government.

As we cross over into a new year we must resolve to show keen interest in the future of the ideals that gave birth to our party. Let us commit ourselves to the membership registration exercise in January and February and actively participate in party activities in our branches, communities and wards.

Let us also commend all those who have stoutly defended and protected the revolution and the partys ideals from the beginning. Those ideals are the guiding force that will strengthen and unify the party. Let us rebuild the party around these principles and values. Thereafter those who emerge at all levels of leadership will get the collective support of all. Our grassroot democratic model should prevail and that will happen if the ordinary people of the party choose the path of sacrifice in order to save our party. Many laid down their lives to give birth to this movement. With strength of character, integrity and patriotism, we can make those martyrs proud once again.

A Happy New Year to all Ghanaians and God bless us all.
National Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar has alleged that the right-wing forces are behind the violence that took place at Bhima Koregaon, on Monday.

Pawar alleged that outsiders came and provoked the locals in Vadhu village. Pawar also said that there was no history of violence in last several years of the celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon, in Pune.

One person was killed in the violence that broke out during the celebrations. More than four lakh people had assembled for the 200th anniversary of the battle in which the British forces had defeated an army of Peshwas back in 1818. Every year on January 1, thousands of Dalits march to Bhima Koregaon to mark the occasion.

"People have been coming to this place for the last 200 years. Nothing of this sort has ever taken place. Since it was the 200th anniversary of a significant event, more crowd was expected and hence the administration should have been more careful," said Pawar.

"I spoke to the locals of Vadhu village and I am told that some outsiders who belonged to right-wing organisations provoked the violence", Pawar alleged.

Appealing for peace, the former Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said that people should not believe in rumours and should maintain calm and peace.

Meanwhile, the Congress too has alleged that the violence in Bhima Koregaon was pre-planned. "The attack was completely pre-meditated. Some people from RSS were campaigning in the area for some time and were trying to instigate people on the backdrop of recent tensions," alleged Raju Waghmare, spokesperson of the Maharashtra Congress.
Well have our day in court - Mahama reacts to Akufo-Addo's threat of prosecution

Former President John Dramani Mahama has reacted to threats from his successor, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to prosecute alleged corrupt appointees of his erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) led government, stating that, they were prepared to render account of their stewardship.

Mr. Mahama noted that, members of his administration were not scared of accountability, which was a cardinal principle on which the NDC was found and as such were ready to have their day in court.

President Akufo-Addo during a recent working tour of the Eastern region reiterated his resolve to prosecute past government functionaries found to have misappropriated public funds through questionable transactions and assured that, most of such individuals would be arraign before court in 2018.

However, speaking at the 36th Commemoration of the 31st December Revolution at the Capt. Nfojohs park in the Volta Regional capital, Ho last Sunday, the former President admonished party faithful not fall for the NPP governments tagging of ex appointees as corrupt, since an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.

He also entreated party supporters to solidarize with individuals who might fall victims, stating that, we must make sure they have the best legal representation to be able to put their case in order. However, it is my wish that things will turn out well for them.

The former president nonetheless, called for fairness in the prosecution of persons found to have engaged in corrupt acts and challenged the President to ensure the sword of justice cut both ways.

Mr. Mahama stated that, The easiest part in the fight against corruption is to prosecute ones opponent and that doesnt change anything. The truest test in the fight against corruption is holding your own people accountable when they go wrong. We must not just pursue post regime accountability; we must pursue accountability when your regime exists.

The General Secretary of the NDC, Mr. John Asiedu Nketia lauded President Akufo-Addo for introducing the Special Prosecutor Office bill, which had been passed by parliament but dared him to as a matter of urgency sign the Act into Law, so that the Special Prosecutor can begin the prosecution of corruption cases, which he said were rife within the NPP government.

We in the NDC are ready to dance in the same glass bowl with as the New Patriotic Party and their appointees. As long as we can be sure that the justice-seeking means are blind to party affiliations, were ready to stand by the NPP to prosecute corrupt public officials. So we thought by now the president would have signed the Act and also appoints the Special Prosecutor, he stated.

The 36th commemoration of the 31st December revolution ceremony in Ho, brought together rank and file of the NDC, cadres of the revolution, past government functionaries and party stalwarts, with the party founder Ex. President J.J Rawlings delivering the key note address on the theme Uniting around the Principles of Probity, Accountability and Social Justice.

Quick Read: Former President John Mahama said appointees of the erstwhile NDC government would have their day in court, in a response to President Akufo-Addos threat to prosecute past government functionaries found to have engaged corrupt deals during their tenure in office.
Pawan, A Brand Ambassador For KCR?

The Congress party has found fault with power star and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan for endorsing Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Raos corrupt practices by praising the latters government in Telangana.

Congress leader and Kodangal MLA A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday wondered how Pawan had fallen into the trap of KCR without understanding the latters deceit mind.

Reacting to Pawans praise for KCRs newly launched 24X7 free power supply for agriculture sector, Revanth said Pawan seems to have turned a brand ambassador to KCR for the latters corruption.

KCR is absolutely misusing his power in Telangana. He has indulged in large scale corruption by collecting thousands of crores as bribes from private electric companies putting the '24 Hour Electricity Scheme' as a disguise, Revanth said.

He reminded the fact that the 24-hour electricity scheme is currently being implemented in 19 states and all the union territories in the country, and is nothing new.

He alleging that Pawan Kalyan lacked the facts pertaining to the power supply issue, he said that it was their responsibility to provide the actual information to him.

Revanth Reddy faulted the Jana Sena leaders reaction on the situation and reminded the facts made earlier made by the former Chief Minister of United Andhra Pradesh, Kiran Kumar Reddy on the power supply issue in Telangana which are now being reiterated by KCR.

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The affordable Samsung Galaxy On Nxt with 16 GB internal storage arrived in India today. The phone is offered exclusively by Flipkart for INR10,999 (150 r $170).

It may be purchased until January 5 with a INR1,000 discount during the 2018 Mobiles Bonanza Sale.



Samsung Galaxy On Nxt

The phone has Exynos 7870 chipset with octa-core CPU and a 5.5 TFT screen with Full HD resolution. The RAM is 3 GB, and if the 16 GB internal storage is not enough, there is also a hybrid SIM slot for a microSD card with up to 256 GB storage.

The Galaxy On Nxt is powered by the dated Android Marshmallow and offers a 13 MP primary camera and an 8 MP selfie snapper. Both cameras have LED flashes and can record video in 1080p. The affordable phone has a 3,300 mAh battery that is charged through the micro USB port on the bottom.

Flipkart offers the phone in Black and Gold, with sales beginning on January 3 at midnight.

Source
A mother-of-three who stole nearly 6,000 from her former employer has been given a year to repay the money.

Jenny Moran (30) took small sums of money by putting cash refunds on to her own debit card while she was working in administration for a bathroom and flooring company.

Her lawyer told Blanchardstown District Court that Moran took the money not for enrichment but to pay her bills.

In total, she stole 5,973 over a 16-month period, which has not been repaid.

Judge David McHugh said he had sympathy for her circumstances, but her behaviour was a "complete breach of trust".

He ordered Moran to complete a restorative justice programme.

The defendant must write a letter of apology to her former employer, complete 25 hours of voluntary work and repay the money she stole.

Numerous

Judge McHugh said he would give Moran a year to complete these tasks.

He adjourned sentencing to December.

The defendant, of Druid Court, Ballymun, had pleaded guilty to numerous counts of theft at Project Tile Des-ign, Damastown Industrial Estate, Mulhuddart, on dates between May 2015 and August 2016.

Gda Sgt Maria Callaghan had said that during bank transactions, Moran refunded money and put it on her own debit card.

Sgt Callaghan said the amounts stolen ranged from 124 in August 2015 to 1,380 - which was the largest single sum stolen - in May 2016.

The court heard that Moran, who had never been in trouble before, was a lone parent with three children and was living on social welfare.

She was also homeless for a time after this incident, but had been interacting with the support services.

The court also heard Moran made early and full admissions to the thefts and was at a low risk of re-offending.
By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Jan 2 (PTI) A group of students in Nepal today clashed with the police during a demonstration organised to protest the recent hike in petroleum prices here, resulting in injuries to several protesters.

The agitating student of the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), the student wing of main opposition Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), also tried to burn the effigies of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav outside Tri Chandra Multiple Campus.

Their attempts were, however, foiled by the police.

The students burnt tires and blocked roads in Ratnapark area, the police said.

ANNFSU Secretary RC Lamichhane said that they also want the government to announce the results of the Proportional Representation category of the House of Representatives elections.

This is the third time that the Nepal Oil Corporation hiked the prices of petroleum products in a month.

The police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and used force to disperse the protesters.

According to the students, ANNFSU Vice-Chairman Mahesh Bartaula, General Secretary Ain Mahar and Shekhar Bohara among others were injured in the incident. PTI SBP CPS
Abbie Hall Finn at the scene of the accident that killed her dad, Martin

Brave young Dublin mother Abbie Hall Finn has welcomed news that the road where her father was killed and she suffered a broken neck in a horrific collision is now being widened, as well as having paths and lighting installed on it.

The 19-year-old was walking with her dad Martin (60) on the dark Newcastle to Lucan Road in west Dublin when they were hit by an SUV on the night of January 17, 2017.

Martin was killed in the impact and Abbie was flung into the air and across the road, after her dad heroically pushed her aside before he was hit.

Mother-of-one Abbie had to wear a metal halo frame around her head for months to stabilise her injury, and underwent two surgeries on her spine in an effort to give her use of her left arm.

It was a miracle she wasn't killed or paralysed in the incident. She was brought to her dad's funeral in a wheelchair.

Work has now begun on a major upgrade on the Newcastle Road. It will take around 15 months to complete, at a cost of around 20m.

Abbie thinks that is money well spent if it means it saves lives in the future.

Heartache

"I'm happy that it is being done at last, hopefully nobody will die on that road again and nobody will have to go through the heartache of what we have been through," she told the Herald.

"It would have been great if it was done years ago, then my dad might still be alive and I wouldn't be going through what I'm going through.

"I'm hoping to put a plaque to my dad at the scene of the accident when the road is finished.

"I want him to be remembered there."

Abbie had to spend so long in her recovery and rehabilitation, while trying to look after her infant son Arthur with the help of her own mother, Carol, that she feels she is only now starting to grieve his loss, almost a year later.

"I'm going to counselling now, and I'm on anti-depressants, too. It's very hard. Christmas was difficult because it was the first one without Dad.

"He used to put up the tree and do the lights and things. It was hard," she added.

Walking

"I think about Dad every day, but as the anniversary approaches it really hits home. My son is nearly walking now and I think Dad would have been a great role model for him.

"Physically I'm still sore. I have pains in my neck and back, especially when the weather turned colder.

"I'm taking five tablets every morning and five every night, as well as painkillers during the day," she added.

Apart from the grief of her father's loss and the physical pain of her injuries, Abbie said she still suffers mentally, too.

"I get flashbacks and nightmares. I get anxious even walking on a footpath when cars drive by," she said.

"I'm frantic sometimes when I'm in the car with Mam, even though I wasn't in a car when the accident happened."

When Abbie was critically injured her baby boy Arthur was just three months old, and her mother had to take care of him while Abbie recovered from surgeries and was in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire for 14 weeks.

Lost

"I'd be lost without my mother. She has been brilliant. I couldn't hold Arthur because I couldn't lift my left arm, and I couldn't hug him with the halo on my head, so it's great to be able to be a real mother for him now," she said.

Although the heavy metal halo is gone, Abbie's vertebrae in her neck are reinforced with two metal plates and four screws.

She has now returned to college to complete her Leaving Certificate, and is trying to move forward with her life.
Bishop Eamonn Walsh has called for more understanding in the case of Al Porter

A bishop has appealed for more understanding when it comes to comedian Al Porter in the wake of his recent fall from grace.

Dublin Auxiliary Bishop Eamonn Walsh said he would like to see less judgment regarding the case of the former Today FM and TV3 presenter.

Porter resigned from a number of jobs after he was hit last November with a wave of allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

In his annual Christmas homily, the senior clergyman with special responsibility for Tallaght referred to the troubles faced by a "local comedian" and said: "May heads on plates be off the menu in 2018."

Difficulties

Expanding on what he said during Mass, he told the Herald that "there are always two sides to every story".

"Let's not jump to judgment without the facts, and we have to be aware that there may be judicial proceedings down the line, so I wouldn't like to say anything that would interfere with that," he said.

"He's a man who has spok-en out about difficulties with mental health issues and we do not want to push him over the edge, and you have to think there's always people behind these things.

"A person is not a commodity - we all have family and friends. Everybody's so self-righteous these days."

Dr Walsh, who is also a qualified barrister, said that in any situation of conflict, "it's never just black or white".

"You have to remember, everybody's somebody's son or daughter," he said.

"If you sit in a courtroom and listen, you have one mother whose son has been murdered and she's hoping the person who did it will burn in hell, and you have another mother on the other side.

"That's the drama of life, and we have to get a balance in it."

When asked about speaking out in a public show of support for Tallaght comedian Porter, Dr Walsh added: "All I did was send a message. I'm happy to stand over what I said."

In his annual message, the outspoken bishop said at one Mass that was attended by Mr Porter's mother, Marian - who is a parish secretary - that he hoped to see some positive changes in 2018.

He expressed his wishes that this would be the year when "we allow justice to take its course, and not usurp it through public condemnation, humiliation and sentence without trial".

"May the darkness that was visited on our local comedian, before justice to all could be processed, be replaced with balance, proper proportion and fair play, so that he may feel free and welcome to make us laugh again," he added.

The 73-year-old cleric has served as an Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin for the past 27 years.

Between 2002 and 2006, he also administered the diocese of Ferns, following the resignation of Bishop Brendan Comiskey.

Dr Walsh's plea for more understanding for Porter was greeted by support online.

Actor Rory Cowan, who filled in for Porter in the Olympia Theatre panto, was among those who praised Dr Walsh for his stance.

"Well said, Bishop Eamonn Walsh. It needed to be said," he wrote.

Porter was hit by a storm of allegations of inappropriate behaviour from several Irish comedians, as well as a former patient in St Patrick's Hospital who claimed he groped him during an incident in 2015.
The identity of the winner of the 38.9m EuroMillions jackpot remained a mystery yesterday.

Rumours were rife that the winning ticket was bought in Dublin - with speculation centring on Heuston Station - but a spokeswoman for the National Lottery said she was unable to confirm or deny anything about the mystery winner.

The spokeswoman said it was hoped that the region in Ireland where the ticket was sold may be revealed today.

Checked

Over the weekend, staff at Lotto headquarters said it was possible that the owner of the ticket may not have checked it, as they had not contacted the lottery organisers.

The winning numbers were 4, 8, 22, 23, and 48. The lucky star numbers were 1 and 12.

The only fact that the Lotto authorities could confirm was that the winning combination in the Europe-wide draw was sold somewhere in Ireland.

We are having tremendous luck with EuroMillions - this was the third jackpot winner in Ireland in 2017.

In January, a Dublin work syndicate claimed 88.5m with a ticket bought in the Applegreen Service Station in Lusk, Co Dublin.

In July, a syndicate from the west of Ireland won 28.9m with a ticket bought at the Garryduff XL store in Castlebar, Co Mayo, making it the most won in one year since the draw was launched here in 2004.

"This has been an amazing year for our EuroMillions players and what a way to finish with our third jackpot winner on Friday," said Lottery CEO Dermot Griffin.

"We are urging anyone who bought a EuroMillions ticket for Friday's draw to check their numbers to see if they are the holder of the golden ticket."

A spokeswoman said it was not unusual for people not to have checked their ticket.

"It is possible that people have not checked their tickets yet; it's so important to do so.

"It took our Mayo winner a few days to get in touch and that's not unusual," she added.
Billy Kenny & his wife Christine Kenny (Amy Fitzpatricks aunt) release doves during a Vigil for Amy Fitzpatrick at the Mansion house, Dublin

The aunt of Dublin teenager Amy Fitzpatrick, who disappeared on New Year's Day 2008, has begged for "someone with a heart" to tell the family what happened to her.

Christine Kenny released doves outside the Mansion House yesterday to mark the 10th anniversary of Amy's disappearance in Spain.

Her niece, who was 15 at the time, went missing as she walked home from a friend's house in Mijas Costa on the Costa del Sol.

"All we need is for someone with a heart and a conscience to come forward and tell us what happened to Amy," Christine said.

Lament

Amy's father, Christopher, was too ill to attend yesterday's poignant ceremony, during which a lone piper played a lament.

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To add to the family's heartache, Mr Fitzpatrick's 23-year-old son, Dean, was stabbed to death in May 2013.

Dean's stepfather, Dave Mahon, is currently serving a seven- year prison sentence for his manslaughter.

"The way it happened with Dean, we're broken-hearted," said Ms Kenny. "Christopher is devastated."

She said the family had not given up hope of finding Amy, despite the passage of time.

"Nothing has been found to indicate that she has passed. There's always the hope that we will get her back," she said.

"It's 10 years on, and we would plead with the people that knew Amy, and knew of her lifestyle, to remember her.

"People that didn't complete their police statements, please sign them. This would give closure for Amy."

Ms Kenny said Spanish police cannot act on statements unless they are signed.

At the time of Amy's disappearance, she was living in Spain with her mother, Audrey, and Audrey's partner, Mahon. Dean was also living with them.

Ms Kenny believes a crucial element in the investigation is Amy's pink Nokia mobile phone, which was found in the family's Spanish home.

She spoke of her frustration at the Spanish police investigation, which she said had stalled.

"We're not getting any further. There's nothing that hasn't been done. The Irish police have been to Spain," she said.

"I've been in contact with the Spanish police to find out if they have a cold case section, but I've been told 'No'.

"I think that at this stage what we need is a new pair of eyes looking at the case.

"I've been to the Spanish police station and there are boxes and boxes of papers. Someone needs to come in with fresh eyes."

Over the years, Ms Kenny and the Fitzpatrick family have made their own inquiries.

"We've been down every single avenue. We went to Spain to talk to people. We went to England to talk to people who knew my niece," she said.

Amy's father spoke to the Herald last year as he marked her 25th birthday with a candlelight vigil.

He told how he believes he will see his daughter again.

"There's still always that chance that Amy is still alive somewhere," he said.

"I go on the likes of American cases, where people are still alive after 10 or 12 years. Anything is possible."
By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Jan 2 (PTI) A Pakistani court in the southern Sindh province has ordered the police to provide protection to a Hindu woman who was allegedly raped last month by a man belonging to an influential family, a media report said today.

Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh of the Sindh High Court (SHC) yesterday issued the order after taking a suo motu notice of the alleged rape which took place in Kunri area of the Umerkot district.

The Chief Justice directed the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mirpurkhas and the Umerkot Superintendent of Police (SP) to provide security to the victim and her family, the Dawn reported.

He ordered the police to take action against the culprit belonging to an influential family, it said.

Umerkot SP Usman Ijaz Bajwa submitted a report before the court yesterday, stating that the DIG Mirpurkhas had constituted a committee under his supervision.

The committee, including the sub-divisional police officer of Kunri and the Nabisar Station House Officer (SHO), has been tasked to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the incident.

The report said that the FIR of the incident had been registered at the Nabisar police station and the suspect was arrested.

It said that the medical examination of the victim, daughter of a farmer, was conducted at the Kunri taluka hospital and the samples for a DNA test were also collected.

The medical reports confirmed that the victim was subjected to a sexual assault and the investigation was under way, the report said.

The SP informed the court that a show-cause notice had been issued to the SHO concerned.

Earlier, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had said that on an average around 20 to 25 Hindu girls were forcibly converted to Islam every month in the southern Sindh province.

PTI SH MRJ
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Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said Donald Trump could hire a US-based audit firm to verify the USD 33 billion figure he cited in a furious tweet on New Year's Day.

In that post, the US President lamented that the US had "foolishly given" Pakistan that amount of money over a 15-year period. In return, Pakistan had given Washington "nothing but lies and deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools," he added.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" he said. The news agency PTI later quoted a White House official as saying the US, "does does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time."

In reponse to Trump's tweet, Khawaja Asif suggested that an audit would "let the world know who is lying and deceiving."

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

Pres Trump quoted figure of $33billion given to PAK over last 15yrs,he can hire a US based Audit firm on our expense to verify this figure & let the world know who is lying & deceiving.. January 2, 2018

REVISION OF TIES

Meanwhile, the Pakistani newspaper Express Tribune reported today - citing sources - that Islamabad "will completely revise its relations policy" with the US, if "if the US reduces or suspends aid to Pakistan or places any sanctions."

The newspaper also quoted sources as saying Pakistan "has...decided to reduce dependency on the US in different fields and look for alternatives."

"It will also speed up the process of implementing its strategy for increasing diplomatic, trade and other relations with China, Russia and other countries," the Tribune said.

EMERGENCY MEETING

Today, Pakistan held an emergency meeting of its National Security Council, in a desperate bid to find a way to respond to Trump's accusations.

The meeting was chaired by Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, and was attended by the Khawaja Asif, Defence Minister Khurram Dastgir, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, navy and air-force chiefs and other high-ranking civil and military officers. Pakistan has also called a Federal Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Its Parliamentary Committee on National Security will meet on Friday to discuss the matter.

"The meeting discussed the way forward in the wake of US President Donald Trump's recent anti Pakistan remarks," is all that a three-line Radio Pakistan brief said after the meeting.

WATCH | US President Donald Trump tears into 'liar' Pakistan, revokes aid
W hen it comes to identifying Londons future property hotspots, there are few more universally trusted indicators of growth potential than the Crossrail effect.

These three words have become something of a catch-all for gauging an areas prospects since ground broke on the 14.8 billion infrastructure project back in 2009.

For the neighbourhoods located along the 118km line, the consensus is they are set to bask in the glow of a myriad benefits.

Those who got in with early property purchases have already seen the risk pay off.

House prices within a mile radius of any of the 40 Crossrail stations have shot up 66 per cent since 2009, according to research by Hamptons International. Thats 15 per cent more than the London average over the same period.

And while the financial spoils have tapered as the official launch date has nudged nearer, home owners and potential buyers can still reap the rewards from the advantages that have contributed to the price hikes  from better connections to shorter journey times in and out of central London.

With just over a year to go until the new Elizabeth line, as it will be called, opens in December 2018, we delve into the homes and developments regenerating the hubs along the route, starting at the far eastern transit station of Abbey Wood and the next stop along the line towards London, Woolwich.

Great prospect: the Royal Arsenals views take in Canary Wharf and the O2

LOOK TO THE SOUTH EAST

Average property prices in Abbey Wood and Woolwich, which straddle the boroughs of Bexley and Greenwich, now hover at about 360,000 and 400,000 respectively following average increases of 71 per cent and 57 per cent between 2009 and 2017  significant upticks that could have been fuelled by the fringe nature of the locations themselves.

Crossrail continues to drive value growth along its length, says Adam Challis, head of residential research at property agent JLL. What is becoming clear is the additional benefit it brings to some of the lower-value locations along the route. It is supporting regeneration through improved accessibility and as a result offers a longer-term capital growth potential. 

With such ambitious regeneration in and around Woolwich, anchored by Berkeley Homes colossal 1.2 billion Royal Arsenal Woolwich scheme, Abbey Wood had taken something of a back seat in comparison.

On the up: a Berkeley Homes waterfront penthouse at Royal Arsenal Riverside / berkeleyhomes2.visualbank.co.uk

That was until last week when its new station, described as the unexpected jewel in Crossrails crown opened in all its timber-roofed glory.

One of only 10 new stations being delivered as part of the infrastructure development, it has made an architectural statement in the heart of an otherwise under-the-radar south-east London district.

A statement that, twinned with significantly better transport links in 2018 and a train every five minutes through central London to Paddington and Heathrow by December 2019, has kick-started a surge of fresh development to complement the rows of Victorian terrace properties that still characterise the area.

Early arrivals: four years ago Kevin Lasitz and Jose Dias paid 485,000 for their three-bedroom flat at Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, attracted by its Crossrail location

Residential developer HUB has plans to deliver 245 flats, a hotel and a new public square as part of its Abbey Place scheme next to the station following planning permission gained last month.

And developer Peabody, which is investing 1 billion in regenerating Abbey Wood and the wider Thamesmead area, is building 1,500 affordable new homes ranging from one-bedroom flats to four-bedroom family apartments ready to attract a swathe of new residents looking to snap up property in a comparatively cheap area of London while still only being a 25-minute train ride away from Bond Street and just 11 minutes from Canary Wharf.

Branching out: Abbey Place, next to the lines south-east London terminus at Abbey Wood, will deliver 245 flats, a hotel and a new public square

One stop up the line in Woolwich, development around the Royal Arsenal site has dominated. It is one of Europes largest regeneration projects, with 5,000 new homes coming along with bars, restaurants and a new creative quarter on an 88 acre site with 1km of riverside frontage.

It has the added benefit of a Woolwich Crossrail stop on site, with links to Canary Wharf in eight minutes and Bond Street in 22 minutes.

Prices at Waterfront 111, the latest residential phase to be launched, start at 462,500 for a Manhattan Suite, 485,000 for a one-bedroom apartment going up to 570,000 for a two-bedroom flat. Five duplex penthouses set for completion next month will launch this weekend, with prices starting at 1.3 million for a two-bedroom and 1.9 million for a 1,398 sq ft three-bedroom with a direct river view.

CHEERS TO WOOLWICH WE GAINED A COMMUNITY, A VILLAGE IN LONDON

Entrepreneurs: James and Emma Yeomans set up brewery Hop Stuff

When James and Emma Yeomans left their flat in Limehouse five years ago, they did not escape to a rural village. They moved to Woolwich.

More specifically they moved to Berkeley Homes Royal Arsenal site, set up the Hop Stuff Brewery and now produce 25,000 pints a week with plans to expand the brewery to produce 75,000 pints a week.

While the couple have since moved further into the countryside after their first child was born, they remain an example of the sort of enterprising young couples and families areas like Woolwich and Abbey Wood are starting to attract  one of the main reasons their business has been successful at the Royal Arsenal site.

They expect the brewery to continue to thrive following the launch of the Elizabeth line next year as it will open these south-eastern parts of London up to visitors as well as residents.

These developments need to be destinations rather than commuter points, says James.

But at the same time you want to make sure they attract visitors and do not end up as closed communities. And that comes down to infrastructure and what the site has to offer outsiders. It was great for us working here as we just didnt cut down on our commute when we moved here. We gained a community.

London can be a cold, dismissive city. And what kept us in this area was the fact that everyone pulls together. We saw the same people in the local pub, we all work together to put on the Royal Arsenal farmers market, and Woolwich actually feels like a village in London. And thats the important part.
Opinion Article

2 January 2018

Once again the travel and tourism industry faces both new and on-going challenges. Travel and tourism cannot be separated from the world context in which they operate. Be that context political states of war, or one of health issues or of economic undulations, what occurs throughout the world touches every aspect of tourism. It is for this reason that every once in a while it is good for travel and tourism professionals to take a step back and to review at least some of the basic fundamentals of their industry.





The past year once again reminded us that the tourism industry often lives on the edge. It only takes one senseless act of violence or an act of nature to create major problems for the tourism industry. The past year underlined this principle. Not only did the world of tourism have to face acts of terrorism and senseless acts of murder, but in many parts of the world, mother nature created additional challenges, from earthquakes to hurricanes, from tornados to droughts, tourism officials had to deal with too much or too little water, with fear and with illnesses. Although there were no pandemics to speak of in 2017, the treat of illnesses hovered over the tourism industry. Additionally there were potential problems in the food delivery services and contamination of water and food supplies, and lack of good air quality are consistent threats to the industry.



To get the New Year off to a great start, Tourism Tidbits looks at some of the lessons learned from the various challenges that the tourism industry faced during 2017.

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- In a world filled with stress it is more important than ever that travel and tourism professionals enjoy what they do and like people. The tourism industry is never easy and when a crisis occurs, those who are merely working to earn a paycheck are going to resent the many problems faced. People who care about other people tend to handle crises best. Remember that the term hospitality is related to the term for hospital. We are in the business of taking care of others.

- Customer service is essential no matter what the crises. One of the reasons that Texas did so well during hurricane Harvey is that the state had a tradition of great customer service. The best crisis management comes from teaching everyone involved in travel and tourism to care and to provide the best customer service possible. The better the customer service the higher the probability of lowering stress and finding creative solutions.

- Smile! Smile! and then Smile! Travel and tourism is about having fun and if your employees and you do not come to work with a smile on your face then it would be better to seek another job. Visitors quickly ascertain our moods and attitudes. The nicer you are the more successful your company or local tourism community is going to be. Smiling is infectious and no matter what the crisis, being gentle, showing that you care, and using a firm and steady voice can help to stop a panic and bring order into chaos.

- Develop and know how to use a communication plan. Things often go wrong when people do not communicate. That means that there must be a way for ambulances to communicate with law enforcement, that people in charge of traffic know where to send people, that there is a single standard of triage for the wounded, and that communication managers do not put out conflicting stories. Know who is to be where, how people are to communicate and who is in charge of what actions.

- Be honest in your marketing. Good marketing means putting your best foot forward, but it does not mean lying. The moment you lose your credibility you have lost everything. Tell the truth in the best way possible. Give real facts in real time and people will return when the crisis is over.

- Never forget that marketing can aid in product development but it cannot substitute for product(s) development. A basic rule of tourism is that you cannot market what you do not have. Remember that the most successful form of marketing is word of mouth. Spend less money on classical marketing strategies and more money on customer service and product development.

- Remember that tourism is security dependent. In a world where one can experience "virtual" travel, where meetings can be held on a computer, and where the traveler is exposed to twenty-four hour news cycles, our customers no where it is safe and where it is not. Countries such Turkey and Egypt saw a major decline in their tourism because they were perceived not to be safe.

- Human resources are a part of tourism security. It is essential that you know people's capabilities. Develop lists of who speaks which foreign languages or who has extra medical or mechanical training. Developing a skill bank is essential in facing whatever you may have to face. Treat your employees well during the good years so that you have established employee loyalty for the lean times.

- It is essential that you create a safe and secure atmosphere. To create such an atmosphere local security professionals must be part of the planning from the beginning. Tourism security is more than merely having police or security professionals at a site. Tourism security requires psychological and sociological analysis, the use of hardware, interesting and unique uniforms, and careful planning that integrates the security professional into the enchantment experience.

- Manage perceptions. In tourism a perception may not be true but its consequences are always true. Negative reputations are not easy to erase and negative perceptions can destroy a tourism industry. Too often tourism officials are defensive rather than hearing the perception and seeking ways to change it. Telling a customer, especially during a crisis will only enhance the negative perception rather than eliminate it.

- Enjoy what you do! Tourism is about fun. If you are not having fun, then perhaps you need to seek another job! Go into work every day thankful that you are part of the world's largest peacetime industry; it is one that brings people together, creates jobs, and teaches us that we are all human beings with a story to tell. To make others happy you first have to be happy!
The Pakistan civil and military leadership is going to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday over US President Donald Trump's tweet that accused Islamabad of "lies and deceit".

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will chair the huddle to discuss the future course of action, PM's Office said. The meeting will be attended by Foreign Minister, Interior Minister, and Minister for Defence, Services Chiefs besides, senior civil and military officers.

Trump on Monday accused Pakistan of giving safe haven to the militants that US hunts in Afghanistan, stating, "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. They give safe havens to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

After the tweet, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said, "We will respond to President Trump's tweet shortly. Will let the world know the truth, the difference between facts and fiction." This comes after the US administration was considering whether to withhold $255 million in aid to Pakistan as it feels Islamabad was not doing enough to counter terrorism. The latest move comes after the US has been denied access to a member of the Taliban-linked Haqqani network who is in Pakistan's custody.

According to the New York Times, the Haqqani member was one of the abductors who held an American and Canadian, along with their three children, hostage for five years. US officials told the daily that the Americans demanded access to the man who they feel might have valuable information about the whereabouts of at least one other American hostage. But Pakistani officials rejected the requests.

Trump in the past has threatened to withhold the aid to Pakistan as Washington accuses Islamabad of failure in cooperating on counter-terrorism efforts.

(with inputs from IANS)
California has been known for "women, weed and weather" for a while now, so it's kind of surprising that it's taken so long to legalize and commercialize recreational marijuana use. However, the patient stoners have finally secured the win, as California has officially made recreational weed available for the public to buy. That means, the sketchy beachfront drug deal days are over. The Los Angeles Times has reported that the state has already issued dozens of permits for retailers, with sales set to kick off throughout the week.

The market is already projected to gross seven billion dollars annually by 2020, which clearly signifies a demand. Many of the retailers are located in West Hollywood, and while the legalization officially went down on January 1st, the city requested that West Hollywood shops waited until today to open. However, shops in Santa Ana weren't affected, and were allowed to open on New Year's Day.

Apparently, the frenzy was in full effect. Shops in Santa Ana welcomed customers of all age groups (over twenty-one of course), who lined up to cop pre-rolled joints and edibles. One company called Urbn Leaf even goes the extra mile, with co-founder Will Senn boasting "we can deliver marijuana in 20 minutes; its like pizza." Apparently, Urbn Leaf had served over three hundred and fifty customers by noon, Monday. Suffice it to say, it's a big win for the marijuana fans out there, and a big step forward for progressive thinkers. Apparently, Berkeley Mayor Jesse Arreguin and state Senator Nancy Skinner were even there for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Read more about it via the Times report here, and if you're in California, sound off on the change below.
This past weekend was a celebratory one for many as it was the last weekend of 2017 before the New Year takes its course. Unfortunately, the Kardashian/West family reportedly had to make a visit to the hospital for two-year-old Saint West as he had a case of pneumonia.

Sources tell TMZ that parents Kanye West and Kim Kardashian checked into a Los Angeles hospital Thursday night and had to do overnight duties with their little guy. He apparently got released on Saturday after just staying a couple nights. Sources further told the publication that he's at home and doing well.

Saint was admitted to the hospital just one day after Kim attended a hump day taco party at Jennifer Lopez's New York residence. Both her mother and sister Kourtney were in attendance, along with Jennifer's mother and famed actress and columnist, Joan Collins.

TMZ also reports that Kim and Kanye's third child is accepted to be due sometime this month. The couple chose to have a surrogate carry their child after Kim had a few complications with her pregnancy with Saint.

Below is the last shared photo of Saint, via Kim's Instagram that sees the whole family decked out for the holidays.
New reports suggest that Mike Tyson has purchased 40 acres of land in California in order to grow marijuana. Tyson purchased the property in a town with a population of just 15,000 residents located southwest of Death Valley. This news comes shortly after the state of California legalized the sale of recreational marijuana as a not-so-surprising New Years announcement.

According to The Sun, the former pro-boxer's ranch, aptly titled "Tyson's Ranch" will have 20 acres designated to master marijuana growers, who will transform their environment into a habitat for the famed plant. Additionally, the newspaper also reports that there will be an educational seminar on proper strain growth and maintenance called the "Tyson Cultivation School." Furthermore, the ranch may also contain an amphitheatre, luxury camping grounds and cabins, which really enlivens this ranch into a fantastical domain.

As an ardent supporter of medical marijuana, Tyson will reportedly conduct research on his ranch to help further develop the clinical benefits of the plant. Here is a photo of Tyson and his business partners Robert Hickman and Jay Strommen posing on the plot of land that will carry-out their various business and philanthropic ventures:

Following the announcement of marijuana's legalization, the state of California is suspecting this will stimulate their economy while also creating opportunities for new jobs.
Pakistan civil society demands removal of fisheries minister for attacking PFF chief

January 02,2018 | Source: The News International

Expressing anger over a recent armed attack on Muhammad Ali Shah, the chairman of Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum, in Sujawal district, civil society and rights activists from Sindh have demanded that the chief minister order an impartial inquiry into the attack.



On December 25, Shah and his colleagues, including the PFF Sujawal President Noor Muhamamd Thehmore were injured in an alleged attack carried out by armed men of Minister of Fisheries Muhammad Ali Malkani.



According to reports, Shah and other PFF members were surveying various lakes in Sujawal to ascertain the extent of their illegal occupation when they were allegedly forcibly taken to the residence of Shaukat Ali Malkani, a local influential who is also the brother of the fisheries minister. However, after protests from the community and interventions at the higher level, the PFF team members were released.



In a joint statement issued on Monday, a number of rights and civil society activists expressed serious concern over the use of force by a provincial minister, who holds the portfolio of livestock and fisheries department and is allegedly involved in illegal encroachment of many Thatta and Sujawal lakes, which are traditionally public properties and livelihood sources for thousands of fishermen. They also demanded the chief minister to implement the orders of Sindh High Court (SHC) to remove illegal occupation of all the lakes in Sindh.



According to the PFF, there are 1,209 freshwater bodies in the province but most of them are under the occupation of influential persons in the respective areas. The activists demanded the removal of Malkani from the ministry and the registration of a case against him and his brother for illegal occupation of lakes in coastal districts.



They also demanded that all encroachment and illegal occupation be removed from all freshwater bodies in the province which they said were mostly occupied by members of the ruling political party.

 2017 THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
Bonga oil spill: Weve lost our source of livelihood, Nigeria fishermen lament

by Davies Iheamnachor

January 01,2018 | Source: Vanguard

Fishermen in the Niger Delta region on the platform of Artisanal Fishermen Association of Nigeria, ARFAN, have lamented the loss of their source of livelihood to the Bonga oil spill.



The fishermen also lamented that they have lost over N432 million since the incident, lamenting that over 15 of their members have died in the struggle. ARFAN, which expressed its members worries in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during an interaction with newsmen seven years after the spill, said the oil devastation and the chemical used by Shell Petroleum Development Company to cushion the effect of the spill, destroyed all aquatic life in the rivers. The Coordinating Chairman of the body, Revd Samuel Ayade, expressed concern over the delay in getting justice on the matter, stating the fishermen had lost everything to the devastation. Ayade explained that the spill which occurred on December 20, 2011, was the reason there were no more Bonga fish in the market.



He said: After the spill they asked us to steer clear the river so that we dont bring contaminated fish to the public. Even as we speak, the spill has destroyed and chased Bonga fish from the Niger Delta area. We can no longer catch Bonga fish. This is why you cant see Bonga fish again in the market and it is expensive. The effect of that spill is still on us. When we fish now we only catch sea weeds. The Federal Government should come to our aid. We are suffering and we dont have any other profession. Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer and the convener of the meeting, Mr. Chima Williams, noted that the over 35,000 fishermen in the Niger Delta who were displaced by the spill needed attention from the government.

He called on the Federal Government to help the registered fishermen in the region to enjoy their labour, threatening that if the government failed to give attention to the individuals, his chambers would file a suit for the fishermen.

 2018 Vanguard Media Limited, Nigeria

Theme(s): Others.
4 Filipino fishermen from Palawan rescued near Malaysian island

January 01,2018 | Source: GMA

Four Filipino fishermen were rescued by Malaysian authorities after six days of drifting at sea.



A report on New Straits Times said the fishermen were rescued by Malaysian military personnel near Pulau Billean, Sandakan.



The fishermen were Arnei Fetalvero Viana, 40; chief mate Josefph Aque, 30; Roger Chaves Cheif, 49; and Thomas Taboso, 42.



The fishermen got stranded after their boat capsized off Mangsee Islands in Palawan at the height of tropical cyclone Vinta.



The fishermen survived by clinging on to the pieces of their boat.



They were treated for sunburn and given adequate food and water at a settlement post and then turned over to Philippine authorities after staying at a military settlement in Pulau Billean.



MK ATB 2 Commander Brigadier General Md Amin said they are still looking for a tugboat with a crew of 16 Filipinos.



Personnel are also looking for 30 to 40 boats that capsized around Mangsee Island.



Local authorities in Palawan said over the weekend that at least 59 people, mostly fishermen, are still missing in Mangsee Island.



Thirty-two bodies, mostly of fishermen, have also been recovered by rescue and retrieval teams.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
16 Tanzanian fishermen arrested in Kenya to be arraigned in court on Tuesday

by Ian Osuka

Sixteen Tanzanians who were arrested in Malindi, Kilifi County, Kenya, on Friday for allegedly engaging in illegal fishing in Kenyas territorial waters in the Indian Ocean will be arraigned in court on Tuesday 2nd of January.



Kilifi Police boss Matawa Muchangi speaking to the star in Kilifi said the suspects were arrested in Ngomeni area without fishing permits by the marine police unit on Friday.



"Our officers on patrol arrested the foreigners engaging in illegal fishing within Kenya s territorial waters in the Indian Ocean. They violated the law and will be charged in court on Tuesday, said Muchangi speaking to the star on Friday.



Kilifi assistant county commissioner Karung'o Kamau speaking to reporters said that the fishermen from Tanzania are currently being questioned by police and will be taken to court and fined.



"In the past one week we have rounded up 23 Tanzanians for fishing in Kenyas territorial water illegally, said Kamau.



Commissioner Kamau said that fishermen from other countries were fishing illegally in the ocean at the expense of locals and some were already charged in court as others await their court day.



This development comes after cattle worth over sh93m from the Maasai were auctioned by Tanzanian Authorities across the Namanga border on October 31 and chicks worth over sh600,000 were confiscated and burned by the Magufuli government.



Despite foreign affairs cabinet secretary, Amina Mohammed leading a protest against the Tanzania Government over the hostile neighbouring environment, Magufuli has remained adamant saying that they would confiscate more cattle from non-local grazers within their graze fields.



Kenyan fishermen have also been arrested in the Lake Victoria by Ugandan Authorities claiming they are fishing illegally within Ugandan waters.

 2016. All RIGHTS RESERVED HIVISASA.COM

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.
Overfishing, pollution, destructive fishing practices leave Turkish seas bare

by Cansu Simsek

January 01,2018 | Source: Hurriyet Daily News

Turkish seas have seen a sharp decline in fish production, the result of overfishing, environmental factors and destructive fishing practices, according to experts, fishermen and restaurant owners.



The most radical solution to the situation comes from Turkeys Slow Food Movement representative and ecology activist Defne Koryurek, who proposes a fishing ban for at least five years like abroad.



The seas are tired and authorities should ban fishing for a while. When we discussed this issue in 2009, we spoke of a two-year ban, but now the seas need to be rested for at least five years. This is one step. Another involves asking what small-sized fishermen will do during that period. This is where we need state policy, she said.



If given a magic wand to fix the problem herself, Koryurek said she would ban fishing on the Bosporus and Dardanelles Strait forever, since they are ecological corridors.



These areas are birth corridors where many species of fish reproduce. If we protect them, a double, chain-wide recovery will take place, Koryurek said.



Environmental factors have also contributed to depleting fish stock in Turkish waters, according to Koryurek. Anchovies have disappeared. Why? Because the sea waters are no longer cold. And why is that? Russians have built a dam on the Dnieper River [one of the major rivers in Europe flowing through Russia] and we have covered everywhere with hydroelectric power plants. Waste comes not only from the Danube River [Europes second-longest river] but also from industry in the Marmara region, and all this waste ends up in the Black Sea. The fish cannot live in such conditions, Koryurek told daily Hurriyet.



Koryureks proposal comes after a series of brainstorming sessions in Turkey undertaken by experts, fishermen, and seamen, aiming to answer the question: Why are there no fish in the seas? The size of the fish has become smaller and the prices have soared, fishermen warn. Statistics provided by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) also show that seas need protection as figures point to a 50-percent decrease in the number of fish species in Turkish seas over the last 15 years.



Istanbul University Faculty of Aquaculture Dean Prof. Dr. Meric Albay told daily Hurriyet that the main problem was an unsystematic fishing model and a lack of inspections. Our fishermen just live for the day. We need to learn about the concept of scientific fishing, he said.



There is an absence of data regarding fish numbers. Only the number of fish that is caught and enters the fish market is known. But some fish does not enter the fish market straightaway. Some restaurants buy fish that is frozen during a period of overfishing and then released into the market a few months later. We do not know how these factors affect the seas. Nor do we known how much fish stock remains. Marmara Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea, Aegean Sea All of them are in bad situations, Albay said.



Anybody can fish freely in our seas. Net measurements and types that ought to be restricted are used, and small-sized fish that should not be caught are hauled Our fishermen use equipment that is quite modern, but they act under the principle of fish as much as you can. There should be rules to set limits on the use of certain types of equipment, he said.



The renowned professor said the authority to inspect fishermen belonged to coast guard patrols, gendarmeries, and provincial directorates of agriculture, but that inspections were inadequate as aquaculture engineers were absent from the control mechanism.



There are 15 departments of aquaculture in Turkey and thousands of aquaculture engineers have graduated from these faculties. But since they have not been employed, they are completely out-of-sync with what is actually happening in seas, fish markets and fishing ports, Albay said, adding that if teams specializing in aquaculture engineering were integrated into the system, the seas might take a turn for the better in three to five years.



Albay also said Turkey needed to assign more importance to the fishing industry and invest in advanced scientific fishing methods to protect the seas. Although we are surrounded by seas on three sides, we still have a big world to explore. We need to learn from marine alga and marine bacterium...The seas have turned into wastelands, he said.



Fishermen are also unhappy with Turkish fishing practices. They blame industrialization for allowing the profession to lose its soul.



Erol Domac, a fisherman since the age of nine, has told daily Hurriyet that small-sized fish are being exterminated, especially in the Black Sea, due to a lack of inspection. Today, due in the absence of a systematic approach, a fishing massacre is taking place. The fishermen are not aware enough of the situation, Domac said, adding that fishing sector workers needed more training.



Mesut Soydaner, a fisherman with 35 years of experience, said they had concluded during a previous meeting of fishermen that inspection rates needed to rise from 35 percent to over 60 percent. I would catch fish in every situation. But can the customer also eat it? If the answer is no, fishing is over, he said.

 2018 Hurriyet Daily News

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.
By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Jan 2 (PTI) Pakistan has summoned US Ambassador David Hale to register its protest after President Donald Trump accused the country of lying and deceiving America by sheltering terrorists while receiving billions of dollars in foreign aid, a media report said today.

The Pakistan Foreign Office (FO) summoned Hale last night. Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua sought an explanation from Hale over Trumps remarks, The Express Tribune reported.

There was no immediate response from foreign office officials.

Trump yesterday 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 tweeted on New Years Day.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif responded immediately and said, "...Will let the world know the truth... difference between facts and fiction."

He said Pakistan had told the Trump administration that it would not do no more for it (the fight against terrorism).

"Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received over the last 15 years," the minister said. PTI SH NSA
Why The 'Honeymoon Phase' Gets Over And Partners Become Emotionally Unavailable To Each Other?
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) In sharp contrast to the noisy start to the Winter Session, the Rajya Sabha today set a record after 15 years by taking up all the 15 listed starred questions during the Question Hour, while 18 members spoke on issues of public importance during the Zero Hour.

The last time all listed starred questions were taken up was in 2002 during the 197th Session of the Upper House, officials in the Rajya Sabha secretariat said.

This was made possible as 10 of 20 members in whose names questions were listed were absent from the House, but the Chairman allowed many members to ask supplementary questions.

At the end of Question Hour, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said, "So, all questions are completed today."

During the Zero Hour, members raise issues of public importance, while they question the government on various issues during the Question Hour.

Earlier, when a number of members asking questions were found absent, he said "Something special is happening!".

On seeing many members absent during Question Hour, the chairman also said that surprisingly, five or six members who had questions listed against their names did not turn up.

"They have the liberty. I don?t question them. At the same time, we have a responsibility. If you file a question, so much time, energy and resources are spent. Not coming to the House is not a good practice. Keep that in mind," he said.

When some members complimented the Chairman for smooth conduct of business, Naidu returned the compliment saying, "Your cooperation is good, so my operation was very smooth... thats why the House was able to set this record."

Members sought governments responses on several major issues including GST filing, poor rating of Indian Renewal Energy Companies, regulation of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, non-performing assets, clinical trial of drugs and Air Indias operating losses.

As many as 11 members were allowed to speak on issues of public importance during Zero Hour, while another eight were allowed to read out the text of their special mentions.

Due to disruptions and scarcity of time, texts of Special Mentions are usually laid on the table of the House towards of the end of the day but the chairman has suggested that they be taken up in the pre-lunch period.

"The Rajya Sabha today made history. For the first time, all Zero Hour submissions, all Special Mentions were fully completed," said Naidu amid thumping of desks by members in the House of Elders.

The Chairman expressed hope that in future too, the members would not waste time and stick to the schedule.

Uproarious scenes and adjournments have been witnessed on several occasions in the past two weeks for various reasons during the Winter Session of Parliament. PTI SKC NKD ARC
How was your holiday season? If it was filled with love, plenty, and relaxation, congrats! I hope you enjoyed it to the fullest. But now that you're back to work and settling into 2018, Bill Gates has a book recommendation for you that will remind you just how many of your fellow Americans aren't so lucky, and why you should be grateful for your good fortune.

On his blog recently, he recommended a number of reads, including Evicted , by Gates Foundation grantee, Princeton sociologist, and MacArthur Foundation "Genius" grant winner Matthew Desmond. Gates showers praise on this exploration of poverty and housing insecurity in America, suggesting that the book is worth reading for every American who hasn't personally experienced the threat of eviction and homelessness.

An empathy workout for the blessed.

The book is a deep dive into a simple but horrifying statistic: millions of Americans are evicted from their homes each year. Why is that number so high and what are the knock-on effects of all those forced moves? In the course of digging into this important issue, Desmond paints "a brilliant portrait of Americans living in poverty," Gates claims.

That's a painful but important picture for those of us blessed with more comfortable lives to examine, Gates insists. "I have no personal experience with the kind of crisis faced by... the people profiled in Evicted, so I can only learn about it by hearing their stories. This book gave me a better sense of what it is like to be very poor in this country than anything else I have read," Gates reports.

"I also got a glimpse of how gut-wrenching it must be when someone piles up your belongings on the curb and you don't know where your family is going to sleep that night," he adds.

Desmond offers nuanced and moving portraits of individual Americans struggling to keep a roof over their heads while also serving up startling statistics, like this one highlighted by Gates: "Most experts agree that the ideal is to spend no more than 30 percent of your income on housing; according to Desmond's research, most poor families have to spend over 50 percent on housing, and for many it's over 70 percent."

"When you're paying so much to keep a roof over your head, there's no room for bad luck," Gates stresses.

Why this less-than-cheerful read is worth your time.

The book might be engrossing, but it obviously isn't a cheerful page turner, so why take the time to read it? Besides offering a useful empathy workout to those of us who are more privileged, as Gates suggests, it's also likely to help you appreciate what you have, and gratitude has been shown by science to be a key to both happiness and success.

The book's exploration of the causes of this housing crisis and possible solutions (as of yet incomplete pending further research, Gates notes) will also make you a better informed citizen. "Evicted is well worth reading for anyone who wants to better understand poverty in America. It is beautifully written, thought-provoking, and unforgettable," Gates concludes.
Mr Varadkar said he aspired to the "agreed Ireland" envisaged by John Hume

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said he aspires to a United Ireland by consent and with cross-community support.

The Irish Premier said he followed the idea of former SDLP leader John Hume of an "agreed Ireland".

Mr Varadkar said: "In terms of a United Ireland, our constitution is clear on this. Our constitution aspires to there being a United Ireland. I share that aspiration.

"But only on the basis that it is done by consent, and when it does come about I would like to see it command a degree of cross-community support. And that's the way I would envision it."

He added: "I very much follow the school of thought of the great John Hume, who talked less about a United Ireland and more about an agreed Ireland and a set of relationships that we can all be happy with. That's the way it should be."

The Taoiseach's comments are likely to further strain his already difficult relationship with unionists in Northern Ireland.

In November, the leader of the DUP Arlene Foster accused Irish Foreign Affairs Minister and Mr Varadkar's deputy, Simon Coveney, of "aggressive" behaviour after he spoke of his desire for a United Ireland.

Mr Coveney told a parliamentary committee that he wanted to see a United Ireland in his political lifetime.

He said: "I am a constitutional nationalist, I would like to see a United Ireland in my lifetime. If possible, in my political lifetime."

Mr Coveney added that any moves toward Irish unification should be careful, should learn from the past and ensure more steps are taken to protect and include a unionist minority.

Following his comments, Mrs Foster responded: "Why then did Simon use this moment in time to talk about his aspiration for a United Ireland in his political lifetime? I think that's quite aggressive."

Uncertainty around Brexit has seen relations between Dublin and London and the DUP deteriorate in recent months.

In December, Mr Varadkar admitted relations with Britain were "strained" because of disputes between governments on what kind of arrangement should be made for Northern Ireland after Brexit.

The DUP has criticised Mr Varadkar's Fine Gael Party, saying that multiple references to the possibility of a United Ireland in current Irish politicians' lifetimes were unhelpful.

DUP MP Sir Jeffrey Donaldson recently claimed both the Taoiseach and Simon Coveney had used language that would not repair relationships between the Irish government and unionists.
Nigel Farage is to speak at the conference next month. Photo: REUTERS

A Eurosceptic county councillor, who is due to speak at Nigel Farage's controversial conference next month, has said that he is taking part because debate is needed on Ireland leaving the EU - a so-called 'Irexit'.

Independent Galway councillor James Charity believes there should be an Irexit "in the long term" and cites concerns over the level of agricultural trade with Britain and the US, as well as increasing integration among EU member states.

Next month's conference in Dublin has been criticised by Fine Gael Senator Neale Richmond, who branded it a "sham gathering".

He claimed that it would seek to promote "incorrect information" about Ireland's role in Europe.

Mr Charity rejected this, described Mr Richmond as a "dedicated Europhile" and said his opinion "really doesn't surprise me".

He said the EU, with its own parliament, flag, and anthem, was developing a common defence mechanism and "moving more and more towards a federal state", adding: "We can't go on with having this position where everyone is afraid to question EU membership."
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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?
India's second largest firm Infosys, is all set to welcome Salil S Parekh as its new CEO and Managing Director.

With his appointment, the firm looks forward to bring back revenue growth and a good business strategy.

He is being appointed for a period of five years, effective from January 2, 2018.

Parekh, 53, is a former Capgemini executive. Having experience in multi cultural work environment and specialisation in technology and sales, bagged him the post from a dozen other competitors. Moreover, he had also played a major role in acquisition of iGate in the year 2015.

After Vishal Sikka, it is the second time that the company has chosen an external candidate for the post of CEO. In fact , this is the third management change of Infosys, over the last four years.

"He (Parekh) has nearly three decades of global experience in the IT services industry. He has a strong track record of executing business turnarounds and managing very successful acquisitions," said Nandan Nilekani, Chairman of Infosys Board.

Salil Parekh holds a Bachelors degree in Aeronautical Engineering from IIT, Bomabay, and a Masters degree in computer science and mechanical engineering from Cornell University.

UB Pravin Rao will step aside from his post of interim CEO and Managing Director before Parekh takes over. However, Rao will continue to work as the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Infosys.

Parekh will work with co- founder Nandan Nilekani and will also contribute in hiring people from the field of technology and sales.

With inputs from PTI
Athenry residents Martin Fergus (left) and Kevin Higgins show their support for Apples Athenry data centre as protests and delays cast doubt on its future. Pic Collins Courts.

1 A record year for Irish venture capital

Last year saw a bonanza of venture capital cash raised by Irish tech firms.

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Whatsapp Eir technician John O'Carroll and front line manager Noel McMahon as the company marks the connection of over 101,000 premises to high speed broadband. Photo Chris Bellew/Fennell Photography

The first nine months of the year saw Irish tech firms and startups attract 817m in venture capital.

The record haul was 11pc higher than the same period in 2016. The majority of the money (88pc) raised went to companies seeking expansion capital, according to the Irish Venture Capital Association, which measured the activity.

Belfast-based financial cloud firm Options had the largest single fundraising event of the year with a 100m round in the first half of 2017.

Dublin-based IT service company Version 1 was next, raising 90m from UK equity firm Volpi Capital.

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Barry Napier's Cubic Telecom raised 40m in August, bringing the company's total funding close to 80m. The company, which employs 160 people in Sandyford, has deals in place with approximately 80 mobile operators around the world. It recently began trials with China Mobile, the world's biggest operator.

Smaller rounds include 10m each for telecoms firm Blueface and Atlantic Therapeutics.

The majority of funding rounds in Ireland are under 3m, while European venture capital funds have performed above average compared to other investment sources over the last 10 years.

2 The continued growth of tech multinationals in Ireland

Last year saw both gains and losses in job counts for multinational tech firms based here. Facebook and Google continued to add to their huge Dublin presence, with Facebook nearing 2,000 staff and more promised for 2018.

Some other tech firms continued to similarly scale their presence in Dublin.

However, there were some job losses. HP let 500 people go when they announced the closure of their Leixlip site in February.

In October, Swedish tech giant Ericsson indicated that it would cut up to 130 jobs from its Irish operation, which is split between Athlone and Dublin.

3 The EU got even tougher with big tech

While 2016 may have seen the biggest move against a multinational tech company in the form of the 13bn back-tax ruling against Apple, there was no let-up in 2017.

The European Commission fined Google 2.4bn for abuse of its dominant position as a search engine in giving its own shopping comparison service an unfair boost.

The penalty was the biggest-ever fine handed down by Brussels on a business in a competition case. It also made Amazon pay 250m in back tax to Luxembourg, which had allowed Amazon to channel a significant portion of its profits to a holding company without paying tax.

But while critics of the EU regulatory action claim geo-political bias, not everyone in the industry regarded it as a US-EU rivalry.

Oracle, Yelp and a handful of other big American companies supported the Commission's Google fine.

They even sent a letter of support to the European Commission about it. "Google and its allies will no doubt continue to press through its lobbying and public relations machine the fiction that any adverse decision amounts to European protectionism," said the letter.

"As US-based companies, we wish to go on record that enforcement action against Google is necessary and appropriate, not provincial. We have watched Google undermine competition in the United States and abroad.

"Google operates on a global scale and across the entire online ecosystem, destroying jobs and stifling innovation."

4 A year when Ireland's planning system cost it a major infrastructure project

In October, the High Court finally cleared the way for Apple to build a data centre in Athenry in Co Galway.

But after a delay of two years, Apple indicated it may not proceed with the project. The company, which prefers certainty in planning for the long term, lost faith in the country's higgledy-piggledy system of planning appeals and endless judicial review processes.

The company had seen a Danish data centre, announced at the same time as its Athenry project, completed in the time it took Irish authorities to give it the go-ahead. A second Danish data centre has now been commissioned by Apple.

The matter surfaced in a meeting between Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Apple chief executive Tim Cook in California toward the end of the year.

At that meeting, Mr Cook reportedly stopped short of reassuring the Taoiseach the project would still go ahead.

Other companies appeared to take note. "There has been reputational damage to Ireland from what is happening in Athenry," said Tanya Duncan, managing director of Interxion, one of the biggest 'carrier neutral' data centre companies operating in Ireland.

"This is especially so among the hyperscale players at the level of the Amazons and the Googles. There will be big companies who are thinking about putting their data centres in Ireland and now wondering 'Is there something up here?'

"Maybe when they dig into it, they'll discover that this sort of thing won't affect them.

"But certainly, there would now be certain organisations questioning the option where they wouldn't before."

5 Ireland inched toward better rural broadband coverage

For businesses in rural parts of Ireland, 2017 was a case of modest progress mixed with a little frustration. The improvements came in the shape of buildouts from Siro (the joint fibre broadband venture between Vodafone and the ESB) and Eir in regional towns.

In all, at least 150,000 additional premises (between residential and commercial) were added into fibre broadband connectivity during the year.

Eir also committed to an overall net connection increase of 300,000 businesses and homes in rural and regional areas not served by proper broadband by the end of 2018.

That's a sizable chunk of those outside cities who cannot get decent internet connectivity.

On the other hand, there were also setbacks. Siro decided to withdraw from the state-subsidised National Broadband Plan process at a late stage.

It meant that the shortlist of competitors for the massive scheme, which aims to connect every last rural business and home to fibre-grade broadband (540,000 in number), was reduced to two players: Eir and Enet.

That means less competition, which could yield a potentially bigger bill for the taxpayer and longer to wait until it begins (because the Government has fewer options if one of the remaining players asks for more time).

The event that caused Siro to withdraw was a deal between the government and Eir, which reduced the National Broadband Plan intervention area from 840,000 to 540,000. This, said Siro, made the proposition uneconomic for it to consider, subsidy or no subsidy. All of this contributed to further delays to the National Broadband Plan, which look set to affect timescales in 2018.

Whereas the Government had been intimating that rural businesses and residents would see the first wave of subsidised connections in 2018, this now looks likely to be confined to a handful of the 540,000 premises, if any at all.

6 Eir changed ownership again

The biggest tech-related acquisition of the year in Ireland was Eir, which changed hands for the ninth time in 20 years.

This time, the new owner is Xavier Niel, a French telecoms billionaire who owns the 'Free' mobile operator and internet service provider in France and also co-owns 'Le' newspaper.

The deal, which saw Niel's NJJ consortium take a two-thirds stake in Eir in a deal that values the company at 3.5bn, reportedly led to massive bonus payouts for Eir's senior management, running into the tens of millions for some high-ranking executives. The existing owners retained a minority share in the company.

7 The year that Facebook made enemies

2017 was the year when public opinion started to turn sour on the world's biggest social networks, treated as plucky, loveable underdogs up until this point. Facebook, in particular, became a target on multiple fronts, from its perceived role in facilitating 'fake news' stories to privacy, allowing Russian provocateurs to buy subversive ads and the psychological effect its services have on users.

Founder Mark Zuckerberg performed an about-turn on his view that the platform had little to answer for with regard to other countries' agencies undermining US elections through the purchase of ads and gaming of sharing algorithms. It also came under sustained pressure from social commentators, politicians and former executives over the behavioural effects that its service has on users.

This included criticism from Chamath Palihapitiya, a former Facebook vice-president between 2007 and 2011, who said that he felt "tremendous guilt," about the products he built because they were addictive and that Facebook was "ripping apart the social fabric of how society works".

Former Facebook president Shawn Fanning also piled on, claiming that he helped Facebook grow by "exploiting a vulnerability in human psychology". "We need to sort of give you a little dopamine hit every once in a while," he said. "Because someone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever... it's a social-validation feedback loop."

Last year was also when media companies, long under siege through the loss of digital ad revenue to Facebook and Google, decided to ramp up their own hostility toward big social media and digital firms. However, the antipathy was not shared among the general public, who continue to use Facebook in growing numbers. In Ireland, Facebook has 2.4 million adult users with 1.7 million using it daily. That's a bigger overall audience than almost any other media entity.

8 The end of mobile roaming finally occurred

Last year saw one huge gain for ordinary phone users, as the EU banned most mobile roaming fees between its 28 countries.

It was widely hailed as big step forward in consumer rights across the continent. However, the occasion was soured a little by a get-out clause for operators on mobile data. According to the law, consumers became entitled to around 2GB of EU roaming data for every 10 they spend on their normal monthly mobile plan here, up to the limit of what they get domestically. This can be imposed by the mobile operator even if the consumer has a large or 'all you can eat' data allowance at home.

So a person who spends 20 per month on a prepay mobile service that includes 30GB of data here would only be entitled to around 4GB of that data when travelling in the EU, before big roaming fees kick in again.

The EU move came as figures from Ireland's telecoms regulator show that Irish people now use their phones more for data services such as Facebook than for calls or texts.

9 IT security and privacy breaches soared

It was a year which saw an epidemic of ransomware attacks on businesses' computer systems and a large number of companies admitting that they had suffered cyberattacks.

The 'Wannacry' ransomware outbreak in May saw the HSE forced to take systems offline while they worked to fix them. That same ransomware malware caused havoc in UK hospitals.

Surveys showed that Irish small firms were particularly vulnerable to security woes during the year.

One poll by the business lobby group ISME indicated that 81pc of Irish small firms fell victim to cybercrime, with two-thirds saying they suffered a computer virus infection. Cybercrime is now the third most common crime reported by small businesses in Ireland after burglary and vandalism, according to the ISME survey.

But it wasn't just small companies who were attacked.

Toward the end of the year, Yahoo admitted that all 3bn of its email accounts were hacked in 2013.

In what was described as the biggest shambles in recent security history, the company says it underestimated its initial tally of a 2013 breach. Names, email addresses, telephone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords and security questions and answers (some of them unencrypted) were stolen.
Some of Australia's biggest power users, including mining giant BHP, are taking steps to curb the impact of any repeat of crippling blackouts that hit last summer, worried about a grid that increasingly relies on wind power and old coal-fired plants.

Their back-up strategies come despite assurances from the nation's energy market operator that it has lined up enough power reserves - including the world's biggest lithium ion battery, set up by Tesla - to get through all but the most unexpected conditions.

Australia's summer, which started on Friday, is forecast to be hotter-than-normal in the nation's southeast, already helping double wholesale power prices in the wind-dependent state of South Australia to almost A$170 (109) per megawatt hour (MWh).

That raises the spectre of a repeat of outages that hit South Australia and New South Wales last February if households crank up air conditioners at the same time as the wind dies down or extreme heat knocks out an ageing coal-fired plant.

The threat has prompted global miner BHP Billiton to install 30 megawatts of diesel generation at its Olympic Dam copper mine in South Australia, which was forced to close for two weeks last year after a state-wide blackout that cost it $105m (89m).

"That doesn't give us the ability to operate at normal levels. It's really just insurance to prevent any asset damage," Olympic Dam president Jacqui McGill told reporters this week.

Meanwhile, Alcoa, which runs the Portland aluminium smelter in Victoria, is taking a different tack, offering to curb its power use for a fee for up to an hour during peak-demand, said spokeswoman Jodie Read.

The company's Portland smelter has recently returned to operating at about 300,000 tonnes a year since suffering a near-fatal power failure.

Elsewhere, the Tomago aluminium smelter in New South Wales would be vulnerable if it faced a prolonged heat wave at the same time as Victoria and South Australia.

"If the power goes off for any more than three hours, our potlines [a row of electrolytic cells used in the production of aluminum] will freeze and they cannot be unfrozen. It's a catastrophic loss," said Matthew Howell, chief executive of Tomago Aluminium, owned by Rio Tinto, CSR and Norsk Hydro.

Unlike Alcoa, Tomago has offered to turn off its potlines, used to make aluminium, only if the market operator is facing a state-wide blackout.

"You want to interrupt load to a potline as a last resort. You don't want to do it as a playing-an-arbitrage-with-your-energy-supplier," Howell told Reuters.

This comes as Audrey Zibelman, chief executive of the Australian Energy Market Operator, says blackouts are a "very, very, very low probability event", given steps such as coaxing gas-fired plants out of retirement, the launch of the Tesla battery on Friday in South Australia and a A$70m (45m) programme to pay some power users to curb their demand. An independent analyst said that there was less chance of blackouts this year, though he added that the risk remained.

"I don't know what the odds are of a three-hour blackout in New South Wales this summer, but it's certainly not zero," said David Leitch, an energy analyst at ITK Services Australia.

"But my bottom line is that over the last few months I've become more convinced it's less likely to occur than previously." (Reuters)
Gerard 'Gerry' Lynch photographed at Newcastlewest district court where he was charged with murder. Photograph Liam Burke Press 22

Gardai are investigating the death of a man in the village of Pallaskenry, Co Limerick. Photograph Liam Burke Press 22 Inset: Willie Lynch

A young man has been charged with the murder of his older brother in their family home in Limerick.

Gerard 'Gerry' Lynch (29) appeared before Newcastlewest District Court charged with the murder of his brother, William 'Willie' Lynch (35), on December 30 last in Pallaskenry.

Judge Mark Larkin was told that Lynch replied to Gardai after being charged: "Sorry, I didn't mean it."

Lynch of Main Street, Pallaskenry, Co Limerick appeared in court wearing slacks and a grey sweat shirt.

He kept his head bowed throughout the brief proceedings.

The defendant did not speak during the hearing.

Evidence of arrest, caution and charge was offered by Garda Alan O'Donnell.

He told the court that Lynch was charged at Newcastlewest Garda Station on January 1.

Inspector Alan Cullen said gardai were requesting a remand in ongoing custody.

Solicitor Michael O'Donnell was appointed to represent the defendant.

He requested that the court direct that all required medical assistance be provided for his client while in custody.

Judge Larkin remanded Lynch in custody to appear again before Limerick District Court on January 9 next.

Willie Lynch, a well-known sporting enthusiast in the Pallaskenry area, was found critically injured at 5pm last Saturday in the two-storey terraced home off Main Street he shared with his younger brother.

He was discovered just a couple of hours before he was to host a charity pool tournament in aid of Milford Hospice.

Mr Lynch was pronounced dead at the scene before he could be transferred by paramedics to University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Gardai launched a murder investigation after a post mortem examination by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster at UHL confirmed that Mr Lynch had met a violent death.

He had sustained multiple stab wounds to the torso.

Tributes have been paid to Willie Lynch who was deeply involved in sporting and community organisations in Pallaskenry.

Friends set up a special online fundraising appeal to help his family with funeral costs.

The appeal raised more than 2,500 in just 10 hours.

Willie Lynch is survived by his mother, Helen and another brother, Danny.
Further charges are expected to be brought against a teenager accused of slashing a womans neck with a knife after luring her to an abandoned location in south Dublin.

The 15-year-old is already charged with seriously assaulting the woman (25) and producing a knife in the alleged attack in Dun Laoghaire two days before Christmas.

Dublin Childrens Court heard today gardai anticipated bringing further charges. Judge Bernadette Owens remanded the boy in custody to a date next week.

The teenagers parents were in court for the brief hearing and his mother sat with him throughout, embracing him and holding his hand.

The boy is charged with assault causing harm and producing a knife at the old Dun Laoghaire Baths, Queens Road, Dun Laoghaire on December 23.

He was refused bail when he first appeared in court on St Stephens Day and an assessment had been ordered at that stage.

Judge Owens asked Detective Garda Daniel Treacy what the current position was in the case. Det Gda Treacy said the directions of the DPP were not available yet.

We have directions on the charges before you but we expect there will be further charges, Judge, he added.

Defence barrister Kitty Perle said an initial assessment of the boy had taken place at Oberstown Detention Centre but a full assessment was not ready for the court yet.

She said it was hoped that this would be finalised on the next date and some progress can be made.

Det Gda Treacy said he had no issue with an adjournment to January 11 but added that we wont have directions on that date.

Judge Owens said she would adjourn the case to see what progress can been made on the assessment and the DPPs directions.

That is all we can do this morning, she said.

The accused, dressed in a long-sleeved red top and blue jeans, was hugged and kissed by his mother before he was led away.

On the last court date, Judge Brian OShea had refused to grant the youth bail after hearing he allegedly met the woman on an anonymous social media website.

Judge OShea had said he accepted the evidence of Det Gda Treacy, who told the court he believed the boy would be likely to commit murder if released.

The offence, as it stands, is that the boy (allegedly) engaged the complainant through the Whisper (social media) app and lured her to various abandoned locations where he choked her to within an inch of her life to the extent that a tear rolled down her face, Judge OShea said.

The boy is also alleged to have used a knife to inflict a lengthy transverse (horizontal) laceration to her neck, the court heard.

The court heard they exchanged text messages via the app before meeting. Gardai have obtained CCTV footage from the area, the court was told.

The boy has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges which are under the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person and Firearms and Offensive Weapons Acts.
Jason Doyle, a barman at the Speaker Conolly pub in Firhouse where an attempted robbery took place. Picture credit; Damien Eagers 2/1/2018

A lone raider who burst into a popular Dublin pub armed with a gun got more than he bargained for when he was tackled to the ground by three locals who then held him until gardai arrived.

The incident happened just before midnight last night when the raider, a man in his 30s, ran into the lounge of the Speaker Conolly pub in Firhouse on the south side of the capital.

He ordered revellers to lie down on the floor but was immediately challenged by three local men who overpowered him and wrestled him to the ground.

Gardai were immediately contacted and responded, arresting the man and recovering a gun and a mask.

The garda helicopter was also sent to the scene and carried out a search of the immediate area with its searchlights and night cameras to determine if the raider had any accomplices.

The arrested man was taken to Tallaght garda station for questioning but also required medical attention in Tallaght hospital.

Assistant manager Jason Doyle told of the sequence of events in the frightening incident.

One of the staff was locking up outside when the guy approached him in the car park and stuck the gun up to his neck, he said.

He forced him back into the pub and then he came at me with the gun, it was like an Uzi machine gun, he added.

There was around a dozen customers still in the pub and he shouted at everyone to get down. He shouted IRA, this is a robbery, get the f**k down and forced me into the kitchen area, Mr Doyle explained.

He was demanding the cash and he was pointing the gun at people, and then all of a sudden three of the customers in the bar jumped the counter and tackled him to the ground, he said.

They eventually wrestled the gun off him and pinned him to the ground.

Gardai, alerted by a panic alarm, arrived within six minutes and took control of the situation.

An off duty detective who was in the lounge also assisted.

The guy was all apologetic afterwards, and said he had hit bad times. It's hard to believe, said Mr Doyle.
Christine Kenny during a vigil for Amy Fitzpatrick at the Mansion house, Dublin marking the 10th anniversary of her disapearance from Spains Riveria del Sol on New Years Day 2008 Photo: Gareth Chaney, Collins

The aunt of missing teenager Amy Fitzpatrick marked the 10th anniversary of her disappearance by calling for someone "with a heart" to come forward with information about what happened to her.

Christine Kenny released doves outside Dublin's Mansion House yesterday to mark a decade since her then 15-year-old niece vanished as she walked home from a friend's house in the Spanish resort of Mijas Costa, near Malaga on New Year's Day 2008.

"All we need is for someone with a heart and a conscience to come forward," she told the Irish Independent.

Christine said her brother Christopher, Amy's father, was too unwell to attend yesterday's poignant ceremony during which a lone piper played.

To add to the family's heartache, Mr Fitzpatrick's 23-year-old son Dean was stabbed to death in May 2013. Dean's stepfather, Dave Mahon, is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for his manslaughter.

"The way it happened with Dean, we're broken-hearted over that. Christopher is devastated," said Christine.

Expand Close Christine Kenny during a vigil for Amy Fitzpatrick at the Mansion House in Dublin, at which a number of doves were released in her memory. Photo: Gareth Chaney / Facebook

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She said that, despite the passage of time, the family had not given up hope of finding Amy again.

"Nothing has been found to indicate she has passed. There is always that hope there that we will get her back.

"It's 10 years on, and we would plead with the people that knew Amy and knew of her lifestyle to remember her.

"People that didn't complete their [police] statements, please sign them. This would give closure for Amy. Somebody needs to know something," she added.

Christine said Spanish police cannot act on statements they have already received unless those who made them sign them.

At the time of her disappearance, Amy was living in Spain with her mum, Audrey Mahon and Audrey's partner Dave Mahon, as well as her brother Dean.

Christine believes a crucial element in the investigation is Amy's pink Nokia mobile phone, which was found in the family's Spanish home after she vanished.

She spoke of her frustration at the investigation which has now stalled.

"I've been in contact with the police in Spain to find out if the Spanish authorities have a cold case section. But I've been told, 'No'.

"I think, at this stage, what we need is a new pair of eyes looking at the case."
GARDAI are investigating after an explosive hidden in a vacuum cleaner box was sent to a social worker.

A threatening note was attached to the highly complex device believed to be linked to the respected womans work.

The package contained fireworks, a detonation system and wiring.

Sources said gardai and Army experts have rarely seen such an elaborate bomb.

A Dublin-based criminal gang have been identified as the chief suspects for the shocking incident six weeks ago.

As part of their investigation, gardai have followed a number of different leads and carried out a huge trawl of CCTV footage in Dublin as well as a number of midlands towns.

As part of her work as a senior social worker, this woman has had to interface with criminality as part of her job, a source said.

What seems to have occurred is that a Dublin-based criminal gang had a deep grudge against this lady because of her diligent work in a particular case.

The bomb that was sent to her was viable and complex and definitely had the potential to cause serious injury and even death.

After the bomb was delivered to the social workers place of work on November 16, she then placed it in the boot of her car and drove for over half-an-hour to an event, which was attended by a large group of children, in a neighbouring county.

It was only when she arrived at this event that she gave the vacuum cleaner box a further examination.

It is understood she noticed wiring on the package and became suspicious.

She then placed it on the ground at the venues car park. Gardai were contacted. They arrived and inspected it, then advised everyone to evacuate, including dozens of young children.

The Army bomb disposal team was called to the car park, where they spent about an hour examining the device before declaring it viable and carrying out a controlled explosion.

A massive investigation involving dozens of officers has been ongoing for around six weeks and sources say that detectives have made significant progress.

There are few criminal groupings in this country who would have the know-how to make a device like what was seized, they said.
Beaumont A and E on January 2 - the worst day on record for people waiting for a hospital bed

There were 656 patients on trolleys around the country this morning, the highest number ever recorded.

The count is the worst on record according to Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO)

Previously the highest number of patients on trolleys was 612 - which was recorded on January 3.

St Luke's Hospital in Co Kilkenny is the most overcrowded hospital in the country today - there are 57 patients awaiting a bed in the hospital today.

University Hospital Limerick is the second worst hit hospital in the country with 55 people on trolleys.

South Tipperary Hospital has 45 people on trolleys today.

Meanwhile, in the capital St Vincent's Hospital has 29 people on trolleys, while Beaumont and the Mater have 25 people on trolleys each.

The new figures come as 2017's overall figures showed an overall increase on people on trolleys jumped of 6pc.

Some 98,981 admitted patients were recorded as awaiting a hospital bed.

Health Minister Simon Harris said the health sector is entering a "difficult few weeks" and added that he is in regular contact with the HSE in relation to measures being taken across the country.

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"All of those who work in our hospitals and communities, along with the HSE and my Department will continue to work to meet the increased demand, introducing a number of exceptional measures. We will also continue to increase bed capacity and drive the reform our health service needs," Minister Harris said.

Independent.ie visited the Mater and Beaumont this afternoon, where the overcrowding was evident.

In Beaumont A&E there were more than 20 people seated in the waiting room.

One woman, who did not want to be named, said that she had been there for hours and expected that she wouldn't be able to go anytime soon.

She said: "I've been here for about four hours now, I had an accident at home and I was checked in and looked over when I first arrived but since then I've just been sitting here and there doesn't seem to have been much movement.



"I've heard people talking about the flu and now the Aussie flu and you'd wonder how the hospitals will cope if it gets much worse.

"You can't fault the staff because they do seem to be doing their best but there just doesn't seem to be enough people working or enough beds or enough anything really."

Inside the A&E around 15 people could be seen on trolleys and other patients sitting on chairs.

Some were elderly and hooked up to drips, a few were also wearing protective masks to cover their mouths.

A man said that he was waiting to be treated for an infection.

He said: "I arrived yesterday evening and I was here for a few hours and then we were told we'd be better off coming back this morning when there would be more staff on.

"I came back this morning and was seen straight away, now I'm just waiting the last few hours on the results of a blood test.

"I was chatting to one woman yesterday and she seemed really unwell, she told me she had arrived at around 1pm and she'd been there for about eight hours and hadn't been seen yet - it's a disgrace."

There were similar scenes in the A&E ward at the Mater Hospital.

There were patient on trolleys and chairs, while busy hospital staff cared for them in the crowded room.

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Dr Tom Ryan, President of the Irish Hospital Consultants Association, said that today's record number of patients on trolleys requiring hospital care was entirely predictable and unacceptable.

He said the crisis is due to the fact that acute hospital in-patient bed numbers were cut by 1,400 in the past decade when they should, at a minimum, have been increased in tandem with the country's growing and ageing population trends.

Phil Ni Sheaghdha, the newly appointed General Secretary of the INMO, said frontline staff have been "abandoned."

Overcrowding in late December and early January is getting worse. Despite investment in winter plans, smaller hospitals are now severely overcrowded which is manifestly unsafe and leads to higher cross infection and poorer outcomes for patients," she said.

"Nursing staff, constantly working in this high pressure, unsafe environment, cannot be expected to put up with this obvious neglect of duty of care to them and the patients they try to care for any longer. It appears to me, that staff and patients, on the front line, were abandoned while the system shutdown for Christmas and the New Year.

University Hospital Limerick recorded the highest annual number of 8,869; Cork University Hospital and University Hospital Galway recording 6,815 and 6,563 respectively.

Damien McCallion, National Director Emergency Management & National Ambulance Service told RTE's News at One that smaller hospitals will find it more difficult to overcome the current trolley crisis.

"Certainly it will take a number of days for our medium sized hospitals to get themselves back into, what we would call, a more reasonable state," he said.

He said hospitals are likely not to have scheduled elective surgeries this week as it was expected to be a pressurised week.

He acknowledged that the HSE needs additional capacity and said greater investment in that are is needed.

However, he said a number of steps were taken in advance of this week to educe the pressure on hospitals where possible including an investment in home-care services, reviewing patients who had been in hospital for seven days and extended diagnostic services.

The Mater University Hospital in Dublin was the capitals most overcrowded hospital with 5,238 patients on trolleys during 2017; and

Smaller hospitals such as Our Ladys Hospital in Navan showed increases from 595 in 2016 to 2435 in 2017 and Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe recorded 1,569 trolley figures compared with 892 in 2016.

The record number of people on trolleys this morning comes ahead of the peak flu season which is expected to put additional pressure on services.

Almost 200 people have been hospitalised with the flu and a small number - less than 10- of people have died.
Problems including balcony defects, persistent leaks, and fire safety issues have been uncovered at a prominent Celtic Tiger development.

Recent inspections across more than 150 apartments in the six-block Spencer Dock development have uncovered a number of worrying issues.

The Dublin docklands development was completed in 2007. Some properties fetched more than half a million euro.

It was billed as a "truly metropolitan place to live" - with some of the penthouses complete with pool terraces.

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. Now it has emerged that quantity surveyors have discovered window issues, balcony issues, leaks, condensation, and fire alarm issues.

There were 103 apartments which showed a deterioration of or damage to window frames due to water ingress.

A third of the apartments checked by Omega Surveying Services showed damage from water ingress to apartment finishes. Problems were also uncovered with the balconies in a number of apartments.

Residents of Spencer Dock have also complained of a sewage smell throughout their apartment. Mould and condensation was also a problem for 65pc of properties inspected.

Proteus Consulting Engineers carried out fire safety checks and found that the decibel level of the fire alarm was "inadequate" in the apartments.

Nama-appointed receivers EY told Independent TD Maureen O'Sullivan 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 certain remedial works.

Apartment owners now fear that the remaining 39 apartments which are owned by EY will be sold off and residents will be left footing the bill for remedial works.

A spokesperson for John Sisk and Son said it had not seen the Omega report and was 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.

Quality

"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."

Nama said it was not in a position to comment and referred to the receivers at EY.

Indigo property management company was also contacted for comment.
There has been much speculation about Aanand L Rai's film, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Anushka Sharma and Katrina Kaif. The curiosity hit peak levels after it was revealed that SRK would be playing a dwarf in the film.

Yesterday, the filmmaker unveiled the title of the film, and shared a small teaser on social media. Titled Zero, we got to see SRK dancing in full spirit, in the middle of a crowd.

About why the film is titled Zero , "I wanted to celebrate 'Zero'; I wanted to celebrate the incompleteness in people. There is nothing great in being a complete person. There is a beauty to incompleteness. We all are humans and Zero comes from there," Rai said in an interview to PTI.

The filmmaker also revealed that they're still in the middle of making the film. As fans were keen on seeing SRK in a dwarf role, he decided to share the teaser. "Though we are one year away from the release, the film is already getting so much love. So Khan sahab and I decided to give something to fans. It is purely out of the love and affection that we are getting from the fans," said Rai.

"They (fans) are carrying an image in their mind, and it is not exactly what we have in the film. When we were working on it we did not know it (dwarf part) will look this way. I want to replace that image with the right image. The film's USP is Shah Rukh's performance," he added.

The teaser began with numerous words like paagal, aashiq (lover) makaar (schemer), which is a hint at SRK's character in the film. Here's the first poster of the film.

And here comes the first poster of #Zero... Stars Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif and Anushka Sharma... Aanand L Rai directs... 21 Dec 2018 release... #2ZERO18 pic.twitter.com/8rAFgvocSR - taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) January 2, 2018

Zero will release on December 21, this year.
A bishop has appealed for people to be more understanding towards comedian Al Porter after his recent fall from grace.

Dublin's Auxiliary Bishop Eamonn Walsh has said he would like to see less judgment in the new year when it comes to the former Today FM and TV3 presenter.

Porter was forced to resign from a number of jobs after he was hit with a wave of allegations of inappropriate behaviour last November.

In his annual Christmas homily, the senior clergyman with special responsibility for Tallaght referred to the troubles faced by a "local comedian" and said: "May heads on plates be off the menu in 2018."

Expanding on what he said in Mass and in a message sent to a local publication, he told the Irish Independent how there was always two sides to every story.

"Let's not jump to judgment without the facts and we have to be aware that there may be judicial proceedings down the line so I wouldn't like to say anything that would interfere with that," he said.

"He's a man who has spoken out about difficulties with mental health issues and we do not want to push him over the edge and you have to think there's always people behind these things. A person is not a commodity - we all have family and friends. Everybody's so self-righteous these days."

Bishop Walsh, who's also a qualified barrister, said in any situation it's never just black or white. When asked about speaking out in a public show of support, he added: "All I did was send a message. I'm happy to stand over what I said."

In his annual message, he said at one Mass attended by Mr Porter's mother Marian - a parish secretary - that he hoped to see some positive changes in 2018. He expressed his wish that this would be the year that: "We allow justice to take its course, and not usurp it through public condemnation, humiliation and sentence without trial.

"May the darkness that was visited on our local comedian, before justice to all could be processed, be replaced with balance, proper proportion and fair play, so that he may feel free and welcome to make us laugh again."
The scene of the fatal stabbing on the Dublin Road in Ballyjamesduff Co Cavan. Pic Steve Humphreys 1st January 2018

A STABBING victim is believed to have died following a dispute over a card game.

The Polish man, named locally as Marek Swider, is believed to have been living in Dublin Street, Ballyjamesduff with several of his compatriots.

The victim (40) was stabbed outside the property at around 11pm on Sunday night.

Traces of blood could still be seen yesterday around the front door as gardai continued to investigate the circumstances of his death.

Neighbours of the victim said they believed that men were playing cards in the house when a confrontation occurred.

They were all playing poker on New Years Eve and at one stage an argument broke out, said one neighbour, who did not want to be named.

It then fell out onto the street and unfortunately one of the men ended up getting stabbed.

There was never any trouble in that house before and its very sad to hear something like this happening so close by, she said.

It is understood that the victim worked in Liffey Meats in Ballyjamesduff.

A former co-worker and neighbour of the victim described him as a very nice man.

I still cant believe it, said the South African national.

I was out last night, but when I came home I saw the gardai everywhere and knew something bad had happened.

When I found out that a person I used to work with had died, I felt a lot of sadness  its really terrible.

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The former work colleague added: He was a very nice man and an extremely hard worker. He didnt have any children and shared his house with about five other Polish men.

The victim was rushed to Cavan General Hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after 9.30 yesterday morning.

Gardai have been in contact with his family in Poland and a family liaison officer has been appointed.

The scene was preserved for a technical examination last night, with the Garda Technical Bureau in attendance.

The post mortem has concluded and for operational reasons the results are not being disclosed at this stage, said a Garda spokesperson.

No arrests have yet been made in what is an ongoing investigation.

Officers made door-to-door enquiries throughout the day in the hope that local residents may be in a position to help them with their investigation.

Gardai are appealing for anyone who was driving on the Dublin road, Ballyjamesduff between 10.30pm and midnight on New Years Eve to contact them.

They are also calling on members of the Polish community, or any member of the public with information that may assist the investigation, to contact the station in Baileboro on (042) 969 4570.

Callers may also ring the Garda Confidential line 1800 666 111 or indeed any garda station.
The National Lottery have released some details on where the winning EuroMillions ticket, worth 38.9m, was sold.

Miriam O'Donohoe for the National Lottery told Morning Ireland on RTE Radio 1 that the winning ticket was sold in the Dublin region.

She also confirmed that the winner had not yet been in touch with National Lottery HQ.

Over the weekend, staff at Lotto headquarters said it was possible that the owner of the ticket may not have checked it, as they had not contacted the lottery organisers.

The winning numbers were 4, 8, 22, 23, and 48. The lucky star numbers were 1 and 12.

We are having tremendous luck with EuroMillions - this was the third jackpot winner in Ireland in 2017.

In January, a Dublin work syndicate claimed 88.5m with a ticket bought in the Applegreen Service Station in Lusk, Co Dublin.

In July, a syndicate from the west of Ireland won 28.9m with a ticket bought at the Garryduff XL store in Castlebar, Co Mayo, making it the most won in one year since the draw was launched here in 2004.

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"This has been an amazing year for our EuroMillions players and what a way to finish with our third jackpot winner on Friday," said Lottery CEO Dermot Griffin.

"We are urging anyone who bought a EuroMillions ticket for Friday's draw to check their numbers to see if they are the holder of the golden ticket."

A spokeswoman said it was not unusual for people not to have checked their ticket.

"It is possible that people have not checked their tickets yet; it's so important to do so.

"It took our Mayo winner a few days to get in touch and that's not unusual," she added.
Garda searchs beside a pathway in the Dodder Riverbank park in Firhouse, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers

Garda from the water unit walk towards the river dodder in the Dodder Riverbank park in Firhouse, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers

Gardai carried out searches in south Dublin for the weapon that was used in the gruesome dismemberment of Dublin grandmother Patricia OConnor.

It is understood that gardai were searching for a saw-like weapon as part of their probe into the alleged murder of the 61-year-old mother-of-two who was believed to have been killed last May in Rathfarnham.

However nothing was found in yesterdays searches which were organised by Wicklow and Rathfarnham gardai.

The area searched by the Garda water unit is on the banks of the river Dodder close to Firhouse Shopping Centre.

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It is an area of parkland that runs along the course of the river and is used regularly by walkers in the area.

The area beside the river bank is overgrown with bushes, trees and shrubs, and gardai were seen using strimmers and saws to cut back the undergrowth of a wide area.

Garda divers also searched the river bed.

The teams arrived early yesterday morning and after a time sealed off an area of the parkland for further investigation.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close A Garda searchs next to a pathway in the Dodder Riverbank park in Firhouse, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers Garda searchs beside a pathway in the Dodder Riverbank park in Firhouse, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers / Facebook

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Whatsapp A Garda searchs next to a pathway in the Dodder Riverbank park in Firhouse, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers

Several Garda units, including the water unit, could be seen parked in a nearby car park.

Ms OConnor was first reported missing on June 2 last.

Later, human remains were discovered scattered over a 30km area across the Wicklow mountains including a human head and arms in a plastic bag.

Three people were arrested on September 2 last as part of the investigation into her murder.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close A Garda seals off a pathway in the Dodder Riverbank park in Firhouse, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers A Garda seals off a pathway in the Dodder Riverbank park in Firhouse, Dublin. Credit: Damien Eagers / Facebook

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A 73-year-old man was arrested in Co Meath and two women, aged 19 and 38, were arrested in Dublin.

They were detained at Bray and Wicklow Garda stations under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 but were released the following day and files are to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

A number of weeks later, a 40-year-old man was also arrested as part of the probe and a file has also been submitted to the DPP in relation to him.

Last month, a 32-year-old man was sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court accused of murdering Ms OConnor.

Kieran Green, with an address at Mountain View Park in Rathfarnham, Dublin, faced his ninth hearing when he appeared again before Judge Victor Blake at Cloverhill District Court.

He is charged with the murder of Patricia OConnor.

The killing allegedly took place at Mountain View Park between May 29 and May 30 last.

A book of evidence was served on him by Detective Garda David Connolly.

A State solicitor told the judge that the DPP has directed that Mr Green was to be returned for trial during the present term of the Central Criminal Court on the charge and he was remanded.
Independent Alliance minister Finian McGrath has warned that an election looms unless "major progress" is achieved on housing in 2018.

He said that if the crisis has not been resolved in 12 months, then "we have a problem" and added: "There's no point in being in Government if you can't deliver on housing."

The Government has come under sustained criticism from the Opposition on the pace of its efforts to get to grips with the problem and the issue is set to dominate the political agenda in the coming months.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, Disabilities Minister Mr McGrath said he would himself be judging the Government's performance on the issue at the end of 2018.

"If we haven't made major progress in housing in 12 months' time, we have a problem," he said.

Mr McGrath said the Government was "very focused" on the housing crisis, but warned: "We have to have movement in 2018."

He defined movement as "major progress in building more affordable and social housing", and added: "I'll use that at the end of 2018 as a benchmark.

"If we don't deliver on that, that has the potential to cause a general election."

Asked if he would consider pulling the plug on the Government over the housing issue, Mr McGrath replied: "There's no point in being in Government if you can't deliver on housing, health or education - or in my case disabilities."

But pressed on the issue, he said he had "total confidence" in Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy's ability to make progress on tackling the crisis this year.

"I think he's having a difficult job starting off and he's pumped a lot of money into homelessness. I think we'll see the impact of that in the next two or three months," Mr McGrath said.

He also said he wanted to ensure that new social and affordable housing projects include units for people with disabilities.

He said he believed the Government would get through 2018 without an election and could even make it to a fourth budget if it renews its deal with Fianna Fail.

On his reasons for predicting that there will be no election this year, he said he thought Fianna Fail would stick by its agreement to facilitate three budgets.

He also said nobody would want an election that would clash with the abortion referendum planned for the summer.

Mr McGrath, the super-junior minister at the Department of Health, said the health service was another issue that could spark an election.

He said there was "a long way to go as regards reforming the whole health service", but that "it's very easy to be critical of health and the money it costs".

According to Mr McGrath: "There's a lot of room for reform. There's still more room for proper investment."

He said he had a "great relationship" with Health Minister Simon Harris and "we're determined to get things done while we're here".

Mr McGrath said his main ambition for 2018 was to improve services for people with disabilities and to get the long-delayed ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities over the line.

This could be put to votes in the Oireachtas as early as next month.

Mr McGrath, whose own daughter has an intellectual disability, said he was disappointed that the convention, first signed a decade ago, wasn't ratified last year.

He said he had started doing things to protect the rights of people with disabilities, pointing to increased spending of 167m over two years. He said ratifying the convention "sends out a statement to tens of thousands of people with intellectual and physical disabilities that you are important, we respect your rights as Irish citizens...and we will do certain things to protect those rights".
US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and their son Barron arrive for a new years party at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has dismissed the prospect of Donald Trump's reputed deal-making prowess being of use to break the deadlock over powersharing in the North.

The Northern Ireland Executive collapsed in January last year and talks between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Fein have since failed to see it re-established.

Intervention by the United States in the peace process has proved fruitful in the past, particularly during the Clinton administration in the 1990s.

But Mr Varadkar has cast doubt on Mr Trump's ability to help solve the current impasse, despite the US president's much-vaunted reputation for deal-making, as set out in his own book, 'Art of the Deal'.

The Taoiseach said he had read the book, adding that its basic concept was that "a good deal is when I win and you lose".

He continued: "That's not the kind of deal that is going to work in Northern Ireland.

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"So while President Trump has many enormous talents and abilities, I don't think bringing about peace in Northern Ireland would be in his skillset.

"But certainly we are always open to assistance from the US."

The Irish and British governments are planning fresh efforts to reinstate the Northern Ireland Assembly this year.

January 16 will mark exactly a year since the late Sinn Fein deputy first minister Martin McGuinness sparked an election in protest at DUP leader Arlene Foster's alleged involvement in a renewable heat incentive scandal.

Mr Varadkar said the Government did not support direct rule from London but that there were two options in the absence of a deal between Sinn Fein and the DUP - fresh elections or convening the British-Irish governmental conference.

Meanwhile, in her new year message, Ms Foster said the UK government should move promptly to appoint direct-rule ministers if a short final attempt at brokering a deal fails.

"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... 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."

Sinn Fein has indicated it will only return to Stormont if the DUP gives ground on issues such as the Irish language and gay marriage.
Keith and Caroline Baker were jailed last April for a crime which shocked Northern Ireland.

A depraved couple who imprisoned a disabled woman for eight years and kept her as their sex slave received more than 180,000 (aprox.196,000) in legal aid, it can be revealed.

Keith and Caroline Baker were jailed last April for a crime which shocked Northern Ireland.

They detained their victim, who had severe learning difficulties, in a squalid room at their Craigavon home.

She weighed just 6st (38kg) when she was found by police in early 2013.

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Whatsapp The upstairs landing which led to the young womman who was used as a sex slave bedroom.

Now it can be revealed that the couple, who took four years to admit their guilt, received 182,562 (aprox. 199,477) in legal aid to fund their defence.

Keith Baker - branded a "Svengali-type figure" by a judge - had a bill of up to 112,028 (aprox. 122,408).

Expand Close The bedroom where the victim was kept in the Armagh House of Horrors Picture: PA / Facebook

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Whatsapp The bedroom where the victim was kept in the Armagh House of Horrors Picture: PA

His wife, who was described as a "pawn doing his bidding", received a further 70,534 (aprox. 77,069) towards her defence.

The payments were revealed after a Freedom of Information request by the Belfast Telegraph.

Under legal aid, the Government pays the cost of lawyers for those who cannot afford legal representation.

It has long been a source of controversy because of the huge sums handed out.

Last year, Stormont's public spending watchdog criticised the failure to address the cost of legal aid in Northern Ireland.

The annual cost has been running at more than 100m (aprox 109m) on average since 2011.

DUP MLA Edwin Poots said the Bakers' case was another example of our "massive" expenditure.

"No one doubts anyone's right to legal aid, or the need to spend money on it, but our legal aid bill is a third more than what it probably should be," he said.

Mr Poots added: "I was on the justice committee which looked at legal aid, and it's clear our spending is very heavy.

"However, we met huge resistance from the legal system in our attempts to reduce spending."

Mr Poots said he believed people would be "shocked" by the Bakers' legal aid bill.

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Expenditure for the case was released by the Legal Services Agency.

It shows Keith Baker's legal aid costs included costs for Crown Court representation and costs in respect of his initial appearances in the magistrates court.

Some of his bill includes fees for work carried out representing Caroline Baker in the Crown Court before she transferred to a new solicitor.

The couple's overall bill includes VAT and disbursements. These are costs incurred during the course of the trial by the instructing solicitor, such as fees for expert witnesses and other professional or specialist reports.

The Legal Services Agency said: "The fees payable in the Crown Court are standard fees set out in legislation: these are the Legal Aid for Crown Court Proceedings (Costs) Rules."

The PSNI stumbled upon the Bakers' house of horrors case when officers were called to investigate a "domestic row" in January 2013.

The couple kept their victim in squalid conditions, forcing her to use a toilet overflowing with human waste, and preventing her from leaving her tiny room by removing the inside door handle.

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When she was rescued she had only one sound tooth and was "severely emaciated".

The Bakers confessed to the three charges they jointly faced - two of engaging in sexual activity with a mentally disabled person and one of inciting such a person to engage in sexual activity knowing she had such a disorder and "knowing that because of it she was unlikely to refuse".

Keith Baker admitted a further six counts of rape of the same woman and a final count of indecently assaulting the woman.

Caroline Baker pleaded guilty to three offences of "aiding and abetting, counselling and procuring" her husband to rape their victim and a single count of indecent assault.

Keith Baker was sentenced to 20 years, 15 of which he must serve in jail. His wife was sentenced to three years with 18 months to be spent in jail.

In a report from last January, Stormont's Public Accounts Committee said expenditure on legal aid was still "unacceptably high".

It previously examined Northern Ireland's legal aid spending in 2011, calling on the Department of Justice and Legal Services Agency to urgently reform the system and to establish effective financial controls over cost.

However, last January's report said minimal progress has been made. At the time, committee chair Robin Swann said: "We are seeing average annual costs of 102m (aporx. 111m) per year since 2011 - this is simply unacceptable."
A main thoroughfare in Dublin close to the city centre has been closed off to traffic this evening.

Dublin Fire Brigade have said that an issue with a crane led to the closing of Lansdowne Road at around 8pm.

It is understood that high winds from Storm Eleanor - which has caused widespread flooding nationwide - caused the crane to "swing violently".

Firefighters from Donnybrook Station attended the scene and left at around 9.30pm with the road "still temporarily closed".

#DUBLIN Landsdowne Rd is currently closed while emergency services deal with an incident. https://t.co/PSzIBsvOzE  AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) January 2, 2018

An Gardai Siochana, who were also in attendance, said that there are reports of debris on many roads nationwide.

Meanwhile, around 55,000 householders are without power this evening as Storm Eleanor wreaks havoc across Ireland.

According to the ESB, some of the worst counties affected from the outages are Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo, Galway, Cavan and Monaghan.

A number of counties, particularly on the west coast, are suffering from "serious flooding", impassable roads and fallen trees.

The Road Safety Authority have issued a statement advising road users to exercise caution between 4pm and 9pm today because of Storm Eleanor.
Storm Eleanor kicks off with its wrath in Lahinch, Co. Clare. Photograph Press 22

Kevin 'Boxer' Moran with sandbags in Galway, one of the worst counties affected by Storm Eleanor. Photo: Andrew Downes

Two more mini-storms are on the way in the next 48 hours before a "dramatic change" sees temperatures plummet.

Homeowners and businesses along the south and east coast are now being warned of a "real risk" of further flooding in the wake of Storm Eleanor.

Emergency responders, ministers and Met Eireann have held a meeting in Dublin to assess the situation for the coming hours.

Chair of National Emergency Co-ordination Centre Sean Hogan said there is "unfortunately still some threat coming towards us".

Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Neil McNeilis who owns Claddagh and Celtic Jewellery on Quay Street saw significant damage to his business with Storm Eleanor. Photo: Andrew Downes Storm Eleanor at Sarsfield Bridge in Limerick Credit: Brendan Gleeson Storm Eleanor in Limerick City Credit: Brendan Gleeson Defying Storm Eleanor and the driving rain on the banks of the river Shannon in Limerick were Professor Hollie Schillig, California State University(left) with her students of World History (Photo: Liam Burke Press 22) / Facebook

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Whatsapp Neil McNeilis who owns Claddagh and Celtic Jewellery on Quay Street saw significant damage to his business with Storm Eleanor. Photo: Andrew Downes

He urged people along the south and west coast to stay away from coastlines until the windy weather passes on Friday.

Met Eireann's Evelyn Cusack said two smaller weather events will take place in the southwest in the coming days.

"This is not a major event that we know of as yet," she said, but added that it's "not certain" what way the approaching weather fronts will develop.

By the weekend there will be a "dramatic change" with a return to calm but very cold weather with heavy frost at night.

Updated Warnings for Storm Eleanor pic.twitter.com/FqvKj2x9za  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 2, 2018

Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy insisted suitable preparation and planning was in place in Galway yesterday but forecasters and local authorities "can't predict everything that will happen".

"We believed the main problems would be this morning," he said.

Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Floodwaters caused significant damage to homes and businesses across Galway. Photo: Andrew Downes Fallen tree in Clondalkin Credit: DFB Alden Road, Bayside Credit: DFB Women walk on Howth Pier. Photo: Tony Gavin 2/1/2018 / Facebook

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Whatsapp Floodwaters caused significant damage to homes and businesses across Galway. Photo: Andrew Downes

Damage

Meanwhile, business owners in Galway have been counting the cost of the devastating floods which hit the city yesterday, with the destruction causing hundreds of thousands of euro damage.

As Minister Kevin 'Boxer' Moran toured the city early this morning, business owners were back at their premises continuing to clean up the flood waters which wreaked havoc in the space on an hour yesterday evening.

However, despite losing out in tens of thousands worth of stock and equipment, business owners were today clear that further warnings would have done little to stop the destruction.

Neil McNeilis who owns Claddagh and Celtic Jewellery on Quay Street saw the water rise to waist level in his shop within minutes.

"We had two customers in the shop when this happened. I had just walked over to the Claddagh and by the time I walked back the water was rising unbelieveably. It was up to my waist in minutes.

Expand Expand Previous Next Close Emergency supplies outside Galway Medical Centre. Photo: Andrew Downes / Facebook

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Whatsapp Emergency supplies outside Galway Medical Centre. Photo: Andrew Downes

The main flood barrier was up and it did what it was supposed to do but the water surge was so great that it lifted it and it got damaged from the sheer volume of damage and those things are not supposed to get damaged.

We need a permanent flood defence system. They were out this morning but sandbags wouldn't have stopped that water, he added.

Mr McNeilis also lost his car in the flood water after it was totally submerged in water. He now has to pull up all floorboards and dump all stock packaging. He also needs to fix the electrics damaged in the flood.

"We're into 10,000 and then my car on top of that. I don't know if I'll get a car loan, I'm self employed. We've worked really hard the last 10 years, we had a really good year last year with the Wild Atlantic Way and everything is now gone. We're starting from scratch," he said.

Binod Karki, who owns Kashmir restaurant in the city was also shocked by the sudden surge of water.

We opened the restaurant as normal and at 5o'clock it just came out of nowhere. It was from everywhere. The back door, kitchen door and side doors. In five minutes it was up to my knees. It was very difficult to get out. We waited a few minutes but it was just rising the whole time. We managed to get up to the upstairs apartment and we were stuck there for two hours and then it started to go down, he said.

Expand Close People walk on Howth Pier in windy conditions Pic: Tony Gavin / Facebook

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The kitchen, flooring and all stock have been destroyed in the floods with Mr Karki estimating the damage at 20,000.

It is huge. This was a busy time and we had bought a lot extra. Now it is all lost, he said.

Joe Hawksley, Manager at Cobwebs Fine and Antique Jewellery was also assessing the damage this morning.

This is the sixth time the shop has been flooded.

We had just closed at 5pm and within 20 minutes the floods hit. This is the sixth time the shop has been flooded but I havent seen it like that before, never that quickly.

The damage is not as bad as it was in the last flood three or four years ago, we had pulled up the wooden floorboards and replaced them with a concrete floor and tiles so that was ok this time.

Some electronics have been affected but its not too bad. Ill be opening this morning after I get a coffee. There is a great community here and they are very helpful, we help each other get back on our feet, he said.

Humanitarian aid

Financial supports have been promised to those affected by Storm Eleanor as a massive clean-up operation is underway in the worst-hit areas and the country braces for continued strong winds.

Flash flooding and high winds caused havoc as the storm slammed into the country last night.

The storm wreaked havoc from west to east of the country last night bring gusts of 155km/h, causing flooding and leaving thousands without power.

At least 134,000 households were left without power at the height of the storm - some 16,000 households and businesses are currently without power.

Minister Murphy currently being briefed in the National Emergency Coordination Centre on the impacts of #StormEleanor and on the current weather situation ahead of the National Emergency Coordination Group meeting on Severe Weather this morning.#BeWinterReady pic.twitter.com/Az6sMuqGA2  OEP (@emergencyIE) January 3, 2018

A further 5,000 customers lost supply this morning due to lightning and high winds.

Crews from around the country have been mobilised to attend the areas and are working in wet and windy conditions to restore power to those affected.

"Those crews will be landing on the ground fairly early this morning," Derek Hynes Operations Manager with ESB Networks.

"We are hopeful to have power back to pretty much everybody by tonight," he added.

He warned that Eleanor will continue to cause damage throughout parts of the country today.

With four separate weather warnings in place, the country bore the worst of the storm between 6pm and 10pm last night.

County council staff are clearing fallen trees from local roads across the midlands in the aftermath of storm Eleanor. The worst affected area was county Roscommon where an articulated lorrry turned over in the high winds and gusts and dozens of roads were closed for a period.  Ciaran Mullooly (@ciaranmullooly) January 3, 2018

The country convened their Severe Weather Assessment Teams in response to the threat posed by Storm Eleanor.

Customers were left without power in Mayo, Leitrim, Sligo, Galway, Cavan and Monaghan.

This morning Mayo is the county with the most customers out of power, with around 10,000 households and businesses affected. ESB Networks said that fallen trees on overhead lines were responsible for most of the damage to the network.

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has said it is available this morning to support householders in areas affected by Storm Eleanor.

The Departments Community Welfare Services staff will assess the level of service required across the country, particularly in the Galway area, which was hit with the worst of the flooding.

As the clean-up operations begin, financial supports will be made available to householders affected and the Humanitarian Assistance scheme activated as necessary according to the Government.

Minister of State Kevin 'Boxer' Moran this morning told RTE's Morning Ireland that Galway was taken by surprise.

"Within 10 minutes some people were up to waist level in flood waters. They said they've never seen the likes of it before. It frightened people."

Responding to claims from local business and residents that adequate flood warnings were not issued from Galway City Council, Mr Moran said that a lesson can be learned but said today is not a day for a "blame game".

"We had temporary measures in place from early yesterday with high tide warnings over Christmas but the measures we had in place weren't able to deal with that.

"I don't think today is a blame game. My job is to reassure the people that the Government is here to support them in any way we can."

Minister Moran, who is in Galway this morning, said the army has been deployed to the city and skips and humidifiers have been issued to business to assist them with clean-up operations.

He said councils and people need to be more prepared as these "extreme weather events are happening far too often".

"These storms are worrying trends and something we have to get real with," he said.

Minister Moran said that more funding is required for the Flood Relief Schemes - warning that up to 1bn will be needed to ultimately protect the country from floods.

He said he had enough money for flood relief activities up to 2021 and announced that parts of Galway are included in the 47 schemes which are to be prioriry.

"The people of Galway have suffered enough."

Forecast

Two new weather warnings were issued on Tuesday night at 10pm, a status orange and a status yellow wind warning.

A new yellow warning was issued at 12.30pm today and will come into effect at 3am Thursday morning until 1pm the same day.

The warning covers Munster, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Wicklow.

It will come into effect at 3am on Thursday morning until 1pm the same day.

The orange wind alert is in effect for Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Sligo, Clare, Cork, Kerry and Limerick until 2pm today

Leinster, Cavan, Monaghan, Roscommon, Tipperary and Waterford are under a status yellow wind warning until 2pm today also.

National Forecast 3rd of January 2018 pic.twitter.com/YSiYk1FJA9  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 3, 2018

Siobhan Ryan of Met Eireann said that wind will remain a feature over the next couple of days with the Atlantic coastal counties bearing the brunt of the strongest winds with more risks of flooding.

"Winds will remain strong to gale force and very windy today, especially along the west but it will still feel blustery throughout the rest of the country. Squally showers (stormy showers) are also expected today.

"There'll be a lull this evening before a possible storm development overnight."

Met Eireann will issue an update at 1pm today advising if the storm will be strong enough to be a named storm.

Named storms are triggered by a status orange or red warning.

There is another spell of windy weather expected, with another low moving up Wednesday night and early Thursday again. The south and the southwest will be worst affected."

Meanwhile, it's extremely windy this morning with stormy conditions already in parts of the west.

Extremely windy early this aft. w/ stormy conditions in parts of the W. There'll be sunny spells & squally heavy showers, some thundery downpours occurring too, w/ risk of loc. flooding especially over Conn&Ulst. Winds will moderate later this aft. & eve. Highest temps 7 to 10 C pic.twitter.com/FsUWhp8LUx  Met Eireann (@MetEireann) January 3, 2018

Met Eireann said that a combination of high tide and exceptionally high seas will result in coastal damage and further flooding.

Councils along the south and west of the country convened their Severe Weather Assessment Teams in response to the threat posed by Storm Eleanor.

Aftermath

In Galway, a number of people had to be rescued from flood waters in the city centre. Cars were swept away by flash floods at 6pm in Oranmore. People were helped from their cars as waters suddenly rose over the road.

Cars were also submerged in the nearby train station and in Toft carpark in Salthill. The Spanish Arch, Dock Road, Dominick Street, Merchants Road, Fr Griffin Road and Lough Atalia Road were all seriously affected. Galway City Council dispatched clean-up crews as soon as flood waters receded but it was providing sandbags to the public in anticipation of a high tide this morning.

In Cork, flooding was reported in Bantry from early evening. Fire crews pumped water from the streets and drivers were warned to be careful. In Midleton, there was also flash flooding on the Bailick Road.

In Clare, the storm battered the coastline of Lahinch and the N67 experienced flooding on the Kilkee/Killimer Road at Moyasta and Kilrush.

Limerick Council crews were dealing with flooding at Merchants Quay near the Potato Market, Sarsfield House and OCallaghan and Clancy Strands.

In Kerry, the N86 Tralee/Dingle Road was impassable at Blennerville due to flooding.

Mayo County Council announced a Level 2 alert for wind and coastal flooding from 10pm last night until 2pm today.

Members of the public were asked to exercise caution and to be mindful of fallen trees, branches and possible flying debris particularly when driving.

The Irish Coast Guard also issued a warning urging people to stay away from exposed beaches, cliffs, piers and promenades during storm conditions.

The storm caused delays to more than 30 flights at Dublin Airport last night. Most of the delays were to flights due to arrive after 8pm from the UK and Europe.

Stena Line reported disruptions on a number of crossings and Irish Ferries also reported significant delays, warning that these would remain until later today.

Flooding

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In Oranmore, a number of cars were swept away by flash floods just before 6pm. People were helped from their cars at the roundabout accessing the shopping centre in the village as the waters suddenly rose over the road.

Cars were also left submerged in the nearby train station. All motorists escaped unharmed.

Galway City Council said cleanup crews have been at work since flood waters receded.

It provided a limited number of sandbags to the public last night in preparation for this morning's high tide.

"As flood waters from earlier high tide recede, Galway City Council crews are out clearing gulleys and providing assistance locally in city centre and Salthill.

"A limited number of sandbags will be available for collection and deployment by members of the public from the bus stop opposite Jurys Inn at Fishmarket from around 10pm in advance of the expected high tide at 6am," the statement read.

Parts of Bantry town centre including low-lying parts of the town square flooded from shortly before 5pm last night.

A number of motorists who had parked their vehicles along the quays in front of the Maritime Hotel arrived back to find their vehicles in almost 40cm of water.

Several vehicles were stranded and could only be moved after high tide had passed.

Bantry fire brigade attended the area and helped pump water from the worst affected roadways and parts of the square.

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Even when the storm passes, high winds can be expected across the country well into Wednesday, with the warning running until 9pm on Wednesday.

Met Eireann also warn of damage and coastal flooding being possible in all areas.

Air travel delays

30 flights were delayed from Dublin Airport last night.

Passengers are advised to check with their airline for the latest flight updates this morning.

Road users advised to use caution

Wet roads & a lot of debris, especially on secondary routes, after #StormEleanor last night. Wind warnings for most of the country until 2pm. Take care. https://t.co/PSzIBsvOzE  AA Roadwatch (@aaroadwatch) January 3, 2018

AA Roadwatch are advising motorists to be extra vigilant this morning.

Flood waters have receded but some roads are still affected by excess surface water, fallen trees and debris.

Gardai in Mayo are advising motorists to avoid travelling due to a high number of fallen trees and debris throughout the country.

#StormEleanor Salthill Promenade is closed. Rte 401 diverted via Devon Park to Taylors Hill, Kingston & Threadneedle Rd to Dr Mannix Rd and unable to serve Salthill Village & Dalysfort Rd. Rte 424 diverted via Devon Park to Dr Mannix Rd, Threadneedle rd & Kingston Cross outbound.  Bus Eireann (@Buseireann) January 3, 2018

In Galway the promenade has reopened in Salthill but AA Roadwatch are advising that it may be closed again at 6pm today when more strong winds are expected to hit.
After the controversial Padmavat, Shahid Kapoor will next be seen in Toilet: Ek Prem Katha director Shree Narayan's film, Batti Gul Meter Chalu.

Earlier, there were reports of Katrina Kaif taking up the role. However, the Tiger Zinda Hai actress denied these rumours, recently.

There has been much speculation about the female lead, for months. Shraddha Kapoor's name did the rounds for a long time. Finally, the makers confirmed that Shraddha will romance Shahid in the film.

Confirming that Shraddha will play the female lead, producer Prernaa Arora told Hindustan Times, "We will start shooting in February with Shahid and Shraddha. It's an interesting project and everyone in the team is looking forward to it."

About the project, Prernaa said, "It's a love story and at the same time a socially relevant film. We wanted to highlight the issues we face with electricity in our day to day lives. It has an important message. There have been instances that we are out of station and there is no one in the house for a few days in a month, but at end of 30 days we would end up getting high electricity bill. How is that possible? So there is a tone of sarcasm and it's obvious from the title."

Shraddha will essay the role of a lawyer in the film, while Shahid will portray the role of a common man, who fights against fire distribution companies.

Meanwhile, Shahid is still waiting for his film, Padmavat to hit the screens. The film has just been cleared by the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification), along with several modifications.
The winner of the massive 38.9m EuroMillions jackpot has made contact with Lotto bosses.

A spokesperson for the National Lottery confirmed the winner, who purchased the ticket on the day of the draw, has come forward.

"We have verified it is a winning ticket - arrangements are being made for the winner to meet with staff at Lotto headquarters in Dublin," a spokesman said.

Earlier it emerged that the winning ticket was sold in Dublin but details of where the ticket was bought have not yet been released.

Over the weekend, staff at Lotto headquarters believed it was possible that the owner of the ticket may not have checked it, as they had not contacted organisers.

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The winning numbers were 4, 8, 22, 23, and 48. The lucky star numbers were 1 and 12.

It is the 12th time the Euromillions jackpot has been won in Ireland - and the third jackpot in 2017.

As it is a EuroMillions prize it will take a number of days to collect the prize money from affiliates.

Meanwhile, the Millionaires Raffle winner who picked up the winning ticket for the New Year prize has also made contact with the Lottery to claim their prize.
Mr Donohoe said the Government must and will build more homes, tackle housing waiting lists and reduce homelessness in 2018. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has admitted the "success" of this Government will be determined by its ability to tackle the housing crisis this year.

Describing the housing issue as the "most pressing problem of a generation", Mr Donohoe said the Government "must and will build more homes, tackle housing waiting lists and reduce homelessness" in 2018.

Writing in the 'Sunday Independent' last month, Mr Donohoe said "serious inroads" would be made on housing.

Worthy sentiments.

The inexperienced Housing Minister, Eoghan Murphy, has been less than impressive in convincing the public he has a grasp of the scale of the problem, or the solutions.

The Housing Minister is the leading target for the opposition parties in 2018, with mutterings already of calls for his resignation.

His close party-political relationship with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar places an even more valuable bounty on his head.

The Taoiseach would be well advised to focus more attention on housing policy rather than photo ops in 2018.

And Independent Alliance Minister Finian McGrath has fired a warning shot that the very continued existence of the Government is dependent on delivery in this area.

"If we haven't made major progress in housing in 12 months' time, we have a problem," he told the Irish Independent.

Mr McGrath rightly wants delivery on affordable and social housing this year, which he regards as a "benchmark". "There's no point in being in government if you can't deliver on housing, health or education - or in my case disabilities," he said.

Worthy sentiments too. Now for delivery.
Beatrix von Storch at a party convention of the Alternative for Germany party (AP)

Beatrix von Storch of the nationalist and anti-Islam Alternative for Germany party (dpa/AP)

A prominent legislator with the nationalist Alternative for Germany party has run into trouble with police and Twitter over her response to a Cologne police tweet offering new year greetings in Arabic.

Beatrix von Storch tweeted her objections to a police tweet issued in Arabic, alongside other foreign languages.

She wrote: "Do they think they will calm the barbaric, Muslim, group-raping hordes of men this way?"

Her Twitter account was blocked for several hours over a suspected breach of rules on hate speech.

Police said on Tuesday that they had filed a criminal complaint to prosecutors over suspected incitement.

Celebrations in Cologne were overshadowed two years ago when hundreds of women complained of being groped and robbed, mostly by groups of migrants.

Ms von Storch is one of 92 legislators for AfD in the national parliament and her immunity from prosecution would have to be lifted for any investigation to be launched.

The argument over her tweet - and a similar post on Facebook that she said was blocked in Germany - coincided with the first day of a law aimed at cracking down on hate speech on social networks.

A requirement has now taken effect for "clearly criminal" posts to be deleted or blocked within 24 hours.

AfD leader Alexander Gauland portrayed the incident as a consequence of the new law, which his party has strongly opposed, declaring that it is "already showing its freedom-curbing effect on the first day of the new year".

He called on social media users to post the deleted posts.

AP
People stand near a burning car in Tuyserkan, Hamadan Province, Iran, December 31, 2017 in this still image taken from video. IRINN/ReutersTV via REUTERS

Nine people have been killed overnight amid nationwide protests and unrest in Iran, according to state television reports.

The report on Tuesday puts the death toll in six days of demonstrations to at least 20 people.

State TV said six rioters were killed during an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan.

It reported that clashes were sparked by rioters who tried to steal guns from the police station.

State TV said an 11-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were killed in the town of Khomeinishahr, while a member of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed in the town of Najafabad.

It says all were shot by hunting rifles.

The towns are all in Iran's central Isfahan province, 215 miles south of Tehran.
An aerial view of view of The City in London (PA)

One of the final packages of reforms following the banking crisis will come into force on Wednesday, putting investors and financial firms in line for a major regulatory shake-up.

Europes Markets in Financial Instruments Directive  Mifid II  is an attempt to provide greater protection to investors and shore up transparency throughout the financial system.

The body of measures includes around 1.7 million paragraphs of rules covering the EUs entire trading system, from brokers, hedge funds and institutional investors, to banks, exchanges and traders.

Catherine McGuinness, the City of London Corporations policy chairman, said the implementation will be a real watershed moment for financial regulation.

MiFID II launching tomorrow marks a real watershed moment for financial regulation. Read more here: https://t.co/UDox2THN3A  Catherine McGuinness (@City_McGuinness) January 2, 2018

She added: It will be the last major piece of regulatory reform following the financial crash of 2008.

Financial and professional services firms have worked hard in recent times to implement these onerous and complex changes.

While they have been a big distraction for firms, I am certain they are well-placed to strengthen their position in the global marketplace.

Among the changes, asset managers will now have to pay for the research that prompts their investment decisions, as regulators clamp down on potential conflicts of interest which could harm investors.

It will also attempt to help regulators pinpoint risks by making institutions report information about trades instantly, with bond traders having to tell the market about their deals within 15 minutes of them being secured.

Giles Edwards, S&P global ratings analyst, struck a downbeat tone over the regulation.

He said: Given its scope and the fundamental changes to market structure that it will promote in some areas, Mifid II is a hugely important regulatory development, and one that reaches beyond the EU or EEA.

Over the longer term, the disruptive nature of this major regulatory change will become more apparent, and the winners and losers will likely emerge more clearly. There will likely be more losers than winners.
A 16-year-old Palestinian girl has been charged with punching an Israeli soldier in the face - an incident which has turned her into a hero for her people and viewed as humiliating by right-wing Israelis.

Ahed Tamimi has been held since her arrest three days after being filmed punching the soldier at the entrance to her family home in a village in the West Bank. The confrontation took place after Israel said stones were thrown at its troops.

Ahed has become a potent symbol for Palestinians and one Israeli commentator for the liberal 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 charges against Ahed 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 tweeted.

Her lawyer, Gaby Lasky, said she was certain some of the charges would be dismissed, but 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," Ms Lasky said at the military courtroom at Ofer prison near Ramallah.

Ahed first made a name for herself in 2015 when she was pictured biting a soldier who was trying to arrest her younger brother.

She faces a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years for the latest charge.
Iran's supreme leader has blamed the protests racking his country on "enemies of Iran" who he said were meddling in its internal affairs.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's first public remarks since the demonstrations began came as state television reported that overnight clashes between protesters and security forces had killed another nine people.

The demonstrations, the largest in Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, have brought six days of unrest across the country and resulted in at least 21 deaths.

The protests began on Thursday in Mashhad over Iran's weak economy and a rise in food prices.

They have since expanded to several cities, with some protesters chanting against the government and the Ayatollah.

Hundreds of people have been arrested and a prominent judge has warned that some could face the death penalty.

In comments posted to his official website, the Ayatollah appeared to blame foreign nations for exacerbating the unrest.

"In the recent days' incidents, enemies of Iran utilised various means - including money, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatuses - to create problems for the Islamic system," he said.

Iranian leaders often accuse the US, Israel and Britain of seeking to overthrow the clerically overseen government.

State TV reported that six people were killed during an attack on a police station in the town of Qahdarijan in clashes sparked by rioters who tried to steal guns from the station.

TV reports also said an 11-year-old boy and a 20-year-old man were killed in the town of Khomeinishahr, while a member of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was killed in the town of Najafabad.

It said all three were shot by hunting rifles, which are common in the Iranian countryside.

The towns are all in Iran's central Isfahan province, some 215 miles south of Tehran.

The semi-official Mehr news agency said an assailant using a hunting rifle killed a policeman and wounded three others in Najafabad.

President Hassan Rouhani has acknowledged the public's anger over the flagging economy, which has benefited from his signature 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, but not in a way that has brought immediate gains for most Iranians.

Mr Rouhani and others have warned that the government will crack down on those it considers law breakers. None of the protest rallies have received permission from the Interior Ministry, making them illegal.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday wrote on Twitter that "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'," Mr Trump wrote, apparently referring to the nuclear deal reached under his predecessor.

"The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!"

It is unclear what effect his tweets is having on the protests.

Some have shared them online, but many in Iran distrust him because he has refused to recertify the 2015 nuclear deal and his travel bans have blocked Iranians from getting US visas.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi urged the US president to stop tweeting and focus on his own country's problems.

"It is better for him to try to address US internal issues like the murder of scores killed on a daily basis in the United States during armed clashes and shootings, as well as millions of the homeless and hungry people in the country," Mr Ghasemi said, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.

In Tehran, 450 protesters have been arrested in the last three days, the semi-official ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

ILNA quoted Ali Asghar Nasserbakht, a deputy governor of Tehran, as saying security forces arrested 200 protesters on Saturday, 150 on Sunday and 100 on Monday.

So far, authorities have not released a nationwide figure for arrests.

The head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court reportedly warned on Tuesday that arrested protesters could face the death penalty when they are put on trial.

"Obviously one of their charges can be Moharebeh," or waging war against God, the semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted Mousa Ghazanfarabadi as saying.

Moharebeh is punishable by death in Iran.

He was also quoted as saying some protesters will come to trial soon on charges of acting against national security and damaging public property.

The protests began over Iran's economy, which has improved since the nuclear deal that saw Iran 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 of Western aircraft.

That improvement has not reached the average Iranian.

Unemployment remains high, and official inflation has crept up to 10% again.

AP
The teens name has not been disclosed. (stock picture)

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 said last night.

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 coastal town of Long Branch in the US.

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.

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.

Police responded to a 911 call of shots fired at the home just after 11.30pm local time, Mr Gramiccioni said. 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.

The teen is expected to make an initial court appearance today, and prosecutors were considering whether they would seek to move the case to adult court.

Jalen Walls (18), a neighbour who went to school with Brittany Kologi, said he frequently went to the Kologi's house. He said their 16-year-old son required special assistance and was cared for by his mother. The teen did not attend the same public schools as his siblings, he said.

"But he was fully functional and comprehended what we were saying," Mr Walls said.

"I could never have believed this could have happened. They were all good people," family friend Carmen Gaudious told the 'Asbury Park Press'. "I just spoke to Steve three days ago. He looked good. He wished me happy holidays."
By Gurdip Singh

Singapore, Jan 2 (PTI) Singapores Ministry of Manpower is looking into the compensation claim of an Indian national who was killed in a vehicular accident while working on a roadside project.

Selvam Veeraiyah, 33, of a village in Pudukkottai district in Tamil Nadu, was repairing a pothole on the three- lane West Coast Highway on December 22, 2017. That evening, he was hit by a truck while clearing safety cones in the middle lane, after wrapping up his work and getting ready to return to his companys lorry.

The lorry and another truck were stationary at that time, but a third vehicle, another lorry, crashed into the truck which surged forward and hit Veeraiyah.

He was pronounced dead on the spot.

Veeraiyahs family could get between SGD 69,000 to SGD 204,000 compensation, and the insurer will have to pay out within 21 days after the Ministry issues a notice of assessment, local daily The Straits Times reported today.

Typically, the notice of assessment can be issued within a few weeks, barring delays due to documentation or other issues, the newspaper said.

Veeraiyahs body was sent back to India on December 24.

Police investigations into the accident are ongoing.

Veeraiyah, who came to Singapore seven years ago, earned enough to send home SGD 2,000 every month and even paid for the education of three children from his village.

Veeraiyahs cousin Vignesh, 26, described him as "jovial, responsible and selfless".

"Selvams family is now worrying about having to manage financially while they wait for the insurance payout from Selvams employer," said Vignesh.

Veeraiyah has left behind his 52-year-old mother, 29- year-old widow and two younger sisters -- all of whom depended on his income. His 58-year-old father had recently borrowed SGD 12,000 to build a new family home, according to The Straits Times.

ItsRainingRaincoats, a social initiative focusing on migrant worker issues, has raised about SGD 2,640 for Selvams family through a crowdfunding campaign that has since closed, said the initiatives founder Dipa Swaminathan. PTI GS CHT
Video from the U.S. Coast Guard shows crew members of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Marlin rescue an 89-year-old man from a vehicle after it went into a marina in Panama City, Florida.

The Coast Guard says the crew saw the car go into the water and immediately launched a rescue boat, broke the car window and pulled the man out.
The Trump administration has stepped up its support for protesters in Iran by calling on the government to stop blocking social media sites and encouraging Iranians to use special software to circumvent controls.

Following several days of tweets by President Donald Trump urging on the protesters and declaring that it's "time for change," the State Department took it further, arguing that the United States has an "obligation not to stand by".

Under-secretary of state Steve Goldstein, in charge of public diplomacy, said the US wants Iran's government to "open these sites" including the photo-sharing platform Instagram and the messaging app Telegram.

"They are legitimate avenues for communication," Mr Goldstein said. "People in Iran should be able to access those sites."

Iranians seeking to evade the blocks can use virtual private networks, Mr Goldstein said.

Known as VPNs, the services create encrypted data "tunnels" between computers and are used in many countries to access overseas websites blocked by the local government.

Despite the blocks, the US is working to maintain communication with Iranians in the Farsi language, including through official accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.

The State Department awas to distribute videos of top US officials encouraging the protesters through those and other sites.

The US outreach came as the Trump administration, in a departure from President Barack Obama's approach, was mounting a full-throated show of support for Iranians protesting against the government over concerns about corruption, mismanagement and economic woes.

Iran's government has blamed the US, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom for fomenting the protests, calling them the work of foreign "enemies of Iran".

Mr Goldstein said the US was not only supporting the protesters but encouraging other countries to do the same.

The State Department was also dispatching Arabic speakers to appear on Arabic-language television networks to discuss the protests in Iran.

"We want to encourage the protesters to continue to fight for what's right and to open up Iran," Mr Goldstein said.

The demonstrations over six days have been the largest seen in Iran since its disputed 2009 presidential election, expanding to several cities. At least 21 people have died and hundreds have been arrested.

AP
Insurance giant Zurich has taken further steps to simplify its business by selling student insurer Endsleigh to brokering firm A-Plan.

The undisclosed deal will see Endsleigh shift to A-Plan over the course of the new year, if the tie-up clears regulatory hurdles.

Endsleigh, which was founded by the National Union of Students (NUS) in 1965, will function as a stand-alone business and continue to operate from its base in Cheltenham.

The specialist insurer saw profits tumble 64% to 2.5 million and turnover drop 16% to 39 million in 2016, according to accounts filed at Companies House, as it pushes through an overhaul of its IT systems.

Jeff Brinley, chief executive of Endsleigh, said: This is a really exciting time for us and were delighted to be joining such a respected organisation as A-Plan, who continue to deliver impressive results in a challenging market.

Our customers, our people, NUS, insurer partners and other partners we work with can be confident that we remain committed to our transformation programme, to looking after our customers and delivering growth in our core markets.

It comes after Lloyds Banking Group took control of 15 billion worth of assets after acquiring Zurich UKs pensions and savings business in October.

The move saw Lloyds Scottish Widows unit scoop up 500,000 customers to help accelerate the development of its financial planning and retirement business.

As part of the transaction, Zurich is receiving exclusive distribution rights to provide life protection to certain corporate clients of Lloyds commercial banking arm.

On the Endsleigh deal, Zurichs UK CEO Tulsi Naidu, said: Endsleigh will be part of a well-respected and successful broker business, and will be in very good hands.

This is a positive transaction for all parties, including Endsleighs people and customers, and is a clear demonstration of how we are continuing to simplify our organisation and optimise our portfolio.

Carl Shuker, A-Plans group CEO, said We are looking forward to working with Jeff Brinley and his team on the next stage of Endsleighs development.

A-Plan was snapped up for 300 million by private equity outfit HgCapital from Equistone Partners Europe in 2014.
The MOU signing event was held in the Conference Hall of West Bengal Regional Office of NABARD. Apart from Shri Partha Pratim Sengupta, CGM, SBI, LHO and Shri A.K.Raybarman, CGM, NABARD West Bengal Regional Office, the event was graced by Shri S C Murmu, RD, Reserve Bank of India, Senior Officials of SBI and NABARD as also the CEOs and other office bearers of the five NGOs viz. Dakshini Charaikhaeya United Club, Purba Medinipur, Calcutta Society for Profession in Action Development, Purulia, Animate Society, Burdwan, Rural Development Consortium, Paschim Medinipur and Gobardanga Seba Farmers Samity, North 24 Parganas.

On this occasion , G R Chintala, Chief General Manager of Micro Credit Innovation Department, NABARD Head Office, addressed the house and informed that 24.5 lakh JLGs have been credit linked by the banks in the country of which 7.02 lakh JLG were financed during 2016-17. He also emphasized that the public sector banks like State Bank of India need to play a major role in future.

S C Murmu, Regional Director, RBI expressed his happiness on the historic occasion and opined that the innovative nature of the social collateral, used under JLG mode of financing, will help in achieving the goal of 100% coverage of the tenant farmers of the State under institutional finance in the shortest possible time. He stated that the JLG promotion requires facilitators like NGOs who would take care of the education and financial literacy needs of the farmers. This model is a win-win situation for all the stakeholders.



Gracing the occasion CGM, SBI expressed his immense happiness on the signing of the MoU for promotion of 2500 JLGs in the State as the same will facilitate SBI to extend financial assistance to the financially excluded sections of the society, especially landless farmers, which has always been a top priority for the SBI, and hoped that the project will be up scaled in a phased manner to cover the remaining districts of the State. He indicated that JLGs, basically are credit groups of small/marginal/tenant farmers who do not have proper title of their farmland. Elaborating on the concept of JLG, he further stated that JLGs are informal groups of 4-10 members who are engaged in similar economic activities and who are willing to jointly undertake to repay the loans taken by the Group from the Banks. Regular savings by the JLG members is purely voluntary and their credit needs are met through loans from financial institutions and such loans could be individual loans or group loans against mutual guarantee. As each JLG will have at least 4-10 members, around 12500 tenant farmers can be extended institutional finance under the present arrangement.

A K Raybarman, CGM, NABARD highlighted the plight of tenant farmers/ oral lessees and share croppers in many parts of the state due to the denial of access to institutional credit, disaster relief, and other support services due to the lack of title to land. A pilot project was initiated by NABARD in 2004-05 in 8 States with the support of 13 RRBs to address the problems of actual tillers of land by introducing the concept of financing them in JLG mode. Encouraged by the results the scheme was later mainstreamed for the banking system in the year 2006-07. \



However, the product needs further nurturing and NABARD has been partnering with various JLG- Promoting Institutions (JLGPIs) to facilitate the promotion of quality JLGs which can then be supported by different financial Institutions. For the year 2017-18 NABARD has fixed a target of 80 thousand s JLG to be credit linked in West Bengal. Over the years, NABARD has sanctioned assistance for promotion of 60,000 JLGs by various NGOs in the state through 339 projects in different districts. Through signing of the MOU, SBI and NABARD intend to jointly support the promotion of quality JLGs who can then be considered for financing in a hassle-free manner by SBI under agriculture & allied sector through 5 years KCC for seasonal crop cultivation / term loans/ allied activities.

This mode of financing would also minimise the risks in the loan portfolio for the SBI.



He lauded the initiative of the SBI to collaborate with NABARD in this regard with a prior commitment to take care of credit needs of tenant farmers and expressed his confidence that more and more Commercial Banks will come forward to collaborate in this regard as SLBC is also supporting the cause in a big way in its endeavour to provide KCC to all the tenant farmers of the State. He further mentioned that NABARD would also be extending refinance support to the financing Bank apart from extending financial support to the JLGPIs @ Rs.2000 per JLG for the formation and credit linkage of JLGs to the five NGOs.




The average sales of each participant in India is about said USD 300 per year i.e. Rs. 20,000, where the global average is about USD 1700 per participant per year or about Rs. 10,000 per month, reveals the ASSOCHAM paper.



Direct selling opportunities can be enhanced in India provided we create a conducive environment which is protecting all the stakeholders within the framework of the regulatory framework, adds the study.



The top markets depicting the highest sales globally are USA (20%), China (19%) and Korea (9%). Indias ranking in the industry in terms of the size of the sector improved from 22nd in 2014-2015 to 20th in 2015-2016. Direct selling industry accounted for more than USD 183 Billion in retail sales globally in the year 2015- a new sales record for the industry. Every region in the year 2015-2016 reported growth in its sales and 80 per cent of the countries around the world reported an increase in both sales and people joining the industry, adds the study.



The Direct Selling industrys contribution to the country can be mapped to various schemes introduced by the Government of India in the past two-three years. The industry has been playing a significant role in Skill India initiative by imparting soft skills, marketing and leadership trainings in its network. It has also contributed positively to several other flagship schemes launched by Government of India like Make in India, Digital India, Startup India and Women Empowerment, noted the study.



Despite of substantial growth over the years and a number of ways in which it has contributed to Indian economy, this industry is the most misunderstood and unacknowledged business activity. The main reason for the same is the use of networking and schemes through which the activity of direct selling is undertaken. In majority of cases (of course where credible entities/ promoters are involved) such network marketing schemes are means to increase the expanse of business. However, India and its public has been on receiving numerous unscrupulous schemes where people have lost money, credibility, honour and livelihood, noted the study.



Though the Guidelines received the overwhelmed response within the industry, there are certain other reforms which needs to be restructure to ensure a sustainable operating environment for the Direct Selling entities need for implementation of Guidelines at state level, need for relaxation under the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy, enactment of Consumer Protection Bill and need for amendment under the PCMCS Act.



Direct selling has been leaving imprints of its growth and success globally over the years. It has become an extremely popular self-employment model across the world. There are several reasons for this immense success, best quality products, personal connection and bonding with consumers and promotions of entrepreneurship are some of the major factors contributing to its growth. Apart from the minimum cost and low risk involved in direct selling, the popularity of this model stems from the fact that entrepreneurs engaged in direct selling are able to provide a personal touch to their interactions with customers through personalised and custom-made demonstrations and in turn, expand their professional network of contacts.



Countries such as the US, China, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Germany, Mexico, France, the United Kingdom and Malaysia are already been listed as top direct selling markets. The reach of direct selling is spreading quickly in almost every country around the world. Direct selling, besides providing self-employment opportunities to numerous people around the world, also helps in advancing the overall trade and commerce of an economy; thereby it contributes in boosting the overall economic growth of a country. In countries like Mexico, which have similar socio-economic structures, with one-tenth of Indias population, the size of the direct selling industry is at least eight times bigger than the Indian market.



Direct selling industry makes an economic contribution to the lives of more than 30 million people across the world and an estimated 220,000 entrepreneurs join this industry every week. The international direct selling companies account for a dominant 90 per cent of the organised market. One of the most tangible impacts of direct selling in its new advent has been the fact that it has touched average individuals in a manner never experienced before. Giving freedom to people for doing business in the way they have always wanted is proving as a motivational factor to display their entrepreneurial skills. This is expected to accelerate further as the business grows and expands.



The sales in the direct selling sector in India is dominated by the consumer health segment, closely followed the beauty and personal care segment. Food and beverage category in direct selling registered strongest value growth of 34 per cent during 2014-2016. Wellness and healthcare category is emerging as a clear winner in direct selling industry with significant growth year on year.



In India, the Direct Selling Industry has existed for several years, but the entry of numerous international companies, during the last five years has accorded greater visibility to this industry, which is still in a nascent stage. According an Annual Survey 2015-2016, it is estimated that over the past five years, about 500,000 people benefited from the opportunities offered by the industry.




Washington, Jan 2 (IBNS): NASAs Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, SOFIA, is preparing for its 2018 observing campaign, which will include observations of celestial magnetic fields, star-forming regions, comets, Saturns giant moon Titan and more.

This will be the fourth year of full operations for SOFIA, with observations planned between February 2018 and January 2019. Research flights will be conducted primarily from SOFIAs home base at NASAs Armstrong Flight Research Center. Highlights from these observations include:

The observatorys newest instrument, the High-resolution Airborne Wideband Camera-Plus, called HAWC+, will continue research with its polarimeter, a device that measures the alignment of incoming light waves. These investigations will help researchers understand how magnetic fields affect the rate at which interstellar clouds condense to form new stars.

One such program will use the instrument to understand the impact magnetic fields have on stars forming inside a dark cloud, a stellar nursery filled with dust and molecules, called L1448.

The HAWC+ instrument will also be used in a joint research program with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array to trace magnetic fields to better understand how planets form.

Another program using the HAWC+ instrument will help astronomers better understand how energetic, active black holes contribute to the most luminous, distant galaxies. These observations will help them learn whether the luminosity of these active black holes is driven by star formation or accretion of material onto the central black hole.

Researchers will continue to search for methane on Mars. SOFIA will conduct observations during the same Martian season that the Curiosity Rover previously detected the gas to better understand how methane levels change with the Red Planets seasons.

Another team of researchers is planning to study comet 46P/Writanen as it passes close to the Earth, to search for clues in the comets dust that may help better understand the evolution of the early solar system.

In June and July, SOFIA will return to Christchurch, New Zealand, to study objects that are best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere, including neighboring galaxies the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. Observations planned while operating from there include:

Researchers will create a large-scale map of the biggest star-forming region in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 30 Doradus, (also known as the Tarantula Nebula.) This map will be used as a template for understanding bursts of star formation that are the origin of a large part of the stars in all galaxies.

The HAWC+ instrument will be onboard SOFIA for its first observations from the Southern Hemisphere, to study magnetic fields in star-forming regions and around black holes in the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.

Researchers will utilize SOFIAs mobility to study the atmosphere of Saturns moon Titan by studying its shadow as it passes in front of a star during an eclipse-like event called an occultation. These occultation observations are part of an effort to monitor changes in Titans atmosphere over time now that the Cassini spacecraft's mission has ended.

SOFIA is a Boeing 747SP jetliner modified to carry a 100-inch diameter telescope. It is a joint project of NASA and the German Aerospace Center, DLR. NASAs Ames Research Center in Californias Silicon Valley manages the SOFIA program, science and mission operations in cooperation with the Universities Space Research Association headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, and the German SOFIA Institute (DSI) at the University of Stuttgart. The aircraft is based at NASAs Armstrong Flight Research Center's Hangar 703, in Palmdale, California.

Image Credits: NASA/SOFIA/Caltech/Darren Dowell
Islamabad, Jan 2 (IBNS): The Government of Pakistan has said it has handed over a list of 457 Indian prisoners in Pakistan, to the High Commission of India in Islamabad.

"This step is consistent with the provisions of the Consular Access Agreement between Pakistan and India, signed on 21 May 2008, under which both countries are required to exchange lists of prisoners in each other's custody twice a year, on 1 January and 1 July, respectively," the Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.

Pakistan will release 146 fishermen on Jan 8 2018.

The Indian Government will also hand over the list of Pakistani prisoners to Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi.
New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Outpatient department services at some private hospitals in Delhi and its neighbouring cities were either shut or partially affected due to a nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Metro Hospital Group, which runs 11 facilities across the country, including five in Delhi-NCR, kept OPDs closed at all its units.

"In support of the strike, we kept the OPDs closed at all our units. The Noida facility gets about 600 patients a day in the OPD while around 300 patients visit the one in east Delhis Preet Vihar. We have a total of five units in Delhi- NCR," a spokesperson of the hospital group told PTI.

The group also has six more facilities, including in Jaipur, Vadodara and Haridwar.

Fortis Healthcare group had also pledged support of the stir called by the IMA against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017, which the association describes as "anti- people and anti-patient".

In solidarity with the cause, we decided to wear black badges and display notices expressing our support. We also wholeheartedly respect and support individual choice of our clinicians who were keen to support the IMA call, the Fortis group said.

The 12-hour shutdown called by the IMA to protest against the proposed legislation seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body was called off after around eight hours, after the Bill was referred to a parliamentary standing committee.

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, practise allopathy after completing a "bridge course".

Services at some other smaller private hospitals in Delhi were also partially affected.

Though there was no perceptible increase in footfall at government hospitals in the city, many patients, who could not avail OPD services at private facilities went to state-run hospitals. PTI KND PLB NSD
Goiania, Jan 2 (IBNS): At least nine people have been killed in a prison riot in central Brazil's Goias province.

The incident took place on New Year's Day, after an armed gang attacked its rival and decapitated at least one member.

According to reports, at least 14 people have been injured while more than a 100 prisoners have escaped the facility.

However, police have arrested 30 prisoners, while more than 80 are still missing.

Brazil has one of the largest prison population in the world.

Most prisons in the South American country is also violent and highly understaffed.
Chandigarh, Jan 2 (IBNS) An ex-army officers was arrested on Tuesday morning for allegedly murdering six people with an iron rod in a span of one hour in Haryana's Palwal, about 80 km from Delhi early on Tuesday morning, media reports said.

.All the six murders happened between 2:30 am and 3:30 am in different areas of the town, the reports quoted police as saying.

Police believe that Naresh Kumar, the man arrested by them is the attacker and that he could be mentally unstable.

The man, a former captain in the army, allegedly first murdered a woman in a hospital and then four other people between Agra Road and Minar Gate of Palwal and then a security guard.

Naresh Kumar is at present employed with the Haryana agriculture department.
Guwahati, Jan 2 (IBNS): The troops of Assam Rifles apprehended an arms dealer in Nagalands Tuensang area on Monday, officials said on Tuesday.

Based on intelligence input, the troops of Assam Rifles Tuensang battalion under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) conducted an operation along with a police representative in general area Indrapuri village in Tuensang and apprehended an arms dealer.

The nabbed arms dealer was identified K Haothiu Khaimniungan and security personnel have recovered one point 22 Pistol with magazine, 9 live rounds of ammunition, Rs 1440 cash in possession from him.

Later, the nabbed arms dealer along with recovered items was subsequently handed over to Tuensang police station.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati, Jan 2 (IBNS) : While the Assam government on Dec 31 midnight had published the much awaited first part draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC) by inclusion the names of 1.90 crore people out of the total 3.29 crore applicants in the state and recognising them as legal citizens of India, a BJP legislator of the state alleged that several illegal Bangladeshi person names were also included in the first draft.

Shiladitya Dev, BJP MLA representing middle Assams Hojai assembly constituency, whose name also excluded from the first draft had alleged that, several illegal Bangladeshi people names included in the first draft.



 We have noticed that, several mistakes were happened in the electoral rolls in Assam by inclusion of illegal Bangladeshi people and those government officials who were engaged in the electoral rolls preparing process are also engaged in the NRC updation process. NRC authorities said that, the first draft has been published after completion of proper verification. But I doubted that, several illegal Bangladeshi people names included in the first draft, the BJP MLA said.

The BJP legislator said that, while his son name appeared in the first draft, his name was missing.



Apart from Shiladitya Dev, two other BJP legislators, four sitting Congress MLA, 7 AIUDF MLAs, perfume baron AIUDF chief and MP Badaruddin Ajmal, his brother MP Sirajuddin Ajmals name also missing from the first draft.



Congress MLA Nurul Huda who representing Rupohihat assembly constituency of Nagaon district said that, it is just a first part draft NRC and we believe that, every genuine Indian citizen names will be included in the next draft.

My name is also excluded from the first draft, but I am not worried. The entire NRC updation process is going on under supervision of the Supreme Court, Nurul Huda said.



On the other hand, AIUDF General Secretary Aminul Islam said that, the first draft was published by including 1.90 crore people and rest 1.39 crore peoples documents are under different stages of verification process.



We demanded the both centre and state government and RGI, NRC state coordinator to take appropriate measures as no one legal Indian citizen name should be excluded from the NRC, Aminul Islam said.



Meanwhile, a cab driver had committed suicide in Barak Valleys Silchar on January 1 after he doubted that his name will not include in the NRC.



On the other hand, Assam BJP MP RP Sarma alleged that, over 5 crore illegal Bangladeshi people are residing in India.

The BJP MP who representing the Tezpur parliamentary constituency urged the Union government that, Assam like NRC process should be implemented in the rest of the country.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
New York, Jan 2 (JEN): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to exercise restraint amid reports of a violent crackdown by national security forces on demonstrations in the capital, Kinshasa, and a number of other cities.

In a statement issued late Sunday by his spokesperson, Guterres expressed concern about reports of the violent dispersion of protests by national security forces, resulting in the death of at least five people, the wounding of several others and the arrest of over 120 persons.

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, said the statement.

The Secretary-General went on to urge 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.

That agreement  facilitated by Conference Episcopale Nationale du Congo (CENCO) mediators, and reached in Kinshasa on 31 December 2016  allowed President Joseph Kabila to stay in power beyond the end of his term and has stipulated that peaceful, credible and inclusive elections would be organized in DRC by the end of December 2017.



Image: UN Photo/Mark Garten (file)
New York, Jan 2 (JEN) Nearly 386,000 babies will be born on New Year's Day  some 90 per cent in less developed regions  and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is challenging nations around the world to make sure more newborns survive their first days of life.

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, Stefan Peterson, UNICEF's Chief of Health, said Monday.

The agency reported that Kiribati's Christmas Island in the Pacific would most likely welcome 2018's first baby; the United States, its last. Globally, over half of these births are estimated to take place in nine countries:

India  69,070

China  44,760

Nigeria  20,210

Pakistan  14,910

Indonesia  13,370

United States  11,280

Democratic Republic of Congo  9,400

Ethiopia  9,020

Bangladesh  8,370

While many babies will survive, some will not make it past their first day. In 2016, an estimated 2,600 children died within the first 24 hours every day of the year. UNICEF said that for almost two million newborns, their first week was also their last.

In all, 2.6 million children died before the end of their first month. Among those children, more than 80 per cent died from preventable and treatable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia.

We call on governments and partners to join the fight to save millions of children's lives by providing proven, low-cost solutions, said Mr. Peterson.

Over the past two decades, the world has seen unprecedented progress in child survival, halving the number of children worldwide who die before their fifth birthday to 5.6 million in 2016. But despite these advances, there has been slower progress for newborns. Babies dying in the first month account for 46 per cent of all deaths among children under five.

Next month, UNICEF will launch 'Every Child Alive,' a global campaign to demand and deliver 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.

We are now entering the era when all the world's newborns should have the opportunity to see the 22nd century, added Mr. Peterson, but unfortunately, nearly half of the children born this year likely will not. A child born in Sweden in January 2018 is most likely to live to 2100, while a child from Somalia would be unlikely to live beyond 2075, he lamented.

Photo: UNICEF/Chute


Islamabad, Jan 2 (IBNS): Slamming US President Donald Trump over his remark on Pakistan, PTI chief Imran Khan on Tuesday said the political leader was 'briefed by Pakistans enemies'.

Speaking to reporters as quoted by Geo News, Khan said: "He [Trump] has been briefed by Pakistans enemies."

Khan said Trump do not know about the destruction caused in Pakistan due to 'war on terror'.

"Trump has no understanding of the war on terror and the destruction caused in Pakistan," Khan said.

He said: "Everyone knows the damages this has caused to our economy. 70,000 people have been killed in the war which had nothing to do with Pakistan.

Attacking US President Donald Trump over his 'lie' tweet, Pakistan Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said his nation has already refused to do more for the United States.

We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trumps no more does not hold any importance, Asif said in an exclusive interview with Geo News.

Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received, Asif said in a strongly worded statement in response to Trumps tweet that accuses Pakistan of providing safe havens to terrorists that the US is hunting in Afghanistan," he said.

Speaking on the claim made by Trump on the aid given to Pakistan by the US, he said: "The claim by Trump regarding the funds, if we account for it, they include reimbursements too for the services rendered by Pakistan."

Hours after US President's Donald Trump tweeted to accuse Pakistan of "lies and deceit", country's Foreign Office summoned United States ambassador David Hale to lodge its protest over the statement.

Sources told Geo News, Hale was summoned to record protest against Trumps statements.

To discuss Trump's statement, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee, sources told the news channel.

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.

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 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 2 (IBNS): Hours after US President Donald Trump tweeted to accuse Pakistan of "lies and deceit", country's Foreign Office summoned United States ambassador David Hale to lodge its protest over the statement.

Sources told Geo News, Hale was summoned to record protest against Trumps statements.

To discuss Trump's statement, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has also summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee, sources told the news channel.

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.

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 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.
Washington, Jan 2 (IBNS): With the anti-government protests in Iran claiming 12 lives, US President Donald Trump has said the country should now witness a '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!," Trump tweeted.

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

Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, wished people of Iran to attain success in their 'quest for freedom'.

"The Iranian regime tries desperately to sow hate between Iranians and Israelis. They won't succeed. When this regime finally falls  and one day it will  Iranians and Israelis will be great friends once again. I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom," the PM tweeted.

The Iranian regime tries desperately to sow hate between Iranians and Israelis. They won't succeed. When this regime finally falls  and one day it will  Iranians and Israelis will be great friends once again. I wish the Iranian people success in their noble quest for freedom. pic.twitter.com/kk8wTYmhnz  Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) January 1, 2018

Iranian forces have arrested several people after anti-government protests gripped the nation in recent times, reports said.

What started as a small scale dissent by a group of people in Mashhad, on Thursday, soon spread to other cities too and later swept the nation.

Demonstrators took to the streets in the national capital Tehran, in Rasht, in the north, and Kermanshah, in the west.

Cities like Isfahan, Hamadan also witnessed anti-government sloganeering.



Dissenters were not only protesting against Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and his political failures, but also against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Slogans such as 'clerics act like God' were heard.

Protesters also blamed the government for Iran's economic woes and said that people have been 'forced to beg'.

Issues about Iran's constant meddling in other nation's interests were also brought up by demonstrators.

Image: DOnald J Trump Official Facebook page
Ottawa: In one of the biggest expansion of medicare with the launching of OHIP+: Children and Youth Pharmacare on Monday, Ontario became the first Canadian province to provide access to more than 4,400 prescription medications free of cost to children and youth aged up to 24, media reports said.

We believe in helping all families receive the medication they need, at no cost, to stay healthy and strong regardless of income. OHIP+ [Ontario Health Insurance Plan] is a bold step toward our commitment and vision of bringing universal drug coverage to all Ontarians, Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario Minister of Health and Long-Term Care was quoted in media saying.

Through OHIP+, young people can reportedly access more than 4,400 drug products reimbursed under the Ontario Drug Benefit program, one of the most generous drug benefit programs in Canada, providing coverage for over 4,400 drug products, including nutrition products and diabetic testing agents.

This list would reportedly also include some of the most commonly used medications and those available through the Exceptional Access Program (EAP) -- which provides patients access to drugs not listed on the ODB Formulary, or where no listed alternative is available -- for qualified individuals free of cost.

Qualified people would only be required to present their Ontario health card number along with a valid prescription at an Ontario pharmacy and medicine will be provided free of charge.

Medications covered by OHIP+ include asthma inhalers, drugs for treatment of depression, anxiety, epilepsy and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, antibiotics, EpiPens (epinephrine auto-injectors), insulin, diabetes test strips, oral contraceptives, medications to treat some childhood cancers and other rare conditions, and many others.

Ontario's new medication coverage tool reportedly enables people to search to see if their drugs are covered under OHIP+.

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)

Image: Eric Hoskins: Facebook




For most of us, welcoming a new year involves taking resolutions that can help us grow and become better versions of ourselves--and this is exactly what Sushmita Sen is motivating our lazy-selves to do.

For all those who are still contemplating getting out of beds after being snuggled-in throughout holidays, Sush is going to make you feel really guilty about missing your workout sessions.

Also Read: This video of Sushmita Sen doing yoga will make you take up the workout for life

Recently, the former-Miss Universe, who keeps her fans updated with her workout regime through social media, posted two workout videos, and left us stunned with a phenomenal display of her arm-strength.

In the videos, which are compilations of snippets, Sushmita can be seen hanging upside down using her arm-strength, and staying put in that position too. The videos show the actress climbing up, staying still at an angle of 180 degrees, then turning upside down, and staying still again--all by herself.

Apart from showing how strong her arms are, the actress also got our heads reeling with her flexible body and the accuracy with which she was working out. From weight squats to leg stretching, Sen can be seen doing a variety of exercises with mind-blowing variations, while looking fit as a fiddle.

Also Read: How this 26-year-old woman lost 40 kgs in a year

Sushmita's dedication for fitness can be very well seen with the calm she has even while performing such strenuous exercises. Watch the videos here, and be ready to shake off your holiday indolence:
"Prevent Unauthorized Transactions in your demat / trading account Update your Mobile Number/ email Id with your stock broker / Depository Participant. Receive information of your transactions directly from Exchanges on your mobile / email at the end of day and alerts on your registered mobile for all debits and other important transactions in your demat account directly from NSDL/ CDSL on the same day." - Issued in the interest of investors." | "KYC is one time exercise while dealing in securities markets - once KYC is done through a SEBI registered intermediary (broker, DP, Mutual Fund etc.), you need not undergo the same process again when you approach another intermediary." | "No need to issue cheques by investors while subscribing to IPO. Just write the bank account number and sign in the application form to authorise your bank to make payment in case of allotment. No worries for refund as the money remains in investor's account."

www.indiainfoline.com is part of the IIFL Group, a leading financial services player and a diversified NBFC. The site provides comprehensive and real time information on Indian corporates, sectors, financial markets and economy. On the site we feature industry and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and trend setters. The research, personal finance and market tutorial sections are widely followed by students, academia, corporates and investors among others.
It seems that 2018 added some truth to the theory of time travel, after all.

Double celebrations took place when tourists took off on a flight in 2018 and landed in 2017, the year we just bid adieu to. What would you give to travel back in time at the turn of this year?

wikimedia

As it happened, a flight leaving Auckland in New Zealand for Honolulu in Hawaii took off in 2018 but landed last year. Thanks to an unexpected delay!

Also read: Pictures From Across India Show How Places Of Worship Welcomed The New Year

Twitter user Sam Sweeney spotted this one-of-a-kind incident of time travel and apprised everyone of it.

Because of an unexpected delay, Hawaiian Airlines flight 446 took off in 2018 and will land in 2017. #timetravel pic.twitter.com/A5vesXmjqq  Sam Sweeney (@SweeneyABC) December 31, 2017

The Hawaiian Airlines flight HAL446 took off from Auckland Airport at 12:05 am on January 1st, 2018, and landed in Honolulu at 10:16 am on December 31, 2017, local time. Since Auckland is 23 hours ahead of Honolulu, the lucky travellers got to welcome the new year twice!

Also read: Welcome 2018! Here's A Glimpse Of How The World Ushered In The New Year

Now that time travel is settled, let's make flying cars happen, shall we?
A 27-year-old software engineer committed suicide in Madurai on Sunday as he was frustrated over a hair fall problem, police said.

The deceased has been identified as R Mithun Raj of Jaihindpuram, who was working in a software company in Bengaluru.

Police said the techie had a skin problem on his scalp due to which his hair was falling. He had tried many medicines, but nothing prevented his hair fall.

Representational Image

Mithun started his career in Infosys in Chennai. After working there for a few years, he joined an IT company in Bengaluru last year. His father, Ravi, had died long ago and his mother, Vasanthi, stayed at Jaihindpuram in Madurai.

Vasanthi started looking for a suitable alliance for him, but in vain. Meanwhile, Mithin's worry about his hair loss deepened.

Mithun, who was on leave, appeared depressed in the last few weeks. He often aired his concerns to his mother, and she comforted him by saying everything would be alright soon.

BCCL/Representational Image

On Sunday, Vasanthi went to a temple. When she returned home, she found her son hanging from the ceiling of a room. With the help of neighbours, she rushed him to Government Rajaji Hospital in an autorickshaw, where he was declared brought dead.

The Jaihindpuram police registered a case based on complaint filed by Vasanthi.
One person died after he was thrashed, 25 vehicles were torched and over 50 vehicles were damaged in stone pelting as clashes broke out between villagers from Koregaon Bhima, Pabal and Shikrapur and a large group of people celebrating the January 1, 1818, victory of British troops over Peshwa Bajirao II's army in Koregaon Bhima. Dalits were part of the British troops.

The Shikrapur police confirmed the death. They said the body of 28-year-old Rahul (surname not known) was sent to Sassoon General Hospital for a post mortem. Three people were injured.

The Pune rural police said buses, four-wheelers, including a police van, were among the torched vehicles. The mob was brought under control around 1.30pm. Shops and petrol pumps were shut. A bandobast was already in place in the area as the villagers were opposed to Monday's rally.

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Two CRPF companies, summoned on Monday, were stationed at Shikrapur to prevent any further trouble.

Speaking to TOI, IGP (Kolhapur range) Vishwas Nangre-Patil said there was tension in the area since Monday. "Trouble broke out in the morning after a few men with saffron flags visited the area. Later, villagers set ablaze eight vehicles on the highway and some threw stones at vehicles," he said.

Eyewitnesses said the men from Pune with flags urged the villagers not to put up with the celebration. This group had also opposed the Shaurya Parishad, addressed by newly elected Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani at Shaniwarwada on Sunday evening.

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Nangre-Patil told TOI the situation was under control by 7pm. "So far, no arrests have been made. We have cordoned off the roads leading to the Koregaon memorial. Heavy police bandobast has been deployed. There were very few people on the highway.

A majority of the miscreants were hiding in farms along the highway and pelting stones," he said. Many people who had gone to the memorial were making their way home on foot on Monday evening.

How the Koregaon Bhima battle played out

According to Pandurang Balkawade, secretary of Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, a company of the British troops comprising 1,000 men arrived at Koregaon along the Bhima river, from Shirur in Pune district. The British contingent saw the Peshwa troops on the opposite bank and decided to seek shelter in the village gadhi (fortress).

ap

Peshwa and Pratapsinh Chhatrapati decided to send 3,000 men, mostly infantry and guards, with two guns to Koregaon to attack the British. The battle started from 10am on January 1, 1818 and went on till night in which the British suffered heavy losses.

According to accounts written by British officers, including Captain Staunton and Doctor Wiley, they could not get water or food for 42 hours and suffered huge losses. Maratha troops withdrew because they wanted to intercept Brigadier General Smith and his troops before they reached Pune.

ap

"After the defeat at Khadki and Yerawada (on November 5, 1817), Peshwa Bajirao II was stationed at Phulgaon near Perne Phata along with Pratapsinh Chhatrapati and their troops comprising over 20,000 soldiers drawn from different castes and communities.

The Peshwa received information (around December 1817) that Brigadier Gen Smith was on his way from Shirur to attack Pune with his troops so he and Pratapsinh Chhatrapati decided to intercept him. There is enough documentary evidence that the British never perceived this battle to be a victory," said Balkawade.

ap

The British erected an obelisk in memory of the battle, which has become an important symbol of Dalit assertion as some members of the community were part of the British troops. Thousands of Dalits pay respect to the memorial here every year.
Niti Aayog, the government's premier policy making body, has firmed up a hybrid vehicle policy that challenges the electric vehicle mission that's being pursued aggressively, pitching methanol as a better alternative for India.

The Aayog has reasoned that electric vehicles are neither cost-effective nor sustainable. Methanol-based hybrid vehicles, it proposes, would run on electricity that would be generated on board from the chemical, a senior government official aware of the matter told ET. This would not put additional pressure on electricity demand in the country.

The crux of the reasoning is that methanol can replace gasoline as it is easily available, does not cause pollution and has higher electrical mobility and efficiency, besides being highly cost-effective vis-a-vis electric vehicles, which would run on lithium-ion batteries. It would reduce pollution and India's dependence on fossil fuels.

bccl/representational image

"Lithium is not an easily available resource and the world will run out of the basic resource if all switch over to lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Hence, it is not a sustainable solution," the official said.

Besides, India does not have the expertise to make lithium-ion batteries.

It will depend on China for such batteries and will only be able to assemble them in India with barely 15% of value addition, thus further widening the trade deficit in favour of China.

"Moving to electric vehicles would require setting up of large infrastructure, mainly charging stations across the country, and it would put additional burden on already growing demand for electricity," the official said.

bccl/representational image

Niti Aayog member VK Saraswat is aggressively pushing methanol and has suggested a roadmap to reduce the annual oil import bill by $100 billion by 2030 through extensive use of methanol in cooking gas and transportation fuel.

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government wants only cleaner vehicles to ply on India's roads by 2030 as part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under the global agreement on climate change and to reduce spending on oil imports, which, according to one estimate, could double to an annual $300 billion by that year.

The cabinet secretariat had in June 2017 shifted the FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles in India) programme, which is part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan, to Niti Aayog from the Department of Heavy Industries after most stakeholder ministries wanted to have a say in the highprofile mission.

bccl/representational image

The idea was that such a move would help synchronise efforts of various departments of the government to move towards an all-electric fleet by 2030.

The Indian Railways is also exploring the use of methanol for its locomotives.

Methanol, a clear, colourless liquid, is easier to store than hydrogen and burns cleaner than fossil fuels, yielding water and carbon dioxide. Methanol can be obtained from sustainable bio sources and it is now also possible to manufacture synthetic, lowcarbon methanol.
A Pakistani court in the southern Sindh province has ordered the police to provide protection to a Hindu woman who was allegedly raped last month by a man belonging to an influential family, a media report said on Tuesday.

Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Shaikh of the Sindh High Court (SHC) issued the order on Monday after taking a suo motu notice of the alleged rape which took place in Kunri area of the Umerkot district.

Reuters/Representational Image

The Chief Justice directed the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mirpurkhas and the Umerkot Superintendent of Police (SP) to provide security to the victim and her family, the Dawn reported.

He ordered the police to take action against the culprit belonging to an influential family, it said.

Umerkot SP Usman Ijaz Bajwa submitted a report before the court on Monday, stating that the DIG Mirpurkhas had constituted a committee under his supervision.

The committee, including the sub-divisional police officer of Kunri and the Nabisar Station House Officer (SHO), has been tasked to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the incident.

AFP/Representational Image

The report said that the FIR of the incident had been registered at the Nabisar police station and the suspect was arrested.

It said that the medical examination of the victim, daughter of a farmer, was conducted at the Kunri taluka hospital and the samples for a DNA test were also collected.

The medical reports confirmed that the victim was subjected to a sexual assault and the investigation was underway, the report said.

The SP informed the court that a show-cause notice had been issued to the SHO concerned. Earlier, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) had said that on an average around 20 to 25 Hindu girls were forcibly converted to Islam every month in the southern Sindh province.
anti-women mindset: Naqvi

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today took a swipe at those opposing the Modi governments decision to allow women to go for Haj without Mehram (male guardian), saying they were suffering from the "chronic disease of anti-women mindset".

More than 1,300 women from across the country have applied to go for Haj without Mehram (male guardian) and they will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to go for the pilgrimage.

"Those who are opposing the Modi governments decision to lift ban on women going for Haj without Mehram, are suffering from chronic disease of anti-women mindset," Naqvi said in a statement.

He reiterated that after the suggestion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, all those women who have applied to go for Haj without Mehram will be exempted from the lottery system and allowed to go for the pilgrimage.

Taking on the critics of the decision who argue that the government has done nothing as it was Saudi Arabia which allowed women above 45 years to perform Haj without Mehram, Naqvi asked why earlier governments had not taken any action on it.

This decision was taken after the committee formed by the ministry to prepare a new Haj policy, flagged this issue with the government. It was followed by discussions between the government and Saudi authorities.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi yesterday dismissed 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 had said.

The Centre has for the first time decided to allow women pilgrims over the age of 45 to undertake the pilgrimage in groups of at least four sans Mehram.

The term Mehram refers to a male, a woman cannot marry in her life (i.e. father, brother or son etc). Till now, women pilgrims would be required to be accompanied by their husbands or Mehrams during the annual pilgrimage. PTI JTR ASK ASK
2017 is now being seen a remarkably safe year for commercial flights, with not a single accidental death recorded by commercial jets. It is now the safest year on record for commercial air travels.

Also read: Model Plane Maker Builds Functioning Electric Airplane In His Garage, Takes It For Test Flight!

reuters

To70, an aviation consulting firm and the Aviation Safety Network, both who closely watch accidents and mishaps caused due to aeroplanes reported on Monday that there have been no commercial passenger jet fatalities in 2017, making it one of its kind years in air travels.

2017 was the safest year for aviation ever, said Adrian Young of To70, report Reuters.

The firm estimated that the fatal accidents rate for the large commercial passenger is 0.06 per million flights or one fatal accident for every 16 million flights. The Aviation Safety Network also reported there were no commercial passenger jet deaths in 2017, but 10 fatal airliner accidents resulting in 44 fatalities onboard and 35 persons on the ground, including cargo planes and commercial passenger turboprop aircraft.

Also read: This Airline Just Launched A Hello Kitty Themes Airplane And Everything On The Plane Is Decked

reuters

That figure includes 12 people killed on Dec. 31 when a Nature Air Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft crashed minutes after takeoff into a mountainous area off the beach town of Punta Islita, Costa Rica. In comparison, there were 16 accidents and 303 deaths in 2016 among airliners.

The deadliest incident last year occurred in January when a Turkish cargo jet smashed into a village in Kyrgyzstan as it tried to land at a nearby airport in dense fog, killing 35 on the ground and all four onboard. The Aviation Safety Network said 2017 was the safest year ever, both by the number of fatal accidents as well as in terms of fatalities. Over the last two decades, aviation deaths around the world have been steadily falling.

Also read: This 5-YO Talking About Airplanes, Turbines & Engines Is Every Bit The Genius You Will Never Be

reuters

As recently as 2005, there were 1,015 deaths aboard commercial passenger flights worldwide, the Aviation Safety Network said. The United States last recorded a fatal airline passenger jet crash in February 2009, when Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed short of the runway in Clarence Center, New York, killing 49 onboard and one person on the ground.

In 2016, 412 people were killed in the United States in aviation accidents - nearly all in general aviation accidents and none on commercial passenger airlines. The last fatal passenger jet airliner accident worldwide took place in November 2016 near Medellin, Colombia and the last commercial passenger aircraft crash to kill more than 100 people occurred in October 2015 in Egypt.
Microsoft may be building a new campus in Redmond, but its also building a lot of software and a lot of toolsespecially around its cloud and enterprise businesses. Windows will still dominate Microsofts balance sheet in 2018, but Azure and other cloud platforms will become increasingly important, thanks to initiatives like Microsoft 365 and the integration of Azure, Office 365, Dynamics 365, and LinkedIn.

What will 2018 hold for us? To answer that question, Ive been going over last years Enterprise Microsoft columns and pulling out some of the recurring enterprise themes, thinking about where they might lead over the next 12 months. Here are my seven predictions.

Prediction 1: Two new Windows Server releases

2018 will be the first year with two releases of Windows Server, as its new release cadence picks up speed. An initial build of the likely 1803 release is already available to Insiders, as part of Microsofts changing approach to beta-testing its operating systems. The new release looks likely to focus on Windows Servers storage features, bringing back Storage Spaces Direct and adding additional features like data deduplication.

Putting Windows Server on a faster cadence makes sense when you consider its alignment with Azure, and especially when you add in its role as both the base OS and the client VM images in the on-premises Azure Stack. Similarly, as Microsoft continues to shrink down the size of Server Core and Nano Server images, Windows Containers will be smaller, faster, and easier to deploy.

Prediction 2: Changing how we manage Windows

One of the more interesting developments of 2017 was the beta release of Project Honolulu, an agent-less web-based management platform for Windows Servers. With Microsoft focusing on UI-less servers in its accelerated release schedule, you needed to use tools like RSAT to manage servers from your desktop. Now, with Project Honolulu, once youve installed the gateway software all you need is a web browser. Using PowerShell remoting and WMI, everything you need to control one or more servers is in one clear, easy to use UI. Instead of switching between management tools, one tool handles servers, virtual machines, and clusters.

Project Honolulu is very much in beta at the moment, but expect to see multiple releases in 2018, including a production version thats ready for modern datacenter use.

Prediction 3: Virtualization and containers get closer

Microsofts Hyper-V virtualization platform remains a key piece of its OS strategy, supporting Azures infrastructure as a service and simplifying lift-and-shift migrations to the cloud. While on-premises virtualization is now a mature technology, its still got an important part to play in Microsofts container platform. You should expect to see more of an emphasis on Hyper-V containers as a way of ensuring container isolation, using virtualization to keep containers isolated on multitenant cloud systems.

Prediction 4: More graph, more insights

Microsoft Graph is one of the most important features of Office 365, providing new ways of exploring documents and staff across an organization. While the Delve app is being discontinued, you can expect to see more of Microsoft Graphs results appearing in Office apps, with improved API access for your code. In parallel youll start to see more cross-platform and cross-graph operations, with new services and additional API access to LinkedIn, Dynamics 365, and Microsofts security graph.

Although Microsoft currently focuses on RESTful access to the Office and LinkedIn graphs, its chosen to use the open source Gremlin graph query language with Cosmos DB. Hopefully, 2018 will see some way to bring those two approaches together for more complex cross-graph access, either with a Gremlin layer for Microsoft Graph or with an Azure service that helps manage and use graph queries and graph APIs in your applications.

Prediction 5: UWP keeps on getting more features

While theres still a lot of Win32 code out there, its very much a legacy propped up by a Windows Store bridge to get access to some Windows 10 features. Microsofts regular Windows cadence will deliver two major releases of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) SDK every year, and with those releases comes support for new technologies and new hardware. Already were seeing SDK support in beta releases for technologies like eSIM, an essential technology for 2018s launch of ARM-based always connected PCs.

Support for cross-platform development and .Net Standard 2.0 will make your code more portable, and give you opportunities for delivering apps across Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, and more.

Prediction 6: Azures serverless future

One of the biggest changes to Azure has been the launch of Azure Functions, its serverless compute option. Microsoft has spent 2017 adding new features to support new use cases, and adding new frameworks around the platform. The vision for Azure has always been one of a stateless platform as a service public cloud, and Azure Functions plus tools like Event Grid finally delivers on the promise. With executable containers hosting the Azure Functions runtime, its not limited to Azure, running on-premises and even on competing platforms like Amazon Web Services.

If youre building message-driven microservices, Azure Functions is the tool for you. Its the ideal place to build the initial layer of an application, before taking advantage of Azures Kubernetes tools for the rest of your business logic. Features like durable functions handle more complex workflows, and we can expect to see the Azure Functions team add support for more languages and more use cases over the next year.

Prediction 7: Kubernetes everywhere

The importance of containers as part of a modern application deployment cant be underestimated. Having a build chain deliver code in easy-to-install and immutable containers makes it easy to upgrade applications. If youd tried building service-oriented architectures in the early 2000s, youll appreciate using containers to encapsulate services, keeping all your dataincluding state informationoutside the container, making updates self-configuring and ready to run.

However easy deploying containers is, managing them at scale remains an issue. Thats where the open source Kubernetes comes in, managing how containers are deployed on hosts and how they scale. Azure has made a significant investment in Kubernetes, and its now its preferred container management tool. AKS, the Azure Container Service, and ACI, Azure Container Instances, will remain the focus of Microsofts Kubernetes strategy, though theres going to be a lot of interest in programmatic management of Kubernetes via open source tools like Helm, Brigade, Steward, and Draft.

Microsofts hiring of many Kubernetes specialists, like the DEIS team, in 2017 should pay off in 2018 as it ramps up its open source tooling and builds on its membership in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation.

Higher level tools, including those from third-party partners like Pivotal, should also provide more developer-friendly abstractions from the low-level container management of Kubernetes, making it possible to build code and deploy it without having to consider whats happening behind the curtains.
Cattle replace grain in market selloff Sidwell Strategies - Fri Sep 3, 5:14PM CDT Markets are closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

Hogs Mixed Going into Weekend Barchart - Fri Sep 3, 4:52PM CDT Going into the Labor Day weekend lean hog futures closed mixed, within 27 cents of UNCH. Deferred months closed higher, while October and December added to the weeks loss. From Friday to Friday, October... HEV21 : 89.575s (-0.31%) HEG22 : 83.950s (+0.06%) KMV21 : 103.225s (+0.29%)

Friday Gains for Wheat Barchart - Fri Sep 3, 4:52PM CDT After trading lower to start the week, wheat prices recovered on Friday. SRW futures were 8 1/4 to 10 1/4 cents stronger in the front months. For Dec SRW, that left futures just 6 1/4 cents below last... ZWU21 : 714-4s (+1.49%) ZWPAES.CM : 6.6900 (+1.19%) KEU21 : 715-2s (+2.00%) KEPAWS.CM : 6.9610 (+2.10%) MWU21 : 915-4s (+1.02%)

Natural Gas Prices Gain on Reduced U.S. Nat-Gas Production Barchart - Fri Sep 3, 2:10PM CDT October Nymex natural gas (NGV21 ) on Friday closed up +0.071 (+1.53%). Oct nat-gas prices on Friday settled moderately higher, just below Thursday's 2-1/2 year nearest-futures high. Concern that reduced... NGV21 : 4.712s (+1.53%)
Imagine getting a letter of condolence from your motor insurance provider for your own passing. It sounds crazy but it has happened over in the UK, with a 44-year-old Northern Ireland police officer having the misfortune of being at the receiving end less than a week before Christmas.We are sorry to hear that Mr R Clarke has sadly passed away, read the letter from Richard Clarkes insurer, as reported by the Daily Mail. Please accept our condolences on behalf of Halifax Car Insurance at this difficult time.Only it was Clarke himself  very much alive  who opened the letter to find out that the policy for his Jeep Renegade would be cancelled in light of his supposed death. It wasnt a fake letter or anything of that sort but apparently an unfortunate mix-up that happened after he went to a branch to change bank accounts.We are very sorry that Mr Clarke has received this letter in error, said a Halifax spokesperson, as quoted by the report. It was sent as the result of an instruction received from his bank when transferring payment details between his old and new bank accounts.We can confirm that there was no interruption to Mr Clarkes motor insurance cover. We have apologised for the inconvenience caused and will be sending him a goodwill gesture.The father-of-two said Halifax apologised profusely for the human error.
Two subcontractors are suing the company fired by the New Hampshire National Guard for what it called substandard work on hangars at Pease Air National Guard Base.

New Hampshire Public Radio reports that B.L. Mechanical of Uxbridge, Mass., and Piquette & Howard Electrical Service of Plaistow, N.H., claim theyre owed money for work performed in 2015 and 2016. Theyre suing Cutter Enterprises of Connecticut and its insurance company.

The two subcontractors together are seeking more than $900 million in unpaid bills and damages. Lawyers for the companies didnt immediately respond to requests for comment.

Work on the hangars stopped in December 2016 when the National Guard terminated the nearly $32 million contract. Work is now resuming with a new contractor.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Numbers
Brussels-based insurer Ageas on Dec. 29 completed the sale of its stake in Italian bancassurer Cargeas Assicurazioni (CARGEAS) to BNP Paribas Cardif, for 178 million (US$213.6 million) in cash.

Ageas and BNP Paribas Cardif have operated CARGEAS as a joint venture on a roughly 50/50 basis.

In line with its strategy to focus on core businesses, Ageas announced in July 2017 that it had reached an agreement with BNP to sell its 50% + 1 share in the Italian bancassurer, which provides health, homeowner, automobile and credit insurance to individuals and businesses.

The sale of CARGEAS generates a net capital gain of 77 million ($92.4 million) for Ageas insurance segment in Continental Europe and an additional 10 million (US$12 million) at the group level in the general account, the company said in a statement. It noted that both the capital gain and the cash impact will be recorded in the last quarter of 2017.

The transaction is expected to have a positive impact of approximately 4 percentage points on the groups Solvency II position, said Ageas.

Ageas operates insurance businesses in Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, China, Malaysia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore and the Philippines through a combination of wholly owned subsidiaries and long-term partnerships with financial institutions and key distributors.

Source: Ageas

Related:

Topics Mergers
A federal jury has found an Edina, Minnesota, chiropractor and his recruiters guilty of insurance fraud conspiracy, the Minnesota Department of Commerce announced in late December 2017.

According to Acting United States Attorney Gregory G. Brooker, licensed Doctor of Chiropractic Adam John Burke, 33; Abdirahin Khalif Ibrahim, 26; and Dana Enoch Kidd, 36, were convicted for their roles in a multi-million-dollar insurance fraud conspiracy. Burke, Ibrahim and Kidd were initially indicted on Dec. 20, 2016. Following a two-week trial before Senior Judge Michael J. Davis in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minn., all three were convicted on charges of conspiracy and mail fraud.

In an announcement, Assistant U.S. Attorney David Maria said that Burke used his professional position and private medical practice to perpetrate an egregious fraud scheme that cost automobile insurers and, ultimately, policyholders in Minnesota, millions of dollars. We are thankful for the hard work and dedication put into this case by our partners at the Commerce Fraud Bureau and the FBI.

Trial documents show that beginning in at least 2012, Burke participated in a scheme to defraud automobile insurance companies by hiring patient recruiters, known as runners, to solicit automobile accident victims for treatments at Burkes clinic, Burke Chiropractic Center P.A. (Burke Chiropractic). Burke typically paid the runners, including Ibrahim and Kidd, between $1,000 and $2,000 for each patient they brought to Burke Chiropractic so that Burke could bill services to the insurance companies.

To disguise the payments, Burke would write checks to the runners with false descriptions in the memo lines such as marketing, consulting fee, or pt transportation. Burke also required runners to form corporate entities, such as limited liability companies, with names that sounded like legitimate businesses that performed marketing or transportation services, again, to hide the true nature of the payments.

He wrote more than 280 checks to the runners, totaling more than $590,000.

The scheme was structured in a way that would maximize Burke Chiropractics billings to the insurance companies, according to prosecutors. Burke typically withheld kickback payments to the runners until after the patients had attended a certain number of treatment sessions. Frequently, the runners paid a portion of the kickback payments they had received from Burke to the patients they referred in order to make sure that the patients attended the minimum number of treatment sessions. As a result, patients often came for treatments at Burke Chiropractic because of the payments, not because they necessarily needed the treatments.

As an additional incentive to continue coming to the clinic, Burke often referred patients to personal injury attorneys, and instructed the runners to advise patients that following through on all treatment sessions would result in a bigger settlement from the insurance company.

As a result of this fraud scheme, Burke and Burke Chiropractic billed millions of dollars to automobile insurance companies.

This case was investigated by the Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by the Minneapolis Police Department, Saint Paul Police Department, Minnesota State Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Maria and John E. Kokkinen.

Source: the Minnesota Department of Commerce

Topics USA Fraud Minnesota
Boca Raton, Florida-based Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty Inc. has acquired Dash Insurance Agency, headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Dash Insurance Agency provides full auto and liability insurance products and services in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and surrounding areas.

Dash Insurance will be joining the Seeman Holtz Primera Capital team in Texas.

Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty Inc. continues to target high-quality independent agencies for geographic expansion and continued growth throughout the United States.

With the acquisition of Dash, Seeman Holtz will have acquired 23 agencies in 2017. The Seeman Holtz family of companies provides comprehensive financial and insurance advice to clients across the country.

Source: Seeman Holtz Property & Casualty Inc.

Topics Mergers Texas Property Casualty
The Workers Compensation Commission (WCC) has updated its organizational chart and changed the names of an internal division and a working group. The commission reported that the changes reflect an effort to more accurately inform the public about the actual services it provides.

The Insurance Services Division is now named the Permitting Services Division. The unit is a regulatory arm of the WCC but it often gets calls about securing workers comp insurance coverage, the commissions announcement said. However, according to WCC Chairman Mark Liotta, the WCC does not issue, regulate or involve ourselves in any way with the purchase or selling of insurance.

Additionally, the working group previously known as Form 3 will now be termed Case Commencement. Form 3 means nothing to the public, Liotta said in the agencys announcement. The Form 3 is just one vehicle for case commencement. This group processes all forms or initiatives through which a workers compensation case is commenced. Their logical name is Case Commencement, and we have made that change.

Further, the Case Commencement group also will no longer be managed by Permitting Services. It will now be managed by Legal Operations. Anyone seeking confirmation of an employers workers compensation coverage, should contact the Case Commencement group.

The name changes and new organization chart became effective Dec. 14, 2017; all modifications of website and email were slated to be accomplished by Jan. 1, 2018. Phone numbers for affected personnel will remain the same, and the employees will continue to office in their current area. There is no appreciable cost expected from the name changes.

Applications for Own Risk, Third Party Administrators, Self-Insurance Groups, Municipalities, Additions to Groups, Reserve Distribution from Groups, Changes in Letters of Credit, and Certificates of Non-Coverage will be processed by Permitting Services.

Source: Oklahoma WCC

Topics Workers' Compensation Oklahoma
Ross Hancock sold his four-bedroom house in Coral Gables, a city of pastel luxury at the edge of Miami, because he was worried that sea-level rise would eventually hurt his propertys value. He and his wife, Darlene, downsized to a small condo on Biscayne Bay, perched atop one of the highest coral ridges in the area. There, he presumed, they would be safer.

Then Hurricane Irma hit.

The September storm pushed water onshore with such force that it penetrated the seams of Hancocks building, defeating stormproof windows and damaging a third of the units. It knocked out the elevators, ruined the generator, and flooded the parking lot. Months later the park next door remains strewn with mangled yachts hurled from from the ocean.

Hancocks unit was spared, but hes facing a potential $60,000 bill from the condo association for his share of what insurance wont cover. Now, four years after leaving Coral Gables, he and his wife want to move againthis time, out of Florida. But more than two months after listing their property, they havent found a buyer.

Its not the greatest time to be showing it, Hancock said, noting the damage to the building. Still, Irma convinced him that it doesnt make sense to wait. At some point, we wont be able to sell.

Decisions by people such as Hancock to sell their homes demonstrate that one of the great mysteries of climate change isnt scientific but psychological: When will the growing risks associated with rising seas and more severe storms begin to affect home values in otherwise desirable coastal markets?

Nowhere is that question more pressing than South Florida, which has some of the countrys priciest propertiesand some of the most vulnerable. A state built on real estate speculation, whose chief attribute was proximity to the water, now faces a whole new problem: Theres not enough land, high enough above the water, for its residents to pull back from the rising seas. By the end of the century, database company Zillow Group estimates, almost a half-million Miami homes could beliterallyunderwater. Thats more than anywhere else in the country.

In a working paper posted this month on Social Science Research Network, an online repository of academic research, professors from the University of Colorado at Boulder and Pennsylvania State University found that homes exposed to sea-level rise sell at a 7 percent discount compared with equivalent but unexposed properties.

This discount has grown over time, the authors wrote, and is driven by sophisticated buyers and communities worried about global warming. Properties along both coasts of Florida are at risk of sea-level rise, mapping in the paper shows.

Marla Martin, a spokeswoman for Florida Realtors, which represents the states real estate agents, wasnt available to comment.

Irma smashed through the Caribbean as a Category 5 hurricane, then weakened before hitting Florida on Sept. 10. With winds topping 100 miles per hour, the storm caused billions of dollars of damage to homes, utilities, and citrus crops.

Its too soon to know how Irma affected the market, says Aaron Terrazas, a senior economist at Zillow. But theres anecdotal evidence that its taking a toll on property values: A company that assesses flood risks is booming, and workshops for municipal leaders to deal with the impact are drawing sold-out crowds.

Before the storm, Bloomberg reported about the concerns of homeowners, local officials, business executives, and housing lenders that South Floridas real estate downturn could be closer than many people realize. This month we checked in with some of the people featured in that story, to find out how Irma affected themand what their experiences augur for the future of the real estate market in Florida and other coastal areas.

Albert Slap

One of those people is Albert Slap, who would rather not be profiting from other peoples misfortune. But his business, determining the flood risk facing specific homes around South Florida, has never been better. And he thanks Irma.

It changed everything for us, Slap, owner of Coastal Risk Consulting, said by phone. As a flood assessment company, its kind of on fire for us now.

Read more: Why Are Developers Still Pouring Billions Into Waterlogged Miami?

Whats good for Slap isnt necessarily good for the regions property values. His customers include insurance companies worried that federal flood maps underestimate risk, as well as potential homebuyers trying to find out if theyre about to buy a house that will be regularly inundated by South Floridas increasingly troublesome tidal flooding.

The regions frothy home values, Slap said, have persisted because of what he calls a dirty little secret among real estate agents, who are aware of the flood risks but face no requirement to disclose them to buyers.

Slap said the increase in his business shows that buyers are starting to become more aware of the problemand as that happens, housing values will fall. And he said its only a matter of time before real estate agents are required by law to reveal those flood risks, noting that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to that effect in 2017. The Senate has yet to take it up.

The alternative is a housing market kept afloat by systemic fraudulent nondisclosure, Slap said. Which is pretty much what we have now.

Dan Kipnis

Irma left Dan Kipniss Miami Beach house mostly untouched. I lost three little stick palm trees, Kipnis, chairman of Miami Beachs Marine and Waterfront Protection Authority, said by phone. And one of my papayas fell over.

But its not hurricanes that have Kipnis worried about the local real estate market. Rather, its the seemingly endless constructionelevating roads, installing new stormwater drains, and other projectsdesigned to lessen the impact of sea-level rise. And then there are the property taxes required to pay for all that work: Miami Beachs plans are set to cost as much as $500 million.

The noise and inconvenience of that work pushed Kipnis to try to sell his house. But he worries that the same things which make him want to leave are also scaring off buyers. After 18 months on the market, and despite dropping the price by more than one-third from $3.2 million, Kipnis still hasnt sold his home.

I had a couple look at it yesterday, Kipnis said. They said, This is terrific.' But when the real estate agent mentioned the roadwork, Kipnis said, the couple lost their nerve. Theyre not going to live here while we spend two years raising the streets.

Jim Cason

When Jim Cason first became mayor of Coral Gables in 2011, he sometimes felt like a lonely voice, warning about sea-level rise and what it could mean for South Floridas real estate market. He argued for then-radical ideas, such as the need for cities to set aside money now to pay for the eventual demolition of homes inundated with water and then abandoned.

Those concerns no longer make him an outlier. Cason, who left office in May, attended a regular gathering of South Florida elected officials in Fort Lauderdale in December to talk about the effects of climate change. Unlike previous years, he said, the event this time was totally sold-out.

He said mayors and city managers shared their anxiety about what rising seas mean for their cities property values. Those worries range from the mundanefinding more money to update infrastructure damaged by stormsto the existential: How long will banks keep issuing 30-year mortgages?

The hurricane certainly added to that concern, Cason said by phone during a break. Thats why so many people are at this conference. They just saw it.

Cason said rising property taxes driven by infrastructure costs, combined with ever-higher premiums for flood insurance, would make it much more expensive for people to live along the water.

He sounded more philosophical than concerned about that possibility. Maybe, he said, a lot of them shouldnt be living along the water.

Copyright 2021 Bloomberg.

Topics Florida Flood Hurricane Property
committee, Cong undecided

(Eds: Adds more inputs)

New Delhi, Jan 2 (PTI) The Trinamool Congress and Left parties would press for referring the triple talaq bill to a select committee when it comes up for consideration in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, sources in the two parties said today.

The main opposition Congress, however, will hold another round of talks with like-minded parties before finalising its strategy.

The Business Advisory Committee (BAC) of the Upper House met today and decided to allot four hours for discussion on the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha last week. The Congress and some other parties wanted more time for deliberating on the bill.

According to a source present at the meeting, the Congress suggested that the legislation be sent to the select committee by the BAC itself. There was, however, no official word from the Congress about the suggestion it was claimed to have made.

The bill, among other things, criminalises instant triple talaq, or talaq-e-biddat, where a husband pronounces divorce thrice in one go, with imprisonment up to three years.

According to sources present at a meeting in the chamber of Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, representatives of several parties wanted the bill to be sent to a select committee for vetting.

The Congress, which had made the demand before the bill was passed by the Lok Sabha by voice vote, had moved some amendments to the legislation but did nor press for voting on those.

Sources in the Congress said the party was in favour of any law that empowers women. Congress MPs, they said, would move amendments to the bill, including one for putting the onus on the husband that he had not pronounced instant triple talaq. PTI SKC SK SK
School bus drivers must be at least 25 years old in Tennessee starting New Years Day under one of 16 new state laws taking effect.

Lawmakers made the change in reaction to a November 2016 school bus crash that killed six elementary school children. The driver, Johnthony Walker, was 24 at the time.

Authorities say Walker was speeding and had received a cellphone call before he wrecked the bus on a curvy Chattanooga road that was carrying 37 children. The 25-year-old faces 34 charges, including six counts of vehicular homicide.

The law also requires a school bus driver safety program, five consecutive years of driving experience for drivers and appointment of school district and charter school transportation supervisors.

But it stops short of requiring new school buses in Tennessee to be equipped with seat belts, a legislative push that fell flat in the General Assembly early in 2017.

A variety of other laws that passed during the 2017 legislative session also take effect Monday.

One will require Tennessee public colleges and universities to spell out free speech policies, including a provision that prevents blocking speakers on campus whose anticipated speech may be considered offensive, unwise, immoral, indecent, disagreeable, conservative, liberal, traditional, radical, or wrong-headed.

Drivers of any vehicle will now face a maximum $50 fine for talking on a hand-held cellphone while driving in an active school zone. Drivers under 18 also wouldnt be allowed to use hands-free phone devices and would face up to a $50 fine for it.

And drivers will only be allowed lights on the front of their cars, flashing or otherwise, that are white, amber or some combination of the two.

People also will not be allowed to buy used cars that have been recalled until the dealer has fixed the issue. And after 30 days of waiting for a repair part, the manufacturer will have to pay the dealer 1 percent monthly of the cars trade-in value while the car isnt allowed to be sold.

The General Assembly starts its next months-long session of lawmaking Jan. 9.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Education Tennessee
Two freight trains collided in rural Alabama, injuring four people on board.

The Tuscaloosa News reports that that the collision happened Thursday afternoon in Pickens County. The sheriffs office told the newspaper that four people were seriously injured and were airlifted to a Birmingham hospital.

Pickens County Emergency Management Agency Director Ken Gibson said the trains involved in the collision are owned by Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway. They were not pulling any railroad cars at the time of the collision.

Gibson told the newspaper that there appeared to be a mistake in communication.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the accident.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Alabama Trucking
The parents of a former student have filed a federal lawsuit against a western Montana school district, claiming school officials did not protect their daughter from being sexually harassed and assaulted by a teacher.

The Missoulian reports the lawsuit against the Frenchtown School District also claims officials did not take adequate action to protect students after it received a complaint years earlier against the same teacher.

The teacher Troy Bashor pleaded not guilty in October to a misdemeanor sexual assault charge.

Court records say the girl told investigators that Bashor touched her inappropriately on several occasions in 2016.

District officials told the newspaper on Wednesday that they did not receive a copy of the lawsuit and declined to comment.

District officials say Bashor is still on paid administrative leave.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Claims Montana
What Is Regulation R?

Regulation R provides exemptions for banks from broker status as directed by Section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Section 3 of the Act was amended by the 1999 Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and primarily focuses on regulations for broker-dealers and brokerage transactions.

Regulation R Explained

Regulation R provides exceptions for banks offering certain brokerage services as defined by Section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Regulation R gives banks broader latitude for their operational activities under bank status, allowing them to provide certain brokerage transactions without registration as a broker-dealer.

In 1999, Section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 was modified to include provisions instituted from the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA). This Act was known for modernizing and expanding governance of the financial markets. Much of the focus from GLBA was on expanding the offerings a single financial service firm was able to provide.

The 1999 provisions from GLBA allowed financial companies to offer a broader range of services. It also allowed financial companies to more freely partner for mergers involving expansion of services for customers. Prior to 1999, financial service companies were primarily restricted to focusing their products around a single service offering.

Exceptions for Banks

In 2007, the Federal Reserve and the Securities and Exchange Commission issued final details on Regulation R. Regulation R outlines exceptions for banks who seek exemption from broker-dealer registration requirements in the amended Securities Exchange Act of 1934. It includes exceptions provided for in the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and also adds some additional criteria for exemption. Overall, banks can receive an exemption from broker-dealer registration when securities transactions are part of the bank's trust and fiduciary, custodial, and deposit sweep functions. Exemptions can also relate to foreign securities transactions, and non-custodial securities lending transactions conducted in an agency capacity. Generally, however, banks must partner with a third party to offer brokerage services. Thus, activities of banks that fall outside of specified exemptions must be referred to their partnering registered broker-dealer for transaction.

In some cases, banks may choose to acquire a broker-dealer as a subsidiary to comply with market rules and regulations. Merrill Lynchs merger with Bank of America provides one example. Merrill Lynch was acquired by Bank of America in 2009. Merrill Lynch offers a wide range of brokerage services and serves as the primary broker-dealer partner for Bank of America. Bank of Americas clients are referred to Merrill Lynch for financial advice, full-service brokerage transactions and discount brokerage transactions through the Merrill Edge platform. This partnership supports compliance with Section 3 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Regulation R.
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.
In the run-up to multiple votes around the world in 2016, including the United Kingdoms Brexit vote and the United States presidential election, social media companies like Facebook and Twitter systematically served large numbers of voters poor-quality information  indeed, often outright lies  about politics and public policy.

Though those companies have been widely criticised, the junk news  sensational stories, conspiracy theories, and other disinformation  flowed on through 2017.

While a growing number of country-specific fact-checking initiatives and some interesting new apps for evaluating junk news have emerged, system-wide, technical solutions do not seem to be on offer from the platforms. So how should we make social media safe for democratic norms?

We know that social media firms are serving up vast amounts of highly polarising content to citizens during referenda, elections, and military crises around the world.

During the 2016 US presidential election, fake news stories were shared on social media more widely than professionally produced ones, and the distribution of junk news hit its highest point the day before the election.

Other types of highly polarising content from Kremlin-controlled news organisations such as Russia Today and Sputnik, as well as repurposed content from WikiLeaks and hyper-partisan commentary packaged as news, were concentrated in swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Similar patterns occurred in France during the presidential election in April and May, in the UK during the general election in June, and in Germany throughout 2017 as the federal election in September approached.

Around the world, the coordinated effort to use social media as a conduit for junk news has fuelled cynicism, increased divisions between citizens and parties, and influenced the broader media agenda. The success of these efforts is reflected in the sheer speed with which they have spread.

As any epidemiologist knows, the first step toward controlling a communicable disease is to understand how it is transmitted.

Junk news is distributed through automation and the proprietary black box algorithms that determine what is and is not relevant news and information.

We call this computational propaganda, because it involves politically motivated lies backed by the global reach and power of social media platforms like Facebook, Google, and Twitter.

Throughout the recent elections in the Western democracies, social media firms actively chased ad revenue from political campaigns and distributed content without considering its veracity.

Indeed, Facebook, Google, and Twitter had staff embedded at Trumps digital campaign headquarters in San Antonio.

Foreign governments and marketing firms in Eastern Europe operated fake Facebook, Google, and Twitter accounts, and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on political advertisements that targeted voters with divisive messages.

To understand the how pervasive these problems are, we took an in-depth look at computational propaganda in nine countries  Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the United States  and a comparative look at 28 others.

We have also analysed the spread of computational propaganda during specific referenda and elections during the last year (and in the past, we have studied Mexico and Venezuela). Globally, the evidence doesnt bode well for democratic institutions.

One crucial finding is that social media platforms play a significant role in political engagement. Indeed, they are the primary vehicle by which young people develop their political identities.

In the worlds democracies, the majority of voters use social media to share political news and information, especially during elections. In countries where only small proportions of the public have regular access to social media, such platforms are still fundamental infrastructure for political conversation among journalists, civil-society leaders, and political elites.

Moreover, social media platforms are actively used to manipulate public opinion, though in diverse ways and on different topics.

In authoritarian countries, social media platforms are one of the primary means of preventing popular unrest, especially true during political and security crises.

Almost half of the political conversation over Russian Twitter, for example, is mediated by highly automated accounts.

The biggest collections of fake accounts are managed by marketing firms in Poland and Ukraine.

Among democracies, we find that social media platforms are actively used for computational propaganda, either through broad efforts at opinion manipulation or targeted experiments on particular segments of the public.

In Brazil, bots had a significant role in shaping public debate ahead of the election of former President Dilma Rousseff, during her impeachment in early 2017, and amid the countrys ongoing constitutional crisis. In every country, we found civil-society groups struggling to protect themselves and respond to active misinformation campaigns.

Facebook says that it will work to combat these information operations, and it has taken some positive steps. It has started to examine how governments use its platform to manipulate voters in democracies.

Before the French presidential election last spring, it removed some 30,000 fake accounts. It purged thousands more ahead of the British election in June, and then tens of thousands before last months German election.

But firms like Facebook now need to engineer a more fundamental shift from defensive and reactive platform tweaks to more proactive and imaginative ways of supporting democratic cultures.

With more critical political moments coming in 2018  Egypt, Brazil, and Mexico will all hold general elections, and strategists in the US are already planning for the midterm congressional election in November  such action is urgent.

Lets assume that authoritarian governments will continue to view social media as a tool for political control. But we should also assume that encouraging civic engagement, fostering electoral participation, and promoting news and information from reputable outlets are crucial to democracy.

Ultimately, designing for democracy, in systematic ways, would vindicate the original promise of social media.

Unfortunately, social media companies tend to blame their own user communities for what has gone wrong. Facebook still declines to collaborate with researchers seeking to understand the impact of social media on democracy, and to defer responsibility for fact-checking the content it disseminates.

Social media firms may not be creating this nasty content, but they provide the platforms that have allowed computational propaganda to become one of the most powerful tools currently being used to undermine democracy. If democracy is to survive, todays social media giants will have to redesign themselves.

Samantha Bradshaw is a researcher on the Computational Propaganda Project at the University of Oxford. Philip N Howard is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. Copyright: Project Syndicate, 2017. www.project-syndicate.org
Records show that civil servants viewed the meeting of the two political leaders, on the fringes of an EU summit in Brussels, in June, 1987, as an opportunity to re-establish good relations.

The pair had famously clashed at an Anglo-Irish summit in 1980, during Mr Haugheys first term as Taoiseach.

At their meeting in Brussels, Ms Thatcher described the political situation in Northern Ireland as terrible, because terrorism was continuing despite the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

She expressed horror at the enormous number of IRA murders in previous months and recalled how the British government had been led to believe that the security situation would improve following the agreement.

While the British prime minister restated her determination to implement the agreement, she said she could not stress enough how disaffected Unionists had become.

I did not expect the extent of this disaffection at the time I signed the agreement. I thought that the document had all the requisite guarantees upfront.

But it is not logic, but emotion, that governs their actions, she said.

She later remarked: The SDLP are not as helpful as they could be.

Mr Haughey reassured the British prime minister that the Irish government would handle the Anglo-Irish Agreement sensitively.

He also praised Ms Thatcher for being the first British leader to tell Unionists that there must be progress.

You have stood firm and that is an historic contribution to Anglo-Irish relations. You must not forget that, Mr Haughey said.

He acknowledged the high number of IRA incidents on soft targets, but stressed that cross-border security co-operation had improved.

Conscious of Irelands difficult economic circumstances at the time, Ms Thatcher said she realised that Mr Haughey might have problems with resources.

Jokingly, he responded by suggesting she could lend him 2bn.

A briefing note, in advance of the meeting, prepared for Mr Haughey, advised him that while Ms Thatcher was firmly committed to the Anglo-Irish Agreement, she could sometimes be self-righteous, not to say exasperating, in terms of her views on extradition and security co-operation.

It recalled she was originally sceptical about the agreement, due to the lack of any deep historical feel for Northern Ireland.

However, it said Ms Thatcher now had little or no understanding of the Unionists opposition to an agreement which she regarded as reasonable.

The author of the briefing document, Noel Dorr, the secretary general of the Department of Foreign Affairs, warned Mr Haughey to expect that she might preach at him about security issues.

Mr Dorr suggested that while the Taoiseach might wish to argue points to defend Irelands position, he could consider showing a measure of patience, which could have longer-term benefits.

Mr Dorr said this was the dilemma that the Irish side faced in meetings with Ms Thatcher, because of her personality and approach.
News Architects, Experts Slam Draft Law for Yangon City Development

A public event is held in front of City Hall, the headquarters of the Yangon City Development Committee, in downtown Yangon. / Myo Min Soe / The Irrawaddy

YANGONA new draft law governing the development of Yangon has been condemned by architects and urban planners, who say it lacks a long-term vision for Myanmars biggest city, as well as safeguards against conflicts of interest involving members of the citys development authority.

Yangon government-appointed experts and the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC), the municipal body, drafted the new YCDC Law following a request by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in late 2016. The law was intended to replace the existing 1922 City of Rangoon Municipal Act and to supplement the 2013 YCDC Law.

The YCDC is led by the mayor, who reports to Yangon Chief Minister U Phyo Min Thein. The committee comprises 9 members: the mayor, along with four government-appointed and four elected committee members. Since the National League for Democracy-led government came to power, however, no election has been held to select new committee members. For many years, the municipal body has been notorious for alleged corruption and failing to rein in unruly urbanization projects that have had negative consequences on the citys 5.2 million people due to a lack of systematic urban planning controls.

The draft was sent back to the Yangon Region Government in early December with remarks from a 31-member review committee, according to U Thein Myint, the secretary of the committee. The draft has not been made public yet.

Daw Nilar Kyaw, the Yangon Minister for Electricity, Industry, Roads and Communication, said the draft would be distributed to lawmakers in the Yangon Regional Parliament for discussion at the end of this month.

However, the contents of the draft drew criticism from professionals at a panel discussion held as part of the Architects Fair hosted by the Association of Myanmar Architects (AMA) in Yangon on Sunday.

We are not pleased with the draft, U Sun Oo, the president of the association, told the audience at the Our Vision of Yangon City discussion, adding that he had hoped for a better one.

One of the panelists, Daw Hla Su Myat, said: Frankly, I am not happy with the draft.

The architect said the new draft had weak provisions for managing urban projects in the city, while measures to prevent conflicts of interest involving YCDC members were nonexistent. Daw Hla Su Myat refused to discuss details of the draft, however, as it remains a restricted document.

I want the new draft to offer a clear vision of what we want Yangon to be, said the executive member of the AMA, who is also a Myanmar Architect Councils representative on the draft review committee.

The Drafts Provisions

The Irrawaddy managed to obtain a copy of the draft for review. It comprises 30 chapters. Unlike the 2013 law, the new one contains a separate chapter on YCDC committee member elections. However, none of this chapters 10 articles expressly prohibits an elected member from engaging in a conflict of interest, opening an opportunity for anyone in a high position to abuse their power for their own interests.

We want the restrictions included in the draft. Even the 1922 Act includes provisions to prevent [conflict of interest], said Daw Hla Su Myat.

Questions were also raised about Article 27, which authorizes the YCDC to form seven authorities with responsibility for Urban Planning; Building Regulations; Roads and Bridges; and Water Supply and Use, among others. The article dictates that each authority should comprise five members, overseen by a committee member, with participation from external experts and a department head. This article too fails to include any restrictions preventing conflicts of interest such as, for example, builders and other cronies of officials influencing the decisions of the authorities after being brought on board as external experts.

Another controversial issue was the formation of YCDC-run business parties responsible for construction, the service industry, recreation and others, a policy that is seen as squeezing out other parties seeking to do business in those sectors.

Lack of Public Consultation

While it would potentially impact the lives of Yangons 5.2 million residents, the YCDC draft fails to take public opinion into consideration, said U Maw Lin, vice chairman of the AMA.

It has to be open to public participation. The public has to be aware of what should be or should not be in the law. If necessary, the government should accommodate the publics views. They should have a say in [the development of] their city. What is happening now is very different, he said.

U Sun Oo said the draft should be based on a long-term vision for the city and include input from all stakeholders.

First, you have to keep in mind what kind of citycommercial or administrative, for exampleyou want, and the law has to support that vision, the AMA president said.

Daw Hla Su Myat recalled a meeting in June with experts from Singapore, who were invited to provide input in the drafting of the law.

They said they would be able to make suggestions upon learning details of our vision for the city. But a YCDC representative replied they wanted to reform the law, form authorities and do business, she said.

As a review committee member, she said, the AMAs representative had submitted recommendations for the draft but was not sure if they would appear in the final draft.

When asked the reason for the document being restricted, the architect said she had the same question: Why?

We voted overwhelmingly for this government. It should be transparent and consider public opinion when drafting a law like this one, to make it perfect, she added.

U Thein Myint, the secretary of the review committee, told The Irrawaddy that the committee had included its remarks in the amendments. However, the official refused to reveal what those recommendations were.

Its up to the government if they make any changes or not.

Yangon Mayor U Maung Maung Soe was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.
Burma Analysis: KIO Kicks Off New Year with New Leadership

Kachin Independence Army soldiers at Phare camp for Internally Displaced Persons in Kachin State in 2016. / The Irrawaddy

The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) has marked the new year with its first major leadership reshuffle since 2016.

As a member of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC), the KIO is one of the ethnic armed organizations that have yet to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).

General NBan La has been appointed chairman of the KIO, replacing Lanyaw Zawng Hra, who is retiring after more than a decade in charge to make way for a younger generation of leaders. Lanyaw Zawng Hra replaced General Lamung Tu Jai as KIO chairman when he died in 2006.

New leaders were appointed to five senior positions: KIO chairman, vice chairman 1 and 2, and deputy chairman 1 and 2 of the Kachin Independence Council (KIC).

Gen NBan Las appointment was largely expected, as the organizations vice chairman traditionally replaces the outgoing chairman.

His path to the top spot was cleared by the 2015 ouster of then-Vice Chairman Lieutenant General Gauri Zau Seng, ostensibly due to his age. Gen NBan La filled the vice chairman position the following year, presumably with an eye toward ascending to helm the KIO.

The appointment solidifies Gen NBan Las grip on power within the overall organization, as he is now chairman of both the KIO and KIC, as well as commander-in-chief of the KIOs armed wing, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA).

Gen NBan La is known for his ability to dispose of potential rivals within the KIO. The first occasion was in 2001, when he orchestrated the ouster of the then chairman, Lieutenant General Mali Zup Zau Mai, paving the way for Gen Lamung Tu Jais appointment. A second crackdown occurred on Jan. 7, 2004, at Pajau, the old KIO/A headquarters on the Chinese border. General NBan La, who was then KIA chief of staff, purged a handful of senior officers who had attempted a coup against him with the aim of replacing him with then intelligence chief, Colonel Lasang Aung Wah. Since that time, Gen NBan La has enjoyed been hailed by his subordinates as the savior and protector of the KIO/A.

Many Kachin observers now believe that having consolidated his leadership, Gen NBan La will lead the organization with a new, more military-oriented policy.

As part of the reshuffle, KIA chief of staff Lieutenant-General Gam Shawng, a former deputy chair 1 of the KIC, was promoted to vice chairman 1 of the KIO. Sumlut Gam, a former KIO chief negotiator, becomes vice chairman 2. Major General Gun Maw, formerly deputy chair 2 of the KIC, was promoted to deputy chair 1. Brigadier General Zong Buk Htan becomes deputy chair 2.

The shakeup was apparently implemented to create a new political landscape within the KIO and beyond.

Whats in Store for 2018?

According to a statement released by the KIO on Dec. 30, the group plans to consult the Kachin public and seek its input on a new set of policies.

After pulling out of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), the KIO allied itself with another set of ethnic armed groups in the FPNCC. Gen NBan La holds the position of deputy chair in the bloc. The FPNCC is an alliance comprising the United Wa State Party (UWSP), Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army-North (SSPP/SSA-N), Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Kokang Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Arakan Army (AA).

The KIO will continue to support the FPNCCs policy regarding Myanmars peace process. The bloc has said that if invited it would attend the third session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference initiated by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, scheduled to be held later this month, possibly next month. However, fighting between the Tatmadaw (Myanmars military) and the KIA has escalated of late, with no end in sight. Most recently, the Tatmadaw has staged attacks on several KIA battalions and outposts with ground forces, artillery and airstrikes, particularly in the amber-rich Tanai area in western Kachin State.

In fact, 2017, which the National League for Democracy-led government had promised would be a year of peace, turned out to be a year of suffering for many, with the government failing to address the Rakhine crisis and seemingly endless civil conflicts.

Once, while being interviewed by journalists after participating in the opening ceremony of the second session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference and privately meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Naypyidaw, Gen NBan La claimed that We [the KIO] never do an unsuccessful thing.

In 2018, we will have to wait and see whether he can lead the KIO to negotiate with the military and the government to bring peace to Kachin State.

Joe Kumbun is the pseudonym of a Kachin State-based analyst.
The Taj Mahal is the magnum opus of Mughal architecture standing since the 17th century. However, in the recent years the monument has seen an exponential upsurge in the number of visiting tourists. Sometimes during peak tourist seasons, the number of tourists crosses 60,000 to 70,000 per day.

Therefore, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), in a bid to preserve the monument has decided to put a cap on the number of visitors to 40,000 per day. The duration too is likely to be capped at three hours per person, a source in the culture ministry told PTI . Which means each ticket is going to be valid only for three hours. The cap is supposedly going to be implemented from January 20, however, there is no limit to foreigners visiting the site daily, reported Times of India.

As of now, there is no restriction on the number of people visiting the monument. But seeing the annual increase of 10 to 15 per cent in the average footfall, ASI has taken this decision.

The sale of both online and offline tickets will be stopped at 40,000 mark. The ASI is also likely to introduce a new system of issuing "zero-value" tickets to children under the age of 15 years in order to keep a count of such visitors, keeping their entry free.

The decision was based on the final recommendation of the National Environmental Engineering and Research Institute (NEERI) which was commissioned by the ASI to prepare a report on the monuments load-bearing capacity.
In the Rakhine Parliament, nine seats are held by the NLD, three by the USDP, 21 by the ANP, one by an independent and 12 are reserved for the military.

In early December 2017, Rakhine State Parliament formed an investigation team to look into whether the minister had failed to perform his duties , as lawmakers claimed.

In November 2017, 17 members of the state Parliament from the Arakan National Party (ANP), the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) lodged a complaint against U Min Aung that claimed that the minister had not properly consulted on the state budget.

U Min Aung, who also serves as spokesman for the state government, was appointed by the National League for Democracy to serve as regional municipal affairs minister two years ago.

However, U San Kyaw Hla, the state Lower House speaker, stopped him and said that as he was no longer the minister he did not have permission to issue a complaint. The speaker added that the decision was made according to the law and that the investigation team had carried out its duties lawfully.

Minister U Min Aung tried to explain during the session on Tuesday that information collected by an investigation team looking into his performance was unlawful.

During the parliamentary session, the proposal to impeach the minister passed with 37 of a possible 45 votes, the other eight opposed.

Rakhine State Parliament voted to strip state Municipal Affairs Minister U Min Aung of his duties on Tuesday.

KNPP Says 4 of Its Troops Executed While in Army Detention

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

KNPP Claims Member Saw Army Execute 4 of His Colleagues Before Escaping

China, Pakistan to Look at Including Afghanistan in $57 Billion Economic Corridor

Journalists Appear in Court after 15 Days of Interrogation

Cambodias Hun Sen Vows to Stay in Power for at Least Another 10 Years

36 Fishermen Still Missing One Week After Stormy Weather in Pyapon

Calling for Justice: The Prison Death of an NLD Leader

Analysis: Prospects for Peace in the New Year

Ten Things to Do in Yangon This Week

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News Detained Cambodian Opposition Leader Calls for Free and Fair Vote

Buddhist monks walk past a banner of opposition leader and President of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) Kem Sokha at the party's headquarters in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, November 17, 2017. / Reuters

PHNOM PENH  Cambodias detained opposition leader Kem Sokha called for free and fair elections in the Southeast Asian country in a New Years message on Monday.

Kem Sokha, head of the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was arrested in September.

He is accused of trying to overthrow the government of strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen with American help and of espionage  charges he denies and says are politically motivated.

In a two-page letter read by his daughter Kem Monovithya and posted on Facebook on Monday, Kem Sokha said Cambodia faces losing aid and its export markets abroad as well as condemnation by the international community after the CNRPs dissolution.

Leave an opportunity for people to choose leadership representatives through an election that is free and fair, Kem Sokha said, calling for national unity and non-violence to solve the political crisis.

His message comes amid an ongoing crackdown by Cambodias government on critics, civil society groups and independent media that rights group say amounts to the destruction of democracy.

Kem Sokhas CNRP was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November at the request of the government. The decision also banned more than 100 opposition lawmakers from politics.

That prompted the European Union and the United States to withdraw their support of the 2018 election.

Cambodia will hold a general election on July 29. Hun Sen has vowed to extend his more than 30 years in power by at least another decade.

Kem Sokha said 2017 was marked by big political crises that led to a democracy walked backward.

A spokesman from Hun Sens ruling party, Sok Eysan said there was little interest in Kem Sokhas new year message, adding that opposition politicians could create a new party.

They have the political rights as citizens  to create a new party to compete, Sok Eysan told Reuters.
News Five Sued for Protest Against Alleged Military Executions

Protesters gather in Loikaw, Kayah State, on Dec. 22 to condemn the militarys alleged execution of four people, including three KNPP soldiers, two weeks ago. / Kantarawaddy Times

YANGON  Five Karenni men are being sued for protesting against the Tatmadaws alleged execution two weeks ago of four people, including three Karenni soldiers, and ordered to appear at the Loikaw Township court in Kayah (Karenni) State on Friday.

The five, members of the Union of Karenni State Youth (UKSY) and the Karenni State Farmers Union, led the Dec. 22 protest against the alleged execution of three Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) soldiers and a civilian two days earlier.

About 15 people protested for about an hour in downtown Loikaw, rallying in front of the militarys Regional Operations Command, the state Parliament, the state government office and other locations, shouting slogans and condemning the Tatmadaw.

Loikaw Township police Captain Win Htay said the protesters had violated the Peaceful Assembly Law by failing to inform police of their plans 48 hours in advance.

They should have informed us in accordance with Article 4 of the Peaceful Assembly Law so that we could help them clear the route and provide security and avoid any danger. Because they violated it, we have to sue them within 15 days of the day of the protest, so we did, he told The Irrawaddy.

Dee De, one of the five protest leaders, said the police informed them of the lawsuit on Saturday but stood by their decision to demonstrate.

The killing and burning of the bodies of the victims are war crimes, Dee De said, calling it the worst case of murder by the military in the state since the country started on its democratic transition seven years ago.

The UKSY issued a statement on Sunday that labeled the deaths murder and called on the Tatmadaw and state government to find justice for the victims families.

UKSY Secretary Khun Bernard told The Irrawaddy that the state government and Tatmadaw, which is investigating the deaths, need to take responsibility for any crimes.

We want a just resolution of the incident, he said.

The KNPP claims the civilian and three KNPP soldiers were detained when troops from the Tatmadaws Regional Operations Commanded raided the KNPPs camp in Loikaw on Dec. 20. It says the military executed them at the camp and burned their bodies back at their base. The military claims the four were killed in a firefight during the raid.

The KNPP accuses the Tatmadaw of violating the bilateral ceasefire agreement it signed with the government in 2012.

It called for a tribunal including international legal experts to investigate the case and take action against anyone found to have committed a crime.

The Tatmadaws internal tribunal team, led by Brigadier General Aung Khine Soe from the militarys Eastern Command, heard testimony from the KNPP and others last week.

The KNPP presented its version of events at a press conference in Loikaw on Sunday, including a recording from Maung Lar, a KNPP soldier whom the armed groups claims witnessed the executions, escaped, and was now at an undisclosed location for his safety.

KNPP Second Secretary Shwe Myo Thant said the incident jeopardized ongoing negotiations between his group and government over the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). The KNPP is a member of the United Nationalities Federal Council, an alliance of armed groups yet to sign up to the deal.

We have already said that we would follow the NCA path, but the negotiations are still going on, he said. It may look like the peace process is moving slowly. Thats mainly because we do not want to exchange what we want for our basic rights cheaply.

He said the KNPP has shared its information on the deaths with the governments peace negotiators, including the offices of State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Tatmadaw Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
Tuesday, January 2nd, 2018 (12:08 am) - Score 7,741

Over the past couple of years theres been a ferocious debate in the United Kingdom over the question of how fixed line broadband providers should advertise their service speeds and this got us to thinking, how do other countries advertise line speeds? Lets take a look.

Until recently the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) required that any headline speed being promoted by an ISP must be achievable by at least 10% of their customers (i.e. the fastest 10th percentile) and these figures should be preceded by an up to qualifier, as well as an explanation of any limitations that may hamper the connection.

However the ASA has now proposed a significant change (here), which would require broadband ISPs to display an average (median) download speed measured at busy peak times (i.e. 8pm to 10pm). The proposal would effectively reflect the average (median) speed of a particular package. All of this made us wonder whether other countries advertised fixed broadband speeds in the same way.

Firstly, we should point out that service speeds can be influenced by all sorts of different factors (network congestion, poor home wiring, WiFi signal strength etc.) and technology choice is one of the biggest differentiators. The most common fixed line broadband technologies in the United Kingdom are as follows.

Primary UK Home Broadband Technologies ADSL2+

Theoretical Peak Speed: 24Mbps download / 1.4Mbps upload Coverage: Nearly universal coverage and used by just under half of fixed broadband connections Performance Caveats: Too many to mention, although the main issue tends to be signal degradation over copper line distance (i.e. the longer the line from a telephone exchange, the slower its speed). ADSL2+ performance is notoriously variable, with some people getting under 1-2Mbps and others achieving close to 20Mbps (youre unlikely to get much above c.20Mbps on ADSL2+ in the UK). Fibre-to-the-Cabinet (FTTC / VDSL2)

Theoretical Peak Speed: 80Mbps download / 20Mbps upload* Coverage: Available to around 90% of premises and used by roughly a quarter of fixed broadband connections Performance Caveats: Similar variety of problems to ADSL2+, except the VDSL2 service is more reliable as the local street cabinet is fuelled by a fibre optic line closer to your home. Nevertheless the same issue with signal degradation over copper line distance (between cabinet and homes) does still occur. Performance can thus be highly variable but its usually a big improvement on ADSL2+. * VDSL2 could in theory push to 100Mbps+ (download) but for various technical reasons its capped at 80Mbps in the UK, except via some altnets. A newer VDSL2-Vplus standard can even do 300Mbps but in the UK this has been skipped in favour of G.fast. Cable (DOCSIS / EuroDOCSIS)

Theoretical Peak Speed: 350Mbps download / 20Mbps upload* Coverage: Available to over 50% of premises and used by less than a quarter of fixed broadband connections Performance Caveats: Most performance issues are usually the result of Virgin Media oversubscribing their capacity in specific locations, network faults or incorrect power levels for individual properties. Otherwise cable speeds should deliver close to their advertised rate. * This is the current peak speed set by Virgin Medias residential service, although DOCSIS itself can theoretically do Gigabit speeds and future upgrades (DOCSIS 3.1) will support this. Fibre-to-the-Premises / Home (FTTP/H)

Theoretical Peak Speed: 1Gbps download / 1Gbps upload (1000Mbps)* Coverage: Available to around 3% of premises and take-up isnt yet high enough to make an impact. Performance Caveats: Nothing worth mentioning. Limited network capacity and external hardware restrictions are more likely to reduce the top speeds than anything on the technology itself. * 1Gbps symmetric tends to be the fastest residential FTTP/H service offered by ISPs in the UK, although this is more of an economic restriction and Scientists are still trying to figure out the limits of optical fibre (multi-Terabit speeds are already possible).

Naturally other countries will adopt a different mix of broadband technologies. For example, Sweden is dominated by FTTP/H with less than 20% on Cable and 30% taking VDSL (FTTC) or ADSL. By comparison Italy is almost entirely ADSL / VDSL based, although they do have a growing FTTP/H market.

The following chart is an extract from the recent EU Broadband Process Report 2017, which offers a simplified overview of fixed broadband technology by country and market share in the European Union. We will be looking outside of the EU too but this still gives a good indication of how the market shares differ by technology.

Obviously it would take us a very long time to examine all of the countries in the EU or even the world and so instead weve decided to focus on a smaller cross-section, which weve chosen because they all reflect different markets and deployment scenarios. A few of these countries are closer to the UK model than others and to save time were only going to look at some of the largest ISPs in each market.

Most of those we picked also use the Latin alphabet, which makes our translation work easier and less prone to error. However we did have to leave out a fair few ISPs because we couldnt find any clear details of their packages, usually due to difficulties with the language translation.

Sample Packages from Domestic ISPs

Take note that all of the data for this article was gathered during July  August 2017 and we generally only picked a couple of packages from each provider (the cheapest and fastest options). Now lets kick things off by looking at our closest neighbour.

France

Generally speaking, France is dominated by ADSL and hybrid fibre VDSL technologies, although they have a rapidly growing base of FTTP/H/B services in major cities. We found that FTTP/H/B services advertised peak package speeds (no up to or averages) and the same was true for their ADSL options, which promoted 20Mbps for downloads and 1Mbps for uploads.

The exception was Orange, which promoted their ADSL and VDSL services without even mentioning a headline speed.

Orange  Jet Fibre 500Mbps down  200Mbps up  33.99 Orange  Zen ADSL / VDSL No speed stated  19.99 SFR (ADSL2+) 20Mbps down  1Mbps up  24.99 SFR (Fibre) 1Gbps down  100Mbps up  24.99

Flick over the page for more countries and some analysis..
"These days a number of reforms are being brought in. The Triple Talaq Bill is one of them," Naqvi, who is the Minority Affairs Minister, told reporters in New Delhi. "The Congress takes one step forward and then 10 steps backward. The party is confused on triple talaq," he said. "The Muslim women are happy, but I don't know why the Congress is sad."

The Minister's remarks came just before the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2017 was listed for consideration and passage in the Rajya Sabha, when the House meets after a three-day break. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday last week.

The Narendra Modi government lacks a majority in the Upper House and is making all the efforts for the Bill's smooth passage by reaching out to the Opposition parties.

According to sources in the Congress, Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened a meeting of the leaders of his party as well as other parties in his Parliament chamber today, before the Bill is scheduled to be taken up in Rajya Sabha.

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 when it's taken up.

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.

In Lok Sabha last week, the Congress and some other parties had demanded that the Bill should be sent to the Standing Committee, but the government rejected their demand. The amendments to the bill moved by the opposition were also rejected.

Senior Communist Party of India leader D Raja today said that the Left wants the Triple Talaq Bill to be referred to the Select Committee and accused the government of "bypassing the committees" on crucial bills.

"As far as Left parties are concerned, we want this bill to be referred to the Select Committee. But the BJP-led NDA government is bypassing the committee system," Raja said. "They are saying don't send bills to the Standing Committee for closer scrutiny. When it comes to Rajya Sabha, we will demand that it should be sent to the Select Committee," he said.
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Neil Thompson | (Informed Comment) |  

Surpass Britain and catch up with America was one of the more idealistic slogans put about by Mao Zedong after he reunited China back into one country again in 1949. Though it would ultimately fall to his successor Deng Xiaoping to plant Chinas feet back on the path to international economic greatness (Mao would substitute political rhetoric too often for economics to see his own vision realised), the Great Helmsmans vision of a China restored to greatness has guided every generation of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leaders since, perhaps most especially its energetic current leader, President (and General Secretary of the CCP) Xi Jinping.

The present Chinese leader is a committed Chinese nationalist who would like to be remembered as the man who made China the worlds dominant economic and military power. But he is also a subtle and populist politician, one who stresses the need to look beyond changes in GDP to prosaic ways of improving the day to day lives of ordinary Chinese people (such as his toilet revolution). During his era fighting corruption, curbing domestic pollution, and positioning China as a responsible global stakeholder on issues like the Paris climate accords have all been used to soften an otherwise flinty image into something more statesman-like. A top-down micro-manager, President Xi has vigorously pursued his vision of a China Dream at home as well as abroad, in the form of giant infrastructure projects that his team hopes will cement Chinas influence overseas while simultaneously absorbing some of Chinas huge number of graduates (whose volatility the CCP still remembers).

What Chairman Mao himself would have made of President Xis China in the second decade of the twenty-first century will never be known, but perhaps he would have enjoyed the statistics economists are now reeling off about Chinas economic performance. Though it has often come at a price, Maos dream seems to be on the verge of realisation these days. China is rapidly catching up to American levels of economic productivity which, when combined with the countrys enormous (albeit aging) population, has it overtaking the American economy in terms of GDP size before 2030.

Of course this doesnt mean that China is going to supplant America as the default world leader overnight. For one thing between 2017-2037 Chinas elderly population is going to double from 10 percent to 20 percent of the population, putting an enormous fiscal strain on the central governments pretty threadbare welfare system if it doesnt reform (an invitation to more social unrest), and constraining its ability to goose the Chinese economy with a fiscal stimulus in hard times if it does. Meanwhile, per capita the average American will still be far better off than the average Chinese citizen, even in 2030. Nonetheless, the Chinese leadership has clearly been doing something right, whilst Americas politicians remain trapped in gridlock and partisan squabbling.

Vision is part of the US problem, with the Trump administration seemingly more focused on tearing up its predecessors legacy than it is on articulating a coherent path to the future. Trump, who admires populist strongmen like Xi, has apparently formed a strong personal bond with the Chinese leader. In turn President Xi has been happy to flatter the US Presidents ego, whilst offering little by way of concrete concessions over issues that matter to Washington like North Korea. A trade war over this, or other issues seems to be looming, as both sides seem keen for a test of strength, which may sour things between Xi and Trump for the remainder of the laters term, or merely cement their respect for each other as strong.

Domestically, with pollution having become a major engine of social unrest as China has modernised, the issue has prompted President Xi expand his crackdown on corruption in other directions, noticeably against local officials who flout central government directives. The new National Supervision Committee (NSC) is a national unit that will work alongside the Communist partys Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI), the traditional anti-graft watchdog. The Economist recounts how agents from the new unit were dispatched with safety officials on their tours of inspection. Previously ignored by polluters, the safety inspectors found the presence of officials from the NSC terrified local officials and businessmen into shutting down the worst factories before disciplinary action could be taken against them.

Regardless, many offenders are now facing being hit with fines and criminal offenses as a result of their emissions. It is all part of an increasing effort by Chinas top leadership to Go Green after decades of focus on economic growth above all. Prompted at first by fears of social unrest and the environmental consequences of careless pollution Chinas leadership is increasingly interested in using green technology as the next step in its industrial development. For example, with electric cars rapidly becoming cheaper than traditional gasoline powered vehicles in many markets, China is stealing a march on its rivals by becoming the largest market for manufacturers. Beijing already leads the world in its manufacture and use of solar power and other renewable energy sources. It could soon be the largest manufacturers of modern vehicles as well.

Interestingly, under Xi China is also building the worlds most advanced carbon trading system and solar highways to generate electricity, which clearly shows were Beijing believes the future lies. China currently produces 78 gigawatts of solar power and is aiming for 105 by 2020. Embarrassingly for America, China also remained in the Paris Agreement when President Trump withdrew from the Obama-era international agreement, deflecting attention from Chinas own actions on climate change at a stroke. Despite the air pollution that still hurts its efforts, the nation remains the worlds leading solar energy producer by quite some margin and China also gets 4 percent of its energy from wind power, of which it is one of the top three global markets.

Today, in scenes which would surely warm Mao Zedongs heart if he could see them, President Xi Jinping is even talked of as a possible mediator to bring the United States back into the fold of the international environmental movement it helped create and lead. Certainly going green has done more to win Chinas leadership the international accolades and respectability Beijing still craves than shouting revolutionary slogans ever did. It may be that by taking the lead on the environment, Beijing has found the next political and economic vision that will sustain it into the middle of the 21st century once Maos famous dictum of catching up with America has been achieved.



Neil Thompson is a freelance writer who has lived and traveled extensively through East Asia and the Middle East. He holds an MA in the International Relations of East Asia from Durham University, and is now based in London.

-

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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

In some ways, the United States faces a more favorable foreign policy environment in 2018 than it has in some years, with regard to facts on the ground. Ironically, some of the more severe challenges emanate not from objective conditions abroad but from the erratic and often insular views of President Donald Trump. Other threats come from putative US allies.

The Middle East is not very important to the US by most objective measures. We only do $220 bn in trade with 47 Muslim-majority countries, with only Iraq standing out among them as our 6th-largest trading party (Bush and Cheney finally got their petroleum imports from that country). With the onrush of green energy and the prospect of electric vehicles replacing internal combustion ones over the next decade and a half, the relative importance of the Middle East to US trade will decline radically over the next 15 years. In contrast, we do $579 bn in trade a year with China alone. And we do about $1.1 trillion in trade with Europe. We are up to 15% renewable energy in the US, and when it is 100% and we all have electric cars, most of us wont care more about the Middle East than we do about South America (about which we almost never hear on the news except for uppity Venezuela, which also has petroleum).

The far, far right wing Israeli governments increasingly brazen colonization and annexation of the Palestinian West Bank is causing a great deal of trouble. Trump is encouraging them in this dangerous course. As the promises of Oslo recede, the two state solution has become definitively unrealistic. There really are only a few end games possible here. Either there can be a South Africa-style Apartheid regime, with the Israeli army ruling stateless Palestinians for many decades; or the Palestinians could be ethnically cleansed, in which case over time Europe would likely pick up several million new residents; or there could be a binational federal state of what Moammar Gaddafi used to call Isratine. The first, a long-term Apartheid, is the most likely near to medium term outcome, given the weakness of the Palestinians and of their so-called allies and given that the superpowers either actively support Israel in this scheme or are unwilling to expend political capital to halt it. But Apartheid is also the least stable outcome and will continue to feed anti-Americanism and terrorism. Trumps especial coddling of the expansionist and authoritarian Israeli far right, paralleled only by his esteem for Vladimir Putin, is extremely dangerous in this context. Ironically, the colonization project in the West Bank strengthens Iran in the region, so Israel creates its own worst enemy.

Although the Washington think tanks and the Trumpian circle in DC are obsessed with Irans influence in the Middle East, they are exaggerating. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, the West Bank, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and Turkey are entirely independent of Iran and Tehran has almost no influence in any of them where it is not actively despised. Iran is influential in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. But Lebanon is a small country of 4 million with no hydrocarbons and a gross domestic product of $50 bn. (similar to Bulgaria and Croatia). And it isnt exactly hostile to the US, despite a cabinet that tilts toward Hizbullah and Iran (some of these politicians are Christians). Syria is a small war-racked country of 18 million and 11 million internal refugees, has no resources to speak of, has an army of perhaps 50,000 men and is just not important. Iraq is the only important asset of Iran by the economics and demography, but it is simultaneously an American ally with a 6,000-strong American troop presence and a US command.

Although the inside-the-Beltway people are always shouting about Iranian backing of terrorism, it is difficult to discern any Iran-backed terrorism of any significance in the past decade. The trick is that the Wonks consider the Iraqi militias (alongside whom US forces fought ISIL in Iraq) and Hizbullah (the major activities of which have been to fight in Syria, often against al-Qaeda and ISIL) as terrorists. The US corporations have been defunding public education so that the American public cannot tell the difference between Sunni or Shiite and when they hear Iranian terrorism they assume that Tehran is blowing up Paris.

Iran for some reason is a useful bogeyman, but it has a military budget the size of Singapores and it is difficult to see any way in which it significantly affects US interests in the region in any negative way. Israel and Saudi Arabia see it as a budding regional hegemon and are afraid of it, but many of their concerns are vapor and paranoia, or mere reflections of their own actions. They keep complaining about Iranian influence in Yemen, but little is visible while Saudi Arabia and Trump have bombed that poor country back to the stone ages. So who is having the significant impact on Yemen? And despite the propaganda making Hamas ten feet tall, it isnt as close to Iran as it used to be and it is signalling that it has failed to administer Gaza and is negotiating to have the secular PLO come back in and take over. The Palestinians of Gaza are two million poverty-stricken captives of the Israelis, who keep them in an open air prison and they pose no significant challenge to Israel, Iranian help or no.

In 2014, security in the Fertile Crescent collapsed with the rise of the phony caliphate of the so-called Islamic State group, or ISIL or Daesh. A lot of breathless pundits made this emergence of a rogue state more important than it was. I called it a flash in the pan from the beginning. The Iraqi government was not going to cede 40% of its territory to 25,000 extremists hyper-Wahhabis. Damascus was not as much in a hurry to take back the distant and unimportant eastern desert from ISIL, especially since it was fighting other rebels, but it wouldnt leave them there forever. Moreover, the regional and international security environment was unfriendly to ISIL survival. Iran did not want it there. Russia did not want it there. The United States and NATO did not want it there.

ISIL also gets the 2018 Darwin Award for stupidest human organization on earth (and it has a lot of competition). It is a terrorist organization and attacked Paris and Brussels. But it was also a state with a return address. Terrorist organizations are weak, and terrorist tactics are a sign of weakness. The only advantage they have is that they do not have a return address, so they can strike much stronger foes and then fade away. (The US never has found Ayman al-Zawahiri, who killed nearly 3,000 Americans, though for reasons known only to Washington there doesnt seem to be a manhunt for him.) But the Daesh leaders announced a capital, and had a state house where they met, and *then* they attacked Paris with terrorism. What do you think France would do to them (and French fighter jets played a bigger role in rolling up Daesh in eastern Syria than was usually reported)? Hence, Darwin award. It has devolved back into a terrorist organization and hasnt disappeared, but its resources have diminished by 98% and those policy wonks in DC who hope to go on making a living analyzing it should start studying Korean or something.

The US has largely ceded Syria to Russia as a sphere of influence, and Russia gives every sign of settling in for a long military presence there. This is a defeat for those in Washington who wanted regime change in Damascus, but it is not clear that it adversely affects US security per se. The Baath regime or the al-Assad family fief is weak. Syria has no resources to speak of (it was pumping 400,000 barrels a day of petroleum in the good old days, but that is like the Bakken fracked field in the US. Saudi Arabia has don 11 and 12 million barrels a day).

The one bit of unfinished business of the US in Syria is the 2,000 special operations forces embedded with the left-anarchist YPG Kurds in the Jazira region and now Raqqa province. Damascus will want the Jazira back, since it is prime farmland, and besides, states resist loss of territory. Turkey doesnt want the YPG to control territory because Ankara sees them as an affiliate of the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), which Turkey and the US view as a terrorist organization. The YPG is not without links to the PKK but they arent the same and dont have a common line of command, and the US doesnt agree with Turkeys analysis.

The best case scenario for the leftist Kurds is that Syria moves away from a French-style unitary state to a form of less centralized federalism. The Kurds might be able to live with a Federal Syria where they have a lot of regional prerogatives. Russia has made noises about this sort of settlement but it is resisted by the Baath Party, which is an old Stalinist-style one-party state (though in tatters after the civil war).

The Syrian Kurds were dealt a serious blow by the Iraqi government reassertion in Kirkuk and its boycott along some dimensions (air travel e.g.) of the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq. The Kurds in general have been weakened. And Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan is waging a violent war of suppression against Turkish Kurds.

It will be very difficult for the US to retain troops in northeastern Syria in the long and perhaps even the medium term, and that they might be hit in a 1983 Beirut-style attack cannot be ruled out.

The Dawa (the Shiite Islamic Call) Party in Iraq is firmly allied with Iran. Trumpian, Saudi and Israeli hopes of delinking the two are forlorn. Neither the Sunni Arab population (which may be only 15% of the country) nor the Kurds (22%?) are a match for the Iraqi national army and its Shiite militia auxiliaries and Iranian advisers. The Iraqi Shiites have come out of the last three years stronger than ever before and have no obvious challengers. Whether they are up to the challenge of uniting Iraq is unclear, and it is that question the raises security concerns for the US.

If you did not assume that US interests in the Middle East required rolling back the regional influence of Iran, the situation would not obviously be alarming. Syria is economically and geopolitically unimportant. Iraq has turned insular (save for Iraqi Shiite militia activity in Syria in support of the regime), and if what the US wants is for Iraq to produce its 3 mn. barrels a day of petroleum, they can probably be relied upon to do so. I love Lebanon but it is poorly governed and its government is weak and it is not a challenge to the US in any way, despite Hizbullah political influence.

Among the biggest challenges in the region is the continued lack of Foreign Direct Investment and consequent high unemployment among members of the youth bulge, which help account for some of the turmoil the area has seen in recent years. Another is the tendency toward authoritarianism, in Egypt, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, a tendency that is like putting a lid with no escape valve on a pressure cooker. Trumps love of strong men militates against his ability to ameliorate that situation.



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We should keep a close eye on the increase in strike volume, as it does suggest a more aggressive approach, but its not yet clear to me that it represents a truly gloves off approach, said Luke Hartig, a former counterterrorism advisor in the Obama administration and now a fellow at the New America Foundation, a US thinktank.

Hartig told the Bureau he was concerned that there had not been any significant public explanation of what the US government was now trying to achieve: we dont have any real basis to assess, for example, why strikes have doubled in Somalia, or if any of these operations are being conducted in direct support of partner forces on the ground rather than as unilateral actions against the threats we face as a nation.

The Trump administration paved the way for the dramatic increase in the number of strikes in Yemen and Somalia when, in March this year, it was reported that parts of both countries had been exempted from targeting rules brought in by Obama to prevent civilian casualties.

In 2013, Obama introduced measures that meant that strikes in areas of countries that were not active war-zones, such as Pakistan and Yemen, had to go through an elaborate sign-off process with the White House.

The Trump administration effectively side-stepped the restrictions by declaring parts of Somalia and Yemen to be areas of active hostilities.

General Thomas Waldhauser, the man in charge of US military operations throughout Africa, told journalists in April 2017 that though he now had leeway to order strikes without clearing them with the White House, he would be retaining the criteria introduced by Obama that a strike could only happen if there was a near-certainty that no civilians would be harmed.

In Somalia, the Obama administration had officially designating the al Shabaab group as an al Qaeda affiliate at the end of November 2016, essentially widening who could be targeted. But there was no increase in strikes until July 2017, with all but 2 of this years 32 strikes carried out since then.

In Yemen, 30 strikes hit within a month of the declaration being reported  nearly as many as the whole of 2016.

In August, President Trump announced his South Asia strategy. The new plan deepened Americas commitment in Afghanistan, with additional troops deployed and an increase in strikes.

US strikes accounted for 177 civilian casualties in the first nine months of the year, up from 97 in the same period the previous year, the UN mission in Afghanistan found.

But as air operations in Afghanistan have intensified, and with indications civilian casualties are on the up, US transparency appears to have decreased. In September 2016, Resolute Support, the Nato mission through which the US conducts its operations in Afghanistan, started providing us with monthly data on strikes. However the flow of this crucial information has stopped as of October 2017.

Meanwhile, in Pakistan, Trumps speech announcing the new Afghan strategy prompted further speculation that drones would return to the skies of Pakistan. We can no longer be silent about Pakistans safe haven for terrorist organisations, he said. At its height in 2010, the CIA drone programme hit 128 targets. Strikes fell with each passing year after that, falling to just three in 2016.

The Bureau counted fives strikes in Pakistan in 2017. At least four air operations were reported along the Afghan-Pakistan border in October and November, although it was unclear on what side of the border they fell.
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Dina Khapaeva | (Project Syndicate) |  

As much of the world makes amends for social and political injustices of the past, Russia is lionizing its despots, raising statues to the worst of them. Behind this phenomenon is an ultra-nationalist brand of conservatism that seeks to take Russian politics back to the Middle Ages.

As much of the world makes amends for social and political injustices of the past, Russia is lionizing its despots, raising statues to the worst of them. Behind this phenomenon is an ultra-nationalist brand of conservatism that seeks to take Russian politics back to the Middle Ages.

ATLANTA  While much of the world is busy dismantling monuments to oppressors, Russians are moving in the opposite direction, erecting statues to medieval warlords who were famous for their despotism. Understanding this revival can shed light on the direction of Russias politics.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ultra Lithium Inc. (TSX-V:ULI) (ULI or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with CADAVISA TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION (CTC) of Beijing, China to cooperate in lithium extraction and production using CTCs proprietary technology. CTC uses selective separation methods through crystallization processes to produce battery grade lithium carbonate. CTC is constructing a plant in China with a capacity of 25,000 tonnes/year battery grade lithium carbonate.

CTC is closely associated with Chemical Engineering College of Tsinghua University and lithium-ion battery production industries in China. CTC has completed numerous production tests with both spodumene and brine lithium materials. According to CTC its technology has been proven to be economically viable and environmentally friendly.

Under the terms of Phase 1 of the MOU ULI will provide assay results from its brine and spodumene lithium projects for CTC to evaluate. ULI will also provide CTC with dried brine and spodumene pegmatite raw materials to conduct trial production. All trial production results and data shall be shared by and belong to the two parties on a confidential basis. All products from trial production will belong to ULI.

Subject to the successful completion of Phase 1 ULI and CTC, will consider entering into a definitive cooperation agreement which may include, but is not limited to, participation by CTC in equity financing of ULI; investments in joint projects, building a processing plant in Argentina and/or Canada and granting CTC priority for potential supplies of lithium concentrates and/or raw materials.

Dr. Weiguo Lang, CEO of Ultra Lithium, stated that, We are very pleased to be entering into this MOU. It is a step forward toward Ultra Lithiums goal to transform into a vertically integrated lithium company, exploring high quality lithium projects in the upstream, producing lithium concentrates and developing strong relationships downstream with lithium end users.

Qualified Person

The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Afzaal Pirzada, P.Geo., a qualified person, as defined by NI 43-101 who works as Vice President Exploration of the Company.
Peggy Haddock, Williamsburg County Farm Bureau Womens Committee Chair, received a special achievement award on behalf of Williamsburg County from SCFB State Womens Leadership Committee Chair Frances Price during the organizations 74th annual meeting held recently in Myrtle Beach. Photo Provided
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.


By Lalit K Jha

Washington, Jan 2 (PTI) The US-led international sanctions and "other pressures" are beginning to have a big impact on the authoritarian North Korean regime, President Donald Trump said today.

South Korea today proposed holding high-level talks with Pyongyang after the North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un, during his annual New Year address, called for a breakthrough in relations and said Pyongyang might attend the 2018 Winter Olympics to be held in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang.

Trump in November declared North Korea a state sponsor of terrorism, a move that allows the US administration to impose additional sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear and missile programmes.

"Sanctions and other pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea," he said in a tweet.

"Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea. Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for the first time. Perhaps that is a good news, perhaps not - we will see!," Trump said, in his first major reaction to the recent efforts of talks between North and South Korea.

South Korea offered to hold talks with North Korea after the latters leader Kim Jong-Un said that he was considering sending a delegation to its neighbour for the Winter Olympics.

"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," Kim said.

The New York Times said that such a move by the North Korean leader "could drive a wedge" between the US and South Korea.

"Hours after Mr Kims speech, Mr Moons office welcomed the Norths proposal, in a way that could further aggravate tensions with the United States," the daily said.

Park Soo-hyun, a presidential spokesman in South Korea said: "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".

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon welcomed the North Korean offer.

"The North will have its own objectives for coming to talks, if it accepts our proposal. But considering Kim Jong-Un mentioned the possibility of North Korea participating in the Winter Games, we expect the North to be prepared for that topic, and although we will seek to discuss other topics, the Winter Olympics will be the priority," he told reporters in Seoul.

North Korea had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile which travelled about 1,000 km before splashing down in the Sea of Japan, within Japans exclusive economic zone. PTI LKJ CPS
An event marking the 200th anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle in Pune yesterday ended on a bad note after riots broke out at a Dalit rally, killing at least one person.

Reports have it that some local groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the "British victory". Violence broke out after a local group got into an argument with a crowd on its way to the Koregaon Bhima battle memorial in Shiroor tehsil.

Riots at the Koregaon-Bhima battle anniversary event. Source: ANI/Twitter Riots at the Koregaon-Bhima battle anniversary event. Source: ANI/Twitter

Incidents of stone-pelting and vandalism were also reported.

"Stone-pelting started after the argument. During the violence, some vehicles and a house in the vicinity were damaged," a PTI report quotes a police officer deployed for security at Bhima Koregaon.

Source: ANI/Twitter Source: ANI/Twitter

One person was reported to have died in the violence. His identity and how exactly he died is not known yet.

Police stopped traffic on the Pune-Ahmednagar highway for sometime following the incident, bringing the situation under control.

Source: ANI/Twitter Source: ANI/Twitter

"More police personnel, including companies of the State Reserve Police Force, have been deployed," the officer said.

Section 144 had been imposed around the Koregaon Bhima park in Pune as a precautionary measure before the riots broke out.

After the riot, 49 people were booked on the charges of violence and arson.

Dalit groups commemorating 200th anniversary of the Battle of Bhima Koregaon attacked; 49 people booked for violence and arsonMore videos: https://t.co/NounxnP7mg #ITVideo pic.twitter.com/F93sdMFX9Z - India Today (@IndiaToday) January 2, 2018

WHY VIOLENCE BROKE OUT OVER THE KOREGAON-BHIMA BATTLE ANNIVERSARY

The Koregaon Bhima battle (aka Bhima Koregaon battle) was fought between the British East India Company and the Peshwa army at Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 1818. In it, the British faction had defeated the Peshwa.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory as soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered Untouchables -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some local groups opposed the celebration as it was for the "British victory".

Earlier in the day, Dalit leader and independent MLA from Gujarat Jignesh Mevani visited the war memorial in the village. Mevani had also attended Elgaar Parishad held in Pune to commemorate the battle.

Meanwhile, Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale demanded police protection for Dalits in the wake of the violence.

"Dalit groups visiting Bhima Koregaon were stopped at Sanaswadi near Koregaon. Stones were hurled at them. No police force was available for their protection," Athawale said in a statement.

Spoke to Maharashtra CM, demand that this matter should be inquired; action must be taken against the culprits so that such incidents don't recur: Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on violence between two groups during an event to mark 200 years of Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune pic.twitter.com/IFUTj752wr - ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

He appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to deploy additional police force in the village and provide protection to the members of local dalit community.

[With inputs from PTI]
A 35-year-old woman today tried to immolate herself inside a police station in Kosi Kalan town of Mathura district over an alleged delay in the arrest of people accused of raping her, a police official said.

The woman has accused two persons, including a 19-year-old teenager, from the town of raping her last month.

A case was registered on the basis of her complaint, the official said.

The woman has accused the police of laxity in probing the matter and claimed that one of the accused even pressured her to withdraw her complaint.

But inspector Udayvir Singh Malik, in-charge of Kosi Kalan police station, claimed that the accused were absconding.

Today, the woman reached the police station in Kosi Kalan town and poured kerosene on her body. She then tried to set herself on fire but she was prevented by police officials.

Police officials said there were doubts over the woman's allegations. However, they said, a probe was on.
Moving across the land

(Image credit: Library of Congress)

When New York Tribune owner Horace Greeley wrote in an 1865 editorial, "Go West, young man, go West," he became a leading voice in America's expansion westward following the recent successful conclusion of the long American Civil War. The age of manifest destiny had begun and war-weary Americans listened to the call, packed up their often meager belongings and began their journey to create a new western life. Pop culture, including artist like John Gast with his famous 1872 painting "American Progress," shown here, embraced this movement as thousands of miners, farmers, ex- soldiers, merchants and eventually wives followed Greeley's call.

Dangers everywhere

(Image credit: NPS)

The trip to the West was full of peril. The railroad became one of the safest ways to travel, but riding the early trains was certainly challenging. Cars were hot, seats uncomfortable, and the food was available only at the nearby roadhouses when the steam locomotive stopped to take on water. This food was best described as "horrible" with often spoiled meats, cold beans and weak, watered-down coffee. Prices were also unusually high. The train trip from New York to California could take up to a week, and these poor conditions discouraged many train passengers from making the journey to the West.

Feeding the travelers

(Image credit: NPS)

In 1876, a railroad freight agent named Fred Harvey saw a business opportunity to address the issue of poor food for the train passengers. He began a business partnership with America's largest railroad company, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, to create the first national chain of restaurants, retail stores and hotels within the railroad's train stations. Harvey became the founding father of the American hospitality industry, as he soon established some 84 Harvey Houses in cities large and small from Chicago to Los Angeles. Locating and retaining reliable and qualified employees was Harvey's biggest challenge in many Western towns along the line; he solved this problem by employing a group of young women who became known in history as the Harvey Girls.

In search of servers

(Image credit: NPS)

Through the newspapers of the Midwest and East Coast, Harvey ran employment ads - "Wanted: Young women 18 to 30 years of age, of good moral character, attractive and intelligent, to waitress in Harvey Eating Houses on the Sante Fe in the West. Wages, $17.50 per month with room and board. Liberal tips customary. Experience not necessary. Write Fred Harvey, Union Depot, Kansas City, Missouri." Thousands applied. Those women chosen for an interview were invited to the companys headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas. Exemplary character was the highest employment expectation and each girl hired was required to sign a pledge swearing to that fact. They also had to be well-mannered and educated at least through the eighth grade.

Working women

(Image credit: NPS)

Harvey demanded that his restaurants provide exceptional dining to railroad passengers with the highest standards of the time in food preparation and service. His all female waitstaff, the Harvey Girls, became America's first national corp of adventurous, bright and independent working women. The reputation of a Harvey House was very important and these girls were not referred to as a "waitress" but called Harvey Girls to instill a sense of pride in the young women selected.

High expectations

(Image credit: NPS)

Each selected girl was placed into a six-week training program. They agreed to worked 12-hour shifts six days a week, lived in dormitories with house matrons and curfews, and signed six-month contracts stipulating that they would remain unmarried. They were highly trained in rules of etiquette. They learned how to properly set a table and to be sure that none of the uniquely designed Harvey plates and glasses were cracked or chipped. They could not speak to another Harvey Girl in the presence of a customer and all Harvey Girls had to learned to always work with a sincere smile.

On the job

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

When her training was complete, a Harvey Girl was assigned to a Harvey House along the Santa Fe line. Most newly trained girls were assigned first to one of the smaller Harvey Houses to perfect her training before moving on to the busier houses in the larger railroad communities. All Harvey Girls were to dress in the company's uniform, which consisted of a black dress, crisp white pinafore apron, polished black shoes, black hose and a white ribbon in their hair. No make-up was allowed. All the girls were inspected to ensure their proper dress before they were allowed on the floor to serve customers.

Attention to detail

(Image credit: NPS)

Harvey was a stickler for details. He was known to flip out over an improperly set dining table demanding it be correctly set. There were many sets of rules and regulations, called the "Fred Harvey way," outlining how almost everything could be done perfectly. Male Harvey House managers followed an elaborate and detailed plan for keeping track of every egg, cup of coffee, steak, cigar, etc., sold at their Harvey House. Managers knew how many passengers were on each train and which of them intended to eat at the upcoming Harvey House. The train's whistle would blow a mile outside of town, allowing the Harvey Girls to know when another group of hungry customers were about to arrive.

Finding love

(Image credit: Linda & Dr. Dick Buscher)

The Harvey Girls not only brought great food and fine dining etiquette to the American West, but they also brought love. During their time of employment, the girls were strictly forbidden to fraternize with the Harvey House guests. But some historians estimate that out of the over 100,000 girls who worked in the Harvey House restaurants and hotels along the rail line, some 20,000 became the wives of their regular town customers.



One railroad owner said, "The Harvey House was not only a good place to eat; it was the Cupid of the Rails." American Humorist Will Rogers said of the Harvey Girls that they "kept the West in food and wives." The photo above is of Harvey Girl Mary Lawler, who began working in the New Mexico and Arizona Harvey Houses in 1893.

Sharing a culture

(Image credit: University of Arizona Library)

By 1902, train travel to the American Southwest was waning. The Fred Harvey Company came up with the idea to create an "Indian Department," which commissioned Native American artists, photographers and ethnographers to document and share the unique culture of the Southwest Indian tribes. In 1926, the company began their soon-to-be famous Indian Detours from their Harvey House locations between the Grand Canyon and Santa Fe. Tourists were whisked away from the Harvey Hotels by a fleet of "Harveycars" composed of the latest Franklins, Packards, Cadillacs and White Motor Co. buses. The drivers were always men, but the "couriers" or tour guides were always college-educated women trained in Southwest history and archaeology, who dressed in Navajo-style costumes that included velveteen blouses and skirts, squash blossom necklaces and concha belts. Once again, the Fred Harvey Company was the industry leader in providing quality jobs for the woman of the American West.

Serving the troops

(Image credit: Library of Congress)

The Harvey Girls and their many Harvey Houses played an important role for American soldiers during World War II. American railroads were the main means of transporting troops from their bases of training to the West Coast for deployment into the Pacific Theatre. Records from La Posada, the spectacular Harvey House still operating in Winslow, Arizona, show that during World War II over 3,000 meals were served at La Posada daily by Harvey Girls to American soldiers as the "troop trains" made their final stop before reaching California.
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 02 2018

Justices Alan Scheinkman and Elizabeth Garry Chosen to Lead the Second and Third Judicial Departments.

Albany, NY - January 2, 2017 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced today the appointments of the Honorable Alan D. Scheinkman as Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division for the Second Judicial Department and the Honorable Elizabeth A. Garry as Presiding Justice for the Appellate Division for the Third Judicial Department.

The Presiding Justice for each New York Judicial Department, not only leads the Appellate Court, but is also responsible for serving as the Department's Chief Administrator, overseeing the operations of ancillary court functions, including the Committees on Professional Standards and Character and Fitness, Mental Hygiene Legal Services and the Office of Attorneys for Children. Further, the four Presiding Justices, along with Chief Judge Janet DiFiore, comprise the Administrative Board of the Courts, shaping statewide policy throughout New York.

"These tremendously qualified jurists bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to New York's Appellate Court," Governor Cuomo said. "I am honored to appoint these judges to their new roles where they will continue to uphold principles of law and fairness to move New York forward."

Justice Alan D. Scheinkman

Justice Scheinkman was elected to the New York State Supreme Court in the Ninth Judicial District in 2006 and has been serving as the Administrative Judge for that District since June 2009. Since his election to the bench, Justice Scheinkman has presided over Commercial Division matters, Residential Mortgage Foreclosures, and Matrimonial Trials, as well as serving as an Associate Judge on the Appellate Term for the Ninth and Tenth Judicial Districts. During his tenure as Administrative Judge, Justice Scheinkman has effectively led several significant achievements involving facility upgrades, technology implementation, and case management all during a time of budgetary constraints.

Prior to his election to Supreme Court, Justice Scheinkman had over two decades of experience as a practicing lawyer, primarily in private practice, although he did serve as Westchester County Attorney from 1998 through 2000 and began his legal career in 1975 as a Law Clerk for the Honorable Matthew Jasen, Associate Judge of the New York Court of Appeals. As a private practitioner, Justice Scheinkman has experience in a wide variety of legal areas with a concentration in commercial and federal litigation. In addition, Justice Scheinkman has also served as an Associate Professor of Law at St. John's University School of Law, authored and co-authored works on appellate practice and New York Law, and has been actively engaged in various Bar Association committees and Statewide Commissions, including the Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions, the Commercial Division Advisory Council, and the Judicial Task Force on the State Constitution. Justice Scheinkman graduated from George Washington University in 1972 and received his law degree from St. John's University in 1975.

With this designation by the Governor, Justice Scheinkman will replace the Honorable Randall Eng, who is retiring, to oversee the largest and busiest Appellate Department in the State. The Second Department comprises a ten-county downstate region that includes Kings, Queens, and Richmond counties, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley, and in which more than half of the State's population resides.

Justice Scheinkman said, "I am deeply honored and humbled that Governor Cuomo has selected me to lead the busiest appellate court in the country. I look forward to working with the dedicated and distinguished judges of the court to advance the cause of judicial excellence in our State."

Justice Elizabeth A. Garry

Justice Garry was elected a New York State Supreme Court Justice in 2006 in the 6th Judicial District, and was appointed to the Appellate Division, Third Department, in 2009. Prior to her election to Supreme Court, Justice Garry was in private practice with the Joyce Law Firm for 13 years as a civil litigator representing clients throughout the central New York region. She has also served as Town Justice for the Town of New Berlin, Mortgage Foreclosure Referee, and "Attorney for the Child" in Family Court proceedings. Her first job after finishing law school was as Law Clerk for the Honorable Irad S. Ingraham, New York State Supreme Court Justice. She has also served as a Volunteer Mediator with the Chenango County Dispute Resolution Center and Program Leader/Facilitator for the Women's Empowerment Project.

Justice Garry was recently appointed by Chief Judge DiFiore as Co-Chair of the Richard C. Failla LGBTQ Commission of the State Courts. She has also held office and been actively engaged with various Bar Associations, Law-related committees, and community service organizations. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1984 from Alfred University and her Juris Doctor degree in 1990 from Albany Law School.

Justice Garry's designation by the Governor makes her the first openly LGBTQ Presiding Justice in New York history. She supersedes the Honorable Karen Peters, who when designated by Governor Cuomo to the Presiding Justice position in 2012 became the first woman Presiding Justice in the history of the Third Department, which encompasses twenty-eight counties in the Eastern and Northern portions of Upstate New York, ranging from the mid-Hudson Valley to the Canadian Border and as far west as Schuyler and Chemung counties in the Southern Tier.

Justice Garry said, "I am greatly honored by the Governor's appointment. The precedent of this Court has been my guide throughout my entire legal career. I will always work hard and do my very best to bring its great traditions forward. I look forward to working with our Chief Judge and my colleagues to ensure that the principles of our state judiciary are advanced in service to the people of our State."
Local News, Crime

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 02 2018

Keith C. Dillion, 29, struck a police officer in an unmarked patrol car assigned to the Holiday DWI Patrol on Monday, January 1.

NCPD reports the arrest of Keith C. Dillion of New Hyde Park, 29, for a Serious Vehicular Accident in Greenvale, on Monday, January 1.

Greenvale, NY - January 2, 2017 - The Homicide Squad reports the arrest of a The Homicide Squad reports the arrest of a New Hyde Park man for a Serious Vehicular Accident that occurred in Greenvale , on Monday, January 01, 2018 at 2:23 am.

According to detectives, a Third Precinct police officer assigned to the Holiday DWI Patrol was driving north on Glen Cove Road. The defendant Keith C. Dillion, 29, was driving a 2014 Dodge southbound at which time his vehicle crossed into the north bound lanes and struck the officer driving his unmarked patrol car head on. The accident occurred in the vicinity of Back Road.

Third Precinct police responded and with the assistance of the Nassau Police Emergency Services Unit they were able to cut the vehicle open so they could remove him. The officer was transported to a local hospital and treated for serious injuries which included a severe head trauma / brain injury, broken vertebrae, fractured neck, broken left arm, broken left leg, broken left eye orbital, lung contusions and missing teeth. He is listed in serious but stable condition.

An investigation at the scene determined that the defendant Keith Dillion was Driving While Intoxicated and placed him into police custody. He was also in possession of a white powdery substance believed to be Cocaine. Dillion was transported to a local hospital by ambulance and is being treated for a broken left ankle.

Keith C. Dillion is being charged with Assault 2nd Degree, Vehicular Assault 2nd Degree, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, and Driving While Intoxicated. He will be arraigned when medically practical.
School & Education, Local News

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 02 2018

The William Floyd High School NJROTC received the Distinguished Unit Award for NJROTC Area 4 twice in the last three years.

The 2017-2018 William Floyd High School NJROTC cadets and their instructors, (first row, far left) Commander Jay Tweed (USN/ Ret.) and (first row, second from right) Senior Chief Dwight Becherer (USN/Ret.) are pictured with Area 4 Manager, Commander Jimmie Miller (far right).

Mastic Beach, NY - January 2, 2017 - The William Floyd High School NJROTC recently had their Annual Military Inspection and Pass-in-Review, a yearly event used to evaluate the progress of military studies as an NJROTC cadet. This years evaluator, Commander Jimmie Miller, (USN/Ret.), NJROTC Area 4 Manager, reviewed cadet knowledge of current events, uniform wear, cadet manual guidelines and knowledge of current events, operations, supply and public affairs. Cadets also had the opportunity to demonstrate their platoon drill routine and armed drill performance. The William Floyd NJROTC unit passed with flying colors!
Airtel welcomes 2018 by revising it's previously introduced Rs 799 plan. After the revision, Bharti Airtel is now offering 3.5GB of 3G or 4G data to the customers along with unlimited local, STD, and roaming voice calls and also 100 local and national SMS every day under it's Rs 799 plan. This is a prepaid plan and comes with a validity of 28 days. Airtel's Rs 799 plan gives direct competition to Jio's Rs 799 plan.

To recall, Bharti Airtel launched the Rs 799 plan last year. At the time of the introduction, Airtel offered 3GB data every day along with unlimited local and STD calls and 100 SMSes. Back then, the plan was also valid for 28 days only. So, the only revision that the telecom operator made to the plan is in the data offering segment. Overall, Airtel is offering a total of 98GB of 3G/4G data for 28 days.

Airtel's Rs 799 plan directly counters Jio's Rs 799 plan. Both the plans are available for the prepaid users only. To recall, Jio's Rs 799 plan was initially announced exclusively for the iPhone users but is now available for all prepaid users. Under the Rs 799 plan, Jio users get 2GB of 4G data every day, along with unlimited voice calls and SMSes and access to all Jio apps. This accounts for a total of 84GB of data in 28 days.

Also Read: JioFiber can be a reality soon now that Jio has bought RCom fiber network

Considering the two plans looks like, as far as the data offering is concerned, Airtel's Rs 799 is better as it offers 3.5GB of data for 28 days - which is a total of 98GB data. While, on the other hand, Jio offers 2GB of data for 28 days, which is a total of 84GB of data. However, Jio's Rs 799 is better for voice call is your priority.

Jio offers unlimited local and STD calls to its users. While, although Airtel claims to offer "unlimited" calls - but this isn't quite literally. Under the Rs 799 plan, Airtel comes with a restricted calling facility of 250 minutes per day and 1,000 minutes per week. This offer applies to both local and STD calls.

Airtel users may note that they can get a cashback of Rs 75 on recharging their numbers via Airtel Payments Bank.
by Ray Schultz , January 2, 2018

The "Nigerian Prince" scam, an email fraud so widespread that is now part of folklore, unraveled a bit last week when an alleged perpetrator was arrested in Louisiana.

But he isnt Nigerian, nor is he a prince: He is Michael Neu, age 67, who acted as a middleman in the scheme and now faces 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering, according to the Slidell, Louisiana Police Department.

The arrest follows an 18-month investigation, the department says in a Facebook post.

According to the post, Neu participated in hundreds of financial transactions, involving phone and internet scams, designed to con money from victims across the United States. He subsequently wired some of this money to co-conspirators in Nigeria, it adds.

The investigation is on-going, but is extremely difficult as many leads have led to individuals who live outside of the United States, the post continues.

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A police spokesperson has not responded to request for additional information, and whether Neu has a prior criminal record, how police were able to tie him to the scheme, whether any federal agencies are involved in the probe, and Neus response to the charges remain unknown.

The police posted photos of Neu being taken into custody.

The Nigerian Prince email typically claims that the recipient has been named the beneficiary in a will, but that financial information is needed to speed the transfer of the inheritance and confirm the persons identity. Victims have been swindled out of millions of dollars.

Slidell Police Chief Randy Fandal urges consumers to be wary of emails that make promises.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, Fandal states. 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 dont know. 99.9 percent of the time, its a scam.
by Alex Weprin , January 2, 2018

The outrage about a video uploaded by YouTube creator Logan Paul over the weekend has brought to the forefront more brand safety concerns about the Google-owned video site.



Paul, traveling with friends in Japan, discovered the body of a man who seemed to have recently committed suicide. He proceeded to film the body up close, and posted the whole experience to his YouTube page.



Celebrities and other YouTube stars then condemned the video as inappropriate and exploitative.

Paul apologized and removed the video hours later, after it had racked up more than six million views.

Paul, in his original video, mentioned that he had turned off monetization for the video, meaning that no ads would appear before or during the content.

Nonetheless, the video served as a stark reminder of the advertising pitfalls that remain with YouTube, the online video juggernaut that has battled multiple brand-safety problems over the last year.

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Last spring, extremist groups used monetized YouTube videos to spread their messaging and drive revenue. A number of high-profile brands pulled their ads from YouTube as a result, although many subsequently returned over the summer.

It definitely got a lot of brands to reconsider their YouTube spending strategy, and several major brands basically stopped spending on YouTube adverting altogether over the next few months, said Pixability CTO Andreas Goeldi in an interview with Digital News Daily following that incident.

Late in the year, concern arose over YouTube content geared toward children that included bizarre and inappropriate content, including scenes of apparent abuse.

Pauls channel is targeted toward teenagers and twenty somethings, but many younger kids are known to watch his videos.

While Paul did not monetize the suicide video, it's not clear that YouTubes algorithm would have marked it as being inappropriate for ads, particularly given the popularity of his channel.

The video also highlights a related problem with YouTubes focus on a few hundred creators and channels that produce original, premium content. Paul and his brother Jake Paul have some of the most popular channels on the site, and while the videos they make can be outrageous, they have generally been seen as acceptable to brands.

Some brands are now taking safety matters into their own hands. According toBusiness Insider, JPMorgan Chase is creating its own proprietary algorithm that can plug into YouTubes API and target safe channels for the companys ads to appear on.

YouTube remains the king of free, ad-supported streaming video, but Pauls video highlights a problem for advertisers. As younger consumers turn more to content from YouTube creators, brands and marketers need to ensure they can reach those consumers, while staying in a brand-safe environment.
2018 is here and like most of us, you've probably begun making travel plans for the year. If backpacking is part of the agenda, we have the perfect list for you! Here are some great options that are easy on the wallet AND great on the experiences.

1. Thailand

 Phiphiislands

Yeah, I'm not kidding. Better known for its Instagram-worthy beaches, dense jungles, great street food, and insane parties, Thailand is a must-visit destination for every backpacker. Apart from the air ticket to Bangkok, this trip wouldn't burn a hole in your pocket even if you tried.

It is relatively easy to travel around the country with its great network of public transport.

Places to visit: Phuket and Pattaya are well known among the tourist circuits, and they can be unreasonably expensive and crowded. It is best to limit your stay here to a day or two. Instead, take the road less travelled and head to places like Chiang Mai, Krabi, and Thai Islands such as Koh Tao, Koh Phi Phi, and KohSamui.

Accommodation: There are great hostel options in most towns and should cost you around Rs. 1,200 to Rs. 1,500 a night! Got a bit more to splurge? A cozy room in a three-star budget-hotel should cost less than Rs.2000.

Eating in Thailand: You can just eat your way around Thailand and still have some money to spare! Get ready to savour some delectable Pad Thais, stir-fries, and curries. A decent meal should cost you about Rs. 300. And, if you're in Bangkok, you could even pick up a burger from your nearest McDonalds or Burger King!

2. Nepal

 Nepal_lonely planet

If the sight of mountains amazes you, then Nepal is a place you MUST visit! Apart from the breathtaking views of the Himalayas, you will be pleasantly surprised by the warm hospitality, people, and food culture that makes Nepal incredible. Believe it or not, hitchhiking is fairly common here!

Places to visit: You will have to fly into Kathmandu. Based on your interests, you can visit Pokhara (if you love the hills), Chitwan (if you wish catch a glimpse of a majestic rhino), and Lumbini (if you're a history buff). Also, if you wish to see the hills in all its glory, hiking in the Himalayas is something that shouldn't be missed. And, if you're the ultimate adventure junkie (and got some money to blow), why not consider the Everest base camp trek?

Accommodation: To experience Nepalese culture at its finest, you can opt to stay in homestays for as less as Rs. 1,000 a night. A good 3-star accommodation should cost you around 1,500 to 2,000 bucks a night. If you're travelling with a group of friends, you can opt for apartments (with wifi!) in Kathmandu through Airbnb for as less as Rs. 900 per person per night!

Eating in Nepal: You can find some delectable local dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for about 200 bucks a meal. Trekking on an empty stomach is not a possibility with Thukpas, Momos, and a variety of curries and breads available along your way.

3. Hampi

 Dancing girls

The old town of Hampi is another great backpacker-friendly destination if historical architecture fascinates you. While this World Heritage Site's temples are a definite crowd puller, the Hampi Bazaar located near the famous Virupaksha Temple is a favourite haunt for backpackers.

Places to visit: Make sure you don't miss the Virupakshaand VijayaVittala temple complexes. And once you're done, head to VirupapuraGadde, which is just a short boat ride away.This place is better known among the tourists as the Hippie Island. In this tiny town, you can try your hand at bouldering, explore some local arts and crafts shops, or relax in one of the town's manycafes and shacks.

Getting around the town is fairly cheap with bicycle rentals costing about Rs. 50 per dayand bike rentals costing about Rs. 200 a day. So what are you waiting for?

Accommodation: You can choose to stay near Hampi bus stand, the main bazaar, or in VirupapuraGadde. Basic rooms with a fan start from Rs. 800 per night, but you may have to share a bathroom. If you are willing to spend about Rs. 1,500 a night, you can get better located air-conditioned rooms with breakfast included!

Eating in Hampi: The hippie side of Hampi is home to some good eateries and cafes. A great meal doesn't cost you more than 200 bucks!

4. Ooty

 Emerald lake

This Queen of Hill Stations is sure to take your breath away! If you're looking for a quiet getaway in the hills, Ooty is a great choice.

Places to visit: Visit Doddabetta (Ooty's highest view point), Ooty lake, Pykara, Coonoor, and Avalanche Sanctuary for some picturesque views. Also, don't miss a ride on the Nilgiri toy train!

Accommodation: When in Ooty, find a hotel close to the lake. This way, with most attractions are located near the lake, you can save on commute. Basic accommodation near the lake (inclusive of wifi) starts from Rs. 1,000. You can also choose to stay in one of many upcoming hostels for much cheaper!

Eating in Ooty: Restaurant choices in Ooty are abundant! A hearty meal shouldn't exceed Rs. 250. If you love savouring street food delights like Idlis, Dosas, or Parottas, the cost of your meal can drop down to less than 100 bucks. How cool is that?!

5. Meghalaya

 Dawki_meghalaya

As the name suggests, Meghalaya is truly the abode of clouds. This untouched gem in the North Eastern part of India offers unique experiences unlike any other part of our country. Crystal clear lakes, pristine waterfalls, dense forests, and picture-perfect landscapes coupled with amazing hospitality make Meghalaya a haven for backpackers.

Places to visit: If you're planning to backpack through Meghalaya, it is best to set aside at least 10 days for your trip. It's unfair to cram all that this place has to offer in a quick trip.

A great place to start would be the state capital, Shillong. When here, make sure to visit the Don Bosco Museum of Indigenous Cultures, Umium Lake, and Elephant Falls. Other must-see attractions like Cheerapunjee, Nohkalikhai falls, the famous living root bridges, and Dawkiare relatively easy to access from Shillong.

Accommodation: Staying in Shillong may be an expensive affair, but a good bed and breakfast slightly away from city centre can cost around 2,000 bucks a night. On the other hand, it is easier to find cheap accommodation in Upper Cheerapunjee for as less as Rs. 1,000 a night. For a truly unique experience, you can also stay in a beautiful bamboo hut in Shnongpdeng and it would only cost Rs. 700 a night!

Eating in Meghalaya: The street-food culture is strong in Shillong with a hearty meal costing less than Rs. 200! And, when travelling through the state, make sure you sample the delicacies unique to the regions.

6. Pushkar

 Pushkar_rajasthan

You don't really have to go far to fulfil your dreams to backpack through a desert! Apart from attracting many Hindu pilgrims, Pushkar is also well-established destination in India's backpacking trail.

Places to visit: Pushkarlake, Man Mahal, Brahma Temple, Savithri Temple, Varaha Temple, and Rangji Temples are the main attractions in Pushkar. If you plan to travel between October and November, make sure witness the famous Pushkar fair.

Accommodation: 800 bucks in Pushkar would fetch you a room with an attached bath and a great view of the town. Not a bad deal, right?

Eating in Pushkar: Pushkar is home to a sizeable amount of foreigners. So, you're bound to find Italian and Middle Eastern restaurants along with the local Rajasthani joints. Although, meat, alcohol, and eggs are forbidden in this holy town, you will still find that there are some surprisingly delicious food options. With just 150 bucks in your pocket, you eat to your heart's content.
While conceiving this round-up, we must admit: we can't believe it involves Maniesh Paul. Because really, as per the world, besides formal wear on the television shows he hosts, there's hardly anything known about Maniesh's personal style.

The year 2017, however, witnessed a huge contrast to our former statement. As Paul arrived at airport terminals in the city of Mumbai this year, we were subjected to some insane, easy, VERY well-fitted and supremely-hypebeast sightings. Besides, of course, examples of his formal wear brilliance on various red carpets. Let's recap the ones we're totally digging!

1. As we mentioned, there's so much more to Maniesh than a TV host extraordinaire. Like this airport outfit, that's miles away from the Paul-in-2016. Not sure of the translucent sleeves, but all in all, this outfit is insanely well-fitted, bro.

 Viral Bhayani

2. Sleeveless hoodies may not the biggest trend of 2017, but as seen here, if you have the guns, you rather sport one to flaunt. Plus, notice the Marvel suitcase?

 Viral Bhayani

3. Someone tell Maniesh, that we're absolutely eyeing his Superdry joggers. And, black and gold on the feet is giving us #Goals. Plus, how good does that T-shirt look on him?

 Viral Bhayani

4. Talk of summer bombers and military green kicks, and talk of Paul acing them all. The trick lies in 'nothing too snug, yet not too relaxed'.

 Viral Bhayani

5. Even with a hot lass holding his hands, we're trying hard to not notice Paul's two-piece checked suit. AKA one of the biggest menswear trends of 2017!

 Viral Bhayani

6. A simple easy combo for a day outing also found home in the actor in 2017. As usual again, buying horribly-fitted apparel looks like his left-hand game.

 Viral Bhayani

7. He had us at the houndstooth blazer and tassel slip ons here. Big ups, boy!

 Viral Bhayani
US fighter jets were to sent to investigate an unidentified flying object off the coast of San Diego, as it revealed in classified footage, yesterday. The video was released by the United States Department of Defence (DoD) and it reveals a mystical white oval that was hovering above the Pacific Ocean.

The footage was analysed by a secret programme that deals with investing reports of UFOs. The Pentagon has officially admitted that the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Programmes existed and ran from 2007 to 2012 and was allowed $22 million in funding. The footage released by the DoD was taken in 2004 where an encounter was registered with the object. It was chased by two Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets, from the aircraft carrier Nimitz.

 US Navy

Commander Fravor was flying one of the two jets for a routine training exercise and was diverted to investigate the UFO that was spotted on radar. The Commander was 160Km into the Pacific Ocean off San Diego at the time of the incident.

Look at that thing, dude, one of the pilots is heard exclaiming in the clip. It's rotating,

Fravor told The New York Times the object was about 40ft long and had no wings or rotors. The UFO had no plumes and could outpace the F-18s easily. It was big enough to churn the sea 50ft below it, he said.

 Youtube

He said: I literally chased the thing and it started to mirror us  it was like it became aware we were there. I cut across to see if I could get closer and it rapidly accelerated and disappeared. Within a matter of a second, it was gone.

 US Department of Defence

Fravor told the Daily TelegraphIt jammed the radar. You couldn't lock it with a conventional radar. You could passively track it and see it, but if you tried to grab a lock it wouldn't allow you to do that. When it takes off and goes to the side, that's a significant amount of distance to travel in a very short period of time  we're talking miles. That thing just goes poof and in about a second it's off the side of the screen.

In a very serious warning to governments around the world, the pilot warned that we need to take this threat seriously as a species. He stated that we as a species do not know the intent of these UFOs. He urged the governments to try to understand what they are doing here if they are of extraterrestrial in nature. Fravor suggested governments study and develop technology in case these objects have a bad intention.

Source: Daily Telegraph
Metal Bulletins assessment of HRC import prices in Southeast Asia - which mainly looks at Chinese 2-3mm SAE1006 HRC and equivalent grades sold into Vietnam - was $565-575 per tonne cfr for the period, unchanged from a week earlier Bids from end-users remained stable at $560-565 per tonne cfr Vietnam but there were no buyers who were actively in search of spot cargoes.

India-origin position cargoes from Bhushan Steel...
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany -- The Air Force has given a late Christmas present to colonels approaching the 30-year mandatory retirement mark.

The service announced late last week that selected colonels nearing mandatory retirement may voluntarily choose to remain on active duty for three additional years.

The move is one of several measures the Air Force has taken in recent months to deal with a shortage of field-grade officers -- majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels -- and pilots.

A sweeping promotion change that went into effect last month allowed captains to advance to the rank of major as long as they were recommended for promotion and had an unblemished conduct record.

The Air Force's latest attempt to retain field-grade officers currently affects 50 colonels who are line officers and who face a mandatory retirement between Feb. 1, 2018, and Feb. 1, 2019, the Air Force said in a statement.

Across all the military services, most colonels not selected for promotion to one star must retire after 30 years of active commissioned service.

The Air Force will convene a continuation board this month to assess the records of the 50 line officer colonels, who would otherwise be forced to retire.

All eligible officers will be offered the opportunity to remain on active duty for an additional three years, the Air Force said.

The officer's chain of command will notify those selected for continuation. Eligible officers were to be notified by Dec. 31, the Air Force said.

"It can take 21 years to develop a line officer to become a colonel who may then serve up to 30 years," Col. Jeff O'Donnell, Air Force Colonels Group director, said in the statement. "And as the Air Force is growing end strength, we need experienced leaders to serve and lead across the Department of Defense."

Just under 1 in 10 Air Force jobs for field-grade officers -- whose main job involves commanding troops -- are vacant, while about 1 in 4 nonrated field-grade officer jobs are unfilled, the Air Force said in September, when it announced 100 percent promotion rates for eligible captains.

The Air Force is also facing a shortage of about 2,000 pilots. It is trying various incentives, such as bonuses and the promise of less non-flying-related administrative tasks, to entice pilots to remain on active duty rather than take jobs in commercial aviation, which typically offer higher pay for fewer hours.
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...
There can be no denying the fact that 2017 was a quite a stellar year for smartphones -- bezels packed up their bags and left, dual cameras became ubiquitous, stock Android made its way to budget smartphones and advanced features like facial recognition, artificial intelligence, machine learning and augmented reality made their way out of science fiction books into reality.

Now however, it is time to look ahead and see what 2018 has in store for us. Foldable displays, even thinner bezels and better screen to body ratios, in-screen fingerprint sensors and advanced artificial intelligence are some of the trends to look forward to this year. And along with the usual suspects like OnePlus, Apple and Samsung, we have the comeback king in the form of Nokia vying for smartphone supremacy.

Here are the top 7 smartphones to look forward to in 2018:

Nokia 9

After a pretty successful 2017 which saw the launch of the Nokia 6, Nokia 5, Nokia 3, Nokia 7, Nokia 8 and Nokia 2 Android powered smartphones, HMD Global looks set to consolidate its position in 2018. The Finnish company is expected to launch the Nokia 9 flagship in the first half of 2018 (possible January 19) alongside a 2018 refresh of the Nokia 6.

Nokia 9 image on Weibo Nokia 9 image on Weibo

The Nokia 9 is expected to slot in above the Nokia 8 and compete with the iPhones and Samsung Galaxy Notes of the smartphone world. HMD Global's first high-end flagship is expected to come with the Snapdragon 835 processor, a 3,250mAh battery, a 5.5-inch OLED display manufactured by LG, 128GB of internal storage and dual cameras on the front as well as the back.

Rumours point towards HMD Global embracing the bezel-less mania with the Nokia 9 which is expected to come with an 18:9 display. The Nokia 9 is also expected to carry forward the OZO audio and Bothie features HMD Global introduced in the Nokia 8. OZO audio allows for the capture of 360 degree surround sound while Bothie allows users to record video/capture photos from both the front and rear camera at the same time.

OnePlus 6

If there is one thing we can bet on, it is the launch of the OnePlus 6 in 2018. Ever since the OnePlus 3, One Plus has followed a six-month upgrade cycle which has both angered and pleased its user base. Last year as well, the company followed the OnePlus 5 with the OnePlus 5T which improved upon it in a few key areas such as the display, design and cameras.

Rumours claim that the OnePlus 6, which is expected to launch in June 2018, will come with a fingerprint sensor embedded underneath the display - something that Apple reportedly tried and failed in the iPhone X. Furthermore, the device is expected to be powered by Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 845 processor and feature an 18:9 display similar to the one found on the OnePlus 5T.

Samsung Galaxy S9

Samsung's answer to the iPhone X is set to launch in March 2018 with a tease expected at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. There is a lot riding on the S9's shoulders - the Galaxy S8, which received critical acclaim as well as mass user acceptance is going to be a tough act to follow.

The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus are set to be refined versions of their predecessors with similar designs and displays. Both smartphones are expected to carry forward the bezel-less design and "infinity" display Samsung introduced with the S8 and S8+. Samsung is expected to tweak the design slightly by moving the fingerprint sensor beneath the all new vertical dual camera setup. The awkward fingerprint sensor location on the S8 and S8 Plus has been met with a barrage of criticism from users and critics alike.

Image credit: BGR Image credit: BGR

The Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus are set to be powered by Qualcomm's upcoming 10nm-based Snapdragon 845 chipset paired with 4GB of RAM in the former and 6GB of RAM in the latter. Both smartphones are expected to come with 64GB of internal storage which will be expandable via a microSD card. On the imaging front, the S9 is expected to come with a single rear camera while the S9+ is set to come with a dual camera setup.

Google Pixel 3

Going by Google's usual timeline, we can expect the third generation Pixel smartphones to land in October 2018 and give the iPhone X (2018) a run for its money. Not much is known about the next generation Pixel devices as of now apart from the fact that not two but three Pixel smartphones are anticipated for 2018. This hints at a cheaper Pixel smartphone that could be priced in line with old Nexus devices.

Also Read: Smartphones in 2017: Xiaomi Mi A1, OnePlus 5T showed dual-cameras, bezel-less screens, stock Android ruled the market

According to DroidLife, the three devices are codenamed Crosshatch, Albacore and Blueline. We can expect the 3rd generation Pixel smartphones to run the latest version of Android - Android 9.0 - out of the box and be powered by Qualcomm's upcoming flagship Snapdragon 845 processor.While storage is likely to remain at 64GB and 128GB (with no support for expansion), Google might finally increase the RAM from 4GB to 6GB this year. On our list of wishes, we hope that Google removes bezels from the cheaper smartphone this time around and equips the same with an 18:9 display as well.

iPhone X (2018)

Released to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the iPhone, the iPhone X is by far the most radical update to the iPhone yet thanks to its all new bezel-less design, future forward AR features, a blazing fast processor, Face ID, Animojis and all new gesture based controls.

The iPhone X was easily the most hyped and anticipated smartphone of 2017. And is surely going to be a tough act to follow. Even though the iPhone X was met with great reviews, it still feels like a first generation product with quite a bit of room for improvement. As such, the second generation will probably iron out most quirks.

The lack of a fingerprint sensor is the biggest drawback in the iPhone X. Reports claim that Apple ditched the TouchID sensor in the iPhone X after they failed to embed it underneath the display. With the technology becoming cheaper, Apple is finally expected to achieve their goal of embedding the Touch ID sensor underneath the 2018 iPhone X's display.

Rumours also claim that Apple will introduce three versions of the iPhone next year with an iPhone X-like bezel-less design - two OLED models (6.3-inches and 5.8-inches) with a glass back and an LCD variant (6.1-inches) with a metal back. Unlike the OLED models, the LCD variant will not support wireless charging.

Samsung Galaxy X

The iPhone X is not the only smartphone with X factor in town. Samsung is set to unveil a futuristic smartphone in 2018 that could very well change the course of the smartphone industry. The Samsung Galaxy X is expected to come with a foldable OLED display - a revolution that could define the next decade of smartphones just like the iPhone did in 2007 with its multi-touch technology.The Galaxy X has been in the pipeline for a long time now. Samsung showed off a clunky, albeit working prototype way back in 2011 which remained intact even after 100,000 folds. In September 2017, Samsung's president of mobile, Koh Dong-Jin hinted that the company is planning ti launch a phone with a foldable screen in 2018. We have to wait and see whether these claims ring true but if Samsung manages to pull it off, it will definitely be the most revolutionary device of the year.

Upcoming Sony flagship

Not much is known about this device at the moment. In fact, the name of the smartphone is also up in the air as of now. Some rumours claim that the smartphone will be called the Sony Xperia XZ Pro, some claim it will be called the Xperia XZ2 while others think it will be an update of the 4K laden XZ Premium in the form of the XZ1 Premium. It could also be the case that Sony launches all three as separate smartphones.

What is definitely sure is that Sony is working on a bezel-less smartphone to compete with the likes of the iPhone X, Galaxy Note 8 and LG V30+. The smartphone is expected to come with the either the Snapdragon 835 or 845 processor, a 4K display, 4/6GB of RAM and 64/128GB of internal storage.
Kim Jong Un has ordered his rocket scientists to construct North Korea's biggest ballistic missile ever, and the despot reportedly plans to launch the record rocket on the regimes 70th anniversary in September.

The rocket would be outfitted with re-entry capability -- a feat the Hermit Kingdom's last intercontinental ballistic missile wasn't able to achieve -- according to a defector who talked to a Japanese paper.

The defector, who was not identified but was said to be knowledgeable in the Hermit Kingdom's missile program, told Japanese publication Asahi Shimbun earlier this week Kim laid out his plans during a meeting in Pyongyang on Dec. 11 and 12.

The rocket, called the "Unha-4," will be an upgraded version of the long-range ballistic missile Unha-3, which was launched in 2012 and 2016 and put North Korea's first satellite into orbit.

"The defector said there were likely two major objectives in launching a new long-range missile. One would be the use of a satellite for guidance and observation of future missile launches," the publication stated. "The other could be to use the pro forma launch of a satellite into space to test whether the missile was capable of re-entry into the atmosphere."

Kim's scientists are also working to perfect the re-entry capability of the upgraded missile. North Korea's last ICBM, the Hwasong-15, was launched in late November did not survive re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, a U.S. official told Fox News at the time. North Korea boasted the missile was "significantly more" powerful than its predecessor, the Hwasong-14, and could carry a "super-heavy nuclear warhead."

A launch date for the new, huge rocket has been set for Sept. 9, when North Korea celebrates its 70th anniversary since its founding by Kim Il Sung. North Korea has often carried out nuclear and missile tests on important dates.

The body of the rocket has been completed, but it will take about six months for officials to prepare the launch, Asahi Shimbun reported.

North Korea vowed to boost its power in space and announced in October a five-year space plan, calling it a "global trend." The regime defended its "peaceful" space program and its satellite launch in an article published on Christmas in the state-run newspaper Rodong Simun, according to Yonhap.

"Our satellite launch [last February] is a legitimate exercise of the right that thoroughly fits the U.N. Charter that enshrines the basic rights of respect for sovereignty and equality, and the international law that governs the peaceful use of space," the newspaper said.

The newspaper added: "Our country is also in step with the trends of space development that is taking place broadly across the world," also noting the program would "help contribute to the dreams and ideals of mankind."
Vice President Mike Pence summed up the year 2017 in Afghanistan, and the 16 years that went before it, on a visit to Kabul just before Christmas when he state to President Ashraf Ghani: "We've been on a long road together."

The road would get longer under President Donald Trump's "South Asia" strategy announced in August that pledged an open-ended commitment to driving the Taliban to the peace table, Pence said days before another series of horrific suicide attacks.

Speaking to troops at the Bagram air base north of Kabul on Dec. 21, Pence delivered much the same message as previous administrations:

"We came here to Afghanistan to liberate its people and prevent the terrorists from ever threatening our homeland again. And we are staying in that fight and we will see it through to the end," the vice president said.

"Under President Donald Trump, the Armed Forces of the United States will remain engaged in Afghanistan until we eliminate the terrorist threat to our homeland, our people, once and for all," Pence said.

"We believe that we are now on a path to achieve a lasting victory for freedom and security in Afghanistan," he said earlier in his meeting with Ghani and Afghan chief executive Abdullah Abdullah.

The difference this time will be the Trump strategy developed by Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that will be based on conditions on the ground and "not arbitrary timetables," Pence said.

In a briefing from Kabul to the Pentagon earlier in December, Air Force Brig. Gen. Lance Bunch outlined the strategy in more direct terms:

"What I can tell you is that the new strategy highlights that this is a new war and that the gloves are off, if you will, and that we've got now these authorities we need to be able to go and target the Taliban network," the general said.

Bunch spoke at the start of what was a particularly bloody month, even by Afghan standards, that ended a particularly bloody year.

On Dec. 28, at least 41 people were killed and 84 wounded in a bombing at a Shiite cultural center in Kabul. The ISIS offshoot known as Islamic State-Khorasan Province, or ISIS-K, claimed responsibility.

The Kabul bombing was the latest in a series of mass casualty attacks by ISIS-K on Shiite targets. In October, suicide bombers killed at least 57 at a Shiite mosque in Kabul.

On Dec. 31, a suicide bomber walked into a cemetery in the eastern Afghanistan province of Nangarhar and blew himself up during the funeral of a local official, killing at least 17 people and wounding 14.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but both the Taliban and ISIS-K are active in Nangarhar.

Last April, Army Gen. John Nicholson, commander of U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and the NATO Resolute Support mission, authorized dropping the largest non-nuclear weapon in the U.S. arsenal against ISIS-K.

The more than 21,000-pound GBU-43B Massive Ordnance Air Blast, or MOAB, known as the "Mother of All Bombs," was dropped on an ISIS-K cave complex in the Achin district of Nangarhar.

U.S. Special Forces later joined the Afghan National Defense Security Forces (ANDSF) in raids against ISIS-K in Nangarhar, but the group has continued its terror attacks.

The attacks contributed to what will make 2017 one of the deadliest years in Afghanistan since U.S. forces entered the country in 2001 to topple the Taliban regime.

For the first nine months of 2017, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan estimated that more than 8,000 civilians had been killed. There were no immediate year-end totals. In 2016, UNAMA estimated that 11,418 civilians were killed.

Casualties for the ANDSF also remain "shockingly high," according to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction [SIGAR].

In a quarterly report to Congress in August, SIGAR said that a total of 2,531 Afghan security forces were killed and 4,238 wounded in the first four months of 2017.

In an earlier report released in February, SIGAR said at least 6,785 Afghan soldiers and police had been killed in the first 10 months of 2016.

Also in February, Nicholson told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the war was at a "stalemate," and began lobbying for more troops in addition to the authorized level of 8,400.

Trump had to be convinced to go along with Nicholson's request, and it took several months.

During the presidential campaign, Trump had called the war in Afghanistan a "complete waste" of U.S. blood and treasure. In 2015, Trump told CNN, "We made a terrible mistake getting involved there in the first place."

In August this year, Trump reversed course but acknowledged that his first instinct was to withdraw from Afghanistan completely.

"My original instinct was to pull out and, historically, I like following my instincts, but all my life I've heard that decisions are much different when you sit behind the desk in the Oval Office," Trump said in announcing the new strategy to troops at Fort Myer, Virginia.

However, Trump was still skeptical: "Someday, after an effective military effort, perhaps it will be possible to have a political settlement that includes elements of the Taliban in Afghanistan. But nobody knows if or when that will ever happen," he said.

Trump gave no numbers but U.S. troop levels have since been boosted to about 14,000, according to the Pentagon.

There were already more than 8,400 U.S. troops in Afghanistan because of overlaps in troop rotations and temporary deployments, and the estimated 3,000 additional troops authorized by Trump brought the troop level to about 14,000, the Pentagon said.

Pentagon officials stressed the new strategy was less about troop numbers and more about how they will be used in advising the ANDSF.

U.S. advisers will once again begin to assist Afghan forces at the "kandak," or battalion level, rather than at the corps level to enable them to call in airstrikes from the front lines.

In a November video briefing from Kabul to the Pentagon, Nicholson said the new advisory roles coupled with a stepped up air campaign were part of a two-year plan aimed at taking back territory and driving the Taliban into peace negotiations.

He estimated the Afghan government now controls about two-thirds of Afghanistan's territory. In coordination with Afghan President Ghani, the goal was to bring 80 percent of the Afghan population under government control within two years.

"Why 80 percent? Because we think that gives them [the Afghans] a critical mass where they control 80, the Taliban are driven to less than 10 percent of the population, maybe the rest is contested," he said.

The possible result would be that the Taliban would seek a peace settlement, Nicholson said.

At the United Nations on Dec. 21, Tadamichi Yamamoto, the special envoy of the Secretary General to Afghanistan, was asked how much progress had been made in 2017 towards bringing the Taliban into peace talks. "Well, not much actually," he responded.

Taliban spokesmen have repeatedly said that the group will not participate in negotiations until all U.S. and NATO forces leave Afghanistan.

On Nov. 20, Nicholson announced the first "significant" action under the new strategy had been taken in the bombing of several Taliban drug centers, using an advanced F-22 Raptor fighter and a B-52 bomber among other aircraft.

"Last night we conducted strikes in northern Helmand to hit the Taliban where it hurts, in their narcotics financing," Nicholson said. "The new authorities allow me to go after the revenue streams of the enemy."

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime said output of opium made from poppy in Afghanistan, the world's main source of heroin, showed a remarkable increase of 87 percent in 2017.

Most of the production comes from southwestern Helmand province, where 300 Marines from Task Force Southwest are currently assisting the ANDSF's 215th Corps against the Taliban.

In a Dec. 23 visit to Task Force Southwest with Gen. Robert Neller, the Marine Commandant, Military.com's Hope Hodge Seck reported Marines had used a precision airstrike to kill a Taliban shadow governor who had planned and executed improvised explosive device attacks on Marines and Afghan soldiers for well over a decade.

"Through the work of the intelligence sections as well as the operations in here, and coordination with the Afghans as well, we were able to conduct a strike on him a few days ago," said Marine Capt. Brian Hubert.

"Basically, we're very familiar with the battlespace now. So when we see the leaders we know are important there, we can kind of do a bead on them," Hubert said.

In a Dec. 31 release, Task Force Southwest said the ANDSF was engaged in conducting combat operations throughout the Marjah region of Helmand and had cleared a large number of improvised explosive devices.

"For the first time in years, Afghan forces from the police, army and National Directorate of Security are fighting side by side in Marjah, largely unopposed by the Taliban," said Col. Matthew Reid, deputy commander for Task Force Southwest.

"Historically, Marjah has always been a tough fight. The Afghans are now operating freely in areas that were untenable just a few months ago. While there is still a lot of fighting left to do, ANDSF freedom of movement in Marjah is significant, Reid said.

In his address to U.S. troops at Bagram in December, Pence said efforts assist the Kabul government in more than 16 years of war "have come at a great cost. More than 3,500 members of our allied forces have lost their lives over the past 16 years, including 2,308 Americans."

In 2017, the U.S. lost 15 service members in Afghanistan, compared to 10 in 2016. According to Operation Freedom's Sentinel and the Pentagon, 101 service members were wounded in in 2017, compared to 71 in 2016.

Of the 15 deaths in 2017, 11 were the result of combat operations and all were from the Army. Of the 11, nine were from the active duty Army, one was Army National Guard and one was Army Reserve, according to Operation Freedom's Sentinel.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.
GLOCK, Inc. recently unveiled its new Glock 19X, a new pistol that combines the full-size frame of the Glock 17 with the compact slide of the Glock 19.

The "Crossover" pistol design emerged out of Glock's effort to win the Army's recent Modular Handgun System competition.

The Smyrna, Georgia-based company submitted versions of its 9mm Glock 19 and .40 caliber Glock 23 pistols in the Army's effort to replace its M9 9mm pistol.

But in early January, Sig Sauer beat out Glock Inc., FN America and Beretta USA, the maker of the current M9 9mm pistol in the MHS competition to replace the M9.

"The G19X was developed for the military and is a practical everyday pistol that will do what you need it to do, when you need it to; every time, in every condition," GLOCK VP Josh Dorsey said in a recent Glock press release.

"Through rigorous testing, the G19X stands out above the competition and has the ability to function in all situations with ultimate reliability and accuracy. Our goal was to meet the demanding needs of the military while maintaining our standard of perfection. With proven results, the G19X delivers maximum efficiency and trustworthiness."

The G19X comes in the coyote color with the first-ever factory colored slide. The nPVD slide coating of the GLOCK 19X prevents corrosion, resists chemicals, and stands up against the elements, according to the release.

Additional design features of the G19X include the GLOCK Marksman Barrel with enhanced polygonal rifling and an improved barrel crown for increased accuracy, ambidextrous slide stop levers and no finger grooves for better versatility, and a lanyard loop for retention, according to the release.

The pistol includes a standard 17-round magazine and two 17+2-round extended magazines along with a coyote-colored pistol case.

"The aggregate effect of all the G19X design enhancements gives any user the assurance to succeed and survive in all situations," according to the release, which states that the G19X will be available beginning January 22nd at select dealers.

Unlike the Glock MHS versions, the G19X does not include a frame-mounted manual safety designed to meet the Army's MHS requirement.

In June of last year, the Government Accountability Office denied a protest filed by Glock, Inc., against the U.S. Army's decision to select Sig Sauer, Inc., to make the service's new sidearm.

Glock filed the protest with the GAO on Feb. 24, challenging the Army's interpretation of the solicitation regarding the minimum number of contract awards required by the Request for Proposal, according to a statement by Ralph O. White, managing associate general counsel for Procurement Law at GAO. Glock also alleged that the Army improperly evaluated its proposal.

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.
More than 60 percent of all military spouses work. It's a demanding lifestyle, but it also provides a golden opportunity beyond the dual income: the power to choose from two benefits plans.

Since the military is known for its strong benefits package, it's easy to default to your spouse's military plans and overlook the benefits your own employer provides.

That's a mistake. You may be able to take advantage of benefits the military doesn't offer, or double up on valuable incentives and tax savings.

If you're eligible for benefits at your job, here are five important areas to explore:

Retirement plan. Your spouse may contribute to the military's Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), but that shouldn't stop you from signing up for your employer's 401(k) or similar plan - especially if your company offers matching funds, which the TSP, unless you're spouse is covered by the Blended Retirement System, does not. Contribute at least up to the amount matched by the company. Otherwise, it's like turning down free money. Check out retirement savings calculators to make sure both you and your spouse are saving enough to meet your goals.

Flexible spending accounts. These plans allow you to pay for health-care or dependent-care expenses with pre-tax dollars. If you spend a significant amount of money each year on medicines, doctor visits, day care, and other eligible expenses, "flex accounts" could save you hundreds in taxes. The military doesn't offer these plans, so be sure to take your employer up on the deal.

Health insurance. Choose the best plan, whether it's Tricare or your employer's. Review both plans closely at enrollment time to find out which plan best suits your family's needs. Compare monthly premiums, co-pay amounts, deductibles, and the convenience of physicians in the plan. You may be able to mix and match certain elements, such as dental from one plan and prescription drug coverage from the other.

Life and disability insurance. If your family counts on two incomes, then life insurance for you and your spouse becomes even more important. Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) from the military is a great bargain, but it may not be enough to fully protect your family. Similarly, disability insurance may be necessary to continue your income if you were to suffer a debilitating injury or disease. For either scenario, your employer may offer insurance options that are of lower cost to you than the military plans. If your employer doesn't offer this type of coverage, shop around.

Tuition reimbursement. While you may be eligible for a My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) scholarship through the military, many employers offer more robust education support. So if you're thinking about going back to school, find out if your employer can chip in. With the skyrocketing costs of tuition, fees, and books, getting a college degree without the burden of incurring debt is an extremely valuable proposition.

Taking full advantage of your employer's benefits is just another line to add your "super spouse" resume. And your family's financial security will be better for it.
JioPhone is now available on Amazon India. The 4G feature phone is seen listed on the e-commerce site by a third party reseller called the Gadget geek business solution at much higher price tag of Rs 1,745 than the original cost. This is a little strange, as originally, to buy a JioPhone customer need to pay a base amount of Rs 1500 which is refundable after 3 years, only if you return the JioPhone back to the company. However, India Today Tech has learnt that the listing in an unofficial one and Jio isn't aware of it. So, you may buy the JioPhone from Amazon store at your own risk, instead we would suggest, don't fall for it. Meanwhile, JioPhone is now available at your nearest offline store.

Interestingly, not just one but two sellers have listed India ka smartphone aka JioPhone on Amazon India store. One is by a seller called Gadget geek business solution, while the second one is by my e-world. It seems, both the retailers are selling the 4G phone unofficially, hence, if you opt to book the phone from them, you may do that at your own risk and this one isn't an official one by Jio. Moreover, buying the JioPhone from these sellers doesn't make sense because you may have to pay a lot more than the original price.

Gadget geek business solution is selling the JioPhone at Rs 1745, while my e-world is selling the device at an even higher price of Rs 1,922. To recall, originally JioPhone is available at an effective price of Rs "zero". However, at the time for purchasing the product -- customers need to pay a sum of Rs 1500, which will be refundable after 3 years. To get the refundable amount, the customer needs to return back the JioPhone (undamaged) to the company.

Note: it seems, some customers have actually purchased the phone from these unauthorized sellers and have received the product in good condition. But then, you still shouldn't fall for the offer, we would suggest.

Meanwhile, if you are interested to get a JioPhone for yourself, it is worth noting that India ka smartphone is now available at offline stores. And you may better head over to the nearest stores rather than getting it from an unauthorized seller on Amazon. This means, you need not, any longer wait for the online booking to start on the company website. Also, neither do you have to register your interest or wait for days (or months) to get the delivery.

India Today Tech has learnt that to buy a JioPhone, you can visit your nearest store, provide your Aadhaar details and you are good to go. However, to buy the phone from offline stores, you will need to pay an amount of Rs 1650 at first. At Rs 1650, you will get the JioPhone, a new Jio SIM card and Rs 153 recharge. Out of Rs 1650, Rs 1500 will be refunded back to you on returning the JioPhone (undamaged) to the company after 3 years.

However, if you already have a Jio SIM, and don't wish to get a new one, note that there's no option but to get the new SIM. You'll have to pay for the SIM anyway, even if you already have a Jio number. Meanwhile, the scenario isn't the same if you buy the phone from online. But, Jio, as of now, hasn't started the online booking as the company website is still asking customers to register their interest.

Also Read: Reliance JioPhone review: Genie in a bottle
By Maia Szalavitz, a neuroscience journalist. Her next book, Unbroken Brain, will explore why addiction is best viewed as a developmental disorder and what this means for treatment and policy.. Cross posted from Evonomics; originally co-published at the Guardian/a> and Economic Hardship Reporting Project

A 17-year-old boy shoots a 15-year-old stranger to death, apparently believing that the victim had given him a dirty look. A Chicago man stabs his stepfather in a fight over whether his entry into his parents house without knocking was disrespectful. A San Francisco UPS employee guns down three of his co-workers, then turns his weapon on himself, seemingly as a response to minor slights.

These killings may seem unrelated  but they are only a few recent examples of the kind of crime that demonstrates a surprising link between homicide and inequality.

While on the surface, the disputes that triggered these deaths seem trivial  each involved apparently small disagreements and a sense of being seen as inferior and unworthy of respect  research suggests that inequality raises the stakes of fights for status among men.

The connection is so strong that, according to the World Bank, a simple measure of inequality predicts about half of the variance in murder rates between American states and between countries around the world. When inequality is high and strips large numbers of men of the usual markers of status  like a good job and the ability to support a family  matters of respect and disrespect loom disproportionately.

Inequality predicts homicide rates better than any other variable, says Martin Daly, professor emeritus of psychology and neuroscience at McMaster University in Ontario and author of Killing the Competition: Economic Inequality and Homicide.

This includes factors like rates of gun ownership (which also rise when inequality does) and cultural traits like placing more emphasis on honor (this, too, turns out to be linked with inequality). About 60 [academic] papers show that a very common result of greater inequality is more violence, usually measured by homicide rates, says Richard Wilkinson, author of The Spirit Level and co-founder of the Equality Trust.

According to the FBI, just over half of murders in which the precipitating circumstances were known were set off by what is called the other argument  not a robbery, a love triangle, drugs, domestic violence or money, but simply the sense that someone had been dissed.

When someone bumps into someone on the dance floor, looks too long at someone elses girlfriend or makes an insulting remark, it doesnt threaten the self-respect of people who have other types of status the way it can when you feel this is your only source of value.

If your social reputation in that milieu is all youve got, youve got to defend it, says Daly. Inequality makes these confrontations more fraught because theres much more at stake when there are winners and losers and you can see that you are on track to be one of the losers.

Harold Pollack, co-director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab, agrees. If you foreclose [mainstream] opportunities for respect, status and personal advancement, people will find other ways to pursue those things.

Obviously, potential murderers dont check the local Gini Index  the most commonly used measure of inequality that looks at how wealth is distributed  before deciding whether to get a gun. But they are keenly attuned to their own level of status in society and whether it allows them to get what they need to live a decent life. If they cant, while others visibly bask in luxury that seems both impossible to attain and unfairly won, those far from the top often become desperate.

Issues of respect dont only affect males, of course  but overwhelmingly, murders tend to be committed by men: the current proportion in the US is 90%.

Whats less known is that in most countries, most of the victims are male, too. Thats because, since inequality is common worldwide, killings related to status predominate  and men kill those whom they see as rivals. Murders are also disproportionately a crime of the young. For both evolutionary and cultural reasons, social status is most highly contested during adolescence and early adulthood, because high rank is frequently associated with sexual attractiveness.

The link between these crimes and inequality is also underscored by how much their levels differ between countries. Its the most variable component of the homicide rate, says Daly.

All types of homicide are much less common in the egalitarian Scandinavian countries than in the US. But disputes over male status are so much lower in such countries that while in the US, 77% of victims are male, only 50% are in the Nordic nations.

Whats fallen out is all this male macho stuff, Daly says. Although inequality can also affect rates of crimes like robbery or burglary, its effect is most clearly seen in the way it murderously magnifies beefs.

The recent, stunning rise in inequality in America started in 1979, with the top 1% capturing 54% of all the increase in income between that year and 2007. While the Great Recession briefly paused the trend, between 2009 and 2013, the 1% took 85% of income growth and the situation has only worsened since. During that time, however, homicide rates showed nearly the opposite pattern: they rose through the 1960s and 1970s, reached a peak in 1991 and fell by nearly half between that year and 2015.

The last two years, however, have seen some rises: the rate in 2016 was nearly 9% higher than in 2015 and 2017 also seems likely to show a jump. Daly says that no one knows what time lag to expect between a rise in inequality and a rise in murder  but if it does take a few decades, this could be the start of a troubling trend, not a blip.

The rise of Trump shows that inequality has a real tangible effect on voter behavior, just not necessarily what youd expect, says the Stanford historian Walter Scheidel, the author of The Great Leveler: Violence and the History of Inequality from the Stone Age to the Twenty-First Century. Scheidels book shows that historically, the only way high inequality has been flattened has been through catastrophe: disease, famine, world war, societal collapse or communist revolution.
By Lee Camp, the host and head writer of the comedy news show Redacted Tonight that airs every Friday on RT America and at YouTube.com/RedactedTonight. Hes a former comedy writer for the Onion and the Huffington Post

I decided to fix some of the awful reporting by the NY Times. What you see below is a random sample. I only looked at one page of the NY Times before I picked an article to correct. Its high time we started seeing our most respected media outlets for what they really are.

A few days ago police in Kansas were called to a house by a prankster. They shot and killed the man who came to the door. He knew nothing about the prank call. (The term for such pranks is swatting.) This New York Times article would have you believe that what really matters in this murder was the fact that the cops were called by a prankster. But in truth, that should be nothing but a side note.

Police get called to scenes they dont need to be at all the time. Its not uncommon. Whether its because someone thinks their neighbors music is too loud or because a mentally ill man is peeing in a fountain. A lot of what the police are SUPPOSED to do is show up somewhere and NOT shoot whoever they see. In fact, thats MOST of their job. But what the NY Times wont tell you about policing in America could drown a small town.

In this article, the NY Times wont tell you that the police in many states receive less training than hair stylists or electricians or just about any skilled jobs. This is one of the reasons they always seem to be killing, injuring, and maiming innocent people. Another reason  which the NY Times wont tell you  is that many cops (perhaps as high as 25% in cities) are using steroids. And the side effects of steroid abuse are EXACTLY the traits you DONT want police to have. The stunning succession of recent front-page examples of police officers who exhibit rage, aggression and/or poor judgment (all symptoms of possible steroid abuse) in confrontations with citizens should ring alarm bells, experts say.

Yet the NY Times reporter goes with the government/police line that the REAL problem is the pranksters who call the cops. Sure, we shouldnt like pranksters calling the cops. BUT the real point is  it SHOULDNT MATTER. If the cops are called to the wrong place, they should be rational enough to figure out, Hey, there is no crime going on here. Lets not kill anybody.

This is the equivalent of a patient dying on the operating table because the surgeon took an hour lunch break in the middle of the procedure. And then afterwards, the hospital said, We have to increase the punishment for patients who come in during lunch time.

Pranks will happen. Police will end up at the wrong location at times. That will never change. In fact, police are now being called to houses BY SMART HOME DEVICES! What needs to change is the willingness and/or eagerness of cops to MURDER people whenever they show up somewhere.

The NY Times also does not mention throughout this article that US police killed over ONE THOUSAND people in 2016 (the most recent year with data). If you want something to compare that to, German police killed TEN people in 2015. Your response may be, Well, the U.S. has more people than Germany. This is true, but America has only 4 times as many people. So even if you account for the population difference, U.S. cops shouldve killed 40 people in a year. Instead they kill OVER A THOUSAND. They generally murder more people in a week than German cops kill in a year.

The Times reporter also leaves out that police who kill unarmed innocent people, sometimes even unarmed children like Tamir Rice, generally do not get convicted or go to prison. Our police have been militarized and given a license to be judge, jury, and executioner. Furthermore  also ignored by the Times  when the police are caught doing something illegal, they usually arrest the person filming them.

A recent study  which unfortunately was ALSO missed by the NY Times reporter  shows that there are simple steps the police could take to stop murdering so many innocent people. Also, leaked documents show that police unions help protect bad cops even when they continually commit police brutality. The unions have guarantees from the states that police officers will not be disciplined or will only be disciplined lightly. I guess the NY Times missed that small detail.

They also missed perhaps the biggest point when it comes to swatting. These prank calls rest on the knowledge that when cops or SWAT teams come to your home  they wreak havoc on your life. Theres a pretty high likelihood they will break down a door and maybe a window, detain you and your family while they question you, possibly arrest you without cause or tackle you if you talk back to them. And god help you if they smell marijuana or see a bunch of beer cans or find out that someone in your family is undocumented. If we had an adult, functional society, police would ONLY be there to help those in need  not to upend the lives of the citizens they have sworn to protect. The sole reason pranking someone by calling the cops on them even works in the first place is because most of us realize how terrible it is to have the cops thrust into your life  whether youre a lawful citizen or not. Mainstream media outlets intentionally ignore or paint over all of this context.

We are witnessing a bloodbath on our own streets and hack, context-free reporting, like this example from the NY Times, is why Americans are not informed enough to stand up against it.

Keep fighting,
I know Jerri-Lynn wished you Happy New Year yesterday, but let me add my wishes today!

NZ revelers build sand island to defy alcohol ban, authorities admire their ingenuity RT (Kevin W)

Six dogs rescued from Liverpool multistorey car park gutted by fire Guardian

How Migrating Birds Use Weather Conditions to Calculate the Best Route With the Least Resistance LaughingSquid (resilc)

Horrifying moment a horse collapses in the street during Londons spectacular New Years Day parade Daily Mail. FWIW, one of my nieces was marching in this parade. Frustrating that the article doesnt say whether the horse was ultimately OK or not.

Airports Across U.S. Were Hit With Hours-Long Customs Glitch Time. Lambert: And JFK is a hell-hole even when the computers are working.

New Years Message and Warning from a War Correspondent OffGuardian (JTM)

Flood and severe weather alerts as Storms Eleanor and Fionn sweep across the Atlantic threatening 70mph winds and heavy rain in the first week of 2018 Daily Mail. Warning to eastern US and Canadian readers: you arent the only ones suffering from the wrath of the Weather Gods.

As much death as you want: UC Berkeleys Stuart Russell on Slaughterbots Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (guurst). From last month, still germane.

Nepal bans solo climbers from Mount Everest under new rules BBC (Chuck L)

Bitcoin tensions rise as investors claim banks freezing their accounts Sydney Morning Herald (Kevin W)

Bitcoin Starts New Year by Declining, First Time Since 2015 Bloomberg

Want to Be Happy? Think Like an Old Person New York Times

China?

North Korea

Brussels prepares for battle over EU budget contributions Financial Times. Admittedly, the EU is not the Eurozone, but this is one of many cases where not understanding MMT makes problems more difficult than they need be.

Brexit

Rail fare rises: Season ticket prices have soared by up to 50% since Tories took power in 2010, Labour reveals Independent

Guindos cifra en 1.000 millones el coste de la crisis soberanista en Cataluna El Pais. Yes, El Pais.

Syraqistan

Unsurprisingly news of the #IranProtests dominated newspaper headlines this morning. Here are a few from across the political spectrum. I'll translate headlines in the thread below. pic.twitter.com/w3xWVrqBCN  Nilo Tabrizy (@ntabrizy) December 31, 2017

Imperial Collapse Watch

Trump Transition

Tax Reform

Cuomo spending economic development funds for property tax ad New York Post (UserFriendly)

Democrats in Disarray

From Martha r: Not a good look for the Greens:

Im not leaving out anything. I just don't have any photos or video from that time period. If you want to share i would love so receive and amplify. Ita about remembering Erica. Not any party or candidates. I was with her for Bernie. She didn't do much with the greens. https://t.co/IgEHfji58Y  Blackstar Flower (@BlackstarFlower) January 1, 2018

Lambert took great interest in Black Lives Matter (he was following it long before it got national attention), Erica Garner, and of course the elections. This is not definitive, but from Lambert via e-mail:

Garner did attend a GP rally in the Bronx in October 2016: https://medium.com/@jlowell/jill-steins-rally-in-south-bronx-swamped-with-ex-sanders-supporters-39f54ce7d43b And here: https://sydneymonfries.atavist.com/jill-stein-calls-for-political-revolution-at-south-bronx-rally Erica Garner, the daughter of Eric Garner an unarmed black man killed by police in 2014 and whose name has become tantamount to the Black Lives Matter Movement made an impassioned plea to the audience to vote with their conscience and touched on Barakas theme of fear in this election. Garner another Bernie-turned-Stein supporter expressed concerns about both major party candidates. Stating that if Clinton become president it will be more of the same, while also claiming that the previous Clinton administration did little for black lives. She very simply condemned Trump as a racist and a fraud. Im not scared to reject the politics of fear, Garner said. This November we have a choice to make and Im not telling you who to choose but Im telling you to reject any choice that is bad for you and your people. I dont recall Garner on the trail with Stein, or making advertisements with her, or formally endorsing here. There is no endorsement here, if thats what Baraka is implying.

North Carolina no longer a democracy News & Observer (martha r)

South Floridas Real Estate Reckoning Could Be Closer Than You Think Bloomberg

Historic Secwepemc Declaration Against Kinder Morgan Womens Declaration. Martha r: Undated. Worth signing, also reading for the info.

Times Up: Hollywood women launch campaign to fight sexual harassment Guardian

Major Hacker Conference Organizers Accused of Ignoring Harassment, Enabling Abusers Gizmodo (Chuck L). Wowsers. The allegations go way beyond grey areas and include assault.

KRS pensioners sue hedge fund giants, financial advisers and former leadership for crippling Kentuckys pension system InsiderLouisville (Chris Tobe). More on this soon

Class Warfare

Antidote du jour (resilc). A New Years leap near Arlington, VA:

And from Johan L: Attaching a Joel Meyerowitz photo, taken in 1965 at JFK airport, that a family member sent me. I found it quite stunning.

See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here.
(Natural News) A drug that treats periodic paralysis may be pricing those afflicted with the condition out of the market. Originally a medicine approved for glaucoma treatment, the U.K. National Health Service made Daranide available for the equivalent of about $500 U.S. dollars for a years supply.

Daranide reportedly didnt work well for the eye disease, but was effective as an off label treatment for muscle disorders or for some forms of muscular dystrophy.

Big Pharma evidently wasnt banking a sufficient profit, however, so the drug was taken off the market in 2008, and by 2012, supplies had run out, according to the Daily Mail,

Upon its relaunch about two years later, under the name Keveyis, the price skyrocketed to approximately $47,000 per year, apparently with the approval of British regulators, putting it out of reach for many patients. The NHS provides a less-expensive alternative drug, but it reportedly is far less palliative.

The Daily Mail notes the rebranded Daranide is considered what government and industry describes as an orphan drug.

[M]eaning the number of patients who can benefit from it is too small to make it profitable from sales. In these cases, a manufacturer is asked by a government to set up a production line. The trade-off is the company then has a monopoly, and there are no rules about what it charges for the treatment.

The Washington Post explains that the rights to Daranide changed hands several times, and here in the U.S., the current Big Pharma owner charges about $15,000 for a 100-pill bottle of the rebranded Keveyis, and as much as approximately $220,000 for a years supply, depending upon the dosage. Approximately 5,000 U.S. citizens suffer from periodic paralysis.

The zigzagging trajectory of the price of Daranideshows just how much freedom drug companies have in pricing therapies  and what a big business opportunity selling extremely-rare-disease drugs has become.

The Post also pointed out, however, that the drug manufacturer is helping patients obtain insurance coverage or reimbursing some of the costs, as well as providing the drug free of charge in some instances. But passing on exorbitant prices is hardly better.

Last year, Natural News reported on a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that concluded that the U.S. government tolerates monopolistic practices by drug companies, thereby allowing them to charge jacked-up prices for medications.

Earlier this year, Health Ranger Mike Adams, the founding editor of Natural News, asserted that media conservatives like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity lack appreciation for how Big Pharma dominates the free-market healthcare system.

Adams summarized the prevailing circumstances as follows.

The entire health care system as we know it today is little more than a government-coerced monopoly that criminalizes holistic medicine and natural medicinal interventions which are safer, cheaper and vastly more effective than chemical medications.

In general, when Big Pharma and Big Government, along with Big Insurance, get together in a joint venture, the ordinary citizen typically comes out on the short end. (Related: Read more about the prescription drug industry at BigPharmaNews.com.)

Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

WashingtonPost.com
(Natural News) It is well-known that taking certain medications can cause certain side effects to occur in humans. In the case of antiviral medications for flu, patients in Japan have reportedly been experiencing abnormal behaviors that has led the government itself to issue a warning to Japanese citizens. Lock patients inside of their rooms while they recover after taking their medicine, the government says, in order to avoid accidental injury or worse, death.

In Japan, the flu can be a major problem during flu season. The public record shows that from April 2009 to August 2017, there were eight people that died after falling and for other reasons. And the one thing they all had in common was that they were believed to be demonstrating abnormal behavior after taking their anti-flu meds. Since then, even more possibly related deaths have been tallied, and now the public health officials are publicly discussing the matter of flu drug safety once again.

According to Japans health ministry, young influenza patients need to be locked inside of their rooms for at least two days after taking their medication as they recover. All exits and windows need to be locked in the patients room and access to a balcony should not be available. This is said to be the first specific directive instruction of its kind made by the ministry, and it was sent out to all prefectural governments as the number of reported fatal accidents due to abnormal behavior continued to rise.

Signs of abnormal behavior

Based on numerous reports as well as the alert that was issued out by the health ministry, the so-called abnormal behavior exhibited by the sufferers include a sudden urge to leave the room and move towards a balcony or veranda in a state of agitation, walking around a room weeping, and talking nonsense. These behaviors and more were said to be reported regardless of the type of antiviral meds taken by patients, and even if the patients hadnt taken any antiviral meds at all.

In an earlier alert, Japan warned against prescribing Tamiflu to patients aged 10 to 19, mainly because more than a hundred people who were mostly young started showing signs of abnormal behavior after taking the medication. Some patients showed signs of hallucinations and delirium. However, in some rather unfortunate cases, the strange behavior resulted in the death of patients due to jumping off buildings.

Changes to antiviral warnings

After additional reports of abnormal behavior started coming in, Japan also looked into other anti-flu meds such as Relenza and the generic amantadine. For Tamiflu, experts at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have recommended a stronger label warning, one which would take note of patient deaths and suggest close monitoring for behavioral changes, especially in children. Meanwhile, the addition of a warning for delirium and hallucinations is recommended for Relenza.

According to FDA safety reviewer Dr. Adrienne Rothstein, the contribution of the drugs to the abnormal behavior that leads to fatal accidents cant be ruled out completely. While the makers of both Tamiflu and Relenza have both stood by the safety of their products, the government will likely urge citizens to err on the side of caution. In the meantime, it might be best for flu patients to just hold steady and wait until the flu season is over to finally rule out the possibility of fatal injuries.

Read more about this contagious illness at Influenza.news.

Sources include:

BMJ.com

SMH.com.au

Asahi.com
(Natural News) There are many interesting tech celebrities floating about in Silicon Valley, but few people can compare to billionaire Paypal founder Peter Thiel. Ever since starting what is arguably the worlds largest online payment processor, hes had a hand in many other industries. He has been so prolific, in fact, that he has investments in companies that arent even remotely related to his earlier businesses.

Case in point: one of the companies that Thiel is backing, called Compass Pathways, is about to begin clinical trials to measure the effectiveness of magic mushrooms in treating patients with depression. Its a pioneering study that will determine the future of psychedelics in regards to how they are looked at in the context of medical treatments.

You might think that the whole idea of doing clinical trials for magic mushrooms as depression treatment is a one-off, that it isnt bound to go anywhere and most likely wont yield any positive results. But in reality, it has quite a substantial body of evidence behind it, which is why the trials are being set up to happen in the first place.

History and safety

The use of magic mushrooms  for any purpose  started about several decades ago, but it has been refined since then. According to George Goldsmith, one of the founders of Compass Pathways, its more important to focus on the benefits of taking magic mushrooms for todays patients than to think about what it meant for people in the past.

This is not about going back to the 1960s, said George, but about taking forward 21st-century science with digital innovation and medicines now that we understand how they work.

According to a report on the companys plans involving magic mushrooms, there is hope that a positive result in the trial could trigger regulatory approval and end up causing a paradigm shift as far as psychotherapy and the use of anti-depressant drugs are concerned. This would certainly spell good news for those who are currently taking depression medication and not getting their desired results.

Apart from Thiel, Compass has received support from others including Mike Novogratz, a US investor, and Christian Angermayer, a German entrepreneur. The company has received 4 million in seed funding so far and is on track to raise 15 million for the trials from third-party investors. The trials are going to be conducted in eight European countries including the U.K., Germany, Finland, Spain, and the Netherlands.

Known effects of shrooms

Its no secret that magic mushrooms target the brain directly and cause users to go on a so-called trip whenever they are used. During the trip, a users brain activity patterns are changed from what they would normally be, and users get positive feelings such as euphoria. Since this is the norm for psychedelics like psilocybin, they have gained quite the reputation, and there is widespread recreational use.

According to David Nutt, director of the neuropsychopharmacology unit in the division of brain sciences at Imperial College London, the use of shrooms has a pretty clear-cut effect. In the depressed brain, in the addicted brain, in the obsessed brain, it gets locked into a pattern of thinking or processing thats driven by the frontal, the control center, said Nutt. Psychedelics disrupt that process so people can escape.

Nothing is final yet as of this times writing, but the trials are going to be conducted as soon as Compass gets final approval from regulators. Once approved, there will be 400 patients enrolled in the study, and the researchers will measure exactly how much changes in patients with constant use of psilocybin over a period of three months.

Read more about recreational drugs at Natural.news.

Sources include:

BusinessInsider.com

FT.com
(Natural News) Intelligence agencies, government officials, and even members of the mainstream media talk openly about the use of false flags to deceive others. Skepticism toward false flags grew after the introduction of The War on Terror  an obvious psychological manipulation tactic created by U.S. intelligence agencies at the turn of the century to instill perpetual fear into the general public. This flamboyant term War on Terror has no concrete basis in reality and is readily associated with deceptive false flags. This sudden War on Terror is the reason why so many critical thinkers question the official story of 9-11. Was this attack known, or even planned out beforehand by U.S. intelligence agencies? Did the U.S. government allow this attack to occur or perhaps set a certain group up to appear as the enemy? Could 9-11 be considered a false flag event? False flags are used to make an attack appear as if it was carried out by a certain group. This has always been a tactic to motivate one group to fight another, or as a means to gain public support for war or political action.

Motivated by the fear of terrorist attacks and the threat of foreign enemies who hate America, the public can be readily controlled by new laws (like the Patriot Act) unconstitutional surveillance tactics (used now by the NSA) and breaches of privacy (witnessed with the TSA).

The term War on Terror also gave the U.S. government carte blanche power to fight an unnamed enemy across multiple countries without Constitutional approval. Through the War on Terror, Congress was under no obligation to declare war. The manipulative term gave the U.S. government and all its intelligence agencies the open door for perpetual war against an invisible enemy. Any and every ensuing act of violence against a U.S. citizen could then be used to justify this never-ending war on terror.

Today any tragic event of violence can be advertised on the mainstream media as a means to instill fear into people, to stir their emotions into giving up their own freedoms. No tragedy goes to waste in todays media. Whenever there is an attack, people want to know they are still safe; more warrantless searches and spying on innocent Americans seem necessary to prevent terror. Inappropriate body searches and shakedowns seem necessary when there is always a lingering threat. Likewise, whenever there is a mass shooting, there are demands for gun confiscation, as gullible minds seek the illusion of safety, while demanding restrictions on their own personal right to self-defense.

Former U.S. President James Madison understood how false flags and fear tactics are used to strengthen those in power. He said, If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy.

Just as fear is used to control others, so the false flag is a necessary tool to manipulate people. A false flag is a strategic plan of deception, a calculated manipulation. False flags are carried out by government agencies that believe they are above the law. False flags are used by sociopathic personalities who seek to maintain their power, who seek to keep the peoples trust in their authority.

Intelligence agencies use false flag tactics and talk openly about them. Even mainstream medias NBC News was open about the use of false flags:

In another document taken from the NSA by Snowden and obtained by NBC News, a JTRIG official said the units mission included computer network attacks, disruption, Active Covert Internet Operations, and Covert Technical Operations. Among the methods listed in the document were jamming phones, computers and email accounts and masquerading as an enemy in a false flag operation. The same document said GCHQ was increasing its emphasis on using cyber tools to attack adversaries.

The Washington Post quoted former secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who said a false flag is an acceptable interrogation method. A technique known as false flag, or deceiving a detainee into believing he is being interrogated by someone from another country, Rumsfeld said.

The latest JFK document dump reveals that false flags were used by the U.S. government as a means for getting public support to fight the Soviet Union.

When Washingtons Blog questioned Philip Giraldi, former counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer with the CIA, Giraldi responded: Yes, of course. We did false flags, and called them that, frequently in the operations directorate using false documentation to indicated that we were nationals of a country that was not the United States. Almost every CIA officer had false third country identification when operating overseas.

Those who question the official story and call it out as a false flag, are people who understand how false flags are used. Those who question are really saying, I dont trust those in power. I wont be manipulated.

Find more news on false flag events at FalseFlag.news.

Sources include:

ZeroHedge.com

NBCNews.com

NaturalNews.com
(Natural News) Research shows that minorities tend to be underrepresented in precision medicine studies like those of breast cancer, as the willingness to provide samples depends on oncologist engagement or religion, an article in Springer.com reports.

Precision medicine is defined as data-driven treatment that takes into account individual factors such as genes, environment, and personal lifestyle.

The study revealed that the women who were more likely to participate in genetic research had earlier-stage and less aggressive breast cancer, were less religious and had better access to healthcare.

Unfortunately, the study was only able to evaluate data from non-Latino whites.

These types of cancer studies help researchers understand why some patients survive and others do not, which might help improve treatment for breast cancer based on genetic information. However, minorities are often underrepresented in genetic research.

According to Vanessa B. Sheppard of Virginia Commonwealth Universitys School of Medicine, women are motivated to donate genetic samples like saliva specimens for cancer research based on their socio-cultural factors (the attitudes that define them as a culture), clinical factors (a persons physiological risk factors), and healthcare process.

This underrepresentation may diminish the potential impact of precision medicine if we do not know how to best tailor cancer treatment and prevention treatments to individual patient characteristics such as variability in genes, environment, lifestyle, and/or personal preferences, explained Sheppard.

The current study aims to shed some light on how these drivers influence breast cancer survivors participation in genetic research in black and white breast cancer survivors.

The study recruited women with confirmed hormonal-positive breast cancer. A telephone survey collected socio-demographic, socio-cultural (e.g., religiosity), and clinical information that was abstracted from medical records. They were then sent a collection kit and asked to send their samples back.

While the samples provided revealed no differences by race or other demographic factors, the study reveals that women with lower-stage cancer were more likely to donate biospecimens. In addition, cancer care experiences  the time spent with healthcare providers, for instance  and religiosity remained associated with biospecimen provision.

The most robust healthcare predictor was survivors satisfaction with the time spent with their oncologists, notes Sheppard. (Related: Minorities Are Not Satisfied With Their Health Care.)

Understanding the contextual reasons for lower receipt among women with higher religiosity scores and higher stage warrants further examination, according to the researchers.

Interventions that target providers or patient-provider communication may be beneficial in the quest towards the inclusion of breast cancer patients and survivors in genetic research; this is an area that is ripe for future research.

Lack of diversity in genetic studies

An article on PSMag.com asserts that current genetic studies still leave out ethnic and racial minorities in research concerning precision medicine.

A report pointed out that there were 10 times more studies of individuals of European ancestry than there were of all other racial groups combined, including Asians, Hispanics, and Africans or African Americans.

Up to this day, whites of European ancestry still make up over 80 percent of subjects in large genetic studies. While there has been an increase in genetic studies of Asians, (14 percent today), Africans, African Americans, and Hispanics still make up less than four percent of the subjects of these studies.

Limits to DNA technology is one justification for the lack of diversity in these studies. Genetic differences in ancestry, for instance, can mask a relationship between mutations and disease, which makes it challenging to study mixed ancestry of Hispanics and African Americans.

Other reasons for the continued low participation of minority groups include:

Limited access to genetic services due to location and socioeconomic factors

Lack of awareness of the availability of genetic services

A distrust of how genetic information will be used

The most urgent justification appears to be the minorities lack of trust in the medical community, despite the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) of 2008, which protects Americans against discrimination in health insurance and employment based on their genetic information. This suggests that theres still a long way to go before minorities fully trust the biomedical research community of its potential use of genetic information.

Read more articles on biomedical research at Research.news.

Sources include:

Springer.com

PSMag.com

GHR.NLM.NIH.gov

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov
Aker BioMarine, a biotech innovator and Antarctic krill-harvesting company, was just named 2017s Platinum Safety Partner awarded by Texas Mutual Insurance. The Platinum Safety Partner Award is presented to companies that demonstrate commitment to workplace safety by implementing an exemplary safety program and controlling their workers compensation losses. Aker BioMarine was one of only 200 businesses that received this award out of 68,000 policyholders across Texas.

Commitment to employee safety has been an incremental part of our value chain since we started manufacturing at our Houston plant in late 2015, said Charlie Kujawa. We are extremely honored that the Texas Mutual Insurance Company, the state's leading workers' compensation provider, has awarded our Houston plant with the Platinum Safety Partner Award and we are proud that this incredible company has recognized our business among the top local businesses.

Aker BioMarine always makes safety a priority. The company ensures that the proper training and resources are in place to protect employees from workplace hazards, which is also reflected in the companys outstanding safety record. Per Texas Mutuals feedback, it is clear that safety is a core value at Aker BioMarine.

Hurricane Harvey was an unpleasant reminder of how important it is to conduct safety exercises and to be prepared for the unexpected. Although Aker BioMarines Houston manufacturing plant did not sustain damage, the company performed a controlled shutdown procedure to secure the safety of the employees and the site against Hurricane Harvey, said Kujawa.

Companies such as Aker BioMarine were graded on key areas that contributed to this safety award including:

Senior management/ownership support of the company's safety program

Consistent employee safety training and supervisor training along with good recordkeeping

Good housekeeping practices, maintenance program and engineering controls evident

Above average new employee orientation program

Excellent Internal First Aid/CPR training of employees

Management and employee accountability for safety is evident

Charlie Kujawa added, Our people at the Houston plant run complex processes every day, which require high-level knowledge and operating ability. This is why making sure that safety does not just happen, but is carefully planned, built, and executed into our everyday routines, is top priority. A safe work environment produces happier employees, higher efficiency, and improves quality.
Lycored, an international wellness company at the forefront of ingredient and nutrition supplements, announced the publication of its pre-clinical results in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Molecular Vision. Within the paper, scientists unearth the powerful biological synergy that exists between the ingredients found in LycoInvision, Lycored's Nutrient Complex for Vision Health.

Due to the successful results from the pre-clinical ex-vivo study, designed to assess the effect of Lycoinvision on immune cells from patients with AMD (Age-Related Macular Degeneration), Lycored will be continuing its research program proceeding with a clinical study.

The research, funded by Lycored and carried out by scientists at Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center in Israel, highlights how adding the phytonutrient combination of Tomato and Rosemary to the already well-researched AREDS composition, can better balance the cellular response to different challenges and modulate specific biomarkers and key processes affecting eye health.

To arrive at their findings, Monocyte immune cells were separated from the blood of patients with AMD (both men and women) and matured to macrophages (polarization to classic (M1) and alternative (M2) phenotypes). From there, each patient's cells were treated with different combinations of nutrients, revealing the most potent combination to be the one containing lycopene and Carnosic acid in addition to the well-researched lutein/zeaxanthin and AREDS minerals zinc and copper. This combination was shown to boost overall natural protection mechanisms against different stresses and provide antioxidant protection.

"The exact role that lycopene plays in eye health has been a long-standing mystery, as lycopene does not accumulate in the eye. This study allowed us to finally reveal the pivotal and synergistic role that it plays in vision protection," said Dr. Karin Hermoni, Head of science and Nutrition team at Lycored. "Research also suggests that Lycopene sacrifices itself for lutein by protecting it from oxidation allowing lutein to be effectively transported to the eye. The current study emphasizes that although lycopene does not contribute directly to macular pigmentation (like lutein does), it works in tandem with the other nutrients to help create the most potent combination of eye-protecting nutrients."

Lycored aims to use this ex-vivo eye health study as a way to support the innovation, importance and methodologies of such work; highlighting how a real time pre-clinical study can be seen as the glue between a notion and a trusted, finished product. In its commitment to supporting eye health and continuing research in the field, the results from the ex-vivo study are just the beginning for Lycored, as the company will continue the clinical portion (phase II) of the research program, and will focus on macular blood flow, in early 2018.

Access the article in-full, titled, Characterizing the Effect of Supplements on the Phenotype of Cultured Macrophages from Patients with Age Related Macular Degeneration, online at Molecular Vision. For additional information about Lycored and its vision health program, please visit www.lycored.com
An early-morning massive fire at a paper yard in Santa Clara Tuesday was visible from near Mineta San Jose International Airport.

An employee for Silicon Valley Power told NBC Bay Area that four power poles were on fire prompting the agency to shut off power on the street.

The fire started from a bale of burning cardboard outside the site on the yard located in the 500 block of Matthew Street. All employees were evacuated from the paper mill building. The fire was restricted to the yard.

Santa Clara Fire officials tweeted that the cause of the cardboard fire was unknown and that an investigation were underway.

A total of four engines, two trucks, two air and light units, two squads and five fire officials responded to the fire.
California made history Monday by officially becoming the first sanctuary state in the nation.

While most cities in the Bay Area already limited cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities, some lawmakers say the statewide designation will help all communities fight crime.

Since 2010, Santa Clara County has elected not to help federal immigration officials round up undocumented people. Starting Monday, the entire state is required to do the same.

"It's basically saying, 'Look we have DACA youth by the thousands and immigrant workers by the hundreds of thousands, and it is our intention to treat them in the jails like anybody else,'" county Supervisor Dave Cortese said.

Last year, when President Donald Trump issued an executive order to cut funding from counties that limit cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities, Santa Clara County stood to lose $1.7 billion in federal funding. After fighting the order, a federal judge ruled in favor of the county. Now that the entire state is following the same guidelines, some leaders argue it could strengthen their position in future legal battles.

Not everyone is onboard, however. Some California sheriff's departments have criticized the new sanctuary state law, saying it will lead to broad roundups that could lead to collateral arrests.

Supporters say the law will actually help fight crime.

"Its appropriate to have this statewide because if people dont feel they are in a position of trust, then we won't get phone calls to police, and we want those phone calls made and witnesses to testify in court," San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo said.

The new sanctuary state law also establishes schools, public libraries and health facilities as safe zones where people cannot be arrested because they are undocumented, protections that have been almost completely eliminated under Trump.
A box truck hit and injured two pedestrians before slamming into an occupied car in San Francisco on Monday afternoon, according to the San Francisco Fire Department.

About 3:45 p.m., a total of seven people were injured, two of them seriously, after the box truck plowed into two elderly men on a sidewalk and then into a vehicle with five occupants at Geary Street and 21st Avenue, fire officials said.

The box truck driver apparently was trying to make a U-turn, possibly changed his mind mid-turn and hit the two men, ages 66 and 79, officials said. The truck driver then hit the car carrying a family of five.

Heather King saw the truck hit the two pedestrians on the sidewalk on Geary and then head straight for her car. Her husband was behind the wheel, and her three kids were in the back seat.

"I just saw him hit two guys," she said. "Barely saw one guy, but the other I saw fly several feet through the air. ... Right where the truck hit (her car), my 10-year-old was sitting. Luckily, just glass hit his face."

The driver was delivering frozen food to a restaurant, police said. Video evidence shows him appearing to make a wide right turn onto Geary, but then he changes direction and heads across Geary.



A homeland security employee happened to be at the scene and made a citizen's arrest, holding the truck driver until police arrived, official said.

The two pedestrians were taken to a trauma center, and one of them had life-threatening injuries, fire officials said. One was being treated for a punctured lung, and the other was undergoing surgery for internal bleeding, officials said.

King and her family were evaluated at the scene, they said. None of them was seriously hurt.

The crash was under investigation, and officials were asking the public to avoid the area.

NBC Bay Area's Jean Elle contributed to this report.
More than one hundred days after Hurricane Maria ravaged Puerto Rico, Connecticut's congressional delegation said not enough has been done to help with recovery and rebuilding.

Connecticut senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal will travel to the island on Tuesday.

"This Island remains in crisis," Blumenthal said.

Blumenthal and fellow Democrat Murphy will journey to still-recovering Puerto Rico for two days, with plans to meet with the island's governor and to tour medical facilities in an effort to shine a light on what Blumenthal calls an 'inadequate federal response' to an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

"My colleagues in Congress, on both sides of the aisle, can do better for our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico," Blumenthal said.

The senators trip will also include a stop at a Johnson & Johnson manufacturing facility in Puerto Rico. The travel is being paid for with 'official senate office funds', Blumenthal's office said.

Connecticut residents like Jhonathan Rivera, with deep ties to Puerto Rico, just wish that the help would get their sooner. Rivera's family is in Puerto Rico and his 97-year-old grandmother only recently had her electricity restored.

"I think a lot more could have been done. And there's still a lot more to be done," Rivera, who leads the group Puerto Ricans United, Inc., said.

"They need to put the politics aside and just worry about the people there," said Rivera about the Blumenthal and Murphy trip to Puerto Rico.
Overnight lows below zero took their toll on at least one set of Connecticut businesses.

A set of storefronts at the Windsor Locks Commons all found their floors flooded around midday on New Years Day.

It all began when a fire sprinkler pipe froze and burst at the Kingdom Harvest Fellowship, the fire department said.

"Literally we had water in here. It was like a lake," Pastor Alain Fournier told NBC Connecticut.

The water spread to a pair of neighboring businesses, including the Windsor Locks Diner and a convenience store.

All the businesses plan to reopen Tuesday, Jan. 2. The only hitch will be if the fire suppression system does not work.

The burst pipe forced the landlord for the property to call in a crew to repair the fire sprinkler system. The crew was there around 5 p.m. New Years Day, and Fournier said it seems to be back in working shape, for now.
The 36-year-old father who was shot at a restaurant near Buckland Hills in Manchester on Saturday has died.

The victim, Norris Jackson, of Hartford, was shot at Bonchon Restaurant on Pleasant Valley Road and was transported to Hartford Hospital in critical condition before he died on Sunday night, according to Manchester Police.



On Monday, police said they are searching for a man and a woman linked to the shooting and should be considered armed and dangerous. The victim's mother, Barbara Turner, said the two people worked with her son.

"Im not a hater, my son didnt hate, but they need to turn themselves in," Turner told NBC Connecticut about the two suspects in her sons shooting.

Turner said she has donated her son's organs after making the gut-wrenching decision to take him off life support late New Years Eve. He was the father of four sons and three daughters and he was like a stepfather to his girlfriend's three sons, she said.

"He was awesome, just awesome. A great son, father, uncle, a wonderful person," Turner said.

Officers are searching for 28-year-old James Goolsby and 23-year-old Leanne Robitaille, both of Manchester, in connection with the shooting and said both should be considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information on their whereabouts should call Manchester police at (860) 645-5561 and anyone who spots the suspects should contact local law enforcement immediately.

Police continue to investigate what led up to the shooting.

The restaurant franchise released the following statement after the shooting:

"We at Bonchon Franchise are deeply saddened by the tragic shooting in Manchester, CT today, and are deeply concerned about the family and friends who are suffering. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victim and their family as we also respect their privacy during this ordeal."
The Connecticut Supreme Court is expected to issue decisions and hear arguments in a variety of notable cases in 2018, including a newspaper's quest for documents that belonged to the Newtown school shooter and Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel's appeal of his murder conviction.

Justices are scheduled to reconvene to hear cases from Jan. 16 to 18, followed by session that begins Feb. 20.

A look at some of the cases pending before the court:

NEWTOWN SHOOTER'S BELONGINGS

The Hartford Courant and the state Freedom of Information Commission are appealing a decision by a lower court judge, who ruled in April that state police don't have to release documents that belonged to shooter Adam Lanza. The commission had ordered state police to release the documents.

The 20-year-old Lanza shot his mother to death at their Newtown home before killing 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14, 2012. He killed himself as police arrived at the school.

The materials requested by the Courant include a spreadsheet ranking mass murders and a notebook titled "The Big Book of Granny," which contains a story Lanza wrote in fifth grade about a woman who has a gun in her cane and shoots people and another character who likes hurting people, especially children.

Lawyers in the case did not return messages seeking comment. Andrew Julien, publisher and editor-in-chief of the Courant, declined to comment.

The Supreme Court has not set a date for arguments.

KENNEDY COUSIN'S APPEAL

Michael Skakel, a nephew of Robert F. Kennedy's widow, Ethel Kennedy, is waiting for the Supreme Court to rule on his request to reconsider its December 2016 decision to reinstate his murder conviction.

Skakel was convicted in 2002 of murder in the bludgeoning of Martha Moxley in their wealthy Greenwich neighborhood in 1975, when they were both teenagers. He was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison, but was freed on bail in 2013 after a lower court granted him a new trial because of mistakes made by his trial lawyer.

But the Supreme Court overturned the decision in a 4-3 ruling, saying Skakel's trial lawyer, Michael Sherman, provided an adequate defense.

Skakel remains free on $1.2 million bail.

STATE AID FOR EDUCATION

The court is crafting a ruling on whether to uphold or overturn a judge's landmark ruling in 2016 that declared Connecticut's system for funding its public schools unconstitutional.

Justices heard arguments in the state's appeal of the ruling in September. It's not clear when the decision will be issued.

Superior Court Judge Thomas Moukawsher ordered state officials to develop plans for an overhaul of the state's public education system and to revamp the formula for providing education aid to municipalities, saying a huge gap in test scores between students in rich and poor towns shows parts of the system are unconstitutional.

JUDGE THREATS CASE

On Jan. 17, justices are scheduled to hear the appeal of Cromwell resident Edward Taupier, who was sentenced to 1  years behind bars in 2015 for allegedly threatening violence against a family court judge who presided over his divorce case.

Prosecutors said Taupier sent an email to several people that threatened Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Bozzuto, who did not receive the email. The email described Bozzuto's home, its proximity to a cemetery and how certain rifles can be fired from that distance.

Authorities seized 15 firearms and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition from Taupier's home.

Taupier argues his writing was protected by free speech rights.
The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) system temporarily experienced an outage after a technology disruption Monday at major airports across the country, according to the federal agency. DFW International was one of the airports affected.

On the first day of the new year, long lines of passengers entering the United States halted at international airports in New York, Florida, Texas and California.

For roughly two hours, the customs computer systems were unable to recognize who was a U.S. citizen, a resident or a visitor, so everyone had to go through an immigration officer, making the process much longer.

DFW travelers told NBC5 they had very little information about what was happening and hundreds of people backed up in line while the computer systems were down.

"We tried maybe three different kiosks, one twice," said DFW traveler Katrina Westermann. "One wasnt taking the picture, one wasnt printing the receipt, one was speaking German and thats it. It was crazy."

Fellow traveler Sandra Mendiola added, "There was a moment where we were waiting for 45 minutes without moving, without knowing what to do, children crying, old people sitting down, people sitting on the floor. So it was pretty awful just not to know what was happening."

The CBP released the following statement Monday evening:

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection experienced a temporary outage with its processing systems at various airports today beginning at 7:30 pm (EST) and ending approximately 9:30 pm (EST). All airports are currently back online.

CBP took immediate action to address the technology disruption. CBP officers continued to process international travelers using alternative procedures at affected airports. Travelers at some ports of entry experienced longer than usual wait times as CBP officers processed travelers as quickly as possible while maintaining the highest levels of security.

During the technology disruption, CBP had access to national security-related databases and all travelers were screened according to security standards. At this time, there is no indication the service disruption was malicious in nature.

CBP has not given any further explanation of what caused the disruption in the system.
Tuesday will be another frigid night across North Texas.

It could be a life or death situation for the most vulnerable residents who will find themselves sleeping outside.

There are several charities stepping up to provide the homeless population with shelter, food and coats.

One organization called the SoupMobile drove into South Dallas on Tuesday afternoon.

The white truck stopped in the parking lot of the Dallas International Street Church along South Second Avenue.

It means a lot to me, said Martin Schroeder.

Schroeder says hes been homeless for a few weeks after not being able to pay rent when his roommate left town.

He is grateful to have escaped the bitter temperatures in Dallas on New Years Eve.

Last night it was so cold. The wind was blowing so hard and there was ice and I said man, where am I going to go, he asked himself.

He knocked on the churchs door and was ushered inside a row of pews where other homeless individuals laid down with blankets.

Had he not been given shelter, Man, Id probably froze to death out here, said Schroeder. Id had to get beside the building or something to block the wind. I didnt even have a blanket. I have one now though.

Schroeder grips a new blanket given to him by the Soup Mobile.

We make sure everybody get a blanket and sack lunch. Its cold out here, said volunteer Harvor Davis.

Been doing this for about 10 years and I love every bit of it, said Davis. Come out 365 days. Never take a day off.

The faith-based charity travels around Dallas and serves anyone in need.

God bless you, a phrase often heard as each person standing in line receives a blanket, coat and food.

Davis has a way with the crowd.

Im also a good fashion guy too, he told the amuse crowd as he hand-picked the right coat for each person in line.

This is just one non-profit that is dishing out cold weather necessities and hope.

God bless you, said Schroeder as he received a coat, lunch and blanket. See, now I can put this on at night when it gets down to 20, eating something right now, cover myself up. Im going to stay warm because of you.

SoupMobile serves an estimated 250,000 meals a year in Dallas.
Authorities say a variety of complaints has prompted inmates at a North Texas prison to refuse accepting meals.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice initially said 45 prisoners in administrative segregation had begun a hunger strike but TDCJ spokesman Robert Hurst said Tuesday the number stood at 37.

Inmates in administrative segregation are isolated from the general prison population because they're deemed a security risk or danger to others.

The inmates participating in the hunger strike are housed at the Allred Unit in Iowa Park, outside Wichita Falls.

Hurst says they began refusing meals on Christmas, but that some have food items in their cells that they purchased from the commissary.

He says the inmates have complained about recreational time, food portions and the temperature.
A new Department of Labor proposal would change the system for tipping workers in the service industry, such as at restaurants.

The proposed change to an Obama administration regulation would allow restaurants to pool all tips only on the condition that they pay their servers the minimum wage: $7.25 an hour.

The idea is that the business would then share the pooled tips with all their employees, including cooks and dishwashers. Currently, restaurants are prohibited from pooling workers tips.

Some worker advocates worry, though, that this would mean no federal protection from employers who decide not to share the tips and instead keep a hefty portion.



According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly wage for a restaurant server, counting tips, in 2016 was $9.61.

At Mamas Daughters Diner on Irving Boulevard in Dallas, the breakfast crowd on a recent morning was split on the proposed change.

If thats going to be part of a new plan, a new strategy for waiters and waitresses I think thats a great idea, said Richard Martinez. As long as there is not some minimum amount that the house is going to keep, regardless of how busy it gets.

One table over, Charles Lohr  who said he eats out at restaurants for every single meal and pays thousands of dollars in tips every year  was very opposed to the change.

A servers income often can be 30 or 40 percent based on tips. That is a significant difference. I dont believe that the per hour increase in her wage will make up the difference, Lohr said.

Kevin Bradley, who was out to breakfast with his wife, agreed.

If you get excellent service then the tip should reflect that and go toward the person, the individual, versus into a pot, Bradley said.

Those who support the change generally feel it will help spread the wealth throughout, and help pay for improvements.

Patricia Smith, senior counsel at the National Employment Law Project and a former Obama administration solicitor of labor, countered to Eater.com that that the proposed regulation "allows an owner to pocket all the tips, or redistribute them. What if he or she chooses to pocket all of them and then no one gets the tips?



The government has opened a public comment period now through Feb. 5. To weigh in, visit the Federal Register's website.

ONLINE: Click here to submit a formal comment on the Labor Dept. proposal



NBC 5's Ben Russell contributed to this report.


A former San Diego County deputy was among four officials hurt in a deadly ambush in Colorado that left one deputy dead and two civilians injured.

One of the deputies wounded in Sunday's shooting in Douglas County, Colorado, was Taylor Davis, 30, a former deputy for the San Diego County Sheriffs Department (SDSO). As of Monday evening, Davis was treated and released, according to a hospital spokesperson.

The SDSO released this statement on Davis:

"The San Diego County Sheriffs Department has learned that one of the injured law enforcement officers, Taylor Davis, was employed as a Deputy Sheriff in San Diego for approximately three years. We wish to express our deepest condolences to the family of Deputy Parrish and the Douglas County Sheriffs Department for their tragic loss. We also wish those who were injured and their families a complete and expeditious recovery."

On Sunday night, authorities responded to a report of a disturbance at a residence 16 miles south of Denver. They had arrived and left the residence four hours prior due to a noise complaint, according to the sheriffs report.

When officials arrived at the residence a second time, 37-year-old Matthew Riehl fired off more than 100 rounds, which hit the officers and two civilians before Riehl was fatally wounded, according to the report.

The suspect was reportedly well-known to authorities, according to Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, but no further details on the suspect were given.

They all went down almost within seconds of each other, so it was more of an ambush-type attack on our officers, said Spurlock. He knew we were coming, and we obviously let him know we were there.

The fallen deputy, Zach Parrish, 29, had worked for the Douglas County Sheriffs Department for about seven months, according to the report.

Three sheriffs deputies and one police officer were wounded in the incident, but are listed in stable condition. In addition to Davis, wounded officials include Michael Doyle, 28, another DCSO deputy. He was also treated and released.

The third deputy, Jeff Pelle, 32, is reportedly in the intensive care unit due to extensive damage from a gunshot wound.

Castle Rock Police Department SWAT Officer Thomas O'Donnell, 41, was treated and released.

The extent of injuries to the two civilians is unknown, but was reported as not life-threatening.

President Donald Trump commented 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 San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department deputy died Tuesday night after he was attacked by a driver following a crash over the weekend.

The victim was identified as 70-year-old Lawrence Falce, a 33-year veteran of the sheriff's department, according to law enforcement officials. He leaves behind his sister and his long-time girlfriend.

Just before 10:50 a.m. Sunday, the deputy and another driver collided near California State University, San Bernardino by the intersection of Kendall Drive and University Parkway.

After the crash, both vehicles stopped and the other vehicle's driver struck Falce.

The deputy suffered "severe injuries" and was transported to a hospital, where he was placed on life support. He died Tuesday evening.

"Larry was loved by his peers and the community members he served. More importantly, he cared about so many people he called family. Larry is survived by his sister, Marjorie, and his girlfriend of many years, Deborah. He also leaves behind many extended loved ones," the sheriff's department said in a news release.



The driver of the other vehicle was detained at the scene, according to SBPD. He is facing felony battery, elder abuse and street terrorism.

Surveillance footage from a nearby business shows that two stray dogs on the road may have led up to the crash. Witnesses told NBC4 that it seemed as if Falce swerved his vehicle to avoid hitting the dogs before he crashed into the other driver.

The other driver attempted to flee the scene before a white truck rammed into him in an attempt to stop him.

Anyone with information about the attack or crash is asked to contact Detective J. Castro of the SBPD at 909-384-5745 or Sgt. Mahan at 909-388-4955.
Police and rescue crews spent the early hours of New Years Day dealing with a deadly crash along the Floridas Turnpike in Broward County.

Officers responded to the scene in the southbound lanes near Atlantic Boulevard around 6:45 a.m., blocking the two left lanes while removing a car that had gone into the median near a canal.

Police say that 20-year-old Mia Cepeda was driving a 2016 Hyundai when she lost control of her car and hit another vehicle, traveling into the median and into the canal.

Cepeda, of Miami, was taken to an area hospital, where she died. No one was hurt in the second car involved.

The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash.
The reward for information that leads to an arrest in the fatal shooting of SW Miami-Dade 2-year-old Carnell Williams-Thomas has reached $37,000.

The reward increase comes as protesters on Friday called for an end to gun violence. Deaths in recent weeks, including those of teenagers, have generated outcry over fatal shootings.

The shooting occurred at 214 Street and SW 114 Court on Dec. 15.

Miami-Dade Police Department Sgt. Carlos Rosario said officers responded to reports of a male shot at 6:19 p.m.

When police arrived at the scene, they found a 2-year-old boy was shot. Carnell was airlifted to Kendall Regional Medical Center but was declared dead, Rosario said.

"Once again we find ourselves mourning the death of a child," Rosario said, adding that the MDPD will do everything in its ability to "locate the person responsible."

"We do ask that the community please step in," Rosario said. "We need your help  we really do."

In front of cameras at the Miami-Dade Police Headquarters, Carnells mom, Dorothy, was holding a stuffed bear she was given at the hospital the night of the murder.

Somebody knows something, she said, fighting back tears on Dec. 28. I need them to say something. They took my baby.

Carnells mom says she has been trying to move from that Southwest Miami-Dade area for about a year after Carnells older sister, Lashelle, was shot. Lashelle survived the shooting, but that shooter has not been found.

Anyone with information is urged to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-8477 or homicide detective M. Parmenter at 305-471-2400.
What to Know A fight at a bar in New York has left at least eight people injured, officials say

Seven men were stabbed and a woman was hit in the head with a beer bottle after during the brawl, police say

None of the injuries appear to be life-threatening, authorities say

Police say seven men were stabbed and a woman was hit in the head with a beer bottle during a fight at a New York bar.

Syracuse police responded to the bar early Monday. WSTM-TV reports officers were then told multiple people were stabbed during the fight and some had already left the bar.

Officers then located a 36-year-old man at the scene who was suffering from stab wounds to his abdomen area. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Police were later advised additional victims sought treatment at the hospital, including six other stabbing victims and a woman who was apparently hit in the head with a bottle during the fight.

Police say none of the injuries appear to be life-threatening.
What to Know More than a dozen people were forced out of their Brooklyn apartment after a fire engulfed it early Tuesday

Everybody got out safely, but residents were seen with no coats or shoes on while holding young children wrapped in blankets

The cause of the fire, which broke out in Canarsie, is still not known

More than a dozen people ran out into the frigid, early-morning air, some without shoes or coats, after a fire engulfed their Brooklyn apartment, officials say.

The FDNY said everybody who fled the building on East 89th Street in Canarsie while the fire was raging got out safely, but the bone-chilling cold that has gripped New York City for days made the fire fight much more difficult.

The flames broke out around 3:30 Tuesday morning and neighbors who have lived in the area for decades said a large family with children lived inside where the fire started.

Thirteen people who lived there got out safely, officials said, but video from the scene shows several people without coats, shoes or socks on. Additionally, women were seen holding young children wrapped in blankets.

People living next door were also forced out of their home.

A fire chief told NBC 4 New York that firefighters were dealing with frozen hydrants and the water used to douse the flames quickly froze to the streets and sidewalk. Sanitation trucks were seen spreading salt on the icy streets.

We also had difficulty because we had a frozen hydrant that prevented us from getting water on the fire quickly, Dep. Chief Stephen Moro said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
What to Know New Jersey, New York and Connecticut were the most moved from states in 2017, according to United Van Lines

The study reflects longer-term trends of movement to the western and southern states

Movers cited cheaper housing costs, more temperate climates and job growth as primary reasons for moving

People are continuing to flee the tri-state area and heading west, according to tracking statistics from the moving company United Van Lines.

The surburban St. Louis-based moving company has released its 41st annual National Movers Study, which tracks customers' state-to-state migration patterns.

New Jersey, New York and Connecticut rank among the top outbound states in moves for the third consecutive year: 61 percent of moves in New Jersey are outbound, 61 percent in New York and 57 percent in Connecticut.

Economist and UCLA professor Michael Stoll says the data reflects longer-term trends of movement to the western and southern states, where housing costs are relatively lower, climates are more temperate and job growth has been at or above the national average.

The Mountain West was the most popular destination for retirees, with 1 in 4 movers saying they were heading there for retirement. The Midtwest and Pacific West were top areas for those taking new jobs.

Across all regions, nearly one in five of those who moved in 2017 moved to be closer to family.

United Van Lines classifies states as "high inbound" if 55 percent or more of the moves are going into a state, "high outbound" if 55 percent or more moves were coming out of a state or "balanced" if the difference between inbound and outbound is negligible.

Here's the list as released by United Van Lines:

Moving In

The top inbound states of 2017 were:

Vermont Oregon Idaho Nevada South Dakota Washington South Carolina North Carolina Colorado Alabama

New to the 2017 top inbound list are Colorado at No. 9 and Alabama at No. 10 with 56 and 55 percent inbound moves, respectively.

Moving Out

The top outbound states for 2017 were:

Illinois New Jersey New York Connecticut Kansas Massachusetts Ohio Kentucky Utah Wisconsin

Illinois (63 percent) moved up one spot on the outbound list to No. 1, ranking in the top five for the past nine years. New Jersey previously held the top spot for 5 consecutive years. New additions to the 2017 top outbound list include Massachusetts (56 percent) and Wisconsin (55 percent).

Balanced

Several states gained approximately the same number of residents as those that left. This list of balanced states includes Nebraska and New Hampshire.

See the full study here.
Larry Krasner, a longtime defense attorney with no prior prosecutorial experience, was sworn in Tuesday as Philadelphia District Attorney and immediately vowed to make reducing the city's high incarceration rate a priority.

Krasner ran on a reform platform, promising to change the system, fight corruption and battle social injustice. He said the central purpose of the District Attorney's office is "to seek justice in society."

His inauguration address emphasized social justice, characterizing his office's power "to communicate the truth and to exercise power with restraint."

He takes over for Acting District Attorney Kelley Hodge, who replaced Seth Williams. Williams resigned in June after pleading guilty to taking a bribe in exchange for legal favors and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Krasner has said he will encourage a number of reforms, including changes in bail practices that currently result in many poor people being jailed while awaiting trial and alternatives to incarceration for lower-level crimes.

Krasner has said he will target the 6 percent of criminals who commit most of the city's serious crimes, in part by spending more on proactive policing.

"We have to recognize that we can't incarcerate our way out of this. It hasn't worked for decades, and it's not going to work now," he said.

In his inauguration speech, Krasner referenced anecdotes about the effect that relying on tactics like incarceration and stop-and-frisk can have on communities.

"So today we start the long road toward trading jails and trading death row for schools," Krasner said. "... Trading division between police and the community they serve for civility and cooperation."

Rebecca Rhynhart also made history as she became the citys first female controller at the swearing-in ceremonies at Verizon Hall inside Philadelphia Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

Her first priorities would be on auditing the city Department of Behavioral Health, the Sheriff's Office and the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
California on Monday became the nation's largest state to offer legal recreational marijuana sales. Here's a snapshot of how the market will work and how the state will regulate a pot economy estimated to be worth $7 billion:

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THE BASICS

California voted to legalize in 2016. The goal is to tighten regulation of the state's long-running medical pot sales while encouraging operators in the vast black market to enter the legal system.

In general, California will treat cannabis like alcohol, allowing people 21 and older to possess up to an ounce of pot and grow six marijuana plants at home. The state in December began licensing businesses for the new economy, including retailers who will sell it and distributors who will move it from fields to storefronts.

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WHERE CAN I BUY LEGAL POT?

The availability of legal weed will come down to this: location. What's emerged so far is a patchwork of local rules under which some cities will have legal cannabis on Jan. 1, but others will not.

Los Angeles has delayed accepting applications for legal sales until Jan. 3, and it will be weeks before any shops open. Kern County is among the places that have banned all commercial cannabis activity. Other cities have postponed taking action, waiting to see how the new market rolls out. Santa Cruz, San Diego, Shasta Lake, San Jose and West Hollywood have authorized businesses for recreational sales.

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LOOK BEFORE YOU LIGHT UP

Legal weed comes with a lot of restrictions, including where it can be smoked. First, there is no smoking in public, and state law has specific rules forbidding anyone from lighting up within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of a school or a daycare center when kids are around, or from smoking while driving. Another general rule: Don't smoke anywhere where tobacco is prohibited. Local governments are free to set rules for smoking at sales shops, what some call cannabis cafes or lounges, but that will vary city to city.

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THE TAXMAN COMETH

The state will impose a 15 percent excise tax on retail purchases of all cannabis and cannabis products, including medicinal cannabis. Cultivators will pay taxes on buds and leaves they sell, which is expected to be passed on to consumers at retail counters, too. Local governments can slap on additional taxes.

In Los Angeles, for example, new taxes and fees could push up the retail cost for a small bag of marijuana by as much as 70 percent. Operators fear that hefty new taxes will drive consumers into the black market. The state expects to bring in $684 million in pot taxes next year, with that number increasing to $1 billion in several years. Los Angeles has predicted that it could pull in $50 million next year.

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WHY LEGAL, WHY NOW?

Californians have gradually taken a more permissive attitude toward pot. Back in 1913, the state banned "loco-weed," according to a history by a major pro-legalization group, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. In the 1970s, felony possession of less than an ounce was downgraded to a misdemeanor, then state voters approved marijuana for medicinal purposes in 1996.

The reason the state is moving into legal cannabis is voters wanted it, overwhelmingly. Proposition 64, which legalized the sale and cultivation of recreational pot for adults, passed in November 2016 with 57 percent of the vote. There are other states with legal weed, including Washington and Colorado, but California will be the biggest by far. It is home to 1 in 8 Americans.

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LEGAL AND ILLEGAL AT THE SAME TIME?

Pot will be legal in California in January, but it remains illegal at the federal level.

While Washington has kept its distance from medicinal pot in states where it is legal, Congress has yet to renew a little-noticed rule that shields state medical marijuana programs from federal intervention. And Attorney General Jeff Sessions, an outspoken opponent of cannabis, has hinted at a possible crackdown. The state's black market is vast: An estimated 15,000 illegal cultivation sites exist in Humboldt County alone, a prized growing area in Northern California's so-called Emerald Triangle.

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GOODBYE MEDICAL CANNABIS?

Not really. Medicinal sales are expected to shrink, but not go away. In Los Angeles, medicinal buyers will pay a lower city tax rate, which could be an inducement to stay in that market. Others are likely to stick with medicinal products they know, such as for sleep problems or pain. One age group caught in a gap between medical and recreational marijuana are those 18 to 20 years old. You have to be at least 21 to buy recreational pot, but medicinal is legal for anyone 18 and older. Some in that age range are likely to continue seeking medicinal purchases.
South Korea on Tuesday offered high-level talks with rival North Korea to find ways to cooperate on next month's Winter Olympics in the South. Seoul's quick proposal following a rare rapprochement overture from the North a day earlier offers the possibility of better ties after a year that saw a nuclear standoff increase fear of war on the Korean Peninsula.

In a closely watched New Year's address, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Monday that he was willing to send a delegation to the Olympics, though he also repeated fiery nuclear threats against the United States. Analysts say Kim may be trying to drive a wedge between Seoul and its ally Washington in a bid to reduce international isolation and sanctions against North Korea.

President Donald Trump reacted to the development on Twitter by saying it was "perhaps good news, perhaps not."

"Sanctions and 'other' pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea," he wrote Tuesday. "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!"



Kim's overture was welcome news for a South Korean government led by liberal President Moon Jae-in, who favors dialogue to ease the North's nuclear threats and wants to use the Olympics as a chance to improve inter-Korean ties.

Moon's unification minister, Cho Myoung-gyon, proposed in a nationally televised news conference that the two Koreas meet Jan. 9 at the shared border village of Panmunjom to discuss Olympic cooperation and how to improve overall ties.

Earlier Tuesday, Moon spoke of what he described as Kim's positive response to his earlier dialogue overtures and ordered officials to study how to restore talks with North Korea and get the North to participate in the Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee welcomed the overtures.

"The IOC welcomes the mutual intention of the governments of the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to start direct talks about the participation of athletes from DPRK in the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018."

The IOC said in a statement it is continuing discussions with North Korea and its invitation to North Korea to take part in the games would remain open.

North Korea did not immediately react. But if there are talks, they would be the first formal dialogue between the Koreas since December 2015. Relations between the Koreas have plunged as North Korea has expanded its weapons programs amid a hard-line stance by Moon's conservative predecessors.

Last year, North Korea conducted its sixth and most powerful nuclear test and test-launched three intercontinental ballistic missiles as part of its push to possess a nuclear missile capable of reaching anywhere in the United States. The North was subsequently hit with toughened U.N. sanctions, and Kim and Trump exchanged warlike rhetoric and crude personal insults against each other.

Kim said in his speech Monday that North Korea last year achieved the historic feat of "completing" its nuclear forces. Outside experts say that it's only a matter of time before the North acquires the ability to hurl nuclear weapons at the mainland U.S., but that the country still has a few technologies to master, such as a warhead's ability to survive atmospheric re-entry.

Talks could provide a temporary thaw in strained inter-Korean ties, but conservative critics worry that they may only earn the North time to perfect its nuclear weapons. After the Olympics, inter-Korean ties could become frosty again because the North has made it clear it has no intention of accepting international calls for nuclear disarmament and instead wants to bolster its weapons arsenal in the face of what it considers increasing U.S. threats.

"Kim Jong Un's strategy remains the same. He's developing nukes while trying to weaken international pressure and the South Korea-U.S. military alliance and get international sanctions lifted," said Shin Beomchul of the Seoul-based Korea National Diplomatic Academy.

He said the North might also be using its potential Olympic participation as a chance to show its nuclear program is not intended to pose a threat to regional peace.

In his address Monday, Kim said the United States should be aware that his country's nuclear forces are now a reality, not a threat. He said he has a "nuclear button" on his office desk, warning that "the whole territory of the U.S. is within the range of our nuclear strike."

He called for improved ties and a relaxation of military tensions with South Korea, saying the Winter Olympics could showcase the status of the Korean nation. But Kim also repeated that South Korea must stop annual military exercises with the United States, which he calls an invasion rehearsal against the North.

About 28,500 American troops are stationed in South Korea to help deter potential aggression from the North, a legacy of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended with an armistice, not a peace treaty.
An 11-year-old girl was hit by a car as she crossed Pennsylvania Avenue near her school in Suitland, Maryland, early Tuesday, police said.

The child was hit on her way to school as she crossed Pennsylvania Avenue (Route 4) near Brooks Drive, Prince George's County police said. She was near Drew-Freeman Middle School, which is a few blocks away, when she was struck.

"It's really sad to hear that somebody's child was injured," a parent of another child at the school said.

The busy road has long been a source of worry for families.

"It's just bad," Lovie Bing, the grandmother of a student at the middle school said. "Kids gotta cross here and then go over there and then they've got to worry about the traffic coming around, and traffic is coming in more than one direction."

Police responded about 9 a.m. and found the child lying in the roadway. Her backpack and shoes were nearby.

The girl was rushed to a hospital with potentially life-threatening injuries. She was listed in critical condition.

The driver of the car that hit her, a silver sedan with D.C. license plates, remained on the scene. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash.

Maryland legislators are set to require a review of every school crossing on state highways, as the News4 I-Team reported Monday.


Cold weather is impacting students and schools in Maryland and Virginia, stalling school buses and keeping some classrooms very cold.

Fairfax County, Virginia, school buses were prevented from getting out on their routes early Monday morning. Jeff Platenberg, assistant superintendent for Facilities and Transportation for Fairfax County Public Schools, said the cold temperatures cause some buses to break down and did not allow others to start at all.

Even with us doing the starts over the last couple of days, letting them run for a little bit, sometimes, the cold cranking is a little too much, Platensberg said. (Wednesday) morning, were probably going to experience some more, and we will again go out early and try and address any issues that we have.

Out of the 8,700 bus routes in Fairfax County, the school district said 200 routes were impacted, meaning hundreds of students were forced to wait in the cold for up to an hour. Parents and students can check on bus route delays on https://busdelay.fcps.edu/#mce_temp_url#.

In one Montgomery County, Maryland, school, students kept on coats inside classrooms after the extreme cold contributed to problems with the heating system. Students at Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland, returned from winter break to classrooms where the temperature was below 50 degrees.

I just remember walking into first period in the morning, and everyone was huddling up and wearing their coats, said senior Rachel Li. It is very hard to concentrate. A lot of the conversations we have in class is about how cold it is in the building."

School officials said the heating problems has been fixed, and temperatures in the classrom on Wednesday should be back to normal.
An Israeli military court on Monday indicted a teenage Palestinian girl who was filmed last month in the West Bank slapping Israeli troops who refused to respond.

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 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."

Tamimi was arrested at her home in a pre-dawn raid three days after the confrontation, amid an uproar in Israel.

Tamimi 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, a village of about 600 people, most of them members of Tamimi's extended family. For eight years, villagers along with Israeli and foreign activists have protested weekly against Israeli policies in the West Bank.

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.

Jarrar, who is in her mid-50s, is a popular figure among Palestinians and is known for fiery speeches against Israel. In 2015, Israel sentenced her to 15 months for incitement to violence.

Jarrar is a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a left-leaning faction opposed to peace with Israel and 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.

Israel's Shin Bet security agency referred questions to the military, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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.
Frigid temperatures are impacting the first day back to school for many students after the winter break.

Several school districts delayed start times Tuesday morning in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

In Everett, school officials decided to cancel classes altogether due to the extreme cold temperatures.

For those students that are going back to classes on time, many buses were started as early as 5 a.m. to make sure they were in working order.

In Littleton, buses kept stalling forcing school officials to delay start times by two hours.



For the latest on school closings and delays around New England, click here.
Authorities say a man visiting from the Dominican Republic has been shot and killed in Lawrence.

The 22-year-old victim was found inside a minivan at about 11 p.m. Sunday. His name was not immediately made public pending notification of family.

The Eagle-Tribune reports that the killing in the waning hours of 2017 was the city's 11th homicide of the year, the most since at least 1987 when the FBI began tracking community crime statistics. Ten people were killed in both 2010 and 2011.

No arrests have been made and police say they have not established a motive.

Mayor Daniel Rivera said it was "unfortunate" that the year ended with a homicide and pledged to make the city safe.
Sea turtles have been survived for millions of years, but now face extinction. as poachers. How do you protect sea turtles eggs on remote, miles-long beaches in developing countries from poachers working in the dark?

Global System for Mobile Communications, or GSM, enabled IoT trackers may provide an answer to this scourge.

Background

Poachers kill sea turtles for their shells and their eggs are considered a delicacy and aphrodisiac. Sad but true. The trade of sea turtle products is restricted, but that doesnt stop poachers. Tracking this illegal trafficking is difficult. The transit routes and final destinations are unknown.

Sea turtle products are the second most frequently trafficked wildlife product smuggled from Latin America to the US. Eggs are a quarter of illegal imports and most originate in Mexico or Central America. This trade is devastating to turtle populations. A recent shipment of a thousand turtle eggs that was intercepted at the Mexico/U.S. border represented nearly 5 percent of the years total egg production for the beach from which they were poached!

Huge profit margins drive this illegal trade. A single turtle egg can sell for up to $300 on the international market! The initial poachers are often poor local villagers or small gangs. But, the middlemen trafficking the eggs are often part of networks dedicated to drug and human trafficking. Ths criminal supply chain in illegal wildlife relies on transportation infrastructure, storage facilities, and connections to corrupt business and government officials. Fighting poaching that cross different countries is difficult. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) is an international agreement to control trade in wildlife - but its voluntary, and enforcement varies.

Whats needed

Traffickers transport the stolen turtle eggs using complex routes. Any solution has to detect, monitor, and predict transit routes for law enforcement to be effective. USAID issued a Wildlife Crime Tech Challenge in 2016 to spur innovation of solutions.

The non-profit organization Paso Pacifico was a finalist in the Detect Transit Routes section of the challenge with its InvestEGGator . The approach uses artificial sea turtles eggs with built-in GSM GPS devices to detect the illegal movement of eggs and to provide data to conservation groups and law enforcement. Fake eggs are placed in sea turtle nests and their movement is tracked as they are transported along the poachers illegal supply chains. Paso Pacifico was recently awarded an Acceleration Prize by that same challenge. The National Geographic Society awarded the team a grant to conduct larger scale field trials of the egg.

Requirements

The fake eggs have to meet many product requirements for this solution to work:

They have to resemble a real sea turtle egg weight and texture. They have to be waterproof Capable of working for extended periods of time without recharging. Low cost so that many sensors can be placed on different beaches. Work across different cellular networks as the eggs are transported across borders. Easily manufactured in different countries where they will be deployed

There are several existing IoT approaches solutions for asset tracking, but they dont work well for anti-poaching.

Passive RFID: where a tag has to be energized by a scanner before it can transmit data upto 20 feet away about the assets location.

Active RFID: the tag has its own energy source and can transmit its status to a reader upto 100 feet away.

WiFi triangulation: tracks the location of an item by measuring the strength of WiFi signals from nearby base stations. Theyre widely used for indoor location tracking.

Satellite based tracking: uses tags with the signal strength to send their location to a satellite, but they are typically large, expensive and consume a lot of power.

A different approach is needed that can work well on the beaches and at border crossings. The project also hopes is to install egg-detecting smartphones in strategic locations such as border crossings or airports to catch poachers from the bluetooth signals transmitted by their stolen egg decoys.

Solution design

The InvestEGGator uses artificial polyurethane sea turtle eggs with two covert tracking systems. GSM-GPS tracking device uses existing mobile networks widely available in Central America and throughout the global tropics with sea turtles nest. It incorporates geospatial and on-the-ground monitoring systems allowing real time remote monitoring of illegal egg movements, and identifying the geographic source of the eggs.

The sensor has a flexible, leathery shell like a real sea turtle egg. It is 1.5 in diameter and weigh about 2 ounces, like a heavy ping-pong ball. The eggs weight is a critical as lighter eggs might fall out of the mix and heavier ones might sink. The eggs are built with a 3D printer which lowers their cost and allows them to be made anywhere .

A multi-discplinary approach

Poaching is a complex problem that demands a holistic approach for the solution to work. Impoverished villagers, conservationists, technologists, security officials and government authorities are all involved. Sarah Otterstrom is an Ashoka fellow and ideally suited for this challenge. Ashoka is a non-profit that identifies and supports social entrepreneurs such as Sarah. Unlike business entrepreneurs who measure success by profit, social entrepreneurs measure their success by the positive return to society they generate.

Sarah the executive director of Paso Pacifico, has assembled a broad coalition to develop this anti-poaching solution. Dr. Kim Williams-Guillen, Director of Conservation Science at Paso Pacifico leads the product design and innovation, and Felipe Farme DAmoed lead the production and scaling planning. Hollywood special effects artist Lauren Wilde is working on the artificial eggshell.

Sea turtles are one of the most ancient creatures on the planet and have been around for 110 million years, since the time of the dinosaurs. Using IoT, InvestEGGator offers the hope that they might survive for a little while longer.
When one of Martha Jane Pierce's sons peeled back the white sock that had been covering his 82-year-old mother's right foot for a month, he discovered rotting flesh.

"It looked like a piece of black charcoal" and smelled "like death," her daughter Cindy Hatfield later testified. After Pierce, a patient at a Memphis nursing home, was transferred to a hospital, a surgeon had to amputate much of her leg.

One explanation for Pierce's lackluster care, according to financial records and testimony in a lawsuit brought by the Pierce family, is that her nursing home, Allenbrooke Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, appeared to be severely underfunded at the time, with a $2 million deficit on its books in 2009 and a scarcity of nurses and aides. "Sometimes we'd be short of diapers, sheets, linens," one nurse testified.

That same year, $2.8 million of the facility's $12 million in operating expenses went to a constellation of corporations controlled by two Long Island accountants who, court records show, owned Allenbrooke and 32 other nursing homes. The homes paid the men's other companies to provide physical therapy, management, drugs and other services, from which the owners reaped profits, according to court records.

In what has become an increasingly common business arrangement, owners of nursing homes outsource a wide variety of goods and services to companies in which they have a financial interest or that they control. Nearly three-quarters of nursing homes in the United States  more than 11,000  have such business dealings, known as related party transactions, according to an analysis of nursing home financial records by Kaiser Health News. Some homes even contract out basic functions like management or rent their own building from a sister corporation, saying it is simply an efficient way of running their businesses and can help minimize taxes.

But these arrangements offer another advantage: Owners can establish highly favorable contracts in which their nursing homes pay more than they might in a competitive market. Owners then siphon off higher profits, which are not recorded on the nursing home's accounts.

The two Long Island men, Donald Denz and Norbert Bennett, and their families' trusts collected distributions totaling $40 million from their chain's $145 million in revenue over eight years  a 28 percent margin, according to the judge's findings of fact. In 2014 alone, Denz earned $13 million and Bennett made $12 million, principally from their nursing home companies, according to personal income tax filings presented in court.

Typical nursing home profits are "in the 3 to 4 percent range," said Bill Ulrich, a nursing home financial consultant.

In 2015, nursing homes paid related companies $11 billion, a tenth of their spending, according to financial disclosures the homes submitted to Medicare.

In California, the state auditor is examining related party transactions at another nursing home chain, Brius Healthcare Services. Rental prices to the chain's real estate entities were a third higher than rates paid by other for-profit nursing homes in the same counties, according to an analysis by the National Union of Healthcare Workers.

Such corporate webs bring owners a legal benefit, too: When a nursing home is sued, injured residents and their families have a much harder time collecting money from the related companies  the ones with the full coffers.

After the Pierce family won an initial verdict against the nursing home, Denz and Bennett appealed, and their lawyer, Craig Conley, said they would not discuss details of the case or their business while the appeal was pending.

"For more than a decade, Allenbrooke's caregivers have promoted the health, safety and welfare of their residents," Conley wrote in an email.

Dr. Michael Wasserman, the head of the management company for the Brius nursing homes, called corporate structures a "nonissue" and said, "What matters at the end of the day is what the care being delivered is about."

Networks of jointly owned limited liability corporations are fully legal and used widely by other businesses, such as restaurants and retailers. Nonprofit nursing homes sometimes use them as well. Owners can have more control over operations  and better allocate resources  if they own all the companies. In many cases, industry consultants say, a commonly owned company will charge a nursing home lower fees than an independent contractor might, leaving the chain with more resources.

"You don't want to pay for someone else to make money off of you," Ulrich said. "You want to retain that within your organization."

But a Kaiser Health News analysis of federal inspection and quality records reveals that nursing homes that outsource to related organizations tend to have significant shortcomings: They have fewer nurses and aides per patient, they have higher rates of patient injuries and unsafe practices, and they are the subject of complaints almost twice as often as independent homes.

"Almost every single one of these chains is doing the same thing," said Charlene Harrington, a professor emeritus of the School of Nursing at the University of California-San Francisco. "They're just pulling money away from staffing."

Early Signs Of Trouble

Martha Jane Pierce moved to Allenbrooke in 2008 in the early stages of dementia. According to testimony in the family's lawsuit, her children often discovered her unwashed when they visited, with an uneaten, cold meal sitting beside her bed. Hatfield said in court that she had frequently found her mother's bed soaked in urine. The front desk was sometimes vacant, her brother Glenn Pierce testified.

"If you went in on the weekend, you'd be lucky to find one nurse there," he said in an interview.

After a stroke, Pierce became partly paralyzed and nonverbal, but the nursing home did not increase the attention she received, said Carey Acerra, one of Pierce's lawyers. When Pierce's children visited, they rarely saw aides reposition her in bed every two hours, the standard practice to prevent bedsores.

"Not having enough staffing, we can't  we weren't actually able to go and do that," one nurse, Cheryl Gatlin-Andrews, testified in a deposition.

Kaiser Health News's analysis of federal inspection, staffing and financial records nationwide found shortcomings at other homes with similar corporate structures:

Homes that did business with sister companies employed, on average, 8 percent fewer nurses and aides.

As a group, these homes were 9 percent more likely to have hurt residents or put them in immediate jeopardy of harm, and amassed 53 validated complaints for every 1,000 beds, compared with the 32 per 1,000 that inspectors found credible at independent homes.

Homes with related companies were fined 22 percent more often for serious health violations than were independent homes, and penalties averaged $24,441  7 percent higher.

For-profit nursing homes employ these related corporations more frequently than nonprofits do, and have fared worse than independent for-profit homes in fines, complaints and staffing, the analysis found. Their fines averaged $25,345, which was 10 percent higher than fines for independent for-profits, and the homes received 24 percent more substantiated complaints from residents. Overall staffing was 4 percent lower than at independent for-profits.

Ernest Tosh, a plaintiffs' lawyer in Texas who helps other lawyers untangle nursing company finances, said owners often exerted control by setting tight budgets that restricted the number of nurses the homes could employ. Meanwhile, "money is siphoned out to these related parties," he said. "The cash flow gets really obscured through the related party transactions."

The American Health Care Association, which represents nursing homes, disputed any link between related businesses and poor care. "Our members strive to provide quality care at an affordable cost to every resident," the group said in a statement. "There will always be examples of exceptions, but those few do not represent the majority of our profession."

Piercing The Corporate Veil

The model of placing nursing homes and related businesses in separate limited liability corporations and partnerships has gained popularity as the industry has consolidated through purchases by publicly traded companies, private investors and private equity firms. A 2003 article in the Journal of Health Law encouraged owners to separate their nursing home business into detached entities to protect themselves if the government tried to recoup overpayments or if juries levied large negligence judgments.

"Holding the real estate in a separate real-property entity that leases the nursing home to the operating entity protects the assets by making the real estate unavailable for collection by judgment creditors of the operating entity," the authors wrote. Such restructuring, they added, was probably not worth it just for "administrative simplicity."

In 2009, Harvard Medical School researchers found the practice had flourished among nursing homes in Texas, which they studied because of the availability of state data. Owners had also inserted additional corporations between them and their nursing homes, with many separated by three layers.

To bring related companies into a lawsuit, attorneys must persuade judges that all the companies were essentially acting as one entity and that the nursing home could not make its own decisions. Often that requires getting access to internal company documents and emails. Even harder is holding owners personally responsible for the actions of a corporation  known as "piercing the corporate veil."

At a 2012 Nashville conference for executives in the long-term health care industry, a presentation slide from nursing home attorneys titled "Pros of Complex Corporate Structure" stated: "Many plaintiffs' attorneys will never conduct corporate structure discovery because it's too expensive and time consuming." The presentation noted another advantage: "Financial statement in punitive damages phase shows less income and assets."

A lawyer in Alabama, Barry Walker, is still fighting an 11-year-old case against another nursing home then owned by Denz and Bennett, according to court records. Walker traced the ownership of Fairfield Nursing and Rehabilitation Center back to the men, but he said the judge had allowed him to introduce the ownership information only after the Alabama Supreme Court ordered him. That trial ended with a hung jury, and Walker said a subsequent judge had not let him present all the information to two other juries, and he dropped the men from the lawsuit. The home closed a few years ago but the case is still ongoing despite two mistrials.

"The former trial judge and the current trial judge quite frankly don't seem to understand piercing the corporate veil," he said. "My firm invested more in the case than we can ever hope to recover. Sometimes it's a matter of principle."

The complexity of the ownership in Pierce's case was a major reason it took six years to get to a trial, said Ken Connor, one of the lawyers for her family. "It requires a lot of digging to unearth what's really going on," he said. "Most lawyers can't afford to do that."

The research paid off in a rare result: In 2016, the jury issued a $30 million verdict for negligence, of which Denz and Bennett were personally liable for $20 million. The men's own tax returns bolstered the case against them. They claimed during trial they delegated daily responsibilities for residents to the home's administrators, but they reported on their tax returns that they "actively" participated in the management. The jury did not find the nursing home responsible for her death later in 2009.

The fight is not over. Denz and Bennett are appealing the verdict, the damages, their inclusion and the trial judge's decisions. They argue that Tennessee courts should not have jurisdiction over them since they spent little time in the state and neither was involved in the daily operations of the home or in setting staffing levels. Their lawyers said jurors should never have heard from nurses who hadn't cared directly for Pierce.

"No way did I oversee resident care issues," Bennett testified in a deposition.

Deficient In The End

Whoever was responsible for Pierce's care, her family had no doubt it was inadequate. Her son Bill Pierce was so horrified when he finally saw the wound on his mother's foot, he immediately insisted that she go to the hospital.

"The surgeon said he had never seen anything like it," Hatfield said in an interview. "He amputated 60 percent of the leg, above the knee."

After her amputation, Pierce returned to the nursing home because her family did not want to separate her from her husband, who was also there.

At the trial, the nursing home's lawyers argued that Pierce's leg had deteriorated not because of the infection but because her blood vessels had become damaged from a decline in circulation. The jury was unpersuaded after nurses and aides testified about how Allenbrooke would add staffing for state inspections while the rest of the time their pleas for more support went unheeded.

Workers also testified that supervisors had told them to fill in blanks in medical records regardless of accuracy. One example: Allenbrooke's records indicated that Pierce had eaten a full meal the day after she died.

Data journalist Elizabeth Lucas contributed to this report.

KHN's coverage related to aging and improving care of older adults is supported in part by The John A. Hartford Foundation.
For 17 years, Chalfonte LeNee Queen suffered periodic episodes of violent retching and abdominal pain that would knock her off her feet for days, sometimes leaving her writhing on the floor in pain.

"Ive screamed out for death," said Queen, 48, who lives in San Diego. "Ive cried out for my mom whos been dead for 20 years, mentally not realizing she cant come to me."

Queen lost a modeling job after being mistaken for an alcoholic. She racked up tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills, and her nausea interrupted her sex life. Toward the end of her illness, Queen, who stands 5-foot-9, weighed in at a frail 109 pounds.

Throughout the nearly two decades of pain, vomiting and mental fog, she visited the hospital about three times a year, but doctors never got to the bottom of what was ailing her. By 2016, she thought she was dying, that she "must have some sort of cancer or something they cant detect," Queen said.

But she didn't have cancer. She had an obscure syndrome called cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, a condition only recently acknowledged by the medical community. It affects a small population  namely, a subset of marijuana users who smoke multiple times a day for months, years or even decades.

There's no hard data on the prevalence of the illness. But in California and Colorado, which have loosened marijuana laws in recent years, emergency physicians say they're seeing it more often. One study in Colorado suggests there may be a link.

Dr. Aimee Moulin, an emergency room physician at UC-Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, said she has seen a rise in the number of cases since California voters legalized recreational marijuana last November. She expects to see another increase after commercial sales are permitted starting this month.

Doctors say it's difficult to treat the condition. There is no cure other than to quit using marijuana, and many patients are skeptical that cannabis is making them sick, so they keep using it and their vomiting episodes continue.

Doctors can do little to relieve the symptoms, since traditional anti-nausea medications often don't work and there are no pills to prevent the onset of an episode. Patients may need intravenous hydration and hospital stays until the symptoms subside.

"Thats really frustrating as an emergency physician," said Moulin. "I really like to make people feel better."

Diagnosing the syndrome can also be frustrating  and expensive. There is no blood test to link the stomach ailment with marijuana use, so physicians often order pricey CT scans and lab tests to rule out other medical problems.

Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome was first documented in Australia in 2004. Physicians have historically misdiagnosed it as the more generic cyclic vomiting syndrome, which has no identifiable cause or, as in Queen's case, acute intermittent porphyria (AIP).

"Five years ago, this wasn't something that [doctors] had on their radar," said Dr. Kennon Heard, an emergency physician at the University of Colorado in Aurora, who co-authored the Colorado study showing a possible tie between the liberalization of marijuana and a surge of the vomiting illness. "We're at least making the diagnosis more now."

One surefire sign of the illness is when patients find relief in hot showers and baths. Queen said she would vomit repeatedly unless she was in a hot shower  so she'd stay in there for hours. Toxicologists say the heat may distract the brain from pain receptors in the abdomen but, like the syndrome itself, that phenomenon is not well understood.

The exact cause of the condition is still a mystery. Toxicologists say the chemical compounds in marijuana may throw off the normal function of the body's cannabinoid receptors, which help regulate the nervous system.

Some people may be genetically predisposed to the syndrome, or marijuana's potency or chemical makeup may have changed over time, said Dr. Craig Smollin, medical director of the San Francisco division of the California Poison Control System, who also works as an emergency physician at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital.

The vomiting link to cannabis is counterintuitive to many, because of its widely known reputation as an anti-nausea remedy for cancer patients.

"A lot of times, people just don't believe you," said Dr. John Coburn, an emergency physician at Kaiser Permanente in south Sacramento. Even after being told that quitting may help, some patients will visit the hospital multiple times before they stop smoking marijuana, Coburn said. "I can't really tell you why. I mean, why do people ride motorcycles without helmets on?" (Kaiser Health News is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.)

Cameron Nicole Beard, 19, of East Moline, Ill., said she struggled to believe her doctors about the link between pot and severe vomiting.

"Who wants to be told you can't smoke marijuana, when you think marijuana can help?" said Beard, while recovering from a marijuana-related vomiting episode at a University of Iowa hospital in Iowa City, Iowa, in October. She said she had lost 20 pounds in 10 days.

Although there's still no magic cure for a patient's marijuana-related hyperemesis, Moulin and other doctors say they're getting better at treating the symptoms, using old antipsychotic medications and cream for muscle aches.

Dr. Heard said the cases in Colorado seem to have leveled off. But without hard data, and because the overall numbers are small, it's hard to say for sure. Heard said he doesn't believe cases of the pot syndrome increased after recreational use was legalized in 2012, because chronic users probably already had medical marijuana cards.

Chalfonte LeNee Queen is still struggling to completely quit marijuana, but her symptoms are down to a dull stomachache. She smokes a couple of times a day, compared with her near-constant use in the past. She said it's the only thing that works for her depression and anxiety.

Queen is back to a healthy weight and hasn't been to the hospital in a year. She said she wouldn't want to discourage anybody from smoking weed; she just wants people to know heavy use can bring them some serious misery.

"Now, if I get sick, as sad as Ill be and as upset and disappointed with myself as I would be, at least its a freaking choice," she said.

This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.
All the new Star Wars comics, graphic novels, and collections arriving in 2021 and beyond

Every single new Star Wars comic books arriving in the next few months that you need to get excited about
Katrina Kaif rocks New Year in Thailand with sister Isabelle

New Delhi : If you are in Thailand to celebrate the New Year then there are quite good chances of you bumping into India's superstar actress Katrina Kaif who is also there to celebrate the moment with her sister Isabelle Kaif.

Katrina has been sharing photos from her Thailand trip. She recently greeted her fans with a sweet message to celebrate the beginning of 2018.

"Thank you for every bit of love and support I have received this year ... I wish this year brings everyone so much love happiness and peace ....may we all connect to our higher purpose ...always help those in need ... aim for your goals don't let anything stop you. Feel the thing you fear ... feel it........and be FREE."

Check out the moments Katrina Kaif shared from her Twitter account.

Katrina Kaif will be next seen in Anand L Rai's upcoming movie 'Zero'. Shah Rukh Khan released teaser of the film on New Year.

Zero is slated to hit the silver screens on December 21, when it is most likely to clash with Kedarnath - Sara Ali Khan's debut movie.
The drop in poverty from the 1980s to present was mainly driven by just two countries: China and India. The statistics for China are especially mind-blowing: In 1981, a staggering 88 percent of Chinese were extremely poor, but by 2013 that figure had dropped, incredibly, to just 2 percent. Indias figures, though not as drastic, are still impressive: In about the same period of time, the poor population declined from 54 to 21 percent.

Sub-Saharan Africa, by comparison, had a 54 percent poor population in 1990, down to 41 percent in 2013. Not only is the decline much smaller than China or Indias, but due to massive population growth in Africa, the absolute number of poor people actually rose by 113 million.

Its important to note that while millions in China have risen out of extreme poverty, millions more are still relatively poor. Drastic income inequality has also arisen between urban and rural areas.

The working-age population in China is on the decline, and Africa has the highest birth rates in the world. Could the next wave of industrialization happen in Africa and catalyze another miracle like Chinas? If so, the worlds remaining 10.7 percent extreme poverty would certainly decline.

Replicating Chinas success, though, will be difficult on multiple fronts, if not impossible. Africans have already begun to leave rural areas in favor of cities, with an annual urban growth rate of almost 4 percent (as compared to the global average of 1.84 percent)but those cities arent equipped to keep up with the influx of new residents. Basic services like healthcare and public transit are lacking, as is infrastructure.

Africas population has grown more than anywhere else on Earthand its not showing signs of slowing, with a fertility rate of 4.92 in 2015, more than double the global average. The UNs medium forecast puts Africas 2050 population at 2.5 billion, a number that would strain resources even in an economy dramatically stronger than the continents current ones.

An African Miracle, then, may not be in the cards. But that doesnt mean all hope is lost. Leaders in African nations can learn from Chinas successes and its failuresfor example, in place of a one-child policy, African countries should pour resources into family planning and education for women. They should invest in infrastructure now, when the working-age population is plentiful, to begin positioning the continent as the worlds next industrial powerhouse.

China is investing heavily in infrastructure projects across Africa.

China is running political training programs for African leaders, teaching them the tactics it used to spur development.

China has also given tens of thousands of scholarships to African students, and now hosts more of them at its universities than the US or the UK do.

If China can duplicate its success in Africa by helping lift its people out of poverty, making returns on its investments in the process, its unlikely anyone will complain.
Jan 2, 2018 2:26 a.m.  Nine people were killed overnight, Iranian state television reported, raising the overall death toll to more than 20 since the protests began last week.

Jan 1, 2018 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: Were considering a variety of options to hold those people accountable, including sanctions.

Few expect the protests in Iran to succeed, however, the legitimacy of the Islamic revolution is being challenged for the first time since 1979. The current rebellion appears very different from those seen in 1999 and 2009.If the past protests called for a reformation of the Islamic Republic established in 1979, some of the current slogans are calling for its overthrow.

Not too long ago, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Sultan, called for a reversal of 1979 and all that meant.

The protests of 1999 called for easing of the harsh clerical rule established after the Islamic Revolution overthrew the monarchy headed by the Shah of Iran in 1979. The failed protests exposed the severe limitations of an elected president, Mohammed Khatami, vis a vis the supreme leaderAyatollah Khamaeniwho sits at the top of the clerical rule and holds all the reins of power.

In 2009, the protests led by the Green Movement were sparked by anger at the perceived manipulation of presidential election results against the reformist candidates and in favor of the incumbent president, Mohammed Ahmadinejad. Despite support from the reformist factions, supreme leader prevailed again over the protestors by declaring Ahmadinejad as President.

A longer-term challenge to the regional order produced in the Middle East in 1979 may have begun on both sides of the Gulf in 2017.
The hunt for high temperature superconductivity has been reinvigorated by the experimental discovery that compressed H2S exhibits a Tc of up to 203K at megabar pressures (1Mbar=100GPa). A collaboration between the University of Cambridge and Jilin University has published the results of a computational search for materials that might superconduct at even higher temperatures.

An extensive search for the stable structures and compositions of rare earth hydrides was performed using first principles density functional theory based methods. The superconducting transition temperatures for the stable metallic compounds were calculated using the same theoretical techniques that were used to anticipate the superconductivity in dense hydrogen sulphide. The highest temperatures were predicted for pressures that are around those found in the center of the Earth. It is a challenge for the future to find materials that superconduct at high temperatures and everyday low pressures.

Physical Review Letters  Hydrogen Clathrate Structures in Rare Earth Hydrides at High Pressures: Possible Route to Room-Temperature Superconductivity

Room-temperature superconductivity has been a long-held dream and an area of intensive research. Recent experimental findings of superconductivity at 200 K in highly compressed hydrogen (H) sulfides have demonstrated the potential for achieving room-temperature superconductivity in compressed H-rich materials. We report first-principles structure searches for stable H-rich clathrate structures in rare earth hydrides at high pressures. The peculiarity of these structures lies in the emergence of unusual H cages with stoichiometries H24, H29, and H32, in which H atoms are weakly covalently bonded to one another, with rare earth atoms occupying the centers of the cages. We have found that high-temperature superconductivity is closely associated with H clathrate structures, with large H-derived electronic densities of states at the Fermi level and strong electron-phonon coupling related to the stretching and rocking motions of H atoms within the cages. Strikingly, a yttrium (Y) H32 clathrate structure of stoichiometry YH10 is predicted to be a potential room-temperature superconductor with an estimated Tc of up to 303 K at 400 GPa, as derived by direct solution of the Eliashberg equation.
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
NEW HAVEN  Police are investigating the unarmed robbery Tuesday of Liberty Bank on College Street.

New Haven police were dispatched just before 9 a.m. to the 153 College St. branch, which is at the intersection with George Street.

Investigators learned that, minutes earlier, a white or Hispanic man had entered the bank and demanded cash from one of the tellers, according to a report from Officer David Hartman. The robber did not wield, display, simulate or mention a weapon, he said.

The suspect approached the bank on foot from the direction of North Frontage Road, police said. His possible use of a getaway car is unknown, although detectives hope to learn more after reviewing surveillance footage from several camera systems in the area.

The teller complied with the robbers demand and handed over an undisclosed amount of cash, police said. There were no injuries.

The suspect is described as being about 5 feet 6 inches tall. He has dark hair and was wearing a rust-colored, hooded coat. The hood was up, over a checkered black, gray and white scarf. A mask covered most of his face, police said.

The man wore light tan pants and tan work boots, similar to Timberland boots. He wore dark-framed, untinted glasses, police said. The suspect may have a tattoo on the back of his right hand, below the wrist, according to the release.

Investigators are asking for the publics help. Anyone who recognizes the suspect or who has information that could be related to the case is asked to call detectives at 203-946-6304. Calls may be made anonymously, police said.

The Connecticut Bankers Reward Association has also offered a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible for the robbery, according to the release.
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.
Trumbull, CTJanuary 2, 2018  TMC today announced ZeroOutages has signed on as a gold sponsor to SD-WAN Expo being held February 14-16, 2018 at the Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. At SD-WAN Expo, enterprise executives, service providers, and technology vendors will connect to learn about and discuss how this market is growing and evolving, and how all three of these constituencies can make the most of the SD-WAN opportunity. Collocated with ITEXPO, one of the largest remaining communications and technology conferences in the world, SD-WAN Expo is the dedicated forum for the industry to come together and learn.

ZeroOutages, a leader in SD-WAN since 2009 with over 4000 deployments around the world and a specialist in multi-site SD-WAN, is proud to announce our attendance at SD-WAN Expo this coming February. Daren French, VP Business Development, ZeroOutages.

ZeroOutages is the world's first carrier neutral managed service provider for WAN circuits. Providing SD-WAN with Intelligent WAN Routing, QoS Optimization, and Redundancy for Internet and WAN connections (Internet or dedicated / MPLS). ZeroOutages ensures uptime for customers through an array of patented WAN routing and traffic shaping functionality.

Registration for SD-WAN Expo is now open. For more information on SD-WAN Expo, contact events@tmcnet.com. For media inquiries, contact Jessica Seabrook. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages for SD-WAN Expo should contact TMC's Joe Fabiano at 203-852-6800 x132 or Maureen Gambino at 203-852-6800 x109.

For the latest SD-WAN Expo news, updates and information follow the event on Twitter at @SDWANexpo.

About TMC

Global buyers rely on TMCs content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. This presents branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities for vendors/sellers.

TMCs Marketplaces:

Unique, turnkey Online Communities boost search results, establish market validation, elevate brands and thought leadership, while minimizing ad-blocking.

Custom Lead Programs uncover sales opportunities and build databases.

In-Person and Online Events boost brands, enhance thought leadership and generate leads.

Publications, Display Advertising and Newsletters bolster brand reputations.

Custom Content provides expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and

overall marketing efforts.

overall marketing efforts. Comprehensive Event and Road Show Management Services help companies meet potential clients and generate leads face-to-face.

For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com.

Media and Analyst Contact:

Jessica Seabrook

Marketing Director

TMC

203-852-6800 x 170

jseabrook@tmcnet.com

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Edited by Mandi Nowitz
Having a paid carer come to visit you in your home can make a huge difference to your life, especially if you have difficulty walking or getting around. It can help you stay living independently in your own home.

This type of care is known as homecare or domiciliary care or sometimes home help.

Help at home from a paid carer costs around 20 an hour, but it varies according to where you live. Sometimes, the council will contribute to the cost.

Homecare is very flexible. You might need a paid carer for only an hour a week or for several hours a day. You might need a live-in carer.

It can be temporary  for example for a few weeks while you recover from an illness. Or it can be long term.

You might also consider home adaptations or household gadgets or equipment to make life easier.

When should I consider help at home from a paid carer?

You might want to consider care at home if:

you're finding it difficult to cope with daily routines, such as washing, dressing and getting out and about

you do not want to move into a care home

you can still get about your home and it's safe for you to live in  or it can be adapted to make it safe

How can homecare help me?

A paid carer can visit you at home to help you with all kinds of things including:

getting out of bed in the morning

washing and dressing

brushing your hair

using the toilet

preparing meals and drinks

remembering to take your medicines

doing your shopping

collecting prescriptions or your pension

getting out, for example to a lunch club

getting settled in the evening and ready for bed

Home help

This is slightly different to homecare and means day-to-day domestic tasks that you may need a helping hand with such as:

cleaning (including putting on clean bed sheets)

doing the washing up

doing the laundry

gardening

You might want some home help instead of or as well as homecare.

Most councils do not provide home help. Contact a charity such as the Royal Voluntary Service, the British Red Cross or your local Age UK to see whether they can help (they may not be free).

How to get help at home from a paid carer

your local council can arrange homecare for you if you're eligible for it

you can arrange your own homecare

How your council can help

If you want the council to help with homecare for you, start by asking them for a needs assessment.

Your needs assessment will help the council to decide whether you're eligible for care.

If you're eligible, the council may recommend help at home from a paid carer. They will arrange the homecare for you.

If you're not eligible for care, the council must still give you free advice about where you can get help in your community.

Even if you're intending to make arrangements yourself with an agency or private carer, it's still a good idea to have a needs assessment as it will help you to explain to the agency or carer what kind of help you need.

Apply for a needs assessment

Paying for homecare

Depending on your circumstances, your local council may contribute to the cost of homecare or you may have to pay for it yourself.

If your needs assessment recommends homecare, you may get help with the cost from the council.

What you'll contribute depends on your income and savings. The council will work this out in a financial assessment.

If the council is paying for some or all of your homecare, they must give you a care and support plan.

This sets out what your needs are, how they will be met and your personal budget (the amount the council thinks your care should cost).

You can choose to receive your personal budget as a direct payment each month. This gives you the control to employ someone you know to care for you at home rather than using a homecare agency, though you'll then have responsibilities as an employer.

If you're not eligible for the council to contribute to your homecare costs, you'll have to pay for it yourself.

Read more about when the council might pay for your care

Benefits that can help you with homecare

Check if you're eligible for benefits.

Some, such as Attendance Allowance and Personal Independence Payments, are not means tested and they can help you meet the costs of homecare.

Find out how to apply for:

How to choose a paid carer

If you're arranging your own homecare, there are 2 main ways to do this:

use a homecare agency

employ your own carer

Homecare agencies

Homecare agencies employ trained carers and arrange for them to visit you in your home. You may not always have the same carer visiting your home, though the agency will try to match you with someone suitable.

How much do they cost?

It costs around 20 an hour for a carer to come to your home, but this will vary depending on where you live.

If you're paying for yourself, the agency should be able to give you a clear price list. They'll send you a monthly bill for your homecare.

How to find a local agency

There are 4 main ways to do this:

Questions to ask the agency

Here are some questions you may want to ask an agency before employing them:

what charges, if any, will I be expected to pay

what services are charged as extras?

have your paid carers looked after someone with similar needs to mine?

how will you choose the most suitable paid carer for me?

will the paid carer agree to visit in a specific time slot? And will they tell me if they're delayed or running late?

what sort of training do your paid carers get?

if I'm paying for my own care, do you have a standard contract I can read before signing my own?

if the council is contributing to my care can I see a copy of the contract they've signed with the agency?

how can I contact your agency during the day, in an emergency or outside office hours?

What to expect from agency carers

Homecare agency carers should treat you in a respectful and dignified way. For example, they should always:

knock and ring the front door bell and announce their arrival before coming into your home

bring an identity card

know where your keys are kept if they're not in your home

keep any entry codes to your house confidential

know what to do if they cannot get into your home

know what to do if you've had an accident

Employing your own carer

Instead of using an agency, you can hire your own carer, sometimes called a private carer or personal assistant.

If you employ a paid carer, you have the legal responsibility of an employer. This includes arranging cover for their illness and holidays.

Which? Later Life Care has advice on employing a private carer.

How to complain about homecare

You have the right to complain if you're not happy about the help at home you're receiving. This might be because paid carers:

arrive late and leave early

do not give your medicines to you properly

leave your home untidy after visits

give you poor care like dressing you wrongly

First complain to your local council or, if you're paying for yourself, the agency. The council or agency should have a formal complaints procedure on their website. Try to be specific about what happened and include staff names and dates if you can.

If you're not happy with the way the council or agency handles your complaint, ask the Local Government & Social Care Ombudsman to investigate further. An ombudsman is an independent person who's been appointed to look into complaints about organisations.

You can also tell the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which checks social care services in England.

Your local council must provide you with an independent advocate (someone to speak up for you) to help you make a complaint if you need one.

Further help
Indianapolis, IN (46208)

Today

Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers in the afternoon. High 76F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%..

Tonight

Light rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low near 65F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
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Please take your seats.

It is that time of year again: our annual closing dinner, where we look back at the year that was, to toast and roast the years deal makers on Wall Street and in Washington and look ahead to what may come next.

And what a year it was.

This year, we decided to hold our dinner at the Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., just down the road from the Mar-a-Lago resort, better known as the Winter White House. Given that President Trump has spent nearly a third of his presidency  thats not a typo  at one of his properties, as The Wall Street Journal reported, we figured we would try to make it convenient for him. There were a surprising number of free openings at Mar-a-Lago given all the cancellations by foundations and charities, but ever since an artist projected Pay Trump Bribes Here on the Trump International Hotel in Washington, our conflicts committee suggested that hosting the dinner at Mar-a-Lago would be a bad idea.

We also figured holding the dinner in Florida would be convenient for so many of you moguls and machers already down here looking for real estate since the tax bill was signed into law. The other bonus of buying here, of course, is that your home is protected even if you file for bankruptcy.

Sitting at the dais are Mr. Trump along with the first lady. (Ivanka, Jared and the rest of the family were away on vacation.) Next to him are Rupert Murdoch and his new B.F.F., Robert Iger of the Walt Disney Company, who just gave up any hope of running for president in 2020, a condition of his deal to buy most of 21st Century Foxs assets. To their right are the chief negotiators for the tax plan: Gary Cohn and Steven Mnuchin (and Ms. Mnuchins wife, Louise Linton, who I should mention  and Ill be sure to hashtag this on Instagram  is wearing a beautiful scarf from Hermes and gown by Valentino).
If the second inauguration of Mayor Bill de Blasio on Monday lacked some of the excitement of his first go-round, the undercard at the event  a pair of speeches by the newly re-elected comptroller, Scott M. Stringer, and the public advocate, Letitia A. James  provided at least a hint of dramatic tension.

Both politicians are in the second and final terms of their offices and are already being talked about in political circles as potential rivals in the Democratic primary for mayor in 2021. And so, for each, the inauguration address was the unofficial opening stump speech of what is likely to be a protracted, if not yet announced, campaign to succeed Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat.

Mr. Stringer, in his speech, made a nod to consensus, calling the mayor and Ms. James his partners in government, while pointedly focusing on the economic inequality and poverty that still bedevil New York City four years after Mr. de Blasio promised to end what he termed the tale of two cities.

More New Yorkers live in poverty than there are people in Philadelphia or Phoenix, Mr. Stringer said in an address that included no direct mention of the job of comptroller. If we become a place where the entrance fee is a $2 million condo and where only the most privileged can prosper, then we will betray the promise of New York.
It took 37 minutes of sitting outside in 18-degree weather on Monday before Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont unfurled one of the blue blankets that had been laid out for guests at Mayor Bill de Blasios second inauguration and spread it over his legs.

A personal space heater sat in front of former Mayor David N. Dinkins, who turned 90 in July, and Mr. de Blasio drew some of his biggest applause when he jokingly gave the crowd the choice of a brief speech.

You are the most distinguished frozen group of people I have ever spoken before, said Mr. de Blasio, whose speech lasted about 13 minutes.

Mr. de Blasio is the first Democrat in 32 years to win re-election, and one of the hallmark achievements of his tenure has been the citys plunging homicide rate, which he cited in his speech. But the frigid temperatures stole the show as Mr. de Blasio took the oath of office before several hundred guests  including dozens of people stationed beneath heat lamps spread throughout City Hall plaza.
You dance with the one that brung ya, as the saying goes, but Bill de Blasio sees no reason to embrace the maxim. Bill and Hillary Clinton gave him a vital kick-start in politics and, fittingly, Mr. de Blasio chose the former president to swear him in as New Yorks 109th mayor four years ago. Times change. For his second inaugural, on Monday, the Clintons were well in his rearview mirror.

Instead, the swearing-in duties fell to Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont by way of Brooklyn, who, not coincidentally, was Hillary Clintons chief rival for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination. It was Mr. de Blasios way of saying that even a pretense of Clintonian centrism was in disfavor at City Hall and that a new progressive era, as he called it in his remarks, ruled the day. Mr. Sanders may not have brung him to the dance, but he now had the mayors heart.

What that may mean in terms of policy remains to be seen: How, specifically, will Mr. de Blasio build on the successes of his first term, learn from his mistakes, cope with enduring challenges like homelessness and social inequality, and deal with potential fiscal threats created by a hostile Trump administration? Then again, inaugural speeches are designed for clarion calls, not PowerPoint presentations. There is time for details to emerge.

It was a self-confident mayor who spoke Monday for 13 minutes on the City Hall steps. (It was also a sniffling mayor, plainly as uncomfortable as everyone else in 14-degree weather.) He had reason to feel proud. The old year ended with a murder total under 300, the lowest in many decades. Job totals in the city are at record highs. Construction continues to boom. And not since Edward Kochs inaugural in 1986 had a Democratic mayor retaken the oath in one of the bluest cities in the land.
Imagine three kids running around a maypole, forming a chain with their arms. The innermost kid is holding the pole with one hand. The faster they run, the more centrifugal force there is tearing the chain apart. The tighter they grip, the more centripetal force there is holding the chain together. Eventually centrifugal force exceeds centripetal force and the chain breaks.

Thats essentially what is happening in this country, N.Y.U.s Jonathan Haidt argued in a lecture delivered to the Manhattan Institute in November. He listed some of the reasons centrifugal forces may now exceed centripetal: the loss of the common enemies we had in World War II and the Cold War, an increasingly fragmented media, the radicalization of the Republican Party, and a new form of identity politics, especially on campus.

Haidt made the interesting point that identity politics per se is not the problem. Identity politics is just political mobilization around group characteristics. The problem is that identity politics has dropped its centripetal elements and become entirely centrifugal.

Martin Luther King described segregation and injustice as forces tearing us apart. He appealed to universal principles and our common humanity as ways to heal prejudice and unite the nation. He appealed to common religious principles, the creed of our founding fathers and a common language of love to drive out prejudice. King framed our greatest moral failing as an opportunity for centripetal redemption, Haidt observed.
The families had striking similarities: They lived in prosperous suburbs, had children in college, enjoyed exploring other cultures and were strongly involved in Jewish causes.

Both families  the Steinbergs, a family of five from Scarsdale, N.Y., and the Weisses, a family of four from Belleair, Fla.  were killed on Sunday when the single-engine turboprop they were traveling in crashed into a hill in Costa Rica shortly after takeoff. An American tour guide also died, as did two Costa Rican crew members.

The crash of the plane, a Cessna 208B Caravan traveling from Punta Islita, on the Pacific Coast, to San Jose, the capital, was the deadliest in Costa Rica since 1990.

It is a devastating loss to their families and to our congregation, said Rabbi Jacob Luski of Congregation Bnai Israel of St. Petersburg, Fla., who in a phone interview on Monday confirmed the deaths of husband and wife Mitchell Weiss, 52, and Leslie L. Weiss, 50; their daughter, Hannah M. Weiss, 19; and their son, Ari M. Weiss, 16.
I was in a state of shock. My hero was 10 feet away. I couldnt believe it! I was just 15 and a busboy, so I wasnt permitted to serve customers just yet. But I did notice how everyone treated John differently, almost like royalty. As Billie Holiday sang As Time Goes By on the jukebox, I pondered fame. It all seemed magical, like skywriting.

I wanted to become an actor, too. I had no idea how anyone did such a thing, let alone become a star. I so wanted someone to look at me the way they looked at John Belushi  with admiration, fondness, respect and, dare I say, love. But I knew that was a pipe dream. He was hilarious, smart and bigger than life. I was awkward, painfully skinny and partially mute.

Several Sundays after that first appearance, Dad gave me my big chance to wait on John. I slipped on some sawdust and almost landed in his lap. My father shook his head and disappeared into the office with a tall glass of vodka. I knew he couldnt bear to witness what would inevitably be a disaster.

After all, I had clumsily on purpose/by accident broken most of his most recent wedding gifts. He had just married the playwright Eve Ensler, who thankfully adopted me and literally saved my life. Eve saw something in me I didnt even recognize in myself. She was the one who encouraged me to become an actor, and I ran with it.

Dad was relieved it was August, because I would be returned to my grandmother in Connecticut for the coming school year. I couldnt quite blame him. My Dorothy Hamill hair, white Capezio dance shoes and red tuxedo jacket had long outstayed their welcome. I was clearly channeling David Bowie and the New York Dolls  desperately searching for an identity.
It was a tough year, but at least we got Big Little Lies and Tiffany Haddish. Politics appalled a lot of us, men did too, and the Scotch tape holding the New York City subway together popped off. Not to mention, New Yorkers were handed the coldest New Years Eve since 1962. I dare you, 2017 seemed to be taunting. Ring me out.

Part of me wanted to ignore the dare. New Years, always hard for me, felt increasingly lonely. Most of my friends are married, affianced, or gobbled up by Los Angeles, or veganism. Im 34. Im single, and always have been. Im a terrible dancer. And yet: theres virtue in stepping into the bracing cold, in shocking the blood awake and feeding the brain something new.

After spending last New Years crawling across Manhattan, I wanted to set foot in other boroughs  all four of them, in fact. My friend Colin agreed to join. I chose wildly disparate experiences  Cardi B, contra dancing, Vivaldi, an all-night gender-fluid party  to see if 14 hours outside of my comfort zone, in the company of strangers, might crack me open a bit for the year to come.
CHICAGO  As Lena Waithe stood in front of her childhood home here on the citys South Side last October, images very different than the ones depicted on the news these days began coming to her. Instead of gang wars and unremitting violence, Ms. Waithe, the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for comedy series writing, saw in her minds eye scenes of children joyously running in the streets and parents gathering at a neighbors house for a game of cards.

With The Chi, a new Showtime drama that debuts on Jan. 7, Ms. Waithe aims to paint her city in all its complexities and nuances. She is the creator of this kaleidoscopic series that follows the interweaving stories of several young men, most notably Jason Mitchell (Mudbound, Straight Outta Compton) as an aspiring chef and Alex R. Hibbert (Moonlight) as a wide-eyed preteen. The Chi doesnt ignore the brutality of day-to-day life, but rather focuses on the humanity it can devastate.

My mission is to show these young black men are not born with a gun in their hand, Ms. Waithe said over brunch earlier that day at a downtown diner. These are kids who come out with all the promise and hope that any other kid does.
But Ms. Kotb, a longtime fan favorite for her freewheeling segments with Ms. Gifford, has provided more than a steadying hand, and may even have given the show a boost. NBC has defeated its ABC rival Good Morning America every week since Mr. Lauer was removed, something it had not done for four consecutive weeks in more than five years.

The Today lead has narrowed  the program averaged around 4.4 million viewers the week before Christmas, about 54,000 viewers more than G.M.A.  and there is some uncertainty whether the lead is sustainable. Further, all three morning shows experienced rating drops last year.

A surprise boon from an emergency host isnt new at NBC. When Brian Williams was suspended for six months in 2015 from his evening newscast after he was caught embellishing stories about a Middle East reporting assignment, Lester Holt replaced him and the shows viewership figures were strong. Mr. Holt became the permanent replacement later that year.

Likewise, the departures of Charlie Rose from CBS This Morning and Mr. OReilly from Fox News after public allegations of sexual misconduct have done little to disrupt either network. Fox News is still No. 1 among cable news networks in prime time, and the ratings for CBS This Morning have held steady while Gayle King and Norah ODonnell continue in Mr. Roses absence. (CBS has not yet hired a replacement.)

Ms. Kotb cut her teeth as a local reporter and anchor, including a six-year stint for the CBS affiliate in New Orleans. She joined NBC in 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline.
I should have never posted the video. I should have put the cameras down, he said.

The original video, which has since been removed from YouTube but is available elsewhere online, begins with Mr. Paul warning viewers that the following footage is graphic.

This definitely marks a moment in YouTube history, he says. Because Im pretty sure that this has never hopefully happened to anyone on YouTube ever.

Now with that said, buckle up, Mr. Paul adds, cursing for effect.

As the video proceeds, Mr. Paul describes the reputation of the Aokigahara forest, which has become well-known in the past decade as a destination for people looking to kill themselves.

In 2016 alone, three North American films were set in the forest, which lies at the base of Mount Fuji, a sacred site in Japan.

Local folk tales have also fueled talk about the paranormal within the forest, a subject that Mr. Paul eagerly latches onto as he and his companions begin their trek with a guide.
The research paid off in a rare result: In 2016, the jury issued a $30 million verdict for negligence, of which Mr. Denz and Mr. Bennett were personally liable for $20 million. The mens own tax returns had bolstered the case against them. They claimed during trial they delegated daily responsibilities for residents to the homes administrators, but they reported on their tax returns that they actively participated in the management. The jury did not find the nursing home responsible for her death later in 2009.

The appeal brought by Mr. Denz and Mr. Bennett challenges both the verdict and their inclusion. They argue that Tennessee courts should not have jurisdiction over them since they spent little time in the state and neither was involved in the daily operations of the home or in setting staffing levels. Their lawyers said jurors should never have heard from nurses who hadnt cared directly for Mrs. Pierce.

No way did I oversee resident care issues, Mr. Bennett said in a deposition.

Deficient in the End

Whoever was responsible for Mrs. Pierces care, her family had no doubt it had been inadequate. Her son Bill Pierce was so horrified when he finally saw the wound on his mothers foot, he immediately insisted that she go to the hospital.

Mrs. Hatfield said the surgeon had told the family that he had never seen anything like it.

He amputated 60 percent of the leg, above the knee, she said.

After the amputation, Mrs. Pierce returned to the nursing home because her family did not want to separate her from her husband, who was also there.

At the trial, the nursing homes lawyers argued that Mrs. Pierces leg had deteriorated not because of the infection but because her blood vessels had become damaged from a decline in circulation. The jury was unpersuaded after nurses and aides testified about how Allenbrooke would add staffing for state inspections while the rest of the time their pleas for more support went unheeded.

Workers also testified that supervisors had told them to fill in blanks in medical records regardless of accuracy. One example: Allenbrookes records indicated that Mrs. Pierce had eaten a full meal the day after she died.
To ease congestion, Delta Air Lines, which serves 70 percent of the airports passengers, agreed to help finance the reconstruction.

Planning for this project goes back to the early 2000s master plan, when we were thinking about how to make the existing airport layout work, said Bill Wyatt, the airports executive director. Delta sat down and also tried to think how they could make that work operationally. They concluded they couldnt make it work operationally. Everybody began to focus on this new concept, which were building.

Delta, which earned $39.6 billon in total revenue in 2016, uses the hub principally as a link between coastal and mountain cities. Deltas investment in the airport is a share of the $1.2 billion the airline is spending annually over the next decade to expand and modernize air transport facilities around the country, according to company figures. The money would be spent on airport projects in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, Salt Lake City and Seattle, Morgan Durrant, a company spokesman, said in an email message.

Mike Williams, the program director for the airports Terminal Redevelopment Program, said the nationwide airport reconstruction effort started in 2008, as the country was in the grip of the Great Recession. Three years after a downturn in the American airline industry pitched Delta into bankruptcy in 2005, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport started to build its $1.4 billion, 1.2 million-square-foot Maynard H. Jackson Jr. International Terminal.

The Atlanta terminal opened in 2012 just as fuel prices moderated, the national economy recovered and Americans began filling airline seats and overcrowding the countrys old airports.

In the same period, Los Angeles International Airport began a $14 billion project to upgrade runways and safety facilities, improve escalators and elevators and renovate four terminals. The project included a $2.1 billion remodeling and expansion of the international terminal and the addition of a $1.6 billion, 750,000-square-foot midfield terminal.

Expansion is needed. In 2016, 823 million passengers boarded airliners in the United States, 25 million more than in the previous year. Airport and airline executives, mindful of criticism about old facilities and responsive to the growing demand, have escalated construction projects into a nationwide building boom, with New York-area airports leading the way.
Vice Media placed its president, Andrew Creighton, and its chief digital officer, Mike Germano, on leave after sexual harassment allegations were reported against them in a New York Times investigation that detailed the treatment of women at the company.

Vice employees learned of the moves in a memo sent to the staff on Tuesday morning.

Sarah Broderick, Vices chief operating officer and chief financial officer, said in the memo that a special committee of the companys board was reviewing the facts related to a $135,000 settlement Mr. Creighton had reached in 2016 with a former employee, who claimed that she was fired after she rejected an intimate relationship with him, according to people briefed on the matter and documents viewed by The Times.

The committee plans to make a recommendation regarding the matter to senior management before the companys Jan. 11 board meeting, and Mr. Creighton will remain out of the office on leave until then, Ms. Broderick said.

Ms. Broderick said that the allegations involving the 2016 settlement had been reviewed at the time by an independent law firm, the claim was found to lack merit, and the company had settled to avoid the expense and distraction of litigation.
Sometimes instead of a curving rib bone, youll find a flat little two- or three-inch section of bone lurking along one edge of your country-style ribs. This means the chop was cut from the section of the shoulder just adjacent to the ribs; the bone is a piece of the scapula. But this is really not a big deal. Ribs fabricated in this fashion will have somewhat more fat and connective tissue and more dark meat, but are still close cousins of the more traditional cut, and cook up the same way.

Thats not the end of it, though. Some butchers will cut the lower part of the pork shoulder into strips and label them boneless country-style ribs. They are still tasty and work well in long-cooking recipes, but you have to pay closer attention to what youre getting and avoid those with excess amounts of fat and gnarl.

Then theres the higher-class impostor. Sometimes boneless rib-eye chops are fashioned into long, slender pieces and called country-style ribs. You can tell them clearly from their much lighter color and higher price  usually twice as expensive as the real thing. But since this portion of the pig is much leaner and therefore cooks differently, well bypass these ersatz ribs for now.

Any of the other versions, though, will work just fine, particularly in stews and braises.

In addition to its proportion of lean meat to fat and collagen, the country-style rib also has a shape that makes it ideal for stews. Its hard to find pre-cut pork stew meat in the supermarket, and even if you do its not a good idea to buy it, since it usually consists of ragged little odds and ends from around the pig.
The biggest political contests of 2017 were defined by their asymmetries: in funding, in ideology and, most viscerally, in strategy. On one side were those who saw everything as a battle and sought whatever advantage they could find. On the other were those devoted to what they thought were shared systems, norms and language, who spent most of the year increasingly beleaguered and struggling to find words.

The month before he lost his states special Senate election, the Alabama theocrat Roy Moore was accused by multiple women of extensive sexual misconduct. The day after The Washington Post published its initial article on the allegations, another woman reached out to the paper asking for a meeting. She had been a young teenager, she would claim, when Moore approached her; he got her pregnant, and she had an abortion at age 15. The allegations were stunning. But Post reporters quickly deduced that they were also false  fabricated by an operative for Project Veritas, an organization led by the right-wing activist James OKeefe, in an effort to trick the paper into publishing false claims, thereby discrediting its earlier reporting. When the paper later detailed its interactions with the operative, its executive editor, Martin Baron, explained that any agreements she had made to remain off the record were invalid, entered into by a fraud acting in maliciously bad faith.

To many, bad faith is the phrase that seems to capture our entire moment, in all its mendacity and duplicitousness and engineered confusion. In December, when MSNBC dropped the contract of a contributor, Sam Seder, over a crude joke he made on Twitter in 2009, bad faith provided the most concise explanation. The joke was, by any credible reading, intended to mock people in Hollywood who continued to work with Roman Polanski after he pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. But another right-wing personality, Mike Cernovich, had excavated it and claimed, with disingenuous concern and abundantly clear ill will, that it meant the opposite, summoning a waiting, in-on-the-game audience to perform outrage and concern to MSNBCs parent company and sponsors. The phrase captured this familiar process: the willful misreading being wielded as a threat; the vexing figure pretending to care about something important in order to accomplish something vengeful or petty; the galling attempts to play dumb; the sneering claim that, well, I didnt make the rules. When a social-media countercampaign was mounted in Seders defense, it consisted largely of accusations and descriptions of bad faith. Seders contract was eventually reinstated.

This version of bad faith falls somewhere among a lawyers claim of intentional dishonesty (This contract was entered into in bad faith), Sartres critique of inauthenticity (Do you even believe what youre saying?) and a broad, satisfying, barbed insult (You! Bad!). For liberals and centrists and dispossessed conservatives, it can feel like a way to reclaim power. To simply note the facts in a tone of disbelief  say, that multiple government agencies were now being run by people who had recently considered those agencies illegitimate  has gotten exhausting. Bad faith goes beyond these symptoms to diagnose an underlying pathology.
Since Al Qaeda and then the Islamic State began calling on would-be terrorists to drive cars and trucks into pedestrians, officials in New York City have grappled with how to better protect people from vehicular attacks.

It is a concern that gained urgency last year, first after a driver high on PCP drove three blocks on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk, and then after a man plowed a rented truck down a West Side bike path in a terrorist attack that killed eight people.

On Tuesday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that the city would spend $50 million to secure high-risk public spaces from attacks by vehicles, and from vehicles that go out of control because of a medical emergency.

The money will go toward a range of safety measures, including installing 1,500 metal bollards at some of the citys most-visited locations and placing large planters at other vulnerable spots.
He also said to fully exercise its power, the Council would need more people on its staff.

As a legislative leader, the speakers position entails balancing grand plans with the local needs of 50 other Council members, for whom the parochial concerns of their residents on matters such as tree planting and garbage pickup can take precedence over sweeping changes to the fabric of government.

Christine C. Quinn, who served as speaker before Ms. Mark-Viverito and represented the same West Village, Chelsea and Midtown West district as Mr. Johnson, offered advice to the incoming leader.

Have fun, follow your gut, dont worry so much about the press, and stay in really close touch with your members, she said. This is the moment in your life to take everything in your life that you ever wanted to fix, change and undo, and do it. Because you can.

Over her two terms as speaker, Ms. Quinn, a Democrat, suffered politically within her own party because of what some perceived as a too-close relationship to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who ran as an independent and a Republican, and her support for Mr. Bloombergs third term. Similarly, Ms. Mark-Viverito has been seen as too close to Mr. de Blasio, even though both are Democrats; the mayor did not veto a single Council bill during her term.

For Mr. Johnson, it will be a delicate balance, striving to be what he called a productive partner with the mayor, while at the same time someone who is willing to maintain the Councils independence. He said he could envision a more assertive Council bringing bills to vote that do not have Mr. de Blasios support.

I said this to the mayor: When there is disagreement, it will never be personal with me, Mr. Johnson said. But us overriding vetoes, if the members believe we should do that and theres broad support for a bill, thats us using our charter-mandated authority.

Mr. Johnson became the overwhelming favorite for the position after leaders from the two most powerful Democratic county organizations, in the Bronx and in Queens, threw their weight behind him. Mr. de Blasio, who had not initially endorsed Mr. Johnson, soon followed suit.
Her children appreciated the stability of the new home, which enabled them to attend the same school for two years, the longest they have stayed anywhere since entering the shelter system, they said. But Ms. Rivera, who was born on the Puerto Rican coast and spent her teenage years in Manhattan, was paying about $34 a day in cab fare to get to her job because she did not know how to drive. When she no longer had the money to commute, she quit her job and fell behind on bills. With no water or electricity and an eviction notice, the family moved in with a neighbor for the next three months.

Fearing her ex-husband would find them  he had once come to the apartment  Ms. Rivera moved the family. The shelter in their hometown had closed, so on Christmas Day 2016, Ms. Rivera returned to New York City with her children. They were eventually placed at a shelter in Manhattan, where they have remained and where Ms. Rivera receives counseling for depression.
To the Editor:

Re A. G. Sulzberger Will Become Publisher of The Times on Jan. 1 (front page, Dec. 15):

As publisher, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. led The New York Times during 25 of the most turbulent economic years in publishing history. His record: 60 Pulitzers, a new digital vision for the future, national and global expansion, and an unshakable commitment to excellence in journalism.

Well done, Arthur!

TOM JOHNSON, ATLANTA

The writer is a former publisher of The Los Angeles Times and a former chief executive of CNN.
To the Editor:

Re Christians Need a New Right-to-Life Movement (Op-Ed, Dec. 25):

Margaret Renkl proposes a new right-to-life movement in which the contentious issues of abortion, birth control and homosexuality would be set aside. Instead, faithful Christians would unite in assisting the poor and the vulnerable.

Unfortunately, the problems the poor and the vulnerable face are inextricably bound up with the contentious social issues that Ms. Renkl would like to avoid. According to the Guttmacher Institute, in 2014, about 75 percent of all abortion patients were low-income. These women are less likely to have access to birth control. To prevent unwanted pregnancies, and the need for abortion, and to permit women to plan their educational and professional lives, they must have access to affordable and effective birth control and to abortion when birth control fails or fails to be used or when a woman is a victim of coercion.

Access to accurate sex education for all our children that includes but is not limited to abstinence has also been shown to reduce the number of abortions. It has the added benefit of teaching our children about healthy sexual expression and that it is not limited to heterosexuals.

In my view, Ms. Renkls call for a new right-to-life movement allows faithful Christians to remain ideologically pure while they ignore the real-life consequences of restrictions on access to abortion, birth control and real sex education for the poor and the vulnerable she purports to champion.
Erica Garner, the civil rights activist and a daughter of Eric Garner, died on Saturday, two days before the New Year and in the middle of the holiday season  a time when were all encouraged to be with our families. It is impossible to think of her death without thinking of her fathers death, the devastation their family must feel and the ways that black families have been destroyed throughout history.

Other families could devote themselves to spending time together around tables piled with celebratory food. But the Garners had to keep vigil around a hospital bed, because Erica suffered a heart attack on Christmas Eve and spent most of last week in a coma. She died unfairly young, at 27. Thats three years after her dad died unfairly young, at 43, when Officer Daniel Pantaleo of the New York Police Department placed him in a banned chokehold.

Erica Garner is survived by her two young children. If both she and her dad had been alive this holiday season, they would have almost certainly spent it together. He was a family man, she said about him, in one of the last interviews she gave before her death, on the third anniversary of the grand jurys decision not to indict Officer Pantaleo. Like all the holidays, any type of events, he was always there. He always made sure you knew he supported you any way he can.

Since the countrys founding, black families have never been able to thrive. Slavery broke them apart by allowing family members to be sold at auctions to different owners, and by prohibiting slaves from legally marrying, since slaves were classified as property, not people. Millions of black family members were killed during slavery and the lynching era, from 1877 to 1950. The modern legal system separates black families at higher rates than other families through many methods, including disparate sentencing schemes. Black defendants often receive far longer sentences than similarly situated white defendants.
To the Editor:

In An Israel That Inspires Both Pride and Shame (column, Dec. 30), Roger Cohen laments that Israels government is supposedly leading it nowhere.

Mr. Cohens pessimism would likely come as a surprise to Israelis, who are healthier and wealthier than ever before. It would likely come as a surprise to Israels Arab citizens, who are receiving the largest investment in their sector in the history of Israel  almost $4 billion for health, education and welfare.

It would likely come as a surprise to the many countries around the world flocking to Israel to deepen relations. It would likely come as a surprise to millions who heard Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations invite the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, to speak in Israels Parliament, another gesture of peace that was turned down.

Israel is a thriving democracy in the heart of the Middle East. Our hand will always be extended in peace.
This article is part of the Opinion Today newsletter. You can sign up here to receive the newsletter each weekday.

On the day that Donald Trump was inaugurated president almost a year ago, a Chinese military leader named Jin Yinan gave a speech to top Communist Party officials in China. We repeatedly state that Trump harms China, Jin said. In fact, he has given China a huge gift.

That gift, Jin explained, was Trumps planned pullout from the trans-Pacific Partnership, which formally happened three days after Jins speech, on Jan. 23. The partnership was a trade deal in which the United States and Pacific countries like Australia, Malaysia and Vietnam had banded together to check the economic rise of China. The likely economic effects of the pact were the subject of intense debate in this country, on both the right and left. In reality, though, the economic effects would never have been as large as either the deals boosters or critics argued.

Instead, the most important effect of the deal was geopolitical. The deal was, as the Australian academic Salvatore Babones has said, primarily a tool for spreading U.S. interests abroad. Above all, the deal was a response to Chinas new global assertiveness.
On todays episode:

 Matt Apuzzo, a national security reporter for The New York Times. He has been writing about the Russia investigation since the beginning.

Background reading:

 George Papadopoulos, a foreign policy adviser for the Trump campaign, was the improbable match that set off a blaze that has consumed the first year of the Trump administration.

 A Times investigation reveals missed signals, slow responses and a continuing underestimation of the seriousness of a Russian campaign to disrupt the 2016 presidential election.

Tune in, and tell us what you think. Email us at thedaily@nytimes.com. Tweet me at @mikiebarb. And if youre interested in advertising with The Daily, write to us at thedaily-ads@nytimes.com.

How do I listen?

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My mom always tried to cure us with natural things, says the designer Margherita Missoni Amos. The daughter of Angela Missoni (of the Italian knitwear dynasty) can remember the homespun remedies of her childhood: She would gargle apple cider vinegar to soothe a sore throat and breath in thyme essential oils to unblock a stuffy nose.

Amoss grandmother, Rosita, is a big believer in cold-pressed juices to fortify ones system. She swears by a concoction made from carrots, apple, lemon and celery that has been part of the familys breakfasts for a long time; Rosita used to drop in a few ice cubes to lend it a refreshing chill.
A Florida man who was angry that his 7-year-old stepson got out of bed to get a cookie brutally beat the boy and left him in bed to die, the authorities said on Tuesday.

The man, Jack J. Montgomery, 31, who faces charges of first-degree murder and child abuse, called 911 at about 10:50 a.m. on Saturday to report that his stepson, Brice Russell, would not wake up and was not breathing in their room at a hotel in Seffner, Fla., about 20 miles east of Tampa, the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Department said in a statement on Tuesday. Mr. Montgomery had been watching over the boy and three siblings at the hotel while their mother worked, the department said.

When medics arrived at the hotel, they found the boy lying in bed. He was pronounced dead just before 11 a.m., the sheriffs department statement said.

Investigators said that Mr. Montgomery had punched the child in the face, mouth and stomach with a closed fist, threw the victim around the hotel room and shoved his face into the carpet, the statement said. It said that the other children told the investigators they were threatened with violence unless they also hit Brice, and one child did.
In threatening to cut off aid to the Palestinians, Mr. Trump seemed to suggest that the United States has invested that money for future consideration at peace talks. But past administrations viewed aid to the Palestinians  more than $5 billion since the mid-1990s  as a way to keep the volatile situation from blowing up further, as it has in the past during two intifadas, or violent uprisings.

The Palestinians and Israelis cooperate on security to an extent, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, could curtail that in response to an aid cutoff, as he has periodically threatened to do. Such a move could complicate Israels ability to combat terrorism.

Experts on the region have long expressed concern that allowing economic and social conditions in the West Bank to worsen by cutting off aid would encourage violence. In saying that he has taken Jerusalem, the toughest part of the negotiation, off the table, Mr. Trump has made it harder, not easier, for the Palestinians to bargain. To them, he seems to have pre-emptively ruled out one of their most important conditions for a final peace deal before negotiations even begin, that East Jerusalem would be their capital alongside the Israeli capital in West Jerusalem.

Until recently, even many Israeli officials assumed that a permanent resolution of the conflict would involve some sort of compromise on Jerusalem. Palestinian leaders fear a popular backlash if they agreed to talks in which Jerusalem was no longer even an issue for discussion.
But Mr. Trumps invocation of Mr. Obama and the nuclear deal muddies his message, analysts said, by turning the spotlight away from the Iranian governments economic failures  which have given rise to this powerful, if inchoate, protest movement  to the lingering debate in Washington over the nuclear agreement.

Mr. Trump never fully resolved that debate himself. In October, he refused to certify the deal, but he left it to Congress to legislate changes to it. Lawmakers have made little progress and European leaders have refused to revisit it. Between Jan. 11 and 17, Mr. Trump faces new deadlines on whether to recertify the deal and to continue to waive sanctions.

He was going to be put on the spot, anyway, explaining why he was keeping the deal alive without these improvements, said Philip H. Gordon, a senior National Security Council official in the Obama administration. If the Iranians are killing people in the streets when it comes time for Trump to extend the sanctions waivers, it is hard to see him doing it.

Yet killing the deal, Mr. Gordon said, could enable the Iranian government to galvanize domestic support against the United States rather than face questions about why it has not been able to improve Irans economy. Right now, they cannot blame us or the international sanctions, he said. This could allow them to make the U.S. the enemy.

Even critics of the deal said they worried that the protests would tempt Mr. Trump to abandon it rather than try to improve it.

If there is a bipartisan bill that is ready for congressional action, that would go a long way toward persuading the president to issue the waivers, said Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. If theres not, whats happening in Iran will give the president all the more reason to say, Ive had it with this deal.

On Capitol Hill, however, many lawmakers expect Mr. Trump will reluctantly agree to waive sanctions, leaving the deal in place. In theory, that would allow the Senate additional time to try to meet Mr. Trumps request that the legislature make alterations to the agreement.
During a news conference last week, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, the spokesman for Pakistans military, warned the United States against taking any unilateral antiterrorism action on Pakistani soil.

Pakistans military says it is working to build a fence along the Afghan border to curb infiltration. Officials also say that the estimated 2.7 million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan need to be repatriated because their presence in the country complicates action against Taliban militants. Pakistani officials say fighters from the Taliban and other groups are able to hide in settlement camps by mingling with refugees.

Pakistani officials also insist that Mr. Trump has his figures wrong, taking aim at his claim that the United States had foolishly given it $33 billion since 2002.

About $14 billion of that $33 billion was part of coalition support fund, which was compensation for services rendered, said Miftah Ismail, an adviser to the prime minister on finance, revenue and economic affairs, in an interview. Our billings were for $22 billion and we got only $14 billion. So we think the U.S. owes us $8 billion.

The United States has been withholding $255 million in military aid in hopes of pushing Pakistan to change its behavior. The money was authorized in 2016 and put in escrow in August. In recent days, Trump administration officials have debated whether to announce that Pakistan would not receive the money at all.

Mr. Ismail said the $255 million was a tiny fraction of Pakistans gross domestic product. So, not a great deal of money.

Pakistani leadership was also comforted by a strong expression of support from China.

Geng Shuang, the spokesman of Chinas Foreign Ministry, said during a news conference on Tuesday said that Pakistan has made great efforts and sacrifices for combating terrorism and made prominent contributions to the cause of international counterterrorism, and the international community should fully recognize this.
TAIPEI, Taiwan  It is an age-old arrangement, and one that is usually implicit: Parents pay for their childrens educations, and hope that in their old age the children will support them.

But in a case that made its way to Taiwans highest court, a mother who had financed her sons dental training sued him, asserting that he had broken a written agreement to support her from the proceeds of his dental practice.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court sided with his mother.

The case attracted considerable attention because the mother and son had put down in a written contract  signed when he was 20  what is often left unsaid, particularly in a heavily Confucian-influenced society that emphasizes filial piety. The principle is backed up by law in Taiwan, where adults are legally prohibited from abandoning their parents.

Each side advanced arguments: The mother urged the court to enforce the contract. The son maintained that he had already paid his mother $1 million and should not have to pay her more.
The next day, a new law requiring social media companies to swiftly remove comments flagged as hateful, or face fines of up to 50 million euros, or $57 million, came into effect.

Twitter immediately took down the post, and suspended Ms. von Storchs account for 12 hours. Ms. von Storch then posted on her Facebook page an image of Twitters message informing her of its actions. In the caption, she wished her more than 83,500 followers a Happy New Year in a free country in which everyone can call barbarians barbarians, even if they are Muslims!

Facebook later removed that post, Ms. von Storch told her followers. She vowed not to be silenced by the new law, but to continue to call out problems by name. She went on to insist that the young men who had sexually harassed German women were not Protestant Swedes, not Catholic Poles, not Orthodox Russians, not Jewish Israelis and not Buddhist Thais. The overwhelming majority of them are young Muslim men for whom women and followers of other faiths are second-class citizens.

Ms. von Storch, 46, was a member of the European Parliament until October, when she resigned after her election to the German Parliament. Her comments were particularly provocative because Cologne was the site of a rampage on New Years Eve 2015, in which hundreds of men groped, assaulted, harassed or robbed women. Many of the men were asylum-seekers or other immigrants, and the attacks on women fueled criticism by the Alternative for Germany, which argued that Ms. Merkel should not have opened Germanys doors to so many foreigners.

The party ran on a platform arguing that Islam was incompatible with the German Constitution.

Ulf Willuhn, a spokesman for state prosecutors, said on Tuesday that his office had been alerted to Ms. von Storchs statement by the Cologne police and was also looking into a statement of support for her, made by a leader of the party, Alice Weidel. As news of the investigation spread, private citizens filed dozens more complaints.
Experts say the rise in fatalities reflects the overall aging of the population, and also factors such as the growing use of certain medications or general inactivity.

Its same as with young children: More and more old people have an inactive lifestyle, said Saskia Kloet, a program manager at VeiligheidNL, an institution that offers similar courses.

Even inactivity in ones 30s or 40s could lead to problems later in life, she noted.

Like many people her age, Hans Kuhn, 85, worried that her daily routine  and the ability to live alone  would end if she ever lost her balance and fell.

She has lived in her house for decades, and alone since her partner died years ago. Its steeply winding staircase is equipped with a motorized chair on a rail to help reach upper floors. I only use it when I have to bring lots of heavy things upstairs, said Ms. Kuhn, herself a retired physiotherapist.
TEHRAN  Antigovernment protests roiled Iran on Tuesday, as the death toll rose to 21 and the nations supreme leader blamed foreign enemies for the unrest. But the protests that have spread to dozens of Iranian cities in the past six days were set off by miscalculations in a long-simmering power struggle between hard-liners and reformers.

By Tuesday, Irans leaders could no longer ignore the demonstrations and felt compelled to respond publicly. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader, blamed outside enemies but did not specify whom. President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate, appealed for calm while saying the protesters had a right to be heard.

But the anger behind the protests was directed against the entire political establishment.

While the protests that swept Iran in 2009 were led by the urban middle class, these protests have been largely driven by disaffected young people in rural areas, towns and small cities who have seized an opening to vent their frustrations with a political elite they say has hijacked the economy to serve its own interests.

Unemployment for young people  half the population  runs at 40 percent, analysts believe. Meanwhile, Iran has spent billions of dollars abroad in recent years to extend its influence in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.
When traveling with children, its best to loosen up on the rules a bit, according to Henley Vazquez, the chief executive and co-founder of Passported, an online travel company that specializes in luxury family travel.
Attack on Dalits at Bhima Koregaon is unprecedented: Pawar

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

NCP Chief Sharad Pawar expressed shock over violence at Bhima Koregaon near Pune where people congregated to commemorate an event to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle of Bhima Koregaon.

Sharad Pawar told ANI, " People have been going there for last 200 yrs, nothing like this ever happened. It was expected that more people will be there on the 200th anniversary. More attention was needed in the matter."

The event was marred by incidents of stone pelting and vandalism on Monday. The incident occurred in Bhima Koregaon in the afternoon when people were heading towards a war memorial in the village. 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. 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.

Maharashtra: Violence between two groups during an event to mark 200 years of the Bhima Koregaon battle near Pune yesterday, vehicles set on fire pic.twitter.com/5RpITAK4qB  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

"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.

The Battle of Koregaon was fought on 1 January 1818 in Pune district, in which the British Army comprising Dalits had defeated upper-caste Peshwas.

OneIndia News
Bhima-Koregaon is symbol of dalit resistance, tweets Rahul Gandhi

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Bhima Koregaon Violence : Rahul Gandhi calls it symbol of dalit resistance, Watch | Oneindia News

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday attacked BJP and RSS over riots in the village of Koregaon-Bhima in Maharashtra, charging that the BJP's "fascist vision" was to blame for increasing incidents of violence against the dalit community.

Taking to twitter Rahul said "A central pillar of the RSS/BJP's fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance."

A central pillar of the RSS/BJPs fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance.  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) January 2, 2018

The Congress President also hailed the protests in the wake of inter-caste clashes in Koregaon-Bhima as "potent symbols" of dalit resistance against the Modi government's so-called "anti-dalit" policy.

Violence erupted in parts of Maharashtra, including Pune and Mumbai, on Tuesday, a day after clashes between two groups during the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district.

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed for peace and calm and said a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the violence which erupted in Koregaon-Bhima. He said the slain youth's death will be probed by the CID and announced Rs 10 lakh compensation for his kin.

OneIndia News
Bhima Koregaon violence: Dalit organisations call for Maharashtra bandh

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

Bhima Koregaon Violence : Dalit organisations call for Maharashtra Bandh | Oneindia News

As caste violence gripped Maharashtra a day after clashes between two groups in Bhima Koregaon, Dalit organisations have called for a day bandh on Wednesday. Activist and grandson of BR Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar has given a call for a Maharashtra bandh.

Prakash Ambedkar said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front, besides 250 organisations, will be supporting Wednesday's shutdown.

Special train services being run on Harbour line between CSMT-Kurla and Mankhurd. All other services on Central Railway running normally after protesters staged a rail roko in Chembur which affected local train services.

According to TV reports, shops and schools are shut in Vikhroli. Shops and business establishments were shut and a senior journalist of a national news channel was attacked as groups of youths from Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi joined the protest, police told PTI.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police has tweeted requesting people not to believe rumours on social media. The police tweeted that traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. It's moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.

Dont believe in rumours. Traffic on Eastern expressway was affected due to protests. Its moving now. Traffic at Chembur Naka is still affected. There is nothing to panic. Verify facts with police officers and men before posting anything on social media.  Mumbai Police (@MumbaiPolice) January 2, 2018

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said a judicial inquiry has been ordered into the violence which erupted during the 200th-anniversary celebrations of the Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune district. "A sitting High Court judge will head the inquiry," Fadnavis said, a day after a youth died as a group, opposed to the celebrations due to the "British victory" in the battle, clashed with Dalits rallying their way to the battle memorial.

(With agency inputs)
'Act against those foisting false cases': Opposition leaders write to President after Stan Swamy's death

Stan Swamy was detained 'following due process under law': Centre

Accused 'wanted to wage war against India': NIA in Elgar Parishad case

Bhima Koregaon violence: Jignesh Mevani appeals for peace

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mevani on Tuesday urged Maharashtra government to ensure the rule of law after violent caste clashes erupted in Pune district.

Taking to twitter, Mevani said the Maharashtra government must ensure the rule of law. He also appealed the people in the state to maintain peace.

Maharashtra government must ensure rule of law. I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to maintain peace.  Jignesh Mevani (@jigneshmevani80) January 2, 2018

The anger over marking the 200th anniversary of Bhima Koregaon battle in Pune district of Maharashtra continued today as protestors disrupted suburbs and local train services on the Harbour Line.

The event to mark 200th anniversary of the Bhima-Koregaon battle, in which forces of the East India Company defeated Peshwa's army, was yesterday marred by incidents of violence, in which one person was killed.

Dalit leaders commemorate the British victory, as it is believed that soldiers from the Mahar community -- then considered untouchable -- were part of the East India Company's forces.

However, some right-wing groups in Pune had expressed opposition to celebration of the British victory.

OneIndia News
'Act against those foisting false cases': Opposition leaders write to President after Stan Swamy's death

Bhima Koregaon violence: Protest spreads across Maharashtra, Dalit groups call for bandh

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

The violence that broke out over the 200th-anniversary celebrations of Bhima-Koregaon battle in Pune on Monday spread across Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra on Tuesday.

Dalit organisations have called for a day bandh on Wednesday. Activist and grandson of BR Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar has given a call for a Maharashtra bandh.

Prakash Ambedkar said Maharashtra Democratic Front, Maharashtra Left Front, besides 250 organisations, will be supporting Wednesday's shutdown.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration.

Protests were also held in Kolhapur, Parbhani, Latur, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Hingoli, Kolhapur, Nanded and Thane districts, police said.

In Pune, cases were registered by the Pimpri police against Milind Ekbote and Sambhaji Bhide, who heads the Hindu Ekta Aghadi and Shivraj Pratishthan respectively, for allegedly inciting the violence. The two organisations had opposed the celebration of "British victory" in the battle.

Over 160 buses were damaged in Mumbai by rampaging protesters over 100 of whom were detained, police said.

In Thane, hundreds of protesters sat on a dharna on roads, forced shops to down shutters and damaged buses. Reports of violence and stone pelting were also reported from Pune and Solapur.

Thousands of Dalits took to the streets in Chembur, Mankhurd, Ghatkopar, Bhandup and other strongholds in north-eastern parts of the city demanding action against the perpetrators of the Pune riots.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court into the Pune violence and appealed for calm. He said it needed to be ascertained if there was a conspiracy behind yesterday's violence.

Fadnavis said a Rs 10 lakh compensation would be given to kin of the youth killed and his death would be probed by the CID.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi called the event to celebrate the Bhima-Koregaon battle as a "potent symbol" of resistance to RSS-BJP's "fascist vision".

"A central pillar of the RSS/BJP s fascist vision for India is that Dalits should remain at the bottom of Indian society. Una, Rohith Vemula and now Bhima-Koregaon are potent symbols of the resistance," he tweeted.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar blamed the administration for yesterday's violence and demanded a probe into the incident.

"Since the administration did not take precautions, rumours and misunderstanding spread. A youth in Nanded died, unfortunately. People from the political and social field should defuse the situation harmoniously and patiently without making provocative speeches," the former Union minister said.

The Mumbai police, meanwhile, issued a statement appealing to people not to believe in rumours and verify facts with the police before posting anything on social media.

Maharashtra minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar today visited Bhima-Koregoan and neighbouring villages and said the situation was under control.

OneIndia News (with PTI inputs)
BJP MP Nepal Singh insults martyrdom, says 'Jawans bound to die'

India

oi-Madhuri

BJP MP Nepal Singh insults martyrdom of Indian Army Jawans, Watch video | Oneindia News

Sparking yet another controversy, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament Nepal Singh on Tuesday while responding to a question on the recent attack by terrorists on a CRPF camp, said that those deputed in Army are bound to die. He further said that there's no country where army men don't die.

Speaking to ANI, Singh said,"Jawan's in the army will obviously die. There is no country where army men don't die. Tell me if there's a device that can prevent jawans from dying."

However, Singh later apologised, and said, "Maine ye bola tha ki vaigyanik lage hue hain aur koi device dhoondh rahe hain ki koi goli aaye to lage nahin, sipaahi ka protection ho jaaye (I had said that scientists are working on looking for a device, using which a bullet can be turned ineffective and the soldier be saved).''

His statement has come after Union Home Minister assured Rajnath Singh on Monday assured that the sacrifice of jawans would not go in vain and their valour would be given due acknowledgement.

Earlier on Sunday, at least 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.

OneIndia News
Coal scam: Delhi HC stays Madhu Koda's jail term

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Coal scam case : Relief to Madhu Koda, Delhi HC puts stay on 3 year jail term | Oneindia News

Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed the special CBI court's order of awarding three years imprisonment to former Jharkhand chief minister Madhu Koda in connection with the coal scam case. The HC has also stayed the fine imposed on him till the next date of hearing.

A special CBI court had on December 16 sentenced Koda to three years imprisonment and imposed fine of Rs 25 lakh in the coal scam case.

He was convicted in a case pertaining to irregularities in allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to the Kolkata-based firm VISUL.

Former Jharkhand chief secretary A K Basu and Vijay Joshi, a close aide of the then chief minister, were also awarded jail term of three years for indulging in corrupt practices and hatching criminal conspiracy in allocation of Rajhara North coal block in Jharkhand to a Kolkata-based private company, Vini Iron and Steel Udyog Ltd (VISUL).

[Coal scam case: CBI court holds ex-Jharkhand CM Madhu Koda, others guilty]

The CBI had alleged that the VISUL had applied for allocation of a coal block in January 2007.

The CBI court had tried Koda and others for offences under sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) read with 420 (cheating) and 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servants) of the IPC and under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.

OneIndia News
Cops watch on as 'moral police' harass students of different religions in Mangaluru

India

oi-Anusha

By Anusha Ravi

Mangaluru : Pro Hindu outfit harasses students in name of moral policing, Watch | Oneindia News

Mangaluru police watched on as members of a Pro-Hindu outfit harassed and assaulted students in a case of moral policing. The incident took place on Tuesday at Manasa Water Park, Pilikula, a famous picnic spot.

Students of a PUC college, belonging to three different religions, who had visited the picnic spot were intercepted by members of a pro-Hindu outfit. The students were rounded up by the hooligans who hurled abuses at them. The police who arrived at the spot attempted to clear the crowds that had gathered as the gang continued to harass the students.

In a video shot by a visitor, a policeman is seen trying to escort the students to safety. Even as the two girls are walking towards the police vehicle, a member of the outfit is seen assaulting one of the girls. Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy has asked for action to be initiated against those involved in the incident. 11 people have been detained in connection with the incident.

OneIndia News
ED summons Karti Chidambaram for questioning on January 11

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Karti Chidambaram has been summoned for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate on January 11 in connection with the INX media case, said reports.

In connection with its probe in the Aircel-Maxis case, the ED had on December 1 conducted raids in Chennai and Kolkata, including at the premises of a relative of former finance minister P Chidambaram.

Karti, who is the son of former finance minister P Chidambaram, had on December 8 moved the Supreme Court challenging the fresh summons issued against him by the Enforcement Directorate. The ED issued the summons to him under the Provision of Money Laundering Act in connection with the Aircel Maxis case.

The court has posted the matter for the first week of January while directing him to serve copies of his petition on the respondents.

It may be recalled that Karti had earlier moved the Supreme Court challenging the lookout circular issued against him. He had said that he had to travel to the UK and as a result of the circular he was unable to do so. The court, however, permitted him to travel abroad subject to several conditions.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 14:26 [IST]
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Gujarat: After Nitin Patel, Rupani's fisheries minister expresses displeasure over portfolio

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Purshottam Solanki, the fisheries minister in Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani's Cabinet has expressed his displeasure on the allocation of portfolios.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel upset after being stripped off key portfolios | Oneindia

Solanki is the second minister to have voiced his resentment at the allocation of portfolios in the cabinet after deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel.

Solanki, five-term MLA from Bhavnagar said that he was given the fisheries portfolio despite having a large votebank in the Koli community.

Solanki, who is a Koli, said the inadequate representation of the community in the council of ministers had hurt its sentiments.

"This is my 5th term as an MLA, and this is the third time I have been given this department. The Koli community should be given adequate representation in the government, he added.

"Today, I had come to meet the CM and express my feelings. But, nearly 100 persons were present to meet him. So, I could not talk to him much. He also told me that he will call and meet me in next 4-5 days," he said.

However, Solanki is undecided over his next move.

Deputy CM Nitin Patel had stayed away from taking charge of his office in the new government while expressing his resentment over the portfolios alloted to him.

He resumed work after Amit Amit Shah had intervened and gave Patel the charge of the Finance Ministry.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 22:09 [IST]
No more 'Gorakh Dhanda' in Haryana: State government bans the use of phrase

Haryana: 6 murders within two hours in Palwal, suspect arrested

India

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By Chennabasaveshwar

Palwal :Mentally challenged man goes on killing spree, 6 people dead within two hours |Oneindia News

In shocking incidents, six people were found murdered within two hours at separate locations in Palwal in Haryana on Monday. Of the six people killed three were security guards. The killer is said to have used an iron rod to kill people. The police have held a man, who is allegedly mentally unstable for interrogation.

The police later arrested a man, who was found injured, from Adarsh Colony of Palwal, as per an India Today report. Five bodies have been sent to the hospital for postmortem. All the murders took place between 2 am and 4 am on Monday. According to initial reports, all the victims were attacked by an iron rod.

The accused, identified as Naresh Dhankhad (45), went on a rampage between 2 to 4 am in a 2 km stretch between Agra Chowk and Camp Colony. A resident of Macchgar near Ballabhgarh, Dhankad, after retiring from the Army on medical grounds, was working with the Agriculture Department as a CDO, a police spokesperson told PTI.

The accused was taken to a civil hospital for treatment and later was moved to another hospital in Faridabad.

OneIndia News
'Save the saviors': IMA to protest against assault of doctors on June 18, hospitals to remain open

More than 700 doctors died in second wave of COVID-19, highest in Bihar: IMA

IMA calls-off strike after NMC bill sent to standing committee

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

IMA calls-off strike after NMC bill sent to standing committee | Oneindia News

Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday called off its strike against the National Medical Commission (NMC) bill after the government agreed to sent the to a standing committee of Parliament.

The IMA, which has 2.77 lakh members, claims the new National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017, will make the system prone to corruption and wants some provisions reviewed. The Medical Association stated that the bill has provisions that would adversely affect the health sector and medical education in the country.

"The Medical Commission bill to be sent to standing committee," Union Minister Ananth Kumar said in the Lok Sabha

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Rajya Sabha said, "Spoke to Indian Medical Association yesterday, we have heard them and put forth our perspective as well."

Even though services at government hospitals weren't affected, the doctors observed a 'Black Day' and wore black arm bands.

Parliamentary affairs minister Ananth Kumar informed the Lok Sabha that the bill was sent to a standing committee of Parliament on Tuesday after a request from several opposition parties.

The Delhi Medical Association had supported the Indian Medical Association's protest and asked all private hospitals in the national Capital to keep their Outpatient Departments closed. Also, doctors in Kerala, Maharashtra had supported IMA's protest.

OneIndia News
Despite highest disruptions since 2014, here's the list of bills passed in Parliament

Jaitley, Chidambaram lock horns in RS over non-performing assets

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

The debate over the non-performing assets in the Rajya Sabha escalated to a new level on Tuesday with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley saying that bulk of NPAs was due to the loans given before NDA government coming to power.

Jaitley was answering questions on various financial issues, including NPAs, bank loans, loan waivers, and the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers cases in the Rajya Sabha.

"I am asking a very specific question, how many loans given to banks after 1.4.2014 have become Non-performing assets(NPA) today?" former finance minister P Chidambaram asked.

"It is absolutely clear that the bulk of the NPAs today have arisen out of loans which were given prior to 1.4.2014," Jaitley said in Rajya Sabha

The baking sector is under severe stress due to the NPAs. The government had in August 2017, passed the Banking Regulation (Amendment), Bill. The bill was aimed at empowering the RBI to issue directives for resolution and appoint authorities or committees to advise the banking companies on stressed asset resolution.

Non-performing assets of banks had risen to over Rs 9 lakh crore and it had become necessary for the RBI to intervene.

The Reserve Bank of India had in June 2017, identified 12 of the largest loan defaulters and will order lenders to start bankruptcy proceedings against them to clear bad debt plaguing the economy.

OneIndia News
J&K CRPF camp attack: Afzal Guru ka badla inscribed on terrorists weapon

India

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

The 37-hour Lethopora encounter came to an end on Monday. Three terrorists were killed in the encounter while five jawans were martyred. The sneak and strike encounter which took place at the CRPF training centre in south Kashmir once again raised the Afzal Guru issue.

The third terrorist who was killed was a Pakistani national. The security forces found an AK-47 rifle on him and on it was inscribed, " Afzal Guru ka Badla." ( Revenge for Afzal Guru).

This once again brought back memories of 2015 when every terrorist post an encounter left a note stating that the attack was staged in the name of Afzal Guru. All terrorists especially those from the Jaish-e-Mohammad had cited the Afzal Guru hanging as the reason for the attack.

The Lethopora encounter also witnessed the killing of two local terrorists. They have been identified as Fardeen Khanday (16) and Manzoor Baba (22). Khanday hails from Tral. He studied at a school until three months back before leaving his home to take up terrorism. He was the son of a policeman.

Baba, on the other hand, was a driver by profession before he joined the Jaish just two months back. It may be recalled that a month back his mother had made an appeal for him to return to the mainstream, but he refused to go back to his family.

Prior to the attack, Khanday had posted a video. In the disturbing video, he says, "By the time this video is released, I will be a new guest in heaven". He further goes on to state that unemployment is pushing the youth of Kashmir towards terrorism. The importance of jihad increases when infidels occupy our land, he also goes on to state. Jihad will continue until the last occupying soldier is present in Kashmir, he said in the video which is being circulated widely on the social media.

OneIndia News
Meghalaya: Four sitting Congress MLAs set to join BJP

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

With the Meghalaya Assembly elections just months away, four sitting Congress MLAs will on Tuesday join the BJP, reported news agency ANI. Congress is facing an exodus legislators ahead of the elections in the northeastern state, which has emerged as a major problem for incumbent Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.

On Friday, eight MLAs in Meghalaya, including five of the ruling Congress, resigned from the state assembly to join NDA ally National People's Party (NPP). On Monday, senior Meghalaya Congress MLA AL Hek announced that he would part ways with the party and join the BJP.

Hek joining the BJP will be his "home-coming" as he had left the BJP and joined the Congress in 2009. He was a state minister until last year.

Bogged by the flight of the MLAs in the poll-bound state, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had, on Saturday last, appointed Celestine Lyngdoh as the new chief of the party's Meghalaya unit, replacing DD Lapang, who was made an adviser to the state unit.

The term of the present House is scheduled to come to an end on March 6, 2018, and this exodus is making it more and more clear that non-Congress forces are gaining ground in Meghalaya, ahead of the elections.

The five Congress legislators had earlier rebelled against Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and the party leadership. Four of the five Congress MLAs were part of the state cabinet and were sacked by the chief minister on the grounds of "incompetence".

OneIndia News
Seven lakes supplying water to Mumbai can last nine months

Get COVID-19 test done at earliest on showing symptoms: BMC to Mumbaikars

BMC issues new guidelines: Cops at entrance of sealed buildings, marshals to ensure masks in Mumbai

Mumbai Police detains over 100 people protesting against Koregaon violence

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar

By Chennabasaveshwar

More than 100 people have been detained from different locations in Mumbai for protesting against violence in Bhima Koregaon near on Monday. Protestors disrupted suburbs and local train services on the Harbour.

Bhima Koregaon Case : Activists brought home after Supreme Court orders House Arrest | Oneindia News

Mumbai Police tweeted about diversions in Mumbai due to the agitations.

1. Vikroli north and south bound diverted to LBS road.

2. JVLR diverted towards Saki Vihar

3. Sion Panvel Highway diverted at Umarshi Bappa Chowk to Jhama Mahal Chowk to Panjrapol

Section 144 has been imposed in few parts of Aurangabad and Pune rural, says Maharashtra DGP, reported News18.

Maharashtra: Republican Party of India workers protest in Thane #BhimaKoregaonViolence pic.twitter.com/v9mMS2APNR  ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

According to TV reports, shops and schools are shut in Vikhroli. Shops and business establishments were shut and a senior journalist of a national news channel was attacked as groups of youths from Chembur, Vikhroli, Mankhurd and Govandi joined the protest, police told PTI.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Priyadarshini, Kurla, Sidharth Colony and Amar Mahal areas on the Eastern Express Highway, took out processions and raised slogans against the government and the administration, an eyewitness told PTI.

(With agency inputs)
Politics over NRC in Assam: BJP, Congress engage in war of words

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Guwahati, Jan 2: The issue of illegal immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh is one of the most controversial subjects in Assam's socio-political life since several decades.

Thus from the administration, security agencies to the common man, everyone knows that the publication of National Register of Citizens (NRC), which will finally establish whether a person is a bonafide citizen of India or not, might disturb the fragile peace in the northeastern state.

Since the last several weeks, Assam was on tenterhooks before the release of an initial part draft of the contentious NRC on Sunday midnight. Thankfully, all went well.

However, it has triggered a war of words between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress.

The first draft of the much-awaited 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.

On Monday, Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass alleged that during the tenure of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, "only one per cent" progress was made in updating the NRC.

He added the process gained momentum only after the Narendra Modi government came to power at the Centre. Dass accused the Congress of having a secret understanding with the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) to derail the NRC update.

"As a result of a conspiracy hatched by the two parties, a pilot project, which was taken up in 2009 to update the NRC in Chaygaon and Barpeta revenue circles, had to be stopped because of violent protests," he was quoted as saying by The Telegraph.

Taking credit for the publication of the draft NRC, Dass said it could be published only because of the efforts of the Supreme Court, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state.

The Congress had denied the charges labelled against it by the BJP. "It's another blatant lie by the BJP," said Assam Congress spokesperson Apurba Bhattacharyya.

"The decision to update the NRC was taken at the tripartite talks between the Centre, the Assam government and the AASU in Delhi in 2005 under the chairmanship of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh," he said.

In fact, Bhattacharyya made counter-allegations against the BJP accusing the saffron party of creating roadblocks in the NRC update.

"It became clear that chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal's visit to the NRC office a day after taking oath of office was nothing but a political gimmick when the process was slowed down because of delay in release of funds by the government," he said.

Bhattacharyya added it was only because of strict monitoring by the Supreme Court that the draft NRC could see the light of day.

On Monday, people flocked to seva kendras across Assam in large numbers 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.

"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 reporters.

Security was tightened across the state to ensure law and order.

OneIndia News
IndiGo to lay off 10% of its workforce: CEO

Expect system to stabilise this week: Infosys on on new income tax portal glitch

Infosys turns 40: Sudha Murthy recollects how she helped NR Narayana Murthy by handing over her savings

Salil Parek to take charge as Infosys' CEO, MD today

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Salil S Parekh will on Tuesday take charge as the MD and CEO of information technology (IT) giant of Infosys and replace company's interim CEO U B Pravin Rao. Pravin Rao had taken charge after the resignation of Vishal Sikka in 2017.

The Bengaluru-based firm had initiated the executive search after CEO Vishal Sikka resigned in August following a protracted acrimony between the management and the founders.

On December 2, Infosys said it has appointed Parekh as its CEO and Managing Director, concluding the three-month high-profile executive search at the country's second largest IT firm.

UB Pravin Rao, who was filling in the CEO role on an interim basis, will now continue as Chief Operating Officer and a whole-time Director of the company, Infosys said in a statement.

Before Infosys, Parekh, who will take over this role for a period of five years, was a member of the Group Executive Board at French firm Capgemini.

Parekh has a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) which he completed in 1986. He also has Master of Engineering degrees in Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University, USA.

[Who is Salil S Parekh? Infosys' new CEO]

Parekh had joined Capgemini in 2000 as a result of the acquisition of the consulting division of Ernst and Young and occupied various leadership positions in the company.

Salil S Parekh will only be the second non-founder full-time CEO of Infosys after Vishal Sikka, who exited the company abruptly in August this year.

OneIndia News
Keep the faith, we are with her in this struggle: Subramanian Swamy to Kangana Ranaut

To deal with Pakistan, India should now strengthen ties with US, Israel: Swamy

India

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

Reiterating that India should shift its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Tuesday said that New Delhi should now seize the opportunity and strengthen ties with US and Israel.

Swamy was commenting on US President Donald Trump's New Year tweet accusing Pakistan of "lies and deceit". Trump had written that the United States had "foolishly" given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years.

"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.

On New Year's eve, the US President shocked Pakistan with a tweet that read, "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 been reducing aid given to Pakistan since 2015. While the aid still continues, the US has not taken Pakistan off the list of terrorist safe havens. Recently Trump's defence secretary, James Mattis confirmed that the US was close to losing its patience with Pakistan.

India has had a rising concern over terrorism emanating from Pakistan for a long time now. India has time-and-again pointed out that its a safe haven for terrorists in Pakistan. This being a major threat to regional peace.

OneIndia News
Scrub typhus: All you need to know about mystery fever reported in UP

UP mother sells her 15-day-old infant for Rs 45,000 to fund her husbands treatment

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Lucknow, Jan 2: When we were celebrating New Year on Monday, a woman in Uttar Pradesh was caught in a dilemma--whether to fulfill her duty as a mother or be a good wife--because choosing one means abandoning the other for the woman.

As a wife, the woman from Mirganj town in Bareilly district of the state has to immediately arrange funds for the treatment of her ailing husband and as a mother, the poor woman has no other option but to sell her 15-day-old infant (the gender of the child is not known) to take care of the medical bill.

The woman decided to sell her baby for Rs 45,000 so that her husband could be saved.

"#UttarPradesh: Woman sold her 15-day-old baby for Rs 45,000 for treatment of her ailing husband in #Bareilly's #Mirganj, says didn't have adequate funds," tweeted ANI.

#UttarPradesh: Woman sold her 15-day-old baby for Rs 45000 for treatment of her ailing husband in #Bareilly's #Mirganj, says "didn't have adequate funds" pic.twitter.com/HtJMZOtlpz  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2, 2018

"It was not an easy decision for the family to make, but we need money to treat my husband. So, I took the drastic step. We are poor people and I was forced to choose between my husband and child.

"The only way to save my husband is to let my child go," the sobbing woman said. In India, reports of poor people selling their children are not unheard of.

In December last year, a father from Tripura was "forced" to sell his eight-month-old daughter for Rs 200. The man, a resident of Teliamura's Maharanipur village, told ANI that because of abject poverty he was forced to sell his daughter for a paltry sum of Rs 200.

The two contrasting sides of India on the first day of 2018 could not be ignored. On the one hand, people splurged to welcome 2018, on the other; a poor woman in Uttar Pradesh was forced to sell her 15-day-old baby so that her ailing husband could be treated.

OneIndia News
In the Talibans victory at Kabul, Al-Qaeda has a loud message on Jammu and Kashmir

Uproar in J&K Assembly, Governor's speech interrupted

India

pti-PTI

Jammu, Jan 2: Alleging that the PDP-BJP government in the state had failed on all fronts, the Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly staged a walkout during Governor N N Vohra's address on Tuesday. Governor was to address the joint session of the assembly to mark the beggining of the Budget Session.

As the Governor was about to begin his address in the Central hall, members of opposition Congress and NC stood up and raised slogans against the state government and placards listing "failures" of the government on security and Panchayati Raj fronts.

Senior National Conference MLA Mohammad Shafi Uri started reading out from a written memorandum listing charges against the government. The governor gave him a patient hearing and asked him to submit the memorandum so that he can begin his speech. Though Shafi handed over the memorandum to the governor, Opposition MLAs resorted to sloganeering when Vohra started his address.

After a brief pause, the governor began his address amid high pitched protests, noisy scenes and thumping of desks in a bid to disrupt his speech, but he continued his address. The ruckus continued for several minutes, and the National Conference and Congress legislators staged a walkout in the middle of the governors address.

After over few minutes of protests and sloganeering, opposition NC and Congress staged walkout from the house. However, Independent MLA Engineer Rasheed Ahmed continued interrupting the governor' address with his protests and speaking on government's failure to save innocent lives in Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters outside the house, Congress Legislative Party leader Rigzin Jora and NC MLA Alib Mohmmad Sagar said that government had "failed" on all fronts from security to governance front.

"Security situation has deteriorated badly in Kashmir. Highest number of security forces have been killed. But Government is saying that situation is moving towards peace and normalcy. Only yesterday, 5 CRPF men were killed in a suicide attack", Jora said.

"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 charged.

He claimed the casualties suffered by security forces and civilians over the past three years had increased manifold. He said bloodshed was continuing and "fatal casualty among security personnel had broken all records over the past decade".

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 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". NC MLA Ali Mohd Sagar said that party has submitted a memorandum to governor on "total failure" of the government and its dismissal.

PTI
Why victims of triple talaq want punishment for male offenders

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

New Delhi, Jan 2: While the contentious subject of criminalisation of triple talaq (the practice under which a Muslim man can divorce his wife by simply uttering the word "talaq" three times) has left various Muslim groups and political parties divided, the victims of triple talaq strongly bat for punishment for 'male offenders' in the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017.

The bill after being passed in the Lok Sabha recently is all set to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday during the Winter Session of Parliament.

If the bill gets a green signal in the Upper House of Parliament as well and thus becomes a law, practice of triple talaq will not only become "criminal" but will attract a punishment of three years in jail for men who divorce their wives using triple talaq.

Speaking to ANI, a victim of instant triple talaq, Farhana, welcomed the provision of punishment in the bill.

On Monday, Farhana asked all political parties to support the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

Victims of triple talaq say the punishment of three years would be a credible deterrence.

"It should be passed in the Rajya Sabha, and the Opposition parties should also extend their support. We all will be benefited because the provision of punishment of three years would make people think before taking this step," Farhana told ANI.

After Farhana's husband left for Saudi Arabia without telling her or meeting their daughter, her in-laws told her that she would have to leave her husband's home in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.

Now, all eyes are on the Congress, whose stance may decide the fate of the bill in the Upper House.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government lacks a majority in the House and the opposition has joined hands many times to embarrass the Narendra Modi dispensation.

According to reports, the Congress is likely to consult a larger opposition before finalising its stand on the contentious bill.

Reports add that leader of opposition in the Upper House Ghulam Nabi Azad has convened a meeting of the leaders of his party (the Congress) as well as other parties in his Parliament chamber on Tuesday before the bill is taken up.

OneIndia News
Well this stunt by Rajinikants duplicate didnt go quite as expected: Watch hilarious video

Will Rajinikanth announce the name of his political party on Pongal?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

Chennai, Jan 2: On New Year's Eve, superstar Rajinikanth gave 'good reasons' to his fans and supporters to party hard after announcing his entry into politics on Sunday.

If reports are to be believed, the 67-year-old actor-turned-politician is likely to announce the name of his political party on January 14, when Tamil Nadu will be celebrating Pongal.

Sources close to Rajinikanth have told CNN-News18 that the superstar may announce the name of his political party and lay out his strategy on Pongal.

It seems Rajinikanth has a great affinity for joyous occasions and thus likes to do everything in style during festive times.

On Monday, the top Tamil actor 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 the 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 on Sunday 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 letterhead 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, hard work, growth," and "think good, speak good, do good and only good will happen," are the slogans featured on the letterhead, app and web page. The charismatic actor has said this will be the guiding line for his proposed party.

While announcing his political debut, the veteran actor said his party would contest in all the 234 seats in the next state Assembly elections. However, Rajinikanth is yet to decide on his party's role in the all-important Lok Sabha elections 2019.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit said the actor-turned-politician's political party will join the NDA in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

OneIndia News
Will triple talaq bill end up harming the interests of both Muslim women, men?

India

oi-Oneindia

By Oneindia

New Delhi, Jan 2: How could a bill tout to empower Muslim women by banning triple talaq proved to be harmful to its beneficiaries?

On August 22 last year, the Supreme Court banned the practice of instant triple talaq, (the practice under which a Muslim man can divorce his wife by simply uttering the word "talaq" three times) calling it unconstitutional.

The SC said triple talaq violates the fundamental rights of Muslim women as it irrevocably ends a marriage without any chance of reconciliation. It was a historic day for the women's rights movement in India.

Months later, as the Narendra Modi government is all set to table the contentious Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill 2017 in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, a debate over the provision in the bill that criminalises instant triple talaq is creating a lot of furore inside and outside Parliament.

Recently, the bill was passed without much opposition in the Lok Sabha as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government enjoys an absolute majority in the Lower House of Parliament.

However, things are different in the Rajya Sabha, as the opposition Congress and the BJP have 57 seats each in the Upper House.

The Congress, which supported the bill in the Lok Sabha, says that it opposes the criminalization part of it. The bill makes instant triple talaq or "talaq-e-biddat" illegal and provides for a jail term of up to three years for the husband. The offence has been made cognizable and non- bailable.

The Congress had earlier said that the bill should be referred to a select panel of parliamentarians to nuance some provisions of it that opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha had argued.

The bill is facing reservations from some opposition parties over its misuse by women in the future.

Several Muslim groups, including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), allege "illegality" in provisions of the bill that criminalises instant triple talaq.

On Tuesday, before the bill was tabled in the Rajya Sabha, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and others have noted their reservations over the bill and wanted it to be referred to a select panel of parliamentarians.

"We are in talks with the Congress party and others for the triple talaq bill. Hope for a smooth passage of the bill in the Rajya Sabha," said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar.

"The way triple talaq bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, it will be passed in the Rajya Sabha too with constructive debate and discussion. Hope the opposition, including the Congress, supports it," said Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi.

The opponents of the bill denounced the Centre for the "haste" shown in getting the triple talaq bill passed in the Lok Sabha.

Writing for The Indian Express, Salman Soz, Congress leader, who supported the Supreme Court judgement on triple talaq, alleged that "I didn't imagine that the apex court's progressive judgment would become a pretext for the Narendra Modi-led government to put forward a bill that would not only do little to advance the interests of Muslim women but could end up harming the interests of both Muslim women and men."

He added, "Last week, the government introduced the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) bill, 2017, in the Lok Sabha. There was no real discussion and the government's brute majority in the Lower House ensured that the bill took only a few hours for it to be passed. All proposed amendments were rejected. Shouldn't a Bill of this nature have required a discussion?"

The Congress leader mostly objected to the part in the bill where it makes the utterance of talaq, talaq, talaq a criminal offence, punishable by up to three years in prison and a fine that remains undetermined.

"This is important. For saying something that has no legal effect, the government proposes to send the offending man to jail. Worse, the offense will be cognizable and non-bailable. That means anyone can accuse a Muslim man of violating this law (not just the wife) and the police have to take cognizance, make an arrest and hold the man without bail. Any man with half a brain would realise that the proposed law would land him in jail for saying something that has no practical impact as far as his marriage is concerned," Soz writes.

Before ending his column, Soz suggested the government to review the bill.

"This is not a good way to draft laws that can have an impact on millions of families. This bill needs a comprehensive review and a careful assessment of its consequences on Muslim men and women. If we put our heads together in good faith, I am certain we can find a way to stop the practice of instant triple talaq, protect women's rights and mitigate risks of abuse from this piece of legislation."

OneIndia News
70 per cent Pakistan viewed US as enemy nation, but the aid flowed on

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In the year 2010, the US made a very generous grant of 4.5 billion US dollars to Pakistan. Incidentally, the aid was meant to help Pakistan in its counter-terrorism efforts. Ironically the same year, the US suffered 499 casualties in Afghanistan which incidentally is the highest.

Two years after such a generous grant was made, a research that was conducted showed that 74 per cent of the Pakistanis viewed America as an enemy. If one puts all this together and also takes into account that only 30 per cent of the aid was spent for intended purposes, then it becomes clear that Donald Trump took the right call in blocking aid to Pakistan through a New Year's tweet.

Decoding Trump's ' no more' tweet: What has changed with Pakistan since October

A survey that was conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2012, showed that roughly 3 of 4 Pakistanis (74 per cent) considered the US as an enemy. In fact, that number was up from 69 per cent in 2011 and 64 per cent in 2008.

More importantly, the survey went on to show that four in ten Pakistanis believed that the US military and economic aid was having a negative impact on the country. Only 1-in-ten felt that the impact was positive. Further, the survey went on to show that only that fewer Pakistanis wanted intelligence and logistic support from the US. Only 17 per cent backed the drone strikes too.

Analysts are of the view that most Pakistanis view the US aid negatively since it is never spent for the intended purposes. Investigations have revealed that only 30 per cent of the aid provided by the US has been used for counter-terrorism purposes. Further, hardly 3 per cent has been used for education in Pakistan too.

Before Trump's warning, US had cut aid drastically to Pakistan

While on one hand, the Pakistan military has diverted the aid, on the other it has also stolen US defence technology and imparted it to terrorist groups. The US has expressed the most concern over groups such as the Taliban and the Haqqani Network. Not only a large part of the funds have been diverted, but US technology too has been stolen and shared with these terrorist groups.

OneIndia News
Taliban warn US to leave Afganistan by August 31 or 'there will be consequences'

Biden says another terror attack likely in 24-36 hours, vows to keep up airstrikes against ISIS

After Trump's tweet, US set to block USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan

International

pti-PTI

Washington, Jan 2: Asserting that future assistance to Islamabad will depend on the action it takes against the terrorism emanating from its soil, the White House has now confirmed that it has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan.

The confirmation cames on the same day when US President Donald Trump accused Pakistan of giving nothing to the US but "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists in return for USD 33 billion aid over the last 15 years.

"The United States does not plan to spend the USD 255 million in FY 2016 in Foreign Military Financing for Pakistan at this time," a senior administration official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

"The president has made clear the US expects Pakistan to take decisive action against terrorists and militants on its soil, and that Pakistan's actions in support of the South Asia Strategy will ultimately determine the trajectory of our relationship, including future security assistance," he said.

The US administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation, the official said. Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump, in his first tweet of the New Year, blasted the Pakistan leadership by saying that they have given America "nothing but lies and deceit" despite having received more than USD 33 billion in last 15 years.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump said, clearly indicating that Pakistan would no longer receive any security aid from the US till the time it sees a change in behaviour from them in fight against terrorism.

Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it has got "nothing but invective and mistrust" for all the actions it took in support of America's war against terrorism.

"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 Pakistan Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to shouted questions from reporters on "what is your plan on Pakistan?"

Several US lawmakers came out in support of Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan. "I support the decision today by President Trump to end aid to Pakistan," Republican Congressman Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma said.

"You're either with the US, or against us. We will always help our friends, but for too long, the US has propped up countries that do not share our goal to end terrorism. I'm proud to see our president take bold steps to put America first," Mullin said.

"I couldn't agree more," tweeted Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky. Ive been fighting to end aid to Pakistan for years and will again lead the charge in the Senate," said Paul.

Samantha Vinograd, CNN's national security analyst spoke in favour of Trump's move.

[Before Trump's warning, US had cut aid drastically to Pakistan]

"As a way to make it clear to the Pakistanis that enough is enough, if President Trump actually follows through, it could be an effective move," she said in an opinion piece published on the CNN website. "It isn't the only step by any means, but it could be the right one," she said. "Great start. Why give millions to countries who would harbor our enemies?" Trumps son Donald Trump Jr tweeted yesterday.

Trump's New Year tweet accusing Pakistan of "lies and deceit" was welcomed even by the Balochistan leaders in-exile. News agency ANI quoted Baloch Republican Party's leader Abdul Nawaz Bugti as saying that Trump's statement on aid to Pakistan is a "positive development."

PTI
Baloch leaders welcome Trump's tweet, say 'US must disengage with Pakistan'

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

US President Donald Trump's New Year tweet accusing Pakistan of "lies and deceit" has been welcomed by the Balochistan leaders in-exile. President Trump had on Monday wrote on his Twitter handle that the US has been "foolishly" giving aid to Pakistan, but all it got in return was "lies and deceit".

Clearly, Trump has pointed out that the US is not satisfied with the action taken by Islamabad against the terrorism emanation fro Pakistan's soil.

News agency ANI quoted Baloch Republican Party's leader Abdul Nawaz Bugti as saying that Trump's statement on aid to Pakistan is a "positive development."

"Baloch people see US President Donald Trump's Pak aid statement as a very positive development, hope it is not just a pressure building measure against Pakistan but a true realization," he said.

Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan but remains least developed. Balochistan has been demanding greater control of the province's natural resources and political autonomy. Some groups have taken even to arms over these demands.

"US must disengage with Pakistan and its terrorist army, it should stop giving funds to Pakistan, impose a travel ban on them, limit the international reach of Pakistani banks and isolate Pak from International financial system," ANI quoted World Baloch Women Forum (WBWF)'s Naela Quadri Baloch as saying.

The Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador on Monday and lodged its protest against US President Donald Trump.

"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 on Monday.

OneIndia News
Collapse of Kabul will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history: Donald Trump

Before Trumps warning, US had cut aid drastically to Pakistan

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

US President Donald Trump said in a New Year's tweet that his administration is not satisfied with Pakistan's response on terror. Trump vowed to cut all aid to Pakistan for lies and deceit of 15 years.

While Trump made it loud and clear that he was unhappy, the fact is that the US had already started scaling down the aid to Pakistan in the later years of the Barack Obama administration.

In the year 2014, the aid to Pakistan was at 2.177 billion US dollars. In 2015 it reduced to 1.604 billion US dollars and in 2016 it further reduced to 1.118 billion US dollars. In 2017 the aid to Pakistan stood at 526 million US dollars.

Decoding Trump's ' no more' tweet: What has changed with Pakistan since October

Further, US has also made the disbursement of the Coalition Support Funds conditional. This fund pertains to a reimbursement to Pakistan for the logistic and operational support it provides for US-led military operations.

The condition that was imposed in 2015 was that Pakistan is doing enough against the Haqqani Network. The CSF in 2015 stood at 300 million dollars based on the above condition.

This component witnessed an increase in 2016 when it stood at 350 million out of 900 million US dollars. In 2017, it was 400 million out of 900 million US dollars. In 2015, the US headed then by Obama did not certify in Pakistan's favour in 2015 and 2016. The 2017 certification is still pending.

70 per cent Pakistan viewed US as enemy nation, but the aid flowed on

In 2018, the defence budget was reduced to 700 million US dollars and half of it was tied to the pre-condition that Pakistan acts against the Haqqani Network. A similar move was made to include the Lashkar-e-Tayiba under this bracket, but the same was resisted by the Pentagon which later led it to be dropped.

OneIndia News
Want solution to border dispute with China through talks, won't allow unilateral action on LAC: Rajnath Singh

China assures support to Pakistan after Trump's outburst

International

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

China on Tuesday defended Islamabad by saying that the world community should acknowledge Pakistan's "outstanding contribution" to counter terrorism.

China's defence comes a day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for providing safe havens to terrorists.

"Pakistan has made enormous efforts and sacrifice for the fight against terrorism and has made very outstanding contribution to the global cause of counter terrorism. The international community should acknowledge that," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said here when asked about Trump's criticism of Pakistan.

He said China is glad to see Pakistan engaging in international cooperation, including counter terrorism, on the basis of mutual respect so as to contribute to regional peace and stability.

In a scathing attack on Pakistan, Trump had accused it of "lies and deceit" and of fooling US leaders while sheltering 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 had tweeted on Monday.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!", he said in a scathing criticism of Pakistan.

The United States has also suspended its $255 million military aid to Pakistan for now, the White House confirmed on Monday, saying the fate of such assistance will depend on Islamabad's response to terrorism on its soil.

OneIndia News

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 18:27 [IST]
Want solution to border dispute with China through talks, won't allow unilateral action on LAC: Rajnath Singh

China develops underwater surveillance networks in Indian Ocean

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

A new underwater surveillance network to help China's submarines get a stronger lock on targets while protecting the nation's interests along the maritime Silk Road, which included the Indian Ocean has been developed by the Chinese, a media report said.

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 Beijing's 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 China's global underwater surveillance network, said that while it undoubtedly represented progress in China's 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 system's 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 Beijing's 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 China's 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.

OneIndia News
Collapse of Kabul will go down as one of the greatest defeats in American history: Donald Trump

Decoding Trumps  no more tweet: What has changed with Pakistan since October

International

oi-Vicky

By Vicky

In October, Donald Trump had said that the US has started to develop a much better relationship with Pakistan and its leaders. On New Years, the US President shocked Pakistan with a tweet that read, "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!

Is this a change in stand by the US President whose January 1 tweet runs contrary to what he had said on the micro-blogging site on October 14, 2017? The analysts would say that one would need to approach both statements differently.

The October tweet was in reaction to the Pakistani forces rescuing an American woman from the Haqqani Network, a terror group close to the Taliban.

Before Trump's warning, US had cut aid drastically to Pakistan

The January 1 tweet has more weight and was said in the context of Pakistan pretending to fight terror. Trump's Islamabad policy has been consistent. He and his administration have been tightening the screws around Pakistan. He has constantly reminded Pakistan to be more transparent in its fight against terrorism.

The US has been reducing aid given to Pakistan since 2015. While the aid still continues, the US has not taken Pakistan off the list of terror safe havens. Recently Trump's defence secretary, James Mattis confirmed that the US was close to losing its patience with Pakistan.

70 per cent Pakistan viewed US as enemy nation, but the aid flowed on

He said that the US would try and work with Pakistan 'one more time.' He also warned Islamabad of diplomatic and economic isolation if it refused to mend its ways.

OneIndia News
Nigerian man lands in jail after he tries to buy Baba Ramdev's Patanjali ghee with cloned card

Nigeria: Gunmen shoot down 14 churchgoers in Omoku

International

pti-PTI

Warri, Jan 2: At least 14 churchgoers were killed by gunmen in Nigeria's Rivers State when they were returning from midnight service on Monday. The shooting took place in the town of Omoku about 90 kilometres from the southern oil hub of Port Harcourt.

"The gunmen opened fire on a set of worshippers at about 12:30 am on Monday," said Ugochi Olugbo, a relative of one of the victims who were attending a New Year's Eve service.

"Fourteen persons died on the spot, while 12 who sustained gunshot wounds were rushed to the hospital and are receiving medical attention," said a police source who asked to remain anonymous.

Rivers State police public relations officer Nnamdi Omoni said the number of casualties could not be confirmed at the moment.

"The commissioner of police, Ahmed Zaki, has also launched a manhunt for the bandits to ensure they are arrested and prosecuted," Omoni said. Rivers State, a region blighted by poverty despite a wealth of oil, is home to several powerful gangs that often engage in violent turf wars.

Such gangs, known as "cults" in Nigeria, began as university confraternities decades ago before evolving into powerful armed groups that now rule the streets of the destitute region.

On Nvember 24, Boko Haram jihadists shot dead seven men working on a farm in northeast Nigeria's Adamawa state.

PTI
Prison violence in Brazil: 9 dead, 14 injured as rival groups clash

International

pti-PTI

Sao Paulo, Jan 2: A major violence between two groups in a Brazilian prison has left nine people dead and 14 injured. Inmates from rival gangs battled at a prison in Goias state on Monday. Authorities confirmed the number of dead, but said identifications had not yet been made, news site G1 reported.

Officials said the violence at the Colonia Agroindustrial prison in the Aparecida de Goiania Complex apparently erupted when inmates from one cellblock invaded three others where prisoners from rival gangs are housed.

The attackers set mattresses on fire when they entered the neighboring corridors and burned the bodies of those who were killed, authorities said. Firefighters were able to contain the fire. Authorities confirmed the number of dead, but said identifications had not yet been made, G1 reported.

Local media said about 106 inmates escaped during the riot, and officials had recaptured 29. The reports said 127 other inmates fled during the violence but returned voluntarily. Officers from the Special Penitentiary Operations Group regained control of the prison with the support of military police about two hours after the riot started.

Exactly one year ago, a prison riot at the Anisio Jobim Penitentiary Complex in Amazonas state caused 56 deaths. A day later, four prisoners were killed at the Puraqueuqara Prison Unit in the same state. Thirty-three more inmates died January 6 in a riot at a prison in Roraima state, and 26 were killed January 14 when inmates rebelled at Alcacuz prison in Rio Grande do Norte.

PTI
Trump's tweet: Hafiz Saeed backed groups banned from collecting funds

International

oi-Vikas

By Vikas

A day after US President Donald Trump lashed out at Islamabad for not acting against terrorists operating from its soil, Pakistan has banned Jamaat-ud Dawa, and other organisations backed by Hafiz Saeed, from collecting funds.

It is not yet clear if the move by Pakistan was due to Trump's tweet accusing Pakistan of "lies and deceit" and providing "safe haven" to terrorists. According to a PTI report, Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation as well as several other such organisations named in a list of banned outfits by the UN Security Council, have been issued a notification The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) against collecting donations.

The SECP notification also warned that non-compliance with the said ruling could result in a hefty monetary fine.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has called for a meeting of the Cabinet and the National Security Committee to discuss Pakistan's response to US President Donald Trump's accusation that Islamabad deceived America by sheltering terrorists, PTI reported.

Trump earlier shocked Pakistan with a tweet that read, "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!"

Asserting that future assistance to Islamabad will depend on the action it takes against the terrorism emanating from its soil, the White House confirmed that it has suspended its USD 255 million military aid to Pakistan.

The US has been reducing aid given to Pakistan since 2015. While the aid still continues, the US has not taken Pakistan off the list of terror safe havens. Recently Trump's defence secretary, James Mattis confirmed that the US was close to losing its patience with Pakistan.

India has been raising concern over terrorism emanating from Pakistan for a long time now. India has time-and-again pointed out that safe havens for terrorist in Pakistan are a major threat to regional peace.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs
Action recommended against errant hospitals

The Department of Supply Management has written to the Metropolitan Police Circle, Teku recommending action against three hospitals in Kathmandu and one in Lalitpur for fraud:
Beijing yet to respond to proposed Transit Protocol

China has yet to respond to Nepals proposal on a bilateral Transit Protocol, to be developed on the basis of an agreement signed by then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli with Beijing to diversify the countrys trade with its northern neighbour.
Pennsylvania Online Gambling Faces Obstacles Before it Starts

Published January 1, 2018 by Elana K

Since Pennsylvania passed the regulation bill in October, not much has happened since, and the PGCB is facing obstacles before the initiative even gets off the ground..

Pennsylvania made history this year by becoming the fourth state to legalize online gambling within state borders. But since Pennsylvania passed the regulation bill in October, not much has happened since. Most of the steps forward are expected to take place within the next year; but a lot has to happen before online gambling becomes a reality.

Obstacles Ahead

Experts foresee that one of the obstacles that could get in the way of the success of Pennsylvania online gambling is the high licensing fee and the high tax rate on slots. Pennsylvanias online gambling bill calls for a $10 million licensing fee, a 16% tax on poker and table game revenue, and a 54% tax on slots revenue. Almost all of these figures are incredibly high, and experts say that can prove destructive.

Another issue that has not yet been decided on is how many skins (branded websites) online gambling operators will be allowed to offer. This was left blank in the bill, and it needs to be decided before moving forward.

There is talk that the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) wants to limit each operator to one skin, but critics say this is another destructive move, one that will limit both the expansion and the profit that Pennsylvania online gambling has to offer. They point to New Jersey, which limits the number of operator brands, but not skins. New Jersey is a good model to compare to, as it recently hit the $200 million mark in revenue and is considered the paradigm of successful online gambling.

It's Up to the PGCB

Both the Pennsylvania Senate and House will reconvene on January 2, but ultimately, its up to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board to make the hard decisions and then propel the bill forward.
Cold claims woman in Mahottari

A woman died from hypothermia at Mahottari rural municipality on Monday.
Cold wave affects western Tarai

Cold wave sweeping across the western Tarai region has affected the normal life in various districts.
Dhankuta shut to press for Province 1 HQ

People in Dhankuta enforced a general strike in the district on Monday, demanding that the district should be named the capital of Province 1.
Fast track may be delayed over DPR

Construction of the proposed Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track is likely to be delayed as the Nepal Army, the government appointed builder, remains undecided over buying the highways detailed project report (DPR) which was prepared by an Indian consultant.
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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."
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See original here

By Kerry Eleveld



Trust me, I'm a liar.

(Image by torbakhopper) Details DMCA





Donald Trump- Caricature

(Image by DonkeyHotey) Details DMCA



Donald Trump lies. Prolifically. That is not news. But a researcher who spent 20 years researching lies, liars, and why people lie, says Trump isn't just any liar -- he's an especially mean one too. Social scientist Bella DePaulo studied Trump's first 298 days in office and the 1,628 lies he told and found that he was lying on average about six times per day (and nine times per day in more recent months), far exceeding the average lie rate of roughly 1.5 per day. And in Trump's case, the only lies we know about are the ones he's told publicly.

But where the Don really set himself apart was in the maliciousness of his lies. Sometimes people lie to protect themselves from embarrassment or even to protect someone else (like telling your mom you don't mind taking her shopping), but Trump is just plain vicious a startling amount of the time.

"The most stunning way Trump's lies differed from our participants', though, was in their cruelty. An astonishing 50 percent of Trump's lies were hurtful or disparaging. For example, he proclaimed that John Brennan, James Clapper and James Comey, all career intelligence or law enforcement officials, were 'political hacks.' He said that 'the Sloppy Michael Moore Show on Broadway was a TOTAL BOMB and was forced to close.' Talking about green card applicants, he insisted that other 'countries, they don't put their finest in the lottery system. They put people probably in many cases that they don't want.' And he claimed that'Ralph Northam, who is running for Governor of Virginia, is fighting for the violent MS-13 killer gangs & sanctuary cities.' "The Trump lies that could not be coded into just one category were typically told both to belittle others and enhance himself. For example: 'Senator Bob Corker 'begged' me to endorse him for reelection in Tennessee. I said 'NO' and he dropped out (said he could not win without my endorsement).'"

The effect of all Trump's lying has naturally resulted in Americans largely just not believing him.

A Politico/Morning Consult poll from late October showed that only 35 percent of voters believed that Trump was honest [...] Results of a Quinnipiac University poll from November were similar: Thirty-seven percent of voters thought Trump was honest...

In both polls, more than 50 percent of Americans say Trump isn't honest.

For fewer than 40 percent of American voters to see the president as honest is truly remarkable. Most humans, most of the time, believe other people. That's our default setting.

Except for in the case of the sitting president of the United States, who isn't just a liar, he's an especially repugnant one.
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From Counterpunch



Dumb Donald Trump

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I have not generally been in the business of defending Amazon, but I thought I would throw in a word or two of clarification around Donald Trump's claim that the U.S. Postal Service is "dumber and poorer" because of its deal with Amazon.

Trump's claim is based on a Citigroup study that found that Postal Service loses an average of $1.46 on each package it ships for Amazon. The Postal Service claims that it profits from its arrangement with Amazon and that it would lose business if it raises its rates.

There actually is a very simple explanation for the differing assessments. The Postal Service has a huge amount of fixed costs in the form of retiree benefits and especially retiree health benefits. Congress has required that the Postal Service pre-fund 75 years of retiree health benefits. This requirement sets the Postal Service apart from private businesses, who do little or no pre-funding of retiree health benefits. It also accounts for almost all of the Postal Service's losses over the last decade.

But the accounting issue is independent of this requirement imposed by Congress. Essentially what the Citigroup study did was impute the largely fixed cost of retiree health benefits to the various sections of the Postal Service's business. If these costs are imputed to its delivery of packages for Amazon, the Citigroup study finds they are coming up short by $1.46 a package.

But this is just bad economics. The question for the Postal Service is whether it is recovering its marginal costs -- the additional amount spent on labor, gas, wear and tear on vehicles, etc -- with the prices it is charging Amazon. The Postal Service claims it does (I have not tried to check their calculations), and if that is true, the Postal Service is coming out ahead from its deal with Amazon.

So the loss claimed by the Citigroup study is clearly wrong and Donald Trump is wrong to be using it to attack the Postal Service, Amazon, and Jeff Bezos. On the other hand, Amazon has gotten a subsidy worth tens of billions of dollars since its creation as a result of not being required to collect sales taxes in most states for most of its existence. This subsidy almost certainly exceeds its cumulative profits since it was created, so people do have serious cause to complain about Amazon.

This article originally appeared on Beat the Press.
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"No to a United States of Europe", says President of German Parliament

2017 faded away with still another major disagreement, in Germany and in the European Union! Germany's Parliamentary President, and former Eurozone gatekeeper, Wolfgang Schauble blasted Martin Schulz, leader of the country's Social Democratic Party ('SPD') and former President of the European Parliament, for his campaign to promote a 'United States of Europe', a project that should become constitutionally binding on all EU member states and to be in place by 2025.



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Schauble, a member of Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union ('CDU') and former minister of finance, was categorical in his rejection. But his missive was not meant at Schulz alone. He was, in fact, addressing all Socialists of the EU, and French President Emmanuel Macron, officially a centrist like himself, who was elected thanks to French socialist votes, but whose policies so far are favouring capitalism. No surprise, though: he is a financial investment banker, who worked for Rothschild & Cie until he joined in 2012 the circle of former French President Francois Hollande, as the deputy secretary-general of his staff.

Macron troubled in September 2017 most EU leaders when, at a keynote speech at Sorbonne University, Paris, he outlined his vision for Europe. Capitalising on the uncertainties presented by the forthcoming Brexit, he expressed his commitment to:

- Expanding the Eurozone to all member states of the Union and introducing Euro-based financial instruments accessible to all--a proposal that Germany rejected off-hand. Schulz is, however, in favour of this objective.

- Reducing inequalities by introducing a set of new taxes, including high tech, energy and financial transaction taxes, and harmonising upwards tax-rates across the Union--a measure very unpopular among smaller states, like Bulgaria, Cyprus, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, who attract Foreign Direct Investment ('FDI') thanks to their advantageous income imposition. It is worthwhile noting that the worldwide trend in corporate taxation has in the past 37 years been to reduce rates. The average unweighted statutory corporate tax-rate was 38.68% in 1980, but 22.96% in 2017, an actual reduction of 41% during this period, according to consulting firm PwC. With the U.S. and the UK preparing to join soon the bandwagon of tax-friendly nations, the French proposal is likely to deter, rather than attract, FDI from third countries.

- Applying guaranteed minimum wage and payroll charges in all 27 member states. This may also become a deterrent to FDI, as companies take into account social charges when they seek venues to establish subsidiaries and to employ local workers.

- Creating and deploying a European 'rapid action defence force' and a central intelligence organisation, or 'academy', to fight internal and external threats. It sounds reasonable. However, some member states have already opted out of NATO membership, so it is not certain they will support such development.

- Establishing a common migration policy for receiving and integrating refugees. Here also disagreements among member states are persisting since the 2015 crisis, and it is not certain that even nations not directly affected by such unsolicited immigration would sign up.

- Revising the EU's Common Agricultural Policy ('CAP') in order to avoid disparities among member states. French farmers have, however, benefitted the most from CAP, and their lobby is politically very powerful in France, Brussels and Strasbourg. If they become truly challenged, their reaction may shake the walls of the presidential palace in Paris!

- Reconfiguring the European Parliament, after Britain's exit, by letting the latter's seats be allocated to MEPs elected on a new, transnational method. There are supporters among European socialists for this idea. It is, however, not clear what will happen with the EP's total configuration, if and when the EU accepts new member states.

- Halting the organic expansion of the Commission, by limiting its members to 15, instead of the current 'one member state-one commissioner' approach. Most heads of government or state at the European Council should favour such measure, considering their preference for an intergovernmental Union and their aversion for supranationalism!

- Promoting aggressively 'radical' digital innovation to compete internationally. Europe definitely needs to take 'the bull by the horns' in this issue, as she is already overtaken by its major, and even minor, competitors. But the intention is inconsistent with the new vertical and horizontal taxation measures contemplated above. The most likely scenario is that, under such circumstances and in spite of any EU-fabricated incentives, innovative companies and competent individuals in high technologies will migrate to more welcoming lands.

- Unifying and integrating the cultures of the Europeans. This is probably where the trigger of the 'United States of Europe' can be placed. A laudable vision--but what does it really mean? And how can this be materialised? Moreover, it is naive to believe that even the United States of America has an optimally integrated culture shared by all of its citizens. In times of crisis, as the one in which we have lived for the past nine years, people pull the blanket of culture to their own side, and cultural divisions become more pronounced.

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by Kevin Stoda

This is the third in a multi-piece-series on my family's holiday adventures, 2017-2018 here in Missouri. In prior pieces, we talked about the school-to-grave prison system in USA and then about religious persecution. In this piece we must deal with families and the cost that the current health care system places needlessly on families year after year, i.e. with the example here being of my own household. Can we put up with more of the health-care neglect that the GOP held Congress and executive branch in Washington DC handed us in 2017?

As was the case with my friends, discussed in Part 2, who to move from San Antonio, Texas to Ballwin, Missouri to take care of aging parents full-time. After the mother had passed away in August last year, the family decided to stay and support the father. The 6 of them live in their parents home and support him full-time. My friend works from home to be able to do this.

After leaving my friends in Ballwin, my own household drove from there to Carl Junction, Missouri in order to support my very own mother who had had her second knee replacement surgery on 21st of December.

My youngest sister had been staying with my mom since the day of the surgery, and by Christmas Eve, it was my family's turn to do a week's shift. (My brother, who has had to drive about 1600 miles in the past month, arrived back to Carl Junction twice in this holiday season in order to help mom and to relieve my sister and I of help at the hospitals and around the home.)

Naturally, all of us siblings are all happy to live close enough to be of help to mom. As a matter of fact, I had moved from living and working overseas to within a 150 mile radius of mom this past year, in order to be of more help to her in her late 70s. Likewise, both my younger sisters have moved to the Kansas City, Missouri area to support mom in this same decade. However, the medical system in the USA--as expensive as it is--makes the entire process of recovery for mom and her family extremely strenuous, and it is more expensive and strenuous than we see others in developed countries enjoying these days.

Let me explain.

This whole process of having a knee replacement surgery is a shift from my mom's first knee replacement nearly a decade ago.

At that time, mom spent a week after her surgery in a clinic doing rehabilitation and physical therapy. This time, mom was back home within 48 hours. That means that in 2017-2018 in a country as wealthy as ours, most middle class to lower class families cannot afford full-time maids, health assistants, or nurses. In our wealthy supposedly Number One Country, the family carries an enormous burden in assisting with recovery after such joint replacements.

The situation we face in America today contrasts with the sort of private and public health care one would expect in a country like Germany--where I have lived 6 years of my adult life. Germany and Germans take social contracts seriously. Further, holistic health coverage is increasingly being taken more seriously.

For example, German health care (which is largely run by private companies) provides full-rehabilitation treatment in the form of both government-run and private health spas across the country. It sees the burden of the elderly as a societal burden--not just one for the family to carry.

Other countries with great commitment to a social contract, like France or Scandinavian lands, provide moneys and services for trained health care professionals to come and visit the home and undertake physical therapeutical treatments or other nursing needs at the recovering patient's own home on a daily basis.

In other developed lands, money is also set aside for a maid or part-time assistant or aid to look in on the recovering patient and to help with household needs or chores.

Soon, my sister, brother and I will have to go back to our employment. We will then have to ask aunts and uncles as well as other relatives and friends to step in and help my mother over the next few months. We may cough up a lot of dough to help out too.

We will all chip in what we can financially, but what should one expect from our culture? our society? our country? our healthcare system?

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Ralph Nader at the Harvard Law Forum (2017) On November 8, 2017, Ralph Nader -- consumer advocate, public citizen, Harvard Law alumnus, and one of The Atlantic's 100 most influential figures in American history -- came to Harvard Law...

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Ralph Nader in November at Harvard Law School

Read Chris Hedges interview [1] with Ralph Nader. It's a stunner; a must read.

Much of what Nader said struck this reader, too much to list here. Here's a few selected excerpts.

Most worrisome, Nader "feared that the population was so effectively anesthetized by mass culture that it might not rise up against the elites".

"The U.S. has developed a society...living in virtual reality swinging between big-screen TV and their cell phones. They're wallowing in text messages".

"Great changes start with people in the 20's. But look what you've got now...cell phones available to any child."

Nader worries "as long as 10 to 15 percent of the American people are well-off the elites will have enough support to continue the assault".

"As long as the contented classes are not upset, the system of control is in lock, like connecting gears."

To this septuagenarian-whose early enlightenment began in the late 1960's and early 70's against the Vietnam war- I could not then imagine some 45 years later the general passivity of many/most Americans to the injustices heaped upon them by the elites that as Nader says they "might not rise up against".

How could this have happened?

Well...I do have my own hypotheses and at the top of the list was Congress ending the draft after the US unceremoniously left Vietnam in 1973.

Congress witnessed the demonstrations and protests against the war and vowed that wouldn't happen again and in one fell swoop removed a main group that had participated in resistance to the Vietnam war.

Today "Veterans for Peace" are at the forefront against our wars most of whom came from that Vietnam war generation. They are to be admired along with the few who have come back from Afghanistan and Iraq wars and have spoken up in the few demonstrations against our wars. Unfortunately they are a small minority.

But now since the end of the draft pretty much the only ones entering our all volunteer military are white rural kids and poor minorities from the inner cities in late teens and early 20's whose work prospects are few.

In suburban areas high school ROTC is offered only in less affluent areas where military recruiters can indoctrinate the few to consider joining the military after graduation. ROTC is certainly not offered in the more affluent area high schools.

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Journey 2017-2018:Travels and Prayers this Holiday Tide

Part 2 of Holiday Foci this year

ERITREAN VICTIMS OF RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

After visiting with my family's friend in Mineral Point at the Potosi Correctional Center in the first stage of my Christmas-New Year's Holiday, my family drove to city the St. Louis Metroplex, where friends of ours from Texas had moved to be with the husband's parents a year ago. The town is Ballwin, Missouri and was named as "One of America's Best Places to Live" by Money Magazine in 2005, 2011 and 2013 .

Ballwin is located near Six Flags of Mid-America, a favorite childhood memory of mine as a kid, when my family lived in Wentzville. The American-Eritrean couple whom we visited that holiday weekend has three boys who spend as many summer days as possible having fun at Six Flags, especially when their father has time to go along with them. I hope we can see them again soon and perhaps let my daughter join their boys & take on the ideal amusement park of my youth

The day we arrived at the couple's home in Ballwin, the family was anxiously awaiting news from the border of Eritrea. Allow me to explain. The family was awaiting the news on weather a nephew had been able to flee for his life over the border.

You see: "Eritrea recognizes the Orthodox Christianity, Catholic, Sunni Islam, and Lutheran Christian Church. However, practicing a restricted religion in the country is a call for persecution through incarceration. In Eritrea , the right to freedom of worship is a foreign concept."

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In an apparent tilt of U.S.-Pakistan policy towards India, President Trump Monday (January 1, 2018) threatened to cut financial aid to Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of harboring violent extremists and lying about it.

"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 his first tweet of 2018.

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!"

Commenting on Trump's tweet, Hindustan Times said: "His comment highlighted heightened global scrutiny into Islamabad's affairs and his administration's visible alignment with India's long-held stance that Pakistan is a terror hub."

The US president's tweet came in the aftermath of an increasingly terse back-and-forth between Washington and Islamabad since Trump announced his administration's latest national-security strategy in last August.

During the announcement, the US president had been quick to remind Pakistan of its 'obligation' to help America "because it receives massive payments" from Washington every year.

"We have made clear to Pakistan that while we desire continued partnership, we must see decisive action against terrorist groups operating on their territory. And we make massive payments every year to Pakistan. They have to help," the US president had said.

A Pentagon report to the US Congress, released to the media on Dec 17, had said Washington would also take 'unilateral steps' in areas of divergence with Pakistan while expanding cooperation between the two countries where their interests converge.

Subsequently, US Vice President Mike Pence had, in a surprise visit to Afghanistan's Bagram airbase on Dec 22, warned that Trump has "put Pakistan on notice" in what was the harshest US warning to Islamabad since the beginning of the Afghan war over 16 years ago.

US ambassador in Islamabad summoned over Trump's tweet

US ambassador David Hale was summoned on Monday by The Foreign Office (FO) over US President Donald Trump's tweet.

The News quoted informed sources as saying that Hale was summoned to lodge protest against Trump's unfounded allegations on Pakistan. Though Pakistan has rendered countless sacrifices to eradicate the menace of terrorism, yet the US president alleged in his tweet that Pakistan has given nothing except for "lies and deceit" in return for the aid the US provided Pakistan during 15 years, the paper added.

Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, in response to Trump's tweet, said that Pakistan has already refused to 'do more' for the United States.

PM calls cabinet, NSC meeting to discuss Trump's statement

The Prime Minister of Pakistan Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has summoned the emergency federal cabinet and the national Security Committee (NSC) meeting on Wednesday to evolve the the strategy in wake of Trump's latest statement.

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The Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Industry Will Be Fiercely Competitive in 2022

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Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Microbolometer IR Detector1.2.4 Thermopile IR Detector1.2.5 Pyroelectric IR Detector1.3 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Military and Defense1.3.3 Automotive1.3.4 Smart Home1.3.5 Medicine1.3.6 Other1.4 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Market by Region1.4.1 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Korea Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector (Volume and Value) by Type2.2.1 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.2.2 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Revenue and Market Share by Type (2012-2017)2.3 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector (Volume and Value) by Region2.3.1 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.3.2 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Revenue and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)2.4 Global Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector (Volume) by Application3 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector (Volume, Value and Sales Price)3.1 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Value (2012-2017)3.1.1 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.2 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)3.1.3 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)3.2 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Volume and Market Share by Players3.3 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Volume and Market Share by Type3.4 United States Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Volume and Market Share by Application4 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector (Volume, Value and Sales Price)4.1 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Value (2012-2017)4.1.1 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.2 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)4.1.3 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)4.2 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Volume and Market Share by Players4.3 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Volume and Market Share by Type4.4 China Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Volume and Market Share by Application5 Europe Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector (Volume, Value and Sales Price)5.1 Europe Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Value (2012-2017)5.1.1 Europe Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.2 Europe Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2017)5.1.3 Europe Uncooled Thermal Infrared Detector Sales Price Trend (2012-2017)...About QYResearchReports.comQyresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from Qyresearchreports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact US:Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Labour Act-2017 hailed for ensuring workers wellbeing

The recently endorsed Labour Act-2017, which requires employers to ensure a safe working environment for workers health and safety, has been applauded by the stakeholders.
Nano Positioning Systems Market Expand Their Businesses with New Investments

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The market attractiveness analysis provides a graphical view comparing the growth and market dynamics in various segments and country wise to identify the most attractive market.This report focuses on top manufacturers in global market, with production, price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer, coveringPhysik Instrumente (PI) GmbHAerotechPrior Scientific InstrumentsCedrat TechnologiesOME TechnologyDynamic Structures and MaterialsSmarAct GmbHOWIS GmbHMad City LabsPiezosystem Jena GmbHRead Complete Table of Content of the Report at:Table of ContentsGlobal Nano Positioning Systems Market Professional Survey Report 20171 Industry Overview of Nano Positioning Systems1.1 Definition and Specifications of Nano Positioning Systems1.1.1 Definition of Nano Positioning Systems1.1.2 Specifications of Nano Positioning Systems1.2 Classification of Nano Positioning Systems1.2.1 Capacitive Sensor1.2.2 Piezoresistive Sensor1.2.3 Piezoelectric Sensor1.2.4 Other1.3 Applications of Nano Positioning Systems1.3.1 Optics & Photonics1.3.2 R&D1.3.3 Microscopy1.3.4 Advance Positioning System1.3.5 Aerospace1.3.6 Other1.4 Market Segment by Regions1.4.1 North America1.4.2 China1.4.3 Europe1.4.4 Southeast Asia1.4.5 Japan1.4.6 India2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Nano Positioning Systems2.1 Raw Material and Suppliers2.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Nano Positioning Systems2.3 Manufacturing Process Analysis of Nano Positioning Systems2.4 Industry Chain Structure of Nano Positioning Systems3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Nano Positioning Systems3.1 Capacity and Commercial Production Date of Global Nano Positioning Systems Major Manufacturers in 20163.2 Manufacturing Plants Distribution of Global Nano Positioning Systems Major Manufacturers in 20163.3 R&D Status and Technology Source of Global Nano Positioning Systems Major Manufacturers in 20163.4 Raw Materials Sources Analysis of Global Nano Positioning Systems Major Manufacturers in 20164 Global Nano Positioning Systems Overall Market Overview4.1 2012-2017E Overall Market Analysis4.2 Capacity Analysis4.2.1 2012-2017E Global Nano Positioning Systems Capacity and Growth Rate Analysis4.2.2 2016 Nano Positioning Systems Capacity Analysis (Company Segment)4.3 Sales Analysis4.3.1 2012-2017E Global Nano Positioning Systems Sales and Growth Rate Analysis4.3.2 2016 Nano Positioning Systems Sales Analysis (Company Segment)4.4 Sales Price Analysis4.4.1 2012-2017E Global Nano Positioning Systems Sales Price4.4.2 2016 Nano Positioning Systems Sales Price Analysis (Company Segment)5 Nano Positioning Systems Regional Market Analysis5.1 North America Nano Positioning Systems Market Analysis5.1.1 North America Nano Positioning Systems Market Overview5.1.2 North America 2012-2017E Nano Positioning Systems Local Supply, Import, Export, Local Consumption Analysis5.1.3 North America 2012-2017E Nano Positioning Systems Sales Price Analysis5.1.4 North America 2016 Nano Positioning Systems Market Share Analysis5.2 China Nano Positioning Systems Market Analysis...About QYResearchReports.comQyresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. 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"The Latest Research Report Automotive Alternator Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants. - MarketResearchReports.biz"Automotive alternators are used in new automobiles to power the electrical system and when the engine is running. An alternator supplies the power to run the vehicle ignition, electronics, and lights and to charge the battery. The alternator is one of the most important components of an automotive charging system that powers the engine. An automotive alternator consist of a number of parts including the alternator rotor, the stator, the output diodes, the diode trio, the voltage regulator, the field current supply and the alternator or a battery light. An automotive charging system comprises of three main components including the voltage regulator, an alternator and the battery. The alternator works with the battery to produce power for the electrical parts of a vehicle, such as the instrument panel and the exterior & interior lights. Alternators generates AC power with the help of an electromagnetism mechanism which is produced through the rotor and stator relationship. The electricity is transmitted into the battery, which provides voltage to run the various electrical systems of the vehicle. There are various types of alternators, which are used in the vehicles depends on the make of the car. Luxury cars and emergency vehicles could have high-output alternators because they have electrical systems that require high amounts of electricity such as video systems and luxurious audio.Get Sample Copy of this report @The automotive alternator market is expected to grow due to the growing production of vehicles across the globe. Additionally, increasing adoption of electricity based vehicles due to various environment issues such as rising CO2 emission that cause air pollution, is expected to increase the demand for automotive alternator market. There are various benefits that automotive alternator offers to the different off-roads and emergency vehicles. For instance, off road vehicles, especially those that carry a large amount of snow plow, can benefit from alternators, since vehicle equipped with a snow plow could require a large output alternator since it produces a large drag on the electrical system. Furthermore, the increasing number of hybrid vehicles is expected to hamper the growth of the automotive starter and alternator market. As, the hybrid vehicles use number of motors that ignite with the help of the combustion engine and eliminates automotive starters and alternators.The rise of high output alternators is expected to bring novel opportunities in the automotive alternator market. High output alternator brings in a lot of advantages over traditional alternators. For instance, emergency vehicles, whether ambulance or police, require high amount of power in the engine. They also need to run large number of devices within the vehicle such as emergency medical systems and flashing lights. In previous times, these vehicles used regular alternators which needed to be replaced quite regularly. A high output alternator can handle high electrical demands and doesnt need to be replaced as often.The automotive alternator market is segmented on the basis of alternator type, vehicle type and region. The automotive alternator market on the basis of type is segmented into salient pole type and cylindrical rotor type. On the basis of vehicle type, the automotive alternator market is segmented into light commercial vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles and passenger vehicles. Geographically, the automotive alternator market is segmented into Europe, North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia-pacific and South America. North America and Europe regions are expected to lead due to the technological advancements with respect to the vehicles alternators and increasing production of vehicles across the region. The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow due to the rapidly expanding automobile sector in the countries such as China and India.View Report @Some of the key players in the automotive alternator market are Bosch Auto Parts, DENSO, HELLA KGaA Hueck & Co, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Hitachi Automotive Systems Americas, Inc, Elta Automotive Ltd, Prestolite Electric Inc, Motorcar Parts of America, INC., Remy International Inc. and moreThe report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on:Market segments and sub-segmentsMarket trends and dynamicsSupply and demandMarket sizeCurrent trends/opportunities/challengesCompetitive landscapeTechnological breakthroughsValue chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers:North America (U.S. and Canada)Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others)Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand)Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)Send An Enquiry Request @The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report:A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent marketImportant changes in market dynamicsMarket segmentation up to the second or third levelHistorical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volumeReporting and evaluation of recent industry developmentsMarket shares and strategies of key playersEmerging niche segments and regional marketsAn objective assessment of the trajectory of the marketRecommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketCheck Discount This Report From Here @About usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz
Find Out The Secret Factors Behind The Success Of Pin And Socket Connectors Market Growth?

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Pin And Socket Connectors to its huge collection of research reports.The report Pin And Socket Connectors Market is a comprehensive industry study featuring qualitative and quantitative analysis. In todays complex business environment, players in the global Pin And Socket Connectors market need to remain updated about the latest trends. The latest intelligence on the Pin And Socket Connectors market can help companies form more informed business decisions. Furthermore, knowing the latest market trends will also help companies avoid any unnecessary business risks in the changing landscape of the global Pin And Socket Connectors market. The research report on the global market presents to readers recent news, key deals, and other trends that are shaping the market. Furthermore, the valuable recommendations provided in the market report will help companies form a more effective strategy, whether to penetrate a new market or expand their portfolio.The research report begins with a brief industry overview. In this section, the report offers definition, specifications, classifications, and applications of Pin And Socket Connectors. Further to this, key data on the latest industry news and major deals is covered. This will update readers regarding the key events that are shaping the global Pin And Socket Connectors market. Moreover, the report also provides the latest news and details regarding the regulatory framework of the market.For More Info Download PDF Brochure:Lastly, the research report delivers a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape of the global Pin And Socket Connectors market. This section covers the analysis of key companies operating in the market with their portfolio, production data, company profile, price, revenue, and cost. In addition to this, this section also enlists the contact information of these major firms.Global Pin and Socket Connectors market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingLEMO ConnectorsBULLSchneiderPHILIPSHuntkeyCnlinkoOPPLEMIDeli...Read Complete Table of Content of the Report at:Table of ContentsGlobal Pin and Socket Connectors Market Research Report 20171 Pin and Socket Connectors Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Pin and Socket Connectors1.2 Pin and Socket Connectors Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category) (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Two-Pin Type1.2.4 Three-Pin Type1.3 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Segment by Application1.3.1 Pin and Socket Connectors Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Residential Use1.3.3 Commercial Use1.3.4 Industrial Use1.4 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 EU Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 South Korea Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 Taiwan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Pin and Socket Connectors (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Pin and Socket Connectors Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Pin and Socket Connectors Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Pin and Socket Connectors Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Pin and Socket Connectors Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 United States Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 EU Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.8 Japan Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.9 South Korea Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.10 Taiwan Pin and Socket Connectors Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Pin and Socket Connectors Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 United States Pin and Socket Connectors Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 EU Pin and Socket Connectors Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Pin and Socket Connectors Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)...About QYResearchReports.comQyresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from Qyresearchreports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact US:Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Artificial Lift Systems Market - Competitive Hierarchy Of Industry & Forecast 2017 - 2025

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Global Artificial Lift Systems Market: SnapshotIt has been observed that at some point in their workable life, almost all oil wells need artificial lift systems. Of the nearly 2 mn operational oil wells across the globe, more than 90% which require some variety of artificial lift system to transport hydrocarbon to the surface at economical prices. As production capacities of most mature oil wells decline over the years, many forms of artificial lift systems can be implemented in unison to maximize recovery.However, owing to common challenges related to the process of retrofitting, including deployment of a workover rig, deferring production, and incurring nonproductive times, the profit of a slightly economic well can decline, compelling operators to devalue the asset or even abandon it. The dynamic field of artificial lift systems witnesses the introduction of innovative solutions to reduce the numbers of such shutdowns. Schlumberger's new artificial lift production lifecycle management service is an instance of such attempts to finding ways of optimizing artificial lift systems.Request Sample Copy of the Report @This lifecycle management service gathers, transmits, analyzes, and monitors data from consumer well and helps in improving the production efficiency, reduce operating costs, and extend equipment longevity of artificial lift systems on a real time basis. The new artificial lift system lifecycle management service includes four tiers to execute various requirements of consumers in terms of well visualization, real-time diagnostics and surveillance, field optimization, and well optimization.Global Artificial Lift Systems Market: OverviewArtificial lift is used to provide sufficient pressure to push crude to the surface in a low reservoir pressure well. The artificial lifting of crude oil comprises two methods, the first method involves usage of a gas lift to induce the upward movement of produced fluids and the other method involves the utilization of downhole pumps that function with electricity.Request TOC of the Report @Conventional methods of crude oil recovery need to be revived to parallel production to meet the current levels of demand. Most of the crude oil production across the world is derived from mature fields, of which, most display reservoir pressure insufficiency, which is a major production parameter. This exhibits the need for artificial lift systems.Currently, the oil and gas industry is focused on lowering the operation cost and optimizing well performance. Moreover, the focus is on monitoring, communicating, and analyzing well performance and production data in a timely manner. Huge investments by oil exploration and production companies for the development of small and matured oil fields and the development of unconventional hydrocarbon reserves in countries such as Russia, Venezuela, U.S., Canada, and China is presenting growth opportunities for the growth of the artificial lift systems.Global Artificial Lift Systems Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing production of unconventional hydrocarbons such as shale and rising production of oil and gas from mature oilfields are some of the major factors driving the global artificial lift systems market. Moreover, escalating energy demand along with rising initiatives for deep and ultra-deep offshore oil production is furthering the growth of the artificial lift systems market. However, factors such as complexities in oil and gas production from mature fields and environmental considerations are challenging the markets growth. Nevertheless, the rehabilitation and redevelopment of fields are expected to present growth opportunities to this market. Moreover, subsea operations are exhibiting an increased utilization of artificial lift systems and are expected to continue in the long run.Get Discount @Global Artificial Lift Systems Market: Market SegmentationThe artificial lift systems market is segmented on the basis of geography and actuation mode. By actuation mode, the market for artificial lift systems is segmented into gas assisted and pump assisted artificial lift system. The sub-segments of pump assisted artificial lift system are Electric Submersible Pump (ESP), Gas Lift, Rod lift, and Progressive Cavity Pump (PCP). Further, the sub-segments of gas assisted artificial lift systems are Gas Lift and Plunger Lift. Each category of lift is suitable for specific reservoir conditions that they are used for.Global Artificial Lift Systems Market: Regional OutlookNorth America dominates the global artificial lift systems market. Increasing exploration of unconventional hydrocarbons such as shale holds promise for the markets growth. Europe holds a substantial share in the global market. This is mainly due to the re-development of mature oil fields in Russia that depend on artificial lift systems.Major Companies Mentioned in ReportSome of the leading companies operating in the global artificial lift systems market are Sclumberger Ltd, GE Energy, National Oil Varco Inc., Lufkin Industries Inc., Tenaris S.A., Weatherford International Ltd, Baker Hughes Incorporated, JSC Alnas, Kudu Industries Inc., and J&J Technical Services among others.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Retail Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Market : Size Demand Will Increase by 2025

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Global Retail Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Market: SnapshotA point of sale, or PoS, is a record of a location and time where a transaction occurred. At the PoS, a consumer must pay the amount that is owed by him to the merchant or vendor, at which point the merchant can prepare and invoice for the consumer. The merchant may also provide multiple forms of payment options to the consumer based on availability or need. On a macro scale, a point of sale could be classified as an entire mall, a market, or even a city. The micro scale of point of sales commonly refers to the merchant or a small location or shop. Points of sale can also be classified into real or virtual, with the former including brick and mortar constructions such as stores or malls. Virtual points of sale are present in the ecommerce industry, where a trader or retailer may sell goods and carry the transaction out electronically over the Internet or the phone.A point of sale terminal in a very rudimentary sense, is a replacement for the traditional cash register. The terminal is generally computerized and is placed to automatically do what manual labor can, and then some. PoS terminals of today are far more complex pieces of technology than registers from even nearly a decade ago. Modern point of sale terminals are able to manage inventory, communicate with systems within a network, process and record payments, and track customers.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Retail Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Market: OverviewA point-of-sale (PoS) terminal is a computerized alternative for a cash register. The PoS system, a combination of hardware and software, can process debit and credit cards, is able to track and record customer orders, and can connect to other network systems. Generally, a PoS terminal relies on a personal computer that has application-specific programs along with I/O devices for that particular work environment.The demand for these systems is slated to soar as they are closely integrated with software systems such as inventory, warehouse, supply chain, purchase order, marketing, merchandise planning, and so on.Global Retail Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Market: Key TrendsAs these devices save a lot of time, money, and effort, apart from being highly efficient, more business organizations, restaurants, banks, hotels, departmental store, super- and hyper- markets, and online vendors have been adopting these systems. Lower maintenance costs, real-time inventory, and accurate transactions are some of the key advantages of these systems. Therefore, retail PoS terminals are likely to witness considerable growth. One of the prominent trends is the increased use of smartphones and tablets for making online payments owing to easy usage and wide range of service offerings such as discount coupons and offers.Request TOC of the Report @Global Retail Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Market: Market PotentialAlthough India has been increasingly deploying PoS terminals in areas such as banking and public transport systems, the launch of QR-based payment system is likely to restrict the growth of the retail PoS terminals market in the region. Unlike the PoS terminal system, a QR-based payment system enables vendors and merchants to avoid the payment of transaction fees to banks.However, the launch of new technologies is likely to negate the effect of the aforementioned restraint. For instance, a fully-integrated EMV enabled solution, designed especially for the hospitality industry has been launched by Sterling Payment Technologies, a leading company that provides payment processing services. The product was launched in partnership with a firm that caters to point-of-sale solutions to restaurants, RPOWER Point of Sale.Request Discount of the Report @Moreover, the IRIS EMV Point-of-Sale terminal solution launched by YES Bank in 2016 deploys Ola Play, the premier connected mobility platform powered by Snapdragon processors.Global Retail Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Market: Regional OutlookHigh rates of adoption of mobile devices in Asia Pacific countries such as India and China are responsible for the growth of the retail PoS terminals market in this region. As numerous customers choose to make mobile payments, the markets in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East are likely to exhibit increasing demand, boosting the expansion of the global retail PoS terminals market. The retail PoS market in the U.S. has been escalating to a substantial degree, as the government has issued stringent regulatory policies regarding the deployment of PoS terminals and their upgrading.Global Retail Point-of-Sale (PoS) Terminals Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the major companies operating in the global market for retail point of scale terminals are MICROS Systems, PAX Technology, VeriFone Systems, Cisco Systems, Panasonic, Ingenico, Samsung Electronics, Toshiba, and HP.Several market players are resorting to partnerships, acquisitions, and mergers in order to expand their customer base. For example, in July 2016, iQmetrix collaborated with Ingenico for supplying EMV-enabled terminals to retailers in the U.S. Another company, VeriFone signed an agreement with InterCard AG, a German company that provides payment services, with a view to acquire the firm. This will aid both the firms in gaining a strong foothold in the market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Medical Gas Equipment Market : Review with Forecast Research Report 2017 - 2025

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Global Medical Gas Equipment Market: SnapshotThe global medical gas equipment market is prognosticated to be significantly advantaged by the augmenting prevalence of respiratory ailments strengthening the rise of point-of-care diagnostics (POCD). Along with the market for home healthcare, POCD could be crucial for the demand for medical gas equipment. Faster than other methodologies, POCD is one of the popular forms of diagnosing diseases at patients bedside. POCD is expected to experience a positive influence with the increasing occurrence of respiratory diseases for the reason that the risk of disease transmission could aggravate when a patient visits a healthcare center.The home healthcare market, on the other hand, is anticipated to bolster the demand for medical gas equipment while riding on the elevating number of diseases that cause immobilization. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and asthma are some of the primary immobilization diseases which could be treated with home healthcare facilities providing enhanced convenience.Request Sample Copy of the Report @The advent of new products, customizable as per the needs of customers, in the global medical gas equipment market could prove to be significant for the growth of industry players. Customers are becoming increasingly aware of the advantage of incorporating pressure regulator and cylindrical valve into a single device that offers all the required control functions. This could also help for ensuring a quicker delivery of gases. Furthermore, vendors are predicted to improve their current offerings by patenting such innovations. In the next few years, the global medical gas equipment market could gain traction on the back of the enriching trend of product innovation.Medical Gas Equipment Market: OverviewSpecialized gases, which are used for research in biotechnology, medical purposes, and drug processing are commonly known as medical gases. Medical gas can be a mixture of different gases or a single pure gas. Oxygen, hydrogen, nitrous oxide, ammonia, nitrogen and carbon dioxide are the most common types of gases used in the medical industry.Medical gasses need to be free of any impurities, as recovery of the patient depends on them. Plus, there is always a risk associated with medical gasses, as infection can be acquired through them. Due to these factors, medical gases need to be manufactured according to specified standards.Request TOC of the Report @Medical Gas Equipment Market: Key TrendsDue to the growing pool of geriatric population and development in the pharmaceutical industry, the demand for medical gases and equipment is multiplying. As per the WHO, the population aged above 65 years is slated to increase from 7% in 2000 to 16% by 2050, thereby fuelling the demand for medical gas equipment. In addition, the rising incidence of respiratory diseases, implementation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Safety and Innovation Act, increasing home healthcare market, rapid urbanization, and high occurrence of tobacco smoking are supplementing the markets growth.Key players operating in the medical gas equipment market will stand to benefit from technological advancements and market expansion in emerging countries. On the contrary, low federal reimbursements for respiratory therapies, frequent changes in medical gas calibration standards, and global shortage of helium are bound to act as restrains, limiting the demand for medical gases and equipment.Medical Gas Equipment Market: Market PotentialAir Liquide established in 1902 has its headquarters in Paris, and is a Fortune 500 company. This company considers innovation as the most important driving force for its business. The company alone invested US$335.2 mn in 2011 and US$313.2mn in research and development of medical gasses.Request Discount of the Report @They have partnered with several international research centers of excellence such as Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle epiniere, Pasteur Institute, or Leuven University, and Massachusetts General Hospital, to explore therapeutic gases potential. With over 175 patented inventions currently active, they are stepping up their innovation efforts in the fields of emulsifiers, polymers, and active ingredients.They contribute to therapeutic practices evaluation by performing medico-economic and observational studies on long-term oxygen therapy, ventilation therapy, insulin and apomorphin pumps, CPAP therapy, and other perfusion therapy. Their cost-effective solutions contribute to the sustainability of healthcare systems and improving the patient care pathways.Recently, Air Liquide has commissioned the ever largest hydrogen (H2) underground storage facility in Beaumont, Texas. The storage cavern is proficient enough of holding H2 to up back up a large-scale steam methane reformer (SMR) unit for a month, and is 1,500 metres deep and around 70 metres in diameter. This development will aid in increasing the market value of the company further, making it the undisputed leader of the global medical gas equipment market.Medical Gas Equipment Market: Regional OutlookThe U.S. medical gas equipment market has contributed largely to the markets share, and is expected to lead in the forecast period. Owing to encouraging industry initiatives such as implementation of U.S. FDA Safety and Innovation Act, easier access to healthcare infrastructure, and the growing demand for minimal invasive medical mediations.The Europe medical gas equipment market is projected to beat its own market share and register a remarkable CAGR during the said period. The market players are receiving assistance by Medical Gas Association, European Industrial Gases Association and attractive growth opportunities in emerging regions of Russia and Poland are driving the market growth. However, unpredictable regulatory framework pertaining to medical gas equipment might act as a hindrance to the regional market growth.Medical Gas Equipment Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the prominent players operating in the global medical gas equipment market are Atlas Copco, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Air Liquide, Praxair, Inc., Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corp., The Linde Group, SOL-SpA , Airgas, Inc., Messer Group, and GCE Holding AB.In 2015, the global medical gas equipment market share was dominated by Linde Gas and Air Liquide. Through implementation of strong growth strategies, extensive product portfolio, and swift sales growth achieved through investments in emerging Asian, and Latin American economies, Air Liquide is known to have a strong hold over the market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Pharmacovigilance Market Size will Escalate Rapidly in 2025

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Global Pharmacovigilance Market: SnapshotPharmacovigilance (PV) is a process refereeing to the detection, collection, prevention, and monitoring of negative effects that may occur because of the use of pharmaceutical products and other drugs. PV services cater to a wide range of drug related activities such as discovery of a drug to its commercialization. It also helps with the utilization of tools and software that reviews, classifies data on drugs and pharmaceutical products. There has been a soaring demand for pharmacovigilance services due factors such as rising drug consumption, growing prevalence of chronic diseases, respiratory disorders, and cancer symptoms, among others. In addition to this, a large number of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) has added a substantial burden on healthcare sector leading to the increased demand for pharmacovigilance.The global pharmacovigilance market is expanding at a swiftly. Many leading pharmaceutical and IT companies are strategically collaborating and actively promoting pharmacovigilance software to bolster their market contribution. There are extensive post-market controlling mechanisms set up by multiple government supervisory agencies that concentrates on safety and efficiency of the various pharmaceutical products after they are pitched in the market. The governments have also established centers to enhance the pharmacovigilance services. For instance, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has aimed to assign around 40 pharmacovigilance officials across the country to coordinate with various ADR centers and strengthen reporting and monitoring of ADR activities. Increased mortality rate because of ADRs and rising awareness among patients about the safety and efficiency of the drugs are expected to be the significant driving factors for the growth of the global pharmacovigilance market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Pharmacovigilance Market: OverviewPharmacovigilance (PV) is a scientific process pertaining to the collection, detection, monitoring, and prevention of adverse effects that may arise due to use of drugs and pharmaceutical products.Pharmacovigilance services cater to drug development activities ranging from its discovery to commercialization and consist of tools and software that helps in reviewing, classifying, creating, and other data. PV occupies a critical role in drug regulation system that helps in comprehensive monitoring and evaluation of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Increasing instances of ADR cause an extension of patient morbidity, increase hospitalization fees, and thus pose a significant burden on any responsive healthcare system. These factors stimulate the demand for pharmacovigilance services worldwide and contribute to the expansion of the market. Several pharmaceutical companies prefer collaborating with BPOs and contract research organizations (CROs) for pharmacovigilance services to bring down the cost and augment the operational efficiency.Global Pharmacovigilance Market: TrendsThe global pharmacovigilance market is primarily driven by the rising incidence of ADR, soaring patient awareness regarding safety of drugs, and stringent regulations by various agencies related to drug approvals. Strict guidelines related to clinical trials of new drug therapies and mandatory requirements to keep electronic medical records (EMR) have propelled the growth of the PV market. Initiatives taken by renowned regulatory agencies, such as the FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA), and global organizations such as the WHO have mounted pressures on several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to manufacture safe drugs. This is expected to stimulate the demand for pharmacovigilance.Request TOC of the Report @Furthermore, the rising trend of outsourcing of PV services to BPOs and CROs has resulted in effective drug regulation system. These outsourcing entities offer pharmacovigilance services that have high regulatory compliance, enhanced productivity, and better strategic outcomes, thus boosting the global PV market. However, concerns of patient data safety, rise in web-based sale of drugs, and lack of expertise are the key factors that may impede the growth of the market to some extent. Nevertheless, the rising number of clinical trials, particularly phase 3 and phase 4 clinical trial will unlock abundant opportunities for the market players.Global Pharmacovigilance Market: Market PotentialThe global pharmacovigilance is growing at a rapid pace. Intense post-market monitoring mechanisms set up by various government regulatory agencies increasingly focus on safety and efficacy of pharmaceutical products after they are launched in the market. This has led to a flurry of PV activities and procedures. Various coordination initiatives between national agencies, healthcare providers, and regional pharmacovigilance centers in several countries such as France, China, India, Romania, and Turkey have put the onus on pharmaceutical companies to collect and assess information relating to adverse drug effects. Subsequently, effective measures can be taken to prevent and mitigate the risks.Request Discount of the Report @Furthermore, governments in various countries have created centers to expand PV services. For instance, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) has intended to appoint as many as 40 district product safety pharmacovigilance officials in the country; these officials will coordinate with different ADR centers to strengthen the monitoring and reporting of ADR activities. These initiatives are expected to provide a robust boost to the market across the region.Global Pharmacovigilance Market: Regional OutlookThe pharmacovigilance market in the U.S. held a prominent share in 2016 and the regional market is expected to rise at healthy CAGR during the forecast period. The growth is attributed to the rising mortality rates due to ADR and soaring awareness of patients on safety and efficacy of drugs. Asia Pacific is expected to expand at positive CAGR in the next five years. Growth witnessed in the region will be driven by stringent health care regulations, vast geriatric base, intense government initiatives to set up PV centers, and rising number of clinical trials conducted.Global Pharmacovigilance Market: Competitive LandscapeMajor technology and IT companies are actively launching pharmacovigilance software to strengthen their market shares. Pharmaceutical and life sciences companies are forming strategic collaborations with key contract research organizations (CRO) to expand their market presence in various regions. This has also enabled them to gain a better foothold in major regions by effectively positioning their services to new clients. Major players operating in this market include Accenture, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, ICON, Covance, PAREXEL, Quintiles, Synowlwedge, Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation, and United BioSource.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Plastic Packaging Market Forecasts Healthy Growth by 2025

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Plastic Packaging Market: SnapshotPackaging involves the safe delivery of goods from manufacturers to customers. Plastics have now become an important material in a myriad packaging applications across a wide range of sectors such as healthcare, food and beverages, personal care and cosmetic, and customer goods. Plastics are preferred for packaging as they offer a cleaner, flexible, and is a better appealing packaging form for customers. Moreover, the demand for plastic packaging has risen due to their cost-effectiveness, durability, and high performance properties.Improvements in lifestyle andgrowing urbanization are expected to be some of the primary factors driving the demand for plastic packaging. Because of its flexibility, plastic packaging can be easily used for packing fresh food products as well as medical equipment. A wide range of molding processes for plastics have enabled manufacturers to produce plastic packaging products with impressive aesthetics and protective properties that has led to a steady progress of the plastic packaging market. The ever expanding food and beverages sector has significantly contributed towards the development of the plastic packaging market. However, factors such as different price control measures imposed on raw materials and fluctuating prices of crude oil are likely to hamper the growth of the plastics packaging market.On the other hand, many manufacturers are now concentrating on recyclable or reusable plastics packaging specially for food and beverages packaging. Consistent efforts by administrators and policy makers have broadened the control over plastic packaging in different geographical regions. This has also led to several technological advancements in the global plastics packaging market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Plastic Packaging Market: OverviewThe primary function of packaging comprises the safe delivery of products from the manufacturer to the consumer. Plastics have become viable material choices in myriad packaging applications in a wide range of industries, including food and beverages, healthcare, cosmetic and personal care, and consumer goods. Plastics offer a cleaner, flexible, and more appealing form of packaging, particularly for various foods and beverages. They have soared in popularity because of their high performance features, cost-effectiveness, and durability.Owing to their flexibility, plastics can be safely used for protecting medical equipment as well as fresh foods. A variety of plastic molding processes have led manufacturers to offer plastics packaging products with remarkable aesthetics and barrier properties, leading to robust evolution of the market.Global Plastic Packaging Market: TrendsThe global plastic packaging market is primarily driven by the surge in demand from the expanding food and beverages industry. The rising demand of flexible packaging from the pharmaceutical industry is also expected to boost the global plastic packaging market. Furthermore, changes in lifestyle in emerging nations have spurred the demand for plastic packaging such as sachets, pouches, and containers. The demand for flexible plastic packaging is gaining traction across various regions due to its high tensile strength and barrier protection ability. Recent advancements in materials sciences and manufacturing technology have led to the production of advanced plastic packaging with high tensile strength and remarkable toughness.Request TOC of the Report @However, various price control measures on petrochemical raw materials and the price volatility in crude oil are are likely to impede the growth of the plastics packaging market to an extent. Nevertheless, to overcome this market challenge, manufacturers are opting for several viable alternatives in bioplastics.Global Plastic Packaging Market: Market PotentialAs market interest in plastics packaging sector has intensified over the past few years, companies are aggressively pursuing mergers and acquisitions. The market outlook seems exuberant with several investors recognizing the stability of the packaging industry. Leading players are exploring lucrative avenues in resin-based packaging. They find returns on investment in terms of cost reduction in raw material purchases, sales process consolidation, significant overhead reductions, and other similar competitive benefits. These developments are expected to expand the potential of the plastic packaging market along the forecast period.A large number of deals are motivated by strategic benefits; currently the players are shying away from launching initial public offering to expand their product portfolio owing to the risks involved.Another area which manufacturers are focusing on is recyclable plastics packaging, especially for packaging foods and beverages. Constant efforts by policy makers to broaden the regulations for plastic packaging, especially in Europe and Asia Pacific have resulted in technology advancement in the manufacturing of plastics packaging.Request Discount of the Report @Global Plastic Packaging Market: Regional OutlookAsia Pacific market offers ample opportunities to the manufacturers and vendors of plastics packaging. The tremendous growth in the regional market is propelled by the extensive demand for plastics packaging products from the food and beverages industry. In addition, the significant pace of industrialization in developed and developing countries of Asia Pacific and the trend of flexible packaging gaining popularity among various end-use industries are expected to fuel the regional market.The market has somewhat witnessed a slowdown in the developed nations of North America and Europe. Rising concerns about the disposal of plastics and the alternative methods of packaging that are more environment-friendly have adversely affected the regional market.Global Plastic Packaging Market: Competitive LandscapeLeading players are making mergers and acquisition and investing in advancement in manufacturing processes to launch high-performing plastics packaging products. Major players operating in the global plastic packaging market include Constantia Flexibles International GmbH, Bemis Company, Inc., Huhtamaki Oyj, Mondi Plc, Sealed Air Corporation, Ampac Holdings LLC, Ukrplastic Corporation, Amcor Ltd., Wipak Group, and Sonoco Products Company.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Fibrin Sealant Market Is Expected To Generate Huge Profits by 2018  2023

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Global Fibrin Sealant Market Size, Status and Forecast 2025. The report displays an exhaustive outline of the whole development direction of the worldwide market over the span of the conjecture time frame. Different portions have been contemplated to give the readers an all-encompassing perspective of the whole market situation. The focused scene in thought with the main organizations and the organizations working in the market has been featured and examined upon minutely. Different locales have likewise been clarified where the market is working effectively and the areas where the players may discover lucrative opportunities, later on, have additionally been held in the report.Top Key Players: Baxter, Ethicon, CR BArd, CryoLife, CSL, Bayer, Grifols, Octapharma, Shanghai RAAS, Hualan BiologicalGet Sample Copy of this Report @:To provide a comprehensive overview, an in-depth analysis of the competitive landscape is included as well. The Global Fibrin Sealant Market is quite dynamic, and is vulnerable to the changing consumer preferences and demand. The growth opportunities for the enterprises operating in the market is thus determined by the spending patterns of consumers, which again is affected by local tastes, demographic trends, and the global & regional economic conditions.A detailed evaluation of the competitive landscape of the global market for Fibrin Sealant has also been presented in this market study. Researchers have reviewed the profiles of the leading companies functional in this market in a bid to assess their growth prospects and the key strategies they have adopted for the development of their businesses.Various segments of the Global Fibrin Sealant Market have also been examined in this research study, taking their current and their past performance into consideration, in an effort to find out the growth prospect of each of the segments and of the entire market in general. The research study also thoroughly evaluates the competitive landscape of the worldwide market by evaluating the profiles of the key participants.For enquiry before buying visit:The report concludes with a detailed data about the business operations and financial structures of prime vendors in the market, presenting an overview of the competitive landscape. The prominent trends of the past, as well as the present times among the leading companies, have also been given in the research report, which is expected to prove to be beneficial for companies looking to venture in this marketTable of Content:Global Fibrin Sealant OverviewGlobal Fibrin Sealant Market Competition by ManufacturersGlobal Fibrin Sealant by Type (2017-2022)Global Fibrin Sealant by Application (2017-2022)Global Fibrin Sealant Manufacturers Profiles/AnalysisGlobal Fibrin Sealant Manufacturing Cost AnalysisIndustrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersMarketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersMarket Effect Factors AnalysisGlobal Fibrin Sealant Market Forecast (2017-2022)Research Findings and ConclusionGet Discount on this report:About 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
Automated Breast Ultrasound System Market to Observe Strong Development by 2025

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Global Automated Breast Ultrasound System Market: OverviewAutomated breast ultrasound system (ABUS), a new technology, is the alternative to traditional hand-held ultrasounds for breast screening. Same as traditional ultrasound, the technology uses high-frequency sound waves that are targeted at the breast with the advantage of receiving a 3-D volumetric image of the breast. ABUS examinations require much less time than traditional ultrasound  which can be half the time need for traditional ultrasounds. Moreover, the transducer used in ABUS performs an automatic scan of the breast, thereby reducing operator dependency to a high degree.Global Automated Breast Ultrasound System Market: Key TrendsAcross the world, the increasing incidence of breast cancer is significantly contributing to the growth of the automated breast ultrasound system market. According to the World Cancer Research Fund, the prevalence of breast cancer is 25% higher than other types of cancers in women.Environmental changes and lifestyle changes are increasing the susceptibility to several diseases among women, which includes breast cancer. Chemicals found in plastics, polychlorinated biphenyls, cosmetics, and pesticides contain estrogen properties, which increases the risk of breast cancer. Moreover, escalating unhealthy habits such as drinking and smoking is leading to considerable rise in cancer, fuelling growth of the automated breast ultrasound system market.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Initiatives undertaken by several governments around the world for increasing awareness about breast cancer have resulted in an increased number of women undergoing screening. Not only this, several charity organizations are also engaged in creating awareness for the disease and availability of advanced diagnostics for early detection of the same.Global Automated Breast Ultrasound System Market: Market PotentialAdvances in breast imaging devices have helped doctors diagnose breast cancer at an early stage and more effectively. In this context, Hologic, is a market leader in the manufacture of equipment for breast cancer detection. In the U.S., 62% of the mammography systems used are manufactured by Hologic.Hologics detectors have been significantly important for technological breakthrough in mammography over the last two decades. The first major leap came in the early 2000s when mammography jumped from film to digital.In a next major leap, in 2011, Hologic was the first company to receive FDA approval for the commercial launch of 3-D imaging process called digital tomosynthesis. The technology, which is rapidly becoming an industry standard is replacing single, two dimensional images from conventional mammograms with a multitude of X-ray images that are taken a few millimeters at a time.Request TOC of the Report @Global Automated Breast Ultrasound System Market: Regional OutlookThe global market for automated breast ultrasound system can be broadly segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East and Africa. In North America, the U.S. contributed a significant revenue to the regional market due to high prevalence of breast cancer and favorable government initiatives for the use of advanced diagnostic techniques.Germany accounts for a significant revenue contribution to the Europe ABUS market. As per the Immunological & Oncological Center, the region records almost 70,000 breast cancer cases each year. With the introduction of screening programs and their effective monitoring, clinical cancer registries have been equipped for the early diagnosis and quality care for cancer.In Asia Pacific, the rising awareness for the early detection of breast cancer and technological advancements for improved screening systems is expected to fuel growth of this market.Request Discount of the Report @Global Automated Breast Ultrasound System Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the key companies operating in the global automated breast ultrasound system market are GE Healthcare, Hitachi, Philips Healthcare, Siemens, and SonoCine. Key players in this market are focused on the development of innovative and advanced systems in order to stay competitive in this market.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Research Report and Overview on Biopreservation Market, 2017 - 2025

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Global Biopreservation Market: SnapshotBiopreservation is a process for conserving the tissues, organs and cells along with maintaining their integrity and functionality at different temperatures for a prolonged period of time. The necessary products for biopreservation are cryo bags, tubes, refrigerators, liquid nitrogen tanks, and freezers. These biopreservation equipment have applications in stem cell, DNA, and plasma and tissue research which helps the market to grow steadily. Various researches being carried out in cell therapy and the increasing number of bio banks also encourage market expansion. Currently, the geriatric population is affected with many disorders related to their lifestyle, namely cardiovascular disease, chronic illness, hypertension, and cancer. Biopreservation applications such as drug discovery, regenerative medicines, and bio banking help the consumers or patients during their life span and even at the time of death.The enormous growth in the global biopreservation market is accelerated by the rising healthcare expenditure, increasing trend of conserving cord blood stem cells of newborns, and the growing investments in research and development pertaining to this field. A considerable healthcare spending is expected to drive the gene banks, bio banks and hospitals to focus on biopreservation. High costs of advanced techniques and stability issues such as tissue injury during thawing and freezing have been considered as some of the primary factors restraining the biopreservation market growth. One of the prominent names in the industry, BioLife Solutions has signed a ten years business supply agreement with Bellicum Pharmaceuticals for manufacturing, marketing of proprietary tissue and cell, and various cellular immunotherapies which target solid tumors and blood cancers. The influential regions for the biopreservation market are North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific is expected to offer significant growth opportunities to market players, mostly driven by the demand arising from India and China.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Biopreservation Market: OverviewBiopreservation involves maintaining the functionality and integrity of cells, tissues, and organs outside their natural environment for an extended period of storage at different temperatures. For instance, vaccines save 3 million lives every year in the U.S, however, vaccines worth US$ 20 million are wasted each year due to inadequate storage and improper refrigeration.Biopreservation safeguards the stability, purity, and quality of biospecimens saved in hospitals, biobanks, and gene banks. For instance, preservation of red blood cells (RBCs) is required for the ready availability of safe blood for blood transfusion needs. The biopreservation of RBCs for clinical purposes can be divided on the basis of techniques used to attain biologic stability and safeguard a viable state after extended storage times.Global Biopreservation Market: Key TrendsThe major factors driving the global biopreservation market include increasing R&D expenditure, increasing number of sperm and egg banks, increasing demand for preserving the stem cells of newborns, and rising adoption of regenerative medicine.Request TOC of the Report @Across the world, the increasing healthcare expenditure for health and well-being will stimulate the growth of the biopreservation market. This is because healthcare expenditure accounts for a significant part of the developmental budget of most countries. According to data from the World Bank, public healthcare spending is expected to rise at a substantially high rate, which along with a substantial healthcare spending will be an important driver for gene banks, hospitals, and biobanks, which are the key end-users of biopreservation market.A large population afflicted with chronic disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and hypertension as well as lifestyle diseases will bolster the markets growth. The increasing public and private spending on, medical goods and services, rising disposable income, increasing demand for biobanking services for the preservation of cells, tissues, and organs, and rising disposable income are also expected to further enhance the growth of the global biopreservation market.Global Biopreservation Market: Market PotentialIn a recent development in the biopreservation industry, BioLife Solutions, a leading name in developing, manufacturing, and marketing of proprietary cell and tissue has entered into a ten year business supply agreement with Bellicum Pharmaceuticals. The latter is a leading name in the development of cellular immunotherapies for cancers and inherited blood disorders. On account of this supply agreement, BioLifes CryoStor cell freeze media is incorporated into Bellicums production process for various cellular immunotherapies that targets blood cancers and solid tumors.Request Discount of the Report @In another industry development, BioLife Solutions has entered into a partnership with transportation firm MNX and expects heightened demand for its biologistics services with the entry of more cell therapies into the clinic.Global Biopreservation Market: Regional OutlookThe global biopreservation market can be analyzed with respect to the regional segments of North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. In North America, the U.S. accounts for almost half the revenue of the region. This is due to the increasing demand for detection of chronic diseases, government stipulations for the ethical usage of biological samples, and introduction of newer of biopreservation methodologies.Asia Pacific biopreservation market, driven by India and China will display a sustainable growth over the next couple of yearsGlobal Biopreservation Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the key companies operating in the global Biopreservation market include Thermo Fischer Scientific Inc., VWR Corporation, Lifeline Scientific Inc., BioCision LLC, Custom Biogenic Systems Inc., Princeton Cryotech Inc., Sigma-Aldrich Corporation, Biolife Solutions Inc., Cesca Therapeutics Inc., Core Dynamics Ltd., and So-Low Environmental Equipment Co. Inc.Top companies in the market are focused on mergers and acquisitions, practicing effective services, and develop new products to stay competitive in the biopreservation market. Expanding geographical reach and developing a broad product portfolio with respect to refrigerators, freezers, and consumables is also leading to the increased market share of some of the top players.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Releases New Report on the Blood Preparation Market Forecast 2017-2025

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Global Blood Preparation Market: SnapshotThe process for preparing blood components is the centrifugation of one unit of the whole blood. The whole blood comprises of colloids, cells and crystalloids which can be differentiated into different blood components such as red blood cell, white blood cell, platelet, plasma, and precipitate. For therapeutic efficacy, these different blood components need different temperature requirements and storage conditions. The blood preparation market is developing due to the increasing use of leucocyte reduced RBCs, platelet concentrate, packed red cells, cryoprecipitate and the whole blood components. Major applications involves in blood preparation are renal impairment, pulmonary embolism, thrombocytosis, angina blood vessel complications which helps the market to grow rapidly. Increasing clinical research studies in hematology and emergence of various therapeutic agents help to treat the patients and improves the quality of life.The growing demand for blood transfusion, highly needed blood during surgical procedures and increasing number of blood disorders to make up for extreme blood loss are stimulating the growth in blood preparation market. One of the primary factors which can obstruct the market growth is the high risk of blood transmission disease such as viral hemorrhagic fever, Hepatitis B and HIV. Nevertheless, the opportunities present in the market will be highly extended by the development of advanced technologies for separating the blood components. Many companies are involved in the development of newer high-speed technologies and instruments for easily preparing blood components. North America, Europe and Asia pacific are the influential region for the growth of the blood preparation market. Favorable reimbursement policies for blood components has been noticed in those regions. In Asia Pacific, India and China provides support for the development of advanced technology for the blood preparation process.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Global Blood Preparation Market: OverviewBlood components preparation involves the centrifugation of one unit of whole blood. Developed in 1960, the process is carried out by a specialized equipment known as a refrigerated centrifuge. Whole blood, which is a mixture of cellular elements, crystalloids, and colloids of varying relative density, size, and sediment rate can be separated by the application of centrifugal force.According to the World Health Organization, every year almost 108 million units of donated blood is collected across the world. The whole blood needs to be separated into components that can be used for a different indication.Global Blood Preparation Market: Key TrendsThe rising demand for blood transfusion in the casualty department of hospitals is steering the growth of the global market for blood preparation. The increasing number of blood disorders and the increasing need for blood during surgical procedures and casualties to make up for blood loss are bolstering the growth of this market. According to the statistics of Center for Disease Prevention and Control, in the U.S., almost 1-2 per 1,000 individuals suffer from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) each year. To address this, the National Institutes of Health and other accredited bodies are running programs in order to raise awareness about the complications that these conditions can lead to.Request TOC of the Report @However, the growth of the blood preparation market is impeded due to a single major restraint. Blood transfusion involves a high risk of transmission of diseases such as HIV, viral hemorrhagic fever, and Hepatitis B, thereby limiting its use for serious cases. Nevertheless, the development of newer high-speed technology for separating blood components will extend opportunities to this market.Global Blood Preparation Market: Market PotentialWith the development of high-speed technology for separating blood components, the blood preparation market is expected to reach new heights. Companies are engaged in the development of advanced instruments for the easy preparation of blood components. For example, Compomat G4 introduced by Fresenius Kabi can separate large volumes of blood at enhanced speed. Moreover, the rising demand for source plasma and the demand for specific blood constituents such as packed red blood cells will further present growth opportunities to this market.The use of digital technology is another trend coming to the fore in blood preparation practices. In a recent industry development, BloodCenter of Wisconsin has introduced the utilization of radio frequency identification technology (RFID) for maintaining blood utilization and inventory records.Request Discount of the Report @Global Blood Preparation Market: Regional OverviewThe global market for blood preparation can be broadly segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. North America is a significant regional market due to an ultra-modern healthcare infrastructure and use of hi-technology for treatment purposes. In the U.S., the entire process of blood transfusion right from collection to preparation to storage is controlled by the FDA. Various other federal agencies are striving for health insurance portability standards to come into effect for favorable reimbursements for blood components.However, Asia Pacific is expected to display robust growth in the blood preparation market in the near future. Several governments, especially in China and India are extending support for technological advancements for blood preparation processes. The continual growth of the healthcare sector in Australia and Japan will also support the growth of the Asia Pacific market for blood preparation.Global Blood Preparation Market: Competitive AnalysisSome of the leading players in the global market for blood preparation include Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Celgene, Bristol-Myers, Shandong East Chemical, GlaxoSmithKline, Leo Pharma, Sanofi-Aventis, and Baxter Healthcare.Major players in this marker are investing heavily in research and development for the development of newer, effective, and cost-efficient drugs for several blood-related disorders. These companies are engaged in introducing new technologies and hiring expert personnel for the development of newer pipeline drugs to cater to the needs of the ever-increasing patient population.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
FPSO Market to Observe Strong Development by 2025

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Global FPSO Market : SnapshotA floating production, storage, and offloading unit is considered as a vessel that is being used widely by a large number of gas and offshore oil industries. These vessels are used for the purpose of manufacturing and processing of hydrocarbons and further for the storage of oil. The use of FPSO vessels helps in storing oil and transporting it through a pipeline, which saves time as well as resources of the oil and gas companies. As a result, the global FPSO market is anticipated to witness a robust growth in the next few years.A significant rise in the number of exploration activities across the globe is one of the vital factors projected to fuel the growth of the global FPSO market in the next few years. The rising focus of key players on research and development activities and new product development are predicted to generate promising opportunities in the coming years. In addition, the rising number of oil and gas exploration sites in order to cater the rising demand from consumers are projected to accelerate the growth of the global FPSO market in the near future.Request Sample Copy of the Report @Among the key regions, the developed economies, including Europe and North America are expected to experience a steady growth in the next few years. At present, the global FPSO market is growing at a rapid pace and is likely to witness a high level of competition in the coming years. The increasing number of mergers and acquisition is expected to enhance the competitive scenario of the FPSO market in the near future, encouraging the expansion of product portfolio. As a result, the overall market is likely to supplement the development of the market in the near future.Global FPSO Market: OverviewA floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) unit could be a newly constructed vessel or converted oil tanker which is equipped with oil and gas processing and production facilities. An FPSO is able to carry out all the activities for which the term stands for. It is a commodious vessel which resembles the shape of a ship and finds extensive usage in extracting raw hydrocarbons from sea beds. With processing facilities provided onboard, it can also transport processed oil and gas to desired onshore locations using a shuttle tanker.With more number of countries producing their own FPSOs and higher sales achieved by manufacturers, the world FPSO market is anticipated to rack up a staggering amount of revenue until the end of the forecast period.Request TOC of the Report @Global FPSO Market: Key TrendsThe substantial degree of growth witnessed in the FPSO market is predicted to be augmented by the soaring demand for enhanced productivity and controlled capital spending. With a view to achieve this, companies are looking to convert tank vessels into FPSOs. The very nature of FPSO to be able to operate at any depth, relocate to any location, and offer high return on investment is deemed to be a strong reason for its incrementing demand.The redeployed FPSO market is prognosticated to rise above freshly converted or newly built vessels with the capability to minimize project execution timeline. Suitable for operation in medium and small offshore fields, converted FPSO poses a lesser capital cost compared to new built products.The rising exploration activities in ultra-deep offshore fields led by maturing onshore oil and gas reserves are expected to provide an aggressive boost to the global FPSO market. More opportunities are envisaged to take birth as the need to counter difficult conditions in ultra-deep and deep sea reserves surges the demand for integrated compact systems.Request Discount of the Report @Global FPSO Market: Market PotentialIran is all set to install its first ever FPSO named FPSO Cyrus near South Pars in the Persian Gulf. The vessel is expected to employ pipelines to draw hydrocarbons from subsea wells. On an average, the Iranian FPSO holds the capacity to extract 30,000 barrels per day in the first production phase, which could be increased to a whopping 55,000 to 60,000 barrels per day in the second production phase.On similar lines, Keppel Offshore & Marine will be delivering its first FPSO unit named John Agyekum Kufuor to Yinson Production (West Africa) Pte. Ltd. in 2017. The vessel will be engaged by ENI Ghana Exploration & Production Limited for oil and gas processing at the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) positioned in Offshore Ghana. The unit is studied to boast a 58,000 barrels per day processing capacity and 1.7 million barrel storage capacity. With an approximate 15,000 ton topside weight, it has the potential to be moored in a standard 1,000 meter water depth.Global FPSO Market: Regional OutlookWith ample of support furnished by the government of Brazil, the country is predicted to stand out as a chief FPSO market in the South America region. The prominence of the Brazilian market could also be accredited to the elevating number of oil and gas activities. The oil field discoveries in deep water and latest offshore exploration and production developments of East Africa and South America are envisaged to help the regions register growth at a significant rate.However, regions such as Europe and North America of the FPSO market are foretold to grow at a stagnant rate but secure a valuable share on account of their mature oil and gas reserves.In order to curb its dependence on imports of energy resources, China is forecasted to offer profit-making opportunities for vendors in the FPSO market. Besides this, the development of offloading technologies, production advancement, surging area of ultra-deep and deep sea reserves, and maturing shallow water and inland oil and gas fields are envisioned to help China take precedence in the global market.Global FPSO Market: Competitive LandscapeWith mergers and acquisitions and fast building of product portfolio, key players in the international FPSO market are foreseen to take charge of a leading share. Some of the tough competitors in the global market are Sembcorp Marine Ltd., COSCO Shipyard Group Co. Ltd., PetroleoBrasileiro S.A., MODEC, Inc., TOTAL S.A., SBM Offshore N.V., and Samsung Heavy Industries Ltd.About TMR ResearchTMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.Our savvy custom-built reports span a gamut of industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals and metals, food and beverages, and technology and media, among others. With actionable insights uncovered through in-depth research of the market, we try to bring about game-changing success for our clients.Contact:TMR Research,3739 Balboa St # 1097,San Francisco, CA 94121United StatesTel: +1-415-520-1050Email: sales@tmrresearch.com
Europe Ambulatory Surgical & Emergency Center Services Market Poised to Reach US$ 42.8 Billion by 2020

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Transparency Market Research (TMR) has recently published a research study on the market for europe ambulatory surgical and emergency center services market, estimating it to expand at a healthy CAGR of 13.0% during the period from 2014 to 2020 and reach a market value of US$42.8 bn by the end of the forecast period. The market stood at US$18.5 bn in 2013.The market report, titled Europe Ambulatory Surgical & Emergency Center Services Market: - Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2020, states that the rising geriatric population in Europe, resulting in increasing demand for regular medical assistance for hernia, cataract, and other age-related diseases, is the key factor driving this market. Ambulatory surgical services are also gaining popularity among patients on account of their cost-efficiency, supporting the markets growth to a significant extent.Report Overview @The Europe market for ambulatory surgical and emergency center services has been analyzed on the basis of the type of surgical procedures in this research study. The markets for gastrointestinal surgeries, ophthalmological surgeries, orthopedics surgeries, dermatology surgeries, ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeries, urological surgeries, obstetrics surgeries, vascular surgeries, general surgical procedures, pulmonary surgeries, and pain management are the key segments of this market.Among these, the orthopedic surgeries segment has been dominating the ambulatory surgical and emergency center services market in Europe. The high cost of orthopedic surgeries and increasing incidence of arthroscopic procedures have been stimulating the markets growth significantly. However, the ophthalmological surgeries segment is likely to register the highest growth over the forecast period. The increasing patient pool suffering from cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye-related conditions are the key driving forces behind the exceptional growth of this segment, notes the research study.Request for Sample Copy of Report @According to the research report, the Europe market for ambulatory surgical and emergency center services is spread across the U.K., Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and the Rest of Europe. The U.K. dominated the overall market in 2013.Various initiatives by the U.K. government as well as several medical bodies promoting ambulatory services has boosted the ambulatory surgical and emergency center services market in the nation. However, the Rest of Europe market is projected occupy the leading position by the end of the forecast period, owing to the soaring number of ambulatory surgeries performed in this region, says the research study.Purchase this Report @Terveystalo Healthcare Oyj, Symbion Inc., Surgery Partners, Nueterra, Medical Facilities Corp., LCA - Vision Inc., IntegraMed America Inc., Healthway Medical Group, Eifelhohen Klinik AG, Community Health Systems Inc., and AmSurg Corp. are the major companies operating in the ambulatory and emergency center services market in Europe, states the market report.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.Each TMR syndicated research report covers a different sector - such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, energy, food & beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, TMRs syndicated reports strive to provide clients to serve their overall research requirement.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Anti-counterfeit Pharmaceutical Packaging Market Poised to Register 12.1% CAGR through 2016-2026

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Future Market Insights (FMI) has published a new report, which is titled, Anti-counterfeit Pharmaceutical Packaging Market: APEJ Regional Market to Register Healthy CAGR During the Forecast Period: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2016-2026. The widespread counterfeiting of medicines has forced the pharma manufacturers to opt for secure solutions. One of the preventive measures these companies use is anti-counterfeiting packaging. It is estimated that globally around 10 to 15% medicines are counterfeited. Counterfeited medicines are fake medicines. Such medicines may be composed of the wrong ingredients or may be contaminated. This puts the global pharmaceuticals market in danger.Fake medicines affect the pharma company's reputation along with the patients. Thus, an increasing number of pharmaceutical companies are using anti-counterfeit solutions with the packaging of their products. Among the various packaging options, water, hologram and bar code are conventional methods. New and innovative options like integrating authentic overt features with covert elements, forensics and track and trace elements are being adopted by the pharmaceutical companies, thanks to the advancement in technology.Request For Report Samlple@3M track and Trace solutions are expected to lead the entire market by 4.5% share and are expected to leave the other contenders behind. Avery Dennison and Sicpa Holdings are expected to give fierce competition to the market leaders during the projected period. This widespread and fragmented market is filled with competitors who offer anti counterfeit pharmaceutical packaging. In the current scenario these targeted companies are predicted to cover 12% of the entire market share and the rest will contribute to 82% of the global Anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical packaging market.Region wise, North America is expected to dominate in the global anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical packaging market during the forecast period. Even in 2015, North America led the market for anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical packaging by accounting for 34% of the total share of the global market in terms of revenue. North America being the largest pharmaceuticals and biologics research hub, exports bio pharma products across all geographies. Another factor that will boost growth of the pharmaceutical sector in the region is the significant investment of companies in R&D.The fastest growing market over the forecast period is predicted to be Latin America with a CAGR of 12.7% between 2016 and 2026. In MEA region Africa's changing economic profile is influencing local as well as international players to expand their markets in the region. In the Middle East and Africa, the anti counterfeit pharmaceutical market is estimated to expand at a fast paced CAGR of 11.5% by 2026 due to the growth in the economy of the region.Request For Report Table of Contents (TOC):The anti counterfeit pharmaceutical packaging is segmented on the basis of technology into security inks and coatings, security printing and graphics, RFID (active tags, semi active tags, passive tags) hologram, mass encoding (Barcode application, digital mass serializatio) and others (Electromagnetic, Surveillance technologies). The value of RFID technology segment in the global anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical packaging market was US$331.8 mn in 2015 and is expected to come close to a market value of US$1,146.8 mn by 2026, expanding at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2016 to 2026. The segment is anticipated to create an incremental $ opportunity of US$ 786.8 Mn between 2016 and 2026.The global anti-counterfeit pharmaceutical packaging market is segmented on the basis of usage feature as convert features, forensic markers, divert features, tamper evidence, and track & trace technologies. The track & trace technologies segment is predicted to be worth US$ 2,742.5 mn by 2026 and expand at a CAGR of 13.1% over the forecast period. The track and trace segment is estimated to account for 40% by 2026.ABOUT US:Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services, which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights, an aerial view of the competitive framework, and future market trends.Contact Us:Mr. Sudip SahaFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Technological Advancements of Internet Protocol (IP) TV Market in Global Industry : Research and Forecast 2017-2022

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Internet Protocol (IP) TV Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022" to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies the global Internet Protocol (IP) TV market, analyzes and researches the Internet Protocol (IP) TV development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeAT&TChina TelecomDeutsche TelekomOrangeVerizonBritish TelecomTo Get Sample Copy of Report visit @CenturyLinkEtisalatFrontier CommunicationsIliadNeuf CegetelNTT CommunicationsPCCWUTStarcomMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoWired TransmissionWireless TransmissionMarket segment by Application, Internet Protocol (IP) TV can be split intoResidential CustomersEnterprisesOthersMake an Enquiry about TOC @Table of ContentsGlobal Internet Protocol (IP) TV Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Internet Protocol (IP) TV1.1 Internet Protocol (IP) TV Market Overview1.1.1 Internet Protocol (IP) TV Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Internet Protocol (IP) TV Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China2 Global Internet Protocol (IP) TV Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Internet Protocol (IP) TV Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 AT&T3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Internet Protocol (IP) TV Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent DevelopmentsResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.ResearchMozMr. Nachiket Ghumare,Tel: +1-518-621-2074USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948Email: sales@researchmoz.us
Energy Intelligence Solution Market Predicted to Rise at a Lucrative CAGR throughout 2025

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Energy intelligence solutions provide an intelligent way to deal with energy crisis. Energy intelligence solutions includes tools and services which collect and analyse the energy data. Energy intelligence solutions can be considered as advanced form of energy management solutions. As compared to energy management software, it provide two fold benefits; first it is not only a visualization tool for meter data but also provides intelligence to reduce energy waste. Second, it offers advanced domain knowledge to utilize collected energy data for energy management. Energy intelligence solutions provides support for open standards, measure and verify results, insights and analysis of recorded data, accessibility and portability, control and automation, an integrated platform. Energy intelligence solutions finds applications in food & beverages industry, automotive industry, metal manufacturing industry, oil & gas industry, petrochemicals, electronics & telecommunication industry and utilities etc.A sample of this report is available upon request @Global Energy Intelligence Solution Market SegmentationGlobal energy intelligence solution market is segmented on the basis of service type, deployment model and end-user. On the basis of service type, global energy intelligence solution market is segmented into  system integration service, consulting services, support & maintenance service. Energy intelligence solutions are segmented into two ways by which it can be deployed  on-premise deployment and cloud based deployment. Energy intelligence solution provide assistance for energy saving along different industry verticals. Various end-users of energy intelligence solutions are residential buildings, offices & commercial areas, manufacturing units and others.Global Energy Intelligence Solution Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global energy intelligence solution market is divided into seven geographical regions  North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Middle East & Africa. The global energy intelligence solution market is expected to reflect a double-digit CAGR over the forecast period. At present, North America is dominating the market followed by Western Europe. Among all the regions, APEJ is expected to create huge market opportunity for major players operating in the energy intelligence solution market during the forecast period. Latin America and Middle East & Africa regions are reflecting comparatively slow growth during forecast period.Global Energy Intelligence Solution Market: DriversIncreasing energy consumption and rising need for advanced energy management solutions for residential, commercial and industrial areas are the prominent factors responsible for evolution of energy intelligence solutions. Organizations around the world are focusing on significantly reducing their energy consumption bills through efficient utilization of energy. Energy intensive applications such as power & energy, industrial manufacturing and telecommunication need to control their CO2 emissions in order to comply with existing legislations and standards. Energy intelligence solutions not only provide competitive advantage to business but also extends its responsibility towards sustainable economic development. Aforementioned are some of the factors that are expected to drive the global energy intelligence solution market growth in near future.On other hand, long period on return of investment, lack of knowledge and difficulties in handling technical issues related to energy intelligence solutions limits its full-fledged market growth. Tremendous opportunities lies in developing standardized foundation for deploying and leveraging energy intelligence solutions.To view TOC of this report is available upon request @Global Energy Intelligence Solution Market: Key PlayersThe energy intelligence solution market is highly competitive and diversified market, characterised by active presence of many big players. EnerNOC, Inc., Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric, and GridPoint, Inc are some of the major players in global energy intelligence solution market.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact Us:Mr. Sudip SahaFuture Market Insights616 Corporate Way,Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage,New York 10989,United StatesTel: +1-347-918-3531Fax: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite:
Global Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) Market 2018 -Fonterra, Westland, Nutrinnovate Australia

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The statistical surveying information incorporated into the Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) report is the aftereffect of significant essential and optional research exercises. The report fragments the worldwide market for Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) based on makers, item compose, applications, and districts. In this report, each fragment is contemplated completely and measurements are introduced in detail. The report offers an exact outline of the worldwide Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) advertise covering key factors, for example, drivers and restrictions affecting the development.Get the sample report :Top manufacturers of Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) Market Report :FonterraWestlandNutrinnovate AustraliaTaturaDarigold IngredientsIdaho MilkErie FoodsGrasslandGlanbiaKerryEnka SutParasThe worldwide Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) advertise report is the result of the intensive investigation of the market, which will help showcase players to manage and develop exponentially in the gigantically aggressive market.Enquire before buying Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) Market report :The Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) report is set up after essential and auxiliary levels of research exercises. Essential research speaks to the heft of research endeavors, supplemented by a broad optional research. Auxiliary research incorporates investigation of late exchange, web sources, and factual information from government associations, exchange affiliations and offices. This has ended up being the most dependable, powerful and fruitful approach for getting exact Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) advertise information, catching industry member's bits of knowledge and perceiving business openings. The write about the worldwide Milk Protein Concentrate (MPC) showcase likewise talks about a portion of the main players display in the market, winning rivalry, key procedures received and their current advancements.About UsApex Market Reports offers elevating market research globally. We have collection of various syndicated reports of different categories. Apex Market Reports provides you to best services, weather youre searching for new trends in market or competitive scenario in emerging market.Customers can buys different reports across various categories such as Chemical and Material, Biotechnology, Healthcare, Food and beverages, Automobile and various sectors. Our Website offers safe and secure online ordering experience, convenient payment options.Contact UsFrank ValadezCorporate Sales Specialist155 North Wacker Drive, Suite 4250Chicago, IL 60606Phone: +17739042683Email id - sales@apexmarketreports.comWebsite -
X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth and Forecast Report To 2018

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ReportBazzar has released its latest research-based report entitled X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Market. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is a surface-sensitive quantitative spectroscopic technique that measures the elemental composition at the parts per thousand range, empirical formula, chemical state and electronic state of the elements that exist within a material. XPS spectra are obtained by irradiating a material with a beam of X-rays while simultaneously measuring the kinetic energy and number of electrons that escape from the top 0 to 10 nm of the material being analyzed. XPS requires high vacuum or ultra-high vacuum (conditions, although a current area of development is ambient-pressure XPS, in which samples are analyzed at pressures of a few tens of millibar. XPS can be used to analyze the surface chemistry of a material in its as-received state, or after some treatment, for example: fracturing, cutting or scraping in air or UHV to expose the bulk chemistry, ion beam etching to clean off some or all of the surface contamination (with mild ion etching) or to intentionally expose deeper layers of the sample (with more extensive ion etching) in depth-profiling XPS, exposure to heat to study the changes due to heating, exposure to reactive gases or solutions, exposure to ion beam implant, exposure to ultraviolet light.For Free Sample Copy, click here:This report describes the development of the industry by upstream & downstream, industry overall and development, key companies, as well as type segment & market application and so on, and makes a scientific prediction for the development industry prospects on the basis of analysis, finally, analyzes opportunities for investment in the industry at the end of the report.Information & Communication Technology industryThe information and communication technology market nowadays is growing in double digit. We deliver both syndicated and consulting reports for ICT market according to client needs and industry needs. We mainly focus on different new technologies, smart markets, mobile applications, telecommunications, software, middleware, audio-visual systems and storage.A holistic report covers exhaustive information obtained from reliable industrial sources and through proven research methodologies. The report goes through both secondary and primary survey. The base year taken for the report is 2015 and 2016, and a forecast is done from 2018 to 2022.The data thus obtained is then combined with relevant tables and graphs to support the information revealed.The following points are covered in the report: Market segmentation Penetration & Growth Mapping Market Trends Market Driver Analysis Market Restraint Analysis Growth opportunities Porters Analysis SWOT AnalysisApplication Insights:Various competent analytical tools have been used to offer a comprehensive assessment of the market. The report comprises of each aspect of the global market for X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). It starts with the basic information and then advances to the market segmentation based on different criteria such as technology, industry areas and regions in general. A detailed analysis is given on the areas of industries it is used and basically how the technology is helping the particular industry or driving the market growth of that particular industry.Regional Insights:Major regions, countries, and sub-segments have been analyzed for providing the better understanding of the market scope worldwide. The regions taken into consideration are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa and Central & South America. The regional markets for the X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) market are analyzed by evaluating the demand, and supply, the assembly of the products, how it is getting connected with the human interface as well as the historical performance of the market in the given region.Competitive Insights:The report also provides insights on the competitive landscape of the global X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) industry with the leading players profiled in the report. Company profiles are purely tentative in nature and we can profile companies according to your interest at free cost. The company overview, trends, tactics, merger & acquisitions, business strategies, financial metrics of the major participants operating in the global X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) market have been reviewed in this study.To view the table of contents and know more details please visit:Some Points Of Table Of Content:Part 1 Industry Overview1.1 X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Industry1.1.1 Definition1.1.2 Industry Trend1.2 Industry Chain1.2.1 Upstream1.2.2 Technology1.2.3 Cost Structure1.2.4 Consumer Preference1.2.2 DownstreamPart 2 Industry Overall2.1 Industry History2.2 Development Prospect2.3 Competition Structure2.4 Relevant Policy2.5 Trade OverviewPart 3 X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) Market by Product3.1 Products List of Major Companies3.2 Market Size3.3 Market Forecast4 Key Companies List4.1 Kratos Analytical (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.1.1 Company Overview4.1.2 Products and Services4.1.3 Business Analysis4.2 ThermoFisher Scientific (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.2.1 Company Overview4.2.2 Products and Services4.2.3 Business Analysis4.3 ULVAC (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.3.1 Company Overview4.3.2 Products and Services4.3.3 Business Analysis4.4 Scienta Omicron (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.4.1 Company Overview4.4.2 Products and Services4.4.3 Business Analysis4.5 ReVera Incorporated (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.5.1 Company Overview4.5.2 Products and Services4.5.3 Business Analysis4.6 ReVera Incorporated (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.6.1 Company Overview4.6.2 Products and Services4.6.3 Business Analysis4.7 VSW (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.7.1 Company Overview4.7.2 Products and Services4.7.3 Business Analysis4.8 STAIB Instruments (Company Overview, Sales Data etc.)4.8.1 Company Overview4.8.2 Products and Services4.8.3 Business AnalysisPart 5 Market Competition5.1 Companies Competition5.2 Industry Competition Structure Analysis5.2.1 Rivalry5.2.2 Threat of New Entrants5.2.3 Substitutes5.2.4 Bargaining Power of Suppliers5.2.5 Bargaining Power of BuyersPart 6 Market Demand by Segment6.1 Demand Situation6.1.1 Industry Application Status6.1.2 Industry SWOT Analysis6.1.2.1 Strengths6.1.2.2 Weaknesses6.1.2.3 Opportunities6.1.2.4 Threats6.2 Major Customer Survey6.3 Demand ForecastPart 7 Region Operation7.1 Regional Market7.2 Production and Sales by Region7.2.1 Production7.2.2 Sales7.2.3 Trade7.3 Regional ForecastPart 8 Market Investment8.1 Market Features8.1.1 Product Features8.1.2 Price Features8.1.3 Channel FeaturesCheck Discount:About Us:Reportbazzar.com is your trusted source for the most inclusive and informative assortment of market research reports designed to empower you with the latest in industry information that translates to time and cost savings for your business. We not only help you give wing to your latent business ideas but also facilitate you in taking the best informed and strategic decisions that guarantee success in your most promising business endeavors. Our intelligence database comprises of vast arrays of strategically analyzed and high-level market research reports that encompass all major industries worldwide. All the specialized research reports available at Reportbazzar.com are tailor-made to suit your every business need, no matter how diverse or demanding it is.Contact Us:ReportBazzar30 Wall Street, 8th floor,New York, NY 10005.United States.US: +1 (212) 389-6363India: +91 20 66528525
Global Adhesives & Sealants Market By Large Player | Henkel, 3M, H.B. Fuller and ITW

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Global Adhesives & Sealants Market By Large Player | Henkel, 3M, H.B. Fuller and ITW" to its huge collection of research reports.Global Adhesives & Sealants MarketAdhesive is a non-metallic material which is able to join two substrates using adhesion mechanism which is developed between the adhesive and substrate and cohesive mechanism which is developed within the adhesive itself. Sealant is a substance used to block the passage of fluids through the surface or joints or openings in materials. The main difference between adhesives and sealants is that sealants typically have lower strength and higher elongation than do adhesives.The adhesives and sealants market is quite fragmented. The competition in this industry is high and mainly on the basis of quality, reliability, technology, novelty, durability and broad spectrum usage of adhesives and sealants. Product innovation and product performance play a major role in the defining the competition in the global adhesives and sealants industry.The key factors driving the growth of global adhesives and sealants market are accelerating economic growth, growth in urbanization, increase in global construction spending, growing automobile production and growing demand for thermal and noise insulation. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry are new developments in adhesives, trend of eco-friendly adhesives, adhesive end market performance trends and strong opportunity in emerging economies. However, the expansion of global adhesives and sealants market is hindered by negative effect of fluctuating raw material prices and strict regulation on volatile organic chemical.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The report Global Adhesives & Sealants Market: Industry Analysis and Outlook (2017-2021) provides an in-depth analysis of the market on a global scale. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are being presented in this report. The industry comprises few large players such as Henkel, 3M, H.B. Fuller and ITW. All these companies have been profiled in the present report highlighting their key financials and business strategies for growth.Table of Content1. Introduction1.1 Adhesives and Sealants: An Introduction1.2 Application of Adhesives and Sealants1.3 Types of Adhesives/Sealants by Reactive Nature1.4 Types of Adhesives by Technology1.5 Curing of Adhesives and Sealants1.6 Value Chain Analysis2. Global Adhesives & Sealants Market Analysis2.1 Global Adhesives & Sealants Market by Value2.2 Global Adhesives & Sealants Market Forecast by Value2.3 Global Adhesives & Sealants Market by Volume2.4 Global Adhesives & Sealants Market Forecast by Volume2.5 Global Adhesives & Sealants Market by Region2.6 Global Adhesives & Sealants Sales by End Markets2.7 Global Adhesives Market Forecast by Value2.8 Global Sealants Market Forecast by Value2.9 Global Sealants Market by Application Areas2.10 Global Sealants Market by RegionBrowse TOC @3. Regional Adhesives & Sealants Market Analysis3.1 North America3.1.1 North America Adhesives & Sealants Market by Value3.1.2 North America Adhesives Market by Value3.1.3 North America Adhesives Market Forecast by Value3.1.4 North America Adhesives Market by Volume3.1.5 North America Adhesives Market Forecast by Volume3.1.6 North America Sealants Market by ValueAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
MoFALD to resume controversial multibillion CISP and CDP programme

Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) has decided to resume all the projects under the Constituency Infrastructure Special Programme (CISP) and Constituency Development Programme (CDP) that were halted after the directives from the Election Commission in October, last year.
Kanban Software 2017 Global Industry Key Players - Workfront , Smartsheet , Sciforma , Wrike , One2Team , KPI Fire Market Analysis And Forecast To 2022

Global Kanban Software Market

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Global Kanban Software MarketThis report studies the global Kanban Software market, analyzes and researches the Kanban Software development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeWorkfrontSmartsheetSciformaWrikeOne2TeamKPI FireEasy ProjectsTargetprocessSmartCoreAsanaTrelloJIRAmonday.comAha!Kanban ToolGitLabRequest a Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoCloud basedOn premiseMarket segment by Application, Kanban Software can be split intoLarge EnterpriseSMBTo enquire about this report visit @Table of Contents-Key Points CoveredGlobal Kanban Software Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Kanban Software1.1 Kanban Software Market Overview1.1.1 Kanban Software Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Kanban Software Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Kanban Software Market by Type1.3.1 Cloud based1.3.2 On premise1.4 Kanban Software Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Large Enterprise1.4.2 SMB2 Global Kanban Software Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Kanban Software Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Workfront3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Smartsheet3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Sciforma3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Wrike3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 One2Team3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 KPI Fire3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Easy Projects3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 Targetprocess3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 SmartCore3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Asana3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Kanban Software Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Trello3.12 JIRA3.13 monday.com3.14 Aha!3.15 Kanban Tool3.16 GitLabContinued..Buy Report@Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt LtdOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, India
Clinical Trails On Dialysis Market: Global Industry Analysis & Outlook, 2017 - 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Clinical Trails On Dialysis Market: Global Industry Analysis & Outlook, 2017 - 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.Dialysis is a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working properly. It often involves diverting blood to a machine to be cleaned. It is the most widely preferred method for treating ESRD or chronic renal failure which signifies the irreparable loss of renal function. There are two types of dialysis: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.Hemodialysis removes wastes and water by circulating blood outside the body through an external filter, called a dialyzer and in peritoneal dialysis, wastes and water is removed from the blood inside the body using the peritoneum as a natural semipermeable membrane. End stage renal disease (ESRD) is the last stage of chronic kidney disease. When CKD, PKD or other kidney diseases develop into ESRD, dialysis or a kidney transplant is necessary to live.The report Global Dialysis Market provides an in-depth analysis of the global market along with a detailed study of major regional markets. The major trends, growth drivers as well as issues being faced by the industry are being presented in this report. The three major players in the industry, Baxter International Inc., Fresenius Medical Care and DaVita Inc. Company are being profiled.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @The key factors driving the growth of dialysis market are growing ageing population, increasing diabetic population, accelerating economic growth and increasing healthcare expenditure. Some of the noteworthy trends and developments of this industry are higher life expectancy of ESRD patients, rising demand for home PD treatment and huge growth potential in emerging markets. However, the expansion of the market is hindered by high treatment costs and stringent regulations.Table of Content1. Market Overview1.1 Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD)1.2 End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)1.3 Advantages and Disadvantages of Dialysis Methods2. Global Dialysis Market Analysis2.1 Global Dialysis Market by Value2.2 Global Dialysis Market Forecast by Value2.3 Global Dialysis Services Market by Value2.4 Global Dialysis Services Market Forecast by Value2.5 Global Dialysis Product Market by Value2.6 Global Dialysis Product Market Forecast by Value2.7 Global Dialysis Patients2.8 Global Dialysis Patients Forecast2.9 Global Dialysis Patients by Segment2.10 Global Hemodialysis & Peritoneal Patients2.11 Global Hemodialysis & Peritoneal Patients ForecastBrowse TOC @3. Regional Market Analysis3.1 North America3.1.1 North America Dialysis Market Share by Segments3.1.2 North America Dialysis Patients3.1.3 North America Dialysis Patients Forecast3.2 Asia Pacific3.2.1 Asia Pacific Dialysis Market Share by Segments3.2.2 Asia-Pacific Dialysis PatientsAbout ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Surface Mount Technology Equipment Market - Huge Investment in Consumer Electronics Segment across the Globe

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Surface mount technology (SMT) equipment uses different works on advanced principles and soldering equipment to offer more electrical conductivity, which compromises improved reliability in comparison to thru-hole soldering technology. As different to modern thru-hole soldering approaches, surface mount technology communicates with the soldering of SMD on the surface of a printed circuit board. Increasing demand of consumer electronics is having a positive influence on the surface mount technology equipment market in coming years.Get an exclusive sample of this report @Usages of Surface Mount Technology Equipment coupled with well-established methods and techniques are some of the major driving factors for the surface mount technology equipment market. Additionally, the growing usage of different types of SMT equipment such as inspection equipment, placement equipment, soldering equipment among others in the printed circuit board manufacturing is expected to have a positive impact on the Surface Mount Technology Equipment market. In addition, various electronics manufacturing organizations across various regions especially in India, China and Indonesia among others are witnessing significant growth due to the rising spending on technological advanced SMT equipment in coming years.The global Surface Mount Technology Equipment (SMT) market is expected for a steady growth rate during the projection period of 2017 to 2025.Obtain Report Details @Based on equipment type, the surface mount technology equipment (SMT) market is segmented into placement equipment, inspection equipment, soldering equipment and cleaning equipment among others. In addition, various interactive display (LCD/LED) manufactures are now focusing on installation of pick and placement SMT equipment in their production line due to growing adoption of interactive displays and enhanced the capability of the production.Based on end use industry, the Surface Mount Technology Equipment market has been segmented into automotive, aerospace and defense, consumer electronics, healthcare, industrial and others.Geographically, the global Surface Mount Technology Equipment market has been bifurcated into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Latin America. The Surface Mount Technology Equipment market has been provided in (USD million) in terms of revenue as well as the CAGR for the forecast period of 2017 to 2025.About TMRTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Contact TMR90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:
Asia Pacific Upstream Oil & Gas Services Market: China to Remain the Dominant Market Through 2021

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Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Asia Pacific Upstream Oil & Gas Services Market: China to Remain the Dominant Market Through 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.The oil & gas industry operates in three main sectors, namely, upstream, midstream, and downstream. The upstream sector, which is majorly associated with the exploration and production of oil and natural gas, utilises numerous services across different operations, spanning from searching for oil and gas to drilling wells, and operating them. The process, in itself, is very bulky and requires heavy machinery and specialised services for the complete process.Owing to the effects of various macro- and micro-economic factors, the upstream oil & gas services market has experienced significant changes over the past several months. Factors, such as shale gas production in North America, oversupply of crude oil from OPEC countries, economic slowdown in China, etc. resulted in anomalies in global crude oil demand and supply dynamics; and consequently led to a sharp decline in crude oil prices. This led to a severe downturn in the global upstream oil & gas services market and companies operating in this segment experienced a huge drop in their revenue collection. Following the global trend, current state of the APAC upstream oil & gas service industry remains volatile.The APAC upstream oil & gas service market is estimated to be valued at US$ 52.6 Bn by 2016 end, and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 4.0% over the forecast period (20162021).To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Increasing productivity and decreasing overall production costs to play a crucial role in the market growthHigh urbanisation rate and industrialisation, growing population, and increasing vehicle ownership are leading to a high demand for crude oil and hydrocarbons in the region. Recovery in crude oil prices is highly anticipated and the market growth is expected to return to pre-2014 levels over the coming years.In order to meet the Increasing demand for energy & petrochemicals in Asia Pacific, it has become evident to increase productivity from mature and new oil & gas reserves. Exploration of unconventional oil & gas resources is increasing and deep-water exploration activities is also gaining traction. Various small scale and large scale technological advancements, for increasing productivity and decreasing overall production cost, are playing a crucial role and the market growth for upstream oil & gas services in Asia Pacific is expected to pace up over the coming years.However, volatility in oil & gas prices, environmental and technological concerns related to exploration and production activities in harsh, remote and hostile locations, accompanied by operational challenges in deep and ultra-deep waters, are expected to remain key challenges in the regional upstream oil & gas services market growth through 2021.Browse TOC @SURF support segment in China is forecasted to register a CAGR of 6.2% over the forecast periodIn China, SURF support service segment is anticipated to register a CAGR of 6.2% over the forecast period in terms of market value. In 2015, ROV drill support, SURF support, and well stimulation segments accounted for a collective share of 50.0% of the Indian upstream oil & gas service market. India stands as the second largest refiner in Asia Pacific region after China. Growth of the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) drill support and sampling segments are estimated to be driven by increasing deep-water offshore exploration drilling.Upstream Oil and Gas Services market is anticipated to exhibit relatively higher growth rate in China over the forecast periodOn the basis of region, APAC upstream oil & gas service market is segmented into eight key countries, namely, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Myanmar, China, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam. China upstream oil & gas services market is anticipated to exhibit relatively higher growth rate over the forecast period. Anticipated economic recovery in the country is expected to increase demand for crude oil, which in turn, is expected to drive the market for upstream oil & gas services in the country. Market in other countries is also expected to experience a V-shape recovery, however, at a moderate CAGR over the forecast period.Key market players are focussing on R&D for sampling techniques and investing in product innovation for ROV Drill SupportSome of the key players reported in this study of APAC upstream oil and gas service market include Schlumberger Limited, Halliburton, Baker Hughes Incorporated, Petrofac Limited, Weatherford, TECHNIP, China Oilfield Services Limited, Transocean Ltd., Flour Corporation, and Saipem S.p.A. Key market players are focusing on research and development for sampling techniques. They are also making investments in product innovation for remotely operating vehicles drill support services in order to provide oil & gas customers with light, medium and heavy ROVs that can be used for deeper exploration & drilling services.About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesEmail: sales@researchmoz.usWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @
Electronic Security Market Rising at 10% CAGR to 2024: Analysis of Key Players, Trends, Drivers, & Challenges

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MarketStudyReport.com adds a new Electronic Security Market research report for the period of 2017-2024 focuses on the major drivers and restraints for the global key players providing analysis of the market share, segmentation, revenue forecasts and geographic regions of the market.The state and central governments of various countries are placing high focus on the development and adoption of advanced systems in high-traffic locations such as public roads, transit stations, and malls, contributing to the growth of the Electronic Security Market. For instance, the Indian government in 2014 set up a USD 125 million fund solely devoted to the prevention of sexual violence among women through the installation of security equipment such as surveillance systems at high-risk public locations. These hardware systems are equipped with video analytics and advanced algorithms that allow the detection of criminals. Furthermore, technological advancements have also aided in the improvement of existing technologies such as high-resolution 4k cameras and IP surveillance units.Request a sample copy of Electronic Security Market Research Report @Electronic Security Market size is set to exceed USD 60 billion by 2024; according to a new research report.Crime rates across the world are heavily impacted with the rising penetration of these systems in residential and commercial settings and is anticipated to drive the electronic security market growth. End-users across the world are replacing conventional security systems such as guards and physical body checks with high-tech solutions. Physical body checks in malls and airports can be cumbersome and increase customer discomfort, primarily among women. X-ray body scanners, on the contrary, requires the person to pass through an electronic frame.The rising trend of the development of smart cities in countries such as China and India is contributing to the high growth of the electronic security market. For instance, the Chinese government has undertaken large construction projects for the development of smart cities imbued with advanced security solutions in cities such as Dalian, Hangzhou, Nanjing, and Tianjin. The rise in traveler population across the world is also leading to the growth of the electronic security market.Enquire about this report @The surveillance and alert system market is anticipated to exhibit substantial growth during the forecast timeframe. The reduction in component and raw material costs is contributing to the decline in the electronic security market price trend. Remote monitoring systems are increasingly finding application in developed regions such as U.S and Western Europe. Installing a home security solution with remote monitoring capabilities allows the homeowner to access security cameras and video units situated inside the residential location in real-time.Public-sector applications are the largest revenue-generating segment. Various government bodies are making use of advanced solutions for surveillance and criminal detection applications. For instance, in September 2017, a police department in Arkansas was reported to be using drones for highly specialized missions such as the tracking of a suspect or obtaining an inside view and additional information in a hostage situation.The North America electronic security market is projected to dominate the global business landscape owing to the government initiatives to integrate these systems into their public safety segment. For instance, the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 contains provisions to make the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) licensing process easier and quicker for law enforcement officials. Various U.S states are currently conducting trial operations on drones to understand their capabilities and their operational efficiency.Players operating in the global electronic security market include Axis Communications, BOSCH Security Systems, Hitachi Ltd, OSI Systems, Inc., SDMS Security Products UK Ltd., Siemens AG, MilliVision Technologies, ASSA ABLOY, Scanna MSC Ltd., Thales Group, RedXDefense LLC, etc. Industry players conduct strategic moves such as mergers and acquisitions to sustain growth. For instance, in July 2017, Assa Abloy announced the acquisition of Arjo Systems SAS to strengthen their physical and digital identity solution provisions.Read full report description @Related Reports: -Global Electronic Security Systems (ESS) Market Size, Status and Forecast 2022This report studies the global Electronic Security Systems (ESS) market, analyzes and researches the Electronic Security Systems (ESS) development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, Chin...About Us:Centralize market research purchases across your entire organization in one place. Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Market Study ReportThe Green Suite #4594,Dover, DE 19901United StatesPhone: 1-201-355-0868US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:News:
Connected Car Services Market to Reflect Impressive Growth Rate During 2025

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Safe and comfortable driving experience being the most important features of a connected cars contribute equally to the key factors influencing the growth of connected car services market. Over a last few years, technological advancements have remarkably altered the way people traveling. It has been observed that completion has been started to build a fully connected cars is on the way. It is anticipated that till the year 2020 more than half of the cars will be connected through advanced technologies.Request Report for TOC @Connected car services can include services related to organizational development, vehicle safety, usage of service roadmaps, application software, automotive security, end to end testing and smart phone applications. Mainly Connected car services offerings include Built in components such as advanced infotainment, telematics, in-vehicle networking, Comfort Systems and other electronic components. A great safety experience will make the drive safer with Crash Avoidance, Traffic Updates and Intersection Movements. These connected car services also enable service providers and manufacturers to deliver a range of services such as Remote Diagnostics, Roadside Assistance and Emergency Calls. While infotainment services provide advanced HMI features exceptional user experience (UX) with graphics and 3D animation for in-vehicle infotainmentConnected car services market: Drivers and RestraintMaking the driving safer, more comfortable and more efficient is the main driver of the connected car services market. To achieve this, vehicles must intercommunicate with the traffic infrastructure, with other vehicles and with the mobile devices of the driver. Along the Connected-Car economic value chain Vehicle-OEMs, App developer, infotainment providers as well as content and service provide with a luxurious driving experience. Now this being the most important reason is definitely the key factor to driving the connected car services market. The more technologically advanced connected car advanced connected car services which increase the demand for connected car services in the market. Therefore, companies are majorly providing connected car services services are bound to gather more demand in the market.However, high implementation cost can prove to be a restraint for developing economies in connected car services market. But rising disposable incomes and luxurious experience will still drive the growth of connected car services market in the developed economies.Request to Sample of Report @Segmentation on basis of regions:The Connected car services market is sub-segmented into 7 key regions- North America, Latin America, East Europe, West Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa.Western Europe has the highest CAGR for connected car services and the trend is anticipated to continue for the next few years. Following Western Europe, North America is expected to exhibit a promising CAGR, the main reason for this being the rising disposable incomes as well a significant shift to connected services in this region. U.S. being the primary contributor to the rise in CAGR. Eastern Europe can be expected to show a moderate CAGR. While, Middle east and Africa possessing low CAGR, being developing regions, still strive to witness a significant shift to these luxuries, with the trend expected to continue over the years.Competitive Landscape:Key ContractsIn June 2014, Accenture has signed a contract with Fiat-Chrysler Group to develop the advanced connected car services for its UconnectTM systems in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).Pre Book Full Report @Connected car services market: Key PlayersTech Mahindra Limited, Accenture Inc. Cisco Systems, Inc., LogiSense, Nokia Corporation, ESG Automotive Inc., Apple Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Google are some of the key players in the Application-to-person (A2P) enterprise messaging market.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:
Five Major Challenges Retailers can Overcome with an IP-PBX

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Employees are overloaded with information coming from a variety of sources which sometimes baffles them. The scenario becomes more apparent when we adhere to the fact that retail stores operate without considering geographical limits. However, sharing incorrect information does have its set of implications. Therefore, retailers have to ensure that all the internal employees are on the same page and have proper knowledge of all the projects assigned to them.It wouldnt be inappropriate to say that telecom and retail sectors have change parallelly. Like telephony is slowly moving from wired lines to wireless VOIP networks retailers have also started leaving their brick and mortar stores and entering the digital space. The transition phase has introduced a whole lot of challenges which can be managed to a certain extent with a strong communication network.Besides streamlining the internal and external communication for the dispersed workforce, there is a lot more a business phone system can offer. Scalability: In the expansion phase when revenue generation is uncertain, it is apparent for retailers to make frequent changes in the number of employees. Buying a license for every recruitment or changing configuration on exit leads to IT and admin overhead. Installing a PBX (Public Branch Exchange) tailored on the latest technology enables owners to increase and decrease the quantity of users without making any major modifications. Availability of Calling Channels: Retailers often face the problem of inappropriate number of calling channels with desk and mobile employees constantly in communication. The whole situation results in missed calls, affecting the brands reputation and leading to lost business opportunities. To tackle the challenge, retailers can invest in phone systems which can be programmed to support heavy call traffic and offer plenty of call management features. Voice Quality and Network Glitches: There are instances when due to poor voice quality, incorrect information is shared in the professional circles instead of being in the same network. There are some instances when interface cards pose certain problems resulting in communication breaks. To address all the needs effectively, retailers should go for IP-PBX phone systems with Hot Swappability and Redundancy feature. The functionality ensures continuous communication in unfavorable conditions. Investing in PBXs with Universal connectivity, retailers have a wide variety of extensions to choose from, such as Analog, Digital Key Phones and IP extensions. Based on the features required and network availability, authorities can install any of these terminals and offer a sound communication bridge between customers and employees. Communication with Millennials: According to an experienced personality in the retail sector, millennials are the most complex customers to handle. They keep shifting their preferences from physical stores to specialty stores to online shopping making it difficult to assess their shopping patterns. When we compare number of these consumers with employees answering their queries, the result is less. The problem can be solved by adopting a flexible approach in which every team member is well informed regarding the customers problems. IP-PBX improves internal connectivity and offers a bunch of features such as Call Transfer, Call Forward and Audio Conference making communication effortless and effective. Security Concerns with Customer Database and the Payment Gateways: With maximum retailers going digital, thefts and frauds during payment process stand as a problem. Another major challenge is securing the details shared by the customer while making online purchase. Following certain protocols can help the retailers improve shopping experience of their customers.There are many other areas where a digital EPABX telephone system can help the retailers tackle existing and emerging challenges efficiently. However, with the wave of change constantly blowing, it is apparent that retail sector will undergo transformation soon. Moreover, modifications introduce a set of challenges. Therefore, retailers need to be careful while making purchase decision and should select futuristic communication solution. To avoid going on tour of the market, retailers can trust a reliable brand such as Matrix. The company is known as innovator of feature loaded Telecom and Security solutions that find their applications in different industry verticals. To know how the systems can cater to the requirements of your retail store, call on +91 9998755555 or visitAbout MatrixEstablished in 1991, Matrix is a leader in Telecom and Security solutions for modern businesses and enterprises. Matrix, an innovative, technology driven and customer focused organization, is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in the telecom and security industries. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products, Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like IP-PBX, Universal Gateways, VoIP Gateways and Terminals, GSM Gateways, Access Control, Time-Attendance and Video Surveillance solutions. These solutions are feature-rich, reliable and conform to the international standards. Having global footprints in Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Africa through an extensive network of more than 1,000 channel partners, Matrix ensures that the products serve the needs of its customers faster and longer. Matrix has gained trust and admiration of customers representing the entire spectrum of industries. Matrix has won many international awards for its innovative products.Matrix Comsec394, GIDC MakarpuraVadodara-390010
Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Market Research Report 2017 : Pactiv LLC, Huhtamaki Oyj

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report "Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Market Research Report 2017" to its huge collection of research reports.The global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container market has been deeply evaluated in this publication with the help of both primary and secondary research and useful inputs provided by industry experts. The analysts who have prepared the publication have been among the best in the lot with sound understanding about almost all vital aspects of the market. The publication has come out as a detailed guideline for industry players to explore hidden prospects and take advantage of the best opportunities in the market. Players could also use the information presented in the publication to plan the best strategies that will help them to secure a strong position in the market.Request a free sample PDF of this research to evaluate more:Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingHuhtamaki OyjESCO Technologies Inc.UFP Technologies Inc.Pactiv LLCHenry Molded Products Inc.OrCon Industries CorporationKapStone Paper and PackagingBy segregating the global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container market into different segments, the analysts have offered crucial information that could help players to gain a competitive edge over their toughest opponents. Each segment studied in the publication has been meticulously evaluated with market figures to go by. This could help readers to tap into unexplored regions or other categories of segments and ensure a continuing success in the market. Besides segmentation, the publication has offered information on factors detaining market growth, backing them up with opportunities to counter the challenges about to show face in the near future.The analysts have also shed light on key aspects of the vendor landscape while profiling some of the leading companies operating in the global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container market. Starting from the nature of the current and future competitive scenarios of the market, the publication has foreseen the future plans of leading companies to gain a strong foothold in the industry. This could help readers to stay cautioned about any surprising changes in the vendor landscape of the market beforehand. Furthermore, readers could use the information to build extraordinary strategies to strengthen their product portfolio and give a tough competition in the market.Table of Contents1 Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container1.2 Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.3 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Segment by Application1.4 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Market by Region (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Revenue Status and Outlook (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2012-2022)2 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.1 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.3 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Average Price by Manufacturers (2012-2017)2.4 Manufacturers Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Market Competitive Situation and Trends3 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2012-2017)3.1 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.2 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.3 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2012-2017)3.4 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.5 North America Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.6 Europe Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)3.7 China Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2012-2017)4 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2012-2017)4.1 Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Consumption by Region (2012-2017)4.2 North America Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.3 Europe Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.4 China Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.5 Japan Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.6 Southeast Asia Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)4.7 India Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2012-2017)List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Molded Fiber Clamshell and ContainerFigure Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production (K MT) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2012-2022)Figure Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2016Figure Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Consumption (K MT) by Applications (2012-2022)Figure Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Consumption Market Share by Applications in 2016Figure Global Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Market Size (Million USD), Comparison (K MT) and CAGR (%) by Regions (2012-2022)Figure North America Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Europe Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure China Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)Figure Japan Molded Fiber Clamshell and Container Revenue (Million USD) and Growth Rate (2012-2022)About Us:QYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Infection Control Market 2018 Key Players -STERIS, Getinge, Ecolab, 3M, Advanced Sterilization Products, Cantel Medical,.

Infection Control Market

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Infection Control Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Infection Control Market 2018 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting to 2022reports to its database.Executive SummaryThis report studies the global Infection Control market, analyzes and researches the Infection Control development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeSTERISGetingeEcolab3MAdvanced Sterilization ProductsCantel MedicalSotera HealthMMM GroupMatachanaBelimed AGHalyard HealthMetrex ResearchReckitt BenckiserPal InternationalRequest Sample Report @Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoDisinfection ProductsSterilization Products and ServicesMarket segment by Application, Infection Control can be split intoHospitals & ClinicsLife Sciences IndustryMedical Device CompaniesPharmaceutical CompaniesFood IndustryOtherIf you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.For further information on this report, visit Table of content:Global Infection Control Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Infection Control1.1 Infection Control Market Overview1.1.1 Infection Control Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Infection Control Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Infection Control Market by Type1.3.1 Disinfection Products1.3.2 Sterilization Products and Services1.4 Infection Control Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Hospitals & Clinics1.4.2 Life Sciences Industry1.4.3 Medical Device Companies1.4.4 Pharmaceutical Companies1.4.5 Food Industry1.4.6 Other2 Global Infection Control Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Infection Control Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 STERIS3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Getinge3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Ecolab3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 3M3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 Advanced Sterilization Products3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 Cantel Medical3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 Sotera Health3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent Developments3.8 MMM Group3.8.1 Company Profile3.8.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.8.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.8.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.8.5 Recent Developments3.9 Matachana3.9.1 Company Profile3.9.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.9.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.9.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.9.5 Recent Developments3.10 Belimed AG3.10.1 Company Profile3.10.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.10.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.10.4 Infection Control Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.10.5 Recent Developments3.11 Halyard Health3.12 Metrex Research3.13 Reckitt Benckiser3.14 Pal International4 Global Infection Control Market Size by Type and Application (2012-2017)4.1 Global Infection Control Market Size by Type (2012-2017)4.2 Global Infection Control Market Size by Application (2012-2017)4.3 Potential Application of Infection Control in Future4.4 Top Consumer/End Users of Infection Control5 United States Infection Control Development Status and Outlook5.1 United States Infection Control Market Size (2012-2017)5.2 United States Infection Control Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)6 EU Infection Control Development Status and Outlook6.1 EU Infection Control Market Size (2012-2017)6.2 EU Infection Control Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)7 Japan Infection Control Development Status and Outlook7.1 Japan Infection Control Market Size (2012-2017)7.2 Japan Infection Control Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)8 China Infection Control Development Status and Outlook8.1 China Infection Control Market Size (2012-2017)8.2 China Infection Control Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)9 India Infection Control Development Status and Outlook9.1 India Infection Control Market Size (2012-2017)9.2 India Infection Control Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)10 Southeast Asia Infection Control Development Status and Outlook10.1 Southeast Asia Infection Control Market Size (2012-2017)10.2 Southeast Asia Infection Control Market Size and Market Share by Players (2016 and 2017)11 Market Forecast by Regions, Type and Application (2017-2022)11.1 Global Infection Control Market Size (Value) by Regions (2017-2022)11.1.1 United States Infection Control Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.2 EU Infection Control Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.3 Japan Infection Control Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.4 China Infection Control Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.5 India Infection Control Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.1.6 Southeast Asia Infection Control Revenue and Growth Rate (2017-2022)11.2 Global Infection Control Market Size (Value) by Type (2017-2022)11.3 Global Infection Control Market Size by Application (2017-2022)12 Infection Control Market Dynamics12.1 Infection Control Market Opportunities12.2 Infection Control Challenge and Risk12.2.1 Competition from Opponents12.2.2 Downside Risks of Economy12.3 Infection Control Market Constraints and Threat12.3.1 Threat from Substitute12.3.2 Government Policy12.3.3 Technology Risks12.4 Infection Control Market Driving Force12.4.1 Growing Demand from Emerging Markets12.4.2 Potential Application13 Market Effect Factors Analysis13.1 Technology Progress/Risk13.1.1 Substitutes13.1.2 Technology Progress in Related Industry13.2 Consumer Needs Trend/Customer Preference13.3 External Environmental Change13.3.1 Economic Fluctuations13.3.2 Other Risk Factors14 Research Finding/Conclusion15 AppendixContinuousBuy this Report @Contact Us:Norah Trentsales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US); +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone :+91 841 198 5042
Food Safety Testing 2017 Global Key Players  SGS SA (Switzerland), Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg), Intertek Group plc (UK), Bureau Veritas SA (France), ALS Limited (Australia) Market Analysis And Forecast To 2022

Food Safety Testing Market

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Food Safety Testing Market 2017Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Food Safety Testing  Global Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Description:This report studies the global Food Safety Testing market, analyzes and researches the Food Safety Testing development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeSGS SA (Switzerland)Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg)Intertek Group plc (UK)Bureau Veritas SA (France)ALS Limited (Australia)Request for Sample Report@Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoTraditionalRapidMarket segment by Application, Food Safety Testing can be split intoMeat & poultryDairyProcessed foodsFruits & vegetablesOthersEnquiry before Buying @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of Contents:Global Food Safety Testing Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of Food Safety Testing1.1 Food Safety Testing Market Overview1.1.1 Food Safety Testing Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global Food Safety Testing Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 Food Safety Testing Market by Type1.3.1 Traditional1.3.2 Rapid1.4 Food Safety Testing Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Meat & poultry1.4.2 Dairy1.4.3 Processed foods1.4.4 Fruits & vegetables1.4.5 Others2 Global Food Safety Testing Competition Analysis by Players2.1 Food Safety Testing Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future..3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 SGS SA (Switzerland)3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 Food Safety Testing Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Eurofins Scientific (Luxembourg)3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 Food Safety Testing Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Intertek Group plc (UK)3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 Food Safety Testing Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Bureau Veritas SA (France)3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 Food Safety Testing Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 ALS Limited (Australia)3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 Food Safety Testing Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinued..Buy now @Contact US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune  411028: Maharashtra,: Ph: +91 841 198 5042
CMTS/QAM 2017 Global Key Players  Arris Group, Cisco System, Casa Systems, Vecima Market Analysis And Forecast To 2022

CMTS/QAM Market 2018

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CMTS/QAM Market 2018Wiseguyreports.Com Adds CMTS/QAM  Global Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities, Manufacturers, Analysis of Top Key Players and Forecast to 2022 To Its Research Database.Description:This report studies the global CMTS/QAM market, analyzes and researches the CMTS/QAM development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeArris GroupCisco SystemCasa SystemsVecimaRequest for Sample Report@Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoIntegrated CMTS (I-CMTS)Modular CMTS (M-CMTS)Market segment by Application, CMTS/QAM can be split intoResidentCommercial FieldOthersEnquiry before Buying @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of Contents:Global CMTS/QAM Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of CMTS/QAM1.1 CMTS/QAM Market Overview1.1.1 CMTS/QAM Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global CMTS/QAM Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 CMTS/QAM Market by Type1.3.1 Integrated CMTS (I-CMTS)1.3.2 Modular CMTS (M-CMTS)1.4 CMTS/QAM Market by End Users/Application1.4.1 Resident1.4.2 Commercial Field1.4.3 Others2 Global CMTS/QAM Competition Analysis by Players2.1 CMTS/QAM Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future.3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Arris Group3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 CMTS/QAM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Cisco System3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 CMTS/QAM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Casa Systems3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 CMTS/QAM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 Vecima3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 CMTS/QAM Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinued..Buy now @Contact US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune  411028: Maharashtra,: Ph: +91 841 198 5042
Global and China Lipstick Market Sees Promising Growth in 2018

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Qyresearchreports include new market research report Global and China Lipstick Industry Professional Market Report 2017 to its huge collection of research reports.The market study on the global Lipstick market is a scientific instrument to understand the performance of the said market over the forecast period. The report includes historical values as well as future projections, which serve as crucial indices for companies interested to participate in the Lipstick market. Using historical database and projections, the report presents growth trends and growth trajectory pictorially.The beginning of the report summarizes standard terms and terminologies used in the Lipstick market, before moving on to classifications, applications, and industry chain structure. This is followed with an analysis of the competitive landscape, profiling major players for their key business attributes. Each of the companies is studied with reference to a timescale to understand the changing competitive hierarchy of the Lipstick over the years.Get Free PDF Brochure For More Technical Insights@The report is divided into sections, with each section discussing different industry aspects at length. Industry statues and policies, industry news and developments, and industry framework are the some of the aspects that have been discussed in this part of the report. Included in the report is a cost analysis of products, along with insights into manufacturer profit in the Lipstick market. The dynamics between various applications of the Lipstick market and their implication on the industry chain are also discussed herein.The industry chain analysis of the Lipstick market covers aspects such as production capacity, demand-supply dynamics, cost structure of product catalog, etc. An analysis of upstream raw material chain and downstream demand, along with import/export behavior is also included in the report.Market attractiveness analysis and feasibility of new investments in the Lipstick market are key features of this report. Using proven research methodologies and standard analytical tools, the report presents an accurate picture of growth trends and demand drivers, and points out strategies that are sure to present lucrative growth avenues in the future.Table of ContentsChapter One Lipstick Market Overview1.1China Lipstick Market Sales Volume Revenue and Price 2012-20221.2 Lipstick, by Function 2012-20221.2.1 China Lipstick Sales Market Share by Function 2012-20221.2.2 China Lipstick Revenue Market Share by Function 2012-20221.2.3 China Lipstick Price by Function 2012-20221.2.4 Matte1.2.5 Shimmer1.2.6 Gloss1.2.7 Lip Stain1.2.8 SheerChapter Two, Lipstick by Regions 2012-20222.1 China Lipstick Sales Market Share by Regions 2012-20222.2 China Lipstick Revenue Market Share by Regions 2012-20222.3 China Lipstick Price by Regions 2012-20222.4 First-tier Cities2.4.1 Beijing2.4.2 Shanghai2.4.3 Guangzhou2.4.4 Shenzhen2.5 Second-tier CitiesChapter Three, Lipstick by Brands 2012-20223.1 China Lipstick Sales Volume Market Share by Brands 2012-20223.2 China Lipstick Revenue Share by Brands 2012-20223.3 China Top Brands Lipstick Key Product Model and Market Performance3.4 China Top Brands Lipstick Key Target Consumers and Market PerformanceChapter Four, Lipstick by Consumer 2012-20224.1 China Lipstick Sales Market Share by Consumer 2012-20224.2 Under 184.3 18-304.4 30-404.5 40-504.6 Above 504.7 Consuming Habit and PreferenceQYResearchReports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com
Global Food Hydrocolloids Market Expected to Expand at a CAGR of 3.6% between 2017 and 2025

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Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has been serving as an active source to cater intelligent research report to enlighten both readers and investors. This research study titled Food Hydrocolloids Market - Global Industry Analysis Size Share Growth Trends and Forecast 2017  2025Request Free Sample Report @Stiff competition and fragmentation prevail in the global food hydrocolloids market. In this market with a large number of local and regional players, key players have resorted to product innovation, investments, and acquisitions to gain competitive advantage.The food industry has been displaying a surging demand for food hydrocolloids predominantly on account of its functional properties. The increasing uptake of ready-to-eat meals is the key factor having a positive impact on the food hydrocolloids market. In present times, the increasing complexity in consumer dynamics due to professional and personal commitments does not leave adequate time for fresh cooking on a regular basis. This, in turn, is displaying an increased demand for ingredients used in food products such as hydrocolloids.Proving a roadblock to the growth of the food hydrocolloids market is the use of conventional ingredients from the regional food industry.As per a report by Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE), the global food hydrocolloids market is likely to expand at a CAGR of 3.6% between 2017 and 2025, for the market to be valued at US$7,634.0 mn by the end of 2025.Bakery and Confectionery Application Segment to Display Leading Growth RateThe segments into which the global food hydrocolloids market is classified based on source type are plant source, microbial source, seaweed source, animal, and synthetic. Amongst all, the segment of plant source is expected to hold 37.4% of the overall market by the end of 2017.In terms of function, the segments of the global food hydrocolloids market include thickener, stabilizer, emulsifier, gelling, coating, and others. Thickener, amongst all, is expected to lead the market over the forecast period.Browse Full Report With TOC @The segments of the global food hydrocolloids market based on application that are covered in this report are bakery and confectionery, meat & poultry, sauces & dressings, beverages, dairy products, and others. Amongst all, bakery and confectionery is anticipated to display the leading CAGR of 4.8% between 2017 and 2025. This will be followed by meat and poultry at a CAGR of 3.6% over the forecast period.Increasing Uptake of Ready-to-eat Meals Makes Asia Pacific Significant MarketThe key segments into which the global food hydrocolloids market is divided based upon geography are North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.North America presently holds supremacy in the global food hydrocolloids market. The regional market of North America is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.0% between 2017 and 2025. Progressing at this pace, the region is expected to gain significantly vis-a-vis revenue by the end of 2025.Asia Pacific is expected to display 3.6% CAGR between 2017 and 2025. The increased concentration of product manufacturers in the developing countries of Asia Pacific accounts as one of the key factors for the growth of this region. The rising working class population in the region that is increasingly adopting convenience foods to match their busy lifestyle is displaying demand for functional ingredients that are used in these foods. Thus, the market for food hydrocolloids is benefitted.Enquire About This Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
ToolTech: A Leading Centre for Expert Toolmaking Services

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Based in Cape Town, ToolTech is a leading brand in South Africa that offers a variety of services, from product designing, toolmaking to logistics. They are supported by highly skilled in-house staff members that strive to cater to the individual needs of their clients. As a one-stop centre, this leading company accommodates six different divisions which include metal component production, toolmaking and engineering, plastic injection moulding, all chair components, PU moulded foam and all buckets and containers.Toolmaking and Engineering: ToolTech has earned a good reputation for their toolmaking and engineering services. They have a fully equipped CNC Toolroom that serve a variety of functions, from plastic injection moulds, PU foam moulds to press tooling. What's more, their highly efficient in-house specialists supervise the manufacturing process from the design stage to the mould manufacture.Plastic Injection Moulding: ToolTech specialises in an array of high-quality injection moulding machines that range from 35T to 1000T, ensuring an impeccable finish. As a certified BEE (Black Economic Empowerment Program) and an ISO9001-2000 licensed plant, ToolTechs injection moulding plant is widely recognised as a leading name in the field of engineering and plastic component manufacturing.All Chair Components: This division of ToolTech offers a wide range of chair components, castors, bases, gas-lifts, mechanisms, armrests and hardware are only to name a few. Apart from these components, they specialise in armchairs, side chairs frames, hospitality frames, tub chair and frames as well as backrests, brackets and seat kits that are available in both netting and foam. For customised seating arrangements, customers can rely on their in-house professionals who strive to design and manufacture chairs based on their clients requirements.PU Moulded Foam:ToolTech is equipped with a Polyurethane moulding plant that offers highly specialised integral skin moulding. As a leading name in the field of PU moulding, they deliver services to offices, hospitality, baby products as well as customised demands.All Buckets and Containers: ToolTechs buckets and containers division specialises in a wide range of high-quality tubs and buckets that can be availed at competitive rates in various vibrant shades. Since they are an I.S.O 9001:2000 and BEE certified company, all their buckets and containers are chemical-resistant as well as pest and hygiene controlled.For more information, visit their official website atToolTech is an I.S.O 9001:2000 regulated and BEE certified company that specialises in a wide range of services, such as product designing, toolmaking and plastic injection moulding. With six major divisions which include metal component production, toolmaking and engineering, plastic injection moulding, all chair components, PU moulded foam and all buckets and containers, ToolTech ranks among the leading names in the industry in South Africa.Unit 2 & 3 Linton Road, Beaconvale, Parow7500, Cape Town, South AfricaTel: (+27 21) 9332076Fax: (+27 21) 933 4155E-mail: sales@tooltech.co.za
Global Hand & Toe Warmers Sales Market Size, Scope, Demand, Revenue Status Report Forecasted till 2022

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The market for Global Hand & Toe Warmers market has been undergoing a transitional phase over the recent past. The continual advancements in technologies and the swift increase in infrastructural development projects have influenced the demand for Global Hand & Toe Warmers Sales Market Report 2017 substantially over the past few years. The swift rise in urbanization and the significant increase in the disposable income of people are likely to maintain the demand pace of Global Hand & Toe Warmers market in the near future. The augmenting interest of investors, government funding, and the rising trend of automation are also projected to reflect positively on this market in the years to come.Request For Sample Report:Geographically, this report split global into several key Regions, with sales (K Units), revenue (Million USD), market share and growth rate of Hand & Toe Warmers for these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringUnited StatesChinaEuropeJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal Hand & Toe Warmers market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Hand & Toe Warmers sales volume, Price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players includingKobayashi PharmaceuticalMycoal CorporationHeat FactoryImplusGALVANI TECH APPARELHeatpaxxJiangsuNaturalEnvironmentProtectionTechnologyTianjin Comfort IndustrialQingdao Warmer CommodityRuianShiwei TradingOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoAir activated (iron)Supersaturated solution (crystallisation-type)Lighter fuelBatteryOthersOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, sales volume, market share and growth rate for each application, includingOutdoor EnthusiastsSportsmenSkiersConstruction WorkersOthersBrowse Full Report with TOC:Table of ContentsGlobal Hand & Toe Warmers Sales Market Report 20171 Hand & Toe Warmers Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Hand & Toe Warmers1.2 Classification of Hand & Toe Warmers by Product Category1.2.1 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Market Size (Sales) Comparison by Type (2012-2022)1.2.2 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Air activated (iron)1.2.4 Supersaturated solution (crystallisation-type)1.2.5 Lighter fuel1.2.6 Battery1.2.7 Others1.3 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Market by Application/End Users1.3.1 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Outdoor Enthusiasts1.3.3 Sportsmen1.3.4 Skiers1.3.5 Construction Workers1.3.6 Others1.4 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Market by Region1.4.1 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Market Size (Value) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 United States Hand & Toe Warmers Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 China Hand & Toe Warmers Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 Europe Hand & Toe Warmers Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Hand & Toe Warmers Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Hand & Toe Warmers Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Hand & Toe Warmers Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.5 Global Market Size (Value and Volume) of Hand & Toe Warmers (2012-2022)1.5.1 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Sales and Growth Rate (2012-2022)1.5.2 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Revenue and Growth Rate (2012-2022)2 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Competition by Players/Suppliers, Type and Application2.1 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Market Competition by Players/Suppliers2.1.1 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Sales and Market Share of Key Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.1.2 Global Hand & Toe Warmers Revenue and Share by Players/Suppliers (2012-2017)2.2 Global Hand & Toe Warmers (Volume and Value) by TypeContinuedEnquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of retail market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: - 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email:- press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:-Read Industry News at :-
Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food and Supplementary Food (RUTF & RUSF)Market , Forecast 2017-2025

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Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) has recently publicized a new study to its vast repository, which is titled as Ready-to-use Therapeutic Food and Supplementary Food (RUTF & RUSF) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 - 2025. In this report, the global Deep Brain Stimulation Devices market is valued at USD 320 million in 2017 and is expected to reach USD 172.1 million by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of 4.7% between 2017 and 2025.Request Free Sample Report @The demand in the global market for ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) and ready-to-use supplementary food (RUFF) market projected to increment at a healthy CAGR of 8.6% during the forecast period of 2017 to 2025. The prosperity of RUTF and RUSF market is a reflection of a number of factors, such as increased government and NGO concerns regarding malnutrition treatment, growing malnutrition as a result of escalating population across the globe, rising demand for drinkable RUTF products, and increased number of emergencies and disasters in various parts of the world. On the other hand, increasing consumer or local government shift toward local ingredients and risk of contamination as a result of inconsistency in RUTF milk products are some of the hindrances faced by the market.The global ready-to-use therapeutic food and supplementary food market is estimated to be worth US$829.3 mn by the end of 2025, remarkably up from its evaluated valuation of US$429.9 mn in 2017. The stockholders of RUTF and RUSF market are expected to gain new opportunities from UNICEF encouragements for domestic production of RUTF, escalated research on substitute of raw material, and the development of new drinkable powdered and bar form of RUTF.Browse Full Report With TOC @UNICEF Emerges as Most Important End-userBased on product, the market for ready-to-use therapeutic food has been segmented into solid products including powder or blends and biscuit or bar, semi-solid products or paste, and drinkable therapeutic food, whereas the ready-to-use supplementary food segment has been classified into solid or powder and semi-solid or paste. Collectively, the RUTF segment served more than 70% of the demand in 2017, and is expected to further eat into RUSF segments share towards the end of the forecast period. While solid power sub-segment is gaining traction from its usage in infant food, semi-solid or paste sub-segment is frequently used as they do not require any preparation.On the basis of end-users, the report detects that UNICEF contributed 66.1% of the demand in 2017, chalk and cheese ahead of other end-use categorizes of WFP and NGOs. A number of companies are focused on making RUTF and RUSF products that comply with UNICEF requirements.Europe Currently Most Lucrative RegionIn 2017, Europe accounted for more than half, 54.3% of the demand, daylight ahead of second most profitable region of the Middle East and Africa, which didnt even contribute a quarter of the global demand in the ready-to-use therapeutic food and supplementary food market. A number of regional players in Europe are concentrating on supplying RUTF and RUSF to UNICEF and other NGOs, as well as increase their production capacity. In North America, regional manufacturers are engaged in the production of high-quality ready-to-use therapeutic food and supplementary food products, supplying them to infants in a number of African nations such as Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria. In Asia Pacific, the implementation of CAMAM in various countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Afghanistan has helped the market.Enquire About This Report @About Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE)Market Research Reports Search Engine (MRRSE) is an industry-leading database of Market Research Reports. MRRSE is driven by a stellar team of research experts and advisors trained to offer objective advice. Our sophisticated search algorithm returns results based on the report title, geographical region, publisher, or other keywords.MRRSE partners exclusively with leading global publishers to provide clients single-point access to top-of-the-line market research. MRRSEs repository is updated every day to keep its clients ahead of the next new trend in market research, be it competitive intelligence, product or service trends or strategic consulting.Contact UsState Tower90, State StreetSuite 700Albany, NY - 12207United States Telephone: +1-518-730-0559Email: sales@mrrse.comWebsite:Read More Industry News At:
Global AGVs for the Automotive Industry Research Report: Production, Demand, Revenue Status and Forecast till 2022

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The market for automated guided vehicles (AGVs) is growing with the expansion of this Industry Sector Worldwide. Market Research Hub (MRH) has added a new report titled Global AGVs for the Automotive Industry Research Report 2017 which offer details about the current trends as well as scope for the automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in the near future. This research study also covers information about the production and market share based on different active regions. Furthermore, an anticipated growth at a double-digit CAGR for the concerned sector is highlighted in the report which indicates a prosperous future.Request For Sample Report:Geographically, this report is segmented into several key Regions, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), market share and growth rate of AGVs for the Automotive Industry in these regions, from 2012 to 2022 (forecast), coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaGlobal AGVs for the Automotive Industry market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and market share for each manufacturer; the top players includingJBTEgemin AutomationMAXAGVTPV GroupMHIAGVE GroupSCAGLIA INDEVAAtab Automationsteknik ABDaifukuDematicMeidenshaCoreconSeegridOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoUnit Load TypeAutomated Forklift TypeTugger TypeOthersOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingRaw Material DeliveryWork-in-process (WIP) Movement between Manufacturing CellsFinished Goods TransportAutomated Trailer Loading and UnloadingBrowse Full Report with TOC:Table of ContentsGlobal AGVs for the Automotive Industry Market Research Report 20171 AGVs for the Automotive Industry Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of AGVs for the Automotive Industry1.2 AGVs for the Automotive Industry Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global AGVs for the Automotive Industry Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2012-2022)1.2.2 Global AGVs for the Automotive Industry Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20161.2.3 Unit Load Type1.2.4 Automated Forklift Type1.2.5 Tugger Type1.2.6 Others1.3 Global AGVs for the Automotive Industry Segment by Application1.3.1 AGVs for the Automotive Industry Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2012-2022)1.3.2 Raw Material Delivery1.3.3 Work-in-process (WIP) Movement between Manufacturing Cells1.3.4 Finished Goods Transport1.3.5 Automated Trailer Loading and Unloading1.4 Global AGVs for the Automotive Industry Market by Region (2012-2022)1.4.1 Global AGVs for the Automotive Industry Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2012-2022)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2012-2022)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2012-2022).ContinuedEnquire About this Report:About Market Research Hub:Market Research Hub (MRH) is a next-generation reseller of research reports and analysis. MRHs expansive collection of automotive market research reports has been carefully curated to help key personnel and decision makers across industry verticals to clearly visualize their operating environment and take strategic steps.MRH functions as an integrated platform for the following products and services: Objective and sound market forecasts, qualitative and quantitative analysis, incisive insight into defining industry trends, and market share estimates. Our reputation lies in delivering value and world-class capabilities to our clients.Contact Us90 State Street,Albany, NY 12207,United StatesToll Free: - 800-998-4852 (US-Canada)Email:- press@marketresearchhub.comWebsite:-Read Industry News at :-
CBRNE Detection Technologies Market By Application, Drive Mechanism and Region Forecasts to 2022

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WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On - CBRNE Detection Technologies Market By Application, Drive Mechanism and Region Forecasts to 2022.This report studies the global CBRNE Detection Technologies market, analyzes and researches the CBRNE Detection Technologies development status and forecast in United States, EU, Japan, China, India and Southeast Asia. This report focuses on the top players in global market, likeArgon ElectronicsBlucher GmbHBrukerFLIR SystemsHDT GlobalMSATSI...Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEUJapanChinaIndiaSoutheast AsiaMarket segment by Application, CBRNE Detection Technologies can be split intoMilitaryFirst Responder (Police, Fire, Ambulance, HAZMAT)PostalBorder ControlPrivate SecurityAsk Query @Table Of Contents  Major Key PointsGlobal CBRNE Detection Technologies Market Size, Status and Forecast 20221 Industry Overview of CBRNE Detection Technologies1.1 CBRNE Detection Technologies Market Overview1.1.1 CBRNE Detection Technologies Product Scope1.1.2 Market Status and Outlook1.2 Global CBRNE Detection Technologies Market Size and Analysis by Regions1.2.1 United States1.2.2 EU1.2.3 Japan1.2.4 China1.2.5 India1.2.6 Southeast Asia1.3 CBRNE Detection Technologies Market by End Users/Application1.3.1 Military1.3.2 First Responder (Police, Fire, Ambulance, HAZMAT)1.3.3 Postal1.3.4 Border Control1.3.5 Private Security2 Global CBRNE Detection Technologies Competition Analysis by Players2.1 CBRNE Detection Technologies Market Size (Value) by Players (2016 and 2017)2.2 Competitive Status and Trend2.2.1 Market Concentration Rate2.2.2 Product/Service Differences2.2.3 New Entrants2.2.4 The Technology Trends in Future3 Company (Top Players) Profiles3.1 Argon Electronics3.1.1 Company Profile3.1.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.1.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.1.4 CBRNE Detection Technologies Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.1.5 Recent Developments3.2 Blucher GmbH3.2.1 Company Profile3.2.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.2.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.2.4 CBRNE Detection Technologies Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.2.5 Recent Developments3.3 Bruker3.3.1 Company Profile3.3.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.3.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.3.4 CBRNE Detection Technologies Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.3.5 Recent Developments3.4 FLIR Systems3.4.1 Company Profile3.4.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.4.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.4.4 CBRNE Detection Technologies Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.4.5 Recent Developments3.5 HDT Global3.5.1 Company Profile3.5.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.5.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.5.4 CBRNE Detection Technologies Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.5.5 Recent Developments3.6 MSA3.6.1 Company Profile3.6.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.6.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.6.4 CBRNE Detection Technologies Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.6.5 Recent Developments3.7 TSI3.7.1 Company Profile3.7.2 Main Business/Business Overview3.7.3 Products, Services and Solutions3.7.4 CBRNE Detection Technologies Revenue (Value) (2012-2017)3.7.5 Recent DevelopmentsContinue.Buy 1-User PDF @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.
Urinalysis Test Market is growing globally with the rapid pace and Forecast to 2023

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Market Research Future has a cooked research report on the Global Urinalysis Test Market. The Global Urinalysis Test Market is growing continuously and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2017 to 2023.Urinalysis is the analysis of urine for the diagnosis and monitoring of number of diseases such as kidney disease and diabetes. The test is mostly recommended during pregnancy to determine the levels of hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin. Therefore, the demand for these test instruments and devices is growing across the globe.The demand for urinalysis test is increasing with increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and demand for new point of care devices. The global market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period.Taste the market data and market information presented through more than 120 market data tables and figures spread over 158 pages of the project report. Avail the in-depth table of content (TOC) & market synopsis on Urinalysis test market research reportGlobal forecast till 2023.Urinalysis Test Market Key Players are: Dahaner (U.S.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd (Switzerland), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), Siemens AG (U.S.), ARKRAY, Inc. (Japan), Sysmex Corporation (Japan), and ACON Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.).Get Sample Copy atThe Global Urinalysis Test Market is segmented on the basis of type of product type, test type, application and end user.On the basis of product type, the market is segmented into instruments and consumables. The instruments include urine chemistry analyzer such as automatic urine analyzers and semi-automatic urine analyzers, automated urine sediment analyzers, point-of-care devices, and strip analyzer. The consumables are further segmented into plastic consumables, test strips, and chemical agents.On the basis of test type, the market is segmented into macroscopic urinalysis, biochemical urinalysis, and sediments/microscopic urinalysis.On the basis of application, the market is segmented into disease diagnosis including the diagnosis of diseases such as kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, pregnancy tests, and others.On the basis of end user, the market is segmented into hospitals, independent laboratories, and physician practices.Regional AnalysisThe Americas is the largest Urinalysis Tests Market across the globe owing to extensive use and demand for automated point-of-care testing devices, and rising prevalence of chronic kidney diseases (CKD). According to the National Chronic Kidney Diseases Report, CKD is common among adults in the U.S.Europe is the second largest market and it is expected to show positive growth in the near future due to the increasing prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and diabetes. As per American Society of Nephrology, the prevalence of CKD across the European countries is varied. According to the World Health Organization, about 60 million European have diabetes and the prevalence of diabetes is relatively high among people over 25 years.In Asia Pacific, the market is expected grow at the fastest rate owing to increasing prevalence of chronic disease such as diabetes, kidney diseases, and others. Furthermore, the demand for diagnostics services in this region is increasing with the increasing medical tourism. India is one of the international medical tourism destinations across the world, which further exhibits growth opportunities for the market due to availability of cost-effective treatment and rising success rates. Furthermore, the increasing healthcare expenditure in the developing countries of Asia Pacific also contributes to the market growth.The Middle East and Africa also shows a steady rise in the market owing to rising demand for agnostic solutions and point-of-care testing devices.Get Discount atMajor TOC:1 REPORT PROLOGUE2 MARKET INTRODUCTION2.1 Introduction 172.2 Scope Of Study 172.3 Research Objective 172.4 Assumptions & Limitations 182.4.1 Assumptions 182.4.2 Limitations 182.5 Market Structure 183 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY4 MARKET DYNAMICS4.1 Introduction 244.2 Drivers 254.2.1 Rising Demand For Point-Of-Care Testing: (35%) 254.2.2 Rising Prevalence Of Chronic Diseases: (40%) 264.2.3 Technological Advancements: (25%) 274.3 Restraints 284.3.1 Stringent Regulations: (60%) 284.3.2 Lack Of Trained Professionals: (40%) 294.4 Mega Trends 304.5 Macroeconomic Indicators 304.6 Technology Trends And Assessment 325 MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS5.1 Value Chain Analysis 335.1.1 Primary Activities 335.1.2 Secondary Activities 345.2 Porters Five Forces Model 355.2.1 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers 365.2.2 Bargaining Power Of Buyers 365.2.3 Threat Of New Entrants 365.2.4 Threat Of Substitutes 365.2.5 Intensity Of Rivalry 365.3 Demand And Supply Gap Analysis 375.4 Pricing Analysis 385.5 Investment Opportunity Analysis 39ContinuedAbout Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact:Market Research Future+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comMRFR has the distinguished objective of providing the optimal quality research and granular research to clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help answer your most important questions.Our Research Analysts are eager to share their knowledge and assist you in refining market research parameters, choosing right market studies, and evaluating both the market scope and the research methodologies of varied segments.We bridge the gap between our clients and their clients by identifying and decoding just the target group, while generating leads with the highest accuracy.Years of research into diverse fields of work has ingrained within us, a proficiency so distinguished that our industry-specific specialists identify with your business ideas and feel the pulse of your challenges and opportunities. This enables us for providing assistance, through our consulting and strategic consulting services, in informed managerial decision making. In order to stay updated with technology and work process of the industries, WantStats Research and Media often conducts industrial visits for its research analysts. Relevant inputs from various established market participants, help our clients make significant contribution in respective markets are a huge motivation for all of us to endlessly furnish quality. We depend greatly on profound insights into complex realms of our study.Pune, India
Fibrous Dysplasia Market Segments, Key Players Strategies, Analysis and Forecasts Till 2023

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Acknowledging its growing popularity and the market growth, Market Research Future, recently published a study report  The Global Fibrous Dysplasia Market. Which indicates that the Market is booming and estimated to gain further prominence over the forecast period. Further MRFR asserts that the Market will demonstrate a massive growth by 2023, phenomenally superseding its previous growth records in terms of value with a whooping CAGR during the anticipated period (2017  2023). The global Fibrous Dysplasia market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~6.2% during the forecast period 2017-2023.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Market Research Future published new report, titled Fibrous Dysplasia Market -Research Report: Global Forecast till 2023.Market Scenario:Fibrous dysplasia market is a rare and chronic bone disorder in which fibrous tissue develops in place of normal bone, weakens the affected bone, and deform or fracture it. As per reports from The Johns Hopkins University, the exact cause of fibrous dysplasia is unknown, but it is believed to be due to a chemical irregularity in a specific bone protein. This bone protein abnormality may arise due to a gene mutation present at birth, although it is not known to be an inherited disorder.It often results in uneven growth of bones, pain, brittle bones, and bone deformity. In fibrous dysplasia, the most commonly affected bones includes femur (thighbone), tibia (shin bone), ribs, skull, facial bones, humerus (the bone of the upper arm), pelvis, vertebrae in the spine (less often).The fibrous dysplasia market growth is majorly attributed to the increasing prevalence of the bone disorders. Moreover, some cases of fibrous dysplasia leads to cancer, which is likely to drive the market growth.Currently, no cure is available for fibrous dysplasia. However, present treatment methods helps to prevent complications, such as recurrent bone fractures to help make the condition less severe.According to reports from International Osteoporosis Foundation, Each year an estimated 1.5 million individuals suffer a fracture due to bone disease. The risk of a fracture increases with age and is more in women. Furthermore, globalization in healthcare has increased the market growth. Established market players in the developed countries leads the globalization by pushing new products and services into developing countries and emerging economies.However, high cost of the current treatment methods and lack of alternative methods for the treatment of fibrous dysplasia may slow the market growth during the forecast period.The Worldwide Fibrous Dysplasia Market report explores the Top Key Players in-depth analysis as; Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc, Amgen Inc, AVEO Pharmaceuticals Inc, Bayer AG, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc, MediaPharma srl, Merck & Co., Inc, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc, Oncolys BioPharma Inc, United Therapeutics Corp and others.Segmentations:The global fibrous dysplasia market is segmented on the basis by diagnosis, by treatment, and by end user.On the basis of diagnosis, it is segmented into X-rays, CT scans, MRI, bone scan, biopsy, and others.On the basis of treatment, it is segmented into medications, surgical, and others. The medications is further segmented into bisphosphonates, intravenous (IV) pamidronate, calcitonin, raloxifene, and othersOn the basis of the end user, it is segmented into hospitals & clinics, research centers, and others.GET FULL REPORT @Regional Analysis:The Americas dominate the global fibrous dysplasia market owing to well-developed technology, increasing patient with bone disorders, high healthcare spending, and increasing government support for research & development. Furthermore, increased R&D activities and the concentration of major companies have fuelled the growth of the market in this region.Europe holds the second position in the global fibrous dysplasia market owing to the government support for research & development and availability of funds for research. This is expected to continue to drive the European market over the forecasted period.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market owing to the presence of rapidly developing healthcare technology, increasing patient population, and high healthcare expenditure. Moreover, increasing demand for new treatment methods in countries such as India is likely to emerge as the fastest growing market across the globe. Furthermore, increasing demand for quality devices in the healthcare is projected to lead to the use of advanced equipment, which, in turn, may increase the market growth of the fibrous dysplasia in the region.On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa holds the least share of the global fibrous dysplasia market due to limited screening, ignorance of diseases, and poor access to treatment, especially, in African region. Majority of the market of this region is held by the Middle East due to a well-developed healthcare sector and huge healthcare expenditure.Major Table of Contents:Chapter 1 Report PrologueChapter 2 Market IntroductionChapter 3 Research MethodologyChapter 4 Market DynamicsChapter 5 Market Factor AnalysisChapter 6 Global Fibrous Dysplasia Market, By DiagnosisChapter 7 Global Fibrous Dysplasia Market, By TreatmentChapter 8 Global Fibrous Dysplasia Market, By End UserChapter 9 Global Fibrous Dysplasia Market, By RegionChapter 10 Company LandscapeChapter 11 Company ProfilesChapter 12 MRFR ConclusionChapter 13 AppendixCONTINUEDGET DISCOUNT @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune  411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com
Night traffic barred along Narayangadh-Muglin road from today

Traffic will be barred along the Narayangadh-Muglin road at night from Tuesday as part of the road widening works that are in progress on that section.
Paraganglioma Market Segments, Key Players Strategies, Analysis and Forecasts Till 2023

Paraganglioma Market

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https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/paraganglioma-market-4838

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This report provides in depth study of Paraganglioma Market 2017 Global Industry Research Report focuses on industry chain structure, market Size, Share, opportunities, future roadmap, industry analysis, industry policy analysis, market Leading player profiles and strategies. This New Report presented by Market Research Future contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key vendors. Further MRFR asserts that the Market will demonstrate a colossal growth by 2023. Considering all these factors The World Paraganglioma Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~6.1 % during the forecast period 2017-2023.GET SAMPLE REPORT @Amgen Inc. Declares Dividend for the First Quarter of 2018, Payable on March 8, 2018, Dec-12-17 Amgen Inc. announced that its Board of Directors declared a $1.32 per share dividend for the first quarter of 2018. The dividend will be paid on March 8, 2018, to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on February 15, 2018. This represents a 15% increase from that paid in each of the previous four quarters.Market Research Future published new report, titled Paraganglioma Market -Research Report: Global Forecast to 2023.Competition in the Global Paraganglioma Market and are profiled in MRFR Analysis. Global Paraganglioma Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023 Report Provides In-Depth Analysis Of Parent Market Trends, Macro-Economic Indicators And Governing Factors Along With Market Attractiveness As Per Segments.Key Players in Global Paraganglioma Market:Some of key the players in the market are Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (U.S.), GlaxoSmithKline Plc. (U.K.), Bayer AG (Germany), Novartis AG (Switzerland), Spectrum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (U.S.), Amgen, Inc. (U.S.), Eli Lilly and Company (U.S.), AstraZeneca Plc. (U.K.), F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. (Switzerland), Janssen Biotech, Inc. (U.S.), AbbVie Inc. (U.S.), Takeda Pharmaceuticals (Japan), Pfizer, Inc. (U.S.), Sanofi (France), Merck & Co., Inc. (U.S.), Immunomedics (U.S.),and Oncomed Pharmaceuticals (U.S.).GlaxoSmithKline plc Achieves Approval for Nucala for the Treatment of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Egpa) for Adults in the US GlaxoSmithKline plc announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nucala (mepolizumab) as the first targeted treatment for eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), previously known as Churg-Strauss syndrome. GSK submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for mepolizumab, an interleukin-5 (IL-5) antagonist, in June 2017.Market Scenario:A paraganglioma or glomus tumors is a rare type of cancer occurs in a variety of places in the head and neck. The tumor begins in certain nerve cells that are distributed throughout the body. Paragangliomas affect at any age and over half of the paragangliomas appear in the temporal bone. Similar to other types of cancer, paragangliomas is very difficult to diagnose in early stages as the tumor is often slow growing and noncancerous (benign). However, it can invade other/ nearby organ and part of the body, and become cancerous and spread distantly. Though a number of diagnostic and therapeutic treatments are available in the market, none of them are that effective for the treatment and diagnostic. According to the research carried out by Florida Hospital System (2014), 1-2 patient in a million develops paragangliomas. According to cancer research the UK in 2012, globally over 14.1 million of new cancer cases were registered. The treatment for all types of cancer are nearly similar, thus, increasing prevalence of cancer has boosted the development of the new treatments. Increasing number of patients suffering from paragangliomas and continuous advances in the treatment have driven the growth of the market. Additionally, deteriorating lifestyle due to alcoholism and smoking, increasing healthcare expenditure, and increasing government support for research & development have fuelled the market growth. A number of treatment are available in the market, however, nearly all the treatment show some or other adverse effects on the body. Additionally, high cost of the treatment and side effects of the therapy may slow the growth of the market during the forecasted period.Market Segmentation:The global paraganglioma market is segmented on the basis of types, treatment, and end users.On the basis of types, the market is segmented into caroid paraganglioma, cervical paraganglioma, jugular paraganglioma, secretory paraganglioma, temporal paraganglioma, vagal paraganglioma, and others.On the basis of the treatment, the market is categorized into therapeutic treatment and diagnostic treatment. The therapeutic treatment is further segmented into surgery, embolization, and radiotherapy. The embolization is further categorized into liquid embolic agents, sclerosing agents, particulate embolic agents, and others. The radiotherapy is sub-segmented into external beam radiation therapy, brachytherapy, and unsealed source radiotherapy. The diagnostic treatments are further segmented into CT scans, MRI, angiography, blood test, and others.On the basis of the end users, the market is segmented into hospital & clinics, ambulatory care centers, and others.GET FULL REPORT @Regional Analysis:The Americas account for the major share of the global paraganglioma market owing to the increasing prevalence of paragangliomas, well-developed technology and increasing government support for research & development. Moreover, high healthcare expenditure and changing lifestyle have fuelled the growth of the Americas paraganglioma market. The concentration of major players in this region is likely to support the growth of the market during the forecasted period.Europe holds the second largest paraganglioma market, which is followed by Asia Pacific. Availability of the funds for research & development and strong government support have driven the market growth. Asia Pacific is the fastest growing paraganglioma market owing to the increasing prevalence of cancer, rapidly developing the economy and increasing government support.On the other hand, the Middle East & Africa hold the least share of the market due to poor political conditions in Africa and limited availability of funds and availability of medical facilities. The Middle East dominates the Middle East & Africa Paraganglioma market due to the presence of well-developed countries like Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and South Arabia. Whereas, Africa region is expecting a healthy growth due to the presence of huge opportunity for the development of the market.Major Table of Contents:Chapter 1 Report PrologueChapter 2 Market IntroductionChapter 3 Research MethodologyChapter 4 Market DynamicsChapter 5 Market Factor AnalysisChapter 6 Global Paraganglioma Market, By TypesChapter 7 Global Paraganglioma Market, By TreatmentChapter 8 Global Paraganglioma Market, By End UserChapter 9 Global Paraganglioma Market, By RegionChapter 10 Company LandscapeChapter 11 Company ProfilesChapter 12 MRFR ConclusionChapter 13 AppendixCONTINUEDGET DISCOUNT @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.MRFR team have supreme objective to provide the optimum quality market research and intelligence services to our clients. Our market research studies by products, services, technologies, applications, end users, and market players for global, regional, and country level market segments, enable our clients to see more, know more, and do more, which help to answer all their most important questions.Contact:Akash Anand,Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune  411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: salesteam@marketresearchfuture.com
When I first became obsessed with what well refer to simply as better beer, just over a decade ago, it was still a point of time in the mid-to-late 2000s when those beers were often referred to as microbrews. If you werent around for that point in beers evolutionary cycle, it was a decidedly simpler time, because quite frankly, far fewer people cared that better beer existed. There were significantly fewer beer styles and breweries on the shelf. Everything seemed to have a much more pronounced air of novelty. The industry itself had far, far less exposure in popular culture. And notably, the word craft hadnt yet become completely ubiquitous.

Thus, microbrews and microbreweries. These terms, however, simply werent very useful or descriptive, primarily because all they implied was size. They implied that better beer was specifically the result of small batches rather than big ones; a useful tactic at the time for positioning the better beer market against the macro giants such as Anheuser-Busch, Miller or Coors (remember when those were all separate companies?). But the world changed. All of those companies eventually came to own small breweries of their own, of the decidedly micro variety. It was clear that consumers would have to look beyond size in gauging their expectations of quality.

And thus, craft beer became the norm. That term, whose official definition has been closely guarded by the Boulder, CO-based Brewers Association, has been the rallying cry of the industry for going on a decade. Using the Brewers Association definition of small, independent and traditional, complete with many caveats (well get to those), both the consumers and the brewers could have a go-to definition of who was craft and part of the fold, and who was not craft and essentially the enemy of an ideological war. It wasnt perfect, but it was largely consistent.

Arbiters of what is and isnt craft.

 but things keep right on changing. And the fact of the matter is this: The time of craft as a useful descriptor rapidly seems to be approaching its end. Thanks to the ever-diversifying shades of grey introduced by brewery buyouts and takeovers from a variety of sources, the single word definition of craft has become too muddled and ineffectual to apply to an entire industryand with it, the ability of the Brewers Association to define the true meaning of craft has begun to slip away, as fewer breweries (and consumers) recognize the term as valuable, important or necessary. It seems to be time for another pivot and redefinition.

That term seems to be independent craft brewer. These are the words the Brewers Association is throwing its influence behind for the future, and these are the words it would likely prefer to see replace craft in the long run, although matters are complicated by the fact that they chose to leave that word in the term, alongside independent brewer, in the seal theyve made available for brewers to use. But make no mistake, independent is what matters here in their eyes, because of the clarity it seemingly represents. The official craft definition has only become more complicated, divisive and argumentative over time, but at least independent is somewhat easier to codify. But it also may represent a new line in the sand that consumers and breweries choose to willfully disregard.

Lets talk about why these terms matter.

The definition of craft beer hasnt just suddenly become problematic in the last year. Rather, its an issue that has gradually moved into the spotlight over time, until it finally reached a critical mass in 2017.

Its a definition that has occasionally been subject to change, and its hard to miss that those changes have usually coincided with either retaining or otherwise making exceptions to include some of the countrys largest craft breweries. Most visible was the 2010 increase of the definition of small from 2 million to 6 million barrels; a move that at the time essentially only affected Boston Beer Co., the makers of Samuel Adams. Given their size, its no surprise that the Brewers Association would want to keep BBC in the fold. But ironically, Boston Beer Co. is now in danger of losing that craft distinction once again, not because theyre exceeding the 6 million limit but because of the definition of the traditional requirement, which says that a majority of its total beverage alcohol volume must consist of beers whose flavor derives from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients and their fermentation. But because flavored malt beverages are not considered beers, and roughly half of Boston Beer Co.s production is now Angry Orchard Cider and products such as Twisted Tea and Truly Spiked & Sparkling (alcoholic spiked seltzer water), BBCs status as being a beer brewery first and foremost will now be challenged, and they could lose craft beer status all the same.

Likewise, the traditional requirement has also been modified over time. In 2014, the requirement that a brewery have an all-malt flagship or otherwise primarily make adjunct-free beerclearly a measure designed to ideologically separate craft beer from the likes of Budweiser (rice) or Coors (corn)was lifted, which allowed Yuengling and its iconic lager to enter the fold and immediately become the largest brewery to bear the craft title in the eyes of the Brewers Association. Another supposed distinction between craft and macro beer had been erased.

Yuengling is now technically the countrys biggest craft brewer.

But now we come to independent, and this is the section of the craft beer definition that seems most likely to signal the end of craft as a valuable descriptor. As currently written, it states the following:

Less than 25 percent of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcohol industry member that is not itself a craft brewer.

Its this part of the definition that has caused what might be best described as craft flight, the exit of so many mid- and large-sized breweries from the ranks of craft into the vague world of the Other. Some, such as Goose Island, or Golden Road, or Terrapin, have sold themselves directly to the U.S. beer industrys biggest players, Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors, and earned the scorn of many craft drinkers in doing so. Others have sold to brewing conglomerates less directly defined by their opposition to the U.S. craft beer market, such as Lagunitas acquisition by Heineken. Then theres the breweries now owned by other alcohol conglomerates, such as Ballast Point and Funky Buddha (Constellation Brands), or those who have sold only a partial stake, such as the 30 percent of Founders Brewing Co. and Avery Brewing Co. now owned by Spanish brewing conglomerate Mahou San Miguel. Every one of those companies no longer qualifies as craft in the eyes of the Brewers Association, but at the same time, those breweries acquired by private capital firms such as Cigar City, Oskar Blues (Fireman Capital) or Schlafly (Sage Capital) are still counted among the BAs annual craft beer statisticsas are Boulevard Brewing Co. and Firestone Walker, now owned by Belgiums Duvel Moortgat. And its these shades of grey that have become increasingly problematic, if not outright obtuse to the average consumer.

Its become the most obvious bar stool argument of the current craft beer market: Does it make sense for every violation of this hard and fast independent ownership rule be treated the same way? Should the beloved barrel-aged beers of Founders or Avery Brewing Co. really find themselves in the non-craft heap, treated with the exact same designation as a brewery 100 percent owned by AB InBev, because theyre 30 percent owned by a Spanish company that doesnt even sell its own in-house beer brands within U.S. borders? Is Canadian Breakfast Stout in the exact same boat as Bourbon County Stout, and if CBS isnt a craft beer, then how valuable is it really, to be able to call yourself craft?

The best bottle of non-craft beer youll ever spend $30 to acquire.

In trying to set clear lines that separate the world of craft from the world of their enemy, the Brewers Associations definition has fallen behind the times. Its not as if the craft beer geeks in the peanut gallery are ever going to be calling for the inclusion of AB InBev-owned breweries back into the foldno one is angry in 2017 (or 2018) about the likes of Golden Road, Devils Backbone or Four Peaks not being able to call themselves craft. But Founders? Avery? Is 30 percent ownership by a Spanish brewer detrimental to the ethos of the craft beer industry? To the spirit of craft beer? And even if it iswould anyone in their right mind argue that its exactly as detrimental, to the same degree, as 100 percent ownership by AB InBev? Perhaps things are different in the bars where youve been having this conversation, but when I ask craft beer fans whether they think that Avery and Founders should be lumped in alongside Goose Island and 10 Barrel, Ive yet to find one person who says absolutely they should. Everyoneincluding every brewery owner or professional brewer Ive spoken to about thisseems to agree that theres something wrong here that needs to be addressed. The shades of grey need to be acknowledged.

In a way, it reminds me of a different issue, that of New England-style IPAs inability to achieve recognition at beer judging events. Because of the strict, tradition-driven guidelines by which beer styles are judged at events such as the Great American Beer Festival (also operated by the Brewers Association), and the lack of a category that caters to the appearance and flavors prized in NE-IPAs, the odd result has been a near-total shunning of what has been the most sought-after style in the American craft beer market for several years now, which also leads to the perception of a philosophical gap between the consumer and the competition. You could say this is a symptom of the same condition; a staid philosophy that reasons we must be sure before implementing change. But that fear of being seen as reactionary may be hamstringing the organizations ability to serve the craft beer industry and hurting their cache with the public. After all, if theres one thing that has defined the craft beer market in the last few years, its the lightning-fast pace of change. New styles spring into existence and then become commonplace within a year, if not months. At some point, the definition/language has to catch up.

EDIT: In March of 2018, the Brewers Association announced that three categories for juicy or hazy pale ale, IPA and DIPA will be added to GABF this year, for the first time ever. Definitely something that needed to happen, in our eyes.

The question, then, is whether the Brewers Association and its member breweries that are currently using the independent craft brewer seal (more than 2,700 of them, which is quite impressive in only a years time) can complete a pivot into making the beer-drinking public care primarily about whether a brewery qualifies as independent as an important criteria for their purchasing decisions. Or in fewer words: Can you make people care enough about independence that they actually check whether a brewery qualifies under the BAs independent definition before buying?

My gut says that this is asking far too much from the average drinker, primarily because it has become harder than ever over time to keep track of who owns what. Even for beer writers like myself, writing a piece like this involves cross-referencing the ever-expanding list of ownership deals since 2011, and thats simply not something that you can expect the rank and file to ever do in the beer aisle. Its hard enough for writers to communicate the difference between buyouts involving private capital, macro brewing conglomerates and craft-acquires-craft takeoversto the average six-pack buyer, its an indecipherable mess, and more work than theyre ever planning on doing.

On one hand, thats why the idea of an independent seal is so attractiveits designed to, at a single glance, give the consumer important information about a brewerys ownership and what that fact is supposed to imply about the brewery. But there are so many exceptions. What about Founders and Avery, as previously discussed? What about a brewery acquired by a private capital firm that will more likely than not flip it to a bigger brewing conglomerate (like AB-InBev) a few years from now? And most obviously, what about breweries that simply dont want to add a seal to their labels for aesthetic reasons? If you can successfully convince the consumer to care about the designation that the seal implies, then simply choosing to not put the seal on your bottles for design reasons could have a negative effect on sales. Should a brewerys choice to not bear the seal because it clashes with their labels (or for any other reason) imply that theyre not independent, and thus not craft? Is it not a little bit ironic that the only way to show independence in this scenario is to display the same symbol as everyone else?

The seal to denote whether a brewery qualifies as craft, according to the Brewers Association.

Think of the average craft beer consumers you knowyour father, your brother or sisterwho dont spend their time reading beer articles on the web. When theyre shopping at the package store, are they scouting for that little independent craft brewer seal? Do they even know what the seal is? Or are they making purchasing decisions based on which breweries or styles they know they enjoy? It seems far more likely to me that theyve absorbed the lesson to buy local that has been preached for so many years, rather than an impetus to buy independent. And if youre living in Grand Rapids, that probably means buying Founders over beer from Chicago, or Cleveland  even if your hometown local is no longer craft, and the out-of-towners are.

Allow me to switch gears for a moment, to present an example of what I believe is flawed thinking on this issue.

Recently, while having a conversation with someone from a state brewers guild, the topic of the Avery sale came up. After the sale, founder Adam Avery stated that he didnt care if the brand still qualified for the Brewers Associations craft definition, and went on to say he couldnt disagree more about that definition. It was the interpretation of the person I was speaking with that Averys statement was one of necessitythat because hed sold a portion of the company to Mahou San Miguel, he had to say he didnt care about the craft definition, but in reality the company still wanted to be part of the fold.

I disagree. If Avery still cared about possessing the label of craft, their statement in response to that question would have been this: Of course wed prefer to be labeled as craft, and hopefully the Brewers Association will look into their definition and find a way to make it represent craft breweries like us. That would have communicated a desire for change and inclusion, but thats not what Avery did. Instead, their choice was to throw the BA under the bus by implying that the craft label doesnt hold any value to them. When they said they didnt care about qualifying for that term, they were saying we dont need your craft designation as a tool to sell our beer. And if their customers continue to purchase Avery beer, then each of those purchases becomes a vote of affirmation from the consumer base.

Ultimately, thats what its all about; whether people keep buying these brands. And if they still buy Blue Point, or Elysian, or Golden Road, or Wicked Weed, despite everything you can point to regarding AB InBevs business practices, then what are the odds that losing craft status could ever affect the likes of Avery? I daresay that five years down the road, 95% of the people buying six packs of White Rascal at the package store will have no idea that the deal ever existed.

And if that is the casethen really, what impetus does any brewery have to care about whether they retain that formerly valuable word, craft? The more breweries that make the decision that Ballast Point made, or Founders made, or Avery made, the easier that decision becomes to make for everyone else. Theres no REAL stigma here, as much as some of the die-hard craft beer geeks would like to pretend that there is. Even the breweries selling out to AB InBev arent punished for it monetarily by the consumers in any measurable way.

In the end, weve entered a post-craft eraan era where these labels just no longer matter, and breweries make decisions about their ownership and future based solely on what makes the most business sense. Does that represent a withering of the old-fashioned craft beer industry ideals? Perhaps, but this is simply the result of an industry that has grown too large for a single trade group to influence with a single definition. In successfully creating so many craft beer drinkers over the years, the BA placed in their hands the true power to decide what is craft and what is not, via their buying power.

As for our end at Paste, its not as if much will change. Well still cover the beer industry, and still note when one brewery is acquired by another. Well still make choices as to which breweries we support monetarily and which we dont on a case-by-case basis, largely as a result of their reported business practices. Ownership will continue to matter in our eyesbut we reserve the right to decide that some ownership matters more than others.

Every consumer has the same individual choices to make, whether they care or not. But one thing is certain: Its no longer as simple as just saying craft. And it likely never will be again.

Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident beer guru. You can follow him on Twitter for much more drink writing.
Let it never be said that the Kiwis dont know how to party. Weve all thrown some pretty cool keggers over the years, but whens the last time that you created a small landmass specifically for the purpose of getting wasted? Yeah, thats what I thought.

Thats what a group of enterprising New Zealand revelers did for New Years this year, and all in the name of skirting laws concerning public consumption of alcohol. The group of men built what was essentially a tiny islanda giant mound of sand and earthin the middle of the Tairua estuary on the Coromandel peninsula on Sunday afternoon. They pulled it off by waiting until low tide to trek far out to their chosen location, and then built their own little sandbar before the tide returned. They then installed a picnic table and coolers, and partied on their tiny sanctuary throughout New Years Eve and day, according to the BBC. It seems that the group reasoned their cramped little fiefdom would be immune from local law, by virtue of being in international waters.

The local law states that there is a ban on public drinking, with a fine in place of $250 (130; US$180) or the threat of arrest. Police, however, reacted in a way that can only make you chuckle, and reminds one of the laid-back depiction of the neighboring Australians (sorry to compare the two, Kiwis) in a classic episode of The Simpsons. According to BBC, the local police commander praised the group for its creative thinking, and said If I had known about it, I probably would have joined them.

The BBC image of the group was posted to a local Facebook group, Tairua ChitChat, by a man named David Saunders, who said simply, It was great to see some Kiwis having a bit of fun.

So the next time youve run out of places to drink, remember this: You can always build your own little booze island during low tide.
Turkiye'yi duslemek

Words by Mark Matthews // Photography by Bruno Long // Film by Max Berkowitz

Between all of us, we built a hip jump and a couple of side hits in two days. This beautiful location has huge potential; I cant wait to see how it develops over the next couple years.

Not only is he a talented trail builder, but he is also the only trail builder.  Mark Matthews

When Emrah Ozbay first invited me to Turkey, I had no idea what to expect. I saw some photos and video on social media, and the Erciyes Bike Park looked like an interesting project. Building a bike park in a place completely off the radar? I had to see it for myself. I invited my good friend Mason Mashon, photographer Bruno Long, and videographer Max Berkowitz. We were all ready for this random and awesome Turkish adventure! After a little more research and getting to know Emrah more, I was intrigued by his passion for trail building and love for the sport. Not only is he a talented trail builder, but he is also thetrail builder. He's extremely passionate about putting Turkey in the spotlight.We spent the first week of our trip in Kayseri and the Erciyes Bike Park. Erciyes is a newly opened bike park with only one trail builder, so theres really only one downhill trail. We wanted to give back to the park, so we set out on a mission to build some extra features.Once all our sessions at Erciyes wrapped up, it was time to finally experience the Cappadocian region. The riding here was unbelievable! The landscape is filled with unique sandstone formations and natural turns you can hit at full speed. Ripping through the erosion-shaped landscape of the Goreme valley, while being surrounded by ancient churches and dwellings, was a pretty surreal feeling. All the human creations packed into this region are as equally impressive as the landscape. Theres so much rich culture and history here.For a few nights in a row, we camped out in an ancient winemaking cave. We were roughing it by sleeping on the ground, but our host cooked up delicious traditional Turkish meals for us every night. This became our home base for the next three days as we explored mainly around Red Valley. Every morning we were up by 3:30 am in hopes to catch the hot air balloons rise in golden light. Their take-off points are dependent on the winds, so this became a huge challenge for us to figure out what ridges to hike up. Although we didnt get the perfect shot, we were still appreciative for every second of it. Watching over 100 balloons take off at the same time is a pretty spectacular sceneone morning we even got to ride in one!This trip was a fun way to give mountain biking in Turkey some recognition and experience some of the amazing natural terrain in this region. Between the iconic Cappadocia and the Erciyes Bike Park, our crew had an epic time on bikes!Rider: Mark Matthews Video by: Max Berkowitz Photos by: Bruno Long Music thanks to: Odesza- Meridian
PMO readies rules to run state govts

The Prime Ministers Office has prepared directives and by-laws for running provincial parliaments and governments, defining the role of provincial chiefs (governors).
A deep freeze blasts much of the United States as temperatures plummet. Many areas grapple with ice and snow.
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 Civil Service Commission has agreed to consolidate grievances filed by three police officers who complained that the Guam Police Department has violated the merit system by giving preferential treatment to those with military experience.

During its regularly scheduled meeting last Thursday, the CSC agreed to hear all three cases as one.

Robert Koss, the Guam Federation of Teachers employee management relations officer, represents GPD Officers Mercy Grino, Erwin Aquino and Eugene Charfauros.

"Nearly all of the officers who were recently promoted were military," Koss stated.

'They are being denied ... opportunities'

He argues that because his clients are civilian officers without previous military experience, "they are being denied promotional advancement opportunities" within the department.

"We feel this is a violation of the merit system," Koss said. "We want to have the commission review the process and determine" what corrective steps are appropriate.

Koss also expressed concern that GPD is turning into an "all-military" police force. He said that could be a public safety problem if there were a large deployment, because many officers could be called away to active duty. He also pointed out that annual military training also thins the ranks.

"I'm not really sure that it's in the public's interest to have an all-military department," he said. "When we talk about self-determination, it seems that having a U.S. military police force would be contrary to that concept."

The CSC has scheduled the next hearing on the matter for tomorrow at 2pm at which time they'll consider the officers' request for discovery so their representative can review records on the promotions
A jailed 33-year-old man found dead in his cell at the Hagatna Detention Facility was the victim of a beating, Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Aurelio Espinola confirmed yesterday.

Espinola said the detainee, Ernest Monson, had a lacerated liver, which was the result of a beating that led to his death.

On Friday, Department of Corrections Director Tony Lamorena ordered an internal investigation to look into the death of the detainee. The detainee was found dead around 9 a.m. on Dec. 29 in his cell.

As part of the investigation, Lamorena stated in a news release, the department will find out whether administrative standard operating procedures were followed.

Corrections officers who found the 33-year-old man reported it to the department's Central Control, and an ambulance was called.

A physician and Guam Fire Department medics responded, but the detainee already was dead.
Auto-injectors Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 12:13:16

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Auto-injector is a needle based medical device which is used for the administration of a fixed dose of a particular drug. It can be used for self-administration by the patients or untrained person, as it is easy to handle. Furthermore, auto-injector is significantly used for various mild and severe allergic reactions. If allergic reaction are not cured, then it can even lead to life-threatening condition such as anaphylaxis. Allergy symptoms include trouble in breathing, wheezing, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, dizziness, faint, swelling of face, mouth, lips, and tongue and skin reactions such as itching, hives, and flushing. Moreover, site of administration depends on the nature of the drug. For instance, insulin shots are always injected in the abdomen site to make them work fast. However, a long term allergy effect caused by food, dust, pollen, and many more substances can lead to life-threatening crisis, which is expected to fuel growth of the auto-injectors market.Request For Sample Copy@Global Auto-injectors Market Taxonomy By Product TypeFillable Auto-injector,Prefilled Auto-injectorBy Technology Automated Auto-injector,Manual Auto-injectorBy Usability Reusable Auto-injector,Disposable Auto-injectorBy Design Customized Auto-injector,Standardized Auto-injectorBy Application Anaphylaxis,Rheumatoid Arthritis,Diabetes,Others (multiple sclerosis)By Distribution Channel Hospitals,PharmacyAdvancement of auto-injector devices to provide more access to the patients is expected to drive growth of the marketIn 2017, Kaleo Pharmaceutical announced supplemental new drug application (sNDA) named as  AUVI-Q (0.1mg), which was granted a priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (US FDA). AUVI-Q is the first known epinephrine auto-injector, which is designed to treat an allergic reactions especially in infants, weighing around 16.6 to 33 pounds. According to the study by Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, childrens treated with anaphylaxis has limit of around 0.15 mg per auto-injector, which should have 12.7mm needle length and mainly used for patients with high-risk. The high dose of drug use in life-threatening condition, could strike the bone during the administration of epinephrine. Moreover, National Institute of Health (NIH) guidelines recommended AUVI-Q 0.1 mg for peanut allergy, as it contains no epinephrine auto-injector (EAI). Thus, AUVI-Q 0.1mg is mainly designed to minimize complications during treatment of pediatric patients. Furthermore, Kaleo pharmaceutical announced new program called  Q Your School in 2017, this program will provide free AUVI-Q epinephrine auto injector devices to over 67,000 public elementary schools in U.S. AUVI-Q has new advance features such as voice-activated prompts that will give precise guidelines. Thus, it is expected to propel growth of the auto-injectors market.Moreover, Kmart Pharmacy is recognized as the national leader in customers satisfaction in U.S., ranked by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Due to the high cost of epinephrine auto-injector pens, in 2017, Kmart pharmacy decided to lower cost of generic version of Adrenaclick (epinephrine injection), as low with manufacturers coupons. This scheme will provide affordable access to the patients, with health insurance costing no money and on the purchase of two pack of auto-injector, it will cost up to US$ 199.99. Thereby, Kmart Pharmacy is trying to serve auto-injector in affordable price, which is expected to fuel growth of the auto-injectors market.In 2016, Mylan launched generic EpiPen at a wholesale acquisition cost of US$ 300 per epinephrine injection and USP two pack cost less than 50% as compared to EpiPen 2Pak auto-injector. It provides substantial savings which will access more patients to use generic EpiPen.In 2017, Bayer received FDA approval for a connected auto-injector named Betaconnect Electronic Autoinjector with myBetaApp. It offers many advantages such as Bluetooth connectivity, which allows the patient to automatically record all type of auto-injectors and can share with a nurse or physician. MyBetaApp keep a record of injection date and time, speed and depth and help to set a reminder by emails with timings and site of injection. Advantages over conventional auto-injector is expected to augment growth of the auto-injectors market in the near future.Maintaining good quality product is essential to avoid product recalls. For instance, In March 2017, U.S. FDA recalled product EpiPen and EpiPen Jr, which is manufactured by Meridian Medical Technologies and distributed by Mylan. This is mainly due to significant violations of current good manufacturing process (cGMP) in auto injector. FDA found the defective part in device, which results in failure to activate and marked as a major restraining factor.Increasing incidence of life-threatening allergic cases and increasing demand for injector device for instant treatment is expected to fuel growth of the marketAccording to World Allergy Organization (WAO), in 2017, an estimated number of anaphylaxis cases were around 222 people in around 10.2 million population in Hungary, followed by Japan, estimated to around 300-350 patients per year in around 100 million people. In China, around 3000 people suffered from anaphylaxis in around 1,200 million population per year. According to the Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology, in 2015, around 15 million people suffered from food allergies in U.K. Moreover, according to the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), in 2015, around 17 million people suffered from food allergies, among which around 3.5 million were childrens.in U.K. Furthermore, according to World Health Organization (WHO), around 200 to 250 million people suffered from food allergies worldwide in 2015. This data represents an increasing number of incidence of allergy cases and prevalence. Thereby, it is expected to fuel growth of the auto-injectors market during the forecast period.Key players operating in the global auto-injectors market include Pfizer, Inc., Scandinavian Health Ltd., Novartis International AG, Unilife Corporation, Antares Pharma, Inc., Kaleo Pharmaceutical, Mylan N.V., Biogen Idec, Inc., Becton, Dickinson and Company, and Ypsomed Holdings AG.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
Shortage of active pharmaceutical ingredients leading to unavailability of generics in the market and increasing FDA pressure on manufacturers regarding manufacturing quality of these drugs are hindering the market growth.

Generic Drugs Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 11:47:43

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Generic drugs refers to medication that have the same active ingredient as that of a branded drugs. These drugs also yield the same therapeutic effect and are prescribed in the same dosing, with the same quality, and same the way of consumption and usage. However, the inactive ingredients of generic drugs can differ as compared to their branded counter parts. These drugs are mainly marketed after a patent expiry of a branded drug and are significantly lower in costs as compared to the patented branded drugs. Generic drugs are of equivalent quality as compared to the branded drugs and are manufactured under the same safety and manufacturing procedures. Various manufacturers submit an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) to the FDA after the completion of period of patent exclusivity.Request Sample Copy Of This Report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1132 Patent expiry of branded drugs is a factor expected to boost growth of the global generic drugs marketManufacturers of generic drugs are focusing on development and introduction of various innovative medication and formulation such as biosimilars. According to IMS Health data, generic drugs accounted for over 80% of the prescriptions dispensed in the U.S. in 2013. The number of patents expiring in the near future serves to be a major driver for growth of generic drugs market. For instance, Cetuximab (Erbitux) is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor that is indicated in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer. It is manufactured under the patent by Bristol-Myers Squibb and Eli Lily Company in Europe. The drugs patent expires in 2018 and thus, is expected to provide opportunity for a large number of market players to manufacture its generic version. Furthermore, supportive initiative by FDA to promote development of biosimilars is encouraging manufacturers to focus towards its development. For instance, the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act in the U.S. gr ants 12 months patent exclusivity with higher profit margins to the first manufacturer than the conventional generic manufacturers bringing the drugs in market later. Various other factors contributing to growth of generic drugs market include rampant growth in incidence of chronic diseases. However, shortage of active pharmaceutical ingredients leading to unavailability of generics in the market and increasing FDA pressure on manufacturers regarding manufacturing quality of these drugs are hindering the market growth.Market TaxonomyThe global generic drugs market is segmented on the basis of drug type, therapeutic application, route of administration, and region.On the basis of Drug Type, the global generic drugs market is segmented into:Monoclonal Antibodies,Cytokines,Vaccines,Insulin,Peptide Hormones,Immunoglobulin,Peptide Antibiotics,Blood Factors,Others,.On the basis of Therapeutic Application, the global generic drugs market is segmented into:Oncology,Cardiovascular Diseases,Neurology,Infectious Diseases,Musculoskeletal Diseases,Others,.Based on Route of Administration, the global generic drugs market is segmented into:Oral,Topical,Injectable,Intra-venous,Others,.Ask for customization: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/1132 Asia Pacific to gain significant traction in the global generic drugs market owing to increasing number of local playersOn the basis of region, the global generic drugs market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America held a dominant position in the global generic drugs market in 2016. This is attributed to favorable regulatory policies that are revised and amended to encourage generic drugs business in the region. For instance, Generic Drug User Fee Amendment (GDFUA) was reauthorized in 2017 after its initiation in 2012 by FDA for increasing consumer access to high quality, safe, and affordable drugs. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is expected to show a significant traction in the market over the forecast period. This is attributed to lower manufacturing costs and high skilled workforce in the Asian countries. According to India Brand Equity Foundation, India has the second largest number of U.S. FDA manufacturing plants outside the U.S. that are involved in generic drugs manufacturing. Additionally, the cost of manufacturing is 33% lower in India than that in the U.S., increasing accessibility to generics in these countries.New drug launches and market approvals from the U.S. FDA to generic manufacturers are bolstering growth of the generic drugs market. For instance, in December 2017, Zydus Phamaceuticals  a subsidiary of Cadila Healthcare  received U.S. FDA approval to market Pramipexole Dihydrochloride extended-release tablets for the treatment of Parkinson s disease in the U.S. market. Key players operating in the global generic drugs market are Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Mylan N.V., Novartis International AG, Pfizer, Inc., Allergan Plc, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Fresenius Kabi, Sanofi, Endo International, Lupin Ltd., Abbott Healthcare, AstraZeneca Plc, and Novo Nordisk.To know more about the Generic Drugs Market, click the link below, https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/generic-drugs-market-1132 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:Mr. ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email: sales@ coherentmarketinsights.com Visit our news Website: http://www.coherentnews.com
Vaccine Adjuvants Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 10:17:40

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Vaccine adjuvants are the substances added to the vaccines for enhancing the vaccine ability to protect against the infection. Vaccine adjuvants improve the immunogenicity of purified antigens, which has immunostimulatory capabilities and has been used in the vaccines for more than 90 years. Nowadays, a very less number of vaccine adjuvants are available such as MF 59 and aluminium salts. Vaccines are combined with the adjuvants to ensure body produces an efficient immune response to protect the person against the infection.Increase in the prevalence of various zoonotic and other infectious diseases, increase in the demand for improved vaccination against various diseases, government focus on organizing the immunization programs, an increase in the use of synthetic and recombinant vaccines anticipated to propel the vaccine adjuvants market over the forecast period. Furthermore, increase in the prevalence of livestock & companion animal diseases, technological advancements in the aluminum hydroxide adjuvants, and government support for R&D activities are anticipated to fuel the vaccine adjuvants market over the forecast period. However, stringent regulatory policies, side effects associated with the adjuvants usage, and high cost for the R&D activities might impede the growth of vaccine adjuvants market over the forecast period.A sample of this report is available upon request @Vaccine adjuvants market is segmented on the basis of product type, vaccine type, route of administration, application, and end userBased on the product type, vaccine adjuvants market is segmented into the following: Pathogen components Combination adjuvants Particulate adjuvants Adjuvant emulsions OthersBased on the vaccine type, vaccine adjuvants market is segmented into the following: Human vaccines Veterinary vaccinesBased on the route of administration, vaccine adjuvants market is segmented into the following: Oral Mucosal Parenteral OthersBased on application, vaccine adjuvants market is segmented into the following: Infectious diseases Cancer OthersBased on the end user, vaccine adjuvants market is segmented into the following: Pharmaceutical industries Biotechnology industries Veterinary vaccine manufacturing industriesTo view TOC of this report is available upon request @Vaccine adjuvants market is growing at a significant CAGR owing to increase in the prevalence of infectious diseases in humans, livestock & companion animals around the globe. Growing need for enhancing immune response and limited immunogenicity of novel vaccines expected to fuel the vaccine adjuvants market. Acquisitions and mergers, collaborations, and novel adjuvant introductions are the strategies applied by the market players to dominate the vaccine adjuvants market. For instance, in August 2013, FDA approved the Sequiruss Afluria quadrivalent vaccine for people with 18 years or older. Similarly, funding by the government organizations to augment adjuvants research is anticipated to boost the vaccine adjuvants market. For instance, in April 2016, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded 6 grants to various organizations including universities such as University of Wisconsin about US$ 3.1 Mn grants for vaccine adjuvants research.Need more information about this report @Geographically, vaccine adjuvants market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to hold a major share in vaccine adjuvants market owing to rise in the incidence of infectious diseases, government initiatives for organizing immunization programs, an increase in the collaborations for R&D activities on vaccine adjuvants are fuelling the market. For instance, in July 2016, U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases has collaborated with Chinas Jilin Jian Yisheng Biopharma for the development of Ebola PIKA adjuvant vaccine. Europe holds a significant share in vaccine adjuvants market owing to rising in the prevalence of cancer, influenza, and other infectious diseases, increase the awareness about the vaccine adjuvant applications in the manufacturing of vaccines, and rise in the R&D activities are expected to propel the market growth. Asia Pacific vaccine adjuvants market is growing significantly due to rise in birth rate, increase in the prevalence of various infectious diseases, and development of newer adjuvants for improving the vaccine immunization.Some of the players in vaccine adjuvants market are Invivogen (U.S.), MVP Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), CSL Limited (Australia), SEPPIC (France), Brenntag Biosector (Denmark), Novavax, Inc. (U.S.), Agenus, Inc. (U.S.), OZ Biosciences (France), and Jilin Jian Yisheng Biopharma Co. Ltd. (China) to name a few.Get access to full summary @About Precision Business InsightsPrecision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of market research services based on our client needs.Precision Business Insights mission is to provide high-quality market research reports and generate key insights to our clients. PBIs approachable strategies are to help clients to make key decisions for business growth.Precision Business Insights vision is to become most valued partner to fortune 500 companies by providing agile, accurate, and actionable market insightsContact to Precision Business Insights,Email: sales@ precisionbusinessinsights.com Website @ https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com
Replicating chaos

On a whirlwind road trip across many cities in Western Nepal, one can find a lot of similarities with the Capital. Although construction is booming, the roads are dug up without a timeframe for when it will be re-laid, and houses are built in an unplanned manner.
Home Healthcare Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 11:50:16

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Cost effective alternative to expensive hospital stays is expected to drive the global home healthcare marketAccording to the National Centers for Caregiving estimates in 2015, the number of individuals using paid long-term care services in settings including home, residential care such as assisted living, or skilled nursing facilities is likely double from the 13 million in 2005, expected to 27 million people in 2050 due to the influenced growth in the population of older people in need of care. The shift of healthcare delivery from traditional clinical settings, increasing adoption of telecommunication services, affordable healthcare delivery systems, and the technological advancements are the major factors attributed to the growth of global home healthcare market. Also, the replacement of expensive hospital stays with the cost effective home healthcare is anticipated to serve as high impact rendering driver. Additionally, the factors driving the growth of global healthcare market include the rising prevalence of chronic diseases, rising aging population, the government initiatives to promote home healthcare, and increasing healthcare costs. However, limited insurance coverage, changing reimbursement policies and patient safety concerns are the factors to restrict the growth of global home healthcare market.Request a sample copy of this report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/840 Home Healthcare offers a wide range of healthcare services given from home for the treatment of disease or injury. The diverse industry includes infusion services, home skilled nursing and physical therapy and is often referred as home medical care. The home care services are usually less expensive, highly convenient to the patients, equally effective to the hospital care units or skilled nursing facility. The ultimate goal of home health care is the complete treatment of the disease or injury which helps the patient regain independence and become self-sufficient faster. Home healthcare also involves helping senior citizens with daily activities like bathing, dressing, eating including monitoring the medication routine. The home health care professionals are licensed practical nurses, therapists, and home health aides, mostly working for home health agencies or public health departments.Infusion therapy segment contributes the largest share owing to its effective treatment for serious conditionsThe global home healthcare market is segmented on the basis of products, service, software and geography.On the basis of products, the global home healthcare market is segmented into:DiagnosticBlood Pressure MonitorsBlood Glucose MonitorsHeart Rate MonitorsFetal Monitoring DevicesOvulation and Pregnancy Test KitsHome Hemoglobin A1c Test KitsHIV Test KitsSleep Apnea MonitorsCoagulation MonitorsPulse OximetersDrug and Alcohol Test KitsEvent and Holter MonitorsCholesterol Monitoring DevicesColon Cancer Test KitsElectrocardiography DevicesTemperature MonitorsHearing AidsAsk for customization: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/840 TherapeuticOxygen Delivery SystemsAutomated External DefibrillatorsNebulizersSleep Apnea Therapeutic DevicesWound Care ProductsDialysis EquipmentInsulin Delivery DevicesExternal Stimulation DevicesMobility AssistWheelchairsCanesCrutchesMobility ScootersWalkersOn the basis of service, the global home healthcare market is segmented into:RehabilitationInfusion TherapyRespiratory TherapyPregnancy CareSkilled NursingPalliative CareOn the basis of software, the global home healthcare market is segmented into:Agency SoftwareClinical Management SystemsHospice SolutionsFavorable reimbursement policies is expected to dominate the global home healthcare market in North AmericaRegional segmentation of the global home healthcare market by Coherent Market Insights comprises of North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates in 2014, number of patients who received and ended care globally were approximately 4.9 million in 2013, with 12,400 home healthcare agencies in the U.S. Thus, the rising number of agencies, converging trends of aging population, favorable reimbursement policies and technological advancements is expected to dominate North America in the global market. Asia Pacific is poised to be the fastest-growing region during the forecast period owing to the rising geriatric population, increasing disposable income levels, expansion of home healthcare companies, increasing need for affordable healthcare delivery systems, rising awareness about home healthcare, and the rising adoption of innovative techniques.Click here to know more about this report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/home-healthcare-market-840 Key players operating the global home healthcare market include Omron Healthcare, McKesson, Philips, Johnson & Johnson, and Roche. The strategy adopted by the key players include service portfolio expansion, mergers and acquisition, collaborations, and regional expansion. For instance, the agreement of Almost Family, Inc. with Medicare-certified home health agency owned by Caldwell Medical Center to acquire the assets in 2014. Other vendors operating the market include Fresenius, Apria Healthcare, Rotech Healthcare, Abbott, and Interim Healthcare.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.Visit our news Website: http://www.coherentnews.com
PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 12:37:01

LONDON, Jan. 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to Project Management Institute's 2017 survey, for every $1bn invested in business projects, $97m is wasted due to poor implementation. When this figure is scaled up to encompass total global capital investment, around $1m is wasted every 20 seconds - or $2trn every year.

This huge misuse of resources not only causes a loss of profits for private companies, it also hampers progress for government institutions and not-for-profit organisations.

The challenge of turning strategic objectives into practical day-to-day implementation may be widespread, but it is at least being recognised by businesses.

A Brightline survey carried out in partnership with the Economist Intelligence Unit found that 53 percent of executive leaders believe that a failure to deliver on strategic objectives puts them at a competitive disadvantage. And yet, astonishingly, just one in 10 organisations is able to deliver on all of its strategic goals.

Closing the strategy-implementation gap can seem like an impossible task, particularly as there could be multiple obstacles that need to be overcome. This is why many organisations are seeking support from the Brightline Initiative, a non-commercial coalition dedicated to helping leaders turn good strategies into great results.

By focusing on three core areas (Thought and Practice Leadership, Capability Building, and Networking), Brightline is helping leaders based in a broad spectrum of industries to achieve more effective strategic implementation.

The company's 10 guiding principles, cutting-edge research and partnerships with leading organisations like TED and Thinkers50 provide businesses with the support they need to take strategy off the page and execute it in the workplace.

There will never be enough capital, people and operational capacity to properly resource all projects. With financial and temporal resources scarce, it is imperative that organisations have the ability to prioritise where key resources will be invested and allocated. By reducing the amount of time, money and energy wasted during strategic implementation, Brightline empowers leaders to turn ideas into action.

To find out more about the Brightline Initiative and how it helps organisations to bridge the gap between strategy design and delivery, check out a Q&A with Executive Director Ricardo Viana Vargas in the latest edition of European CEO, available in print, on tablet and online now.

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The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: European CEO via Globenewswire


PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 08:00:14

FSCwire / Press ReleaseThe following press release was disseminated by FSCwire for Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd.--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---Toronto, Ontario (FSCWire) - Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd. (TSX Venture:EOG). has issued a press release with the following headline:Result of Annual General MeetingTo view this press release on the FSCwire website, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:If you would prefer, you can also view this press release as a PDF file, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser:For more information on Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd., or to see additional press releases issued by this company, please either click on the link below, or copy and paste the link into your browser: http://www.fscwire.com/public-company/Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd.Source: Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd. (TSX Venture: EOG, LSE: ECO, OTC Bulletin Board: ECAOF, WKN: A1JVA8, ISIN: CA27887W1005)Date: January 02, 2018Time: 2:00 AM EST--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---The story mentioned above was issued on behalf of Eco (Atlantic) Oil and Gas Ltd. and disseminated through FSCwire.About FSCwireFSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.), is a global newswire dissemination, SEDAR, SEDI, and EDGAR / XBRL service provider.FSCwire is a full service global newswire dissemination company and is fully approved by all exchanges in Canada and the U.S. Press releases can be distributed for all sizes of public, private or not for profit companies and any other organization requiring news distribution. In addition to individual companies; public relations, communications and investor relations firms trust FSCwire to distribute press releases for their respective clients.In addition to newswire dissemination FSCwire also offers EDGAR, XBRL, SEDAR, SEDI, and additional services for publicly traded companies. For more information, please go to our website: http://www.fscwire.com Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2018 - FSCwire (a division of Filing Services Canada Inc.)
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 08:31:28

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High prevalence of aortic stenosis is responsible for growth of the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation marketAccording to the Virtual Medical Centre (VMC) 2017, one in every four people suffer from congenital valvular disease that may lead to the development of Aortic stenosis at a young age. Additionally, people aged 65 years and above are more likely to have degenerative aortic stenosis due to calcification of the aortic valve or atherosclerosis. Moreover, the American Heart Association statistics of 2017, states that around 2200 deaths are experienced in the U.S. due to cardiovascular diseases each day, accounting for 1 death every 40 seconds. .The same report also suggests that the coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. accounting for 45.1% of deaths in the country. The rise in prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and aortic stenosis provides immense opportunities for key players to expand products and increase sales over the forecast period.Request a sample copy of this report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/918 Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), also referred as transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or percutaneous valve replacement is a minimally invasive procedure that repairs the functionality of the old and damaged valve. The aortic valve allows the blood flow from the ventricle to the rest of the body. A malfunction in the opening and closing of this valve leads to aortic stenosis. The patients suffering from aortic stenosis suffer from extra strain on the heart, which causes swelling in the ankles, breathlessness, dizziness, chest pain, and frequent black outs. The transcatheter aortic valve implantation is a procedure that allows replacement of the aortic valve by implantation of a catheter. Catheter is a long narrow tube that is inserted in the blood vessel by making a small incision in the chest. The transcatheter aortic valves are made from natural tissues of either a pig or a cow. This natural tissue isolated from the heart of a pig or cow is then re-engineered and reprocessed by attaching the valve to a flexible and expandable mesh frame. Once the new valve is implanted, the catheter is removed and the valve starts functioning normally.On the basis of procedure, the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation market is segmented into:Transfemoral ImplantationTransapical ImplantationTransaortic ImplantationOn the basis of end user, the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation market is segmented into:HospitalsDiagnostic LabsAmbulatory Surgical CentersClinicsOthersEurope holds a dominant position in the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation marketOn the basis of geography, the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation market is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. Europe holds the maximum share of the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation market, attributing to the high prevalence of aortic stenosis in the European countries. The transcatheter aortic valve implantation is a well- established procedure offering reimbursement in most of the European countries and have specific procedure codes for TAVI, except for Italy. North America is also focusing on expansion of the TAVI market by investing in R&D for innovative transcatheter aortic valve implants. For instance, the U.S. FDA approved an expanded indication for the Sapien 3 transcatheter heart valve in June 2017. Asia Pacific is also expected to exhibit increased market growth over the recent future, owing to the introduction of novel and innovative products for the treatment of aortic stenosis. For example, the Food and Drug Administration of China recently approved a new generation valve replacement product called as J- Valve, which is expected to greatly reduce the surgical time as well as increase the rate of survival for most patients.Ask for customization: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-customization/918 The clinical trial success of the FDA approved devices drives growth of the global transcatheter aortic implantation marketSeveral novel TAVI devices that are in the last phases of the clinical trials. For instance, in 2016, the SAPIEN XT by the Edward Lifesciences has been FDA-approved and is now in the clinical phase trial serving patients with intermediate risk. This serves as one of the prime reasons for growth of the global transcatheter aortic valve implants market. Moreover, the success rate of the TAVI surgeries coupled with shorter recovery time also help drive the global transcatheter aortic implantation market growth. Apart from this, the high prevalence rates of aortic stenosis and coronary artery diseases in the geriatric population and younger population contributes to growth of the global transcatheter aortic implantation market. An article by National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) stated that aortic stenosis exists in 2%-9% of the population aged above 65 years. The number of centers providing the TAVI surgical process is gradually increasing, thereby creating a wide scope for key players to expand their distribution channels. According to the Edward Lifesciences, the TAVR procedure was available at more than 400 centers in the U.S., in 2015. However, stringent regulatory procedures for approval of new products that are also time consuming, are restraining the growth of the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation market.The key players operating in the global transcatheter aortic valve implantation market include Direct Flow Medical Inc., Edwards Lifesciences, Boston Scientific Corporartion, Jenavalve Technology, Inc., HLT, Inc., Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., Medtronic Plc., St. Jude Medical, Inc., Transcatheter Technologies GmbH, and SYMETIS SA.Click here to know more about this report: https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/ongoing-insight/transcatheter-aortic-valve-implantation-market-918 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.Visit our news Website: http://www.coherentnews.com
Von Willebrand Disease Treatment Market

PR-Inside.com: 2018-01-02 08:25:19

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Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is a common bleeding disorder caused due to missing or defect in von Willebrand factor (VWF), a clotting factor which helps blood to clot. Low amount of Willebrand factor (VWF) leads to severe and bleeding. There are four types of vWD namely Type 1 vWD, Type 2 vWD, Type 3 vWD, and Acquired vWD. Desmopressin is a common drug used for treatment of vWD, which is an antidiuretic hormone that triggers the release of VWF into the plasma and may increase levels of factor VIII.Rapid FDA approvals is expected to fuel the growth of von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment marketRapid approvals of vWD treatment therapies and drugs from FDA and marketing approvals in different region are expected to fuel growth of von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment market in near future. In 2015, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was granted approval for Octapharmas WILATE a replacement therapy for patients suffering from von Willebrand Disease (vWD).In 2017, European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted authorization for the marketing of VEYVONDI to prevent and treat von Willebrand Disease. VEYVONDI is a replacement therapy developed by Shire plc, which was FDA approved in 2015. Rapid marketing permission of drugs is expected to fuel Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) Treatment Market in near future. The major factor restraining the growth of von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment market is lack of awareness about disease and its diagnosis as it is a very rare disease.Request For Sample Copy@Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) Treatment Market TaxonomyThe von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment market is segmented on the basis of disease type and treatment type.On the basis of disease type, the von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment market is segment into:Type 1 vWD,Type 2 vWD,Type 3 vWD,Acquired vWDOn the basis of treatment type, the von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment market is segment into:Desmopressin,Replacement therapies,Contraceptives,Clot-stabilizing medications,Drugs applied to cutsNorth America is expected to dominate market due to increasing researches activities for treatment and diagnosis for von Willebrand DiseaseRegional market for the von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment market by Coherent Market Insights is segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa. North America expected to hold the dominant position in vWD treatment market due to increase in research activities related to treatment and diagnosis of vWD. In 2017, BloodCenter of Wisconsin, which is a part of Versiti, launched a new assay for the measurement of von Willebrand (VWF) factor activity more accurately. Europe is expected to be the second largest market for von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment due to rapid marketing approval of vWD treatment drugs for marketing in Europe. In June, 2017 European Medicines Agency (EMA) granted marketing permission to VEYVONDI, which is replacement therapy for the treatment of vWD.Key players are organizing various symposiums to raise awareness about von Willebrand Disease and to increase brand visibility.Key players in von Willebrand Disease (vWD) treatment market include Octapharma, Shire Plc, BDI Pharma, Baxalta, Ferring Pharmaceuticals, CSL Behring, and Grifols Therapeutics Inc. In 2017, Octapharma organized a symposium at the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) congress in Berlin to support progress in lifelong treatment for patients with von Willebrand Disease (vWD) and to spread knowledge about their latest replacement therapy WILATE for treatment of von Willebrand Disease.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
Of all the criminal activities that dominated news headlines in Lagos State in 2017, the serial ritual killings in Ikorodu area, also known as Badoo Killings, was perhaps the most talked about among Lagosians last year.

What generated further fear among residents was the peculiar modus operandi of Badoo and its seemingly intractable and invisible nature. As the killings went on for months, the affected communities and state security apparatus appeared clueless until it was nipped in the bud toward the end of the year.

It all started after a suspect, described by some residents of Ikorodu area as a serial rapist and ritual killer, was arrested at Ibeshe. His name was given simply as Badoo.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, gathered that after every attack, the perpetrators would write I am Badoo and paste on the door of victims.

This continued in a seemingly invincible manner until he was caught after he raped and killed a 27-year-old woman and her nine-month-old child. The suspect was arrested by the community, allegedly after some rituals were performed.

Many had believed that the arrest of the suspect would bring an end to badoo operations. But that did not happen as it marked the beginning a journey into new dimension of ritual killings in the area as many more family members were murdered at night.

For several months, Badoo operations in Ikorodu area reverberated across the state and created fear among Lagosians at large. The police appeared overwhelmed. Human and vehicular movements in parts of Ikorodu were restricted during the period. Many communities imposed dusk-to-dawn curfew while some residents moved out to other areas for safety.

Embarrassed by the continuous Badoo killings, the then Commissioner of Police in Lagos, Fatai Owoseni, met with traditional rulers in the areas and read riot acts to royal fathers who might be complicit in the killings.

Residents did not watch idly either, as many resorted to jungle justice, killing those identified as Badoo cult members during mob actions after losing faith in police ability to arrest the ugly trend.

According to NAN findings, Badoo members carried no guns or machetes. Their weapons are primarily stones, preferably household grinding stones and mortar, clubs and pestle. They carried out their operations by sneaking into targets homes at night and smash their heads with grinding stones or mortars, then collect their blood with handkerchiefs, which were sold for ritual purposes.

Unofficial sources say more than 30 persons were sent to their early graves while Badoo reign of horror lasted.

In joint operations between Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, men of the Onyabo, a local vigilante group, and the police, led by the then Lagos Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, (now Commissioner of Police), Edgal Imohimi, many of the suspected members of the cult group were caught.

Gani Adams, OPC National Coordinator, said some prominent Nigerians were allegedly behind this criminal act.

From our findings, the Badoo boys dont use guns or machetes. They use big grinding stones or pestles to kill their victims in the wee hours of the night. So it is sad, but now the police are investigating and we are supporting them with information and strategies to ensure that Ikorodu remains safe for residents.

Ikorodu has gradually become a safe hideaway for criminals. Of all the cultists in Lagos State, Ikorodu alone has about 30 per cent. That is bad.

I am happy that the police have done the needful. With the new strategy, I believe the issue of Badoo in Ikorodu will soon become a thing of the past, Mr. Adams said when he met Mr. Imohimi over the killings.

The Chairman of the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, Israel Ajai, a retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, said he was worried over the Badoo killings, describing it as bizarre, fetish and ritual.

Christopher Oji, a security expert, told NAN that badoo operation was a new wave of crime mistaken for assassination when the cult group started total elimination of families.

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During investigation, it was discovered that the killings have ritual undertones. Someone pays for the blood of the innocent which he uses for money making rituals.

The poverty level in Nigeria is alarming. People threw conscience and morality to the dust bin. Well, the police is addressing the issue, using local vigilance groups, neighbourhood watch and traditional institutions to fight the war against badoo.

The effort of the police is paid off as more suspects have been arrested. Through their confessions, those believed to be their sponsors have been declared wanted. Secondly, the police have also been raiding suspected members and destroying their shrines.

They should intensify action so that they will have no hiding place, said the security expert.

He advised government of neighbouring states to ward off the badoo cult members from infiltrating their areas.

There should be intensive raiding and motorised patrol. Police should involve other security agencies in the war against badoo, Mr. Oji said.

By the end of last year, over 500 suspected badoo cult members had been arrested. Many were charged to court while others were still under investigation, thus bringing their heinous crime to the lowest ebb.

Mr. Imohimi, who also met with traditional rulers at the palace of Anyangburen of Ikorodu, Adewale Shotobi, led operatives to demolish many badoo shrines in the area. He charged the traditional rulers in the area to join hands with the police to eradicate ritual killings and other criminal activities from their communities.

The recent renouncing of membership of cult groups by some youth in Ikorodu will also help improve the security situation in the area.

The Ikorodu monarch noted that crime rate had dropped in the area and pledged the support of his chiefs and subjects to ensure that the tempo was sustained.

It is, therefore, imperative that all hands must be on deck to ensure that security of lives and property in Ikorodu and other parts of Lagos State remains a top priority in the New Year.

(NAN)
November 2017 marked two years that most of the ministers in President Muhammadu Buharis cabinet assumed office.

PREMIUM TIMES reviewed the performances of the ministers after their first year in office with many of them getting average scores.

Mr. Buhari inaugurated 36 ministers on November 11, 2015 to man 24 federal ministries. However, two of them are no longer in the cabinet. While the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi, SAN, died last year, Amina Mohammed left the cabinet to take up appointment at the UN as Deputy Secretary General.

In August 2017, Mr. Ocholi was replaced with Stephen Ocheni while Suleiman Hassan was sworn in as Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing.

PREMIUM TIMES presents the midterm scorecard of the ministers based on their promises on assumption of office and others they made thereafter.

1. Health

Minister: Isaac Adewole

State Minister: Osagie Ehanire

Promises:

-Revitalisation of 10,000 primary health facilities in 774 local government area across the country for effective service delivery to people towards decongesting the nations tertiary health institutions.

-Providing free antenatal care for pregnant women; free health care for babies and children up to school going age and the aged.

-Free treatment for those afflicted with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV.

Health Minister, Isaac Adewole

-Providing incentives for Nigerian doctors and health practitioners working abroad to return home to strengthen the health care industry in Nigeria and provide quality care to those who need it.

-Quelling the inter and intra professional discontentment in the health sector.

 Reducing maternal and mortality rate in the country in the next three years 2015 -2018.

 Reducing mother to child HIV transmission by placing more people on anti-retroviral drugs.

-Rehabilitation of cancer machines across the country.

-Promise to start vaccine production in Nigeria

Achievements

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-Launch of Tobacco Act and Campaign.

-Completion of radiotherapy machine in National hospital which can cater for 100 people per day.

-Revitalisation of 109 primary health care facilities across the country.

-Successful implementation of routine immunisation across the country.

-Relaunch of family planning programmes across the country.

Failures

-Outbreak of vaccine preventable diseases in the country. Diseases such as meningitis, cholera, measles, yellow fever etc can be prevented but due to lack of vaccine in the country, many people have died.

-Though steps toward commencing vaccine production in the country started with the signing of an MoU with May and Baker, much is yet to be done at the factory site and therefore the nation still depends on international donors for vaccine supplies.

-Activities in the health sector were marred by strike action from the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) and the Joint health sector union Unions and Assembly of Healthcare professionals, JOHESU.

-Most primary healthcare facilities across the country are still in dilapidated states and people still trek many miles to get basic health services.

-Universal Health Care has not been achievable as many Nigerians still pay out of their pockets to access health services.

-Cancer machines across the country are not yet fully functional and most Nigerians have been dying from cancer related diseases due to lack of radiotherapy machines.

-Nigeria still loses over N175 billion to high medical tourism to other countries.

-Intra and Inter professional battle worsen as JOHESU passes vote of no confidence on minster.

 Dilapidated state of secondary and tertiary health facilities/ lack of equipment.

-Mass migration of doctors from the country. According to Nigeria Medical Association, NMA President, 300 doctors left Nigeria in 2016.

Unconfirmed reports say 500 doctors sat for qualifying foreign medical examination preparing to move. Earlier in August, an official of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Abimbola Olajide, said no fewer than 2,500 doctors would leave the country in 2017.

Score: Average

2. Science and Technology

Minister: Ogbonnaya Onu

Promises:

-Partnership with European Union, EU, on climate change, science and technology.

-N180 billion investment in National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap (NSTIR) 2030.

-Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2017 to 2020 to be driven by Science and Technology Innovation.

-Moving Nigeria from assemblage to manufacturing.

-Local production of pencils by 2018.

-400,000 jobs to be created through same pencil production.

-Closing all technology gaps to advance national development.

-Commercialisation of science and technology ideas.

-Monetary incentive of N1 billion, N500 million and N200 million for research purposes to the three top Agencies.

-The use of nuclear technology for power generation.

-To become best minister Nigeria ever had.

Achievements

-Signed Memorandum of Undertaking MoU with three international companies to export indigenous technologies and foods.

-Signed MoU with NASCO to kick off commercial production of High Nutrient Density biscuits.

Ogbonnaya Onu, the Minister of Science and Technology. [Photo Credit: Pulse.ng]

-Staged a successful National Science and Technology Week.

-Initiated the The Roadmap for Science, Technology and Innovation, The National Strategy for Promoting Competitiveness in Raw Materials and Products Development in Nigeria and The Policy Guidelines for the Planning and Execution of Programmes, Projects and Contracts with Science, Engineering and Technology Components.

-Promotion of the use of Made-in-Nigeria goods by directing all 17 agencies under the ministry to patronise Innoson vehicles as well as other local manufacturing companies.

-Promotion of technological ideas in all agencies under the ministry.

Failures

-Low patronage and encouragement from government for inventors.

-Nigerias automotive industry yet to compete favourably with foreign companies though the minister blames it on the absence of research and development.

-Nothing meaningful has commenced on the pencil production.

-Nothing significant has started in the Nigeria-Russia agreement to build four nuclear power plants.

-Nigerias yam produce was rejected by United States of America over poor quality.

-He is far from being the best minister. Many have described the minister as one of the sleeping ones.

Score: Average

3. Transportation & Aviation

Minister: Rotimi Amaechi

State Minister (Aviation): Hadi Sirika

Promises

-Lagos-Kano rail line as well as the Lagos-Port Harcourt standard gauge will start running before the end of 2017.

-Central rail project from Itakpe to Warri before the end of 2017.

-Narrow gauge line from IlorinMinna.

-To connect Abuja to other parts of the country through the central line at Warri, while the Jos Inland Port would be completed in June.

-Construction of Lagos-Ijebu-Ode-Ore-Benin-Asaba-Agbor-Onisha-Sapele-Yenagoa-Port Harcourt-Uyo and Calabar coastal rail line.

-To commence Eastern rail flank linking Aba to Port Harcourt, Makurdi, Enugu and Jos in June

-Linking of Ekiti rail through Osogbo to Ilorin, Minna and Kano.

-Dredging and construction of the Calabar Port as well as River Benue water ways.

-Projects at the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology and the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority.

-Establishment of Aviation University.

Achievements

-Commencement of work on the Itakpe-Warri rail line.

-Ongoing reforms in the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

-Commencement of construction work on the Lagos-Ibadan Rail line contract.

-Construction of a second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja

-Near completion of the Lagos, Port Harcourt and Enugu airport terminals facelifts

PIC. 7. MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION, MR CHIBUIKE AMAECHI (R) AND DIRECTOR-GENERAL, NIGERIA MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY, MR DAKUKU PETERSIDE, AT THE SUBMISSION OF THE REPORT OF THE MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE ON MODALITY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NATIONAL FLEET (SHIPPING LINE), IN ABUJA ON MONDAY (20/6/16). 4482/20/6/2016/BJO/NAN Minister of Transport and Former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi

-Flag-off of Transport short code *735# and Transport Social Media (TSM) mobile Application as a policy tool for the enhancement of passengers and motor parks safety.

-Contracting the security of the nations waterways to an Israeli security firm at $186 million.

Failures

-Most of the railway projects billed to be completed during the year under review are yet to be completed.

For instance, the Lagos-Kano line for which $7.5 billion loan was said to have been obtained from a Chinese bank in February is yet to be completed. While $1. 4 billion of the loan was for the construction of the rail gauge from Lagos to Ibadan, $6. 1 billion would be used on IbadanIlorinMinna-Kaduna Kano line.

-Domestic flight operations declined by 33 per cent in the first quarter of 2017.

-Increasing cases of delayed flights. Domestic airlines operating in Nigeria delayed an average 89 flights daily between July and September 2017, according to official figures from the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority.

The airlines also recorded 8,173 cases of delayed flights between July and September this year.

-Inadequate facilities at most of the airports which affects low passenger traffic. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the total number of passengers that passed through Nigerian airports in first quarter of 2017 was 2.5 milllion, representing 31.3 per cent when compared to the previous quarter.

-The average annual growth rate of the transport sector still remains a meagre 1.40 per cent of the Gross National Product.

-Rehabilitation of runways.

Score: Average

4. Niger Delta Affairs

Minister: Usani Usani

Promises

-To address problems created by lack of even development in the oil-rich region.

-Complete all on-going projects in the region.

-Complete the dualisation of the East-West road which commenced in 2006 but was taken over by the ministry in 2010.

Achievements

-The region has experienced relative peace, when compared with the past.

-An investigative panel set up by the ministry revealed that it uncovered massive fraud in the past operations of the ministry.

The Minister, Usani Usani, recent!y said there was very little or nothing to show for the N423 billion invested in projects in the region between 2009 and 2015.

Failures

-As acknowledged during the 2nd National Council on Niger Delta in September, the development pace in the region still remained very slow despite huge investments by various tiers of government, development partners, international oil companies and civil society organisations.

-The ministrys skill acquisition projects and other projects have been abandoned in the different states of the region.

-Stakeholders in the region appear to be in the dark about the ministrys operations, programmes, and achievements because of poor information dissemination.

Uguru Usani, Niger Delta Minister

-The East-West road, 338 Km dual carriageway traversing towns in Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta is still far from completion. Some failed sections of the road in Rivers and Bayelsa states have reportedly led to avoidable accidents and loss of lives.

-The NDDC, which is supervised by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, is enmeshed in an embarrassing controversy over its inability to pay tuition fees for Nigerian students studying abroad under the commissions sponsorship.

Score: Below Average.

5. Education

Minister: Adamu Adamu

State Minister: Anthony Onwuka

Promises:

-Address the out-of-school children phenomenon.

-Strengthen basic and secondary school education, capacity building and professional development for teachers.

-Increase quality and access to higher education and pay more attention to basic education.

-Ensure 30 million Nigerians become literate within three years.

-Re-negotiate the 2009 Agreement with unions in tertiary sector.

-Academic stability at all levels.

-Attracting best brains to the teaching profession.

-Reducing the percentage counterpart fund paid by states to ease their accessing of funds.

-Providing e-learning, technical and vocational education and

training, education data and planning and adult literacy including special needs

education

Achievements

-Presented a roadmap for radical change in the education sector between

2016 and 2019.

-Separation of CRK/IRK in the basic education curriculum which eased the controversy.

-Implementation of open distance and flexible learning for 25 polytechnics.

-Approval of N1.9 billion intervention fund for each university.

-Technical university to commence academic activities in January.

The Minister of education, Adamu Adamu.

-Conducted efficiency test for 60,480 pupils and 3,888 teachers.

-Modification of the United Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for

candidates seeking admission into the higher institutions of learning by introducing Central Admission Processing System.

-Approval of 15 university online learning centres.

-Revamping data collection system in the education sector.

-Introduction of Teachers professional examination.

-Conducting assessment of its basic schools which held last in 2011 under the previous administration.

-Approval of six new private universities and two state universities.

Failures

-Nigerias literacy level has not reduced. The nation currently has over 65

million illiterates, according to UNESCO.

-Funding of education: Only seven per cent was allocated to the education

sector in 2017 against the stipulated 15 to 20 per cent proposed by the UNESCO.

-About 11.5 million school age Nigerian children are out of school, making

the country the highest in the world.

-There is still proliferation of unregulated private schools.

Decline in teaching profession. Over 40 per cent of Nigerian teachers are

not qualified as they do not possess the prescribed minimum qualifications

for teaching.

-Inadequate housing in public universities.

 About 207,818 teachers are unqualified in primary schools across the country.

 50 per cent of Nigerians with post -secondary school qualification are underemployed or unemployed, according to findings by the National Bureau of Statistics.

-Only 450,000 of the normadic school-aged children are accessing any form of schooling out of the estimated 3.5 million.

-Unabated decline in quality of education.

-Labour disputes still thrive in the system. ASUU, ASUP & JAC (Comprising NASU, SSANU & NAAT) embarked on strikes at different times during the year crippling the sector.

Score: Average

6. Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

Minister: Mohammed Bello

Promises:

-To secure the city and the entire territory.

-Make it (city) environmentally friendly and responsive in terms of service delivery by all agencies of the FCTA.

Achievements:

-The minister identified a number of roads to be rehabilitated and took up those projects.

The ongoing projects include the dualisation of Jikwoyi-Karishi road, 2.5 km Bwari road project, mass housing project scheme, pedestrian bridge construction, Apo resettlement scheme, newly completed AYA overhead bridge, Airport Road flyover and Umar Musa YarAdua Express Way.

-Re-energised the health sector by revamping primary health care in the FCT. The minister said N360 million was provided for the construction of 220-bed spaces at the new Gwarimpa Hospital.

-Improvement in the sanitary situation of the city.

Failures:

 Despite these promises, security in the FCT worsened in 2017 as crime rate went up. There were rising cases of kidnapping, robbery, killings etc.

-A lot of public utilities like street lights broke down. Traffic lights at major points in the city are either not functioning or malfunctioning leaving streets dark and dangerous to FCT residents.

FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello

-Poor sanitary condition and environmental degradation in the capital city

-Persistent traffic congestion on Nyanya-Maraba,-Keffi Road despite the ministers promise to address the situation.

-The administration is silent on progress (if any) made in some of the promised road projects which are aimed at easing movement for residents.

Score: Average
Fiery Catholic priest, Ejike Mbaka, has warned President Muhammadu Buhari against contesting in the 2019 presidential election.

According to Sun Newspaper, Mr. Mbaka, who gave the warning during his new year message at the Adoration ground in Enugu on Sunday, said the warning came from God.

As I was waiting on the Lord, Im asked to advise you, dont come out for second tenure; after this, retire peacefully.

Come back to yourself or you will cry by the time you will be sent out of office. Those who are encouraging you to come out and run again want to disgrace you shamefully and publicly, Mr. Mbaka, the director of the Adoration Ministries in Enugu, said.

Before the presidential election, Mr. Mbaka had on January 1 2015 asked his followers to reject the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and vote for Mr. Buhari after criticising the Jonathan-led administration for its performance and corruption.

After Mr. Buharis inauguration, the cleric visited the presidential villa in Abuja where he shook hands and held a meeting with the president.

However, recent statements attributed to the clergyman suggests he is no longer in support of Mr. Buharis leadership.

On Sunday night, he blamed the president for the problems facing him and the country.

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 knows you are not yourself.

He declared that if Mr. Buhari did not sit up, another person would take his office.

President Buhari must wake up and sit up immediately. 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 hands. People are not happy with your system.

Change or you will be changed  God said that Buhari is in trouble. Buhari is hypnotised. Buhari is in a horrible bondage. Buharis mantra has been cannibalised.

Unless President Buhari quickly and strategically positions the right people and changes the former ones 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 his office, if he is not careful, another will take.

Change or you will be changed; after all, you are the one who introduced change as your mantra.

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The priest noted that 2017 was one of the most horrible years in Nigerias history, and demanded that the president change his change agenda, which he described as questionable.

Mr. Mbaka also faulted Buharis anti-corruption campaign.

His pattern of battling corruption is not just archaic and barbaric; it is a witch-hunt, 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 not corruption in itself?

It is the same people that go to the APC, they drop their umbrella and pick the broom, but instead of using the broom to sweep away corruption, they are using it to sweep money into their pockets.

Your change mantra is questionable. You are to change your change or you will be disgraced out of office.
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The much-anticipated Nigerian Peace Corps Bill has arrived the Presidency for a possible assent, Ita Enang, President Muhammadu Buharis special adviser on Senate, has confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES.

The peace corp bill has just been forwarded to the president and it is undergoing the standard procedure, Mr. Enang said Tuesday in a telephone interview.

He said copies of the bill, tagged Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill 2017, were transmitted to President Buhari late last week by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Omolori.

Mr. Enang said if the bill is signed, the president will retain one copy and return the remaining two copies to the National Assembly for further action.

The Senate passed the bill on November 25, 2016, shortly after the House of Representatives passed the same bill.

A conference committee of both chambers was inaugurated on December 8, 2016, to harmonise the bill.

The House of Representatives laid and adopted its conference report on January 19, 2017, while the Senate adopted its report on July 25, 2017.

Mr. Enang did not explain why it took long for the bill to sent to the presidency.

When signed into law, the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill 2017, will give legal backing to the establishment of Peace Corps of Nigeria.

The bill will also allow all serving members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, both regular and volunteers, to be absolved into the Nigerian Peace Corps, at commencement.

The Nigerian police had stormed the Peace Corps headquarters on February 17, 2017 and arrested the head of the organisation, Dickson Akoh, and about 49 other members.

The police accused Mr. Akoh of using the Peace Corps, registered as a non-governmental organisation, to swindle young job seekers and operate as a para-military agency.

Mr. Akoh, who denied the allegations, has since been granted bail.

The Federal High Court in Abuja subsequently ordered the Nigeria Police to unseal the headquarters of the Peace Corps and pay N12.5 million as damages.

The police has not complied with the order.
The decision of the federal government to spend $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account on security has divided Nigerians with a slight majority opposing the move, according to a poll.

The poll, conducted by PREMIUM TIMES, shows that 50.8 per cent of the 1,810 participants opposed the governments decision.

The Nigeria Governors Forum was the first to announce that it had agreed that the federal government spend the $1 billion to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo later explained that the money was meant to not only fight Boko Haram but to also address other security challenges.

Some Nigerians including the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose, have opposed the decision with Ekiti local governments suing the federal government over the matter. Mr. Fayoses compatriot in the Peoples Democratic Party, Governor Nyesom Wike, later gave his reasons for supporting the expenditure of the $1 billion.

THE POLL

A total of 1,810 participants took part in the online poll which lasted for five days. The poll was conducted in a way that made it impossible for a respondent to vote more than once from the same computer or mobile device.

The participants were asked a single question: Should government spend $1 Excess Crude Account to fight Boko Haram?

Of the 50.8 per cent (918 respondents) respondents who opposed the planned expenditure, 29.0 per cent of the participants (524 respondents) said they do not trust President Muhammadu Buharis government on the intended expenditure while 21.8 per cent (394 respondents) said such utilisation of the funds would be illegal.

INFOGRAPH showing how Premium Times readers voted on the Federal govt. decision to use $1billion from the ECA to battle Boko Haram.

Holding a contrary view were 45.2 per cent of the respondents (818) who supported the decision. About 24.5 per cent (444 respondents) of the supporters said they support the move if it will help defeat Boko Haram while 20.7 per cent of the participants (374 respondents) said that they trust the government to spend the money judiciously.

Meanwhile, four per cent of the participants (77 votes) said they do not care whether or not the money is spent.

BOKO HARAM INSURGENCY

Over 14 million Nigerians are said to be directly affected by humanitarian crises caused by insurgents, who have waged a violent campaign that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced many as they seek to carve out an Islamic state.

Although their activities have been largely curbed by the Nigerian military, the insurgents still carry out attacks on soft targets and security officers in the region.

The Governor of Gombe State, Abdulaziz Yari, had earlier said that the ECA had a balance of $2.317 billion as at December 13, 2017.

Nigerian governors had during the 83rd NEC meeting on December 14, approved the withdrawal of the $1 billion.

However, Mr. Fayose has since dissociated himself from the approval, saying that it was illegal and would be challenged in court.

He also claimed that the funds were being drawn to fund the re-election bid of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

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The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, later supported Mr. Fayoses stance to go to court if he was against the planned expenditure.

Two top officials of the present administration had in the heat of the controversy generated by the announcement moved to quickly douse tension.

Providing a further explanation on the money, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said the money was not meant for Boko Haram war alone.

It was on account of the security summit that the governors at the Governors Forum subsequently decided that they would vote a certain sum of money, which has become somewhat controversial, the $1 billion, to assist the security architecture of the country.

It was to assist all of the issues in the states, including policing in the states, community policing, all of the different security challenges that we have, Mr. Osinbajo said at a retreat of secretaries to the government at state and federal levels in Abuja.

The Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lai Mohammed, expressed the same position at a news conference in Lagos.

He said the Nigerian Governors Forum acted wisely in approving the funds based on the need, to properly fund security operations in the country to adequately respond to threats by Boko Haram and other criminals.

Mr. Mohammed pointed out that the approved fund was not to fight Boko Haram in the North-east alone but also to tackle kidnapping, cattle rustling, illegal oil bunkering and other crimes.

He expressed dismay that an action intended to make the country safer had been subjected to attacks by people, with ulterior motives.

The minister also said that it was wrong to sacrifice the issue of security on the altar of politics, saying opponents of the fund were taking politics too far.

He also spoke about why the government still needed funds to fight insurgents it had declared as technically defeated a few months earlier.

The fact that Boko Haram has been largely degraded does not mean the war is over. As we have said times without number, asymmetric wars like the one against Boko Haram do not end with an armistice.

It is, therefore, curious that some of those who have criticised the one-billion-dollar approval have hinged their argument on the fact that the Boko Haram has been degraded.

Perhaps also, the critics do not know that fighting an asymmetric war is costlier than fighting a conventional war. In any case, wars, especially the war against terror, are never fought with budgetary provisions.

It is common knowledge that the annual budgetary allocation to the military is not commensurate with the internal security challenges we face, for which we have had to continuously rely on the military to assist the police and the Civil Defence Corps, he said.
Prakash Chandra Timilsena is deputy photo editor for The Kathmandu Post, covering politics, business and social issues. Before joining the Post in 2012, he spent more than seven years working as a photojournalist for various national daily and weekly newspapers.
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The Nigerian Army on Tuesday announced that it has gone into partnership with Innoson Motors for modification of some of its equipment, local production of armoured fighting vehicles and other military hardwares.

Innoson, a Nigerian auto firm, is currently being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, for allegedly using fake documents in a transaction also involving GTBank.

Innoson, whose head, Innocent Chukwuma, is also being prosecuted, has denied any wrongdoing.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Sani Usman, on Tuesday, the Army said its leadership met with Mr. Chukwuma to arrive at the partnership.

The army said vehicles it earlier purchased from Innoson have been durable and many of them used in the war against Boko Haram in the North-east.

The specific areas of partnership between the Nigerian Army and the company include immediate supply 100 vehicles, supply of appropriate gears, engines and chassis required for immediate modifications and repairs of armoured fighting vehicles in the North East Theatre of Operations, Mr. Usman, a brigadier general, said.

Read the armys full statement below.

Nigerian Army Patronises Innoson for Military Vehicles

The Nigerian Army has today Tuesday 2nd January 2018, formally gone into partnership with Nigerian indigenous motor manufacturing company, Innoson Motors Manufacturing Company, for modification of some of its equipment, local production of armoured fighting vehicles and other military hardwares. This was made manifest during a meeting between the management of the company let by the Chairman, Doctor Innocent Chukwuma and the leadership of the Nigerian Army led by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General TY Buratai at the Army Headquarters, Abuja.

In his remarks, the Chief of Army Staff, congratulated the company for giant strides it has recorded in the production of various brands of vehicles lately. He said that the essence of the meeting was to further formalize the business relationship between the Nigerian Army and Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company. The Chief of Army Staff recalled with delight that the Nigerian Army being patriotic and in a bid to encourage local entrepreneurs asked Innoson Motors to supply 3 vehicles early last year which were found to be durable and performing very well as they were employed in combat and proved to be useful, comfortable and convenient in military operations. Based on that the Nigerian Army acquired over 70 more variants of the Innoson vehicles which were deployed in the North East for Operation LAFIYA DOLE. He further stated that the Nigerian Army desires to deepen its cooperation by partnering with Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Limited to conceptualize, design, modify and produce military hardwares.

The specific areas of partnership between the Nigerian Army and the company include immediate supply 100 vehicles, supply of appropriate gears, engines and chassis required for immediate modifications and repairs of armoured fighting vehicles in the North East Theatre of Operations. Identifying requirements for production of armoured fighting vehicle in Nigerian Army Central Workshop in Kaduna and enhancing capacity of Nigerian Army personnel to actively participate on the successful implementation of these joint ventures.

Responding, Innocent Chukwuma expressed happiness that the Nigerian Army has found his vehicles working perfectly and commended the Chief of Army Staff for his great sense of patriotism. He promised to assist the Nigerian Army in its quest for better vehicles for its troops and resuscitation of its Special Vehicle Plant and Workshops. Innocent Chukwuma further thanked the Chief of Army Staff for the commendation, maintaining that his company would continue to improve and expand its capacity in vehicle manufacturing. He further appreciated the Nigerian Army for the patronage, describing the critical role the Nigerian Army is playing in national development through the fight against insurgency in the North-east and Nigeria in general.

Highlight of the occasion was inspection and handing over of three of the newly manufactured vehicles by the company for trial by the Nigerian Army. These newly manufactured vehicles are; IVM G80 Bigger Jeep, IVM G40 Smaller Jeep and IVM Granite Pickup.
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The Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to France, Modupe Irele, on Tuesday announced that France invested about N150 billion(350 million euros) in Nigeria in 2017.

Ms. Irele told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that the amount was disbursed as soft loans to the federal and state governments, as well as the private sector.

It is estimated that in 2017 alone, France invested around 350 million Euros (about N150 billion) in Nigeria, mostly through soft loans to both the federal and state governments and the private sector.

Available records also state that at the end of the first quarter of 2017, the trade volume between France and Nigeria stood at N668 .75 billion (1.9 billion euros).

And in 2016, the volume of trade transacted between Nigeria and France was 339.77 billion, she said.

Ms. Irele said that France and Nigerias economic relations had over the past 100 years been dominated by businesses in oil and gas, construction and other enterprises.

According to her, Nigeria remains Frances first trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Ambassador said that more French companies and businesses were prepared to take advantage of the nations ongoing initiatives at enhancing the Ease of Doing in Nigeria, for foreign investors.

The French, like many other business people, are showing interest in the drive to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria and welcome the policies as positive developments.

The over 100 years plus of Franco/Nigeria economic relations, have largely been dominated by big businesses in oil and gas, construction and others.

However, we are witnessing a significant shift of interest to areas, including the agro-allied industry, SMEs, renewable energy, technology

and start-ups, among others, she said.

Ms. Irele said that she was currently working at increasing socio-cultural exchanges between France and Nigeria, as well as expanding mutually beneficial economic ties between both countries.

The Nigerian Representative in France added that her embassy would also exploit unexplored investment and export opportunities between both countries.

We are also encouraging cooperation in the areas of technology, research and development, given the critical role technology is playing in defining our today and tomorrow, she added.

The trade volume between France and Nigeria hit 1.9 billion euros (about N668.75 billion) in the first quarter of 2017.

(NAN)
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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said his administration would investigate and bring to book all perpetrators of mayhem across the country, saying that no religion or civilised culture tolerates violence, especially the taking of another life.

Speaking at separate meetings with with the Qadiriyya Muslim Movement in Africa and the Izalatul-Bida-Wa-Iqamatus-Sunnah at the State House in Abuja, President Buhari said anyone, or group of persons, who unleash violence on the innocent in the name of a movement, cause or religion lack understanding of the ordinances of God.

You cant kill to please God; and I know no religion tolerates the taking of another persons life in the name of a religious movement.

There is never a justification for killing any member of the society. We have been tackling the Boko Haram menace, and we have made significant impact, and we will extend the measures to stop all wanton killings, he said.

Mr. Buhari said the security apparatus will be consistently reviewed to check threats to the peaceful co-existence of all Nigerians, and ensure the safety of lives and properties.

He told the delegation that his political party, the All Progressives Congress, campaigned on three issues, noting that his government had been consistent in ensuring that it provides adequate security, fights corruption and stimulates the economy for creation of jobs.

Our priority is to also ensure that everyone in the country has something to eat. We are really concerned about the underprivileged.

Graciously, God has been hearing our prayers. In the past two years, we have had bountiful harvest due to favourable conditions. All over the country, we have reports of farmers posting good harvests.

On corruption, the president said security agencies will continue to expand their dragnets to ensure that sanity is restored into public offices.

Justice will be done to all in the war against corruption. As religious leaders, I urge you to reach backwards to your followers to respect the rights of others. Those that stole from the public can no longer sleep well in the country today. When they run abroad, they cannot take their landed assets with them. We will, in all cases, have them return what they looted, he added.

In his remarks, the leader of Qadiriyya Muslim Movement in Africa, Keribullah Nasir Kabara said the movement would continue to keep the president in prayers for good health and longer life to pursue the course of building a stronger nation that caters for all citizens.

He said the reports of improved security in the North East and better harvests for farmers across the nation were clear signs of Gods favour on the government, urging the president to continually look unto God.

The Sheikh said the improved security situation in the country made it possible for 10 million members of Qadiriyya, from many parts of Africa, to gather in Kano for some days for the commemorative birthday of the founder of the movement without a single incident.

The leader of the second group of Ulamas, Bala Lau, commended the ongoing drive for infrastructural development in the country by the administration.

He urged the President Buhari to continue to remember the lower segments of the population who look up to him to champion their cause.
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Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state has granted clemency to 10 prisoners in the state and approved their immediate release.

The governor also granted pardon to Idris Mohammed, a retired soldier and ex-convict, who completed his prison term in 1985.

The governors action is based on the recommendations of the Kaduna State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy.

Announcing the release on the occasion of 2018 New Year Celebration, Governor El-Rufai said that was customary to extend a gesture of compassion to deserving prisoners during New Year Day celebrations.

The governor explained that he was exercising the powers conferred upon him by Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) to order the immediate release of the inmates and pardon to Mr. Mohammed, who retired as a captain.

The prisoners were serving jail terms ranging from three to six years with less than six months left to complete their terms.

Those granted pardon for their good behaviour are Habibu Iliyasu, Ibrahim Mohammed, Ibrahim Auwalu, Abubakar Abdullahi, Shehu Usman, Ibrahim Stephen, Saidu Idris, Ashimu Danmutuwa, Kabiru Mohammed and Aliyu Yusuf.

Mr. El-Rufai also said he approved the recommendation to grant pardon to Mr. Mohammed, to remove the stigma of ex-convict from him.
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has announced N200 million reward for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of the gunmen who killed several residents of the state who were returning from church on New Year Day.

The police in the state said it was difficult to ascertain how many people died so far from the incident which happened in Omoku, a community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) Local Government Area of the state.

But 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, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, blamed the killing on a supremacy battle among rival cult groups and also accused Governor Wike of lacking the capacity to tackle the states security challenges.

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, Mr. Peterside said in a statement he sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

The police spokesperson in the state, Omoni Nnamdi, said no arrest had been made yet.

Mr. Wike, on Tuesday, led the Rivers State Security Council on a fact-finding and sympathy visit to the families of the deceased, according to a Government House statement issued on Tuesday.

We have placed N200 million bounty for relevant information that will lead to the arrest of all those involved in this unfortunate act of violence, the statement quoted the governor as saying.

Anybody who is connected to this crime in any way will have his/her houses forfeited to the government. This place has been peaceful before this unfortunate mayhem.

We will not allow another case of this violence. We have mobilised the security agencies to take the battle to the perpetrators, Mr. Wike said.

One woman, who identified herself as Comfort Ordu, narrated how the gunmen dragged her husband and three children from their home and shot them to death.

The governor was said to have also visited the crime scenes at Omoku and was briefed by the Caretaker Chairman of ONELGA, Olisa Osi, and the Police Area Commander, Mike Nwafor.

The caretaker chairman, Mr. Osi, told the governor that 17 people died in the attack.

The governor, who also visited the residence of a wanted cultist, Don Danny, was said to have commended the security agencies for working hard to improve the security of the state.

The governor commiserated with the victims families.

The state government, he said, would support the families in burying their loved ones and also settle the medical bills of those receiving treatment.

I am pained by this unfortunate mayhem, Mr. Wike said. Enough is enough.

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The governor was accompanied by the Brigade Commander, 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, A.A Bande; the Commander of Joint Task Force on Security, M.N Madi; the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state, Ahmed Magaji; and the State Director, State Security Service, SSS, Tosin Ajayi.
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President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed against reprisal attacks in Rivers and Kaduna states, following the recent killings in both states.

About 17 people were reportedly killed by unknown gunmen on Monday in Omoku, a community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni (ONELGA) Local Government Area of the state.

The victims were returning from the church where they went to usher in the New Year.

In Kaduna, a traditional ruler, the Etum Numana, Gambo Makama, and his wife were killed by unknown gunmen in Sanga Local Government Area of the State on the eve of the New Year.

Mr. Buhari, on Tuesday, expressed shock and outrage at the killings in both states.

The president, in a statement issued by his media aide, Garba Shehu, described the killings as reprehensible and unacceptable and directed the law enforcement agencies to intensify efforts and bring the perpetrators to justice.

I have always maintained that nothing justifies the taking of the life of an innocent person, the president said. People in our communities must learn to live peacefully.

He appealed to the communities affected not to carry out reprisal attacks, but allow the security agencies to carry out comprehensive investigations to properly punish the culprits.

He commiserated with the victims families and also wished the injured, recovery.
The police have released Andrew Elombah, a London-based Nigerian journalist, who was arrested by their operatives on Monday, PREMIUM TIMES has learnt.

But Mr. Elombahs brother, Timothy, who was also arrested, would be kept in custody for another seven days based on a warrant signed by a magistrate.

Police told PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday afternoon that they arrested the brothers and, a third person and would be filing criminal charges against them.

The brothers were taken to a magistrates court in Mpape, Abuja, on Tuesday where a warrant was issued to further keep Timothy in custody.

This would enable us carry out our preliminary investigations before filing criminal charges against him, said police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood.

Mr. Elombah and another man who works for the online platform, Elombah.com, were granted administrative bail Tuesday while Timothy remains in custody.

Timothy Elombah is the editor-in-chief of the online newspaper, which began operations in 2009.

Mr. Moshood declined to tell PREMIUM TIMES the specific charges that would be filed against Mr. Elombah.

Andrew Elombah told PREMIUM TIMES his release included a condition that he must not step out of Abuja for the next few weeks, or even months.

Were working with our lawyers to see how they could void this stringent condition, he said. He also added that effort were underway to get his brother out before seven days.

The journalists were arrested around 4:30 a.m. at their country home in Nnewi on New Years Day.

PREMIUM TIMES learnt that they were arrested by the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad who stormed their home during the festive period.

Andrew Elombah said the arrests were linked to a story published online, but not on their website.

They said an opinion piece that denigrated the Inspector-General of Police was published on opinionnigeria.com, which is not our own website, Mr. Elombah said.

He added that the police said the piece was written by Timothy Elombah under a pseudonym, but failed to present any evidence to support the claim.

When asked by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Moshood would neither confirm nor deny whether the journalists were detained over a story critical of the the IGP.

The trio were initially taken to a SARS detention facility in Anambra after their arrest. They were later moved to Abuja around 7 a.m. Monday, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

It is not immediately clear when the journalists would be taken to court for trial.

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Our attention has been drawn to the widely reported 2018 prophesies of Reverend Father Mbaka of the Adoration Church in Enugu. While Mr. Mbaka is well known for making predictions some of which fall off the mark, we are however drawn to his particular fantasy about Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, the Executive Governor of Gombe State.

If the reverend father is well apprised of the state of affairs of Gombe State, he will certainly not recommend Governor Dankwambo as a worthy replacement for the great President Buhari. Perhaps, some examples will show the Mr. Mbaka of the extent of the damage Mr. Dankwambo has done to our State

1. It is a well-known fact that Gombe town had battled with lack of potable drinking water since independence. The previous administration of Senator Danjuma Goje took this as a priority and spent over N8 billion to ensure the provision of water across the state and specifically within the metropolis of Gombe. Mr. Dankwambo refused to make an annual budgetary spending of only N200 million required to maintain the supply of water. Today, you will easily find water in the desert before Gombe State.

2. Gombe State Education system was adjudged one of the best in the country. With a State University founded by the previous administration being rated as one of the top 10 state-owned universities in Nigeria as at 2011. As with the water project, he has neglected to continue with the required funding of the university. Today, the university and the entire education system is now in shambles and our classrooms are playground for idle students without teachers who have left en mass due to unpaid salaries.

3. On the Health Sector, our hospitals, which were modernised and fully equipped, are now mortuaries and consulting clinics.

4. The International Airport in Gombe that opened the entire North-eastern region to air travel, both passenger and cargo, has been totally neglected.

5. The international hotel that was built to cater for those travelling to and by Gombe has been neglected and taken over by animals.

6. The state is struggling under a heavy burden of debt in excess of N100 billion in local currency and another $100 million in foreign currency. The debt service will remain a challenge for future administration.

7. Despite the Paris Club refunds and bailouts engineered by the federal government and the committee of governors to assist state governments clear arrears of workers emoluments, pensioners from the state are dying waiting to be paid.

8. These are few examples to show the extent Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, with all his accounting credentials, has wreaked havoc in our state in just six years of his maladministration. He has reversed the glorious achievements of the previous administration and destroyed all the good works of the distinguished senator, Danjuma Goje.

9. Finally, everyone knows Ibrahim Dankwambos moral deficit will not qualify him for a position of an officer in the church of Mr. Mbaka and therefore wonders what the reverend saw in such a man to recommend him as to lead our great country. There is more than meets the eyes.

Perhaps, Mr. Mbaka should come clean and tell Nigerians what his major motivation is in making this recommendation. We are aware he ONLY received a handshake from the frugal President Muhammadu Buhari when he last visited Aso Villa, and maybe more than a handshake from his darling Governor Dankwambo.

I advise Father Mbaka to travel to Gombe State and visit the state university, hospitals and water projects in Gombe town and all the other 10 local governments of Gombe State and tell Nigerians his findings.

Muhammad Jibrin Barde
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The Police Command in Benue on Tuesday said it had killed three armed robbers and recovered one AK47 rifle with breech no. M35085 and four AK47 magazines with 127 rounds of 7.62 live ammunition.

The commands spokesman, Moses Yamu, said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Makurdi.

According to Mr. Yamu, the criminal gang which specialised in robbery and kidnapping around Katsina-Ala-Abaji-Takum axis, were killed during a gun battle between the criminal gang and a combined team of Operation Zenda.

He said the encounter followed a security tip-off.

Based on a tip-off that a vicious criminal gang specialised in robberies and kidnappings around Katsina Ala  Abaji  Takum axis.

The gang is believed to be responsible for the attack on Abaji Police station, killing a Police Sergeant and carting away his rifle.

A combined team of Operation Zenda crack squad led by SP Justine Gberindyer stormed the hoodlums hideout, and the hoodlums opened fire on sighting the team.

During the shooting exchange, three members of the gang were fatally hit by bullets, they were apprehended and later confirmed dead.

Items recovered from them are: One AK47 rifle with breech no. M35085; four AK47 magazines with 127 rounds of 7.62 live ammunition; criminal charms and a bag containing some clothes, the statement said.

The command said it appreciates the cooperation of law abiding citizens of the state, while appealing to them to report all suspicious activities around them to the Police.

(NAN)
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A former governor of the old Kaduna State, Lawal Kaita, is dead.

Mr. Kaita died Tuesday evening at a private hospital in Abuja after battling an undisclosed ailment.

President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his deepest condolences to the family, the government and people of Katsina and Kaduna states on the death.

Mr. Buharis spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said the president, who was briefed Tuesday evening on the death of the former governor and chieftain of the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, described the deceased as a complete gentleman who served his people and the nation with total commitment and devotion.

Nigeria has lost a distinguished leader. We are all saddened by his demise. May his soul rest in peace, said the president.
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Residents of Ondewari, a coastal settlement in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, have fled the area following clashes between rival gangs in which two persons were reported dead.

NAN learnt that most of the residents observed the New Year in the bushes where they hid.

A resident and an environmentalist, Alagoa Morris, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the community has been deserted since the crisis commenced on Dec. 30, 2017.

According to him, two persons were killed last July in similar clashes.

Mr. Morris urged relevant security agencies to intervene and restore peace to the community.

Our pain is that this crisis was avoidable; the community leadership had cried out to state government and drew the attention of the security agencies to the raging issues bordering on pipeline surveillance jobs at oilfields in the area but nothing happened.

The situation would have been nipped in the bud, but here we are, four youths have been lost to the oil industry induced conflict that has left the community in a mourning mood.

According to him, efforts are on at the community level to resolve the crisis.

Peresho Erefawari, Acting Paramount Ruler of the community, decried the frequent clashes by armed gangs in the area and urged the state government to halt the bloodshed.

The clash was caused by protest by some youths in the community who are aggrieved over their exclusion in the petroleum pipeline protection jobs in the area.

We have tried in vain to broker truce so that peace will prevail but to no avail, he said.

(NAN)
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A judge of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has ordered the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to produce Kolawole Adeleye, a murder suspect, before the court on January 3.

Adizat Shagari made the order while responding to an oral application by counsel to the accused, Olanrewaju Ajanaku, on December 29, 2017.

According to a motion on notice filed by Mr. Ajanaku, his client was arrested on November 15 last year by SARS operatives, Ikeja Division, over allegations of murder.

According to the lawyer, instead of charging Mr. Adeleye to court, the police officers tortured him leading to the dislocation of his right hand, wrist, and bruises on his arms and back.

Mr. Adeleye was among four suspects arrested by the police in connection with the murder of Emmanuel Uba, an influential member of the All Progressives Congress in Festac Town, Lagos.

Others arrested include Michael Fashola, who allegedly pulled the trigger; Muftau Toyosi; and Fatai Onifade.

Mr. Uba, who was also the leader of the Festac Town/Amuwo Odofin Community Policing Youth Vanguard, was fatally shot at 7th Avenue in Festac Town on the eve of the local government election in Lagos State.

Mr. Adeleyes lawyer is seeking an order of the court to declare his clients detention as illegal and unconstitutional and a violation of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

He is also asking the court to grant an order of perpetual injunction against SARS and demand for a compensation of N5 million as damages for his clients unlawful detention.

In an affidavit deposed to by Adesola Adepoju, a lawyer, the applicant averred that he was arrested by a team of police officers led by one Inspector Idowu, the second respondent, while at his duty post at Durbar Junction in Mile 2, Amuwo Odofin, on the allegation that he knew about the death of Mr. Uba.

While adjourning the matter to January 3, the judge issued an order that SARS Area Ikeja Division should produce Mr. Adeleye in court.
Samsung is now taking pre-orders of Galaxy A8 (2018) starting today in South Korea and the handset will go on sale on the 5th of January.

The handset will be available from mobile carrier KT, which is the second largest carrier in South Korea. KT has mentioned that the Galaxy A8 (2018) can be purchased outright for 599,500 Won ($564), though it will be cheaper if customers purchase it together with a mobile plan.

At the moment, the smartphone is available in three colors, including black, blue, and gold. The A8 (2018) is priced higher in South Korea compared to Vietnam, where Samsung had confirmed the device would be available for slightly less than $500. Of course, there is a reason Samsung is targeting higher prices this time around.

The Galaxy A8 comes with a 5.6-inch Super AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution of 2220 x 1080 pixels. The handset is powered by an Exynos 7885 64-bit octa-processor coupled with a Mali-G71 GPU processor. It features 4GB of RAM and support for microSD card up to 256GB. The handset is available in 32GB and 64GB of storage variants.

For the camera, the handset includes a single 16-megapixel rear camera assisted by Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) and a LED flash.and dual front cameras. The dual front cameras are made up of one 16-megapixel sensor and one 8-megapixel sensor.

The A8 is powered by a 3,000mAh non-removable battery with support fast charging. Samsung has also decided to include IP68 certification for this phone, making it dust and water resistant.

Connectivity options available on the handset include 4G LTE with support for VoLTE, Bluetooth 5.0, and NFC. This dual-SIM device ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat out of the box with Samsung's custom UI laid on top of it.

The Galaxy A8 (2018) also comes with support for many of Samsung's services which are usually only available for its flagship smartphones. This includes Samsung Pay, a contactless payment service, and it is also capable of pairing to the Samsung Gear VR, a virtual reality headset developed by the company.

The general release date for South Korea is set for February 5, a day ahead of the A8's release in Vietnam. Release dates for other regions remain unknown for now, although Samsung's regional arms will be making availability details in the future.

Source
DUBLIN, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Database Security Market by Software, Service, Business Function, Deployment, Organization Size, and Vertical - Global Forecast to 2022" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The database security market is expected to grow from USD 2.95 Billion in 2017 to USD 7.01 Billion by 2022, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 18.9% during the forecast period. The growing demand for sophisticated security solutions and evolving regulatory landscapes are the key drivers of this market.

The report provides detailed insights into the global database security market, which is segmented on the basis of components, business functions, deployment models, organization size, verticals, and regions. In the database security market, finance business function is estimated to hold the largest market share in 2017. The finance area of business carries most valuable and sensitive information of the organization that needs to be managed and secured with the highest priority. Most organizational tasks depend on the financial data profit/loss, balance sheets, and analysis of annual reports. Hence, this sensitive and critical data needs to be secured in the databases. Further, banking and financial service providers deal with numerous data sources ranging from supply side to sales transactions. By deploying database security solutions, banks and financial institutions can efficiently protect and secure their customer data.

The BFSI vertical is expected to hold the largest market size during the forecast period. BFSI organizations mainly provide financial products and services. These businesses generate large volumes of sensitive data including Personally Identifiable Information (PII), social security numbers, addresses, credit scores, Non-public Personal Information (NPI), collection history, and family member PII. Out of which, 90% of overall data resides in the databases. The data is vulnerable and exposed to cyber-attacks. Thus, database security is gaining high importance in BFSI industry. The adoption of various database security solutions is gaining traction in the BFSI vertical across the globe.

Key Topics Covered:



1 Introduction



2 Research Methodology



3 Executive Summary



4 Premium Insights



5 Market Overview



6 Database Security Market, By Component



7 Database Security Market, By Business Function



8 Database Security Market, By Deployment Model



9 Database Security Market, By Organization Size



10 Database Security Market, By Vertical



11 Database Security Market, By Region



12 Competitive Landscape



13 Company Profiles



Fortinet

Gemalto

Hexatier

IBM

Imperva

IRI

Mcafee

Micro Focus

Oracle

Protegrity

Thales E-Security

Trustwave

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/x9rzh8/7_billion?w=5





Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

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SOURCE Research and Markets

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LONDON, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Bundeep Singh Rangar (the "Acquiror"), of IXL House, 18 Heddon Street, London, England W1B 4DA, announces that on December 29, 2017, the Acquiror, through his wholly-owned company, Rangar Capital Limited ("Rangar Capital"), acquired (the "Acquisition") ownership of 53,460,520 common shares (the "Acquired Shares") of Fineqia International Inc. ("Fineqia") pursuant to private acquisitions from 4 individuals (the "Vendors"). As a result of the Acquisition, Mr. Rangar's security holding percentage increased from 22.84% to 28.86% of the common shares of Fineqia (the "Common Shares").

Immediately before the completion of the Acquisition, the Acquiror beneficially owned 75,016,289 Common Shares and 114,750,201 common share purchase warrants of Fineqia (the "Warrants") collectively representing 22.84% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, assuming exercise of the Warrants. The Warrants are registered in the names of Rangar Capital, Oranjeboom Ventures Limited and IXL Bancorp Limited, all of which are entities controlled by Mr. Rangar. Immediately after the completion of the Acquisition, the Acquiror beneficially owns an aggregate of 128,476,809 Common Shares and 114,750,201 Warrants, collectively representing 28.86% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares, assuming the exercise of the Warrants.

The Acquiror is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Fineqia, and he entered into the transaction for investment purposes. The Acquiror may increase or reduce its investment in the Corporation according to market conditions or other relevant factors.

The head office of Fineqia is located at IXL House, 18 Heddon Street London, England W1B 4DA.

The Acquiror will file with the Canadian securities regulators within the prescribed period an early warning report (the "Report") providing details on the Acquisition. The Report will be available on Fineqia's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. In addition, a copy of the Report may be obtained by contacting Bundeep Singh Rangar at +44 20 7754 9144.

SOURCE Bundeep Singh Rangar
"We are disheartened because every suicide is a tragedy, and the suicide rate in the US has been steadily increasing for years. The more the public understands about suicide prevention, the more likely we'll see the rate of suicide begin to decrease. Creating a culture open to talking about mental health and suicide prevention is critical. Making treatment truly accessible for all people is paramount.

As the nation's largest private funder of suicide research, we know concentrated and strategic suicide prevention efforts can be successful. We have invested in Project 2025, a high-impact, collaborative initiative developed by AFSP, aimed at the organization's bold goal of reducing the annual suicide rate 20 percent by 2025. Based on the evidence, AFSP has determined a series of actions across four critical areas to help reach this unprecedented goal including: (1) firearms and suicide prevention, (2) large healthcare systems, (3) emergency departments, and (4) corrections system.

Through Project 2025, we will reach across all demographic and sociological groups to have the greatest impact for suicide prevention, and the potential to save thousands of lives within the next decade. As a nation, we need to invest our time and resources in effective prevention efforts. The lives of millions of Americans depend on it."

Suicide  The New Numbers

Men die by suicide 3.57 more times than women

White males account for seven out of ten suicides

Among people in middle age (45-54) the rate of suicide slightly decreased

In the second highest risk age category of those 85 years old and older, there was a small decrease in the suicide rate

All other age groups increased slightly (except 45-54 and 85 and older)

Related to race, Caucasian people have the highest rate of suicide

The suicide rate among Caucasian people decreased slightly

There was an increase in the suicide rate among Alaska Native and American Indian people

More than half of suicide deaths were by firearms, 51 percent (from just under 50 percent last year)

For young people between the ages of 15-24, the suicide rate went from of 5.3 suicide deaths per 100,000 to 5.4 suicide deaths per 100,000

To view these most recent CDC data on suicide: https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/. For safe reporting: https://afsp.org/about-suicide/for-journalists/.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Related Links

http://www.afsp.org


HIAWATHA, KS, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - (TSX: AJX)  AgJunction Inc. (TSX: AJX) ("AgJunction" or the "Company"), through its wholly-owned subsidiary Novariant, Inc., a leader in automated steering and machine control technology for precision agriculture, has filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the Western District of Texas against Raven Industries, Inc. ("Raven"). The lawsuit alleges that Raven products violate three AgJunction patents related to automated mechanical steering, implement steering and system calibration technologies.

"AgJunction has one of the most comprehensive steering and machine control IP portfolios in the industry," said Bob Barjesteh, vice president of intellectual property and general counsel for AgJunction. "These assets are critical components of our corporate strategy and integral to the success of our business and that of our partners. After several attempts to negotiate with Raven, we are left with no choice but to assert three of our patents, which are vital to hands-free steering and machine control functions."

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and an injunction to prevent Raven from selling any products infringing AgJunction's patented technology.

AgJunction is committed to bringing new technologies and products to the market and protecting its business and partners by continuing to build its intellectual property portfolio and enforcing its rights against unlicensed use.

About AgJunction

AgJunction (www.agjunction.com) provides innovative hardware and software applications for precision agriculture worldwide. The Company holds more than 185 patents and patent applications and markets its products and services under leading brand names including Novariant, Outback Guidance and Satloc. The Company is headquartered in Hiawatha, Kansas, with facilities in Silicon Valley, California, Scottsdale, Arizona, Winnipeg, Manitoba and Queensland, Australia. AgJunction is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol "AJX." For more information, please go to www.agjunction.com.

Reader Advisory and Note Regarding Forward Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking information and forward-looking statements (collectively, "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws and is based on the expectations, estimates and projections of management of AgJunction as of the date of this news release, unless otherwise stated. The use of any of the words "expect," "anticipate," "may," "will," "should," "believe," "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information. In respect of the forward-looking information, AgJunction has provided such information in reliance on certain assumptions that it believes are reasonable at this time. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking information contained in this press release since forward-looking information addresses future events and conditions, such information by its very nature involves inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks. This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any security which may be referenced herein.

SOURCE Agjunction Inc.
"It gives me great pride to congratulate this year's scholarship award winners," said Jadav. "It is my personal belief that every child should have the opportunity to learn about software, technology, engineering and mathematicsthe very foundations of our emerging technology based economy. These are the fields where massive investments in research and development are taking place that will ultimately create a more dynamic economy and propel our country into economic prosperity for generations to come."

The firm's statewide scholarship program ties into a number of other corporate philanthropy initiatives recently rolled out by alliantgroup in support of STEM-based education. As technology becomes even more a part of the very fabric of our offices and facilities, developing a strong STEM skillset will be vital for the next generation of students in improving their career prospects in the emerging tech economy. As a result, alliantgroup has made the promotion of STEM education the primary focus of many of its philanthropic initiatives.

In addition to the rollout of the statewide scholarship program earlier this year, the firm recently launched the Blue Heart Fund, alliantgroup's non-profit charity originally created in the wake of Hurricane Harvey relief efforts. Since then, the fund has been expanded to help promote exposure to STEM education and careers in our universities, public schools and local communities. Through the fund, alliantgroup has been reaching out to school districts across Houston to ensure students are exposed to STEM at a young age, even going so far as to take students from a local elementary school to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. In addition to promoting STEM education in K-12 schools, the firm recently announced that it would be handing out 20 $10,000 scholarships to the children of alliantgroup's CPA and industry partners interested in pursuing a career in STEM.

"These charitable endeavors are just the tip of the iceberg for what we have in store when it comes to promoting STEM and in ensuring that every child, no matter their background or what area code they were born in, can pursue their dreams to the fullest," said Jadav. "STEM is truly the future of our country and can offer a pathway to a better life for many Americans. That's why my passion for STEM burns so brightits potential to improve the lives of people through the innovations it creates and the economic opportunities it can provide for all Americans."

Along with alliantgroup's individual outreach initiatives, the firm has also worked hand-in-hand with industry alliance heads in promoting awareness of STEM-based careers. The firm has partnered with organizations such as NSCA and PMPA to spread the word on the value of STEM jobs and in promoting awareness of technical careers in fields such as manufacturing and system integration. The idea is to expose students to options they may have never considered and to provide alternatives to a standard four year degree that can lead to an engaging and high-paying career.

"Every major economic evolution and revolution in the modern era has been powered by some type of technological advancement, from the automotive industry in the 80s to Silicon Valley during the 90s, and each was ultimately driven by professionals whose core training came from STEM," said Jadav. "In order to ensure the success of our economy and country, we must continue to invest in the STEM education of our youth in America."

alliantgroup is a leading tax consultancy and the nation's premier provider of specialty tax services. The firm assists U.S. businesses and their CPA advisors in properly identifying and claiming all federal and state tax incentives that were designed for their benefit. These incentive programs were created to help American businesses grow and remain competitive in an increasingly global economy. To date, alliantgroup has helped 12,000 U.S. businesses claim over $6 billion in tax savings. For more information on alliantgroup, please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE alliantgroup

Related Links

http://www.alliantgroup.com


WARREN, Mich., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Art Van Furniture and Art Van PureSleep customers in Chicagoland will be cheering for a blizzard to blitz the town on Super Game Sunday 2018. Why? Because they will score full refunds on purchases made on Friday, January 5 through Monday, January 8 as part of the Midwest's No. 1 furniture and mattress retailer's fourth annual "Let It Snow" promotion if it snows at least three inches on February 4.

"There's no denying the excitement customers feel during this unique shopping experience," said Kim Yost, president and CEO of Art Van Furniture. "If history repeats itself, Chicagoland families will be the biggest winners on game day."

Participating Chicagoland shoppers can make purchases January 5, 6, 7 and 8 at the 20 Art Van Furniture, Scott Shuptrine Interiors and Art Van PureSleep stores in Algonquin, Batavia, Bedford Park, Bloomingdale, Burbank, Chicago, Deerfield, Downers Grove, Glendale Heights, Harwood Heights, Kildeer, Merrillville, Naperville, Orland Park, Plainfield, Portage, Schaumburg, Willowbrook, and Woodbridge (Bolingbrook), Ill. and Portage, Ind. They will receive refunds (including sales tax and delivery fees) on all furniture, mattresses, and flooring items if Chicago's O'Hare Airport Weather Station measures a snowfall of three inches or more between 12:01 a.m. and 11:59 p.m. on February 4. A minimum purchase of $999 is required.

In 2015, Chicago's O'Hare Airport had a record-breaking snowfall of 16.2 inches on Super Game Sunday, and Art Van Furniture refunded over $2 million to Chicagoland customers.

For complete details, visit artvan.com.

About Art Van Furniture, LLC.

Art Van Furniture, LLC is the Midwest's No. 1 furniture and mattress retailer with 176 stores in nine states operating under the following brands; Art Van Furniture, Art Van PureSleep, Art Van Flooring, Scott Shuptrine Interiors, Levin Furniture, Levin Mattress, Wolf Furniture and Gardiner Wolf Furniture. Founded in 1959, the company is headquartered in Warren, Mich. Visit artvan.com for more information.

SOURCE Art Van Furniture

Related Links

http://www.artvan.com


LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Barco Uniforms today announced it has partnered with leading lifestyle and work footwear brand Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX) for the global launch of a new innovative scrub collectionSkechers by Barcodesigned to offer fashion and high performance to healthcare professionals. Barco Uniforms is a recognized leader in purposeful design innovation in the premium professional apparel industry, and is best known for its globally popular Grey's Anatomy scrub brand.

"Skechers by Barco represents the next evolution of scrubs, not only for Barco Uniforms, but for the healthcare profession," said David Murphy, CEO and president of Barco Uniforms. "Together with Skechers, we developed a lifestyle brand that delivers fashion, exceptional quality and fit, at a price point that is accessible to virtually every healthcare professional."

The collaboration is Barco Uniforms' first with Skechers, America's #1 work shoe brand and the go-to brand for workers across multiple industries when it comes to slip-resistant footwear. The footwear company recently expanded its offering to include a SKECHERS Heath Care Pro slip-resistant collection for medical professionals.

"This modern apparel collection that we've developed with Barco complements our ongoing mission to offer stylish, comfortable and technically innovative products for the healthcare industry," said Michael Greenberg, president of SKECHERS. "Doctors, nurses and medical professionals have come to know and love Skechers for our workplace footwear and we expect to leverage that familiarity into the apparel arena. We're thrilled to partner with an esteemed brand like Barco Uniforms for this collection."

Reflecting Barco Uniforms' proven excellence in the healthcare industry and Skechers' famed comfort technology, Skechers by Barco features an eco-friendly fabric with four-way Spandex stretch to enhance performance as well as the company's unique soil release and moisture-wicking fabrics. These help professionals perform at their highest level in comfort and style. The Skechers by Barco collection is available globally through Barco Uniforms' network of retailers.

The Skechers by Barco collection includes a selection of fashion-forward pants, tops, and warm-up jackets for men and women in nine core colors that align with hospital and medical group programs. These include black, navy, pewter, new royal, ciel, white, wine, bahama, and teal. In addition, the new collection features two breathtaking fashion colors for women, cherry pie and sunny lime. Every piece in the Skechers by Barco collection can be washed and dried easily at home so it is ready to wear when needed.

"At Barco Uniforms everything we do centers around making the healthcare professional's work and lifestyle a bit easier," Murphy added. "We understand the challenges these professionals face every day and the demands put on their uniforms. That's why we are committed to making scrubs that perform at the highest level, like Skechers by Barco, a collection that is as comfortable and functional as it is stylish and affordable."



About Skechers

SKECHERS USA, Inc., based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle footwear for men, women and children, as well as performance footwear for men and women. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States and over 160 countries and territories worldwide via department and specialty stores, 2,438 SKECHERS Company-owned and third-party-owned retail stores, and the Company's e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia and the Middle East, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, throughout Europe and Latin America. For more information, please visit skechers.com

About Barco Uniforms

Founded in 1929, Barco Uniforms is a leader of design innovation in the premium professional apparel industry, designing award-winning premium uniforms that elevate and honor the individual in the healthcare, food service and hospitality industries. Barco Uniforms is headquartered in Los Angeles with approximately 225+ local employees across multiple disciplines including design, product development, marketing, sales, supply chain, and distribution.

The company started as an apparel company for beauty professionals. Barco Uniforms went on to produce its first medical uniform in 1936 under the leadership of Kenneth Donner. The company was the first to merge fashion with uniform design in 1941, putting the company on the national stage by designing a dress for nurses made of a nylon fabric originally made for the military defense department to make parachutes for the war.

In an ongoing effort to make the world a better place, Barco's Nightingales Foundation was established in 2008 by Michael Donner and his wife Frida on behalf of Barco Uniforms as an advocate for the profession of nursing. The foundation supports the courageous hearts and spirits of those women and men who choose nursing as a profession directly and with its nonprofit partners. The foundation currently provides 1,500 hot lunches daily to children in Haiti, has built six solar water wells, which provide clean water for over 40,000 people in Haitian villages, funded 3,300 life-changing surgeries through ReSurge International, and provided camperships for 600 children through Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times.

For more information on Barco Uniforms or Barco's Nightingales Foundation, visit: www.barcouniforms.com. You can follow the company at www.instagram.com/barco.uniforms/, www.facebook.com/barcouniforms/, https://twitter.com/BarcoUniforms and www.pinterest.com/barcouniforms/.

Barco Uniforms, Skechers by Barco are trademarks of Barco Uniforms. All other terms are trademarks of their respected owners.

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, without limitation, Skechers' future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as "believe," "anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will be," "will continue," "will result," "could," "may," "might," or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include international economic, political and market conditions including the uncertainty of sustained recovery in Europe; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in Skechers' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended September 30, 2017. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and the companies cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can the companies assess the impact of all such risk factors on their respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.

SOURCE Barco Uniforms

Related Links

https://www.barcouniforms.com


"Bringing together Anord and Mardix is a perfect example of Bertram's approach to investing and the relationships we build with both our management teams and the surrounding ecosystem," said Jeff Drazan, Managing Partner at Bertram. "By building strong ties to the founders of Mardix over the past six years and a ten year relationship with several key, senior executives at Anord who ran a prior Bertram investment, we were able to effect the merger of these two highly complementary businesses. We believe there is further opportunity to consolidate best-of-breed companies in this sector."

Founded in 1966 and headquartered in Kendal, England, Mardix is the largest UK-based manufacturer of critical power equipment including switchgear, power distribution units, package substations, busbar transmission and distribution systems and modular datahall busway systems. With a global salesforce, worldclass manufacturing capabilities across three facilities in the UK, and a dedicated service division, Mardix is the trusted supplier for a diverse set of customers across commercial and industrial buildings, energy, rail and cloud, colocation and enterprise data centers.

"We are incredibly excited about the formation of the Anord-Mardix Group in partnership with the management team and shareholders at Mardix. The combination of Anord and Mardix unifies two of the best brands in the industry, whom have a collective pedigree of 100 years in the critical power equipment industry. We are very confident that the combined Anord-Mardix management team's deep industry knowledge, broader product suite and wider geographic reach will allow the group to be even more aligned to drive significant value creation for their customers," said Kevin Yamashita, Partner at Bertram.

Bertram's investment in Mardix highlights its approach of investing alongside founders and business owners, similar to its May 2017 investment in Anord. The Mardix shareholders and senior leadership team identified Bertram and Anord as ideal partners to propel the business forward on its already strong growth path and will retain a significant ownership stake in the combined company.

"As we continue to power clients across the global cloud computing industry, we at Mardix are very enthusiastic about joining forces with Anord to create the Anord-Mardix Group. The businesses are highly complementary with an unrivalled product portfolio that we believe is second to none in quality terms. Additionally, with over 400,000 ft2 of manufacturing capacity across North America, the UK and Europe, we will be better positioned to provide customers with a full suite of solutions on a global basis," said James Peacock, Managing Director at Mardix.

"The similarities between Anord and Mardix are striking, from their respective foundations to their globally respected brand names, both of which have been built over decades. Both companies have a shared culture centered on quality, customer service and innovation," said Kevin Finegan, Managing Director at Anord and Group CEO. "With an excellent reputation and track record in the critical power equipment market since the industry's inception, Mardix is one of the most innovative providers in the marketplace. Mardix's customer-focused ethos and continued commitment to industry-disrupting technical solutions have provided it with a strong market position and attractive growth profile."

About Mardix

Mardix is a leading global provider of specialist switchgear, busway, power management and critical power service solutions which serve a diverse range of customers. The Mardix business model integrates all of the aforementioned products and services as a custom-engineered package to the specific requirements of their customer base, many of whom are globally-recognized datacloud, financial services and industrial brands. With 50 years of industry expertise, the Mardix brand is synonymous with quality, reliability and innovation  providing value-added functionality to end users both large and small. Visit www.mardix.com for more information.

About Anord

Anord is a leading global provider of critical electrical power distribution and protection equipment for data centers, energy and industrial applications. They are a preferred supplier of low voltage switchgear, power distribution units, remote power panels, busduct and full modular plantroom and substation solutions to marquee cloud and colocation data center operators. Visit www.anord.com and www.anordcpi.com for more information.

About Bertram Capital

With over $1.3 billion in committed capital, Bertram Capital is a private equity firm targeting investments in lower middle market companies. By supplying flexible investment capital and committing a wealth of operational and strategic resources to each investment, we make it our core objective to move companies, management teams and employees toward unlocking their full potential. Visit www.bertramcapital.com for more information.

SOURCE Bertram Capital

Related Links

http://www.bertramcapital.com


BALTIMORE, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the World Blind Union (WBU), which represent the United States and global blind communities respectively, today stated their opposition to a new ban on blind climbers participating in expeditions on Mount Everest, recently announced by the government of Nepal.

"The National Federation of the Blind is surprised and disappointed that Nepalese authorities have banned blind people from participating in expeditions on Mount Everest," said Mark Riccobono, President of the National Federation of the Blind. "While we recognize that this climb should not be undertaken by the unprepared or inexperienced, the ban on blind climbers is arbitrary. The first blind person to attempt this climb, Erik Weihenmayer, summited on May 25, 2001 in an expedition that we were proud to sponsor. This proves that blindness, by itself, does not prevent a climber from safely summiting Mount Everest."

"Blind people regularly engage in all manner of activities, both ordinary and extraordinary," Mr. Riccobono continued. "Despite the wide-ranging evidence of our capacity, however, society continues to arbitrarily restrict what we may do, and low expectations continue to create artificial barriers that prevent us from fully participating in our communities. There is no more evidence that we should not climb Mount Everest than that we should not walk the streets with our white canes, ride amusement park attractions, or raise children, all of which are things that some have tried to prevent us from doing, but which many of us have done successfully."

"Most blind people will never climb Mount Everest, but neither will most of the sighted. The issue is not whether a climber is blind but whether he or she has the adventurous spirit, physical endurance, and requisite skill. As in all other endeavors, we demand to be judged by whether we have qualities relevant to the task at hand, not on the single characteristic of blindness. Nepalese authorities should immediately rescind the ban on blind climbers and should reconsider banning any other climbers with disabilities," Mr. Riccobono concluded.

Dr. Fredric Schroeder, President of the World Blind Union, said: "Climbing Mount Everest is challenging and dangerous, and it is not surprising people would assume it is too challenging and dangerous for a blind person to attempt. But Erik Weihenmayer, a blind man, did just that and did it successfully. Excluding blind and partially sighted people from equal access based on assumptions reinforces and helps perpetuate economic and social isolation. Few blind people will attempt to climb Mount Everestas few sighted people will attempt to climb Mount Everestbut Nepalese tourist authorities should recognize that they have neither the knowledge nor wisdom to justify the exclusion of blind people from attempting to achieve the seemingly unachievable, especially since it has already been done."

About the National Federation of the Blind

The National Federation of the Blind (NFB), headquartered in Baltimore, is the oldest and largest nationwide organization of blind Americans. Founded in 1940, the NFB consists of affiliates, chapters, and divisions in the fifty states, Washington DC, and Puerto Rico. The NFB defends the rights of blind people of all ages and provides information and support to families with blind children, older Americans who are losing vision, and more. We believe in the hopes and dreams of blind people and work together to transform them into reality. Learn more about our many programs and initiatives at www.nfb.org.

CONTACT:

Chris Danielsen

Director of Public Relations

National Federation of the Blind

(410) 659-9314, extension 2330

(410) 262-1281 (Cell)

[email protected]

SOURCE National Federation of the Blind

Related Links

http://www.nfb.org


CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Netsanity, the popular service that enables parents to create a safe online environment for their children, has announced they have launched an iOS edition on the Apple App Store. The iOS version of the app provides features for content filtering, safe search and as well as the ability to block apps and games on iOS and Samsung devices.

Blocking Apps is now a simple toggle with Netsanity's new Apple IOS App. Block Porn and 30+ other categories with Netsanity's Catblocker.

"Having a child or teen encounter troubling or inappropriate content online, or worse, make contact with a bad person through a mobile device, is one of a parent's great fears," said Carl Petrovsky, CEO of Netsanity. "The challenge has been to provide appropriate child controls that are easy to manage. If controls are overly complex to deal with, parents inevitably let them slip and expose their kids to risk. We solve this problem with an easy to use and intuitive new app interface."

The Netsanity Apple app lets parents control their accounts from their iPhone or iPad, rather than requiring a log-in from a browser. Parents can check their children's accounts and access the most popular features. These include Appblocker, Catblocker, Timeout, Safesearch, and device restrictions. More features will become available in the app with each update.

The app's "Timeout" function allows parents to give their child a mobile "timeout," remotely. Safesearch protects children by filtering search results to show only appropriate content, images, and videos. The Appblocker feature can block over 50 apps, such as Snapchat, Instagram, and games with a single button click. Catblocker filters over 40 content categories including such as hate speech, porn, social media, and advertisements.

Parents interested in trialing the Netsanity service can start a 14-day free trial on their website. The iOS app is available for free on the App Store and is fully functional throughout the free trial.

About Netsanity

Netsanity, a US-Based company, was founded in 2013 to address the growing concern of content filtering for mobile devices. As mobile devices have grown to many billions around the world, parents needed better solutions to protect their children from dangerous apps, websites, and social predators. Initially launched with Apple devices in 2014, Netsanity added support for Samsung in 2016. With its proprietary app blocking and DNS engines, as well as a global cloud infrastructure, Netsanity provides parents in 65+ countries, full-featured control over their mobile devices without the need of a router. Parents can control most settings remotely from any browser or a dedicated app. Netsanity supports all WiFi and all data devices worldwide. Netsanity also provides free premium technical support to all its customers with US-based agents.

Related Links:

For more information visit https://netsanity.net

https://facebook.com/netsanity

https://twitter.com/netsanitymobile

https://instagram.com/netsanitymobile

Media Contact:

Carl Petrovsky

Tel: +1 404 369 0980 Ext. 700

Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Netsanity, Inc.

Related Links

https://netsanity.net


HELSINKI, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Bone Index Ltd., one of Europe's top new manufacturers of medical devices, announces that the American Medical Association (AMA) has issued a new Category III CPT code* for Bindex measurement to help physicians in diagnosing osteoporosis.

"In osteoporosis screening and diagnostics area, it has taken about 20 years since the last new code and therefore this new CPT code is a huge step for healthcare operators to provide highly needed osteoporosis examinations. This is also very strong evidence that Bindex is a new and unique medical device which provides significant improvement in osteoporosis screening and diagnostics in US," says Bone Index's CEO, Dr. Ossi Riekkinen.

Bindex point-of-care device measures the cortical bone thickness of the tibia and the algorithm calculates the Density Index, a parameter which estimates bone mineral density at the hip as measured with DXA. Bindex detects osteoporosis with 90% sensitivity and specificity and will significantly help physicians with diagnosis.

Undiagnosed osteoporosis is a worldwide challenge. In the US alone osteoporosis is responsible for two million broken bones every year, costing over 19 billion dollars. Experts forecast that by 2025, the costs will rise to 25.3 billion dollars. One of the biggest challenges is the limited availability of osteoporosis diagnostics since bone density scans are mostly performed in hospitals with large DXA X-ray machines that entail high costs. "This is why Bindex is a game-changer," says Dr. Riekkinen.

Bindex has a total of 19 patents globally including the US, China, Japan and large European countries. "Now Bindex is used by the US's leading provider of direct to consumer preventive health screenings, Life Line Screening, and in addition, for example, neurosurgeries are using Bindex as a pre-operative measurement. The overall aim is to prevent osteoporotic fractures and improve the quality of life for families in the US," Dr. Riekkinen concludes.

For more information:

Bone Index Ltd.

Dr. Ossi Riekkinen

CEO

[email protected]

+358-50-363-2797

www.bindex.fi/en/

*0508T: Pulse-echo ultrasound bone density measurement resulting in indicator of axial bone mineral density, tibia. Effective date July 1, 2018. https://www.ama-assn.org/sites/default/files/media-browser/public/cpt/cpt-category3-codes-descriptors.pdf

About Bone Index:

Founded in 2011 and based in Kuopio, Bone Index Finland Ltd. specializes in the development of measuring devices for osteoporosis screening and diagnosis.

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

http://news.cision.com/bone-index/r/bone-index-ltd--announces-american-medical-association-issues-new-reimbursement-code-for-bindex-oste,c2424125

The following files are available for download:

http://news.cision.com/bone-index/i/bindex-kuva,c2314687 Bindex kuva

SOURCE Bone Index

Related Links

http://www.bindex.fi/en/


LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR) has completed its acquisition of Morningstar, Inc.'s 15(c) board consulting services business. The acquisition strengthens Broadridge's ability to offer the most complete source for independent, verifiable data that mutual fund boards of directors rely on to fulfill their governance responsibilities. Terms were not disclosed.

"This acquisition broadens the breadth and depth of the data-driven solutions Broadridge provides to the investment management industry and underscores our commitment to providing innovative services to help clients get ahead of today's challenges and capitalize on tomorrow's opportunities," said Dan Cwenar, Broadridge's head of buy-side data and analytics.

Broadridge has offered 15(c) compliance solutions since its 2015 acquisition of Thomson Reuters' Fund Information Services business. Morningstar's 15(c) data will be integrated into Broadridge's board reporting system, providing clients the ability to benchmark funds using both Morningstar and Lipper classification systems within their reports and to leverage the expertise of the expanded Broadridge 15(c) team.

About Broadridge

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: BR), a $4 billion global fintech leader, provides investor communications and technology-driven solutions to banks, broker-dealers, mutual funds and corporate issuers globally. Broadridge's investor communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridge's infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90 percent of public companies and mutual funds in North America, and processes more than $5 trillion in fixed income and equity trades per day. Broadridge employs over 10,000 full time associates in 16 countries. For more information about Broadridge, please visit www.broadridge.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release and other written or oral statements made from time to time by representatives of Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. ("Broadridge" or the "Company") may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical in nature, and which may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "assumes," "projects," "anticipates," "estimates," "we believe," "could be" and other words of similar meaning, are forward-looking statements. In particular, information about our future performance objectives are forward-looking statements.

These statements are based on management's expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed. These risks and uncertainties include those risk factors discussed in Part I, "Item 1A. Risk Factors" of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2017 (the "2017 Annual Report"), as they may be updated in any future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this presentation and are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed in the 2017 Annual Report.

These risks include: the success of Broadridge in retaining and selling additional services to its existing clients and in obtaining new clients; Broadridge's reliance on a relatively small number of clients, the continued financial health of those clients, and the continued use by such clients of Broadridge's services with favorable pricing terms; any material breach of Broadridge security affecting its clients' customer information; changes in laws and regulations affecting Broadridge's clients or the services provided by Broadridge; declines in participation and activity in the securities markets; the failure of Broadridge's outsourced data center services provider to provide the anticipated levels of service; a disaster or other significant slowdown or failure of Broadridge's systems or error in the performance of Broadridge's services; overall market and economic conditions and their impact on the securities markets; Broadridge's failure to keep pace with changes in technology and demands of its clients; Broadridge's ability to attract and retain key personnel; the impact of new acquisitions and divestitures; and competitive conditions. Broadridge disclaims any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than as required by law.

Contact information:

Investors:

W. Edings Thibault

Investor Relations

+1 516-472-5129

[email protected]

Media:

Linda Namias

Broadridge Financial Solutions

+1 631-254-7711

[email protected]

SOURCE Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.broadridge.com


CHICAGO and NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CI Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm, announced today that it has acquired a majority interest in Redwood Logistics, an industry leading provider of truckload, transportation management and technology services. Redwood Logistics will combine with Simplified Logistics, an Ohio-based less-than-truckload logistics provider acquired by CI Capital in February 2017, to form a unique, full service logistics platform, which will operate as Redwood Logistics.

The combination of Redwood Logistics' strength in truckload brokerage, managed transportation services, and transportation technology services and Simplified Logistics' strength in less-than-truckload freight management services creates a full-service provider of third-party logistics that is able to manage all of its customers' freight management needs. Mark Yeager, Simplified Logistics' current CEO, will lead the combined company. Mr. Yeager is an experienced logistics executive who previously was the President and COO of Hub Group, a leading transportation management company offering intermodal, brokerage and logistics services. Todd Berger, Founder and CEO of Redwood Logistics, will be the President and COO of the combined organization, and recently hired senior logistics executives, John Centers and Sheila Taylor, will serve as the EVP of Sales and the CFO and EVP of Strategy of the combined business, respectively. The company's less-than-truckload business, which will use the Simplified Logistics brand, will continue to be led by Sam Avampato.

Mr. Yeager said, "Todd and the rest of the team at Redwood have built an impressive company whose unique culture and dedicated employees are responsible for its success. The complementary nature of Simplified's and Redwood's legacy businesses makes this a natural combination that creates a differentiated, multi-modal offering, improving the competitive positioning of both companies. This merger provides both businesses with a broader set of capabilities to offer our customers, and an advantageous increase in scale. We are excited about the growth opportunities for the combined company."

"Through conversations with Mark and CI Capital, it became clear that forming this partnership will help our highly motivated employees achieve our ambitious vision for Redwood," said Mr. Berger. "I look forward to working with the rest of the management team to accomplish our shared goals."

"When we initially acquired Simplified Logistics earlier this year, it was our goal to build a leading third-party logistics provider," said Joost Thesseling, Managing Director at CI Capital. "We believe the merger with Redwood accomplishes that, and we will continue to look for add-on acquisitions that will complement and enhance the combined company's service offering."

Republic Partners acted as the exclusive financial advisor to Redwood Logistics. Sidley Austin acted as legal counsel to Redwood Logistics. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP acted as legal counsel to Simplified Logistics.

About Redwood Logistics

Chicago-based Redwood Logistics is a next generation, strategically integrated logistics provider that believes every company's needs are unique. For more than 15 years, the company has been providing solutions for moving and managing freight, and sharing its knowledge across North America. Redwood Logistics is focused on making its customers more successful in their end markets by applying talented and motivated people, proven processes and cutting-edge technologies to optimize their supply chain management efforts. For more information, please visit us on the web at www.redwoodlogistics.com.

About Simplified Logistics

Simplified Logistics is a leading North American provider of transportation management services. Simplified's comprehensive service offering includes logistics consulting, transportation management, customer reporting and freight audit and payment services. Simplified was founded in 2003 and is based in Westlake, OH. For more information, please visit www.simplifiedlogistics.com.

About CI Capital Partners

CI Capital Partners LLC, a leading North American private equity investment firm with approximately $2.4 billion in assets under management, has been investing in middle-market companies since 1993. CI Capital forms partnerships with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to build substantial businesses through add-on acquisitions, organic growth and operational improvements. Since inception, CI Capital and its portfolio companies have made over 250 acquisitions representing over $8 billion in enterprise value. To learn more about CI Capital Partners, please visit www.cicapllc.com.

Media Contact

Daniel Yunger

Kekst

212.521.4800

SOURCE CI Capital Partners
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Godlan, a manufacturing ERP software specialist (Infor CloudSuiteTM Industrial - SyteLine), Infor CPQ (Configure Price Quote) specialist and Infor Gold Channel Partner, announced today congratulations to Dave Skinner for winning the bronze "Best Article" award in the 2017 ERP Writers' Awards. The ERP Writers' Awards are hosted annually by ERP Focus, an online publication and knowledge leader in the ERP and Enterprise Software industry.

Godlan Inc.

The awards recognize top writing talent across the ERP industry from all types of publications, with categories for both vendor and independent blogs and for individual writers. The final results were decided by a combination of recommendations from the judges and a public vote. The Best Article Award is judged on writing style, originality and depth of insight.

"Dave Skinner's article went down particularly well with the judges. Dave provides a clear and valuable insight into the key factors of ERP project success on the Godlan blog. I thought his writing was well-structured and considered. I'd like to congratulate Dave for his success in our ERP Writers' Awards 2017!" said Kathryn Beeson, awards judge and ERP Focus editor.

With an expertise in manufacturing, Godlan offers business consulting, technical consulting and programming, infrastructure, implementation, IoT platforms and CPQ services. Godlan specializes in three Infor-accredited Micro-Verticals and is fully certified in each. Godlan also maintains "Gold" partner status with Infor year after year, the highest level achievable in the partner community.

Godlan achieved ranking on the 2015 Inc 5000 list, a TEC Accreditation for ERP Solutions in each of the last four years, was awarded the Infor North America SyteLine ERP Partner of the Year 2011, Infor Regional Partner of the Year 2013 and is an approved Infor Gold Channel Partner serving customers for over 33 years. For more information, visit godlan.com or call 586-464-4400.

About the ERP Writers' Awards

The ERP Writers' Awards were launched in 2013 by ERP Focus to recognize top writing talent across the industry. We're excited - as ever - to recognize the brightest and best of this year's ERP writing talent.

"As the co-founder of diginomica, I'm also a full-time blogger," explains judge Jon Reed. "Part of that role involves my five-year tradition of curating the best enterprise blogs and analysis for my weekly Enterprise Hits and Misses column. I'm always looking for work that cuts through the enterprise noise and provides context and critique in the midst of tech hype."

Run every year, the ERP Writers' Awards recognize the most switched-on bloggers, writers and journalists working in the ERP industry, with prizes available in Best Vendor Blog, Best Independent Blog, Best Writer and Best Article categories.

About ERP Focus

ERP Focus is an online publication which caters to professionals across the ERP industry. It provides product and industry news, whitepapers, comparison tools and how-to guides for professionals looking for advice on selecting, implementing and running ERP.

About Godlan Inc.

Godlan is a leading manufacturing performance specialist that has been implementing integrated technology solutions since 1984. As an approved Infor Gold Channel Partner with a focus on Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) ERP, Godlan supports the implementation of world-class processes and best practices throughout discrete manufacturing organizations. For more information about Godlan or Infor CloudSuite (SyteLine) ERP manufacturing software demos, call 586-464-4400, visit godlan.com or follow us on Twitter @Godlan_Inc.

About Infor

Infor is fundamentally changing the way information is published and consumed in the enterprise, helping 73,000 customers in more than 200 countries and territories improve operations, drive growth and quickly adapt to changes in business demands. Infor offers deep industry-specific applications and suites, engineered for speed and with an innovative user experience design that is simple, transparent and elegant. Infor provides flexible deployment options that give customers a choice to run their businesses in the cloud, on-premises or both. To learn more about Infor, please visit infor.com.

Infor customers include:

19 of the top 20 aerospace companies

12 of the top 13 high-tech companies

10 of the top 10 pharmaceutical companies

22 of the 25 largest U.S. health delivery networks

16 of the 20 largest U.S. cities

84 of the top 100 automotive suppliers

43 of the top 50 industrial distributors

5 of the top 9 brewers

For more information:

Bobby Rudder

Godlan Inc.

586-464-4400

[email protected]

Related Files

Infor CloudSuite Industrial SyteLine Overview-Godlan.pdf

Related Links

Godlan ERP

Godlan CPQ

Related Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6TEhbXRSBc

SOURCE Godlan Inc.
CHICAGO, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- DialogTech, the world leader in actionable marketing analytics for businesses that value inbound calls, today announced the acquisition of Swydo, provider of industry-leading digital marketing dashboards, reports and visualizations. The acquisition enables DialogTech customers to view their call analytics data alongside their martech and adtech performance data within the DialogTech platform in Swydo-powered reports and dashboards, making it easy to measure KPIs and uncover insights to optimize their marketing across channels.

DialogTech acquires Swydo to bring omni-channel visualizations to call analytics

"DialogTech captures the most insightful marketing data on inbound calls and conversations, and we are excited to enable our customers to visualize their omni-channel data within DialogTech via Swydo-powered reports and dashboards," said Irv Shapiro, CEO of DialogTech. "The addition of Swydo visualizations is another example of how DialogTech leads the way in helping marketers connect calls to the increasingly complex customer journey."

DialogTech provides businesses and agencies with insights and analytics data on inbound calls that marketers use to optimize lead generation, grow revenue and personalize caller experiences in real time. With the addition of Swydo, DialogTech customers now have three powerful options to analyze their call data:

DialogTech Reports: Powered by Swydo, marketers can use a drop-and-drag editor to create stunning omni-channel marketing reports and dashboards in minutes. In addition to DialogTech call data, users can include their Google Analytics, AdWords, Bing, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and MailChimp data to gain a holistic view of their customers' journeys.

Powered by Swydo, marketers can use a drop-and-drag editor to create stunning omni-channel marketing reports and dashboards in minutes. In addition to DialogTech call data, users can include their Google Analytics, AdWords, Bing, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and MailChimp data to gain a holistic view of their customers' journeys. AI-Driven Insights: DialogTech provides industry-leading AI and machine-learning technology that analyzes the entire context of calls to uncover hidden insights marketers use to drive growth.

DialogTech provides industry-leading AI and machine-learning technology that analyzes the entire context of calls to uncover hidden insights marketers use to drive growth. Seamless Integrations: DialogTech has built-in integrations with leading CRM, bid management, web analytics and digital advertising platforms, so marketers can use the same tools to measure and optimize inbound calls that they use for online conversions.

DialogTech customers can access Swydo-powered reports today within the DialogTech platform as part of its Dashboard Insights tool, which the company is offering for a limited time as a free 30-day trial.

The acquisition also benefits Swydo customers, who can add call analytics data from DialogTech to their reports and dashboards inside Swydo for a holistic view of marketing performance, both online and over the phone.

"We are thrilled to join the DialogTech team and combine our technologies and engineering resources to provide exceptional value to both our customer bases," said Jeroen Maljers, CEO of Swydo. "DialogTech is the undisputed leader in call analytics, and our team was very impressed by DialogTech's vision and commitment to providing businesses and agencies with the actionable marketing analytics they need to succeed."

Additional Resources:

About DialogTech

DialogTech provides actionable marketing analytics for businesses that value inbound calls. Consistently recognized as the leader and pioneer in call analytics and optimization, DialogTech is the trusted voice management platform for Fortune 500 brands, agencies and fast-growing companies. From call attribution to conversation analytics to caller experience optimization, only DialogTech has everything marketers need to drive the conversations that drive revenue. For more information, visit dialogtech.com.

About Swydo

Swydo's industry-proven, award-winning reporting, monitoring and workflow platform retrieves data from multiple sources to create professional, customizable reports marketers use to measure KPIs and drive growth. Swydo was awarded Best Search Software Tool in 2016 and Best Reporting & Analytics Software in 2017 by the Dutch Search Awards, and is a Google Technology Partner.

Media Contact

Blair Symes

DialogTech

[email protected]

SOURCE DialogTech

Related Links

http://www.dialogtech.com


THE WOODLANDS, Texas, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ESG Solutions, an industry leader in microseismic solutions for the oil and gas and mining industries, has developed advanced analytical applications for microseismic data that helps operators understand the effectiveness of different fracturing techniques, and predict the capability of a fracture network to sustain the flow of hydrocarbons back to the well. The study on fracture effectiveness will be presented as a Keynote paper at the Society of Petroleum Engineers  Hydraulic Fracturing Technology Conference held in The Woodlands Texas from January 23 to 25 in 2018.

ESG's Chief Technology Officer Dr. Ted Urbancic will present the paper as a keynote speaker during a Wednesday session focusing on unconventional fracturing. "This will be a fantastic opportunity for valuable discussion surrounding the benefits of microseismic analysis beyond the typical level of interpretation that operators obtain from a microseismic program," says Urbancic. "There's really a lot of potential value we can extract from microseismic data to help operators understand and predict production from unconventional wells, and we're looking forward to sharing our ideas with colleagues in the industry."

"We're incredibly pleased to co-author a paper with a recent client that shows some very promising results and insights in terms of different fracturing strategies and the resulting producing volumes," says Doug Angus, Manager of the Innovation and Technology Group at ESG. "Through collaboration we are able to ensure our advancements in technology help operators maximize the returns on monitoring investments and are helping to solve the problems that matter most to them."

In addition to showcasing its advanced analytical microseismic solutions in the keynote session, ESG will also be exhibiting on the show floor to demonstrate capabilities in both downhole and surface hydraulic fracture monitoring as well as Interactive Seismicity Monitoring.

To learn more about microseismic and seismic monitoring capabilities for oil and gas applications visit ESG Solutions in The Woodlands, Texas from January 23 - 25 at HFTC Exhibition booth #304.

About ESG Solutions:

Founded in 1993, ESG Solutions (Engineering Seismology Group or ESG) is a pioneer and leading provider of innovative downhole and surface-based microseismic solutions for the mining, oil and gas and geotechnical industries. ESG helps operators optimize production, reduce costs, improve safety and mitigate risk associated with hydraulic fracturing, thermal enhanced oil recovery, waste-water injections, natural gas storage, underground and open-pit mining, coal seam gasification, carbon sequestration and geotechnical applications. ESG Solutions is an Operating Company of Spectris plc. ESG is headquartered in Kingston (Canada), with operations in Houston, Denver and Calgary and offices in Dallas, Pittsburgh, Beijing, Brisbane, and Dubai. www.esgsolutions.com

About Spectris plc:

Spectris plc is a leading supplier of productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls. Headquartered in Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom, the Company employs over 9,000 people with offices in more than 30 countries. For more information, visit www.spectris.com.

Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE ESG Solutions

Related Links

http://www.esgsolutions.com


"Extell has an exceptionally strong reputation with the lending and institutional investor communities and this sophisticated transaction affirms the confidence in Manhattan's luxury condominium market," said Gary Barnett, President and Founder of Extell Development Company. "New York City has never known a supertall tower of this caliber and we are pleased to have our institutional partners on board to deliver a product that will be truly exceptional."

Central Park Tower will be the definitive New York skyscraper with an incomparable offering in every respect. Situated on 57th Street with Central Park directly to the north, the tower is supremely located at the intersection of Columbus Circle and the Plaza District. Designed by renowned firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, known for such celebrated supertalls around the world including Burj Khalifa in Dubai and the Kingdom Tower in Saudi Arabia, the building will include 179 ultra-luxury residences with gracious layouts, stratospheric views and access to New York's most elevated private club of full-service amenities.

Extell is co-developing Central Park Tower with SMI USA (SMI), the US subsidiary of Shanghai Municipal Investment, a leading infrastructural investment company responsible for the esteemed Shanghai Tower.

Central Park Tower will also be home to an approximately 300,000-square-foot Nordstrom department store. This new seven-story retail space will be the Seattle-based fashion retailer's flagship location in New York City, the first in its over 100-year history.

Extell pioneered the development of ultra-luxury skyscraper development on what is now considered the most prestigious residential corridor in Manhattan with One57, the first supertall tower on Billionaires' Row. The record-breaking glass tower overlooking Central Park, which redefined the New York City skyline, includes 132 premier condominiums above the Park Hyatt's new five-star flagship hotel. One57 is home to the most expensive residence ever sold in New York City history at $100.5 million.

Extell Development Marketing Group will exclusively handle the sales and marketing for Central Park Tower with sales expected to launch in 2018 and completion slated for 2019. For sales information, please call 212-957-5557 or visit www.centralparktower.com.

About Extell

Extell Development Company is a nationally acclaimed real estate developer of residential, commercial, retail, hospitality and mixed-use properties, operating primarily in Manhattan and other premier cities across the nation. In collaboration with world-class architects and design professionals, Extell creates properties distinguished by sophisticated design, gracious floor plans and first-class amenities.

Current projects under development include the largest condominium in Lower Manhattan, One Manhattan Square, located on the edge of the New York Harbor, offering breathtaking water and city views and over 100,000 square feet of amenities; The Kent at 200 East 95th Street, a building that pays homage to some of New York City's Art Deco structures with interiors that echo the classic elegance of the Upper East Side; and 70 Charlton, the first luxury residential development located in Hudson Square, a section within West SoHo. Extell has also restored and updated a number of classics in landmark neighborhoods, including the former Stanhope Hotel at 995 Fifth Avenue and The Belnord, a landmark building on the Upper West Side.

About SMI

SMI USA prides itself on integrity, professionalism and best-in-class assets. With the support of over 20,000 employees and decades of complex real estate planning and development, SMI seamlessly navigates projects from inception through disposition.

Founded in 1992, Shanghai Municipal Investment (formerly known as Shanghai Chengtou) is the largest state-owned enterprise in Shanghai. SMI currently has two publicly listed subsidiaries as well as 11 private affiliates and subsidiaries. The Company thrives in tandem with Shanghai's infrastructural planning, investments, constructions and operational agendas.

SOURCE Extell Development Company
Game Census in Northern Kenya (February 24-March 4, 2018)

In its second year, the Lewa-Borana Wildlife Conservancy Big Five census was designed to measure the success of Lewa's ongoing conservation projects. Activities on the ground include the monitoring and tracking of rhino and lion with telemetry receivers; tracking and identifying rhinos on foot and tracking lion using the whisker spot identification method. The cost for this trip is $7,244.00 per person sharing. Full itinerary.

Elephant Collaring Conservation Safari in Tanzania (February 28, 2018-March 5, 2018)

The Elephant Collaring Safari combines world-class accommodations at Singita with hands-on conservation experience in the private Grumeti Reserve. Travelers will spend days hosted by renowned conservation specialist and Executive Director of the Singita Grumeti Fund, Stephen Cunliffe while working with local conservationists, vets, and pilots to participate in elephant locating, GPS-enabled satellite collaring, and monitoring. Starts at $7,370 based on two people sharing. An additional contribution of $150,000 for the group is requested to support Singita's community, wildlife and conservation programs. Full itinerary.

Rhino Conservation Safari in South Africa (May-August 2018)

Known as 'Home of the Rhino,' travelers will spend two nights of this five-night rhino itinerary at Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park. There, guests will work on monitoring various Big Five species like the rhino and supporting the rhino orphanage and ranger training programs. The next three nights will be spent at Manyoni Private Game Reserve, known for its black rhino population. Days will mix traditional safari game drives with unique conservation experiences and guest lectures. Participants will gain an in-depth appreciation of the steps taken to protect rhinos by taking part in guided bush walks featuring rhino encounters, and experiencing a rhino darting in person. Starts at $2,500 per person sharing. An additional minimum donation of $30,000 is requested for this unique participatory conservation experience. Full itinerary.

Hands-On Wildlife Conservation Safari in South Africa (July 2018)

This hands-on safari joins forces with the Wildlife ACT Fund, dedicated to wildlife protection and conservation efforts in South Africa. Participants in the week-long program will experience first-hand all aspects of conservation efforts in the destination, from community outreach to outfitting on-the-ground teams with the most innovative technologies, to veterinary intervention and wildlife reintroduction programs. Days include traditional safari activities from game drives and sundowners in the African wilderness, insightful guest lectures on the state of the region's threatened species, and vital, hands-on conservation work like checking camera traps, monitoring wildlife, darting, tagging, and more. Starts at $2,500 per person sharing. An additional minimum donation of $30,000 is requested for this unique participatory conservation experience. Full itinerary.

Protecting Lions in Zimbabwe (September 21-24, 2019)

Accompanied by Dr. Paul Funston (Senior Director of the Panthera Lion and Cheetah Program) and renowned guide Andrew Beck, participants will spend seven nights in Zimbabwe learning and experience first-hand all lion protection efforts being deployed in the destination. The group will be based on private concessions bordering Hwange National Park and bounded by local communities. There, guests will have access to magnificent wildlife and wilderness areas in addition to cultural insights into the region's human-wildlife conflicts. Starts at $2,300 per person sharing. Full itinerary.

For additional information, visit www.extraordinaryjourneys.com.

ABOUT EXTRAORDINARY JOURNEYS:

Founded and run by a mother-daughter team with over half a century of combined safari knowledge, Extraordinary Journeys (EJ) specializes in creating unique, custom safari experiences to East and Southern Africa, as well as select destinations "Out of Africa" for couples, families and individuals. Extraordinary Journeys mixes and matches safari camps, lodges and private villas to create a true sense of being on an exotic adventure. EJ utilizes outstanding guides who are experts in their field. Travel ranges from private planes, 4x4s, hot air balloons, horses and camels.

The Extraordinary Journeys team has planned well over 4,000 safaris and journeys and none have been the same, however all bear the hallmarks of first-hand knowledge, personalized service and social responsibility. Founder Elizabeth Gordon has been named to Travel + Leisure's "A-List" of top travel agents (2014, 2015, 2016), and her mother and co-founder, Marcia Gordon, was named one of the "Guides to the Super Guides" in Departures Magazine. Extraordinary Journeys has twice been awarded National Geographic Traveler's "Trip of a Lifetime" (2012, 2014). Extraordinary Journeys has also twice placed in the Top Five "World's Best Safari Outfitters" (2016, 2017) chosen by Travel + Leisure readers. For those looking for a unique, once-in-a-lifetime travel experience, Extraordinary Journeys is the place to start.

Media contact:

Nestor Lara Baeza at Xhibition

E: [email protected]

T: (347) 624-8533

www.xhibition.com

SOURCE Extraordinary Journeys

Related Links

https://www.extraordinaryjourneys.com


On September 6, 2008, the federal government seized Fannie and Freddie (the "GSEs") and placed them into conservatorship. "The original takeover wasn't the 'bailout' it purported to be; it was a stick-up," Hindes asserts, pointing to the fact that while both companies had recently been incurring losses due to the housing downturn, they still had the highest capital ratios in their histories, were flush with cash, and had successfully tapped the public securities markets just three days earlier, selling $5.7 billion of bonds rated AA+ by S&P and AAA by Fitch. The debt was unsecured, and the offering was oversubscribed.

Shortly after seizing control and ousting their CEOs, the Federal Housing Finance Agency ("FHFA"), purporting to act as conservator, ordered the companies to book several non-cash accounting charges, ultimately resulting in Treasury's purchasing $187 billion of preferred shares (bearing a 10 percent dividend rate) so they could maintain a positive net worth. (AIG and the banks which received federal assistance under the Troubled Asset Relief Program would be charged half that.) By the summer of 2012, however, the housing market had turned around, the accounting entries had to be reversed, and Fannie and Freddie suddenly became massively profitable. Within days of the announcement of robust second quarter earnings, the conservator agreed to change Treasury's 10 percent coupon to a new dividend rate equal to 100 percent of the companies' net worths  in perpetuity. By the end of the current quarter, it is estimated that the government will have received over $100 billion more from the GSEs than the $187 billion it provided them. But the terms of the agreement struck between FHFA and Treasury mandate that none of the $287 billion can be used to retire Treasury's preferred shares. Hence, the government's position is that the two companies will continue to owe $187 billion  and must give it all their profits for the rest of time.

"It was a mafia-type 'loan' from the beginning," Hindes says. "What responsible board of directors  or in this case, a 'conservator', no less  would borrow $187 billion and agree that no matter how much money they repay the lender, not a dime can be applied towards principal? I mean, who does that? And here's a reality check for you: who borrows that kind of money and pays it all back in just four years? Answer: someone who never needed it in the first place. It was 'cookie jar accounting'."

Under the terms of the FHFA/Treasury deal, both companies were to have seen their capital drained down to zero by year-end 2017. However, on December 21, Treasury agreed to allow each company to maintain $3 billion in capital. Everything above that will be swept to the government  in perpetuity.

"The idea all along was to saddle them with a concrete life preserver so that they could not 'escape, as it were'," Hindes said, quoting from an August 18, 2012 White House email to a Treasury official. "And so far, it's worked."

SOURCE Gary Hindes, CEO of The Delaware Bay Company, LLC
DUBLIN, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Informatics Market- Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast (2017-2022)" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The global next generation sequencing informatics market will grow at a CAGR of 22.1% during the forecast period to reach USD 1,305.1 million by 2022.

The global NGS Informatics Market is driven by the reduced cost of DNA sequencing with the use of NGS informatics, various government initiatives, rising clinical applications, substitution of Microarray technology by NGS, continuous innovation & developments in technology, and increasing investments and funding for life sciences, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology research. Moreover, growing investments in the personalized medicine and increasing initiative from governments to promote the use of NGS informatics is further propelling the growth of NGS informatics market globally. However, lack of accuracy & standardization of technology, ethical challenges, and reduced grants and funding from government in various countries are expected to inhibit the growth of NGS informatics market to some extent.

The global NGS informatics market is mainly segmented by product & services (NGS informatics services, data analysis and management tools, primary and secondary data analysis tools, and data interpretation &reporting tools), by function (biological interpretation, experimental design, sequencing, data management, and primary analysis), by application (biomarker discovery, precision medicine, diagnostics, drug discovery, and differential gene expression), by end user (academics and research institutes, pharmaceuticals industry, biopharmaceuticals industry, government agencies, and hospitals & clinics), and by geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa).

North America held the major share in the global NGS informatics market, followed by Europe and Asia-Pacific. Increasing demand for clinical information technology, various government initiatives and availability of funds, and promotion of NGS by research laboratories and academicians are the major factors fueling the growth of NGS informatics market in North America. In addition, the presence of many bioinformatics players in this market improves the product accessibility which further propels the growth of the market.

However, Asia-Pacific region possesses lucrative growth potential for the NGS informatics market during the forecast period. This is mainly attributed to the increasing population, rising rate of diseases and various government initiatives to promote the genomic research to understand the complex biological process and genetic mutation present in life-threatening diseases, in order to reduce the rising rate of chronic diseases and infectious diseases in this region.



Key Topics Covered:



1. Introduction

1.1. Currency and Limitations



2. Research Methodology



3. Executive Summary



4. Market Insights

4.1. Introduction

4.1.1. Drivers

4.1.1.1. Reduced Cost of DNA Sequencing with the Use of NGS Informatics

4.1.1.2. Government Initiatives to Drive the NGS Informatics Market

4.1.1.3. Rising Clinical Applications

4.1.1.4. Substitution of Microarray Technology by NGS

4.1.1.5. Continuous Innovation & Developments in Technology

4.1.1.6. Increasing Investments and Funding for Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical, and Biotechnology Research to Propel the Market

4.1.2. Restraints

4.1.2.1. Lack of Accuracy & Standardization of Technology

4.1.2.2. Ethical Challenges

4.1.2.3. Reduced Grants and Funding from Government in Various Countries

4.1.3. Market Opportunities

4.1.3.1. Increasing Prevalence of Cancer Diseases

4.1.3.2. Drastically Reduced Mass Scale Genetic Testing Cost

4.1.4. Market Trends

4.1.4.1. Growing Investments in the Personalized Medicine

4.1.4.2. Increasing Initiatives from Governments to Promote Use of NGS Informatics In R&D



5. Next Generation Sequencing Informatics/ Software Market, By Product and Services

5.1. Introduction

5.1.1. Data Analysis and Management Tools

5.1.1.1. Storage Tools

5.1.1.2. Computing Tools

5.1.1.3. LIMS

5.1.1.4. Others

5.1.2. NGS Informatics Services

5.1.3. Primary and Secondary Data Analysis Tools

5.1.4. Data Interpretation & Reporting Tools



6. Next Generation Sequencing Informatics/ Software Market, By Function

6.1. Introduction

6.2. Biological Interpretation

6.3. Experimental Design

6.4. Sequencing

6.5. Data Management

6.6. Primary Analysis



7. Next Generation Sequencing Informatics/ Software Market, By Application

7.1. Introduction

7.2. Biomarker Discovery

7.3. Precision Medicine

7.4. Diagnostics

7.5. Drug Discovery

7.6. Differential Gene Expression



8. Next Generation Sequencing Informatics/ Software Market, By End User

8.1. Introduction

8.2. Academics and Research Institutes

8.3. Biopharmaceutical Industry

8.4. Pharmaceuticals Industry

8.5. Government Agencies

8.6. Hospitals & Clinics



9. Next Generation Sequencing Informatics/ Software Market, By Geography

9.1. Introduction

9.2. North America

9.2.1. U.S.

9.2.2. Canada

9.3. Europe

9.3.1. Germany

9.3.2. France

9.3.3. U.K.

9.3.4. Italy

9.3.5. Spain

9.3.6. Rest of Europe

9.4. Asia Pacific

9.4.1. Japan

9.4.2. China

9.4.3. India

9.4.4. Rest of Asia-Pacific

9.5. Rest of The World (RoW)

9.5.1. Latin America

9.5.2. Middle East & Africa



10. Company Profiles (Business Overview, Financials, Product Portfolio, Recent Developments)

10.1. Illumina, Inc.

10.2. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.

10.3. Qiagen N.V.

10.4. F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG

10.5. PerkinElmer Inc.

10.6. BIOVIA (Dassault Systmes)

10.7. Amazon Web Services LLC

10.8. IBM Corporation

10.9. GENEWIZ, Inc.

10.10. Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI)

10.11. BioTeam Inc.

10.12. Biomatters Ltd

10.13. DNAnexus, Inc.

10.14. DNASTAR, Inc.

10.15. Eagle Genomics

10.16. Edge Biosystems

10.17. Genomatix AG

10.18. Partek Incorporated

10.19. PierianDX, Inc.

10.20. Real Time Genomics, Inc.

10.21. SoftGenetics, LLC

10.22. Sapio Sciences



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d54458/global_next?w=5





Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com


NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hunt Mortgage Group, a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States, announced today it provided loan facilities to enable the acquisition of two multifamily properties for the same sponsor. The total Hunt Mortgage Group investment is $14.15 million.

The properties include:

Fiddler's Creek Apartments. Hunt Mortgage Group provided a $4.8 million Fannie Mae Conventional Multifamily loan to enable to acquisition of Fiddler's Creek Apartments. Located at 2180 Fiddlers Court in Winston-Salem, North Carolina , the property is a 160-unit garden-style apartment community that is comprised of 13 buildings.



The loan term is seven-years. The previous owner made substantial capital improvements to the property over the past three years, investing more than $300,000 . Upgrades implemented include new unit carpeting/vinyl flooring, seal coating/restriping of the parking lot and exterior painting. Post-closing, the borrower plans to spend an additional $150,000 , most of which will be dedicated to "green" improvements. The property offers 263 on-site parking spaces, a pool, two BBQ areas, a playground, a tennis court, and common area laundry facility.





Hunt Mortgage Group provided a Fannie Mae Conventional Multifamily loan to enable to acquisition of Fiddler's Creek Apartments. Located at 2180 Fiddlers Court in , the property is a 160-unit garden-style apartment community that is comprised of 13 buildings. The loan term is seven-years. The previous owner made substantial capital improvements to the property over the past three years, investing more than . Upgrades implemented include new unit carpeting/vinyl flooring, seal coating/restriping of the parking lot and exterior painting. Post-closing, the borrower plans to spend an additional , most of which will be dedicated to "green" improvements. The property offers 263 on-site parking spaces, a pool, two BBQ areas, a playground, a tennis court, and common area laundry facility. Baywatch Pointe Apartments. Located at 5414 Catina Arch in Virginia Beach, Virginia , the property is a 160unit apartment community that consists of a total of 12 buildings. The loan term is seven-years. Hunt Mortgage Group provided a Fannie Mae Conventional Multifamily loan in the amount of $9.35 million to secure the acquisition of this property.



The sponsor plans on investing approximately $270,000 in interior renovations upon acquisition. Complex amenities include a swimming pool, sun deck, playground, and fitness center. The property also offers 320 parking spaces.

"The borrowers are well-established commercial real estate and multifamily investors," noted Steven Cox, Managing Director at Hunt Mortgage Group. "All of these properties are performing well and will continue to be improved. We were pleased to deliver on these loans."

About Hunt Mortgage Group

Hunt Mortgage Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hunt Companies, Inc., is a leader in financing commercial real estate throughout the United States. The Company finances all types of commercial real estate: multifamily properties (including small balance), affordable housing, office, retail, manufactured housing, healthcare/senior living, industrial, and self-storage facilities. It offers Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, HUD/FHA in addition to its own Proprietary loan products. Since inception, the Company has structured more than $21 billion of loans and today maintains a servicing portfolio of more than $13.4 billion. Headquartered in New York City, Hunt Mortgage Group has 222 professionals in 24 locations throughout the United States. To learn more, visit www.huntmortgagegroup.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Brent Feigenbaum

Hunt Mortgage Group

212-317-5730

[email protected]

Pam Flores

773-218-9260

[email protected]

SOURCE Hunt Mortgage Group

Related Links

http://www.huntmortgagegroup.com


GERMANTOWN, Md., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Randal J. Kirk, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON), a leader in the engineering and industrialization of biology to improve the quality of life and health of the planet, sent the following annual letter to his colleagues at Intrexon.

Dear Colleagues,

As you know, it has been customary at this time of year for me to award a grade on the performance of our company in the year just ended. Others grade us and their opinions are mostly expressed in the stock market, which rates our performance for 2017 at 'F,' as evidenced by our share price having traded down over 50% in a year in which biotech stocks generally traded very well. And it's not difficult to see why this was so: We entered 2017 with a wonderful set of leading assets, not merely 'best in class' assets but genuine world-beaters, category creating technologies that span industries as diverse as gene and cell therapy, crop protection, environmental solutions such as the OX513A mosquito and innovative food products such as the Arctic apple and the AquAdvantage salmon. Our shareholders expected us to gain rapid adoption of our technologies and even significant transactions, where appropriate, with logical value-add partners around them and, frankly, we expected this as well. Obviously, whenever performance does not meet expectation there will be consequences and they won't all be pleasant!

Nevertheless, it is obligatory for us to have our own reckoning. While we must never forget the grade that the market has given us and must always be mindful that one of our main jobs is to make money for our shareholders in the form of a higher share price, we know that our job is somewhat more involved than making the 'performance minus expectation' calculation. Like the many experiments conducted every day in our labs from San Diego to Ghent and from Summerland, BC to Budapest, only recording the results is insufficient, but we must analyze the data to interpret the results, if for no other reason than to perform better going forward, whether this be through an experimental redesign or through developing a new commercialization plan to incorporate newly learned information. We must honestly examine ourselves situationally to assess how we did in relation to our plans and our ecosystem and, most importantly, where results have not matched expectations, we must know the reason why and then figure out what to do about it. We have spent a lot of time as a team doing this so I now am prepared to make my own pronouncement.

So how did we do in 2017? I assign us an 'A' and here is why in a nutshell: We still have those assets with which we began 2017, and they are more desirable and closer to transactions and markets than ever. We have learned that novel types of assets, no matter how wonderful, are not adopted as rapidly as those that are more conventional. While we knew, for example, that no one previously has had the job of selling billions of engineered mosquitoes, we did not take fully into consideration the consequences of the fact that no one among the prospective counterparties has ever had the job of buying them. In 2017, we learned a great deal about the markets that we are addressing and the ways of doing business among their constituents. In brief, yes, we were geeky and enthusiastic about our technologies and had what seems in retrospect incorrect assumptions as to the rate with which the world should beat a path to our door. I am not going to fault a team, however, for not being so pragmatic and convention-bound as to regard MBP or POC CAR-T, just to cite two examples, to be impossibilities. Our naivete has a virtue, so long as we continue to be driven by data, but we have now better aligned our vision to the necessities of our political and industrial landscape.

In addition, the mature assets with which we began the year have been supplemented with ever more valuable assets, as evidenced by our achieving in this past year technical success with our Methane Bioconversion Platform. We believe that this platform has demonstrated such economic viability as to qualify it, potentially, as the most valuable biotechnology yet developed. For the first time, we hired an experienced banking firm to assist us in our dialogs with potential partners and the results have been very positive. Since that time, we have hired three more high quality investment banks so that we now have four significant partnering exercises underway around mature programs and platforms. We expect that our receipts from these activities will exceed anything that we may have expected from partnering early stage programs and indeed we now mostly self-finance these in order to target value-inflecting events while they are in our hands and prior to any consideration of partnering.

The majority of you, however, are 'doing science' in order to create new technologies and products to solve significant problems in the world. As I often tell you when we meet, however, my job (and the job of the entire top team) is to make your visions show up in the 'real' world, to enable your work to matter to people in tangible ways. I want to take this occasion to thank you for your brilliance, your talent and your dedication. Please know that we take our responsibilities to you seriously and that we are committed to our mission.

But the main reason that I think our team deserves an 'A' grade is because we did in 2017 precisely what we should have done: We continued to invest in the assets that we believed the strongest and constantly recalibrated, making changes to our business model, to our organization, our management team, to how we partner (and with what sort of company) and how we shall commercialize our mature assets. We persevered and made adjustments in order to win, not only for this team and for our shareholders but for the world.

Wishing you and yours a healthy and prosperous New Year, RJ

About Intrexon Corporation

Intrexon Corporation (NYSE: XON) is Powering the Bioindustrial Revolution with Better DNA to create biologically-based products that improve the quality of life and the health of the planet. Intrexon's integrated technology suite provides its partners across diverse markets with industrial-scale design and development of complex biological systems delivering unprecedented control, quality, function, and performance of living cells. We call our synthetic biology approach Better DNA, and we invite you to discover more at www.dna.com or follow us on Twitter at @Intrexon, on Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Trademarks

Intrexon, Arctic, AquAdvantage, Powering the Bioindustrial Revolution with Better DNA, and Better DNA are trademarks of Intrexon and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Safe Harbor Statement

Some of the statements made in this press release are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and projections about future events and generally relate to our plans, objectives and expectations for the development of our business. Although management believes that the plans and objectives reflected in or suggested by these forward-looking statements are reasonable, all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and actual future results may be materially different from the plans, objectives and expectations expressed in this press release.

For more information regarding Intrexon Corporation, contact:

Media Contact:

Kekst and Company

Adam Weiner/ Robert Siegfried

Tel: +1 (212) 521-4823/ +1 (212) 521-4832

Corporate Contact:

Marie Rossi, PhD

Director, Technical Communications

Tel: +1 (301) 556-9850

[email protected]

[email protected]

SOURCE Intrexon Corporation

Related Links

http://www.dna.com


BOSTON, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM), the storage and information management services company, announced that Mark Kidd, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Data Centers, will participate in investor meetings at the Jefferies 2018 Data Center, Telecom and Technology REIT Summit, on January 4, 2018 at the Jefferies Conference Center, in New York City.

The presentation to be used in investor meetings will be available on the Investor Relations section of www.ironmountain.com, under events and presentations.

About Iron Mountain

Iron Mountain Incorporated (NYSE: IRM) is the global leader for storage and information management services. Trusted by more than 230,000 organizations around the world, Iron Mountain boasts a real estate network of more than 85 million square feet across more than 1,400 facilities in 53 countries dedicated to protecting and preserving what matters most for its customers. Iron Mountain's solutions portfolio includes records management, data management, cloud services, document management, data centers, art storage and logistics, and secure shredding to help organizations to lower storage costs, comply with regulations, recover from disaster, and better use their information. Founded in 1951, Iron Mountain stores and protects billions of information assets, including critical business documents, electronic information, medical data and cultural and historical artifacts. Visit www.ironmountain.com for more information.

Investor Relations Contacts: Melissa Marsden Faten Freiha Senior Vice President, Investor Relations Director, Investor Relations [email protected] [email protected] (617) 535-8595 (617) 535-8404

SOURCE Iron Mountain Incorporated

Related Links

http://www.ironmountain.com


BEIJING and TEL AVIV, Israel, January 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Global crop protection group ADAMA, the combination of Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd. and Hubei Sanonda Co., Ltd. (together, "ADAMA" or "the Combined Company"), today announced that Joseph M. Krkoska will be joining the Combined Company's management as Executive Vice President of Global Operations. Krkoska succeeds Dr. Eli Abramov, who decided to retire following six years of leading this function.

(Logo: http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/610129/ADAMA_Agricultural_Solutions_Logo.jpg )



Krkoska joins ADAMA from the Dow Chemical Company, where he held positions of increasing managerial responsibility over the past 30 years, across R&D, manufacturing and operations. In his most recent role, he served as Global Supply Chain Director at Dow AgroSciences.

Krkoska has significant experience in the design, development and management of large-scale, global, multi-site operations, international sourcing, manufacturing and supply chain.

"We are pleased to welcome Joe Krkoska to ADAMA," said Chen Lichtenstein, the Combined Company's President and CEO. "Joe is a recognized strategic thinker who led complex organizational structures throughout his career. Together with our excellent global operations team, I am confident that he will further enhance our sustainable positioning and strengthen our supply platform."

Krkoska holds a Bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Pennsylvania State University, with additional certifications from the Universities of Michigan, Harvard and Thunderbird. He will be based at the Combined Company's Israel headquarters.

Lichtenstein added that, "Under Eli Abramov's leadership, ADAMA significantly reduced its inventory levels, decreased costs of manufacturing, procurement and logistics, focused on product quality and lowered its environmental footprint. He also played a key role in establishing our operational hub in China. We thank Eli and wish him success and fulfillment in the years to come."

About the Combined Company:

The Combined Company, which will be named ADAMA, is comprised of Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd. and Hubei Sanonda Ltd., and is one of the world's leading crop protection companies. We strive to Create Simplicity in Agriculture - offering farmers effective products and services that simplify their lives and help them grow. With one of the most comprehensive and diversified portfolios of differentiated, quality products, our 6,600-strong team reaches farmers in over 100 countries, providing them with solutions to control weeds, insects and disease, and improve their yields.

For more information, visit us at www.adama.com and follow us on Twitter at @AdamaAgri .

Contact:

Efrat Dayan

Corporate Communications

E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc. (CSE: LDS), (OTCQB: LDSYF), (XETR:LD6) ("LDS" or the "Company") announces the filing of an enhanced provisional patent for the CannaStripsTM technology and two additional applications for CannaStrips trademark protection in the United Kingdom and European Union to complement the Company's current Canadian trademark application.

The new provisional patent filed by Dr. Sanderson, the Company's Chief Science Officer and the licensor of the CannaStripsTM technology, adds additional enhanced capabilities to the current CannaStripsTM formula, which will be implemented into the 2018 CannaStripsTM product line. The new trademark applications are intended as an anticipatory action to protect the CannaStripsTM oral strips brand in geographical territories where the Company may have future plans for distribution. The Canadian trademark filing was made back in April 2017, as part of the structural predevelopment plans for possible future product licensing and distribution collaboration or partnership regarding CannaStripsTM technology in Canada. The Company has made its interest to collaborate on clinical trials in Canada known to a number of Canadian licensed producers ("LP"). Should the Company come to an agreement with a Canadian LP for sponsorship of Canadian clinical trials and subsequently have those trials result in an approval from Health Canada for the CannaStripsTM technology for use in Canada, the Company would focus on a license agreement to introduce CannaStripsTM into the Canadian market. LDS CEO, Brad Eckenweiler, stated, "We strongly believe that the CannaStripsTM delivery system is so unique that with clinical trials from a recognized health organization to substantiate the efficacy of the technology it would have to be at the top of the list of preferred delivery solutions anywhere in the world."

The Company will continue to pursue a collaborative effort for clinical trials with the intent on accomplishing commencement of those clinical trials in the first quarter of 2018.

Extension of Financial Milestones for Escrow Agreements

In addition, on December 28, 2017, the Company's Board of Directors resolved to extend the deadline for satisfying certain financial milestones set out under the terms of its escrow agreements with the former shareholders of Canna Delivery Systems Inc. ("Canna"). Under the terms of the escrow agreements, a total of 7,800,000 common shares issued to the former shareholders of Canna (the "Performance Shares") were held in escrow, subject to release upon the Company achieving certain financial milestones by December 31, 2017 (as amended on November 6, 2017). The Company has agreed to extend the deadline for satisfying the financial milestones until June 30, 2018. As of the date of this news release, a total of 2,100,000 Performance Shares remain subject to escrow, of which 840,000 Performance Shares are held by the Company's CEO, Brad Eckenweiler.

About Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc.

The Company's technology produces infused strips (similar to breath strips) that are not only a safer, healthier option to smoking but also a new way to accurately meter the dosage and assure the purity of the product. From start to finish, the production process tests for quality and composition of all the ingredients used in each and every strip, resulting in a delivery system that is safe, consistent and effective.

On behalf of the board of directors of Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc.

Brad Eckenweiler

CEO & Director

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

[email protected]

1-866-347-5058

Cautionary Disclaimer Statement:

The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release.

Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's limited operating history and the need to comply with environmental and governmental regulations. In addition, marijuana remains a Schedule I drug under the United States Controlled Substances Act of 1970. Although Congress has prohibited the US Justice Department from spending federal funds to interfere with the implementation of state medical marijuana laws, this prohibition must be renewed each year to remain in effect. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information.

SOURCE Lifestyle Delivery Systems Inc.

Related Links

http://www.lifestyledeliverysystem.com


"We are excited to be centrally located and have more meeting space for our clients and partners," said Manoj Sharma, chief operating officer of Lockton Southeast. "As Lockton continues to grow its employee benefits business in Florida, we strive to provide clients greater access so we can continue to advise on strategic solutions to make their business better."

The Naples office is comprised of a nine-member team dedicated to employee benefit client success. Sue Cugno, vice president in employee benefits, is a long-time Collier County resident and will work with the employee benefits service team. Mike Meredith, executive vice president, along with senior account managers, Mary Caligiuri and Kristen Robles, specialize in consulting with middle market employers. They have worked with Collier County employers since 1991.

The team has worked together in the local, regional, national and global markets in both the public and private sector. Team members specialize in reducing pharmacy and healthcare costs. They maintain existing and enhanced service and plan designs and offer expertise in underwriting, actuarial services, communications and compliance.

"We are happy to expand our business in the Southeast so that we can continue providing the best service to our clients," said Doug Hutcherson, president of Lockton Southeast. "Our team of experts in Naples has built relationships throughout the years that benefit our clients."

The Naples office moved from 5th Avenue South, to their 4000 square-foot facility in the Poinciana Professional Park with easy access from the interstate.

RSVP to the open house by Jan. 5, 2018 by emailing Mary Caligiuri. The new office is located at 2640 Golden Gate Parkway, Suite 201, Naples, Florida 34105 and can be reached by calling 239- 316- 5300.

About Lockton

Lockton is a global professional services firm with 6,500 Associates who advise clients on protecting their people, property and reputations. Lockton has grown to become the world's largest privately held, independent insurance broker by helping clients achieve their business objectives.

For nine consecutive years, Business Insurance magazine has recognized Lockton as a "Best Place to Work in Insurance." To see the latest insights from Lockton's experts, check Lockton Market Update.

SOURCE Lockton

Related Links

http://www.lockton.com


PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Longevity Biotech Inc. (LBT) has been awarded a Phase I SBIR Contract from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to further the development of the 5A apoA-I mimetic peptide program for the treatment of severe asthma. The overall goal of this project is to prepare an inhalational 5A apoA-I mimetic peptide that will become the subject of a future Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) initially focused on patients who do not respond to standard corticosteroid treatment.

Asthma Inhaler & Medications

"We are honored to be selected by the NHLBI/NIH to help develop this program, which expands both our immunological portfolio as well as our capabilities in less-invasive peptide delivery," said Dr. Scott Shandler, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Longevity Biotech.

"This program is exciting because it represents a new strategy to target fundamental pathways involved in the allergic response associated with the development of asthma. Specifically, by modulating the recruitment of specific inflammatory cells to the pulmonary system, the 5A peptide could provide dramatic improvement in clinical outcomes for severe asthmatics," said Dr. Pavan Puligujja, Ph.D., a scientist leading the project for Longevity Biotech.

"New therapeutic approaches are needed for severe asthmatics who are resistant to standard medications, and we believe an inhaled 5A apoA-I mimetic peptide could potentially address this ongoing public health problem," said Drs. Stewart Levine and Alan Remaley, senior investigators in the Division of Intramural Research at NHLBI.

This project has been fully funded with federal funds from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. HHSN268201700022C.

ABOUT ASTHMA

Asthma affects over 24 million people living in the United States alone, including more than 6 million children. Approximately 20 percent of asthma patients are diagnosed with severe asthma. Symptoms include wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. As such, asthma leads 3 in 5 asthmatics to limit their physical activity and/or miss school and work. Currently, while there is no cure for asthma, it is possible to manage symptoms through the progress and development of new therapeutic strategies such as the 5A peptide program described here. According to the CDC, asthma-related treatment costs the nation $56 billion each year. Clearly, agents that directly address these symptoms, and more importantly the root causes, are critically needed.

ABOUT LONGEVITY BIOTECH INC.

Longevity Biotech Inc. (LBT) is a preclinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pursuing numerous innovative programs based on the patented Hybridtide platform technology. LBT's candidates display unique attributes that are expected to provide either first-in-class or best-in-class product profiles in their respective indication.

The Hybridtide technology can be applied to most peptides and is available for partnership and/or co-development efforts as appropriate. For more information, visit http://www.longevitybiotech.com.

ABOUT NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, and BLOOD INSTITUTE (NHLBI)

NHLBI, a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), plans, conducts and supports research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart, blood vessel, lung and blood diseases; and sleep disorders. The Institute also administers national health education campaigns on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children and other topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available online at www.nhlbi.nih.gov.

CONTACT:

Longevity Biotech Inc.

3001 Market Street, Suite 140

Philadelphia, PA 19104

Tel: +1 215-689-1042

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

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Asthma Inhaler & Medications

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Girl with inhaler

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Hands holding letters spelling asthma

Related Links

Website

SOURCE Longevity Biotech Inc.

Related Links

http://www.longevitybiotech.com


CARROLLTON, Texas, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- M&A Technology continues to innovate with the latest technology and is shipping its Manda Miner which can be configured as an Ethereum or ZCash mining server. The Manda Miner is available now.

www.mandaminer.com

The Manda Miner is a purpose built, application specific server solution for the cryptocurrency market. It performs at ~200MH/s for Ethereum or ~2400H/s for ZCash. The system designed by experienced cryptocurrency systems engineers is assembled at an ISO certified factory in Texas with the highest quality materials available.

The Manda Miner is a data center ready, performance optimized cool and quiet running cryptocurrency mining server. The Manda Miner is FCC B verified and housed in a 4U chassis specifically for crypto-mining purposes functional as a standalone unit or as a data center cabinet rack-mountable unit. The system's eight high performance graphics cards are optimized to interface with a standard motherboard for manageability and high quality performance. The system utilizes a highly efficient power supply and cooling fans designed to ensure operational efficiency and reliability.

We have custom tailored and optimized the operating system so the end user can easily configure their wallet and start to collect either Ethereum or ZCash cryptocurrency. The Manda Miner has been designed to plug in, turn on, configure your wallet, assign your pool, and collect currency. The Manda Miner is also rack-mountable which means the system can work well in a 24U or 42U rack cabinet.

Find out more about this professionally built server and why it is the right solution for your Ethereum and ZCash mining needs.

www.mandaminer.com

About M&A Technology, Inc.

M&A Technology's focus is on providing complete solutions to its customers, from product selection to delivery, followed by excellent support. We work closely with our customers to understand their unique requirements and then build a support plan to provide complete customer satisfaction. To handle our customers' requirements, we manufacture our own line of Desktop PC's, Servers, and other IT and OT products in our 36,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Carrollton, Texas.

SOURCE M&A Technology, Inc.

Related Links

https://www.mandaminer.com


CSE: MDM FSE: 2M0OTCQX: MRPHF

KELOWNA, BC, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Marapharm Ventures Inc. "Marapharm" is pleased to announce that today its common shares commenced trading on the OTCQX Best Market, a premier public market in the United States, under the symbol MRPHF. Marapharm will continue to trade in Canada on the CSE and in Europe on the FSE.

Marapharm is a company that invests in medical and legal adult-use recreational cannabis. Its operations are strategically located in Las Vegas, Nevada, California, Washington and Canada.

"The Marapharm team embodies the entrepreneurial spirit and has great synergy, made up of individuals with backgrounds in finance, law, marketing, cannabis cultivation, plant extraction, government regulation and business startup expertise.

This is the perfect beginning to a new year. Marapharm is positioned to have a great 2018 and will be revenue-producing early in the year, at its strategic locations in North America." Linda Sampson CEO Marapharm Ventures Inc.

ABOUT MARAPHARM VENTURES INC.

www.marapharm.com

Marapharm is a publicly traded company primarily investing in the medical and recreational cannabis space, with corporate operations based in British Columbia, Canada. Since 2016 they have rapidly expanded their footprint to include production locations in the key North American states of Washington, Nevada, and California. They actively seek expansion opportunities worldwide.

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Facebook: facebook.com/marapharm

Twitter: twitter.com/marapharm

Web Program: marapharm.tv

STOCK EXCHANGES:

Marapharm trades in Canada, ticker symbol MDM on the CSE, in the United States, ticker symbol MRPHF on the OTCQB, and in Europe, ticker symbol 2Mo on the FSE. Marapharm also trades on other recognized platforms in Europe including Stuttgart, Tradegate, L & S, Quotnx, Dusseldorf, Munich, and Berlin.

Neither the CSE, the FSE nor the OTCQB has approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the CSE, the FSE nor the OTCQB accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

MARIJUANA INDUSTRY INVOLVEMENT:

Canadian listings (CSE) will remain in good standing as long as they provide the disclosure that is rightly required by regulators and complying with applicable licensing requirements and the regulatory framework enacted by the applicable state in which they operate.

Marapharm owns marijuana licenses in California and Nevada. Marijuana is legal in each state however marijuana remains illegal under US federal law and the approach to enforcement of US federal law against marijuana is subject to change.

Shareholders and investors need to be aware that adverse enforcement actions could affect their investments and that Marapharm's ability to access private and public capital could be affected and or could not be available to support continuing operations. Marapharm's business is conducted in a manner consistent with state law and is in compliance with licensing requirements.

Copies of licenses are posted on Marapharm's website. Marapharm has internal compliance procedures in place and has compliance focused attorneys engaged in jurisdictions to monitor changes in laws for compliance with US federal and state law on an ongoing basis. These law firms inform any necessary changes to our policies and procedures for compliance in Canada and the US.

FORWARD - LOOKING STATEMENTS:

Certain statements contained in this news release constitute forward looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", 'may", "will", "project", "should", 'believe", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumption but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and the forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon.

SOURCE Marapharm Ventures Inc.

Related Links

www.marapharm.com


WASHINGTON, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA will host a briefing at 1 p.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 4, about the agency's upcoming science mission to explore where Earth's atmosphere meets space. The live event will air on NASA Television and stream on the agency's website and Facebook Live.

The Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission is an instrument launching on a commercial satellite to inspect from geostationary orbit the dynamic intermingling of space and Earth's uppermost atmosphere. GOLD will seek to understand what drives change in this region where terrestrial weather in the lower atmosphere interacts with the tumult of solar activity from above and Earth's magnetic field. Resulting data will improve forecasting models of space weather events that can impact life on Earth, as well as satellites and astronauts in space.

GOLD is NASA's first science mission to fly as a hosted instrument aboard a commercial communications satellite and is scheduled to launch Thursday, Jan. 25 from French Guiana. GOLD will fly on SES-14, built by Airbus for Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES. The mission is led by the University of Central Florida.

Participating in the briefing are:

Sarah Jones , GOLD mission scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

, GOLD mission scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Alex Young , associate director for heliophysics science, Goddard

, associate director for heliophysics science, Goddard Todd Gossett , senior director of hosted payloads at SES Government Solutions, Reston, Virginia

Media and members of the public can post questions during the broadcast via Twitter by using the hashtag #askNASA. Media may also submit questions via an online real-time capability by contacting Lina Tran at [email protected] by 10 a.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 4.

The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV and streamed at:

https://www.nasa.gov/live

It will also be carried on the NASA Sun Science Facebook account at:

https://www.facebook.com/NASASunScience/

To learn more about the GOLD mission, visit:



https://www.nasa.gov/gold

Join the conversation on the GOLD mission on Twitter at:

https://www.twitter.com/NASASun

SOURCE NASA

Related Links

http://www.nasa.gov


RESTON, Va., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Leidos (NYSE: LDOS), a FORTUNE 500 science, information technology, and engineering company, was awarded a prime contract by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) to support the Southeast Alaska Measurement Facility (SEAFAC) signature silencing program. The single-award, cost-plus fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a five year period of performance and a total contract value of approximately $42 million. Work will be performed primarily in Ketchikan, Alaska, and Poulsbo, Wash.

NSWCCD provides support for technical products over a wide range of scientific areas related to surface and undersea platforms including maritime science and technology. As the Navy's primary acoustic engineering measurement facility in the Pacific, SEAFAC provides the capability to perform evaluations to determine the sources of radiated acoustic noise, to assess vulnerability, and to develop quieting measures.

Leidos has supported SEAFAC for more than 20 years with expertise in submarine acoustics, civil, naval, architecture, ocean, mechanical, electrical, and electronic engineering, program management, and complex logistics in remote locations. Under the contract, Leidos will continue to provide logistics, maintenance, operations, and program management assistance services in support of Navy and Marine signature silencing programs for naval ships and undersea systems. Leidos supports the operations and maintenance of SEAFAC during and between acoustic trials, including the operation, maintenance, and repair of all SEAFAC assets and support systems, as well as provide communications and emergency services.

"We look forward to continuing to provide innovative logistics, maintenance and operations expertise to ensure SEAFAC is able to maintain a technical advantage in undersea systems," said Leidos Group President Mike Chagnon.

About Leidos

Leidos is a Fortune 500 science and technology solutions and services leader working to solve the world's toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and health markets. The company's 32,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $7.04 billion for the fiscal year ended December 30, 2016. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Statements in this announcement, other than historical data and information, constitute forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. A number of factors could cause our actual results, performance, achievements, or industry results to be very different from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these factors include, but are not limited to, the risk factors set forth in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 30, 2016, and other such filings that Leidos makes with the SEC from time to time. Due to such uncertainties and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.

SOURCE Leidos

Related Links

http://www.leidos.com


LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CES Booth #36329, LVCC, South Hall #4 - The tongue-in-cheek and loveable Outdoor Tech will be returning to CES in Las Vegas to show off four new products and a brand-new booth design. The entire Outdoor Tech family is excited to bring even more #StuffYouProbablyWant to the show floor.

"2018 is going to be exciting for Outdoor Tech. We have a full line up of new hot products on display at CES that retailers and consumers are going to love."  Charlie Gugliuzza, CEO

Get ready for some huge sound. The Big Turtle Shell 2.0 is going to impress you with an updated design and even louder sound than its predecessor. The new LED illumination feature will help set the mood with its powerful lights. The huge 2600 mAh rechargeable battery gives you 10 hours of audio and even acts as a portable charger for your phone, GoPro, or other devices. Wireless pairing allows you to sync up to 2 Big Turtle Shell 2.0's for even louder high-quality stereo sound; in case you want to get the cops called on you for partying too hard.

Take your wireless game to the next level. The brand-new Mantas are true wireless earbuds. No cables anywhere, just pure Bluetooth audio comfortably resting in your ears. Their 40 mAH rechargeable battery gives you 3 hours of playtime. The ability to go solo with one earbud enables you to take your workout, drive, or bike to the next level. Or you can pretend to be a top-secret-agent, "10-4, I have the Maltese Falcon. Meet me later for a martini, shaken, not stirred."

For most people that would be enough, but not you you're better than that. So that's why we are launching a few more top-secret products that we have saved for the show. You should come by booth #36329 in the South Hall #4 at CES to see everything. We are not responsible if you wind-up rethinking your life after seeing what we have.

About Outdoor Tech

Since its inception in 2010, Southern California-based Outdoor Tech has jumped headfirst into the booming consumer electronics market and has captured the attention of outdoor enthusiasts and gadget geeks alike. Specializing in Bluetooth audio accessories and waterproof portable power banks for the wild at heart, Outdoor Tech has earned recognition as one of Inc. 500's Fastest Growing Companies multiple time. As the creator of the industry leading and first-ever universal, fully wireless audio CHIPS for ski and snowboard helmets, the company has proven there is a way to stay connected but not tethered to modern technology during active lifestyle pursuits.

SOURCE Outdoor Tech
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Chronicled, Inc. and The Qtum Foundation have announced a collaboration to combine the Internet of Things (IoT) with Blockchain technology, developing real-world use cases integrating smart devices with a secure distributed ledger back end. This will take place in collaboration with researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Through this partnership, Qtum and Chronicled will work together to define and support a roadmap of fundamental research at UC Berkeley, developing post-quantum applied cryptography, zkSNARK-based privacy-preserving smart contracts, and zero knowledge proofs for large computations.

"The partnership with Chronicled and UC Berkeley represents the frontier of innovation in IoT, smart contracts, and privacy for enterprise applications. We are delighted to be partnering with some of the strongest researchers and innovators in the world who are leading enterprise implementations," said Qtum Foundation founder Patrick Dai.

Qtum is developing a leading blockchain data network in Asia, using a hybrid model that combines the UTXO transaction model with a virtual machine layer for smart contracts. Meanwhile, Chronicled will pursue development of smart contracts to integrate IoT device registrations on the Qtum blockchain. Both Chronicled and Qtum are members of the Trusted IoT Alliance, a consortium of companies ranging from startups to Fortune 100 enterprises. The Alliance is focused on leveraging the power of the blockchain to secure high-value physical assets. Members of the Alliance, which is based in San Francisco, include Bosch, BNY Mellon, Cisco, and UBS.

"We have been collaborating with the team at Qtum for almost a year through the Trusted IoT Alliance, and we are excited to bring the latest IoT integration capabilities to Qtum," said Chronicled CTO Maurizio Greco. "We see a future where trusted device provisioning, authentication, data logs, and payments are just around the corner."

A team of researchers at UC Berkeley is currently focused on using applied cryptography to develop solutions for identity, ownership, and provenance validation as well as other use cases at the intersection of blockchain and IoT. Through collaboration with Chronicled and Qtum, they hope to devise real-world use cases and gain insight from two teams that have been developing and applying the technology for enterprise customers.

"It is great to work with strong commercialization partners who both value the need for fundamental research and who see a path to commercialization of the applied cryptographic methods that we have under development in the lab," said Alessandro Chiesa, Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley.

For his part, Trusted IoT Alliance Executive Director Zaki Manian said, "We are excited to be in a position to administer development grants to integrate Trusted IoT devices with the Qtum Blockchain technology. We see a win-win for our members in the Alliance and the Qtum ecosystem."

Software developers and researchers are encouraged to visit the Trusted IoT website to apply for grants, here: https://github.com/Trusted-IoT-Alliance/Quantum-Foundation-Proposals

About Chronicled

Based in the innovation hub of Silicon Valley, Chronicled is a technology company leveraging blockchain and IoT to power smart, secure supply chain solutions. Chronicled offers a Blockchain-based Smart Supply Chain Platform and secures IoT device identities, data, and event logs and automates IoT-dependent business logic using smart contracts. Chronicled is also a founding member of the Trusted IoT Alliance, with the mission of creating open source tools and standards to connect IoT and blockchain ecosystems to deliver business value.

About Qtum

Qtum is a blockchain application platform. At its core, Qtum combines the advantages of the Unspent Transaction Output (UTXO) model, an Account Abstraction Layer allowing for multiple virtual machines, and a proof-of-stake consensus protocol aimed at tackling industry use cases. The Qtum Foundation, headquartered in Singapore, is a decision making body charged with accelerating the development of this open network and protocol. Learn more at qtum.org.



CONTACT:

Sam Radocchia, CMO, [email protected]

John Scianna, [email protected]



SOURCE Chronicled
BEIJING, Jan. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Redbridge Securities LLC ("Redbridge"), became registered with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") as a broker dealer and member firm.

In the process of applying for registration as a FINRA member firm, FINRA conducted a comprehensive examination of Redbridge's management team's experience, risk management, compliance, and financial strength. FINRA states that as a member firm, the company and its associates should abide by high standards of commercial honor and just and equitable principles of trade.

Formed in May of 2016, BBAE Holdings LLC ("BBAE"), the parent company of Redbridge, is a typical FINTECH startup company. Its team members are from well-known internet companies and financial institutions. BBAE provides ROBO Advisor solutions to well-known asset management companies to provide investing strategies in USD.

Prior to Redbridge obtaining FINRA membership, BBAE worked with a well-known US clearing firm to provide $0 commission securities trading. After Redbridge obtained FINRA membership, those services will be offered directly through Redbridge. Redbridge will be able to offer margin trading services soon. In the future, Redbridge will also launch new business lines like options, futures, and other derivatives according to market demand.

Currently, BBAE has provided this solution to various partners already in mainland China, Hong Kong, and the U.S. partners include fund management companies, investment adviser firms, independent financial services platforms, wealth management companies and so forth.

SOURCE BBAE
TROY, Mich., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Rehmann, one of the nation's leading financial services firms, is building on a decade of growth in the Florida market with the opening of a new office in Naples, as well as combining with Bonita Springs-based Wiebel, Hennells and Carufe, PLLC and Naples, Fla.-based Jana Knudson of Lutz & Knudson, PA. on January 1.

The combinations bring together three dynamic companies in the financial services industry, leveraging the proven strengths of each.

Founded in 1989, WH&C supports the Southwest Florida region by offering traditional and non-traditional business and financial services. The firm was built upon its Southwest Florida roots and works to expand the depth and breadth of supporting resources for clients.

"This is an opportunity to create something bigger and better with people and companies who have proven track records in partnering with clients to achieve great success," said Doug Wiebel, managing partner at Wiebel, Hennells and Carufe. "We already have a powerful reputation in the Florida region and going forward we will be even more of a leader in the financial services industry."

Jana Knudson, CPA, brings more than 30 years of valuable tax and accounting experience to the firm, including operating her own firm, Naples-based Lutz & Knudson, PA. Knudson's client centric philosophy fits well in Rehmann's culture, making her a great addition to its Naples office.

With strong cultures of innovation, collaboration, and "putting people first," these combinations will enable the delivery of a broad range of services and solutions to clients and provide enhanced opportunity for its associates.

Clients will receive the same quality service they experienced during each firm's legacy while receiving an array of additional resources through Rehmann's large network of CPAs, consultants and wealth advisors.

"These combinations are dynamic and transformative opportunities as we continue to grow our Florida presence," said Rehmann CEO Randy Rupp. "This will give us the chance to leverage the individual strengths of Rehmann, WH&C and Jana Knudson across a larger footprint in Southwest Florida, and enhance our ability to drive growth and deliver business wisdom."

WH&C associates will remain in their Bonita Springs, Fla. office under the Rehmann banner, and continue to have a satellite office in Fort Myers.

Along with the business combinations, Rehmann's Naples office has moved to a new location: 6609 Willow Park, Naples, Florida, 34109.

About Rehmann

Rehmann is a fully integrated financial services firm of CPAs & consultants, wealth advisors and corporate investigators dedicated to providing clients proactive ideas and solutions to help them prosper professionally and personally. The firm offers a cross-functional team approach that gives clients direct access to a professional in any available service. Rehmann has more than 800 associates in Michigan, Ohio and Florida. Rehmann is an independent member of Nexia International, offering clients a global approach. Find us online at rehmann.com.

SOURCE Rehmann
TUCSON, Ariz., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- RightSure Insurance Group is pleased to announce the acquisition of California-based Auto & Property Insurance Solutions effective December 27, 2017.

As an independent agency operating in National City, CA, Auto & Property Insurance Solutions has a stellar reputation for providing friendly service, competitive prices and one-stop insurance shopping in the home, auto, life and commercial insurance segments. As part of RightSure, policyholders will continue to experience these advantages and more.

With this transition, Auto & Property Insurance Solutions customers will enjoy convenient access to RightSure's call center and its licensed and highly-experienced team for a modern and hassle-free insurance experience. "Our goal is to empower customers to make confident insurance decisions," says President, R. Jeffery Arnold.

RightSure has long been known for its ability to harness technology to serve insurance customers faster and more efficiently. The agency uses its proprietary RightRater quoting system and a customer-focused model to provide clients access to the best insurance options available. In addition, RightSure recently introduced an innovative new artificial intelligence (AI) service model, using chatbots to serve clients 24/7 in their preferred online venues such as Facebook and via text.

Auto & Property Insurance Solutions is RightSure's fourteenth book of business acquisition, broadening the company's suite of insurance products and its market share in California.

About RightSure Insurance Group

Headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, RightSure Insurance Group DBA RSIG Insurance Agency is a full-service independent insurance agency providing insurance products to families and businesses in 42 states. By using a unique, client-centered approach combined with superior technology, RightSure presents clients with a wide range of insurance options and a seamless purchasing process. RightSure was recognized as The Best Data-Driven Company at Grow's Data Driven Summit 2017. To learn more, visit https://www.rightsure.com or call 520-917-5295.

Media Contact:

Evie Quintana,

[email protected]

520-777-1125

SOURCE RightSure Insurance Group

Related Links

https://www.rightsure.com


TORONTO, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Roxgold Inc. ("Roxgold" or "the Company") (TSX: ROXG) (OTC: ROGFF) is pleased to announce that it has received permitting approval to develop the Bagassi South Project from the Burkina Faso Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development. The approval marks a significant milestone in the permitting process and solidifies the development timeline of the Bagassi South Project.

"We are extremely pleased to announce the permitting approval for the Bagassi South Project. The approval of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ("ESIA") for Bagassi South allows us to confirm our development decision and begin mine development and construction for our first growth project on the Yaramoko concession," stated John Dorward, President and CEO. "We would like to thank the government of Burkina Faso and our stakeholders in the communities for their continued support and look forward to continuing our positive working relationship."

Roxgold is continuing to advance the development of the Bagassi South Project with underground mine development and construction activities commencing in the first quarter of 2018. With the approval of the ESIA, the Company has filed an application for an extension of its Exploitation (Mining) Permit to include the Bagassi South deposits, which marks the final step in the permitting process. A decision regarding the extension from the Burkina Faso government is expected in the second quarter of 2018.

About Roxgold

Roxgold is a gold mining company with its key asset, the high grade Yaramoko Gold Mine, located in the Hounde greenstone region of Burkina Faso, West Africa. Roxgold trades on the TSX under the symbol ROXG and as ROGFF on OTC.

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: statements with respect to Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resource estimates, future production and life of mine estimates, future capital and operating costs and expansion and development plans. These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. In certain cases, forward-looking information may be identified by such terms as "anticipates", "believes", "could", "estimates", "expects", "may", "shall", "will", or "would". Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, the realization of resource estimates and reserve estimates, any potential upgrades of existing resource estimates, gold metal prices, the timing and amount of future exploration and development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs, the availability of necessary financing and materials to continue to explore and develop the Company's properties in the short and long-term, the progress of exploration and development activities, the receipt of necessary regulatory approvals, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect.

Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include: changes in market conditions, unsuccessful exploration results, possibility of project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, changes in the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, inaccurate reserve and resource estimates, changes in the price of gold, unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general economic conditions. Mining exploration and development is an inherently risky business. Accordingly, actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

SOURCE Roxgold Inc.

Related Links

www.roxgold.com


NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The third annual Asian American Business Roundtable will explore "The New Majority is the New Normal for Businesses" during a two-day Summit at the JPMorgan Chase & Co. Conference Center in Manhattan, Monday, January 29 and Tuesday, January 30, 2018. Some of the nation's top forward-thinking Asian, Latino, and African American corporate, business and community leaders, joined by diversity experts and advocates will participate in the highly-anticipated event, it was announced by John Wang, Founder and President of The Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC), the Summit host.

Delivering keynote speeches will be business luminaries Timothy F. Ryan, US Chair and Senior Partner of PwC; Carla Harris, Vice Chair, Global Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley; Phyllis J. Campbell, Chair, Pacific Northwest and Vice Chair, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Jonathan Spector, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conference Board.

"The Summit is designed to be a hub for members of diverse groups to connect, collaborate and contribute new thoughts, strategies and tactics that will shape how business and industry is conducted now," said Mr. Wang, co-chair of the Summit with internationally recognized business visionaries Ron Parker, President and CEO, The Executive Leadership Council and Cid Wilson, President & CEO, Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility.

More than five years ago, the AABDC identified the beginnings of a growing movement in American business: the rise of the New Majority centered on ethnic groups, formerly the minority, gradually becoming the majority in some large urban areas and states. Mr. Wang observed that the consumer power of this bloc comprised of African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos was forecast to reach over $4.1 trillion by 2019.

The Summit discussions will cover a wide-range of topics related to the multicultural-business model including redefining diversity in businesses, cultural identity for the new generation, minority women in STEM industries, impact of shifting ethnicity on politics and collaboration across cultures.

Leaders in the fields of education, politics and journalism will be among the panelists conferring on trending topics, including media participants from Bloomberg Television, MSNBC and NBC News, and Black Enterprise magazine.

For more information on "The New Majority is the New Normal for Businesses," visit www.AABusinessRoundtable.org /212-966.0100.

SOURCE Asian American Business Development Center (AABDC)

Related Links

http://www.AABusinessRoundtable.org


NEW YORK, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Execu|Search Group, a full-service recruitment, staffing, and workforce solutions firm, today announced their partnership with PharmaSource Group, a staffing firm based in the Chicago metropolitan area with strong expertise in life sciences. This partnership will allow The Execu|Search Group to strengthen their service offerings for clients in the life sciences field, as well as expand into the Midwest.

Led by a management team with over two decades of experience, PharmaSource Group is a trusted talent advisor to life sciences firms and clinical research professionals. The company serves clients across the biopharmaceutical, medical device and CRO industries, identifying skilled candidates to propel development studies and bolster industry momentum across all major therapeutic areas and phases.

"We're very excited to join forces with PharmaSource Group," said Larry Dolinko, President of The Execu|Search Group's Temporary division, who helped facilitate this partnership. "In addition to having an outstanding reputation as thought leaders in life sciences and clinical staffing, PharmaSource Group shares our values and passion for serving employers and job seekers. Their expertise will be critical as we expand our services into new markets and look to work with existing clients on a much broader scale."

"We're looking forward to working with our new colleagues at The Execu|Search Group," added Melissa Beauchamp, Managing Partner of PharmaSource Group. "We're confident that their approach to serving employers and job seekers, their company culture, and overall business philosophy is similar to our own. This partnership will allow us to provide tailored solutions for our clients' hiring initiatives and broaden our national reach for those seeking new opportunities within life sciences."

About The Execu|Search Group:

Founded in 1985 and headquartered in New York, NY, The Execu|Search Group is a leading provider of recruitment, temporary staffing, and workforce management solutions in the Northeast and Florida. The firm serves clients across a broad range of practice areas, including Accounting/Finance, Creative + Digital, Engineering, Financial Services, Health Services, Human Resources, Information Technology, Legal Services, Life Sciences, Nonprofit, and Office Support.

About PharmaSource Group:

With over two decades of experience serving the biopharmaceutical, medical device, and CRO industries, PharmaSource Group is a leader in life sciences staffing. Dedicated to placing talent for direct hire, outsourced, contract, and project-based roles, they specialize in a wide range of life sciences disciplines.

MEDIA CONTACT: Stephanie Klemperer, (212) 871-0607, [email protected]

SOURCE The Execu|Search Group

Related Links

http://www.execu-search.com


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --The Little Gym International, a children's enrichment and development franchise with over 300 locations around the globe, announces that Alex Bingham will be named President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 1, 2018. He will succeed current President and CEO, Ruk Adams. In his new role, Bingham will continue to grow The Little Gym's legacy as the world's premiere gym for movement-based learning and imaginative play that helps build the confidence and skills needed at each stage of childhood. He plans to enhance company operations and further deliver on the brand promise of providing the Springboard to Life's Adventures for the families it serves, franchisees and employees.

Since joining The Little Gym in 2001, Bingham has held several roles within the company, most recently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Some of his former responsibilities and positions include running a corporate location as a Gym Director, working with franchise owners in both their pre-opening and ongoing operations as a Business Consultant, and managing franchisee support as a VP of Franchise Services. Before joining the corporate team, Bingham was an instructor at The Little Gym of Scottsdale during his college breaks in 1996-1997, and was previously a student at The Little Gym's original location from age two to five.

"I have been incredibly fortunate to have shared in The Little Gym's growth, evolution and opportunities over the years. The experience has been nothing short of amazing, from playing an integral role of rebuilding the company in its early years, to seeing us grow into a worldwide brand that impacts the lives of families across the globe," said Ruk Adams, exiting President and CEO of The Little Gym International. "I have complete confidence that my successor, Alex Bingham, will continue to lead The Little Gym to great success in his new role as President and CEO."

"The Little Gym has been a part of my life since the age of two when I was a student, continuing into my young adulthood when I worked as a part-time instructor during college and, finally, turning into a fulfilling career that allows me to make a difference in children's lives at each of our locations," said Alex Bingham, President and CEO of The Little Gym International. "It's a privilege to have my life come full circle as I assume my new role as CEO, and build upon The Little Gym's reputation in the early childhood development space that Ruk helped to diligently establish."

Ruk Adams retires having served as The Little Gym President and CEO since 2013. For more than 23 years, Adams has held a variety leadership positions, having first joined the corporate team in 1994 as Executive Vice President of Franchise Development, a position he held through 1997. After leaving the company to head sales for Citadel Broadcasting in Salt Lake City from 1997 to 2002, Adams rejoined The Little Gym in a role as Senior Vice Present of Development and Franchise Services. Prior to working at the corporate headquarters, Adams and his wife, Ann, owned and ran one of the original locations of The Little Gym from 1993 to 1995 in Salt Lake City.

For more information on The Little Gym, please visit www.thelittlegym.com.

About The Little Gym

The Little Gym is the premier developer of physical skills in children worldwide. The very first location was established in 1976 by Robin Wes, an innovative educator with a genuine love for children. The Little Gym International, Inc., headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., was formed in 1992 to Franchise The Little Gym concept. Today, The Little Gym International has more than 350 locations in 32 countries. For more information, visit The Little Gym at www.TheLittleGym.com.

SOURCE The Little Gym International

Related Links

https://www.thelittlegym.com


TOLEDO, Ohio, Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Welltower Inc. (NYSE:HCN) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a portfolio of rental continuing care retirement communities ("CCRCs"). The transaction comprises four communities offering a full continuum of care including independent living, assisted living, memory care and post-acute care concentrated in attractive markets within the Washington D.C., Miami and Charlottesville MSAs.

The portfolio is currently managed by Sunrise under triple-net leases. Welltower will acquire the landlord's ownership interest for $368 million and will transition the communities to a RIDEA structure to deliver next generation care. Welltower has closed on one of the communities with the remaining three to follow in the first quarter of 2018. This investment is projected to generate a nominal year one cap rate of 7%.

"We are pleased to announce the acquisition of this unique portfolio. Only Welltower, with our superior relationship investment model, is able to source, execute and unlock immediate value in off market investments such as this," said Tom DeRosa, CEO of Welltower. "These assets, located in top markets, represent both an enhancement to our Sunrise portfolio and a significant above market return for our shareholders."

Sunrise and Welltower Relationship

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Sunrise Senior Living operates more than 300 communities in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with a total unit capacity of over 30,000. Welltower has over $6 billion of investments with Sunrise Senior Living.

About Welltower

Welltower Inc. (NYSE: HCN), an S&P 500 company headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, is driving the transformation of health care infrastructure. The company invests with leading seniors housing operators, post-acute providers and health systems to fund the real estate infrastructure needed to scale innovative care delivery models and improve people's wellness and overall health care experience. Welltower, a real estate investment trust ("REIT"), owns interests in properties concentrated in major, high-growth markets in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, consisting of seniors housing and post-acute communities and outpatient medical properties. More information is available at www.welltower.com.

Forward-Looking Statements and Risk Factors

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When Welltower uses words such as "may," "will," "intend," "should," "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "project," "estimate," or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. In particular, these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, those relating to Welltower's ability to close the Seniors Housing Property Trust transaction on currently anticipated terms, or within currently anticipated timeframes; the expected performance of Welltower's operators/tenants and properties; Welltower's expected occupancy rates; and Welltower's ability to access capital markets or other sources of funds. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause Welltower's actual results to differ materially from its expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. This may be a result of various factors, including, but not limited to: the satisfaction of closing conditions to the Seniors Housing Property Trust transaction, including the receipt of regulatory approvals and lender or third-party consents; the respective parties' performance of their obligations under the Seniors Housing Property Trust transaction agreements; the receipt of applicable healthcare licenses and governmental approvals; unanticipated difficulties and/or expenditures relating to the Seniors Housing Property Trust transaction; the status of the economy; the status of capital markets, including availability and cost of capital; changes in financing terms; competition within the health care and seniors housing industries; negative developments in the operating results or financial condition of operators/tenants, including, but not limited to, their ability to pay rent and repay loans; natural disasters and other acts of God affecting Welltower's properties; operator/tenant or joint venture partner bankruptcies or insolvencies; the cooperation of joint venture partners; and other risks described in Welltower's reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Finally, Welltower undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, or otherwise, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Welltower Inc.

Related Links

http://www.welltower.com


DENVER, January 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --

Significant Expansion Expected Through the Launch of the Company's National Franchising Model

West Coast Ventures Group Corp. (OTC: WCVC) ("Company") CEO, James Nixon provided a year-end shareholder update today highlighting the Company's current activities and its corporate strategy for 2018.

"We would like to thank all our shareholders and customers alike, for the support that continues to drive our ongoing corporate success", stated CEO, James Nixon, adding, "As we conclude the year poised for significant growth management wants to ensure shareholders are well-informed regarding our corporate strategy focused on franchising, acquisition and expansion as well as understand the results of our operations for this year through the first three quarters."

FRANCHISING

The Company expects to begin the process of allowing the sale of its wholly owned subsidiary "Illegal Burger" (IB) Franchises through a leading franchise consulting firm to manage all aspects from preparation of the Franchise Agreement to the execution of a strategic sales and marketing program. An essential aspect of the expected franchise model is the Company's plan to open new locations with the explicit intent of selling them to franchisees. Management believes this will open the market to an additional group of potential franchisees and expedite growth.

Additionally, the Company is in the process of evaluating additional quick-casual restaurant concepts to develop and open proof-of-concept locations. Updates are expected to be announced in Q1 of 2018.

ACQUISITIONS

The Company is currently evaluating a number of potential acquisitions of existing restaurant locations in the Denver and Phoenix, AZ areas. These locations currently generate approximately $6 million in combined annual revenue and are reflective of the size and profile of additional acquisition targets to be identified by the Company as part of its planned acquisition strategy moving forward.

EXPANSION

The Company has engaged a prominent real estate brokerage familiar with the requirements we have set forth for identifying potential locations including our target demographics. The expansion process involving opening new locations in this manner will evolve at the pace of the market and demand to ensure highest probability of success.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Total revenues for the first three quarters of 2017 were $2.1M, an increase of 12.5% over fiscal year 2016. Ongoing restaurant operations are, and have been profitable.

During 2017, we have revamped our corporate back office operations, to include: accounting, payroll, inventory control, POS and operating and training manuals as well as restructuring certain corporate level job positions to create a more seamless and standardized presentation to our customers.

ABOUT West Coast Ventures Group

Based in Denver, Colorado, West Coast Ventures Group Corp. (WCVC) develops, owns and operates two contemporary restaurant concepts: ILLEGAL BURGER, a quick-casual Burger + Bar concept, and El Senor Sol, a full-service fresh Mexican restaurant. Led by seasoned restaurant entrepreneurs, WCVC management is committed to scaling both modern sustainable concepts into national franchise models operating metro-styled restaurants serving only the finest and freshest natural ingredients.

For Further Information: https://www.westcoastventuresgroupcorp.com/ https://www.illegalburger.com/

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of WCVC and its subsidiary companies, which can be identified by the use of forward- looking terminology such as "estimates," "believes," "anticipates," "intends," "expects" and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to be materially different from those described herein as anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are or will be described in greater detail in our filings with the

Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements are based on WCVC's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on WCVC. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting WCVC will be those anticipated by WCVC. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) or other assumptions that may cause actual actions taken or results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WCVC undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws.



Press Contact:

James Nixon

[email protected]

tel: 303-995-7526

https://www.illegalburger.com/

SOURCE West Coast Ventures Group Corp.
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' Trump Adviser's Visit to Moscow Got the F.B.I.'s Attention. That was the page-one headline the New York Times ran on April 20, 2017, above its breathless report that a catalyst for the F.B.I. investigation into connections between Russia and President Trump's campaign was a June 2016 visit to Moscow by Carter Page. It was due to the Moscow trip by Page, dubbed a foreign policy adviser to the campaign, that the F.B.I. obtained a warrant from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in September  i.e., during the stretch run of the presidential campaign. You're to be forgiven if you're feeling dizzy ...
Last week, former Obama national security advisor Susan Rice  she of the infamously shifting Benghazi explanations  published an op-ed in the New York Times dedicated to the proposition that Trump's America first foreign policy has relinquish[ed] the nation's moral authority in these difficult times. According to Rice, Trump has shifted away from seizing opportunities to expand prosperity, freedom and security around the globe. Yet when confronted with protests in Iran, it was Trump, not Obama, who took the hard-line approach in support of freedom. In the past few days, thousands of Iranians have marched against the terrorist regime in Tehran ...
On this date in 1965, Martin Luther King Jr. convened the series of protests that would become known collectively as the Selma to Montgomery March.

Today marks the beginning of a determined, organized, mobilized campaign to get the right to vote everywhere in Alabama, King told supporters at Selmas Brown Chapel AME Church. We must be ready to go to jail by the thousands. ... Our cry to the state of Alabama is a simple one. Give us the ballot!

It seems a modest demand, doesnt it? The right of Americans to vote. But 53 years ago, in the old Confederacy, King and his followers were risking their lives by merely asking about their rights. Most -- but not all -- of Kings foot soldiers were African-Americans. Some werent even southerners. Among those who heard his call was Viola Liuzzo, a 39-year-old white housewife from Detroit. As a result, her children would be motherless only three months later.

* * *

In the winter of 1965, Viola Liuzzo had two children by a previous marriage and three with her husband Anthony, an official with Teamsters local 247 in Detroit. Born in Pennsylvania, she had been raised in blinding poverty, mostly in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Viola was an observant girl, however, and one of the things she noticed was that however tough life was for her family, blacks in Chattanooga seemed to have it worse. She had a big heart, her kids recall to this day, and her everyday activism ranged from taking in stray cats and dogs to going back to school at Wayne State University to get a degree in sociology. She also contributed to social causes championed by her congregation, the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit.

That February and March, she had been watching television coverage from Alabama, as Selma turned increasingly violent. In February, state troopers clubbed and fatally shot Jimmie Lee Jackson. In early March, James Reeb, a Unitarian minister from Boston was beaten to death.

Liuzzo had watched television as the March 7 demonstration turned into a violent attack on the marchers, an event dubbed Bloody Sunday. That month, she attended a sympathy rally in support of the Selma protesters, and when some Wayne State study partners told her they were planning to go to Alabama, Liuzzo decided to join them. She volunteered to take her own car, a 1963 Oldsmobile, which proved fateful. She left Detroit on March 16, telling her husband she hoped hed understand.

Nine days later, she participated in a Selma march and was driving a black demonstrator home when she was spotted by men in another car: three Ku Klux Klansmen and an FBI informant whod infiltrated the Klan. Noting the Michigan license plates, a white woman at the wheel and a black passenger, they pulled in behind her on Highway 80. Belatedly sensing danger, Liuzzo sped up. The men followed, and 20 miles outside of Selma on a deserted stretch of road, they fired into the car. The shots killed Liuzzo, but missed her passenger, 19-year-old civil rights activist Leroy Morton, who survived by playing dead. He was covered in blood -- Liuzzos blood -- but was unharmed.

The following day, March 26, 1965, Lyndon Baines Johnson himself announced the arrests of the killers.

Mrs. Liuzzo went to Alabama to serve the struggle for justice, the president old the nation. She was murdered by the enemies of justice who for decades have used the rope and the gun and the tar and the feathers to terrorize their neighbors. They struck by night, as they generally do, for their purpose cannot stand the light of day.

Her death was not in vain, as you can read in Donna Britts poignant piece last month in The Washington Post. Britt was a young girl living in Gary, Indiana when she saw Viola Liuzzos picture in her local paper. Liuzzo had voluntarily put herself in a position where she could be attacked, even killed, for helping people who looked like my family and me -- people she didnt even know, Britt wrote. And if a white mom with everything to live for would risk death for me, maybe I mattered more than even I had dared to imagine.
I thought throughout the 2016 presidential race that if it were a 1980s coming-of-age comedy, the Trump campaign would be the scrappy underdogs from the down-at-its-heels camp about to lose its lease while its well-funded, blow-dried adversaries came from the posh, preppy camp across the lake. Whatever you think you know about the Trump campaign, prepare to be astonished.

Let Trump Be Trump, by Corey Lewandowski and David Bossie, is an underdog story. Their book is a uniquely engaging inside account that is as bracing as the candidate and the team it describes.

This is a serious book, not another campaign tell-all full of score-settling digs and salacious errata. The authors provide a welcome departure from the peevish tone of so many recent campaign books. Instead they offer an honest inside look at the Trump campaign that conveys the teams gritty blue-collar work ethic, the camaraderie, the loyalty and the can-do spirit that transformed them from a punchline to a political juggernaut.

Successful political movements, of which campaigns are a part, run on friendship, loyalty, and trust. Without those three things they cant survive, let alone thrive. Politics, as Mr. Dooley, famously noted, aint beanbag. Corey Lewandowski should know. Hes the man who was employee No. 1 in the Trump campaign, who built the apparatus, shared a desk during the early days in Trump Tower, and flew around the country with the boss making the case for a Trump presidency. He then took one for the team by resigning as campaign manager after Never Trump Republicans put a bulls-eye on his back and he became a distraction for the candidate and the cause he believed in.

The book is full of interesting tidbits that help explain some of the oddities of the 2016 race, such as the intermittent detente-cum-alliance between the Trump and Ted Cruz campaigns during the early and middle stages of the race. The authors note that the Cruz camp had made a strategic decision to run against Donald Trump at the end of the campaign, when most of the other primary candidates would be out of the race. This move led the Cruz team to share critical New Hampshire primary polling data with the Trump campaign, which wasnt doing any polling of its own. The data helped Team Trump recalibrate after a second-place Iowa finish and win the Granite State and then roll quickly onto South Carolina.

Lewandowski and Bossie describe the Trump campaign during the Iowa caucuses as waging an air campaign against land warfare. The metaphor worked for the entire race. Traditional candidates spent tens, even hundreds, of millions of dollars building large grassroots machines replete with operatives, activists, and consultants. With Trumps fleet of private aircraft -- the 757 known as Trump Force One, the Citation X, and the Sikorsky helicopters -- the candidate went over or around every traditional line of defense that was built to halt his relentless advance. Campaign consultants for Cruz, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and eventually Hillary Clinton, like generals fighting the last war, spent their candidates cash and political capital on bigger media buys, far-fetched opposition research, and desperate appeals to party priests to anathematize Trump in hopes of depriving him of victory. But the political Maginot Line they erected proved every bit as effective as the original French version.

Losing Lewandowski was a blow to the campaign. Hiring Paul Manafort turned out to be worse. As the authors write of his brief interregnum: Paul Manafort had been in charge of the campaign for eight weeks. In that time, the campaign had gone from a primary juggernaut under Corey to a death spiral.

Though they wrote the book together, Bossie didnt join the campaign until months after Lewandowskis departure. In the wake of the Manafort debacle, Bossies main job was to try to reestablish an esprit de corps that had been lost during Manaforts brief reign, which they characterize as cold, sterile in action. Still, the reader cant help but wonder what might have been. What if Lewandowski and Bossie had been able to run the campaign together? No Manafort might have meant no mid-summer slump, which could have translated to an even larger margin of victory. And it might have meant no phony Russia narrative after the election.

Still, history does not reveal alternatives, and this unlikely blue-collar campaign by the countrys best-known billionaire was successful. Trump won. True, he won because of the hard work of people like Bossie and Lewandowski, but he won primarily because he tapped into the anxieties and aspirations of middle-class Americans of both parties. Party bosses werent listening when it came to immigration, trade, foreign military entanglements and a raft of other issues where D.C. called the tune and average Americans had to dance. Thats a perversion of the idea of self-government. There were millions of voters who knew it, but only one candidate who demonstrated that he knew it too.

After Trump defeated the entire Republican dream team in the primaries, the Clinton family in the general election, and ISIS as president, youd think that would be the accepted wisdom. It isnt. Add in a booming stock market, low unemployment, a raft of constitutionalist judges capped by Justice Neil Gorsuch, once-in-a-generation tax reform, repeal of the execrable individual mandate for health care, elimination of reams of stultifying regulations and its tough to see why Trump didnt win 45 states.

Bringing in Bossie helped right the ship in the crucial run-up to the election. Samuel Goldwyn famously said that he would take 50 percent efficiency to get 100 percent loyalty. With Lewandowski and Bossie, he got 100 percent of both.

Maybe its time the know-it-all brigades of D.C. pundits and consultants took the authors advice and let Trump be Trump. It seems to be working.
Just when we all thought Ed Sheerans Perfect couldnt get any more perfect, a duet version with Beyonce was released on Nov.30th. Yet, the purpose of adding Beyonce wasnt necessarily to make the song more perfect, but was rather intended to make a version of the song with a different meaning and a different feel.
The U.S. military has announced that a U.S. soldier was killed and four others were wounded during "combat engagement" in eastern Afghanistan.

In a January 2 statement, U.S. military officials said the battle had occurred on January 1 in Achin in Nangarhar Province.

"Two wounded service members are being treated at a nearby medical treatment facility and are in stable condition," the statement said. "The other service members have returned to duty."

Officials did not disclose which branch of the military the troops were from, and no other information was immediately available.

In western Afghanistan, a spokesman for the governor of Farah Province said a district police chief was killed on January 2 by a Taliban ambush as he rushed to a checkpoint that was under attack.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the governor of the northern province of Jawzjan said air strikes in the area on January 2 killed at least 26 Islamic State (IS) fighters.

Spokesman Mohammad Reza Ghafori said those killed included foreign fighters from France and Uzbekistan.

Some of the IS fighters killed in the air strikes are thought to have arrived in Afghanistan recently from battlefields in Syria.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and Dawn
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has broken five days of silence as antiestablishment protests raged in Iran by publicly stiffening the official line from that offered by the country's president a day earlier.

Khamenei has the final word on political and religious matters in Iran, and his suggestion that "enemies of Iran" are behind the unrest comes with the death toll rising above 20 and increasingly harsh admonitions from other Iranian officials.

The protests, the largest since massive demonstrations over a disputed presidential election in 2009 prompted a brutal crackdown, have continued despite the deaths and hundreds of arrests, dispersals by security forces in dozens of cities, and stepped-up blocks on social media and the Internet.

Khamenei has been one of the main targets of protesters' chants, which have included "Death to the dictator!" and "Death to Khamenei!" while also accusing him of ruling like a god.

"In the events of recent days, the enemies have united and are using all their means -- money, weapons, policies, and intelligence services -- to create problems for the Islamic regime," Khamenei said on state television.

"The enemy is always looking for an opportunity and any crevice to infiltrate and strike the Iranian nation," he added.

He did not say how security forces should respond to the protests, only that he will address the nation when "the time is right."

WATCH: Some residents of Tehran described their financial struggles as days of protests took place in dozens of towns and cities across Iran.

On January 1, President Hassan Rohani acknowledged Iranians' economic and political frustrations and suggested that the unrest could be turned into an opportunity.

"We can't say whoever who has taken to the street has orders from other countries," Rohani told members of parliament. "There might a handful like that, but some [have] taken to the street based on their emotions and due to their problems."

He also said that some of the protesters sought greater freedom, echoing a note that Rohani made part of his election and reelection campaigns in 2013 and 2017.

"Their problems are not only economic ones -- it's not like people have come out into the streets to say that 'We want money, bread, water.' They have other demands as well. They are pursuing other things as well. One [demand] is allowing a freer environment. People are demanding not only money, [it's] not only economic. Yes, one of them is the economy."

There were other signs emerging on January 2 of a possible hardening on the part of Khamenei's hard-line allies and other Iranian authorities.

A deputy commander of the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), General Rasul Sanayirad, said on January 2 that the United States, Saudi Arabia, monarchists, and the opposition group Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) are behind the problems.

"Today we are seeing that the counterrevolutionaries, the monarchists, the Hypocrites" -- a reference to the MKO -- "the U.S., and [the House of] Saud as well as a grouplet led by a fugitive clown, are misusing the social and economic protests of our country's people and have turned them into riots and acts of sabotage," Sanayirad was quoted by the hard-line Fars news agency as saying.

"The slogans chanted in the past two or three days by the rioters clearly showed that [the MKO] and the monarchists are behind this story," Sanayirad added.

WATCH: Video released by the social-media site FreedomMessenger purports to show protesters attacking a police station in the Iranian town of Qahdarijan.

For now, reports suggest that compared to past protests security forces have been restrained in their attempts to quell the protests. Reports suggest that the IRGC, which was blamed for some of the most brutal actions during the 2009 crackdown, has not intervened in any conspicuous manner.

But Esmaeil Kowsari, deputy chief of a major IRGC base in Tehran, told the semiofficial news agency ISNA, "If this situation continues, the officials will definitely make some decisions, and at that point this business will be finished."

Meanwhile, the head of Tehran's Revolutionary Court warned on January 2 that arrested protesters could face the death penalty.

"Obviously one of their charges can be 'moharebeh,'" Mousa Ghazanfarabadi was quoted by the Tasmin news agency as saying, using an Arabic term for a crime that is frequently translated as "enmity against God" and can be punishable by death.
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Video released by the social-media site FreedomMessenger purports to show protesters attacking a police station in the Iranian town of Qahdarijan. FreedomMessenger describes itself as an "independent Iranian news agency seeking complete change of the Iranian regime by reporting on the human rights situation in Iran." (AP/FreedomMessenger)
Days after deadly antigovernment rallies erupted in Iran, it is still difficult to pinpoint just who the protesters are and what, exactly, they want.

The demonstrations lack a central voice, are taking place across vast and varied territories, and are attracting a broad range of Iranians, making it difficult to pinpoint any gender, age group, or economic class.

That is in stark contrast to the 2009 mass protests that erupted after the contentious reelection of Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Those rallies were rooted in popular anger against what was seen as a fraudulent election, were driven by leaders of the opposition Green Movement, and backed largely by Tehran's educated middle class.

While comparisons have been drawn to the 2009 unrest when trying to gauge the current protests' place in recent history, five days of protests show they do not fit neatly into the same mold.

"These protests cannot be portrayed, as the regime tried to do with 2009, as a 'north Tehran phenomenon' of troublesome, better-off, better-educated activists," says Scott Lucas, an Iran specialist at Birmingham University in Britain and editor of the EA World View website.

"The spread of the protests across the country in almost every Iranian city shows a widespread questioning of what the regime is doing over the economy, foreign policy and military interventions, and political and social issues," Lucas adds.

Beyond Demographics

Tehran has tried to pin the current protests largely on youths. Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Zolfaghari has said that 90 percent of the protesters detained nationwide were under 25 years old.

But while witness testimony and footage from the protests do show that many participants are young, it would be simplistic and misleading to suggest that they are the only ones protesting.

Considering that people under the age of 25 would have been born after the 1979 revolution that founded the Islamic republic, it would be easy for Tehran to write off the current protests to the youthful exuberance of youths who are too young to know any better.

But a 25-year-old protester would have been coming of age when the clerical establishment reacted in brutal fashion to the largely peaceful protests of 2009. Many presumably went on to vote in the 2013 election that chose Ahmadinejad's successor, Hassan Rohani.

Cast as a relative moderate, Rohani won on pledges to improve ties with the West, secure more freedoms for Iranians, and revive the recession-hit economy. Rohani won again in 2017, in part due to his success in working out a deal with Western powers over Iran's contentious nuclear program and the promise of more openness to come as Iran shed the label of international pariah.

But despite securing the lifting of crippling international sanctions as part of the deal, frustrations over Rohani's failure to deliver economic benefits grew.

WATCH: Some residents of Tehran described their financial struggles as days of antiestablishment protests took place in dozens of towns and cities across Iran.

Certainly, Iran's high unemployment and dire economic situation hits the country's younger generation hard. More than 50 percent of the population is under 30, and while youth unemployment is officially around 20 percent, it is believed to be closer to 40 percent.

But they are far from being the only disenfranchised segment of society.

"Those people who are taking part in the protests are from all social classes, regions, and demographics in society," says Raman Ghavami, an Iranian analyst who has been tracking the protest. "The poor, the middle class, the rich are taking part. Woman are playing a role."

Referencing footage of security forces refusing to make arrests and standing in solidarity with demonstrators in Lorestan Province, Ghamvami notes that "even some security forces are rejecting orders."

No Overriding Issue

There is no single issue that is driving the protests.

The protests first erupted in the city of Mashhad on December 28, where demonstrators rallied against a surge in prices of basic food supplies, such as eggs and poultry.

But as the protests spread, protesters directed their anger at Iran's political leadership, chanting "Death to Rohani" and "Death to [Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei." Some protesters have even called for the return of the monarchy that was ousted in the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Some have also chanted slogans against Iran's foreign policies, including its support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, seen by some as an expensive and wasteful undertaking abroad considering Iran's needs at home.

Analysts believe the protests in Mashhad may have been driven by internal rifts in the clerical system that gave impetus to spontaneous protests erupting across the country. Mashhad, the country's second-largest city, is home to Rohani's former election rival, hard-line conservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi.

"Some hard-liners welcomed the initial protests, but what they may have hoped would serve their factional interests in the short term appears to have unleashed more fundamental grievances that go much deeper," says Naysan Rafati, an analyst at the International Crisis Group.

In short, what may have started as an effort to heap criticism on Rohani and his nuclear deal may have awakened broad yet latent discontent.

Protests are not so unprecedented in Iran -- demonstrations have been staged by taxi drivers, autoworkers, teachers, and environmentalists in the past several years. But the demonstrations were usually contained to specific gripes, and received some element of official consent.

No Central Leadership

In contrast to the 2009 mass rallies that were driven by the opposition Green Movement, whose leaders still remain under house arrest, there is no apparent leadership or movement behind the current protests.

"[The protests] appear to be entirely spontaneous and as far as I can tell, leaderless," Alireza Nader, a senior policy analyst at Rand Corporation, wrote on Twitter.

This lack of a central message, analysts say, will make it more difficult for authorities to break up the protests.

"The apparent lack leadership to the protests is both a blessing and a curse to the authorities: on the one hand, the government may see the absence of clear organization as reason to hope that they will subside - or be put down - sooner rather than later," Rafati says.

"On the other hand, the scale and scope of the unrest as well as the varied demands raised by the protesters make it more difficult to make tangible concessions that would address their grievances."
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.

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CHISINAU -- Moldova's pro-Moscow president, Igor Dodon, has rejected a Constitutional Court decision to temporarily suspend his powers amid a standoff over ministerial appointments with his opponents in Chisinau's pro-Western government.

"The court once more confirmed its image of a rubber-stump political tool, not a constitutional body. This is a shameful and regrettable fall for a state that claims to be democratic," Dodon wrote on Facebook, vowing "not to give in."

Earlier, Dodon blocked Prime Minister Pavel Filip's nominations for new ministers in a reshuffle. Dodon said the government-proposed candidates were incompetent and accused some of them of being linked to a high-profile scandal in which around $1 billion was siphoned out of Moldova's banking system.

In response, the ruling coalition asked the Constitutional Court to suspend Dodon's powers so the government could form a cabinet with the nominees.

The court ruled on January 2 that presidential powers be temporarily delegated either to the parliamentary chairperson or to the prime minister.

Dodon is frequently at odds with Filip and his government, which favors closer ties with the EU and the United States.

In December, Filip's government recalled its envoy to Russia for consultations -- accusing Moscow of harassing and intimidating Moldovan officials and ignoring Chisinau's complaints about the issue.

In March, Filip and parliament speaker Andrian Candu summoned the Russian ambassador to Chisinau to protest what they said was abusive action by unnamed Russian intelligence services against Moldovan officials.

In May, Filip's government declared five Russian diplomats persona non grata.

The government in Chisinau says its officials were being mistreated in a bid to derail an investigation into a Russian-led money-laundering operation.

With reporting by Reuters and Interfax
The Pakistani government has plans to seize control of charities and financial assets that are connected to an Islamist leader that the United States considers a terrorist, according to Reuters.

Pakistan's government detailed the plans to freeze assets and take control of charities run by Hafiz Saeed in a covert order to provincial and federal government departments on December 19, three officials who attended high-level meetings about the crackdown told Reuters.

A Finance Ministry document dated December 19 directed law enforcement officials and governments in Pakistan's five provinces to submit a plan whereby they would seize Saeed's two charity organizations -- Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

The plans were to be submitted to the Finance Ministry by December 28.

Washington considers JuD and FIF to be "terrorist fronts" for Lashkar-e Taiba, a group Saeed founded in 1987 and which the United States and India blame for the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai that killed 166 people.

Saeed has denied involvement in the Mumbai attacks and he was found innocent of involvement when he was tried in a Pakistani court.

The proposed action by the Pakistani government comes after the FATF, an international body that fights against money laundering and groups that are financed by terrorists, warned Islamabad that it could be added to a watch list for failing to crack down on terrorist groups.

Additionally, a UN Security Council team is due to visit Pakistan later this month to review progress against UN-designated "terrorist" groups.

Pakistani Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, who served as a co-chair for meetings about the crackdown plans, told Reuters he has ordered authorities "to choke the fund-raising of all proscribed outfits in Pakistan."

But he added that "we're not pleasing anyone" but rather "working as a responsible nation to fulfill our obligations to our people and [the] international community."

Saeed -- who has denied having ties to militant organizations -- could not be reached for comment. His network includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house, and ambulance services.

In November, a Pakistani court released Saeed from house arrest, which he had been put under by the Punjab provincial government for violating antiterrorism laws.

With reporting by Reuters and TNN
The White House is calling on Pakistan to do more to fight terrorism and says that it will announce "specific actions" within days to pressure Islamabad.

"We know that they can do more to stop terrorism and we want them to do that," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on January 2, adding that further action will be announced within 48 hours.

Reuters quoted congressional sources on January 3 as saying the announcement could come later that day or on January 4.

The news agency cited two congressional aides as saying the U.S. administration has been informing members of Congress that it will announce plans to cut off "security assistance" to Pakistan, although it was not clear how much or what type of assistance would be cut or for how long.

The White House warning came after the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, told reporters in New York that "there are clear reasons" for the Trump administration to withhold $255 million in assistance to Pakistan.

"Pakistan has played a double game for years," Haley said. "They work with us at times, and they also harbor the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan. That game is not acceptable to this administration."

Pakistani UN Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi responded that her country's fight against terrorism is not based on any consideration of aid but on national interests and principles.

"We have contributed and sacrificed the most in fighting international terrorism and carried out the largest counterterrorism operation anywhere in the world" in Pakistan's tribal regions, Lodhi said.

Earlier on January 2, Pakistan and Washington traded charges over Islamabad's record on pursuing terrorists, with Pakistan criticizing a Twitter post by President Donald Trump that threatened to cut of billions of dollars in aid and accused Islamabad of "lies and deceit" and providing a safe haven for terrorists.

Pakistan's National Security Committee, a body that deals with defense issues, said the U.S. criticism stemmed from Washington's failure to win its 16-year war against the Taliban in Afghanistan and that Pakistan "cannot be held responsible for the collective failure in Afghanistan."

The statement said "blaming allies certainly does not serve the shared objective of achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region."

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's office said Islamabad will remain committed to playing a constructive role toward an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process despite "unwarranted allegations."

The prime minister's statement said the real challenges in Afghanistan were political infighting, massive corruption, phenomenal growth of drug production, and the expansion of ungoverned spaces inside Afghanistan full of sanctuaries for multiple international terrorist organizations that pose a direct threat to Afghanistan, its neighbors, and the region.

Earlier on January 2, Pakistan summoned U.S. Ambassador David Hale in response to Trump's January 1 Twitter message and accused the United States of "mistrust."

Trump's tweet, his first of 2018, said that the United States had "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."

The White House confirmed it would continue to withhold $255 million in military aid to Pakistan out of frustration over what it has characterized as Islamabad's refusal to confront terrorist networks.

The administration first started a "temporary withholding" of the funds, part of a $1.1 billion aid package authorized in 2016 by Congress, in August.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan returned criticism in a tweet noting 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," Asif said.

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.

Pakistan "receives funds from the United States to fight against terrorists, but it has not destroyed terrorist safe havens from where terrorists continuously carry out attacks in Afghanistan," he told RFE/RL on January 1.

[Trump's tweet] is a positive message for us, should U.S. pressure on Pakistan increase," Mohib added. "If the funds that Pakistan receives from the U.S. are cut off, this can exert direct pressure on Pakistan and we welcome this effort."

However, China gave Islamabad its backing, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang saying that Pakistan "has made a prominent contribution to global antiterror efforts."

"The international community should fully recognize this," he added.

Trump and U.S. Vice President Mike Pence have in the past accused Islamabad of supporting terrorist groups and have 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.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and Dawn
Russian candidate Ksenia Sobchak said she is running against President Vladimir Putin to win, not just for second place, and would seek to launch her own party after the March election. Sobchak, a TV personality whose father was once Putin's mentor, spoke with Current Time TV as she laid flowers at a memorial to slain opposition leader Boris Nemtsov near the Kremlin on December 31. (Current Time TV)
KHUJAND, Tajikistan -- Officials in Tajikistan say they are investigating the sudden deaths of four residents in the northern city of Khujand following a feast.

Aqbar Sharifov, the spokesman for the Sughd regional police, told RFE/RL on January 2 that four other individuals remained hospitalized in the case with symptoms of food poisoning.

Sharifov said investigators were trying to determine whether the deaths were the result of food poisoning or the consumption of tainted alcohol.

The four men who died were between 57 and 67 years of age. They had said they suddenly felt sick after eating a meal on December 30 that included alcohol.

Relatives of one of those who died told RFE/RL the tragedy occurred in a house owned by a couple known for selling alcohol and organizing drinking parties.

Last year, on New Year's Eve, two residents of the same city died after consuming bootleg alcohol.

Poisonings with bootleg alcohol are frequent across the former Soviet Union, especially in Russia, where people sometimes drink homemade alcohol or cheap bootleg liquor.

In December 2016, at least 74 people died in the Siberian city of Irkutsk after drinking bath lotion that contained methanol -- which can be fatal if consumed internally.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu says Ankara is still negotiating with Moscow about a technology transfer as part of its controversial purchase of Russia's S-400 air-defense missile system.

Cavusoglu said buying the missile system -- which caused great concern among Turkey's NATO allies when it was officially announced on December 27 -- was necessary and that Turkey "needed it urgently."

"We wanted to buy it from our NATO allies, but it did not work out," Cavusoglu told dpa in an interview. "Russia gave me the best deal. And that is why I bought it from Russia."

The reported $2.5 billion deal is still set to move ahead, Cavusoglu said, despite the still unconcluded issue over the technology transfer.

"They told us in principle that there will be joint production and also technology transfer," he said. "But this is an issue to negotiate in the medium-term and long-term."

He said the first deliveries of the missile system are due to begin in 2020.

Based on reporting by dpa
KYIV -- Ukraine's foreign minister has called the killing of an activist attorney in Kyiv "a challenge to the state" as the authorities, facing public outrage, opened a murder investigation into the death of Iryna Nozdrovska.

The Kyiv regional prosecutor's office and the National Police executive said on January 2 that they are closely monitoring the investigation into what they called a murder" the day after Nozdrovskas body was found floating in a river in Kyiv's Vyshhorod district.

The lawyer was reported missing on December 29 after she helped to make sure the man convicted of causing the death of her sister was not released from prison, in a high-profile case that was seen a test of the Ukrainian justice system's ability to fairly prosecute people with links to people in power.

Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin underscored the national significance of Nozdrovska's death on January 2, calling it "a challenge to the state."

This is "a test of our society's ability to protect female activists and to ensure justice as a whole," Klimkin said in comments on Twitter on January 2 that came as the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv expressed "shock" over the killing and hundreds of people rallied in Kyiv demanding a thorough investigation.

In a blunt message on Twitter, the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv said it was "shocked and saddened by the death of activist Iryna #Nozdrovska" and said that "those responsible must be brought to justice."

The demonstrators in Kyiv on January 2 demanded that the murder investigation be conducted by Kyiv city investigators, saying they did not trust regional law enforcement officers. They also demanded the resignation of Interior Minister Arsen Avakov.



WATCH: Protesters gathered in Kyiv to demand justice for a lawyer whose body was found on New Year's Day. (RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service)



Regional police chief Dmytro Tsenov met with the protesters in front of the building of the Kyiv regional police headquarters, and told them that a special team of experts was set up to investigate Nozdrovska's death.

Nozdrovska was the target of threats for her efforts in the case of Dmytro Rossoshanskyy, who was convicted of causing the death of Nozdrovska's 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 man's "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."

Ukrainian lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem wrote on Facebook on January 1 that Rossoshanskyy's father had threatened Nozdrovska at the December 27 hearing. According to Nayyem, the threat was "You will end up badly."

AFP reported that the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group in a statement said Nozdrovska had received threats during the trial "from Rossoshanskyy himself, and from his mates."

In Ukraine, relatives of officials often either get away with crimes or manage to get released earlier due to corruption, which observers say harms the country's everyday life and economy and hurts Ukraine's chances of throwing off the influence of Russia.

Moscow illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and backs separatists whose war against government forces has killed more than 10,300 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014.

With reporting by AFP
U.S. President Donald Trump has said there is mixed potential in possible talks between North Korea and South Korea, and that sanctions over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons and missile programs are beginning to take a toll.

"Sanctions and 'other' pressures are beginning to have a big impact on North Korea," Trump said in a Twitter post. "Soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea."

"Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time," Trump said, referring to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. "Perhaps that is good news, perhaps not -- we will see!"

In his New Year's address on January 1, Kim suggested the possibility of sending a delegation to South Korea to discuss North Korean participation in the Winter Olympics that run from February 9 until February 25.

"The Winter Games to be held in South Korea will be a good occasion for the country. We sincerely hope that the Winter Olympics will be a success," Kim said.

"We are ready to take various steps, including the dispatch of the delegation," he said. "To this end, the two Koreas can immediately meet."

South Korea responded on January 2 with Unification Minster Cho Myoung-gyon proposing a meeting of delegates at the border village of Panmunjom in the demilitarized zone.

It would be the first time the two sides have met in more than two years.

Kim had also boasted about North Korea's nuclear-weapons capabilities in his televised New Year's speech, saying his country had the ability to hit all of the U.S. mainland with nuclear weapons and that the nuclear button was "on my table."

"This is reality, not a threat," Kim said.

He said the country had "completed" the process of becoming a nuclear power and that "we must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment."

He added, though, that it would only use such weapons if its security were threatened.

Most international experts do not believe that North Korea has yet developed a missile that could deliver a nuclear weapon the distance required to reach North America.

Kim did offer some conciliatory language to South Korea, saying the "path is open" to dialogue with an aim to improve ties between Pyongyang and Seoul.

"When it comes to North-South relations, we should lower the military tensions on the Korean Peninsula to create a peaceful environment," Kim said. "Both the North and the South should make efforts."

South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on January 2 that any improvement in relations between North and South Korea would involve finding a resolution to Pyongyang's nuclear program.

South Korea is a major ally of the United States, which has thousands of troops stationed in the South.

The United States and North Korea have been in a war of words that has intensified each time Pyongyang has tested its ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons in violation of United Nations resolutions.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, and AP
Cancun airport part of the frequent pet traveler program for 2018

Cancun, Mexico  Due to the rising amount of visitors to Mexico with pets, the Ministry of Tourism has implemented the Frequent Pet Traveler program at several major airports around the country including Cancun.

The Ministry of Tourism (Sectur) has set up two specialize terminal areas inside the Benito Juarez International Airport at Mexico City. Other airports participating in the program include Guadalajara, Queretaro, Toluca, Mazatlan, Zihuatanejo and the Cancun International Airport.

The Mascota Viajero Frecuente or Frequent Pet Traveler program has been set up to accommodate those who travel with their pets. To make entering the country with pets easier, Sectur has a special application that is attached to a pets health certificate issued by an approved veterinarian that details the animal has current rabies, ecto and endoparasites shots less than six months before entering the country.

When a pet is registered in the program, owners are provided with an official document issued by Servicio Nacional de Sanidad, Inocuidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASICA), which contains the general data of the traveler and pet, vaccination and deworming record as well as a certification of health of the pet that is updated every time he enters the country.

With the registration, visitors can enter the country for a period of up to six months as long as the anti-rabies vaccination and deworming are valid and the animal is healthy.

To receive the document that certifies the entry of pets into the country, it is necessary to present a certificate of good health of the animal, valid for 15 days after being issued by an official veterinarian, on letterhead with the doctors medical certificate.

Travelers also need to provide the name and address of the country of origin and the place where both the owner and their pet will arrive, and the date of application of the rabies vaccine. To enter the country the pet must do so in a conveyor or container, clean, without bed or toys, in addition to having a leash or collar.

Frequent travelers to Mexico with their pets will not be required to fill out all forms every time they visit the country. The program will minimize waiting time since it is not necessary to register the data every time. That information will exist in a permanent database. Travelers reentering the country will only need to prove the validity of the vaccine and deworming prior to travel. The travel certificate is sent to the pet owner via email.

The registration process for the program is available only in the Agricultural Health Inspection Offices (OISA) of AICM T1, AICM T2 at Mexico City. Travelers in Guadalajara, Queretaro, Zihuatanejo, Toluca, Mazatlan and Cancun will need to visit SENASICAs central offices to register with the program.

There is no cost to register with the Mascota Viajero Frecuente program. For more information, contact 59051000 ext. 53611, 54326 y 51020 or (0155) 43130154, 43130155 or 43130152 or locate the nearest office.
A 79-year-old man sustained life-threatening injuries Monday afternoon when a delivery truck veered into a crosswalk at Geary Boulevard and 21st Avenue in San Franciscos Richmond District, striking two pedestrians and a sedan with a family of five inside, police said.

Another man, who police said is 66 years old, was seriously injured, and the five occupants of the car were treated at the scene for minor injuries. Police didnt release the victims names.
The mystery of Jupiter's strangely switching jet stream may have just been solved.

Gravity waves are likely causing Jupiter's jet stream to change direction, a new study suggests. The new results could reveal information not just about clouds in the atmospheres of planets in our own solar system, but also about those moving above the surfaces of alien worlds, researchers said.

"Jupiter is much bigger than Earth, much farther from the sun, rotates much faster and has a very different composition, but it turns out to be an excellent laboratory for understanding this equatorial phenomenon," study lead author Rick Cosentino, a postdoctoral fellow at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement. [Photos: Jupiter, the Solar System's Largest Planet]

An image of Jupiter in a crescent shape, with its famous Red Spot prominent. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

About every four Earth years, the east-west jet stream flowing high over Jupiter's equator switches direction  a mysterious phenomenon called the quasi-quadrennial oscillation (QQO). The QQO resembles a process seen both on Earth and Saturn, which occurs every 28 Earth months and every 15 Earth years, respectively, study team members said.

For the first time ever, researchers analyzed detailed observations of the full QQO process, made over the course of five years with NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawaii. The new measurements  which spanned latitudes from about 40 degrees north to 40 degrees south of Jupiter's equator  were made possible by an instrument called the Texas Cross Echelle Spectrograph, which the study team mounted on the IRTF.

"These measurements were able to probe thin vertical slices of Jupiter's atmosphere," study co-author Amy Simon, also a scientist at NASA Goddard, said in the same statement. "Previous data sets had lower resolution, so the signals were essentially smeared out over a large section of the atmosphere."

After comparing the new data with simulations, the team concluded that gravity waves are likely the driving force behind QQO. Gravity waves occur in air or liquid, and are caused by gravity or buoyancy acting to restore equilibrium; wind-driven waves at the ocean's surface are a prominent example. They're very different than the ripples in space-time known as gravitational waves.

On Jupiter, gravity waves produced by convection low in the atmosphere likely cause the QQO as they rise into the stratosphere, the researchers said.

A cylindrical projection of Jupiter's surface from the "Journey to Jupiter" project led by Peter Rosen in Stockholm. The pearl-shaped storms in Jupiter's southern hemisphere are located at approximately 40 degrees south latitude. (Image credit: Peter Rosen/PixMix)

"Our model could be applied to study the effects of these mechanisms in other planets of the solar system and in exoplanets," study co-author Raul Morales-Juberias, an associate professor at the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology in Socorro, said in the same statement. "Despite the many differences between Earth and Jupiter, the coupling mechanisms between the lower and upper atmospheres in both planets are similar and have similar effects."

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter@salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
NASA's Flight Opportunities program is already flying experiments on Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle, but researchers and companies alike want NASA to also fund experiments with people on board.

BROOMFIELD, Colo.  As commercial suborbital vehicles capable of carrying both payloads and people prepare to enter service, NASA officials say they're willing to consider allowing agency-funded researchers to fly on those vehicles.

In an interview after a speech at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference here Dec. 19, Steve Jurczyk, NASA associate administrator for space technology, said the agency would be open to allowing researchers funded by NASA's Flight Opportunities program to fly on suborbital spacecraft to carry out their experiments.

"As principal investigators propose, both internal to NASA and external, we'll do the same kind of process that we do with Zero G," he said, referring to the company that performs parabolic aircraft flights. Zero G flies investigations as part of the Flight Opportunities program, with researchers flying on the aircraft with their experiments. [Watch Blue Origin's New Shepard 2.0 Spacecraft Soar in 1st Test Flight]

Zero G's aircraft, a Boeing 727, is regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. Jurczyk said that, in addition to the FAA oversight, NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center performs an evaluation of the aircraft for investigations selected by the Flight Opportunities program for flights on it. "It just ensures that our grantees and contractors are safe to fly, and then we allow them to go fly," he said in a speech at the conference.

A similar procedure is not yet in place for suborbital vehicles, but Jurczyk said the agency would be open to finding some process analogous to that used for Zero G. "Moving forward, as these capabilities start coming online, well figure it out," he said in the interview.

His comments come four and a half years after another agency official opened the door to flying people on commercial suborbital vehicles through the Flight Opportunities program. Speaking at the same conference in June 2013, Lori Garver, NASA deputy administrator at the time, said that past prohibitions about flying people would be lifted.

"We absolutely do not want to rule out paying for research that could be done by an individual spaceflight participant  a researcher or payload specialist  on these vehicles in the future," Garver said then. "That could open up a lot more opportunities."

That announcement took the program by surprise, with the program's managers saying at the time they had yet to craft a policy for allowing people to fly with their experiments. Development of such a policy suffered years of delays, in part because of Garver's departure from NASA just a few months after her announcement as well as extended delays in the development of commercial suborbital vehicles capable of carrying people.

"It mostly resulted in a bunch of ostriches sticking heads in the sand for a few years," said Erika Wagner, business development manager at Blue Origin, during a panel discussion at the conference Dec. 18.

Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle is already carrying research payloads, including for Flight Opportunities, but without people on board. However, the vehicle will be able to support missions carrying payloads and people in the future. Virgin Galactics SpaceShipTwo vehicle will also fly research payloads accompanied by a payload specialist.

Wagner said she has seen some progress as both companies' vehicles advance through flight testing. "The heads are back out. They're looking around trying to understand what really are the barriers, what is the liability regime."

Those liability issues today, she said, prevent NASA civil servants from flying on the Zero G aircraft, even though outside researchers whose experiments are funded by NASA are able to do so. Jurczyk, in his speech at the conference, said thats because they would have to sign a liability waiver to do so. "Right now, thats just NASA policy. We don't have a strong mission need to do that," he said. "That's current policy. Im not saying it's going to be policy forever and ever." [In Photos: Blue Origin's New Shepard 2.0 Aces Maiden Test Flight]

Scientists who would like to fly experiments on suborbital vehicles argue that such missions are analogous to fieldwork  oftentimes hazardous  performed in other fields. "Marine biologists and marine geologists get to put themselves in that very same operationally risky environment by going to the bottom of the ocean, to a deep sea vent," said Dan Durda, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute, during the Dec. 18 panel. "These vehicles offer us, as space scientists, that opportunity to get into the field the way that biologists and geologists do."

Advocates of commercial suborbital research, such as the Commercial Spaceflight Federations Suborbital Applications Research Group, have been pushing to allow NASA to fund human-tended experiments.

"They're working quietly to get the word out that there are very definite needs for human-tended payloads," said Steven Collicott, a Purdue University professor, in a conference speech Dec. 19. "We've heard some encouraging words and were working quietly to try and move that ahead."

Others at the conference noted a decades-old precedent that suggests existing barriers to flying NASA-funded researchers on commercial suborbital vehicles can be overcome. In the 1980s, several payload specialists flew on the space shuttle, including Charles Walker, a McDonnell Douglas engineer who was part of three shuttle missions.

Walker, in the Dec. 18 panel discussion, noted that on those shuttle missions he and his family signed liability waivers. He supported similar approaches to allow researchers to fly on commercial suborbital vehicles.

"The environments opened up by suborbital flight and, at a greater scale, orbital flight, are laboratory environments," he said. "You should be there to maximize the answers that are coming out of the conduct in that environment."

This story was provided by SpaceNews, dedicated to covering all aspects of the space industry.
Tyler S. Leavitt captured this image of the bright full moon in the cloudy Las Vegas sky on Jan. 1, 2018.

Skywatchers got a glimpse of a spectacular full moon this New Year's Day  the largest the moon will appear in 2018.

Although the "biggest full moon of 2018" doesn't look that different from a typical full moon  it is at the moon's closest point in orbit, called perigee, but it appears a bit bigger and brighter than other full moons  the beautiful lunar appearance let viewers ring in the new year anyway. [See our full gallery of the Jan. 1 supermoon here!]

See more

Gianluca Masi, an astrophysicist with The Virtual Telescope Project, caught some moon views from Rome, where the livestreaming telescope followed the lunar event:

On Jan. 1, Frank Job captured this shot of the largest full moon of 2018 passing over Toronto: "Multiple image composite," he told Space.com in an email. "All images taken at 200mm f8 with varying shutter speeds to maintain moon brightness. City brightened in post." (Image credit: Frank Job)

Frank Job sent Space.com this multiple-image composite of the full moon over Toronto, using varying shutter speeds to keep the moon at the same brightness and also brightening the city in post-processing.

Astrophysicist Gianluca Masi, of The Virtual Telescope Project, photographed the full moon over Rome on Jan. 1, 2018. (Image credit: Gianluca Masi)

Tyler Leavitt, photographing the moon from Las Vegas, told Space.com: "It was a rare cloudy night here in Las Vegas; still a couple cool photos of the supermoon rising between the clouds and palm trees."

Tyler S. Leavitt photographed the full moon in the skies of Las Vegas on Jan. 1, 2018. (Image credit: Tyler S. Leavitt

Alexander Krivenyshev sent gorgeous images of the moon above New York's Empire State Building from Hoboken, New Jersey:

Alexander Krivenyshev took this photo of the Jan. 1, 2018, full moon from Hoboken, New Jersey, showing it shining over New York's Empire State Building. (Image credit: Alexander Krivenyshev/WorldTimeZone.com)

On Jan. 1, the moon appeared 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than when the full moon is at its farthest point from Earth. The next full moon, which will occur on Jan. 31, will be at the moon's closest approach as well (although it won't be quite as close as it was on Jan. 1)  and it will present a total lunar eclipse! On that day, skywatchers will see the moon turn blood-red as it passes through the shadow cast by the Earth.

Editor's note: If you captured an amazing photo of the Jan. 1 New Year's Day full moon and would like to share it with Space.com for a story or gallery, send images and comments to spacephotos@space.com.

Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
There was plenty of science in the movies that hit screens large and small in 2017.

Some films presented the stories of real people whose historic contributions to modern science were long hidden from public view. Others were set in a world and time much like the present one, but with some type of science fiction twist, while still others spun futuristic and fantastic tales of imaginary universes occupied by bizarre and unfamiliar creatures wielding technologies that we can only dream of.

From Space.com and Live Science, here's our roundup  in no particular order  of science and sci-fi at the movies in 2017.

Hidden Figures

(Image credit: Hopper Stone)

Not only did "Hidden Figures" (20th Century Fox) do a great job of showing how NASA launched its first astronaut into orbit during the space race, but it also tells the important story of the role that African-American women played in helping NASA achieve that goal at a time when the agency and the rest of the nation was still highly segregated.

The Girl with All the Gifts

A carpenter ant (Camponotus atriceps) in the Brazilian Amazon is parasitized by Ophiocordyceps camponoti-atricipis. (Image credit: Joao Araujo)

What if a type of fungus that parasitized and mind-controlled ants were to infest people? In "The Girl with All the Gifts" (Saban Films/Lionsgate), the world is transformed by a type off fungal parasite that acts on humans like the fungus Ophiocordyceps acts on ants, hijacking their brains and bodies and changing their behavior. But unlike Ophiocordyceps, the fungus in the film turns its hosts into vicious, flesh-eating zombies.

King Kong

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

On an isolated island paradise, a team of adventurers, researchers and military personnel unite to battle deadly creatures  including a giant ape that stands about 100 feet tall, the length of a modern blue whale. No land mammal has ever reached that height, though some types of sauropod dinosaurs once achieved Kong-like stature, and the largest mammals to walk the Earth went extinct by the end of the last ice age. Kong may be big, but even bigger threats awaited voyagers to this mysterious island.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets

(Image credit: STX Films and Europacorp)

Based on the French comic series "Valerian and Laureline," this movie chronicles the adventures of two government agents who are tasked with maintaining order in the universe and fall in love in the process. While the love story itself is less than stellar, the movie is loaded with gorgeous extraterrestrial creatures, strange alien planets and action-packed scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat. And there's plenty of science too.

The Space Between Us

(Image credit: space-between-us)

In this cosmic coming-of-age story, the first human born and raised on Mars decides to visit Earth to find his father and a girl he met online. But when he reaches Earth, his body proves ill-equipped to handle the increased gravity in this new environment. He ends up racing accomplish his mission before his body breaks down  and evading the authorities who are trying to save his life. "The Space Between Us" (STXfilms) may be a fictional love story, but the science behind the film is based on real science facts and up-to-date research on spaceflight and the human body.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

Renee Elise Goldsberry as Henrietta Lacks, whose cells produced the "immortal" cell line, HeLa. (Image credit: Copyright 2017 Home Box Office, Inc.)

This original HBO film "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" based on the book by journalist Rebecca Skloot, tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, an African-American woman who died of cancer in 1951, and whose cells from a malignant tumor created a cell lineage that seemed "immortal," the first survive and reproduce in the lab. Unbeknownst to Lacks' family, her cells were widely distributed for use in scientific research, and the movie follows Lacks' daughter Deborah (Oprah Winfrey) as she searches for answers about her mother's death and uncovers what happened to her cells after she died.

Flatliners

In the 2017 movie "Flatliners," Courtney (Ellen Page) experiences death. But then she gets better. (Image credit: Sony Pictures)

Dallying with death can come at a terrible cost, as five medical students find out in the movie "Flatliners" (Sony Pictures). Ambition and curiosity drive them to experience "the afterlife" by deliberately stopping their hearts, and they soon learn that dying  even temporarily  comes with unexpected and terrible consequences. But not everything they experience after their brief "deaths" occupies the realm of science fiction, as a growing body of research suggests that human consciousness doesn't immediately wink out after the heart stops.

Life

(Image credit: Courtesy of Sony Pictures  2016 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved)

When astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) discover the first Martian lifeform following a robotic sample-return mission to the Red Planet, humanity welcomes the discovery with open arms. But the adorable alien specimen, which looks like a squirmy li\le mushroom, quickly kills the mood as it grows out of control and embarks on a murderous rampage. The astronauts make some questionable decisions while fighting for their lives as the Martian monster destroys everything around them. While the film brings to attention the ethics of meddling with extraterrestrial life, it also illustrates precisely what not to do during an alien attack at the ISS.

Blade Runner 2049

Ana De Armas as Joi and Ryan Gosling as K in Alcon Entertainment's action thriller "BLADE RUNNER 2049," a Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment release, domestic distribution by Warner Bros. Pictures and international distribution by Sony Pictures. (Image credit: Copyright 2017 Alcon Entertainment, LLC)

It took 35 years for fans of the 1982 sci-fi noir classic "Blade Runner" to finally get their sequel, which takes place 30 years after the events of the first film. And a new "Blade Runner" movie means more replicants  the androids that are nearly impossible to distinguish from people, except by highly trained professional assassins. Replicant-hunter Officer K (Ryan Gosling) digs deep to find answers about these humanlike machines  which are still a long way off for the rest of us.

Alien: Covenant

(Image credit: 20th Century Fox )

The latest installment in the "Alien" movie saga delivers all the blood, guts and extraterrestrial terror that fans of the original movies would expect. A spaceship carrying 2,000 space colonists to their new home planet changes course after the crew receives a rogue transmission that sounds like it came from a human in distress. Before long, terrifying xenomorphs start bursting out of people's chests and making the crew the USCSS Covenant regret pursuing this brave rescue mission.

The Shape of Water

A fish-human and a human woman explore interspecies love in the film "The Shape of Water." (Image credit: Copyright Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation)

The poetic movie "The Shape of Water" (Fox Searchlight Pictures) introduces a mysterious creature that appears to be part human and part fish. While the movieis set against the backdrop of the Cold War, the unusual creatureis like nothing ever seen on Earth  asemiaquatichumanoid biped that is also adapted for life in water. Housed in a secret government lab, he is prodded, poked and probed by scientists until a deaf woman who works in the building befriends him, and plots to rescue him from his captors.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

(Image credit: Lucasfilm)

One of the most highly anticipated science-fiction movies of the year, "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (Walt Disney Studios) does not disappoint. The eighth installment in the iconic space opera is emotional and gripping, and it addresses some of the biggest mysteries viewers were left with after watching "The Force Awakens." The show is visually stunning, with epic space battles and outrageously adorable porgs.

Original article on Live Science.
F estive cheer quickly turned into a New Year hangover in the Square Mile on Tuesday as the stock market Santa Rally came to an abrupt end.

Traders returned from the holidays facing uncertainty over protests in Iran as well as the implementation of the long awaited Mifid II financial regulations  which start tomorrow.

Last week, the FTSE 100 ended 2017 at a record of 7687.77, but the UKs premier index dropped 21.6 points to 7665.6 this session. The Footsies slip came as mining stocks  tipped to rise  fell back, despite upbeat economic data from China.

Chinese manufacturing data  where a reading above 50 indicates growth  came in ahead of expectations at 51.7, well above the 50.6 expected, and pushing activity well into expansion territory.

But London-listed miners, which had surged to a five-year high at the end of last week, riding a wave of rising copper and other base metal prices.

Rio Tinto (down 84p at 3858p), Antofagasta (off 19p at 986.6p) and BHP Billiton (down 26.1p at 1496.6p) all fell, suggesting investors were taking profits after a strong run. David Madden at CMC Markets said: European equity markets have started 2018 off on the wrong foot. The FTSE 100 is being weighed down by the mining sector, even though China revealed respectable manufacturing figures.

But overall the mood in the City remained cautiously optimistic. David Buik, market commentator at Panmure Gordon, said: Growth estimates suggest there is still more gas in the tank for equities in 2018.

It is possible that we may see a healthy pullback by most bourses in the first quarter. However, unless there is a clear sign that [interest] rates globally are on the move up, further gains look likely.

British Airways-owner IAG made steady gains after it confirmed it had snapped up insolvent Austrian airline Niki for a total of 36.5 million (32.5 million). Niki, founded by former F1 champion Niki Lauda, is one of the last assets to be sold out of the collapse of Air Berlin towards the end of last year. IAG shares flew up 8p to 659p.

In the food sector, Tesco was suffering the after-effects of Christmas with reports that the supermarket giant had sold poor quality turkeys. UBS analyst Daniel Ekstein declared it a potentially damaging end to a strong year given the importance of meat to overall consumer quality perceptions. Tesco shares were off 1.2p at 208.1p.

Further down the High Street, DFS shares gained 2.2p at 198.2p, buoyed by last weeks announcement that it had bought assets from failed rival Multiyork. In October DFS reported a 22% slump in profits blaming a very challenging market.
T he UK has slipped down the rankings as a destination for foreign workers since Brexit, research has revealed.

Though the UK remains the third most attractive destination despite the Brexit result, Canada has leapfrogged into second spot, according to the study of 10,000 people over 20 countries, accountants BDO found.

The US is still the most popular destination  preferred by 30% of respondents  but although Canada rose 2% to 22%, the UK fell 3% to 19%.

Among European workers, Britains drop in popularity is even more stark, as it dropped out of the top six preferred destinations for the first time since 2012, when it was seen as the second-best location. BDO managing partner Paul Eagland warned: UK businesses are already struggling with a skills shortage. The impact of the EU referendum and uncertainty around a new trade deal is likely to make this worse.

Its absolutely imperative that the Government makes it clear to the world that the UK is still a great place to do business and that we continue to attract the worlds bright and best to our country.

Among Europeans, the US remains the most popular destination, preferred by 24% of workers. Germany, Switzerland, and Australia were joint second on 20%.
January is the month where people will commit to a diet free from animal products as part of 'Veganuary', so it seems fitting to take a look at the animal products inside our wardrobes.

As the tide continues to turn against fur, a whole host of new brands are developing ever more technically advanced fabrics to simulate leather, fur and feather.

Read on for the ethical bags, shoes and outerwear brands you - and the animals - will love.

BAGS

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Stella McCartney bills her eponymous brand as vegetarian, meaning she does not use leather, skins, fur or feathers in any of her products. Her bags and accessories use a blend of organic and synthetic fibres with vegetable coatings, and are all at least 70 per cent handmade. The brands Falabella handbag became an instant It bag when it launched in 2010, and, in a show of serious sartorial staying power, is now arguably the most popular non-leather handbag style of all time.

Stella / stella mccartney

Standing for Material and Nature, this Canadian accessories brand uses two vegan leathers - PU (polyurethane) and PVC (polyvinylchloride) - to make its understated, stylish bags and shoes. The lining of each bag is constructed from 100 per cent recycled plastic bottles, with approximately 21 bottles used to make each bag. Aesthetically its all tonal colours and clean lines- think Mansur Gavriel, minus the price tag.

Matt&Nat

Using high-tech vegan leather and suede created in factories outside Hong Kong, Roobol- a 26-year-old graduate of the Willem de Kooning Design Academy in Rotterdam- creates PETA-approved minimalist bags that blend high fashion with function. Her designs recall the clean lines of Furla and the boxy cuteness of Sophie Hulme, and feel every bit as fashionable as their non-vegan counterparts.

Denise Roobol

Designed by Angela Roi in New York and made by a team of skilled artisans in Korea, these bags are a premium, modern and sustainable take on designer classics. The EPUL (Exquisite Polyurethane Leather) used in production is processed multiple times in order to attain a softness and smoothness of texture akin to traditional leather.

Angela Roi

SHOES

As one of the few luxury fashion powerhouses to take such a clear stand on sustainability, Stella McCartney deserves a second mention in this list. Her shoes are made in Italy from a combination of Polyurethane, Polyester Viscose and Cotton. The Elyse platform brogues have become a particularly popular hit with the fashion crowd- invest in this seasons metallic iterations for an instant wardrobe refresher.

stella mccartney

Following successful careers as a blogger and a photographer for American Apparel, Taghrid Chaaban Zorob founded Rafa in 2015 with the simple goal of using local craftsmanship combined with top quality materials to create a collection of accessible luxury footwear. The shoes, which come in Instagram-friendly colours like dusty blue and millennial pink, are designed and hand-crafted by a group of 20 artisans in LA, and constructed from vegan textiles like faux-suede, velvet, and plush tapestry fabrics.

This Brighton-based, vegan-friendly footwear brand launched in 2001 and now carries everything from bridal shoes to office pumps and a great selection of faux-leather and suede-look boots. All the shoes are made in Spain, and prices range from 80 to 250.

Beyond Skin

OUTERWEAR

This London-based brand specialises in super affordable faux fur coats and jackets - priced between 120 and 170 - that come in a range of popping colours and styles. From acid bright furry bombers to animal-print, Faux Real and "Kale Yeah" slogan-emblazoned coats, this brand is young, wild and cruelty-free.

Jakke London

No list of ethical outerwear would be complete without mention of Hannah Weilands luxury faux fur brand. Founded with a single coat style back in 2013, her PETA-approved pelts instantly shot to cult fashion status and put faux fur firmly on the fashion map. Weiland sources her super-soft textiles in China and constructs her coats, which are priced between 400 and 800, in factories all over Europe. The brand has now expanded into equally kooky cool ready-to-wear, shoes and accessories.
On Christmas Day our eyes were momentarily taken off the presents and mince pies when the royal family stepped out to attend their annual church service in Sandringham.

In contrast to previous years, our eyes weren't glued on The Duchess Of Cambridge's, but instead on the newly engaged Meghan Markle's.

The 36-year-old has continued to show off her sartorial prowess since the royal wedding revelation back in November - her Christmas Day outfit being yet another fine example of her royally chic style.

The Suits star wore a perfectly coordinated neutral toned outfit, consisting of a camel wrap coat by Toronto brand Sentaler, a brown Chloe bag, Stuart Weitzman boots and Philip Treacy hat.

Getty Images

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However, what we couldn't really get a glimpse of was what she was wearing underneath her stylish outerwear - that is, until now.

Much to our delight, Club Monaco, a Toronto brand founded in 1985 recently claimed responsibility for the mysterious red velvet number - and on closer inspection it's the most perfect special occasion dress.

Club Monaco

With its midi length, rich cherry hue and trendy velvet material Meghan definitely succeeded in choosing a sophisticated and stylish look for her big day with Prince Harry's family.

Meghan Markle's best looks of 2017 1 /11 Meghan Markle's best looks of 2017 Christmas Day Church Service Wearing a hat by Philip Tracy Getty Images Christmas Day Church Service Wearing Sentaler wrap coat and Chloe handbag Getty Images Queen's Christmas Lunch Wearing Self-Portrait PA Images First Official Royal Engagement to Nottingham Wearing Mackage Getty Images First Official Royal Engagement to Nottingham Wearing a Joseph skirt Getty Images Official Engagement Photo Wearing Ralph & Russo Alexi Lubomirski Official Engagement Photo Wearing Ralph & Russo Alexi Lubomirski via AP Official Engagement Photo Wearing Victoria Beckham @alexilubo via @KensingtonRoyal Announcement Of The Royal Engagmenet Wearing Line The Label Jeremy Selwyn Invictus Games Wearing Mother Denim jeans and Misha Nonoo shirt Getty Images Invictus Games Wearing an Aritzia dress PA

Although we have no idea what special occasions could pop up in our 2018 calenders just yet. What we do know, is whatever and wherever it is - we want to be wearing this dress.

Buy Meghan's Exact Look

Tay Dress by Club Monaco, 234, Shop it now

ES's Best High Street Picks

1. Velvet wrap dress by PrettyLittleThing, 18, Shop it now

2. Knotted Velvet Dress by Zara, 19.99, Shop it now

3. Knot Detail Dress by Boohoo, 20, Shop it now
T he festivities are over, youre back to work and probably feeling, well, a bit gloomy. The one thing that would make it all better? A holiday, of course.

January is arguably one of the best times to get away - youve already struggled through several months of dark mornings and darker evenings and youve still got several of these months to go.

The absolute best decision you can make is breaking the month up with either a spell of spontaneous sunshine or a weekend break to a a proper winter paradise.

Here, we count the destinations to travel to this month. Take the plunge and book a last minute escape ASAP...

Patagonia, Chile

Monigocan/Pixabay

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January in Patagonia is one of the best times to explore the country's staggering national parks as many of the hotels and camps are closed during the UKs summer months. January is mid-summer in Chile but not too hot to undertake the ultimate hiking trip and it's unlikely you'll find anywhere more picturesque to do it.

Oman

Famhud/Pixabay

If you want to experience a different side to the Middle East than the flashy, embellished likes of Dubai, Oman is where to go. With Arabian deserts, the fjords of Musandam and Khasab, preserved ancient cities and blue-skies during the UKs winter - its no wonder that in recent years the countries become a go-to for the international jet set.

South Africa

12019/Pixabay

January is a prime time to visit South Africa - not only are temperatures warm, but youre likely to experience almost no rainfall. Kick off your holiday in Cape Town where hotel options are getting better by the year and the restaurant scene is booming (book Pot Luck Club if you can).

After, head out to the mountains and spend a few days visiting the vineyards around the quaint, charming town of Stellenbosch where the streets are lined by vibrant violet Jacaranda trees. Drive half an hour over the valleys to finish the great South African wine tour in Franschhoek, which is home to the countrys oldest settlement with vineyards stretching all around.

Lake Bled, Slovenia

Tomazj/Pixabay

Trade sludging through the soaking streets of Tottenham Court Road and visit somewhere where winter spells exceptional beauty. Bled is a small town perched high in Slovenias Julien alps and its home to a ruined Medieval castle, high mountains and a lake club thats popular with sun worshippers during summer.

Its central attraction though is the church set on an islet on the towns dark blue lake. When its snowing, its hard not to feel like you may have just walked into Narnia.

Seville, Spain

Skeeze/Pixabay

When you think of visiting Spain for a city break, you often think of the scorching sun and sitting al fresco devouring a plate of fresh pasta on a summers evening but ask anyone thats been to Seville and theyll tell you to save it for winter.

Why? Well, Seville doesnt really do winter as you and I know it. In January, the temperature is on average around 11C which makes it a pleasantly warm weekend getaway only a stones throw from London. The major bonus? The city is lined with orange trees that weave in and out of the Gothic architecture and its the months of December and January that the fruits blossom.

North Island, New Zealand

Bilder Meines Lebens/Pixabay

If you dont have time to do both the North and the South Island (which you should aim for), the North Island is best in January due to it being warmer.

Temperatures can get up to 25C and the far north actually has a subtropical climate so sun worshipers wont be disappointed. Known for their warm, clear waters and vast marine life - dont miss the Bay of Islands.

Valletta, Malta

(Gln/Pixabay ) / Gln/Pixabay

Valletta is another excellent short haul getaway option as not only is the weather likely to be good but prices are dramatically slashed in January meaning there are great deals to be had. As the European city with the most amount of hours of sunshine on average a year, January can see highs of 15C. With a long, ancient history - this is the city to see the likes of ruins that date back to 3,200 BC, intricate 16th century Baroque cathedrals and wander around preserved palaces.

Jamaica

Nadi17/Pixabay

If balmy temperatures, dry evenings and all-day sunshine are your thing - Jamaica is a fairly unbeatable option for January. Branch out from well-trodden Montego Bay to sleepy Treasure Beach in the south (Jakes is the boutique place to stay) or old-school Port Antonio on the north east coast. It's where Tom Cruise's Cocktail was filmed and Jamaica's 70s charm still lives on.

This island is perfect destination for those that want the Caribbean beach-dream as well as something to do - theres of course the music, the famous island culture, those stretches of golden sands but also no shortage of adventures to be had. You can cycle and hike in the mountains, raft down the islands rivers and snorkel across some of the islands live corals.

Iceland

Lockenkopf/Pixabay

Theres no shortage of reasons to head to Iceland in January. Yes, you will have short days and minimal light but if youve dreamed of the ultimate winter trip - this will fulfil it. Snowcapped mountains will add a new dimension to the epic landscape, youll have a solid chance of seeing the Northern Lights (the best time to see them is between September and mid-April) and by mid-January the country typically gains around three hours of daylight.

Bali

Sushuti/Pixabay
A domestic abuser who had already killed two of his ex-partners has admitted beating his former girlfriend to death and strangling her was a dressing gown cord.

Serial killer Theodore Johnson, 64, admitted murdering mother of four and grandmother Angela Best, 51, by beating her with a claw hammer and throttling her with a dressing gown cord in north London.

After attacking her at his Islington home, he threw himself in front of an express train but survived.

Garage worker Johnson had previously been convicted of killing his wife by throwing her off a balcony in 1981 and strangling another former partner in 1993.

The wheelchair-bound defendant had pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ms Best and admitted her murder on the first day of his Old Bailey trial.

Johnson killed Ms Best on December 15 2016 after their relationship broke down and she started seeing another man.

The couple had met around 1995 after the victim moved to London from Manchester with her children.

It can now be reported that the defendant had a history of violence towards women, having been twice convicted of manslaughter before.

In November 1981, he was convicted by a jury at Sheffield Crown Court of the manslaughter of his wife Yvonne Johnson.

Following an argument, he hit the mother-of-two with a vase before pushing her over the balcony of their ninth floor flat in Wolverhampton.

Then in March 1993, he was convicted at the Old Bailey of killing his partner Yvonne Bennett, by diminished responsibility.

The couple, who had a daughter together, had moved from Wolverhampton to Finsbury Park in north London where Johnson strangled Ms Bennett with a belt after she had an affair with another man.

Ms Best's two sisters sat in court as Johnson entered his guilty plea as his murder trial was about to be opened to a jury by prosecutor Mark Heywood QC.

Judge Richard Marks QC remanded him into custody to be sentenced on Friday.
S ix people have been arrested after a series of fatal New Year's stabbings across London.

A 17-year-old boy and two men, aged 18 and 20, attacked on New Year's Eve, along with a 20-year-old man knifed in the early hours of the following morning, all died as a result of their injuries, while a fifth victim is critically ill in hospital.

Police said this morning they had made an arrest in their investigation into the death of a man aged 20 who died at a house party in Islington, north London.

Scotland Yard said a 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder over the New Year's day stabbing at Bartholomew Court.

Stabbing: emergency services at the scene of one of the killings in Tulse Hill

Five males, aged between 17 and 21, have been arrested in connection with the death of the 18-year-old in Enfield, north London.

Metropolitan Police Commander Neil Jerome said four deaths in such a short period was unusual.

"There were small groups who chose to engage in disorder and violence, and whose actions have had utterly tragic consequences," he 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.

"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 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 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."

Sunday's stabbings - at 11.30am in Larmans Road, Enfield, 7.35pm at Memorial Avenue in West Ham, east London, and 10.40pm in Norwood Road in Tulse Hill, south London - 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.
T heresa May could lose more than half her London boroughs in crucial elections in May, one of the Conservative partys most respected experts reveals today.

Elections analyst Lord Hayward told the Standard that the Tories face likely defeat in two councils and the fight of their lives to cling on to three others which were previously seen as safe.

It means that on a bad night the party would be left in full control of four of its nine boroughs. Although Lord Hayward emphasised that there was enough time for the Tories to rebuild support and avoid defeats on this scale, his study suggests between two and five hammerblows:

Margaret Thatchers former local borough, Barnet, is likely to be taken by Jeremy Corbyns resurgent Labour party. Since its creation in 1965 the borough has never been controlled by Labour.

Theresa May's Brexit in her own words

The Conservatives look certain to be beaten in Kingston by the Liberal Democrats, who have grown stronger in the area.

Even more alarming for Tory campaign chiefs, they could lose control of Westminster and Wandsworth, which were portrayed as models of Conservative efficiency for setting zero poll tax charges in John Majors day.

Lord Hayward told the Standard that the Tories face likely defeat in two councils and the fight of their lives to cling on to three others

The Tories face a tough fight to hold off the Liberal Democrats in Richmond, where Zac Goldsmith won back his seat by 45 votes in the general election.

Kensington and Chelsea, currently dominated by Conservatives, is impossible to call in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire last June, which may cause unpredictable shifts including the emergence of independent political groups. If it went to no overall control, the Tories would be left with three boroughs.

The analysis will cause concern at Conservative Campaign Headquarters, where Lord Hayward has regularly been called in to give independent advice on elections, polling and boundaries.

Nationally, the Conservatives appear to be getting themselves back together, so they may be in a better position come May to ease the losses, he said. But they are going to have the fight of their lives to hold on to Wandsworth and Westminster. On the evidence it looks like a bad night for them and a good night for Jeremy Corbyn in London.

The former MP has a reputation for giving unvarnished, independent advice to Tory campaign chiefs and prime ministers, based on polling analysis, by-elections and contacts.

He predicted the poll-defying general election results of 1992 and 2015 and the Leave victory in the 2016 referendum on membership of the European Union. Lord Hayward is also credited with first identifying the shy Tory phenomenon that confounded pollsters in the early Nineties.

He predicted that Labours victory celebrations in May would be quickly subsumed by infighting in boroughs such as Haringey, where an influx of Momentum-backed councillors hope to oust centrist leader Claire Kober.

The story of election night will be Labours success, but within a week you may see a coup in Haringey and possibly more coups in other Labour boroughs, at which point the headlines would quickly turn sour for Corbyn, he said.

The peer added that Lib Dem leader Sir Vince Cable would need to do well to beat the Tories in Richmond and predicted that the Lib Dems could lose seats in Sutton, the sole London borough under third-party control.

He said the Tories would lose wards across the 32 boroughs, including in safe Bexley, Bromley and Hillingdon. They will also lose more seats in Labour-controlled boroughs, and risk becoming rump oppositions in places like Ealing and Greenwich, the peer added.

Some 1,850 council seats in 32 boroughs are up for grabs on May 3. In 2014, the last time the same seats were fought, Labour won 1,060 seats and control of 20 councils to the Tories 615 seats and nine councils.

The only recent London elections poll, by YouGov for Queen Mary University of London, found Labour on course to beat the Conservatives with vote shares of 53 per cent and 29 per cent, compared with the actual 2014 divide of 37 and 26.

A key change since 2014, said Lord Hayward, was Labours surge in London under Mr Corbyn compared with other regions and Ukips post-referendum demise. Labour had also made inroads into old Lib Dem territory in the city.

He said Mr Corbyn would probably not benefit as much from the rise in young voter registrations that came before the 2017 general election.
W inds of up to 90mph are set to barrel across the UK overnight as Storm Eleanor brings severe gales from Ireland.

Forecasters have warned of threat to life due to flying debris, while flooding, power cuts and travel disruption are all likely when the storm arrives on Tuesday, forecasters warned.

Parts of Galway city are submerged due to flash flooding as the storm has already brought heavy rain and a gust of 97mph to western parts of Ireland.

A severe amber weather warning has been issued for very strong winds for southern parts of Northern Ireland from 7.30pm on Tuesday and northern England as well as southern fringes of Scotland overnight.

And a separate yellow weather warning for strong winds is in place until 6pm on Wednesday for most of the UK.

A Met Office forecaster told the Standard: It will be a windy night and a windy day tomorrow.

Wind speeds of up to 90mph are expected in some parts of the UK, with gusts between 50-60mph predicted for much of the country.

Heavy rain will travel north-east tonight and then strong winds will move to Northern Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England overnight, the forecaster warned.

It will be quite windy, up to 70mph across these parts, with gusts of between 80 and 90mph in regions.

We could see between 50 and 60mph in the yellow warning area, which covers most of the UK.

Public transport may be disrupted or cancelled and some bridges are likely to be closed, the Met Office said.

Highways England said part of the Dartford Crossing will be closed from 11pm due to high winds and is expected to reopen before rush hour on Wednesday.

Orwell Bridge in Suffolk will also be closed overnight., it added.

Meanwhile National Rail said the storm would affect trains services in Wales until 6am on Wednesday.

The Environment Agency warned that strong winds and high tides could bring coastal flooding from Tuesday until Thursday.

Images and video shared online show flooding throughout Galway, and power grid ESB Networks reported 55,000 customers in Ireland are without power due to the bad weather.

Carol Holt, the Environment Agency's flood duty manager, said: "We urge people to stay safe on the coast - take extreme care on coastal paths and promenades, and don't put yourself in unnecessary danger trying to take 'storm selfies'.

"If you're travelling, please check your route before setting off and don't drive through flood water."

Cold weather in UK and London 1 /9 Cold weather in UK and London A crystal clear night brought a spectacular 'Starscape' to the cold hills of Herefordshire near Longtown tonight (Sat) as the big chill continued for yet another day. Rex Features Stars as far as the eye could see, crystal clear skies sent temperatures dropping in the hills of Herefordshire near Longtown tonight (Sat) as the big chill continued for yet another day. Seasonal Weather, Herefordshire, UK - 16 Dec 2017 Chas Brenton Rex Features The sunrise over Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire. PA Early morning walkers cast long shadows in Hyde Park in London, Britain December 16, 2017. REUTERS The scene in the Scottish Borders, as fresh warnings for ice have been issued for parts of Scotland as the cold snap continues to make conditions tricky for drivers and pedestrians. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday December 16, 2017 PA The scene in the Scottish Borders, as fresh warnings for ice have been issued for parts of Scotland as the cold snap continues to make conditions tricky for drivers and pedestrians. PA Ice covered berries in the Scottish Borders, PA Tyre tracks in the Scottish Borders PA The sunrise over Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire. PA

Vince Crane, of the AA, advised drivers to take extra care in the worsening conditions.

He said: "Road conditions can quickly deteriorate during very heavy rainfall, with drains becoming swamped or blocked and standing water causing surface spray, reduced visibility and potentially leading to flooding.

"Drivers will need to take extra care and expect delays, even on motorways.

"Strong or sudden gusts of wind are more likely on open stretches of road, when passing bridges or gaps in hedges, or when overtaking high-sided vehicles."

In Wales people have been advised to keep a safe distance from the sea as Natural Resources Wales (NRW) issued a series of flood warnings for the south-east, south-west and north coasts.

Ceri Jones, from NRW, said: "Large waves could overtop defences and throw up debris - this could easily cause injury or knock you off your feet."

Pembrokeshire County Council also issued a warning for several areas, including Amroth and Newgale, where overtopping waves could cause disruption.
G aming addiction is to be listed as a mental health condition by the World Health Organisation.

"Gaming disorder" is set to appear in the 11th edition of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) in 2018.

A draft version of ICD-11 described the condition as a pattern of persistent or recurring gaming behaviour, which could lead to "significant impairment" in social and educational functioning.

The widely-used diagnostic manual was last updated in 1990.

The disorder could significantly affect people's social and educational functioning, a draft guide said

The guide will class the condition within a section for "mental, behavioural or neurodevelopmental disorders".

The ICD is the foundation for the identification of health trends and statistics globally, and the international standard for reporting diseases and health conditions.

It will say the disorder is "characterised by a pattern of persistent or recurrent gaming behaviour - including digital gaming or video-gaming - which may be online or offline".

Symptoms could include "increasing priority given to gaming" so that it takes over "other life interests and daily activities", according to the draft.

Sufferers of the condition may also present a "continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence of negative consequences".

Gaming disorder can lead to "significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning", the draft said.

Abnormal gaming behaviour should be apparent in a period of at least 12 months, but this may be shortened if "symptoms are severe", it added.

Dr Richard Graham, technology addiction specialist at the Nightingale Hospital in London, told the BBC the decision was "significant".

He said: "It is significant because it creates the opportunity for more specialised services. It puts it on the map as something to take seriously."

But he added that "it could lead to confused parents whose children are just enthusiastic gamers".

Some countries have already recognised the disorder as a health issue, with many taking action.

In South Korea the government has banned access for children under 16 to online games between midnight and 6am.
P olice have launched an investigation into a German MP after she posted anti-Muslim messages on social media.

Beatrix von Storch, who serves as deputy leader of the far-right AfD party, had her Twitter account suspended after she posted the remarks on New Year's Eve. She has since been able to continue posting on the site.

Her comments came after police in Cologne tweeted a message in Arabic, as well as English, French and German.

Von Storch accused the police of appeasing "barbaric, gang-raping Muslim hordes of men".

German authorities are now evaluating whether she should face a charge of incitement to hatred, according to the weekly magazine Der Spiegel.

After her Twitter account was suspended for 12 hours following the tweet, she also posted the same message on Facebook which also blocked the post.

The incident came as Germany began enforcing stringent laws aimed at combating hate speech on social media.

The measures mean sites have 24 hours to act after they are told of material which is breaching the law. If they do not, they can face fines of up to 44.3m.

Her comments came after dozens of women were sexually assaulted during New Year's Eve celebrations in Cologne in 2016. The attackers were largely of north African origin, police said.

In Berlin, a zone for women only was set up for this year's New Year celebrations.
I celand has made it illegal to pay men more than women.

A new law enforcing equal pay between genders came into effect on January 1, 2018, according to Al Jazeera.

Under the legislation, firms that employ more than 25 people are obliged to obtain a government certificate demonstrating pay equality, or they will face fines.

The law was announced on March 8 on International Women's Day 2017 as part of a drive by the nation to eradicate the gender pay gap by 2022.

Dagny Osk Aradottir Pind, of the Icelandic Women's Rights Association, told Al Jazeera: "The legislation is basically a mechanism that companies and organisations ... evaluate every job that's being done, and then they get a certification after they confirm the process if they are paying men and women equally."

She added: "It's a mechanism to ensure women and men are being paid equally.

"We have had legislation saying that pay should be equal for men and women for decades now but we still have a pay gap."

The Nordic country, home to more than 323,000 people, has been ranked the best in the world for gender equality by the World Economic Forum for nine years in a row.

The Global Gender Gap Report evaluates gender equality in a country using indicators including economic opportunity, political empowerment, and health and survival.

The new legislation was supported by Iceland's centre-right coalition government, as well as the opposition - nearly 50 per cent of the lawmakers in parliament are women.

Ms Aradottir Pind added: "I think that now people are starting to realise that this is a systematic problem that we have to tackle with new methods.

"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."
V eganism was huge in 2020, and its set to be even bigger and better this year.

According to Veganuary.com, 400,000 people tried adopting a vegan diet last year, up from 250,000 people in 2019. Many are likely to keep up their efforts to eat a plant-based diet free from meat and animal products, if not for their entire diet then certainly for part of it.

Things are certainly getting easier on the vegan front. What was once viewed as a hippy, alternative diet has become a trend adopted by some of the most recognisible brands in the UK, from bakers Greggs, whose vegan sausage rolls caused near-riots when it was launched, to KFC, McDonalds and Burger King adding vegan options to their menus.

This past Christmas saw supermarkets launching plenty of vegan festive fare that went head-to-head with traditional food, and now the new year as dawned there are more tasty, animal-free alternatives in the works. As a nation, were hungry for vegan alternatives.

Now that January is here, many of us will be gearing up to rebalance the indulgence of the festive period with a cleaner, healthier diet. The benefits go beyond just feeling better; many scientists agree that easing our reliance on meat and filling plates with more plants and pulses could help cut climate change and repopulate the rapidly diminishing wildlife on our land and in our oceans.

Good for the planet, good for you. If youre not vegan, you certainly know someone who is, or at the very least, tried it out for size.

Whether youre considering changing your eating habits to include more vegan options or youre ready to commit wholeheartedly to a plant-based diet, these cookbooks will help guide you on your path to a more vegan life.

See our favourites below

Best Vegan Cookbooks 2021

BOSH! Healthy Vegan

BOSH!

With awards coming out of their ears for their number 1 best-selling vegan cook book BOSH!, authors Henry Firth and Ian Theasby have triumphantly returned with a sequel, BOSH! Healthy Vegan.

The Sheffield-based duo, touted as the Ant and Dec of the vegan world, began showing us how to whip up plant-based recipes on social media before launching their first book in 2018.

The new book is a guide to healthier vegan meals that are perfect for brightening up grey days; think green shakshuka, sunny Sri Lankan curry and indulgent banana chocolate mousse. Most of the recipes call for ingredients you can easily find on supermarket sites and the stunning photography will leave you agonising which to try first.

Perfect for first-time vegans as well as seasoned pros.

Mildreds Vegan Cookbook

Mildreds

Hands up who's heard of Mildreds? One of London's top vegetarian and vegan restaurants, the menu is packed with so much flavour, you won't even notice the absence of meat. While lockdown menas a IRL visit is out for now, the cookbook means you can make their mouthwatering plates at home.

There are plenty of ideas to pore over such as Memphis Bourbon Barbecue Skewers and Rainbow Root Slaw with Orange and I-can't-believe-it's-vegan Espresso Creme Caramel. If these recipes dont cheer up your January, we dont know what will.

In fact, the book does vegan BBQ exceptionally well with plenty of ideas to devour now as well as for barbecue season further down the line.

Dirty Vegan: Another Bite

Dirty Vegan

Dispelling the idea that all vegans are virtuous, plant-munching bores, Matt Pritchard is back with his second vegan cook book, Dirty Vegan: Another Bite.

Off the back of his BBC show Dirty Vegan, 80+ recipes are divided into chapters like Super Quick Midweek Meals, Comfort Food, Classics and the eyebrow-raising Food with Legs, until you realise the dishes are named so because they are full of energy.

If you're not sure what to try first, go for the Crispy Peking Jackfruit Pancakes: game-changer.

Deliciously Ella The Plant-Based Cookbook

Deliciously Ella

We couldn't compile a vegan cookbook list and omit Ella Mills nee Woodward. Better known as Deliciously Ella, she's responsible for single-handedly making vegan food cool and triggering the bandwagon many of us find ourselves clambering aboard this month.

This hardback cookbook was the fastest selling vegan cookbook of all time and continues to be hugely popular thanks to the 100 all-new plant-based recipes that cover everything from mid-week suppers to lengthy weekend brunches and afternoon tea.

Vegan Chocolate Cookbook

Vegan Chocolate

While most of us can get our heads around vegan starters and mains, how to do animal product-free desserts well can leave the best of us flummoxed. Sweet satisfaction without eggs, cream, butter and milk - can it be done?

Well, yes and author Fran Costigan is here to show you how with her expansive sweets-specific book, Vegan Chocolate. Dive into a world of decadence: you'll find recipes for chocolate cakes, brownies, truffles, puddings, ice creams and more, all made 100 per cent vegan.

Detailed instructions will give even the most reluctant cook restaurant-quality results in no time.

Bazaar: Vibrant vegetarian and plant-based recipes

Sabrina Ghayour

Full disclosure: this book isn't strictly vegan. But before you scroll away, rest assured that there are some v-friendly recipes within, but theyre mixed with veggie meal ideas too. Still, no bad thing for anyone who wants to dip their toe into a greener diet before fully taking the plunge.

So what can you expect from Sabrina Ghayours Bazaar? Buckle up for a jaunt across the Middle East  not an obvious region that springs to mind when thinking of flavoursome vegetarian fare, which makes this book all the more of a treasure.

There are comfort foods, pomegranate-speckled salads and a sweet tamarind & spiced miso dressing that might just change your life. The genius ideas are so superbly written and taste divine, youll forget that everything you're devouring is entirely meat-less. Can't say fairer than that.

I Can Cook Vegan

Isa Chandra Moskowitz

From the bestselling author of Veganomicon, Isa Chandra Moskowitz reveals the easy and simple methods behind good vegan home cooking.

As well as recipes and mouth-watering photography, theres also detailed shopping lists, myth-busting FAQs and pep talks to keep you going on your meat-free journey.

How To Be Vegan And Keep Your Friends

Firebox

Vegan with a side of humour? That's how unusual gifts company Firebox serves it best. Whether you're treating a vegan virgin to the book or want it for yourself for inspiration, this is a joyful leap into the diet.

Recipes includes meat and animal product-free snacks like Green Tea Noodles, vegan-friendly pizza bases and gyoza filled with water chestnuts, but there's also helpful advice on what to order when you're out and how to keep the peace with your meat-eating mates.

An essential for anyone considering making the leap.

LEON Fast Vegan

LEON

Missing your lunchtime Leon fix? Then you'll love this colourful cookbook that reveals how to make good plant-based food fast. With more than 150 recipes packed into its 304 pages, there's no chance of repeating meals - unless you want to, that is.

There are three sections to peruse: mains, sides and sweets. Inspiration comes from across the world: think vegan sushi, Mexican tacos, Vietnamese pancakes and oodles of Italian pasta.

Be warned: you really wont believe some of these dishes are vegan.

Heavenly Vegan Dals & Curries: Exciting New Dishes from an Indian Girl's Kitchen Abroad

Rakhee Yadav

Rakhee Yadav takes you through a journey across the Subcontinent with each flick of her beautiful cookbook, which contains all-vegan recipes for warming daals and rich curries to warm the cockles on freezing January nights.
I ts been hailed as the new Night Manager, and even James Nortons audition for Bond, but viewers were less than thrilled by the opening episode of new BBC drama, McMafia.

On Twitter, many of those who had tuned in branded the show "boring" and "slow", with some even comparing it to watching paint dry.

One wrote: I know were only twenty minutes in, but I cant find anyone to invest in my fund is hardly gripping drama is it?

While another posted: Hands up if youve almost nodded off by now #McMafia

But others hit back at the criticism suggesting viewers should be patient and not expect too much drama in the first episode.

Has the attention span of the public become so lacking that build up is now called boring? asked one.

The amount of people on here whove whined about a drama not having enough action 20-20 minutes into an 8 hour run is eye rolling. Not everything can be constant murders and gunfights #mcmafia, tweeted another.

The series 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 new life with his girlfriend Rebecca.

Despite his efforts, his relations' shady pasts return to wreak havoc in the present and Godman is drawn further and further into the world of gang crime and violence he wanted to avoid.

McMafia - In pictures 1 /10 McMafia - In pictures James Norton as Alex Godman BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall Aleksey Serebryakov as Dimitri, James Norton as Alex, Maria Shukshina as Oksana, Faye Marsay as Katya and Juliet Rylance as Rebecca BBC WorldWide James Norton as Alex Godman BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall Traffickers in the desert BBC/Cuba/Nikola Predovic Juliet Rylance as Rebecca Harper BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall Sofia Lebdeva as Lyudmilla Nikolayevna BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall James Norton as Alex Godman BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall Faye Marsay as Katya and James Norton as Alex Godman BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall Karel Roden as Karel Benes BBC/Cuba/Nick Wall Sofia Lebdeva as Lyudmilla Nikolayevna BBC/Cuba/Nikola Predovic

Slow pace wasnt the only criticism levelled against the episode on social media. Others complained that small subtitles had prevented them from watching the programme.

One commented: @BBCOne #McMafia love it, but with so many subtitles you could increase the font size! Difficult to read at speed across a room

Whats with the tiny subtitles, questioned another.
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Policemen are monitoring, at the end of the New Year's miniholiday, especially roads from mountain resorts to Bucharest and other urban areas, A1, A2, and A3 highways, as well as the road sectors in the vicinity of border crossing points.

"Policemen are continuing actions to save lives, prevent grave road accidents and speeding at the end of the New Year's miniholiday. Under monitorization are, especially, roads from mountain resorts to Bucharest and other urban areas, A1, A2, and A3 highways, as well as the road sectors in the vicinity of border crossing points. Police officers recommend drivers also pick alternative routes given that traffic values can grow considerably in this period. The Romanian Police recommends drivers drive cautiously, without grabbing at the commands and to conduct all maneuvers after thorough ensurance. Avoid overtaking that, given heavy traffic, prove to be extremely dangerous," the Romanian Police General Inspectorate (IGPR) informed in a release remitted on Tuesday to AGERPRES

Policemen recommend drivers use a lower speed, permanently adapted to the traffic conditions, especially when travelling in a column, and to increase the distance between vehicles."If traffic is heavy and road blockages start developing remain calm, do not jam intersections and do not attempt to overtake the vehicle column. Use emergency lights when you are last in a column that stops or slows suddenly. Use low beams during daytime, especially in severe weather conditions! Clean your headlights, signal lights, windshield, rear window and the lateral windows of the car, ensure the good functioning of windshield wipers and properly use the ventilation installation! We remind you that the use of winter tires is obligatory when traveling on roads covered in snow, ice, or glazed frost, and vehicles weighing over 3.5 tons must be equipped with anti-skid hardware. Auto drivers must avoid, as well as possible, to drive during the night or through long distances, given the reduced experience and the risk of causing road accidents," the IGPR adds.
President Trump is a new phenomenon on the American political scene. Not a professional politician begging for funds but a rich man who spent his own money and raised money on his own name: he arrived in office unencumbered with obligations. Free from a history in politics, he owes nothing to anyone. Add in his personality, grandiosity and late-night tweets and the punditocracy is in a state of angry incomprehension. Even more offensive to their notions of propriety is that this "dangerously incompetent", unqualified, mentally ill man beat the "most qualified presidential candidate in history". No wonder so many of them believe that only cunning Putin could have made it happen  even if they don't know how. But the punditocracy is as befuddled about him today as it was last year and the year before. (Scott Adams, who got it right, reminds us just how clueless they were.) The very fact that Trump won despite the opposition of practically every established constituency in the United States shows that there is more to him than readers of the NYT and WaPo or watchers of CNN and MSNBC (can) understand.

What follows is an attempt to divine Trump's foreign policy. It proceeds from the assumption that he does know what he's doing (as he did when he decided to run in the first place) and that he does have a destination in mind. It proceeds with the understanding that his foreign policy intentions have been greatly retarded by the (completely false) allegations of Russia connections and Russian interference. There was no Russian state interference in the election (the likelihood is that Moscow would have preferred known Clinton) and, as I have written here, the story doesn't even make sense. I expect when the Department of Justice Inspector General completes his report that the Russiagate farrago will be revealed as a conspiracy inside the US security organs. We do not have a date yet, but mid-January is suggested. Readers who want to follow the story are recommended to these websites: Dystopiausa, CTH and Zerohedge.

We start with four remarks Trump often made while campaigning. Everyone would be better off had President Bush taken a day at the beach rather than invade Iraq. The "six trillion dollars" spent in the Middle East would have been better spent on infrastructure in the USA. NATO is obsolete and the USA pays a disproportionate share. It would better to get along with Russia than not.

To the neocon and humanitarian intervention crowd, who have been driving US foreign policy for most of the century, these four points, when properly understood (as, at some level, they do understand them), are a fatal challenge. Trump is saying that

1) the post 911 military interventions did nothing for the country's security;

2) foreign interventions impoverish the country;

3) the alliance system is neither useful nor a good deal for the country;

4) Russia is not the once and future enemy.

A Chinese leader might call these the Three Noes (no regime change wars, no overseas adventures, no entangling alliances) and the One Yes (cooperation with Russia and other powers).

Which brings us to his slogan of Make America Great Again. We notice his campaign themes of job loss, opiates, lawlessness, infrastructure, illegal immigration, the stranglehold of regulations, the "swamp", the indifference of the mighty, the death of the "American Dream". None of these can be made better by overseas interventions, carrier battle groups or foreign bases. But they can be made worse by them. There is every reason to expect that by MAGA he means internal prosperity and not external might. Trump has little interest in the obsessions of the neocon and humanitarian intervention crowd. "We need a leader that can bring back our jobs, can bring back our manufacturing, can bring back our military  can take care of our vets The fact is, the American Dream is dead." No foreign adventures there. So, in summary, Trump's foreign policy of Three Noes and One Yes is a necessary part of making America "great" again. If I am correct in this and this is indeed his aim, how can he do it?

There is a powerful opposition in the United States to the Three Noes and One Yes. And it's not just from the neocon/humanitarian interventionists: most Americans have been conditioned to believe that the USA must be the world's policeman, arbiter, referee, example. Perhaps it's rooted in the City on a Hill exceptionalism of the early dissenter settlers, perhaps it's a legacy of the reality of 1945, perhaps it's just the effect of unremitting propaganda, but most Americans believe that the USA has an obligation to lead. Gallup informs us that, in this century, well over half of the population has agreed that the USA should play the leading or a major role in the world. The percentage in the punditocracy believing the USA must lead would be even higher.

Interventionists are becoming aware that they do not have a soulmate in the White House and they're wagging their rhetorical fingers. "The fact is, though, that there is no alternative great power willing and able to step in". "If nations in the South China Sea lose confidence in the United States to serve as the principal regional security guarantor, they could embark on costly and potentially destabilizing arms buildups to compensate or, alternatively, become more accommodating to the demands of a powerful China" warns the intervention-friendly Council on Foreign Relations. The US has an obligation to lead in North Korea. It must lead for "Middle East progress". A former NATO GenSek proclaims the US must lead. "US should be the great force for peace and justice globally". "The absence of American leadership has certainly not caused all the instability, but it has encouraged and exacerbated it." The ur-neocon tells us that America must lead. Chaos is the alternative. Must resume (resume??!!) its imperial role (which apparently means even more military expenditure lest its military lead be lost). Innumerable more examples calling on the US to lead something/somewhere everything/everywhere can easily be found: it would be much more difficult to find one pundit advising the US to keep out of a problem somewhere than find twenty urging it to lead.

If I have understood him aright, what would Trump see if he read this stuff? Lead, lead, lead everything everywhere. The South China Sea, the Middle East and North Korea specifically but everywhere else too. More infrastructure repairs foregone so as to ensure what? That ships carrying goods to and from China safely transit the South China Sea? "Friendly" governments installed in "Kyrzbekistan"? Soldiers killed in countries not even lawmakers knew they were in? 40,000 troops out there somewhere? Trying to double the Soviet record for being stuck in Afghanistan? How many bridges, factories or lives is that worth? Trump sees more entanglements but he sees no benefit. He's a businessman: he can see the expense but where's the profit?

How to get out of these entanglements? It's too late to hope to persuade the legions bleating that "America must lead" and, even if they could be persuaded, there isn't enough time to do so: they salivate when the bell rings. President Trump can avoid new entanglements but he has inherited so many and they are, all of them, growing denser and thicker by the minute. Consider the famous story of the Gordian Knot: rather than trying to untie the fabulously complicated knot, Alexander drew his sword and cut it. How can Trump cut The Gordian Knot of American imperial entanglements?

By getting others to untie it.

He walks out of the Paris Agreement ("a watershed moment when it comes to debating Americas role in the world"). And the TPP ("opened the door toward greater Chinese influence, and wont benefit the U.S. economy in the slightest"). His blustering on Iran caused the German Foreign Minister to express doubts about American leadership. He brusquely tells NATO allies to pay their own way ("Americas NATO allies may be on their own after November if Russia attacks them"). By announcing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel he unites practically everybody against Washington and then uses that excuse to cut money to the UN. His trash talk on North Korea has actually started the first debate about the utility of military force we've seen for fifteen years. He pulls out of Syria (quietly and too slowly but watch what he doesn't talk about). One last try in Afghanistan and then out. Re-negotiate all the trade deals to US benefit or walk away. Be disrespectful of all sorts of conventions and do your best to alienate allies so they start to cut the ties themselves (his tweet on the UK was especially effective). Attack the media which is part of the machinery of entanglement. Confiscate assets. It's a species of tough love  rudely and brusquely delivered. He (presumably) glories in opinion polls that show respect for the USA as a world leader slipping. He doesn't care whether they like him or not  America first and leave the others to it.

The Three Noes and One Yes policy will be achieved by others: others who realise that the USA is no longer going to lead and they will have to lead themselves. Or not. Perhaps, as the neocons love to say, US leadership was necessary in the immediate postwar situation, perhaps NATO served a stabilising purpose then but there has been nothing stabilising about US leadership in this century. Endless wars and destruction and chaos and loss. Thus abroad and  the part that Trump cares about  so at home. It's not incompetence, as the people who fail Adams' test tell themselves; it's a strategy.

(All real theories must be falsifiable; let's see in a year's time whether the US is more entangled or less entangled. It should be pretty apparent by then and, by the end of Trump's first term, obvious to all.)
Islamic terrorism no longer dominates the news, but one of its primary causes, reviving ancient empires, still is. This a common thread with all the major troublemakers in the early 21st century (and most of the 20th). This is an ancient curse that has reappeared recently in multiple forms. Some of these efforts are more media friendly than others but all share the same characteristics; mobilizing popular support for rebuilding lost empires. The most obvious one (the Islamic caliphate) grabs most of the headlines because Islamic terrorism has been a common symptom of desperate, longshot efforts to restore the caliphate for a long time (over a thousand years). As a religion based empire (Islam literally means submission) that has been hostile to any kind of progress (especially technology, economic or religious) past revival efforts have been unsuccessful. Thus the quick and brutal demise of ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) because it also tried to use self-righteous fanaticism as its primary weapon and motivation in a world that was largely hostile to such a brutal and simplistic ideology. ISIL was one of the few Islamic radical movements that mobilized nearly all Moslems to unite and violently oppose it. Yet even with ISIL gone (or suppressed) there are plenty of other Islamic empire revivalists who all seek to not just make Islam great again but to do it on a global scale.

ISIL was not the only major Moslem effort to revive a religion-based empire. There are two others underway and causing lots of problems because they are more about nationalism and ethnicity than religion. First there is Iran, which has been a regional superpower for thousands of years but fell on hard times since the 7th century because of a succession of damaging visits. First came conquest by the Arab revival (the initial wars of conquest by newly converted Moslem Arab). This was humiliating because Persians never thought such a thing possible. That was followed by a devastating visit by the Mongols followed by exhausting wars with the Ottoman Turks and finally the Western nations and all their new tech and ideas. Even before the largely secular Iranian monarchy was replaced by a religious dictatorship in the 1980s Iranian imperial ambitions, financed by all that new and unexpected oil wealth, was seen as a problem. This may be a problem that resolves itself because during the last week of 2017 anti-government protests broke out in Iran. Young (born after the 1980s) Iranians are now the majority and want an end to corruption, theocracy and expensive foreign misadventures. The operation in Syria was seen as particularly wasteful, expensive with Israel threatening to use whatever it takes (including their nukes) to prevent Iran from creating a military presence there.

In another unexpected development, Turks got interested in religion and empire building again. In the 1990s the Turks, who had gone secular after their centuries old Ottoman Empire collapsed in the 1920s, decided to give Islam another chance as an elected ruler tries, with some success, to revive the Ottoman empire using a combination of Islam, technology and creative diplomacy to make Turkey great again. This comes into conflict (as it has in the past) with Iranian efforts restore their imperial past. The new Turkish empire builder (called Sultan Erdogan I behind his back is not that much interested in taking lack lost real estate but is eager to regain the Turkish leadership of the Islamic world. That was lost a century ago when Turkey renounced the title of caliph. Sultan Erdogan has a lot of opposition at home and not much support in the region for an Ottoman revival.

Meanwhile Eurasia is the scene of several major imperial revival efforts. In the east there is China, where the current dynasty is actually a bunch of communist party leaders trying to stay in power using the appeal of lost (centuries before) imperial glories. The neighbors, and the rest of the world, are more alarmed than inclined to submit.

To the west there is Russia, where former communist era secret police officers are trying to use imperial nostalgia and the more familiar (to these former KGB professionals) police state tactics to at least stay in power and, if possible, Make Russia Imperial Again. West of the Russian revival is an effort to revive a European empire that never really existed, although Charlemagne came close for a short time in the 9th century and a thousand years before that the Romans were a contender for several centuries. There isnt much nostalgia for these traditional empires but many Europeans back a kinder and gentler empire that is based more on voluntary cooperation than coercion. The EU (European Union) has run into problems because too many Europeans see the EU developing an unelected bureaucracy that can make all sorts of new rules and even foreign policy without any regard for what their constituents (and, technically, employers) the European voters think. A growing number of Europeans think this EU empire sucks and are demanding that their local politicians (who are still responsible to the voters, at least more so than the EU officials) fix this problem or get their country out of the EU. The imperial officials are not pleased with this ignorance and ingratitude by their subjects and are fighting back in an effort to Make Europe Great Again.

Meanwhile the United States, where millions of people fled to over the last four centuries trying to escape all these old world empires are now dealing with a movement by some of the descendants of these imperial refugees to revive imperial links with the rest of the world. But there are so many to choose from. The EU and Islam seem to be favorites although all the imperial revival movements have some fans in the United States. But many Americans dont want to Make America Imperial. There are still a lot of new arrivals who have recent personal experience with this stuff and will tell anyone who will listen that all this empire building does not end well but those painful memories tend to be forgotten after a few generations aided by those who seek to reinterpret history to better serve their current goals rather than to rectify past mistakes. So Americans seek to Make Reality Great Again, at least once they agree on which interpretation of reality to use.

Peace Breaks Out

Meanwhile there are positive developments to consider. These are not popular with the news media because, well, good news isnt news. Since the end of the Cold War in 1991 overall deaths from wars and large scale civil disorder (which is often recorded as some kind of war) has led to a sharp (about 20 percent so far) drop in violence worldwide. This occurred despite increasingly active and lethal Islamic terrorists. While the terror attacks themselves were news the current and historical causes of the Islamic terrorism were not. Examining that would have revealed that Islamic radicalism has a large anti-technology component, which is why Islamic terrorist violence tends to be low tech and disorganized. Thus most war deaths are not caused by terrorists and even in 2014 (a peak year for Islamic death cults) terrorism related deaths (mostly Islamic terrorism) accounted for 20 percent of all war related deaths. Islamic terrorism gets the most publicity but less glamorous disputes do most of the killing.

Nuclear Peacekeeping Goes Gangster

Despite the growing military power of China, and the saber rattling from Russia, the major military powers continue the Great Nuclear Truce (GNT) that began in the 1950s, when Russia got nuclear weapons, and suddenly realized they could not afford to use them without risking more destruction than past foes like the Nazis, French or Mongols inflicted. As more countries got nukes, the "we can't afford to use them, but they're nice to have" attitude, and the unprecedented truce, persisted. There have been wars, but not between the big players (who have the largest and most destructive conventional forces). Thus a record was broken in 1986, as there had never before (since the modern state system developed in the 16th century) been so long a period without a war between a major powers (the kind that could afford, these days, to get nukes). Since the Cold War ended in 1991 there have been fewer wars (in the traditional sense) in general.

The down side is a lot more low level conflicts (rebellions, civil wars) but overall a lot less death and destruction. Most people are unaware of this situation, because the mass media never made a lot of the GNT, it was something that was just there and not worth reporting. Besides, "nukes (bombs, power plants, medicine) are evil" sells if you are in the news business. Calling any incident, with a lot of gunfire and a few dead bodies, a "war" has also been misleading. The fact is, worldwide violence has been declining since the end of the Cold War and the elimination of Russian subsidies and encouragement for pro-communist (or simply pro-Russia or just anti-West) rebels and terrorists. The media also has a hard time keeping score. If you step back and take a look at all the wars going on, a more accurate picture emerges. So take sensational reporting of the Chinese threat with a bit of skepticism.

Most current wars are basically uprisings against inefficient, corrupt and oppressive police states or feudal societies which are seen as out-of-step with the modern world. Many are led by radicals preaching failed dogmas (Islamic conservatism, Maoism and other forms of radical socialism) that still resonate among people who don't know about the dismal track records of these creeds. Iran has replaced some of the lost Soviet terrorist support effort. That keeps Hezbollah, Hamas, and a few smaller groups going, and that's it. Terrorists in general miss the Soviets, who really knew how to treat bad boys right. No one has yet replaced the Soviets in that respect, an accomplishment even most Russians would rather not dwell on.

Current Wars

Listed in alphabetical order. Text underneath briefly describes current status. Click on country name for more details.

AFGHANISTAN

The drugs are winning as they usually do wherever they get established. Eventually they get crushed but eventually can last a long time. Look at how that worked in Colombia and Burma. The only thing that nearly everyone in the country can agree on is that the opium and heroin is bad. Nearly ten percent of the population is addicted to drugs (mostly opiates) and another ten percent (there is some overlap) makes a living or gets rich from the drug trade. Most Afghans consider the biggest threat to be the drug gangs, which are largely run and staffed (like the Taliban) by Pushtun. The Taliban want to create a heroin producing Islamic terrorist and gangster sanctuary in Central Asia. If you want to know how that works, look at Chechnya in the late 1990s and Somalia or Yemen in the early 21st century. No one has come up with any cheap, fast or easy solution for that. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's core problem is that there is no Afghanistan, merely a collection of tribes more concerned about tribal issues than anything else. Ten percent of the population, mostly living in the cities and often working with the foreigners, believes in Afghanistan the country. But beyond the city limits, it's a very different Afghanistan that is currently motivated by growing prosperity brought on by a decade relative peace and the persistent traditional violence. By Afghan standards, an unprecedented amount of cash has come into the country since September 11, 2001. Between economic growth, growing heroin sales, and foreign aid, plus lower losses from violence, it's been something of a Golden Age. This despite decades of war since the 1970s. For example, it's often forgotten that the 1990s civil war was still active on September 11, 2001. The Taliban have been trying to make a comeback ever since. The key Taliban financial resource; heroin in Helmand and Kandahar provinces, remains the key to this war. Even many Pushtun do not like this development and more Taliban factions are negotiating some kind of settlement with the government. In other words, everything is pretty normal by Afghan standards. Afghanistan has become politically unpopular in the West and the easiest way out (for Western politicians) is to get out and let their successors deal with the aftermath. Afghanistan has become another can foreign leaders are kicking down the road. The historical local strongmen have noticed and Iran, China, Russia, Pakistan and India are all trying to have some influence with their wild and erratic neighbor. The Taliban believed that the Afghan security forces would fall apart in 2015 because most of the foreign troops were gone and those that were left were not fighting. The expected Taliban victory did not happen but there was a lot more Taliban violence. The Afghan soldiers and police stood and fought, but took heavy casualties and many began to take the money and stand aside. The biggest losses are from so many young Afghans with some savings (and often education and useful skills) want to get out of Afghanistan and go to somewhere less lethal than where they grew up.

ALGERIA

The 2011 Arab Spring made only a slight impact here and Islamic terrorists are few and very much on the defensive. Islamic terrorist violence declined again in 2017 as it had for the last few years and that continues. Most Algerians are more concerned with corruption and bad government. The popular rejection of Islamic terrorists was largely because many Algerians are still traumatized by the 1990s war against Islamic terrorists (that left over 200,000 dead). With so many civilians hostile to Islamic radicalism and willing to phone in a tip via the growing cell phone network, Algeria has become a very dangerous place for Islamic terrorists. Algerian Islamic radicals tried to capitalize on the Arab Spring unrest in neighboring Tunisia and Libya. But in both those countries, the popular uprising was against the local dictators and for democracy, not for an Islamic religious dictatorship. Islamic political parties were popular, but not Islamic radicals. The uprisings in Tunisia and Libya weakened the local security forces, and made it easier for Islamic radicals to move around and recruit. Algeria was able insulate itself from this. Many expect another, and larger, Arab Spring in Algeria eventually but so far the geriatric government is making concessions and trying to reform itself. This is delaying another revolution rather than preventing it. Meanwhile Tunisia next door, the first Arab state to rebel in 2011, is so far the only one to do so successfully.

BALKANS

This area has become quieter since the peacekeeping efforts of the 1990s and we are no longer covering it regularly as a separate category. There will still be coverage as needed in other sections as needed. There is some Islamic terrorist activity there and the usual border disputes and crippling corruption. One ominous development is the growing number of mosques and religious schools being built and maintained by Saudi Arabia. These facilities teach a very hostile (to non-Moslems and any Moslems who do not agree) form of Islam that has been the source of so many Islamic terrorists since the 1980s. The locals are increasingly hostile to the Saudis for this and the Balkans did not become the Islamic terrorist sanctuary many feared.

CENTRAL ASIA

This area has become quieter since the 1990s and we are no longer covering it regularly. There will still be coverage as needed. Efforts to get some serious Islamic terrorist activity going has failed so far. Most of the nations involved used to be part of the Soviet Union and still have effective secret police and local dictators to encourage ruthless suppression of any dissent. People are putting up with it so far but popular anger at the corruption and inefficient government is growing. The region has become an economic and diplomatic battleground for Russia and China and China is winning. This is something Russia doesnt like to discuss, but among Russians the real threat is from the east, not the west.

CHAD

This area has become quieter since 2010 and we are no longer covering it regularly as a separate category. Chad has even become a major supplier of peacekeepers throughout Africa, especially in Nigeria against Boko Haram. There will still be coverage as needed in other sections or in its own section if unrest reappears inside Chad.

CHINA

China continues its post-Cold War policy of aggressive territorial claims and risking war with its neighbors. This has more to do with internal politics (distracting an increasingly wealthy and concerned population from local problems with corruption, pollution and ineffective government). The corruption has created a lot of bad loans and these, plus a dysfunctional equities (stocks and bonds) market creates a threat that makes far fewer headlines than foreign adventures. The South China Sea has been declared, by China, to be part of China despite international agreements on such matters. Same situation in other coastal waters bordering South Korea and Japan. Old territorial claims on India have been revived, but are not pursued as aggressively because India has modern nukes, ballistic missiles to deliver them and a large military. China continues its long-range plan to become a military superpower. That means world class weapons designed and built in China require long-term efforts but the Chinese believe they will get there during the 2020s and 2030s.

Every year China offers new weapons to the world market that are visibly more advanced. The actual performance of Chinese military technology is suspect as much of it is based on Russian stuff. During the Cold War Russian weapons always seemed to be what the losers used. But China keeps trying to improve and is making more progress than the Soviets ever did. The world is seeing more Chinese in peacekeeping missions as well as growing Chinese threats to peace. The bottom line however is keeping the communist dictatorship in power and that may be the ultimate reason for China avoiding war, or at least one they are not certain they will win. Thus China pursues an ancient, and often quite successful, Chinese strategy that emphasizes high-risk policies and instead uses long range policies to wear down the opposition and eventually assume control of the objective with little risk to China.

COLOMBIA

This area has become quieter since the peacekeeping efforts of the 1990s and we are no longer covering it regularly as a separate category. There will still be coverage in other sections as needed. We were also covering neighboring Venezuela because the situation there was quite different. After more than a decade of corruption and inept government most Venezuelans were done with ideas of radical populist movement that promised to make everything better but instead made everything much worse. For a while it seemed there might be a civil war. That does not appear to be an option because Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on the planet. Because the failed socialist government borrowed a lot of money from China and also hired Cuba to provide some services, there are plenty of technical advisors available to show the Venezuelan socialists how to establish a long-term dictatorship. China, Cuba, Iran and Russia are all present in Venezuela and with all that oil as collateral the Venezuelan socialists can probably buy their way out of a bloody rebellion. If Venezuela does explode into widespread violence we will cover it regularly.

CONGO

The UN and local church leaders tried to persuade the current president to stop trying to become president-for-life and return to the country to a one-party dictatorship based on corruption and exploiting ethnic divisions. The current president and his father had grown up opposing that sort of thing but here it was again. As of early 2018 the country is again facing widespread civil war that is made worse by all the corruption and exploitable ethnic divisions. Solutions have been sought since the 1960s and in 2013 the UN tried something novel, for the UN. To deal with all domestic and foreign rebel groups the UN finally authorized a special combat brigade of peacemakers. This brigade was given a license to kill, and kill as often as needed to eliminate the last few rogue militias operating in the east. This solved many of the peacekeeping problems out there temporarily. Despite that multiple tribal and political militias, plus an increasing number of bandits, continue to roam the eastern border area, perpetuating the bloodiest (and least reported) war of the 21st century (about six million dead). There is similar, but less intense unrest in other parts of the country (especially the separatist minded southwest). The Congolese government finds it cannot (and to a certain extent, will not) cope with the continuing corruption and lack of order in the east and southwest. The reason is money, the millions of dollars available each year to whoever has gunmen controlling the mines that extract valuable ores and allow the stuff out of the country. Congo remains mired in deadly chaos. Elsewhere in Central Africa the Burundi civil war threatens to reignite because the current president is trying to defy the constitution and become president-for-life. In the Central African Republic years of chaos (following the overthrow of a corrupt and incompetent dictator) has evolved into another Moslem versus Christian (and non-Moslems in general) conflict.

ETHIOPIA

This area has become quieter over the last decade and we are no longer covering it regularly as a separate category. There will still be coverage as needed in other sections, mainly Somalia. In 2016 there was more political unrest in Ethiopia which led to the withdrawal of some Ethiopian peacekeepers from Somalia.

INDIA-PAKISTAN

India is largely at peace and prospering while neighboring Pakistan continues struggling with the Islamic terrorist groups it created and supported for so long. Pakistan also has a problem unique to the region; armed forces that have long (since the 1950s) dominated the political process. Islamic terrorist violence inside Pakistan has sharply declined since 2014 when public outrage forced the military to shut down the last sanctuary for Islamic terrorists that were not under the control of the military and actively seeking to take control of Pakistan. Islamic terrorist violence did not completely disappear in Pakistan and the military blamed that on outsiders (like India, Afghanistan and the United States) and continued sheltering and supporting Islamic terror groups that only attacked foreign nations (like Afghanistan and India). This contributed to growing hostility towards the military within Pakistan and growing international criticism. The U.S. began 2018 by calling Pakistan dishonest and unreliable (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). This backlash began in 2011 when a U.S. raid into Pakistan killed Osama bin Laden. This angered many Pakistanis because it showed that the generals had lied about their involvement with sheltering bin Laden. That raid also made it clear that the military was unable to detect or stop the "invading Americans", or stop local Islamic radicals from later carrying out "revenge attacks" that left hundreds of Pakistani civilians dead. Then came another series of confrontations between the Pakistani military and the civilian government which, by 2018, the military was winning. That was because old scams still worked. The generals created more confrontations with India and declared that Islamic terrorism was no longer (since 2013) the major threat to Pakistan. The main threat was once again India. This merely increased Indian (and American and Afghan) anger at Pakistani support of Islamic terrorism and the inability of the Pakistani politicians to control their generals. Meanwhile India further diminished the Pakistani military by continuing to consider China the main security threat to South Asia. India has to deal with some internal unrest, which does far less damage than what Pakistan has to deal with. In fact Islamic terrorist violence (mainly in Indian Kashmir) is less of a problem than tribal rebels in the northeast and Maoist (communist) ones in eastern India. Both these threats are being slowly diminished while Pakistan continues to make unofficial war on its neighbors. Another problem is that the Pakistani economy is becoming more dependent on Chinese investment, diplomatic support and arms exports. The Pakistani pro-Islamic terrorist attitudes have left it with few allies besides China, Iran and North Korea. Pakistan needs help, but mostly from Pakistanis as the ills that torment Pakistan can only be resolved from within.

INDONESIA

This area has become quieter over the last decade and we are no longer covering it regularly. There will still be coverage as needed, mostly about counter-terrorism efforts (quite successful so far). Islamic radicals remain active and the government apparently does not want to provoke them. So the Islamic terrorist threat remains.

IRAN

The New Year began badly for Iran as there is another popular outburst against the religious dictatorship running the country. There was one in 2009 that called for fair elections. It was put down with force. Now the protestors are calling for the corrupt religious rulers to be removed, killed if necessary. Some protestors call for a return of the constitutional monarchy the religious leaders replaced in the 1980s (after first promising true democracy). Even more disturbing is that some of the protestors are calling for Islam to be banned and replaced with something else (like Zoroastrianism, the ancient Persian religion that Islam replaced (of violently and sometimes incompletely) in the 7th and 8th century. A month earlier the religious rulers saw Iran on the way to some major victories in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen. The optimism turned out to be premature. The good times were supposed to begin in the wake of a July 2015 treaty that would lift the many sanctions Iran operated under. That did not, as many financial experts pointed out, solve the immediate current cash crises because first Saudi Arabia refusing to cut production and the continued use of fracking triggered a massive (more than 70 percent) drop of the price of oil in 2013. Iran is busy trying to comply with the 2015 treaty to get most of the sanctions lifted and for a while that seemed to be working. But foreign economists believe the Iranian economy wont get moving again until the 2020s. Still unresolved are the other problem that bothers Iranians; an Islamic conservative minority with veto power over any attempts at reform from within. Independent reformers are considered enemies of the state by the ruling clerics. Most Iranians just want a better life. There are some more complications. Half the population consists of ethnic minorities (mainly Turks, Kurds and Arabs), and some of these groups (Arabs, Kurds and Baluchis) are getting more restive and violent (for different reasons). Meanwhile, the Islamic conservatives are determined to support terrorism overseas and build nuclear weapons at home, rather than concentrating on improving the economy and living standards and addressing the corruption within their ranks. Expensive efforts to aid pro-Iran groups in Syria, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon have worked but have to be presented as examples of the ancient Iranian empire being reborn. The government sees these foreign adventures as a way to distract an unhappy population. The nukes are still important because Iran has been increasingly vocal about how Iran should be the leader of the Islamic world and the guardian of the major Islamic shrines (Mecca and Medina) in Saudi Arabia. Iranians believe that having nukes would motivate the Arabs to bow down. The Arabs have been kicked around by the Iranians for thousands of years and take this latest threat very seriously. That has led to a major reform effort in Saudi Arabia with a new generation of leaders willing to take on corruption and which alliances really benefit the Saudis. That has resulted in openly working with Israel to deal with Iranian aggression. It has also led to another major uprising in Iran as unrest spreads throughout the country and the government is unsure that the security forces are willing to use sufficient violence to shut it down.

IRAQ

On December 11 the government declared ISIL was defeated in Iraq. In effect it took four years, several hundred billion dollars (military expenses, battle damage, economic losses) and over 100,000 Iraqi lives (plus over 20,000 foreign Islamic terrorists) to drive ISIL out of Iraq. That effort created other problems, and opportunities. Iran offered help and was allowed to organize, train and often lead in combat over a 100,000 Iraqi Shia militiamen. Most Iraqis, including most Iraqi Shia (about 60 percent of the population) feared an Iran inspired coup but by the end of 2017 senior Shia clerics in Iraq and Iran agreed that the militias should stay out of politics. Now the issue is which militias are allowed to stay on the government payroll and in what capacity. In an effort to prove their usefulness the Shia militias took on dangerous, or just daring missions. That left a lot of ISIL dead and it contributed to a government recovery (using force) of Kirkuk province from the Iraqi Kurds in late 2017. ISIL is a passing problem while the major woes remain in the form of widespread corruption and mismanagement. The root cause of the continuing terrorist violence is diehard Sunni Arabs who refuse to accept democracy and Shia domination (60 percent of Iraqis are Shia and 20 percent Kurd). Despite all that there has been enough unity to push back ISIL and keep the Iranians from getting too ambitious. Yet radical Sunnis, separatist Kurds and meddling Iranians remain a problem, along with corruption and unstable neighbors.

ISRAEL

Finally, after more than a century of increasing anti-Semitism, most of Israels Arab neighbors are realizing that Israel would be a valuable economic, diplomatic and military ally against common enemies like Shia Iran and Islamic terrorism. Israel is also the only one in the region with nukes and reliable ballistic missiles (also used to put Israeli spy satellites into orbit). The nukes are important because Iran has been increasingly vocal about how Iran should be the leader of the Islamic world and the guardian of the major Islamic shrines (Mecca and Medina) in Saudi Arabia. Iranians believe that having nukes would motivate the Arabs to bow down. The Arabs have been kicked around by the Iranians for thousands of years and take this latest threat very seriously. That has led to a major reform effort in Saudi Arabia with a new generation of leaders willing to take on corruption and which alliances really benefit the Saudis. That has resulted in Gulf Arab states openly working with Israel to deal with Iranian aggression. That, plus a more pro-Israel American government and growing dissatisfaction (in the West and the Middle East) with the Palestinian leadership corruption has created a radical change in Middle Eastern politics. That played a role in the outbreak of popular unrests throughout Iran at the end of 2017. Young Iranians have also noted the success of Israel (a former ally, before the current religious dictatorship took over in the 1980s) and are now demanding changes that involve less foreign trouble making. The cost, in terms of money (billions) and Iranian lives (thousands) of operations in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, South America, Africa and elsewhere does most Iranians no good at all and make the people on the receiving end hostile to Iran. Closer to home Israel has growing problems with Jewish conservatives and Palestinians who are convinced that Israel has no right to exist and pretending to negotiate a peace deal is useful for obtaining foreign aid and not much else.

KOREA

North Korea insists on keeping its nuclear weapons program, corrupt communist police state and the murderous Kim dynasty that has a foreign policy based on threats and extortion. Nevertheless the North Korean leader gave a somber New Year speech offering to negotiate. That may be the result of China demonstrating it had lost patience with its unruly neighbor. This is very important because China is, literally, North Koreas economic lifeline. China is the primary or only source for essentials like petroleum, food and all sorts of smuggled (past a long list of international sanctions) goods. China will tolerate a lot of bad behavior in return for obedience and maintaining order. North Korea is doing neither and South Korea also should pay more attention (according to China) to what China wants. That would be fewer problems with North Korea, which is already sending thousands of illegal visitors a year to China, some of them armed and dangerous. Most of those illegals just want out of North Korea but as the economic situation in North Korea gets worse the possibility of government collapse increases. That would be disastrous for China because their border with North Korea is relatively open while the border with South Korea is heavily fortified. In early 2016 China did the unthinkable and began enforcing the many trade sanctions North Korea is under. This caused an economic crisis in North Korea but so far the North Korean leadership has not changed its mind about its nukes and openly boasts that they will have combat ready (reliable ballistic missiles and warheads) nukes in 2017. That did not happen and is unlikely to happen any time soon given the North Korean track record. Then again the North Koreans continue to make progress, which pleases the mass media worldwide and continues to annoy all the neighbors. Yet everyone defers to China because Korea has traditionally been a Chinese responsibility and, for centuries, a difficult one. The traditional solution has been for China to quietly (as possible) support a change of government inside North Korea. That sort of thing can be expensive and messy and the Chinese would prefer to wait for the right moment to act. China does not publicize plans for this sort of thing but it is obvious, from what China has done openly (including allowing Chinese Internet users to freely express their criticisms of North Korean misbehavior) North Korean leaders should pay attention. All this is being noted by the North Korean leaders.

KURDISH WAR

This area had become quieter after 2003 and we no longer cover it regularly as a separate category. There will still be coverage as needed in other sections like Iraq, Israel and Syria. The 2011 Arab Spring movement shook things up a bit and the Kurds are once more at war with Turkey, Syria and Iran. Turkey is particularly outraged at the establishment of an autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq and the impact that is having on Kurdish minorities in Syria (where an autonomous region is already a reality), Turkey (where there is again continuous violence by Kurdish separatists) and Iran. The Kurds remain under attack in Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran while also suffering from internal feuds.

LIBYA

The past has caught up with Libya and the country is still torn apart by the aftereffects of the 2011 uprising. In 2015 that violence went from a two way (Islamic radical groups versus more moderate ones) to three way (with the addition of the ultra-radical ISIL). By the end of 2015 the UN had gotten the two (Tripoli and Tobruk) major coalitions to agree to a merger that was supposed to take place in early 2016. That merger has been delayed by continuing factional infighting and the more pressing need to shut down the ISIL presence. That was accomplished in late 2016 but the rival Tripoli (UN approved) and Tobruk (popular in eastern Libya) governments are still trying to work out how to create a unified government. Through all this oil exports have shrunk and then recovered while the Central Bank cash reserves did not and are nearly gone. If peace and unity are not achieved soon the government will no longer be able to import food and other essentials. Even by Middle Eastern standards Libya is setting a new records in self-destructive behavior. By 2017 more Libyans were agreeing that the situation was indeed becoming desperate and more compromise was the only solution. But tribal and religious differences (Islamic radicals versus everyone else) plus epic levels of corruption and entitlement keep peace and prosperity out of reach.

MALI

A final peace deal with the rebellious Tuareg in the north was signed in early 2015 and is largely holding through 2017. Despite that Islamic terrorism is spreading to the more populous south but not to the extent that it threatens government control. The Tuareg peace deal was stalled for over a year because the black majority in the south did not want to grant as much autonomy as the Tuaregs demanded. The two groups have always been at odds but were only united in the same country by the colonial French in the 19th century. Like most African countries, dividing the nation is not an acceptable option and the colonial borders are considered sacrosanct. The current mess began when France took swift action in January 2013 by leading a military operation to clear Islamic terrorists out of northern Mali. Aided by Chad and a growing number of other African peacekeeping contingents, this operation is expected to continue for years. The French acted because in 2012 Tuareg tribal rebels (with the help of al Qaeda affiliated Islamic terrorists) in northern Mali chased out government forces and declared a separate Tuareg state. The Mali army mutinied (because of lack of support from the corrupt government) down south and took control of the capital. The army soon backed off when neighboring nations threatened to intervene. The thinly populated northern two-thirds of the country has a population of less than two million, out of 15 million for all of Mali. The north was very poor in the best of times, and over a year of violence there has halted tourism (a major source of income, especially in the three major cities up there) and the movement of many goods. Mali still has internal problems (mainly corruption) and continued unrest in the north. A lot depends on whether the majority in the south can reduce corruption and deal fairly with the Tuareg and other minorities (like Arabs) in the north. The elected Mali government is back in power but appears to be as corrupt as ever and under growing pressure from donor nations to either clean up the corruption or see most of the aid disappear. The neighbors of Mali have formed a five nation anti-terrorism alliance that will provide 5,000 troops that can be sent to any of the five member nations. Western money and trainers will help equip and improve the skills of the 5,000 troops.

MEXICO

This area has become quieter since the peacekeeping efforts of the 1990s and we are no longer covering it regularly as a separate category. There will still be coverage as needed in other sections as needed.

MYANMAR (Burma)

The expected big changes because of the return of democracy in 2010 are slow to appear and have caused some problems that are generating a lot of anti-Burma headlines worldwide. The first nationwide elections since 1990 (when the generals refused to accept the results and banned any more voting) were held in late 2015. The anti-military coalition won enough votes to change the constitution and the military said it would accept the vote. Despite the return to democracy the most corrupt institution in Burma is still the military and that can be seen in how the 2010 constitution that returned democracy explicitly granted military leaders (including all the retired officers) immunity from prosecution for past crimes. The military was also given control of the defense ministry and a fixed number (25 percent) of seats in parliament. In effect, the military leaders who once ran the country are still in charge of the defense budget and immune from prosecution for all the crimes they committed in the past. The 2015 elections meant that real reform, like changing this pro-military constitution, was a possibility. Even before the late 2015 elections reforms were slowly being made despite the fact that the 2010 elections replaced the military dictatorship with many of the same people, out of uniform and trying to hide the fact that they rigged the vote. Since 2016 these reforms have been sidetracked by internal unrest. Part of this is the continuing rebellions of the rural tribes along the borders, especially in the north. Since 2015 China has been threatening to intervene if Chinese investments in the tribal north were not protected and allowed to resume operating. In response Burma began depending more on India to help with security in the north and some protection from Chinese threats. Temporary peace deals were made but the tribal rebels are still producing major quantities of methamphetamine, and increasing amounts of heroin, to support continued fighting. China is not happy with many of these drugs (particularly heroin and meth) coming into China. That is difficult to change because the tribes are poor and the drug money is very attractive. China is also concerned with the popular opposition to major Chinese economic projects (dams and pipeline) in the north but the fundamentals remain the same. To the outside world the major problem is anti-Moslem violence. The government has not been able to completely suppress a 2013 outbreak in anti-Moslem violence. For decades the military dictatorship had suppressed potential anti-Moslem violence. But once democracy returned the radical Buddhist clergy led a campaign to terrorize the Bengali (Rohingya) Moslems. This problem has not been solved. Overall, economic and political progress is slow but there has been regular progress despite the continued problems with the military.

NIGERIA

By late 2016 the outbreak of Islamic terrorism in the north was largely extinguished, but not before several years of fighting had destroyed the economy in much of northeastern Nigeria. All this was caused by group of Taliban wannabes (Boko Haram) in the north whose activity grew rapidly for a decade until in 2014 it was unstoppable. It took over a year for the government to finally muster sufficient military strength to cripple but not destroy the Boko Haram threat. This did not get much media attention outside Africa, even though in 2014 Boko Haram killed more people than ISIL did in Syria and Iraq. The main cause of Boko Haram gains in 2014 and 2015 was corruption in the army, which severely crippled army effectiveness. By itself Boko Haram was too small to have much impact on a national scale but the inability to deal with this problem puts a spotlight on the corruption that has hobbled all progress in Nigeria for decades. A new president (a former general who is Moslem) was elected in early 2015 and is trying to change the corrupt army culture but it is slow going. More bad news is expected because of too many tribal divisions, not enough oil money and too much corruption create growing unrest throughout the country. This is especially bad down south in the oil producing region (the Niger River Delta). There a 2009 amnesty deal that reduced violence against oil facilities has fallen apart and in early 2016 the violence returned. Worse, local politicians and business leaders had taken over the oil theft business from the disarmed tribal rebels, and the former rebels wanted that business back. Meanwhile, the northern Moslems want more control over the federal government (and the oil money). The situation is still capable of sliding into regional civil wars, over money and political power. Corruption and ethnic/tribal/religious rivalries threaten to trigger, at worse, another civil war and, at least, more street violence and public anger.

POTENTIAL HOT SPOTS

Various places where the local situation is warming up and might turn into a war.

PHILIPPINES

While decades of effort have finally reduced the internal threat of leftist and religious rebellions, most Filipinos are more concerned about endemic corruption and the resulting economic stagnation. There is also the Chinese threat, with more Chinese warships showing up in what had been, until recently, unquestionably Filipino coastal waters. Most Filipinos see China as a threat but not as large as the internal problems with corruption, Islamic terrorism and unemployment. A new president (Rodrigo Duterte) took power in mid-2016 pledging to do what most Filipinos wanted, not what the politicians wanted. Duterte had been doing this locally (as mayor of a major city) since the 1990s and was ready to try and make it happen nationally. This has led to condoning vigilante tactics by the police to suppress the drug gangs as well as an unexpected adoption of an anti-American foreign policy and a willingness to make deals with China. This weakened the coalition with Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and the United States to oppose the Chinese threat. Duterte told the Americans he would not risk war with China over it. Duterte told the Islamic minority in the south (led by MILF) that he would get behind the 2015 peace deal (that gave it more autonomy but not its own country and the expulsion of non-Moslems) and help get it approved by the legislature if MILF helped destroy Abu Sayyaf (the ultra-radical Islamic terrorist group in the south that is responsible for most of the kidnappings and terror bombings down there) and MILF factions that refused to accept the peace deal and had, along with Abu Sayyaf, aligned themselves with ISIL. Abu Sayyaf has integrated itself with the clan culture down there and become very difficult to eliminate. The Moslems have, as always, lots of clan feuds and internal violence which will survive the autonomy deal with the government. A major ISIL effort to take over a southern city in late 2017 failed spectacularly and by the end of the year the various Islamic terror groups in the south were trying to rebuild and avoid extinction. Duterte may not be the solution to the many problems the country faces but he is the most radical, and promising, one to come along in decades.

RUSSIA

Since 2014 Russia has been making a lot of headlines but not much else. The economy is a mess, the country has fewer allies and the future looks dim. Invading Ukraine and Syria has not helped solve any of the fundamental problems but have made for great propaganda. What went wrong? Russia entered the 21st century with a new elected government dominated by former secret police (KGB) officers who promised to restore economic and civil order. They did so but in the process are turning Russia into a police state with less political and economic freedom. A growing number of Russians opposed this and the government responded by appealing to nationalism. Russia has returned to police state ways and the traditional threatening attitude towards neighbors. Rather than being run by corrupt communist bureaucrats, the country is now dominated by corrupt businessmen, gangsters and self-serving government officials that characterized the last czarist government of a century ago. The semi-free economy is more productive than the centrally controlled communist one but that just provides more money to steal. A rebellion against the new dictatorship has been derailed by astute propaganda depicting Russia as under siege by the West. Yet opinion polls that show wide popular support for this paranoid fantasy has left enough Russians with democratic impulses to continue leading the struggle for better government and needed reforms. For now most Russians want economic and personal security and are willing to tolerate a police state to get it. That atmosphere, plus the anxiety generated by having troops fighting in Syria and Ukraine has scared away a lot of foreign investors and many Russian ones as well. Russia can downplay this in the state controlled media but without all that foreign and Russian capital the economy cannot grow. Meanwhile China, the only real threat to Russia, quietly makes progress in the east. There China has claims on much of the Russian Far East and is openly replacing Russia as the primary economic, military and political force in Central Asia.

RWANDA & BURUNDI

This area has become quieter over the last decade and we are no longer covering it regularly as a separate category. There will still be coverage as needed in the CONGO section when there are details of the new civil wars brewing here.

SOMALIA

Al Shabaab, a local Islamic radical group, has been crushed but not completely destroyed. Now the main threat is the corruption and factionalism that have always defined and defiled Somali culture. Since 2013 Al Shabaab has been driven out of most of the territory it controlled for years but remnants fought on in thinly populated areas of central Somalia, the far north (Puntland border) and far south (Kenyan border). The defeated al Shabaab split into factions and most of the international (pro-al Qaeda) group has seized control of what was left. Al Shabaab remnants will linger for a while. An elected Somali government, propped up by foreign aid (most of which gets stolen) has been around since 2012. Despite all that Somalia is still a failed state that defies every attempt at nation building. The situation is worse than it appears because Somalia was never a country, but a collection of clans and tribes that fight each other constantly over economic issues (land and water). The country remains an economic and political mess, a black hole on the map. Not much hope in sight. The pirates became a major problem after 2006 and in response the major trading nations launched a counter-piracy effort which since 2012 reduced pirate success (captured ships) considerably. In fact, no large ships have been captured in since early 2012. The northern statelet of Puntland was persuaded (and subsidized) by wealthy seafaring nations to attack the pirate bases. There are not many pirate groups left because of the lack of multi-million dollar ransoms. In the far south (where the second major port, Kismayo is) a third statelet (after Puntland and Somaliland in the north) is trying to exist as Jubaland. The UN backed government in the center is trying to prevent this but the problem remains the independent minded clans. There is not a lot of enthusiasm among local leaders for a national government.

SUDAN

An unofficial state of war developed after the south became an independent "South Sudan" in 2011. Although Sudan officially accepted the results of the vote that created South Sudan the battles over disputed border areas continued. Sudan quietly sent troops and pro-government militias to seize disputed border areas. That fighting continues and has been complicated by a 2014 outbreak of civil war between the two major tribal factions in South Sudan. That conflict apparently ended in early 2016 but the tribal rivalries continued tearing South Sudan apart and the unrest and distrust continues. Moslems in Sudan tried for decades to suppress separatist tendencies among Christians in the south while also dealing with Moslem rebels along the eastern coast and western (non-Arab Darfur) deserts. The oil money in South Sudan is a major cause of the current civil strife there and continuing conflict with Sudan and within South Sudan. Meanwhile, battles over land in western Sudan (Darfur) continue to pit Arab herders against black Sudanese farmers. Both sides are Moslem, but the government has long backed the Arabs. The government uses Arab nationalism and economic ties with Russia and China to defy the world and get away with driving non-Arab tribes from Darfur. Sudan was also an ally of Iran and recipient of Iranian weapons for a while. That aid included useful advice on how to best terrorize a population into submission. The government believes time is on its side and that the West will never try anything bold and effective to halt the violence. So far, the government has been proven right, but keeps losing control of Sudan, bit by bit. South Sudan is falling into the same cycle of internal disorder and fragmentation.

SYRIA

The rebellion of the Sunni majority against the Shia minority Assad dictatorship has been going on since 2011 is just about over at the end of 2017. The rebels lost because of factionalism. Meanwhile the Assads received massive assistance from Iran (starting in 2012), Russia (2015) and Turkey (2016). The civil war also morphed into a proxy war between Iran and the Sunni Arab states (and their Western allies). The major factor in the rebel defeat was ISIL which began as one of many Sunni Arab Islamic terror groups (mainly al Qaeda and ISIL) who wanted to turn Syria into a religious dictatorship while most Syrians just wanted peace and some prosperity. The Islamic terror groups, as is their custom, put a priority on determining which of them was the true savior of Islam. ISIL was definitely the most ruthless and best organized and many groups submitted to ISIL, if only temporarily, but that weakened the rebel effort sufficiently for the Assads to hang on and become part of a larger anti-ISIL coalition. One thing everyone could agree on was that ISIL had to be destroyed first. After two years the anti-ISIL coalition did that, but at the cost of destroying any chance of the Syrian rebels overthrowing the Assads. While Assad allies like Iran, Russia and Turkey did fight ISIL, most of the damage to ISIL was done by the pro-rebel foreign powers (led by Saudi Arabia and the United States). Meanwhile the Assads and their allies concentrated on non-ISIL rebels. By late 2017, when ISIL had lost nearly all its territory in Syria the remaining rebels were still not united. While the rebels controlled about a third of the country they are outnumbered by the Assad forces and most Syrians are war weary. Since 2011 the violence has left over 400,000 people dead and most died after 2013. The killing diminished a bit in 2015 because of sheer exhaustion and picked up again in 2016 because of the Russian air (and other) support. The stubborn Assad dictatorship, because of reinforcements supplied by Iran (mainly in the form of over 40,000 Shia mercenaries from Hezbollah in Lebanon and Shia volunteers from all over) and Russia had a chance to win after early 2016, something some Western nations saw as preferable to Islamic terrorists taking over and requiring a Western invasion to remove such a threat. Russia and Iran are quite pleased with the way they have played the situation, especially the 2014 deal to remove Syrian chemical weapons (which the Syrians can rebuild later). The only rebels getting air support were the Syrian Kurds because, like their Iraqi kinsmen, they can be trusted. Western warplanes were over Syria since late 2014, but they are bombing Islamic terrorist rebels, not Assad forces. In August 2016 Turkish ground forces entered northern Syria to seal the border (to ISIL and Turkish separatist PKK Kurds) and weaken the Syrian Kurds. The Turks were basically helping the Assads and hurting ISIL and all that made an Assad victory more likely. Before the Assads can resume control of the country they have to deal with the fact that Israel, Jordan and the Sunni Arab oil states are opposed to the Iranian effort to establish a permanent military presence in Syria. Turkey is opposed to any autonomous Syrian Kurdish area in the north. Turkey and Russia are technically allies of Iran in Syria but the reality is that no one trusts Iran. The Russians have quietly made it clear they would side with Israel. The Turks are NATO members and traditional foes of Russia and Iran. But the current Turkish government is unstable and increasingly unpopular with Turks as well as the neighbors. At the end of 2017 many Iranians took to the streets to demand a withdrawal from Syria and using the billions saved to fix the crippled Iranian economy. If Iran withdraws from Syria Russia is too broke to pick up the slack and the Turks are only interested in the Kurds and dont really care if the Assads stay or go. So the Syrian rebellion is not over yet and may not end in 2018.

THAILAND

Islamic terrorism in the south and continuing struggles between democrats and royalists nationwide continue to hamper economic growth and much else. The years of civil disorder in the capital triggered yet another military coup in 2014 and the aftereffects of that are still being felt. The 2014 coup ended the low level civil war over military control of the government. The anti-democracy minority (royalists and many educated urbanites) had used large demonstrations and persuasive appeals to the military to stage another coup. The new military government now keeps delaying new elections because opinion polls indicate military rule is unpopular with most Thais and, as in the past, there will be reprisals against the military once elections are held (apparently in late 2018). Meanwhile ethnic Malay Moslems in the south (three percent of the population) continue to cause problems. Since 2013 the government has had someone down there to negotiate with and these talks were soon stalled and remain so. Most Thais are ethnic Thais and Buddhist while the southerners are Moslem and ethnic Malays. In the south Islamic radicalism arrived after 2001 along with an armed effort to create a separate Islamic state in the three southern provinces. Islamic terrorists grew more powerful month by month for several years and refused to negotiate. Security forces persisted and made progress in identifying and rounding up the most active terrorists. But there is no quick victory in sight. Even the death of the beloved Thai king in late 2016 (October) did not change anything and his much younger successor will be a work-in-progress for a while.

UGANDA

This area has become quieter over the last decade and we are no longer covering it regularly as a separate category. There will still be coverage as needed in other sections (mostly Congo and Somalia) because of Ugandan participation in a growing number of peacekeeping operations in Africa.

YEMEN

Until late 2017 there was not much progress here, a development that favored Iran. But by the end of 2017 the Shia rebels were at war with each other and Iran suddenly had its own domestic uprising to deal with. Worse, the U.S. government had changed in early 2017 and was much more aggressive dealing with Iran. Moreover there was a radical (for Arabia) new government in Saudi Arabia with a young Crown Prince in charge and organizing more effective resistance to Iranian aggression. That played a role Yemen unrest becoming a full scale civil war in 2015 when Shia rebels sought to take control of the entire country. Neighboring Arab states, led by Saudi Arabia, quickly formed a military coalition to halt that. The Arab coalition appears to be succeeding because by 2016 pro-government forces were close enough to launch a major assault on the rebel-held capital. As the fighting intensified in early 2015 Iran admitted it had been quietly supporting the Shia rebels for a long time but now was doing so openly, or at least trying. The Arabs, with U.S. support, blockaded air and sea access to Yemen. The U.S. refused to send in ground troops but the Arabs eventually did. The Arab troops made a big difference despite suffering some embarrassing defeats along the way. This was an impressive display of Arab military capabilities, which benefitted from all the money spent on high-tech weapons since the 1990s. Meanwhile the basic problem, that Yemen has been a mess for decades, is unresolved. Because of the 2015 war Yemen is truly broke, disorganized and desperate. The Arab Spring hit Yemen hard and upset the "arrangement" that left one group of tribal, criminal and business leaders in charge for over three decades. The country is fragmented again, just like it has always been. Many Yemenis trace the current crisis back to the civil war that ended, sort of, in 1994. That war was caused by the fact that, when the British left Yemen in 1967, their former colony in Aden became one of two countries called Yemen. The two Yemens finally united in 1990 but another civil war in 1994 was needed to seal the deal. That fix didn't really take and the north and south have always been pulling apart ever since. This comes back to the fact that Yemen has always been a region, not a country. Like most of the rest of the Persian Gulf and Horn of Africa region, the normal form of government until the 20th century was wealthier coastal city states nervously coexisting with interior tribes that got by on herding or farming (or a little of both) plus smuggling and other illicit sidelines. This whole "nation" idea is still looked on with some suspicion by many in the region. This is why the most common forms of government are the more familiar ones of antiquity (kingdom, emirate or modern variation in the form of a hereditary secular dictatorship.) For a long time the most active Yemeni rebels were the Shia Islamic militants in the north. They have always wanted to restore local Shia rule in the traditional tribal territories, led by the local imam (religious leader). This arrangement, after surviving more than a thousand years, was ended by the central government in 1962. Yemen also became the new headquarters of AQAP (Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula) when Saudi Arabia was no longer safe for the terrorists after 2007. Now there is ISIL and an invading army composed of troops from oil-rich neighbors. By late 2017 the rebels were slowly losing ground to government forces who, despite Arab coalition air support and about five thousand ground troops, are still dependent on Yemeni Sunni tribal militias to fight the Shia tribes. While the Shia are only a third of the population they are united while the Sunni tribes are divided over the issue of again splitting the country in two (with no agreement on who would get the few oil fields in central Yemen). Many of the Sunni tribes tolerate or even support AQAP and ISIL. Then came the break. For former president (Saleh) deposed in 2012, was killed by the rebels when he tried to make peace with the Arab coalition. Saleh had made the Shia rebellion a success by organizing his remaining loyalists, especially those in the army, to get many Sunnis to join the rebels. But that did not last once Iranian involvement increased and it was made known that Iran has been quietly encouraging the Shia rebels for a long time.
Brexit Chief Among Concerns For Irish Executives

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

02 January 2018

Brexit is continuing to create uncertainty for Irish senior business decision makers, according to a new report by UCD's Smurfit School.

The publication, "The Executive Agenda" is a study of the perspectives of 225 senior executives from 180 of Ireland's largest companies, along with a series of interviews with 31 CEOs and other senior executives.

According to the report, "the major issue on the macro agenda for Irish corporate executives is the geopolitical environment," with Brexit dominating the list of concerns.

The report noted that Brexit is an issue for companies that operate both in Northern Ireland and the Republic, that have operations in the UK, or plan to expand within Northern Ireland or the UK.

The report explained that "Brexit is contributing to uncertainty that threatens to dampen demand and investment." Businesses are likewise concerned that Brexit "will add complexity to business transactions and reduce flexibility, particularly around cross-border transfers of people, products, and resources."

The implications of Brexit for staffing and procurement were also among the issues raised.
EU, Mexico Pushing Ahead With FTA Talks

by Ulrika Lomas, Tax-News.com, Brussels

02 January 2018

The EU and Mexico are "very close to a deal" on a new free trade agreement (FTA) but "not there yet," according to EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.

The EU and Mexico met for a seventh round of negotiations from December 12-21. The talks followed hot on the heels of a sixth round, which took place from November 25 to December 1.

Malmstrom said: "We've made a lot of progress and we are very close to a deal, but we are not there yet. It's in sight but we do need some additional work at the beginning of next year, aiming for a deal that is right, not any deal."

According to a statement issued by the EU, negotiating teams discussed all areas of the prospective agreement. Negotiators finalized their work on competition, SMEs, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, transparency, regulatory practices, and trade and sustainable development. Negotiations also covered the revised market access offers for goods, which were exchanged after the sixth round of talks.

However, there remain a number of outstanding issues related to market access and rules.

Malmstrom said that, in addition to the economic benefits arising from a new FTA, the agreement will help "tie our citizens closer together" and "confirm our shared values on sustainable development, labor and environmental rules, human rights, and our objectives on climate change." The agreement will also include a chapter on tackling corruption in the public and private sectors.

The two sides will continue their work toward a final agreement in the coming weeks, Malmstrom said.

The negotiating teams decided to stay in continuous contact and to meet again after the winter break. Precise dates for their next meeting have yet to be decided.

In 1997, a Global Agreement between the EU and Mexico entered into force. It includes trade rules that were later developed into the current FTA, which has been in force since October 2000. Negotiations toward a new FTA were launched in May 2016.
Singapore To Give GST Rebate To 880,000 Households

by Mary Swire, Tax-News.com, Hong Kong

02 January 2018

Singapore's Ministry of Finance has announced that about 880,000 Singaporean Housing and Development Board (HDB) households will receive the next installment of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Voucher  Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebate in January 2018.

The U-Save rebate is one of three components under the permanent GST Voucher scheme. U-Save, paid four times a year, is the household component of the permanent GST Voucher scheme, introduced to help households with their utilities expenses, to offset the regressive nature of GST. The U-Save rebate is expected to cost SGD265m over four quarters, starting from July 2017.

Annually, the permanent GST Voucher  U-Save rebate has enabled households in 1- and 2-room HDB flats to receive support equivalent to about three to four months of their utilities bills on average. Those living in 3- and 4-room HDB flats receive support equivalent to about one to two months of their utilities bills.

In January 2018, eligible Singaporean households will each receive a GST Voucher  U-Save of up to SGD95, depending on their HDB flat type.
UK's Small Business Association Welcomes 'Staircase Tax' Repeal

by Jason Gorringe, Tax-News.com, London

02 January 2018

The Federation of Small Businesses in the UK has welcomed the release of draft legislation by the UK Government that would "repeal" the so-called staircase tax.

The tax is the result of a tax court ruling which meant that businesses with offices in a building situated on non-contiguous floors were to be issued with separate business rates (commercial property tax) bills. The ruling has resulted in some businesses facing higher tax bills, most often due to the loss of small business rate relief. The FSB noted that it also applied to shared lifts and communal access roads to shared car parking spaces, and saw inflated bills backdated to 2015 in England and 2010 in Wales.

The UK's Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid, on December 29 published draft legislation to reverse the impact of the so-called "staircase tax." Javid said The Non-Domestic Rating (Property in Common Occupation) Bill would mean these firms can choose to have their rates recalculated under the old single bill system and any savings due will be backdated. He said: "The 'staircase tax' is an unfair rates hike for businesses. For years these businesses in adjoining units or rooms received one rates bill, but this ruling meant they now faced multiple bills for operating in an office linked by a communal lift or stairs. I am ending this by giving those businesses affected the option of getting their rates bills recalculated and any savings due backdated."

Responding to the bill's publication and the consultation, FSB National Chairman Mike Cherry said: "The Staircase Tax has arbitrarily penalized small firms simply because they shared a communal staircase, corridor, or even car park with another business. It is very good news that the Government has stepped in to repeal this ludicrous tax and I hope politicians of all parties will now back its abolition when it is put to Parliament."
Once considered a slightly niche product, smart speakers have become incredibly popular all around the world. As such, the range of uses for the AI-powered devices is expanding. In the UK, one police force is examining whether Amazons Echo line could be utilized for law enforcement services such as reporting crimes.

Lancashire police force wants to use the Echo speakers as a way of sending out crime bulletins, providing owners with the latest updates. The idea is for information on the number of officers on duty, missing people, wanted suspects, and offenses within an area to be broadcast by Alexa.

The force also plans to use Alexa to send out internal briefings. This could update officers about breaking incidents, or just announce daily crime logs. But the most interesting aspect of the experiment is the potential for victims and witnesses to report crimes via an Echo from within their own homes.

Rob Flanagan, the forces innovation lead, told the College of Policing conference: If we can reduce demand into our call centers via the use of voice recognition or voice-enabled technology and actually give the community the information they need without them needing to ring into police then that's massive.

We think there is quite a lot of information people may prefer to get by asking Alexa, said Chief Constable Andy Rhodes. For our staff, it's great for internal messaging, say there has been a serious incident like the attack on the Manchester Evening News Arena.

While this integration between law enforcement and Alexa might sound convenient for the public and could free up resources, concerns have been raised over the privacy implications of reporting crimes and sending police bulletins over the system, mainly because conversations are recorded and stored on Amazons servers.

In December 2016, police in Bentonville, Arkansas, issued Amazon with a search warrant for any audio recordings made by an Amazon Echo belonging to a murder suspect. The company refused, arguing that they were protected by the first amendment. Eventually, the defendant permitted the evidence to be given to prosecutors. In November, the murder charge against James Andrew Bates was dropped.
Samsung and Microsoft are envisioning a future where the only computer you have is the one in your pocket. Microsoft has tried with its Continuum feature for Windows 10 although it has not taken off despite HP's best efforts.

Samsung's strategy, while similar, seems to have a bit more legs (and better support from Microsoft, ironically). The company released its DeX dock last year to transform its Galaxy S line of phones into desktops. Now it seems that Samsung intends to continue its mobile desktop strategy if a trademark filed in Europe is to be believed.

According to Galaxy Club, Samsung filed a trademark for a "DeX Pad" on December 29. This likely means that Samsung intends to release a new DeX product alongside the Galaxy S9 and S9+. Instead of a dock, however, this filing seems to suggest the new DeX will look more like a wireless charging pad than a traditional dock.

Some sites have suggested the new design could give users the option to use the Galaxy S9/S9+ as a touchpad.

As someone who has tried the current DeX dock, it is surprisingly usable and quite viable for the perhaps 85 percent of people who simply browse the Internet or send e-mail. In fact, Microsoft optimized its Office suite for Android to work with DeX which gives it even more functionality.

It remains to be seen if Samsung can continue to push its mobile desktop strategy to the average consumer.
Microsoft as of late has been operating under the assumption that battery life in a mobile computer is of the utmost importance. If you share those same sentiments, the results of Redmonds recent browser efficiency testing may be of interest.

Using three identical Surface Book laptops running Windows 10 build 16299, Microsoft recently conducted tests to see how long it would take the systems to deplete their batteries while streaming HTML5 video in fullscreen mode using the latest versions of todays most popular web browsers.

According to Microsoft, Edge 16 bested the competition across the board with an average normalized runtime of 16 hours and 41 minutes. Thats 29 percent longer than Chrome, 40 percent longer than Opera and 79 percent longer than Firefox.

Although consistent across each test platform, Microsofts methodology may not jive with most real-world scenarios. For example, the volume was set to mute, Bluetooth and location settings were turned off and the ambient light sensor was disabled. Full details on the first-party battery testing can be found over on GitHub.

Microsoft staged a similar test in April 2017, again to highlight the superiority of Edge over the competition as it relates to battery life. Those claims were put to the test by Linus Tech Tips a few months later with the publication coming to a different conclusion.
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
Ward boundary changes in Ritchot first discussed this past summer were approved by council last week.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 2/1/2018 (1340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Ward boundary changes in Ritchot first discussed this past summer were approved by council last week.

The changes are contained in an updated ward bylaw that cleared second and third reading at the municipalitys Dec. 20 council meeting.

No comments were received during an opportunity for public comment prior to the two votes.

The adjustments, which were prompted by population shifts within the municipalitys four wards, will take effect in municipal general elections in October.

The most substantial of the changes will see a total of 12 square miles in Ward 1 transferred to Ward 4.
H. Brandt Ayers. Photo: Francis Miller/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

In the wake of sexual-harassment allegations against a number of powerful men, a former reporter of the Anniston Star newspaper in Alabama is now accusing media magnate and former publisher H. Brandt Ayers of spanking female staffers.

Former Star reporter Veronica Pike Kennedy says that, back in the 1970s when she was only 22, Ayers  who was 40 at the time  spanked her against her will in the newsroom on a Saturday, when only a few other employees were present. Two other women, who declined to share their names on the record, also told the Star of similar spankings they allegedly endured from Ayers. Per the Star:

They say a pattern of forced spankings by the publisher, with sexual overtones, led women in the newsroom at the time to seek help from the newspapers editors  who appointed a woman on staff to warn newly-hired women to watch out for Ayers.

Kennedy told the website Alabama Political Reporter that her spanking occurred after Ayers asked her to read an editorial he had written. He said Oh, youre being a bad girl. Im going to have to spank you, Kennedy said. Ayers then allegedly wrestled her out of her chair and spanked her hard with a metal pole 18 times.

Mike Stamler, another former Star reporter, was in the room at the time of the incident and confirmed Kennedys account. Kennedy said she didnt come forward with her allegations until now because she didnt want it to negatively affect her career as a reporter  and feared her father would kill Ayers for the assault.

Ayers, who now serves as the chairman of the company that publishes the newspaper, told the Star in a statement: As a very young man with more authority than judgment, I did some things I regret. 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.
Photo: Colin Anderson/Getty Images

Change is hard. Everybody knows that. So we head into our New Years resolutions with our teeth gritted, determined to battle our way to success. Sure, we know that most of us are doomed to fail, and that the yoga studios that are packed on January 2 will be back to their Zenlike calm by February. With enough willpower, though, we hope that we can beat the odds and bull our way through.

But what if this attitude has it exactly backwards? What if the key to success isnt trying hard but not trying very hard at all?

The idea sounds crazy, because it runs contrary to how most people, and even most psychologists, view the process of self-control. In the standard version, people struggle with temptation because we have long-term goals (say, losing weight) that stand in conflict with short-term ones (eating cake). We can beat back the urge to indulge the short-term desire by using willpower, but we only have a finite amount, and the more we use it the more depleted it gets  until it ultimately runs out, and we eat the damn cake. So the way to achieve our long-term goals is to build up our willpower muscles so we can fight back longer and better.

Canadian psychologists Marina Milyavskaya and Michael Inzlicht decided to test this model. At the beginning of a school year they asked university students to describe four goals that they had for themselves in the coming semester. The answers they got were things like get a 3.6 GPA, improve my health, or learn French. In the weeks that followed the students were sent short questionnaires at random times on their smartphones in which they were asked to assess whether they were feeling temptation at that moment and whether they felt depleted. Then, at the end of the semester, they asked the students how well theyd met their goals theyd outlined at the beginning.

In a paper published last year in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, Milyavskaya and Inzlicht reported that contrary to conventional wisdom, self-control was unimportant in accomplishing ones goals. Students who tried harder to fight temptation didnt win success as a result of their efforts. Instead, they wound up feeling depleted and failing. As the authors put it, Effortful self-control, in contrast to prevailing views, played no role in predicting goal attainment.

Milyavskaya and Inzlichts results jibe with the findings of other studies. Better self-control is, paradoxically, associated with less inhibition of immediately available temptation, write psychologists Brian Galla and Angela Duckworth in a 2015 paper. The implications are both gladdening and disheartening. On the one hand, think of all the effort weve wasted over the years trying to make something better of ourselves. On the other, imagine what we can accomplish now that we know we can do better by not trying too hard.

But just how exactly do we pull this off?

Part of the answer is to really prioritize avoiding the things that might lead us astray. As Milyavskaya and Inzlicht write, The path to better self-regulation lies not in increasing self-control, but in removing the temptations available in our environments.

What if the key to success isnt trying hard but not trying very hard at all?

I had this experience with cigarettes. In the 17 years that I smoked I must have quit a dozen times, but inevitably there would come a time when Id be at a bar and someone would offer me a cigarette. Id tell myself, Just one cant hurt, and that would be it. What put an end to this, Im convinced, is that Mayor Bloomberg put a ban on smoking in most bars in New York City. Suddenly, there were a lot fewer occasions when I had to face temptation, and quitting was easier.

A corollary of all this is that if you cant have something, you wont really want it. I find that Im only tempted to eat ice cream after dinner when I know theres a pint sitting in the freezer. If there isnt any there, I dont think twice about it. Ive broadened this to a general principle: If theres something I dont want myself to have (junk food, cigarettes, or whatever) I dont let it in the house.

Of course, this technique will only take you so far; you cant always control which temptations youll be exposed to. Someone might put a box of Klondike bars in the office fridge, or you might be at someones house and another guest pulls out a pack of Marlboros. Then what?

It turns out that theres another major factor that predicts who manages to achieve their goals, and thats whether youve managed to achieve a well-established pattern of behavior. What we tend to do in the present is what we have tended to do in the past, write Galla and Duckworth. Maybe youve set a rule for yourself that every time you find yourself wanting to eat something sweet, you have a piece of fruit instead, or if youre tempted to have a cigarette, you chew a piece of gum. If youve followed the rule for a long time, you know that the chances youll break it are low, so effectively that temptation isnt really there for you.

The neat and wonderful thing about this is that once you change your pattern of behavior, you wind up changing what you desire, too. It gets easy to stay on track. A lot of people have told me that once they got into the habit of eating healthy food, things like KFC and Doritos just started to seem gross.

Theres an obvious Catch-22 here. You cant establish a pattern of behavior if each time you try you deplete your willpower and fail.

The trick is to recognize that self-control isnt an all-or-nothing proposition. We can carve out small, manageable areas of good behavior and gradually build trust in our ability to hold fast. I call this approach The Loop: First, find a rule that will bring you a little bit closer to your self-control goal, but will be so easy that you have no doubt youll be able to stick to it. Then, each day keep track of whether youve done it or not. Thats all. Dont worry about solving the big problem; focus on staying on The Loop. If it starts to feel like a struggle, then dial the rule back to make it easier. As time goes by, The Loop will become second nature and youll be able to crank it up to a more ambitious setting.

Ive been doing various iterations of this for years, and have got a half-dozen Loops going right now. One of the best things about it is that once youve figured out how it works, its easy to apply the technique toward other goals. Here are a couple of examples.

Learning a Language

Memorizing vocabulary and rules of grammar is impossibly boring. I found myself wondering: Is there a way to master a foreign language without expending any significant effort?

After fiddling around with various flash-card programs, I found Duolingo, a website that offers daily modular learning blocks. Set a quota for yourself, and it will bug you via text message if you dont meet it. Duolingo feels more like a video game than homework, and I havent missed a day in three years. In that time, Ive finished the German course, am almost done with the French, and just started in on Russian.

Exercise

I always used to despise exercise. Then in my late 20s I realized I was getting a potbelly. My first attempt at getting in shape involved going all-out for five minutes on a rowing machine. I found myself counting down the seconds until it was over, and feeling like Id accomplished nothing anyway.

Then I came up with a better idea: jogging really slowly. My goal was to find a pace so low-key that my muscles never burned. My first time out, I ran 15 minutes away from my house and 15 minutes back. Shockingly, it wasnt unpleasant. I started doing it once a week, then twice. Before long I was doing five miles three or four times a week. That was 20 years go. Now an hour-long run doesnt feel like a challenge, but just a pleasant part of normal, healthy life, like taking a shower or brushing my teeth.

Eating

Compared to getting active, changing how you eat is really hard. When youre hungry and the food is in front of you, its just really easy to put it in your mouth.

Over the years Ive applied various iterations of The Loop to the problem, and one Ive had the most success with involves potato chips. Id realized that once I opened a bag of Ruffles or Kettle chips, it was very hard for me to stop. Id find myself standing over the kitchen sink, pushing a fistful in my mouth and saying, Last one  So my rule is that the only chips I allow myself are Baked Lays, a kind of pseudo-chip from which 90 percent of the joy has been engineered out. Nutritionally speaking, they have less calories or salt or something, but the point for me is that I have no desire to overindulge.

Focus

Everyones horribly distracted these days, but while the scale of the crisis is new, the challenge is not. When Victor Hugo was on deadline to finish The Hunchback of Notre Dame, he took off his clothes and locked them away so that he wouldnt be tempted to go outside and hobnob.

My personal version of The Loop in this area is less dramatic: When I need to get a writing project done, I turn off the internet and note the time. Once Ive logged my start, Im not allowed to do anything for two hours except write, study my fingernails, look out the window, or rest my head on my desk. Eventually boredom drives me to the keyboard, and Im click-clacking away. Its a process, but each day I get better at it. Before long, Im busting through my two-hour minimum without even noticing.

These examples are obviously idiosyncratic; they work for me but might not for anyone else. The point is to choose a goal, think of a rule that seems like it will be easy, and play around with it. If you fail, change it up. Stay in the saddle, but go easy on yourself. If youre trying too hard, youre doing it wrong.
Andrew Creighton and Mike Germano. Photo: Getty Images

Vice Medias president Andrew Creighton and chief digital officer Mike Germano are on leave after they were accused of sexual misconduct in a recent New York Times story about the culture of sexual harassment at their company.

Vice Media announced in a memo to staff this morning that Andrew Creighton, the company's president, and Mike Germano, its chief digital officer, are both on leave after sexual harassment allegations were publicly reported against them. Story to come.  Emily Steel (@emilysteel) January 2, 2018

In a memo sent to employees Tuesday morning, obtained by the Cut, Vices COO/CFO Sarah Broderick announced that Andrew Creighton will remain on leave while a special committee of Vice board members review a 2016 settlement the company reached with a former employee, who said she felt pressured by Creighton to submit to advances he made during a series of work meetings between 2013-2015.

Broderick also announced that Mike Germano will be on leave while an external investigator looks into the claims against him. According to the Times report, two women described incidents with Germano, who became Vices CDO after the company acquired his digital ad agency, Carrot Creative, in 2013. One woman said he told her at a Carrot holiday party in 2012 that he didnt want to hire her because he wanted to have sex with her, and another said he pulled her onto his lap during a work event at a bar in 2014.

A November report by the Daily Beast described Vice as having a toxic company culture for women, and reported that employees at were forced to sign a Non-Traditional Work Agreement in which they essentially agreed not to be offended by anything that happened there. Three employees were later fired as a result of the report.
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has backed Federal Minister Greg Hunt who has said that African crime gangs in the city of Melbourne are out of control. (L image: Victoria Police, R image: Stefan Postles/Getty Images)

Australian Politicians Row Over Melbournes African Gang Crime Crisis

A federal politician has blamed Melbournes so-called African crime gang crisis on a lack of political leadership at the state levelsentiments backed up by the countrys prime minister.

Federal Minister Greg Hunt, who represents the seat of Flinders on Melbournes southeastern fringe, said that African gang crime is out of control in parts of Victoria and tougher sentencing laws are needed, reported the ABC.

We know that African gang crime in some areas, in particular, is clearly out of control, Hunt told press on Monday, Jan. 1.

The failure is not the police, but the premier, he said in reference to Victoria state leader, Daniel Andrews from the Australian Labor Party (ALP).

.@TurnbullMalcolm: We are very concerned by the growing gang violence and lawlessness in Victoria. This is a failure of the Andrews government. MORE: https://t.co/i504Kih1jP pic.twitter.com/1q36BFGjX2  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) January 1, 2018

Hunt, a Liberal Party member from the federal ruling conservative coalition, said Andrews was stopping police from taking a robust position in dealing with the issue.

Hunt was backed up by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull who said the national government was very concerned about the growing gang violence and lawlessness in Victoria, particularly in Melbourne.

Turnbull also blamed the Andrews government.

This is a failure of the Andrews government, he said. Its very important to understand that community policing is the role of the state government or the territory government, and  thats their responsibility.

There are growing calls for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to step in and fund 80 new AFP officers to tackle youth gangs in Melbourne suburbs. #9News pic.twitter.com/aAZSR13oIp  Nine News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) December 29, 2017

Victorian government frontbencher Phillip Dalidakis told ABC that the state government would take its instructions and advice from Victoria Police, not the prime minister.

Dalidakis also retweeted comments made by ALPs Victoria Attorney General Martin Pakula who lashed out at Turnbulls comments.

His interventions may be worth more if his own government wasnt so indolent and chaotic. A joke, tweeted Pakula.

The comments from Hunt and Turnbull come after media reports on a string of crimes attributed to gangs of African youth, mostly South Sudanese, which have often reluctantly been called out by the authorities due to sensitivity regarding issues of ethnicity.

"African gang crime" is out of control in parts of Victoria, Minister Greg Hunt says https://t.co/UZrRh1wF76 pic.twitter.com/BHzO6NtNLD  ABC Melbourne (@abcmelbourne) January 1, 2018

Some members of the states police and politicians have been accused of covering up the issue.

Among them was Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp who said that Melbourne did not have a gang problem, and urged the media not to label groups of young thugs as gangs.

I dont accept for one minute that we do have gangs, Deputy Commissioner Crisp said at the time.

I urge you [the media] not to play up to the ego of these young people by calling them a gang, because theyre not a gang.

In a Fairfax op-ed, a South Sudanese man wrote there is indeed an issue in Melbourne.

After watching the horrendous and appalling behavior committed by my fellow South Sudanese youth in the past few weeks, I am furiousand in total disbeliefto hear our top cop and government officials say there are no Sudanese gangs in Melbourne, wrote Nelly Yoa who mentors members of youth gangs in and out of prison.

Nobody should ever try and cover up or defend this unacceptable behaviorto do so is immoral and inexplicable, he said. It is upsetting and completely false.

Despite what Crisp and other top police have recently said, the acting Chief Commissioner Shane Patton and Police Minister Lisa Neville both publicly acknowledged public concern last week.

The leaders in the African community readily and openly say they do have issues with a small cohort of African youths who are committing high-end crimes. We acknowledge that, Patton said, reported The Australian.

Neville said African-born young men were overrepresented in crime statistics and were causing great harm and fear in the community.

Most of the South Sundanese community in Melbourne came to Australia as refugees displaced by conflict during 2003 to 2006. In 2011, South Sudan became independent from northern Sudan but the young nation collapsed into civil war between ethnic groups. South Sudan remains wracked by violence and famine.

About 0.1 percent of Victorias population are born in Sudan, official data shows, reported the ABC.

From NTD.tv

Up next:

2017 Year in Review
Brittany Kologi (L), and her parents (R) Steven and Linda Kologi, in an undated image uploaded to the crowdfunding site Go Fund Me, following their deaths by shooting on Dec 31 2017. (GoFundMe)

Autistic Teenager in Custody After 4 Found Shot Dead in Family Home

A 16-year-old autistic boy is in police custody after authorities found four of his family members shot dead at their home.

Police arrived at the family home in the seaside town of Long Branch, New Jersey, at about 20 minutes before midnight on New Years Eve.

The boy, Scott Kologi, appears to have used a semi-automatic rifle to murder his parents, sister and grandfathers partner, the Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said in a statement on Monday, January 2.

Gramiccioni described the shooting as terribly tragic during a press conference in Long Branch.

The grandfather of the suspect as well as the brother of the suspect thankfully left the home, he told reporters in a video posted to the Monmouth County Prosecutors official Facebook page.

The brother of the gunman, Steven Jr. Kologi, paid tribute to his family on social media.

I just wish I could tell all of them how much they meant to me and how much I truly loved each and every one of them because I didnt do that enough, he wrote in an Instagram post, according to the Daily News.

Their grandfather Adrian Kologi also escaped injury.

Authorities identified the slain family members as Steven Kologi, 44, Linda Kologi, 42, his 18-year-old sister, Brittany and his grandfathers partner, 70-year-old Mary Schultz.

The semi-automatic rifle was legally owned and registered to a resident of the house, Gramiccioni told reporters.

Linda Kologis cousin, Walter Montelione, broke down in tears as she spoke in a phone interview to CBS2 about the tragic news.

The Kologis were very caring, loving people and always looking to do fun things with their kids, he said.

He was a good kid. He was, a little you know, slow with learning disabilities but he knows right from wrong.

Family friend Veronica Mass told the NJ that she was stunned when she heard about the shooting.

They were a close-knit family, she said. No drugs, no alcohol.

She said the teenager was schooled at home and described him as outgoing and very friendly.

An online fundraising campaign to raise money for the familys funeral has already raised over $18,000.
Chinese Doctor Collapses in Front of her Patients, Dies after Working 18 Hours Straight

A female doctor in China collapsed in front of her patients and soon died after working for 18 hours straight.

Dr. Zhao Bianxiang worked in respiratory care at the Yuci District Hospital in Jinzhong, a medium-size city in Shanxi province, the Shanxi Evening News reports.

Colleagues described her as a hard worker who would never turn down a request for help if someone asked. They said even on her days off, she would still come in to help.

During cold weather, the respiratory unit is usually busier than at other times of the year, the Evening News reports. A colleague said that, in addition to the higher caseload, they were given a special assignment.

I saw her in the hospital the whole day last Tuesday. She was still working in the afternoon on Wednesday. I asked her, Did you not rest? Dr. Zhao said, Too busy, a patient told the Evening News.

She started work at 6 p.m. on Dec. 28, and collapsed at about noon on Dec. 29 in front of her patients. She was rushed to the intensive care unit, but her colleagues were unable to revive her.

Her parents, both in their 80s, were called the hospital to be with her in her last moments, and on Dec. 30 at 11:16 a.m she passed away. She was 43 years old.

According to the Evening News, she died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage, or bleeding in a part of the brain. A 2007 study in the journal Lancet said that an aneurysm is the cause of the bleeding in about 85 percent of cases. A sudden headache is the conditions main symptom, it says.

Its unclear whether Zhaos long hours contributed to her death.

According to state-run media, feeling overworked in China is not uncommon.

Xinhua News reported in December 2016 that some 600,000 people are overworked, which it describes as acute illness due to mental stress, working long hours, or physical strain from work.

From NTD.tv
The Cinderella Castle at Disney's Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Fla., on May 22, 2016. (Benjamin Chasteen/Epoch Times)

Disney World Just Changed Its Do Not Disturb Sign Policy

The Do Not Disturb signs at some Walt Disney World hotels were removed and were changed with another sign and policy.

The signs were removed from four hotels around on the Monorail loop for the Magic Kingdom theme park, including Disneys Polynesian Village Resort, Disneys Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disneys Contemporary Resort, and Bay Lake Tower, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

Customers at these locations can use the Room Occupied signs, which doesnt prevent maintenance or housekeeping staff from entering the room.

Guests at these locations were told that Disney hotel staff will enter the properties daily whether they like it or not. The Sentinel said that the company will coordinate with people who dont want staff entering their rooms when theyre not around.

The chilling reason Disney World removed 'Do Not Disturb' signs https://t.co/HMwYxrvYZP via @nypost  Rich Mills (@RBMills32) January 2, 2018

The policy appears to be in response to the Oct. 1, 2017, shooting in Las Vegas that left 58 dead and hundreds more injured. Stephen Paddock, 64, fired down on a crowd of concertgoers from his Mandalay Bay hotel suite before reportedly committing suicide.

He stored hundreds of rounds of ammunition as well as numerous guns in the hotel prior to the incident. According to the New York Post, he used a Do Not Disturb sign.

Many hotels in Las Vegas also changed their Do Not Disturb sign policies, including the Orleans Hotel and Casino on the Strip.

Disney didnt say whether the Las Vegas shooting prompted the change for its policy. It, however, said it made the decision for a variety of factors, which includes safety, security, and the guest experience, the Sentinel reported.

The top concern of hotels is keeping customers safe, said Steven Carvell, a finance professor at Cornell Universitys School of Hotel Administration.

He told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: They need to ensure, for instance, that a guest isnt dead or unconscious, he was quoted as saying.

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Dissident in China: Facial Recognition Technology Used to Catch Me

Camera system spies on everyone, bringing Orwells nightmare to life

The recent arrest of a relatively unknown dissident in China may have been made possible by the regimes use of facial recognition technology, now widely installed in camera systems in major cities in China. If so, this arrest could mark the Chinese regimes entry into a period of what critics are calling digitized totalitarianism.

Around 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 19, 2017, Chinese dissident writer Li Xuewen, 40, was approached and arrested by two plainclothes police officers at the Guangzhou railway station, just as he was exiting the metro there. Li was told on the spot that he was on the wanted list of Chinas Ministry of Public Security for gathering a crowd to disrupt social order. Li was then taken into custody and sent to the Xinhui detention center.

According to a statement later released by Lis lawyer, Ge Yongxi, Li was questioned repeatedly for his participation in a seaside memorial held on July 19, 2017, in Xinhui, an urban district that, like the metropolis Guangzhou, is in southeastern Chinas Guangdong Province. The memorial sought to commemorate Nobel Peace Prize laureate Liu Xiaobo, who died on July 13 due to a prolonged illness he had developed in prison. Participants in the memorial were later targeted by the Chinese regime and all were heavily prosecuted, as the regime sees any commemoration of activists like Liu Xiaobo as an act of political dissent.

In his lawyers statement, Li suspects that he was identified at the metro station by facial recognition cameras installed by Guangzhou authorities. If true, this would be one of the first incidents in which the Chinese regime has caught a political dissident using facial recognition technology.

The arrest of Li Xuewen seems to confirm predictions that the regime is bringing an Orwellian nightmare and digitized totalitarianism to China.

While Lis claim about the role of the facial recognition system in his arrest cannot be independently verified, it is likely that some form of tracking technology was indeed used, considering that the arrest took place at an exit of the Guangzhou metro station.

Unlike Chinas high-speed rail, which requires riders to purchase a ticket with a national identification card that can then be tracked by security, the Guangzhou metro system still relies on an anonymous fare card system called Yang Cheng Tong, which would not normally betray the identity of its user to the authorities. Li likely thought that he could remain anonymous while passing through the turnstiles at the metro.

In recent years, however, Guangzhou has become one of the cities that has spearheaded the Chinese regimes move to impose ever-more intrusive mass surveillance on the daily lives of the Chinese people.

As early as 2015, the state mouthpiece Xinhua News Agency reported that facial recognition cameras have been installed across the sprawling Guangzhou metro station are to help policing and counter-terrorism operations. Another Xinhua story reported that the facial recognition system used in Guangzhou is supplied by PCI-Suntek Technology Co. Ltd., a Guangzhou-based company that has been heavily funded by the Guangzhou city government.

In 2015, the system could identify five individuals in one second, the Xinhua report boasted. Once a match with the wanted database has been identified, the system will automatically alert nearby police through notifications to their mobile phones.

While the Xinhua report said that the system will only check the captured facial data against the existing wanted criminal database, PCI-Suntek Technologys official website says that it also saves a digital print of all the images of faces captured by the system for use in later identification. Because of this, the system could theoretically monitor the travel patterns of all the people it had ever scanned, even those who are not listed in the criminal database.

According to its corporate report for the first half of 2017, PCI-Suntek Technology has already installed this facial recognition system across the metro and train systems of 17 cities in China including Guangzhou, Qingdao, Tianjin, Xiamen, Wuhan, and Ningbo. The report also boasted of a great opportunity to be had in Xinjiang under the One Belt, One Road initiative, alluding to the possibility that the company will provide a facial recognition system for the Chinese regime to spy on the Uyghur ethnic minority there.

The Chinese regime has become the worlds biggest market for mass surveillance tools as it seeks to harvest the power of new technology to deepen its control over Chinas population of 1.4 billion. The arrest of Li seems to confirm predictions that the regime is bringing an Orwellian nightmare and digitized totalitarianism to China.

As of Dec. 29, 2017, Li is still in the Chinese regimes custody. In a prewritten statement on Oct. 31, 2017, in anticipation of his eventual arrest, Li said that in the previous months he had lived through an extraordinary period of hiding and changing locations, which has worried my family, girlfriend, and friends. Li said that he had no fear at all but hoped that his friends do everything they can to advocate on my behalf.
Southwest Airlines stopped a family getting on a flight because they suspected a 6-year-old girl had lice in her hair, on Dec. 29. (Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

Family Kicked Off End-of-Year Flight to Disneyland Over Suspicions Child Had Lice

A family has been kicked off a flight to Disneyland after flight crew were told that the familys 6-year-old girl had lice in her hair.

The Newman family were on their end-of-year outing and flying Southwest Airlines from Chicago to Santa Ana, California on Friday, Dec. 29.

They were about to board the aircraft when the mother spotted some white flakes in the 6-year-old daughters hair, NBC 5 reported.

Father J Newman said: There was some dry skin in my daughters hair. So, she was just kind of taking it out of my daughters hair.

Around half an hour later a staff member at the gate approached the family with concerns there could be lice in the girls hair.

It appears that other passengers had alerted staff when they saw my wife going through my daughters hair, Newman said.

And we looked at each other like, Are you serious right now or is this a joke?

A statement from Southwest sent to NBC 5 said that several passengers had approached gate staff with concerns about a fellow passenger in the gate area exhibiting behavior consistent with a highly contagious medical condition.

The statement continued: We never want to inconvenience customers but when we receive concerns from multiple people, were obligated to look into them.

The airline forced the Newmans to not board their flight, according to NBC 5.

We dont even have lice. Thats the crazy thing. our daughter doesnt have lice, Newman told the broadcaster. So, why they would do this to us I have no idea.

According to Newman, his daughter now believes it was her fault the family didnt get to go to Disneyland.

He also said Southwest rebooked them for a flight that left a couple of days later but had not apologized or compensated the family.
A patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas), at Tierpark, Berlin, Germany in August 2014. Thirteen monkeys of the same species died in a fire at the Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire, UK, on Jan. 2. (Flickr / Tambako The Jaguar)

Fire Kills Thirteen Monkeys at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire, UK

Thirteen monkeys have been killed in a large fire at the Woburn Safari Park in the early hours of Tuesday, Jan. 8.

The blaze broke out in an enclosure occupied by Patas Monkeys at the park in Bedfordshire, UK, according to a statement on the park website.

Devastatingly for everyone at the park, none of the thirteen animals could be saved, said the statement.

Despite efforts by firefighters and staff members, all the animals in the Patas Monkey house were killed when the roof collapsed as a result of the blaze, said the statement.

An inquiry has been launched into the cause of the fire, which occurred within the African Forest part of the park, and part of the park will be closed for the investigation.

Fire crews arrived at Woburn at 02:37 local time to fight the blaze, which was said to be of significant intensity, the BBC reported.

According to the Daily Mail a spokesperson for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue said: When firefighters from Woburn and Dunstable Community Fire Stations arrived along with the water carrier from Toddington they found the outbuilding housing Patas monkeys was well alight and its roof had fallen in.

They fought the fire using fire hoses while wearing breathing apparatus to protect themselves from the smoke and fumes. The building was 90 per cent damaged by the fire.

It took two hours to extinguish the flames, according to the fire service.

Park officials said that following the traumatic incident they are monitoring the other animals, but early signs suggest that they have not been affected.

The Woburn blaze comes just days after a fire broke out in the animal adventure section at London Zoo on Dec. 23.

An aardvark was killed and four meerkats are presumed dead in the incident, which left staff requiring treatment for smoke inhalation, the Guardian reported.

Sadly our vets have confirmed the death of our nine-year-old aardvark, Misha, a statement on the London Zoos website said. There are also four meerkats unaccounted for at this stage.

It is not known what caused either the London Zoo fire or the Woburn Safari Park blaze.

Aerial footage of the Woburn Safari Park, from FlyLow channel:
Jack Junior Montgomery, 31, was charged on Dec. 31 with first-degree murder for the death of his stepson, 6-year-old Brice Russell. (Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office)

Florida Man Beat 7-Year-Old Stepson to Death for Sneaking a Cookie

A Florida man beat his stepson to death for sneaking out of bed to get a cookie, said prosecutors at a Jan. 1 arraignment, adding that he also forced the boys siblings to take part in the deadly assault and then made them sleep next to his body all night, New York Post reported.

Jack Junior Montgomery, 31, of Tampa, has been charged with first-degree murder.

Seven-year-old Brice Russell was left in Montgomerys carealong with three of his siblingsby his mother, Donya Shenita Russell, who reportedly went off to work.

The family is said to have been staying at a local hotel while she worked the double shift.

While she was out working (Montgomery) chose to not only physically discipline this child himself, by not only repeatedly punching and throwing him on the groundbut threatening bodily harm upon the two brothers if they did not partake and equally discipline him, Assistant State Attorney Matthew Smith stated in court.

Afraid of being hurt by Montgomery, the boys reportedly struck Brice.

The stepfather reportedly told investigators that he wanted to punish the boy for sneaking a cookie.

Brices brothers told the police that Montgomery punched him repeatedly in the face, mouth, and stomach with a closed fist.

He then threw the boy across the room.

(Montgomery) picked him up and flung him as described by the other brothers, helicopter across the hotel room into whats kind of a cabinet, where he hit head first. And ultimately caused his brain to bleed, Smith said.

The head trauma the boy sustained was said by Smith to have caused his death within seconds or minutes.

As if that was not aggravated enough, Mr. Montgomery took the child, put him in bed and had his siblings sleep with him while Brice was dead that entire night.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office, as reported by WFLA, Montgomery called 911 about 10:50 a.m. Saturday to report that his stepson would not wake up and was not breathing.

Deputies had earlier conducted a welfare call at the room, ABC reported.

A hotel employee called the police after hearing disturbing noises.

Beat the kid! and Push the kid over here! a male voice was heard shouting, according to what the worker told deputies.

The officers did not find any suspicious activity and reportedly left after Montgomery assured them that the sounds in question were caused by loud music.

Hillsborough County Fire Rescue responded to the emergency call at room 205 of the Masters Inn at 6010 State Road 579 in Seffner.

Brice was pronounced dead at 10:59 a.m.

Montgomery has been charged with both first-degree felony murder and aggravated child abuse.

He could face the death penalty for his crimes.

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New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo at an event on Roosevelt Island, New York, on Sept. 13, 2017. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

ICE Condemns Politically-Driven Pardons of Immigrants in New York

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has granted pardons to 18 aliens in an attempt to shield them from deportation. Cuomos actions follow California Gov. Jerry Browns pardoning of two aliens several days earlier.

Today I granted clemency to 61 individuals including 18 pardons to immigrants facing deportation, Cuomo tweeted on Dec. 27. While the federal government continues to target immigrants, were making a more just, fair, and compassionate New York.

Cuomo said the pardons may not automatically remove the grounds of removal for those facing deportation, but they are a necessary predicate to regaining the right to remain here in the country they call home.

Thomas Decker, New York field office director for ICEs Enforcement and Removal Operations, had a different message.

While the governors pardons appear to be yet another politically driven attempt to circumvent federal immigration law, whether or not they actually have any legal effect on individual immigration cases will be reviewed by ICE, Decker said in a statement on Jan. 1.

For aliens who remain subject to final orders of removal under federal law, ICE will execute those lawful orders.

These are not consequences they can escape by a governor exercising pardon authority like a magic wand.  Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies, Center for Immigration Studies

Most of those pardoned had obtained legal immigration status at some point, but were convicted of crimes so serious that their legal status was forfeited, according to Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies.

However, its questionable whether this [pardons] will succeed, because under immigration law pardons do not necessarily wipe out the effect of the original conviction, Vaughan said. Theres also a potentially very negative political result, as people question why these governors would take this action to protect criminals from the consequences of their actions, or simply to undermine immigration laws that the general public wants to see enforced.

Among those granted pardons in New York is Freddy Perez, 53, who was convicted of criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree and attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree in 1993, according to a statement released by Cuomo.

Perez is a national of the Dominican Republic who has lived in the United States for decades. He works as an electrician and helps look after his autistic brother. The pardon will strike his record and allow Perez to apply for citizenship, according to Cuomo.

Christopher Cavallo, 66, wants to be pardoned from his 1977 drug crime so that he can run for public office in Florida and expand his security business, according to Cuomo.

It is unclear which country Cavallo is a national of, but his security company has an office in Bogota, Colombia.

Vaughan said voters are not going to be fooled by the pardon.

The reality for these people, whether they have been rehabilitated or not, is that these are not consequences they can escape by a governor exercising pardon authority like a magic wand, Vaughan said.

Alternative Sentencing

Earlier this year, prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York, and Baltimore, Maryland, instructed their staff to consider alternative offenses and sentence modifications for illegal immigrants to protect them from possible deportation.

Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement that his new policy aims to prevent collateral consequences of convictions for illegal immigrants. Certain convictionssuch as feloniestrigger automatic deportation proceedings or other immigration difficulties.

Gonzalez instructed his assistants to consider alternative offenses the defendant can plead to as well as reasonable modifications to the sentence recommendation.

The alternative offense should be similar in level and length of sentence to that offered to a citizen defendant, but the charge may be different, Gonzalez said.

For example, a plea to a misdemeanor trespass may be offered when appropriate instead of a misdemeanor drug offense, he said.

Baltimore is also one of 11 cities and counties that are putting public money into a new program that provides free lawyers for illegal immigrants who are facing deportation.

The effort is part of the Safe City Baltimore initiative that was established on April 20 by the Open Society InstituteBaltimore, in partnership with the Baltimore City Mayors Office of Immigrant and Multicultural Affairs.

Open Society is a George Soros-run organization that has pledged to donate $1 for every $2 contributed to the Safe City Baltimore Fund.

Sanctuary Policies

Both New York and California have defied federal immigration laws and created sanctuary policies to protect illegal aliens from immigration enforcement.

On Oct. 5, Brown signed into law SB-54, which made the state of California a sanctuary effective Jan. 1, 2018. The new law says local and state law enforcement can be penalized for cooperating and communicating with immigration officials.

Typically, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodges a detainer to a local jail that is holding an illegal alien of interest. A detainer is a request that an inmate be held for up to 48 hours longer so that ICE can take custody.

Some sanctuaries, such as in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles, also forbid immigration agents from entering jails to interview convicted criminal aliens. The criminals are instead released back into the community.

That doesnt make sense to me, ICE Deputy Director Tom Homan said on Oct. 17. Every criminal alien that gets released by a sanctuary city that reoffends, has committed a crime thats preventable.

Even immigrant communities dont want criminals in their communities.

Homan said that as of July 31 this year, almost 10,000 criminal aliens who were released onto the streetsrather than being turned over to ICEhave committed another crime.
Justice Department May Have Something Big in the Works: Over 9,000 Sealed Indictments

Since late October, more than 9,000 sealed indictments have been filed in districts across the United States. Sealed indictments are typically used in prosecuting individuals or criminal networks in cases where revealing names could lead individuals to flee or destroy evidence.

As of Dec. 22, 2017, there were 9,294 sealed indictments, according to data collected by researchers and gathered from the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER) service of the federal judiciary. This includes 1,224 in the central district of California, which includes Los Angeles; 194 in Washington; and 248 in the southern district of New York.

The number of indictments filed in less than three months is in stark contrast to previous years. According to a 2009 report from the Federal Judicial Center, in all of 2006, there were only 1,077 sealed indictments, and these were about 0.96 percent of all criminal cases that year.

According to Marc Ruskin, a former FBI undercover agent and author of The Pretender: My Life Undercover for the FBI, its unclear whether the current sealed indictments are connected, but the high number is something he never saw in his 27 years as an agent.

Ruskin said the large number of sealed indictments may explain the relatively low profile maintained by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. If hes been occupied with an initiative that is sort of under wraps and being conducted covertly, it would explain why he hasnt had a prominent position in the media as of latebecause these are things he cant talk about, Ruskin said.

Its uncertain what the sealed indictments are related to, but there is speculation. Some say the sealed indictments may be related to special counsel Robert Muellers investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Others speculate that the indictments are related to human trafficking networks.

Because of the large number, Ruskin said the indictments cant all be related to the special prosecutor, because that would be a little fanciful to all be interrelated to Mueller and the work hes doingalthough he may have a certain number of sealed indictments that we dont know about.

Since the indictments are sealed by a judge, it would be illegal for anyone to reveal their content. Yet, as Ruskin pointed out, with political cases its not uncommon for details to be leaked to the press. He said the lack of chatter in legacy news outlets may suggest that the higher-ups have no political interest in leaking their content.

He also noted there has been no chatter in the retired FBI circles.

Ruskin said that among the causes mentioned for the surge of sealed indictments, the most plausible, he believes, is that it is related to human trafficking. Even his work investigating the mafia didnt generate anywhere near as many sealed indictments as those currently pending; but with a human trafficking network, he said, there would be multiple groups operating in multiple districtswhich fits the profile.

This would also fall in line with recent actions of President Donald Trump, who on Dec. 21, 2017, signed an executive order declaring a national emergency over human rights abuses and corruption. Trump declared January 2018 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

Ruskin said: It would be consistent with the large number of sealed indictments, because it is a problem thats nationwide. If there was a national initiative involving the Justice Department, and the FBI and ICE, lets say, focused on that issue, then that would be a crime problem that would be bi-coastal and would involve multiple districts.

That could plausibly account for all the sealed indictments, Ruskin said. That would be more plausible than most other explanations.

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The house on Glenn Avenue in Citrus Heights where the resident attacked firefighters on the morning of Jan. 1. (ScreenshotBing Maps)

Man Attacks Firefighters Trying to Rescue Him

Firefighters in Citrus Heights, California, were trying to fight a fire on New Years Eve when they suddenly found themselves fighting a fire victim.

Police visited a home on Glenn Avenue in Citrus Heights, about ten miles northeast of Sacramento, during the day on Sunday, Dec. 31, to check up on the resident, a man in his 50s, CBS reported. The man refused to talk to police officers.



Shortly after 1 a.m. on Jan. 1, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District firefighters were summoned to the same home, which was already partially engulfed in flames.

Firefighters entered the home and found the man inside. As they approached, intending to escort the man to safety, he raised a knife.

They did find him in a hallway, Sgt. Wesley Herman of the Citrus Heights Police department told the New York Daily News. At that point in time as they went to take him out of the house, he raised up a knife as firefighters had to subdue him.

Firefighters are trained to fight fires, not armed attackers. Luckily, there were enough firefighters on the scene that they managed to subdue the man without anyone getting injured.

They were able to overcome him by the sheer numbers of firefighters inside there, Sgt. Herman said.



Sacramento Metro Fire spokesman Chris Vestal told CBS News that the situation, though very unusual, was handled well.

They did what any of us would do, they made a rescue of a person that ultimately was able to be transported, Vestal said.

It reminds us that we need that assessment and to take a second look at it and say, Is there anything that we are not seeing? before we take action.

The man had to be hospitalized for burns and smoke inhalation.

Sacramento Metro Fire Inspector Diana Schmidt told the Sacramento Bee that the home was significantly damaged.

The fire is currently under investigation. Depending on what that investigation reveals, the man could face charges of arson.

According to Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Herman, the man will be definitely be charged with assault with a deadly weapon on a peace officer.

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Conor McGregor attends his after fight party and his Wynn Nightlife residency debut at the Encore Beach Club at Night at Wynn Las Vegas on Aug. 27, 2017. (David Becker/Getty Images for Wynn Nightlife)

MMA Star McGregor Shaking With Aussie Flu as Epidemic Claims Lives in Ireland

Irish authorities have announced the first deaths from Australian flu as the virus takes hold in the northern hemisphere, after causing the worst flu season for a decade in Australia.

MMA champion and global star Conor McGregor was among those affected by the Aussie flu, officially known as H3N2, with experts saying the current strain appears to be particularly resistant to vaccines.

McGregor wrote on Instagram that he had been struck down by the virus during the New year, which he said had left him shaking in bed for two days.

McGregor later deleted the post, which accompanied a picture of himself with his son on a bed, without explanation.

Conor McGregor struck down with Australian flu as UFC star welcomes in 2018https://t.co/dwLqRdapZC pic.twitter.com/PBjxtYeWfg  Mirror Fighting ? (@MirrorFighting) January 1, 2018

Well that was a wild New Years Eve. Half the family hit with the Australian flu virus and some even left in hospital with it, he said in the post, as widely reported in the media.

Big New Years Eve party cancelled at the last minute and I am left shaking in bed the past two days.

Irish Health and Service Executive (HSE) issued a warning that the Aussie flu had arrived in Ireland; something which health services in the northern hemisphere have been anticipating for months.

Dr. Kevin Kelleher, director of the HSEs surveillance centre said: The HSE has in the last fortnight also been notified of a small number of deaths directly related to influenza (less than 10).

These indicators tell us that flu is actively starting to circulate in the community, yet its not too late for people at risk to get the vaccine from their GP or Pharmacist.

The H3N2 strain is behind the biggest flu epidemic in a decade to swept through Australia as the southern hemisphere went through its winter.

Confusingly, although the strain has been dubbed Aussie flu the epidemic is thought to have in fact originated in the northern hemisphere.

Speaking to RTE Radio 1s Morning Ireland, Kelleher said some people are more at risk of Aussie flu than others and that the symptoms can affect people very quickly, reported the Independent.

Im not sure if the Australian flu is the Irish flu because they got it from us, or its the Australian flu because we got it from them, but we know its that virus, he said.

The flu, generally speaking, really hits you very hard.

In his deleted comments on social media, McGregor said that he wanted to leave the bad experience of the flu behind him. Other posts of him enjoying the festive period with his family remain on his Instagram account.

My little family A post shared by Conor McGregor Official (@thenotoriousmma) on Dec 21, 2017 at 8:47pm PST

Ill leave that with the rest of the bad behind me in 2017 and take with me the many great experiences Ive had this year!, wrote McGregor. None greater than the birth of my son Conor Jr and the continued support of my family, my friends and my dedicated staff through thick and thin.

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Workers break down the outside portrait of the set of NBC's "Today" show, Nov. 29, 2017, in New York City. It was announced that long time "Today" show host Matt Lauer had been fired for sexual misconduct. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

NBCs Today Show Names Permanent Replacement for Matt Lauer

NBC announced Tuesday the new co-anchor of the Today show after disgraced, longtime-host Matt Lauer was fired over sexual misconduct violations.

Hoda Kotb will be the permanent replacement for Lauer after he was let go at the end of November 2017. She will host alongside current co-host Savannah Guthrie.

Its 2018 and we are kicking off the year right because Hoda is officially the co-anchor of Today,' Guthrie said on Tuesday, Jan 2. This has to be the most popular decision NBC News have ever made and Im so thrilled.

Theres no one Id rather be sitting next to in 2018 than you, Kotb told Guthrie.

Kotb had already been behind the anchor desk of the Today show as a temporary replacement, NBC News reported.

I am pinching myself, Kotb said. I think we should send some medics to Alexandria, Virginia, where my mom has likely fainted after hearing the open of that show.

NBC News Chairman Andrew Lack said in an email that Kotb has seamlessly stepped into the position, and with Guthrie, quickly hit the ground running.

Kotb has been co-hosting the fourth hour of the show with Kathie Lee Gifford since 2008. Lack also said that she would continue in that role as well, according to NBC News.

Lauer was recently spotted on Saturday, Dec. 23, with his now estranged wife and former model Annette Roque with their 14-year-old daughter, Romy.

Roque reportedly did not have a wedding ring on as the trio were seen together on a horse farm they own in Sag Habor New York.

Other journalists flocked to Twitter to congratulate Kotb in her new role.

Congratulations @hodakotb Just officially named new co-host of @TODAYshow along side @SavannahGuthrie What a great team to wake up to!  Lester Holt (@LesterHoltNBC) January 2, 2018

So happy for my dear friend @hodakotb !! Congratulations on being named the new Co Anchor of @TODAYshow !! Nobody does it better!!  Kathie Lee Gifford (@KathieLGifford) January 2, 2018

Earlier, Roques father told reporters his daughter had ditched her wedding ring and was planning to divorce the disgraced former NBC anchor, who was fired from the network for sexual misconduct in the workplace.

She is not going to stay with him and work it out. They are not together trying to work it out, Henri Roque, 76, told the Daily Mail. I have no words for her husband. What he has done is bad. Everybody feels betrayed.

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Incredible photos of the Niagara Falls show how it has transformed into a winter wonderland. (EarthCam.com)

Niagara Falls Turns into Winter Wonderland of Snow and Ice

As the northeast plunges into negative degree weather on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border, it can be hard to believe there is still open fresh water that hasnt frozen.

But look no further than the Niagara Falls to see that. Indeed, there is still open, albeit running water, and plenty of it.

Some 3,160 tons of water flows over the falls every second, so for it to freeze would take a much longer arctic blast than the northeast has had.

Parts of the waterfall have experienced a deeper freeze in recent history though. This picture from 2007 shows freezing in the top part of the falls.

Now, tourists visiting the falls can see trees laden with ice. Photos from social media also show icicles hanging like stalactites from the rocks around the falls.

And for those visitors lucky enough to be exploring the winter wonderland on Jan. 1, they got a special treat when a rainbow graced the sky over the falls. Rainbows often form near waterfalls as sunlight is separated into different colours when it passes through the water droplets.

I came here in the summertime four years ago, Zieong Zang, who made the seven-hour drive from Jersey City in New Jersey told the Buffalo News. It was good, but it wasnt like this. This is just outstanding, with all the snow and the trees coated like sugar.

Indeed. It makes Elsas ice palace in Disneys Frozen look like a real-life fairy tale.

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2017 Year in Review
This photo taken on Nov. 29, 2017 and released on Nov. 30, 2017 by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) shows launching of the Hwasong-15 missile which is capable of reaching all parts of the United States. (AFP PHOTO / KCNA VIA KNS)

North Korean Dictator Orders Scientists to Build Countrys Biggest Rocket Yet: Defector

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un has ordered top scientists to build the countrys largest rocket yet, according to a defector.

The defector told a Japanese newspaper that the country has already started production on its largest missile to date, planning for a launch on the 70th anniversary of the founding of the communist republic.

The unnamed defector told Japans Mainichi newspaper that Kim told North Korean scientists in mid-December to construct the missile during a two-day meeting of senior military leaders and scientists in the countrys capital of Pyongyang.

According to the Telegraph, the defector was described as someone who was previously involved in the regimes missile programand has retained links to former colleagues in the North.

The missile has been designated the Unha-4, and is planned as a larger version of the Unha-3.

Two Unha-3 missiles have been successfully launched, the latest in February 2016 from the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in the northwest of the communist country.

The latest launch successfully carried a satellite, according to the regime, reported CNN. The first launch in 2012 had failed to accomplish that.

Many nations, such as the United States and South Korea, consider the launch to be a cover for testing ballistic missile technology, the broadcaster reported. The nuclear-armed North has insisted its aim was to place a scientific satellite in space.

The satellite that North Korea claimed had been put into orbit has not been identified by experts, casting doubt on the claim of success.

The Unha-3 was 98-feet long and based on Soviet technology. The North Korean defector told the Japanese newspaper that the Unha-4 is essentially ready but needs to undergo multiple rounds of testing.

The defector said there were likely two major objectives in launching a new long-range missile. One would be the use of a satellite for guidance and observation of future missile launches, according to the Asahi Shimbun. The other could be to use the pro forma launch of a satellite into space to test whether the missile was capable of re-entry into the atmosphere.

The latest missile news comes just a few days after Kim claimed in his New Years speech that he has a nuclear button on his desk to use at any time.

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.

While much of the regimes true capability is shrouded in secret, CIA Director Mike Pompeo said in October 2017 that the regime appeared to be just months away from perfecting its nuclear capabilities.

First, this is a very big missile. Quite a bit larger than the Hwasong-14 from earlier this year. pic.twitter.com/vObmjdpYoH  Michael Duitsman (@DuitsyWasHere) November 29, 2017

And in late November 2017, experts indicated that a video showed evidence that the regime is closer than ever to that goal.

This is a very big missile, Michael Duitsman, a research associate at the Centre for Nonproliferation Studies, said in an analysis posted to Twitter. And I dont mean Big for North Korea. Only a few countries can produce missiles of this size, and North Korea just joined the club.

U.S. President Donald Trump has said multiple times over the past several months that the United States would meet force with force were Jong Un ever to make good on his threats of launching one or more nuclear missiles at the United States.

From NTD.tv
A photo that shows the point of view of the Shenzhou-9 spacecraft approaching the Tiangong-1 space station on July 18, 2012. China officially declared it lost control over the space station on March 21, 2016. (STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Out of Control Chinese Space Station Soon to Fall to Earth

An out-of-control unmanned Chinese space station is expected to plummet to Earth in the next coming months.

But where the parts of the Tiangong-1 that survive reentry will eventually crash-land on the Earth remains unconfirmed. It is expected that between 10 to 40 percent of its mass will survive reentry.

The 8.5-metric ton space station is already in a descending pattern.

The now decommissioned space station was launched in 2011 and was described as a potent political symbol of the governing Chinese Communist Party, reported The Guardian.

China officially declared it lost control over the space station on March 21, 2016.

Sometime in late March of this year, a Chinese space station named Tiangong-1 is going to fall back down to Earth  and some big pieces may survive the reentry. https://t.co/omEZb3PWr7 @lorengrush @verge pic.twitter.com/vJC7K9ABN6  Asia Space (@AsiaSpace) January 1, 2018

Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist from Harvard University, said that he expected the Tiangong-1 to come down early this year.

Now that [its] perigee is below 300km and it is in denser atmosphere, the rate of decay is getting higher, McDowell told The Guardian.

He said that some parts of the disintegrating structure that hits the Earths surface may weigh up to 220 pounds (100 kilograms).

McDowell said that predicting where the debris will land is impossible, even in the days ahead of its hitting the Earth.

You really cant steer these things, McDowell said. Even a couple of days before it re-enters we probably wont know better than six or seven hours, plus or minus, when its going to come down. Not knowing when its going to come down translates as not knowing where its going to come down.

McDowell said a minor alteration in atmospheric conditions can bump the landing area from one continent to the next.

At the reentry point, its structure will move 20 times faster than a bullet, according to the U.S. non-profit Aerospace Corporation.

The extreme of heat of the reentry and the increase of aerodynamic loads results in the first major break up of any space hardware falling to Earth at an altitude of between 46-52 miles (74-83 kilometers).

At this point, the object breaks into several smaller objects, and each continues to fragment or melt as long as sufficient heating and loads exist, said Aerospace on its website. When surviving objects have slowed sufficiently, the heat rate drops and a cloud of debris remains to fall and impact the ground.

But the odds that falling parts of Tiangong-1s structure will kill anyone is less than one in a trillion.

Reentry risk estimates are supported by the fact that, over the last 50 years, more than 5,400 metric tons of materials are believed to have survived reentry with no reported casualties (of course, it is possible that casualties have occurred somewhere in the world, but have not been reported), said Aerospace.

From NTD.tv

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BY OPIO SAM CALEB  KAMULI

Leaders in Busoga have asked government to fulfill the parliaments resolution to for a Public University in Busoga by taking over the closed Busoga University to boost education provision in the region.

Speaking at the funeral of veteran teacher Deborah Katalo 79 at Balawoli, Busoga Education crusader Dr David Kazungu rallied Basoga to fight for the opening of the University hook or crook to boost Education provision in the region.

Kazungu urged that in the regions quest for quality education services, the University should be strategic and relevant to Busogas needs as embedded in the founders (Bishop Bawmoze)vision and such course include Agriculture, Science Education, marine Engineering, Fisheries, Teachers Education among others.

Since we are in the cattle corridor, farmers and have R. Nile we need to train ferry pilots and boat builders instead of importing them from Tanzania, we need more teachers and modern farmers, Kazungu urged.

Responding to the Public outcry, the Speaker of parliament and Busoga Caucus chairperson Rebecca Kadaga revealed that leaders in Busoga are holding talks with government for the takeover to boost service delivery.

Kadaga who is also the Busoga University Council chairperson said the high level talks are focusing on specific tailored courses not going in for everything.

She said this is in line with a parliamentary resolution last year to open a Public University in Busoga that zeroed on Namasagali which was later attached to Busitema.

The Bishop of Busoga Diocese Paul Naimanhye said the church founded the University in response to the education challenges in the region and is ready to partner with government with which it relates so well to ensure the University grows as fulfillment of the dream, vision and mission of the Diocese and in the partnership the diocese will remain with the hand, ear, eye and influence but with University offering better services.

We can not let our child die but seek treatment, immunization and we have always partnered with government to serve Gods people. What we need is programs and courses tailored to the core needs of the region, Bishop Naimanhye echoed.

The Bishop said the church has always given support to institutions giving land to start schools and later hand them over to government for management and funding like Busoga College Mwiri, Busoga High, Iganga Core PTC so this will not be new development as we serve for God and our country.
Police Identify Pregnant Woman Killed in Ohio Robbery, Child Rescued

A pregnant woman was among two people killed during a midnight robbery in Columbus, Ohio, police say.

Doctors at a local hospital managed to rescue the womans unborn child. A third man was seriously injured in the shooting and remains in critical condition, ABC reports.

Police identified the female victim as 21-year-old Marlazia Jones-Mattox and the slain male as 23-year-old Keith Brian Williams III. The man in critical condition remains unidentified.

Latest on an overnight triple-shooting case in Columbus:

-Pregnant woman, man killed

-Baby boy saved (35 weeks), critical condition

-Another man in critical condition

-Started as a robbery

-Police searching for silver/gray SUV with bullet holeshttps://t.co/DHKm5gwJ8G  Mike McCarthy (@mikewsyx6) January 2, 2018

The newborn was delivered at 35 weeks, homicide Sgt. Jeff Strayer told ABC. The boy was fighting for his life and later transported to Nationwide Childrens Hospital, Columbus Dispatch reported.

Police were searching for a silver SUV with bullet holes on the passenger side, WDTN reported. Investigators believe the vehicle may be a Chevy Trailblazer.

A house on the 600 block of South Hague Street between Whitehead Road and West Mound Street was closed as investigators worked the crime scene.

Officers were called to the scene at 11:43 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, police say. Investigators believe the shooting started as a robbery. Jones-Mattox, the pregnant woman, was taken to Mount Carmel West Hospital, where she was declared dead, but her child rescued.

The mother-to-be had a baby registry listed on TheBump.com which included everyday necessities like diapers, a bottle warmer and a bassinet.

There are no suspects yet and police are asking the public to contact CPD Homicide Unit at 614-645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-8477 with any information.

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A pregnant shooting victim delivered her baby before succumbing to her wounds in the hospital, on New Year's Day in Columbus, Ohio. The infant is in critical condition. (Flickr / Highway Patrol Images)

Pregnant Woman Shot Dead in Terrifying Robberybut Doctors Miraculously Save her Unborn Baby

A woman in the advanced stages of pregnancy was shot dead in a terrifying late-night robbery in Columbus, Ohio, police said, but doctors managed to save the unborn babys life.

The expectant mother was 35 weeks pregnant when she was gunned down at a home in the citys Hilltop area shortly before midnight on New Years Day, WTDN reported.

Responding officers discovered three people suffering from gunshot wounds at a residence in the 600 block of South Hague Avenue following what police believe was a robbery, Columbus Dispatch reported.

One of the victims was critically injured and two died, including the woman, NBC4 WCMH-TV Columbus reported.

She was immediately transported to a hospital and reportedly lived long enough for doctors to deliver her baby.

Following the delivery, the woman succumbed to her wounds.

The baby was in critical condition immediately after birth, police said.

One male victim was pronounced dead at the scene and another was transported to Mount Carmel West Hospital, the same facility where the baby was delivered.

The newborn, a boy, has been taken to Nationwide Childrens Hospital, where he remains.

Police continue to investigate. A silver or gray SUV with bullet holes on the passenger side is being sought in connection with the crime.

Police are calling on the public to come forward with information about the incident.

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Torch bearer Yang Jung-Mo holds the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics torch during the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games torch relay on Nov. 4, 2017 in Busan, South Korea. (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

South Korea Proposes High Level Talks with North Korea, May Allow NK Athletes into Olympics

South Korean officials want to hold high-level talks with North Korean officials next week to discuss two issueshow to ease military tensions, and whether to allow North Korean athletes to participate in the upcoming Winter Olympics in PyeongChang.

We hope the two sides sit down for frank talks, South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said in a news conference, according to the New York Times.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in supports the proposed talks and has said recently he hopes North Korean athletes will join the upcoming Winter Olympics.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un had ignored Moons overtures, but in his New Years speech, finally responded to them by expressing interest in having some athletes participate. He said he is open to dialogue with the South.

But while Kim expressed interest in sending athletes over to South Korea, he also repeated nuclear threats against the United States, leading some experts to posit that he wants to drive a wedge between the historic allies.

South Korean officials, though, are determined to move forward and want a meeting scheduled soon. The United States has been kept abreast of plans for a meeting.

We look forward to candidly discussing interests from both sides face-to-face with North Korea along with the Norths participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, minister Cho told reporters, reported Australias ABC.

Some experts warn the negotiations may fall into a trap by the North Korean dictator, though.

I regret the Government had even lost the flexibility to spend one day or two taking a deep breath and meticulously analyzing Kim Jong-uns ulterior motive before hastily issuing a welcoming statement, Chun Yung-woo, a former South Korean national security adviser, told Reuters.

The Government will have to strive more to come up with a countermeasure not to get caught in a trap set by Kim Jong Un.

Another expert said this could be a pivotal moment in relations between the Koreas.

Just the fact that they are meeting will be meaningful because it signals an attempt on both sides to improve relations, said Koh Yu-Hwan, a political science professor at Dongguk University, to NDTV.

What North Korea is trying to do is re-establish its relations (with Seoul) as a nuclear state. The Souths dilemma is whether we can accept that, Koh added.

The proposed meeting place would be the so-called truce village of Panmunjom, according to the BBC. The village is set in the heavily guarded demilitarized zone at the border of the two countries.

The two sides last met in high-level talks in December 2015, but those talks ended without any agreement.

The Winter Olympics will start in February in PyeongChang. South Korea is also hosting the Paralympics in March.

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Three Children Found Safe With Family After Mother Shot in Double Homicide

Three children who were missing after a double homicide in Detroit on New Years Day were found safe and sound, according to reports.

Police were initially worried for the children who are 8, 12, and 15 years old, after their mother was shot dead in their home on Detroits east side, according to the Detriot Free Press.

After police received tips from the public, the three children were found safe and staying with a relative.

Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the shooting.

3 kids found safe after mother killed in double murder on Detroit's east side https://t.co/tjn9CXLB9l via @BushmanOnAir  97.9 WJLB (@FM98WJLB) January 2, 2018

Detroit Deputy Chief Elvin Barren told reporters on Jan. 1. that police found the body of a 36-year-old woman, who was getting divorced from the suspect, and the body of a 35-year-old man in the couples home in McKinney.

Both victims were found fatally shot in the head.

The search for the suspect started after police recieved a call at around 2 p.m. on New Years Day, the Detroit News reported. The caller said that his friend had just told him that he had killed his estranged wife.

The suspect has a 15-year history of domestic violence with his wife, according to the news outlet. The suspects name and the victims names have not yet been released to the public.

Barren told reporters that the woman had a personal protection order against her husband.

A PPO was current and active, Barren said, but unfortunately it did end tragically.

The suspect also had a dangerous weapons charge in 2009.

Police coordinated with a SWAT team, and the suspect surrendered peacefully with six other adults in Redford, Michigan.

The male victim was a mutual friend who was trying to help them through the divorce process, Barren said. He was fatally wounded in an exchange with the suspect.

Police continue to investigate the case to establish the root cause of the shooting.

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Truck Hits Pedestrians and Family Car in San Francisco

Two people have been badly injured after a truck crashed into a car and pedestrians in San Francisco, authorities say.

Police say the truck made an illegal turn on Monday, Jan. 1 before it crashed into two elderly pedestrians and a car with five family members in, according to Fox 2.

One of the passengers, Heather King, described the moment of the crash to ABC7: Oh my God, my adrenaline was totally rushing. It was crazy, she said.

Her son Alden added: The door, yeah it got smooshed in.

The crash was not terror-related, San Francisco police officer Grace Gatpandan told Mercury News. She added that the driver did not appear to be drunk or on drugs.

The two pedestrians are aged 79 and 66, with one of them sustaining life-threatening injuries, and the other in critical but stable condition, according to police. Both are being treated in local hospitals.

As soon as I looked back and saw that my kids were okay, they werent dead, like, I got them out of the car and then I ran over to see the guy that got hit because he flung about 10 to 15 feet, King told ABC7.

The driver of the truck was detained while a Cantonese translator was found.

Police say it appears that the driver ran a red light and was probably speeding, according to ABC7.

The accident shut down one of San Franciscos roads for several hours on Monday evening.
Trump Says North Korea Struggling Under Sanctions

After months of nuclear threats by the North Korean regime, sanctions subsequently imposed on it are starting to hurt. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Jan. 2 that the sanctions are having a big impact on the regime in Pyongyang, which has now offered to engage in talks with 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

A new round of U.N. Security Council sanctions was adopted last month. The sanctions limit the amount of oil that can be sold to North Korea, expanding limitations that were already imposed by the U.N. Security Council in September.

It is unclear what the other pressures are that Trump was referring to, but since coming to office last year he has worked with Americas allies in the region to pressure the North Korean regime into giving up its nuclear weapons.

This includes the threat of military force if needed. In recent months, the United States has increased its military presence in the region, deploying F-35 fighter jets to Japan, as well as advanced missile defense systems, which have also been deployed to South Korea.

In his tweet, Trump also mentioned that North Korean soldiers are dangerously fleeing to South Korea.

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)

There have been multiple reports in recent months of North Korean soldiers and sailors defecting. One of the most publicized ones was that of a North Korean soldier captured on video crossing the border while being fired upon by North Korean troops.

There have also been reports from inside North Korea about the low morale and poor state of its military due to hunger and insufficient supplies.

Trump also responded to North Korean dictator Kim Jong Uns apparent overture to engage in talks with South Korea.

The comments were made by Kim in his New Years address. His willingness to talk to South Korea comes after North Korean state media for months has threatened to attack the South with nuclear weapons.

Rocket man now wants to talk to South Korea for first time. Perhaps that is good news, perhaps notwe will see!, Trump wrote.

North Korea communist dictator Kim Jong Un in an undated photo released by North Korean state media.

Kims overture could mean that the sanctions are having such an impact that he is now forced to negotiate. However, it could also mean that Kim is trying to buy more time to finalize his regimes development of nuclear weapons.

Over the past few decades, North Korea has made deals with the United States only to buy itself time as well as receive crucial financial and material aid.

A deal President Bill Clinton reached with North Korea in 1994 provided the regime with financial and material aid in exchange for an end to its nuclear weapons program.

The regime, however, broke the agreement and continued the development of the weapons.

This undated picture released by North Koreas Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) via KNS on March 7, 2017 shows the launch of four ballistic missiles by the Korean Peoples Army (KPA) during a military drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea. (AFP/Getty Images)

Trump has made clear that he will not make a deal with North Korea that does not include the complete denuclearization of the regime.

Perhaps this is why Kim is now reaching out to South Korea, whose president, Moon Jae-in, has taken a much softer stance on the communist regime, including a willingness to continue aid shipments to the North.

Aid sent to North Korea has been used by the regime to provide for its military as well as top communist officials. A high profile defector, Ri Jong Ho, said at the Asia Society in October that he had personally witnessed foreign aid being loaded into military trucks.

Ho also said that many high-profile officials have been disappointed with Kims rule and that a loss of their privileges in the form of wealth would mean they could rise up against him.

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New Year's Eve ball is seen at the roof of One Times Square building during the New Year's Eve Ball test, before the official 2017 New Year Celebration at Times Square, New York on Dec. 30, 2017. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)

Twins Born in Different Years in California: Reports

Twins in California were born in different years around New Years Day.

Delano Regional Medical Center officials told KERO that a set of twins was born at the end of 2017 as well as the start of 2018.

The first was born at 11:58 p.m. on Sunday, weighing 5 pounds, 9 ounces and was 18 inches in length. The second was born at 12:16 a.m. on Monday, and she weighed 4 pounds, 10 ounces and was 16 inches.

Doctors say the girl had to be delivered via caesarean section.

The parents told KERO that the babiesJoaquin and Aitana de Jesus Ontiveroswere about one month early. They were slated to arrive Jan. 27, 2018, according to the Daily Mail.

It was definitely a surprise! The whole family feels humbled and blessed and excited, a hospital spokesman said.

When they realized they were going to be in the hospital over New Years Eve, the family planned to celebrate at midnight in the break room, the person said. But then it turned out Maria was in labor, which was a surprise.

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.

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Update: Judge Rules Low IQ Oregon Parents Can Take Youngest Son Home

The Oregon parents who had their two children removed from their homedue to their low IQhave finally received some good news.

Just four days before Christmas Day last year, Amy Fabbrini and Eric Ziegler were reunited with their 10-month-old son, Hunter, who was returned to them after a judge ruled that the couples limited cognitive abilities did not mean they were unfit as parents.

Hunter had been living in foster care since his birth, according to the Oregonian.

NTD.tv previously reported the couple lost their sons after Fabbrinis father started warning the states child welfare department of issues. The father, Raymond Fabbrini, said he never had a good or close relationship with his daughter, calling her a lazy child.

Circuit Judge Bethany Flint ruled that the state could not prove why their son should remain in the Oregon Department of Human Services.

I feel the threat articulated to Hunter is fairly amorphous, Flint said. I searched and searched for some sort of language that was provided to articulate what the current threat of harm is to Hunter right now.  There is no allegation that theyre not able to meet his basic need, according to the Oregonian.

Later this month, the couple will return to court to try and get their parental rights for their other, older son, 4-year-old Christopher. Christopher has also been in foster care since days after his birth.

But the judge said that Christophers case was not the same as Hunters.

(Christopher) is not a regular child  that is going to just do great with a lot of love and support, Flint said. While these parents have learned a lot and are asking a lot of questions, appropriate questions,  Christopher is different than Hunter right now.

According to the Oregonian, Christopher is diagnosed with developmental hurdles that the judge was not fully convinced the parents understood.

Psychological evaluation documents show Fabbrini, 31, had scored an IQ of 72, placing her in the extremely low to borderline range of intelligence, while her 38-year-old husband, Ziegler, scored an IQ of 66 placing him in the mild range of intellectual disability.

During the recent court battle, three attorneys for the state called around 40 witnesses over an 11-day trial testimony to argue that the couple was unfit to safely parent.

Limited cognitive abilities or lower IQ numbers do have an impact on people, deputy district attorney Jason Kropf said. It impacts judgment ability, it impacts insight, it impacts problem identification, it impacts planning and how to solve those problems and also impacts the notion of whether somebody knows whether a problem is fixed or not, the Oregonian reported.

The state gave examples of the parents alleged deficiencies including how: they didnt read to the child, they forgot to put sunscreen on the babys arms, their home smelled of dog, and that their choice of snacks was criticized.

But the attorneys arguments failed to persuade the judge who called it a chicken nugget case.

I will affectionately remember this case as the chicken nugget case,' Flint said. I found it difficult to read that these parents tried this thing and tried that thing and then they are advised that instead of chicken nuggets they should have boiled chicken breast, that giving fried foods is a parenting deficiency. That was hard to read.

According to the newspaper, Fabbrini began to cry as she left the courtroom on Thursday, Dec. 21. One of the boys court-appointed special advocates also cried.

But both childrens advocates believe that keeping the boys with their foster families is in the childrens best interest, adding that the older son Christoper has developed a strong attachment to his foster parents, the Oregonian reported.

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Divers in a hole in the ice of a retention pond in southern Indianapolis on Dec. 31, 2017, where a woman's SUV went under the water. (Indianapolis Fire Department)

Woman in Indianapolis Calls 911 From SUV as She Sinks Into Pond in Below-Freezing Weather

Firefighters in Indianapolis rushed to a retention pond on the citys south side on New Years Eve after a woman called 911 from her sinking car.

Its filling up. Its cold, she shouted to an emergency dispatch operator at about 8:30 p.m., the Indianapolis Star reported.

Dispatch had been on the phone with the person in the car and the call dropped as soon as she started to go under the water, IFD Battalion Chief Rita Reith told Fox59.

Multiple people who witnessed the SUV drive onto the pond also called the police.

One bystander reported seeing the car leave the parking lot of Sundance Apartments, go over a curb, and onto an embankment on the pond.

It then drove about 150 yards onto the ice before it broke through and sank.

Emergency dispatchers tried to guide the woman to an exit during when she said, Its coming in, its filling up, the Indianapolis Star reported. Almost two minutes after she called for help, her phone went dead.

When firefighters from the Indianapolis Fire Department got to her, the car was mostly submerged, but they could still hear her banging on the windows.

They tried to reach her with a ladder but were unable to. A few minutes later, a dive team arrived and went into the water to get her.

They broke the window of the vehicles sunroof and were able to pull the woman out.

She was about 12 feet under water when they got to her, and she was rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Her name has not yet been released.

Its unclear as to how or why she was on the ice, but she came from a parking lot area, got onto the pond somehow and drove about 150 yards before, either she realized she was on the pond, or she was driving and the pond just broke through, well never really know until we can talk to her, Reith told Fox59.

The fire department said that calls to dispatch reported that there was more than one person in the vehicle, but after going in to search for more, determined that she had been alone. The woman also confirmed that she was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

Rescuers also tried to get the womans SUV out, but had to admit defeat when their gear froze.

Temperatures that day, according to Weather Underground, averaged 5 degrees.

As of Jan. 2, the woman remained in critical condition at Eskenazi Hospital, Reith said.

She also said that due to the weather, they havent been able to retrieve the vehicle.

From NTD.tv
21 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.
By Benjamin Jumbe:

President Yoweri Museveni has signed the controversial Age Bill into an Act.

This has been confirmed by Parliaments Director Communications Chris Obore.

Obore tells KFM that the bill was signed on 27th December 2017 and is now before the Clerk to Parliament- a record 7 days after it was passed by MPs.

Legislators on 20thDecember 2017 passed the Constitution (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill, 2017 dropping the 75 year upper age limit for presidential candidates and extending the term of Parliament to seven years.

After three days of debate and objections by a section of Opposition, Independent and a few NRM MPs, Parliament approved what came to be known as the Age Limit Bill with the required two thirds majority.

315 MPs voted in favour, while 62 rejected the Bill, with 2 MPs abstaining.

Earlier, several religious leaders including th Archbishop of Gulu, John Baptist Odama, cautioned President Museveni against appending his signature on the Bill.

Archbishop Odama said if President Museveni signed the Bill knowing that it was passed without the views of majority Ugandans, he would be tormented by his conscience.
Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. engages in the mining of copper, gold and molybdenum. It operates through the following segments: North America Copper Mines, South America Mining; Indonesia Mining, Molybdenum Mines, Rod and Refining, Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining and Corporate, Other and Eliminations. The North America Copper Mines segment operates open-pit copper mines in Morenci, Bagdad, Safford, Sierrita and Miami in Arizona and Chino and Tyrone in New Mexico. The South America Mining segment includes Cerro Verde in Peru and El Abra in Chile. The Indonesia Mining segment handles the operations of Grasberg minerals district that produces copper concentrate that contains significant quantities of gold and silver. The Molybdenum Mines segment includes the Henderson underground mine and Climax open-pit mine, both in Colorado. The Rod and Refining segment consists of copper conversion facilities located in North America and includes a refinery, rod mills, and a specialty copper products facility. The Atlantic Copper Smelting and Refining segment smelts and refines copper concentrate and markets refined copper and precious metals in slimes. The Corporate, Other and Eliminations segment

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Reinsurance Group of America, Inc. is a holding company, which engages in the provision of traditional and non-traditional life and health reinsurance products. It operates through the following segments: U.S. and Latin America; Canada; Europe, Middle East, and Africa; Asia Pacific; and Corporate and Other. The U.S. and Latin America segment markets individual and group life and health reinsurance to domestic clients for a variety of products through yearly renewable term agreements, coinsurance, and modified coinsurance. The Canada segment offers individual life reinsurance, and to a lesser extent creditor, group life and health, critical illness and disability reinsurance, through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements. The Europe, Middle East, and Africa segment serves individual and group life and health products through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements, reinsurance of critical illness coverage that provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness and underwritten annuities. The Asia Pacific segment comprises individual and group life and health reinsurance, critical illness coverage, disability, and superannuation thr

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Varian Medical Systems, Inc. designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products for treating cancer and other medical conditions worldwide. It operates through Oncology Systems and Proton Solutions segments. The Oncology Systems segment offers hardware and software products for treating cancer with radiotherapy, fixed field intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, artificial intelligence based adaptive radiotherapy, and brachytherapy, as well as quality assurance equipment. Its products include linear accelerators, brachytherapy afterloaders, treatment accessories, and quality assurance software; and information management, treatment planning, image processing, clinical knowledge exchange, patient care management, decision-making support, and practice management software. This segment serves university research and community hospitals, private and governmental institutions, healthcare agencies, physicians' offices, medical oncology practices, radiotherapy centers, and cancer care clinics. The Proton Solutions segment designs, develops, manufactures, sells, and services products and systems for delivering proton therapy for the treatment of cancer. The company has a strategic agreement with McKesson Corp. to supply treatment delivery systems and planning, services, and radiotherapy information system solutions to its U.S. Oncology Network and Vantage Oncology affiliated sites of care; and a strategic partnership with Siemens AG to represent Siemens diagnostic imaging products to radiation oncology clinics in the United States and other select markets. Varian Medical Systems, Inc. was formerly known as Varian Associates, Inc. and changed its name to Varian Medical Systems, Inc. in April 1999. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

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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.
missingkids.com(ROUND ROCK, Texas) -- Two girls who have been missing from their Texas home since Saturday may have been abducted by a 44-year-old man, according to authorities.



Luluvioletta Bandera-Margret, 7, and Lilianais Griffith, 14, were last seen in Round Rock, about 20 miles north of Austin, where they both live, according to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children.



The suspect in the girl's disappearance has been identified as 44-year-old Terry Miles, according to officials. His relationship with the missing girls is unclear.



The three may be traveling in a gray 2017 Hyundai Accent with Texas license plate number JGH9845, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.



Luluvioletta is described as 4-foot-5 and 75 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes, according to officials. Lilianais is described as 5 feet and 100 pounds, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She has a stud on the right side of her nose and braces as well, authorities said.



Further details on the missing girls were not immediately available.



Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Kendallville, IN (46755)

Today

Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 77F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Showers early becoming less numerous late. Low 61F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.
OTTAWAThe ongoing softwood dispute with the United States may not be hurting Canada much yet, but the industry is bracing for a new trade battle with the U.S. that could take a bite out of a part of the sector that is already facing sharp declines.

Derek Nighbor, chief executive of the Forest Products Association of Canada, says heading into the new year, the industry is waiting for the U.S. Department of Commerce to decide if it believes Canada is dumping newsprint into the U.S. at below market value.

This is not something that people are talking about, but in our sector we are concerned this could be worse than softwood, said Nighbor.

The U.S. government has been investigating Canadas newsprint industry since the end of August, after Washington-based North Pacific Paper Co., complained Canada was dumping newsprint into the U.S. market and unfairly subsidizing its industry at home.

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U.S. newspapers face new crisis as trade spat poised to raise Canadian newsprint prices

Newsprint may soon be the latest casualty in U.S.-Canada trade dispute

Canada takes softwood-lumber complaint to the World Trade Organization

It is the same argument made by the U.S. Lumber Coalition about Canadas softwood industry, which led to the imposition of both countervailing and antidumping duties on most Canadian softwood exports to the United States.

The preliminary newsprint decision was initially due by Jan. 16 but has been postponed until March at the request of North Pacific Paper.

About 25 lumber mills in Canada would be hurt by duties, most of them in Ontario and Quebec.

U.S. Commerce says Canadian companies exported about $1.6 billion worth of newsprint to the United States in 2016. But Nighbor notes with the expansion of digital print, media newsprint sales are declining by about 10 per cent a year.

Still, he said, the industry will exist for many years and more than 1,000 small and mid-sized newspapers in the U.S. have asked their federal government not to institute duties because they cant sustain an increase in newsprint prices.

Canada is the worlds largest newsprint exporter, with Montreal-based Resolute Forest Products leading the way.

Newsprint would be the third Canadian wood product targeted by the Americans, after softwood and supercalendered paper. That paper  the glossy stuff used in magazines  was the first to be hit with duties.

Already Nighbor and the U.S. National Association of Homebuilders say the softwood duties are only hurting American consumers. Housing prices and materials to rebuild after Hurricanes Irma and Harvey in Florida and Texas have gone up in the last year.

Canadas low dollar relative to the U.S. and the high demand for softwood for building is helping Canadas industry withstand the hurt from the softwood duties and Nighbor says there is no indication any mills have closed or people been laid off here yet.

The problem there is that if this thing drags out three or four years and markets soften, said Nighbor. It remains a concern into 2018 but were positioned better to this point than we thought otherwise.

Nighbor called the U.S. trade system perverse with its protectionist leanings and says the Washington company behind the newsprint complaint likely wouldnt even benefit from a cut to Canadian imports because it is on the West Coast and most of the Canadian business is destined for the Midwest and eastern U.S. markets.

Its just a way to stick the finger in the eye of Canadians and its something we werent expecting to see, he said.

Canada and the United States continue to try to negotiate a trade settlement on softwood to replace the deal which expired in 2015. Canada is also seeking relief from the softwood duties in appeals through the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization.
Ontario Power Generation must cut $500 million over the next five years from its nuclear operations budget after the provinces energy regulator took issue with compensation, corporate and administrative costs, including excessive pension and benefit levels at the provinces largest electricity producer.

The Ontario Energy Board ordered the cuts in a decision released Friday.

OPG must cut $150 million in pensions and benefits costs by 2021. It will make the other $350 million in cuts over that period from proposed corporate costs and its administration, operations and maintenance budget.

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The energy boards decision comes after OPG, in May 2016, asked for $16.8 billion from the board for a period between 2017 and 2021  a request that would ultimately lead to an increase in rates.

The OEB finds that OPGs overall pension and benefits costs are clearly excessive ... there is voluminous evidence demonstrating that the costs of these programs are well above market, the OEB report said. It would not be reasonable, in the OEBs view, to require ratepayers to pay these excessive costs.

According to the decision, OPG offers both current and retired employees a comprehensive benefits package including a generous registered pension plan and supplemental pension plan and they cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars per year.

The report also notes that Ontarios Auditor General has previously highlighted that the OPGs pension plans and the companys contribution ratios. In 2013, the auditor said OPG contributions are between four to one or five to one ratios when compared to employee contributions. In Ontarios public service, the standard is generally a one to one contribution ratio, the OEB report said.

The report notes that while those ratios have come down, they remain at least a two to one ratio.

OPG said its request is intended to, in part, help offset the cost of a major nuclear refurbishment project at the Darlington Nuclear Station and the continued operation of the Pickering Nuclear Station past 2020.

The OEBs decision approves a request for $4.8 billion in costs related to the Darlington refurbishments and $292 million in fees associated with Pickering and says a rate increase associated with the request will be retroactively effective from June 1, 2017.

OPG is reviewing the decision in detail, the company said in a statement, adding that it will submit a draft rate order to implement the OEBs decision by Jan. 17.

While the final impact will be determined in early 2018, OPG estimated that its application would cost the average ratepayer an additional 65 cents a month over the five-year-period.

The OEB also notes that the impact of the rate increase would not immediately be felt by consumers because of the Liberal governments 25 per cent cut to hydro bills.

The government plan is largely achieved by lowering time-of-use rates. That is done by removing from bills a portion of the global adjustment  a charge consumers pay for above-market rates to power producers  for the next 10 years.

In the meantime, producers will continue being paid the same, so Ontario Power Generation has been tapped to oversee the debt used to pay that difference through a new entity called OPG Trust. The cost of paying back the debt with interest will then go back onto ratepayers bills for the following 20 years.

Correction: The first four paragraphs have been updated to reflect that the OPG was ordered to cut $500 over five years from its budget, not just its compensation budget

Read more about:
CUPERTINO, Calif.For Apple CEO Tim Cook, fiscal year 2017 brought good tidings in the form of a hefty 47-per-cent pay increase and use of a private aircraft.

Since 2011, Apples CEO saw his salary rise to about $12.8 million in fiscal year 2017, which ended in September, from about $8.7 million in the prior fiscal year, according to a SEC filing from Apple on Wednesday.

Cooks real wealth, however, comes from his stock options. He owns 560,000 shares awarded to him in 2011 that vested in fiscal 2017, valued at $89.2 million.

Apples CEO also has about 2.9 million more unvested shares, worth more than $450 million, according to the SEC filing.

In fiscal year 2016, Cooks salary actually dipped $1.5 million from the prior fiscal year. Thats because Apple had fallen short of its financial goals, amid slumping iPhone sales and a downturn in the Cupertino-based companys Chinese business operations.

Read more:

Apple CEO Tim Cook gets $9.33-million bonus  a 74 per cent increase from last year

But then in fiscal year 2017, Apple saw a major rebound across nearly all of its categories.

In its most recent quarterly earnings, Apple said iPhone sales rose 2 per cent, its China business grew 12 per cent and its services sector  including Apple Pay, Music, App Store and iCloud  soared 34 per cent higher than the same period a year earlier.

And with the iPhone 8 and iPhone X now on the market, Cook is hoping for Apples strongest fiscal year ever in 2018.

I couldnt be more excited about Apples future, said Cook, during a call with analysts to discuss the companys quarterly earnings in November. As we approach our holiday season, we expect it to be our biggest quarter ever.

Cooks pay increase in the companys 2017 fiscal year came mostly from cash bonuses, adding about $9.3 million to Cooks roughly $3-million annual salary. Cooks cash bonus was the largest among the six senior Apple executives.

But Cooks overall compensation  not counting the value of his shares that vested this year  was the lowest among the six senior executives in fiscal year 2017.

The other five executives each earned more than $24 million.

Senior retail vice-president Angela Ahrendts eked out the highest paid honour by less than $100,000 due to additional compensation to help Ahrendts  the former Burberry CEO  move closer to Apples headquarters, according to the SEC filing.

The Apple CEO also received use of a private aircraft, which Cook was required to use for all business and personal travel.

Cooks personal travel cost came to $93,109 in fiscal 2017, according to the filing. He also incurred $224,216 in security expenses.

As an additional security measure for Mr. Cook, the Board also requires that he use private aircraft for all business and personal travel, Apple wrote in the filing. This policy was implemented in 2017 in the interests of security and efficiency based on our global profile and the highly visible nature of Mr. Cooks role as CEO.

The private aircraft privilege may extend to other Apple executives, but only for when the aircraft will facilitate travel that is directly and integrally related to the performance of their job duties and when the use of private aircraft will increase efficiency or security associated with a particular trip.

Cook and other Apple board directors, such as Disney CEO Bob Iger, former U.S. vice-president Al Gore and former Northrop Grumman CEO Ron Sugar, are up for re-election to remain on the board another year.

The election is set to occur at Apples next shareholders meeting February 13 at the Steve Jobs Theater, on the companys new Apple Park campus in Cupertino.

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Starting Mon., Jan. 8, you can register to receive a $25 card from Loblaw Companies Ltd.

Its not a gift card you can use anywhere. It can be redeemed only at grocery stores operated by Loblaw across Canada.

In late December, Loblaw and parent George Weston Ltd. said they became aware of an arrangement to co-ordinate retail and wholesale prices on some packaged breads from late 2001 until March 2015.

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The companies notified the Competition Bureau at the time and have been co-operating with its investigation in exchange for immunity from criminal charges or penalties.

How do you apply to get $25 worth of free groceries? Who is eligible? What proof is required? And can you lose out on future court or consumer class action settlements if you accept the offer?

The competition bureau's investigation into alleged bread price-fixing involves at least seven companies. George Weston Ltd. and Loblaw Companies Ltd. admitted to participating in the arrangement. (The Canadian Press)

Here are answers to these and other questions.

How do you register and what information is required?

Go to the Loblaw Card Program website (www.loblawcard.ca) and enter your email address. This will ensure you receive a notice once registration opens on Jan. 8.

We will only use your email address to notify you that registration has opened and not for Loblaw customer marketing or any other purpose, unless you have already given us your consent to do so, Loblaw says.

When you do so, you will receive an email saying you must complete and submit a registration form to be eligible to get a $25 Loblaw card.

How do you qualify to get the card?

Generally speaking, you will have to declare you are at or above the age of majority (18 in Ontario) and you purchased certain packaged bread products at an eligible store before March 1, 2015.

Although nothing is certain until registration opens, it seems unlikely that customers will have to submit proof of age or any sales receipts (unless irregularities pop up).

Will the information on the registration form be kept secure?

Loblaw is subject to, and fully intends to comply with, applicable data protection laws, said communications vice-president Kevin Groh.

Your email address wont be used for other purposes unless you give consent, and it must be deleted when no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected. A more detailed privacy policy will appear on the website on Jan. 8.

If you accept the card, will you lose out on possible settlements of future class action suits?

Canadians are waiting for the full bread-price story  including Loblaws response and the role other retailers played  to come out early this year, when court documents are made public.

Meanwhile, Loblaw is making this offer as a first step to regain its customers trust. Compensating customers in price-fixing cases can take many years, while the $25 card will be available more quickly.

Many people have assumed the card offer is part of a settlement deal with the Competition Bureau. It is not, Groh emphasized. It was created by Loblaw, independent of any bureau involvement.

Accepting the card will not affect your right to participate in class actions or receive any incremental compensation that may be awarded by the court, he said.

I like the companys commitment to avoid any fine-print restrictions. Its making a public pledge that obtaining a card wont put you at a disadvantage in terms of anything the courts may do.

Where can you use the $25 card?

Here is a full list of Loblaw-operated stores.

In Ontario: Loblaws, No Frills, Valu-mart, Fortinos, Zehrs, Bloor Street Market, Independent City Market, Cash and Carry, Real Canadian Superstore, Real Canadian Wholesale Club, Wholesale Club, Your Independent Grocer.

Elsewhere in Canada: Atlantic Superstore, Cash & Carry, Club Entrepot, Dominion (in Newfoundland and Labrador), Extra Foods, Maxi, Maxi & Cie, Presto, Provigo, Provigo Le Marche.

Can you donate your $25 card to a nonprofit group or charity?

Toronto Star columnist Gail Vaz-Oxlade told people to do that in a Dec. 20 tweet: Everybody. Absolutely everybody in Canada. Sign up. Then send your cards to the food bank. She had about 6,000 retweets.

Will Loblaws send a card directly to a cause you designate?

At this point, our focus is entirely on customer trust and making sure we can efficiently put money in the hands of our individual customers, Groh said.

That said, we think its a lovely idea, as were already a leading contributor to food charities nationwide. With the card in hand, customers could easily buy food for themselves or for a food bank.

Is there a deadline to apply for the card?

Registration closes May 8, just over four months from now. Loblaw said the estimated cost is $75 to $150 million, but it could be higher because of the publicity this story has generated.

Ellens Advice

The $25 card is a goodwill gesture, outside the context of litigation. Its a public relations move by Loblaw to win back shoppers.

Assuming you wont lose any legal rights  and that your privacy will be safeguarded  you might as well register for the card. Then you can choose to use it or give it to a worthy cause.

Ellen Rosemans column appears Tuesdays in Smart Money. You can reach her at eroseman@thestar.ca.
San FranciscoTesla Inc. may have delivered about four times more Model 3 sedans last quarter than in the prior three months or boosted sales by a factor of 27, depending on which analyst you ask.

The broad range of estimates reflects how little the electric-car maker has disclosed about the progress its made speeding up production of its sedan that starts at $35,000 (U.S.). Model 3 deliveries might have climbed to about 2,917 vehicles, the average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Mass producing the Model 3 is crucial to chief executive officer Elon Musks goal to transition Tesla from a niche player into a more mainstream automaker. But the rollout of the car has been marred by manufacturing issues at Teslas California assembly plant and at its battery factory near Reno, Nev. Tesla delayed by a quarter its target to produce 5,000 Model 3s per week and the company hasnt said whether the 10,000-unit weekly pace it was planning for sometime this year is still possible.

People are past the shine of saying, OK, you guys are a great design and marketing house,  said Joe Fath, a fund manager at T. Rowe Price, one of Teslas largest shareholders. Now they want to see the manufacturing execution come through.

There are signs deliveries have picked up, with the first wave of non-employees posting about their new cars on message boards and social media. Still, the automaker has kept details on Model 3 shipments close to the vest, leaving Wall Street largely in the dark about what fourth-quarter production figures will look like.

As a result, analyst estimates are all over the map. Jeffrey Osborne of Cowen & Co. on Tuesday forecast deliveries of 2,250 Model 3 sedans in the final quarter of 2017, down from his earlier estimate of 9,100. Colin Rusch of Oppenheimer estimates only 800. Manufacturing bottlenecks limited third-quarter deliveries to just 220 cars.

Gene Munster, co-founder of research-driven venture capital firm Loup Ventures, estimates about 2,500 Model 3 deliveries for the quarter, but said he remains bullish on the stock long term.

The reason we remain upbeat on the Tesla story despite the prolonged Model 3 production problems is because EV and autonomy are the future, Loup wrote in a Dec. 28 research note. Tesla is fighting to gain production scale to create that future.

Investors have been largely forgiving of Teslas production setbacks thus far, with Teslas market capitalization vaulting past Ford Motor Co.s in 2017. The shares climbed 46 per cent last year.

Although much attention will be on the Model 3, Tesla will also release sales and production figures for its flagship Model S sedan and Model X sport utility vehicle. The company delivered 76,230 vehicles in 2016 and has said it expects to deliver about 100,000 Model S and X vehicles in 2017.
OTTAWAAn Ottawa-based firm has been tapped by the federal government for a pilot project designed to look for warning signs for suicide before tragedy strikes.

Advanced Symbolics Inc., an artificial intelligence service company, will spend the next three months examining suicide hot spots across the country to better understand precursors to suicide.

The pilot will examine all parts of the country, including Indigenous communities, though chief scientist Kenton White said the goal is not to focus on any particular group.

The project is expected to start at the beginning of February.

White said the work will not identify individuals who are at risk of self harm, saying safeguards are in place to ensure individuals cant be identified within samples.

Advanced Symbolics uses a patented technique to create randomized, controlled samples of social media users in all regions.

Read more:

Facebook is now using artificial intelligence to prevent suicide

Rising teen suicide rates in U.S. could be linked to surging social media use, study says
As widespread protests in Iran reached their sixth day, Iranian-Canadians voiced concern for loved ones living in the Middle Eastern country and called on Canada to show greater solidarity with peaceful demonstrators whove taken to the streets.

What began on Dec. 28 in the city of Mashhad as a protest against a weak economy and surging food prices has spread across Iran, with demonstrators criticizing Irans government and supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. At least 21 people have died in the protests.

Iranians have grown frustrated by the lack of progress, even under presidents who have claimed to be reformers, said Iranian-Canadian activist and community organizer Mehrdad Ariannejad, who has been monitoring the situation through media reports over the past few months.

Read more:

Irans top leader blames protests on enemies who are meddling in internal affairs

Economic and political frustrations feed fifth day of protests in Iran

Iran President Hassan Rouhani warns of crackdown on protests

The economic situation is terrible, people are suffering, people are not seeing results, said Ariannejad, who has lived in Canada for about 20 years but has family in Iran.

They have gone out and voted for President Hassan Rouhani and supported reformists all these years but to no result . . . The Ayatollah Khamenei, he can veto anything. People dont have any power, and the president doesnt have any power.

The Iranian president has warned that the government wont hesitate to crack down on those it considers lawbreakers. Hundreds of people have been arrested and a prominent judge warned on Tuesday that some could face the death penalty.

Early Tuesday, Iranian state TV reported that rioters had tried to break into a police station in the town of Qahdarijan to steal guns, leading to clashes that killed six people. Two more were killed in the town of Khomeinishahr, while a member of Irans paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and a police officer were killed in the town of Najafabad, according to local media.

Meanwhile, Canadians with friends and family living in Iran are concerned about the toll the violence might take on their loved ones.

Ariannejad said he always tells his relatives to stay away from any violence if they take part in the protests.

Toronto-area real estate agent Omid Valinasab said one of his friends was beaten by government forces during Irans last widespread wave of civil unrest in 2009, simply because he was walking to work in an area near the protests.

This time the police is trying to work with people and you see less violence, but there are other groups that are being controlled by Revolutionary Guard that have no mercy for people, Valinasab said.

The Canadian government says it is deeply troubled by the deaths of protesters in Iran.

We call on the Iranian authorities to uphold and respect democratic and human rights, a spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland said Tuesday.

We are encouraged by the Iranian people who are bravely exercising their basic right to protest peacefully. Canada will continue to support the fundamental rights of the Iranians, including freedom of expression.

But some Iranian-Canadians, including Ariannejad have called on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to personally express his support of peaceful protest in Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump has tweeted his support of the protesters for several days.

Showing the Iranian government that the world is watching could make leaders think twice about cracking down on dissent, said Yadi Mahmodi, who was organizing a solidarity protest in north Toronto, scheduled for Tuesday evening.

Mahmodi said he hopes Iranians overthrow the current religious regime and put in place a secular government.

This is the 21st century and still religion is in every corner of the peoples life in Iran. Its not because they dont want (secularism), its because the government is so strict and has killed so many  political prisoners in the last 39 years.

With files from the Associated Press

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OTTAWAJoshua Boyle, the Canadian man who was held hostage with his American wife and children for five years in Afghanistan and Pakistan, has been arrested and charged with assault, unlawful confinement and other offences that are alleged to have occurred in the weeks since his dramatic rescue from captivity in October.

Boyle, 34, appeared in Ottawa court on New Years Day and remains in police custody.

There is a court order that prevents publication of information that would identify any of the alleged victims.

Boyle faces 15 charges, according to a court document outlining the allegations.

These include:

Eight counts of assault.

Two counts of sexual assault.

Two counts of unlawful confinement.

One count of uttering death threats.

One count of causing someone to take a noxious thing, namely Trazodone. (Trazodone is an antidepressant.)

One count of misleading police.

All of the alleged offences occurred in Ottawa between Oct. 14 and Dec. 30, the document says.

Boyles lawyer, Eric Granger, told the Star his client is presumed innocent and that he is eager to see the evidence in the case.

Mr. Boyle is a young man who we all know has been through a lot. He has never been in trouble with the law, Granger wrote in an email.

We look forward to receiving that evidence and defending him against these charges in court.

Boyle is scheduled to appear in an Ottawa courtroom Wednesday morning.

Boyle, his wife, Caitlan, and their three children returned to Canada on Oct. 13, after Pakistani forces rescued them from the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, which had held them hostage since October 2012, when Boyle and his wife were captured while backpacking in Afghanistan.

Read more:

Joshua Boyle lashes out at kidnappers

In first sit-down interview, Caitlan Coleman tells of forced abortion, disputes official account of her rescue in Pakistan

A timeline of the captivity and release of Joshua Boyle and his family

In a statement to the Star, Caitlan wrote, I cant speak about the specific charges, but I can say that ultimately it is the strain and trauma he was forced to endure for so many years and the effects that that had on his mental state that is most culpable for this.

Obviously, he is responsible for his own actions, she wrote, but it is with compassion and forgiveness that I say I hope help and healing can be found for him. As to the rest of us, myself and the children, we are healthy and holding up as well as we can.

In an interview with the Star 12 days after their release, Caitlan said she and her husband were transferred from Afghanistan to Pakistan soon after they were kidnapped.

The 31-year-old gave birth to three children while in captivity and told the Star that her captors terminated another pregnancy by dosing her with estrogen. She said this was in retaliation for her husbands refusal to join the Haqqani network.

Joshua Boyle, Caitlan Coleman and their three children arrived in Canada on Oct. 13, ending a five-year-long kidnapping ordeal. (courtesy: Pakistan Defence/Facebook)

She said she was raped during her captivity, and that she and her family were often drugged and put in the trunk of a vehicle when being transported to different locations.

Caitlan said that, on Oct. 11, 2017, they were placed in the trunk of their kidnappers car, after which a gunfight broke out and they were freed by Pakistani security forces.

Boyle, who was once married to Zaynab Khadr, the sister of former Guantanamo Bay detainee Omar Khadr, had earlier told the Star that he was hit by shrapnel during the ordeal, and that the last thing he heard his captors say was Kill the hostages.

All three of the children  boys age 4 and 2, and an infant daughter  have undergone tests at the childrens hospital in Ottawa. Caitlan was also receiving medical attention in October but said she had been recovering.

In mid-December, the Boyles met Justin Trudeau at the prime ministers Parliament Hill office. A Twitter account for the Boyle family posted photos of the couple and their children in the Centre Block and of Trudeau holding the Boyles daughter in his lap.

Boyle told the Star after their release that the family was eager to start rebuilding their life in North America.

Were looking forward to a new lease on life, he said at the time.

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Barry Sherman was the philanthropist who once yanked back more than $25 million in promised donations  to a university, two hospitals and an aid group  because he was unhappy with decisions made on Parliament Hill.

The founder of pharmaceutical giant Apotex, who died at 75 on Dec. 15, was notably generous throughout his lifetime, donating millions of dollars and plenty of time to charities, research and initiatives.

He also used that donation power as a political tool.

A police investigation continues into the deaths of Sherman and his 70-year-old wife, Honey, after they were found in their North York mansion this month. Their cause of death was ruled to be ligature neck compression.

In 1999, Sherman reneged on a $20 million gift to the University of Toronto for its centre for cellular and molecular biology research, giving $1 million instead. He also pulled back $5 million to Mount Sinai Hospital, $225,000 to Princess Margaret Hospital and half of Apotexs United Way contributions.

He rescinded those donations because Jean Chretiens government moved to apply retroactive regulations on the drug industry  which Sherman told the Star damaged Apotexs earning potential. He added that the policy was unlikely to change unless we get a new prime minister.

All Toronto Liberal cabinet members opposed the decision, Sherman told the Star, and no MPs were protesting publicly because it would cost them their job.

Sherman had also requested that then University of Toronto president Robert Prichard assist Apotexs lobbying efforts, according to meeting minutes of the universitys executive committee. Prichard wrote to Chretien, telling him that the decision could jeopardize the medical sciences centre, according to a report from the Canadian Association of University Teachers.

I signed a letter prepared by the universitys development division without considering it carefully, Prichard told the Star via email Tuesday. It was a mistake. I apologized to the university community for doing so.

Apotex would later donate further to the university.

Around the same time, Apotex pulled funding from a clinical researcher, Dr. Nancy Olivieri, a blood disease specialist at SickKids, researching the drug deferiprone in a clinical trial for the drug company.

Olivieri, the lead researcher in the trial, raised concerns about the efficacy and potentially life-threatening risks of the drug, and Apotex threatened legal action and pulled funding.

It isnt unheard of for donors to pull back millions of dollars if theyre unhappy with an outcome, said David Callahan, the American author of The Givers: Wealth, Power, and Philanthropy in a New Gilded Age.

Theres a case, a famous lawsuit against Princeton University, where the family that had donated to the school of public affairs there wanted the donation returned, he said.

The family had donated millions explicitly for educating students to work for government  but they felt it was being misused.

These gifts are often carefully negotiated and the terms of the gifts are laid out in documents called gift instruments, Callahan said. If donors feel that those terms are not abided by they can and do sometimes ask for their money back.

What billionaires ask for in exchange isnt always made public, he said, adding that charitable gifts can sometimes be as effective as giving money to political candidates.

Theres that sort of general level of societal influence and political and business connections that come from being a high-end philanthropist like Barry Sherman, he said. Philanthropic dollars can be directly deployed to impact policy outcomes . . . and often, you know, these mega-givers will also be giving money to politicians and political parties, so theyll engage in both kinds of giving.

Political contribution records showed the Shermans gave smaller donations.

Sherman consistently donated to the Liberal party, with $3,808.94 in recorded federal donations since 2005. Honey Sherman gave $10,158.94 to the Liberals and $3,600 to the Conservatives since 2006. Apotex Inc. has donated $2,566 to the Liberal party since 2004, and $400 to the Conservatives.

Provincially, Apotex has given $92,086 since 2014, including $75,015 to the Liberal party and $10,613.74 to the Progressive Conservative party

Municipally, Barry has made two donations since 2010, for under $1,000 each.

One gets a sense of their political influence by who turned up at the memorial service  the words from the Prime Minister, from John Tory, Jim Turk, executive director of the Canadian Association of University Teachers in 1999, told the Star.

Premier Kathleen Wynne was also present at the memorial, and tributes flooded in from political figures from former premier Bob Rae to Health Minister Eric Hoskins and Senator Linda Frum.

Tory has relayed the Sherman familys concerns about the ongoing investigation into their deaths to the Toronto police chief, prompting mixed responses.

As a person, (Sherman) was almost single-minded in pursuing the interests of his company as he understood them, Turk said. And that would mean both through litigation (and) through political process.

Just days before he died, Sherman was attempting to stop an investigation into a political fundraiser he hosted during the last federal election, for now Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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This summer, rather than be separated from his pet, Mike made the decision to sleep in a one-man tent with a 41-kilogram dog.

It was warm, and he is a great summer dog, said Mike. My buddy gave me a tent. A one-man tent, he said. It is almost a cocoon.

His companion was a Mastiff-Rottweiler cross named Diesel. Mike adopted him when he was just three-weeks old and the lion-headed, brindled canine cant bear to leave his side.

I bottle-fed him for three weeks. I am like a surrogate mother to this dog, he said.

Mike spoke with the Star in the stairwell at the St. Felix Centre, a multi-service agency and 24/7 cold weather service drop-in where the pair were staying in late November. He asked that his last name not be used.

He is the biggest suck. He loves me to death, said Mike, of Diesel, who at one point was snoring in his lap.

They had been sleeping in the tent in Torontos ravine system, said Mike, because a roommate didnt pay rent and got them evicted. Owning a large dog makes finding housing or accepting any of the several offers he has for work difficult, said Mike.

When I got the dog I had financial stability, I had a great place, a great backyard. I wouldnt have taken on this responsibility of this dog with no income, he said.

They turned to St. Felix on Augusta Ave. when the temperature dropped because the agency welcomes people and their pets.

The centre provides everything from housing and medical care to mental health and employment services. Over the winter St. Felix acts as a 24/7 cold weather drop-in, one of several run out of non-profit agencies, for the city.

They cant offer beds, but lay out mats for people to rest on and provide snacks and warm and cold drinks.

They always welcomed animals, but this year they officially launched a program called Pets: Accommodating Wishes and Support, or P.A.W.S.

People can donate to the program, or specific pets. Owners can apply for up to $300 for health care, including micro-chipping, spaying and neutering, flea treatments and prescription medications. It is not limited to dogs.

To us, a pet, is a pet, is a pet, said executive director, Brian Harris. Many of our guests would choose to stay outside if their pet wasnt allowed to come in with them.

St. Felix isnt the only drop-in where people can bring their animals.

Sistering, a women-only drop-in on Bloor St. allows women to sleep with or alongside cats and dogs. Like St. Felix, there are no beds. At Sistering, women line up to get a spot on about a dozen reclining chairs and the rest curl up on mats on the floor, sometimes beneath tables.

The St. Felix office was already a pet-friendly space, and staff includes a 4-year-old Dalmatian named Hailey and 6-month-old Pug-terrier-Chihuahua cross named Jigsaw.

Harris said they had always made room for pets and provided food and shelter, but wanted to make it official and get the word out to people who might need help supporting their animal companions.

A persons entire support network can be their pet, said Harris, adding St. Felix staff felt it was important those companions were also well looked after.

Tomas Mirabelli, drop-in co-ordinator and owner of Jigsaw, said the dogs help clients feel welcome. Jigsaw, who reservedly accepted treats from a Star reporter, spends much of his day interacting with guests. In the morning he insists on greeting several regular clients before entering the office, said Mirabelli.

When Mike spoke with the Star, he and Diesel had been staying at St. Felix for about a week and a half, sharing a mat in an upstairs floor of the building.

At 41-kilograms and sporting a chain-link collar and a booming bark, Diesel appears intimidating, but at 13 months is still a bit of a puppy and is clearly incredibly bonded with his owner. Diesels parents died when he was three weeks old, and Mike adopted him to prevent the puppy from being euthanized.

They lost housing after Mike moved to Toronto for work. He said he was evicted because the man he was subletting from didnt pay rent. He found another place for them to stay, but the apartment was not suited for a large dog so they took to the woods, or the ravines across the city, explained Mike. At St. Felix, both he and his dog are fed, and Diesel was also outfitted with a new, donated dog coat to ward off the winter chill.

Mike has offers for work, but needs to find a place that will take him and a dog that will bark when he is at work and needs a sitter.

I had no money. I have a big dog. I dont have a co-signer. I have bad credit, and I dont exist on paper, or paperwork with a Toronto address on it, he explained.

Caring for a large dog without a roof over their heads was not something he could have planned for, neither was losing housing, said Mike.

It can happen to anybody lightning fast.
It was a bittersweet moment when Hassan Alshikh Darwish was selected in Turkey as part of Canadas massive Syrian refugee resettlement project almost two years ago.

His whole family  parents, elder brother, three sisters and their spouses and children  had always lived together in Damascus. Even after they all fled to Batman, a city in southeastern Turkey, in 2013, they still lived in the same building.

Now, for the first time, their family unit would be pulled apart.

Although his wife, two children and parents all arrived in Toronto with him in February 2016, the majority of the Darwish clan  19 adults and children  are still languishing in Turkey, except for one sister and her family who were resettled to Brussels in November. Darwishs brother and his wife and children have been waiting since November 2016 for their application to come to Canada to be approved.

There was a lot of crying when we left Batman, said Darwish, a skilled trades worker who came here as a resettled Syrian refugee sponsored by the Canadian government. We felt we would never see them again.

Life is tough for the estimated 800,000 Syrian refugees stranded in Turkey, where they can work only illegally, often in exploitative conditions, while facing repatriation to Syria at any time, Darwish said.

According to the Turkish Consul General to Canada, Erdeniz Sen, Turkey hosts more than 3.4 million Syrian refugees as of Jan. 4. and 230,000 of them stay in 21 camps. (See response from the Turkish Consul General, here.)

Since Justin Trudeau and the Liberals came to power in October 2015, Canada has opened its doors to almost 50,000 Syrian refugees through sponsorships by the federal government and private community groups.

As of early December, the Immigration Department said it was still processing applications for 20,000 sponsored Syrian refugees, including 15,927 from private sponsorship groups, 4,006 under government assistance, and the rest through joint sponsorships between the two.

The largest backlog is in Lebanon (7,700), followed by United Arab Emirates (3,200), Saudi Arabia and Turkey (both around 2,400), and Jordan (1,840).

Processing times vary depending on where individuals are located. Refugee processing is complex due to work with some of the worlds most at-risk people in challenging local conditions, said a department spokesperson, Nancy Caron.

Some of these factors include establishing identity, addressing security concerns as well as logistical challenges that are outside of the departments control.

However, she said, the department is working toward eliminating the existing backlog of applications for privately sponsored refugees by the end of 2019 and reducing processing times for new applications submitted after 2019 to about 12 months.

Andrew FitzGerald of Canada4Refugees, a grassroots advocacy group for private sponsors, accused the Liberal government of missing its goal to process all the applications from before March 31, 2016, by early 2017, as many of these applications are still awaiting a decision.

There is a lack of transparency from the Immigration Department regarding individual files or the overall program. This lack of transparency has only gotten worse, FitzGerald said.

The difficulty of obtaining any feedback regarding delays in individual applications makes it incredibly frustrating for private sponsorship groups when inordinate delays occur, as is often the case.

Jessica Miklos, who is a member of the group that sponsored the Darwish family, said the estimated processing time for Syrian sponsorship on the Immigration website has risen to at least 19 months now from 13 months in November 2016, when her team submitted an application to sponsor Darwishs brother Ibrahim, his wife and their four children. Darwishs remaining siblings are still looking for sponsors.

This family is now part of our family. And families help each other, so we raised the money to bring another part of their family, Miklos said. And now, again, we wait. We see that our government, which cleared thousands of families to come to Canada in just a few months, is now taking 19 months or more to review their paperwork.

Meanwhile, 33-year-old Darwish and his parents have found jobs working in restaurant kitchens. They are also taking English classes.

We try to work hard and give back, but it is hard to focus when the rest of our family are not here. My mother is weeping all the time, worrying about her other children and grandchildren. It just makes it so difficult for us to feel fully settled here, Darwish said through an interpreter. His brother got a call just before Christmas for an interview scheduled in January with Canadian officials at the local visa post.

Its been almost two years since 8-year-old Lara Kevorkian Scherzer and Lord Lansdowne and da Vinci public schools raised $40,000 to sponsor a Syrian family to Canada from Lebanons Bekka Valley at the end of 2015. Today, they are still waiting for the family to come.

The students parents secured an apartment and furnished it in early 2016. To hold the unit, they rented it out through Airbnb until last month, when they decided to rent it to a longer-term tenant with the permission of their sponsored family.

Lara has sent four years worth of her own Christmas and birthday money to a refugee camp in Lebanon. She has sold her toys and clothing to further fundraise for the family. She is upset about the delay, said her mother, Noura Kevorkian, a film producer, who has made two short videos about the family stuck in limbo in the Middle East.

As a parent, Im fortunate that my kids were born in Canada. The delay is disheartening to the kids in the school. They wonder why the prime minister is not writing back and adults do not care what they do.

Miklos said the Liberal government can do better, especially when so much money that has already been raised by community groups for the purpose of resettling the Syrians is still idling in bank accounts.

Please fund the process at the levels needed to reunite families quickly. Dont leave families to languish for years with temporary safety, but no real home, Miklos said.

We, Canadians, have raised large sums of money to support refugee families. Do the work of reviewing those files so that we can get that money back into the economy. When it comes down to it, we all share a common humanity. We are all just people who want to feel safe, and free to pursue a peaceful life.
On his deathbed, at St. Josephs Health Centre, Sultan Khan hastened the end of a hard life by pulling out the breathing tube from the hole in his throat. With the consent of his family in Pakistan, doctors took the more merciful course of action and left the tube out.

Normally, it would take 24 to 48 hours to die, says Khans GP, Dr. Chetan Mehta, referring to the dislodged tube. But Sultan lasted four days.

Khan was a month away from his 63rd birthday. He died Oct. 15 of a broken body and a broken heart.

He came to Canada as a victim of torture in 1990 and led a marginalized existence of extreme pain and suffering. If there is a definition of hell, Mehta says, this guys life was it.

He had no relatives in Canada. His dying wish  to see his son from Pakistan  was dashed when the sons request for a visitors visa was denied, despite the support of Khans doctors, social workers and a local Liberal MP, Julie Dzerowicz. Dzerowicz has backed multiple applications for similar emergency visas from her Davenport constituents in the past two years.

Khans lonely death is not unique.

An agency that provides palliative care to marginalized Toronto residents, known by the acronym PEACH, has witnessed other patients condemned to face death without loved ones because of visa rejections. And Dzerowicz, who represents a riding where almost half of residents are foreign-born, is calling for a federal policy that facilitates such compassion-based visas.

It was cruel, Mehta says of the visa rejection. People like Sultan get no compassion and dignity in their life, and its horrible to watch them denied that in their death.

In Pakistan, Khan was a high school history teacher and union official involved in protests for higher wages. He was arrested and tortured to give up names of fellow protest organizers, according to the Toronto-based Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture, which assessed Khan psychiatrically in 2014.

He was eventually released and fled to Canada, leaving his wife and three children behind. He received refugee status in 1992 and became a permanent resident in 2007.

He had a masters degree in history and spoke English, Urdu, Farsi, Turkish and Hindi. Yet he never found his footing, not least because he was visually impaired by cataracts, typhoid fever contracted as a youth, and  as he told it  the impact of a gas canister exploding inches from him at a protest.

He would be legally blind within a few years of arrival, ending the pleasure he got from playing chess or reading history books at the Parkdale library.

By 1993, his trauma had him reaching for the bottle. He tries to cope by blocking out the past, often with alcohol, wrote Dr. Lisa Andermann, the psychiatrist who assessed him for the victims centre.

Khan was homeless for a while, but most of his time was spent in rooming houses or squalid basement apartments in Parkdale, including one that had no running water in the bathroom. Somehow, he made the most of his condition and won over many who met him with his warmth, his sense of humour and his embellished storytelling.

He was a really sweet man, says Dr. Debbie Honickman, who treated Khan for two decades at the Queen West community health centre, beginning in the mid-1990s. Even when he came in drunk he was never mean.

He evoked a tremendous amount of compassion. We all felt like we wanted to do more, she adds. Were working with marginalized people all the time and if you felt like that every minute youd be a basket case. But he struck a chord with a lot of people.

In 2012, Community Outreach Programs in Addiction set Khan up in a small studio apartment on Lansdowne Ave., at Dupont St., where rent cost him 30 per cent of his Ontario disability support benefits. One day, his addiction case manager, Jessica Zabloski, accompanied Khan to an appointment at the Parkdale Activity-Recreation Centre (PARC).

He told me, I am famous in Parkdale. You will see, everyone will be happy to see me.  Zabloski recalls. And sure enough, as were passing PARC on Queen St. theres a bunch of people out front and they see him and, Ah, Sultan! And they start putting cigarettes in his pocket and patting him on the back and asking how he is.

Yeah, he was famous in Parkdale.

He was also an easy target for predators. He was skin and bones, says Mehta, who treated Khan during the last three years of his life.

He was badly beaten and robbed many times. One assault left him with seven fractured ribs. Another, by fellow tenants in a building before his move to Lansdowne, almost killed him.

They set him on fire while he was asleep, Honickman says.

Community workers were constantly helping him replace his stolen disability benefits and free TTC pass from the CNIB. The regular assaults added to his trauma and fuelled his drinking. He suffered from chronic post-traumatic stress disorder and spent his later years in a state of persistent distress.

He often tried to quit drinking and smoking. But hed forget to take his medication  about a dozen tablets daily  and would revert to alcohol. Osteoporosis, chronic gastric ulcers and bouts of pneumonia and malaria were the least of his problems.

But his ability to bounce back was extraordinary.

He would always surprise you with how much of a survivor he was, says Zabloski, who works for Reconnect Community Health Services. He was probably the most driven man I ever met in my life.

He was skilful at tapping into agencies that could help. And he was always on the move, heading to appointments with his white cane or his walker. Often, hed load the walkers basket with roses or carnations and sell them for a tiny profit in restaurants on Bloor or Queen St. Its the only job anyone remembers him having.

Whatever money he could save hed send to his family in Pakistan. He spoke with them regularly by phone and visited them twice, in 2008 and 2009. He became obsessed with sponsoring them to Canada and lugged a knapsack full of documents for the case, which Dorrie Doucette would regularly sort for him in neat files.

He really longed for his children to come here, says Doucette, a community mental health worker at PARC.

His hopes were crushed on Nov. 30, 2015, when an appeal tribunal of the Immigration and Refugee Board ruled against him, in a decision obtained by the Star. The main reason was that Khan, who married in 1980, had declared he was separated from his wife when he applied for his permanent residency. He also failed to disclose her name in that application.

He told the tribunal that at the time of the residency application, he was in a relationship with a Canadian woman who abused alcohol and got into bar fights, one of which landed Khan in jail for 45 days.

The ruling sapped his strength and his spirit. He just seemed more defeated, Doucette says.

Staying on his feet became more of a challenge. During one fall, he fractured his temporal bone, causing brain fluid to leak. On another occasion, while crossing the street to go to a pharmacy, he was struck by a car.

In the last year of his life, Khan made 29 visits to his family doctor and was treated in hospital emergency wards 25 times.

I cant think of a bone that hadnt been fractured at some point in his life, says Mehta, his GP.

I didnt know what I had medically left to offer him, he adds, except prayer and duct tape.

On Jan. 4, 2017, Khan fell while crossing the road and hit the pavement head first. He arrived by ambulance at St. Michaels hospital with a severe brain injury; he registered 3 on the Glasgow coma scale, the lowest possible. The translation of that is he had the level of consciousness of a vegetable, Mehta says.

He underwent a tracheostomy and was discharged 23 days later. Mehta considered it a near-miracle. In a flash of his resolute self, Khan bought roses to resell. But his strength failed him and the wilted flowers were tossed out by a housekeeping service.

By the end of April, his health deteriorated to the point where he was being treated at his Lansdowne apartment by PEACH, the Palliative Education and Care for the Homeless agency.

He was so aching for his family, Mehta says. He told me on a couple of occasions that he wanted to get on a plane. Id say, Sultan, you cant even cross the street to go to the pharmacy. How on earth do you think youre going to get to Lahore? 

Khans airway had become so constricted he wheezed with every breath. On June 26, he was admitted to St. Josephs Health Centre, and began his painful wait for death.

Zabloski and Mehta contacted Khans youngest child, Sardar Rashid Khan, and with the help of Dzerowicz, the MP, they began the visitors visa process.

Im a very big believer that someone should have the possibility to see their closest family members when theyre on their deathbed, Dzerowicz says.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada denied the request on Sept. 8. Dzerowicz backed Sardars appeal, but it too was denied, on Oct. 7. Visa officers told Sardar they werent convinced he would leave Canada at the end of his visa, according to the official rejection letter Sardar emailed to the Star.

I have a home, we have our land, we have a dairy farm business with 25 cows and buffalos, Sardar says during a Skype interview from Gujranwala, Pakistan, where he works on his mothers farm.

When the government didnt give me a visa I was really shocked, adds Sardar, who is 30 and single. I just wanted to see my dad  to touch him, to care for him  and then I would come back to my country.

In a statement to the Star, the Immigration Department said the onus is on applicants to satisfy visa officers that ties to their home country are strong enough to ensure return.

We understand that it is frustrating and disappointing when peoples applications are refused, especially in such difficult times. Please be assured that these decisions are not made lightly, wrote communications adviser Faith St John, adding the department has no idea how many of these death-related applications it receives annually.

Dzerowicz, who co-chairs the Liberal Ontario caucus on immigration, wants the government to set a bond for close family members who pass security checks and wish to visit dying relatives. She argues the bond would reduce the risk of visitors staying in Canada. But St John says no new measures are planned to facilitate these types of visits.

The decision revolted Khans doctors and support workers. They wonder how a country that spent many thousands of dollars to keep Khan alive could deny him the most basic and cost-free human comfort when he died.

On Oct. 11, four days after the final visa rejection, Khan pulled out his breathing tube while in intensive care. Sardar had already consented in a conference call with doctors to let his father die if that happened. Khan died at 2:54 p.m. on Oct. 15.

A week later, Pakistan International Airlines flew his body back to Pakistan free of charge.

Sultan Akbar Khan was finally with his family.

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WASHINGTON Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah said Tuesday he will not seek re-election after serving more than 40 years in the Senate, opening the door for former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney to run for his seat.

Hatch, 83, said hes always been a fighter, but every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves.

Hatch is the longest-serving Republican in the Senate. He chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee and was a major force in getting a tax overhaul through Congress and signed into law in December.

He also played a key role in persuading President Donald Trump to sign proclamations scaling back two sprawling national monuments in Utah that Hatch and other conservatives considered examples of government overreach.

In a statement, Hatch said he decided to retire at the end of his seventh term after much prayer and discussion with family and friends over the holiday break.

Only in a nation like ours could someone like me  the scrappy son of a simple carpenter  grow up to become a United States senator, he added.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who now lives in Utah, has been eyeing a Senate run, but Trump had encouraged Hatch to seek re-election.

Romney thanked Hatch in a statement on Facebook and said Hatch has represented the interests of Utah with distinction and honour.

Romneys statement did not mention his own plans.

Trump had been open in recent months about pressuring Hatch to stay in the Senate, particularly as Romneys ambition for the seat became apparent. Trumps private lobbying campaign was bolstered by a public lovefest, as Trump invited Hatch with him on Air Force One in December as he shrunk the boundaries of the two Utah monuments.

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He also played a key role in persuading U.S. President Donald Trump to sign proclamations scaling back two sprawling national monuments in Utah that Hatch and other conservative considered example of government overreach.

Trump called Hatch a fighter and a special friend of mine, and thanked Hatch for his vocal support when it wasnt exactly the easiest thing to do.

Romney has a far more tortured relationship with the president, having been a vocal critic of Trumps during the 2016 campaign, including delivering a broadside address in March 2016 condemning Trump. But after the election, Romney submitted himself as a candidate to be secretary of state in an excruciatingly public interview process.

Since Trump has moved into the White House, Romney has been a frequent detractor, particularly after Trump equivocated on condemning white supremacists in Charlottesville last summer.

White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday she had not discussed Romneys potential candidacy with Trump and could not say whether the president would support him.

Amid earlier speculation about Hatchs plans, the Utah senator stepped up to defend Romney, a fellow Mormon. Last month Hatch lashed out at former White House adviser Steve Bannon for his attack on Romney and the Mormon Church.

At a rally for Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, Bannon called Romney, the GOPs 2012 presidential nominee, a draft dodger who hid behind his religion. Romney received a draft deferment for missionary work in France during Vietnam.

Hatch called Bannons attack disappointing and unjustified and said Romney has sought every opportunity to serve the country.

Hatch defended the selfless service of missionary work and said hed be happy to explain his church to Bannon, adding, Ive got a copy of the Book of Mormon with his name on it.

Late last year, Hatch also found himself in a heated debate with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio. The dispute occurred as Republicans pushed a near $1.5 trillion, 10-year tax cut for businesses and individuals through the Senate Finance Committee over Democrats objections.

Brown, a liberal firebrand, said people know Republicans want to help the rich because its in their DNA.

Hatch told Brown hed heard enough, adding that hes helped disadvantaged people my whole stinking career. As the two senators talked over each other, Hatch said he was tired of Democrats bull crap.

In the statement announcing his decision to retire, Hatch cited work helping create the Americans with Disabilities Act, expanding childrens health insurance and expanding use of generic drugs.

Hatch also served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and was at the centre of many of the biggest confirmation battles. During his time on the committee, the Senate has confirmed nearly 1,900 federal judges.

In 2000, Hatch sought the Republican nomination for president, saying he had more experience in Washington than his opponents and insisting he could work with Democrats. He withdrew from the race after only winning 1 per cent of the vote in the Iowa caucuses and then endorsed George W. Bush.

Hatch frequently wrote religious songs and recorded music in his spare time as a way to relax from the stresses of life in Washington. One of his songs, Unspoken, went platinum after appearing on WOW Hits 2005, a compilation of Christian pop music.

While seeking re-election in 2012, Hatch pledged it would be his last term. He seemed to waver on that decision in recent months with Trump publicly calling on him to run again.

Romney would enter the Senate race as the heavy favourite, having carried Utah in 2012 by a margin of nearly 3 to 1 over Democrat Barack Obama. Romney, an unabashed Trump critic, would likely be among a small number of influential Republicans willing to take on Trump.

Derek Miller, a Utah businessman who had been considering a run for Hatchs seat, said Tuesday that Romney has popped up more frequently at policy gatherings, chamber of commerce meetings and social events in Utah.

I go to events and I see Gov. Romney there, over the last couple months, when I never saw him at those events before, Miller said.

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WASHINGTONIn the last hour of 2017, in a brick duplex with a plastic snowman out front, a 16-year-old boy from what seemed to be a happy family picked up a semi-automatic rifle and killed his mother, father, sister and a family friend, New Jersey officials said.

The boy is too young to be named by those who arrested him, although he may be tried as an adult. He is expected to be charged with four counts of murder and will appear in court Tuesday, according to NJ.com.

In the meantime, friends and relatives are struggling to reconcile the massacre with their conception of the Kologi family  large, loving and picturesque, as described by the Asbury Park Press.

They had seen their troubles. Nearly a decade ago, Steven and Linda Kologi had filed for bankruptcy, the Press reported. But by 2017, they were still living in the same Long Branch, N.J., duplex and even prospering in some ways.

The couple, in their early 40s, had four children, according to the Press. NJ.com wrote that 18-year-old Brittany  killed along with her parents  had recently finished her first semester at Stockton University, about an hour down the coast. She was on the process to being great with whatever she chose, her brother Steven Kologi would write after her death, according to NJ.com.

As for the elder Steven Kologi  my God, hed do anything for his kids, a friend named Ronnie Pacheco told the Press. Steven Kologi had once worked as a postal worker and now took on a multitude of jobs and shifts to bring in the paychecks. Some midnight to 9 in the morning, Pacheco said. He did everything and anything to support his family.

Friends knew Linda Kologi as a doting mother, New Yorks CBS affiliate reported. The whole family would often come into the Welsh Farms convenience store across the street, NJ.com wrote. Linda always looked happy and often bought a lottery ticket, the report quoted the shop owner as saying.

In warm weather on Sundays, the Press reported, the Kologis would sometimes show up at a local softball field.

The 16-year-old, some said, had gone through his own troubles. Kids used to tease him in elementary school, family friend Veronica Mass told NJ.com. He had a learning disability, and his grades at the time were poor.

His parents started home-schooling him a few years ago, Mass said, and the boy seemed to improve. He learned to read, did his math, Mass said. He became a friendly, funny teenager. He would tell jokes.

On the night of Dec. 31, Brittany was visiting from college, and the Kologis were gathered at home. The boys grandfather was there, as was a friend, 70-year-old Mary Shultz.

Also in the duplex, according to the Monmouth County prosecutor, was a Century Arms semi-automatic rifle belonging to a family member.

James Roskowinski happened to be across the street about 11:45 p.m. He told the Press that he might have mistaken the pops he heard for fireworks  except that he also saw lights flash in the living room window and knew at once this was no celebration.

Pop, pop, pop, pop, Roskowinski said.

Someone inside the duplex called 911. Before the year was over, police were lined up outside the Welsh Farms store where Linda Kologi had once bought lottery tickets, and lights and sirens filled the street.

The grandfather and the boys brother were able to flee the duplex. The elder Steven, Linda and Brittany Kologi and Mary Shultz all lay dead inside the home.

Police said nothing of the boys arrest, except that it was uneventful.

We are investigating this and are confident that its a domestic incident, prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said at a news conference. Its completely isolated.

Why would he kill his own mother? a family member wondered to CBS in New York. She was so good to that boy.

In the early hours of 2018, NJ.com reported, the younger Steven Kologi posted a sort of eulogy to his family on Instagram. He did not mention his arrested brother, but wrote of his parents: Never once was I without a hot meal or a roof over my head. They made sure Christmas came every year even though they struggled financially.

Please, please, he wrote, remember to give the ones you love an extra kiss or I love you.
ISLAMABADA tweet by President Donald Trump has Pakistan responding angrily to accusations that it has accepted billions of dollars in aid from the United States while failing to act against terrorist networks within its borders.

Trump, in a tweet Monday, accused Pakistan of deceit and lies and said that Pakistan gives safe haven to terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help.

No more, Trump warned.

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Later that day, Pakistans foreign affairs minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, dismissed Trumps Twitter outburst as having no importance.

David Hale, the U.S. ambassador, was summoned late Monday to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad, the capital, and a diplomatic protest was lodged, Pakistani officials said.

Coverage of Trumps comments has dominated the Pakistani news media, and an emergency session of the countrys National Security Council was to be held Tuesday to allow top civilian and military leaders to prepare a response. Local news outlets reported that military officials would give briefings about steps taken against militants.

Trumps post and Pakistans response point to a nosedive in the relationship between the United States and Pakistan, which has become deeply strained in recent months. In several recent high-profile visits, U.S. officials have repeatedly expressed frustration over Pakistans failure to confront terrorist networks within its borders. But Pakistani officials say they have done more than enough.

Privately, Pakistani officials say that the United States has failed in Afghanistan and is looking to blame Pakistan for that failure. Pakistani officials continue to deny that militants, especially those with the Haqqani network, which is allied with the Afghan Taliban and is responsible for many lethal attacks inside Afghanistan, have havens inside Pakistan.

During a news conference last week, Maj. Gen. Asif Ghafoor, the spokesman for Pakistans military, warned the United States against taking any unilateral anti-terrorism action on Pakistani soil.

Pakistans military says it is working to build a fence along the Afghan border to curb infiltration. Officials also say that the estimated 2.7 million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan need to be repatriated because their presence in the country complicates action against Taliban militants. Pakistani officials say fighters from the Taliban and other groups are able to hide in settlement camps by mingling with refugees.

While there was characteristic chest thumping on the evening television talk shows, with guests lampooning the U.S. threats, some critics said there was indeed a need for greater introspection in Pakistan.

There is a need to fill the gaps in our policy, Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry, a former Pakistani ambassador, said in an interview. We cannot take the bilateral relationship to a dead end.

We are living in denial, he added. The world, especially the United States, is not accepting our narrative.

As an example, Chaudhry pointed to Hafiz Saeed, the founding leader of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the militant group behind the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India, who has continued to live openly in Pakistan despite long being one of the most-wanted militant leaders in the region, with a huge U.S. bounty on his head.

After Trumps tweet Monday, a charity run by Saeed, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, was prohibited from collecting donations, according to a government order. But Chaudhry said that the order was just playing to the gallery.

Rather than becoming belligerent, he said, we need to be realistic and go with the world opinion.

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From the Carleton in Halifax, to the Silver Dollar Room in Toronto, to The Railway Club in Vancouver, reports that small and medium-size live music venues are struggling across the country are common. Rising property costs in Canadas urban centres can make it difficult for owners to make ends meet and, increasingly, music creators who perform at these venues cant afford to live in their own city.

Yet, ironically, live music attracts people to cities.

Recent SOCAN third-party research reveals that 70 per cent of city-dwelling Canadians younger than age 35 feel its important to live in a neighbourhood that includes live music. If artists cant afford to live in our urban neighbourhoods, and venues are steadily disappearing, we must ask ourselves: where will live music take place?

Cities such as Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver and Montreal have a strong desire to be a music city because they understand that music supports the local economy by attracting tourists, and encourages younger Canadians to settle in their communities by creating a thriving employment base. To be a true music city, however, municipalities can do more to actively create conditions under which live music wont just live but thrive.

Cities can start by better supporting live artists with new types of housing options, something they have done with many other arts and culture communities and small businesses. A recent Toronto-based project plans to offer musicians their own building in downtown Toronto, with affordable rental units, rehearsal and recording space. Its a joint project between a property developer and Toronto Music City, and an excellent example of corporations and not-for-profits working together to foster music creation and performance.

Municipalities can also examine local development fee structures, and consider adding live music venues to the list of capital-cost recipients when a new development is erected. In many cities, developers are required to contribute to the surrounding communitys infrastructure and amenities, such as their libraries, parks, and/or transit.

Access to the arts is integral to communities too, and our research shows Canadians support this approach: 91 per cent of Canadians already living in urban Canada who want to live in a neighbourhood with a vibrant local arts scene agree that a portion of development charges should support live music.

Detractors comment that, if a community wants music, residents will find a way to support it. However, they dont fully understand the obstacles music creators face today, some of which didnt exist as recently as 15 years ago.

Yes, streaming services are making significant headway into the Canadian market, but they are still not contributing to the ecosystem at the level last seen during the CD era. Some genres have adapted very well (e.g. urban music), but others are struggling to find space in the new streaming scene. Our country music creators and nearly all the music from Quebec are prime examples of this difficulty to find exposure online.

Music creators are now also tasked with promoting themselves by building an online presence and personal brand, which can take their attention away from making music. If creators can spend only a fraction of their time on their art, in an environment where the cost of living is too high, how long will it be before they leave urban centres, causing existing local music scenes to die?

Cities that want to attract diverse, thriving populations should look at creative musical culture in new ways and take steps to create conditions for live music to thrive or even continue:

Municipalities must bring culture groups together to find ways to better distribute development charges so live music venues can benefit.

Music venues should be license compliant, so music creators and publishers are compensated fairly and legally for the use of their work, creating conditions for yet more music to be made.

Music lovers should frequent only venues that hold live music licenses, which ensure music creators receive what they have rightfully and legally earned, while also supporting local businesses and the economy.

A vibrant live music scene in Canadian cities is therefore even more crucial than before for Canadian creators. Live music makes Canadas cities and towns more livable and prosperous. Live music must be looked after.

Eric Baptiste is the CEO of SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors & Music Publishers of Canada).
A few years ago, I had a job interview for a contract position. As I answered the standard queries posed to me by the panel, the inevitable question made its appearance.

What does diversity mean to you?

The eager faces around the table had shined in anticipation and I remember pausing in confusion. Were they looking for a standard answer, or were they waiting for the one visible minority in the room to unveil the meaning of the enigmatic term that has been floating in organizational workspaces since it was chosen to replace affirmative action?

Irritation took over my mind and I remember sitting up taller in my chair, meeting each pair of eyes as I slowly spoke and said something to the effect of, Im not sure exactly.

Eyes had widened but I couldnt stop. I suppose it means representing everyone from all backgrounds, and putting up pictures on websites and marketing material that reflects the intended audience. But I am not sure that we still need a term for this. I really hope that one day there is no need for the term diversity but that we are all just people.

I knew that the interview was over at that point as I felt the discomfort rise in the air as the panel scribbled in their notes. No one should be surprised that I didnt get a callback.

Fast forward to 2017 and Apples chief diversity officer Denise Young Smith states that diversity could be described as a room of blond haired, blue eyed males who bring different opinions.

Not surprisingly, her immediate resignation prompted a rage of comments on social media, with many defending her comment. It was an accurate statement after all, if you want to view it as a stand-alone statement, ignoring her title, and intended role, whatever that is supposed to be.

But from one visible minority womans perception, who felt the intent of her words as they shook me into self-awareness, I understood. She is doing what so many of us want to do, which is covering the diversity brand with a translucent, white veil.

Im pretty sure that I am speaking for many visible minorities when I say that I dont want to be hired based on a diversity quota. Nor do I want to hire others under the same premise, placing them in a special category  still marginalized, but for a good cause.

But then I remember how we got here.

When I first graduated from university, I had a contract job for a company in Oakville where I was covering for a receptionist who was seconded into another role. One day, I was asked to stay home for the morning because the permanent receptionist needed to be at the front desk. I found out later that the company had visitors from the United States and the older lady with the ash blond hair was the preferred hostess to greet the guests.

This was in the mid 90s, before diversity was considered the preferred image. It would be different today. The young brown woman would be asked to sit at the desk and smile, while the permanent receptionist is promoted to office manager.

If we drill down to the actual words that the former diversity chief spilled, we can see the precision in her words. Diversity doesnt mean brown, black, gay or disabled. In fact, I have a memory of a large, public organization executing the accuracy of this practice when they hired a young, blond intern from a college in Brampton. They were in fact, choosing the diverse candidate in a sea of black and brown candidates for the coveted opportunity.

But Ive also watched and unfortunately experienced the silence of boards of directors, hand picked to represent the perfect diverse mosaic, as mistreatment of certain staff members ensured the leadership continued to be as it had been for generations.

Its a tough place to be. We all want opportunities to move ahead based on our skills and competence. And when we manage to succeed, we stumble over the diversity word for fear of being that person who pulls the race card.

So yes, I totally understand what Denise Young Smith was trying to convey. But her error is that she is too far ahead. People are still stuck on the novelty of diversity and attached to the appeal of the brand. They arent yet ready to embrace the idea that what needs to change is far deeper than a catchphrase, or a token appointment.

Priya Ramsingh is the author of Brown Girl in the Room. www.priyaramsingh.ca

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With the New Year upon us, Canadians are preparing to mark the first anniversary of the Quebec Mosque massacre. Jan. 29, 2017 stands as the only time in Canadian history when a gunman walked into a house of worship to murder those at prayer.

On that day, Alexandre Bissonnette allegedly entered la Grande Mosque in Quebec City, where 58 people prayed. Police have charged Bissonnette with murdering six and injuring 19.

Substitute synagogue for mosque, and, as the former CEO of Canadian Jewish Congress, one of us (Bernie Farber) had spent decades fearing just this kind of event. The next morning, Farber, by then the head of Mosaic Institute in Toronto, picked up the phone to reach out to Muslim leaders across the country.

The other author (Mira Sucharov) taught her Israeli-Palestinian Relations course the next morning about rights-violations and violence across the globe. Stunned by the news of the mosque massacre, only later did she manage to address it properly with her class, a class that included several Muslim-Canadians.

Our work is not complete. Since then, a palpable sense of fear has gripped the Muslim community where it continues to hover.

For a short time after the Jan. 29 massacre, Canadians did the right thing. Politicians, faith leaders and ordinary citizens sent offerings of condolences. Faith groups stood in solidarity with Muslim Canadians, the grassroots of Torontos Jewish community held rings of peace at local mosques where hundreds formed human circles of comfort.

But all too soon, Islamophobia was back with a vengeance. Barely two weeks after the tragic massacre, the hard-right Rebel Media outlet organized hundreds of individuals at Canada Christian College, the Bible-thumping home of ultra conservative evangelicals, to rail against Motion 103.

This motion was a simple statement that passed later that spring in the House of Commons denouncing Islamophobia and all other forms of religious and racial discrimination. Protesters called M-103 a blasphemy. Some shouted Ban Islam and Islam is Evil. Others carried signs declaring Say No to Islam.

A few weeks later, anti-Muslim rallies were held in front of downtown mosques where bigots and Islamophobes spewed hatred.

And then, in March, a group of parents attended a Peel School Board meeting to denounce a Muslim prayer room established at a local high school. One participant ripped up a Quran.

In April, one of us (Bernie Farber), in a column for the Toronto Star, urged faith leaders across Toronto to come together at a press conference to loudly and passionately denounce Islamophobia. That invitation was met by an eerie silence, as Islamophobic actions continued apace.

In June, another group of parents picketed John Fraser Secondary School in Mississauga to denounce Islam and prayer rooms. Children were bullied and intimidated on their way to classes by demonstrators wearing t-shirts proclaiming Stop Islam, while others screamed racist slogans.

In mid December, Pamela Geller, described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as the anti-Muslim movement's most visible and flamboyant figurehead, spoke at Torontos Canada Christian College under the auspices of the far-right Jewish Defence League.

A couple of weeks before that, the same JDL premiered the viciously Islamophobic film Killing Europe at the Toronto Zionist Centre. The same film had been banned earlier in November from being shown at the Ottawa Public Library. And recently, Christine Douglass-Williams, a board member of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, was ousted for Islamophobic commentary.

It was as though the Jan. 29 killings had never happened.

Peel police have since charged one of the Islamophobic protest leaders, Kevin Johnston, with promoting hatred. Still, not enough has been done.

Facing down this kind of unsavoury opposition, we took to these pages in October to lay out the case for why M-103 is necessary.

Data from Statistics Canada reveals uneven progress. After a rise in hate-crimes against Muslims in 2015, the number fell slightly in 2016. But the mosque attack shows we cannot be complacent.

As the Jan. 29 anniversary approaches, Canadians must be silent no longer. We all know that no gender, sexual, religious, ethnic or racial minority is safe as long as another is not. Now, more than ever, we must reflect on how to overcome the hatred in our midst, and give that anniversary the sober attention it deserves.

Bernie M. Farber is former CEO of Canadian Jewish Congress, the recently retired executive director of Mosaic Institute, a writer and social justice advocate. Mira Sucharov is associate professor of political science at Carleton University.
The catastrophic die-off of right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 2017 has presented Canadian policymakers with a stark choice: take decisive steps now to save this spectacular species or be complicit in its likely extinction.

Between April and November of last year, 16 right whales were found dead, 12 of them in Canadian waters. Only about 450 of the mammals remain. The startling death toll, as the Stars Kate Allen pointed out in a recent feature, represents more than 3.5 per cent of the North Atlantic right whales total population, the equivalent of 1.25 million Canadians suddenly dying in the span of seven months.

The problem, it seems, is that the whales are migrating to the highly trafficked Gulf of St. Lawrence at an unprecedented rate, their range expanding probably due in part to climate change. In the Gulf, right whales are more likely to encounter mortal threats: collisions with commercial ships and entanglements in fishing gear.

In August, in response to the spate of deaths, Ottawa asked ship operators to reduce the speed of vessels in parts of the Gulf where whales are frequently sighted. Fisheries Minister Dominic Leblanc also suggested he would consider rerouting shipping lanes away from feeding grounds.

These are sensible measures. Similar programs to save right whales in the Bay of Fundy and the Roseway Basin successfully reduced deaths there a number of years ago. But for these to work, and for Leblanc to make good on his promise to bring absolutely every protection to bear to safeguard this rare and precious species, more must be done.

For instance, as many researchers have argued, investments must be made now to study the whales shifting migratory patterns. Without more precise information about where right whales go and when, new shipping regulations will inevitably fall short.

Then theres the tricky issue of whale-ensnaring fishing gear. Entanglements are not only occasionally deadly for right whales; they have also been shown to increase stress and thus decrease mating. The lucrative lobster, crab and other fisheries in the Gulf should not be shut down lightly, but short of such extreme measures, Ottawa must invest aggressively in the development and testing of new fishing technologies researchers say may be an important part of the solution.

Finally, the government should put an end once and for all to misguided plans for oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The Harper government opened the door for possible offshore drilling in the Gulf in its 2012 budget, which included a measure that underlined the areas energy potential and made it easier for oil companies to explore for petroleum resources.

For their part, the Trudeau Liberals have allowed the process to continue by permitting exploration protected areas and allowing for the extension of exploration licences.

This is a terrible idea. The Gulf is a semi-enclosed estuary, meaning the damage from any spill would not easily dissipate. It would instead reach five coastlines, affecting land and livelihoods in all provinces touching on the Gulf.

And even short of a spill, the seismic method used to explore for oil and gas carries its own risks. It would involve sending sound waves into layers of underwater rock to determine the best spot for drilling. Scientists warn that can seriously disrupt fish and marine mammals.

Ottawa should follow the example of Quebec, which recently cancelled plans for oil and gas exploration on Anticosti Island in the Gulf.

In Canada, by virtue of our vast wilderness, three oceans and enormous holdings of fresh water, we have a special responsibility to conserve. Yet recent reports suggest we are failing in this regard. It is not an exaggeration to say that, in this way, we are endangering our food and water, the health of our economy and the sustainability of our planet.

The case of the right whale presents a clear and consequential test of our commitment to conserve. We won't get a second chance.
Questions over the inflation outlook and what it means for future rate hikes kept the Federal Reserve split at its September meeting. Even so, stocks still marched to new records on Wednesday, Oct. 11.

Questions over the inflation outlook and what it means for future rate hikes kept the Federal Reserve split at its September meeting. Even so, stocks still marched to new records on Wednesday, Oct. 11.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.18%, clinching a record for the second day in a row. The S&P 500 gained 0.18% as well, and the Nasdaq added 0.25%, both also reaching new records.

Many members of the Federal Open Market Committee said another rate hike by year's end was likely to be warranted if the medium-term outlook remains unchanged, according to minutes from the September meeting. However, some said that decision should be based on incoming data on inflation.

Inflation trends remained a conundrum to most members. Participants "expressed concern that the low inflation readings this year might reflect not only transitory factors, but also the influence of developments that could prove more persistent, and it was noted that some patience in removing policy accommodation while assessing trends in inflation was warranted."

The chances of a December rate hike slipped to 86.7% in the afternoon session from 92% before the minutes, according to CME Group fed funds futures. Markets are currently pricing in a 25-basis-point rate hike that would put the federal funds rate at 1.25% to 1.5%.

The need to normalize monetary policy as the economy recovers and a concern over inflation trends has left the Fed mixed on how to proceed. Arguments on both sides have merit, according to analysts.

"Any rebound in inflation could put the Fed "behind the curve" and raising rates too slowly while lower inflation may imply the Fed is being too aggressive in raising rates," said Bryce Doty, senior portfolio manager at Si Fixed Income Advisers, in a note. "Understandably, the minutes suggest there is not a consensus amongst Fed members on when to best raise rates again."

Earlier, Chicago Fed President Charles Evans said that it was too early to determine whether December was right for a rate hike. Evans told Bloomberg that inflation remains too low and he doesn't expect the measure to reach its 2% target soon.

A rally in consumer stocks stretched into day two on Wednesday, this time led by deal talks and analyst action in two of the sector's largest names. Kroger Co. (KR) - Get Kroger Co. (KR) Report jumped 1.1% on the announcement it was considering unloading its convenience store business. The company is exploring strategic alternatives for its 784 convenience stores stretched across 18 states. Goldman Sachs is advising the process.

Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) - Get Colgate-Palmolive Company Report increased nearly 3% after SunTrust Robinson Humphrey upped its rating to buy from hold and boosted a price target to $85 from $65. Analyst William Chappell Jr. sees weakness over the past three quarters as an "anomaly." In the fourth quarter, Chappell expects the company to "cycle through these issues" and "embark on a path back to its target organic growth rates."

Kroger and Colgate-Palmolive led consumer staples stocks in another rally on Wednesday. Walmart Stores Inc. (WMT) - Get Walmart Inc. Report had driven gains a day earlier. Other stocks on the rise on Wednesday included Unilever NV (UL) - Get Unilever PLC Sponsored ADR Report , PepsiCo Inc. (PEP) - Get PepsiCo, Inc. Report and Ambev SA (ABEV) - Get Ambev SA Sponsored ADR Report . The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) - Get Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund Report increased 0.2%.

Big banks kick off the third-quarter earnings season at week's end. Citigroup Inc. (C) - Get Citigroup Inc. Report and JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) - Get JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) Report will report earnings on Thursday, Oct. 12, and Bank of America Corp. (BAC) - Get Bank of America Corp Report , Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) - Get Wells Fargo & Company Report and PNC Financial Services Group Inc. (PNC) - Get PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. Report on Friday, Oct. 13.

Citigroup is a holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS Charitable Trust Portfolio. Want to be alerted before Cramer buys or sells C? Learn more now.

Analysts anticipate another quarter of earnings growth. The third-quarter blended earnings growth estimate sits at 5.5%, while revenue growth is expected to come in at 4.3%, according to Thomson Reuters estimates.

"Hurricane impacts aside, we have several reasons to be optimistic, including solid manufacturing data, recent U.S. dollar weakness, and resilient estimates," LPL Research analysts wrote in a note. "The S&P 500 Index has exceeded earnings expectations 33 straight quarters and we see no reason why the third quarter won't make it 34."

Crude oil prices were slightly lower on Wednesday even after the Energy Information Administration upped its forecasts through to 2018. The agency anticipates West Texas Intermediate to settle at around $49.69 a barrel this year, 1.7% higher than previous targets, and to climb to $50.57 a barrel next year, 2% higher than before.

West Texas Intermediate crude was down 0.2% to $50.80 a barrel on Wednesday.

The number of job openings held near record highs in August, according to the latest Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. The measure fell to 6.08 million from 6.14 million in July. Openings rose to their highest level in seventeen years in July.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA) - Get Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. Sponsored ADR Report , the Chinese e-commerce giant, said Wednesday it would invest more than $15 billion in research and development over the next three years, with the intention of increasing collaboration and developing cutting-edge technologies.

Alibaba said it was launching the Alibaba DAMO Academy, which stands for discovery, adventure, momentum and outlook, to oversee the opening of R&D labs worldwide and to recruit scientists and researchers. Alibaba's chief technology officer, Jeff Zhang, will lead the unit.

In analyst news, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) - Get Amazon.com, Inc. Report edged slightly higher on Wednesday after Credit Suisse upped its price target to $1,350 from $1,000 and reiterated an outperform rating. Analyst Stephen Ju is confident in Amazon's position in the grocery market even as competitors up their investment in the space.

Ju also lifted his price target on Snap Inc. (SNAP) - Get Snap, Inc. Class A Report to $20 from $17. The price target increase suggests a 39.5% upside to its current levels. Ju expects daily active users in North America to increase to around 3.2 million from 1.5 million.

More of What's Trending on TheStreet:

Join Jim Cramer, CNBC's Jon Najarian and Other Experts Oct. 28 in New York

Jim Cramer will host CNBC's Jon Najarian, TD Ameritrade's JJ Kinahan, famed analytics expert Marc Chaikin and other market mavens on Oct. 28 in New York City to share successful strategies for active investors.

You can join them as they discuss how smart investors can make the most of options trading, futures contracts, fundamental and quantitative analysis and great ETFs to buy right now. Participants will also get a chance to meet Jim and other panelists and take photos.

When: Saturday, Oct. 28, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Where: The Harvard Club of New York, 35 West 44th St., New York, N.Y.

Cost: Special early bird price: $150 per person. (Normal price: $250)

Click here for the full conference agenda or to reserve your seat now.
Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. engages in the operation of senior living communities. The firm manages independent living, assisted living and dementia-care communities and continuing care retirement centers. It operates through the following segments: Independent Living Assisted Living & Memory Care, CCRCs, Health Care Services and Management Services. The Independent Living segment is primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors who desire an upscale residential environment providing the highest quality of service. The Assisted Living & Memory Care segment offer housing and 24-hour assistance with ADLs to mid-acuity frail and elderly residents. The CCRCs segment offers a variety of living arrangements and services to accommodate all levels of physical ability and health. The Healthcare Services segment provides home health, hospice and outpatient therapy services, as well as education and wellness programs, to residents of many communities and to seniors living outside communities. The Management Services segment composes of communities operated by the company pursuant to management agreements. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Brentwood, TN.

Read More
Wall Street analysts have given Pacific Coast Oil 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 Pacific Coast Oil Trust wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.
After nearly two years, the promised V-6 is still missing

When the second-generation Nissan Titan half-ton pickup began rolling off its Canton, Mississippi assembly line in late 2016 for the 2017 model year, it was powered by a heavily revised 5.6-liter V-8, but Nissan promised an all-new V-6 on some unknown future date. Most industry experts figured the Nissan would wait until its fleet-minded single cab models started production, but that time has come and gone. Recently Nissan released its detailed information on the 2018 Titan, and while pricing has increased by $200 across the trim lines, no V-6 was announced.

Thats got us asking questions. After all, a V-6 Titan with a lower base price and higher fuel economy would be very attractive for fleet operators needing to spend as little money as possible. As it stands, the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Ram 1500 all come standard with V-6 engines. Only the Toyota Tundra comes standard with a V-8. Toyota, however, completely dropped the ultra-slow selling single cab Tundra for 2017, showing just how little Toyota cares about reaching fleet customers.

In a recent interview with Wards Auto, Nissans senior VP of product planning for Nissan North America, Michael Bunce, said, a V-6 Titan is still in the plan. Bunce did not comment on Nissans timeline, however. One theory is Nissan is waiting on the next-generation Frontier pickup to debut in 2018, and with it, an all-new V-6. Since the Frontier and Titan are built in the same plant, the engine could easily be shared between the trucks. When Wards Auto asked Bunce about it, he said, I cant give you any specific details on that, but we will be moving in that direction.

Continue reading for more information.
Toyota created a buzz before the 2020 Chicago Auto Show kicked off by announcing itll bring sporty and outdoorsy, with a touch of nocturnal mischief. to the show. Toyota teased the Tacomas front passenger side lower fascia in a teaser image leading to the auto show, but now we have all the scoop. The company has brought along Trail and Nightshade editions for a handful of its vehicles.

The Trail Editions are introduced on the 2021 models of the Tacoma, Tundra, and the 4Runner. They are aimed at folks who prefer rugged vehicles for a sporty and outdoorsy lifestyle. The Trail Edition will be based on the SR5 trims on all three vehicles. They will be offered in special exterior colors that include Army Green, Cement, Midnight Black, and Super White, and also receive black badging to distinguish from the regular SR5 trims. On the inside, Toyota has upholstered the vehicles in black seats with tan contrast stitching. All-weather floor mats also come as part of the package. The Tacoma Trail will come with stuff like:

Dark Gray 18-inch TRD Off-Road wheels Kevlar All-Terrain tires Front fascia grille borrowed from Tacoma Limited A 115-volt power outlet in the bed Lockable bed storage that doubles up as a cooler as well Limited to 7,000 Tacomas

As for the Tundra Trail, you receive:

Chrome grille from the 1794 trim Special Edition exclusive wheels Lockable bed storage-cum-cooler like on the Tacoma Trail Limited to 5,000 Tundras

The 4Runner Trail will be equipped with:

Dark Gray TRD Off-Road wheels Yakima LoadWarrior Rooftop Cargo Basket Custom 40-quart Cooler Sliding Cargo Tray Limited to 4,000 4Runners

Toyota has also blacked out a few more models in its portfolio. Currently, the company offers the Nightshade package on five of its products  4Runner, Camry, Corolla, Corolla hatch, and Sienna  on the SE trims. Now, Toyota has added the Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia to the range as well. The Limited trims of these three vehicles will be treated to the Nightshade package. Customers can have the Nightshade package on these new vehicles in Midnight Black Metallic or Magnetic Gray Metallic exterior shade. Toyota offers this package on the Tacoma in Super White shade, too. The common package details across the three models include:

Black Leather Seats Blacked-Out Front Grille Black Mirror Caps Black Door Handles

Apart from this, the Tacoma Nightshade also receives:

Dark Smoke 18-inch Wheels A Black Exhaust Tip Black Fog Light Bezels New Grille Insert Design Offered in Windchill Pearl shade as well Limited to 5,000 Tacomas

On the Tundra, the company offers black wheels and black exhaust tip. Other than the two standard exterior shades, you can order it in Windchill Pearl, or Super White as well. Toyota will only make 5,000 examples of this one. As for the Sequoia, it receives darkened chrome "Sequoia" badging, body moldings, lower grille, and fog light surrounds. The SUV with the Nightshade package can be had in Blizzard Pearl shade as well. The company has limited the production to 2,500 examples for the Sequoia Nightshade.

Toyota hasnt revealed the pricing for any of the Special Edition vehicles, but we dont expect a major increase in any of them. The company also hasnt announced when these vehicles will be available.
With 90 more to come, the job of giving them names also becomes a big part of their appeal. No one wants to buy a Harley Davidson named "Fluffy." New information tells us that Harley has gone ahead and registered two new names for their new motorcycle models: 48X and Pan America

A couple of weeks back, we learned that Harley has begun registering new names as part of their new strategy to add 100 new models in the coming decade. Harley-Davidson has already introduced 10 new ones this year: nine new Softails and the Street Rod.

Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight

These two new names, however, have been registered with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) in Spain. Not to worry though. There is no way HD will not have them here in America, their own backyard.

Harley generally launches a couple of new models in February/March and then a major batch of new models in August/September each year. It wont be wrong to expect a new Sportster and a Touring model this year by the Milwaukee brand.

Going by the names, the 48X might be the special edition of Harleys Forty-Eight, the Sportster model. It will have better equipment and/or a bigger engine specification. This along with the Bronx can possibly give the Sportster range a highly needed upgrade.

Harley Davidson Road Glide Special

The Pan America, on the other hand, could be a new Touring model, a bagger or a dresser that will either join the Glides or create a unique range in itself.

If we have to believe a few sources, the trademark applications are still subject to approval. If and when they get approved, HD has 36 months to use it or will be forced to lose the name. Keeping this timeframe, we might get to see a new Harley-Davidson 48X or a Harley-Davidson Pan America sometime towards the end of 2018.

Harley-Davidson has already trademarked the names Bronx and Harley-Davidson Bronx with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Both are registered with the intent for use on motorcycles and structural parts therefor.

Since the name Bronx has a tough, urban vibe to it, we can speculate Harley Davidson to give Bronx to the Sportster range, one that certainly needs a slew of updates now. It might as well replace the entire range even, just like how the V-Rod was dropped this year.
In a recent post on LED lighting, I raised the spectre of Jevons Paradox, paraphrasing Stanley by saying that "It is wholly a confusion to suppose that more efficient lighting leads to diminished consumption. The very contrary is the truth."

Stanley Jevons wrote his book "The Coal Question" in 1865, at a time when there was some worry that Britain might run out of coal. It was then used to power very big and inefficient steam engines that pumped water out of mines; when James Watt developed his steam engine that used 75 percent less coal than the Newcomen engine it replaced, the common thinking was that the increased efficiency meant that they would burn less coal. Instead, clever engineers and inventors figured out an incredible number of new uses for steam power beyond just pumping water in mines. They put them to work in factories and in ships and on steel wheels, inventing the railway. Of course, coal consumption went up dramatically. This is Jevons' Paradox, or as it is also known, the rebound effect.

When it comes to energy efficiency, the rebound effect has often been used as a justification for doing nothing, since Jevons said greater efficiency would lead to greater consumption, not less. So why bother building more efficient cars if people will buy bigger ones, or build more efficient buildings, if people will just build bigger ones? Zack Semke of NK architects and formerly with Hammer & Hand, notes that the rebound effect is used by deniers and delayers of climate change.

The Jevons Paradox and its narratives are just too attractive to folks opposed to energy efficiency mandates to let the idea die, so a cottage industry of Jevons Paradox storytelling has emerged. Thats why you see Jevons crop up on the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal, in the writings of the libertarian Cato Institute, and in the agenda of the Breakthrough Institute.

Lloyd Alter/ Double Miele fridge at Interior Design Show/CC BY 2.0

Zack points out that when someone buys a Prius, they don't drive twice as far. They might go a little farther, but "70-90% of the efficiency improvements of the Prius still stick. He even demolishes my beloved fridge hypothesis, where I note that many people are buying monster double-wide fridges. But in fact, it is a very small subset of very rich people, and the power consumed by fridges continues to plummet.

 US refigerator energy use
Hello.

I am a last year medical school student from Slovenia but with italian citizenship and italian passport.

I will travel to Perth, Australia next March to perform a 4 week clerkship at the Royal Perth Hospital. So far, the info I got on the visas subcl. 600, 601, 651, we not accurate enought for my situation: I will go for studying purposes, I wont get payed, I will not do any practical work by my own, if not under the supervision of a mentor.

I wonder which one of these 3 visas would be more appropriate, since the face that they seem to me quite similar (except for the fee). I guess that the subclass 651 would be more appropriate, since the fact that "... study in Australia for up to three months in some circumstances". I would like to know if these circumstances are referring to my kind of situation or not.

I would like to know also if "provide services" in the statement "... do not work for or provide services to, a business or organisation" refers to having a practice as a medical student in a hospital.

I hope I was clear enough and that I exposed well my issue.

Cheers!
Hello fellow travelers!

We have decided to do a 2 week honeymoon in the eastern cost of Australia in the south and north. I wanted to get your thoughts on how many days we would need for each spot.

We are thinking of going to Sydney for 2 nights then head out to Cairns for snorkeling tours, visit White Sundays and do a sailing tour for a few days to see the different islands.

How many days do you think we will need for Cairns and how many days for Whitesundays?

Melbourne was also on our list but Im thinking of spending more time up north. Is Melbourne worth it?

What order would you do this in? We want to fly everywhere to save time.
>>decided we should go to Australia for the last 4-5 days of the trip. We want one city that we can fly into and do the stereotypical Australia activities. Hold a Koala, feed a kangaroo, see a quokka, and ride a camel through the outback<<

Hi. 4-5 days is not enough for a really worthwhile visit to a country about the same size as the contiguous USA. If you want to visit one city fair enough, and you can likely visit some kind of animal park with kangaroos in or near whichever city you choose. But quokkas are native to the west, the outback by definition is far from anywhere and not well supplied with large cities, camels are not native animals (interesting history how they got here btw) so although there are some great camel rides I'm not sure that's a stereotypical Aussie thing, koalas are wild and sometimes grumpy animals and the whole holding/cuddling thing is debatable, so a quick side trip as you have in mind is not really going to tick the box for 'see Australia'. Also if you are talking your upcoming summer, that's our winter, although the good news is our winter is dry season in our tropical north so it's an ideal time to visit that part of the country.
Welcome to the forum.

Very hard to give a straight forward answer because your "itienary" is more like a bucket list which crisscross the continent.

The simple answer to the airfare question is volume. Where the route is supply driven, fares are cheaper and lots of bargains to be had as they don't want to fly an empty 787 for a few thousands km. Bums on seats Rulez. Where the route is demand driven, e.g. Exmouth, you pay the asking price or you don't fly. ;)

Ditto, one way fare is always expensive because they know you might not fly back with them so they want you money up front or at least give you a good reason to buy the return ticket. ;)

You can try to see if you can do SFO-BNE-ZQN-AKL-SFO. And it might indeed be cheaper to go back to BNE to fly back to the US. All a numbers game.
Don't use RACV,We received a message from our daughter at 2 am 10 August 2018, she was in extreme pain in LA. A few hours later she was lying in an ER on morphine with a staff member demanding $6,000 USD and then later they wanted another $5,000 USD. She had already called RACV and we called them a few hours later from Melbourne. I was told that they (RACV) would sort it out with the hospital. A few hours later our daughter told us that the hospital had NOT received any call from RACV. My daughter paid the hospital $6,000 USD and my wife and I got on a plane that same day to care for our daughter. The operation was in NO WAY due to a pre-existing illness. We returned to Melbourne late 18 August. Not sure if many people can drop everything to attend to their ill child in another country and also pay that sort of money. We thought that RACV would be "there for you" but this is certainly not the case. Although my daughter has been sending RACV the bills and have called them she received a bill from Global Recovery Alliance AG requesting $50,433 USD.
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Hello,

We are a family of four - two adults, two kids ages 12 and 9 - visiting CR over Easter break. We are looking forward to seeing this beautiful country for the first time. We are flying into Liberia and renting a car for our one-week stay. Our rough itinerary is: first night stay near airport due to late arrival, 3 nights in Monteverde/Santa Elena, 1 or 2 nights Arenal/Tenorio, and 2 nights in Rincon de la Vieja. My questions are:

1. Are we completely missing out by not going to a beach such as Playa Hermosa? We are not surfers nor love just sitting on a beach.

2. Does it make sense to move from Monteverde to another hotel/lodge near Arenal/La Fortuna?

3. Is Tenorio a day trip from Arenal or should we stay there? We thought of ending our trip at Rincon de la Vieja because of the hot springs and it's close to Liberia.

What should be at the top of the must-do list for children in these locations? We want to hike, see wildlife/nature, maybe try ziplining, maybe tour a coffee plantation. We are not resort types, but prefer to stay at small, family-run lodges or farms, so if you have any recommendations, please share!

Many thanks for your input - it is very much appreciated!
Considering the problems with crowded places I think your itinerary sounds good.

I might have one or two suggestions.

The first one is maybe to swap Phu Quoc with Con Dao. Con Dao is a lovely island south of Vietnam, smaller, less crowded and less touristy than PQ. There is hardly any traffic, and you can explore the island by scooter or bicycle. There are some lovely remote beaches, though there is only one public beach with sun loungers etc. So if you are after some peaceful, non-crowded places, Con Dao fits the bill.

Here are some photos and information about the island

Also, you might consider to add a place. Instead of flying from HCMC to PQ (if you still want to go there), you could fly to Can Tho, stay a night there, visit the floating amrket and then take the midday flight to Phu Quoc. You will spend less time at the aiport for the transfer (read Foxmum's JBR about that...), see the floating market and enjoy a bit of rural Vietnam (especially if you stay at a homestay outside of Can Tho).

if you want to head to Con Dao instead, you could fly from Can Tho as well, or take the ferry in the mroning from Soc Trang, and fly back to HCMC.

Just a few suggestion. If you are happy with PQ and not spedning time at the mekong Delta, then your exisitng itinerary is very nice already.

hope this helps a bit.
"Does it matter if I change from what I have put down?"

It's a question that has come up a few times since e-visa began.

I don't believe they are that worried about it, since you're now leaving.

And anyway, I have a feeling that I did actually read of someone that did leave from a different point than they specified, without issue.

"Also how long does it take to hear back about the eVisa."

I think it's about three days, and you need to go back to the site and search for it yourself.

Scott
Re: 10 Day Trip - Does my Itinerary look right?

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Re: Best way from Newark Liberty airport to Greenwich Village

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Hi everyone! We took a quick two night trip to NYC with our two girls (age 13 & 10). They had never been to NYC before, so they were very excited! We stayed at the Hilton Times Square. Times Square would not be my first choice of a location if it were just my husband and I, but I knew the kids would enjoy it. The hotel was very nice and I was happy with my choice. We had great service and it was nice to have two queen size beds. Most of the hotels only had doubles.

We arrived on Friday, Dec 22nd it was was pretty warm (upper 40's). We took a walk over to Bryant Park and then I was lucky enough to score last minute reservations to see Santa at Macy's. At least I thought I was lucky! We had never been to this before and I assumed even with "reservations" that we would have to wait. We waited an hour in line to get to Santa. Most of that time you are stuck in a tiny hallway that is VERY hot. I'm not sure this is something I would ever do again, but we checked it off the list. That night we walked over to midtown and had dinner at B Side Pizza and Wine Bar. The food and service were excellent. The pizza is made in wood fired ovens, which means it comes out very quick. That's a great thing for families with hungry kids!

The next day (Sat, Dec 23rd), it rained most of the day and night. We went over to the wax museum. The kids enjoyed this quite a bit. After that we tried to get into the the Stardust diner for lunch but the line was very long (outside in the rain), so we headed to Ippudo for some ramen. They quoted an hour wait, but I had a feeling it would be quicker, and it was! The food was delicious and the kids really enjoyed it as well. It was a nice meal for a rainy day. After that we headed over to Saint Patrick's Cathedral and walked around 5th Ave. The police presence was very heavy in that are and the streets were packed with people. That evening we went to Radio City Music Hall to see the Christmas Spectacular show. The show was fantastic and it is so pretty in there! I met a man who had taken the behind the scenes tour there earlier in the day and he loved it. I wish we had done that too. It sounded very interesting. One tip I was lucky to find before I bought tickets, was that you should not sit too close to the stage because you miss the full stage and the projections on the wall. We had the first mezzanine seats and they were PERFECT!

After the show we walked over to Rockefeller Center. We were able to get right under the tree, but we did not go near the skating rink. It was wall to wall people by that point. The next morning was Christmas Eve and my daughter had been asking to go skating. We had tried the first day at Bryant Park, but it was an hour wait. We got there right around 10am on Christmas Eve and there was no wait! It was such a sight to see my husband and daughter skating around under the tree while the Christmas music played. What a great way to start Christmas Eve! After that we had a few snacks in the winter market and started our journey back home.

We had a fantastic time in the city and I hope we can go back next year at the same time.
- K24 news anchor Nancy Onyancha is officially Joab Mwaura's wife

- The two journalists axchanged marital vows in a colourful wedding ceremony attended by close friends and family

- Joab Mwaura and Nancy Onyancha have been seeing each other for years now,and the wedding just solidified their union

K24 journalist Joab Mwaura and his lover Nancy Onyancha are officially husband and wife.

The two celebrated local journalists finally exchanged marital vows over the weekend in a colourful wedding ceremony,graced by family and close friends.

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TUKO.co.ke ,however,did not manage to get the location,rather venue but judging by photos of the same on social media,it is clear it was in the rural areas.

READ ALSO: K24 reporter Job Mwaura proposes to girlfriend who was called husband snatcher by Kenyans (photos)

Joab Mwaura marries fellow K24 journalist Nancy Onyancha in colourful wedding ceremony. Photo: Nancy Onyancha/Instagram

READ ALSO: Khalwale amwanika vibaya mbunge wa kike aliyempata akivuta shisha

The white themed-affair attracted the attention of their respective fans who couldn't help but throng their respective social media timelines with congratulatory messages.

Joab Mwaura and fellow K24 journalist Nancy Onyancha have been seeing each other for years now,and the wedding just solidified their union.

Joab Mwaura marries fellow K24 journalist Nancy Onyancha in colourful wedding ceremony. Photo: Nancy Onyancha/Instagram

Joab Mwaura marries fellow K24 journalist Nancy Onyancha in colourful wedding ceremony. Photo: Nancy Onyancha/Instagram

READ ALSO: Heartbreak as Kenyan radio presenter dies hours to the New Year

Joab who is famed for his popular series Mgaa Gaa Na Upwa and Sauti Tajika which air on K24,and his better half have been hinting at a probable wedding.

The two broke the internet in 2017 when Mwaura decided to take their relationship to the next level and popped the question to Nancy,who replied with a big Yes.

READ ALSO: Moses Kuria afichua njama ya Jubilee kumwiba Kalonzo Musyoka kutoka NASA

READ ALSO: Driver who beat up 14-year-old sick girl for vomiting in his matatu arrested

Their proposal came hot in the heels of a series of controversies involving Mwaura,his ex-lover,rather baby mama and Nancy.

Mwaura was put on the spotlight after his ex-wife Diana Kimanthi exposed him for neglecting her and his 3-year-old daughter who lives in poverty in Kayole.

Mwaura's ex lover did not spare Nancy either as she accused her for wrecking her marriage after starting an affair with Mwaura ,making him "forget" his family.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: Tuko.co.ke
The Supermarkets Association of Trinidad and Tobago says it supports the stance of the Actin
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said he considers the murder of lawyer Iryna Nozdrovska as a test for society regarding the ability to protect women activists.

"Nozdrovska's murder is a challenge to the state and a test for society regarding the ability to protect women activists, justice in general and the ability to ensure it," he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

On January 1, 2018, Nozdrovska was found dead in Vyshgorod district of Kyiv region. Before that, on December 30, Vyshgorod Police Department placed Nozdrovska on the list of missing persons. The statement noted that she disappeared at around 16.00 on December 29.

Nozdrovska was engaged in the case on the death of her sister, Svitlana Sapatinska, who was knocked down and killed by the car of the nephew of the head of Vyshgorod District Court, Dmytro Rossoshansky, in the village of Demydiv on September 30, 2015.

After a deadly road accident, Rossoshansky was initially not arrested, but released under house arrest.

In May 2017, Rossoshansky was sentenced to seven years in prison, and his defense team lodged an appeal.

On December 27, 2017, Kyiv Court of Appeal held a session and refused to amnesty Rossoshansky, extending the measure of restraint for him in the form of detention for 60 days.

Kyiv regional police chief Dmytro Tsenov is overseeing the investigation into the lawyer's murder.

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Following the announcement of a list of 120 people involved in the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, they will be formally notified of suspicion, Ukrainian Deputy Prosecutor General Yevhen Yenin has said in a comment to Ukrinform.

"The announcement of the names of those involved in the crash of the plane is a planned interim step and evidence that Ukraine and the Netherlands are paying maximum attention to the investigation into the case. The next step will be their official notification of suspicion," Yenin said.

He added that the Joint Investigation Team would have some time to complete the pre-trial investigation and submit to court the indictments against suspects.

"We will offer suspects to appear before the Dutch court on a voluntary basis," the official said.

Criminal cases against Ukrainian citizens will be heard in the Netherlands court under a special procedure prescribed in a bilateral intergovernmental agreement.

"It means that a person will stay in Ukraine, and evidence will be given to the Dutch court, using modern information technology," Yenin said.

On Tuesday, January 2, the Netherlands will make public the names of 120 persons involved in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 over Donbas.

The Boeing, en route from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was shot down in Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. All 298 people on board were killed. Passengers of the flight were citizens of ten countries. Most of those killed (196 people) were citizens of the Netherlands.

The investigation revealed that the Boeing was shot down by a 9M38 series rocket, which is used in the Buk missile system. The system was transported from Russia and a missile was launched from the territory controlled by "DPR" militants at that time. Fragments of the Buk rocket were found during autopsies and in the plane's cockpit window.

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The first twenty four hours of the new year did not bring peace to eastern Ukraine. Russian-backed militants continue to shell positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, particularly from weapons which are banned under the Minsk agreements.

This is reported by the ATO Headquarters press center.

As stated, in Luhansk direction, militants opened fire from 82mm mortars and heavy machine guns near Luhanske (59km north-east of Donetsk).

In Donetsk direction, Ukrainian troops came under 120mm and 82mm mortar and infantry weapons fire outside Pavlopol (30 km northeast of Mariupol). The terrorists also used grenade launchers of different types and small arms to fire at Ukrainian strongholds near Vodiane (16km north-west of Donetsk). In addition, Russian-backed militants fired over a dozen 82mm mortars and used grenade launchers and small arms to launch attacks on positions of Ukrainian defenders in the area of Verkhniotoretske (22km north-east of Donetsk).

In general, Russian-terrorist troops launched five attacks on positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas in last day. No casualties among Ukrainian troops were reported.

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The Road Fund started to work in Ukraine on 1 January 2018. About UAH 47 billion will be allocated on Ukrainian roads in 2018.

"The automobile roads will for the first time receive the government-guaranteed funding. This year, almost UAH 33 billion will be allocated apart from separate additional financing of a number of key highways in the amount of more than UAH 14 billion," Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelian wrote on Facebook.

The minister added that starting from 2018 the Ukravtodor (State Agency of Automobile Roads of Ukraine) would be responsible only for 50,000 kilometers of roads, while the remaining 120,000 would be subordinated to the regional level with the guaranteed funding from the Road Fund in the amount of 35% of its revenues.

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The wholesale market price of electricity in Ukraine grew by 9.5% on 1 January 2018.

This is stated in the corresponding decision of the National Commission for State Regulation of Energy and Public Utilities of Ukraine.

According to the Commissions decision, the wholesale market price of electricity increases by 9.5% - up to UAH 1,495.46 per MWh. The increase will only affect prices for industrial consumers, while the population will pay at the same tariffs as before.

The national regulator explains the price increase with the increase in electricity generation tariffs by the power generating companies.

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Official Kyiv hopes that Bulgaria's presidency of the Council of the European Union will contribute to the implementation of Ukraine's European integration priorities.

This is stated in the priorities of the EU-Ukraine cooperation proposed by the Ukrainian side during Bulgaria's presidency of the Council of the European Union, a Brussels-based Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Relying on the successful Bulgarias presidency, Ukraine has developed short-term priorities in relations with the EU. We expect the Bulgarian leadership in the Council of the EU to promote the effective implementation of these priorities," the document says.

Kyiv proposes to focus on the issues of political dialogue, security and defense, financial assistance, justice, energy and transport, as well as research, innovation and education.

With regard to trade and economic cooperation, Ukraine proposes to create a new financial instrument with the aim of improving the implementation of an in-depth and comprehensive free trade area, as well as to thoroughly study the issue of Ukraine's integration into the EU Customs Union.

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Since January 1, 2018, Japan has simplified a visa regime for Ukrainian citizens.

Shigeki Sumi, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to Ukraine, said this in his congratulatory message on the occasion of the end of the Year of Japan in Ukraine.

"The Year of Japan in Ukraine was not limited to a cultural component. The visit of a delegation of the Japanese business federation "Keidanren" to Kyiv, many lectures by diplomatic experts, the official visit of Ukrainian Parliament Speaker Andriy Parubiy to Japan and many more events took place. It is worth noting that due to the Year of Japan, JICA opened its office in Ukraine, and the simplification of visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens will be introduced starting from January 1, 2018," the ambassador said.

As previously reported, the Japanese Embassy stated earlier that a simplified procedure for issuing visas would be introduced. In particular, the validity of multiple visas will be increased from 3 to 5 years.

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Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has congratulated Bulgaria on starting the presidency of the Council of the European Union and expressed hope for strengthening EU support in restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity.

He wrote about this on his Facebook page.

"Congratulations to our close partner - Bulgaria - on starting first ever Presidency in the EU Council. I look forward to strengthening our ambitious agenda: deepening Ukraine's political association and economic integration with the EU and consolidating the EU's support for restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity," the head of state said.

Poroshenko also added that "united we stand strong."

On January 1, Bulgaria began its six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union.

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The Joint Investigation Team will carry out a number of investigative actions in Ukraine to find additional evidence of guilt of certain individuals in case over MH17 crash.

Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Yevhen Yenin said this in a commentary to Ukrinform.

"As of now, the investigative actions in the territory of Ukraine have been practically finished. However, at the request of our Dutch colleagues, we plan to take additional measures to find the evidence that is necessary to ensure the prosecution in the trial in the court of the Netherlands," he said.

Yenin also noted that the representatives of the Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine would meet in ten days with a delegation of the Public Prosecutor's Office of the Netherlands. The parties would discuss the plans of the Joint Investigation Team in the MH17 case for the near future.

As reported, the Netherlands is going to unveil today, January 2, the names of those involved in downing MH17 over Donetsk region in 2014.

As a reminder, Malaysia Airlines MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down over militant-occupied territory in Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on July 17, 2014. All 298 people on board were killed in the crash.

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The U.S. Embassy in Ukraine is shocked by the murder of human rights defender Iryna Nozdrovska and states that those responsible must be brought to justice.

This was reported by the U.S. Embassy on Twitter.

"Shocked and saddened by the death of activist Iryna #Nozdrovska. We offer our deepest condolences to her friends and family. Those responsible must be brought to #justice," the statement reads.

On January 1, 2018, Nozdrovska was found dead in Vyshgorod district of Kyiv region.

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The Christmas tree in the St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, the Czech Republic, has been decorated with the names of Ukrainian towns in Donbas which are currently occupied by Russia.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Czech Republic Yevhen Perebyinis posted this on Facebook.

"Prague, the main cathedral of the Czech Republic  the St. Vitus Cathedral. The Christmas tree has the colors of the Ukrainian flag and is decorated with the names of the Ukrainian towns in Donbas which are occupied by Russia. Thanks for support! These towns will be definitely freed. Glory to Ukraine! Happy New Year!" the ambassador wrote.

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"The crisis in and around Ukraine has called into question the very principles on which the OSCE is based. Italy will continue to support all OSCE efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict and urges the sides to fully implement the Minsk agreements," Alfano was quoted as saying in an OSCE press release.

Alfano, who outlined strengthening multilateralism as an instrument to relaunch the "spirit of Helsinki" and to further promote peace, security, stability and co-operation as Italy's key priority for its 2018 OSCE Chairmanship, will present them to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on January 11.

Read alsoRussia seeks to absolve itself from incendiary role it plays in UA conflict  U.S. Mission to OSCEThe Chairperson-in-Office encouraged the OSCE's participating States to show political will in addressing common security challenges. "The OSCE is an organization that has always achieved concrete results when all its participating States have collaborated constructively and with a genuine spirit of shared responsibility," he said.

Under the motto "Dialogue, Ownership, Responsibility" the Italian OSCE Chairmanship's approach will be open, transparent and inclusive. "Shared challenges require common solutions. We will seek to revive the 'spirit of Helsinki,' not by turning to the past, but by demonstrating anew the determination that secured dialogue even in the toughest years of the Cold War. The Italian Chairmanship will seek to lead all OSCE efforts to overcome divisions within and between participating States," Alfano said.

Italy, he said, would also continue strengthening the OSCE's work to address other protracted conflicts through the existing formats: the Geneva International Discussions on dealing with the consequences of the 2008 conflict in Georgia; the 5+2 Transdniestrian settlement talks; and the work of the Minsk Group and the efforts of its three Co-Chairs in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Italian Chairmanship aims at promoting a stronger focus within the OSCE on challenges and opportunities coming from the Mediterranean region, Alfano added.
The situation in Donbas was the most determining factor of Ukraines life in 2017. The blockade of transport communication with the occupied parts of eastern Ukraine and the increase in the minimum wage became the main economic events. The confrontation between the government and the opposition last year largely remained within a civilized field, although Mikheil Saakashvili introduced new nuances into the political struggle. Losses-2017 have become a good illustration for overall situation in the country. "Autumn of reform" in the Verkhovna Rada was one of the years pleasant surprises. The anti-corruption component of social and political life turned out to be fairly hypertrophied. The Prosecutor General's Office charged Viktor Yanukovych with high treason and confiscated more than UAH 50 billion from his team. The state boosted its efforts to win minds of its citizens.

It is unlikely that anyone today will undertake to predict when peace will finally come to Donbas and when Russian "curators" and numerous "soldiers of fortune" from various regions of the Russian Federation will withdraw from eastern Ukraine. The outbreak of hostilities in early 2017 did not lead to significant changes along the line of demarcation, while our troops managed to regain several settlements in the gray zone on the Svitlodarska Duha bulge, and in late December Russian proxies "remembered" that they had Grad MLR systems in their arsenal. Discussions on the prospects for the deployment of UNs "blue helmets" have come to a standstill of geopolitical interests. The 73 for 233 prisoner swap was the largest one since the beginning of conflict and laid seeds of hope for the safe return of all Ukrainian nationals kept in militant captivity. Deliveries of (not only) American defensive lethal aid became possible due to the sustainability of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Donbas and Petro Poroshenkos foreign political efforts.

One of the main events in the countrys economic life was connected with Donbas - the blockade of transport communication with the occupied areas and a cut-off of economic ties with temporarily uncontrolled territories, which cost Ukraine about 1% of GDP. Against the background of general indicators of economic growth in 2017, the loss was quite impressive. The government risked doubling the minimum wage, despite fears voiced by a number of economists, and this step is likely to allow the country to rise from the bottom spot among European states in terms of average wages. Another positive change this year was a marked increase in the efforts on road repair and construction throughout the country.

The confrontation between the government and opposition in the political sphere has not turned into a fight for holding early parliamentary elections with an eye to initiating the presidential race. It seems that a kind of consensus has emerged among the political elites to refuse to speed up the holding of a double election campaign. The mosaic of ratings throughout the year was quite variegated, with a clearly noticeable lack of new faces. The appearance in the presidential rating of a rock band leader and public figure Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, who did not declare his participation in the future struggle for the countrys main post, looks like the embodiment of the delayed hope for the strengthening of the role of new faces in the big Ukrainian politics.

The adventures of Mikheil Saakashvili after he was stripped of the Ukrainian citizenship deserve a separate novel. The former president of Georgia, who in November 2016 left the post of head of the Odesa Regional State Administration, desperately tried to attract public attention to his persona, which not always worked in his favor. So the transformation of the rally "For a Great Political Reform" into a one-man show and the vicissitudes of his relations with the law enforcement bodies, as well as the "dangerous ties" of Saakashvili's allies with a fugitive oligarch Serhiy Kurchenko have all hurt the politicians reputation rather than helped it recover. The leader of the "Movement of New Forces" with his actions and statements more and more resembles the New Year fireworks claiming the status of a lighthouse.

It is also necessary to recall the losses of the past year. Car explosions took lives of a counter-intelligence operative Oleksandr Kharaberiush in Mariupol and an intel officer Maksym Shapoval in Kyiv. These brazen assassinations show the new levels of Ukraines hybrid conflict with Russia. The attempt on Amina Okuyeva, the second one in several months, has unfortunately reached its goal, while her husband Adam Osmayev managed to survive the attack. A Ukrainian cleric Lubomir Guzar's death emphasized how people are left in modern Ukraine with the high level of moral authority.

The Verkhovna Rada, deservedly criticized for its low efficiency, made quite a feat in autumn of 2017, adopting a new law "On Education" and shifting forward pension and healthcare reforms which the state has been failing to address since the proclamation of independence. These decisions are of particular value in the conditions of secrecy around the parliamentary coalition - the list of names of coalition members never became public throughout the year.

The situation around the National Anti-corruption Bureau and the National Agency for Prevention of Corruption remained in a public focus throughout the year. While Artem Sytnyks NABU can claim as its victories the detention of Mykola Martynenko and Roman Nasirov, as well as an "amber case" involving MPs Boryslav Rozenblat and Maksym Polyakov and a police backpacks case of Avakov Jr, Natalia Korchak's subordinates in NAPC have nothing to really brag about: verification of electronic declarations of assets was neither large-scale nor effective. The anti-corruption rhetoric has actively been used for political pressure on government, and it will become even more noticeable in the coming year. We are yet to see in 2018 the first steps of the newly-established State Bureau of Investigation.

The Prosecutor General's Office, whose relations with NABU are far from perfect, not only initiated the trial in the Viktor Yanukovychs treason case but also confiscated more than UAH 50 billion from the accounts of his entourage in Oschadbank - the move which openly irritated professional anti-corruption figures.

In the fourth year of the hybrid confrontation with Russia, Ukraine boosted its efforts aimed at winning the minds of its citizens. In May, the use was restricted of Russian social networks and online search engines. The Ukrainian language gradually becomes dominant on national radio stations, while Cyborgs, the action movie about the battles for the Donetsk Airport, grossed best among other Ukrainian films in 2017.

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"Over the first 24 hours of the system's operation, more than 3,300 foreigners subject to biometric control crossed the border, among them there were 1,900 citizens of the Russian Federation," he told 112 Ukraine.

Read alsoUkraine introduces new border crossing rules for foreignersThe system worked smoothly, there were no conflict situations or provocations, he added.

"Citizens react calmly," he added.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ukraine on January 1, 2018, introduced a new system of biometric control for citizens from 70 countries who plan to enter Ukraine.

To this end, 157 international border crossing points, as well as three entry/exit checkpoints on the administrative border with the temporarily occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea have been equipped.
"We've turned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, requesting information whether the said citizen was detained," official representative of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry's Consular Service Department Vasyl Kyrylych said.

Read alsoFamilies of Ukrainian political prisoners picket Russian embassy in Kyiv"In case of the confirmation of the fact of detention, we demand they inform on what grounds and under what circumstances he was detained, the place of the detention, as well as [we demand they] promptly allow the consul to visit the detained Ukrainian," Kyrylych stressed.

According to media reports, resident of Kyiv and ATO soldier Nehoda, who late in 2017 left for the Russian city of Saratov where his sister lives, was detained in Moscow.
This is the so-called "export of aggression", according to the diplomat, Glavred reported.

Russia in 2018 will be able to pursue its aggressive behavior, including against Ukraine, Mr Khara said.

"It's about finances and readiness of Russian society to live under [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's regime. Moreover, Russia's aggression is caused by a poor state of affairs in the economic, political life and that in other planes: the so-called "export of aggression," said the diplomat.

Read alsoRAND: No indication Russia seeks large-scale conflict with peer competitorAccording to Mr Khara," the historical parallel is the beginning of World War II by Nazi Germany, when it was on the verge of a deep economic crisis."

"So, in order to avoid it, they needed to expand the borders of the Reich. In Russia, there are also two traditional regimes: either oppression or war against own citizens (the North Caucasus), or the expansion of the empires borders to neighboring states," he said.

Earlier, Archbishop Eustratii (Zorya), secretary of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, said that the idea of the "Russian world" failed, while the Kremlin continues to promote it.
Russia's military aggression against Ukraine appears to have decreased sharply after the US on Dec 22 announced it would deliver arms to Ukraine. It seems to have worked, Anders Aslund tweeted Tuesday.

However, some researchers show no support for Washingtons decision to provide lethal aid to Ukraine.

According to The Hill, Stephen Cohen, a professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and Princeton University, says the Trump administrations decision to supply lethal weapons to Ukraine was a mistake.

Read alsoJavelins and more: Factors of Russia deterrence"Look at what Trump is accused of every day, in all the newspapers, of being an agent of the Kremlin," Cohen said. "His nervous system is clearly cracking under these charges and he thinks this will get this monkey off his back."

Cohen, who has in the past voiced skepticism of allegations of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, also criticized the breadth of ongoing investigations into Moscow's role in the 2016 presidential election.

At the same time, according to RFE/RL, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis in his first remarks since the U.S. State Department announced approval of "enhanced defensive capabilities" for Ukraine said: "As long as no one wants to invade Ukraine, hopefully it won't have any big impact. They're defensive weapons."
According to human rights expert, Vitaly Ponomaryov, Russia has used anti-extremism legislation to launch a conveyor belt of political repression where you can be sentenced on the basis of spurious cases which have little in common with reality, KHPG reports.

And, as Crimeans are rapidly discovering under Russian occupation, this conveyor belt, until its stopped, will demand more and more victims.

Since the first four arrests in early 2015, 25 Ukrainian Muslims have been imprisoned on unproven charges of involvement in Hizb ut-Tahrir, a pan-Islamist organization which is not known to have committed acts of terrorism anywhere in the world and which is legal in Ukraine. Russias Supreme Court once declared it terrorist, without providing a proper explanation or allowing the ruling to be appealed, and now regularly sentences men to 10, 20 years or even life on such spurious charges.

Read alsoEmine Dzhaparova: Our main success story in Crimea is Chonhar tower broadcasting 4 radio stations and 5 TV channels across occupied territoryAt the beginning of October, the FSB added another weapon to its arsenal in occupied Crimea with the arrest of four Crimean Tatars on charges of involvement in the international, apolitical and peaceful Tablighi Jamaat movement which Russia banned as extremist in 2009.

Extremism is now so broadly interpreted, Ponomaryov adds, that expressing positive emotions about your faith can get you charged with propagating exclusiveness and supremacy, while if you talk about persecution of Muslims, even in a far-off country, youll be accused of inciting enmity.

Read alsoMilitary expert says Putin not to withdraw from Crimea any time soonWhat links Hizb ut-Tahrir and Tablighi Jamaat is the mechanism for prosecution. In almost all cases, the indictment is based on questionable testimonies of "secret witnesses" and covert audio or video recordings which are given the interpretation required by FSB "experts".

This is how they make their careers, and in most cases they dont bother even trying to prove the supposed calls to violence or overthrowing the regime, the article says. The focus is purely on proving that somebody belongs to the real or mythical organization. The evidence provided is sometimes absurd.

Twenty-nine men are currently serving sentences or in indefinite detention, and this figure is rapidly increasing. The last arrests were especially brazen, being of men who have taken part in Crimea Solidarity, the initiative set up to help families of victims of repression.
Its Russian authorities who could contribute much better to disclosing the list of suspects, Yenin told 112 Ukraine while commenting on todays reports in Russian media alleging that the Dutch investigators intended to make public names of MH17 suspects as early as Jan 2.

"Neither the Ukrainian nor Dutch investigators are yet ready to make public any names," Yenin said.

According to the Ukrainian official, as soon as the MH17 probe is completed, a certain group of people will immediately receive suspicion notices, and after that the materials will be forwarded to the Dutch court.

Also Yenin said that media reports about the alleged 120 suspects in the case were nothing but fake news spread by Russia.

Read alsoJIT countries confirm support for Dutch prosecution of MH17 suspects"Only sick Russian propaganda could come up with 120 people complicit in the crash. In fact, we are talking about no more than a dozen or two dozen people, said the deputy prosecutor general.

He added that the purpose of this misinformation is to mislead the public and create noise on the topic of the MH17 investigation, in order to level out the charges against the actual culprits.

In addition, according to Yenin, as soon as the Dutch investigators complete the pre-trial probe, they will ask the Ukrainian side to hand over their relevant materials under the Dutch jurisdiction.

He added that if any Ukrainian citizens are among the suspects, they will not be extradited to the Netherlands, since Ukraines Constitution prohibits such move. That is, such suspects, if any, will testify in a Dutch court via a videoconference. They will be sentenced by a Dutch court and later choose whether they wish to serve their sentence in a Dutch or Ukrainian prison. At the same time, according to Yenin, if there are Russian citizens among the suspects who are detained on the territory of Ukraine, they can be extradited to the Netherlands.

UNIAN memo. Malaysia Airlines' MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, over militant-occupied territory in Donetsk region. All 298 people on board who were citizens of 10 countries were killed in the crash. The majority of the victims, 196, were citizens of the Netherlands.

Read alsoBellingcat: No doubt MH17 downed by Russian Buk missileThe Dutch Safety Board October 13, 2015, issued a report on the causes of the accident. It was revealed that the plane had been shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile system. The Joint Investigation Team in its report published on September 28, 2016, confirmed that the plane had been downed by a Russian-made Buk brought to Ukraine from Russia.

No suspects have been named, though Dutch Chief Prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said his office had identified 100 "persons of interest" in the investigation, including those who organized the arrival of the rocket and oversaw its transportation from Russia to Ukraine and back.

The Criminal Investigation of the tragedy is carried out by the Joint Investigative Team (JIT), which includes representatives from Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine. The countries participating in the investigation of the MH17 crash agreed not to create a separate tribunal and decided that the perpetrators would be brought before the Dutch court.

July 7, 2017, Ukraine and the Netherlands signed an agreement on the establishment of legal grounds for the consideration of the said case.
No violation of public order was reported during the events held in 21 Ukrainian regions, it said with reference to First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Serhiy Yarovy.

"Fifty-seven public events were held in 21 regions in the country; over 6,500 people took part in them. Almost 1,300 police officers and over 730 Guardsmen were engaged in maintaining public order. There was neither tension nor clashes," he said.

Read alsoUkrainians march in Kyiv to honor Stepan Bandera (Video)In Kyiv alone, there were up to 1,000 participants who marched with torchlights along the streets in the center of Kyiv, the media liaison office of Kyiv's police reported. Their event ended with a gathering, or viche, on Kyiv's Maidan Nezalezhnosti. No violations of public order were registered.

An event to commemorate Bandera was also held in the western city of Lviv.

Similar events were held in the front-line towns of Slovyansk and Avdiyivka in the east of Ukraine. About 200 people took part in the march with torchlights in Slovyansk, which was liberated from Russia's hybrid military forces early in July 2014, the news outlet Novosti Donbassa said.

The event in Avdiyivka, which regularly comes under enemy attacks, was organized by the Svoboda Party, the Right Sector Organization, the National Corps, the local news outlet avdeevka.city said.

Marchers walked along Tsentralny Avenue under supervision of law enforcers, it added.

Bandera is a controversial figure in Ukraine. Despite leading anti-Soviet resistance fighters, Bandera was arrested and jailed by the Nazis during World War II. He was assassinated by a Soviet KGB agent in Munich, Germany, in 1959.
"No Ukrainian soldiers were killed or wounded in enemy shelling," the ATO HQ said in its update on January 2.

Read alsoNo ceasefire violations recorded in last day of 2017  ATO HQAreas near the village of Luhanske in the Luhansk sector came under 82mm mortar fire. The enemy also used large-caliber machine guns.

Ukrainian positions near the Ukrainian-controlled strategic port city of Mariupol were a hot spot in the Donetsk sector. In particular, the enemy opened fire from proscribed 120mm mortars along with 82mm mortars and infantry weapons to attack Ukrainian troops stationed outside the village of Pavlopil.

Grenade launchers of various types and small arms were used to shell Ukrainian strongholds near the village of Vodiane. The enemy lobbed over ten 82mm shells into areas where the Ukrainian army was deployed near the village of Verkhniotoretske. They also opened fire from grenade launchers and small arms.
"The investigators have established 120 names of those who are involved in the preparation and execution of the terrorist act against the crew members and passengers of that flight," Russia's Echo of Moscow reported.

Read alsoRussia trying to influence Dutch public opinion on MH17 with fake news - minister UNIAN memo. Malaysia Airlines' MH17 Boeing 777 heading from Amsterdam for Kuala Lumpur was shot down on July 17, 2014, over militant-occupied territory in Donetsk region. All 298 people on board who were citizens of 10 countries were killed in the crash. The majority of the victims, 196, were citizens of the Netherlands. The Dutch Safety Board October 13, 2015, issued a report on the causes of the accident. It was revealed that the plane had been shot down by a Buk anti-aircraft missile system. The Joint Investigation Team in its report published on September 28, 2016, confirmed that the plane had been downed by a Russian-made Buk brought to Ukraine from Russia. No suspects have been named, though Dutch Chief Prosecutor Fred Westerbeke said his office had identified 100 "persons of interest" in the investigation, including those who organized the arrival of the rocket and oversaw its transportation from Russia to Ukraine and back.
Fred Westerbeke, who heads the international team which is carrying out the criminal investigation into the attack, says it is still too early to draw conclusions but that a number of questions must be asked, Dutch News reported with reference to the NRC.

Read alsoNetherlands to publish names of those involved in MH17 in Donbas  Russian mediaIn particular, the team wants to know why the Malaysia Airways plane was shot down rather than one from the 'enemy' Ukraine airforce.

"It is really important for us to know this," he said. "Why was the BUK used to bring down a passenger airline rather than a jet fighter or an Antonov from Ukraine," he said. "What was the aim?"

All 298 people on board flight MH17 were killed when it was struck by a missile on July 17, 2014, and crashed into fields in eastern Ukraine. Two-thirds of the passengers on the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur were Dutch. The JIT's preliminary investigations concluded last year that the plane was shot down from Ukrainian farmland by a BUK missile 'controlled by pro-Russian fighters.' That conclusion has been disputed by Russia, which claims that Ukrainian fighters were responsible.
Earlier on December 28, 2017, the ruling Democratic Party has appealed to the Constitutional Court requesting that the court state the circumstances making it possible to temporarily suspend presidential powers, Ziarul de Garda reports.

The deputies request comes as a result of Dodons repeated decline to endorse candidates for government posts set forward by Pavel Filips Cabinet. The president claimed that the candidates did not fit the posts while some of them had directly or indirectly been involved in bank embezzlement.

Read alsoRussia refuses to withdraw troops from Transnistria, declares itself "guarantor of stability"The reports on the shift in the Cabinet came on December 19. The president was not fond of the initiative but he endorsed the resignation of six Cabinet members. The next day, December 22, Dodon declined to greenlight the appointment of new officials to vacant posts and on December 28 he reiterated his decision.

To have the vacancies filled, the Democratic Party on December 28 filed a suit with the Constitutional Court, which on January 2 ruled to suspend Dodons powers to appoint new ministers.

Read alsoMilitary exercises in Ukraine as "apple of discord" for Moldovan authoritiesThe edition notes that, according to the Moldovan legislation, if the presidents post becomes vacant or if the president is suspended from office or cannot execute his powers temporarily, his functions shall temporarily be delegated to Parliament Speaker (Andrian Candu) or Prime Minister (Pavel Filip) in given order.

Previously, there has already been a precedent when the Moldovan president was suspended from office. In October, the new defense minister was endorsed bypassing the president. In order to appoint a minister whose post had been vacant since last December, the powers of the head of state had to be suspended. The Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova on October 17 ruled that the Minister of Defense would be appointed by decree of the Parliament Speaker rather than by a Presidents Decree. Three days later the court adopted another unprecedented decision - to suspend presidential powers.


 UNICEF/ Chute

NEW YORK, 1 January 2018  Approximately 386,000 babies will be born on New Years Day, UNICEF said today. Of these, over 90 per cent will be born in less developed regions.

Kiribatis Christmas Island in the Pacific will most likely welcome 2018s first baby; the United States, its last. Globally, over half of these births are estimated to take place in nine countries:

 India  69,070

 China  44,760

 Nigeria  20,210

 Pakistan  14,910

 Indonesia  13,370

 The United States  11,280

 The Democratic Republic of Congo  9,400

 Ethiopia  9,020

 Bangladesh  8,370

While many babies will survive, some will not make it past their first day. In 2016, an estimated 2,600 children died within the first 24 hours every day of the year. For almost 2 million newborns, their first week was also their last. In all, 2.6 million children died before the end of their first month. Among those children, more than 80 per cent died from preventable and treatable causes such as premature birth, complications during delivery, and infections like sepsis and pneumonia.

This New Year, UNICEFs resolution is to help give every child more than an hour, more than a day, more than a month  more than survival, said Stefan Peterson, UNICEFs Chief of Health. We call on governments and partners to join the fight to save millions of childrens lives by providing proven, low-cost solutions.

Over the past two decades, the world has seen unprecedented progress in child survival, halving the number of children worldwide who die before their fifth birthday to 5.6 million in 2016. But despite these advances, there has been slower progress for newborns. Babies dying in the first month account for 46 per cent of all deaths among children under five.

Next month, UNICEF will launch Every Child Alive, a global campaign to demand and deliver 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.

We are now entering the era when all the worlds newborns should have the opportunity to see the 22nd century, added Peterson. Unfortunately, nearly half of the children born this year likely wont. A child born in Sweden in January 2018 is most likely to live to 2100, while a child from Somalia would be unlikely to live beyond 2075.

###



Notes to Editors

For complete non-rounded estimates on births and life expectancy by countries, click here. For the data, UNICEF worked with the World Data Lab.

The estimates for the number of babies born draws on the period indicators and the life tables of the UNs World Population Prospects (2017). Building on these datasets, World Data Labs (WDL) algorithm projects the number of births for each day by country and gender, and their corresponding life expectancy.

To download photos to accompany this story, visit here.

For more information, please contact:

Sabrina Sidhu, UNICEF New York, +1 917 476 1537, ssidhu@unicef.org
"Dr. Denstedt's previous experience serving on the Board, as well as numerous AUA committees, makes him an excellent fit for this position," said AUA President and presiding officer of the Secretary-elect Search Committee, J. Brantley Thrasher, MD. "Although the Search Committee had three outstanding candidates, the AUA Board of Directors is confident Dr. Denstedt's global expertise and proven leadership will enhance the AUA's ability to achieve its mission."

Truckee, CA (UroToday.com) The American Urological Association (AUA) announced John D. Denstedt, MD, FRCSC, FACS, FCAHS has been named Secretary-elect, a position he will assume in May 2018 with ratification at the AUA Annual Business Meeting, and hold until May of 2019 when he becomes Secretary of the Association.As Secretary-elect, Dr. Denstedt will prepare for his future role by serving ex officio with the current Secretary on various AUA committees and attending all board meetings. Once elevated in May 2019 to a one-year term as AUA Secretary, Dr. Denstedt will formally support the evelopment of the Scientific Program for the AUA Annual Meeting and serve as Editor of, the official monthly news magazine of the AUA. Additionally, Dr. Denstedt will represent the AUA to numerous domestic and international organizations; coordinate communications with subspecialty societies; oversee policy review activities; and serve on the Board of Directors for the AUA.An active member of the AUA since 1991, Dr. Denstedt most recently served on the Board as the AUA Northeastern Section Representative and has previously held positions on the Judicial and Ethics, Finance and Annual Meeting Program Planning Committees. Additionally, he served in a scientific capacity as an Annual Meeting abstract reviewer or team leader for more than 20 years.An internationally renowned scholar in urology, Dr. Denstedt is a Professor in the Division of Urology at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University where he previously served as Chair/Chief of the Department of Surgery for 14 years. Dr. Denstedt's career accomplishments include more than 250 published papers and book chapters; over 200 guest professorships in countries throughout the world; and numerous honors and awards, including being the first Canadian to have been awarded the prestigious AUA Gold Cystoscope Award.
California lawmakers will grapple for the first time as a group with a growing sexual misconduct scandal when they return to Sacramento on Wednesday.

The 2018 legislative year will bring debates over legislation to boost protections for victims and people who report sexual misconduct, as well as both chambers' continued efforts to improve their own policies for handling misconduct.

On the very first day back, the Senate must confront how to handle one of its members, Sen. Tony Mendoza, who has refused calls to step aside amid an investigation into his alleged inappropriate behavior toward young women who worked for him.

"This is certainly not something we thought we'd be working on,'' Democratic Sen. Connie Leyva of Chino said. "We're finally going to be able to get it right and make sure any injustices in the past we can correct and that moving forward, everyone who works in the Capitol can feel like they can come forward.''

That's not all that's on lawmakers' plates. Within a week of their return, Gov. Jerry Brown will submit his final budget proposal, kicking off six months of negotiating on how California should raise and spend money. Proposals that stalled last year on bail reform, single-payer health care and expanding renewable energy also will be back for debate.

FILE - California Gov. Jerry Brown discusses a bil California Gov. Jerry Brown discusses a bill with budget analyst Chris Ferguson, right, in Sacramento, Calif., July 7, 2017. California Gov. Jerry Brown discusses a bill with budget analyst Chris Ferguson, right, in Sacramento, Calif., July 7, 2017.

?Still, sexual misconduct will be a dominant theme. A letter circulated in mid-October by lobbyists, lawmakers, legislative staffers and other political consultants cited a pervasive culture of harassment in California's Capitol. Women eventually came forward with specific allegations that prompted Democratic Assemblymen Raul Bocanegra and Matt Dababneh, both of Los Angeles, to resign.

Mendoza, meanwhile, denies allegations against him and says an investigation will clear his name. But Republican Sen. Andy Vidak said he'll move to expel Mendoza when the Senate reconvenes, setting up a potentially fraught showdown on the Senate floor.

Legislatively, Republican Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez will bring forward for the fifth time a bill that would give whistleblower protections to legislative employees who report ethical violations, including sexual misconduct. The Senate has killed her bill four times.

Dozens of women have said they do not report misbehavior by lawmakers or legislative staff because they are afraid of losing their jobs or facing other professional repercussions. Several former Mendoza staffers have accused the Senate of firing them because they reported his overtures to a young woman who worked for him, something the Senate and Mendoza deny.

Melendez, of Lake Elsinore, has been tweeting the names of every lawmaker who has agreed to co-sponsor the measure as a means of ramping up pressure on the Senate. The bill has historically passed the Assembly with bipartisan support.

Leyva, meanwhile, will introduce a bill that would ban nondisclosure agreements in sexual harassment settlements, both in the public and private sectors, which can stop the parties from speaking publicly about what led to the settlement.

"Eliminating these secret settlements, the no-disclosure agreements, then the accused, the person who is doing the harassing, they have nowhere to hide,'' Leyva said. "They have to stop their behavior.''

Two other planned Assembly bills would extend the period in which people can report sexual harassment claims at the state's Department of Fair Employment and Housing and impose stricter rules for employers - including the Legislature - to track sexual harassment complaints. Democratic Assemblywoman Eloise Reyes of San Bernardino is backing both pieces of legislation.

Reyes sits on the Assembly subcommittee tasked with rewriting the Legislature's sexual harassment policies. She was sharply critical during a hearing last month on the Assembly's policy of not tracking sexual harassment complaints, only investigations. She wants to mandate better tracking by the Legislature and other employers.

"The only way that were going to know if there's a pattern is if we keep track of this,'' Reyes said.

Regarding the state budget, another top concern for lawmakers, the governor must submit his blueprint by Jan. 10. Lawmakers must send a final spending proposal to Brown, who is term-limited out of office, by mid-June.

The Assembly has already staked out budget priorities, including providing health care for people living in the state illegally and expanding a tax credit for the working poor. The Senate hasn't outlined its ideas.
HONG KONG - Tencent Holdings' WeChat, China's most popular messenger app, on Tuesday denied storing users' chat histories, after a top businessman was quoted in media reports as saying he believed Tencent was monitoring everyone's account.

"WeChat does not store any users' chat history. That is only stored in users' mobiles, computers and other terminals," WeChat said in a post on the social media platform.

"WeChat will not use any content from user chats for big data analysis. Because of WeChat's technical model that does not store or analyze user chats, the rumor that 'we are watching your WeChat everyday' is pure misunderstanding."



Li Shufu, chairman of Geely Holdings, owner of the Volvo car brand, was quoted in Chinese media on Monday as saying Tencent Chairman Ma Huateng "must be watching all our WeChats every day".

Like all Chinese social media platforms, WeChat is required to censor public posts deemed "illegal" by the Communist Party.

WeChat's privacy policy says it may need to retain and disclose users' information "in response to a request by a government authority, law enforcement agency or similar body".

WeChat did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.

According to a report by Amnesty International, Tencent ranked at the bottom of 11 tech firms running the world's most popular messenger apps for how they use encryption to protect user privacy.

China's cyber watchdog in September announced a new rule making chat group administrators and companies accountable for breaches of content rules.

In the same month it handed down maximum penalties to tech firms including Tencent, Baidu Inc and Weibo Corp for failing to properly censor online content, and asked them to increase content auditing measures.
WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump says immigrant activists and Hispanics will turn against opposition Democratic lawmakers who have supported them and will "start falling in love" with him and other Republicans.

Trump said in a Twitter comment that Democrats "are doing nothing" for the estimated 690,000 immigrants who were brought into the U.S. illegally by their parents and are "just interested in politics" in trying to prevent their deportation.

Many of the young immigrants, often called Dreamers, have only known the United States as their home. They were temporarily protected from deportation under a program started by former President Barack Obama, but Trump ended it in September, while giving Congress until March to address the issue.

The U.S. leader said those supporting the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and Hispanics "will go hard against" Democratic lawmakers and increase their support for him and other Republicans. "We are about RESULTS," Trump said.

Demonstrators Karina Velasco, left, and Gabi Sanch FILE - Demonstrators Karina Velasco, left, and Gabi Sanchez hold a sign during an immigration rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), programs, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 6, 2017. FILE - Demonstrators Karina Velasco, left, and Gabi Sanchez hold a sign during an immigration rally in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), programs, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Dec. 6, 2017.

While Congress could wait until closer to March to decide the fate of the young immigrants, most of whom have attended U.S. schools or hold jobs in the United States, the issue is likely to be a focal point of discussions in the next two weeks. The White House and congressional leaders are negotiating spending levels for the government through the end of September, while also sparring over several contentious government policies, including immigration, electronic surveillance of suspected terrorists and health insurance.

Current government funding runs out January 19 and some Democratic lawmakers say they will not vote for a new funding agreement unless the young immigrants are protected from deportation.

Trump, even though he conditionally ended the Obama-era program, has at times voiced sympathy for the plight of the young immigrants even as Republican immigration hardliners want them returned to the countries of their birth, mostly Mexico and Central American countries.

Upcoming meeting

Trump, in exchange for agreeing to protect the immigrants from the threat of deportation, is calling for approval of stricter immigration policies, including construction of a wall along the southern U.S. border with Mexico, a key campaign plank in his successful 2016 presidential bid.

Democratic lawmakers, along with some Republicans, are opposed to construction of the wall, which Trump argues is needed to thwart more illegal immigration. Some Democratic lawmakers have said they are willing to support more border security, but not construction of the wall.

Congressional leaders are to meet Wednesday with Trump about several key issues, including protecting the young immigrants from deportation.

One Illinois congressman, Democrat Mike Quigley, rebuffed Trump's claim that Democrats have not supported them.

Quigley said that allowing the Dreamers "to stay in the only home they've ever known will help America grow and thrive, and Republicans must join us in protecting these young people."
Iran's Supreme Leader on Tuesday accused enemies of the Islamic Republic of stirring the violent anti-government protests that began late last week.

"In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools, including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus to create troubles for the Islamic Republic," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a statement shown on state television and in a post on his official website. Khameei said he would address the nation about the recent events "when the time is right."

Iranian state television said Tuesday another nine people were killed overnight during anti-government protests, raising the overall death toll to more than 20 killed since the demonstrations against economic conditions in the country began late last week.

According to the report, six people were killed at a police station in the town of Qahdarijan in clashes that began as rioters tried to steal guns.

In Najafabad, state media said a police officer was killed.

WATCH: Iran Protests

?President Hassan Rouhani vowed Monday that security forces would "respond to rioters and lawbreakers."

"The government will show no tolerance for those who damage public properties, violate public order and create unrest in the society," he said.

Hundreds of demonstrators have been arrested since the protests began Thursday in Mashhad before spreading to other parts of the country.

Those rallying against the government are upset with economic difficulties such as high unemployment and rising food prices.

Hussein Banai, an assistant professor at Indiana University, told VOA economic hardship and uneven wealth distribution have been a part of Iran since its 1979 revolution, but that now there are extra factors helping drive the protests.

"What is different this time around is the conspicuous way in which senior members of the regime are basically spending the public money, or the newly released money after the sanctions were lifted, on causes that are not at all to the benefit of the average person in Iran, but rather furthering the geopolitical interests of the regime in the region be it in Yemen or in Syria, or spending it on further fortifying their kind of uneven concentrations of power," Banai said.

He added that in the past protests have been led by students, academics and activists, but now those demonstrating are the working classes doing so in a less organized way.

In a speech to parliamentary leaders, Rouhani lashed out at foreign countries, including the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, for allegedly fomenting unrest in Iran.

"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, while singling out Saudi Arabia for saying it "will create problems in Tehran."

Turkey's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday it hopes foreign interventions will be avoided, and that it is concerned about the reported casualties. The ministry statement said violence and "provocations" should be avoided.

U.S. President Donald Trump expressed support for the protests in a Twitter comment Monday, saying 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

"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," Trump said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the protesters "brave" and "heroic," while wishing them "success in their noble quest for freedom."

Protests in Iran

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said his government regrets "the loss of life that has occurred in the protests" and called on all parties to refrain from violence.

"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," Johnson said.

Rouhani minimized the unrest, saying, "This is nothing."

"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," the Iranian president said. "The people are absolutely free in expressing their criticisms and even protests. But criticism is different to violence and destroying public property."

In this photo released by official website of the In this photo released by official website of the office of the Iranian Presidency, President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, 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, Iran, Sunday, Dec. 31, 2017.

The Trump administration says it is "very concerned" about Tehran blocking Iranians from communicating via social media platforms in a bid to dampen the protests.

Iran blocked access to messaging app Telegram and photo-sharing app Instagram on Sunday, with state media saying the moves were meant to maintain peace. Iranians had been using the apps to communicate about the street demonstrations, the biggest outpouring of public discontent with Iran's clerical leaders since 2009 protests against the results of a disputed presidential election.
Irans leaders appear to be divided about the reasons behind the anti-government protests roiling the country, who the demonstrators are and how to curtail the unrest - the most significant challenge to Irans clerical leadership since 2009, when authorities resorted to a nationwide crackdown to crush the pro-democracy "green movement."

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused foreign enemies Tuesday of fomenting the demonstrations, which have seen police stations and the offices of Friday prayer leaders attacked. The building of the Justice Ministry was set on fire in the town of Karaj, and in Arak, the governors office was occupied.

On his official website, Khamenei wrote, "In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus to create troubles for the Islamic Republic."

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018. Photo was released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks in a meeting, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2018. Photo was released by an official website of the office of the Iranian supreme leader.

His aides have singled out the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia as the culprits.

Other senior Iranian officials, however, have downplayed the alleged role of foreign powers in the protests that began in Mashhad, Irans second-largest city, and quickly spread. On Saturday, the protests reached the capital, Tehran, which saw clashes between protesters and riot police around the main university.

Reformist President Hassan Rouhani has identified economic despair as the underpinning of the unrest. We have no bigger challenge than unemployment. Our economy requires major corrective surgery, Rouhani acknowledged Monday.

FILE _ In this photo released by official website Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani speaks in a cabinet meeting in Tehran.

Deputy Interior Minister Hossein Zolfaghari noted Tuesday that 90 percent of the more than 450 protesters arrested so far were under the age of 25, and he indicated they were expressing frustration about economic woes. Silent at first on the unrest, the state-owned Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting has followed the reformists explanation for the burgeoning trouble, citing economic problems as the root cause of the confrontations that are turning increasingly deadly.

Hardliners who want to launch the kind of security crackdown that crushed the 2009 unrest dismiss the reformist line.

If people came into the streets over high prices, they should not have chanted those [anti-government] slogans and burned public property and cars, Gen. Esmail Kowsari told a state-owned media outlet Sunday.

Kowsari is a conservative politician and currently the deputy chief of an Islamic Revolutionary Guards unit responsible for maintaining security in Tehran. So far, the government has not heeded his warnings about using an "iron fist" to crush the protesters.

The latest unrest, which is on a smaller scale than that of 2009, say analysts, is being dealt with more cautiously, with authorities instead containing protests locally as they occur, without the mass deployment of Revolutionary Guards units.

In this photo taken by an individual not employed In this photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, anti-riot Iranian police prevent university students to join other protesters over Iran weak economy, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017. In this photo taken by an individual not employed by the Associated Press and obtained by the AP outside Iran, anti-riot Iranian police prevent university students to join other protesters over Iran weak economy, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Dec. 30, 2017.

Zolfaghari predicted Tuesday the protests would be short-lived, saying security forces decisively countered the saboteurs who resorted to violence. In most parts of the country, the situation is now normal and the unrest that took place in certain areas will soon end with the people's cooperation and the efforts of security forces, Zolfaghari said

Ghasem Sholeh-Saadi, a human rights activist and former Iranian lawmaker who is now an international law professor at the University of Tehran, thinks the protests have the potential to go much further. Things are getting out of hand, he told the news site IranWire, a joint venture comprising a group of exiled Iranian journalists.

I believe that this will continue because the government cannot satisfy peoples demands and, with the present structure, our rulers are not ready for change. For the moment, we are at a political impasse, Sholeh-Saadi said.

He argues the government has no effective means to suppress [the people] and, even if it could, cracking down would not solve their problem. The threat, he says, isnt just to the hardliners, but the reformists as well, who have been left behind by the people as their demands become more cohesive and more sweeping.

The accumulation of unmet demands, the complicated economic issues and the security atmosphere has made it so that in only three days and with unbelievable speed, the slogans have turned radical and are voicing open opposition to Mr. Khamenei and Mr. Rouhani, he said.

A former British ambassador to Iran, Richard Dalton, agrees that even though price increases for key commodities sparked the protests, the unrest has developed into a reflection of deep discontent with the nature of the Islamic regime. It has been fueled by despair, he says, among ordinary Iranians, who are angry that their lives have not improved since Rouhani struck a 2015 nuclear deal with foreign powers, which resulted in the lifting of some economic sanctions on the country.

Rouhani had promised the nuclear deal would usher in a more successful economy, with all enjoying the benefits. Dalton says the Iranian authorities appear surprised by how widespread the protests have become. It confirms once again a significant section of the population wants to see fundamental change, he said.

The former envoy, however, suspects that the protests arent the beginning of an Arab spring-type uprising - predicting the demonstrations will run their course as most Iranians, want evolution, not revolution, he says. Dalton concedes, though, that isnt the only possible course of events.
Moldovan President Igor Dodon on Tuesday rejected a decision by the country's constitutional court to suspend his powers temporarily due to a wrangle between him and the pro-Western government over ministerial appointments.

Dodon had earlier blocked the government's choice of new ministers in a reshuffle, accusing the nominees of incompetence and saying some had links to a notorious scandal in which around $1 billion was siphoned out of the banking system.

In retaliation, the ruling coalition appealed to the constitutional court to suspend Dodon's powers so that the government could push through its choice of ministers.

The Moscow-backed Dodon has frequently locked horns with the Chisinau government, especially during a series of spats between Moldova and Russia in 2017 that culminated in Moldova recalling its ambassador to Moscow in December.

"The court once again confirmed its image of an obedient political instrument, not a constitutional body. This is a shameful and regrettable fall for a state that claims to be democratic," Dodon said in a Facebook post.

"As for my position, I decided not to give in. It's better that than to spend years explaining why some or other of the compromised ministers were appointed to the post."
When you think about Americas national parks, what probably comes to mind first is Americas first national park  Yellowstone. It's also the first national park in the world, established by Congress in 1872, even before the National Park Service was set up.

Yellowstone sits on an active volcano, the source of the more than 10,000 geothermal features in the park, including more than half the world's geysers. National Parks traveler Mikah Meyer made sure he caught the eruption of the best-known of its 500 geysers - Old Faithful, which shoots a column of superheated water up to 42 meters into the air, every 60 to 110 minutes.

More than half the world's geysers are in Yellowst More than half the world's geysers are in Yellowstone National Park. More than half the world's geysers are in Yellowstone National Park.

"They have geysers that range from Old Faithful to these geysers that are basically holes in the ground that give a glimpse into what the bubbling boiling earth underneath is like."

And some of what bubbles up is mud. Mikah describes these 'mudpots' as a witch's cauldron. "They look like some sort of witchs concoction because you're just walking along this boardwalk and suddenly to your left and your right you've got these giant mud pools that are bubbling up in random spots, and so it really is a place where you can see the earths underbelly."

The thousands of steam vents in Yellowstone give o The thousands of steam vents in Yellowstone give off a powerful sulfur odor. The thousands of steam vents in Yellowstone give off a powerful sulfur odor.

He noted a constant feature of the park -- steam. "Anywhere you are in the park it always seems like somewhere in your 360 view you'll see some steam rising out of the ground." These fumaroles, or steam vents, are the hottest hydrothermal features in the park, with temperatures as high as 138Celsius.

Yellowstone is also home to thermophile microbes, which thrive in the hot springs. Trillions of these microorganisms are grouped together, so they appear as masses of color. Since different types of thermophiles live at different temperatures within a hot spring, they produce what looks like a rainbow in the water.

Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone's largest ho Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone's largest hot spring. It's about 112.8 meters across and more than 37 meters deep. Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone's largest hot spring. It's about 112.8 meters across and more than 37 meters deep.

And it's not just hot water shooting up... Yellowstone also has 350 identified waterfalls that tumble down more than 4 1/2 meters. The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River is the tallest cascade in the park. At 94 meters, its twice as high as Niagara Falls.

An abundance of wildlife

Many of the more than 4 million visitors to Yellowstone each year come to see one of the symbols of the American West. Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times, and the parks herd of 4,000 to 5,000 animals represents the last-known wild bison population in the world.

Before nearly being wiped out in the late 1880s, t Before nearly being wiped out in the late 1880s, tens of millions of bison roamed across most of North America. Efforts to restore the population in Yellowstone began in 1902. Before nearly being wiped out in the late 1880s, tens of millions of bison roamed across most of North America. Efforts to restore the population in Yellowstone began in 1902.

Mikah said they really catch visitors' eyes. "I have this video of what I call a Yellowstone traffic jam which is basically anytime there's any sort of animal on the side of the road, everyone seems to stop their car and take pictures or pull over and it's an instant traffic jam!"

But bison aren't the only iconic animals in the park. Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states, including predators like grey wolves and bears, and large herbivores, like big horn sheep, elk and moose.

Two decades ago, 41 wild gray wolves from Canada a Two decades ago, 41 wild gray wolves from Canada and northwest Montana were released in Yellowstone National Park to start a recovery effort. Today, the park is home to more than 100 animals in eleven packs. (NPS/Jim Peaco) Two decades ago, 41 wild gray wolves from Canada and northwest Montana were released in Yellowstone National Park to start a recovery effort. Today, the park is home to more than 100 animals in eleven packs. (NPS/Jim Peaco)

There are nearly 300 species of birds, 16 species of fish, five species of amphibians, and six species of reptiles.

But the main draw remains the regular eruption of Old Faithful. "If you're on the hunt for geysers," Mikah concludes, "you really can't do much better than Yellowstone National Park."

Mikah invites you to follow him on his epic journey by visiting him on his website MikahMeyer.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
NEW YORK - The longtime leader of the New York City Ballet is retiring in the midst of an investigation into accusations of sexual misconduct by him.

Peter Martins wrote a letter to the company's board of directors on Monday announcing his retirement, saying the scandal had exacted a painful toll on me and my family.



The 71-year-old Martins told board members he continues to deny sexually harassing or abusing members of the company, including dancers. He said he had been the subject of news articles reporting largely anonymous and decades-old accusations.

City Ballet announced last month Martins would take a leave of absence from the company and its School of American Ballet during an independent investigation. The company hired a law firm to conduct the investigation after receiving an anonymous letter accusing Martins of harassment.

Martins said he had cooperated fully in the investigation.

I believe its findings would have vindicated me, he wrote in his letter to the board.

He said that to bring an end to this disruption which has enveloped the Ballet and the School, however, he had decided it was time for him to retire.



Board chairman Charles Scharf heaped praise on Martins for his work but said the investigation would continue.



We thank Peter for his tremendous contributions to New York City Ballet as ballet master in chief for over three decades, leading the Company to exceptional artistic heights and accomplishments, Scharf wrote in a statement. At the same time, the board takes seriously the allegations that have been made against him and we expect the independent investigation of those allegations to be completed soon.
Nigeria's military says more than 700 people abducted by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram have escaped captivity in the northeast of the country.

Army spokesman, Col. Timothy Antigha, said the escaped captives were given shelter at a military holding facility in the northeastern town of Monguno, in Borno state.

Antigha did not say over what time period the captives escaped or whether or not they are still being sheltered by the military. There has been no independent verification of the army's claim.

In a statement, Antigha said the abductees included men, women and children, and he said most were forced to work as farm laborers by the insurgents on various islands in Lake Chad. He said the military was monitoring the escaped captives to ensure there are no militants hiding among them.

The spokesman said the captives' escape was connected to a recent armed forces operation against the militants, named Deep Punch II. He said the operation was aimed at "destroying Boko Haram infrastructure and logistics; such as communication centers, fabrication yards, bomb-making equipment, vehicles and other means of sustenance."

In a New Year's address, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari said that Boko Haram had been beaten. Boko Haram has killed about 20,000 people in its eight-year long insurgency aimed at turning parts of Nigerian into a staunchly-Islamic state.

Police, civilians, churches, and mosques, have been among its targets for attacks.

Last Monday, on Christmas, Nigerian soldiers say they thwarted an attempted terrorist attack by suspected Boko Haram militants on the city of Maiduguri.

Army officials gave no details on what happened.

But one a local militia leader told the French News Agency the militants used the cover of a civilian convoy to approach a military checkpoint outside the city and started firing.

Soldiers responded with their own gunfire. Reinforcements from inside Maiduguri rushed to the scene, driving off the would-be terrorists.
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has criticized and noted with deep disappointment charges contained in a New Year tweet by U.S. President Donald Trump and said Islamabad could not be held responsible for the collective failure in Afghanistan.

Trump tweeted Monday the United States had received nothing but lies and deceit in return for foolishly giving Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years to fight terrorism.

They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! Trump concluded in his first tweet of 2018.

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 criticism instantly provoked strong condemnation and reaction from Pakistani politicians and commentators. The foreign ministry Monday night summoned the U.S. Ambassador to protest and seek an explanation.

The Pakistani government issued a formal response Tuesday after an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee of top civilian and military leaders, with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in the chair.

A statement issued after the meeting underscored Pakistans significant contributions toward promoting regional and global peace and security.

Pakistan has fought the war against terrorism primarily out of its own resources and at a great cost to its economy, and that even more importantly the huge sacrifices made by Pakistan, it said.

The statement went on to reiterate that tens of thousands of Pakistani civilians and security personnel have lost their lives and the pain of their families could not be trivialized so heartlessly by pushing all of it behind a monetary value  and that too an imagined one.

It rejected as completely incomprehensible recent statements and articulation by the American leadership for contradicting facts manifestly, struck with great insensitivities at the trust between Pakistan and the U.S. built over generations.

Pakistan is firmly supporting and facilitating the U.S.-led international efforts in Afghanistan through vital lines of communications for smooth counterterrorism operations in the neighboring country, according to the statement.

Thousands of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan still rely mostly on ground and air routes through neighboring Pakistan for receiving vital supplies. Analysts still rule out a complete breakdown in relations between Islamabad and Washington.

They note that current tensions with Russia and Iran leave the Trump administration with almost no options but to rely on Pakistani supply routes to sustain the Afghan military mission. Islamabad had for months suspended the lines of communications in 2011 to protest U.S. bombings of Pakistani border posts that killed 24 soldiers.

The routes were restored only after Washington issued apologies for mistakenly hitting the Pakistani posts.

The real challenges in Afghanistan were political infighting, massive corruption, phenomenal growth of drug production and expansion of ungoverned spaces inside Afghanistan full of sanctuaries for multiple international terrorist organizations, posing a serious and direct threat to Afghanistan, its neighbors and the entire region, read Tuesday's Pakistani statement.

Pakistan cannot be held responsible for the collective failure in Afghanistan and that blaming allies certainly does not serve the shared objective of achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region.

FILE - Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif is Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif adjusts his necktie during a joint press conference at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Sept. 8, 2017. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif adjusts his necktie during a joint press conference at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, Sept. 8, 2017.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif in a tweet Tuesday questioned Trumps assertions of giving Islamabad more than $33 billion dollars. Asif insisted that Trump can hire a US based Audit firm on our expense to verify this figure & let the world know who is lying & deceiving.

Washington has long accused Pakistan, especially its security institutions, of turning ignoring or covertly helping the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani terrorist network to stage cross-border attacks against Afghan and U.S.-led forces.

Islamabad denies allegations it is harboring Afghan insurgents and instead complains anti-state militants are using the neighboring country for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.

Afghanistan and rival India praised Trump for blaming Pakistan. But longtime ally China on Tuesday defended Islamabad and called on the international community to fully acknowledge" Pakistani counterterrorism efforts.

"Pakistan has made tremendous efforts and sacrifices in combating terrorism and made outstanding contributions to the international anti-terrorism cause, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang in Beijing.

The two countries, he added, maintain an all-weather strategic partnership and China intends to further deepen its cooperation with Pakistan in all fields.



China is investing billions of dollars to help build a network of power plants, rail, road, and communications in Pakistan. The unprecedented planned investment of about $60 dollars under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor or CPEC has cemented economic and political ties between the two countries, who already enjoy deep military cooperation.
A group of more than 230 Peruvian writers, including a Nobel laureate, has signed a letter rejecting the pardon of former President Alberto Fujimori.

Nobel prize winner Mario Vargas Llosa, along with celebrated authors Alfredo Bryce Echenique and Fernando Iwasaki, spoke out in the letter, criticizing President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for his Christmas Eve announcement.

In issuing the pardon for his predecessor, Kuczynski said the decision was made on humanitarian grounds because Fujimori, who was serving a 25-year prison sentence, has been in poor health.

The letter says Fujimori was responsible for a coup detat as well as the dismantling of our institutions, and his pardon demonstrates a lack of appreciation for dignity, equality before the law, and the right to remember wrongdoing.

It calls the pardon a treacherous covenant between political forces interested in controlling the effects of corruption cases they are involved in, as well as perpetuating the injustice and impunity.

Protesters march near Centerio hospital after Peru Protesters march near Centerio hospital after Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski pardoned former President Alberto Fujimori in Lima, Dec. 25, 2017. Protesters march near Centerio hospital after Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski pardoned former President Alberto Fujimori in Lima, Dec. 25, 2017.

Pardon sparks protests

Vargas Llosa also wrote a column in El Pais newspaper saying those, including himself, who had voted for Kuczynski in good faith that there would be no pardon for Fujimori had unwittingly contributed to giving Fujimori back his power. He said the pardon makes Kuczynski an accomplice and hostage of Fujimori, who was convicted of human rights violations, corruption, and the sanctioning of death squads during his time in office from 1990 to 2000.

Fujimori is admired by some Peruvians for combating Maoist rebels, but others consider him a corrupt dictator.

The pardon has sparked protests in Lima, the Peruvian capital. On Dec. 24, police fired tear gas at scores of Fujimori opponents as they waved pictures of the victims of a counterinsurgency campaign during his right-wing government.

Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori asks for Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori asks for forgiveness from Peruvians as he lies in hospital bed in Lima, Peru, in this still image taken from a video posted on Facebook on Dec. 26, 2017. Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori asks for forgiveness from Peruvians as he lies in hospital bed in Lima, Peru, in this still image taken from a video posted on Facebook on Dec. 26, 2017.

A request for forgiveness

Two days later, Fujimori asked the public for forgiveness.

In a Facebook video filmed from his hospital bed, Fujimori, 79, said, I am aware that the results of my government were well received on one side, but I admit that I have let down other compatriots, and I ask them to forgive me with all my heart.

Fujimori thanked Kuczynski for the pardon and said that as a free man, he would support the presidents calls for reconciliation in the Andean country.

Fujimori was taken to the hospital Dec. 23 after suffering a severe drop in blood pressure and an irregular heartbeat. His doctor, Alejandro Aguinaga, denies allegations it was a ruse to legitimize the pardon.
South Korea offered Tuesday to hold high-level talks with bitter rival North Korea over the North's possible participation in the upcoming Winter Olympic Games hosted by South Korea.

Seoul's offer comes one day after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un used his annual New Year's Day address to call for direct talks with Seoul and to announce his willingness to send a negotiating team to South Korea before the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next month.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter that Kim's willingness to negotiate with South Korea is a sign of desperation.

"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!"

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

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said Tuesday Seoul wants to meet North Korean diplomats in exactly one week in the truce village of Panmunjom, located in the demilitarized zone that separates the North and South. The meeting would be the first high-level talks between Seoul and Pyongyang since December 2015.

South Koreans watch a TV news program showing Nort South Koreans watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's New Year's speech, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 1, 2018. South Koreans watch a TV news program showing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's New Year's speech, at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 1, 2018.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in welcomed Kim's suggestion to hold talks late Monday, but said any improvements on inter-Korean relations must occur in tandem with Pyongyang's abandonment of its nuclear weapons program.

Grant Newsham, a senior research fellow at the Tokyo-based Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, tells VOA Seouls overture reflects sentiment among a segment of the populace who believe that "somehow reaching a deal" with autocratic North Korea is a real possibility.

"There's even a sense in this group, or community, that somehow it's the Americans' fault that the Koreas are divided," Newsham said. "It's not surprising they would jump at the bait that the North dangles."

Kim Jong Un also used his speech to warn the United States that North Korea's nuclear program is a reality, and a nuclear button is "always on the desk in my office."

Kim and Trump engaged in an escalating war of words last year amid Pyongyang's continued testing of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, including a sixth nuclear test and a new intercontinental ballistic missile that could potentially reach the U.S. mainland.
JUBA - The United States, Britain and Norway have called on parties in South Sudan's conflict to stop violating a cease-fire signed last month, their heads of mission in the capital Juba said on Tuesday.

The deal aimed to end a four-year war between the government of President Salva Kiir and rebels in which tens of thousands of people have been killed.

But since the signing of the deal in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa, there have been several reported violations for which both sides have been blamed.

The United States, Britain and Norway form a group that supported the 2005 accord leading to the independence of South Sudan from Sudan. They have threatened to impose individual or group sanctions for those violating the cease-fire.

"We call on all signatories, and the field commanders who answer to them, to immediately end all military operations," the three Western countries said in a statement.

They added that field commanders and their political bosses would be held accountable for violating the cease-fire and impeding humanitarian assistance.

The ceasefire is also designed to allow humanitarian groups access to civilians caught in the fighting and revive a 2015 peace deal that collapsed in 2016 after heavy fighting erupted in Juba.

Rebel attack

On Tuesday, a spokesman for a faction now allied with the government said rebels had attacked their positions on December 31.

He said one of the attackers was killed and two were captured alive in the incident.

The cease-fire was meant to be followed by talks on a revised power-sharing arrangement leading to a new date for polls.

The war in South Sudan, the world's youngest country, was triggered by Kiir's decision in 2013 to sack his deputy, Riek Machar. It has been fought largely along ethnic lines between forces loyal to Kiir, an ethnic Dinka, and Machar, who is Nuer.

The war has forced a third of the 12 million-strong population to flee their homes.

On Monday, the U.N. refugee agency (UNHCR) said it was investigating an allegation by one of the rebel groups that Kenyan security forces unlawfully deported one of their senior members from Kakuma refugee camp over the weekend.

Rebel spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said the deportation from Kenya was a violation of the cease-fire.

Spokesmen for the Kenya police and the foreign affairs ministry told Reuters on Tuesday they were not aware of the incident.

South Sudan's presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Reuters the Juba government had no link to any missing citizens in Kenya.
STATE DEPARTMENT - The United States is pondering further sanctions against individuals in the Tehran regime who are responsible for cracking down on Iranian protesters, amid the largest anti-government demonstrations since the country's disputed presidential election in 2009. In an interview with VOA on Monday, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Iraq and Iran Andrew Peek also outlined Washington's plan to build an international coalition to support Iranian people's legitimate rights to express discontent. The following is an excerpt from the interview:

Q: Let me start by asking, what is the implication of the protests in Iran to Washington's policy towards that country and to the region? What is the next step for the United States?

Peek: "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."

Q: To follow up, what is the game plan of the U.S. to take the next step?

Peek: "Absolutely, we continue to speak with our international partners and encourage them to highlight what is happening in Iran. This is a very different approach from 2009, the protests then. We want to make it clear now through visible and vocal support of the Iranian people, that we will not let them suffer anonymously, that when they want to exercise their basic human rights we will support them."

Q: Has Secretary [of State Rex] Tillerson spoken with his counterparts in the region since the protests?

Peek: "We are in touch with our counterparts, particularly in the European Union at an extremely senior level and we are working to build an international coalition to support the Iranian people."

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to board Air F U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to board Air Force One to return to Washington at the conclusion on their holiday vacation, from Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, Jan. 1, 2018. U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to board Air Force One to return to Washington at the conclusion on their holiday vacation, from Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, Jan. 1, 2018.

Q: President [Donald] Trump has voiced his support to the protesters and people in Iran. How does the United States respond to calls and appeals to lift the travel ban which limits Iranians coming to the United States?

Peek: "Well, the president has made it very clear that his support is with the Iranian people, I think all of us is. The travel restrictions are a measure imposed as an effort to limit some of Homeland Security vulnerabilities. And I think the United States continues to assess what the vulnerabilities and the best way you address them going forward."

Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri (L) meets U.S Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri, left, meets U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before a gathering of world diplomats in Paris, Dec. 8, 2017. Lebanon's Prime Minister Saad Hariri, left, meets U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson before a gathering of world diplomats in Paris, Dec. 8, 2017.

Q: Earlier in June, Secretary Tillerson told the Congress he supports elements inside Iran that would lead to a peaceful transition of government, he said, "those elements are there, certainly as we know." Could you please elaborate what are those elements?

Peek: "Sure, I think the secretary's statement speaks for itself. I'll tell you what we are thinking is a change in the Iranian government's behavior, particularly its destabilizing regional activities, its support of terrorism and also the way it treats its people internally. So we've been clear about wanting to support those changes, and will continue to do so."

Q: About seven years ago, Syria's civil war began with protests, but was followed by attacks from the Syrian government. In your estimation, how likely will the protests in Iran evolve into the one that's similar in Syria?

Peek: "Oh gosh, you know at this point it's way too early to tell where these protests are headed. You know, I think the protesters have legitimate grievances against their government and they should be heard. You know, the Iranian government should also listen to them, it should not respond by violently cracking down on people who are peacefully demonstrating. I want to say this from our part, we will hold accountable those people or entities who are committing violence, from the top to the bottom, against the protesters. That is not something that is going to happen in a vacuum, we're watching very closely, in the process of examining actions we can take against those individuals, like sanctions and other means."

Q: So, you're saying that the next step is more sanctions against those who should be responsible to attack the protesters?

Peek: "We're considering a variety of options to hold those people accountable, including sanctions."

Q: Could you please elaborate a little bit more on that?

Peek: "No, I don't want to get too much into kind of the operational detail here. There are a range of measures, including sanctions, that we can use to take action against those who commit violence against the protesters."

Q: You mentioned, I would like to touch on the protests in 2009. Could you please compare the latest protest with those in 2009?

Peek: "Yeah, certainly, there are some differences, at least what we have seen reported. I think largely there is a lot of similarities though, you know, these protests were born out of some of the same elements in 2009. The fact that the Iranian people seek greater freedoms that are economic opportunities and like a movement bubbling below the surface, it sprouts up occasionally and while the form may occasionally be different, there's these protesters sparked by one thing, those protesters sparked by another. It all is a horrific (sic) of this underlying current of discontent in Iranian society because of the limited opportunities and the restriction that the Iranian government places on its people."

Q: Regarding actions from the United States. What's the difference between now and then, those measures taken by the United States government?

Peek: "I think you've seen the vast difference in the way that we are handling this. This time there is vocal and immediate support for the people Iranians who are protesting, that wasn't in 2009. This is a whole of government support, including Secretary Tillerson, and the president and other officials. I think we are also aggressively working to amplify messages of support from our partners, including the Canadians, the British, the Germans and others, the French, the Italians. To ensure that the Iranian people are able to express their discontent. As I mentioned, we're also looking at other options of how to hold those regime elements that would crack down, potentially on these protestors, accountable."

Q: Besides the coordination with the allies in Europe, how about those in the Middle Eastern  leaders in the Middle Eastern region?

Peek: "Absolutely, I should have mentioned that while I was discussing our allies. We have been in touch with  we are working to get in touch with important regional capitals around the world, including the Middle East, to encourage statement and awareness of what's happening around, in support for the legitimate rights of the Iranian people."'

Q: Has Secretary Tillerson spoken with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia?

Peek: "I know we are in touch at staff level, I am not sure if the secretary has spoken with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia. No, I don't believe so in fact."
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.

Building '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.
The U.N. Security Council has welcomed six new non-permanent members  Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Peru, and Poland.

The six new countries, voted on by the 193-member General assembly for two-year terms, will have a strong voice in matters dealing with international peace and security during their time on the U.N.s most powerful body.

Peace and security are difficult to achieve, Kazakh envoy Kairat Umarov, who took the rotating presidency in January, told council members at a special ceremony. You are going to have a real chance to make a difference.

Flags of the six new member countries were installed outside the council chambers Tuesday in a ceremony arranged by Umarov.

?

The U.N. Security council has 15 members  five of which (China, France, Russia, Britain, and the United States) hold permanent membership and veto power. Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine, and Uruguay finished their terms last year, while the Netherlands takes over for Italy to finish a term the two countries shared.
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - The U.S. military said Tuesday one of its soldiers was killed and four others wounded during a "combat engagement" in eastern Afghanistan. The casualties occurred on Monday in the volatile district of Achin in Nangarhar province, which borders Pakistan.

Two wounded service members are being treated at a nearby medical treatment facility and are in stable condition. The other service members have returned to duty, according to a military statement.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own, said General John Nicholson, commander, U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. "At this very difficult time our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of our fallen and wounded brothers."

No other details about the incident have been released.

The U.S. military lost 17 soldiers in combat-related incidents in 2017 in Afghanistan.
Utah Republican Senator Orin Hatch will be retiring at the end of his current term, after four decades in the Senate, he said Tuesday.

In a video message, Hatch said, "When the president visited Utah last month, he said I was a fighter. I have always been a fighter. I was an amateur boxer in my youth and I have brought that fighting spirit with me to Washington. But every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves."

"For me," he added, "that time is soon approaching.That is why after much prayer and discussion with family and friends, I have decided to retire at the end of this term."

Hatch, 83, was encouraged by President Donald Trump to run for another term and block Mitt Romney, a Republican, but a harsh critic of the president, from running.
MIAMI BEACH, FLA. - Viewers intrigued by the Gianni Versace murder case featured in the new season of American Crime Story can retrace the fashion designer's steps at his former mansion in South Beach.

Tourists stop on its stone front steps every day to pose for pictures where serial killer Andrew Cunanan fatally shot Versace in 1997. There's more to the Mediterranean-style mansion than Versace's death, however.

Now a boutique hotel, The Villa Casa Casuarina, Versace's former home still reflects his glamorous designs and opulent lifestyle. Visitors can swim in the pool he lined with 24-karat gold tiles, sleep on double-king-sized beds so large they require custom-made sheets, gaze at the ocean from his rooftop observatory and dine in a gourmet restaurant established in his former dining room.

Mosaics that fashion designer Gianni Versace creat Mosaics that fashion designer Gianni Versace created for his dining room in his South Beach mansion are now the backdrop for the gourmet restaurant inside The Villa Casa Casuarina in Miami Beach, Fla., Dec. 26, 2017. The property featured in the new season of "American Crime Story" is open to restaurant patrons and hotel guests. Mosaics that fashion designer Gianni Versace created for his dining room in his South Beach mansion are now the backdrop for the gourmet restaurant inside The Villa Casa Casuarina in Miami Beach, Fla., Dec. 26, 2017. The property featured in the new season of "American Crime Story" is open to restaurant patrons and hotel guests.

A resident artist maintains the mosaics and frescos that Versace had made for the property, including designs showcasing his signature snake-haired Medusa head, said Chauncey Copeland, the hotel's general manager.

"We actually have preserved what Versace created here and just augmented it with some modern touches for the convenience of our hotel guests and restaurant patrons,'' Copeland said.

Versace spent $33 million renovating the three-story building he purchased in 1992. It was originally an apartment complex built in 1930 by Standard Oil heir Alden Freeman. After Versace's death, his family sold the property. The Villa Casa Casuarina now is part of the Victor Hotels group, which acquired the mansion at a 2013 auction for $41.5 million.

David Tamuty of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., lounges in David Tamuty of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., lounges in the swimming pool at The Villa Casa Casuarina, a boutique hotel that once was the home of fashion designer Gianni Versace, in Miami Beach, Fla., Dec. 26, 2017. David Tamuty of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., lounges in the swimming pool at The Villa Casa Casuarina, a boutique hotel that once was the home of fashion designer Gianni Versace, in Miami Beach, Fla., Dec. 26, 2017.

The opportunity to sleep in Versace's former bedroom stands out among other luxury hotel experiences, even in glitzy South Beach, said Joey Cargill, of Manila, the Philippines, a hotel guest relaxing in the pool just after Christmas.

"It's just the history, and Versace was an artist, and I kind of consider myself a little bit of an artist. Maybe I can grasp a little bit of that, in a different fashion,'' Cargill said.

To live like Versace is to live large, transforming the most ordinary things into outrageous memories. "I can't even hit all sides of the bed, it's so big. I just take a corner of it,'' Cargill said.

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story premieres January 17 on FX.

The cast and crew spent about a month filming at the hotel, Copeland said. "It's really striking just how accurate they are,'' he said.
A Vietnamese property developer charged with disclosing state secrets has been arrested in Singapore.

A lawyer for Phan Van Anh Vu says his client was detained last Thursday in the city-state as he tried to cross the border into Malaysia.

The lawyer said the family of the 42-year-old Vu "is concerned there is an imminent risk" he will be repatriated to Vietnam, where he faces the possibility of the death penalty if he is convicted. Choo says his client has applied for asylum in a European country, but would not reveal which one.

Another of Vu's attorneys, told Reuters his client has applied for entry into Germany.

The 42-year-old Vu is one of many Vietnamese officials and business figures who have been swept up in massive anti-corruption crackdown by the government.

Among those arrested was Trinh Xuan Thanh, an executive of the state-owned energy company PetroVietnam, who was seized by Vietnamese security agents last July from Berlin's Tiergarten park a day before he was due to appear for a hearing on his request for political asylum in Germany.

The incident angered Berlin, which called it an "unprecedented and blatant violation" of German and international law.
The Zimbabwe Election Resource Centre (ERC), a non-partisan think tank and advocacy institution on elections and democracy, has written a letter to President Emmerson Mnangagwa urging him to introduce a raft of reforms to ensure free and fair elections ahead of the crucial polls this year.

ERC has also petitioned parliament and the Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi.

Mr. Mnangagwa has promised that Zimbabwe would hold free, fair and credible elections this year, adding that he would work hard to build a new democracy.

But ERC director Tawanda Chimhini says the president must"walk the talk" and ensure that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is independent and that prisoners and those in the diaspora are eligible to vote in the 2018 general elections.

Twenty two opposition parties under the banner of the Zimbabwe National Electoral Reform Agenda have held protests and petitioned the government to institute reforms since last year.

But Ziyambi told VOA Studio 7 that the countrys electoral laws are compliant with African Union and Southern African Development Community guidelines.

In our considered view Zimbabwe is in the SADC and AU guidelines. We have looked at our laws and we have looked at the SADC guidelines everything that they are complaining about is clearly covered within our constitution and our laws. Our constitution clearly stipulates that ZEC is an independent body not subject to the control of anyone and that is in compliance with the SADC and AU guidelines and it clearly lays out the work of ZEC and our electoral laws they are complaint with  everything that is there.

So, in so far as we are concerned we believe that we should not just waste resources doing cosmetic changes to the legislation that are already materially covered by the existing legislation.

He noted that we had an indaba in Bulawayo where we deliberated on some of these electoral issues and the conclusion by then which was not challenged by most of these civic society organizations which were present when the experts and the legal experts who were making the presentations did their presentations was that we have a legal framework that adequately covers most of these areas and there was no need for us to go that route.

However, let me say that at this juncture we cannot go into those specific issues regarding the diaspora vote, the right of the prisoners because after that indaba they decided to take that issue to court. So, we await the determination of the courts and the courts I understand is sitting on the 8th of January. Once that determination has been given we then know the direction to proceed.

The Ministry of Justice in May 2015 gazetted the General Laws Amendment Bill (H.B.3, 2015) which sought to introduce before Parliament a raft of laws from across a battery of Acts and Statutes targeted at re-aligning such laws to the new 2013 constitutional dispensation.

The new omnibus of laws also contained proposals to amend the Electoral Act (2.13) largely in relation to administrative responsibilities over voter registration. The proposed amendment goes further to make minor changes to postal voting, voter education and special voting.

The Bill, Ziyambi says, confirmed the willingness by government to make the country`s electoral laws conform to the constitution.

But Chimhini has a different take, A lot more still needs to be done in ensuring effective citizen participation in governance processes that lead to the selection of public officials. He added, While the apparent constitutional re-alignment was long overdue, the manner in which the country approaches electoral changes remains haphazard and worrisome in that there is evidently little focus on strengthening our laws so that they could result in elections marked by admirable credibility and high democratic quality.
Zimbabwes former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has reportedly hired Professor Welshman Ncube in an attempt to get his terminal benefits following his removal from office after the fall of former president Robert Mugabe.

According to the state-controlled Herald newspaper, Mphoko, who was outside Zimbabwe when Mugabe was removed from office by the ruling Zanu PF party inconjunction with the military last November, is using some provisions of the countrys constitution to demand his severance package.

The newspaper quoted Ncube, who is leader of another faction of the Movement for Democratic Change, as saying that he is representing Mphoko on that issue. He did not elaborate.

Section 102 of Zimbabwes constitution stipulates that  A person who has ceased to be President or Vice-President is entitled to receive a pension equivalent to the salary of a sitting President or Vice-President, as the case may be; and such allowances and other benefits as may be prescribed under an Act of Parliament.

Section 103 adds that, The President and Vice-Presidents, and any former President or Vice-President, must not, directly or indirectly, hold any other public office or be employed by anyone else while they are in office or are receiving a pension from the State as former President or Vice-President, as the case may be.

Legal experts say Mphoko is entitled to a pension as he held the office of vice president of Zimbabwe regardless of being removed from office without completing his term of office.

The law is silent on completing ones term of office as a precondition for getting a pension. One can resign, fired or forcibly removed from office and still get a pension as a former head of state or deputy president.

Constitutional lawyer Lovemore Madhuku is quoted by the newspaper as saying, What defines a term is a constitutional instrument. The Constitution does not require any Vice President to have served any term. The Constitution requires a Vice President to have been a Vice President.

He is entitled to his full benefits in terms of the law. It doesnt matter how long he served. Even a person who has been a vice president for two hours qualifies for full benefits. The constitutional provision states that a President and a vice president upon leaving office are entitled to the same salary as the serving president or vice president for the remainder of their life.

Mphoko was linked to a Zanu PF faction known as Generation 40, which wanted former First Lady Grace Mugabe to succeed her husband. The faction was silenced by the military that helped Emmerson Mnangagwa to forcibly remove Mugabe.
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1 Jan 22:21 UTC : First to report: KOERI-RETMC after 5 minutes. Jan 1 22:31 : Magnitude recalculated from 3.8 to 3.9. Hypocenter depth recalculated from 10.0 to 6.9 km.

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There is no huffing and puffing of Not In My Backyard  in fact, a majority of Manitobans is mellow about the prospect of a marijuana store opening in their neighbourhood, a new poll has found.

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This article was published 2/1/2018 (1340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There is no huffing and puffing of Not In My Backyard  in fact, a majority of Manitobans is mellow about the prospect of a marijuana store opening in their neighbourhood, a new poll has found.

Probe Research surveyed 1,000 Manitobans from Nov. 23 to Dec. 24 and found 58 per cent of people would feel comfortable if a marijuana store opened in their area once the federal government legalizes cannabis next summer.

In Winnipeg, 61 per cent of those surveyed were in favour of marijuana shops, while rural Manitobans were 51 per cent pro-neighbourhood pot.

"This is a strong majority of Manitobans who are cool with a pot shop opening in their neighbourhood," said Mary Agnes Welch, a Probe Research associate. "I think that's a healthy number for a lot of municipalities who are right now trying to decide whether to allow marijuana stores to open."

At least 10 of 94 Manitoba municipalities the Free Press spoke to in December won't allow pot sales, including Beausejour, Gimli and Lac du Bonnet.

According to Probe's numbers, 40 per cent of Manitobans aren't comfortable with marijuana stores opening in their neighbourhoods and three per cent are unsure.

Younger Manitobans (ages 18 to 34) were most likely to feel comfortable with the stores, as were supporters of the provincial Liberals and NDP.

Devin Sprague, who manages National Access Cannabis on Broadway, said the poll results reflect the "warm reception" his medical marijuana shop has received since opening in March. He expects Manitobans' comfort levels will grow once legalization hits.

"I think knowledge and more safe access is going to make more people comfortable with (cannabis stores). So I definitely think youll see an increase in more people open to having them in their neighbourhood," Sprague said.

National Access Cannabis, which is headquartered in Ottawa, partnered with three Manitoba First Nations to submit a request for proposal to the Manitoba government. They hope to open "many" recreational cannabis stores across the province, Sprague said, noting they would avoid setting up in suburban areas densley populated with schools.

He wouldn't publicly disclose just how many stores they have planned until the province confirms its final four proposal contenders in February. The Manitoba government announced recently it had received more than 100 proposals from would-be cannabis retailers.

Ric Macl, who owns Brandon-based medical marijuana store Growers and Smokers, also submitted an RFP. He bought an extra 900 sq. ft. of empty space beside his business on 18th Street in hopes of adding a dispensary post-legalization.

Since opening Growers and Smokers nine months ago, he said the store only had one detractor, who wrongly assumed they were operating illegally. Otherwise business has been steady with 2,000 transactions since Canada Day, Macl said.

"I came out and put up a big sign on a main street in town. It's got a pot leaf on it, it's got a medical sign on it ... You couldn't be anymore blatant than me," the owner said.

"A decade ago, there was no chance in hell that anybody would do something like that."

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As attitudes shift, some wonder whether marijuana stores could pose a safety risk  although those people seem to be in the minority, said Trevor Siwak, an administrator with the North Kildonan Community Watch group.

In talking with his group's members  whom alert one another about property crime, robberies and other local happenings via social media  Siwak said the vast majority don't believe a marijuana store would be dangerous.

"Is (a cannabis store) going to get robbed more? Maybe. It's got stuff people want. But a new 7-Eleven or liquor store might bring more robberies into the area, too," Siwak said.

"Some people said, 'The people who are going to be going to the legal marijuana shops aren't the people that I'm worried about,'" he relayed. "It's people that are still going to use the illegal dealers, street dealers and stuff, that might be more concerning."

jessica.botelho@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @_jessbu
#BeatPollution was the hashtag for the third United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi in early December. The theme was Toward a pollution-free planet, which all the UN member states were supposed to address in resolutions, side events and presentations at the global headquarters for the United Nations environment program.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 2/1/2018 (1340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

#BeatPollution was the hashtag for the third United Nations Environment Assembly in Nairobi in early December. The theme was "Toward a pollution-free planet," which all the UN member states were supposed to address in resolutions, side events and presentations at the global headquarters for the United Nations environment program.

The devil, of course, is always in the details. While governments agreed on some ambitious proposals in Nairobi, what happens when everyone gets home is the real test.

THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES A ban on single-use plastic bags could be part of Manitobas green plan. Most of the plastic ever made is still around us, and most of it is for convenience rather than necessity.

Pollution most concerns us when it is obvious, local and personal  when you cant breathe because of poor air quality, when the water is contaminated to the point you cant drink it, when the ground makes you and your children sick just to walk on it  then, people get upset about pollution.

What is most frightening, however, is when the effects are just as serious, but the pollution itself is not so immediate or obvious.

Take lead, for example. One resolution moved to ban lead in all paints, globally. Too many countries in the world still allow it  and Canada only banned lead in paint in 1990. Leaded gasoline is still for sale, though almost all of it is lead-free these days. Out of curiosity, I took a free blood test to check my own lead levels... and despite living in what I thought was a relatively lead-free environment, my level was 5.9/10. In an adult, apparently it needs to be more than 10 to be cause for concern, but any level of lead in children can cause serious and lifelong cognitive disabilities.

Industrial pollutants can be like this  persistent in the environment, persistent in our bodies, causing (in combination) health problems later in life. The only way to stop this from happening is to stop the pollution at the source.

Plastic is perhaps the worst example. Most of the plastic ever made is still around us  it can take thousands of years to decompose. Yet most of it is for convenience, unnecessary, used to save us time and effort. If we factored in the cost of this long-term plastic contamination of the planet, those throw-away, single-use plastics from fast-food operations (apparently the single biggest source) would cost more than stainless steel.

There is so much plastic in the oceans already that there is no longer such a thing as plastic-free wild fish anymore  and by 2050, there will be (by weight) as much plastic in the ocean as there are fish. Its not just the big chunks, either  micro-plastics, such as microfibres from polyester clothing, or micro-beads of plastic in everything from cosmetics to toothpaste to who knows what, are already in the water we drink and the food we eat. The byproducts of plastics are certainly circulating through our bloodstreams, in ever-increasing amounts.

Despite this, the piles of plastic waste grow. One resolution started to tackle the issue of marine plastics pollution and to identify the land-based sources and the barriers to cleaning up the oceans. It may be hard for Winnipeggers to get concerned about the subject, at least until the next time you eat fish, but there are roughly a billion people worldwide who depend on the sea for the food they need to survive.

Its a huge job  how does one clean up an ocean?  but its clearly easier to stop the plastic from getting into the water in the first place. We just have to start, and to stop making excuses for continuing to foul our collective nest with plastics we dont need.

For example  plastic straws. Ban them. Period. Plastic knuckles for coffee cream? Dont eat at restaurants that continue to serve them, because they cant be bothered finding another way. Carry your own cutlery for takeout food  and make sure the containers are made of paper or compostable materials.

And those plastic bags, the ones we cant seem to do without? The ones we tried to encourage people not to use, and then gave up?

For the first time ever, I had to be very careful not to pack anything (like shoes) in a plastic bag in my luggage. Kenya has joined a growing list of countries in Africa to ban single-use plastic bags. Some, like Uganda, have had limited success.

Not Kenya  enforcement is strict and the penalties are severe. With fines of US$400 and/or four years in jail, the government means business.

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In the Nairobi airport on my way home, I ran into Judy Wakhungu, Kenyas cabinet secretary for environment, water and natural resources, and told her how wonderful it was that the Kenyan government was doing something about the problem of plastics pollution.

She said they were serious about cleaning up the problem, and the strict enforcement would continue. She was glad to hear me report that driving through the countryside, this time, past dozens of outdoor markets, plastic bags were nowhere to be seen.

Government regulations can work, if they are applied to everyone. In Nairobi, people walk into the upscale Two Rivers Mall carrying their own shopping bags  because they have no other choice except to put mushrooms in their pockets.

A ban on single-use plastics of all kinds  starting with bags  could be part of a Manitoba climate and green plan.

It only took Kenya six months.

Peter Denton is a local sustainability consultant, who participated as a civil society representative in UNEA-3. He teaches the history of technology at the University of Winnipeg and chairs the policy committee of the Green Action Centre.
Premier Brian Pallister should add Manitoba to the group of provinces that have joined the federal government to protect the Canadian public from investment scams. He has been standing aloof from the joint effort, but its high time he climbed aboard. The public deserves protection.

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This article was published 2/1/2018 (1340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Editorial

Premier Brian Pallister should add Manitoba to the group of provinces that have joined the federal government to protect the Canadian public from investment scams. He has been standing aloof from the joint effort, but its high time he climbed aboard. The public deserves protection.

By the present rickety system of securities regulation, toothless provincial bodies such as the Manitoba Securities Commission cannot do much to stop the scam artists who prey on investors, selling worthless shares in phantom companies. They can order a person to cease trading and they can levy a fine. But scammers dont wait for a licence and they commonly dont pay the fines levied against them. They just set up under a new name and resume fleecing unsuspecting investors.

Federal governments have been trying for years to organize a national securities regulatory body that would pool federal and provincial powers to keep capital markets honest. All other advanced economies have such a national regulatory body, along the lines of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Canada alone has remained a happy hunting ground for promoters of investment scams.

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Yukon territory and the provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, together with the federal government, have created the Capital Markets Regulatory Authority for that purpose. The directors of the authority, drawn from the Ontario and B.C. agencies, have been drafting a uniform Securities Act that could be passed by all the participating provinces and territories. Manitoba, meanwhile, has been standing to one side, taking no part in the collaborative effort.

A year-long investigation by the Globe and Mail began the neglected research work that a national securities agency might do. The newspapers reporters searched the public information of the provincial agencies to find out what scams they whistled down, what measures they took and what results they achieved.

They found that a small number of con artists keep coming back. While appearing at hearings about their previous scam, they are already working the next one. By the time they are shut down in one province, they are already scamming in another province. By the time they are ordered to pay a fine, they have hidden their money overseas. By simply using a different name, they escape detection by the slow-witted provincial agencies.

The sum of unpaid fines levied by provincial regulators stands at $1.1 billion  a measure of futility, inefficiency and failure to protect the public.

For want of a national focus on investment scams, Canadians have never been told, until now, how useless their provincial securities commissions are. The Capital Markets Regulatory Authority, now in gestation, will be able to pool the experience of all the provincial agencies and devise reforms that will offer the public better protection.

Premier Pallister, who seems allergic to anything that comes from Ottawa, should put the needs of Manitobas people ahead of his private aversions. He should recognize that investment scams are a persistent problem in all parts of Canada and that local agencies such as the Manitoba Securities Commission do not adequately protect the public. He should sign up for the Capital Markets Regulatory Authority and bring Manitobans under the umbrella of the national agency that is taking shape.
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 2/1/2018 (1340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hope for Ukraine

Re: Ukraine exchanges prisoners with Russia-backed rebels (Dec. 28)

In March 2014, Crimea was illegally annexed from Ukraine. In July 2014, a Malaysian Airline aircraft was downed by pro-Russian rebels. Then, in April 2015, Russian separatists invaded eastern Ukraine.

Now, after 10,000 dead civilians and soldiers, 23,000 wounded personnel, more than 300,000 children living in land mine areas and 1.5 million people internally displaced in southeastern Ukraine, I guess it is time to adhere to the Minsk Protocol.

Currently, Ukraine is totally devastated and has been isolated from any foreign involvement in order to achieve peace and a place in the world.

Maybe there is a ray of hope in the dark tunnel of conflict. An exchange of prisoners transpired on Dec. 27, the release of 74 Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian hostages for 233 Russian-backed separatists. The Minsk Accord clearly identifies that there should be an all-for-all release of prisoners. The exchange is a start in the right direction before the new year and before the Orthodox Christmas celebrations.

This could be a positive start for Ukraine heading into the new year. An opportunity to break out of Russias orbit and to transform itself into a genuinely self-reliant, democratic and prosperous state. Receiving western aid, training Ukrainian soldiers and police officers to enforce policies necessary to incorporate democratic rule, and even establishing a peacekeeping mission in eastern Ukraine  this is the obvious way of stabilizing far-sighted strategy in order to prevent further catastrophic consequences to Ukraine.

The release of hostages is a welcome development.

Peter J. Manastyrsky

Winnipeg

The cats out of the bag

Today, my husband was at work on a dairy farm when a woman stopped her car at the end of the driveway, opened the door and tossed out a cat. My husband called her back and told her, in no uncertain terms, to take her cat home. She answered, "Well, its a farm!"

Those of us in the country have all experienced cats tossed onto our driveways, even in the coldest part of winter. So, let me tell these former pet owners what happens to their former cats. Many of those cats are too scared to approach humans, or people get fed up with strays showing up every winter and chase them off. They wont be used to roads, so there is a good chance it will be hit and injured or killed. If they do get into a farm building, they will be beaten up by resident cats and might be killed by farm dogs or the odd coyote. If one does manage to find a spot and the odd mouse, he will probably suffer frozen ears. The ears freeze, dry up and fall off.

So your cute kitty that you decided could go live on a farm in the coldest time of the year will probably die  cold, hungry, hurt, confused and heartbroken.

Is that clear enough? Many will not live happily ever after! A small percentage are rescued and re-homed, but many more are not.

I know it can take months to find a home. I know rescues are full. Sadly, even the Winnipeg Humane Society is full, but this is your pet, and if you can hang on for a few weeks until he can be placed, it gives him a chance and makes you a decent human being.

Margaret Scott

Ste Anne

Safe speed hardly a cash grab

Re: School-zone speed traps set up Christmas Day (Dec. 26)

Like Rick Kisil, I live on a residential street, with a school and a reduced speed zone. Like him, I drive down the street and through the reduced speed zone nearly every day, including, like him, on Monday, Dec. 25. Finally, like Kisil, I agree that the reduced speed zones could be a cash grab.

There, the similarity ends. I was concerned to read that he was quoted as saying "But I wasnt even thinking. School isnt in." I always think when Im driving! I would suggest that there may well be children on the street even when school isnt in; perhaps from other communities and perhaps accompanied by distracted adults.

Because I have a suspicion that the unstated motive of issuing tickets in general is revenue generation, I do all I can to avoid being ticketed. Certainly, I want to help protect children. Also, I do not want a speeding ticket and know that the best way to avoid one is to stay habituated to 30 km/h speed limits.

If reduced speed zones are a valid policy in place to protect children, I contend that the need continues even when school is not in session and would willingly accept reduced speed zones expanded to seven days a week and 12 months of the year.

Lynn Silver

Winnipeg

Clean thinking

Re: Final straw for those worried about pollution (Dec. 26)

In regard to the environment, Canada does need to focus specifically on clean energy and the highest standards of environmental protection.

We also need to exercise extreme care to avoid unscientific "green scheme" projects. There are currently many hard-working innovative communities and technological companies out there voluntarily investing in new technologies.

How about reviewing our daily habits? Do we really need to use plastic straws in our drinks? Unfortunately, those common-sense voices arent so common any more.

Norma Jones

Winnipeg

Early to bed, early to rise

Re: To sleep, perchance to study (Letters, Dec. 23)

When it comes to teenagers getting enough rest at night to be able to study properly in school the next day, letter writer Derek J. Novosel and other observers have it dead on. Students should be getting to bed at an appropriate time to get the rest they need. When I was growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, I was taught that an hour of sleep before midnight was worth two hours afterward. Of course, that was long before "smart" phones and other similar technical gadgets.

My further question is: with both parents working and junior still sleeping in when they go off to work, at what time will this sleeper be off to school? Noon?

Alan Wolfe

Winnipeg

Till debt do us part

Let us look back a little as to what we expect of our politicians and those who handle our taxes.

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The NDP government created a huge debt when they decided to build the hydro line on the west side of Lake Manitoba versus a shorter route. This was done to enable us to export more electricity. Since we in Manitoba are already paying more for our electricity than we are getting paid for it when we export it to the U.S., this is a debt that Manitobans are inheriting from the previous government. The sad part is that it is not only we who are being penalized, but also our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will have to repay the debt.

Now Hydro finds itself in a bind and raises rates. We dont like that. What choice do they have? The politicians didnt seem to have the foresight to know that debt must be paid back, or did they know better but just didnt care? Now we blame the next government for cutting back, trying to control wages. What else can they do?

The federal Liberals are spending money without any thought as to how or who is going to pay for it. Now they are doing the same thing the NDP did. It does not take talent to spend money.

Too bad that we, and the generations after us, are left to pay the debt they are creating. In the future, let us elect politicians with the foresight to limit our spending to within their own lifetime.

Peter Doerksen

Winnipeg
Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 2/1/2018 (1340 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two hundred kinds of colourfully wrapped candies greet the eye as you enter Dobromarket at 1940 Main St. at Leila Avenue.

Two hundred kinds of colourfully wrapped candies greet the eye as you enter Dobromarket at 1940 Main St. at Leila Avenue.

Patrons who cruise the aisles discover many familiar products, fresh, frozen and preserved. The compact two-year old store offers delicacies from the Ukraine, Poland, Russia, Serbia, Croatia and Israel, just to name a few.

Theres a wall of 72 herbal teas, Turkish and decaffeinated coffees and assorted oils used for medication; Sea Buckthorn for women, pumpkin oil for men. Turn a corner and youll find shelves of assorted pastas from Germany and Italy, jarred products like pickled cucumbers, eggplant, sauerkraut with carrots, marinated mushrooms, beets and mixed salads and three-litre glass containers of whole tomatoes.

I was delighted to encounter large bags of frozen lingonberries, black currents and cherries. Add to this a variety of cheeses, salamis, and fishes galore. Sprats in oil are popular as well as pink caviar from chum salmon  a Canadian product from British Columbia. So are meat dumplings, made by the owner, Nataliia Luts.

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One large freezer contained Puff pastry, potato, meat or spinach bourekas, and fancy cakes from Israel and Ukraine There are also choices of cookies, crackers and sweets from far-off countries. Imported bags of barley, buckwheat, cornmeal, and others are available as well as childrens cereals. Of special note, packages of 12-inch waffle wafers used in making tortes, are walking out the door with most customers.

The assortment of unfamiliar chocolate bars and large bags of roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds entice you. It seems everywhere you turn there are surprises.

Did you know that tray of bright red frozen crawfish are a Ukrainian delicacy? How about a beef tongue from Poland?

Luts with husband Sergii and son Nikita, 16, arrived in Canada three years ago from the Ukraine. They opened a second store in Transcona last year and future plans include another shop in the citys south end. Store hours are Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone number is 204-558-5999.

Freda Glow is a community correspondent for the North End.
A Scarsdale, New York, family of five on vacation in Costa Rica died Sunday after the single-engine plane they were traveling in crashed into a mountain, killing all 12 people on board, according to The New York Times and other outlets.

Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their three sons  William, Zachary and Matthew  were headed toward the countrys capital of San Jose to celebrate New Years when authorities in Guanacaste, a popular tourist region, received reports of smoke and flames rising from a wooded area near Punta Islita Airport.

Emergency responders soon discovered charred pieces of the Cessna plane, and the burned remains of those on board, the Times reported.

Wreckage from the Costa Rican plane crash

They were a very loving, close family, Lyn Kaller, Irenes longtime friend, told The Journal News. They were devoted to their children. Any picture you see of them it was full of smiles.

Kaller also spoke to the Times, and told both publications that the parents were dedicated to showing their three boys the world, and traveled to Asia last year. The latest trip was timed to take place during school break for all three children: William was a college student at the University of Pennsylvania, Zachary attended Johns Hopkins, and Matthew was an eighth grader at a private school.

Irene and Bruce felt very strongly about providing that kind of culture and enrichment for their children, Kaller told the Times.

Five other Americans also died in the crash, along with two Costa Rican pilots. The names of the other victims have not yet been released.

Wreckage from the Costa Rican plane crash

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis Rivera released a statement about the crash on Facebook late Sunday, writing I am in solidarity, on behalf of the people and government of Costa Rica, with the families of those who died in todays tragic air crash. To them, who lost their loved ones, peace and resignation in this hour of deep pain.

Aerial view of the plane crash

Funeral plans for the Steinberg family are currently underway, per the News.

This was a trip they were really looking forward to, Kaller told the publication. Its just a tragedy.
Another year in the books, and another long night with Anderson Cooper is in store for everyone who tunes to CNN on New Years Eve.

Its the same scene as usual, with CNNs ubiquitous Cooper ushering in the new year with a five-hour show talking about the year that was and chatting with correspondents around the country to see how everyone is celebrating. But theres one big difference this time: Andy Cohen is taking Kathy Griffins place by Coopers side.

Griffin was bumped after that whole kerfuffle with the mockup of President Donald Trumps head, and so CNN switched to Cohen, another comedian with good chemistry with Cooper. Well see how it goes.

Also Read: When and How to Watch 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest'

Otherwise it should be the same scene youre used to seeing: Cooper and Cohen in a party-like studio in Times Square on CNN, with correspondents all over checking into various happenings, like a couple getting married in Las Vegas by a minister who looks an awful lot like Elvis Presley.

The event kicks off at 8 p.m. and lasts through the midnight ball drop. Celebrity guests will stop by, music will happen, and so on and so forth.

Youll be able to watch the event on CNN broadcast, or streaming on the CNNgo service, online and via the CNNgo apps on smart devices and streaming boxes, but youll need a TV provider login for that. If you dont have one of those but still want to watch, you can try to snag a free trial of a streaming service like Sling TV.

Also Read: New Year's 2018 Viewing Guide: All the Broadcasts, Streams and Performances You Need to Know

If youre not in the mood for Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen, youll have many other New Years celebrations to watch, including ABCs New Years Rockin Eve with Ryan Seacrest, Foxs New Years Eve with Steve Harvey also from Times Square, Feliz 2018! on Univision featuring Pitbull, and Fox News All-American New Year. And lets not forget, of course, the standard Times Square ball drop stream, which will include performances by Andy Grammer and Lauren Alaina, which you can stream for free.

Story continues

Related stories from TheWrap:

New Year's 2018 Viewing Guide: All the Broadcasts, Streams and Performances You Need to Know

How to Stream Univision's 'Feliz 2018' New Year's Celebration Featuring Pitbull Live Online

When and How to Watch Fox News' 'All-American New Year' Online

When and How to Watch 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest'
Donald Trump has apparently made 1,950 false claims since taking office

Its no secret that President Donald Trump frequently misleads the public. Trump has a reputation for playing fast and loose with the truth, often sharing what his administration has dubbed alternative facts with the press. All in all, according to a report in the Washington Post, Trump made 1,950 false or misleading claims by the end of 2017.

The Posts fact-checking database found that this averages to about 5.6 lies each day. Trump has repeated his two most common falsehoods 61 times each. These two claims include the idea that Obamacare is in the process of being repealed and that Trump is responsible for business investments and job creations that took place before his inauguration.

The Post isnt the only outlet that documents Trumps falsehoods. According to the fact-checking website Politifact, about 16 percent of Trumps statements were all or mostly true  a remarkably low percentage for the leader of the U.S. On the other hand, Politifact found that President Barack Obamas statements were all or mostly true 48 percent of the time.

Trumps presidency kicked off with former Press Secretary Sean Spicer claiming that the presidents inauguration had the largest audience on record. When members of the press reported that this was not true, counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway denied that Spicer had lied, saying the press secretary had simply used alternative facts.

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We cant say for sure why Trump continues to mislead the public about his actions. But the presidents false claims are misleading and possibly manipulative  some have claimed that Trump is gaslighting the country with his lies. Based on the Posts report, it doesnt seem like the president will stop spreading falsehoods any time soon, so in the meantime, its important to continue to fact-check his statements and call out government deception.
How Your Favorite Celebs Rang in 2018

Happy New Year!

Gabrielle Union, Selena Gomez, and more stars kicked off the New Year with a bang, jet setting around the world and celebrating the start of 2018 with friends, loved ones, and significant others.

After hitting the beach in the Dominican Republic with Olivia Munn, the Being Mary Jane star headed to Cleveland, Ohio and popped champagne with her husband Dwayne Wade at a New Years Eve Bash. Happy New Year!! 2018!!!, she captioned a video, which showed him giving her a kiss as the clock struck midnight.

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Gomez, meanwhile, rang in the new year with friends in Mexico, which has been a tradition for her for the past several years (only this time, Justin Bieber made a last minute appearance). Our 6th New Years together! Grateful for so many amazing memories, her friend captioned a shot of them standing in the ocean and throwing up their hands.

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Take a peek at more ways celebs kicked off the new year!

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Here's to a happy 2018!
New year, new memes  just ask Nicole Kidman! The Aussie star, who was famously dragged over her clapping style at last years Oscars, was not out to relive the past last night when Andy Cohen brought up the incident during CNNs New Years Eve live broadcast.

You gave Nicole the advice, at I think the Oscars, to clap with her hands like this, so she wouldnt damage her jewelry, Cohen, 49, said to Kidmans husband, Keith Urban. Did you expect, like that became such a meme, everybody was talking about it. Did you ever expect that that would become such a thing?

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Urban and Kidman shut him down completely, with Urban quipping, Its called a logical clap when you dont want to slam your hands together with rings, and Kidman chiming in to add, I wish that there were more important things to be concerned about, or that people were focused on more important things than that sort of clap. Burn, Andy!

Co-host Anderson Cooper replied, I agree with that, to which the Housewives guru conceded, I agree, too.

The Big Little Lies stars hubby then appeared to lose his signal, laughing and saying, I cant hear anything! The twosome signed off, with the Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen star saying, I think she just shaded me a little bit!

Uh, yeah! She did! Yes. As she should! Cooper hit back.

I guess shes not coming on my show! Cohen lamented.

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The Oscar winner originally explained her awkward clap in a radio interview with Kyle and Jackie O., saying, It was really awkward! And I was like, Gosh, I want to clap. I dont want to not be clapping, which would be worse, but it was really difficult, because I had a HUGE ring on that was not my own, and I was terrified of damaging it!

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Take it from her and Keith  best to look to the future than worry about the past!

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Do you think Andy deserved that shade? Share with us over @BritandCo.

(Photos via Neilson Barnard/Getty)
(Photo: mikiell via Getty Images)

The cycle of violence began anew Monday as millions of merrymakers around the country welcomed 2018.

By no means do the below incidents make a comprehensive list of violent events that occurred Monday in the U.S. However, they provide a sobering snapshot of lives cut short around the country in the first hours of the new year.

CHICAGO

Chicagos first known homicide of 2018 occurred around 2 a.m. Monday, when a 51-year-old man was fatally shot while driving in the Avondale neighborhood. He was reportedly found seated behind the wheel of a car that had crashed into a fence. His identity has not yet been released.

That shooting was one of at least 10 that occurred in the Windy City on New Years Day, The Chicago Tribune reported. The other incidents, which were nonfatal, include two double shootings.

Chicago police released statistics on Monday that show a 15.69 percent drop in murders in the city in 2017. Authorities said 650 people were murdered in 2017, down from 771 in 2016.

ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvanias third most populous city saw its first homicide of 2018 around 12:40 a.m.

Officers responding to a call found two men suffering from gunshot wounds, WFMZ-TV reported. Both were taken to an area hospital. Police said one died during treatment and that the other is in critical condition.

Authorities have not released the names of either man, but investigators said they are looking for the shooter. Anyone with information is asked to contact Allentown police at 610-437-7721.

GROVEPORT, OHIO

Ashley Marie Newman, 30, was pronounced dead at 12:14 a.m., according to WSYX News. Her husband, Sean M. Newman, 32, is accused of shooting her.

Authorities have not yet identified a motive.

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE

Someone was shot and killed on Ragan Farm Drive at about 2 a.m., WREG-TV reported, citing the Shelby County Sheriffs Office. The victims gender and identity have not yet been released.

COLUMBUS, GEORGIA

The city of Columbus saw its first homicide of the year around 12:30 a.m.

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Police officers were dispatched to an address on Colorado Street, where they found a mother and daughter suffering from gunshot wounds, The Ledger-Enquirer reported. Both were transported to a local hospital.

The mother, identified as Nancy Johnson, 63, was pronounced dead shortly after arrival. Her daughter, Gloria Johnson, 44, was treated and released.

The suspected shooter is described as being approximately 55 to 65 years old, 5-foot-6, and 160 to 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black shirt, black leather jacket and khaki-colored pants. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Columbus Police Department at 706-225-4434.

WALKER COUNTY, GEORGIA

Cops in Walker County, which is roughly three hours from Columbus, say someone was fatally shot in an officer-involved shooting around 3 a.m.

The incident is being investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, WRCB-TV reported. Authorities have yet to release additional information.

HOUSTON, TEXAS

A family dispute between an unidentified man and his brother resulted in a fatal shooting around 4 a.m., according to KTRK News.

The victim was found dead by officers who arrived to investigate a complaint. His brother was at the residence when they arrived. Its unclear if authorities plan to file charges against him.

FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS

The Athens of the Ozarks saw its first homicide victim of 2018 at about 12:45 a.m.

A report of an altercation led police to West Dickson Street, according to KFSM News. A gunshot victim found at the scene was transported to an area hospital, where he later died.

Authorities said a suspect has been arrested.

MINNEAPOLIS

Cops responding to a 911 call around 2 a.m. Monday found a gravely injured man lying on a sidewalk. The victim, who has not been identified, was transported to an area hospital. He died there a short time later.

Authorities have not released a cause of death, but did say the victim had obvious physical trauma, KARE 11 News reported.

Anyone with information is asked to call Minneapolis Police at 612-692-8477.

BATON ROUGE, LOUSIANA

Baton Rouge police say 29-year-old Trenity Grimes was shot and killed around 1:45 a.m., according to WAFB 9 News.

Investigators have not identified any suspects or persons of interest. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at 389-4869.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

Kansas City police say theyre investigating the citys first homicide of 2018.

The victim, described as a Hispanic man in his 20s, was found fatally shot at 1:22 a.m. Monday, according to KMBC 9 News.

Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA

A double homicide occurred at a 3rd Avenue home around 1:15 a.m. Monday, authorities said.

Police officers were dispatched to the residence in response to a 911 call, according to WITN News. There, they encountered 28-year-old McKinsey Britton, who allegedly told them he had shot two people.

The victims  a man and a woman  were both dead from gunshot wounds, police said. Their names have not been released.

Britton, who reportedly lived with the victims, was arrested at the scene.

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

Santa Barbara police responded to a report of possible gunshots around 3:30 a.m. Upon arrival, officers found a young male suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to an area hospital for treatment, KSBY News reported.

Not far from that scene, the body of a 20-something male was found. The victim reportedly died from a gunshot wound.

Its unclear if the two shootings are connected. The victims have not been named and no arrests have been made.

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

Cops in San Diego are investigating the Monday morning killing of an unidentified man inside a Market Street Village apartment complex. The victims roommate is reportedly being questioned about the slaying.

No additional information has been released.

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA

Long Beach police were dispatched around 12:30 a.m. Monday to investigate a report of an assault with a deadly weapon.

Responding officers found a man suffering from two gunshot wounds. The victim, who has not been identified, died after being transported to an area hospital, Nancy Pratt of the Long Beach Police Department told The Grunion.

A male suspect was reported to have fled the scene, but no other details are available, she said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Long Beach police at 562-570-7244.

TUCSON, ARIZONA

Tucson News Now reports police are investigating a homicide. Authorities have reportedly blocked traffic leading into the area as they investigate. The gender and age of the victim has not been released.

REDFORD TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN

A 27-year-old man was reportedly shot inside a Redford Township recording studio around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

The victim was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities said they believe the victim was known to the gunman, but no suspects have been identified.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Redford Township Police Department at 313-387-2551.

WYOMING, MICHIGAN

Detectives here are reportedly investigating the early morning slaying of a 25-year-old woman.

Wyoming police found the womans body at about 4:45 a.m., while responding to a report of shots fired. The victim, who has not yet been identified, was shot at least one time, police said.

The womans 37-year-old roommate has been identified as a suspect. He was taken into custody roughly a mile from the crime scene, according to police.

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

Deputies with the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office were dispatched to a residence shortly after 1 a.m. Monday. Upon arrival, they discovered the body of a 30-year-old man lying in the driveway.

There was a small gathering for New Years [and] approximately 15 people [were] at the house, Sgt. Mark Musser told Action News Jax. Some type of argument took place at the house, which  appears to have led to the death of the individual.

Authorities said they are still trying to identify the person responsible for the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to call CrimeStoppers at 866-845-TIPS.

NORFOLK, VIRGINIA

A man is dead following a shooting that took place around 12:40 a.m., according to WTKR News.

Authorities have not released his identity or any suspect information. Anyone with information is asked to call the Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

Police reportedly discovered a man with multiple gunshot wounds near 4th Avenue and D Street. The man was pronounced dead after being transported to an area hospital.

Authorities have yet to identify the victim and its unclear if they have any suspects or persons of interest.

TO BE CONTINUED...

A sum total of New Years Day homicides has yet to be calculated, and the count will likely continue to rise.

Send David Lohr an email or follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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In a bold move to mark the end of the year, Israels ruling party unanimously endorsed a resolution, calling for the annexation of Israelis settlements in the West Bank.

The vote, pushed through by the central committee of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus ruling Likud party, called for Israel to impose Israeli law on all liberated areas of settlement in Judea and Samaria.

Netanyahu did not attend the meeting, but analysts agreed the central committees vote reflected the opinions of the ruling party and its top leadership. Several hundred Likud delegatesincluding ministers, legislators and Likud party officialsattended the meeting.

Trending: Korea Confusion: Tillerson Wants to Talk to Kim, Trump Doesnt

Most members of the international community, however, consider the settlements illegal. The land in the West Bank where the Israeli settlements are built was captured by Israel during a war in 1967 and is now under military jurisdiction.

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Palestinians argue the land should be part of a future state of Palestine if a two state solution is ever reached between the U.S. and Israel. Israeli settlements have been one of the main points of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, which have been at a standstill since 2014.

Sundays resolution is non-binding, but some say it could help legitimize the construction of future settlements. Israels hardliners were emboldened when President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in early December, a move that seemed to legitimize Israels claim over all of the city.

Don't miss: Is Democracy Doomed? What The New Year Will Bring

During Sundays meeting, Likud members linked Trumps support of Israel to the countrys ability to connect Jerusalem with the West Bank settlements.

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, for example, called on Trump to "continue the backing you are giving to historical justice and truth! Support the connection of Jerusalem to [settlement] Ma'ale Adumim.

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There is no move more necessary and vital than that, Edelstein said, according to local media, adding Israel would like to expand the connections between Jerusalem and the settlements.

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Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas criticized the vote on Monday and slammed the U.S. for staying silent on the issue. Abbas said the non-binding vote "could not be taken without the full support of the U.S. administration."

"[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," Abbas said in a statement.

Palestinians would like East Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state, and critics said Trumps controversial decision put an end to the possibility that a peace deal would be reached. The decision was widely condemned by U.S. allies in the Middle East, like Turkey and Jordan.

Around 400,000 Israeli settlers live in the West Bank along with 2.8 million Palestinians.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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YouTube star Logan Paul shared a horrific video featuring an apparent suicide victim earlier this week, sparking a major dialogue about the proper way to bring awareness to mental health issues.

The video, which racked up more than 1 million views before it was removed, featured Paul, a tour guide and several others as they walked through Aokigahara, a woodsy location in Japan that has been dubbed the Japanese Suicide Forest. The footage showed the group as they found a person who died of an apparent suicide, zooming in on the body. (The persons face was edited to be blurred out.) Paul can also be heard laughing on the tape.

People were outraged following the video, expressing their anger with Paul on Twitter over his callous attitude toward the victim and suicide. Paul has since apologized, saying that he intended the video to raise awareness for suicide and suicide prevention.

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Pauls video certainly missed the mark when it comes to productive, compassionate and responsible mental health awareness. Experts stress that videos like these do more of a disservice to the mental health community rather than help it.

Research shows that showing videos or divulging methods of suicide may have a contagion effect, leading to copycat acts in vulnerable individuals, according to Dan Reidenberg, executive director of the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE). Problematic content around mental health can also contribute to stigma, which can prevent people from seeking help, he added.

It can create trauma for many and that can have lasting effects on people, he told HuffPost.

If the goal truly is mental health awareness, there are other, more efficient methods anyone can do to help. Below are some expert-approved ways you can lend your voice or your time to the cause:

Share positive messages on social media and in the news.

Reidenberg recommends creating awareness through social media channels, which arguably have the widest reach. You can do this by openly discussing mental health, supporting others who do the same and sharing responsible, research-backed information about mental illness and treatment.

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This rule should also apply to journalists and entertainers, said Victor Schwartz, medical director of the Jed Foundation, and organization dedicated to preventing suicide in teenagers and young adults.

Media and artists sharing accurate information about mental health and suicide risk in ways that focus on availability and effectiveness of treatment are known to be helpful, Schwartz said.

Volunteer for a mental health organization.

Some communities have local mental health groups where you can donate your time, money or energy as a way to support people living with mental health issues, according to Reidenberg. Or, find a way to get involved on a larger scale through national organizations like SAVE, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Crisis Text Line, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Jed Foundation.

Speak up if youre concerned about someones mental state.

Any person experiencing thoughts of suicide should take this seriously and seek professional support, as this is certainly a sign of significant distress and should not be ignored, Schwartz said.

If you think someone you know might be in crisis, its vital that you express it so they may get the help they need. And this doesnt just apply to in-person conversations: Heres what to do if you see someone you know post a status about harming themselves on social media.

Watch your words.

Theres power in what you say. Using mental health terminology in a casual or blithe manner  like saying youre so bipolar for wanting to switch up your hair color, or calling someone a nut job for acting a little strange  can further contribute to stigma, according to both experts. You can be an advocate by eliminating these colloquial phrases out of your vocabulary.

There are some ways of showing or talking about these issues that might also feel disrespectful, mocking or that might add to prejudice, Schwartz said. Remember that we sometimes make fun of or mock things that make us anxious or uneasy.

Educate yourself on suicide.

The more informed the world is on suicide, the more likely people will start making a difference when it comes to curbing it.

Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States, and recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows the rate of suicide increased by nearly 2 percent last year. In other words, the problem is only getting worse.

While we cant prevent every suicide, suicide is the most preventable death that there is, Reidenberg said.

Talk openly about mental health treatment.

Bottom line: Professional support, whether thats through therapy, medication or both, is the most effective way to manage a mental illness. Seeking help is hardly something to be shamed, Reidenberg said.

Mental health is just as important as physical health and the sooner we can get someone to treatment, the better and then the less likely they will die by suicide, he explained.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also text HELLO to 741-741 for free, 24-hour support from the Crisis Text Line. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of resources.

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The 16-year-old Palestinian girl who was filmed assaulting Israeli soldiers outside her home in early December has now been indicted on five counts of assaulting security forces. Her mother, who filmed the event, was charged with assault and incitement after posting a video of the teen on social media in which she urges others to protest against Israel with stabbing attacks or suicide bombings.

On December 15 2017, Ahed Tamimi, 16, and another female identified as her 20-year-old cousin were filmed in the West Bank village of Nebi Salah threatening two Israeli soldiers and then hitting them in the face. According to the soldiers accounts, they were standing by the Aheds house when she pushed them and verbally threatened them, Haaretz reported. Ahed is reported to have said: Get out or Ill punch you before carrying out her threat by pushing the soldiers as well as kicking them, hitting them in the face and throwing stones at them. Ahed is also charged with interfering with the soldiers duties by preventing them from returning to their post. In the video, the soldiers do not react to the assaults by the young women, the BBC reported.

The event was filmed by Aheds mother Nariman Tamimi, The Jewish Press reported. After the initial attack on the soldiers, Nariman continued to film Ahed deliver a message of resistance, in which she urges others to join in protests against Israel.

Trending: Should Tillerson be promoting democracy in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines?

01_01_Tamimi

Reuters/Ammar Awad

Our strength is in our rocks and I hope that the entire world will unite to liberate Palestine because Trump announced a decision and they need to bear responsibility for every response that will come from us, Ahed is quoted saying in her indictment, Haaretz reported. Whether it is a stabbing attack or suicide bombing or throwing rocks, everyone needs to do something and unite in order for our message to reach those who want to liberate Palestine.

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This is not the first time Ahed has been in the public eye this year. In May she was charged with interfering with soldiers who were trying to arrest a protester throwing stones, Haaretz reported. In addition, in June Ahed was critisized after she praised the three men who killed border policewoman Hadas Malka outside the Damascus Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem as "heroes", Haaretz reported.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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H. Brandt Ayers, the chairman of the company that publishes the Alabama newspaper the Anniston Star, has apologized after several women alleged Ayers assaulted them or their colleagues in the 1970s, when he was the publisher of the newspaper.

Ayers, now 82, said in a statement Monday in the Star: As a very young man with more authority than judgment, I did some things I regret. 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.

However, responding to questions the day before, Ayers told the Alabama Political Reporter : I have no memory of the alleged incidents. Of course I intend to remain as Chairman of this company which has been the central mission of my family for three generations.

Former reporter Veronica Pike Kennedy told the Alabama Political Reporter that Ayers spanked her with a metal ruler in the Star newsroom in February 1975. She said she was working early one Saturday when Ayers approached her about a piece of writing, and told her, I want you to read this. This is a fine piece of writing. Ill come back in a little while, and you can tell me what you think.

When he came back, Kennedy recalled, she told him she liked the writing, and asked him who wrote it. In response, she said, Ayers said she was being a bad girl and Im going to have to spank you.

She said Ayers then bent her over a desk and hit her, hard, 18 times with a metal ruler. Kennedy was 22 at the time, and Ayers was 40. I was literally holding on to the chair, Kennedy said. He picked me and the chair up, and wrestled the chair out of my hands. And he started spanking me

Former Star reporter Mike Stamler. Stamler, who was 22 at the time, told the Star he saw the 1975 incident from across the room. I didnt know what to do. I wasnt expecting something like that to happen, he said. Both Kennedy and Stamler told the Star the incident was in line with a pattern known throughout the newsroom.

Another woman, who chose to not share her name, told the Political Reporter Ayers spanked her in his office in the fall of 1975. Former Star reporter Trisha OConnor told the outlet that Ayers spanked her friend who worked at the paper, while former reporter and columnist Dennis Love said three former female employees told him of Ayers behavior while they worked together.

The Anniston Star did not say whether Ayers would remain in his role as chairman of the company that publishes the newspaper. The Star did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
UPDATE: Jan. 4  The two missing daughters of a woman who was found dead in her Texas home over the weekend were found safe on Wednesday in Trinidad, Colorado.

Allen Banks, police department chief in the Texas city of Round Rock, reported on Twitter Wednesday that suspect Terry Allen Miles had been apprehended in Colorado. Lilianais Griffith, 14, and Luluvioletta Bandera-Magret, 7, the daughters of Tonya Bates, were found safe.

Banks said in a press conference Wednesday that Colorados Las Animas County Sheriffs Office had received word that the girls were in the area. Authorities located the suspects vehicle and began to follow it, then noticed the suspect began to drive erratically. Banks told reporters that once backup arrived, the police initiated a high-risk traffic stop and Miles was taken into custody without incident.

The two girls were located inside the vehicle. They both were unharmed and safe at that time, Banks said at the press conference. The girls will be transported to the hospital and checked medically.

Banks said two Round Rock detectives would fly to the Trinidad area on Thursday morning to conduct interviews. Child Protective Services in both states will coordinate to return the girls home.

Obviously we still have a lot of work to do in regards to this case, we still have a lot of questions to be answered, Banks said. Hopefully we will have those questions answered.

PREVIOUSLY:

An Amber Alert was issued on Sunday for the two missing daughters of a woman who was found dead in her Texas home over the weekend.

Round Rock police officers conducting a welfare check at a residence on the 2600 block of Leslie Court found the body of Tonya Bates, 44, on Sunday. Cause of death was not released.

Police are now searching for her daughters: Lilianais Victoria Cake Griffith, 14, and Luluvioletta Mariposo Bandera-Magret, 7. The girls were last seen on Saturday and police believe they are in grave or immediate danger.

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Lili is Hispanic, 5 feet tall, weighs 100 pounds, has brown eyes, a right nose stud and braces. Lulu is Hispanic, 4-feet 5, weighs 75 pounds, and has curly brown hair and brown eyes.

(Photo: Courtesy Round Rock Police Department)

Police are also searching for Terry Allen Miles, 44, whos considered a person of interest in the suspicious death of Bates, Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks said at a press conference. He is white, 6-feet 2, weighs 200 pounds, has hazel eyes, wears glasses and has a beard.

Although Miles was living in Bates home as a roommate, the two were not involved romantically, Banks said.

We believe that the two daughters are in the presence of Terry Allen Miles, said Banks. Our concern and our focus is bringing the two girls home safe. We ask for the publics help in locating the two young girls.

Miles has a long criminal history in Louisiana, including previous arrests for suspected domestic abuse, KPLC reported. In 2011, he was arrested on attempted second-degree murder charges linked to an attack on his girlfriend. Police said he beat her with a blunt object and choked her to the point of unconsciousness. The status of that case is not known at this time.

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CORRECTION: A previous version of this story used a police misspelling of Luluvioletta Mariposo Bandera-Magrets last name, and incorrectly said police discovered Tonya Bates body on Saturday.

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The teenager was arrested without incident, said police - PA Archive

A 16-year-old New Jersey boy has been arrested after his parents, sister and a family friend inside were shot dead on New Year's Eve 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 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.

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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 was expected to make an initial court appearance on Tuesday.
Katrin Beyer, from the charity Moeders voor Moeders, demonstrates how Antwerp's baby box scheme works - Wiktor Dabkowski

As rising poverty and food prices begin to bite in Belgium, more and more mothers are making use of Antwerps baby-box, an ATM-style hatch where mothers can anonymously leave their new-borns to be cared for.

Katrin Beyers smartphone wont leave her side this Christmas and New Year. She isnt waiting for holiday greetings from her three children but the alarm that tells the heated box in the wall on a nondescript street close to the Antwerps train station has a new visitor.

In 2017, we have had four babies left in the box, the charity-worker told The Telegraph, It is a record year and we dont know why.

The baby-box was set up in 2000 by Moeders Voor Moeders or Mothers For Mothers, the food and clothes parcel charity Katrin co-founded with her friend Monique Verdickt. Since 2000, 13 babies have been found and handed over to social services for fostering and adoption.

Local politicians believe a possible explanation for the record year is a growth in poverty and food prices, but the need for anonymity for the mothers makes it hard to say for sure.

For Katrin, the biggest factors are secrecy, fear and the fact that it is legally impossible to give birth anonymously in a Belgian hospital.

You can have 500 friends on Facebook, she said, but you can also have a secret that you cannot tell anyone.

Inside the box is a lit, heated crib, a hat and blankets Credit: Wiktor Dabkowski

Women who use the baby box are often forced to give birth at home alone, which can be risky. Katrin still remembers the call from one mother who could have died when her home birth ran into difficulties. She rushed with a doctor to the women and the baby was delivered safely.

The 62-year-old housewife added: Almost all our babies were born within 24 hours and most were home deliveries. You can tell by the umbilical cord.

Katrin, who stresses the box is a last resort, has dedicated the last 17 years to offering desperate mothers a way out that takes them away from the binliners and the bushes.

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That means being on call for counselling 24 hours a day with scared, expectant mothers, even on Christmas and New Year, and being patched into the baby box alarm system.

While the responsibility weighs heavily on her, the rewards can be great. Today I was sent a photo by one of the mothers of her five-year-old son, she said.

She left him but now promises that when he is old enough she will explain what happened and we will meet.

Antwerps baby box is the modern incarnation of the ancient solution to the age-old problem. Baby hatches were installed in city or convent towers in medieval Belgium and across Europe. An example can be found in one of Antwerps museums.

In the 18th and 19th century revolving cribs or foundling wheels were built into the walls of churches and convents to ensure children could be left anonymously and safely to others care.

In 2000, we decided a baby box was needed in Belgium. We designed it, ordered it and built it but didnt tell anyone about it, said Katrin.

A week before we notified the justice department and they were cool about it, she said, There is not a law against it because the old laws allowed it. But we had to earn the authorities trust.

The box is in a small room secreted behind a clouded door, that locks as soon as the "hole in the wall" is opened by pressing a digital code.

On the other side of the wall is the office of Moeders Voor Moeders. Inside the box is a lit, heated crib, a hat, blankets and an envelope that reads take me  in Dutch, French, German and English.

In the envelope is half a postcard. The second part of the postcard is kept by Moeders Voor Moeders, which now has 160 volunteers. Should a mother ever wish to identify herself she can present the matching part of the postcard.

Mothers can take one half of a postcard to prove they are the parent if they wish to return and claim their child Credit: Wiktor Dabkowski

Once the hatch is closed, an alarm is sent out to a minimum of four Moeders volunteers, including Katrin. Unless there is someone on duty at the office the baby will be collected in a maximum of 20 minutes.

Although there are frequent false alarms, once a baby is left the charity , which began after the parish priest pestered Mrs Verdickt , a mum of seven, for hand-me-downs, swings into action.

You can tell when it isnt a false alarm, said Katrin, You can hear the baby crying. When we have one then we begin our processes and things become very intense.

The baby is cared for and given medical attention for 24 hours before being handed over to social services.

Katrin believes that most of the women using the box are aged between 20 and 30. Some mothers have travelled from Brussels and the French-speaking region of Wallonia to use the box.

The majority of babies have been white Europeans, most likely Belgians, rather than members of Flanders' Moroccan or Arabic community, she said.

Kathleen Van Brempt is a socialist MEP and a member of Antwerps city council. She said it was difficult to say why this year had been a record year.

One possible explanation could be the fact that, due to a rise in poverty, more people are insecure about the future they can give their child. Another explanation could be that a greater number of people know the initiative and the fantastic work Moeders Voor Moeders does, she said.

Germany and Switzerland operate baby hatch schemes but such a system would face legal difficulties in Britain where it is against the law to abandon a child. As many as 50 children are abandoned in the UK each year with some dying from exposure.

It could work in Britain, said Katrin, who cheerfully admits she will drop all her holiday plans at a moments notice if she gets a call, anything is better than the alternative. So, why not?
Pope Francis called for people around the world to embrace migrants and refugees in his annual World Day for Peace address.

The theme of the 51st World Day of Peace celebration, observed on Jan. 1, was Migrants and Refugees: Men and Women in Search of Peace.

Francis reiterated his advocacy for all those fleeing from war and hunger, or forced by discrimination and persecution, poverty and environmental degradation to leave their homelands.

Please, lets not extinguish the hope in their hearts, lets not suffocate their expectations of peace, Francis said during his address in the Vatican, where 40,000 adherents turned out for the event.

Francis called on political, educational, and religious institutions alike to make the effort to assure refugees and migrants, to everyone, a peaceful future.

We ask the Lord to work in this new year with generosity to achieve a world that is more empathetic and welcoming, he said.

Francis also addressed what he described as a rise of anti-immigration rhetoric globally, suggesting that people who foment fear of migrants instead of building peace, possibly to achieve political ends, are sowing violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia.

Francis New Years remarks drew heavily from a full statement on the subject of migration released by the Vatican in November.

On Jan. 8, Francis will deliver another annual address to the Vatican diplomatic service, according to Catholic news site Crux, which is expected to be considered his most significant foreign policy statement of the year.

Francis has been an outspoken advocate for migrants around the world, traveling to Myanmar and Bangladesh in late 2017 and speaking with a group of Muslim Rohingya refugees who were displaced by violence.

In remarks delivered Christmas Eve, he likened the plight of migrants to the biblical journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem, expressing his hope that no person would feel as though there is no room for them on this Earth.
Clockwise from top left: Richard Cousins,fiancee Emma Bowden, pilot Gareth Morgan, sons Will and Edward Cousins and 11-year-old Heather Bowden-Page

Richard Cousins, the highly-regarded head of catering giant Compass, was among five British passengers killed in a sea plane crash north of Sydney, along with his two sons, aged 23 and 25, his 48-year-old fiancee and her 11-year-old daughter.

Police named the victims of the tragic flight as Mr Cousins, 58, William Cousins, 25, Edward Cousins, 23, Emma Bowden, 48, Heather Bowden-Page, 11, and Gareth Morgan, 44, an experienced pilot originally from Canada.

Mr Cousins and his fiancee were due to get married this year, and lived together with Heather in a leafy part of Tooting, South London.

The couple had sent out their wedding invitations just days before flying off on their Christmas and New Year holiday to Australia, while an engagement party was planned for March.

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."

Emma Bowden and her daughter Heather who were killed along with Emma's fiance Richard Cousins in a Sydney seaplane crash

Ms Bowden was the Art Editor at OK! Magazine. She started working there in 2003 and had been there for almost 15 years.

Current editor Kirsty Tyler said in a statement: "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 Emmas 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."

The former editor-in-chief, Lisa Byrne, tweeted: "Words cannot express my utter sadness and devastation. Emma Bowden was one of the loveliest people I have ever worked with @OK_Magazine & her daughter Heather was adorable. In total shock when I heard her name on the news. Can't stop crying. My heart goes out to all the family.

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"I used to call Emma Bowden the Grace Kelly of @OK_Magazine Always serene, smiling & never got involved in office politics. Tried (& failed) to get me into healthy eating. Heather was her pride and joy. A star shining bright over us. RIP Emma & all the victims. Love & prayers".

The five Britons had been enjoying a family holiday following Mr Cousins announcement in September that he will retire from the firm this year after more than a decade as chief executive, in which he was credited with turning it into one of Britains most successful listed companies.

It was also a form of team bonding ahead of the coming summer wedding. Mr Cousins' first wife, Caroline, a popular and inspirational English teacher at Beaconsfield High School in Buckinghamshire, died aged 55 in August 2015, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.

Ms Cousins and Ms Bowden met in a London pub, and announced their engagement a year later.

A neighbour at the Cousins' family home near Amersham in Buckinghamshire said yesterday: She [Caroline] 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.

Another neighbour said: 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.

Mr Cousinss two sons were to be best men and Heather was enlisted as bridesmaid.

Open Britain confirmed their employee Will Cousins died in the seaplane crash

The passengers were flying on a 1960s single-engine DHC-2 Beaver aircraft after lunch at the exclusive waterside Cottage Point Inn restaurant, about 20 miles north of Sydney. The plane was due to return to Rose Bay on Sydney harbour.

Police said they were investigating the cause of the disaster but it would be several days before the wreckage of the plane was recovered. It is lying about 42 feet below the surface in an inlet of the Hawkesbury River.

"These people who have come over on holidays to visit Australia,'' said Commander Mark Hutchings, of New South Wales Police.

"They were in one of the most beautiful parts of the world and for this to happen to them at a place like this is nothing more than just tragic The circumstances of how the plane came to crash is currently under investigation.

Police said it was not clear if a mayday call had been made and authorities were not even close to assessing whether the aircraft had any maintenance problems.

Sydney plane crash location

Witnesses said the plane did a sudden right-hand turn before nosediving into the water at about 3.10pm near the Jerusalem Bay inlet, about two miles from the restaurant.

Family members of the victims are travelling to Sydney from Britain.

Paul Walsh, the chairman of Compass, said it had been a privilege to know and work with Mr Cousins, who was recently ranked the eleventh best performing chief executive officer in the world by Harvard Business Review.

"We are deeply shocked and saddened by this terrible news, he said in a statement.

Ed Cousins graduated from the University of St Andrews in June

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 Britains leading companies.

Mr Cousins took over Compass Group in 2005 when it was embroiled in twin scandals - accused of corruptly bidding for United Nations contracts and criticised by Jamie Oliver for serving Turkey Twizzlers in school dinners.

Gareth Morgan, pictured, died in the crash Credit: Caters News Agency

He is credited with transforming the company into one of the most successful constituents of the FTSE 100 index.

His son Will worked for Open Britain, a pro-EU group set up in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.

Colleagues said they were shocked by news of his death.

Roland Rudd, Chairman of Open Britain, said in a statement: "All of us at Open Britain are devastated by the tragic loss of Will and his family.

"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."

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Alison McGovern MP tweeted: "Absolutely devasted. 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."

James McGrory, the group's executive director, 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. Wills razor-sharp wit, easy company and generosity will be missed even more than his huge brain, peerless prose and fearless ideas."

Chuka Umunna MP said: I was absolutely devastated to learn this morning of the death of Will Cousins, head of press for @Open_Britain, and his family in a tragic plane crash in Australia.

Richard Cousins | Profile

"I got to know Will very well, first through the Stronger IN campaign, then afterwards at Open Britain - where he has played a crucial role - and through @LeaveWatch_ which he helped establish.

"Will was an absolute pleasure to work with, utterly dedicated to the cause, dynamic &full of enthusiasm. He went about things with great heart and humour. He had his whole life ahead of him and one cannot compute that it has been taken from him. We'll all miss him so much."

Will Cousins' brother Ed also perished in the crash. He was a student at the University of St Andrews and graduated in June last year.

He practiced Mixed Martial Arts and was involved in student theatre productions at his university.

Sydney Seaplanes, which operated the flight, said it was assisting authorities with investigations. It has suspended all flights until further notice.

Aaron Shaw, the managing director of Sydney Seaplanes, said the cause of the crash remains a mystery and no emergency call was believed to have been made.

He said weather conditions for the flight were perfect, the planes engines had been checked, and the pilot was experienced and under no pressure.

Mr Shaw said he saw the passengers before the flight, adding that they appeared to be excited. He said a pilot who left ten minutes earlier had not reported any untoward weather conditions.

It was about a 15 knot north-easterly wind, which is kind of perfect weather conditions really, he said. It was a lovely.

Emma Bowden pictured in OK Magazine

Mr Shaw said that Mr Morgan, the pilot, had recorded more than 10,000 flying hours, including 9000 on sea planes and hundreds of trips from the Cottage Point Inn to Rose Bay.

Gareth departed the restaurant on time, he said.

There was no untoward pressure. It was a busy day but weve had hundreds of busy days 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.

Mr Shaw said the engine in the plane that crashed  a 1964 model  had only flown 200 hours.

These aircraft are some of the most widely used sea planes in the world to this day, he said.

They are checked over at the end of each day. Every 100 hours of flying time theyre taken out of the water into a hangar or an area for regular maintenance. The engines are required to be replaced every 1200 hours - we replace ours at 1100 hours and the engine on this aircraft was 200 hours old.

A team of aviation experts and police have begun investigating the cause of the crash.

Todd Sellars, a witness who was on a houseboat just 160 feet from the plane when it crashed, said he swam over but was unable to open the door of the aircraft before it sank.

"I ran my hands down through the windows but I couldn't open the door, it was sinking too fast," he told ABC Radio.

"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."

Describing the crash, he said: "I just thought it was coming in low doing a flyby, but when we looked out - on the corner it just nosedived.

The companys scenic round-trips to Cottage Point Inn are popular with tourists and celebrities. Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews used the service during their honeymoon in June. Previous passengers have reportedly included Jeremy Clarkson, Ed Sheeran, Jerry Seinfeld and Ronan Keating and his wife Storm.

Malcolm Turnbull, Australias prime minister, expressed his condolences.

We grieve for those who lost their lives and our thoughts and prayers are with their families as they come to terms with this terrible loss, he said.

Mr Morgan was described by police as an experienced seaplane pilot.

He commented on his passion for flying in a video posted online by Sydney Seaplanes.

My dads friend back in Vancouver owned a plane and he took me up a couple of times, kind of got me hooked, he said.

That was in my early 20s...I thought this looks like a great career.
Berlin (AFP) - Berlin authorities faced a firestorm of criticism Tuesday after nine people escaped a city prison in successive walkouts and jailbreaks over the past week.

Tabloid-style Bild daily labelled the security lapses "incomprehensible", city-state politicians urged local justice chief Dirk Behrendt to step down, and Twitter users mocked the penal facility's "open door" policy.

Behrendt acknowledged on Tuesday that two other inmates had escaped at the weekend, news agency DPA reported, which put the number of escapees still on the run at seven.

The first group escape saw four inmates aged 27 to 38 flee last Thursday from the Ploetzensee jail facility, now widely dubbed the capital's "scandal prison".

The convicts doing time for theft, extortion and aggravated assault were able to use an angle grinder and a huge hammer from their prison workshop to break out through a ventilation shaft before slipping underneath a fence to freedom.

A perimeter surveillance camera captured their escape, but wardens did not view the footage in real time and took 41 minutes to sound the alarm.

On Friday it emerged during a head-count that a fifth prisoner, aged 30, had failed to return from day release on Thursday,

And on Monday morning, New Year's Day, it was learnt that two more prisoners had slipped out overnight through a cell window, with one recaptured by police later that day.

The pair had been held under an open-prison policy that allows detainees to go to work during the day but obliges them to spend nights behind bars.

"They could have left the prison the next morning by simply walking out through the front door," a Berlin city administration spokesman told DPA.

It was not clear Tuesday whether the two further men who escaped at the weekend failed to return from day release or broke out of the prison itself.

Conservative opposition lawmaker Burkard Dregger attacked the "dilettante" approach and called for Behrendt's resignation.

Behrendt tweeted Tuesday that one of the initial four escapees had just turned himself in, accompanied by a lawyer, and added that he would "now be transferred to a higher-security prison".

"Today I have put together a commission of internal and external experts to analyse weak points and clear them up," he later added.
NEW YORK  At a ceremony to swear in New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for his second term, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) held up his hometown as a bastion of progress and a template for what Americans should strive for in the face of the Trump administrations policies.

We have an administration in Washington which, instead of bringing us together, is trying to divide us up to appeal to our very worst prejudices, the Brooklyn-born Sanders said Monday afternoon on the front steps of New York City Hall.

In the time since Sanders attended the inauguration of President Donald Trump last January, he said, the White House began eviscerating environmental legislation and making us more dependent on fossil fuel and not less. The Republican-controlled Congress attempted to throw 32 million people off of the health care they have. And the president signed a sweeping tax bill providing the billionaire class with hundreds of billions of dollars in tax breaks while raising taxes on millions of working-class families.

In this city, the largest city in our country, the people of New York under Bill de Blasio have chosen to move government in a very different direction than what were seeing in Washington, Sanders told the crowd.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) swears in New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio for a second term after a speech on Monday afternoon. First lady Chirlane McCray and the couple's two children, Dante and Chiara, stand between the two men. (Photo: Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office)

The senator praised the 56-year-old mayor, considered one of the most progressive in the country, for running on a populist platform to increase affordability for working-class families. He especially touted the citys universal preschool program  a signature achievement for de Blasio that serves about 70,000 kids.

While many politicians dont even talk about the crisis of child care, the de Blasio administration has taken a major and important step forward in leading this country toward universal pre-K education, Sanders said.

New York is still plagued by an affordable housing crisis, with rents rising twice as fast as wages. Scott Stringer, the citys comptroller, and Public Advocate Letitia James  both of whom were also sworn in for second terms on Monday  railed against rent hikes in speeches ahead of Sanders and de Blasio. But Sanders commended the efforts of de Blasios administration, which went to court last year to defend the citys decision to bar landlords from raising prices on rent-stabilized apartments.

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Sanders also highlighted the mental health initiative of New York Citys first lady, Chirlane McCray, as well as de Blasios promise to defend the approximately 175,000 so-called Dreamers in the city who were given legal status under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that Trump repealed in September.

The issues go on and on again, Sanders said. The bottom line is what Mayor de Blasio and his administration understand is that in this country, in the home of Ellis Island, our job is to bring people together with love and compassion and to end the divisions and the attacks that are taking place.

In a short speech capping off his inauguration on Monday, de Blasio thanked Sanders and his wife, Jane, for spearheading a populist campaign that galvanized a long-dormant leftist movement across the country.

These two proud Brooklynites have changed America in a profound way, de Blasio said. Bernie and Jane, you have proven that the voices of the people are what matter most, and the political process in this country will never be the same. It will be better, it will be more democratic, because of what these two have done.

The mayor said last month that meeting Sanders was the highlight of his first term, an example of what the New York Daily News described as an emerging bromance between the two men. Yet de Blasio supported former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is also a former New York senator, in the 2016 Democratic presidential primary, and campaigned for her in Iowa.

Some progressive activists have speculated that Sanders threw his support behind de Blasio to bolster the mayor against centrist Democrats such as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is being discussed as a potential 2020 presidential candidate, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), a loyal Clinton ally with whom de Blasio has long feuded.

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Jeffie

Known as "King Jeffie," he helps keeps mice away at Kings County Distillery in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Kitty

Exercise enthusiast at Sal Anthony Movement Salon in Union Square, Manhattan.

Bud

A major draw for visitors to Chenille Cleaners in Midtown, Manhattan.

Patti

A "customer therapist" at Tent and Trails in Manhattan's Financial District, she sports a sparkly "diamond" collar.

Matilda

Mascot and official greeter of the Algonquin Hotel in Times Square, Manhattan. You can follow her on Instagram here.

Georgie

One of two cat helpers who preside over the merchandise at Moo Shoes in the Lower East Side, Manhattan.

Valentino

Valentino, of Carroll Gardens Realty Company in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Valentino got his name after being rescued from the snowy streets as a tiny kitten on Valentine's Day.

Tiny

Nicknamed "Tiny the Usurper," he lives at Community Bookstore in Park Slope, Brooklyn and has his own Twitter account.

Keetah

Music aficionado at Bleecker Street Records in the West Village, Manhattan. Sadly, Keetah has died, and the store closed, since this photo was taken.

Sammy

Charmer at MPH, a messenger/courier service in Chelsea, Manhattan.

Sava

This resident of Dream Fishing Tackle in Greenpoint, Brooklyn made the cover of the book.

Spooky

Rescued as a kitten found at a construction site, Spooky now rules On The Move bike shop in Park Slope, Brooklyn, where he runs to greet customers at the door.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
China will play its part in defending the international order and combating climate change while working to raise living standards for its own people, President Xi Jinping pledged Sunday in a New Year speech.

Xi said the nation was committed to economic reforms in 2018, the 40th anniversary of the transformation led by Deng Xiaoping, "as reform and opening-up is the path we must take to make progress in contemporary China and to realise the Chinese dream".

In a speech quoted by the state Xinhua news agency, Xi said that by 2020 all rural residents living below the current poverty line should have been lifted out of poverty.

It would be the first time in thousands of years of Chinese history that extreme poverty had been eliminated, he said.

"It is our solemn promise," Xi said.

The president also acknowledged shortfalls in the government's work.

"That is why we should strengthen our sense of responsibility and do a good job of ensuring the people's well-being," Xinhua quoted him as saying.

"The well-being of our people is the Party and the government's greatest political achievement."

On international affairs, Xi said China "will resolutely uphold the authority of the United Nations", actively fulfil the nation's international obligations and remain firmly committed to its pledges to tackle climate change.

His stance puts him at odds with US President Donald Trump, who has sharply criticised the UN and vowed to quit the 2015 Paris accord on combating climate change.
Chocolate is good and climate change is bad, so naturally the latter is predicted to eradicate the former. Scientists forecast that reduced humidity, caused by rising temperatures, will make cacao trees extremely vulnerable by 2050, threatening the chocolate industry. Luckily for cacao farmers and chocolate fiends, researchers are attempting to save the bean-like seeds with CRISPR, the same gene-editing technology associated with creating designer babies, eradicating diseases, and bringing back the wooly mammoth.

According to a report published Sunday by Business Insider, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley and the global confectionary company Mars are collaborating to create cacao plants that can survive in warmer temperatures and drier conditions. Scientists at the universitys Innovative Genomics Institute are using CRISPR to modify the DNA of the plants, enabling them to grow in different elevations while being disease-resistant.

A farmer with the cacao plant.

The ability to grow in varying elevations is key: According to a 2016 report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, cacao trees can only grow within 20 degrees north and south of the equator, and they need high humidity, abundant rain, nitrogen-rich soil, and steady temperatures to thrive. Scientists predict that rising temperatures and moisture loss will affect the three countries that lead cacao production: Cote dIvoire, Ghana, and Indonesia.

By 2050, rising temperatures will push the suitable cacao cultivation areas uphill, the report reads. The IPCC [Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change] reported that Cote dIvoire and Ghanas optimal altitude for cacao cultivation is expected to rise from 350-800 feet to 1,500-1,600 feet above sea level.

The suitability for cacao production (left) and project fro 2050 (right).

CRISPR, which stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, is a tool that allows researchers to target genetic code and precisely edit DNA. Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D, a biochemist at UC Berkeley who is overseeing the collaboration with Mars, is one of the scientists involved in the heated patent debate over who actually invented CRISPR.

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Dounda told Business Insider that, while her tool has become famous for its implication for human genetics, it is more likely to have a serious effect on food. Many of the research projects associated with her lab are designed with a focus on using CRISPR to protect crops from climate change, which in turn will help protect financially vulnerable farmers.

This project is also a part of Marss larger initiative, a $1 billion pledge to reduce the carbon footprint of its business and increase the sustainability of the crops used in its products. In 2008, Mars launched the Cacao Genome Project, an effort to publicly release the sequence of the cacao gene so breeders could begin identifying traits of climate change adaptability, enhanced yield, and efficiency in water and nutrient use.

Photos via Pexels, NOAA, Pixabay, Flickr / giulian.frisoni

Photos via Pexels, NOAA, Pixabay, Flickr / giulian.frisoni

Written by Sarah Sloat

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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.

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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)
Authorities have identified Matthew Riehl as the gunman who shot five officers, killing one: EPA

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.

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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 man who shot dead a sheriffs deputy in Denver, Colorado, and wounded four others early Sunday posted alt-right content to his Facebook account.

Matthew Riehl, 37, was killed in a shootout with law enforcement after barricading himself inside his apartment and opening fire on five deputies and two bystanders. The authorities had been responding to a noise complaint at the suburban apartment building last weekend.

Right wing extremism expert and Forbes writer J.J. MacNab uncovered Riehls Facebook page, which has since been removed from the social media platform, Monday.

Trending: Trump's Travel Ban Made Homeland Security Deploy 'Crisis' Team to Manage Confusion, Documents Show

01_18_Riehl

Rick Wilking/Reuters





The page contained images of Pepe the Frog, a character that has been adopted as a mascot by the alt-right, a loose knit group of nationalists, white nationalists, misogynists, and conspiracy theorists. The movement was behind a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year that left one person dead and several seriously injured.

The alt-right gained attention during the 2016 election for its fervent support of then candidate Donald Trump.

Don't miss: In Swipe at Trump, GOP Senator Ben Sasse Warns of Rising 'Tribalism' and Defends First Amendment

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In early December, Riehl posted a video to YouTube in which he rails against Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock and calls him a pimp. In the video he wears a hat identifying himself as an Iraq war veteran and says he will run as a Libertarian candidate against Spurlock.

Read more: Who Is Matthew Riehl? Denver Shooter Identified As Iraq Veteran

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Riehl served as an Army Reservist with the Wyoming National Guard from 2006-2012 and was deployed in Iraq for one year, Wyoming National Guard spokesperson Deidre Forster told CNN Tuesday.

On his Facebook page Riehl also posted articles from Brietbart News, which the outlets executive chairman and former Trump administration White House chief strategist, Steve Bannon, has called a platform for the alt-right.

Riehl also called former President Barack Obama a lying piece of shit and posted photos of weapons training he received from Colorados Kenaz Tactical Group.

The tactical training company issued a statement Monday noting that Riehl attended one of their courses last summer in Colorado Springs.

Mr. Riehl's demeanor during the training sessions was not alarming, he interacted will with other students and seemed proud of his military career, said the companys owner Robert Butler, adding that the group will assist any investigation.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Dave Chappelle (Photo: Netflix)

On New Years Eve, Dave Chappelle plopped two new standup comedy specials into your Netflix queue. The first, Equanimity, was filmed in a large theater in Washington, D.C. The second, titled The Bird Revelation, was taped in a more intimate setting: the Belly Room, a small side room in L.A.s Comedy Store nightclub. In the large venue, Chappelle presents big chunks of solidly constructed new material. In the smaller space, he acts as though hes talking off the top of his head, working his way through conflicting thoughts about everything from celebrity sexual-harassment scandals to Colin Kaepernicks kneeling protest.

Of course, Chappelle is far too skilled a comic to be truly improvising  one of his gifts is to be able to make you think hes riffing spontaneously. Which is what makes it easy to watch both of these specials, each roughly an hour, back to back: Theres a lively contrast in styles. In Equanimity, Chappelle commences one lengthy section by saying that the transgender community is mad at me for jokes he made in a previous Netflix special, and he muses about sexual identity. When he discusses women whove been treated horribly by everyone from Harvey Weinstein to Louis C.K., Chappelle has a fundamental bottom line, which is race. He declines to accept that any mistreatment of any group in society could be worse than the systemic racism African-Americans have experienced throughout history. (In general, Chappelle views things through the lens of capitalist economics, not sociology. Indeed, he concludes Revelation with a long, mostly serious analysis of Iceberg Slims classic pulp memoir Pimp as an economic parable for the #MeToo movement.) The word Chappelle uses repeatedly as a criticism is brittle: Our ears are so brittle, he says in the first show, talking about being overly sensitive, and (in the second) that people with brittle spirits are too easily offended. Its a position that will no doubt spark some debate.

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Does all this sound awfully heavy for a couple of comedy specials? You bet, and it just makes things more interesting. Chappelle is also just flat-out funny  he even has a bit about how, if anything, Im too goddam good at [standup]! Like almost every comic, hes got stuff about growing up  in his case, in a middle-class neighborhood in Silver Springs, Md. (My parents did just well enough so that I could grow up poor around white people). Hes got great material about the difference between going to vote for Obama and getting in line to vote against Donald Trump. Chappelle makes his audience gasp with both laughter and shock in jokes about Kevin Spacey, Kaepernick, and Stove Top Stuffing. (Now Ive got you intrigued, right?)

He feels free to say he was mad when he shut down his Comedy Central show and subsequently saw Amy Schumer and Key & Peele doing what he considers rip-offs of The Chappelle Show: Not doing my show, but they were awfully similar, he insists. Unafraid to be ornery and argumentative, Chappelle has rung in the new year with a lot of provocative ideas to chew over.

Dave Chappelle: Equanimity and The Bird Revelation are streaming now on Netflix.

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While most of the world celebrates New Year's Day on Jan. 1, there are many cultures that recognize the start of a new year on different dates.

Below are five New Year's cultural celebrations that occur throughout the year.

1) Lunar New Year - China

For 15 days, billions of people in China, as well as those from Asian countries including Indonesia and Vietnam, celebrate the Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival.

It gets the name Spring Festival' because the new year's first day marks the end of the most frigid part of winter, which means people can anticipate the start of the spring months.



Fireworks display

It's celebrated at the turn of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar, which indicates both the moon phase and the time of the solar year.

"The date for the Lunar New Year changes each year," said Yi Wu, assistant professor of anthropology at Clemson University.

The new year's first day always falls on the new moon between Jan. 21 and Feb. 20, according to the Chinese lunar calendar, Wu said.

Each new year is named after one of 12 animals in the zodiac cycle. For instance, 2018 is the Year of the Dog.

Traditionally, celebrations run from the eve of the first day of the Lunar New Year to the Lantern Festival, which is held on the 15th day of the first calendar month and marks the festival's end.

2) Rosh Hashanah - Israel

Jewish people around the world celebrate the new year in September or October during Rosh Hashanah, which means "Head of the Year."

Rosh Hashanah is considered a time of rejoicing, introspection and celebrating the completion of another year. It's welcomed on the first two days of Tishrei, which is the seventh month on the Hebrew calendar.

The holiday is celebrated with traditions that include sounding the shofar, or ram's horn, in synagogue and eating foods like dates, leeks, beets and pomegranates.

Each food holds special meaning. For example, a popular Jewish tradition is eating honey-covered apples followed by prayer.

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Ancient Jews believed that apples had healing properties and that the honey signified hope for a sweet new year.

Tashlich, a word with stems from the phrase "to cast" in Hebrew, is another custom of Rosh Hashanah.

Jewish people will walk to a body of water to shake out their pockets, symbolically casting their sins into the water.

3) Nowruz - Iran

For 13 days, about 75 million people in Iran and 30 million people in Afghanistan celebrate the rebirth of nature for Nowruz, which means "new day," at the start of spring.

Also known as the Persian New Year, it's one of history's most ancient celebrations, having been celebrated for about 4,000 years.

"It is celebrated just like Christmas in Germany," said Clemens Sehi, travel writer and creative director of travel magazine Travellers Archive.

"In Iran, families come together and give presents," Sehi said. "It is also almost like Black Friday [in the United States], because shopping is an important event and wearing new clothes a must."

A major part of the holiday is a deep cleaning about three weeks before the vernal equinox, during which homes are tidied and cleared of clutter to make way for a fresh start.

"The 13th day [of celebrations] is traditionally spent picnicking in the open air with all kind of pastries; this is supposed to take the bad omen of the number 13," Sehi said.

In Afghanistan, the festival lasts three days and is celebrated with dance, music and kite flying, he said.

4) Pahela Baishakh - India

Bengali people celebrate Pahela Baishakh in April, and celebrations are held on the first day of Baishakh, which is the first month of the Bengali calendar.

"This is at the beginning of the harvest season," Sehi said. "The Bengalis perform cultural performances and [have] feast days, while the Sikhs celebrate with singing, dancing and reciting from their sacred book."

"Shubho Noboborsho," which translates to "Happy New Year," is the traditional greeting for the Bengali New Year.

5) Diwali - India

This festival of lights is enjoyed by millions of Sikhs, Hindus and Jains all over the world.

Diwali celebrations coincide with the Hindu New Year, last for five days and are usually held between mid-October and mid-November, depending on the Hindu lunar calendar.

Different cultures celebrate Diwali for a variety of reasons; to Hindus, for example, it signifies a celebration of triumph of good over evil after Rama, the lord of virtue, returned to his kingdom following 14 years of exile.

Festive fireworks mark the occasion, and families share sweets and gifts and give to those in need.

Similar to the Persian New Year, homes are traditionally cleaned and new clothes are worn for the festival.
Donald Trump, the US president - AP

Donald Trump has appeared to claim credit for the fact that 2017 was the safest year on record for flying on commercial airlines. The US president indicated in a back-to-work tweet that his policies  which included a laptop ban from certain Muslim-majority countries  may have contributed.

Last year not a single person died from a commercial jet aircraft crash  a first in the 60 years since it became a regular form of transport.

Mr Trump tweeted: 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!

While it is unclear what he was referring to, the US president introduced a string of measures aimed at improving border security in his first year in office.

Passengers from 10 Muslim-majority countries were banned from carrying laptop computers, iPads and other larger electronic devices in early 2017.

The move came after intelligence indicated that the extremist group Isil was developing a bomb to hide in portable electronic devises. The ban was later scaled back.

Mr Trump has also been battling to introduce a ban on people travelling to America from seven Muslim-majority countries, which has been repeatedly knocked down in the courts and reworded.

The seven countries initially targeted were Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Yemen and Somalia. A watered down version of the ban came into effect in December.

Reports from the Dutch consultancy To70 and the Aviation Safety Network found there were no passenger jets crashes anywhere in the world in 2017.

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In 2005, there were more than 1,000 deaths on-board commercial passenger flights worldwide. The last passenger jet airliner crash was in November 2016 in Colombia.

There were fatal airplane accidents in 2017, but they involved cargo planes or smaller propeller-driven passenger aircraft. In total, 44 passengers died in 10 such crashes in 2017.
The worlds first father and daughter pole-dancing duo, Hazel and Dave Roberts, hung out on the British show This Morning and explained the origin of their somewhat unconventional hobby. Hazel said she took up pole dancing as a way to exercise, and sent her father a picture of her pole dancing to give him a little shock. However, Dave replied, Ive already done that one.

The two now perform and compete as a father-daughter pole-dancing team, but the viewers of This Morning seemed to be a little creeped out by the unusual pairing. Some just couldnt separate pole dancings strip-club past from the acrobatic form the Roberts displayed.

Watch: Fighting dinosaurs pop into MSNBC anchors frame

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SYDNEY/LONDON (Reuters) - The chief executive of British catering giant Compass Group Plc and four members of his family were killed when the seaplane they were flying in crashed into a Sydney river on New Year's Eve.

Richard Cousins, 58, chief of the world's biggest catering firm, died together with Emma Bowden, 48, Heather Bowden, 11, Edward Cousins, 23, and William Cousins, 25, according to Detective Superintendent Mark Hutchings of the New South Wales Police.

Australian media identified the dead as the CEO's two sons, his fiancee and her daughter. The pilot, Gareth Morgan, 44, also died.

Cousins had been due to retire on March 31.

Compass said the new chief executive, Dominic Blakemore, would now start on Jan. 1 instead of April 1 as originally planned.

Compass, with annual turnover of almost 23 billion pounds ($31 billion), employs around 550,000 people around the world providing food services to schools, the armed forces and office workers.

Blakemore, who has worked at Compass since 2012 with roles as both finance director and head of the group's European operations, has a background in accounting. He has also held senior financial roles at British food groups Cadbury and Birds Eye Iglo.

Compass Chairman Paul Walsh said in a statement: "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," he added.

Cousins led Compass over the past 11 years. He was widely credited with turning the company's business around and making Compass into one of the FTSE 100's best-performing firms, and had also been named as one of the world's best-performing CEOs by Harvard Business Review.

He joined Tesco as an independent director in 2014 at the height of the British supermarket chain's accounting scandal, stepping down from that role at the start of 2017.

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The family are believed to have been flying back to Sydney from an exclusive waterfront restaurant in Jerusalem Bay when the plane crashed, the BBC reported.

Police are working with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to recover the wreckage of the plane, which is submerged in 13 meters of water near Cowan, north of Sydney. A probe into the cause of the crash has begun, with a preliminary report expected within 30 days. Authorities have warned it may take up to a year to find out what happened.

The seaplane was part of the Sydney Seaplanes business that offers sight-seeing trips and has operated since 2005 with no previous record of mishap. Seaplane flights have been canceled until further notice.

Cousins' son William worked at Open Britain, a group campaigning to keep Britain in the European Union single market, and directors and co-workers praised him as an enthusiastic and talented team member.

(Reporting by Alana Schetzer in Melbourne, writing by Elisabeth O'Leary; Editing by Himani Sarkar and Adrian Croft)
PARIS (Reuters) - France is concerned by the number of victims and arrests in Iran, a foreign ministry spokesman said as the death toll from anti-government demonstrations rose, declining to confirm the French foreign minister would visit Tehran this week.

"The right to protest is a fundamental right," the spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday.

Asked if Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian maintained a planned visit to Tehran, the spokesman said he had no information on this at this stage.

(Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Ingrid Melander)
Randall Magill, 28, and his fiance, Jose Chavez, 26, say a Houston Uber driver kicked them out of his car along a busy freeway at night on New Years Eve. The reason? A kiss.

I wasnt doing anything that I wouldnt have done in public. Im not going to embarrass myself or my fiance by any means, Magill told Click 2 Houston.

Magill and Chavez were attending a holiday party and ordered a car to take them home. Both say theyd been drinking.

(Photo: Click 2 Houston)

Then, according to the couple, the driver pulled off the freeway and asked them to get out. He said, I cant take you no more. He was like, Im going to have to drop you guys off, and we said, Thats fine, Chavez said. I was upset. Ive never been told not to kiss or anything.

He left them standing beside a concrete sound barricade, and the two had to walk under the interstate bridge to the other side of the Southwest Freeway to call another Uber.

According to Magill, the driver said hed asked a straight couple before them not to kiss in his car, but both men say they dont believe that. Ive never heard of anyone being asked to stop kissing anywhere, especially when you just peck on the lips, Magill said.

Ive never had a bad experience with Uber, says Magill. I was super-disappointed. Everyone I have ever ridden with has been very nice, very respectful. Even the ones I could tell were not so comfortable with carrying us, they were very respectful.

Uber said it is aware of the incident as it was reported by both the driver and the two men. The company says an investigation is underway and the appropriate action will be taken.

Uber has a strict nondiscrimination policy, stating that a driver cannot deny service based on race, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, gender identity, age or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle




Berlin (AFP) - Germanpolice have filed a complaint against a prominent member of Germany's far-right AfD party over a tweet on New Year's Eve which they say violated laws against incitement to hate.

Beatrix von Storch, deputy leader of the party's parliamentary faction, had criticised Cologne police for sending a New Year's greeting in Arabic on Twitter.

"What the hell is going on with this country? Why is an official police site... tweeting in Arabic?" she wrote. "Did you mean to placate the barbaric, Muslim, gang-raping hordes of men?"

Von Storch's tweet appeared to reference chaotic 2015 New Year's Eve celebrations in Cologne, which were marred by mass sex assaults on women by men of mostly North African origin.

Cologne police told AFP the complaint alleges the tweet flouted anti-incitement laws.

Separately, prosecutors in Cologne said they had received hundreds of complaints over the AfD lawmaker's comment.

Von Storch's account was blocked by Twitter for 12 hours following her post, and the tweet has since been removed.

She posted the same comment on Facebook, which then also took it down, citing "incitement to hate (paragraph 130 of the German penal code)".

Twitter and Facebook's tough stance came as an anti-online hate speech law came into effect on January 1 in Germany.

Social media companies that fail to remove illegal inflammatory comments could face up to 50 million euros ($60 million) in fines.

AfD party chief Alexander Gauland took aim at the new rules, saying in remarks carried by national news agency DPA that the regulations are "Stasi methods that remind me of communist East Germany".

Gauland, who is not active on social media, encouraged users of such websites to "keep publishing" the erased comments from von Storch.

A Cologne police spokesman said it was long-standing practise to send out information in several languages during large gatherings and events.

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"We simply want people to be able to understand us," said the spokesman.

The AfD took 92 parliamentary seats in September elections -- the strongest showing for a far-right party in the post-war era -- as it capitalised on discontent over the more than one million asylum seekers who have arrived in Germany since 2015.

- X-rays for age? -

The refugee issue has again captured public attention over the New Year, with a debate about whether asylum seekers claiming to be minors should submit to medical checks such as hand X-rays to determine their age.

Conservatives, especially from Chancellor Angela Merkel's camp, have pushed to standardise the probes after the murder of a 15-year-old girl in the western town of Kandel by her Afghan ex-boyfriend.

The perpetrator claims to be the same age as the victim, but the girl's father believes him to be significantly older.

Universal medical age checks for refugees "would be an encroachment on welfare," radiologist and German Medical Association president Frank Ulrich Montgomery told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper in response to the calls.

"X-raying without any medical indication is interference with people's bodily integrity."
ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece dismissed Turkish anger on Sunday over its decision to grant asylum to a soldier who Ankara accuses of involvement in the abortive coup against President Tayyip Erdogan in July 2016. Turkey said on Saturday the decision by a Greek asylum board undermined relations between the two countries. The soldier was one of eight who fled after the July 15 coup attempt. It also accused Athens of harboring "coup plotters", a charge Greece denies. The countries are at odds over a host of issues from ethnically split Cyprus to sovereignty over airspace, but their relations had improved in recent years. The asylum board rejected the applications by the other seven soldiers, and the Greek government has appealed the decision to grant the soldier asylum and sought its annulment. But it says the country's judiciary is independent. "Our faith in democratic principles and practices is not a weakness, but a source of strength," the Greek foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. "Democracies do not threaten, or can be threatened," the foreign ministry said. "On the contrary, they work responsibly and methodically to promote understanding and entrench stability and good neighborly relations. Greece will continue this path ...and hopes its neighbors will do the same." The eight soldiers had flown by helicopter to Greece in the early hours of July 16, 2016, as the attempted coup against Erdogan crumbled. They had denied involvement in the attempt. (Reporting By Michele Kambas, editing by Larry King)
Ted Galen Carpenter

Security, Asia

Once American military personnel die from an enemy offensive, it would be nearly impossible for a president to walk away from treaty obligations.

How to Guarantee a War with North Korea

As tensions flare on the Korean Peninsula, concerns mount about North Koreas nuclear- weapons capability. Secretary of Defense James Mattis recently stated that, contrary to rumors and alarmist media reports, Pyongyang does not yet pose a serious threat to the American homeland. The same cannot be said, however, for the U.S. troops stationed in South Korea and Japan. Those tripwire forces have become little more than nuclear hostages, well within range of North Koreas current missile fleet. Keeping the troops in such a vulnerable location is foolhardy.

Ironically, their presence may even reduce the credibility of the U.S. security commitment to the East Asian alliescontrary to the conventional wisdom about the effect of such deployments. The rationale for stationing tripwire forces in both East Asia and Europe during the Cold War was that the move guaranteed U.S. involvement in any conflict that broke out. Christopher Layne, the Robert M. Gates Chair in Intelligence and National Security at Texas A&M Universitys George Bush School of Government and Public Service, points out in his crucial history of the Cold War, Peace of Illusions, that U.S. allies repeatedly sought those deployments precisely for that purpose. Successive presidential administrations obliged, believing that the step was essential to reassure Washingtons security partners that America would never, indeed could never, renege on its promises. Once American military personnel died from an enemy offensive, it would be nearly impossible for a president to walk away from treaty obligations.

Most Americans were unaware of the decision to lock the United States into its commitments and deny policymakers the element of choice. Officials certainly did not inform the public about the implications of that approach. And the bulk of the news media also left the American people blissfully ignorant that the presence of tripwire forces on the front lines in dangerous arenas increased the risk that a conflict would escalate and, therefore, lead to catastrophe for the U.S. homeland. Attitudes toward Washingtons alliance commitments might have been quite different if the public had known about the danger flowing from those commitments and troop deployments.

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Whatever the logic or wisdom of tripwires and the resulting denial of policy choice during the Cold War when the United States was attempting to deter the existential security threat that the rival superpower posed, the risk-benefit calculation should be far different today. Nowhere is the need more evident than in Korea. In the context of the Cold War, U.S. leaders would have viewed a North Korean attack on South Korea as the opening phase of a general communist offensive to shift the balance of power throughout East Asia. Both Moscow and Beijing regarded Pyongyang as an important strategic ally. Chinese officials even described the relationship with North Korea as being as close as lips and teeth. Soviet and PRC backing for an attempt by Pyongyang to unify the Korean Peninsula through force, thereby eliminating one U.S. ally and intimidating Japan, an even more important ally, was hardly a far-fetched notion. Indeed, both communist powers had supported North Koreas invasion of the South in 1950.

The current situation is totally different. Both Moscow and Beijing maintain diplomatic ties with South Korea and (especially in Chinas case) have lucrative economic ties as well. Neither Russia nor China wants Kim Jong-uns regime to do anything reckless. Indeed, Beijing and Moscow repeatedly have urged both sides in the current confrontation to exercise caution and restraint.

Consequently, the U.S. defense commitment to South Korea (much less the stationing of American troops in that country), is no longer necessary to deter a wider security threat from rival great powers. Moreover, both South Korea and Japan now have the economic resources to build whatever military capabilities of their own they might need to deter or defeat North Korea. Pyongyangs menace would normally be purely a sub-regional one that an upstart, third-rate power poses to its immediate neighbors. U.S. involvementand especially the presence of tripwire forcesis what gives the current crisis wider import. The outbreak of a conflict on the Peninsula would put those forces at grave risk for modest intrinsic stakes to America.

Moreover, the probable effect of the U.S. tripwire in Northeast Asia today is more unpredictable than the role of such units played during the Cold War. Hostile great powers, such as the Soviet Union or China, probably were deterred from launching a war of aggression against a U.S. ally, knowing that, given the crucial interests at stake, Washington might have little choice but to respond and even escalate the conflict. But the vulnerability of forward-deployed U.S. military units also inhibited American leaders from taking rash actions that might trigger a conflict.

The latter point is especially pertinent regarding the current situation in Korea. Although the Trump administration insists that all policy options, including the use of force, are on the table to compel Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, launching a preventive war could doom thousands of tripwire personnel. Most of them are stationed near the Demilitarized Zone separating North and South Korea. Even a brilliantly executed air and naval strike on North Korea would probably not be able to prevent a sizable counterstrike that would do the most damage in the area along the DMZ and in the Seoul metropolitan area, located barely 50 kilometers from that line. And if any portion of the U.S. blitzkrieg failed, the possibility exists that nuclear-armed North Korean missiles could land on American bases in both South Korea and Japan. A reasonable appreciation of the potential danger logically would inhibit even the bold Trump national security team from launching a preventive war.

Americans disagree sharply about policy toward North Korea. Hawks suspect that patient diplomacy is no longer feasible, since North Korea will soon have the capability to strike targets throughout the United States, and normal assumptions about deterrence may not work with that government. Some even openly advocate a preventive war. Doves and cautious realists believe that additional, and more flexible, diplomacy is essential, because a second Korean War would be horrific.

All factions, though, should recognize that keeping U.S. tripwire forces in East Asia no longer serves a logical or constructive purpose. They are hostages that limit Washingtons policy options, if officials conclude that neutralizing the North Korean threat warrants drastic action. At the same time, if an accident or miscalculation occurs on either side, those troops become the first victims in an extremely tragic war. No matter if they are hawks, doves, or cautious realists regarding North Korea, Americans should agree that it is time to remove the nuclear hostages.

Ted Galen Carpenter, a senior fellow in defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, is the author of ten books, the contributing editor of ten books, and the author of more than 700 articles and policy studies on international affairs.

Image: Reuters

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CAIRO (Reuters) - 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. (Reporting by Mohamed Abdellah; Writing by John Davison; Editing by Peter Graff)
Jarrett Stepman

Security,

Fake news isnt suddenly ruining America, but putting government in charge of deciding what news is fake will.

The History of Fake News in the United States

Fake news isnt suddenly ruining America, but putting government in charge of deciding what news is fake will.

In the wake of President Donald Trumps victory in the 2016 election, numerous media outlets ran stories claiming that many websites had published false stories that helped Trump beat Hillary Clinton.

Since then Left-leaning opinion writers have called for a solution to this alleged epidemic. The New York Times reported last January that Silicon Valley giants Facebook and Google will team up with legacy media outlets to fact-check stories and curtail the proliferation of fake news.

However, intentionally misleading news has been around since before the invention of the printing press. In fact, our Founding Fathers grappled with this very issue when they created our system of government. They saw that while it was tempting to censor fake stories, ultimately the truth was more likely to be abused by an all-powerful government arbiter than the filter of unimpeded popular debate. Attempts to weed out factually incorrect news reports can quickly morph into fact-checking and manipulating differences in opinion.

Fortunately, there have been few serious calls in the United States for official censoring of political news or media, in contrast to most of the world, including Europe. Freedom of thought, freedom of the press, and even the freedom to be wrong make America great and exceptional. In addition to preserving liberty, our free-wheeling tradition gives the United States an edge in adapting to the increasingly decentralized media landscape that is a natural product of the Internet Age. Most importantly, it produces a more critically informed populace in the long term.

The Founders and the Free Press

The Founding Fathers were well aware of the power of the press, for good or ill. After all, many of them, such as Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Paine, were newspapermen and pamphleteers. The revolutionary ideas they disseminated throughout the colonies found eager readers, putting them high on King George IIIs enemies list.

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Three years after the Constitution was ratified, the American people amended it by adding the Bill of Rights, which included the First Amendment and its protections of the media. However, the Founders understood that a free press was not an entirely unqualified blessing; some had reservations.

Elbridge Gerry, who was present at the Constitutional Convention, lamented how con artists in his home state were manipulating the people. The people do not [lack] virtue, but are the dupes of pretended patriots, Gerry said at the convention. In Massachusetts it had been fully confirmed by experience, that they are daily misled into the most baneful measures and opinions, by the false reports circulated by designing men, and which no one on the spot can refute.

The Founders saw that while it was tempting to censor fake stories, ultimately the truth was more likely to be abused by an all-powerful government arbiter than the filter of unimpeded popular debate.

Benjamin Franklin also warned about the power of the press, which the public must put so much trust in. In a short essay, Franklin explained how the press acted as the court of public opinion and wielded enormous unofficial power.

For an institution with so much influence, Franklin noted that the bar for entry into journalism is remarkably low, with no requirement regarding Ability, Integrity, Knowledge. He said the liberty of the press can easily turn into the liberty of affronting, calumniating, and defaming one another.

The Founders wrote constitutional protections for the press with open eyes, as their written remarks record. Yet, the evils that come through the occasional problems of a free press are heavily outweighed by its benefits. Lies may proliferate, but the truth has a real chance to rise to the top.

Thomas Jefferson said that the most effectual way for a people to be governed by reason and truth is to give freedom to the press. There was simply no other way. He wrote in a letter to Gerry:

I am [] for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents.

Liars and scandal mongers may occasionally have success in a system without censorship, but truth was ultimately more likely to be found when passed through the people as a whole. Jefferson wrote:

It is so difficult to draw a clear line of separation between the abuse and the wholesome use of the press, that as yet we have found it better to trust the public judgment, rather than the magistrate, with the discrimination between truth and falsehood. And hitherto the public judgment has performed that office with wonderful correctness.

Despite full knowledge of the medias often unscrupulous power over public opinion, the Founders chose to grant broad protections to a decentralized press, opting to place their faith in newspapers checking one another with more efficacy and less risk of bias than heavy-handed government crackdowns.

When the Federalist Party passed the infamous Alien and Sedition Acts under President John Adams to clamp down on false, scandalous and malicious writing against the government in the midst of the Quasi War with France, there was an immense backlash. A few journalists were arrested, but the governing party was crushed in future elections and ceased to exist shortly thereafter. In the United States, press freedom would become an almost unquestioned element of American culture and policy.

Things worked out differently across the Atlantic. In France, a popular uprising, stoked by a rabid press, led to mob violence, tyranny, and oppressive censorship. Revolutionary scribblers initially brought an end to the Old Regime and the royal restrictions on speech, but freedom of the press didnt last. After the monarchy was crushed, the revolutionaries censored the press even more ruthlessly than had the Bourbon kings. The radicals argued that press freedom was leading people astray and impeding their revolution.

Maximilien Robespierre, leader of the Jacobin party, called journalists the most dangerous enemies of liberty. Robespierre and his allies in the French government created a state-sponsored newspaper to counter what they saw as the medias lies. Then, seeing that even that was not enough to prevent alternative opinions from growing, began to arrest and execute those who opposed the policies of the government. Robespierres Reign of Terror gripped France for more than a year, during which 16,594 official death sentences were handed out.

In the mid-20th century, the American press became more centralized and the country opened its media sector to many of the same problems that had plagued European media.

Calls for liberty ended with censorship and ultimately the guillotine for unbelievers. Clearly there was a difference between the American and French regimes and cultures, both nominally standing for liberty, but arriving at radically different ends.

A Frenchman who was a keen observer of both systems explained why freedom of the press worked out so differently in these sister republics.

Tocqueville, the United States, and France

Alexis de Tocqueville caught on to why liberty of the press worked so much better in the United States than in his home country. One system was almost entirely free from suggestions of government censorship and the other perpetually in danger of falling prey to the instincts of the pettiest despots.

Americans understood, wrote Tocqueville in his book Democracy in America, that creating a government body with the power to assess the truth in media would be far more dangerous than any system of press freedom. They instinctively knew that:

Whoever should be able to create and maintain a tribunal of this kind would waste his time in prosecuting the liberty of the press; for he would be the absolute master of the whole community and would be as free to rid himself of the authors as of their writings.

In other words, the creation of such an official court to oversee media truth would logically end in absolute tyranny. Tocqueville concluded that in order to enjoy the inestimable benefits that the liberty of the press ensures, it is necessary to submit to the inevitable evils that it creates.

Fortunately, America had a diverse and highly decentralized press from the beginning. Not so in France, which had a highly centralized press both in terms of geography and number of media organizations. Therefore, Tocqueville wrote, in a centralized media environment such as France, [t]he influence upon a skeptical nation of a public press thus constituted must be almost unbounded. It is an enemy with whom a government may sign an occasional truce, but which it is difficult to resist for any length of time.

France never really changed. It continued a cycle of crackdowns on the free press as new regimes took power. Instead of decentralizing the press of the monarchical regime, each successive set of revolutionaries seized the central apparatus for their own purposes. In 1852, when the Second Empire under Napoleon III took power, the government said that censorship would be implemented for public safety.

A petition message to the legislative body concluded: As long as there exists in France parties hostile to the Empire, liberty of the press is out of the question, and the country at large has no wish for it.

Though President Trump has caused concern by calling members of the press enemies of the people, his threats against the press come through mockery and rebuke rather than official sanctions. Presidential media hating has been around since George Washington was in office, but there have been few serious proposals to actually crack down on reporting.

By contrast, the press is treated quite differently in France, where citizens are placed on a 44-hour legal media blackout on the eve of elections. As USA Today reported, in the days leading up to the French presidential election, the media were warned not to report on data leaks from candidate Emmanuel Macrons campaign. The French election commission said that the leaks likely contained some fraudulent data, i.e. fake news, and any reporting on it or even passing it along on social media could lead to criminal charges.

Jim Swift of The Weekly Standard pointed out the obvious: This is censorship, plain and simple. In the Internet Age, reporters and citizens around the globe can share informationbe it about the Macron hack or noton Twitter, Facebook, or on their websites. The French press and citizenry? Repressed.

But The New York Times praised the reporting ban, and emphasized the benefits of the centralized French system over the more freewheeling ones in Britain and the United States. In a recent article, The Times noted:

The contrast may have been amplified further by the absence of a French equivalent to the thriving tabloid culture in Britain or the robust right-wing broadcast media in the United States, where the Clinton hacking attack generated enormous negative coverage.

We dont have a Fox News in France, said Johan Hufnagel, managing editor of the Left-wing daily Liberation, according to The New York Times. Theres no broadcaster with a wide audience and personalities who build this up and try to use it for their own agendas.

A similar scandal occurred in the United States when Wikileaks published thousands of emails from the Democratic National Committee that cast the Clinton campaign in a negative light. Yet, there was no censorship of the information; the American people would not have stood for it.

Who has the better system? Since the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, France has gone through five republics, two empires, and four monarchies. Despite the bumptious nature of American politics and media, it would be foolish to bet on Frances fifth republic outlasting Americas first.

Americans have been lucky to have a decentralized media through most of their history and a culture that strongly embraces the idea of a truly free press. Those arrangements have had a long-lasting impact on American institutions and have made the country resistant to authoritarian impulses. However, in the mid-20th century, the American press became more centralized and the country opened its media sector to many of the same problems that had plagued European media.

Some glamorize the era in which a few television companies and big newspapers became media gatekeepers, similar to the model that currently exists in France. This nostalgia for more responsible journalism ignores the fact that some of the most egregious fake news blunders were perpetrated by an unchecked centralized press. Perhaps the worst offense of all came from The New York Times.

The New York Times and the Fraud of the Century

Today, a 30-foot-long bronze wall stands in Northwest Washington, D.C., and on this wall is the simple image of a wheat field. It is a monument to the victims of The Holodomor, a monstrous genocide committed by one of the most ruthless and authoritarian regimes in human history.

In 1932, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, frustrated that he could not crush Ukrainian nationalism, ordered that grain quotas for Ukrainian fields be raised so high that the peasants working the fields would not be left with enough food to feed themselves. NKVD troops collected the grain and watched over the populace to prevent them from leaving to find nourishment elsewhere.

As a result of these policies, as many as 7 million Ukrainians died of starvation in 1932 and 1933.

But while Stalin was conducting an atrocity with few equals in human history, The New York Times was reporting on the regimes triumphs of modernization.

Walter Duranty, the Times Moscow bureau chief, won the 1932 Pulitzer Prize for Correspondence for his 1931 series of articles on the Soviet Union. Pulitzer in hand, he proceeded to perpetrate perhaps the worst incident of fake news in American media history at a time when Americans relied on the Times and a handful of other large media outlets to bring them news from around the world.

Durantys motivation for covering up the crimes taking place in Ukraine has never been fully ascertained. However, it undoubtedly gave the Bolshevik sympathizer better access to Stalins regime, which routinely fed him propaganda.

While privately admitting that many Ukrainians had starved to death, Duranty sent numerous reports back to the United States praising the good work of the Soviet government. He reported that there had been some deaths from diseases due to malnutrition, but called the suggestion that a widespread famine was taking place malignant propaganda.

These reports were highly influential in the United States and had enormous impact on U.S.-Soviet relations. Historian Robert Conquest wrote in his book, The Harvest of Sorrow: Soviet Collectivization and the Terror-Famine, that due to the perceived credibility of The New York Times, the American people accepted the fraudulent accounts as true.

Sally J. Taylor wrote in her book Stalins Apologist that Durantys reports helped convince President Franklin D. Roosevelt to extend official diplomatic recognition to the Soviet government in November of 1933. She wrote: [A]lmost single-handedly did Duranty aid and abet one of the worlds most prolific mass murderers, knowing all the while what was going on but refraining from saying precisely what he knew to be true.

Though Durantys reporting was a lie, The New York Times never questioned its authenticity and dismissed charges that their reporter was cooking up false reports. Famed British journalist Malcolm Muggeridge wrote of this willful self-deception in his autobiography:

If the New York Times went on all those years giving great prominence to Durantys messages, building him and them up when they were so evidently nonsensically untrue [] this was not, we may be sure, because the Times was deceived. Rather it wanted to be so deceived, and Duranty provided the requisite deception material.

In the more centralized national media landscape of the mid-20th century, a fraudulent story like that published in the Times was both more likely to be believed and less likely to be debunked.

The Truth Cannot Be Centrally Planned

But Americas evolving media landscape is again moving toward decentralization. And, fortunately, the First Amendment is a mighty weapon against the suffocating and stultifying suppression of speech that frequently occurs in other nations.

The system the Founders created and intended for the United States was one that they hoped would lead our civilization to the truth. We have acquiesced to the fact that there will always be a great deal that the smartest and the wisest simply dont know. No earthly, impartial arbiter has the capacity, or should have the capacity, to determine absolute fact for usespecially in the realm of politics, philosophy, and mans relation to man.

For all the uncertainty and chaos that an unfettered media seem to engender, Americans have been best at ultimately veering closer to the truth than any other people. The First Amendment is one of the greatest of many gifts the Founding generation bequeathed us and has been a truly defining feature of American exceptionalism with few comparisons around the globe.

Through all the angst over fake news, fraudulent journalists, and media hyperbole, the American republic will survive. In the end, fake news peddlers will only damage their own reputations and bring doubt on their reporting. Fortunately, our freedom isnt dependent on the musings of the White House press corps. It hinges on the Constitution and the liberty it was created to protect.

This first appeared in The Daily Signal here.

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TEGUCIGALPA (Reuters) - Honduras' murder rate fell by more than a quarter in 2017 to 42.8 killings per 100,000 people, the security ministry said on Tuesday, attributing the decline to a government onslaught against drug traffickers and gangs. The Central American country, which has been engulfed in a political crisis since a disputed Nov. 26 presidential election, had a 2016 murder rate of 59.1 killings per 100,000 people. "We've registered a dramatic fall in the murder rate in this country due to the coordinated attack between the national police and military forces on drug smugglers and gangs," police investigations chief Romel Martinez said at a press conference. Honduras' murder rate has been falling steadily in recent years, after hitting 85.5 murders per 100,000 people in 2011. Nonetheless, Honduras remains one of the world's deadliest peacetime nations. In recent weeks, the small coffee-exporting country has been convulsed by protests in which at least 31 people have died. The opposition says the election was stolen by President Juan Orlando Hernandez, a U.S. ally on tackling migration and drugs. Late last month, the United States backed the re-election of Hernandez despite widespread misgivings about the vote count, prompting the opposition candidate to describe his bid for the presidency as a "lost cause." (Reporting by Gustavo Palencia; Editing by Susan Thomas)
Tehran (AFP) - Iran's supreme leader blamed "enemies" Tuesday for unrest that has seen 21 deaths as Washington sought to increase pressure on the Islamic regime that was facing its biggest test in years.

In a speech carried on state television, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei broke his silence on the protests for the first time since they erupted last Thursday.

"The enemies have united and are using all their means, money, weapons, policies and security services to create problems for the Islamic regime," the supreme leader said.

"The enemy is always looking for an opportunity and any crevice to infiltrate and strike the Iranian nation."

Even reformists, who backed the last major protest movement in 2009, condemned the unrest and the support it has received from the United States.

But they also urged the authorities to address economic grievances that have fuelled the protests.

"The Iranian people are confronted with difficulties in their daily lives... and have the right to peacefully demand and protest," said a statement from the Association of Combatant Clerics, headed by reformist ex-president Mohammad Khatami.

- Major challenge -

A fifth night of unrest Monday to Tuesday saw six protesters killed during an attack on a police station in Qahderijan in the central province of Isfahan, state TV said.

At least three other towns near the cultural hub of Isfahan also saw violence overnight, causing the deaths of a young member of the Revolutionary Guards, a policeman and a bystander.

The estimated death toll is now 21 since protests began in second city Mashhad and quickly spread to become the biggest challenge to the Islamic regime since mass demonstrations in 2009.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini late Tuesday deplored "the unacceptable loss of human lives" and called on "all concerned to refrain from violence".

As violence has grown, authorities have stepped up arrests, with at least 450 people detained in Tehran since Saturday and 100 more around Isfahan on Monday, media reported.

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US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticised Tehran since the latest protests began, praised the demonstrators for acting against the "brutal and corrupt" regime and said Iranians had "little food, big inflation and no human rights".

Iran's foreign ministry said Trump was "wasting his time sending useless and insulting tweets" and would be better off focusing on "homeless and hungry people" in his own country.

Trump's ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, said the US would seek emergency UN talks on the situation.

"The people of Iran are crying out for freedom," she said at a news conference. "All freedom-loving people must stand with their cause."

- 'Complete nonsense' -

Haley rejected as "complete nonsense" Khamenei's charges that the protests were being fomented by Iran's "enemies".

"The freedoms that are enshrined in the United Nations charter are under attack in Iran. Dozens have already been killed. Hundreds have been arrested," she said.

"If the Iranian dictatorship's history is any guide, we can expect more outrageous abuses in the days to come."

Iran's moderate President Hassan Rouhani phoned his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron Tuesday to demand action against the Paris-based "terrorist" Mujahedeen-e-Khalq opposition group he accused of fomenting protests.

A statement from the French presidency said Macron called for "restraint", and both sides agreed to postpone an imminent visit to Tehran by the French foreign minister.

The unrest in Iran appears leaderless and focused on provincial towns and cities, with only small and sporadic protests in Tehran amid a heavy police presence.

Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, described the unrest as a "proxy war against the Iranian people" and said online accounts in the United States, Britain and Saudi Arabia were encouraging demonstrations.

Many Tehranis agreed with his assessment.

"When there is a protest, you can be sure other countries will take advantage of it and interfere," 30-year-old architectural engineer Mehdi Rahmani told AFP.

But he also understood the economic grievances driving the unrest.

- Economic woes -

"The root of people's protests are merely their economic problems, the problem of youth unemployment," he said.

Rouhani has tried to play down the unrest, which began over economic woes but quickly turned against the regime as a whole.

Pro-regime rallies have also been held, reflecting continued support among a large conservative section of society.

The head of Tehran's revolutionary court, Moussa Ghazanfarabadi, warned that as violence grows punishments for demonstrators would get "heavier".

"We no longer consider them as protesters demanding rights, but as people targeting the regime," he told the conservative Tasnim news agency.

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.

The young are the most affected, with as many as 40 percent jobless according to analysts, and rural areas particularly hard-hit.

Rouhani on Sunday acknowledged there was "no problem bigger than unemployment", and also vowed a more balanced media and more transparency.

In 2009, authorities ruthlessly put down protests against the re-election of hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. At least 36 people were killed, according to an official toll, while the opposition says 72 died.

burs/srm/mtp/
By Michael Georgy

DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian authorities are treading cautiously in the face of mass protests, eager to take control but worried a crackdown could plunge the country into a crisis similar to the pro-reform unrest of 2009.

In June that year as Iranians seethed across the nation, a video showing protester Neda Agha-Soltan's last moments after being shot in the chest made her an icon of the opposition movement.

This time, Iranian moderates are appealing for caution even though some hardliners are calling for an iron fist to crush one of the gravest threats to Iran's clerical leaders, who came to power in the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Those divisions are making it hard for the authorities to defuse spontaneous demonstration, especially as there are no apparent protest leaders who can be identified and rounded up.

Videos on the internet showed the difficulties the Iranian authorities are facing in controlling the protests, in contrast to 2009 when the opposition had a clear hierarchy.

Footage carried on several semi-official websites showed men in white hooded coats who were described as the protest leaders. Red arrows on the screen identified them as they led attacks on police and buildings.

In 2009, the "Green Movement" accused of stoking months of mass protests had two clear figureheads. Both have been under house arrest since 2011 though neither has been formally charged or appeared in court.

TEN KILLED

The latest unrest began on Thursday when hundreds of people took to the streets of Iran's second city Mashhad to protest against economic hardships and alleged corruption.

But in a rare political challenge, they were soon calling for clerical leaders including the ultimate authority in Iran's cumbersome system of dual clerical and republican rule - Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei - to step down.

Since Thursday, tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Iran, alarming the government and the clerical leadership.

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Ten people were killed during protests on Sunday, state television reported, as unsigned statements posted on social media sites called for new demonstrations in the capital Tehran and 50 other cities.

In a ratcheting up of tensions, protesters tried to take over some military bases and police stations but were pushed back by security forces, state TV said without elaborating.

President Hassan Rouhani struck a conciliatory tone as demonstrators widened their targets from police vehicles and banks to seminaries in a direct challenge to the country's religious establishment.

"What has happened in the past few days may appear as a threat but we have to turn it into an opportunity and see what the problem is," ISNA news agency quoted Rouhani as saying on Sunday.

He even contradicted the usual conspiracy theories that blame Western powers and Israel for Iran's woes, stressing the need to get to the root causes of the problem.

"All these people are not getting orders from abroad, and some have gone out to the streets because of their feelings and problems," he said.

Lawmaker Jorjik Abramian was also measured in his response to growing frustrations with unemployment that hit 28.8 percent last year and alleged graft that prompted some Iranians to describe their government as thieves.

"The recent events are due to an accumulation of people's demands that have been ignored," ILNA news agency quoted him as saying. "We must restore the trust of the people in the authorities. If this happens, no foreign agent can carry out his aims in the country."

The 2009 protests following the disputed re-election of hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad were eventually crushed by the state security apparatus, headed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and its affiliated Basij militia volunteers.

ILNA said Abramian warned against any "repeat of Kahrizak" -a reference to an infamous detention centre outside Tehran where three detainees were killed and many tortured in 2009, according to human rights campaigners.

AVOIDING FLASHPOINTS

Protesters, for their part, also don't seem to have a clear plan, other than defying the security forces and even the elite Revolutionary Guards.

The security forces may be showing restraint this time to avoid bloodshed that could galvanise and embolden protesters. But that has not stopped leading conservatives calling for tough measures.

"Those who commit sabotage and spread unrest should be dealt with and dealt with firmly," judiciary chief Ayatollah Sadeq Larijani said in remarks carried on state television.

With few options at hand, some Iranian leaders lashed out again at the United States. A top military official said support for the protesters expressed by U.S. President Trump and other U.S. officials showed Washington had ulterior motives.

"The involvement of top U.S. leaders along with other states and media outlets ... suggest that America is planning to launch a new sedition in Iran," armed forces spokesman Masoud Jazayeri, who is also a Revolutionary Guards commander, was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster IRIB's website.

But that has failed so far to divert the attention of Iranians away from their problems at home.

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 Islamic government, analysts say.

But the growing number of youths taking to the streets suggests the old guard may have to compromise and give in to some of their demands, analysts say.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; editing by David Clarke)
Israeli authorities are seeking 12 charges against a Palestinian teenager arrested after a video of her slapping and kicking two Israeli soldiers in the West Bank went viral, her lawyer said Monday.

Ahed Tamimi, 16, has been hailed as a hero by Palestinians who see her as bravely standing up to Israel's occupation of the West Bank. Israelis accuse her family of using her as a pawn in staged provocations.

Tamimi's lawyer Gaby Lasky spoke to journalists ahead of her hearing in a military court, saying the charges include assault and relate to six different incidents.

The accusations also include stone-throwing, incitement and making threats, Lasky said.

Prosecutors are also seeking five charges against her mother Nariman, and had on Sunday filed charges against her cousin Nour, 20.

Palestinian teen Ahed Tamimi enters a military courtroom escorted by Israeli Prison Service personnel at Ofer Prison, near the West Bank city of Ramallah Credit: REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Ahed Tamimi's family says the December 15 incident occurred in the yard of their home in Nabi Saleh, near Ramallah.

A video shows the cousins approaching two Israeli soldiers and telling them to leave before shoving, kicking and slapping them.

Ahed Tamimi is the most aggressive of the two in the video.

The heavily armed soldiers do not respond in the face of what appears to be an attempt to provoke rather than seriously harm them.

They then move backwards after Ahed Tamimi's mother Nariman becomes involved.

Ahed Tamimi, arrested in the early hours of December 19, has been involved in a series of previous confrontations, with older pictures of her confronting soldiers widely published.
(Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Ernst)

In what appears to be a not-so-subtle dig at President Donald Trump, ousted FBI Director James Comey tweeted Sunday that he hoped the new year would bring more ethical leadership focused on the truth and lasting values.

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Trump fired Comey in May, months after Comey said he and the president had an uneasy conversation in which the president demanded his loyalty. Comey also testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee that Trump asked him to end the investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn. Flynn has since pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about contacts with Russian officials.

Trump has denied that he asked Comey for his loyalty or asked him to drop the Flynn investigation.

The president called Comey a nut job while meeting with Russian officials in the Oval Office the day after the firing, The New York Times reported.

I faced great pressure because of Russia, Trump said, according to the Times, apparently referring to an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Thats taken off.

Comey is currently working on a book titled A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies, and Leadership, which is due out in the spring.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a dramatic shift in his approach to Seoul on Tuesday as he called for direct talks in an apparent bid to drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States, its key ally.

The isolated dictator said he hoped the two Koreas could meet "immediately" as the south prepared to host the Winter Olympics in Peyongchang, but warned he had no intentions of backing down over his nuclear weapons strategy.

"The Winter Games to be held in South Korea will be a good occasion for the country", Mr Kim said in a speech televised by state-run media on Monday.

"We sincerely hope that the Winter Games will be a success", he added. "We are willing to take various steps, including the dispatch of the delegation...to this end, the two Koreas can immediately meet."

That offer was tempered by the North Korean dictator's insistence that he would not scale back production of nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles.

"We should always keep readiness to take immediate nuclear counter-attacks against the enemy's scheme for a nuclear war...the US should be aware that the North's nuclear forces is reality, not a threat," he said.

And he struck an ominous note by claiming that a "nuclear button" was always resting on his desk.

President Donald Trump was asked to respond to the message as he arrived in a tuxedo at his new year's eve party at his Mar-a-Lago resort. "We'll see, we'll see," he said.

It came as a former top US official said he believed a nuclear war with North Korea was "closer than ever" and that he could not see any diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Kim Jong-un is featured in a stamp released in North Korea to celebrate the country's advances in missile technology Credit: Reuters

Admiral Mike Mullen, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Presidents George W Bush and Barack Obama, said: "We're actually closer, in my view, to a nuclear war with North Korea and in that region than we have ever been. I don't see the opportunities to solve this diplomatically at this particular point."

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Analysts told the Telegraph they suspected an ulterior motive to the dictator's request for talks with the south, which was unexpected as the regime has previously ignored appeals from South Korean president Moon Jae-in.

Mr Moon's approach to the North Korean crisis has been markedly different to the hard-line stance adopted by Mr Trump.

The South Korean leader is more aligned with Russia and China, in that he believes the stand-off can be resolved through talks, whereas the US president has threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea and "fire and fury."

A model of a Hwasong-15 ICDM at the Pyongyang Ice Sculpture Festival on New Year's Eve Credit: AFP

Meanwhile South Korea's National Security Strategy said it suspected the north was only using its attendance at the Winter Olympics for political leverage.

"In exchange for that [attendance], it cannot be ruled out that it would demand Seoul lift economic sanctions against it and resume economic cooperative projects and humanitarian aid," it said in a report.

Rah Jong-yil, a former diplomat and head of South Korean intelligence, said he did not believe "at all" that Mr Kim was offering an olive branch.

Children pose for a photo before an ice sculpture depicting a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and self-propelled launcher, as people mark the new year at the Pyongyang Ice Sculpture Festival on Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang

"If talks do go ahead, then I expect North Korea to demand that joint US-South Korean military exercises that are scheduled to take place at the same time as the Winter Games be delayed or even cancelled entirely," he told The Telegraph.

The South Korean people were desperate for a peaceful solution to the crisis, which has overshadowed their lives since the Korean War broke out in 1950, and were likely to support that request, he added.

But Washington may be irritated if any concessions on security had to be made as a condition for the talks as it risks driving a wedge between president Donald Trump and Mr Moon.

Mr Rah also stressed that the North Korean dictator does not want a peaceful solution to the nuclear crisis as it would endanger the survival of his regime.

"North Korea cannot survive peace", he said. "The regime in Pyongyang can only continue to survive on stresses and confrontation with its neighbours. Peace would bring Mr Kim down.

Kim: Nuclear button is always on my desk

The new year's address of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un featured the alarming claim that he keeps a "nuclear button" on his desk.

As he warned the United States that the regime's nuclear programme was nearing completion, Mr Kim said: "The entire United States is within range of our nuclear weapons, a nuclear button is always on my desk. This is reality, not a threat."

The bold claim is unlikely to be true, however, as by his own admission the warheads and missiles are yet to be deployed.

He added: This year, we should focus on mass-producing nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles for operational deployment. These weapons will be used only if our society is threatened.

Instead the remark is likely to be aimed at intimidating president Trump, who has disparagingly referred to Mr Kim as " little Rocket Man"
This article first appeared on the Atlantic Council site.

As troubling as current tensions are, 2018 promises to be an even more dangerous year on the Korean Peninsula.

Amid conflicting signals from US President Donald J. Trumps administration and anticipated hints of flexibility in North Korean leader Kim Jong-uns New Years statement, one immediate question is whether and under what circumstances Washington will be willing to open talks with Pyongyang to defuse the crisis.

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There was no ambiguity in US Secretary of State Rex Tillersons remarks at the Atlantic Council on December 12. Were ready to talk any time North Korea would like to talk, and were ready to have the first meeting without preconditions. Lets just meet and letswe can talk about the weather if you want, he said.

But no sooner had Tillerson made the offer to meet with North Korea than the Trump administrationand even Tillersons own spokespersonbegan to walk it back. The White House said there was no change in policy.

By the end of the week, Tillerson himself said that Pyongyang had to earn the right to talks by suspending missile and nuclear tests.

Some analysts see a narrow window of opportunity opening up after Kim announced that his nuclear weapons program was completed and United Nations Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman went on a diplomatic mission to Pyongyang early in December.

With South Korea set to host the Winter Olympics in February and no major US-South Korean military exercises scheduled in the spring, if there is a period of quiet, as Tillerson hoped for, an exploratory round of diplomacy might not be out of the question.

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Tillersons hint of flexibility did not, however, reflect any change in the basic US policy of maximum pressure and dialogue. Indeed, during a UN Security Council session on December 15, Tillerson called on China and Russia to apply more pressure on North Korea beyond UN sanctions.

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The more ominous question is whether American anxieties and impatience with Pyongyang are building toward US military action in North Korea.

Senior Trump officials, troubled by the almost two dozen missile and nuclear tests Pyongyang has conducted this year, frequently argue that time is running out for diplomacy, holding out the threat of military force. Some military planners privately talk about giving Kim a bloody nose.

US National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster has said on several occasions that if and when North Korea obtains the capability to hit the US mainland with a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), deterrence would no longer be adequate. McMaster has spoken of preventive war in language that is eerily similar to that used by the George W. Bush administration before it invaded Iraq in 2003.

This language is curious. US deterrence has prevented war on the Korean Peninsula since 1953, it has deterred a Soviet Union armed with 30,000 nuclear warheads and, since 1964, Chinas nuclear arsenal.

Few analysts would argue with the logic that Pyongyangs top priority is regime survival. US officialsover several different administrationshave repeatedly said that any North Korean attack on the United States or its allies would result in a swift and overwhelming military response.

Nonetheless, after major policy reviews, the Trump administration appears to view North Koreas possession of an operational ICBM as an unacceptable threat that would trigger US military action.

This regardless of the fact that a pre-emptive US strike would almost certainly trigger a North Korean military response and risk of escalation that could result in the death of hundreds of thousandsincluding thousands of Americans (there are some 200,000 US citizens in Seoul on any given day).

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Pyongyang has thousands of long-range artillery within range of Seoul, just 35 miles away.

It is not clear that US Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis agrees with those who favor pre-emptive action. He has spoken of a US use of force only in response to a North Korean attack.

On December 15, Mattis disputed Pyongyangs ability to threaten the United States, saying that its ICBM has not yet shown to be a capable threat against us right now.

This skepticism about North Koreas ICBM capability is shared by a number of technical analysts who argue that Pyongyang has not as yet demonstrated a re-entry vehicle that is able to survive the heat, pressure, and thrust associated with a nuclear weapon re-entering the atmosphere, nor has a guidance system been able to hit a target.

Among Asian security analysts in the United States, the dominant view is that the least bad policy response to a nuclear North Korea, even one that is armed with an ICBM, would be enhanced containment and strengthened deterrence. The fallacy of the bloody-nose scenarioa limited strike against nuclear or missile launch facilitiesis that it assumes that because Pyongyangs top priority is regime survival it will not retaliate for fear of its destruction.

But North Korea is likely to respond by firing thousands of artillery shells at Seoul. Then what?

Moreover, it will take some time for the recently-implemented comprehensive UN economic sanctions to inflict serious pain on North Korea to the degree that it might change Pyongyangs behavior.

In the case of Iran, it took more than two years. Though North Korea is a far more isolated economy, it is likely to feel the pain sooner. Fortunately, we probably have at least two to three years before Kim has a reliable, operational ICBM.

Developing a re-entry vehicle carrying a nuclear weapon with an accurate guidance system that can survive is very difficult rocket science.

But there is a growing fear that in its haste to solve the North Korean nuclear problem, the Trump administration may take action that could have catastrophic consequences.

One hopes that diplomacy will triumph. One way or another, 2018 may prove to be a decisive year on the Korean Peninsula.

Robert A. Manning is a senior fellow in the Atlantic Councils Brent Scowcroft Center on International Security.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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The legal marijuana market could blaze across the United States in 2018.

At least 12 states are poised to consider marijuana legalization this year, with more possibly joining as legislative sessions continue, making 2018 a potentially pivotal year in the burgeoning bud movement. Some states are even preparing to take unprecedented legislative steps to make marijuanaeither recreational or medicallegal and more easily accessible.

"With over 60 percent of Americans now supporting the full legalization of marijuana for adults, the momentum behind marijuana law reform will not only continue but increase as we head into 2018," Erik Altieri, executive director for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, told Newsweek.

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This is what's in the legislative pipeline for 2018:

Vermont: Recreational Marijuana

Vermont lawmakers are anticipating a landmark move for marijuana advocates in early 2018. The state will have the first governor and Legislature to legalize recreational weed, as opposed to a citizen-driven ballot initiative.

The Democrat-controlled Legislature approved recreational marijuana in May 2017, but Republican Governor Phil Scott vetoed the measure. He instead ordered the creation of a bipartisan commission to study public health issues surrounding the proposed marijuana legalization, such as how to measure driving impairment and the impact on existing substance abuse problems like the opioid crisis. In December 2016, Scott told Vermont Public Radio that he was "comfortable" approving a recreational marijuana law in 2018.

"A number of states have already legalized it surrounding us," Scott said in December. "Whether we like it or not, it's here and it's being utilized, so we have to take steps to promote the general public."

The Vermont proposal would likely legalize the possession of 1 ounce of marijuana and the cultivation of two mature marijuana plants for adults 21 and older. The punishment for exceeding those legalized limits would be a prison sentence of fewer than three years or a fine.

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"Vermont is positioned to be the first domino of several that could fall in 2018," Marijuana Policy Project legislative analyst Matt Simon told Newsweek. "I think it always affects legislators' thinking to see that somebody else has already done this. Getting a legislature to go first has been quite a challenge."

New Jersey: Recreational Marijuana

New Jersey Governor-elect Phil Murphy has pledged to signed adult use regulation legislation within his first 100 days in office. Murphy, a Democrat, defeated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno in part by championing a recreational marijuana law opposed by then-Governor Chris Christie and his administration.

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That promise depends on a Democrat-led Legislature agreeing to send Murphy a bill to sign. Under a previously proposed plan from Democratic state Senator Nicholas Scutari, recreational marijuana would be legalized for adults 21 and older, and a system would be created for marijuana distribution.

Murphy pointed to marijuana legalization as a way to correct social justice imbalances in New Jersey, where police set an in-state record for marijuana possession arrests in 2015. The American Civil Liberties Union said the tens of thousands of marijuana arrests "exacerbate deep racial disparities" in the state.

Michigan: Recreational Marijuana

Through the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, advocates are aiming to put a question about recreational marijuana legalization on the Michigan ballot in 2018. Marijuana advocates submitted 360,000 signatures in November 2017 in favor of the proposal.

Organizers needed to gather 252,000 valid signatures to get the initiative on the ballot, and the group told Newsweek it is awaiting confirmation from the secretary of states office about whether it met that goal.

Related: When will marijuana be legal like alcohol?

Marijuana Policy Project spokesman Morgan Fox told Newsweek that Michigan would likely create a system in which licensed businesses could grow and sell marijuana-infused products to adults, with a sales tax. If approved by a statewide vote, Michigan would join eight other states, plus Washington, D.C., that permit recreational marijuana consumption at 21.

1227_Marijuana_Legalization

Getty Images

Delaware: Recreational Marijuana

A legislative task force assigned to evaluate the impact of legalizing recreational marijuana is expected to release a report in February 2018, according to the Delaware News Journal. The 25-member panel, called the Adult Use Cannabis Task Force, was created after a 2017 effort to legalize marijuana failed to clear the House of Representatives. Members were expected to evaluate the impact of a legal cannabis industry in the state.

The Delaware constitution does not allow ballot initiatives, so if the state was to legalize marijuana, it would be forced to act through the statehouse.

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Rhode Island: Recreational Marijuana

Lawmakers in Rhode Island are racing to "hammer out recommendations" for recreational marijuana as nearby states like Maine and Massachusetts implement their own policies, according to Rhode Island Public Radio. The state formed a legislative commission in 2017 to evaluate the impacts of legalizing the drug recreationally. The board is expected to issue recommendations in January 2018 for creating a market.

Advocates for legalization in the statehouse are expected to introduce a bill to decriminalize possession of small quantities of pot in 2018, according to The Providence Journal. Representative Scott Slater, a key sponsor of the bill, said it should be approved before Massachusetts opens its recreational pot shops in July 2018, but leaders in the Democrat-controlled Legislature remain uncertain about legalization.

Connecticut: Recreational Marijuana

The Hartford City Council approved a resolution in 2017 to legalize recreational marijuana. The symbolic move might jolt talk of legalizing marijuana in the statehouse, where previous legislation has died. Altieri told Newsweek that advocates hope momentum in other parts of the U.S. will encourage lawmakers to give "legalization bills serious consideration."

The Marijuana Policy Project said in November 2017 that it plans to "continue the fight" in Connecticut to legalize recreational marijuana in the 2018 session.

Ohio: Recreational Marijuana

A campaign to legalize recreational marijuana is underway in this state, with signature collection expected to begin in January. A similar effort failed in 2015 after the question of legalizing recreational marijuana made it onto the ballot. The group Responsible Ohio is planning a second ballot proposal for 2018.

Oklahoma: Medical Marijuana

Voters will decide whether to legalize medical marijuana during the state's June primary or November election, depending on when Republican Governor Mary Fallin sets the date. If Oklahoma voters approve Question 788 on the ballot, the state will join the 29 other states that have already legalized marijuana for medicinal use.

The law would allow licensed patients who are 18 or older to possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana on their person and up to 8 ounces at their house, according to Tulsa World. Patients would be allowed to grow and possess six mature marijuana plants. The proposal does not specify medical conditions that qualify for medical marijuana; it would be the decision of an Oklahoma physician to prescribe the drug.

Kentucky: Medical Marijuana

Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes is pushing the Legislature to send a bill legalizing medical marijuana to Republican Governor Matt Bevin's desk in 2018. Grimes, a Democrat, created a task force to draft a bill aiding veterans and patients suffering from severe illness.

"This is an issue of which I hoped the Commonwealth would have already addressed," Grimes told the Louisville Courier-Journal. "Many of Kentucky's neighbors have already legalized medical cannabis to aid and help their citizens with pain. Kentucky is behind."

There is some doubt about whether the bill could pass, since Bevin has previously expressed worry about "overdoses" from marijuana.

South Dakota: Medical Marijuana

Signatures to support a 2018 ballot initiative for limited medical marijuana legalization were submitted in November 2017. The secretary of state is reviewing the collected signatures, and the Associated Press said results are anticipated by March 2018.

If medical marijuana makes it onto South Dakota's ballot and voters approve the measure, qualifying patients could possess up to 3 ounces of the plant to treat conditions that include cancer and AIDS. A separate ballot initiative for recreational marijuana in the state was thrown out due to a writing error that was interpreted by the state to mean only marijuana paraphernalia would be legalized.

Utah: Medical Marijuana

Activists are gathering signatures for a 2018 ballot initiative to approve comprehensive medical marijuana legalization. Organizers need 113,000 signatures by April 2018 to get it on the ballot in November. The Utah Patients Coalition set a goal to collect all the signatures by January 10, according to Salt Lake City's Fox 13 News. Utah state lawmakers are also considering broadening the state's existing medical cannabis law, but previous proposals have failed in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

Missouri: Medical Marijuana

An organization called New Approach Missouri is gathering signatures for a ballot initiative to change the state constitution in favor of medical marijuana. The organization told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that it has 100,000 of the 170,000 signatures necessary to put the initiative on a November 2018 ballot.

Two other initiatives, one backed by former state lawmakers, would accomplish the same goal in 2018.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Larry Aaron had 13 tackles in 2017. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The mother of Marshall defensive tackle Larry Aaron said her son is currently paralyzed after he was struck by a stray bullet at a New Years Eve party early Monday morning.

Aaron, a native of the Baltimore area, was back in Maryland over the holiday. His mom Melissa told the Huntington Herald-Dispatch that the bullet is still lodged in his back.

It is in his spine and he has no feeling in his legs, Melissa Aaron said. They cant remove it because they are afraid it could be dangerous and hinder him even more to do so. It is right in the middle of his spine. Melissa Aaron said her son and his friends found out about the house party on social media and went to celebrate the New Year. People at the party told her Larry was standing by a wall when an altercation broke out nearby that led to gunfire.

The redshirt freshman played in eight games in 2017 including the Thundering Herds New Mexico Bowl win over Colorado State. He had 13 tackles and 0.5 tackles for loss this season.

According to WJZ in Baltimore, a 17-year-old was also injured when he was shot in the same incident. Authorities were still looking for a suspect.

      

Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
(Reuters) - Mechanical trouble forced an American Airlines jetliner to return to the gate at Boston's Logan Airport on Monday and four people were taken to hospitals to be evaluated, an airline spokesman said.

Passengers aboard American Flight 1719 reported an odor in the cabin before the plane was scheduled to leave for Charlotte, North Carolina, spokesman Matt Miller said by telephone.

The plane, an Airbus A319, returned to the gate and three flight attendants and a passenger were taken to hospitals, Miller said. He did not know their conditions.

The airliner was taken out of service because of a mechanical problem that is being investigated, he said. The remaining passengers were put on another plane and flown to Charlotte.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)
A FNDY medic jumped into the frigid waters of the Hudson River to rescue a suicidal man on Saturday.

Paramedic Niall OShaughnessy and his partner Mingze Wu were driving up the West Side Highway in the afternoon when they saw a group of police officers near the rivers edge and pulled over, the New York Daily News reported.

A patient from Manhattan hospital had tried to kill himself by jumping into the river and cops were having a hard time getting him out of the water with a life ring, reports said.

OShaughnessy didn't hesitate to jump in to get the man out.

I swam behind him and locked my arms around him to keep him secure, OShaughnessy told the paper. My partner and firefighters from Engine 10 began pulling us up.

The medic described the man as lethargic and definitely hypothermic.

OShaughnessy said he felt the cold of the water very quickly.

Within about 30 seconds, I could definitely feel it in my arms and legs, OShaughnessy said. They werent really working. I couldnt barely get my hand around the ladder they had sent down.

NYPD and FDNY harbor boats later pulled both men out of the water.

The man he saved was taken to Bellevue Hospital.

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Meghan Markles New Years resolutions might be very relatable, but perhaps she might want to add royal curtsy etiquette to her list?

The 36-year-old was photographed curtsying to Queen Elizabeth II during Christmas Day church services at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, England, last Monday  and although it was her first public event with the monarch, a few eagle-eyed royal observers noticed the curtsy was a bit off.

(Getty Images)

Grant Harrold, Britains official etiquette expert and former butler to Princes Charles, William and Henry, appeared on Good Morning Britain to gently critique Markles curtsy technique and give some tips on how to master the art.

ALSO SEE: Meghan Markle will be only the second royal bride to do this

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What you should be doing, for a lady, is the right foot behind the left, and then it is a gentle bob, Harrold told the Good Morning hosts. You dont want to go too far down because you might not come back up.

Keep your back straight, Harrold added, and only give a sight bend at the knee  the Duchess of Cambridge nailed it.

ALSO SEE: Meghan Markle has very relatable resolutions

The Duchess of Cambridge nailed it. (Getty Images)

You keep the hands in because youre not a penguin, he said.

For men, the expected behaviour is slightly different: a simple neck bow.

Still, Markle has time to work on her curtsy, and she looked absolutely stunning in a caramel-toned hat and a long tan wrap luxury coat by Canadian brand Sentaler. She paired it with a sultry pair of over-the-knee brown suede Stuart Weitzman boots that retail for $798 and finalized the look with a small round double-handle Pixie shoulder bag by Chloe. Click here to see more of Markles killer style.

Let us know what you think by commenting below and tweeting @YahooStyleCA!

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An elite South Korean hit team that is poised take out North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during an armed conflict is so inadequate that it would be wiped out in a war with the North, top military analysts say.

The main problem with the year-old unit is a lack of logistical support, a key South Korean defense analyst told Londons Financial Times.

The [South] Korean army doesnt have any low-altitude infiltration transportation [and] can still only accommodate about 300 troops, Lee Il-woo, secretary-general of the Seoul-based Korea Defense Network said. So even if the unit goes to Pyongyang, it is highly likely it will be wiped out by the heavily armed units of North Koreas guard command.

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01_02_18_Kim_Jong_Un

Getty Images

Another challenge is a lack of reliable reconnaissance assets. At the moment, South Korea often depends on the U.S. for solid intelligence.

Jang Young-geun, an adviser to the defense ministry, told the Financial Times, Utmost priority should be placed on the acquisition of surveillance and reconnaissance assets, so we can get information about the movements of North Koreas leaders in real time.

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Finding Kim Jong Un would be very difficult. Even with the U.S.s capabilities, it still took them 11 years to find Osama bin Laden, Jang added.

The commando team, created in 2017 as Kims regime ramped up its long-range missile tests, is comprised of roughly 2,000 soldiers and is officially known as the special mission brigade. But, unofficially, South Korea defense officials have often referred to the team as the decapitation unit.

The best deterrence we can have, next to having our own nukes, is to make Kim Jong Un fear for his life, Shin Won-sik, a general who served as the South Korean militarys top operational unit until his retirement in 2015, told The New York Times in September. But, based on what experts are saying, it seems Kim might not have much to fear from the group.

Story continues

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Beyond locating Kim, the limited intelligence on North Korea would complicate an array of important factors in a potential war. In November, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff said a ground invasion would be necessary for the U.S. and its allies to confidently eliminate all of North Koreas nuclear arsenal given the lack of intelligence on the location of its military assets.

But the North and South both seem to be doing what they can to avoid such a conflict and have signified an openness to holding talks about their differences in the new year. On Tuesday, President Donald Trump offered his thoughts on this potential diplomatic solution to the current hostilities, tweeting, 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 notwe will see!"

This article was first written by Newsweek

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Kim Jong-un has told Donald Trump that the nuclear launch button is always at his desk during his annual New Year speech.

The warning came as North Korea welcomed in 2018 with an ice sculpture of the Hwasong-15 long-range missile, which was tested in November 2017.

The frozen replica was unveiled at a festival in Pyongyang as revellers in the pariah state counted down to midnight.

The ballistic missile was the first developed by North Korea theoretically capable of reaching all of the United States mainland.

In a televised speech on New Years Day, the North Korean leader announced plans to begin mass-producing nuclear warheads.

He warned America that it can never start a war against me and our country.

We must mass-produce nuclear warheads and ballistic missiles and speed up their deployment, he said.

North Koreas Hwasong-15 replica (Reuters)

We should always keep readiness to take immediate nuclear counter-attacks against the enemys scheme for a nuclear war.

The US should know that the button for nuclear weapons is on my table, he added.

This is reality, not a threat. The entire area of the US mainland is within our nuclear strike range

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, he said.

He celebrated the historic accomplishment of completing our nuclear capabilities in 2017.

However, in a more conciliatory tone, Kim also referred to the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, in South Korea, proposing delegation talks.

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.

He also expressed his desire for for peaceful resolution with our southern border.

North and South must work together to alleviate the tensions and work together as a people of the same heritage to find peace and stability, Kim said.

Story continues

Park Soo-hyun, the spokesman for South Korean President Moon Jae-in, said the Presidents office welcomed Kims comments.

Kim Jong-un during his New Years Day speech

The [Presidents office] has been expressing its intent to talk with North Korea anytime, anywhere and regardless of formality if this is for the normalisation of the inter-Korean relations and for the peace of the Korean Peninsula, he said.

He added that the President also hopes South and North Korea will peacefully resolve North Koreas nuclear issue while closely cooperating with the international community.

If the PyeongChang Olympics can be successfully held as peace Olympics, it will make contributions to the peace and harmony of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia, as well as to the world, a spokesman added.
Last year was the safest on record for commercial jetliners, several industry groups reported.

According to the Aviation Safety Network, no one died in 2017 due to an aviation accident aboard a commercial passenger jet.

For trips made by cargo and commercial turboprop planes, there were 10 accidents in 2017 that resulted in 44 onboard fatalities and 35 on the ground. The most recent incident included in those numbers was the Dec. 31 crash in Costa Rica that killed 12 people, including 10 American tourists. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred shortly after takeoff. It was the deadliest such accident in Costa Rica since 1990.

For the past two decades, there has been a downward trend in accidents and fatalities in the airline industry.

Since 1997, the average number of airliner accidents has shown a steady and persistent decline, for a great deal thanks to the continuing safety-driven efforts by international aviation organizations, Harro Ranter, president of the Aviation Safety Network, said in a statement.

The agency also noted that as of Dec. 31, the world had gone 398 days without a passenger jet accident, and 792 days since a civil aircraft accident had killed more than 100 people.

The last fatal crash of a passenger plane in the United States involving a U.S.-certified airline occurred in February 2009, when a flight operated by Colgan Air crashed in New York, Reuters reported. Forty-nine people were killed onboard and one person on the ground died.

A separate airline monitoring agency, the Dutch group To70, estimated that there was just one fatal accident for every 16 million flights.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story mistakenly stated that the last fatal passenger jet crash involving a U.S. certified airline occurred in February 2009. In fact, that was the most recent passenger airplane crash, but the plane was not a jet. Additionally, separate incident involving an Asiana Airlines plane in San Francisco resulted in three deaths in 2013, but that airline is not a U.S. certified air carrier.

Story continues

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John F. Kennedy International Airport

Shake Shack: The airport location of NYCs famous burger chain is one of only a few that serve breakfast. Get an Egg N' Cheese sandwich in the morning or a ShackBurger before your red-eye, without the mile-long lines in Manhattan.

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Updated | The retirement of Utah Republican Orrin Hatch after four decades in the Senate opens the door to a possible run by Mitt Romney, the two-time White House hopeful who's been a sharp critic of President Donald Trump.

Romney, former Republican governor of Massachusetts, has deep rootsand an address in Utah, where members of the Mormon Church have an abiding influence over the state's politics and elections.

Hatch's announcement rejuvenated already lively talk of a possible Romney return to the political arena.

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Romney famously met with Trump after the 2016 presidential election for a "wonderful" dinner while under consideration for a cabinet position, but mostly, the establishment Republican has been a staunch critic of the president.

"Donald Trump is a phony, a fraud. His promises are as worthless as a degree from Trump University. He's playing the American public for suckers," Romney seethed in a fiery speech at the University of Utah in March, 2016.

Romney, who sought the GOP nomination in 2008 and got it in 2012, also laid into Trump during that speech for "the bullying, the greed, the showing off, the misogyny, the absurd third-grade theatrics."

During the tumultuous special election for Senate in Alabama, Romney also took sides against Trump and his endorsement of the highly controversial Roy Moore.

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A spokeswoman for Romney didn't immediately respond to a request for comment on Hatch's retirement announcement, and it is unclear if he is interested in succeeding the elder statesman in the upper chamber.

Romney has long been rumored to be at least interested in getting involved in the event of a Hatch departure. Late last year, reports tracked his conversations with supporters, donors and advisors from former Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt and conservative pundit Bill Kristol, who openly told Politico he hoped Romney would run if Hatch retired.

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"He'd be a great senator, and a great voice to have in Washington," Kristol told Newsweek shortly after Hatch's announcement.

Hatch said in a video address Tuesday that although he had been proud to fight on behalf of his fellow Utahns, "Every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves, and for me, that time is soon approaching."

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The longtime senator memorably gave thanks for being honored as "Utahn of the Year" by the state's biggest newspaper, the Salt Lake Tribune.

It wasn't that much of an honor, though: An editorial accompanying the recognition said, among other things, "It would be good for Utah if Hatch, having finally caught the Great White Whale of tax reform, were to call it a career. If he doesnt, the voters should end it for him."

No matter who will replace Hatch, his decision to retire has broader implications, given his chairmanship of the important Finance committee and his seniority on other committees.

It will also likely be hard to top Hatch's effusive praise for Trump.

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When Republicans gathered at the White House late last month to celebrate the passage of their major tax reform package, the Utah lawmaker enthused that Americans could be witnessing the greatest presidency "ever" and called it "one of the great privileges of my life to stand here on the White House lawn with the president of the United States, who I love and appreciate so much."

This article has been updated to add detail on Romney's potential interest in running for Senate and Hatch's comments on Trump along with a remark from Bill Kristol.

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Back to the Future is real, just not the way our '80s selves imagined it would be.

Last night, Hawaiian Airlines Flight HA446 took off in Auckland, New Zealand in 2018, and arrived in Honolulu, Hawaii in 2017, proving that time travel is real  sort of.

SEE ALSO: These photos of the deep freeze will make you move in with your Florida grandmother

The flight technically left Auckland at 12:05 am on January 1st, before arriving in Honolulu at 9:45 am December 31st, having crossed multiple time zones.

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The flight was originally supposed to leave ten minutes earlier in 2017, but delays pushed it forward into 2018. Auckland is 23 hours ahead of Honolulu.

Shout out to airline delays, without which this weird achievement would have never been possible. And congratulations to the people traveling from New Zealand to sunny Honolulu for New Years. Who are you? And can all of us in the deep frozen North have a spot on your couch?

Thanks in advance.
By Ian Simpson (Reuters) - Record-shattering arctic cold reached as far south as Florida on Monday with freeze warnings in place from Texas to the Atlantic Coast and the Northeastern United States facing another cold wave at the end of the week, forecasters said. Temperatures ranged from 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit (11 to 17 degrees Celsius) below normal across the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, with only southern Florida untouched by the arctic blast. "That degree of cold will be with us until tomorrow," said Brian Hurley, a National Weather Service meteorologist at College Park, Maryland. "Tuesday morning, we're looking at temperatures with very high probability of record lows." Along Alabama's Gulf Coast, the temperature in the city of Mobile could hit a low of 16 F (minus 9 C) overnight. Stiff breezes were expected to create dangerously cold wind chills across southeastern Georgia and most of northeastern Florida, the weather service said. Michael Kimberl, co-founder of Sean's Outpost, an encampment for homeless people in Pensacola, Florida, said he was handing out propane fuel and extra blankets to residents. "Our community is very unequipped for weather of this type," he said by phone. Homeless shelters were also making special accommodations, including one site available for women and children, he said. The mass of frigid air pumped south by a dip in the jet stream sent temperatures plunging across the U.S. heartland. Omaha, Nebraska, posted a low of minus 20 F (minus 29 C), breaking a 130-year-old record, and Aberdeen, South Dakota, shattered a record set in 1919 with a temperature of minus 32 F (minus 36 C). The cold will be unrelenting across the Middle Atlantic and Northeastern United States, with up to two dozen low-temperature records expected in those regions over the next day or two, Hurley said. Although the cold should ease across most of the United States after Tuesday, the northeastern quarter of the country will see a repeat of the frigid temperatures from Thursday to Friday as another arctic blast hits the area. The private AccuWeather forecaster said the cold snap could combine with a storm brewing off the Bahamas to bring snow and high winds to much of the Eastern Seaboard as it heads north on Wednesday and Thursday. The only part of the United States spared the deep freeze is the Southwest, with above-normal temperatures and dry weather expected to linger there, the weather service said. (Reporting by Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Peter Cooney)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch said on Tuesday he will not seek re-election in November, opening the door to a potential Senate bid by Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican presidential candidate and one of the party's harshest critics of President Donald Trump. "Every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves. And for me, that time is soon approaching," Hatch said in a video statement posted on Twitter. "That's why after much prayer and discussion with family and friends, I've decided to retire at the end of this term." Hatch, 83, of Utah, is the most senior Republican in the U.S. Senate, having first been elected in 1976. He is chairman of the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee. Trump has credited him with helping shepherd a massive tax overhaul through Congress last month. Hatch steps down amid speculation that Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who ran against Democratic President Barack Obama in 2012, would run for his Senate seat. Romney, who is a Mormon, has close ties to Utah, a state with a majority-Mormon population. In a statement on Twitter, Romney praised Hatch for his service but he did not say if he would enter the Senate race. A close Romney adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hatch's decision increased the odds that Romney would consider jumping in, saying that Romney would likely decide relatively soon whether to seek the Senate seat in the Republican-leaning state. If he does decide to mount a campaign, Romney, who gained national prominence as head of the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, would be the front-runner, said Republican strategist Joe Brettell. "Romney's name ID, fund-raising network and business acumen will immediately vault him to the top of the Senate GOP list," Brettell said. "The question is whether he can happily weather a body currently known more for partisan rancor than the Mr. Fixit role he's played all his life. In a tweet, Trump congratulated Hatch on "an absolutely incredible career." Trump called Hatch a "tremendous supporter" and said he will be "greatly missed" in the Senate. Trump said last month he wanted Hatch to run for another six-year Senate term in 2018, in a slap at Romney, who was one of Trump's harshest Republican critics during the 2016 presidential campaign. (Reporting by Makini Brice and Steve Holland; Additional reporting by Ginger Gibson; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Tim Ahmann and Leslie Adler)
Tehran (AFP) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani phoned his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday to demand action against a "terrorist" Iranian opposition group he accused of fomenting recent protests.

"We criticise the fact that a terrorist group has a base in France and acts against the Iranian people... and we await action from the French government against this terrorist group," Rouhani told Macron, according to a report on Iranian state television.

He was referring to an exiled Iranian opposition group based in Paris and called the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq.

Iranian authorities accuse the group, which the regime describes as "hypocrites", of fuelling the unrest rocking the Islamic republic and of links with regional Sunni rival Saudi Arabia.

General Rassul Sanairad, a political deputy to the head of the powerful Revolutionary Guards, said Tuesday the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq had been instructed by the Saudi rulers and some European states to "create insecurity" in Iran, Tasnim news agency reported.

Nearly a week of unrest has seen 21 people killed and hundreds arrested in Iran, in the biggest test for the Islamic regime in years.

It began in second city Mashhad on Thursday and quickly spread to other towns and cities.

However, Tehran's deputy mayor said the city, which had witnessed small protests the past three nights, was calm on Tuesday night and no incidents had been reported, ISNA news agency said.
Sydney (AFP) - 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.
Partisan politics have long taken hold of the sexual misconduct allegations against President Donald Trump, according to a Sunday New York Times report. Multiple donors who funded lawsuits against the president in hopes of holding him accountable for his alleged misdeeds were identified.

Among them was Susie Tompkins Buell, the founder of the Esprit clothing brand. She is a close personal friend of Hillary Clinton and a prominent donor of her campaign. Buell also donated to Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign, after speaking with him at an event in 1991.

They asked me what I wanted, she told the Los Angeles Times in June 2006. I remember saying, I want him to be president. I had no idea about how the money part of this worked.

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Her relationship with Hillary Clinton blossomed from there.

Buell was just one of a number of people who donated to Democratic activist David Brock's coordinated effort to take down Trump for alleged sexual harassment and assault leading up to the 2016 presidential election. Brock reportedly contributed $500,000 to lawyer Lisa Bloom's firm, which was seeking funds for "security, relocation and possibly a 'safe house.'"

Bloom told the Times she'd sought the help of a pro-Clinton super PAC to help her fund her probe into Trump's alleged sexual misconduct, though she had no contact with the Clinton camp during the effort. The money was not used to incentivize women to speak out against Trump, but to afford them the necessary protection after coming forward with their allegations.

It doesnt cost anything to publicly air allegations, Bloom told the Times. 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.

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But the funds didn't help Bloom the way she intended. According to the Times, one woman asked Bloom for $2 million to go public with her accusations against the then-Republican presidential nominee, only to decide against it. Other women had the same misgivings. The hitch meant Bloom had to refund "most of the cash" she received from donors, save for some money she kept for "out-of-pocket expenses." Bloom used it to vet women's stories and prepare their cases.

In total, the Times reported Brock's nonprofit put $200,000 toward the initiative. But now that the nation finds itself amid a wide-reaching reckoning with sexual impropriety, Brock isn't the only one looking to finance sexual harassment accusations.

Lisa-Bloom

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

In November, alt-right conspiracy theorist Mike Cernovich offered $10,000 to anyone who could come up with details about congressional sexual harassment settlementswhich have largely been revealed sinceand tweeted he would throw money at any victim interested in coming forward with sexual misconduct allegations against a congressman. Cernovich's request eventually ferreted out word of the sexual harassment settlement involving Representative John Conyers (D-Mich.), who resigned in December because of the allegations.

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Meanwhile, Gloria Allred, Bloom's mother, is currently raising funds to finance Summer Zervos's lawsuit against the president, which accused Trump of defamation. He denied accusations that he groped and kissed her in 2007 without consent. Allred hopes the suit forces Trump to appear in court and answer for his alleged misdeeds.

The #MeToo movement has been ensnared in politics since the moment allegations against Harvey Weinstein, a generous donor of the Democratic Party, surfaced in October. As the movement reached Capitol Hill, allegations of sexual misconduct only grew more politicized, especially as women leveled allegations against sitting members of Congress.

Democrats' response to the sexual misconduct allegations against members of their own party was tepid at first, for reasons some political strategists attributed to the party's concern over ceding more control to Republicans in Congress. Republicans themselvessome who joined calls for accused congressmen Conyers and Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) to resignthrew their support behind accused sexual predator Roy Moore in the Alabama Senate race, maintaining it was important Moore not lose the seat to a Democrat.

As attention turned again to the president, who has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen women, partisan politics continue to play a role. Last month, over 50 women from the Democratic Women's Working Group formally asked the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform's chairman, Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), for a congressional investigation into Trump's alleged misconduct. The Republican representative punted the request to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, whom he said was the best fit to decide whether to pursue an investigation into his boss.

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A 16-year-old boy has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing his parents, sister and family friend in Long Branch, New Jersey on New Year's Eve, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Police responded just before midnight on Sunday to a 911 call about shots fired on Wall Street in Long Branch. One minute later, according to the prosecutors office, the Long Branch police and Monmouth County Sheriffs Office arrived on scene to discover the four victims, shot dead. The teenage suspects grandfather and brother were at home at the time, but left unharmed.

The prosecutors office tweeted just after 2 a.m. that there is no threat to the public since they believe it was a domestic violence incident. However, a motive has not been confirmed as of Monday morning.

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The victims are the suspects father Steven Kologi, 44; mother Linda Kologi, 42; sister Brittany Kologi, 18; and a family friend Mary Schultz, 70, who lived in the home, according to NBC Channel 4. The Monmouth County Prosecutors Office and Long Branch Police Department are investigating the shooting in a joint investigation, according to the prosecutors office.

The teenage suspect appears to have used a semi-automatic rifle. He was taken into custody without incident. Thankfully it was uneventful, Gramiccioni said of the arrest, as reported by the New York Daily News. It didnt require any force.

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He will be charged with four counts of murder and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, reported NBC Channel 4.

The Lakewood Scoop tweeted a video of the shooting scene.

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The shooting in Long Branch wasnt the only that occurred on New Years Eve. In Denver, one deputy was shot and four others were injured after a Denver shooter fired over 100 rounds early New Years Eve. A woman was shot dead early Sunday in Indianapolis, reported the IndyStar. The same day in Texas, a victim was found dead of multiple gunshot wounds, just after 11:30 p.m., reported the Longview News-Journal. Another woman was shot and later died in a hospital in Norfolk, Virginia, reported WAVY TV 10. The first 2018 homicide in Chicago, reported the Chicago Tribune, was a 51-year-old man, shot just two hours into the New Year.

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Washington (AFP) - 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.

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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.
Tehran (AFP) - 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.

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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.
Markets are soaring, but divisions are deepening among citizens of both developed and developing countries.

Liberal democracy currently has less legitimacy than at any time since World War II, and the global order is unraveling. There has been plenty of turmoil in international politics over the past 20 years, but 2018 looks especially ripe for an unexpected crisisthe geopolitical equivalent of the 2008 financial meltdown.

The risk of a geopolitical depression forms the backdrop for the top 10 risks of 2018, according to the Eurasia Group, the political risk consultancy I founded and oversee.

As usual, there are a few red herrings, or risks we think are less than meet the eye.

1. China rising

At a moment of policy incoherence in Washington, Chinas government has redefined the countrys external environment, set new rules within it, developed the worlds most effective global trade and investment strategy, and uses Chinese tech companies to advance state interests. Beijing invests and extends its influence by promising non-interference in the political and economic lives of other countries, which are now more likely to align with and imitate China. The global business environment must adapt to new sets of rules, standards, and practices. U.S.-China conflict, particularly on trade, will become more likely in 2018.

2. Room for accidents

Theres been no major geopolitical crisis since 9/11, but there are now many places where a misstep or misjudgment could provoke serious international conflict. The likeliest risk of accident comes from competition and conflict in cyberspace, the fight over North Korea, battlefield slip-ups in Syria, growing U.S.-Russia tension, and the dispersal of ISIS fighters from Syria and Iraq.

3. The tech Cold War

The worlds biggest fight over economic power centers on development of new information technologies. The U.S. and China will compete to master artificial intelligence and supercomputing, and will battle for market dominance. Governments in Africa, India, Brazil, and even in Europe must decide whom to trust and whose products and standards to embrace. Fragmentation of the tech commons creates both market and security risks, particularly as domestic companies battle global viruses.

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4. Mexicos moment

2018 will be a defining year for Mexico as NAFTA renegotiation comes to a head and voters choose a new president. A collapse of NAFTA talks will not kill the deal, but uncertainty over its future will disproportionately harm the Mexican economy, given the countrys deep reliance on U.S. trade. For the July 1 presidential election, public anger at government is running high, thanks to high-profile corruption cases, drug gangs, and sluggish growth. Demand for change favors Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who represents a fundamental break with investor-friendly economic policies.

5. U.S.-Iran tensions

Donald Trump has it in for Iran. The nuclear deal will probably survive 2018, but theres a substantial chance that it wont. Trump will support Saudi Arabia and work to contain Iran in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen. The U.S. will more frequently sanction Iran for ballistic missile tests, perceived support for terrorism, and human rights violations. Iran will push back. If the nuclear deal fails, Iran would ramp up its nuclear program, and the threat of U.S. and/or Israeli strikes would again hang over the region.

6. Institutions eroding

Governments, political parties, courts, the media, and financial institutions, which support and sustain peace and prosperity, continue to lose the public credibility on which their legitimacy depends. In 2018, the populism apparent in the Brexit vote and election of Donald Trump will create a toxic, anti-establishment populism in developing countries, as well.

7. The new protectionism

The rise of anti-establishment movements in developed markets has forced policymakers to shift toward a more zero-sum approach to global economic competition. As a result, walls are going up. Protectionism 2.0 creates barriers in the digital economy and innovation-intensive industries, not just manufacturing and agriculture. New barriers are less visible: Instead of import tariffs and quotas, todays tools of choice include behind-the-border measures such as bailouts, subsidies and buy local requirements.

8. British brawls

Britain faces both acrimonious Brexit negotiations and the risk of domestic political turmoil. On Brexit, the principle that nothing is agreed until everything is agreed will encourage endless fights over details between and within the two sides. On domestic politics, management of Brexit could cost Prime Minister May her job. If so, she will likely be replaced by a more hardline Tory figure, significantly complicating the Article 50 negotiations. Or Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn will replace her after a new election.

9. Identity politics in Southern Asia

Islamism in parts of Southeast Asia fuels local forms of populism, most prominently in Indonesia and Malaysia. Resentment of ethnic Chinese, who hold a disproportionate share of wealth in several countries, has made a strong recent comeback, particularly in Indonesia. Persecution of Myanmars minority Muslim Rohingya has triggered a humanitarian crisis. In India, Prime Minister Modi may use nationalism to consolidate support ahead of the 2019 election, giving cover to radicalized elements of society who want to target Muslims and lower-caste Hindus.

10. Africas security

In 2018, negative spillover from Africas unstable periphery (Mali, South Sudan, Somalia) will spill over into core countries (Cote dIvoire, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia). The principle threats come from militancy and terrorism. Foreign partners who have helped stabilize weak governments in the past are distracted. Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, and Ethiopia face increased security costs at a time when their governments need to reduce spending, and attacks would undermine foreign investor sentiment.

Red herrings

A besieged Trump administration has little ability to enact destabilizing, or any other kind of, policies. The Eurozone will shrug off political risk in 2018. Venezuelas political conflict appears frozen as President Maduro proves surprisingly resilient.
By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Iran spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually to help allies fighting elsewhere in the Middle East and this outlay appears to be rising, Israel's armed forces chief said on Tuesday. Lieutenant-General Gadi Eizenkot's remarks coincided with almost a week of Iranian street protests that initially focused on economic hardships but have turned overtly political - though he did not comment directly on that unrest. Eizenkot accused Iran, Israel's arch-foe, of working to forge a "Shi'ite crescent" of influence running through Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain and Palestinian-ruled Gaza. "Just glance at the scale of Iranian investment in order to achieve regional hegemony - it adds up to giving (Lebanese militia) Hezbollah between $1 billion and $700 million each year," he said in a speech to the IDC Herzliya university. "In recent months, investment in the Palestinian arena has also been growing out of a desire to influence it - with an increase in the (annual) funding in the Gaza Strip for (militant groups) Hamas and Islamic Jihad to $100 million." Iran is a Middle East big power deeply involved in conflicts in Syria and Iraq, and supportive of Houthi forces in Yemen's war, as part of a battle for influence with rival Saudi Arabia. Many Iranians, however, resent the foreign interventions and want their leaders to create more jobs at home, where youth unemployment reached 29 percent last year. Eizenkot did not give sources for his data on Iranian spending. Generally such statements are based on the estimates of Israel's intelligence services. IRAN BACKS PALESTINIAN ISLAMISTS In mid-2017, Israeli defense officials assessed Iran was spending $800 million annually on Hezbollah, and $70 million on Hamas - Gaza's dominant faction - and the smaller Islamic Jihad. Both Palestinian groups acknowledged Iranian backing last month, which suggested Tehran is reorienting its regional efforts as the Syrian civil war winds down in favor of President Bashar al-Assad, whom it reinforced. Islamic Jihad said that Qassem Soleimani, a senior Iranian general, spoke to its leadership to "stress Iran's support for the Palestinian resistance". Hamas said it received a pledge from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani that Tehran would "spare no effort in supporting the Palestinian people". Since U.S. President Donald Trump infuriated Palestinians by recognizing Jerusalem as the Israeli capital on Dec. 6, there have been almost nightly militant rocket and mortar bomb attacks from Gaza on Israel, which has responded with air strikes. Israel says Hamas bears overall responsibility although the launches were carried out by rival Islamist factions, and it accuses Iran of arming these groups as well. Citing this alleged Iranian involvement, Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman said on Tuesday that avoiding escalation in Gaza was in order. "The Israeli interest is that the international community's attention be entirely on Iran, and not to launch an all-out campaign in Gaza which would distract attention from Iran," Lieberman told Army Radio. Eizenkot further said that since 2012 Iran had also spent "billions" of dollars on Syria. He said Iran currently had around 2,000 military advisers in Syria deployed alongside 10,000 foreign Shi'ite militiamen and 8,000 Hezbollah fighters. Iran spends "hundreds of millions" of dollars more on allies in Iraq and Yemen, Eizenkot added. (Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi in Gaza; Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Mark Heinrich)
(Reuters) - At least seven people suffered injuries when a truck hit pedestrians and another vehicle in San Francisco on Monday, an incident that police said was not related to terrorism, authorities and local media reported. ABC7 television reported that a box truck had made an illegal left turn when it struck two pedestrians, a parked car and a Mazda sedan with a family of five inside it. The San Francisco Fire Department said on Twitter that one pedestrian sustained life-threatening injuries and another was seriously injured. The family in the car suffered minor injuries, the department said. Police Officer Grace Gatpandan said there was no indication the incident was a terrorist attack, the San Jose Mercury News reported. Police did not respond to a request for comment. An Uzbek immigrant has been charged with killing eight people in New York in a November truck attack that authorities called an act of terrorism. Similar attacks in Europe have killed scores. (Reporting by Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney)
A former member of the intelligence services has criticized the Republican Party for sharing a poll endorsed by President Donald Trump that asks people to vote for the news story that most deserves the "fake news trophy" for 2017.

The online poll is hosted on the Republican National Committee website and was emailed to supporters of the Trump campaign via his re-election committee. Each of the trio of stories in the poll has been corrected by the news outlets that first published them.

This is what GOP leadership now does with its resources, covers for a president who accepted election help from Moscow and who now lies about it every day, tweeted Evan McMullin, a former CIA officer who ran as an independent candidate against Trump in the 2016 election, Monday in response to a GOP tweet sharing the poll.

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American intelligence agencies found early last year that Russia used a misinformation campaign, including fake news, to try and interfere in the election in order to help then-candidate Trump.

01_18_TrumpFakeNews

Jim Bourg/Reuters

McMullin pointed out the irony of the GOP and President Trump promoting a poll ranking fake news when the president and his supporters have repeatedly backed debunked conspiracy theories. The party of Pizzagate, Seth Rich, and other conspiracy theories is in desperate need of new, principled leadership, McMullin wrote on Twitter.

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The poll followed a suggestion made by the president in a November tweet that mainstream news outlets should be put into a contest over which is "the most dishonest, corrupt and/or distorted in its political coverage of your favorite President (me)." Included in the poll of three stories is an ABC News report that was corrected after incorrectly saying candidate Trump ordered Michael Flynn to contact Russian officials during the campaign. Trump, however, did this as president-elect.

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Another is a CNN story that said the Trump campaign was given early access to WikiLeaks documents stolen from Hillary Clintons campaign. The documents were actually publicly available by the time Donald Trump Jr. received an email about them.

A third story by Time magazine incorrectly reported that Trump removed a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. from the Oval Office.

Read more: Trump wishes a happy new year to "fake news" media outlets

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Participants in the poll are asked to rank each of the three media stories as fake, faker or fakest news.

Whether accurate or not, President Trump has repeatedly dismissed media reports he doesnt like as fake.

The term fake news became widely used during the 2016 election to describe a trend of stories peddling outright falsehoods or misinformation that inundated the internet. Studies have found that many false stories were amplified by social media accounts linked to the Kremlin.

In October, a poll by Politico and Morning Consult found that 46 percent of voters believe major news networks purposefully write and broadcast false stories against the Trump administration to make the president look bad.

Americans are sick and tired of being lied to, insulted, and treated with outright condescension, reads an email sent to Trump supporters in November when the fake news trophy poll first appeared. Thats why President Trump is crowning the 2017 KING OF FAKE NEWS before the end of the year. The poll has not yet closed.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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President Donald Trump won nearly every county in Iowa in 2016, but the state has turned on him in a sweeping fashion, which has Democrats optimistic about 2018.

Related: Donald Trump's approval ratings crumble in Iowa, a decisive state for Republicans

If Trump were to run again, hed be in deep trouble, Janet Petersen, the leader of Iowas Senate Democrats, told The Washington Post. A dog bites you the first time, its not your fault. The second time it bites you, its your own damn fault.

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In December, as attention turned to Alabama and the result of the special election to fill Attorney General Jeff Sessionss vacated Senate seat, Iowa had a special election of its own. The Democratic challenger was defeated there, but only by 9 points in an area so reliably red that Democrats didnt even run a candidate in 2010 or 2014.

The competitive race was sobering for some state Republican leaders. I see that Senate race as a wake-up call, Iowa GOP chairman Jeff Kaufmann told the Post. Theyve picked good candidates, and there may have been a complacency factor on the part of Republicans.

The special election capped off a year of shots across the Republicans bow, and Democrats hope to build on this in 2018. On January 31, Democrats retained a state House seat. They did so again on August 8, though that time in an area that Trump had won by 21.3 points.

Just 35 percent of Iowans surveyed in December said they approved of Trump, while 61 percent say they disapproved of his work performance, according to an end-of-year poll conducted by Des Moines-based Selzer & Company. The poor polling numbers weren't limited to Trump's baseit was also consistent for Republicans. If the 2018 election were held today, only 34 percent of voters said they would back a Republican for Congress.

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The poll also showed interest in politics has chilled altogether, with 61 percent of respondents stating they were more turned off by politics since the election.

GettyImages-507938356

JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images

The pollsters conducted telephone interviews with 802 Iowans 18 or older from December 3 to 6 on behalf of The Des Moines Register and Mediacom.

It just seems like its one big mess, poll respondent Nick Ford, a 49-year-old Navy veteran and businessman from Cedar Rapids, told the Register.

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Ford, an independent voter, said Trump seems overwhelmed by the task. I didnt vote for him, but I was hoping some things would change. I dont think anythings really changedfor the better, anyway.

Democrats have seized on the shift. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasioa progressive Democrat who is often the subject of speculation about a 2020 presidential runtraveled to Des Moines last month to headline the Progress Iowa gala as the keynote speaker.

In 2016, Trump won 93 of Iowas 99 counties, accounting for 51.2 percent of the vote, compared with Hillary Clinton's 41.7 percent. That was the worst performance by a Democratic presidential candidate since 1980.

The dramatic political shift wasn't an obvious conclusion. Iowa fueled Republican victories in 2014 and 2016, and the state unemployment rate has dropped to 3 percent since Trump took office. Iowas congressional lawmakers all voted in favor of the tax bill. Their constituents can subtract their federal income taxes from their state income taxes. Only five other states have that benefit.

Republicans occupy all five of Iowas seats in Congress and have succeeded in delivering campaign promises to their constituents by passing the tax bill and maintaining the "private option" for the Affordable Care Acts Medicaid expansion. Under that option, Medicaid funds are used to purchase private health plans in the states marketplace.

Democrats and Republicans alike are confused as to why Iowans no longer support the president and the party so many of them helped put into power, and members from both parties are trying to determine if this is a signal for whats to come in the 2018 midterm elections or an anomaly.

The change may be a regression back to the mean for Iowa. The state twice went to President Barack Obama. He won nearly 52 percent of the vote in 2012 and 53.9 percent in 2008.

This article was first written by Newsweek

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President Trump began his first full day of 2018 by attacking the Department of Justice while relaying a new report about the handling of sensitive emails by Hillary Clintons top aide, who served on a campaign he vanquished more than a year ago.

Crooked Hillary Clintons top aid, Huma Abedin, has been accused of disregarding basic security protocols, Trump tweeted on Tuesday. 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.

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Though Trump criticized the Justice Department for supposedly being part of the deep state, top officials in the department were selected by him, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray.

On Monday, the Daily Caller reported that Abedin forwarded sensitive State Department emails to her personal Yahoo email account while Clinton was secretary of state from 2009 to 2013, based on an email disclosure brought forth by a lawsuit from the conservative group Judicial Watch.

The Daily Caller  and apparently Trump  connected the forwarded emails to the high-profile hacks that affected Yahoo email accounts in 2013 and 2014. The 2014 breach involved 500 million user accounts that U.S. officials later determined were stolen by four state-sponsored hackers, including two officers of the Russian Federal Security Service. Its unclear whether Abedins account was one of the 500 million accessed by hackers in 2014. But the 2013 breach affected all Yahoo user accounts, or approximately 3 billion, although its unclear who was behind the 2013 hack.

Trump appeared to suggest that Abedin should be prosecuted for her reported mishandling of emails, comparing it to the case of a former Navy sailor who was sentenced to a year in prison in 2016 for taking photos inside a U.S. submarine. The sailor, Kristian Saucier, sought a pardon from Trump, who, as a candidate, used the incident to complain that Clinton was not charged with a crime for her use of a private email server.

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The commander in chiefs tweet also appeared to urge the Justice Department to act against former FBI Director James Comey. In July 2016, Comey decided to recommend no criminal charges against Clinton or her aides despite his conclusion that the former secretary of state was extremely careless in her handling of classified information.

James Comey, Hillary Clinton, Huma Abedin, Donald Trump. (Yahoo News photo illustration; photos: Drew Angerer/Getty Images, Justin Sullivan/Getty Images, Carolyn Kaster/AP, AP)

At the White House, press secretary Sarah Sanders was asked if the president believes in the existence of a deep state or shadow government plotting to sabotage him.

The president finds some of those actions very disturbing, Sanders replied. And he wants to make sure that if there is an issue, that it is looked at.

Sanders was also asked if Trump believes the entire Justice Department and its more than 100,000 employees are a part of this deep state.

Obviously, he doesnt believe the entire Justice Department is part of that, Sanders said.

Trumps broadside against his own Justice Department comes amid the ongoing federal investigation into his campaigns contacts with Russia. In an interview with a New York Times reporter last week, Trump said repeatedly that there was no collusion between his campaign and the Kremlin, and expressed hope that special counselor Robert Muellers probe would treat him fairly.

Last month, former national security adviser Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russian officials  and is cooperating with Muellers probe. A Trump campaign aide with a foreign policy portfolio, George Papadopoulos, also pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and is similarly cooperating. Paul Manafort, who served as Trumps campaign manager, and one of Manaforts deputies have also been charged with various crimes, including money laundering, as a result of Muellers probe.

The presidents lawyers have assured him that the investigation will be wrapped up early this year, but as Yahoo News Chief Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff reported last month, sources familiar with the probe say that such a rapid conclusion is fanciful.

Those sources told Isikoff that Mueller and his team are pursuing new leads, interrogating new witnesses and collecting a mountain of new evidence  including subpoenaed bank records and thousands of emails from the campaign and the Trump transition.

Read more from Yahoo News:
WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump on Tuesday renewed his attack on his deep state Justice Department, and said a top aide to 2016 election rival Hillary Clinton should be jailed.

Trump, returning to Washington after spending the holidays at his Florida resort, posted an early-morning tweet lashing out at former Clinton aide Huma Abedin, apparently in response to Abedin emails released by the State Department on Friday.

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The emails, disclosed in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the conservative group Judicial Watch, were uncovered during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to Politico, part of the FBIs probe into Clintons use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state. Abedin reportedly forwarded State Department emails, including some that contained passwords, to a personal account. Trump and his right-wing allies continue to raise the issue.

Trump also said in his tweet that the Justice Department must act on Comey and others, a reference to former FBI Director James Comey, who was leading the investigation into whether Trumps campaign colluded with Russia to influence the election until Trump fired him in May.

Trump, in tweets and interviews, has repeatedly sought to undermine his Justice Department and FBI as the Russia probe has intensified. He has criticized Attorney General Jeff Sessions numerous times for recusing himself from supervising the Russia investigation, and claims to have the right to direct government investigations himself.

Last week, Trump asserted in a New York Times interview that he had the absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department.

Also on HuffPost

Trump throws rolls of paper towels into a crowd of Puerto Rico residents affected by Hurricane Maria as he visits Calgary Chapel in San Juan on Oct. 3.

Trump reacts as he sits in a truck on March 23 while welcoming truckers and CEOs to attend a meeting at the White House regarding health care.

Trump registers his surprise as he realizes other leaders, including Russia's Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte and Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, are crossing their arms for the traditional "ASEAN handshake" as he participates in the opening ceremony of the ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines, on Nov. 13.

Trump, along with first lady Melania Trump, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, put their hands on an illuminated globe during the inauguration ceremony of the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 21.

Trump looks up toward the solar eclipse while standing on the Truman Balcony at the White House on Aug. 21.

Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May are pictured ahead of a photo opportunity of leaders as they arrive for a NATO summit meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25.

Trump boards Air Force One to depart for Vietnam from Beijing, China, on Nov. 10.

Trump holds up a pen after signing the HBCU executive order in the Oval Office of the White House on Feb. 28.

Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel wait for reporters to enter the room before their meeting in the Oval Office on March 17.

Trump meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their bilateral meeting at the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, on July 7.

Trump welcomes 11-year-old Frank Giaccio to the White House on Sept. 15. Frank, who wrote a letter to Trump offering to mow the White House lawn, was invited to work for a day along the National Park Service staff.

Trump and Putin shake hands as they take part in a family photo at the APEC summit in Danang, Vietnam, on Nov. 10.

Trump jokes with French President Emmanuel Macron about their handshakes at the start of the NATO summit at their new headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on May 25.

Trump holds a mechanical tool as he attends a Made in America roundtable in the East Room of the White House on July 19.

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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.

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"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)
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)
Jeff Sessions gave up his seat in the senate to become Mr Trump's Attorney General: Getty

Donald Trump has termed his own Justice Department part of the deep state, as he called for it to take action against Hillary Clintons former top aide, Huma Abedin.

In one of a series of early morning tweets, Mr Trump claimed Ms Abedin had been accused of disregarding basic protocols and put classified passwords into the hands of foreign agents.

His comments appear to have been made after such allegations were made by the The Daily Caller, a conservative publication that is among Mr Trump regular sources of news. The website claimed Ms Abedin had forwarded sensitive State Department emails, including passwords to government systems, to her personal Yahoo email account before every single Yahoo account was hacked.

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Ms Abedin, 41, who worked as a senior aide to Ms Clinton both at the State Department and ten during her election campaign, did not immediately respond to Mr Trumps comment. The Department of Justice also did not respond to specific questions. It said in a statement that it "declined to confirm or deny the existence of ongoing investigations".

Last week, the State Department released a large number of Ms Abedins emails relating to her work while employed by the government, following a Freedom of Information request by the conservative legal watchdog Judicial Watch.

Judicial Watch spokeswoman Jill Farrell told The Independent: In this case, thousands of documents have been released by the State Department. They include documents include classified information being passed on unsecured networks  this was through the Clinton email server.

Ms Farrell claimed too many people had been given immunity by the FBI as it launched its probe of Ms Clintons use of a private email server  an issue that remains rallying cry for conservatives and supporters of Donald Trump, despite him defeating her in the 2016 election more than a year ago.

She said it was only appropriate that a full investigation be carried out by the Department of Justice. Asked why Attorney General Jeff Sessions had not yet launched such a probe, she said: It has not happened yet.

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The approximately 3,000 emails released by the State Department were found on the laptop of Ms Abedins estranged husband, disgraced former congressman Anthony Weiner, who was found guilty of sexting with a minor.

The emails have in themselves become part of the Democrats grievances against the FBI and former Director James Comey.

In July 2016, at the conclusion of an FBI investigation into Ms Clinton use of a private email server she kept at her home in Chappaqua, New York, Mr Comey while the former secretary of state had been careless, investigators concluded her actions did not warrant a prosecution. Our judgment is that no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case, he said.

Mr Comeys ruling was deeply controversial, not only among critics of Ms Clinton but reportedly within the FBI itself. Yet four months later, in another dramatic twist to the presidential election less than two weeks before voters went to the polls, Mr Comey announced he was reopening the investigation after discovering new information  the emails that had been found on Weiners computer.

Nine days after that, on November 6, Mr Comey announced investigators declared his team had nothing relevant to Ms Clintons case on the laptop and that the decision not to prosecute her stood.

Ms Clinton has often said she believed Mr Comeys behaviour was one of the key reasons she lost to Mr Trump.

Ms Clinton and aide Huma Abedin (Justin Sullivan/Getty)

If the election had been on October 27, I would be your president, she told later told a womens conference. It wasnt a perfect campaign, but I was on the way to winning until a combination of Comeys letter and Russian WikiLeaks.

Mr Trumps use of the phrase deep state, echoes previous attacks he and his supporters have made on the nations intelligence community, especially those officials appointed by his predecessor Barack Obama, that he has claimed have been working against him.

Yet it is not clear why he used the phrase, which implies the existence of an entrenched bureaucracy opposed to him, in relation to the Justice Department. He not only appointed Mr Sessions, but also his deputy, Rod Rosentein.

Mr Trumps tweet was one of a flurry in which he has returned to work and marked the start of the new year. In one tweet, he accused Pakistan of failing to act sufficiently to take on terror groups operating out of its territory, in another he attacked the failing New York Times, he claimed his sanctions on North Korea were forcing a rethink by Rocket Man, and attacked the nuclear deal agreed with Iran by Mr Obama.
ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Two artillery shells from Syria hit Turkey's southeastern province of Hatay on Tuesday and Turkish border troops fired back, the state-run Anadolu agency said. The shells came from an area of Syria controlled by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Anadolu said, adding that there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties after the shells hit a rural area of the border district of Yayladagi. Last week, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called Syrian President Assad a terrorist and said it was impossible for peace efforts in Syria to continue if he did not leave power. Turkey has demanded the removal of Assad from power and backed rebels fighting to overthrow him, but it had toned down its rhetoric since it started working with Assad's allies Russia and Iran for a political resolution. Turkey now says its main concerns in Syria are combating both Islamist militants and Kurdish YPG militia fighters it considers allies of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which has fought a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey. (Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Peter Graff)
LONDON (Reuters) - 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 radicalising 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-radicalisation programmes, 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 incentivising 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 privatised 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.

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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 travelled 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-radicalise people who have been radicalised. 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.

(Reporting by Estelle Shirbon, editing by Larry King)
United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The US envoy to the United Nations Tuesday dismissed as a "band-aid" the prospect of talks between North and South Korea, warning that Washington would never accept a nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

Responding to Seoul's offer of high-level talks with Pyongyang, Ambassador Nikki Haley told reporters: "We won't take any of the talks seriously if they don't do something to ban all nuclear weapons in North Korea."

"We consider this to be a very reckless regime. We don't think we need a band-aid and we don't think we need to smile and take a picture.

"We think we need to have them stop nuclear weapons and they need to stop it now," she said, warning: "We will never accept a nuclear North Korea."

North Korea's race to build an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the United States with a nuclear warhead has prompted stepped up UN sanctions -- and raised fears of a nuclear conflict.

South Korea extended the offer of talks, to take place January 9, after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un called for better relations and said his country might attend the Winter Olympics.

President Donald Trump held up the development as proof the campaign of pressure was having a "big impact."

And when asked to comment on the prospect of direct Korean talks -- and whether such a development could upset its strategy on the crisis -- the White House said its policy remained unchanged.

"The United States is committed and will still continue to put maximum pressure on North Korea to change and make sure that it denuclearizes the peninsula," Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters.

"Our goals are the same and we share that with South Korea."

Washington has spearheaded the international push to sanction North Korea at the United Nations, which last year slapped three rafts of economic sanctions on the regime, targeting its oil, coal, iron, fisheries and textile sectors.

Responding to reports that Pyongyang may be preparing another missile test, Haley warned any such move would expose Kim's regime to further sanctions.

"I hope that does not happen. But if it does, we must bring even more measures to bear on the North Korean regime."
The Presidents attempts to bar trans service members was met with widespread outrage and protests: Reuters

Transgender recruits can soon begin applying to the US military after Donald Trumps efforts to block them were struck down.

The DoD is prepared to comply with the court order to access transgender applicants for military service 1 January, a Department of Defence spokesperson said.

Earlier this year, Mr Trump announced his intention to block transgender people from openly serving, reversing Barack Obamas move to lift a prohibition.

The change was immediately entangled in legal challenges and denounced by transgender soldiers, and some military officials who said it was needlessly discriminatory.

By announcing a major policy change on Twitter, Mr Trump even surprised some members of his own administration.

Softening the blow, Defence Secretary James Mattis said the Obama-era authorisation of transgender service would remain in place pending a review, meaning members could continue serving.

Two months later, a federal judge ruled against the ban, siding with current and aspiring transgender service members who sued to halt it.

In her ruling, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly rejected arguments that allowing transgender people to enlist would undermine military effectiveness, echoing a study commissioned by the Obama administration that found that allowing transgender service members would have minimal impact on troop readiness.

There is absolutely no support for the claim that the ongoing service of transgender people would have any negative effective on the military at all, Ms Colleen Kollar-Kotelly wrote.

In fact, there is considerable evidence that it is the discharge and banning of such individuals that would have such effects.

Multiple attempts by the administration to prevent new transgender recruits from enlisting on 1 January were rebuffed in court, including by Ms Kollar-Kotelly.

A Department of Defence official argued that admitting recruits at the start of January would impose extraordinary burdens on the Department and the military services.

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Rejecting the argument for a delay, Ms Kollar-Kotelly wrote that with only a brief hiatus, defendants have had the opportunity to prepare for the accession of transgender individuals into the military for nearly one and a half years, referring to the 2016 directive that initially opened the military to transgender people.

The Justice Department confirmed this week that it would not be challenging those rulings.
Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing her engagement ring and wedding band - Reuters

The Welsh mine that produced the gold for three generations of royal wedding rings is to reopen after nearly 20 years.

The wedding bands of the Queen Mother, the Queen, Princess Margaret, the Princess Royal and Diana, Princess of Wales were made from the same nugget drawn from the Clogau St Davids mine at Bontddu in North Wales.

Mining ceased in 1998, as diminishing quantities of gold were being found. But Clogau has now been identified as a mine with expansion potential, and the possibility that there are unworked veins to be discovered.

Alba Mineral Resources, which has taken a 49 per cent stake in Clogaus owners, Gold Mines of Wales Limited, will reopen the mine later this year.

The opportunity presented by this project is pretty unique - high grade gold in the heart of the United Kingdom, and the fact that Welsh gold attracts a significant premium, said George Frangeskides, Alba executive chairman.

The historic connections of Welsh gold with the heritage of the United Kingdom and the potential for finding more gold in the vastly under-explored exploration ground make a strong case for investment.

Edward Edwards, of Bontddu, Merrioneth, Wales, at the overgrown pit head of Clogau St David's gold mine in 1966 Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

A review of geological, geochemical and geophysical data from the area suggests there is plenty more gold to be found. The focus will be on bringing the Clogau Gold Mine back into production and also making a push into the regional exploration of the wider area.

Welsh gold fetches up to five times the gold spot price. North Wales has produced around 131,000oz of gold since the early 1800s, with 81,000oz of that from Clogau.

The royal connection was forged in 1911, at the investiture of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII). The coronet, rod, ring and sword incorporated pure Welsh gold from Clogau.

A gold wedding ring became fashionable when the Queen Mother chose it for her nuptials in 1923. It has since become a royal tradition, followed by the Duchess of Cambridge when she wed in 2011 using gold given to Prince William by the Queen shortly after the couple became engaged.

Meghan Markle is expected to choose gold when she marries Prince Harry in May, sparking a new gold rush.
Punta Islita (Costa Rica) (AFP) - Strong winds were seen as a factor in the crash of a small plane in Costa Rica that killed all 10 US passengers on board and two local crew members, according to officials and witnesses.

The accident, which occurred Sunday in the country's northwestern Guanacaste region popular with tourists seeking pristine tropical beaches, killed all on board the small Cessna 208 Caravan owned and operated by domestic airline Nature Air.

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, a beachside town in Guanacaste, 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 of 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.

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.

- Family killed -

The plane came down minutes after taking off from a small sealed airstrip in Punta Islita, where the Americans had boarded.

"We can confirm the death of ten US citizens in an airplane crash in Costa Rica on December 31, 2017," a US State Department official said by email on Monday.

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"We express our condolences to all those affected by this tragedy," the official said, adding that consular assistance was being extended.

An American family of five from the town of Scarsdale, a suburb of New York City, was wiped out in the crash, US media reported.

Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their three sons William, Zachary and Matthew were all killed while on a family vacation.

The other US victims were named as Thibault Astruc, Amanda Geissler, Charles Palmer, Leslie Weiss and Sherry Wuu.

The Costa Rican pilot was Juan Manuel Retana, 52. He was the cousin of former Costa Rican president Laura Chinchilla, who spoke of their ties on Twitter. His co-pilot was Emma Ramos, also Costa Rican.

Guanacaste is a popular vacation destination, especially this time of year, when US and European tourists arrive in bigger numbers for an end-of-year respite from the northern hemisphere's winter.

- 'Difficult moment' -

The process of recovering the bodies went into late Sunday, and their remains were transported to the capital San Jose on Monday.

Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis expressed his condolences Sunday in a statement posted to social media.

Solis said his government "gives its commitment to do everything necessary to work with the relatives of the victims to give them what they need in this difficult moment."

Americans are by far the biggest group of tourists visiting Costa Rica, accounting for around 1.3 million arrivals per year in this nation of nearly five million.

Major air accidents are uncommon in Costa Rica.

The last comparable accident dates back to August 26, 2000 when eight foreign tourists and two Costa Rican crew members all died when their small plane crashed into the side of a volcano near San Jose.
(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 U.S. 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.

"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 U.S. citizens, the State Department confirmed on Monday.

They all died along with Costa Rican pilots Juan Manuel Retana and Emma Ramos, Nature Air said.

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.

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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.

(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Jonathan Oatis)
By Enrique Andres Pretel SAN JOSE (Reuters) - A family of five from the New York City suburb of Scarsdale was aboard a plane that crashed and exploded minutes after takeoff from a popular beach resort in Costa Rica on Sunday, killing all 12 people aboard, a relative and the family's rabbi said. Ten U.S. citizens and two Costa Rican pilots were killed when the Cessna 208B Grand Caravan aircraft crashed 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. Forensic workers recovered badly burned bodies from the crash site on Sunday and took the remains to San Jose on Monday, where family members and friends of the Costa Rican pilots gathered outside the morgue. Autopsies were to begin on Tuesday, a local police official told reporters. He would not specify when bodies would be returned to relatives. "Due to the state they are in, a little more time is required to identify them. We have to wait," the country's security minister, Gustavo Mata, told Reuters Monday in a brief telephone interview. 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, sister of the father, Bruce Steinberg, said on Facebook, where she posted pictures of the family and thanked people for their condolences. She also asked for privacy. Rabbi Jonathan Blake of the Westchester Reform Temple identified the family as Bruce and Irene Steinberg and their sons William, Zachary and Matthew. "This tragedy hits our community very hard," Blake said on Facebook, saying the family had belonged to the temple since 2001 and were active in philanthropic organizations. 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 U.S. citizens, the State Department confirmed on Monday. They died along with Costa Rican pilots Juan Manuel Retana and Emma Ramos, Nature Air said. Costa Rican civil aviation authorities noted Sunday there were strong winds in the area but said officials had not yet determined the cause of the crash. The flight was part of a special charter of two planes. The other took off 20 minutes earlier and arrived safely in San Jose. Punta Islita, on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, is popular among North American and European tourists for its pristine beaches and lush landscape. (Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)
These tones are familiar: A racist government A militaristic ideology A capitalist system. This is the chorus of the radical left. The most radical left. The result is the  2017 12th graders letter , which received extensive coverage last Thursday.

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Israel is a democracy. It has an array of different opinions that characterizes every democratic society, and it includes a radical and anti-Zionist left.

The letter was organized as part of the Mesarvot network, the Mesarvot NGOs website says. Its such a radical NGO, that even the New Israel Fund wont donate to such a body. We do have red lines, NIF Executive Director Mickey Gitzin told me.

Not all the arguments raised by the students are wrong, but their refusal to serve in the IDF is the result of an anti-Israel propaganda of lies (Photo: Lana Turral)

According to the letter, the separation barrier has been splitting the West Bank for 50 years now. Fifty years? After all, the fence was built to stop the greatest wave of terror attacks Israel has experienced in the past decade. There are separation barriers in Europe and America too. And of all barriers, the one between Israel and the Palestinians is the most legitimate of all. But when it comes to those who consider the refusal to serve in the IDF to be legitimate, even a life-saving wall is turned into a crime.

There is a lot more nonsense in the letter, which accuses Israel of perpetuating the conflict. Israel, after all, has offered the Palestinians a state in the 1967 borders, with land swaps. They refused in 2000 and launched a murderous intifada. In 2008, they turned down Prime Minister Ehud Olmerts offer, and in March 2014, they turned down another offer from US President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.

But its Israels fault. Israel left the Gaza Strip, and instead of welfare and prosperity, Hamas preferred to build death tunnels and a rocket industry. But as far as those who signed the letter are concerned, Israel is the problem.

This kind of brainwashing requires funding. It comes from an American body called Refuser Solidarity Network (RSN), which states that it provides a US base of support for those who refuse service in the Israeli military for reasons of political conscience. Its board members are affiliated, naturally, with the left-wing end of the ideological spectrum in the United States. Board member Judith Kolokoff, for example, is also a member of Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), one of the bodies supporting the anti-Israel boycott and is also active in different boycott initiatives.

RSN is active among Jewish communities and takes pride in having transferred $300,000 to bodies supporting the refusal to serve in the IDF, including Mesarvot. More importantly, RSN states on its website that it is an IRS-recognized organization and that all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the IRS.

It might not have been their intention, but those who signed the letter have turned into a tool in the hands of anti-Israel propaganda (Photo: citizenside.com)

According to Article 109 in the Penal Law, A person who incites or lobbies a person liable to service in an armed force not to serve therein or not to report for a military operation is liable to imprisonment for five years. Whoever recognized the RSN in the IRS was likely unaware of this, which is why Reservists on Duty Executive Director Amit Deri sent urgent letters on Saturday both to the US ambassador to Israel and to the Israeli ambassador to the US, as well as to the US State Department, urging them to make an effort to stop the tax exemption and the money transfers.

Its unthinkable for an Israeli body would financially support refusal to serve in the American army, Deri says, so its unclear why an American body is financially supporting refusal to serve in the Israeli army, and with the American administrations support no less.

Its not that all the arguments raised in the letter are wrong and false. The political debate is the lifeblood of democracy. The arguments about the settlements and about land expropriation are legitimate, but such arguments should be presented as part of political activities and protests. The students' refusal to serve in the IDF, on the other hand, is the result of an anti-Israel propaganda of lies, which usually also denies the State of Israels right to exist as the Jewish peoples national home. That possibly wasnt the intention of some of those who signed the letter, but they have turned into a tool in the hands of that anti-Israel propaganda.

The ball is now in the court of the State Attorneys Office as well. So far, the excuse for not taking any measures against an organization like Mesarvot was that it supports draft dodgers but doesnt encourage refusal to serve. That was a dubious and pretentious excuse. The explicit admission that the refusal letter was organized as part of that NGO, and a public call like Stop the murderrefuse, are clear proof that the organization encourages refusal.

The Communications Ministry itself, by the way, keeps funding the Israel Social TV, which is the mouthpiece of radical-left wing organizations and groups supporting refusal to serve in the IDF. So the American administration should definitely be approached, but even before thataction must be taken by the Israeli government.
The Knesset, which used to focus its efforts on improving the lives of the citizens of the State of Israel, seems to be focusing in recent weeks on improving the lives of its own members.

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The recommendations law, which passed its second and third reading last week, was designed to prevent the police from issuing a harsh statement after concluding their investigations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The plot led by Netanyahu and his people failed, but in order to keep up the pretense that the law wasnt tailor-made for the prime minister, the coalition decided to complete the legislative process.

MKs Amsalem, Zohar and Hazan celebrate the new law, as MK Begin gazes forward (Photo: Amit Shabi)

How does this law benefit the common citizen? The Israel Police conducts 200,000-300,000 investigations a year. The law approved by the Knesset concerns only 100-200 cases, which are subject both to police recommendations and media coverage. Most of the recommendations the public wont feast its eyes on are against public figures.

The bottom line is that the people who stand to gain from the law that the coalition insisted on passing are mainly politicians under investigation. This is mostly a victory in the battle for a celebrity discount.

The ultra-Orthodox parties have also realized that there is no king in Israel these days and that the coalition, the Knesset and the state can be extorted. Thats how they passed the Shabbat law (which requires the labor and welfare minister to consider Israel's traditions when providing permits to work on the Jewish day of rest) and how they will pass the supermarkets bill (which allows the interior minister to overrule municipal bylaws allowing commercial activity on Shabbat) and a bonus law for Defense Minister Avigdor Liebermandeath penalty for terrorists. Do these laws benefit the citizens of the State of Israel in any way? I highly doubt it.

Kahlon and Lapid. Secret talks to join forces in next elections (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

On the other hand, we saw signs of ideological fiber in Knesset Members Merav Ben Ari and Rachel Azaria of Kulanu, who didnt show up to vote with the coalition last week. Politically, Moshe Kahlons party is facing a crisis. The finance minister wants to stay in the the government after the police recommendations against Netanyahu are released, even in the event of protests and riots on the streets, but some of his faction members may not survive such riots. MK Elie Elalouf has even said that Labor leader Avi Gabbay could be prime minister. The price Kahlon might pay within his party for embracing Netanyahu following the police recommendations could be lethal.

Kahlon himself is confused. On the one hand, he wants to continue the reforms he started, and he truly believes he will be able to solve the housing crisis. On the other hand, he also understands that a considerable part of his voters in the last elections wont tolerate a situation in which he holds onto his job in the event of harsh police recommendations against Netanyahu. That may be why, as he keeps embracing the prime minister, he is also secretly holding talks with Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid to join forces in the next elections.
It was cold in Beirut that morning. Erika Chambers, a British charity worker in a welfare organization supporting children in Lebanons refugee camps, made her way down from her apartment to feed stray cats, as she used to do every morning.

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After walking up and down the street for a while she returned to her flat, sat down in the balcony, set a canvas on an easel and began painting, as she used to do every day. At around 3:30 pm, she put down the paint, picked up a small device resembling a remote control, directed it at her red Volkswagen car, which was parked on the street, and pushed a button.

Former Mossad chief Tamir Pardo. A womans pain threshold is much higher than a mans. Its a factthey give birth (Photo: Tomeriko)

About 100 kilograms of explosives sent a Chevrolet station wagon flying in the air as it passed by the Volkswagen. The cars passengers were killed almost on the spot. One of them was Ali Hassan Salameh, also known as Red Prince, one of the architects of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich and one of the top names on Israels most-wanted list.

The explosion was witnessed by Mossad fighters observing the street.

That very same day, January 22, 1979, Chambers disappeared from Beirut as if she had never been there. In Israel, she received a heroes welcome, as well as the Medal for Distinguished Service.

She spent many months there, almost on her own, one of the former Mossad directors says today. She was the one who had to decide when to pull the trigger and assassinate Salameh.

How did she manage to live in the city without being suspected?

In a high-threat environment, women are perceived as less threatening. Its a big advantage. Besides, from my experience, women know how to achieve things in a much more sophisticated manner than men, which makes their advantage ten times better.

At the top echelon of the Mossad, the female advantage is now more evident than ever: For the first time in the organizations history, two of the division heads (the rank equivalent to a major-general in the IDF) are women. One heads the Human Resources Division, and the other heads the Training Division. So far, there has been only one woman or none in the organizations top command. This is an opportunity to tell the story of the unknown fighters, the women of the Mossad.

Women have served in the Mossad since its establishment. They have participated in operations in the enemys hinterland, set honey traps across the globe and risked their lives quite a few times. According to foreign reports, women have even been involved in assassinations in recent decades. Its enough to look at the pictures of the assassins of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai in 2010, an act which was attributed in the world to the Mossad, to understand the role women play in the boldest operations.

Throughout my 35 years in the Mossad, women have been equal to men in their level of decisiveness, importance, abilities and outstanding talent, former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo says in a rare interview. Women are excellent in the technological area, there are brilliant women in the cyber area, there are big-shot women analysts in the intelligence area too, and women are in no way inferior in the operational area either. After all, women are responsible for some of the organizations greatest operations.

Why is it easier for women to become integrated in operational jobs in the Mossad than in the IDF?

In the IDF there are many jobs which are physically difficult, while in our operational work all you have is what you have between your ears. You dont have to carry 60 kilograms on your back. Another advantage is that women have a much more diversified division of attention, which is naturally very important in these kinds of jobs.

Aliza Magen Halevi is the first woman to serve as the organizations No. 2, deputy Mossad director under Shabtai Shavit and Danny Yatom.

Former Mossad Deputy Director Aliza Magen Halevi. Who would suspect a woman? (Photo: Yuval Chen) (Photo: Yuval Chen)

Women can easily be in places where men have to make up 1,001 excuses to be in, she says. Its much easier for women to blend in. Who would suspect a woman? I took a lot of advantage of that.

In one exercise, for example, we had to observe a certain place, and there was no observation point we could be in without raising peoples suspicions. So I found a small store across the street with a pavement in front of it. I asked the salesman if I could get a chair and rest outside for a while, because I was exhausted and felt dizzy. When everyone else was looking for a way to observe, I just sat down on a chair calmly. I dont think a man could do such a thing.

Former Mossad fighter Mirla Gal provides her own example: Im not a woman who sweats, but there were moments I felt my heart beat fast. Once we had to do something in the middle of the night in a foreign country. Suddenly, we were approached by people. It could have ended bad. We had to get out of the situation at that very moment. I only had a few minutes to think.

I knew the language, and we immediately pretended to be a group talking about everyday issues and left the place naturally, chattering and laughing. Had there only been men there, it would have raised more suspicion. Sometimes, women have an advantage in this kind of world, which is perceived as manlier.

People are always less suspicious of a woman and more interested in hitting on her, adds a former Mossad fighter. In operations, if I wanted to recruit someone, I was supposed to give him the feeling that he had approached me rather than that I had approached him. Its very important, and I found it easy.

Once I had to recruit someone in Europe. I knew I had a few days. I met him every day, stood behind him in a queue. On the second morning, he already said good morning and I smiled at him. On the third morning, we greeted each other with good morning, and by the end of the encounter he felt he had hit on me.

Over the years, I learned how to use my naive looks in the target countries. Everywhere, people would ask how they could help me, as if I were a little girl. I received help especially from men in the Arab world. Something in my fragile image didnt create any suspicion.

A national trauma

The introduction of women into operational service in the Mossad was accompanied by a national trauma which left a profound mark on the secret organization: The Lavon Affaira failed covert operation conducted in Egypt in the summer of 1954, in which a group of Egyptian Jews was recruited to plant bombs in American and British centers in the country, in a bid to incriminate the Egyptians and create a conflict between them and the Western powers.

Marcelle Ninio, a Cairo-born Jew, was one of the suspects arrested by the Egyptians. She was brutally tortured during her interrogation, and was then seriously hurt in a suicide attempt. After recovering in the hospital for several months, she was prosecuted and sentences to 15 years in prison.

Although that operation wasnt attributed to the Mossad, when Ninio was released and returned to Israel in 1968, then-Mossad Director Meir Amit awarded her ranks equivalent to a lieutenant-colonel. Ninio herself prefers not to discuss the affair today. When I remember what happened, I feel very distressed and it takes me a few days to calm down, she explains.

Ninio doesnt talk, but her experience became an inseparable part of the Mossads DNA, a cause for concern. I remember that when Mossad fighter Yael went to Beirut in 1973 and lived there disguised as a scriptwriter, Mike Harari (who was at the time the commander of Caesarea, the Mossads special operations division) walked around as if he had a weight hanging on his neck, says a senior Mossad official. Yael was there on her own, and the information she delivered made Operation Spring of Youth (the 1973 Israeli raid on Lebanon) possible.

Magen Halevi also remembers the concern that took over the Mossad when three senior Black September terrorists were assassinated by members of the Sayeret Matkal special forces unit, but the woman who fired the opening shot of Operation Spring of Youth remained on enemy territory.

Marcelle Ninios story is really historical, but it has stayed with the Mossad to this very day, when there is a woman in a cell working in an Arab country and there is a risk that shell get caught, Magen Halevi explains. Yael stayed in Beirut a few more days after the operation ended, in an atmosphere of great suspicion, and we were all worried about her, although she rocked. What makes a woman an excellent agent, after all? A Mossad fighter needs a strong personality, impersonation skills, an ability to adapt to the circumstances and an ability to make an appearance. Yael was beautiful too. You need a bunch of qualities, which she had.

Former Mossad Director Efraim Halevy is very familiar with the great concern that a woman agent would be taken captive. From my personal experience, I can say that knowing there is even just one woman working in an enemy country is a heavy burden on any Mossad chief who signs an operation, but I dont recall ever dismissing or radically changing an operation over such a consideration.

Two female Mossad fighters were jailed 20 years after Ninio, although this time it happened in a friendlier countryNorway. In 1973, Sylvia Raphael and Marianne Gladnikoff took part in Operation Wrath of God, which was aimed at settling the score with the masterminds and executors of the 1972 Munich massacre. A misidentification led to the assassination of Ahmed Bouchikhi, an innocent waiter, in the serene town of Lillehammer, and the cell members were arrested. After her release from prison, Raphael married her defense attorney.

Mossad fighter Sylvia Raphael was arrested in the Norwegian town of Lillehammer in 1973 for her role in Operation Wrath of God (Photo: Yonatan Bloom)

In 1991, two women suspected as Mossad fighters were arrested in Cyprus together with other cell members from the Keshet Division, which is responsible for surveillances and wiretapping, while they were replacing the batteries of a listening device in a civilian building in Nicosia.

Pardo believes the trauma from womens arrest is exaggerated. A womans pain threshold is much higher than a mans. Its a factthey give birth, the former Mossad chief says. If you put a woman and a man in a detention cell and tell the man, You see the black guy who just passed by? Hes going to screw you, and tell the woman, Hes going to rape youIm not sure the man isnt going to be more scared. Is it less problematic if a man is raped in captivity than if a woman is raped there? There were people who used it as an excuse for why women cant do a certain job.

Seduction roles

The door for womens participation in operational activities was widely opened by the Eichmann affair. Then-Mossad Director Isser Harel decided to add a woman to the operation to capture Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann in Argentina in 1960 and bring him to trial in Israel, and Mossad agent Yehudit Nessyahu was selected for the mission. The Mossad people who were watching Eichmann in the apartment he was abducted to knew that Harel was sending a woman over. Instead of an Israeli Mata Hari, they saw a religious woman wearing a white headdress and golden eyeglasses with thick lenses.

Mossad agent Yehudit Nessyahu, who participated in the Eichmann abduction (Photo: Shaul Golan)

According to Avner Avraham, a former Mossad division head and an expert on the Eichmann affair, who is advising a Hollywood film on the trial, Nessyahu arrived in Argentina to give the house Eichmann was being held in an innocent and normal appearance. Every day at 4 pm, for example, she used to sit outside the house and drink tea in a porcelain cup, so she would look like an institutionalized Western European woman. Her appearance was very anti-James Bond.

Part of Nessyahus job was to pose as the wife of one the agents. Her mission was to run the household, go in and out, go shopping, Avraham adds. She would cook for Eichmann according to the doctors orders, and she seemed to have trouble cooking for such a person. She was a very intelligent woman who spoke Dutch, German and English, made contact easily and managed to fit in.

Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann during his trial (Photo: Mili Gon, GPO)

Magen Halevi had just started her career in the Mossad back then. I was a 22-23-year-old child. I used to write reports as part of my job, and Isser Harel read them and said: Bring the girl over.

Was the Mossad chauvinist in the Harel era?

I cant say, I was too young. But with all the chauvinist atmosphere back then, the door was opened for me.

Harel was the one who decided two years later to assign Nessyahu and Magen Halevi to another famous mission: Locating Yossele Schumacher, a child who was abducted and hidden in Europe and in the United States after his ultra-Orthodox grandfather refused to return him to his secular parents.

Nessyahu was sent to infiltrate the Satmar community in Antwerp, and she went there disguised as a poor religious woman looking for a match, says Avraham. They didnt know she spoke a lot of languages, so she would stand in the kitchen and listen. She realized he had been moved from Belgium to the US, and in some sense, she is the heroine of the operation.

Magen Halevi was the agent who made convert Ruth Ben David, the woman who had smuggled Schumacher out of the country, to talk. We were in the same room in a house which was rented especially for the mission, she says. Since Ruth is religious, there had to be a woman in the room when she was questioned by a man. My only responsibility was to watch her, but because we were close, we spoke. She was a sophisticated woman. I didnt get that much out of her. Theres no need to exaggerated, its all tales, she says humbly.

The Mossad women were often given seduction roles or asked to relieve tensions. Around the Yom Kippur War, for example, a Mossad agent was asked to calm a colleague of hers down: Agent B., who had entered Egypt with a cover story. The Mossad sent a fighter who married him in a fake marriage, moved in with him in Cairo and helped him with his mission.

The Mossads most famous seduction mission was in 1986, when Cheryl Bentov, also known as Cindy, managed to lure nuclear spy Mordechai Vanunu to fly with her to Rome, where he was kidnapped and brought to trial in Israel.

Mossad agent Cindy, who seduced Mordechai Vanunu. A man will never think a woman who tells him hes so successful has an ulterior motive, says former Deputy Mossad Director Ram Ben Barak (Photo: AP)

Sima Shine, head of research at the Intelligence Division of the Mossad, who lit an Independence Day torch as the organizations representative in 2015, says there is nothing morally wrong with using women in seduction roles: In the entire intelligence activity, there are many aspects which are a lot less moral than seduction. For example, making someone betray his country. Is that moral? But its part of the job. Its like asking if in order to become famous and make money, a woman has to undress and become a nude model.

And what is the answer?

I suppose that like with a lot of things, some would say yes and do it, and others would say no. I was never a fighter, so I never faced such a dilemma.

Magen Halevi is more decisive: Seduction is definitely moral. Its a case of the end justifies the mean. The agent doesnt seduce someone to develop an affair, but in order to reach a situation in which she would be able to manage him, keep him at distance.

Films give the impression that Mossad agents are constantly killing people.

Incidents in which the Mossad assassinates a person are rare.

And the cases in which women have to get into bed with men?

Those are not as rare, but the women definitely have to agree to do it.

Were you asked to seduce?

No, I wasnt the seducing type at all.

Did you send women on such a mission?

I didnt, but I know it exists. It doesnt happen very often though.

Nuclear spy Mordechai Vanunu (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Two years before Vanunus Cindy, in 1984-1985, Mossad agent Yola posed as a European businesswoman and established a relationship with a Sudanese businessman as part of Operation Moses, in which Ethiopian Jews were brought to Israel. Yola ran a resort village where groups of Jews would arrive. They left the place on fishing boats towards a Navy ship waiting far out at sea and were led to Hercules planes that took them to Israel from a hiding point.

With a woman, the object (target) feels less threatened, says former Deputy Mossad Director Ram Ben Barak. He thinks shes interested in him because hes good-looking, charming. A man will never think that a woman who says to him, Youre so successful, has an ulterior motive. If a man approaches the object, he will be deterred. If a girl approaches him, hell open up. Its so trivial, that sometimes its hard to understand how they fall for it so easily.

Which female character are they more vulnerable tothe librarian or Wonder Woman?

A combination. To succeed, the Mossad agent must move as far as possible from the image of a Mossad agent. When she approaches a mission, she has to ensure that no one becomes suspicious of her.

If I entered a room filled with female Mossad fighters, would I find most of them beautiful?

Ben Barak is silent for a minute, and then laughs: Yeah, but thats not a condition obviously.

Somehow, its just happens to be that way.

Somehow.

One day, a very senior former Mossad official recalls, I received information that my division had an excellent candidate, a woman with very high grades. Theres one problem, they said. Shes too beautiful. I must admit thats a limitation. We dont want someone in the organization who will make heads spin while she walks on the street, and this woman used to be a model.

In any event, we arranged to meet at a cafe, and the lady arrived. She was dressed modestly, her hair was combed in a traditional manner, nothing like a dolled-up model, although she was extremely beautiful. We spoke, I was impressed and I decided to move forward with her nomination. But the recruitment process is very slow, and in the meantime, she decided not to join.

Then I got a call from Aliza Magen (who was deputy Mossad chief at the time), who said to me: Shes a relative of mine and I didnt intervene, but now that its over I want you to know I really appreciate the fact that you didnt disqualify her because of her beauty.

What kind of women is the Mossad looking for?

The tendency is to pick people who can blend in without attracting attention. When a woman is very beautiful, we often make sure she doesnt go to an event looking her best. By the way, it turns out you dont have to be Marilyn Monroe to be able to seduce a man. All the senior women who were fighters were good-looking, but they werent beauty queens. That didnt make them less attractive or interesting.

Mirla Gal isnt too happy with the femme fatale image of female Mossad fighters. Its not true, and seduction isnt part of womens job in the Mossad, she says. Its very rare. In James Bond films everyone is beautiful and glowing from head to toe, but the beautiful thing about us is that were people who dont stand out. Its our ability to blend in. To this very day, my friends still laugh at the depressing colors of my wardrobeblack, grey and sometimes also blue.

When Livni left to get married

Gal, who went on to become director-general of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry and director-general of WIZOWomen's International Zionist Organization, joined the Mossad in the late 1970s, bringing along her childhood friend, Tzipi Livni, who later served as Israel's foreign minister and nearly became prime minister.

Livni first joined the Mossads Research Department in 1980, after completing her military service. Simultaneously, she studied law at Bar-Ilan University. During the first Lebanon War, Europe was a terrorist stronghold, and Livni got an offer to serve there for a year on behalf of the Mossad. She put her studies on hold, took a short operational course and left for Europe, where she lived in an apartment which was actually a meeting and hiding place, disconnected from her family, friends and everything else.

Tzipi Livni. I was all alone (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Its a different life, Livni says. Its a year of being alone, hiding where you live, making sure youre not being followed, telling stories about what you do and concealing what youre really doing there.

My father, who was a Knesset member, came to Strasburg with a delegation, and I received special permission to go there to meet him. While he was happy to finally see me and talk to meuntil then we had only been allowed to exchange lettershe had trouble sharing my cover story with the other MKs. He was so proud to have a daughter who was studying law and serving in the Mossad, and suddenly, he felt so embarrassed having to tell people that I had quit my studies in the middle and was hanging out in Europe and studying French, which was very unacceptable those days.

Were you afraid?

There wasnt a sense of fear, there was a sense of loneliness. I was all alone. No one around me knew what I was actually doing there or how to contact me, and I played the part.

When she returned to Israel, she and Gal underwent a long operational course. Although I was an officer in the army, women werent fighters at the time, and in the Mossad I suddenly felt like I had come to a place where there were spots opening up for women too, Livni says. The men in the course were all IDF fighters, people from Sayeret Matkal and pilots. We all got the exact same training, and women could be not only the cover story in an operation but actually carry it out. That was a huge innovation.

Nevertheless, you chose to leave at the end of the course.

I got drawn into the Mossad and into the course. At some stage, I no longer went to university, I only showed up to take my tests. It was intensive. I hadnt thought about getting married, but life is full of surprises. I met Naftali, and within two months we decided to get married.

There was this thing a month after I met Naftali, she recalls, smiling. I told him I was studying law and working at the Defense Ministry, and in the course we used to hold exercises at night in Tel Aviv. One day, a friend of his said to him: Listen, I saw your new girlfriend hanging out with some men. Go build a relationship like that.

At the end of the course, I was already about to get married and was asked to sign a commitment concerning my service in the following years. It was unclear whether the position I was offered would allow me to lead a family life as well. They told me at the Mossad, Sign, and if you get pregnant you can leave. No one will give you a hard time about it. I said I was only going to sign a commitment for the next few years if I was certain I would be able to keep my commitment. I left after four years, with a warm recommendation to return whenever I wanted to, Livni says.

Every time a politician is detained, she adds, I think about the fact that Im probably the only politician who spent a night in detention as part of a Mossad operational course rather than because of corruption.

Gal faced the exact same dilemma, but chose to remain in the Mossad, serving in operational roles in elite field units in the next 20 years.

At the end of my training, I was supposed to go on a mission and I told them I was getting married, she says. It wasnt easy for them to hear that, and I do hope the system has made some progress since then. I was the first to get a role in this specific unit as a married woman, and people in the Mossad werent completely okay with it. I went on my second mission, several years later, as a married woman with children, and the system had trouble digesting that too.

Then, but now too, we still live in a world in which it is pretty clear that the woman follows the man, but its not so clear that the man also follows the woman. Im married to a lawyer, and it wasnt a simple decision as far as the family was concerned. In some sense, I was a pioneer, because married woman went on the same mission after I did. But this kind of life carries prices that not every woman is willing to pay, and not every man would be willing to do what my husband did. There may have been a need to invest more in the partners, to listen to them, understand their needs and their problems, and of course invest more in the women themselves, in their empowerment and in their ability to cope in the complex reality between home and work.

Livni and Gals commander in the course was the legendary R., who went from fighter and cell commander to head of training, head of logistics, chief security officer and head of the Auditing Division. She was the first woman in the history of the Mossad to serve in the last two positions.

If Tzipi had stayed with us, she would have become a division head and even more than that, R. says today. Im confident of that. She was my student.

R., Magen Halevi, Yael and many other women gave up on motherhood for the Mossad. If women standing at the same crossroad Livni and Mirla had stood at would ask me what to do today, I would say to them: Dont give up, neither on the position nor on children, Magen Halevi says.

During my activity, I didnt give my intimate relations with men any chance of developing, Yael admitted in an interview to Yedioth Ahronoth a little over two years ago. After Operation Spring of Youth, I fell in love with a man I had met in Brussels, and it didnt even cross my mind to move forward in the relationship without consulting Mike Harari. Our private life and our life in the Mossad were intertwined. I introduced him to Mike. Mike gave me his approval and said, Follow your love. I did, but very soon I let go of this relationship too. I felt that it was getting in the way, that it wasnt working out.

Can the position you had in the Mossad be done with a husband and kids?

I couldnt. I met my husband when I was about to retire from the Mossad, and its no coincidence that I began my relationship with him only after completing my position as a fighter. It was only then that I allowed myself to do so. It was already too late for kids, but those years gave my life a lot of meaning.

Yael. I met my husband when I was about to retire. It was too late to have kids (Private photo)

Pardo doesnt deny the difficulty in combining motherhood with a career in the Mossad. On the production floor, the rates of women are very high, but as the ranks increase, they drop dramatically, he says. Women mostly choose to fulfill themselves in the Mossad up to a certain age, when they decide to extend their family. The decision to raise children doesnt always fit in with the decision to keep doing operational jobs. This creates a conflict. There are women who have paid a very heavy price, careerists who have decided not to have children, but theyre rare. In general, in many cases women work on several levels and a lot harder than men.

What do you mean?

Unfortunately, there is no equality in the world yet. Even a woman who decides to take a non-operational job actually works in several jobs, and after leaving the office she has many other missions in front of her which men take less responsibility for. So the way I see it, the reason fewer women advance in the Mossad is not an organizational problem, it is largely their choice and a result of the circumstances. Up to the rank equivalent to lieutenant-colonel, women run on the track, but then, when they decide to start a family, they say: I gave 10 years, now I want a career where I can develop and be able to combine it with family life.

There is a situation here which the system has failed to deal with properly. Women may have complaints, and its possible that other models could have been adopted, but at the end of the day its their choice. The lack of correlation between the number of women who develop in the Mossad and the number of men in the Mossad has to do, first and foremost, with their decisions. In the first period of operational work, womenlike menwork around the clock. Later, in very senior positions, if they make it up there, their children have already grown. The problem is in the mid-levels, and thats where the dropout rate is high.

To hell with the stigmas

Nevertheless, Mossad officials say, the organization is determined to recruit women and promote them. Recently, the Mossad published an ad reading: Wanted: Powerful women.

The perception of the female advantage grew stronger following an exercise conducted in the organization in the past. We gave a group of women and a group of men a certain activity, and then we threw a firecracker into each group and monitored its reaction, says a senior Mossad official. The womens performance was as good as the mens and even better. The men were stiffer. They did a double take.

Ad published by the Mossad recently: Wanted: Powerful women

Pardo offers an example: A commander with 15 years of experience and a 22 or 23-year-old woman fighter worked as a team on a certain mission. It was a very complicated activity which involved memorizing a lot of technical processes, and it was clear that the commander had the experience and professional education and she didnt. Before the mission was carried out, the guy said to me: Let her command over me. Shes not as stressed out as I am and shell perform better. And her self-control really was exceptional. She did it in the best possible manner, and he was her assistant.

Ben Barak witnessed female excellence too and saw stigmas about female and male skills being shattered. You send a group on an operational driving course, and in almost 70 percent of the cases the women get the higher scores, he says. They just show off less and are more levelheaded, so you dont hear about it later. Women also know how to manipulate from the day theyre born, so theyre basically very suitable for the Mossad.

According to foreign reports, the Mossad assassinated terrorists in recent decades. In some cases, it has been claimed, women were involved too. The stereotype is so wrong, says Pardo. A woman can navigate just as well as a man. In general, the person with the better skills will perform the mission better. Fortunately, 99.9 percent of the missions arent reported, but women and men did the exact same job.

Former Mossad Director Efraim Halevy adds, I can talk about one operation, which I wont elaborate on, that was carried out by both men and women. At some stage, there was a need for a person to do the final act, so that the operation would end with a positive result. That person was a woman. The mission was accomplished thousands of miles from here. It was very complicated, and its success or failure were placed on the shoulders of one woman. She was the one who provided the result, which was strategically significant for the State of Israel.

When Uzi Arad took office as head of research at the Mossad, he decided to expand the personnel resources to additional fields and recruit more women.

If people used to think that the industry needed people with regional expertise, I said we could also bring people from the fields of economics, law and especially history, he explains. There are similarities between historical research and intelligence research, except history deals with the uncertainty of the past and intelligence deals with the uncertainty of the present and future. I decided to recruit more women. As a target, I wanted to reach a 50-50 distribution and I think I reached one-third. It was a move that proved itself.

I remember that at some stage I had a female candidate who was an outstanding historian. She had high analytical abilities, but she wasnt familiar with the Middle East. I faced a dilemma: Should I take her and hope she catches up and gains knowledge on the region or give up on her? I decided to do the boldest thing and throw her into the deepest water. I assigned her to our most difficult desk, and two years later she was the brain there. I have no doubt that when it comes to intelligence research, women and men have the exact same intellectual rights.

During Pardo and Ben Baraks time in the Keshet Division, female presence made a further leap. If up until then about 20 percent of participants in the Mossads different courses were women, towards the late 1990s women made up about 40 percent of the courses graduates.

We have all matured in terms of the perceptions and stigmas we were caught in 30 and 40 years ago, Ben Barak admits. If we used to think that a female Mossad fighter is a sort of escort who only provides the background and the serenity of a missions execution, we realized that women can actually do everything and a bit better.

Why in Keshet of all places? One would think women would have a higher relative advantage in the Tzomet department, where agents are recruited.

Logically, its true, but the problem is that the main population on the other side cant work with women from a perceptual aspect. Most of them havent gone through the change we have. Its very hard for a woman to function and talk to men on the other side. In Keshet, its all about special operations, so we dont have that problem.

In one of the special operations, Ben Barak says, he was saved by one of the women fighters. There was a situation in which we had to do a very gentle and complex activity. We heard people approaching us, but we had no option of pulling back at that stage. We had to keep going for 10 more seconds. Its an example of a situation in which, if you miss out by only a few seconds, you could get into real trouble. I carried out the activity and I was dripping with sweat. She stood next to me, said everythings okay, pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and wiped my forehead. Her levelheadedness affected me. We managed to complete the mission before people arrived. It was thanks to her that I accomplished the mission.

A woman as Mossad chief?

But despite the growing acknowledgement of womens importance in the organization, when Danny Yatom left his position as Mossad chief in 1998, his deputy Magen Halevi wasnt suggested as his replacement.

I didnt pursue it at that stage either. As far as I was concerned, it was almost the end of the road, Magen Halevi says. It wasnt on the agenda, neither on mine nor on theirs. If there had been a man there instead of me, his name would have likely been raised.

Do you think a woman could ever become Mossad chief?

It seems unlikely to me, because there are few women who take the right path. To have a career, you have to get through the operational field, and a woman has to sacrifice a lot to get there. Its not simple. A family, children dont fit in with a career.

Yatom is more of an optimist, providing evidence from abroad. I dont see why a woman cant head the Mossad, he protests. Its not unlikely. After all, a woman served as head of the MI5, the British Shin Bet. All these military and organizational systems, which are manly by nature, are opening up, and the Mossad was always the leader in this field.

And Pardo adds, If a woman wants to, she will become the Mossad head. Its up to them.
A Syriac Orthodox bishop based in Jerusalem has claimed the Palestinian Authority had sent a call girl to him in an attempt to entrap him.

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Murad Severius, 51, was investigated by police after having been accused of committing sex crimes, but the case was closed two weeks ago due to the lack of evidence.

Murad Severius (Photo: Yishai Porat)

His feud with the Palestinian Authority began when Severius purchased several properties worth $1.5 million dollars from the PA in 2010. He later learned that forged papers were used in the transaction and the properties did not in fact exist. He sued for fraud, with the case still ongoing at a Bethlehem court.

In May of 2014, a young Palestinian woman filed a complaint against him for sexual assault. She claimed he abused her sexually at his private residence above the church in Jerusalem's Old City. The investigation against him was closed two weeks later.

When the girl appealed the decision, the case was reopened and Severius was summoned for a hearing ahead of an indictment.

Syrian Orthodox Church of Jerusalem (Photo: Yishai Porat)

During the hearing, Severius's defense team presented evidence alleging the girl had been sent by PA officials who allegedly wanted the bishop to lose his position due to his ties with Israeli authorities and the fact he sells property to Jews.

The woman, Severius argued, decided to complain against him after a fortune teller in Bethlehem convinced her to do so.

Furthermore, the bishop claimed the woman was the wife of a Palestinian who was involved in persecuting him for his ties to Jews.

Severius also claimed that during a festive ceremony in Bethlehem in 2016, attended by thousands of members of the Syriac Orthodox denomination, the PA had decided to arrest and humiliate him. They interrogated him, both, regarding the alleged sex crimes and also regarding the claims he sold properties to Jews.

Severius said a week later he was called in again by the PA and was offered a deal, whereby he would drop his lawsuit, and in return they would ensure the girl dropped the charges against him.

After his hearing, the District Attorney's Office decided to close the case for lack of evidence. "I am glad that the case was closed, and it is now behind me. I have been through a difficult three years," said Severius.

The bishop's attorney said that if he had gone to trial for the alleged sex crimes, his standing among world Christians would be severely harmed.

"Interested parties from the PA who sought to get rid of the bishop cunningly and blatantly forged documents and managed to get him fired by his superiors. They also sent a young woman to claim that he sexually abused her. They knew that the damage caused to him would be irreparable, and they nevertheless spared no effort to harm him," said his attorney Ariel Atari.
Israels General Security Agency, or as it is commonly known, the Shin Betwhich is responsible for preventing terrorist attacks inside Israel and in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsulahas compiled a report of 2017, where it also outlined the principal challenge anticipated for the coming months. The main points were presented by its chief, Nadav Argaman, last week at a closed session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

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Following are some of the report's important sections, the ones with the greatest potential for affecting Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the Middle East in the near future. They are based on conversations with sources in the Shin Bet and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) over the past week.

On the escalation of violence after US President Donald Trumps recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital , the Israeli intelligence assessment is that the violence is clearly declining from week to week. The repeated postponement of US Vice President Mike Pences visit to Jerusalem (due to the Senate vote on the tax cuts bill) thwarted the intentions of some parties to produce more protests, and from one postponement to the next, reduced the level of motivation.

Hamas leadership in Gaza (Photo: Reuters)

As Israel's Military Intelligence Directorate (MID) sees it, the attempts to link Trumps declaration to religious (Islamic) elements concerned with the sanctity of Jerusalem (i.e. to claim that Trump had declared a religious war against Islam) have failed. The Trump declaration remains a fraught and serious political matter, but it is not a religious issue, and hence the relatively limited potential for producing violence.

However, intelligence sources believe that Americas ability to pass itself off as an honest broker between the Israelis and the Palestinians has become even more tenuous, and that absolute lack of trust prevails between the Palestinian Authority and the Trump administration.

Palestinian rioting in Qalandiya in wake of Trump's Jerusalem declaration (Photo: AFP)

In recent weeks, after the discovery and demolition by the IDF of a number of tunnels dug by various militias from the Gaza Strip into Israel in order to carry out terror attacks, and the resulting killing of many members of those militias, Israeli communities have been targeted by rockets fired from Gaza on multiple occasions. These attacks have caused neither casualties not damage, but the firing of the rockets in itself has undermined the de facto ceasefire that has prevailed in the area for a long time.

Nevertheless, the Shin Bet and MID believe that Hamas in Gaza is not interested in instigating a significant new military encounter with Israel.

Hamas in Gaza has been detaining many members of rival Jihadist movements (Salafist splinter groups identifying with al-Qaida and ISIS, Islamic Jihad, et al.) and has even been using violence against them in order to stop them from firing rockets at Israel.

Hamas rally in Gaza (Photo: MCT)

Hamas in the West Bank and outside the Palestinian territories has been conducting an entirely contrary agenda to the movement in Gaza and is eager to carry out mega-terror attacks against Israel.

Their logic, according to the Israeli assessment, is that significant actions against Israel from Gaza would elicit an Israeli response that could harm or even undermine Hamas rule in the strip.

An operation against Israel inside or from Judea and Samaria would weaken the control of the Palestinian Authority and Israels ability to respond would be limited. An Israeli attack against the Fatah-dominated PA would be of double benefit for Hamas. There is therefore an unprecedented effort underway by Hamas in Gaza and Hamas branches outside of Israel to instigate attacks in or from the West Bank.

Israeli security forces operating in Qalandiya (: )

The Hamas commander abroad is Salah Arouri. Born in the village of Aroura in the Samaria region, he has served as head of Hamas in the West Bank. He was recently promoted to the rank of deputy chair of the organization, which is seen as attesting to the importance Hamas ascribes to this area.

Arouri spends his time traveling between Qatar, Turkey and Lebanon. Israeli intelligence keeps tabs on him there, and identifies the instructions he conveys in efforts to launch attacks, including suicide bombings in shopping malls, buses and other crowded venues.

Hamas's Salah Arouri meeting with an Iranian advisor in Beirut

During 2017, the Shin Bet uncovered and detained no fewer than 148 Hamas cells in the West Bank, an enormous number by any standards. Interrogation of these squads brought to light eight detailed plans for the abduction of Israeli soldiers or civilians

In total, during 2017, the Shin Bet says it uncovered and foiled 400 terror attacks that were being hatched in the West Bank. In his appearance before the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman spoke of a misleading quiet currently prevailing in the region.

Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman warns of 'misleading quiet' (Photo: Hillel Meir/TPS)

According to a senior intelligence source, The fact that buses are not blowing up every day is not a result of a lack of desire, effort, orders or investment of Hamass resources, it is rather the result of interdiction  The heads of the Hamas HQs in Gaza and abroad, what they are trying to do from the moment they wake up in the morning and until they go to sleep at night, is to instigate terror in its worst possible form.

The success of the preventive measures proves yet again that the Shin Bet enjoys a significant intelligence advantage over its adversaries. This intelligence edge, in cooperation with the IDF, the Israel Police, and the Palestinian Authority, is what has made the effective prevention possible.

Notwithstanding the success, there are two salient difficulties that overshadow the future that should be mentioned. The first is that although the Palestinian Authority is indeed cooperating with Israel by combating Hamas and arresting its members, it is not prosecuting the terrorists or keeping them in detention for long periods of time.

Hamas terror cell caught after planning to kidnap Israelis in West Bank

The main concern of the intelligence community is that ultimately one of the hundreds of attempts that are planned and made would be overlooked or missed and consequently executed. One mega-attack would alter the political situation in the region.

Argaman said before the Knesset panel that instability is prevalent in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and as 2018 dawned, the defense establishment is facing a significant challenge.

Another interesting topic in the Shin Bet conclusions and statistics of 2017 is regarding the "lone wolves," acts of terror by individuals without any instruction from an established terror group.

During the past two years, the Shin Bet has devised various mechanisms for identifying independent terrorists, lone wolves, before they do their mischief. This is somewhat reminiscent of the movie Minority Report and has aroused a certain amount of criticism.

Either way, it is clear that there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of attacks by individuals acting alone. According to the Shin Bets annual report, during 2017, the agency identified 1,100 potential individual attackers, some of whom were arrested, interrogated and prosecuted. Others, who had not yet begun realizing their plans but about whom there was a reasonable fear they were going to act, were handled more gently and warned orally, sometimes their parents as well.

The Shin Bet's preventive measures have been so effective that in the last nine months, intelligence officials from the United States and Europe have visited the Shin Bet HQ in north Tel Aviv to study the agencys methods for locating individual terrorists.
A long night of legislation in the Knesset concluded favorably for the coalition Monday, with the passage of two bills: the "Unified Jerusalem" amendment and a primary financing law.

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The "Unified Jerusalem" law was, in actuality, an amendment to Basic Law: Jerusalem, sponsored by Education Minister Naftali Bennett and MK Shuli Mualem (Bayit Yehudi), requiring that any decision on Jerusalem be made an 80 MK majority, even ones made as part of a prospective peace agreement.

The second law, which passed its second and third readings late Monday, is a primaries financing law stipulating a candidate running in the primaries of a party will be entitled to receive NIS 300,000 in campaign financing from the state.

The Knesset passed a Jerusalem and a primary campaign financing law Monday night (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

The Knesset passed the "Unified Jerusalem" amendment with 64 MKs voting in favor, 51 opposed and one abstention. MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid) decided to abstain, despite objecting to the bill.

MK Mualem took to the podium to welcome support of her amendment. Mualem quoted the prophet Zechariah in her speech, saying "There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand for very age."

MK Mualem sponsored the Unified Jerusalem Law

Chairman of the Constitution, Law and Justice Committee Nissan Slomiansky (Bayit Yehudi) presented the law and noted that while any decision on Jerusalem will now need an 80 MK majority, the law itself could be changed with 61 MKs in favor.

With the law's passage, an article was changed in Basic Law: Jerusalem that stated the city's municipal territory could not be altered. Removing any areas from Jerusalem's sovereignty and instating them as a separate authority will be possible, but Israeli sovereignty will still apply to them, as will the demand for an 80 MK majority.

Minister Bennett said Jerusalem was twice saved from the catastrophe of partition (Photo: Hadas Frosh/Flash 90)

When the bill passed through the Ministerial Legislative Committee, Bennett said, "Our capital city was saved twice from the catastrophe of partition efforts led by (former prime ministers) Ehud Olmert and Ehud Barak, when they held a fleeting Knesset majority. That is now over. The Unified Jerusalem Law will prevent any possibility of partition, will strengthen our international standing and prevent future pressures on Israel."

MK Mualem echoed his sentiments, saying, "Considering past experience, with two prime ministers attempting to cut up Jerusalem as part of a dangerous political agreement, such harm to the capital of Israel must be prevented before it comes to pass."

On far more earthly matters, the Knesset also approved a new primary financing law in second and third readings, sponsored by Coalition Chairman MK David Amsalem (Likud), according to which any candidate running in primaries will receive the aforementioned NIS 300,000, costing the state NIS 20-25 million.

The billwhich needed a 61 MK majoritypassed with 62 MKs in favor and 52 opposed. Its approved text excluded an article included in the original draft that also provided NIS 50,000 to parties holding no primaries.

Primary candidates eligible for the grant, the law says, are elected officials who are not at the head of local authoritiesthat is, only MKs, ministers and deputy ministers.

Coalition Chairman Amsalem's new primary campaign financing law also passed (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

Anyone else choosing to run in primaries will be able to apply for a loan or raise contributions on their own. Regardless, both the grant and loans will only be given to candidates running in the primaries, as opposed to those whose position had been secured.

The law also requires primary candidates who received the grant to return any funds left over at the campaign's conclusion to the state. The conditions for receiving the grant include supervision on how it's spent and receipt of funds only with approval for primary contention.

A demand for a full financial disclosure report was added to the law at the state comptroller's request. The burden of the report will also fall to candidates who have dropped out of the race. A penal article was also amended determining the use of the public funds for any purpose other than a primary campaign will constitute a criminal offense.

The law further stipulated parties will be required to divulge information to the state comptroller and information registrar, as the loans will be based on data the parties possess and they are required by law to divulge it.

Parties will be required to divulge information State Comptroller Shapira (Photo: Gil Yohanan)

Candidates who are not elected officials at the time of their primary contention will also be eligible to receive the grant, so long as they are elected to the Knesset. In addition, while the grant is for primary campaign financing, candidates may also use it to finance pre-primaries expenditures.

Financing under the new law will be applicable only to parties fulfilling three conditions: the party has a membership of at least 5,000, most of the party's members participate in its primaries and the primaries are held near general electionsup to six months before the elections or from the date the Knesset is dispersed.

In his presentation of the bill, MK Amsalem said, "MKs are not supposed to accept contributions from anyone, I consider them bribes. Some people contribute as an investment. It's one of the most corrupt things about this country, and it's all legal. You're accepting moneynot cigars, moneyto be elected to a job. How does that make sense? How is it even legal?

"I'm assuming even otherwise decent and honest people will push themselves to the legal limits to acquiesce to requests from those benefactors. Primaries are the worst possible method, considering. I think this bill will clean Israeli politics of at least a little corruption."

Yesh Atid chief Lapid said the law proved the primary system was corrupt (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid, who objected to the law, said, "I want to congratulate you on your honesty, on sayingon the recordyou and your party mates were selected through a process that by your own admission is entirely corrupt. And we call all see the results (of that process).

"The solution you're offering to this corrupt method is taking money from all Israeli citizens to give each Likud MK NIS 300,000. Suppose we give them that money. Where does it go? Will it go to something other than what money is spent on today? It'll just go to all the same maladies of this corrupt system."
ISLAMABAD  Pakistan summoned the US ambassador in protest against US President Donald Trump's angry tweet about Pakistan's "lies and deceit", while Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the outburst as a political stunt.

David Hale was summoned by the Pakistan foreign office on Monday to explain Trump's tweet, media said. A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the meeting took place.

In a withering attack, Trump on Monday said the United States has "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years and had been rewarded with "nothing but lies and deceit".

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump wrote on Twitter.
A former Palestinian Security Forces official was arrested earlier this week for arranging an anti-Semitic rally near Rachel's Tomb in which signs bearing swastikas were presented.

The former official was arrested by Border Policemen and will be indicted later Tuesday by the Military Advocate General for incitements and organizing disturbances.
Two east Jerusalem youths, 18 and 19, were arrested on suspicion of a racially-motivated attack against two Haredi youths on Saturday near the capital's Pool of Siloam.

The victims did not require medical attention.

The perpetrators will be remanded later Tuesday.
State witness Miki Ganor has told police investigators that attorney David Shimron, a close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, helped him thwart the acquisition of patrol boats for the Israeli Navy from South Korea.

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Ganor was the Israeli representative of the German conglomerate ThyssenKrupp, which eventually got the contract. Shimron served as Ganor's lawyer in his dealings with ThyssenKrupp.

The main-suspect-turned-state-witness told the police Shimron was able to prevent a delegation of the Defense Ministry from heading to South Korea to discuss the possible deal

David Shimron, left, and Miki Ganor (Photo: Orel Cohen, Ohad Zwigenberg)

"I called David Shimron in hysteria and told him the director-general of the Defense Ministry and his team were supposed to fly to Korea, and that he had to stop that meeting," Ganor told police.

Shimron, he said "understood the meaning, made a call, and got them off that flight." He then reported back to Ganor, telling him that "the matter has been dealt with."

Ganor's testimony bolsters his claims that Shimron, Netanyahu's relative and personal lawyer, did more than just provide legal services and was in fact his partner in mediating the deal between Israel and the Germans, working to promoting the sale for a 20 percent commission.

Shimron, meanwhile, claimed that while he was representing Ganor he "acted as an attorney" and all of his actions were "in accordance with the law."



In 2013, the defense establishment asked a South Korean shipyard to build four 1,200-ton ships for the Navy to secure Israel's natural gas drilling rigs.

After other South Korean shipyards demanded to be included in the deal, the defense establishment launched an international tender. ThyssenKrupp didn't contend for the tender at first, since at the time it wasn't constructing the 1,200 Corvette-type warships that the Defense Ministry requested.

Israeli Sa'ar 5-class ship (Photo: Elad Gershgoren)

The South Korean shipyards invested efforts and a lot of money in their attempt to win the contract with Israel.

Meanwhile, in late 2014, ThyssenKrupp announced it wanted to participate in the bid, noting the German government was willing to subsidize 30 percent of the deal. Ganor was ThyssenKrupp's representative in Israel at the time, and he was represented by Shimron.

Former Production and Procurement Directorate head Brig.-Gen. (res.) Shmuel Zucker has said that after ThyssenKrupp decided to throw its hat in the ring, the Navy's requirement changed from 1,200-ton ships to 1,800-ton ships. This allowed ThyssenKrupp to win the bid.

"The changes smelled fishy," he noted.

Zucker also claimed that former deputy national security adviser Brig.-Gen. (ret.) Avriel Bar-Yosef , who was arrested for alleged offenses of bribery, money laundering, fraud, and breach of trust in the submarine case, threatened that if he did not cancel the tender with the Koreans, it would harm the relationship between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Former defense minister Moshe Ya'alon also said he came under pressure to approve the deal with ThyssenKrupp, while Shimron reportedly also contacted the Defense Ministry's legal advisor Ahaz Ben-Ari to get a status report on the deal's progress.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot criticized Tuesday politicians accusing the IDF's response to Gaza rocket fire of being flaccid, saying "These statements to respond with maximal force to rocket fire are irresponsible. It is not the right thing to do."

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"We can't accept the launch of a single rocket. We're using force in varying degrees (to retaliate). I can't name a single instance where the IDF attacked a non-terror target. The army possesses the best tools," Eisenkot said during a speech at the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center.

The IDF chief warned that Hamas was attempting to carry out attacks in the West Bank and is enflaming tensions in the region. "Hamas is driven by a desire to keep the Gaza Strip as peaceful as possible while inciting West Bank attacks under the guise of lone-wolf terror based on the Islamic State model ," he elaborated.

Eisenkot said Hamas was inciting West Bank terror to divert fire from Gaza (Photo: Yariv Katz)

Eisenkot also clarified the IDF harbored no intention to allow the precarious situation in Gaza to deteriorate further. "There is a complex reality of two million Palestinians living in severe economic hardship and under the threat of humanitarian collapse. While that has brought Hamas to go to the Palestinian Authority, hat in hand, and seek reconciliation , it also brought about instability."

Regarding Hezbollah, the chief of staff said it has transformed in the past few years from "an organization that is the self-styled defender of Lebanon from Israel to fighting an Iranian proxy war in Syria Iraq and Yemen . They have lost close to two thousand men, with ten thousand wounded."

Eisenkot further asserted the most significant threat Israel faces is posed in the northern theater , especially from Lebanon. On a related matterthat of the Syrian fronthe said a massive Iranian presence could be seen on the ground there.

An IDF military exercise in the north (Photo: IDF spokesman)

"There are more than two thousand Iranian experts and close to one thousand Shiite militia fighters there, mostly from Iraq and Afghanistan, along with some 8,000 of Hezbollah's own men," Eisenkot explained.

Disobeying orders is challenging democratic rule

Speaking on IDF conscription numbers and the army's importance as the fighting force of the Israeli people, Eisenkot said, "Our goal is conscription for all; to increase the amount of soldiers conscripting and make the proper adjustments to strengthen the army. There's paramount importance to an army of the peopleas opposed to a professional armyin this generation."

Eisenkot also dismissed any claims of religionization in the army , saying, "It's utter nonsense. I can assure you the IDF brooks no policies accepting religionization or exclusion, but attempts to allow everyone to enjoy meaningful service while maintaining their human dignity. That is not conditioned on gender or religion. There are irregularities, but they are outliers."

Referring to former prime minister Ehud Barak's claims that if the government persisted in its agenda, the IDF may disobey orders , Eisenkot said, "We teach our soldiers they are obligated to follow orders, unless they are blatantly illegal. I consider insubordination of any kind a challenge to everything that unifies us as a society.

"I don't envision any officers disobeying orders over a policy disagreement. The IDF's General Staff, the officersthey all understand we are subordinates to the political ranks and act in accordance with the law. You can argue and express a differing opinion, but once the order is given I don't think any officer will disobey an order to challenge the elected government."

Responding to comments by fmr. PM Barak, Eisenkot said he does not foresee soldiers disobeying orders over policy disagreements (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Lastly, the army chief explained he viewed petitions disseminated on occasion calling to refuse army service as "creating a difficult problem. We have to say it again: the IDF did not choose to command over the West Bank, but was inserted as a substitute-sovereign there 50 years ago.

"The IDF is subordinated to the government and does not choose its tasks. Anyone wishing to influence its morality should join these units and do their part."
Yousef a-Sharqawi, a retired major-general in the Palestinian Security Forces, will be charged with incitement and orchestrating violent rioting, Ynet has learned, after he organized and participated in a rally while holding a sign bearing a swastika.

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The rally was held this past Friday, among other violent clashes in the Aida refugee camp near Rachel's Tomb.

Border Policemen used crowd control methods to disperse protesters and arrested several rock throwers.

A-Sharqawi (circled) was arrested for orchestrating inciting rallies

The Israeli forces then spotted someone who appeared to be the main instigator among the rioters, a Palestinian in his sixties who is also sought in connection with organizing rioting in the area . A-Sharqawi was seen carrying inciting anti-Semitic signs bearing swastikas.

A-Sharqawi was arrested on Sunday at the entrance checkpoint to the town of al-Eizariya, near Abu Dis, with the IDF claiming he was responsible for organizing and inciting several violent protests attended by anarchists that used anti-Semitic symbols.

Footage of the rally (:  )

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"He is one of the (region's) main instigators, and we have been looking into his actions for the past several months," said the Border Police's investigations officer.

A-Sharqawi previously served in the Palestinian National Security Forces. He was living in Lebanon prior to the Oslo Accords and then moved the West Bank after the agreements were signed. He was initially recruited into the Palestinian Security Forces as a junior officer and moved up the ranks. He retired last year.
SIDON, Lebanon  A prominent Palestinian terrorist whose followers have fought other factions in a refugee camp in Lebanon has travelled to Syria, he said, removing one of the main combatants in one of Lebanon's most volatile settlements.

A statement by Bilal Badr, who led a hard-line Sunni Islamist faction against mainstream Palestinian groups in the Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp at Sidon, did not say when or how he had travelled to Syria.

The rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad has drawn militant Sunnis from across the region. After fighting in Ain el-Hilweh in August, Palestinian groups urged wanted security suspects to leave the camp.

Badr's statement addressed his supporters "from the land of jihad and glory, from Assad's lair in Syria, to which we migrated to support the religion of God."
TEHRAN  Syria has expressed solidarity with Iran where clashes between protesters and security forces over the past days have left several people dead and wounded.

Syria is Iran's strongest ally in the Arab world and Tehran has been a main backer of Syrian President Bashar Assad since the country's conflict began in 2011, pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into the Syrian economy.

A Syrian Foreign Ministry statement released Tuesday blasted the US administration and Israel for expressing support to Iran's protesters. It blamed the US and Israel for destabilizing the region.

The ministry said Iran's sovereignty should be respected and no one should interfere in Tehran's internal affairs. "Syria is confident that Iran's leadership, government and people will be able to defeat the conspiracy," the Syrian ministry said.
Supreme Leader of Iran Ali Khamenei said Tuesday his country's enemies were behind the recent wave of unrest in the country, are that they were using "cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus" to achieve their goal. It was Khamenei's first public statements on the matter since proteststhe largest in recent memorybegan.

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"In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus to create troubles for the Islamic Republic," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was quoted as saying in a post on his official website.

Khamenei added he would address the nation about recent events "when the time is right."

Supreme Leader Khamenei said Iran's enemies were sowing discord (Photo: AFP)

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani himself claimed Monday the Islamic republic's enemies were fomenting discord in the hope of toppling the regime. "Our success in the political arena against the United States and the Zionist regime was unbearable to (Iran's enemies). Iran's success in the region was unbearable to them. Don't you expect that they would seek revenge? Don't you think they would provoke some people?" Rouhani was quoted as saying in a meeting with lawmakers.

Rouhani also denounced President Donald Trump, who voiced his support for protesters numerous times, and said anyone calling the Iranians "terrorists" could not express identification with them.

Responding to Rouhani's allegation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu categorically denied Israeli involvement in the Iranian protests, saying the allegation was "not only falseit's laughable. Unlike Rouhani, I won't insult the Iranian people. They deserve better."

The Iranian protests turned violent (Photo: Reuters)

The ministry said Iran's sovereignty should be respected and no one should interfere in Tehran's internal affairs. "Syria is confident that Iran's leadership, government and people will be able to defeat the conspiracy," the Syrian ministry said.

21 people have been killed in Iran since the protests began, and hundreds have been arrested. In several demonstrations, protesters called for the deaths of Rouhani and the "dictator" Khamenei.
CAIRO  Egypt has hanged four men convicted by a military court of killing three military students in a bombing in 2015, security sources said on Tuesday.

It was the second reported multiple execution of convicted Islamist militants in a week. A week ago Egypt hanged 15 men accused of deadly attacks in the Sinai peninsula, believed to be the largest number of people executed in a single day since President Abdel Fateh al-Sisi took power.

The latest executions were carried out in the Borg al-Arab prison, west of the coastal city of Alexandria, after the military appeals court rejected appeals by the defendants, the sources said.

The four were hanged for their role in a bombing in the Nile Delta town of Kafr al-Sheikh that took place during violence that followed the ouster of President Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Sisi, then the military chief, removed Mursi in mid-2013 after mass protests against Mursi's rule.
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (Shas), who sponsored the supermarkets bill seeking to close supermarkets and convenience stores on Shabbat, said Tuesday he had made overtures to ask the Otniel rabbi whether it was halachically permissible for MK Yehuda Glick to vote on the legislation during his wife's shiva (the Jewish seven-day mourning period).

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Deri said he had contacted the head of the Har Hevron Regional Council and asked him to contact the rabbi of the settlement in which Glick resides on his behalf. Glick is currently sitting shiva over the death of his wife Yaffa, who passed away Monday after six months in a coma.

"I feel the pain of Yehuda Glick over the death of his wife," Deri said. "I attempted to ascertain whether he could come to the Knesset to vote on legislation that maintains Shabbat's holiness. If I hurt my friend Yehuda's feelings, I apologize."

Interior Minister Deri (R) admitted to checking whether MK Glick could vote on supermarket bill during wife's shiva (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg, AFP)

"Is that the message we want to be sending the public? I call on the heads of the opposition parties to regain their senses and return to humanity. The vote will pass anyway, God willing, so there's no reason to turn political disagreement into a display on inhumanity," Deri said.

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.

Glick and his family at his wife's funeral (Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)

The coalition decided to postpone the bill's second and third readings, after discovering it will not be able to reach the requisite majority to pass it with MK Glick absent, along with Shas Religious Services Minister David Azoulay, who is hospitalized.

The opposition and coalition member Yisrael Beytenu, which also objects to the bill, both refused to offset with Glick, which raised tumult in the Knesset.

The Yisrael Beytenu party is not alone in the coalition in its objection to the legislation. MKs from Kulanu and even the ruling Likud party have expressed their opposition to the controverisal bill.

Minister of Social Equality Gila Gamliel of the Likud party also voiced her displeasure with the bill in a Ynet studio interview Tuesday morning. "I truly hope the Haredi parties will see this week the error of their ways and the tragedy in passing this bill," she said.

"Looking at it from the Haredi perspective, as people not interested in opening supermarkets on Shabbat, why leave it up to the interior minister's whim? Today it's Deri, but tomorrow it may be (Yesh Atid Chairman Yair) Lapidso I consider the bill to be fundamentally flawed," Gamliel explained.

"Once the government changes and an interior minister begins his term on behalf of Lapid, and he determines supermarkets will remain open (on Shabbat), they won't be able to change it later. That is, the law would do more damage to Haredim than anyone else. It would be preferable if the legislation did not pass, and I certainly hope it doesn't. I hope the Haredi parties will also reexamine it and see how bad it is," she asserted.

Voting on the bill barring supermarkets from opening on Shabbat was postponed (Photo: Avi Moalem)

Commenting on the offsetting issue, Gamliel said, "Things have definitely been blown out of proportion. Yehuda Glick is not supposed to come in to the Knesset as he's sitting shiva over his wife's death. This is my fourth term, and I've never seen relations between coalition and opposition deteriorate this much to the degree of losing morality and humanity."

"I think the opposition made a mistake in its conduct here, as did the coalition. Instead of just announcing one week's postponement, this strange battle began that included calling Glick in to vote when he's at the funeral," Gamliel bemoaned.

Hasson: 'No offsetting policy a success'

Opposition Coordinator and head of the Zionist Union's parliamentary group MK Yoel Hasson commented on the bill's postponement, saying, "Thanks to our no-offsetting and no cooperation with the coalition policy, we have effectively denied them the majority (they need to pass the law)."

No offsetting policy has proven a success, Coalition Coordinator Hasson said

On allegations of "inhumanity" over his refusal to offset with MK Glick, Hasson said, "When I read that Glick's advisor said the coalition intended to demand he come and vote during a shiva over a bill that has nothing to do with national security or the budgetI didn't know who should be ashamed and who was being inhumane."

Regarding what he thought will transpire later this week until the Knesset reconvenes to vote on the legislation, Hasson said, "Several things can happen during the postponement: many more municipalities will enact bylaws on the matter, and I hope we'll also expose underhanded dealings. I saw Haredi MKs turning a blind eye to several exclusions from the bill just for it to pass."

On his party's position to exclude gas station convenience stores from the bill's purview, MK Hasson said, "We at the Zionist Union have already decided to vote against the exclusion. We think this bill is bad and harmful. Most of the public, even Likud voters who are partly traditionalists and want the Shabbat observed, don't want it to turn to Yom Kippur. We have a week to get more coalition members to switch, that's our strategy."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided to postpone a trip to Cyprus originally slated for next Monday for a trilateral meeting with the presidents of Greece and Cyprus.

Netanyahu postponed the meeting due to the delayed vote on the supermarket bill in the Knesset plenum.

The Prime Minister's Office said a new date for the summit will be set by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Israel is notifying thousands of Africans who entered the country illegally that they have three months to leave or face incarceration.

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The Population and Immigration Authority called this week on migrants from Sudan and Eritrea to leave "to their country or to a third country," meaning Rwanda or Uganda. Those who leave by the end of March will be given $3,500, along with airfare and other incentives.

The ultimatum is part of a large-scale campaign to remove 42,000 illegal African migrants from Israel.

The Hotline for Migrant Workers, an advocacy group, condemned the move Tuesday, saying expulsions "put the refugees' lives in danger."

Asylum seekers at Holot detention facility (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

Thousands of Africans entered Israel before it erected a fence along its border with Egypt. Many say they fled conflict and persecution and seek refugee status. Israel calls them "infiltrators" and says they are mostly economic migrants whose numbers threaten its Jewish character.

Although the government unanimously approved a bill last month to close the Holot detention facility which houses African illegal immigrants and asylum seekers, the plan still depends on successfully expelling the inhabitants to Rwanda, a move which has raised concerns among human rights groups.

Israel and Rwanda recently signed an agreement whereby asylum seekers can be sent there even without their consent.

Asylum seekers have been sent to Rwanda for the past three years as part of a plan encouraging voluntary emigration.

Saharonim detention facility (Photo: Haim Horenstein)

Professor Galia Sabar, President of the Ruppin Academic Center, Chair of African Studies at Tel Aviv University and a scholar of Immigration, was the first to examine what actually happened to the Sudanese and Eritreans who left "willingly" to Rwanda with a promise that they would be able to start a new life there.

"Eritrean and Sudanese asylum seekers cannot be returned to their country of origin according to the UN charter," explained Sabar. "But Israel assumes that since he is a black African, we can send him to another African country. But how can he cope there? He has no work, he does not speak the language, the state does not offer a social net and he is not in a familiar or welcoming environment."

In August, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told residents of south Tel Aviv that he was facing a mission to return the area back to Israel, three days after the High Court of Justice ruled that the State of Israel cannot detain illegal migrants for more than 60 days.

(Photo: Shaul Golan)



Paying a rare visit to south Tel Avivthe area which has been seriously affected by the wave of illegal migration in recent years that swept through Israels once-porous southern borderNetanyahu inaugurated a new police station and received a briefing from the police, before addressing the matter.
Israel is notifying thousands of Africans who entered the country illegally that they have three months to leave or face incarceration.

The Population and Immigration Authority called this week on migrants from Sudan and Eritrea to leave "to their country or to a third country," meaning Rwanda or Uganda. Those who leave by the end of March will be given $3,500, along with airfare and other incentives.

The Hotline for Migrant Workers, an advocacy group, condemned the move Tuesday, saying expulsions "put the refugees' lives in danger."
Two artillery shells from Syria hit Turkey's southeastern province of Hatay on Tuesday and Turkish border troops fired back, the state-run Anadolu agency said.

The shells came from an area of Syria controlled by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Anadolu said, adding that there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties after the shells hit a rural area of the border district of Yayladagi.

Last week, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan called Syrian President Assad a terrorist and said it was impossible for peace efforts in Syria to continue if he did not leave power.
The Trump administration is calling on Iran's government to stop blocking Instagram and other popular social media sites as Iranians are demonstrating in the streets.

US Undersecretary of State Steve Goldstein says the United States 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 US is still communicating with Iranians in Farsi through State Department accounts on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms. He says the US wants to "encourage the protesters to continue to fight for what's right."

Goldstein says the US has an "obligation not to stand by."
The Bavarian allies of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party on Tuesday said minors seeking asylum should undergo medical age tests, a measure the German Medical Association said could be a violation of ethics.

A debate about verifying the ages of unaccompanied minors seeking asylum has intensified since last week, after the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old German girl by a suspect identified by police as her former boyfriend, an Afghan migrant.

The suspect's documents say he is 15, but the girl's father told German media he believed the migrant was older.

Germany is undergoing a fierce national discussion over migration since Chancellor Angela Merkel accepted more than a million migrants in 2015, mainly fleeing conflicts in the Middle East. In an election in September, the issue helped bring the far-right AfD party into parliament for the first time.
Iraqi security forces have reportedly captured a member of the so-called Islamic State (IS) who had appeared in several photographs and videos where he takes part in stoning people under the rule of the Islamic State in Mosul.

The suspect is identified as Abu Omer whos known for his long white beard, locals said, confirming his arrest on Friday.

The Iraqi media said that civilians in the city had reported Abu Omers hideout to security forces.

Even though the terrorist group is said to have been completely defeated in Iraq, it still maintains a presence in some hideouts across the country.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Congo on Tuesday condemned a crackdown on protests against President Joseph Kabila as "barbarism", escalating a confrontation between the government and one of the country's most powerful institutions.

Security forces in Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least seven people in the capital, Kinshasa, on Sunday during demonstrations that Catholic activists organised to protest Kabila's refusal to step down from office, according to the United Nations.

Police spokesman Pierrot Mwanamputu, however, said on Tuesday that five people, including one police officer, had died in Sunday's violence and that the police had acted justifiably in each case against militants and gangsters.

In a rare appearance before the media, Cardinal Laurent Monsengwo, wearing a red prayer cap and gold cross, accused security forces of opening fire on peaceful protesters and desecrating places of worship.

"We can only denounce, condemn and stigmatise the actions of the supposedly valiant men in uniform, which are, unfortunately, nothing more, nothing less than barbarism," Monsengwo told reporters in the capital Kinshasa.

"How can we trust leaders incapable of protecting the population, of guaranteeing peace, justice and love of people?" he said.
The United States is withholding $255 million in aid from Pakistan because of its failure to cooperate fully in America's fight against terrorism, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Tuesday.

"The administration is withholding $255 million in assistance to Pakistan. There are clear reasons for this. Pakistan has played a double game for years," she told reporters at the United Nations. "They work with us at times, and they also harbor the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan.

"That game is not acceptable to this administration. We expect far more cooperation from Pakistan in the fight against terrorism."
Iran's foreign minister says Iranians have the right "to vote and to protest," unlike US allies in the region, an apparent swipe at Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.

Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted Tuesday that "Iran's security and stability depend on its own people, who -- unlike the peoples of Trumps regional 'bffs'_have the right to vote and to protest."

"Bff" is internet slang for "best friend forever." Iran nurses a bitter rivalry with Saudi Arabia, and the two frequently trade accusations of oppressing their own people.

Zarif went on to say that "These hard-earned rights will be protected, and infiltrators will not be allowed to sabotage them through violence and destruction."
US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Tuesday praised the courage of Iranian demonstrators and said protests across the country were spontaneous, not driven by outside forces.

After she read out social media posts written by Iranians in support of the protests, Haley dismissed Iranian leaders' contention that the protests were designed by Iran's enemies.

"We all know that's complete nonsense," she said. "The demonstrations are completely spontaneous. They are virtually in every city in Iran. This is the precise picture of a long oppressed people's rising up against their dictators."

Haley said the United States was seeking emergency sessions on Iran at the United Nations in New York and at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

"We must not be silent," she said. "The people of Iran are crying out for freedom."
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani says an exiled opposition group is inciting violence in Iran, where anti-government protests have been held in a number of cities in recent days.

In a phone call with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, Rouhani called on France to stop hosting the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq group, known as the MEK. Several of the group's leaders are based in Paris.

The MEK fled after Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and later found refuge in Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Heavily armed by Saddam, MEK forces launched cross-border raids into Iran during its war with Iraq, further alienating the group from many Iranians. The MEK says it renounced violence in 2001.

The State Department considered the MEK a terrorist group until 2012, when it lifted the designation.
The Trump administration is considering cutting funds to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency which dedicates vast resources toward tending to issues involving Palestinian refugees unless the Palestinians return to the negotiating table, the US ambassador to the UN announced on Tuesday.

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Speaking at a United Nations press conference, Nikki Haley relayed the message that President Trump wants to pull the plug on funding for the agency unless Palestinians sit down and discuss peace with Israel.

Ambassador Nikki Haley (: )

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The president has basically said that he doesnt want to give any additional funding ... or stop funding, until the Palestinians are agreeing to come back to the negotiating table, Haley said.

And what we saw with the resolution was not helpful to the situation. Were trying to move for a peace process, but if that doesnt happen, the presidents not going to continue to fund that situation.

Nikki Haley (Photo: AP)

The announcement comes just a few days after the US announced that it is planning to cut $285 million from funds it provides to the United Nations 2018-2019 budget, implementing a threat made by Trump that financial repercussions would follow if the bodys General Assembly voted in favor of a resolution demanding that Washington retract its decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital.

The US is the largest financial contributor to UNRWA, pumping into its coffers each year $200 million. In 2016, the US gave it $368,429,712.

With Trumps entrance into the White House, many on the Right in Israel hoped he would decide to starve the agency of its main financial source, with critics arguing that it perpetuates the Palestinian refugee problem by grossly inflating the number on bonafide refugees.

The agency includes descendants of Palestinian refugees from the 1948 War of Independence, thereby granting refugee status to Palestinians according to a criteria that is not adhered to in any other refugee question.

School where tunnel discovered

In addition, Israel has lamented the fact that UNRWA-run educational institutions have in the past allowed incitement against Israel and that their schools have served as launchpads in Gaza for rockets fired at the country.

In July last year, for example, the agency said it was investigating after finding 20 rockets hidden in one of its vacant schools in the Gaza Strip.

In June, UNRWA said it had protested over the finding of a Hamas terror tunnel, which in a 2014 war had used a network of cross-border tunnels to launch attacks inside Israel.

Last October, UNRWA discovered a Hamas attack tunnel underneath one of its schools in Gaza.
The founder and leader of Church of Rabi, Prophet Kwabena Tawiah has predicted that the year 2018 will be a difficult year for the country Ghana.

Yen.com.gh brings to you the latest news in Ghana

Prophet Kwabena Tawiah warns

READ ALSO: Frema Ashkar and Kwabena Kwabena set to marry 2018?

According to the religious leader, many prominent Ghanaians including Chiefs, Lawyers, Police officers among others will indiscriminately die.

He also said there will be series of ritual killing as Sakawa boys will attack and kill young ladies working at night for spiritual purposes.

Sharing series of prophesies at his 31st All-Night service, Prophet Tawiah said God opened his eyes to warn young ladies in order to stay cautious as they go about with their night duties.

The Man of God warned that most young ladies who will fall victims to Sakawa boys are prostitutes, whose body parts will be cut off whiles they will be offered as sacrifice for blood money.

READ ALSO: Your children will die for mocking me on social media  Owusu Bempah curse

Prophet Kwabena Tawiah stressed that there will also be devastating fire disasters across the country as well as fatal accidents that are bound to claim more lives.

The Prophet of God in his prophesy insisted that most of these disasters will occur especially in the first quarter of 2018.

Chiefs will die, mark the date. A lot of police men and women will die, fire disasters will happen, prostitutes will die due to blood money rituals, accident will happen, he told his church members to watch out.

He also added that, from January to March all these things will come to pass. People will know that what God has said is true. People will marvel because it does not have to happen.

READ ALSO: Chris Attohs ex-wife Damilola shares her 2017 pains as she welcomes 2018

YEN.com.gh is building a platform where Ghanaians can share local news and own experiences with each other. Witnessing an incident? Want to tell about a local problem? Know someone who is extremely talented and needs recognition? Your stories and photos are always welcome. Message us on Facebook now

Source: Yen
Property developer Ayala Land Inc. is taking a majority control of Malaysian development and construction company MCT Bhd by acquiring an additional 17.24-percent stake for 202.5 million Malaysian ringgit, or around P2.55 billion. Ayala Land said in a disclosure to the stock exchange wholly-owned unit Regent Wise Investments Ltd. signed a share purchase agreement with Tan Sri Dato Sri Goh Ming Choon, a major shareholder of MCT, to acquire 230,115,574 ordinary shares in the Malaysian firm. This will bring Ayala Lands shareholdings in MCT to 50.19 percent from 32.95 percent. Ayala Land said RWIL would conduct a mandatory take-over offer in accordance with the laws of Malaysia, once the share purchase agreement became unconditional. This increase in ownership will strengthen ALIs commitment to enhance MCTs operations and expand its business further. This will also provide ALI with a greater opportunity to take advantage of the growth potential and long-term prospects of the real estate sector in Malaysia and will affirm ALIs role as a key player in the Asean property sector, Ayala Land said. With ALIs solid track record in developing large-scale, integrated, mixed-use and sustainable estates across the Philippines and in growing its diversified product lines, we believe that it is in a highly-capable position to boost the performance and enhance the value of MCT, it said. Ayala Land first invested in MCT in 2015, a move that enabled it to enter the Malaysian market and become a key player in the countrys real estate market.It initially acquired 9.16-percent interest in MCT through a private placement with $43 million (P1.9 billion). Ayala Lands stake in MCT went up to 32.95 percent in the same year after it entered into call option agreements with the two founders and majority shareholders of the Malaysian company. MCT Bhd, established in 1999 as a construction company, is now a property development company specializing in mixed-use projects that include retail, office, hotel and mid- to affordable residential units. MCT Bhd is listed under the main market of Bursa Malaysia and has several ongoing projects in OneCitySubang Jaya and Cyberjaya and land bank in Dengkil, 1.5 kilometers away south of Cyberjaya, all located in Klang Valley in Malaysia. It has an existing land bank of over 540.2 acres, of which only 20.4 acres have been fully developed.
As Typhoon Agaton made land fall in the country right on the first day of 2018, the United Nations has said that it would allocate $100 million under its Central Emergency Response Funds to nine unfunded emergencies countries, including the Philippines. In a statement, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the allocation was made after 36 donors pledged to contribute $383 million (P19.15 billion) to the UN-CERF, a pool of funding that supports critical relief operations in crises around the world. There is no sign of a let-up in humanitarian needs, Guterres said in his recent remarks. Aside from the Philippines, the recipients of the $100 million are Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameron, Mali, Eritrea, Haiti, and Pakistan. The pledges is in line with Guterres call a year ago for an expansion of CERFs annual funding target from $450 million to $1 billion. $1 billion is an ambitious but achievable goal. A strong United Nations needs a strong CERF, he said. The initial pledges also came in the backdrop of swelling humanitarian needs, which have increased from $5.1 billion in 2005 to over $24 billion in 2017. Guterres said that a $1-billion CERF will help bolster contingency financing. He warned that in 2018, protracted crises are likely to continue, while the impact of climate change is likely to grow and intensify.Protracted conflict and the impact of natural disasters, compounded by structural fragility and chronic vulnerability, mean that more people than ever before survive on the brink of disaster, he said. He noted that the global humanitarian funding gap stands at $11 billion as of November 30, 2017 and humanitarian response plans are funded at an average of just 60 percent. CERF, created in 2005 and managed by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reached a record high income of $504 million for 2017 through additional commitments made by donors. In 2016, CERF has funded life-saving work, allocating nearly $130 million to help prevent famine in Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen. The fund also supported relief responses in other places, including for Palestine refugees in Gaza, for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, and those affected by hurricanes Irma and Maria in the Caribbean. Following the Secretary-Generals remarks, a panel discussed the role of CERF in improving the humanitarian communitys ability to assist people affected by conflict and crises. CERF is unmatched in its speed, global reach and scale of impact in enabling the humanitarian community to respond to people most in need in crises, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Mark Lowcock said.
Iran has been shaken by the biggest anti-government protests in almost a decade with protesters chanting slogans against the leadership against the backdrop of economic hardship and corruption.

Anti-government manifestations continued for the fifth day in a row all over the country while 15 protesters are reported to have been killed in unclear circumstances.

Authorities have confirmed the death of a policeman after protesters attacked a police station in the worst wave of unrest since crowds took to the streets in 2009 to condemn the re-election of then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The protests have put pressure on the clerical leaders in power since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. President Hassan Rouhani made a televised call for calm on Sunday, saying Iranians had the right to criticize but must not cause unrest.

Rouhani urged Irans political and military forces to speak with one voice to ensure the [survival of] the political system, national interest and stability of our country and the region.

The authorities said there would be no more tolerance towards any act of sabotage by protesters and vowed severe punishment.

The demonstrations started in the northeastern city of Mashhad last Thursday when crowds poured on to the streets to protest at rising prices and in frustration with Irans theocratic regime.

The protests eased back from the intensity of the weekend across the country even though in some small towns they turned violent. The atmosphere on the streets of Tehran, the capital, and other cities remained tense.

About 200 protesters have been arrested in Tehran, according to an official.
@alextdaugherty

The GOPs inability to find top-shelf candidates to run for Ileana Ros-Lehtinens U.S. House seat has some Republicans ready to write off the race and shift money and attention to more winnable contests.

The seat that encompasses Little Havana, most of downtown Miami and Miami Beach is now considered unwinnable by some Republicans in Congress and fundraisers who could infuse millions into a competitive congressional race, according to interviews with high-ranking GOP officials and potential donors. Others are slightly more hopeful but caution that a Republican path to victory is narrow, especially in an environment where President Donald Trumps approval ratings remain low and Republicans brace for a potential Democratic wave in 2018.

Keeping Ros-Lehtinens seat was always going to be a challenge for Republicans after the longtime Miami congresswoman announced her retirement in May. Republicans couldnt draw top-tier recruits, such as Florida Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera; one announced candidate made national news for claiming to have boarded a spaceship with aliens; fundraising has lagged; and one of the top GOP candidates recently left the race.

The seat is now going to go to the Democrats, said Raquel Regalado, a former Miami-Dade school board member and candidate for Miami-Dade mayor who recently announced she was dropping out of the Republican race to replace Ros-Lehtinen. I think I was the only moderate who could have fought that fight for a bunch of different reasons. I dont think youre going to see a large GOP financial investment. Theyre looking for a moderate candidate, but I dont think theyre going to find one.

One Republican member of Congress rolled his eyes and sighed when asked about the GOPs chances in the district. Five Republicans, including members of Congress, staffers and fundraisers who said the seat is not winnable, requested anonymity to discuss their own party candidly.

Ros-Lehtinen, a political veteran who knows the Miami scene well, is doing her part to keep the seat in Republican hands.

They have to spend in my district. I dont want national groups to think its not winnable, she said. Theyve got to be all in. I will beat down their doors if they take my district and write it off.

Ros-Lehtinen is talking to any Republican who might be willing to step up. She personally met with Spanish-language TV journalist Maria Elvira Salazar at a Cuban restaurant in South Miami in an effort to drum up more competition in the primary.

The district is totally winnable for the right candidate, Ros-Lehtinen said. She could be the right candidate.

But Salazar, like many other names bandied about in Miami Republican circles, demurred when asked if shell run.

I am a news reporter, not a news maker, Salazar said in an email. Its an honor that over the years both parties have approached me to consider running for office. My plans are to continue being a TV journalist  until God and the audience give me that opportunity.

Read more here.
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Pensacola, FL  A Florida judge has made sure one man will be spending the rest of his life behind bars, and then some, 11 Alive reports.

Charles Hoyt McConnell III, 22, of Pensacola was given three consecutive life sentences and an additional five centuries in prison after he was convicted of repeatedly raping a 3-year-old boy in his care and documenting the abuse.

On Tuesday, McConnel was found guilty on 36 counts of child sex-related charges, including capital sexual battery and obscene material possession. Afterward Judge John Miller of First Judicial Circuit Court handed down a sentence of three consecutive life terms plus 495 years in prison.

Escambia detectives say McConnell filmed and photographed the sexual abuse of a toddler in his care over a two-month period. His wife checked his phone in January 2016 and found the photos of the boy and her husband along with communications about the images. When brought in for questioning, detective say McConnell immediately confessed to raping the child repeatedly.

Two other men, Danny Ray Murphy and Jonah Authement, were arrested in connection with the crimes and are currently serving prison sentences, 11 Alive reports.

Detectives say McConnell had also downloaded child pornography images and videos of other children, but he said the toddler was the only child he had ever sexually assaulted.

McConnell is expected to spend his life behind bars unless the sentence is overturned on appeal.
A n update on some of the situations from 2017:

From the teenager who wanted to work to help out the family:

My family is moving soon from the small house weve been in. We will be living apart from my father. My older brother is going to look for a job as soon as possible. I just wanted to get you an update. Thank you so much for running my letter. The commenters who offered advice online are very nice.

From the woman with a dream job whose fiance was offered his own dream jobin a different state:

We discussed a long-distance relationship but knew it wasnt what we wanted. We had been engaged for several years and together for a decade. In the end, although it was very hard for my fiance, he turned down the position he was offered and has been looking for new opportunities in our current city. Were also going to a couples counselor, which has helped a lot. My job is still going very well. The best news is that we went to the courthouse and made it officialwere married!

From the parent whose daughter was fired for letting a customer steal:
When you serve up a platter of nachos, loaded with cheese, guacamole and jalapenos, youre not just bringing a smile to every face in the room. Youre also celebrating the intertwined food cultures of Mexico, Europe and the United States.

Mexicans had been growing and eating chili peppers for many thousands of years when the Spanish arrived in the 16th century, bringing cumin and oregano with them. These three ingredients are the backbone of any good chili seasoning and the Aztecs also used them to create guacamole.

Fried corn tortillas, covered with melted cheese and sprinkled with jalapenos, originated in northern Mexico. Across the border in the southwestern United States, the dish gained meat and more cheese. Somewhere along the line, beans entered the mix.

Todays nacho plates can be as simple as the northern Mexican original, or as colorful and satisfying as the recipe below. With black beans, sour cream and spicy guacamole bolstering the corn chips, cheese and jalapeno, this dish will send your party guests diving for the snack table. I recommend serving it with good beer and some lively world music.

Guacamole

1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
The beverages range from Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters offerings from espresso, mocha, cappuccino to an iced almond horchata latte and an agua fresca.

Well be making Horchata and Jamaica agua fresca in house, general manager Evan Dodge said. There will be Kilogram Tea, English breakfast, tumeric tonic and Blend 333 mint, to name a few. Mexican coke, as well as Mexican hot chocolate and iced tea, will also be available.

An intriguing aspect will be the wine in that they will be offered from Stewart Cellars tasting room. It will be advantageous to the cafe-goers to have wines of this caliber available to enjoy with their selections.

The menu will evolve but seasonally and up to par with Yountville, Chef Morgan said. We might even have foie gras in a few months. The cafe itself has a great, cozy feel, and doors on every side make it feel larger than it is.

Irma Robinson, who lived in Australia, said this style of cafe is popular and exciting in Melbourne. She explained how this casual eateries take coffee very seriously, and it is something they wanted to pay homage to. We tried multiple coffee roasters until we settled for Wrecking Ball, we found it to be balanced, rich enough, just right, she said.
One is the proposal to repeal the states new 12-cents per gallon gasoline tax, reviled by Republicans and some Democrats. Every poll shows Californians want the road repairs for which the billions of dollars this tax is raising are earmarked. But those same polls show a majority of voters dislikes the new levy.

Thats pure selfishness, voters essentially saying they want smooth pavement, but dont want to pay for it. Like much thats self-serving, this set of sentiments has plenty of potential to backfire on supporters when they have to buy new tires, springs, shock absorbers and struts after driving through enough potholes.

Another more standard proposal already enjoying significant support would allow property owners under 55 years old to transfer their Proposition 13 property tax benefits when they sell one home and buy another, just as folks over 55 now can do. That one would also cost governments billions, with no one having the slightest idea how to replace the funds.

And theres a proposal setting salaries for schoolteachers with at least five years service at the same level paid to state legislators. This would allow for ultra-selfish votes from myriad schoolteachers and their families, without concern for public school budgets.

None of these possibilities has yet reached the ballot. But if any or all make it, they will provide voters with opportunities to be as selfish as they like, no matter what they tell pollsters in advance.

Thomas D. Elias writes the syndicated California Focus column. He is author of the book, The Burzynski Breakthrough: The Most Promising Cancer Treatment and the Governments Campaign to Squelch It.
Yes, New Year's will be a day of celebration for many, including tech billionaire Sean Parker, who helped bankroll the Proposition 64 campaign to end cannabis prohibition in the sixth-largest economy in the world. Recreational use is now legal in every state along the West Coast. With California poised to earn up to $1 billion in tax revenue, other states likely will follow our lead, which could spur calls for a change in federal law.

After Vietnam, many forward-thinking college graduates like my father, who'd had enough of the government and its wars, moved out to the mountains here. This was the baby-boomer generation - hippies, Deadheads and flower children who decided the mainstream way wasn't working for them. They wanted freedom, peace and quiet.

My father bought a 40-acre piece of paradise for $5,000. He would build his own home and live on his own time, calmly raising his children off the money he made selling cannabis. When prices were $4,000 or more per pound, even the worst farmer could make a decent living off a few plants.

After harvest, my dad would take us to Baja California, Mexico, in the winter, where we would relax before returning to the mountains to start seeds and plant next year's crop. While the farmers worked, we kids played in the forest and visited neighbors who were like family.
But the heart of the meet up for Turners followers was the opportunity to ask her questions about cooking.

Do you use an Instant Pot? one woman asked.

No, said Turner. I know a lot of chefs who do. Or some sort of hot pot. But I dont use one in our kitchen. I prefer to slow cook on the burner and I think the perfect gift for anyone is a good Dutch oven.

Turner attributed her success as a food blogger to the busy lifestyle of people today. Many people  especially younger people  dont have any real experience in the kitchen. They dont know what to do, and they just dont have the time. So the Instagram blog lets them see whats possible, and the recipes let me share my excitement about cooking.

Joy Shahbaz was one of Turners followers, who had come up with her boyfriend Mauro Colabianchi for a family holiday visit to Petaluma. An hours trip to St. Helena to meet up with Turner was something they had planned together. As they huddled under the heaters in the food-pickup area of Gotts, Shahbazs excitement at the meet up seemed to be echoed by others in the group.

I started following Teri a while back, and when I heard there would be a meet up in St. Helena while we were up here, I thought it would be fun to come.
Its going to cost an additional $284,880 and possibly another $52,000 for the City of St. Helena to complete its long-overdue General Plan.

On the City Councils agenda for its Tuesday, Jan. 9 meeting (6 p.m. in the second floor board room at Vintage Hall, 465 Main St.) is a resolution to hire consultants Dyett and Bhatia to complete the citys General Plan Update and Environmental Impact Report. Depending on the optional tasks chosen, the council will authorize $336,880 for the work. The funds will come from the citys General Fund Reserves.

In other business next Tuesday, the City Council may approve a lease and maintenance agreement for two city vehicles and is expected to authorize Police Chief William Imboden to accept a new Police K9 and authorize both initial training and maintenance for its new handler. The initial four-week training costs $7,500, maintenance training is expected to cost no more than $6,000 a year. The council also will make assignments to various city and Napa County committees, boards and commissions.
They feel very confident that the recommendations are valid, that weve done our due diligence, that St. Helena is on the up-and-up and has spent the Measure A funds appropriately, Schulze said.

County supervisors sit on the Flood Protection and Watershed Improvement Authority. Supervisor Diane Dillon said St. Helenas recent financial woes have been somewhat embarrassing to her, but she was smiling at this particular meeting.

As a resident of the city, I think weve really seen a turn and a shift and things are being well-attended to, Dillon said.

In 2014, the Federal Emergency Management Agency required St. Helena to reimburse $1.9 million in federal flood control money. Meanwhile, Schulze notified the city that it could no longer draw down on its Measure A money until it fulfilled debt reserve requirements for bonds it had taken out, ensuring the authority wouldnt default on the debt.

April Mitts became city Finance Director in November 2014. She said an auditor that same month noted a $1.6 million deficit existed in the citys flood control account. She didnt know why, leading to research to try to untangled various financial maneuvers involving various funding sources.
In a year of political strife across the country, it seemed like St. Helenas own internal politics would dominate the Stars news pages all year  until a barrage of relentless fires laid waste to those expectations and so much else.

Here are the top 10 news stories of 2017, as voted by the Stars staff and editorial board.

1. Fires devastate Napa County

When a team of St. Helena firefighters first spotted the Atlas Fire on the evening of Oct. 8, they had little idea the weeks of hell that would be ahead.

Within hours the fire was ravaging the Atlas Peak Road area, while the even more destructive Tubbs Fire raced from Calistoga to Santa Rosa, where it wiped out entire subdivisions.

Firefighters worked for days on end without sleep, while local police helped evacuate neighboring communities and drew up plans for a potential evacuation of St. Helena. The city was left without power for more than a day.

Some residents hunkered down, while others left town just to be on the safe side and to get away from the smoke. The fires never posed enough of a threat to St. Helena to trigger evacuations, although rumors to the contrary circulated on social media.
Many winemakers appreciated the diversity of styles. Matt Reid said, Anyone tasting through these wines would be hard-pressed to say this is what Napa pinot tastes like. We saw varied expressions of the grape. I had a lot of favorites and some didnt work for me but they will work for somebody else, I thought it was exciting there was so much diversity.

When talking about pairings both Julie Lumgair and Tom Rinaldi commented on their ability to pair with a wide array of food but to be careful of the style coming from 2015. Rinaldi said, I would not be afraid to have these with dinner any day of the week, especially ribs and something from the barbecue. You know, they are distinctive wines with leather, olive, some toned-down oak. The negative is that some of them poured with earth notes.

The conclusion was that we give the 2015 vintages time to open up and that they are perfect candidates for another year in the cellar.

2007 cabernet sauvignons
WEST MELBOURNE, Florida - A man who was shot by a West Melbourne police officer when he allegedly attempted to run over the officer with a car was released from the hospital and booked into the Brevard County Jail.





35-year-old Christopher Stringer allegedly shoplifted fro the Kohls Department Store located at 205 Palm Bay Road in the Hammock Landing shopping center on the evening of Friday, December 29, 2017.





Stringer then fled on foot from store security and entered a red Nissan Altima that he started to drive towards Norfolk Parkway. At the same time, a West Melbourne Police officer responding to the retail theft call was arriving and entered the shopping center from Norfolk Parkway where he encountered the Nissan at a four way stop.





The officer exited his marked West Melbourne Police car with his emergency lights flashing, drew his firearm, and gave the driver loud verbal commands.





Police say that Stringer failed to comply with the officers commands and began driving towards the officer. In fear for his life, the officer fired multiple rounds at Stringer, striking him in the jaw.





The Nissan then headed towards Norfolk Parkway, but the officer lost sight of the Nissan near Palm Bay Road. The officer was not injured and was able to provide a description for responding units to be on the lookout for a red Nissan two door.





A short time later, West Melbourne Police received information from Palm Bay Police that a person who had been shot was at the Palm Bay Community Hospital on Malabar Road. Palm Bay Police responded to the hospital where they located a red Nissan Altima with damage consistent with the shooting in the hospital parking lot.





Stringer now faces charges for attempted first degree murder, aggravated fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer, retail theft, resisting a retail merchant, and driving on a suspended license with knowledge.





Stringer was not granted bond and will remain in custody through his trial.
23:35

A Maharashtra minister claimed today that social media platforms were used to spread misinformation about what happened at Bhima-Koregaon in Pune district, where one person was killed in caste violence on January 1.





Minister of State for Home (Rural) Deepak Kesarkar said the government will take strong action against those responsible for the violent clashes.





Speaking to reporters, he termed the violence at Bhima-Koregaon village unfortunate and claimed the incident happened because wrong information was spread on social media.





"There is complete peace in Vadu-Budruk (near Bhima-Koregaon). But a wrong message, that atrocity cases have been filed against some people, was posted on social media platforms and this led to the incident," he said.





"Some outsiders came and put up banners. Amid all this, rumours were spread on social media that the youth who died was a Dalit and the situation became tense.





"However, it later came to light that the youth was not a Dalit," the Shiv Sena minister added.





Dalit organisations, led by the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh, had called for a Maharashtra bandh today to protest the state government's "failure" to stop the violence at Bhima-Koregaon two days ago.





-- PTI
Study: Sexism a powerful predictor for some Trump voters

You might think voters political leanings would be the primary influence on how they cast their ballots, and past studies would back you up. But when University of Florida researchers looked at the 2016 presidential election, another factor emerged as a strong predictor: sexism.

In a study published in the journal Group Processes and Intergroup Relations, UF psychologists found that in the contest between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, voters choices were strongly linked to hostile attitudes toward women. On the Project Implicit website, participants answered questions on their political beliefs, attitudes toward women and their feelings about Clinton and Trump. Even after the researchers controlled for voters political ideologies, study participants who showed higher levels of sexism were more positive toward Trump and less positive toward Clinton. More-sexist participants also showed a greater intention to vote for Trump in responses collected before the election and a higher likelihood of having voted for Trump in responses collected afterward.

The effect of sexism remained when researchers controlled for participants gender, for attitudes toward racial and cultural minorities, and for attitudes toward whites.

I dont know how willing people are to realize or admit the role sexism might play in their behavior, said Liz Redford, a UF doctoral candidate who co-authored the study with Project Implicit director and UF professor Kate Ratliff, Project Implicit researcher and UF professor Colin Smith, and UF graduate student John Conway. Most Americans would probably like to think that sexism is not a big factor in their voting choices, but this forces us to consider whether political decisions are impacted by that.

Its unclear whether the predictive role of sexism the researchers observed is specific to preferences for Clinton versus Trump, or would apply to any election involving female and male candidates. Redford hopes future research can determine whether the correlation applies to state and local contests, as well.

Even among those with politically liberal leanings, voters antagonistic views of women could be a liability to women  and an asset to men  running for office, the authors wrote.
The MRJ's delivery date has been postponed five times, most recently in January 2017 for design modifications that involve shifting some equipment and wiring. But a fresh design is within reach, and Mitsubishi Aircraft has resumed production of fittings for the plane, President Hisakazu Mizutani told The Nikkei in a recent interview.

Mizutani said after becoming president of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries unit in April that the design changes would conclude around autumn 2017. When speaking with The Nikkei, he denied that development had fallen behind schedule, saying that everything was going "nearly as planned."

The president also has spoken of possibly handing off the first MRJs at the end of 2019, but he insists that date "is ultimately an internal target." The company has promised clients an initial delivery date in mid-2020, and will keep its word, he said.

The MRJ needs to receive type certification by that time in order to fly commercially. Around 3,000 hours of flight testing are thought necessary to earn that stamp of approval. Mitsubishi Aircraft says the jet has racked up over 1,500 hours in test flights conducted in the U.S., and Mizutani said additional flights reflecting the design changes will occur in the second half of 2018. But according to Japan's transport ministry, the aircraft is not yet prepared to begin test flights for type certification or undergo review.

Mitsubishi Aircraft has roped in orders for 447 of the jets so far. But 40 of those came from American carrier Eastern Air Lines, which was purchased by rival Swift Air in 2017. Though the Japanese company "continues to negotiate" with Eastern over the MRJs, "it is possible they could cancel" the order for the 40 jets, Mizutani said. - Nikkei
Jerry W. Hoefer/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- David Koresh, leader of an apocalyptic religious sect, perished with about 80 followers when the compound they shared burned to the ground.



A Congressional investigation concluded that Koresh and his followers set the fire themselves as FBI tanks sought to end a 51-day standoff with the group using tear gas at the group's Mount Carmel Center near Waco, Texas compound on April 19, 1993. The tragedy came to be known as the Waco massacre.



Watch "Truth and Lies: Waco," the documentary event, on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.



Long before he became the prophet and leader of the Branch Davidians, Koresh was just a boy growing up in Texas. Born Vernon Howell to a teenage mother in 1959, Koresh claimed he had memorized both the New and Old Testaments of the Bible by the time he was 18 years old.



He claimed that when he was a child, God had spoken to him and said, Youre the chosen one. You are my messiah, journalist Mary Garafolo, who covered the events at Waco for the news program A Current Affair, told ABC News.



Former Davidian David Bunds said when he first met Koresh in the summer of 1981, he thought Koresh seemed lost.



He was kind of a drifter, Bunds told ABC News. He had a car that he was driving and he said the Lord gave it to him.



He was a very disheveled kind of guy, he continued. He was poor obviously. He didnt have a job, or at least a regular job.



By 1983, Koresh had joined a religious sect that called themselves the Brand Davidians (Branch Davidian) -- a splinter group of the Seventh Day Adventist Church -- founded by former Seventh Day Adventist Victor Houteff in 1934. Koresh fell under the tutelage of Lois Roden who took over leadership, along with her husband Benjamin Roden, from Houteff after his death in 1955.



One of the things about being a Branch-Davidian  was youre supposed to separate yourself from the world, Bunds said. The world is the sins, the flesh, the desires of the world, and youre supposed to be spiritual.



Former followers said the compound had no running water, heat or electricity and there was Bible study three times a day. Branch Davidian Clive Doyle said Koresh had been interested in music and Lois Roden encouraged him to continue sing and play guitar, which became part of the groups daily Bible study sessions.



He believed he was King David, Doyle told ABC News. He was using music to reach a lot of people. We're thinking maybe it's a stage name. But it was more than that.



By 1990, Vernon Howell changed his name to David Koresh. Two years later, he had taken over the group, encouraging the use of guns and preaching an ever increasing brand of apocalyptic prophecy. He believed that the group would someday be under attack by the U.S. government and began stockpiling guns and ammunition.



Former followers said Koresh truly believed he was on a mission from God and was the only one who could interpret the bible and its true meanings for the masses.



His message changed over the years because he was always looking for the next big thing to teach that would shock people into listening to him, Bunds said. It was important for David Koresh to isolate the group from the world because the world is an influence that is constantly pulling and distracting you from the message.



Former followers said women had to wear long blouses, and no make-up or jewelry could be worn. They said Koresh would tell them where to sleep and what food they could eat  sugar, processed flour and dairy products were forbidden.



He taught that we should not eat any dairy products, Bunds said. His reasoning was, well, dairy products are made from milk which is baby food. Milk is what you drink when youre a baby and were adults now.



Sheila Martin, who moved to the compound with her husband and their five children in 1988, said, It was fun as long as we were being obedient.



If we werent being obedient in the sense of like, [I] went to the store and bought something that, you know, it was being selfish, she continued. He always would let us know it wasnt right and we shouldve done [it] differently, and many times it was in front of everyone.



Former followers said discipline was constantly administered. Joann Vaega, who was 6 years old when she left the compound, said she remembers being hit regularly and as a kid, being disciplined was like a 24/7 thing.



Theres nothing that you could do right, is how I felt as a kid, that fear, that nothing you can do is going to be good enough, she said. Youre raised with just fear. Everywhere is fear.



Vaega said Koresh constantly told them the end of the world was coming, they were the chosen people to survive because David was the son of God. She said they were taught to prepare for war, and that the end times, as predicted in the Book of Revelation, were near.



Koresh had his own children too. Dana Okimoto, who gave birth to his son Sky Okimoto, told ABC News in a 2003 interview that children were kept in line by a wooden paddle and faced severe beatings for minor infractions like spilling a glass of milk. She said she remembered being so under Koresh's control that she beat Sky until he bled.



"If there was one thing I could take back, I would take back the spankings," Dana Okimoto said at the time. "I felt like the most evil person in the world to be beating my baby this way. But this was what God wanted and needed from me."



Former followers said Koresh would separate families from each other. Bruce Perry told ABC News that if Koresh thought a mother and a child had a tighter bond than between him and the child, then Koresh would tell the parent, You havent been disciplining them adequately so Im going to have this mother raise your kids.



Everyone as a community was taking care of kids, Vaega said. It wasnt your parent was your parent. Everyone was supposed to be a parent  anyone could spank anyone because everyone was the parent.



Doyle said Koresh asked his followers, including married couples, to embrace celibacy.



Then, Bunds said, Koresh claimed all marriages in the group were dissolved and that all of the women would be his wives if he wanted them, even though Koresh was legally married to one woman, Rachel Jones.



David Koreshs justification for taking all of the women for himself was theological  hes the one that had the power, hes the one that had the authority to give the seed, Bunds said, adding that if he had sex with a woman, Koresh would say she was in the House of David.



So yeah, being a member of the House of David was a privilege, he said.



Basically David would be having the children with some of the wives, added former follower David Thibodeau.



There were allegations from some of Koreshs former followers that it wasnt just the adult women he wanted, but he also pursued several of their daughters, some of whom were teens or even younger. Kiri Jewell, who told ABC News in a 2003 interview that her mother Sherri was one of Koreshs wives, said she herself became Koresh's youngest "bride" when she was just 10 years old, and later testified before Congress that Koresh molested her at a motel. By Jewells account, Koresh had as many as 20 wives by the time he died on April 19, 1993.



Its sick and its perverted and yeah, its one of the things about David Koresh that probably bothers me the most, Bunds said. My position now is that David Koresh was a pedophile [and] I wish I would have done something. I dont know what I would have done but I wish I had done something.



Looking back on his time inside Koreshs sect was emotional for Bunds, who said it was difficult at the time to fully understand what was going on around them.



Ill call it a cult, thats what it was ... its people doing things they wouldnt normally do, like giving up their wives and letting their children have sex with adults, which is crazy, but thats what you do when youre in a cult, he said. Someone says they have authority and then impose upon your rules and restrictions and expectations and it gets down into your soul, it really screws you.



Watch "Truth and Lies: Waco," the documentary event, on Thursday, Jan. 4 at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Last year, around Mobile World Congress (News - Alert) time, Nokia unleashed a blast from the past with the reintroduction of the 3310 series  the cute and colorful line of phones that enabled it to catapult into a cell phone leader years earlier. As we wait for the next big event in Barcelona, rumor has it that Nokia (News - Alert) is readying to release a new generation version of the 3310 in the next month or so.

The 3310 devices out now have a battery that lasts for a whole month, a two-megapixel camera, and a 2.4-inch screen. And the next-generation version, reports indicate, will support 4G connectivity, feature a faster chip, have enhanced storage (256MB of RAM (News - Alert) and 512MB of memory storage), and be powered by a 1.5GHz dual-core processor.

Surprisingly, the phone is also sporting a 2.4-inch TFT, which is a non-touch display with a screen resolution of 240240 pixels, Mobile Dekho reported today. The battery is going to be the same as the original one  1200mAh battery.

Last spring, Finnish company HMD revealed it had licensed the Nokia brand and would be selling the Nokia 3, Nokia 5, Nokia 6, and Nokia 3310 phones in India. The country is the worlds second largest mobile market.

Various Nokia mobile phones are also sold in China.

As you may recall, last years Mobile World Congress saw several important suppliers introduce new mobile phones and related devices such as smartwatches.

For example, the Consumer Business Group of telecommunications powerhouse Huawei (News - Alert) launched the P10 and P10 Plus smartphones, along with a couple of smartwatches. These cell phones drew attention in particular for their built-in Leica cameras. The P10 includes the Leica Dual-Camera 2.0, and the P10 Plus features the Leica Dual-Camera 2.0 Pro.

LG was also at last years event with its G6 smartphone. This smartphone presents content across the entire face of its 5.7-inch screen. And Lenovo (News - Alert) Group came out with the Moto G5 and Moto G5 Plus models.

Edited by Mandi Nowitz
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP)  The Nebraska Supreme Court has ruled that a Guatemalan mother who fled her home country and Nebraska to escape abusive men can keep her children.
Algeria has announced its plan to increase its car production capacity to 260,000 by 2018, a goal that remains hard to attain in light of the absence of a clear-cut strategy.

The development of the car industry sector in Algeria was an attempt to reduce the countrys soaring import bill. Algeria imported 605,000 cars in 2012 for $7.3 billion. Yet, as the financial crisis bites in a country hard hit by oil price slump, authorities set up quotas for car importers leading to a drop in imports. Only 98,000 cars were imported in 2016 for a total cost of $1 billion.

The figures are but the tree that hides the forest. When considering that Algerias aim to develop a local car industry has turned into disguised imports. The car assembly plants in Algeria have a low local sourcing rates with most parts imported from abroad as semi-knocked down kits, thus further aggravating the countrys import bill with only tires being made in Algeria. Locally produced parts made up in 2016, only 10 to 15% of cars made in Algeria.

This made the price of cars made in Algeria much higher than new imported cars. The Renault Symbol made in Algeria costs some 200,000 dinars (1,600) more than its imported counterpart, the Dacia Logan. The price of Hyundai i10 made in Algeria is also 2,000 more expensive than the price of the same small car in France.

Cars produced in Algeria in 2017 did not exceed 100,000 vehicles putting the country in the third place in the continent behind South Africa and Morocco, where Renault alone has produced 375,000 cars with a locally sourcing rate expected to hit 80% by 2020.

The perception of Algerias unfriendliness towards foreign investors is worsened by recent investment reforms that left unchanged a rule requiring 51% of national ownership of any project.

The 51/49 rule provides that at least 51% of the shares of Algeria-based companies must be owned by Algerian nationals residing in Algeria or by companies, which are wholly owned by Algerian resident shareholders.

The archaic banking system has also been pushing investors away. Algerias banks remain state-dominated and highly corrupt thus thwarting foreign direct investments.
A Partnership of Hope was the wording used by the Times of India to describe the ever-growing ties between Morocco and India.

In an article published on the website of the Indian paper, Rudroneel Ghosh reflected on the significance of the cooperation agreements signed by the two countries in December in fields including healthcare, Road engineering construction and maintenance, water resources and ports.

He also pointed out to the construction by Moroccos phosphates company (OCP) of a $230 million plant in Andhra Pradesh as a sign of growing convergence between India and Morocco.

The attendance of King Mohammed VI at the India-Africa Forum Summit in 2015 was also reflective of ever-stronger relations between the two countries, he said.

The journalist reiterated what has been said in Indian papers regarding Moroccos return to the African Union, which qualifies the North African Kingdom to play the role of a bridge between India and Africa in general and French speaking Africa in particular.

With its durable infrastructure, world-class ports and strong economic foundations, Morocco stands as the perfect launchpad for Indian investments into Europe and North Africa, he added.
Morocco will bolster the defense capabilities of its F16 fighter jets with the acquisition of advanced medium range air-to-air AMRAAM missiles, the Pentagon said in a press release.

A contract has been signed between Moroccos air force and the US defense contractor, Raytheon, providing for the acquisition of the air-to-air missiles as well as for technical support including special tooling, test equipment, spares and telemetry kits, said the Pentagon press release.

The Pentagon added that Morocco, Norway, Japan, Korea, Australia, the United Kingdom, Poland, Indonesia, Romania, Spain, Turkey and Qatar, under a $25.7 million contract modification, will receive special tooling and test equipment, with work on that contract expected to be completed by December 2020.

The AMRAAM is preferred over other types of similar armament due to the operational flexibility in a wide variety of combat scenarios, including air-to-air and ground-to-air engagement.

In January 2017, The Royal Moroccan Air Force announced a $91 million deal to upgrade the F16 fleet with electronic warfare systems supplied by Harris Corporation.

In December 2009, Morocco placed a $841.9 million contract with Lockheed Martins Aeronautics to purchase 18 single-seat F-16Cs and six two-seat F-16Ds, as part of a program to upgrade its armed forces.

Moroccos F-16s are equipped with a variety of extra equipment, including Lockheed Martin Sniper targeting pods, Goodrich DB-110 airborne reconnaissance pods and Raytheons Advanced Countermeasures Electronic System (ACES).

Armament includes AIM-9X Block II Sidewinders with lock on after launch capability, AGM-65D Maverick air-to-surface missiles and Enhanced GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bomb kits.

The Moroccan Air Force are deployed in the Bengrir air base near Marrakech.

The delivery of these fighter jets places Morocco among an elite group of air forces that operate the advanced multirole F-16 aircraft.
President Trump. Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

The sheer quantity of deranged statements contained in Donald Trumps interview last week with Michael Schmidt meant that none of them fully registered in the fashion they might have if they had arrived one by one. But one particularly illuminative Trumpian riff merits special attention. The president explained his belief that the Department of Justice on principle ought to cover up crimes by the president and his administration.

Here, Trump explains his view of how Eric Holder, the former attorney general, behaved in office:

Holder protected President Obama. Totally protected him. When you look at the I.R.S. scandal, when you look at the guns for whatever, when you look at all of the tremendous, ah, real problems they had, not made-up problems like Russian collusion, these were real problems. When you look at the things that they did, and Holder protected the president. And I have great respect for that, Ill be honest, I have great respect for that.

Trump is referring here to a pair of Obama-era pseudo-scandals that have survived in the conservative fever swamp. It is not surprising that Trump, an avid consumer of right-wing media, believes Obamas IRS targeted conservatives (it didnt) or that the president had some role in the Fast and Furious operation (he didnt). Nor is it surprising that Trump believes that a DOJ cover-up enabled Obama to survive these pseudo-scandals. Whats striking here is that Trump is actually endorsing the imagined cover-up.

Donald Trump Is His Own Worst Enemy

In the past, Trumps beliefs about the powers of the Department of Justice have been closely intertwined with his position on his innocence in the investigation at hand: Investigators should leave him alone, or be fired, because the Russia scandal is phony. But here he has detached his belief in his total command over the powers of law enforcement from any claim of innocence. He now says the Department of Justice should protect the president even if the president has committed what Trump himself considers to be serious crimes. There is no plausible defense of this principle of Executive power that is consistent with democratic government. A president who can control law enforcement to the point of absolving himself and his allies of any crimes  or directing prosecutions of his political enemies, as Trump has also repeatedly urged  is authoritarian almost by definition. The only serious question is whether Trump claims the powers he so obviously covets.

The year 2018 begins much as 2017 did, with advocates of American democracy holding their breath to see whether it can withstand the assaults of an autocrat in the Oval Office. In 2017, the restraints mostly held. Taking stock of these developments, Benjamin Wittes expresses some (extremely provisional) relief that the president has failed to carry out his threats to undermine the rule of law. Trump simply cannot look back on the last year and be satisfied with the success of his war on the Deep State. The Wall Street Journal editorial page, meanwhile, mocks democracy advocates and their hand-wringing. As Donald Trump heads into his second year as President, were pleased to report that there hasnt been a fascist coup in Washington. This must be terribly disappointing to the progressive elites who a year ago predicted an authoritarian America because Mr. Trump posed a unique threat to democratic norms, taunts the editorial page that has run interference for the presidents assaults on the rule of law.

Harvard professors of government Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt have written a more foreboding analysis. Their forthcoming book, How Democracies Die, studies the modern history of apparently healthy democracies that have slid into autocracy. It is hard to read this fine book without coming away terribly concerned about the possibility Trump might inflict a mortal wound on the health of the republic.

Levitsky and Ziblatt dismiss several popular myths that may serve as comfort. Authoritarian presidents do not always or even usually act immediately  they often take few steps against their opponents in their first year in office. Authoritarianism does not usually take the form of a sudden, dramatic coup, but instead the slow strangling of institutional restraints by the ruling party. It is more of an outgrowth of partisan politics than a sudden departure  partisanship taken to newer heights.

In their historic study, the most important variable in the survival or failure of a democracy is the willingness of a would-be authoritarians governing partners to break with him and join the opposition. In countries that have successfully staved off authoritarianism, parties that hold the balance of power, usually those in the center-right, instead join with the opposition. They act out of the belief that any policy gains they might wrest from an ideologically friendly authoritarian are not worth the long-term threat to their countrys democracy.

Some Republicans have shown signs of this sort of commitment to democracy. A handful of Senate Republicans have warned Trump not to fire Robert Mueller. Senator Charles Grassley, chairman of the Judiciary committee, publicly signaled his reluctance to confirm a successor for Attorney General Jeff Sessions should Trump fire him. On the whole, however, the party has made the opposite decision, to attach themselves to Trump. Levitsky and Ziblatt borrow the term ideological collusion from the sociologist Ivan Ermakoff to describe this calculation that the authoritarians agenda overlaps sufficiently with that of mainstream politicians that abdication is desirable, or at least preferable to the alternatives.

Levitsky and Ziblatt note that, while many Republicans abstained from endorsing Trump in 2016, only a single elected Republican official actually endorsed Hillary Clinton. (That was New York congressman Richard Hanna, who  like most openly anti-Trump Republicans  was retiring.) The party has used its control of Congress to quash the oversight function that is more necessary now than it has been in decades. While Trump has continued to operate his business and use his power to fatten his bottom line  including by obtaining policy concessions from foreign governments  Congress has held no hearings into his open corruption. Even the modest step of disclosing Trumps income, so the public can have knowledge about who might be bribing the president, is too much; House leaders have blocked repeated proposals by Democrats to compel release of Trumps tax returns.

Congress has instead used its oversight capacity to oversee the law enforcement officials who are investigating Trumps connections to Russia. The House is running a counter-investigation into alleged liberal bias at the FBI, a theme that has blossomed into an obsession in the conservative media. The entire premise is utterly comic, of course. The FBI is an agency that has long attracted disproportionately white, male, and politically conservative talent. During the presidential campaign, the FBI publicized its active investigation into Hillary Clintons use of a private email server (which produced no charges) while concealing its investigation into Trumps connections with Russia (which has already produced multiple indictments). The discrepancy produced a wide impression that Clinton had engaged in serious criminality and Trump had not, an impression Trump skillfully exploited, when the reverse was true.

The spurious charge that the FBI was motivated by pro-Clinton bias has become a pretext for a political purge to advance Trumps goals of transforming the agency into a political weapon at his disposal. To say this is not to make an accusation against the president but simply to describe the views he has made perfectly clear. I have absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department, he told the Times. But for purposes of hopefully thinking Im going to be treated fairly, Ive stayed uninvolved with this particular matter. He likewise implores the Department of Justice to imprison political antagonists who have committed no crimes.

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

Next year will bring full Trump, said one person who recently talked to the president, Mike Allen reported over the holiday week. Allens reporting focused more on Trumps nativist instincts, which his conventionally right-wing governing partners have largely deflected until now. The point is that Trump does not surrender his obsessions or impulses. He can be delayed and distracted, but he keeps returning to his essential identity. At his core, Trump is a man who expects the federal government to serve him personally exactly like the Trump Organization does. He either despises the very notion of popular sovereignty  and its premise that the state serves the people and not the personal whims of their executive  or simply fails to understand it. It is simplistic to expect boots marching in the streets, but there will be a battle for democracy.
Theyre both so problematic! Photo: Chris Kleponis-Pool/Getty Images

Republicans just passed their tax plan, President Trump increased fees on Mar-a-Lagos New Years revelers, and Anthony Scaramucci confirmed he isnt making a return to the White House  so why isnt the mood upbeat in the Trump administration? According to Politico, many top aides are anxious about whats ahead in 2018, and not just the looming Russia probe and possible Democratic wave in the midterms. While Republicans were able to come together to give wealthy people and corporations a tax break, theyre sharply divided on what their next legislative priority should be:

Behind the scenes, White House aides and Trumps outside advisers are engaged in a fierce debate over the shape of next years agenda. At issue: whether to appeal to traditional conservative voters by tackling welfare reform or instead push forward on the presidents long-promised infrastructure plan, which could attract Democratic support and win over a broader slice of the electorate.

It appears Trump is torn as well:

Trump met before Christmas in the Oval Office with his former campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, his former director of digital media, Brad Parscale, presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway and others about the merits of each option, according to people familiar with the discussion.

The president has privately told top aides at various points that he is eager to pursue both infrastructure and welfare reform. But Trumps top policy adviser on the subject, Paul Winfree, recently left the White House to return to the Heritage Foundation, and the president has more recently signaled that he believes infrastructure has the best chance of winning bipartisan support and buoying Republicans in the fall.

The question isnt actually as complicated as it seems, since theres little chance that major legislation on either of these issues will wind up on Trumps desk in 2018.

The president indicated early last month that welfare reform would be next on the agenda.

One thing were going to be looking at very strongly is welfare reform. Thats becoming a very, very big subject, he said during a Cabinet meeting. And people are taking advantage of the system, and then other people arent receiving what they really need to live, and we think its very unfair to them.

Politico reported around that time that the White House was preparing a sweeping executive order that would mandate a top-to-bottom review of the federal programs on which millions of poor Americans rely. The Trump administration can certainly make unilateral shifts to make it more difficult for the poor to receive government benefits  like encouraging states to drug test food-stamp recipients and impose stricter work requirements for those on Medicaid. However, that effort can only go so far without help from Congress.

House Speaker Paul Ryan appears dead-set on tackling welfare reform in 2018, and focusing Republican voters anger on indigent people ostensibly leeching off the government could be smart politically. But Mitch McConnell already said it isnt happening. The Senate majority leader  who will be down to only 51 GOP votes when Alabama Democrat Doug Jones is sworn in this week  said in an interview last month that he would not expect to see welfare reform in 2018.

We have to have Democratic involvement. So things like infrastructure  to do something in that area were going to have to have Democratic participation, McConnell said.

Theoretically, both Democrats and Republicans want to repair the nations crumbling infrastructure. A year ago, there was even talk of Democrats working with Trump on infrastructure, but now they have no interest in handing him a big, bipartisan legislative win ahead of the midterms. Even if it werent an election year, theres little chance Democrats would get behind the infrastructure plan Trump is always said to be on the cusp of unveiling.

During the campaign, Trump promised a $1 trillion package to rebuild the nations roads, tunnels, and bridges. The bill was supposed to go before Congress within Trumps first 100 days in office, but all we got was a six-page fact sheet tucked into his 2018 budget proposal in May. The next month, infrastructure week was derailed by former FBI director James Comeys testimony before Congress. The nascent Presidential Advisory Council on Infrastructure was disbanded in August amid the Charlottesville controversy.

Supposedly, Trump is finalizing a 70-page infrastructure proposal that will be unveiled in mid-January (though its just a building block for lawmakers to write the actual bill). If the details that have leaked so far are accurate, Democrats have even less reason to support the plan. Trump policy adviser D.J. Gribbin described it as an incentive program that would provide $200 billion in federal seed money in the hopes of spurring $800 billion in spending from state and local governments, and private-public partnerships. Its unclear where the $200 billion will come from, but cuts to social spending are a good bet. (The Democrats competing $1 trillion infrastructure proposal involves direct federal spending.) The Trump administration is also said to be considering increasing the federal gasoline tax for the first time in 20 years, though many Republicans and conservative groups oppose that.

Another problem: Trumps reported plan involves states coming up with new funding just as their budgets are taking a hit from the GOP tax reform package, and homeowners are grousing about not being able to deduct state and local taxes.

Trump, McConnell, and Ryan are set to huddle at Camp David next weekend to work out their legislative priorities. Whether Trump opts to focus on welfare reform or infrastructure, the reality is that Congress will likely spend the next few weeks focusing on time-sensitive issues, like avoiding a government shutdown on January 19 and deciding the fate of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

After that, its unlikely that Republican lawmakers will want to join Trump in his ill-fated push to either crack down on welfare recipients or offer states an infrastructure plan that they cant afford  especially because both pair nicely with the Democrats likely message for 2018: Trump has a been president for a year, and all we got were these lousy tax benefits for rich people and corporations.
Trumps renewed demands for a border wall in exchange for Dreamer protections are helping complicate spending negotiations. Photo: Guillermo Arias/AFP/Getty Images

Dating back to the eve of a new fiscal year in September, Congress has passed three short-term stopgap spending bills, one in September, one in early December, and the latest just before Christmas. These earlier bills were mostly of a kick-the-can-down-the-road variety, dealing with controversial side issues temporarily, if at all. So now, when the supposedly final stopgap bill expires on January 19, all the chickens are coming home to roost. You can thus expect some nastiness to emerge when congressional leaders from both parties meet with Trumps budget and legislative affairs directors this week.

A spending deal is not an optional agenda item like so many issues that are swirling around Washington (e.g., welfare or entitlement reform or an infrastructure package). Without the appropriations a deal makes possible, the federal government would have to shut down, and further delays without at least an agreement on spending levels (probably one that matches defense-spending increases conservatives want with comparable non-defense spending increases liberals want) probably wont happen. There are also two red-hot non-appropriations issues with natural deadlines that make additional stopgap bills difficult: the need for a debt limit increase at some point relatively early in 2018, and the expiration of DACA protections for Dreamers in March as provided for in Trumps September executive order ending Obamas initiative that gave nearly a million young unauthorized immigrants a work permit and safety against deportation.

This latter issue is probably the most likely to snarl spending negotiations and raise the risk of a January government shutdown. Democrats have vowed not to provide votes for any spending deal unless some renewal of DACA is accomplished  either as part of the deal or on a separate track. House Democrats were willing to go to the mats on behalf of DACA in December, while Senate Democrats argued a stopgap bill was not the proper leverage point. The time for delay on this issue may have now ended, at least according to immigrant advocates:

They told us Dec. 8, then Dec. 22, and now they tell us to wait until January, Paul Quinonez, a DACA recipient from Seattle with Washington Dream Coalition and United We Dream, told me in the Capitol on Monday.

Democratic leaders insist they have a strategy to pass a DACA fix in January.

The general lines of an achievable DACA deal have been clear for months: renewed protections for Dreamers in exchange for more money for border control. But every time a deal seems near, Trump demands border-wall funding, which is a classic nonstarter for Democrats.

Look, I wouldnt do a DACA plan without a wall. Because we need it, Trump told the New York Times, repeating a position he had taken on Twitter. We see the drugs pouring into the country, we need the wall.

Trump is also intermittently demanding restrictive changes in the laws governing legal immigration, particularly an end to family-unification policies and visa lotteries, reportedly at the bidding of presidential adviser Stephen Miller, who may well be determined to sabotage any DACA deal that involves amnesty, or a path to citizenship for Dreamers.

If this pattern of behavior from the White House continues, Democrats may find it politically impossible to delay a showdown any further, and may take any spending deal hostage to DACA relief.

If the impasse over immigration policy is the most immediate problem in the spending negotiations, its not the only one. The December stopgap bill provided temporary money for the Childrens Health Insurance Program, but not a full years appropriations; conservatives are still determined to secure spending offsets for CHIP dollars. The bill also did not include House-passed emergency relief money for hurricane and wildfire recovery, thanks to objections from Senate Democrats that it was insufficient. And no progress was made in December on the Obamacare stabilization measures that a majority of senators support, and that both the president and Mitch McConnell promised Susan Collins in exchange for her vote in favor of the GOP tax bill. With the Republican majority in the Senate now down to 5149 after Doug Joness election, further alienating Collins could be a bad idea.

As always, spending negotiations could attract additional hostage-takers from either or both parties who are willing to trigger a government shutdown by denying their votes to a spending bill over various demands, from abortion funding restrictions on the right to opioid research and treatment dollars on the left. And the unstable leadership from the White House wont help.

Perhaps Congress will execute one more stopgap spending bill. But sooner rather than later, all the contentious issues preventing a year-long appropriations measure will have to be resolved one way or another, with or without a government shutdown. Its precisely the kind of thing members of Congress would like to avoid in an election year.
Happy 2018 

This weekend, Chrissy Teigen and her husband John Legend got embroiled in a hot mess of conspiracy theories, (completely unfounded) pedophilia allegations, and general internet insanity. If you missed out on the craziness because you were, you know, actually spending time offline with your loved ones this New Years, heres an in-depth explainer:

It all began the week prior, when Teigen started livetweeting her experience on the Hell Plane known as All Nippon Airways Flight NH175. Basically, she was on an eight-hour flight to Tokyo that had to turn around and return to LAX four hours in after the airline reportedly discovered that one of the passengers was on the wrong flight. Teigens tweets on the whole affair quickly went viral (as most things she posts about do), which attracted the attention of some of the internets seedier players. Specifically, the alt-right conspiracy-theorist crowd.

This in itself is nothing new. If you check the mentions of any celebrity youll see insanity and vulgarity abound. Thats just how the internet is. However, what made this incident different was that Teigen called them out:

Hands down my favorite takes of the night. Not just 2 people wanting to go to tokyo for new years eve and sushi nope pic.twitter.com/axMO0bwdqf  christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) December 27, 2017

This is, unfortunately, what transformed Teigen (and subsequently, her family) from just another celebrity online into the perfect target for the ire of the alt-right. Nothing motivates the most disturbed parts of the internet like attention, and Teigens tweet provided a larger spotlight than any member of this community had ever seen before (and would likely ever see again).

The effort to capitalize on this moment was spearheaded by none other than Liz Crokin, a so-called citizen journalist, popular among the craziest sects of alt-right Twitter and YouTube. Saturday evening, Crokin tweeted out multiple photos of Teigens 1-year-old daughter (which shed lifted from Teigens Instagram and Snapchat) to her 50,000 followers with the caption Chrissy Teigens daughter dressed as a hotdog, Alice in Wonderland & a pineapple but note [pizza] emoji! #followthewhiterabbit #Qanon #TheStorm. In the replies, her followers quickly jumped on Teigens use of a pizza emoji as definitive proof that Teigen was involved in a (completely made up) child sex/abuse ring they believe includes all members of Hollywood and basically the entirety of the Democratic party.

This quickly caught the eye of Teigen herself, and later her husband, John Legend, who rightly felt beyond uncomfortable over this clear violation of their familys privacy, not to mention the completely unfounded allegations tying them to the debunked Pizzagate conspiracy theory. Alright. I debated saying something about this but Im pretty disturbed over here. Teigen said in a tweet. The fact that there are people with these  thoughts  is really scary. [A]pparently dressing my daughter as Alice in Wonderland and a hot dog and having a pizza emoji on Snapchat has to do with pizzagate and being uhhhh darksided 

The matter quickly devolved into an aggressively public argument between the two. (Though, the word argument may lend too much credit to Crokin, who merely tweeted baseless conspiratorial accusations, while Teigen responded like a reasonable adult whos spent the last year living in reality.) And though Teigens husband even got involved, and Twitter eventually took away Crokins verification badge, the whole thing never exactly seemed resolved. It merely ended because Teigen stopped responding, and set her Twitter account to private.

In the aftermath of this, many outlets have attributed Crokins obsession with Teigen and her family to the Pizzagate conspiracy. However, thats just the tip of the iceberg. Crokin and her ilk are firm believers in the new, absolutely ridiculous conspiracy thats been sweeping the grimiest parts of the internet as of late: the Storm.

The Storm conspiracy is sort of like Pizzagate, but worse in basically every way imaginable. Believers think that a high-level government official has been communicating top-secret information about the Trump administration to them through 4chan, the wholly anonymous anything-goes website where neo-Nazis and misogynists gather and talk about crazy stuff like eating raw onions to increase their sperm count. They call this mysterious government official QAnon (hence the hashtags) because the poster has promised them he totally, definitely has Q-level security clearance (never mind the fact that thats a Department of Energy term  ), and thus they believe hes telling them super-classified stuff.

Related Stories The Storm Is the New Pizzagate  Only Worse

As for the message itself, welp, its a doozy to say the least. According to Q, Mueller & Co.s investigation into Donald Trump is just a cover-up, and theyre really investigating Clinton and Obama, who  in addition to being in cahoots with Russia, Saudi Arabia, and, of course, ISIS  are also the satanic leaders of a global child-sex-trafficking cabal while simultaneously feasting upon human adrenal glands in order to increase their power. Unfortunately, this explanation only scratches the surface of the craziness contained within the conspiracy as a whole, but its enough to begin to understand how Crokin and her followers could get deluded enough to drag Teigen into all of this.

In the minds of believers like Crokin, all of Hollywood and the so-called political elite are corrupted beyond return. They often speak of a true evil thats been let loose in the world, and insist its up to them and them alone to stop it. In this fantasy world, they dont have to confront the fact that they probably made a poor choice when voting for our nations next president, nor are they faced with the reality of the depressing daily-news cycle. Believing in the Storm conspiracy gives them illusions of grandeur. Lifts them out of their humdrum, depressing lives and transports them smack dab in the middle of a spy novel featuring them as a principle player.

And as insane as this all sounds, its beyond popular. YouTube videos about QAnon and the Storm garner hundreds of thousands of views mere hours after being uploaded. Subreddits dedicated to parsing Qs messages have sprung up and gained a surprisingly steady following. Just checking the dedicated hashtags for the conspiracy is a depressing act. Moments like these, with Teigen, bring the full brunt of their insanity to the surface for a brief moment, yet theres nothing random or sporadic about these outbursts. They arent just the actions of one crazy person with a surprising amount of followers on Twitter, theyre symptoms of a much larger, possibly untreatable, disease  one that seems to just be getting started.
When government introduced Universal Primary Education (UPE) in 1997, the intention was to offer free primary school education for four children per family.

Enrolment in UPE schools grew from 3.1 million pupils to the current 8.6 million, according to the ministry of Education and Sports factsheet 2002-2016.

Under the programme, government introduced the capitation grant, which is seed money schools use to buy books, writing tools and chalk. The schools receive Shs 10,000 for each pupil, disbursed three times a year.

The Local Government Management and Service Delivery operational manual of 2009 spells out the minimum standards for schools. Among them is for one teacher to teach 53 pupils; 55 pupils to study in one classroom; one desk for three pupils and a latrine stance for 40 pupils.

A crowded class of pupils at Dokolo primary school

Twenty years later, many schools are struggling to meet the set standards in the face of financial constraints and the high enrolment numbers.



DOKOLO STRUGGLES

Dokolo district in Lango sub-region has terribly fallen short, according to the June 30, 2016 auditor generals report. Schools there have inadequate infrastructure, which dont meet standards.

Out of the 60 UPE primary schools in the district, 17 dont meet standards. They include Kachung, Hassa Memorial, Akwanga, Angwenya, Adeknino, Atabu, Apye, Agwata and Atur. Others are Alwitmac, Akolodong, Ageni, Apewotneki, Amunamun, Awiri, Dokolo and Angwecibange.

Failure to meet the ministry minimum basic standards may affect the overall academic performance of the schools I advised the accounting officer to engage the ministry of education and ensure that funds are provided, wrote John Muwanga, the auditor general, in his report.

The Observer visited Dokolo primary school. At this school, whose enrolment stood at 1,012 pupils during the reports preparation, the teacher-pupil ratio was 1:53; classroom-pupil ratio at 1:84. The school adhered to the desk-pupil ratio of 1:3 and the latrine stance-pupil ratio stood at 1:36 compared to the required 1:40.

Deputy head teacher Kizito Opio Agetta said things have deteriorated further since the AGs findings were released. The pupil population has grown to 1,206. Compared to the upper primary classes, which have two streams (P3, P4, P5 and P7), the lower classes of P1, P2 and P6 were merged into one stream due to shortage of teachers.

The 15 teachers employed translate into one teacher for 80 pupils. The lower classes have one teacher each teaching large classes as indicated: P1 has 181 pupils while P2 has 152 pupils. The P6 class has 118 pupils, twice the recommended enrolment.

We have few teachers in the school, prompting us to merge some of the classes. You will find that someone teaches both lower and upper level classes. If you look at the enrolment, you find that especially P3 to P7, the class is more than the expected ratio but our hands are tied, Agetta explains.

This situation is no different at Angwecibange primary school, two kilometres away. In the AGs report, the school also never met the minimum standards. With a population of 1,457 pupils, the teacher-pupil ratio stood at 1:69; classroom-pupil ratio at 1:121 and desk-pupil ratio at 1:8. The student population has since grown to 1,581.

The deputy head teacher, Charles Alal Ayo, has a chart in his office, detailing the current state of affairs. There are 23 teachers, averaging one teacher for 68 pupils. Each of the 12 classrooms averages 132 pupils.

This poor classroom-pupil ratio is one big challenge. Ayo cited the P5 class, which accommodates 318 pupils in two streams. When The Observer visited, the P4 and P5 classes were packed, in some cases six pupils shared one desk.

If only we could divide the P5 class into three streams, it would reduce the numbers in each classroom. However, even if we do this, we would still not meet the required ratio of one teacher to 53 pupils, he laments.

Luckily, in September this year, Child Fund, a child rights NGO, built a two-classroom block to help decongest classrooms. For both Dokolo and Angwecibange, the only standard the school meets is the 1:40 toilet stance per pupil ratio. While Dokolos stands at 1:36, Angwecibanges stands at 1:36.



RECRUITMENT BAN

Dokolo District Education Officer David Eryatu says the government ban on teacher recruitment, which was lifted recently, affected efforts to bring in more staff.

Alfred Okino told The Observer that as an English teacher, teaching both lower and upper primary, he is overwhelmed. It gets worse during the assessment and examination period.

Marking their work is very tedious. It is very hectic when the books are many; so, you end up failing to follow the syllabus Okino says.

Both schools have asked for an increase in capitation grant. In the 2017/18 budget, Dokolo received Shs 10 million for the three terms. This translates to Shs 6,633 per child for the year.

Angwecibange, on the other hand, received Shs 11.3 million, which is Shs 7,162 per pupil. Ayo and Agetta believe that more money could go to a special fund for hiring teachers and classroom construction.

Eryatu admits that funding has greatly reduced. Dokolo used to receive Shs 800 million each year to build infrastructure. He reveals that over half has been reallocated to livelihood programmes in sub-counties, yet over 5,000 pupils enroll in UPE schools annually.

Now we get Shs 300m and it can just build two classroom blocks yet we have 60 schools in the whole district. We are doing only three drainable latrines in a year; so, it will take us 20 years to build a pit latrine in every school at the rate of three per year, Eryatu says.

The district also needs 350 teachers. Rebecca Mwima, the acting deputy chief administrative officer, says the shortage of teachers reflects in the poor performance of pupils.

Consequently, the schools are planning a new initiative, recruiting parent-teachers. These are retired as teachers who will be paid between Shs 100,000 and Shs 120,000 through the parents and teachers associations (PTAs).



editorial@observer.ug

This feature was compiled with support from the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA)
President Yoweri Museveni has at last appended his signature to the Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 2 2017, commonly known as the 'Age Limit' bill.



Don Wanyama, senior presidential press secretary says the president wrote to the speaker of parliament through the clerk.



"We have not yet received official communication as the communications department, but he has assented to the bill," Wanyama told URN.



Parliament's director of communications Chris Obore says the president signed the bill on December 27, just seven days after it was passed by the 10th parliament on the night of December 20.

Now with Museveni's signature, the Constitution has been effectively amended to remove the presidential age limit caps. Before the amendment, article 102 (b) barred people above 75 and those below 35 years from running for the highest office. The current age limit bill also extends the term of office of parliament from the current five years to seven years.



The bill, however, restores presidential term limits which had been removed in a 2005 constitutional amendment that paved the way for President Museveni, in power since 1986, to contest again after his two five-year terms had expired.

During their Christmas messages, many religious leaders openly opposed to the bill asked President Museveni not to sign the now controversial piece of legislation into law. Its passing on December 20 came at the head of episodes of violence in and outside parliament as security forces roughed up those opposed to the bill, including Members of Parliament.



On September 27, the day Igara West MP Raphael Magyezi tabled the motion seeking leave of parliament to draft the bill, 25 MPs were forcefully evicted from the parliamentary chambers shortly after the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga suspended them over rowdy conduct.



At its second reading on December 20, a total of 317 members of parliament voted in support of the bill, while 97 voted against. Two legislators abstained. After long hours of deliberations, as parliament considered the bill clause by clause, Speaker Kadaga put it to vote again, with 315 voting in favour and 62 against and two abstaining.



In his end of year speech, President Yoweri Museveni praised the 317 MPs who voted in favour of the bill saying they enabled him "to avoid a more complicated path that would have been required." He likened them to his bush war fighters that helped bring him to power 31 years ago and the 232 MPs of the 7th parliament who removed presidential term limits in 2005.



To the religious leaders, the president accused them of being so full of arrogance by meddling into everything including politics, forcing Dr Cyprian Kizito Lwanga the Archbishop of Kampala to respond in his New Year 's Day homily that religious leaders have a right to comment on politics.

Museveni in his New Year message lashed at religious leaders saying they 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," said the president.



But Archbishop 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." He said the "life of our nation" is not a responsibility of a certain group of few individuals alone."



Before making abusive utterances against religious leaders and journalists, said Dr Kizito Lwanga, politicians should first read and understand the Constitution and appreciate that it is for all Ugandans.
Donald Trumps threatening tweet

02 January, 2018

By Asif Haroon Raja

Pakistan was made an ally by USA in September 2001 to fight its war on terror as a frontline State but was treacherously subjected to biggest ever covert war to destabilize, de-Islamize and denuclearize it. For the success of covert operations launched by RAW-NDS combine backed by CIA, MI-6, Mossad and BND from Afghan and Iran soils in FATA and Baluchistan from 2003 onwards, Pakistan was subjected to a willful propaganda campaign to demonize and discredit it by painting it as a the most dangerous country of the world. It was subjected to a barrage of unsubstantiated accusations that it was in collusion with terrorist groups. It was also alleged that Pakistans nuclear program was unsafe and might fall into wrong hands. Allegations and denunciations were made by Bush regime as well as Obama regime and Pakistan was constantly asked to do more. Policy of Do More was a clever ploy to bleed Pakistan as well as to tarnish its image and thus weaken it from within.



The latest narrative framed against Pakistan by Donald Trump regime is that it is continuing to provide safe havens to Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network and is chiefly responsible for the instability in Afghanistan. It ignored Pakistans colossal sacrifices and brilliant successes achieved against the foreign funded and equipped terrorists. On August 22, 2017, Trump subjected Pakistan to severest denunciation and threats while pronouncing his Afghanistan policy. He reiterated his stance while elucidating his national security policy last month. Trump, Secretary Defence Rex Tillerson and Vice President Mike Pence have rejected Pakistans explanations and hurled threats of aid cut, sanctions and losing territory if it fails to abide by the US dictates. The old allegation that Pakistans nuclear assets are unsafe has again been repeated and Pakistan put on notice. In other words, a clear cut narrative has been framed to validate punitive action against Pakistan. Threat of unilateral action has been sounded by USA to force Pakistan to fight its war and help the US in converting its defeat into victory.



On January 1, Trump gave a New Year gift by tweeting: 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. They give safe havens to terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more.



Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif, in response to Donald Trumps tweet said that Pakistan was not worried as it had already refused to do more for the US. We have already told the US that we will not do more, so Trumps no more does not hold any importance,. Pakistan is ready to publicly provide every detail of the US aid that it has received. Asif tweeted. Will let the world know the truth.difference between facts & fiction. He added that any drone attacking Pakistans urban centres will be shot down.



Pakistan Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador David Hale and lodged its protest against US President Donald Trumps tweet wherein he accused Pakistan of lies and deceit and used undiplomatic threatening language against an ally.



Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has summoned a meeting of the National Security Committee on 3rd January. He will chair the huddle to discuss the future course of action following the US Presidents scathing statement against Pakistan.



None appreciated Trumps weird tweet inside and outside USA except for India, which is rejoicing and is terming Trump as the best President the US has had since ages. I was asked for comments by IndiaTimesNow but got thoroughly disappointed by my curt reply that, Pakistan is quite used to ups and downs in its relationship with USA, but mercifully it has got out of the US magic spell, and it no more yearns for US aid, and that it is now Indias turn, which is in the tight embrace of USA, to face the music. I also rubbished the claim of $33 billion and added that Pakistan lost $123 billion in US imposed war besides 70,000 human casualties.



Comic replies given to Trumps tweet read: Change your diaper and go to bed. Piss off, you are drunk. When is your Tee time today? Fool! Didnt you tweet about how you were building a good relationship with Pakistan and were thankful for their cooperation? O yeah, that was all of two weeks ago. You are pathological. Please resign.



The US is hell-bent to scapegoat Pakistan in order to hide its enormous failures in Afghanistan. While Pakistan has cleared all the safe havens and strongholds of TTP despite its leadership enjoying a complete safe haven in Kunar, Nuristan and Nangarhar, NATO has ceded over 47% Afghan territory to Afghan Taliban.



It is time for the US to accept its fault lines and fight its own war, or else accept its defeat gracefully, patch up with the Taliban and find a political solution instead of scapegoating Pakistan, and beat a hasty retreat from the quagmire it has got stuck. The US must remember that it buckled down before Lilliputian North Korea which is an emerging nuclear power, but is now foolishly vying to lock horns with a full-fledged nuclear power, which is height of foolhardiness.



A highly dangerous situation has been created for Pakistan already grappling with multiple internal challenges. Ongoing political turmoil as a result of gang up of opposition political cum religious parties/groups in their bid to put the Federal and Punjab governments in the dock has further vitiated the atmosphere and made Pakistan more vulnerable to exploitation by enemies of Pakistan. The people are suspecting that ongoing political disorder in Pakistan. They feel that All Parties Conference chaired by Tahirul Qadri on December 30 in which deadline was given to Shahbaz to quit by 7th January or face sit-ins all over the country is also the handiwork of partners in crime working in cahoots with puppet regime in Kabul.



The US-Saudi and the US-India strategic partnerships are impelling both Iran and Pakistan to gravitate towards China and Russia and explore avenues to form a unified block in conjunction with Central Asian States to counter the US imperialist designs.



The writer is a retired Brig Gen, war veteran, defence and security analyst, columnist, author of five books, Vice Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre, Chief Editor Better Morrow magazine.
US foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years: Donald Trump

ISLAMABAD / WASHINGTON: In his first message, directed at a foreign nation in the new year, the president Donald Trump pledged to change the nature of a relationship he claimed was based on nothing but lies and deceit.



We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and much faster than anyone thought possible, he wrote.



At 4:12am, on Monday, Mr Trump tweeted his warning 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.



He said: They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more! The message was retweeted and liked by tens of thousands of his followers.



It took only an hour for Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif to come up with a rejoinder. We will respond to President Trumps tweet shortly Inshallah...Will let the world know the truth...difference between facts & fiction, he tweeted.



The timing of Mr Trumps tweet  at 4 in the morning and more than 12 hours after his last tweet  has caused much speculation in the US capital, with some linking it to reports of a further escalation in India-Pakistan tensions.



In a related development reflecting on worsening ties, the US ambassador in Pakistan was summoned to the Foreign Office and a strong protest over Mr Trumps remarks was lodged with him, informed sources told Dawn.



Mr Trumps tweets come a few days after Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) chief Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said Pakistan had done enough and it was time for the United States and Afghanistan to do more. He was referring to accusation by the US and Afghanistan regarding the presence of militant bases in Pakistan.



He urged the US to check Indias anti-Pakistan role not only from inside of Afghanistan but also through the enhanced and increased ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary.



His news briefing last week was considered the strongest-ever reaction from Islamabad since Washington began alluding to the possibility of unilateral action.



According to sources, Foreign Minister Asif soon after Mr Trumps tirade against Pakistan held a meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to discuss the situation.



In an interview with a private news channel in the evening, Khawaja Asif said Pakistan had already done enough. We have already said no more [to the Americans] so Trumps no more is of no importance now, he added.



We are ready to publicly provide details of the US aid that has been received by the country, said the minister, adding that Mr Trump was disappointed with the US defeat in Afghanistan and was accusing Pakistan in retaliation.



He suggested the US should try and negotiate with the Taliban in Afghanistan instead of using the armed forces.



Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan in a separate tweet said: Pak as anti-terror ally has given free to US: land & air communication, military bases & intel cooperation that decimated Al-Qaeda over last 16 yrs, but they have given us nothing but invective & mistrust. They overlook cross-border safe havens of terrorists who murder Pakistanis.



Khawaja Asif said: The claim by Trump regarding the funds, if we account for it, they include reimbursements too for the services rendered by Pakistan.



Our land, roads, rail and, other different kinds of services were used for which we were reimbursed. A proper audit took place for the reimbursements, he said. He asked the US to hold accountable those who failed in Afghanistan.



He also said that only Afghanistans neighbours can find a peaceful solution for regional peace and security.



Asked as to what would be Islamabads response if the US carried out drone strikes in Pakistans settled areas, he said: The country will defend its sovereignty.



He said the foreign policy direction is dictated only by the national interest.



A senior military official when contacted said it was time for a united front and single national narrative. He recalled that the ISPR chief in his presser on Dec 28 had said, we are receiving threats but once it comes to Pakistan we all are one. No more do more for anyone. We fought two imposed wars.



The ISPR spokesperson had clarified that the Coalition Support Fund, received from the US, is reimbursement of money spent for operations in support of the coalition for regional peace. Had we not supported, Al Qaeda would not have been defeated, he had stated.
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...
For Immediate Release

>>Read the full letter here.

December 2017 marks 1000 days since the escalation of a war that has turned the Middle Easts poorest country into the worlds largest humanitarian crisis, leaving Yemen ravaged by preventable diseases and on the verge of a historic famine. Every ten minutes, a child dies from hunger or disease. Three-quarters of the population  22 million people  need humanitarian assistance to survive.

All parties to the conflict have repeatedly carried out deplorable violations against civilians, with almost complete impunity. The recent blockade imposed by the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates has made an already catastrophic situation worse. It has barred delivery of life-saving food, medicines and fuel, leading to hospitals shutting down, and whole cities without clean water or working sanitation. The increased violence in Sanaa, and the killing of former President Saleh by the Houthis risks further increasing the threat to Yemens civilians.

The international community has failed to take the action needed to end this man-made catastrophe. Millions of Yemeni women, men and children feel abandoned by global leaders who seem to put profit and politics above human lives. Throughout 1000 days since the conflict escalated, quiet diplomacy has failed to curb violation after violation by the warring parties.

The US, UK, and France, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major weapons suppliers to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, bear a special responsibility to use the full extent of their leverage to press their partners in the region to end the crisis. Instead of stoking the flames of a war that is strangling an entire population and risks destabilising the entire region, they could be the brokers of peace.

We are at a tipping point. To prevent further catastrophe and famine, Yemen needs an immediate ceasefire; an end to all blockages on access for food, fuel and medical supplies; and investment in a new, inclusive peace process in which women, youth and diverse civil society meaningfully participate. We call upon President Trump, Prime Minister May, and President Macron, to take urgent action at the UN Security Council to make this happen.

Our message to them is simple: if you dont want the burden of the lives of thousands more Yemeni children on your hands, then the time to act is now. Yemen cant wait any longer.

Signed:

Aaron Huey, National Geographic photographer, (US) Abbas Milani, Hamid & Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies, Stanford University, (US) Abby Maxman, President, Oxfam America, (US) Abderrahmane Sissako, Filmmaker, (Mauritania) Abdessalam Kleiche, Researcher, (France) Abdulrahman Hussain, Yemeni Film director and Producer at comfilms, co-founder of SupportYemen media collective, (Canada) AbdulRazzaq H. Al-Azazi, Indepdent Yemeni journalist, (Kuwait) Abdusalam Alahsab, Civil Strengthening Network, (Yemen) Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC, Spokesperson, The Advocates For Transformation, (South Africa) Afrah Nasser, Independent Yemeni journalist, (Yemen) Agnes Jaoui, Actress and film director, (France) Ahmad al-Gohbary, Yemeni journalist, (Yemen) Alan Brown MP, MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, (UK) Alison Thewliss MP, MP for Glasgow Central, (UK) Alyssa Milano, Actor, activist, entrepreneur, (US) Amal Basha, Director, Sisters Arab Forum for Human Rights (SAF), (Yemen) Ambassador (ret) Stephen A. Seche, Former U.S. Ambassador to Yemen, 2007-2010, (US) Amr Hamzawy, Egyptian Writer and Political Scientist, (Egypt) Ana Gomes MEP, MEP Portugal (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats), (Portugal) Andrew Mitchell MP, MP for Sutton Coldfield, (UK) Andrew Ross, Professor of Social and Cultural Analysis, New York University, (US) Angelique Kidjo, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, (Benin) Ann Suellentrop M.S. R.N., Physicians for Social Responsibility, Kansas City, (US) Annie Lahmer, Local councillor, (France) Anuradha Chenoy, Professor, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, (India) Arang Keshavarzian, Associate Professor, New York University, (US) Arielle de Rothschild, President, CARE France, (France) Arthur H, Musician, (France) Audrey Pulvar, President, Foundation for Nature and Man, (France) Aziz Pahad, Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of South Africa, (South Africa) B. Donovan Picard, Partner, Picard Kentz & Rowe, (US) Babulal Sethia, Past-President, Royal Society of Medicine, London, (UK) Bahey eldin Hassan, Director, Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS), (Egypt) Barbara Berardi, Researcher, EHESS Paris, (France) Baroness Lindsay Northover, Liberal Democrat Lords Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, (UK) Baroness Shas Sheehan, Liberal Democrat International Development Spokesperson, (UK) Bassma Kodmani, Director, The Arab Reform Initiative, (Syria) Benoit Tadie, Professor, Rennes 2 University  Former head of cooperation, French Embassy in Yemen (1998-2002), (France) Bernard Faivre dArcier, Former Director, Avignon Festival, (France) Bertrand Badie, Professor, Sciences Po Paris, (France) Beverly Johnson MD CCFP, President, Federation of Medical Women of Canada, (Canada) Bill Kidd MSP, Chief Whip, Scottish Government, (Scotland) Bishop Francis Loyo, The Bishop of the Diocese of Rokon, Province of the Episcopal Church (Anglican) of South Sudan (ECSS), (South Sudan) Bishop Tony Robinson, Bishop of Wakefield, (UK) Bodil Valero, MEP and Vice-President, Group of the Greens, (Sweden) Brian Dooley, Senior Advisor, Human Rights First, (US) Bruce Riedel, Senior Fellow and Director of the Brookings Intelligence Project & Senior Fellow, Brookings Center for Middle East Policy, (US) Burkhard Vogt, Archaeologist, (Germany) Cali, Singer-songwriter, (France) Camelia Jordana, Musician, (France) Campbell Robb, Trustee of CARE International UK, (UK) Carol Monaghan MP, MP for Glasgow North West, (UK) Catherine Clement, Philosopher, (France) Catherine Zennstrom, Founder & co-chair of Zennstrom Philanthropies, (UK) Chandler Davis, Professor, University of Toronto, (US) Charles Berling, Actor, (France) Charlotte Rampling, Actress, (UK) Chris Dammers, Retired consultant on conflict prevention, human rights and international development, (UK) Chris Doyle, Director, CAABU (Council for Arab-British Understanding), (UK) Chris Shute, Former British Consul-General, Yemen, (UK) Christina McKelvie MSP, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, (UK) Christine Lazerges, President, National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH), (France) Claire Fehrenbach, Executive Director, Oxfam France, (France) Commissioner Solomon Ayele Dersso, Commissioner at African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, (Ethiopia) Congressman Ro Khanna, U.S. Representative, CA-17 (Democratic Party), (US) Congresswoman Barbara Lee, U.S. Representative, CA-13 (Democratic Party), (US) Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, U.S. Representative, WA-07 (Democratic Party), (US) Dana Pietsch, Member of the Germany-Yemeni Society, (Germany) Daniel Benoin, Stage director, (France) Daniel Herrero, Writer, former rugby player, (France) Daniel R. Mahanty, U.S. Program Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict, (US) Daniel Schelstraete, Retired Engineer, the French National Geographical Institute, (France) Danny Glenwright, Executive Director, Action Against Hunger Canada, (Canada) David Linden MP, MP for Glasgow East, (UK) David Swanson, Director, World Beyond War, (US) Diane Randall, Executive Secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation, (US) Dimitris Christopoulos, President, FIDH, (France) Dominique Blanc, Actress, (France) Donna McKay, Executive Director, Physicians for Human Rights, (US) Dorothy Ghettuba Pala, Filmmaker & TV Producer, Co-Founder & CEO Spielworks Media, (Kenya) Douglas Chapman MP, MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, (UK) Dr Anna Stavrianakis, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Sussex, (UK ) Dr James Smith, CEO, Aegis Trust, (UK) Dr Kate Ferguson, Managing Director, Protection Approaches, (UK) Dr Mehari Taddele Maru, Chief Strategist at the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), (Ethiopia) Dr Nahid Azad, MD, FRCPC, CCPE, Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa and Federation of Medical Women of Canada, (Canada) Dr Philippa Whitford MP, MP for Central Ayrshire, (UK) Dr. Christian Darles, Honorary professor, University of Toulouse-France, Member of the French archaeological mission in Yemen, (France) Dr. Elham Manea, Yemeni/Swiss academic and writer, (Switzerland) Dr. Gregory H. Stanton, Founding Chairman, Genocide Watch, (US) Dr. Jillian Schwedler, Professor of Political Science, City University of New York, (US) Dr. John Torpey, Director of the Ralph Bunche Institute for International Studies at the City University of New York Graduate Centre, (US) Dr. Rouba Mheisen, Founder and Director of SAWA for Development and Aid, (Lebanon) Dr. Ziad Alissa, President, UOSSM, (France) Eddie Izzard, Actor, comedian and activist  born in Yemen, (UK) Edward Bickham, Trustee of CARE International UK, (UK) Elisa Massimino, President and CEO of Human Rights First, (US) Elkori Babit, Tomorrow Association of Human Rights, (Morocco) Ella Al-Shamahi, National Geographic Explorer, (UK) Elrayah Kakki, CEO, Nuba Mountains Peoples Foundation, (UK) Emma Lewell-Buck MP, MP for South Shields, (UK) Emmanuel Wallon, Professor of Political Sociology, Paris Nanterre University, (France) Eric Vallet, Assistant Professor, Universite Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne, (France) Erica Deuber Ziegler, Art historian, University of Geneva, (Switzerland) Ervand Abrahamian, Professor Emeritus, City University of New York, (US) Fadi Al-Qadi, MENA Human Rights and Civil Society Expert, (Jordan) Fatima Bhutto, Author, (Pakistan) Federica Sambiase, Trustee of CARE International UK, (UK) Fiona OLoughlin TD, VP of Fianna Fail and Spokesperson for Equality, (Republic of Ireland) Frances Guy, Former British Ambassador to Yemen, 2001-4, (UK) Francesco Fedele, Professor of Anthropology, University of Naples, and member of the Italian Archaeological Mission to Yemen, (Italy) Francis Plowden, Trustee of CARE International UK, (UK) Francois Burgat, Political scientist, Institute for Research and Studies on the Arab and Muslim world (IREMAM), (France) Francois Frison-Roche, Political scientist, researcher at CNRS, University Paris2, (France) Francoise Sivignon, President, Medecins du Monde (MDM), (France) Frank Schwalba-Hoth, Co-founder, German Greens, former Member of European Parliament, (Germany) Fulton MacGregor MSP, MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston, (UK) Gabriele Vom Bruc, Senior Lecturer, University of London, (UK) Gar Smith, Co-founder, Environmentalists Against War, (US) Gavin Newlands MP, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, (UK) George Ghali, Human Rights Defender, (Lebanon) Ger Duany, UNHCR Regional Goodwill Ambassador for the East and Horn of Africa, (South Sudan) Gilles Gauthier, Former French Ambassador to Yemen, Advisor to the President of the Arab World Institute in France, (France) Gisella Kallenbach, Former Member of European Parliament, Former Member of the State Parliament of Saxony, (Germany) Gopal Pillai, Former Union Home Secretary, Government of India and currently Chairman, Data Security Council of India, (India) Graeme Dey MSP, MSP for Angus South, (UK) Guillaume Binet, Photojournalist, (France) Guy Gibson, Trustee, War Child UK, (UK) H.E. Frank Majoor, Former Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN and to NATO, (Netherlands) Haggag Nayel, Lawyer and Director of the Arab program for Human Rights Activists, (Egypt) Haitham Al-Asbahy, Human Rights Activist and Researcher, (Yemen) Harun Rashid Khan, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain, (UK) Helen Lackner, Independent Rural Development Expert, author of Yemen in Crisis, autocracy, neo-liberalism and the disintegration of a state, (UK) Hemiar Ali Mohammed Alharbi, Secretary General, Human Life Foundation for Development and Relief, (Yemen) Holly G. Atkinson, MD, CUNY School of Medicine, (US) Hon. Naisula Lesuuda, OGW, Member of Parliament, Republic of Kenya, (Kenya) Hon. Neto Agostinho, Former MP, Kenya, (Kenya) Hon. Wafula Wamunyinyi MP, MP for Kanduyi, Member of Human Rights Caucus, Parliament of Kenya and former Head of African Union mission in Somalia, (Kenya) Hugh Miall, Emeritus Professor of International Relations, University of Kent, (UK) Husain Abdulla, Executive Director, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, (US) Imran Madden, Director, Islamic Relief UK, (UK) Ines de la Fressange, Fashion designer, former model, (France) Iona Lawrence, Director, Jo Cox Foundation, (UK) Irene Rossi, Researcher, CNR Italy, (Italy) Isaac Evans-Frantz, Lead Organiser, Action Corps NYC, (US) Ivan McKee MSP, MSP for Glasgow Provan, (UK) Iwona Gajda, Researcher, CNRS, (France) Jackie Chimhanzi, CEO, Africa Leadership Institute, (South Africa) Jacob Tas, Trustee, War Child UK, (UK) Jacqueline Muna Musiitwa, Founder, Hoja Law Group, (Nairobi) Jacques Boutault, Mayor of the 2nd district of Paris, (France) Jamel Msallem, President, Tunisian League of Human Rights, Nobel Prize Laureate 2015, (Tunisia) James Lawless TD, Fianna Fail, Kildare North, (Republic of Ireland) James W. Gould, Professor Emeritus International Relations, Scripps College, (US) Jan Egeland, Secretary-General of the Norwegian Refugee Council, Former United Nations Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, (Norway) Jan Gruiters, General Director, PAX, (The Netherlands) Jan Sebastian Friedrich-Rust, CEO, Action Against Hunger Germany, (Germany) Janis Alton, Co-Chair, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, (Canada) Jean Lambert, Professor and researcher, CERMOM-INALCO, (France) Jean Michel Grand, CEO, Action Against Hunger UK, (UK) Jean Ziegler, Vice-Chairman of the Advisory Committee of the UN Human Rights Council, (Switzerland) Jean-Francois Breton, Head of Research, CNRS, (France) Jean-Louis Servan-Schreiber, Essayist and journalist, (France) Jean-Michel Ribes, Actor, (France) Jeannie Sowers, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of New Hampshire, (US) Jeremie Schiettecatte, Researcher, CNRS, (France) Jerome Gleizes, Economist, (France) Jill Baker, Vice President of the Methodist Conference 2017-18, (UK) Jim Greenbaum, Founder & Managing Director, The Greenbaum Foundation, (US) Jody Williams, Professor, Nobel Peace Laureate 1997, (US) Johan Mooij, Country Director, CARE Yemen, (Yemen) John Chalcraf, Professor of Middle East History and Politics, London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), (UK) John Mason MSP, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, (UK) John Sauven, Executive Director, Greenpeace UK, (UK) John-Allan Namu, Co-founder and CEO, Africa Uncensored, (Kenya) Josiane Balasko, Actress, (France) Judi Poulson, Chair, Fairmont, MN Peace Group, (US) Julie Andrieu, Culinary journalist, (France) Julie Delahanty, Executive Director of Oxfam Canada, (Canada) Julie Weston, Trustee, War Child UK, (UK) Juliette Binoche, Actress, (France) Justice Richard J. Goldstone, First Chief Prosecutor of the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, (South Africa) Karin Viard, Actress, (France) Kate Gould, Legislative Director for Friends Committee on National Legislation, (US) Khadija Al-Salami, Filmmaker, (Yemen) Khaled Mansour, Writer, (Egypt) Khalid Ibrahim, Human rights defender from Iraq, (Iraq) Lamya Khalidi, Researcher, CNRS  CEPAM, (France) Laura Silvia Battaglia, Journalist and field researcher, Watchlist.org, (Italy) Laurent Bonnefoy, Researcher, CNRS, (France) Laurie Lee, CEO, CARE International UK, (UK) Leah Bolger, Chair, Coordinating Committee, World Beyond War, (US) Leila Ali Aquil, Archaeologist, (Yemen) Leila Chebbi, Actress, (Tunisia) Leymah Gbowee, Militant for peace, Nobel Peace Laureate 2011, (Liberia) Linda Fabiani MSP, MSP for East Kilbride, (UK) Lord (Paddy) Ashdown, Former Leader of the Liberal Democrats, (UK) Louise Allen, Executive Coordinator of the NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, (US) Lykke Friis, Chairman of the Danish Foreign Policy Society, former Danish Government Minister, (Denmark) Madelyn Hoffman, Executive Director, New Jersey Peace Action, (US) Maha Awad, Wogood for Human Security Foundation, (Yemen) Mairead Maguire, Militant for peace, Nobel Peace Laureate 1976, (Northern Ireland) Major General Tim Cross (retired) CBE, Former British Army officer and military logistics expert, (UK) Mandeep Tiwana, Chief Programmes Officer, Civicus, (South Africa) Manuel Patrouillard, Executive Director, Handicap International, (France) Marc Levy, Writer, (France) Marc-Olivier Fogiel, Radio and TV host, (France) Margaret Julie Finch, Co-clerk, Peace & Social Justice Committee, (US) Margery Cornwell, Co-clerk, Peace & Social Justice Committee, (US) Marian Rose, Trustee for CARE International UK, (UK) Marie-Christine Barrault, Actress, (France) Marie-Christine Heinze, President, CARPO, (Germany) Marieke Brandt, Senior Researcher, Austrian Academy of Sciences, (Austria) Marietje Schaake MEP, Member of European Parliament, (Netherlands) Mark Goldring, Chief Executive, Oxfam GB, (UK) Mark Malloch-Brown, Former United Nations Deputy Secretary-General and Former UK Government Minister, (UK) Marwa Daoudy, Assistant Professor in International Relations, Georgetown University, (US) Marwan Ahmad, Defender Center for Human Rights, (Libya) Mary Nolan, Professor of History, New York University and Brooklyn For Peace, (US) Maryam Al-Khawaja, Bahraini human rights advocate, Human Rights Consultant and Trainer, (Bahrain) Marylene Barret-Audouin, Near East and Yemen architectural heritage specialist, (France) Matthew Hoh, Senior Fellow, Center for International Policy, (US) Maulana Yunus Dudhwala, Head of Chaplaincy and Bereavement Services to Barts Health NHS Trust, (UK) Megan Nakra, Chair, Action Corps, (US) Mercedes Erra, CEO, Havas Worldwide, (France) Mhairi Black MP, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South, (UK) MI Abaga, Rapper, hip hop artist and UN Goodwill Ambassador, (Nigeria) Michael Eisenscher, National Coordinator Emeritus, U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW), (US) Michelle Dixon, Director, Global Progressive Hub, (US) Michelle Nunn, CEO, CARE USA, (US) Miriam R. Lowi, Professor, The College of New Jersey, (US) Mohammed Al Shami, President, AIDL, (France) Mona Kareem, Poet and Academic, (US) Moneer Al-Ashmali, Tamdeen Youth Foundation, (Yemen) Naeem Jeenah, Executive Director, Afro-Middle East Centre (AMEC), (South Africa) Nabil Alsharafi, Managing Partner, Safer Yemen, (Yemen) Nabila Jiwaji, Trustee, War Child UK, (UK) Nadine Nohr, Trustee for CARE International UK, (UK) Naser Haghamed, CEO, Islamic Relief Worldwide, (UK) Nasser Al-Khleifi, Human Rights Activist from Shabwa Governorate, (Yemen) Natalie Samarasinghe, Executive Director, United Nations Association  UK, (UK) Nathalie Dessay, Artist, (France) Nick Grono, CEO, The Freedom Fund, (UK) Nicolas J S Davies, Journalist, Consortium News, USA, (US) Noha Yehya, Yemen Humanitarian Forum, (Yemen) Norma Claire Moruzzi, Associate Professor, Director of International Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, (US) Nothing But Thieves, Musicians, (UK) Nozmul Hussain, CEO, East London Mosque & London Muslim Centre, (UK) Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda, African Union Goodwill Ambassador on Ending Child Marriage, (Zimbabwe) Olivier De Schutter, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food (2008-2014), (Belgium) Olivier Py, Director, Avignon festival, (France) Othman Moqbel, CEO, Human Appeal, (UK) Par Stenback, Former Minister of Education and Foreign Affairs, Finland and Former SecGen of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, (Finland) Pascal Durand, MEP, (France) Pascal Menoret, Renee and Lester Crown Professor of Modern Middle East Studies, Brandeis University, (US) Pastor Evan Mawarire, Lead Citizen  #ThisFlag Citizens Movement Zimbabwe, (Zimbabwe) Pastor Zerihun Degu, General Secretary at the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia, (Ethiopia) Patrice Leconte, Film director, (France) Paul A. Yule, Professor, Ruprecht-Karls-Universitat Heidelberg, (Germany) Paul Murphy, Executive Director, Saferworld, (UK) Paul Rogers, Academic, (UK) Paul Valentin, International Director, Christian Aid, (UK) Paula Chakravartty, Associate Professor, Department of Media, Culture and Communication and the Gallatin School NYU, (US) Paula Hawkins, Author of The Girl on the Train, (UK) Penny Richards, Trustee, War Child UK, (UK) Peter Gabriel, Musician and founder of The Elders, (UK) Peter Oborne, Journalist, (UK) Peter Stein, Professor of Semitic Studies, University of Jena, (Germany) Philippe Leveque, Executive Director, CARE France, (France) Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies, New Internationalism Project, (US) Pierre Micheletti, Doctor, Professor, IEP Grenoble, (France) Piper Perabo, Film and TV actress, (US) Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga, Member of Parliament, Former Minister of Regional Integration & International Cooperation, (Zimbabwe) Professor Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, Professor of Public Policy, Trustee, Africa Humanitarian Action, (Ethiopia) Professor Dr. H.A. Hellyer, Senior Non-resident Fellow, Atlantic Council & Royal United Services Institute, London/CASIS, (Malaysia) Professor Feargal Cochrane, Professor, University of Kent, (UK) Professor Myles Wickstead CBE, Visiting Professor (International Relations), KCL, (UK) Professor Raphael Pitti, Head of Training Unit and Director, UOSSM, (France) Professor Stefan Enders, Professor, Department of Photography, University of Applied Sciences Mainz, (Germany) Professor the Hon Gareth Evans AC QC, Chancellor, Australian National University and Former Foreign Minister of Australia, (Australia) Rabbi Michael Feinberg, Executive Director, Greater New York Labor-Religion Coalition, (US) Radhya Al-Mutawakel, Chairperson, Mwatana Organization for Human Rights, (Yemen) Raphael Personnaz, Actor, (France) Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies, Columbia University, (US) Ray Longbottom, Trustee, War Child UK, (UK) Rev. Dr. Susan Henry-Crowe, General Secretary, General Board of Church and Society, The United Methodist Church, (US) Richard Burden MP, MP for Birmingham Northfield, (UK) Richard Caplan, Professor of International Relations, Oxford University, (UK) Richard Reeve, Director, Oxford Research Group, (UK) Ricken Patel, Executive Director, Avaaz, (US) Rigoberta Menchu Tum, Nobel Peace Laureate 1992, (Guatemala) Rob Williams, CEO, War Child UK, (UK) Robert Badinter, Lawyer, former Minister of Justice, (France) Robert Melson, Professor Emeritus, Purdue University, (US) Robert Pires, 1998-2000 World and European Football Champion, (France) Robert S. Lawrence, MD, MACP, Professor Emeritus, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, (US) Rt Rev. Nick Baines, The Lord Bishop of Leeds, (UK) Rubens Ricupero, Former Brazilian Minister of Finance and Former Secretary General of UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) , (Brazil) Ruth Bittinger Bennett, Retired, University of Colorado, (US) Ruth Maguire MSP, MSP for Cunninghame South, (UK) Sacha Deshmukh, Chair, War Child UK, (UK) Sadam Al-Adwar, Marib Dam Foundation for Social Development, (Yemen) Samaa Al-Hamdani, Yemeni researcher and founder of Yemeniaty, (Yemen) Samuel A. Worthington, Chief Executive Officer, InterAction, (US) Sanjay Jagatia, Director Secretary General, Hindu Council UK, (UK) Sapana Thomas, Vice-Chair, Action Corps, (US) Serge Michailof, Research fellow, IRIS, (France) Shan E Abbas Hassam, Secretary-General, The World Federation of KSIMC, (UK) Sheila Carapico, Professor, Political Science and International Studies, University of Richmond, (US) Sherrill Futrell, Historical Researcher at UC Davis, (US) Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Peace Laureate, Founder of Defenders of Human Rights Center in Iran, (Iran) Simon Adams, Executive Director, Global Center for the Responsibility to Protect, (US) Simon Pegg, Actor, (UK) Simone Garroni, CEO, Action Against Hunger Italy, (Italy) Sir Menzies Campbell, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson on Defence, (UK) Sir Tony Brenton, KCMG, Former UK Ambassador to Russia, (UK) Sir Trevor Pears CMG, Executive Chair, Pears Foundation, (UK) Sophia Aram, Comedian, performer and humorist, France inter, (France) Stephen Miles, Director, Win Without War, (US) Stephen Twigg MP, MP for Liverpool West Derby, (UK) Stuart McDonald MP, MP for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East, (UK) Tali Nates, Director, Johannesburg Holocaust & Genocide Centre, (South Africa) Tamrat Kebede, Executive Secretary at InterAfrica Group, (South Africa) Tawakkol Karman, Journalist, Nobel Peace Laureate 2011, (Yemen) Teresa Gouveia, Former Foreign Minister of Portugal, (Portugal) Thandie Newton, Actress and Activist, (UK) Thanos Petouris, Yemen Researcher, SOAS University, (UK) The Most Rev. John D E Davies, Archbishop of Wales & Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, (UK) The Most Rev. Moses Deng Bol, Archbishop of Northern Bhar El Ghaal Internal Province and Bishop of the Diocese of Wau Episcopal Church (Anglican) of South Sudan, (South Sudan) The Rev. Loraine N Mellor, President of the Methodist Conference 2017-18, (UK) Thierry Marx, Michelin starred chef, (France) Thomas Legrand, Columnist, France Inter, (France) Thomas Ribemont, CEO, Action Against Hunger France, (France) Thomas Sagory, Archaeologist, public officer at the French Ministry of Culture, (France) Tilman Ruff, Co-President, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (Nobel Peace Prize, 2017), (Australia) Tim Loughton MP, MP for East Worthing & Shoreham, (UK) Tom Andrews, Former Member of Congress, (US) Tony Fortin, President, Observatoire des armements, (France) Victoria Ross, QCSW, LMSW, MSW, MALD, Executive Director, WNY Peace Center, (US) Waleed Abdelhafiz Majed, Secretary General of Social Democratic Forum, Yemen, (Yemen) Werner Daum, Former German ambassador to Sudan (retired), (Germany) Will Picard, Executive Director, The Yemen Peace Project, (US) Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, Oxfam International, (Uganda) Yannick Jadot, MEP, (France) Yassin Narcy Alsalman, Musician, Multi Media Artist, Professor, (Canada) Yassmin Abdel-Magied, Founder of Youth Without Borders & Mumtaza and Former QLD Young Australian of the Year, (Australia) Yifat Susskind, Executive Director of MADRE, (US) Yousra Al-Shhari, Yommn Foundation for Humanitarian Response, (Yemen) Yves Egels, Geographer, Engineer, (France) Yves Jego, Former Minister, Seine et Marne Deputy, (France) Yvette Alberdingk-Thijm, Human Rights Activist, (US) Zac Goldsmith MP, MP for Richmond Park (UK) Zaydoon Zaid, Director and Vice-president, the American Foundation For the Study of Man, (US) Ziad Majed, Researcher, (Lebanon) Zo Randriamaro, Coordinator, Research and Support Center for Development Alternatives  Indian Ocean (RSCDA-IO), (Madagascar)

>>Read the full letter here.

Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here.
About Me Scott Because prophetic scriptures are found throughout the bible, it is obvious that a comprehensive, systematic approach would be useful, if not necessary, for the understanding of prophecy. Past prophecies have been fulfilled in a literal manner, as confirmed by the dating of these writings and historical records of confirmation. These past prophecies also serve as a model of how to interpret future prophecies. A literal view of prophecy clearly indicates a certain sequence of events will occur within a single generation, concluding with the Tribulation and Second Advent and these events will be obvious. The prophetic signs appear to be present in this generation and we believe these signs are revealed in the news from around the world. View my complete profile
A number of energy projects and related investment deals have been announced in Taiwan during the recent period, the latest of which is a syndicated loan secured by Si One Corp. and Dali Energy Corp. to build 100MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) generation capacity around the island. Si One and Dali Energy are wholly owned subsidiaries of Neo Cathay Power Corp., which is a joint venture between Neo Solar Power Corp. (NSP) and Cathay Life Insurance Co. Ltd. The syndicate is led by Taiwans First Commercial Bank Ltd. and includes Far Eastern International Bank Ltd., KGI Commercial Bank Co. Ltd., Taishin International Bank Co. Ltd., Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank Co. Ltd., Taiwan Shin Kong Commercial Bank Co. Ltd., Bank SinoPac Co. Ltd., and Chang Hwa Bank Ltd.

The official signing of the loan agreement took place on 27 December at a ceremony jointly hosted by President Grace M. L. Jeng of First Commercial Bank, President Andy Shen of NSP, and Senior Vice President Shi-Qiao Lin of Cathay Life.

According to the loan coordinator First Commercial Bank, this syndicate loan is a five-year facility with the option for two five-year extensions. Totaling NT$3.5 billion, the loan will be used to fund the construction of solar PV power plants around Taiwan. Neo Cathay Power plans to install 100MW of solar PV generation capacity on the island over the next two years. Once these power plants are completed, they will provide approximately 120 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year  enough to supply around 33,000 households. Furthermore, the amount of carbon emissions that the 100MW of solar power plants can offset every year is estimated at 63,480 metric tons. Together, these solar power plants have the same carbon absorption capacity as a huge forest area that is 246 times the size of Taipeis Daan Forest Park.

Announcement by the First Commercial Bank also pointed out that NSP, which is one of the joint venture partner behind Neo Cathay Power, has been a leader in solar PV technology. Its products are known for their high conversion efficiency and reliability. Furthermore, NSP has been successful over the recent years in bringing down its production cost and expanding its services. The company is currently offering installations of PV systems in the overseas markets and has impressive results in developing the power plant business.

Because of these achievements, Taiwans banking industry firmly endorses the 100MW project by Neo Cathay Power and is proactive in participating in its investment. The loan in fact has been oversubscribed shortly after its issuance to NT$5.6 billion. The level of engagement shows that Taiwans banking industry is very bullish on the domestic solar market.

President Shen of NSP stated that his company and Cathay Life will ensure that their joint venture is committed to the mission of developing, building and acquiring solar PV power plants in Taiwan. Shen added this syndicated loan, together with the policy support toward renewable energies from Taiwans government, will accelerate the construction of solar PV projects on the island and expand their capacity scales.

Regarding the loan agreement, Cathay Financial Holdings Co. Ltd.  the parent company of Cathay Life  stated that its entire organization has spared no effort in promoting green energies and green financing. Cathay Financial Holdings and its subsidiaries will keep working towards a future where economic growth will also be environmentally sustainable. Among domestic insurance companies, Cathay Life is one of the earliest to invest in the green energy sector. The company has taken concrete actions in support of the governments call to invest in green technologies and intends to become the industrys leader in this area. The formation of Neo Cathay Power with NSP, for instance, is going to inject new vitality to the development of Taiwans renewable energy market.

(Photo credit: Money DJ.)
Kathmandu, Nepal: Student wings of different political parties, particularly the leftist alliance have staged a protest program in Kathmandu on Tuesday to protest against the price hike of petroleum products.

As the protesters burnt an effigy of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, the police have intervened in the protest and fired two rounds of teargas shells to disperse the protestors. It is said that dozens of protesters including student leader Mahesh Bartaula injured in the police intervention.

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the state-owned oil monopoly, had hiked the price of petroleum products On January 1. With the recent increment decision on price of petrol will cost Rs 102 per liter, diesel and kerosene Rs 79 per liter and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) Rs 1375.
Guwahati: The Assam government on December 31 midnight had published the much awaited first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) by including names of 1.9 crore people out of the total 3.29 crore applicants in the state recognising them as legal citizens of India.

Registrar General of India S Sailesh, who made public the much awaited draft NRC said that, the rest 1.39 crore applicants names 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 that, those people 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 complete of verification 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 <http://www.nrcassam.nic.in>, www.assam.mygov.in <http://www.assam.mygov.in>, www.assam.gov.in <http://www.assam.gov.in>, www.homeandpolitical.assam.gov.in <http://www.homeandpolitical.assam.gov.in>, www.partdraftnrcassam.in <http://www.partdraftnrcassam.in>, www.partdraftnrcassam.com

<http://www.partdraftnrcassam.com>, www.draftnrcassam.net

<http://www.draftnrcassam.net>, www.partdraftnrcassam.net

<http://www.partdraftnrcassam.net>, www.draftnrcassam.in

<http://www.draftnrcassam.in>, www.draftnrcassam.com

<http://www.draftnrcassam.com>, www.nrcassamonline.net

<http://www.nrcassamonline.net>, www.nrcassamonline.in

<http://www.nrcassamonline.in>. *

The draft NRC is also released at 2500 NRC Sevakendra across the state at around 8 am today.

The applicants can check their name in the draft NRC at NSKs from 8 am to 4 pm today and from Jan 2 to Jan 31 it will visible from 10 am to 4 pm.

RGI Sailesh said that, 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 was started in May 2015 and around 6.5 crore documents were received from 68.33 lakh families across the state.

On the other hand, All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) Chief and Lok Sabha MP Badaruddin Ajmal, former Assam Congress Minister Dr Ardhendu Deys name have been excluded from the first draft of NRC.

Apart from it, elusive commander of banned outfit ULFA (I) Paresh Baruahs name has been included with his family members in the first draft.

Apart from Paresh Baruah, another top ULFA (I) leader Arunodoi Dohutia's name also included in the draft.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
KATHMANDU, Jan 2: The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the civil aviation regulatory body of the country, is to be divided into two separate autonomous entities.

Preparations are afoot to make the existing CAAN into two bodies  regulatory body and the body responsible for developing the civil aviation infrastructure.

Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Maheshwar Neupane, while addressing the 19th anniversary programme of CAAN here on December 31, had said that CAAN would be split into two different autonomous bodies to make it into a more professional and effective regulatory agency.

Established 19 years ago, CAAN has been fulfilling the responsibilities of looking after the aviation services and safety, air transport and surveillance as well as the development of airport infrastructure, air transport provided by the state as per the CAAN Act, 2053 BS.

"The professional development of the Authority and improvement of its regulatory mechanism are the topics that had been in discussion before this also. This step is a part of the efforts to make the regulatory body more professional and effective as per the policy and principles of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)," he said.

When CAAN trade union representative Shrawan Kumar Yadav asked in the public function whether it was a ploy to finish off the CAAN by splitting it, Secretary Neupane said it was not to finish off the CAAN but works in this regard had to be moved ahead to meet the ICAO standards and the welfare of the employees would be taken into consideration while doing so.

He urged the CAAN office-bearers to proceed ahead with the works in this regard rather quickly. RSS
Kathmandu, Nepal: Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba holds a meeting with the CPN Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Baluwatar this afternoon.

During the meeting, both the leaders had discussed on ranges of issues including formation of the new government. The one-to-one meeting between Primer Deuba and CPN Maoist Chair Dahal is taken importantly as there is also a rumor that the leftist alliance would not form new government due to the difficulties of merging the party.

As the CPN Maoist Center had forged electoral alliance with the UML during the recent federal parliament and the provincial elections naming the alliance as the leftist alliance, it is likely that the leftist alliance would form a new government.

It is said that Prime Minister Deuba informed Dahal that the government is preparing to hold the National Assembly election on February 9.
KATHMANDU, Jan 2: The government has prepared the outline of the temporary capitals of all the seven provinces in the country.

The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) and the Ministry of Urban Development prepared this outline.

Spokesperson of the OPMCM, Hari Prasad Panthi said that the plan of the temporary capitals of provinces has been drawn on the basis of the existing physical infrastructure in these places.

According to him, Biratnagar has been proposed as the temporary capital of Province-1, Janakpur as the temporary capital of Province-2, Thimi of Bhaktapur as the temporary capital of Province-3, Pokhara as the temporary capital of Province-4, Dang as the temporary capital of Province-5, Surkhet as the temporary capital of Province-6 and Dhangadi as the temporary capital of Province-7.

The Ministry of Urban Development proposed the names of these places for temporary capitals of the respective provinces after they were found to be appropriate for the same on the basis of an on-site study.

A team led by the Ministry's secretary Rajendra Poudel carried out on-site visit and study of all the places in each province and proposed these places as temporary capitals.

"We prepared the outline after the team communicated to us following its on-site study that these places would be appropriate for the temporary province capitals. Now, a meeting of the Council of Ministers will declare the proposed places as temporary capitals after necessary study," spokesperson Panthi said.

The Provincial government of each province can change the province capital. Constitutionally, a two-thirds majority of the Province Assembly can decide on the province capital.

Joint Secretary Panthi said that the temporary capitals have been fixed in view of the physical infrastructure, the availability of employees and communications, power supply and other resources. RSS
The Polisario Front has threatened for the umpteenth time to resort to arms to achieve its independence claims after it lost ground on the diplomatic battlefield, while Morocco scored resounding successes on the African and European chessboards as well as in the United Nations.

The Polisario military leaders roared, during the military maneuvers of their so-called Sahrawi army, organized earlier this week in the buffer zone of Agouinit, that they would resort to arms in their confrontation against Morocco.

The so-called Sahrawi Defense Minister, Abdullahi Lehbib, was quoted by the Polisario media as saying that his army was ready to face any eventuality in order to wrest its right to independence.

The Sahrawi army cannot be confined forever to a refugee status, he said. According to a well-informed source in Tindouf, his comment translates the exacerbation of Algerian rulers, who have been reportedly exerting more pressure on the Polisario leadership to find a way to decamp from the Algerian territory.

Algerian leaders are seemingly growing tired after more than 40 years of diplomatic, military and financial support to the separatists, adds the same source.

This is all the more so as the Algerian government is currently going through an unprecedented economic and financial crisis with the depletion of the oil windfall and is no longer able to bear the heavy burden of the Polisario and its refugees in the Tindouf camps, explains the source.

Today, Algerian leaders are more concerned over a possible internal social unrest that could plunge the country into a serious situation similar to the bloody black decade of the 90s, rather than over the fate of the Polisario.

Meanwhile, Moroccos offensive diplomacy, spearheaded by King Mohammed VI, seems to bear fruit with the growing isolation of the Polisario on the African continent, where the separatist Front continues to lose its few remaining supporters.
Education Reporter

Mathew Burciaga is a Santa Maria Times reporter who covers education, agriculture and public safety. Prior to joining the Times, Mathew ran a 114-year-old community newspaper in Wyoming. He owns more than 40 pairs of crazy socks from across the globe.
HOLLYWOOD, Md.

(January 01, 2018)It took students at St. John's School in Hollywood, from pre-K up to 8th grade, just four days to raise about $1,000 for the Three Oaks Homeless Shelter this year.National Junior Honor Society students there took up their St. Theresa Project quickly, said Vice Principal Dawn Papp; they raised the money in less than a week after Thanksgiving.The honor society portion of the money came "just from their donations," Papp said. "It was coins, dollars our whatever they had."A group of 7th graders also raised $200 through tag day payments, which allow students to come in one day out of the week without wearing their uniforms, Papp said.All the money will be donated to the homeless shelter this week, Papp said. "It's good to see people step up to help other people," she told The County Times.One 4th grade student reportedly gave all the money she had previously saved up$91to the project.The class that donated the most money received an ice cream party, Papp said.St. John's School recently achieved nationwide acclaim for earning the coveted Blue Ribbon award for schools with student bodies that perform at exceptionally high levels.The school achieved the honor on its first attempt at applying for recognition.
The aftermath of a fire in a Waldorf townhouse garage allegedly set by Chris Marvin Williams, 49, of 1711 Taylor Avenue, Fort Washington. The townhome belongs to the suspect's former girlfriend. (Photo: State Fire Marshal's office)

CHARLES COUNTY, Md.

(January 01, 2018)A Deputy State Fire Marshal has arrested a Prince George's County man after he set fire to his ex-girlfriend's garage during a domestic issue.On January 1, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Tiffany Aursby contacted 911 as her ex-boyfriend was banging on the door of her townhouse located at 4554 Ryan Place, Unit B, Waldorf, Charles County. While Ms. Aursby was on the phone with 911, she stated that he threw a brick through her window and then reported seeing an "orange glow" coming from her garage. Charles County sheriff's deputies arrived on the scene and placed Chris Marvin Williams, 49, of 1711 Taylor Avenue, Fort Washington, under arrest for malicious destruction of property and theft of Ms. Aursby's Military ID. Mr. Williams was transported to the Charles County Detention Center without incident.The fire was extinguished by deputies and there was no fire company response. There was no smoke alarm activation due to the small size of the fire and no smoke alarm in the garage. Damages were approximately $600 to the structure.The Deputy State Fire Marshal interviewed Mr. Williams at the Detention Center where he was further charged with Arson 1st Degree and Malicious Burning 2nd Degree. During the course of this incident it was also determined that Mr. Williams had violated a protective order Ms. Aursby had against him. Mr. Williams is currently waiting to see a Commissioner.
HOLLYWOOD, Md.

(December 28, 2017)The St. Mary's County Ambulance and Rescue Association (SMCARA) has thrown its support behind a controversial request for an increase in the fire and rescue tax for the Second District Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad in Valley Lee."Recent discussion within the Second District community has questioned the [Valley Lee volunteers'] statement about the increased costs of medical supplies and MedStar St. Mary's Hospital's replacement of those supplies," wrote SMCARA Chair Joe Wilkinson to the Commissioners of St. Mary's County in a Nov. 26 missive. "All the squads pay for numerous supplies from their operating budgets including, but not limited to, hemostatic dressings, head blocks, glucometer supplies, safety glasses, hearing protection and expired medications."These supplies put a great strain on the squads' budgets."The request from the Valley Lee station is to help defray the costs of medical supplies and the ever increasing expenses for operations but they are also planning on building an entirely new facility just behind the current 56 year old station, which volunteers say is long overdue.The cost of a new station comes in at about $8 million but many residents have said they do not want the tax increase and publicly questioned whether the volunteers needed a new station.The proposed increase would take the 4.4 percent fire tax rate for the 2nd District and raise it to 5.6 percent; the same tax rate for the 9th District would rise from 3.6 percent to 5 percent.The rescue tax, 0.8 percent for both districts, would more than double under the new plan by going to 1.7 percent.The fire and rescue tax rate there has not changed since 2000.Firehouse officials estimated the annual increase in the tax bill for homeowners with an average house assessed value of about $300,000, would be a little over $60.The leadership at the Valley Lee station are expected to make their formal request for a tax increase to the county commissioners in January.One organized citizen's group against the proposed tax increased is Concerned Citizens of Second and Ninth District.You can read their letters to the editor in the forums: forums.somd.com/search.php?... or visit them on facebook: www.facebook.com/...
The Arc Southern Maryland has welcomed Renee Seigley as Director of Development.

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md.

(January 02, 2018)The Arc Southern Maryland has welcomed Renee Seigley as Director of Development. This role is vital to ensuring financial stability for The Arc Southern Maryland through business development and fundraising activities.Renee brings 20 years of experience, including former roles as Vice President of sales and marketing for a leading residential developer and National Director of sales and marketing for one of the nation's top home builders."We are excited and fortunate to bring Renee on board at The Arc," says CEO, Terry Long. "We believe she will bring us to new heights, increasing communications and connecting us to the people that have a true and vested interest in The Arc, including the families and people we support." Renee's expertise includes developing and implementing successful on and off line marketing campaigns, managing marketing and operational budgets, and direct P&L responsibility. Renee has always been passionate about nonprofit interests. She has served as a board member and chaired several nonprofit committees, leading efforts to raise funds which supported the mission of those organizations.Renee says she feels "privileged to have the opportunity to work with The Arc and serve its consumers" and she looks forward to "creating efficient and compelling opportunities for donors to support The Arc and making the experience of giving satisfying and rewarding." Renee holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh and lives in North Beach with her 5-year-old daughter.The Arc Southern Maryland is a non-profit organization affiliated at the state level with The Arc of Maryland and at the national level with The Arc of the United States, which is the world's largest grass roots organization of, and for, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), including Down syndrome, autism, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders, cerebral palsy and other diagnoses. Since 1975, The Arc Southern Maryland has provided quality support and programs aimed at creating opportunities for independence and personal success for people with different abilities in inclusive communities. For information about The Arc of Southern Maryland's programs and services or to make a donation, visit www.arcsomd.org or call (410) 535-2413.
PIKESVILLE, Md. (January 2, 2018)Traffic enforcement efforts by Maryland state troopers during the holiday period resulted in more than 10,000 traffic stops that led to 264 arrests and more than 180 arrests of impaired drivers.



Maryland State Police patrol troopers began increased holiday traffic enforcement efforts on December 23 that continued through January 1, 2018. During that period, troopers arrested 183 impaired drivers, arrested 125 for criminal offenses and arrested another 139 people who were found to be wanted on warrants.



The arrests occurred during 10,466 traffic stops made by troopers working traffic safety initiatives that included additional patrols, sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols, and speed enforcement. Troopers issued 6,506 citations, 7,509 warnings and 1,487 safety equipment repair orders. Troopers at each of the 23 Maryland State Police barracks were involved in special enforcement operations during the holiday period.



During this period, troopers responded to 1,074 crashes, including 5 fatal crashes reported. Last year troopers responded to 1,103 crashes including 10 fatal crashes.



The Maryland State Police continue to support the Maryland Department of Transportation's campaign "Toward Zero Deaths." These high visibility enforcement efforts reduce the number of aggressive driving, motor vehicle crashes in which speed, alcohol and other driving violations are contributing factors to crashes on Maryland roads. Troopers will continue these initiatives throughout the year.
Trot Insider has learned that longtime Southern Ontario-based breeder/owner Dale Baker, of London, Ont., passed away on Saturday, December 30, 2017 at the age of 78.

Baker, who was well known for being part owner of 1983 Pacing Triple Crown winner Ralph Hanover, passed at the University Hospital of London, Ontario after a courageous fight with a lengthy illness.

Baker and the rest of Ralph Hanovers co-owners realized every Standardbred horsepersons dream in 1983  winning the Triple Crown. Ralph, who retired with more than $1.8 million in career purses, became the seventh Standardbred in the history of the North American industry to win the Pacing Triple Crown, which was then followed by divisional year-end accolades on both sides of the border.

Outside of Ralph Hanover, Baker found much success in Standardbred racing. Some of the more notable horses that Baker was associated with were Silent Cat  who he bought, raised, raced, bred, and then raced again  Pointsetta and Goldie Omaha, among many others.

During his later years in the industry, Baker was part owner of Grand Royal Farms. He was also associated with Pointsetta Stables, Glory B Stables, the Royal Strength Syndicate and the Brisco Hanover Syndicate during his career.

In 2005, at the age of 65, Baker decided to retire and move back to London, Ont.

Trot Insider has learned that a celebration of life will be taking place at Western Fair District in the East Annex on Sunday, January 14 from 1 - 4 p.m.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Dale Baker.
Jay Lewis Laing, 2, of Columbus, Ohio, passed away on December 28, 2017, at Van Wert County Hospitals emergency room.

He was born August 31, 2015, in Columbus, to Michael and Jayme (Weller) Laing. Survivors include a brother, Gabriel; sister, Ava Courtney; maternal grandparents, Jay (Louise) Weller and Kathy Ink (King); paternal grandparents, Dr. Kevin and Barbara Laing; maternal great-grandfather, Lewis King; aunt, Courtney Weller; step-aunt, Ashley Drown; uncle, Robert Laing; step-uncle, Dan Engle; great-aunt, Jayne Weller; cousin, Pam Weller; and numerous great-aunts, great-uncles and second cousins. He was preceded in death by his maternal great-grandmother, Mary King; maternal great-grandparents, Jay and June Weller; and paternal great-grandparents, Dr. Robert and Meri Laing, and William and Ruth McGuire.

He was a very sweet, caring, well-mannered and high-spirited young boy. He always had the biggest smile on his face, with sparkling blue eyes staring right back at you, and was full of so much love. He enjoyed giving hugs and smooches (with Eskimos), loved to play hide-and-go-seek and wrestle with his Bubbie and Sissy.

He was an active youth member of the United States Trotting Association and enjoyed travelling all over Ohio to the county fairs as the Weller Stables official mascot and bucket scrubber. Everyone has to start somewhere was his motto.

He always loved helping in the barn and he always would walk to all 11 stall doors and say Good morning, neighs. He would light up with pride with the joke of them being called Baby (just recently moved up, too) Little Jays Neighs. He always brought great joy and plenty of amusement to anyone he ever met, and by the time they left him, he would already be their buddy.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday (January 6) at Lindsey-Olds Funeral Home, 3085 S. SR 19, Bloomville, with Randell Morrison officiating. Burial will be at a later date. Visitation for family and friends will be from 3-7 p.m. Friday (January 5) at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the family in care of the funeral home.

Online condolences may be left for the family at lindseyoldsfh.com.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Jay Laing.

(USTA)
Joe Foley, 72, passed away peacefully in a nursing home the week before Christmas after several months of suffering from dementia.

He started in the business working as a groom in Montreal at the old Blue Bonnets in 1960 for top veteran trotting horseman Percy Robillard. He became a trainer in Percy's stable, before going out on his own as a driver/trainer in the late 1960s.

Foley had a small stable which started at Blue Bonnets before racing successfully at Windsor in the Joe DeFrank days. He moved his stable to the Meadowlands in the mid 1970s.

One of his career highlights came in the late 1970s when he cared for and trained the great trotter Glencoe Pride, who Percy had sent to the Meadowlands. Glencoe Pride dominated the Open Trot class, winning six in a row, with John Campbell doing the driving.

Foley trained horses until the late 1990s and then worked with the track maintenance crew at the Meadowlands until dementia began to set in six years ago.

He is survived by his wife, Linda, who lives in New Jersey; and eight brothers and sisters who live in Canada.

A private service was held soon after his passing, and his Canadian family will be holding a memorial service in his memory in the spring.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of Joe Foley.
William Glessner Paull, DVM, 77, passed away at home on December 30, 2017.

Doc was known to many as a hard-working veterinarian who positively impacted numerous people.

He was born April 4, 1940 and raised in Wheeling, W.Va., as the son of William and Kathryn (Foulk) Paull. He graduated from The Linsly School in Wheeling and then majored in Agriculture at West Virginia University. Upon graduation, he ran a family farm in Wheeling until moving to Columbus to attend The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine from which he graduated in 1971 and served on staff as an ambulatory veterinarian.

Dr. Paull went on to be the veterinarian at Hill Farms in Hilliard, Ohio, and was a preeminent practitioner in the Standardbred horse industry. In addition to serving as the track veterinarian at Scioto Downs for many years, he managed a private equine practice.

In 1986 Dr. Paull, and his wife of 41 years, Barbara, bought 65 acres in southern Delaware County and established Timber Rock Farm, which served as one of the leading equine reproductive and boarding centres in Ohio. He loved being outside and on a tractor and worked tirelessly to maintain his beautiful property and care for the countless horses that he treated over the years.

Dr. Paull and Barbara were also the proud owners of many outstanding racehorses.

He loved to go on wonderful vacations with his family, including a trip to Alaska and many memorable ski vacations out west. One of the fondest memories of him was his love of walks, particularly with his golden retriever, Ollie.

He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Kathryn; stepfather, Henry Mazer; and sister, Kathe Hitt. He is survived by his wife, Barbara (Beach); daughter, Mary (Jeff) Hardgrove; sons, William (Leslie), Steven (Melissa), and John (Rebecca); grandsons, Quintin, Mackenzie, Devin, William, and Ben; granddaughters, Sarah, Madeline, and Katherine; and brothers, Lee (June) and Thomas (Penny).

Visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rutherford Funeral Home, 450 West Olentangy Street in Powell, on Monday, January 8. A celebration of life service will follow at 1 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine (click here). Condolences can be left here.

Please join Standardbred Canada in offering condolences to the family and friends of William Paull.

(USTA)
iStock/Thinkstock(WASHINGTON) -- Beginning on Monday, transgender individuals will be allowed to join the U.S. military, after the Pentagon was forced to comply with a federal court ruling issued last month.



In December, the Pentagon began preparing how to let transgender individuals join the military, using court-ordered guidelines issued by former Defense Secretary Ash Carter in 2016 when he lifted the ban on transgender service members in the military.



Last summer, President Trump tweeted that transgender individuals would not be allowed in the U.S. military "in any capacity" because of the "tremendous medical costs and disruption."



A total of four lawsuits are moving through courts across the country challenging Trumps order.



The Pentagons compliance on Monday only applies to allowing transgender individuals seeking to join the military. Separate court actions have temporarily halted the implementation of the ban on current transgender service members set to take place this spring.



Chief Pentagon spokesperson Dana White told ABC News on Friday that the panel of experts established by Defense Secretary James Mattis will continue and provide a recommendation to the secretary, who will then report to the president by March 23 when an implementation plan is supposed to go into effect.



New guidelines for entry



Under the guidelines effective Monday, applicants will be allowed to join the military if a medical provider certifies they have been stable without clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning for 18 months.



Similarly, a licensed medical provider must certify that an applicant has completed all medical treatment associated with the applicant's gender transition, the applicant has been stable in the preferred gender for 18 months, and if presently receiving cross-sex hormone therapy post-gender transition, the individual has been stable on such hormones for 18 months.



Applicants who have completed sex reassignment or genital reconstruction surgery must have a licensed medical provider certify that a period of 18 months has elapsed since the date of the most recent surgery, no functional limitations or complications persist, and no additional surgeries are required.

Copyright  2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
Call for stopping drug abuse to protect youths





Speakers at a function of Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) in the city strongly suggested eliminating drug abuse in society to protect the vulnerable group of the population, specially the young generation, from the venomous effects of the menace.

"Drug abuse should not only be controlled but also be eliminated from society. All concerned should work concertedly for this with a zero tolerance police," Primary and Mass Education Minister Advocate Mostafizur Rahman said this on Tuesday while speaking at a discussion marking the 28th founding anniversary of DNC at its headquarters at Tejgaon in the city.

DNC Director General Mohammed Jamal Uddin Ahmed chaired the function while Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry for Home Affairs Tipu Munshi, Home Ministry's Security Services Division Secretary Farid Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Iftekhar Uddin, National Narcotics Control Board Member Dr Arup Ratan Chowdhury, Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Naem Nizam and North South University's Professor Imdadul Haque, among others, addressed the discussion.

The minister said once only the males used to take drugs, but now females are also taking it.

He said the government is very sincere to eliminate drug abuse. The government will be successful in stopping drug abuse in society in the way it has curbed terrorism and militancy in the country, he observed.

Speaking on the occasion, Tipu Munshi said as many as 70 lakh people are addicted to drugs in the country and the figure will increase gradually unless it can be contained.

Only DNC or the government cannot stop drug abuse in society, he said, adding that all should work from their respective positions to raise awareness against this social curse.


Over 2.35 cr free text books distributed

Jubilant school girls coming out from the PTI Primary School premises after receiving free text books distributed by Bangladesh Text Book Board on Monday.

A total of 2.35 crore textbooks were distributed among over 2.4 million students of primary, secondary and vocational students of the city and district on Monday.

District Primary Education Officer Nasrin Sultana said, "Over 2.35 crore textbooks were distributed among over 2.4 million pre-primary, primary, secondary and vocational students for the 2018 academic year."

Acting City Mayor Neser Uddin Ahmed formally inaugurated the book distribution programme for the city schools at Mostafa Hakim School on Monday morning.

Divisional Commissioner (additional secretary) Mohammad Abdul Mannan formally launched the programme by distributing new textbooks among the students of primary level in a ceremony on PTI Primary School premises.

Additonal Deputy Commissioner (Education and ICT) Habibur Rahman and District Primary Education Officer Nasrin Sultana attended the functions as special guests.

Raozan Correspondent adds: Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Railway ABM Fazle Karim Chowdhury MP distributed text books among the primary school students on first day of the new calendar year on Monday at Raozan Upazila Complex ground at a simple ceremony as Chief Guest.

In brief deliveratiions, the chief guest told that Sheikh Hasina headed govt upholds the continuity of distribution of text books among the students in due time . He distributed books among the jubilant students .

The lawmaker of Raozan urges the guardians of the students to give more attentions to their children to addict more and more in studies as they can imbue with the patriotism of country. He also asked the guardin to inspire their children toward s higher education .

Upazila Nirbahi officer Md. Shamim Hossain Reza presided over the distribution programme attended by Upzila Chairman Ehsanul Haider Chowdhury Babul, Vice Chairman Alhaj Noor Mohammad, AC Land Junaid Kabir Sohag, Education Officer Abdullah al Manun Panel Mayor Bashir Khan, 2nd Panel Mayor Jamiruddin Parvez as special guests.
S Korea proposes high-level talks with N Korea

South Korean President Moon Jae-In has long favoured engagement to defuse tension with the North and welcomed Kim\'s suggestion that there could be an opportunity to kick-start dialogue.

AFP, Seoul :

South Korea Tuesday proposed holding high- level talks with Pyongyang on January 9, after the North's leader Kim Jong-Un called for a breakthrough in relations and said Pyongyang might attend the Winter Olympics.

Kim used his annual New Year address to underscore Pyongyang's claim that it has developed a weapons deterrent and warn that he had a "nuclear button" on hand, but sweetened his remarks by expressing an interest in dialogue and participating in the South's Games. South Korea's unification minister Cho Myoung-Gyon said Seoul was "reiterating our willingness to hold talks with the North at any time and place in any form".

"We hope that the South and North can sit face to face and discuss the participation of the North Korean delegation at the Pyeongchang Games as well as other issues of mutual interest for the improvement of inter-Korean ties," he said at a press conference.

The two Koreas, which have been separated by a tense demilitarised zone since the end of the 1950-53 Korean war, last held high-level talks in 2015.

Dovish South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who has long favoured engagement to defuse tension with the North, earlier Tuesday welcomed Kim's suggestion that there could be an opportunity to kick-start dialogue.

However, he indicated that improvements in inter-Korean ties must go hand in hand with steps towards denuclearisation.

Moon proposed Red Cross and military talks last year, but his requests were not answered by Pyongyang. The North has rattled the international community in recent months with multiple missile launches and its sixth and most powerful nuclear test-purportedly of a hydrogen bomb.

Pyongyang has shrugged off a raft of new sanctions and heightened rhetoric from the United States as it continued to drive forwards with a weapons programme that it says is defensive and aimed at developing a warhead capable of targeting the US mainland.
Trump's tough message to Pakistan result of Modi's diplomacy, claims BJP

PTI, New Delhi :

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 President Trump said Pakistan had given the US 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!" the US president said in a strongly worded tweet.

Within hours, the Pakistani Defence Ministry fired back alleging that it has got "nothing but invective and mistrust" for all the actions it took in support of America's war against terrorism.

"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 Pakistan Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

Mr Trump who returned to the White House from Mar-a-Lago in Florida where he spent his Christmas and New Year vacation did not respond to shouted questions from reporters on "what is your plan on Pakistan?"

Several US lawmakers came out in support of President Trump adopting a tough approach on Pakistan.
Trump threatens to cut Pakistan aid over 'deceit' in terror fight

US President Donald Trump-pictured here at a New Year\'s party at his Florida resort, flanked by son Barron and wife Melania-kicked off 2018 with a tweet sharply critical of Pakistan on Monday.

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!"

Last week, The New York Times reported that the Trump administration was 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.

Last month, Trump had already 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."

The comments were an extension of repeated US warnings that Pakistan must stop offering cross-border havens to Taliban factions operating in Afghanistan as well as armed jihadist groups fighting US troops and their Afghan allies.

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."

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, wrote in an article last year 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."

She 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.
Warrant against Khaleda

UNB, Comilla :

A Comilla court on Tuesday ordered the arrest of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 48 other leaders and activists of her party in a murder case filed over the 2015 arson attack on a bus in Chouddagram upazila that left eight people dead.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Joynab Begum issued the order after accepting the chargesheet in the case.

Eight people were killed and at least 20 people were injured when miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at a bus at Jogmohanpur in Chouddagram upazila during BNP-led alliance's movement on February 3, 2015.

Two separate cases - one under the Explosive Substances Act and another for murder - were filed against 56 people, including Khaleda. Later, sub-inspector Nururzzaman filed the murder case against 77 people including Khaleda.

Firoz Ahmed, inspector of detective branch of police and also investigation officer of the case, submitted the chargesheet accusing 69 people. October 9, 2017 last, a Comilla court ordered the arrest of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and 45 other leaders and activists of her party in the case filed under the Explosive Substances Act over the 2015 arson attack on a bus in Chouddagram upazila.
OIC team visits Rohingya camps from today

A delegation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) will visit the Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar district for four days from Wednesday to acquire first-hand information on the state of human rights violations faced by Rohingyas in Myanmar for preparing an objective report on the issue.

During the visit to Cox's Bazar, the officials from the OIC General Secretariat will discuss humanitarian needs and other issues of concern with the relevant authorities in Bangladesh and present their report to OIC Secretary General Dr Yousef bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen.

A detailed report both on the human rights situation of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar and their urgent humanitarian needs will be presented to the upcoming OIC Council of Foreign Ministers scheduled to take place in May this year in Dhaka.

The delegation consists of members of the OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC), one of the principle statutory organs of the OIC - dealing with human rights issues, and officials from relevant departments of the OIC General Secretariat including the Minorities, Information and Humanitarian Affairs.

The visit is undertaken, in coordination with the government of Bangladesh, to ascertain the human rights and humanitarian situation of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, according to OIC statement.

Despite repeated requests by the IPHRC, Myanmar authorities did not allow to undertake a fact-finding visit on the human rights situation faced by the Rohingya Muslims in the Rakhine State.

In the absence of a positive response from the Myanmar Government, the IPHRC has decided to visit Rohingya camps in Cox's Bazar district and acquire first-hand information on the state of human rights violations faced by them in Myanmar for preparing an objective report on the subject.

IPHRC has routinely pronounced its strong concerns and condemnation on the state of human rights violations faced by the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar at all relevant UN forums.

The OIC has repeatedly called upon the Myanmar government that Rohingyas must be allowed to return in safety and dignity to their original places of residence and that the authorities must take concrete steps to address the root causes of tensions in Rakhine State.

Meanwhile, Indonesian President Joko Widodo is likely to be here on a two-day official visit this month to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues including Rohingya issue.

The two countries are now in discussion to finalize the visit, a foreign ministry source said.

The Indonesian President, during the visit, will have meetings with President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

In September last, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi visited Dhaka and discussed the Rohingya issues.
Pakistan summons US envoy over Trump's angry tweet

Islamabad (Reuters) :

Pakistan summoned the U.S. ambassador in protest against U.S. President Donald Trump's angry tweet about Pakistan's "lies and deceit", while Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the outburst as a political stunt.

David Hale was summoned by the Pakistan foreign office on Monday to explain Trump's tweet, media said. A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad confirmed the meeting took place.

In a withering attack, Trump on Monday said the United States had "foolishly" handed Pakistan more than $33 billion in aid in the last 15 years and had been rewarded with "nothing but lies and deceit".

"They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump wrote on Twitter.

Trump's harsh words drew praise from Pakistan's old foe, India, and neighboring Afghanistan, but long-time ally China defended Pakistan's record of combating "terrorism".

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday will chair a cabinet meeting that will focus on Trump's tweet, while on Wednesday the country's top civilian and military chiefs will meet to discuss deteriorating U.S. ties.

Relations between United States and its uneasy ally Pakistan have been strained for many years over Islamabad's alleged support for Haqqani network militants, who are allied with the Afghan Taliban.

The United States also alleges senior Afghan Taliban commanders live on Pakistani soil. In 2016, the then-Taliban leader Mullah Mansour was killed by a U.S. drone strike inside Pakistan and in 2011, al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was found and killed by U.S. troops in the Pakistani garrison town of Abbottabad.

Washington has signaled to Pakistan that it will cut aid and enact other punitive measures if Islamabad does not stop helping or turning a blind eye to the Haqqani network militants who carry out cross-border attacks in Afghanistan. Islamabad bristles at the suggestion it is not doing enough in the war against militancy, saying that since 2001, Pakistan has suffered more than the United States from militancy as casualties at the hands of Islamists number in the tens of thousands.

Pakistani Foreign Minister Asif dismissed Trump's comments as a political stunt borne out of frustration over U.S. failures in Afghanistan, where Afghan Taliban militants have been gaining territory and carrying out major attacks.

"He has tweeted against us (Pakistan) and Iran for his domestic consumption," Asif told Geo TV on Monday.

"He is again and again displacing his frustrations on Pakistan over failures in Afghanistan as they are trapped in dead-end street in Afghanistan." Asif added that Pakistan did not need U.S. aid.

A U.S. National Security Council official on Monday said the White House did not plan to send $255 million in aid to Pakistan "at this time" and said "the administration continues to review Pakistan's level of cooperation." In August, the administration had said it was delaying the payment.

Afghan and Indian officials applauded Trump's abrasive comments. "His Excellency President Trump has declared the reality. Pakistan has never helped or participated in tackling terrorism," General Dawlat Waziri, spokesman for the Afghan ministry of Defence, told Reuters.

Jitendra Singh, a junior minister at the Indian Prime Minister's Office, said Trump's posturing has "vindicated India's stand as far as terror is concerned and as far as Pakistan's role in perpetrating terrorism is concerned".

But China gave Pakistan its backing. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, asked during a regular briefing about Trump's tweet, did not mention the United States but defended Pakistan's contributions in counter-terrorism.

"We have said many times that Pakistan has put forth great effort and made great sacrifices in combating terrorism. It has made a prominent contribution to global anti-terror efforts," he said.

"The international community should fully recognize this."

Pakistani officials say tough U.S. measures threaten to push Pakistan further into the arms of China, which has deepened ties with Islamabad after pledging to invest $57 billion in infrastructure as part of its vast Belt and Road initiative.

Analysts say Trump's tweet signals that the fraught U.S.-Pakistan ties are likely to worsen in 2018.

"The trend lines have not been good, and the tweet gives an indication of the turmoil that awaits in 2018," said Michael Kugelman, the senior associate for South Asia at the Woodrow Wilson Center.




Beware of fake hilsha

Staff Reporter :

The Chandina fish imported from Myanmar and Philippines is posing a serious threat to human health as a high level of heavy metals like lead and cadmium have been found in this fish. This fish looks like Hilsha, but not tasteful.

The fish seems like Hilsha is imported in the country as 'Colombo Sad' and 'Gizard Sad', according to Bangladesh Safe Food Authority (BFSA).

"As a safety food standard, 0.3 percent mg/kg lead is tolerable in any fish, but this imported fish has five times more lead. It has 1.559 to 1.699 percent lead which is seriously harmful for human health," said BFSA Member and Joint-Secretary to the government Mahbub Kabir told a group of journalists at his office.

Mahbub Kabir said the fish also contains more than double Cadmium, which is also seriously harmful for human health.

"Such amount of lead and Cadmium are posing serious level of health risks among the people of our country," said the BFSA member. On Monday, BFSA sent letters to Airport and Teknaf VAT Customs Commissioners Office to stop permissions to import this fish before testing.

Sources said, the traders are importing huge quantities of this fish as it is very much profitable.

One ton of Chandina fish is being imported only through Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport every month, they said.

The consumers are being cheated buying this fish in the name of Hilsha. This fish is also not delicious like Hilsha. After cooking, it found bitter tastes and bad smell.

The sources also said that the importers got united to prevent the BFSA's steps to stop import of the fish.

They also raised question whether the BFSA has any authority to send such letters asking them to stop import of the fish.

Mahbub Kabir said the BFSA has the authority to take any decision to ensure food safety. It also has right to ask any government office to take necessary measures in this regard.


Assam tensed over draft deportation list

Dhaka has no info about any such plan

Special Correspondent :

Tension is running high in the Muslim community across the Indian state of Assam fearing that most of them could be expelled, if their names are not included in the so-called citizen list. An estimated 40 percent of the Assam's population is Muslims.

After decades long debate, the Indian government on Monday published a draft list of citizens of its northeastern state of Assam indicating over one crore permanent residents as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The first draft of the National Register of Citizens [NRC] was 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.

Earlier, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal has said Dhaka had no knowledge of it. "We didn't receive any information from Indian government, neither formally or informally," he said recently.

Echoing the same, Additional Secretary [political] of Home Ministry's Public Safety Division Abu Bakkar Siddique told The New Nation on Tuesday they have yet not got any information about forced deportation along the Bangladesh-Assam border [borders of the Sylhet Division and Tripura].

The human rights organizations, however, cautioned that millions of people could be "stateless" if the Indian government remains rigid on the decision. Prior to publishing the list, several hundred Muslims went to court apparently to prove their nationality.

But it is yet not sure whether their names would be included in the final list of citizens. It is to be noted that, thousands of Muslim nationals have been kept in the detention camps throughout the Assam in the last few years.

The next draft will be published as per the guidelines of the Indian Supreme Court -- under whose monitoring the document is being prepared. Its next hearing is in April while the entire process will be completed within 2018. Quoting statement of Registrar General of India Sailesh Apart, the international media yesterday reported that apart from 1.9 crore people, the rest of the names are under various stages of verification.

"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," Sailesh Apart 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. The ground work for this list began in December 2013 and 40 hearings have taken place in the Indian Supreme Court over the last three years. Assam is the only state having an NRC, first prepared in 1951.

Al Jazeera reported: "Since the India's partition in 1947, Assam has been rocked by protests over 'illegal immigration' from across the porous riverine border with Bangladesh, increasing sectarian tensions and riots between the state's indigenous population and Bengali-speaking Muslim migrants."

"In February 1983, more than 2,000 Bengali-speaking Muslims, allegedly illegal immigrants, were killed in Nellie in central Assam. In recent years, thousands of Bengali-speaking Muslims have been thrown in detention camps in Assam as "doubtful voters" and "immigrants," the Al Jazeera said.

Since 1951, all the segments -especially political parties of India - have reached in a consensus over the highly sensitive issue while several Indian government officials alleged that the Muslims, who came from Bangladesh, should be expelled.

Indian big political party the Congress has also welcomed the draft list ensuring that its workers would cooperate to exercise the process with "complete integrity, transparency and accountability".

Besides, the Indian BJP [Bharatiya Janata Party] government said it has implemented a border management plan in conjunction with Bangladesh, but the Bangladeshi government has denied discussing the deportation of migrants with Indian officials.

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 Student Union.

The Hindustan Times yesterday reported that security has been tightened across the Assam state apprehending possible violence by those whose names are missing.

To prove one eligible, the citizens in Assam must provide documents proving that they or their family lived in the country before March 24, 1971 - a date that accounts for the migration of people from across Bangladesh [then East Pakistan].
13 Polytechnic students bullet hit in clash with police

Staff Reporter :

At least 13 students received bullet injuries in a clash with police at Tejgaon Polytechnic Institute in the city on Tuesday night. They were admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital and receiving treatment there. It cannot be known immediately who those students and why they entered into the clash with police. The nature of the injuries still unknown while filing this report.
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Over 300 experts from major international, regional and national companies attended the recently held Deloitte Saudi Arabia Tax Conference in Al Khobar, Riyadh and Jeddah.



For the past decade, professional services firm Deloitte has organized annual tax conferences in the Middle East to update practitioners and clients on local, regional and global tax updates and tools. In March Deloitte held the Middle East Tax conference in Dubai.



With the imminent VAT January 1 2018 go live date in Saudi Arabia; the conference had an important and very pertinent focus on the introduction of the indirect tax in the country. Some of the main issues covered during the VAT sessions were aimed at companies struggling to complete preparations for January 1.



Focus areas included recommendations for establishing the final preparations, determining the main focus for those who have not achieved full readiness yet, preparing the first VAT returns, communicating with the supply chain and other stakeholders and developing a checklist of outstanding issues and solutions.



Subject matter experts also shared their insights on Transfer Pricing in the post Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) world, the future of global mobility and the overall changing tax landscape and the influence it has on local and regional businesses.



Change is the one constant. More often than not, change is challenging, and the way in which we address it as well as how prepared we are to take it on are key defining factors that impact the end outcome of what comes our way, said Nauman Ahmed, the Deloitte Middle East Tax leader.



In todays global tax environment, it is important to be able to lead through uncertainty. To do this, companies need clarity, connection and confidence, exactly what our regional annual conferences and regular tax academies are aimed to provide businesses.



During the conference and with the aim to provide additional support for businesses in the Kingdom, Deloitte Middle East launched its Doing Business Guide KSA. The report highlights key areas of consideration for businesses looking to invest in KSA for the first time, as well as those looking to undertake a review of their tax exposures, which may include remedial or long-term solutions.  TradeArabia News Service
Oman has approved a state budget that envisages a total public expenditure of OR12.5 billion ($32.51 billion) for 2018, an increase of OR800 million from the estimated expenditure for 2017.

His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said issued a Royal Decree approving Oman's budget for 2018 on Monday, said a Times of Oman report.

The total revenues are expected to reach OR9.5 billion, an increase of 3 per cent over the actual expected revenues for 2017. The budget is calculated on the basis of an oil price of $50 per barrel.

The budget statement estimated a deficit of OR3 billion, or 10 percent of GDP during the year.

An Oman New Agency report said 84 percent of the estimated budget deficit of OR2.5 billion will be financed through external and domestic borrowing.

According to the statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, the budget for the fiscal year 2018 aims to maintain the financial and economic stability of the state. Furthermore, it aims to raise the rate of economic growth and stability of the standard of living of citizens, said a Times of Oman report.

About OR3.88 billion were allocated in the 2018 budget for education, health, housing and welfare sectors, which represent the largest share of the budget, the statement said.

The Omani economy is projected to grow 3 per cent in 2018, buoyed by gradually rebounding oil prices, intensifying economic diversification efforts, and a reinvigorated investment environment, another report said.

No new taxes are envisioned in the 2018 budget, although a selective tax (Excise Tax) will be levied on certain products, such as tobacco, alcohol and fizzy drinks, said the Oman Daily Observer report.

An integrated service fee for municipal services will also be introduced, it said.
The Dubai Gold and Commodities Exchange (DGCX) the regions largest and most diversified derivatives bourse, witnessed record trade volumes of 17.43 million lots as well as launch f unique products and signing of its strategic partnerships.



The DGCX also launched the first-ever offshore Chinese-linked gold derivative in international markets. The listing of Shanghai Gold Futures (DSGC) on the DGCX platform attracted interest and participation from traders worldwide. Since its listing on March 10th, 2017, the product has seen steady growth in volumes and has traded over 34,518 lots.



Further to this, the listing of additional calendar spreads on key products has increased confidence in the marketplace. To cap an eventful year, the Exchange launched an additional 44 blue-chip Indian Single Stock Futures (SSF), bringing the total to 54, further expanding its Equities product portfolio.



On the regulatory front, DGCX achieved two key milestones. The first milestone was when the Dubai Commodities Clearing Corporation (DCCC), a wholly owned subsidiary of DGCX, received recognition as a Third-Country CCP (TC-CCP) by the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA).



This regulatory upgrade opened-up access to European banks to clear DGCX trades without incurring any additional capital requirements as imposed by EU Regulations on their exposure to the DCCC. This was closely followed by both DGCX and DCCC obtaining approval from the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA), the regulatory authority for the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), to operate as a remote Exchange and Clearing House.



This recognition enabled ADGM domiciled companies to access DGCXs trading and clearing platforms. While both these initiatives highlight the strength and diversity of DGCXs capabilities, it also reiterates the Exchanges deeper involvement in developing the regional commodity and derivative markets.



In addition, DGCX also enhanced its risk management capabilities and grew its strategic partnerships, as the Exchange focused its efforts on reinforcing its presence in the Mena region. Development in this area was marked with Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and DGCX signing an MOU to collaborate on creating a unified national clearing house in the UAE, while also signing agreements with both RAKBANK and the Ayedh Bin Dejem Group of Saudi Arabia to cooperate on two Gold related products.



Taking into account the progression and several achievements over the year, DGCX was awarded Exchange of the Year by the Futures Options World (FOW) at the Global Investor Mena Awards 2017.



Gaurang Desai, CEO of DGCX, said: From our achievements in 2017, it is clear we have made progress on all fronts. I believe 2017 was truly a noteworthy year in the history of DGCX, it was more like a coming-of-age experience for the DGCX.



Last year, we not only evolved as an Exchange but continued to push the envelope with our efforts and innovation-led approach, which resulted in us achieving our goals as well as setting new ones. Our strategy for 2018 is to keep progressing, moving forward with our goals while continuing to hold innovation at the core of what we do. Similar to last year, our focus will remain on expanding our asset class verticals, growing our member base, increasing our partnerships, strengthening our capabilities, and paving the way for more accolades and regulatory recognition, he added.



New products in the pipeline



In 2017, the Exchange announced plans for its first foray into the Islamic Finance sector with the launch of a Sharia Spot Gold contract. We have already earmarked a launch date for our imminent Sharia Gold product, which will be announced in due course. The launch of the Sharia gold product is of utmost significance to us because a product of this kind is uncommon in the derivatives industry and we want to make sure that we do it right, and all efforts have been put in place to ensure that outcome, said Gaurang.



2017 volume highlights



 Total volume traded in 2017 - 17,439,658 lots

 Total value traded in 2017  $404.7 Billion

 Highest daily volume of 2017  27th September 2017, 202,571 lots

 Highest trading month of 2017  November, 2,078,754 lots

 Best performing asset class/product of 2017  G6 Currencies up 85%

 New products launched in 2017  Shanghai Gold, Calendar Spreads, Additional Indian SSF

i. DGCX Shanghai Gold future  traded 34,518 contracts

ii. Calendar Spreads  Traded 1,658,019

iii. 54 Indian SSF  traded 1,353,725 contracts



 TradeArabia News Service
Egypt has emerged as a key market for American hardwoods, with the wood imports to the Arab world's most populous nation surging to over $1.365 billion in 2016, said a report by American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), a leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry.



The announcement follows the council's successful participation at the third edition of the Cairo WoodShow, held recently. In addition to its presence at the show, it was also involved with the Cairo WoodShow seminar.

Aiming to address some of the biggest issues that Egyptian contractors, importers and specifiers have in working with American hardwoods, Dana Spessert, the chief inspector of the National

Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) gave an introduction to American hardwood species

and hardwood lumber grading.



As per the latest statistics from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the total exports of US hardwood lumber and veneer to the Middle East & North Africa (Mena) region hit $73.36 million for the first three quarters.



A closer look at the statistics revealed that US hardwood lumber shipments to Egypt for the same time period reached a value of $4.523 million (volume equivalent to 5,961 cu m), emphasizing the importance of this major furniture producing market.



In addition, total direct exports of US hardwood veneers to Egypt reached a value of $4.298

million from January to September of this year.



Market reports indicate that wood imports to Egypt reached $1.365 billion in 2016 whilst the wood-based furniture domestic production was valued at $750 million, said the Ahec statement.



Moreover, the Egyptian wood industry is poised to grow domestically, as the Government of Egypt engages in large-scale infrastructure projects, it added.



Whilst these developments present ample opportunities for American hardwood species; Roderick Wiles, the Ahec director for Africa, Middle East, South Asia and Oceania, believes that market development activities need to take place to capitalize on these opportunities.



Ahec is confident that American tulipwood, as well as the full range of American hardwood species, could all work well in the products being produced in Egypt. However, it is crucial that the key industry players are made fully conversant with what is available from the US and also the NHLA lumber grading rules, noted the top official.



"Exports to Egypt, which saw significant growth during the past two years, fell by 20 percent

in volume and value during the first nine months of this year. The majority of this decrease

was accounted for by lower shipments of red oak, which accounted for over 50 percent of

the volume of lumber shipped to Egypt," stated Wiles.



In contrast, exports of white oak to the market actually picked up marginally. Despite the slight decrease in exports, Egypt is still in the top five markets for lumber in the region and remains the number one market for US hardwood veneers, he noted.



Given that Egypt is a major consumer of solid wood, primarily for furniture production, our

participation was aimed at educating visitors about the wide availability and variety of

American hardwood species as well as their proven environmental credentials, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Al Haddad Commercial Centre, the official importer and distributor of a number of internationally renowned automotive products in Bahrain, will showcase Metabo high performance industrial power tools and services (corded and cordless) at the Gulf Industry Fair, next year in the kingdom.



The event, a leading annual industrial expo in the GCC, will take place from February 6 to 8, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.



The fair is being held under the patronage of HRH Prince Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, and is organised by Hilal Conferences & Exhibitions (HCE).



In recent years, it has expanded to a wider product range to include the highly regarded German brand of Metabo power tools, said a statement.



Abdulla Al Haddad, chairman, Al Haddad Commercial, said: We will be offering special packages on Metabo products during the fair because we have found that the exhibition adds potential orders outside our normal customer base.



The Gulf Industry Fair showcases Bahrains capabilities as a trading hub for businesses involved in the industry. As a Bahraini company, our values fall in line with the fairs achievements, he added.



Ahmed Suleiman, exhibition director of HCE, said: Gulf Industry Fair visitors will get a chance to benefit from the special packages on Metabo products and services at the Al Haddad Commercial stand as well as the product knowledge available from the companys staff.



The Metabo Service Center in Bahrain established by Al Haddad is staffed with a team of professionally trained and experienced technicians who provide their clients with a high standard of customer service. Metabos products include burnishing machines and cordless power tools.



The fair is being strategically sponsored by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (Bapco) in association with Noga and Aluminium Bahrain (Alba). Majaal have joined the fair as industrial facilities sponsor.



The supporting organisations for the event include AHK Saudi Arabia, the German Saudi Arabian Liaison for Economic Affairs, PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India and the Bahrain Industrial Association, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Salini Impregilo, a specialist in the construction and civil engineering business, has won contracts worth a combined $300 million in the Gulf region and a $190 million order from the US.



On the GCC contracts, the Italian construction major said the company will build a $100-million water desalination plant through its subsidiary Fisia Italimpianti in Oman.



The company, in consortium with Saudi-based Acwa, French water and energy management company Veolia and Dhofar International for Investment and Development Company along with joint-venture partner Spanish group Abengoa, will design and construct the plant.



The JV will use the latest reverse osmosis technology, to deliver up to 113,650 cu m of potable water a day to the southwest city of Salalah in Oman. Fisia Italimpianti has a 51 per cent stake in the new venture.



The contract, to be completed in 27 months, is the units second this year, following a $255-million deal obtained in April to build a desalination plant in Saudi Arabia.



Salini Impregilo pointed out that its other big contract in the region is the $200-million deal to design and build a 5-km-long transit connection in Abu Dhabi (UAE).



It will cross two islands Umm Lafina and Al Reem to connect the Capital District with the Central Business District, which the UAE capital is building for its 2030 development plan to foster economic growth, said the statement.



Once completed in 2020, the highway between these islands will cross a mangrove reserve, where Salini Impregilo will relocate and plant double the number of mangroves expected to be lost, following the sustainability principles that it applies at all its construction sites, it added.



Salini Impregilo said these project wins highlighted the infrastructure groups breadth and scale as well as its leadership in the water and transportation sectors.



In the US, the groups Lane Construction unit has won two contracts in Virginia for a combined $190 million, the latest in a series of public works that not only highlights its long presence in the US but also its leadership in roadwork across the country.



The first at $105 million involves improving an interchange in Virginia Beach as part of the second phase of the I-64/I-264 Interchange Improvements project, while the second one worth $85.6 million will add a through-lane along part of eastbound I-66 in the Ballston area.-TradeArabia News Service
Leading engineering and air conditioning experts will discuss collaboration opportunities between Saudi Arabia and the European Union on HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) standards, certification and labelling at an upcoming industry event in Jeddah.



The high-level "EU - Saudi Arabia Energy Efficiency Meeting," will be held at Jeddah Centre for Forums & Events and is set to draw key decision-makers and experts from both the European Union and Saudi Arabia.



The event, organised in partnership with dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa and Eurovent ME, is being held in conjunction with HVACR Expo Saudi, the largest dedicated indoor climate and refrigeration event in the kingdom, which runs from January 14 to 16.



The meeting will kick off on the opening day of HVACR Expo Saudi under the initiative of the EU GCC Clean Energy Technology Network and the European Union Delegation to Saudi Arabia, with the participation of Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO) and other Saudi entities.



Bringing together Saudi and European experts and decision-makers, the summit is expected to play a fundamental role in helping preserve the kingdoms wealth of energy resources and strengthen the national economy complementing the Saudi National energy efficiency program.



Today, Saudi Arabia relies on liquid petroleum for approximately 60 per cent of its electricity generation. Increase in electricity demand boosted by population growth and rising living standards is affecting the countrys oil export volume and earnings.



With more than 70 per cent of Saudis electricity being consumed for air-conditioning and cooling, energy-efficient HVACR solutions are key to achieve national growth in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.



Confirming the Saso participation, Abdullah Al Gahtani, the vice governor of the standards and laboratories, said: "We are glad to be part of this key initiative in Saudi Arabia, which will contribute in elevating the standards and the quality of HVACR products in the country, finally strengthening the competitiveness of the national economy going along with the Saudi national energy efficiency program."



Michele Cervone D'urso, ambassador of the European Union to Saudi Arabia, pointed out that energy has been and still is the major pillar of Saudi Arabias economy.



"The European Union, which has recently set out a new 30 per cent energy efficiency target by 2030, is glad to share know-how and collaborate with the kingdom on such a strategic subject matter to support economic development in Saudi Arabia and foster a more sustainable future," he noted.



Frank Wouters, the director of the EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology Network, said: "The event is an excellent opportunity to meet key stakeholders and discuss co-operation on energy efficiency matters in the HVAC-R sector. It is our mission to foster clean energy partnerships between EU and GCC entities, and the meeting will facilitate the dialogue on energy efficiency."



Markus Lattner, the director of Eurovent Middle East, one of the largest cross-regional industry committees of its kind, said: "We look forward to sharing our expertise in HVAC technologies at the meeting, to promote energy-efficient and sustainable solutions improving the life quality of the people in the Middle East."



A major platform for industry professionals, HVACR Expo Saudi is ideal to network, do business and discover new technologies and trends. It brings together the most innovative HVAC-R solutions and equipment from local and international manufacturers.



Nathan Waugh, the portfolio event director at dmg events, said: "As a leading exhibitions organising company, our aim is to advance the HVACR industry, promoting best practices and innovative solutions."



"We trust that this efficiency meeting will initiate a beneficial dialogue and co-operation on energy efficiency matters supporting Saudi Arabias Vision and sustainable economic development," he added.-TradeArabia News Service
Foreign workers in Saudi Arabias private sector will have to pay fees for every dependent or companion, a report said.



The directorate, known as Jawazat among expats, has posted a tweet on its official Twitter account stating that it was implementing a decision previously issued by the Council of Ministers.



Fees for every dependent or companion must be paid through the Sadat payment system, Arab News reported, citing the General Directorate of Passports (GDP).



Targeted dependents include the first wife, male children under 18, and all female children; GDPs Lt Col Tall Al-Calhoun was quoted as saying by the newspaper.



A note from the GDP clarified that the term companions entails the second wife, the third and the fourth, in addition to parents, relatives-in-law, domestic labourers and every expat sponsored by the worker, Arab News said.



The fees should be paid in advance and on a yearly basis along with the issuing or renewal of the workers residency permit, when issuing exit-re-entry visa or even final exit visas, the GDP said.



The authority clarified that the worker should pay SR100 ($26.7) for every dependent or companion starting from July 1, 2017. It also gave notice that the fees would be doubled from July 1, 2018, and would reach SR300 by July 1, 2019. According to the same announcement, a single dependents or companions fees will hit SR400 in 2020.



The announcement also stated that no nationality would be excluded from the decision, and the fees are not refundable.
UAE-based Emirates Healthcare Group signed a strategic partnership with Egypts Alameda Healthcare Group.



Alameda Healthcare Group, which has the largest healthcare footprint in Egypt that totals 860 beds, including both Dar El Fouad Hospital and As Salam International Hospital, in addition to chain of labs, tabibi 24/7 and GIT stand-alone units.



Emirates Healthcare Group, a leading global healthcare provider, is a part of Abu Dhabi-based investment group KBBO. Khalifa Bin Butti, chairman of KBBO Group, said: Our expansion in Egypt comes from our strong belief in the development and prosperity of the Egyptian market, and the progress that Egypt is making in all areas as a nation.



Were excited to establish an extensive presence in the vibrant Egyptian market. Its an important addition to our global healthcare network, further extending the reach of the highest standard patient care we provide globally to around eight million patient each year.



The population of Egypt has reached 91 million, yet the number of hospital beds available is less than two beds per 1,000 people. With an annual population growth of 2.2 per cent, Egypt desperately needs more hospital beds and improved quality of healthcare services, which this partnership will help provide, he added.



Dr Fahad Khater will manage and head the group in Egypt as chairman from Alameda Healthcare in addition to his role as vice chairman of Emirates Healthcare Group.



Were delighted to have a strategic partner with the capabilities, international experience and authority in the healthcare sector of KBBO Group, said Dr Khater.



Were continually looking for ways to improve our facilities and the care we provide to patients, whether its through our new and recently-upgraded hospitals and medical complexes, or via international partnerships with healthcare specialists like Emirates Healthcare Group.



There has been an increased quality of healthcare in Egypt in recent years, largely because of increased healthcare medical insurance and on-going investment in the sector from international companies like KBBO. Todays partnership is not just with Alameda Healthcare Group but in Egyptian healthcare; it will enhance the quality of  and access to  healthcare for all Egyptians, he added.



The partnership adds to Emirates Healthcare Groups vast portfolio of health care services that includes hospitals and clinics located across the UAE and internationally, such NMC healthcare, Emirates Hospitals and CosmeSurge.  TradeArabia News Service
The global food market is expected to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.5 per cent from 2015 to 2020, and the UAE food and beverage market alone is anticipated to reach a valuation of Dh82 billion ($22 billion) by the end of the decade, according to Euromonitor International.



The 2018 edition of Gulfood, the worlds largest annual food and beverage trade event and the first major international food industry trade show of the year, will further strengthen the UAEs lead role in setting the global food agenda, according to the exhibition organisers, Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC).



Gulfood 2018 is a trade event open strictly to business and trade visitors. The show will take place from February 18 to 22.



Citing the long-established reputation of Gulfood as a key driver in fostering innovation across the local, regional and global food and beverage supply chain, DWTC officials revealed on-site sales generated by 95,000-plus buyers and visitors at Gulfood 2018 - which runs from February 18 to 22 - will contribute heavily to a global food market expected to generate revenues of $3.03 trillion by 2020, according to Research and Markets, a Dublin-based market research company.



Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice president, exhibitions and events, DWTC, said: In attracting the Middle Easts largest trade industry audience, generating huge transactional volumes every year on the show floor, and setting global foodstuff commodity prices, Gulfood is the regions premier food and beverage industry platform  it underlines Dubais leading role in the global food sector.



With regional investment in food production on the rise, international manufacturers see the Middle East as a lucrative market for their products. In this dynamic climate, Gulfood continues to empower the global food and beverage community as an unmatched trading and knowledge platform that offers unrivalled market overviews and insights to industry professionals, she added.



The bright forecast for Gulfood 2018 follows hundreds of major deals struck and initiatives launched at this years event, including US Beef regaining eligibility to ship beef products to Saudi Arabia, a $31 million market.



US exhibitors at the show reported on-site sales of $85.5 million with forecasts of a further $722 million in direct sales as a result of their participation, according to the US Department of Agricultures (USDA) Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS).



The FAS also recruited 47 potential food and beverage suppliers - with a network spanning Asia, Africa, South Asia and the Middle East - to service US exporters at Gulfood 2017.



In the UAE, Dubai-based gourmet snacks specialist Hunter Foods signed a lucrative deal with Chinese importers, while the Emirates Authority for Standardisation & Meteorology (ESMA) hosted the pioneering Global Halal Industry Platform.



Following a successful debut in 2017, Gulfood 2018 will continue its sectorised approach to further increase accessibility and trading potential. Tens of thousands of finished food and beverages will be featured in halls dedicated to eight of the biggest commodity trading sectors: beverages; dairy; fats and oils; health, wellness and free-from; pulses, grains and cereals; meat and poultry; power brands and world food.



With the pulses, grains and cereals and fats and oils sectors already close to being sold-out amid unprecedented demand, the meat and poultry sector is also tracking strong sales two months before the show.



Philip Seng, president and CEO, US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), said: For US red meat exporters, Gulfood has a well-established reputation as the premier marketing event in the Gulf region.



Over the years, Gulfoods footprint has expanded considerably and its now a key venue for exporters looking to grow their business in emerging markets in Africa, Asia and Europe, he said.



New to the 2018 event is the Gulfood Discover Zone, where exhibitors will be able to apply for recently-launched products to be showcased in an exclusive and interactive lounge.



The Gulfood Discover Zone will also feature a dedicated area for companies that have never conducted business in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region before and are using Gulfood as a market-entry opportunity.



Finalists for the Gulfood Innovation Awards, which also return in 2018, will also be showcased in the Gulfood Discover Zone.



Another new feature is the Gulfood Start-up Competition, which is designed to foster further innovation in the food and beverage supply chain. Open to aspiring food industry professionals or students, the competition will reward sustainable development and socially-impactful ideas that are either disrupting the old ways of doing business, or promoting healthier and environmentally-correct practices.



LohMirmand added: Gulfood start-up promises to be the region's most influential innovation enabler for the next generation of food industry pioneers.



The competition will connect impassioned food technology entrepreneurs from across the Middle East with the regions largest food technology and product buyers, she said.



With more than 5,000-plus exhibitors expected at the 23rd edition of the event, Gulfood 2018 will feature more than 120 national pavilions including first-time participants from as far afield as Estonia, Serbia and Slovakia.



The show will also see hundreds of international heads of state, ministers, government officials and scores of national trade associations eager to ink lucrative bi-lateral trade agreements among tens of thousands of anticipated visitors.



Gulfood 2018 will also see the return of perennial features including Halal World Food, the worlds largest annual Halal food sourcing trade show; the annual Emirates Culinary Guild International Salon Culinaire; the worlds largest single-entry chef competition; and the Gulfood Innovation Awards, which recognise best-in-class excellence and innovation across the regions food and drink industry, it stated.  TradeArabia News Service
Reema Al Sadlan, customer service development manager at DHL Express Saudi Arabia has become the first Saudi woman to win the Gold Stevie Award for Women in Business.



We are immensely proud of Reema winning this prestigious award, which brings great honour to DHL Express Saudi Arabia and reflects the success of our commitment to womens empowerment, said Faysal Elhajjami, Saudi Arabia country general manager. Reema is the only Saudi female to have won the Gold Stevie Award for Women in Business this year and she is climbing up the ranks in DHL Express Saudi Arabia.



Al Sadlan said: I thank DHL for the great opportunity they have given me and providing the platform to get to where I am now, and I also thank all my colleagues for their help and support.



Al Sadlan was born in Saudi Arabia and graduated from King Faisal University in 2008. Following her graduation she joined DHL Express in 2009 as a Customer Inquiry Advisor. After two years in the role she later moved on to the role of tracing advisor for one year and was later promoted to the role of key accounts executive, in which she served for two years.



In 2015, Al Sadlan was promoted yet again to the role of Customer Service Training & Development Manager, also becoming the first female facilitator of DHLs Certified International Specialist program, followed by her successful acquisition of the Certified Master Facilitator, before moving on to become a Train the Facilitator in the Middle East.



This year Al Sadlan spearheaded two initiatives which ultimately led her to winning the Gold Stevie Award. First was the Assessment Center project, which is a comprehensive evaluation approach that allows new candidates at DHL an opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a number of different situations. The Assessment Center initiative was fully designed and developed by Al Sadlan and will be adopted and implemented by other DHL countries in Middle East.



The second initiative English for Everyone is designed to improve the English skills of DHL employees in the customer service department in a simple way and within working hours. The implementation of this project is unprecedented in Saudi Arabia, as it has skilled DHL volunteers train their colleagues, passing on invaluable knowledge and skills in a language that is much in demand by international customers in the Kingdom.



Stevie Award winners are selected by the average scores of more than 170 professionals worldwide on five specialized juries. Their scores determined the Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements of the finalists. The results were announced at the recent 14th annual awards dinner in New York City.  TradeArabia News Service
Huawei, a global ICT solutions provider, has been positioned as one of the market leaders in customer analytics solutions for telecom operators by Ovum, a leading independent analyst and consulting company.



The report entitled Ovum Decision Matrix on selecting a customer analytics solution for Telcos in 2017-2018 evaluates global top telecom customer analytics solution providers by assessing their technology, market impact and strategy execution. Based on its research and assessments, participating providers were categorized as either market leaders or market challengers. The report can be used as a reference for telecom operators to select their customer analytics solutions providers.



Ovum pointed out that Huawei has advantages in big data analytics cloud platforms, data governance and converged data modelling. Huawei also has a good understanding of telecom operators business needs. This understanding not only helps operators to use customer insight for their marketing and customer services, to enhance operational efficiency and customer experience, but also helps operators provide innovative digital services for external vertical industries based on customer insights such as personal credit ratings, bringing value to operators, the report said.



For acquiring competitive advantages in rapidly changing markets, telecom operators need to improve existing customer experiences, acquire new customers, and increase new sources of revenue. This drives telecom operators' needs on comprehensive and real-time customer insight, and operators demands on customer analytics solutions also change from an island-based architecture that relies on single data source analytics to big data analytics that uses multiple data sources.



With technical capability in the field of cloud computing and big data as well as its knowledge of the telecom industry, Huawei provides operators with Fusion Insight-Universe Analytics, a big data analytics cloud platform which integrates tools of data integration, data management and insight and analytics.



Operators can quickly generate customer insights based on their multiple data sources such as BSS, OSS, and MIS, and use insights obtained to support enterprise digital operations or to have data service innovations to meet market challenges, the report said.  TradeArabia News Service
Qatar Post (Q-Post) has signed an agreement with Qatar Railways for a variety of postal services, a media report said.



By the terms of the memorandum of understanding (MoU), Qatar Post will provide Qatar Rail with its Global Priority Service to deliver all postal materials inside and outside the State of Qatar in the shortest time possible in addition to its VIP services, reported Gulf Times.



Qatar Post will also provide all postal and mail services to Qatar Rail in order to facilitate and expedite the transport of consignments and shipments, the report added.




Bahrains Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Bahraini citizens to refrain from travelling to Iran, due to the widespread unrest, unstable security conditions and severe violence in the cities there, reported Bahrain News Agency (BNA).



The ministry called upon Bahraini nationals in Iran to leave immediately and to take utmost care and caution, the report said.


Equate, a global producer of petrochemical products based in Kuwait, said it has won regional recognition by clinching the Investment Grade Bond/Sukuk Deal of the Year Award at the 2017 GFC Media Middle East Awards in Dubai.



Equate won the top honours for its debut $2.25 billion 144A and Reg S five-year and ten-year dual-tranche bond offering, which was issued during November 2016.



The bond issuance is part of the companys long-term financial restructuring plan following the acquisition of MEGlobal in December 2015, said a statement from Equate.



The Kuwait group's two-time oversubscribed bonds were the largest issuance by the private sector in the GCC region since 2014. The bonds are also the first ever 144A offering issued by a Kuwait-based corporation.



The success of Equate's bonds was followed by an international issuance of $500 million sukuk (Islamic bonds) in February 2017 with a maturity date in 2024, it stated.



On the win, Phisanu Sermchaiwong, the chief financial officer, said: "The award is a testament to Equate's strong global status and financial position, as well as its significant contribution to the regional and international industrial sector, and debt capital markets (DCM)."



An international joint venture, Equates shareholders include Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Boubyan Petrochemical Company (BPC) and Qurain Petrochemical Industries Company (QPIC).



"The groups strong position is further supported by investment-grade rating of Baa2 from Moodys and BBB+ from Standard & Poors. We are very grateful to the financial community for this prestigious recognition of the group's achievements in the financial sector," he added.



The worlds second largest producer of Ethylene Glycol (EG), Equate has industrial complexes in Kuwait, North America and Europe that annually produce over 5 million tons of Ethylene, Polyethylene and Polyethylene Terephthalate.



The products are marketed throughout Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.-TradeArabia News Service
Dubai continues to be the top favourite destination among GCC travellers during the festive season, followed by Abu Dhabi, UAE and Madinah, Saudi Arabia, new data showed.



According to data released by HotelsCombined.com, a leading hotel price comparison website, the top five travelers coming to GCC are from Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, South Africa and Russia.



On the international level, London maintains its position as the most popular destination followed by Istanbul and Paris, according to the number of bookings and visitors gathered from December 22 to January 2, 2018.



Dubai attracts more than 14 million tourists in one year, making the city one of the 10 tourist hotspots in the world. The city that never sleeps has so much to offer such as the most extravagant malls on earth, as well as luxurious hotels and miles of unspoiled beaches. Apart from hosting an array of shopping extravaganzas every now and then, Dubai offers visitors the best big city experiences and continues to lure travelers with its promise of luxury, glamorous attractions and first-class restaurants.



Amer Alhalabi, regional manager Mena, HotelsCombined said: Destinations like Dubai and London are very popular among travellers during the festive season as it is easy to get visas to these countries. Dubai itself is a popular attraction for youngsters, families and couples; and is also a hub for travellers heading to other destinations outside the Middle East.



Dubai helps you balance between the frenzy of shopping, parties, and family time and we are here to help you find the best and affordable rates in which to cap off another great year, said Alhalabi.



According to the report, the most popular hotels in the top locations include Roda Amwaj Suites Jumeirah Beach Residence Dubai in Dubai, The Cumberland - A Guoman Hotel in London, Hilton Istanbul Bomonti in Istanbul, Sheraton Al Khalidiya Hotel in Abu Dhabi, Millennium Taiba Hotel Madinah in Saudi Arabia and Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel in Paris.



During the festive season, London hits the highest average price per room which is $200, while Dubais average price is $176, Paris $142, Abu Dhabi $104, Madinah $62 and Istanbul $57.



The top five hotels by leads in GCC were all noticeable in Dubai such as Atlantis The Palm, Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach, Shangri La Hotel Dubai, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates and Golden Sands Hotel Apartments.



Meanwhile, Atlantis The Palm leads the top five hotels by bookings in GCC, followed by Pullman Zamzam Makkah in Mecca, Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, Shangri La Hotel Dubai and Gloria Hotel Dubai. - TradeArabia News Service
Dubai-based Emirates airline has announced that it will stop flights to Tunisia from today (December 25) following instructions from the North African country's authorities.

"Emirates will stop services between Tunis and Dubai, as instructed by the Tunisian authorities, with effect from 25 December 2017," said a message on Emirates' twitter account.

BBC said Tunisia banned Emirates airline after a number of Tunisian women were prevented from boarding its flights.

Meanwhile, the UAE's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said that officials from the UAE had met authorities in Tunisia to discuss certain "security information."

"We have met with the brothers in Tunisia for security information as they have imposed specific and circumstantial measures. In the UAE, we are proud of our experience in empowering women; we appreciate Tunisian women, respect them and value their pioneering experience," Gargash said in a tweet, according to a Khaleej Times report.

The Tunisian transport ministry said it has suspended Emirates flights to Tunis until the airline finds the appropriate solution to operate flights in accordance with international law and agreements.
Flag carrier Oman Air carried over 8 million passengers in 2017, a record 10.9 per cent increase compared to 7.7 million passengers ferried in 2016, said a report.



According to company statistics, Oman Air continued its ambitious expansion programme in the fleet and its airline network with the addition of a number of new aircraft, a report in Times of Oman said.



The number of scheduled flights by Oman Air increased in 2017 to 68,457 flight compared with 30,978 in 2016, the report said.



With regard to commercial freight operations, the statistics showed that they performed well, as commercial cargo operations increased during the year 2017 to reach 98,780 tons.



Furthermore, Oman Air achieved a good on time performance with 87 per cent and in the technical dispatch reliability per aircraft amounted to 99.1 per cent, it said.



Oman Air continued to receive more prestigious awards from various destinations in the airline industry in 2017, reaching 12 international awards recognising the high level of services offered by the airline to passengers on its fleet.
Dukes Dubai, on Palm Jumeirah, has been awarded Slow Food Dubais Snail of Approval.



The award is a recognition programme for food producers, artisans, retail outlets, restaurants and cafes that demonstrate a philosophy of adopting earth friendly practices. These might include reduction in the use of chemicals, use of local and low food mile ingredients, preserving vanishing animal breeds and plant varieties, animal friendly practices, support of small producers, striving to create food that is good, clean and fair.



Dukes Dubai, general manager, Tristan de la Porte du Theil, said: We recognise that, as a large operation, we have an equally large responsibility for the protection of the environment and we are delighted to play our part. We take great pride in the fact that we only use the very best quality, seasonal ingredients, which are sustainable and sourced from local producers, for our menus across our restaurants. We recycle our waste and also employ a composting system at the hotel.



Dukes Dubai operates its signature Great British Restaurant, West 14th American steakhouse, Khyber Dubai and a Champagne and Tea Lounge.



In order to be considered for the award, which was launched in Dubai in 2015 as a catalyst for change, at least 50 per cent of the staff members of the establishment must be members of Slow Food International.



The Snail of Approval award is valid for 12 months and is not automatically renewed. Furthermore, after being awarded the Snail of Approval, the integrity of the restaurants is monitored through ongoing feedback from Slow Food members.



As part of the membership to the Snail of Approval programme, Slow Food Dubai also offers training sessions throughout the year to staff members of the establishments that have been awarded the Snail of Approval. The sessions will discuss the ethos of Slow Food and the importance of applying it when it comes to making daily decisions about the food that is purchased, prepared and consumed. - TradeArabia News Service


By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis statement that his government has relaxed the rule to allow Muslim women to go for Hajj without any male member of the family is an attempt to claim undue credit, Islamic clerics say.

Deoband-based cleric and secretary at Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana Abul Qasim Nomani termed Modis claim was the result of diplomacy and administrative decision, but Islam does not allow Hajj without Mahram.

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In the last episode of Mann ki Baat on Sunday, Narendra Modi claimed that his government has stopped the process which had been in practice for last 70 years.

For decades, injustice was being done to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it. Even in many Islamic countries, this practice does not exist, Modi said in an attempt to again create support among Muslim women.

He further pointed out, Our Ministry of Minority Affairs issued corrective measures and we eased this restriction by phasing out a tradition that had been in practice for the past 70 years.

Today, Muslim women can perform Hajj without Mahram or male guardian, and I am happy to note that this time about 1,300 women have applied for Hajj without Mahram and women from different parts of the country, from Kerala to North India, have expressed their wish to go on Hajj pilgrimage, Modi said further.

Contrary to this claim, Nomani said that he did not want comment on governments claim as it is based on the diplomatic and administrative decisions. But it is clearly mentioned in Hadeeth that women cannot go on Hajj without Mahram. If government permits women to go on Hajj without Mehram, then they are certainly interfering in religious affairs, which they should not.

Other clerics, explaining Saudi Arabias laws said Mahram is necessary for the safety of the women. Saudi Government recently scrapped the necessity of Mahram but introduced the necessity of travelling in groups for the safety of women.

Maulana Mahmood Madani of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind said, It is not the achievement of Modi. He is just taking the credit for the work which was done by the government in Saudi Arabia. Modi government had to scrap the necessity for Mahram following Saudi Governments decision.

According to the clerics, Mahrams importance was for the safety of the women. Soon after the government scrapped the Mahrams rule, they introduced the rule for travelling into the groups, which is also for the safety of Muslim women going for the pilgrimage.

Contrary to Modis claims, Muslim Fund Trust, Deoband told HT that out of total 700 applications received for Hajj 2018, no woman applied to travel alone. Khadim ul Hujjaj told media that if at all a woman submitted an application to go on Hajj alone, they were accommodated in the several groups to avoid violation of Saudi rules.
Mangaluru, Jan 2 (IANS) Two members of Bajrang Dal, a right-wing Hindu outfit were arrested for assaulting two teenage girls for allegedly interacting with Muslim youths here on Tuesday, police said.

We have arrested two men who were assaulting two young students at Pilikula (northeastern part of Mangaluru). The men claim to be members of Hindu organisation Bajrang Dal, Mangaluru Police Commissioner T.R. Suresh told IANS.

The police have registered a First Information Report under sections 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person).

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The youngsters studying at a Pre-University (PU) college in Talipady (about 23km south of Mangaluru) are said to have been attacked for meeting their male friends, who are Muslims. We are carrying out an inquiry into the incident, Suresh added.

A video showing four men, with one of them assaulting the students, was shared on social media on Tuesday. The video also shows a policeman trying to stop the men.
A general court-martial was reconvened in a forward area under 33 Corps to try a brigadier for an act prejudicial to good order and discipline. The brigadier commanding a brigade facing China was accused of having an extramarital love affair with a Lt Col's wife. The Court Martial earlier in October had awarded loss of 10 years seniority and severe reprimand to the officer.

The proceedings were forwarded to Army Hq for confirmation as per the Army Act 1950. Army HQs after examining the case as the competent approving authority asked the Court-martial to re-assemble and enhance the sentence.

The GCM presided over by a Major General with six brigadiers as members have now imposed a stiffer sentence. The Brigadier is to be cashiered and also serve three years prison term for violating the Army act by "stealing" the affections of a fellow officers wife - as is reported by Times of India.

The sentence

The shock sentence shows the army will not tolerate any act that undermines morale and is a deterrent to good order and discipline. The brigadier whose name has been withheld had initially denied the charges till his wife who is a Principal of a Public School in Delhi handed over to the authorities copies of WhatsApp messages exchanged between the Brigadier and the Lt Col's wife.

The army cannot countenance such " love affairs" as many families are left alone, while their husbands serve on the front.

Such an act by an Officer Commanding a sensitive regiment facing China cannot be condoned.This was the reason the confirming authority had sent the award of the GCM back for reconsideration. The GCM was re-convened as per the Army Act 1950 and this time it awarded a stiff sentence. Many feel the offence was not so serious as to merit the award of cashiering.

An officer cashiered is deprived of all monetary benefits and pension or any other retirement benefits.

Moral turpitude

The offence of moral turpitude like having extramarital affairs is frowned upon by all professional forces. In the USA, General Haight a two-star general was disciplined and forced to retire with a reduction in rank, for carrying on a clandestine love affair with a reporter.

In the Indian Navy, two officers have been dismissed for having extramarital affairs. The Hindustan Times has commented that such stiff sentences are required in a fighting force where wives live alone in separate family quarters when their husbands serve in operational areas.
The investigation into Russian election interference continues to move forward as the year comes to a close, despite the White House pushing back. In the latest report on the probe, a former Trump adviser reportedly spilled the beans about Russia and Hillary Clinton during a night of heavy drinking.

Russian trouble

It all started during the early days of the 2016 presidential election and the campaign of Donald Trump. While the former host of "The Apprentice" had been making a political name for himself by lashing out at his critics, including other world leaders, he surprised many by taking time to praise Russian President Vladimir Putin.

After refusing to release his tax returns, speculation grew as to whether or not Trump was hiding potential ties to the Kremlin. After his election win, reports broke finding that Russia hacked the election in favor of a Trump victory, much to the denial of the White House, leading to an investigation being set up to dig deeper into the matter. Since then, several current and former associates of the president have been exposed for their own link to Russia during the investigation, with new information being reported by The New York Times on December 30.

JUST IN: Russian election probe began after Trump aide drunkenly told diplomat Russia had dirt on Clinton: report https://t.co/omJMx3wveM pic.twitter.com/8vmIHXwccG  The Hill (@thehill) December 30, 2017

In a report by the New York Times on Saturday, ex-Trump adviser George Papadopoulos reportedly told a top Australian diplomat in Britain in 2016 that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton, and did so during a night of heavy drinking.

Four individuals have confirmed to the paper that the diplomat in question informed the United States about what Papadopoulos told him, which ultimately led to the investigation into Russian interference.

How did the Russia investigation begin? With a campaign aide, a night of drinking and talk of political dirt on Hillary Clinton. https://t.co/LEHNhipJMJ  The New York Times (@nytimes) December 30, 2017

George Papadopoulos, along with former Donald Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort, were indicted earlier this year as special counsel Robert Mueller puts the heat on those close to the president who might have important information pertaining to the Russian investigation.

Papadopoulos ended up pleading guilty on charges of lying to the FBI about his connections to Russia. As of press time, neither Trump nor the White House have issued a statement about the New York Times report in question.

Next up

While Donald Trump continues to deny any wrongdoing, Robert Mueller and his team continue to put the pieces together to find if the president was in cahoots with Russia during the Kremlin's hacking of the Democratic National Committee. According to the most recent CNN poll on the issue, over 50 percent of Americans disapprove of how Trump has handled Mueller's investigation.
Just days after Christmas and high-profiled conservative Christian leaders have continued to praise Donald Trump for his stance on faith. After hosting the president's "spiritual adviser" over the weekend, Fox News brought on Rev. Franklin Graham to double down.

Graham on Trump

During the 2016 presidential election and since his inauguration, Donald Trump has taken time to focus on ending the so-called "War on Christmas" that many conservatives highlight during the holiday season. The religious right claim that secular liberals and Democrats are trying to phase out Christmas and the phrase "Merry Christmas" in an alleged attack on Christianity.

While no credible evidence has been presented to back up the allegations, the issue is a hot topic at the end of each year. On Christmas, Fox News interviewed Paula White, Donald Trump's "spiritual adviser," who praised the president for his handling of faith in America. As seen on the December 28 broadcast of "Fox & Friends," the controversial Rev. Franklin Graham was there to give similar sediments.

.@Franklin_Graham on @POTUS: He has felt free to come out and defend the Christian faith and I appreciate that about him. @foxandfriends pic.twitter.com/8fvJoP6bga  Fox News (@FoxNews) December 28, 2017

While joining the hosts of "Fox & Friends" on Thursday morning, Franklin Graham was asked about how Donald Trump has presented himself to the faith-based community.

"What I appreciate about Donald Trump is that he's not a politician and he's not in anyone's pocket," Graham said.

"He has felt free to come out and defend the Christian faith and I appreciate that about him," Franklin Graham went on to say. "He has prayer with his cabinet. He asks people to pray for him. He's not afraid to mention Jesus' name in public," he continued.

When asked what the president hasn't been able to do, Graham quickly went to a defensive talking point. "Oh, I cant comment on what he hasn't done. There's so much that he wants to do but he gets blocked. He gets stopped. There's political dysfunction in Washington and that's why I encourage people to pray," the Reverend added.

Instant reaction

Following Franklin Graham's comments, critics of the president were quick to chime in. "Really? When he isn't groping women?" one tweet mockingly asked.

This is laughable. American Christian Churches have become scam organizations hiding pedophiles, money laundering, racially motivated weaponized politics (not paying taxes?), the list goes on. Its time you are called out for your evil.  Elaine SH. (@ElaineMESH) December 28, 2017

@realDonaldTrump is not a Christian. He says he defends the religion because that's what his base wants to hear.  Brad Turek (@BradTurek) December 28, 2017

With "friends" like Trump, Jesus doesn't need enemies. A guy who routinely lies, cheats, risks nuclear war, lives for greed&vanity, preys on women, tolerates racism and increases income inequality so he can benefit- really has chutzpah calling himself Christian.  TheDudeAbides (@DudeAbides2017) December 28, 2017

"With 'friends' like Trump, Jesus doesn't need enemies.

A guy who routinely lies, cheats, risks nuclear war, lives for greed & vanity, preys on women, tolerates racism and increases income inequality so he can benefit- really has chutzpah calling himself Christian," another tweet added. "@realDonaldTrump is not a Christian. He says he defends the religion because that's what his base wants to hear," one Twitter user stated.

@Franklin_Graham do you love all of Gods children or is just Trump voters. We only see you on @FoxNews.  Willie   (@LivingWillie) December 28, 2017

True. But we now have a President who chips away at that separation, playing to his base. And to everyone during this holiday season, happy Chanukah.   JJ (@BronxBoyInMD) December 28, 2017

Trump wears a fake Jesus costume and you know it. It's for show only and to brainwash his supporters - you, too it seems. Underneath he's Judas. Guess you'll ultimately find that out when we all meet our maker.  Mary Carrick (@MaryCarrickSing) December 28, 2017

Fox gives Frankie too much legitimacy.  BigLeagueChew (@IHateTheChew) December 28, 2017

"This is laughable.

American Christian Churches have become scam organizations hiding pedophiles, money laundering, racially motivated weaponized politics," an additional tweet noted. "@Franklin_Graham do you love all of Gods children or is just Trump voters. We only see you on Fox News," yet another tweet read.
Donald Trump has been known to be reckless when it comes to his use of social media and he doesn't look to be changing his tone anytime soon. In his latest tweet, the president has set his sights on the post office.

Trump on post office

It all started during the early days of his campaign for president. After Donald Trump labeled illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers," the majority of the mainstream media hit back with heavy criticism, which only increased as the election went forward. In an attempt to create his own narrative independent of the press, Trump used social media to push his agenda and routinely bash the media, Democrats, Hollywood critics, and even members of his own Republican Party.

Since his inauguration last January, the former host of "The Apprentice" has only increased his use of social media, which was evident in his most recent tweet on December 29 when he decided to go after a new target in the form of the United States Post Office.

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!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2017

Taking to his Twitter feed on Friday morning, Donald Trump ripped into the United States Post Office. "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?" Trump tweeted out, before adding, "Should be charging MUCH MORE!" As expected, the president openly calling for the post office to raise their rates didn't go over well on Twitter.

Twitter backlash

In response to the president's tweet, those who oppose Donald Trump were quick to fire back. "Before he bashes the Postal Service, he should consider that it is subsidizing rural regions, which are more expensive to serve because people in the country are spread out. Its like a charity for remote regions," Walter Shaub wrote.

Before he bashes the Postal Service, he should consider that it is subsidizing rural regions, which are more expensive to serve because people in the country are spread out. Its like a charity for remote regions. Thats the difference between a business and a company.  Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) December 29, 2017

I love the fact that the Post Office and other delivery companies give Amazon a huge discount. That means that I get Prime Shipping when I place an order.  Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) December 29, 2017

"The Post Office charges Amazon and others less because they buy in BULK.

It's a business strategy that many companies use. They make more money in the long run by giving Amazon a break. This is passed along to us, the shoppers!" one Twitter user wrote. "What inspired this bizarre tweet? Out of nowhere you decide to go after USPS?" another tweet read.

Government is NOT A BUSINESS. Your motives are readiness and service levels, not profit. The two are literally diametrically opposed.  Jack (@CaptJack36) December 29, 2017

Excuse me Mr President did u forget that more poor people depends in mailing things to our love ones like to PR for instance. What a shame!  Puertorican77 (@Bb77Perez) December 29, 2017

"Excuse me Mr President did u forget that more poor people depends in mailing things to our love ones like to PR for instance.

What a shame!" an additional tweet added. "Government is NOT A BUSINESS. Your motives are readiness and service levels, not profit. The two are literally diametrically opposed," a follow-up tweet stated.
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.
As 2018 kicks off, the issue of Immigration Reform remains an unanswered question in Washington. For Donald Trump, he's positioning himself in an attack on the Democrats.

Trump on immigration

When Donald Trump announced that he was running for president, his speech gained the most attention due to his comments about immigration reform. The former host of "The Apprentice" referred to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers," resulting in instant backlash from the majority of the mainstream media. Over the course of his entire campaign, and since his inauguration last January, Trump has taken a hard-line on how to move forward with immigration reform, including the possibility of mass deportation and the construction of a Mexican-funded border wall.

The Republican Party as a whole has been vocal in their views on immigration, with most pushing to at least tighten border security, eliminate funding for sanctuary cities, and to allow ICE the ability to deport more undocumented Americans than they have in recent years. One aspect of immigration that is being focused on now is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) which allows DREAMers to stay in the country. Trump commented on this issue during a tweet on January 2.

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

Taking to Twitter on Thursday morning, Donald Trump highlighted the issue of immigration and DACA by predicting that Hispanics would shift their support from the Democratic Party over to the Republican Party.

"Democrats are doing nothing for DACA - just interested in politics," Trump tweeted.

Bipartisan DACA talks set to commence with White House https://t.co/Mut2PxXPak pic.twitter.com/uSdRuKyGNq  POLITICO (@politico) January 2, 2018

"DACA activists and Hispanics will go hard against Dems," Donald Trump wrote, before adding, "will start 'falling in love' with Republicans and their President!" "We are about RESULTS," he concluded.

Trump has made it clear in the past that in order for DACA to be extended and included in his plans for immigration reform, the Democrats would have to concede on ending chain migration and allow for the building of his border wall between the United States and Mexico.

Next up

While immigration is a hot topic, it's unknown if the Republicans and Democrats will be able to find common ground in order to make progress on the issue.

Though the commander in chief believes that he will be able to garner support from Hispanics, recent polling shows otherwise as his general approval rating has dropped under 35 percent after his first year in the White House.
The Eastern USA experienced record-cold temperatures during the last days of 2017 and first days of 2018. Some point to this as proof of the fact that Earth as a whole has not been Warming for decades. The absurdity of such a statement is mind-boggling. This kind of myopic worldview is typical of many in the Western world today. It seems difficult for some to perceive anything beyond their immediate reality. In terms of both time and space, people have forgotten everything that does not directly affect them or reinforce their preconceived notions.

Record cold does not negate record heat

One Cold week for one small section of one continent on the planet does not override entire decades of data on the planet as a whole. Furthermore, while half of America experienced record cold, the rest of the Earth experienced higher than average temperatures. Even Southern California broke a few high-temperature records at the very same time the East coast was undergoing record lows. CNN reports that areas such as Kingman, Arizona are experiencing record highs. Just last Friday, over 32 record highs were recorded, say CNN meteorologists.

Certainly more record #cold lows over the next few days, but interestingly, per a scrape of NWS record statements, I found 31 daily record *highs* were set Friday (West) compared to 9 daily record *lows* (East). pic.twitter.com/xUOolDaDvr  Jonathan Erdman (@wxjerdman) December 30, 2017

33k record highs, 9k record lows in US. As the east and midwest set record lows this weekend, the SW hits record highs.  CDM (@cmcbat) December 29, 2017

Warming deniers are employing a psychological tactic known as counting the hits and excluding the misses.

It involves counting what may be seen as evidence to support your beliefs while ignoring or denying everything that disproves them.

For example, warming deniers have to choose not to see the video of the starving polar bear that made headlines in December of 2017. Or, as an alternative, it can be rationalized away. Perhaps its just a normal ice-thaw (in the dead of winter).

Or maybe were going through a natural cycle caused by the sun (even though nothing like this has happened for millions of years). Some go so far as to claim that we're entering a new cold ice age and that carbon dioxide is good for the planet.

To be fair, the political theatrics employed around this issue do not help people take it seriously. The Washington Examiner reports that "Earth will become a desert without climate deal," according to scientists. As if one agreement based on cutting carbon emissions will solve the entire warming problem or not doing so will be the end of all things.

Definitely not normal

As Ive mentioned previously, Earth is in the midst of its sixth mass extinction event.

Species are becoming extinct at speeds that far exceed the normal background rates. Forest fires are raging across the globe to an extent never seen before. The oceans are dying faster than anything, including once-thriving coral reefs such as the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. UV radiation has become so intense that reports of whales having severe sunburns have become commonplace. And there have been too many mass die-offs of fish or other ocean animals washing up ashore in recent years to count. For example, a few years ago, millions of dead crabs washed ashore in Southern California. Mainstream news sources noted that it might be due to the oceans being a few degrees warmer than average.

Yet this was downplayed as being something normal.

Whats happening to planet Earth is not normal. It has not been seen before in human history and not in millions of years of the planets history. Scientists have determined this by examining ice sheets in the Arctic. By analyzing the gas contents of bubbles within the ice, its possible to see what the atmosphere was like many millennia ago. Current levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are near one million-year highs.

One things for sure  things havent been this bad for a long time, and they have gotten exponentially worse over the last 100 years. The graphic below dispells any myths of a cold planet, despite what may be happening in one tiny section of the Earth at this point in time.
Jax Taylor had heartbreaking news just after Christmas when his Dad, Ronald Cauchi, passed away from esophageal cancer. Jax posted the sad news via his Instagram and Twitter accounts December 28.

It has been such a difficult time for him, but brittany cartwright, his girlfriend and co-star on "Vanderpum Rules," has been very strong for him.

Jax posted, "I cant even breathe anymore, only person not letting me fall right now is my amazing girlfriend," as part of his very sad news tweet.

My heart is broken, I lost my best friend and the best man I have ever met last night, I love you so much dad I cant even breathe anymore, only person not letting me fall right now is my amazing girlfriend. I love you dad.  Jax Taylor (@mrjaxtaylor) December 29, 2017

Brittany is totally there for Jax during his terrible pain

Just at Christmas, Jax was clowning around with Brittany and her family wearing an Elf costume.

A lot of people commented than that it is so good to see the couple working on their relationship after the cheating with Faith Stowers scandal. It is when times are hard and the pain is too much to bear, that relationships really grow stronger.

In the space of just a few days, Jax mentioned Brittany again about how she is helping him. December 29, he posted, "Thank you to everyone for the kind messages, I havent had any strength to respond or breathe for that matter, I just want you all to know Brittany has been reading them to me."

Thank you to everyone for the kind messages, I havent had any strength to respond or breathe for that matter, I just want you all to know Brittany has been reading them to me.   Jax Taylor (@mrjaxtaylor) December 29, 2017

Outpouring of love for Jax Taylor

Tom Schwartz stepped up and posted a wonderful message to Jax on Twitter.

"Let's flood @mrjaxtaylor with love and compassion. So sorry for your loss my friend."

Let's flood @mrjaxtaylor with love and compassion. So sorry for your loss my friend   tom schwartz (@twschwa) December 29, 2017

The outpouring of love was beautiful to see, even though the circumstances are tragic.

Fans also credited Brittany for her support for Jax right now.

"So sorry. Stay strong. I know it's hard, trust me. @BNCartwright is doing the best for you. Your in my thoughts Jax Much Love & Respect," posted one follower.

Another said, "Brittany is a darling. Sorry for your loss x."

Jax Taylor preparing to have life celebration for his dad Saturday

Right now, while working through his loss and pain, Jax and his sister are back in Michigan and are planning the life celebration for his dad this coming weekend, Saturday, January 6.

He tweeted, "My sister and I are Back in Michigan setting up our celebration party for my father that is going take place this Saturday, I will have further details later today."

My sister and I are Back in Michigan setting up our celebration party for my father that is going take place this Saturday, I will have further details later today..   Jax Taylor (@mrjaxtaylor) January 1, 2018

Celebrating his father's life at a party is a lovely idea and many supporters liked the idea. "Thats a lovely idea. Such a positive way to put it. Sympathies to you and your family x," said one tweeter.

Another said, "I'm so sorry about your dad Jax. I pray you find peace & comfort. Your a strong man. You have an amazing woman (@BNCartwright) by your side.

Know your dad will always be with you!! Stay warm while your here. It's a freezing 12 here in Trenton, Michigan."

Do you think a celebration party when your loved one dies is a good idea? How do you feel about Jax and Brittany right now? Do you believe their hardships will cement their relationship? Leave your comments in the box below.
New Years Eve celebrations are planned at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin tonight and authorities have set up a safe zone for women who are feeling sexually harassed. However, the head of a major police officers union says the plan will send a disastrous message, adding that women have the right to feel safe everywhere. A report by ABC News provides much of the information for this article.

Sexual harassment on New Years Eve 2015

Two years ago in Cologne, Germany, 1,200 complaints were filed by women following the New Years Eve celebrations.

According to prosecutors in the city, around 500 of these cases involved sexual offenses. On that night, groups of what appeared to be North African men were hanging around the cathedral and the main railway station and sexually assaulted women during the celebrations. The city of Hamburg also received reports of sexual assaults on women, leading to 245 investigations.

A throwback photo from one year ago tonight when I was in Berlin, here observing the Brandenburg Gate lit up for the impending New Years Eve celebration. pic.twitter.com/Jd5ub6blQ4  Alex Blackwell (@alexrblackwell) December 31, 2017

Safe zone to be made available to harassed women

Resulting from those incidences, Berlin police are setting up the safety area for women in the party mile surrounding the Brandenburg Gate, where Red Cross staff will look after any women who feel they are being sexually harassed.

The area will reportedly be tented and there will be psychologists available to help the women.

As reported by ABC News, Rainer Wendt is the head of the DPoIG police officers trade union in Germany and he believes the safe zone will send a disastrous message. According to Wendt, this message says there are unsafe and safe zones in the city.

He told the German media on Saturday that this would, in effect, mark the end of equality and would also end self-determination and freedom of movement in the city. Wendt believes that whoever came up with this idea does not understand the political dimension, adding that women have the right to feel safe everywhere.

German police union chief slams the creation of a special safe zone for women at the annual New Year's Eve party in front of Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate. https://t.co/erNtv7wa4N  The Associated Press (@AP) December 30, 2017

Terror prevention also in place for New Years Eve

During the New Years Eve celebrations, Germany spends over 130 million ($155 million) on a firework display at midnight. Now, according to Police Chief Uwe Jacob in Cologne, there will, in addition, be 1,400 police officers deployed at the railway station plaza and the cathedral. In this area, fireworks will be banned and additional surveillance cameras have been installed. Improved lighting will also be set up. Hamburg has plans for additional mobile police stations close to Reeperbahn, the red-light district in the city, also with additional cameras and better lighting.

Organisers of Berlin's New Year's Eve celebrations are to set up a "safe zone" for women for the first time.

The new security measures planned for the Brandenburg Gate party come amid concerns about sexual assaults. https://t.co/6FRmK1eKub  Jason (@shootingstar864) December 30, 2017

As reported by Deutsche Welle, after the terrorist attack last year in Berlin, where a terrorist plowed a truck into people enjoying a Christmas market, killing 12, additional concrete bollards are being set up near the Brandenburg Gate for the New Years Eve celebrations. Police are planning to check or search any delivery vehicles seen in the area and pedestrians are banned from carrying large suitcases or bags.
Demonstrators, for the third night in a row, continued their anti-government protests and in the latest Iran news, have attacked a town hall in Tehran. Three protestors were shot and killed by the Revolutionary Guards and despite Iranian government threats against the protestors that if they continue and do not disperse, they will cut off the internet app on their mobile phones. A report by J Post provided most of the facts used in this article.

On social media, videos were posted showing thousands of Iranian demonstrators parading through three Iranian cities, whereas, in the Iranian city of Dorud, numerous reports had spread quickly that several Iranians had been killed by Iranian police forces.

Due to Irans media blackouts and a number of rumors being released, much is unknown of actual facts in order to confirm what is really happening.

Iranian sporadic protest details

Iranian authorities, according to AFP reporters, appear to be countering the unrest by cutting off internet access to mobile phones and associated internet applications, with the governments central internet networks being suspended, at least in the city of Tehran shortly before 12 AM. The most popular social media service in the country, Telegram, was warned by multiple Iranian news networks that its service may be shut down shortly after Iranian communications minister Mohammad-Javad Azari Jahromi blamed one of their popular channels, Amadnews, of urging a massive armed revolt.

#Update76- After the death of four protesters in #Lorestan, young protesters are burning police and security forces bases in the city.



Chanting Death to(down with) Khamenei#IranProtests pic.twitter.com/NkqLQL4Sbp  Raman Ghavami (@Raman_Ghavami) December 30, 2017

Mehr, a conservative news agency, publicized several videos of demonstrators launching an attack at a town hall in Iran's capital city of Tehran and also showed where protestors were overturning a police car and setting an Iranian flag on fire.

Israel and US response to the Iranian protests

Israelis Prime Ministers Office released no statements as of Saturday evening (Dec. 30), but Gilad Erdan of the Public Security and Strategic Affairs Minister stated that what he is seeing came as no surprise to anyone. Erdan posted on his Twitter account and said that Iran continues to waste money, in the billions, supporting Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist activities around the world and he further stated, Its no wonder that many Iranians are bravely standing up and speaking out against the Iranian leadership.

#Iran is wasting billions of dollars funding Hezbollah, Hamas, the Assad regime & terrorism throughout the world, rather than investing in the Iranian people. It's no wonder that many Iranians are bravely standing up & speaking out against the Iranian leadership. #Iranprotests    (@giladerdan1) December 30, 2017

The US response was similar to where the Trump administration cautioned Iran to not detain or assault the peaceful protesters, as video emerged of the demonstrations showcasing the violence from Irans Basij militia and the large presence of Irans armed forces.

President Trump tweeted, The world is watching! and also stated that the international community is closely watching and that Iran needs to respect their peoples right and their right to express themselves.

In response to the US and President Trumps comments, Irans state-sponsored media outlet recited Irans MOF spokesperson, who said that the Iranian people see no value in the devious claims by American officials and Mr. Trump. As to what will happen in the days and weeks ahead in Iran, that is uncertain.